97 research outputs found
High sialidase levels increase preterm birth risk among women who are bacterial vaginosis-positive in early gestation
No full textAm J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Feb;204(2):142.e1-9. Epub 2010 Nov 5.
High sialidase levels increase preterm birth risk among women who are bacterial vaginosis-positive in early gestation.
Cauci S, Culhane JF.
SourceDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, School of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether vaginal sialidases level in early pregnancy is associated with preterm birth among women who are bacterial vaginosis-positive.
STUDY DESIGN: Of the 1806 women who were enrolled at < 20 weeks of gestation, 800 of the women were bacterial vaginosis-positive (Nugent score, 7-10); 707 of the women had birth outcome data; 109 of the women who were bacterial vaginosis-positive had an adverse preterm outcome, which included 53 spontaneous preterm births (19 births were early at 20-34 weeks, and 34 births were late at 34-37 weeks), and 14 of the women had late miscarriages (12-20 weeks). Sialidase levels were compared with 352 control subjects (term normal birthweight infants).
RESULTS: Sialidase levels at ≥ 5, ≥ 10, and ≥ 14 nmol (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-2.41; OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.25-3.64; OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.64-6.10, respectively) was associated significantly with all adverse preterm outcomes. The ≥ 10 nmol and ≥ 14 nmol cut-points were associated strongly with early spontaneous preterm births (OR, 3.79; 95% CI, 1.42-10.10 and OR, 5.36; 95% CI, 1.77-16.23, respectively) and late miscarriages (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 1.61-14.65; OR, 8.33; 95% CI, 2.57-26.9, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Elevated sialidase level that is measured at 12 weeks of gestation is associated strongly with early spontaneous preterm births and late miscarriage
Modulation of vaginal immune response among pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis by Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and yeast
No full textEvaluation of semen detection in vaginal secretions: comparison of four methods
No full textAm J Reprod Immunol. 2008 Sep;60(3):274-81. Epub 2008 Jul 18.
Evaluation of semen detection in vaginal secretions: comparison of four methods.
Culhane JF, Nyirjesy P, McCollum K, Casabellata G, Di Santolo M, Cauci S.
SourceDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Abstract
PROBLEM: To determine the best method to detect semen in human vaginal secretions.
METHOD OF STUDY: Vaginal secretions from 302 pregnant women at mean 11.8 weeks' gestation were analyzed. Semen detection was assessed with: (i) measurement of total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), (ii) acid phosphatase activity, (iii) microscopic measurement of spermatozoa on Gram stain, and (iv) self-reported sexual intercourse in the past 2 days. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each technique in comparison with PSA levels.
RESULTS: A total of 119 (39.4%) women had a detectable PSA. Compared with measurable PSA, the sensitivity and specificity for other methods were: acid phosphatase (26.9%, 98.4%), Gram stain (36.1%, 98.4%), and self-report of intercourse in the past 48 hr (41.9%, 88.8%).
CONCLUSION: Compared with PSA levels, commonly used assays for recent semen exposure are inaccurate. This inaccuracy may affect the results of studies, which measure vaginal immune factors like cytokines or retrieve DNA from vaginal specimens
Local Interleukin-8 as Biomarker for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Pregnant Women with Bacterial Vaginosis.
No full textAmong pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis, the hydrolytic enzymes sialidase and prolidase are positively associated with Interleukin-1ß.
No full textAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to explore the mechanisms of local innate immunity induction and modulation in pregnant women with bacterial vaginosis (BV).
STUDY DESIGN: A total of 200 singleton pregnant women in early gestation (12 +/- 4 weeks) with BV (Nugent 7-10) without concurrent vaginal infections with Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, syphilis, and yeast. Concentrations of vaginal interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-8, the number of neutrophils, and the levels of sialidase and prolidase hydrolytic enzymes were determined in vaginal fluid.
