Human papillomavirus concordance in heterosexual couples.

Purpose: Few studies have examined the relationships between sexual or hygienic behaviors and human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission. Our objectives were to (1) describe HPV concordance between the anogenital, oral, and palmar areas of monogamous heterosexual couples; and (2) determine sexual behaviors, hygienic practices, sexual histories, and subject characteristics associated with HPV anogenital concordance.

Methods: Couples were recruited from women who developed an incident HPV infection while being enrolled in a longitudinal HPV natural history study that recruited from two family-planning clinics.

Alternative management of diabetic ketoacidosis in a Brazilian pediatric emergency department.

DKA is a severe metabolic derangement characterized by dehydration, loss of electrolytes, hyperglycemia, hyperketonemia, acidosis and progressive loss of consciousness that results from severe insulin deficiency combined with the effects of increased levels of counterregulatory hormones (catecholamines, glucagon, cortisol, growth hormone). The biochemical criteria for diagnosis are: blood glucose > 200 mg/dl, venous pH <7.3 or bicarbonate <15 mEq/L, ketonemia >3 mmol/L and presence of ketonuria.

Diagnostic accuracy of nodal enhancement pattern of rectal cancer at MRI enhanced with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide: findings in pathologically matched mesorectal lymph nodes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the pattern of nodal enhancement at MRI enhanced with ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) in the nodal classification of rectal cancer in pathologically matched mesorectal lymph nodes.

Subjects And Methods: Twenty-five patients with adenocarcinoma of the rectum underwent prospective evaluation with 3-mm axial T2-weighted and USPIO-enhanced T2*-weighted MRI before surgery. Mesorectal nodes visible at in vivo MRI were independently scored by two radiologists as malignant or nonmalignant according to morphologic criteria (irregular nodal contour, heterogeneous signal intensity) on T2-weighted MR images and according to USPIO enhancement pattern on T2*-weighted MR images.

Association between toll-like receptor expression and human papillomavirus type 16 persistence.

The mechanisms involved in mucosal immune control of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection remain ill defined. Because toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key players in innate immune responses, we investigated the association between TLR expression and viral persistence or clearance in young women with incident infections with oncogenic HPV types 16 or 51. Messenger RNA expression of TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR6, TLR7, TLR8 and TLR9 was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR using human endocervical specimens, collected before and after viral acquisition, in a cohort well characterized for HPV infections.

Comparison of natural histories of human papillomavirus detected by clinician- and self-sampling.

New strategies for cervical cancer screening include human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing. Using self-testing methods would increase access to testing in both developed and developing countries. The purpose of this study was to compare time-to-clearance of specific HPV types between clinician-collected-lavage (CC-L) and self-collected (SC) sampling in a single cohort.

Cell-mediated immune responses to human papillomavirus 16 E6 and E7 antigens as measured by interferon gamma enzyme-linked immunospot in women with cleared or persistent human papillomavirus infection.

Cell-mediated immune responses have been thought to be important in the control of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. We examined cell-mediated immune responses to HPV-16 E6 and E7 in the peripheral blood using interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) enzyme-linked immunospot assay (Cellular Technology Ltd, Cleveland, Ohio) in women with HPV-16 infection who showed clearance and compared these women to women with HPV-16 persistence. Women participating in a longitudinal study of cervical HPV were recruited once cervical HPV-16 infection was detected by polymerase chain reaction.

Risks for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 among adolescents and young women with abnormal cytology.

Objective: To estimate the risks of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 among girls and women aged 13 to 24 years who were referred for abnormal cytology while receiving care in a large health maintenance organization.

Methods: At the time of referral, patients had a colposcopic examination and biopsy if needed. Histology was sent to a centralized laboratory.

Performance of carbon arc-discharge nanotubes to hydrogen energy storage.

Adsorption properties of gram-scale samples of different kind of arc discharge nanotubes were studied, namely: (A) raw collaret collected on the cathode, (B) raw soots collected on the lateral reactor wall, (C) thermally treated soot, and (D) thermally then chemically treated soot. The morphology, structure, and composition of these materials were characterized by SEM, TEM, TGA, and BET. In addition, hydrogen adsorption isotherms were recorded experimentally for A, B, and D samples over the pressure range of 0 to 55 bar at ambient temperature.

Naseptin and peanut oil: a survey of practitioners' awareness in the UK.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine how aware ENT practitioners are that Naseptin (Alliance), widely used in ENT practice, contains peanut oil and to what extent this is conveyed to patients.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent out to all ENT practitioners registered with the British Association of Otolaryngologists.

Result: Analysis of the data confirmed that Naseptin cream is widely used in ENT practice and showed that although most practitioners are aware that Naseptin cream contains refined peanut oil (arachis oil) (74.

Functionalization and extraction of large fullerenes and carbon-coated metal formed during the synthesis of single wall carbon nanotubes by laser oven, direct current arc, and high-pressure carbon monoxide production methods.

Large fullerenes and carbon-coated metal nanoparticles that are formed during the synthesis of carbon nanotubes have been functionalized by the addition of alkyl radicals and isolated by extraction into chloroform. The soluble, functionalized fullerenes have been isolated from raw single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) material prepared by laser oven, direct current arc, and high-pressure carbon monoxide production methods. Analyses of the extracted large fullerenes were carried out by thermogravimetric analysis, UV-vis-near-IR, laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

Spatial evolutions of Co and Ni atoms during single-walled carbon nanotubes formation: measurements and modeling.

