Screening for intimate partner violence in a primary care setting: the validity of "feeling safe at home" and prevalence results.

Background: We conducted a study to assess the validity of a screening question commonly used to detect intimate partner violence (IPV) in primary care settings. We also analyzed prevalence and risk factors of IPV.

Methods: We used an embedded domestic violence detection instrument in a general health questionnaire at one family medicine clinic.

A thermostable maltose-tolerant alpha-amylase from Aspergillus tamarii.

An homogeneous fraction of alpha-amylase from Aspergillus tamarii was obtained by means of a very easy purification procedure. The enzyme is a glycoprotein containing 32% saccharide and MW of 37.5 kDa.

Reformatted visceral protocol helical computed tomographic scanning allows conventional radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar spine to be eliminated in the evaluation of blunt trauma patients.

Background: Patients suffering high-energy injuries are at risk for occult thoracic and lumbar spine fractures, and the standard of care includes radiographic spine screening. Most such patients require computed tomographic (CT) scanning to screen for chest and/or abdominal visceral injury. Helical CT (HCT) scanning represents a major technologic change that allows data to be reformatted after the patient has left the radiology suite.

Purification and characterization of the main laccase produced by the white-rot fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius on wheat bran solid state medium.

The wood-degrading fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius produces at least two laccase isoforms, Lcc1 and Lcc2, when grown on wheat bran solid state medium. The main laccase, Lcc2, was purified to apparent electrophoretic homogeneity by using acetone precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Lcc2 had been purified 5.

[Chemical-nutritional characterization of the moss Spagnum magellanicum].

The goal of the present study was to know the chemical characteristics of the moss Sphagnum magellanicum (S.M.) growing in the southern part of Chile, spreading approximately.

Accidental infection of laboratory worker with vaccinia virus.

We report the accidental needlestick inoculation of a laboratory worker with vaccinia virus. Although the patient had previously been vaccinated against smallpox, severe lesions appeared on the fingers. Western blot and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to analyze the virus recovered from the lesions.

Temperature effect in the production of multiple xylanases by Aspergillus fumigatus.

This work has evaluated the temperature effect in the production of multiple xylanases by a locally isolated strain of Aspergillus fumigatus Fresenius. Three isoenzymes, identified as xylanases I, II, and III with apparent molecular weight of 45.7 KDa, 39.

Decolorization of industrial dyes by a Brazilian strain of Pleurotus pulmonarius producing laccase as the sole phenol-oxidizing enzyme.

The ability of a Brazilian strain of Pleurotus pulmonarius to decolorize structurally different synthetic dyes (including azo, triphenylmethane, heterocyclic and polymeric dyes) was investigated in solid and submerged cultures. Both were able to decolorize completely or partially 8 of 10 dyes (Amido Black, Congo Red, Trypan Blue, Methyl Green, Remazol Brilliant Blue R, Methyl Violet, Ethyl Violet, Brilliant Cresyl Blue). No decolorization of Methylene Blue and Poly R 478 was observed.

Evaluation of an antigen from Taenia crassiceps cysticercus for the serodiagnosis of neurocysticercosis.

We report here the evaluation of an antigen from Taenia crassiceps cysticercus as a potential reagent in an enzyme-immunoelectrotransfer blotting assay (EITB) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NC) using clinical specimens obtained from patients in different phases of the disease. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 64 patients suspected of having NC according to clinical manifestation and brain computed tomography were tested by ELISA with Taenia solium total saline antigen (ELISA-Tso) and by immunoblotting with T. crassiceps glycoproteins antigen (EITB-gpTcra).

Adhesion and virulence properties of epidemic Canadian methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain 1: identification of novel adhesion functions associated with plasmin-sensitive surface protein.

Epidemic Canadian methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain 1 (CMRSA-1) comprises related subtypes that differ in phenotype and prevalence, with subtypes 1A, 1B, and 1D representing 1%, 71%, and 18%, respectively, of total CMRSA-1 isolates. The predominant CMRSA-1B subtype possesses a variant of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec, harboring pls, which encodes plasmin-sensitive surface protein (Pls). CMRSA-1B cells that express Pls exhibited poor adhesion to keratinocyte extracellular matrix.

Production of laccase as the sole phenoloxidase by a Brazilian strain of Pleurotus pulmonarius in solid state fermentation.

The production of laccase by a Brazilian strain of Pleurotus pulmonarius was studied in solid state fermentation using wheat bran as substrate. Among oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes tested (laccase, aryl alcohol oxidase, lignin peroxidase, Mn peroxidase, xylanase and cellulase), laccase was the main enzyme produced by P. pulmonarius.

[Pilot study with the monoclonal antibody IOR-C5 as a potential agent of radioimmunoscintigraphy in colorectal cancer].

