Educators’ Attitudes and Beliefs Towards the Sexuality of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

This study presents educators’ attitudes and beliefs towards the sexuality of adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. Open-ended, structured interviews were conducted with five Teachers in a School Program and five Instructors in an Adult Day Services Program at an educational facility for individuals with medically complex developmental disabilities. Results indicate that educators hold a positive view towards providing sexuality education and access to sexual expression for persons with developmental disabilities. Educators viewed sexuality as a basic human right, yet expressed concerns regarding capacity to consent to and facilitation of sexual activity. This study is an initial step to understanding barriers preventing the delivery of sexuality education to this underserved population.     

Psychometric Properties of a Scale on Judgmental Communication with Peers About Sex Among YMSM and Their Close Friends in Lebanon

AIDS and Behavior - We are not aware of any validated sexual health communication scales for use with young men who have sex with men (YMSM). We used data from an HIV prevention study in Lebanon...     

A comparative study of patient perceived quality of life pre and post coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Traditionally, evaluation of outcome post cardiac surgery has focused on objective measures of cardiovascular status. The emphasis has shifted to examining an individual's quality of life (QoL). However a gap in Australian prospective research assessing QoL from a pre-operative period to the early stage of six weeks post-operatively exists. The aim of this study was to investigate recovery from coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGS) on the basis of patient perceived QoL and in particular, physical and mental health. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective longitudinal quasi-experimental study in a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia. SUBJECTS: Fifty four patients undergoing their first or second CABGS completed pre- and post-operative questionnaires. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire was used to measure physical and mental QoL pre- and post CABGS and gives eight domain scores as well as a physical (PCS) and mental component summary score (MCS). RESULTS: SF-36 scores following CABGS were significantly improved in three of the eight domains: physical functioning (p < 0.001); general health perception (p < 0.001); energy/vitality (p < 0.005); and PCS (p < 0.001). No statistical difference was found in patients' MCS pre- and post-operatively. Of importance, patients reported higher levels of pain at six weeks post-operatively compared to their pre-operative levels but scores were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36 demonstrates improvements in physical QoL six weeks after CABGS compared to preoperative results but no difference in mental QoL suggesting psychological adaptation. An increase in the pain score at six weeks suggests inadequate pain management in these patients.     

The Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 from E. Coli: A Janus Toxin Playing with Cancer Regulators

Certain strains of Escherichia coli have been indicated as a risk factor for colon cancer. E. coli is a normal inhabitant of the human intestine that becomes pathogenic, especially in extraintestinal sites, following the acquisition of virulence factors, including the protein toxin CNF1. This Rho GTPases-activating toxin induces dysfunctions in transformed epithelial cells, such as apoptosis counteraction, pro-inflammatory cytokines’ release, COX2 expression, NF-kB activation and boosted cellular motility. As cancer may arise when the same regulatory pathways are affected, it is conceivable to hypothesize that CNF1-producing E. coli infections can contribute to cancer development. This review focuses on those aspects of CNF1 related to transformation, with the aim of contributing to the identification of a new possible carcinogenic agent from the microbial world.     

Elevated frequency of gamma interferon-producing NK cells in healthy adults vaccinated against influenza virus

Recent studies indicate that innate immunity in influenza virus infection is an area of substantial importance for our understanding of influenza virus pathogenesis, yet our knowledge of the mechanisms controlling innate immunity remains limited. Further delineation of the roles of NK cells and innate immunity in viral infection may have important implications for the development of improved influenza virus vaccines. In this study, we evaluated the phenotype and function of NK and T lymphocytes, as well as influenza virus-specific immunoglobulin G production, prior to and following vaccination with the routinely administered trivalent influenza virus vaccine. We demonstrate influenza virus antigen-specific innate and adaptive cellular responses and evaluate changes in NK cell receptor expression over time. Our results demonstrate increased innate and adaptive cellular immune responses and show that NK cells are a significant source of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) following influenza virus vaccination. An increase in the frequency of IFN-γ-producing NK cells was observed in many subjects postvaccination. The subset distribution with respect to CD56^dim and CD56^bright NK cell subsets remained stable, as did the NK cell phenotype with respect to expression of cell surface activating and inhibitory receptors. These results may form the basis for further investigations of the role of NK cells in immunity to influenza.     

Galectin-1 binds oncogenic H-Ras to mediate Ras membrane anchorage and cell transformation.

Ras genes, frequently mutated in human tumors, promote malignant transformation. Ras transformation requires membrane anchorage, which is promoted by Ras farnesylcysteine carboxymethylester and by a second signal. Previously we showed that the farnesylcysteine mimetic, farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS) disrupts Ras membrane anchorage. To understand how this disruption contributes to inhibition of cell transformation we searched for new Ras-interacting proteins and identified galectin-1, a lectin implicated in human tumors, as a selective binding partner of oncogenic H-Ras(12V). The observed size of H-Ras(12V)-galectin-1 complex, which is equal to the sum of the molecular weights of Ras and galectin-1 indicates a direct binding interaction between the two proteins. FTS disrupted H-Ras(12V)-galectin-1 interactions. Overexpression of galectin-1 increased membrane-associated Ras, Ras-GTP, and active ERK resulting in cell transformation, which was blocked by dominant negative Ras. Galectin-1 antisense RNA inhibited transformation by H-Ras(12V) and abolished membrane anchorage of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-H-Ras(12V) but not of GFP-H-Ras wild-type (wt), GFP-K-Ras(12V), or GFP-N-Ras(13V). H-Ras(12V)-galectin-1 interactions establish an essential link between two proteins associated with cell transformation and human malignancies that can be exploited to selectively target oncogenic Ras proteins.     

Challenging the stereotypes: men, withdrawal, and reproductive health in Lebanon

In Lebanon, coitus interruptus or withdrawal remains a widely practiced method of family planning. Our research sought to understand the role of men in reproductive health in Lebanon by focusing on this common practice. Our main questions were: Why is it that the practice persists when more effective modern methods of family planning are available? How is the decision taken to practice withdrawal? When is withdrawal practiced and with whom? And, finally, does the practice of withdrawal affect sexual pleasure and the sexual relationship more generally?To answer these questions, we embarked on a small exploratory study using in-depth interviews with 16 open-ended questions. We found that the most important reason for the continuing practice of withdrawal is fear of side effects from other methods. Men and women expect pleasure and fulfillment in sexual relations, but they are willing to limit their pleasure to limit their fertility by means they consider safe. No one prototypical practice of withdrawal seems to exist, and this may explain whether or not the method fails to prevent pregnancy.