HIV and TB co-infection in South Sudan: a three year retrospective study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of HIV/TB co-infection among patients attending the HIV clinic at Juba Teaching Hospital (JTH) from 2011 to 2013.Method and Materials: This was a retrospective study using data abstracted from the registration book in the HIV clinic. A data sheet was used to collect relevant variables. Data were entered, organized and analyzed using SPSS Version 20 Software. A p-value of 0.05 or less was considered significant.Results: Out of 2,577 patients attending the HIV clinic in JTH from 2011 to 2013, 2,547 (99%) were included in this study. Of these, 27.4% were seen in 2011, 34.1% in 2012 and 38.5% in 2013. There were 1,010 (39.7%) males and 1,537(60.3%) females with a male to female ratio of 2:3. The mean age (x, SD, range) was 30.8 +/-10.8 (0.2-68) years which for males was 33.3+/- 12.2 (1-68) years and 29.1+/-9.5 (0.2-65) years for females. There were 2,318 (91%) HIV monoinfected patients and 229 (9%) HIV/TB co-infected patients. There were 122 HIV/TB co-infected males and 107 females. 39.3% of patients with HIV/TB were aged 25-34 years, and 9.3% were aged 0 14 years. The p-value between the groups and within the groups was statistically significant at p= 0.005. Munuki payam had the highest percentage (31.7%) of HIV/TB co-infection.Conclusion: HIV/TB remains a major challenging health problem with a prevalence of 9%

Glauber Dynamics for the mean-field Potts Model

We study Glauber dynamics for the mean-field (Curie-Weiss) Potts model with $q\geq 3$ states and show that it undergoes a critical slowdown at an inverse-temperature $\beta_s(q)$ strictly lower than the critical $\beta_c(q)$ for uniqueness of the thermodynamic limit. The dynamical critical $\beta_s(q)$ is the spinodal point marking the onset of metastability. We prove that when $\beta<\beta_s(q)$ the mixing time is asymptotically $C(\beta, q) n \log n$ and the dynamics exhibits the cutoff phenomena, a sharp transition in mixing, with a window of order $n$. At $\beta=\beta_s(q)$ the dynamics no longer exhibits cutoff and its mixing obeys a power-law of order $n^{4/3}$. For $\beta>\beta_s(q)$ the mixing time is exponentially large in $n$. Furthermore, as $\beta \uparrow \beta_s$ with $n$, the mixing time interpolates smoothly from subcritical to critical behavior, with the latter reached at a scaling window of $O(n^{-2/3})$ around $\beta_s$. These results form the first complete analysis of mixing around the critical dynamical temperature --- including the critical power law --- for a model with a first order phase transition.Comment: 45 pages, 5 figure

A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum

A robust understanding of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglacial history since the Last Glacial Maximum is important in order to constrain ice sheet and glacial-isostatic adjustment models, and to explore the forcing mechanisms responsible for ice sheet retreat. Such understanding can be derived from a broad range of geological and glaciological datasets and recent decades have seen an upsurge in such data gathering around the continent and Sub-Antarctic islands. Here, we report a new synthesis of those datasets, based on an accompanying series of reviews of the geological data, organised by sector. We present a series of timeslice maps for 20 ka, 15 ka, 10 ka and 5 ka, including grounding line position and ice sheet thickness changes, along with a clear assessment of levels of confidence. The reconstruction shows that the Antarctic Ice sheet did not everywhere reach the continental shelf edge at its maximum, that initial retreat was asynchronous, and that the spatial pattern of deglaciation was highly variable, particularly on the inner shelf. The deglacial reconstruction is consistent with a moderate overall excess ice volume and with a relatively small Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse 1a. We discuss key areas of uncertainty both around the continent and by time interval, and we highlight potential priorities for future work. The synthesis is intended to be a resource for the modelling and glacial geological community

Recovered memories, satanic abuse, Dissociative Identity Disorder and false memories in the UK: a survey of Clinical Psychologists and Hypnotherapists

An online survey was conducted to examine psychological therapists’ experiences of, and beliefs about, cases of recovered memory, satanic / ritualistic abuse, Multiple Personality Disorder / Dissociative Identity Disorder, and false memory. Chartered Clinical Psychologists (n=183) and Hypnotherapists (n=119) responded. In terms of their experiences, Chartered Clinical Psychologists reported seeing more cases of satanic / ritualistic abuse compared to Hypnotherapists who, in turn, reported encountering more cases of childhood sexual abuse recovered for the first time in therapy, and more cases of suspected false memory. Chartered Clinical Psychologists were more likely to rate the essential accuracy of reports of satanic / ritualistic abuse as higher than Hypnotherapists. Belief in the accuracy of satanic / ritualistic abuse and Multiple Personality Disorder / Dissociative Identity Disorder reports correlated negatively with the belief that false memories were possible

Micromechanics of Single Supercoiled DNA Molecules

Abstract. The theory of the mechanical response of single DNA molecules un-der stretching and twisting stresses is reviewed. Using established results for the the semiflexible polymer including the effect of torsional stress, and for the free energy of plectonemic supercoils, a theory of coexisting plectonemic and extended DNA is con-structed and shown to produce phenomena observed experimentally. Analytical results for DNA extension and torque are presented, and effects of anharmonicities in the plec-tonemic free energy are described. An application of the theory to the problem of torsional-stress-induced cruciform extrusion is also discussed. Key words. DNA, molecular biology, statistical mechanics, polymer physics. AMS(MOS) subject classifications. 82D60, 92C05, 92C40

Genome-wide association meta-analysis of corneal curvature identifies novel loci and shared genetic influences across axial length and refractive error.

