Hepatitis B and C among women with illegal social behavior in Isfahan, Iran: Seroprevalence and associated factors

Background

In Iran, there is limited evidence on the prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) among females who engage in illegal sexual behavior.

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and their associated factors in this population in Isfahan-Iran.

Patients and Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 100 females who engaged in illegal sexual behavior during 2009-2010 in Isfahan were recruited from welfare to the DIC for women, and referrals were made among those who knew others who engaged in prostitution. Markers for HBV and HCV-Ab were measured by ELISA, and recombinant immunoblot assay was used for confirmation of HCV infection. Also, a questionnaire on demographics and prostitution-associated risk data in a face-to-face interview was completed for each participant. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression models were used for data analysis.

Results

Of the 100 samples collected, 91 were sufficient for testing. The mean age and time spent in sex work were 30.84 ± 9.34 years and 36 ± 28.5 months, respectively. HBsAg was detected in 1 (1.1%), anti-HBc in 4 (4.4%), anti-HBs in 60 (65.9%), and HCV Ab in 9 (9.9%) subjects. The evidence of vaccination was seen in 54 subjects (59.3%). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of HBV or HCV infection by estimated risk factors, and there was no independent risk factor for these infections.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of HCV infection in this study indicates the need to implement preventive interventions for female sex workers and, perhaps more importantly, to involve their male clients.     

Invasive fungal infections in renal transplant recipients

Invasive fungal infections are a significant and often lethal problem in transplant patients. Infections caused by geographically limited endemic fungi are infrequent, and Aspergillus species, Mucorales species, Candida species, and Cryptococcus neoformans are the opportunistic fungi responsible for most such infections. The symptoms of systemic fungal infections are nonspecific, particularly in their early stages. The high rates of mortality and graft loss owing to fungal infections render early diagnosis and treatment imperative in immunosuppressed patients. Current methods for the diagnosis of systemic fungal infections include imaging procedures, endoscopic methods and biopsies, microscopic and culture techniques, antibody and antigen-based serologic testing, and the detection (via polymerase chain reaction) of fungal deoxyribonucleic acid in blood or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as the careful analysis of signs and symptoms. Antifungal therapy should be initiated early in patients with a suspected fungal infection (even before laboratory findings have confirmed that diagnosis) and should be administered with appropriate adjustment of immunosuppressive regimens. To manage fungal infections in patients with renal failure, optimizing the pharmacokinetics of antifungal drugs to reduce the risk of nephrotoxicity is crucial.     

A 10-year review of assault-related open-globe injuries at an urban hospital

Background

To describe the demographics and outcomes of assault-related open-globe injuries (OGI) at University Hospital (UH), Newark, New Jersey over a ten-year period.

Methods

The medical records of all subjects presenting to a single university referral center with an OGI were retrospectively analyzed to identify prognostic factors for enucleation and final visual acuity (VA) of no light perception (NLP).

Results

One hundred and forty-eight eyes of 147 patients presented to UH with assault-related OGI. Eighty-two percent of patients were male, and the mean age was 35.9 years. The anatomic site of the wound was zone 3 in the majority (54.1 %) of eyes. Most common type of injury noted was rupture (57.4 %), followed by penetrating injury (35.1 %). Mean initial presenting and final VA in LogMAR were 2.38?±?0.12 and 2.18?±?0.16 respectively. Initial Snellen VA was no light perception (NLP) in 57 eyes (38.5 %); four eyes had an initial VA of ≥20/40 (2.7 %). Final VA was NLP in 68 eyes (45.9 %) of which 46 were enucleated (31.1 %); 18 eyes (12.2 %) had a final VA of ≥20/40. Fifty eyes (33.8 %) underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). Significant risk factors of final VA of NLP or enucleation included initial VA of NLP, perforating or rupture type of OGI, and zone 3 injury. Eyes that sustained penetrating injuries were less likely to have final VA of NLP or require enucleation.

Conclusions

Assault-related OGIs carry an extremely poor visual prognosis and a high rate of enucleations. Only eighteen eyes (12.2 %) recovered VA ≥20/40. We found initial VA of NLP and zone 3 injury to be significant predictors of final VA of NLP or undergoing enucleation. Penetrating injuries were less likely to have a final VA of NLP or an enucleation.     

