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Background: Chronic respiratory illnesses and respiratory infections are common in HIV-positive populations. It seems reasonable that HIV-positive people experience more respiratory symptoms, such as coughing and breathlessness, than those who are HIV-negative. Objectives: This study aims to determine the frequency of respiratory symptoms in an urban African HIV-positive population. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2016–2017. Four groups of participants were included: HIV-positive participants (1) not yet on antiretroviral therapy (ART), (2) on first-line ART, (3) on second-line ART and (4) age- and sex-matched HIV-negative controls. Data were collected on socio-demographics, respiratory risk factors and respiratory symptoms. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if respiratory symptoms differed between groups and to identify determinants associated with symptoms. Results: Overall, 547 participants were included, of whom 62% were women, with a median age of 37 years. Of these patients, 63% (347) were HIV-positive, 26% were ART-naïve, 24% were on first-line ART and 50% were on second-line ART. Cough and/or productive cough was reported by 27 (5%), wheezing by 9 (2%) and breathlessness by 118 (22%) of the participants. The frequency of these symptoms did not differ by HIV status after adjustment for age and sex. Breathlessness was associated with age, female sex, obesity, a history of respiratory infection and a history of airway hyper-reactivity. Conclusion: The frequency of respiratory symptoms was low in our study population except for breathlessness. HIV-positive participants, whether or not on ART, did not experience more symptoms than HIV-negative participants.

Dogs provide highly valuable models of human disease due to the similarity in phenotype presentation and the ease of genetic analysis. Seven Saluki puppies were investigated for neurological abnormalities including seizures and altered behavior. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a diffuse, marked reduction in cerebral cortical thickness, and symmetrical T2 hyperintensity in specific brain regions. Cerebral cortical atrophy with vacuolation (status spongiosus) was noted on necropsy. Genome-wide association study of 7 affected and 28 normal Salukis revealed a genome-wide significantly associated region on CFA 35. Whole-genome sequencing of three confirmed cases from three different litters revealed a homozygous missense variant within the aldehyde dehydrogenase 5 family member A1 (ALDH5A1) gene (XM_014110599.2: c.866G>A; XP_013966074.2: p.(Gly288Asp). ALDH5A1 encodes a succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) enzyme critical in the gamma-aminobutyric acid neurotransmitter (GABA) metabolic pathway. Metabolic screening of affected dogs showed markedly elevated gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain, and elevated succinate semialdehyde in urine, CSF and brain. SSADH activity in the brain of affected dogs was low. Affected Saluki dogs had striking similarities to SSADH deficiency in humans although hydroxybutyric aciduria was absent in affected dogs. ALDH5A1-related SSADH deficiency in Salukis provides a unique translational large animal model for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Microvascular inflammation (MVI) in kidney transplant biopsies is mainly associated with antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), sparking debate within the Banff Classification of Renal Allograft Pathology regarding its exclusivity. This study reviewed the literature on MVI in T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) and analyzed MVI in our transplant population. We searched English publications in MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google Scholar until June 2024, focusing on glomerulitis (g), peritubular capillaritis (ptc), or MVI in kidney transplant biopsies classified as TCMR. Additionally, we examined g, ptc, and MVI in 69 patients with AMR, TCMR, and no rejection. Our search yielded 541 citations, with 10 studies included, covering 810 TCMR and 156 AMR biopsies. The studies showed g, ptc, and MVI were present in TCMR but were less prevalent and severe than in AMR. In our cohort, AMR had significantly higher g, ptc, and MVI scores compared to aTCMR and ATN, however, aTCMR also displayed MVI. These findings confirm that MVI occurs in aTCMR and should not be exclusively linked to AMR. These findings highlight the need to further explore MVI’s significance in TCMR and investigate the inflammatory composition. This could refine the Banff Classification, improving Classification accuracy of kidney transplant pathology assessments.

The current environmental, climate and health challenges require critical transitions to diets and food production systems that are more sustainable, in turn providing diets that are adequate nutrition, affordable and environmentally friendly. Recent studies have identified cultural acceptability as an important dimension in sustainable diets(1). Mathematical optimization models have been developed to deal with the complexities of all the dimensions, yet diet acceptability has had limited successful integration into these models(2). This systematic review explored two research questions in the context of dietary optimisation studies; how is acceptability defined and operationalised?; how does including acceptability impact dietary optimisation solutions? A hybrid search strategy was implemented. The first used the PRISMA guidelines to conduct a systematic search on two electronic databases (PubMed, Embase) for articles published between January 2013 and April 2024. Search terms were developed through preliminary readings and included: diet OR diets OR dietary AND modelling OR modeling OR optimisation OR optimization OR optimize OR optimize OR linear programming AND acceptabl*. Articles in English optimising acceptable diets for adults (18+) were included. The second used the snowball method for identifying relevant articles from previous searches(3). Backward snowballing was conducted by identifying references from the initial set and forward snowballing was conducted through Web of Science in June 2023. Fifty-one studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. European countries had the largest representation (n = 41; 20 from France, 7 from The Netherlands); 43 studies took a population-based modelling approach, 7 on individual-based modelling and 1 study used both approaches. The review identified 12 modelling approaches, where linear programming was most frequently used (n = 26), followed by non-linear programming (n = 7) and quadratic (n = 6). The majority of studies that optimised for acceptability used the minimal deviation from observed diet as the objective function (n = 32). Baseline dietary data for observed diets were primarily from National surveys (n = 36), followed by local surveys (n = 5), however, 25 studies used data that was 8 – 16 years older than the publication date. Majority of studies included at least one acceptability constraint (n = 45), ranging from setting boundaries on certain foods (n = 34), removal of certain foods/food groups (n = 12), limiting deviation (n = 15). The full analysis of the studies is ongoing; however the current results highlight the varying methods used to operationalising 'acceptable' diets in diet optimisation literature. A conceptual framework for integrating acceptability into diet optimisation studies is currently under development, aiming to highlight the various ways in which 'acceptability' is operationalised through the modelling process from data inputs, models chosen to validation of the solutions. It is anticipated that this work will highlight new opportunities for further modelling for acceptable diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incarcerated individuals are vulnerable and might face more health challenges as their dietary intake and physical activity are limited to what their national or institutional policies offer or allow. Excess weight might increase the risk of metabolic disorders, affecting the overall health status and increasing the financial burden on medical care within prisons and the community once incarcerated individuals are released after incarceration.(1) Some reports show a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among incarcerated individuals in developed countries.(2) However, evidence from developing countries is underreported.(3) The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the nutritional status of incarcerated populations in developing and developed countries. Systematic searches were conducted in Embase, Medline and Cochrane databases for crosssectional studies or baseline data from longitudinal or intervention studies of adults who were incarcerated. Studies that reported on nutritional status (body weight, body height, or BMI), as well as the prevalence of overweight or obesity, were included. Overweight and obesity proportions within studies were pooled into a meta-analysis and compared with national prevalence rates. First, the proportion of overweight and obesity within prisons in each study sample and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by sex and stratified according to each country's income categories (World Bank 2023 fiscal year income(4)). Then, national overweight and obesity prevalence data were retrieved from the World Obesity Federation Global Obesity Observatory(5) for each country and adjusted for sex and year of data collection of the studies included in the meta-analyses. The proportion of incarcerated individuals with overweight and obesity was then compared with that of the general population using national data through a risk difference (RD) meta-analysis. The heterogeneity of studies included in the meta-analyses was assessed through I2, and a random or fixed-effect model was fitted accordingly. Overall, 71 studies met the inclusion criteria, and 38 were included in the meta-analysis. Studies in high-income countries reported higher proportions of overweight and obesity (73.3%, CI 73.1, 73.5) compared to upper-middle-income countries (65.9%, CI 64.1, 67.7) and lower-middle-income countries (52.8%, CI 47.1, 58.1). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in female incarcerated individuals was higher than that in the general population (RD 11.7%, CI 9.1, 14.3), especially in low and middle-income countries (RD 35.1%, CI 29.4, 40.7). The prevalence of overweight and obesity in male incarcerated individuals was lower than that in the general population in all income categories (RD -10.8%, CI -13.2, -8.4). Thus, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in incarcerated populations differed between developed and developing countries. Future research on managing overweight and obesity should consider female incarcerated individuals, especially in lower-middle-income countries. PROSPERO registration no CRD42022320861 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]