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  1. HIV Pathogenesis: Abstracts from the March 2017 Cleveland Immunopathogenesis Consortium Meeting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael M. Lederman

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The Cleveland Immunopathogenesis Consortium (CLIC was launched in March 2004 by a small group of investigators (Ron Bosch, Jason Brenchley,  Steven Deeks, Danny Douek, Zvi Grossman, Robert Kalayjian, Clifford Harding, Michael Lederman, Leonid Margolis, Miguel Quinones, Benigno Rodriguez, Rafick Sekaly, Scott Sieg, and Guido Silvestri who were increasingly persuaded that immune activation was an important driver of HIV pathogenesis. We met around a chalk board and scribbled our models of pathogenesis, designed some experiments then went back home to do them. We met again soon to review our new and unpublished findings that refined and shaped these models. The data presentations were short, informal and heavy on discussion. The model worked well, the consortium was productive and the meetings catalyzed numerous collaborations and scores of high impact papers. The CLIC (less formally, the Bad Boys of Cleveland [1] has been meeting regularly since then. Consortium membership has expanded to include other investigators (some are listed in the presentations below. Whether the goal is to prevent the morbid complications of HIV infection, to understand the determinants of HIV persistence or the factors that protect from acquisition of infection, a more clear understanding of HIV immunopathogenesis is central. Here in this issue of Pathogens and Immunity is a brief summary of the most recent CLIC//BBC meeting held in Cleveland in March 2017.

  2. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and cytochrome P450 in HIV pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, P. S. S.; Kumar, Santosh

    2015-01-01

    High prevalence of cigarette smoking in HIV patients is associated with increased HIV pathogenesis and disease progression. While the effect of smoking on the occurrence of lung cancer has been studied extensively, the association between smoking and HIV pathogenesis is poorly studied. We have recently shown the possible role of cytochrome P450 (CYP) in smoking/nicotine-mediated viral replication. In this review, we focus on the potential role of CYP pathway in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), important constituents of cigarette smoke, mediated HIV pathogenesis. More specifically, we will discuss the role of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, which are the major PAH-activating CYP enzymes. Our results have shown that treatment with cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) increases viral replication in HIV-infected macrophages. CSC contains PAH, which are known to be activated by CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 into procarcinogens/toxic metabolites. The expression of these CYPs is regulated by aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AHR), the cellular target of PAH, and an important player in various diseases including cancer. We propose that PAH/AHR-mediated CYP pathway is a novel target to develop new interventions for HIV positive smokers. PMID:26082767

  3. Genome-wide association studies on HIV susceptibility, pathogenesis and pharmacogenomics

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    van Manen Daniëlle

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Susceptibility to HIV-1 and the clinical course after infection show a substantial heterogeneity between individuals. Part of this variability can be attributed to host genetic variation. Initial candidate gene studies have revealed interesting host factors that influence HIV infection, replication and pathogenesis. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS were utilized for unbiased searches at a genome-wide level to discover novel genetic factors and pathways involved in HIV-1 infection. This review gives an overview of findings from the GWAS performed on HIV infection, within different cohorts, with variable patient and phenotype selection. Furthermore, novel techniques and strategies in research that might contribute to the complete understanding of virus-host interactions and its role on the pathogenesis of HIV infection are discussed.

  4. HIV Infection of Macrophages: Implications for Pathogenesis and Cure

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    Kiera Leigh Clayton

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Although CD4+ T cells represent the major reservoir of persistent HIV and SIV infection, accumulating evidence suggests that macrophages also contribute. However, investigations of the role of macrophages are often underrepresented at HIV pathogenesis and cure meetings. This was the impetus for a scientific workshop dedicated to this area of study, held in Cambridge, MA in January 2017. The workshop brought together experts in the fields of HIV/SIV immunology/virology, macrophage biology and immunology, and animal models of HIV/SIV infection to facilitate discussions regarding the role of macrophages as a physiologically relevant viral reservoir, and the implications of macrophage infection for HIV pathogenesis and cure strategies. An emerging consensus that infected macrophages likely persist in the setting of combination antiretroviral therapy, driving persistent inflammation and contributing to the viral reservoir, indicate the importance of addressing macrophages as well as CD4+ T cells with future therapeutic strategies.

  5. The Gut Microbiome and HIV-1 Pathogenesis: A Two Way Street

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    Dillon, Stephanie M.; Frank, Daniel N.; Wilson, Cara C.

    2016-01-01

    HIV-1 infection is associated with substantial damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract resulting in structural impairment of the epithelial barrier and a disruption of intestinal homeostasis. The accompanying translocation of microbial products and potentially microbes themselves from the lumen into systemic circulation has been linked to immune activation, inflammation, and HIV-1 disease progression. The importance of microbial translocation in the setting of HIV-1 infection has led to a recent focus on understanding how the communities of microbes that make up the intestinal microbiome are altered during HIV-1 infection and how they interact with mucosal immune cells to contribute to inflammation. This review details the dysbiotic intestinal communities associated with HIV-1 infection and their potential link to HIV-1 pathogenesis. We detail studies that begin to address the mechanisms driving microbiota-associated immune activation and inflammation and the various treatment strategies aimed at correcting dysbiosis and improving the overall health of HIV-1 infected individuals. Finally, we discuss how this relatively new field of research can advance to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the contribution of the gut microbiome to HIV-1 pathogenesis. PMID:27755100

  6. HIV-1 Nef in Macrophage-Mediated Disease Pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamers, Susanna L.; Fogel, Gary B.; Singer, Elyse J.; Salemi, Marco; Nolan, David J.; Huysentruyt, Leanne C.; McGrath, Michael S.

    2013-01-01

    Combined anti-retroviral therapy (cART) has significantly reduced the number of AIDS-associated illnesses and changed the course of HIV-1 disease in developed countries. Despite the ability of cART to maintain high CD4+ T-cell counts, a number of macrophage-mediated diseases can still occur in HIV-infected subjects. These diseases include lymphoma, metabolic diseases, and HIV-associated neurological disorders. Within macrophages, the HIV-1 regulatory protein “Nef” can modulate surface receptors, interact with signaling pathways, and promote specific environments that contribute to each of these pathologies. Moreover, genetic variation in Nef may also guide the macrophage response. Herein, we review findings relating to the Nef–macrophage interaction and how this relationship contributes to disease pathogenesis. PMID:23215766

  7. The pathogenesis of HIV infection: stupid may not be so dumb after all

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    Smith Stephen M

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In the mid-1990's, researchers hypothesized, based on new viral load data, that HIV-1 causes CD4+ T-cell depletion by direct cytopathic effect. New data from non-human primate studies has raised doubts about this model of HIV-1 pathogenesis. Despite having high levels of viremia, most SIV infections are well tolerated by their natural hosts. Two recent studies of these models provide information, which may be useful in determining how HIV-1 causes CD4+ T-cell loss. A full understanding of pathogenesis may lead to novel therapies, which preserve the immune system without blocking virus replication.

  8. Human immunodeficiency virus-associated disruption of mucosal barriers and its role in HIV transmission and pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS disease

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    Tugizov, Sharof

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Oral, intestinal and genital mucosal epithelia have a barrier function to prevent paracellular penetration by viral, bacterial and other pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV can overcome these barriers by disrupting the tight and adherens junctions of mucosal epithelia. HIV-associated disruption of epithelial junctions may also facilitate paracellular penetration and dissemination of other viral pathogens. This review focuses on possible molecular mechanisms of HIV-associated disruption of mucosal epithelial junctions and its role in HIV transmission and pathogenesis of HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). PMID:27583187

  9. Applications of the FIV Model to Study HIV Pathogenesis

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    Craig Miller

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV is a naturally-occurring retrovirus that infects domestic and non-domestic feline species, producing progressive immune depletion that results in an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS. Much has been learned about FIV since it was first described in 1987, particularly in regard to its application as a model to study the closely related lentivirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. In particular, FIV and HIV share remarkable structure and sequence organization, utilize parallel modes of receptor-mediated entry, and result in a similar spectrum of immunodeficiency-related diseases due to analogous modes of immune dysfunction. This review summarizes current knowledge of FIV infection kinetics and the mechanisms of immune dysfunction in relation to opportunistic disease, specifically in regard to studying HIV pathogenesis. Furthermore, we present data that highlight changes in the oral microbiota and oral immune system during FIV infection, and outline the potential for the feline model of oral AIDS manifestations to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of HIV-induced oral disease. Finally, we discuss advances in molecular biology, vaccine development, neurologic dysfunction, and the ability to apply pharmacologic interventions and sophisticated imaging technologies to study experimental and naturally occurring FIV, which provide an excellent, but often overlooked, resource for advancing therapies and the management of HIV/AIDS.

  10. Interplay of HIV-1 phenotype and neutralizing antibody response in pathogenesis of AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarlatti, G; Leitner, T; Hodara, V; Jansson, M; Karlsson, A; Wahlberg, J; Rossi, P; Uhlén, M; Fenyö, E M; Albert, J

    1996-06-01

    A majority of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals display a rapid loss of CD4+ lymphocytes with fast progression towards overt acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, a small proportion of individuals infected by HIV-1 remain immunologically intact for many years. In order to identify factors that might influence the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection, 21 Italian mothers and 11 Swedish homosexual men were studied for the presence of autologous neutralizing antibodies in serum, biological phenotype of virus isolates and envelope variable region 3 (V3) sequences. The results were compared to the risk of mother-to-child transmission and progression of the disease. The presence of a neutralizing antibody response to the autologous virus as well as a virus with slow replicative capacity were linked both to low risk of mother-to-child transmission and non-progression of the disease. Patients whose peripheral blood mononuclear cells contained a mutation in the tip of the V3 loop (Arg318 to serine, lysine or leucine) significantly more often had neutralizing antibodies to autologous virus isolates containing arginine at this position. Thus, it appears that the interplay and balance between neutralizing antibody response of the host and the biological phenotype of HIV-1 strongly influence pathogenesis.

  11. Oligodendrocyte Injury and Pathogenesis of HIV-1-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders

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    Han Liu

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Oligodendrocytes wrap neuronal axons to form myelin, an insulating sheath which is essential for nervous impulse conduction along axons. Axonal myelination is highly regulated by neuronal and astrocytic signals and the maintenance of myelin sheaths is a very complex process. Oligodendrocyte damage can cause axonal demyelination and neuronal injury, leading to neurological disorders. Demyelination in the cerebrum may produce cognitive impairment in a variety of neurological disorders, including human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND. Although the combined antiretroviral therapy has markedly reduced the incidence of HIV-1-associated dementia, a severe form of HAND, milder forms of HAND remain prevalent even when the peripheral viral load is well controlled. HAND manifests as a subcortical dementia with damage in the brain white matter (e.g., corpus callosum, which consists of myelinated axonal fibers. How HIV-1 brain infection causes myelin injury and resultant white matter damage is an interesting area of current HIV research. In this review, we tentatively address recent progress on oligodendrocyte dysregulation and HAND pathogenesis.

  12. Pathogenesis and treatment of HIV-1 infection: recent developments (Y2K update).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewhurst, S L; da Cruz, R L; Whetter, L

    2000-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the etiologic agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The pathogenesis of HIV-1-induced disease is complex and characterized by the interplay of both viral and host factors, which together determine the outcome of infection. An improved understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of AIDS, combined with recent insights into the dynamics of viral infection may provide powerful new opportunities for therapeutic intervention against this virus.

  13. The pathogenesis of liver disease in the setting of HIV-hepatitis B virus coinfection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iser, David M; Lewin, Sharon R

    2009-01-01

    There are many potential reasons for increased liver-related mortality in HIV-hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection compared with either infection alone. HIV infects multiple cells in the liver and might potentially alter the life cycle of HBV, although evidence to date is limited. Unique mutations in HBV have been defined in HIV-HBV-coinfected individuals and might directly alter pathogenesis. In addition, an impaired HBV-specific T-cell immune response is likely to be important. The roles of microbial translocation, immune activation and increased hepatic stellate cell activation will be important areas for future study.

  14. HIV-1 impairs human retinal pigment epithelial barrier function: possible association with the pathogenesis of HIV-associated retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Suiyi; Duan, Heng; Xun, Tianrong; Ci, Wei; Qiu, Jiayin; Yu, Fei; Zhao, Xuyan; Wu, Linxuan; Li, Lin; Lu, Lu; Jiang, Shibo; Liu, Shuwen

    2014-07-01

    The breakdown of human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) barrier is considered as the etiology of retinopathy, which affects the quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. Here we demonstrate that HIV-1 could directly impair HRPE barrier function, which leads to the translocation of HIV-1 and bacteria. HRPE cells (D407) were grown to form polarized, confluent monolayers and treated with different HIV-1 infectious clones. A significant increase of monolayer permeability, as measured by trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and apical-basolateral movements of sodium fluorescein, was observed. Disrupted tightness of HRPE barrier was associated with the downregulation of several tight junction proteins in D407 cells, including ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1, Claudin-2, Claudin-3, Claudin-4, and Claudin-5, after exposure to HIV-1, without affecting the viability of cells. HIV-1 gp120 was shown to participate in the alteration of barrier properties, as evidenced by decreased TEER and weakened expression of tight junction proteins in D407 monolayers after exposure to pseudotyped HIV-1, UV-inactivated HIV-1, and free gp120, but not to an envelope (Env)-defective mutant of HIV. Furthermore, exposure to HIV-1 particles could induce the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in D407, including IL-6 and MCP-1, both of which downregulated the expression of ZO-1 in the HRPE barrier. Disrupted HRPE monolayer allowed translocation of HIV-1 and bacteria across the epithelium. Overall, these findings suggest that HIV-1 may exploit its Env glycoprotein to induce an inflammatory state in HRPE cells, which could result in impairment of HRPE monolayer integrity, allowing virus and bacteria existing in ocular fluids to cross the epithelium and penetrate the HRPE barrier. Our study highlights the role of HIV-1 in the pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS-related retinopathy and suggests potential therapeutic targets for this ocular complication.

  15. 'Omics investigations of HIV and SIV pathogenesis and innate immunity.

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    Palermo, Robert E; Fuller, Deborah H

    2013-01-01

    In the 30 years since the advent of the AIDS epidemic, the biomedical community has put forward a battery of molecular therapies that are based on the accumulated knowledge of a limited number of viral targets. Despite these accomplishments, the community still confronts unanswered foundational questions about HIV infection. What are the cellular or biomolecular processes behind HIV pathogenesis? Can we elucidate the characteristics that distinguish those individuals who are naturally resistant to either infection or disease progression? The discovery of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) and the ensuing development of in vivo, nonhuman primate (NHP) infection models was a tremendous advance, especially in abetting the exploration of vaccine strategies. And while there have been numerous NHP infection models and vaccine trials performed, fundamental questions remain regarding host-virus interactions and immune correlates of protection. These issues are, perhaps, most starkly illustrated with the appreciation that many species of African nonhuman primates are naturally infected with strains of SIV that do not cause any appreciable disease while replicating to viral loads that match or exceed those seen with pathogenic SIV infections in Asian species of nonhuman primates. The last decade has seen the establishment of high-throughput molecular profiling tools, such as microarrays for transcriptomics, SNP arrays for genome features, and LC-MS techniques for proteins or metabolites. These provide the capacity to interrogate a biological model at a comprehensive, systems level, in contrast to historical approaches that characterized a few genes or proteins in an experiment. These methods have already had revolutionary impacts in understanding human diseases originating within the host genome such as genetic disorders and cancer, and the methods are finding increasing application in the context of infectious disease. We will provide a review of the use of such 'omics

  16. Understanding HIV infection for the design of a therapeutic vaccine. Part I: Epidemiology and pathogenesis of HIV infection.

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    de Goede, A L; Vulto, A G; Osterhaus, A D M E; Gruters, R A

    2015-03-01

    HIV infection leads to a gradual loss CD4+ T lymphocytes comprising immune competence and progression to AIDS. Effective treatment with combined antiretroviral drugs (cART) decreases viral load below detectable levels but is not able to eliminate the virus from the body. The success of cART is frustrated by the requirement of expensive life-long adherence, accumulating drug toxicities and chronic immune activation resulting in increased risk of several non-AIDS disorders, even when viral replication is suppressed. Therefore there is a strong need for therapeutic strategies as an alternative to cART. Immunotherapy, or therapeutic vaccination, aims to increase existing immune responses against HIV or induce de novo immune responses. These immune responses should provide a functional cure by controlling viral replication and preventing disease progression in the absence of cART. The key difficulty in the development of an HIV vaccine is our ignorance of the immune responses that control of viral replication, and thus how these responses can be elicited and how they can be monitored. Part one of this review provides an extensive overview of the (patho-) physiology of HIV infection. It describes the structure and replication cycle of HIV, the epidemiology and pathogenesis of HIV infection and the innate and adaptive immune responses against HIV. Part two of this review discusses therapeutic options for HIV. Prevention modalities and antiretroviral therapy are briefly touched upon, after which an extensive overview on vaccination strategies for HIV is provided, including the choice of immunogens and delivery strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Scott S Snyder

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics. Scott S Snyder. Articles written in Pramana – Journal of Physics. Volume 62 Issue 3 March 2004 pp 565-568 Experimental Particle Physics. Prospects for Higgs search at DØ · Scott S Snyder DØ Collaboration · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. The status of the Higgs search ...

  18. Serodiagnostic profiles of HIV and HIV pathogenesis in vivo

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goudsmit, J.; Lange, J. M.; Smit, L.; Bakker, M.; Klaver, B.; Danner, S. A.; Coutinho, R. A.

    1988-01-01

    Different stages of HIV infection are marked by expression of HIV genes, production of HIV antibodies, formation of antigen/antibody complexes and clearance of such complexes. Transient HIV antigenemia appearing generally 6-8 weeks prior to HIV antibody (HIV-Ab) seroconversion and lasting 3-4 months

  19. Citation for Scott Doney

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glover, David M.; Doney, Scott

    “A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery. James Joyce, Ulysses (1922). ”After collaborating with Scott Doney for the past 14 years I know what Joyce meant. When working with someone as bright as Scott it inevitably happens that you just don't understand. And because we're trained skeptics the question immediately arises, ”has our friend and colleague made a mistake?“ But we're wrong; we just didn't see the portal through which people like Scott had already proceeded. Certainly this is what we reserve these awards of ‘outstandingness’ for; those whose insight lead through the portals of discovery”.

  20. Blanco White and Walter Scott Blanco white y Walter Scott

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    Fernando DURÁN LÓPEZ

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The first edition of Ivanhoe; a romance. By the author of Waverley was published in Edinburgh in 1820. From the beginning of year 1823, José María Blanco White translated several excerpts from Ivanhoe in the numbers 1-3 of the magazine Variedades, owned by the publisher Rudolph Ackermann. in these articles and other later writings, the translator praised Scott as a model for a new way of painting history in a narrative. This paper studies his ideas on Scott’s historical novel, as well as his translation technique, compared with that of José Joaquín de Mora. En 1820 se publicó en Edimburgo la primera edición de Ivanhoe; a romance. By the author of Waverley. Desde comienzos de 1823, en los tres primeros números de su revista Variedades, promovida por el editor Rudolph Ackermann, José María Blanco White tradujo varios fragmentos de Ivanhoe entre grandes elogios. Asimismo, Blanco White tomó a Scott como modelo de referencia de una nueva manera de pintar la historia por medio de la novela en otros varios escritos críticos de años posteriores. El artículo estudia las ideas de Blanco White acerca de la novela histórica de Scott y su técnica como traductor, comparada con la de José Joaquín Mora.

  1. Pathogenesis of oral FIV infection.

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    Craig Miller

    Full Text Available Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV is the feline analogue of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and features many hallmarks of HIV infection and pathogenesis, including the development of concurrent oral lesions. While HIV is typically transmitted via parenteral transmucosal contact, recent studies prove that oral transmission can occur, and that saliva from infected individuals contains significant amounts of HIV RNA and DNA. While it is accepted that FIV is primarily transmitted by biting, few studies have evaluated FIV oral infection kinetics and transmission mechanisms over the last 20 years. Modern quantitative analyses applied to natural FIV oral infection could significantly further our understanding of lentiviral oral disease and transmission. We therefore characterized FIV salivary viral kinetics and antibody secretions to more fully document oral viral pathogenesis. Our results demonstrate that: (i saliva of FIV-infected cats contains infectious virus particles, FIV viral RNA at levels equivalent to circulation, and lower but significant amounts of FIV proviral DNA; (ii the ratio of FIV RNA to DNA is significantly higher in saliva than in circulation; (iii FIV viral load in oral lymphoid tissues (tonsil, lymph nodes is significantly higher than mucosal tissues (buccal mucosa, salivary gland, tongue; (iv salivary IgG antibodies increase significantly over time in FIV-infected cats, while salivary IgA levels remain static; and, (v saliva from naïve Specific Pathogen Free cats inhibits FIV growth in vitro. Collectively, these results suggest that oral lymphoid tissues serve as a site for enhanced FIV replication, resulting in accumulation of FIV particles and FIV-infected cells in saliva. Failure to induce a virus-specific oral mucosal antibody response, and/or viral capability to overcome inhibitory components in saliva may perpetuate chronic oral cavity infection. Based upon these findings, we propose a model of oral FIV pathogenesis

  2. The utility of the new generation of humanized mice to study HIV-1 infection: transmission, prevention, pathogenesis, and treatment

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    Rowan Mark R

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Substantial improvements have been made in recent years in the ability to engraft human cells and tissues into immunodeficient mice. The use of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs leads to multi-lineage human hematopoiesis accompanied by production of a variety of human immune cell types. Population of murine primary and secondary lymphoid organs with human cells occurs, and long-term engraftment has been achieved. Engrafted cells are capable of producing human innate and adaptive immune responses, making these models the most physiologically relevant humanized animal models to date. New models have been successfully infected by a variety of strains of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1, accompanied by virus replication in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs, including the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, the male and female reproductive tracts, and the brain. Multiple forms of virus-induced pathogenesis are present, and human T cell and antibody responses to HIV-1 are detected. These humanized mice are susceptible to a high rate of rectal and vaginal transmission of HIV-1 across an intact epithelium, indicating the potential to study vaccines and microbicides. Antiviral drugs, siRNAs, and hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy strategies have all been shown to be effective at reducing viral load and preventing or reversing helper T cell loss in humanized mice, indicating that they will serve as an important preclinical model to study new therapeutic modalities. HIV-1 has also been shown to evolve in response to selective pressures in humanized mice, thus showing that the model will be useful to study and/or predict viral evolution in response to drug or immune pressures. The purpose of this review is to summarize the findings reported to date on all new humanized mouse models (those transplanted with human HSCs in regards to HIV-1 sexual transmission, pathogenesis, anti-HIV-1 immune responses, viral evolution, pre- and post

  3. HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders: recent advances in pathogenesis, biomarkers, and treatment [version 1; referees: 4 approved

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    Antonia Carroll

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND remain prevalent despite plasma viral suppression by antiretroviral agents. In fact, the prevalence of milder subtypes of cognitive impairment is increasing. Neuropsychologic testing remains the “gold standard” of diagnosis; however, this is time consuming and costly in a resource-poor environment. Recently developed screening tools, such as CogState and the revised HIV dementia scale, have very good sensitivity and specificity in the more severe stages of HAND. However, questions remain regarding the utility of, optimal population for, and insensitivity of tests in mild HAND. Recognition of ongoing viral persistence and the inflammatory milieu in the central nervous system (CNS has advanced our understanding of the pathogenesis of HAND and facilitated the development of biomarkers of CNS disease. The importance of the monocyte-macrophage lineage cell and the astrocyte as viral reservoirs, HIV viral proteins, self-perpetuating CNS inflammation, and CCR5 chemokine receptor neurotropism has been identified. Whilst biomarkers demonstrate monocyte activation, inflammation, and neuronal injury, they remain limited in their clinical utility. The improved understanding of pathogenic mechanisms has led to novel approaches to the treatment of HAND; however, despite these advances, the optimal management is still undefined.

  4. ASK Talks with W. Scott Cameron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, W. Scott

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents an interview with Scott Cameron who is the Capital Systems Manager for the Food and Beverage Global Business Unit of Procter and Gamble. He has been managing capital projects and mentoring other project managers for the past 20 years at Procter and Gamble within its Beauty Care, Health Care, Food and Beverage, and Fabric and Home Care Businesses. Scott also has been an Academy Sharing Knowledge (ASK) feature writer since Volume One.

  5. Knudsen effects in a Scott effect experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, C. W.; Wood, L. T.; Hildebrandt, A. F.

    1973-01-01

    A thermal torque sometimes observed in Scott effect measurements has been studied experimentally and an explanation for the thermal torque proposed. The magnitude of the thermal torque can be comparable to the Scott torque depending on geometrical and thermal anisotropies. The thermal torque is predicted to decrease with application of an axial magnetic field.

  6. Metric Scott analysis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ben Yaacov, I.; Doucha, Michal; Nies, A.; Tsankov, T.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 318, October (2017), s. 46-87 ISSN 0001-8708 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : continuous logic * infinitary logic * Scott sentence Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 1.373, year: 2016 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001870816309896?via%3Dihub

  7. Relativistic Scott correction in self-generated magnetic fields

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erdos, Laszlo; Fournais, Søren; Solovej, Jan Philip

    2012-01-01

    /3}$ and it is unchanged by including the self-generated magnetic field. We prove the first correction term to this energy, the so-called Scott correction of the form $S(\\alpha Z) Z^2$. The current paper extends the result of \\cite{SSS} on the Scott correction for relativistic molecules to include a self......-generated magnetic field. Furthermore, we show that the corresponding Scott correction function $S$, first identified in \\cite{SSS}, is unchanged by including a magnetic field. We also prove new Lieb-Thirring inequalities for the relativistic kinetic energy with magnetic fields....

  8. Methamphetamine inhibits HIV-1 replication in CD4+ T cells by modulating anti-HIV-1 miRNA expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantri, Chinmay K; Mantri, Jyoti V; Pandhare, Jui; Dash, Chandravanu

    2014-01-01

    Methamphetamine is the second most frequently used illicit drug in the United States. Methamphetamine abuse is associated with increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition, higher viral loads, and enhanced HIV-1 pathogenesis. Although a direct link between methamphetamine abuse and HIV-1 pathogenesis remains to be established in patients, methamphetamine has been shown to increase HIV-1 replication in macrophages, dendritic cells, and cells of HIV transgenic mice. Intriguingly, the effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 replication in human CD4(+) T cells that serve as the primary targets of infection in vivo are not clearly understood. Therefore, we examined HIV-1 replication in primary CD4(+) T cells in the presence of methamphetamine in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that methamphetamine had a minimal effect on HIV-1 replication at concentrations of 1 to 50 μmol/L. However, at concentrations >100 μmol/L, it inhibited HIV-1 replication in a dose-dependent manner. We also discovered that methamphetamine up-regulated the cellular anti-HIV-1 microRNAs (miR-125b, miR-150, and miR-28-5p) in CD4(+) T cells. Knockdown experiments illustrated that up-regulation of the anti-HIV miRNAs inhibited HIV-1 replication. These results are contrary to the paradigm that methamphetamine accentuates HIV-1 pathogenesis by increasing HIV-1 replication. Therefore, our findings underline the complex interaction between drug use and HIV-1 and necessitate comprehensive understanding of the effects of methamphetamine on HIV-1 pathogenesis. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. 77 FR 66469 - CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-05

    ... Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment In accordance with section 10(a...--Treatment as Prevention; (2) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Client Level Data Update; (3) Viral Hepatitis... Person for More Information: Margie Scott-Cseh, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and...

  10. Exosomes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I Pathogenesis: Threat or Opportunity?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sin-Yeang Teow

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanometre-sized vesicles, also known as exosomes, are derived from endosomes of diverse cell types and present in multiple biological fluids. Depending on their cellular origins, the membrane-bound exosomes packed a variety of functional proteins and RNA species. These microvesicles are secreted into the extracellular space to facilitate intercellular communication. Collective findings demonstrated that exosomes from HIV-infected subjects share many commonalities with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I (HIV-1 particles in terms of proteomics and lipid profiles. These observations postulated that HIV-resembled exosomes may contribute to HIV pathogenesis. Interestingly, recent reports illustrated that exosomes from body fluids could inhibit HIV infection, which then bring up a new paradigm for HIV/AIDS therapy. Accumulative findings suggested that the cellular origin of exosomes may define their effects towards HIV-1. This review summarizes the two distinctive roles of exosomes in regulating HIV pathogenesis. We also highlighted several additional factors that govern the exosomal functions. Deeper understanding on how exosomes promote or abate HIV infection can significantly contribute to the development of new and potent antiviral therapeutic strategy and vaccine designs.

  11. Professor John Scott, folate and neural tube defects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffbrand, A Victor

    2014-02-01

    John Scott (1940-2013) was born in Dublin where he was to spend the rest of his career, both as an undergraduate and subsequently Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition at Trinity College. His research with the talented group of scientists and clinicians that he led has had a substantial impact on our understanding of folate metabolism, mechanisms of its catabolism and deficiency. His research established the leading theory of folate involvement with vitamin B12 in the pathogenesis of vitamin B12 neuropathy. He helped to establish the normal daily intake of folate and the increased requirements needed either in food or as a supplement before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects. He also suggested a dietary supplement of vitamin B12 before and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. It would be an appropriate epitaph if fortification of food with folic acid became mandatory in the UK and Ireland, as it is in over 70 other countries. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Philip Glass, Scott Walker ja Sigur Ros! / Immo Mihkelson

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Mihkelson, Immo, 1959-

    2007-01-01

    Pimedate Ööde 11. filmifestivali muusikafilme - Austraalia "Glass: Philipi portree 12 osas" (rež. Scott Hicks), Islandi "Sigur Ros kodus" (rež. Dean DeBois), Suurbritannia "Scott Walker: 30 Century Man" (rež. Stephen Kijak)

  13. Generative complexity of Gray-Scott model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamatzky, Andrew

    2018-03-01

    In the Gray-Scott reaction-diffusion system one reactant is constantly fed in the system, another reactant is reproduced by consuming the supplied reactant and also converted to an inert product. The rate of feeding one reactant in the system and the rate of removing another reactant from the system determine configurations of concentration profiles: stripes, spots, waves. We calculate the generative complexity-a morphological complexity of concentration profiles grown from a point-wise perturbation of the medium-of the Gray-Scott system for a range of the feeding and removal rates. The morphological complexity is evaluated using Shannon entropy, Simpson diversity, approximation of Lempel-Ziv complexity, and expressivity (Shannon entropy divided by space-filling). We analyse behaviour of the systems with highest values of the generative morphological complexity and show that the Gray-Scott systems expressing highest levels of the complexity are composed of the wave-fragments (similar to wave-fragments in sub-excitable media) and travelling localisations (similar to quasi-dissipative solitons and gliders in Conway's Game of Life).

  14. Listening in the Silences for Fred Newton Scott

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastrangelo, Lisa

    2009-01-01

    As part of her recent sabbatical, the author proposed going to the University of Michigan Bentley Archives to do research on Fred Newton Scott, founder and chair of the Department of Rhetoric and teacher from 1889 to 1926 at the University of Michigan. Scott ran the only graduate program in rhetoric and composition in the country between those…

  15. Aspm, a Key Element in Medulloblastoma Pathogenesis and a Novel Target for Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-01

    pathogenesis ( Wechsler -Reya and Scott, 1999; Kenney and Rowitch, 2000; Zurawel et al., 2000; Ellison et al., 2011; Hatten and Roussel, 2011; Roussel...Laboratories, Bar Harbor, ME, USA) to generate Aspm floxed (Aspmf/+) mice. Math-1 cre mice were generously shared by David Rowitch, MD, PhD, UCSF and...Robert Wechsler -Reya, PhD, 10 Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, CA and have been previously described (Matei et al., 2005

  16. HIV testing is associated with increased knowledge and reductions ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HIV testing is associated with increased knowledge and reductions in sexual risk behaviours among men in Cape Town, South Africa. Lori AJ Scott-Sheldon, Michael P Carey, Kate B Carey, Demetria Cain, Leickness C Simbayi, Vuyelwa Mehlomakhulu, Seth C Kalichman ...

  17. 77 FR 7182 - Scott W. Houghton, M.D.; Decision and Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration [Docket No. 12-09] Scott W. Houghton, M.D... CFR 0.100(b), I order that DEA Certificate of Registration BH8796077, issued to Scott W. Houghton, M.D., be, and it hereby is, revoked. I further order that any pending application of Scott W. Houghton, M.D...

  18. STS-87 Mission Specialist Winston E. Scott suits up

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    STS-87 Mission Specialist Winston Scott dons his launch and entry suit with the assistance of a suit technician in the Operations and Checkout Building. This is Scotts second space flight. He and the five other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia awaits liftoff on a 16-day mission to perform microgravity and solar research. Scott is scheduled to perform an extravehicular activity spacewalk with Mission Specialist Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan, during STS-87. He also performed a spacewalk on STS-72.

  19. HIV lipodystrophy etiology and pathogenesis. Body composition and metabolic alterations: etiology and pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotler, Donald P

    2003-04-01

    The results of epidemiologic investigations have clearly indicated that the development of lipodystrophy is multifactorial. Factors related to HIV infection, hormonal influences, mitochondrial dysfunction, cytokine activation related to immune reconstitution, and individual genetic predisposition all have been hypothesized as etiologic. Recent studies suggest that immune dysregulation rather than HIV infection per se may be the predominant factor in the development of lipodystrophy.

  20. Role of MRP transporters in regulating antimicrobial drug inefficacy and oxidative stress-induced pathogenesis during HIV-1 and TB infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, Upal; Barber, Paul; Tse-Dinh, Yuk-Ching; Batrakova, Elena V; Mondal, Debasis; Nair, Madhavan

    2015-01-01

    Multi-Drug Resistance Proteins (MRPs) are members of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) drug-efflux transporter superfamily. MRPs are known to regulate the efficacy of a broad range of anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) used in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and antibacterial agents used in Tuberculus Bacilli (TB) therapy. Due to their role in efflux of glutathione (GSH) conjugated drugs, MRPs can also regulate cellular oxidative stress, which may contribute to both HIV and/or TB pathogenesis. This review focuses on the characteristics, functional expression, and modulation of known members of the MRP family in HIV infected cells exposed to ARV drugs and discusses their known role in drug-inefficacy in HIV/TB-induced dysfunctions. Currently, nine members of the MRP family (MRP1-MRP9) have been identified, with MRP1 and MRP2 being the most extensively studied. Details of the other members of this family have not been known until recently, but differential expression has been documented in inflammatory tissues. Researchers have found that the distribution, function, and reactivity of members of MRP family vary in different types of lymphocytes and macrophages, and are differentially expressed at the basal and apical surfaces of both endothelial and epithelial cells. Therefore, the prime objective of this review is to delineate the role of MRP transporters in HAART and TB therapy and their potential in precipitating cellular dysfunctions manifested in these chronic infectious diseases. We also provide an overview of different available options and novel experimental strategies that are being utilized to overcome the drug resistance and disease pathogenesis mediated by these membrane transporters.

  1. Role of MRP Transporters in Regulating Antimicrobial Drug Inefficacy and Oxidative Stress-induced Pathogenesis during HIV-1 and TB Infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Upal eRoy

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Multi-Drug Resistance Proteins (MRPs are members of the ATP binding cassette (ABC drug-efflux transporter superfamily. MRPs are known to regulate the efficacy of a broad range of anti-retroviral drugs (ARV used in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART and antibacterial agents used in Tuberculus Bacilli (TB therapy. Due to their role in efflux of glutathione (GSH conjugated drugs, MRPs can also regulate cellular oxidative stress, which may contribute to both HIV and/or TB pathogenesis. This review focuses on the characteristics, functional expression, and modulation of known members of the MRP family in HIV infected cells exposed to ARV drugs and discusses their known role in drug-inefficacy in HIV/TB-induced dysfunctions. Currently, nine members of the MRP family (MRP1-MRP9 have been identified, with MRP1 and MRP2 being the most extensively studied. Details of the other members of this family have not been known until recently, but differential expression has been documented in inflammatory tissues. Researchers have found that the distribution, function and reactivity of members of MRP family vary in different types of lymphocytes and macrophages, and are differentially expressed at the basal and apical surfaces of both endothelial and epithelial cells. Therefore, the prime objective of this review is to delineate the role of MRP transporters in HAART and TB therapy and their potential in precipitating cellular dysfunctions manifested in these chronic infectious diseases. We also provide an overview of different available options and novel experimental strategies that are being utilized to overcome the drug resistance and disease pathogenesis mediated by these membrane transporters.

  2. Collaborations Between Scott and Skidmore

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia Robinson

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This essay examines the collaboration between architect and designer George Gilbert Scott and metalworker Francis Skidmore. It compares their metalwork screens at the cathedrals of Hereford, Lichfield, and Salisbury—projects which sometimes overlapped and were all completed in the relatively short time span between 1861 and 1870—within the wider context of Skidmore’s career. While Scott was lauded in his lifetime and has been much studied since, Skidmore has not often been written about, despite having achieved an impressive scale and pace of work in British cathedrals, parish churches, and town halls. This essay therefore shines particular light on Skidmore’s work as designer and maker, and particularly the high profile commissions for these great cathedrals, restored and enhanced with the aesthetics and ambition of the Victorian era.

  3. Heroes for the past and present: a century of remembering Amundsen and Scott.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Peder

    2011-12-01

    In 1911-1912 Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott led rival parties in a race to the geographic South Pole. While both parties reached the Pole--Amundsen first--Scott's men died on the return journey. Amundsen became a Norwegian icon through his record-setting travels; Scott became a symbol of courage and devotion to science. The memory of each was invoked at various points during the twentieth century in the context of contemporary Antarctic events. Scott's status as a scientific figure was central to the Scott Polar Research Institute, while Amundsen's lack of scientific legacy became a way for British polar explorers to differentiate themselves from Norwegian contemporaries during the interwar years. After 1945 Scott and Amundsen were again invoked as exemplars of national polar achievement, even as the rise of large-scale science on the continent overshadowed past British and Norwegian achievements. In the present Amundsen and Scott remain wedded to particular values, focused respectively on national achievement and sacrifice in the name of science, while their race has become secondary. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Awareness Of HIV / AIDS Among Hospital Workers | Ugochukwu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Awareness Of HIV / AIDS Among Hospital Workers. ... HIV /AIDS among workers in a teaching Hospital, b) risk of HIV infection among hospital workers ... pathogenesis, prevention, spread and risk of occupational transmission of HIV infection.

  5. On Scott-Phillips' General Account of Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Planer, Ronald J

    2017-12-01

    The purpose of this paper is to critically engage with a recent attempt by Thom Scott-Phillips to offer a general account of communication. As a general account, it is intended to apply equally well to both non-human and human interactions which are prima facie communicative in character. However, so far, Scott-Phillips has provided little detail regarding how his account is supposed to apply to the latter set of cases. After presenting what I take to be the most plausible way of filling in those details, I argue that his account would appear to be too narrow: it (minimally) fails to capture a range of human interactions which strike us as instances of communication. To wit, these are cases in which some but not all of the information an act is designed to convey to a reactor actually reaches that reactor. An alternative account incorporating Scott-Phillips' main insights is then sketched, and it is suggested that this account, or something like it, would accommodate the full range of non-human and human interactions that are intuitively communicative.

  6. The involvement of plasmacytoid cells in HIV infection and pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiello, Alessandra; Giannessi, Flavia; Percario, Zulema A; Affabris, Elisabetta

    2018-04-01

    Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a unique dendritic cell subset that are specialized in type I interferon (IFN) production. pDCs are key players in the antiviral immune response and serve as bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. Although pDCs do not represent the main reservoir of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), they are a crucial subset in HIV infection as they influence viral transmission, target cell infection and antigen presentation. pDCs act as inflammatory and immunosuppressive cells, thus contributing to HIV disease progression. This review provides a state of art analysis of the interactions between HIV and pDCs and their potential roles in HIV transmission, chronic immune activation and immunosuppression. A thorough understanding of the roles of pDCs in HIV infection will help to improve therapeutic strategies to fight HIV infection, and will further increase our knowledge on this important immune cell subset. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Sex Differences in HIV Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scully, Eileen P

    2018-04-01

    This review will outline the multilevel effects of biological sex on HIV acquisition, pathogenesis, treatment response, and prospects for cure. Potential mechanisms will be discussed along with future research directions. HIV acquisition risk is modified by sex hormones and the vaginal microbiome, with the latter acting through both inflammation and local metabolism of pre-exposure prophylaxis drugs. Female sex associates with enhanced risk for non-AIDS morbidities including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, suggesting different inflammatory profiles in men and women. Data from research on HIV cure points to sex differences in viral reservoir dynamics and a direct role for sex hormones in latency maintenance. Biological sex remains an important variable in determining the risk of HIV infection and subsequent viral pathogenesis, and emerging data suggest sex differences relevant to curative interventions. Recruitment of women in HIV clinical research is a pathway to both optimize care for women and to identify novel therapeutics for use in both men and women.

  8. Wave-splitting in the bistable Gray-Scott model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, K.E.; Mazin, W.; Mosekilde, Erik

    1996-01-01

    The Gray-Scott model describes a chemical reaction in which an activator species grows autocatalytically on a continuously fed substrate. For certain feed rates and activator life times the model shows the coexistence of two homogeneous steady states. The blue state, where the activator concentra......The Gray-Scott model describes a chemical reaction in which an activator species grows autocatalytically on a continuously fed substrate. For certain feed rates and activator life times the model shows the coexistence of two homogeneous steady states. The blue state, where the activator...

  9. Genetics Home Reference: Aarskog-Scott syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... A characteristic of X-linked inheritance is that fathers cannot pass X-linked traits to their sons. Evidence suggests that Aarskog-Scott syndrome is inherited in an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive pattern in some families, although ...

  10. An estimating function approach to inference for inhomogeneous Neyman-Scott processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waagepetersen, Rasmus Plenge

    “This paper is concerned with inference for a certain class of inhomogeneous Neyman-Scott point processes depending on spatial covariates. Regression parameter estimates obtained from a simple estimating function are shown to be asymptotically normal when the “mother” intensity for the Neyman-Scott...

  11. Contrasting roles for TLR ligands in HIV-1 pathogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beda Brichacek

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The first line of a host's response to various pathogens is triggered by their engagement of cellular pattern recognition receptors (PRRs. Binding of microbial ligands to these receptors leads to the induction of a variety of cellular factors that alter intracellular and extracellular environment and interfere directly or indirectly with the life cycle of the triggering pathogen. Such changes may also affect any coinfecting microbe. Using ligands to Toll-like receptors (TLRs 5 and 9, we examined their effect on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 replication in lymphoid tissue ex vivo. We found marked differences in the outcomes of such treatment. While flagellin (TLR5 agonist treatment enhanced replication of CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR 5-tropic and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4-tropic HIV-1, treatment with oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN M362 (TLR9 agonist suppressed both viral variants. The differential effects of these TLR ligands on HIV-1 replication correlated with changes in production of CC chemokines CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, and of CXC chemokines CXCL10, and CXCL12 in the ligand-treated HIV-1-infected tissues. The nature and/or magnitude of these changes were dependent on the ligand as well as on the HIV-1 viral strain. Moreover, the tested ligands differed in their ability to induce cellular activation as evaluated by the expression of the cluster of differentiation markers (CD 25, CD38, CD39, CD69, CD154, and human leukocyte antigen D related (HLA-DR as well as of a cell proliferation marker, Ki67, and of CCR5. No significant effect of the ligand treatment was observed on apoptosis and cell death/loss in the treated lymphoid tissue ex vivo. Our results suggest that binding of microbial ligands to TLRs is one of the mechanisms that mediate interactions between coinfected microbes and HIV-1 in human tissues. Thus, the engagement of appropriate TLRs by microbial molecules or their mimetic might become a new strategy for HIV therapy or prevention.

  12. Scott Brothers Windows and Doors Information Sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott Brothers Windows and Doors (the Company) is located in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. The settlement involves renovation activities conducted at property constructed prior to 1978, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

  13. 78 FR 5854 - Application of Scott Air, LLC for Certificate Authority

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office of the Secretary Application of Scott Air, LLC for Certificate Authority AGENCY: Department of Transportation. ACTION: Notice of order to show cause (Order 2013-1-12... to show cause why it should not issue an order finding Scott Air, LLC fit, willing, and able, and...

  14. An Overview of Justice in Sir Walter Scott Waverley Novels: The Heart of Mid-Lothian

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique García Díaz

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Although Sir Walter Scott is a well-known writer most of his readers know that he became an advocate in 1792, when he was admitted to the bar. Since then Scott and other advocates walked the floor at Parliament House (home of the Faculty of Advocates and the Court of Session waiting to be hired. Scott’s own experiences as a fledgling advocate are echoed in those of Alain Fairford in his novel Redgauntlet (Scott 1824, which provides a vivid picture of Parliament House in the eighteenth century. During his life, Scott combined extensive writing and editing issues with his daily work as Clerk of Session and Sheriff-Depute of Selkirkshire. Walter Scott was not unaware of Justice and Law and The Heart of Mid-Lothian is the novel in which he introduces to the reader the Scottish Legal System during the eighteenth century. However, there are few more examples that I will explain. Aunque Sir Walter Scott es un conocido escritor, la mayoría de sus lectores saben que en 1792 se hizo abogado, cuando fue admitido en el colegio de abogados. Desde entonces Scott y otros abogados rondaron el Parlamento con la esperanza de ser contratados. Las propias experiencias de Scott como un abogado novel se reflejan en las de Alain Fairford en su novela Redgauntlet (Scott 1824, lo que ofrece una vívida imagen del Parlamento (sede de la facultad de Derecho y Tribunal Supremo en el siglo XVIII. Durante su vida, Scott compaginó una profusa actividad como escritor y editor con su trabajo diario como juez en Selkirk. Walter Scott conocía la justicia y el derecho y El corazón de Mid-Lothian es la novela en la presenta al lector el régimen jurídico de Escocia durante el siglo XVIII. Sin embargo, se explicarán algunos otros ejemplos. DOWNLOAD THIS PAPER FROM SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2543538

  15. Executive dysfunctions as part of the behavioural phenotype of Aarskog-Scott syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Egger, J.I.M.; Verhoeven, W.M.A.; Janssen, G.T.L.; Aken, L. van; Hoogeboom, A.J.M.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction Aarskog syndrome (AAS) also called Aarskog-Scott syndrome faciodigitogenital syndrome or faciogenital dysplasia is a genetically heterogeneous developmental disorder, first described in 1970 by the Norwegian pediatrician Dagfin Aarskog and further delineated by Scott in 1971. It is a

  16. The prevalence and pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus in treated HIV-infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paik, Il Joon; Kotler, Donald P

    2011-06-01

    HIV-associated morbidity and mortality have declined significantly since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). These developments have allowed an increased focus on associated adverse metabolic effects, such as dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease and other adverse outcomes. The pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the metabolic changes are complicated and not yet fully elucidated due to the difficulty of separating the effects of HIV infection from those of HAART, co-morbidities, or individual patient vulnerabilities. This article reviews studies concerning the prevalence and incidence of diabetes mellitus and HIV, HIV-specific effects on diabetes mellitus complications, and HIV-specific diabetes mellitus treatment considerations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Interview met professor Joan Wallach Scott

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bijl, Greetje; Tijhoff, Esmeralda

    2012-01-01

    Joan Scott, professor at the School of Social Science in the Institute for Avanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey (USA), was the keynote speaker at the conference 'Uitsluitend emancipatie' in de Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam in October 2012. An interview on gender, history, feminism and her book

  18. Generalization of the Moszkovski-Scott method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balbutsev, E.B.

    1976-01-01

    A constant separation parameter is proposed to be used in the Moszkovski-Scott method for solving the Bethe-Goldstone equation. After such a modification one can apply the method to odd states of relative motion, not only to even ones. Some essential inaccuracies of the original method are eliminated, as well

  19. Genome-wide association studies on HIV susceptibility, pathogenesis and pharmacogenomics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Manen, Daniëlle; van 't Wout, Angélique B.; Schuitemaker, Hanneke

    2012-01-01

    Susceptibility to HIV-1 and the clinical course after infection show a substantial heterogeneity between individuals. Part of this variability can be attributed to host genetic variation. Initial candidate gene studies have revealed interesting host factors that influence HIV infection, replication

  20. W. Richard Scott, Institutions and Organizations: Ideas, Interests, and Identities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Book review of: W. Richard Scott: Institutions and Organizations: Ideas, Interests, and Identities. 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2014. xiii, 345 pp.......Book review of: W. Richard Scott: Institutions and Organizations: Ideas, Interests, and Identities. 4th edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2014. xiii, 345 pp....

  1. Role of transmitted Gag CTL polymorphisms in defining replicative capacity and early HIV-1 pathogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica L Prince

    Full Text Available Initial studies of 88 transmission pairs in the Zambia Emory HIV Research Project cohort demonstrated that the number of transmitted HLA-B associated polymorphisms in Gag, but not Nef, was negatively correlated to set point viral load (VL in the newly infected partners. These results suggested that accumulation of CTL escape mutations in Gag might attenuate viral replication and provide a clinical benefit during early stages of infection. Using a novel approach, we have cloned gag sequences isolated from the earliest seroconversion plasma sample from the acutely infected recipient of 149 epidemiologically linked Zambian transmission pairs into a primary isolate, subtype C proviral vector, MJ4. We determined the replicative capacity (RC of these Gag-MJ4 chimeras by infecting the GXR25 cell line and quantifying virion production in supernatants via a radiolabeled reverse transcriptase assay. We observed a statistically significant positive correlation between RC conferred by the transmitted Gag sequence and set point VL in newly infected individuals (p = 0.02. Furthermore, the RC of Gag-MJ4 chimeras also correlated with the VL of chronically infected donors near the estimated date of infection (p = 0.01, demonstrating that virus replication contributes to VL in both acute and chronic infection. These studies also allowed for the elucidation of novel sites in Gag associated with changes in RC, where rare mutations had the greatest effect on fitness. Although we observed both advantageous and deleterious rare mutations, the latter could point to vulnerable targets in the HIV-1 genome. Importantly, RC correlated significantly (p = 0.029 with the rate of CD4+ T cell decline over the first 3 years of infection in a manner that is partially independent of VL, suggesting that the replication capacity of HIV-1 during the earliest stages of infection is a determinant of pathogenesis beyond what might be expected based on set point VL alone.

  2. Innate immune recognition and activation during HIV infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larsen Carsten S

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The pathogenesis of HIV infection, and in particular the development of immunodeficiency, remains incompletely understood. Whichever intricate molecular mechanisms are at play between HIV and the host, it is evident that the organism is incapable of restricting and eradicating the invading pathogen. Both innate and adaptive immune responses are raised, but they appear to be insufficient or too late to eliminate the virus. Moreover, the picture is complicated by the fact that the very same cells and responses aimed at eliminating the virus seem to play deleterious roles by driving ongoing immune activation and progressive immunodeficiency. Whereas much knowledge exists on the role of adaptive immunity during HIV infection, it has only recently been appreciated that the innate immune response also plays an important part in HIV pathogenesis. In this review, we present current knowledge on innate immune recognition and activation during HIV infection based on studies in cell culture, non-human primates, and HIV-infected individuals, and discuss the implications for the understanding of HIV immunopathogenesis.

  3. 78 FR 60929 - Notice of Public Meeting of the Fort Scott Council

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-02

    .... Such requests must be stated prominently at the beginning of the comments. The Trust will make... PRESIDIO TRUST Notice of Public Meeting of the Fort Scott Council AGENCY: The Presidio Trust... Scott Council (Council) will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2013. The...

  4. The pathogenesis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berger, Joseph R; Khalili, Kamel

    2011-12-01

    Interest in pathogenesis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) followed the observation of the high risk for the disease in HIV infection and the recent observation of an association with a variety of newer therapeutic modalities, e.g., natalizumab, an α4β1 integrin inhibitor, and efalizumab, an anti-CD11a monoclonal antibody. Any hypothesis of PML pathogenesis must account for a number of facts. Firstly, the causative agent JC virus is ubiquitously present, yet only a vanishingly small number of infected persons develop the disease. Secondly, disorders of cell-mediated immunity increase the risk of the disease, particularly HIV infection. Impaired innate immunity is not a risk for PML, and antibodies against JC virus are not protective. Thirdly, a latent period of several months appears necessary following the administration of natalizumab and efalizumab before PML develops. Fourthly, restoration of the immune system can arrest the PML. It is possible that infection with JC virus occurs with a form of the virus shed in the urine of as many as 40% of all adults and present in sewage worldwide. Once acquired, perhaps through an oropharyngeal route, it may replicate and disseminate. A neurotropic form of JC virus that replicates in glial tissues causes PML when immunosurveillance is impaired. There are many unanswered questions with respect to PML pathogenesis. How is virus acquired? What tissues are infected? What is the origin of the neurotropic form? When does virus enter brain? What is the role of central nervous system immunosurveillance? The lack of an animal model has made answering these questions challenging. © Discovery Medicine

  5. Under the Radar: The First Woman in Radio Astronomy, Ruby Payne-Scott

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller Goss, W.

    2012-05-01

    Under the Radar, the First Woman in Radio Astronomy, Ruby Payne-Scott W. Miller Goss, NRAO Socorro NM Ruby Payne-Scott (1912-1981) was an eminent Australian scientist who made major contributions to the WWII radar effort (CSIR) from 1941 to 1945. In late 1945, she pioneered radio astronomy efforts at Dover Heights in Sydney, Australia at a beautiful cliff top overlooking the Tasman Sea. Again at Dover Heights, Payne-Scott carried out the first interferometry in radio astronomy using an Australian Army radar antenna as a radio telescope at sun-rise, 26 January 1946. She continued these ground breaking activities until 1951. Ruby Payne-Scott played a major role in discovering and elucidating the properties of Type III bursts from the sun, the most common of the five classes of transient phenomena from the solar corona. These bursts are one of the most intensively studied forms of radio emission in all of astronomy. She is also one of the inventors of aperture synthesis in radio astronomy. I examine her career at the University of Sydney and her conflicts with the CSIR hierarchy concerning the rights of women in the work place, specifically equal wages and the lack of permanent status for married women. I also explore her membership in the Communist Party of Australia as well as her partially released Australian Scientific Intelligence Organization file. Payne-Scott’s role as a major participant in the flourishing radio astronomy research of the post war era remains a remarkable story. She had a number of strong collaborations with the pioneers of early radio astronomy in Australia: Pawsey, Mills, Christiansen, Bolton and Little. I am currently working on a popular version of the Payne-Scott story; “Making Waves, The Story of Ruby Payne-Scott: Australian Pioneer Radio Astronomer” will be published in 2013 by Springer in the Astronomers’ Universe Series.

  6. Pathogenesis of HIV and its implications for serodiagnosis and monitoring of antiviral therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goudsmit, J.; Lange, J. M.; Krone, W. J.; Teunissen, M. B.; Epstein, L. G.; Danner, S. A.; van den Berg, H.; Breederveld, C.; Smit, L.; Bakker, M.

    1987-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is lymphotropic and neurotropic. In vivo clinical and immunological abnormalities develop in a large proportion of long-term HIV antibody seropositive persons. Different stages of HIV infection are marked by expression of HIV genes, production of HIV antibodies,

  7. Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857–1952)

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Twentieth century bore witness to remarkable scientists whohave advanced our understanding of the brain. Among them,Sir Charles Scott Sherrington's ideas about the way in whichthe central nervous system operates has continuing relevanceeven today. He received honorary doctorates from twentytwouniversities and ...

  8. Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857–1952)

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2016-08-26

    Aug 26, 2016 ... Twentieth century bore witness to remarkable scientists whohave advanced our understanding of the brain. Among them,Sir Charles Scott Sherrington's ideas about the way in whichthe central nervous system operates has continuing relevanceeven today. He received honorary doctorates from ...

  9. La Jolie Fille de Perth de Bizet  ou comment trahir et honorer Walter Scott Bizet’s Jolie Fille de Perth or How to Betray and Honour Walter Scott

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilles Couderc

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available What remains of Walter Scott’s Fair Maid of Perth in Bizet’s 1867 Jolie Fille de Perth, an opera in 4acts on a libretto by Jules Adenis and Vernoy de Saint-Georges? Not much when compared to other Scott-inspired operas. Little historical context or local colour, even in Bizet’s music. Some characters remotely linked to Scott in a libretto that mostly abides by the rules of French opera or opéra-comique of the time and recycles the dramatic ingredients favoured by Saint-Georges, a purveyor of libretti for opera or the ballet second only to Scribe, who engendered such international successes as Flotow’s Martha and Balfe’s Bohemian Girl, whose gipsy, long before his Carmen, haunts Bizet’s “Scottish” opera. Yet the work pays indirect homage to Scott, whose historical novels contributed to the birth of the French “grand opera”, by rewriting scenes or situations drawn from Scott. In spite of borrowing freely from French grand opera and opéra-comique, Bizet here attempts to find his own musical expression and his opera reflects aspects of Second Empire French society and the roles it assigned to women, before the appearance of his revolutionary Carmen on the stage.Que reste t’il du roman de Walter Scott The Fair Maid of Perth dans la Jolie Fille de Perth de Bizet, opéra en 4 actes de 1867 sur un livret de Vernoy de Saint-Georges, vieux routier du théâtre lyrique, et Jules Adenis ? Pas grand-chose par rapport aux opéras inspirés par Scott. Peu d’Ecosse, une absence remarquable de couleur locale ou historique, des personnages vaguement inspirés de Scott pour un livret qui se plie surtout aux règles de l’opéra français et de l’opéra-comique à la manière de Scribe et recycle les ingrédients habituels des livrets de Saint-Georges, père de succès internationaux comme la Martha de Flotow et de la Bohemian Girl de Balfe, dont la figure exotique de la bohémienne, longtemps avant Carmen, hante l’opéra

  10. Astronaut Scott Parazynski during egress training

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-01-01

    Astronaut Scott E. Parazynski looks at fellow STS-66 mission specialist Joseph R. Tanner, (foreground) during a rehearsal of procedures to be followed during the launch and entry phases of their scheduled November 1994 flight. This rehearsal, held in the crew compartment trainer (CCT) of JSC's Shuttle mockup and integration laboratory, was followed by a training session on emergency egress procedures.

  11. Thinking Visually: An Interview with Scott Bennett.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, Harriet

    2002-01-01

    Presents an interview with Scott Bennett, an artist of abstract art and traditional craft. Focuses on issues such as the role of art in his life, how his art has developed over time, and his process of creating his works of art. Includes directions for a glazing project. (CMK)

  12. HIV-related neuropathy: current perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schütz SG

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Sonja G Schütz, Jessica Robinson-Papp Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA Abstract: Distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV is one of the most common neurologic complications of HIV, possibly affecting as many as 50% of all individuals infected with HIV. Two potentially neurotoxic mechanisms have been proposed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HIV DSP: neurotoxicity resulting from the virus and its products; as well as adverse neurotoxic effects of medications used in the treatment of HIV. Clinically, HIV DSP is characterized by a combination of signs and symptoms that include decreased deep tendon reflexes at the ankles and decreased sensation in the distal extremities as well as paresthesias, dysesthesias, and pain in a symmetric stocking–glove distribution. These symptoms are generally static or slowly progressive over time, and depending on the severity, may interfere significantly with the patient's daily activities. In addition to the clinical picture, nerve conduction studies and skin biopsies are often pursued to support the diagnosis of HIV DSP. Anticonvulsants, antidepressants, topical agents, and nonspecific analgesics may help relieve neuropathic pain. Specifically, gabapentin, lamotrigine, pregabalin, amitriptyline, duloxetine, and high-dose topical capsaicin patches have been used in research and clinical practice. Further research is needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of HIV DSP, thus facilitating the development of novel treatment strategies. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical findings, diagnosis, and management of DSP in the setting of HIV. Keywords: neuropathy, human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS, distal symmetric polyneuropathy, DSP, pain

  13. Immune Dysfunction and the Pathogenesis of AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martínez-Maza Otoniel

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Much has been learned about how HIV-induced immune dysfunction contributes to B cell hyperactivation, and potentially, to the pathogenesis of AIDS-lymphoma. However, further studies are needed to fully understand how HIV infection and immune dysfunction promote B cell hyperactivation and the development/growth of AIDS-lymphoma. In particular, studies are needed to define the role of HHV8 vIL6, IL6 receptor-expression, and lymphocyte surface stimulatory molecules, in promoting B cell hyperactivation or lymphoma cell growth.

  14. Basic science and pathogenesis of ageing with HIV: potential mechanisms and biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lagathu, Claire; Cossarizza, Andrea; Béréziat, Véronique; Nasi, Milena; Capeau, Jacqueline; Pinti, Marcello

    2017-06-01

    : The increased prevalence of age-related comorbidities and mortality is worrisome in ageing HIV-infected patients. Here, we aim to analyse the different ageing mechanisms with regard to HIV infection. Ageing results from the time-dependent accumulation of random cellular damage. Epigenetic modifications and mitochondrial DNA haplogroups modulate ageing. In antiretroviral treatment-controlled patients, epigenetic clock appears to be advanced, and some haplogroups are associated with HIV infection severity. Telomere shortening is enhanced in HIV-infected patients because of HIV and some nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Mitochondria-related oxidative stress and mitochondrial DNA mutations are increased during ageing and also by some nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Overall, increased inflammation or 'inflammageing' is a major driver of ageing and could result from cell senescence with secreted proinflammatory mediators, altered gut microbiota, and coinfections. In HIV-infected patients, the level of inflammation and innate immunity activation is enhanced and related to most comorbidities and to mortality. This status could result, in addition to age, from the virus itself or viral protein released from reservoirs, from HIV-enhanced gut permeability and dysbiosis, from antiretroviral treatment, from frequent cytomegalovirus and hepatitis C virus coinfections, and also from personal and environmental factors, as central fat accumulation or smoking. Adaptive immune activation and immunosenescence are associated with comorbidities and mortality in the general population but are less predictive in HIV-infected patients. Biomarkers to evaluate ageing in HIV-infected patients are required. Numerous systemic or cellular inflammatory, immune activation, oxidative stress, or senescence markers can be tested in serum or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The novel European Study to Establish Biomarkers of Human Ageing MARK

  15. 78 FR 77791 - Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation-Abandonment Exemption-in Scott County, Iowa

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-24

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [Docket No. AB 337 (Sub-No. 7X)] Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation--Abandonment Exemption--in Scott County, Iowa Dakota, Minnesota... as Blackhawk Spur, between milepost 0.33+/- and milepost 0.99 +/- in Scott County, Iowa (the Line...

  16. Reframing Michael Scott: Exploring Inappropriate Workplace Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Zachary A.

