Risky Behaviours Among Young People Living with HIV Attending Care and Treatment Clinics in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: Implications for Prevention with a Positive Approach.

Introduction: Prevention with a positive approach has been advocated as one of the main strategies to reduce new instances of HIV infection. Risky sexual behaviours among people living with HIV/AIDS are the cornerstone for this approach. Understanding the extent to which infected individuals practice risky behaviours is fundamental in designing appropriate population-specific interventions. With the HIV infection transmission rates remaining high among young people in sub-Saharan Africa, continued prevention among them remains a priority. This study therefore seeks to describe the magnitude and determinants of risky sexual behaviours among young people living with HIV. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and July 2010 in selected Care and Treatment Clinics (CTCs) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. A total of 282 HIV-positive patients aged 15-24 were interviewed about their sexual behaviours using a questionnaire. Results: Prevalence of unprotected sex was 40.0% among young males and 37.5% among young females (p<0.001). Multiple sexual partnerships were reported by 10.6% of males and 15.9% of females (p<0.005). More than 50% of the participants did not know about the HIV status of their sexual partners. A large proportion of participants had minimal knowledge of transmission (46.7% males vs. 60.4% females) and prevention (65.3% males vs. 73.4% females) of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Independent predictors of condom use included non-use of alcohol [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 0.40 95% confidence interval (CI); 0.17-0.84] and younger age (15-19 years) (AOR, 2.76, 95% CI: 1.05-7.27). Being on antiretroviral therapy (AOR, 0.38, 95% CI: 0.17-0.85) and not knowing partners' HIV sero-status (AOR, 2.62, 95% CI: 1.14-5.10) predicted the practice of multiple sexual partnership. Conclusions: Unprotected sex and multiple sexual partnerships were prevalent among young people living with HIV. Less knowledge on STI and lack of HIV disclosure increased the vulnerability and risk for HIV transmission among young people. Specific intervention measures addressing alcohol consumption, risky sexual behaviours, and STI transmission and prevention knowledge should be integrated in the routine HIV/AIDS care and treatment offered to this age group

Fertility patterns in the Roma population of Spain

The Spanish Roma population have co-existed with the broader population of Spain, under the same laws and regulations for more than 500 years, but they exhibit very different fertility patterns. The aim of this paper is to determine whether there are factors other than income or education that can explain the larger number of children in Spanish Roma families. Our analysis reveals that the existence of a family business, which is highly labor-demanding, appears to be associated with parental decisions concerning the number of children. Since parental authority, in Roma families, holds sway over children even after their own marriage, the future labor contributions of children are particularly beneficial to the family business

El diagnóstico serológico de la leishmaniosis canina en la comarca del Priorat (Tarragona)

Se investiga la presencia de anticuerpos anti-Leishmania mediante una técnica de «Dot-ELISA» en 1.328 muestras de sangre procedentes de 902 perros de la comarca del Priorat (Cataluña), importante foco de leishmaniosis canina. El umbral de positividad para la mencionada técnica (11800) se establece a partir de los datos obtenidos al realizar en paralelo cultivo y serología. Los resultados serológicos obtenidos permiten observar una tasa de prevalencia de la infección de 10,2%. Tan sólo el 49,8 % de los sueros estudiados son totalmente negativos. Al 40 % restante se le detecta anticuerpos anti-Leishmania a títulos inferiores al umbral establecido cuyo posible significado se discute.The presence of anti-Leishmania antibodies is studied in 1328 blood samples from 902 dogs from the Priorat region (Catalonia), an important focus of canine leúhmaniosú, by a Dot-ELISA technique. The cut-off (1/800)is established through the data obtained by serology and culture in parallel. The prevalence of seropositives observed was 10,2 %. Only 49,8 % of sera were completely negative. The remaining 40% had anti-Leishmania antibodies at titres below the cut- off, the possible significance of which is discused

The gambling habits of university students in Aragon, Spain: a cross-sectional study

