Background: To curb the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases several studies indicate the need for improved access to medical care for injection drug users (IDUs) including those already linked to syringe exchange programs (SEPs). However, availability and access to services remains a problem for many IDUs. This study seeks to examine perceptions of medical care access among a pharmacy-based sample of IDUs, utilization of medical services among IDUs and, identify barriers to accessing health care services to help ensure that IDUs receive appropriate care when needed and reduce the transmission of diseases. Methods: Data was obtained from the Pharmacists As Resources Making Links to Community Services (PHARM-Link) study. Dependent variables: health care access to the same provider and receiving care a usual source, health care utilization of services including the emergency room, clinic, medical office, medical mobile unit and hospital; and health care barriers categorized as personal or structural. Independent variables were insurance status, homelessness in the prior six months, case management, drug treatment and socio-demographic characteristics such as age, sex, income, education and employment status. Descriptive statistics analysis and logistic regression were performed using SAS version 9.4 (2013) with significance set at p<0.05. Results: Our sample included 615 IDUs participating in the PHARM-Link study. Overall, IDUs accessed health services and having the same provider remained statistically higher among those with legal income above $5,000 OR: 1.60 (95% CI: 1.03- 2.48), the insured OR: 4.11 (95% CI: 2.48-6.79), and those with positive HIV status OR: 7.64 (95% CI: 3.18 – 18.36), while those who were homeless reported lower access to the same provider OR: 0.63 (95% CI: 0.43 – 0.92). Only the older age group OR: 2.85 (95% CI: 1.42-5.73) and the insured OR: 3.42 (95% CI: 1.81-6.46) remained significantly associated with more access to receiving health needs at the same location. Those with some college education had less frequent visits to the clinic OR: 0.59 (95% CI: 0.38-0.92) and medical office OR: 0.64 (95% CI: 0.41-0.99), while the homeless were more likely to visit the emergency room OR: 1.49 (95% CI: 1.06-2.11). Females were less likely to go to a mobile unit OR; 0.52 (95% CI: 0.33-0.83) and married people were more likely OR: 1.95 (95% CI: 0.28-0.91). Visit to the hospital were less likely among females OR: 0.54 (95% CI: 0.36-0.81) and among those with some college education OR: 0.63 (95% CI: 0.41-0.96). Those with legal income above $5,000 were less likely to have any personal barriers OR: 0.64 (95% CI: 0.45 – 0.92). Structural barriers remained more likely among those who were homeless OR: 1.62 (95% CI: 1.13-2.39), but less likely among those 44 years and older OR: 0.58 (95% CI: 0.40-0.85), the insured OR: 0.60 (95% CI: 0.38-0.94), those with positive HIV status OR: 0.53 (95% CI: 0.28-0.99), as well as Non-Hispanic Blacks OR: 0.47 (95% CI: 0.14-0.83) and Latinos OR: 0.47 (95% CI: 0.25-0.86). Conclusion: Our results suggest that most IDUs linked to care through pharmacy-based SEP programs established to expand health services and improve health, did access available health services. However, some continue to experience difficulties such as structural barriers among the homeless as well as few reported visits to the clinic, medical office and the hospital among the employed believed to have resources to pay for such services. These services may have been underutilized because the participants were unsatisfied with the services provided. Therefore, interventions should target structural barriers such as homelessness among IDUs as well as health insurance coverage to help increase access to and utilization of health services.

Migration occurs among many animal species for the purpose of, among other things, finding food or to reproduce. Spawning migration is a form of migration that occurs among many fish species where they move to another site for reproduction. The movement can be obstructed by migration barriers like road culverts. Barriers to migration pose one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functions in freshwater. They impair the connectivity of watercourses and may prevent fish from improving reproductive success or completing their life histories altogether. There are both benefits and costs with migration, benefits such as increased survival for the adults and offspring, and costs such as increased energy consumption and increased mortality. The costs are often dependent on the morphological traits of the individual, like body shape and size. In this study, the spawning migration of two species of fish of the family Cyprinidae, ide (Leuciscus idus) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) was investigated. Few studies have been made on ide or on roach compared to other cyprinids and salmonids. This study might therefore enhance the overall knowledge of these two species. The overall aims of this project are to study and compare phenotypic correlates of spawning migration behaviour of ide and roach. The field studies were performed in Oknebäcken, Mönsterås (SE632310-152985), Sweden in March and April 2020. To describe the watercourse and define the location and characteristics of different potential migration barriers, a simplified biotope mapping method was used. The fish were caught in a hoop net and then measured, weighted, sexed, and injected with passive integrated transponder using the bevel down method. In order to register in stream movement of fish, reading stations with antennas were placed, at two locations upstream from the marking station and one downstream at the estuary. The sex ratio differed from the expected 1:1 with a majority of females for both species. This might be a result of fluctuations in survival of spawn coupled with different age-at-maturity between sexes. We found that individuals that arrived early to the stream were larger for both study species, as other studies also reported. Also, male ide was both larger and arrived before female ide. There might be an energy cost associated with early arrival to the stream and therefore, larger individuals arrive first. For roach, there was no difference in arrival time between the sexes although female roach were larger. There was no difference in the time spent in the stream between the species. For ide, females stayed for a longer period of time in the stream than males. However, the opposite was true for roach. This may be because male roach might benefit from more fertilization events when staying longer. There might therefore be a trade-off between the energy cost in staying in the stream and the increased fitness advantage in fertilization events. We found no correlation between any of the morphological traits and migration distance. However, since very few individuals were registered at the upstream reading stations, there might be an effect of migration barriers on the spawning migration. The mortality after spawning was higher for roach than for ide. For ide, a larger proportion of females than males died. For roach, individuals that arrived early was classified as alive to a greater extent than those who arrived late. Both similarities and differences between the species were discovered in this study which concludes that even closely related species might differ substantially from each other.