RESULTS: Concentrations of vaginal IL-1beta had a strong positive correlation with levels of sialidase (P < .001) and prolidase (P < .001). Conversely, such enzymes were negatively correlated with the ratio of IL-8/IL-1beta (both P < .001) and were not significantly associated with concentrations of IL-8. Notably, the number of vaginal neutrophils had a negative correlation with sialidase (P = .007).
CONCLUSION: The strong induction of IL-1beta in BV-positive women appears to be associated with the production of the hydrolytic enzymes sialidase and prolidase by BV-associated bacteria. However, these 2 enzymes may inhibit the expected amplification of the proinflammatory IL-1beta cascade as evaluated by the down-regulation of the IL-8/IL-1beta ratio. A blunted response to IL-1beta signals may cause the poor rise of neutrophils, which is peculiar to BV. This impairment of local defense may contribute to increased susceptibility to adverse outcomes in BV-positive pregnant women
Local Interleukin-1ß is Positively Associated with Microbial Enzymes, Sialidase and Prolidase Among Pregnant Women with Bacterial Vaginosis
No full textModulazione della proteina C-reattiva ad alta sensibilità dovuta a contraccettivi orali in giovani donne italiane
No full text
Variation in Nugent score and leukocyte count in fluid collected from different vaginal sites.
No full textTeaching Public Health Law and Inequality
No full textThose who teach public health law are acutely aware of the effect of public health law and policies on marginalized populations—including, but not limited to, those in the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community. In some cases, public health officials have created or exacerbated the problem through laws and policies that disproportionately affect these communities— sometimes, even deliberately.
This emerging attention to these important problems has now led to the development of a new course, Public Health Law and Inequality. The course is being co-taught by the two presenters, who will describe the basic outline of the course and offer some examples of how the topics are interwoven throughout the semester, and how the students have become deeply involved in the course, through regular reflection papers, class discussion, and presentations.
John Culhane is the H. Albert Young Fellow in Constitutional Law, professor of law, and co-director of the Family Health Law & Policy Institute at Delaware Law School (Widener University) and visiting professor of law at the Beasley Law School, Temple University. He teaches in the areas of Constitutional Law, Public Health Law, Torts and Family Law. Author of more than 40 law journal articles, he is also a regular contributor to Slate and Politico. His latest book, The Many Ties that Bind, will be published in 2023 by the University of California Press. He has written two electronic casebooks: Culhane Torts I and II ; and Kelly/Culhane Family Law (with Alicia Kelly) for ChartaCourse, and has also created Torts Study Guide for the same publisher.
John\u27s work has also appeared in The New York Times, Huffington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and Dissent, among many other places. He has been featured and interviewed in media including the NPR shows Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace Morning Report, as well as MSNBC, Radio Times, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, and Associated Press. He has thrice won the Outstanding Faculty Award from Delaware Law School.
Joseph Farris is the assistant dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and adjunct faculty at Delaware Law School (Widener University), where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was awarded the Dean’s Award and the President’s Award. He received his BSE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, then served as an Officer in the United States Navy. Joseph has significant diversity leadership experience working on diverse and multicultural teams spanning from his roles in the military, church and nonprofit organizations to legal and business teams. Through DEI-related programming and messaging and a passionate commitment to social justice and the advancement of DEI interests and issues, he is helping the law school and broader legal community become more adept at recognizing and responding to DEI-related interests and issues, resulting in greater awareness and action towards creating a more inclusive and equitable environment.
Joseph teaches legal problem-solving and this semester is co-teaching Public Health Law and Inequality with John Culhane. Joseph is a licensed attorney in the state of Delaware and prior to joining the law school administration, he practiced law in the areas of corporate transactions, intellectual property, bankruptcy and restructuring matters. He has published works in those areas. In November 2021, he moderated a panel for the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce Women’s Leadership Conference about equity in the workplace; and in September 2021, he was a panelist in the National Association of African American Human Resources (Delaware chapter) event on the topic of justice in the workplace
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