Diana Weaver
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
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Publication
Featured researches published by Diana Weaver.
Pediatric Pulmonology | 2015
Nira A. Goldstein; Charlotte Aronin; Beth Kantrowitz; Ronald Hershcopf; Sherry Fishkin; Haesoon Lee; Diana Weaver; Candice Yip; Christine Liaw; Tehila A. Saadia; Jason Abramowitz; Jeremy Weedon
To determine the prevalence of sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) in children with asthma compared to non‐asthmatic children and to determine if behavior problems are associated with asthma and SDB.
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal | 2013
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; Jonathan I. Silverberg; Melanie Kusonruksa; Diana Weaver; David Ginsburg; Kevin B. Norowitz; Helen G. Durkin; Margaret R. Hammerschlag; Martin H. Bluth; Stephan Kohlhoff
Background: Bronchial asthma is exacerbated by Mycoplasma pneumoniae–induced upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in children. Specific IgM and IgG isotypes are involved in the immune response to M. pneumoniae, but little is known about the role of specific IgE antibodies against M. pneumoniae in asthma. Objective: To investigate the role of IgM-, IgG- and IgE-specific antibody responses to M. pneumoniae in children with persistent asthma in relationship to history of URTI within the past 6 months. Methods: Total or specific anti–M. pneumoniae IgM, IgG and IgE antibody responses were studied in stable asthmatic pediatric patients (M. pneumoniae positive and negative) without current exacerbation and nonasthmatic controls (N = 23 and 13, respectively) (UniCAP total IgE Fluoroenzymeimmunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results: Values of specific IgM correlated with specific IgG (Spearman correlation, rho = 0.61, P < 0.0001) but not with specific IgE anti–M. pneumoniae antibodies (AMA) in asthmatic subjects compared with nonasthmatic controls. However, concentrations of specific IgG correlated with specific IgE AMA (rho = 0.49, P = 0.0017). Asthmatic subjects had higher levels of specific IgM AMA levels compared with nonasthmatics (median [interquartile range]: 0.57 [1.00] versus 0.21 [0.19]; Kruskal–Wallis test, P = 0.0008). In addition, IgM positivity was significantly higher in asthmatic compared with nonasthmatic subjects (39.1% versus 0.0%; Fisher’s exact test, P = 0.01). These results were independent of URTI history in the past 6 months, which was not associated with higher IgM, IgG or IgE AMA levels compared with no URTI history (P = 0.25–0.64). Conclusions: Increased specific IgM anti–M. pneumoniae responses may indicate an important role for M. pneumoniae infection in asthma.
Human Immunology | 2015
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; Mira Mandal; Rauno Joks; Levana T. Norowitz; Diana Weaver; Helen G. Durkin; Martin H. Bluth; Stephan Kohlhoff
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children, and is a public health concern, as is the increase in pediatric asthma. Respiratory viral infections may trigger asthma exacerbations. However, it remains unknown whether RSV infection may have a specific association with asthma. Total serum IgE, and IgE- and IgG-anti-RSV Ab responses were studied in older asthmatic compared with non-asthmatic children (M/F, mean age: 14) (N=30, N=43, respectively). We found: (1) total serum IgE was higher in asthmatic compared with non-asthmatics (P<0.001); (2) total serum IgE did correlate with IgE anti-RSV Abs (P<0.001), and with IgG anti-RSV Abs (P=0.008) in all subjects; (3) total serum IgE levels did correlate with IgE anti-RSV in asthmatics (P=0.047), but not in non-asthmatics (P=0.13); (4) IgE anti-RSV Abs did correlate with IgG anti-RSV Abs in all subjects (P=0.001); (5) IgE- and IgG-anti RSV Abs were higher in asthma compared with no asthma (P=0.003; <0.001, respectively); (6) there was a significant association between age and IgE anti-RSV in non-asthma (P=0.008), but not in asthma (P=0.64). Our findings indicate that IgE-anti-RSV Ab responses may play important roles in RSV infection and asthma.
