Mycoplasma genitalium: An Emerging Cause of Sexually Transmitted Disease in Women

Mycoplasma genitalium is an emerging sexually transmitted pathogen implicated in urethritis in men and several inflammatory reproductive tract syndromes in women including cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and infertility. This comprehensive review critically examines epidemiologic studies of M. genitalium infections in women with the goal of assessing the associations with reproductive tract disease and enhancing awareness of this emerging pathogen. Over 27,000 women from 48 published reports have been screened for M. genitalium urogenital infection in high- or low-risk populations worldwide with an overall prevalence of 7.3% and 2.0%, respectively. M. genitalium was present in the general population at rates between those of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Considering more than 20 studies of lower tract inflammation, M. genitalium has been positively associated with urethritis, vaginal discharge, and microscopic signs of cervicitis and/or mucopurulent cervical discharge in seven of 14 studies. A consistent case definition of cervicitis is lacking and will be required for comprehensive understanding of these associations. Importantly, evidence for M. genitalium PID and infertility are quite convincing and indicate that a significant proportion of upper tract inflammation may be attributed to this elusive pathogen. Collectively, M. genitalium is highly prevalent in high- and low-risk populations, and should be considered an etiologic agent of select reproductive tract disease syndromes in women

Xanthine oxidoreductase is present in bile ducts of normal and cirrhotic liver

Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) is a widely distributed enzyme, involved in the metabolism of purines, which generates superoxide and is thought to be involved in free radical-generated tissue injury. It is present at high concentrations in the liver, from where it may be released during liver injury into the circulation, binding to vascular endothelium and causing vascular dysfunction. The cellular localization of the enzyme, essential to understanding its function, is, however, still debated. The present study has used a highly specific mouse monoclonal antibody to define the cellular distribution of XOR in normal and cirrhotic human liver. As shown previously, XOR is present in hepatocytes. However, the novel finding of this study is that XOR is present in bile duct epithelial cells, where it is concentrated toward the luminal surface. Moreover, in liver disease, proliferating bile ducts are also strongly positive for XOR. These findings suggest that the enzyme is secreted into bile, and this was confirmed by analysis of human and rat bile. Xanthine oxidase activity was 10- to 20-fold higher in liver tissue obtained from patients with liver disease than in healthy liver. We conclude that XOR is expressed primarily in hepatocytes, but is also present in bile duct epithelial cells and is secreted into bile. Its role in bile is unknown but it may be involved in innate immunity of the bowel muscosa. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Phylogenetic analysis revealed genetic similarity of the H5N1 avian influenza viruses isolated from HPAI outbreaks in chickens in Maharashtra, India with those isolated from swan in Italy and Iran in 2006

India was free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 till January 2006. In February 2006, our laboratory diagnosed two H5N1 outbreaks in chickens in the neighbouring districts of Nandurbar (first outbreak) and Jalgaon (second outbreak) of Maharashtra, India. Both the outbreaks occurred in a span of 12 days with heavy mortality in affected chicken populations. From the first outbreak, AIV H5N1 was isolated from cloacal swab of chickens and in case of second outbreak the virus was isolated from dead chickens in embryonated chicken eggs. Both the H5N1 viruses met all the criteria of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. In the present investigation an attempt has been made to trace the origin of both the Indian H5N1 viruses by comparing their partial nucleotide sequences in the HA1 and HA2 regions of the HA gene with 30 other H5N1 viruses that were isolated in different countries of Asia, Europe and Africa during the years 1997 (02), 2003 (02) and 2004-2006 (26). From the study it is clear that the H5N1 virus that caused outbreak in chickens in Jalgaon did not originate from the neighbouring district of Nandurbar where the first outbreak occurred; instead both the HPAI outbreaks in Maharashtra were due to two different populations of the virus introduced at two different times. Genetic heterogeneity was observed between the H5N1 viruses isolated in 2006 in different countries; the two viruses of Malaysia and Laos formed a sublineage different from the one consisting of the viruses of India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Nigeria and Egypt.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Quantitative evaluation of a subject-specific essay-writing intervention

Discipline- and genre-specific approaches in language teaching have gained much support in recent years. However, few studies have thus far evaluated the effect of courses resulting from narrow-angled approaches. This article reports on the evaluation of a 14-week essay-writing module for second-year students of history. The aim of the evaluation was to measure the effect of the intervention both through analytic scoring of pre- and post-test essays, and gauging students’ opinions by means of a survey at the conclusion of the module. The main finding, supported by statistical analyses, was that students’ writing abilities improved significantly between the pre- and post-test. The overall improvement was roughly equal on the three primary dimensions measured by the analytic assessment tool: ‘Handling of source materials’ (18%), ‘Structure and development’ (18%) and ‘Language and style’ (19%). According to an attitude survey conducted at the conclusion of the intervention students were generally positive about the effect of the intervention on their academic writing abilities. They showed appreciation for all the ‘signature’ features of a genre-focused approach, and their responses seem to refute the criticism that genre approaches promote transmission pedagogy.nf201