Noonancannon7372

INTRODUCTION Smallpox, caused by variola virus, was eradicated in 1980, but remains a category A bioterrorism agent. A decade ago, smallpox ranked second after anthrax in a multifactorial risk priority scoring analysis of category A bioterrorism agents. However, advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology, including published methods for synthesizing an Orthopoxvirus, require the assumptions of this scoring for smallpox and other category A agents to be reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS The risk priority framework was reviewed and revised to account for the capability for creation of synthetic or engineered smallpox and other category A agents. RESULTS The absolute score for all agents increased because of gene editing and synthetic biology capability, which was not present when the framework was developed more than a decade ago, although new treatments revised scores downward for smallpox, Ebola, and botulism. In the original framework, smallpox scored 0 for global availability, given the high securis, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.Erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis are immune-mediated epidermal conditions with variable clinical presentations. Although their clinical presentations often overlap, they have distinct etiologies and potential outcomes, which necessitate specific management strategies. This case is presented to highlight the subtle differences and review management given that Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis can rapidly become life-threatening. The need for astute diagnostic work-up and accuracy is magnified in the military setting given operations in austere environments and availability of medical and medical evacuation resources. Herein, we present a less common case of bullous erythema-multiforme, the diagnostic approach, and clinical differential with special attention to the importance of the military physician. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2020. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.The advent of high-flux, high-brilliance synchrotron radiation (SR) has prompted the development of high-resolution X-ray imaging techniques such as full-field microscopy, holography, coherent diffraction imaging, and ptychography. These techniques have strong potential to establish non-destructive three- and four-dimensional nanoimaging when combined with computed tomography (CT), called nano-tomography (nano-CT). X-ray nano-CTs based on full-field microscopy are now routinely available and widely used. Here we discuss the current status and some applications of nano-CT using a Fresnel zone plate as an objective. Optical properties of full-field microscopy, such as spatial resolution and off-axis aberration, which determine the effective field of view, are also discussed, especially in relation to 3D tomographic imaging. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.BACKGROUND Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that can cause invasive infections and healthcare-associated outbreaks. Here, we describe 34 cases of pediatric C. auris bloodstream infections (BSIs) identified during July 2014-October 2017 in 2 hospitals in Colombia. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of microbiology records for possible C. auris cases in 2 hospitals in Barranquilla and Cartagena. BSIs that occurred in patients aged 1 year. Underlying conditions included preterm birth (26%), being malnourished (59%), cancer (12%), solid-organ transplant (3%), and renal disease (3%). Eighty-two percent had a central venous catheter (CVC), 82% were on respiratory support, 56% received total parenteral nutrition (TPN), 15% had a surgical procedure, and 9% received hemodialysis. Preinfection inpatient stay was 22 days (interquartile range, 19-33 days), and in-hospital mortality was 41%. buy D609 CONCLUSIONS Candida auris affects children with a variety of medical conditions including prematurity and malignancy, as well as children with CVCs and those who receive TPN. Mortality was high, with nearly half of patients dying before discharge. However, unlike most other Candida species, C. auris can be transmitted in healthcare settings, as suggested by the close clustering of cases in time at each of the hospitals.Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast that can cause invasive infections and healthcare-associated outbreaks. This report describes 34 cases of pediatric C. auris bloodstream infections, identified in two hospitals in Colombia, South America. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration are vital to atherosclerosis (AS) development and plaque rupture. MicroRNA-377-3p (miR-377-3p) has been reported to inhibit AS in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-/-) mice. Herein, the mechanism underlying the effect of miR-377-3p on alleviating AS is explored. In vivo experiments, ApoE-/- mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) to induce AS and treated with miR-377-3p agomir or negative control agomir (agomir-NC) on week 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 after HFD feeding. MiR-377-3p was found to restore HFD-induced AS lesions and expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, α-smooth muscle actin (α-actin) and calponin. In vitro experiments, human VSMCs were tranfected with miR-377-3p agomir or agomir-NC, followed by treatment with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). MiR-377-3p was observed to significantly inhibit ox-LDL-induced VSMC proliferation characterized by inhibited cell viability, expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D1 and cyclin E and cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase accompanied with less 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU)-positive cells. Furthermore, MiR-377-3p significantly inhibited ox-LDL-induced VSMC migration characterized by inhibited wound closure and decreased relative VSMC migration. Besides, neuropilin2 (NRP2) was verified as a target of miR-377-3p. MiR-377-3p was observed to inhibit NRP2 expressions in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, miR-377-3p significantly inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions in human VSMCs. Additionally, miR-377-3p-induced inhibition of VSMC proliferation and migration could be attenuated by NRP2 overexpression. These results indicated that miR-377-3p inhibited VSMC proliferation and migration via targeting NRP2. This study provides an underlying mechanism for miR-377-3p-based AS therapy. Copyright 2020 The Author(s).