High prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection amongst Tibetans in Nepal.

Tibetans have been living in Nepal since 1959. Study of the prevalence of viral hepatitis among them showed that they have a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Prevalence of total HBV infection and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among them was 61% and 16% compared to 10.0% and 0.7% respectively among the Nepalese. The predominant HBsAg subtype among the Tibetans was 'ayw'. Perinatal and childhood transmission was found important in the spread of HBV infection among the Tibetans.

Family planning knowledge and practices among women in a district hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Family planning services have the potential to improve the quality of the lives of people. The study was done to assess the family planning practice and methods among the married women of reproductive age attending female clinic of district hospital of Nepal. METHODS: This is a cross sectional descriptive study carried out from October 2011 till December 2011 at Lamjung district hospital. One hundred randomly selected married women of 15-49 years, who had at least one child were the subjects of the study. A structured questionnaire on knowledge, practice and methods of use of contraception was composed and filled up. RESULTS: The results were encouraging with 94 (94%) of participants having knowledge about contraception. Among them 64 (68%) were using modern contraception methods. The study showed that 32 (32% of the married women belonged to 20-24 years of age group. Injectables hormonal contraceptives were most commonly practiced by 34 (54%) women. Among not using any contraceptives, 18 (60%) of them said their husband being abroad. CONCLUSIONS: Family planning knowledge and practice among the rural women utilizing the service was appreciable. Temporary method of contraception was most commonly practiced.

Estrogen metabolism modulates bone density in men.

Estrogen is a critical hormone for bone homeostasis in men, but no information is available on the role of estrogen metabolism among men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of estrogen hydroxylation on male bone mineral density (BMD). Participants consisted of 61 healthy Caucasian males (mean age 66.6 +/- 1.0 years). Urinary estrogen metabolites were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, serum estradiol by ultrasensitive radioimmunoassay, sex hormone binding globulin by radioimmunoassay, and BMD of the lumbar spine and the proximal femur by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Active estrogen metabolites, 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16alphaOHE(1)) and estriol (E(3)), positively correlated with adjusted BMD in all regions of the proximal femur (all P < 0.05) but not at the lumbar spine, and those in the highest tertile of urinary 16alphaOHE(1 )had the highest BMD. Free estradiol index (FEI) also positively correlated with BMD of the total hip, femoral neck, and intertrochanter (all P < 0.05), while there was no correlation between BMD with inactive metabolites (2-hydroxyestrone and 2-methoxyestrone) and serum testosterone. Multiple regression analysis showed 16alphaOHE(1), FEI, and body mass index are important independent predictors of BMD in all regions of the proximal femur. Estrogen metabolism may modulate BMD in men. Increased urinary 16alphaOHE(1) and E(3) levels are associated with high BMD at the proximal femur, and 16alphaOHE(1) appears to be a major determinant of BMD among the metabolites evaluated.