Human papillomavirus and disease status following therapy for cervical cancer

This study tested the hypothesis that luteal LH receptor (LHr) and follicular LHr and FSH receptor (FSHr) steady-state mRNA levels are greater during superovulation with equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) compared with that with FSH. Heifers were stimulated with eCG (n = 10) or FSH (n = 10), and ovaries were recovered the day before and at 12 and 24 h after luteolysis was induced with prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha). Total RNA was purified from individual follicles and corpora lutea. Steady-state levels of LHr and FSHr mRNA were assessed by slot blot analysis employing homologous cDNA probes. There were no differences in luteal LHr between FSH- and eCG-stimulated animals before luteolysis, and hybridization signals were detected in only one of six animals by 12 h after injection of PGF2 alpha. After PGF2 alpha injection, steady-state levels of follicular LHr were 4-fold lower (P < 0.05) and follicular FSHr mRNA levels were 2.4-fold lower (P < 0.05) in eCG- compared with FSH-treated cattle. In eCG-treated animals, induction of luteolysis led to a significant increase in follicular LHr mRNA levels (P < 0.01) and a significant decrease in follicular FSHr mRNA levels (P < 0.01). There was no such effect of luteolysis in FSH-treated animals. We conclude that superovulation with eCG, compared with FSH, results in lower follicular levels of LHr and FSHr mRNA but does not affect luteal LHr mRNA levels.     

Human papillomavirus as an etiological factor in cervical cancer: significance for health care practice

The migration of substances from rubber packaging materials into drug products can be significant with certain packaging materials in contact with organic solvent systems. Recommendations for testing drug products for leachables are continually evolving to address new developments. Testing packaging materials using simulated solvents is not always an acceptable protocol for the pharmaceutical industry. We describe a rational strategy for evaluation of the drug product for packaging extractables. A profile of the extractables from rubber packaging materials was made with a range of organic solvents and stress conditions to provide information on substances to target in the drug product. The drug product was evaluated to determine if the matrix would cause interferences that might inhibit detection of the found extractables. Analytical methods were selected based on these findings. The procedures were validated according to FDA guidelines. A stability program using time and storage conditions as variables provided information for acceptance criteria. This same strategy can be used on other types of pharmaceuticals and packaging materials.     

The roles of the human major histocompatibility complex and human papillomavirus infection in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer

Germ theory and pure culture methods have provided invaluable information concerning the role of bacteria in diseases resulting from a single organism which bypasses a host's defenses. However, they do not provide sufficient information concerning the synergisms which allow the members of biofilm communities to proliferate more effectively as communities rather than as individuals. The mechanisms of these synergies are potential targets for antimicrobial agents as well as potential mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobial agents. Understanding community-level phenomena in oral biology requires the culture, identification, and classification of functional plaque communities as well as new methods of identifying and quantifying communal relationships. Cultured biofilm communities also provide ideal models of bacterial self-organization in which information related to adaptive strategies arises not only through the recombination of genes within genomes, but also through the recombination of organisms within communities.     

Human papillomavirus in normal cervical smears from Cape Town

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) types in South African women with normal cervical cytology and to determine whether our results are comparable to what has been found elsewhere in the world. DESIGN: Cervical smears were collected from 262 women. SETTING: The Cape Town metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 262 women, aged 19-85 years. Eighty-five women attended the family planning clinic of the Gynaecology Department at Groote Schuur Hospital and 177 women consulted private gynaecological practices. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence and types of HPV in 192 women with normal cervical cytology. RESULTS: The incidence of HPV DNA in cervical smears from Cape Town women with normal cytology was found to be 13% (25/192) using Southern blot hybridisation. The types of HPV found in normal cervical tissue from Cape Town did not differ significantly from those found elsewhere in the world. Nine per cent (17/192) were positive for "high-risk' HPV types which are associated with premalignant and malignant cervical lesions. In the age group 20-39 years, 15 of 92 (16%) were positive for HPV DNA, while in the age group above 39 years, 3 of 53 (6%) women were positive for HPV DNA. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 25 of 192 (13%) women with normal cytology were positive for HPV.     

