BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Previous research showed that ferrets of both sexes rely on the perception of conspecifics' body odors to identify and motivate approach towards opposite-sex mating partners, and exposure to male body odors stimulated Fos expression in an olfactory projection circuit of female, but not male, ferrets that terminates in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH). We asked whether the female-typical preference of ferrets to approach male as opposed to female body odors in Y-maze tests would be disrupted by VMH lesions. Sexually experienced female ferrets were ovo-hysterectomized prior to receiving bilateral electrolytic lesions of the VMH, the preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus (POA/AH) or a sham operation. Subsequently, while receiving estradiol benzoate, females that received either complete or partial bilateral lesions of the VMH approached volatile odors from an anesthetized male on significantly fewer trials than females given POA/AH lesions or a sham operation. Both groups of ferrets with VMH lesion damage reliably discriminated between volatile anal scents as well as urinary odors from the 2 sexes in home cage habituation/dishabituation tests, suggesting that their odor-based sex discrimination remained intact. Females with complete bilateral VMH lesions showed significantly lower acceptance of neck gripping from a stimulus male (receptivity) and more aggression towards the male than all other groups of female subjects. Estrogen-sensitive neurons in the VMH appear to play a central role in female-typical neural processing of odor inputs leading to a preference to seek out a male sex partner, in addition to facilitating females' sexual receptivity.

背景与目标： : 先前的研究表明，男女雪貂都依赖于对个体体味的感知来识别和激励对异性交配伴侣的态度，暴露于男性体味会刺激女性而不是男性的嗅觉投射回路中的Fos表达，终止于腹内侧下丘脑核 (VMH) 的雪貂。我们询问，在Y迷宫测试中，雪貂对女性典型的偏爱接近男性而不是女性的体味是否会被VMH病变破坏。在接受VMH，视前区/下丘脑前部 (POA/AH) 或假手术的双侧电解病变之前，对有性经验的雌性雪貂进行了子宫切除。随后，在接受苯甲酸雌二醇的同时，接受了VMH完全或部分双侧病变的女性在麻醉的男性中获得的挥发性气味明显少于接受POA/AH病变或假手术的女性。两组患有VMH病变的雪貂在家庭笼子适应/不适应测试中可靠地区分了挥发性肛门气味以及来自2个性别的尿液气味，这表明它们基于气味的性别歧视仍然完好无损。与所有其他女性受试者相比，具有完全双侧VMH病变的女性对刺激男性的颈部抓握的接受度明显降低 (接受)，并且对男性攻击更高。VMH中的雌激素敏感神经元似乎在女性典型的气味输入的神经处理中起着核心作用，除了促进女性的性接受外，还倾向于寻找男性性伴侣。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :A number of competing risks and benefits influence the rates of neonatal morbidity and mortality in elective cesarean delivery versus expectant management. To compare these rates, we developed complex decision trees to model the expected outcomes among hypothetical cohorts of 1,000,000 uncomplicated pregnancies undergoing elective cesarean delivery versus 1,000,000 comparable pregnancies undergoing routine pregnancy management. A separate tree was created for each complication, including neonatal death, respiratory morbidity, intracranial hemorrhage, and brachial plexus injury. We found that neonatal mortality was increased among elective cesarean deliveries, but perinatal mortality was higher with routine expectant management due to fetal deaths. Respiratory morbidity was substantially more common among infants delivered by elective cesarean delivery, whereas intracranial hemorrhage and brachial plexus injury were less common. We conclude that the fetal/neonatal impact of elective cesarean is mixed, but any improvement in perinatal health is likely to be small.

