Publications by authors named "Kristina Ortiz"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the direct alloresponse in transplant rejection, specifically how recipient T cells recognize allogeneic pMHC complexes.
- It finds that the precursor frequency of alloreactive CD8 T cells against a single MHC allele is relatively low, ranging from 0.1% to 0.5%, but they show specific responses in terms of proliferation, activation, and cytotoxic abilities.
- The research also developed a method using artificial antigen-presenting cells to understand T cell responses to kidney peptides, identifying two immunogenic peptides relevant for monitoring transplant rejection in patients.
Background: No previous literature has compared methadone with oxycodone for intravenous (IV) opioid weaning.
Objective: To determine if a weaning strategy using enteral methadone or oxycodone results in faster time to IV opioid discontinuation.
Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective, cohort medical record review of mechanically ventilated adults in an intensive care unit (ICU) who received a continuous IV infusion of fentanyl or hydromorphone for ≥72 hours and an enteral weaning strategy using either methadone or oxycodone from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021.
Article Synopsis
- - SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and the initial US cases emerged in January 2020.
- - Researchers tested 7,389 blood donation samples from the American Red Cross collected between December 2019 and January 2020 to look for SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies, utilizing various diagnostic assays.
- - Out of the tested samples, 106 showed reactivity for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, indicating that the virus might have been present in the US before the first confirmed case on January 19, 2020.
Background: Pertussis toxin (PTX) blocks GPCR signaling resulting in the inhibition of chemotaxis/cell adhesion. It was reasoned that inhibition of cell trafficking may be an approach to prevent HIV/SIV transmission.
Methods: In this study, PTX in HEC gel was applied to the vaginal wall of monkeys that were then challenged intravaginally with SIVmac251.
Antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) effectively suppresses replication of both the immunodeficiency viruses, human (HIV) and simian (SIV); however, virus rebounds soon after ART is withdrawn. SIV-infected monkeys were treated with a 90-day course of ART initiated at 5 weeks post infection followed at 9 weeks post infection by infusions of a primatized monoclonal antibody against the αβ integrin administered every 3 weeks until week 32. These animals subsequently maintained low to undetectable viral loads and normal CD4 T cell counts in plasma and gastrointestinal tissues for more than 9 months, even after all treatment was withdrawn.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Zika virus outbreak has captivated the attention of the global audience and information has spread rapidly and wildly through the internet and other media channels. This virus was first identified in 1947, when it was isolated from a sentinel rhesus monkey placed by British scientists working at the Yellow Fever Research Laboratory located in the Zika forest area of Uganda, hence its name, and is transmitted primarily by the mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. The fact that the rhesus macaque is an Asian species being placed in an African forest brings to mind the possibility of rapid adaptation of the virus from an African to Asian species, an issue that has not been considered.
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