Systems-level analysis of age-related macular degeneration reveals global biomarkers and phenotype-specific functional networks.

Unlabelled: Please see related commentary: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/21/abstract

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness that affects the central region of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), choroid, and neural retina.

Macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes in the United States, 2002-2003.

Background: Increased levels of macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes in focal regions of the United States have been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of a large collection of S. pyogenes isolates from throughout the United States and to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance and genetic relatedness of macrolide-resistant isolates.

Decreasing prevalence of beta-lactamase production among respiratory tract isolates of Haemophilus influenzae in the United States.

A total of 986 isolates of Haemophilus influenzae from patients with respiratory tract infections in 45 United States medical centers were characterized during the winter of 2002-2003. beta-Lactamase production was noted with 26.2% of isolates; 14.