Alcohol Use and HIV Prevention Among Personnel in the Belize Defence Force.

To evaluate the effect of a peer-based risk reduction project on alcohol use and sexual behavior within Belize Defence Force personnel. We used a quasi-experimental, mixed quantitative and qualitative methods design to evaluate project outcomes. Two serial cross-sectional surveys were conducted [baseline (n = 126) and 6-month follow-up (n = 128)] using computer assisted self-interview. Semistructured interviews were collected from 12 peer counselors 3 months after the beginning of the project. The proportion of respondents screening positive for alcohol dependence decreased significantly from 80 % at preintervention to 66 % at postintervention (p = 0.045), and the percentage of respondents reporting that they normally drink alcohol before work decreased from 11 to 3 % (p = 0.013). Alcohol abuse and dependency scores correlated positively with the overall number of sexual partners in both male and female respondents. There was a slight decrease in the percentage of female respondents' reporting inconsistent condom use for vaginal sex (baseline 100 %, follow-up 83 %, p = 0.088), but there was no appreciable change reported in condom use among male respondents. Qualitative findings suggest that techniques to reduce the quantity of alcohol consumed were a salient focus of peer counselors, and administrative barriers can readily mitigate implementation of such interventions. In this evaluation of a risk reduction program with the BDF, we found evidence of a reduction in types of alcohol use from baseline to follow-up. Alcohol-related risk reductions carry implications for reducing sexual risk behavior in military personnel. Future research with stronger experimental design strategies may better elucidate how substance use reduction is linked with sexual risk reduction in military personnel.

Measurement of hematological and serum biochemical normal values of captive housed Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus monkeys and correlation with the age.

BACKGROUND: Some factors such as sex, age, and captivity conditions have a direct influence on the normal hematological and serum biochemical parameters of African green monkeys. On the other hand, reliability in reported values is in many cases limited by studied animal number (<200) and there is not report on the correlation of these parameters with the age in each sex animal group. Thus, this study sought determining normal hematological (11) and serum biochemical parameters (9) of 400 captive housed African green monkeys and also correlate them with the age of the animals. METHODS: A total of 200 females and 200 males were grouped by the sex and age groups (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and 7-8 years old) for measuring normal values of hematological and serum biochemical parameters and to study the correlation of these parameters with the age of the animals. RESULTS: As key outcome, the main hematological and serum biochemical reference values of African green monkeys were determined. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among 95% of studied parameters between males and females. About 75% and 95% of the parameters were influenced by the age in the female and male groups, respectively. About 35% of hematological and serum biochemical parameters correlated positively (R(2) > 0.5) with the age in the female monkeys. On the contrary in the male monkeys, only 45% of parameters correlated positively with the age (R(2) > 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Thus, authors believe that results of this study are important for assisting researchers in the assessment of health status of captive housed African green monkeys for preclinical studies.

Assessment of skin and eye irritation of 14 products under the stepwise approach of the OECD.

The determination of acute eye and skin irritation is included in international regulatory requirements for the testing of chemicals, because of the possibility of exposure during the production, transport, marketing, and disposal of products. Although there have been some advances in the areas of refinement and reduction, no single battery of tests has emerged as being acceptable as a complete replacement for the conventional Draize rabbit eye and skin irritation tests. Currently, dermal irritation and ocular irritation are generally evaluated in a sequential manner in the context of tiered assessment strategies. In this work, we show how 14 products, mostly designed to be used in agriculture, were evaluated in the Center of Experimental Toxicology of the Center for the Production of Laboratory Animals (Centro Nacional para la Producción de Animales de Laboratorio; CENPALAB) in order to assess their acute dermal and ocular effects. The performed studies include the acute dermal toxicity test, the acute dermal irritation/corrosion test, the hen's egg test-chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) method, and the acute eye irritation/corrosion test. In general, it could be concluded that of the 14 products assessed, none of them showed systemic effects, but local reactions mainly to the eyes. The most significant effects were apparently related to the effects of azadirachtin, an active principle of 2 tested neem derivatives.

Vaccine CIGB 247 is potentially safe for use as a novel therapeutic vaccine against cancer in Chlorocebus aethiops monkeys.

CIGB 247 is a novel cancer therapeutic vaccine based on human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) variant molecule as antigen, in combination with a bacterial adjuvant. This vaccine candidate has previously demonstrated efficacy and safety in mice, rats, rabbits and non-human primates. In the present study we evaluated the effects on the clinical, hematological and biochemical parameters of CIGB 247 vaccine in Chlorocebus aethiops monkeys. Three groups of monkeys were immunized with three doses of vaccine formulation to measure physiological values of clinical, hematological and serum biochemical parameters. Monkeys' body weight and temperature were kept stable and close to standard values throughout the study. Variations in the levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin were observed among the different groups for all injected doses, but these hematological parameters recovered normal values at the end of the study. On the other hand, biochemical parameters such as the total bilirubin and total protein counts showed variations along the study, while they were not associated with the test substance. In summary, no negative effects on clinical, hematological and biochemical parameters were detected. Together, our results put forward the potential and support the safety of the CIGB 247 vaccine candidate for use in clinical applications. The data presented here can be used to estimate a human dosing regimen from preclinical data.

LALF32-51-E7 therapeutic vaccine induces antitumor immunity against human papillomavirus type 16 E7-expressing murine tumor metastases in the lungs.

One important goal of cancer immunotherapy is to prevent and treat tumor metastasis. We have previously reported the significant antitumor effect induced by the immunization with our human papillomavirus therapeutic protein-based vaccine (LALF32-51-E7) without adjuvant and admixed with clinically relevant adjuvants in the subcutaneous TC-1 tumor challenge model. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of the above mentioned vaccine formulations in controlling the hematogenous spread of TC-1 tumor cells using a more tumourigenic clone named TC-1* and other intravenous injection site less stressful than the tail vein. We generated a lung metastasis model by injecting TC-1* cells into the retro-orbital venous sinus and this is the first study describing it. Also, this is the first study that demonstrates the efficacy of the immunization with LALF32-51-E7 without adjuvant and admixed with VSSP or Al(OH)3 in controlling metastatic tumors increasing the survival of the mice. Our TC-1 lung metastasis model can be used to test the efficacy of other immunotherapeutic strategies based on E6/E7 antigens.

Assessment of dose-effect and therapeutic time window in preclinical studies of rhEGF and GHRP-6 coadministration for stroke therapy.

BACKGROUND: Stroke continues to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, and novel therapeutic options for ischaemic stroke are urgently needed. In this context, drug combination therapies seem to be a viable approach, which has not been fully explored in preclinical studies. OBJECTIVES: In this work, we assessed the dose-response relationship and therapeutic time window, in global brain ischaemia, of a combined therapeutic approach of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) and growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6). METHODS: Mongolian gerbils underwent 15 minutes occlusion of both common carotid arteries. Four different doses of rhEGF, GHRP-6 and these combined agents were intraperitoneally administered immediately after the onset of reperfusion. Having identified a better response with both agents, rhEGF+GHRP-6 were administered at 2, 4, 6, 8 or 24 hours after the onset of reperfusion to assess the time window of effectiveness. Animals were evaluated daily for neurological deficits. Three days post-occlusion, the animals were sacrificed and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride was used to quantify infarcted tissues. RESULTS: The coadministration of rhEGF and GHRP-6 at doses of 100 and 600 µg/kg, respectively, administered up to 4 hours following the ischaemic insult, significantly improved survival and neurological outcome, and reduced infarct volume compared with vehicle treatment. These results are considered as an additional proof of concept as supporting a combined therapeutic approach and justify the further development of this preclinical research.

Toxicology and biodistribution study of CIGB-230, a DNA vaccine against hepatitis C virus.

CIGB-230, a mixture of a DNA plasmid expressing hepatitis C virus (HCV) structural antigens and a HCV recombinant capsid protein, has demonstrated to elicit strong immune responses in animals. The present study evaluated the plasmid biodistribution after the administration of CIGB-230 in mice, as well as toxicity of this vaccine candidate in rats. In the biodistribution study, mice received single or repeated intramuscular injections of CIGB-230, 50 microg of plasmid DNA mixed with 5 microg of Co.120 protein. Plasmid presence was assessed in ovaries, kidney, liver, pancreas, mesenteric ganglion, blood, and muscle of the injection site by a qualitative polymerase chain reaction. The toxicology evaluation included treatment groups receiving doses 5, 15, or 50 times higher, according to the body weight, than the expected therapeutic clinical dose. During the first hour after repeated inoculation, a promiscuous distribution was observed. However, 3 months later, plasmid could not be detected in any tissue. There was an absence of detectable adverse effects on key toxicology parameters and no damage evidenced in inspected organs and tissues. These results indicate that CIGB-230 is nontoxic at local and systemic levels and no concerns about persistence are observed, which support clinical testing of this vaccine candidate against HCV.