Improved antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLWH). At the same time, other complications like metabolic syndrome (MetS) are coming up as new challenges to handle. This review aims to explore the emerging evidence of gut microbiome and virome alterations in human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection and associated metabolic disorders, such as type-2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a focus on their interplay, contribution to immune dysfunction, and potential as therapeutic targets.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnterior cervical fusion surgery is widely performed for cervical spine disorders. While generally effective, late complications such as vertebral fractures in fused segments are rare but clinically significant, especially in elderly patients with bone fragility. We report here the case of an 84-year-old woman who developed a flexion deformity fracture at a fused cervical segment more than 20 years after anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion with autologous iliac bone grafting and C4 laminoplasty.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe global circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in human populations has driven the emergence of Omicron subvariants, which have become highly diversified through recombination. In late 2024, SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XEC variant emerged from the recombination of two JN.1 progeny, KS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRetroviruses integrate their genetic material into the host genome, enabling persistent infection. Human T cell leukaemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) share similarities in genome structure and target cells, yet their infection dynamics differ drastically. While HIV-1 leads to high viral replication and immune system collapse, HTLV-1 establishes latency, promoting the survival of infected cells and, in some cases, leading to leukaemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteopetrosis is a rare group of genetic disorders characterized by excessive bone density due to impaired osteoclast function and can lead to various complications, including fractures and immune dysfunction. We describe the case of a 63-year-old man with osteopetrosis who presented with cervical discomfort and was diagnosed with an anterior arch fracture of the atlas, a rare spontaneous fracture following C1 laminectomy. Initially, no neurological abnormalities were observed, and imaging confirmed the continuity of the transverse ligament.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
February 2025
The apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3 (APOBEC3/A3) family of cytosine deaminases serves as a key innate immune barrier against invading retroviruses and endogenous retroelements. The A3 family's restriction activity against these parasites primarily arises from their ability to catalyze cytosine-to-uracil conversions, resulting in genome editing and the accumulation of lethal mutations in viral genomes. Additionally, non-editing mechanisms, including deaminase-independent pathways, such as blocking viral reverse transcription, have been proposed as antiviral strategies employed by A3 family proteins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The pathomechanism of dropped head syndrome (DHS) is unclear. In this study, we aimed to examine the features of the paraspinal cervical muscles in patients with DHS by analyzing the volume of these muscles using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Methods: Thirty-six patients with DHS and 25 patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (controls) were enrolled.
J Hand Surg Asian Pac Vol
February 2025
Background: Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that escape neutralising antibodies hampers the development of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. IGHV3-53/3-66-derived public antibodies, which are generally specific to the prototype virus and are frequently induced in infected or vaccinated individuals, show minimal affinity maturation and high potency against prototype SARS-CoV-2.
Methods: Monoclonal antibodies isolated from a Delta breakthrough infection case were analysed for cross-neutralising activities against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
The introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has greatly improved the quality of life of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals. Nonetheless, the ever-present desire to seek out a full remedy for HIV-1 infections makes the discovery of novel antiviral medication compelling. Owing to this, a new late-stage inhibitor, Lenacapavir/Sunlenca, an HIV multi-phase suppressor, was clinically authorized in 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has acquired multiple mutations since its emergence. Analyses of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes from infected patients exhibit a bias toward C-to-U mutations, which are suggested to be caused by the apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme polypeptide-like 3 (APOBEC3, A3) cytosine deaminase proteins. However, the role of A3 enzymes in SARS-CoV-2 replication remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrobiol Immunol
September 2024
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
March 2024
Cell Host Microbe
February 2024
Lancet Infect Dis
November 2023
Purpose: Previous reports on the outcome of conservative treatment for dropped head syndrome (DHS) are scarce. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of conservative treatment for DHS and to identify possible predictive factors relating to the outcome.
Methods: Among 76 DHS patients, conservative treatment (2-3 months collar application, active neck range of motion exercise, and occasional prescription of analgesics) succeeded in 17 patients (22.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inactivation of pH-dependent graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets is presented. The observed virus inactivation using an authentic virus (Delta variant) and different GO dispersions at pH 3, 7, and 11 suggests that the higher pH of the GO dispersion yields a better performance compared to that of GO at neutral or lower pH. The current findings can be ascribed to the pH-driven functional group change and the overall charge of GO, favorable for the attachment between GO nanosheets and virus particles.
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