Ephrin-A2 and ephrin-A5 guide contralateral targeting but not topographic mapping of ventral cochlear nucleus axons.

Background: In the auditory brainstem, ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) axons project to the contralateral, but not ipsilateral, medial nucleus of trapezoid body (MNTB), terminating in the calyx of Held. Dorsal VCN neurons, representing high frequencies, synapse with medial MNTB neurons, while low frequency-coding ventral VCN neurons synapse with lateral MNTB neurons, reflecting tonotopic organization. The mechanisms that ensure strictly contralateral targeting and topographic ordering are incompletely understood.

Psychosocial factors are the most common contraindications for antiviral therapy at initial evaluation in veterans with chronic hepatitis C.

Goals: To understand the degree to which psychosocial factors were preventing veterans with chronic hepatitis C virus from being eligible for antiviral treatment.

Background: Nearly 2% of the US population is infected with hepatitis C. Antiviral treatment requires substantial adherence despite challenging side effects.