Comparison of the substrate specificities and catalytic properties of the sister N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases, GnT-V and GnT-Vb (IX).

N-Acetylglucosaminlyltransferase-V (GnT-V) synthesizes GlcNAcbeta1,6Man branched N-glycans both in vitro and in vivo. A paralog, GnT-Vb (or GnT-IX), has also been shown to synthesize both GlcNAcbeta1,6Man branched N- and O-glycans. GnT-V is expressed in most human and rodent tissues while GnT-Vb expression is limited mainly to neural tissue and testes. It is of interest, therefore, to compare the catalytic properties and reaction kinetics of these sister enzymes. The results demonstrate that while GnT-V was fully active without exogenous cation and in the presence of EDTA, the activity of GnT-Vb was stimulated over 4-fold in the presence of 10 mM Mn(++). The pH optimum for GnT-V was in the range of 6.5-7.0, while that of GnT-Vb was 8.0. common for glycosyltransferases active in brain. Both enzymes transferred GlcNAcbeta1,6 to the Man residue of the GlcNAcbeta1,2Man moiety of glycan substrates, and both enzymes acted effectively on a synthetic GlcNAcbeta1,2Manalpha1,2Glc-O-octyl trisaccharide acceptor. Moreover, although both enzymes utilized an N-linked asialo-agalacto-biantennary glycan as an acceptor, GnT-Vb displayed an almost 2.5-fold higher apparent K(m) value compared to GnT-V. Conversely, GnT-Vb very efficiently glycosylated a synthetic glycopeptide, Ac-H(2)N-Val-Glu-Pro-(GlcNAcbeta1,2-Man-O-)Thr-Ala-Val-CO-Ac, while GnT-V showed relatively poor activity toward this O-Man-linked glycopeptide acceptor, with a K(m) value of 20-fold higher than that of GnT-Vb. When the N-linked asialo-agalacto-biantennary glycan acceptor was utilized with GnT-Vb, the expected triantennary beta1,6-branched product was observed up to 8 h incubation. An additional product with two beta1,6-linked GlcNAc resides, however, was observed after prolonged (>8 h) incubation, consistent with an earlier report. This unusual tetraantennary product was observed with GnT-Vb only after substantial accumulation of the first triantennary product and not during the early stages of incubation.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Patient Safety.

BACKGROUND: Although there is extensive evidence on disparities in the process and outcomes of health care, data on racial and ethnic disparities in patient safety remain inconclusive in the United States. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to (1) explore differences in reporting race/ethnicity in studies on disparities in patient safety; (2) assess adjustment for socioeconomic status, comorbidity, and disease severity; and (3) make recommendations on the inclusion of race/ethnicity for future studies on adverse events. METHODS: We searched PubMed database (for articles published from 1991 to May 1, 2013) using a predetermined criteria for studies on racial and ethnic disparities in patient safety. Only quantitative studies that used chart review or administrative data for the detection of adverse events were considered for eligibility. Two reviewers independently extracted data on inclusion of race/ethnicity in baseline characteristics and in stratification of outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 174 studies were initially obtained from the search. Of these, 24 met inclusion criteria and received full-text review. Meta-analysis was not performed because of the methodological and statistical heterogeneity between studies. Eight studies included race/ethnicity in baseline characteristics and adjusted for confounders. Hospital-level variations such teaching status and percentage of minorities served were infrequently analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first methodological review of racial/ethnic disparities in patient safety in the United States. The evidence on the existence of disparities in adverse events was mixed. Poor stratification of outcomes by race/ethnicity and consideration of geographic and hospital-level variations explain the inconclusive evidence; variations in the quality of care at hospitals should be considered in studies using national databases.

Epididymo-orchitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatumin a Colombian patient.

Although histoplasmosis is generally a self-limited disease, disseminated infection can occur in patients lacking effective cell-mediated immunity, reaching virtually every organ, even the genitourinary tract in rare cases. We report a case of epididymo-orchitis in an immunocompetent 38-year-old bricklayer from the rural area of Villeta, Cundinamarca, Colombia. The patient presented with testicular pain and macroscopic scrotal changes requiring a left orchiectomy, with microbiological isolation and molecular confirmation of Histoplasma capsulatum.

Epididymo-orchitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatumin a Colombian patient

Abstract Although histoplasmosis is generally a self-limited disease, disseminated infection can occur in patients lacking effective cell-mediated immunity, reaching virtually every organ, even the genitourinary tract in rare cases. We report a case of epididymo-orchitis in an immunocompetent 38-year-old bricklayer from the rural area of Villeta, Cundinamarca, Colombia. The patient presented with testicular pain and macroscopic scrotal changes requiring a left orchiectomy, with microbiological isolation and molecular confirmation of Histoplasma capsulatum.

Sexismo ambivalente y su relación con la aceptación de mitos sobre la violencia sexual en una muestra de Lima

La presente investigación analiza la relación entre el sexismo ambivalente y la aceptación de mitos sobre la violencia sexual, así como las diferencias en cuanto a variables sociodemográficas en una muestra de Lima (N= 304). Los resultados indican que el sexismo benevolente resulta el mejor predictor para la aceptación de mitos sobre la violencia sexual. De igual forma, los hombres, las personas de mayor edad y aquellas con menor nivel educativo presentan una mayor tendencia a la aceptación de mitos sobre la violencia sexual.

This research analyzes the relationship between ambivalent sexism and the sexual violence myths acceptance, as well as differences in sociodemographic variables in a sample of Lima (N = 304). The results indicate that benevolent sexism is the best predictor for acceptance of sexual violence myths. Additionally, men, older people and people with less education would be more likely to accept sexual violence myths.

Esta pesquisa analisa a relação entre o sexismo ambivalente, a aceitação de mitos sobre a violência sexual e um conjunto de variáveis sócio-demográficas em uma amostra de pessoas da cidade de Lima-Peru (n=304). Os resultados indicam que o sexismo benevolente é o melhor preditor da aceitação dos mitos sobre a violência sexual. Além disso, as pessoas do gênero masculino, com maior idade e com menor nível educativo são aquelas que apresentam maior aceitação dos mitos sobre a violência sexual.