Evaluating the Impact of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy on the Survival of Patients in the Northwest Region of Cameroon

Introduction: The main outcome of efficiently implemented universal test and treat (UTT) program is improved survival. UTT implementation has been ongoing in Cameroon since 2016 but evaluation data are scarce. This study aims to assess the survival of antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients initiated under UTT in Northwest region of Cameroon. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included HIV-positive patients initiated in 2016 at 27 purposefully selected sites and followed until 2021. Data was anonymously abstracted from ART registers and patients’ charts. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox model were used to compare the survival of patients initiated under UTT with those initiated otherwise, using stata version 14.0. Results: In total, 2490 HIV-positive patients (median age 42.7 years, 94.7% adults, and 69.0% female) participated in the study. Of 1389 patients with viral load (VL) test results, 55% were initiated on ART late. The VL suppression rate of patients initiated late and those initiated early were similar. During follow-up, 1020 (40.9%) participants censored. The survival curves of patients initiated early on ART and those initiated late were similar during the first 2.5 years of follow-up but significantly (p Conclusions: This study confirms the expected impact of UTT. Programs only need to close existing implementation gaps along the critical pathways (diagnosis and treatment) of UTT, focusing more on males.

Threefold Increase in the Number of Drug Resistant TB Cases after Introduction of Universal Drug Susceptibility Testing: Experiences from Two South India Districts

Background: In India, tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem, and the advent of drug resistance TB (DR-TB) has worsened the situation. The Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) has introduced universal drug susceptibility testing (UDST) for all diagnosed TB cases in 2018. We conducted this study to know the advantage of implementing UDST when compared to selective testing existent in 2017 on key diagnostic cascade parameters and to identify the challenges in the implementation of UDST. Methods: The study was conducted in two districts of Karnataka, India during January 2017-December 2018. The quantitative part consisted of before-and-after design and the qualitative part consisted of descriptive design. Results: In 2017 (during selective testing/“before” period) out of the 2440 TB patients, 80 (3%) were diagnosed with Isoniazid and Rifampicin resistance patients;in contrast in 2018 (during UDST/“after” period) of the 5129 TB patients 258 (5%) were diagnosed with Isoniazid and Rifampicin resistance. However, the proportion of eligible patients tested for rifampicin resistance during the “after” period was 60% when compared to 100% during the “before” period and median turnaround time for testing was also longer during the “after” period when compared to the “before” period (32.5 days vs 27.5 days). Major reasons for these two gaps were found to be difficulties in collecting sputum specimens and transportation. Conclusion: The rollout of UDST has led to a three-fold increase in a number of DR-TB cases detected in the region. There is a need for the programme to increase the proportion tested for DST by increasing the laboratory capacity and address the challenges in sputum collection and transportation.

EVALUATION OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BAMBUSA BAMBOO LAMINATES THROUGH DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

In this research study,Bambusa ssp,the utilized species of bamboo,was rendered into a more versatile construction material in the form of laminates.The laminated specimens were manufactured using simplified processing methods according to the ASTM D3039 and ASTM D143 standards.Polyvinyl acetate was the adhesive used between the 2-ply laminate.The mechanical properties of the specimens were evaluated through tensile,compressive and bending strength tests according to set standards on the Testometric M500-50AT Universal Testing Machine.The tensile strength of laminated bamboo was comparable to that of redwood,spruce,cedar and pine.The ratio of compressive strength of parallel to perpendicularfibers in compressive tests was in a close range to that of poplar,fir and pine.The correlation in compressive strength values between bamboo and wood confirmed the inherent anisotropic nature of both plant materials.

Tianjin Automotive Test Center & National Passenger Car Quality Supervision and Inspection Center——A State Testing and Universality Techniques Research Base in China

Tianiin Automotive Test Center has a test capability as well as a capability of conducting universality techniques research. With fixed assets of around RMB 76.44 million yuan and an architectural area of 11,200 sqm, test labs mainly include: auto emission test lab, full-scale vehicle crash test lab, auto safety test lab, auto lighting and view field test lab, engine test lab,

Objective screening for olfactory and gustatory dysfunction during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective study in healthcare workers using self-administered testing

Background: Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID-19 patients suggests that self-reported measures are insufficient for capturing patients with chemosensory dysfunction.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of recent COVID-19 infection on chemosensory function and demonstrate the use of at-home objective smell and taste testing in an at-risk population of healthcare workers.Methods: Two hundred and fifty healthcare workers were screened for possible loss of smell and taste using online surveys. Self-administered smell and taste tests were mailed to respondents meeting criteria for elevated risk of infection, and one-month follow-up surveys were completed.Results: Among subjects with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, 73% reported symptoms of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction. Self-reported smell and taste loss were both strong predictors of COVID-19 positivity. Subjects with evidence of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection (<45 days) had significantly lower olfactory scores but equivalent gustatory scores compared to other subjects. There was a time-dependent increase in smell scores but not in taste scores among subjects with prior infection and chemosensory symptoms. The overall infection rate was 4.4%, with 2.5% reported by PCR swab.Conclusion: Healthcare workers with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection had reduced olfaction and normal gustation on self-administered objective testing compared to those without infection. Rates of infection and chemosensory symptoms in our cohort of healthcare workers reflect those of the general public.

Introducing a new rock abrasivity index using a scaled down disc cutter

Rock abrasivity influences wear of cutting tools and consequently,performance of mechanized tunneling ma-chines.Several methods have been proposed to evaluate rock abrasivity in recent decades,each one has its own advantages.In this paper,a new method is introduced to estimate wear of disc cutters based on rock cutting tests using scaled down discs(i.e.54 and 72 mm diameter).The discs are made of H13 steel,which is a common steel type in producing real-scale discs,with hardness of 32 and 54 HRC.The small-scale linear rock cutting machine and a new abrasion test apparatus,namely University of Tehran abrasivity test machine,are utilized to perform the tests.Tip width of the worn discs is monitored and presented as the function of the accumulated test run to classify the rock abrasion.Abrasivity tests show that by increasing the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of the rock samples,wear rate is doubled gradually that reveals the sensitivity of the test procedure to the main pa-rameters affecting the abrasivity of hard rocks.For the rocks with the highest UCS,the normal wear stops after performing 5 to 10 rounds of the tests,and then,deformation of the disc tip is detectable.Two abrasivity indices are defined based on the abrasivity tests results and their correlations with Cerchar Abrasivity Index(CAI)and UCS are established.Comparison of the established correlations in this study with previous investigations dem-onstrates the sensitivity of the indices to the parameters affecting wear of the disc cutters and repeatability of the outputs obtained from abrasivity tests using scaled down discs.Findings of this study can be used to enhance the accuracy of rock abrasivity classifications.