Migration,health, and socioenvironmental safety net among children of Dhaka,Bangladesh

This study quantifies the diarrhea burden among migrant children under age 5 (who have migrated due to environmental degradation) in Dhaka. We used a multifactor socioepidemiological as well as environmental approach with pretested questionnaires and observations. It was found that 52% of the children were affected by diarrhea. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost was reduced manifold with the increase of mothers' behavioral determinants. Health losses were 1,718 fold with significant coefficient (β) in the migrant group. DALYs lost were significantly associated with socioenvironmental factors such as mother's illiteracy (β = .18; p < .001), no hand wash before eating (β = .08; p = .004), and no hand wash after defecation (β = .10; p < .001). This puts emphasis clearly on the awareness at household level, especially of mothers and children under age 5 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in formulating migration-related policies.     

Drug Use, Increasing Incarceration Rates, and Prison-Associated HIV Risks in Thailand

Background: Incarceration is a known risk for HIV infection in Thai drug users. Through the 1990s, incarceration rates for drug-related offenses rose sharply, whereas HIV prevention and drug treatment in prisons remained limited. Methods: We assessed HIV and incarceration risks for injection drug users (IDU) and non-IDU in a large treatment center cohort in northern Thailand to investigate HIV and prison risks in this period. We used Thai Bureau of Corrections data to assess incarceration and prevention funds in prisons, 1992–2000. Results: Among 1,865 drug user in the treatment cohort, 503 (27.0%) had ever been jailed. Men (OR 3.3, 95% CI 2.1, 5.2), IDU (OR 6.3, 95% CI 5.1, 7.9), and men who have sex with men (MSM) (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.8, 6.3) were more likely to have been jailed. Among male IDU who had ever been jailed (N = 272), 15.8% had used drugs in prison. In a multivariate model, incarceration and ever IDU remained independently associated with HIV infection; IDU, MSM behaviors, and harmful traditional practices remained independently associated with having been jailed. From 1992 to 2000, overall alleged narcotics offenses increased from 117,000 to 276,000/year. The number of persons incarcerated for narcotics offenses increased fivefold from 1992 to 1999, from 12,860 to 67,440. For FY 2000, narcotics treatment accounted for 0.06% of the Thai corrections budget, whereas HIV programs in prisons were 0.017%. Conclusions: Incarceration rates for narcotics offenses have increased sharply in Thailand, whereas prevention has lagged. Having been jailed is an important independent risk for HIV infection among Thai male drug users, especially IDU and MSM. HIV prevention and drug treatment are urgently needed in Thai prisons.     

A unique insertion of low complexity amino acid sequence underlies protein-protein interaction in human malaria parasite orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase

Objective:To investigate the multienzyine complex formation of human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum[P.falciparum)orotate phosphoribosyltransferase(OPRT)and orotidine5'-monophosphate decarboxylase(OMPDC),the fifth and sixth enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic palhway.Previously,we have clearly established that the two enzymes in the malaria parasite exist physically as a heterotetrameric(OPRT)_2(OMPDG)_2 complex containing two subunits each of OPRT and OMPDC.and that the complex have catalytic kinetic advantages over the monofunetional enzyme.Methods:Both enzymes were cloned and expressed as recombinant proteins.The protein-protein interaction in the enzyme complex was identified using bifunctionul chemical cross-linker,liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis and homology modeling,Results:The unique insertions of low complexity region at the a 2 and a 5 helices of the parasite OMPDC,characterized by single amino acid repeat sequence which was not found in homologous proteins from other organisms,was located on the OPRT-OMPDC interface.The structural models for the protein-prolein interaction of the helerotetrameric(OPRT)_2(OMPDC)_2multienzyme complex were proposed.Conclusions:Based on the proteomic data and structural modeling,it is surmised that the human malaria parasite low complexity region is responsible for the OPRT-OMPDC interaction.The structural complex of the parasite enzymes,thus,represents an efficient functional kinetic advantage,which in line with co-localization principles of evolutional origin,and allosteric control in protein-protein-interactions.     