    2010-01-01

    Individuals who work in professional settings interact with others who may exhibit a variety of cultural beliefs and decision-making approaches. Page (2007) argues that cognitive diversity (i.e., how people approach and attempt to solve problems) is a vital asset in effective organizations. Michael Scott, who portrays the inept main character on…

  17. Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative drug users

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K.A. Holbrook; R.S. Klein; D. Hartel; D.A. Elliott; T. B. Barsky; L. H. Rothschild; F. D. Lowy

    1997-01-01

    textabstractNasal colonization plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus infections. To identify characteristics associated with colonization, we studied a cross-section of a well-described cohort of HIV-seropositive and -seronegative active and former drug users

  18. Betydning af hiv for knogletæthed

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wessman, Maria; Weis, Nina; Katzenstein, Terese L

    2017-01-01

    The life expectancy in well-treated HIV-infected persons approaches that of the general population, but HIV-infected persons have a greater incidence of fractures and osteoporosis. A decrease in bone mineral density is observed primarily during the first 1-2 years of antiretroviral therapy. Dual X......-ray absorptiometry scan should be considered in HIV-infected men ≥ 50 years and postmenopausal women. In case of osteoporosis, bisphosphonate treatment should follow guidelines for the general population. Future research should focus on pathogenesis and prevention of bone density loss in HIV....

  19. Astronauts Scott and Armstrong undergoe water egress training

    Science.gov (United States)

    1966-01-01

    Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong (on left), command pilot, and David R. Scott, pilot of the Gemini 8 prime crew, use a boilerplate model of a Gemini spacecraft during water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. Three Manned Spacecraft Center swimmers assist in the training exercise.

  20. Astronauts Armstrong and Scott arrive at Hickam Field, Hawaii

    Science.gov (United States)

    1966-01-01

    Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong (center), command pilot, and David R. Scott, pilot, arrive at Hickam Field, Hawaii on their way from Naha, Okinawa, to Cape Kennedy, Florida. Astronaut Walter M. Schirra Jr. is at extreme left.

  1. STS-100 Crew Interview: Scott Parazynski

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-01-01

    STS-100 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski is seen being interviewed. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut and his career path. He gives details on the mission's goals and significance, the rendezvous and docking of Endeavour with the International Space Station (ISS), the mission's spacewalks, and installation and capabilities of the Space Station robotic arm, UHF antenna, and Rafaello Logistics Module. Parazynski then discusses his views about space exploration as it becomes an international collaboration.

  2. Combined Quantification of the Global Proteome, Phosphoproteome, and Proteolytic Cleavage to Characterize Altered Platelet Functions in the Human Scott Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solari, Fiorella A; Mattheij, Nadine J A; Burkhart, Julia M; Swieringa, Frauke; Collins, Peter W; Cosemans, Judith M E M; Sickmann, Albert; Heemskerk, Johan W M; Zahedi, René P

    2016-10-01

    The Scott syndrome is a very rare and likely underdiagnosed bleeding disorder associated with mutations in the gene encoding anoctamin-6. Platelets from Scott patients are impaired in various Ca 2+ -dependent responses, including phosphatidylserine exposure, integrin closure, intracellular protein cleavage, and cytoskeleton-dependent morphological changes. Given the central role of anoctamin-6 in the platelet procoagulant response, we used quantitative proteomics to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms and the complex phenotypic changes in Scott platelets compared with control platelets. Therefore, we applied an iTRAQ-based multi-pronged strategy to quantify changes in (1) the global proteome, (2) the phosphoproteome, and (3) proteolytic events between resting and stimulated Scott and control platelets. Our data indicate a limited number of proteins with decreased (70) or increased (64) expression in Scott platelets, among those we confirmed the absence of anoctamin-6 and the strong up-regulation of aquaporin-1 by parallel reaction monitoring. The quantification of 1566 phosphopeptides revealed major differences between Scott and control platelets after stimulation with thrombin/convulxin or ionomycin. In Scott platelets, phosphorylation levels of proteins regulating cytoskeletal or signaling events were increased. Finally, we quantified 1596 N-terminal peptides in activated Scott and control platelets, 180 of which we identified as calpain-regulated, whereas a distinct set of 23 neo-N termini was caspase-regulated. In Scott platelets, calpain-induced cleavage of cytoskeleton-linked and signaling proteins was downregulated, in accordance with an increased phosphorylation state. Thus, multipronged proteomic profiling of Scott platelets provides detailed insight into their protection against detrimental Ca 2+ -dependent changes that are normally associated with phosphatidylserine exposure. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular

  3. mTOR as a multifunctional therapeutic target in HIV infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicoletti, Ferdinando; Fagone, Paolo; Meroni, PierLuigi

    2011-01-01

    Patients undergoing long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy treatment are probably at a higher risk of various HIV-related complications. Hyperactivation of The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been found to contribute to dysregulated apoptosis and autophagy which determine CD4(+)-T......-cell loss, impaired function of innate immunity and development of neurocognitive disorders. Dysregulated mTOR activation has also been shown to play a key part in the development of nephropathy and in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated malignancies. These studies strongly support a multifunctional key role...... for mTOR in the pathogenesis of HIV-related disorders and suggest that specific mTOR inhibitors could represent a novel approach for the prevention and treatment of these pathologies....

  4. Walter Dill Scott and the Student Personnel Movement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biddix, J. Patrick; Schwartz, Robert A.

    2012-01-01

    Walter Dill Scott (1869-1955), tenth president of Northwestern University and pioneer of industrial psychology, is an essential architect of student personnel work. This study of his accomplishments, drawing on records from the Northwestern University archives, tells a story about the people he influenced and his involvement in codifying what was…

  5. Scott Fitzgerald: famous writer, alcoholism and probable epilepsy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana M. Wolski

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Scott Fitzgerald, a world-renowned American writer, suffered from various health problems, particularly alcohol dependence, and died suddenly at the age of 44. According to descriptions in A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway, Fitzgerald had episodes resembling complex partial seizures, raising the possibility of temporal lobe epilepsy.

  6. Astronauts Armstrong and Scott during photo session outside KSC

    Science.gov (United States)

    1966-01-01

    Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong (left), command pilot, and David R. Scott, pilot, the Gemini 8 prime crew, during a photo session outside the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Mission Control Center. They are standing in front of a radar dish.

  7. Cerebrovascular disease associated with Aarskog-Scott syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DiLuna, Michael L.; Amankulor, Nduka M.; Gunel, Murat; Johnson, Michele H.

    2007-01-01

    Faciogenital dysplasia, also known as Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS), is an X-linked dominant congenital disorder characterized by multiple facial, musculoskeletal, dental, neurological and urogenital abnormalities, ocular manifestations, congenital heart defects, low IQ and behavioral problems. Here we describe an unusual presentation of dysplastic carotid artery, basilar artery malformation or occlusion and posterior circulation aneurysm in a 13-year-old male with AAS. (orig.)

  8. Cerebrovascular disease associated with Aarskog-Scott syndrome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DiLuna, Michael L.; Amankulor, Nduka M.; Gunel, Murat [Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, New Haven, CT (United States); Johnson, Michele H. [Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, New Haven, CT (United States)

    2007-05-15

    Faciogenital dysplasia, also known as Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS), is an X-linked dominant congenital disorder characterized by multiple facial, musculoskeletal, dental, neurological and urogenital abnormalities, ocular manifestations, congenital heart defects, low IQ and behavioral problems. Here we describe an unusual presentation of dysplastic carotid artery, basilar artery malformation or occlusion and posterior circulation aneurysm in a 13-year-old male with AAS. (orig.)

  9. HIV infection and OTC supplements: do they really have an impact?

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Repro

    treatment of chronic diseases. HIV infection and OTC supplements: do they really have an impact? ... the pathogenesis of HIV-related disease ... venous glycyrrhizin has been used in Japan to ... ulcers) but this would not have much effect on ...

  10. Cocaine modulates HIV-1 integration in primary CD4+ T cells: implications in HIV-1 pathogenesis in drug-abusing patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Addai, Amma B.; Pandhare, Jui; Paromov, Victor; Mantri, Chinmay K.; Pratap, Siddharth; Dash, Chandravanu

    2015-01-01

    Epidemiologic studies suggest that cocaine abuse worsens HIV-1 disease progression. Increased viral load has been suggested to play a key role for the accelerated HIV disease among cocaine-abusing patients. The goal of this study was to investigate whether cocaine enhances proviral DNA integration as a mechanism to increase viral load. We infected CD4+ T cells that are the primary targets of HIV-1 in vivo and treated the cells with physiologically relevant concentrations of cocaine (1 µM–100 µM). Proviral DNA integration in the host genome was measured by nested qPCR. Our results illustrated that cocaine from 1 µM through 50 µM increased HIV-1 integration in CD4+ T cells in a dose-dependent manner. As integration can be modulated by several early postentry steps of HIV-1 infection, we examined the direct effects of cocaine on viral integration by in vitro integration assays by use of HIV-1 PICs. Our data illustrated that cocaine directly increases viral DNA integration. Furthermore, our MS analysis showed that cocaine is able to enter CD4+ T cells and localize to the nucleus-. In summary, our data provide strong evidence that cocaine can increase HIV-1 integration in CD4+ T cells. Therefore, we hypothesize that increased HIV-1 integration is a novel mechanism by which cocaine enhances viral load and worsens disease progression in drug-abusing HIV-1 patients. PMID:25691383

  11. The significance of HIV to bone mineral density

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wessman, Maria; Weis, Nina; Katzenstein, Terese L

    2017-01-01

    The life expectancy in well-treated HIV-infected persons approaches that of the general population, but HIV-infected persons have a greater incidence of fractures and osteoporosis. A decrease in bone mineral density is observed primarily during the first 1-2 years of antiretroviral therapy. Dual X......-ray absorptiometry scan should be considered in HIV-infected men ≥ 50 years and postmenopausal women. In case of osteoporosis, bisphosphonate treatment should follow guidelines for the general population. Future research should focus on pathogenesis and prevention of bone density loss in HIV....

  12. The influence of the Scott effect on the determination of q0

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kruszewski, A.; Semeniuk, I.

    1975-01-01

    The statistical model for taking into account the Scott effect was constructed. The suggestion that clusters with exceptionally bright first-ranked cluster member possess fainter than average second and third-ranked galaxies is not substantiated by raw observational data. The first-ranked galaxies are brighter and less cluster richness dependent than expected from the statistical model. The bias due to the Scott effect may increase q 0 by up to 0.5 but with proper care it should be possible to take it into account even without employing complicated statistical models. (author)

  13. HIV-induced immune activation - pathogenesis and clinical relevance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stellbrink HJ

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract This manuscript is communicated by the German AIDS Society (DAIG http://www.daignet.de. It summarizes a series of presentations and discussions during a workshop on immune activation due to HIV infection. The workshop was held on November 22nd 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. It was organized by the ICH Hamburg under the auspices of the German AIDS Society (DAIG e.V..

  14. HIV/AIDS in Central Africa: pathogenesis, immunological and medical issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibanda, Elopy Nimele; Stanczuk, Grazyna; Kasolo, Francis

    2003-11-01

    The estimated worldwide prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections topped 52.5 million in June 2003, a mere 20 years after the aetiological agent was shown to be a sexually transmissible virus with a predilection for CD4+ T lymphocytes. More than 22 million people have died of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the condition has in one generation become the most devastating and persistent epidemics in recorded history. More than two thirds of the world total of HIV-infected people live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Central and Southern Africa at least 20% of the adult population is infected. As these adults die, they leave increasing numbers of orphans. Life expectancy at birth declined by 10 years per decade since the late 1980s to 50 years in the late 1990s, and in Botswana it is estimated to be as low as 33 years by 2010. The epidemic is increasing unabated and prospects for a curative or protective vaccine remain remote. The impact on HIV in Africa has been so profound that it influences political, economic, agriculture/food security, social, education, defence, science and health considerations. The medical and in particular immunology communities in Central Africa have the invidious challenge of on the one hand diagnosing the condition, monitoring its impact and contributing to treatment and management efforts. The science and clinical practice of immunology is challenged to find answers to the epidemic, perhaps including a vaccine. In this review we address the peculiarities of the HIV epidemic in Africa, its epidemiology and immunopathogenesis. We address the effect of the epidemic on individual patients, in their homes, workplaces and the knock-on effects on families and friends of the infected. Respective specialists discuss special groups (women, children) that are predominantly seen in Africa. We also discuss the impact of the epidemic on the clinical practice of medicine in general and challenges faced in the introduction of

  15. Coinfecting viruses as determinants of HIV disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisco, Andrea; Vanpouille, Christophe; Margolis, Leonid

    2009-02-01

    The human body constitutes a balanced ecosystem of its own cells together with various microbes ("host-microbe ecosystem"). The transmission of HIV-1 and the progression of HIV disease in such an ecosystem are accompanied by de novo infection by other microbes or by activation of microbes that were present in the host in homeostatic equilibrium before HIV-1 infection. In recent years, data have accumulated on the interactions of these coinfecting microbes-viruses in particular-with HIV. Coinfecting viruses generate negative and positive signals that suppress or upregulate HIV-1. We suggest that the signals generated by these viruses may largely affect HIV transmission, pathogenesis, and evolution. The study of the mechanisms of HIV interaction with coinfecting viruses may indicate strategies to suppress positive signals, enhance negative signals, and lead to the development of new and original anti-HIV therapies.

  16. TNF and TNF Receptor Superfamily Members in HIV infection: New Cellular Targets for Therapy?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amit Kumar

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumor necrosis factor (TNF and TNF receptors (TNFR superfamily members are engaged in diverse cellular phenomena such as cellular proliferation, morphogenesis, apoptosis, inflammation, and immune regulation. Their role in regulating viral infections has been well documented. Viruses have evolved with numerous strategies to interfere with TNF-mediated signaling indicating the importance of TNF and TNFR superfamily in viral pathogenesis. Recent research reports suggest that TNF and TNFRs play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV. TNFR signaling modulates HIV replication and HIV proteins interfere with TNF/TNFR pathways. Since immune activation and inflammation are the hallmark of HIV infection, the use of TNF inhibitors can have significant impact on HIV disease progression. In this review, we will describe how HIV infection is modulated by signaling mediated through members of TNF and TNFR superfamily and in turn how these latter could be targeted by HIV proteins. Finally, we will discuss the emerging therapeutics options based on modulation of TNF activity that could ultimately lead to the cure of HIV-infected patients.

  17. Ron Scott d/b/a White Dog Painting Information Sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ron Scott d/b/a White Dog Painting (the Company) is located in Kansas City, Missouri. The settlement involves renovation activities conducted at property constructed prior to 1978, located in Kansas City, Missouri.

  18. Theorizing Steampunk in Scott Westerfeld's YA Series Leviathan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mielke, Tammy L.; LaHaie, Jeanne M.

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we offer an explanation of steampunk and theorize the genre and its functions within Scott Westerfeld's YA series Leviathan. In order to do so, we examine the "cogs" of the genre machine and its use of nostalgic longing for a revised past/future to rebel against present day cultural norms. Critics note that steampunk…

  19. Cognitive impairment and MRI-findings in patients with HIV on antiretroviral treatment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Su, T.

    2017-01-01

    With combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated morbidity and mortality has decreased remarkably. Although life expectancy has increased, the frequently reported milder forms of HIV-associated cognitive impairment remain a concern and its pathogenesis is

  20. HIV-1 Env and Nef Cooperatively Contribute to Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Activation via CD4-Dependent Mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reszka-Blanco, Natalia J; Sivaraman, Vijay; Zhang, Liguo; Su, Lishan

    2015-08-01

    Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are the major source of type I IFN (IFN-I) in response to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. pDCs are rapidly activated during HIV-1 infection and are implicated in reducing the early viral load, as well as contributing to HIV-1-induced pathogenesis. However, most cell-free HIV-1 isolates are inefficient in activating human pDCs, and the mechanisms of HIV-1 recognition by pDCs and pDC activation are not clearly defined. In this study, we report that two genetically similar HIV-1 variants (R3A and R3B) isolated from a rapid progressor differentially activated pDCs to produce alpha interferon (IFN-α). The highly pathogenic R3A efficiently activated pDCs to induce robust IFN-α production, while the less pathogenic R3B did not. The viral determinant for efficient pDC activation was mapped to the V1V2 region of R3A Env, which also correlated with enhanced CD4 binding activity. Furthermore, we showed that the Nef protein was also required for the activation of pDCs by R3A. Analysis of a panel of R3A Nef functional mutants demonstrated that Nef domains involved in CD4 downregulation were necessary for R3A to activate pDCs. Our data indicate that R3A-induced pDC activation depends on (i) the high affinity of R3A Env for binding the CD4 receptor and (ii) Nef activity, which is involved in CD4 downregulation. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanism by which HIV-1 induces IFN-α in pDCs, which contributes to pathogenesis. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are the major type I interferon (IFN-I)-producing cells, and IFN-I actually contributes to pathogenesis during chronic viral infections. How HIV-1 activates pDCs and the roles of pDCs/IFN-I in HIV-1 pathogenesis remain unclear. We report here that the highly pathogenic HIV R3A efficiently activated pDCs to induce IFN-α production, while most HIV-1 isolates are inefficient in activating pDCs. We have discovered that R3A-induced pDC activation depends on

  1. Osteonecrosis en pacientes infectados por HIV Osteonecrosis in HIV-infected patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgardo G. Bottaro

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Según la literatura, la osteonecrosis tiene una mayor incidencia en los pacientes infectados con HIV que en la población general. Ello sería resultado de la confluencia de factores de riesgo clásicos y de otros propios de esta población o más prevalentes en ella, como el tratamiento con inhibidores de proteasa, la dislipemia producto de su consumo, la presencia de anticuerpos anticardiolipina séricos, la hipercoagulabilidad, la restauración inmune y las vasculitis. Presentamos una serie de 13 pacientes infectados con HIV con osteonecrosis. El motivo de consulta fue dolor en grandes articulaciones. Cuatro eran alcoholistas, 8 tabaquistas y 9 tenían dislipemia. Once habían recibido esteroides en algún momento de la vida aunque sólo uno estaba recibiéndolos al momento del inicio del dolor. En 2 se detectaron anticuerpos anticardiolipina séricos. Doce tenían sida y recibían tratamiento antirretroviral de alta eficacia (11 con inhibidores de proteasa. Ellos lograron una adecuada recuperación inmunológica. Consideramos necesario incluir la osteonecrosis como diagnóstico diferencial de artralgia persistente en pacientes infectados con HIV e investigar infección por HIV en todo paciente con osteonecrosis sin claros factores predisponentes.Osteonecrosis, also known as avascular necrosis, is chiefly characterized by death of bone caused by vascular compromise. The true incidence of osteonecrosis in HIV-infected patients is not well known and the pathogenesis remains undefined. Hypothetical risk factors peculiar to HIV-infected individuals that might play a role in the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis include the introduction of protease inhibitors and resulting hyperlipidemia, the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies in serum leading to a hypercoagulable state, immune recovery and vasculitis. Hereby we present a series of 13 HIV-infected patients with osteonecrosis. The most common symptom upon presentation was arthralgia. The majority

  2. HIV-Associated Lung Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiderlen, Til R; Siehl, Jan; Hentrich, Marcus

    2017-01-01

    Lung cancer (LC) is one of the most common non-AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)-defining malignancies. It occurs more frequently in persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWHIV) than in the HIV-negative population. Compared to their HIV-negative counterparts, patients are usually younger and diagnosed at more advanced stages. The pathogenesis of LC in PLWHIV is not fully understood, but immunosuppression in combination with chronic infection and the oncogenic effects of smoking and HIV itself all seem to play a role. Currently, no established preventive screening is available, making smoking cessation the most promising preventive measure. Treatment protocols and standards are the same as for the general population. Notably, immuno-oncology will also become standard of care in a significant subset of HIV-infected patients with LC. As drug interactions and hematological toxicity must be taken into account, a multidisciplinary approach should include a physician experienced in the treatment of HIV. Only limited data is available on novel targeted therapies and checkpoint inhibitors in the setting of HIV. © 2017 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

  3. STS-105 Crew Interview: Scott Horowitz

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-01-01

    STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz is seen during a prelaunch interview. He answers questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut, his career path, training for the mission, and his role in the mission's activities. He gives details on the mission's goals, which include the transfer of supplies from the Discovery Orbiter to the International Space Station (ISS) and the change-over of the Expedition 2 and Expedition 3 crews (the resident crews of ISS). Horowitz discusses the importance of the ISS in the future of human spaceflight.

  4. Clinical epidemiology of bocavirus, rhinovirus, two polyomaviruses and four coronaviruses in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected South African children.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta C Nunes

    Full Text Available Advances in molecular diagnostics have implicated newly-discovered respiratory viruses in the pathogenesis of pneumonia. We aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of human bocavirus (hBoV, human rhinovirus (hRV, polyomavirus-WU (WUPyV and -KI (KIPyV and human coronaviruses (CoV-OC43, -NL63, -HKU1 and -229E among children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI.Multiplex real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was undertaken on archived nasopharyngeal aspirates from HIV-infected and -uninfected children (<2 years age hospitalized for LRTI, who had been previously investigated for respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza I-III, adenovirus and influenza A/B.At least one of these viruses were identified in 274 (53.0% of 517 and in 509 (54.0% of 943 LRTI-episodes in HIV-infected and -uninfected children, respectively. Human rhinovirus was the most prevalent in HIV-infected (31.7% and -uninfected children (32.0%, followed by CoV-OC43 (12.2% and hBoV (9.5% in HIV-infected; and by hBoV (13.3% and WUPyV (11.9% in HIV-uninfected children. Polyomavirus-KI (8.9% vs. 4.8%; p = 0.002 and CoV-OC43 (12.2% vs. 3.6%; p<0.001 were more prevalent in HIV-infected than -uninfected children. Combined with previously-tested viruses, respiratory viruses were identified in 60.9% of HIV-infected and 78.3% of HIV-uninfected children. The newly tested viruses were detected at high frequency in association with other respiratory viruses, including previously-investigated viruses (22.8% in HIV-infected and 28.5% in HIV-uninfected children.We established that combined with previously-investigated viruses, at least one respiratory virus was identified in the majority of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children hospitalized for LRTI. The high frequency of viral co-infections illustrates the complexities in attributing causality to specific viruses in the aetiology of LRTI and may indicate a

  5. Co-infections and Pathogenesis of KSHV-Associated Malignancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suhani eThakker

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, also known as human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8 is one of the several carcinogenic viruses that infect humans. KSHV infection has been implicated in the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL, and multicentric Castleman’s Disease (MCD. While KSHV infection is necessary for the development of KSHV associated malignancies, it is not sufficient to induce tumoriegenesis. Evidently, other co-factors are essential for the progression of KSHV induced malignancies. One of the most important co-factors, necessary for the progression of KSHV induced tumors, is immune suppression that frequently arises during co-infection with HIV and also by other immune suppressants. In this mini-review, we discuss the roles of co-infection with HIV and other pathogens on KSHV infection and pathogenesis.

  6. Phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 pol gene: first subgenomic evidence of CRF29-BF among Iranian HIV-1 patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazem Baesi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To identify the dominant subtype among the HIV-1 strains circulation in Iran. Methods: In this cross sectional study 100 HIV positive patients participated. HIV-1 RNA was extracted from plasma. RT nested-PCR was performed and the final products were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed; reference sequences were downloaded from Los Alamos, aligned with Iranian pol sequences in the study and analyzed by neighbor-joining method. Results: The results of the phylogenetic analysis showed that HIV-1 subtype CRF-35AD was the dominant subtype among HIV-1 infected patients in Iran; this analysis also suggested a new circulating recombinant form that had not previously been identified in Iran: CRF-29BF. Conclusions: The impact of HIV diversity on pathogenesis, transmission and clinical management have been discussed in different studies; therefore, analyses of HIV genetic diversity is required to design effective antiretroviral strategies for different HIV subtypes.

  7. Nursery Pest Management of Phytolyma lata Walker (Scott) Attack ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The establishment of plantations of Milicia excelsa has been constrained by the gall-forming psyllid Phytolyma lata Walker (Scott) that causes extensive damage to young plants. We present findings of an experiment aimed at preventing Phytolyma attack on Milicia seedlings in the nursery using chemical control and ...

  8. HIV: Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Infection and Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rute Alves

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Since its recognition in the 80s, HIV infection has reached 65 million people worldwide. The presence of the virus in CNS occurs in most patients, increasingly being identified neuropsychiatric disorders associated with infection and / or treatment with ARV. This article intends to briefly review the neuro-pathogenesis and neuropsychiatric disorders associated with HIV infection and treatment with HAART, as well as its therapeutic approach.

  9. Complications of HIV Disease and Antiretroviral Therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Luetkemeyer, Anne F.; Havlir, Diane V.; Currier, Judith S.

    2010-01-01

    There is growing interest in the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of long-term complications of HIV disease and its therapies. Specifically, studies focused on cardiovascular, renal, bone, and fat abnormalities were prominent at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. Although enthusiasm about the effectiveness of current antiretroviral therapy remains strong, collectively, the ongoing work in the area of HIV disease and treatment complications appears to refl...

  10. Reliability and validity of the Salford-Scott Nursing Values Questionnaire in Turkish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulusoy, Hatice; Güler, Güngör; Yıldırım, Gülay; Demir, Ecem

    2018-02-01

    Developing professional values among nursing students is important because values are a significant predictor of the quality care that will be provided, the clients' recognition, and consequently the nurses' job satisfaction. The literature analysis showed that there is only one validated tool available in Turkish that examines both the personal and the professional values of nursing students. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Salford-Scott Nursing Values Questionnaire in Turkish. This study was a Turkish linguistic and cultural adaptation of a research tool. Participants and research context: The sample of this study consisted of 627 undergraduate nursing students from different geographical areas of Turkey. Two questionnaires were used for data collection: a socio-demographic form and the Salford-Scott Nursing Values Questionnaire. For the Salford-Scott Nursing Values Questionnaire, construct validity was examined using factor analyses. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine Research Ethics Board. Students were informed that participation in the study was entirely voluntary and anonymous. Item content validity index ranged from 0.66 to 1.0, and the total content validity index was 0.94. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling was 0.870, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was statistically significant (x 2 = 3108.714, p < 0.001). Construct validity was examined using factor analyses and the six factors were identified. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency reliability and the value of 0.834 was obtained. Our analyses showed that the Turkish version of Salford-Scott Nursing Values Questionnaire has high validity and reliability.

  11. Frequency and site mapping of HIV-1/SIVcpz, HIV- 2/SIVsmm and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2007-05-16

    May 16, 2007 ... Other issues of safety are dependant upon choice of enzyme gene deli- very, and although various ex vivo and in vivo gene transfer techniques exist, we believe that a recom-binant. HIV viral vector whose pathogenesis gene, NEF has been removed to render it impotent, could offer a more targeted delivery ...

  12. SCOTT: A time and amplitude digitizer ASIC for PMT signal processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferry, S.; Guilloux, F.; Anvar, S.; Chateau, F.; Delagnes, E.; Gautard, V.; Louis, F.; Monmarthe, E.; Le Provost, H.; Russo, S.; Schuller, J.-P.; Stolarczyk, Th.; Vallage, B.; Zonca, E.; KM3NeT Consortium

    2013-10-01

    SCOTT is an ASIC designed for the readout electronics of photomultiplier tubes developed for KM3NeT, the cubic-kilometer scale neutrino telescope in Mediterranean Sea. To digitize the PMT signals, the multi-time-over-threshold technique is used with up to 16 adjustable thresholds. Digital outputs of discriminators feed a circular sampling memory and a “first in first out” digital memory. A specific study has shown that five specifically chosen thresholds are suited to reach the required timing accuracy. A dedicated method based on the duration of the signal over a given threshold allows an equivalent timing precision at any charge. To verify that the KM3NeT requirements are fulfilled, this method is applied on PMT signals digitized by SCOTT.

  13. 2015-2016 Travel and Hospitality Expense Reports for Scott Gilmore ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Ruxandra Staicu

    Purpose: Board meetings. Date(s):. 2015-07-13 to 2015-07-14. Destination(s):. Ottawa. Airfare: Other. Transportation: $31.46. Accommodation: Meals and. Incidentals: Other: Total: $31.46. Comments: 2015-2016 Travel and Hospitality Expense. Reports for Scott Gilmore, Governor.

  14. HIV As Trojan Exosome: Immunological Paradox Explained?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildreth, James E K

    2017-01-01

    The HIV pandemic is still a major global challenge, despite the widespread availability of antiretroviral drugs. An effective vaccine would be the ideal approach to bringing the pandemic to an end. However, developing an effective HIV vaccine has proven to be an elusive goal. Three major human HIV vaccine trials revealed a strong trend toward greater risk of infection among vaccine recipients versus controls. A similar observation was made in a macaque SIV vaccine study. The mechanism explaining this phenomenon is not known. Here, a model is presented that may explain the troubling results of vaccine studies and an immunological paradox of HIV pathogenesis: preferential infection of HIV-specific T cells. The central hypothesis of this perspective is that as "Trojan exosomes" HIV particles can directly activate HIV-specific T cells enhancing their susceptibility to infection. Understanding the biology of HIV as an exosome may provide insights that enable novel approaches to vaccine development.

  15. Transcriptome analysis of monocyte-HIV interactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tran Huyen

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background During HIV infection and/or antiretroviral therapy (ART, monocytes and macrophages exhibit a wide range of dysfunctions which contribute significantly to HIV pathogenesis and therapy-associated complications. Nevertheless, the molecular components which contribute to these dysfunctions remain elusive. We therefore applied a parallel approach of genome-wide microarray analysis and focused gene expression profiling on monocytes from patients in different stages of HIV infection and/or ART to further characterise these dysfunctions. Results Processes involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, lipid metabolism, proteasome function, protein trafficking and transcriptional regulation were identified as areas of monocyte dysfunction during HIV infection. Individual genes potentially contributing to these monocyte dysfunctions included several novel factors. One of these is the adipocytokine NAMPT/visfatin, which we show to be capable of inhibiting HIV at an early step in its life cycle. Roughly half of all genes identified were restored to control levels under ART, while the others represented a persistent dysregulation. Additionally, several candidate biomarkers (in particular CCL1 and CYP2C19 for the development of the abacavir hypersensitivity reaction were suggested. Conclusions Previously described areas of monocyte dysfunction during HIV infection were confirmed, and novel themes were identified. Furthermore, individual genes associated with these dysfunctions and with ART-associated disorders were pinpointed. These genes form a useful basis for further functional studies concerning the contribution of monocytes/macrophages to HIV pathogenesis. One such gene, NAMPT/visfatin, represents a possible novel restriction factor for HIV. Background Both macrophages and T lymphocyte subsets express the CD4 receptor and either the CXCR4 and/or the CCR5 coreceptor which confer susceptibility to infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

  16. Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center uses innovative lameness treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Kate

    2009-01-01

    Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center is now offering an equine lameness therapy that prevents further degeneration of the affected joint and offers a longer-lasting benefit than traditional steroid treatment.

  17. Evaluating safety of concrete gravity dam on weak rock: Scott Dam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goodman, R.E.; Ahlgren, C.S.

    2000-01-01

    Scott Dam is owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG and E) as part of the Potter Valley Project. Although it is an unimpressive concrete gravity dam [233 m (765 ft) long with maximum water surface 33.4 m (110 ft) above tail water], the dam has unusually complex and weak foundation rocks; thick condition caused design changes during construction, numerous subsequent special investigations, and several corrections and additions. A main stumbling block to clarification of the dam safety issue for Scott Dam has always been difficulty in characterizing the foundation material. This paper discusses an approach to this problem as well s how the safety of the dam was subsequently confirmed. Following a comprehensive program of research, investigations, and analysis from 1991 to 1997

  18. Distinguishing different types of inhomogeneity in Neyman-Scott point processes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mrkvička, Tomáš

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 2 (2014), s. 385-395 ISSN 1387-5841 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : clustering * growing clusters * inhomogeneous cluster centers * inhomogeneous point process * location dependent scaling * Neyman-Scott point process Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.913, year: 2014

  19. 2015-2016 Expense report for Scott Gilmore | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2015-07-13

    2015-2016 Expense report for Scott Gilmore. Total travel expenses: CA$31.46. Download expense report. July 13, 2015 to July 14, 2015. CA$31.46. What we do · Funding · Resources · About IDRC. Knowledge. Innovation. Solutions. Careers · Contact Us · Site map. Sign up now for IDRC news and views sent directly to ...

  20. Eesti tervishoid on tõesti hea. Aitäh, USA! / Scott Abel

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Abel, Scott

    2010-01-01

    Ameeriklane Scott Abel kirjutab, et president Barack Obama tervishoiureform mõjutab arstiabi ka Eestis. Vastukaja artiklile: Turay, Abdul. Kindla individualismi traditsioon // Postimees (2010) 30. märts, lk. 12

  1. Participation in HIV research: the importance of clinic contact factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worthington, Catherine A; Gill, M John

    2008-08-01

    Recruiting minority populations living with HIV to many types of clinic-based HIV research is a concern. This study examined an expanded range of predictors of HIV research participation (clinic contact, clinical, and personal characteristics) to investigate observed ethnocultural differences in HIV research participation. Research participation was defined as participation in any of diagnostic, pathogenesis, drug trial or survey research. Logistic regression modeling was used to predict research participation of 657 eligible patients (93% of the patient population) who began care between January 1997 and the end of September 2003 at a regional outpatient HIV care program in Calgary, Canada. Approximately one third (32%) were non-white, including 18% Aboriginal, 9% black, 4% Asian, and 1% Hispanic individuals. Twenty-nine percent (187/657) of the patients participated in at least one study of any kind. Multivariate analysis indicated that the strongest predictors of any research participation (including diagnostic, pathogenesis, drug trial, or survey studies) are clinical (including nadir CD4 count [odds ratio {OR} = 0.132, p percentage of appointments kept [OR = 1.022, p service use shown by these groups that may influence research participation. To attract under researched populations, attention should shift from the "who" of research participation to the "how" of clinical interactions.

  2. STS-103 Crew Interviews: Scott Kelly

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    Live footage of a preflight interview with Pilot Scott J. Kelly is seen. The interview addresses many different questions including why Kelly became an astronaut, the events that led to his interest, any role models that he had, and his inspiration. Other interesting information that this one-on-one interview discusses is an explanation of the why this required mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope must take place at such an early date, replacement of the gyroscopes, transistors, and computers. Also discussed are the Chandra X Ray Astrophysics Facility, and a brief touch on Kelly's responsibility during any of the given four space walks scheduled for this mission.

  3. STS-82 Pilot Scott Horowitz arrives for TCDT

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    STS-82 Pilot Scott J. 'Doc' Horowitz arrives at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility in a T-38 jet from Houston, TX. Horowitz and the other six crew members are at KSC to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. The crew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-82 will conduct the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. The 10-day flight is targeted for a Feb. 11 liftoff.

  4. John Scott Haldane: The father of oxygen therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K C Sekhar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available John Scott Haldane was a versatile genius who solved several problems of great practical significance. His ability to look beyond the laboratory and investigate theory added crucial findings in the field of respiratory physiology. His work on high altitude physiology, diving physiology, oxygen therapy, and carbon monoxide poisoning led to a sea change in clinical medicine and improved safety and reduced mortality and morbidity in many high risk situations.

  5. Astronaut Scott Parazynski in hatch of CCT during training

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-01-01

    Astronaut Scott E. Parazynski, STS-66 mission specialist, poses near the hatchway of the crew compartment trainer (CCT) (out of frame) in JSC's Shuttle mockup and integration laboratory. Crew members were about to begin a rehearsal of procedures to be followed during the launch and entry phases of their flight. That rehearsal was followed by a training session on emergency egress procedures.

  6. HIV Vaccine for Prevention and Cure, A Mission Possible.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Da-Yong; Wu, Hong-Ying; Ding, Jian; Sastry, Nagendra; Lu, Ting-Ren

    2016-01-01

    HIV/AIDS was once a highly deadly infective disease that killed the global people of a million annually two decades ago. While we are enjoying the HIV therapeutic advances (mostly important from HAART invention), one obvious drawback is still unresolved-unable to clearance all HIV from infected human bodies. As a result, a series of different therapeutic attempts have been proposed based on present knowledge of different features of HIV-induced pathogenesis and human mortalities. Facing this shortcoming, innovative designs and update of HIV vaccines and other types of HIV therapeutic inventions can be a final solution for completely HIV clearance and infection managements in human beings. Owing to these scientific and medical significances, several experimental and clinical attempts have to be made. Among these attempts, part of them (updating HIV vaccine developments and clinical routines) are quite promising and noteworthy. In this article, we offer the general information of this attempt and discuss it separately, especially on the respects of HIV vaccine strategic innovations.

  7. Purinergic Receptors: Key Mediators of HIV-1 infection and inflammation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Talia H Swartz

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 causes a chronic infection that afflicts more than 38 million individuals worldwide. While the infection can be suppressed with potent anti-retroviral therapies, individuals infected with HIV have elevated levels of inflammation as indicated by increased T cell activation, soluble biomarkers, and associated morbidity and mortality. A single mechanism linking HIV pathogenesis to this inflammation has yet to be identified. Purinergic receptors are known to mediate inflammation and have been shown to be required for HIV-1 infection at the level of HIV-1 membrane fusion. Here we review the literature on the role of purinergic receptors in HIV-1 infection and associated inflammation and describe a role for these receptors as potential therapeutic targets.

  8. Exploring cell apoptosis and senescence to understand and treat cancer: an interview with Scott Lowe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Scott W. Lowe is currently principal investigator at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. After beginning his studies in chemical engineering, he decided to take another path and became fascinated by biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, which ultimately led to an interest in human disease, particularly cancer. During his PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, Scott had the opportunity to benefit from the exceptional mentorship of Earl Ruley, David Housman and Tyler Jacks, and contributed to elucidating how the p53 (TP53 tumor suppressor gene limits oncogenic transformation and modulates the cytotoxic response to conventional chemotherapy. This important work earned him a fellowship from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which helped to launch his independent career. Scott is now a leading scientist in the cancer field and his work has helped to shed light on mechanisms of cell apoptosis and senescence to better understand and treat cancer. In this interview, he talks about this incredible scientific journey.

  9. Stepping toward a Macaque Model of HIV-1 Induced AIDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason T. Kimata

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 exhibits a narrow host range, hindering the development of a robust animal model of pathogenesis. Past studies have demonstrated that the restricted host range of HIV-1 may be largely due to the inability of the virus to antagonize and evade effector molecules of the interferon response in other species. They have also guided the engineering of HIV-1 clones that can replicate in CD4 T-cells of Asian macaque species. However, while replication of these viruses in macaque hosts is persistent, it has been limited and without progression to AIDS. In a new study, Hatziioannou et al., demonstrate for the first time that adapted macaque-tropic HIV-1 can persistently replicate at high levels in pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina, but only if CD8 T-cells are depleted at the time of inoculation. The infection causes rapid disease and recapitulates several aspects of AIDS in humans. Additionally, the virus undergoes genetic changes to further escape innate immunity in association with disease progression. Here, the importance of these findings is discussed, as they relate to pathogenesis and model development.

  10. Retroviruses As Myeloid Cell Riders: What Natural Human Siglec-1 “Knockouts” Tell Us About Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier Martinez-Picado

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Myeloid cells initiate immune responses and are crucial to control infections. In the case of retroviruses, however, myeloid cells also promote pathogenesis by enabling viral dissemination; a process extensively studied in vitro using human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1. This viral hijacking mechanism does not rely on productive myeloid cell infection but requires HIV-1 capture via Siglec-1/CD169, a receptor expressed on myeloid cells that facilitates the infection of bystander target cells. Murine retroviruses are also recognized by Siglec-1, and this interaction is required for robust retroviral infection in vivo. Yet, the relative contribution of Siglec-1-mediated viral dissemination to HIV-1 disease progression remains unclear. The identification of human null individuals lacking working copies of a particular gene enables studying how this loss affects disease progression. Moreover, it can reveal novel antiviral targets whose blockade might be therapeutically effective and safe, since finding null individuals in natura uncovers dispensable functions. We previously described a loss-of-function variant in SIGLEC-1. Analysis of a large cohort of HIV-1-infected individuals identified homozygous and heterozygous subjects, whose cells were functionally null or partially defective for Siglec-1 activity in HIV-1 capture and transmission ex vivo. Nonetheless, analysis of the effect of Siglec-1 truncation on progression to AIDS was not conclusive due to the limited cohort size, the lack of complete clinical records, and the restriction to study only off-therapy periods. Here, we review how the study of loss-of-function variants might serve to illuminate the role of myeloid cells in viral pathogenesis in vivo and the challenges ahead.

  11. An estimating function approach to inference for inhomogeneous Neyman-Scott processes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Waagepetersen, Rasmus

    2007-01-01

    This article is concerned with inference for a certain class of inhomogeneous Neyman-Scott point processes depending on spatial covariates. Regression parameter estimates obtained from a simple estimating function are shown to be asymptotically normal when the "mother" intensity for the Neyman-Sc...

  12. Scott Morgan Johnson Middle School: Personalization Leads to Unlimited Success

    Science.gov (United States)

    Principal Leadership, 2013

    2013-01-01

    The well-known lyrics may be "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You," but at Scott Morgan Johnson Middle School in McKinney, TX, it's definitely the "eye of the tiger" that sets the bar for Tiger PRIDE (perseverance, respect, integrity, determination, and excellence). This article describes how those ideals have been infused…

  13. HIV-1 Latency in Monocytes/Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amit Kumar

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 targets CD4+ T cells and cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. HIV pathogenesis is characterized by the depletion of T lymphocytes and by the presence of a population of cells in which latency has been established called the HIV-1 reservoir. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART has significantly improved the life of HIV-1 infected patients. However, complete eradication of HIV-1 from infected individuals is not possible without targeting latent sources of infection. HIV-1 establishes latent infection in resting CD4+ T cells and findings indicate that latency can also be established in the cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. Monocyte/macrophage lineage includes among others, monocytes, macrophages and brain resident macrophages. These cells are relatively more resistant to apoptosis induced by HIV-1, thus are important stable hideouts of the virus. Much effort has been made in the direction of eliminating HIV-1 resting CD4+ T-cell reservoirs. However, it is impossible to achieve a cure for HIV-1 without considering these neglected latent reservoirs, the cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. In this review we will describe our current understanding of the mechanism of latency in monocyte/macrophage lineage and how such cells can be specifically eliminated from the infected host.

  14. La Emulsión de Scott en la Cultura Hispanoamericana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alfredo Jácome Roca

    2005-06-01

    Varios de los empresarios que fueron pioneros en la industria farmacéutica contaron con algún aceite de hígado de bacalao entre sus primeros productos. En 1876, dos químicos que incursionaron en la industria, llamados Alfred B. Scott y Samuel W. Bowne, empezaron a comerciar en Nueva York la nueva Emulsión de Scott. La fórmula original incluía el aceite de hígado de bacalao –traído de Noruega en grandes cantidades– y los hipofosfitos de lima y soda. No obstante la buena fama que rodeaba sus ingredientes, la comercialización incluyó la propaganda masiva con afirmaciones ciertamente exageradas, que se aprovechaban de la credulidad del público y de la ausencia de mecanismos regulatorios. Se utilizaba tanto el humor como el temor de los parroquianos en postales, almanaques, avisos, que mostraban niños rosados y cachetones. Estos dibujos –y las botellas mismas– hacen actualmente las delicias de los coleccionistas y el negocio de los anticuarios. Una litografía aparecida en 1895 afirma que «la Emulsión de Scott genera vitalidad, carnes, fuerza y la promesa de salud para las personas de todas las edades». Otra estrategia –que aún en tiempos modernos se usa para productos populares– era la de los testimonios de personas que atestiguaban la bondad de la emulsión en su caso concreto. Un aviso que apareció en 1900 en el Greensburg Morning Tribune daba información detallada sobre la escrófula o enfermedad de las linfadenopatías y sobre la consunción, como a la sazón se llamaba a la tuberculosis. «La gente afectada con escrófula a menudo desarrolla consunción; los síntomas más prominentes de la escrófula son la anemia, la secreción de los oídos, las erupciones descamativas, el crecimiento y drenaje de las glándulas del cuello, que pronostican la pronta aparición de la consunción. Todo esto se puede interrumpir, prevenir la consunción y recuperar la salud con el uso precoz de… la Emulsión de Scott». Las niñas que declinaban

  15. OsteOpaenia and OsteOnecrOsis in HiV infectiOn: repOrt Of tWO ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    diseases and aroused interest in the interaction of HiV and aging the pathogenesis of the .... prolonged use of corticosteroids in patient case report. 1, with HiV viral ... calcium deposition. this would help rationalise the selection of protease ...

  16. Aging with HIV-1 Infection: Motor Functions, Cognition, and Attention--A Comparison with Parkinson's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeVaughn, S; Müller-Oehring, E M; Markey, B; Brontë-Stewart, H M; Schulte, T

    2015-12-01

    Recent advances in highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) in their various combinations have dramatically increased the life expectancies of HIV-infected persons. People diagnosed with HIV are living beyond the age of 50 but are experiencing the cumulative effects of HIV infection and aging on brain function. In HIV-infected aging individuals, the potential synergy between immunosenescence and HIV viral loads increases susceptibility to HIV-related brain injury and functional brain network degradation similar to that seen in Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the aging population. Although there are clear diagnostic differences in the primary pathology of both diseases, i.e., death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra in PD and neuroinflammation in HIV, neurotoxicity to dopaminergic terminals in the basal ganglia (BG) has been implied in the pathogenesis of HIV and neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of PD. Similar to PD, HIV infection affects structures of the BG, which are part of interconnected circuits including mesocorticolimbic pathways linking brainstem nuclei to BG and cortices subserving attention, cognitive control, and motor functions. The present review discusses the combined effects of aging and neuroinflammation in HIV individuals on cognition and motor function in comparison with age-related neurodegenerative processes in PD. Despite the many challenges, some HIV patients manage to age successfully, most likely by redistribution of neural network resources to enhance function, as occurs in healthy elderly; such compensation could be curtailed by emerging PD.

  17. Virological Mechanisms in the Coinfection between HIV and HCV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Carla Liberto

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to shared transmission routes, coinfection with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV is common in patients infected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV. The immune-pathogenesis of liver disease in HIV/HCV coinfected patients is a multifactorial process. Several studies demonstrated that HIV worsens the course of HCV infection, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Also, HCV might increase immunological defects due to HIV and risk of comorbidities. A specific cross-talk among HIV and HCV proteins in coinfected patients modulates the natural history, the immune responses, and the life cycle of both viruses. These effects are mediated by immune mechanisms and by a cross-talk between the two viruses which could interfere with host defense mechanisms. In this review, we focus on some virological/immunological mechanisms of the pathogenetic interactions between HIV and HCV in the human host.

  18. Aldred scott warthin: Pathologist and teacher par excellence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vineeth G Nair

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Born in 1866, Aldred Scott Warthin was a pathologist and teacher of great repute. Even though many know him from his eponyms, the true value of his achievements, and how far he was ahead of his peers, is known to but a few modern day medical students. It was in fact, based on his work, that Henry Lynch came up with his theories on the genetic nature of cancer. He died in 1931 leaving a lot of work unfinished.

  19. STS-106 Crew Interviews: Scott D. Altman

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-01-01

    Live footage of a preflight interview with Pilot Scott D. Altman is seen. The interview addresses many different questions including why Altman became a pilot, the events that led to his interest, his career path through the Navy, and then finally, his selection by NASA as an astronaut. Other interesting information discussed in this one-on-one interview was his work on the movie set of "Top Gun," the highlights of his Navy career, and possible shorter time frame turnarounds for missions. Altman also mentions the scheduled docking with the new International Space Station (ISS) after the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module.

  20. STS-82 Pilot Scott Horowitz at SLF

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    STS-82 Pilot Scott J. 'Doc' Horowitz flashes a wide grin for photographers after he lands his T-38 jet at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility. Horowitz and the other six members of the STS-82 crew came from their home base at Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, to spend the last few days before launch at KSC. STS-82 is scheduled for liftoff on Feb. 11 during a 65-minute launch window which opens at 3:56 a.m. EST. The 10-day flight aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery will be the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

  1. [Comorbidities as risk factors of chronic kidney disease in HIV-infected persons].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchewka, Zofia; Szymczak, Aleksandra; Knysz, Brygida

    2015-12-16

    Significant survival prolongation in HIV-infected patients due to effective antiretroviral therapy is connected with increasing prevalence of chronic non-infective diseases in this population, among them chronic kidney disease. The pathogenesis of kidney disease in the setting of HIV includes conditions specific for HIV infection: direct effect of the virus, stage of immunodeficiency and drug toxicity. Chronic comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, are additional significant risk factors of kidney disease. In HIV-infected individuals some distinct features of these conditions are observed, which are partly related to the virus and antiretroviral therapy. The article summarizes the effect of comorbidities on kidney function in HIV-infected persons.

  2. Exploring cell apoptosis and senescence to understand and treat cancer: an interview with Scott Lowe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowe, Scott; Cifra, Alessandra

    2015-11-01

    Scott W. Lowe is currently principal investigator at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. After beginning his studies in chemical engineering, he decided to take another path and became fascinated by biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, which ultimately led to an interest in human disease, particularly cancer. During his PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Scott had the opportunity to benefit from the exceptional mentorship of Earl Ruley, David Housman and Tyler Jacks, and contributed to elucidating how the p53 (TP53) tumor suppressor gene limits oncogenic transformation and modulates the cytotoxic response to conventional chemotherapy. This important work earned him a fellowship from the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which helped to launch his independent career. Scott is now a leading scientist in the cancer field and his work has helped to shed light on mechanisms of cell apoptosis and senescence to better understand and treat cancer. In this interview, he talks about this incredible scientific journey. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  3. Universos ficcionais: o romanesco em Walter Scott e José de Alencar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Roberto Flamínio Peres

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Tamanha é a força do romanesco em Walter Scott que ele foi capaz de dar origem a duas linhas de força críticas antagônicas: uma tendendo a situá-lo dentro do conjunto da literatura ocidental, reatualizando arquétipos ancestrais (Frye; outra considerando-o a quintessência do romance histórico por representar momentos cruciais por que passava a sociedade capitalista entre os séculos XVIII e XIX (Lukács. À luz desse pano de fundo teórico contrastivo, este artigo busca analisar Waverley (1814, obra mais influente de Scott, em comparação com As minas de prata (1865-1866, romance mais ambicioso de José de Alencar e que lança mão de estratégias narrativas similares.

  4. HIV-1-infected macrophages induce astrogliosis by SDF-1α and matrix metalloproteinases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Mika; Wang, Xin; Baba, Masanori

    2005-01-01

    Brain macrophages/microglia and astrocytes are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of HIV-1-associated dementia (HAD). To clarify their interaction and contribution to the pathogenesis, HIV-1-infected or uninfected macrophages were used as a model of brain macrophages/microglia, and their effects on human astrocytes in vitro were examined. The culture supernatants of HIV-1-infected or uninfected macrophages induced significant astrocyte proliferation, which was annihilated with a neutralizing antibody to stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α or a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor. In these astrocytes, CXCR4, MMP, and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase mRNA expression and SDF-1α production were significantly up-regulated. The supernatants of infected macrophages were always more effective than those of uninfected cells. Moreover, the enhanced production of SDF-1α was suppressed by the MMP inhibitor. These results indicate that the activated and HIV-1-infected macrophages can indirectly induce astrocyte proliferation through up-regulating SDF-1α and MMP production, which implies a mechanism of astrogliosis in HAD

  5. 78 FR 3479 - Notice of Public Meeting of Fort Scott Council

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-16

    ... submitted on cards that will be provided at the meeting, via mail to Laurie Fox, Presidio Trust, 103... stated prominently at the beginning of the comments. The Trust will make available for public inspection... PRESIDIO TRUST Notice of Public Meeting of Fort Scott Council AGENCY: The Presidio Trust. ACTION...

  6. The case of Scott Ortiz: a clash between criminal justice and public health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tobia Maria S

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The criminal justice system creates particular challenges for persons with HIV and Hepatitis C, many of whom have a history of injection drug use. The case of Scott Ortiz, taken from public trial and sentencing transcripts, reveals the manner in which incarceration may delay learning of important health problems such as Hepatitis C infection. In addition, the case of Mr. Ortiz suggests the bias in sentencing that a former injection drug user may face. Collaboration between the Montefiore Medical Center residency in Social Medicine and a Bronx legal services agency, Bronx Defenders, yielded the discovery that a decade after diagnosis with HIV and after long term incarceration, Mr. Ortiz was infected with Hepatitis C. Mr. Ortiz only became aware of his advanced Hepatitis C and liver damage during his trial. The second important aspect of this case centers on the justification for lengthy sentence for a burglary conviction. The presiding Judge in Mr. Ortiz's case acknowledged that because of his advanced illness, Mr. Ortiz posed no threat to society as a burglar (the crime for which he was convicted. But the Judge elected to use his discretion to sentence Mr. Ortiz to a term of 15 years to life (as opposed to a minimum of two to four years based on the idea that the public health would be served by preventing Mr. Ortiz from returning to the life of a street addict, sharing dirty needles with others. Mr. Ortiz reports distant injection drug use, no evidence of current or recent drug use was presented during Mr. Ortiz's trial and he reports no injection drug use for over a decade. In this case, bias against a former injection drug user, masquerading as concern for public health, is used to justify a lengthier sentence. Mr. Ortiz's lack of awareness of his Hepatitis C infection despite long term incarceration, combined with the justification for his dramatically increased sentence, provide examples of how persons within the criminal justice

  7. PEOPLE IN PHYSICS: Interview with Scott Durow, Software Engineer, Oxford

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Conducted by Paul

    1998-05-01

    Scott Durow was educated at Bootham School, York. He studied Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry to A-level and went on to Nottingham University to read Medical Physics. After graduating from Nottingham he embarked on his present career as a Software Engineer based in Oxford. He is a musician in his spare time, as a member of a band and playing the French horn.

  8. Cytomegalovirus: a review of pathogenesis, epidemiology and diagnosis of infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sócrates Bezerra de Matos

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The cytomegalovirus (CMV is a human β-herpesvirus ubiquitous and has high worldwide prevalence. The transmission occurs through contact with biological fluids, such as: saliva, semen, vaginal secretions, urine and breast milk, as well as trans placental, blood transfusion or organ transplantation. The most CMV infected individuals remains asymptomatic, however, some patients, especially the immunosuppressed, can develop severe infection with serious clinical signs, like the transplant recipients, HIV positive, leukemic or newborn. This review aims, among other things, discuss the pathogenesis and highlight important sites of immunology and diagnosis of CMV infection.

  9. CYTOMEGALOVIRUS: A REVIEW OF PATHOGENESIS, EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSIS OF INFECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sócrates Bezerra de Matos

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The cytomegalovirus (CMV is a human β-herpesvirus ubiquitous and has high worldwide prevalence. The transmission occurs through contact with biological fluids, such as: saliva, semen, vaginal secretions, urine and breast milk, as well as transplacental, blood transfusion or organ transplantation. The most CMV infected individuals remains asymptomatic, however, some patients, especially the immunosuppressed, can develop severe infection with serious clinical signs, like the transplant recipients, HIV positive, leukemic or newborn. This review aims, among other things, discuss the pathogenesis and highlight important sites of immunology and diagnosis of CMV infection.

  10. Gene expression patterns associated with neurological disease in human HIV infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pietro Paolo Sanna

    Full Text Available The pathogenesis and nosology of HIV-associated neurological disease (HAND remain incompletely understood. Here, to provide new insight into the molecular events leading to neurocognitive impairments (NCI in HIV infection, we analyzed pathway dysregulations in gene expression profiles of HIV-infected patients with or without NCI and HIV encephalitis (HIVE and control subjects. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA algorithm was used for pathway analyses in conjunction with the Molecular Signatures Database collection of canonical pathways (MSigDb. We analyzed pathway dysregulations in gene expression profiles of patients from the National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium (NNTC, which consists of samples from 3 different brain regions, including white matter, basal ganglia and frontal cortex of HIV-infected and control patients. While HIVE is characterized by widespread, uncontrolled inflammation and tissue damage, substantial gene expression evidence of induction of interferon (IFN, cytokines and tissue injury is apparent in all brain regions studied, even in the absence of NCI. Various degrees of white matter changes were present in all HIV-infected subjects and were the primary manifestation in patients with NCI in the absence of HIVE. In particular, NCI in patients without HIVE in the NNTC sample is associated with white matter expression of chemokines, cytokines and β-defensins, without significant activation of IFN. Altogether, the results identified distinct pathways differentially regulated over the course of neurological disease in HIV infection and provide a new perspective on the dynamics of pathogenic processes in the course of HIV neurological disease in humans. These results also demonstrate the power of the systems biology analyses and indicate that the establishment of larger human gene expression profile datasets will have the potential to provide novel mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of neurological disease in HIV

  11. Finality regained: A co-algebraic study of Scott-sets and Multisets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    D'Agostino, G.; Visser, A.

    1999-01-01

    In this paper we study iterated circular multisets in a coalgebraic frame- work. We will produce two essentially different universes of such sets. The unisets of the first universe will be shown to be precisely the sets of the Scott universe. The unisets of the second universe will be precisely

  12. Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2010

    2010-01-01

    "Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics" is a core curriculum for students at all ability levels in prekindergarten through grade 6. The program supports students' understanding of key math concepts and skills and covers a range of mathematical content across grades. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviewed 12 studies on…

  13. From wasting to obesity, changes in nutritional concerns in HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mankal, Pavan K; Kotler, Donald P

    2014-09-01

    Optimal nutrition is an important part of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care; to support the immune system, limit HIV-associated complications as well as maintain better quality of life and survival. The presentation and nature of malnutrition in patients with HIV has changed dramatically over the past 30 years from predominantly a wasting syndrome to lipodystrophy and, now, frailty. Nevertheless, we continue to see all 3 presentations in patient care today. The pathogenesis of poor nutrition in HIV-infected patients depends on caloric intake, intestinal nutrient absorption/translocation, and resting energy expenditure, which are features seen in all chronic diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Research progress of HIV-associated myelopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kun HONG

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The wide usage of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART leads to reduction of the occurence rate of focal or diffuse neurological damage caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection, which prominently improves the living quality of HIV-infected patients. Despite this progress, about 70% of HIV-infected patients develop neurological complications. Although neurological disease typically occurs in the advanced stage of the disease or after severe damage of immune functions, it may also occur during early stage of the infection. HIV-associated myelopathy is a common complication of immunodeficiency syndrome and its typical pathological appearence is vacuolar degeneration. In many patients the clinical manifestations of vacuolar myelopathy are in fact limited to non-specific sphincter or sexual dysfunction, and may remain completely asymptomatic. Even when motor and sensory symptoms become evident, the diagnosis is often complicated by a concomitant peripheral neuropathy. The purpose of this study is to summarize pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, pathological features, diagnosis and treatment of HIV-associated myelopathy. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2016.08.004

  15. Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center offers new treatment for lameness

    OpenAIRE

    Musick, Marjorie

    2006-01-01

    The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center has begun offering a new therapy for treating lameness associated with osteoarthritis and cartilage damage in horses, a problem that affects all segments of the equine industry.

  16. HAART in HIV/AIDS Treatments: Future Trends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Da-Yong; Wu, Hong-Ying; Yarla, Nagendra Sastry; Xu, Bin; Ding, Jian; Lu, Ting-Ren

    2018-01-01

    AIDS (acquired immune deficient syndrome) is a deadly human viral infectious disease caused by HIV (human immune-deficient virus) infection. Almost every AIDS patient losses his/her life before mid 1990s. AIDS was once the 1st disease killer in US (1993). After one decade hard work, antiviral drug cocktails-high active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) have been invented for almost all HIV infection treatments. Due to the invention of HAART, 80-90% HIV/AIDS patients still effectively response to HAART for deadly AIDS episode controls and life saving. Yet, this type of HIV therapeutics is incurable. HIV/AIDS patients need to take HAART medications regularly and even life-long. To counteract this therapeutic drawback, more revolutionary efforts (different angles of therapeutic modes/attempts) are urgently needed. In this article, the major progresses and drawbacks of HIV/AIDS chemotherapy (HAART) to HIV/AIDS patients have been discussed. Future trends (updating pathogenesis study, next generations of drug developments, new drug target discovery, different scientific disciplinary and so on) are highlighted. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  17. 100 years since Scott reached the pole: a century of learning about the physiological demands of Antarctica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halsey, Lewis G; Stroud, Mike A

    2012-04-01

    The 1910-1913 Terra Nova Expedition to the Antarctic, led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, was a venture of science and discovery. It is also a well-known story of heroism and tragedy since his quest to reach the South Pole and conduct research en route, while successful was also fateful. Although Scott and his four companions hauled their sledges to the Pole, they died on their return journey either directly or indirectly from the extreme physiological stresses they experienced. One hundred years on, our understanding of such stresses caused by Antarctic extremes and how the body reacts to severe exercise, malnutrition, hypothermia, high altitude, and sleep deprivation has greatly advanced. On the centenary of Scott's expedition to the bottom of the Earth, there is still controversy surrounding whether the deaths of those five men could have, or should have, been avoided. This paper reviews present-day knowledge related to the physiology of sustained man-hauling in Antarctica and contrasts this with the comparative ignorance about these issues around the turn of the 20th century. It closes by considering whether, with modern understanding about the effects of such a scenario on the human condition, Scott could have prepared and managed his team differently and so survived the epic 1,600-mile journey. The conclusion is that by carrying rations with a different composition of macromolecules, enabling greater calorific intake at similar overall weight, Scott might have secured the lives of some of the party, and it is also possible that enhanced levels of vitamin C in his rations, albeit difficult to achieve in 1911, could have significantly improved their survival chances. Nevertheless, even with today's knowledge, a repeat attempt at his expedition would by no means be bound to succeed.

  18. Comorbidities as risk factors of chronic kidney disease in HIV-infected persons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zofia Marchewka

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Significant survival prolongation in HIV-infected patients due to effective antiretroviral therapy is connected with increasing prevalence of chronic non-infective diseases in this population, among them chronic kidney disease. The pathogenesis of kidney disease in the setting of HIV includes conditions specific for HIV infection: direct effect of the virus, stage of immunodeficiency and drug toxicity. Chronic comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, are additional significant risk factors of kidney disease. In HIV-infected individuals some distinct features of these conditions are observed, which are partly related to the virus and antiretroviral therapy. The article summarizes the effect of comorbidities on kidney function in HIV-infected persons.

  19. Role of Monocyte/Macrophages during HIV/SIV Infection in Adult and Pediatric Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristen M. Merino

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Monocytes/macrophages are a diverse group of cells that act as first responders in innate immunity and then as mediators for adaptive immunity to help clear infections. In performing these functions, however, the macrophage inflammatory responses can also contribute to pathogenesis. Various monocyte and tissue macrophage subsets have been associated with inflammatory disorders and tissue pathogeneses such as occur during HIV infection. Non-human primate research of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV has been invaluable in better understanding the pathogenesis of HIV infection. The question of HIV/SIV-infected macrophages serving as a viral reservoir has become significant for achieving a cure. In the rhesus macaque model, SIV-infected macrophages have been shown to promote pathogenesis in several tissues resulting in cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurological diseases. Results from human studies illustrated that alveolar macrophages could be an important HIV reservoir and humanized myeloid-only mice supported productive HIV infection and viral persistence in macrophages during ART treatment. Depletion of CD4+ T cells is considered the primary cause for terminal progression, but it was reported that increasing monocyte turnover was a significantly better predictor in SIV-infected adult macaques. Notably, pediatric cases of HIV/SIV exhibit faster and more severe disease progression than adults, yet neonates have fewer target T cells and generally lack the hallmark CD4+ T cell depletion typical of adult infections. Current data show that the baseline blood monocyte turnover rate was significantly higher in neonatal macaques compared to adults and this remained high with disease progression. In this review, we discuss recent data exploring the contribution of monocytes and macrophages to HIV/SIV infection and progression. Furthermore, we highlight the need to further investigate their role in pediatric cases of infection.

  20. Novel insights into the effect of CCR5 inhibition on HIV treatment, pathogenesis and cure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Symons, J.

    2014-01-01

    The introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in 1996 has significantly reduced HIV related morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Recent advances in antiretroviral treatment have resulted in a life expectancy of effectively treated HIV infected patients, comparable to those

  1. Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report. Updated

    Science.gov (United States)

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

    2013-01-01

    "Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics" is a core mathematics curriculum for students in prekindergarten through grade 6. The program aims to improve students' understanding of key math concepts through problem-solving instruction, hands-on activities, and math problems that involve reading and writing. The curriculum…

  2. Making waves the story of Ruby Payne-Scott : Australian pioneer radio astronomer

    CERN Document Server

    Goss, M

    2013-01-01

    This book is an abbreviated, partly re-written version of "Under the Radar - The First Woman in Radio Astronomy: Ruby Payne-Scott." It addresses a general readership interested in historical and sociological aspects of astronomy and presents the biography of Ruby Payne-Scott (1912 – 1981). As the first female radio astronomer (and one of the first people in the world to consider radio astronomy), she made classic contributions to solar radio physics. She also played a major role in the design of the Australian government's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research radars, which were in turn of vital importance in the Southwest Pacific Theatre in World War II. These radars were used by military personnel from Australia, the United States and New Zealand. From a sociological perspective, her career offers many examples of the perils of being a female academic in the first half of the 20th century. Written in an engaging style and complemented by many historical photographs, this book offers fascinating...

  3. Future directions in the treatment of HIV-HBV coinfection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iser, David M; Lewin, Sharon R

    2009-07-01

    Liver disease is a major cause of mortality in individuals with HIV-HBV coinfection. The pathogenesis of liver disease in this setting is unknown, but is likely to involve drug toxicity, infection of hepatic cells with both HIV and HBV, and an altered immune response to HBV. The availability of therapeutic agents that target both HIV and HBV replication enable dual viral suppression, and assessment of chronic hepatitis B is important prior to commencement of antiretroviral therapy. Greater importance is now placed on HBV DNA levels and staging of liver fibrosis, either by liver biopsy or noninvasive measurement, such as transient elastography, since significant liver fibrosis may exist in the presence of normal liver function tests. Earlier treatment of both HIV and HBV is now generally advocated and treatment is usually lifelong.

  4. Oxidized lipoproteins are associated with markers of inflammation and immune activation in HIV-1 infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelesidis, T; Jackson, N; McComsey, GA; Wang, X; Elashoff, D; Dube, MP; Brown, TT; Yang, OO; Stein, JH; Currier, JS

    2016-01-01

    Objective The pathogenesis of immune dysfunction in chronic HIV-1 infection is unclear, and a potential role for oxidized lipids has been suggested. We hypothesize that both oxidized low- and high-density lipoproteins (HDLox, LDLox) contribute to HIV-1 related immune dysfunction. Study In the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) A5260, 234 HIV-infected antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve participants were randomized to receive tenofovir-emtricitabine plus protease inhibitors or raltegravir and had HIV-1 RNA lipoproteins may contribute to persistent immune activation on ART. PMID:27603288

  5. Molecular Mechanisms of Liver Fibrosis in HIV/HCV Coinfection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio M. Mastroianni

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in people coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. Several studies have shown that HIV infection promotes accelerated HCV hepatic fibrosis progression, even with HIV replication under full antiretroviral control. The pathogenesis of accelerated hepatic fibrosis among HIV/HCV coinfected individuals is complex and multifactorial. The most relevant mechanisms involved include direct viral effects, immune/cytokine dysregulation, altered levels of matrix metalloproteinases and fibrosis biomarkers, increased oxidative stress and hepatocyte apoptosis, HIV-associated gut depletion of CD4 cells, and microbial translocation. In addition, metabolic alterations, heavy alcohol use, as well drug use, may have a potential role in liver disease progression. Understanding the pathophysiology and regulation of liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV co-infection may lead to the development of therapeutic strategies for the management of all patients with ongoing liver disease. In this review, we therefore discuss the evidence and potential molecular mechanisms involved in the accelerated liver fibrosis seen in patients coinfected with HIV and HCV.

  6. STS-101 Crew Interview / Scott Horowitz

    Science.gov (United States)

    2000-01-01

    Live footage of a preflight interview with Pilot Scott J. Horowitz is seen. The interview addresses many different questions including why Horowitz became an astronaut, the events that led to his interest, any role models that he had, and his inspiration. Other interesting information that this one-on-one interview discusses is the reaction and reasons for the splitting-up of the objectives for STS-101 with STS-106. Horowitz also mentions the scheduled space-walk, docking with the International Space Station (ISS), the new glass cockpit of Atlantis, the repairs of equipment and change of the batteries. Horowitz also discusses his responsibilities during the space-walk, and docking of the spacecraft. He stresses that he will have an added challenge during the space-walk, his inability to see where he needs to place the Extravehicular Activities (EVA) crew.

  7. STS-82 Pilot Scott J. 'Doc' Horowitz Suit Up

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    STS-82 Pilot Scott J. 'Doc' Horowitz puts on a glove of his launch and entry suit with assistance from a suit technician in the Operations and Checkout Building. This is Horowitz''';s second space flight. He and the six other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Discovery awaits liftoff on a 10-day mission to service the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This will be the second HST servicing mission. Four back-to-back spacewalks are planned.

  8. Understanding HIV infection for the design of a therapeutic vaccine. Part II: Vaccination strategies for HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Goede, A L; Vulto, A G; Osterhaus, A D M E; Gruters, R A

    2015-05-01

    HIV infection leads to a gradual loss CD4(+) T lymphocytes comprising immune competence and progression to AIDS. Effective treatment with combined antiretroviral drugs (cART) decreases viral load below detectable levels but is not able to eliminate the virus from the body. The success of cART is frustrated by the requirement of expensive lifelong adherence, accumulating drug toxicities and chronic immune activation resulting in increased risk of several non-AIDS disorders, even when viral replication is suppressed. Therefore, there is a strong need for therapeutic strategies as an alternative to cART. Immunotherapy, or therapeutic vaccination, aims to increase existing immune responses against HIV or induce de novo immune responses. These immune responses should provide a functional cure by controlling viral replication and preventing disease progression in the absence of cART. The key difficulty in the development of an HIV vaccine is our ignorance of the immune responses that control of viral replication, and thus how these responses can be elicited and how they can be monitored. Part one of this review provides an extensive overview of the (patho-) physiology of HIV infection. It describes the structure and replication cycle of HIV, the epidemiology and pathogenesis of HIV infection and the innate and adaptive immune responses against HIV. Part two of this review discusses therapeutic options for HIV. Prevention modalities and antiretroviral therapy are briefly touched upon, after which an extensive overview on vaccination strategies for HIV is provided, including the choice of immunogens and delivery strategies. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  9. The Paradoxical World of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    OpenAIRE

    ŠANDEROVÁ, Milada

    2015-01-01

    In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald created a world of fundamental contradictions. Whether talking about the way the whole society works, the immense differences among social classes, the characters, or the tension between attributes of a particular character. Therefore, the goal of this bachelor thesis is to analyse the world of this novel as the world built on paradoxes.

  10. 76 FR 71611 - Notice of Establishment of the Fort Winfield Scott Advisory Committee

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-18

    ... (``Committee''). The Committee will advise the Executive Director of the Presidio Trust on matters pertaining... of once every three months. Nominations: The Presidio Trust will consider nominations of all... PRESIDIO TRUST Notice of Establishment of the Fort Winfield Scott Advisory Committee AGENCY: The...

  11. Current questions in HIV-associated lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shcherba, Marina; Shuter, Jonathan; Haigentz, Missak

    2013-09-01

    In this review, we explore current questions regarding risk factors contributing to frequent and early onset of lung cancer among populations with HIV infection, treatment, and outcomes of lung cancer in HIV-infected patients as well as challenges in a newly evolving era of lung cancer screening. Lung cancer, seen in three-fold excess in HIV-infected populations, has become the most common non-AIDS defining malignancy in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era. HIV-associated lung cancer appears to be associated with young age at diagnosis, cigarette smoking, advanced stage at presentation, and a more aggressive clinical course. There is no unified explanation for these observations, and aside from traditional risk factors, HIV-related immunosuppression and biological differences might play a role. In addition to smoking cessation interventions, screening and early cancer detection in HIV-infected populations are of high clinical importance, although evidence supporting lung cancer screening in this particularly high-risk subset is currently lacking, as are prospective studies of lung cancer therapy. There is an urgent need for prospective clinical trials in HIV-associated lung cancer to improve understanding of lung cancer pathogenesis and to optimize patient care. Several clinical trials are in progress to address questions in cancer biology, screening, and treatment for this significant cause of mortality in persons with HIV infection.

  12. The transcriptome of HIV-1 infected intestinal CD4+ T cells exposed to enteric bacteria.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alyson C Yoder

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Global transcriptome studies can help pinpoint key cellular pathways exploited by viruses to replicate and cause pathogenesis. Previous data showed that laboratory-adapted HIV-1 triggers significant gene expression changes in CD4+ T cell lines and mitogen-activated CD4+ T cells from peripheral blood. However, HIV-1 primarily targets mucosal compartments during acute infection in vivo. Moreover, early HIV-1 infection causes extensive depletion of CD4+ T cells in the gastrointestinal tract that herald persistent inflammation due to the translocation of enteric microbes to the systemic circulation. Here, we profiled the transcriptome of primary intestinal CD4+ T cells infected ex vivo with transmitted/founder (TF HIV-1. Infections were performed in the presence or absence of Prevotella stercorea, a gut microbe enriched in the mucosa of HIV-1-infected individuals that enhanced both TF HIV-1 replication and CD4+ T cell death ex vivo. In the absence of bacteria, HIV-1 triggered a cellular shutdown response involving the downregulation of HIV-1 reactome genes, while perturbing genes linked to OX40, PPAR and FOXO3 signaling. However, in the presence of bacteria, HIV-1 did not perturb these gene sets or pathways. Instead, HIV-1 enhanced granzyme expression and Th17 cell function, inhibited G1/S cell cycle checkpoint genes and triggered downstream cell death pathways in microbe-exposed gut CD4+ T cells. To gain insights on these differential effects, we profiled the gene expression landscape of HIV-1-uninfected gut CD4+ T cells exposed to bacteria. Microbial exposure upregulated genes involved in cellular proliferation, MAPK activation, Th17 cell differentiation and type I interferon signaling. Our findings reveal that microbial exposure influenced how HIV-1 altered the gut CD4+ T cell transcriptome, with potential consequences for HIV-1 susceptibility, cell survival and inflammation. The HIV-1- and microbe-altered pathways unraveled here may serve as a

  13. Creatine protects against mitochondrial dysfunction associated with HIV-1 Tat-induced neuronal injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Patrick R.; Gawryluk, Jeremy W.; Hui, Liang; Chen, Xuesong; Geiger, Jonathan D.

    2015-01-01

    HIV-1 infected individuals are living longer but experiencing a prevalence rate of over 50% for HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) for which no effective treatment is available. Viral and cellular factors secreted by HIV-1 infected cells leads to neuronal injury and HIV-1 Tat continues to be implicated in the pathogenesis of HAND. Here we tested the hypothesis that creatine protected against HIV-1 Tat-induced neuronal injury by preventing mitochondrial bioenergetic crisis and/or redox catastrophe. Creatine blocked HIV-1 Tat1-72-induced increases in neuron cell death and synaptic area loss. Creatine protected against HIV-1 Tat-induced decreases in ATP. Creatine and creatine plus HIV-1 Tat increased cellular levels of creatine, and creatine plus HIV-1 Tat further decreased ratios of phosphocreatine to creatine observed with creatine or HIV-1 Tat treatments alone. Additionally, creatine protected against HIV-1 Tat-induced mitochondrial hypopolarization and HIV-1 Tat-induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. Thus, creatine may be a useful adjunctive therapy against HAND. PMID:25613139

  14. Nucleolar protein trafficking in response to HIV-1 Tat: rewiring the nucleolus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarboui, Mohamed Ali; Bidoia, Carlo; Woods, Elena; Roe, Barbara; Wynne, Kieran; Elia, Giuliano; Hall, William W; Gautier, Virginie W

    2012-01-01

    The trans-activator Tat protein is a viral regulatory protein essential for HIV-1 replication. Tat trafficks to the nucleoplasm and the nucleolus. The nucleolus, a highly dynamic and structured membrane-less sub-nuclear compartment, is the site of rRNA and ribosome biogenesis and is involved in numerous cellular functions including transcriptional regulation, cell cycle control and viral infection. Importantly, transient nucleolar trafficking of both Tat and HIV-1 viral transcripts are critical in HIV-1 replication, however, the role(s) of the nucleolus in HIV-1 replication remains unclear. To better understand how the interaction of Tat with the nucleolar machinery contributes to HIV-1 pathogenesis, we investigated the quantitative changes in the composition of the nucleolar proteome of Jurkat T-cells stably expressing HIV-1 Tat fused to a TAP tag. Using an organellar proteomic approach based on mass spectrometry, coupled with Stable Isotope Labelling in Cell culture (SILAC), we quantified 520 proteins, including 49 proteins showing significant changes in abundance in Jurkat T-cell nucleolus upon Tat expression. Numerous proteins exhibiting a fold change were well characterised Tat interactors and/or known to be critical for HIV-1 replication. This suggests that the spatial control and subcellular compartimentaliation of these cellular cofactors by Tat provide an additional layer of control for regulating cellular machinery involved in HIV-1 pathogenesis. Pathway analysis and network reconstruction revealed that Tat expression specifically resulted in the nucleolar enrichment of proteins collectively participating in ribosomal biogenesis, protein homeostasis, metabolic pathways including glycolytic, pentose phosphate, nucleotides and amino acids biosynthetic pathways, stress response, T-cell signaling pathways and genome integrity. We present here the first differential profiling of the nucleolar proteome of T-cells expressing HIV-1 Tat. We discuss how these

  15. Rhesus macaque and chimpanzee DC-SIGN act as HIV/SIV gp120 trans-receptors, similar to human DC-SIGN

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geijtenbeek, T. B.; Koopman, G.; van Duijnhoven, G. C.; van Vliet, S. J.; van Schijndel, A. C.; Engering, A.; Heeney, J. L.; van Kooyk, Y.

    2001-01-01

    Dendritic cells (DC) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of both human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV, respectively). The DC-specific HIV-1 trans-receptor DC-SIGN is thought to be essential for viral dissemination by DC. Abundant expression in lymphoid tissues also implies a

  16. Erratum to: Risky Sex and HIV Acquisition Among HIV Serodiscordant Couples in Zambia, 2002-2012: What Does Alcohol Have To Do With It?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph Davey, Dvora; Kilembe, William; Wall, Kristin M; Khu, Naw Htee; Brill, Ilene; Vwalika, Bellington; Chomba, Elwyn; Mulenga, Joseph; Tichacek, Amanda; Javanbakht, Marjan; Comulada, W Scott; Allen, Susan; Gorbach, Pamina M

    2017-09-27

    The article Risky Sex and HIV Acquisition Among HIV Serodiscordant Couples in Zambia, 2002-2012: What Does Alcohol Have To Do With It?, written by Dvora Joseph Davey, William Kilembe, Kristin M. Wall, Naw Htee Khu, Ilene Brill, Bellington Vwalika, Elwyn Chomba, Joseph Mulenga, Amanda Tichacek, Marjan Javanbakht, W. Scott Comulada, Susan Allen, Pamina M. Gorbach, was originally published Online First without open access. After publication in volume 21, issue 7, pages 1892-1903, the author decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an open access publication. Therefore, the copyright of the article has been changed to © The Author(s) [Year] and the article is forthwith distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits use, duplication, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

  17. Rapport de frais de 2015-2016 pour Scott Gilmore | CRDI - Centre ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Accueil · À propos du CRDI · Obligation de rendre compte · Transparence · Déplacements et accueil. Rapport de frais de 2015-2016 pour Scott Gilmore. Total des frais de déplacement : CAD$31.46. Télécharger la version PDF de ce rapport. 13 juillet 2015 au 14 juillet 2015. CAD$31.46. Ce que nous faisons · Financement ...

  18. The Pleasures and Lessons of Academic Mythbusting: An Interview with Scott Lilienfeld

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zinn, Tracy E.

    2010-01-01

    Scott O. Lilienfeld is a professor of psychology at Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Lilienfeld is founder and editor of the journal, "Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice," and is past president of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology. He has been a member of 11 journal editorial boards, including the…

  19. STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman in white room before launch

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman is assisted by NASA and USA closeout crew members immediately preceding launch for the nearly 17-day Neurolab mission. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system. Linnehan and six fellow crew members will shortly enter the orbiter at KSC's Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia will lift off during a launch window that opens at 2:19 p.m. EDT, April 17.

  20. Gastrointestinal viral load and enteroendocrine cell number are associated with altered survival in HIV-1 infected individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guido van Marle

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infects and destroys cells of the immune system leading to an overt immune deficiency known as HIV acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS. The gut associated lymphoid tissue is one of the major lymphoid tissues targeted by HIV-1, and is considered a reservoir for HIV-1 replication and of major importance in CD4+ T-cell depletion. In addition to immunodeficiency, HIV-1 infection also directly causes gastrointestinal (GI dysfunction, also known as HIV enteropathy. This enteropathy can manifest itself as many pathological changes in the GI tract. The objective of this study was to determine the association of gut HIV-1 infection markers with long-term survival in a cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM enrolled pre-HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. We examined survival over 15-years in a cohort of 42 HIV-infected cases: In addition to CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 plasma viral load, multiple gut compartment (duodenum and colon biopsies were taken by endoscopy every 6 months during the initial 3-year period. HIV-1 was cultured from tissues and phenotyped and viral loads in the gut tissues were determined. Moreover, the tissues were subjected to an extensive assessment of enteroendocrine cell distribution and pathology. The collected data was used for survival analyses, which showed that patients with higher gut tissue viral load levels had a significantly worse survival prognosis. Moreover, lower numbers of serotonin (duodenum and somatostatin (duodenum and colon immunoreactive cell counts in the gut tissues of patients was associated with significant lower survival prognosis. Our study, suggested that HIV-1 pathogenesis and survival prognosis is associated with altered enteroendocrine cell numbers, which could point to a potential role for enteroendocrine function in HIV infection and pathogenesis.

  1. Random attractors for stochastic lattice reversible Gray-Scott systems with additive noise

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongyan Li

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we prove the existence of a random attractor of the stochastic three-component reversible Gray-Scott system on infinite lattice with additive noise. We use a transformation of addition involved with Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, for proving the pullback absorbing property and the pullback asymptotic compactness of the reaction diffusion system with cubic nonlinearity.

  2. Coretta Scott King Award Winner Javaka Steptoe Stands Tall "In Daddy's Arms."

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peck, Jackie; Hendershot, Judy

    1999-01-01

    Offers an interview with artist and author Javaka Steptoe, winner of the Coretta Scott King award for his book "In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers." Discusses his background in the arts, the variety of media he uses, how he begins thinking about his illustrations, his work with children's art, and aspects of his work.…

  3. Altered structural brain changes and neurocognitive performance in pediatric HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santosh K. Yadav

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pediatric HIV patients often suffer with neurodevelopmental delay and subsequently cognitive impairment. While tissue injury in cortical and subcortical regions in the brain of adult HIV patients has been well reported there is sparse knowledge about these changes in perinatally HIV infected pediatric patients. We analyzed cortical thickness, subcortical volume, structural connectivity, and neurocognitive functions in pediatric HIV patients and compared with those of pediatric healthy controls. With informed consent, 34 perinatally infected pediatric HIV patients and 32 age and gender matched pediatric healthy controls underwent neurocognitive assessment and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI on a 3 T clinical scanner. Altered cortical thickness, subcortical volumes, and abnormal neuropsychological test scores were observed in pediatric HIV patients. The structural network connectivity analysis depicted lower connection strengths, lower clustering coefficients, and higher path length in pediatric HIV patients than healthy controls. The network betweenness and network hubs in cortico-limbic regions were distorted in pediatric HIV patients. The findings suggest that altered cortical and subcortical structures and regional brain connectivity in pediatric HIV patients may contribute to deficits in their neurocognitive functions. Further, longitudinal studies are required for better understanding of the effect of HIV pathogenesis on brain structural changes throughout the brain development process under standard ART treatment.

  4. Lymphocyte trafficking and HIV infection of human lymphoid tissue in a rotating wall vessel bioreactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margolis, L. B.; Fitzgerald, W.; Glushakova, S.; Hatfill, S.; Amichay, N.; Baibakov, B.; Zimmerberg, J.

    1997-01-01

    The pathogenesis of HIV infection involves a complex interplay between both the infected and noninfected cells of human lymphoid tissue, the release of free viral particles, the de novo infection of cells, and the recirculatory trafficking of peripheral blood lymphocytes. To develop an in vitro model for studying these various aspects of HIV pathogenesis we have utilized blocks of surgically excised human tonsils and a rotating wall vessel (RWV) cell culture system. Here we show that (1) fragments of the surgically excised human lymphoid tissue remain viable and retain their gross cytoarchitecture for at least 3 weeks when cultured in the RWV system; (2) such lymphoid tissue gradually shows a loss of both T and B cells to the surrounding growth medium; however, this cellular migration is reversible as demonstrated by repopulation of the tissue by labeled cells from the growth medium; (3) this cellular migration may be partially or completely inhibited by embedding the blocks of lymphoid tissue in either a collagen or agarose gel matrix; these embedded tissue blocks retain most of the basic elements of a normal lymphoid cytoarchitecture; and (4) both embedded and nonembedded RWV-cultured blocks of human lymphoid tissue are capable of productive infection by HIV-1 of at least three various strains of different tropism and phenotype, as shown by an increase in both p24 antigen levels and free virus in the culture medium, and by the demonstration of HIV-1 RNA-positive cells inside the tissue identified by in situ hybridization. It is therefore reasonable to suggest that gel-embedded and nonembedded blocks of human lymphoid tissue, cocultured with a suspension of tonsillar lymphocytes in an RWV culture system, constitute a useful model for simulating normal lymphocyte recirculatory traffic and provide a new tool for testing the various aspects of HIV pathogenesis.

  5. Measuring and managing cognitive impairment in HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nightingale, Sam; Winston, Alan

    2017-06-01

    : Cognitive impairment remains a frequently reported complaint in HIV-positive patients despite virologically suppressive antiretroviral therapy. Rates of cognitive impairment in antiretroviral treated HIV-positive cohorts vary and strongly depend on definitions utilized.The underlying pathogenesis is likely to be multifactorial and includes immune activation, neuroinflammation, antiretroviral neurotoxicity, the presence of noninfectious comorbidities such as vascular disease and depression and patient lifestyle factors such as recreational drug use.Contributing factors to cognitive impairment may change over time with ageing HIV-positive populations. Cerebrovascular disease and neurodegenerative causes of cognitive impairment may become more common with advancing age; how these factors interact with HIV-associated cognitive impairment is not yet known.Cerebrospinal fluid HIV RNA escape may occur in up to 10% of patients undergoing lumbar puncture clinically and can be associated with compartmentalized and resistant virus.Changes in antiretroviral therapy in patients with cognitive impairment should be based on current and historic resistance profiles of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma virus, or on potential antiretroviral drug neurotoxicity. Whether and how antiretroviral therapy should be changed in the absence of these factors is not known and requires study in adequately powered randomized trials in carefully selected clinical cohorts.

  6. Latest animal models for anti-HIV drug discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sliva, Katja

    2015-02-01

    HIV research is limited by the fact that lentiviruses are highly species specific. The need for appropriate models to promote research has led to the development of many elaborate surrogate animal models. This review looks at the history of animal models for HIV research. Although natural animal lentivirus infections and chimeric viruses such as chimera between HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus and simian-tropic HIV are briefly discussed, the main focus is on small animal models, including the complex design of the 'humanized' mouse. The review also traces the historic evolution and milestones as well as depicting current models and future prospects for HIV research. HIV research is a complex and challenging task that is highly manpower-, money- and time-consuming. Besides factors such as hypervariability and latency, the lack of appropriate animal models that exhibit and recapitulate the entire infectious process of HIV, is one of the reasons behind the failure to eliminate the lentivirus from the human population. This obstacle has led to the exploitation and further development of many sophisticated surrogate animal models for HIV research. While there is no animal model that perfectly mirrors and mimics HIV infections in humans, there are a variety of host species and viruses that complement each other. Combining the insights from each model, and critically comparing the results obtained with data from human clinical trials should help expand our understanding of HIV pathogenesis and drive future drug development.

  7. Glycosylation in HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein and its biological implications

    KAUST Repository

    Ho, Yung Shwen

    2013-08-01

    Glycosylation of HIV-1 envelope proteins (Env gp120/gp41) plays a vital role in viral evasion from the host immune response, which occurs through the masking of key neutralization epitopes and the presentation of the Env glycosylation as \\'self\\' to the host immune system. Env glycosylation is generally conserved, yet its continual evolution plays an important role in modulating viral infectivity and Env immunogenicity. Thus, it is believed that Env glycosylation, which is a vital part of the HIV-1 architecture, also controls intra- and inter-clade genetic variations. Discerning intra- and inter-clade glycosylation variations could therefore yield important information for understanding the molecular and biological differences between HIV clades and may assist in effectively designing Env-based immunogens and in clearly understanding HIV vaccines. This review provides an in-depth perspective of various aspects of Env glycosylation in the context of HIV-1 pathogenesis. © 2013 Future Medicine Ltd.

  8. Decoding noises in HIV computational genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, MingRui; Shaw, Timothy; Zhang, Xing; Liu, Dong; Shen, Ye; Ezeamama, Amara E; Yang, Chunfu; Zhang, Ming

    2017-11-01

    Lack of a consistent and reliable genotyping system can critically impede HIV genomic research on pathogenesis, fitness, virulence, drug resistance, and genomic-based healthcare and treatment. At present, mis-genotyping, i.e., background noises in molecular genotyping, and its impact on epidemic surveillance is unknown. For the first time, we present a comprehensive assessment of HIV genotyping quality. HIV sequence data were retrieved from worldwide published records, and subjected to a systematic genotyping assessment pipeline. Results showed that mis-genotyped cases occurred at 4.6% globally, with some regional and high-risk population heterogeneities. Results also revealed a consistent mis-genotyping pattern in gp120 in all studied populations except the group of men who have sex with men. Our study also suggests novel virus diversities in the mis-genotyped cases. Finally, this study reemphasizes the importance of implementing a standardized genotyping pipeline to avoid genotyping disparity and to advance our understanding of virus evolution in various epidemiological settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Understanding HIV infection for the design of a therapeutic vaccine. Part I: Epidemiology and pathogenesis of HIV infection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goede, A.L. de; Vulto, A.G.; Osterhaus, A.D.; Gruters, R.A.

    2015-01-01

    HIV infection leads to a gradual loss CD4+ T lymphocytes comprising immune competence and progression to AIDS. Effective treatment with combined antiretroviral drugs (cART) decreases viral load below detectable levels but is not able to eliminate the virus from the body. The success of cART is

  10. Regulatory T Cells As Potential Targets for HIV Cure Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinman, Adam J.; Sivanandham, Ranjit; Pandrea, Ivona; Chougnet, Claire A.; Apetrei, Cristian

    2018-01-01

    T regulatory cells (Tregs) are a key component of the immune system, which maintain a delicate balance between overactive responses and immunosuppression. As such, Treg deficiencies are linked to autoimmune disorders and alter the immune control of pathogens. In HIV infection, Tregs play major roles, both beneficial and detrimental. They regulate the immune system such that inflammation and spread of virus through activated T cells is suppressed. However, suppression of immune activation also limits viral clearance and promotes reservoir formation. Tregs can be directly targeted by HIV, thereby harboring a fraction of the viral reservoir. The vital role of Tregs in the pathogenesis and control of HIV makes them a subject of interest for manipulation in the search of an HIV cure. Here, we discuss the origin and generation, homeostasis, and functions of Tregs, particularly their roles and effects in HIV infection. We also present various Treg manipulation strategies, including Treg depletion techniques and interventions that alter Treg function, which may be used in different cure strategies, to simultaneously boost HIV-specific immune responses and induce reactivation of the latent virus.

  11. STS-87 Mission Specialists Scott and Doi with EVA coordinator Laws participate in the CEIT for their

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    Participating in the Crew Equipment Integration Test (CEIT) at Kennedy Space Center are STS-87 crew members, assisted by Glenda Laws, extravehicular activity (EVA) coordinator, Johnson Space Center, at left. Next to Laws is Mission Specialist Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan, who is looking on as Mission Specialist Winston Scott gets a hands-on look at some of the equipment. The STS-87 mission will be the fourth United States Microgravity Payload and flight of the Spartan-201 deployable satellite. During the mission, scheduled for a Nov. 19 liftoff from KSC, Dr. Doi and Scott will both perform spacewalks.

  12. Modernity in Two Great American Writers' Vision: Ernest Miller Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keshmiri, Fahimeh; Darzikola, Shahla Sorkhabi

    2016-01-01

    Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, American memorable novelists have had philosophic ideas about modernity. In fact their idea about existential interests of American, and the effects of American system on society, is mirrored in their creative works. All through his early works, Fitzgerald echoes the existential center of his era. Obviously,…

  13. Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated-herpesvirus-activated dendritic cells promote HIV-1 trans-infection and suppress CD4+ T cell proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Wan; Qin, Yan; Bai, Lei; Lan, Ke; Wang, Jian-Hua

    2013-01-01

    Infection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is commonly occurred in AIDS patients. KSHV and HIV-1 act cooperatively in regulating infection with each other and in human carcinogenesis. Dendritic cells (DCs), as the pivotal cells in host immunity, may be modulated by both viruses, for immunoevasion and dissemination, therefore, the interaction between DCs and each virus has been a prior focus for pathogenesis elucidation. Here, we assessed the potential effect of KSHV on DC–HIV-1 interaction. We found that KSHV stimulation could promote maturation of monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs) and impaired the ability of MDDCs to drive proliferation of resting CD4 + T cells, demonstrating the immunosuppression induced by KSHV. More importantly, KSHV-stimulated MDDCs could capture more HIV-1 and efficiently transferred these infectious viruses to Hut/CCR5 T cell line. Our results reveal the novel modulation of DC-mediated HIV-1 dissemination by KSHV, and highlight the importance of studying DC–HIV-1 interaction to elucidate HIV/AIDS pathogenesis. - Highlights: ► KSHV impaired the ability of MDDCs to drive proliferation of resting CD4 + T cells. ► KSHV stimulation matured MDDCs and enhanced HIV-1 endocytosis. ► KSHV stimulated MDDCs increased ICAM-1 expression and tighten contact with T cells. ► KSHV-stimulated MDDCs promoted HIV-1 trans-infection of CD4 + T cells

  14. The Th17 Lineage: From Barrier Surfaces Homeostasis to Autoimmunity, Cancer, and HIV-1 Pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wacleche, Vanessa Sue; Landay, Alan; Routy, Jean-Pierre; Ancuta, Petronela

    2017-10-19

    The T helper 17 (Th17) cells represent a subset of CD4+ T-cells with unique effector functions, developmental plasticity, and stem-cell features. Th17 cells bridge innate and adaptive immunity against fungal and bacterial infections at skin and mucosal barrier surfaces. Although Th17 cells have been extensively studied in the context of autoimmunity, their role in various other pathologies is underexplored and remains an area of open investigation. This review summarizes the history of Th17 cell discovery and the current knowledge relative to the beneficial role of Th17 cells in maintaining mucosal immunity homeostasis. We further discuss the concept of Th17 pathogenicity in the context of autoimmunity, cancer, and HIV infection, and we review the most recent discoveries on molecular mechanisms regulating HIV replication/persistence in pathogenic Th17 cells. Finally, we stress the need for novel fundamental research discovery-based Th17-specific therapeutic interventions to treat pathogenic conditions associated with Th17 abnormalities, including HIV infection.

  15. The effect of HIV infection and HCV viremia on inflammatory mediators and hepatic injury-The Women's Interagency HIV Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheila M Keating

    Full Text Available Hepatitis C virus infection induces inflammation and while it is believed that HIV co-infection enhances this response, HIV control may reduce inflammation and liver fibrosis in resolved or viremic HCV infection. Measurement of systemic biomarkers in co-infection could help define the mechanism of inflammation on fibrosis and determine if HIV control reduces liver pathology. A nested case-control study was performed to explore the relationship of systemic biomarkers of inflammation with liver fibrosis in HCV viremic and/or seropositive women with and without HIV infection. Serum cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and cell adhesion molecules were measured in HIV uninfected (HIV-, n = 18, ART-treated HIV-controlled (ARTc, n = 20, uncontrolled on anti-retroviral therapy (ARTuc, n = 21 and elite HIV controllers (Elite, n = 20. All were HCV seroreactive and had either resolved (HCV RNA-; <50IU/mL or had chronic HCV infection (HCV RNA+. In HCV and HIV groups, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio (APRI was measured and compared to serum cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and cell adhesion molecules. APRI correlated with sVCAM, sICAM, IL-10, and IP-10 levels and inversely correlated with EGF, IL-17, TGF-α and MMP-9 levels. Collectively, all HCV RNA+ subjects had higher sVCAM, sICAM and IP-10 compared to HCV RNA-. In the ART-treated HCV RNA+ groups, TNF-α, GRO, IP-10, MCP-1 and MDC were higher than HIV-, Elite or both. In ARTuc, FGF-2, MPO, soluble E-selectin, MMP-9, IL-17, GM-CSF and TGF-α are lower than HIV-, Elite or both. Differential expression of soluble markers may reveal mechanisms of pathogenesis or possibly reduction of fibrosis in HCV/HIV co-infection.

  16. Thai dental practitioners' knowledge and attitudes regarding patients with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rungsiyanont, Sorasun; Lam-Ubol, Aroonwan; Vacharotayangul, Piamkamon; Sappayatosok, Kraisorn

    2013-09-01

    To investigate the knowledge and attitudes of Thai dental practitioners regarding patients with HIV, a cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaires was conducted. The questionnaires requested demographic information and included questions evaluating the knowledge and attitude of dental practitioners towards HIV. The results were analyzed using Scheffe method for multiple comparisons at the 95 percent confidence level. Out of 1,200 questionnaires sent, 446 questionnaires were returned (response rate 37.2 percent). The subjects included final (sixth)-year dental students (11.9 percent), general dentists (29.1 percent), specialist dentists (15.5 percent), dental hygienists (30.5 percent), and dental assistants (13 percent). More than 80 percent of the dental practitioners correctly answered the questions testing their basic knowledge of HIV such as routes of transmission and common opportunistic infections. However, knowledge about HIV pathogenesis, complications, and advances in HIV management was lacking. Dental hygienists and dental assistants had statistically significant lower scores in knowledge about HIV than other groups. Sixty-seven percent of dental practitioners said they feel worried when treating patients with HIV, and 20.4 percent said they would deny treatment for patients with HIV if possible. While knowledge about HIV may be adequate among dental practitioners in Thailand, greater effort should be put into emphasizing positive attitudes towards patients with HIV.

  17. Magic neutrino mass matrix and the Bjorken-Harrison-Scott parameterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lam, C.S.

    2006-01-01

    Observed neutrino mixing can be described by a tribimaximal MNS matrix. The resulting neutrino mass matrix in the basis of a diagonal charged lepton mass matrix is both 2-3 symmetric and magic. By a magic matrix, I mean one whose row sums and column sums are all identical. I study what happens if 2-3 symmetry is broken but the magic symmetry is kept intact. In that case, the mixing matrix is parameterized by a single complex parameter U e3 , in a form discussed recently by Bjorken, Harrison, and Scott

  18. Kaposi's-sarcoma-associated-herpesvirus-activated dendritic cells promote HIV-1 trans-infection and suppress CD4{sup +} T cell proliferation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Wan; Qin, Yan; Bai, Lei [Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China); Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Lan, Ke [Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China); Wang, Jian-Hua, E-mail: Jh_wang@sibs.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China)

    2013-06-05

    Infection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is commonly occurred in AIDS patients. KSHV and HIV-1 act cooperatively in regulating infection with each other and in human carcinogenesis. Dendritic cells (DCs), as the pivotal cells in host immunity, may be modulated by both viruses, for immunoevasion and dissemination, therefore, the interaction between DCs and each virus has been a prior focus for pathogenesis elucidation. Here, we assessed the potential effect of KSHV on DC–HIV-1 interaction. We found that KSHV stimulation could promote maturation of monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs) and impaired the ability of MDDCs to drive proliferation of resting CD4{sup +} T cells, demonstrating the immunosuppression induced by KSHV. More importantly, KSHV-stimulated MDDCs could capture more HIV-1 and efficiently transferred these infectious viruses to Hut/CCR5 T cell line. Our results reveal the novel modulation of DC-mediated HIV-1 dissemination by KSHV, and highlight the importance of studying DC–HIV-1 interaction to elucidate HIV/AIDS pathogenesis. - Highlights: ► KSHV impaired the ability of MDDCs to drive proliferation of resting CD4{sup +} T cells. ► KSHV stimulation matured MDDCs and enhanced HIV-1 endocytosis. ► KSHV stimulated MDDCs increased ICAM-1 expression and tighten contact with T cells. ► KSHV-stimulated MDDCs promoted HIV-1 trans-infection of CD4{sup +} T cells.

  19. Latent M. tuberculosis infection--pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Druszczyńska, Magdalena; Kowalewicz-Kulbat, Magdalena; Fol, Marek; Włodarczyk, Marcin; Rudnicka, Wiesława

    2012-01-01

    One third of the earths population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), but only 5-10% of the infected individuals develop active tuberculosis (TB) over their lifetime. The remaining 90-95% stay healthy and are called latently infected individuals. They are the biggest reservoir of the tubercle bacilli and identifying the cases of latent TB is a part of the global plan of TB control. From the clinical point of view detection of latent TB infections (LTBI) in individuals with the highest active TB risk including cases of HIV infection, autoimmune inflammatory diseases or cancer, is a priority. This review summarizes the recent findings in the pathogenesis of latent TB, its diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

  20. Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski checks his flight suit

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski gets help with his flight suit in the Operations and Checkout Building from a suit technician George Brittingham. The final fitting takes place prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39B. Targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, the mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

  1. 2015-2016 Rapports sur les frais de voyage et d'accueil pour Scott ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Ruxandra Staicu

    Réunion du Conseil des gouverneurs. Date(s):. 2015-07-13 à 2015-07-14. Destination(s):. Ottawa. Billet d'avion: Frais de transport au sol ou autrement: 31.46 $. Frais de logement: Repas et frais divers: Autre frais: Total: 31.46 $. Commentaires: 2015-2016 Rapports sur les frais de voyage et d'accueil pour Scott Gilmore, ...

  2. An SIV/macaque model targeted to study HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, Sarah E; Queen, Suzanne E; Metcalf Pate, Kelly A; Mangus, Lisa M; Abreu, Celina M; Gama, Lucio; Witwer, Kenneth W; Adams, Robert J; Zink, M Christine; Clements, Janice E; Mankowski, Joseph L

    2018-04-01

    Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of pigtailed macaques is a highly representative and well-characterized animal model for HIV neuropathogenesis studies that provides an excellent opportunity to study and develop prognostic markers of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) for HIV-infected individuals. SIV studies can be performed in a controlled setting that enhances reproducibility and offers high-translational value. Similar to observations in HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), ongoing neurodegeneration and inflammation are present in SIV-infected pigtailed macaques treated with suppressive ART. By developing quantitative viral outgrowth assays that measure both CD4+ T cells and macrophages harboring replication competent SIV as well as a highly sensitive mouse-based viral outgrowth assay, we have positioned the SIV/pigtailed macaque model to advance our understanding of latent cellular reservoirs, including potential CNS reservoirs, to promote HIV cure. In addition to contributing to our understanding of the pathogenesis of HAND, the SIV/pigtailed macaque model also provides an excellent opportunity to test innovative approaches to eliminate the latent HIV reservoir in the brain.

  3. The Th17 Lineage: From Barrier Surfaces Homeostasis to Autoimmunity, Cancer, and HIV-1 Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Sue Wacleche

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The T helper 17 (Th17 cells represent a subset of CD4+ T-cells with unique effector functions, developmental plasticity, and stem-cell features. Th17 cells bridge innate and adaptive immunity against fungal and bacterial infections at skin and mucosal barrier surfaces. Although Th17 cells have been extensively studied in the context of autoimmunity, their role in various other pathologies is underexplored and remains an area of open investigation. This review summarizes the history of Th17 cell discovery and the current knowledge relative to the beneficial role of Th17 cells in maintaining mucosal immunity homeostasis. We further discuss the concept of Th17 pathogenicity in the context of autoimmunity, cancer, and HIV infection, and we review the most recent discoveries on molecular mechanisms regulating HIV replication/persistence in pathogenic Th17 cells. Finally, we stress the need for novel fundamental research discovery-based Th17-specific therapeutic interventions to treat pathogenic conditions associated with Th17 abnormalities, including HIV infection.

  4. Osteonecrosis - A rare complication of HIV infection. Association with numerous risk factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, D.; Behrens, G.; Stoll, M.; Schmidt, R.E.

    2000-01-01

    Osteonecrosis is a rare complication of HIV infection. The presumptive cause of the aseptic osteonecrosis is a disturbed blood supply to the bone. Most cases of osteonecrosis are associated with numerous risk factors, such as use of steroids, alcohol abuse, coagulopathies or metabolic derangements. Since conventional X-rays appear unremarkable, early forms often go unrecognized or are diagnosed late. Methods of establishing the diagnosis are MRI and three-phase skeletal scintigraphy. The pathogenesis of osteonecrosis in HIV infection is unclear. So far, about 30 cases have been reported in the literature. We would recommend that in HIV patients with typical symptoms - in particular when classical risk factors are present - osteonecrosis be included in the differential diagnostic considerations. (orig.) [de

  5. Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski arrives at KSC

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski notes the time on his watch upon his late arrival aboard a T-38 jet at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Parazynski's first plane experienced problems at the stop at Tyndall AFB and he had to wait for another jet and pilot to finish the flight to KSC. He joined other crewmembers Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), for final pre-launch preparations. STS-95 is expected to launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and land at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7.

  6. Studies on the presence and spatial distribution of anthropogenic pollutants in the glacial basin of Scott Glacier in the face of climate change (Fiord Bellsund, Spitsbergen)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Sara; Kociuba, Waldemar; Franczak, Łukasz; Gajek, Grzegorz; Łeczyński, Leszek; Kozak, Katarzyna; Szopińska, Małgorzata; Ruman, Marek; Polkowska, Żaneta

    2014-10-01

    The study area covered the NW part of the Wedel Jarlsberg Land (SW part of the Svalbard Archipelago). The primary study object was the catchment of the Scott Glacier in the vicinity of the Research Station of of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin - Calypsobyen. The Scott River catchment (of glacial hydrological regime) has an area of approximately 10 km2, 40% of which is occupied by the valley Scott Glacier in the phase of strong recession. The present study concerns the determination of physical and chemical parameters (pH, conductivity, TOC) and concentrations of pollutants (phenols, aldehydes).

  7. STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman arrives at KSC for TCDT

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman poses in the cockpit of his T-38 jet trainer aircraft after arriving at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility along with other members of the crew from NASAs Johnson Space Center to begin Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide crews with the opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. Columbia is targeted for launch of STS-90 on April 16 at 2:19 p.m. EST and will be the second mission of 1998. The mission is scheduled to last nearly 17 days.

  8. Osteonecrosis - A rare complication of HIV infection. Association with numerous risk factors; Osteonekrose: eine seltene Komplikation der HIV-Infektion. Assoziation mit bestimmten Risikofaktoren

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meyer, D.; Behrens, G.; Stoll, M.; Schmidt, R.E. [Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Germany). Abt. Klinische Immunologie

    2000-03-13

    Osteonecrosis is a rare complication of HIV infection. The presumptive cause of the aseptic osteonecrosis is a distrubed blood supply to the bone. Most cases of osteonecrosis are associated with numerous risk factors, such as use of steroids, alcohol abuse, coagulopathies or metabolic derangements. Since conventional X-rays appear unremarkable, early forms often go unrecognized or are diagnosed late. Methods of establishing the diagnosis are MRI and three-phase skeletal scintigraphy. The pathogenesis of osteonecrosis in HIV infection is unclear. So far, about 30 cases have been reported in the literature. We would recommend that in HIV patients with typical symptoms - in particular when classical risk factors are present - osteonecrosis be included in the differential diagnostic considerations. (orig.) [German] Die Osteonekrose ist eine seltene Komplikation der HIV-Infektion. Als Ursache werden Stoerungen in der Gefaessversorgung des Knochengewebes angenommen. Aufgrund unauffaelliger Befunde im konventionellen Roentgen werden Fruehformen haeufig verkannt oder erst verspaetet diagnostiziert. Methoden zur Diagnosesicherung sind die Kernspintomographie oder die 3-Phasen-Knochenszintigraphie. Die Pathogenese der Osteonekrose bei der HIV-Infektion ist unklar. Bisher sind in der Literatur etwa 30 Kasuistiken beschrieben. Wir empfehlen, bei Vorliegen einer typischen Symptomatik bei HIV-Patienten - insbesondere wenn typische Risikofaktoren vorliegen - die Osteonekrose in die differenzialdiagnostischen Ueberlegungen mit einzubeziehen. (orig.)

  9. Genetic architecture of HIV-1 genes circulating in north India & their functional implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neogi, Ujjwal; Sood, Vikas; Ronsard, Larence; Singh, Jyotsna; Lata, Sneh; Ramachandran, V G; Das, S; Wanchu, Ajay; Banerjea, Akhil C

    2011-12-01

    This review presents data on genetic and functional analysis of some of the HIV-1 genes derived from HIV-1 infected individuals from north India (Delhi, Punjab and Chandigarh). We found evidence of novel B/C recombinants in HIV-1 LTR region showing relatedness to China/Myanmar with 3 copies of Nfκb sites; B/C/D mosaic genomes for HIV-1 Vpr and novel B/C Tat. We reported appearance of a complex recombinant form CRF_02AG of HIV-1 envelope sequences which is predominantly found in Central/Western Africa. Also one Indian HIV-1 envelope subtype C sequence suggested exclusive CXCR4 co-receptor usage. This extensive recombination, which is observed in about 10 per cent HIV-1 infected individuals in the Vpr genes, resulted in remarkably altered functions when compared with prototype subtype B Vpr. The Vpu C was found to be more potent in causing apoptosis when compared with Vpu B when analyzed for subG1 DNA content. The functional implications of these changes as well as in other genes of HIV-1 are discussed in detail with possible implications for subtype-specific pathogenesis highlighted.

  10. Conservation assessment for the Siskiyou Mountains salamander and Scott Bar salamander in northern California.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vinikour, W. S.; LaGory, K. E.; Adduci, J. J.; Environmental Science Division

    2006-10-20

    The purpose of this conservation assessment is to summarize existing knowledge regarding the biology and ecology of the Siskiyou Mountains salamander and Scott Bar salamander, identify threats to the two species, and identify conservation considerations to aid federal management for persistence of the species. The conservation assessment will serve as the basis for a conservation strategy for the species.

  11. Runoff Variability in the Scott River (SW Spitsbergen in Summer Seasons 2012–2013 in Comparison with the Period 1986–2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franczak Łukasz

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available River runoff variability in the Scott River catchment in the summer seasons 2012 and 2013 has been presented in comparison to the multiannual river runoff in 1986–2009. Both in particular seasons and in the analysed multiannual, high variability of discharge rate was recorded. In the research periods 2012–2013, a total of 11 952 water stages and 20 flow rates were measured in the analysed cross-section for the determination of 83 daylong discharges. The mean multiannual discharge of the Scott River amounted to 0.96 m3·s−1. The value corresponds to a specific runoff of 94.6 dm3·s−1·km2, and the runoff layer 937 mm. The maximum values of daily discharge amounted to 5.07 m3·s−1, and the minimum values to 0.002 m3·s−1. The highest runoff occurs in the second and third decade of July, and in the first and second decade of August. The regime of the river is determined by a group of factors, and particularly meteorological conditions affecting the intensity of ablation, and consequently river runoff volume. We found a significant correlation (0.60 in 2012 and 0.67 in 2013 between the air temperature and the Scott River discharge related to the Scott Glacier ice melt.

  12. An assessment of the complications of the Brantley Scott artificial sphincter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heathcote, P S; Galloway, N T; Lewis, D C; Stephenson, T P

    1987-08-01

    A Brantley Scott artificial sphincter has been inserted into 95 patients since 1981; more than half of the patients had lower urinary tract neuropathy and most of the others post-TUR incontinence. The main problem with the device has been cuff failure (12), which should be resolved by the new "dipped" cuffs. The major surgical complication has been erosion (10), usually associated with infection. Twenty-four patients had variable degrees of incontinence but the artificial sphincter remains the cornerstone of continence control when other methods have failed or are inappropriate.

  13. Harnessing Novel Imaging Approaches to Guide HIV Prevention and Cure Discoveries-A National Institutes of Health and Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise 2017 Meeting Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders-Beer, Brigitte E; Voronin, Yegor; McDonald, David; Singh, Anjali

    2018-01-01

    Advances in imaging technologies have greatly increased our understanding of cellular and molecular interactions in humans and their corresponding animal models of infectious diseases. In the HIV/SIV field, imaging has provided key insights into mucosal viral transmission, local and systemic virus spread, host-virus dynamics, and chronic inflammation/immune activation and the resultant immunopathology. Recent developments in imaging applications are yielding physical, spatial, and temporal measurements to enhance insight into biological functions and disease processes, while retaining important cellular, microenvironmental, organ, and intact organism contextual details. Taking advantage of the latest advancements in imaging technologies may help answer important questions in the HIV field. The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored a meeting on May 8 and 9, 2017 to provide a platform to review state-of-the-art imaging technologies and to foster multidisciplinary collaborations in HIV/AIDS research. The meeting covered applications of imaging in studies of early events and pathogenesis, reservoirs, and cure, as well as in vaccine development. In addition, presentations and discussions of imaging applications from non-HIV biomedical research areas were included. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions at the meeting.

  14. In vitro modeling of HIV proviral activity in microglia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Lee A; Richie, Christopher T; Zhang, Yajun; Heathward, Emily J; Coke, Lamarque M; Park, Emily Y; Harvey, Brandon K

    2017-12-01

    Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, play a key role in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) due to their productive infection by HIV. This results in the release of neurotoxic viral proteins and pro-inflammatory compounds which negatively affect the functionality of surrounding neurons. Because models of HIV infection within the brain are limited, we aimed to create a novel microglia cell line with an integrated HIV provirus capable of recreating several hallmarks of HIV infection. We utilized clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene editing technology and integrated a modified HIV provirus into CHME-5 immortalized microglia to create HIV-NanoLuc CHME-5. In the modified provirus, the Gag-Pol region is replaced with the coding region for NanoLuciferase (NanoLuc), which allows for the rapid assay of HIV long terminal repeat activity using a luminescent substrate, while still containing the necessary genetic material to produce established neurotoxic viral proteins (e.g. tat, nef, gp120). We confirmed that HIV-NanoLuc CHME-5 microglia express NanoLuc, along with the HIV viral protein Nef. We subsequently exposed these cells to a battery of experiments to modulate the activity of the provirus. Proviral activity was enhanced by treating the cells with pro-inflammatory factors lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor alpha and by overexpressing the viral regulatory protein Tat. Conversely, genetic modification of the toll-like receptor-4 gene by CRISPR/Cas9 reduced LPS-mediated proviral activation, and pharmacological application of NF-κB inhibitor sulfasalazine similarly diminished proviral activity. Overall, these data suggest that HIV-NanoLuc CHME-5 may be a useful tool in the study of HIV-mediated neuropathology and proviral regulation. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  15. PET brain imaging in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vera, Jaime H. [Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Department of Infection and Global Health, Brighton (United Kingdom); Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, HIV Department, Brighton (United Kingdom); Ridha, Basil [Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Neurology Department, Brighton (United Kingdom); Gilleece, Yvonne; Amlani, Aliza [Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, HIV Department, Brighton (United Kingdom); Thorburn, Patrick; Dizdarevic, Sabina [Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Imaging and Nuclear Medicine Department, Brighton (United Kingdom); Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Clinical Imaging Science Centre, Brighton (United Kingdom)

    2017-05-15

    Effective combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has lead to a significant reduction in the prevalence and incidence of central nervous system (CNS) HIV-associated brain disease, particularly CNS opportunistic infections and HIV encephalitis. Despite this, cognitive deficits in people living with HIV, also known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) have become more prevalent in recent years. The pathogenesis of HAND is likely to be multifactorial, however recent evidence suggests that brain microglial activation is the most likely pathogenic mechanism. Recent developments in positron emission tomography (PET) brain neuroimaging using novel brain radioligands targeting a variety of physiological changes in the brains of HIV-positive individuals have improved our understanding of the mechanisms associated with the development of HAND. This review will highlight recent PET brain neuroimaging studies in the cART era, focusing on physiological and neurochemical changes associated with HAND in people living with HIV. (orig.)

  16. PET brain imaging in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vera, Jaime H.; Ridha, Basil; Gilleece, Yvonne; Amlani, Aliza; Thorburn, Patrick; Dizdarevic, Sabina

    2017-01-01

    Effective combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has lead to a significant reduction in the prevalence and incidence of central nervous system (CNS) HIV-associated brain disease, particularly CNS opportunistic infections and HIV encephalitis. Despite this, cognitive deficits in people living with HIV, also known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) have become more prevalent in recent years. The pathogenesis of HAND is likely to be multifactorial, however recent evidence suggests that brain microglial activation is the most likely pathogenic mechanism. Recent developments in positron emission tomography (PET) brain neuroimaging using novel brain radioligands targeting a variety of physiological changes in the brains of HIV-positive individuals have improved our understanding of the mechanisms associated with the development of HAND. This review will highlight recent PET brain neuroimaging studies in the cART era, focusing on physiological and neurochemical changes associated with HAND in people living with HIV. (orig.)

  17. The Microbiological Context of HIV Resistance: Vaginal Microbiota and Mucosal Inflammation at the Viral Point of Entry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John J. Schellenberg

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Immune activation is increasingly recognized as a critical element of HIV infection and pathogenesis, causing expansion of virus founder populations at the mucosal port of entry and eventual exhaustion of cellular immune effectors. HIV susceptibility is well known to be influenced by concurrent sexually transmitted infections; however, the role of commensal vaginal microbiota is poorly characterized. Bacterial vaginosis (BV is a risk factor for HIV acquisition in studies worldwide; however, the etiology of BV remains enigmatic, and the mechanisms by which BV increases HIV susceptibility are not fully defined. A model of how vaginal microbiota influences HIV transmission is considered in the context of a well-established cohort of HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN commercial sex workers (CSW in Nairobi, Kenya, many of whom have increased levels of anti-inflammatory factors in vaginal secretions and reduced peripheral immune activation (immune quiescence. Elucidation of the relationship between complex microbial communities and inflammatory mucosal responses underlying HIV infection should be a priority for future prevention-focussed research.

  18. Immunological predictors of survival in HIV type 2-infected rural villagers in Guinea-Bissau

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jaffar, Shabbar; Van der Loeff, Maarten Schim; Eugen-Olsen, Jesper

    2005-01-01

    We investigated the association between beta2-microglobulin, neopterin, serum levels of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), CD4 count, and plasma viremia with survival in 133 HIV-2-infected villagers and 160 controls living in rural Guinea-Bissau. Subjects were recruited......%, and plasma viral load were associated independently with survival in multivariate analyses. Neopterin and suPAR did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggest that immune activation is central to the pathogenesis of HIV. They also have important implications for resource-poor settings where...

  19. Astrovirus Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cydney Johnson

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Astroviruses are a major cause of diarrhea in the young, elderly, and the immunocompromised. Since the discovery of human astrovirus type 1 (HAstV-1 in 1975, the family Astroviridae has expanded to include two more human clades and numerous mammalian and avian-specific genotypes. Despite this, there is still little known about pathogenesis. The following review highlights the current knowledge of astrovirus pathogenesis, and outlines the critical steps needed to further astrovirus research, including the development of animal models of cell culture systems.

  20. Tackling HIV Persistence: Pharmacological versus CRISPR-Based Shock Strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darcis, Gilles; Das, Atze T; Berkhout, Ben

    2018-03-29

    Jan Svoboda studied aspects of viral latency, in particular with respect to disease induction by avian RNA tumor viruses, which were later renamed as part of the extended retrovirus family. The course of retroviral pathogenesis is intrinsically linked to their unique property of integrating the DNA copy of the retroviral genome into that of the host cell, thus forming the provirus. Retroviral latency has recently become of major clinical interest to allow a better understanding of why we can effectively block the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in infected individuals with antiviral drugs, yet never reach a cure. We will discuss HIV-1 latency and its direct consequence-the formation of long-lasting HIV-1 reservoirs. We next focus on one of the most explored strategies in tackling HIV-1 reservoirs-the "shock and kill" strategy-which describes the broadly explored pharmacological way of kicking the latent provirus, with subsequent killing of the virus-producing cell by the immune system. We furthermore present how the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and associated protein (Cas) system can be harnessed to reach the same objective by reactivating HIV-1 gene expression from latency. We will review the benefits and drawbacks of these different cure strategies.

  1. "I Have a Dream, Too!": The American Dream in Coretta Scott King Award-Winning Books

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, Linda T.; Castleman, Michele

    2011-01-01

    The Coretta Scott King (CSK) Award, instituted in 1969 and recognized as an official award by the American Library Association (ALA) in 1982, is conferred annually to an African American author and an illustrator for their outstanding contributions to literature about the Black experience for children and young adults. A partial impetus for the…

  2. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells HIV DNA levels impact intermittently on neurocognition.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucette A Cysique

    Full Text Available To determine the contribution of peripheral blood mononuclear cells' (PBMCs HIV DNA levels to HIV-associated dementia (HAD and non-demented HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND in chronically HIV-infected adults with long-term viral suppression on combined antiretroviral treatment (cART.Eighty adults with chronic HIV infection on cART (>97% with plasma and CSF HIV RNA <50 copies/mL were enrolled into a prospective observational cohort and underwent assessments of neurocognition and pre-morbid cognitive ability at two visits 18 months apart. HIV DNA in PBMCs was measured by real-time PCR at the same time-points.At baseline, 46% had non-demented HAND; 7.5% had HAD. Neurocognitive decline occurred in 14% and was more likely in those with HAD (p<.03. Low pre-morbid cognitive ability was uniquely associated with HAD (p<.05. Log10 HIV DNA copies were stable between study visits (2.26 vs. 2.22 per 106 PBMC. Baseline HIV DNA levels were higher in those with lower pre-morbid cognitive ability (p<.04, and higher in those with no ART treatment during HIV infection 1st year (p = .03. Baseline HIV DNA was not associated with overall neurocognition. However, % ln HIV DNA change was associated with decline in semantic fluency in unadjusted and adjusted analyses (p = .01-.03, and motor-coordination (p = .02-.12 to a lesser extent.PBMC HIV DNA plays a role in HAD pathogenesis, and this is moderated by pre-morbid cognitive ability in the context of long-term viral suppression. While the HIV DNA levels in PBMC are not associated with current non-demented HAND, increasing HIV DNA levels were associated with a decline in neurocognitive functions associated with HAND progression.

  3. Exogenous HIV-1 Nef upsets the IFN-γ-induced impairment of human intestinal epithelial integrity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Giovanna Quaranta

    Full Text Available The mucosal tissues play a central role in the transmission of HIV-1 infection as well as in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Despite several clinical studies reported intestinal dysfunction during HIV infection, the mechanisms underlying HIV-induced impairments of mucosal epithelial barrier are still unclear. It has been postulated that HIV-1 alters enterocytic function and HIV-1 proteins have been detected in several cell types of the intestinal mucosa. In the present study, we analyzed the effect of the accessory HIV-1 Nef protein on human epithelial cell line.We used unstimulated or IFN-γ-stimulated Caco-2 cells, as a model for homeostatic and inflamed gastrointestinal tracts, respectively. We investigated the effect of exogenous recombinant Nef on monolayer integrity analyzing its uptake, transepithelial electrical resistance, permeability to FITC-dextran and the expression of tight junction proteins. Moreover, we measured the induction of proinflammatory mediators. Exogenous Nef was taken up by Caco-2 cells, increased intestinal epithelial permeability and upset the IFN-γ-induced reduction of transepithelial resistance, interfering with tight junction protein expression. Moreover, Nef inhibited IFN-γ-induced apoptosis and up-regulated TNF-α, IL-6 and MIP-3α production by Caco-2 cells while down-regulated IL-10 production. The simultaneous exposure of Caco-2 cells to Nef and IFN-γ did not affect cytokine secretion respect to untreated cells. Finally, we found that Nef counteracted the IFN-γ induced arachidonic acid cascade.Our findings suggest that exogenous Nef, perturbing the IFN-γ-induced impairment of intestinal epithelial cells, could prolong cell survival, thus allowing for accumulation of viral particles. Our results may improve the understanding of AIDS pathogenesis, supporting the discovery of new therapeutic interventions.

  4. [Features of the functioning of the thyroid gland in HIV-infected].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timofeeva, E V; Liashchenko, O Ia

    2013-01-01

    In the article analyzed the current literature, devoted to the peculiarities of functioning of the thyroid gland in patients with HIV infection. Based on the analysis of literature data bases demonstrated the structure of thyroid function disorders in HIV-infected, as well as the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of these disorders. In the structure of thyroid function is dominated by hypothyroidism, euthyroid pathological syndrome, Graves' disease, for which the opportunistic infections are triggers immune activation. It should be noted that the step of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is accompanied by the development of inflammatory and neoplastic processes in the thyroid gland. Convincingly demonstrated the negative impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive for the development of thyroid dysfunction, in connection which the expediency of forming risk groups and the timely correction of the projected thyroid diseases.

  5. Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski arrives late at KSC

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    The T-38 jet aircraft arrives at the Shuttle Landing Facility carrying STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski (second seat). The pilot is astronaut Kent Rominger. Parazynski's first plane experienced problems at the stop at Tyndall AFB and he had to wait for another jet and pilot to finish the flight to KSC. He joined other crewmembers Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), for final pre-launch preparations. STS-95 is expected to launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and land at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7.

