Do antibiotics interfere with the efficacy of oral contraceptives?

Among antibiotics, only rifampin has been demonstrated to interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (OCs) (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, limited case series). There is little convincing evidence to show a systematic interaction between other antibiotics and oral contraceptive steroids (SOR: B, based on systematic reviews, case reports, and pharmacologic studies). However, current studies may not have separately evaluated the minority of women whose metabolism of contraceptive steroids makes them more vulnerable to OC failure. Given the significant consequences of unintended pregnancy, some experts recommend a conservative approach, including patient education and backup forms of birth control (SOR: C, expert opinion)

International Handbook of Health Literacy : Research, practice and policy across the lifespan

Okan O, Bauer U, Levin-Zamir D, Pinheiro P, Sørensen K, eds. International Handbook of Health Literacy : Research, practice and policy across the lifespan. Bristol: Policy Press, University of Bristol; 2019

Transcriptome analysis of Aspergillus niger xlnR and xkiA mutants grown on corn Stover and soybean hulls reveals a highly complex regulatory network.

BACKGROUND:Enzymatic plant biomass degradation by fungi is a highly complex process and one of the leading challenges in developing a biobased economy. Some industrial fungi (e.g. Aspergillus niger) have a long history of use with respect to plant biomass degradation and for that reason have become 'model' species for this topic. A. niger is a major industrial enzyme producer that has a broad ability to degrade plant based polysaccharides. A. niger wild-type, the (hemi-)cellulolytic regulator (xlnR) and xylulokinase (xkiA1) mutant strains were grown on a monocot (corn stover, CS) and dicot (soybean hulls, SBH) substrate. The xkiA1 mutant is unable to utilize the pentoses D-xylose and L-arabinose and the polysaccharide xylan, and was previously shown to accumulate inducers for the (hemi-)cellulolytic transcriptional activator XlnR and the arabinanolytic transcriptional activator AraR in the presence of pentoses, resulting in overexpression of their target genes. The xlnR mutant has reduced growth on xylan and down-regulation of its target genes. The mutants therefore have a similar phenotype on xylan, but an opposite transcriptional effect. D-xylose and L-arabinose are the most abundant monosaccharides after D-glucose in nearly all plant-derived biomass materials. In this study we evaluated the effect of the xlnR and xkiA1 mutation during growth on two pentose-rich substrates by transcriptome analysis. RESULTS:Particular attention was given to CAZymes, metabolic pathways and transcription factors related to the plant biomass degradation. Genes coding for the main enzymes involved in plant biomass degradation were down-regulated at the beginning of the growth on CS and SBH. However, at a later time point, significant differences were found in the expression profiles of both mutants on CS compared to SBH. CONCLUSION:This study demonstrates the high complexity of the plant biomass degradation process by fungi, by showing that mutant strains with fairly straightforward phenotypes on pure mono- and polysaccharides, have much less clear-cut phenotypes and transcriptomes on crude plant biomass

Measuring children’s health literacy. Current approaches and challenges

Bollweg TM, Okan O. Measuring children’s health literacy. Current approaches and challenges. In: Okan O, Bauer U, Levin-Zamir D, Pinheiro P, Sørensen K, eds. International handbook of health literacy. Research, practice and policy across the life-span. Bristol: Policy Press; 2019: 83-97

Phosphoethanolamine Transferase LptA in Haemophilus ducreyi Modifies Lipid A and Contributes to Human Defensin Resistance In Vitro

