Artemisinin-based combination therapy does not measurably reduce human infectiousness to vectors in a setting of intense malaria transmission

<p>Background: Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for treating malaria has activity against immature gametocytes. In theory, this property may complement the effect of terminating otherwise lengthy malaria infections and reducing the parasite reservoir in the human population that can infect vector mosquitoes. However, this has never been verified at a population level in a setting with intense transmission, where chronically infectious asymptomatic carriers are common and cured patients are rapidly and repeatedly re-infected.</p> <p>Methods: From 2001 to 2004, malaria vector densities were monitored using light traps in three Tanzanian districts. Mosquitoes were dissected to determine parous and oocyst rates. Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite rates were determined by ELISA. Sulphadoxinepyrimethamine(SP) monotherapy was used for treatment of uncomplicated malaria in the contiguous districts of Kilombero and Ulanga throughout this period. In Rufiji district, the standard drug was changed to artesunate co-administered with SP (AS + SP) in March 2003. The effects of this change in case management on malaria parasite infection in the vectors were analysed.</p> <p>Results: Plasmodium falciparum entomological inoculation rates exceeded 300 infective bites per person per year at both sites over the whole period. The introduction of AS + SP in Rufiji was associated with increased oocyst prevalence (OR [95%CI] = 3.9 [2.9-5.3], p < 0.001), but had no consistent effect on sporozoite prevalence (OR [95%CI] = 0.9 [0.7-1.2], p = 0.5). The estimated infectiousness of the human population in Rufiji was very low prior to the change in drug policy. Emergence rates and parous rates of the vectors varied substantially throughout the study period, which affected estimates of infectiousness. The latter consequently cannot be explained by the change in drug policy.</p> <p>Conclusions: In high perennial transmission settings, only a small proportion of infections in humans are symptomatic or treated, so case management with ACT may have little impact on overall infectiousness of the human population. Variations in infection levels in vectors largely depend on the age distribution of the mosquito population. Benefits of ACT in suppressingtransmission are more likely to be evident where transmission is already low or effective vector control is widely implemented.</p&gt

Serological responses in dairy calves to various vaccines administered via needle-free or conventional needle-based injections

One hundred and four, 5- to 10-month-old Holstein heifers and steers were blocked by age within gender and randomly assigned to treatments. Calves were vaccinated with 5- way modified-live respiratory viral vaccine, Mannheimia hemolytic bacterin/toxoid, and 5- way Leptospira bacterin, administered via either needle-free or conventional needle-andsyringe injection techniques. Blood samples were collected from all calves at the time of vaccination and 21 days later. Blood sera were analyzed for antibody titers to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus as the indicator of serological response to the 5-way viral vaccine, to Leptospira pomona (LP) as the indicator of serological response to the 5-way Leptospira bacterin, and to Mannheimia hemolytica (MH) leukotoxoid. Responses of heifers on day 21 to the IBR fraction of the 5-way viral vaccine, MH bacterin, and LP fraction of the 5-way Lepto bacterin did not differ between methods of administration. Responses of steers on day 21 to the IBR fraction of the 5-way viral vaccine and MH bacterin were greater for the needle-free method of administration, whereas serological response to the LP fraction did not differ between methods of administration. We conclude that needle-free injections can eliminate broken needles in the carcass, reduce needle-borne transmission of disease, and possibly produce greater serological responses to various antigens, compared with those obtained with conventional needle-and-syringe injection systems.; Dairy Day, 2005, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2005; Dairy Research, 2005 is known as Dairy Day, 200

Serological responses to IBR viral vaccine and Mannheimia haemolytica bacterin/leukotoxoid administered with needle-free injection technology

Yearling steers were randomized to treatment and vaccinated with 5-way modified live viral vaccine and Mannheimia haemolytica bacterin/toxoid by using either needle-free or standard needle injection. Blood samples were collected from all animals at the time of vaccination and 21 days later, and the serum was analyzed for antibody titers to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus and M. haemolytica leukotoxoid. Serological responses to the IBR viral fraction of the 5-way viral vaccine were significantly greater on day 21 after administration with the needle-free injection system. Serological responses to the M. haemolytica leukotoxoid tended to be greater on day 21 after administration with the needle-free injection system

The 2dF QSO Redshift Survey - XII. The spectroscopic catalogue and luminosity function

We present the final catalogue of the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey (2QZ), based on Anglo-Australian Telescope 2dF spectroscopic observations of 44 576 colour-selected (ubJr) objects with 18.2

Key lessons from the COVID-19 public health response in Australia

Australia avoided the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but still experienced many negative impacts. Reflecting on lessons from Australia's public health response, an Australian expert panel composed of relevant discipline experts identified the following key lessons: 1) movement restrictions were effective, but their implementation requires careful consideration of adverse impacts, 2) disease modelling was valuable, but its limitations should be acknowledged, 3) the absence of timely national data requires re-assessment of national surveillance structures, 4) the utility of advanced pathogen genomics and novel vaccine technology was clearly demonstrated, 5) decision-making that is evidence informed and consultative is essential to maintain trust, 6) major system weaknesses in the residential aged-care sector require fixing, 7) adequate infection prevention and control frameworks are critically important, 8) the interests and needs of young people should not be compromised, 9) epidemics should be recognised as a ‘standing threat’, 10) regional and global solidarity is important. It should be acknowledged that we were unable to capture all relevant nuances and context specific differences. However, the intent of this review of Australia's public health response is to critically reflect on key lessons learnt and to encourage constructive national discussion in countries across the Western Pacific Region

Quantum wave equation of photon

In this paper, we give the quantum wave equations of single photon when it is in the free or medium space. With these equations, we can study light interference and diffraction with quantum approach. Otherwise, they can be applied in quantum optics and photonic crystal.Comment: 8 pages, 0 figure

Radiative charge transfer lifetime of the excited state of (NaCa)+^+

New experiments were proposed recently to investigate the regime of cold atomic and molecular ion-atom collision processes in a special hybrid neutral-atom--ion trap under high vacuum conditions. The collisional cooling of laser pre-cooled Ca$^+$ ions by ultracold Na atoms is being studied. Modeling this process requires knowledge of the radiative lifetime of the excited singlet A$^1\Sigma^+$ state of the (NaCa)$^+$ molecular system. We calculate the rate coefficient for radiative charge transfer using a semiclassical approach. The dipole radial matrix elements between the ground and the excited states, and the potential curves were calculated using Complete Active Space Self-Consistent field and M\"oller-Plesset second order perturbation theory (CASSCF/MP2) with an extended Gaussian basis, 6-311+G(3df). The semiclassical charge transfer rate coefficient was averaged over a thermal Maxwellian distribution. In addition we also present elastic collision cross sections and the spin-exchange cross section. The rate coefficient for charge transfer was found to be $2.3\times 10^{-16}$ cm$^3$/sec, while those for the elastic and spin-exchange cross sections were found to be several orders of magnitude higher ($1.1\times 10^{-8}$ cm$^3$/sec and $2.3\times 10^{-9}$ cm$^3$/sec, respectively). This confirms our assumption that the milli-Kelvin regime of collisional cooling of calcium ions by sodium atoms is favorable with the respect to low loss of calcium ions due to the charge transfer.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; v.2 - conceptual change