A multiproxy approach to evaluate biocidal treatments on biodeteriorated majolica glazed tiles.

The Fishing House located on the grounds of the Marquis of Pombal Palace, Oeiras, Portugal, was built in the 18th century. During this epoch, Portuguese gardens, such as the one surrounding the Fishing House, were commonly ornamented with glazed wall tile claddings. Currently, some of these outdoor tile panels are covered with dark colored biofilms, contributing to undesirable aesthetic changes and eventually inducing chemical and physical damage to the tile surfaces. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the investigated biofilms are mainly composed of green algae, cyanobacteria and dematiaceous fungi. With the aim of mitigating biodeterioration, four different biocides (TiO2 nanoparticles, Biotin® T, Preventol® RI 80 and Albilex Biostat® ) were applied in situ to the glazed wall tiles. Their efficacy was monitored by visual examination, epifluorescence microscopy and DNA-based analysis. Significant changes in the microbial community composition were observed 4 months after treatment with Preventol® RI 80 and Biotin® T. Although the original community was inactivated after these treatments, an early stage of re-colonization was detected 6 months after the biocide application. TiO2 nanoparticles showed promising results due to their self-cleaning effect, causing the detachment of the biofilm from the tile surface, which remained clean 6 and even 24 months after biocide application. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Men who pay for sex in Spain and condom use: prevalence and correlates in a representative sample of the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the percentage of men who have paid for heterosexual sex in Spain and the percentage who used condoms. To identify the main factors associated with these behaviours and to describe opinions about condoms. METHODS: Sexual behaviour probability sample survey in men aged 18-49 years resident in Spain in 2003 (n = 5153). Computer-assisted face to face and self interview was used. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: 25.4% (n = 1306) of the men had paid for heterosexual sex at some time in their lives; 13.3% (n = 687) in the last 5 years and 5.7% (n = 295) in the last 12 months. In the logistic analysis this behaviour was associated with older age, lower education, being unmarried, foreign birth, being a practicing member of a religious group, unsatisfactory communication with parents about sex, age under 16 years at first sexual intercourse and having been drunk in the last 30 days. Of the men who had paid for sex in the previous 5 years, 95% (n = 653) had used a condom in the most recent paid contact. In the multivariate analysis, not using a condom was associated with age over 30 years and first sexual intercourse before age 16 years. Men who did not use condoms in the last commercial intercourse had more negative opinions about condoms. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of paying for heterosexual sex among Spanish men is the highest ever described in developed countries. The many variables associated with paying for sex and condom use permit the characterisation of male clients of prostitution and should facilitate targeting HIV prevention policies.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in intravenous drug users on admission to prison.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous drug users (IDUs) and prisoners are groups of great interest in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology. AIM: To determine predictors and temporal trends of the co-infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV in IDUs on admission to prison. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1997, 796 IDUs or former IDUs were studied. Socio-demographic and penitentiary variables were evaluated. HIV-positive patients with > or =5 mm induration on tuberculin test were deemed co-infected. Analysis of factors associated with co-infection was based on a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Of the incoming prisoners, 44.0% were infected by M. tuberculosis, 43.8% by HIV and 20.1% were co-infected. Co-infection predictors were: 1) total prison time served previously (none, OR 1; <2 years, OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.28-4.64; > or =2 years, OR 4.94, 95% CI 2.56-9.55); 2) age (16-25 years, OR 1; 25-29 years, OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.71-5.75; >29 years, OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.96-6.86); 3) tattoos (OR 1.56, 95% CI 0.98-2.49), 4) syringe sharing (OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.57-3.77) and 5) ex-IDU status (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.23-2.82). No statistically significant variation in the annual co-infection tendency was observed (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.98-1.22). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of co-infection that was detected was associated with risk factors that could be amended by public health intervention.

[Preventing HIV infection: an exercise in evaluating scientific evidence in public health]. / La prevención de la infección por VIH: un ejercicio de evaluación de las evidencias científicas en salud pública.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) analyses scientific evidence for the efficacy/effectiveness of health interventions. It aims to identify and implement available interventions that have proved to be the best. This concept is now soundly established for clinical interventions, but just breaking for prevention, particularly when--as in HIV infection--transmission is associated to private behaviour. METHODS: A search for studies evaluating the effects of HIV prevention interventions. All studies were critically evaluated. RESULTS: Relevant evidence for the effects of the main specific HIV prevention interventions is reviewed, according to transmission group and study design, focusing on its methodological strength and weakness, and paying special attention to experimental research. CONCLUSIONS: A wider debate on scientific evidence for public health interventions is proposed, trying to promote feasible and efficient EBM methods in HIV prevention research.

[Evolution of the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a penitentiary population on admission to prison from 1991 to 1996]. / Evolución de la prevalencia de la infección por Mycobacterium tuberculosis en una población reclusa al ingreso en prisión entre 1991 y 1996.

BACKGROUND: In Spanish prisons tuberculosis is a serious problem of public health. The analysis of temporal trends of tuberculous infection can show the effectiveness of interventions developed. PATIENTS, MATERIAL AND METHODS: All admissions in a prison between July 1991 and June 1996, without antecedents of chemotherapy or chemoprophylaxis, were included. We gathered sociodemographic variables as well as prison-related variables and HIV-risk factors. Tuberculin skin test was performed with 2 U of PPD RT-23 following the Spanish Consensus to Criterion of Tuberculous Infection. Statistic analysis was based on multivariate analysis (logistic regression). RESULTS: 37% of 1,459 prisoners analyzed were infected with M. tuberculosis. The tuberculous infection was more frequent among older prisoners (p < 0.001) and those with more time spent in prison (p < 0.001). Those with BCG-vaccination showed lesser levels of tuberculin reaction (p = 0.001). Temporal trends of tuberculous infection didn't show variations, but in intravenous drug users IVDU (p = 0.012) and those with time spent in prison (p = 0.08) it was increased. CONCLUSIONS: We detected a high prevalence of tuberculous infection and the time spent in prison was one of the risk factors. The infection was probably underestimate among those with BCG-vaccination because of the criterion used. The tuberculous infection was increased among IVDU and those with antecedent of time spent in prison.