Low physical activity, fatigue and depression in breast cancer survivors: Moderation by levels of IL-6 and IL-8.

Background And Aims: Although previous studies suggested that depressed mood and fatigue among cancer survivors are associated with chronic inflammation, the effect of cytokines on the relation between physical activity and fatigue and depressed mood is characterized by inconsistent results. The aim was to examine levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, IL-12) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in relation to the effects of physical activity on fatigue and depressed mood.

Methods: Breast cancer survivors (n = 108; stages I-III), aged >20 and who were 1-6 months postchemotherapy were recruited consecutively.

Stability and change of postchemotherapy symptoms in relation to optimism and subjective stress: A prospective study of breast cancer survivors.

Objectives: Inconsistent findings were reported about the course of postchemotherapy symptoms; specifically, the effect of changes in optimism and perception of subjective stress on the evolution of symptoms remains understudied. This prospective study aimed (a) to examine the course of postchemotherapy symptoms of emotional distress, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties among breast cancer survivors and (2) to assess the effect of changes in optimism and subjective stress on the trajectory of these symptoms.

Methods: Ninety-eight breast cancer survivors, diagnosed at stages I to III, aged 30 to 74, recruited consecutively (response rate 84.

Cancer-related fatigue and depression in breast cancer patients postchemotherapy: Different associations with optimism and stress appraisals.

Objective: Symptoms of depression and cancer-related fatigue (CRF) are common among breast cancer patients postchemotherapy and may seriously impair quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to assess the relationship between depression and CRF in breast cancer patients postchemotherapy and to examine their relationships to optimism and to threat and challenge appraisals.

Method: Participants included 95 breast cancer patients (stages 1-3) 1 to 6 months after completion of chemotherapy.

Human amnion membrane as a substrate for the detection of autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid.

Background: Human amnion membrane (HAM) was suggested to be a superior antigenic substrate for immunoblotting in detecting autoantibodies of autoimmune bullous skin diseases.

Objectives: To determine the properties of HAM as an antigenic substrate for the detection of autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid.

Methods: Immunomapping and tandem liquid chromatography mass spectrometry were used to delineate the antigenic structure of HAM.

Cytokine levels (IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 and TGFβ) as potential biomarkers of systemic inflammatory response in trauma patients.

Purpose: Much research is now being conducted in order to understand the role of cytokines in the development of the inflammatory response following trauma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether serum levels of certain cytokines, measured immediately after initial injury, can be used as potential biomarkers for predicting the development and the degree of severity of the systemic inflammatory response (SIRS) in patients with moderate and severe trauma.

Methods: We conducted a prospective study with 71 individuals of whom 13 (18.

Possible association of Toll-like receptor 9 polymorphisms with cytokine levels and posttraumatic symptoms in individuals with various types of orthopaedic trauma: early findings.

Background: Although TLR9 polymorphisms may be associated with cytokine dysregulation, its role in regulation of cytokines due to bodily trauma or in relation to acute stress symptoms or posttraumatic stress symptoms (ASS/PTS) has not been evaluated.

Aims: To assess serum cytokine levels and levels of ASS and PTS in relation to four common TLR9 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in individuals with various types of orthopaedic trauma.

Methods: Forty-eight accident-injured individuals, aged 20-60 years were studied.

Accelerated Aging in HIV Patients.

Life expectancy has been increasing in the last few decades in the Western world and is accompanied by higher occurrence of age-related diseases like metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal diseases and also with a decline in immune functions. In HIV-infected people, due to the use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), life expectancy has increased. As a result, non-AIDS conditions which are age-associated have become more prevalent and appear earlier, resulting in accelerated aging in HIV patients.

[Fertility and HIV: equal opportunity for everyone].

Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART), the increase in life expectancy and improved HIV viral detection methods, have all led to a change in attitude towards fertility in people living with HIV. There is now acknowledgment of the fundamental rights of HIV patients to parenthood and growing implementation of assisted fertility in this group. The aims of fertility treatment are prevention of infection in HIV-discordant couples, and treatment for fertility problems, identical to the general population.

[Crucial risk factors for renal function deterioration of HIV-infected patients at the AIDS Clinic in Rambam Hospital].

Background: Since the introduction of new and efficient antiretroviraL treatment (ART), mortality and morbidity due to HIV infections have been greatly reduced. However, there is a growing incidence of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, bone and renal diseases.

Objectives: To examine the impact of HIV infection on renal functions over time and to define risk factors which contribute to the change in renal functions.

Transmission patterns of HIV-subtypes A/AE versus B: inferring risk-behavior trends and treatment-efficacy limitations from viral genotypic data obtained prior to and during antiretroviral therapy.

Background: HIV subtypes A and CRF01_AE (A/AE) became prevalent in Israel, first through immigration of infected people, mostly intravenous-drug users (IVDU), from Former Soviet-Union (FSU) countries and then also by local spreading. We retrospectively studied virus-transmission patterns of these subtypes in comparison to the longer-established subtype B, evaluating in particular risk-group related differences. We also examined to what extent distinct drug-resistance patterns in subtypes A/AE versus B reflected differences in patient behavior and drug-treatment history.

[Outcome of treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin in HIV-HCV co-infected patients: "real life" single center experience].

Background And Aim: Recently, with the emergence of highly effective antiretroviral treatment (ART), chronic liver disease has become the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in co-infected HIV-HCV (Human immunodeficiency virus-Hepatitis C virus) patients. The overall SVR rate in this population remains unsatisfactory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to therapy in HIV-HCV co-infected patients in a single center.

