HIV and HTLV-I antibody studies: pregnant women in the 1960s, patients with AIDS, homosexuals, and individuals with tropical spastic paraparesis

To investigate the possible occurrence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or human T-cell lymphotropic virus, type I (HTLV-I) infections in the United States prior to 1979-1981, when acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized, we tested sera from 310 pregnant women who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project during the period 1959-1964 for HIV and HTLV-I antibody. These samples included sera from 53 pregnant women who were intravenous drug users. The remainder were from women who had cervical epithelial abnormalities, who developed cervical carcinomas, who had had children with erythroblastosis fetalis, who had had children that developed malignant neoplasms early in life, or normal pregnant women. None of the 310 women had confirmed HIV or HTLV-I antibody. The rate of false-positive reactions with the HIV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody test in these long-frozen samples was similar to that observed in fresh sera. HIV antibody was detected in homosexual patients with AIDS; HTLV-I antibody was not detected in any of these sera. HTLV-I antibody was detected in 17 of 20 patients with tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) and in two of seven patients with other neurological diseases diagnosed as transverse myelopathy and multiple sclerosis, and in none of nine normal controls; HIV antibody was not detected in any of these sera patients. Thus, we conclude that there was no serological evidence of infection with HIV or HTLV-I in the pregnant women studied; however, HIV antibody was present in all AIDS patients tested, and HTLV-I antibody was found in the majority of patients with TSP.     

Iodine status in Danish pregnant and breastfeeding women including studies of some challenges in urinary iodine status evaluation

Denmark was previously iodine deficient with regional differences. Moderate iodine deficiency appeared in West Denmark and mild iodine deficiency in East Denmark and also Danish pregnant and breastfeeding women suffered from iodine deficiency. The Danish mandatory iodine fortification of salt was introduced in the year 2000 and has increased iodine intake in the Danish population. However, median urinary iodine concentration in the general population and in pregnant and breastfeeding women is still below the level recommended, corresponding to mild iodine deficiency. Certain characteristics may challenge the evaluation of urinary iodine status in pregnancy and during breastfeeding. This review also addresses methodological challenges related to spot urine sampling conditions and the use of iodine supplement and discusses the use of non-pregnant population groups as a proxy for iodine intake in pregnant women.     

Insulin receptor binding from mid-term and full-term placentas of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and normal pregnant women

Insulin receptor binding was examined in the microvillous membranes of mid-term (20–22 weeks of gestation, MT) and full-term (FT) placentas from patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and in normal pregnant control (N). Mid-term placentas were obtained from patients who have had spontaneous abortion. The maximum per cent specific binding (%SB) in MT placenta for GDM was significantly lower (4.8%) compared with the FT placenta (22%, p<0.001), while in the N group the maximum per cent specific binding for MT placenta was 14.1% compared with 26% for the FT placneta (p<0.001). Binding data from FT placenta of well-controlled GDM patients were similar with the FT placenta from N group (22%SB for GDM VS 26% SB for N). Even as there were similarities in the binding characteristics of FT placentas from both groups the placental membrane protein content in the GDM group was lower by 50% compared with the N control (2.5±0.11 VS 4.8±0.15 mg protein/g placenta respectively, p<0.001) suggesting that in the GDM group achieving a tight glycemic control could improve receptor affinities. Data from the competitive binding assay of GDM patients showed that the insulin necessary to achieve 50% inhibition (ID₅₀) was significantly lower in MT compared with the FT placenta (0.9×10^–9 M VS 3.8×10^–9 M, p<0.001) but in the N placenta there was no alteration in the ID₅₀ of MT and FT placentas (3.1×10^–9 M VS 4×10^–9 M, p<0.01, respectively). The present study demonstrated that in GDM the placental insulin receptor binding was significantly lower in spontaneously aborted placenta compared with placentas collected at full-term. Furthermore, these data suggest that the objective to achieve a tight glycemic control in GDM patients could optimize insulin receptor function similar to that of a normal pregnancy. Thus a full term placenta from GDM patients under a well managed glycemic control throughout the entire duration of pregnancy would result in an optimum insulin receptor function.     