Human Immunology | 2014
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; Elizabeth Tam; Kevin B. Norowitz; Kobkul Chotikanatis; Diana Weaver; Helen G. Durkin; Martin H. Bluth; Stephan Kohlhoff
Viral Hepatitis type B (HBV) is a public health concern, but has not been linked to asthma. Immunoglobulin (Ig) G is involved in HBV immune responses; less is known about IgE antibodies (Abs) against HBV in asthma. Given the importance of HBV, we sought to determine whether HBV vaccine contributes to asthma in children, by stimulating specific IgE production. Total IgE, IgE- or IgG-anti-HBVs Abs were studied in vaccinated pediatric asthmatics and non asthmatics. We found: (1) total IgE was higher in asthmatics; (2) total IgE did not correlate with IgE anti-HBVs; (3) IgE anti-HBVs did correlate with IgG-anti-HBVs in all subjects; (4)IgE- and IgG-HBVs Abs were similar in both groups; (5) IgE- or IgG anti-HBVs Abs did not correlate with age. Our findings indicate that HBV vaccination induces IgE responses in asthmatics and non asthmatics.
Scandinavian Journal of Immunology | 2017
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; Diana Weaver; Valeriy Chorny; Yitzchok M. Norowitz; Danielle Lent; Margaret R. Hammerschlag; Rauno Joks; Stephan Kohlhoff
Respiratory infections caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae have been associated with exacerbations of asthma. Cell‐mediated immunity (CMI) is critical for maintaining immunity. We compared interferon (IFN)‐γ responses in C. pneumoniae‐infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in paediatric patients ± asthma. Presence of C. pneumoniae was tested from asthma patients (N = 17) and non‐asthmatic controls (N = 16) (PCR). PBMC were infected for 1 h ± C. pneumoniae AR‐39 (MOI = 0.1) and cultured for 48 h. IFN‐γ levels were measured in supernatants (ELISA). C. pneumoniae‐IgG antibodies in serum were determined (MIF). All subjects tested negative for C. pneumoniae (PCR). C. pneumoniae‐induced IFN‐γ production in vitro was more prevalent in asthma compared with non‐asthma; levels of IFN‐γ were higher in asthma compared with non‐asthma (P = 0.003). There was no association between recent respiratory infection and positive IFN‐γ responses. These data show that C. pneumoniae modulates IFN‐γ responses in patients with asthma, even in absence of active infection.
BMJ Open Respiratory Research | 2018
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; Kobkul Chotikanatis; Diana Weaver; Jared Ditkowsky; Yitzchok M. Norowitz; Margaret R. Hammerschlag; Rauno Joks; Stephan Kohlhoff
Introduction Chlamydia pneumoniae respiratory tract infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of reactive airway disease and asthma. Innate cytokine responses that are protective of infection with intracellular pathogens may be impaired in patients with asthma. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a cytokine related to functions of monocytes and may inhibit C. pneumoniae infection. We investigated TNF-α responses in C. pneumoniae-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with asthma and non-asthma, and whether ciprofloxacin, azithromycin or doxycycline affects TNF-α responses. Methods PBMC (1.5×106) from paediatric patients with asthma (n=19) and non-asthmatic controls (n=6) were infected or mock infected for 1 hour with or without C. pneumoniae AR-39 at a multiplicity of infection=0.1, and cultured+ciprofloxacin, azithromycin or doxycycline (0.1 ug/mL) for 48 hours. TNF-α levels were measured in supernatants by ELISA. Results When PBMC from patients with asthma were infected with C. pneumoniae, levels of TNF-α were significantly lower than in subjects without asthma (48 hours) (5.5±5.6, 38.4±53.7; p=0.0113). However, baseline responses (no infection with C. pneumoniae) were similar in asthma and non-asthma (1.0±1.7, 1.1±1.2; p=0.89). When PBMC frompatiens with asthma were infected with C. pneumoniae+ciprofloxacin, azithromycin or doxycycline, TNF-α levels increased (25%–45%); this affect was not observed in PBMC from patients without asthma. Conclusions We identified differences in the quantity of TNF-α produced by C. pneumoniae-infected PBMC in asthma compared with non-asthma.
Irish Journal of Medical Science | 2017
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; S. Carvajal-Raga; Jeremy Weedon; Rauno Joks; Kevin B. Norowitz; Diana Weaver; Helen G. Durkin; Margaret R. Hammerschlag; Stephan Kohlhoff
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology | 2014
Mira Mandal; Rauno Joks; Kevin B. Norowitz; Diana Weaver; Helen G. Durkin; Martin H. Bluth; Stephan Kohlhoff; Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology | 2013
Kobkul Chotikanatis; Diana Weaver; Danielle Lent; Eva Estrella; Margaret R. Hammerschlag; Rauno Joks; Stephan Kohlhoff
Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy | 2018
Tamar A. Smith-Norowitz; Diana Weaver; Yitzchok M. Norowitz; Margaret R. Hammerschlag; Rauno Joks; Helen G. Durkin; Stephan Kohlhoff