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Expanding access to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a major tool for management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. However, rising levels of HIV drug-resistance have significantly hampered the anticipated success of ART in persons living with HIV (PLWH), particularly those from Africa. Though great strides have been made in Ghana toward achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target, a substantial number of PLWH receiving ART have not attained viral suppression. This study investigated patterns of drug resistance mutations in ART naïve as well as ART-experienced PLWH receiving first-line regimen drugs from Ghana. In a cross-sectional study, blood samples were collected from HIV-1 infected adults (≥18 years) attending HIV/AIDS clinic at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua, Ghana from September to October 2017. Viral RNA isolated from plasma were subjected to genotypic drug resistance testing for Protease Inhibitors (PI), Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (RTI), and Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTI). A total of 95 (84 ART experienced, 11 ART naïve) HIV-1 infected participants were sampled in this study. Sixty percent (50/84) of the ART-experienced participants were controlling viremia (viral load

The "mere exposure effect" refers to the phenomenon where previous exposures to stimuli increase participants' subsequent affective preference for those stimuli. This study explored the effect of selective attention on the mere exposure effect. The experiments manipulated the to-be-attended drawings in the exposure period (either red or green polygons in Experiments 1 and 2; both red and green polygons in Experiments 3 and 4) and black to-be-evaluated drawings in the affective judgment period (morphologically identical to the red or green polygons in Experiments 1 and 4; morphologically identical to the composite drawings in Experiments 2 and 3). The results showed a significant mere exposure effect only for the target shapes involved in attentional selection, even when the participants could recognize the nontarget shapes. This indicates that selective attention modulated the mere exposure effect. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

The mere exposure effect refers to the phenomenon where previous exposures to stimuli increase participants' subsequent affective preference for those stimuli. This study explored the effect of selective attention on the mere exposure effect. The experiments manipulated the to-be-attended drawings in the exposure period (either red or green polygons in Experiments 1 and 2; both red and green polygons in Experiments 3 and 4) and black to-be-evaluated drawings in the affective judgment period (morphologically identical to the red or green polygons in Experiments 1 and 4; morphologically identical to the composite drawings in Experiments 2 and 3). The results showed a significant mere exposure effect only for the target shapes involved in attentional selection, even when the participants could recognize the nontarget shapes. This indicates that selective attention modulated the mere exposure effect. Keywords: mere exposure effect, affect, selective attention DOI: 10.1037/a0017396

The Th2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 are thought to play critical roles in the airway inflammation and hyperresposiveness that characterize asthma. Recent evidence indicates that IL-13 can mediate these effects by acting directly on airway epithelial cells. Here we evaluated early [signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)6 phosphorylation] and delayed [granuloeyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and transforming growth factor-[[beta].sub.2] (TGF-[[beta].sub.2]) secretion] responses of airway epithelial cells to IL-4 and IL-13 stimulation and the dependence of these responses on the culture technique employed. As expected, normal human bronchial epithelial cells grown on microporous inserts at an air-liquid interface (ALI) expressed a well-differentiated mucociliary phenotype; in contrast, cells grown on plastic in submerged cultures were poorly differentiated. When stimulated with IL-4 or IL-13, the magnitude and duration of STAT6 phosphorylation under the differing culture conditions were statistically indistinguishable. In contrast, cytokine secretion responses to IL-4 and IL-13 were highly dependent on the culture technique; cells cultured on plastic exhibited significant concentration-dependent increases in GM-CSF and TGF-[[beta].sub.2] secretion, whereas cells grown at ALI showed no statistically significant response. These results demonstrate that the coupling between early signal transduction responses to IL-4 and IL-13 and downstream functions such as cytokine secretion may be critically dependent on the cell culture technique employed and the resulting differentiation status of bronchial epithelial cells. bronchial epithelial cells; cell differentiation; interleukin-4/13; granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor; transforming growth factor-[beta]

Author(s): Daniel J. Tschumperlin [1]; Guohao Dai [3]; Ivan V. Maly [3]; Tadashi Kikuchi [2]; Lily H. Laiho [3]; Anna K. McVittie [3]; Kathleen J. Haley [2]; Craig M. Lilly [...]

Aim: After the hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) around 2018, the importance of HAV vaccination was emphasized, especially for MSM‐living with human immunodeficiency virus (MSM‐LWHIV). Aimmugen® is licensed and distributed exclusively in Japan. While administration of three doses is recommended, 85% of recipients in the general population were reported to acquire seroprotection after the second dose. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of two or three vaccine doses along with predictors associated with the response to Aimmugen® in MSM‐LWHIV. Methods: We retrospectively examined anti‐HA‐IgG titers of MSM‐LWHIV vaccinated with Aimmugen® in our hospital. Patients' data were collected from medical records. Results: Between January 2018 and October 2019, 141 subjects whose median age was 46 years old, were examined. All the subjects were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the median CD4 count was 615/μL. The acquisition rate of protectable anti‐HA‐IgG titers after the second and third dose was 71.1% and 98.6%, respectively. In 114 subjects whose anti‐HA‐IgG titers were tested after the second‐dose, factors significantly associated with better response were prolonged ART duration and higher CD4 count. The titers of anti‐HA‐IgG after the third dose were higher in those who became seropositive after the second‐dose than those who did not. Conclusions: Three‐dose of Aimmugen® for MSM‐LWHIV was effective while two‐dose was less effective compared to non‐HIV‐infected people. People‐LWHIV with shorter duration of ART and lesser CD4 cell count achieved lower titers of anti‐HA‐IgG and might require an additional vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol particles collected from the Antarctic with a multi-stage high volume sampler were analyzed using reflection-type laser microprobe mass spectrometry. It was shown that aerosol particles in the Antarctic region were subject to seasonal variations in solar radiation and that they underwent an abnormal increase during the March-April period. The results suggested the possibility of soil particle transport from outside the Antarctic during winter.