HIV Infection and Sexual Behaviour Among Women With Infertility in Tanzania: A Hospital-Based Study.

Infertility is common in Africa, but virtually no data exist on HIV prevalence among infertile women. Mainly anthropological studies in Africa have shown that infertile women have higher risks of marital instability and possibly also have more sexual partners than fertile women. This study was conducted in a hospital in northwest Tanzania during 1994 and 1995. Women presenting themselves with infertility problems to the outpatient clinic were interviewed, examined and blood was drawn. Women who came to deliver in the hospital, excluding primiparae, were taken as a control group. The analysis was limited to women > or = 24 years. In total 154 infertile and 259 fertile women were included in the study. HIV prevalence was markedly higher among infertile women than among fertile women: 18.2% and 6.6% respectively (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for age, residence and occupation 2.7; 95%-confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-5.3). Data on past sexual behaviour showed that infertile women had more marital breakdowns, more lifetime sexual partners and a higher level of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Women with fertility problems appear to have higher HIV prevalence, which justifies more attention for such women in the context of AIDS programmes. In addition, caution is needed when using sentinel surveillance data from antenatal clinics to monitor HIV prevalence

CO adsorption on Cu(111) and Cu(001) surfaces: improving site preference in DFT calculations

CO adsorption on Cu(111) and Cu(001) surfaces has been studied within ab-initio density functional theory (DFT). The structural, vibrational and thermodynamic properties of the adsorbate-substrate complex have been calculated. Calculations within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) predict adsorption in the threefold hollow on Cu(111) and in the bridge-site on Cu(001), instead of on-top as found experimentally. It is demonstrated that the correct site preference is achieved if the underestimation of the HOMO-LUMO gap of CO characteristic for DFT is correct by applying a molecular DFT+U approach. The DFT+U approach also produces good agreement with the experimentally measured adsorption energies, while introducing only small changes in the calculated geometrical and vibrational properties further improving agreement with experiment which is fair already at the GGA level.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Surf. Sci., WWW: http://cms.mpi.univie.ac.at/mgajdos

Growth differentiation factor-15 is associated with muscle mass in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and promotes muscle wasting in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Loss of muscle mass is a co-morbidity common to a range of chronic diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several systemic features of COPD including increased inflammatory signalling, oxidative stress, and hypoxia are known to increase the expression of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), a protein associated with muscle wasting in other diseases. We therefore hypothesized that GDF-15 may contribute to muscle wasting in COPD. METHODS: We determined the expression of GDF-15 in the serum and muscle of patients with COPD and analysed the association of GDF-15 expression with muscle mass and exercise performance. To determine whether GDF-15 had a direct effect on muscle, we also determined the effect of increased GDF-15 expression on the tibialis anterior of mice by electroporation. RESULTS: Growth differentiation factor-15 was increased in the circulation and muscle of COPD patients compared with controls. Circulating GDF-15 was inversely correlated with rectus femoris cross-sectional area (P < 0.001) and exercise capacity (P < 0.001) in two separate cohorts of patients but was not associated with body mass index. GDF-15 levels were associated with 8-oxo-dG in the circulation of patients consistent with a role for oxidative stress in the production of this protein. Local over-expression of GDF-15 in mice caused wasting of the tibialis anterior muscle that expressed it but not in the contralateral muscle suggesting a direct effect of GDF-15 on muscle mass (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Together, the data suggest that GDF-15 contributes to the loss of muscle mass in COPD

Production and identification of Ulva sp. in multitrophic aquaculture in earth ponds

