A large ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A predominantly affecting young males in Lazio, Italy; August 2016 - March 2017

The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is mainly transmitted through the faecal-oral route. In industrialized countries HAV infection generally occurs as either sporadic cases in travelers from endemic areas, local outbreak within closed/semi-closed population and as foodborne community outbreak. Recently, an increasing number of HAV infection clusters have been reported among young men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM). The Lazio Regional Service for the epidemiology and control for infectious diseases (SeRESMI) has noticed an increase of acute hepatitis A (AHA) since September 2016. Temporal analysis carried out with a discrete Poisson model using surveillance data between January 2016 and March 2017 evidenced an ongoing outbreak of AHA that started at the end of August. Molecular investigation carried out on 130 out of 513 cases AHA reported until March 2017 suggests that this outbreak is mainly supported by an HAV variant which is currently spreading within MSM communities across Europe (VRD_521_2016). The report confirms that AHA is an emerging issue among MSM. In addition through the integration of standard (case based) surveillance with molecular investigation we could discriminate, temporally concomitant but epidemiologically unrelated, clusters due to different HAV variants. As suggested by the WHO, in countries with low HAV circulation, vaccination programmes should be tailored on the local epidemiological patterns to prevent outbreaks among high risk groups and eventual spillover of the infection in the general population

A large ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A predominantly affecting young males in Lazio, Italy; August 2016 - March 2017

The hepatitis A virus (HAV) is mainly transmitted through the faecal-oral route. In industrialized countries HAV infection generally occurs as either sporadic cases in travelers from endemic areas, local outbreak within closed/semi-closed population and as foodborne community outbreak. Recently, an increasing number of HAV infection clusters have been reported among young men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM). The Lazio Regional Service for the epidemiology and control for infectious diseases (SeRESMI) has noticed an increase of acute hepatitis A (AHA) since September 2016. Temporal analysis carried out with a discrete Poisson model using surveillance data between January 2016 and March 2017 evidenced an ongoing outbreak of AHA that started at the end of August. Molecular investigation carried out on 130 out of 513 cases AHA reported until March 2017 suggests that this outbreak is mainly supported by an HAV variant which is currently spreading within MSM communities across Europe (VRD_521_2016). The report confirms that AHA is an emerging issue among MSM. In addition through the integration of standard (case based) surveillance with molecular investigation we could discriminate, temporally concomitant but epidemiologically unrelated, clusters due to different HAV variants. As suggested by the WHO, in countries with low HAV circulation, vaccination programmes should be tailored on the local epidemiological patterns to prevent outbreaks among high risk groups and eventual spillover of the infection in the general population

Low exposure long-baseline neutrino oscillation sensitivity of the DUNE experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will produce world-leading neutrino oscillation measurements over the lifetime of the experiment. In this work, we explore DUNE's sensitivity to observe charge-parity violation (CPV) in the neutrino sector, and to resolve the mass ordering, for exposures of up to 100 kiloton-megawatt-years (kt-MW-yr). The analysis includes detailed uncertainties on the flux prediction, the neutrino interaction model, and detector effects. We demonstrate that DUNE will be able to unambiguously resolve the neutrino mass ordering at a 3σ (5σ) level, with a 66 (100) kt-MW-yr far detector exposure, and has the ability to make strong statements at significantly shorter exposures depending on the true value of other oscillation parameters. We also show that DUNE has the potential to make a robust measurement of CPV at a 3σ level with a 100 kt-MW-yr exposure for the maximally CP-violating values \delta_{\rm CP}} = \pm\pi/2. Additionally, the dependence of DUNE's sensitivity on the exposure taken in neutrino-enhanced and antineutrino-enhanced running is discussed. An equal fraction of exposure taken in each beam mode is found to be close to optimal when considered over the entire space of interest

Experimental study of strain rate effects on normal weight concrete after exposure to elevated temperature

