Outcomes of tuberculosis patients who start antiretroviral therapy under routine programme conditions in Malawi

SETTING: Public sector facilities in Malawi providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients, including those with tuberculosis (TB). OBJECTIVES: To compare 6-month and 12-month cohort treatment outcomes of HIV-positive TB patients and HIV-positive non-TB patients treated with ART. DESIGN: Retrospective data collection using ART patient master cards and ART patient registers. RESULTS: Between July and September 2005, 7905 patients started ART, 6967 with a non-TB diagnosis and 938 with a diagnosis of active TB. 6-month cohort outcomes of non-TB and TB patients censored on 31 March 2006 showed significantly more TB patients alive and on ART (77%) compared with non-TB patients (71%) (P < 0.001). Between January and March 2005, 4580 patients started ART, 4179 with a non-TB diagnosis and 401 with a diagnosis of active TB. 12-month cohort outcomes of non-TB and TB patients censored on 31 March 2006 showed significantly more TB patients alive and on ART (74%) compared with non-TB patients (66%) (P < 0.001). Other outcomes of default and transfer out were also significantly less frequent in TB compared with non-TB patients. CONCLUSION: HIV-positive TB patients on ART in Malawi have generally good treatment outcomes, and more patients need to access this HIV treatment

A study of 2 GHz electromagnetic wave propagation over optical paths in three geographical regions of the United States

Statistical correlation between optical microwave propagation reliability, fade margin, path length, and geographic locatio

pi-N charge exchange and pi(+)-pi(0) scattering at low energies

pi-N and pi-pi interactions near threshold are uniquely sensitive to the chiral symmetry breaking part of the strong interaction. The pi-N sigma-term value with its implications for nucleon quark structure and the recent controversy concerning the size of the scalar quark condensate have renewed the experimental interest in these two fundamental systems. We report new differential cross sections for the reaction $pi^-p \to \pi^0n$ at 27.5 MeV pion incident kinetic energy, measured between $\theta_{CM} = 0^\circ$ and $55^\circ$. Our results are in excellent agreement with the existing comprehensive pi-N phase shift analysis. We also report on a Chew-Low analysis of exclusive $\pi^+ p \to \pi^+\pi^0p$ data at 260 MeV pion incident energy.Comment: Talk given by D. Pocanic at QULEN97, Osaka, 20-23 May 1997; 4 pages, 2 PostScript figures, writen in LaTeX 2e, uses packages "epsfig" and "espcrc1

Inspiratory oscillatory flow with a portable ventilator: a bench study

INTRODUCTION: We observed an oscillatory flow while ventilating critically ill patients with the Dräger Oxylog 3000™ transport ventilator during interhospital transfer. The phenomenon occurred in paediatric patients or in adult patients with severe airway obstruction ventilated in the pressure-regulated or pressure-controlled mode. As this had not been described previously, we conducted a bench study to investigate the phenomenon. METHODS: An Oxylog 3000™ intensive care unit ventilator and a Dräger Medical Evita-4 NeoFlow™ intensive care unit ventilator were connected to a Dräger Medical LS800™ lung simulator. Data were registered by a Datex-S5™ Monitor with a D-fend™ flow and pressure sensor, and were analysed with a laptop using S5-Collect™ software. Clinical conditions were simulated using various ventilatory modes, using various ventilator settings, using different filters and endotracheal tubes, and by changing the resistance and compliance. Data were recorded for 258 combinations of patient factors and respirator settings to detect thresholds for the occurrence of the phenomenon and methods to overcome it. RESULTS: Under conditions with high resistance in pressure-regulated ventilation with the Oxylog 3000™, an oscillatory flow during inspiration produced rapid changes of the airway pressure. The phenomenon resulted in a jerky inspiration with high peak airway pressures, higher than those set on the ventilator. Reducing the inspiratory flow velocity was effective to terminate the phenomenon, but resulted in reduced tidal volumes. CONCLUSION: Oscillatory flow with potentially harmful effects may occur during ventilation with the Dräger Oxylog 3000™, especially in conditions with high resistance such as small airways in children (endotracheal tube internal diameter <6 mm) or severe obstructive lung diseases or airway diseases in adult patients

