BACKGROUND Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in Bolivia are among the highest in Latin America. This investigation aims to evaluate the possibility of using simple devices, e.g. a cotton swab and a glass slide, for self-sampling in order to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA by PCR in cervico-vaginal cells. METHODS In the first phase of our study we evaluated the use of a glass...

BACKGROUND Oral leukoplakia (OL) is a common oral precancerous lesion. Cotton-swab cryotherapy (CSC) is commonly used for treating skin lesions but is rarely used for treating OL lesions. METHODS Sixty OL lesions were treated by CSC once every 2 weeks until complete regression (CR) of the lesion had been achieved. RESULTS CR was achieved in all 60 OL lesions after an average of 6.3 treatmen...

Four varieties of swabs held in plastic containers and three swab transport media kits, all obtainable in the United Kingdom, were tested to assess their effectiveness in the isolation of Bordetella pertussis. The highest isolation rates up to 48 hours were obtained with Dacron swabs held in plastic containers. Swab-transport media kits proved unsatisfactory. B pertussis may have a stronger aff...

MATERIALS Reagents Dithiothreitol (DTT), 1 M DNA IQ System (Promega; includes Resin, Lysis Buffer, 2X Wash Buffer, and Elution Buffer) Ethanol, 95-100% Isopropanol Sample (liquid blood, cotton swab, th CEP swab, 15-50 mm2 S&S paper, 3-30 mm2 FTA paper) Equipment Aerosol-resistant micropipette tips DNA IQ Spin Baskets (Promega) Heating blocks, preset to 65°C and 95oC MagneSphere Technology Magne...

Stool specimens from 102 children (median age = 6.0 years; Helicobacter pylori in biopsy specimens, n = 43) were tested for H. pylori with the monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay HpStar. In 28 cases, the specimen was obtained with a rectal cotton swab during endoscopy. The sensitivity and specificity of the HpStar were 0.95 and 0.90, respectively, as compared with biopsy-based methods....

Four swab materials were evaluated for their efficiency in recovery of Bacillus anthracis spores from steel coupons. Cotton, macrofoam, polyester, and rayon swabs were used to sample coupons inoculated with a spore suspension of known concentration. Three methods of processing for the removal of spores from the swabs (vortexing, sonication, or minimal agitation) and two swab preparations (premo...

Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS) is a common form of dyspareunia in premenopausal women. The standard test for diagnosing VVS is the cotton-swab test, during which a cotton-swab is applied to various locations of the vulvar vestibule. However, there is much variation in the implementation of this test relating to the precise vestibular locations palpated, the order of palpation, and the force...

It consists of a (i) glass tube about \ inch in cross section and 8 inches to 9 inches in length slightly bent at a distance of about 1 inch from one open end. This end of the tube is closed by a piece of thin rubber (which may be made from a piece of torn rubber glove) which is stretched and fastened tight with silk thread at the bend of the tube. (?) Swab?a piece of stout copper wire and a pi...

Male reproductive behavior in the Syrian hamster is dependent on both pheromones from the female and the presence of gonadal steroid hormones. The pheromones are contained within female hamster vaginal secretions (FHVS) and stimulate anogenital investigation and mounting by the male. Administration of testosterone to castrated male hamsters facilitates anogenital investigation, mounts, and intr...

Two experiments were carried out to test whether cells which are born in adulthood and migrate to the olfactory bulb of adult male golden hamsters are activated during sexual behaviors, to determine the time course over which such responsiveness appears, and to ask whether activation is specific to sexual cues. In the first experiment, adult male hamsters were injected with 5'-bromodeoxyuridine...