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Understanding The Hiv/Sti Risks And Prevention Needs Of Men Who Have Sex With Men In Nairobi, Kenya, Washington Onyango-Ouma, Harriet Birungi, Scott Geibel

HIV and AIDS

Despite increasing awareness of the role men who have sex with men (MSM) can play in the dynamics of HIV transmission in Africa, research on MSM in Kenya has been limited. In response to this gap, researchers from the Institute of African Studies at the University of Nairobi and the Horizons and FRONTIERS programs of the Population Council undertook a study of MSM in Nairobi. The overall goals of the study were to understand the extent to which MSM are at risk of HIV and other STIs, identify the factors associated with risk behaviors, and identify MSM sexual health needs …

Prophylactic Defibrillator Implantation—Toward An Evidence-Based Approach, Alan H. Kadish

Office of the President Publications and Research

The author discusses research on using implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for the primary prevention of sudden death.

What Is The Safety And Efficacy Of Biobrane Versus Silver Sulfadiazine In The Treatment Of Low Body Surface Area Partial-Thickness Burns?, Gregory Wanner

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: To determine how the synthetic skin substitute Biobrane compares to silver sulfadiazine (SSD, silvadine) in the treatment of patients with low body surface area partial thickness burns.

Gene Therapy And Targeted Toxins For Glioma, James Curtin, Gwendalyn King, Marianela Candolfi, Kurt Kroeger, Pedro Lowenstein, Maria Castro

Articles

The most common primary brain tumor in adults is glioblastoma. These tumors are highly invasive and aggressive with a mean survival time of nine to twelve months from diagnosis to death. Current treatment modalities are unable to significantly prolong survival in patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. As such, glioma is an attractive target for developing novel therapeutic approaches utilizing gene therapy. This review will examine the available preclinical models for glioma including xenographs, syngeneic and genetic models. Several promising therapeutic targets are currently being pursued in pre-clinical investigations. These targets will be reviewed by mechanism of action, i.e., conditional cytotoxic, targeted …

'The Aids Is Coming And There Is Nowhere To Run...': Culture, Gender, And The Politics Of Kisongo Maasai Women And Girls' Vulnerability To Hiv/Aids (Immune Deficiency, Tanzania), V. Corey Wright

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis outlines the research findings and implications for practice generated from the, “A Gender Issue: Reducing the Vulnerability of Kisongo Maasai Girls to HIV/AIDS” project, which was a participatory action research (PAR) study in collaboration with the Kisongo Maasai in Northern Tanzania. The objectives of the study were to explore the factors that may contribute to girls’ vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and develop a culturally-specific framework that may contribute to effective design and administration of program and policy-level interventions. The findings of this study illustrate the ‘politics of health’ that determine girls’ vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. It presents a cultural analysis …

Estimation Of Subject Specific Icp Dynamic Models Using Prospective Clinical Data, Wayne W. Wakeland, Joe Fusion, B. Goldstein

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

We used a prospective clinical trial to generate physiologic data to create subject-specific in silico (computer simulation) models of intracranial pressure dynamics in children with severe traumatic brain injury. The trial included a physiologic challenge protocol with changes in head-of-bed elevation and minute ventilation, applied over multiple iterations to three subjects. Physiologic signals (electrocardiogram, respiration, arterial blood pressure, intracranial pressure [ICP], oxygen saturation) were recorded continuously, along with clinical annotations indicating the precise timing of physiologic challenges. Several parameters within the model of ICP dynamics were estimated for each subject based on the ICP response to the challenges. Estimation was …

Implantable Cardioverter–Defibrillators: Reply, Alan H. Kadish

Office of the President Publications and Research

The author replies to comments on a previously published article discussing implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

Brucellosis In Alpacas (Lama Pacos) In Communities Of The City Ulla Ulla, Franz Tomayo Province, Department Of La Paz, Macario Suxo Blanco

