Sexually transmitted infections: Prevalence and clinical outcomes among pregnant women in Western Sydney.

OBJECTIVE: We report the prevalence, characteristics and clinical outcomes of women with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in pregnancy in the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) serving a large culturally and socio-economically diverse community in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, over the last 10 years. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of all pregnant women booked for antenatal care at three hospitals in WSLHD between September 2012 and August 2022 inclusive. Characteristics and birth outcomes associated with STIs diagnosed in pregnancy (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) are reported using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: During 2012-2022, there were 102 905 births and 451 women (0.44%) with an STI diagnosis during pregnancy. The number of women with a history of chlamydia prior to their current pregnancy has increased over the last 10 years (P < 0.001). STIs in pregnancy were more common in younger women aged <20 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 7.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.04-10.57), 20-24 years (aOR 3.12, 95% CI 2.46-3.96), and >40 years (adj OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.07-2.59), in women with body mass index >30 (aOR 1.73, 95%CI 1.37-2.19), and those who smoked (aOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.71-2.94) and consumed alcohol (aOR 3.14, 95% CI 1.88-5.23) and illicit drugs (aOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.31-3.36). STIs in pregnancy were borderline associated with stillbirth (aOR 2.19 95% CI 0.90-5.36) but did not have a significant impact on preterm birth (aOR 1.21, 95% CI 0.87-1.68), admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (aOR 1.02, 95% CI 0.77-1.34), or having a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) baby (aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.74-1.27). CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic factors such as age, weight, smoking, and alcohol and drug use, were associated with the STI incidence in pregnancy. While the latter did not have an impact on preterm birth, NICU admission, and SGA in our cohort, there was a borderline association with stillbirth. Future research should identify barriers and facilitators to testing in a multicultural population and understanding the drivers of higher rates of STIs in certain population groups.

Possible pathway for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction prevention and treatment: the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor effect on endothelial function in comorbid patients.

Aim      To evaluate the effect of perindopril on the endothelial function and levels of endothelial dysfunction markers in groups of patients with heart failure with preserved (HFpEF) and mid-range (intermediate) left ventricular ejection fraction (HFmrEF).Material and methods  40 patients with HFpEF (n=20) and HFmrEF (n=20) were evaluated. At baseline, parameters of the morpho-functional state of large blood vessels and of microvessels were evaluated with photoplethysmography, and levels of E-selectin and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured. The patients were prescribed perindopril, and after 12 months of treatment, photoplethysmographic parameters and endothelial dysfunction markers were determined again.Results After 12 months of the perindopril treatment, improvements in the endothelial function of both large blood vessels and microvessels were noted. The phase shift increased from 10.1 to 10.9 ms in the HFpEF group (р=0.001) and from 8.35 to 9.65 ms in the HFmrEF group (р=0.002). Furthermore, the occlusion index increased from 1.45 to 1.75 in patients with HFpEF (р=0.004) and from 1.5 to 1.75 in patients with HFmrEF (р=0.010). The Е-selectin concentration decreased in both groups, from 57.25 to 42.4 ng/ml (р=0.00008) and from 40.5 to 35.7 ng/ml (р=0.010) in patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF, respectively. The ET-1 concentration decreased from pg/ml (р=0.010) in patients with HFpEF whereas in patients with HFmrEF, there was no significant change in the ET-1 concentration after 12 months of the perindopril treatment.Conclusion      At 12 months, the endothelial function improved and E-selectin and ET-1 levels decreased in patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF.

[The morphological features of a 20 mcl blood stain].

The objective of this work was to study blood stains of small volume (20 mcl). It was shown that the fall of a blood droplet from the height of 5 to 200 cm at the angle of 90 degrees on a smooth non-absorbing surface (glass) leaves round stains. Their size increases with increasing height of the fall. The character of the stain edges also depends on the height of the fall. The edges are even when the drops fall from the height of less than 20 cm but become wave-shaped with blunt projections when the height of the fall is increased to 30-90 cm. The fall from the height of 100 to 200 cm gives rise to the stains with the scalloped edges having the rectangular or nearly rectangular protrusions. From one to three additional Plateau drops can be observed near the main one.