  6. Novel host restriction factors implicated in HIV-1 replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghimire, Dibya; Rai, Madhu; Gaur, Ritu

    2018-04-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) is known to interact with multiple host cellular proteins during its replication in the target cell. While many of these host cellular proteins facilitate viral replication, a number of them are reported to inhibit HIV-1 replication at various stages of its life cycle. These host cellular proteins, which are known as restriction factors, constitute an integral part of the host's first line of defence against the viral pathogen. Since the discovery of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme 3G (APOBEC3G) as an HIV-1 restriction factor, several human proteins have been identified that exhibit anti-HIV-1 restriction. While each restriction factor employs a distinct mechanism of inhibition, the HIV-1 virus has equally evolved complex counter strategies to neutralize their inhibitory effect. APOBEC3G, tetherin, sterile alpha motif and histidine-aspartate domain 1 (SAMHD1), and trim-5α are some of the best known HIV-1 restriction factors that have been studied in great detail. Recently, six novel restriction factors were discovered that exhibit significant antiviral activity: endoplasmic reticulum α1,2-mannosidase I (ERManI), translocator protein (TSPO), guanylate-binding protein 5 (GBP5), serine incorporator (SERINC3/5) and zinc-finger antiviral protein (ZAP). The focus of this review is to discuss the antiviral mechanism of action of these six restriction factors and provide insights into the probable counter-evasion strategies employed by the HIV-1 virus. The recent discovery of new restriction factors substantiates the complex host-pathogen interactions occurring during HIV-1 pathogenesis and makes it imperative that further investigations are conducted to elucidate the molecular basis of HIV-1 replication.

  7. STS-87 Mission Specialist Scott poses in his launch and entry spacesuit at LC 39B during TCDT

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    STS-87 Mission Specialist Winston Scott poses in his orange launch and entry spacesuit with NASA suit technicians at Launch Pad 39B during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The crew of the STS-87 mission is scheduled for launch Nov. 19 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Scott will be performing an extravehicular activity (EVA) spacewalk during the mission. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight providing the crew of each mission opportunities to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay.

  8. James Edward Scott: The Leadership Journey of a Senior-Level African American Student Affairs Officer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Salatha T.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine, understand, and describe the life, leadership, and influence of Dr. James Edward Scott on higher education and more specifically student affairs; as one of the most well-known and respected African American male chief student affairs officers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Using a qualitative…

  9. STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman is suited up for launch

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman is assisted during suit-up activities by Lockheed Suit Technician Valerie McNeil from Johnson Space Center in KSC's Operations and Checkout Building. Altman and the rest of the STS-90 crew will shortly depart for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia awaits a second liftoff attempt at 2:19 p.m. EDT. His first trip into space, Altman is participating in a life sciences research flight that will focus on the most complex and least understood part of the human body - - the nervous system. Neurolab will examine the effects of spaceflight on the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and sensory organs in the human body.

  10. Disturbance of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue is associated with disease progression in chronic HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofer, Ursula; Speck, Roberto F

    2009-07-01

    Why and how HIV makes people sick is highly debated. Recent evidence implicates heightened immune activation due to breakdown of the gastrointestinal barrier as a determining factor of lentiviral pathogenesis. HIV-mediated loss of Th17 cells from the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) impairs mucosal integrity and innate defense mechanisms against gut microbes. Translocation of microbial products from the gut, in turn, correlates with increased immune activation in chronic HIV infection and may further damage the immune system by increasing viral and activation-induced T cell death, by reducing T cell reconstitution due to tissue scarring, and by impairing the function of other cell types, such as gammadelta T cells and epithelial cells. Maintaining a healthy GALT may be the key to reducing the pathogenic potential of HIV.

  11. Characteristics of Transgender Women Living with HIV Receiving Medical Care in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuno, Yuko; Frazier, Emma L; Huang, Ping; Skarbinski, Jacek

    2015-09-01

    Little has been reported from population-based surveys on the characteristics of transgender persons living with HIV. Using Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) data, we describe the characteristics of HIV-infected transgender women and examine their care and treatment needs. We used combined data from the 2009 to 2011 cycles of MMP, an HIV surveillance system designed to produce nationally representative estimates of the characteristics of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States, to compare demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics, and met and unmet needs for supportive services of transgender women with those of non-transgender persons using Rao-Scott chi-square tests. An estimated 1.3% of HIV-infected persons receiving care in the United States self-identified as transgender women. Transgender women were socioeconomically more marginalized than non-transgender men and women. We found no differences between transgender women and non-transgender men and women in the percentages prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, a significantly lower percentage of transgender women compared to non-transgender men had 100% ART dose adherence (78.4% vs. 87.4%) and durable viral suppression (50.8% vs. 61.4%). Higher percentages of transgender women needed supportive services. No differences were observed in receipt of most of supportive services, but transgender women had higher unmet needs than non-transgender men for basic services such as food and housing. We found little difference between transgender women and non-transgender persons in regards to receipt of care, treatment, and most of supportive services. However, the noted disparities in durable viral suppression and unmet needs for basic services should be explored further.

  12. Dopamine Receptor Activation Increases HIV Entry into Primary Human Macrophages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaskill, Peter J.; Yano, Hideaki H.; Kalpana, Ganjam V.; Javitch, Jonathan A.; Berman, Joan W.

    2014-01-01

    Macrophages are the primary cell type infected with HIV in the central nervous system, and infection of these cells is a major component in the development of neuropathogenesis and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Within the brains of drug abusers, macrophages are exposed to increased levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that mediates the addictive and reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse such as cocaine and methamphetamine. In this study we examined the effects of dopamine on HIV entry into primary human macrophages. Exposure to dopamine during infection increased the entry of R5 tropic HIV into macrophages, irrespective of the concentration of the viral inoculum. The entry pathway affected was CCR5 dependent, as antagonizing CCR5 with the small molecule inhibitor TAK779 completely blocked entry. The effect was dose-dependent and had a steep threshold, only occurring above 108 M dopamine. The dopamine-mediated increase in entry required dopamine receptor activation, as it was abrogated by the pan-dopamine receptor antagonist flupenthixol, and could be mediated through both subtypes of dopamine receptors. These findings indicate that the effects of dopamine on macrophages may have a significant impact on HIV pathogenesis. They also suggest that drug-induced increases in CNS dopamine may be a common mechanism by which drugs of abuse with distinct modes of action exacerbate neuroinflammation and contribute to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in infected drug abusers. PMID:25268786

  13. First record of the Calanoid Copepod Pseudodiaptomus serricaudatus (Scott, T. 1894), (Copepoda: Calanoida: Pseudodiaptomidae) in the equatorial Indian ocean.

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Rebello, V.; Narvekar, J.; Gadi, P.; Venenkar, A.; Gauns, M.; PrasannaKumar, S.

    , Pondicherry University, Port Blair, Andaman 3Happy Home Apartment, Near Canara Bank, Fatorda, Margao, Goa-403602 Abstract Pseudodiaptomus serricaudatus (Scott, T. 1894), a planktonic copepod belonging to the family Pseudodiaptomidae, though has...

  14. The Great Kanto earthquake and F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawakatsu, Hitoshi; Bina, Craig R.

    How many recall the following striking sentence from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which appears on the second page of the novel, where Fitzgerald first introduces Gatsby? “If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away.”This line may have failed to focus our attention when we first read the book in our younger days. Now, however, as a Japanese seismologist and an American geophysicist (and student of Japanese culture), we would be greatly remiss for failing to take greater note of this statement. Indeed, as The Great Gatsby was published in 1925, it occurred to us that the earthquake Fitzgerald might have been thinking of was the Great Kanto earthquake, which occurred on September 1, 1923 and devastated the Tokyo metropolitan area.

  15. Viremic long-term nonprogressive HIV-1 infection is not associated with abnormalities in known Nef functions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heigele, Anke; Camerini, David; van't Wout, Angélique B.; Kirchhoff, Frank

    2014-01-01

    A small minority of HIV-1-infected individuals show low levels of immune activation and do not develop immunodeficiency despite high viral loads. Since the accessory viral Nef protein modulates T cell activation and plays a key role in the pathogenesis of AIDS, we investigated whether specific

  16. The HCV and HIV coinfected patient: what have we learned about pathophysiology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talal, Andrew H; Canchis, P Wilfredo; Jacobson, Ira

    2002-02-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important problem in individuals who are also infected with HIV. HCV infection is very common in HIV-infected individuals, occurring in approximately one quarter to one third of this group, presumably as a consequence of shared routes of transmission related to virologic and pathogenic aspects of the viral infections. Although both are single-stranded RNA viruses and share similar epidemiologic properties, there are many important differences. Although the quantity of HIV RNA in plasma is an important prognostic determinant of HIV infection, this has not been shown with HCV. A direct relationship is apparent between HIV-related destruction of CD4 cells and the clinical consequences of the disease resulting from immunodeficiency. The pathogenesis of HCV, which occurs as a consequence of hepatic fibrosis, is much more complex. The hepatic stellate cell, the major producer of the extracellular matrix protein, is the main contributor to hepatic fibrosis, but the mechanism by which HCV induces hepatic fibrosis remains unclear. Treatment of HCV is increasingly important in HIV-infected patients due to improved HIV-associated morbidity and mortality and due to the frequency with which HCV occurs in patients with HIV-HCV coinfection. Timing of treatment initiation, management of side effects, and possible effects of anti-HCV therapy on HIV are among the issues that need consideration. Also, because several issues concerning HCV are unique to coinfected patients, further research is needed to determine optimal management of HCV in this setting.

  17. Modeling the Mechanisms by Which HIV-Associated Immunosuppression Influences HPV Persistence at the Oral Mucosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Meghna; Erwin, Samantha; Abedi, Vida; Hontecillas, Raquel; Hoops, Stefan; Leber, Andrew; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep; Ciupe, Stanca M

    2017-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients are at an increased risk of co-infection with human papilloma virus (HPV), and subsequent malignancies such as oral cancer. To determine the role of HIV-associated immune suppression on HPV persistence and pathogenesis, and to investigate the mechanisms underlying the modulation of HPV infection and oral cancer by HIV, we developed a mathematical model of HIV/HPV co-infection. Our model captures known immunological and molecular features such as impaired HPV-specific effector T helper 1 (Th1) cell responses, and enhanced HPV infection due to HIV. We used the model to determine HPV prognosis in the presence of HIV infection, and identified conditions under which HIV infection alters HPV persistence in the oral mucosa system. The model predicts that conditions leading to HPV persistence during HIV/HPV co-infection are the permissive immune environment created by HIV and molecular interactions between the two viruses. The model also determines when HPV infection continues to persist in the short run in a co-infected patient undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Lastly, the model predicts that, under efficacious antiretroviral treatment, HPV infections will decrease in the long run due to the restoration of CD4+ T cell numbers and protective immune responses.

  18. Modeling the Mechanisms by Which HIV-Associated Immunosuppression Influences HPV Persistence at the Oral Mucosa.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meghna Verma

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected patients are at an increased risk of co-infection with human papilloma virus (HPV, and subsequent malignancies such as oral cancer. To determine the role of HIV-associated immune suppression on HPV persistence and pathogenesis, and to investigate the mechanisms underlying the modulation of HPV infection and oral cancer by HIV, we developed a mathematical model of HIV/HPV co-infection. Our model captures known immunological and molecular features such as impaired HPV-specific effector T helper 1 (Th1 cell responses, and enhanced HPV infection due to HIV. We used the model to determine HPV prognosis in the presence of HIV infection, and identified conditions under which HIV infection alters HPV persistence in the oral mucosa system. The model predicts that conditions leading to HPV persistence during HIV/HPV co-infection are the permissive immune environment created by HIV and molecular interactions between the two viruses. The model also determines when HPV infection continues to persist in the short run in a co-infected patient undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Lastly, the model predicts that, under efficacious antiretroviral treatment, HPV infections will decrease in the long run due to the restoration of CD4+ T cell numbers and protective immune responses.

  19. CD4- and dynamin-dependent endocytosis of HIV-1 into plasmacytoid dendritic cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pritschet, Kathrin; Donhauser, Norbert; Schuster, Philipp; Ries, Moritz; Haupt, Sabrina; Kittan, Nicolai A.; Korn, Klaus [Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, National Reference Centre for Retroviruses, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, 91054 Erlangen (Germany); Poehlmann, Stefan [Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover (Germany); Holland, Gudrun; Bannert, Norbert [Robert Koch-Institute, Center for Biological Security 4, 13353 Berlin (Germany); Bogner, Elke [Institute of Virology, Charite University Hospital, 10117 Berlin (Germany); Schmidt, Barbara, E-mail: baschmid@viro.med.uni-erlangen.de [Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, National Reference Centre for Retroviruses, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, 91054 Erlangen (Germany)

    2012-02-20

    Chronic immune activation, triggered by plasmacytoid dendritic cell (PDC) interferon (IFN)-alpha production, plays an important role in HIV-1 pathogenesis. As the entry of HIV-1 seems to be important for the activation of PDC, we directly characterized the viral entry into these cells using immuno-electron microscopy, cellular fractionation, confocal imaging, and functional experiments. After attachment to PDC, viruses were taken up in an energy-dependent manner. The virions were located in compartments positive for caveolin; early endosomal antigen 1; Rab GTPases 5, 7 and 9; lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1. PDC harbored more virus in endocytic vesicles than CD4+ T cells (p < 0.05). Blocking CD4 inhibited the uptake of virions into cytosolic and endosomal compartments. Dynasore, an inhibitor of dynamin-dependent endocytosis, not the fusion inhibitor T-20, reduced the HIV-1 induced IFN-alpha production. Altogether, our morphological and functional data support the role of endocytosis for the entry and IFN-alpha induction of HIV-1 in PDC.

  20. Hedonism And Materialism As Negative Effects Of Social Changes In American Society Potrayed In The Novel This Side Of Paradise Written By F. Scott Fitzgerald

    OpenAIRE

    Elysia, Irene Nyssa

    2015-01-01

    Judul skripsi ini adalah ‘HEDONISM AND MATERIALISM AS NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL CHANGES IN AMERICAN SOCIETY POTRAYED IN THE NOVEL THIS SIDE OF PARADISE WRITTEN BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD’. Sesuai dengan judulnya, skripsi ini membahas tentang fenomena hedonisme dan materialisme yang terjadi di Amerika pada awal tahun 1920an, sebagai dampak negatif dari Perang Dunia I. Fenomena ini dapat dibuktikan dari gambaran yang dipaparkan oleh Scott melalui novel ini, yaitu tentang kondisi masyarakat terutam...

  1. Perinatally acquired HIV infection in adolescents from sub-Saharan Africa: a review of emerging challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowenthal, Elizabeth D; Bakeera-Kitaka, Sabrina; Marukutira, Tafireyi; Chapman, Jennifer; Goldrath, Kathryn; Ferrand, Rashida A

    2014-07-01

    Worldwide, more than three million children are infected with HIV, 90% of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. As the HIV epidemic matures and antiretroviral treatment is scaled up, children with HIV are reaching adolescence in large numbers. The growing population of adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection living within this region presents not only unprecedented challenges but also opportunities to learn about the pathogenesis of HIV infection. In this Review, we discuss the changing epidemiology of paediatric HIV and the particular features of HIV infection in adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Longstanding HIV infection acquired when the immune system is not developed results in distinctive chronic clinical complications that cause severe morbidity. As well as dealing with chronic illness, HIV-infected adolescents have to confront psychosocial issues, maintain adherence to drugs, and learn to negotiate sexual relationships, while undergoing rapid physical and psychological development. Context-specific strategies for early identification of HIV infection in children and prompt linkage to care need to be developed. Clinical HIV care should integrate age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health and psychological, educational, and social services. Health-care workers will need to be trained to recognise and manage the needs of these young people so that the increasing numbers of children surviving to adolescence can access quality care beyond specialist services at low-level health-care facilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A lipid storage-like disorder contributes to cognitive decline in HIV-infected subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandaru, Veera Venkata Ratnam; Mielke, Michelle M; Sacktor, Ned; McArthur, Justin C; Grant, Igor; Letendre, Scott; Chang, Linda; Wojna, Valerie; Pardo, Carlos; Calabresi, Peter; Munsaka, Sody; Haughey, Norman J

    2013-10-22

    In this multicenter cohort study, we sought to identify prognostic and associative metabolic indicators for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). A quantitative lipidomic analysis was conducted on 524 longitudinal CSF samples collected from 7 different performance sites across the mainland United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Subjects included HIV-infected individuals with longitudinal clinical and cognitive testing data and cognitively normal HIV-negative healthy controls. At baseline, HIV+ subjects could be differentiated from HIV- controls by reductions in a single ceramide species and increases in multiple forms of cholesterol. Perturbations in cholesterol metabolism and ceramide were influenced by combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) use. There were no cross-sectional baseline differences in any lipid metabolite when HIV+ subjects were grouped according to cognitive status. However, a single sphingolipid metabolite and reduced levels of esterified cholesterols were prognostic indicators of incident cognitive decline. Longitudinal patterns of these disturbances in sphingolipid and sterol metabolism suggest that a progressive disorder of lipid metabolism that is similar to disorders of lipid storage may contribute to the pathogenesis of HAND. These findings suggest that HIV infection and cART are independently associated with a CNS metabolic disturbance, identify surrogate markers that are prognostic for cognitive decline, and implicate a lipid storage-like disorder in the progression of HAND.

  3. Previously Unidentified Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in HIV/AIDS Cases Associate with Clinical Parameters and Disease Progression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir V. Anokhin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The genetic background of an individual plays an important role in the progression of HIV infection to AIDS. Identifying previously unknown or uncharacterized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs that associate with disease progression may reveal important therapeutic targets and provide a greater understanding of disease pathogenesis. In the present study, we employed ultra-high multiplex PCR on an Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing platform to sequence 23 innate immune genes from 94 individuals with HIV/AIDS. This data was used to identify potential associations of SNPs with clinical parameters and disease progression. SNPs that associated with an increased viral load were identified in the genes for the interleukin 15 receptor (IL15RA, toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7, tripartite motif-containing protein 5 (TRIM5, and two killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR2DL1 and KIR2DL3. Additionally, SNPs that associated with progression from HIV infection to AIDS were identified in two 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase genes (OAS2 and OAS3. In contrast, other SNPs identified in OAS2 and OAS3 genes, as well as in the TRIM5 and KIR2DS4 genes, were associated with a slower progression of disease. Taken together, our data demonstrates the utility of ultra-high multiplex PCR in identifying polymorphisms of potential clinical significance and further,identifies SNPs that may play a role in HIV pathogenesis.

  4. Mafic Materials in Scott Crater? A Test for Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Bonnie L.

    2007-01-01

    Clementine 750 nm and multispectral ratio data, along with Lunar Orbiter and radar data, were used to study the crater Scott in the lunar south polar region. The multispectral data provide evidence for mafic materials, impact melts, anorthositic materials, and a small pyroclastic deposit. High-resolution radar data and Lunar Orbiter photography for this area show differences in color and surface texture that correspond with the locations of the hypothesized mafic and anorthositic areas on the crater floor. This region provides a test case for the upcoming Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Verification of the existence of a mafic deposit at this location is relevant to future lunar resource utilization planning.

  5. Patients with discordant responses to antiretroviral therapy have impaired killing of HIV-infected T cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sekar Natesampillai

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available In medicine, understanding the pathophysiologic basis of exceptional circumstances has led to an enhanced understanding of biology. We have studied the circumstance of HIV-infected patients in whom antiretroviral therapy results in immunologic benefit, despite virologic failure. In such patients, two protease mutations, I54V and V82A, occur more frequently. Expressing HIV protease containing these mutations resulted in less cell death, caspase activation, and nuclear fragmentation than wild type (WT HIV protease or HIV protease containing other mutations. The impaired induction of cell death was also associated with impaired cleavage of procaspase 8, a requisite event for HIV protease mediated cell death. Primary CD4 T cells expressing I54V or V82A protease underwent less cell death than with WT or other mutant proteases. Human T cells infected with HIV containing these mutations underwent less cell death and less Casp8p41 production than WT or HIV containing other protease mutations, despite similar degrees of viral replication. The reductions in cell death occurred both within infected cells, as well as in uninfected bystander cells. These data indicate that single point mutations within HIV protease which are selected in vivo can significantly impact the ability of HIV to kill CD4 T cells, while not impacting viral replication. Therefore, HIV protease regulates both HIV replication as well as HIV induced T cell depletion, the hallmark of HIV pathogenesis.

  6. The Isolation of Novel Phage Display-Derived Human Recombinant Antibodies Against CCR5, the Major Co-Receptor of HIV

    OpenAIRE

    Shimoni, Moria; Herschhorn, Alon; Britan-Rosich, Yelena; Kotler, Moshe; Benhar, Itai; Hizi, Amnon

    2013-01-01

    Selecting for antibodies against specific cell-surface proteins is a difficult task due to many unrelated proteins that are expressed on the cell surface. Here, we describe a method to screen antibody-presenting phage libraries against native cell-surface proteins. We applied this method to isolate antibodies that selectively recognize CCR5, which is the major co-receptor for HIV entry (consequently, playing a pivotal role in HIV transmission and pathogenesis). We employed a phage screening s...

  7. HIV-1 Nef binds with human GCC185 protein and regulates mannose 6 phosphate receptor recycling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, Manjeet; Kaur, Supinder; Nazir, Aamir; Tripathi, Raj Kamal, E-mail: rajkamalcdri@gmail.com

    2016-05-20

    HIV-1 Nef modulates cellular function that enhances viral replication in vivo which culminate into AIDS pathogenesis. With no enzymatic activity, Nef regulates cellular function through host protein interaction. Interestingly, trans-cellular introduction of recombinant Nef protein in Caenorhabditis elegans results in AIDS like pathogenesis which might share common pathophysiology because the gene sequence of C. elegans and humans share considerable homology. Therefore employing C. elegans based initial screen complemented with sequence based homology search we identified GCC185 as novel host protein interacting with HIV-1 Nef. The detailed molecular characterization revealed N-terminal EEEE{sub 65} acidic domain of Nef as key region for interaction. GCC185 is a tethering protein that binds with Rab9 transport vesicles. Our results show that Nef-GCC185 interaction disrupts Rab9 interaction resulting in delocalization of CI-MPR (cation independent Mannose 6 phosphate receptor) resulting in elevated secretion of hexosaminidase. In agreement with this, our studies identified novel host GCC185 protein that interacts with Nef EEEE65 acidic domain interfering GCC185-Rab9 vesicle membrane fusion responsible for retrograde vesicular transport of CI-MPR from late endosomes to TGN. In light of existing report suggesting critical role of Nef-GCC185 interaction reveals valuable mechanistic insights affecting specific protein transport pathway in docking of late endosome derived Rab9 bearing transport vesicle at TGN elucidating role of Nef during viral pathogenesis. -- Highlights: •Nef, an accessory protein of HIV-1 interacts with host factor and culminates into AIDS pathogenesis. •Using Caenorhabditis elegans based screen system, novel Nef interacting cellular protein GCC185 was identified. •Molecular characterization of Nef and human protein GCC185 revealed Nef EEEE{sub 65} key region interacted with full length GCC185. •Nef impeded the GCC185-Rab 9 interaction and

  8. Adapting Scott and Bruce's General Decision-Making Style Inventory to Patient Decision Making in Provider Choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Sophia; Soyez, Katja; Gurtner, Sebastian

    2015-05-01

    Research testing the concept of decision-making styles in specific contexts such as health care-related choices is missing. Therefore, we examine the contextuality of Scott and Bruce's (1995) General Decision-Making Style Inventory with respect to patient choice situations. Scott and Bruce's scale was adapted for use as a patient decision-making style inventory. In total, 388 German patients who underwent elective joint surgery responded to a questionnaire about their provider choice. Confirmatory factor analyses within 2 independent samples assessed factorial structure, reliability, and validity of the scale. The final 4-dimensional, 13-item patient decision-making style inventory showed satisfactory psychometric properties. Data analyses supported reliability and construct validity. Besides the intuitive, dependent, and avoidant style, a new subdimension, called "comparative" decision-making style, emerged that originated from the rational dimension of the general model. This research provides evidence for the contextuality of decision-making style to specific choice situations. Using a limited set of indicators, this report proposes the patient decision-making style inventory as valid and feasible tool to assess patients' decision propensities. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Scott Redford: A New Approach to the Permeability of Political Symbolism in Rum Seljuk Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip Bockholt

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available As his work transcends what is seen as iconography, from a strictly art history perspective, the choice of Scott Redford for portrayal in this rubric may seem surprising. However, regarding the applicability of iconographical approaches to the wider domain of cultural studies, precisely his adaptation of art history methods, which integrate disparate source material in a quest for meaning, sparked the interest of this issue of META. For most scholars in the field of Islamic history, researching premodern times normally involves reading narrative sources, that is, chronicles. Despite the so-called "documentary turn" taking place in Mamluk and Ottoman Syria, scholars of the Middle East lack the vast array of archival material that is available to their colleagues working on Medieval Europe. Thus, taking into account other types of material generally neglected by historians might be useful (more in the tradition of archaeologists and art historians who do include material culture in general. This article discusses Scott Redford's approach to combining written sources, epigraphy, and archaeological findings of the Seljuks of Rum in 13th century Anatolia in order to gain more insight into the iconography of power in a remote Islamic past.

  10. Interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) is associated with viremia of early HIV-1 infection in Korean patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, SoYong; Chung, Yoon-Seok; Yoon, Cheol-Hee; Shin, YoungHyun; Kim, SeungHyun; Choi, Byeong-Sun; Kim, Sung Soon

    2015-05-01

    Cytokines/chemokines play key roles in modulating disease progression in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although it is known that early HIV-1 infection is associated with increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, the relationship between cytokine levels and HIV-1 pathogenesis is not clear. The concentrations of 18 cytokines/chemokines in 30 HIV-1 negative and 208 HIV-1 positive plasma samples from Korean patients were measured by the Luminex system. Early HIV-1 infection was classified according to the Fiebig stage (FS) based on the characteristics of the patients infected with HIV-1. Concentrations of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α) and regulated upon activation, normal T cells expressed and secreted (RANTES) were increased significantly during the early stage of HIV-1 infection (FS II-IV) compared with the HIV-1-negative group. Of these cytokines, an elevated level of IP-10 was the only factor to be correlated positively with a higher viral load during the early stages of HIV-1 infection (FS II-IV) in Koreans (R = 0.52, P IP-10 may be an indicator for HIV-1 viremia and associated closely with viral replication in patients with early HIV-1 infection. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Associations between use of crack cocaine and HIV-1 disease progression: research findings and implications for mother-to-infant transmission

    OpenAIRE

    Cook, Judith A.

    2011-01-01

    Recent in vitro and in vivo research has suggested that cocaine has a direct effect on the pathogenesis of AIDS. These findings are confirmed by epidemiological studies linking the use of injected, inhaled, and smoked (crack) cocaine and indicators of HIV disease progression, even among adherent users of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Recent studies of vertical HIV transmission suggest that cocaine use may play a role in mother-to-child infection via alteration of maternal immune respo...

  12. Avances recientes en HIV/SIDA: Patogénesis, historia natural y carga viral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael E Campo

    1996-10-01

    Full Text Available Results of recent investigations have given us a new understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV infection. This findings provide us with a kinetic model of pathogenesis in which continuous, high-grade viral replication. This findings provide us with a kinetic model of pathogenesis in which continuous, high-grade viral replication is the principal force driving the destruction of CD4 lymphocytes. This knowledge will lead us to design better treatment strategies directed to curtail viral replication and prevent the emergence of viral resistance, and the use of combination antiretroviral therapy is a first example of these new strategies. The concept of viral load is introduced, and we discuss the usefulness of viral load in the clinical prognosis of this disease, and its use as an aid in the decision-making process when starling or mordifyng antiretroviral therapy in our patients. (Rev Med Hered 1996; 7: 182-188.

  13. Dopamine receptor activation increases HIV entry into primary human macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter J Gaskill

    Full Text Available Macrophages are the primary cell type infected with HIV in the central nervous system, and infection of these cells is a major component in the development of neuropathogenesis and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Within the brains of drug abusers, macrophages are exposed to increased levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that mediates the addictive and reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse such as cocaine and methamphetamine. In this study we examined the effects of dopamine on HIV entry into primary human macrophages. Exposure to dopamine during infection increased the entry of R5 tropic HIV into macrophages, irrespective of the concentration of the viral inoculum. The entry pathway affected was CCR5 dependent, as antagonizing CCR5 with the small molecule inhibitor TAK779 completely blocked entry. The effect was dose-dependent and had a steep threshold, only occurring above 108 M dopamine. The dopamine-mediated increase in entry required dopamine receptor activation, as it was abrogated by the pan-dopamine receptor antagonist flupenthixol, and could be mediated through both subtypes of dopamine receptors. These findings indicate that the effects of dopamine on macrophages may have a significant impact on HIV pathogenesis. They also suggest that drug-induced increases in CNS dopamine may be a common mechanism by which drugs of abuse with distinct modes of action exacerbate neuroinflammation and contribute to HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in infected drug abusers.

  14. Bone Disease in HIV: Recommendations for Screening and Management in the Older Patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoy, Jennifer

    2015-07-01

    Availability of potent antiretroviral therapy (ART) has resulted in markedly improved survival for people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, as well as an aging HIV population. Increasing morbidity from age-related conditions has resulted in the need to understand the complex roles HIV and its treatment play in the pathogenesis of these conditions. Bone disease and fragility fractures are conditions that occur more frequently in HIV. It is therefore recommended that risk assessment for fragility fracture using the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX(®)) algorithm, and low bone mass by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, be performed in all patients with HIV infection over the age of 50 years and in those with a history of fragility fracture, and should be repeated every 2-3 years. Because many HIV experts believe that HIV infection and its treatment is a secondary cause of osteoporosis, it should be included as such in the FRAX(®) assessment tool. Management of osteoporosis in HIV infection should follow the same guidelines as that in the general population. Attention to lifestyle factors, including vitamin D replacement, should be emphasized. Whether cessation of tenofovir- or protease inhibitor-based ART regimens should be considered prior to bisphosphonate treatment is currently unknown and should only occur in patients with active alternative ART regimens. The use of bisphosphonates has been shown to be safe and effective in HIV patients, and while there is limited data on second-line osteoporosis regimens, there is no reason to suggest they would not be effective in people with HIV.

  15. HIV-1 infection and cognitive impairment in the cART era: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schouten, Judith; Cinque, Paola; Gisslen, Magnus; Reiss, Peter; Portegies, Peter

    2011-03-13

    With the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy AIDS dementia complex or HIV-associated dementia, as it was termed later, largely disappeared in clinical practice. However, in the past few years, patients, long-term infected and treated, including those with systemically well controlled infection, started to complain about milder memory problems and slowness, difficulties in concentration, planning, and multitasking. Neuropsychological studies have confirmed that cognitive impairment occurs in a substantial (15-50%) proportion of patients. Among HIV-1-infected patients cognitive impairment was and is one of the most feared complications of HIV-1 infection. In addition, neurocognitive impairment may affect adherence to treatment and ultimately result in increased morbidity for systemic disease. So what may be going on in the CNS after so many years of apparently controlled HIV-1 infection is an urgent and important challenge in the field of HIV medicine. In this review we summarize the key currently available data. We describe the clinical neurological and neuropsychological findings, the preferred diagnostic approach with new imaging techniques and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. We try to integrate data on pathogenesis and finally discuss possible therapeutic interventions.

  16. Richard J. Hill, Picturing Scotland through the Waverley Novels: Walter Scott and the Origins of the Victorian Illustrated Novel.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacqueline Irene Cannata

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Richard J. Hill, Picturing Scotland through the Waverley Novels: Walter Scott and the Origins of the Victorian Illustrated Novel . Farnham, Surrey, and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2010. Pp. 236. ISBN 978-0-7546-6806-0. US$99.99.

  17. No Absolutism Here: Harm Predicts Moral Judgment 30× Better Than Disgust-Commentary on Scott, Inbar, & Rozin (2016).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Kurt; Schein, Chelsea

    2016-05-01

    Moral absolutism is the idea that people's moral judgments are insensitive to considerations of harm. Scott, Inbar, and Rozin (2016, this issue) claim that most moral opponents to genetically modified organisms are absolutely opposed-motivated by disgust and not harm. Yet there is no evidence for moral absolutism in their data. Perceived risk/harm is the most significant predictor of moral judgments for "absolutists," accounting for 30 times more variance than disgust. Reanalyses suggest that disgust is not even a significant predictor of the moral judgments of absolutists once accounting for perceived harm and anger. Instead of revealing actual moral absolutism, Scott et al. find only empty absolutism: hypothetical, forecasted, self-reported moral absolutism. Strikingly, the moral judgments of so-called absolutists are somewhat more sensitive to consequentialist concerns than those of nonabsolutists. Mediation reanalyses reveal that moral judgments are most proximally predicted by harm and not disgust, consistent with dyadic morality. © The Author(s) 2016.

  18. The Role of Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1 in the Progression of HIV/AIDS and Development of Non-AIDS-Defining Fibrotic Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annette J. Theron

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Even after attainment of sustained viral suppression following implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected persons continue to experience persistent, low-grade, systemic inflammation. Among other mechanisms, this appears to result from ongoing microbial translocation from a damaged gastrointestinal tract. This HIV-related chronic inflammatory response is paralleled by counteracting, but only partially effective, biological anti-inflammatory processes. Paradoxically, however, this anti-inflammatory response not only exacerbates immunosuppression but also predisposes for development of non-AIDS-related, non-communicable disorders. With respect to the pathogenesis of both sustained immunosuppression and the increased frequency of non-AIDS-related disorders, the anti-inflammatory/profibrotic cytokine, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1, which remains persistently elevated in both untreated and virally suppressed HIV-infected persons, may provide a common link. In this context, the current review is focused on two different, albeit related, harmful activities of TGF-β1 in HIV infection. First, on the spectrum of anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive activities of TGF-β1 and the involvement of this cytokine, derived predominantly from T regulatory cells, in driving disease progression in HIV-infected persons via both non-fibrotic and profibrotic mechanisms. Second, the possible involvement of sustained elevations in circulating and tissue TGF-β1 in the pathogenesis of non-AIDS-defining cardiovascular, hepatic, pulmonary and renal disorders, together with a brief comment on potential TGF-β1-targeted therapeutic strategies.

  19. Osteoblast role in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maruotti, Nicola; Corrado, Addolorata; Cantatore, Francesco P

    2017-11-01

    Even if osteoarthritis pathogenesis is still poorly understood, numerous evidences suggest that osteoblasts dysregulation plays a key role in osteoarthritis pathogenesis. An abnormal expression of OPG and RANKL has been described in osteoarthritis osteoblasts, which is responsible for abnormal bone remodeling and decreased mineralization. Alterations in genes expression are involved in dysregulation of osteoblast function, bone remodeling, and mineralization, leading to osteoarthritis development. Moreover, osteoblasts produce numerous transcription factors, growth factors, and other proteic molecules which are involved in osteoarthritis pathogenesis. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Macrophage Resistance to HIV-1 Infection Is Enhanced by the Neuropeptides VIP and PACAP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Temerozo, Jairo R.; Joaquim, Rafael; Regis, Eduardo G.; Savino, Wilson; Bou-Habib, Dumith Chequer

    2013-01-01

    It is well established that host factors can modulate HIV-1 replication in macrophages, critical cells in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection due to their ability to continuously produce virus. The neuropeptides VIP and PACAP induce well-characterized effects on macrophages through binding to the G protein-coupled receptors VPAC1, VPAC2 and PAC1, but their influence on HIV-1 production by these cells has not been established. Here, we describe that VIP and PACAP reduce macrophage production of HIV-1, acting in a synergistic or additive manner to decrease viral growth. Using receptor antagonists, we detected that the HIV-1 inhibition promoted by VIP is dependent on its ligation to VPAC1/2, whereas PACAP decreases HIV-1 growth via activation of the VPAC1/2 and PAC1 receptors. Specific agonists of VPAC2 or PAC1 decrease macrophage production of HIV-1, whereas sole activation of VPAC1 enhances viral growth. However, the combination of specific agonists mimicking the receptor preference of the natural neuropeptides reproduces the ability of VIP and PACAP to increase macrophage resistance to HIV-1 replication. VIP and PACAP up-regulated macrophage secretion of the β-chemokines CCL3 and CCL5 and the cytokine IL-10, whose neutralization reversed the neuropeptide-induced inhibition of HIV-1 replication. Our results suggest that VIP and PACAP and the receptors VPAC2 and PAC1 could be used as targets for developing alternative therapeutic strategies for HIV-1 infection. PMID:23818986

  1. Controlling Listeria monocytogenes Scott A on Surfaces of Fully Cooked Turkey Deli Product Using Organic Acid-Containing Marinades as Postlethality Dips.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casco, Gerardo; Johnson, Jennifer L; Taylor, T Matthew; Gaytán, Carlos N; Brashears, Mindy M; Alvarado, Christine Z

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluated the efficacy of organic acids applied singly or in combination as postlethality dips to sliced uncured turkey deli loaves to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) Scott A. Treatments consisted of sodium lactate (SL; 3.6%), potassium lactate (PL; 3.6%), sodium citrate (SC; 0.75%), a combination of SL and sodium diacetate (SDA; 0.25%), and a combination of SL/PL/SDA, alongside appropriate negative and positive controls. Products were inoculated with 10(4)-10(5) CFU/mL streptomycin-resistant (1500 μg/mL) Lm Scott A prior to treatment. Products were then stored at ~4°C and sampled at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 d. The SL/SDA combination applied to turkey slices extended the lag phase through 21 days of refrigerated storage. Numbers of Lm Scott A rose by 0.7 log10 CFU/g through the 56 d storage period. The application of the SL/PL/SDA treatment to turkey product surfaces extended the lag phase through 42 d, with pathogen numbers declining after 21 d. Combination organic acid dips prolonged the lag phase for 2 to 6 wk on turkey product surfaces and can be useful as antimicrobial agents for Lm control on postlethality exposed sliced deli products.

  2. Case 3724 - Metochus abbreviatus Scott, 1874 (Insecta, Heteroptera): proposed precedence over Rhyparochromus erosus Walker, 1872 (currently Metochus erosus)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The purpose of this application, under Article 23.9.3 of the Code, is to conserve the widely used specific name Metochus abbreviatus Scott, 1874, for a species of rhyparochromid bugs from East Asia. The name is threatened by the senior subjective synonym Metochus erosus (Walker, 1872), which has bee...

  3. SAMHD1 controls cell cycle status, apoptosis and HIV-1 infection in monocytic THP-1 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonifati, Serena; Daly, Michele B.; St Gelais, Corine; Kim, Sun Hee; Hollenbaugh, Joseph A.; Shepard, Caitlin; Kennedy, Edward M.; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Schinazi, Raymond F.; Kim, Baek; Wu, Li

    2016-01-01

    SAMHD1 limits HIV-1 infection in non-dividing myeloid cells by decreasing intracellular dNTP pools. HIV-1 restriction by SAMHD1 in these cells likely prevents activation of antiviral immune responses and modulates viral pathogenesis, thus highlighting a critical role of SAMHD1 in HIV-1 physiopathology. Here, we explored the function of SAMHD1 in regulating cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis in monocytic THP-1 cells. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated THP-1 cells with stable SAMHD1 knockout. We found that silencing of SAMHD1 in cycling cells stimulates cell proliferation, redistributes cell cycle population in the G_1/G_0 phase and reduces apoptosis. These alterations correlated with increased dNTP levels and more efficient HIV-1 infection in dividing SAMHD1 knockout cells relative to control. Our results suggest that SAMHD1, through its dNTPase activity, affects cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis, and emphasize a key role of SAMHD1 in the interplay between cell cycle regulation and HIV-1 infection.

  4. SAMHD1 controls cell cycle status, apoptosis and HIV-1 infection in monocytic THP-1 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bonifati, Serena [Center for Retrovirus Research, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Daly, Michele B. [Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); St Gelais, Corine; Kim, Sun Hee [Center for Retrovirus Research, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States); Hollenbaugh, Joseph A.; Shepard, Caitlin [Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); Kennedy, Edward M. [Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC (United States); Kim, Dong-Hyun [Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Schinazi, Raymond F. [Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); Kim, Baek, E-mail: baek.kim@emory.edu [Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (United States); Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Wu, Li, E-mail: wu.840@osu.edu [Center for Retrovirus Research, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (United States)

    2016-08-15

    SAMHD1 limits HIV-1 infection in non-dividing myeloid cells by decreasing intracellular dNTP pools. HIV-1 restriction by SAMHD1 in these cells likely prevents activation of antiviral immune responses and modulates viral pathogenesis, thus highlighting a critical role of SAMHD1 in HIV-1 physiopathology. Here, we explored the function of SAMHD1 in regulating cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis in monocytic THP-1 cells. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated THP-1 cells with stable SAMHD1 knockout. We found that silencing of SAMHD1 in cycling cells stimulates cell proliferation, redistributes cell cycle population in the G{sub 1}/G{sub 0} phase and reduces apoptosis. These alterations correlated with increased dNTP levels and more efficient HIV-1 infection in dividing SAMHD1 knockout cells relative to control. Our results suggest that SAMHD1, through its dNTPase activity, affects cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis, and emphasize a key role of SAMHD1 in the interplay between cell cycle regulation and HIV-1 infection.

  5. Association of a 3' untranslated region polymorphism in proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 with HIV viral load and CD4+ levels in HIV/hepatitis C virus coinfected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuniholm, Mark H; Liang, Hua; Anastos, Kathryn; Gustafson, Deborah; Kassaye, Seble; Nowicki, Marek; Sha, Beverly E; Pawlowski, Emilia J; Gange, Stephen J; Aouizerat, Bradley E; Pushkarsky, Tatiana; Bukrinsky, Michael I; Prasad, Vinayaka R

    2017-11-28

    To assess variation in genes that regulate cholesterol metabolism in relation to the natural history of HIV infection. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. We examined 2050 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 19 genes known to regulate cholesterol metabolism in relation to HIV viral load and CD4 T-cell levels in a multiracial cohort of 1066 antiretroviral therapy-naive women. Six SNPs were associated with both HIV viral load and CD4 T-cell levels at a false discovery rate of 0.01. Bioinformatics tools did not predict functional activity for five SNPs, located in introns of nuclear receptor corepressor 2, retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRA), and tetratricopeptide repeat domain 39B. Rs17111557 located in the 3' untranslated region of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) putatively affects binding of hsa-miR-548t-5p and hsa-miR-4796-3p, which could regulate PCSK9 expression levels. Interrogation of rs17111557 revealed stronger associations in the subset of women with HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection (n = 408, 38% of women). Rs17111557 was also associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in HIV/HCV coinfected (β: -10.4; 95% confidence interval: -17.9, -2.9; P = 0.007), but not in HIV monoinfected (β:1.2; 95% confidence interval: -6.3, 8.6; P = 0.76) women in adjusted analysis. PCSK9 polymorphism may affect HIV pathogenesis, particularly in HIV/HCV coinfected women. A likely mechanism for this effect is PCSK9-mediated regulation of cholesterol metabolism. Replication in independent cohorts is needed to clarify the generalizability of the observed associations.

  6. Expression of Human CD4 and chemokine receptors in cotton rat cells confers permissiveness for productive HIV infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Broder Christopher C

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Current small animal models for studying HIV-1 infection are very limited, and this continues to be a major obstacle for studying HIV-1 infection and pathogenesis, as well as for the urgent development and evaluation of effective anti-HIV-1 therapies and vaccines. Previously, it was shown that HIV-1 can infect cotton rats as indicated by development of antibodies against all major proteins of the virus, the detection of viral cDNA in spleen and brain of challenged animals, the transmission of infectious virus, albeit with low efficiency, from animal to animal by blood, and an additional increase in the mortality in the infected groups. Results Using in vitro experiments, we now show that cotton rat cell lines engineered to express human receptor complexes for HIV-1 (hCD4 along with hCXCR4 or hCCR5 support virus entry, viral cDNA integration, and the production of infectious virus. Conclusion These results further suggest that the development of transgenic cotton rats expressing human HIV-1 receptors may prove to be useful small animal model for HIV infection.

  7. Engineering Cellular Resistance to HIV-1 Infection In Vivo Using a Dual Therapeutic Lentiviral Vector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bryan P Burke

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We described earlier a dual-combination anti-HIV type 1 (HIV-1 lentiviral vector (LVsh5/C46 that downregulates CCR5 expression of transduced cells via RNAi and inhibits HIV-1 fusion via cell surface expression of cell membrane-anchored C46 antiviral peptide. This combinatorial approach has two points of inhibition for R5-tropic HIV-1 and is also active against X4-tropic HIV-1. Here, we utilize the humanized bone marrow, liver, thymus (BLT mouse model to characterize the in vivo efficacy of LVsh5/C46 (Cal-1 vector to engineer cellular resistance to HIV-1 pathogenesis. Human CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC either nonmodified or transduced with LVsh5/C46 vector were transplanted to generate control and treatment groups, respectively. Control and experimental groups displayed similar engraftment and multilineage hematopoietic differentiation that included robust CD4+ T-cell development. Splenocytes isolated from the treatment group were resistant to both R5- and X4-tropic HIV-1 during ex vivo challenge experiments. Treatment group animals challenged with R5-tropic HIV-1 displayed significant protection of CD4+ T-cells and reduced viral load within peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues up to 14 weeks postinfection. Gene-marking and transgene expression were confirmed stable at 26 weeks post-transplantation. These data strongly support the use of LVsh5/C46 lentiviral vector in gene and cell therapeutic applications for inhibition of HIV-1 infection.

  8. A phyt osociological classification of the vegetation of the Jack Scott Nature Reserve*

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. J. Coetzee

    1974-12-01

    Full Text Available The vegetation of the Jack Scott Nature Reserve in the Central Bankenveld Veld Type is classified chiefly by the Braun-Blanquet Table Method. Habitat features, physiognomy, total floristic composition, differentiating species, woody plants and prominent grasses and forbs are presented for each community. Characterizing habitat features, in order of importance for the communities, are: exposure, soil texture, geology, slope, aspect, degree of rockiness and previous ploughing. The classification correlates well with the major physiographic and climatic variation in the Reserve and generally does not cut across main physiognomic types. The communities are potentially homogeneous management units.

  9. A análise de redes na sociologia e nos estudos sobre grupos econômicos: entrevista com John Scott

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo Palazzo Dias

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Com o objetivo de tornar mais acessível ao público brasileiro a área de Análise de Redes Sociais (ARS, Em Tese realizou uma entrevista com Jonh Scott, renomado autor dessa área.

  10. Breast cancer and HIV in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: two case reports and review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latif, Naeem; Rana, Fauzia; Guthrie, Troy

    2011-01-01

    The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is rising in US women; however its impact on breast cancer incidence, stage at presentation, response and treatment toxicity remains unknown. To address the impact of HIV infection and use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the natural history of breast cancer we present two cases of breast cancer in HIV-infected women and also review the literature. A literature search was done on Medline using the key words HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and HAART therapy, restricted to English language. There were mostly case reports and one large series of 20 cases reported by Hurley et al. Data concerning the impact of HIV infection and HAART therapy regarding pathogenesis, stage at presentation, tumor type, response, and toxicity associated with treatment were reviewed. The literature review shows that the breast cancer incidence is either same or less in HIV-infected patients compared to the general population. However, the patients with HIV infection present with more advanced stage and aggressive disease, and they also have poor chemotherapy tolerance. The impact of HAART on breast cancer incidence in HIV-infected patients is still unclear. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Partial regulatory T cell depletion prior to acute feline immunodeficiency virus infection does not alter disease pathogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Rochelle Mikkelsen

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV infection in cats follows a disease course similar to HIV-1, including a short acute phase characterized by high viremia, and a prolonged asymptomatic phase characterized by low viremia and generalized immune dysfunction. CD4(+CD25(hiFoxP3(+ immunosuppressive regulatory T (Treg cells have been implicated as a possible cause of immune dysfunction during FIV and HIV-1 infection, as they are capable of modulating virus-specific and inflammatory immune responses. Additionally, the immunosuppressive capacity of feline Treg cells has been shown to be increased during FIV infection. We have previously shown that transient in vivo Treg cell depletion during asymptomatic FIV infection reveals FIV-specific immune responses suppressed by Treg cells. In this study, we sought to determine the immunological influence of Treg cells during acute FIV infection. We asked whether Treg cell depletion prior to infection with the highly pathogenic molecular clone FIV-C36 in cats could alter FIV pathogenesis. We report here that partial Treg cell depletion prior to FIV infection does not significantly change provirus, viremia, or CD4(+ T cell levels in blood and lymphoid tissues during the acute phase of disease. The effects of anti-CD25 mAb treatment are truncated in cats acutely infected with FIV-C36 as compared to chronically infected cats or FIV-naïve cats, as Treg cell levels were heightened in all treatment groups included in the study within two weeks post-FIV infection. Our findings suggest that the influence of Treg cell suppression during FIV pathogenesis is most prominent after Treg cells are activated in the environment of established FIV infection.

  12. Partial regulatory T cell depletion prior to acute feline immunodeficiency virus infection does not alter disease pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikkelsen, S Rochelle; Long, Julie M; Zhang, Lin; Galemore, Erin R; VandeWoude, Sue; Dean, Gregg A

    2011-02-25

    Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection in cats follows a disease course similar to HIV-1, including a short acute phase characterized by high viremia, and a prolonged asymptomatic phase characterized by low viremia and generalized immune dysfunction. CD4(+)CD25(hi)FoxP3(+) immunosuppressive regulatory T (Treg) cells have been implicated as a possible cause of immune dysfunction during FIV and HIV-1 infection, as they are capable of modulating virus-specific and inflammatory immune responses. Additionally, the immunosuppressive capacity of feline Treg cells has been shown to be increased during FIV infection. We have previously shown that transient in vivo Treg cell depletion during asymptomatic FIV infection reveals FIV-specific immune responses suppressed by Treg cells. In this study, we sought to determine the immunological influence of Treg cells during acute FIV infection. We asked whether Treg cell depletion prior to infection with the highly pathogenic molecular clone FIV-C36 in cats could alter FIV pathogenesis. We report here that partial Treg cell depletion prior to FIV infection does not significantly change provirus, viremia, or CD4(+) T cell levels in blood and lymphoid tissues during the acute phase of disease. The effects of anti-CD25 mAb treatment are truncated in cats acutely infected with FIV-C36 as compared to chronically infected cats or FIV-naïve cats, as Treg cell levels were heightened in all treatment groups included in the study within two weeks post-FIV infection. Our findings suggest that the influence of Treg cell suppression during FIV pathogenesis is most prominent after Treg cells are activated in the environment of established FIV infection.

  13. Positron emission tomography in patients suffering from HIV-1 infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sathekge, Mike [University Hospital of Pretoria, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Pretoria (South Africa); Goethals, Ingeborg; Wiele, Christophe van de [University Hospital Ghent, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ghent (Belgium); Maes, Alex [AZ Groening, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kortrijk (Belgium)

    2009-07-15

    This paper reviews currently available PET studies performed either to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection or to assess the value of PET imaging in the clinical decision making of patients infected with HIV-1 presenting with AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies. FDG PET has shown that HIV-1 infection progresses by distinct anatomical steps, with involvement of the upper torso preceding involvement of the lower part of the torso, and that the degree of FDG uptake relates to viral load. The former finding suggests that lymphoid tissues are engaged in a predictable sequence and that diffusible mediators of activation might be important targets for vaccine or therapeutic intervention strategies. In lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients, limited available data support the hypothesis that stavudine-related lipodystrophy is associated with increased glucose uptake by adipose tissue as a result of the metabolic stress of adipose tissue in response to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Finally, in early AIDS-related dementia complex (ADC), striatal hypermetabolism is observed, whereas progressive ADC is characterized by a decrease in subcortical and cortical metabolism. In the clinical setting, PET has been shown to allow the differentiation of AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies, and to allow monitoring of side effects of HAART. However, in patients suffering from HIV infection and presenting with extracerebral lymphoma or other human malignancies, knowledge of viraemia is essential when interpreting FDG PET imaging. (orig.)

  14. Positron emission tomography in patients suffering from HIV-1 infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sathekge, Mike; Goethals, Ingeborg; Wiele, Christophe van de; Maes, Alex

    2009-01-01

    This paper reviews currently available PET studies performed either to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection or to assess the value of PET imaging in the clinical decision making of patients infected with HIV-1 presenting with AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies. FDG PET has shown that HIV-1 infection progresses by distinct anatomical steps, with involvement of the upper torso preceding involvement of the lower part of the torso, and that the degree of FDG uptake relates to viral load. The former finding suggests that lymphoid tissues are engaged in a predictable sequence and that diffusible mediators of activation might be important targets for vaccine or therapeutic intervention strategies. In lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients, limited available data support the hypothesis that stavudine-related lipodystrophy is associated with increased glucose uptake by adipose tissue as a result of the metabolic stress of adipose tissue in response to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Finally, in early AIDS-related dementia complex (ADC), striatal hypermetabolism is observed, whereas progressive ADC is characterized by a decrease in subcortical and cortical metabolism. In the clinical setting, PET has been shown to allow the differentiation of AIDS-related opportunistic infections and malignancies, and to allow monitoring of side effects of HAART. However, in patients suffering from HIV infection and presenting with extracerebral lymphoma or other human malignancies, knowledge of viraemia is essential when interpreting FDG PET imaging. (orig.)

  15. Tryptophan Metabolism and Its Relationship with Depression and Cognitive Impairment among HIV-infected Individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael R. Keegan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective Cognitive impairment (CI and major depressive disorder (MDD remain prevalent in treated HIV-1 disease; however, the pathogenesis remains elusive. A possible contributing mechanism is immune-mediated degradation of tryptophan (TRP via the kynurenine (KYN pathway, resulting in decreased production of serotonin and accumulation of TRP degradation products. We explored the association of these biochemical pathways and their relationship with CI and MDD in HIV-positive (HIV+ individuals. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis, concentrations of neopterin (NEO, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TRP, KYN, KYN/TRP ratio, phenylalanine (PHE, tyrosine (TYR, PHE/TYR ratio, and nitrite were assessed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF and plasma of HIV+( n = 91 and HIV-negative (HIV- individuals ( n = 66. CI and MDD were assessed via a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. A Global Deficit Score ≥0.5 was defined as CI. Nonparametric statistical analyses included Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests, and multivariate logistic regression. Results Following Bonferroni correction, NEO concentrations were found to be greater in CSF and TRP concentration was found to be lower in the plasma of HIV+ versus HIV– individuals, including a subgroup of aviremic (defined as HIV-1 RNA <50 cps/mL HIV+ participants receiving antiretroviral therapy ( n = 44. There was a nonsignificant trend toward higher KYN/TRP ratios in plasma in the HIV+ group ( P = 0.027; Bonferroni corrected α = 0.0027. In a logistic regression model, lower KYN/TRP ratios in plasma were associated with CI and MDD in the overall HIV+ group ( P = 0.038 and P = 0.063, respectively and the aviremic subgroup ( P = 0.066 and P = 0.027, respectively, though this observation was not statistically significant following Bonferroni correction (Bonferroni corrected α = 0.0031. Conclusions We observed a trend toward lower KYN/TRP ratios in aviremic HIV+ patients with CI and MDD.

  16. Dynamics of the Davydov–Scott soliton with location or velocity mismatch of its high-frequency component

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blyakhman, L.G.; Gromov, E.M.; Onosova, I.V.; Tyutin, V.V., E-mail: vtyutin@hse.ru

    2017-05-03

    The dynamics of a two-component Davydov–Scott (DS) soliton with a small mismatch of the initial location or velocity of the high-frequency (HF) component was investigated within the framework of the Zakharov-type system of two coupled equations for the HF and low-frequency (LF) fields. In this system, the HF field is described by the linear Schrödinger equation with the potential generated by the LF component varying in time and space. The LF component in this system is described by the Korteweg–de Vries equation with a term of quadratic influence of the HF field on the LF field. The frequency of the DS soliton's component oscillation was found analytically using the balance equation. The perturbed DS soliton was shown to be stable. The analytical results were confirmed by numerical simulations. - Highlights: • The dynamics of the Davydov–Scott soliton with initial location or velocity mismatch of the HF component was investigated. • The study was performed within the framework of coupled linear Schrödinger and KdV equations for the HF and LF fields. • Analytical and numerical approaches were used. • The frequency of the DS soliton component oscillation was found. • Stability of the perturbed DS solitons was demonstrated.

  17. Interferon-α regulates glutaminase 1 promoter through STAT1 phosphorylation: relevance to HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lixia Zhao

    Full Text Available HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND develop during progressive HIV-1 infection and affect up to 50% of infected individuals. Activated microglia and macrophages are critical cell populations that are involved in the pathogenesis of HAND, which is specifically related to the production and release of various soluble neurotoxic factors including glutamate. In the central nervous system (CNS, glutamate is typically derived from glutamine by mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase. Our previous study has shown that glutaminase is upregulated in HIV-1 infected monocyte-derived-macrophages (MDM and microglia. However, how HIV-1 leads to glutaminase upregulation, or how glutaminase expression is regulated in general, remains unclear. In this study, using a dual-luciferase reporter assay system, we demonstrated that interferon (IFN α specifically activated the glutaminase 1 (GLS1 promoter. Furthermore, IFN-α treatment increased signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1 phosphorylation and glutaminase mRNA and protein levels. IFN-α stimulation of GLS1 promoter activity correlated to STAT1 phosphorylation and was reduced by fludarabine, a chemical that inhibits STAT1 phosphorylation. Interestingly, STAT1 was found to directly bind to the GLS1 promoter in MDM, an effect that was dependent on STAT1 phosphorylation and significantly enhanced by IFN-α treatment. More importantly, HIV-1 infection increased STAT1 phosphorylation and STAT1 binding to the GLS1 promoter, which was associated with increased glutamate levels. The clinical relevance of these findings was further corroborated with investigation of post-mortem brain tissues. The glutaminase C (GAC, one isoform of GLS1 mRNA levels in HIV associated-dementia (HAD individuals correlate with STAT1 (p<0.01, IFN-α (p<0.05 and IFN-β (p<0.01. Together, these data indicate that both HIV-1 infection and IFN-α treatment increase glutaminase expression through STAT1 phosphorylation and

  18. Colon dysregulation in methamphetamine self-administering HIV-1 transgenic rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda L Persons

    Full Text Available The integrity and function of the gut is impaired in HIV-infected individuals, and gut pathogenesis may play a role in several HIV-associated disorders. Methamphetamine is a popular illicit drug abused by HIV-infected individuals. However, the effect of methamphetamine on the gut and its potential to exacerbate HIV-associated gut pathology is not known. To shed light on this scenario, we evaluated colon barrier pathology in a rat model of the human comorbid condition. Intestinal barrier integrity and permeability were assessed in drug-naïve Fischer 344 HIV-1 transgenic (Tg and non-Tg rats, and in Tg and non-Tg rats instrumented with jugular cannulae trained to self-administer methamphetamine or serving as saline-yoked controls. Intestinal permeability was determined by measuring the urine content of orally gavaged sugars. Intestinal barrier integrity was evaluated by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence of colon claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1, two major tight junction proteins that regulate gut epithelial paracellular permeability. Both non-Tg and Tg rats self-administered moderate amounts of methamphetamine. These amounts were sufficient to increase colon permeability, reduce protein level of claudin-1, and reduce claudin-1 and ZO-1 immunofluorescence in Tg rats relative to non-Tg rats. Methamphetamine decreased tight junction immunofluorescence in non-Tg rats, with a similar, but non-significant trend observed in Tg rats. However, the effect of methamphetamine on tight junction proteins was subthreshold to gut leakiness. These findings reveal that both HIV-1 proteins and methamphetamine alter colon barrier integrity, and indicate that the gut may be a pathogenic site for these insults.

  19. Colon dysregulation in methamphetamine self-administering HIV-1 transgenic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persons, Amanda L; Bradaric, Brinda D; Dodiya, Hemraj B; Ohene-Nyako, Michael; Forsyth, Christopher B; Keshavarzian, Ali; Shaikh, Maliha; Napier, T Celeste

    2018-01-01

    The integrity and function of the gut is impaired in HIV-infected individuals, and gut pathogenesis may play a role in several HIV-associated disorders. Methamphetamine is a popular illicit drug abused by HIV-infected individuals. However, the effect of methamphetamine on the gut and its potential to exacerbate HIV-associated gut pathology is not known. To shed light on this scenario, we evaluated colon barrier pathology in a rat model of the human comorbid condition. Intestinal barrier integrity and permeability were assessed in drug-naïve Fischer 344 HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) and non-Tg rats, and in Tg and non-Tg rats instrumented with jugular cannulae trained to self-administer methamphetamine or serving as saline-yoked controls. Intestinal permeability was determined by measuring the urine content of orally gavaged sugars. Intestinal barrier integrity was evaluated by immunoblotting or immunofluorescence of colon claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), two major tight junction proteins that regulate gut epithelial paracellular permeability. Both non-Tg and Tg rats self-administered moderate amounts of methamphetamine. These amounts were sufficient to increase colon permeability, reduce protein level of claudin-1, and reduce claudin-1 and ZO-1 immunofluorescence in Tg rats relative to non-Tg rats. Methamphetamine decreased tight junction immunofluorescence in non-Tg rats, with a similar, but non-significant trend observed in Tg rats. However, the effect of methamphetamine on tight junction proteins was subthreshold to gut leakiness. These findings reveal that both HIV-1 proteins and methamphetamine alter colon barrier integrity, and indicate that the gut may be a pathogenic site for these insults.

  20. Chemokines, lymphocytes, and HIV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farber J.M.

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Chemokines are members of a family of more than 30 human cytokines whose best-described activities are as chemotactic factors for leukocytes and that are presumed to be important in leukocyte recruitment and trafficking. While many chemokines can act on lymphocytes, the roles of chemokines and their receptors in lymphocyte biology are poorly understood. The recent discoveries that chemokines can suppress infection by HIV-1 and that chemokine receptors serve, along with CD4, as obligate co-receptors for HIV-1 entry have lent urgency to studies on the relationships between chemokines and lymphocytes. My laboratory has characterized Mig and Crg-2/IP-10, chemokines that are induced by IFN-g and that specifically target lymphocytes, particularly activated T cells. We have demonstrated that the genes for these chemokines are widely expressed during experimental infections in mice with protozoan and viral pathogens, but that the patterns of mig and crg-2 expression differed, suggesting non-redundant roles in vivo. Our related studies to identify new chemokine receptors from activated lymphocytes resulted in the cloning of STRL22 and STRL33. We and others have shown that STRL22 is a receptor for the CC chemokine MIP-3a, and STRL22 has been re-named CCR6. Although STRL33 remains an orphan receptor, we have shown that it can function as a co-receptor for HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins, and that it is active with a broader range of HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins than the major co-receptors described to date. The ability of STRL33 to function with a wide variety of envelope glycoproteins may become particularly important if therapies are instituted to block other specific co-receptors. We presume that investigations into the roles of chemokines and their receptors in lymphocyte biology will provide information important for understanding the pathogenesis of AIDS and for manipulating immune and inflammatory responses for clinical benefit

  1. Identification and characterization of HIV-2 strains obtained from asymptomatic patients that do not use CCR5 or CXCR4 coreceptors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azevedo-Pereira, J.M.; Santos-Costa, Q.; Mansinho, K.; Moniz-Pereira, J.