Theses and Dissertations

This investigation was performed in the Altiplano Altoandino sub-humid region in the Ulla Ulla district, Pelechuco township, Franz Tomayo province, department of La Paz, Bolivia. The objective of this study was to quantify and compare the presence of Brucellosis in male and female alpacas (Lama pacos) at ages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 years. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 500 alpacas from the Hichucollo, Huacuchani, Ucha Ucha, and Ulla Ulla communities. The serum from each sample was separated and a serological diagnosis was performed by rapid agglutination with Rose Bengal chemical stain. In the …

Cutting Edge: Cd4+Cd25+ Regulatory T Cells Contribute To Gender Differences In Susceptibility To Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Jay Reddy, Hanspeter Waldner, Xingmin Zhang, Zsolt Illes, Kai W. Wucherpfennig, Raymond A. Sobel, Vijay K. Kuchroo

Jay Reddy Publications

Female B10.S mice are highly resistant to proteolipid protein (PLP) 139–151-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and depletion of PLP 139–151- reactive CD4+CD25+regulatory T (Treg) cells can slightly increase their EAE susceptibility. Although male B10.S mice are moderately susceptible to EAE, we report that depletion of Treg cells in male B10.S mice before immunization with PLP 139–151 renders them highly susceptible to severe EAE with more CNS neutrophil infiltrates than nondepleted controls. Increased susceptibility is associated with an enhanced PLP 139–151-specific T cell response and greater production of IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-17. Male CD4+CD25+ effector cells depleted of Treg cells proliferate …

Potential Roles Of Follicular Dendritic Cell–Associated Osteopontin In Lymphoid Follicle Pathology And Repair And In B Cell Regulation In Hiv-1 And Siv Infection, Qingsheng Li, Jeffrey D. Lifson, Lijie Duan, Timothy Schacker, Cavan Reilly, John V. Carlis, Jacob D. Estes, Ashley T. Haase

Qingsheng Li Publications

Osteopontin is a multifunctional protein with known roles in bone remodeling, wound healing, and normal and pathological immune responses. We showed in microarray studies that osteopontin gene expression is increased in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)–infected lymphatic tissues after treatment, and we undertook mapping experiments to study osteopontin’s possible functions in this context. We discovered species-specific colocalization of osteopontin with the follicular dendritic cell (FDC) network in lymphatic tissues in HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus infections, and we found that changes in FDC-associated osteopontin covary with changes in lymphoid follicles during acute and late stages of infection and in …

Interleukin-17/Interleukin-17 Receptor-Mediated Signaling Is Important For Generation Of An Optimal Polymorphonuclear Response Against Toxoplasma Gondii Infection, Michelle N. Kelly, Jay K. Kolls, Kyle Happel, Joseph D. Schwartzman

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigated the role of interleukin-17 (IL-17)/IL-17 receptor (IL-17R)-mediated signaling in the protective immunity against Toxoplasma gondii. IL-17R−/− mice developed a normal adaptive immunity against the parasite. However, increased mortality in the knockout animals can be attributed to a defect in the migration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes to infected sites during early infection.

Combining Cytotoxic And Immune-Mediated Gene Therapy To Treat Brain Tumors, James Curtin, Gwendalyn King, Marianela Candolfi, Remy Greeno, Kurt Kroeger, Pedro Lowenstein, Maria Castro

Articles

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a type of intracranial brain tumor, for which there is no cure. In spite of advances in surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, patients die within a year of diagnosis. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop novel therapeutic approaches for this disease. Gene therapy, which is the use of genes or other nucleic acids as drugs, is a powerful new treatment strategy which can be developed to treat GBM. Several treatment modalities are amenable for gene therapy implementation, e.g. conditional cytotoxic approaches, targeted delivery of toxins into the tumor mass, immune stimulatory strategies, and these will all …

Characterization Of Migrating Cells From Ventricular Zone (Vz) To Distant Limbic Structures After Multiple Neonatal Seizures, Melissa Corcia

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction Predicts Poor Prognosis In Patients With Mild To Moderate Tetanus, Mohammad Wasay, Bhojo A. Khealani, Naasha Talati, Rohmah Shamsi, Nadir Ali Syed, Naseem Salahuddin

Department of Medicine

Background

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction is present in up to one third of patients with tetanus. The prognostic value of ANS dysfunction is known in severe tetanus but its value is not well established in mild to moderate tetanus.

