Effects on health of water and food contamination by emergent human viruses

The development of molecular technologies applied to environmental studies has shown that even in highly industrialized countries there is a high prevalence of viruses in the environment that represents an important impact on public health and substantial economic losses mainly related to the transmission of viruses through water and food. Significant concentrations of viruses are detected in the water flowed to the environment and in the biosolids generated in wastewater treatment plants. This work describes the general characteristics of the environmental contamination by viruses principally by emergent viruses, with a special emphasis on the hepatitis E virus (HEV) and the human polyomaviruses as the environmental contaminants more recently identified in industrialized countries. It has been shown that there is a high prevalence of the human polyomaviruses BKV and JCV in urban sewage in all studied countries, implying a potential transmission of these viruses and their potential oncogenic genes through the oral route. Recent studies have shown that the epidemiological pattern of the HEV infection in industrialized countries is complex and that a diversity of HEV strains simultaneously infects the population. The control of the viral contamination requires the standardization of molecular techniques and the development of a surveillance program for the evaluation of the viral parameters and to reduce the dissemination of already established diseases and emergent viral infections.     

Characteristics of adolescent pregnancy in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To identify the main socioeconomic, demographic, anthropometric and behavioral characteristics, and pregnancy outcomes of adolescent pregnancy and to assess health services used by pregnant adolescents. METHODS: Data were collected from a cross-section of 2,429 deliveries by women residing in the municipality of S?o Luís, Brazil, of which 94% were hospital births. Women were categorized into six age groups. The two groups of teenagers (under 18 and 18-19 years) were compared to four groups of older women. Comparison was also made between the two teenage groups. The chi-square test was used to compare proportions and prevalence ratio was used as an effect measure. RESULTS: Of 2,429 women, 714 (29.4%) were adolescents. Their specific fertility coefficient was higher than in other regions of the country. Adolescents showed lower socioeconomic and reproductive conditions than older women and a higher proportion of inadequate prenatal care. The majority had no partner. They had the lowest percentages of caesarean section and smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Despite their equally unfavorable socioeconomic situation, 18-19 year-old adolescents had pregnancy outcomes comparable to the age group 25-29, whereas those under 18 had the highest proportions of low birth weight, preterm birth, and infant mortality rate. This suggests that biologic immaturity may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.     

Why yet another diagnostic sign of sacroiliac movement restriction?

BACKGROUND: Poor results of interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability of movement palpation tests for sacroiliac movement restriction are found in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To analyze current diagnostic techniques for movement palpation. The most evident sources of error and technical pitfalls are detailed. METHOD: A random sample of 64 consecutive patients at a university hospital, inpatients and outpatients, were examined with the new technique, which was compared with a set of other techniques as detailed before and after treatment. RESULTS: Full agreement was found in all but two cases in which head rotation was restricted and in two cases of severe scoliosis. The interexaminer reliability of the new test between two independent (blinded) examiners in 33 patients (66 joints) was in agreement in 82% and in disagreement in 18% (0.68 kappa). CONCLUSION: For its simplicity and lack of possible errors, this is a valuable sign. Its mechanism, however, is poorly understood.     

HIV Susceptibility Among Hispanic Women in South Florida

Hispanic women (HW) are disproportionately affected by HIV, however, little is known regarding their perceived susceptibility for acquiring HIV (SAHIV). We studied predictive factors for perceiving SAHIV among HW. Participants (88.5%) reported not feeling SAHIV. Women who felt SAHIV, had a significant probability of reporting a higher chance for acquiring HIV from their partner's actions (OR 9.75), and a higher probability of not being tested for HIV (OR 2.05). Educational strategies to increase perception of SAHIV and HIV testing knowledge would be beneficial giving emphasis to women who do not perceive to be at risk from their partner's actions.     

A randomized clinical trial of an HIV-risk-reduction intervention among low-income Latina women

BACKGROUND: HIV infection has increased within the Latina community more than in any other ethnic or racial group within the United States. Latinas comprise only 13% of the U.S. population, yet they account for 20% of the cumulative reported cases of AIDS. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to evaluate a randomized culturally tailored intervention to prevent high-HIV-risk sexual behaviors for Latina women residing in urban areas. METHODS: Mexican and Puerto Rican women (18-44 years of age; N = 657) who were sexually active during the previous 3 months were recruited and randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention, facilitated by bilingual, bicultural, trained Latina women, consisted of culturally tailored sessions on understanding their bodies, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, condoms (myths and use), negotiating safer sex practices, violence prevention, and partner communication. Bivariate and multivariate analyses assessed changes from baseline. RESULTS: The intervention improved HIV knowledge, partner communication, risk-reduction behavioral intentions, and condom use, and decreased perceived barriers to condom use. DISCUSSION: The efficacy of a culturally-sensitive intervention to reduce HIV/AIDS-risk behaviors in Latina women was demonstrated in the current study.     

