Continuous response despite reduced dose of trametinib as single agent in an adolescent with a relapsed disseminated pediatric low-grade glioma fusion positive: a case report and review of the literature.

Dissemination in pediatric low-grade glioma may occur in about 4%-10% of patients according to retrospective cohort studies. Due to its low incidence, there is no consensus on treatment for these patients. According to the constitutional activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway in these tumors, MEK inhibitors such as trametinib have been used successfully in the relapsed setting.

An HIV-1/HIV-2 Chimeric Envelope Glycoprotein Generates Binding and Neutralising Antibodies against HIV-1 and HIV-2 Isolates.

The development of immunogens that elicit broadly reactive neutralising antibodies (bNAbs) is the highest priority for an HIV vaccine. We have shown that a prime-boost vaccination strategy with vaccinia virus expressing the envelope glycoprotein gp120 of HIV-2 and a polypeptide comprising the envelope regions C2, V3 and C3 elicits bNAbs against HIV-2. We hypothesised that a chimeric envelope gp120 containing the C2, V3 and C3 regions of HIV-2 and the remaining parts of HIV-1 would elicit a neutralising response against HIV-1 and HIV-2.

Effect of Maternal Diet on Maternal Milk and Breastfed Infant Gut Microbiomes: A Scoping Review.

While it is widely recognized that nutrition during pregnancy and lactation can affect the microbiome of breast milk as well as the formation of the infant gut microbiome, we are only just beginning to understand the extent to which maternal diet impacts these microbiomes. Given the importance of the microbiome for infant health, we conducted a comprehensive review of the published literature to explore the current scope of knowledge regarding associations between maternal diet and the breast milk and infant gut microbiomes. Papers included in this review assessed either diet during lactation or pregnancy, and the milk and/or infant gut microbiome.

Long-Term and Low-Level Envelope C2V3 Stimulation by Highly Diverse Virus Isolates Leads to Frequent Development of Broad and Elite Antibody Neutralization in HIV-1-Infected Individuals.

A minority of HIV-1-infected patients produce broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Identification of viral and host correlates of bNAb production may help develop vaccines. We aimed to characterize the neutralizing response and viral and host-associated factors in Angola, which has one of the oldest, most dynamic, and most diverse HIV-1 epidemics in the world.

High Instantaneous Inhibitory Potential of Bictegravir and the New Spiro-β-Lactam BSS-730A for HIV-2 Isolates from RAL-Naïve and RAL-Failing Patients.

Integrase inhibitors (INIs) are an important class of drugs for treating HIV-2 infection, given the limited number of drugs active against this virus. While the clinical efficacy of raltegravir and dolutegravir is well established, the clinical efficacy of bictegravir for treating HIV-2 infected patients has not been determined. Little information is available regarding the activity of bictegravir against HIV-2 isolates from patients failing raltegravir-based therapy.

A cover flap reduces the rate of fistula after urethroplasty whatever the severity of hypospadias.

Objective: To determine which patients should benefit from the interposition of a well-vascularized flap between the neourethra and the penile skin and if it should be performed even in mild hypospadias.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study on patients with a primary hypospadias repair was performed (2003-2017). Only patients undergoing urethroplasty based on the principle of a tubularization were selected to ensure comparable groups.

Epidemic history and baseline resistance to NS5A-specific direct acting drugs of hepatitis C virus in Spain.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a global health problem. Previously, the prevalence of NS5A resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) to elbasvir, a new direct-acting antiviral (DAA) against the NS5A viral protein was assessed by our group before its introduction into clinical use in Spain. However, the origin, epidemic history, transmission dynamics, diversity and baseline RASs to NS5A direct-acting agents of HCV-GT1a in Spain remain unknown.

A Prime-Boost Immunization Strategy with Vaccinia Virus Expressing Novel gp120 Envelope Glycoprotein from a CRF02_AG Isolate Elicits Cross-Clade Tier 2 HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibodies.

Development of new immunogens eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) is a main priority for the HIV-1 vaccine field. Envelope glycoproteins from non-B-non-C HIV-1clades have not been fully explored as components of a vaccine. We produced Vaccinia viruses expressing a truncated version of gp120 (gp120t) from HIV-1 clades CRF02_AG, H, J, B, and C and examined their immunogenicity in mice and rabbits.

Metal partitioning and speciation in a mining-impacted estuary by traditional and passive sampling methods.

This study deals with the metal partitioning and bioavailability of metal/loids in the estuary Ria of Huelva (SW Spain) which is strongly affected by historical mining and industrial activities. To address this issue, traditional (i.e.

Genotypic resistance profiles of HIV-2-infected patients from Cape Verde failing first-line antiretroviral therapy.

: The pol gene from HIV-2-infected patients from Cape Verde experiencing virologic failure was sequenced and drug resistance mutations were determined. Most patients were taking a first-line regimen of zidovudine (AZT), lamivudine (3TC) and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r). Resistance mutations were found in most patients (11/17; 64.

In vitro evaluation of novel reverse transcriptase inhibitors TAF (tenofovir alafenamide) and OBP-601 (2,3-didehydro-3-deoxy-4-ethynylthymidine) against multi-drug resistant primary isolates of HIV-2.

