Prediction of intimate partner violence by type of substance use disorder

The present study investigated whether (combinations of) specific substance use disorders predicted any and severe perpetration and victimization in males and females entering substance abuse treatment. All patients (N = 1799) were screened for IPV perpetration and victimization; almost one third of the sample committed or experienced any IPV in the past year. For males, an alcohol use disorder in combination with a cannabis and/or cocaine use disorder significantly predicted any IPV (perpetration and/or victimization) as well as severe IPV perpetration. For females, alcohol and cocaine abuse/dependence predicted both any IPV (perpetration and/or victimization) and severe IPV perpetration. Results from the present study emphasize the importance of routinely assessing IPV in patients in substance abuse treatment and demonstrate that clinicians should be particularly alert for IPV in patients with specific substance use disorder combinations.     

Community-Based Accompaniment and Psychosocial Health Outcomes in HIV-Infected Adults in Rwanda: A Prospective Study

We examined whether the addition of community-based accompaniment to Rwanda’s national model for antiretroviral treatment (ART) was associated with greater improvements in patients’ psychosocial health outcomes during the first year of therapy. We enrolled 610 HIV-infected adults with CD4 cell counts under 350 cells/μL initiating ART in one of two programs. Both programs provided ART and required patients to identify a treatment buddy per national protocols. Patients in one program additionally received nutritional and socioeconomic supplements, and daily home-visits by a community health worker (“accompagnateur”) who provided social support and directly-observed ingestion of medication. The addition of community-based accompaniment was associated with an additional 44.3 % reduction in prevalence of depression, more than twice the gains in perceived physical and mental health quality of life, and increased perceived social support in the first year of treatment. Community-based accompaniment may represent an important intervention in HIV-infected populations with prevalent mental health morbidity.     

Novel Real-Time PCR Assays Using TaqMan Minor Groove Binder Probes for Identification of Fecal Carriage of Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus Complex from Rectal Swab Specimens

Real-time PCR based on the recN and gyrB genes was developed to detect four Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBEC) subspecies from rectal swab specimens. The overall prevalence was 35.2%: Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (11.1%), S. gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus (13%), Streptococcus infantarius subsp. coli (20.4%), and S. infantarius subsp. infantarius (11.1%). To conclude, these real-time PCR assays provide a reliable molecular method to detect SBEC pathogenic subspecies from rectal swab specimens.     

Contraction‐induced Mmp13 and −14 expression by goat articular chondrocytes in collagen type I but not type II gels

Collagen gels are promising scaffolds to prepare an implant for cartilage repair but several parameters, such as collagen concentration and composition as well as cell density, should be carefully considered, as they are reported to affect phenotypic aspects of chondrocytes. In this study we investigated whether the presence of collagen type I or II in gel lattices affects matrix contraction and relative gene expression levels of matrix proteins, MMPs and the subsequent degradation of collagen by goat articular chondrocytes. Only floating collagen I gels, and not those attached or composed of type II collagen, contracted during a culture period of 12 days. This coincided with an upregulation of both Mmp13 and ?14 gene expression, whereas Mmp1 expression was not affected. The release of hydroxyproline in the culture medium, indicating matrix degradation, was increased five‐fold in contracted collagen I gels compared to collagen II gels without contraction. Furthermore, blocking contraction of collagen I gels by cytochalasin B inhibited Mmp13 and ?14 expression and the release of hydroxyproline. The expression of cartilage‐specific ECM genes was decreased in contracted collagen I gels, with increased numbers of cells with an elongated morphology, suggesting that matrix contraction induces dedifferentiation of chondrocytes into fibroblast‐like cells. We conclude that the collagen composition of the gels affects matrix contraction by articular chondrocytes and that matrix contraction induces an increased Mmp13 and ?14 expression as well as matrix degradation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trichodysplasia Spinulosa—A Rare Complication in Immunosuppressed Patients

Abstract: Immunosuppression is necessary in a large number of conditions to modify immune responses and control disease severity. It is a vital part of treatment regimes following organ and bone marrow transplants. However, the use of immunosuppressive drugs has been shown to cause infections with common and unusual pathogens. We present the case of a 5‐year‐old female heart transplant recipient. Nine months after the transplant, she developed a tender acneiform eruption on her face consisting of numerous small yellowish to pink papules and pustules. Many of the lesions had a central, firm, small spinulous excrescence or a central dell. Histopathology demonstrated abnormal maturation of the hair follicles, nucleated eosinophilic cells with trichohyalin granules. The clinical presentation and histological features were in keeping with trichodysplasia spinulosa, a rare complication in immunosuppressed subjects. Treatment trials included reduction of immunosuppression combined with topical and oral retinoids, topical acyclovir, and oral valganciclovir with limited success.