Dissertação de mestrado, Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2017Waste water from intensive aquaculture can cause eutrophication of coastal waters and subsequent negatively impact downstream biological communities. The use of macroalgae as active biofilter optimizes the reduction of the dissolved nutrient loads in aquaculture effluents. Ulva species with their high growth rates and tissue nitrogen contents are very good candidates for bioremediation besides having an active role on carbon sequestration. This study identified the Ulva sp. cultivated in earth ponds facing the Ria Formosa lagoon (South Portugal), and assessed the biomass production, the SGR (specific growth rate) and CO2 uptake performance of this species. Using DNA barcoding with the markers ITS (internal transcribed spacer) I identified six species of the genus Ulva growing in the ponds, with Ulva flexuosa being the cultivated one. Ulva flexuosa was recorded for the first time in South Portugal. However, taxonomic questions were raised because distinct clades were found for this species using published sequences. Moreover, the ‘lettuce-leaf’ morphotype was observed for the first time for the marine species of Ulva flexuosa. The growth and production performance were tested among: a) two different multitrophic systems (IMTA (fish +oyster + Ulva) and ‘Fish + Ulva’); b) four different initial densities (15 ,30, 50 e 60 g/m2); c) five production and harvest cycles (6, 7, 8, 9 e 15 days). The Specific Growth Rate (SGR) of Ulva flexuosa was found to be significantly different between the two multitrophic systems (p <0.05) and higher in the 'Fish + Ulva' system (19.3 ± 0.08% day-1) than in the IMTA system (16.7 ± 0.8% day-1). Also, there was significant differences between different densities and varied cultivating periods. Growth of Ulva flexuosa was dependent of both densities and time periods. The densities of 30g/m2 revealed to be the best among the four tested densities (23 ± 3.9 % day−1) whereas the optimal cultivating period was between seven and nine days (≈21 % day−1). The annual NPP of Ulva flexuosa was estimated to be of 106 g C m-2 year-1 a value lower than those reported from different Ulva species in other countries. Ulva flexuosa showed to grow well under typical conditions of earthen pond aquaculture. The experiments on the production cycle indicated an optimal period of cultivation of about 8 days. The presence of Ulva flexuosa in the South Portugal broadens its geographic distribution and opens the prospect of using this species in IMTA systems in various parts of the country.A aquacultura é o setor de produção animal para o consumo humano que mais rapidamente tem crescido no mundo, para além de que é um contribuinte importante para o abastecimento mundial de alimentos e para o crescimento económico. Os efluentes da aquacultura intensiva podem causar eutrofização nas águas costeiras e originar impactos negativos nas comunidades biológicas dessas áreas. É muito importante para o desenvolvimento do sector aquícola que se encontrem soluções adequadas para reduzir o excesso de nutrientes provenientes dos efluentes da aquacultura. A utilização de macroalgas como biofiltros ativos ajuda a reduzir as cargas de nutrientes dissolvidos dos efluentes da aquacultura. As espécies do género Ulva, que possuem taxas de crescimento altas e teores de azoto elevadas na composição dos tecidos, são boas candidatas para bio remediar as concentrações de nutrientes na água, além de terem uma função ativa sobre no sequestro de carbono. As espécies de Ulva têm sido tradicionalmente utilizadas para nutrição humana e animal pois possuem uma concentração elevada de proteínas. Nos últimos anos desenvolveram-se técnicas que permitem transformá-las numa fonte importante de biocombustível e de ulvano. O enorme potencial comercial deste último produto pode tornar a produção destas algas ainda mais lucrativa. Este trabalho fez a identificação das espécies de Ulva que se desenvolvem nos tanques de terra da estação Piloto de Piscicultura de Olhão e que se localizam na Ria Formosa (sul de Portugal), avaliou a taxa de crescimento e a biomassa produzida por uma destas espécies, Ulva flexuosa, e determinou o valor da sua produção primária líquida anual (NPP, acrônimo