Vitamin D status in young HIV infected women of various ethnic origins: incidence of vitamin D deficiency and possible impact on bone density.

Background: Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) was reported in HIV infected patients. Mechanisms leading to this decrease are poorly understood.

Aims: To assess factors relating to BMD in young HIV infected Israeli women of Ethiopian and Caucasian origin.

Human factors-focused reporting system for improving care quality and safety in hospital wards.

Objective: The aim was to develop a reporting system for collecting human factors problem reports to establish a database to guide activities for improving health care quality and patient safety.

Background: The current error and incident report systems do not provide sufficient and adequate coverage of the factors contributing to impaired safety and care quality. They fail to examine the range of difficulties that clinical staff encounters in the conduct of daily work.

Absence of APOL1 risk variants protects against HIV-associated nephropathy in the Ethiopian population.

Background: Susceptibility to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) among HIV-infected Americans of African ancestral heritage has been attributed to APOL1 genetic variation. We determined the frequency of the APOL1 G1 and G2 risk variants together with the prevalence of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) among individuals of Ethiopian ancestry to determine whether the kidney disease genetic risk is PanAfrican or restricted to West Africa, and can explain the previously reported low risk of HIVAN among Ethiopians.

Methods: We studied a cohort of 338 HIV-infected individuals of Ethiopian ancestry treated in one Israeli and one Ethiopian center.

Men who have sex with men, risk behavior, and HIV infection: integrative analysis of clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory databases.

Background: Centralized data collection and analytic tools facilitate tracing HIV transmission trends at the patient-population level with increasing resolution, complementing behavioral studies while avoiding sampling biases. By several measures, the rate of HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Israel increased in the past several years more rapidly than was expected. We describe features of the data that connect this increase to behavioral changes.

Cell derived liposomes expressing CCR5 as a new targeted drug-delivery system for HIV infected cells.

Anti-retroviral-therapies against HIV/AIDS focus on inhibiting viral growth and may slow AIDS progression, but not cure the disease. Here we describe an approach to treat HIV as a cellular pathology by targeting cell derived liposomes against HIV-infected cells. Cell-derived-liposomes were prepared from the cytoplasmatic membranes of cells expressing CCR5, the human receptor for gp120, that is found on the surface of virions and HIV-infected cells.

Cytokine levels as potential biomarkers for predicting the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms in casualties of accidents.

Background: Traumatic injuries are usually associated with increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and are sometimes followed by the development of acute stress symptoms (ASS) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).

Aims: To measure serum pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in accident casualties and to associate it with ASS at hospitalization, and with PTSS 1 month later.

Methods: Participants were 48 patients, aged 20-60, hospitalized following various orthopedic injuries including bone fractures, and 13 healthy volunteers matched for gender.

Iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome due to coadministration of ritonavir and inhaled budesonide in an asthmatic human immunodeficiency virus infected patient.

Introduction: Iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (CS) is caused by exposure to glucocorticoids and may be promoted by interaction with additional drugs. It is well known in asthmatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients treated with inhaled fluticasone with ritonavir-containing antiretroviral regimen (cART).

Case Report: The authors present an asthmatic HIV-infected Ethiopian woman, treated with fluticasone/salmeterol, commencing cART with tenofovir, emtricitabine, and lopinavir/ritonavir.

Successful desensitization protocol for hypersensitivity reaction caused by sunitinib in a patient with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Sunitinib is an orally bioavailable small molecule that inhibits multiple receptor tyrosine kinases. Generalized hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) to sunitinib have not been described. A patient with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who developed a type I HSR to sunitinib and who was successfully treated by drug desensitization is reported.

Prevalence of the K65R resistance reverse transcriptase mutation in different HIV-1 subtypes in Israel.

The K65R mutation in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) can be selected by the RT inhibitors tenofovir (TDF), abacavir (ABC), and didanosine (DDI). Recently, in vitro studies have shown that K65R is selected in tissue culture more rapidly with subtype C than subtype B viruses. The prevalence of K65R in viruses sequenced at the Tel-Aviv AIDS Center was evaluated.

Effect of HAART on salivary composition and oxidative profile in HIV-infected patients.

Although it has been widely suggested that oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of HIV infection, salivary composition and its oxidative related aspects have never been studied in HIV patients, both HAART-treated and untreated. Human saliva and serum were collected and analyzed for various biochemical, redox related and immunological parameters from 43 consenting HIV-infected patients (20 untreated and 23 treated with HAART) and 20 healthy controls, age and gender matched. Saliva composition of HIV infected patients was completely altered but returned to normal following HAART.

Psychological distress, life stressors, and social support in new immigrants with HIV.

The expression of psychological distress is culture-dependent. Ethiopian Jewish immigrants' expression of distress is anchored in their unique culture. The authors' aim in this study was to assess the psychological distress of HIV-positive (HIV+) Ethiopian Jewish immigrants in Israel, using a culture-based tool, and to examine the relations of psychological distress, psychosocial variables, and T lymphocyte subset counts and viral load.

Male circumcision and HIV prevention.

Introduction: Growing evidence has linked circumcision with some protection against HIV infection. Should nations with a high HIV infection rate encourage male circumcision?

Methods: Four people with expertise and/or interest in the area of circumcision and HIV were asked to contribute their opinions.

Main Outcome Measure: To provide food for thought, discussion, and possible further research in a poorly discussed area of sexual medicine.