In 2011, as part of the World Health Organization global reporting tool to collect data on the progress of improving the health sector response to HIV/AIDS towards universal access, a questionnaire was sent to ministries of health of Western Pacific Region Member States on the scope and functioning of their HIV surveillance systems. Of the 17 countries that responded, 13 were low- to middle-income countries and four were high-income countries. Regular serosurveillance surveys are conducted with female sex workers in all lower- and middle-income countries that responded to the survey but less so with people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men. Furthermore, there are no surveillance activities of the key populations in most of the Pacific island countries. It is recommended that estimations of high-risk populations be conducted in priority Pacific island countries and tailored surveillance systems be designed. Efforts should also be made to gather and accumulate data from sufficient geographic coverage to allow the HIV epidemic to continue to be monitored.

Problem:Size estimates of key populations at higher risk of HIV exposure are recognized as critical for understanding the trajectory of the HIV epidemic and planning and monitoring an effective response, especially for countries with concentrated and low epidemics such as those in Asia. Context:To help countries estimate population sizes of key populations, global guidelines were updated in 2011 to reflect new technical developments and recent field experiences in applying these methods. Action:In September 2013, a meeting of programme managers and experts experienced with population size estimates (PSE) for key populations was held for 13 Asian countries. This article summarizes the key results presented, shares practical lessons learnt and reviews the methodological approaches from implementing PSE in 13 countries. Lessons learnt:It is important to build capacity to collect, analyse and use PSE data; establish a technical review group; and implement a transparent, well documented process. Countries should adapt global PSE guidelines and maintain operational definitions that are more relevant and useable for country programmes. Development of methods for non-venue-based key populations requires more investment and collaborative efforts between countries and among partners.

PURPOSE: To study the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retinal alterations in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy treated with photodynamic therapy, and its correlation with functional parameters such as best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and contrast sensitivity (CS). METHODS: Retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive evaluation by optical coherence tomography and its correlation with BCVA and CS in 31 eyes of 26 patients. RESULTS: In all affected patients, 88.5% were male with a mean age of 42.9 years. The right eye was involved in 64.5% of cases, bilateral in 19% and 73.9% were hyperopic (spherical refraction between 0 and +5.0 diopters). Of these cases, 51.5% had peri-RPE abnormalities, 17.3% hyperreflective substances at RPE, 19.4% RPE atrophy, 55.3% foveolar atrophy, 3.1% pigment epithelial detachment, 5.2% subretinal fluid persistence, 8.3% fibrin deposits, 68.4% photoreceptor inner and outer segment line interruption and 31.1% external limiting membrane interruption. CONCLUSIONS: Time evolution and number of outbreaks were related to the decrease in foveal and chorodial thickness and in those with worse BCVA and CS. RPE abnormalities and atrophy were related to the age of onset of symptoms. Photoreceptor elongation has been correlated with poor BCVA and inner and outer segment line destructuring and interruption with poor CS.
Adult ; Central Serous Chorioretinopathy/diagnosis/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fundus Oculi ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Photochemotherapy/*methods ; Photosensitizing Agents/administration & dosage ; Porphyrins/*administration & dosage ; Retina/*diagnostic imaging/drug effects/physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Treatment Outcome ; *Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the prognostic and predictive value of the nucleotide excision repair-related gene GTF2H5, which is localized at the 6q24.2-26 deletion previously reported by our group to predict longer survival of high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. METHODS: In order to test if protein levels of GTF2H5 are associated with patients' outcome, we performed GTF2H5 immunohistochemical staining in 139 high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas included in tissue microarrays. Upon stratification of cases into high- and low-GTF2H5 staining categories (> and < or = median staining, respectively) Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test were used to estimate patients' survival and assess statistical differences. We also evaluated the association of GTF2H5 with survival at the transcriptional level by using the on-line Kaplan-Meier plotter tool, which includes gene expression and survival data of 855 high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients from 13 different datasets. Finally, we determined whether stable short hairpin RNA-mediated GTF2H5 downregulation modulates cisplatin sensitivity in the SKOV3 and COV504 cell lines by using cytotoxicity assays. RESULTS: Low expression of GTF2H5 was associated with longer 5-year survival of patients at the protein (hazard ratio [HR], 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29 to 0.93; p=0.024) and transcriptional level (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.65 to 0.97; p=0.023) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. We confirmed the association with 5-year overall survival (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.78; p=0.0007) and also found an association with progression-free survival (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.96; p=0.026) in a homogenous group of 388 high-stage (stages III-IV using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system), optimally debulked high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. GTF2H5-silencing induced a decrease of the half maximal inhibitory concentration upon cisplatin treatment in GTF2H5-silenced ovarian cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Low levels of GTF2H5 are associated with enhanced prognosis in high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients and may contribute to cisplatin sensitization.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor/biosynthesis/genetics ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous/*genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Proteins/biosynthesis/genetics ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial/*genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Ovarian Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism/pathology ; Prognosis ; Transcription Factors/biosynthesis/*genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

BACKGROUND/AIMS: No clear data have been established and validated regarding whether rectal retroflexion has an important and therapeutic impact. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and therapeutic impact of rectal retroflexion compared with straight view examination. METHODS: A prospective single-blind study was conducted. Consecutive patients evaluated between October 2011 and April 2012 were included. RESULTS: A total of 934 patients (542 women, 58%) were included. The mean age was 57.4+/-14.8 years. Retroflexion was successful in 917 patients (98.2%). Distinct lesions in the anorectal area were detected in 32 patients (3.4%), of which 10 (1%) were identified only on retroflex view and 22 (2.4%) on both straight and retroflex views. Of the 32 identified lesions, 16 (50%) were polyps, nine (28.1%) were angiodysplasias, six (18.8%) were ulcers, and one (3.1%) was a flat lesion. All 10 patients (1%) in whom lesions were detected only by rectal retroflexion showed a therapeutic impact. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal retroflexion has minimal diagnostic yield and therapeutic impact. However, its low rate of major complications and the possibility of detecting lesions undetectable by straight viewing justify its use.
Angiodysplasia ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Polyps ; Prospective Studies* ; Rectum ; Single-Blind Method* ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of cirrhosis has become an important focus for basic and clinical researchers. Adrenergic receptor antagonists have been evaluated as antifibrotic drugs in rodent models of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced cirrhosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of carvedilol and doxazosin on fibrosis/cirrhosis in a hamster animal model. METHODS: Cirrhotic-induced hamsters were treated by daily administration of carvedilol and doxazosin for 6 weeks. Hepatic function and histological evaluation were conducted by measuring biochemical markers, including total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and albumin, and liver tissue slices. Additionally, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) immunohistochemistry was analyzed. RESULTS: Biochemical markers revealed that hepatic function was restored after treatment with doxazosin and carvedilol. Histological evaluation showed a decrease in collagen type I deposits and TGF-beta-secreting cells. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that the decrease in collagen type I following treatment with doxazosin or carvedilol is achieved by decreasing the profibrotic activities of TGF-beta via the blockage of alpha1- and beta-adrenergic receptor. Consequently, a diminution of fibrotic tissue in the CCl4-induced model of cirrhosis is achieved.
Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists/*pharmacology ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Bilirubin/blood ; Carbazoles/*pharmacology ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Collagen Type I/drug effects/metabolism ; Cricetinae ; Doxazosin/*pharmacology ; Liver/metabolism/pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis/blood/chemically induced/*drug therapy ; Liver Function Tests ; Propanolamines/*pharmacology ; Serum Albumin/analysis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/blood/*drug effects