背景与目标： : 在选择性剖宫产与预期管理中，许多竞争性风险和收益会影响新生儿的发病率和死亡率。为了比较这些比率，我们开发了复杂的决策树来模拟假设队列中的预期结果，这些队列中的1,000,000例非复杂妊娠接受选择性剖宫产，而1,000,000例可比妊娠接受常规妊娠管理。为每种并发症 (包括新生儿死亡，呼吸系统疾病，颅内出血和臂丛神经损伤) 创建了单独的树。我们发现，选择性剖宫产分娩的新生儿死亡率增加，但由于胎儿死亡，常规预期治疗的围产期死亡率更高。在择期剖宫产分娩的婴儿中，呼吸系统的发病率明显更高，而颅内出血和臂丛神经损伤则较少见。我们得出的结论是，选择性剖宫产对胎儿/新生儿的影响是混合的，但是围产期健康的任何改善都可能很小。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: This paper presents and discusses selected findings from a study of health-seeking strategies in relation to sexual health among a group of female sex workers in Calcutta, India. Background information on sex work and sexually transmitted disease in Calcutta is followed by the presentation of findings pertaining to women's understandings of (sexual) health, treatment-seeking and service utilisation. In the urban context where health services are readily available, patterns of initial treatment-seeking are shown to be generally (biomedically) appropriate, but subsequent "non-compliant" therapeutic practices give cause for concern. Conventional approaches to the study of "health-seeking behaviour" are reviewed in the light of these findings and questions raised about the appropriateness of approaches that focus on initial choice of treatment type and/or assume processes of health-seeking to be determined primarily by cultural "beliefs" about illness. Inherent biomedical and culturalist biases in the orientation of such research are shown to produce an analytic neglect of the dual influences of material life conditions and people's perceptions of health, rather than illness, upon health-related strategies. Recommendations are made for operational research and policy formulation on the provision of effective sexual health services, and implications are drawn for the scope of interventions and applied research directed at improving sexual health.

背景与目标： 本文介绍并讨论了印度加尔各答一群女性性工作者与性健康有关的寻求健康策略研究的部分发现。关于加尔各答性工作和性传播疾病的背景信息之后，介绍了与妇女对 (性) 健康，寻求治疗和服务利用的理解有关的发现。在容易获得医疗服务的城市环境中，最初寻求治疗的方式通常 (在生物医学上) 是适当的，但是随后的 “不合规” 治疗方法引起了人们的关注。根据这些发现和提出的有关方法的适当性的问题，对 “寻求健康行为” 研究的常规方法进行了审查，这些方法侧重于治疗类型的初始选择和/或假设寻求健康的过程主要由关于疾病的文化 “信仰” 决定。这种研究方向上固有的生物医学和文化主义偏见被证明是对物质生活条件和人们对健康而不是疾病的看法对健康相关策略的双重影响的分析忽略。提出了有关提供有效性健康服务的业务研究和政策制定的建议，并对旨在改善性健康的干预措施和应用研究的范围提出了影响。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: In the last decades, several therapies for unipolar depression have been developed, for example cognitive therapy, behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy. A new kind of therapy is bibliotherapy. What is new in this treatment modality is not the content, because bibliotherapy usually uses a cognitive-behavioral approach. Only the form in which it is presented is new. In bibliotherapy the patient takes a standardized treatment home, in book form, and works it through more or less independently. Contacts with therapists are only supportive or facilitative. No traditional relationship between therapist and patient is developed. In this article the relevance of bibliotherapy for the clinical practice is presented and a meta-analysis of the research into bibliotherapy is described.

背景与目标： 在过去的几十年中，已经开发了几种针对单相抑郁症的疗法，例如认知疗法，行为疗法和药物疗法。一种新的疗法是书目疗法。这种治疗方式的新内容不是内容，因为书目疗法通常使用认知行为方法。只有呈现的形式是新的。在书目疗法中，患者以书本形式接受标准化治疗，并或多或少地独立进行治疗。与治疗师的接触只是支持性或促进性的。没有发展治疗师和患者之间的传统关系。本文介绍了书目疗法与临床实践的相关性，并描述了对书目疗法研究的荟萃分析。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Varicocele is considered a predominantly unilateral left-sided disease. However, since male fertility is preserved with only one healthy testis, infertility perforce represents bilateral testicular dysfunction. It was hypothesized that: (i) right varicocele cannot be diagnosed by palpation and therefore has not been treated in the past by the traditional treatment, and (ii) right varicocele causes impaired oxygen supply in the right testicular microcirculation, leading to germ cell degeneration. This study performed venographies of both right and left internal spermatic veins during the treatment of 840 infertile men with varicocele and analysed the results using tools of fluid mechanics. Histopathology of the right testis revealed stagnation of blood flow and degenerative changes attributed to lack of adequate oxygenation in all testicular cell types. Right varicocele was found in the vast majority of the patients. We found that due to the destruction of one-way valves, pathologic hydrostatic pressure is produced in the testicular venous microcirculatory system about five times higher than normal, exceeding arteriolar pressure. The pressure gradient between the arterioles and venules in the testicular tissue is therefore reversed, leading to persistent hypoxia. Right varicocele, although undetected, is prevalent in infertile men with varicocele, hence only bilateral occlusion of the internal spermatic veins, including the associated bypasses, eliminating the pathologic hydrostatic pressure will lead to resumption of arterial blood flow in the testicular microcirculation.

