HIV Knowledge Among Canadian-Born and Sub-Saharan African-Born Patients Living with HIV

Research has revealed differences on scales measuring HIV knowledge between individuals from various ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Few studies have examined this knowledge with immigrant populations and persons living with HIV. This study examined HIV knowledge among persons living with HIV who were either born in Canada or in sub-Saharan Africa and, for comparison, in a sample of college students. All participants were residing in Canada. Participants completed questionnaires measuring demographic variables, sexual health behaviour, and HIV status, treatment, and knowledge. Canadian-born patients living with HIV were more likely to be older and male than the other groups. On average, patients living with HIV were diagnosed 6.4 years ago, and 80% reported having current or previous experience taking HIV medications. After adjusting for age and gender, significant differences were found between the groups on the Brief HIV Knowledge Questionnaire. Canadian-born persons living with HIV (n = 110) scored higher than sub-Saharan African-born patients (n = 23) and college students (n = 81); mean percentage correct was 86, 70, and 62%, respectively (P < .01). These results suggested that ongoing HIV education is needed for all groups, and that additional tailored and targeted educational interventions are needed to address important gaps in knowledge among persons living with HIV patients originating from Africa and among college students.     

Different mechanisms of mitral regurgitation in acute and chronic forms of coronary heart disease

Contradictory two-dimensional echocardiographic findings havebeen reported in relation to the role of prolapse of the mitralvalve and lack of systolic leaflet coaptation in mitral regurgitationsecondary to coronary heart disease. A prospective study of22 patients with chronic coronary heart disease and mitral regurgitationshowed the following: Inferior akinesia was detected in 14 (64%),fibrosis of the posteromedial papillary muscle in 10 (45%),and prolapse of the mitral valve in nine (41%). A combinationof the three signs was seen in six patients (27%). Lack of systolicleaflet coaptation was seen in only two patients, both withanterior myocardial infarction. When these results are comparedwith those reported in the literature, it is apparent that inacute coronary heart disease, lack of leaflet coaptation isfrequently visualized (P <0.0l) and fibrosis of the postero-medialpapillary muscle and prolapse of the mitral valve are lacking(P<0.01). A unitary explanation of all forms of mitral regurgitation incoronary heart disease is misleading; mechanisms of mitral regurgitationin coronary heart disease depend on the clinical presentation-acuteor chronic, the site of infarction, and the presence of cardiacdilatation.     

Antiproliferative properties of polyketides isolated from Virola sebifera leaves

An activity-guided fractionation of Virola sebifera Aubl. methylene chloride-soluble fraction provided novel 3,5-dihydro-2-(1'-oxo-3'-hexadecenyl)-2-cyclohexen-1-one (3), two known lignans (1, 2) and dehydro hexadecanoyl resorcinol (4). Isolation and purification were conducted with the application of column chromatography and structures were assigned by spetral analysis (1D and 2D NMR, HREIMS). Compounds 1-4 were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against human tumour cell lines UACC62 (melanoma), MCF-7 (breast), NCI 460 (lung, non-small cells), OVCAR03 (ovarian), PC-03 (prostate), HT-29 (colon), 786-0 (renal) and NCI-ADR (breast expressing phenotype multiple drugs resistance) in vitro. The new polyketide (3) showed selectivity against human OVCAR03 and NCI-ADR cell lines, ranging from 2 to 4 microg/mL.     

Antiproliferative activity of three methoxylated flavonoids isolated from Zeyheria montana Mart. (Bignoniaceae) leaves

The present study isolated three major active flavonoids, two flavones named 4',5,7-trimethoxy-luteolin (1) and 6-hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavone (2) and the flavanone 5-hydroxy-6,7-dimethoxyflavanone (3) from Zeyheria montana dichloromethane leaf extract. Isolation and purification were conducted with the application of column chromatography and structures were assigned by spectral analysis. All compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against human tumor cell lines UACC-62 (melanoma), MCF-7 (breast), NCI-ADR/RES (breast expressing phenotype multiple drug resistance), 786-0 (renal), NCI-H460 (lung, non-small cells), PC-3 (prostate), OVCAR-3 (ovarian), HT-29 (colon) and K562 (leukemia) in vitro. All compounds were active in different degrees on several tumor cell lines and flavanone 3 showed cytotoxicity against almost all cell lines, particularly against human NCI-ADR/RES and K562 cell lines. In conclusion, three antiproliferative compounds were isolated for the first time from Zeyheria montana and its leaves were characterized as an important source of methoxylated flavones and flavanone as potential antitumor compounds.     

