Degradation of AB25 dye in liquid medium by atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma and plasma combination with photocatalyst TiO2

In this work, degradation of the anthraquinonic dye Acid Blue 25 by non-thermal plasma at atmospheric pressure with and without photocatalyst is investigated. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used as a photocatalyst. The dye degradation by plasma in the presence of TiO2 is investigated as a function of TiO2 concentration, dye concentration and pH. The degradation rate is higher in acidic solutions with pH of 2 to 4.3, especially at pH 2, and decreases to 0.38 mg L-1 min(-1) with the increase of pH from 2 to 5.65. A similar effect is observed in basic media, where a higher degradation rate is found at pH = 10.3. The degradation rate increases in the presence of TiO2 compared to the discharge without photocatalysis. The results show that the degradation of the dye increases in the presence of TiO2 until the catalyst load reaches 0.5 g L-1 after which the suppression of AB25 degradation is observed. The results indicate that the tested advanced oxidation processes are very effective for the degradation of AB25 in aqueous solutions

The mobile epibenthic fauna of soft bottoms in the Dutch Delta (south-west Netherlands): spatial structure

During 1989 monthly beam trawl samples were collected at 48 stations in the Dutch Delta. The annual mean densities of the demersal fishes and mobile epibenthic invertebrates at these stations were calculated. These data were then subjected to multivariate statistical techniques for an analysis of the spatial structure of the communities found and to study the relationship between these communities and their environment. The present study confirms the results of HENDERSON (1989) that, given a fairly limited number of environmental variables, mainly salinity and exposure/substratum type, quite accurate predictions of the type of community expected at a certain site can be made. The explicit inclusion of epibenthic invertebrates, a dominant group in most assemblages, in studies mainly targeted at demersal fishes, is strongly recommended. In the Dutch Delta rich and varied communities exist in the Voordelta. A number of groups, such as salmonids, anadromous species and starfish, expected in the Westerschelde are absent or extremely rare probably as a consequence of pollution stress. The Oosterschelde is relatively poor in density terms but has a highly diverse epibenthic fauna dominated by fishes

Molecular epidemiology of hiv-1 infected migrants followed up in Portugal: Trends between 2001-2017

Migration is associated with HIV-1 vulnerability. Objectives: To identify long-term trends in HIV-1 molecular epidemiology and antiretroviral drug resistance (ARV) among migrants followed up in Portugal Methods: 5177 patients were included between 2001 and 2017. Rega, Scuel, Comet, and jPHMM algorithms were used for subtyping. Transmitted drug resistance (TDR) and Acquired drug resistance (ADR) were defined as the presence of surveillance drug resistance mutations (SDRMs) and as mutations of the IAS-USA 2015 algorithm, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed. Results: HIV-1 subtypes infecting migrants were consistent with the ones prevailing in their countries of origin. Over time, overall TDR significantly increased and specifically for Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTIs) andNucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTIs). TDR was higher in patients from Mozambique. Country of origin Mozambique and subtype B were independently associated with TDR. Overall, ADR significantly decreased over time and specifically for NRTIs and Protease Inhibitors (PIs). Age, subtype B, and viral load were independently associated with ADR. Conclusions: HIV-1 molecular epidemiology in migrants suggests high levels of connectivity with their country of origin. The increasing levels of TDR in migrants could indicate an increase also in their countries of origin, where more efficient surveillance should occur. © 2020 by the authors

Determinants of HIV-1 Late Presentation in Patients Followed in Europe

To control the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) set the 90-90-90 target to be reached by 2020. One major threat to those goals is late presentation, which is defined as an individual presenting a TCD4+ count lower than 350 cells/mm3 or an AIDS-defining event. The present study aims to identify determinants of late presentation in Europe based on the EuResist database with HIV-1 infected patients followed-up between 1981 and 2019. Our study includes clinical and socio-demographic information from 89,851 HIV-1 infected patients. Statistical analysis was performed using RStudio and SPSS and a Bayesian network was constructed with the WEKA software to analyze the association between all variables. Among 89851 HIV-1 infected patients included in the analysis, the median age was 33 (IQR: 27.0–41.0) years and 74.4% were males. Of those, 28,889 patients (50.4%) were late presenters. Older patients (>56), heterosexuals, patients originated from Africa and patients presenting with log VL >4.1 had a higher probability of being late presenters (p < 0.001). Bayesian networks indicated VL, mode of transmission, age and recentness of infection as variables that were directly associated with LP. This study highlights the major determinants associated with late presentation in Europe. This study helps to direct prevention measures for this population

e-Surveillance in animal health : use and evaluation of mobile tools

In the last decade, mobile technology offered new opportunities and challenges in animal health surveillance. It began with the use of basic mobile phones and short message service (SMS) for disease reporting, and the development of smartphones and other mobile tools has expanded the possibilities for data collection. These tools assist in the collection of data as well as geo-referenced mapping of diseases, and mapping, visualization and identification of vectors such as ticks. In this article we share our findings about new technologies in the domain of animal health surveillance, based on several projects using a wide range of mobile tools, each with their specific applicability and limitations. For each of the tools used, a comprehensive overview is given about its applicability, limitations, technical requirements, cost and also the perception of the users.The evaluation of the tools clearly shows the importance of selecting the appropriate tool depending on the envisaged data to be collected. Accessibility, visualization and cost related to data collection differ significantly among the tools tested. This paper can thus be seen as a practical guide to the currently available tools.The authors would like to thank the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) for their financial support of the Stereo II project entitled TickRisk (SR/00/144). Also the Belgian Development Cooperation (DGD) is thanked for their financial support of the FA3 programme. The syndromic livestock disease surveillance in Kenya was supported by the Wellcome Trust, UK (grant number 081828/B/06/Z) and the Compton Foundation, USA.http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=PARab201