Methods

Medical records of all patients admitted with tetanus at two academic tertiary care centers in Karachi, Pakistan were reviewed. The demographic, clinical and laboratory data was recorded and analyzed. ANS dysfunction was defined as presence of labile or persistent hypertension or hypotension and sinus tachycardia, tachyarrythmia or bradycardia on EKG. Patients were divided into two groups based on presence …

Inhibitory Activity Against Listeria Monocytogenes By Soy-Protein Edible Film Containing Grape Seed Extract, Nisin, And Malic Acid, Brittany Adams, T. Sivarooban, Navam S. Hettiarachchy, M. G. Johnson

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The frequent outbreaks of food-borne illness necessitate development of intervention strategies, including the use of natural antimicrobials. Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most important bacterial pathogens that recently has caused a significant number of outbreaks. With the aim of finding potent natural agents that can minimize pathogen contamination concerns, this study evaluated the inhibitory activities against L. monocytogenes of grape seed extract (GSE), malic acid (M), nisin (N), and combinations thereof incorporated into soy-protein edible films. Soy-protein films with/without addition of antimicrobial agents (GSE: 1%, Nisin: 10,000 IU/g, Malic acid: 1%, and their combinations) were prepared and evaluated for …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 2004, Zelpha B. Johnson, D. Wayne Kellogg

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

The Potential Role Of Ledgf/P75 In Prostate Cancer, Tracy Ruth Daniels

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The serum autoantibody repertoire from cancer patients is currently being exploited for the identification of tumor associated antigens (TAA) and the design of TAA arrays. Such arrays would facilitate autoantibody profiling and potentially aid in the serological diagnosis and prognosis of tumors. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize prostate-specific TAA. We observed that while the general frequency and titers of autoantibodies in PCa patients were relatively similar to those in matched controls, significant differences could be detected between the two groups in the autoantibody response to the lens epithelial-derived growth factor p75 (LEDGF/p75). LEDGF/p75 is a …

Bayesian Hierarchical Distributed Lag Models For Summer Ozone Exposure And Cardio-Respiratory Mortality, Yi Huang, Francesca Dominici, Michelle L. Bell

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

In this paper, we develop Bayesian hierarchical distributed lag models for estimating associations between daily variations in summer ozone levels and daily variations in cardiovascular and respiratory (CVDRESP) mortality counts for 19 U.S. large cities included in the National Morbidity Mortality Air Pollution Study (NMMAPS) for the period 1987 - 1994.

At the first stage, we define a semi-parametric distributed lag Poisson regression model to estimate city-specific relative rates of CVDRESP associated with short-term exposure to summer ozone. At the second stage, we specify a class of distributions for the true city-specific relative rates to estimate an overall effect by …

Multiple Testing And Data Adaptive Regression: An Application To Hiv-1 Sequence Data, Merrill D. Birkner, Sandra E. Sinisi, Mark J. Van Der Laan

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Analysis of viral strand sequence data and viral replication capacity could potentially lead to biological insights regarding the replication ability of HIV-1. Determining specific target codons on the viral strand will facilitate the manufacturing of target specific antiretrovirals. Various algorithmic and analysis techniques can be applied to this application. We propose using multiple testing to find codons which have significant univariate associations with replication capacity of the virus. We also propose using a data adaptive multiple regression algorithm to obtain multiple predictions of viral replication capacity based on an entire mutant/non-mutant sequence profile. The data set to which these techniques …

Myelin Proteolipid Protein-Specific Cd4+ Cd25+ Regulatory Cells Mediate Genetic Resistance To Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Jay Reddy, Zsolt Illés, Xingmin Zhang, Jeffrey Encinas, Jason Pyrdol, Lindsay Nicholson, Raymond A. Sobel, Kai W. Wucherpfennig, Vijay K. Kuchroo, James P. Allison

Jay Reddy Publications

SJL mice are highly susceptible to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced with myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) peptide 139–151, whereas H-2 congenic B10.S mice are resistant. Immunodominance and susceptibility to EAE are associated with a high precursor frequency of PLP 139–151-specific T cells in the naive repertoire of SJL mice. To understand the mechanism of EAE resistance in B10.S mice, we determined the precursor frequency of PLP 139–151-reactive T cells in both strains by using IA^s/PLP 139–151 tetramers. SJL and B10.S mice had similar frequencies of tetramer-reactive T cells in the naive peripheral repertoire. However, in SJL mice, the …

T-Cell Responses To The M3 Immune Evasion Protein Of Murid Gammaherpesvirus 68 Are Partially Protective And Induced With Lytic Antigen Kinetics, Joshua J. Obar, Douglas C. Donovan, Sarah G. Crist, Ondine Silvia, James P. Stewart, Edward J. Usherwood

Dartmouth Scholarship

DNA vaccination with the M3 gene, encoding an immune evasion molecule expressed during both the acute lytic and persistent phases of murid gammaherpesvirus 68 infection, yielded a significantly lower titer of virus in the lung than controls. The protection seen was dependent on T cells, and we mapped an epitope recognized by CD8 T cells. The immune response to this epitope follows the same kinetics as lytic cycle antigens, despite the fact that this gene is expressed in both lytic and persistent stages of infection. This has important implications for our understanding of T-cell responses to putative latency-associated gammaherpesvirus proteins …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Carol C. Harter, Cate Weeks, Cayrn Key

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

A Hypothesis Test For The End Of A Common Source Outbreak, Ron Brookmeyer, Xiaojun You

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

The objective of this paper is to develop a hypothesis testing procedure to determine whether a common source outbreak has ended. We do not assume that the calendar date of exposure to the pathogen is known. We assume an underlying parametric model for the incubation period distribution of a 2-paramter exponential model with a guarantee time, although the parameters are not assumed to be known. The hypothesis testing procedure is based on the spacings between ordered calendar dates of disease onset of the cases. A simulation study was performed to evaluate the robustness of the methods to a lognormal model …

Distinct Gene Expression Profiles In Different B-Cell Compartments In Human Peripheral Lymphoid Organs., Yulei Shen, Javeed Iqbal, Li Xiao, Ryan C. Lynch, Andreas Rosenwald, Louis M. Staudt, Simon Sherman, Karen Dybkaer, Guimei Zhou, James D. Eudy, Jan Delabie, Timothy W. Mckeithan, Wing C. Chan

Journal Articles: Eppley Institute

BACKGROUND: There are three major B-cell compartments in peripheral lymphoid organs: the germinal center (GC), the mantle zone (MNZ) and the marginal zone (MGZ). Unique sets of B-cells reside in these compartments, and they have specific functional roles in humoral immune response. MNZ B cells are naive cells in a quiescent state and may participate in GC reactions upon proper stimulation. The adult splenic MGZ contains mostly memory B cells and is also known to provide a rapid response to particulate antigens. The GC B-cells proliferate rapidly and undergo selection and affinity maturation. The B-cell maturational process is accompanied by …

Effect Of Misreported Family History On Mendelian Mutation Prediction Models, Hormuzd A. Katki

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

People with familial history of disease often consult with genetic counselors about their chance of carrying mutations that increase disease risk. To aid them, genetic counselors use Mendelian models that predict whether the person carries deleterious mutations based on their reported family history. Such models rely on accurate reporting of each member's diagnosis and age of diagnosis, but this information may be inaccurate. Commonly encountered errors in family history can significantly distort predictions, and thus can alter the clinical management of people undergoing counseling, screening, or genetic testing. We derive general results about the distortion in the carrier probability estimate …

Revisiting Vaccine Hesitancy, Barriers And Motivators To Obtaining A Flu Vaccine In A New Covid-19 Pandemic World, Ann M. Mayo Rn, Dnsc, Faan, Steffanie R. Cobler Np

School of Nursing and Health Science: Faculty Scholarship

Purpose

To describe and compare patient perceived barriers and motivators and decision-making conflict between two groups of hospitalized patients, those who receive flu vaccines and those who do not.