Thrombospondin Plays a Vital Role in the Immune Privilege of the Eye

Purpose: The role of thrombospondin (TSP)-1 in TGF-β activation and T-cell suppression was studied in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, a monolayer of pigmented cells that line the subretinal space, an immune-privileged site in the eye. Methods: Posterior eyecups were prepared by excising the anterior segment, lens, and retina from enucleated eyes of C57BL/6, thrombospondin-1 knockout (TSP-1KO), and TGF-β2 receptor II double-negative (TGF-β2 RII DN) mice, leaving behind a healthy monolayer of RPE resting on choroid and sclera. Serum-free medium was added to these RPE eyecups, and, after various time intervals, supernatants (SNs) were removed and tested. Results: SNs of an ex vivo culture of RPE cells from C57BL/6 mice were shown to inhibit both antigen and anti-CD3 activation of T cells, partially due to constitutive production of TGF-β and to the ability of RPE to activate the latent form of TGF-β. Activation of TGF-β was entirely dependent on TSP-1, also produced by RPE. SNs of RPE from TSP-1KO mice failed to inhibit T-cell activation. Ovalbumin (OVA)-specific delayed hypersensitivity (DH) was not impaired when OVA was injected either into the subretinal space or into the anterior chamber of TSP-1KO mice before OVA immunization. Moreover, experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis was significantly more intense in eyes of TSP-1KO mice and failed to undergo spontaneous resolution unlike wild-type mice. Conclusions: Production of both TSP-1 and active TGF-β by RPE is essential to the creation and maintenance of immune privilege in the subretinal space and that the immune privilege limits the severity and duration of retinal inflammation due to autoimmunity.     

A National Experience on Physical Activity Initiatives for Adolescent Girls and their Mothers: CASPIAN Study

Objective

To provide a low-cost and simple model of culturally-appropriate and low cost facilities for improvement of physical activity for girls and their mothers through an after-school program and to determine the changes in anthropometric indexes after this trial.

Methods

This national study was conducted in 2006-2007 in 7 provinces with different socioeconomic situations in Iran. Female students who studied in the 7^th through 10^th grade and their mothers were selected by random cluster sampling. In each province, 24 sessions of after-school aerobic physical activity were held for 90 minutes, two days a week, and 3 months long at school sites in the afternoon.

Findings

The study comprised 410 participants (204 mothers and 206 daughters), with a mean age of 15.86±1.01 and 40.71±6.3 years in girls and their mothers, respectively. The results of the focus group discussions showed that in general, both mothers and daughters were satisfied from the program and found it feasible and successful. After the trial, the indexes of generalized and abdominal obesity improved significantly both in girls and in their mothers (P-value <0.0001 for weight, body mass index and waist circumference).

Conclusion

Our findings may provide a low-cost and simple effective model of motivation for physical activity with targeted interventions for girls and their mothers. We suggest that the success of this trial might be a result of bonding and accompaniment of mothers and daughters. Such model can be integrated in the existing health and education systems to increase the physical activity level.     

Synthesis, molecular docking study, and anticancer activity of triaryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole

This study describes synthesis of a new group of triaryl-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives and their anticancer activities. The target compounds were prepared from reaction of different imines and 4-substituted benzohydroxyiminoyl chlorides. All the synthesized compounds were screened for antiproliferative activities against MCF7 and K562 cell lines using MTT assay at 50-μM concentration. Four compounds that showed more than 50 % cytotoxicity were selected for determination of IC₅₀. Out of these, 6c-1y showed remarkable inhibitory cytotoxicity activity against MCF7 and K562 cell lines with IC₅₀ 6.50 and 21.66 μM, respectively. A molecular modeling study where 6c-1y was docked in the binding site of COX-2 showed a 2.3-Å hydrogen bond forming via hydroxyl group of Ser516 residue and oxygen of central oxadiazole ring and triaryl moiety of 6c-1y oriented toward the hydrophobic pockets of COX-2. Our data indicate that these derivatives may present promising chemotherapeutic agents, possibly targeting COX-2 pathway.     

Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 suppresses allosensitization and promotes corneal allograft survival

Purpose

To investigate the effect of VEGF-C and VEGF-D blockade via soluble VEGFR-3 (sVEGFR-3) on T cell allosensitization, corneal neovascularization, and transplant survival.

Methods

Corneal intrastromal suture placement and allogeneic transplantation were performed on BALB/c mice to evaluate the effect of sVEGFR-3 on corneal neovascularization. Soluble VEGFR-3 trap was injected intraperitoneally to block VEGF-C/D (every other day starting the day of surgery). Immunohistochemical staining of corneal whole mounts was performed using anti-CD31 (PECAM-1) and anti-LYVE-1 antibodies to quantify the levels of hem- and lymphangiogenesis, respectively. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was performed to assess indirect and direct host T cell allosensitization and the frequencies of IFN-γ-producing T cells in the draining lymph nodes were assessed using flow cytometry. Graft opacity and survival was evaluated by slit-lamp biomicroscopy.

Results

Treatment with sVEGFR-3 resulted in a significant blockade of lymphangiogenesis 2 weeks post-transplantation and significantly prolonged corneal allograft survival compared to the control group at 8 weeks post-transplantation (87.5 % vs. 50 %), and this was associated with significant reduction in the frequencies of allosensitized T cells and decreased frequencies of IFN-γ–producing CD4 T cells.

Conclusions

Soluble VEGFR-3 suppresses corneal lymphangiogenesis and allograft rejection and may offer a viable therapeutic modality for corneal neovascularization and corneal transplantation.