Determinants of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection Among University Students in Central Bangladesh

This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and determinants of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among university students in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 614 students from five universities in central Bangladesh. Data were collected on demographic information, immunization history, medical and blood transfusion history through the face-to-face interview. Blood samples were collected and screened for anti-HBsAg using ELISA, HBsAg Rapid Test-cassette, and immune chromatographic test. The overall seroprevalence of HBV infection was 5.0%, and vaccination coverage was 19.2% among the participants. Students having a history of surgery (OR 11.004, 95% CI 3.211–37.707), blood transfusion (OR 5.651, 95% CI 0.965–33.068), being married (OR 4.776, 95% CI 1.508–15.127), and not being vaccinated (OR 9.825, 95% CI 1.130–85.367) were at higher risk of being infected by HBV. This study showed the endemicity of HBV infection among the Bangladeshi population. Marriage, surgical or blood transfusion history, not being vaccinated were the determinants of HBV infection within the study population. Public health initiatives for preventing HBV infection at the university levels should be envisaged.

     

Rosai–Dorfman Disease: A Rare Clinicopathological Presentation and Review of the Literature

Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare and self-limiting disease process that presents most commonly in young patients as massive, painless, cervical lymphadenopathy. Extranodal involvement may also occur. Histopathologic evaluation is the main diagnostic modality. We report an unusual presentation of RDD with cervical lymphadenopathy and an incidentally discovered sinonasal mass, clinically worrisome for malignancy. We emphasize that a high index of clinical suspicion is critical for accurate diagnosis of RDD. Clinicians and pathologists should consider RDD in a differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy, especially in young patients.     

External validity of phase III trials on vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 to a middle-aged and elderly Western European population

European Journal of Epidemiology - Initial results from various phase-III trials on vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are promising. For proper translation of these results to clinical guidelines, it is...     

Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides against thrombomodulin suppress the cell growth of lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549

Thrombomodulin (TM), an anticoagulant factor on endothelial cells, is known to be expressed in non-endothelial cells as well. In neoplastic cells of lung adenocarcinomas, TM is expressed but its correlation with growth potential has not been studied. As TM expression has a negative correlation with cell proliferation in lung squamous cell carcinomas, we examined its growth effect on lung adenocarcinoma cells of the A549 cell line by inhibiting TM expression with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN). In the antisense ODN transfected cells, the expression of TM mRNA was decreased to 49% at 12 h and 47% at 24 h, which was in accordance with TM expression at the protein level. By IdU (5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine) incorporation assay, the growth of A549 cells was found to have decreased to 36% of the control level at 24 h post-transfection. The suppression of cell growth was maintained in a concentration-dependent manner for 48 h after transfection, when the expression of TM started to rebound. In the transfected cells, the G1 phase cell count was reduced to 60.7%, compared with 68.2% in the control transfectants. These results suggest that TM expression may play a suppressive role in the proliferation activity of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells.     

A New Bidesmosidic Triterpenoidal Saponin from the Roots of Symphytum officinale

A new triterpenoidal saponin having hederagenin as the aglycone was isolated from the roots of SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE L. The structure of this saponin was elucidated by FAB-MS, (1)H-, (13)C-NMR, 2D-NMR analyses and chemical studies as 3- O-[beta- D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha- L-arabinopyranosyl]-hederagenin 28- O-[beta- D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta- D-glucopyranosyl] ester.     

Basic neuroscience

Poster Session 1

Basic neuroscience     

Mega-Liposuction: Analysis of 1520 Patients

Fifteen hundred and twenty cases of liposuction/liposculpture were performed at Dr. M. Erfan & Bagedo Hospitals and King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah from January 1983 to December 1994. These cases were mostly females. The age group was from 16–65 years. Multiple procedures were performed in 11.68% of these cases. The change in hemoglobin and the hematocrit ratio pre- and post-operatively, and the incidence of complications, were studied. The percentage of surface area operated upon rather than the amount of fat removed was the most important relevant factor.     

Raloxifene, a new selective estrogen receptor modulator.

There is evidence from observational studies that estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women can reduce the rates of morbidity and mortality of atherosclerotic heart disease. The mechanism of this cardiovascular protective effect is not yet established, but favorable actions of hormone therapy on plasma lipids and vascular endothelial function have been proposed. Estrogens can also increase the risk of breast and uterine carcinoma. The new selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) raloxifene appears to have benefits similar to estrogen on plasma lipids and osteoporosis, but it does not affect the rate of uterine carcinoma as does tamoxifen and estrogen. Animal studies suggest an anti-atherosclerotic action of raloxifene, but this needs to be confirmed in long-term human studies.