Genotypic Determination of HIV Tropism in a Cohort of Patients Perinatally Infected With HIV-1 and Exposed to Antiretroviral Therapy

The aim of this study was to determine the coreceptor tropism by performing genotypic HIV-1 tropism testing in a cohort of patients perinatally infected with HIV-1 and exposed to antiretroviral therapy. Genotypic coreceptor tropism was determined in patients with HIV-1 RNA<100 copies/mL using PBMC samples by gp120 V3 sequencing followed by geno2pheno interpretation (set at a false positive rate [FPR] of 20%) and in patients with >100 copies/mL using plasma samples (set at a FPR of 20%), according to European guidelines. Out of 55 patients, 50 had an HIV-1 subtype B strain, and mean (SD) age was 18.2 (4.6) years. The median duration of antiretroviral therapy was 13 years (range, 3–23). Thirty-three (60%) patients harbored the R5 virus. At the time of the testing, the median CD4+ T lymphocyte cell count and percentage were 705 cells/mm³ (474–905) and 32.5% in group R5 and 626 cells/mm³ (450–755) and 31.7% in group X4/D-M, respectively. The nadir of CD4+ T-cell count in groups R5 and X4/D-M were 322 cells/mm³ (230–427) and 340 cells/mm³ (242–356), respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. Fifteen patients had HIV-1 RNA >50 copies/mL. The median HIV-1 RNA and HIV-1 DNA were comparable in both groups without a statistical difference. The study provides an overview of the prevalence of coreceptor tropism in a cohort of patients who were vertically infected with HIV-1. The high prevalence of X4/D-M-tropic strains may simply reflect the long-term exposure to HIV.     

Sonography of the penis/erectile dysfunction

Abdominal Radiology - Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the persistent inability to achieve and/or maintain an erection for a satisfactory sexual activity. It is secondary to several organic,...     

The role of radiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

At diagnosis, about 15% of patients with pancreatic cancer present with a resectable tumour, 50% have a metastatic tumour, and 35% a locally advanced tumour, non-metastatic but unresectable due to vascular invasion, or borderline resectable. Despite the technical progress made in the field of radiation therapy and the improvement of the efficacy of chemotherapy, the prognosis of these patients remains very poor. Recently, the role of radiation therapy in the management of pancreatic cancer has been much debated. This review aims to evaluate the role of radiation therapy for patients with locally advanced tumours.     

The diagnostic usefulness of the combined COMPASS 31 questionnaire and electrochemical skin conductance for diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and diabetic polyneuropathy

The study investigated the diagnostic performance for diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) of the combined use of composite autonomic symptom score (COMPASS) 31, validated questionnaire for autonomic symptoms of CAN, and electrochemical skin conductance (ESC), proposed for detecting DPN and CAN. One‐hundred and two participants with diabetes (age 57 ± 14 years, duration 17 ± 13 years) completed the COMPASS 31 before assessing cardiovascular reflex tests (CARTs), neuropathic symptoms, signs, vibratory perception threshold (VPT), thermal thresholds (TT), and ESC using Sudoscan. Two patterns were evaluated: (a) the combined abnormalities in both tests (COMPASS 31+ESC), and (b) the abnormality in COMPASS 31 and/or ESC (COMPASS 31 and/or ESC). CAN (≥ 1 abnormal CART) and confirmed CAN (≥ 2 abnormal CARTs) were present in 28.1% and 12.5%, DPN (two abnormalities among symptoms, signs, VPT, and TT) in 52%, abnormal COMPASS 31 (total weighted score >16.44) in 48% and abnormal ESC (hands ESC <50 μS and/or feet ESC <70 μS) in 47.4%. Both the patterns—COMPASS 31+ESC and COMPASS 31 and/or ESC—were associated with CAN and DPN (P < .01). COMPASS 31 and ESC reached a sensitivity of 75% and 83% for confirmed CAN, and a specificity of 65% and 67% for DPN. When combining the tests, the sensitivity for CAN rose by up to 100% for CAN and the specificity up to 89% for DPN. The combination of the tests can allow a stepwise screening strategy for CAN, by suggesting CAN absence with combined normality, and prompting to CARTs with combined abnormality.     

Epoxy Composites Reinforced with ZnO from Waste Alkaline Batteries

The zinc alkaline battery is one of the most popular sources of portable electrical energy, with more than 300,000 tons being consumed per year. Accordingly, it is critical to recycle its components. In this work, we propose the use of zinc oxide (ZnO) microparticles recovered from worn-out batteries as fillers of epoxy resins. These nanocomposites can be used as protective coatings or pigments and as structural composites with high thermal stability. The addition of ceramic nanofillers, such as ZnO or/and TiO₂, could enhance the thermal and mechanical properties, and the hardness and hydrophobicity, of the epoxy resins, depending on several factors. Accordingly, different nanocomposites reinforced with recycled ZnO and commercial ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticles have been manufactured with different nanofiller contents. In addition to the different ceramic oxides, the morphology and size of fillers are different. Recycled ZnO are“desert roses” such as microparticles, commercial ZnO are rectangular parallelepipeds nanoparticles, and commercial TiO₂ are smaller spherical nanoparticles. The addition of ceramic fillers produces a small increase of the glass transition temperature (<2%), together with an enhancement of the barrier effect of the epoxy resin, reducing the water diffusion coefficient (<21%), although the maximum water uptake remains constant. The nanocomposite water absorption is fully reversible by subsequent thermal treatment, recovering its initial thermomechanical behavior. The water angle contact (WCA) also increases (~12%) with the presence of ceramic particles, although the highest hydrophobicity (35%) is obtained when the epoxy resin reinforced with recycled flowerlike ZnO microparticles is etched with acid stearic and acetic acid, inducing the corrosion of the ZnO on the surface and therefore the increment of the surface roughness. The presence of desert rose ZnO particles enhances the de lotus effect.