背景与目标： : 精索静脉曲张被认为是一种主要的单侧左侧疾病。但是，由于只有一个健康的睾丸可以保留男性的生育能力，因此不育表现为双侧睾丸功能障碍。假设 :( i) 无法通过触诊来诊断右精索静脉曲张，因此过去没有通过传统疗法进行治疗，并且 (ii) 右精索静脉曲张会导致右睾丸微循环中的氧气供应受损，导致生殖细胞变性。这项研究在治疗840名患有精索静脉曲张的不育男性期间对左右精索内静脉进行了静脉造影，并使用流体力学工具分析了结果。右睾丸的组织病理学显示，由于所有睾丸细胞类型缺乏足够的氧合，导致血流停滞和退行性变化。在绝大多数患者中发现了右精索静脉曲张。我们发现，由于单向阀的破坏，睾丸静脉微循环系统中产生的病理性静水压力约为正常水平的五倍，超过了小动脉压力。因此，睾丸组织中小动脉和小静脉之间的压力梯度相反，导致持续的缺氧。右精索静脉曲张虽然未被发现，但在患有精索静脉曲张的不育男性中很普遍，因此只有双侧精索内静脉 (包括相关的旁路) 闭塞，消除病理性静水压将导致睾丸微循环中动脉血流的恢复。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: PURPOSE:To identify genes preferentially expressed in the stem-cell-rich limbal epithelium of the rat cornea. METHODS:The limbal and central corneal epithelial cells of 6-week-old rats were isolated by microdissection. Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) libraries were constructed and analyzed, and in situ hybridization, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and cDNA cloning were conducted by conventional procedures. RESULTS:The rat limbal and central corneal epithelial SAGE libraries consisted of 41,894 and 40,691 tags, respectively. After annotation, this was reduced to 759 transcripts specific for the limbal library and 844 transcripts specific for the central corneal library; 2292 transcripts overlapped. Transcripts encoding proteins with metabolic functions comprised the major functional category in both libraries. In situ hybridization and/or RT-PCR results of 12 of the most abundant, highly enriched transcripts in the limbal epithelium were in general agreement with the SAGE data and showed that these proteins are also expressed in the conjunctival epithelium. Interesting limbal-enriched transcripts encode WDNM1-like protein (similar to WDNM1/Expi, a putative secreted proteinase and inhibitor of metastasis), mesothelin (a cancer marker), marapsin (a trypsin-like serine protease that may control cell growth and migration), K4 and K15 (both cytokeratins), and membrane-spanning four-domain subfamily A member 8B. WDNM1-like protein was cloned and confirmed as a member of the four-disulfide core family. CONCLUSIONS:The SAGE results extend the database of genes expressed in the rodent cornea and suggest an association between several genes preferentially expressed in the limbal epithelium with cellular proliferation and migration.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The differential relative contribution of males and females from Africa and Europe to individual African American genomes is relevant to mapping genes utilizing admixture analysis. The assessment of ancestral population contributions to the four types of genomic DNA (autosomes, X and Y chromosomes, and mitochondrial) with their differing modes of inheritance is most easily addressed in males. A thorough evaluation of 93 African American males for 2,018 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers, 121 X chromosome SNPs, 10 Y chromosome haplogroups specified by SNPs, and six haplogroup defining mtDNA SNPs is presented. A distinct lack of correlation observed between the X chromosome and the autosomal admixture fractions supports separate treatment of these chromosomes in admixture-based gene mapping applications. The European genetic contributions were highest (and African lowest) for the Y chromosome (28.46%), followed by the autosomes (19.99%), then the X chromosome (12.11%), and the mtDNA (8.51%). The relative order of admixture fractions in the genomic compartments validates previous studies that suggested sex-biased gene flow with elevated European male and African female contributions. There is a threefold higher European male contribution compared with European females (Y chromosome vs. mtDNA) to the genomes of African American individuals meaning that admixture-based gene discovery will have the most power for the autosomes and will be more limited for X chromosome analysis.

