Highly efficient acoustooptic diffraction in Sn2P2S6 crystals

We have studied the acoustooptic (AO) diffraction in Sn2P2S6 crystals and found that they manifest high values of AO figure of merit. The above crystals may therefore be used as highly efficient materials in different AO applications.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Nano-colloids of Sn2P2S6 in Nematic Liquid Crystal Pentyl-cianobiphenile

It has been shown experimentally that the ferroelectric nano-particles, in common with other molecular additives, shift the clearing temperature, Tc, extending or reducing the two-phase coexistent region and changing the average order parameter of the single-component nematics. An increase of up to 11°C or a smaller decrease of as much as 3°C of Tc, and corresponding changes of the order parameter were observed. In all cases the order parameter of the colloid followed the universal temperature behaviour, which is a characteristic of LCs with molecular additives

Syphilis infection is associated with an increase in plasma viral load in HIV infected patients: results from the FHDH cohort — ANRS CO4

International audiencen.

ВПЛИВ ФІНАНСОВОЇ КРИЗИ В УКРАЇНІ 2014—2015 РОКІВ НА РІВЕНЬ ФІНАНСОВОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ БАНКІВ

It has been determined that commercial banks operate in a complex operational environment, which is due to the influence of a number of factors of political, social, economic, which are largely unpredictable and destructive. It is substantiated that external key parameters through which the influence on the process of providing financial security of banks is mediated. The relationship between the size of the rate of mandatory reserve requirements and the level of financial security of the bank is researched. The analysis of the state of assets, liabilities and equity capital by groups of banks during 2012—2016. The role of the central bank in regulating the activities of banks in order to ensure their financial security has been determined. The expediency of imposing sanctions on carrying out of any financial operations of banks with Russian capital in favor of parent structures was substantiated. The key problems that restrain the process of providing financial security of banks in terms of their functional components (capital-resource security, credit-investment, currency and safe level of incomes and expenditures) are determined. The methodical approach to the rating of banks estimation on the level of their financial security is offered on the basis of the analysis of indicators The stimulator / disintegrators of the analyzed banks is based on the rating rating of the bank according to the level of its financial security on the basis of comparison of j-th KB with the «standard» — the bank which The best results for each indicator are the maximum values for stimulators and the minimum for disinfectants. The rating is defined as the arithmetic mean of standardized indicators summed up in the matrix of key indicators. The necessity of grouping the analyzed banks according to their financial security level has been proved. Using the method of grouping of research objects is substantiated as an instrument for streamlining the analyzed banks. It is determined empirically, taking into account qualitative, non-formalized characteristics of four groups of banks for the p vnem their financial security (with a high level of financial security, sufficient, low and critical).Визначено, що комерційні банки функціонують у складному операційному середовищі, а це зумовлено впливом низки факторів політичних, соціальних, економічних, що здебільшого є малопрогнозованими і деструктивними. Обґрунтовано зовнішні ключові параметри, через які опосередковується вплив на процес забезпечення фінансової безпеки банків. Досліджено взаємозв’язок між розміром ставки нормативів обов’язкового резервування і рівнем фінансової безпеки банку. Проаналізовано стан активів, зобов’язань і власного капіталу за групами банків упродовж 2012—2016 рр.. Визначено роль центрального банку в регулюванні діяльності банків щодо забезпечення їхньої фінансової безпеки. Обґрунтовано доцільність запровадження НБУ санкцій на проведення будь-яких фінансових операцій банків із російським капіталом на користь материнських структур. Визначено ключові проблеми, які стримують процес забезпечення фінансової безпеки банків у розрізі і функціональних складових (капітало-ресурсної безпеки, кредитно-інвестиційної, валютної та безпечного рівня доходів і витрат. Запропоновано методичний підхід до рейтингової оцінки банків за рівнем їхньої фінансової безпеки на основі аналізу показників-стимуляторів / дестимуляторів аналізованих банків. Обґрунтовано проведення рейтингової оцінки банку за рівнем його фінансової безпеки на основі порівняння j-го КБ з «еталоном» — банком, який має найкращі результати щодо кожного показника — максимальні значення для стимуляторів і мінімальні — для дестимуляторів. Рейтинг визначено як середнє арифметичне стандартизованих показників, зведених у матрицю ключових показників. Доведено необхідність групування аналізованих банків за рівнем їхньої фінансової безпеки. Обґрунтовано використання методу групування об’єктів дослідження як інструменту упорядкування аналізованих банків. Визначено емпіричним шляхом з обліком якісних, неформалізованих характеристик чотири групи банків за рівнем їхньої фінансової безпеки (з високим рівнем фінансової безпеки, достатнім, низьким і критичним)

CD4 cell count and the risk of AIDS or death in HIV-Infected adults on combination antiretroviral therapy with a suppressed viral load: a longitudinal cohort study from COHERE.

