Risk of pneumocystosis after early discontinuation of prophylaxis among HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Risk of pneumocystosis after discontinuation of primary or secondary prophylaxis among HIV-infected patients before CD4 counts increase to ≧200 cells/μL (early discontinuation) after receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is rarely investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Medical records of 660 HIV-infected patients with baseline CD4 counts <200 cells/μL who sought HIV care and received HAART at a university hospital in Taiwan between 1 April, 1997 and 30 September, 2007 were reviewed to assess the incidence rate of pneumocystosis after discontinuation of prophylaxis for pneumocystosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The incidence rate of pneumocystosis after HAART was 2.81 per 100 person-years among 521 patients who did not initiate prophylaxis or had early discontinuation of prophylaxis, which was significantly higher than the incidence rate of 0.45 per 100 person-years among 139 patients who continued prophylaxis until CD4 counts increased to ≧200 cells/μL (adjusted risk ratio, 5.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.18, 23.94). Among the 215 patients who had early discontinuation of prophylaxis after achievement of undetectable plasma HIV RNA load, the incidence rate of pneumocystosis was reduced to 0.31 per 100 person-years, which was similar to that of the patients who continued prophylaxis until CD4 counts increased to ≧200 cells/μL (adjusted risk ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.03, 14.89).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Compared with the risk of pneumocystosis among patients who continued prophylaxis until CD4 counts increased to ≧200 cells/μL after HAART, the risk was significantly higher among patients who discontinued prophylaxis when CD4 counts remained <200 cells/μL, while the risk could be reduced among patients who achieved undetectable plasma HIV RNA load after HAART.</p

Abnormal Gastroscopy Findings Were Related to Lower Meridian Energy

According to the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), energy runs through 12 meridians longitudinally up and down the body. The study objectives were to compare the meridian energy between subjects with and without abnormal gastroscopy findings. We applied a cross-sectional and correlational research design. The study included 1,223 participants who had their health examinations at a university hospital in Taipei from 1st August 2005 through 31st August 2007. Meridian energy was examined using a meridian energy analysis device. The gastroscopy was operated by certified gastroenterologists. Participants with abnormal stomach and esophageal findings using gastroscopy had significantly lower mean meridian energy. There were no significant differences in meridian energy between participants with and without abnormal duodenum findings. When all of the meridians were examined individually, participants with abnormal findings in esophagus and stomach had significantly lower meridian energy in each of the meridians. The results of this study demonstrated that structural abnormality in the gastric area was related to lower meridian energy. Whether enhancing meridian energy could improve gastric and esophageal health merits further studies

The Liquid Sensor Using Thin Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator with C-Axis Tilted AlN Films

Dual-mode thin film bulk acoustic resonator (TFBAR) devices are fabricated with c-axis tilted AlN films. To fabricate dual-mode TFBAR devices, the off-axis RF magnetron sputtering method for the growth of tilted piezoelectric AlN thin films is adopted. In this report, the AlN thin films are deposited with tilting angles of 15° and 23°. The frequency response of the TFBAR device with 23° tilted AlN thin film is measured to reveal its ability to provide dual-mode resonance. The sensitivities of the longitudinal and shear modes to mass loading are calculated to be 2295 Hz cm2/ng and 1363 Hz cm2/ng with the mechanical quality factors of 480 and 287, respectively. The sensitivities of the longitudinal and shear modes are calculated to be 0 and 15 Hz cm2/μg for liquid loading

Plasmonic Structure Enhanced Exciton Generation at the Interface between the Perovskite Absorber and Copper Nanoparticles

The refractive index and extinction coefficient of a triiodide perovskite absorber (TPA) were obtained by fitting the transmittance spectra of TPA/PEDOT:PSS/ITO/glass using the transfer matrix method. Cu nanoplasmonic structures were designed to enhance the exciton generation in the TPA and to simultaneously reduce the film thickness of the TPA. Excitons were effectively generated at the interface between TPA and Cu nanoparticles, as observed through the 3D finite-difference time-domain method. The exciton distribution is advantageous for the exciton dissociation and carrier transport

The Microstructure and Capacitance Characterizations of Anodic Titanium Based Alloy Oxide Nanotube

This paper presents a simple anodization process to fabricate ordered nanotubes (NTs) of titanium and its alloys (Ti-Mo and Ti-Ta). TiO2, MoO3, and Ta2O5 are high dielectric constant materials for ultracapacitor application. The anodic titanium oxide contains a compact layer on the NT film and a barrier layer under the NT film. However, the microstructure of oxide films formed by anodic Ti-Mo and Ti-Ta alloys contains six layers, including a continuous compact layer, a continuous partial porous layer, a porous layer, a net layer, an ordering NT film, and an ordering compact barrier layer. There are extra layers, which are a partial porous layer and a porous layer, not presented on the TiO2 NT film. In this paper, we fabricated very high surface area ordered nanotubes from Ti and its alloys. Based on the differences of alloys elements and compositions, we investigated and calculated the specific capacitance of these alloys oxide nanotubes