Psychometric properties of self-monitoring of eating disorder urges among treatment seeking women: Ecological momentary assessment using a daily diary method

ObjectivesThe psychometric properties of an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) method used to evaluate eating disorder (ED) urges were examined.MethodsParticipants, 139 women who sought treatment for an ED, completed a daily diary measuring ED urges after each meal for a three week period at the start of treatment, and a measure of ED attitudes and behaviors pre- and post-treatment.ResultsThe construct validity of this method was indicated by a two factor solution representing binge eating urges and ED compensatory behavior urges, and by significant differences between ED diagnostic groups on ED urge type. Correlations of ED urges early in therapy with outcomes provided evidence for predictive validity. Correlations at pre-treatment between ED urges and ED attitudes and behaviors supported criterion validity. EMA of ED urges showed good retest stability.ConclusionsEMA of ED urges is a valid and reliable approach that is associated with ED symptom severity, and predictive of treatment outcome.     

Nodular salpingitis and tubal endometriosis. II. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

Nodular salpingitis and tubal endometriosis are dystrophic disorders (salpingioses) the clinical importance of which is mainly due to their interference with female fertility. We have studied 42 cases of women operated for tubal sterility, viz. 23 cases of nodular salpingitis (NS), 17 of endometriosis (EM) and two cases in which both lesions were present. Pre-operative x-ray and celioscopic exploration was performed in order to assess the severity of the lesions and the outlook after tubal plastic surgery. X-ray examination reveals the diverticular nature of these lesions. Both diseases may be localized in any of the tubal segments. The postoperative prognosis depends on early surgery, site of the lesion and its nature.     

Immediate prognosis of primary intracerebral hemorrhage using an easy model for the prediction of survival

We reviewed the medical records and CT scans of 138 patients hospitalized for spontaneous supratentorial hemorrhage and conservatively treated. Seventeen clinico-anamnestic variables and five CT desumed findings were collected. Using univariate analysis we found eight significant predictors of 30-day mortality: intraventricular spread (IVS) of blood, volume of the hemorrhage, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, midline shift, hyperglycemia, pupillary abnormalities, limb paresis and gaze deviation. With multivariate logistic regression analysis we found three independent predictors of 30-day mortality: IVS of blood, volume of the hemorrhage and GCS score. Using these three independent variables we developed an easy model which allows an immediate estimate of the probability of survival with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity.     

Cytophotometrische Befunde in der Trachealschleimhaut und in DÄNA-behandelten Trachealpapillomen beim syrischen Goldhamster

Zusammenfassung Mittels cytophotometrischer Methoden wurden insgesamt 3700 morphologisch unauffällige und Zellkerne aus 10 Papillomen der Trachealschleimhaut von DÄNA-behandelten syrischen Goldhamstern untersucht.Die Zellkerne aus den Papillomen besaßen bei annähernd gleichem DNS-Gehalt wie die Normalzellen fast doppelt so große Zellkernvolumina; ihr Häufigkeitsmaximum war gerinfügig in den hyperdiploiden Bereich verschoben. Die durchschnittliche Konzentration von Feulgen-DNS pro Zellkern war bei den Papillomen erheblich erniedrigt. Ähnliche Verhältnisse wurden auch für die Gesamtnucleinsäuren und Histone ermittelt. Die lineare Regressions-analyse deckte für die Papillomzellkerne eine verminderte Korrelation zwischen Kernvolumen und Nucleinsäure bzw. Histongehalt auf.Die Bedeutung der erhobenen Befunde wird im Hinblick auf cytophotometrisch objektivierbare Kriterien des neoplastischen Wachstums diskutiert. Änderungen der Zellkernvolumina, Verbreiterung der Verteilungskurve und Verminderung der Korrelation von Zellparametern werden als cytophotometrisch erfaßbare Äquivalente für Stufen der Malignität im Sinne von Robert Rössle gedeutet.

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Cytophotometry of the tracheal mucosa and of DENA-induced papillomata of the Syrian golden hamster (quantitative studies of dedifferentiation)

Summary Three thousand seven hundred normal appearing nuclei of ten tracheal papillomata, which had been induced in Syrian golden hamsters by DENA, were studied cytophotometrically. Although the nuclei of the papillomata had almost the same content of DNA as did normal cells, they were about twice as large. They were slightly more common in the hyperdiploid range. The mean concentration of the Feulgen-stained DNA per nucleus in the papillomata was pronouncedly decreased. Similar relationships were obtained for the total content of nucleic acids and histones. In addition, the linear regression analysis disclosed for the nuclei of the papillomata a diminished correlation between nuclear volume and content of nucleic acids or histones. The importance of the results are discussed in regards to quantitative, cytophotometric criteria of neoplasia. The changes in the nucelar volume, the widening in the distribution curve of the histograms, and the decrease in the correlation of cell parameters are regarded as cytophotometric equivalents of stages of malignancy in the sense applied by Robert Rössle.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Dr. h. c. Dr. h. c. K. H. Bauer zur Vollendung des 80. Lebensjahres verehrungsvoll zugeeignet.