PrEP use and unmet PrEP-need among men who have sex with men in London prior to the implementation of a national PrEP programme, a cross-sectional study from June to August 2019

BACKGROUND: Access to prevention options, including HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), remains a public health priority for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), especially in London. We describe PrEP use in a London community sample of MSM before the introduction of a national PrEP programme in October 2020. METHODS: From June-August 2019, MSM aged ≥ 18 recruited from London commercial venues were asked to self-complete a sexual health questionnaire and provide an oral fluid sample for anonymous HIV antibody testing. Descriptive analyses of demographic characteristics, service engagement and outcomes, as well as sexual risk and prevention behaviours were examined in the survey population and in those reporting current PrEP use. We performed sequential, multivariate analyses examining current PrEP use in MSM of self-perceived HIV-negative/unknown status with identified PrEP-need defined as the report of condomless anal sex (CAS) in the last three months, or the report of CAS (in the last year) with an HIV-positive/unknown status partner not known to be on HIV treatment, in reflection of UK PrEP guidelines. RESULTS: One thousand five hundred and thirty-fifth questionnaires were completed across 34 venues, where 1408 were analysed. One in five MSM of self-perceived HIV-negative/unknown status reported current PrEP use (19.7%, 242/1230). In men with PrEP-need, 68.2% (431/632) did not report current use. Current PrEP use was associated with age (aOR: 3.52, 95% CI: 1.76-7.02 in men aged 40-44 vs men aged 18-25) and education (aOR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.01-2.92 in men with ≥ 2 years/still full-time vs no/ < 2 years of education since age 16). CONCLUSION: Among MSM in London, PrEP use is high but there is indication of unmet PrEP-need in men of younger age and lower levels of post-16 education. National programme monitoring and evaluation will require continued community monitoring to guide interventions ensuring equitable PrEP access and uptake in those who could most benefit from PrEP

The interactive effect of herbivory, nutrient enrichment and mucilage on shallow rocky macroalgal communities

This paper focuses on the interactive short and long-term effect of three different stressors on a macroalgal assemblage. Three stressors are considered: herbivory, nutrients and mucilage. The experiment was conducted in Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area (Mediterranean Sea) during a bloom of the benthic mucilage-producing microalga Chrysophaeum taylorii (Pelagophyceae); this microalga is recently spreading in the Mediterranean Sea. On a rocky substratum, 36 plots 20 × 20 cm in size were prepared. Factorial combinations of three experimental treatments were applied in triplicate, including three grazing levels crossed with two nutrient enrichment and two mucilage removal treatments. Significant differences were observed among treatments 8 weeks later, at the end of summer. In particular, dark filamentous algae were more abundant in all enriched plots, especially where mucilage and macroalgae had been removed; a higher percent cover of crustose coralline algae was instead observed where nutrients had been increased and no grazing pressure acted. Furthermore, the abundance of Dictyota spp. and Laurencia spp. was significantly higher in enriched mucilage-free plots where the grazing pressure was null or low. However, the effects of the treatments on the overall assemblage of the macroalgal community were not long persistent (36 weeks later). These results illustrate the capacity of a shallow-water macroalgal community to quickly recover from the simultaneous impacts of herbivory, nutrient enrichment, and mucilage

Reconstruction of the Virtual Geomagnetic Pole (VGP) path at high latitude for the last 22 kyr: The role of radial field flux patches as VGP attractor

Reconstruction of geomagnetic field changes has a strong potential to complement geodynamo modeling and improve the understanding of Earth's core dynamics. Recent works based on geomagnetic measurements pointed out that over the last two decades the position of the north magnetic pole has been largely determined by the influence of two competing flux lobes under Canada and Siberia. In order to understand if the waxing and waning of magnetic flux lobes have driven the path of geomagnetic paleopoles in the past, we present an augmented and updated record of the chronology and paleosecular variation of geomagnetic field for the last 22 kyr derived from sedimentary cores collected along the north-western margin of Barents Sea and western margin of Spitsbergen (Arctic). The path of the virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) has been reconstructed over this time period and compared with the maps of the radial component of the geomagnetic field at the core-mantle boundary, obtained from the most recent models. The VGP path includes centuries during which the VGP position is stable and centuries during which its motion accelerates. We recognize both clockwise and counterclockwise VGP paths, mostly developing inside the surface projection of the inner core tangent cylinder in the Arctic region. The VGP path seems to follow the appearance of Br patches of normal magnetic flux, especially those located under Siberia and Canada areas, but also those that may cause peculiar paleomagnetic features such as the Levantine Iron Age Anomaly