em inglês). Nestes tanques as macroalgas foram cultivadas em dois sistemas multitróficos integrados: um sistema IMTA (acrónimo em inglês para “integrated multitrophic aquaculture”) contendo organismos autotróficos (fitoplâncton, Ulva flexuosa), espécies filtradoras (Crassostrea gigas) e organismos com alimentação exógena ao sistema (Argyrosomus regius, Mugil cephalus, Diplodus sargus); e um sistema constituído apenas por peixes e Ulva flexuosa. A espécie de Ulva cultivada na estação de aquacultura foi selecionada por se desenvolver naturalmente no canal de descarga dos efluentes da instalação evidenciando uma boa adaptação às variações sazonais de temperatura do local e aos altos níveis de irradiação solar e de amónia. A identificação taxonómica das algas foi feita pela técnica molecular conhecida como ‘DNA barcoding’. Esta técnica é uma metodologia que utiliza um curto marcador genético presente no DNA do organismo para o identificar como pertencente a uma espécie particular. Neste ensaio foi usado o marcador molecular ITS (acrónimo em inglês para ”internal transcribed spacer”), que permitiu a identificação de seis espécies do gênero Ulva presentes nos tanques de terra. Entre eles, a espécie cultivada acabou por ser identificada com Ulva flexuosa. Os dados genéticos recolhidos nesta experiência podem levar a concluir que a origem da macroalga cultivada nos tanques de terra da EPPO poderia ser do Pacífico Norte. Esta é a primeira descrição de Ulva flexuosa para o sul de Portugal. Contudo, novas questões foram levantadas devido à descoberta de linhagens distintas com o nome desta espécie, usando sequências publicadas Para além disso o morfotipo "folha de alface" foi observado pela primeira vez para as espécies marinhas de Ulva flexuosa. A produção de biomassa e a taxa de crescimento foram testadas comparando: a) os dois sistemas multitróficos utilizados (IMTA (peixe + ostra + Ulva) e 'Peixe + Ulva'); b) quatro diferentes densidades iniciais (15, 30, 50 e 60 g/m2) ; c) cinco ciclos de produção e colheita (6, 7, 8, 9 e 15 dias). A taxa de crescimento específico (SGR) de Ulva flexuosa resultou ser significativamente diferente entres os dois sistemas multitróficos (p<0.05) e maior no sistema de ‘Peixes + Ulva’(19.3 ± 0.08% dia-1) do que no sistema IMTA (16.7 ± 0.8% dia-1). A evolução temporal da SGR e da biomassa produzida durante a experiência apresentou um padrão sinusoidal com dois picos. A diminuição no outono parecer ter sido resultante da diminuição sazonal da temperatura e do período de luz enquanto que o decréscimo no mês de Agosto pode ter sido resultante do próprio ciclo de vida da macroalga e da falta de nutrientes. Houve diferenças significativas entre diferentes densidades (p<0.05) e diferentes períodos de cultivo(p<0.001). A densidade de 30g por m2 foi a que apresentou melhores SGR (23 ± 3.9% dia-1) entre as quatro testadas enquanto que o período de cultivo que produziu melhores SGR foi de sete a nove dias (≈ 21% dia-1). Para obter dados mais pormenorizados sobre os períodos de tempo de cultivo óptimos e a produção de biomassa seca e húmida realizou-se uma experiência de oito dias. Em oito jangadas, de 1 m2 cada uma, foram colocados 30 gramas de Ulva sp.. Nos oitos dias seguintes, uma jangada foi amostrada diariamente, e as algas removidas, pesadas e secas. Para evitar possível perda de biomassa das algas por distúrbio dos peixes as jangadas foram protegidas por uma rede de plástico. A produção primária e a captura de CO2 pela Ulva flexuosa foi determinada com base numa experiência de incubação realizada em ambiente controlado. A produção primária estimada em condições laboratoriais controladas foi de 1.21 mg C g-1 DW h-1 resultando numa produção primária anual de 106 g C m-2 ano-1. A macroalga Ulva flexuosa provou crescer e desenvolver-se bem em condições típicas de aquacultura em tanques de terra. As experiências sobre o ciclo de produção indicaram um período ótimo de cultivo das macroalgas de cerca de 8 dias. Este estudo foi conduzido a uma escala semi-industrial mostrando a viabilidade económica do cultivo desta espécie de macroalga. A presença da Ulva flexuosa no Sul de Portugal amplia sua distribuição geográfica e abre a perspetiva de usar esta espécie em sistemas IMTA em diversas partes do país

