Time to Switch to Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Children With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Europe and Thailand.

Background: Data on durability of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are limited. We assessed time to switch to second-line therapy in 16 European countries and Thailand. Methods: Children aged <18 years initiating combination ART (≥2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs] plus nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NNRTI] or boosted protease inhibitor [PI]) were included. Switch to second-line was defined as (i) change across drug class (PI to NNRTI or vice versa) or within PI class plus change of ≥1 NRTI; (ii) change from single to dual PI; or (iii) addition of a new drug class. Cumulative incidence of switch was calculated with death and loss to follow-up as competing risks. Results: Of 3668 children included, median age at ART initiation was 6.1 (interquartile range (IQR), 1.7-10.5) years. Initial regimens were 32% PI based, 34% nevirapine (NVP) based, and 33% efavirenz based. Median duration of follow-up was 5.4 (IQR, 2.9-8.3) years. Cumulative incidence of switch at 5 years was 21% (95% confidence interval, 20%-23%), with significant regional variations. Median time to switch was 30 (IQR, 16-58) months; two-thirds of switches were related to treatment failure. In multivariable analysis, older age, severe immunosuppression and higher viral load (VL) at ART start, and NVP-based initial regimens were associated with increased risk of switch. Conclusions: One in 5 children switched to a second-line regimen by 5 years of ART, with two-thirds failure related. Advanced HIV, older age, and NVP-based regimens were associated with increased risk of switch

Threat of agricultural production on woody plant diversity in Tankwidi riparian buffer in the Sudanian Savanna of Ghana

Riparian forest buffers (RF) are integrative part of the savanna agricultural landscape.However, they are under threat of deforestation from agricultural intensification. To ascertain the impact of the deforestation, this study used remote sensing techniques and field inventorying to assess riparian woody plant diversity on farmland (FA) andforest reserve (FR) along Tankwidi rivercourse in the Sudanian savanna of Ghana. Post-classification analysis of Landsat images revealed a reduction in forest cover from 1986 (23%) to 2014 (7%) in the river basin. Ground survey of sixty randomly selected plots (500m2per plot) equally divided between FA and FR along the river in a 50m buffer zone showed a reduction in the number of woody species (diameter ≥ 5cm) from FR (40) to FA (19). Anogeissus leiocarpus and Mitragyna inermis were the most abundant species in both FR and FA. Shannon-Wiener Index for species diversity reduced from FR (2.5±0.09) to FA (1.8±0.14). Within FR, there were more species (58%)in the lower diameter class (5to 15cm) than the higher diameter classes (15to 50cm) suggesting successful regeneration. The reverse was observed in FA where the individuals in the lower diameter class were fewer (26%) than the higher diameter classes. Reduction in species density from FR (355±21) to FA (146±11) will increase the surface exposure of the riparian area in farmland to heighten risks to climate disasters such as fires and flooding. Managing the risks will not be possible unless a conscious effort is made to educate farmers on the roles of RF, replanted to enhance diversityor riparian buffer excluded from farming for vegetation recovery

Growth of Hybrids of Sarotherodon melanotheron (R&uuml;ppell, 1852) and Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Area of Lake Ah&eacute;m&eacute; and Its Channels

The Ah&eacute;m&eacute; Lake and its channels make up the saline area in Benin and do not facilitate the breeding of freshwater fish. The cross between the parents of Oreochromis niloticus and Sarotherodon melanatheron allowed us to obtain hybrids that grow in brackish water. It is a totally randomized device with four treatments and two repetitions. The larvae were brought back and fed to satiety for 6 weeks. The growth rates of the OS hybrids were 0.38 g/day, while those of the SO hybrids were 0.33 g/day. OS hybrids are an excellent candidate for fish farming in a brackish environment

Optimisation of Graft Copolymerisation of Fibres from Banana Trunk

Sheets from banana trunks were opened out and dried for several weeks in air. Pulp was obtained by the nitric acid process with a yield of 37.7% while fibres were obtained according to the modified standard Japanese method for cellulose in wood for pulp (JIS 8007) with a yield of 65% with respect to oven dried plant material. Single fibre obtained by the JIS method had an average diameter of 11.0 μm and Young's modulus, tensile strength and strain at break-off 7.05 GPa, 81.7 MPa and 5.2% respectively. Modification of the fibres was carried out by grafting ethyl acrylate in the presence of ammonium nitrate cerium(IV). Optimisation of the copolymerisation reaction conditions was studied by measuring the rate of conversion, the rate of grafting and the grafting efficiency. The results showed that at low values of ceric ion concentration (0.04 M), at ambient temperature, after three hours and at a concentration of 0.2 M ethyl acrylate, maximum values of the parameters cited were obtained