Association of human papillomavirus with HIV and CD4 cell count in women with high or low numbers of sex partners

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether HIV serostatus (HIV-1, HIV-2, and dual (HIV-D) reactivity) and CD4 cell count affect human papillomavirus (HPV) in two groups of women from Cote d''Ivoire. METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study of two groups of women. One group had low numbers of lifetime sex partners (maternal women, n = 258) and were enrolled based on HIV serostatus. The other group had high numbers of sex partners (female sex workers, n = 278) and all consenting self identified sex workers were admitted to this study. We collected epidemiological and clinical data, and cervicovaginal lavage for HPV testing. RESULTS: The groups had different distributions of HIV seroreactivity, but the rates of HPV DNA detection were similar. Most of the HPV DNAs detected in both groups were high risk types. A strong association of high risk HPV DNA and HIV-1 seropositivity was found in both maternal women (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 7.5 (95% CI 3.2-17.4)) and in sex workers (OR 5.0 (2.1-12.0)). The maternal group also showed an association of high risk HPV DNA detection with HIV-2 (OR 3.7 (1.6-8.5)) and HIV-D (OR 12.7 (4.3-37.5)) that was not observed in the sex workers. In addition, the association of high risk HPV DNA with HIV-1 in the maternal group was independent of low CD4 cell count, while in the sex workers the association depended on CD4 cell counts < or = 500 x 10(6)/l. CONCLUSIONS: We found that an association between HPV and HIV varied depending on the sexual behaviour and CD4 cell count of the population examined.


     

The activation of the contact phase of coagulation by physiologic surfaces in plasma: the effect of large negatively charged liposomal vesicles

The endogenous, negatively charged surface that induces activation of the contact coagulation factors was investigated in plasmas taken from women in late pregnancy and control subjects of child-bearing age. The plasmas from the two groups of subjects were incubated at 4 degrees C for 24 hours either in plastic or in glass tubes and the factor VII coagulant activity (VIIc) was assayed in the treated plasmas. The activation of factor VII under these conditions involves the generation of enzymes derived from factor XII (XIIa). The contact surface is rate- limiting for the activation of factor VII in the plasmas in both groups of subjects and can be supplemented by large multilamellar liposomal vesicles carrying the appropriate density of negative charge. The size of these vesicles is within the range of sizes of the large lipoprotein particles (chylomicrons, very low and intermediate-density lipoproteins). The relationship between the density of negative charge on the liposomal vesicles and VIIc was similar in the late pregnancy and the control plasmas incubated in plastic tubes. At a saturating density of negative charge the observed relative VIIc was similar in both sets of plasmas. The incubation of late pregnancy or control plasma in plastic tubes in the presence of sodium stearate caused VIIc to increase with increasing concentration of the added fatty acid. These results suggest that large lipoprotein particles carrying the appropriate free fatty acid at a sufficient density of negative charge could provide the contact surface that induces the generation of factor XIIa and the subsequent activation of factor VII. Moreover, plasmas from women in late pregnancy have a higher concentration of potential surface and a higher density of negative charge than the plasmas from nonpregnant women.     

Phosphotyrosine profiling identifies the KG-1 cell line as a model for the study of FGFR1 fusions in acute myeloid leukemia

The 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome (EMS) is associated with translocations that disrupt the FGFR1 gene. To date, 8 fusion partners of FGFR1 have been identified. However, no primary leukemia cell lines were identified that contain any of these fusions. Here, we screened more than 40 acute myeloid leukemia cell lines for constitutive phosphorylation of STAT5 and applied an immunoaffinity profiling strategy to identify tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in the KG-1 cell line. Mass spectrometry analysis of KG-1 cells revealed aberrant tyrosine phosphorylation of FGFR1. Subsequent analysis led to the identification of a fusion of the FGFR1OP2 gene to the FGFR1 gene. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) against FGFR1 specifically inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis of KG-1 cells. Thus, the KG-1 cell line provides an in vitro model for the study of FGFR1 fusions associated with leukemia and for the analysis of small molecule inhibitors against FGFR1 fusions.     

