Using vegetation indices for soil-moisture retrievals from passive microwave radiometry

International audienceSurface soil moisture and the nature of the overlying vegetation both influence microwave emission from land surfaces significantly. One widely discussed but underused method for allowing for the effect of vegetation on soil-moisture retrievals from microwave observations is to use remotely sensed vegetation indices. This paper explores the potential for using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in soil-moisture retrievals from L-band (1.4 GHz) aircraft data gathered during the Southern Great Plains '97 (SGP97) experiment. A simplified version of MICRO-SWEAT, a soil vegetation atmosphere transfer (SVAT) scheme coupled with a microwave emission model, was used as the retrieval algorithm. Estimates of the optical depth of the vegetation, the parameter that describes the effect of the vegetation on microwave emission, were obtained by calibrating this retrieval algorithm against measurements of soil moisture at 15 field sites. A significant relationship was found between the optical depth so obtained and the observed NDVI at these sites, although this relationship changed with the resolution of the microwave brightness temperature observations used. Soil-moisture estimates made with the retrieval algorithm using the empirical relationship between optical depth and NDVI applied at two additional sites not used in the calibration show good agreement with field measurements. Keywords: NDVI, soil moisture, passive microwave, SGP9

Blood glucose self-monitoring in type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), either alone or with additional instruction in incorporating the results into self-care, is more effective than usual care in improving glycaemic control in non-insulin-treated diabetes. DESIGN: An open, parallel group randomised controlled trial. SETTING: 24 general practices in Oxfordshire and 24 in South Yorkshire, UK. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, aged > or = 25 years and with glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) > or = 6.2%. INTERVENTIONS: A total of 453 patients were individually randomised to one of: (1) standardised usual care with 3-monthly HbA1c (control, n = 152); (2) blood glucose self-testing with patient training focused on clinician interpretation of results in addition to usual care (less intensive self-monitoring, n = 150); (3) SMBG with additional training of patients in interpretation and application of the results to enhance motivation and maintain adherence to a healthy lifestyle (more intensive self-monitoring, n = 151). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was HBA1c at 12 months, and an intention-to-treat analysis, including all patients, was undertaken. Blood pressure, lipids, episodes of hypoglycaemia and quality of life, measured with the EuroQol 5 dimensions (EQ-5D), were secondary measures. An economic analysis was also carried out, and questionnaires were used to measure well-being, beliefs about use of SMBG and self-reports of medication taking, dietary and physical activities, and health-care resource use. RESULTS: The differences in 12-month HbA1c between the three groups (adjusted for baseline HbA1c) were not statistically significant (p = 0.12). The difference in unadjusted mean change in HbA1c from baseline to 12 months between the control and less intensive self-monitoring groups was -0.14% [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.35 to 0.07] and between the control and more intensive self-monitoring groups was -0.17% (95% CI -0.37 to 0.03). There was no evidence of a significantly different impact of self-monitoring on glycaemic control when comparing subgroups of patients defined by duration of diabetes, therapy, diabetes-related complications and EQ-5D score. The economic analysis suggested that SMBG resulted in extra health-care costs and was unlikely to be cost-effective if used routinely. There appeared to be an initial negative impact of SMBG on quality of life measured on the EQ-5D, and the potential additional lifetime gains in quality-adjusted life-years, resulting from the lower levels of risk factors achieved at the end of trial follow-up, were outweighed by these initial impacts for both SMBG groups compared with control. Some patients felt that SMBG was helpful, and there was evidence that those using more intensive self-monitoring perceived diabetes as having more serious consequences. Patients using SMBG were often not clear about the relationship between their behaviour and the test results. CONCLUSIONS: While the data do not exclude the possibility of a clinically important benefit for specific subgroups of patients in initiating good glycaemic control, SMBG by non-insulin-treated patients, with or without instruction in incorporating findings into self-care, did not lead to a significant improvement in glycaemic control compared with usual care monitored by HbA1c levels. There was no convincing evidence to support a recommendation for routine self-monitoring of all patients and no evidence of improved glycaemic control in predefined subgroups of patients

Trends in Bacterial Vaginosis Prevalence in a Cohort of U.S. Women with and at Risk for HIV

Background: Women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often have bacterial vaginosis (BV). The goal of this analysis was to assess how BV prevalence changed over time and across U.S. regions in enrollment cohorts of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Methods: In a multisite study, BV was diagnosed retrospectively when pH and two of three other Amsel criteria were met. Prevalence was determined across four recruitment waves: 1994-5, 2001-2, 2011-2, and 2013-5. Generalized estimating equation multivariable logistic regression models assessed changes in visit prevalence across waves after controlling for HIV disease severity and other risks. Results: Among 4,790 women (3,539 with HIV and 1,251 without HIV), BV was diagnosed at 7,870 (12%) of 64,444 visits. Baseline prevalence across enrollment waves was 15.0%-19.2%, but declined in all cohorts, with prevalence in the initial cohort falling to 3.9% in the 1994-5 cohort after up to 21 years of continuous observation. Prevalence varied within U.S. regions. HIV status was not associated with BV. Conclusion: BV prevalence decreased with time in study. Prevalence varied across sites, but was not uniformly increased or decreased in any U.S. region. Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT00000797

Incident Non-AIDS Comorbidity Burden among Women with or at Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the United States

