Adherence to and effectiveness of Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment for HIV infection: assessing the bidirectional relationship

It is well-established that high adherence to HAART is a major determinant of virological and immunological success. Furthermore, psycho-social research has identified a wide range of adherence factors. Our objective was to assess the bi-directional relationship between adherence and response to treatment among patients enrolled in the ANRS CO8 APROCOCOPILOTE study. An econometric approach was implemented through a bivariate twoequation simultaneous system, studying the factors associated with both adherence and undetectability of HIV plasma viral load. Our results highlight that good biological results induced by adherence reinforce continued adherence. This strengthens the argument that patients who do not experience rapid improvements in their immunological and clinical statuses after HAART initiation should be prioritized when developing adherence support interventions. Furthermore, it rules out the hypothesis that HAART leads to "false reassurance" among HIV infected patients.Adherence ; HIV ; relationship between adherence and effectiveness ; simultaneous equations ; GEE

Variation in Structure and Process of Care in Traumatic Brain Injury: Provider Profiles of European Neurotrauma Centers Participating in the CENTER-TBI Study.

INTRODUCTION: The strength of evidence underpinning care and treatment recommendations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is low. Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has been proposed as a framework to provide evidence for optimal care for TBI patients. The first step in CER is to map the existing variation. The aim of current study is to quantify variation in general structural and process characteristics among centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. METHODS: We designed a set of 11 provider profiling questionnaires with 321 questions about various aspects of TBI care, chosen based on literature and expert opinion. After pilot testing, questionnaires were disseminated to 71 centers from 20 countries participating in the CENTER-TBI study. Reliability of questionnaires was estimated by calculating a concordance rate among 5% duplicate questions. RESULTS: All 71 centers completed the questionnaires. Median concordance rate among duplicate questions was 0.85. The majority of centers were academic hospitals (n = 65, 92%), designated as a level I trauma center (n = 48, 68%) and situated in an urban location (n = 70, 99%). The availability of facilities for neuro-trauma care varied across centers; e.g. 40 (57%) had a dedicated neuro-intensive care unit (ICU), 36 (51%) had an in-hospital rehabilitation unit and the organization of the ICU was closed in 64% (n = 45) of the centers. In addition, we found wide variation in processes of care, such as the ICU admission policy and intracranial pressure monitoring policy among centers. CONCLUSION: Even among high-volume, specialized neurotrauma centers there is substantial variation in structures and processes of TBI care. This variation provides an opportunity to study effectiveness of specific aspects of TBI care and to identify best practices with CER approaches

The Science Performance of JWST as Characterized in Commissioning

This paper characterizes the actual science performance of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), as determined from the six month commissioning period. We summarize the performance of the spacecraft, telescope, science instruments, and ground system, with an emphasis on differences from pre-launch expectations. Commissioning has made clear that JWST is fully capable of achieving the discoveries for which it was built. Moreover, almost across the board, the science performance of JWST is better than expected; in most cases, JWST will go deeper faster than expected. The telescope and instrument suite have demonstrated the sensitivity, stability, image quality, and spectral range that are necessary to transform our understanding of the cosmos through observations spanning from near-earth asteroids to the most distant galaxies.Comment: 5th version as accepted to PASP; 31 pages, 18 figures; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1538-3873/acb29

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Variation in general supportive and preventive intensive care management of traumatic brain injury: a survey in 66 neurotrauma centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study

