Could APTIMA mRNA Assay Contribute to Predicting Cervical Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Co-Infections? A Colposcopy Population Study.

In addition to chronic hrHPV anogenital infection, continuing inflammatory cervical changes are intrinsic in the development of precancerous lesions. In younger women, much of this inflammatory background parallels the progressive maturation of squamous metaplasia, often rendering treatment interventions redundant; however, patients with persistent cervical precancer, as well as those harboring invasive bacterial pathogens, might benefit from controlling the active inflammatory process by shortening the HPV natural cycle and avoiding subsequent cervical surgery. In a colposcopy population of 336 predominantly young asymptomatic individuals, we explored the impact of molecularly detected bacterial STIs on HPV DNA and APTIMA positivity rates using validated assays.

Cervical HPV Infections, Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens and Cytology Findings-A Molecular Epidemiology Study.

Prevalent cervical HPV infection and high-risk HPV persistence consequences have been extensively investigated in the literature; nevertheless, any causative interrelations of other sexually transmitted bacterial infections (STIs) with cervical HPV infection have not yet been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the possible association of STIs with cervical cytology aberrations and HPV genotyping results in a representative sample of predominantly young Greek women. Liquid-based cytology and molecular detection for bacterial STIs and HPV as well as extended HPV genotyping were simultaneously assessed in cervical samples from 2256 individuals visiting several urban outpatient Gynecology Departments for well-woman visits or cervical screening throughout a 20-month period.

The ErbB Signaling Network and Its Potential Role in Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the second most common malignancy of the female reproductive system worldwide. The updated EC classification emphasizes the significant role of various signaling pathways such as PIK3CA-PIK3R1-PTEN and RTK/RAS/β-catenin in EC pathogenesis. Some of these pathways are part of the EGF system signaling network, which becomes hyperactivated by various mechanisms and participates in cancer pathogenesis.

HPV-Based Self-Sampling in Cervical Cancer Screening: An Updated Review of the Current Evidence in the Literature.

Identifying and reaching women at higher risk for cervical cancer is all-important for achieving the ambitious endpoints set in 2020 by the WHO for global cervical cancer control by 2030. HPV-based (vaginal) self-sampling (SS) represents a cost-effective screening strategy, which has been successfully implemented during the last decade both in affluent and constrained settings. Among other advantages, SS strategies offer convenience, diminished costs, flexibility to obtain a sample in the office or home, avoiding a pelvic exam and uncomfortable appointment with a healthcare professional, as well as social and cultural acceptability.

Effect of Condom Use after CIN Treatment on Cervical HPV Biomarkers Positivity: Prolonged Follow Up Study.

Background: Several factors contribute in the cervical healing process following local surgical treatment; in a previous work our group has documented a beneficial mid-term role of regular condom use immediately postoperatively in terms of CIN relapse prevention and expression of active viral biomarkers. Materials and Methods: Aiming to investigate whether the favorable contribution of consistent condom use could be extrapolated in the longer term, we conducted a prospective single center observational study including women scheduled to undergo conservative excisional treatment for CIN (LLETZ procedure). In all women a strong recommendation for consistent use for the first 6 months was given.

Early beta oscillations in multisensory association areas underlie crossmodal performance enhancement.

The combination of signals from different sensory modalities can enhance perception and facilitate behavioral responses. While previous research described crossmodal influences in a wide range of tasks, it remains unclear how such influences drive performance enhancements. In particular, the neural mechanisms underlying performance-relevant crossmodal influences, as well as the latency and spatial profile of such influences are not well understood.

Teenage pregnancies in Western Greece: experience from a university hospital setting.

Purpose: Teenage pregnancies have consistently been associated with preterm labor in a wide range of studies. Evidence regarding the incidence and potential complications of teenage pregnancies in Greece is at present scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perinatal outcomes as well as the risk of perinatal and obstetric complications of teenage pregnancies.

The Influence of Sexual Behavior and Demographic Characteristics in the Expression of HPV-Related Biomarkers in a Colposcopy Population of Reproductive Age Greek Women.