Unlabelled: IOR C-5 is a G1 immunoglobulin type intact murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) that was developed in the Center of Molecular Immunology in Havana City, Cuba. In immunohistochemical studies, this demonstrated a significant affinity for the epithelial tissues so that it was used in a pilot clinical study to perform a radioimmunoscintigraphy of the colorectal primary tumors and their locoregional recurrences. It was labeled with 99mTc using the Schwarz method, with a > 95% performance.

Use of Taenia crassiceps cysticercus antigen preparations for detection of antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with neurocysticercosis (Taenia solium).

Antigen extracts obtained from the vesicular fluid of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci and from fractions purified by affinity chromatography with the lectin concanavalin A and the glycoprotein antigen separated by electrophoresis were used for the detection of Taenia solium anticysticercus antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity obtained for all antigens were 100% in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with good reproducibility. Using immunoblotting of the three antigens, low-molecular-mass peptides (18 and 14 kDa) were characterized only in cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with neurocysticercosis.

A new species of Fusarium producer of galactose oxidase.

Fifty-two isolates of Fusarium species and one of Gibberella fujikuroi were tested for galactose oxidase (GO) production. Five Fusarium isolates contained GO activity in the culture filtrate: three F. graminearum and one each F.

Family violence and substance use: the perceived effects of substance use within gay male relationships.

The purpose of this research endeavor is to examine the life situations of gay men where domestic violence was present. The current article expands on previously published works by examining respondents' perceptions of what role alcohol and other drug use plays in causing substance use-related domestic violence. Three different perceptions emerged from the data and are presented here.

Angiosarcoma of the breast following breast preservation therapy and local radiation therapy for breast cancer.

This is a case of angiosarcoma following breast preservation therapy and local radiation therapy over a 3-year period.

Description of staphylococcus serine protease (ssp) operon in Staphylococcus aureus and nonpolar inactivation of sspA-encoded serine protease.

Signature tagged mutagenesis has recently revealed that the Ssp serine protease (V8 protease) contributes to in vivo growth and survival of Staphylococcus aureus in different infection models, and our previous work indicated that Ssp could play a role in controlling microbial adhesion. In this study, we describe an operon structure within the ssp locus of S. aureus RN6390.

Airway trauma.

Traumatic airway injuries fortunately are rare. While sometimes injuries are obvious and initial management straightforward, frequently the diagnosis is difficult. Prompt diagnosis of airway injuries requires a high index of clinical suspicion, complemented by judicious use of endoscopy and radiological imaging.

Electrophysiological evidence for fast visual processing through the human koniocellular pathway when stimuli move.

There is increasing evidence from cellular recordings in primates and behavioral studies in humans that motion can be processed by other than the magnocellular (M) pathway and the cortical dorsal stream. Little is known about cortical processing of moving stimuli when the information is conveyed by the third retinogeniculocortical pathway - the so-called koniocellular (K) pathway. We addressed this issue in humans by studying the spatio-temporal dynamics of the brain electrical fields evoked by tritan (S-cone isolating) and luminance-defined moving stimuli.

Synthetic peptide immunogens elicit polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies specific for linear epitopes in the D motifs of Staphylococcus aureus fibronectin-binding protein, which are composed of amino acids that are essential for fibronectin binding.

A fibronectin (Fn)-binding adhesin of Staphylococcus aureus contains three tandem 37- or 38-amino-acid motifs (D1, D2, and D3), which function to bind Fn. Plasma from patients with S. aureus infections contain antibodies that preferentially recognize ligand induced binding sites in the D motifs and do not inhibit Fn binding (F.

Influence of growth conditions on the production of xylanolytic enzymes by Aspergillus flavus.

Investigations were carried out to optimize the culture conditions for the production of xylanase and beta-xylosidase by Aspergillus flavus, a filamentous fungus isolated from soil. The production of enzymes was tolerant to a wide range of initial culture pH values. Maximum xylanase (190 U/ml) and beta-xylosidase (35 U/ml) production was obtained when the strain was grown on mineral medium supplemented with 3% (w/v) corn cob powder as the carbon source.

[Radioimmunoscintigraphy of colorectal cancer using the anti-CEA monoclonal antibody BW 431/26. Final results].

The anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibody, BW 431/26 (Scintimun CEA, Behringwerke, Marburg, Germany ) labeled with technetium pertechnectate (99mTc), is an intact immunoglobulin G1, monoclonal antibody that has been used to image colorectal cancer. Planar and SPECT images of chest, abdomen and pelvis were performed at 10 minutes, 4-6 and 18-24 hours after the intravenous antibody injection. 44 patients were studied and the pathological antibody concentration localization by radioimmunoimaging (RI) were correlated with surgical, clinical and other imaging modality findings to validate the RI.

Production of lipase by soil fungi and partial characterization of lipase from a selected strain (Penicillium wortmanii).

Filamentous fungi from soil were screened for their ability to produce lipase. Among 56 filamentous fungi tested, one strain identified as Penicillium wortmanii was selected as the highest lipase producer. Maximum lipase production (12.