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M Vu

Publications and source records attributed to M Vu.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Risk factors in HIV-associated diarrhoeal disease: the role of drinking water, medication and immune status.

In a cross-sectional survey of 226 HIV-infected men, we examined the occurrence of diarrhoea and its relationship to drinking water consumption patterns, risk behaviours, immune status and medication use. Diarrhoea was reported by 47% of the respondents. Neither drinking boiled nor filtered water was significantly associated with diarrhoea (OR = 0.5 [0.2, 1.6], 1.2 [0.6, 2.5] respectively), whereas those that drank bottled water were at risk for diarrhoea (OR = 3.0 [1.1, 7.8]). Overall, 47% always or often used at least one water treatment. Of the 37% who were very concerned about drinking water, 62% had diarrhoea, 70% always or often used at least one water treatment. An increase in CD4 count was protective only for those with a low risk of diarrhoea associated with medication (OR = 0.6 [0.5, 0.9]). A 30% attributable risk to diarrhoea was estimated for those with high medication risk compared to those with low medication risk. The significant association between concern with drinking water and diarrhoea as well as between concern with drinking water and water treatment suggests awareness that drinking water is a potential transmission pathway for diarrhoeal disease. At the same time we found that a significant portion of diarrhoea was associated with other sources not related to drinking water such as medication usage.

Adult↗

Associations between water-treatment methods and diarrhoea in HIV-positive individuals.

This manuscript extends our previously published work (based on data from one clinic) on the association between three drinking water-treatment modalities (boiling, filtering, and bottling) and diarrhoeal disease in HIV-positive persons by incorporating data from two additional clinics collected in the following year. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of drinking water patterns, medication usage, and episodes of diarrhoea among HIV-positive persons attending clinics associated with the San Francisco Community Consortium. We present combined results from our previously published work in one clinic (n = 226) with data from these two additional clinics (n = 458). In this combined analysis we employed logistic regression and marginal structural modelling of the data. The relative risk of diarrhoea for 'always' vs. 'never' drinking boiled water was 0.68 (95% CI 0.45-1.04) and for 'always' vs. 'never' drinking bottled water was 1.22 (95 % CI 0.82-1.82). Drinking filtered water was unrelated to diarrhoea (1.03 (95% CI 0.78, 1.35) for 'always' vs. 'never' drinking filtered water]. Adjustment for confounding did not have any notable effect on the point estimates (0.61, 1.35 and 0.98 for boiled, bottled, and filtered water respectively, as defined above). The risk of diarrhoea was lower among those consuming boiled water but this finding was not statistically significant. Because of these findings, the importance of diarrhoea in immunocompromised individuals, and the limitations of cross-sectional data further prospective investigations of water consumption and diarrhoea among HIV-positive individuals are needed.

Adolescent↗

Giant cell tumor of bone with selective metastases to mediastinal lymph nodes.

We report an unusual case of a recurrent giant cell tumor of the patella which presented with metastatic disease to the posterior mediastinal lymph nodes with no evidence of pulmonary metastases. The patient underwent chemotherapy with subsequent successful removal of the mediastinal mass. A review of the reported cases of mediastinal giant cell tumor metastases is provided.

Adult↗

Integrin expression in malignant melanoma.

Invasion of melanoma cells into the underlying interstitial stromal matrix is the initial step for subsequent local and distant metastasis. The invading tumor cell must interact with the extracellular matrix during the early stages of invasion and later during penetration of lymphatic and blood vessels. This interaction with different types of extracellular matrix predicts that the invasive cell must possess surface adhesion receptors with diverse ligand specificities, including the capacity to bind different types of collagens and adhesive glycoproteins. Metastatic melanoma cells do in fact express multiple adhesion receptors, including several of the receptors from the integrin family of heterodimers. The integrin receptors can be either extremely specific for a single ligand or capable of binding multiple ligands. It is likely that the tumor cell's repertoire of adhesion receptors may influence not only its adhesive properties but its metastatic characteristics as well. There is evidence that normal melanocytes have an integrin profile distinct from that of melanoma cells. In particular, melanocytes adhere poorly to laminin while metastatic melanoma cells bind well to this ligand. This difference in adhesion between the two cell types appears to reflect the fact that melanoma cells express a melanoma-specific integrin (alpha 7 beta 1) that binds laminin and is not detectable in normal melanocytes. The presence of increased laminin receptors and enhanced laminin binding in melanoma cells may contribute to the malignant phenotype.

Animals↗