Seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasma infection among pregnant women in Aydin province, Turkey

BACKGROUND: The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women at first trimester of their pregnancy and to follow up the seroconversion for next two trimesters, and to identify the risk factors and possible contamination routes in Aydin province, Turkey. METHOD: The sample size was calculated as 423 on a prevalence of 50%, d=0.05 at a confidence level of 95% with 10% addition. It was a cross-sectional study with multistage sampling. After a questionnaire applied to the pregnant women, anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were studied with ELISA and IFA, values in conflict with DA test, where IgM antibodies were studied with ELISA and for borderline or positive values of IgM avidity test was used. RESULTS: The mean age of 389 (92.9%) of pregnant women in the study was 24.28+/-4.56 years, the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis was 30.1%. Seroprevalence was increased with age (p=0.001) and with drinking water consumption other than bottled water (p=0.042). No significant relations were observed between anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and education level, being native or migrant, abortion history, consumption of meat, vegetable and milk/milk products, personal or kitchen hygiene habits, cat owning at home of the pregnant women. No IgM antibody was detected. CONCLUSION: One of every three pregnant women in Aydin was at risk of toxoplasmosis at the first trimester of their pregnancy. Increased seroprevalance with age was a predictable result because of increasing time of exposure. Increased seroprevalence with consumption of municipal and uncontrolled water (well/spring water) supplies was similar with latest epidemiological findings

Editorial of Special Issue of National Identities: Alevism as an ethno-religious identity: Contested boundaries

No abstract for editorial but this is the opening paragraph: This special issue on Alevism and trans/national Alevi identity critically engages with the relationship between religion, ethnicity and national identity. The core issues are as follows: • how ethnicity and religion are conceptualised for a relatively invisible ethnic group in different national contexts; • how religion and ethnicity intersect when Alevism is both a faith and an ethnic identity, especially when conceptions of that identity are contested; • how identity is shaped through state policies within different national policy contexts and how etic definitions of minority communities are constructed by the state or other agencies with the power to impose them on the community in contrast to the emic or self-definitions of Aleviness from within the Alevi community; • how despite the fragmented, heterogeneous nature of Alevi communities, there is also a sense of a single, transnational imaginary community, at least for the purposes of political assimilation/integration and activism; • how education and other arenas of political, religious and cultural engagement at local, national and transnational levels create the possibilities, both positively and negatively, for future action/policy to situate minority ethnic communities

mTOR Controls Ovarian Follicle Growth by Regulating Granulosa Cell Proliferation

We have shown that inhibition of mTOR in granulosa cells and ovarian follicles results in compromised granulosa proliferation and reduced follicle growth. Further analysis here using spontaneously immortalized rat granulosa cells has revealed that mTOR pathway activity is enhanced during M-phase of the cell cycle. mTOR specific phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase and 4E-BP, and expression of Raptor are all enhanced during M-phase. The predominant effect of mTOR inhibition by the specific inhibitor Rapamycin (RAP) was a dose-responsive arrest in the G1 cell cycle stage. The fraction of granulosa cells that continued to divide in the presence of RAP exhibited a dose-dependent increase in aberrant mitotic figures known as anaphase bridges. Strikingly, estradiol consistently decreased the incidence of aberrant mitotic figures. In mice treated with RAP, the mitotic index was reduced compared to controls, and a similar increase in aberrant mitotic events was noted. RAP injected during a superovulation regime resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the numbers of eggs ovulated. Implications for the real-time regulation of follicle growth and dominance, including the consequences of increased numbers of aneuploid granulosa cells, are discussed

Systemic and local antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of Staphylococcus epidermidis graft infection

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the in vivo efficacy of local and systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of Staphylococcus (S.) epidermidis graft infection in a rat model and to evaluate the bacterial adherence to frequently used prosthetic graft materials. METHODS: Graft infections were established in the subcutaneous tissue of 120 male Wistar rats by implantation of Dacron/ePTFE grafts followed by topical inoculation with 2 × 10(7 )CFUs of clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis. Each of the graft series included a control group, one contaminated group that did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis, two contaminated groups that received systemic prophylaxis with teicoplanin or levofloxacin and two contaminated groups that received teicoplanin-soaked or levofloxacin-soaked grafts. The grafts were removed 7 days after implantation and evaluated by quantitative culture. RESULTS: There was significant bacterial growth inhibition in the groups given systemic or local prophylaxis (P < 0.05). Methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis had greater affinity to Dacron graft when compared with ePTFE graft in the untreated contaminated groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the usage of systemic or local prophylaxis and preference of ePTFE graft can be useful in reducing the risk of vascular graft infections caused by staphylococcal strains with high levels of resistance

Predictors of Human papillomavirus (HPV) persistence after treatment of high grade cervical lesions; does cervical cytology have any prognostic value in primary HPV screening?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) persistence in women undergoing cervical excision for pre-invasive lesions, after they have been referred from a primary HPV screening program. METHODS: A retrospective study design involving patients who were treated at a Cervical Disease Screening and Treatment Unit, in a university hospital setting. After initial treatment, cervical HPV infection status was analyzed at the sixth month, first year and then subsequently after the second year. RESULTS: Totally, 395 patients who were diagnosed with pre-invasive cervical lesions and who subsequently undergone cervical excision were identified. In the first-year visit after cervical excision, HPV 18 was cleared in almost all (95.8%) cases, followed by HPV 16 (69.9%) and other hrHPV types (65.6%). Available data documented that 88.6% of women reached clearance after the two-year follow-up. Univariate analysis revealed a significantly higher proportion of HPV clearance among women who were younger (p = 0.019), premenopausal (p = 0.002), and who had been found to have a negative cytology result on their initial Pap test (p = 0.018). However, only cervical cytology result remained as the independent predictor of HPV persistence on a multivariate logistic regression (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.87; p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: A low risk of HPV persistence was found among every HPV genotype in women undergoing cervical excision for pre-invasive cervical lesions. Initial cervical cytology result was the only independent predictor of HPV clearance during surveillance, which indicates the prognostic value of Pap test in primary HPV screening

value in primary HPV screening?

Objective: This study aimed to determine the factors associated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) persistence in women undergoing cervical excision for pre-invasive lesions, after they have been referred from a primary HPV screening program.Methods: A retrospective study design involving patients who were treated at a Cervical Disease Screening and Treatment Unit, in a university hospital setting. After initial treatment, cervical HPV infection status was analyzed at the sixth month, first year and then subsequently after the second year.Results: Totally, 395 patients who were diagnosed with pre-invasive cervical lesions and who subsequently undergone cervical excision were identified. In the first-year visit after cervical excision, HPV 18 was cleared in almost all (95.8%) cases, followed by HPV 16 (69.9%) and other hrHPV types (65.6%). Available data documented that 88.6% of women reached clearance after the two-year follow-up. Univariate analysis revealed a significantly higher proportion of HPV clearance among women who were younger (p = 0.019), premenopausal (p = 0.002), and who had been found to have a negative cytology result on their initial Pap test (p = 0.018). However, only cervical cytology result remained as the independent predictor of HPV persistence on a multivariate logistic regression (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.87; p = 0.019).Conclusions: A low risk of HPV persistence was found among every HPV genotype in women undergoing cervical excision for pre-invasive cervical lesions. Initial cervical cytology result was the only independent predictor of HPV clearance during surveillance, which indicates the prognostic value of Pap test in primary HPV screening.C1 [Kilic, Derya; Guler, Tolga; Atigan, Ayhan; Avsaroglu, Elif; Kaleli, Babur] Pamukkale Univ, Dept Obstet & Gynecol, Med Sch, Denizli, Turkey.[Karakaya, Yeliz Arman] Pamukkale Univ, Dept Pathol, Med Sch, Denizli, Turkey.[Kaleli, Ilknur] Pamukkale Univ, Dept Microbiol, Med Sch, Denizli, Turkey

Endometrial mixed mullerian tumor with heterologous elements following tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer: a case report and literature review

Case: A 67-year-old multiparous woman received 20 mg tamoxifen daily for four years after surgical treatment of breast cancer. She presented with vaginal bleeding. Uterine curettage revealed a uterine MMT with heterologous elements. She was treated surgically with adjuvant radiotherapy. Tumor cells were found to be estrogen receptor negative and progesterone receptor positive. Uterine MMT may be linked to long term use of tamoxifen. A mechanism in developing MMT other than estrogen receptor pathway may be possible. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Trichophyton tonsurans

'Tinea corporis gladiatorum' describes a dermatophytosis transmitted mainly from close skin contact among wrestlers. Although tinea corporis is well recognized, no data are available for tinea capitis infections in wrestlers. After finding tinea capitis infection in a student wrestler, we aimed to search for possible ringworm infections among wrestlers in a wrestling boarding-school. Of the 32 wrestlers, 29, aged 12-18 years, were affected, of whom 22 had scalp involvement. Trichophyton tonsurans was isolated from 20 of the patients, and T. mentagrophytes from the remaining two. Isolated strains of dermatophytes were susceptible to terbinafine and itraconazole. The patients with tinea capitis received oral terbinafine for 4 weeks, and patients with more than two lesions but without scalp involvement received oral terbinafine for 2 weeks. Overall clinical and mycological cure rate was 72.4% and 70%, respectively, at assessment at week 6. The asymptomatic dermatophyte carrier rate was negative 1 year after control of the epidemic. Terbinafine seems to be an alternative drug for the treatment of tinea capitis caused by T. tonsurans; however, control of an outbreak may be very difficult and effective preventive measures should be considered