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We report a case of a patient with AIDS and a brain abscess caused by aspergillus, who underwent neurosurgical excision of the lesion and received subsequent therapy with voriconazole. The patient suffered from intracranial hypertension and visual disorders.
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INTRODUCTION: Globally, population surveys on HIV/AIDS and other sensitive topics have been using audio computer-assisted self interview for many years. This interview technique, however, is still new to Vietnam and little is known about its application and impact in general population surveys. One plausible hypothesis is that residents of Vietnam interviewed using this technique may provide a higher response rate and be more willing to reveal their true behaviors than if interviewed with traditional methods. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare audio computer-assisted self interview with traditional face-to-face personal interview and self-administered interview with regard to rates of refusal and affirmative responses to questions on sensitive topics related to HIV/AIDS. METHODS: In June 2010, a randomized study was conducted in three cities (Ha Noi, Da Nan and Can Tho), using a sample of 4049 residents aged 15 to 49 years. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of three interviewing methods: audio computer-assisted self interview, personal face-to-face interview, and self-administered paper interview. Instead of providing answers directly to interviewer questions as with traditional methods, audio computer-assisted self-interview respondents read the questions displayed on a laptop screen, while listening to the questions through audio headphones, then entered responses using a laptop keyboard. A MySQL database was used for data management and SPSS statistical package version 18 used for data analysis with bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Rates of high risk behaviors and mean values of continuous variables were compared for the three data collection methods. RESULTS: Audio computer-assisted self interview showed advantages over comparison techniques, achieving lower refusal rates and reporting higher prevalence of some sensitive and risk behaviors (perhaps indication of more truthful answers). Premarital sex was reported by 20.4% in the audio computer-assisted self-interview survey group, versus 11.4% in the face-to-face group and 11.1% in the self-administered paper questionnaire group. The pattern was consistent for both male and female respondents and in both urban and rural settings. Men in the audio computer-assisted self-interview group also reported higher levels of high-risk sexual behavior--such as sex with sex workers and a higher average number of sexual partners--than did women in the same group. Importantly, item refusal rates on sensitive topics tended to be lower with audio computer-assisted self interview than with the other two methods. CONCLUSIONS: Combined with existing data from other countries and previous studies in Vietnam, these findings suggest that researchers should consider using audio computer-assisted self interview for future studies of sensitive and stigmatized topics, especially for men.
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Infecções por HIV , Comportamentos Relacionados com a Saúde , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Interface Usuário-Computador , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Entrevistas como Assunto , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Vietnã , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Keshan disease (KD) is an endemic cardiomyopathy associated with selenium deficiency. Recent studies indicate that glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) mutation decreases GPx activity in myocardial cells and increases the risk of KD. To further clarify the correlation between GPx1 polymorphism and KD, we analyzed GPx1 polymorphism, blood selenium levels and GPx activity in KD patients and healthy controls in Heilongjiang Province. Four and 24 new mutation loci in the promoter and the exon region, respectively, of the GPx1 gene were found in the subjects, in contrast with the previously reported loci. There were no significant differences in the mutation frequency of these loci between the KD group and controls (chi-square test; P > 0.05). However, the mutation frequency of exon 474 was higher in the KD group (7/36) than in controls (2/41), and GPx activity was lower in the mutation group (90.475 ± 23.757 U/L) than in the non-mutation group (93.947 ± 17.463 U/L). Further investigation is necessary to clarify a possible causality between GPx1 exon 474 mutation and KD.
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Cardiomiopatias/genética , Infecções por Enterovirus/genética , Glutationa Peroxidase/genética , Miócitos Cardíacos/enzimologia , Polimorfismo Genético , Selênio/deficiência , Cardiomiopatias/sangue , Cardiomiopatias/enzimologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , China , Infecções por Enterovirus/sangue , Infecções por Enterovirus/enzimologia , Éxons , Feminino , Estudos de Associação Genética , Genótipo , Glutationa Peroxidase/metabolismo , Humanos , Masculino , Taxa de Mutação , Miócitos Cardíacos/patologia , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Selênio/sangue , Glutationa Peroxidase GPX1RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate time trend of gastroschisis and examine the epidemiological risk factors for gastroschisis. STUDY DESIGN: This population-based study analyzed the active surveillance data from the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program from 1987 to 2003. RESULTS: The overall birth prevalence of gastroschisis was 2.6 cases per 10,000 births (908 cases in >3.5 million births). In the adjusted analysis, by using the age of 25 to 29 years as the reference, mothers aged 12 to 15 years had a 4.2-times greater birth prevalence (95% CI, 2.5-7.0), and fathers aged 16 to 19 years and 20 to 24 years had 1.6- and 1.5-times greater birth prevalence (95% CI, 1.1-2.1 and 1.2-1.8), respectively. Compared with non-Hispanic whites and US-born Hispanic, both foreign-born Hispanics and blacks had adjusted prevalence ratio of 0.6 (95% CI, 0.5-0.7 and 0.4-0.9, respectively). In addition, nulliparity was also associated with gastroschisis. Independent of maternal age, paternal age, and maternal ethnicity, the birth prevalence increased 3.2-fold (95% CI, 2.3-4.3) during the 17-year study period. CONCLUSIONS: The birth prevalence of gastroschisis continues to increase in California, and young, nulliparous women are at the greatest risk of having a child with gastroschisis.