Haemophilus ducreyi resists the cytotoxic effects of human antimicrobial peptides (APs), including α-defensins, β-defensins, and the cathelicidin LL-37. Resistance to LL-37, mediated by the sensitive to antimicrobial peptide (Sap) transporter, is required for H. ducreyi virulence in humans. Cationic APs are attracted to the negatively charged bacterial cell surface. In other gram-negative bacteria, modification of lipopolysaccharide or lipooligosaccharide (LOS) by the addition of positively charged moieties, such as phosphoethanolamine (PEA), confers AP resistance by means of electrostatic repulsion. H. ducreyi LOS has PEA modifications at two sites, and we identified three genes (lptA, ptdA, and ptdB) in H. ducreyi with homology to a family of bacterial PEA transferases. We generated non-polar, unmarked mutants with deletions in one, two, or all three putative PEA transferase genes. The triple mutant was significantly more susceptible to both α- and β-defensins; complementation of all three genes restored parental levels of AP resistance. Deletion of all three PEA transferase genes also resulted in a significant increase in the negativity of the mutant cell surface. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that LptA was required for PEA modification of lipid A; PtdA and PtdB did not affect PEA modification of LOS. In human inoculation experiments, the triple mutant was as virulent as its parent strain. While this is the first identified mechanism of resistance to α-defensins in H. ducreyi, our in vivo data suggest that resistance to cathelicidin LL-37 may be more important than defensin resistance to H. ducreyi pathogenesis

The Grizzly, November 17, 1998

Bring in the New Year with a New Problem • Airband: Still Searching for a Cause • Update: New Gym • Opinion: Opportunity to Gain a Degree Should be for Everyone • Full-time Students, Part-time Jobs • Is Anyone Listening?: WVOU • Swing Night at Ursinus • Eden Cinema: Paradise • Cross Country Sprints to End • Women\u27s Soccer Season Concludes • Seniors Step-Up on the Volleyball Court • UC Swimming Drops Home Opener • Ursinus Wrestlers Hungry to Regain Title • Field Hockey Struggles Through Rebuilding • UC Football Loses Final Battle of Season • UC Football Players Honored • Donahue and Bailey Represent UChttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1429/thumbnail.jp

Benign tumors in myotonic dystrophy type I target disease-related cancer sites

Acknowledgments The authors thank Ms. Emily Carver, BS, and Mr. David Ruggieri, BS, both from the Information Management Services Inc. (Calverton, MD, USA) for their important contributions to database management. This study is based on data from the CPRD GOLD database October 2016 release, obtained from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database (Copyright © (2016)), and Office of National Statistics (ONS) database (Copyright ©(2016)) reused with the permission of The Health &Social Care Information Centre. All rights reserved. The interpretation and conclusions contained in this study are those of the authors alonePeer reviewedPublisher PD

The Grizzly, October 27, 1998

Mischief and Mayhem Night • Big Brother\u27s in the Library • Rewind: Homecoming Alterations • Racism: One Piece of the Puzzle • The Democratic Dilemma of Legislating Hate • Are We Creatures of Habit? • A Look at What Ursinus Terms as Security • Students Voice Security Concerns • Borsdorf Spreads Fitness Message Over East Coast • Sculpture Depicts Trauma, Unity and Sacrifice of War Years • Ursinus Welcomes Savadove • Jeffrey Gaines Entertains Ursinus • Church on Film • McKellen Teaches Us a Thing or Two in Apt Pupil • The Big Fella\u27s Forum • Ursinus Destroys Gettysburg • Linebacker Vecchio Shines for Ursinus • Women\u27s Soccer Makes History • Cross Country Runs Over Competition • Soccer Falls Against Gettysburg • UC Volleyball Evens Out at .500 • Field Hockey Chalks Up First Victoryhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1991/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 22, 1998

Ursinus Gears Up for Family Day • Dr. Fouts Gives Lecture on Chimpanzee Research • Freshman Class Election Results • Opinion: Ursinus\u27 Movement Towards Diversity; In Response to Has America Sunk to the Level of Terrorists? • Presentations on Family Day • Help is out There • Old Dogs Don\u27t Need New Tricks • Big, Big Band: Big, Big Success • Theater Life • Field Hockey Wrap-Up • UC Volleyball Evens Out at 2-2 • Bears Recognized in Centennial Conference Honor Roll • Lady Bears Suffer Conference Losses • Men\u27s Soccer Split Games • Football Falls in Conference Opener • Flo Jo Dies at 38 • Ripken Ends Streakhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1424/thumbnail.jp