Dlx1&2-dependent expression of Zfhx1b (Sip1, Zeb2) regulates the fate switch between cortical and striatal interneurons.

Mammalian pallial (cortical and hippocampal) and striatal interneurons are both generated in the embryonic subpallium, including the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). Herein we demonstrate that the Zfhx1b (Sip1, Zeb2) zinc finger homeobox gene is required in the MGE, directly downstream of Dlx1&2, to generate cortical interneurons that express Cxcr7, MafB, and cMaf. In its absence, Nkx2-1 expression is not repressed, and cells that ordinarily would become cortical interneurons appear to transform toward a subtype of GABAergic striatal interneurons. These results show that Zfhx1b is required to generate cortical interneurons, and suggest a mechanism for the epilepsy observed in humans with Zfhx1b mutations (Mowat-Wilson syndrome)

Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae bacteremia in an urban academic medical center in the United States

Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) are genetically diverse strains that are generally non-pathogenic in healthy hosts. In immunocompromised patients or those with liver disease, NOVC have been shown to cause gastroenteritis, wound infections or sepsis and are often associated with high mortality rates. We report a case of a patient with liver cirrhosis and chronic venous insufficiency who was found to have NOVC bacteremia. The patient had recently visited Florida, USA but had no seafood consumption or exposure to aquatic environments. The patient was managed with antimicrobials, with a favorable outcome