Human papillomavirus effect on the development of endometrial polyps.

AIM: Although the association of human papillomavirus (HPV) with warts arising in different parts of the human body has been well-demonstrated, the association of HPV with endometrial polyps has never been studied in the literature up to now. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Detection of the HPV DNA was carried out by using 13 high-risk HPV real-time PCR Kit and five low-risk HPV real-time PCR Kit. RESULTS: Among 50 endometrial polyp samples, one endometrial polyp sample revealed a positive result for the presence of HPV type 18. CONCLUSIONS: This first study in the medical literature investigating the possible effect of HPV on the development of endometrial polyps has demonstrated that HPV might have a role in the development of some of the endometrial polyps. If the present authors' hypothesis that endometrial polyps caused by carcinogenic HPV types are prone to proceed to endometrial cancer if left untreated is correct, HPV vaccine has a potential to prevent development of at least some of the endometrial polyps and endometrial cancers.

SRY gene amplifications and genotypings revealed the occurrence of the hidden maternal decidual cells in 46,XX karyotyped spontaneous abortions.

Reports of abnormal karyotypes or normal 46,XY karyotypes of the abortion materials derivated from tissue cultures are mostly addressing the pregnancy loss tissues. The accuracy of the cytogenetic reports of normal 46,XX karyotypes is obscure, as the results may reflect the normal karyotyped female pregnancy losses or the hidden maternal decidual cells covering the cytogenetically normal or abnormal male or female products of conception. In the present study, thirty-eight 46,XX normal karyotyped abortion materials cultivated from villi were re-analysed for excluding maternal cell contamination by using molecular approaches in an accurate algorithm. Abortion materials DNAs were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in order to search the products of the sex determinating region gene of chromosome Y (SRY). Sixteen out of 38 abortion materials revealed Y-chromosome component (42.1%). Amplification negative DNAs and their parental DNAs were genotyped by using high-polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers to identify the origin of the components of the chromosome X. Maternal chromosome X components were detected in 18 (81.8%). As a result, SRY amplifications and genotypings ascertained the high rate of maternal decidual cells in 46,XX products of conception.

Turkish women's level of knowledge on and attitude toward sexual health.

OBJECTIVE: Sexuality is a basic human function that can affect general well-being and overall life quality. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge on and attitude toward sexuality of a subgroup of Turkish women. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey including 1007 women was carried out concurrently in gynecology and urology outpatient clinics of Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey, between January 2003 and December 2003. A self-created questionnaire for data collection was administered to the participants, which addressed questions concerning their sexual life, sexual problems and attitudes towards sexuality. Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) was used for the data analysis of the study (SPSS ver. 11.0 Inc. Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: The data included 1007 patients aged 14-77 (mean: 35.6 +/- 11.1). Among the women assessed, 90.2% were married, 79.8% were premenopausal and 77.1% were currently sexually active. 68.7% entered sexual intercourse 1-2 times per week, while 28.5% had an average of 3-4. 77.8% were aware of experiencing an orgasm and 74.7% had at least one orgasm. Only 21.4% of all women had an orgasm during each sexual intercourse. 2.2% of those who had never experienced an orgasm concurrently applied to a medical center. The average age of first intercourse was 21.3 +/- 4.1 years. CONCLUSIONS: Because there is no national data on sexual health in Turkey, analysis and evaluation of the severity of the problem, and alternatives for international comparisons are not possible. In our opinion, this study presents a valuable perception into the current sexual behavior of Turkish women.

Apoptosis in raloxifene-treated postmenopausal women.

As raloxifene is a mixed estrogen receptor agonist and antagonist, it exerts different effects on apoptosis in different tissues. In this study, we aimed to evaluate apoptosis in the peripheral lymphocytes of postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene and compare it with untreated control subjects. In this way, we expected to deduce some results about the effect of raloxifene on the immune system and to serve as a guide for future studies on this newly proposed effect of a well-known agent. Twenty osteoporotic postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene for 12 months were included in this study. Another 20 osteoporotic postmenopausal women matched for age and postmenopausal years, but without any medication, were chosen as the control group. Apoptosis was evaluated using a morphological and DNA fragmentation assay, in the peripheral lymphocytes of these women. Our results revealed a decrease in the apoptosis percentages of the patients treated with raloxifene (14.6%) with respect to the control subjects (15.8%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.467). This study indicated that raloxifene treatment had no apoptotic effect on peripheral human lymphocytes compared to controls.

A new syndrome with prenatally diagnosed thoracoschisis, hiatal hernia and extremities' agenesis: case report.

Thoracoschisis is a very rare congenital anomaly and is usually associated with limb and abdominal wall defects forming part of limb-body wall complex. We here present a case of a 29-week-4-day pregnancy ended with intrauterine demise. Postmortem examination revealed hiatal hernia, thoracoschisis and protrusion of some part of liver from this defect, left forearm agenesis and right arm and right hand agenesis. The findings accompanying thoracoschisis in this presented case exclude any previously reported related syndrome and we believe that this is a new syndrome.

Assessment of protein oxidation in women using raloxifene.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the oxidative effects of raloxifene use in postmenopausal women by investigating protein carbonyl levels in the plasma. METHODS: Nineteen osteoporotic postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene for 12 months were included in the study. Another seventeen postmenopausal women matched for age and postmenopausal years, without any medication were chosen as a control group. Protein carbonyl levels were determined as oxidative stress markers by the use of Levine's method in the plasma of these women. RESULTS: Serum protein carbonyl levels of postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene (1.27 +/- 0.32 nmol/mg protein) were significantly lower than the control group (2.18 +/- 0.27 nmol/mg protein) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress has been found responsible for several diseases including cancer. Protein carbonyl levels, which are the products of protein oxidation, are one of the indicators of oxidative stress. Therefore, the decline in protein carbonyl levels in this study revealed the decreasing oxidative stress. According to our results, it might be interpreted that raloxifene does not cause oxidative stress, and it may even have protective effects in long-term use.