Rare variants in the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) are associated with abdominal fat and insulin resistance in youth with obesity.

Background: Rare variants in melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) result in a severe form of early-onset obesity; however, it is unclear how these variants may affect abdominal fat distribution, intrahepatic fat accumulation, and related metabolic sequelae.

Methods: Eight hundred seventy-seven youth (6-21 years) with overweight/obesity, recruited from the Yale Pediatric Obesity Clinic in New Haven, CT, underwent genetic analysis to screen for functionally damaging, rare variants (MAF < 0.01) in MC4R.

HSV-2 triggers upregulation of MALAT1 in CD4+ T cells and promotes HIV latency reversal.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) coinfection is associated with increased HIV-1 viral loads and expanded tissue reservoirs, but the mechanisms are not well defined. HSV-2 recurrences result in an influx of activated CD4+ T cells to sites of viral replication and an increase in activated CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood. We hypothesized that HSV-2 induces changes in these cells that facilitate HIV-1 reactivation and replication and tested this hypothesis in human CD4+ T cells and 2D10 cells, a model of HIV-1 latency.

Information and communications technology use to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in low- and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map.

Background: The use of information and communications technologies (ICT) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) has increased significantly in the last several years, particularly in health, including related areas such as preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women and children. While the evidence for ICT effectiveness has grown significantly in the past 5 years in other aspects of health, it has not for effectiveness of using ICT for the prevention and response to SGBV against women and children in LMIC.

Objectives: The primary goal of this evidence and gap map (EGM) is to establish a baseline for the state of the evidence connected with the use of ICT for preventing and responding to SGBV against women and children in LMIC.

Tissue-specific modifier alleles determine loss-of-function traits.

Knockout (KO) mouse models play critical roles in elucidating biological processes behind disease-associated or disease-resistant traits. As a presumed consequence of gene KO, mice display certain phenotypes. Based on insight into the molecular role of said gene in a biological process, it is inferred that the particular biological process causally underlies the trait.

HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Uptake and Continuation Among Key Populations in Cameroon: Lessons Learned From the CHAMP Program.

Introduction: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is proven to be a highly effective HIV prevention method for key populations. However, its scale-up in resource-limited settings remains suboptimal. This paper seeks to describe PrEP initiation and continuation among key populations in Cameroon.