Novel Use of Surveillance Data to Detect HIV-Infected Persons with Sustained High Viral Load and Durable Virologic Suppression in New York City

Background: Monitoring of the uptake and efficacy of ART in a population often relies on cross-sectional data, providing limited information that could be used to design specific targeted intervention programs. Using repeated measures of viral load (VL) surveillance data, we aimed to estimate and characterize the proportion of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in New York City (NYC) with sustained high VL (SHVL) and durably suppressed VL (DSVL). Methods/Principal Findings: Retrospective cohort study of all persons reported to the NYC HIV Surveillance Registry who were alive and $12 years old by the end of 2005 and who had$2 VL tests in 2006 and 2007. SHVL and DSVL were defined as PLWHA with 2 consecutive VLs $100,000 copies/mL and PLWHA with all VLs #400 copies/mL, respectively. Logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations were used to model the association between SHVL and covariates. There were 56,836 PLWHA, of whom 7 % had SHVL and 38 % had DSVL. Compared to those without SHVL, persons with SHVL were more likely to be younger, black and have injection drug use (IDU) risk. PLWHA with SHVL were more likely to die by 2007 and be younger by nearly ten years, on average. Conclusions/Significance: Nearly 60 % of PLWHA in 2005 had multiple VLs, of whom almost 40 % had DSVL, suggesting successful ART uptake. A small proportion had SHVL, representing groups known to have suboptimal engagement in care. This group should be targeted for additional outreach to reduce morbidity and secondary transmission. Measures based o

Microphytoplankton structure from the neritic and oceanic regions of Pernambuco State - Brazil

This research was carried out to assess phytoplankton diversity, distribution and ecology on the Pernambuco Continental Shelf and Oceanic region (lat. 7º 33' 00" S to 8º 41' 50" S and long. 34º 04' 47" W to 35º 01' 20" W). Samples were collected during the Joint Oceanographics Projects (JOPS II-Leg 5) by double oblique hauls with a baby bongo net 64 µm mesh size at depth between 14 and 150 m in inshore and offshore waters respectively, in seven transects, totaling 34 stations. The temperature and salinity characterised the tropical water masses. The dissolved oxygen was oversaturated in all stations. The nutrient-low concentrations showed an oligothrophic pattern in the whole area. 173 specific and infraspecific taxa were identified: Dinophyta (103 taxa), Bacillariophyta (61 taxa), Cyanobacteria (7 taxa), Chlorophyta and Chrysophyta (1 taxon). The family Ceratiaceae presented the highest species number (47 taxa). The cyanobacteria Trichodesmium erythraeum Ehrenberg, Oscillatoria spp. and the diatom Leptocylindrus danicus Cleve had higher frequence of occurrence and abundance. Species diversity varied from 0.71 to 3.46 bits.cell-1 and this low index was due to Trichodesmium erythraeum bloom and evenness from 0.14 to 0.65, showing an unstable pattern. The oceanic planktonic species were responsible for the higher richness with 78 taxa, corresponding to 58.39% of the total microphytoplankton. The species association presented two groups. The first one divided in two subgroups: one associated to the neritic/oceanic and oceanic planktonic species and the other to the oligotrophic indicator species. The second group was composed of some key species which were the most abundant and frequent in the area. The first three Principal Component Analyses (PCAs) explained 50.91% of the data variance showing that the area is structured by two groups: one offshore composed by oligotrophic indicators, and another nearshore influenced by continental fluxes

New record of Akashiwo sanguinea(Dinophyta) in the tropical estuarine waters of Northeastern Brazil (Western Atlantic)

This study reports the occurrence and the effect of the environmental factors on the spatial and temporal distribution of the dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea (Hirasaka) Hansen & Moestrup in estuarine waters of northeastern Brazil. Samples were collected at seven stations from March 2007 to February 2008 during high tide and low tide, using Van Dorn bottles. The samples were immediately fixed with Lugol and analyzed with the Utermöhl method. Water samples were also collected for the identification of the hydrological characteristics of the area. Akashiwo sanguinea occurred throughout the annual cycle and at all sampling sites with densities ranging between 5 and 410 x 103cells.L–1. The highest densities were recorded at low tide, especially during the months of the rainy season (July: 210 x 103 cells.L–1; August: 410 x 103cells.L–1). Density values were within the normal range and blooms were not detected. Despite being common in the area, the species showed preference for sites with high concentrations of orthophosphate and total dissolved phosphorus and with salinity in the mesohaline regime

New record of Akashiwo sanguinea(Dinophyta) in the tropical estuarine waters of Northeastern Brazil (Western Atlantic)

This study reports the occurrence and the effect of the environmental factors on the spatial and temporal distribution of the dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea (Hirasaka) Hansen & Moestrup in estuarine waters of northeastern Brazil. Samples were collected at seven stations from March 2007 to February 2008 during high tide and low tide, using Van Dorn bottles. The samples were immediately fixed with Lugol and analyzed with the Utermöhl method. Water samples were also collected for the identification of the hydrological characteristics of the area. Akashiwo sanguinea occurred throughout the annual cycle and at all sampling sites with densities ranging between 5 and 410 x 103cells.L–1. The highest densities were recorded at low tide, especially during the months of the rainy season (July: 210 x 103 cells.L–1; August: 410 x 103cells.L–1). Density values were within the normal range and blooms were not detected. Despite being common in the area, the species showed preference for sites with high concentrations of orthophosphate and total dissolved phosphorus and with salinity in the mesohaline regime

Determination of eutrophic areas in Munda\ufa/Manguaba lagoons, Alagoas-Brazil, through studies of the phytoplanktonic community

Mundaú and Manguaba Lagoons (9° 34' 38"-9° 45' 30" S and 35° 44' 00"-35° 58' 13" W) are considered the largest and most productive ones in the state of Alagoas and were studied with the purpose of identifying the existence of anthropic impacts. Samples were collected at 8 stations, during low tide and flooding in rainy and dry periods, using the "Van Dorn" bottle and plankton net. In total, 155 taxons were identified, with special emphasis on Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta divisions. The most abundant species in Mundaú Lagoon was Skeletonema cf. costatum, and in the Manguaba Lagoon, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena spiroides. The diversity ranged from 0.17 bits cell/L to 4.81 bits cell/L. The predominance of freshwater species (51%), evidenced higher influence of the limnetic flow on the two environments studied. The high values related to the phytoplanktonic density characterize the lagoons as strongly impacted environments, indicating the existence of eutrophic conditions in most of the studied stations

Demographic versus genetic dispersal measures

Quantifying dispersal, a fundamental biological process, is far from simple. Here, both direct and indirect methods were employed to estimate dispersal in an endangered butterfly species. A high and significant correlation between the dispersal patterns, generated by an inverse power function fitted to capture-mark-recapture (CMR) data on the one hand, and population genetic analyses on the other hand, was observed. Stepping-stone type movements were detected by both methods, evidence for the importance of connectivity in the studied metapopulation. These results are particularly relevant to those population and conservation biology studies where quantifying dispersal is essential for the elaboration of successful management actions