Behavioural and serological human immunodeficiency virus risk factors among female commercial sex workers in Cambodia

BACKGROUND: The spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Cambodia is mainly caused by sexual transmission and the high-risk group in this country are female commercial sex workers (CSW). There are two types of CSW, direct CSW (DCSW) and indirect CSW (IDCSW), who are different from each other in sexual activities. This study was conducted in order to describe the risk factors on HIV for each type of CSW, and to establish effective preventive strategies against the HIV epidemic among CSW. METHODS: The participants, 143 DCSW and 94 IDCSW, were interviewed using a questionnaire to determine their demographic characteristics and behaviour. Blood samples were taken for serological tests on HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis and syphilis. The association between their behavioural pattern and their serological results was analysed. RESULTS: The questionnaire study showed that IDCSW had a riskier behavioural pattern than DCSW. The HIV seroprevalence rates of the DCSW and the IDCSW were 52.4% and 22.3%, respectively. Univariate logistic analyses showed a significant association between HIV antibody (HIV-Ab) and current age, age at commencement of commercial sex work, duration of commercial sex work, and the seropositivity of Chlamydia trachomatis-IgG antibody (CT-IgG-Ab) among the DCSW. The analyses also showed a significant relationship between HIV-Ab and CT-IgG-Ab among the IDCSW. CONCLUSIONS: Improving condom use rate is very important in order to prevent an HIV epidemic among the two types of CSW. This study also suggests it is important to prevent sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The STD control programme could be efficient for HIV prevention, especially among DCSW.     

Poly(HEMA)--based embolic material in endovascular surgery of liver

Physico-chemical and medico-biological methods, including hematology and cytology, were used in an evaluation of properties of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA))-based embolic material indicated in the occlusion of branches of hepatic artery of patients with focal alterations of the liver. The elastographic method helped in predicting mechanical properties of the hydrogel material. Poly(HEMA) was mechanically stable for endovascular applications, exhibited no significant loss in elasticity and possessed consistency resembling the soft tissue of the organism. Analysis of blood in contact with poly(HEMA) hydrogel provided a control of its biological inertness. Recently, 315 patients with focal alterations of the liver, including hemobilic hemorrhages and both primary and metastatic tumors, underwent endovascular occlusion with poly(HEMA) emboli as a pre-surgical step or as a simple occlusive measure. Compared with a direct operation on hemangiomatous injuries in the liver without endovascular occlusion, embolization with poly(HEMA) allowed to reduce 2.5-3 times bleeding in the operational zone. At the same time, the poly(HEMA) embolic material induced activation of general hemostatic reaction in the postembolization period.     

Down's syndrome in the Czech Republic 1961-1997

During the period from 1961-1997 the prevalence of Down's syndrome (DS) was followed up on the territory of the Czech Republic. From a consecutive series of 5,319,002 births in the CR during 1961-1997 4,933 cases of DS were diagnosed, incl. 4,410 in born infants and 523 were diagnosed prenatally and these pregnancies were terminated. The mean incidence of DS in born children during the investigation period was 7.91 per 10,000 liveborn infants. When the results of prenatal diagnosis of DS are added the mean incidence was 9.47 per 10,000 liveborn children. The prenatal diagnosis of DS in the CR was also investigated. The success rate of prenatal diagnosis of DS in the CR increased during the period from 1980-1997 to as much as 60% of detected cases. In 37.31% of all cases of Down's syndrome another inborn defect was found, most frequently inborn heart disease, defects of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal and urogenital tract. The age distribution of DS indicates a significantly increased risk for mothers already from the age of 34 years.     

Analgesic activity of two synthetic immunomodulators, muramyl dipeptide and adamantylamide dipeptide in mice and rats

The potency of two synthetic immunomodulators, muramyl dipeptide and adamantylamide dipeptide, which have the immunoadjuvant and immunomodulatory activity on pain threshold was studied. Two different analgesiometric procedures were employed: hot plate test and acetic acid writhing test in mice and rats. Both compounds were injected intravenously (1-4 mg/kg), intraperitoneally (5-50 mg/kg) and intracerebroventricularly (0.5-4 mg/kg) and were able to produce mild transient analgesia in both species. Writhing response was more influenced after systemic administration of drugs while hot plate latencies was not. On the contrary, latencies in hot plate test were more affected than the writhing response after intracerebroventricular administration. Dose response curve showed a bell shaped feature typical for peptides. Pretreatment with naltrexone, an opiate antagonist, did not prevent the analgesic action of tested compounds. The hyperalgesia induced by administration of parachlorophenylalanine, a serotonin depletor, could be prevented by administration of a nonanalgesic dose of MDP (0.025 mg/kg). At higher dosages (1 mg/kg) MDP was able to antagonize also general toxic effects of pCPA. These results support the possibility of participation of central serotonergic structures in MDP and AdDP induced analgesia. The peripheral mechanism of action, however, can not be completely ruled out.     

Histologic types of bronchogenic cancer in relation to different conditions of radiation exposure.

The rish of lung cancer among the uranium miner study group was found to be not only connected with the increase in frequency of different histologic types of lung cancer, but mainly with the increase of small cell undifferentiated and epidermoid type frequencies. It appears that the frequency of these two major histologic types may be influenced by the level of cumulated radiation exposure and by the time course of cumulation of exposure in a different way. These findings, in agreement wit recent data of Archer et al., eliminate the former assumption that radiation can induce an elevated frequency of only one histologic type of lung cancer.