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Biomedical subjects

S Pick

Publications and source records attributed to S Pick.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Quietly working for school-based sexuality education in Mexico: strategies for advocacy.

In the past decade, there have been dramatic changes in Mexico in public opinion and support for sexuality education. The growing recognition that young people are sexually active before marriage and need information in order to make responsible choices is the result of intensive health promotion efforts by public and private entities. This paper is about the work of a Mexican non-governmental organisation, IMIFAP, which has designed and evaluated sexuality education programmes for children from pre-school age through adolescence and for their parents, based on formative research. IMIFAP has also been advocating with others for the wider provision of sexuality and life skills education in schools, work that was rewarded in 1998 when the Ministry of Education announced its support for comprehensive sexuality education in the standard school curriculum. IMIFAP's strategies for formulating, implementing and evaluating an integrated programme of sexuality education in a developing country, and advocating for its inclusion in national curricula, could serve as a model which others can adapt.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

AIDS prevention training for pharmacy workers in Mexico City.

Mexican pharmacies play an important adjunct health care role in sexually transmitted disease prevention and treatment. In light of the rapid spread of the AIDS pandemic, research was initiated in 1989 to investigate the feasibility of pharmacies assisting in AIDS and STD prevention and control through community education and condom promotion. This study was implemented in three stages: a needs assessment, development of a training course and complementary materials, and an evaluation of the course and materials. The instruments used in the needs assessment were a KAP questionnaire and 'mystery shopper' visits to pharmacies. The evaluation design utilized pre- and post-tests, condom sales tracking and 'mystery shopper' visits. The needs assessment found that pharmacy employees have some basic knowledge about AIDS and STDs, but lack important information and do not communicate effectively with clients in spite of client interest in these topics. Pharmacy workers expressed great in learning more about AIDS and STDs. The evaluation of the intensive 8-hour course and supporting materials showed that, when given together, the course and materials increased short term knowledge about AIDS and condom use. However, the interventions were less successful in achieving longer term information retention, transfer of knowledge to clients or in influencing condom sales. Adjustments in the training course content and in participant recruitment strategies are recommended.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1995

Impact of the family on the sex lives of adolescents.

This article presents the results of three studies as they relate to the influence of the family on adolescents' sex lives. The first study examined sexual and contraceptive practices among girls aged 12-19 in Mexico City. It was found that both communication with the mother and pregnancy history of close female relatives were predictors of initiation of sexual relations, contraceptive use, and pregnancy. The second study examined differences between young men who had gotten their partner pregnant and young men who had not. Again, communication levels with parents were found to influence behavior. The final study examined levels of communication about sex as perceived by parents and their children. Mothers had higher levels of communication with their children about sex than did fathers, and fathers' perception of what they were communicating differed substantially from their children's perception. As a whole, the three studies' results support the hypothesis that the family has a substantial influence on adolescents' sexual and contraceptive behavior and provides justification for the incorporation of such issues as parent-child communication into sex education programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Mechanism of selective inhibition of the inducible isoform of prostaglandin G/H synthase.

Selective inhibition of the inducible isoform of prostaglandin G/H synthase (cyclooxygenase-2; COX2; EC 1.14.99.1) can be achieved with compounds of the general form of aryl methyl sulfonyls and aryl methyl sulfonamides. DuP 697 and NS-398 are representative examples of these compounds. Both inhibit the constitute (COX1) and inducible (COX2) isoforms of the enzyme with equal potency shortly after mixing, but their potencies increase with time for COX2 selectively. This time-dependent inhibition follows first-order kinetics, and the rate constant for inactivation of COX2 is dose dependent for both compounds. Kinetic analysis allows us to determine KI and kinact (the maximal rate of inactivation) for each inhibitor. The potency of both compounds is substrate concentration dependent, as expected for time-dependent competitive inhibitors. COX2 that has been incubated with these inhibitors, and then extensively dialyzed against buffer, shows no recovery of enzyme activity, while complete recovery of activity is seen for COX1. Thus, these inhibitors irreversibly inactivate COX2 with time, while showing minimal reversible inhibition of COX1. We isolated these inhibitors after long incubation with excess enzyme and subsequent denaturation of the enzyme. Both inhibitors showed no loss of potency resulting from interactions with COX2, suggesting that inhibition is not mediated by covalent modification of the enzyme. These data suggest that binding of these inhibitors to COX2 induces a slow structural transition of the enzyme that results in its selective inactivation.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Gilbert's disease].

An extensive review of Gilbert's disease (unconjugated, non-hemolytic hyperbilirubinemia) is made with incidence not exactly determined, but it is a disease linked to hereditary factors. Two types of the disease, together with the controversy existing as to their pathogenesis are discussed. The clinical picture and all laboratory studies carried out to reach a diagnosis are reviewed. Also, the histopathology and treatment are briefly described. Two cases of this disease in the same family are presented.

Adolescent↗