John Curtis Holmes (August 8, 1944 - March 13, 1988) better known as "Johnny Wadd" (after the lead character in a series of related films), was one of the most prolific male porn stars of all time, appearing in about 2,500 adult loops, stag films, and pornographic feature movies in the 1970s and 1980s. Though he has passed on, the most famous part of Holmes is still present in the flesh (or thermal plastic elastomer, as it were). "The Original" is one of hundred of thousand mass-produced Holmes homages marketed all around the world and was molded directly from the legendary star. In response to this "toy", I became fascinated and somewhat disturbed by the implication of ownership and agency implied by the mass marketing and commercialization of an individual's actual body part. Further playing upon this co-opting of identity and commodification of the body, I placed an open call for artists to design their own piece for the John Holmes Prick Parade. The nude female form has long dominated as the artists' subject. The John Holmes Prick Parade hopes to give some visibility to the much neglected male apparatus. This is a move towards balancing gender equality within the anatomical object-ification of the art world. Before you is the grand culmination of this process, which began almost 70 years ago with the birth of a most "gifted" individual.

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Background: Atopic disease is an increasing problem. Eczema affects 10-20% of young children, and 33-37% of children with eczema are food allergic. Among other factors, nitric oxide (NO) is thought to play a role in eczema and food allergy. Following the atopic march, pproximately 80% of children with atopic eczema will become sensitized to aeroallergens and develop asthma and/or allergic rhinitis. Skin prick test is used for investigating sensitization and is considered a safe method. However, systemic allergic reactions may appear when the test is performed. In diagnosing food allergy and for evaluating achievement of tolerance, the oral food challenge is the method of choice, and the double-blind placebocontrolled fashion is 'the gold standard'. Skin prick test: We examined six cases of generalized allergic reactions in connection with skin prick testing in order to identify risk factors, and thereby increase safety, and we investigated the necessity of performing skin prick tests in duplicate. We found that all six children with generalized reactions were <6 months of age. When analyzing skin prick tests in duplicate, we found only 1.3% that showed diverging results, and in infants <6 months even fewer, 0.9%. Food challenge: We developed recipes and a protocol for low-dose oral food challenge to milk and egg to be used in young children outgrowing their food allergy so as to facilitate early re-/introduction of small amounts of milk and egg. We performed 52 challenges, both open and double-blind placebo controlled. The recipes were validated for blinding. The lowdose challenge was tolerated well by the children and was easy to perform. Four children had a positive challenge outcome, all reacting to very small amounts of milk. All but two of the non-reacting children were able to introduce milk and egg into their diet. Nitric oxide and eczema: We investigated the effect of eczema treatment on the NO levels in urine. The sum of nitrite and nitrate was measured in urinary samples from 94 infants at two visits, with an interval of 6 weeks, and the results were compared with clinical data. The levels of NO products increased significantly when the eczema improved. The atopic march: The aim was to evaluate the atopic march in children with eczema, from referral at <2 years until 4½ years of age. We followed 123 children with eczema, 78 sensitized and 45 not sensitized to milk and/or egg, with respect to eczema severity, other allergic manifestations, development of airway sensitization, and achievement of food tolerance. The difference in severity of eczema at referral was significant when comparing food-sensitized with non-sensitized children. At follow-up, 62% were still affected by eczema, although 56% only mildly so. Tolerance was achieved in 81% of the children allergic to milk and 68% of those allergic to egg. Fifty-eight percent of the food-sensitized children and 26% of the non-sensitized children had become sensitized to aeroallergens, a significant difference. The difference in airway symptoms was not significant. Very few children were exposed to tobacco smoke in their homes. Conclusions: Increased precautions should be considered when performing skin prick tests in infants <6 months of age. The use of a single prick, to avoid the risk of summation of reactions, is justified when performing skin prick tests. We report recipes and a protocol for standardized open and double-blind placebo-controlled low-dose food challenge in young children, enabling the introduction of small amounts of egg and milk into the diet during tolerance development. NO products in urine increases when eczema improves. This might be due to a Th2/Th1 shift induced by the eczema treatment and skin healing, and the variation in NO response may be due to individual variations in NO-induced feedback downregulation of Th1 and Th2 proliferation. The prognosis for achieving clinical tolerance is very good in children early sensitized and allergic to milk and egg, but they will become significantly more often sensitized to aeroallergens.

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life.

Orientador: Rafael Plana Simões / Abstract: The skin prick test is used to diagnose patients' sensitization to antigens through a mediated IgE response. It is a practical and quick exam, but its diagnosis depends of instruments for measuring the allergic response and observer's interpretation. The conventional method for inferring about the allergic reaction is performed from the dimensions of the papules, which are measured using a ruler or a caliper. To make this diagnosis less dependent of human interpretation, the present study proposes two alternative methods to infer about the allergic reaction: computational analysis of the papule area and a study of the temperature variation of the patient's skin in the puncture region. For this purpose, the histamine prick test was performed on 13 patients random selected. The areas were determined by the conventional method using the dimensions of the papules measured with a digital caliper 30 minutes after the puncture. The papule areas were also determined by a Python algorithm using photos of the puncture region obtained by a smartphone. A variable named circularity deviation was also determined for each analyzed papule. The temperature variation was monitored using an infrared temperature sensor, which collected temperature data for 30 minutes. The results shown that the areas considered as real papule areas (computationally determined) differed significantly from the areas determined by the conventional method (p-value = 0.0005674), especially when the papules' contours ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Resumo: O teste cutâneo de leitura imediata (skin prick test) é utilizado para avaliar a sensibilização de pacientes a antígenos à partir de uma resposta mediada por IgE. Tratase de um exame prático e rápido, porém o seu diagnóstico depende de instrumentos para a medição da resposta alérgica e de intepretação do observador. O método convencional para inferir sobre a reação alérgica é realizado a partir de dimensões das pápulas determinadas com régua ou paquímetro. Para tornar o diagnóstico menos dependente de interpretação humana, o presente estudo propõe dois métodos alternativos para inferir sobre a reação alérgica: análise computacional da área da pápula e um estudo da variação da temperatura da pele do paciente na região de puntura. Para isso foi realizado o prick test com histamina em 13 participantes selecionados aleatoriamente. A determinação da área pelo método convencional foi realizada a partir de dimensões das pápulas medidas com paquímetro digital 30 minutos após a puntura. A área também foi determinada utilizando um algoritmo computacional em linguagem Python a partir de fotografia da região de puntura obtida com o uso de um smartphone. Também foi determinada uma grandeza denominada desvio de circularidade para cada pápula analisada. Por final, a variação da temperatura da região de puntura foi monitorada utilizando um sensor infravermelho de temperatura, o qual coletou dados de temperatura durante 30 minutos. Os resultados mostram que as áreas consideradas como áreas re... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

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<p>Everyday thousands of nurses are rendering bedside nursing care in health care settings as a result they are exposed to blood, body fluids and sharp objects that are contaminated with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Therefore they are at risk of getting infected. In 1996, standard precautions were implemented by the Centre of Disease Control to reduce the risk of transmission of micro-organisms from any source of infection in the hospital. In the year 2008, the three tertiary hospitals together in the Western Cape reported that they had 733 needle prick injuries. Therefore the aim of the study was to determine if nurses comply with and have adequate knowledge of standard precautions. A non-experimental design and a self administered questionnaire were used to collect the data for the study. The study was done at Tygerberg Hospital and the participants (n=143) that were involved in the study were all nursing categories (professional, enrolled nurse and auxiliary nurse). Stratified random sampling was used to ensure that there was a representation of all the nurses working in the different modules at Tygerberg Hospital. Therefore three wards were randomly selected from each module and all the nurses on duty working in the three selected wards were given a questionnaire by the Assistant Director of the specific module. After the data was collected it was analysed through the statistical package for social sciences. The findings of the study showed that nurses have inadequate knowledge regarding standard precautions and the mean score of the nurses overall self reported compliance of standard precautions was 87.5%. The results also showed that when patients are HIV positive nurses intend to over comply the use of personal protective equipment. No association was found between the nurses&rsquo / knowledge and compliance regarding standard precautions. It is therefore important that every nurse should be educated about the basic principles of standard precautions and also the policies and protocols of infection control in order to prevent each nurse from getting infected. Training needs to be implemented starting in the wards through the unit manager to improve all the nurses&rsquo / knowledge and practice.</p>

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicospentaenoic acid (EPA), are important mediators for cardiovascular disease, fetal/infant development, neurological disorders and inflammatory diseases. Supplementation and washout studies are important for future research on the physiological effects of omega-3 fatty acids and for determination of the proper washout period for future cross-over studies. In this study, omega-3 fatty acid blood biomarker comparisons are made for the n-3 HUFA score (% of n-3 HUFAs in total HUFAs) and omega-3 index (sum of EPA + DHA) in plasma, erythrocytes, whole blood and a novel finger-tip prick blood method (FTPB) of analysis. This FTPB method of fatty acid analysis is further tested to determine the potential for its use in fatty acid analysis. In addition, gender differences in response to omega-3 fish oil supplementation are analyzed in all four blood fractions. Nine males and seven females were supplemented with 8 fish-oil capsules per day (providing 3.2 g/day EPA and 1.6 g/day DHA) for four weeks, followed by an eight-week omega-3 washout period. Venous plasma, erythrocyte and whole blood samples were collected during weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12 and FTPB samples were collected weekly during supplementation and washout fatty acid analysis was performed. EPA and DHA incorporation is lowest in magnitude in erythrocytes relative to all other blood fractions. Omega-3 blood biomarker comparisons demonstrate that the n-3 HUFA score is a more reliable measure across all blood fractions compared to the omega-3 index. In addition, the n-3 HUFA score demonstrates no differences (p > 0.05) between FTPB and whole blood analysis, providing evidence to support its usefulness as a tool for fatty acid analysis. However, differences (p < 0.05) do exist between these methods for saturated fatty acid, monounsaturated fatty acids, omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and omega-3 PUFAs. Baseline fatty acid levels for DHA, and the DHA:EPA and DHA:DPA ratios tend to be higher (p < 0.05) in females, and docosapentaenoic acid n-3 (DPAn-3) is higher (p > 0.05) in males across all blood fractions. Furthermore, a gender effect (p < 0.05) is seen for the DHA:EPA ratio across all blood fractions. At baseline, female DHA:EPA is higher (p < 0.05) than males with supplementation lowering both male and female values and removing any differences (p > 0.05) between genders. Washout results in a return of levels towards baseline, however, baseline levels are not fully reached. Furthermore, while gender differences do begin to reform during washout, these differences are not significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, omega-3 fatty acid responses, particularly DHA:EPA ratio, demonstrate significant gender differences that may be related to differences in long-chain PUFA synthesis pathways between males and females. In addition, the n-3 HUFA score may be a more valuable omega-3 blood biomarker than the omega-3 index, as the n-3 HUFA score displays more consistent levels across all blood fractions. Finally, the FTPB method of analysis may be a useful tool in the measurement of fatty acid composition, however, some microwave methylation problems do exist, specifically in the phospholipid class of lipids.