Data Sources

Data collection during 2003 included extracting data from databases and mailing two surveys to 436 discharged patients. One hundred eight (108) patients participated in the study.

Conclusions

Top barriers included fear of side effects from vaccine (35%) and fear of contracting the flu (30%). Top motivators for obtaining a flu vaccine included previous vaccination (93%) and provider recommendation (62%). Barriers, motivators and patient decisional conflict differed depending upon patient …

Psychological Factors Associated With Anticipatory Nausea And Vomiting, Melinda L. Nielsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Many cancer patients experience adverse chemotherapy-related side effects. The present study examined the relationships among disease variables (i.e. stage of cancer, type of breast cancer), medical treatment variables (i.e. toxicity of chemotherapy regimen, strength of antiemetic treatment), psychological variables (i.e. health locus of control, anxiety sensitivity, desire for control, coping strategies), and anticipatory nausea and vomiting in women with breast cancer. One hundred women with breast cancer completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale - Form C, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, the Krantz Health Opinion Survey, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and …

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 9 - Enhancing The Emergency Disease Response Capability Of The Western Australian Department Of Fisheries And Industry Bodies Associated With Freshwater Crayfish. Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram: Frdc Project No. 2003/671, Frances Stephens, Brian Jones, Iain East, Karina Scott, Simon Bennison

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

CRAYFISH PLAGUE IS A MAJOR DISEASE AFFECTING FRESHWATER CRAYFISH IN SOME AREAS OF THE WORLD. THE DISEASE HAS NEVER BEEN REPORTED IN AUSTRALIA. THE SIMULATION EXERCISE THAT WAS UNDERTAKEN AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WAS A RESPONSE TO A FICTITIOUS OUTBREAK OF CRAYFISH PLAGUE.

Funding for this project was provided to enable an exercise simulating an outbreak of crayfish plague to be conducted in Western Australia. Crayfish plague is a fungal disease (Aphanomyces astaci) that has devastated some freshwater crayfish populations in Europe but has never been recorded in Australia. The exercise was planned arounda fictitious outbreak of crayfish plague …

Modified Amino Acid Copolymers Suppress Myelin Basic Protein 85–99-Induced Encephalomyelitis In Humanized Mice Through Different Effects On T Cells, Zsolt Illés, Joel N.H. Stern, Jay Reddy, Hanspeter Waldner, Marcin P. Mycko, Celia F. Brosnan, Stephan Ellmerich, Daniel M. Altmann, Laura Santambrogio, Jack L. Strominger, Vijay K. Kuchroo

Jay Reddy Publications

A humanized mouse bearing the HLA-DR2 (DRA/DRB1*1501) pro- tein associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the myelin basic protein (MBP) 85–99-specific HLA-DR2-restricted T cell receptor from an MS patient has been used to examine the effectiveness of modified amino acid copolymers poly(F,Y,A,K)n and poly- (V,W,A,K)n in therapy of MBP 85–99-induced experimental auto-immune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in comparison to Copolymer 1 [Copaxone, poly(Y,E,A,K)n]. The copolymers were designed to optimize binding to HLA-DR2. Vaccination, prevention, and treatment of MBP-induced EAE in the humanized mice with copolymers FYAK and VWAK ameliorated EAE more effectively than Copolymer 1, reduced the number of pathological lesions, and …

Inside Unlv, Cate Weeks, Carol C. Harter, Diane Russell, Holly Ivy De Vore

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.