HIV-1 Infection in Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean European Frontier: A Densely Sampled Transmission Dynamics Analysis from 1986 to 2012

Since HIV-1 treatment is increasingly considered an effective preventionstrategy, it is important to study local HIV-1 epidemics to formulate tailored preventionpolicies. The prevalence of HIV-1 in Cyprus was historically low until 2005. To investigatethe shift in epidemiological trends, we studied the transmission dynamics of HIV-1 in Cyprususing a densely sampled Cypriot HIV-1 transmission cohort that included 85 percent ofHIV-1-infected individuals linked to clinical care between 1986 and 2012 based on detailedclinical, epidemiological, behavioral and HIV-1 genetic information. Subtyping andtransmission cluster reconstruction were performed using maximum likelihood and Bayesianmethods, and the transmission chain network was linked to the clinical, epidemiological andbehavioral data. The results reveal that for the main HIV-1 subtype A1 and B sub-epidemics,young and drug-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals in Cyprus are driving the dynamics of thelocal HIV-1 epidemic. The results of this study provide a better understanding of thedynamics of the HIV-1 infection in Cyprus, which may impact the development of preventionstrategies. Furthermore, this methodology for analyzing densely sampled transmissiondynamics is applicable to other geographic regions to implement effective HIV-1 preventionstrategies in local settings

HIV-1 Infection in Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean European Frontier: A Densely Sampled Transmission Dynamics Analysis from 1986 to 2012

Since HIV-1 treatment is increasingly considered an effective preventionstrategy, it is important to study local HIV-1 epidemics to formulate tailored preventionpolicies. The prevalence of HIV-1 in Cyprus was historically low until 2005. To investigatethe shift in epidemiological trends, we studied the transmission dynamics of HIV-1 in Cyprususing a densely sampled Cypriot HIV-1 transmission cohort that included 85 percent ofHIV-1-infected individuals linked to clinical care between 1986 and 2012 based on detailedclinical, epidemiological, behavioral and HIV-1 genetic information. Subtyping andtransmission cluster reconstruction were performed using maximum likelihood and Bayesianmethods, and the transmission chain network was linked to the clinical, epidemiological andbehavioral data. The results reveal that for the main HIV-1 subtype A1 and B sub-epidemics,young and drug-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals in Cyprus are driving the dynamics of thelocal HIV-1 epidemic. The results of this study provide a better understanding of thedynamics of the HIV-1 infection in Cyprus, which may impact the development of preventionstrategies. Furthermore, this methodology for analyzing densely sampled transmissiondynamics is applicable to other geographic regions to implement effective HIV-1 preventionstrategies in local settings

HIV-1 Infection in Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean European Frontier: A Densely Sampled Transmission Dynamics Analysis from 1986 to 2012

Since HIV-1 treatment is increasingly considered an effective preventionstrategy, it is important to study local HIV-1 epidemics to formulate tailored preventionpolicies. The prevalence of HIV-1 in Cyprus was historically low until 2005. To investigatethe shift in epidemiological trends, we studied the transmission dynamics of HIV-1 in Cyprususing a densely sampled Cypriot HIV-1 transmission cohort that included 85 percent ofHIV-1-infected individuals linked to clinical care between 1986 and 2012 based on detailedclinical, epidemiological, behavioral and HIV-1 genetic information. Subtyping andtransmission cluster reconstruction were performed using maximum likelihood and Bayesianmethods, and the transmission chain network was linked to the clinical, epidemiological andbehavioral data. The results reveal that for the main HIV-1 subtype A1 and B sub-epidemics,young and drug-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals in Cyprus are driving the dynamics of thelocal HIV-1 epidemic. The results of this study provide a better understanding of thedynamics of the HIV-1 infection in Cyprus, which may impact the development of preventionstrategies. Furthermore, this methodology for analyzing densely sampled transmissiondynamics is applicable to other geographic regions to implement effective HIV-1 preventionstrategies in local settings

Mechanical and Assembly Units of Viral Capsids Identified via Quasi-Rigid Domain Decomposition

Key steps in a viral life-cycle, such as self-assembly of a protective protein container or in some cases also subsequent maturation events, are governed by the interplay of physico-chemical mechanisms involving various spatial and temporal scales. These salient aspects of a viral life cycle are hence well described and rationalised from a mesoscopic perspective. Accordingly, various experimental and computational efforts have been directed towards identifying the fundamental building blocks that are instrumental for the mechanical response, or constitute the assembly units, of a few specific viral shells. Motivated by these earlier studies we introduce and apply a general and efficient computational scheme for identifying the stable domains of a given viral capsid. The method is based on elastic network models and quasi-rigid domain decomposition. It is first applied to a heterogeneous set of well-characterized viruses (CCMV, MS2, STNV, STMV) for which the known mechanical or assembly domains are correctly identified. The validated method is next applied to other viral particles such as L-A, Pariacoto and polyoma viruses, whose fundamental functional domains are still unknown or debated and for which we formulate verifiable predictions. The numerical code implementing the domain decomposition strategy is made freely available

A Case of Progressive Multifocal Leucoencephalopathy and Cerebral Toxoplasmosis in an HIV-Infected Patient

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is an opportunistic infection of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by the reactivation of John Cunningham polyomavirus (JCV). Most often, this disease is observed in patients with severe immune suppression, such as those with AIDS. Cerebral toxoplasmosis results from the reactivation of a latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite. This parasitosis is relatively rare in the United States, while in some regions of Europe the seropositive population is over 90%. Similarly, to PML, cerebral toxoplasmosis develops in stages of advanced immune deficiency. Both of these opportunistic infections of the central nervous system can cause severe neurological symptoms, and their simultaneous presentation can represent a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. We present a case of a 59-year-old patient with a newly diagnosed HIV infection with manifestations of epilepsy and progressive cognitive impairment. The patient was diagnosed initially with cerebral toxoplasmosis and subsequently with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Synthesis of new cyano derivatives on the basis of disubstituted indenones

225-228<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H; mso-bidi-font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H;color:#131313">2,3-Disubstituted indenones 1<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H;mso-bidi-font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H; color:#131313">a-e<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H;mso-bidi-font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H; color:#131313">, <span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt; font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H;mso-bidi-font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H; color:#131313">possessing substituents of <span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H; mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:fd731912-identity-h;="" color:#131313;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" ar-sa"=""> electron donor or electron acceptor type localised in p-position of the phenyl group, are converted into the corresponding 3-cyano-1 indanones <span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H;mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:fd748002-identity-h;color:#131313;mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">2a-e<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H; mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:fd748002-identity-h;="" color:#131313;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" ar-sa"=""> <span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt; font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H;mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:fd731912-identity-h;color:#131313;mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">by the action of KCN and (NH4)2 CO3. The structure of the products <span style="font-size: 15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H;mso-fareast-font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:fd748002-identity-h;color:#131313;="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">2a-e<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Fd748002-Identity-H; mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:fd748002-identity-h;="" color:#131313;mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" ar-sa"=""> <span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:8.0pt; font-family:Fd731912-Identity-H;mso-fareast-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:fd731912-identity-h;color:#131313;mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">have been confirmed by spectral analysis.</span