The Iowa Gambling Task on HIV-infected subjects.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and motor dysfunctions, which impact daily functioning and are predictive of poor survival among patients. The diagnosis of HAND is marked by clinically significant declines in multiple domains of neurocognitive functioning. Some patients diagnosed with HAND have social problem; however, higher brain dysfunction is not detected in general neuropsychological assessments and the intelligence quotient may remain unchanged. Impaired decision-making may reduce social and occupational qualities of life. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been developed as a task to evaluate risk predictions at the time of decision-making. In the present study, 38 HIV-infected patients enrolled in our hospital performed IGT and we investigated whether the results obtained are associated with HAND. The median net IGT score of all HIV-infected subjects was significantly lower than that of healthy controls. Patients diagnosed with HAND accounted for 43.8% of the negative net score group. We elucidated the relationship between the net IGT score and HAND for the first time. We think that IGT is a good tool to detect decision-making impairment for ANI and MND. Careful follow-ups of the progression of HAND and increased awareness among HIV-infected patients and medical care workers of the risk of social behavioral disorders, which negatively impact daily life before they are detected, are needed in order to prevent deteriorations in the quality of life of these patients.

Various associations of aging and long-term HIV infection with different neurocognitive functions: detailed analysis of a Japanese nationwide multicenter study.

Detailed information of the effects of age and long-term HIV infection on various neurocognitive function have not been fully evaluated yet. In a prospective Japanese nationwide multicenter study of 17 facilities (J-HAND study), 728 HIV-infected individuals completed 14 neuropsychological (NP) tests; Verbal Fluency (VF; category and letter), Digit Span (DS; forward and backward), Trail Making Test (TMT) A-B, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCFT; copy, immediate and delayed recall), Story Memory Test (SMT; immediate and delayed recall), Digit Symbol Subset (DSS), and the Grooved Pegboard (GP; dominant and non-dominant). Multivariate analysis identified older age (≥ 50 years) to be associated with lower scores in all three ROCFT and GP dominant [odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] 1.801 (1.217-2.664), 2402 (1.366-3.055), 2.691 (1.720-4.211), and 2.302 (1.145-4.628), respectively], whereas longer time since diagnosis was associated with a lower score in ROCFT (delayed recall) (OR 1.224, 95%CI 1.045-1.434). In VF letter, older age and longer time since diagnosis were associated with a better score [OR (95%CI) 0.449 (0.234-0.861) and 0.831 (0.692-0.997)]. In DSS and TMT-A, longer time since diagnosis was associated with a better score [OR (95%CI): 0.808 (0.670-0.973) and 0.795 (0.665-0.949), respectively]. Older patients in later years since diagnosis are at higher risk of visuospatial and motor impairments despite ART, whereas they are less likely to develop verbal impairment, suggesting that verbal function is relatively resistant to aging and long history of HIV infection under ART. These findings suggest that customtailored supports should be established based on the individual background.

Association of age and time of disease with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders: a Japanese nationwide multicenter study.

There is no detailed information on the association between age, time of disease, and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). In this prospective study involving 17 medical facilities across Japan, we recruited HIV-infected patients to complete a 14-test neuropsychological battery that assess eight neurocognitive domains. HAND were diagnosed by the Frascati criteria. Of 1399 recruited patients, 728 were enrolled. The prevalence of HAND was 25.3% [13.5% asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment, 10.6% mild neurocognitive disorder (MND), and 1.2% HIV-associated dementia (HAD)]. Tests that assess executive and visuospatial functions showed better diagnostic accuracy than other tests for HAND. Multivariate analysis identified age (≥ 50 years) and incomplete virological suppression as risk factors for MND and HAD and current ART as a protective factor. The prevalence of MND and HAD was low in the early stage of infection (6.3% in ≥ 2 to < 6 years), then increased in the later stage [17.3% in ≥ 11 years, p = 0.001 (vs. ≥ 2 to < 6 years)], independent of age or treatment. Older patients were more likely to show MND or HAD in the early stage of HIV infection (26.7 vs. 8.7% for < 2 years and 17.4 vs. 3.1% for ≥ 2 to < 6 years, p = 0.040 and 0.004, respectively) compared to younger ones. In conclusion, MND and HAD were more commonly found in later years since diagnosis of HIV infection and older patients are at risk of neurocognitive impairment at the early stage of HIV infection. Tests for executive and visuospatial functions seem more sensitive than other tests for diagnosing HAND.

Molecular cloning of full-length Dmrt1 cDNA of Reeves turtle (Chinemys reevesii).

We cloned and sequenced a full-length open reading frame turtle dmrt1 cDNA (Crdmrt1) that was 1,504 bp in length and encoded 371 amino acid residues. RT-PCR analysis in different tissues of adult male turtle showed that the Crdmrt1 cDNA fragment was only detected in the testis. The amino acid sequence derived from Crdmrt1 demonstrated high homology to sequences from dmrt1 of Pelodiscus sinensis (92% identities and 93% positives) and Elaphe quadrivirgata (75% identities and 83% positives). The deduced amino acid from Crdmrt1 contained a conserved DM domain, a male-specific motif, and a P/S-rich region. In DMRT1 from reptiles, birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish, the amino acid identities and positives for DM domains were 85-100% and 88-100%, respectively, those for male-specific motifs were 47-100% and 60-100%, and those for P/S-rich regions were 24-100% and 35-100%. The module consisted of intertwined CCHC and HCCC Zn(2+)-binding sites in the DM domain and was conserved in all 11 species analyzed in this study. Amino acid sequences of Crdmrt1 and previously reported DMRT1s, DMRT2s, and DMRT3s were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The resulting tree showed that CrDMRT1 belongs to DMRT1, and turtles are a sister group to a cluster of birds and snakes. This is the first study of the cloning of full-length dmrt1 from a reptile.

Vitellogenin, a biomarker for environmental estrogenic pollution, of Reeves' pond turtles: analysis of similarity for its amino acid sequence and cognate mRNA expression after exposure to estrogen.

Vitellogenin (VTG), a biomarker for environmental estrogenic pollution, can be detected in the bloodstream of oviparous animals before morphological and functional abnormalities appear due to exposure to environmental estrogens. Reports observing VTG in turtles have been limited. We therefore cloned and sequenced a partial cDNA of VTG in Reeves' pond turtle, Chinemys reevesii. The cloned cDNA fragment possessed the start codon and 2,229 bp, encoding 743 amino acid residues. A sequence of deduced amino acid from the cDNA did not contain a high serine content, such as that which exists in phosvitin. Two N-glycosylation sites were found in the sequence. The sequence was compared to those of two birds (chicken and herring gull), one amphibian (Xenopus), and five fishes (carp, zebrafish, eel, haddock, and red seabream). The C. reevesii VTG was similar to that of herring gull (78%, value of positives), chicken (76%), Xenopus (69%), eel (63%), red seabream (62%), haddock (62%), carp (62%), and zebrafish (61%). The phylogenetic tree showed that C. reevesii VTG existed between the amphibian and birds, and it was present far from fish VTGs. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method was employed to detect the mRNA expression of the C. reevesii VTG through the use of primers designed from our sequence. The VTG mRNA expression (292 bp) was proven in the total RNA extraction from the liver of the juvenile turtles which were treated with estradiol-17beta. The information herein would be useful for ecotoxicological studies using freshwater turtles and these findings are expected to contribute positively towards wildlife conservation.