It is estimated that more than 90% of the mammalian genome is transcribed as non-coding RNAs. Recent evidences have established that these non-coding transcripts are not junk or just transcriptional noise, but they do serve important biological purpose. One of the rapidly expanding fields of this class of transcripts is the regulatory lncRNAs, which had been a major challenge in terms of their molecular functions and mechanisms of action. The emergence of high-throughput technologies and the development in various conventional approaches have led to the expansion of the lncRNA world. The combination of multidisciplinary approaches has proven to be essential to unravel the complexity of their regulatory networks and helped establish the importance of their existence. Here, we review the current methodologies available for discovering and investigating functions of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and focus on the powerful technological advancement available to specifically address their functional importance.

Technological Developments in lncRNA Biology.

https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/preview/773663/Composite%20modelling%20of%20subaerial%20landslide-tsunamis%20in%20different%20water%20body%20geometries%20updated%20for%20ResearchGate.pdf

Composite modelling of subaerial landslide–tsunamis in different water body geometries and novel insight into slide and wave kinematics

HIV Prevention Trials Network studies are testing a number of new technologies for preventing HIV infections and reducing AIDS morbidity and mortality, but strengthening existing antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs may be among the most promising ways to generate greater health benefits using available resources. A cascade to care for HIV-positive patients has been described-HIV testing, retention in pre-ART care, treatment initiation, and sustained suppression on ART-and it has been noted that many patients are lost at each stage. We constructed a detailed representation by combining data from different sources about each stage. We found that, although currently available data were not sufficient to specify several key aspects, the traditional model of the cascade could not fully reconcile trends in HIV testing, linkage to care, retention in pre-ART care, and retention on ART with the large numbers of persons on ART and the large percentage of patients initiating treatment at late stages of infection. We hypothesize that supplementing the traditional linear cascade model with patient health-seeking behaviors that allow patients who are not in pre-ART care to be initiated on ART, is essential to fully characterizing the current functioning of ART programs. We have termed this additional channel to ART as the "side door." Understanding the relative roles of the different channels to care will be important to intervening effectively to improve the cascade to care, and we propose several new types of data that should be collected. With these insights, it may be possible to considerably strengthen the impact of ART programs.

A side door into care cascade for HIV-infected patients?

Introduction 
Little is known about the role of viral respiratory pathogens in the etiology, seasonality or severity of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.


Methods 
Sentinel surveillance for SARI was conducted from December 2007 through February 2014 at 20 hospitals in Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and Yemen. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs were collected from hospitalized patients meeting SARI case definitions and were analyzed for infection with influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus (AdV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and human parainfluenza virus types 1–3 (hPIV1-3). We analyzed surveillance data to calculate positivity rates for viral respiratory pathogens, describe the seasonality of those pathogens and determine which pathogens were responsible for more severe outcomes requiring ventilation and/or intensive care and/or resulting in death.


Results 
At least one viral respiratory pathogen was detected in 8,753/28,508 (30.7%) samples tested for at least one pathogen and 3,497/9,315 (37.5%) of samples tested for all pathogens–influenza in 3,345/28,438 (11.8%), RSV in 3,942/24,503 (16.1%), AdV in 923/9,402 (9.8%), hMPV in 617/9,384 (6.6%), hPIV1 in 159/9,402 (1.7%), hPIV2 in 85/9,402 (0.9%) and hPIV3 in 365/9,402 (3.9%). Multiple pathogens were identified in 501/9,316 (5.4%) participants tested for all pathogens. Monthly variation, indicating seasonal differences in levels of infection, was observed for all pathogens. Participants with hMPV infections and participants less than five years of age were significantly less likely than participants not infected with hMPV and those older than five years of age, respectively, to experience a severe outcome, while participants with a pre-existing chronic disease were at increased risk of a severe outcome, compared to those with no reported pre-existing chronic disease.


Conclusions 
Viral respiratory pathogens are common among SARI patients in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Ongoing surveillance is important to monitor changes in the etiology, seasonality and severity of pathogens of interest.

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Viral etiology, seasonality and severity of hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory infections in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2007–2014

We compared fecal microbial communities derived either from Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients in remission (n = 4) or in relapse (n = 4), or from healthy subjects (n = 4). These communities were used for inoculation of a dynamic in vitro gut model, which contained integrated mucin-covered microcosms. We found that the microbiota of the ‘mucus’ largely differed from that of the ‘lumen’. This was partly due to decreased mucus-associated populations of lactic acid producing bacterial populations (LAB), as LAB originating from UC patients had a significantly decreased capacity to colonize the mucin-covered microcosms as compared to those originating from healthy subjects. We found significant differences between the metabolomes of UC patients in relapse and remission, respectively, while the metabolome of patients in remission resembled that of healthy subjects. These novel findings constitute an important contribution to the understanding of the complex etiology of UC.

https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/3165238/file/3165255.pdf

Microbiotas from UC patients display altered metabolism and reduced ability of LAB to colonize mucus

Objective To estimate HIV incidence and prevalence in Windhoek, Namibia and to analyze socio-economic factors related to HIV infection Method In 2006/7, baseline surveys were performed with 1,753 private households living in the greater Windhoek area; follow-up visits took place in 2008 and 2009 Face-to-face socio-economic questionnaires were administrated by trained interviewers; biomedical markers were collected by nurses; GPS codes of household residences were recorded Results The HIV prevalence in the population (aged>12 years) was 118% in 2006/7 and 146% in 2009 HIV incidence between 2007 and 2009 was 24 per 100 person year (95%CI = 19-29) HIV incidence and prevalence were higher in female populations HIV incidence appeared non-associated with any socioeconomic factor, indicating universal risk for the population For women a positive trend was found between low per-capita consumption and HIV acquisition A HIV knowledge score was strongly associated with HIV incidence for both men and women High HIV prevalence and incidence was concentrated in the north-western part of the city, an area with lower HIV knowledge, higher HIV risk perception and lower per-capita consumption Discussion The HIV incidence and prevalence figures do not suggest a declining epidemic in Windhoek Higher vulnerability of women is recorded, most likely related to economic dependency and increasing transactional sex in Namibia The lack of relation between HIV incidence and socio-economic factors confirms HIV risks for the overall urban community Appropriate knowledge is strongly associated to lower HIV incidence and prevalence, underscoring the importance of continuous information and education activities for prevention of infection Geographical areas were identified that would require prioritized HIV campaigning

/pdf/incidence-of-hiv-in-windhoek-namibia-demographic-and-socio-1voe26ld3z.pdf

Marielle Aulagnier

Papers

Incidence of HIV in Windhoek, Namibia: demographic and socio-economic associations