Extreme migratory connectivity and apparent mirroring of non-breeding grounds conditions in a severely declining breeding population of an Afro-Palearctic migratory bird.

Understanding the distribution of breeding populations of migratory animals in the non-breeding period (migratory connectivity) is important for understanding their response to environmental change. High connectivity (low non-breeding population dispersion) may lower resilience to climate change and increase vulnerability to habitat loss within their range. Very high levels of connectivity are reportedly rare, but this conclusion may be limited by methodology.

Flight heights obtained from GPS versus altimeters influence estimates of collision risk with offshore wind turbines in Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus.

The risk posed by offshore wind farms to seabirds through collisions with turbine blades is greatly influenced by species-specific flight behaviour. Bird-borne telemetry devices may provide improved measurement of aspects of bird behaviour, notably individual and behaviour specific flight heights. However, use of data from devices that use the GPS or barometric altimeters in the gathering of flight height data is nevertheless constrained by a current lack of understanding of the error and calibration of these methods.

GPS tracking reveals landfill closures induce higher foraging effort and habitat switching in gulls.

Background: Landfills are a major subsidy for some animals, with implications for their life history and demography. Gulls feed extensively on food from landfills and closures are expected to have ecological consequences, but how this influences movement ecology is virtually unknown.

Methods: We used GPS-tracking to quantify foraging behaviour and habitat choice of lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding at two colonies before and after closure of two nearby landfills.

Desert crossing strategies of migrant songbirds vary between and within species.

Each year, billions of songbirds cross large ecological barriers during their migration. Understanding how they perform this incredible task is crucial to predict how global change may threaten the safety of such journeys. Earlier studies based on radar suggested that most songbirds cross deserts in intermittent flights at high altitude, stopping in the desert during the day, while recent tracking with light loggers suggested diurnal prolongation of nocturnal flights and common non-stop flights for some species.

Estimating mortality rates among passerines caught for ringing with mist nets using data from previously ringed birds.

Mist netting is the most commonly used method for catching birds for scientific ringing, but despite decades of use, there have been few attempts to quantify the associated potential risks to the individuals caught. Any incidence of mortality through capture and handling, however low, is of potential ethical concern and may also introduce biases into the data. We estimate the mortality rate associated with capture of previously ringed (recaptured) passerines from the British and Irish Ringing Scheme (c.

Comparative evaluation of the Artus HIV-1 QS-RGQ assay and the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay for the quantification of HIV-1 RNA in plasma.

Background: The quantitative measurement of HIV-1 RNA levels in plasma ('viral load') is essential in the management of HIV-infected patients.

Objective: The new Artus HIV-1 QS-RGQ assay ('Artus(HIV)') for HIV-1 RNA quantification in plasma was compared to the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay ('RealTime') following automated RNA isolation by the QIAsymphony and Abbott m2000 extractors, respectively. Emphasis was placed on assay performance with diverse HIV-1 subtypes and in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Patterns of HIV testing at a London teaching hospital between 2004 and 2007.

The aims of this study were to observe trends in testing for HIV between 2004 and 2007 in one London, UK, hospital and to observe the seroprevalence of HIV within subgroups. Tests were grouped according to source and reason for testing. A total of 58,720 tests were considered (HIV-1 seroprevalence 0.

Patterns of HIV testing at a London teaching hospital between 2004 and 2007.

To observe trends in testing for HIV between 2004 and 2007 in a London hospital and to observe the seroprevalence of HIV within subgroups. Tests were grouped according to source and reason for testing; 58,720 tests were considered (HIV-1 seroprevalence = 0.9%).

Comparative evaluation of the ExaVir Load version 3 reverse transcriptase assay for measurement of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 plasma load.

In resource-limited settings, the virological monitoring of antiretroviral therapy is limited by high cost and the lack of infrastructure. The Cavidi ExaVir Load assay employs a simple and inexpensive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay format to measure human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase activity, which correlates with plasma RNA load. The version 3 assay has been described as having improved precision and sensitivity.

Comparative evaluation of the performance of the Abbott real-time human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) assay for measurement of HIV-1 plasma viral load following automated specimen preparation.

The performance of the new Abbott real-time human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) assay for HIV-1 RNA load determination in plasma was compared to that of the Abbott LCx HIV-1 RNA quantitative assay following automated RNA isolation by the Abbott m1000 extractor. The measured viral loads of 89 clinical specimens differed by mean 0.19 log10 copies/ml (95% confidence interval, 0.

Cytomegalovirus seropositivity and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA levels in individuals with hemophilia.

The effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity on the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 RNA levels and HIV disease progression was assessed in a cohort of 109 hemophilic men infected with HIV-1 for a median of 12.7 years. There was no evidence of higher HIV RNA levels in the first year after HIV seroconversion (P=.

Shorter survival in HIV-positive patients with diarrhoea who excrete adenovirus from the GI tract.

Adenoviruses have been described as a cause of diarrhoea in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The prevalence of adenoviruses was studied in all HIV-positive patients presenting with diarrhoea at the Royal Free Hospital in London between 1991 and 1995. In addition, all postmortems carried out in HIV-positive individuals registered at the same centre between 1990 and 1997 were reviewed for evidence of adenovirus infection.

Longitudinal variation in hepatitis C virus (HCV) viraemia and early course of HCV infection after liver transplantation for HCV cirrhosis: the role of different immunosuppressive regimens.

Background: The role of the type of immunosuppression in the natural history of post-transplant hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is unclear.

Aims: To evaluate the fluctuation of HCV viraemia and the early course of infection, and their relation to the type of immunosuppression in HCV transplant patients.

Methods: In 47 HCV transplant patients, serum HCV RNA levels were determined pretransplant and at one and two weeks, and three and 12 months after transplant.

Testing for HIV antibodies should be offered on a same-day basis.

We review our experience of testing over 22 000 patients who requested HIV antibody results on a same-day basis. We find that such a service can be provided without compromising the quality of laboratory work or increasing the cost per test. This service is popular with patients, who appear to contain high risk individuals because 2.

Prevalence of anti-vif antibodies in HIV-1 infected individuals assessed using recombinant baculovirus expressed vif protein.

A 630 base pair fragment of the HIV-1 genome encompassing the entire vif open reading frame has been produced by the polymerase chain reaction and cloned into the baculovirus transfer vector pAcYM1. Extracts from insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus expressing the HIV-1 vif gene product were used in a radioimmunoassay to analyse 238 sera from HIV infected individuals for the presence of anti-vif antibodies. The overall prevalence of anti-vif antibodies in this group of patients was 25.

Prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies in clinical health-care workers.

Health-care workers are known to be at risk from occupational transmission of blood-borne viruses, including hepatitis C. There may be serious implications following infection with hepatitis C including possible transmission to patients. We determined the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies among health-care workers at risk of occupational contact with blood and body fluids and among source patients in reported blood-exposure incidents.