We report on the properties of pre-main-sequence objects in the Taurus molecular clouds as observed in seven mid- and far-infrared bands with the Spitzer Space Telescope. There are 215 previously ...identified members of the Taurus star-forming region in our ~44 deg2 map these members exhibit a range of Spitzer colors that we take to define young stars still surrounded by circumstellar dust (noting that ~20% of the bona fide Taurus members exhibit no detectable dust excesses). We looked for new objects in the survey field with similar Spitzer properties, aided by extensive optical, X-ray, and ultraviolet imaging, and found 148 new candidate members of Taurus. We have obtained follow-up spectroscopy for about half the candidate sample, thus far confirming 34 new members, three probable new members, and 10 possible new members, an increase of 15%-20% in Taurus members. Of the objects for which we have spectroscopy, seven are now confirmed extragalactic objects, and one is a background Be star. The remaining 93 candidate objects await additional analysis and/or data to be confirmed or rejected as Taurus members. Most of the new members are Class II M stars and are located along the same cloud filaments as the previously identified Taurus members. Among non-members with Spitzer colors similar to young, dusty stars are evolved Be stars, planetary nebulae, carbon stars, galaxies, and active galactic nuclei.
Background
Only a proportion of seasonal influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) can de facto be attributed to influenza viruses. This study investigated the aetiology of ILIs to estimate the prevalence of ...human coronaviruses (CoVs) and to analyse their clinical-epidemiological traits.
Methods
A sample of 613 outpatients (253 adults, 360 children) with ILI in Veneto Region, Italy, was included. ILI was defined according with the EU Decision 2018/945. Sigma-Virocult nasopharyngeal swab were used. Nucleic acids were extracted with the QiaAmp Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen). Molecular detection of respiratory viruses was performed with commercial One-step RT qPCR reagents (Allplex® Respiratory Panels, Seegene). Information on age, sex, symptoms, co-infections and comorbidities was collected.
Results
CoVs were the 3rd most frequent pathogen in adults (7.5%, after influenza and rhinovirus) and the 4th in children (4.7%, after influenza, rhino- and adenovirus). Subtype distribution was similar, with OC43 the most frequent. Probability of CoV involvement was twice in males (AOR=2.16; 95%CI: 1.05-4.39), whereas no association with age was noted. Co-infection with other viruses was frequent in children (65% of cases). CoV symptoms were not peculiar, although respiratory tract involvement was less likely than influenza (AOR=0.13; 95%CI: 0.04-0.41). Among CoV outpatients, 36% had one or more chronic diseases, compared with 5.6% among influenza (p = 0.001).
Conclusions
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, CoVs had a substantial role in ILI aetiology: 1 case of CoV every 3 influenza infections in adults. The higher prevalence of comorbidities among CoV positives compared to influenza indirectly shows the benefits of flu vaccines in individuals at higher risk. Careful surveillance of the viruses responsible for ILI continues to be desirable, including, but not limited to, detecting a possible change in the aetiology of ILI after the administration of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the population.
Key messages
* Pre-pandemic virological surveillance of influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) reveals how seasonal coronaviruses were the third most frequent respiratory pathogen in adults.
* Prevalence of comorbidities was significantly higher in patients with a coronavirus-related ILI compared to influenza, supporting the benefits of flu vaccination for high risk groups.
Introduction
Although vaccines against HBV have been available since the 1980s, the long-term immunity is still debated. When assessing immune persistence, a number of clearly defined variables must ...be taken into account. Often the expression 'infant vaccination' means the administration within the first year of life at any age, but a difference of a few months may imply a different antibody persistence over the years. This study assessed the anti-HBs titre 20 years after the primary vaccination course and estimated the effect of age at 1st dose and time interval between doses on long-term protection.
Methods
Data on age, sex and date of administration were collected. Inclusion criteria: born to negative mother, 3-dose schedule, no previous HBV infection, age at enrolment 18-24 years; age at 1st dose 2-12 months. Titres ≥10IU/l were considered protective. A logistic regression was performed, adjusting for sex, follow-up time and date of 1st dose and analysis.
Results
We included 5,485 participants (64% female). The mean anti-HBsAg increased from 46, 52, 85 to 193IU/l when the 1st dose was administered in the I, II, III or IV trimester of life, respectively. Similarly, the proportion of individuals with titre <10IU/l decreased from 51 to 18% between the two extreme quarters. The risk of a titre <10IU/l decreased with age at the 1st dose (AOR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.78-0.91 per one-month increase) and time between the 2nd and 3rd doses (AOR: 0.89; 95%CI:0.85-0.94).
