The eradication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from infected patients is one of the major medical problems of our time, primarily due to HIV reservoir formation. Macrophages play important roles in HIV reservoir formation: once infected, they shield HIV against host anti-viral immune responses and anti-retroviral therapies, help viral spread and establish infection in anatomically protected sites. Thus, it is imperative to selectively induce the apoptosis of HIV-infected macrophages for a complete cure of this disease. I hypothesize that HIV infection dysregulates the expression of some specific genes, which is essential to the survival of infected host cells, and these genes can be targeted to selectively induce the apoptosis of HIV-infected macrophages. My objective is to identify the genes that can be targeted to eradicate HIV reservoir in macrophages, and to briefly elucidate the mechanism of cell death induced by targeting one of the identified genes. A four-step strategy was proposed to reach the goal. First, 90k shRNA lentivirus pool technology and microarray analysis were employed in a genome-wide screen of genes and 28 promising genes were found. Second, siRNA silencing was applied to validate these genes with 2 different HIV-1 viruses; as a result, 4 genes, Cox7a2, Znf484, Cdk2, and Cstf2t, were identified to be novel gene targets. Third, the 4 validated genes were characterized by literature review. Lastly, I briefly elucidated the mechanism of apoptosis induced by targeting one of the identified gene, Cox7a2. The results of this study can help to understand the mechanisms of HIV reservoir formation in macrophages and propose promising therapeutic targets for the eradication of HIV-infected macrophages from patients.

From basic science to clinical care, to epidemiological disease patters, The Neurology of AIDS is the only complete textbook available on AIDS neurology and the only one comprehensive enough to stand alone in each segment of study in brain disorders affected by the human immunodeficiency virus. It is an indispensable resource for students, resident physicians, practicing physicians, and for researchers and experts in the HIV/AIDS field. Oxford Clinical Neuroscience is a comprehensive, cross-searchable collection of resources offering quick and easy access to eleven of Oxford University Press's prestigious neuroscience texts. Joining Oxford Medicine Online these resources offer students, specialists and clinical researchers the best quality content in an easy-to-access format.

The world continues to lose more than a million lives each year to the HIV epidemic, and nearly two million individuals were infected with HIV in 2017 alone. The new Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by countries of the United Nations in September 2015, include a commitment to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Considerable emphasis on prevention of new infections and treatment of those living with HIV will be needed to make this goal achievable. With nearly 37 million people now living with HIV, it is a communicable disease that behaves like a noncommunicable disease. Nutritional management is integral to comprehensive HIV care and treatment. Improved nutritional status and weight gain can increase recovery and strength of individuals living with HIV/AIDS, improve dietary diversity and caloric intake, and improve quality of life. This book highlights evidence-based research linking nutrition and HIV and identifies research gaps to inform the development of guidelines and policies for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. A comprehensive approach that includes nutritional interventions is likely to maximize the benefit of antiretroviral therapy in preventing HIV disease progression and other adverse outcomes in HIV-infected men and women. Modification of nutritional status has been shown to enhance the quality of life of those suffering HIV/AIDS, both physically in terms of improved body mass index and immunological markers, and psychologically, by improving symptoms of depression. While the primary focus for those infected should remain on antiretroviral treatment and increasing its availability and coverage, improvement of nutritional status plays a complementary role in the management of HIV infection.

A practical response to the increase of interest in the fields of interferon and lymphokine research, presenting the techniques involved with these independent areas of research.

In an effort to go beyond immune-based therapies, researchers are now considering the implications of apoptosis dysregulation during HIV-induced immunodeficiency. This work provides the first comprehensive compendium of the progress made in understanding the process of cell death related to HIV and the potential breakthroughs in treatment that offer much promise. Combining the work of more than two-dozen top researchers, this seminal volume provides clinicians and researchers with an excellent reference, while also serving as an incubator to stimulate future research. It explains the fundamental biology involved with apoptosis, explains its clinical impact in HIV, and examines the newest therapeutic approaches.