Search

Background HIV-1 incidence calculation currently includes recency classification by HIV-1 incidence assay and unsuppressed viral load (VL ≥ 1000 copies/mL) in a recent infection testing algorithm (RITA). However, persons with recent classification not virally suppressed and taking antiretroviral (ARV) medication may be misclassified. Setting We used data from 13 African household surveys to describe the impact of an ARV-adjusted RITA on HIV-1 incidence estimates. Methods HIV-seropositive samples were tested for recency using the HIV-1 Limiting Antigen (LAg)-Avidity enzyme immunoassay, HIV-1 viral load, ARVs used in each country, and ARV drug resistance. LAg-recent result was defined as normalized optical density values ≤1.5. We compared HIV-1 incidence estimates using 2 RITA: RITA1: LAg-recent + VL ≥ 1000 copies/mL and RITA2: RITA1 + undetectable ARV. We explored RITA2 with self-reported ARV use and with clinical history. Results Overall, 357 adult HIV-positive participants were classified as having recent infection with RITA1. RITA2 reclassified 55 (15.4%) persons with detectable ARV as having long-term infection. Those with detectable ARV were significantly more likely to be aware of their HIV-positive status (84% vs. 10%) and had higher levels of drug resistance (74% vs. 26%) than those without detectable ARV. RITA2 incidence was lower than RITA1 incidence (range, 0%-30% decrease), resulting in decreased estimated new infections from 390,000 to 341,000 across the 13 countries. Incidence estimates were similar using detectable or self-reported ARV (R2 > 0.995). Conclusions Including ARV in RITA2 improved the accuracy of HIV-1 incidence estimates by removing participants with likely long-term HIV infection.

BACKGROUND Measurement of mother-to-child HIV transmission through population-based surveys requires large sample sizes because of low HIV prevalence among children. We estimate potential improvements in sampling efficiency resulting from a targeted sample design. SETTING Eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa with completed Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) surveys as of 2017. METHODS The PHIA surveys used a geographically stratified 2-stage sample design with households sampled from randomly selected census enumeration areas. Children (0-14 years of age) were eligible for HIV testing within a random subsample of households (usually 50%). Estimates of child HIV prevalence in each country were calculated using jackknife replicate weights. We compared sample sizes and precision achieved using this design with a 2-phase disproportionate sample design applied to strata defined by maternal HIV status and mortality. RESULTS HIV prevalence among children ranged from 0.4% (95% confidence interval: 0.2 to 0.6) in Tanzania to 2.8% (95% confidence interval: 2.2 to 3.4) in Eswatini with achieved relative standard errors between 11% and 21%. The expected precision improved in the targeted design in all countries included in the analysis, with proportionate reductions in mean squared error ranging from 27% in Eswatini to 61% in Tanzania, assuming an equal sample size. CONCLUSIONS Population-based surveys of adult HIV prevalence that also measure child HIV prevalence should consider targeted sampling of children to reduce required sample size, increase precision, and increase the number of positive children tested. The findings from the PHIA surveys can be used as baseline data for informing future sample designs.

BACKGROUND The need for accurate HIV annual program planning data motivated the compressed timeline for the 2018 Nigerian HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS). The survey team used stakeholder cooperation and responsive design, using survey process and paradata to refine survey implementation, to quickly collect high-quality data. We describe processes that led to generation of data for program and funding decisions, ensuring HIV services were funded in 2019. SETTING Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, with approximately 195 million people in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Challenges include multiple security threats, poor infrastructure, seasonal rains, and varied health system capacity. METHODS Stakeholders worked together to plan and implement NAIIS. Methods from other population-based HIV impact assessments were modified to meet challenges and the compressed timeline. Data collection was conducted in 6 webs. Responsive design included reviewing survey monitoring paradata and laboratory performance. Costs required to correct data errors, for example, staff time and transportation, were tracked. RESULTS NAIIS data collection was completed in 23 weeks, ahead of the originally scheduled 24 weeks. Responsive design identified and resolved approximately 68,000 interview errors, affecting approximately 62,000 households, saving about US$4.4 million in costs. Biweekly field laboratory test quality control improved from 50% to 100% throughout NAIIS. CONCLUSIONS Cooperation across stakeholders and responsive design ensured timely release of NAIIS results and informed planning for HIV epidemic control in Nigeria. Based on NAIIS results, funds were provided to place an additional 500,000 HIV-positive Nigerians on antiretroviral therapy by the end of 2020, pushing Nigeria toward epidemic control.