Gambling has become a routine form of entertainment for many young people. The aim of this study was to describe the gambling behavior that university students are developing in Aragon, Spain, and to analyze whether these habits are more common among students of sports science, on the assumption that they are more likely to have a higher exposure to betting company marketing. A cross-sectional design was applied, with data collected on advertising exposure, gambling habits and experiences, and opinions on the impact of gambling and its regulation from 516 undergraduate students from the University of Zaragoza. The online survey included ad hoc questions and the “Pathological Gambling Short Questionnaire” to screen for potential gambling disorders. Almost half of the sample had bet money at least once in their life (48.1%), and 2.4% screened positive for consideration of a possible diagnosis of pathological gambling. Betting shops (44.2%) were the most common gambling option, and students of sports science showed a higher prevalence of pathological gambling and had greater tendencies to make bets. Gambling is perceived as a normal leisure activity by a significant part of university students. The development of transversal strategies is required to raise awareness towards the potential dangers of gambling. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Pollution, Public Health Care, and Life Expectancy When Inequality Matters

We analyze the link between economic inequality in terms of wealth, life expectancy, health care and pollution. The distribution of wealth is decisive for the number of households investing in human capital. Moreover, the willingness to invest in human capital depends on agents' life expectancy which determines the length of the amortization period of human capital investments. Life expectancy is positively affected by public health care expenditures but adversely affected by the pollution stock generated by aggregate production. Our model accounts for an endogenous take-off in terms of human capital investments. Higher initial inequality delays the take-off because a given set of policies (abatement measures and public health care) is less effective in improving agents' survival probabilities. We compare a change in taxes to a change in expenditure shares on health hand abatement given different amounts of (initial) inequality. The advantage of the latter as compared to the former is the achieved increase in the tax base which induces more expenditures on health care and abatement measures, such that an even higher economic activity is compatible with a similar level of long-run pollution

European Registry on Helicobacter pylori Management: Effectiveness of First and Second-Line Treatment in Spain

The management of Helicobacter pylori infection has to rely on previous local effectiveness due to the geographical variability of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of first and second-line H. pylori treatment in Spain, where the empirical prescription is recommended. A multicentre prospective non-interventional registry of the clinical practice of European gastroenterologists concerning H. pylori infection (Hp-EuReg) was developed, including patients from 2013 until June 2019. Effectiveness was evaluated descriptively and through a multivariate analysis concerning age, gender, presence of ulcer, proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) dose, therapy duration and compliance. Overall, 53 Spanish hospitals were included, and 10,267 patients received a first-line therapy. The best results were obtained with the 10-day bismuth single-capsule therapy (95% cure rate by intention-to-treat) and with both the 14-day bismuth-clarithromycin quadruple (PPI-bismuth-clarithromycin-amoxicillin, 91%) and the 14-day non-bismuth quadruple concomitant (PPI-clarithromycin-amoxicillin-metronidazole, 92%) therapies. Second-line therapies were prescribed to 2448 patients, with most-effective therapies being the triple quinolone (PPI-amoxicillin-levofloxacin/moxifloxacin) and the bismuth-levofloxacin quadruple schemes (PPI-bismuth-levofloxacin-amoxicillin) prescribed for 14 days (92%, 89% and 90% effectiveness, respectively), and the bismuth single-capsule (10 days, 88.5%). Compliance, longer duration and higher acid inhibition were associated with higher effectiveness. “Optimized” H. pylori therapies achieve over 90% success in Spain

Altered NCAM expression associated with the cholinergic system in Alzheimer's disease

