Low uptake of HIV testing and no HIV positivity in stable serodiscordant heterosexual partners of long-term treated HIV-infected Thais

The objective of this study was to characterize HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples and to evaluate acceptance for HIV testing and HIV prevalence in nonindex partners. We conducted a cross-sectional study with quantitative and qualitative components. Two cohorts of 1767 HIV-positive people were screened to identify heterosexual HIV-serodiscordant couples. HIV-positive partners (index) were administered a questionnaire; CD4, viral load (VL), and antiretroviral therapy (ART) history were gathered from clinical records. HIV-negative/unknown status partners (nonindex) were invited for a similar questionnaire and HIV testing. In-depth interviews with three HIV-serodiscordant couples were conducted. Two hundred and ninety-seven index partners agreed to enroll in this study. The median duration of the relationship was 10 years, and 81% were sexually active. All but two index partners were on ART, and 98% had VL < 1000 copies/mL. Only 111 (37%) nonindex partners came for HIV testing, and all of them tested HIV-negative. In addition, only 41% of nonindex partners had HIV testing in the last one year. The main reasons for the nonindex partners not to come for HIV testing were “no interest” (n = 117, 63%) and “nondisclosure of HIV status” (n = 46, 25%). The latter was substantiated and explained by the qualitative outcome of this study, suggesting relation to stigma against HIV-positive people. Our results support the WHO recommendation for starting ART for treatment and prevention in HIV-serodiscordant couples at any CD4 count. Furthermore, we recommend the dissemination of data showing that no HIV transmission in heterosexual couples through sex practice has been observed provided VL is suppressed. This could be a powerful tool for effective fight against stigma and self-stigma in people living with HIV.     

Rediocides B-E, potent insecticides from Trigonostemon reidioides

Four new congeners, rediocides B-E (2-5), of the previously reported rediocide A (1) were isolated from a methanol extract of the roots of the plant Trigonostemon reidioides. The structures of these minor analogues were elucidated by comparison of their NMR and mass spectral data with those of rediocide A and confirmed by extensive 2D NMR spectral analysis. They all possess potent activity against fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) in an artificial membrane feeding system and exhibited LD(90) values ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 ppm.     

Results of retroviral and adenoviral approaches to cancer gene therapy

Genetic modification for cancer treatment has involved the introduction of chemotherapy protection and sensitization genes into normal and tumor cells, respectively, for the purpose of improving the outcome of conventional approaches to the treatment of solid tumor neoplasms. This paper will review the use of multidrug resistance-1 retroviral vectors and cytosine deaminase adenoviral prodrug activation vectors for this purpose.     

Multidrug resistance and prodrug activation for cancer gene therapy of breast cancer

Current approaches to the treatment of cancer (radiation and chemotherapy) are limited by the toxicity to normal tissues and the sensitivity of tumor cells to these treatments. The use of gene delivery vector systems for the introduction of genetic elements into normal and neoplastic tissues which code for proteins that protect the normal chemotherapy-sensitive tissues and sensitize the tumor cells to radiation and chemotherapy, may contribute to an overall improvement in the outcome of cancer treatment programs. This chapter will review the clinical trials either completed or about to be initiated which are designed to accomplish these goals.     

Epidemiology of Behavioral and Emotional Problems among Thai and American Children: Teacher Reports for Ages 6–11

As a sequel to comparison between reports by parents, we compared behavioral/emotional problems of 6-11-yr-old Thai and American children reported by teachers. These revealed higher ratings for Thai than for American children on nearly all problems showing significant cross-national differences. Thai children were rated higher on both overcontrolled and undercontrolled behavior and had more overcontrolled than undercontrolled problems (p less than 0.0001). Boys were higher than girls on all 48 problems than showed significant sex differences. The findings underscore (1) the impact of culture on children's problems in the school setting and (2) the importance of surveying teacher as well as parent perspectives.     

In vitro mefloquine resistance of Plasmodium falciparum isolated from the Burmese border region of Thailand

The in vitro susceptibility of twenty isolates of Plasmodium falciparum from Tha Song Yang, Tak province, Thailand were determined. The isolates were resistant to chloroquine (IC50 = 220 nM; MIC = 762 nM), quinine (IC50 = 252 nM; MIC = 1010 nM), and pyrimethamine (IC50 = 16400 nM; MIC = 43100 nM) but generally sensitive to mefloquine (IC50 = 6.90 nM; MIC = 20.9 nM) and halofantrine (IC50 = 8.73 nM; MIC = 2.71 nM). Two isolates were identified which appeared resistant to mefloquine (IC50 = 23.1 nM; MIC = 56.6 nM). These isolates may represent an extension of a population of parasites from eastern Thailand.     

Effects of Curcuma comosa on the expression of atherosclerosis-related cytokine genes in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet

Aim of the study

Curcuma comosa has been known to have potential use in cardiovascular diseases, but its immunoregulatory role in atherosclerosis development and liver toxicity has not been well studied. We therefore investigated the effects of Curcuma comosa on the expression of atherosclerosis-related cytokine genes in rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet.

Materials and methods

Twelve male New Zealand White rabbits were treated with 1.0% cholesterol for one month and were subsequently treated with 0.5% cholesterol either alone, or in combination with 5 mg/kg/day of simvastatin or with 400 mg/kg/day of Curcuma comosa powder for three months. The expression of IL-1, MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-10, and TGF-β in the isolated abdominal aorta and liver were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Liver toxicity was determined by hepatic enzyme activity.

Results

Curcuma comosa significantly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to a stronger reduction in IL-1, MCP-1, and TNF-α expression compared to that was suppressed by simvastatin treatment. However, neither Curcuma comosa nor simvastatin affected the expression of anti-inflammation cytokines. In the liver, Curcuma comosa insignificantly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and significantly increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 without altering the activity of hepatic enzymes. In contrast, simvastatin significantly increased the MCP-1 and TNF-α expressions and serum ALT level, without affecting the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Conclusions

In this study, we demonstrated that Curcuma comosa exerts anti-inflammatory activity in the aorta and liver without causing liver toxicity, indicating that Curcuma comosa is a potential candidate as an alternative agent in cardiovascular disease therapy.     

Culture and youth psychopathology: testing the syndromal sensitivity model in Thai and American adolescents

Current widespread use of the same youth assessment measures and scales across different nations assumes that youth psychopathology syndromes do not differ meaningfully across nations. By contrast, the authors' syndromal sensitivity model posits 3 processes through which cultural differences can lead to cross-national differences in psychopathology syndromes. The authors tested this model in a comparison of Child Behavior Checklist syndromes for adolescents in Thailand and the United States. In support of the model, about half of the Thai-U.S. syndrome comparisons showed poor agreement (kappa = .40), and distinctive Thai syndromes emerged reflecting 3 prominent themes in Thai research literature: delayed maturation, indirect aggression and/or delinquency, and sex problems in boys. Such syndromal dissimilarity carries significant implications for assessment, diagnosis, epidemiology, and intervention across national boundaries.