Cryptococcal Antigen Screening in Asymptomatic HIV-Infected Antiretroviral Naïve Patients in Cameroon and Evaluation of the New Semi-Quantitative Biosynex CryptoPS Test.

Background: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a major cause of AIDS-related mortality in Africa. Detection of serum cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) predicts development of CM in antiretroviral (ART) naïve HIV-infected patients with severe immune depression. Systematic pre-ART CrAg screening and pre-emptive oral fluconazole is thus recommended. We postulated that a semi-quantitative CrAg screening approach could offer clinically relevant advantages.Methods:ART-naïve asymptomatic adult outpatients with 160 strongly correlated with proven CM and Biosynex CryptoPS T2-band positivity. During the 1-year follow up period, there was no incident case of CM among screened patients and overall incidence of all-cause mortality was 31.5 per 100 person-years-at-risk (95%CI: 23.0-43.1).Conclusion:HIV-associated asymptomatic cryptococcosis is common in Cameroon, warranting integrated systematic screening and treatment. Biosynex CryptoPS holds promise, at point of care, for rapidly stratifying CrAg positive patients for optimal management including lumbar puncture and combination antifungal therapy when needed.Summary findings:Prevalence of CrAg and meningitis (CM) is high in Cameroon. Biosynex CryptoPS is comparable to IMMY LFA in CrAg screening. Its T2-band correlates with high antigen titres and CM, thus promising for identifying patients requiring effective induction therapy.Note:This study was presented in part at the 10th International Conference on Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis (ICCC) in Iguazu in Brazil from 26 to 30thMarch 2017 and won a prize oral presentation

Short-selling ban and cross-sectoral contagion: Evidence from the UK

The UK?s Financial Services Authority introduced a ban on the short-selling of specified financial-sector stocks in September 2008. The regulator?s stated objectives were to protect market quality, stabilise the market for financial-sector stocks, and prevent cross-sectoral contagion. We analyse the price, market quality and contagion effects following the imposition of the short-selling ban, and its removal in January 2009. We report evidence consistent with a short-lived overpricing (underpricing) effect immediately after the ban was imposed (lifted). There is evidence of deterioration in market quality while the ban was in force. There is evidence of cross-sectoral contagion from the financial sector to the telecommunication sector immediately before the imposition of the ban, but there is no contagion for seven other non-financial sectors. There is no evidence of contagion while the ban was in force. In terms of preventing cross-sectoral contagion, the ban may be seen as a successful governance mechanism in the regulator?s toolbox.Peer reviewe

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe