Time to AIDS from 1992 to 1999 in HIV-1-Infected Subjects with Known Date of Infection.

To estimate the change in AIDS incubation time during three periods characterized by different availability of antiretroviral treatments, data from the French Hospital Database on HIV of 4702 HIV-1-positive subjects with a documented date of infection were analyzed. Times from seroconversion to AIDS were compared in three periods: period 1 from January 1992 to June 1995 (monotherapy); period 2 from July 1995 to June 1996 (dual therapy); and period 3 from July 1996 to June 1999 (triple therapy). Nonparametric survival analyses were performed to account for staggered entries in the database and during each period. From periods 1 to 3, antiretroviral treatments were initiated earlier after infection, more subjects were treated, and the nature of regimens changed (25.6% of subjects were treated with monotherapy in period 1, 34.6% were treated with dual therapy in period 2, and 53.4% were treated with triple therapy in period 3). Compared with period 1, the relative hazard (RH) of AIDS was 0.31 in period 3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.24-0.39). When comparing period 3 with period 2, the RH of AIDS was 0.36 (CI: 0.29-0.45). Assuming a log normal distribution, the median time to AIDS was estimated as 8.0 years in period 1 (CI: 6.0-10.6), 9.8 years in period 2 (CI: 8.5, 11.2), and 20.0 years in period 3 (CI: 17.1-23.3). This lengthening in time to AIDS from 1992 to 1999 was particularly marked in the period after the introduction of triple therapy, including protease inhibitors

Analysis of diversity genetic of Moroccan net blotch populations using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers

Net blotch caused by Pyrenophora teres f. teres is the most harmful foliar disease in barley generating significant economic losses in Morocco. Populations of P. teres f. teres were collected from different regions of Morocco. Thirty five (35) P. teres f. teres isolates, single conidial, were isolated and were subjected to molecular study using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique. Out of the fourteen primers combinations tested, four primers combinations were selected to disclose the polymorphism between the different P. teres f. teres isolates. The molecular characterization of these isolates showed high degree of polymorphism reaching 95% and identifying 25 specific genotypes. The genetic variability of the different isolates of P. teres f. teres within and between Moroccan regions was highlighted, disclosing no linkage between the isolates and their geographical origins. This result might be due to informal material flow between regions.Key words: Barley, net blotch, Pyrenophora teres f. teres, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), genetic diversity

Virulence of Moroccan f. Revealed by International Differential Barley Genotypes

Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt), causing net blotch in barley, is an important and frequently isolated leaf pathogen across the globe. The virulence spectrum of Ptt from North Africa including Morocco is poorly understood. Sixteen barley genotypes were challenged, at seedling stage, with 15 Ptt isolates that were collected from different agroecological zones of Morocco. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The ANOVA revealed highly significant (P < 0.001) effects of genotype (G), isolate (I) and G×I interaction explaining 23.2, 62.5, and 13.9% of the variation, respectively. Therefore, the current study revealed highly diverse virulence pattern of Moroccan isolates. Furthermore, the results indicated that minor virulence of Ptt isolates dominated over virulence interaction. In addition, Taffa (6-rowed) and Aglou (2 rowed), had the highest level of resistance to Ptt, while Coast and Rabat071 were the most susceptible genotypes. Pt2, Pt7, Pt8 and Pt4 were being the most virulent isolates, while Pt10 and Pt11 were the least virulent isolates. The emergence of the new Ptt pathotypes, which were highly virulent to durable resistance in Rabat071 posed a risk of breaking down the currently deployed resistance to net blotch in Morocco. A careful evaluation and selection of Ptt isolates based on minor virulence pattern to barley genotypes is essential for successful barley breeding program for resistance to net blotch in Morocco

Acute partial Budd-Chiari syndrome and portal vein thrombosis in cytomegalovirus primary infection: a case report

BACKGROUND: Splanchnic vein thrombosis may complicate inherited thrombotic disorders. Acute cytomegalovirus infection is a rare cause of acquired venous thrombosis in the portal or mesenteric territory, but has never been described extending into a main hepatic vein. CASE PRESENTATION: A 36-year-old immunocompetent woman presented with acute primary cytomegalovirus infection in association with extensive thrombosis in the portal and splenic vein. In addition, a fresh thrombus was evident in the right hepatic vein. A thorough evaluation for a hypercoagulable state was negative. The clinical course, biological evolution, radiological and histological findings were consistent with cytomegalovirus hepatitis complicated by a partial acute Budd-Chiari syndrome and portal thrombosis. Therapeutic anticoagulation was associated with a slow clinical improvement and partial vascular recanalization. CONCLUSION: We described in details a new association between cytomegalovirus infection and acute venous thrombosis both in the portal vein and in the right hepatic vein, realizing a partial Budd-Chiari syndrome. One should be aware that this rare thrombotic event may be complicated by partial venous outflow block

Environmental liability litigation could remedy biodiversity loss

Abstract: Many countries allow lawsuits to hold responsible parties liable for the environmental harm they cause. Such litigation remains largely untested in most biodiversity hotspots and is rarely used in response to leading drivers of biodiversity loss, including illegal wildlife trade. Yet, liability litigation is a potentially ground‐breaking conservation strategy to remedy harm to biodiversity by seeking legal remedies such as species rehabilitation, public apologies, habitat conservation and education, with the goal of making the injured parties ‘whole’. However, precedent cases, expert guidance, and experience to build such conservation lawsuits is nascent in most countries. We propose a simplified framework for developing conservation lawsuits across countries and conservation contexts. We explain liability litigation in terms of three dimensions: (1) defining the harm that occurred, (2) identifying appropriate remedies to that harm, and (3) understanding what remedies the law and courts will allow. We illustrate the framework via a hypothetical lawsuit against an illegal orangutan trader in Indonesia. We highlight that conservationists’ expertise is essential to characterizing harm and identifying remedies, and could more actively contribute to strategic, science‐based litigation. This would identify priority contexts, target defendants responsible for egregious harm, propose novel and meaningful remedies, and build new transdisciplinary collaborations

Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study

Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection