Expression of Drosophila virilis Retroelements and Role of Small RNAs in Their Intrastrain Transposition

Transposition of two retroelements (Ulysses and Penelope) mobilized in the course of hybrid dysgenesis in Drosophila virilis has been investigated by in situ hybridization on polytene chromosomes in two D. virilis strains of different cytotypes routinely used to get dysgenic progeny. The analysis has been repeatedly performed over the last two decades, and has revealed transpositions of Penelope in one of the strains, while, in the other strain, the LTR-containing element Ulysses was found to be transpositionally active. The gypsy retroelement, which has been previously shown to be transpositionally inactive in D. virilis strains, was also included in the analysis. Whole mount is situ hybridization with the ovaries revealed different subcellular distribution of the transposable elements transcripts in the strains studied. Ulysses transpositions occur only in the strain where antisense piRNAs homologous to this TE are virtually absent and the ping-pong amplification loop apparently does not take place. On the other hand small RNAs homologous to Penelope found in the other strain, belong predominantly to the siRNA category (21nt), and consist of sense and antisense species observed in approximately equal proportion. The number of Penelope copies in the latter strain has significantly increased during the last decades, probably because Penelope-derived siRNAs are not maternally inherited, while the low level of Penelope-piRNAs, which are faithfully transmitted from mother to the embryo, is not sufficient to silence this element completely. Therefore, we speculate that intrastrain transposition of the three retroelements studied is controlled predominantly at the post-transcriptional level

Pregnancy outcomes and cytomegalovirus DNAaemia in HIV infected pregnant women with CMV

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Rate , correlates and outcomes of repeat pregnancy in HIV-infected women

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the rate, determinants, and outcomes of repeat pregnancies in women with HIV infection. Methods: Data from a national study of pregnant women with HIV infection were used. Main outcomes were preterm delivery, low birth weight, CD4 cell count and HIV plasma viral load. Results: The rate of repeat pregnancy among 3007 women was 16.2%. Women with a repeat pregnancy were on average younger than those with a single pregnancy (median age 30 vs. 33 years, respectively), more recently diagnosed with HIV infection (median time since diagnosis 25 vs. 51 months, respectively), and more frequently of foreign origin [odds ratio (OR) 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–1.68], diagnosed with HIV infection in the current pregnancy (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.35–2.11), and at their first pregnancy (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.06–1.66). In women with sequential pregnancies, compared with the first pregnancy, several outcomes showed a significant improvement in the second pregnancy, with a higher rate of antiretroviral treatment at conception (39.0 vs. 65.4%, respectively), better median maternal weight at the start of pregnancy (60 vs. 61 kg, respectively), a higher rate of end-of-pregnancy undetectable HIV RNA (60.7 vs. 71.6%, respectively), a higher median birth weight (2815 vs. 2885 g, respectively), lower rates of preterm delivery (23.0 vs. 17.7%, respectively) and of low birth weight (23.4 vs. 15.4%, respectively), and a higher median CD4 cell count (+47 cells/μL), with almost no clinical progression to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stage C (CDC-C) HIV disease (0.3%). The second pregnancy was significantly more likely to end in voluntary termination than the first pregnancy (11.4 vs. 6.1%, respectively). Conclusions: Younger and foreign women were more likely to have a repeat pregnancy; in women with sequential pregnancies, the second pregnancy was characterized by a significant improvement in several outcomes, suggesting that women with HIV infection who desire multiple children may proceed safely and confidently with subsequent pregnancies

Good prenatal detection rate of major birth defects in HIV-infected pregnant women in Italy

What's already known about this topic? Exposure to antiretroviral treatment in pregnancy does not seem to increase the risk of birth defects, but there is no information on the rate of prenatal detection of such defects. What does this study adds? We provide for the first time, in a national case series, information about prenatal detection rate in women with HIV (51.6% for any major defect, 66.7% for chromosomal abnormalities, and 85% for severe structural defect

Consequences of presentation with advanced HIV disease in pregnancy : data from a national study in Italy

Among 469 women with a diagnosis of HIV in pregnancy, 74 (15.8%) presented with less than 200 CD4 cells per cubic millimeter. The only variable significantly associated with this occurrence was African origin (odds ratio: 2.22, 95% confidence intervals: 1.32 to 3.75, P = 0.003). Four women with low CD4 (5.6%), compared with none with higher CD4 counts, had severe AIDS-defining conditions (P < 0.001) during pregnancy or soon after delivery, and one transmitted HIV to the newborn. Early preterm delivery (<32 weeks) was significantly more frequent with low CD4 (6.2% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.015). An earlier access to HIV testing, particularly among immigrants of African origin, can prevent severe HIV-related morbidity

Acute splenic torsion in children: which is the best treatment? A case report

Wandering spleen is a clinical entity which rarely affects children and adolescents. this condition can be asymptomatic or responsible of chronic pain, but it appears as a surgical emergency when an acute twisting occurs. the risk of post-splenectomy sepsis in the pediatric population suggests a conservative approach whenever possible, and also in case of acute torsion, most authors prefer to preserve the spleen and perform a splenopexy. the Authors describe a case of a child with acute splenic torsion, in whom a conservative surgical approach was initially adopted. the conservative option has to be balanced with the risk of prolonged thrombocytopenia, multiple transfusions and a possible second procedure to remove the spleen

Acute splenic torsion in children: which is the best treatment? A case report

Wandering spleen is a clinical entity which rarely affects children and adolescents. This condition can be asymptomatic or responsible of chronic pain, but it appears as a surgical emergency when an acute twisting occurs. The risk of post-splenectomy sepsis in the pediatric population suggests a conservative approach whenever possible, and also in case of acute torsion, most authors prefer to preserve the spleen and perform a splenopexy. The Authors describe a case of a child with acute splenic torsion, in whom a conservative surgical approach was initially adopted. The conservative option has to be balanced with the risk of prolonged thrombocytopenia, multiple transfusions and a possible second procedure to remove the spleen