The inhibitory effects of alcohol on hepatic growth in adults raises the possibility that the liver may be involved in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in infants. To test this hypothesis, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed liquid diets... more
The inhibitory effects of alcohol on hepatic growth in adults raises the possibility that the liver may be involved in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in infants. To test this hypothesis, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed liquid diets containing either ethanol as 36% of the total calories, or were allowed ad libitum feeding of a control liquid diet (controls) throughout pregnancy. Other dams were exposed to the ethanol diet only during the first or last half of pregnancy. Pups delivered of dams exposed to the various diets (N = 40-45/group) were killed at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days of age. In addition to brain weights, crown-rump lengths, and facial features, the following parameters of liver development were documented; liver weight, liver/body weight ratio, liver histology, hepatic ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC), hepatic protein content, and rate of hepatic DNA synthesis (as determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation). The results revealed that pups exposed to ethanol throughout...
Research Interests: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, DNA, Growth Hormone, Pregnancy, Liver, and 15 moreFemale, Animals, Facial Features, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Animal Model, Clinical Sciences, mRna expression levels, Rats, Growth Hormone Receptor, Body Weight, Rat Model, Liver Disease, Control Group, Insulin Like Growth Factor, and Dna Synthesis
Because chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) may have a role in pulmonary immune response, we explored whether patients with severe pandemic (H1N1) 2009 were more likely to carry the CCR5Δ32 allele than were members of the general population. We... more
Because chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) may have a role in pulmonary immune response, we explored whether patients with severe pandemic (H1N1) 2009 were more likely to carry the CCR5Δ32 allele than were members of the general population. We found a large proportion of heterozygosity for the CCR5Δ32 allele among white patients with severe disease.
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Research Interests:
Research Interests: Microbiology, Immune response, Medical Microbiology, Virology, Innate immunity, and 17 moreGene expression, Quantitative PCR, HIV, Humans, Prostitution, Female, NF-kappa B, Insulin signaling, Hiv Infection, Sex Workers, Risk factors, Human immunodeficiency virus, Risk Factors, Gene Expression Analysis, Female Sex Workers, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and Gene expression profiling
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Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Background: Rebound hepatitis is a potentially life-threatening complication of withdrawal from immunosuppressive therapy in patients with chronic Hepatitis B viral (HBV) infections. Objectives: To document the incidence of rebound... more
Background: Rebound hepatitis is a potentially life-threatening complication of withdrawal from immunosuppressive therapy in patients with chronic Hepatitis B viral (HBV) infections. Objectives: To document the incidence of rebound hepatitis and determine whether the hepatitis is associated with serologic evidence of immunological rebound or the appearance of specific mutations in the HBV genome. Methods: Serum cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and INF-gamma) were documented by enzyme linked immunoassays and previously described HBV mutants (surface, core, pre-core and basal core promoter) by signal probe hybridization analysis in chronic HBV carriers treated with either 6 weeks of prednisone followed by 6 weeks of acyclovir (PR/AC, n = 20) or placebo/placebo (PL/PL, n = 20). Results: Rebound hepatitis (serum ALT > 2X baseline) occurred in 6/20 (30%) PR/AC patients versus 2/20 (10%) PL/PL recipients (P = 0.24). Serum cytokine levels were similar in those who developed rebound hepatitis compared to those who did not. HBV mutants were absent prior to and during treatment but developed in the follow-up period in three patients. All three patients were PR/AC recipients and in each case, the HBV mutation was in the basal core promoter gene. In two of the three patients, the mutant appeared just prior to the onset of rebound hepatitis while in the third, rebound hepatitis did not occur. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate an association exists between some cases of rebound hepatitis and the development of HBV mutants.