Periplasmic superoxide dismutase protects Salmonella from products of phagocyte NADPH-oxidase and nitric oxide synthase

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyzes the conversion of superoxide radical to hydrogen peroxide. Periplasmic localization of bacterial Cu,Zn-SOD has suggested a role of this enzyme in defense against extracellular phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species. Sequence analysis of regions flanking the Salmonella typhimurium sodC gene encoding Cu,Zn-SOD demonstrates significant homology to λ phage proteins, reflecting possible bacteriophage-mediated horizontal gene transfer of this determinant among pathogenic bacteria. Salmonella deficient in Cu,Zn-SOD has reduced survival in macrophages and attenuated virulence in mice, which can be restored by abrogation of either the phagocyte respiratory burst or inducible nitric oxide synthase. Moreover, a sodC mutant is extremely susceptible to the combination of superoxide and nitric oxide. These observations suggest that SOD protects periplasmic or inner membrane targets by diverting superoxide and limiting peroxynitrite formation, and they demonstrate the ability of the respiratory burst and nitric oxide synthase to synergistically kill microbial pathogens in vivo.

The EMBL nucleotide sequence database

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/) is maintained at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) in an international collaboration with the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) and GenBank at the NCBI (USA). Data is exchanged amongst the collaborating databases on a daily basis. The major contributors to the EMBL database are individual authors and genome project groups. Webin is the preferred web-based submission system for individual submitters, whilst automatic procedures allow incorporation of sequence data from large-scale genome sequencing centres and from the European Patent Office (EPO). Database releases are produced quarterly. Network services allow free access to the most up-to-date data collection via ftp, email and World Wide Web interfaces. EBI’s Sequence Retrieval System (SRS), a network browser for databanks in molecular biology, integrates and links the main nucleotide and protein databases plus many specialized databases. For sequence similarity searching a variety of tools (e.g. Blitz, Fasta, BLAST) are available which allow external users to compare their own sequences against the latest data in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database and SWISS-PROT.

Perceived sexism as a health determinant in Spain

OBJECTIVES: The goals of the present study are to explore the association between perceived sexism and self-perceived health, health-related behaviors, and unmet medical care needs among women in Spain; to analyze whether higher levels of discrimination are associated with higher prevalence of poor health indicators and to examine whether these relationships are modified by country of origin and social class. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on a cross-sectional design using data from the 2006 Spanish Health Interview Survey. We included women aged 20-64 years (n = 10,927). Six dependent variables were examined: four of health (self-perceived health, mental health, hypertension, and having had an injury during the previous year), one health behavior (smoking), and another related to the use of the health services (unmet need for medical care). Perceived sexism was the main independent variable. Social class and country of origin were considered as effect modifiers. We obtained the prevalence of perceived sexism. Logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were fitted to study the association between sexism and poor health outcomes. Results: The prevalence of perceived sexism was 3.4%. Perceived sexism showed positive and consistent associations with four poor health outcomes (poor self-perceived health, poor mental health, injuries in the last 12 months, and smoking). The strength of these associations increased with increased scores for perceived sexism, and the patterns were found to be modified by country of origin and social class. CONCLUSION: This study shows a consistent association between perceived sexism and poor health outcomes in a country of southern Europe with a strong patriarchal tradition.

Proinsulin slows retinal degeneration and vision loss in the P23H rat model of retinitis pigmentosa

