Changes in Substance Use Symptoms Across Adolescence in Youth Perinatally Infected with HIV.

The paper utilizes data collected at three time points in a longitudinal study of perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) and a comparison group of perinatally exposed but HIV-uninfected (PHEU) youths in the United States (N = 325). Using growth curve modeling, the paper examines changes in substance use symptoms among PHIV+ and PHEU youths as they transition through adolescence, and assesses the individual and contextual factors associated with the rate of change in substance use symptoms. Findings indicate that substance use symptoms increased over time among PHIV+ youths, but not among PHEU youths. The rate of change in these symptoms was positively associated with an increasing number of negative life events. Study findings underscore the need for early, targeted interventions for PHIV+ youths, and interventions to reduce adversities and their deleterious effects in vulnerable populations.

Exploring complex pheromone biosynthetic processes in the bumblebee male labial gland by RNA sequencing.

Male marking pheromones (MPs) are used by the majority of bumblebee species (Hymenoptera: Apidae), including a commercially important greenhouse pollinator, the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), to attract conspecific females. MP biosynthetic processes in the cephalic part of the bumblebee male labial gland (LG) are of extraordinary complexity, involving enzymes of fatty acid and isoprenoid biosynthesis, which jointly produce more than 50 compounds. We employed a differential transcriptomic approach to identify candidate genes involved in MP biosynthesis by sequencing Bombus terrestris LG and fat body (FB) transcriptomes. We identified 12 454 abundantly expressed gene products (reads per kilobase of exon model per million mapped reads value > 1) that had significant hits in the GenBank nonredundant database. Of these, 876 were upregulated in the LG (> 4-fold difference). We identified more than 140 candidate genes potentially involved in MP biosynthesis, including esterases, fatty acid reductases, lipases, enzymes involved in limited fatty acid chain shortening, neuropeptide receptors and enzymes involved in biosynthesis of triacylglycerols, isoprenoids and fatty acids. For selected candidates, we confirmed their abundant expression in LG using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). Our study shows that the Bombus terrestris LG transcriptome reflects both fatty acid and isoprenoid MP biosynthetic processes and identifies rational gene targets for future studies to disentangle the molecular basis of MP biosynthesis. Additionally, LG and FB transcriptomes enrich the available transcriptomic resources for Bombus terrestris.

Patients with special needs within treatment under general anesthesia - meta-analysis.

The study evaluates results obtained from the documentation of patients with special needs, who have undergone treatment under general anesthesia at the pediatric dentistry department. DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) was used for comparison. A sample of 1,836 children from our dental clinic was evaluated. The sample was divided into two groups - special patient and disabled patient populations. A group of 5 years old children was chosen on the bases of WHO guidelines for the setting of the oral health status. A descriptive statistical analysis of the mean standard deviation was conducted with a focus on three factors: sex, age and year. A questionnaire was prepared to compare the oral health habits in the families of the patients. A literary review was conducted to compare the results with other studies from various countries. The meta-analysis using the software MedCalc was done. The DMFT of the patient was counted (disabled DMFT 11.05 - SD 4.82, special patient population 8.8 - SD 3.7) and the descriptive statistics mean standard deviation was calculated. The significant difference between the DMFT of disabled patient and special patient population was exerted (p<0.00003). It was statistically evaluated that the data gained from the studies and from the WHO as population average for 5 years old children are situated under the minimum limit of the confidence interval for our study. The meta-analysis confirmed the hypothesis that oral health status of the special needs children is worse than in other countries.