The development of truncal and fascial plane blocks has created novel opportunities to apply regional analgesic techniques to patients undergoing spine surgery. This review will summarize recent literature devoted to evaluating candidate blocks for spine surgery, including erector spinae plane block, thoracolumbar interfascial plane block, midpoint transverse process to pleura block, and transversus abdominis plane block. Procedure-specific effects of blocks on patient and healthcare system outcomes will be presented and gaps in care and knowledge will be highlighted.The most studied paradigm was bilateral erector spinae plane block for lumbar spine surgery. The most common outcomes assessed were early postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption and related side effects, and length of hospital stay. All candidate blocks were associated with mixed evidence for analgesic and opioid-sparing benefits, and/or reductions in length of hospital stay. The magnitude of these effects was overall small, with many studies showing statistically but not clinically significant differences on outcomes of interest. This may reflect, at least in part, the current state of the (emerging) evidence base on this topic.Our understanding of the risks, benefits, and value of truncal and fascial plane blocks for spine surgery cohorts is evolving. Although the results derived from this body of literature are encouraging, further research is required before the widespread adoption of specified blocks into spine care can be recommended.

The units at the early stages of multi-stage area samples are generally sampled with probabilities proportional to their estimated sizes (PPES). With such a design, an overall equal probability (EP) sample design would yield a constant number of final stage units from each final stage cluster if the measures of size used in the PPES selection at each sampling stage were directly proportional to the number of final stage units. However, there are often sizable relative differences between the measures of size used in the PPES selections and the number of final stage units. Two common approaches for dealing with these differences are: (1) to retain a self-weighting sample design, allowing the sample sizes to vary across the sampled primary sampling units (PSUs) and (2) to retain the fixed sample size in each PSU and to compensate for the unequal selection probabilities by weighting adjustments in the analyses. This article examines these alternative designs in the context of two-stage sampling in which PSUs are sampled with PPES at the first stage, and an equal probability sample of final stage units is selected from each sampled PSU at the second stage. Two-stage sample designs of this type are used for household surveys in many countries. The discussion is illustrated with data from the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment surveys that were conducted using this design in several African countries.

Background In the 21st century, understanding how population migration impacts human health is critical. Namibia has high migration rates and HIV prevalence, but little is known about how these intersect. We examined the association between migration and HIV-related outcomes using data from the 2017 Namibia Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (NAMPHIA). Methods and findings The NAMPHIA survey selected a nationally representative sample of adults in 2017. All adults aged 15–64 years were invited to complete an interview and home-based HIV test. Recent infection (1000 copies/mL) and antiretroviral analyte data. Awareness of HIV status and antiretroviral use were based on self-report and/or detectable antiretrovirals in blood. Viremia was defined as having a viral load ≥1000 copies/mL, including all participants in the denominator regardless of serostatus. We generated community viremia values as a weighted proportion at the EA level, excluding those classified as recently infected. Significant migrants were those who had lived outside their current region or away from home >one month in the past three years. Recent cross-community in-migrants were those who had moved to the community two years ago to determine the association of migration and timing with recent infection or viral load suppression (VLS). All proportions are weighted. Of eligible adults, we had HIV results and migration data on 9,625 (83.9%) of 11,474 women and 7,291 (73.0%) of 9,990 men. Most respondents (62.5%) reported significant migration. Of cross-community in-migrants, 15.3% were recent. HIV prevalence was 12.6% and did not differ by migration status. Population VLS was 77.4%. Recent cross-community in-migration was associated with recent HIV infection (aOR: 4.01, 95% CI 0.99–16.22) after adjusting for community viremia. Significant migration (aOR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55–0.97) and recent cross-community in-migration (aOR 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35–0.92) were associated with lower VLS, primarily due to lack of awareness of HIV infection. The study was limited by lack of precise data on trajectory of migration. Conclusions Despite a high population-level VLS, Namibia still has migrant populations that are not accessing effective treatment for HIV. Targeting migrants with effective prevention and testing programs in communities with viremia could enable further epidemic control.