Evaluation of the Yard Gard Ultrasonic Yard Protector for Repelling White-Tailed Deer

Ultrasonic devices are marketed for pest control because some manufacturers believe they possess properties aversive to animals. However, there is little evidence that ultrasound is more aversive to animals than is audible sound. In this study, we examined the efficacy of the Yard Gard ultrasonic device for deterring deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from feeding on apples. Four deer feeding stations were established at private residential properties with a history of deer damage to ornamental plants, so that control (A1 and B1) and experimental (A2 and B2) stations existed at each site. Apples were placed at each feeding station and restocked daily from mid-February to mid-March 1995. Yard Gard devices were set up at one station at each site, and we monitored daily deer activity by counting: (1) apples remaining, (2) deer tracks, and (3) deer fecal pellet groups at all feeding stations. Of the 360 total apples offered at site A while the devices were on, 175.0 (97.2%) and 179.5 (99.7%) apples were consumed at control (A1) and experimental (A2) stations, respectively. Of the 400 total apples offered at site B while the devices were on, 188 (94.0%) and 196.5 (98.3%) apples were consumed at control (B1) and experimental (B2) stations, respectively. Apple consumption at feeding stations proved to be the only quantitative data which provided a consistent measure of deer activity. Behavioral observations made at each site revealed that several deer visited the control and experimental feeding stations while Yard Gard devices were on. Apparently, the deer were alerted by the ultrasonic emissions but were not deterred from consuming apples. In conclusion, this study produced no evidence that the Yard Gard ultrasonic device protected the area from deer activity, or preferred foods from deer damage

New Mexico Youth Risk & Resiliency 2013 Survey Results Report: Alcohol Use and Related Behaviors

Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more so than tobacco or illicit drugs. Youth who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at or afer age 21 years. Binge drinking accounts for about 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States. The NM-YRRS includes questions about alcohol use, access, attitudes and behaviors

Materials for phantoms for terahertz pulsed imaging

Phantoms are commonly used in medical imaging for quality assurance, calibration, research and teaching. They may include test patterns or simulations of organs, but in either case a tissue substitute medium is an important component of the phantom. The aim of this work was to identify materials suitable for use as tissue substitutes for the relatively new medical imaging modality terahertz pulsed imaging. Samples of different concentrations of the candidate materials TX151 and napthol green dye were prepared, and measurements made of the frequency-dependent absorption coefficient (0.5 to 1.5 THz) and refractive index (0.5 to 1.0 THz). These results were compared qualitatively with measurements made in a similar way on samples of excised human tissue (skin, adipose tissue and striated muscle). Both materials would be suitable for phantoms where the dominant mechanism to be simulated is absorption (similar to ∼100 cm(-1) at 1 THz) and where simulation of the strength of reflections from boundaries is not important; for example, test patterns for spatial resolution measurements. Only TX151 had a frequency-dependent refractive index close to that of tissue, and could therefore be used to simulate the layered structure of skin, the complexity of microvasculature or to investigate frequency-dependent interference effects that have been noted in terahertz images

An Optimal Linear Time Algorithm for Quasi-Monotonic Segmentation

Monotonicity is a simple yet significant qualitative characteristic. We consider the problem of segmenting a sequence in up to K segments. We want segments to be as monotonic as possible and to alternate signs. We propose a quality metric for this problem using the l_inf norm, and we present an optimal linear time algorithm based on novel formalism. Moreover, given a precomputation in time O(n log n) consisting of a labeling of all extrema, we compute any optimal segmentation in constant time. We compare experimentally its performance to two piecewise linear segmentation heuristics (top-down and bottom-up). We show that our algorithm is faster and more accurate. Applications include pattern recognition and qualitative modeling.Comment: This is the extended version of our ICDM'05 paper (arXiv:cs/0702142

Reusable Agena study. Volume 2: Technical

The application of the existing Agena vehicle as a reusable upper stage for the space shuttle is discussed. The primary objective of the study is to define those changes to the Agena required for it to function in the reusable mode in the 100 percent capture of the NASA-DOD mission model. This 100 percent capture is achieved without use of kick motors or stages by simply increasing the Agena propellant load by using optional strap-on-tanks. The required shuttle support equipment, launch and flight operations techniques, development program, and cost package are also defined