Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and wild guinea pigs (Cavia spp.) from the Marangani district in Cuzco, Peru.

Toxoplasmosis is a foodborne disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, and transmitted to humans by eating raw or undercooked meat, mainly. Poultry, beef, and pork are the main meats consumed in Peru; despite this, guinea pig meat is also widely consumed. For this reason, the objective of this study was to molecularly detect T. gondii in domestic and wild guinea pigs from the Marangani district in Cuzco, Peru, and identify some risk factors associated with this pathogen. DNA was extracted from the brain tissue samples of guinea pigs (30 domestic and 30 wild), and PCR protocols were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) region and a 529 bp fragment from the T. gondii genome. T. gondii DNA was detected in 14 (23.3%) guinea pigs. T. gondii frequency was 33.3% in domestic guinea pigs and 13.3% in wild guinea pigs. Our results demonstrated that guinea pigs represent an important source for T. gondii infection in human populations in this locality.

Stimulant abuse treatment and HIV.

AIDS: The recreational use of stimulants and injection drugs has contributed significantly to the increase in HIV infections. The effects of various drugs and the changes in behavior associated with the drug abuse are described. While not all drug use constitutes addiction or abuse, it is nevertheless associated with a higher willingness to engage in risky sexual behavior. Treatment for this group is complicated, as the drug use is closely associated with social and sexual behavior. Relapses are common, and patients will need help to cope with both physical and emotional withdrawal.^ieng

Sexual orientation and gender as factors in socioculturally acquired vulnerability to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

This study investigated the hypothesis that gay men and heterosexual women are dissatisfied with their bodies and vulnerable to eating disorders because of a shared emphasis on physical attractiveness and thinness that is based on a desire to attract and please men. Although men place priority on physical attractiveness in evaluating potential partners, women place greater emphasis on other factors, such as personality, status, power, and income. Therefore, lesbians and heterosexual men are less concerned with their own physical attractiveness and, consequently, less dissatisfied with their bodies and less vulnerable to eating disorders. Several instruments measuring body satisfaction, the importance of physical attractiveness, and symptoms of eating disorders were administered to 250 college students. The sample included 53 lesbians, 59 gay men, 62 heterosexual women, and 63 heterosexual men. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance were used to examine the differences among the scores of lesbians, gay men, heterosexual women, and heterosexual men on these various constructs. The results generally confirmed the research hypothesis. The implications and ramifications these findings have for the understanding of both the psychology of lesbians and gay men and the prevention and treatment of eating disorders are discussed.

Types of problem students encountered by clinical teachers on clerkships.

The teachers who play the all-important role of enabling students to learn on clinical clerkships must balance the two essential skills of being a good role model and maintaining objectivity in order to identify students with a variety of problems. This study describes the findings of a survey that identifies both the type of the problems that most bother teachers and the relative frequency of those problems. Non-cognitive problems (poor interpersonal skills and non-assertive, shy students) were identified by teachers as being seen at the same relative frequency but posing greater difficulty than cognitive problems (poor integration skills, disorganization, poor fund of knowledge, etc.). A variety of the types of interventions to these problems are discussed.

Resident and faculty differences in student evaluations: implications for changes in a clerkship grading system.

Data were collected for 163 students completing a surgical clerkship including scores on patient write-ups, ward performance evaluations, oral examinations, and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Surgery subscores. Oral examination scores and patient write-ups were rated from 74 (failing) to 100 (honors) by faculty members. The ward performance evaluation included ratings on nine components of ward performance from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 4 (superior) and an overall ward score of 74 (failing) to 100 (honors). Similarities and discrepancies in the way that evaluators viewed clerks were found. Weights given to ward component ratings in relationship to the overall ward score were equivalent for faculty members and residents. Residents rated clerks higher than faculty members on five ward components. Faculty ratings were poorly correlated with resident ratings. Faculty members and residents gave different ratings to the same students in contrast to the similarities in which faculty members and residents gave weight to the ward component ratings. Resident ratings were better than faculty ratings in predicting the NBME Surgery subscore. Although these results suggest that residents are better evaluators of a clerk's performance than are faculty members, other studies indicated the opposite. The elimination of participation of either faculty or residents in the grading of students is unwise. Periodic monitoring of evaluation practices is necessary to ensure fairness in grading procedures.