Seroprotection against tetanus in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants in Malawi in 2019-2020.

In Malawi, tetanus toxoid vaccination (TTV) is recommended in pregnancy, but few studies have assessed the prevalence of infant seroprotection against tetanus. Anti-TT levels from 84 6-week-old infants, born in 2019-2020 to mothers living with HIV (HEU: HIV-exposed-uninfected) infants and to HIV-negative women (HUU: HIV-unexposed-uninfected) infants were determined by ELISA assay. Although 94% of the infants (HEU=94.

Modulating Efficiency and Color of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence by Rationalizing the Substitution Effect.

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) constitutes the process by which third-generation organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are being designed and produced. Despite several years of trial-and-error attempts, mainly driven by chemical intuition about how to improve a certain aspect of the process, few studies focused on the in-depth description of its two key properties: efficiency of the T → S intersystem crossing and further S → S emission. Here, by means of a newly developed theoretical formalism, we propose a systematic rationalization of the substituent effect in a paradigmatic class of OLED compounds, based on phenothiazine-dibenzothiophene-,-dioxide, known as PTZ-DBTO2.

Insufficient measles antibody protection in 6-month-old Malawian infants: Reconsider vaccination schedule?

Measles vaccination is currently recommended at 9 months, since maternal antibodies are supposed to protect infants until that age. In this study of 6-month-old Malawian infants 98.3% (58/59) had non-protective IgG levels against measles, irrespective of HIV exposure.

Micronutrient and Nutritional Status of HIV-Exposed and HIV-Unexposed Malawian Infants in the First Year of Life: Assessment of Ferritin, Vitamin A, and D Status and Its Association with Growth.

Breastfed Malawian infants from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-uninfected and HIV-infected women who received antiretroviral therapy were followed until 12 months of age, allowing us to evaluate plasma levels of ferritin, vitamin A (as retinol-binding protein, RBP), and vitamin D (25(OH)D) at six months, as well as nutritional status and growth between six and 12 months. Ferritin and RBP levels were adjusted for inflammation. The study included 88 infants, 63 of whom were part of a recent cohort (2019-2021) that included 49 HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) and 14 HIV-unexposed and uninfected (HUU) infants, as well as 25 infants (all HEU) from an earlier cohort (2008-2011).

Cytomegalovirus viremia in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants in Malawi.

In sub-Saharan Africa the great majority of infants acquire Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection within the first year of life. Maternal long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been suggested to reduce the rate of CMV acquisition in HIV-exposed infants. In the present study serum samples collected at 6 months of age from HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants were analyzed for the presence of CMV DNA (with CMV positivity defined by levels of CMV DNA > 1000 UI/ml).

Electro- and photochemical H generation by Co(ii) polypyridyl-based catalysts bearing -substituted pyridines.

Cobalt(ii) complexes featuring hexadentate amino-pyridyl ligands have been recently discovered as highly active catalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER), whose high performance arises from the possibility of assisting proton transfer processes intramolecular routes involving detached pyridine units. With the aim of gaining insights into such catalytic routes, three new proton reduction catalysts based on amino-polypyridyl ligands are reported, focusing on substitution of the pyridine position. Specifically, a carboxylate (C2) and two hydroxyl substituted pyridyl moieties (C3, C4) are introduced with the aim of promoting intramolecular proton transfer which possibly enhances the efficiency of the catalysts.

Binding of Nitriles and Isonitriles to V(III) and Mo(III) Complexes: Ligand vs Metal Controlled Mechanism.

The synthesis and structures of nitrile complexes of V(N[Bu]Ar), (Ar = 3,5-MeCH), are described. Thermochemical and kinetic data for their formation were determined by variable temperature Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), calorimetry, and stopped-flow techniques. The extent of back-bonding from metal to coordinated nitrile indicates that electron donation from the metal to the nitrile plays a less prominent role for than for the related complex Mo(N[Bu]Ar), .