Abstract Background General supportive and preventive measures in the intensive care management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) aim to prevent or limit secondary brain injury and optimize recovery. The aim of this survey was to assess and quantify variation in perceptions on intensive care unit (ICU) management of patients with TBI in European neurotrauma centers. Methods We performed a survey as part of the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. We analyzed 23 questions focused on: 1) circulatory and respiratory management; 2) fever control; 3) use of corticosteroids; 4) nutrition and glucose management; and 5) seizure prophylaxis and treatment. Results The survey was completed predominantly by intensivists (n = 33, 50%) and neurosurgeons (n = 23, 35%) from 66 centers (97% response rate). The most common cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) target was > 60 mmHg (n = 39, 60%) and/or an individualized target (n = 25, 38%). To support CPP, crystalloid fluid loading (n = 60, 91%) was generally preferred over albumin (n = 15, 23%), and vasopressors (n = 63, 96%) over inotropes (n = 29, 44%). The most commonly reported target of partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) was 36–40 mmHg (4.8–5.3 kPa) in case of controlled intracranial pressure (ICP) < 20 mmHg (n = 45, 69%) and PaCO2 target of 30–35 mmHg (4–4.7 kPa) in case of raised ICP (n = 40, 62%). Almost all respondents indicated to generally treat fever (n = 65, 98%) with paracetamol (n = 61, 92%) and/or external cooling (n = 49, 74%). Conventional glucose management (n = 43, 66%) was preferred over tight glycemic control (n = 18, 28%). More than half of the respondents indicated to aim for full caloric replacement within 7 days (n = 43, 66%) using enteral nutrition (n = 60, 92%). Indications for and duration of seizure prophylaxis varied, and levetiracetam was mostly reported as the agent of choice for both seizure prophylaxis (n = 32, 49%) and treatment (n = 40, 61%). Conclusions Practice preferences vary substantially regarding general supportive and preventive measures in TBI patients at ICUs of European neurotrauma centers. These results provide an opportunity for future comparative effectiveness research, since a more evidence-based uniformity in good practices in general ICU management could have a major impact on TBI outcome

Adherence to and effectiveness of Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment for HIV infection: assessing the bidirectional relationship

ESSEC Working paper. Document de Recherche ESSEC / Centre de recherche de l'ESSEC ISSN : 1291-9616 WP 1110It is well-established that high adherence to HAART is a major determinant of virological and immunological success. Furthermore, psycho-social research has identified a wide range of adherence factors. Our objective was to assess the bi-directional relationship between adherence and response to treatment among patients enrolled in the ANRS CO8 APROCOCOPILOTE study. An econometric approach was implemented through a bivariate twoequation simultaneous system, studying the factors associated with both adherence and undetectability of HIV plasma viral load. Our results highlight that good biological results induced by adherence reinforce continued adherence. This strengthens the argument that patients who do not experience rapid improvements in their immunological and clinical statuses after HAART initiation should be prioritized when developing adherence support interventions. Furthermore, it rules out the hypothesis that HAART leads to "false reassurance" among HIV infected patients

Adherence to and effectiveness of Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment for HIV infection: assessing the bidirectional relationship

ESSEC Working paper. Document de Recherche ESSEC / Centre de recherche de l'ESSEC ISSN : 1291-9616 WP 1110It is well-established that high adherence to HAART is a major determinant of virological and immunological success. Furthermore, psycho-social research has identified a wide range of adherence factors. Our objective was to assess the bi-directional relationship between adherence and response to treatment among patients enrolled in the ANRS CO8 APROCOCOPILOTE study. An econometric approach was implemented through a bivariate twoequation simultaneous system, studying the factors associated with both adherence and undetectability of HIV plasma viral load. Our results highlight that good biological results induced by adherence reinforce continued adherence. This strengthens the argument that patients who do not experience rapid improvements in their immunological and clinical statuses after HAART initiation should be prioritized when developing adherence support interventions. Furthermore, it rules out the hypothesis that HAART leads to "false reassurance" among HIV infected patients

Interruption of Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor (NNRTI) Therapy for 2 Months Has No Effect on Levels of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Plasma of Patients Harboring Viruses with Mutations Associated with Resistance to NNRTIs

A 2-month interruption of only nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) for patients carrying mutations associated with resistance to NNRTIs was followed by no change in either viral load or CD4 cell counts. These data suggest that these compounds have lost all of their in vivo antiviral activity in such cases

Comparison of the Dynamics of Resistance-Associated Mutations to Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors, Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors, and Protease Inhibitors after Cessation of Antiretroviral Combination Therapy

The dynamics of mutations associated with resistance to antiretroviral drugs were analyzed after cessation of therapy. The results showed that the kinetics of the shift to wild-type amino acid residues were significantly faster for protease inhibitors, intermediate for nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and slower for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors