HIV incidence and its associated factors among young adults with multiple sexual partners in Maputo, Mozambique: a vaccine preparedness study.

Introduction: Sub-Saharan Africa has a high burden of HIV, particularly among female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM). Future clinical trials to evaluate vaccines and other interventions to prevent HIV will need to enroll populations with high HIV incidence. We conducted an observational study of HIV incidence among men and women with multiple sexual partners-including MSM and FSW-in Maputo, Mozambique, in order to prepare the country to conduct future efficacy trials of candidate HIV vaccines and other HIV prevention products.

Safety and Immunogenicity of Accelerated Heterologous 2-Dose Ebola Vaccine Regimens in Adults With and Without HIV in Africa.

Background: Shorter prophylactic vaccine schedules may offer more rapid protection against Ebola in resource-limited settings.

Methods: This randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial conducted in 5 sub-Saharan African countries included people without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWOH, n = 249) and people with HIV (PWH, n = 250). Adult participants received 1 of 2 accelerated Ebola vaccine regimens (MVA-BN-Filo, Ad26.

A century of Achilixiidae Muir, 1923 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha): taxonomic study of the genus Bebaiotes Muir, 1924 and description of eight new species from Brazil.

We describe the first species of Achilixiidae from Brazil with representatives of Bebaiotes. Eight new species of Bebaiotes Muir, 1924 were described viz. Bebaiotes amazonica sp.

Associations between Shared Sanitation, Stunting and Diarrhoea in Low-Income, High Density Urban Neighbourhoods of Maputo, Mozambique - a Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Shared sanitation facilities are used by over 500 million people around the world. Most research evidence indicates that shared sanitation conveys higher risk than household sanitation for many adverse health outcomes. However, studies often fail to account for variation between different types of shared facilities.

Integration of B-to-B trade network models of structural evolution and monetary flows reproducing all major empirical laws.

We develop a single two-layered model framework that captures and replicates both the statistical properties of the network as well as those of the intrinsic quantities of the agents. Our model framework consists of two distinct yet connected elements that were previously only studied in isolation, namely methods related to temporal network structures and those associated with money transport flows. Within this context, the network structure emerges from the first layer and its topological structure is transferred to the second layer associated with the money transactions.

Long-term impacts of an urban sanitation intervention on enteric pathogens in children in Maputo city, Mozambique: study protocol for a cross-sectional follow-up to the Maputo Sanitation (MapSan) trial 5 years postintervention.

Introduction: We previously assessed the effect of an onsite sanitation intervention in informal neighbourhoods of urban Maputo, Mozambique on enteric pathogen detection in children after 2 years of follow-up (Maputo Sanitation (MapSan) trial, ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02362932). We found significant reductions in and prevalence but only among children born after the intervention was delivered.

Measuring the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection among persons living with HIV and healthcare workers and its impact on service delivery in Mozambique: protocol of a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: As COVID-19 continues to spread globally and within Mozambique, its impact among immunosuppressed persons, specifically persons living with HIV (PLHIV), and on the health system is unknown in the country. The 'id and h' (COVIV) study aims to investigate: (1) the seroprevalence and seroincidence of SARS-CoV-2 among PLHIV and healthcare workers providing HIV services; (2) knowledge, attitudes, practices and perceptions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection; (3) the pandemic's impact on HIV care continuum outcomes and (4) facility level compliance with national COVID-19 guidelines.

Methods And Analysis: A multimethod study will be conducted in a maximum of 11 health facilities across Mozambique, comprising four components: (1) a cohort study among PLHIV and healthcare workers providing HIV services to determine the seroprevalence and seroincidence of SARS-CoV-2, (2) a structured survey to assess knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and practices regarding COVID-19 disease, (3) analysis of aggregated patient data to evaluate retention in HIV services among PLHIV, (4) an assessment of facility implementation of infection prevention and control measures.

Remdesivir and corticosteroids in the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic infection caused by the newly discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Remdesivir (RDV) and corticosteroids are used mainly in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure. The main objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of remdesivir with and without corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Economic Trading Susceptibility: Constructing Networks of Mutual Influence through the Fitness of Countries.

The emergence of economic blocks and the level of influence countries exert on each other are fundamental features of the 21st century globally interconnected economy. However, limited quantitative research exists measuring the level of influence among countries and quantitatively determining economic blocks. This research develops a method to quantify the mutual influence of countries by making use of relatively standard procedures for complex networks in order to assemble non-trivial networks of influences and to identify symbiotic relationships.

Baseline host determinants of robust human HIV-1 vaccine-induced immune responses: A meta-analysis of 26 vaccine regimens.

Background: The identification of baseline host determinants that associate with robust HIV-1 vaccine-induced immune responses could aid HIV-1 vaccine development. We aimed to assess both the collective and relative performance of baseline characteristics in classifying individual participants in nine different Phase 1-2 HIV-1 vaccine clinical trials (26 vaccine regimens, conducted in Africa and in the Americas) as High HIV-1 vaccine responders.

Methods: This was a meta-analysis of individual participant data, with studies chosen based on participant-level (vs.

Rosalydia, a new genus of Neocoelidiinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Brazilian Amazon, with description of three new species.

A new neocoelidiine leafhopper genus from the Brazilian Amazon, Rosalydia gen. nov., is described based on three new species: R.

Study of the Neotropical genus Bennarella Muir, 1930 with description of six new species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae).

Six new species of Bennarella Muir, 1930 viz. B. guidai sp.

First record of Loisirella Holzinger, Holzinger amp; Egger, 2013 and description of a new species from Brazil (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae).

A second species of the genus Loisirella Holzinger, Holzinger Egger, 2013, L. xanthosa sp. nov.

Helios expressing regulatory T cells are correlated with decreased IL-2 producing CD8 T cells and antibody diversity in Mozambican individuals living chronically with HIV-1.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) causes impairment of T and B cell responses, which begins during the acute phase of infection and is not completely restored by antiretroviral treatment. Regulatory T cell (Tregs) can improve overall disease outcome by controlling chronic inflammation but may also suppress beneficial HIV-1 specific immune responses. We aimed to analyze the profile of Tregs and their correlation with the status of T cells activation, the expression of IL-2 and IFNγ and the profile of HIV-1 specific antibodies response in Mozambican people living chronically with HIV-1 (PLWH-C).

Haemophilus influenzae Serotype a as a Cause of Meningitis in Children in Brazil.

Background: Since the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines, invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae serotype a (Hia) has been reported with increasing frequency.

Methods: This study is based on hospital-based surveillance for Hia meningitis over a 5-year period.

Results: Thirty-five patients with H.

Risk factors for neurological complications in children with Flavivirus infection.

This study aims to characterize the acute neurological manifestations caused by DENV, ZIKV, and YFV during hospitalization; identify the risk factors associated with persistent neurological complications after discharge; and evaluate the time to resolution during clinical follow-up. A prospective study evaluated 505 children, between March 2014 and July 2019, hospitalized with neurological manifestations and that doctors suspected infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Viral infection of collected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Neurologic Manifestations of Noncongenital Zika Virus in Children.

We evaluated neurologic complications following noncongenital Zika virus infection in 11 children who presented with central nervous system signs. Zika virus RNA was detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid. Approximately one-quarter of patients required antiepileptic medication in follow-up, and 2 children progressed to learning difficulties or developmental delay.

A prospective, observational study to evaluate adverse drug reactions in patients with COVID-19 treated with remdesivir or hydroxychloroquine: a preliminary report.

Objectives: Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pressure to minimise its impact on public health has led to the implementation of different therapeutic strategies, the efficacy of which for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was unknown at the time. Remdesivir (REM) was granted its first conditional marketing authorisation in the EU in June 2020. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and local health authorities all across the EU have since strongly recommended the implementation of pharmacovigilance activities aimed at further evaluating the safety of this new drug.

Allometric Scaling of Mutual Information in Complex Networks: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Approach.

Complexity and information theory are two very valuable but distinct fields of research, yet sharing the same roots. Here, we develop a complexity framework inspired by the allometric scaling laws of living biological systems in order to evaluate the structural features of networks. This is done by aligning the fundamental building blocks of information theory (entropy and mutual information) with the core concepts in network science such as the preferential attachment and degree correlations.

Frequent Anti-V1V2 Responses Induced by HIV-DNA Followed by HIV-MVA with or without CN54rgp140/GLA-AF in Healthy African Volunteers.

Antibody responses that correlated with reduced risk of HIV acquisition in the RV144 efficacy trial were assessed in healthy African volunteers who had been primed three times with HIV-DNA (subtype A, B, C) and then randomized into two groups; group 1 was boosted twice with HIV-MVA (CRF01_AE) and group 2 with the same HIV-MVA coadministered with subtype C envelope (Env) protein (CN54rgp140/GLA-AF). The fine specificity of plasma Env-specific antibody responses was mapped after the final vaccination using linear peptide microarray technology. Binding IgG antibodies to the V1V2 loop in CRF01_AE and subtype C Env and Env-specific IgA antibodies were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Maize distillers dried grains with solubles alter dietary digestibility and improve intestine health of pacu, juveniles.

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of soyabean meal replacement by maize distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets for pacu juveniles. Five diets were formulated with 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 g of DDGS/kg diet replacing up to total dietary soyabean meal. In trial 1, the experimental diets were fed to five groups of fish to evaluate the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC).

Determining hematological, biochemical and immunological reference values in healthy adults with high-risk for HIV acquisition in Mozambique.

Introduction: In many African countries, laboratory reference values are not established for the local healthy adult population. In Mozambique, reference values are known for young adults (18-24yo) but not yet established for a wider age range. Our study aimed to establish hematological, biochemical and immunological reference values for vaccine trials in Mozambican healthy adults with high-risk for HIV acquisition.

Dynamics of essential interaction between firms on financial reports.

Companies tend to publish financial reports in order to articulate strategies, disclose key performance measurements as well as summarise the complex relationships with external stakeholders as a result of their business activities. Therefore, any major changes to business models or key relationships will be naturally reflected within these documents, albeit in an unstructured manner. In this research, we automatically scan through a large and rich database, containing over 400,000 reports of companies in Japan, in order to generate structured sets of data that capture the essential features, interactions and resulting relationships among these firms.

A review of the Neotropical genus Amazobenna Penny, 1980 with description of a new species and description of the male of Amazobenna reticulata Penny, 1980 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae).

A second species of the genus Amazobenna Penny, 1980, Amazobenna pennyi sp. nov., is described from the Brazil.