Conclusions
The mere presence of a titre <10IU/l does not equate lack of protection. However, antibody levels are very different depending on the actual age of vaccination. One-month delay within the first year is associated with a -18% chance of a titre <10IU/l 20 years later. Although this information needs to be combined with local epidemiology and surveillance to obtain an informed risk-benefit balance, the implications from a public health and economic perspective may be diverse and worth considering.
Key messages
* Still within the first year of life, a delay in the administration of the 1st dose of HBV vaccine and a longer time between the 2nd and 3rd dose imply a higher antibody persistence even 20 years later.
* Considering the local circulation of HBV and surveillance, this result could be taken into account to obtain an informed risk-benefit balance.
Objective
Sub‐Saharan African countries have the highest perinatal mortality rates. Although HIV is a risk factor for perinatal death, antioretroviral therapy (ART) programs have been associated with ...better outcomes. We aimed to investigate how maternal HIV affects perinatal mortality.
Methods
The authors performed a nested case–control study at Saint Luke Hospital, Wolisso, Ethiopia. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, current maternal conditions, obstetric history, and antenatal care (ANC) services utilization were collected. The association between perinatal mortality and HIV was assessed with logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
A total of 3525 birthing women were enrolled, including 1175 cases and 2350 controls. Perinatal mortality was lower among HIV‐positive women (18.3% vs. 33.6%, P = 0.007). Crude analysis showed a protective effect of HIV (odds ratio, 0.442 95% confidence interval, 0.241–0.810), which remained after adjustment (adjusted odds ratio, 0.483 95% confidence interval, 0.246–0.947). Among HIV‐negative women, access to ANC for women from rural areas was almost half (18.8% vs. 36.2%; P < 0.001), whereas in HIV‐positive women, no differences were noted (P = 0.795).
Conclusion
Among HIV‐positive mothers, perinatal mortality was halved and differences in access to ANC services by area were eliminated. These data highlight the benefits of integrating ANC and HIV services in promoting access to the health care system, reducing inequalities and improving neonatal mortality.
Synopsis
HIV infection is de facto associated with halved risk of perinatal mortality, raising attention on the need for effective integration of antenatal care and HIV services.
HPV is involved in cervical, anal, penile, vulvar and oropharyngeal cancers, as well as genital warts. It is important to investigate knowledge and attitudes among university students, considering in ...this age a shift in healthcare decision-making from parents to students themselves. The aim of this study was to estimate knowledge and perception of HPV in terms of potential shame for HPV-related conditions, trust in vaccine efficacy and worry for potential side effects.
The study involved students (18-25 years old) from the Universities of Padua and Verona, Italy. Socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics were collected with a questionnaire (n = 9988).
Female gender and older age were positively associated with higher knowledge. The adjusted logistic regression showed an association between the set of perceptions investigated and the vaccination status, while a direct connection with knowledge was not found. However, another adjusted linear regression showed that a good set of perceptions could be partially explained by a high level of knowledge. Perceptions seem to fill an intermediate position between the knowledge and the decision to get vaccinated. The potential shame deriving from asking for HPV-vaccination was not identified as a relevant barrier. Having received information from healthcare workers, family and school showed to be positively associated with the adhesion to the vaccination policy.
This study identifies university students as a possible target for HPV vaccination and pinpoints specific areas that might be targeted as first to encourage vaccine uptake. Primary prevention together with screening programmes remains essential in further reducing the burden of HPV-related diseases.
Abstract
The immune response to hepatitis B vaccination has been shown to be associated with a number of different factors, including age, sex, BMI, comorbidities and modifiable determinants, ...including smoking. However, while there is a strong evidence suggesting that smokers are at higher risk of not responding to the vaccine, the effect of smoking on long-term antibody persistence is not fully understood. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of smoking habit on long-term immunity (∼20 years) after primary vaccination. Individuals were recruited on the occasion of the occupational health surveillance medical examination at the University of Padova, Italy. Participants had to have received a standard 3-dose schedule in infancy (2-12 months of age) with no subsequent booster dose, and be 18-24 years of age at the enrolment. Information was collected on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), age at first dose and interval between doses. Antibody titres <10IU/l were considered non-protective according to international standards. Given the young age of the participants, current and former smokers were considered together. A single-step logistic regression was performed to assess the effect of smoking on a non-protective antibody titre, adjusting for all variables considered. A total of 2,133 individuals were included, of whom 62.6% were female. The mean age of the participants was 20.28±0.92 years. The risk of a non-protective antibody titre was significantly higher in smokers compared to non-smokers (AOR: 1,287; 95%CI: 1,002-1,652). Smokers have a + 29% risk of having antibody levels below the recommended threshold when assessing long-term immunity, although it should be noted that a titre <10IU/l does not automatically mean lack of protection. Smoking habit not only negatively affects the short-term response to the vaccine in adults, but also the long-term immunity when vaccinated in infancy, making the need for additional immunity enhancement in this subpopulation reasonable.
