Willingness to receive an HIV vaccine among incarcerated persons

BACKGROUND: Once an HIV vaccine becomes available, high-risk adults will be a target population for vaccination, and HIV vaccination programs for inmates may be a public health priority. Nothing is known about U.S. inmates' willingness to accept an anticipated HIV vaccine while incarcerated. The goal of this study was to examine inmates' attitudes toward a potential HIV vaccine. METHODS: In 2002, we interviewed 153 male and female inmates at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) using a voluntary, anonymous survey. RESULTS: Ninety-three percent of inmates indicated they would be willing to receive a hypothetical HIV vaccine while incarcerated. Although 88% of inmates self-reported at least one HIV risk factor, only 20% perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV. CONCLUSION: Once an HIV vaccine becomes available, HIV vaccination programs in the correctional setting need to become a public health priority. These would be well received by inmates in Rhode Island.     

Repellency of essential oils of some plants from the Kenyan coast against Anopheles gambiae

Volatile oils extracted by hydrodistillation from six plant species growing in the Kenyan coast, Croton pseudopulchellus Pax, Mkilua fragrans Verdc. (Annonaceae), Endostemon tereticaulis (poir.) Ashby, Ocimum forskolei Benth., Ocimum fischeri Guerke and Plectranthus longipes Baker (Labiateae), were evaluated for repellency on forearms of human volunteers against Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto. All oils were found to be more repellent (RC50 range = 0.67-9.21 x 10(-5) mg cm(-2)) than DEET (RC50 = 33 x 10(-5) mg cm(-2)). The individual components of the oils were identified by GC-MS and GC co-injections with authentic standards. The repellency of 15 of the main constituents of the different oils (which had not been previously assayed) was evaluated. Although some of these showed relatively high individual repellencies, none was comparable to the parent essential oils. Partial synthetic blends of selected constituents with moderate or relatively high individual repellency against the vector were also assayed. Four of these exhibited activities comparable to or higher than those of the corresponding parent oils, indicating interesting blend effects in the repellent action of the oils against the mosquito. The implication of these results in the utilization of the plants is discussed.     

The serum glycoprotein fetuin-A promotes Lewis lung carcinoma tumorigenesis via adhesive-dependent and adhesive-independent mechanisms

Fetuin-A is a serum glycoprotein in the cystatin family associated with the regulation of soft tissue calcification. We tested the role of systemic fetuin in tumor cell growth and metastasis by injecting Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells into fetuin-A null and their wild-type (WT) littermate control C57BL/6 mice via the tail vein, s.c., and intrasplenic routes. In the experimental metastasis assay, the lungs of the WT mice were filled with metastatic nodules, whereas the lungs of the fetuin-A null mutant mice were virtually free of colonies at the end of 2 weeks. Lung colonization responded to the levels of serum fetuin-A in a dose-dependent manner, as observed by the formation of half as many colonies in mice heterozygous for the fetuin-A locus compared with homozygous WT mice and restoration of lung colonization by the administration of purified fetuin-A to fetuin-A-null mice. Serum fetuin-A also influenced the growth of LLC cells injected s.c.: fetuin-A-null mice developed small s.c. tumors only after a substantial delay. Similarly, intrasplenic injection of LLC cells resulted in rapid colonization of the liver with metastasis to the lungs within 2 weeks in the WT but not fetuin-A null mice. To examine the mechanism by which fetuin-A influences LLC colonization and growth, we showed that LLC tumor cells adhere to fetuin-A in a Ca(2+)-dependent fashion, resulting in growth of the tumor cells. These studies support the role of fetuin-A as a major growth promoter in serum that can influence tumor establishment and growth.     

Establishment of breast cell cultures and lines from peoples of African origin

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to establish breast epithelial cell cultures and cell lines from peoples of African origin (blacks). It is presumed that the biology of breast cancer in women of African origin has unique aspects that can be explored using cultured breast epithelial cells.STUDY DESIGN: Biopsy specimens were obtained from black women undergoing radical or modified mastectomies. Normal cell cultures were established using tissue from reduction mammaplasties or the milk of lactating mothers. The tissue specimens were lacerated, digested with collagenase solution, and plated on tissue culture plates. To extend the life of the epithelial cells in culture, they are transformed with SV40 virus.RESULTS: We have maintained breast tumor cells in culture from a 27-year-old black woman for more than 1 month.CONCLUSION: Despite the difficulty of establishing epithelial cell cultures, we have maintained breast tumor cells from blacks in culture for an extended period to allow characterization. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1997;176:S240-5.)     

A missed opportunity: hepatitis C screening of prisoners

In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued recommendations to screen all inmates with a history of injection drug use or other risk factors for hepatitis C. We compared self-reported risk factors for hepatitis C with serostatus from inmates in the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. Of the male inmates who were hepatitis C positive, 66% did not report injection drug use. Risk-based testing underestimates the hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in correctional settings and limits the opportunity to diagnose and prevent hepatitis C infection.     

Evaluation of possible effects of continued drug use on HIV progression among women

Data from a prospective, multi-centred study of HIV infection in women (HIV Epidemiology Research Study [HERS]) was analysed to investigate the effect of continued injection drug use behaviours on progression to AIDS. All women enrolled in the HERS had at enrollment and at six-month intervals, a face-to-face interview which included specific injection drug use, a physical exam, and specimen collection that included T-cell subset analysis and HIV plasma RNA detection. Six hundred and thirty-nine HIV-infected women contributed 3021 person years of observation during 7.25 years of follow-up, and 299 of these women progressed to AIDS (46.8%). In multivariable analysis, there was no significantly increased risk of progression to AIDS for women reporting pre-baseline injection drug use [hazard ratio (HR)=1.07 (0.78, 1.47)] or reported injection drug use during follow-up [HR=0.89 (0.66, 1.21)] compared with never injecting. In a separate multivariable-model, comparing women who reported no injection in past six months to active injection drug users, the frequency of injection during the previous six months measured by daily injection [HR=0.97 (0.61, 1.55)] or less than daily injection [HR=0.84 (0.54, 1.33)] was not associated with progression to AIDS. Being in drug treatment was independently associated with a slower progression to AIDS [HR=0.41 (0.28, 0.59)]. Neither injection drug use, nor frequency of injection drug use was associated with progression to AIDS among HIV infected women. Initiation of antiretroviral therapy among drug users should be based on readiness for treatment rather than concern about faster progression.