妊娠合并需氧菌性阴道炎的微生态特征和围产结局分析

目的 探讨妊娠合并需氧菌性阴道炎（aerobic vaginitis,AV）的微生态特征和围产结局。方法 选取AV孕妇120例为研究对象,并与同期正常孕妇100例作对照,取阴道分泌物行湿片、涂片染色、细菌培养及检测IL-6、IL-8,回顾性分析其病原菌菌群的分布,局部IL-6、IL-8水平及其对妊娠结局的影响。结果 120例妊娠合并AV主要致病菌是：大肠埃希菌45例（37.50%）、B族链球菌34例（28.33%）、粪肠球菌20例（16.67%）、金黄色葡萄球菌12例（10.00%）,这四种细菌占致病菌总数的84.17%;与正常孕妇相比,AV组孕妇胎膜早破、产褥感染、新生儿感染发生率明显升高,分别是25.00% vs 11.00%（P0.05）、10.83% vs 9.00%（P>0.05）,差异无统计学意义;AV孕妇阴道分泌物中IL-6、IL-8表达的水平均明显高于正常组[（17.64±4.53）ng/L vs（13.54±4.39）ng/L,P<0.001;（38.08±6.29）ng/L vs（27.34±5.10）ng/L,P<0.001]。结论 孕期AV由肠源性细菌引起,可导致不良的围产结局,需要及时处理。     

Sensitivity of human melanoma cells to adherent leukocytes depends on the ratio between them, the activation status of adherent leukocytes and the metastatic potential of tumor cells

 This study examined the interaction of the poorly metastatic human melanoma cell line M4Be and the highly metastatic clone 4 derived from M4Be, with respect to fresh adherent leukocytes (AL) isolated from 17 different healthy blood donors. These AL contained 80% (73%–93%) monocytes, 15% (6%–20%) B lymphocytes and 5% (1%–8%) T lymphocytes. The survival of these tumor cells against the stress exerted by these AL was estimated with a clonogenic assay where isolated tumor cells were co-cultured for 14 days in contact with AL and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). For a given blood donor, AL either stimulates or inhibits the colony formation of the tumor cells (T) depending on the AL/T ratio, the AL activation status and the metastatic potential of tumor cells. At low AL/T ratios (<10/1) in the presence of low (8 ng/ml) and trace (8 pg/ml) levels of LPS, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) release is significantly reduced, and tumor cells significantly increase their colony formation; the feeder effect of AL is suggested to be due to low concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). At high AL/T ratios (>10/1), whatever the characteristics of the blood donor, clone 4 is significantly more sensitive than M4Be to AL activated with medium containing low (8 ng/ml) or high (1,000 ng/ml) levels of LPS; this killing effect is suggested to be due to TNF-α, both soluble and membrane-bound, but not to be due to release of H₂O₂. These data suggest that the regulatory role of AL, which remove the majority of human melanoma cells and stimulate the colony formation of a small fraction of them, is partly due to TNF-α. Received: 2 November 2000 / Accepted: 15 February 2001     

Drug interactions associated with methadone, buprenorphine, cocaine, and HIV medications: implications for pregnant women

Pregnancy in substance-abusing women with HIV/AIDS presents a complex clinical challenge. Opioid-dependent women need treatment with opioid therapy during pregnancy to protect the health of mother and developing fetus. However, opioid therapies, methadone and buprenorphine, may have drug interactions with some HIV medications that can have adverse effects leading to suboptimal clinical outcomes. Further, many opioid-dependent individuals have problems with other forms of substance abuse, for example, cocaine abuse, that could also contribute to poor clinical outcomes in a pregnant woman. Physiological changes, including increased plasma volume and increased hepatic and renal blood flow, occur in the pregnant woman as the pregnancy progresses and may alter medication needs with the potential to exacerbate drug interactions, although there is sparse literature on this issue. Knowledge of possible drug interactions between opioids, other abused substances such as cocaine, HIV therapeutics, and other frequently required medications such as antibiotics and anticonvulsants is important to assuring the best possible outcomes in the pregnant woman with opioid dependence and HIV/AIDS.     

Treatment of pregnant gilts with a prostaglandin analogue, Cloprostenol, to control oestrus and fertility

Oestrus was induced 4-7 days after treatment with Cloprostenol (ICI 80,996) in gilts between 12 and 40 days pregnant. Fertility at this synchronized oestrus was good (85%).