This study found that the incidence of Gardnerella vaginalis infection was not more common in 191 female children who had other evidence of sexual contact than in 144 female children evaluated for ...possible sexual abuse but with no evidence of sexual contact found or in 31 female children with no suspected sexual contact. (Author/DB)
In order to determine if Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) or large colony mycoplasma (LCM) colonization was related to a history of sexual abuse, the type of sexual contact, an enlarged vaginal introitus ...transverse diameter (greater than 4 mm), age or race, 452 female children, ages 1-12 years, were evaluated by the Child Sexual Abuse Team at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, NC. Thirty-six girls were deleted because of inadequate cultures. When controlled for race and age, Uu throat (T), vaginal (V), and rectal (R) colonization and LCM vaginal and rectal colonization were not related to any of the other variables listed above. The enlarged vaginal introital diameter was related to a history of sexual abuse (p less than .001). Uu and LCM vaginal colonization rates were increased in black girls as compared to white girls (p less than .05). Uu V, Uu R, LCM V, and LCM R colonization increased with age. In our study population, Uu and LCM colonization was not a useful marker of sexual contact.
Expression of a critical level of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens on epithelial cells is a prerequisite for the action of specific cytolytic immune response cells. ...Glucocorticoid hormones have strong immunosuppressive effects. Therefore, we investigated the influence of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone on the expression level of MHC class I antigens on human epithelial cell lines. Long-term treatment with dexamethasone leads to reduced MHC class I surface antigen expression and to decreased total membrane-bound MHC class I protein. The steady-state mRNA level is significantly decreased and the transcription rate of MHC class I genes is reduced.
A survey of Staphylococcus aureus lung infection in 243 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) was conducted between 1986 and 1988. A total of 217 patients (89%) received 1605 courses of ...anti-staphylococcal therapy given during this period. The majority of courses comprised combined therapy with two anti-staphylococcal drugs. The combination of dicloxacillin and fusidic acid was employed most frequently. Some patients were given other anti-staphylococcal regimens, because of penicillin allergy (14 cases) or dyspeptic side effects with fusidic acid (21 patients). A small but significant increase in precipitins against S. aureus was observed during the study period. Bacterial resistance to the anti-staphylococcal drugs used remained at a low level (strains resistant to methicillin less than 0.1%, strains resistant to fusidic acid 1.2%). When the isolates were compared with 56,140 strains of S. aureus isolated from non-CF patients hospitalized in Denmark over the same period, no differences in phagetypes or in antibiotic resistance were seen, indicating that selection of strains and cross infection do not seem to be a major problem in CF patients.
Direct application of membrane fractions to a nitrocellulose support without previous solubilization, denaturation or fixation of the antigen permits the quantitation of antibodies binding to ...denaturation sensitive epitopes. In experiments reported here, this method was used to determine the rate of EGF receptor expression on squamous carcinoma cell lines. The assay revealed that dexamethasone treatment leads to an eight-fold increase of EGF receptor protein expression on C4-I cervical carcinoma cells. The data, when compared to the results obtained in immunoprecipitation experiments, suggest that this simple protocol yields reliable and precise quantitative data. The simplicity of the method permits simultaneous testing of large sample numbers with various antibodies.
Eine neue Interpretation der Kudurru-Symbole Koch, Ulla; Schaper, Joachim; Fischer, Susanne ...
Archive for history of exact sciences,
01/1990, Letnik:
41, Številka:
2
Journal Article
