Prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis in military recruits in the Celje region, Slovenia.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis in military recruits in the Celje region (population 300,000), Slovenia. A first-void urine specimen was tested for Chlamydia trachomatis using the polymerase chain reaction assay. The research was supported by a questionnaire to obtain information on sexual behaviour of the participants. In the cross-sectional study from 1999 to 2001, 1272 asymptomatic recruits were included. None had received antibiotics in the previous two weeks. The mean age was 19.9 years. At the time of their first sexual experience the mean age was 16.6 years, whereas the age of their female sexual partners was 17.1 years. During their first sexual intercourse 77% of recruits used contraception (condom, diaphragm, contraceptive pill), most of those a condom (86%). The prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis was 2.6% (95% confidence interval: 1.7 to 3.5). The mean age of those infected was 19.8 years. At the time of their first sexual experience the mean age was 16.2 years, whereas the age of their female sexual partners was 16.9 years. During their first sexual intercourse 57% of infected subjects used protection, half of which was a condom. Those who never or only occasionally used condoms were at a greater risk of being infected with C. trachomatis (adjusted odds ratio 2.04).

Molecular pathology of hemangiopericytomas accompanied by severe hypoglycemia: oncogenes, tumor-suppressor genes and the insulin-like growth factor family.

Relatively little is known about molecular genetic events that participate in the genesis and progression of hemangiopericytoma. In this study, we describe two cases of hemangiopericytoma accompanied by severe hypoglycemia. Tumor cells from patient 1 exhibited insulin-growth factor I (IGF I) and insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF IR) mRNA transcripts. Tumor cells from patient 2 exhibited IGF II, IGF IR and IGF binding proteins 1-3 mRNA. Serum from patient 2 contained IGF II, mostly in a large molecular form ("big" IGF II); the IGF II level did not change after the tumor removal. The presence of IGF IR in tumor cells was confirmed by immunoprecipitation with antibodies that recognize human IGF IR subunit (visualized as a 460-kDa band). The hemangiopericytoma cells derived from patient 1 expressed 210000 IGF I receptors/cell. Specific binding of IGF I to the tumor cell membrane fraction was higher in tissue from patient 1, while the tissue of patient 2 showed relatively low IGF I binding. In contrast, IGF II binding was much higher in tissue from patient 2. Both tumor tissues showed positive immunostaining for c-Jun; one tumor showed strong immunostaining for c-Myc, H-Ras and p53, while the other exhibited strong reaction with H-Ras antibodies only. No loss of the heterozygosity at the genes APC, NFI and nm23-H1 loci in tumor tissue obtained from patient 1 was found. In effect, our results suggest multiple molecular genetic changes in hemangiopericytoma -- activation of some oncogenes and the IGF growth factor family. IGF ligands together with IGF IR could be responsible for hypoglycemia and perhaps the transformed phenotype.