Screening for cryptococcal antigenemia and meningeal cryptococcosis, genetic characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans in asymptomatic patients with advanced HIV disease in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

We evaluated the prevalence of serum and meningeal cryptococcosis in asymptomatic outpatients with advanced HIV disease (CD4 < 200 cells/mm3) in a cross-sectional screening context in Kinshasa clinics (DRC). Lumbar puncture (LP) was performed in patients with positive serum cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) test, and Cryptococcus spp. isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS, and characterized using serotyping-PCR, ITS-sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Alterations of white matter microstructure in migraine patients vary in the peri-ictal phases.

Alterations in white matter (WM) microstructure are commonly found in migraine patients. Here, we employ a longitudinal study of episodic migraine without aura using diffusion MRI (dMRI) to investigate whether such WM microstructure alterations vary through the different phases of the pain cycle. Fourteen patients with episodic migraine without aura related with menstruation were scanned through four phases of their (spontaneous) migraine cycle (interictal, preictal, ictal and postictal).

Investigating experiences of stigma and its impact on substance use recovery among residents of recovery residences in the United States: A scoping review protocol. BSGH 020.

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to systematically review the literature on stigma experienced by residents in recovery residences and its impact on substance use recovery outcomes.

Method: The review will use the PRISMA-ScR framework to identify studies focused on stigma and recovery in recovery residences published in English within the United States since 2000, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies. Data will be extracted and analyzed thematically to identify gaps in the literature and inform future research and policy development.

A qualitative description of HIV testing and healthcare experiences among trans women in Ghanaian urban slums BSGH-012.

Achieving the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets hinges on identifying and engaging individuals with HIV in care, requiring 90% of those infected to be diagnosed, initiated on ART, and achieving viral suppression. Despite this imperative, HIV testing services as well as research in Ghana often overlook the unique experiences of transgender women in urban slums, impacting their engagement with care. Using the gender affirmative model lens, this study reports the HIV testing experiences of trans women in Ghanaian slums, highlighting how the healthcare environment, counseling, and healthcare provider attitudes shape these experiences.

Spiritual care in Portuguese palliative care settings: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Spirituality is a core dimension of palliative care. However, Portuguese palliative care teams do not have many spiritual care resources.

Methods: Cross-sectional and observational survey studies were used to characterise spiritual care resources in Portuguese palliative care teams based on a non-probabilistic convenience sampling.

Low friction hydrogel with diclofenac eluting ability for dry eye therapeutic contact lenses.

When placed in the eye, contact lenses (CLs) disturb the tear fluid and affect the natural tribological behaviour of the eye. The disruption in the contact mechanics between the ocular tissues can increase frictional shear stress and ocular dryness, causing discomfort. Ultimately, continuous CLs wear can trigger inflammation which is particularly critical for people suffering from dry eye.

Multi-omic network analysis identifies dysregulated neurobiological pathways in opioid addiction.

Background: Opioid addiction is a worldwide public health crisis. In the United States, for example, opioids cause more drug overdose deaths than any other substance. Yet, opioid addiction treatments have limited efficacy, meaning that additional treatments are needed.

Positive Childhood Experiences and Adult Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Although positive childhood experiences (PCEs) may serve as protective factors against the negative consequences of childhood adversity, they have been less extensively studied. However, more recently, there has been a growing interest in understanding the role of these experiences. This systematic review aims to address this research gap by systematizing the existing literature on PCEs and examining their relationship with both positive and negative outcomes.

Tubulin glutamylation regulates axon guidance via the selective tuning of microtubule-severing enzymes.

The microtubule cytoskeleton is a major driving force of neuronal circuit development. Fine-tuned remodelling of this network by selective activation of microtubule-regulating proteins, including microtubule-severing enzymes, has emerged as a central process in neuronal wiring. Tubulin posttranslational modifications control both microtubule properties and the activities of their interacting proteins.

Safety and Feasibility of Early Activity-Based Therapy Following Severe Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Results from a Single-Arm Pilot Trial.

Early activity-based therapy (E-ABT) has the potential to decrease complications and radically improve neurofunctional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Unfortunately, E-ABT after TSCI has never been attempted in humans due to practical obstacles and potential safety concerns. This study aims to report on the safety and feasibility outcomes of the Protocol for Rapid Onset of Mobilization in Patients with Traumatic SCI (PROMPT-SCI) trial: the first-ever trial of E-ABT in critically ill patients who suffered a severe TSCI.

Incidence and duration of human papillomavirus infections in young women: insights from a bimonthly follow-up cohort.