Key messages
• Smoking has a negative effect on long-term immunity (about 20 years) after hepatitis B vaccination in infancy, not just on short-term responsiveness in adults.
• Smokers have a + 29% higher risk of having a non-protective antibody titre, raising the question of the need for additional immunity enhancement in this subpopulation.
The low frequency array (LOFAR) is a phased array interferometer currently consisting of 13 international stations across Europe and 38 stations surrounding a central hub in the Netherlands. The ...instrument operates in the frequency range of ~10–240 MHz and is used for a variety of astrophysical science cases. While it is not heliophysics or space weather dedicated, a new project entitled “LOFAR for Space Weather” (LOFAR4SW) aims at designing a system upgrade to allow the entire array to observe the Sun, heliosphere, Earth’s ionosphere, and Jupiter throughout its observing window. This will allow the instrument to operate as a space weather observing platform, facilitating both space weather science and operations. Part of this design study aims to survey the existing space weather infrastructure operating at radio frequencies and show how LOFAR4SW can advance the current state-of-the-art in this field. In this paper, we survey radio instrumentation and facilities that currently operate in space weather science and/or operations, including instruments involved in solar, heliospheric, and ionospheric studies. We furthermore include an overview of the major space weather service providers in operation today and the current state-of-the-art in the radio data they use and provide routinely. The aim is to compare LOFAR4SW to the existing radio research infrastructure in space weather and show how it may advance both space weather science and operations in the radio domain in the near future.
The results of initial chemotherapy applied in 501 patients with secondary pulmonary tuberculosis hospitalized and treated between 1973 and 1978 are analized. At the end of the treatment the ...following results have been noted: 94.8% bacteriological negativation, and 5.2% of cases which had not been influenced by chemotherapy and had constantly presented Koch bacilli in their sputum. From the clinical and radiological viewpoints a persistence of cavitary lesions was noted in 12.1% of all patients, or in 22.4% of those who presented initially with cavities. In the surveillance period 7.5% of the patients again became positive, and another course of therapy solved the new positivity in 84.2% of those involved. A percentage of 95.2% global favourable results have been noted in the final stage of the therapy, and 4.8% failures. Relapses, and bacteriological failures were noted with a higher frequency in males, and are in direct proportion with the extension of the lesions and the severity of the clinical forms. Eighteen of the patients (3.6%) had a course which led to chronicization of the disease. The favourable results and the reduction to a minimum of the therapeutic failures could be obtained by a correct application of chemotherapy and dispensarization of the patients under control.
Abstract
Clinical trials demonstrated efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines, although enrolment of immunocompromised individuals, including people living with HIV (PLWH), has been limited. ...Although cellular immunity is not negligible, recent evidence suggests a strong correlation between neutralising antibody titre and overall protection against infection. Our study aimed to identify potential predictors of lower response to vaccine in PLWH. We conducted a prospective study at the Padua University Teaching Hospital, Italy. Participants were vaccinated with a BNT162b2 2-dose schedule in early 2021. Non-naïve to SARS-CoV-2 were excluded. Anti-S titres were assessed using AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II quantitative CMIA assay at 30, 90 and 180 days after completion of vaccination. Non-response was defined as < 50 AU/mL and lower response as the lowest quartile. Information on age, sex, BMI, comorbidities, CD4 count, CD4/CD8, viral load was collected. The association between predictors and lower response was assessed using logistic and linear regression. We enrolled 180 individuals (15 excluded). Mean age 54.0±11.2 years; 17% females; 23% showed CD4 count <500 (none <200), while 18.2% CD4/CD8 <0.5. All responded to vaccine at any follow-up time. Lower response was associated with dyslipidaemias (AOR 4.75; 95%CI: 1.39-16.20; 30 days) and diabetes (AOR 7.11; 95%CI: 1.10-46.10; 90 days), while 1-unit increase in BMI was associated with reduced risk (AOR 0.78; 95%CI 0.64-0.95; 90 days). No correlation was found between anti-S titre and CD4 count (β -0.057; p 0.52), CD4/CD8 (β 0.050; p 0.57) nor viral load (β -0.001; p 0.99). Response to vaccine is good and sustained in well controlled PLWH. Dyslipidaemias and diabetes are associated with a non-concerning lower response. Increased BMI as protective factor may reflect the effect of good nutritional status. Using CD4 count, CD4/CD8 or viral load does not appear to help predict vaccine response in well controlled HIV.
Key messages
• Well controlled People Living With HIV (PLWH) respond well to BNT162b2 vaccine, and neutralising antibody titres are maintained for up to 6 months after primary vaccination.
• PLWH with dyslipidaemias and diabetes have lower antibody persistence, although always above the threshold. Good nutritional status may contribute to longer antibody persistence.
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