背景与目标： : 非洲和欧洲的男性和女性对非裔美国人单个基因组的不同相对贡献与利用混合分析定位基因有关。在男性中，最容易解决祖先种群对四种类型的基因组DNA (常染色体，X和Y染色体以及线粒体) 及其不同遗传方式的贡献的评估。提出了对93名非洲裔美国男性的2,018个常染色体单核苷酸多态性 (SNP) 标记，121个X染色体SNP，10个由SNP指定的Y染色体单倍群以及6个定义mtDNA SNP的单倍群的全面评估。在X染色体和常染色体混合组分之间观察到的明显缺乏相关性支持在基于混合的基因作图应用中对这些染色体进行单独处理。欧洲对Y染色体的遗传贡献最高 (非洲最低) (28.46%)，其次是常染色体 (19.99%)，然后是X染色体 (12.11%) 和mtDNA (8.51%)。基因组区室中混合组分的相对顺序验证了先前的研究，这些研究表明，性别偏向的基因流具有较高的欧洲男性和非洲女性贡献。与欧洲女性相比，欧洲男性对非裔美国人个体基因组的贡献高出三倍 (Y染色体与mtDNA)，这意味着基于混合物的基因发现将对常染色体具有最大的力量，并且对X染色体分析。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To study the temporal relationships between cytomegalovirus (CMV) viral load and specific UL97 mutations in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and plasma samples from a patient with AIDS who developed ganciclovir-resistant CMV retinitis.

METHODS:Sequential PMNL and plasma samples were analysed for determination of the CMV viral load using non-molecular methods and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Screening of the same samples for the most common mutations conferring ganciclovir resistance was performed using nested PCR and restriction enzyme analysis.

RESULTS:At the time of progression of CMV retinitis (after 6 months of ganciclovir), a rapid increase in the CMV DNA load was found in both PMNL and plasma samples. This increase paralleled the emergence of a specific mutation (V594) in the same samples and recovery of ganciclovir-resistant blood isolates. In this patient, however, the only tests that substantially predicted the progression of CMV disease were the quantitative PCR assay using PMNL and to a lesser extent the pp65 antigenemia assay.

CONCLUSIONS:Quantitative evaluation of the CMV viral load in PMNL using sensitive assays such as PCR appears to be a promising approach for monitoring antiviral therapy in subjects with AIDS. In addition, common mutations conferring ganciclovir resistance can be detected directly in PMNL and plasma samples.

