How Stigma Toward Anal Sexuality Promotes Concealment and Impedes Health-Seeking Behavior in the U.S. Among Cisgender Men Who Have Sex with Men

Archives of Sexual Behavior - Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) experience alarming HIV disparities alongside sub-optimal engagement in HIV interventions. Among MSM, stigma...     

Evaluation of the automated fluorescent analysis of the H-ras minisatellite after optimized PCR amplification in comparison with a standardized Southern blot technique

Determination of allele sizes? loss of heterozygosity or genetic instability at minisatellite VNTR loci, are routinely performed by the conventional Southern technique. We have investigated the potential use of automated DNA sequencer for the analysis of the H-ras minisatellite. We report the modifications of amplification parameters and electrophoresis conditions on the sequencer. Seventy-one colorectal carcinomas and the corresponding normal tissues were amplified with fluorescent-labeled primers, analyzed on sequencer, and concurrently controlled by Southern blotting. The results on sequencer showed that a Hydrolink matrix used in non-denaturing conditions and a specific analysis software facilitate a more accurate fragment size calculation.     

Children with Autism Experience Problems with Both Objects and People

Kanner (1943), in his classic account, described autism as a specific impairment in interpersonal relations which leaves the child's uses of objects relatively unaffected. This combination of the difficulties in relating to people and the supposedly excellent relations to objects figures centrally within many of the current theories of autism, which have had relatively little to say on the question of object use. This paper draws attention to evidence of widespread impairments in relating to objects, not only in interpersonal aspects of object use but also in early sensorimotor exploration and the functional and conventional uses of objects. In stressing these problems with objects, our purpose is not to downplay the social dimension of autism, but rather to highlight the reciprocal nature of the interactions between the child, other people, and objects. Given the evidence that other people play an important role in introducing objects to children, we propose that an impairment in interpersonal relations should itself lead us to expect corresponding disruption in the autistic child's use of objects. Conversely, an unusual use of objects is likely to manifest itself in disturbances in relating to other people, given the importance of a shared understanding and use of objects in facilitating interaction.     

In vitro formation and properties of beta- and gamma-hydroxy-N-nitrosohexamethyleneimine

Stable hydroxylated metabolites of N-nitrosohexamethyleneimine (NO-HEX) account for about one-third of the metabolites produced in in vitro reactions using uninduced rat liver microsomes post-microsomal supernatant. The ratio of gamma- to beta-hydroxyNO-HEX thus produced is 3:1. Each of these isomers exists in two conformeric forms that can be separated easily at room temperature by h.p.l.c. on C18 columns. The ratio of isomers does not vary with substrate concentration or time of reaction, which suggests that one liver enzyme is responsible for the formation of both isomers. Different ratios of conformeric forms of gamma-hydroxyNO-HEX produced by liver and lung microsomes indicate that these organs have different enzymes that perform the same functions. Anti-syn (E-Z) configurational assignments for the conformers were based on data obtained from 13C-n.m.r. studies. Although isolated conformers were stable at room temperature, when heated above 70 degrees C or dissolved in aprotic solvents, after several hours an equilibrium mixture was formed. The conformers of beta-hydroxyNO-HEX reached equilibrium in less than half the time required by gamma-hydroxy conformers. The results of i.r. spectroscopic studies suggest that hydrogen bonding may be involved in the stabilization of the conformers. Upon modification of the hydroxy group separable conformers are not detected; this is consistent with the suggestion that the hydroxy group may be involved in the stabilization of separable conformeric forms. We speculate that the occurrence of relatively stable and separable conformers may be due to intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the hydroxy and nitroso groups.     

Human T-cell clones againstToxoplasma gondii: Production of interferon-γ, interleukin-2, and strain cross-reactivity

The soluble fraction from a sonicate ofToxoplasma gondii tachyzoites (termed F3) was shown to induce dose-dependent blastic transformation of peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from seropositive individuals only and was used to isolate a panel of T-cell clones from the PBMC of an immune donor. Proliferation assays using F3 showed that 15 (14 CD4⁺ and 1 CD8⁺) of the 18 isolated clones were specific forT. gondii. In response to antigen stimulation, 5 of the 15 clones produced detectable levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2, 0.2–15 u/ml) and 9 clones produced significant levels of interferon- (IFN-, 17.5–1400 IU/ml). Seven of the 7 T-cell clones tested reacted with two differentToxoplasma strains (RH and Wiktor). When used as antigen-presenting cells, an autologous B-lymphoblastoid cell line could efficiently present the antigen to only three of the six T-cell clones tested. This study identifies and characterizes cellular probes that could be useful for future vaccine design.     

Analysis of the immune response induced by a scorpion venom sub-fraction, a pure peptide and a recombinant peptide, against toxin Cn2 of Centruroides noxius Hoffmann.

Three different immunogens from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides noxius Hoffmann were used to study protective antibody response in mice and rabbits, challenged with toxin Cn2, one of the most abundant toxic peptide of this venom. The immunogens were: Cn5, a crustacean specific toxin; a recombinant protein containing the peptide Cn5 linked to the maltose transporter and a sub-fraction (F.II.5) containing 25 distinct peptides, among which is Cn5. Mice immunized with these three preparations, when directly challenged with Cn2 presented no apparent protection, whereas anti-sera produced in rabbits with these three immunogens were capable of partially neutralizing the effect of Cn2, when injected into naive mice. Cn5 rabbit anti-serum showed a better protective effect on mice, than the rabbit sera obtained against the two other antigens. The subcutaneous route of challenging mice was shown to be better than intraperitoneal injections. Comparative structural analysis of Cn5 with other toxins of this venom showed that our results are important to be taken into consideration, when choosing appropriate immunogens aimed at the production of better anti-venoms or for the rational design of possible vaccines.