The long terminal repeat (LTR) regulates gene expression of HIV-1 by interacting with multiple host and viral factors. Cross-sectional studies in the pre-HAART era demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in peripheral blood-derived LTRs (a C-to-T change at position 3 of C/EBP site I (3T) and at position 5 of Sp site III (5T)) increased in frequency as disease severity increased. Additionally, the 3T variant correlated with HIV-1-associated dementia. LTR sequences derived by longitudinal sampling of peripheral blood from a single patient in the DrexelMed HIV/AIDS Genetic Analysis Cohort resulted in the detection of the 3T and 5T coselected SNPs before the onset of neurologic impairment, demonstrating that these SNPs may be useful in predicting HIV-associated neurological complications. The relative fitness of the LTRs containing the 3T and/or 5T co-selected SNPs as they evolve in their native patient-derived LTR backbone structure demonstrated a spectrum of basal and Tat-mediated transcriptional activities using the IIIB-derived Tat and colinear Tat derived from the same molecular clone containing the 3T/5T LTR SNP. In silico predictions utilizing colinear envelope sequence suggested that the patient's virus evolved from an X4 to an R5 swarm prior to the development of neurological complications and more advanced HIV disease. These results suggest that the HIV-1 genomic swarm may evolve during the course of disease in response to selective pressures that lead to changes in prevalence of specific polymorphisms in the LTR, env, and/or tat that could predict the onset of neurological disease and result in alterations in viral function.

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Despite little supportive evidence, ground-glass opacity at high-resolution computed tomography, without other signs of fibrosis, has been equated with potentially reversible disease, and in systemic sclerosis, frequently prompts aggressive anti-inflammatory treatment to prevent pulmonary fibrosis. Our study evaluates ground-glass opacity on sequential high-resolution computed tomography in 41 patients with systemic sclerosis over a mean follow-up period of 27 months (r6 to 60 mo). Ground-glass opacity was the most common imaging finding, present in 66%, and usually associated with other signs of interstitial disease, including nonfibrotic interstitial opacities in 27% and fibrotic interstitial opacities in 32%. Improvement was only documented in 2(5%) patients with ground glass and nonfibrotic interstitial opacities. In systemic sclerosis, ground-glass opacity is most commonly associated with irreversible disease. Disease progression or improvement could not be predicted by the presence of ground-glass opacity.

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Klebsiella species known to exhibit important PGP traits like solubilization of phosphate, phytohormone production and good germination potential. In present study, based on the Phosphate solubilization and IAA production bacterial strain VRE36 was selected among the isolates collected from different sugarcane cultivar rhizosphere growing near Bardoli area for characterization and molecular identification through 16S rRNA gene sequence, which confirms the isolate as Klebsiella pneumoniae. The phosphate solubilization index of the isolate recorded was 3.9 and quantitative estimation reveals 17.4±1.78µg/ml release of phosphate in NBRIP broth. The high amount of IAA produced was 45.32±2.46µg/ml after 96 hour incubation at 37 °C. In seed germination assay with V radiate, C tetragonoloba and V unguiculata, treatments with bacteria were supported good plant height, dry weight and fresh weight when compared with controls. Maximum percentage of germination was recorded in V radiate (97.78%). The improved seedling parameters of the inoculated crop seeds indicated the potential of this isolate to be used in a bio-fertilizer formulation for sustainable production.