Corneal curvature, a highly heritable trait, is a key clinical endophenotype for myopia - a major cause of visual impairment and blindness in the world. Here we present a trans-ethnic meta-analysis of corneal curvature GWAS in 44,042 individuals of Caucasian and Asian with replication in 88,218 UK Biobank data. We identified 47 loci (of which 26 are novel), with population-specific signals as well as shared signals across ethnicities. Some identified variants showed precise scaling in corneal curvature and eye elongation (i.e. axial length) to maintain eyes in emmetropia (i.e. HDAC11/FBLN2 rs2630445, RBP3 rs11204213); others exhibited association with myopia with little pleiotropic effects on eye elongation. Implicated genes are involved in extracellular matrix organization, developmental process for body and eye, connective tissue cartilage and glycosylation protein activities. Our study provides insights into population-specific novel genes for corneal curvature, and their pleiotropic effect in regulating eye size or conferring susceptibility to myopia

Multi-trait genome-wide association study identifies new loci associated with optic disc parameters

A new avenue of mining published genome-wide association studies includes the joint analysis of related traits. The power of this approach depends on the genetic correlation of traits, which reflects the number of pleiotropic loci, i.e. genetic loci influencing multiple traits. Here, we applied new meta-analyses of optic nerve head (ONH) related traits implicated in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG); intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness using Haplotype reference consortium imputations. We performed a multi-trait analysis of ONH parameters cup area, disc area and vertical cup-disc ratio. We uncover new variants; rs11158547 in PPP1R36-PLEKHG3 and rs1028727 near SERPINE3 at genome-wide significance that replicate in independent Asian cohorts imputed to 1000 Genomes. At this point, validation of these variants in POAG cohorts is hampered by the high degree of heterogeneity. Our results show that multi-trait analysis is a valid approach to identify novel pleiotropic variants for ONH

CONTROLLED INTERSYSTEM COMMUNICATION

There are described results of researches regarding application of the new means for control of mode of electric power transmission and distribution on the basis of IPC (Interphase Power Controller) taking into account development of external connections of the Moldavian power supply system. The variant of application of classical IPC on base of High Voltage Line Beltsy-Suceava is considered. The management method by power flows in this section on the basis of application of PST (Phase Shift transformer), connected in parallel with IPC is offered and investigated and its technical efficiency is proved

Were the Larsemann Hills ice-free through the Last Glacial Maximum?

Lake sediments in the Larsemann Hills contain a great diversity ofbiological and physical markers from which past environments can be inferred. In order to determine the timing of environmental changes it is essential to have accurate dating of sediments. We used radiometric (*loPb and I3'Cs), radiocarbon (AMS "C) and uranium series (2'*U) methods to date cores from eleven lakes. These were sampled on coastal to inland transects across the two mainpeninsulas, Broknes and Stornes, together with a single sample from the Bolingen Islands. Radiometric dating of recent sediments yielded *"Pb levels below acceptable detection limits. However, a relatively well-defined peak in I3'Cs gave a date marker which corresponds to the fallout maximum from the atmospheric testing of atomic weapons in 1964/65. Radiocarbon (AMS I4C) measurements showed stratigraphical consistency in the age-depth sequences and undisturbed laminae in some cores provides evidence that the sediments have remained undisturbed by glacial action. In addition, freshwater surface sediments were found to be in near-equilibrium with modern I4CO, and not influenced by radiocarbon contaminationprocesses. This dating program, together with geomorphological records of ice flow directions and glacial sediments, indicates that parts of Broknes were ice-free throughout the Last Glacial Maximum and that some lakes have existed continuously since at least 44 ka BP. Attempts to date sediments older than44 ka BP usingZ3*Ud ating were inconclusive. However, supporting evidence for Broknes being ice-free is provided by an Optically Stimulated Luminescence date from a glaciofluvial deposit. In contrast, Stornes only became ice-free in the mid to late Holocene. This contrasting glacial history results from the D%lk Glacier which diverts ice around Broknes. Lakes onBroknes and some offshore islands therefore contain the oldest known lacustrine sediment records from eastern Antarctica, with the area providing an ice-free oasis and refuge for plants and animals throughoutthe Last Glacial Maximum. These sediments are therefore well placed to unravel a unique lirnnological sequence of environmental and climate changes in East Antarctica from the late Pleistocene to the present. This information may help better constrain models of current climate changes and ensure the adequate protection of these lakes and their catchments from the impacts of recent human occupation