IntroductionHIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa are generalized, but high-risk subgroups exist within these epidemics. A recent study among fisher-folk communities (FFC) in Uganda showed high HIV prevalence (28.8%) and incidence (4.9/100 person-years). However, those findings may not reflect population-wide HIV rates in FFC since the study population was selected for high-risk behaviour.MethodsBetween September 2011 and March 2013, we conducted a community-based cohort study to determine the population representative HIV rates and willingness to participate (WTP) in hypothetical vaccine trials among FFC, Uganda. At baseline (September 2011–January 2012), a household enumeration census was done in eight fishing communities (one lakeshore and seven islands), after which a random sample of 2200 participants aged 18–49 years was selected from 5360 individuals. Interviewer-administered questionnaire data were collected on HIV risk behaviours and WTP, and venous blood was collected for HIV testing using rapid HIV tests with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA) confirmation. Adjusted prevalence proportion ratios (adj.PPRs) of HIV prevalence were determined using log-binomial regression models.ResultsOverall baseline HIV prevalence was 26.7% and was higher in women than men (32.6% vs. 20.8%, p<0.0001). Prevalence was lower among fishermen (22.4%) than housewives (32.1%), farmers (33.1%) and bar/lodge/restaurant workers (37%). The adj.PPR of HIV was higher among women than men (adj.PPR =1.50, 95%; 1.20, 1.87) and participants aged 30–39 years (adj.PPR=1.40, 95%; 1.10, 1.79) and 40–49 years (adj.PPR=1.41, 95%; 1.04, 1.92) compared to those aged 18–24 years. Other factors associated with HIV prevalence included low education, previous marriage, polygamous marriage, alcohol and marijuana use before sex. WTP in hypothetical vaccine trials was 89.3% and was higher in men than women (91.2% vs. 87.3%, p=0.004) and among island communities compared to lakeshore ones (90.4% vs. 85.8%, p=0.004).ConclusionsThe HIV prevalence in the general fisher-folk population in Uganda is similar to that observed in the “high-risk” fisher folk. FFC have very high levels of willingness to participate in future HIV vaccine trials.
The recent financial crisis has highlighted the inadequacy of present supervisory arrangements to identify reliable ex-ante indicators of banking distress. For a sample of US bank holding companies, we analyse the extent to which distance to default based on market data can be explained using accounting-based indicators of risk. We show that a larger number of bank fundamentals help predict default for institutions that issue subordinated debt. For banks that issue subdebt, we find that higher charter values and low bank capitalizations further increase the power of bank fundamentals to predict default risk.
Drought occurrences in Rakai district take a strange model and it has been rampantly increasing causing reduced income levels for farmers, reduced farm yields, increased food insecurity and migration, wetland degradation, illness and loss of livestock. The purpose of this study was to investigate past and future characteristics of drought due to climate change in Rakai district. Datasets used include dynamically downscaled daily precipitation and temperature data from Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) at 0.44°×0.44° resolution over the Africa domain. R software (Climpact2 package), was used to generate SPI values, Mann Kendall trend test and Inverse Distance Weighting methods were used to examine temporal and spatial drought characteristics respectively. Results depicted more extreme and severe drought conditions for SPI12 under historical compared to SPI3,Kakuto, Kibanda and Lwanda sub counties were the most drought hot spot areas, positive trends of drought patterns for both time scales were observed, though only significant under SPI12. Projected results revealed extreme and severe drought conditions will be observed under RCP8.5 SPI12, and the least will be under RCP8.5 SPI3 and SPI12. Results further reveal that Kakuto, Kibanda, Kiziba, Kacheera, Kyalulangira, Ddwaniro and Lwanda sub counties will be the most drought hot spot sub counties across all time scales. Generally projected results reveals that the district will experience more drought conditions under RCP8.5 compared to RCP4.5 for time scale SPI12 and therefore urgent actions are needed.
Lightning has received a lot of attention in scientific literature during the recent decade, not only because it is an impressive atmospheric phenomenon but also its associations with severe storms that cause unprecedented damages to agriculture, electric power networks, property, and life. This study assessed the Spatio-temporal characteristics of lightning occurrence with elevation in Uganda using lightning flash and elevation datasets for a period of fifteen years (1998-2013). Datasets used in this study included daily lightning flashes as captured by Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) aboard on Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite and elevation data in form of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) obtained from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Spatio-temporal results indicated that ~80% of areas with an elevation that ranges from 800-1200 m above mean sea level (masl) in Uganda had severe lightning occurrences and ~20% of areas with an elevation greater than 1200 m (masl) had severe lightning occurrences. The country received an enhanced number of lighting events with the highest number in 1999. Subsequently, a reduced trend was observed from 2002 to 2007 followed by an increment in the number of lightning events in (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013). The intensity of the events decreased gradually though two peaks were observed, (1998-2001) and (2010-2013). Furthermore, results indicate escalations in the frequency and duration of lightning events from 60 times in 1998 to approximately 200 times in 2013 and from 1000 microseconds in 1998 to more than 2000 microseconds in 2013. Generally, the country experienced an enhanced increase in lighting occurrences over the study period which therefore calls for urgent actions to combat the root cause and also provide effective measures to reduce the impacts of lightning strikes.
Introduction: Hepatitis B vaccination has over time provided immense protection to recipients with guidelines endorsing anti-HBsAg titres of ≥ 10IU/ml to correlate with immune protection. hepatitis B surface antibody titres alone may not be a good correlate as it does not measure memory B cells. Protection has been demonstrated in individuals with titres ˂10Ul/ml mediated by memory B cells. Measurement of which isn’t commonly done due to difficulty in detection owing to lack of methods and reagents that allow reliable discrimination of antigen specific cells. This study aimed to establish a B-cell Enzyme-Linked Immunospot (ELISPOT) assay protocol at Virus Research Institute/International Vaccine HIV Vaccine Program (UVRI/IAVI) and evaluate its utility in measuring of hepatitis-B vaccine-induced memory B cells responses among of hepatitis-B virus vaccine recipients. Methods A cultured Enzyme-Linked Immunospot method was followed; 7 Peripheral Blood Mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from vaccinated donors with known and detectable Hepatitis B surface antibody titres and 2 unvaccinated donors with no previous exposure or detectable Hepatitis B surface antibody titres were used to ensure optimal assay conditions. Results Activation of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear cells using Interleukin 2 and R848 cocktail demonstrated highest and superior induction of antibody secreting cells compared to hepatitis-B virus vaccine specific stimulation and the widely used polyclonal activation method using CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG- ODN), Pokeweed mitogen and Staphylococcus aureus Cowans strain cocktail. Use of Interleukin 2 and R848 cocktail possessed an additional advantage of reduction in activation time with an optimal period established after four days of culture. This was however characterized with the production of up to 100,000 antibody secreting cells/1.0x106 Peripheral Blood Mononuclear cells with no Hepatitis B specific antibody secreting cells. Conclusions Our results seemed to suggest that an in-house B cell IgG Enzyme-Linked Immunospot assay may not be the best method to characterize Hepatitis B specific memory B cells. Other Studies to test the use of commercially available B cell epitopes and their validity for use in in-vitro assays could probably help inform efforts to improve the sensitivity of the assay.
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