The need for data on women living with HIV in Europe.

Across Europe, women account for one-third of new diagnoses of HIV and yet data to guide the treatment of women living with HIV are limited, a situation largely due to under-representation of women in clinical trials. SHE is a European initiative co-led by a medical faculty of HIV physicians and a community peer-support faculty of women living with HIV, with the common goal of improving the outcomes and quality of life of women living with HIV.In 2011, two meetings of the SHE medical faculty and invited specialists in HIV medicine were convened to discuss the situation of and clinical care for women living with HIV in Europe.

How does HIV affect the reproductive choices of women of childbearing age?

The majority of women living with HIV are of childbearing age and many of these women wish to have a family. As a result of advances in the treatment and management of HIV, more reproductive opportunities are now available to this group. However, women living with HIV may still require education and guidance in a range of reproductive situations, including avoiding pregnancy, seeking fertility treatment or having a child.

Severe forms of Baraitser-Winter syndrome are caused by ACTB mutations rather than ACTG1 mutations.

ACTB and ACTG1 mutations have recently been reported to cause Baraitser-Winter syndrome (BRWS) - a rare condition characterized by ptosis, colobomata, neuronal migration disorder, distinct facial anomalies and intellectual disability. One of the patients carrying an ACTB mutation was previously diagnosed with Fryns-Aftimos syndrome (FAS), which is a rare and severe, multiple congenital anomaly (MCA) syndrome whose symptoms partially overlap with that of BRWS. However, several patients with Fryns-Aftimos were considered not to fit into the ACTB and ACTG1 spectrum because of their severe impairment and additional malformations.

Population-attributable fractions of risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States.

Objectives: Risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) include hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV), excessive alcohol consumption, rare genetic disorders and diabetes/obesity. The population attributable fractions (PAF) of these factors, however, have not been investigated in population-based studies in the United States.

Methods: Persons ≥68 years diagnosed with HCC (n=6,991) between 1994 and 2007 were identified in the SEER-Medicare database.

High Serum Levels of the Interleukin-33 Receptor Soluble ST2 as a Negative Prognostic Factor in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant liver tumor, usually arises in the setting of liver cirrhosis (LC), and has a poor prognosis. The recently discovered Th2-cytokine interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a possible mediator in pancreatic and gastric carcinogeneses. IL-33 binds to its receptor and to soluble ST2 (sST2), which thereby acts as a regulator.

Whole-body MR angiography: first experiences with the new TimCT technology with single contrast injection.

Purpose: To assess image quality, presence of artifacts, arterial stenosis, and interobserver agreement of Tim-CT in assessment of the arterial system using contrast-enhanced whole-body-MRA (CE-Wb-MRA) with a single contrast-medium injection in patients with arteriosclerosis.

Materials And Methods: The retrospective study included 18 patients (mean age, 68 years). A total of 468 arteries were evaluated.

Measuring the anticoagulant effects of target specific oral anticoagulants-reasons, methods and current limitations.

To simplify and optimize oral anticoagulation, new target-specific oral anticoagulants (TSOAs) have been developed. The direct thrombin-inhibitor dabigatran and the direct factor Xa inhibitors rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban are the first such compounds to receive approval in certain countries for various indications. Due to the predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of these drugs, routine monitoring of patients receiving TSOA therapy has not been considered necessary.

Does presence of squamous and glandular differentiation in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder at cystectomy portend poor prognosis? An intensive case-control analysis.

Objective: The prognostic significance of squamous and glandular elements, the most common histologic variants of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB), is unclear. This study aimed to examine the sole influence of squamous or glandular or both differentiation on UCB outcome following cystectomy and to identify factors that explain the relatively poor prognosis observed in UCB patients with these differentiation elements.

Materials And Methods: A total of 2,444 patients who underwent radical cystectomy with extended lymph node dissection at a single referral center between 1976 and 2008 were considered.

Intensive care unit-related fluconazole use in Spain and Germany: patient characteristics and outcomes of a prospective multicenter longitudinal observational study.

Background: Candida spp. are a frequent cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections worldwide.

Objective: To evaluate the use patterns and outcomes associated with intravenous (IV) fluconazole therapy in intensive care units in Spain and Germany.

Age-matched dendritic cell subpopulations reference values in childhood.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells and are the key link between the innate and adaptive immune response. Only a few reports with study populations of up to 50 individuals have been published with age-based reference values for DC subpopulations in healthy children. Therefore, we aimed to establish reference ranges in a larger study population of 100 healthy children, which allowed age-matched subgroups.

Prevalence of colorectal cancer and its precursor lesions in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients undergoing total colonoscopy: results of a large prospective, multicenter, controlled endoscopy study.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in Germany. Screening colonoscopies have been offered in Germany since 2002. However, validation of screening programs for CRC relies on estimates up to date.

Impact of baseline HIV-1 RNA levels on initial highly active antiretroviral therapy outcome: a meta-analysis of 12,370 patients in 21 clinical trials*.

Background: Individual randomized trials of first-line antiretroviral treatment do not consistently show an association between higher baseline HIV-1 RNA and lower efficacy.

Methods: A MEDLINE search identified 21 HIV clinical trials with published analyses of antiretroviral efficacy by baseline HIV-1 RNA, using a standardized efficacy endpoint of HIV-1 RNA suppression <50 copies/mL at week 48.

Results: Among 21 clinical trials identified, eight evaluated only nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based combinations, eight evaluated only protease inhibitor-based regimens and five compared different treatment classes.

Tuberculosis skin test, but not interferon-γ-releasing assays is affected by BCG vaccination in HIV patients.

Objective: Of this study was to compare the results of tuberculin skin test (TST) with two interferon-γ releasing-assays (IGRA) in a cohort of HIV positive patients, to analyze impact of prior Bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-vaccination.

Methods: Prospective cross sectional study, enrolling only asymptomatic adult HIV infected outpatients from a large German University hospital clinic. All participants were simultaneously tested for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) by QuantiFERON-TB Gold, T-SPOT.

Ex vivo effects of low-dose rivaroxaban on specific coagulation assays and coagulation factor activities in patients under real life conditions.

Global coagulation assays display variable effects at different concentrations of rivaroxaban. The aim of this study is to quantify the ex vivo effects of low-dose rivaroxaban on thrombophilia screening assays and coagulation factor activities based on the administration time, and to show how to mask possible interferences. Plasma samples from 40 patients receiving rivaroxaban 10 mg daily were investigated to measure activities of clotting factor II, V, VII, VIII, IX, XI, XII and XIII; protein C- and protein S-levels; lupus anticoagulants; anticardiolipin IgG and IgM; D-dimer, heparin-platelet factor 4 (HPF4) antibodies and screening tests for von Willebrand disease (VWD).

Experimental study of the course of threshold current, voltage and electrode impedance during stepwise stimulation from the skin surface to the human cortex.

Background: Transcranial electric stimulation as used during intraoperative neurostimulation is dependent on electrode and skull impedances.

Objective: Threshold currents, voltages and electrode impedances were evaluated with electrical stimulation at 8 successive layers between the skin and the cerebral cortex.

Patients And Methods: Data of 10 patients (6f, 53 ± 11 years) were analyzed.

Dual-energy CT applications in head and neck imaging.

Objective: Dual-energy scanning is a breakthrough in CT technology that has several applications in chest and abdominal imaging. Dual-energy CT also has potential for head and neck imaging. This review describes the role of dual-energy CT in head and neck imaging.

Thermal ablation therapies in patients with breast cancer liver metastases: a review.

Background: The liver is involved in about half of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Unfortunately systemic chemotherapy as the treatment of choice is limited. Due to multifocality and/or insufficient remnant liver volume, the majority of liver metastases are also unresectable.

Virological efficacy and safety of antiretroviral therapy-switch to atazanavir-based regimen: a review of the literature.

Introduction: Patients on antiretroviral combination therapy, experiencing drug toxicity or inconvenience, require alternative options maintaining virological suppression. The protease inhibitor atazanavir is a promising candidate.

Areas Covered: Published studies exploring a switch to atazanavir-based regimens were systematically reviewed from medical databases and evaluated with regard to efficacy, safety, unboosted use, monotherapy, and hepatitis C coinfection.

Selenium and cardiovascular surgery: an overview.

Selenium is an essential nutritional element to mammalians necessary for the active function of different oxidant enzymes, as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thioredoxin reductases (TrxR), and iodothyronine deiodinases (IDD). The anti-oxidative effect of selenium is pivotal for the human physiology. Oxidative stress is associated with various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus or cancer, and is also associated with the majority of surgical procedures.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of genes for EGF, TGF-β and TNF-α in patients with pancreatic carcinoma.

Aim: To show whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-61(*)A/G, Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-B1) - 509(*)T/C and Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-A) -308(*)A/G are associated with the survival rate after pancreatic cancer surgery and with the frequency of post-operative complications.

Patients And Methods: EGF 61(*)A/G, TGF-B1-509(*)T/C and TNF-A-308(*)A/G genotypes were analyzed in patients who underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduonectomy for pancreatic carcinoma and were determined by means of Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The association of each genetic polymorphism with clinical and pathological data of the patients and early tumor recurrence were evaluated.

Contrast enhancement of the brain by folate-conjugated gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-human serum albumin nanoparticles by magnetic resonance imaging.

Different from regular small molecule contrast agents, nanoparticle-based contrast agents have a longer circulation time and can be modified with ligands to confer tissue-specific contrasting properties. We evaluated the tissue distribution of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) prepared from human serum albumin (HSA), loaded with gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) (Gd-HSA-NP), and coated with folic acid (FA) (Gd-HSA-NP-FA) in mice by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). FA increases the affinity of the Gd-HSA-NP to FA receptor-expressing cells.

Risk factors, management and primary prevention of thrombotic complications related to the use of central venous catheters.

An adequate vascular access is of importance for the treatment of patients with cancer and complex illnesses in the intensive, perioperative or palliative care setting. Deep vein thrombosis and thrombotic occlusion are the most common complications attributed to central venous catheters in short-term and, especially, in long-term use. In this review we will focus on the risk factors, management and prevention strategies of catheter-related thrombosis and occlusion.

Diagnosing and quantification of acute alcohol intoxication--comparison of dual-energy CT with biochemical analysis: initial experience.

Purpose: To quantify the correlation between fat content of an acute alcohol intoxication and the difference of computer tomography attenuation value in dual-energy CT in comparison to biochemical triglyceride analysis and to evaluate qualitatively the value of DECT in the diagnosis of fatty liver caused by ethanol-dosage in rats.

Materials And Methods: DECT at 140 kV and 80 kV was performed on 20 rats before and two days after the administration of 3 ml of 50% ethanol. The CT attenuation value in the livers at 140 kV, 80 kV and the differences between them in Hounsfield units (ΔH) were collected.

Transferrin-coated gadolinium nanoparticles as MRI contrast agent.

Purpose: In this study, the contrasting properties of human serum albumin nanoparticles (HSA-NPs) loaded with gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) and coated with transferrin in MRI in mice are evaluated.

Procedures: HSA-NPs were conjugated with Gd-DTPA (Gd-HSA-NPs) and coupled with transferrin (Gd-HSA-NP-Tf). Mice underwent MRI before or after injection of Gd-DTPA, Gd-HSA-NP, or Gd-HSA-NP-Tf.