OBJECTIVE: The Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment survey was conducted nationally and designed to measure HIV prevalence, incidence, and viral load suppression (VLS). DESIGN: A nationally representative sample of 9403 eligible households was surveyed between November 2016 and May 2017; analyses account for study design. Consenting participants provided blood samples, socio-demographic, and behavioral information. METHODS: Blood samples were tested using the national rapid HIV testing algorithm. HIV-seropositive results were confirmed with Geenius supplemental assay. Screening for detectable concentrations of antiretroviral analytes was conducted on dried blood specimens from all HIV-positive adults using high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Self-reported and/or antiretroviral biomarker data were used to classify individuals as HIV-positive and on treatment. Viral load testing was performed on all HIV-positive samples at central labs. VLS was defined as HIV RNA below 1000 copies/ml. RESULTS: Overall, 25.6% of adults aged 15–59 years were HIV-positive. Among seropositive adults, 81.0% (male 76.6%, female 84.0%) reported knowing their HIV status, 91.8% of people living with HIV (male 91.6%, female 92.0%) who reported knowing their status reporting taking antiretrovirals, and 87.7% (male and female 87.7%) of these had VLS. Younger age was significantly associated with being less likely to be aware of HIV status for both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this population-based survey provide encouraging data in terms of HIV testing and treatment uptake and coverage. Specific attention to reaching youth to engage them in HIV-related interventions are critical to achieving epidemic control.

Background A previous analysis of the impact of drought in Africa on HIV demonstrated an 11% greater prevalence in HIV-endemic rural areas attributable to local rainfall shocks. The Lesotho Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA) was conducted after the severe drought of 2014–2016, allowing for reevaluation of this relationship in a setting of expanded antiretroviral coverage. Methods and findings LePHIA selected a nationally representative sample between November 2016 and May 2017. All adults aged 15–59 years in randomly selected households were invited to complete an interview and HIV testing, with one woman per household eligible to answer questions on their experience of sexual violence. Deviations in rainfall for May 2014–June 2016 were estimated using precipitation data from Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS), with drought defined as, Andrea Low and colleagues present findings from their study in which a link between drought and increased HIV incidence in young girls in Lesotho is observed., Author summary Why was this study done? Periods of climate extremes have been shown to lead to increases in high-risk behaviors, particularly in agricultural communities dependent on rainfall for their livelihoods. Prior studies have linked these increases in riskier sexual behaviors, such as extramarital partnerships and transactional sex, to increases in HIV acquisition. The Lesotho Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment, a national HIV survey conducted from November 2016 to May 2017 following a 2-year severe drought in southern Africa, allowed us to reevaluate this relationship in the setting of expanded antiretroviral use. What did the researchers do and find? We paired geospatial data on accumulated rainfall from 2014 to 2016 with data from the survey to determine if there were any associations between drought and HIV outcomes. A total of 12,887 adults ages 15–59 years completed a detailed questionnaire, and 11,682 underwent an HIV test. Adolescent girls and young women ages 15–24 years in rural areas of drought had higher rates of high-risk behaviors, such as early sexual debut and transactional sex, and had lower educational attainment. Living in a drought area appeared to be associated with greater HIV prevalence in young females and was associated with a lower HIV prevalence in young males. However, external migration, commonly seen during these periods, was associated with a greater prevalence of HIV in men and women. What do these findings mean? Future policy on mitigation of climate change in southern Africa may consider including HIV prevention interventions in populations at high risk. This could include preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for migrants and young women in areas of severe food insecurity. Likewise, HIV programs that provide social and economic support to young women as part of an HIV prevention strategy should consider targeting areas affected by drought. Further studies should be done in other settings to investigate the external validity of these findings, particularly in terms of the impact on HIV in young women.

