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Cocaine use can make otherwise resistant immune cells susceptible to HIV

By Guest PostOctober 5, 2013Healthaids epidemic, cd4 t cells, chronic user, cocaine, dhaval dixit, dimitrios vatakis, drug, gayle baldwin, high risk, immune cell, in vitro study, infected by virus, infected cells, james jung, jerome zack, life cycle, narcotics, quiescent, robert rovner, sexual behavior, sohn kim, substance abuse, susceptible to hiv

In many ways, the spread of HIV has been fueled by substance abuse. Shared needles and drug users’ high-risk sexual behaviors are just some of the ways that narcotics such as cocaine have played a key role in the AIDS epidemic in much of the world.

There is, however, relatively little research into how drugs can impact the body’s defenses against the virus. But a new UCLA study published in the October issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology examines how cocaine affects a unique population of immune cells called quiescent CD4 T cells, which are resistant to the virus that causes AIDS. (more…)

Foster Kids do Equally Well when Adopted by Gay, Lesbian or Heterosexual Parents

High-risk children adopted from foster care do equally well when placed with gay, lesbian or heterosexual parents, UCLA psychologists report in the first multi-year study of children adopted by these three groups of parents.

The psychologists looked at 82 high-risk children adopted from foster care in Los Angeles County. Of those children, 60 were placed with heterosexual parents and 22 were placed with gay or lesbian parents (15 with gay male parents and seven with lesbian parents). (more…)

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Cocaine use can make otherwise resistant immune cells susceptible to HIV

Foster Kids do Equally Well when Adopted by Gay, Lesbian or Heterosexual Parents