Human papillomavirus infection and risk determinants for squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer in Japan

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is inhibited both in vivo and in vitro by heparin. However, the precise mechanisms of action are still not understood. The analogy between two sulfated polysaccharides, heparin and fucan, has led us to compare in detail their effects on SMC growth. We have prepared and characterized a 19 kDa fucan fraction from brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum. Fucan affects the growth of SMCs in a time- and dose-dependent, reversible and non-toxic fashion. As determined by cell counting, [3H]thymidine incorporation, and microcytofluorimetry analysis, heparin was less active than fucan in inhibiting SMC growth. Fucan and heparin act by preferential blocking of G0/G1, thus decreasing the G0/S transition. Binding experiments with [125I]fucan indicated saturable, unlabeled-fucan displaceable binding sites with an apparent Kd of 30 nM. Moreover, displacement experiments performed with various polysaccharides revealed that antiproliferative compounds interacted with these membrane sites, but non-antiproliferative polysaccharides (dextran, chondroitin sulfate) did not, providing evidence of a correlation between binding to SMCs and their antiproliferative activity. When cells were exposed at 37 degrees C to a fluorescent 5-([4,6-dichlorotriazin-2-yl]-amino)fluorescein (DTAF)-fucan, internalization occurred and punctate vesicles were observed which accumulated rapidly in the perinuclear region as previously reported for heparin. Nuclear preparations (membranes + contents) of cultured SMCs previously incubated with radiolabeled heparin or fucan indicated the presence of radioactivity, suggesting an antiproliferative action of both polysaccharides at the nuclear level. Collectively, these observations indicated that fucan and heparin share some similar mechanisms of action, such as SMC growth inhibition, binding, and internalization. In the accompanying paper (Logeart et al., Eur. J. Cell Biol. 74, 1997, this issue), we describe the effect of fucans of different molecular weights and conclude that there is no direct link between polysaccharide degradation and the antiproliferative effect on SMCs.     

Human papillomaviruses and cervical cancer

In the United States, the Phase I Feasibility Study under IDE G970065 was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on 04/11/97. The approved protocol called for implantation of the bifurcated Talent spring stent-graft system on patients who are high-risk candidates for conventional surgery because of cardio-respiratory, medical, general, or local anatomical reasons which would likely complicate the technical execution of the operation or be accompanied by a high expected mortality rate. Patient enrollment was complete with 16 cases as of September 26, 1997. This was a multicenter experience involving five different sites. This is an ongoing study and patients, of course, will continue to be followed longitudinally. Phase II will likely be approved by the FDA for initiation in January or February of 1998. Standard-risk AAA patients will be entered into the study at this time; comparison with concurrent controls will be used for comparison with conventional surgery.     

Human papillomavirus distribution in cervical tissues of different morphology as determined by hybrid capture assay and PCR

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional response, morbidity and histostructural changes in rats enterectomized and without cecum using two types of syngenic enteral transplants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Controlled randomized surgical-therapeutic trial. Four groups of male Lewis rats 8-10 weeks old underwent the following procedures: 1. Lethal enteral resection (n = 10). 2. Lethal enteral resection + total yeyuno-ileal transplant (n = 28). 3. Lethal enteral resection + distal segmentary of 40% and cecum transplant (n = 32). 4. Control group (n = 10). RESULTS: 11% of the transplanted animals died due to technical failures; both transplanted groups had a similar proportion of late complications, mostly enteral obstruction. A persistent diarrhea was observed in 20% of the yeyuno-ileal transplanted group, but no significant differences were found between the two groups concerning survival, weight gain, protein and triglycerides serum levels, and a maltose absorption test; villus and crypt hypertrophy was observed in both grafts. The enteral graft integration was followed by structural changes similar to those found in intestinal remnants on deficit conditions after enteral resection. CONCLUSION: The bowel distal segmentary transplant with ileocecal valve and cecum may be a good option in cases of irreversible enteral failure, as the functional response and morbidity are similar to those found with the standard total transplant.     

Human papillomavirus investigation of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3, some of whom progressed to invasive cancer

Unstable expansion of the CTG repeats in the 3' untranslated region encoding a member of the protein kinase family in the q13.3 band on chromosome 19 is a mutation specific for myotonic dystrophy. To examine the correlation between clinical expression and CTG trinucleotide repeat length, we carried out Southern blot analysis in a family with myotonic dystrophy. In this pedigree, the expanded CTG repeats were transmitted maternally. The mother had three female children. The mother had about 200 CTG repeats, and the number of repeats for each child was about 800, 1500 and 1600 in birth order. The mother and the patient with 800 repeats were unaware of muscle weakness or myotonia. Symptoms were present from age 3 years in the patient with 1500 repeats and from birth in the one with 1600 repeats. Although the mother menstruated regularly, the patients with 800 and 1500 repeats both menstruated irregularly, and the one with 1600 repeats has never menstruated. The age of onset and severity of the disease were correlated with the size of the expanded repeats. Endocrinological studies revealed that the basal levels of the gonadotropins, PRL and E2 were within normal range, and a pituitary response to LHRH was observed. These data suggest that the amenorrhea and menstrual irregularities were caused by a suprahypophyseal dysfunction. When expanded CTG repeats are transmitted maternally, abnormal products resulting from the metabolic disturbance in the affected mother may harm the fetus in utero. A heterozygous fetus, who has more CTG repeats, may be unable to metabolize the pathologic products sufficiently and therefore may become more severely affected. This may explain the exclusive maternal transmission of congenital myotonic dystrophy.     