Production of Dihydrogen Using Ammonia Borane as Reagent and Pyrazole as Catalyst.

Theoretical chemistry (DLPNO-CCSD(T)/def2-TZVP//M06-2x/aug-cc-pVDZ) was used to design a system based on ammonia boranes catalyzed by pyrazoles with the aim of producing dihydrogen, nowadays of high interest as clean fuel. The reactivity of ammonia borane and cyclotriborazane were investigated, including catalytic activation through 1H-pyrazole, 4-methoxy-1H-pyrazole, and 4-nitro-1H-pyrazole. The results point toward a catalytic cycle by which, at the same time, ammonia borane can initially store and then, through catalysis, produce dihydrogen and amino borane.

Screening approaches for cervical cancer in Mozambique in HIV positive and negative women.

Objective: Cervical cancer (CC) is a global health issue, in Mozambique, 5300 new cases and 3800 deaths are reported each year. The WHO recommends the introduction of HPV molecular testing for CC screening, but Mozambique uses an approach based on visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) testing compared to actual approaches in Mozambique.

Taking up the quest for novel molecular solar thermal systems: Pros and cons of storing energy with cubane and cubadiene.

Molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems are working their way as a possible technology to store solar light and release it when necessary. Such systems could, in principle, constitute a solution to the energy storage problem characteristic of solar cells and are conceived, at a first instance, as simple molecular photoswitches. Nevertheless, the optimization of their different required properties is presently limiting their technological scale up.

Early detection of poor glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa: a cohort study in Mozambique.

Introduction: WHO estimates 422 million cases of diabetes mellitus worldwide. Mozambique has the second-highest mortality related to DM in the African region.Objectives of the present study are to provide data about a DM care service in Mozambique and to evaluate early outcomes of treatment.

Revealing the Molecular Interactions between Human ACE2 and the Receptor Binding Domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type, Alpha and Delta Variants.

After a sudden and first spread of the pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2) wild-type strain, mutants have emerged which have been associated with increased infectivity, inducing surges in the contagions. The first of the so-called variants of concerns, was firstly isolated in the United Kingdom and later renamed Alpha variant. Afterwards, in the middle of 2021, a new variant appeared called Delta.

Enhancing retention in care in HIV-infected adolescents during COVID-19 in Mozambique: results from the DREAM program.

Introduction: Around 1,7 million adolescents aged 10-19 years worldwide are infected with HIV, 84% of them living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mozambique is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of HIV in the world. According to UNAIDS, HIV services for adolescents should be tailored and specifically designed for them.

A 12-month Prospective Study of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Women and Their Infants in Malawi: Comparative Analysis of Clinical Events and Infant Growth.

Few studies have compared clinical outcomes in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) infants in the current scenario of universal and lifelong maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected Malawian women receiving ART and their breastfed infants were followed for 12 months postpartum, analyzing the rates of infectious and noninfectious events and assessing infant growth at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. The cohorts included 227 mothers (70 HIV-negative, 157 HIV-positive) and 235 infants (72 HUU, 163 HEU).

Maternal retention and early infant HIV diagnosis in a prospective cohort study of HIV-positive women and their children in Malawi.

Background: Post-partum loss to follow-up and lack of early HIV infant diagnosis (EID) can significantly affect the efficiency of programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Methods: In a prospective observational study 167 women were enrolled at week 36 of gestation and followed with their infants up to one year after delivery. Retention was defined as the proportion of women who attended the 12 months visit and EID as an HIV PCR test performed within 2 months.

Cognitive benefits of using non-invasive compared to implantable neural feedback.

A non-optimal prosthesis integration into an amputee's body schema suggests some important functional and health consequences after lower limb amputation. These include low perception of a prosthesis as a part of the body, experiencing it as heavier than the natural limb, and cognitively exhausting use for users. Invasive approaches, exploiting the surgical implantation of electrodes in residual nerves, improved prosthesis integration by restoring natural and somatotopic sensory feedback in transfemoral amputees.

Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in Malawian infants between February 2020 and May 2021.

Background: Very limited information is available on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in infants in sub-Saharan countries.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the rate and the temporal evolution of SARS CoV-2 seropositivity in breastfed Malawian infants.

Study Design: Blood samples ( = 250) from 158 infants, born to HIV-negative women and women living with HIV, collected from February 2020 to May 2021, were first tested using an Anti-IgG/A/M SARS CoV 2 ELISA assay against trimeric spike protein, and then, if positive, confirmed using a second ELISA assay detecting IgG against Receptor Binding Domain.

Mortality of Puerto Ricans in the USA post Hurricane Maria: an interrupted time series analysis.

Objectives: To determine death occurrences of Puerto Ricans on the mainland USA following the arrival of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in September 2017.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: Persons of Puerto Rican origin on the mainland USA.

Optimally-calibrated non-invasive feedback improves amputees' metabolic consumption, balance and walking confidence.

Lower-limb amputees suffer from a variety of health problems, including higher metabolic consumption and low mobility. These conditions are linked to the lack of a natural sensory feedback (SF) from their prosthetic device, which forces them to adopt compensatory walking strategies that increase fatigue. Recently, both invasive (i.

Improving Male Partner Involvement in HIV-Positive Women's Care Through Behavioral Change Interventions in Malawi (WeMen Study): A Prospective, Controlled Before-and-After Study.

Several strategies and interventions have been implemented to improve male partner involvement (MI) in Sub-Saharan Africa, but evidence on successful interventions is scarce. This controlled before-and-after intervention study aims to evaluate the impact of three interventions on male partners' involvement in HIV+ women's care in Malawi. We piloted these three interventions: the organization of a special day for men, the deployment of male champions in communities to increase awareness on MI, and the delivery of an incentive (food package) for couples attending the facility.

Specific Recognition of the 5'-Untranslated Region of West Nile Virus Genome by Human Innate Immune System.

In the last few years, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 proved the crucial importance of understanding how emerging viruses work and proliferate, in order to avoid the repetition of such a dramatic sanitary situation with unprecedented social and economic costs. West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne pathogen that can spread to humans and induce severe neurological problems. This RNA virus caused recent remarkable outbreaks, notably in Europe, highlighting the need to investigate the molecular mechanisms of its infection process in order to design and propose efficient antivirals.

Autophagy and evasion of the immune system by SARS-CoV-2. Structural features of the non-structural protein 6 from wild type and Omicron viral strains interacting with a model lipid bilayer.

The viral cycle of SARS-CoV-2 is based on a complex interplay with the cellular machinery, which is mediated by specific proteins eluding or hijacking the cellular defense mechanisms. Among the complex pathways induced by the viral infection, autophagy is particularly crucial and is strongly influenced by the action of the non-structural protein 6 (Nsp6) interacting with the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Importantly, differently from other non-structural proteins, Nsp6 is mutated in the recently emerged Omicron variant, suggesting a possible different role of autophagy.

Characteristics of nursing homes and early preventive measures associated with risk of infection from COVID-19 in Lazio region, Italy: a retrospective case-control study.

Objectives: To understand which organisational-structural characteristics of nursing homes-also referred to as long-term care facilities (LTCFs)-and the preventative measures adopted in response to the pandemic are associated with the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak.

Setting: LTCFs in Lazio region in Italy.

Design: The study adopts a case-control design.

Controlling Antimicrobial Activity of Quinolones Using Visible/NIR Light-Activated BODIPY Photocages.

Controlling the activity of a pharmaceutical agent using light offers improved selectivity, reduction of adverse effects, and decreased environmental build-up. These benefits are especially attractive for antibiotics. Herein, we report a series of photoreleasable quinolones, which can be activated using visible/NIR light (520-800 nm).