Statistical analysis. All data reported mean values ± SEM. A multilevel, repeated measures model was implemented for this study. The multilevel statistical approach builds upon traditional statistical methods and is being increasingly implemented in the social, medical and biological sciences. [38] [39] [40] [41] The model used for this study takes into account the multiple "relative intensity units" (level 1) for each mouse (level 2) for each treatment (level 3) as performed in the immunohistochemical staining quantification. In this example mdx untreated mice and Pip5e-PMO-treated mice were applied as the constant/ fixed parameter, to which the other treatments and wild-type control were compared. This was following a Box-Cox power transformation which was performed to ensure a normal distribution. Statistical analysis was performed using MLwIN version 2.25. Figure S1 . HPLC chromatogram and MALDI-TOF data for Pip6e-PMO. Figure S2 . qRT-PCR mean values table and quantification of western blots for C57BL10 control, mdx-untreated and Pip6-PMO-treated mdx mice, following a single 12.5 mg/kg, i.v. injection. Figure S3 . Statistical tables for quantitative immunohistochemical staining, qRT-PCR mean values table and quantification of western blots for C57BL10 control, mdx untreated and Pip6e-PMO derivative (Pip6g and Pip6h) treated mdx mice, following a single 12.5 mg/kg, i.v. injection. Figure S4 . Immunohistochemical staining of dystrophin complex proteins in C57BL10 control, mdx untreated, the 5-aa hydrophobic core Pip6-PMO-treated mice. Figure S5 . Toxicity assays assessed in blood samples of C57BL10 control, mdx-untreated, Pip6-PMO-and Pip5e-PMO-treated mdx mice, following a single 12.5 mg/kg, i.v. injection. Clinical characteristics and outcome of Penicillium marneffei infection among HIV-infected patients in northern Vietnam OBJECTIVE: This study reports the clinical characteristics and outcome of HIV-associated Penicilliummarneffei infection in northern Vietnam. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients with laboratory confirmed Penicilliummarneffei infection admitted to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam, between July 2006 and September 2009. RESULTS: 127 patients with P. marneffei infection were identified. All were HIV-infected; median CD4+ T-cell count was 24 cells/μl (IQR:12-48); 76% were men. Common clinical features were fever (92.9%), skin lesions (82.6%), hepatomegaly (61.4%), lymphadenopathy (40.2%), weight loss (59.1%) and cough (49.6%). Concurrent opportunistic infections were present in 22.0%; half of those had tuberculosis. Initial treatment regimens were: itraconazole or ketoconazole capsule (77.2%), amphotericin B (20.5%), and fluconazole (1.6%). In-hospital mortality was 12.6% and showed no significant difference in patients treated with itraconazole (or ketoconazole) and amphotericin B (p = 0.43). Dyspnea, ascites, and increased LDH level were independent predictors of mortality. No seasonality was observed. CONCLUSION: The clinical features, treatments and outcomes of HIV-associated P. marneffei infection in northern Vietnam are similar to those reported in other endemic regions. Dyspnea was an important predictor of mortality. More patients were treated with itraconazole than amphotericin B and no significant difference in treatment outcome was observed. It would be of clinical value to compare the efficacy of oral itraconazole and amphotericin B in a clinical trial. Penicillium marneffei can cause a fatal systemic mycosis in immunosuppressed patients and is one of theleading causesof mortality in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in South-East Asia [1] [2] [3] . Penicilliosis presents primarily as a disseminated disease in HIVinfected patients with CD4+ T-cell count <100 cells/μL, involving the blood stream, skin, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, lung and gastrointestinal tract [2, 4] . Typical umbilicated skin lesions are present in 70% of patients, facilitating early empirical antifungal therapy and resulting in better outcomes [4] . Laboratory diagnosis is made by microscopy and culture of skin lesions, blood, lymph node, or other body fluids [3] .The majority of patients respond well to either amphotericin B or itraconazole treatment [2, [4] [5] [6] ; however no randomized controlled trials have been conducted to evaluate treatment choices for penicilliosis.