Screening and risk factors for cervical cancer among survivors of sexual violence in conflict settings, in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

This study assesses the risk that rape survivors have of developing cervical cancer in the context of conflict. A cross-sectional and descriptive study conducted in Bunyakiri and Kavumu, a conflict region in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the period from September 1 to 10, 2022, including 47 women survivors of sexual violence, 41 of whom were selected on the basis of certain criteria with age ranging from 18 to 50 years. Speculum examination was performed with visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). After collecting data, the latter were encoded in the Excel file and grouped in the form of tables then analyzed after calculating the percentage. Ages of 21-30 years was the most represented, i.e., 56%. Among them, 34.1% were married and 31.7% were abandoned. Majority was in secondary school (46.3%) and illiterates (34.1%). 36.5% complained of pelvic pain and 36.5% reported first sexual intercourse at the age range of 13-15 years, of which 25 cases, i.e., 61% were sexually active. 39% reported having had 3 sexual partners in their life. VIA was negative in 97.5% of cases. It should be mentioned in this study that the environment of conflict zone, the circumstances of rape and the risky sexual behavior of survivors are an ecosystem that predisposes them to cervical cancer.

Cette étude évalue le risque qu'ont les survivantes de viol de développer un cancer du col de l'utérus dans un contexte de conflit. Une étude transversale et descriptive menée à Bunyakiri et Kavumu, région de conflit à l'est de la République Démocratique du Congo durant la période du 1er au 10 septembre 2022, incluant 47 femmes survivantes de violences sexuelles, dont 41 ont été sélectionnées sur la base de certains critères avec un âge allant de 18 à 50 ans. L'examen au spéculum a été réalisé avec inspection visuelle à l'acide acétique (VIA). Après collecte des données, ces dernières ont été encodées dans le fichier Excel et regroupées sous forme de tableaux puis analysées après calcul du pourcentage. La tranche d'âge de 21 à 30 ans était la plus représentée, soit 56 %. Parmi eux, 34,1% étaient mariés et 31,7% étaient abandonnés. La majorité était scolarisée dans le secondaire (46,3%) et analphabète (34,1%). 36,5% se plaignaient de douleurs pelviennes et 36,5% rapportaient leurs premiers rapports sexuels entre 13 et 15 ans, dont 25 cas, soit 61% étaient sexuellement actifs. 39 % déclarent avoir eu 3 partenaires sexuels dans leur vie. VIA était négatif dans 97,5 % des cas. Il convient de mentionner dans cette étude que l'environnement de la zone de conflit, les circonstances du viol et le comportement sexuel à risque des survivantes constituent un écosystème qui les prédispose au cancer du col de l'utérus.

Microscopic dynamics of liquid aluminum oxide.

Collective excitations have been observed in liquid aluminum oxide at high temperatures by combining a containerless sample environment with inelastic x-ray scattering. The excitation spectra show a well-defined triplet peak structure at lower wave vectors Q (1 to 6 nanometers-1) and a single quasi-elastic peak at higher Q. The high-Q spectra are well described by kinetic theory. The low-Q spectra require a frequency-dependent viscosity and provide previously unknown experimental constraints on the behavior of liquids at the interface between atomistic and continuum theory.

Oestrogen and progestogen receptors in endometrium and myometrium at the time of blastocyst implantation in pregnant diabetic rats.

A suitable hormonal environment is a prerequisite for blastocyst implantation. Experimental diabetes was previously shown to modify the hormonal milieu and produce alterations in oestrogen receptor kinetics in the uterine tissue. In the present work, oestrogen and progestogen receptor levels were measured on the morning of day 6 of pregnancy in normal and in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, both in implantation sites and in interembryonic segments of endometrium and myometrium. Receptor levels were different in the implantation sites compared to the interembryonic segments of endometrium, both in the control and in the diabetic animals. Indeed, implantation sites were characterized by lower oestrogen receptor levels in cytosol and higher progestogen receptor levels in cytosol and nuclei. However, compared to the control rats, the diabetic rats had lower oestrogen receptor levels in implantation sites, both in cytosol and nuclei. In the myometrium, the differences between sites or between types of rats were minimal. Plasma levels of oestradiol were lower in diabetic rats than in control animals, whereas progesterone levels were similar. A 20% lower implantation rate was found in diabetic rats, compared to normal rats. These results show that the specific distribution of oestrogen and progestogen receptors between implantation sites and interembryonic segments was preserved in the diabetic rats; however the absolute level of oestrogen receptor was lower. This abnormal endocrine milieu might arise from a lower oestradiol level and a decreased oestradiol/progesterone ratio in the circulating blood. Whether the lower implantation rate in diabetic rats might be a consequence of the overall disturbed hormonal status remains to be elucidated.

Estradiol-induced progesterone receptor synthesis in normal and diabetic ovariectomized rat uterus.