Neurotransmitter system dysfunction and synapse loss have been recognized as hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our hypothesis is that specific neurochemical populations of neurons might be more vulnerable to degeneration in AD due to particular deficits in synaptic plasticity. We have studied, in postmortem brain tissue, the relationship between levels of synaptic markers (NCAM and BDNF), neurochemical measurements (cholinacetyltransferase activity, serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glutamate levels), and clinical data (cognitive status measured as MMSE score). NCAM levels in frontal and temporal cortex from AD patients were significantly lower than control patients. Interestingly, these reductions in NCAM levels were associated to an ApoE4 genotype. Levels of BDNF were also significantly reduced in both frontal and temporal regions in AD patients. The ratio between plasticity markers and neurochemical measurements was used to study which of the neurochemical populations was particularly associated to plasticity changes. In both the frontal and temporal cortex, there was a significant reduction in the ChAT/NCAM ratio in AD samples compared to controls. None of the ratios to BDNF were different between control and AD samples. Furthermore, Pearson's product moment showed a significant positive correlation between MMSE score and the ChAT/NCAM ratio in frontal cortex (n=19; r=0.526*; p=0.037) as well as in temporal cortex (n=19; r=0.601*; p=0.018) in AD patients. Altogether, these data suggest a potential involvement of NCAM expressing neurons in the cognitive deficits in AD

Aspectos económicos y ambientales de la producción de hidrógeno en la provincia de Córdoba, a partir de recursos eólicos

En este trabajo se presenta la Evaluación Económica y Ambiental del proyecto de instalación de un parque eólico en la provincia de Córdoba con fines de producción de hidrógeno. El potencial de hidrógeno eólico se analiza para cada departamento de la provincia, considerando los requerimientos energéticos del electrolizador y el factor de capacidad de los sitios analizados. Se analizaron cuatro aspectos del sistema: la evaluación del recurso eólico, el análisis del costo de producción de hidrógeno vía electrólisis, los requerimientos de energía eólica anual para producir hidrógeno y la evaluación de impacto ambiental del proyecto. Para ello se modela una planta que genera una potencia nominal de 60 MW. A partir del costo modelado de producción de la energía, se determina el de producción de hidrógeno. El presente análisis contribuirá a definir los desafíos y oportunidades para la producción de hidrógeno/eólico, que definirán una futura economía del hidrógeno.This paper presents the Economic and Environmental Project evaluation for installation of a wind farm in the province of Cordoba for the purpose of hydrogen production. The potential of hydrogen wind is analyzed for each department province, considering the energy requirements of the electrolyzer and the capacity factor of samples analyzed. We analyzed four aspects of system: hydrogen resource assessment, cost analysis of hydrogen production via electrolysis, wind energy requirements to produce hydrogen and annual assessment project's environmental impact. For this purpose a plant that generates a nominal power of 60 MW was modeled. From a model of cost production of energy the cost production of hydrogen was determined. This analysis should help to define the challenges and opportunities for the production of hydrogen / wind, defining a future hydrogen economy.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Aspectos económicos y ambientales de la producción de hidrógeno en la provincia de Córdoba, a partir de recursos eólicos

En este trabajo se presenta la Evaluación Económica y Ambiental del proyecto de instalación de un parque eólico en la provincia de Córdoba con fines de producción de hidrógeno. El potencial de hidrógeno eólico se analiza para cada departamento de la provincia, considerando los requerimientos energéticos del electrolizador y el factor de capacidad de los sitios analizados. Se analizaron cuatro aspectos del sistema: la evaluación del recurso eólico, el análisis del costo de producción de hidrógeno vía electrólisis, los requerimientos de energía eólica anual para producir hidrógeno y la evaluación de impacto ambiental del proyecto. Para ello se modela una planta que genera una potencia nominal de 60 MW. A partir del costo modelado de producción de la energía, se determina el de producción de hidrógeno. El presente análisis contribuirá a definir los desafíos y oportunidades para la producción de hidrógeno/eólico, que definirán una futura economía del hidrógeno.This paper presents the Economic and Environmental Project evaluation for installation of a wind farm in the province of Cordoba for the purpose of hydrogen production. The potential of hydrogen wind is analyzed for each department province, considering the energy requirements of the electrolyzer and the capacity factor of samples analyzed. We analyzed four aspects of system: hydrogen resource assessment, cost analysis of hydrogen production via electrolysis, wind energy requirements to produce hydrogen and annual assessment project's environmental impact. For this purpose a plant that generates a nominal power of 60 MW was modeled. From a model of cost production of energy the cost production of hydrogen was determined. This analysis should help to define the challenges and opportunities for the production of hydrogen / wind, defining a future hydrogen economy.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES