Emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus associated with pediatric infection in Cambodia.

Background: The incidence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection is rising in the developed world but appears to be rare in developing countries. One explanation for this difference is that resource poor countries lack the diagnostic microbiology facilities necessary to detect the presence of CA-MRSA carriage and infection.

Methodology And Principal Findings: We developed diagnostic microbiology capabilities at the Angkor Hospital for Children, Siem Reap, western Cambodia in January 2006 and in the same month identified a child with severe community-acquired impetigo caused by CA-MRSA.

Impaired expression of Notch signaling genes in aged human skeletal muscle.

Notch signaling is essential for myogenesis and the regenerative potential of skeletal muscle; however, its regulation in human muscle is yet to be fully characterized. Increased expression of Notch3, Jagged1, Hes1, and Hes6 gene transcripts were observed during differentiation of cultured human skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore, significantly lower expressions of Notch1, Jagged1, Numb, and Delta-like 1 were evident in muscle biopsies from older men (60-75 years old) compared to muscle from younger men (18-25 years old).