Cardiovascular risk factors and outcome in patients with retinal vein occlusion

The pathogenesis and treatment of retinal vein occlusions (RVO) are largely unclear. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and of thrombophilic abnormalities was evaluated in 117 patients (61 M, 56 F; mean age 51 ± 13 years) with a history of RVO (62 central, CRVO; 48 branch, BRVO; 7 both) and in 202 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Cardiovascular outcome after a mean 8.2 year follow-up was recorded for 90 patients. Arterial hypertension was significantly more frequent in patients than in controls (64.9 vs. 28.2%; adjusted OR 4.5 95% CI 2.4–7.9; P < 0.0001), as well diabetes mellitus (17.9 vs. 7.9%; P < 0.05). Antithrombin, Protein C, Protein S and homocysteine levels, lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies, FV G1691A and prothrombin G20210A polymorphisms were comparable in the two groups, nor were different according to RVO localization or to the age at event. BRVO patients were significantly older (55 ± 9 vs. 47 ± 15 years; P = 0.002) and had higher prevalence of diabetes, overweight and hypertension (29.2 vs. 8.1%; 83.3 vs. 58.1%, 79.2 vs. 56.5%; P always <0.05). In 58/90 (64%) patients for whom clinical follow-up was available, new vascular events were recorded (coronary/cerebral, n = 38); only 22 patients (24%) received long-term antiplatelet agents (mostly aspirin 100 mg/d), with lower, but not statistically significant, prevalence of overall vascular recurrence (45.4 vs. 70.6%, P = 0.06). High rate of vascular recurrence is shown in patients with previous RVO, in which conventional cardiovascular risk factors play a major role, especially in BRVO and in older patients.     

The evolution of rectal and urinary toxicity and immune response in prostate cancer patients treated with two three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy techniques

Background

The protein kinase CK2 sustains multiple pro-survival functions in cellular DNA damage response and its level is tightly regulated in normal cells but elevated in cancers. Because CK2 is thus considered as potential therapeutic target, DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation and rejoining, apoptosis induction and clonogenic survival was assessed in irradiated mammalian cells upon chemical inhibition of CK2.

Methods

MRC5 human fibroblasts and WIDR human colon carcinoma cells were incubated with highly specific CK2 inhibitor 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole (TBB), or mock-treated, 2 hours prior to irradiation. DSB was measured by pulsed-field electrophoresis (PFGE) as well as gamma-H2AX foci formation and removal. Apoptosis induction was tested by DAPI staining and sub-G1 flow cytometry, survival was quantified by clonogenic assay.

Results

TBB treatment did not affect initial DNA fragmention (PFGE; up to 80 Gy) or foci formation (1 Gy). While DNA fragment rejoining (PFGE) was not inhibited by the drug, TBB clearly delayed gamma-H2AX foci disappearence during postirradiation incubation. No apoptosis induction could be detected for up to 38 hours for both cell lines and exposure conditions (monotherapies or combination), but TBB treatment at this moderately toxic concentration of 20 μM (about 40% survival) enhanced radiation-induced cell killing in the clonogenic assay.

Conclusions

The data imply a role of CK2 in gamma-H2AX dephosporylation, most likely through its known ability to stimulate PP2A phosphatase, rather than DSB rejoining. The slight but definite clonogenic radiosensitization by TBB does apparently not result from interference with an apoptosis suppression function of CK2 in these cells but could reflect inhibitor-induced uncoupling of DNA damage response decay from break ligation.     

Physician‐Assisted Suicide Attitudes of Older Mexican‐American and Non‐Hispanic White Adults: Does Ethnicity Make a Difference?

Little is known about attitudes toward physician‐assisted suicide (PAS) in various ethnic groups. This study compares attitudes held by older Mexican Americans and non‐Hispanic whites and examines subject characteristics that may influence their responses. A convenience sample of 100 older Mexican Americans and 108 non‐Hispanic whites (n=208) aged 60 to 89 were recruited from four primary care community‐based practice sites in San Antonio, Texas. Interview items measured attitudes toward PAS, cognitive status, functional status, and religiosity. Older Mexican Americans (52.7%) reported stronger agreement than non‐Hispanic whites (33.7%) with PAS. Male sex (odds ratio (OR)=2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.09–6.35) predicted agreement with legalization in Mexican Americans, whereas lower religiosity scores (OR=0.84, 95% CI=0.75–0.94) were predictive of agreement in older non‐Hispanic whites. This study is the first to find positive attitudes among community‐dwelling older Mexican Americans toward PAS that are higher than those of older non‐Hispanic white adults. Sex and religious views were important determinants of positive attitudes toward PAS. Larger, more‐generalizable studies should be conducted to confirm the attitudinal patterns that have been identified in this study.