Summary Background HIV acquisition remains high among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW, aged 15–24 years) in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to estimate prevalence and incidence of HIV in AGYW and to identify correlates of HIV infection by using data from the Lesotho Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA). Methods LePHIA was a nationally representative survey of adults and children based on a multistage cluster sampling method with random selection of enumeration areas and households. All adults aged 15 years and older who had slept in the household the night before were eligible for participation; participants completed an interview and HIV testing. We estimated incidence with the HIV-1 limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay combined with viral load and examined the association between demographic and behavioural variables (including characteristics of cohabitating mothers and sexual partners, when available) and prevalence and incidence among AGYW using logistic regression, incorporating survey weights. Findings We interviewed 8824 households, including 2358 AGYW who were tested for HIV infection. Weighted HIV prevalence was 11·1% (95% CI 9·7–12·5) in the overall population (273 of 2358 AGYW), 5·7% (4·1–7·2) in adolescent girls aged 15–19 years (64 of 1156), and 16·7% (14·4–19·0) in women aged 20–24 years (209 of 1212). Annualised HIV incidence was 1·8% (0·8–2·8). Correlates of prevalent infection include reporting a history of anal sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3·08, 1·11–8·57), having lived outside Lesotho in the past year (1·86, 1·01–3·42), having a partner suspected or known to be HIV positive (11·7, 6·0–22·5), and having two or more lifetime sexual partners (1·84, 1·21–2·78, for 2–3 lifetime sexual partners; 2·44, 1·45–4·08, for ≥4 lifetime sexual partners). For the 570 AGYW living with their mothers, maternal education was negatively associated with HIV prevalence in their daughters (aOR 0·36, 0·15–0·82, per increase in level attended). For AGYW with a cohabitating partner, the factors associated with AGYW infection were partner age (OR 4·54, 1·30–15·80, for partners aged 35–49 years, although the OR was no longer significant when adjusted for HIV status of partner), HIV status (aOR 11·22, 4·05–31·05), lack of viral load suppression (OR 0·16, 0·04–0·66), and partner employment in the past year (aOR 3·41, 1·12–10·42). Interpretation The findings confirm the importance of improving the treatment cascade in male partners and targeting preventive interventions to AGYW who are at increased risk. A regional approach to prevention could mitigate the effect of migration on transnational spread of HIV. Funding President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2016, an estimated 1.5 million females aged 15-24 years were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Eastern and Southern Africa, where the prevalence of HIV infection among adolescent girls and young women (3.4%) is more than double that for males in the same age range (1.6%) (1). Progress was assessed toward the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 2020 targets for adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa (90% of those with HIV infection aware of their status, 90% of HIV-infected persons aware of their status on antiretroviral treatment [ART], and 90% of those on treatment virally suppressed [HIV viral load

A methodology for efficient parasitic extraction and verification flow for RF and mixed-signal integrated-circuit designs is presented. The implementation of a multiplane precorrected fast Fourier transform (PFFT) computational engine enables the full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation of interconnects and passive components. The PFFT algorithm is implemented on a set of two-dimensional fast Fourier transform grids associated with the current sheets corresponding to the conductor loss models. This leads to the full-wave modeling of silicon embedded three-dimensional circuits within the two-and-one-half-dimensional computational framework yielding the O(NlogN) computational complexity and O(N) memory requirements of the algorithm. The broad-band capability of the EM solver is provided through the loop-tree/charge implementation of the PFFT algorithm allowing for robust full-wave modeling from dc to microwaves. The EM verification flow is integrated seamlessly within the Cadence environment allowing for the nonlinear circuit simulation of the entire device. The capability and accuracy of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through EM simulation results for an individual on-chip spiral inductor, as well as a low-noise amplifier.

A watershed plan had been prepared by The Conservation Foundation, a non profit environmental group, for the approximately 53,500 hectares (206 square miles) DuPage River suburban watershed near Chicago. The plan needed to be updated to meet USEPA's newer watershed plan guidelines to include information on expected pollutant load reduction, proposed BMPs necessary to meet that load reduction and the estimated cost to implement the selected BMPs. Due to the limited analysis budget, the WinSLAMM program was used to approximate existing and proposed total solids and phosphorus load reductions for two sub-watersheds and the results were then scaled up to the entire watershed. The costs of various BMP combinations were compared to the expected removal efficiencies to help local officials to choose the most cost effective BMPs. Local municipal officials assisted in the selection of BMPs that would be socially and technically acceptable.

The design of radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) is highly sensitive to layout parasitics. In conventional methodologies, the layout parasitics are known only after the layout is complete and the schematic is resized to compensate for these parasitics. The drawback of such a methodology is that the convergence of this design iteration remains unpredictable. This paper proposes a novel synthesis and verification flow for RFIC designs. The design flow is composed of three stages: circuit sizing with floorplan, performance-aware floorplan refinement, and full-wave electromagnetic (EM) extraction. Layout parasitics are considered throughout the design flow in the proposed methodology. As a result, parasitic closure can be achieved quickly and design iterations may not be required. As an example, the proposed design flow is applied to a cross-coupled inductance-capacitance (LC) VCO. Demonstrating the efficiency of the proposed flow for RFIC designs, it required only two weeks to meet all the design specifications with no iterations.