New 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index Predicts Morbidity and Mortality in Primary Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Background

While the 11-factor modified frailty index (mFI) has been shown to predict adverse outcomes in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty, the 5-factor index has not been evaluated in this patient population. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of the mFI-5 as a predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing primary total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Demonstration of increased myocardial lipid with postischemic dysfunction ("myocardial stunning") by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Histopathologic studies have demonstrated accumulation of lipid droplets in myocardium subjected to greater than or equal to 6 h of ischemic insult. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can provide a noninvasive means to evaluate changes in tissue lipid and, potentially, to characterize the ischemic insult. To determine whether lipids accumulate with a brief ischemic insult, myocardial lipid content was evaluated by 1H NMR spectroscopy of ex-vivo samples from seven dogs in a model of postischemic dysfunction created by 15 min of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Regional myocardial function was assessed by measuring segment length shortening with use of a pair of ultrasonic crystals placed in the ischemic zone and in the control zone. During the occlusion, all dogs had significant ischemia of the occlusion zone as measured by radiolabeled microspheres (0.08 +/- 0.08 versus 0.88 +/- 0.09 ml/g per min for the control zone), and all dogs developed systolic stretching of the ischemic zone segment. Myocardial lipid content was significantly elevated in the samples from the coronary occlusion zone (p less than 0.02). The increase in lipid signal may result from the ischemia-induced decrease in beta oxidation and resultant accumulation of fatty acyl esters (for example, fatty acids, triglycerides and acylcarnitines). In conclusion, this study shows that myocardium subjected to a brief (approximately 15 min) coronary occlusion followed by 3 h of reperfusion demonstrates a significant increase in NMR-detectable lipid content.     

Isometric effects on treadmill exercise response in healthy young men

This study evaluated the hypothesis that the isometric stress of load carrying augments the dynamic exercise response seen on the treadmill, and estimated the magnitude of this effect on heart rate and blood pressure for several methods of carrying the same load. Thirteen healthy subjects carried 40 lb in the right hand (H), 40 lb on the back (B), 20 lb in each hand (D) and no weight (N) while walking for 3 minutes on the treadmill at a grade of 0 at 1.7 miles/ hour. A statistically significant increase in the rate of rise and peak levels of systolic blood pressure, heart rate, estimated mean blood pressure, the product of estimated mean blood pressure and heart rate and systolic blood pressure-heart rate product was shown when task H was compared with tasks B, D and N. Values for tasks D and B did not differ significantly.The effects of isometric and dynamic exercise combined were greater than those of dynamic exercise alone. An effective technique of load distribution reduced the rate of increase in blood pressure, heart rate and the peak attained during dynamic exercise, thereby suggesting a lower level of myocardial oxygen consumption for a given weight-carrying task. These results can be applied to evaluation of patients with heart disease and estimation of their exercise tolerance.     

Echocardiography in chronic alcoholics following prolonged periods of abstinence

Left ventricular function was analyzed using standard echocardiographic techniques in 26 chronic asymptomatic alcoholics without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease. All were studied following a long period of abstinence (mean 3.1 years; range 3 months to 17 years). Seven asymptomatic children (mean age 14.1 years; range 4 to 19 years) whose mothers had been actively drinking throughout their pregnancies were also studied. The calculated fractional shortening of the left ventricle (per cent ΔS), ejection fraction, mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (mean V_CF), excursions and maximal systolic velocites of the ventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall, preejection period/left ventricular ejection time ratios, mitral valve EF slopes, and thicknesses of the left ventricular posterior wall and ventricular septum were obtained in all. Normal left ventricular function was found in all but one adult alcoholic. In this patient, the per cent ΔS, ejection fraction, and mean V_CF were reduced. One additional adult alcoholic had a minimally thickened ventricular septum. Our results differ from other studies which have shown significant left ventricular dysfunction in asymptomatic chronic alcoholics. A possible explanation is the much longer period of abstinence of our chronic alcoholics at the time of their examinations. It also appears that left ventricular function in children born of alcoholic mothers is not affected when assessed after the long interval following prolonged exposure to alcohol in utero.