Major depression and generalized anxiety disorder among human T‐lymphotropic virus Types I– and II–infected former blood donors

BACKGROUND: Other studies have reported high rates of depression and anxiety among human T‐lymphotropic virus Type I (HTLV‐I)‐infected subjects and have even suggested that HTLV‐I causes psychiatric disease. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We interviewed HTLV‐I, HTLV‐II, and demographically similar HTLV‐seronegative blood donors with the Mini‐International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Prevalences of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder in each group were calculated and compared to published US population data. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) controlling for educational achievement, alcohol intake, and self‐reported health status were calculated with multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Major depression was diagnosed in five (5.4%) of 93 HTLV‐I–positive subjects (aOR, 2.19; 95% CI, 0.63‐7.55) and 17 (6.6%) of 256 HTLV‐II–positive subjects (aOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.66‐3.927), compared to 12 (2.1%) of 585 HTLV‐seronegative blood donors. The prevalence of major depression among infected subjects was comparable to the 6.7% prevalence in the US general population. Generalized anxiety disorder was diagnosed in five (5.4%) HTLV‐I–positive subjects (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 0.74‐7.26) and 12 (4.7%) HTLV‐II–positive subjects (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.68‐4.01), compared to 15 (2.6%) seronegative subjects and 3.1% in the US general population. CONCLUSION: Major depression and generalized anxiety disorder were not significantly more prevalent among HTLV‐I– and HTLV‐II–infected former blood donors after controlling for health status and other confounding variables. HTLV‐seronegative blood donors had lower prevalences of these conditions than the US population, probably due to a “healthy blood donor effect.”     

Carcinogenic Cr(VI) and the nutritional supplement Cr(III) induce DNA deletions in yeast and mice

Industrial Cr(VI) emissions contaminate drinking water sources across the U.S., and many people take Cr(III) nutritional supplements. Cr(VI) is a human pulmonary carcinogen, but whether it is carcinogenic in the drinking water is not known. Due to widespread human exposure, it is imperative to determine the carcinogenic potential of Cr(VI) and Cr(III). DNA deletions and other genome rearrangements are involved in carcinogenesis. We determined the effects of Cr(VI) as potassium dichromate and Cr(III) as chromium(III) chloride on the frequencies of DNA deletions measured with the deletion assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the in vivo p(un) reversion assay in C57BL/6J p(un)/p(un) mice. Exposing yeast and mice via drinking water to Cr(VI) and Cr(III) significantly increased the frequency of DNA deletions. We quantified intracellular chromium concentrations in yeast and tissue chromium concentrations in mice after exposure. Surprisingly, this revealed that Cr(III) is a more potent inducer of DNA deletions than Cr(VI) once Cr(III) is absorbed. This study concludes that both the environmental contaminant Cr(VI) and the nutritional supplement Cr(III) increase DNA deletions in vitro and in vivo, when ingested via drinking water.     

Persistent organic pollutants and related biological responses measured in coastal fish using chemical and biological screening methods

The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution, levels of dioxin-like compounds (DLC), and biological responses in two fish species. The viviparous eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) was collected from various locations in the Baltic Sea and in fjords of Kattegat and Skagerrak, while shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius) was obtained at the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) polluted site in North West Greenland. Significant differences were detected both in contaminant levels and relative contributions from either polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDD) or polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF or furans) and mono-ortho- and non-ortho (coplanar) polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB). Fish from the eastern Baltic Sea generally displayed higher contributions from PCDD/F compared to dl-PCB, whereas dl-PCB were generally predominated in fish from Danish, Swedish, and German sites. Levels of dl-PCB in muscle tissues were above OSPAR environmental assessment criteria (EAC) for PCB118, indicating a potential risk of adverse biological effects in the ecosystem, whereas levels of the total WHO-TEQs were below threshold for sea food suggesting limited risks for humans. No significant relationships between levels of DLC (expressed as WHO-TEQ), and biological responses such as the induction of CYP1A enzymatic activity and fry reproductive disorders were observed in eelpout. No marked relationship between WHO-TEQ and combined biological aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated transactivity (expressed as AhR-TEQ) was noted. However, there was a positive correlation between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites and induction of CYP1A activity, suggesting that PAH exhibited greater potential than DLC to produce biological effects in eelpout from the Baltic Sea.     

EEG coherence in a mental arithmetic task performance in first episode schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

Objectives

To evaluate the coherence values of the cortical bands in patients with first episode schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder during the performance of a mental arithmetic task.

Clinical Practice in the Prevention,Diagnosis and Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency: A Central and Eastern European Expert Consensus Statement

Vitamin D deficiency has a high worldwide prevalence, but actions to improve this public health problem are challenged by the heterogeneity of nutritional and clinical vitamin D guidelines, with respect to the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. We aimed to address this issue by providing respective recommendations for adults, developed by a European expert panel, using the Delphi method to reach consensus. Increasing the awareness of vitamin D deficiency and efforts to harmonize vitamin D guidelines should be pursued. We argue against a general screening for vitamin D deficiency but suggest 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) testing in certain risk groups. We recommend a vitamin D supplementation dose of 800 to 2000 international units (IU) per day for adults who want to ensure a sufficient vitamin D status. These doses are also recommended for the treatment of vitamin D deficiency, but higher vitamin D doses (e.g., 6000 IU per day) may be used for the first 4 to 12 weeks of treatment if a rapid correction of vitamin D deficiency is clinically indicated before continuing, with a maintenance dose of 800 to 2000 IU per day. Treatment success may be evaluated after at least 6 to 12 weeks in certain risk groups (e.g., patients with malabsorption syndromes) by measurement of serum 25(OH)D, with the aim to target concentrations of 30 to 50 ng/mL (75 to 125 nmol/L).     

