Targeting the Weak Spot: Preferential Disruption of Bacterial Poles by Janus Nanoparticles.

The interaction between nanoparticles (NPs) and bacterial cell envelopes is crucial for designing effective antibacterial materials against multi-drug-resistant pathogens. However, the current understanding assumes a uniform bacterial cell wall. This study challenges that assumption by investigating how bacterial cell wall curvature impacts antibacterial NP action.

A comparison of the estrogenic potencies of estradiol, ethynylestradiol, diethylstilbestrol, nonylphenol and methoxychlor in vivo and in vitro.

Five natural, pharmaceutical, or xenobiotic chemicals [17beta-estradiol (E2), ethynylestradiol (EE2), diethystilbestrol (DES), methoxychlor (MXC), nonylphenol (NP)] were tested in two in vitro assays [yeast estrogen screen (YES), MCF-7 breast tumor cell proliferation (E-Screen)], and compared with previously reported results from two in vivo male sheepshead minnow vitellogenin (VTG) production studies. The purpose of this investigation was to determine how accurately the two in vitro assays predicted responses observed in live animals. EC50 values for all five chemicals were approximately one order of magnitude less sensitive in the YES assay than in the MCF-7 assay.

Screening for colorectal cancer: the business case.

Colorectal cancer screening is advocated by expert groups based on strong evidence of effectiveness, yet only approximately 1 in 3 Americans are screened. For a screening program to be effective, it is necessary for providers to offer and patients to accept screening, insurers to pay for screening, and provider groups to have monitoring and reminder systems and the expertise and facilities to perform the tests well. Whether and when such screening programs become successful depends on the priorities of healthcare decision makers as much as on the efforts of individual physicians and patients.