Saint Louis University

About: Saint Louis University is a education organization based out in St Louis, Missouri, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 18927 authors who have published 34895 publications receiving 1267475 citations. The organization is also known as: SLU & St. Louis University.

Relationship of indoor allergen exposure to skin test sensitivity in inner-city children with asthma☆☆☆★★★♢

Abstract: Background: It is important to understand the relationship between environmental allergen exposure dose and the risk of atopic individuals becoming sensitized to that allergen if we are to change the risk of sensitization and morbidity from allergic disease Objective: The objective of these studies was to determine whether there was a dose response between current exposure to mite, cockroach, and cat allergen in inner-city children and to determine the prevalence of sensitization to these allergens Methods: A sample of 500 children was selected from the 1528 children enrolled in the National Cooperative Inner City Asthma Study Children were selected who had a sample of home dust and valid skin test responses performed with a MultiTest skin test device The samples of home dust were collected from the floor and furniture in the kitchen, bedroom, and television/living room and were assayed for Der p 1, Der f 1, Bla g 1, and Fel d 1 allergens Results: Each allergen level correlated significantly between rooms in individual homes Mite (Der p 1 and Der f 1) and cat (Fel d 1) allergen levels were frequently below the detection limit of the assay Cockroach allergen (Bla g 1) concentrations in the child's bedroom were related to the prevalence of positive skin test responses to cockroach allergen extract among the children, with an odds ratio for sensitization of 145 (111-192) Positive skin test responses to cockroach allergen were seen in 15% of children exposed to bedroom dust with a Bla g 1 concentration below the level of detection compared with a rate of 32% in bedrooms with Bla g 1 levels of 1 to 2 U/g and 40% to 44% among those in rooms with 4 U/g or greater The relationship between exposure and positive skin test responses was clearly stronger among atopic children with a greater number of positive skin test responses Conclusions: Despite widespread exposure to household allergens, the strongest relationship between exposure and sensitization was seen in the bedroom The dose response between exposure to cockroach allergen and sensitization suggested that exposure to low doses of allergen, 2 U/g or less, was a risk factor and that the risk plateaus above 4 U/g Atopy modified the relationship of exposure to sensitization (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102:563-70)

Mental Health Consequences of Intimate Partner Abuse A Multidimensional Assessment of Four Different Forms of Abuse

Abstract: Battered women are exposed to multiple forms of intimate partner abuse. This article explores the independent contributions of physical violence, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and stalking on symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among a sample of 413 severely battered, help-seeking women. The authors test the unique effects of psychological abuse and stalking on mental health outcomes, after controlling for physical violence, injuries, and sexual coercion. Mean scores for the sample fall into the moderate to severe range for PTSD and within the moderate category for depression scores. Hierarchical regressions test the unique effects of stalking and psychological abuse, after controlling for physical violence, injuries, and sexual coercion. Psychological abuse and stalking contribute uniquely to the prediction of PTSD and depression symptoms, even after controlling for the effects of physical violence, injuries, and sexual coercion. Results highlight the importance of examining multiple dimensions of intimate partner abuse.

The heterochromatin-associated protein HP-1 is an essential protein in Drosophila with dosage-dependent effects on position-effect variegation.

Abstract: Chromosome rearrangements which place euchromatic genes adjacent to a heterochromatic breakpoint frequently result in gene repression (position-effect variegation). This repression is thought to reflect the spreading of a heterochromatic structure into neighboring euchromatin. Two allelic dominant suppressors of position-effect variegation were found to contain mutations within the gene encoding the heterochromatin-specific chromosomal protein HP-1. The site of mutation for each allele is given: one converts Lys169 into a nonsense (ochre) codon, while the other is a frameshift after Ser10. In flies heterozygous for one of the mutant alleles (Su(var)2-504), a truncated HP-1 protein was detectable by Western blot analysis. An HP-1 minigene, consisting of HP-1 cDNA under the control of an Hsp70 heat-inducible promoter, was transduced into flies by P element-mediated germ line transformation. Heat-shock driven expression of this minigene results in elevated HP-1 protein level and enhancement of position-effect variegation. Levels of variegating gene expression thus appear to depend upon the level of expression of a heterochromatin-specific protein. The implications of these observations for mechanism of heterochromatic position effects and heterochromatin function are discussed.

Serum antibody responses after intradermal vaccination against influenza.

Abstract: Background If found to be safe and immunogenic, reduced doses of influenza vaccine given by the intradermal route could increase the number of available doses of vaccine. Methods In an open-label study, we randomly assigned 119 subjects to receive an intradermal injection of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine, containing 6 μg of hemagglutinin for each antigen (40 percent of the usual dose), and 119 to receive an intramuscular injection of the standard dose of 15 μg of hemagglutinin for each antigen. The two groups were subdivided according to age (18 to 60 years and older than 60 years). Results Among subjects who were 18 to 60 years of age, serum antibody responses were vigorous and did not differ significantly between the intradermal and intramuscular groups, and all subjects had hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) titers of at least 1:40. Although the subjects who were older than 60 years of age also had a vigorous antibody response, there was a trend toward a better response in the intramuscular ro...