Estrogen stimulation of progesterone-receptor (Prog R.) synthesis is an important parameter of the sex hormones activity at the uterine level. Experimental diabetes in the rat has been shown to perturb protein synthesis in some tissues and to reduce, under certain circumstances, estrogen and androgen activity on their respective target tissues. The present work tended to evaluate the effect of streptozotocin diabetes on estradiol (E2) stimulation of Prog. R and on Prog R. kinetics in the rat uterus. Two groups of diabetic rats were primed for three consecutive days with 5 microg. E2 s.c. (EP). One group received an acute i.p. injection of progesterone (P), 1 h before sacrifice (Inj), the other group did not (n Inj). Two other groups, not primed with E2 (nEP) were similarly injected or not with P. Four groups of non diabetic animals served as controls. Estrogen priming induced a 20-25% increase in DNA content, both in controls and in diabetics. Protein content was also increased to almost the same extent in diabetics and controls; protein concentration remained however slightly lower in cytosol of EP diabetics as compared to controls. Prog R. increased about 7-fold in cytosol and 4-5-fold in nuclei of EP control and diabetic groups. Cytosol to nuclei ratios of Prog R. decreased similarly in Inj. EP diabetics and controls, compared to the corresponding n Inj. groups. It is concluded that estrogen priming stimulated Prog R., total protein and DNA synthesis to the same extent in diabetic as in control rats Prog R. kinetics was unaltered in diabetics. This finding might be relevant to situations like early pregnancy, when Prog R. levels change rapidly and specifically in relation with the time and the site of implantation.

Estrogen and progestogen receptors in the implantation sites and interembryonic segments of rat uterus endometrium and myometrium.

Estrogens play a central role in the mechanism of blastocyst implantation. Whether the blastocyst itself contributes to this hormonal effect by locally releasing estrogens at the site of implantation remains debatable. Indirect evidence of estrogen production by the embryo could be obtained if specific estrogenic effects were found to a greater extent at the implantation sites, when compared to the interembryonic segments. Six-day pregnant rats were injected in the morning with Evans' blue, and the uterine blue stripes revealing the implantation sites were separated from the interembryonic segments. Endometrial and myometrial portions of the two sites were separately pooled and analyzed for protein, estradiol receptor (E2R) and progesterone receptor (Prog.R) contents, in cytosol and nuclear fractions. The present results show a significantly higher protein concentration in cytosol of endometrium (20 +/- 6.2 vs. 12 +/- 7.6) (means +/- SD) and, to a lesser extent, in the cytosol of myometrium (10 +/- 2.5 vs. 8.1 +/- 2.2 mg/mg DNA) at the implantation sites as compared to interembryonic segments. Protein levels were slightly higher in nuclei of endometrium only (8.3 +/- 3.4 vs. 6.4 +/- 4.5 mg/mg DNA). E2R concentrations were significantly lower in cytosol of endometrium from implantation sites (3.5 +/- 1.4 vs. 5.0 +/- 2.6 pmol/mg DNA), whereas nuclear levels were higher (0.63 +/- 0.38 vs. 0.47 +/- 0.24 pmol/mg DNA); nuclei-cytosol ratios were significantly higher in endometrium from implantation sites (16 +/- 7 vs. 9.7 +/- 5%). In myometrium no differences were observed between the two sites. Prog.R were higher both in cytosol (3.3 +/- 1.0 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.3) and in nuclei (3.0 +/- 1.2 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.7 pmol/mg DNA) of endometrium from implantation sites; nuclei-cytosol ratios were also higher (97 +/- 32 vs. 71 +/- 34%). In myometrium, differences between the sites were minimal. Our results show higher protein concentration in endometrium from implantation sites, mostly in cytosol and to a lesser extent in nuclei; lower cytosol but higher nuclear E2R concentrations, and both higher cytosol and nuclear Prog.R concentrations in endometrium from implantations sites, and strongly suggest a local estrogenic effect on tissues in close vicinity of the blastocyst. Thus they favor the hypothesis of estrogen release by the embryo itself.

Experimental Escherichia coli enteropathy in weanling rabbits: clinical manifestations and pathological findings.

Diarrhoea was reproduced by inoculating 5-week-old New Zealand White rabbits orally with 2 X 10(6) CFU of E. coli 0.15:H-. The strain produced diarrhoea in all the dosed rabbits 6.25 +/- 2.71 (mean +/- S.D.) days after infection (p.i.). Mortality was high. Sequential examination of the intestines by light microscopy showed the strain to attach first to the tips of the lymphoid follicle epithelium of Peyer's patches 24 h p.i., but not to other sites until 3 days p.i. From 3 to 14 days p.i. the strain caused an acute intestinal inflammatory response and large numbers of E. coli adhered to the enterocytes of ileum, caecum and colon. Colonized cells became rounded and were desquamated. Severe oedema of the caecal lamina propria was often present. Colonization of the intestine, as shown by rectal swab cultures, reached a maximum 4 to 7 days p.i. and did not decrease until 14 days p.i.