Expression of interleukin-15 and interleukin-15Rα in monocytes of HIV type 1-infected patients with different courses of disease progression

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) enhances the effector mechanisms of anti-HIV immune responses and thus is considered a potential adjuvant of HIV-1 vaccine. However, there are a lack of data concerning the relationships between IL-15 expression and regulation in HIV-1-infected patients and the course of disease progression. We found that IL-15, but not IL-15Rα, is expressed at significantly higher levels in the CD14(+) monocytes [stimulated or not with interferon (IFN)-γ] of long-term nonprogressors (LTNP) than in those of HIV-1 progressors or healthy controls. There was no between-group difference in the amounts of soluble IL-15 released from the cells. We also found that like the healthy controls, the LTNP expressed the IL-15 and IL-15Rα genes in a more coordinated manner than the progressors. Our findings show that there are significant differences in IL-15 expression between patients with different courses of HIV infection, and that the coordinated expression of the IL-15 and IL-15Rα genes is dysregulated in patients with progressive disease. They also provide important information concerning the mechanisms of infection and the potential use of IL-15 as a therapeutic agent.     

Giant-cell glioblastoma of childhood associated with HIV-1 and JC virus coinfection

Purpose

John Cunningham (JC) viral DNA sequence has seldom been reported in patients with brain tumors such as high grade gliomas and medulloblastomas, pointing to a role in the etiopathogenesis of such tumors.

Results

We present a unique clinical case of an HIV-positive pediatric patient with multifocal leukoencephalopathy and confirmed JC virus (JCV) infection that developed a giant-cell glioblastoma.

Conclusions

Experimental data with infected primates has previously hypothesized an association of human giant-cell glioblastoma with JCV or progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, though such association has not been documented in the literature for humans. Future studies with larger cohorts and molecular pathological analyses are still needed to corroborate the role of the widely spread human neurotropic virus in early transformation and in the development of brain tumors with different histology in the setting of HIV-related severe immunosuppression.     

Mowat–Wilson syndrome: the first report of an association with central nervous system tumors

Mowat–Wilson syndrome (MWS) is a rare genetic condition where variable and multiple congenital anomalies including Hirschsprung's disease, intellectual disability, and prominent facial features are present. At molecular level, MWS is characterized by many different described mutations in the zinc finger E-box protein 2 (ZEB2) gene, ultimately leading to loss of gene function. This report is the first to describe the association of MWS with two different asynchronous malignant brain tumors (medulloblastoma and glioblastoma) occurring in a child.     

Male access to emergency contraception in pharmacies: a mystery shopper survey

Background

Pharmacy access to emergency contraception (EC) could involve men in pregnancy prevention. The objectives were to assess the availability and cost of EC.

Study Design

Male mystery shoppers visited 158 pharmacies in three neighborhoods in New York City. They asked for EC and its cost and noted weekend hours.

Results

Twenty-two (73.3%) of 30 pharmacies created barriers to get EC. The cost of EC was higher in the higher-socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhood (p<.001), and the higher-SES neighborhood pharmacies had a greater number of weekend hours (p<.001).

Conclusions

Overall, males had a 20% probability of not being able to access EC. The national dialogue should include males.     

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease are related to functional connectivity alterations in the salience network

Neuropsychiatric syndromes are highly prevalent in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but their neurobiology is not completely understood. New methods in functional magnetic resonance imaging, such as intrinsic functional connectivity or “resting‐state” analysis, may help to clarify this issue. Using such approaches, alterations in the default‐mode and salience networks (SNs) have been described in Alzheimer's, although their relationship with specific symptoms remains unclear. We therefore carried out resting‐state functional connectivity analysis with 20 patients with mild to moderate AD, and correlated their scores on neuropsychiatric inventory syndromes (apathy, hyperactivity, affective syndrome, and psychosis) with maps of connectivity in the default mode network and SN. In addition, we compared network connectivity in these patients with that in 17 healthy elderly control subjects. All analyses were controlled for gray matter density and other potential confounds. Alzheimer's patients showed increased functional connectivity within the SN compared with controls (right anterior cingulate cortex and left medial frontal gyrus), along with reduced functional connectivity in the default‐mode network (bilateral precuneus). A correlation between increased connectivity in anterior cingulate cortex and right insula areas of the SN and hyperactivity syndrome (agitation, irritability, aberrant motor behavior, euphoria, and disinhibition) was found. These findings demonstrate an association between specific network changes in AD and particular neuropsychiatric symptom types. This underlines the potential clinical significance of resting state alterations in future diagnosis and therapy. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1237–1246, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intracardiac Versus Transesophageal Echocardiographic Guidance for Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: The LAAO Italian Multicenter Registry

Objectives

This study sought to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)–guided versus transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)–guided left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) by the use of Amplatzer Cardiac Plug or Amulet devices included in a large Italian registry.

Predictors of intention to use modern contraceptives among female senior secondary school students in the Kpando Municipality,Ghana

BackgroundImproving the reproductive health of young women in developing countries requires access to safe and effective methods of fertility control. Volta Region records one of the highest prevalence of teenage pregnancy and adolescents aged 15–19 years are the least acceptors of contraceptives in the Region. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study determined predictors of intention to use modern contraceptives among female Senior Secondary School students in the Kpando Municipality, Ghana.MethodA cross-sectional design was adopted, collecting data among a multistage sample of 270 participants, using a pretested self-administered questionnaire and analysing them using Stata software Version 16 at the 0.05 level of significance.ResultsThe mean age of the respondents was 16.78 ± 1.31. About 40.2% of the sexually experienced participants used a modern contraceptive during ther first sexual encounter. However, the majority (69.3%) had the intention to use modern contraceptives. Regarding subjective norms, the majority of the significant others (63.0%) were not supportive of modern contraceptive use and more than half of the respondents (59.3%) had a positive attitude towards modern contraceptive use, while 54.1% perceived that they had control over modern contraceptive use. The majority (69.3%) had the intention to use modern contraceptives. Perceived behavioural control was the only significant predictor of the intention to use modern contraceptives [AOR= 9.80 (C.I: 5.11, 18.77); p< 0.001].ConclusionInterventions to increase the perception of control over contraceptive use is of the essence. This will help increase their intention to use modern contraceptives.