    2003-01-01

    In vivo, human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection reveals several unique characteristics when compared to HIV-1 infection, the most remarkable of which is the extraordinarily long asymptomatic period. Here we describe two HIV-2 primary isolates, obtained from asymptomatic individuals, which do not infect any coreceptor-expressing cell lines tested. In those cells, we show that the absence of replication is directly related to cell entry events. Furthermore, productive infection observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was not inhibited by natural ligands and monoclonal antibodies directed to CCR5 and CXCR4. Finally, viral entry efficiency and viral progeny production of these viruses are markedly impaired in PBMC, indicating a reduced replicative fitness of both viruses. In conclusion, our data suggest that in some HIV-2 asymptomatic individuals, the circulating viruses are unable to use the major coreceptors to infect PBMC. This fact should have important implications in HIV-2 pathogenesis and transmission

  2. Inefficient HIV-1 trans infection of CD4+ T cells by macrophages from HIV-1 nonprogressors is associated with altered membrane cholesterol and DC-SIGN.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLucia, Diana C; Rinaldo, Charles R; Rappocciolo, Giovanna

    2018-04-11

    Professional antigen presenting cells (APC: myeloid dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages (MΦ); B lymphocytes) mediate highly efficient HIV-1 infection of CD4 + T cells, termed trans infection, that could contribute to HIV-1 pathogenesis. We have previously shown that lower cholesterol content in DC and B lymphocytes is associated with a lack of HIV-1 trans infection in HIV-1 infected nonprogressors (NP). Here we assessed whether HIV-1 trans infection mediated by another major APC, MΦ, is deficient in NP due to altered cholesterol metabolism. When comparing healthy HIV-1 seronegatives (SN), rapid progressors (PR), and NP, we found that monocyte-derived MΦ from NP did not mediate HIV-1 trans infection of autologous CD4 + T cells, in contrast to efficient trans infection mediated by SN and PR MΦ. MΦ trans infection efficiency was directly associated with the number of DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN)-expressing MΦ. Significantly fewer NP MΦ expressed DC-SIGN. Unesterified (free) cholesterol in MΦ cell membranes and lipid rafting was significantly lower in NP than PR, as well as virus internalization in early endosomes. Furthermore, simvastatin (SIMV), decreased the subpopulation of DC-SIGN + MΦ, as well as MΦ cis and trans infection. Notably, SIMV decreased cell membrane cholesterol and led to lipid raft dissociation, effectively mimicking the incompetent APC trans infection environment characteristic of NP. Our data support that DC-SIGN and membrane cholesterol are central to MΦ trans infection, and a lack of these limits HIV-1 disease progression. Targeting the ability of MΦ to drive HIV-1 dissemination in trans could enhance HIV-1 therapeutic strategies. IMPORTANCE Despite the success of combination anti-retroviral therapy, neither a vaccine nor a cure for HIV infection has been developed, demonstrating a need for novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. Here we show that efficiency of macrophage (M

  3. Drug delivery strategies and systems for HIV/AIDS pre-exposure prophylaxis and treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Antoinette G; Zhang, Xiaoping; Ganapathi, Usha; Szekely, Zoltan; Flexner, Charles W; Owen, Andrew; Sinko, Patrick J

    2015-12-10

    The year 2016 will mark an important milestone - the 35th anniversary of the first reported cases of HIV/AIDS. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) including Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) drug regimens is widely considered to be one of the greatest achievements in therapeutic drug research having transformed HIV infection into a chronically managed disease. Unfortunately, the lack of widespread preventive measures and the inability to eradicate HIV from infected cells highlight the significant challenges remaining today. Moving forward there are at least three high priority goals for anti-HIV drug delivery (DD) research: (1) to prevent new HIV infections from occurring, (2) to facilitate a functional cure, i.e., when HIV is present but the body controls it without drugs and (3) to eradicate established infection. Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) represents a significant step forward in preventing the establishment of chronic HIV infection. However, the ultimate success of PrEP will depend on achieving sustained antiretroviral (ARV) tissue concentrations and will require strict patient adherence to the regimen. While first generation long acting/extended release (LA/ER) DD Systems (DDS) currently in development show considerable promise, significant DD treatment and prevention challenges persist. First, there is a critical need to improve cell specificity through targeting in order to selectively achieve efficacious drug concentrations in HIV reservoir sites to control/eradicate HIV as well as mitigate systemic side effects. In addition, approaches for reducing cellular efflux and metabolism of ARV drugs to prolong effective concentrations in target cells need to be developed. Finally, given the current understanding of HIV pathogenesis, next generation anti-HIV DDS need to address selective DD to the gut mucosa and lymph nodes. The current review focuses on the DDS technologies, critical challenges, opportunities, strategies, and approaches by which novel

  4. Necroptosis takes place in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1-infected CD4+ T lymphocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ting Pan

    Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infection is characterized by progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes and dysfunction of the immune system. The numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the human body are maintained constantly by homeostatic mechanisms that failed during HIV-1 infection, resulting in progressive loss of CD4+ T cells mainly via apoptosis. Recently, a non-apoptotic form of necrotic programmed cell death, named necroptosis, has been investigated in many biological and pathological processes. We then determine whether HIV-1-infected cells also undergo necroptosis. In this report, we demonstrate that HIV-1 not only induces apoptosis, but also mediates necroptosis in the infected primary CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD4+ T-cell lines. Necroptosis-dependent cytopathic effects are significantly increased in HIV-1-infected Jurkat cells that is lack of Fas-associated protein-containing death domain (FADD, indicating that necroptosis occurs as an alternative cell death mechanism in the absence of apoptosis. Unlike apoptosis, necroptosis mainly occurs in HIV-infected cells and spares bystander damage. Treatment with necrostatin-1(Nec-1, a RIP1 inhibitor that specifically blocks the necroptosis pathway, potently restrains HIV-1-induced cytopathic effect and interestingly, inhibits the formation of HIV-induced syncytia in CD4+ T-cell lines. This suggests that syncytia formation is mediated, at least partially, by necroptosis-related processes. Furthermore, we also found that the HIV-1 infection-augmented tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α plays a key role in inducing necroptosis and HIV-1 Envelope and Tat proteins function as its co-factors. Taken together,necroptosis can function as an alternative cell death pathway in lieu of apoptosis during HIV-1 infection, thereby also contributing to HIV-1-induced cytopathic effects. Our results reveal that in addition to apoptosis, necroptosis also plays an important role in HIV-1-induced pathogenesis.

  5. STS-103 Pilot Scott Kelly during TCDT activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    STS-103 Pilot Scott J. Kelly is ready to take his turn at driving a small armored personnel carrier that is part of emergency egress training during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. Behind him (left) is Mission Specialist Jean-Frangois Clervoy of France, who is with the European Space Agency. At right is Mission Specialist Steven L. Smith. The tracked vehicle could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. The TCDT also provides simulated countdown exercises and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-103 is a 'call-up' mission due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Although Hubble is operating normally and conducting its scientific observations, only three of its six gyroscopes are working properly. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The other STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. and Mission Specialists C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), and Claude Nicollier of Switzerland, who also is with the European Space Agency. The mission is targeted for launch Dec. 6 at 2:37 a.m. EST.

  6. Distinct patterns of HIV-1 evolution within metastatic tissues in patients with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Salemi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART, AIDS related lymphoma (ARL occurs at a significantly higher rate in patients infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV than in the general population. HIV-infected macrophages are a known viral reservoir and have been shown to have lymphomagenic potential in SCID mice; therefore, there is an interest in determining if a viral component to lymphomagenesis also exists. We sequenced HIV-1 envelope gp120 clones obtained post mortem from several tumor and non-tumor tissues of two patients who died with AIDS-related Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (ARL-NH. Similar results were found in both patients: 1 high-resolution phylogenetic analysis showed a significant degree of compartmentalization between lymphoma and non-lymphoma viral sub-populations while viral sub-populations from lymph nodes appeared to be intermixed within sequences from tumor and non-tumor tissues, 2 a 100-fold increase in the effective HIV population size in tumor versus non-tumor tissues was associated with the emergence of lymphadenopathy and aggressive metastatic ARL, and 3 HIV gene flow among lymph nodes, normal and metastatic tissues was non-random. The different population dynamics between the viruses found in tumors versus the non-tumor associated viruses suggest that there is a significant relationship between HIV evolution and lymphoma pathogenesis. Moreover, the study indicates that HIV could be used as an effective marker to study the origin and dissemination of lymphomas in vivo.

  7. International recognition for ageing research: John Scott Award-2014 to Leonard Hayflick and Paul Moorhead

    OpenAIRE

    Rattan, Suresh

    2014-01-01

    It is with great pleasure and pride that we share the news of the award of the 2014 “City of Philadelphia John Scott Award”, to Dr. Leonard Hayflick and Dr. Paul Moorhead, for their research on ageing. The press release announcing the award states that: “from the first awarded in 1822, the Award is the oldest scientific award in the United States and, as a legacy to Benjamin Franklin, they are in the historic company of past winners who include Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Jonas Salk, Irving L...

  8. Exosomes in HIV infection: A review and critical look.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellwanger, Joel Henrique; Veit, Tiago Degani; Chies, José Artur Bogo

    2017-09-01

    Exosomes are nanovesicles released into the extracellular medium by different cell types. These vesicles carry a variety of protein and RNA cargos, and have a central role in cellular signaling and regulation. A PubMed search using the term "exosomes" finds 67 articles published in 2006. Ten years later, the same search returns approximately 1200 results for 2016 alone. The growing interest in exosomes within the scientific community reflects the different roles exerted by extracellular vesicles in biological systems and diseases. However, the increase in academic production addressing the biological function of exosomes causes much confusion, especially where the focus is on the role of exosomes in pathological situations. In this review, we critically interpret the current state of the research on exosomes and HIV infection. It is plausible to assume that exosomes influence the pathogenesis of HIV infection through their biological cargo (primarily membrane proteins and microRNAs). On the other hand, evidence for a usurpation of the exosomal budding and trafficking machinery by HIV during infection is limited, although such a mechanism cannot be ruled out. This review also discusses several biological aspects of exosomal function in the immune system. Finally, the limitations of current exosome research are pointed out. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Role of Endogenous Peptides and Enzymes in the Pathogenesis of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1. Michael LS. Relationship between pancreatitis and lung diseases. Respiration Physiology 2001; 128(1): 13–. 16. 2. Scott FG, Yang J, Kathryn B, Krista H, Heather CPK. Epling-Burnette, Yanhua P, James N, Michel MM. Acute Pancreatitis Induces FasL Gene Expression and Apoptosis in the Liver. J Surg Res 2004; 122(2):.

  10. Sequential Dysfunction and Progressive Depletion of Candida albicans-Specific CD4 T Cell Response in HIV-1 Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Fengliang; Fan, Xiuzhen; Auclair, Sarah; Ferguson, Monique; Sun, Jiaren; Soong, Lynn; Hou, Wei; Redfield, Robert R.; Birx, Deborah L.; Ratto-Kim, Silvia; Robb, Merlin L.; Kim, Jerome H.; Michael, Nelson L.; Hu, Haitao

    2016-01-01

    Loss of immune control over opportunistic infections can occur at different stages of HIV-1 (HIV) disease, among which mucosal candidiasis caused by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans (C. albicans) is one of the early and common manifestations in HIV-infected human subjects. The underlying immunological basis is not well defined. We have previously shown that compared to cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific CD4 cells, C. albicans-specific CD4 T cells are highly permissive to HIV in vitro. Here, based on an antiretroviral treatment (ART) naïve HIV infection cohort (RV21), we investigated longitudinally the impact of HIV on C. albicans- and CMV-specific CD4 T-cell immunity in vivo. We found a sequential dysfunction and preferential depletion for C. albicans-specific CD4 T cell response during progressive HIV infection. Compared to Th1 (IFN-γ, MIP-1β) functional subsets, the Th17 functional subsets (IL-17, IL-22) of C. albicans-specific CD4 T cells were more permissive to HIV in vitro and impaired earlier in HIV-infected subjects. Infection history analysis showed that C. albicans-specific CD4 T cells were more susceptible to HIV in vivo, harboring modestly but significantly higher levels of HIV DNA, than CMV-specific CD4 T cells. Longitudinal analysis of HIV-infected individuals with ongoing CD4 depletion demonstrated that C. albicans-specific CD4 T-cell response was preferentially and progressively depleted. Taken together, these data suggest a potential mechanism for earlier loss of immune control over mucosal candidiasis in HIV-infected patients and provide new insights into pathogen-specific immune failure in AIDS pathogenesis. PMID:27280548

  11. Where in the Cell Are You? Probing HIV-1 Host Interactions through Advanced Imaging Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brennan S. Dirk

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Viruses must continuously evolve to hijack the host cell machinery in order to successfully replicate and orchestrate key interactions that support their persistence. The type-1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 is a prime example of viral persistence within the host, having plagued the human population for decades. In recent years, advances in cellular imaging and molecular biology have aided the elucidation of key steps mediating the HIV-1 lifecycle and viral pathogenesis. Super-resolution imaging techniques such as stimulated emission depletion (STED and photoactivation and localization microscopy (PALM have been instrumental in studying viral assembly and release through both cell–cell transmission and cell–free viral transmission. Moreover, powerful methods such as Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC have shed light on the protein-protein interactions HIV-1 engages within the host to hijack the cellular machinery. Specific advancements in live cell imaging in combination with the use of multicolor viral particles have become indispensable to unravelling the dynamic nature of these virus-host interactions. In the current review, we outline novel imaging methods that have been used to study the HIV-1 lifecycle and highlight advancements in the cell culture models developed to enhance our understanding of the HIV-1 lifecycle.

  12. Dynamics of HIV-containing compartments in macrophages reveal sequestration of virions and transient surface connections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raphaël Gaudin

    Full Text Available During HIV pathogenesis, infected macrophages behave as "viral reservoirs" that accumulate and retain virions within dedicated internal Virus-Containing Compartments (VCCs. The nature of VCCs remains ill characterized and controversial. Using wild-type HIV-1 and a replication-competent HIV-1 carrying GFP internal to the Gag precursor, we analyzed the biogenesis and evolution of VCCs in primary human macrophages. VCCs appear roughly 14 hours after viral protein synthesis is detected, initially contain few motile viral particles, and then mature to fill up with virions that become packed and immobile. The amount of intracellular Gag, the proportion of dense VCCs, and the density of viral particles in their lumen increased with time post-infection. In contrast, the secretion of virions, their infectivity and their transmission to T cells decreased overtime, suggesting that HIV-infected macrophages tend to pack and retain newly formed virions into dense compartments. A minor proportion of VCCs remains connected to the plasma membrane overtime. Surprisingly, live cell imaging combined with correlative light and electron microscopy revealed that such connections can be transient, highlighting their dynamic nature. Together, our results shed light on the late phases of the HIV-1 cycle and reveal some of its macrophage specific features.

  13. Pathogenesis of motor neuron disease

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xuefei Wang

    2006-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To summarize and analyze the factors and theories related to the attack of motor neuron disease, and comprehensively investigate the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease.DATA SOURCES: A search of Pubmed database was undertaken to identify articles about motor neuron disease published in English from January 1994 to June 2006 by using the keywords of "neurodegenerative diseases". Other literatures were collected by retrieving specific journals and articles.STUDY SELECTION: The data were checked primarily, articles related to the pathogenesis of motor neuron disease were involved, and those obviously irrelated to the articles were excluded.DATA EXTRACTION: Totally 54 articles were collected, 30 of them were involved, and the other 24 were excluded.DATA SYNTHESIS: The pathogenesis of motor neuron disease has multiple factors, and the present related theories included free radical oxidation, excitotoxicity, genetic and immune factors, lack of neurotrophic factor,injury of neurofilament, etc. The studies mainly come from transgenic animal models, cell culture in vitro and patients with familial motor neuron disease, but there are still many restrictions and disadvantages.CONCLUSION: It is necessary to try to find whether there is internal association among different mechanisms,comprehensively investigate the pathogenesis of motor neuron diseases, in order to provide reliable evidence for the clinical treatment.

  14. α4β7+ CD4+ Effector/Effector Memory T Cells Differentiate into Productively and Latently Infected Central Memory T Cells by Transforming Growth Factor β1 during HIV-1 Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Ka-Wai; Wu, Tongjin; Ho, Sai Fan; Wong, Yik Chun; Liu, Li; Wang, Hui; Chen, Zhiwei

    2018-04-15

    HIV-1 transmission occurs mainly through mucosal tissues. During mucosal transmission, HIV-1 preferentially infects α 4 β 7 + gut-homing CCR7 - CD4 + effector/effector memory T cells (T EM ) and results in massive depletion of these cells and other subsets of T EM in gut-associated lymphoid tissues. However, besides being eliminated by HIV-1, the role of T EM during the early stage of infection remains inconclusive. Here, using in vitro -induced α 4 β 7 + gut-homing T EM (α 4 β 7 + T EM ), we found that α 4 β 7 + T EM differentiated into CCR7 + CD4 + central memory T cells (T CM ). This differentiation was HIV-1 independent but was inhibited by SB431542, a specific transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) receptor I kinase inhibitor. Consistently, T EM -to-T CM differentiation was observed in α 4 β 7 + T EM stimulated with TGF-β1 (TGF-β). The T CM properties of the TGF-β-induced T EM -derived T CM (α 4 β 7 + T CM ) were confirmed by their enhanced CCL19 chemotaxis and the downregulation of surface CCR7 upon T cell activation in vitro Importantly, the effect of TGF-β on T CM differentiation also held in T EM directly isolated from peripheral blood. To investigate the significance of the TGF-β-dependent T EM -to-T CM differentiation in HIV/AIDS pathogenesis, we observed that both productively and latently infected α 4 β 7 + T CM could differentiate from α 4 β 7 + T EM in the presence of TGF-β during HIV-1 infection. Collectively, this study not only provides a new insight for the plasticity of T EM but also suggests that the TGF-β-dependent T EM -to-T CM differentiation is a previously unrecognized mechanism for the formation of latently infected T CM after HIV-1 infection. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 is the causative agent of HIV/AIDS, which has led to millions of deaths in the past 30 years. Although the implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy has remarkably reduced the HIV-1-related morbidity and mortality, HIV-1 is not eradicated in

  15. HIV protease inhibitors disrupt lipid metabolism by activating endoplasmic reticulum stress and inhibiting autophagy activity in adipocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beth S Zha

    Full Text Available HIV protease inhibitors (PI are core components of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART, the most effective treatment for HIV infection currently available. However, HIV PIs have now been linked to lipodystrophy and dyslipidemia, which are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Our previous studies have shown that HIV PIs activate endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress and disrupt lipid metabolism in hepatocytes and macrophages. Yet, little is known on how HIV PIs disrupt lipid metabolism in adipocytes, a major cell type involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.Cultured and primary mouse adipocytes and human adipocytes were used to examine the effect of frequently used HIV PIs in the clinic, lopinavir/ritonavir, on adipocyte differentiation and further identify the underlying molecular mechanism of HIV PI-induced dysregulation of lipid metabolism in adipocytes. The results indicated that lopinavir alone or in combination with ritonavir, significantly activated the ER stress response, inhibited cell differentiation, and induced cell apoptosis in adipocytes. In addition, HIV PI-induced ER stress was closely linked to inhibition of autophagy activity. We also identified through the use of primary adipocytes of CHOP(-/- mice that CHOP, the major transcriptional factor of the ER stress signaling pathway, is involved in lopinavir/ritonavir-induced inhibition of cell differentiation in adipocytes. In addition, lopinavir/ritonavir-induced ER stress appears to be associated with inhibition of autophagy activity in adipocytes.Activation of ER stress and impairment of autophagy activity are involved in HIV PI-induced dysregulation of lipid metabolism in adipocytes. The key components of ER stress and autophagy signaling pathways are potential therapeutic targets for HIV PI-induced metabolic side effects in HIV patients.

  16. New Highly Sensitive Real-Time PCR Assay for HIV-2 Group A and Group B DNA Quantification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertine, Mélanie; Gueudin, Marie; Mélard, Adeline; Damond, Florence; Descamps, Diane; Matheron, Sophie; Collin, Fidéline; Rouzioux, Christine; Plantier, Jean-Christophe; Avettand-Fenoel, Véronique

    2017-09-01

    HIV-2 infection is characterized by a very low replication rate in most cases and low progression. This necessitates an approach to patient monitoring that differs from that for HIV-1 infection. Here, a new highly specific and sensitive method for HIV-2 DNA quantification was developed. The new test is based on quantitative real-time PCR targeting the long terminal repeat (LTR) and gag regions and using an internal control. Analytical performance was determined in three laboratories, and clinical performance was determined on blood samples from 63 patients infected with HIV-2 group A ( n = 35) or group B ( n = 28). The specificity was 100%. The 95% limit of detection was three copies/PCR and the limit of quantification was six copies/PCR. The within-run coefficients of variation were between 1.03% at 3.78 log 10 copies/PCR and 27.02% at 0.78 log 10 copies/PCR. The between-run coefficient of variation was 5.10%. Both manual and automated nucleic acid extraction methods were validated. HIV-2 DNA loads were detectable in blood cells from all 63 patients. When HIV-2 DNA was quantifiable, median loads were significantly higher in antiretroviral-treated than in naive patients and were similar for groups A and B. HIV-2 DNA load was correlated with HIV-2 RNA load ( r = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4 to 0.8; P < 0.0001). Our data show that this new assay is highly sensitive and quantifies the two main HIV-2 groups, making it useful for the diagnosis of HIV-2 infection and for pathogenesis studies on HIV-2 reservoirs. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  17. The discovery and development of HIV therapy: the new challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Federico Perno

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The therapy of HIV infection has been dramatically improved over the years, and allowed the achievement of unexpected results. The availability of many drugs, and the knowledge of HIV related pathogenesis, helped in selecting highly effective antiviral therapies, yet today a major challenge stands, that is the selection of the best regimen(s in clinical practice. In this frame, evidence-based medicine remains a cornerstone of modern medicine, but its structure needs to be adapted to the new challenges, made by an excess of information (not always fully reliable, by highly sophisticated statistical systems that may overlook the clinical practice despite their ability to define the statistical significance, and the limited number of independent controlled studies. The revision of the criteria of evidence-based medicine, and their adaptation to the new tools available, may allow a better contribution to the definition of the best therapy for each single patient.

  18. Reduced evolutionary rates in HIV-1 reveal extensive latency periods among replicating lineages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Immonen, Taina T; Leitner, Thomas

    2014-10-16

    HIV-1 can persist for the duration of a patient's life due in part to its ability to hide from the immune system, and from antiretroviral drugs, in long-lived latent reservoirs. Latent forms of HIV-1 may also be disproportionally involved in transmission. Thus, it is important to detect and quantify latency in the HIV-1 life cycle. We developed a novel molecular clock-based phylogenetic tool to investigate the prevalence of HIV-1 lineages that have experienced latency. The method removes alternative sources that may affect evolutionary rates, such as hypermutation, recombination, and selection, to reveal the contribution of generation-time effects caused by latency. Our method was able to recover latent lineages with high specificity and sensitivity, and low false discovery rates, even on relatively short branches on simulated phylogenies. Applying the tool to HIV-1 sequences from 26 patients, we show that the majority of phylogenetic lineages have been affected by generation-time effects in every patient type, whether untreated, elite controller, or under effective or failing treatment. Furthermore, we discovered extensive effects of latency in sequence data (gag, pol, and env) from reservoirs as well as in the replicating plasma population. To better understand our phylogenetic findings, we developed a dynamic model of virus-host interactions to investigate the proportion of lineages in the actively replicating population that have ever been latent. Assuming neutral evolution, our dynamic modeling showed that under most parameter conditions, it is possible for a few activated latent viruses to propagate so that in time, most HIV-1 lineages will have been latent at some time in their past. These results suggest that cycling in and out of latency plays a major role in the evolution of HIV-1. Thus, no aspect of HIV-1 evolution can be fully understood without considering latency - including treatment, drug resistance, immune evasion, transmission, and pathogenesis.

  19. Modeling HIV-1 Induced Neuroinflammation in Mice: Role of Platelets in Mediating Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Letitia D Jones

    Full Text Available The number of HIV-1 positive individuals developing some form of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND is increasing. In these individuals, the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB is compromised due to an increase in exposure to pro-inflammatory mediators, viral proteins, and virus released from infected cells. It has been shown that soluble CD40L (sCD40L is released upon platelet activation and is an important mediator of the pathogenesis of HAND but the underlying mechanisms are unclear, emphasizing the need of an effective animal model. Here, we have utilized a novel animal model in which wild-type (WT mice were infected with EcoHIV; a derivative of HIV-1 that contains a substitution of envelope protein gp120 with that of gp80 derived from murine leukemia virus-1 (MuLV-1. As early as two-weeks post-infection, EcoHIV led to increased permeability of the BBB associated with decreased expression of tight junction protein claudin-5, in CD40L and platelet activation-dependent manner. Treatment with an antiplatelet drug, eptifibatide, in EcoHIV-infected mice normalized BBB function, sCD40L release and platelet activity, thus implicating platelet activation and platelet-derived CD40L in virally induced BBB dysfunction. Our results also validate and underscore the importance of EcoHIV infection mouse model as a tool to explore therapeutic targets for HAND.

  20. Scotts Valley Energy Office and Human Capacity Building that will provide energy-efficiency services and develop sustainable renewable energy projects.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, Temashio [Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians

    2013-06-28

    The primary goal of this project is to develop a Scotts Valley Energy Development Office (SVEDO). This office will further support the mission of the Tribe's existing leadership position as the DOE Tribal Multi-County Weatherization Energy Program (TMCWEP) in creating jobs and providing tribal homes and buildings with weatherization assistance to increase energy efficiency, occupant comfort and improved indoor air quality. This office will also spearhead efforts to move the Tribe towards its further strategic energy goals of implementing renewable energy systems through specific training, resource evaluation, feasibility planning, and implementation. Human capacity building and continuing operations are two key elements of the SVEDO objectives. Therefore, the project will 1) train and employ additional Tribal members in energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resource analyses and implementation; 2) purchase materials and equipment required to implement the strategic priorities as developed by the Scotts Valley Tribe which specifically include implementing energy conservation measures and alternative energy strategies to reduce energy costs for the Tribe and its members; and 3) obtain a dedicated office and storage space for ongoing SVEDO operations.

  1. Immune-Mediated Damage Completes the Parabola: Cryptococcus neoformans Pathogenesis Can Reflect the Outcome of a Weak or Strong Immune Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liise-anne Pirofski

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Cryptococcosis occurs most frequently in immunocompromised individuals. This has led to the prevailing view that this disease is the result of weak immune responses that cannot control the fungus. However, increasingly, clinical and experimental studies have revealed that the host immune response can contribute to cryptococcal pathogenesis, including the recent study of L. M. Neal et al. (mBio 8:e01415-17, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01415-17 that reports that CD4+ T cells mediate tissue damage in experimental murine cryptococcosis. This finding has fundamental implications for our understanding of the pathogenesis of cryptococcal disease; it helps explain why immunotherapy has been largely unsuccessful in treatment and provides insight into the paradoxical observation that HIV-associated cryptococcosis may have a better prognosis than cryptococcosis in those with no known immune impairment. The demonstration that host-mediated damage can drive cryptococcal disease provides proof of concept that the parabola put forth in the damage-response framework has the flexibility to depict complex and changing outcomes of host-microbe interaction.

  2. Pathogenesis of Hepatic Encephalopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irena Ciećko-Michalska

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Hepatic encephalopathy can be a serious complication of acute liver failure and chronic liver diseases, predominantly liver cirrhosis. Hyperammonemia plays the most important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. The brain-blood barrier disturbances, changes in neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, GABA-ergic or benzodiazepine pathway abnormalities, manganese neurotoxicity, brain energetic disturbances, and brain blood flow abnormalities are considered to be involved in the development of hepatic encephalopathy. The influence of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO on the induction of minimal hepatic encephalopathy is recently emphasized. The aim of this paper is to present the current views on the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.

  3. Pathogenesis of Hepatic Encephalopathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciećko-Michalska, Irena; Szczepanek, Małgorzata; Słowik, Agnieszka; Mach, Tomasz

    2012-01-01

    Hepatic encephalopathy can be a serious complication of acute liver failure and chronic liver diseases, predominantly liver cirrhosis. Hyperammonemia plays the most important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. The brain-blood barrier disturbances, changes in neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, GABA-ergic or benzodiazepine pathway abnormalities, manganese neurotoxicity, brain energetic disturbances, and brain blood flow abnormalities are considered to be involved in the development of hepatic encephalopathy. The influence of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) on the induction of minimal hepatic encephalopathy is recently emphasized. The aim of this paper is to present the current views on the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. PMID:23316223

  4. Aurora 7 the Mercury space flight of M. Scott Carpenter

    CERN Document Server

    Burgess, Colin

    2016-01-01

    TO A NATION enthralled by the heroic exploits of the Mercury astronauts, the launch of Lt. Cmdr. Scott Carpenter on NASA’s second orbital space flight was a renewed cause for pride, jubilation and celebration. Within hours, that excitement had given way to stunned disbelief and anxiety as shaken broadcasters began preparing the American public for the very real possibility that an American astronaut and his spacecraft may have been lost at sea. In fact, it had been a very close call. Completely out of fuel and forced to manually guide Aurora 7 through the frightening inferno of re-entry, Carpenter brought the Mercury spacecraft down to a safe splashdown in the ocean. In doing so, he controversially overshot the intended landing zone. Despite his efforts, Carpenter’s performance on the MA-7 mission was later derided by powerful figures within NASA. He would never fly into space again. Taking temporary leave of NASA, Carpenter participated in the U.S. Navy’s pioneering Sealab program. For a record 30 days...

  5. Genetic Signatures of HIV-1 Envelope-mediated Bystander Apoptosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Anjali; Lee, Raphael T. C.; Mohl, Jonathan; Sedano, Melina; Khong, Wei Xin; Ng, Oon Tek; Maurer-Stroh, Sebastian; Garg, Himanshu

    2014-01-01

    The envelope (Env) glycoprotein of HIV is an important determinant of viral pathogenesis. Several lines of evidence support the role of HIV-1 Env in inducing bystander apoptosis that may be a contributing factor in CD4+ T cell loss. However, most of the studies testing this phenomenon have been conducted with laboratory-adapted HIV-1 isolates. This raises the question of whether primary Envs derived from HIV-infected patients are capable of inducing bystander apoptosis and whether specific Env signatures are associated with this phenomenon. We developed a high throughput assay to determine the bystander apoptosis inducing activity of a panel of primary Envs. We tested 38 different Envs for bystander apoptosis, virion infectivity, neutralizing antibody sensitivity, and putative N-linked glycosylation sites along with a comprehensive sequence analysis to determine if specific sequence signatures within the viral Env are associated with bystander apoptosis. Our studies show that primary Envs vary considerably in their bystander apoptosis-inducing potential, a phenomenon that correlates inversely with putative N-linked glycosylation sites and positively with virion infectivity. By use of a novel phylogenetic analysis that avoids subtype bias coupled with structural considerations, we found specific residues like Arg-476 and Asn-425 that were associated with differences in bystander apoptosis induction. A specific role of these residues was also confirmed experimentally. These data demonstrate for the first time the potential of primary R5 Envs to mediate bystander apoptosis in CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, we identify specific genetic signatures within the Env that may be associated with the bystander apoptosis-inducing phenotype. PMID:24265318

  6. Scott Correction for Large Atoms and Molecules in a Self-Generated Magnetic Field

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erdös, Laszlo; Fournais, Søren; Solovej, Jan Philip

    2012-01-01

    constant. We show that, in the simultaneous limit $Z\\to\\infty$, $\\al\\to 0$ such that $\\kappa =Z\\al^2$ is fixed, the ground state energy of the system is given by a two term expansion $c_1Z^{7/3} + c_2(\\kappa) Z^2 + o(Z^2)$. The leading term is given by the non-magnetic Thomas-Fermi theory. Our result shows......We consider a large neutral molecule with total nuclear charge $Z$ in non-relativistic quantum mechanics with a self-generated classical electromagnetic field. To ensure stability, we assume that $Z\\al^2\\le \\kappa_0$ for a sufficiently small $\\kappa_0$, where $\\al$ denotes the fine structure...... that the magnetic field affects only the second (so-called Scott) term in the expansion....

  7. HIV-1 Genetic Variability in Cuba and Implications for Transmission and Clinical Progression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanco, Madeline; Machado, Liuber Y; Díaz, Héctor; Ruiz, Nancy; Romay, Dania; Silva, Eladio

    2015-10-01

    transmission or clinical progression, although the proportion of deaths was higher for subtype B. Among those who died during the study period, there were no differences between subtypes in the mean time from HIV or AIDS diagnosis to death. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that B and non-B HIV-1 subtypes found in Cuba do not differ in transmissibility and in clinical disease progression. KEYWORDS HIV-1, AIDS, molecular epidemiology, transmissibility, clinical progression, subtypes, circulating recombinant forms, pathogenesis, Cuba.

  8. Further developments of the Neyman-Scott clustered point process for modeling rainfall

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowpertwait, Paul S. P.

    1991-07-01

    This paper provides some useful results for modeling rainfall. It extends work on the Neyman-Scott cluster model for simulating rainfall time series. Several important properties have previously been found for the model, for example, the expectation and variance of the amount of rain captured in an arbitrary time interval (Rodriguez-Iturbe et al., 1987a), In this paper additional properties are derived, such as the probability of an arbitrary interval of any chosen length being dry. In applications this is a desirable property to have, and is often used for fitting stochastic rainfall models to field data. The model is currently being used in rainfall time series research directed toward improving sewage systems in the United Kingdom. To illustrate the model's performance an example is given, where the model is fitted to 10 years of hourly data taken from Blackpool, England.

  9. Meningeal Hemangiopericytoma with Intracranial Metastases in an HIV-Positive Male: Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zachary Beatty

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Meningeal hemangiopericytoma is a rare, aggressive CNS tumor that tends to invade locally, metastasize, and has a high rate of recurrence. HIV classically increases the risk of 3 AIDS-defining malignancies: Kaposi’s sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and invasive cervical cancer. More recently, considerable interest has been paid to the link between HIV and a wider range of non-AIDS-defining cancers. An HIV-positive patient with meningeal hemangiopericytoma is described. Case Description: A 36-year-old HIV-positive male presented with worsening headache and ataxia. The patient had experienced similar neurologic symptoms 4 months prior and MRI at that time had showed an extra-axial left cerebellar mass most consistent with benign meningioma. Repeat MRI showed the tumor had increased in size by a factor of greater than 20 in this 4-month period, with 4 small additional foci of similar enhancement. Subtotal resection was performed on the mass and final pathological diagnosis was meningeal hemangiopericytoma. Conclusions: This represents the first reported case of meningeal hemangiopericytoma in an HIV-positive patient. This is also the shortest time to intracranial metastasis ever reported for a meningeal hemangiopericytoma. Although the increased risk in the HIV-positive population of non-AIDS-defining cancers that has been observed in recent years can largely be attributed to cancers with a known viral pathogenesis, it is speculated that HIV infection in this patient may have contributed to the occurrence or unique behavior of this rare tumor.

  10. Compartmentalization of innate immune responses in the central nervous system during cryptococcal meningitis/HIV coinfection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naranbhai, Vivek; Chang, Christina C; Durgiah, Raveshni; Omarjee, Saleha; Lim, Andrew; Moosa, Mahomed-Yunus S; Elliot, Julian H; Ndung'u, Thumbi; Lewin, Sharon R; French, Martyn A; Carr, William H

    2014-03-13

    The role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of cryptococcal meningitis is unclear. We hypothesized that natural killer (NK) cell and monocyte responses show central nervous system (CNS) compartment-specific profiles, and are altered by antifungal therapy and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) during cryptococcal meningitis/HIV coinfection. Substudy of a prospective cohort study of adults with cryptococcal meningitis/HIV coinfection in Durban, South Africa. We used multiparametric flow cytometry to study compartmentalization of subsets, CD69 (a marker of activation), CXCR3 and CX3CR1 expression, and cytokine secretion of NK cells and monocytes in freshly collected blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at diagnosis (n = 23), completion of antifungal therapy induction (n = 19), and after a further 4 weeks of cART (n = 9). Relative to blood, CSF was enriched with CD56(bright) (immunoregulatory) NK cells (P = 0.0004). At enrolment, CXCR3 expression was more frequent among blood CD56(bright) than either blood CD56(dim) (P pos) NK-cell proportions nor CX3CR1(pos) NK-cell proportions. CD56(bright) and CD56(dim) NK cells were more activated in CSF than blood (P < 0.0001). Antifungal therapy induction reduced CD56(dim) NK-cell activation in CSF (P = 0.02). Activation of blood CD56(bright) and CD56(dim) NK cells was diminished following cART commencement (P < 0.0001, P = 0.03). Immunoregulatory NK cells in CSF tended to secrete higher levels of CXCL10 (P = 0.06) and lower levels of tumor necrosis factor α (P = 0.06) than blood immunoregulatory NK cells. CSF was enriched with nonclassical monocytes (P = 0.001), but antifungal therapy restored proportions of classical monocytes (P = 0.007). These results highlight CNS activation, trafficking, and function of NK cells and monocytes in cryptococcal meningitis/HIV and implicate immunoregulatory NK cells and proinflammatory monocytes as potential modulators of cryptococcal meningitis pathogenesis during HIV coinfection.

  11. [History and the development of the studies on HIV and AIDS].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogala, Maciej

    2011-01-01

    The article describes the progress of medical knowledge which has been observed since the finding and discovery of the first case of the immune deficiency syndrome in the world in 1981. During this period the methods of diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS has changed significantly. The progress in this area of examinations which is presently achieved allows unambiguous diagnosis of the virus and the disease. The recognition of the pathogenesis of the HIV and AIDS enabled the beginning of the studies on the medicines having antiretroviral properties. The utilization of the potential of the currently used medicines inhibits the progress of the disease and, in consequence, the elongation of the patients' life span. However, despite excessive clinical experiments in numerous research centres world-wide, until now there has not been found an effective medicine which could totally eradicate this virus from the body nor the vaccine which could prevent the further spread of this virus in the world.

  12. Palatal Actinomycosis and Kaposi Sarcoma in an HIV-Infected Subject with Disseminated Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuria Ablanedo-Terrazas

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Actinomyces and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare are facultative intracellular organisms, members of the bacterial order actinomycetales. Although Actinomyces can behave as copathogen when anatomic barriers are compromised, its coinfection with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare has not previously been reported. We present the first reported case of palatal actinomycosis co-infection with disseminated MAC, in an HIV-infected subject with Kaposi sarcoma and diabetes. We discuss the pathogenesis of the complex condition of this subject.

  13. Harnessing the Power of Emotion for Social Change: Review of Numbers and Nerves: Information, Emotion, and Meaning in a World of Data by Scott Slovic and Paul Slovic (2015

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne M.W. Kelly

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Scott Slovic and Paul Slovic (Eds.. Numbers and Nerves: Information, Emotion, and Meaning in a World of Data (Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press, 2015. 272 pp. ISBN 978-0-87071-776-5. Literature and environment professor Scott Slovic, and his father, psychologist Paul Slovic, editors of this collection of essays and interviews, describe and demonstrate the psychological effects which hamper our ability to comprehend and respond appropriately to large numerical data. The collection then offers a brief survey of art works which, by first appealing to viewers’ emotions, can potentially move the viewer to a better understanding of numbers.

  14. Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis in an HIV-positive patient Linfadenite necrosante histiocítica (linfadenite de Kikuchi em um paciente HIV-positivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José VASSALLO

    2002-10-01

    Full Text Available Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, or Kikuchi's lymphadenitis (KL, is an unusual form of lymphadenitis, generally with self-limited clinical course. KL has been reported in rare patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. Pathogenesis of the lesion is probably related to an impaired immune function. The purpose of the present article is to report on one case in which KL was diagnosed in an HIV-infected patient. Histomorphology and immunophenotype were similar to previous reports, but a focus of activated CD30+ macrophages was seen, what might be due to the immunological status of the patient. EBV was not detected on the sections using the in situ hybridization technique. Although rare, the occurrence of KL in HIV-infected subjects must be emphasized, because of the potential misdiagnosis of malignancy, especially in the presence of CD30+ cells.A linfadenite necrosante histiocítica, ou linfadenite de Kikuchi (LK, é uma forma rara de linfadenite, geralmente de curso clínico auto-limitado. Raros casos de LK associados à infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV foram relatados, sendo sua patogênese atribuída à disfunção imunológica destes pacientes. O objetivo do presente artigo é relatar um caso de associação de LK em um paciente HIV-positivo. A histomorfologia e a imunofenotipagem foram semelhantes aos casos anteriormente descritos na literatura, mas focos de macrófagos ativados positivos para o CD30 foram vistos, o que pode ser devido ao estado imune do paciente. A pesquisa de EBV por hibridização in situ foi negativa no tecido. Embora rara, a ocorrência de LK em pacientes HIV-positivos deve ser lembrada, por causa do potencial erro diagnóstico com linfoma maligno, especialmente na presença de células CD30+.

  15. Successful Omalizumab treatment in HIV positive patient with chronic spontaneous urticaria: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iemoli, E; Niero, F; Borgonovo, L; Cossu, M V; Piconi, S

    2017-03-01

    We described a case of a 56 year old homosexual HIV positive man who presented a history of CSU since one year (2012). All the allergologic, immunologic and microbiologic tests to evaluate the pathogenesis of wheals resulted negative. Therefore in June 2015 we decided to start therapy with Omalizumab while the patient kept on effective antiretroviral therapy with 310 cells/mm3 TCD4 counts and undetectable HIV viremia. After two monthly subcutaneuous injection of 150 mg of Omalizumab the patient had no more urticarial symptoms. UAS7 (Urticaria Activity Score over 7 days) and Cu-Q2oL (chronic urticarial quality of life questionnaire) dropped respectively to 14 from 42 and to 0 from 40 with increase of TCD4 counts while viral load remained undetectable. In November 2015, i.e. 4 months after the end of Omalizumab therapy, the patient was still asymptomatic with persistent effective immune-virological response to antiretroviral therapy. This case report confirms the excellent tolerability and efficacy of anti-IgE therapy in the treatment of spontaneous chronic urticarial even in an immunodepressed patient for HIV infection. Omalizumab therapy shows a remarkable clinical success and had no effect on peripheral TCD4 counts and HIV viral load.

  16. Rational design of HIV vaccines and microbicides: report of the EUROPRISE annual conference 2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruffin, Nicolas; Borggren, Marie; Euler, Zelda; Fiorino, Fabio; Grupping, Katrijn; Hallengärd, David; Javed, Aneele; Mendonca, Kevin; Pollard, Charlotte; Reinhart, David; Saba, Elisa; Sheik-Khalil, Enas; Sköld, Annette; Ziglio, Serena; Scarlatti, Gabriella; Gotch, Frances; Wahren, Britta; Shattock, Robin J

    2012-07-11

    Europrise is a Network of Excellence supported by the European Commission within the 6th Framework programme from 2007 to 2012. The Network has involved over 50 institutions from 13 European countries together with 3 industrial partners and 6 African countries. The Network encompasses an integrated program of research, training, dissemination and advocacy within the field of HIV vaccines and microbicides. A central and timely theme of the Network is the development of the unique concept of co-usage of vaccines and microbicides. Training of PhD students has been a major task, and some of these post-graduate students have here summarized novel ideas emanating from presentations at the last annual Europrise meeting in Prague. The latest data and ideas concerning HIV vaccine and microbicide studies are included in this review; these studies are so recent that the majority have yet to be published. Data were presented and discussed concerning novel immunisation strategies; microbicides and PrEP (alone and in combination with vaccines); mucosal transmission of HIV/SIV; mucosal vaccination; novel adjuvants; neutralizing antibodies; innate immune responses; HIV/SIV pathogenesis and disease progression; new methods and reagents. These - necessarily overlapping topics - are comprehensively summarised by the Europrise students in the context of other recent exciting data.

  17. Rational design of HIV vaccines and microbicides: report of the EUROPRISE annual conference 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruffin Nicolas

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Europrise is a Network of Excellence supported by the European Commission within the 6th Framework programme from 2007 to 2012. The Network has involved over 50 institutions from 13 European countries together with 3 industrial partners and 6 African countries. The Network encompasses an integrated program of research, training, dissemination and advocacy within the field of HIV vaccines and microbicides. A central and timely theme of the Network is the development of the unique concept of co-usage of vaccines and microbicides. Training of PhD students has been a major task, and some of these post-graduate students have here summarized novel ideas emanating from presentations at the last annual Europrise meeting in Prague. The latest data and ideas concerning HIV vaccine and microbicide studies are included in this review; these studies are so recent that the majority have yet to be published. Data were presented and discussed concerning novel immunisation strategies; microbicides and PrEP (alone and in combination with vaccines; mucosal transmission of HIV/SIV; mucosal vaccination; novel adjuvants; neutralizing antibodies; innate immune responses; HIV/SIV pathogenesis and disease progression; new methods and reagents. These – necessarily overlapping topics - are comprehensively summarised by the Europrise students in the context of other recent exciting data.

  18. Immunological pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seung Hoon Lee

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD is a chronic inflammatory state of the gastrointestinal tract and can be classified into 2 main clinical phenomena: Crohn's disease (CD and ulcerative colitis (UC. The pathogenesis of IBD, including CD and UC, involves the presence of pathogenic factors such as abnormal gut microbiota, immune response dysregulation, environmental changes, and gene variants. Although many investigations have tried to identify novel pathogenic factors associated with IBD that are related to environmental, genetic, microbial, and immune response factors, a full understanding of IBD pathogenesis is unclear. Thus, IBD treatment is far from optimal, and patient outcomes can be unsatisfactory. As result of massive studying on IBD, T helper 17 (Th17 cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs are investigated on their effects on IBD. A recent study of the plasticity of Th17 cells focused primarily on colitis. ILCs also emerging as novel cell family, which play a role in the pathogenesis of IBD. IBD immunopathogenesis is key to understanding the causes of IBD and can lead to the development of IBD therapies. The aim of this review is to explain the pathogenesis of IBD, with a focus on immunological factors and therapies.

  19. Fibroblast growth factors 1 and 2 in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with HIV disease, methamphetamine use, and neurocognitive functioning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bharti AR

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Ajay R Bharti,1 Steven Paul Woods,2 Ronald J Ellis,3 Mariana Cherner,2 Debra Rosario,3 Michael Potter,3 Robert K Heaton,2 Ian P Everall,4 Eliezer Masliah,5 Igor Grant,2 Scott L Letendre1 On behalf of the Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center Group 1Department of Medicine, 2Department of Psychiatry, 3Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA; 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 5Department of Pathology, University of Californa San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and methamphetamine use commonly affect neurocognitive (NC functioning. We evaluated the relationships between NC functioning and two fibroblast growth factors (FGFs in volunteers who differed in HIV serostatus and methamphetamine dependence (MAD. Methods: A total of 100 volunteers were categorized into four groups based on HIV serostatus and MAD in the prior year. FGF-1 and FGF-2 were measured in cerebrospinal fluid by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays along with two reference biomarkers (monocyte chemotactic protein [MCP]-1 and neopterin. Comprehensive NC testing was summarized by global and domain impairment ratings. Results: Sixty-three volunteers were HIV+ and 59 had a history of MAD. FGF-1, FGF-2, and both reference biomarkers differed by HIV and MAD status. For example, FGF-1 levels were lower in subjects who had either HIV or MAD than in HIV– and MAD– controls (P=0.003. Multivariable regression identified that global NC impairment was associated with an interaction between FGF-1 and FGF-2 (model R2=0.09, P=0.01: higher FGF-2 levels were only associated with neurocognitive impairment among subjects who had lower FGF-1 levels. Including other covariates in the model (including antidepressant use strengthened the model (model R2=0.18, P=0.004 but did not weaken the association with FGF-1 and FGF-2. Lower FGF-1 levels were associated with impairment

  20. Genes contributing to prion pathogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tamgüney, Gültekin; Giles, Kurt; Glidden, David V

    2008-01-01

    incubation times, indicating that the conversion reaction may be influenced by other gene products. To identify genes that contribute to prion pathogenesis, we analysed incubation times of prions in mice in which the gene product was inactivated, knocked out or overexpressed. We tested 20 candidate genes...... show that many genes previously implicated in prion replication have no discernible effect on the pathogenesis of prion disease. While most genes tested did not significantly affect survival times, ablation of the amyloid beta (A4) precursor protein (App) or interleukin-1 receptor, type I (Il1r1...

  1. HIV aspartyl peptidase inhibitors interfere with cellular proliferation, ultrastructure and macrophage infection of Leishmania amazonensis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lívia O Santos

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leishmania is the etiologic agent of leishmanisais, a protozoan disease whose pathogenic events are not well understood. Current therapy is suboptimal due to toxicity of the available therapeutic agents and the emergence of drug resistance. Compounding these problems is the increase in the number of cases of Leishmania-HIV coinfection, due to the overlap between the AIDS epidemic and leishmaniasis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present report, we have investigated the effect of HIV aspartyl peptidase inhibitors (PIs on the Leishmania amazonensis proliferation, ultrastructure, interaction with macrophage cells and expression of classical peptidases which are directly involved in the Leishmania pathogenesis. All the HIV PIs impaired parasite growth in a dose-dependent fashion, especially nelfinavir and lopinavir. HIV PIs treatment caused profound changes in the leishmania ultrastructure as shown by transmission electron microscopy, including cytoplasm shrinking, increase in the number of lipid inclusions and some cells presenting the nucleus closely wrapped by endoplasmic reticulum resembling an autophagic process, as well as chromatin condensation which is suggestive of apoptotic death. The hydrolysis of HIV peptidase substrate by L. amazonensis extract was inhibited by pepstatin and HIV PIs, suggesting that an aspartyl peptidase may be the intracellular target of the inhibitors. The treatment with HIV PIs of either the promastigote forms preceding the interaction with macrophage cells or the amastigote forms inside macrophages drastically reduced the association indexes. Despite all these beneficial effects, the HIV PIs induced an increase in the expression of cysteine peptidase b (cpb and the metallopeptidase gp63, two well-known virulence factors expressed by Leishmania spp. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In the face of leishmaniasis/HIV overlap, it is critical to further comprehend the sophisticated interplays among Leishmania

  2. Landscapes of The Mind: The Setting as Psyche in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter And F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby Landscapes of The Mind: The Setting as Psyche in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter And F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cruce Stark

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available In the closing moment of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gateby, Nick returns for one last look at what once was Gateby's house. But instead of physical buildings, he has a vision of an earlier time, a vision of the "old island" that "flowered once for Dutch sailor's eyes -- a fresh green breast of the new world." "For a transitory enchanted moment," Nick thinks, "man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder (182." In the closing moment of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gateby, Nick returns for one last look at what once was Gateby's house. But instead of physical buildings, he has a vision of an earlier time, a vision of the "old island" that "flowered once for Dutch sailor's eyes -- a fresh green breast of the new world." "For a transitory enchanted moment," Nick thinks, "man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder (182."

  3. Gonadal steroids differentially modulate neurotoxicity of HIV and cocaine: testosterone and ICI 182,780 sensitive mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mactutus Charles F

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV Associated Dementia (HAD is a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection that erodes the quality of life for patients and burdens health care providers. Intravenous drug use is a major route of HIV transmission, and drug use is associated with increased HAD. Specific proteins released as a consequence of HIV infection (e.g., gp120, the HIV envelope protein and Tat, the nuclear transactivating protein have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HAD. In primary cultures of human fetal brain tissue, subtoxic doses of gp120 and Tat are capable of interacting with a physiologically relevant dose of cocaine, to produce a significant synergistic neurotoxicity. Using this model system, the neuroprotective potential of gonadal steroids was investigated. Results 17β-Estradiol (17β-E2, but not 17α-estradiol (17α-E2, was protective against this combined neurotoxicity. Progesterone (PROG afforded limited neuroprotection, as did dihydrotestosterone (DHT. The efficacy of 5α-testosterone (T-mediated neuroprotection was robust, similar to that provided by 17β-E2. In the presence of the specific estrogen receptor (ER antagonist, ICI-182,780, T's neuroprotection was completely blocked. Thus, T acts through the ER to provide neuroprotection against HIV proteins and cocaine. Interestingly, cholesterol also demonstrated concentration-dependent neuroprotection, possibly attributable to cholesterol's serving as a steroid hormone precursor in neurons. Conclusion Collectively, the present data indicate that cocaine has a robust interaction with the HIV proteins gp120 and Tat that produces severe neurotoxicity, and this toxicity can be blocked through pretreatment with ER agonists.

  4. Trichomonas vaginalis Pathogenesis: a Narrative Review

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    Zahra Arab-Mazar

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In the latest articles which were published during 2013-2014, Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis was mentioned as a neglected sexual transmission disease (STD, while the exact mechanism of its pathogenesis has not been cleared yet. Although trichomonasiasis is easy curable, there is concern that resistance to drug are increasing. This common infection as concerning the important public health implications needs more research to be done for understanding the diagnosis, treatment, immunology and pathogenesis. In this review we searched all valuable and relevant information considering the pathogenesis of T. vaginalis. We referred to the information databases of Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar. The used keywords were the combinations of T. vaginalis and words associated with pathogenicity. This review discusses the host-parasite interaction and pathogenicity of this parasite.

  5. Pathogenesis of ovarian cancer: current perspectives | Chesang ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To present a review of current knowledge of the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer and its clinical implications. Data Source: Extensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies. Study Selection: Studies in the English language about or related to pathogenesis of ovarian cancer were selected.

  6. Age-associated changes in monocyte and innate immune activation markers occur more rapidly in HIV infected women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Genevieve E Martin

    Full Text Available Aging is associated with immune dysfunction and the related development of conditions with an inflammatory pathogenesis. Some of these immune changes are also observed in HIV infection, but the interaction between immune changes with aging and HIV infection are unknown. Whilst sex differences in innate immunity are recognized, little research into innate immune aging has been performed on women.This cross-sectional study of HIV positive and negative women used whole blood flow cytometric analysis to characterize monocyte and CD8(+ T cell subsets. Plasma markers of innate immune activation were measured using standard ELISA-based assays.HIV positive women exhibited elevated plasma levels of the innate immune activation markers CXCL10 (p<0.001, soluble CD163 (sCD163, p = 0.001, sCD14 (p = 0.022, neopterin (p = 0.029 and an increased proportion of CD16(+ monocytes (p = 0.009 compared to uninfected controls. Levels of the innate immune aging biomarkers sCD163 and the proportion of CD16(+ monocytes were equivalent to those observed in HIV negative women aged 14.5 and 10.6 years older, respectively. CXCL10 increased with age at an accelerated rate in HIV positive women (p = 0.002 suggesting a synergistic effect between HIV and aging on innate immune activation. Multivariable modeling indicated that age-related increases in innate immune biomarkers CXCL10 and sCD163 are independent of senescent changes in CD8(+ T lymphocytes.Quantifying the impact of HIV on immune aging reveals that HIV infection in women confers the equivalent of a 10-14 year increase in the levels of innate immune aging markers. These changes may contribute to the increased risk of inflammatory age-related diseases in HIV positive women.

  7. Age-associated changes in monocyte and innate immune activation markers occur more rapidly in HIV infected women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Genevieve E; Gouillou, Maelenn; Hearps, Anna C; Angelovich, Thomas A; Cheng, Allen C; Lynch, Fiona; Cheng, Wan-Jung; Paukovics, Geza; Palmer, Clovis S; Novak, Richard M; Jaworowski, Anthony; Landay, Alan L; Crowe, Suzanne M

    2013-01-01

    Aging is associated with immune dysfunction and the related development of conditions with an inflammatory pathogenesis. Some of these immune changes are also observed in HIV infection, but the interaction between immune changes with aging and HIV infection are unknown. Whilst sex differences in innate immunity are recognized, little research into innate immune aging has been performed on women. This cross-sectional study of HIV positive and negative women used whole blood flow cytometric analysis to characterize monocyte and CD8(+) T cell subsets. Plasma markers of innate immune activation were measured using standard ELISA-based assays. HIV positive women exhibited elevated plasma levels of the innate immune activation markers CXCL10 (p<0.001), soluble CD163 (sCD163, p = 0.001), sCD14 (p = 0.022), neopterin (p = 0.029) and an increased proportion of CD16(+) monocytes (p = 0.009) compared to uninfected controls. Levels of the innate immune aging biomarkers sCD163 and the proportion of CD16(+) monocytes were equivalent to those observed in HIV negative women aged 14.5 and 10.6 years older, respectively. CXCL10 increased with age at an accelerated rate in HIV positive women (p = 0.002) suggesting a synergistic effect between HIV and aging on innate immune activation. Multivariable modeling indicated that age-related increases in innate immune biomarkers CXCL10 and sCD163 are independent of senescent changes in CD8(+) T lymphocytes. Quantifying the impact of HIV on immune aging reveals that HIV infection in women confers the equivalent of a 10-14 year increase in the levels of innate immune aging markers. These changes may contribute to the increased risk of inflammatory age-related diseases in HIV positive women.

  8. EcoHIV infection of mice establishes latent viral reservoirs in T cells and active viral reservoirs in macrophages that are sufficient for induction of neurocognitive impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Chao-Jiang; Borjabad, Alejandra; Hadas, Eran; Kelschenbach, Jennifer; Kim, Boe-Hyun; Chao, Wei; Arancio, Ottavio; Suh, Jin; Polsky, Bruce; McMillan, JoEllyn; Edagwa, Benson; Gendelman, Howard E; Potash, Mary Jane; Volsky, David J

    2018-06-01

    Suppression of HIV replication by antiretroviral therapy (ART) or host immunity can prevent AIDS but not other HIV-associated conditions including neurocognitive impairment (HIV-NCI). Pathogenesis in HIV-suppressed individuals has been attributed to reservoirs of latent-inducible virus in resting CD4+ T cells. Macrophages are persistently infected with HIV but their role as HIV reservoirs in vivo has not been fully explored. Here we show that infection of conventional mice with chimeric HIV, EcoHIV, reproduces physiological conditions for development of disease in people on ART including immunocompetence, stable suppression of HIV replication, persistence of integrated, replication-competent HIV in T cells and macrophages, and manifestation of learning and memory deficits in behavioral tests, termed here murine HIV-NCI. EcoHIV established latent reservoirs in CD4+ T lymphocytes in chronically-infected mice but could be induced by epigenetic modulators ex vivo and in mice. In contrast, macrophages expressed EcoHIV constitutively in mice for up to 16 months; murine leukemia virus (MLV), the donor of gp80 envelope in EcoHIV, did not infect macrophages. Both EcoHIV and MLV were found in brain tissue of infected mice but only EcoHIV induced NCI. Murine HIV-NCI was prevented by antiretroviral prophylaxis but once established neither persistent EcoHIV infection in mice nor NCI could be reversed by long-acting antiretroviral therapy. EcoHIV-infected, athymic mice were more permissive to virus replication in macrophages than were wild-type mice, suffered cognitive dysfunction, as well as increased numbers of monocytes and macrophages infiltrating the brain. Our results suggest an important role of HIV expressing macrophages in HIV neuropathogenesis in hosts with suppressed HIV replication.

  9. Aetio-pathogenesis of breast cancer | Abdulkareem | Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This is a literature review on the aetiology and pathogenesis of breast cancer, which is the most common cancer worldwide, and the second leading cause of cancer death, especially in Western countries. Several aetiological factors have been implicated in its pathogenesis, and include age, genetics, family history, diet, ...

  10. Viral pathogenesis in diagrams

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Tremblay, Michel; Berthiaume, Laurent; Ackermann, Hans-Wolfgang

    2001-01-01

    .... The 268 diagrams in Viral Pathogenesis in Diagrams were selected from over 800 diagrams of English and French virological literature, including one derived from a famous drawing by Leonardo da Vinci...

  11. Exploring the link between innate immune activation and thymic function by measuring sCD14 and TRECs in HIV patients living in Belgium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrien De Voeght

    Full Text Available Microbial translocation is now viewed as a central event in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation during HIV infection. Thymic function failure is another crucial factor involved in HIV disease progression. The goal of this study was to explore the hypothesis of potential links between microbial translocation and thymic function in HIV-1 patients living in Belgium. The extent of microbial translocation was assessed through the measurement of soluble CD14 (sCD14. T-cell receptor excision circles (sjTRECs and dβTRECs were used as a measure of thymic function. Data were collected from 75 HIV-infected patients. Simple and complex linear regressions were done to analyze the link between these two processes. We found a statistically relevant negative correlation between thymopoiesis (sjTREC and sCD14 level (p = 0.004. These results suggest a link between thymic function failure, microbial translocation and innate immune activation.

  12. Dynamics of Viremia in Primary HIV-1 infection in Africans: Insights from Analyses of Host and Viral Correlates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prentice, Heather A.; Price, Matthew A.; Porter, Travis R.; Cormier, Emmanuel; Mugavero, Michael J.; Kamali, Anatoli; Karita, Etienne; Lakhi, Shabir; Sanders, Eduard J.; Anzala, Omu; Amornkul, Pauli N.; Allen, Susan; Hunter, Eric; Kaslow, Richard A.; Gilmour, Jill; Tang, Jianming

    2014-01-01

    In HIV-1 infection, plasma viral load (VL) has dual implications for pathogenesis and public health. Based on well-known patterns of HIV-1 evolution and immune escape, we hypothesized that VL is an evolving quantitative trait that depends heavily on duration of infection (DOI), demographic features, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes and viral characteristics. Prospective data from 421 African seroconverters with at least four eligible visits did show relatively steady VL beyond 3 months of untreated infection, but host and viral factors independently associated with cross-sectional and longitudinal VL often varied by analytical approaches and sliding time windows. Specifically, the effects of age, HLA-B*53 and infecting HIV-1 subtypes (A1, C and others) on VL were either sporadic or highly sensitive to time windows. These observations were strengthened by the addition of 111 seroconverters with 2–3 eligible VL results, suggesting that DOI should be a critical parameter in epidemiological and clinical studies. PMID:24418560

  13. Mitochondrial Contribution to Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony H. V. Schapira

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The identification of the etiologies and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD should play an important role in enabling the development of novel treatment strategies to prevent or slow the progression of the disease. The last few years have seen enormous progress in this respect. Abnormalities of mitochondrial function and increased free radical mediated damage were described in post mortem PD brain before the first gene mutations causing familial PD were published. Several genetic causes are now known to induce loss of dopaminergic cells and parkinsonism, and study of the mechanisms by which these mutations produce this effect has provided important insights into the pathogenesis of PD and confirmed mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress pathways as central to PD pathogenesis. Abnormalities of protein metabolism including protein mis-folding and aggregation are also crucial to the pathology of PD. Genetic causes of PD have specifically highlighted the importance of mitochondrial dysfunction to PD: PINK1, parkin, DJ-1 and most recently alpha-synuclein proteins have been shown to localise to mitochondria and influence function. The turnover of mitochondria by autophagy (mitophagy has also become a focus of attention. This review summarises recent discoveries in the contribution of mitochondrial abnormalities to PD etiology and pathogenesis.

