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Background High-dose extended-infusion cefepime-tazobactam (FEP-TAZ) is in clinical development at 2g/2g q8 hours administered over 90 minutes. We evaluated the potency and spectrum of activity of FEP-TAZ, ceftolozane–tazobactam (C-T), ceftazidime–avibactam (CAZ-AVI), and comparators tested against gram-negative bacilli (GNB) causing complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) in United States (US) hospitals. Methods In 2018, 3,023 GNBisolates (1/patient) were consecutively collected and susceptibility tested against FEP-TAZ (TAZ at fixed 8 mg/L) and comparators by reference broth microdilution methods. Percentage of isolates inhibited at ≤8 mg/L (CLSI, cefepime high dose) and at ≤16 mg/L (pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic [PK/PD] susceptible [S] breakpoint based on extended infusion and high dosage) were evaluated. Results FEP-TAZ (99.9% inhibited at ≤16 mg/L; Table), CAZ-AVI (99.9%S), and meropenem (MEM; 99.5%S) were the most active agents against Enterobacterales (ENT). An ESBL phenotype (CLSI criteria) was observed in 12.5%, 12.9%, and 3.6% of E. coli (EC), K. pneumoniae (KPN), and P. mirabilis (PM), respectively. FEP-TAZ and CAZ-AVI exhibited complete activity against EC, whereas C-T and piperacillin–tazobactam (PIP-TAZ) were active against 91.5% and 88.1% of ESBL-phenotype EC isolates, respectively. The most active agents against KPN were FEP-TAZ (99.6% inhibited at ≤16 mg/L), CAZ-AVI (100.0%S), and amikacin (AMK; 99.4%S). All PM isolates were S to FEP-TAZ (highest MIC, 0.12 mg/L), C-T, CAZ-AVI, MEM, PIP-TAZ and AMK. FEP-TAZ was highly active against E. cloacae (n = 94; MIC90, 0.5 mg/L; 98.9% inhibited at ≤16 mg/L) and Citrobacter spp. (n = 91; MIC90, 0.12 mg/L; highest MIC, 0.5 mg/L). Against P. aeruginosa (PSA), FEP-TAZ inhibited 97.6% of isolates at ≤16 mg/L, with spectrum of activity similar to CAZ-AVI (96.4%S), C-T (99.4%S) and AMK (97.6%S), and greater than MEM (85.5%S) and PIP-TAZ (87.3%S). Conclusion FEP-TAZ showed potent activity against ENT and PSA isolated in US hospitals in 2018, with overall spectrum (ENT + PSA) similar to CAZ-AVI and greater than C-T, PIP-TAZ, and MEM when FEP-TAZ proposed PK/PD S breakpoint of ≤16 mg/L was applied. FEP-TAZ may represent a valuable option for treating cUTIs caused by resistant GNB. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates the use of corneometry and transepidermal water-loss measurements in two canine breeds by researchers from College Station, Texas. Techniques to characterize the skin's barrier function; Method used to determine the capacitance of the skin due to its behavior as a dielectric medium; Assessment of the integrity of the skin barrier to insensible water loss.