Background: We studied the duration of HPV detection and risk of (re-) detection for 25 HPV genotypes in a cohort of 132 women followed every eight weeks for up to two years between 2016 and 2020. Participants were between 18 and 25 years old at inclusion and half of them were vaccinated against HPV. They were recruited near the University and the STI detection centre in Montpellier, France.

Latent encoding of movement in primary visual cortex.

Neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) are classically thought to encode spatial features of visual stimuli through simple population codes: each neuron exhibits a preferred orientation and preferred spatial frequency that are invariant to other aspects of the visual stimulus. Here, we show that this simple rule does not apply to the representation of major features of stimulus motion, including stimulus direction and temporal frequency (TF). We collected an extensive dataset of cat V1 responses to stimuli covarying in orientation, direction, spatial frequency, and TF to assess the extent of motion selectivity.

Spectrum of Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor-Associated Drug Resistance Mutations in Persons Living with HIV-1 Receiving Rilpivirine.

Introduction: Few data are currently available on the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NNRTI) resistance mutations selected in persons living with HIV-1 (PLWH) who develop virological failure while receiving rilpivirine (RPV).

Methods: We analyzed pooled HIV-1 RT genotypic data from 280 PLWH in the multicenter EuResist database and 115 PLWH in the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database (HIVDB) who received RPV as their only NNRTI.

Results: Among the 395 PLWH receiving RPV, 180 (45.

Home Parenteral Support in Chronic Intestinal Failure-First Results from a Pioneer Portuguese Intestinal Failure Center.

Background/objectives: Home parenteral support (HPS) is the core of chronic intestinal failure (IF) treatment. For legal reasons, HPS in Portugal lags behind other European countries, and only a few patients were taken care of at home by nurses. Now, the legislation has changed, allowing patient self-care.

Targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 (VEGFR-2): Latest Insights on Synthetic Strategies.

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) is a crucial mediator of angiogenesis, playing a pivotal role in both normal physiological processes and cancer progression. Tumors harness VEGFR-2 signaling to promote abnormal blood vessel growth, which is a key step in the metastasis process, making it a valuable target for anticancer drug development. While there are VEGFR-2 inhibitors approved for therapeutic use, they face challenges like drug resistance, off-target effects, and adverse side effects, limiting their effectiveness.

Lipid-Based Nanoformulations for Drug Delivery: An Ongoing Perspective.

Oils and lipids help make water-insoluble drugs soluble by dispersing them in an aqueous medium with the help of a surfactant and enabling their absorption across the gut barrier. The emergence of microemulsions (thermodynamically stable), nanoemulsions (kinetically stable), and self-emulsifying drug delivery systems added unique characteristics that make them suitable for prolonged storage and controlled release. In the 1990s, solid-phase lipids were introduced to reduce drug leakage from nanoparticles and prolong drug release.

Dose-Dependent Cognitive Decline, Anxiety, and Locomotor Impairments Induced by Doxorubicin: Evidence from an Animal Model.

Cognitive impairment and anxiety are common side effects of chemotherapy, particularly with the use of doxorubicin (DOX), known as "chemobrain". This study aimed to examine the dose-dependent effects of DOX on cognitive decline, anxiety, and locomotor activity in healthy female Wistar rats. The rats were divided into groups receiving low (2 mg/kg), intermediate (4 mg/kg), and high (5 mg/kg) doses of DOX for four weeks, alongside a control group.

Gla Rich Protein (GRP) Mediates Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell (VSMC) Osteogenic Differentiation, Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Calcification Propensity, and Immunomodulatory Properties.

Vascular calcification (VC) is a complex process involving vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) osteogenic differentiation, inflammation, and extracellular vesicle (EV) calcification and communication networks. Gla rich protein (GRP) is a calcification inhibitor involved in most of these processes. However, the molecular mechanism of GRP in VC and the specific characteristics, cargo, and functionality of calcifying EVs require further elucidation.

Microbiota Orchestra in Parkinson's Disease: The Nasal and Oral Maestros.

Unlabelled: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, leading to a range of motor and non-motor symptoms.

Background/objectives: Over the past decade, studies have identified a potential link between the microbiome and PD pathophysiology. The literature suggests that specific bacterial communities from the gut, oral, and nasal microbiota may be involved in neuroinflammatory processes, which are hallmarks of PD.

Apoptosis: A Comprehensive Overview of Signaling Pathways, Morphological Changes, and Physiological Significance and Therapeutic Implications.

Cell survival and death are intricately governed by apoptosis, a meticulously controlled programmed cell death. Apoptosis is vital in facilitating embryonic development and maintaining tissue homeostasis and immunological functioning. It is a complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways that ultimately converges on executing the apoptotic program.