Exploring the consequences of combining medical students with and without a background in biomedical sciences.

Context: Medical schools have tended to admit students with strong backgrounds in the biomedical sciences. Previous studies have shown that those with backgrounds in the social sciences can be as successful in medical school as those with science backgrounds. However, the experience of being a 'non-science' student over time has not been well described.

Complement-mediated regulation of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in mice.

Trichomonas vaginalis is a flagellated protozoan which causes trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease of the human genitourinary tract. The importance of the alternative complement pathway in host defence against T. vaginalis was investigated in vitro.

Involvement of Trichomonas vaginalis surface-associated glycoconjugates in the parasite/target cell interaction. A quantitative electron microscopy study.

Cytochemical labeling with gold particle-conjugated lectins in combination with transmission and scanning electron microscopy was used to localise specific sugar residues on the Trichomonas vaginalis cell surface. For investigation of the role played by the surface glycoconjugates of T. vaginalis in the process of parasite adhesion to the target cells, selected glycan moieties of parasite surface-bound molecules were removed by treatment with alpha-mannosidase and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase.

Relationship of the virulence of Trichomonas vaginalis and the major histocompatibility complex in murine trichomonad infection.

A biological assay based upon the induction of abscesses in mice injected subcutaneously with Trichomonas vaginalis was shown to be a valid method for comparing the virulence of two isolates of T. vaginalis cultured from two patients, one suffering from severe vaginitis and the other exhibiting only mild disease. The data showed excellent correlation between the physical dimensions of abscesses in mice injected with each trichomonad isolate and the severity of vaginitis produced in the women from whom the isolates were obtained.

An electron microscope study of the interaction between Trichomonas vaginalis and epithelial cells of the human amnion membrane.

The mechanism of cytopathogenicity of Trichomonas vaginalis is not well established. Adhesion of T. vaginalis to human epithelial cells is considered a prerequisite for parasitic infection and its pathogenic effect.