  14. Environmental Assessment of the Gering-Stegall 115-kV Transmission Line Consolidation Project, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-05-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration (Western) proposes to consolidate segments of two transmission lines near the Gering Substation in Gering, Nebraska. The transmission lines are both located in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. The transmission lines are both located in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, within the city of Gering. Presently, there are three parallel 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines on separate rights-of-way (ROW) that terminate at the Gering Substation. The project would include dismantling the Archer-Gering wood-pole transmission line and rebuilding the remaining two lines on single-pole steel double circuit structures. The project would consolidate the Gering-Stegall North and Gering-Stegall South 115-kV transmission lines on to one ROW for a 1.33-mile segment between the Gering Substation and a point west of the Gering Landfill. All existing wood-pole H-frame structures would be removed, and the Gering-Stegall North and South ROWs abandoned. Western is responsible for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the line. Western prepared an environmental assessment (EA) that analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance of the 115-kV transmission line consolidation. Based on the analyses in the EA, the DOE finds that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).

  15. Environmental Assessment of the Gering-Stegall 115-kV Transmission Line Consolidation Project, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-05-01

    The Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration (Western) proposes to consolidate segments of two transmission lines near the Gering Substation in Gering, Nebraska. The transmission lines are both located in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. The transmission lines are both located in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, within the city of Gering. Presently, there are three parallel 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines on separate rights-of-way (ROW) that terminate at the Gering Substation. The project would include dismantling the Archer-Gering wood-pole transmission line and rebuilding the remaining two lines on single-pole steel double circuit structures. The project would consolidate the Gering-Stegall North and Gering-Stegall South 115-kV transmission lines on to one ROW for a 1.33-mile segment between the Gering Substation and a point west of the Gering Landfill. All existing wood-pole H-frame structures would be removed, and the Gering-Stegall North and South ROWs abandoned. Western is responsible for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the line. Western prepared an environmental assessment (EA) that analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance of the 115-kV transmission line consolidation. Based on the analyses in the EA, the DOE finds that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)

  16. Identification of genes involved in Ca2+ ionophore A23187-mediated apoptosis and demonstration of a high susceptibility for transcriptional repression of cell cycle genes in B lymphoblasts from a patient with Scott syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meyer Dominique

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In contrast to other agents able to induce apoptosis of cultured cells, Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was shown to elicit direct activation of intracellular signal(s. The phenotype of the cells derived from patients having the hemorrhagic disease Scott syndrome, is associated with an abnormally high proportion of apoptotic cells, both in basal culture medium and upon addition of low ionophore concentrations in long-term cultures. These features are presumably related to the mutation also responsible for the defective procoagulant plasma membrane remodeling. We analyzed the specific transcriptional re-programming induced by A23187 to get insights into the effect of this agent on gene expression and a defective gene regulation in Scott cells. Results The changes in gene expression upon 48 hours treatment with 200 nM A23187 were measured in Scott B lymphoblasts compared to B lymphoblasts derived from the patient's daughter or unrelated individuals using Affymetrix microarrays. In a similar manner in all of the B cell lines, results showed up-regulation of 55 genes, out of 12,000 represented sequences, involved in various pathways of the cell metabolism. In contrast, a group of 54 down-regulated genes, coding for histones and proteins involved in the cell cycle progression, was more significantly repressed in Scott B lymphoblasts than in the other cell lines. These data correlated with the alterations of the cell cycle phases in treated cells and suggested that the potent effect of A23187 in Scott B lymphoblasts may be the consequence of the underlying molecular defect. Conclusion The data illustrate that the ionophore A23187 exerts its pro-apoptotic effect by promoting a complex pattern of genetic changes. These results also suggest that a subset of genes participating in various steps of the cell cycle progress can be transcriptionally regulated in a coordinated fashion. Furthermore, this research brings a new insight into the defect

  17. Attenuation of Pathogenic Immune Responses during Infection with Human and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/SIV) by the Tetracycline Derivative Minocycline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drewes, Julia L.; Szeto, Gregory L.; Engle, Elizabeth L.; Liao, Zhaohao; Shearer, Gene M.; Zink, M. Christine; Graham, David R.

    2014-01-01

    HIV immune pathogenesis is postulated to involve two major mechanisms: 1) chronic innate immune responses that drive T cell activation and apoptosis and 2) induction of immune regulators that suppress T cell function and proliferation. Both arms are elevated chronically in lymphoid tissues of non-natural hosts, which ultimately develop AIDS. However, these mechanisms are not elevated chronically in natural hosts of SIV infection that avert immune pathogenesis despite similarly high viral loads. In this study we investigated whether minocycline could modulate these pathogenic antiviral responses in non-natural hosts of HIV and SIV. We found that minocycline attenuated in vitro induction of type I interferon (IFN) and the IFN-stimulated genes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) and TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) in human plasmacytoid dendritic cells and PBMCs exposed to aldrithiol-2 inactivated HIV or infectious influenza virus. Activation-induced TRAIL and expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) in isolated CD4+ T cells were also reduced by minocycline. Translation of these in vitro findings to in vivo effects, however, were mixed as minocycline significantly reduced markers of activation and activation-induced cell death (CD25, Fas, caspase-3) but did not affect expression of IFNβ or the IFN-stimulated genes IDO1, FasL, or Mx in the spleens of chronically SIV-infected pigtailed macaques. TRAIL expression, reflecting the mixed effects of minocycline on activation and type I IFN stimuli, was reduced by half, but this change was not significant. These results show that minocycline administered after infection may protect against aspects of activation-induced cell death during HIV/SIV immune disease, but that in vitro effects of minocycline on type I IFN responses are not recapitulated in a rapid progressor model in vivo. PMID:24732038

  18. [Non-AIDS-associated cancer disorders. A novel scenario after over thirty years from HIV discovery? Clinical experience and literature appraisal].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manfredi, Roberto; Cascavilla, Alessandra; Calza, Leonardo

    2015-08-01

    Both natural history and epidemiological trend of HIV infection have been deeply modified by the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), around twenty years ago. However, despite a rapid drop of the incidence of the large majority of opportunistic infections, a slow, but continued increase of malignancies occurred, with particular evidence focused on cancers which are not strictly related to the definition of full blown AIDS (the so called non-AIDS-defining malignancies). The unique clinical occurrence of HIV infection complicated by even four non-AIDS-defining cancers prompted us to re-discuss the epidemiology and the possible pathogenesis, the clinical presentation, and the differential diagnosis of this pathologic presentation. On the ground of our experience in this field, and the available literature evidences, we discuss how this clinical occurrence is acting on HIV infection presentation during the HAART era of the third millennium. These changes need broad scale studies, and promise relevant consequences on etiopathogenetic, prevention, therapeutic, and management aspects of HIV disease in the next future.

  19. Prior mucosal exposure to heterologous cells alters the pathogenesis of cell-associated mucosal feline immunodeficiency virus challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leavell Sarah

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several lines of research suggest that exposure to cellular material can alter the susceptibility to infection by HIV-1. Because sexual contact often includes exposure to cellular material, we hypothesized that repeated mucosal exposure to heterologous cells would induce an immune response that would alter the susceptibility to mucosal infection. Using the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV model of HIV-1 mucosal transmission, the cervicovaginal mucosa was exposed once weekly for 12 weeks to 5,000 heterologous cells or media (control and then cats were vaginally challenged with cell-associated or cell-free FIV. Results Exposure to heterologous cells decreased the percentage of lymphocytes in the mucosal and systemic lymph nodes (LN expressing L-selectin as well as the percentage of CD4+ CD25+ T cells. These shifts were associated with enhanced ex-vivo proliferative responses to heterologous cells. Following mucosal challenge with cell-associated, but not cell-free, FIV, proviral burden was reduced by 64% in cats previously exposed to heterologous cells as compared to media exposed controls. Conclusions The pathogenesis and/or the threshold for mucosal infection by infected cells (but not cell-free virus can be modulated by mucosal exposure to uninfected heterologous cells.

  20. Identification of Candida dubliniensis in a study of HIV-seropositive pediatric dental patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, D M; Jabra-Rizk, M A; Falkler, W A; Baqui, A A; Meiller, T F

    2000-01-01

    The combination of an immature immune system and suppressed cellular immunity in children with HIV infections provides optimal conditions for rapid disease progression. As a result, pediatric AIDS has become a major epidemiological challenge. Oral fungal colonization remains one of the most common opportunistic infections observed in both adult and pediatric HIV infected patients. Although Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated opportunistic fungal species, a recently characterized Candida species, C. dubliniensis, has gained considerable attention due to its almost exclusive association with HIV-seropositive individuals. The purpose of this study was to prospectively screen for the presence of C. dubliniensis among pediatric HIV+ patients. Oral samples taken from twenty-seven children were cultured for the presence of yeast. All positive yeast isolates obtained were screened for the presence of C. dubliniensis by use of tests for germ tube and chlamydospore production, detection of inability to grow at 45 degrees C, by colony color on CHROMagar Candida medium, coaggregation with Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 49256 and by the results of sugar assimilation testing with the API 20C AUX yeast identification system. Among the 27 patients tested, 3 patients were found to harbor C. dubliniensis, one of which also grew C. glabrata; 12 patients were colonized with C. albicans, while the remaining 12 patients were negative for yeast. Identification of the three C. dubliniensis isolates was genetically confirmed by electrophoretic karyotyping. All three C. dubliniensis isolates were found to be susceptible to fluconazole (MIC pediatric HIV seropositive population and support the need for further investigation into the prevalence and pathogenesis of C. dubliniensis.

  1. Interleukin-7 induces HIV replication in primary naive T cells through a nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT)-dependent pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Managlia, Elizabeth Z.; Landay, Alan; Al-Harthi, Lena

    2006-01-01

    Interleukin (IL)-7 plays several roles critical to T cell maturation, survival, and homeostasis. Because of these functions, IL-7 is under investigation as an immune-modulator for therapeutic use in lymphopenic clinical conditions, including HIV. We reported that naive T cells, typically not permissive to HIV, can be productively infected when pre-treated with IL-7. We evaluated the mechanism by which IL-7-mediates this effect. IL-7 potently up-regulated the transcriptional factor NFAT, but had no effect on NFκB. Blocking NFAT activity using a number of reagents, such as Cyclosporin A, FK-506, or the NFAT-specific inhibitor known as VIVIT peptide, all markedly reduced IL-7-mediated induction of HIV replication in naive T cells. Additional neutralization of cytokines present in IL-7-treated cultures and/or those that have NFAT-binding sequences within their promotors indicated that IL-10, IL-4, and most significantly IFNγ, all contribute to IL-7-induction of HIV productive replication in naive T cells. These data clarify the mechanism by which IL-7 can overcome the block to HIV productive infection in naive T cells, despite their quiescent cell status. These findings are relevant to the treatment of HIV disease and understanding HIV pathogenesis in the naive CD4+ T cell compartment, especially in light of the vigorous pursuit of IL-7 as an in vivo immune modulator

  2. Pathogenesis Concept Of Extracranial Dissections In Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kavian Ghandehari

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Dissection of Extracranial Internal Carotid Artery (EICA and Extracranial Vertebral Artery (EVA is an amportant cause of brain infarction with miscellaneous etiologies around the world. Methods: A prospective observational clinical study was conducted in Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran between 2008-2016. Diagnosis of brain infarction and TIA was made by stroke neurologist. Detection of EICA and EVA dissections were made by performing CT angiography  and MR angiography  or DSA in the suspected patients. Demographic features, clinical manifestations, territorial involvement, pathophysiology and pathogenesis of dissections were assessed in all of the patients. Pathogenesis of dissections was classified as Idiopathic, Trumatic, Postural and Genetic categories. Results: Twenty eight patients (21 males, 7 females were admitted with extracranial arterial dissection. Mean age of males and females with dissection was 39.81± 4.2 and 35.71±6.1 years respectively. Influence of gender on age of the patients was not significant, p>0.05. Among patients with extracranial dissection only 3.6% had atherosclerosis risk factors and 96.4% had no other cause for brain infarction. 100% of extracranial dissections in males occured in carotid territory, while 28.6% of females had dissection in the EVA. The influence of gender in territory of dissection was significant, p<0.05. Idiopathic dissections and genetic susceptibility was found in 10.7% and 3.6% of extracranial dissections respectively. 53.5% of the patienrs had trumatic pathogenesis for extracranial dissections and 32.1% developed dissection due to special neck  postures. Important details in pathophysiology and pathogenesis of extracranial dissections will be presented in the lecture. Conclusion: Stroke patients with extracranial dissections have characteristic demographic and  territorial involvement. Trumatic pathogenesis is the most frequent cause of dissection in Iran followed by neck

  3. Hepatitis E: Molecular Virology and Pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panda, Subrat K.; Varma, Satya P.K.

    2013-01-01

    Hepatitis E virus is a single, positive-sense, capped and poly A tailed RNA virus classified under the family Hepeviridae. Enteric transmission, acute self-limiting hepatitis, frequent epidemic and sporadic occurrence, high mortality in affected pregnants are hallmarks of hepatitis E infection. Lack of an efficient culture system and resulting reductionist approaches for the study of replication and pathogenesis of HEV made it to be a less understood agent. Early studies on animal models, sub-genomic expression of open reading frames (ORF) and infectious cDNA clones have helped in elucidating the genome organization, important stages in HEV replication and pathogenesis. The genome contains three ORF's and three untranslated regions (UTR). The 5′ distal ORF, ORF1 is translated by host ribosomes in a cap dependent manner to form the non-structural polyprotein including the viral replicase. HEV replicates via a negative-sense RNA intermediate which helps in the formation of the positive-sense genomic RNA and a single bi-cistronic sub-genomic RNA. The 3′ distal ORF's including the major structural protein pORF2 and the multifunctional host interacting protein pORF3 are translated from the sub-genomic RNA. Pathogenesis in HEV infections is not well articulated, and remains a concern due to the many aspects like host dependent and genotype specific variations. Animal HEV, zoonosis, chronicity in immunosuppressed patients, and rapid decompensation in affected chronic liver diseased patients warrants detailed investigation of the underlying pathogenesis. Recent advances about structure, entry, egress and functional characterization of ORF1 domains has furthered our understanding about HEV. This article is an effort to review our present understanding about molecular biology and pathogenesis of HEV. PMID:25755485

  4. [Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome factors of patients with HIV infection or AIDS in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Feng; Fu, Lin-chun; Ma, Jian-ping; Zhou, Qing; Peng, Bo; Xie, Shi-ping; Guo, Hui-jun; Dong, Yong-xin; Ma, Xiu-lan; Guo, Xuan-xian; Xie, Zhong-li; Hu, Yan-ping; Li, Qing-ya; Li, Hua-wei; Jin, Yan-tao

    2011-09-01

    To study the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome factors of patients from different areas of China with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A cross-sectional investigation study was conducted in Henan, Guangdong and Yunnan Provinces and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China from October 2008 to August 2010. Based on literature review and expert opinion, a clinical questionnaire of TCM syndromes was drawn up. This survey was carried out after the investigators were professionally trained. Wenfeng III Auxiliary Diagnosis and Treat System of TCM was used to analyze the frequencies of AIDS patients' signs and symptoms with scores above 70 of syndrome factors respectively. Based on this work, syndrome factors of AIDS were analyzed in different areas. There were 608 HIV/AIDS cases investigated from October 2008 to August 2010 in total; among them, 276 cases were from Henan, 126 cases from Guangdong, 120 cases from Xinjiang and 86 cases from Yunnan. The results of syndrome factor analysis indicated that the syndromes of four provinces were similar. HIV/AIDS patients in the four areas exhibited qi deficiency, blood deficiency, yin deficiency, yang deficiency, dampness, phlegm, qi stagnation and essence deficiency syndromes. Patients in each area also had their own characteristics, such as that the scores of dampness of Guangdong and yin deficiency of Xinjiang were higher than the other syndromes, whereas the scores of Henan Province were higher than the other areas. AIDS patients had higher scores of syndromes than HIV-infected patients. HIV/AIDS patients from different areas had similar syndrome elements. The theory of "AIDS toxin injuring primordial qi" can sum up the TCM etiology and pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS.

  5. Epigenetics and colorectal cancer pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardhan, Kankana; Liu, Kebin

    2013-06-05

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops through a multistage process that results from the progressive accumulation of genetic mutations, and frequently as a result of mutations in the Wnt signaling pathway. However, it has become evident over the past two decades that epigenetic alterations of the chromatin, particularly the chromatin components in the promoter regions of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, play key roles in CRC pathogenesis. Epigenetic regulation is organized at multiple levels, involving primarily DNA methylation and selective histone modifications in cancer cells. Assessment of the CRC epigenome has revealed that virtually all CRCs have aberrantly methylated genes and that the average CRC methylome has thousands of abnormally methylated genes. Although relatively less is known about the patterns of specific histone modifications in CRC, selective histone modifications and resultant chromatin conformation have been shown to act, in concert with DNA methylation, to regulate gene expression to mediate CRC pathogenesis. Moreover, it is now clear that not only DNA methylation but also histone modifications are reversible processes. The increased understanding of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the context of CRC pathogenesis has led to development of epigenetic biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and epigenetic drugs for CRC therapy.

  6. Epigenetics and Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bardhan, Kankana; Liu, Kebin

    2013-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops through a multistage process that results from the progressive accumulation of genetic mutations, and frequently as a result of mutations in the Wnt signaling pathway. However, it has become evident over the past two decades that epigenetic alterations of the chromatin, particularly the chromatin components in the promoter regions of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, play key roles in CRC pathogenesis. Epigenetic regulation is organized at multiple levels, involving primarily DNA methylation and selective histone modifications in cancer cells. Assessment of the CRC epigenome has revealed that virtually all CRCs have aberrantly methylated genes and that the average CRC methylome has thousands of abnormally methylated genes. Although relatively less is known about the patterns of specific histone modifications in CRC, selective histone modifications and resultant chromatin conformation have been shown to act, in concert with DNA methylation, to regulate gene expression to mediate CRC pathogenesis. Moreover, it is now clear that not only DNA methylation but also histone modifications are reversible processes. The increased understanding of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the context of CRC pathogenesis has led to development of epigenetic biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and epigenetic drugs for CRC therapy

  7. Epigenetics and Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kebin Liu

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Colorectal cancer (CRC develops through a multistage process that results from the progressive accumulation of genetic mutations, and frequently as a result of mutations in the Wnt signaling pathway. However, it has become evident over the past two decades that epigenetic alterations of the chromatin, particularly the chromatin components in the promoter regions of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, play key roles in CRC pathogenesis. Epigenetic regulation is organized at multiple levels, involving primarily DNA methylation and selective histone modifications in cancer cells. Assessment of the CRC epigenome has revealed that virtually all CRCs have aberrantly methylated genes and that the average CRC methylome has thousands of abnormally methylated genes. Although relatively less is known about the patterns of specific histone modifications in CRC, selective histone modifications and resultant chromatin conformation have been shown to act, in concert with DNA methylation, to regulate gene expression to mediate CRC pathogenesis. Moreover, it is now clear that not only DNA methylation but also histone modifications are reversible processes. The increased understanding of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the context of CRC pathogenesis has led to development of epigenetic biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and epigenetic drugs for CRC therapy.

  8. Epigenetics and Colorectal Cancer Pathogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bardhan, Kankana; Liu, Kebin, E-mail: Kliu@gru.edu [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, and Cancer Center, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912 (United States)

    2013-06-05

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops through a multistage process that results from the progressive accumulation of genetic mutations, and frequently as a result of mutations in the Wnt signaling pathway. However, it has become evident over the past two decades that epigenetic alterations of the chromatin, particularly the chromatin components in the promoter regions of tumor suppressors and oncogenes, play key roles in CRC pathogenesis. Epigenetic regulation is organized at multiple levels, involving primarily DNA methylation and selective histone modifications in cancer cells. Assessment of the CRC epigenome has revealed that virtually all CRCs have aberrantly methylated genes and that the average CRC methylome has thousands of abnormally methylated genes. Although relatively less is known about the patterns of specific histone modifications in CRC, selective histone modifications and resultant chromatin conformation have been shown to act, in concert with DNA methylation, to regulate gene expression to mediate CRC pathogenesis. Moreover, it is now clear that not only DNA methylation but also histone modifications are reversible processes. The increased understanding of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in the context of CRC pathogenesis has led to development of epigenetic biomarkers for CRC diagnosis and epigenetic drugs for CRC therapy.

  9. Impact of probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii on the gut microbiome composition in HIV-treated patients: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

    OpenAIRE

    Villar-Garc?a, Judit; G?erri-Fern?ndez, Robert; Moya, Andr?s; Gonz?lez, Alicia; Hern?ndez, Juan J.; Lerma, Elisabet; Guelar, Ana; Sorli, Luisa; Horcajada, Juan P.; Artacho, Alejandro; D?Auria, Giuseppe; Knobel, Hernando

    2017-01-01

    Dysbalance in gut microbiota has been linked to increased microbial translocation, leading to chronic inflammation in HIV-patients, even under effective HAART. Moreover, microbial translocation is associated with insufficient reconstitution of CD4+T cells, and contributes to the pathogenesis of immunologic non-response. In a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, we recently showed that, compared to placebo, 12 weeks treatment with probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii significantly ...

  10. Regulatory T cells expanded from HIV-1-infected individuals maintain phenotype, TCR repertoire and suppressive capacity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mathieu Angin

    Full Text Available While modulation of regulatory T cell (Treg function and adoptive Treg transfer are being explored as therapeutic modalities in the context of autoimmune diseases, transplantation and cancer, their role in HIV-1 pathogenesis remains less well defined. Controversy persists regarding their beneficial or detrimental effects in HIV-1 disease, which warrants further detailed exploration. Our objectives were to investigate if functional CD4(+ Tregs can be isolated and expanded from HIV-1-infected individuals for experimental or potential future therapeutic use and to determine phenotype and suppressive capacity of expanded Tregs from HIV-1 positive blood and tissue. Tregs and conventional T cell controls were isolated from blood and gut-associated lymphoid tissue of individuals with HIV-1 infection and healthy donors using flow-based cell-sorting. The phenotype of expanded Tregs was assessed by flow-cytometry and quantitative PCR. T-cell receptor ß-chain (TCR-β repertoire diversity was investigated by deep sequencing. Flow-based T-cell proliferation and chromium release cytotoxicity assays were used to determine Treg suppressive function. Tregs from HIV-1 positive individuals, including infants, were successfully expanded from PBMC and GALT. Expanded Tregs expressed high levels of FOXP3, CTLA4, CD39 and HELIOS and exhibited a highly demethylated TSDR (Treg-specific demethylated region, characteristic of Treg lineage. The TCRß repertoire was maintained following Treg expansion and expanded Tregs remained highly suppressive in vitro. Our data demonstrate that Tregs can be expanded from blood and tissue compartments of HIV-1+ donors with preservation of Treg phenotype, function and TCR repertoire. These results are highly relevant for the investigation of potential future therapeutic use, as currently investigated for other disease states and hold great promise for detailed studies on the role of Tregs in HIV-1 infection.

  11. Pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease

    OpenAIRE

    Riederer, Peter; Lange, Klaus W.

    1992-01-01

    The importance of genetic aspects, ageing, environmental factors, head trauma, defective mitochondrial respiration, altered iron metabolism, oxidative stress and glutamatergic overactivity of the basal ganglia in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) are considered in this review.

  12. HIV-1 intersection with CD4 T cell vesicle exocytosis: intercellular communication goes viral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helena eSoares

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available In cells of the immune system the secretion of extracellular vesicles is modulated through cellular activation. In particular, T cell activation is achieved through cell-cell contacts with antigen presenting cells and the consequent formation of a specialized signaling junction called the immunological synapse. Recent works on CD4 T cells have elucidated that cognate antigen recognition by the T cell receptor (TCR engages two distinct exocytic events. The first, involves the exocytic targeting of signaling molecules at the synaptic membrane and drives the functional architecture of the immunological synapse. The second, enlists the extracellular secretion of the TCR itself, once the functional architecture of the immunological synapse is accomplished. HIV-1, a human lymphotropic virus, has evolved sophisticated mechanisms to co-opt CD4 T cell physiology. Notably, it has become apparent that HIV-1 intersects the regulated secretory system of CD4 T cells in order to bud from the plasma membrane of the infected cell and to promote bystander cell death. Here, I review the relevance of CD4 vesicle exocytosis to immune regulation and to HIV-1 pathogenesis and discuss their potential therapeutic applications.

  13. Effect of menstrual cycle on HIV-1 levels in the peripheral blood and genital tract. WHS 001 Study Team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichelderfer, P S; Coombs, R W; Wright, D J; Cohn, J; Burns, D N; Cu-Uvin, S; Baron, P A; Coheng, M H; Landay, A L; Beckner, S K; Lewis, S R; Kovacs, A A

    2000-09-29

    To assess the variation in HIV-1 over the menstrual cycle, including RNA levels in the female genital tract, plasma HIV-1-RNA levels, CD4 cell counts, and culturable virus. A prospective analysis of 55 HIV-1-infected women. Blood and genital tract specimens were collected weekly over 8 weeks, spanning two complete menstrual cycles. Applying repeated-measures models that used menses as the reference level, the variation in viral RNA levels was compared in endocervical canal fluid and cells (collected by Sno-strips and cytobrush, respectively) and ectocervicovaginal lavage (CVL) fluid. Repeated-measures models were also used to assess the variation in plasma CD4 cell counts and viral load. Shedding patterns differed among the three sampling methods, independent of genital tract co-infections. Genital tract HIV-1-RNA levels from CVL fluid and endocervical canal cytobrush specimens were highest during menses and lowest immediately thereafter (P = 0.001 and P = 0.04). The HIV-1-RNA level in endocervical canal fluid was highest in the week preceding menses (P = 0.003). The menstrual cycle had no effect on blood levels of RNA (P = 0.62), culturable virus (P = 0.34), or CD4 cell counts (P = 0.55). HIV-1-RNA levels were higher in endocervical canal fluid than in peripheral blood plasma during the late luteal phase (P = 0.03). HIV-1-RNA levels vary with the menstrual cycle in the female genital tract but not the blood compartment. HIV-1-RNA levels are higher in endocervical canal fluid than in blood plasma. These findings may have important implications for sex-specific pathogenesis, heterosexual transmission, and contraceptive hormone interventions in HIV-1-infected women.

  14. Trends in HIV Terminology: Text Mining and Data Visualization Assessment of International AIDS Conference Abstracts Over 25 Years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dancy-Scott, Nicole; Dutcher, Gale A; Keselman, Alla; Hochstein, Colette; Copty, Christina; Ben-Senia, Diane; Rajan, Sampada; Asencio, Maria Guadalupe; Choi, Jason Jongwon

    2018-05-04

    "men who have sex with men" and "MSM" were rarely used until 1994; subsequently, use of these terms increased through 2014. The term "sex worker" steadily increased in frequency throughout conference years, whereas the term "prostitute" decreased over time. The results of this study highlight changes in HIV terminology use over 25 years, including the addition, disappearance, and changing use of terms that reflect advances in HIV research and medical practice and destigmatization of the disease. Coupled with findings from related quantitative research, HIV-related terminology recommendations based on results of this study are included. Adoption of these recommendations will further efforts to use less stigmatizing language and facilitate effective communication between health professionals and people affected by HIV. ©Nicole Dancy-Scott, Gale A Dutcher, Alla Keselman, Colette Hochstein, Christina Copty, Diane Ben-Senia, Sampada Rajan, Maria Guadalupe Asencio, Jason Jongwon Choi. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 04.05.2018.

  15. Scott y Zelda Fitzgerald y el psicoanálisis: la construcción de "Suave es la noche"

    OpenAIRE

    Esteve Díaz, Nuria

    2016-01-01

    Esta tesis aporta una investigación original que pretende analizar la novela Suave es la noche (Tender is the Night, 1934) del escritor norteamericano Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald desde la perspectiva de las humanidades médicas y de manera particular, de las relaciones entre medicina y literatura. En Suave es la noche existen amplias referencias médicas y conceptos psicoanalíticos relacionados con la psiquiatría europea de finales del siglo XIX y comienzos del XX, por lo que cobra especial in...

  16. HIV-1 and recombinant gp120 affect the survival and differentiation of human vessel wall-derived mesenchymal stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pasquinelli Gianandrea

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV infection elicits the onset of a progressive immunodeficiency and also damages several other organs and tissues such as the CNS, kidney, heart, blood vessels, adipose tissue and bone. In particular, HIV infection has been related to an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases and derangement in the structure of blood vessels in the absence of classical risk factors. The recent characterization of multipotent mesenchymal cells in the vascular wall, involved in regulating cellular homeostasis, suggests that these cells may be considered a target of HIV pathogenesis. This paper investigated the interaction between HIV-1 and vascular wall resident human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs. Results MSCs were challenged with classical R5 and X4 HIV-1 laboratory strains demonstrating that these strains are able to enter and integrate their retro-transcribed proviral DNA in the host cell genome. Subsequent experiments indicated that HIV-1 strains and recombinant gp120 elicited a reliable increase in apoptosis in sub-confluent MSCs. Since vascular wall MSCs are multipotent cells that may be differentiated towards several cell lineages, we challenged HIV-1 strains and gp120 on MSCs differentiated to adipogenesis and endotheliogenesis. Our experiments showed that the adipogenesis is increased especially by upregulated PPARγ activity whereas the endothelial differentiation induced by VEGF treatment was impaired with a downregulation of endothelial markers such as vWF, Flt-1 and KDR expression. These viral effects in MSC survival and adipogenic or endothelial differentiation were tackled by CD4 blockade suggesting an important role of CD4/gp120 interaction in this context. Conclusions The HIV-related derangement of MSC survival and differentiation may suggest a direct role of HIV infection and gp120 in impaired vessel homeostasis and in genesis of vessel damage observed in HIV-infected patients.

  17. Phase II Study of Bevacizumab in Patients With HIV-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uldrick, Thomas S.; Wyvill, Kathleen M.; Kumar, Pallavi; O'Mahony, Deirdre; Bernstein, Wendy; Aleman, Karen; Polizzotto, Mark N.; Steinberg, Seth M.; Pittaluga, Stefania; Marshall, Vickie; Whitby, Denise; Little, Richard F.; Yarchoan, Robert

    2012-01-01

    Purpose Alternatives to cytotoxic agents are desirable for patients with HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) contributes to KS pathogenesis. We evaluated the humanized anti–VEGF-A monoclonal antibody, bevacizumab, in patients with HIV-KS. Patients and Methods Patients with HIV-KS who either experienced progression while receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 1 month or did not regress despite HAART for at least 4 months were administered bevacizumab 15 mg/kg intravenously on days 1 and 8 and then every 3 weeks. The primary objective was assessment of antitumor activity using modified AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) criteria for HIV-KS. HIV-uninfected patients were also eligible and observed separately. Results Seventeen HIV-infected patients were enrolled. Fourteen patients had been receiving effective HAART for at least 6 months (median, 1 year). Thirteen patients had advanced disease (ACTG T1), 13 patients had received prior chemotherapy for KS, and seven patients had CD4 count less than 200 cells/μL. Median number of cycles was 10 (range, 1 to 37 cycles); median follow-up was 8.3 months (range, 3 to 36 months). Of 16 assessable patients, best tumor responses observed were complete response (CR) in three patients (19%), partial response (PR) in two patients (12%), stable disease in nine patients (56%), and progressive disease in two patients (12%). Overall response rate (CR + PR) was 31% (95% CI, 11% to 58.7%). Four of five responders had received prior chemotherapy for KS. Over 202 cycles, grade 3 to 4 adverse events at least possibly attributed to therapy included hypertension (n = 7), neutropenia (n = 5), cellulitis (n = 3), and headache (n = 2). Conclusion Bevacizumab is tolerated in patients with HIV-KS and has activity in a subset of patients. PMID:22430271

  18. Features of ozone intraannual variability in polar regions based on ozone sounding data obtained at the Resolute and Amundsen-Scott stations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gruzdev, A.N.; Sitnov, S.A. (AN SSSR, Institut Fiziki Atmosfery, Moscow (USSR))

    1991-04-01

    Ozone sounding data obtained at the Resolute and Amundsen-Scott stations are used to analyze ozone intraannual variability in Southern and Northern polar regions. For the Arctic, in particular, features associated with winter stratospheric warmings, stratospheric-tropospheric exchange, and the isolated evolution of surface ozone are noted. Correlative connections between ozone and temperature making it possible to concretize ozone variability mechanisms are analyzed. 31 refs.

  19. Effect of mild-to-moderate smoking on viral load, cytokines, oxidative stress, and cytochrome P450 enzymes in HIV-infected individuals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anusha Ande

    Full Text Available Mild-to-moderate tobacco smoking is highly prevalent in HIV-infected individuals, and is known to exacerbate HIV pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to determine the specific effects of mild-to-moderate smoking on viral load, cytokine production, and oxidative stress and cytochrome P450 (CYP pathways in HIV-infected individuals who have not yet received antiretroviral therapy (ART. Thirty-two human subjects were recruited and assigned to four different cohorts as follows: a HIV negative non-smokers, b HIV positive non-smokers, c HIV negative mild-to-moderate smokers, and d HIV positive mild-to-moderate smokers. Patients were recruited in Cameroon, Africa using strict selection criteria to exclude patients not yet eligible for ART and not receiving conventional or traditional medications. Those with active tuberculosis, hepatitis B or with a history of substance abuse were also excluded. Our results showed an increase in the viral load in the plasma of HIV positive patients who were mild-to-moderate smokers compared to individuals who did not smoke. Furthermore, although we did not observe significant changes in the levels of most pro-inflammatory cytokines, the cytokine IL-8 and MCP-1 showed a significant decrease in the plasma of HIV-infected patients and smokers compared with HIV negative non-smokers. Importantly, HIV-infected individuals and smokers showed a significant increase in oxidative stress compared with HIV negative non-smoker subjects in both plasma and monocytes. To examine the possible pathways involved in increased oxidative stress and viral load, we determined the mRNA levels of several antioxidant and cytochrome P450 enzymes in monocytes. The results showed that the levels of most antioxidants are unaltered, suggesting their inability to counter oxidative stress. While CYP2A6 was induced in smokers, CYP3A4 was induced in HIV and HIV positive smokers compared with HIV negative non-smokers. Overall, the findings suggest

  20. Immune biomarker differences and changes comparing HCV mono-infected, HIV/HCV co-infected, and HCV spontaneously cleared patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren E Kushner

    Full Text Available Immune biomarkers are implicated in HCV treatment response, fibrosis, and accelerated pathogenesis of comorbidities, though only D-dimer and C-reactive protein have been consistently studied. Few studies have evaluated HIV/HCV co-infection, and little longitudinal data exists describing a broader antiviral cytokine response.Fifty immune biomarkers were analyzed at baseline (BL and HCV end of treatment follow-up(FU time point using the Luminex 50-plex assay in plasma samples from 15 HCV-cleared, 24 HCV mono- and 49 HIV/HCV co-infected patients receiving antiretroviral treatment, who either did or did not receive pegylated-interferon/ribavirin HCV treatment. Biomarker levels were compared among spontaneous clearance patients, mono- and co-infected, untreated and HCV-treated, and sustained virologic responders (SVR and non-responders (NR at BL and FU using nonparametric analyses. A Bonferroni correction, adjusting for tests of 50 biomarkers, was used to reduce Type I error.Compared to HCV patients at BL, HIV/HCV patients had 22 significantly higher and 4 significantly lower biomarker levels, following correction for multiple testing. There were no significantly different BL levels when comparing SVR and NR in mono- or co-infected patients; however, FU levels changed considerably in co-infected patients, with seven becoming significantly higher and eight becoming significantly lower in SVR patients. Longitudinally between BL and FU, 13 markers significantly changed in co-infected SVR patients, while none significantly changed in co-infected NR patients. There were also no significant changes in longitudinal analyses of mono-infected patients achieving SVR or mono-infected and co-infected groups deferring treatment.Clear differences exist in pattern and quantity of plasma immune biomarkers among HCV mono-infected, HIV/HCV co-infected, and HCV-cleared patients; and with SVR in co-infected patients treated for HCV. Though >90% of patients were male and

  1. Tryptophan-induced pathogenesis of breast cancer | Cao | African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The pathogenesis of breast cancer remains unclear. Aims: To investigate the pathogenesis of breast cancer through targeted metabolomics of amino acids components in serum of patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients with breast cancers were enrolled in our hospital between year January 1st, 2013 ...

  2. Evaluation of Cellular Phenotypes Implicated in Immunopathogenesis and Monitoring Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in HIV/Leprosy Cases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giacoia-Gripp, Carmem Beatriz Wagner; Sales, Anna Maria; Nery, José Augusto da Costa; Santos-Oliveira, Joanna Reis; de Oliveira, Ariane Leite; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Morgado, Mariza Gonçalves

    2011-01-01

    Background It is now evident that HAART-associated immunological improvement often leads to a variety of new clinical manifestations, collectively termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, or IRIS. This phenomenon has already been described in cases of HIV coinfection with Mycobacterium leprae, most of them belonging to the tuberculoid spectrum of leprosy disease, as observed in leprosy reversal reaction (RR). However, the events related to the pathogenesis of this association need to be clarified. This study investigated the immunological profile of HIV/leprosy patients, with special attention to the cellular activation status, to better understand the mechanisms related to IRIS/RR immunopathogenesis, identifying any potential biomarkers for IRIS/RR intercurrence. Methods/Principal Findings Eighty-five individuals were assessed in this study: HIV/leprosy and HIV-monoinfected patients, grouped according to HIV-viral load levels, leprosy patients without HIV coinfection, and healthy controls. Phenotypes were evaluated by flow cytometry for T cell subsets and immune differentiation/activation markers. As expected, absolute counts of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the HIV-infected individuals changed in relation to those of the leprosy patients and controls. However, there were no significant differences among the groups, whether in the expression of cellular differentiation phenotypes or cellular activation, as reflected by the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. Six HIV/leprosy patients identified as IRIS/RR were analyzed during IRIS/RR episodes and after prednisone treatment. These patients presented high cellular activation levels regarding the expression of CD38 in CD8+ cells T during IRIS/RR (median: 77,15%), dropping significantly (pleprosy individuals at risk for IRIS/RR. So, a comparative investigation to leprosy patients at RR should be conducted. PMID:22205964

  3. Side Effects of HIV Medicines: HIV and Diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Children and Adolescents HIV and Women HIV and Gay and Bisexual Men HIV and Older Adults HIV ... throughout the body. A hormone called insulin helps move the glucose into the cells. Once in the ...

  4. Correlates of HIV stigma in HIV-positive women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Anne C; Hart, Trevor A; Mohammed, Saira; Ivanova, Elena; Wong, Joanna; Loutfy, Mona R

    2010-06-01

    We examined the variables associated with HIV stigma in HIV-positive women currently living in Ontario, Canada. Based on previous literature, we predicted that variables of social marginalization (e.g., ethnicity, income, education), medical variables (e.g., higher CD4 count, lower viral load), and increased psychological distress would be associated with higher perceived HIV stigma among HIV-positive women. One hundred fifty-nine HIV-positive women between the ages of 18 and 52 in Ontario completed self-report measures of the aforementioned variables. Women were recruited through 28 AIDS service organizations, eight HIV clinics, and two community health centers. In multiple regression analyses, for women born in Canada, lower educational level and higher anxiety were associated with higher HIV stigma. For women born outside of Canada, having been judged by a physician in Canada for trying to become pregnant was associated with higher HIV stigma. For HIV-positive women born outside of Canada, negative judgment by a physician regarding intentions to become pregnant should be addressed to reduce perceived HIV stigma and vice versa. Health care providers should be trained in the provision of sensitive and effective health care for women living with HIV, especially when providing reproductive health care.

  5. Pathogenesis of Nervous and Mental Diseases in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harms, Ernest, Ed.

    Major pathogenic sources of mental diseases in children and a classification of these diseases are considered. Contributions include the following: pathogenesis of mental diseases in childhood by Ernest Harms, organ inferiority and psychiatric disorders by Bernard Shulman and Howard Klapman, pathogenesis of neurological disorders by George Gold,…

  6. HIV Testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Abroad Treatment Basic Statistics Get Tested Find an HIV testing site near you. Enter ZIP code or city Follow HIV/AIDS CDC HIV CDC HIV/AIDS See RSS | ... All Collapse All Should I get tested for HIV? CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of ...

  7. Acute mucosal pathogenesis of feline immunodeficiency virus is independent of viral dose in vaginally infected cats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Egan Erin A

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The mucosal pathogenesis of HIV has been shown to be an important feature of infection and disease progression. HIV-1 infection causes depletion of intestinal lamina propria CD4+ T cells (LPL, therefore, intestinal CD4+ T cell preservation may be a useful correlate of protection in evaluating vaccine candidates. Vaccine studies employing the cat/FIV and macaque/SIV models frequently use high doses of parenterally administered challenge virus to ensure high plasma viremia in control animals. However, it is unclear if loss of mucosal T cells would occur regardless of initial viral inoculum dose. The objective of this study was to determine the acute effect of viral dose on mucosal leukocytes and associated innate and adaptive immune responses. Results Cats were vaginally inoculated with a high, middle or low dose of cell-associated and cell-free FIV. PBMC, serum and plasma were assessed every two weeks with tissues assessed eight weeks following infection. We found that irrespective of mucosally administered viral dose, FIV infection was induced in all cats. However, viremia was present in only half of the cats, and viral dose was unrelated to the development of viremia. Importantly, regardless of viral dose, all cats experienced significant losses of intestinal CD4+ LPL and CD8+ intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL. Innate immune responses by CD56+CD3- NK cells correlated with aviremia and apparent occult infection but did not protect mucosal T cells. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in viremic cats were more likely to produce cytokines in response to Gag stimulation, whereas aviremic cats T cells tended to produce cytokines in response to Env stimulation. However, while cell-mediated immune responses in aviremic cats may have helped reduce viral replication, they could not be correlated to the levels of viremia. Robust production of anti-FIV antibodies was positively correlated with the magnitude of viremia. Conclusions Our results indicate

  8. Incorporation of chimeric HIV-SIV-Env and modified HIV-Env proteins into HIV pseudovirions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devitt, Gerard; Emerson, Vanessa; Holtkotte, Denise; Pfeiffer, Tanya; Pisch, Thorsten; Bosch, Valerie

    2007-01-01

    Low level incorporation of the viral glycoprotein (Env) into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) particles is a major drawback for vaccine strategies against HIV/AIDS in which HIV particles are used as immunogen. Within this study, we have examined two strategies aimed at achieving higher levels of Env incorporation into non-infectious pseudovirions (PVs). First, we have generated chimeric HIV/SIV Env proteins containing the truncated C-terminal tail region of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)mac239-Env767 stop , which mediates strongly increased incorporation of SIV-Env into SIV particles. In a second strategy, we have employed a truncated HIV-Env protein (Env-Tr752 N750K ) which we have previously demonstrated to be incorporated into HIV virions, generated in infected T-cells, to a higher level than that of Wt-HIV-Env. Although the chimeric HIV/SIV Env proteins were expressed at the cell surface and induced increased levels of cell-cell fusion in comparison to Wt-HIV-Env, they did not exhibit increased incorporation into either HIV-PVs or SIV-PVs. Only Env-Tr752 N750K exhibited significantly higher (threefold) levels of incorporation into HIV-PVs, an improvement, which, although not dramatic, is worthwhile for the large-scale preparation of non-infectious PVs for vaccine studies aimed at inducing Env humoral responses

  9. Clinical Control of HIV-1 by Cytotoxic T Cells Specific for Multiple Conserved Epitopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murakoshi, Hayato; Akahoshi, Tomohiro; Koyanagi, Madoka; Chikata, Takayuki; Naruto, Takuya; Maruyama, Rie; Tamura, Yoshiko; Ishizuka, Naoki; Gatanaga, Hiroyuki; Oka, Shinichi; Takiguchi, Masafumi

    2015-05-01

    Identification and characterization of CD8(+) T cells effectively controlling HIV-1 variants are necessary for the development of AIDS vaccines and for studies of AIDS pathogenesis, although such CD8(+) T cells have been only partially identified. In this study, we sought to identify CD8(+) T cells controlling HIV-1 variants in 401 Japanese individuals chronically infected with HIV-1 subtype B, in which protective alleles HLA-B*57 and HLA-B*27 are very rare, by using comprehensive and exhaustive methods. We identified 13 epitope-specific CD8(+) T cells controlling HIV-1 in Japanese individuals, though 9 of these epitopes were not previously reported. The breadths of the T cell responses to the 13 epitopes were inversely associated with plasma viral load (P = 2.2 × 10(-11)) and positively associated with CD4 count (P = 1.2 × 10(-11)), indicating strong synergistic effects of these T cells on HIV-1 control in vivo. Nine of these epitopes were conserved among HIV-1 subtype B-infected individuals, whereas three out of four nonconserved epitopes were cross-recognized by the specific T cells. These findings indicate that these 12 epitopes are strong candidates for antigens for an AIDS vaccine. The present study highlighted a strategy to identify CD8(+) T cells controlling HIV-1 and demonstrated effective control of HIV-1 by those specific for 12 conserved or cross-reactive epitopes. HLA-B*27-restricted and HLA-B*57-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) play a key role in controlling HIV-1 in Caucasians and Africans, whereas it is unclear which CTLs control HIV-1 in Asian countries, where HLA-B*57 and HLA-B*27 are very rare. A recent study showed that HLA-B*67:01 and HLA-B*52:01-C*12:02 haplotypes were protective alleles in Japanese individuals, but it is unknown whether CTLs restricted by these alleles control HIV-1. In this study, we identified 13 CTLs controlling HIV-1 in Japan by using comprehensive and exhaustive methods. They included 5 HLA-B*52:01-restricted

  10. Molecular Pathogenesis of Spondyloarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carlsen, Thomas Gelsing

    This dissertation includes a presentation of knowledge on the molecular pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis achieved through a PhD programme at Aalborg University from 1.12.2011 - 1.12.2014. Work was carried out in the Laboratory of Medical Mass Spectrometry, headed by: Professor Svend Birkelund...

  11. Care of HIV-exposed and HIV-infected neonates

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    However, further reduction in MTCT may be possible if newborns at high risk of acquiring HIV ... infants of breastfeeding mothers with newly diagnosed HIV infection, dual NVP/ .... birth HIV DNA PCR testing for HIV-exposed low birth weight.

  12. The Third Turn toward the Social: Nancy Welch's "Living Room," Tony Scott's "Dangerous Writing," and Rhetoric and Composition's Turn toward Grassroots Political Activism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinney, Kelly; Girshin, Thomas; Bowlin, Barrett

    2013-01-01

    This review essay examines recent texts by Nancy Welch and Tony Scott, both of which use embodied activism as a starting point for their inquiries. Taken together, these works point to a distinct shift in composition studies' turn toward the social, one that calls on workers both within and outside the academy to actively engage in grassroots…

  13. Translational Implication of Galectin-9 in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Viral Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenn-Haung Lai

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The interaction between galectin-9 and its receptor, Tim-3, triggers a series of signaling events that regulate immune responses. The expression of galectin-9 has been shown to be increased in a variety of target cells of many different viruses, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV, hepatitis B virus (HBV, herpes simplex virus (HSV, influenza virus, dengue virus (DENV, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. This enhanced expression of galectin-9 following viral infection promotes significant changes in the behaviors of the virus-infected cells, and the resulting events tightly correlate with the immunopathogenesis of the viral disease. Because the human immune response to different viral infections can vary, and the lack of appropriate treatment can have potentially fatal consequences, understanding the implications of galectin-9 is crucial for developing better methods for monitoring and treating viral infections. This review seeks to address how we can apply the current understanding of galectin-9 function to better understand the pathogenesis of viral infection and better treat viral diseases.

  14. Acute HIV Discovered During Routine HIV Screening With HIV Antigen-Antibody Combination Tests in 9 US Emergency Departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Douglas A E; Giordano, Thomas P; Pasalar, Siavash; Jacobson, Kathleen R; Glick, Nancy R; Sha, Beverly E; Mammen, Priya E; Hunt, Bijou R; Todorovic, Tamara; Moreno-Walton, Lisa; Adomolga, Vincent; Feaster, Daniel J; Branson, Bernard M

    2018-01-05

    Newer combination HIV antigen-antibody tests allow detection of HIV sooner after infection than previous antibody-only immunoassays because, in addition to HIV-1 and -2 antibodies, they detect the HIV-1 p24 antigen, which appears before antibodies develop. We determine the yield of screening with HIV antigen-antibody tests and clinical presentations for new diagnoses of acute and established HIV infection across US emergency departments (EDs). This was a retrospective study of 9 EDs in 6 cities with HIV screening programs that integrated laboratory-based antigen-antibody tests between November 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015. Unique patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection were identified and classified as having either acute HIV infection or established HIV infection. Acute HIV infection was defined as a repeatedly reactive antigen-antibody test result, a negative HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay, or Western blot result, but detectable HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA); established HIV infection was defined as a repeatedly reactive antigen-antibody test result and a positive HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay or Western blot result. The primary outcomes were the number of new HIV diagnoses and proportion of patients with laboratory-defined acute HIV infection. Secondary outcomes compared reason for visit and the clinical presentation of acute HIV infection. In total, 214,524 patients were screened for HIV and 839 (0.4%) received a new diagnosis, of which 122 (14.5%) were acute HIV infection and 717 (85.5%) were established HIV infection. Compared with patients with established HIV infection, those with acute HIV infection were younger, had higher RNA and CD4 counts, and were more likely to have viral syndrome (41.8% versus 6.5%) or fever (14.3% versus 3.4%) as their reason for visit. Most patients with acute HIV infection displayed symptoms attributable to acute infection (median symptom count 5 [interquartile range 3 to 6]), with fever often

  15. Inequalities and Duality in Gene Coexpression Networks of HIV-1 Infection Revealed by the Combination of the Double-Connectivity Approach and the Gini's Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chuang Ma

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The symbiosis (Sym and pathogenesis (Pat is a duality problem of microbial infection, including HIV/AIDS. Statistical analysis of inequalities and duality in gene coexpression networks (GCNs of HIV-1 infection may gain novel insights into AIDS. In this study, we focused on analysis of GCNs of uninfected subjects and HIV-1-infected patients at three different stages of viral infection based on data deposited in the GEO database of NCBI. The inequalities and duality in these GCNs were analyzed by the combination of the double-connectivity (DC approach and the Gini's method. DC analysis reveals that there are significant differences between positive and negative connectivity in HIV-1 stage-specific GCNs. The inequality measures of negative connectivity and edge weight are changed more significantly than those of positive connectivity and edge weight in GCNs from the HIV-1 uninfected to the AIDS stages. With the permutation test method, we identified a set of genes with significant changes in the inequality and duality measure of edge weight. Functional analysis shows that these genes are highly enriched for the immune system, which plays an essential role in the Sym-Pat duality (SPD of microbial infections. Understanding of the SPD problems of HIV-1 infection may provide novel intervention strategies for AIDS.

  16. Immunosenescent CD57+CD4+ T-cells Accumulate and Contribute to Interferon-γ Responses in HIV Patients Responding Stably to ART

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Fernandez

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available HIV-infected individuals responding to antiretroviral therapy (ART after severe CD4+ T-cell depletion may retain low responses to recall antigens [eg: cytomegalovirus (CMV] and altered expression of T-cell co-stimulatory molecules consistent with immunosenescence. We investigated the capacity of phenotypically senescent cells to generate cytokines in HIV patients receiving long-term ART (n = 18 and in healthy controls (n = 10. Memory T-cells were assessed by interferon (IFN-γ ELISpot assay and flow cytometrically via IFN-γ or IL-2. Proportions of CD57brightCD28null CD4+ T-cells correlated with IFN-γ responses to CMV (p = 0.009 and anti-CD3 (p = 0.002 in HIV patients only. Proportions of CD57brightCD28null CD8+ T-cells and CD8+ T-cell IFN-γ responses to CMV peptides correlated in controls but not HIV patients. IL-2 was predominantly produced by CD28+T-cells from all donors, whereas IFN-γ was mostly produced by CD57+ T-cells. The findings provide evidence of an accumulation of immunosenescent T-cells able to make IFN-γ. This may influence the pathogenesis of secondary viral infections in HIV patients receiving ART.

  17. Modern concepts of pathogenesis of ichthyosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Світлана Володимирівна Дмитренко

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The modern concepts of ichthyosis are rather ambiguous and need more precise definition. The modern conception of pathogenesis of ichthysosis is offered and considered in this article.Aim. An aim is to analyze received data of our researches about molecular disturbances of keratin on the background of ichthyosis and the current data on the pathogenesis of disease.Materials and methods. An analysis of the results of research in 70 patients with ichthyosis by the methods of the flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and by immunologic methods is presented in an article.Results. Authors revealed molecular, immunologic and immunohistochemical changes that realizes the disturbance of keratinization on the background of this disease. The model of pathogenesis of the various manifestations of gene mutations that causes ichthyosis is proposed and it can be taken into account when elaborating the new directions of therapy.Conclusions. Gene mutations that cause ichthyosis realizes on the background of disturbance of the cell cycle causing cornification and disturb the local and general immune reactions that summarily lead to the clinical presentations of disease. 

  18. Infection of human and non-human cells by a highly fusogenic primary CD4-independent HIV-1 isolate with a truncated envelope cytoplasmic tail

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saha, Kunal; Yan Hui; Nelson, Julie A.E.; Zerhouni-Layachi, Bouchra

    2005-01-01

    Truncation of the envelope cytoplasmic tail has enabled FIV, SIV, and some laboratory HIV-1 strains to acquire broader cellular tropism and enhanced fusogenicity. Here we have characterized a primary CD4-independent HIV-1 isolate (92UG046-T8) with a truncated cytoplasmic tail that was able to infect and induce syncytia in primary lymphocytes from human, chimpanzee, and monkey, as well as CD4-negative cell lines from human and monkey. Increased syncytia were also noticeable with 293 cells expressing the cloned envelope from the 92UG046-T8 isolate suggesting envelope-mediated cellular fusion. Except pooled serum from HIV-1-infected individuals, monoclonal anti-envelope antibodies or antibodies/antagonists against CD4, CXCR4, and CCR5 were not able to prevent infection by the 92UG046-T8 isolate. This is the first report showing a primary HIV-1 variant with truncated cytoplasmic tail which is highly fusogenic and can infect a broad range of cells from human and non-human origins. In vivo evolution of similar HIV-1 mutants may have important implications in AIDS pathogenesis

  19. Abnormalities in alternative splicing of angiogenesis-related genes and their role in HIV-related cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mthembu NN

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Nonkululeko N Mthembu,1 Zukile Mbita,2 Rodney Hull,1 Zodwa Dlamini1 1Research, Innovation and Engagements, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Durban, 2Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Limpopo, Sovenga, South Africa Abstract: Alternative splicing of mRNA leads to an increase in proteome biodiversity by allowing the generation of multiple mRNAs, coding for multiple protein isoforms of various structural and functional properties from a single primary pre-mRNA transcript. The protein isoforms produced are tightly regulated in normal development but are mostly deregulated in various cancers. In HIV-infected individuals with AIDS, there is an increase in aberrant alternative splicing, resulting in an increase in HIV/AIDS-related cancers, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cervical cancer. This aberrant splicing leads to abnormal production of protein and is caused by mutations in cis-acting elements or trans-acting factors in angiogenesis-related genes. Restoring the normal regulation of alternative splicing of angiogenic genes would alter the expression of protein isoforms and may confer normal cell physiology in patients with these cancers. This review highlights the abnormalities in alternative splicing of angiogenesis-related genes and their implication in HIV/AIDS-related cancers. This allows us to gain an insight into the pathogenesis of HIV/AIDS-related cancer and in turn elucidate the therapeutic potential of alternatively spliced genes in HIV/AIDS-related malignancies. Keywords: vascular endothelial growth factor, oncogenic viruses, hypoxia induced factor 1, Kaposi’s sarcoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, therapies targeting alternative splicing

  20. Update on mucormycosis pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Ashraf S; Kontoyiannis, Dimitrios P

    2013-12-01

    Mucormycosis is an increasingly common fungal infection with unacceptably high mortality. The recent sequencing genome projects of Mucorales and the development of gene manipulation have enabled significant advances in understanding the pathogenesis of mucormycosis. Therefore, we review the pathogenesis of mucormycosis and highlight potential development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities against this lethal disease. Much of the work has been focused on the role of iron uptake in the virulence of Mucorales. Additionally, host receptors and fungal ligands involved in the process of tissue invasion as well as sporangiospore size and sex loci and their contribution to virulence of Mucorales are discussed. Finally, the role of innate and adaptive immunity in protection against Mucorales and new evidence about drug-induced apoptosis in these fungi are discussed. Recent discoveries introduce several potentially novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, which are likely to improve management and outcome for mucormycosis. Future preclinical and clinical research is warranted to develop these diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

  1. HIV/AIDS

    Science.gov (United States)

    HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying the white blood cells ... It is the final stage of infection with HIV. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS. HIV most ...

  2. ROBERT VENTURI, DENISE SCOTT BROWN Y STEVEN IZENOUR: LEARNING FROM LAS VEGAS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignacio Senra Fernández-Miranda

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available RESUMEN Poco tiene que ver la edición original de 1972 de Learning from las Vegas, the forgotten symbolism of the architectural form, con la edición revisada de 1977, que fue traducida al español y publicada por Gustavo Gili en 1978. El gran formato del libro original (38x28cm se justificaba por la importancia del material gráfico desplegado, un ejercicio de análisis que aspiraba a descubrir nuevas técnicas de representación capaces de reproducir una realidad tan compleja sensorialmente como la de la ciudad de las Vegas. La drástica transformación, impulsada por los propios autores, suponía un abaratamiento y por tanto una mayor difusión del libro, pero sobretodo trataba de acabar con el conflicto entre su crítica al diseño Bauhaus y el diseño Bauhaus tardío del libro original, como señaló la propia Denise Scott Brown en el prologo de la edición revisada de 1977.

  3. Clinical presentation and opportunistic infections in HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual seropositive patients in Guinea-Bissau

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Allan; Jespersen, Sanne; Katzenstein, Terese L

    2016-01-01

    HIV-2 is prevalent. In this study, we aimed to characterize the clinical presentations among HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual seropositive patients. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, newly diagnosed HIV patients attending the HIV outpatient clinic at Hospital Nacional Sim~ao Mendes in Guinea......-Bissau were enrolled. Demographical and clinical data were collected and compared between HIV-1, HIV-2 and HIV-1/2 dual seropositive patients. Results: A total of 169 patients (76% HIV-1, 17% HIV-2 and 6% HIV 1/2) were included in the study between 21 March 2012 and 14 December 2012. HIV-1 seropositive...... antigen. Conclusion: HIV-1 and HIV-1/2 seropositive patients have lower CD4 cell counts than HIV-2 seropositive patients when diagnosed with HIV with only minor clinical and demographic differences among groups. Few patients were diagnosed with TB and cryptococcal disease was not found to be a major...

  4. Pathogenesis of Dengue Vaccine Viruses in Mosquitoes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-01-01

    1973). Sabin (1948) showed that attenuated dpngiie, passed through mosquitoes, did not revert to pathogenicity frnr man. -7- Thus even if the vaccine ...AD-A138 518 PATHOGENESIS OF DENGUE VACCINE YIRUSES IN MOSQUITOES 1/ (U) YALE UNIV NEW HAVEN CONN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE B J BEATY ET AL. 9i JAN 80 DRND7...34 ’ UNCLASSIFIED 0{) AD 0Pathogenesis of dengue vaccine viruses in mosquitoes -First Annual Report Barry I. Beaty, Ph.D. Thomas H. G

  5. HIV-1 gp120 Upregulates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Expression in BV2 Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yongdi; Liao, Jinxu; Tang, Shao-Jun; Shu, Jianhong; Zhang, Wenping

    2017-06-01

    HIV-1 gp120 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of HIV-associated pain, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. This study aims to determine the effect and possible mechanism of HIV-1 gp120 on BDNF expression in BV2 cells (a murine-derived microglial cell line). We observed that gp120 (10 ng/ml) activated BV2 cells in cultures and upregulated proBDNF/mBDNF. Furthermore, gp120-treated BV2 also accumulated Wnt3a and β-catenin, suggesting the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. We demonstrated that activation of the pathway by Wnt3a upregulated BDNF expression. In contrast, inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by either DKK1 or IWR-1 attenuated BDNF upregulation induced by gp120 or Wnt3a. These findings collectively suggest that gp120 stimulates BDNF expression in BV2 cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

  6. Women and HIV

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Consumer Information by Audience For Women Women and HIV: Get the Facts on HIV Testing, Prevention, and Treatment Share Tweet Linkedin Pin ... How can you lower your chance of HIV? HIV Quick Facts What is HIV? HIV is the ...

  7. Evaluation of cellular phenotypes implicated in immunopathogenesis and monitoring immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV/leprosy cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giacoia-Gripp, Carmem Beatriz Wagner; Sales, Anna Maria; Nery, José Augusto da Costa; Santos-Oliveira, Joanna Reis; de Oliveira, Ariane Leite; Sarno, Euzenir Nunes; Morgado, Mariza Gonçalves

    2011-01-01

    It is now evident that HAART-associated immunological improvement often leads to a variety of new clinical manifestations, collectively termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, or IRIS. This phenomenon has already been described in cases of HIV coinfection with Mycobacterium leprae, most of them belonging to the tuberculoid spectrum of leprosy disease, as observed in leprosy reversal reaction (RR). However, the events related to the pathogenesis of this association need to be clarified. This study investigated the immunological profile of HIV/leprosy patients, with special attention to the cellular activation status, to better understand the mechanisms related to IRIS/RR immunopathogenesis, identifying any potential biomarkers for IRIS/RR intercurrence. Eighty-five individuals were assessed in this study: HIV/leprosy and HIV-monoinfected patients, grouped according to HIV-viral load levels, leprosy patients without HIV coinfection, and healthy controls. Phenotypes were evaluated by flow cytometry for T cell subsets and immune differentiation/activation markers. As expected, absolute counts of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the HIV-infected individuals changed in relation to those of the leprosy patients and controls. However, there were no significant differences among the groups, whether in the expression of cellular differentiation phenotypes or cellular activation, as reflected by the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. Six HIV/leprosy patients identified as IRIS/RR were analyzed during IRIS/RR episodes and after prednisone treatment. These patients presented high cellular activation levels regarding the expression of CD38 in CD8+ cells T during IRIS/RR (median: 77,15%), dropping significantly (p<0,05) during post-IRIS/RR moments (median: 29,7%). Furthermore, an increase of cellular activation seems to occur prior to IRIS/RR. These data suggest CD38 expression in CD8+ T cells interesting tool identifying HIV/leprosy individuals at risk for IRIS/RR. So, a

  8. Evaluation of cellular phenotypes implicated in immunopathogenesis and monitoring immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV/leprosy cases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmem Beatriz Wagner Giacoia-Gripp

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It is now evident that HAART-associated immunological improvement often leads to a variety of new clinical manifestations, collectively termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, or IRIS. This phenomenon has already been described in cases of HIV coinfection with Mycobacterium leprae, most of them belonging to the tuberculoid spectrum of leprosy disease, as observed in leprosy reversal reaction (RR. However, the events related to the pathogenesis of this association need to be clarified. This study investigated the immunological profile of HIV/leprosy patients, with special attention to the cellular activation status, to better understand the mechanisms related to IRIS/RR immunopathogenesis, identifying any potential biomarkers for IRIS/RR intercurrence. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Eighty-five individuals were assessed in this study: HIV/leprosy and HIV-monoinfected patients, grouped according to HIV-viral load levels, leprosy patients without HIV coinfection, and healthy controls. Phenotypes were evaluated by flow cytometry for T cell subsets and immune differentiation/activation markers. As expected, absolute counts of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from the HIV-infected individuals changed in relation to those of the leprosy patients and controls. However, there were no significant differences among the groups, whether in the expression of cellular differentiation phenotypes or cellular activation, as reflected by the expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. Six HIV/leprosy patients identified as IRIS/RR were analyzed during IRIS/RR episodes and after prednisone treatment. These patients presented high cellular activation levels regarding the expression of CD38 in CD8+ cells T during IRIS/RR (median: 77,15%, dropping significantly (p<0,05 during post-IRIS/RR moments (median: 29,7%. Furthermore, an increase of cellular activation seems to occur prior to IRIS/RR. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest CD38 expression in CD8+ T cells

  9. Comparative brain pathology of HIV-seronegative and HIV-infected drug addicts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makrigeorgi-Butera, M; Hagel, C; Laas, R; Puschel, K; Stavrou, D

    1996-01-01

    Early stages of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were studied in HIV-seropositive drug addicts. Since heroin users are immunocompromized even in the absence of HIV infection, the aim of the present study was to compare the morphological alterations present in HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive drug addicts. A total of 60 cases (32 HIV-seronegative subjects, 21 HIV-seropositive patients without signs of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and 7 HIV-seropositive patients with signs of AIDS) were investigated macroscopically, histologically, and immunohistochemically HIV-seronegative patients presented more frequently with acute drug intoxication, died at a significantly younger age than HIV-seropositive patients, and were found to suffer more frequently from alcohol-related changes. These results indicated that HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive patients differed possibly in their drug consumption and also in their general conditions of life. In accordance with previous reports activated microglia and a diffuse astrogliosis in the white matter were detected at a significantly higher frequency and found to be more severe in HIV-seropositive subjects than in HIV-seronegative addicts. A lymphocytic meningitis was present in 6 of 21 HIV-seropositive patients but in none of the HIV-seronegative patients. Perivascular infiltrates consisting of lymphocytes and macrophages were detected at similar frequencies in HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive patients but were significantly more severe in patients suffering from lymphocytic meningitis or purulent encephalitis. Opportunistic infections were only demonstrated in 2 AIDS cases. In 10 of the HIV-seronegative patients and in 3 of the HIV-seropositive patients CD68-and Ham56-positive multinucleated cells were detected scattered in the subarachnoidal space exclusively over the frontal cortex.

