Pulmonary hypertension in adult Alk1 heterozygous mice due to oxidative stress.

Aims: Mutations in the ALK1 gene, coding for an endothelial-specific receptor of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, are the underlying cause of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia type 2, but are also associated with familial pulmonary hypertension (PH). We assessed the lung vasculature of mice with a heterozygous deletion of Alk1 (Alk1(+/-)) for disease manifestations and levels of reactive O(2) species (ROS) implicated in both disorders.

Methods And Results: Several signs of PH, including elevated right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure leading to RV hypertrophy, reduced vascular density, and increased thickness and outward remodelling of pulmonary arterioles, were observed in 8- to 18-week-old Alk1(+/-) mice relative to wild-type littermate controls.

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Michigan, USA, 2007.

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infections, which are always methicillin-resistant, are a rare but serious public health concern. We examined 2 cases in Michigan in 2007. Both patients had underlying illnesses.