背景与目标： 目标 : 研究巨细胞病毒 (CMV) 病毒载量与多形核白细胞 (PMNL) 和血浆样本中特定UL97突变之间的时间关系，该患者患有更昔洛韦耐药的CMV视网膜炎。
方法 : 使用非分子方法和定量聚合酶链反应 (PCR) 分析方法分析了连续的PMNL和血浆样品，以确定CMV病毒载量。使用巢式PCR和限制性内切酶分析对相同样品进行了更昔洛韦抗性最常见突变的筛选。
结果 : 在CMV视网膜炎进展时 (更昔洛韦6个月后)，在PMNL和血浆样品中发现CMV DNA载量迅速增加。这种增加与同一样品中出现特定突变 (V594) 和更昔洛韦耐药血液分离株的回收平行。但是，在该患者中，唯一可以基本预测CMV疾病进展的测试是使用PMNL的定量PCR测定，以及在较小程度上使用pp65抗原血症测定。
结论 : 使用敏感的检测方法 (例如PCR) 定量评估PMNL中的CMV病毒载量似乎是监测艾滋病患者抗病毒治疗的有希望的方法。此外，可以直接在PMNL和血浆样品中检测到赋予更昔洛韦抗性的常见突变。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Although the considerable progress against gastric cancer, it remains a complex lethal disease defined by peculiar histological and molecular features. The purpose of the present study was to investigate pRb2/p130, VEGF, EZH2, p53, p16(INK4A), p27(KIP1), p21(WAF1), Ki-67 expressions, and analyze their possible correlations with clinicopathological factors. The expression patterns were examined by immunohistochemistry in 47 patients, 27 evaluated of intestinal-type, and 20 of diffuse-type, with a mean follow up of 56 months and by Western blot in AGS, N87, KATO-III, and YCC-2, -3, -16 gastric cell lines. Overall, stomach cancer showed EZH2 correlated with high levels of p53, Ki-67, and cytoplasmic pRb2/p130 (P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). Increased expression of EZH2 was found in the intestinal-type and correlated with the risk of distant metastasis (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), demonstrating that this protein may have a prognostic value in this type of cancer. Interestingly, a strong inverse correlation was observed between p27(KIP1) expression levels and the risk of advanced disease and metastasis (P < 0.05), and a positive correlation between the expression levels of p21(WAF1) and low-grade (G1) gastric tumors (P < 0.05), confirming the traditionally accepted role for these tumor-suppressor genes in gastric cancer. Finally, a direct correlation was found between the expression levels of nuclear pRb2/p130 and low-grade (G1) gastric tumors that was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Altogether, these data may help shed some additional light on the pathogenetic mechanisms related to the two main gastric cancer histotypes and their invasive potentials.

背景与目标： : 尽管在抗胃癌方面取得了长足的进步，但它仍然是一种由特殊的组织学和分子特征定义的复杂致死疾病。本研究的目的是调查pRb2/p130，VEGF，EZH2，p53，p16(INK4A)，p27(KIP1)，p21(WAF1)，Ki-67表达，并分析其与临床病理因素的可能相关性。通过免疫组织化学检查了47例患者的表达模式，其中27例被评估为肠型，20例被评估为弥漫型，平均随访56个月，并通过Western blot在AGS，N87，KATO-III和YCC-2中进行了检测，-3，-16胃细胞系。总体而言，胃癌显示EZH2与高水平的p53，Ki-67和细胞质pRb2/p130相关 (分别为P <0.05和P <0.01)。在肠型中发现EZH2的表达增加，并且与远处转移的风险相关 (分别为P <0.05和P <0.01)，表明该蛋白可能在此类癌症中具有预后价值。有趣的是，p27(KIP1) 表达水平与晚期疾病和转移风险之间存在很强的负相关 (P <0.05)，而p21(WAF1) 表达水平与低度 (G1) 胃肿瘤之间存在正相关 (P <0.05)，证实了这些肿瘤抑制基因在胃癌中的传统作用。最后，发现核pRb2/p130的表达水平与低级别 (G1) 胃肿瘤之间存在直接相关性，具有统计学意义 (P <0.05)。总之，这些数据可能有助于进一步阐明与两种主要胃癌组织类型及其侵袭潜力有关的致病机制。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Medial preoptic area (MPOA) and ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (VBST) neurons are involved in maternal behavior, but the neural sites to which the maternally relevant neurons project have not been determined. Since MPOA and VBST neurons express Fos during maternal behavior, we used a double-labeling immunocytochemical procedure to detect both Fos and a retrograde tracer, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), in order to determine where these Fos neurons project. On Day 4 postpartum, fully maternal females were separated from their litters. On Day 5, WGA was iontophoretically injected into one of the following regions known to receive MPOA and/or VBST input: Lateral septum, medial hypothalamus at the level of the ventromedial nucleus, lateral habenula, ventral tegmental area, retrorubral field, or periaqueductal gray. On Day 7, females received a 2-h test with either pups or candy, after which they were perfused and their brains were processed for the detection of Fos and WGA. As expected, females tested with pups had more Fos-containing neurons in the MPOA and VBST than did females tested with candy. After WGA injections into several brain sites, the number of double-labeled cells observed in the MPOA and VBST was greater for the maternal females when compared to the non-maternal females. Therefore, these results pinpointed neural circuits that were activated during maternal behavior. For the maternal females, Fos-containing neurons in the MPOA projected most strongly to the medial hypothalamus at the level of the ventromedial nucleus and to the lateral septum, while Fos-containing neurons in the VBST projected most strongly to the retrorubral field, ventral tegmental area, and medial hypothalamus. Although relatively few MPOA and VBST neurons which expressed Fos during maternal behavior projected to the periaqueductal gray, these Fos-expressing neurons made up a relatively large proportion of the MPOA and VBST projection to the periaqueductal gray. This study suggests that MPOA and VBST efferents project to a variety of regions to promote full maternal responsiveness.