[The modern non-invasive methods for the evaluation of the age-specific changes in the skin].

The present review article is designed to analyse the current state-of-the-art in the field of diagnostics of the main morphological and functional parameters characterizing the involutional processes in the facial skin. The possibilities of the practical application of the available non-invasive methods for the evaluation of the age of the living people in the framework of the forensic medical identification expertise are considered. The main problems and vectors of the further development of methodological approaches to the determination of the biological age based on the results of the studies of skin and its appendages are discussed.

Proliferative response of lymphocyte to pokeweed mitogen depends on the concentration of endogenous cortisol in the early post-traumatic period in patients with penetrating eye injury.

The intensity of lymphocyte proliferation in response to pokeweed mitogen depends on cortisol level in the peripheral blood in the early post-traumatic period of penetrating eye injury. Lymphocyte proliferation in 72- and 96-h cultures from patients with high levels of endogenous hormone was suppressed. In 120-h cultures, the intensity of proliferation remains unchanged. Lymphocyte blast transformation was increased in 120-h cultures from patients with normal cortisol concentration and remained unchanged in case of low cortisol level.

Apoptosis induced by hepatitis B virus X protein in a CCL13-HBx stable cell line.

The hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) critically modulates cell growth by inducing apoptosis or proliferation. We sought to clarify whether HBx-mediated apoptosis in a CCL13 stable cell line (Chang-HBx) with inducible HBx expression proceeds through the extrinsic (death receptor-mediated) and/or intrinsic (mitochondrial-mediated) pathways of apoptosis. We used western blotting, cell viability assays, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, caspase activity assays, JC-1 staining and DNA fragmentation analysis to study the role of HBx in apoptosis. The expression of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bad and the release of cytochrome c also increased slightly upon HBx induction. JC-1 staining showed a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential upon HBx induction. Additionally, induction of HBx increased the levels of cleaved caspase-9 (intrinsic pathway), caspase-8 (extrinsic pathway) and the common effector caspase-3 as measured by western blotting. This elevation of cleaved caspase-8 or caspase-3 and caspase-9 or caspase-3 decreased in the presence of caspase-8 inhibitor Z-IETD-FMK or caspase-9 inhibitor Z-LEHD-FMK, respectively. Both inhibitors also rescued cell growth, and the caspase-8 inhibitor Z-IETD-FMK prevented apoptotic phenomena including the TUNEL signal. DNA fragmentation analysis showed that these phenomena were not detected in the presence of higher concentration of inhibitors. Our data suggest that HBx induces apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways.

Nano-scaled Pt/Ag/Ni/Au contacts on p-type GaN for low contact resistance and high reflectivity.

We synthesized the vertical-structured LED (VLED) using nano-scaled Pt between p-type GaN and Ag-based reflector. The metallization scheme on p-type GaN for high reflectance and low was the nano-scaled Pt/Ag/Ni/Au. Nano-scaled Pt (5 A) on Ag/Ni/Au exhibited reasonably high reflectance of 86.2% at the wavelength of 460 nm due to high transmittance of light through nano-scaled Pt (5 A) onto Ag layer. Ohmic behavior of contact metal, Pt/Ag/Ni/Au, to p-type GaN was achieved using surface treatments of p-type GaN prior to the deposition of contact metals and the specific contact resistance was observed with decreasing Pt thickness of 5 A, resulting in 1.5 x 10(-4) ohms cm2. Forward voltages of Pt (5 A)/Ag/Ni contact to p-type GaN showed 4.19 V with the current injection of 350 mA. Output voltages with various thickness of Pt showed the highest value at the smallest thickness of Pt due to its high transmittance of light onto Ag, leading to high reflectance. Our results propose that nano-scaled Pt/Ag/Ni could act as a promising contact metal to p-type GaN for improving the performance of VLEDs.