Summary The herpes simplex virus large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase differs from its counterparts in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and in other viruses in that it contains a unique domain that codes for a distinct serine-threonine protein kinase that activates the Ras/MEK/MAPK mitogenic pathway and is required for virus growth. Previous studies suggested that ribonucleotide reductase protein kinase was co-opted from a cellular gene. Cellular genes similar to ribonucleotide reductase protein kinase were not cloned, however, and their function is unknown. Here we report that a novel gene (H11) that codes for a protein similar to herpes simplex virus 2 ribonucleotide reductase protein kinase, is expressed in skin tissues, cultured keratinocytes, and the keratinocyte cell line A431. The protein is phosphorylated and it associates with the plasma membrane. H11 is expressed in keratinocytes with long-term in vitro growth potential and is coexpressed with high levels of adhesion molecules involved in signal transduction, such as β1 integrin. Antisense oligonucleotides that inhibit H11 expression inhibit DNA synthesis and keratinocyte proliferation, suggesting that H11 expression is required for cell growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The colonization of clean (apparently uninfected), dead salmonid fish by Saprolegniaceae was studied both in the laboratory and in Windermere. Colonization proceeds in two stages m water: initially there is superficial mycelium, which is easily removed, and Inter there is a deeper penetration into the epidermis and dermis. There was evidence that colonization can occur as an intimately mixed mosaic of different Saprolegniaceae. Live char and other salmonids are normally colonized only by the specific Saprolegnia pathogen in Windermere. However, this specificity broke down when there was colonization of dead tissue on a live char. This situation was seen to be analogous to that in 'perch disease'; it is deduced that the role of the various fungi here is saprophytic only. In post-mortem, salmonid fish killed by the specific Saprolegnia pathogen do not attract other Saproleghiaceae subsequently and explanations for this are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts presented at the two-day symposium focusing on the state of investigation of the cutaneous basement membrane zone, with special emphasis on epidermolysis bullosa, held at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 29-30, 1996. Ultrastructure examination of the cutaneous basement membrane zone reveals the presence of several attachment structures, which are critical for integrity of the stable association of epidermis and dermis. These include hemidesmosomes which extend from the intracellular compartment of the basal keratinocyte to the underlying basement membrane where they complex with anchoring filaments, thread-like structures traversing the lamina lucida.

The article presents a study of a 50-year-old woman who is presented with an intensely pruritic rash in the U.S. The patient's history included schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, reactive airways disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Her biopsy showed extensive spongiosis and edema of the dermis with a deep lymphohistiocytic infiltrate, consistent with polymorphous light eruption. The findings suggest that treatment for polymorphous light eruption includes topical steroids and antihistamine. Patients can attempt to prevent future episodes by applying broad-spectrum sunblock and wearing long-sleeved garments when going out in the sun.

Context-Previous studies have suggested that cases of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion in conventional smears and in ThinPrep specimens that are frequently misinterpreted as normal have relatively few small and hypo- chromatic dysplastic cells. Objective.-To determine the cytologic differences between conventional Papanicolaou slides of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion that perform poorly and those that perform well. Design-We compared the cytologic features of 22 cases of conventional smears with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion that performed poorly in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Gynecologic Cytology with 45 cases of conventional smears that performed extremely well. Results.-Cases that performed poorly were significantly more likely to have 50 or fewer single dysplastic cells (P = .003) and to have only small dysplastic cells (P = .01). Cases that performed well were also more likely to have more than 500 dysplastic cells (P = .002), to exhibit the presence of large dysplastic cells (P < .001), and to be keratinized (P = .03). Hypochromasia and the number of groups of dysplastic cells were not correlated with performance. Conclusions.-Conventional smears with high -grade squamous intraepithelial lesion with 50 or fewer single dysplastic cells, no large dysplastic cells, and lacking keratinization are highly associated with poor performance in this program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on fifth conference on biochemical aspects of epidermal differentiation. The next conference in this series to be sponsored by the Department of Environmental and Industrial Health of the University of Michigan, will be held in July 1975.

The Gordon Research Conference on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization, chaired by W. L. Epstein and H. P. Baden, will be held at the Tilton School, Tilton, New Hampshire, from August 8 to 12, 1983. On August 8, the topic under discussion will be epidermal gene action. On August 9, the topic under discussion will be cell surface molecules. On August 10, the topic under discussion will be cell attachment and adhesion. On August 11, the topic under discussion will be retinoids, carcinogenesis and differentiation. On August 12, the topic will be new vistas in the related field.

Although the etiology of psoriasis is unknown, current information points to excessive epidermal mitosis as being the final tissue event that accounts for the major clinical expression of this disease, i.e., the formation of scales. Evidence suggests that interference with epidermal cell replication could satisfactorily control the cutaneous lesion. Identification of other potential areas of intervention within the psoriatic process was the major recommendation of a psoriasis planning meeting held at the Skin and Cancer Hospital of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Temple University in November 1970, sponsored by the National Psoriasis Foundation.