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection may accelerate development of aging-related non-AIDS comorbidities (NACMs). The incidence of NACMs is poorly characterized among women living with HIV (WLWH). Methods: WLWH and HIV-seronegative participants followed in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) through 2009 (when >80% of WLWH used antiretroviral therapy) or onward were included, with outcomes measured through 31 March 2018. Sociodemographics, clinical covariates, and prevalent NACM were determined at enrollment. We used Poisson regression models to determine incident NACM burden (number of NACMs accrued through most recent WIHS visit out of 10 total NACMs assessed) by HIV serostatus and age. Results: There were 3129 participants (2239 WLWH, 890 HIV seronegative) with 36 589 person-years of follow-up. At enrollment, median age was 37 years, 65% were black, and 47% currently smoked. In fully adjusted analyses, WLWH had a higher incident NACM rate compared with HIV-seronegative women (incidence rate ratio, 1.36 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.81]). Incident NACM burden was higher among WLWH vs HIV-seronegative women in most age strata (HIV × age interaction: P = .0438), and women <25 years old had the greatest incidence rate ratio by HIV serostatus at 1.48 (95% CI, 1.19-1.84) compared with those in older age groups. Incident NACM burden was associated with traditional comorbidity risk factors but not HIV-specific indices. Conclusions: Incident NACM burden was higher among WLWH than HIV-seronegative women. This difference was most dramatic among women aged <25 years, a group for whom routine comorbidity screening is not prioritized. Established non-HIV comorbidity risk factors were significantly associated with incident NACM burden. More data are needed to inform best practices for NACM screening, prevention, and management among WLWH, particularly young women

The Prevalence and Burden of Non-AIDS Comorbidities Among Women Living With or at Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in the United States

Background: The prevalence and burden of age-related non-AIDS comorbidities (NACMs) are poorly characterized among women living with HIV (WLWH). Methods: Virologically suppressed WLWH and HIV-seronegative participants followed in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) through at least 2009 (when >80% of WLWH used antiretroviral therapy) were included, with outcomes measured through 31 March 2018. Covariates, NACM number, and prevalence were summarized at most recent WIHS visit. We used linear regression models to determine NACM burden by HIV serostatus and age. Results: Among 3232 women (2309 WLWH, 923 HIV-seronegative) with median observation of 15.3 years, median age and body mass index (BMI) were 50 years and 30 kg/m2, respectively; 65% were black; 70% ever used cigarettes. WLWH had a higher mean NACM number than HIV-seronegative women (3.6 vs 3.0, P < .0001) and higher prevalence of psychiatric illness, dyslipidemia, non-AIDS cancer, kidney, liver, and bone disease (all P < .01). Prevalent hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular and lung disease did not differ by HIV serostatus. Estimated NACM burden was higher among WLWH versus HIV-seronegative women in those aged 40-49 (P < .0001) and ≥60 years (P = .0009) (HIV × age interaction, P = .0978). In adjusted analyses, NACM burden was associated with HIV, age, race, income, BMI, alcohol abstinence, cigarette, and crack/cocaine use; in WLWH, additional HIV-specific indices were not associated, aside from recent abacavir use. Conclusions: Overall, NACM burden was high in the cohort, but higher in WLWH and in certain age groups. Non-HIV traditional risk factors were significantly associated with NACM burden in WLWH and should be prioritized in clinical guidelines for screening and intervention to mitigate comorbidity burden in this high-risk population

Brief Report: PrEP Eligibility among At-Risk Women in the Southern United States: Associated Factors, Awareness, and Acceptability

Background:Among women in the United States, non-Latina black women in the South have disproportionately high rates of new HIV infections but low use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Effective strategies to identify factors associated with PrEP eligibility could facilitate improved screening, offering, and uptake of PrEP among US women at risk of HIV.Setting and methods:We applied 2014 CDC criteria for PrEP use to at-risk HIV-negative women enrolled in the Southern US sites (Atlanta, Chapel Hill, Birmingham/Jackson, Miami) of the Women's Interagency HIV Study from 2014 to 2015 to estimate PrEP eligibility and assess PrEP knowledge and acceptability. Factors associated with PrEP eligibility were assessed using multivariable models.Results:Among 225 women, 72 (32%) were PrEP-eligible; the most common PrEP indicator was condomless sex. The majority of PrEP-eligible women (88%) reported willingness to consider PrEP. Only 24 (11%) PrEP-eligible women had previously heard of PrEP, and only 1 reported previous use. Education level less than high school [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.56; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22 to 5.37], history of sexual violence (aOR 4.52; 95% CI: 1.52 to 17.76), and medium to high self-perception of HIV risk (aOR 6.76; 95% CI: 3.26 to 14.05) were significantly associated with PrEP eligibility in adjusted models.Conclusions:Extremely low PrEP awareness and use despite a high proportion of eligibility and acceptability signify a critical need to enhance PrEP education and delivery for women in this region. Supplementing CDC eligibility criteria with questions about history of sexual violence and HIV risk self-assessment may enhance PrEP screening and uptake among US women

The COMPASS Experiment at CERN

The COMPASS experiment makes use of the CERN SPS high-intensitymuon and hadron beams for the investigation of the nucleon spin structure and the spectroscopy of hadrons. One or more outgoing particles are detected in coincidence with the incoming muon or hadron. A large polarized target inside a superconducting solenoid is used for the measurements with the muon beam. Outgoing particles are detected by a two-stage, large angle and large momentum range spectrometer. The setup is built using several types of tracking detectors, according to the expected incident rate, required space resolution and the solid angle to be covered. Particle identification is achieved using a RICH counter and both hadron and electromagnetic calorimeters. The setup has been successfully operated from 2002 onwards using a muon beam. Data with a hadron beam were also collected in 2004. This article describes the main features and performances of the spectrometer in 2004; a short summary of the 2006 upgrade is also given.Comment: 84 papes, 74 figure

The Effect of Menopausal Status, Age, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) on Non-AIDS Comorbidity Burden Among US Women

Menopause may impact the earlier onset of aging-related comorbidities among women with versus without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We found that menopausal status, age, and HIV were independently associated with higher comorbidity burden, and that HIV impacted burden most in the pre-/perimenopausal phases

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results