Performance of GaN vertical light emitting diodes using wafer bonding process with Al-alloyed graphite substrate.

We report on the vertical-structure light emitting diodes (VLEDs) fabricated with wafer bonding method using Al-alloyed graphite and Si supporter. VLEDs with Al-alloyed graphite produced no crack during/after laser lift-off (LLO) techniques while the wafer crack took place using Si supporter because of the difference of thermal expansion coefficients between Si and sapphire. The performance of VLEDs with wafer bonding method using Al-alloyed graphite supporter was compared to those fabricated by Cu plating methods. The output power of the chips with wafer bonding method was nearly same as the one with Cu-plating method. However, the forward voltage of VLEDs with wafer bonding method was higher than those with Cu-plating method. In the terms of reliabilities the wafer bonding process is more preferable to Cu-plating and our report proposes that Al-alloyed graphite could be one of promising candidates for the supporters in wafer bonding process.

Impact of the content of collagens I and III and their ratio in cancer patients for the formation of postoperative ventral hernia.

Comparative morphological analysis of collagens I and III content in the connective tissue in various groups of surgical patients, including tumor patients with ventral hernias, was carried out. The total content of collagen and collagen I/III ratio were the highest in cancer patients in comparison with non-tumor patients with hernias and with patients without hernias or tumors. Hence, factors not associated with collagen synthesis predominate in the pathogenesis of hernia formation in patients operated for malignant tumors.

Pro- and antioxidants in the central lymph in experimental chronic toxic hepatitis.

Using rat model of chronic toxic hepatitis we showed the involvement of the lymph system in the formation of the response to toxic liver damage consisting in deposition of LPO products in the central lymph and active involvement of antioxidants in their neutralization with redistribution of ceruloplasmin into lymph vessels against the background of reduced a-tocopherol content in the central lymph.

Behavioral effects of novel enterosorbent Noolit on mice with mixed depression/anxiety-like state.

The aim of this work was to examine the behavioral effects of a novel lithium-based enterosorbent, Noolit (665 mg/kg), on male mice with mixed depression/anxiety-like state evoked by exposure to repeated social defeats in daily agonistic confrontations. The lithium component allows Noolit to be used as a psychotropic drug. Two experiments are described, in which the therapeutic and preventative effects of chronic Noolit treatment were examined. Response to Noolit was assessed in the plus maze, open field, partition test, and Porsolt's test. In both experiments, Noolit produced obvious anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. Treatment with Noolit fully restored some behavioral parameters in the plus maze and open field in depressed mice and prevented depression that would otherwise have developed. It has been suggested that enterosorbent Noolit can be a potent drug for the treatment of mixed anxiety/depression pathologies and for prevention of mood disorders.

Valgus ankle secondary to acquired fibular pseudoarthrosis in children. Long-term results of the Langenskiöld operation.

Nine cases of acquired absence of the fibular shaft were studied to determine the growth contribution of the distal fibula; in 6 cases the absence was caused by osteomyelitis and in 3 cases by trauma. The average valgus and external rotational deformities were 15.2 degrees and 10 degrees, respectively. In 3 of 7 cases surgically treated with Langenskiöld operation or supramalleolar corrective osteotomy, the valgus deformity recurred during the postoperative growth period. The speculated causes of gradual valgus deformity are the loss of physiologic thrust from the proximal to distal fibula, the tethering effect of contracted soft tissue on distal fibula and early physeal closure of the lateral part of the distal tibia due to continuous, uneven axial overloading. The Langenskiöld operation was found effective for the stability of ankle joint in the initial period, but could not prevent the postoperative revascularization of the ankle. However, it is strongly recommended that any types of prophylactic surgery should be carried out before the development of an epiphyseal deformity of distal tibia, and to prevent secondary osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.