  10. Possible Mafic Patches in Scott Crater Highlight the Need for Resource Exploration on the Lunar South Polar Region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Bonnie L.

    2007-01-01

    Possible areas of mafic material on the rim and floor of Scott crater (82.1 deg S, 48.5 deg E) are suggested by analysis of shadow-masked Clementine false-color-ratio images. Mafic materials common in mare and pyroclastic materials can produce more oxygen than can highlands materials, and mafic materials close to the south pole may be important for propellant production for a future lunar mission. If the dark patches are confirmed as mafic materials, this finding would suggest that other mafic patches may exist, even closer to the poles, which were originally mapped as purely anorthositic.

  11. Living with HIV

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Abroad Treatment Basic Statistics Get Tested Find an HIV testing site near you. Enter ZIP code or city Follow HIV/AIDS CDC HIV CDC HIV/AIDS See RSS | ... Syndicated Content Website Feedback HIV/AIDS Living With HIV Language: English (US) Español (Spanish) Recommend on Facebook ...

  12. HIV DNA Is Frequently Present within Pathologic Tissues Evaluated at Autopsy from Combined Antiretroviral Therapy-Treated Patients with Undetectable Viral Loads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamers, Susanna L; Rose, Rebecca; Maidji, Ekaterina; Agsalda-Garcia, Melissa; Nolan, David J; Fogel, Gary B; Salemi, Marco; Garcia, Debra L; Bracci, Paige; Yong, William; Commins, Deborah; Said, Jonathan; Khanlou, Negar; Hinkin, Charles H; Sueiras, Miguel Valdes; Mathisen, Glenn; Donovan, Suzanne; Shiramizu, Bruce; Stoddart, Cheryl A; McGrath, Michael S; Singer, Elyse J

    2016-10-15

    HIV infection treatment strategies have historically defined effectiveness through measuring patient plasma HIV RNA. While combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) can reduce plasma viral load (pVL) to undetectable levels, the degree that HIV is eliminated from other anatomical sites remains unclear. We investigated the HIV DNA levels in 229 varied autopsy tissues from 20 HIV-positive (HIV(+)) cART-treated study participants with low or undetectable plasma VL and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VL prior to death who were enrolled in the National Neurological AIDS Bank (NNAB) longitudinal study and autopsy cohort. Extensive medical histories were obtained for each participant. Autopsy specimens, including at least six brain and nonbrain tissues per participant, were reviewed by study pathologists. HIV DNA, measured in tissues by quantitative and droplet digital PCR, was identified in 48/87 brain tissues and 82/142 nonbrain tissues at levels >200 HIV copies/million cell equivalents. No participant was found to be completely free of tissue HIV. Parallel sequencing studies from some tissues recovered intact HIV DNA and RNA. Abnormal histological findings were identified in all participants, especially in brain, spleen, lung, lymph node, liver, aorta, and kidney. All brain tissues demonstrated some degree of pathology. Ninety-five percent of participants had some degree of atherosclerosis, and 75% of participants died with cancer. This study assists in characterizing the anatomical locations of HIV, in particular, macrophage-rich tissues, such as the central nervous system (CNS) and testis. Additional studies are needed to determine if the HIV recovered from tissues promotes the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, cancer, and atherosclerosis. It is well-known that combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) can reduce plasma HIV to undetectable levels; however, cART cannot completely clear HIV infection. An ongoing question is

  13. Demonstrating concepts of pathogenesis using effectors of Phytophthora infestans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathogenesis, or how pathogens cause disease, is an important concept in plant pathology. The study of pathogenesis in plant pathology has rapidly expanded and is now a significant portion of plant pathology research (especially research at the molecular level of host-pathogen interaction). With the...

  14. HIV-1 transmitting couples have similar viral load set-points in Rakai, Uganda.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T Déirdre Hollingsworth

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available It has been hypothesized that HIV-1 viral load set-point is a surrogate measure of HIV-1 viral virulence, and that it may be subject to natural selection in the human host population. A key test of this hypothesis is whether viral load set-points are correlated between transmitting individuals and those acquiring infection. We retrospectively identified 112 heterosexual HIV-discordant couples enrolled in a cohort in Rakai, Uganda, in which HIV transmission was suspected and viral load set-point was established. In addition, sequence data was available to establish transmission by genetic linkage for 57 of these couples. Sex, age, viral subtype, index partner, and self-reported genital ulcer disease status (GUD were known. Using ANOVA, we estimated the proportion of variance in viral load set-points which was explained by the similarity within couples (the 'couple effect'. Individuals with suspected intra-couple transmission (97 couples had similar viral load set-points (p = 0.054 single factor model, p = 0.0057 adjusted and the couple effect explained 16% of variance in viral loads (23% adjusted. The analysis was repeated for a subset of 29 couples with strong genetic support for transmission. The couple effect was the major determinant of viral load set-point (p = 0.067 single factor, and p = 0.036 adjusted and the size of the effect was 27% (37% adjusted. Individuals within epidemiologically linked couples with genetic support for transmission had similar viral load set-points. The most parsimonious explanation is that this is due to shared characteristics of the transmitted virus, a finding which sheds light on both the role of viral factors in HIV-1 pathogenesis and on the evolution of the virus.

  15. Depression in perinatally HIV-infected pregnant women compared to non-perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angrand, Ruth C; Sperling, Rhoda; Roccobono, Kinga; Osborne, Lauren M; Jao, Jennifer

    2018-05-18

    "Depression (as noted in chart by a physician)" was compared between HIV infected pregnant women and controls. Perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV), non-perinatally HIV-infected (NPHIV), and HIV-uninfected (HIV-U) pregnant women were all compared using a logistic regression model. Overall, HIV-infected women had higher rates of depression than HIV-U, with PHIV women demonstrating a clinically and statistically significant increased risk compared to HIV-U women [adjusted OR: 15.9, 95% CI = 1.8-143.8]. Future studies in larger populations are warranted to confirm these findings and further elucidate mental health outcomes of PHIV and NPHIV pregnant women.

  16. HIV antibodies for treatment of HIV infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margolis, David M; Koup, Richard A; Ferrari, Guido

    2017-01-01

    The bar is high to improve on current combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), now highly effective, safe, and simple. However, antibodies that bind the HIV envelope are able to uniquely target the virus as it seeks to enter new target cells, or as it is expressed from previously infected cells. Furthermore, the use of antibodies against HIV as a therapeutic may offer advantages. Antibodies can have long half-lives, and are being considered as partners for long-acting antiretrovirals for use in therapy or prevention of HIV infection. Early studies in animal models and in clinical trials suggest that such antibodies can have antiviral activity but, as with small-molecule antiretrovirals, the issues of viral escape and resistance will have to be addressed. Most promising, however, are the unique properties of anti-HIV antibodies: the potential ability to opsonize viral particles, to direct antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against actively infected cells, and ultimately the ability to direct the clearance of HIV-infected cells by effector cells of the immune system. These distinctive activities suggest that HIV antibodies and their derivatives may play an important role in the next frontier of HIV therapeutics, the effort to develop treatments that could lead to an HIV cure. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  17. A Cell Internalizing Antibody Targeting Capsid Protein (p24 Inhibits the Replication of HIV-1 in T Cells Lines and PBMCs: A Proof of Concept Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed A Ali

    Full Text Available There remains a need for newer therapeutic approaches to combat HIV/AIDS. Viral capsid protein p24 plays important roles in HIV pathogenesis. Peptides and small molecule inhibitors targeting p24 have shown to inhibit virus replication in treated cell. High specificity and biological stability of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs make them an attractive contender for in vivo treatments. However, mAbs do not enter into cells, thus are restricted to target surface molecules. This also makes targeting intracellular HIV-1 p24 a challenge. A mAb specific to p24 that can internalize into the HIV-infected cells is hypothesized to inhibit the virus replication. We selected a mAb that has previously shown to inhibit p24 polymerization in an in vitro assay and chemically conjugated it with cell penetrating peptides (CPP to generate cell internalizing anti-p24 mAbs. Out of 8 CPPs tested, κFGF-MTS -conjugated mAbs internalized T cells most efficiently. At nontoxic concentration, the κFGF-MTS-anti-p24-mAbs reduced the HIV-1 replication up to 73 and 49% in T-lymphocyte and PBMCs respectively. Marked inhibition of HIV-1 replication in relevant cells by κFGF-MTS-anti-p24-mAbs represents a viable strategy to target HIV proteins present inside the cells.

  18. A European multicientre study on the comparison of HIV-1 viral loads between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and Roche COBAS® TAQMAN® HIV-1 test, Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and Siemens VERSANT HIV-1 Assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braun, Patrick; Delgado, Rafael; Drago, Monica; Fanti, Diana; Fleury, Hervé; Hofmann, Jörg; Izopet, Jacques; Kühn, Sebastian; Lombardi, Alessandra; Mancon, Alessandro; Marcos, Mª Angeles; Mileto, Davide; Sauné, Karine; O'Shea, Siobhan; Pérez-Rivilla, Alfredo; Ramble, John; Trimoulet, Pascale; Vila, Jordi; Whittaker, Duncan; Artus, Alain; Rhodes, Daniel

    2017-07-01

    Viral load monitoring is essential for patients under treatment for HIV. Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the novel, automated DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System. ¥ OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the clinical performance of the new quantitative VERIS HIV-1 Assay at multiple EU laboratories. Method comparison with the VERIS HIV-1 Assay was performed with 415 specimens at 5 sites tested with COBAS ® AmpliPrep/COBAS ® TaqMan ® HIV-1 Test, v2.0, 169 specimens at 3 sites tested with RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and 202 specimens from 2 sites tested with VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Patient monitoring sample results from 4 sites were also compared. Bland-Altman analysis showed the average bias between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay to be 0.28, 0.39, and 0.61 log 10 cp/mL, respectively. Bias at low end levels below 1000cp/mL showed predicted bias to be <0.3 log 10 cp/mL for VERIS HIV-1 Assay versus COBAS HIV-1 Test and RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and <0.5 log 10 cp/mL versus VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Analysis on 174 specimens tested with the 0.175mL volume VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test showed average bias of 0.39 log 10 cp/mL. Patient monitoring results using VERIS HIV-1 Assay demonstrated similar viral load trends over time to all comparators. The VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the DxN VERIS System demonstrated comparable clinical performance to COBAS ® HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Molecular HIV screening.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourlet, Thomas; Memmi, Meriam; Saoudin, Henia; Pozzetto, Bruno

    2013-09-01

    Nuclear acid testing is more and more used for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. This paper focuses on the use of molecular tools for HIV screening. The term 'screening' will be used under the meaning of first-line HIV molecular techniques performed on a routine basis, which excludes HIV molecular tests designed to confirm or infirm a newly discovered HIV-seropositive patient or other molecular tests performed for the follow-up of HIV-infected patients. The following items are developed successively: i) presentation of the variety of molecular tools used for molecular HIV screening, ii) use of HIV molecular tools for the screening of blood products, iii) use of HIV molecular tools for the screening of organs and tissue from human origin, iv) use of HIV molecular tools in medically assisted procreation and v) use of HIV molecular tools in neonates from HIV-infected mothers.

  20. [Morphology and pathogenesis of visceral manifestations of chronic alcoholism].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebedev, S P

    1982-01-01

    Chronic alcoholism is accompanied by systemic involvement of the internal organs. Clinico-morphological forms of chronic alcoholism are distinguished on the basis of the prevailing organ pathology, Morphological data are presented, and pathogenesis of the lesions of the liver, heart, pancreas, and kidneys in patients with chronic alcoholism is analysed. The hepatic form may present alcoholic dystrophy, hepatitis or cirrhosis which are stages of progressing hepatopathy. The toxic and metabolic effect of ethanol is important in the pathogenesis of liver lesion. The cardiac form is characterized by the development of alcoholic myocardiodystrophy. In addition to the toxic influence of ethanol, hormonal and electrolyte changes and microcirculatory disorders play a role in its pathogenesis. Chronic calcifying pancreatitis in chronic alcoholism is associated with the effect of ethanol on the mediatory system. The renal form any present necronephrosis, hepatorenal syndrome, glomerulonephritis or pyelonephritis. Their pathogenesis is determined by toxicity of ethanol, circulation of immune complexes in the blood, or immunosuppression.

  1. lon-beam analysis of plasma of HIV-Aids positive individual patients and comparison to CD4 counts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mars, J.A.; Kunsevi-Kilola, C. [Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, PO Box 1906. Bellville, 7535 (South Africa); Maqutu, M.L.; Kunsevi-Kilola, C; Mohammed, A. [HIV-Aids Unit, Cape Peninsula Universily of Technology, PO Box 1906, Bellville, 7535, (South Africa); Tarr, S. [National Health Training College, Private Bag A18, Maseru, Lesotho (South Africa)

    2013-07-01

    Full text: HIV-Aids related diseases have claimed the lives of many individuals, especially those that are economically active. This economic burden has crippled many economies since many of the lives claimed are those of individuals with special skills. However, the pathogenesis of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) infection is until present not fully understood. Elements such as Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se are incorporated into the structure of many enzymes and are therefore essential to the enzyme function. The focus of this study is the correlation of trace element concentrations, determined by IBA, and the CD4 count. Blood obtained from 100 HIV sero-positive males and females attending clinics at the National Health Training College in Maseru metropolis, Lesotho. The CD4 cells of the samples were determined by flow cytometry (Cytoflow SL - S using CD4/CD45 monoclonal antibody and SSC/F12 getting strategy). Afterwards the plasma specimens were freeze dried and then pulverized into palettes. The palettes were coated with carbon and then irradiated with a proton beam of 3 MeV energy. X-ray emission and backscattering data were obtained and then quantified with various computational software. (author)

  2. [Henoch-Schönlein purpura in a cocaine consumer man with HIV infection and ANCA-p positivity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Paoli, María C; Moretti, Dino; Scolari Pasinato, Carlos M; Buncuga, Martín G

    The Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a small vessel vasculitis with IgA immune complex deposition. The presentation in adults is rare and severe. Reported cases of HSP in patients infected with HIV are scarce. Neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are commonly found in other systemic vasculitis, but rarely in HSP and even more unusual the perinuclear pattern. Beside small vessel vasculitis, positivity of ANCA can be detected in a number of different pathological conditions in association with infectious processes, including HIV, or cocaine use, and especially the pattern of ANCA-p, associated with drugs, inflammatory bowel or autoimmune diseases. We report the case of a 35 years old man with toxic habits (cocaine, marijuana) who consulted for abdominal pain, hematochezia and purpura on lower extremities, and later fever, joint pain and progression of purpura associated with nephritic syndrome and ANCA-p (+). During hospitalization HIV infection was detected. Renal biopsy showed IgA nephropathy with favorable response to corticosteroid and antiproteinuric treatment. The communication of the case is due to the rarity of the presentation and therapeutic diagnostic challenge. It remains to elucidate the role of ANCA in the pathogenesis and management of adult PSH.

  3. lon-beam analysis of plasma of HIV-Aids positive individual patients and comparison to CD4 counts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mars, J.A.; Kunsevi-Kilola, C.; Maqutu, M.L.; Kunsevi-Kilola, C; Mohammed, A.; Tarr, S.

    2013-01-01

    Full text: HIV-Aids related diseases have claimed the lives of many individuals, especially those that are economically active. This economic burden has crippled many economies since many of the lives claimed are those of individuals with special skills. However, the pathogenesis of human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) infection is until present not fully understood. Elements such as Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se are incorporated into the structure of many enzymes and are therefore essential to the enzyme function. The focus of this study is the correlation of trace element concentrations, determined by IBA, and the CD4 count. Blood obtained from 100 HIV sero-positive males and females attending clinics at the National Health Training College in Maseru metropolis, Lesotho. The CD4 cells of the samples were determined by flow cytometry (Cytoflow SL - S using CD4/CD45 monoclonal antibody and SSC/F12 getting strategy). Afterwards the plasma specimens were freeze dried and then pulverized into palettes. The palettes were coated with carbon and then irradiated with a proton beam of 3 MeV energy. X-ray emission and backscattering data were obtained and then quantified with various computational software. (author)

  4. Usefulness of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound stiffness for the evaluation of bone health in HIV-1-infected subjects: comparison with dual X-ray absorptiometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fantauzzi, Alessandra; Floridia, Marco; Ceci, Fabrizio; Cacciatore, Francesco; Vullo, Vincenzo; Mezzaroma, Ivano

    2016-01-01

    With the development of effective treatments and the resulting increase in life expectancy, bone mineral density (BMD) alteration has emerged as an important comorbidity in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals. The potential contributors to the pathogenesis of osteopenia/osteoporosis include a higher prevalence of risk factors, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART)-exposure, HIV-1 itself and chronic immune activation/inflammation. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the "gold standard" technique for assessing bone status in HIV-1 population. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate bone mineral status in a group of 158 HIV-1-infected subjects. The primary endpoint was the feasibility of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) as a screening tool for BMD. All subjects were receiving stable cART and were virologically suppressed (HIV-RNA HIV-1-specific characteristics, also including cART strategies. In the univariate analyses BMD, QUS indexes, and Fracture Risk Assessment Tool scores conversely showed significant associations with one or more demographic or HIV-1-related variables. Moreover, a significant relationship between calcaneal quantitative ultrasound index/stiffness and femoral/lumbar BMD values from DXA was described. The multivariate analysis showed an independent association between calcaneal quantitative ultrasound index/stiffness and body mass index, higher CD4+ T-cell numbers and low 25-OH D2/D3 vitamin D levels HIV-1-infected patients for assessing bone health impairment. In fact, the results obtained confirm that calcaneal QUS may be useful for monitoring bone status, being a noninvasive and inexpensive technique, especially in those subjects with the classical traditional risk factors for bone damage that were observed earlier in HIV-1 population.

  5. Experiences of HIV stigma: the role of visible symptoms, HIV centrality and community attachment for people living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brener, Loren; Callander, Denton; Slavin, Sean; de Wit, John

    2013-01-01

    For many people living with HIV (PLHIV), disclosure or concealment of their HIV status may be under their personal control; however, for PLHIV with visible symptoms of their illness, disclosure may no longer be a choice. Previous research suggests that those with visible HIV symptoms have poorer mental and physical health than those without visible HIV symptoms. This study aimed to extend these findings and assess the role of perceived centrality of HIV in the lives of PLHIV as well as the role of attachment to an HIV-positive community in understanding the negative effects on health and well-being for PLHIV with visible HIV symptoms. Participants were 697 PLHIV who completed an online survey that assessed symptom visibility, HIV-status disclosure, perceived stigma, health and well-being, how central HIV was to identity and HIV community attachment. Results indicate that those with visible symptoms experienced more HIV-related stigma and had poorer outcomes on a range of psychological and mental health measures than those who were able to conceal their stigma. These effects remained after controlling for length of time since diagnosis, time on HIV treatment, perceived health satisfaction and age. PLHIV with visible symptoms also reported that HIV was more central to their identity and reported greater attachment to an HIV-positive community. Furthermore, findings suggest that while HIV centrality appears to increase the negative effects of having visible symptoms associated with HIV, greater community attachment seems to ameliorate these effects. This suggests the need for a nuanced understanding of the implications of visible HIV symptoms for PLHIV. The study also highlights the potential benefits of HIV-positive community attachment in buffering PLHIV from the negative effect of visible HIV symptoms on their health and well-being.

  6. Predictors of HIV, HIV Risk Perception, and HIV Worry Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Lilongwe, Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price, Joan T; Rosenberg, Nora E; Vansia, Dhrutika; Phanga, Twambilile; Bhushan, Nivedita L; Maseko, Bertha; Brar, Savvy K; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Tang, Jennifer H; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Pettifor, Audrey

    2018-01-01

    Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa have high HIV prevalence and incidence. We sought to understand which HIV risk factors individually and in combination contribute to risk, and whether these factors are associated with HIV worry and risk perception. This study is ongoing at 4 public health centers in Lilongwe, Malawi (2016-2017). AGYW of 15-24 years old were recruited to participate in a study assessing 4 models of service delivery. At each health center, participants completed a baseline survey assessing socioeconomic, behavioral, biomedical, and partnership characteristics; self-reported HIV status; and, if HIV-uninfected, HIV risk perception (high versus low or none) and HIV worry (any versus none). We analyzed associations between baseline characteristics and HIV prevalence, risk perception, and worry. Among 1000 AGYW, median age was 19 years (IQR: 17-21). Thirty-three participants reported being HIV-infected. Fifteen characteristics were associated with HIV infection. Having more risk factors was associated with higher HIV prevalence (≤4 factors, 0.5%; 5-8 factors, 6%; >8 factors, 21%). Having more risk factors was also associated with higher risk perception (P risk factors, 52% did not consider themselves to be at high risk and 21% did not report any HIV worry. Most AGYW perceive little risk of HIV acquisition, even those at highest risk. As a critical gap in the HIV prevention cascade, accurate risk perception is needed to tailor effective and sustained combination prevention strategies for this vulnerable population.

  7. Screening Yield of HIV Antigen/Antibody Combination and Pooled HIV RNA Testing for Acute HIV Infection in a High-Prevalence Population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Philip J; Westheimer, Emily; Cohen, Stephanie; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Moss, Nicholas; Tsoi, Benjamin; Hall, Laura; Fann, Charles; Daskalakis, Demetre C; Beagle, Steve; Patel, Pragna; Radix, Asa; Foust, Evelyn; Kohn, Robert P; Marmorino, Jenni; Pandori, Mark; Fu, Jie; Samandari, Taraz; Gay, Cynthia L

    2016-02-16

    Although acute HIV infection contributes disproportionately to onward HIV transmission, HIV testing has not routinely included screening for acute HIV infection. To evaluate the performance of an HIV antigen/antibody (Ag/Ab) combination assay to detect acute HIV infection compared with pooled HIV RNA testing. Multisite, prospective, within-individual comparison study conducted between September 2011 and October 2013 in 7 sexually transmitted infection clinics and 5 community-based programs in New York, California, and North Carolina. Participants were 12 years or older and seeking HIV testing, without known HIV infection. All participants with a negative rapid HIV test result were screened for acute HIV infection with an HIV Ag/Ab combination assay (index test) and pooled human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) RNA testing. HIV RNA testing was the reference standard, with positive reference standard result defined as detectable HIV-1 RNA on an individual RNA test. Number and proportion with acute HIV infections detected. Among 86,836 participants with complete test results (median age, 29 years; 75.0% men; 51.8% men who have sex with men), established HIV infection was diagnosed in 1158 participants (1.33%) and acute HIV infection was diagnosed in 168 participants (0.19%). Acute HIV infection was detected in 134 participants with HIV Ag/Ab combination testing (0.15% [95% CI, 0.13%-0.18%]; sensitivity, 79.8% [95% CI, 72.9%-85.6%]; specificity, 99.9% [95% CI, 99.9%-99.9%]; positive predictive value, 59.0% [95% CI, 52.3%-65.5%]) and in 164 participants with pooled HIV RNA testing (0.19% [95% CI, 0.16%-0.22%]; sensitivity, 97.6% [95% CI, 94.0%-99.4%]; specificity, 100% [95% CI, 100%-100%]; positive predictive value, 96.5% [95% CI, 92.5%-98.7%]; sensitivity comparison, P testing detected 82% of acute HIV infections detectable by pooled HIV RNA testing. Compared with rapid HIV testing alone, HIV Ag/Ab combination testing increased the relative HIV diagnostic yield (both

  8. Research advances in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    WANG Hu

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD has been developing rapidly in recent years and has become one of the most common liver diseases. However, its pathogenesis remains unclear, and there are no widely accepted therapeutic regimens. NAFLD has a complex pathogenesis with multiple factors involved, including insulin resistance, oxidative stress, bile acid metabolic disorders, and autophagy. This article reviews the pathogenesis of NAFLD in order to provide a reference for further research and clinical treatment in the future.

  9. Shifting the Paradigm: Using HIV Surveillance Data as a Foundation for Improving HIV Care and Preventing HIV Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweeney, Patricia; Gardner, Lytt I; Buchacz, Kate; Garland, Pamela Morse; Mugavero, Michael J; Bosshart, Jeffrey T; Shouse, R Luke; Bertolli, Jeanne

    2013-01-01

    Context Reducing HIV incidence in the United States and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV hinge on improving access to highly effective treatment and overcoming barriers to continuous treatment. Using laboratory tests routinely reported for HIV surveillance to monitor individuals’ receipt of HIV care and contacting them to facilitate optimal care could help achieve these objectives. Historically, surveillance-based public health intervention with individuals for HIV control has been controversial because of concerns that risks to privacy and autonomy could outweigh benefits. But with the availability of lifesaving, transmission-interrupting treatment for HIV infection, some health departments have begun surveillance-based outreach to facilitate HIV medical care. Methods Guided by ethics frameworks, we explored the ethical arguments for changing the uses of HIV surveillance data. To identify ethical, procedural, and strategic considerations, we reviewed the activities of health departments that are using HIV surveillance data to contact persons identified as needing assistance with initiating or returning to care. Findings Although privacy concerns surrounding the uses of HIV surveillance data still exist, there are ethical concerns associated with not using HIV surveillance to maximize the benefits from HIV medical care and treatment. Early efforts to use surveillance data to facilitate optimal HIV medical care illustrate how the ethical burdens may vary depending on the local context and the specifics of implementation. Health departments laid the foundation for these activities by engaging stakeholders to gain their trust in sharing sensitive information; establishing or strengthening legal, policy and governance infrastructure; and developing communication and follow-up protocols that protect privacy. Conclusions We describe a shift toward using HIV surveillance to facilitate optimal HIV care. Health departments should review the

  10. Bordetella pertussis pathogenesis: current and future challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melvin, Jeffrey A.; Scheller, Erich V.; Miller, Jeff F.; Cotter, Peggy A.

    2014-01-01

    Pertussis, or whooping cough, has recently reemerged as a major public health threat despite high levels of vaccination against the etiological agent, Bordetella pertussis. In this Review, we describe the pathogenesis of this disease, with a focus on recent mechanistic insights into virulence factor function. We also discuss the changing epidemiology of pertussis and the challenges of vaccine development. Despite decades of research, many aspects of B. pertussis physiology and pathogenesis remain poorly understood. We highlight knowledge gaps that must be addressed to develop improved vaccines and therapeutic strategies. PMID:24608338

  11. Partial protective effect of CCR5-Delta 32 heterozygosity in a cohort of heterosexual Italian HIV-1 exposed uninfected individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cauda Roberto

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Despite multiple sexual exposure to HIV-1 virus, some individuals remain HIV-1 seronegative (exposed seronegative, ESN. The mechanisms underlying this resistance remain still unclear, although a multifactorial pathogenesis can be hypothesised. Although several genetic factors have been related to HIV-1 resistance, the homozigosity for a mutation in CCR5 gene (the 32 bp deletion, i.e. CCR5-Delta32 allele is presently considered the most relevant one. In the present study we analysed the genotype at CCR5 locus of 30 Italian ESN individuals (case group who referred multiple unprotected heterosexual intercourse with HIV-1 seropositive partner(s, for at least two years. One hundred and twenty HIV-1 infected patients and 120 individuals representative of the general population were included as control groups. Twenty percent of ESN individuals had heterozygous CCR5-Delta 32 genotype, compared to 7.5% of HIV-1 seropositive and 10% of individuals from the general population, respectively. None of the analysed individuals had CCR5-Delta 32 homozygous genotype. Sequence analysis of the entire open reading frame of CCR5 was performed in all ESN subjects and no polymorphisms or mutations were identified. Moreover, we determined the distribution of C77G variant in CD45 gene, which has been previously related to HIV-1 infection susceptibility. The frequency of the C77G variant showed no significant difference between ESN subjects and the two control groups. In conclusion, our data show a significantly higher frequency of CCR5-Delta 32 heterozygous genotype (p = 0.04 among the Italian heterosexual ESN individuals compared to HIV-1 seropositive patients, suggesting a partial protective role of CCR5-Delta 32 heterozygosity in this cohort.

  12. Signaling Pathways in Pathogenesis of Diamond Blackfan Anemia

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-12-1-0590 TITLE: SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN PATHOGENESIS OF DIAMOND BLACKFAN ANEMIA PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: KATHLEEN M...SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER W81XWH-12-1-0590 SIGNALING PATHWAYS IN PATHOGENESIS OF DIAMOND BLACKFAN ANEMIA 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES None 14. ABSTRACT: Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA) is a disorder that results in pure red cell aplasia, congenital

  13. The Role of the spv Genes in Salmonella Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald G. Guiney

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Salmonella strains cause three main types of diseases in people: gastroenteritis, enteric (typhoid fever, and non-typhoid extra-intestinal disease with bacteremia. Genetic analysis indicates that each clinical syndrome requires distinct sets of virulence genes, and Salmonella isolates differ in their constellation of virulence traits. The spv locus is strongly associated with strains that cause non-typhoid bacteremia, but are not present in typhoid strains. The spv region contains three genes required for the virulence phenotype in mice: the positive transcriptional regulator spvR and two structural genes spvB and spvC. SpvB and SpvC are translocated into the host cell by the SPI-2 type-three secretion system. SpvB prevents actin polymerization by ADP-ribosylation of actin monomers, while SpvC has phosphothreonine lyase activity and has been shown to inhibit MAP kinase signaling. The exact mechanisms by which SpvB and SpvC act in concert to enhance virulence are still unclear. SpvB exhibits a cytotoxic effect on host cells and is required for delayed cell death by apoptosis following intracellular infection. Strains isolated from systemic infections of immune compromised patients, particularly HIV patients, usually carry the spv locus, strongly suggesting that CD4 T cells are required to control disease due to Salmonella that are spv positive. This association is not seen with typhoid fever, indicating that the pathogenesis and immunology of typhoid have fundamental differences from the syndrome of non-typhoid bacteremia.

  14. [HIV Stigma and Spiritual Care in People Living With HIV].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Chia-Hui; Chiu, Yi-Chi; Cheng, Su-Fen; Ko, Nai-Ying

    2018-06-01

    HIV infection has been a manageable and chronic illness in Taiwan since the highly active antiretroviral therapy was introduced in 1997. HIV infection is a stigmatized disease due to its perceived association with risky behaviors. HIV often carries a negative image, and people living with HIV(PLWH) face discrimination on multiple fronts. Internalized HIV stigma impacts the spiritual health of people living with HIV in terms of increased levels of shame, self-blame, fear of disclosing HIV status, and isolation and decreased value and connections with God, others, the environment, and the self. Nursing professionals provide holistic care for all people living with HIV and value their lives in order to achieve the harmony of body, mind, and spirit. This article describes the stigma that is currently associated with HIV and how stigma-related discrimination affects the spiritual health of PLWH and then proposes how to reduce discrimination and stigma in order to improve the spiritual health of PLWH through appropriate spiritual care. Reducing HIV stigma and promoting spiritual well-being will enable Taiwan to achieve the 'Three Zeros' of zero discrimination, zero infection, and zero death advocated by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS for ending the AIDS epidemic in 2030.

  15. ESTIMATION OF CONSTANT AND TIME-VARYING DYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF HIV INFECTION IN A NONLINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION MODEL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Hua; Miao, Hongyu; Wu, Hulin

    2010-03-01

    Modeling viral dynamics in HIV/AIDS studies has resulted in deep understanding of pathogenesis of HIV infection from which novel antiviral treatment guidance and strategies have been derived. Viral dynamics models based on nonlinear differential equations have been proposed and well developed over the past few decades. However, it is quite challenging to use experimental or clinical data to estimate the unknown parameters (both constant and time-varying parameters) in complex nonlinear differential equation models. Therefore, investigators usually fix some parameter values, from the literature or by experience, to obtain only parameter estimates of interest from clinical or experimental data. However, when such prior information is not available, it is desirable to determine all the parameter estimates from data. In this paper, we intend to combine the newly developed approaches, a multi-stage smoothing-based (MSSB) method and the spline-enhanced nonlinear least squares (SNLS) approach, to estimate all HIV viral dynamic parameters in a nonlinear differential equation model. In particular, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to propose a comparatively thorough procedure, accounting for both efficiency and accuracy, to rigorously estimate all key kinetic parameters in a nonlinear differential equation model of HIV dynamics from clinical data. These parameters include the proliferation rate and death rate of uninfected HIV-targeted cells, the average number of virions produced by an infected cell, and the infection rate which is related to the antiviral treatment effect and is time-varying. To validate the estimation methods, we verified the identifiability of the HIV viral dynamic model and performed simulation studies. We applied the proposed techniques to estimate the key HIV viral dynamic parameters for two individual AIDS patients treated with antiretroviral therapies. We demonstrate that HIV viral dynamics can be well characterized and

  16. Formation of a unique cluster of G-quadruplex structures in the HIV-1 Nef coding region: implications for antiviral activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalba Perrone

    Full Text Available G-quadruplexes are tetraplex structures of nucleic acids that can form in G-rich sequences. Their presence and functional role have been established in telomeres, oncogene promoters and coding regions of the human chromosome. In particular, they have been proposed to be directly involved in gene regulation at the level of transcription. Because the HIV-1 Nef protein is a fundamental factor for efficient viral replication, infectivity and pathogenesis in vitro and in vivo, we investigated G-quadruplex formation in the HIV-1 nef gene to assess the potential for viral inhibition through G-quadruplex stabilization. A comprehensive computational analysis of the nef coding region of available strains showed the presence of three conserved sequences that were uniquely clustered. Biophysical testing proved that G-quadruplex conformations were efficiently stabilized or induced by G-quadruplex ligands in all three sequences. Upon incubation with a G-quadruplex ligand, Nef expression was reduced in a reporter gene assay and Nef-dependent enhancement of HIV-1 infectivity was significantly repressed in an antiviral assay. These data constitute the first evidence of the possibility to regulate HIV-1 gene expression and infectivity through G-quadruplex targeting and therefore open a new avenue for viral treatment.

  17. HIV-1 Vif's Capacity To Manipulate the Cell Cycle Is Species Specific.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Edward L; Becker, Jordan T; Fricke, Stephanie L; Patel, Kishan; Sherer, Nathan M

    2018-04-01

    particle production but, unexpectedly, are completely resistant to virus-induced cytopathic effects. We mapped these effects to the viral accessory protein Vif, which induces a prolonged G 2 /M cell cycle arrest followed by apoptosis in human cells. Combined, our results indicate that one or more additional human-specific cofactors govern HIV-1's capacity to modulate the cell cycle, with potential relevance to viral pathogenesis in people and existing animal models. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

  18. Transposon mutagenesis reveals differential pathogenesis of Ralstonia solanacearum on tomato and Arabidopsis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu-Mei; Chou, I-Chun; Wang, Jaw-Fen; Ho, Fang-I; Chu, Yu-Ju; Huang, Pei-Cheng; Lu, Der-Kang; Shen, Hwei-Ling; Elbaz, Mounira; Huang, Shu-Mei; Cheng, Chiu-Ping

    2008-09-01

    Ralstonia solanacearum causes a deadly wilting disease on a wide range of crops. To elucidate pathogenesis of this bacterium in different host plants, we set out to identify R. solanacearum genes involved in pathogenesis by screening random transposon insertion mutants of a highly virulent strain, Pss190, on tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana. Mutants exhibiting various decreased virulence levels on these two hosts were identified. Sequence analysis showed that most, but not all, of the identified pathogenesis genes are conserved among distinct R. solanacearum strains. A few of the disrupted loci were not reported previously as being involved in R. solanacearum pathogenesis. Notably, a group of mutants exhibited differential pathogenesis on tomato and Arabidopsis. These results were confirmed by characterizing allelic mutants in one other R. solanacearum strain of the same phylotype. The significantly decreased mutants' colonization in Arabidopsis was found to be correlated with differential pathogenesis on these two plants. Differential requirement of virulence genes suggests adaptation of this bacterium in different host environments. Together, this study reveals commonalities and differences of R. solanacearum pathogenesis on single solanaceous and nonsolanaceous hosts, and provides important new insights into interactions between R. solanacearum and different host plants.

  19. Measles outbreak in South Africa, 2003 - 2005 ORIGINAL ARTICLES

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    nations, including South Africa, and resulted in the virtual elimination of measles in ... Department of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals, World Health Organization,. Geneva, Switzerland ..... Lancet 1996; 348: 415. 18. Helfand RF, Moss WJ, Harpaz R, Scott S, Cutts F. Evaluating the impact of the HIV pandemic.

  20. Diabetic Cataract—Pathogenesis, Epidemiology and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Pollreisz

    2010-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of the pathogenesis of diabetic cataract, clinical studies investigating the association between diabetes and cataract development, and current treatment of cataract in diabetics.

  1. A systematic review of measures of HIV/AIDS stigma in paediatric HIV-infected and HIV-affected populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAteer, Carole Ian; Truong, Nhan-Ai Thi; Aluoch, Josephine; Deathe, Andrew Roland; Nyandiko, Winstone M; Marete, Irene; Vreeman, Rachel Christine

    2016-01-01

    Introduction HIV-related stigma impacts the quality of life and care management of HIV-infected and HIV-affected individuals, but how we measure stigma and its impact on children and adolescents has less often been described. Methods We conducted a systematic review of studies that measured HIV-related stigma with a quantitative tool in paediatric HIV-infected and HIV-affected populations. Results and discussion Varying measures have been used to assess stigma in paediatric populations, with most studies utilizing the full or variant form of the HIV Stigma Scale that has been validated in adult populations and utilized with paediatric populations in Africa, Asia and the United States. Other common measures included the Perceived Public Stigma Against Children Affected by HIV, primarily utilized and validated in China. Few studies implored item validation techniques with the population of interest, although scales were used in a different cultural context from the origin of the scale. Conclusions Many stigma measures have been used to assess HIV stigma in paediatric populations, globally, but few have implored methods for cultural adaptation and content validity. PMID:27717409

  2. Nutritional rickets: pathogenesis and prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pettifor, John M

    2013-06-01

    Nutritional rickets remains a public health concern in many areas of the world despite cheap and effective means of preventing the disease. The roles of vitamin D deficiency, low dietary calcium intakes and the interrelationships between the two in the pathogenesis of the disease are discussed. It is now recognized that vitamin D deficiency in the pregnant and lactating mother predisposes to the development of rickets in the breastfed infant, and that cultural and social factors are important in the pathogenesis of the disease during the adolescent growth spurt. Prevention of rickets is dependent on the awareness of the medical profession and the general public of the need to ensure adequate intakes of vitamin D in at-risk populations, and of the importance of increasing dietary intakes of calcium using locally available and inexpensive foods in communities in which dietary calcium deficiency rickets is prevalent.

  3. La diaspora americana in Europa: il caso degli espatriati in Tender is the Night di F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisa A. Pantaleo

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available From 1921 to 1930, F. Scott Fitzgerald travelled to Europe four times, and he spent almost four years in France and one year in Switzerland. While living abroad in the multicultural environment of Paris and of the French Riviera, his attitude towards Europe underwent a major change. Tender is the Night marks a significant transition from the narrow nationalism of Fitzgerald’s first travel correspondence to an increased sensitivity towards European otherness. The cultural encounter with Europe – that in the novel is rendered through an hybridization of the language and the characters –helped the author to reinterpret his identity in a cosmopolitan perspective.

  4. EFFECT OF HIV PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAM ON HIV AND HCV TRANSMISSION AND HIV MORTALITY AT AN INDONESIAN NARCOTIC PRISON.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelwan, Erni J; Indrati, Agnes K; Isa, Ahmad; Triani, Nurlita; Alam, Nisaa Nur; Herlan, Maria S; Husen, Wahid; Pohan, Herdiman T; Alisjahbana, Bachti; Meheus, Andre; Van Crevel, Reinout; van der Ven, Andre Jam

    2015-09-01

    Validated data regarding HIV-transmission in prisons in developing countries is scarce. We examined sexual and injecting drug use behavior and HIV and HCV transmission in an Indonesian narcotic prison during the implementation of an HIV prevention and treatment program during 2004-2007 when the Banceuy Narcotic Prison in Indonesia conducted an HIV transmission prevention program to provide 1) HIV education, 2) voluntary HIV testing and counseling, 3) condom supply, 4) prevention of rape and sexual violence, 5) antiretroviral treatment for HIV-positive prisoners and 6) methadone maintenance treatment. During a first survey that was conducted between 2007 and 2009, new prisoners entered Banceuy Narcotics Prison were voluntary tested for HIV and HCV-infection after written informed consent was obtained. Information regarding sexual and injecting risk behavior and physical status were also recorded at admission to the prison. Participants who tested negative for both HIV and HCV during the first survey were included in a second survey conducted during 2008-2011. During both surveys, data on mortality among HIV-seropositive patients were also recorded. All HIV-seropositive participants receive treatment for HIV. HIV/ AIDS-related deaths decreased: 43% in 2006, 18% in 2007, 9% in 2008 and 0% in 2009. No HIV and HCV seroconversion inside Banceuy Narcotic Prison were found after a median of 23 months imprisonment (maximum follow-up: 38 months). Total of 484.8 person-years observation was done. Participants reported HIV transmission risk-behavior in Banceuy Prison during the second survey was low. After implementation of HIV prevention and treatment program, no new HIV or HCV cases were detected and HIV-related mortality decreased.

  5. Adherence to feeding guidelines among HIV-infected and HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    For infants older than six months, complementary feeding was more common among HIV-uninfected (100%) than HIV-infected mothers (41.7%; P<0.001). Among infants of all ages, none of the HIV-uninfected and 45% of HIV-infected mothers were replacement feeding (p<0.001). More than a half (59.8%) of the mothers ...

  6. HIV Status Discordance: Associated Factors Among HIV Positive ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AJRH Managing Editor

    infection for a partner of a person with HIV is about 10%, with higher annual transmission rates ... We recommend the tracking of both men and women as index cases in other to reduce HIV .... HIV status was accepted as known only if backed.

  7. Marcadores virológicos no convencionales en pacientes infectados con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana: ADN HIV-T, ADN HIV- 2LTR y ARN de HIV Non conventional virological markers in HIV-infected patients: T-HIV DNA, 2LTR-HIV DNA and HIV RNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosana Gariglio

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available La terapia antirretroviral de alta eficacia (TAAE induce una reducción marcada y persistente de la viremia plasmática, contribuyendo a disminuir la mortalidad y morbilidad de los pacientes HIV-positivos. Así, la carga viral (CV es el método de referencia para evaluar la eficacia terapéutica. Sin embargo, aun en presencia de una TAAE eficiente no se ha logrado la erradicación viral. En este estudio analizamos la presencia del ADN total de HIV (ADN HIV-T, del ADN no integrado con 2LTR (ADN HIV-2LTR y del ARN de HIV, en un grupo de 55 pacientes HIV-positivos en distintos estadios clínicos, con y sin TAAE, mediante ensayos de PCR con revelado colorimétrico en microplaca, optimizados en nuestro laboratorio. La sensibilidad clínica del ARN del HIV fue evaluada con el bDNA, resultando del 74% y del 64%, respectivamente, con una concordancia del 85%. Este ensayo podría ser utilizado en el seguimiento de pacientes bajo TAAE. El ADN HIV-2LTR resultó positivo en el 54% aunque estuvo ausente en pacientes con elevada CV. Este marcador se consideraba un producto lábil y su presencia se asociaba a infección reciente. Sin embargo, actuales evidencias ponen en discusión su estabilidad por lo que su significado clínico debe ser reconsiderado. La ausencia del ADN HIV-2LTR en pacientes con CV detectable puede relacionarse con la heterogeneidad de la secuencia utilizada para su detección. El ADN HIV-T estuvo presente en el 100% de las muestras y resultaría relevante como marcador de remisión cuando se dispongan de terapias que efectivamente erradiquen la infección.Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART induces a persistent reduction of the plasmatic viremia, contributing to decrease mortality and morbidity of infected people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. Thus, viral load (VL is the reference method to evaluate therapy effectiveness. However, even in the presence of efficient HAART viral eradication was yet not achieved. In this

  8. HIV-1 replication through hHR23A-mediated interaction of Vpr with 26S proteasome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ge Li

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 Vpr is a virion-associated protein. Its activities link to viral pathogenesis and disease progression of HIV-infected patients. In vitro, Vpr moderately activates HIV-1 replication in proliferating T cells, but it is required for efficient viral infection and replication in vivo in non-dividing cells such as macrophages. How exactly Vpr contributes to viral replication remains elusive. We show here that Vpr stimulates HIV-1 replication at least in part through its interaction with hHR23A, a protein that binds to 19S subunit of the 26S proteasome and shuttles ubiquitinated proteins to the proteasome for degradation. The Vpr-proteasome interaction was initially discovered in fission yeast, where Vpr was shown to associate with Mts4 and Mts2, two 19S-associated proteins. The interaction of Vpr with the 19S subunit of the proteasome was further confirmed in mammalian cells where Vpr associates with the mammalian orthologues of fission yeast Mts4 and S5a. Consistently, depletion of hHR23A interrupts interaction of Vpr with proteasome in mammalian cells. Furthermore, Vpr promotes hHR23A-mediated protein-ubiquitination, and down-regulation of hHR23A using RNAi significantly reduced viral replication in non-proliferating MAGI-CCR5 cells and primary macrophages. These findings suggest that Vpr-proteasome interaction might counteract certain host restriction factor(s to stimulate viral replication in non-dividing cells.

  9. Robinson Rancheria Strategic Energy Plan; Middletown Rancheria Strategic Energy Plan, Scotts Valley Rancheria Strategic Energy Plan, Elem Indian Colony Strategic Energy Plan, Upperlake Rancheria Strategic Energy Plan, Big Valley Rancheria Strategic Energy Plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McGinnis and Associates LLC

    2008-08-01

    The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians is located in Lake County in Northern California. Similar to the other five federally recognized Indian Tribes in Lake County participating in this project, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians members are challenged by generally increasing energy costs and undeveloped local energy resources. Currently, Tribal decision makers lack sufficient information to make informed decisions about potential renewable energy resources. To meet this challenge efficiently, the Tribes have committed to the Lake County Tribal Energy Program, a multi Tribal program to be based at the Robinson Rancheria and including The Elem Indian Colony, Big Valley Rancheria, Middletown Rancheria, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake and the Scotts Valley Pomo Tribe. The mission of this program is to promote Tribal energy efficiency and create employment opportunities and economic opportunities on Tribal Lands through energy resource and energy efficiency development. This program will establish a comprehensive energy strategic plan for the Tribes based on Tribal specific plans that capture economic and environmental benefits while continuing to respect Tribal cultural practices and traditions. The goal is to understand current and future energy consumption and develop both regional and Tribe specific strategic energy plans, including action plans, to clearly identify the energy options for each Tribe.

  10. On the pathogenesis of IDDM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nerup, J; Mandrup-Poulsen, Thomas; Helqvist, S

    1994-01-01

    A model of the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, i.e. the initial phase of beta-cell destruction, is proposed: in a cascade-like fashion efficient antigen presentation, unbalanced cytokine, secretion and poor beta-cell defence result in beta-cell destruction by toxic free...

  11. Radiological differences between HIV-positive and HIV-negative children with cholesteatoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, J K; Fagan, J J; Wojno, M; Manning, K; Harris, T

    2018-07-01

    HIV-positive children are possibly more prone to developing cholesteatoma. Chronic inflammation of the middle ear cleft may be more common in patients with HIV and this may predispose HIV-positive children to developing cholesteatoma. There are no studies that describe the radiological morphology of the middle ear cleft in HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative children with cholesteatoma. Compare the radiological differences of the middle ear cleft in HIV-positive and HIV-negative children with cholesteatoma. A retrospective, cross-sectional, observational analytical review of patients with cholesteatoma at our institute over a 6 year period. Forty patients were included in the study, 11 of whom had bilateral cholesteatoma and therefore 51 ears were eligible for our evaluation. HIV-positive patients had smaller (p=0.02) mastoid air cell systems (MACS). Forty percent of HIV-positive patients had sclerotic mastoids, whereas the rate was 3% in HIV-negative ears (p<0.02). Eighty-two percent of the HIV-positive patients had bilateral cholesteatoma compared to 7% of the control group (p<0.02). There was no difference between the 2 groups with regards to opacification of the middle ear cleft, bony erosion of middle ear structures, Eustachian tube obstruction or soft tissue occlusion of the post-nasal space. HIV-positive paediatric patients with cholesteatoma are more likely to have smaller, sclerotic mastoids compared to HIV-negative patients. They are significantly more likely to have bilateral cholesteatoma. This may have implications in terms of surveillance of HIV-positive children, as well as, an approach to management, recurrence and follow-up. HIV infection should be flagged as a risk factor for developing cholesteatoma. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Basic HIV/AIDS Statistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... HIV Syndicated Content Website Feedback HIV/AIDS Basic Statistics Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir HIV and ... HIV. Interested in learning more about CDC's HIV statistics? Terms, Definitions, and Calculations Used in CDC HIV ...

  13. Quadruple burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, chronic intestinal parasitoses, and multiple micronutrient deficiency in ethiopia: a summary of available findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amare, Bemnet; Moges, Beyene; Mulu, Andargachew; Yifru, Sisay; Kassu, Afework

    2015-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), and helminthic infections are among the commonest public health problems in the sub-Saharan African countries like Ethiopia. Multiple micronutrient deficiencies also known as the "hidden hunger" are common in people living in these countries either playing a role in their pathogenesis or as consequences. This results in a vicious cycle of multiple micronutrient deficiencies and infection/disease progression. As infection is profoundly associated with nutritional status resulting from decreased nutrient intake, decreased nutrient absorption, and nutrient losses, micronutrient deficiencies affect immune system and impact infection and diseases progression. As a result, micronutrients, immunity, and infection are interrelated. The goal of this review is therefore to provide a summary of available findings regarding the "quadruple burden trouble" of HIV, TB, intestinal parasitic infections, and multiple micronutrient deficiencies to describe immune-modulating effects related to disorders.

  14. Correlates of HIV infection among people visiting public HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Correlates of HIV infection among people visiting public HIV counseling and testing clinics in Mpumalanga, ... Background: HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) reduces high-risk sexual behaviour. ... AJOL African Journals Online.

  15. Solitary Kaposi's sarcoma in retromolar region of an HIV positive patient: case report Sarcoma de Kaposi em região retromolar de um paciente HIV positivo: relato de caso

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maiara de Moraes

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Kaposi's sarcoma is a malignant neoplasm of vascular origin. It occurs mainly among immune deficient individuals, thus it is the most common neoplasm among HIV- positive patients. Its pathogenesis is complex and has not been fully clarified. This case arouses particular interest due to its anatomic location in the retromolar region of a 39-year-old male HIV- positive patient, who presented low white blood cell count and was not undergoing antiretroviral therapy. The emergence of this lesion may be associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART discontinuation and leukopenia. Hence, the reestablishment of therapy allows a suitable therapeutic approach and contributes to prognosis and survival rates.Sarcoma de Kaposi é uma neoplasia maligna de origem vascular que ocorre principalmente em indivíduos com deficiência imunológica, sendo a neoplasia mais comum em pacientes HIV positivos. Sua patogênese é complexa e não está bem estabelecida. Este caso é de interesse pela localização anatômica em região retromolar de paciente soropositivo, que apresentou baixa contagem de células brancas do sangue e que não realizava terapia antirretroviral. O surgimento da lesão pode estar associado à interrupção da terapia antirretroviral altamente ativa (HAART e à baixa contagem leucocitária. Assim, o restabelecimento da terapia pode permitir a abordagem terapêutica e contribuir para o prognóstico e a sobrevida.

  16. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) pathway: genetic variants and outcomes of HIV-1 infection in African American adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, Sadeep; Wiener, Howard W; Aissani, Brahim; Song, Wei; Shendre, Aditi; Wilson, Craig M; Kaslow, Richard A; Tang, Jianming

    2010-10-14

    Immunological and clinical outcomes can vary considerably at the individual and population levels during both treated and untreated HIV-1 infection. Cytokines encoded by the interleukin-10 gene (IL10) family have broad immunomodulatory function in viral persistence, and several SNPs in the IL10 promoter sequence have been reported to influence pathogenesis or acquisition of HIV-1 infection. We examined 104 informative SNPs in IL10, IL19, IL20, IL24, IL10RA and IL10RB among 250 HIV-1 seropositive and 106 high-risk seronegative African American adolescents in the REACH cohort. In subsequent evaluation of five different immunological and virological outcomes related to HIV-1 infection, 25 SNPs were associated with a single outcome and three were associated with two different outcomes. One SNP, rs2243191 in the IL19 open reading frame (Ser to Phe substitution) was associated with CD4(+) T-cell increase during treatment. Another SNP rs2244305 in IL10RB (in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs443498) was associated with an initial decrease in CD4(+) T-cell by 23 ± 9% and 29 ± 9% every 3 months (for AA and AG genotypes, respectively, compared with GG) during ART-free period. These associations were reversed during treatment, as CD4(+) T-cell increased by 31 ± 0.9% and 17 ± 8% every 3 months for AA and AG genotype, respectively. In African Americans, variants in IL10 and related genes might influence multiple outcomes of HIV-1 infection, especially immunological response to HAART. Fine mapping coupled with analysis of gene expression and function should help reveal the immunological importance of the IL10 gene family to HIV-1/AIDS.

  17. HIV/AIDS - Multiple Languages

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... HIV - Newly diagnosed with HIV, part 5 - English MP3 Children and HIV - Newly diagnosed with HIV, part 5 - 简体中文 (Chinese, Simplified (Mandarin dialect)) MP3 Children and HIV - Newly diagnosed with HIV, part ...

  18. HIV/AIDS Coinfection

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Coinfection Hepatitis C Coinfection HIV/AIDS Coinfection HIV/AIDS Coinfection Approximately 10% of the HIV-infected population ... Control and Prevention website to learn about HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis guidelines and resources. Home About ...

  19. HIV and Immunizations

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... AIDS Drugs Clinical Trials Apps skip to content HIV Treatment Home Understanding HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets HIV ... 4 p.m. ET) Send us an email HIV and Immunizations Last Reviewed: February 6, 2018 Key ...

  20. HIV Medication Adherence

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... AIDS Drugs Clinical Trials Apps skip to content HIV Treatment Home Understanding HIV/AIDS Fact Sheets HIV ... 4 p.m. ET) Send us an email HIV Medication Adherence Last Reviewed: January 17, 2018 Key ...

  1. HIV Interventions to Reduce HIV/AIDS Stigma: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banks, Bahby; Jonas, Dan; Miles, Margaret Shandor; Smith, Giselle Corbie

    2011-01-01

    We reviewed the literature to determine the effectiveness of HIV-related interventions in reducing HIV/AIDS stigma. Studies selected had randomized controlled trial (RCT), pretest–posttest with a non-randomized control group, or pretest–posttest one group study designs in which HIV-related interventions were being evaluated, and in which HIV/AIDS stigma was one of the outcomes being measured. A checklist was used to extract data from accepted studies, assess their internal validity, and overall quality. Data were extracted from 19 studies, and 14 of these studies demonstrated effectiveness in reducing HIV/ AIDS stigma. Only 2 of these 14 effective studies were considered good studies, based on quality, the extent to which the intervention focused on reducing HIV/AIDS stigma, and the statistics reported to demonstrate effectiveness. Future studies to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma could improve by designing interventions that pay greater attention to internal validity, use validated HIV/AIDS stigma instruments, and achieve both statistical and public health significance. PMID:21088989

  2. HIV and Pregnancy

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Management Education & Events Advocacy For Patients About ACOG HIV and Pregnancy Home For Patients Search FAQs HIV ... HIV and Pregnancy FAQ113, July 2017 PDF Format HIV and Pregnancy Pregnancy What is human immunodeficiency virus ( ...

  3. HIV diagnosis, linkage to HIV care, and HIV risk behaviors among newly diagnosed HIV-positive female sex workers in Kigali, Rwanda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Braunstein, Sarah L.; Umulisa, Marie-Michèle; Veldhuijzen, Nienke J.; Kestelyn, Evelyne; Ingabire, Chantal M.; Nyinawabega, Jeanine; van de Wijgert, Janneke H. H. M.; Nash, Denis

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate linkage-to-care, sexual behavior change, and psychosocial experiences among newly HIV-diagnosed female sex workers (FSWs) in Rwanda. FSWs (n = 800) with unknown serostatus were screened for HIV during 2007/2008. Women testing HIV positive (n = 192) were referred to care and asked to

  4. 'Cascading participation' and the role of teachers in a collaborative ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    'Cascading participation' and the role of teachers in a collaborative HIV and Aids curriculum development project. D Scott, A Cooper, S Swartz. Abstract. This paper presents findings of four Grade 6 teachers' involvement as facilitators of a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in three South African primary ...

  5. RESEARCH Improving access and quality of care in a TB control ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    or treatment. Improving access and quality of care in a. TB control programme. Vera Scott, Virginia Azevedo, Judy Caldwell. Objectives. To use a quality improvement approach to improve access to and quality of tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and care in. Cape Town. Methods. Five HIV/AIDS/sexually transmitted infections/TB.

  6. HIV and AIDS

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español HIV and AIDS KidsHealth / For Kids / HIV and AIDS ... actually the virus that causes the disease AIDS. HIV Hurts the Immune System People who are HIV ...

  7. HIV status awareness, partnership dissolution and HIV transmission in generalized epidemics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reniers, Georges; Armbruster, Benjamin

    2012-01-01

    HIV status aware couples with at least one HIV positive partner are characterized by high separation and divorce rates. This phenomenon is often described as a corollary of couples HIV Testing and Counseling (HTC) that ought to be minimized. In this contribution, we demonstrate the implications of partnership dissolution in serodiscordant couples for the propagation of HIV. We develop a compartmental model to study epidemic outcomes of elevated partnership dissolution rates in serodiscordant couples and parameterize it with estimates from population-based data (Rakai, Uganda). Via its effect on partnership dissolution, every percentage point increase in HIV status awareness reduces HIV incidence in monogamous populations by 0.27 percent for women and 0.63 percent for men. These effects are even larger when the assumption of monogamy can be relaxed, but are moderated by other behavior changes (e.g., increased condom use) in HIV status aware serodiscordant partnerships. When these behavior changes are taken into account, each percentage point increase in HIV status awareness reduces HIV incidence by 0.13 and 0.32 percent for women and men, respectively (assuming monogamy). The partnership dissolution effect exists because it decreases the fraction of serodiscordant couples in the population and prolongs the time that individuals spend outside partnerships. Our model predicts that elevated partnership dissolution rates in HIV status aware serodiscordant couples reduce the spread of HIV. As a consequence, the full impact of couples HTC for HIV prevention is probably larger than recognized to date. Particularly high partnership dissolution rates in female positive serodiscordant couples contribute to the gender imbalance in HIV infections.

  8. HIV Risk and Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Prevention VIH En Español Get Tested Find an HIV testing site near you. Enter ZIP code or city Follow HIV/AIDS CDC HIV CDC HIV/AIDS See RSS | ... Email Updates on HIV Syndicated Content Website Feedback HIV Risk and Prevention Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share ...

  9. HIV stigma and social capital in women living with HIV

    OpenAIRE

    Cuca, Yvette P.; Asher, Alice; Okonsky, Jennifer; Kaihura, Alphoncina; Dawson-Rose, Carol; Webel, Allison

    2016-01-01

    Women living with HIV (WLWH) continue to experience HIV-related stigma. Social capital is one resource that could mitigate HIV stigma. Our cross-sectional study examined associations between social capital and HIV-related stigma in 135 WLWH in the San Francisco Bay Area. The mean age of study participants was 48 years; 60% were African American; 29% had less than a high school education; and 19% were employed. Age was significantly associated with perceived HIV stigma (p = .001), but total so...

  10. Ethnic Comparisons in HIV Testing Attitudes, HIV Testing, and Predictors of HIV Testing Among Black and White College Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Melanie P; Javier, Sarah J; Abrams, Jasmine A; McGann, Amanda Wattenmaker; Belgrave, Faye Z

    2017-08-01

    This study's primary aim was to examine ethnic differences in predictors of HIV testing among Black and White college students. We also examined ethnic differences in sexual risk behaviors and attitudes toward the importance of HIV testing. An analytic sample of 126 Black and 617 White undergraduatestudents aged 18-24 were analyzed for a subset of responses on the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II) (2012) pertaining to HIV testing, attitudes about the importance of HIV testing, and sexual risk behaviors. Predictors of HIV testing behavior were analyzed using logistic regression. t tests and chi-square tests were performed to access differences in HIV test history, testing attitudes, and sexual risk behaviors. Black students had more positive attitudes toward testing and were more likely to have been tested for HIV compared to White students. A greater number of sexual partners and more positive HIV testing attitudes were significant predictors of HIV testing among White students, whereas relationship status predicted testing among Black students. Older age and history of ever having sex were significant predictors of HIV testing for both groups. There were no significant differences between groups in number of sexual partners or self-reports in history of sexual experience (oral, vaginal, or anal). Factors that influence HIV testing may differ across racial/ethnic groups. Findings support the need to consider racial/ethnic differences in predictors of HIV testing during the development and tailoring of HIV testing prevention initiatives targeting college students.

