Cross-sectional study of community serostatus to highlight undiagnosed HIV infections with oral fluid HIV-1/2 rapid test in non-conventional settings

The submerged portion of undiagnosed HIV infection in Italy is about 30% of subjects found seropositive. This fact represents one of the most important public health problems hindering the control of infection progression. This means we need to fight unawareness and social stigma and promote easy and friendly access to HIV test. We developed a Prevention Program called \u201cEASY test Project\u201d, offering a new rapid HIV test on oral fluid, to evaluate the acceptability of an alternative, free and anonymous test available in different settings (on board a \u201cMotor Home\u201d at public events, Points of Care, STDs outpatient prevention units and GP surgeries). From December 2008 to December 2012 we performed 7,865 HIV saliva tests, with 50 new infections found (0.6% of the total) out of 140,000 informed subjects. From the self-reported characteristics of respondents, the population approaching the EAST test project was represented by males (70%) aged between 20 and 50 years, 61% with a medium-high education level, 62% homosexuals (MSM), 88% reported unsafe sexual behaviours, and 48% had never undergone an HIV screening test. In five years of the Prevention Program, 100% of subjects interviewed gave a general favorable consent in approaching rapid and not invasive screening, immediate return of the result, and a timely specialized approach and treatment of HIV positive subjects. Results from our study confirm that the rapid and alternative test may contribute to HIV prevention strategies and to the control of the spread of infection and HIV disease progression by reaching a larger population, particularly when and where regular screening procedures are difficult to obtain or are not preferred

Speed of Sound Results in 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (R-1234yf) and trans-1,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene (R-1234ze(E)) in the Temperature Range of (260 to 360) K

Speed of sound measurements in high purity samples of two novel candidate refrigerants, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (R-1234yf) and trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (R-1234ze(E)), are reported along five isotherms in the temperature range of (260 to 360) K and for pressures up to 10 MPa. The experimental technique is based on a double-reflector pulse-echo overlap method. The acoustic path lengths were obtained by a comparison with measurements in pure water carried out at atmospheric conditions. The speed of sound experimental results are characterized by an overall estimated uncertainty of less than of 0.1 %

The Role of Emotional Contagion in the Distress Exhibited by Grouped Mice Exposed to CO₂.

The 2013 AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals recommends a chamber volume displacement rate of 10% to 30% per minute (v/min) when euthanizing small laboratory rodents with CO₂. Group euthanasia of mice is a common practice, and grouping strangers is often avoided to minimize distress; however, emotional contagion, which occurs between familiar animals but not strangers, has not been studied in the context of group CO₂ euthanasia. This study examined cagemate- and stranger-grouped mice exposed to 10%, 30%, or 50% v/min CO₂ to determine whether emotional contagion plays a role in this context and whether that role is influenced by CO₂ flow rate. Videos of adult male C57BL/6J mice exposed to different CO₂ flow rates were scored for durations of dyspnea, ataxia, and consciousness as well as the numbers of face pawing and jump behaviors. Blood was collected at time of unconsciousness and assayed for ACTH. Cagemates experienced significantly longer durations of conscious dyspnea and ataxia with 10% v/min CO₂ compared with 30% and 50% v/min. Similarly, strangers experienced significantly longer duration of conscious dyspnea with 10% v/min CO₂ compared with 30% and 50% v/min and significantly longer duration of ataxia with 10% compared with 50% v/min. Cagemates showed significantly more jumps with 10% v/min CO₂ compared with 30% and 50% v/min, whereas jumping was unaffected by CO₂ flow rate in strangers. We conclude that more potential for distress exists when cagemate and stranger mice are exposed to a 10% v/min CO₂ flow rate and that emotional contagion may contribute to distress in cagemates at this flow rate. Therefore, we propose that 30% v/min CO₂ should be used for euthanasia of mice, and that 50% v/min should also be considered humane

La dimensió autobiogràfica de la Crònica de Muntaner

Ponència a càrrec de Jaume Aurell de la Universitat de Navarra, que explica la crònica de Ramon Muntaner com una manera de fer història des d'una perspectiva autobiogràfic

Vehicular Communication Systems : Enabling Technologies, Applications, and Future Outlook on Intelligent Transportation

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