Human papillomavirus infection and esophageal cancer: a nationwide seroepidemiologic case-control study in Sweden

BACKGROUND: Despite being immunogenic, gastric cancers overcome antitumour immune responses by mechanisms that have yet to be fully elucidated. Fas ligand (FasL) is a molecule that induces Fas receptor mediated apoptosis of activated immunocytes, thereby mediating normal immune downregulatory roles including immune response termination, tolerance acquisition, and immune privilege. Colon cancer cell lines have previously been shown to express FasL and kill lymphoid cells by Fas mediated apoptosis in vitro. Many diverse tumours have since been found to express FasL suggesting that a "Fas counterattack" against antitumour immune effector cells may contribute to tumour immune escape. AIM: To ascertain if human gastric tumours express FasL in vivo, as a potential mediator of immune escape in stomach cancer. SPECIMENS: Thirty paraffin wax embedded human gastric adenocarcinomas. METHODS: FasL protein was detected in gastric tumours using immunohistochemistry; FasL mRNA was detected in the tumours using in situ hybridisation. Cell death was detected in situ in tumour infiltrating lymphocytes using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL). RESULTS: Prevalent expression of FasL was detected in all 30 resected gastric adenocarcinomas examined. In the tumours, FasL protein and mRNA were co-localised to neoplastic gastric epithelial cells, confirming expression by the tumour cells. FasL expression was independent of tumour stage, suggesting that it may be expressed throughout gastric cancer progression. TUNEL staining disclosed a high level of cell death among lymphocytes infiltrating FasL positive areas of tumour. CONCLUSIONS: Human gastric adenocarcinomas express the immune downregulatory molecule, FasL. The results suggest that FasL is a prevalent mediator of immune privilege in stomach cancer.     

Temporal encoding as a determinant of overshadowing

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes over time in consonant feature production by children with profound hearing impairments who used either the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant or the multichannel vibrotactile aid, Tactaid 7. DESIGN: Imitative consonant productions of children with prelingual deafness were elicited and transcribed at two intervals: 1) before receiving their respective devices (predevice interval), and 2) after an average of 1.5 yr of device use (postdevice interval). The consonant productions were analyzed in terms of the percentage of consonant features (manner, place, and voicing) produced by the child that matched the features of the examiner's target. The percentage of features produced correctly was then averaged across repetitions, vowel environments, and participants within each group. RESULTS: At the predevice interval, the cochlear implant and Tactaid 7 participants demonstrated similar imitative consonant production abilities. After an average of 1.5 yr of device use, the cochlear implant participants demonstrated significantly greater gains than did the Tactaid 7 participants for the features of voicing and place of articulation. Although the cochlear implant participants showed a trend towards better production of the consonant manner features, this difference failed to reach significance. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggest that the use of a multichannel sensory aid yields improvements in consonant feature production. Furthermore, use of a cochlear implant appears to promote the production of consonant voicing and place features to a greater degree than does the use of a multichannel tactile aid.     

Association of the antibodies against human papillomavirus 16 E4 and E7 proteins with cervical cancer positive for human papillomavirus DNA

Occurrence of the antibodies against human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 proteins E4 and E7 is specifically but independently associated with cervical cancer. To correlate HPV DNA and antibody data, we examined the biopsy specimens and sera, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by ELISA, respectively, from 51 patients with cervical cancer (including 3 recurrent cases) and 22 with cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia. Consensus primers for the L1 region were used for PCR and bacterially expressed, purified fusion protein HPV-16 E4 and non-fusion protein HPV-16 E7 were used for ELISA. HPV-16 DNA and other HPV types were detected in 17 and 25, respectively, out of 51 cases of cervical cancer. Ten out of the 17 HPV-16-DNA-positives were positive either for anti-E4 or for anti-E7: positivities for anti-E4, for anti-E7, and for both were 6/17, 5/17 and 1/17 respectively. Three anti-E7-positives consisted of those for HPV-33, -52 and -58 DNA, suggesting that limited cross-reaction occurred between the HPV types. Among the HPV-16-DNA-positive cases of cancer, lymph-node or distant metastasis was recorded more frequently in the seropositives than in the seronegatives. Our results show that the HPV-16 anti-E4 or anti-E7 occurs in some, but not in all, of the HPV-16-DNA-positive cases, and support the hypothesis that the presence of the HPV-16 antibodies can be used as a marker for possible metastasis.     

Replication as a determinant of the intestinal response to rotavirus

Mucosal antibody induction by otherwise identical replication-competent and replication-incompetent rhesus monkey rotaviruses was compared. Although psoralen-inactivated virus induced diarrhea, the magnitude of the intestinal antibody response was severely attenuated compared with that of replicating rotavirus, as determined by assay of mucosal antibody-secreting cells. Rotavirus that was neutralized by monoclonal antibodies (anti-VP4 and -VP7) prior to inoculation was similarly ineffective at induction of specific antibodies in intestinal secretions. In contrast to genetically inactivated virus, antibody-neutralized virus did not induce diarrhea. In this murine model, viral replication is an important determinant of antibody induction. The diarrhea response is blocked by neutralizing antibodies, but the mechanism of action is not exclusively the inhibition of viral replication.     

Human papillomaviruses, tumour suppressor genes and cervical cancer

There is now a considerable body of evidence that links HPV infection with anogenital squamous carcinoma, particularly for specific 'high risk' HPV types (HPV16 and 18) and invasive carcinoma of the cervix. Recent advances in the molecular study of these viruses have elucidated some potential mechanisms by which they may contribute to the development of these diseases. In this review we concentrate on the interactions of 2 of the HPV encoded proteins, E6 and E7, with cellular tumour suppressor gene products. We provide a model of how these interactions may be important in tumourigenesis and draw together current knowledge of this exciting and rapidly evolving field.     

Sperm motility is a major determinant of pregnancy outcome following intrauterine insemination

The presence and the distribution of neuroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal tract of adult wild boar were investigated. The endocrine cells have been identified by means of immunocytochemical techniques using antibodies against serotonin, gastrin, somatostatin, cholecystokinin (CCK), met-enkephalin (MET-ENK), gastric-inhibitory peptide (GIP) and glucagon. The number of positive cells for each antiserum in each region was evaluated. Results were compared with data present in the literature and obtained previously by us and other authors in swine and domestic mammals (Ceccarelli et al., 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1995; Capella and Solcia, 1972; Domeneghini and Castaldo, 1981; Peranzi and Lehy, 1984; Krause et al., 1985).     

Victimization as a determinant of eyewitness accuracy.

Eyewitness identification research frequently uses a simulated crime paradigm, yet the witnesses in these studies are seldom themselves the victims of the crime. To the degree a witness is more personally involved (as a victim), eyewitness identification accuracy and confidence might be modified. 66 undergraduates were randomly assigned to 3 eyewitness conditions: no-theft control, impersonal calculator theft, or personalized watch theft. Whereas the victims in the watch-theft condition were more accurate than Ss in the other 2 treatments, they were not significantly more accurate than witnesses to the less personal calculator theft. Eyewitnesses' accuracy was unrelated to their confidence in their identification. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Receptor noise as a determinant of colour thresholds

Inferences about mechanisms at one particular stage of a visual pathway may be made from psychophysical thresholds only if the noise at the stage in question dominates that in the others. Spectral sensitivities, measured under bright conditions, for di-, tri-, and tetrachromatic eyes from a range of animals can be modelled by assuming that thresholds are set by colour opponency mechanisms whose performance is limited by photoreceptor noise, the achromatic signal being disregarded. Noise in the opponency channels themselves is therefore not statistically independent, and it is not possible to infer anything more about the channels from psychophysical thresholds. As well as giving insight into mechanisms of vision, the model predicts the performance of colour vision in animals where physiological and anatomical data on the eye are available, but there are no direct measurements of perceptual thresholds. The model, therefore, is widely applicable to comparative studies of eye design and visual ecology.     

Temporal encoding as a determinant of blocking.

A blocking paradigm with rats was used to evaluate whether different temporal information is encoded in simultaneous rather than forward associations. During Phase 1, the blocking CS was simultaneously or forward paired with a unconditioned stimulus/stimuli (UCS). During Phase 2, the pretrained CS occurred in compound with a novel target CS that was paired in a simultaneous or forward manner with the UCS. Forward pretraining resulted in more blocking of a forward than a simultaneously trained target CS, and simultaneous pretraining resulted in more blocking of a simultaneously than a forward trained target CS. Thus, greater blocking occurred when the blocking and blocked CSs had the same temporal relation to the UCS. The results support the temporal coding hypothesis and question the necessity of predictive information in blocking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Human papillomavirus 57 identified in a plantar epidermoid cyst

We report a 23-year-old Japanese man who had plantar warts on the right sole, beneath one of which an epidermoid cyst developed. On microscopic examination, an acanthotic epidermis markedly invaginated into the underlying dermis, resulting in an open epidermoid cyst. Not only the polymerase chain reaction but also an in situ hybridization detected HPV 57 DNA in the cyst. HPV 60 is the only type of HPV that has been identified in epidermoid cysts. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of an epidermoid cyst, in which a different type of virus from HPV 60 was identified. Histological features of the cyst were also different those of HPV 60-associated epidermoid cysts.