背景与目标： : 视前区 (MPOA) 和纹状体 (VBST) 神经元的腹床核参与母体行为，但尚未确定与母系相关的神经元投射到的神经部位。由于MPOA和VBST神经元在母体行为中表达Fos，因此我们使用双标记免疫细胞化学程序来检测Fos和逆行示踪剂小麦胚芽凝集素 (WGA)，以确定这些Fos神经元的投射位置。产后第4天，将完全的产妇与产仔分开。在第5天，将WGA离子电渗注射到以下已知接受MPOA和/或VBST输入的区域之一: 外侧隔膜，腹内侧核水平的下丘脑内侧，外侧habenula，腹侧被盖区，脑后野，或导水管周围灰色。在第7天，雌性接受了2小时的幼崽或糖果测试，然后对其进行灌注，并对其大脑进行处理以检测Fos和WGA。正如预期的那样，与用糖果测试的雌性相比，用幼崽测试的雌性在MPOA和VBST中具有更多的含Fos的神经元。在将WGA注射到多个大脑部位后，与非母体女性相比，在MPOA和VBST中观察到的双标记细胞数量更多。因此，这些结果确定了在母体行为期间激活的神经回路。对于母体女性，MPOA中含Fos的神经元最强烈地投射到腹内侧核水平的下丘脑内侧和外侧隔，而VBST中含Fos的神经元最强烈地投射到脑后野，腹侧被盖区和下丘脑内侧。尽管在投射到导水管周围灰色的母体行为中表达Fos的MPOA和VBST神经元相对较少，但这些表达Fos的神经元在MPOA和VBST投射到导水管周围灰色的比例相对较大。这项研究表明，MPOA和VBST传出剂投射到各个地区，以促进孕产妇的全面反应。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Several studies described the benefits of the heparin-surface-modified intraocular tens (HSM IOL) with regard to the reduced inflammation in routine extracapsular cataract extractions. However, limited information is available about the advantages of the HSM IOL in patients with an intraocular inflammation. AIM:To assess the eventual benefits of the HSM IOL compared to the regular polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lens (PMMA IOL) in patients with uveitis. METHODS:A retrospective study of 43 patients with uveitis of various origins who underwent an extracapsular cataract extraction (24 with HSM, 19 with PMMA IOL). The activity of intraocular inflammation, visual acuity, eventual complications, and medications were examined. Standardized follow-up dates were used (before surgery, one and fourteen days, five and eleven months after surgery.) RESULTS:No difference in the inflammatory, activity was noted between HSM and PMMA groups; neither at short term clinical evaluation, nor at five months after surgery. Despite a slightly better visual acuity in the HSM group before surgery, no long term differences were observed. After surgery the increase in visual acuity was similar for both groups, as well as the frequency of cystoid macular oedema (CMO) and synechiae. Fewer patients in HSM group required Nd:YAG posterior capsulotomy, but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION:No clinical advantage was found when the HSM IOL was compared with the regular PMMA IOL in 43 patients with uveitis.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: INTRODUCTION:STDs are a significant cause of illness throughout the world. Female sex workers (FSWs) are commonly perceived as belonging to a social group which may engage in high-risk behaviour for acquiring or transmitting HIV and other STDs. The number of immigrant women engaged in sex work has increased in Catania, Sicily, over the last 10 years. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis among Colombian and Dominican FSWs. METHODS:In total 118 (63.78%) of the FSWs contacted in the course of the project agreed to participate in the study. All women enrolled were counselled on STDs/HIV, safer sex practices and the use of condoms. Blood samples were taken and tested for HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis. RESULTS:Of the 118 FSWs enrolled, all were negative for both HIV and HCV infection. Two women (1.6%) were positive for hepatitis B (HbsAg). Syphilis testing by VDRL showed three positive results (2.5%), which was confirmed by TPHA. DISCUSSION:This study showed that HIV, HBV, HCV and syphilis seroprevalence among Colombian and Dominican FSWs remains low or very rare. It also indicates that these women were healthy when they arrived in Italy and that condom use with clients is high.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Tumor-infiltrating stroma cells (TISC) as well as tumors themselves are thought to be involved in tumor-related immunosuppression, which is one of the critical mechanisms of tumor escape from immune surveillance. However, preparation of TISC is difficult because of the small proportion of TISC in established tumors. Thus, the cells thought to be involved in tumor-related immunosuppression are generally prepared from spleens or draining lymph nodes in tumor-bearing mice. In this study, we developed a method for directly preparing TISC from established tumors in order to analyze their function. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic (Tg) mice and C57BL/6 mice transplanted with bone marrow (BM) cells of GFPTg mice, we detected three subpopulations of TISC: one is compatible with immature myeloid cells (ImC) derived from BM and the two other subpopulations, CD11b(+) cells and CD11b(-) cells, do not originate from BM. The TISC including these subpopulations but not each subpopulation independently after culturing with tumors in the presence of GM-CSF could suppress T cell proliferation induced by anti-CD3. In our system, tumors did not inhibit T cell responses directly, but unknown factors from tumors affected immunosuppression by TISC.

背景与目标： : 肿瘤浸润的基质细胞 (TISC) 以及肿瘤本身被认为与肿瘤相关的免疫抑制有关，这是肿瘤逃避免疫监视的关键机制之一。然而，由于TISC在已建立的肿瘤中的比例较小，因此很难制备TISC。因此，被认为与肿瘤相关的免疫抑制有关的细胞通常是从荷瘤小鼠的脾脏或引流淋巴结中制备的。在这项研究中，我们开发了一种从已建立的肿瘤中直接制备TISC的方法，以分析其功能。使用绿色荧光蛋白 (GFP) 转基因 (Tg) 小鼠和C57BL/6小鼠移植了GFPTg小鼠的骨髓 (BM) 细胞，我们检测到了TISC的三个亚群: 一个与BM衍生的未成熟髓样细胞 (ImC) 相容，另外两个亚群，CD11b(+) 细胞和CD11b(-) 细胞不起源于BM。在gm-csf存在下用肿瘤培养后，包括这些亚群但不是每个亚群的TISC可以抑制anti-CD3诱导的T细胞增殖。在我们的系统中，肿瘤没有直接抑制T细胞反应，但是肿瘤的未知因素会影响TISC的免疫抑制。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The aim of this study was to analyse the acting forces and moments induced by a special orthodontic appliance, the Pendulum K, for molar distalization in the transverse and sagittal planes. The purpose-designed test set-up (artificial maxilla with anchorage unit and two electrothermodynamic molars, an electronic measuring unit, a unit with force-moment sensor, an analogue/digital converter, and a data read-out unit) allowed simulation of in vivo conditions on the one hand and precise determination of the force systems on the other. The appliances investigated were three specimens of the Pendulum K. In vitro measurement of the resulting force systems revealed that the forces and moments in the transverse and sagittal planes remained almost constant over a 3 mm measuring increment when the distal screw was continuously activated (10 activations/mm). Without reactivation of the incorporated distal screw, however, a marked decline in the force systems was recorded. The Pendulum K allows translatory distalization of the upper molars and thus dental arch expansion, dispensing with the need for permanent teeth to be extracted, subject to a corresponding indication. This is achieved by continuous adjustment of an incorporated distal screw and by specific pre-activations of the Pendulum springs.

背景与目标： : 这项研究的目的是分析由特殊的正畸矫治器摆K引起的作用力和力矩，以在横向和矢状平面中使磨牙远侧。目的设计的测试装置 (带有锚固单元和两个电热磨牙的人造上颌骨，一个电子测量单元，一个带力-力矩传感器的单元，一个模拟/数字转换器，和数据读出单元) 一方面可以模拟体内条件，另一方面可以精确确定力系统。所研究的器具是摆锤K的三个样本。所得力系统的体外测量表明，当远端螺钉连续激活 (10个激活/mm) 时，在3毫米测量增量内，横向和矢状平面中的力和力矩几乎保持恒定。但是，如果不重新激活合并的远端螺钉，则记录到力系统明显下降。摆锤K允许上磨牙的平移远端化，从而使牙弓扩张，从而无需拔出恒牙，但要有相应的指示。这是通过连续调节结合的远端螺钉和通过摆簧的特定预激活来实现的。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is required for structural folding and maintenance of conformational integrity of various proteins, including several associated with cellular signaling. Recent studies utilizing 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), an inhibitor of HSP90, demonstrated an antitumor effect in solid tumors. To test whether HSP90 could be targeted in multiple myeloma (MM) patients, we first investigated expression of HSP90 by immunofluorescence and flow cytometric analysis in a myeloma cell line (U266) and primary myeloma cells. Following demonstration of HSP90 expression in myeloma cells, archival samples of 32 MM patients were analysed by immunoperoxidase staining. Myeloma cells in all patients showed strong cytoplasmic expression of HSP90 in all samples and 55% also demonstrated concurrent nuclear immunopositivity. Treatment of U266 and primary MM cells with 17AAG resulted in significantly increased apoptosis compared to untreated control cells. Analysis of anti-apoptotic BCL2 family proteins and akt in MM cells incubated with 17-AAG revealed down-regulation of BCL-2, BCL-XL, MCL-1 and akt. Furthermore, although a low concentration of bortezomib resulted in no cell death, a combination of 17AAG and bortezomib treatment revealed a synergistic apoptotic effect on the U266 cell line. These data suggest that targeted inhibition of HSP90 may prove to be a valid and innovative strategy for the development of future therapeutic options for MM patients.

背景与目标： : 热休克蛋白90 (HSP90) 是各种蛋白质的结构折叠和构象完整性维持所必需的，包括与细胞信号传导相关的几种。利用HSP90抑制剂17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) 的最新研究表明，在实体瘤中具有抗肿瘤作用。为了测试HSP90是否可以靶向多发性骨髓瘤 (MM) 患者，我们首先通过免疫荧光和流式细胞仪分析研究了HSP90在骨髓瘤细胞系 (U266) 和原发性骨髓瘤细胞中的表达。在证明骨髓瘤细胞中HSP90表达后，通过免疫过氧化物酶染色分析了32 MM患者的档案样本。所有患者的骨髓瘤细胞在所有样品中均显示出HSP90的强细胞质表达，并且55% 还显示出同时的核免疫阳性。与未处理的对照细胞相比，用17AAG处理U266和原代MM细胞可显着增加细胞凋亡。对与17-aag孵育的MM细胞中抗凋亡BCL2家族蛋白和akt的分析表明，BCL-2，BCL-XL，MCL-1和akt下调。此外，尽管低浓度的硼替佐米不会导致细胞死亡，但17AAG和硼替佐米的组合治疗显示出对U266细胞系的协同凋亡作用。这些数据表明，靶向抑制HSP90可能被证明是开发MM患者未来治疗选择的有效且创新的策略。