Diagnosis and management of acute otitis media in Michigan.

We surveyed pediatricians (PEDs), family physicians (FPs), otolaryngologists (ENTs), and emergency physicians (ERs) from across Michigan (100 each), as well as 30 nationally recognized experts about their clinical approach to acute otitis media (AOM). The overall response rate was 52%. There was substantial variation within each group with respect to diagnostic criteria and clinical decision-making, but no significant differences among groups.

The Lighten up (Lip) gene of Drosophila melanogaster, a modifier of retroelement expression, position effect variegation and white locus insertion alleles.

We are interested in identifying single gene mutations that are involved in trans-acting dosage regulation in order to understand further the role of such genes in aneuploid syndromes, various types of dosage compensation as well as in regulatory mechanisms. The Lighten up (Lip) gene in Drosophila melanogaster was identified in a mutagenic screen to detect dominant second site modifiers of white-blood (wbl), a retrotransposon induced allele of the white eye color locus. Lip specifically enhances the phenotype of wbl as well as a subset of other retroelement insertion alleles of white, including the copia-induced allele, white-apricot (wa), and six alleles caused by insertion of I elements.

Weakener of white (Wow), a gene that modifies the expression of the white eye color locus and that suppresses position effect variegation in Drosophila melanogaster.

A locus is described in Drosophila melanogaster that modifies the expression of the white eye color gene. This trans-acting modifier reduces the expression of the white gene in the eye, but elevates the expression in other adult tissues. Because of the eye phenotype in which the expression of white is lessened but not eliminated, the newly described locus is called the Weakener of white (Wow).

Mosaic suppressor, a gene in Drosophila that modifies retrotransposon expression and interacts with zeste.

A newly identified locus in Drosophila melanogaster, Mosaic suppressor (Msu), is described. This gene modifies the expression of white-apricot (wa), which is a copia retrotransposon-induced allele of the white gene. In addition to suppressing wa in a mosaic fashion, this mutation suppresses or enhances the expression of several other retrotransposon induced white alleles.