Despite the significant scientific evolution in primary and secondary cervical cancer prevention in the battle started by George Papanicolaou in the previous century, global cervical cancer mortality rates remain disappointing. The widespread implementation of HPV-related molecular markers has paved the way to tremendous developments in cervical cancer screening, with the transition from cytological approach to the more accurate and cost-effective HPV testing modalities. However, the academic audience and different health systems have not yet adopted a universal approach in screening strategies, and even artificial intelligence modalities have been utilized from the multidisciplinary scientific armamentarium.

Prestimulus alpha power but not phase influences visual discrimination of long-duration visual stimuli.

Occipital oscillations in the alpha band are closely related to visual perception and attention. In multiple studies, increased alpha power has been shown to reduce detection rates of hard-to-detect visual stimuli. Recent studies explain this finding by a shift in perceptual bias.

Memory Load Alters Perception-Related Neural Oscillations during Multisensory Integration.

Integrating information across different senses is a central feature of human perception. Previous research suggests that multisensory integration is shaped by a context-dependent and largely adaptive interplay between stimulus-driven bottom-up and top-down endogenous influences. One critical question concerns the extent to which this interplay is sensitive to the amount of available cognitive resources.

Cervical Pathology Following HPV Vaccination in Greece: A 10-year HeCPA Observational Cohort Study.

Background: In Greece the population-level impact of HPV vaccination is unknown due to lack of official registries. This study presents in a pragmatic frame the comparison of cervical pathology data between HPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated women referred for colposcopy.

Patients And Methods: This is an observational prospective cohort study performed in 7 academic Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments across Greece between 2009-2019.

Long-Range Temporal Correlations in Resting State Beta Oscillations are Reduced in Schizophrenia.

Symptoms of schizophrenia (SCZ) are likely to be generated by genetically mediated synaptic dysfunction, which contribute to large-scale functional neural dysconnectivity. Recent electrophysiological studies suggest that this dysconnectivity is present not only at a spatial level but also at a temporal level, operationalized as long-range temporal correlations (LRTCs). Previous research suggests that alpha and beta frequency bands have weaker temporal stability in people with SCZ.

High cognitive load enhances the susceptibility to non-speech audiovisual illusions.

The role of attentional processes in the integration of input from different sensory modalities is complex and multifaceted. Importantly, little is known about how simple, non-linguistic stimuli are integrated when the resources available for sensory processing are exhausted. We studied this question by examining multisensory integration under conditions of limited endogenous attentional resources.

Disruption of Boundary Encoding During Sensorimotor Sequence Learning: An MEG Study.

Music performance relies on the ability to learn and execute actions and their associated sounds. The process of learning these auditory-motor contingencies depends on the proper encoding of the serial order of the actions and sounds. Among the different serial positions of a behavioral sequence, the first and last (boundary) elements are particularly relevant.

Neuronal Oscillations in Various Frequency Bands Differ between Pain and Touch.

Although humans are generally capable of distinguishing single events of pain or touch, recent research suggested that both modalities activate a network of similar brain regions. By contrast, less attention has been paid to which processes uniquely contribute to each modality. The present study investigated the neuronal oscillations that enable a subject to process pain and touch as well as to evaluate the intensity of both modalities by means of Electroencephalography.

An immunohistochemical analysis of sex-steroid receptors, tumor suppressor gene p53 and Ki-67 in the normal and neoplastic uterine cervix squamous epithelium.

Introduction: Malignant transformation of sex-steroid dependent tissues is associated with the loss of expression of sex steroid receptors as well as of the tumor suppression gene p53. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of sex-steroid receptors, p53 and Ki-67 in specimens from pre-malignant and malignant cervical epithelial lesions throughout the menstrual cycle.

Material And Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections of normal squamous cervical epithelium, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cervical carcinoma, specimens utilizing antibodies against estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, p53 protein and Ki-67 antigen.

Successful pregnancy outcome in a patient with primary Addison's disease.

A 32-year-old primigravida with primary Addison's disease was followed up from the early stages of pregnancy to delivery and puerperium by a multidisciplinary medical board. Besides fetal surveillance, great attention was given to steroid replacement therapy in order to avoid complications. Vaginal labor resulted in the birth of a healthy neonate that performed well.