New antiretroviral drugs are needed to treat HIV-2 infected patients failing therapy. Herein, we evaluate the activity of novel reverse transcriptase inhibitors tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and OBP-601(2,3-didehydro-3-deoxy-4-ethynylthymidine) against primary isolates from HIV-2 infected patients experiencing virologic failure. TAF and OBP-601 were tested against twelve primary isolates obtained from nine drug-experienced patients failing therapy and three drug naïve patients using a single-round infectivity assay in TZM-bl cells.

Epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes in Portugal.

Any successful strategy to prevent and control HCV infection requires an understanding of the epidemic behaviour among the different genotypes. Here, we performed the first characterization of the epidemic history and transmission dynamics of HCV subtypes in Portugal. Direct sequencing of NS5B was performed on 230 direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAA)-treatment naïve patients in Lisbon.

Correction: Evaluation of the fusion inhibitor P3 peptide as a potential microbicide to prevent HIV transmission in women.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Evaluation of the fusion inhibitor P3 peptide as a potential microbicide to prevent HIV transmission in women.

Microbicides are an important strategy for preventing the sexual transmission of HIV but, so far, the most advanced tenofovir-based microbicides have had modest efficacy. This has been related to adherence problems and high prevalence of tenofovir-resistant HIV-1 strains. P3 is a new peptide with potent activity against HIV that may be a good microbicide candidate.

Diagnosis of sleep apnea in patients with stable chronic heart failure using a portable sleep test diagnostic device.

Purpose: ApneaLink is a portable device for the screening of sleep apnea, a prevalent and underdiagnosed comorbidity in heart failure patients. A prospective cross-sectional study in patients with chronic heart failure was carried out to assess the sensitivity and specificity of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) measurements using ApneaLink against the standard polysomnography test.

Methods: Adult patients with a prior hospitalization in an acute heart failure hospital unit were recruited for the study.

Potency of HIV-2-specific antibodies increase in direct association with loss of memory B cells.

: Potent HIV-neutralizing antibodies are critical for vaccination and viral reservoir control. High levels of neutralizing antibodies characterize HIV-2 infection, a naturally occurring model of attenuated HIV disease with low-to-undectable viremia. We found that HIV-2-specific antibody potency increased in direct association with the loss of both switched and unswitched memory B cells in untreated HIV-2 infection.

The association between sleep quality, low back pain and disability: A prospective study in routine practice.

Background: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between sleep quality (SQ) and improvements in low back pain (LBP) and disability, among patients treated for LBP in routine practice.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 461 subacute and chronic LBP patients treated in 11 specialized centres, 14 primary care centres and eight physical therapy practices across 12 Spanish regions. LBP, leg pain, disability, catastrophizing, depression and SQ were assessed through validated questionnaires upon recruitment and 3 months later.

Assessment of the Cavidi ExaVir Load Assay for Monitoring Plasma Viral Load in HIV-2-Infected Patients.

HIV plasma viral load is an established marker of disease progression and of response to antiretroviral therapy, but currently there is no commercial assay validated for the quantification of viral load in HIV-2-infected individuals. We sought to make the first clinical evaluation of Cavidi ExaVir Load (version 3) in HIV-2-infected patients. Samples were collected from a total of 102 individuals living in Cape Verde, and the HIV-2 viral load was quantified by both ExaVir Load and a reference in-house real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) used in Portugal in 91 samples.

Management of nonparasitic splenic cysts in children: A French multicenter review of 100 cases.

Background: The management of nonparasitic splenic cysts (NPSC) remains controversial. Surgical resection is indicated for symptomatic or complicated forms, but no guidelines are available for asymptomatic NPSC. The aims of this study were to evaluate the management of NPSC in French hospitals and to analyze the results of management.

A Helical Short-Peptide Fusion Inhibitor with Highly Potent Activity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1), HIV-2, and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus.

Unlabelled: Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) has already spread to different regions worldwide, and currently about 1 to 2 million people have been infected, calling for new antiviral agents that are effective on both HIV-1 and HIV-2 isolates. T20 (enfuvirtide), a 36-mer peptide derived from the C-terminal heptad repeat region (CHR) of gp41, is the only clinically approved HIV-1 fusion inhibitor, but it easily induces drug resistance and is not active on HIV-2. In this study, we first demonstrated that the M-T hook structure was also vital to enhancing the binding stability and inhibitory activity of diverse CHR-based peptide inhibitors.

Antagonism of BST-2/Tetherin Is a Conserved Function of the Env Glycoprotein of Primary HIV-2 Isolates.

Unlabelled: Although HIV-2 does not encode a vpu gene, the ability to antagonize bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST-2) is conserved in some HIV-2 isolates, where it is controlled by the Env glycoprotein. We previously reported that a single-amino-acid difference between the laboratory-adapted ROD10 and ROD14 Envs controlled the enhancement of virus release (referred to here as Vpu-like) activity. Here, we investigated how conserved the Vpu-like activity is in primary HIV-2 isolates.

Rare HIV-1 Subtype J Genomes and a New H/U/CRF02_AG Recombinant Genome Suggests an Ancient Origin of HIV-1 in Angola.

Angola has an extremely diverse HIV-1 epidemic fueled in part by the frequent interchange of people with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Republic of Congo (RC). Characterization of HIV-1 strains circulating in Angola should help to better understand the origin of HIV-1 subtypes and recombinant forms and their transmission dynamics. In this study we characterize the first near full-length HIV-1 genomic sequences from HIV-1 infected individuals from Angola.