A chromosome-scale fishing cat reference genome for the evaluation of potential germline risk variants.

The fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus, faces a population decline, increasing the importance of maintaining healthy zoo populations. Unfortunately, zoo-managed individuals currently face a high prevalence of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a form of bladder cancer. To investigate the genetics of inherited diseases among captive fishing cats, we present a chromosome-scale assembly, generate the pedigree of the zoo-managed population, reaffirm the close genetic relationship with the Asian leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), and identify 7.4 million single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and 23,432 structural variants (SVs) from whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of healthy and TCC cats. Only BRCA2 was found to have a high recurrent number of missense mutations in fishing cats diagnosed with TCC when compared to inherited human cancer risk variants. These new fishing cat genomic resources will aid conservation efforts to improve their genetic fitness and enhance the comparative study of feline genomes.

Acute Herpes Simplex Virus Laryngitis Presenting as Airway Obstruction Post Influenza: A Viral Pneumonia.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) typically presents with mucocutaneous or genital ulcerations but can also manifest with central nervous system involvement and occasionally other visceral or mucosal sites. However, laryngeal involvement almost exclusively presents in infants and children. Very few confirmed adult cases have been reported. Adults present with a broad spectrum of symptoms, usually in the context of significant immunocompromise. Diagnosis is difficult given a wide spectrum of nonspecific presenting symptoms and usually requires tissue biopsy. Frequently, patients have severe laryngeal edema that threatens to compromise the airway and requires tracheostomy. We present a case of HSV laryngitis in a 71-year-old female who presented with septic shock, acute renal failure, and acute hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to Influenza A and bacterial pneumonia for which she required intubation. The hospitalization course included extubation failures due to stridor, a positive cuff leak test resulting in an open tracheostomy, and a laryngeal biopsy confirming HSV infection, which was successfully treated with acyclovir.

Behind Closed Doors: A Thematic Analysis of Diabetes Community Health Worker Home Visit Content.

The present work studies how community health workers (CHWs) perform the role of educator and how this relates to the implementation of other CHW roles, skills, and qualities. Prior studies on this topic have relied on interviews or focus groups rather than analysis of CHW interactions. We conducted a thematic analysis of 24 transcripts of conversations occurring between CHWs and participants during home visits as part of the Mexican American Trial of Community Health Workers, a randomized controlled trial that improved clinical outcomes among low-income Mexican American adults with type 2 diabetes. Three themes describing interactions related to diabetes self-management education accounted for about half of encounter content. The other half of encounter content was dedicated to interactions not explicitly related to diabetes described by 4 subthemes. In a successful CHW intervention, focused educational content was balanced with other interactions. Interactions not explicitly related to diabetes may have provided space for the implementation of core CHW roles, skills, and qualities other than educator, particularly those related to relationship building. It is important that interventions provide CHWs with sufficient time and flexibility to develop strong relationships with participants.

Synthesis and structural studies of the simplest bismuth(III) oxo-salicylate complex: [Bi4(µ3-O)2(HO-2-C6H4CO2)8]·2Solv (Solv = MeCN or MeNO2).

Reaction of BiPh3 with salicylic acid (HO-2-C6H4CO2H, H2Sal) at room temperature in wet acetonitrile or nitromethane leads to the facile formation of an oxo cluster compound with formula [Bi4(µ3-O)2(HSal)8] solvated by either MeCN and MeNO2 (1·2MeCN or 1·2MeNO2). This simple procedure affords a convenient, high yield (>80%) synthesis of a single bismuth oxo cluster. Both adducts exhibit a nearly planar Bi4(µ3-O)2 core. The solvent ligands are situated in the same coordination sites in both but at long Bi-N and Bi-O distances. The ease of preparation as a pure compound makes this an ideal starting material for study of bismuth oxo-salicylate chemistry.