Evaluation of oxidative stress levels in the conjunctival epithelium of patients with or without dry eye, and dry eye patients treated with preservative-free hyaluronic acid 0.15 % and vitamin B12 eye drops.

none7The aims of this study were to compare the levels of oxidative stress in patients with dry eye and patients without dry eye and to evaluate the effects of treatment with preservative-free eye drops containing hyaluronic acid 0.15 % and vitamin B12 on oxidative stress and dry eye symptoms.Three cohorts of patients who were to undergo planned cataract surgery were enrolled: patients with dry eye randomized to either no treatment (n = 29) or treatment (n = 32) with hyaluronic acid/vitamin B12 eye drops, and patients without dry eye (n = 42). Patients were assessed by Schirmer's type I test, fluorescein clearance test (FCT), Break Up Time (BUT), and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). Lipid peroxidation, a marker of oxidative stress, was assessed by LP-CHOLOX test. Results indicate that oxidative stress is associated with dry eye and that hyaluronic acid/vitamin B12 eye drops may attenuate oxidative stress and inflammation, improving dry eye symptoms.Macri, A; Scanarotti, C; Bassi, Am; Giuffrida, S; Sangalli, G; Traverso, C; Iester, M.Macri, A; Scanarotti, Chiara; Bassi, ANNA MARIA; Giuffrida, S; Sangalli, G; Traverso, Carlo; Iester, Michel

Neonatal corticosterone mitigates autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus in mice

Contains fulltext : 201375.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)12 p

Lipid peroxidation inhibition reduces NF-kappa B activation and attenuates cerulein-induced pancreatitis

Increased lipid peroxidation, enhanced nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB) activation and augmented tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production have been implicated in cerulein-induced pancreatitis. We investigated whether lipid peroxidation inhibition might reduce NF-kappaB activation and the inflammatory response in cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats of 230-250 g body weight received administration of cerulein (80 mug/kg s.c. for each of four injections at hourly intervals). A control group received four s.c. injections of 0.9% saline at hourly intervals. Animals were randomized to receive either raxofelast, an inhibitor of lipid peroxidation (20 mg/kg i.p. administered with the first cerulein injection) or its vehicle (1 ml/kg of a 10% DMSO/NaCl solution). All these rats were sacrificed 2 h after the last injection of either cerulein or its vehicle. Raxofelast administration (20 mg/kg i.p. with the first cerulein) significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, an index of lipid peroxidation (CER+DMSO=3.075+/-0.54 mumol/g; CER+raxofelast= 0.693+/-0.18 mumol/g; p < 0.001), decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (CER+DMSO=22.2+/-3.54 mU/g; CER+raxofelast=9.07+/-2.05 mU/g; p < 0.01 ), increased glutathione levels (GSH) (CER+DMSO= 5.21+/-1.79 mumol/g; CER+raxofelast=15.71+/-2.14 mumol/g; p < 0.001 ), and reduced acinar cell damage evaluated by means of histology and serum levels of both amylase (CER+DMSO=4063+/-707.9 U/l; CER+raxofelast=1198+/-214.4 U/l; p < 0.001 ), and lipase (CER+DMSO=1654+/-330 U/l; CER+raxofelast= 386+/-118.2 U/l; p < 0.001 ), Furthermore, raxofelast reduced pancreatic NF-&kappa;B activation and the TNF-&alpha; mRNA levels and tissue content of mature protein in the pancreas. Indeed, lipid peroxidation inhibition might be considered a potential therapeutic approach to prevent the severe damage in acute pancreatitis