Introduction: Malgré des taux d’efficacité comparable du traitement antiviral de l’hépatite C (VHC) entre utilisateurs de drogues par injection (UDIs) et non-UDIs, il y a encore d’importantes barrières à l’accessibilité au traitement pour cette population vulnérable. La méfiance des UDIs à l’égard des autorités médicales, ainsi que leur mode de vie souvent désorganisé ont un impact sur l’initiation du traitement. L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner les liens entre l’initiation du traitement du VHC et l’utilisation des services de santé chez les UDIs actifs. Methode: 758 UDIs actifs et séropositifs aux anticorps anti-VHC ont été interrogés durant la période de novembre 2004 à mars 2011, dans la région de Montréal. Des questionnaires administrés par des intervieweurs ont fourni des informations sur les caractéristiques socio-économiques, ainsi que sur les variables relatives à l’usage de drogues et à l’utilisation des services de santé. Des échantillons sanguins ont été prélevés et testés pour les anticorps anti-VHC. Une régression logistique multivariée a permis de générer des associations entre les facteurs relatifs aux services de santé et l’initiation du traitement contre le VHC. Resultats: Parmi les 758 sujets, 55 (7,3%) avaient initié un traitement du VHC avant leur inclusion dans l’étude. Selon les analyses multivariées, les variables significativement associées à l’initiation du traitement sont les suivantes: avoir vu un médecin de famille dans les derniers 6 mois (Ratio de Cote ajusté (RCa): 1,96; Intervalle de Confiance à 95% (IC): 1,04-3,69); plus de 2 ans sous traitement de la dépendance à vie, sans usage actuel de méthadone (RCa: 2,25; IC: 1,12-4,51); plus de 2 ans sous traitement de la dépendance à vie, avec usage actuel de méthadone (RCa: 3,78; IC: 1,85-7,71); et avoir déjà séjourné en prison (RCa: 0,44; IC: 0,22-0,87). Conclusion: L’exposition à des services d’aide à la dépendance et aux services médicaux est associée à l’initiation du traitement du VHC. Ces résultats suggèrent que ces services jouent leur rôle de point d’entrée au traitement. Alternativement, les UDIs ayant initié un traitement du VHC, auraient possiblement adopté une attitude proactive quant à l'amélioration de leur santé globale. D’autre part, l’incarcération ressort comme un obstacle à la gestion de l’infection au VHC. / Introduction: In spite of comparable hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment efficacy between injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs, there are still important barriers impeding antiviral treatment access in this vulnerable population. Mistrust between IDUs and health care providers, along with IDU disorganised lifestyle, affect HCV treatment uptake. The objective of this study is to examine the association between HCV treatment initiation and the use of healthcare services among active IDUs. Methodology: 758 active IDUs, seropositive for anti-HCV antibody, were surveyed from November 2004 to March 2011 in Montreal. Interviewer-administered questionnaires elicited information on socio-demographic factors, drug use related behaviors and health care service utilization. Blood samples were collected and tested for HCV antibodies. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the health service correlates of HCV treatment initiation. Results: Among the 758 subjects, 55 (7.3%) had initiated an HCV treatment prior to enrolment. In multivariate analysis, variables independently associated with treatment initiation included: having seen a general practitioner in the last 6 months (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 1,96; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1,04-3,69); more than 2 years of lifetime addiction treatment exposure without current methadone use (aOR: 2,25; CI: 1,12-4,51); more than 2 years of lifetime addiction treatment exposure with current methadone use (aOR: 3,78; CI: 1,85-7,71); and having spent time in prison (aOR: 0,44; CI: 0,22-0,87). Conclusion: Exposure to addiction and medical services is associated with HCV treatment initiation. These results suggest that such services efficiently play their role as entry points for HCV treatment. Alternatively, IDU who have initiated HCV treatment, regardless of the viral response outcome, may have adopted a proactive stance towards improving their overall health. Incarceration on the other hand seems to be an obstacle to HCV treatment uptake.

No description available.

Nomenclature: Sensitivity to anesthetic clove oil different species of adult fish Sensitivity of breeding fishes of various species (Siberian sturgeon, Brook trout, Black carp- young breeding fishes) for anesthetic clove oil was probed by the tests performed at temperature in the period of stripping (apart from Brook trout and Black carp). The tests were carried out with 17 fish species- with cyprinids (Ide- golden form, Common dace, European Chub, Sneep, Barbel, Grass carp, Black carp, bighead carp), salmonids (Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Brook trout), thymallinae (Grayling), pikes (Northern pike), perches (Pike-perch), sturgeons (Siberian sturgeon, Beluga) and airbreathing catfishes (North African catfish). Using concentration of 0,03ml.l-1 (Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Brook trout, Grayling, Pike, Pike perch, Ide, Dace, Chub, Barbel and Sneep), 0,04ml.l-1 (Grass carp, Black carp, Bighead carp), 0,05ml.l-1 (North African catfish) and 0,07ml.l-1 (Siberian sturgeon, Beluga) the IIb. Phase has been achieved, which is sufficient for manipulation with fishes during stripping. The anesthesia subsided after time period of 10-17 minutes (12 species) at the majority of fishes and at others after interval of 20-26 minutes (5 species). The results confirmed concentrations recommended for salmodis and Grayling (0,025-0,03ml.l-1), sturgeons (0,07ml.l-1), and North African catfish (0,05ml.l-1). At the majority of cyprinids (apart from Grass carp, Black carp and Bighead carp), the concentration used was lower than recommended (0,04-0,05ml.l-1)