Findings associated with recurrence of bacterial vaginosis among adolescents attending sexually transmitted diseases clinics

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common infection and has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including preterm birth, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and acquisition of HIV. There are limited data on recurrent BV in adolescents. A relationship between the frequency of BV recurrence and specific risk factors might shed light on the pathophysiology of BV and lead to targeted interventions. METHODS: Design: Record-based historical clinic study. Setting: Adolescent visits to two sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics between 1990 and 2002. Participants: 254 girls who had >/= 2 episodes of BV and at least 3 clinical visits, matched on clinic attendance frequency to 254 girls with only 1 documented BV episode and 254 girls with no history of BV. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Risk factor differences between groups. ANALYSIS: Multinomial logistic regression with robust estimator of the standard errors, accounting for repeated measures. RESULTS: 5,977 adolescent girls visited the clinics. 1509 (25%) had at least one episode of BV; of those, 303 (19.9%) had 2 or more BV episodes. Girls with a history of 1 BV episode and girls with a history of 2 or more BV episodes were more likely to be infected with Trichomonas vaginalis [OR 1.77, 95% CI: 1.17-2.67, OR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.05-2.34] and be diagnosed with PID [OR 1.50, 95% CI: 1.02-2.22, OR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.41-2.98] compared to girls with no BV history, respectively. Girls with a history of BV were also more likely to report active oral sex and lack of contraceptive use. CONCLUSION: Adolescent girls who attend STD clinics have a high prevalence of BV. Although the association between BV and PID is not clearly causal, when one condition is diagnosed, evaluation and counseling for the other may reduce recurrence and sequelae.     

Relative expression of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor, vitamin D 1 alpha-hydroxylase, vitamin D 24-hydroxylase, and vitamin D 25-hydroxylase in endometriosis and gynecologic cancers

The authors demonstrate expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its hydroxylases in the endometrium and ovaries of women with and without endometriosis and endometrial or ovarian cancer. Immunohistochemistry showed strong staining of the VDR in endometriosis and endometrial cancer, with the most intense staining in epithelial cells. The VDR mRNA was significantly increased in patients with endometrial and ovarian cancer compared to the control group. There was a significantly higher 1 alpha-hydroxylase expression in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis compared to healthy controls. The observed differences in VDR and 1 alpha -hydroxylase mRNA levels were maintained at the protein level. The authors found no differences in 25-OH vitamin D levels between the serum of patients with endometriosis (25.7 +/- 2.1 ng/mL, n = 46) and healthy controls (22.6 +/- 2.0 ng/mL, n = 33, P = .31). They hypothesize that vitamin D might influence the local activity of immune cells and cytokines thought to play important pathogenic roles in the development and maintenance of endometriosis.     

The effect of admixture of fast and slow muscle in determining the form of the muscle twitch

There are differences amongst various reports of the speeds of contraction of cat intercostal muscles. By analogue computer modelling it is shown that the differences are largely resolved if the muscle consists of mixtures of two types of motor unit, fast and slow. The method of simulation is extended to fast and slow limb muscles of the cat to illustrate the form of the muscle twitch to be expected from such mixtures. The validity of the model and its extension to populations of motor units, are discussed.     

Körperlage und Kreislaufregulationen

Ohne ZusammenfassungVortrag gehalten in der Wiener Biologischen Gesellschaft am 3. Juni 1935.