Sex bias in the diagnosis of primary orgasmic dysfunction.

M. Kaplan proposed that some diagnostic categories are constructed with a built-in sex bias, making diagnosis of females more likely by the very way the disorder is defined. However, critics such as Williams and Spitzer have remained unpersuaded that such categories exist. After briefly analyzing the concept of sex bias, I argue that Masters and Johnson's widely used diagnostic criteria for primary orgasmic disorders are sex biased in several ways. Problematic consequences of such biases include inflated incidence estimates for women, the appearance of enormous gender differences in pathology, ill-founded ideas about female psychosexual vulnerability, and overconfidence in the efficacy of sex therapy. Finally, contrary to Kaplan's critical comments about DSM-III, I argue that DSM-III's diagnostic criteria for orgasmic dysfunction correct the sex biases in Masters and Johnson's approach and represent substantial progress in diagnostic logic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Elucidation of the Bridging Pattern of the Lantibiotic Pseudomycoicidin

Lantibiotics are post-translationally modified antibiotic peptides with lanthionine thioether bridges that represent potential alternatives to conventional antibiotics. The lantibiotic pseudomycoicidin is produced by Bacillus pseudomycoides DSM 12442 and is effective against many Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. While prior work demonstrated that pseudomycoicidin possesses one disulfide bridge and four thioether bridges, the ring topology has so far remained unclear. Here, we analyzed several pseudomycoicidin analogues that are affected in ring formation via MALDI-TOF-MS and tandem mass spectrometry with regard to their dehydration and fragmentation patterns, respectively. As a result, we propose a bridging pattern involving Thr8 and Cys13, Thr10 and Cys16, Ser18 and Cys21, and Ser20 and Cys26, thus, forming two double ring systems. Additionally, we localized the disulfide bridge to connect Cys3 and Cys7 and, therefore, fully elucidated the bridging pattern of pseudomycoicidin.     

Progress towards a multi-species lure: comparison of behavioural bioassay methods for multi-species attractants against three pests of stored grain

The object of the study reported here was to establish the best behavioural bioassay to ascertain the responses of three representative species of stored-grain insect pests to potentially attractive odours. The insects tested were Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Sitophilus granarius and Cryptolestes ferrugineus. Following consideration of different types of behavioural bioassay, the Y-tube olfactometer and the pitfall bioassay were chosen for comparison. Both were tested with a representative substance known to be attractive to the test species: carob (Ceratonia siliqua) aeration extract in pentane, and a pentane control. A number of physical and biological factors were taken into account in order to ascertain the most efficient bioassay method while retaining similarity to the natural environment of the insects. The Y-tube olfactometer was used with these species for the first time and it gave good differentiation between test and control with O. surinamensis and S. granarius but not with C. ferrugineus. With the pitfall bioassay, the optimum conditions for screening potential attractants for all three species were 20°C and 50% relative humidity, with a bioassay duration of 1 h. Therefore, the optimum bioassay method for mixed sex adults of the three species tested was the pitfall bioassay. The increased response to the attractant with increased temperature (from 15°C to 20°C) shows that changing temperature may affect the insects’ responses.     

Investments in behavioral health services: Strengthening the safety net.

As the primary Federal agency at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for improving access to health care services to the medically, financially and geographically vulnerable, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is committed to improving health outcomes and achieving health equity by funding access to quality services, a skilled health workforce, and innovative delivery programs. Furthermore, HRSA recognizes the importance of access to quality behavioral health services. This article describes HRSA's current efforts to address behavioral health needs within the safety net through the delivery of quality health services and a strengthened workforce. Also, it highlights HRSA's commitment to providing good quality mental health and substance abuse services through key federal and nonfederal partnerships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Photostabilization of organic UV-absorbing and anti-oxidant cosmetic components in formulations containing micronized manganese-doped titanium oxide

Micronized titanium oxide (TiO2) and manganese-doped titanium oxide (TiO2:Mn) particles have been incorporated into a variety of oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions in conjunction with the UV-absorbing organic compounds butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDM) and octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) and with the anti-oxidants vitamin E and vitamin C. The retention of the organics under solar exposure has been shown to be significantly enhanced by the addition of TiO2:Mn to the formulation. In the case of BMDM and OMC, the retention is increased from 20% and 24% to 63% and 83%, respectively, after 2 h of solar exposure. In this system, TiO2 particles are shown to provide only limited protection relative to BMDM and OMC. Vitamin E and vitamin C are actively degraded by the presence of TiO2 in the emulsion during solar exposure. This effect is reversed with TiO2:Mn, the use of which can protect >90% of anti-oxidants in both the oil and water phases of the formulation. The absence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and surface scavenging of ROS by TiO2:Mn is responsible for a significantly reduced ROS load on the organic components and consequent photostabilization of the emulsion.