Prolonged exclusive breastfeeding is associated with increased atopic dermatitis: a prospective follow-up study of unselected healthy newborns from birth to age 20 years

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months is recommended by the World Health Organization and considered allergy preventive. However, it is not known whether prolonging exclusive breastfeeding for over 6 months provides further benefit in allergy prevention. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective 20-year follow-up study was to find out whether the allergy protective effect can be enhanced by prolonging strictly exclusive breastfeeding for > or =9 months of age. A total of 200 unselected healthy newborns were enrolled in the study. Their mothers were encouraged to maintain exclusive breastfeeding for as long as possible. The number of infants on strictly exclusive breastfeeding was 167 at 2, 116 at 6, 36 at 9 and 7 at 12 months of age. Of the 200 infants, 42% had a family history of allergy. The children were re-assessed at ages 5 (n=163), 11 (n=150) and 20 years (n=164) with clinical examination, skin prick testing, and parental and personal structured interviews. RESULTS: Exclusive breastfeeding prolonged for > or =9 months was associated with atopic dermatitis (P=0.002) and symptoms of food hypersensitivity (P=0.02) at age 5 years, and with symptoms of food hypersensitivity at age 11 years (P=0.01), in children with a family history of allergy. CONCLUSION: Prolonging strictly exclusive breastfeeding for > or =9 months was not helpful in atopy prevention, instead, it was associated with increased atopic dermatitis and food hypersensitivity symptoms in childhood.     

Ageing is associated with a decrease in the number of sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ channels in a gender-dependent manner

The opening of sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels is considered to be an important endogenous cardioprotective mechanism. On the other hand, age-dependent changes in the myocardial susceptibility to ischemia and hypoxia have been observed in different species, including humans. Here, we have hypothesized that aging might be associated with the changes in sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to establish whether aging changes expression of cardiac sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels. RT-PCR using primers specific for K(ATP) channel subunits, Kir6.2, Kir6.1 and SUR2A subunits was performed using total RNA from guinea-pig ventricular tissue. Whole cell electrophysiology was done on isolated guinea-pig ventricular cardiomyocytes. Western blotting using anti-Kir6.2 and anti-SUR2A antibodies was performed on cardiac membrane fraction. Tissue and cells were harvested from young and old, male and female guinea-pigs. RT-PCR analysis did not reveal significant age-related changes in levels of Kir6.1 or Kir6.2 mRNAs. However, levels of SUR2A were significantly lower in old than in young females. Such age-differences were not observed with cardiac tissue from male animals. In both old and young males, pinacidil (100 microM) induced outward currents. The difference between current density of pinacidil-sensitive component in females, but not males, was statistically significant. Western blotting analysis revealed higher levels of Kir6.2 and SUR2A proteins in cardiac membrane fraction from young than old females. The present study demonstrates that in females, but not males, aging is associated with decrease in number of cardiac K(ATP) channels which is due to decrease in levels of the SUR2A subunit.     

Psychiatric treatment seeking and psychosocial impairment among young adults with depression

BACKGROUND: We report data on 1-year prevalence and comorbidity of depression, related impairment, treatment need, and psychiatric treatment among young adults. METHODS: A sample of young urban adults (n=245) mean age 21.8 years was screened from a baseline population of 706 high-school students and given a semistructured clinical interview to evaluate 12-month prevalence of depression, psychosocial functioning according to DSM-IV GAF scale, need for psychiatric treatment, and use of mental health services. RESULTS: One in 10 young adults suffered from depression with associated psychosocial impairment, the female-to-male-ratio being approximately 2:1. Most depressive disorders were comorbid with other DSM-IV disorders, depression usually occurring secondary to other disorders. Comorbidity was related to impairment, treatment need, and treatment contacts. Less than half of the depressed young adults had ever contacted mental health services, and less than one-third reported treatment contacts during the index episode. Males were less likely than females to report previous treatment contacts or intention to refer to mental health services for their problems, but treatment contacts during the index episode were reported equally often by both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: A minority of the severely depressed young adults with associated impairment had sought treatment. Except for subjects with dysthymia, no gender difference emerged in treatment contact rates during the 12-month depression episode. Comorbidity showed important clinical implications by its relation to severity of depression and treatment contacts.     

Cytomegalovirus in urine: detection of viral DNA by sandwich hybridization.

A cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific sandwich hybridization test was constructed by using two adjacent BamHI DNA fragments of CMV DNA as reagents. The fragments were cloned into two different vectors. One of the recombinants was attached to the filter, and the other was the labeled probe. When present in the sample, CMV DNA mediated labeling of the filter by hybridizing to both the filter-bound DNA and the probe. The sandwich hybridization test was applied for the detection of CMV DNA from urine. DNA was released from virus by 2% Sarkosyl, concentrated by 2-butanol extraction and isopropanol precipitation, denatured, and finally subjected to the sandwich hybridization test. As a result, 70 to 90% of the original viral DNA could be recovered and demonstrated by the quantitative hybridization reaction. Urine could be stored at room temperature in Sarkosyl for at least 2 days without affecting the detectability of CMV. The clinical applicability of the test was evaluated by studying urine samples from four infants excreting CMV. Sandwich hybridization demonstrated the presence of CMV DNA in all of the specimens. These contained originally 10(5) to 10(8) CMV DNA molecules per ml.     

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA by AffiProbe HPV-DNA test kit in cervical scrapes or biopsies-histopathologic correlates

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of punch biopsies and cervical scrapes in the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA from the cervix and compare the results with the histopathologic diagnosis.Methods: The specimens were collected simultaneously, and HPV DNA was detected using a liquid hybridization test.Results: Biopsies and scrapes were equally efficient, but each detected only two-thirds of all HPV-DNA-positive patients. Thus, the positivity rate increased when both tests were used. Overall, 13% of patients with normal histopathology, 38% of patients with benign atypia, and 66% of patients with squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) were HPV-DNA positive. HPV-DNA 16 was found in 54% of HPV-DNA-positive patients with SIL, in 20% of HPV-DNA-positive patients with atypia, and in none of patients with normal histopathology.Conclusions: The liquid hybridization test used in this study detects HPV DNA equally efficiently from both biopsies and scrapes. The test can be performed in 1 working day. However, the sensitivity of the test is low, and it only detects a limited number of HPV types.     

Humoral and cellular immune responses to HIV-1 nef in mice DNA-immunised with non-replicating or self-replicating expression vectors.

OBJECTIVE: HIV accessory protein Nef is expressed early in the infectious cycle of the virus and has been shown to be an effective immunogen in humoral and cellular immune responses. We have used two different self-replicating pBN vectors and one non-replicating pCGal2 derived (pCG) vector expressing HIV-1 Nef in DNA immunisation of mice in order to determine their efficiency in raising humoral and cellular immune responses. DESIGN AND METHODS: The expression of Nef by the three plasmids was tested by transfections into COS-1 cells. Balb/c mice were immunised with the pBN-NEF and pCGE2-NEF constructs using gold particle bombardment. Immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry were used to detect in vitro expression of Nef. 51Cr release assay, ELISA and immunoblotting were used to detect cellular and humoral immune responses in immunised mice. RESULTS: Efficient in vitro expression of Nef was detected in pBN and pCGE2-NEF transfected cells, in pBN-NEF transfected cells the expression lasting up to three weeks. Anti-Nef antibodies in sera of 13 of 16 pBN-NEF immunised mice were detected within four weeks after the last immunisation, whereas only 2 of 12 pCGE2-NEF immunised mice had very weak anti-Nef antibodies. Twelve of the pBN-NEF immunised mice (75%) and 6 the pCGE2-NEF immunised mice (50%) showed Nef-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses within four weeks. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the three eukaryotic expression vectors tested are capable of inducing a cell mediated immune response towards HIV-1 Nef and should be considered as part of a genetic HIV vaccine.     

Cognitive functioning in substance abuse and dependence: a population-based study of young adults

Aims   To investigate whether substance use disorders (SUDs) are associated with verbal intellectual ability, psychomotor processing speed, verbal and visual working memory, executive function and verbal learning in young adults, and to study the associations of SUD characteristics with cognitive performance.
Participants   A population-based sample ( n  = 466) of young Finnish adults aged 21–35 years.
Measurements   Diagnostic assessment was based on all available information from a structured psychiatric interview (SCID-I) and in- and out-patient medical records. Established neuropsychological tests were used in the cognitive assessment. Confounding factors included in the analyses were comorbid psychiatric disorders and risk factors for SUDs, representing behavioural and affective factors, parental factors, early initiation of substance use and education-related factors.
Findings   Adjusted for age and gender, life-time DSM-IV SUD was associated with poorer verbal intellectual ability, as measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised (WAIS-R) vocabulary subtest, and slower psychomotor processing, as measured with the WAIS-R digit symbol subtest. Poorer verbal intellectual ability was accounted for by parental and own low basic education, whereas the association with slower psychomotor processing remained after adjustment for SUD risk factors. Poorer verbal intellectual ability was related to substance abuse rather than dependence. Other SUD characteristics were not associated with cognition.
Conclusions   Poorer verbal intellectual ability and less efficient psychomotor processing are associated with life-time alcohol and other substance use disorders in young adulthood. Poorer verbal intellectual ability seems to be related to parental and own low basic education, whereas slower psychomotor processing is associated with SUD independently of risk factors.