SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence among homeless people and shelter workers in Denmark:a nationwide cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) and associated shelter workers may be at higher risk of infection with “Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among PEH and shelter workers in Denmark. DESIGN AND METHODS: In November 2020, we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional seroprevalence study among PEH and shelter workers at 21 recruitment sites in Denmark. The assessment included a point-of-care test for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, followed by a questionnaire. The seroprevalence was compared to that of geographically matched blood donors considered as a proxy for the background population, tested using a total Ig ELISA assay. RESULTS: We included 827 participants in the study, of whom 819 provided their SARS-CoV-2 antibody results. Of those, 628 were PEH (median age 50.8 (IQR 40.9–59.1) years, 35.5% female) and 191 were shelter workers (median age 46.6 (IQR 36.1–55.0) years and 74.5% female). The overall seroprevalence was 6.7% and was similar among PEH and shelter workers (6.8% vs 6.3%, p = 0.87); and 12.2% among all participants who engaged in sex work. The overall participant seroprevalence was significantly higher than that of the background population (2.9%, p < 0.001). When combining all participants who reported sex work or were recruited at designated safe havens, we found a significantly increased risk of seropositivity compared to other participants (OR 2.23, 95%CI 1.06–4.43, p = 0.02). Seropositive and seronegative participants reported a similar presence of at least one SARS-CoV-2 associated symptom (49% and 54%, respectively). INTERPRETATIONS: The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was more than twice as high among PEH and associated shelter workers, compared to the background population. These results could be taken into consideration when deciding in which phase PEH are eligible for a vaccine, as part of the Danish national SARS-CoV-2 vaccination program rollout. FUNDING: TrygFonden and HelseFonden. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13642-7

Long-Term Benefits from Early Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in HIV Infection

BACKGROUND: For people with HIV and CD4+ counts >500 cells/mm3, early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces serious AIDS and serious non-AIDS (SNA) risk compared with deferral of treatment until CD4+ counts are 500 cells/mm3, excess risk of AIDS and SNA associated with delaying treatment initiation was diminished after ART initiation, but persistent excess risk remained. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others.)

THE FAR INFRARED SPECTRUM OF (NH3)2(NH_{3})_{2} BETWEEN 80 AND 100cm−1100 cm^{-1}.

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of CaliforniaTwo new intermolecular vibrations of $(NH_{3})_{2}$ have been observed by tunable for infrared laser spectroscopy in a planar jet. So far, 288 absorption lines between 80 and $90 cm^{-1}$ have been assigned to 32 subbands of the two vibrations. One vibration has b-type (out-of-plane) selection rules and is assigned as a torsion about the intermolecular bond axis. The other has a-type (in-plane) selection rules and is tentatively assigned as the `geared’ in-plane bend, or equivalently, the second overtone of `donor’ - `acceptor’ interchange. The vibrational assignments of the new spectra and the proton tunneling dynamics in the excited states will be discussed

OBSERVATION OF A NEW VIBRATIONAL MODE OF (D2O)2(D_{2}O)_{2} NEAR 68cm−168 cm^{-1} USING TUNABLE FAR-INFRARED LASER SPECTROSCOPY

1. N.P. Pugliano, J.D. Cruzan, J.G. Loeser and R.J. Saykally, J. Chem. Phys., 98, 6600 (1992). 2. For example S.C. Althorpe and D.C. Clary, J. Chem. Phys., 101, 3603 (1994).Author Institution: University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720We have measured the far-infrared vibration-rotation-tunneling (VRT) spectrum of an intermolecular vibration of $(D_{2}O)_{2}$ near $68 cm^{-1}$. In addition, further transitions of the VRT band of $(D_{2}O)_{2}$ previously reported by $Pugliano et al^{1}$ have been observed. By considering symmetry restraints on the selection rules, these bands have been assigned to the out-of-plane H-bond torsional and in-plane acceptor waggins modes predicted by many theoretical $calculations^{2}.$ The experimental-theoretical discrepancy in the measured frequencies of these bands indicates the importance of a fully coupled six-dimmensional calculation of the dynamics for the water dimer

Discovery of methanimine (CH2NH) megamasers toward compact obscured galaxy nuclei

We present the first search for the 5.29 GHz methanimine (CH2NH) 110 - 111 transition toward a sample of galaxy nuclei. We target seven galaxies that host compact obscured nuclei (CONs) with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. These galaxies are characterized by Compton-thick cores. CH2NH emission is detected toward six CONs. The brightness temperatures measured toward Arp 220 indicate maser emission. Isotropic luminosities of the CH2NH transition, from all sources where it is detected, exceed 1 Lpdbl and thus may be considered megamasers. We also detect formaldehyde (H2CO) emission toward three CONs. The isotropic CH2NH luminosities are weakly correlated with the infrared luminosity of the host galaxy and strongly correlated with OH megamaser luminosities from the same galaxies. Non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer models suggest that the maser is pumped by the intense millimeter-to-submillimeter Our study suggests that CH2NH megamasers are linked to the nuclear processes within 100 pc of the Compton-thick nucleus within CONs

Definitive design status of the SP-100 Ground Engineering System Test Site

The SP-100 reactor will be ground tested at the SP-100 Ground Engineering System (GES) Test Site on the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. Project direction and the flight system design evolution have resulted in a smaller reactor size and the consequential revision to Test Site features to accommodate the design changes and reduce Test Site costs. The significant design events since the completion of the Conceptual Design are discussed in this paper