Spatial investigations of nickel and cobalt atoms and of C2 and C3 radicals are performed by laser induced fluorescence (LIF) in a continuous CO2 laser-vaporization reactor during the synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes. The chemical composition of the gas vaporized from bimetallic Ni/Co catalysts-carbon targets is determined using a chemical kinetic model. In this model, the evolution of Ni and Co atoms is driven by kinetics of condensation/evaporation process of pure metal clusters.

Review of the arc process modeling for fullerene and nanotube production.

The arc process remains the easiest and cheapest technique to obtain significant quantities of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with excellent structural properties. These nanotubes are quite straight and present few topological defects. However, the major inconvenience of this process remains the difficult in situ control of the final material's purity and physical properties.

Covariates of cervical cytokine mRNA expression by real-time PCR in adolescents and young women: effects of Chlamydia trachomatis infection, hormonal contraception, and smoking.

Measurements of mucosal immune parameters in the uterine cervix are potentially influenced by numerous factors, including infections, endogenous and exogenous hormones, semen, and nicotine and its metabolites in cervical mucus. The objective of this study was to examine correlates of immunoregulatory cytokine mRNA expression in cervical cytology samples in a cross-sectional design. Samples, collected at study entry by cervical cytology brush from 368 women aged 13-21 enrolled in a longitudinal study of the natural history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, were tested by quantitative RT-PCR for expression of IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12.

Congenital cholesteatoma tract presenting as a postaural swelling.

The authors report a case of a three-year old boy, who presented with discharge from the site of a previously excised postaural lesion reported to have been an epidermoid cyst. It was found at operation that he had a fistulous connection between the site of the excised lesion and a congenital cholesteatoma sac in the mastoid bone. This case demonstrates the rare occurrence of congenital cholesteatoma eroding through the mastoid bone to the subcutaneous tissues and mimicking an epidermoid cyst.

Subcutaneous use of a fast-acting insulin analog: an alternative treatment for pediatric patients with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Objective: To look for technical simplification and economic efficiency in the treatment of pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with subcutaneous use of the fast-acting insulin analog (lispro) and compare its use with regular intravenous insulin treatment.

Research Design And Methods: In this controlled clinical trial from June 2001 to June 2003, we randomized 60 episodes of DKA with a blood glucose level > or = 16.6 mmol/l (300 mg/dl), venous pH <7.

Distribution of mesorectal lymph nodes in rectal cancer: in vivo MR imaging compared with histopathological examination. Initial observations.

The aim of this work was to determine the distribution of mesorectal lymph nodes using T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging compared with histopathological findings in patients with rectal carcinoma. Sixteen patients with rectal carcinoma undergoing primary surgery without pre-operative neoadjuvant treatment were evaluated using 3-mm axial T2-weighted MR imaging. The position of each visible mesorectal node on imaging was localised by measuring its minimum distance from the mesorectal fascia (d(m)), its minimum distance from the rectal wall (d(r)) and its distance from the distal tumour margin (d(v)).

Effect of air pollution on pediatric respiratory emergency room visits and hospital admissions.

In order to assess the effect of air pollution on pediatric respiratory morbidity, we carried out a time series study using daily levels of PM10, SO2, NO2, ozone, and CO and daily numbers of pediatric respiratory emergency room visits and hospital admissions at the Children's Institute of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School, from August 1996 to August 1997. In this period there were 43,635 hospital emergency room visits, 4534 of which were due to lower respiratory tract disease. The total number of hospital admissions was 6785, 1021 of which were due to lower respiratory tract infectious and/or obstructive diseases.

Regression of low-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions in young women.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the probability of low-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesion (LSIL) regression in young women, and to examine the factors associated with this regression.

Methods: In a longitudinal study of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, female adolescents aged 13-22 years were examined every 4 months by cytology, colposcopy, and HPV DNA status. Both prevalent and incident LSIL cases were included in the analysis, with regression defined as at least three consecutive normal Pap smears.

Arc process parameters for single-walled carbon nanotube growth and production: experiments and modeling.

Collarets rich in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been grown using a direct current arc method. Arc process parameters such as current, pressure, and anode to cathode distance were varied experimentally and by modeling to provide an optimal working window. The best collaret yields were obtained when helium was used as a buffer gas.

Persistence of human papillomavirus infection in HIV-infected and -uninfected adolescent girls: risk factors and differences, by phylogenetic type.

Background: High rates of persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have been reported for adult women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although most women are first infected with HPV during adolescence, persistence of specific HPV types has not been carefully examined among HIV-infected adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine the rates of and risk factors for persistence of HPV types among HIV-infected and -uninfected adolescent girls.

Human papillomavirus infection and abnormal cytology of the anus in HIV-infected and uninfected adolescents.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of and risk for anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and abnormal anal cytology in sexually active adolescents.

Design: Prevalence data from adolescents aged 13-18 years with and without HIV infection and with a history of high-risk sexual behavior.

Methods: HPV DNA was detected using amplification techniques.

Time course of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to human papillomavirus type 16 in infected women.

The time course of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses was elucidated in eight women with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) infection by performing serial HPV-16 E6 and E7 cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) assays and HPV-16 virus-like particle (VLP) antibody analyses. Four subjects had a single incident of HPV-16 DNA detection, and four subjects had two periods of HPV-16 DNA detection. In two of the women in the latter group, the second episode of HPV-16 detection occurred in the presence of high titers of HPV-16 VLP antibody, bringing into question the protective role of humoral immunity in preventing repeated infection.