BACKGROUND: Most adults infected with HIV achieve viral suppression within a year of starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). It is important to understand the risk of AIDS events or death for patients with a suppressed viral load. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Using data from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (2010 merger), we assessed the risk of a new AIDS-defining event or death in successfully treated patients. We accumulated episodes of viral suppression for each patient while on cART, each episode beginning with the second of two consecutive plasma viral load measurements 500 copies/µl, the first of two consecutive measurements between 50-500 copies/µl, cART interruption or administrative censoring. We used stratified multivariate Cox models to estimate the association between time updated CD4 cell count and a new AIDS event or death or death alone. 75,336 patients contributed 104,265 suppression episodes and were suppressed while on cART for a median 2.7 years. The mortality rate was 4.8 per 1,000 years of viral suppression. A higher CD4 cell count was always associated with a reduced risk of a new AIDS event or death; with a hazard ratio per 100 cells/µl (95% CI) of: 0.35 (0.30-0.40) for counts <200 cells/µl, 0.81 (0.71-0.92) for counts 200 to <350 cells/µl, 0.74 (0.66-0.83) for counts 350 to <500 cells/µl, and 0.96 (0.92-0.99) for counts ≥500 cells/µl. A higher CD4 cell count became even more beneficial over time for patients with CD4 cell counts <200 cells/µl. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the low mortality rate, the risk of a new AIDS event or death follows a CD4 cell count gradient in patients with viral suppression. A higher CD4 cell count was associated with the greatest benefit for patients with a CD4 cell count <200 cells/µl but still some slight benefit for those with a CD4 cell count ≥500 cells/µl

Impact of CD4 and CD8 dynamics and viral rebounds on loss of virological control in HIV controllers.

HIV controllers (HICs) spontaneously maintain HIV viral replication at low level without antiretroviral therapy (ART), a small number of whom will eventually lose this ability to control HIV viremia. The objective was to identify factors associated with loss of virological control. HICs were identified in COHERE on the basis of ≥5 consecutive viral loads (VL) ≤500 copies/mL over ≥1 year whilst ART-naive, with the last VL ≤500 copies/mL measured ≥5 years after HIV diagnosis. Loss of virological control was defined as 2 consecutive VL &gt;2000 copies/mL. Duration of HIV control was described using cumulative incidence method, considering loss of virological control, ART initiation and death during virological control as competing outcomes. Factors associated with loss of virological control were identified using Cox models. CD4 and CD8 dynamics were described using mixed-effect linear models. We identified 1067 HICs; 86 lost virological control, 293 initiated ART, and 13 died during virological control. Six years after confirmation of HIC status, the probability of losing virological control, initiating ART and dying were 13%, 37%, and 2%. Current lower CD4/CD8 ratio and a history of transient viral rebounds were associated with an increased risk of losing virological control. CD4 declined and CD8 increased before loss of virological control, and before viral rebounds. Expansion of CD8 and decline of CD4 during HIV control may result from repeated low-level viremia. Our findings suggest that in addition to superinfection, other mechanisms, such as low grade viral replication, can lead to loss of virological control in HICs

Factors associated with paradoxical immune response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV infected patients: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A paradoxical immunologic response (PIR) to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), defined as viral suppression without CD4 cell-count improvement, has been reported in the literature as 8 to 42%, around 15% in most instances. The present study aims to determine, in a cohort of HIV infected patients in Brazil, what factors were independently associated with such a discordant response to HAART.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A case-control study (1:4) matched by gender was conducted among 934 HIV infected patients on HAART in Brazil. Cases: patients with PIR, defined as CD4 < 350 cells/mm³(hazard ratio for AIDS or death of at least 8.5) and undetectable HIV viral load on HAART for at least one year. Controls: similar to cases, but with CD4 counts ≥ 350 cells/mm³. Eligibility criteria were applied. Data were collected from medical records using a standardized form. Variables were introduced in a hierarchical logistic regression model if a p-value < 0.1 was determined in a bivariate analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 934 patients, 39 cases and 160 controls were consecutively selected. Factors associated with PIR in the logistic regression model were: total time in use of HAART (OR 0.981; CI 95%: 0.96-0.99), nadir CD4-count (OR 0.985; CI 95%: 0.97-0.99), and time of undetectable HIV viral load (OR 0.969; CI 95%: 0.94-0.99).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>PIR seems to be related to a delay in the management of immunodeficient patients, as shown by its negative association with nadir CD4-count. Strategies should be implemented to avoid such a delay and improve the adherence to HAART as a way to implement concordant responses.</p