Phonons and related properties of extended systems from density-functional perturbation theory

This article reviews the current status of lattice-dynamical calculations in crystals, using density-functional perturbation theory, with emphasis on the plane-wave pseudo-potential method. Several specialized topics are treated, including the implementation for metals, the calculation of the response to macroscopic electric fields and their relevance to long wave-length vibrations in polar materials, the response to strain deformations, and higher-order responses. The success of this methodology is demonstrated with a number of applications existing in the literature.Comment: 52 pages, 14 figures, submitted to Review of Modern Physic

Why manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) create producer responsibility organizations (PROS) to comply with the WEEE directive? the case of ERP Italia SRL with focus on costs

This paper investigates the role of collective organizations created by producers to comply with the WEEE Directive. There are limited case studies on these producer responsibility organizations (PROs) despite the crucial role that they play in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. An important aspect in order to evaluate the efficiency of these compliance schemes is the analysis of their internal costs including transaction costs. First of all, this research provides an understanding of the Italian WEEE system for households WEEE. Then, it focuses on one compliance organization and how it deals with physical, informative and financial responsibility that are different aspects of the EPR principle. We provide evidence on the costs incurred by the compliance organizations. We briefly describe the transaction costs involved in operating a collective PRO in comparison to individual scheme. We investigate the issue with the \u201cERP ITALIA S.R.L.\u201d case study. This is one of the producer responsibility organisations (PROs) operating in Italy and the only pan-European compliance scheme. This will allow future comparative studies with the other branches of ERP across Europe

AMMA information system: an efficient cross-disciplinary tool and a legacy for forthcoming projects

International audienceIn the framework of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA) programme, several tools have been developed in order to facilitate and speed up data and information exchange between researchers from different disciplines. The AMMA information system includes a multidisciplinary user-friendly distributed data management and distribution system, a reports and quick looks archive associated with a display website and scientific papers exchange systems. All the applications have been developed by several French institutions and fully duplicated in Niamey, Niger

Instituciones monovalentes en el campo de la salud mental: una mirada desde la medicina y el derecho en la implementación de la Ley Nacional 26.657

En el 2010 se sanciona la Ley Nacional 26.657, que fue la primera en dar un concepto y definir lo que se entiende como “Salud Mental” en nuestro ordenamiento jurídico. Esta normativa representó un hito en el campo de los derechos, no solo por incorporar límites en los campos legales y médicos, si no por redefinir la relación médico-paciente. Este cambio de paradigma, tomado de convenciones internacionales y líneas generales de acción de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud, fundó una nueva dinámica de interacciones y prácticas que luego se evidenciarían con la explícita lucha de poderes entre diferentes corporaciones farmacéuticas, asociaciones de psiquiatras y psicólogos, organizaciones no gubernamentales y actores individuales. El siguiente trabajo exploratorio, se propone analizar estas tensiones procurando propuestas en el campo práctico de acción y pedagógico.Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociale

Amélioration de bridges trans-vissés sur pilotis pour patients totalement édentés

Le but de ce travail est d'améliorer la solution prothétique. Un modèle paramétré en CAO (Catia®) d'une mandibule réhabilitée prothétiquement est utilisé. L'influence de plusieurs variables est étudiée (forces occlusales, angulation et positions des multibases, mouvements intrinsèques mandibulaires, densité osseuse et matériaux prothétiques engagés). Les études sont réalisées sous Abaqus®. Les critères retenus pour quantifier l'amélioration du système sont la tenue mécanique des différentes parties prothétiques et le niveau de stimulation mécanique des tissus osseux péri-implantaires

Randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of 24-week fenofibrate therapy on circulating markers of abdominal aortic aneurysm: Outcomes from the FAME-2 trial

Background-There is no drug therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). FAME-2 (Fenofibrate in the Management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm 2) was a placebo-controlled randomized trial designed to assess whether administration of 145 mg of fenofibrate/d for 24 weeks favorably modified circulating markers of AAA. Methods and Results-Patients with AAAs measuring 35 to 49 mm and no contraindication were randomized to fenofibrate or identical placebo. The primary outcome measures were the differences in serum osteopontin and kallistatin concentrations between groups. Secondary analyses compared changes in the circulating concentration of AAA-associated proteins, and AAA growth, between groups using multivariable linear mixed-effects modeling. A total of 140 patients were randomized to receive fenofibrate (n=70) or placebo (n=70). By the end of the study 3 (2.1%) patients were lost to follow-up and 18 (12.9%) patients had ceased trial medication. A total of 85% of randomized patients took =80% of allocated tablets and were deemed to have complied with the medication regimen. Patients’ allocated fenofibrate had expected reductions in serum triglycerides and estimated glomerular filtration rate, and increases in serum homocysteine. No differences in serum osteopontin, kallistatin, or AAA growth were observed between groups. Conclusions-Administering 145 mg/d of fenofibrate for 24 weeks did not significantly reduce serum concentrations of osteopontin and kallistatin concentrations, or rates of AAA growth in this trial. The findings do not support the likely benefit of fenofibrate as a treatment for patients with small AAAs. Clinical Trial Registration-URL: www.anzctr.org.au. Unique identifier: ACTRN12613001039774