  11. Does provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling lead to higher HIV testing rate and HIV case finding in Rwandan clinics?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kayigamba, Felix R.; van Santen, Daniëla; Bakker, Mirjam I.; Lammers, Judith; Mugisha, Veronicah; Bagiruwigize, Emmanuel; de Naeyer, Ludwig; Asiimwe, Anita; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten F.

    2016-01-01

    Provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) is promoted as a means to increase HIV case finding. We assessed the effectiveness of PITC to increase HIV testing rate and HIV case finding among outpatients in Rwandan health facilities (HF). PITC was introduced in six HFs in 2009-2010. HIV

  12. The Times, They are a-Changing: HOPE for HIV-to-HIV Organ Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haidar, Ghady; Singh, Nina

    2017-09-01

    HIV-infected persons who achieve undetectable viral loads on antiretroviral therapy currently have near-normal lifespans. Liver disease is a major cause of non-AIDS-related deaths, and as a result of longer survival, the prevalence of end-stage renal disease in HIV is increasing. HIV-infected persons undergoing organ transplantation generally achieve comparable patient and graft survival rates compared to their HIV-uninfected counterparts, despite a nearly threefold increased risk of acute rejection. However, the ongoing shortage of suitable organs can limit transplantation as an option, and patients with HIV have higher waitlist mortality than others. One way to solve this problem would be to expand the donor pool to include HIV-infected individuals. The results of a South Africa study involving 27 HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants showed promise, with 3- and 5-year patient and graft survival rates similar to those of their HIV-uninfected counterparts. Similarly, individual cases of HIV-to-HIV liver transplantation from the United Kingdom and Switzerland have also shown good results. In the United States, HIV-to-HIV kidney and liver transplants are currently permitted only under a research protocol. Nevertheless, areas of ambiguity exist, including streamlining organ allocation practices, optimizing HIV-infected donor and recipient selection, managing donor-derived transmission of a resistant HIV strain, determining optimal immunosuppressive and antiretroviral regimens, and elucidating the incidence of rejection in HIV-to-HIV solid organ transplant recipients.

  13. Theories on the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samer Sourial

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Endometriosis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease defined by the presence of extrauterine endometrial tissue. The aetiology of endometriosis is complex and multifactorial, where several not fully confirmed theories describe its pathogenesis. This review examines existing theories on the initiation and propagation of different types of endometriotic lesions, as well as critically appraises the myriad of biologically relevant evidence that support or oppose each of the proposed theories. The current literature suggests that stem cells, dysfunctional immune response, genetic predisposition, and aberrant peritoneal environment may all be involved in the establishment and propagation of endometriotic lesions. An orchestrated scientific and clinical effort is needed to consider all factors involved in the pathogenesis of this multifaceted disease and to propose novel therapeutic targets to reach effective treatments for this distressing condition.

  14. HIV/AIDS

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Key populations are groups who are at increased risk of HIV irrespective of epidemic type or local context. They include: men who have sex with men, ... HIV testing and counselling; HIV treatment and care; risk-reduction ... management of STIs, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis. Elimination of ...

  15. HIV status awareness, partnership dissolution and HIV transmission in generalized epidemics.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georges Reniers

    Full Text Available HIV status aware couples with at least one HIV positive partner are characterized by high separation and divorce rates. This phenomenon is often described as a corollary of couples HIV Testing and Counseling (HTC that ought to be minimized. In this contribution, we demonstrate the implications of partnership dissolution in serodiscordant couples for the propagation of HIV.We develop a compartmental model to study epidemic outcomes of elevated partnership dissolution rates in serodiscordant couples and parameterize it with estimates from population-based data (Rakai, Uganda.Via its effect on partnership dissolution, every percentage point increase in HIV status awareness reduces HIV incidence in monogamous populations by 0.27 percent for women and 0.63 percent for men. These effects are even larger when the assumption of monogamy can be relaxed, but are moderated by other behavior changes (e.g., increased condom use in HIV status aware serodiscordant partnerships. When these behavior changes are taken into account, each percentage point increase in HIV status awareness reduces HIV incidence by 0.13 and 0.32 percent for women and men, respectively (assuming monogamy. The partnership dissolution effect exists because it decreases the fraction of serodiscordant couples in the population and prolongs the time that individuals spend outside partnerships.Our model predicts that elevated partnership dissolution rates in HIV status aware serodiscordant couples reduce the spread of HIV. As a consequence, the full impact of couples HTC for HIV prevention is probably larger than recognized to date. Particularly high partnership dissolution rates in female positive serodiscordant couples contribute to the gender imbalance in HIV infections.

  16. Prevalence and characteristics of HIV/HBV and HIV/HCV coinfections in Tuscany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monia Puglia

    2016-07-01

    Conclusions: We have observed less advanced disease in HIV and HCV-HIV patients compared with HBV–HIV coinfected patients. Moreover, our results show a higher prevalence of HIV/HCV among drug addicts and in the age-group 35–59, corresponding to those born in years considered most at risk for addiction. This study also confirms the finding of a less advanced HIV disease in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.

  17. Multiparametric Bioinformatics Distinguish the CD4/CD8 Ratio as a Suitable Laboratory Predictor of Combined T Cell Pathogenesis in HIV Infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buggert, Marcus; Frederiksen, Juliet Wairimu; Noyan, Kajsa

    2014-01-01

    HIV disease progression is characterized by numerous pathological changes of the cellular immune system. Still, the CD4 cell count and viral load represent the laboratory parameters that are most commonly used in the clinic to determine the disease progression. In this study, we conducted an inte...

  18. HIV stigma and social capital in women living with HIV

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuca, Yvette P.; Asher, Alice; Okonsky, Jennifer; Kaihura, Alphoncina; Dawson-Rose, Carol; Webel, Allison

    2016-01-01

    Women living with HIV (WLWH) continue to experience HIV-related stigma. Social capital is one resource that could mitigate HIV stigma. Our cross-sectional study examined associations between social capital and HIV-related stigma in 135 WLWH in the San Francisco Bay Area. The mean age of study participants was 48 years; 60% were African American; 29% had less than a high school education; and 19% were employed. Age was significantly associated with perceived HIV stigma (p = .001), but total social capital was not. Women with lower Value of Life social capital scores had significantly higher total stigma scores (p = .010) and higher Negative Self-image stigma scores (p = .001). Women who felt less valued in their social worlds may have been more likely to perceive HIV stigma, which could have negative health consequences. This work begins to elucidate the possible relationships between social capital and perceived HIV stigma. PMID:27697368

  19. HIV, violence, blame and shame: pathways of risk to internalized HIV stigma among South African adolescents living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pantelic, Marija; Boyes, Mark; Cluver, Lucie; Meinck, Franziska

    2017-08-21

    Internalized HIV stigma is a key risk factor for negative outcomes amongst adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), including non-adherence to anti-retroviral treatment, loss-to-follow-up and morbidity. This study tested a theoretical model of multi-level risk pathways to internalized HIV stigma among South African ALHIV. From 2013 to 2015, a survey using t otal population sampling of ALHIV who had ever initiated anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in 53 public health facilities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa was conducted. Community-tracing ensured inclusion of ALHIV who were defaulting from ART or lost to follow-up. 90.1% of eligible ALHIV were interviewed ( n  = 1060, 55% female, mean age = 13.8, 21% living in rural locations). HIV stigma mechanisms (internalized, enacted, and anticipated), HIV-related disability, violence victimization (physical, emotional, sexual abuse, bullying victimization) were assessed using well-validated self-report measures. Structural equation modelling was used to test a theoretically informed model of risk pathways from HIV-related disability to internalized HIV stigma. The model controlled for age, gender and urban/rural address. Prevalence of internalized HIV stigma was 26.5%. As hypothesized, significant associations between internalized stigma and anticipated stigma, as well as depression were obtained. Unexpectedly, HIV-related disability, victimization, and enacted stigma were not directly associated with internalized stigma. Instead significant pathways were identified via anticipated HIV stigma and depression. The model fitted the data well (RMSEA = .023; CFI = .94; TLI = .95; WRMR = 1.070). These findings highlight the complicated nature of internalized HIV stigma. Whilst it is seemingly a psychological process, indirect pathways suggest multi-level mechanisms leading to internalized HIV stigma. Findings suggest that protection from violence within homes, communities and schools may interrupt risk pathways from HIV

  20. Missed opportunities for HIV control: Gaps in HIV testing for partners of people living with HIV in Lima, Peru.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana L Vasquez

    Full Text Available Based on the hypothesis that HIV programs struggle to deliver health services that harmonize necessities of treatment and prevention, we described the outcomes of routinely provided HIV testing to partners of people living with HIV (PLWH through a secondary analysis of routine data collected at a public hospital in Lima, Peru.Among PLWH enrolled in the study center's HIV program between 2005 and 2014, we identified index cases (IC: PLWH who reported a unique partner not previously enrolled. We grouped partners according to their HIV status as reported by IC and collected data on HIV testing, clinical characteristics and admissions. The main outcome was the frequency of HIV testing among partners with reported unknown/seronegative HIV status.Out of 1586 PLWH who reported a unique partner at enrollment, 171 had a previously enrolled partner, leaving 1415 (89% IC. HIV status of the partner was reported as unknown in 571 (40%, seronegative in 325 (23% and seropositive in 519 (37%. Out of 896 partners in the unknown/seronegative group, 72 (8% had HIV testing, 42/72 (58% tested within three months of IC enrollment. Among the 49/72 (68% who tested positive for HIV, 33 (67% were enrolled in the HIV program. The proportion in WHO clinical stage IV was lower in enrolled partners compared to IC (37% vs 9%, p = 0.04. Non-tested partners (824 were likely reachable by the hospital, as 297/824 (36% of their IC were admitted in the study center at least once, 51/243 (21% female IC had received pregnancy care at the study center, and 401/692 (64% of IC on antiretroviral therapy had achieved viral suppression, implying frequent visits to the hospital for pill pick-up.In this setting, HIV testing of partners of PLWH was suboptimal, illustrating missed opportunities for HIV control. Integration of HIV strategies in primarily clinical-oriented services is a challenging need.

  1. Absence of a Scott correction for the total binding energy of noninteracting fermions in a smooth potential well

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huxtable, B.D.

    1988-01-01

    It is shown, for V in a particular class of smooth functions, that the total binding energy, E(Z), of Z noninteracting Fermions in the potential well Z 4/3 V(Z 1/3 X) obeys E(Z) = c TF (V)Z 7/3 + O(Z 5/3 ) as Z → ∞. Here c TF (V) is the coefficient predicted by Thomas-Fermi theory. This result is consistent with the conjectured Scott correction, which occurs at order Z 2 , to the total binding energy of an atomic number Z. This correction is thought to arise only because V(x)∼ - |x| -1 near x = 0 in the atomic problem, and so V is not a smooth function

  2. HIV Viral Load

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... PF4 Antibody Hepatitis A Testing Hepatitis B Testing Hepatitis C Testing HER2/neu Herpes Testing High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP) Histamine Histone Antibody HIV Antibody and HIV Antigen (p24) HIV Antiretroviral Drug Resistance Testing, Genotypic HIV Viral Load HLA Testing HLA- ...

  3. Increasing rates of obesity among HIV-infected persons during the HIV epidemic.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nancy Crum-Cianflone

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence and factors associated with overweight/obesity among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected persons are unknown.We evaluated prospective data from a U.S. Military HIV Natural History Study (1985-2004 consisting of early diagnosed patients. Statistics included multivariate linear regression and longitudinal linear mixed effects models.Of 1682 patients, 2% were underweight, 37% were overweight, and 9% were obese at HIV diagnosis. Multivariate predictors of a higher body mass index (BMI at diagnosis included more recent year of HIV diagnosis, older age, African American race, and earlier HIV stage (all p<0.05. The majority of patients (62% gained weight during HIV infection. Multivariate factors associated with a greater increase in BMI during HIV infection included more recent year of diagnosis, lower BMI at diagnosis, higher CD4 count, lower HIV RNA level, lack of AIDS diagnosis, and longer HIV duration (all p<0.05. Nucleoside agents were associated with less weight gain; other drug classes had no significant impact on weight change in the HAART era.HIV-infected patients are increasingly overweight/obese at diagnosis and during HIV infection. Weight gain appears to reflect improved health status and mirror trends in the general population. Weight management programs may be important components of HIV care.

  4. Cardiac Dysfunction in HIV-1 Transgenic Mouse: Role of Stress and BAG3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Joseph Y; Gordon, Jennifer; Wang, JuFang; Song, Jianliang; Zhang, Xue-Qian; Tilley, Douglas G; Gao, Erhe; Koch, Walter J; Rabinowitz, Joseph; Klotman, Paul E; Khalili, Kamel; Feldman, Arthur M

    2015-08-01

    Since highly active antiretroviral therapy improved long-term survival of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, AIDS cardiomyopathy has become an increasingly relevant clinical problem. We used human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 transgenic (Tg26) mouse to explore molecular mechanisms of AIDS cardiomyopathy. Tg26 mice had significantly lower left ventricular (LV) mass and smaller end-diastolic and end-systolic LV volumes. Under basal conditions, cardiac contractility and relaxation and single myocyte contraction dynamics were not different between wild-type (WT) and Tg26 mice. Ten days after open heart surgery, contractility and relaxation remained significantly depressed in Tg26 hearts, suggesting that Tg26 mice did not tolerate surgical stress well. To simulate heart failure in which expression of Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is reduced, we down-regulated BAG3 by small hairpin ribonucleic acid in WT and Tg26 hearts. BAG3 down-regulation significantly reduced contractility in Tg26 hearts. BAG3 overexpression rescued contractile abnormalities in myocytes expressing the HIV-1 protein Tat. We conclude: (i) Tg26 mice exhibit normal contractile function at baseline; (ii) Tg26 mice do not tolerate surgical stress well; (iii) BAG3 down-regulation exacerbated cardiac dysfunction in Tg26 mice; (iv) BAG3 overexpression rescued contractile abnormalities in myocytes expressing HIV-1 protein Tat; and (v) BAG3 may occupy a role in pathogenesis of AIDS cardiomyopathy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. HIV RNA and proviral HIV DNA can be detected in semen after 6 months of antiretroviral therapy although HIV RNA is undetectable in blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Peiwei; Liu, An; Jiao, Yanmei; Liu, Cuie; Jiang, Taiyi; Zhu, Weijun; Zhu, Yunxia; Wu, Hao; Sun, Lijun

    2016-03-01

    The risk of sexual transmission of HIV is strongly correlated with amounts of genital HIV RNA. Few studies have reported amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA in semen in HIV-infected Chinese patients undergoing antiviral treatment (ART). In this observational study, the amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA in semen were assessed after six months of ART in HIV-infected Chinese individuals, when HIV RNA was undetectable in blood . This study included 19 HIV-infected Chinese men undergoing ART for six months. Amounts of HIV in paired semen and blood samples were assessed using real-time PCR. The C2-V5 region of the HIV envelope (env) genes was cloned and sequenced and genotype and co-receptor usage predicted based on the sequence. It was found that HIV RNA was undetectable in the plasma of most patients (17/19), whereas HIV RNA could be detected in the semen of most patients (16/19). HIV DNA could be detected in both semen and blood. Genetic diversity of HIV between the seminal and blood compartments was identified. Thus, amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA remain high in semen of HIV-infected Chinese patients after six months of ART treatment, even when HIV RNA was undetectable in blood. © 2016 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  6. Interactive Effects of Morphine on HIV Infection: Role in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pichili Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available HIV epidemic continues to be a severe public health problem and concern within USA and across the globe with about 33 million people infected with HIV. The frequency of drug abuse among HIV infected patients is rapidly increasing and is another major issue since injection drug users are at a greater risk of developing HIV associated neurocognitive dysfunctions compared to non-drug users infected with HIV. Brain is a major target for many of the recreational drugs and HIV. Evidences suggest that opiate drug abuse is a risk factor in HIV infection, neural dysfunction and progression to AIDS. The information available on the role of morphine as a cofactor in the neuropathogenesis of HIV is scanty. This review summarizes the results that help in understanding the role of morphine use in HIV infection and neural dysfunction. Studies show that morphine enhances HIV-1 infection by suppressing IL-8, downregulating chemokines with reciprocal upregulation of HIV coreceptors. Morphine also activates MAPK signaling and downregulates cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB. Better understanding on the role of morphine in HIV infection and mechanisms through which morphine mediates its effects may help in devising novel therapeutic strategies against HIV-1 infection in opiate using HIV-infected population.

  7. Chorioamnionitis in pregnancy: a comparative study of HIV-positive and HIV-negative parturients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ocheke, Amaka N; Agaba, Patricia A; Imade, Godwin E; Silas, Olugbenga A; Ajetunmobi, Olanrewaju I; Echejoh, Godwins; Ekere, Clement; Sendht, Ayuba; Bitrus, James; Agaba, Emmanuel I; Sagay, Atiene S

    2016-03-01

    Chorioamnionitis is an important risk factor for vertical transmission of HIV/AIDS. We compared the prevalence and correlates of histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) in HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women. HIV-positive and -negative parturients were interviewed, examined and had their placentas examined histologically for chorioamnionitis. Data regarding HIV were also retrieved from their hospital records. A total of 298 parturients (150 HIV positive and 148 HIV negative) were enrolled. The two groups were similar in socio-demographic and obstetric parameters except for age. The prevalence of HCA was 57.1% in HIV-positive women and 61.6% in HIV-negative women (p = 0.43). HCA staging was associated with the number of intrapartum vaginal examinations in HIV-positive subjects and nulliparity in HIV-negative subjects. The number of intrapartum vaginal examinations and coitus in the week prior to delivery significantly affected the grade of HCA in HIV-negative subjects. The prevalence of HCA in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative is high. Most variables did not affect the occurrence of HCA in both groups studied except number of intrapartum examinations, coitus in the preceding one week and nulliparity, which were related to severity of the disease. © The Author(s) 2016.

  8. Risk Factors for HIV Transmission and Barriers to HIV Disclosure: Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camacho-Gonzalez, Andres F; Wallins, Amy; Toledo, Lauren; Murray, Ashley; Gaul, Zaneta; Sutton, Madeline Y; Gillespie, Scott; Leong, Traci; Graves, Chanda; Chakraborty, Rana

    2016-01-01

    Youth carry the highest incidence of HIV infection in the United States. Understanding adolescent and young adult (AYA) perspectives on HIV transmission risk is important for targeted HIV prevention. We conducted a mixed methods study with HIV-infected and uninfected youth, ages 18-24 years, from Atlanta, GA. We provided self-administered surveys to HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected AYAs to identify risk factors for HIV acquisition. By means of computer-assisted thematic analyses, we examined transcribed focus group responses on HIV education, contributors to HIV transmission, and pre-sex HIV status disclosure. The 68 participants had the following characteristics: mean age 21.5 years (standard deviation: 1.8 years), 85% male, 90% black, 68% HIV-infected. HIV risk behaviors included the perception of condomless sex (Likert scale mean: 8.0) and transactional sex (88% of participants); no differences were noted by HIV status. Qualitative analyses revealed two main themes: (1) HIV risk factors among AYAs, and (2) barriers to discussing HIV status before sex. Participants felt the use of social media, need for immediate gratification, and lack of concern about HIV disease were risk factors for AYAs. Discussing HIV status with sex partners was uncommon. Key reasons included: fear of rejection, lack of confidentiality, discussion was unnecessary in temporary relationships, and disclosure negatively affecting the mood. HIV prevention strategies for AYAs should include improving condom use frequency and HIV disclosure skills, responsible utilization of social media, and education addressing HIV prevention including the risks of transactional sex.

  9. Copenhagen comorbidity in HIV infection (COCOMO study: a study protocol for a longitudinal, non-interventional assessment of non-AIDS comorbidity in HIV infection in Denmark

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Ronit

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Modern combination antiretroviral therapy (cART has improved survival for people living with HIV (PLWHIV. Non-AIDS comorbidities have replaced opportunistic infections as leading causes of mortality and morbidity, and are becoming a key health concern as this population continues to age. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence and incidence of non-AIDS comorbidity among PLWHIV in Denmark in the cART era and to determine risk factors contributing to the pathogenesis. The study primarily targets cardiovascular, respiratory, and hepatic non-AIDS comorbidity. Methods/design The Copenhagen comorbidity in HIV-infection (COCOMO study is an observational, longitudinal cohort study. The study was initiated in 2015 and recruitment is ongoing with the aim of including 1500 PLWHIV from the Copenhagen area. Follow-up examinations after 2 and 10 years are planned. Uninfected controls are derived from the Copenhagen General Population Study (CGPS, a cohort study including 100,000 uninfected participants from the same geographical region. Physiological and biological measures including blood pressure, ankle-brachial index, electrocardiogram, spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide, transient elastography of the liver, computed tomography (CT angiography of the heart, unenhanced CT of the chest and upper abdomen, and a number of routine biochemical analysis are uniformly collected in participants from the COCOMO study and the CGPS. Plasma, serum, buffy coat, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC, urine, and stool samples are collected in a biobank for future studies. Data will be updated through periodical linking to national databases. Discussion As life expectancy for PLWHIV improves, it is essential to study long-term impact of HIV and cART. We anticipate that findings from this cohort study will increase knowledge on non-AIDS comorbidity in PLWHIV and identify targets for future interventional trials. Recognizing the demographic

  10. HIV-1 transmission linkage in an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leitner, Thomas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Campbell, Mary S [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Mullins, James I [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Hughes, James P [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Wong, Kim G [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Raugi, Dana N [UNIV OF WASHINGTON; Scrensen, Stefanie [UNIV OF WASHINGTON

    2009-01-01

    HIV-1 sequencing has been used extensively in epidemiologic and forensic studies to investigate patterns of HIV-1 transmission. However, the criteria for establishing genetic linkage between HIV-1 strains in HIV-1 prevention trials have not been formalized. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (ClinicaITrials.gov NCT00194519) enrolled 3408 HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual African couples to determine the efficacy of genital herpes suppression with acyclovir in reducing HIV-1 transmission. The trial analysis required laboratory confirmation of HIV-1 linkage between enrolled partners in couples in which seroconversion occurred. Here we describe the process and results from HIV-1 sequencing studies used to perform transmission linkage determination in this clinical trial. Consensus Sanger sequencing of env (C2-V3-C3) and gag (p17-p24) genes was performed on plasma HIV-1 RNA from both partners within 3 months of seroconversion; env single molecule or pyrosequencing was also performed in some cases. For linkage, we required monophyletic clustering between HIV-1 sequences in the transmitting and seroconverting partners, and developed a Bayesian algorithm using genetic distances to evaluate the posterior probability of linkage of participants sequences. Adjudicators classified transmissions as linked, unlinked, or indeterminate. Among 151 seroconversion events, we found 108 (71.5%) linked, 40 (26.5%) unlinked, and 3 (2.0%) to have indeterminate transmissions. Nine (8.3%) were linked by consensus gag sequencing only and 8 (7.4%) required deep sequencing of env. In this first use of HIV-1 sequencing to establish endpoints in a large clinical trial, more than one-fourth of transmissions were unlinked to the enrolled partner, illustrating the relevance of these methods in the design of future HIV-1 prevention trials in serodiscordant couples. A hierarchy of sequencing techniques, analysis methods, and expert adjudication contributed to the linkage

  11. Characteristics of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 Dually Seropositive Adults in West Africa Presenting for Care and Antiretroviral Therapy: The IeDEA-West Africa HIV-2 Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekouevi, Didier K; Balestre, Eric; Coffie, Patrick A; Minta, Daouda; Messou, Eugene; Sawadogo, Adrien; Minga, Albert; Sow, Papa Salif; Bissagnene, Emmanuel; Eholie, Serge P; Gottlieb, Geoffrey S; Dabis, François; Zannou, Djimon Marcel; Ahouada, Carin; Akakpo, Jocelyn; Ahomadegbé, Christelle; Bashi, Jules; Gougounon-Houéto, Alice; Azon-Kouanou, Angèle; Houngbé, Fabien; Koumakpaï, Sikiratou; Alihonou, Florence; d'Almeida, Marcelline; Hodonou, Irvine; Hounhoui, Ghislaine; Sagbo, Gracien; Tossa-Bagnan, Leïla; Adjide, Herman; Drabo, Joseph; Bognounou, René; Dienderé, Arnaud; Traore, Eliezer; Zoungrana, Lassane; Zerbo, Béatrice; Sawadogo, Adrien Bruno; Zoungrana, Jacques; Héma, Arsène; Soré, Ibrahim; Bado, Guillaume; Tapsoba, Achille; Yé, Diarra; Kouéta, Fla; Ouedraogo, Sylvie; Ouédraogo, Rasmata; Hiembo, William; Gansonré, Mady; Messou, Eugène; Gnokoro, Joachim Charles; Koné, Mamadou; Kouakou, Guillaume Martial; Bosse, Clarisse Amani; Brou, Kouakou; Assi, Achi Isidore; Chenal, Henri; Hawerlander, Denise; Soppi, Franck; Minga, Albert; Abo, Yao; Bomisso, Germain; Eholié, Serge Paul; Amego, Mensah Deborah Noelly; Andavi, Viviane; Diallo, Zelica; Ello, Frédéric; Tanon, Aristophane Koffi; Koule, Serge Olivier; Anzan, Koffi Charles; Guehi, Calixte; Aka, Edmond Addi; Issouf, Koffi Ladji; Kouakou, Jean-Claude; N'gbeche, Marie-Sylvie; Touré, Pety; Avit-Edi, Divine; Kouakou, Kouadio; Moh, Magloire; Yao, Valérie Andoblé; Folquet, Madeleine Amorissani; Dainguy, Marie-Evelyne; Kouakou, Cyrille; Méa-Assande, Véronique Tanoh; Oka-Berete, Gladys; Zobo, Nathalie; Acquah, Patrick; Kokora, Marie-Berthe; Eboua, Tanoh François; Timité-Konan, Marguerite; Ahoussou, Lucrèce Diecket; Assouan, Julie Kebé; Sami, Mabéa Flora; Kouadio, Clémence; Renner, Lorna; Goka, Bamenla; Welbeck, Jennifer; Sackey, Adziri; Owiafe, Seth Ntiri; Wejse, Christian; Silva, Zacarias José Da; Paulo, Joao; Rodrigues, Amabelia; da Silva, David; Medina, Candida; Oliviera-Souto, Ines; Ostergaard, Lars; Laursen, Alex; Sodemann, Morten; Aaby, Peter; Fomsgaard, Anders; Erikstrup, Christian; Eugen-Olsen, Jesper; Maïga, Moussa Y; Diakité, Fatoumata Fofana; Kalle, Abdoulaye; Katile, Drissa; Traore, Hamar Alassane; Minta, Daouda; Cissé, Tidiani; Dembelé, Mamadou; Doumbia, Mohammed; Fomba, Mahamadou; Kaya, Assétou Soukho; Traoré, Abdoulaye M; Traoré, Hamady; Toure, Amadou Abathina; Dicko, Fatoumata; Sylla, Mariam; Berthé, Alima; Traoré, Hadizatou Coulibaly; Koïta, Anta; Koné, Niaboula; N'diaye, Clémentine; Coulibaly, Safiatou Touré; Traoré, Mamadou; Traoré, Naïchata; Charurat, Man; Ajayi, Samuel; Dapiap, Stephen; Otu; Igbinoba, Festus; Benson, Okwara; Adebamowo, Clément; James, Jesse; Obaseki; Osakede, Philip; Olasode, John; Sow, Papa Salif; Diop, Bernard; Manga, Noël Magloire; Tine, Judicael Malick; Signate Sy, Haby; Ba, Abou; Diagne, Aida; Dior, Hélène; Faye, Malick; Gueye, Ramatoulaye Diagne; Mbaye, Aminata Diack; Patassi, Akessiwe; Kotosso, Awèrou; Kariyare, Benjamin Goilibe; Gbadamassi, Gafarou; Komi, Agbo; Mensah-Zukong, Kankoé Edem; Pakpame, Pinuwe; Lawson-Evi, Annette Koko; Atakouma, Yawo; Takassi, Elom; Djeha, Améyo; Ephoévi-Gah, Ayoko; Djibril, Sherifa El-Hadj; Dabis, François; Bissagnene, Emmanuel; Arrivé, Elise; Coffie, Patrick; Ekouevi, Didier; Jaquet, Antoine; Leroy, Valériane; Lewden, Charlotte; Sasco, Annie; Azani, Jean-Claude; Allou, Gérard; Balestre, Eric; Bohossou, Franck; Karcher, Sophie; Gonsan, Jules Mahan; Carrou, Jérôme Le; Lenaud, Séverin; Nchot, Célestin; Malateste, Karen; Yao, Amon Roseamonde; Siloué, Bertine; Clouet, Gwenaelle; Djetouan, Hugues; Doring, Alexandra; Kouakou, Adrienne; Rabourdin, Elodie; Rivenc, Jean; Anglaret, Xavier; Ba, Boubacar; Essanin, Jean Bosco; Ciaranello, Andrea; Datté, Sébastien; Desmonde, Sophie; Diby, Jean-Serge Elvis; Gottlieb, Geoffrey S; Horo, Apollinaire Gninlgninrin; Kangah, Serge N'zoré; Malvy, Denis; Meless, David; Mounkaila-Harouna, Aida; Ndondoki, Camille; Shiboski, Caroline; Thiébaut, Rodolphe; Pac-Ci; Abidjan

    2013-01-01

    HIV-2 is endemic in West Africa. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis, management and antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-2 or HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infections. Because of these issues, we designed a West African collaborative cohort for HIV-2 infection within the framework of the International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA). We collected data on all HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dually seropositive patients (both ARV-naive and starting ART) and followed-up in clinical centres in the IeDEA-WA network including a total of 13 clinics in five countries: Benin, Burkina-Faso Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal, in the West Africa region. Data was merged for 1,754 patients (56% female), including 1,021 HIV-2 infected patients (551 on ART) and 733 dually seropositive for both HIV-1 and HIV 2 (463 on ART). At ART initiation, the median age of HIV-2 patients was 45.3 years, IQR: (38.3-51.7) and 42.4 years, IQR (37.0-47.3) for dually seropositive patients (p = 0.048). Overall, 16.7% of HIV-2 patients on ART had an advanced clinical stage (WHO IV or CDC-C). The median CD4 count at the ART initiation is 166 cells/mm(3), IQR (83-247) among HIV-2 infected patients and 146 cells/mm(3), IQR (55-249) among dually seropositive patients. Overall, in ART-treated patients, the CD4 count increased 126 cells/mm(3) after 24 months on ART for HIV-2 patients and 169 cells/mm(3) for dually seropositive patients. Of 551 HIV-2 patients on ART, 5.8% died and 10.2% were lost to follow-up during the median time on ART of 2.4 years, IQR (0.7-4.3). This large multi-country study of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infection in West Africa suggests that routine clinical care is less than optimal and that management and treatment of HIV-2 could be further informed by ongoing studies and randomized clinical trials in this population.

  12. Characteristics of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 Dually Seropositive Adults in West Africa Presenting for Care and Antiretroviral Therapy: The IeDEA-West Africa HIV-2 Cohort Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Didier K Ekouevi

    Full Text Available HIV-2 is endemic in West Africa. There is a lack of evidence-based guidelines on the diagnosis, management and antiretroviral therapy (ART for HIV-2 or HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infections. Because of these issues, we designed a West African collaborative cohort for HIV-2 infection within the framework of the International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA.We collected data on all HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dually seropositive patients (both ARV-naive and starting ART and followed-up in clinical centres in the IeDEA-WA network including a total of 13 clinics in five countries: Benin, Burkina-Faso Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal, in the West Africa region.Data was merged for 1,754 patients (56% female, including 1,021 HIV-2 infected patients (551 on ART and 733 dually seropositive for both HIV-1 and HIV 2 (463 on ART. At ART initiation, the median age of HIV-2 patients was 45.3 years, IQR: (38.3-51.7 and 42.4 years, IQR (37.0-47.3 for dually seropositive patients (p = 0.048. Overall, 16.7% of HIV-2 patients on ART had an advanced clinical stage (WHO IV or CDC-C. The median CD4 count at the ART initiation is 166 cells/mm(3, IQR (83-247 among HIV-2 infected patients and 146 cells/mm(3, IQR (55-249 among dually seropositive patients. Overall, in ART-treated patients, the CD4 count increased 126 cells/mm(3 after 24 months on ART for HIV-2 patients and 169 cells/mm(3 for dually seropositive patients. Of 551 HIV-2 patients on ART, 5.8% died and 10.2% were lost to follow-up during the median time on ART of 2.4 years, IQR (0.7-4.3.This large multi-country study of HIV-2 and HIV-1/HIV-2 dual infection in West Africa suggests that routine clinical care is less than optimal and that management and treatment of HIV-2 could be further informed by ongoing studies and randomized clinical trials in this population.

  13. High HIV Prevalence, Suboptimal HIV Testing, and Low Knowledge of HIV-Positive Serostatus Among Injection Drug Users in St. Petersburg, Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toussova, Olga V.; Verevochkin, Sergei V.; Barbour, Russell; Heimer, Robert; Kozlov, Andrei P.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this analysis was to estimate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence and testing patterns among injection drug users (IDUs) in St. Petersburg, Russia. HIV prevalence among 387 IDUs in the sample was 50%. Correlates of HIV-positive serostatus included unemployment, recent unsafe injections, and history/current sexually transmitted infection. Seventy-six percent had been HIV tested, but only 22% of those who did not report HIV-positive serostatus had been tested in the past 12 months and received their test result. Correlates of this measure included recent doctor visit and having been in prison or jail among men. Among the 193 HIV-infected participants, 36% were aware of their HIV-positive serostatus. HIV prevalence is high and continuing to increase in this population. Adequate coverage of HIV testing has not been achieved, resulting in poor knowledge of positive serostatus. Efforts are needed to better understand motivating and deterring factors for HIV testing in this setting. PMID:18843531

  14. [Anatomy and pathogenesis of diverticular disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedel, T; Böttner, M

    2014-04-01

    Although diverticular disease is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal disorders the pathogenesis is not yet sufficiently clarified. The aim is to define the anatomy and pathogenesis of diverticular disease considering the risk factors and description of structural and functional alterations of the bowel wall. This article gives an appraisal of the literature, presentation and evaluation of classical etiological factors, analysis and discussion of novel pathogenetic concepts. Colonic diverticulosis is defined as an acquired out-pouching of multiple and initially asymptomatic pseudodiverticula through muscular gaps in the colon wall. Diverticular disease is characterized by diverticular bleeding and/or inflammatory processes (diverticulitis) with corresponding complications (e.g. abscess formation, fistula, covered and open perforation, peritonitis and stenosis). Risk factors for diverticular disease include increasing age, genetic predisposition, congenital connective tissue diseases, low fiber diet, high meat consumption and pronounced overweight. Alterations of connective tissue cause a weakening of preformed exit sites of diverticula and rigidity of the bowel wall with reduced flexibility. It is assumed that intestinal innervation disorders and structural alterations of the musculature induce abnormal contractile patterns with increased intraluminal pressure, thereby promoting the development of diverticula. Moreover, an increased release of pain-mediating neurotransmitters is considered to be responsible for persistent pain in chronic diverticular disease. According to the present data the pathogenesis of diverticular disease cannot be attributed to a single factor but should be considered as a multifactorial event.

  15. True Grit: In Tracking down the Real Story of a Legendary Hero of the Old West, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson also Nabbed the Coretta Scott King Award

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleishhacker, Joy

    2010-01-01

    When Vaunda Micheaux Nelson donned a black Stetson to become the biographer of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, she had no idea that her square-shooting book about an unsung African-American hero of the Old West would win over a posse of fans and earn her the prestigious 2010 Coretta Scott King (CSK) Author Award. "Bad News for Outlaws"…

  16. HIV Structural Database

    Science.gov (United States)

    SRD 102 HIV Structural Database (Web, free access)   The HIV Protease Structural Database is an archive of experimentally determined 3-D structures of Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1), Human Immunodeficiency Virus 2 (HIV-2) and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) Proteases and their complexes with inhibitors or products of substrate cleavage.

  17. Understanding Anaplasmataceae pathogenesis using ‘Omics’ approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ludovic ePruneau

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines how Omics approaches improve our understanding of Anaplasmataceae pathogenesis, through a global and integrative strategy to identify genes and proteins involved in biochemical pathways key for pathogen-host-vector interactions.The Anaplasmataceae family comprises obligate intracellular bacteria mainly transmitted by arthropods. These bacteria are responsible for major human and animal endemic and emerging infectious diseases with important economic and public health impacts. In order to improve disease control strategies, it is essential to better understand their pathogenesis. Our work focused on four Anaplasmataceae, which cause important animal, human and zoonotic diseases: Anaplasma marginale, A. phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and E. ruminantium. Wolbachia spp. an endosymbiont of arthropods was also included in this review as a model of a non-pathogenic Anaplasmataceae.A gap analysis on Omics approaches on Anaplasmataceae was performed, which highlighted a lack of studies on the genes and proteins involved in the infection of hosts and vectors. Furthermore, most of the studies have been done on the pathogen itself, mainly on infectious free-living forms and rarely on intracellular forms. In order to perform a transcriptomic analysis of the intracellular stage of development, researchers developed methods to enrich bacterial transcripts from infected cells. These methods are described in this paper. Bacterial genes encoding outer membrane proteins, post-translational modifications, eukaryotic repeated motif proteins, proteins involved in osmotic and oxidative stress and hypothetical proteins have been identified to play a key role in Anaplasmataceae pathogenesis. Further investigations on the function of these outer membrane proteins and hypothetical proteins will be essential to confirm their role in the pathogenesis. Our work underlines the need for further studies in this domain and on host and vector responses

  18. Deviations of the lepton mapping matrix form the harrison-perkins-scott form

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friedberg, R.; Lee, T.D.

    2010-01-01

    We propose a simple set of hypotheses governing the deviations of the leptonic mapping matrix from the Harrison-Perkins-Scott (HPS) form. These deviations are supposed to arise entirely from a perturbation of the mass matrix in the charged lepton sector. The perturbing matrix is assumed to be purely imaginary (thus maximally T-violating) and to have a strength in energy scale no greater (but perhaps smaller) than the muon mass. As we shall show,it then follows that the absolute value of the mapping matrix elements pertaining to the tau lepton deviate by no more than O((m μ /m τ ) 2 ) ≅ 3.5 x 10 -3 from their HPS values. Assuming that(m μ /m τ ) 2 can be neglected, we derive two simple constraints on the four parameters θ12, θ23, θ31, and δ of the mapping matrix. These constraints are independent of the details of the imaginary T-violating perturbation of the charged lepton mass matrix. We also show that the e and μ parts of the mapping matrix have a definite form governed by two parameters α and β; any deviation of order m μ /m τ can be accommodated by adjusting these two parameters. (authors)

  19. Osmotin, a Pathogenesis-Related Protein

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Viktorová, J.; Krásný, Lukáš; Kamlar, M.; Nováková, M.; Macková, M.; Macek, T.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 7 (2012), s. 672-681 ISSN 1389-2037 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GAP501/11/1654; GA ČR(CZ) GA522/09/1693 Program:GA; GA Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : osmotin * pathogenesis-related proteins * antifungal activity Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 2.326, year: 2012

  20. Nosocomial infections in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    One HIV-infected child died of varicella pneumonia. Other common nosocomial infections encountered in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children respectively were upper respiratory tract infections (pharyngitis, tonsillitis or rhinitis) affecting 21 and four, otitis media in five and one, oral candidiasis in seven and zero, urinary ...

  1. Metabolic health across the BMI spectrum in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lake, Jordan E; Li, Xiuhong; Palella, Frank J; Erlandson, Kristine M; Wiley, Dorothy; Kingsley, Lawrence; Jacobson, Lisa P; Brown, Todd T

    2018-01-02

    In the general population, metabolic health often declines as BMI increases. However, some obese individuals maintain metabolic health. HIV and antiretroviral therapy have been associated with metabolic disturbances. We hypothesized that HIV-infected (HIV) men on suppressive antiretroviral therapy experience less metabolic health than HIV-uninfected (HIV) men across all BMI categories. In a cross-sectional analysis of 1018 HIV and 1092 HIV men enrolled in the multicenter AIDS cohort study, Poisson regression with robust variance determined associations between HIV serostatus and metabolic health prevalence (defined as meeting ≤2 of 5 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III metabolic syndrome criteria), adjusting for age, race, BMI category, smoking, and hepatitis C virus infection status. HIV men were younger (54 vs. 59 years) and had lower median BMI (25 vs. 27 kg/m). Nonobese HIV men had lower metabolic health prevalence than HIV men (BMI ≤25 kg/m: 80 vs. 94%, P BMI 25-29 kg/m: 64 vs. 71%, P = 0.05), but metabolic health prevalence among obese men did not differ by HIV serostatus (BMI 30-34 kg/m: 35 vs. 39%, P = 0.48; BMI ≥35 kg/m: 27 vs. 25%, P = 0.79). In the adjusted model, nonobese HIV men were less likely to demonstrate metabolic health than nonobese HIV men. Among HIV men, per year darunavir, zidovudine, and stavudine use were associated with lower metabolic health likelihood. Metabolically healthy obesity prevalence does not differ by HIV serostatus. However, among nonobese men, HIV infection is associated with lower metabolic health prevalence, with associations between lack of metabolic health and darunavir and thymidine analog nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor exposure observed.

  2. Indikatorsygdomme for hiv-infektion

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Birgitte Rønde; Andersen, Åse Bengård; Koch, Anders

    2015-01-01

    The mortality of HIV-infected patients in Denmark approaches that of the background population. Still, half of the HIV-infected patients are diagnosed late, resulting in poorer response to therapy, larger cost and greater transmission rate. A pan-European initiative, "HIV in Europe" has published...... a guideline on indicator-based HIV testing in order to improve early HIV diagnosis. The Danish Society of Infectious Diseases wishes to highlight the importance of indicator-based HIV testing, in order to improve the possibility of early diagnosis and therapy of HIV-infection....

  3. Targeting cFMS signaling to restore immune function and eradicate HIV reservoirs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerngross, Lindsey

    -associated CNS injury and AIDS pathogenesis. Through immunohistochemical studies using a relevant animal model of HIV infection, SIV infected rhesus macaques, we reported the presence of M-CSF and IL-34 in the brains of seronegative and SIV+ animals, for the first time, and identified spatial differences in the expression of these ligands. Important to our interest in viral persistence in the CNS, we observed the predominance of M-CSF expression in brain to be by cells that comprise perivascular cuffs and nodular lesions, which contain monocytes/ macrophages that have migrated into the CNS. IL-34 appeared to be a tissue-specific ligand expressed by resident microglia. Like M-CSF, we found that IL-34 also increased the frequency of CD16 +CD163+ monocytes in vitro. We further investigated the potential of cFMS inhibition as a means to abrogate macrophage-2-like immune polarization using the small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), GW2580. The addition of GW2580 abolished cFMS ligand-mediated increases in CD16+CD163+ monocyte frequency in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as well as virus production in HIV infected primary human microglia. Furthermore, we found cFMS-mediated upregulation of CD16 and CD163 to be relevant to an additional disease process, high-grade astrocytomas, suggesting that M-CSF and IL-34 may be mediators of other neuroinflammatory diseases, as well. We hope these findings will provide insight into the role of altered monocyte/macrophage homeostasis in HIV disease and identify a novel strategy for targeting long-lived cellular reservoirs of HIV infection through restored immune homeostasis.

  4. Performance evaluation of the Bio-Rad Laboratories GS HIV Combo Ag/Ab EIA, a 4th generation HIV assay for the simultaneous detection of HIV p24 antigen and antibodies to HIV-1 (groups M and O) and HIV-2 in human serum or plasma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentsen, Christopher; McLaughlin, Lisa; Mitchell, Elizabeth; Ferrera, Carol; Liska, Sally; Myers, Robert; Peel, Sheila; Swenson, Paul; Gadelle, Stephane; Shriver, M Kathleen

    2011-12-01

    A multi-center study was conducted to evaluate the Bio-Rad GS HIV Combo Ag/Ab EIA, a 4th generation HIV-1/HIV-2 assay for the simultaneous detection of HIV p24 antigen and antibodies to HIV-1 (groups M and O) and HIV-2 in human serum or plasma in adult and pediatric populations. The objectives of the study were to assess assay performance for the detection of acute HIV infections; sensitivity in known HIV positive samples; percent agreement with HIV status; specificity in low and high risk individuals of unknown HIV status; and to compare assay performance to a 3rd generation HIV assay. The evaluation included testing 9150 samples at four U.S. clinical trial sites, using three kit lots. Unlinked samples were from routine testing, repositories or purchased from vendors. GS HIV Combo Ag/Ab EIA detection in samples from individuals in two separate populations with acute HIV infection was 95.2% (20/21) and 86.4% (38/44). Sensitivity was 100% (1603/1603) in known antibody positive [HIV-1 Groups M and O, and HIV-2] samples. HIV p24 antigen detection was 100% (53/53) in HIV-1 culture supernatants. HIV-1 seroconversion panel detection improved by a range of 0-20 days compared to a 3rd generation HIV test. Specificity was 99.9% (5989/5996) in low risk, 99.9% (959/960) in high risk and 100% (100/100) in pediatric populations. The GS HIV Combo Ag/Ab EIA significantly reduced the diagnostic window when compared to the 3rd generation screening assay, enabling earlier diagnosis of HIV infection. The performance parameters of the Bio-Rad GS HIV Combo Ag/Ab EIA are well suited for use in HIV diagnostic settings. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. New HIV Testing Algorithm: Promising Tool in the Fight Against HIV

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2016-09-21

    In this podcast, CDC’s Dr. Phil Peters discusses the new HIV testing algorithm and how this latest technology can improve the diagnosis of acute HIV infection. Early detection of HIV is critical to saving lives, getting patients into treatment, and preventing transmission.  Created: 9/21/2016 by National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), • Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP).   Date Released: 9/21/2016.

  6. Obesity Exposure Across the Lifespan on Ovarian Cancer Pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-08-01

    exposure to the HFD or LFD, obese mice weighed significantly greater than lean mice (p=0.003, Table 1). There was no effect of HFD on non- fasted blood...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0164 TITLE: Obesity Exposure Across the Lifespan on Ovarian Cancer Pathogenesis PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Victoria Bae...31 May 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Obesity Exposure Across the Lifespan on Ovarian Cancer Pathogenesis 5b. GRANT NUMBER

  7. T cell-dependence of Lassa fever pathogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lukas Flatz

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Lassa virus (LASV, the causative agent of Lassa fever (LF, is endemic in West Africa, accounting for substantial morbidity and mortality. In spite of ongoing research efforts, LF pathogenesis and mechanisms of LASV immune control remain poorly understood. While normal laboratory mice are resistant to LASV, we report that mice expressing humanized instead of murine MHC class I (MHC-I failed to control LASV infection and develop severe LF. Infection of MHC-I knockout mice confirmed a key role for MHC-I-restricted T cell responses in controlling LASV. Intriguingly we found that T cell depletion in LASV-infected HHD mice prevented disease, irrespective of high-level viremia. Widespread activation of monocyte/macrophage lineage cells, manifest through inducible NO synthase expression, and elevated IL-12p40 serum levels indicated a systemic inflammatory condition. The absence of extensive monocyte/macrophage activation in T cell-depleted mice suggested that T cell responses contribute to deleterious innate inflammatory reactions and LF pathogenesis. Our observations in mice indicate a dual role for T cells, not only protecting from LASV, but also enhancing LF pathogenesis. The possibility of T cell-driven enhancement and immunopathogenesis should be given consideration in future LF vaccine development.

  8. Fluctuations in Blood Marginal Zone B-Cell Frequencies May Reflect Migratory Patterns Associated with HIV-1 Disease Progression Status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauvin, Julie; Chagnon-Choquet, Josiane; Poudrier, Johanne; Roger, Michel

    2016-01-01

    We have previously shown that overexpression of BLyS/BAFF was associated with increased relative frequencies of innate "precursor" marginal zone (MZ)-like B-cells in the blood of HIV-1-infected rapid and classic progressors. However, along with relatively normal BLyS/BAFF expression levels, these cells remain unaltered in elite-controllers (EC), rather, percentages of more mature MZ-like B-cells are decreased in the blood of these individuals. Fluctuations in frequencies of blood MZ-like B-cell populations may reflect migratory patterns associated with disease progression status, suggesting an important role for these cells in HIV-1 pathogenesis. We have therefore longitudinally measured plasma levels of B-tropic chemokines by ELISA-based technology as well as their ligands by flow-cytometry on blood B-cell populations of HIV-1-infected individuals with different rates of disease progression and uninfected controls. Migration potential of B-cell populations from these individuals were determined by chemotaxis assays. We found important modulations of CXCL13-CXCR5, CXCL12-CXCR4/CXCR7, CCL20-CCR6 and CCL25-CCR9 chemokine-axes and increased cell migration patterns in HIV progressors. Interestingly, frequencies of CCR6 expressing cells were significantly elevated within the precursor MZ-like population, consistent with increased migration in response to CCL20. Although we found little modulation of chemokine-axes in EC, cell migration was greater than that observed for uninfected controls, especially for MZ-like B-cells. Overall the immune response against HIV-1 may involve recruitment of MZ-like B-cells to peripheral sites. Moreover, our findings suggest that "regulated" attraction of these cells in a preserved BLyS/BAFF non-inflammatory environment, such as encountered in EC could be beneficial to the battle and even control of HIV.

  9. HIV Stigma and Unhealthy Alcohol Use Among People Living with HIV in Russia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lunze, Karsten; Lioznov, Dmitry; Cheng, Debbie M; Nikitin, Ruslan V; Coleman, Sharon M; Bridden, Carly; Blokhina, Elena; Krupitsky, Evgeny; Samet, Jeffrey H

    2017-09-01

    Unhealthy alcohol use, highly prevalent in the Russian Federation (Russia), is associated with HIV risk behaviors among people living with HIV (PLWH). HIV stigma contributes to the HIV risk environment in Russia. To examine HIV stigma among Russian PLWH and to explore its association with unhealthy alcohol use, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of 700 PLWH in St. Petersburg, Russia. We assessed the association between alcohol dependence and HIV stigma measured at baseline and 12 months follow-up. Participants with alcohol dependence (n = 446) reported significantly higher HIV stigma scores over time than those without dependence (n = 254) (adjusted mean difference 0.60, 95% CI 0.03-1.17; p = 0.04). In secondary analyses, we examined recent risky alcohol use and did not detect an association with HIV stigma. Alcohol dependence is associated with high HIV stigma among Russian PLWH but the nature of the association is conjectural. HIV prevention efforts in Russia that address alcohol use disorders hold potential to mitigate HIV-related stigma and its possible adverse effects among PLWH.

  10. Anti-HIV Antibody Responses and the HIV Reservoir Size during Antiretroviral Therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sulggi A Lee

    Full Text Available A major challenge to HIV eradication strategies is the lack of an accurate measurement of the total burden of replication-competent HIV (the "reservoir". We assessed the association of anti-HIV antibody responses and the estimated size of the reservoir during antiretroviral therapy (ART.We evaluated anti-HIV antibody profiles using luciferase immunoprecipitation systems (LIPS assay in relation to several blood-based HIV reservoir measures: total and 2-LTR DNA (rtPCR or droplet digital PCR; integrated DNA (Alu PCR; unspliced RNA (rtPCR, multiply-spliced RNA (TILDA, residual plasma HIV RNA (single copy PCR, and replication-competent virus (outgrowth assay. We also assessed total HIV DNA and RNA in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (rtPCR. Spearman correlations and linear regressions were performed using log-transformed blood- or tissue-based reservoir measurements as predictors and log-transformed antibody levels as outcome variables.Among 51 chronically HIV-infected ART-suppressed participants (median age = 57, nadir CD4+ count = 196 cells/mm3, ART duration = 9 years, the most statistically significant associations were between antibody responses to integrase and HIV RNA in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (1.17 fold-increase per two-fold RNA increase, P = 0.004 and between antibody responses to matrix and integrated HIV DNA in resting CD4+ T cells (0.35 fold-decrease per two-fold DNA increase, P = 0.003. However, these associations were not statistically significant after a stringent Bonferroni-adjustment of P<0.00045. Multivariate models including age and duration of ART did not markedly alter results.Our findings suggest that anti-HIV antibody responses may reflect the size of the HIV reservoir during chronic treated HIV disease, possibly via antigen recognition in reservoir sites. Larger, prospective studies are needed to validate the utility of antibody levels as a measure of the total body burden of HIV during treatment.

  11. Binding of HIV-1 gp120 to DC-SIGN promotes ASK-1-dependent activation-induced apoptosis of human dendritic cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongxiong Chen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available During disease progression to AIDS, HIV-1 infected individuals become increasingly immunosuppressed and susceptible to opportunistic infections. It has also been demonstrated that multiple subsets of dendritic cells (DC, including DC-SIGN⁺ cells, become significantly depleted in the blood and lymphoid tissues of AIDS patients, which may contribute to the failure in initiating effective host immune responses. The mechanism for DC depletion, however, is unclear. It is also known that vast quantities of viral envelope protein gp120 are shed from maturing HIV-1 virions and form circulating immune complexes in the serum of HIV-1-infected individuals, but the pathological role of gp120 in HIV-1 pathogenesis remains elusive. Here we describe a previously unrecognized mechanism of DC death in chronic HIV-1 infection, in which ligation of DC-SIGN by gp120 sensitizes DC to undergo accelerated apoptosis in response to a variety of activation stimuli. The cultured monocyte-derived DC and also freshly-isolated DC-SIGN⁺ blood DC that were exposed to either cross-linked recombinant gp120 or immune-complex gp120 in HIV⁺ serum underwent considerable apoptosis after CD40 ligation or exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS or pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα and IL-1β. Furthermore, circulating DC-SIGN⁺ DC that were isolated directly from HIV-1⁺ individuals had actually been pre-sensitized by serum gp120 for activation-induced exorbitant apoptosis. In all cases the DC apoptosis was substantially inhibited by DC-SIGN blockade. Finally, we showed that accelerated DC apoptosis was a direct consequence of excessive activation of the pro-apoptotic molecule ASK-1 and transfection of siRNA against ASK-1 significantly prevented the activation-induced excessive DC death. Our study discloses a previously unknown mechanism of immune modulation by envelope protein gp120, provides new insights into HIV immunopathogenesis, and suggests potential

  12. Psychiatric disorders, HIV infection and HIV/hepatitis co-infection in the correctional setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baillargeon, J G; Paar, D P; Wu, H; Giordano, T P; Murray, O; Raimer, B G; Avery, E N; Diamond, P M; Pulvino, J S

    2008-01-01

    Psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression have long been associated with risk behaviors for HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). The US prison population is reported to have elevated rates of HIV, hepatitis and most psychiatric disorders. This study examined the association of six major psychiatric disorders with HIV mono-infection, HIV/HCV co-infection and HIV/HBV co-infection in one of the nation's largest prison populations. The study population consisted of 370,511 Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates who were incarcerated for any duration between January 1, 2003 and July 1, 2006. Information on medical conditions and sociodemographic factors was obtained from an institution-wide electronic medical information system. Offenders diagnosed with HIV mono-infection, HIV/HCV, HIV/HBV and all HIV combined exhibited elevated rates of major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, non-schizophrenic psychotic disorder and any psychiatric disorder. In comparison to offenders with HIV mono-infection, those with HIV/HCV co-infection had an elevated prevalence of any psychiatric disorder. This cross-sectional study's finding of positive associations between psychiatric disease and both HIV infection and hepatitis co-infection among Texas prison inmates holds both clinical and public health relevance. It will be important for future investigations to examine the extent to which psychiatric disorders serve as a barrier to medical care, communication with clinicians and adherence to prescribed medical regimens among both HIV-mono-infected and HIV/hepatitis-co-infected inmates.

  13. HIV Stigma and Social Capital in Women Living With HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuca, Yvette P; Asher, Alice; Okonsky, Jennifer; Kaihura, Alphoncina; Dawson-Rose, Carol; Webel, Allison

    Women living with HIV (WLWH) continue to experience HIV-related stigma. Social capital is one resource that could mitigate HIV stigma. Our cross-sectional study examined associations between social capital and HIV-related stigma in 135 WLWH in the San Francisco Bay Area. The mean age of study participants was 48 years; 60% were African American; 29% had less than a high school education; and 19% were employed. Age was significantly associated with perceived HIV stigma (p = .001), but total social capital was not. Women with lower Value of Life social capital scores had significantly higher total stigma scores (p = .010) and higher Negative Self-image stigma scores (p = .001). Women who felt less valued in their social worlds may have been more likely to perceive HIV stigma, which could have negative health consequences. This work begins to elucidate the possible relationships between social capital and perceived HIV stigma. Copyright © 2016 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Eosinophils in vasculitis: characteristics and roles in pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoury, Paneez; Grayson, Peter C.; Klion, Amy D.

    2016-01-01

    Eosinophils are multifunctional granular leukocytes that are implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disorders, including asthma, helminth infection, and rare hypereosinophilic syndromes. Although peripheral and tissue eosinophilia can be a feature of many types of small-vessel and medium-vessel vasculitis, the role of eosinophils has been best studied in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), where eosinophils are a characteristic finding in all three clinical stages of the disorder. Whereas numerous studies have demonstrated an association between the presence of eosinophils and markers of eosinophil activation in the blood and tissues of patients with EGPA, the precise role of eosinophils in disease pathogenesis has been difficult to ascertain owing to the complexity of the disease process. In this regard, results of clinical trials using novel agents that specifically target eosinophils are providing the first direct evidence of a central role of eosinophils in EGPA. This Review focuses on the aspects of eosinophil biology most relevant to the pathogenesis of vasculitis and provides an update of current knowledge regarding the role of eosinophils in EGPA and other vasculitides. PMID:25003763

  15. HIV-1 Tat reduces nephrin in human podocytes: a potential mechanism for enhanced glomerular permeability in HIV-associated nephropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doublier, Sophie; Zennaro, Cristina; Spatola, Tiziana; Lupia, Enrico; Bottelli, Antonella; Deregibus, Maria Chiara; Carraro, Michele; Conaldi, Pier Giulio; Camussi, Giovanni

    2007-02-19

    To determine whether HIV-1 Tat may directly alter glomerular permeability in HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). Heavy proteinuria is a hallmark of HIVAN. The slit diaphragm is the ultimate glomerular filtration barrier critical for maintaining the efficiency of the ultrafiltration unit of the kidney. In this study, we evaluated the direct effect of Tat protein on the permeability of isolated glomeruli and on the expression of nephrin, the main slit diaphragm component, by human cultured podocytes. Permeability was studied by measuring the permeability to albumin in isolated rat glomeruli. We also evaluated the expression of nephrin in human cultured podocytes by using immunofluorescence and Western blot. We found that Tat increased albumin permeability in isolated glomeruli, and rapidly induced the redistribution and loss of nephrin in cultured podocytes. Pretreatment of glomeruli and podocytes with blocking antibodies showed that Tat reduced nephrin expression by engaging vascular endothelial growth factor receptors types 2 and 3 and the integrin alphavbeta3. Pre-incubation of podocytes with two platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor antagonists prevented the loss and redistribution of nephrin induced by Tat, suggesting that PAF is an intracellular mediator of Tat action. Tat induced a rapid PAF synthesis by podocytes. When podocytes transfected to overexpress PAF-acetylhydrolase, the main catabolic enzyme of PAF, were stimulated with Tat, the redistribution and loss of nephrin was abrogated. The present results define a mechanism by which Tat may reduce nephrin expression in podocytes, thus increasing glomerular permeability. This provides new insights in the understanding of HIVAN pathogenesis.

  16. Get Tested for HIV

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... AIDS: What is HIV/AIDS? Women and HIV/AIDS Next section ... Tested? Why do I need to get tested for HIV? The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Many people with HIV don’t have any symptoms. In the United States, about 1 in 7 ...

  17. An Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitor in a Patient with HIV and HCV: A Case Presentation and Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. B. Zeichner

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Despite its low incidence, acquired factor VIII inhibitor is the most common autoantibody affecting the clotting cascade. The exact mechanism of acquisition remains unclear, but postpartum patients, those with autoimmune conditions or malignancies, and those with exposure to particular drugs appear most susceptible. There have been several case reports describing acquired FVIII inhibitors in patients receiving interferon alpha for HCV treatment and in patients being treated for HIV. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a patient with HCV and HIV who was not actively receiving treatment for either condition. Case Presentation. A 57-year-old Caucasian male with a history of HIV and HCV was admitted to our hospital for a several day history of progressively worsening right thigh bruising and generalized weakness. CTA of the abdominal arteries revealed large bilateral retroperitoneal hematomas. Laboratory studies revealed the presence of a high titer FVIII inhibitor. Conclusion. Our case of a very rare condition highlights the importance of recognizing and understanding the diagnosis of acquired FVIII inhibitor. Laboratory research and clinical data on the role of newer agents are needed in order to better characterize disease pathogenesis, disease associations, genetic markers, and optimal disease management.

  18. HIV Prevention

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2012-02-01

    Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, talks about steps people can take to protect their health from HIV.  Created: 2/1/2012 by National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP).   Date Released: 2/1/2012.

  19. Bone mineral density abnormalities in HIV infected patients and HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bone mineral density abnormalities in HIV infected patients and HIV ... Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC) and a HIV negative control group seen at the ... Older patients had lower levels of BMD (i.e. more negative BMD. p-value = 0.032).

  20. Reviewing independent access to HIV testing, counselling and treatment for adolescents in HIV-specific laws in sub-Saharan Africa: implications for the HIV response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eba, Patrick M.; Lim, HyeYoung

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: AIDS is a leading cause of death among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, legal, policy and social barriers continue to restrict their access to HIV services. In recent years, access to independent HIV testing and treatment for adolescents has gained increased attention. The 2013 WHO Guidance on HIV testing and counselling and care for adolescents living with HIV (WHO Guidance) calls for reviewing legal and regulatory frameworks to facilitate adolescents’ access to comprehensive HIV services. As of 31 March 2017, some 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have adopted HIV-specific legislation. But there is limited understanding of the provisions of these laws on access to HIV services for adolescents and their implication on efforts to scale up HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care among this population. Methods: A desk review of 28 HIV-specific laws in sub-Saharan Africa complemented with the review of HIV testing policies in four countries using human rights norms and key public health recommendations from the 2013 WHO Guidance. These recommendations call on countries to (i) lower the age of consent to HIV testing and counselling and allow mature adolescents who have not reached the age of consent to independently access HIV testing, (ii) ensure access to HIV counselling for adolescents, (iii) protect the confidentiality of adolescents living with HIV and (iv) facilitate access to HIV treatment for adolescents living with HIV. Results: Most HIV-specific laws fail to take into account human rights principles and public health recommendations for facilitating adolescents’ access to HIV services. None of the countries with HIV-specific laws has adopted all four recommendations for access to HIV services for adolescents. Discrepancies exist between HIV laws and national policy documents. Inadequate and conflicting provisions in HIV laws are likely to hinder access to HIV testing, counselling and treatment for adolescents