Panniculitis in tuberculosis: a clinicopathologic study of nodular panniculitis associated with tuberculosis

Background Certain types of panniculitis, erythema induratum of Bazin and erythema nodosum, have been well documented as tuberculids. Many histopathologic diagnoses of panniculitis have been reported in tuberculosis patients. This study investigates the correlation between underlying tuberculosis and clinicopathologic findings of panniculitis.
Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical files of histologic-proven panniculitis cases at the Dermatologic Clinic, Siriraj Hospital from January 1992 to December 1995; only cases with active tuberculous foci were analyzed.
Results The incidence of panniculitis caused by tuberculosis was 8.2%. The ratio of men to women was 1 : 1. The mean age of onset was 35.3 years. The average duration of the nodules was 35.5 days. There was a history of contact tuberculosis in 16.6%. Constitutional symptoms and a strongly positive purified protein derivative (PPD) reaction were found in 66.6%. Chest roentgenograms were abnormal in 83.3%. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated in all tested cases. The histopathologic diagnoses were nodular vasculitis (33.3%), erythema nodosum (50%), and cutaneous periarteritis nodosa (16.4%). The panniculitis lesion responded to standard antituberculous regimens in 4.6 weeks, on average, with residual hyperpigmentation.
Conclusions In panniculitis patients, clues for the investigation of tuberculosis included constitutional symptoms, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and abnormal chest roentgenograms. Histopathologic changes of panniculitis did not seem to correlate with underlying tuberculosis. The clinician should be aware of the tuberculosis, however, and should carefully search for active foci in all panniculitis patients.     

Different AhR binding sites of diterpenoid ligands from Andrographis paniculata caused differential CYP1A1 induction in primary culture in mouse hepatocytes

Andrographis paniculata has been employed as a folklore remedy. Andrographolide (Andro), 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide (DHA), andrographiside (AS), and neoandrographolide (Neo), are major diterpenoids isolated from this plant. In the present study, influence of the four diterpenoids on CYP1A1 mRNA expression was investigated in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. Additionally, binding of these compounds to aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was examined using molecular docking analysis to clarify mechanism of CYP1A1 induction. Andro and DHA induced CYP1A1 expression by itself, and co-treatment with a CYP1A1 inducer (BNF, beta-naphthoflavone) showed a synergistic increase of CYP1A1 expression. Andro demonstrated higher enhancing activity than DHA at every similar concentration. On the other hand, Neo suppressed BNF-induced CYP1A1 expression, but AS did not modify the induction. Results from molecular docking analysis of BNF and four diterpenoids on ligand binding domain of AhR were consistent with levels of CYP1A1 mRNA expressions. Furthermore, difference of binding sites of BNF in the presence of diterpenoids might affect the synergism or inhibition of CYP1A1 expression. These results suggest that use of A. paniculata as a health supplement should be concerned in term of herb-drugs interactions or risk of carcinogenesis, according to its ability to influence CYP1A1 expression.     

Down-regulation of murine testicular 17β-HSD3 and hepatic CYP1A2 enzymes by a bovine testes extract

Purpose  

We investigated the effects of a bovine testes extract (BTE), which was developed as an alternative product for andropausal men, on expression of testicular enzymes responsible for sex hormone synthesis genes and a carcinogen activation related gene.     

Development of multiplex PCR for the detection of total coliform bacteria for Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens in drinking water

Multiplex PCR amplification of lacZ, uidA and plc genes was developed for the simultaneous detection of total coliform bacteria for Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, in drinking water. Detection by agarose gel electrophoresis yielded a band of 876 bp for the lacZ gene of all coliform bacteria; a band of 147 bp for the uidA gene and a band of 876 bp for the lacZ gene of all strains of E. coli; a band of 280 bp for the p/c gene for all strains of C. perfringens; and a negative result for all three genes when tested with other bacteria. The detection limit was 100 pg for E. coli and C. perfringens, and 1 ng for coliform bacteria when measured with purified DNA. This assay was applied to the detection of these bacteria in spiked water samples. Spiked water samples with 0-1,000 CFU/ml of coliform bacteria and/or E. coli and/or C. perfringens were detected by this multiplex PCR after a pre-enrichment step to increase the sensitivity and to ensure that the detection was based on the presence of cultivable bacteria. The result of bacterial detection from the multiplex PCR was comparable with that of a standard plate count on selective medium (p=0.62). When using standard plate counts as a gold standard, the sensitivity for this test was 99.1% (95% CI 95.33, 99.98) and the specificity was 90.9 % (95% CI 75.67, 98.08). Multiplex PCR amplification with a pre-enrichment step was shown to be an effective, sensitive and rapid method for the simultaneous detection of these three microbiological parameters in drinking water.