Strategies for Preventing Drug Recidivism Cycle in Taiwan

Drug abuse is currently a worldwide problem and Taiwan is no exception. Drug abuse is a disease that must be treated on the basis of evidence (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2007; World Health Organisation 2004). In order to reduce the damage caused by drug abuse to the nation, society and people, the government not only developed two anti-drug strategies - that of supply eradication and demand reduction - but since May 1994, has mobilised relevant government departments to take assertive action. Some of the actions include law enforcement enhancement, anti-drug enforcement and drug rehabilitation utilisation. In 2005, new anti-drug programs, such as the sterile needle exchange program and substitution therapy program, were also introduced. The cities implementing the Harm Reduction Program (HR Program) showed lower HIV infection rates in comparison to others without the HR Program. The income and employment conditions of drug addicted patients receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment have been improved. The future drug policies in Taiwan will focus on drug rehabilitation (treatment), anti-drug actions (prevention) and law enforcement (punishment). The educational system, community recovery and aftercare for drug addicts will also be indispensable (WHO/UNODC/UNAIDS 2004)

A Point Cloud Alignment Algorithm Based on Stereo Vision Using Random Pattern Projection

This paper proposes a point cloud alignment algorithm based on stereo vision using Random Pattern Projection (RPP). In the application of stereo vision, it is rather difficult to find correspondences between stereo images of texture-less objects. To overcome this issue, RPP is used to enhance the object’s features, thus increasing the accuracy of the identified correspondences of the stereo images. In the 3D alignment algorithm, the down sample technique is used to filter out the outliers of the point cloud data to improve system efficiency. Furthermore, the extracted features of the down sample point cloud data were applied in the matching process. Finally, the object’s pose was estimated by the alignment algorithm based on object features. In experiments, the maximum error and standard deviation of rotation are respectively about 0.031°and 0.199°, while the maximum error and standard deviation of translation are respectively about 0.565 mm and 0.902 mm . The execution time for pose estimation is about 230ms

EFFECTS OF POLYMER MORPHOLOGY ON THE RHEOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF MELT WITHIN MICRO-CHANNELS

ABSTRACT Micro molding has shown great commercial potential in recent years and determination of the rheological behavior of the polymer melt within micro structured geometry is vital for accurate simulation modeling of micro molding. The lack of commercial equipment is one of main hurdles in the investigation of micro melt rheology. In this study, a melt viscosity measurement system for low and high density polyethylene polymer melt flowing through micro-channels was established using a micro channel mold operated at a mold temperature as high as the melt temperature. For measured pressure drop and volumetric flow rate, capillary flow model was used for the calculation of viscosity utilizing Rabinowitsch correction. The calculated results of low crystallinity LDPE resin were also compared with those of high crystallinity HDPE resin to discuss the effect of degree of crystallinity on the viscosity characteristics of polymer within micro-channels. It was found that the measured LDPE and HDPE viscosity values in the test ranges are significantly lower (about 40~56% and 22~29% for LDPE and HDPE, respectively, flowing through a channel size of 150μm) than those obtained with a traditional capillary rheometer. Meanwhile, the percentage reduction in the viscosity value and the ratio of slip velocity relative to mean velocity all increase with decreasing micro-channel size. In the present study we emphasize that the rheological behavior of the high crystallinity HDPE and low crystallinity LDPE resins in microscopic scale are all different from that of macroscopic scale but HDPE displays a less significant lower. The reason can be attributed to for LDPE resin within the micro-channel can create the higher extra bonding force between the bulk chains than HDPE resin. Thus, it will have the lower adhesive force between the bulk chains with the micro-channel wall, resulting in higher degree of wall slip

Electroconvulsive Therapy and Risk of Dementia—A Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, and a temporary memory loss may occur after ECT. However, the association between ECT in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, and the risk of dementia is yet to be examined.Objective: This study aimed to clarify as to whether ECT is associated with the risk of dementia after ECT in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).Methods: A total of 3,796 enrolled participants (schizophrenia, 46.68%; bipolar disorder, 11.77%; and major depressive disorder, 41.55%) with 994 patients who had received ECT and 2,982 controls matched for sex and age, between January 1, and December 31, 2000, were selected from the NHIRD. After adjusting for confounding factors, Fine and Gray's survival analysis was used to compare the risk of developing dementia during the 10 years of follow-up.Results: Of the study patients, 45 (4.53%) of them developed dementia when compared to 149 (5.0%) in the control group. Fine and Gray's survival analysis revealed that the study patients were not associated with an increased risk of dementia [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.612, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.438–1.854, P = 0.325]. After adjusting for sex, age, monthly income, urbanization level, geographic region, and comorbidities, the adjusted HR was 0.633 (95% CI = 0.448 – 1.895, P = 0.304).Conclusion: This study supports that ECT was not associated with the increased risk of dementia in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, using the NHIRD