Increased all-cause, liver, and cardiac mortality among hepatitis C virus-seropositive blood donors

Hospital-based studies suggest that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes frequent cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and mortality, but epidemiologic studies have shown less morbidity and mortality. The authors performed a retrospective cohort study of 10,259 recombinant immunoblot assay-confirmed, HCV antibody-positive (HCV+), allogeneic blood donors from 1991 to 2002 and 10,259 HCV antibody-negative (HCV-) donors matched for year of donation, age, gender, and Zone Improvement Plan Code (ZIP Code). Vital status through 2003 was obtained from the US National Death Index, and hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated by survival analysis. After a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, there were 601 (2.92%) deaths: 453 HCV+ and 148 HCV- (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.60, 3.76). Excess mortality in the HCV+ group was greatest in liver-related (HR = 45.99, 95% CI: 11.32, 186.74), drug- or alcohol-related (HR = 10.81, 95% CI: 4.68, 24.96), and trauma/suicide (HR = 2.99, 95% CI: 2.05, 4.36) causes. There was also an unexpected increase in cardiovascular mortality among the HCV+ donors (HR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.46). HCV infection is associated with a significant, threefold increase in overall mortality among former blood donors, including significantly increased mortality from liver and cardiovascular causes. High rates of mortality from drug/alcohol and trauma/suicide causes are likely due to lifestyle factors and may be at least partially preventable.     

Hypertension in Russia: Changes Observed After 4 Years of a Comprehensive Health System Improvement Program in the Yaroslavl Region

Rates of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in Russia have been among the highest in Europe. A comprehensive health system improvement program targeting better diagnosis and control of hypertension was undertaken in the Yaroslavl Region of Russia. This initiative was a joint program between clinicians, the Department of Health and Pharmacy of the Yaroslavl Region, and Novartis Pharma LLC. From 2011 to 2014, the blood pressure control rate improved substantially (94% relative improvement), the percentage of patients with a systolic blood pressure ≥180 mm Hg decreased (from 10% to 5%), and there was a reduction in stroke incidence rate from 4.6 to 3.7 per 1000 population. During this same period, significant changes were made to the way hypertension was diagnosed and treated across all regional government polyclinics, and the use of antihypertensive therapies increased.     

紫杉醇脂质体联合铂类新辅助化疗对Ⅱa~Ⅳ期宫颈癌患者的近期疗效观察

目的 观察紫杉醇脂质体联合顺铂新辅助化疗治疗Ⅱa~Ⅳ期宫颈癌的临床疗效和安全性.方法 回顾性分析120例Ⅱa~Ⅳ期宫颈癌患者的临床资料,根据化疗方案不同将患者分为观察组(n=67)和对照组(n=53),观察组接受紫杉醇脂质体联合顺铂新辅助化疗治疗,对照组接受紫杉醇联合顺铂化疗治疗,两组均持续化疗2个疗程,期间均给予对症支持治疗.观察两组患者的近期疗效及不良反应发生情况,并对治疗前后两组患者的Karnofsky(KPS)功能状态评分进行比较.结果 观察组和对照组患者的临床有效率分别为82.1%、77.4%,差异无统计学意义(P﹥0.05).治疗后,两组患者的KPS评分均较本组治疗前明显提高(P﹤0.001);而观察组患者治疗后的KPS评分明显高于对照组治疗后(P﹤0.001).观察组患者的肌肉酸痛、过敏反应总发生率均低于对照组(P﹤0.05);但两组骨髓抑制、胃肠道反应及脱发的总发生率比较,差异无统计学意义(P﹥0.05).结论 紫杉醇脂质体联合顺铂新辅助化疗对Ⅱa~Ⅳ期宫颈癌具有良好的疗效,相比于紫杉醇联合顺铂化疗,其耐受性更好,不良反应更轻.     

Characterization of Salmonella Isolates from Various Geographical Regions of the Caucasus and Their Susceptibility to Bacteriophages

Non-typhoidal Salmonella present a major threat to animal and human health as food-borne infectious agents. We characterized 91 bacterial isolates from Armenia and Georgia in detail, using a suite of assays including conventional microbiological methods, determining antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, serotyping (using the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor scheme) and genotyping (repetitive element sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR)). No less than 61.5% of the isolates were shown to be multidrug-resistant. A new antimicrobial treatment strategy is urgently needed. Phage therapy, the therapeutic use of (bacterio-) phages, the bacterial viruses, to treat bacterial infections, is increasingly put forward as an additional tool for combatting antibiotic resistant infections. Therefore, we used this representative set of well-characterized Salmonella isolates to analyze the therapeutic potential of eleven single phages and selected phage cocktails from the bacteriophage collection of the Eliava Institute (Georgia). All isolates were shown to be susceptible to at least one of the tested phage clones or their combinations. In addition, genome sequencing of these phages revealed them as members of existing phage genera (Felixounavirus, Seunavirus, Viunavirus and Tequintavirus) and did not show genome-based counter indications towards their applicability against non-typhoidal Salmonella in a phage therapy or in an agro-food setting.