Isolation, purification and partial amino acid sequence of a highly hydrophobic new microcin named microcin L produced by Escherichia coli.

We report here the production, by an Escherichia coli strain, of two microcins, microcin J25 and a new one that we designated microcin L. The active peptides were separated by solid phase extraction on C(18) cartridges. Microcin L was then purified to homogeneity by cationic-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography. Its molecular mass, determined by mass spectrometry, is 8899 Da. The amino acid composition and the sequence of the first 40 N-terminal residues indicate that microcin L is a hydrophobic peptide, which exhibits high homology to gassericin and lactacin F which both belong to the class II bacteriocins.

Sexuality in Montreal women living with HIV.

The impact of learning a positive HIV test result on the sexuality of 161 women (47 injection drug users (IDU), 53 non-IDU women of Haitian or African origin (non-IDU-HA), and 61 non-IDU Caucasian women (non-IDU-C) was assessed using closed and open-ended questions. Self-reported CD4+ count correlated with any post-test (p = 0.001) and past month sexual activity (p = 0.007). After learning their HIV status, 110 women (68%) were sexually active, 48 (44%) of these within 1 month. After resuming sexual activity, 84% underwent a sexual adjustment period (median duration 8.5 months). IDU women were more likely to have frequent sex, be anorgasmic, and prefer sex less often. Consistent partner condom use was low in general (19% for IDU, 30% for non-IDU-HA, and 62% for non-IDU-C) and by partner type (new regular partner 58%, same regular partner 36%, casual partner 29%). Sexual satisfaction tended to decline post-test and then increase to higher than pre-test levels. Counselling focused on the safe and satisfying aspects of sex may assist women with HIV infection in sexual decision-making. Facilitating the access of IDU women with HIV infection to medically supervised drug provision and to detoxification and rehabilitation programmes can weaken the link between drug use and sex work.

HIV infection among women in prison: an assessment of risk factors using a nonnominal methodology.

The relative contributions of needle use practices and sexual behaviors to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody seropositivity among 394 women incarcerated in Quebec were determined by risk factor assessment and serology with a nonnominal methodology. HIV positivity was found in 6.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.6, 9.9) of all participants and in 13% (95% CI = 8.6, 18.6) of women with a history of injection drug use. HIV seropositivity among women with a history of injection drug use was predicted by sexual or needle contact with a seropositive person, self-reported genital herpes, and having had a regular sexual partner who injected drugs, but it was not predicted by prostitution. Nonnominal testing is an ethical alternative to mandatory and anonymous unlinked testing among correctional populations.