The biography of Mary E. O'Sullivan: an early American headache specialist

The aim of this study was to review the life of Mary E. O'Sullivan and to summarize her important contributions to the study of migraine. Mary E. O'Sullivan underwent extensive training to become a neurologist at a time when only 5% of women in America were physicians. She published five papers on migraine. In a 1936 Journal of the American Medical Association article, she described a patient with ergotamine overuse headache and recommended that daily doses of oral ergotamine should be avoided. Three years later she described migraine as a 'complex' syndrome with multiple causes and multiple cures. Mary E. O'Sullivan, an ambitious female headache specialist of the 1930s, was an early advocate of the use of ergotamine to treat migraine, yet she was one of the first to report ergotamine overuse headache. Although her life was short, her research, knowledge and ambition at a time when women had limited opportunities in medicine have left a mark.     

A pilot study of the association between cariogenic oral bacteria and preterm birth*

Objectives: We examined the associations between preterm birth and low birth weight and maternal caries history, maternal periodontal status, and salivary levels of mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli. Design: This study was a matched case–control study in women during their pregnancy or up to 8 weeks after delivery. Subjects and methods: Thirty‐four women delivering before 37 weeks gestation were recruited along with 73 term controls matched for age and race/ethnicity. Demographic and obstetric information was collected from questionnaires and medical records and oral examinations along with commercial salivary tests were completed within the study groups. Main outcome measures: The main outcome variables were the preterm birth and low birth weight status. The independent variables measured were the salivary levels of Lactobacilli and mutans streptococci and the caries and periodontal status of the subjects. Results: The odds ratio comparing low levels of bacteria in preterm mothers and controls was statistically significant for Lactobacilli (odds ratio (OR) = 3.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.27 to 10.00) and almost significant for mutans streptococci (OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 0.95 to 8.33). Clinical caries and periodontal disease measures did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusion: Within the limitation of our study, low levels of Lactobacilli in saliva were found to be associated with preterm birth.     

三叶因子与胃黏膜保护的研究进展

三叶因子家族是一群主要由胃肠道黏液细胞分泌的小分子多肽.其共同特征为均含一特殊的P结构域及三叶状结构.这种稳定的结构使三叶因子家族具有明显的抗蛋白酶水解、酸消化及耐热特性,因而能在消化道复杂的环境中保持生物活性.目前在哺乳动物体内发现的有pS2/TFF1、SP/TFF2和ITF/TFF3三种,它们具有黏膜保护与修复、肿瘤抑制、信号传导、调节细胞凋亡等功能.本文阐述了三叶因子家族发现的历史,并初步探讨了其作用.同时也对三叶因子受体这一热点的研究现状进行总结.