Diallyl disulfide inhibits ethanol-induced pulmonary cell vitamin D and antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin depletion.

Ethanol has been found to affect pulmonary cells by interfering with vitamin D metabolism and pulmonary defense mechanisms. The objective of this study was to understand the mechanisms of ethanol's disruptive influence on the vitamin D pathway and inhibition of anti-microbial peptide cathelicidin (LL-37). Bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2Bs), primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs), primary human alveolar epithelial cells (HPAEpiCs), and human monocyte cells (THP-1s) were used in this study.

Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Diet Mediates Vaso-Occlusive Related Hospitalizations in Sickle-Cell Disease Patients.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder resulting from the presence of mutated hemoglobin S (HbS). Homozygous carriers will present with early manifestations of painful vaso-occlusive crises. SCD patients have been reported to be severely deficient in vitamin D (<20 ng/mL).

Baseline Air Quality Assessment of Goods Movement Activities before the Port of Charleston Expansion: A Community-University Collaborative.

As the demand for goods continues to increase, a collective network of transportation systems is required to facilitate goods movement activities. This study examines air quality near the Port of Charleston before its expansion and briefly describes the establishment and structure of a community-university partnership used to monitor existing pollution. Particulate matter (PM) concentrations (PM and PM) were measured using the Thermo Fisher Scientific Partisol 2000i-D Dichotomous Air Sampler, Thermo Scientific Dichotomous Sequential Air Sampler Partisol-Plus 2025-D, and Rupprecht & Patashnick TEOM Series 1400 Sampler at neighborhood (Union Heights, Rosemont, and Accabee) and reference (FAA and Jenkins Street) sites.

ALG13-CDG in a male with seizures, normal cognitive development, and normal transferrin isoelectric focusing.

ALG13-CDG has been recently discovered as a disorder of severe developmental, intellectual and speech disability, microcephaly, visual abnormalities, seizures, hepatomegaly, coagulation abnormalities, and abnormal serumtransferrin isoelectric focusing in serum. A male with seizures, delayed motor, and speech development, but normal cognition carried a hemizygous, predicted pathogenic ALG13 variant (p.E463G).

Chronic Ethanol Exposure Effects on Vitamin D Levels Among Subjects with Alcohol Use Disorder.

Vitamin D has been previously recognized to play important roles in human immune system and function. In the pulmonary system, vitamin D regulates the function of antimicrobial peptides, especially cathelicidin/LL-37. Human cathelicidin/LL-37 is a bactericidal, bacteriostatic, and antiviral endogenous peptide with protective immune functions.

Assessment of Particulate Matter Levels in Vulnerable Communities in North Charleston, South Carolina prior to Port Expansion.

Introduction: The Port of Charleston, one of the busiest US ports, currently operates five terminals. The fifth terminal is being planned for expansion to accommodate container ships from the proposed Panama Canal expansion. Such expansion is expected to increase traffic within local vulnerable North Charleston neck communities by at least 7,000 diesel truck trips per day, more than a 70% increase from the present average rate of 10,000 trucks per day.