© 2016, RILEM. The effects of strain rate ranging from 10-4 to 300 s-1 on normal weight concrete after exposure to elevated temperature up to 1000 °C were experimentally investigated using a servo-hydraulic testing machine and a split Hopkinson pressure bar. The casted cylinder concrete specimens were firstly heated in a microwave oven, and then cooled down to the ambient temperature with control. Experimental results proved that the normal weight concrete after high temperature exposure still showed significant strain rate dependency. The dynamic increase factor(DIF) for compressive strength decreased with the exposed elevated temperature from 600 to 800 °C, and increased from 800 to 1000 °C. The DIF of concrete after exposure to elevated temperature is smaller than that at the ambient temperature according to CEB code. The larger the compressive strength is, the smaller the DIF of normal weight concrete after high temperature exposure will be. In addition, further comparison showed that the DIF after high temperature exposure is larger than that exactly at the same high temperature. An empirical model of DIF for normal weight concrete after elevated temperature exposure was proposed based on the experimental data. It obviously benefits the assessment of blast resistant capacity of post-fired concrete structures, as well as referred retrofitting techniques

Use of cystatin C-based estimations of glomerular filtration rate in patients with type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation has recognised limitations when using estimated GFR in persons at risk of chronic kidney disease. Equations based on cystatin C provide an alternative method. We compared performance of the MDRD equation with a selection of cystatin C-based formulae for estimation of GFR in normoalbuminuric patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods Estimated GFR was calculated using the MDRD equation and the cystatin C formulae proposed by several investigator teams. Isotopic GFR was measured using plasma clearance of 51Cr-EDTA. Results We studied 106 participants, of whom 83 (78%) were men with the following characteristics, mean (SD): age 61 (9) years, HbA1c 7.10 (1.27)%, creatinine 89.0 (12.7) µmol/l, cystatin C 0.859 (0.234) mg/l and isotopic GFR 104.5 (20.1) ml min−1 1.73 m−2. MDRD estimated GFR was 77.4 (13.6) ml min−1 1.73 m−2 (p < 0.05 for difference from isotopic GFR). Cystatin C-based calculations of estimated GFR were: Perkins 124.5 (31.8), Rule 90.0 (30.0), Stevens (age) 96.0 (30.4) and Stevens (creatinine) 85.6 (19.0) ml min−1 1.73 m−2 (p < 0.05 for difference with isotopic GFR). For Arnal’s, MacIsaac’s and Tan’s formulae cystatin-C estimated GFR were 101.7 (34.8), 102.1 (27.0) and 101.6 (27.8) ml min−1 1.73 m−2, respectively (p = NS for difference with isotopic GFR). Cystatin C-based formulae were less biased and, with the exception of Perkins’ formula, more accurate to within 10% of isotopic GFR than MDRD. Conclusions/interpretation Performance of cystatin C equations was superior to MDRD in normoalbuminuric patients with type 2 diabetes. These results support further evaluation of cystatin C for estimation of GFR in persons at risk of chronic kidney disease

Direct-written polymer field-effect transistors operating at 20 MHz

Printed polymer electronics has held for long the promise of revolutionizing technology by delivering distributed, flexible, lightweight and cost-effective applications for wearables, healthcare, diagnostic, automation and portable devices. While impressive progresses have been registered in terms of organic semiconductors mobility, field-effect transistors (FET), the basic building block of any circuit, are still showing limited speed of operation, thus limiting their real applicability. So far, attempts with organic FET to achieve the tens of MHz regime, a threshold for many applications comprising the driving of high resolution displays, have relied on the adoption of sophisticated lithographic techniques and/or complex architectures, undermining the whole concept. In this work we demonstrate polymer FETs which can operate up to 20 MHz and are fabricated by means only of scalable printing techniques and direct-writing methods with a completely mask-less procedure. This is achieved by combining a fs-laser process for the sintering of high resolution metal electrodes, thus easily achieving micron-scale channels with reduced parasitism down to 0.19 pF mm-1, and a large area coating technique of a high mobility polymer semiconductor, according to a simple and scalable process flow