A standardized framework for accurate, high-throughput genotyping of recombinant and non-recombinant viral sequences

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), hepatitis B and C and other rapidly evolving viruses are characterized by extremely high levels of genetic diversity. To facilitate diagnosis and the development of prevention and treatment strategies that efficiently target the diversity of these viruses, and other pathogens such as human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1), human herpes virus type-8 (HHV8) and human papillomavirus (HPV), we developed a rapid high-throughput-genotyping system. The method involves the alignment of a query sequence with a carefully selected set of pre-defined reference strains, followed by phylogenetic analysis of multiple overlapping segments of the alignment using a sliding window. Each segment of the query sequence is assigned the genotype and sub-genotype of the reference strain with the highest bootstrap (>70%) and bootscanning (>90%) scores. Results from all windows are combined and displayed graphically using color-coded genotypes. The new Virus-Genotyping Tools provide accurate classification of recombinant and non-recombinant viruses and are currently being assessed for their diagnostic utility. They have incorporated into several HIV drug resistance algorithms including the Stanford (http://hivdb.stanford.edu) and two European databases (http://www.umcutrecht.nl/subsite/spread-programme/ and http://www.hivrdb.org.uk/) and have been successfully used to genotype a large number of sequences in these and other databases. The tools are a PHP/JAVA web application and are freely accessible on a number of servers including

Methylation of the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) Gene, Together with Genetic Variation, Race, and Environment Influence the Signaling Efficacy of the Toll-Like Receptor 2/1-VDR Pathway

BackgroundThe disparity in prevalence of infectious diseases across the globe is common knowledge. Vitamin D receptor (VDR)-mediated toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/1 signaling produces antimicrobial peptides, which is critical as a first line of defense in innate immunity. Numerous studies disclosed the independent role of genetic polymorphisms in this pathway, vitamin D status or season and more recently epigenetics, as factors contributing to infectious disease predisposition. Few studies address the interaction between environment, genetics, and epigenetics. Here, we hypothesized that VDR-mediated TLR2/1 signaling is influenced by a combination of environment, epigenetics and genetics, collectively influencing differential innate immunity.MethodsHealthy Black and White South Africans (n = 100) donated blood, while ultraviolet index (UVI) was recorded for the duration of the study. LC-MS/MS supported 25(OH)D3 quantification. Monocyte/macrophage cultures, supplemented with/without 1,25(OH)2D3, were activated with the TLR2/1 elicitor, Pam3CSK4. VDR, cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, hCAP-18, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-24-hydroxylase expression were quantified by RT-qPCR or flow cytometry. Pyrosequencing facilitated VDR methylation analysis and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping in regions pinpointed through a bioinformatics workflow.ResultsSeason interacted with race showing 25(OH)D3 deficiency in Blacks. UVI correlated with 25(OH)D3 and VDR methylation, likely influencing race differences in the latter. Regarding the TLR2/1 pathway, race differences in SNP genotype distribution were confirmed and functional analysis of VDR-mediated signaling showed interaction between race, season, and 25(OH)D3 status. Multivariate OPLS-DA mirrored several interactions between UVI, 25(OH)D3 status, DNA sequence, and methylation variants. Methylation of the third cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) in the promoter CpG island (CGI) 1062, CGI 1062 CpG 3, significantly discriminated a 5.7-fold above average mean in VDR protein level upon TLR2/1 elicitation, the variation of which was further influenced by 25(OH)D3 status and the VDR SNP TaqI.ConclusionRegulation of VDR-mediated TLR2/1 signaling is multifactorial, involving interaction between environment [UVI and consequent 25(OH)D3 status], epigenetics (VDR methylation at key regulatory sites), and genetics (TLR1, TIRAP, and VDR SNPs)

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

Gender Differences in HIV Disease Progression and Treatment Outcomes among HIV Patients One Year after Starting Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

We investigated gender differences in treatment outcome during first line antiretroviral treatment (ART) in a hospital setting in Tanzania, assessing clinical, social demographic, virological and immunological factors. We conducted a cohort study involving HIV infected patients scheduled to start ART and followed up to 1 year on ART. Structured questionnaires and patients file review were used to collect information and blood was collected for CD4 and viral load testing. Gender differences were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis test and chi-square test for continuous and categorical data respectively. Survival distributions for male and female patients were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using Cox proportional hazards models. Of 234 patients recruited in this study, 70% were females. At baseline, women had significantly lower education level; lower monthly income, lower knowledge on ARV, less advanced HIV disease (33% women; 47% men started ART at WHO stage IV, p = 0.04), higher CD4 cell count (median 149 for women, 102 for men, p = 0.02) and higher BMI (p = 0.002). After 1 year of standard ART, a higher proportion of females survived although this was not significant, a significantly higher proportion of females had undetectable plasma viral load (69% women, 45% men, p = 0.003), however females ended at a comparable CD4 cell count (median CD4, 312 women; 321 men) signifying a worse CD4 cell increase (p = 0.05), even though they still had a higher BMI (p = 0.02). The unadjusted relative hazard for death for men compared to women was 1.94. After correcting for confounding factors, the Cox proportional hazards showed no significant difference in the survival rate (relative hazard 1.02). We observed women were starting treatment at a less advanced disease stage, but they had a lower socioeconomical status. After one year, both men and women had similar clinical and immunological conditions. It is not clear why women lose their immunological advantage over men despite a better virological treatment response. We recommend continuous follow up of this and more cohorts of patients to better understand the underlying causes for these differences and whether this will translate also in longer term differences