Proinsulin has been characterized as a neuroprotective molecule. In this work we assess the therapeutic potential of proinsulin on photoreceptor degeneration, synaptic connectivity, and functional activity of the retina in the transgenic P23H rat, an animal model of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP). P23H homozygous rats received an intramuscular injection of an adeno-associated viral vector serotype 1 (AAV1) expressing human proinsulin (hPi+) or AAV1-null vector (hPi−) at P20. Levels of hPi in serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and visual function was evaluated by electroretinographic (ERG) recording at P30, P60, P90, and P120. Preservation of retinal structure was assessed by immunohistochemistry at P120. Human proinsulin was detected in serum from rats injected with hPi+ at all times tested, with average hPi levels ranging from 1.1 nM (P30) to 1.4 nM (P120). ERG recordings showed an amelioration of vision loss in hPi+ animals. The scotopic b-waves were significantly higher in hPi+ animals than in control rats at P90 and P120. This attenuation of visual deterioration correlated with a delay in photoreceptor degeneration and the preservation of retinal cytoarchitecture. hPi+ animals had 48.7% more photoreceptors than control animals. Presynaptic and postsynaptic elements, as well as the synaptic contacts between photoreceptors and bipolar or horizontal cells, were preserved in hPi+ P23H rats. Furthermore, in hPi+ rat retinas the number of rod bipolar cell bodies was greater than in control rats. Our data demonstrate that hPi expression preserves cone and rod structure and function, together with their contacts with postsynaptic neurons, in the P23H rat. These data strongly support the further development of proinsulin-based therapy to counteract retinitis pigmentosa.

Gender analysis of moxifloxacin clinical trials

Purpose: To determine the inclusion of women and the sex-stratification of results in moxifloxacin Clinical Trials (CTs), and to establish whether these CTs considered issues that specifically affect women, such as pregnancy and use of hormonal therapies. Previous publications about women’s inclusion in CTs have not specifically studied therapeutic drugs. Although this type of drug is taken by men and women at a similar rate, adverse effects occur more frequently in the latter. Methods: We reviewed 158 published moxifloxacin trials on humans, retrieved from MedLine and the Cochrane Library (1998–2010), to determine whether they complied with the gender recommendations published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration Guideline. Results: Of a total of 80,417 subjects included in the moxifloxacin CTs, only 33.7% were women in phase I, in contrast to phase II, where women accounted for 45%, phase III, where they represented 38.3% and phase IV, where 51.3% were women. About 40.9% (n = 52) of trials were stratified by sex and 15.3% (n = 13) and 9% (n = 7) provided data by sex on efficacy and adverse effects, respectively. We found little information about the influence of issues that specifically affect women. Only 3 of the 59 journals that published the moxifloxacin CTs stated that authors should stratify their results by sex. Conclusions: Women are under-represented in the published moxifloxacin trials, and this trend is more marked in phase I, as they comprise a higher proportion in the other phases. Data by sex on efficacy and adverse effects are scarce in moxifloxacin trials. These facts, together with the lack of data on women-specific issues, suggest that the therapeutic drug moxifloxacin is only a partially evidence-based medicine.

U-M Softball Team, 1987

Front Row: Pam Wright, Mary Ann Daviera, Lynn Vismara, Nan Payne, Martha Rogers, Lisa Juzysta, April Bagley, Beth Mueller, Kim Funk

Back row: head coach Carol Hutchins, Mari Foster, Bridget Venturi, Vicki Morrow, Sarah Dyksterhouse, Michelle Bolster, Julie Clark, Jennifer Allard, Alicia Seegert, Assistant Coach Maria Resendez, Manager Jean Waters

U-M Softball Team, 1989

Back Row: Head Coach Carol Hutchins, Karen Katcavage, Heather Lyke, Bridget Fitzpatrick, Sara Dyksterhouse, Andrea Nelson, Jenny Allard, Mary Ann Daviera, Nan Payne, Assistant coach Carol Bruggeman

Front Row: Julie Cooper, Julie Foster, Stacey Heams, Kelly O'Connor, Beth Mueller, Shelly Bawol, Bonnie Tholl, Maria Heck.

Michigan rural preventable mortality study. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Chemoprevention clinical trials : problems and solutions /

"November 1984."

The small fruit culturist /

Publisher's advertisements at end.

The Civil War and civil engineering.

Cover title.

An illustration of the Egyptian, Grecian, and Roman costume; in forty outlines, with descriptions, selected, drawn & engraved,

Mary Ann Beinecke Decorative Art Collection. Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library.

A Study of volunteers in drug abuse programs.

Mode of access: Internet.

Sex offender community notification : assessing the impact in Wisconsin /

This article discusses the effects of Wisconsin's community notification statute that authorizes officials to alert residents about the release and reintegration of sex offenders in their communities.