HIV prevalence and undiagnosed infection among a community sample of gay and bisexual men in Scotland, 2005-2011: implications for HIV testing policy and prevention

<b>Objective</b><p></p> To examine HIV prevalence, HIV testing behaviour, undiagnosed infection and risk factors for HIV positivity among a community sample of gay men in Scotland.<p></p> <b>Methods</b><p></p> Cross-sectional survey of gay and bisexual men attending commercial gay venues in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland with voluntary anonymous HIV testing of oral fluid samples in 2011. A response rate of 65.2% was achieved (1515 participants).<p></p> <b>Results</b><p></p> HIV prevalence (4.8%, 95% confidence interval, CI 3.8% to 6.2%) remained stable compared to previous survey years (2005 and 2008) and the proportion of undiagnosed infection among HIV-positive men (25.4%) remained similar to that recorded in 2008. Half of the participants who provided an oral fluid sample stated that they had had an HIV test in the previous 12 months; this proportion is significantly higher when compared to previous study years (50.7% versus 33.8% in 2005, p<0.001). Older age (>25 years) was associated with HIV positivity (1.8% in those <25 versus 6.4% in older ages group) as was a sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis within the previous 12 months (adjusted odds ratio 2.13, 95% CI 1.09–4.14). There was no significant association between age and having an STI or age and any of the sexual behaviours recorded.<p></p> <b>Conclusion</b><p></p> HIV transmission continues to occur among gay and bisexual men in Scotland. Despite evidence of recent testing within the previous six months, suggesting a willingness to test, the current opt-out policy may have reached its limit with regards to maximising HIV test uptake. Novel strategies are required to improve regular testing opportunities and more frequent testing as there are implications for the use of other biomedical HIV interventions.<p></p&gt

Over-representation of specific regions of chromosome 22 in cells from human glioma correlate with resistance to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme is the most malignant form of brain tumor. Despite treatment including surgical resection, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation, these tumors typically recur. The recurrent tumor is often resistant to further therapy with the same agent, suggesting that the surviving cells that repopulate the tumor mass have an intrinsic genetic advantage. We previously demonstrated that cells selected for resistance to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) are near-diploid, with over-representation of part or all of chromosomes 7 and 22. While cells from untreated gliomas often have over-representation of chromosome 7, chromosome 22 is typically under-represented. METHODS: We have analyzed cells from primary and recurrent tumors from the same patient before and after in vitro selection for resistance to clinically relevant doses of BCNU. Karyotypic analyses were done to demonstrate the genetic makeup of these cells, and fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses have defined the region(s) of chromosome 22 retained in these BCNU-resistant cells. RESULTS: Karyotypic analyses demonstrated that cells selected for BCNU resistance were near-diploid with over-representation of chromosomes 7 and 22. In cells where whole copies of chromosome 22 were not identified, numerous fragments of this chromosome were retained and inserted into several marker and derivative chromosomes. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses using whole chromosome paints confirmed this finding. Additional FISH analysis using bacterial artificial chromosome probes spanning the length of chromosome 22 have allowed us to map the over-represented region to 22q12.3–13.32. CONCLUSION: Cells selected for BCNU resistance either in vivo or in vitro retain sequences mapped to chromosome 22. The specific over-representation of sequences mapped to 22q12.3–13.32 suggest the presence of a DNA sequence important to BCNU survival and/or resistance located in this region of chromosome 22

InternationaL cross-sectIonAl and longItudinal assessment on aSthma cONtrol in European adult patients : the LIAISON study protocol

The study is funded by Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Parma, ItalyPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Some Like It Fat: Comparative Ultrastructure of the Embryo in Two Demosponges of the Genus Mycale (Order Poecilosclerida) from Antarctica and the Caribbean

0000-0002-7993-1523© 2015 Riesgo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License [4.0], which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The attached file is the published version of the article

Conducting Science in Disasters: Recommendations from the NIEHS Working Group for Special IRB Considerations in the Review of Disaster Related Research.

Research involving human subjects after public health emergencies and disasters may pose ethical challenges. These challenges may include concerns about the vulnerability of prospective disaster research participants, increased research burden among disaster survivors approached by multiple research teams, and potentially reduced standards in the ethical review of research by institutional review boards (IRBs) due to the rush to enter the disaster field. The NIEHS Best Practices Working Group for Special IRB Considerations in the Review of Disaster Related Research was formed to identify and address ethical and regulatory challenges associated with the review of disaster research. The working group consists of a diverse collection of disaster research stakeholders across a broad spectrum of disciplines. The working group convened in July 2016 to identify recommendations that are instrumental in preparing IRBs to review protocols related to public health emergencies and disasters. The meeting included formative didactic presentations and facilitated breakout discussions using disaster-related case studies. Major thematic elements from these discussions were collected and documented into 15 working group recommendations, summarized in this article, that address topics such as IRB disaster preparedness activities, informed consent, vulnerable populations, confidentiality, participant burden, disaster research response integration and training, IRB roles/responsibilities, community engagement, and dissemination of disaster research results. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP237

External validation of a claims-based algorithm for classifying kidney-cancer surgeries

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Unlike other malignancies, there is no literature supporting the accuracy of medical claims data for identifying surgical treatments among patients with kidney cancer. We sought to validate externally a previously published Medicare-claims-based algorithm for classifying surgical treatments among patients with early-stage kidney cancer. To achieve this aim, we compared procedure assignments based on Medicare claims with the type of surgery specified in SEER registry data and clinical operative reports.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using linked SEER-Medicare data, we calculated the agreement between Medicare claims and SEER data for identification of cancer-directed surgery among 6,515 patients diagnosed with early-stage kidney cancer. Next, for a subset of 120 cases, we determined the agreement between the claims algorithm and the medical record. Finally, using the medical record as the reference-standard, we calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the claims algorithm.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 6,515 cases, Medicare claims and SEER data identified 5,483 (84.1%) and 5,774 (88.6%) patients, respectively, who underwent cancer-directed surgery (observed agreement = 93%, κ = 0.69, 95% CI 0.66 – 0.71). The two data sources demonstrated 97% agreement for classification of partial versus radical nephrectomy (κ = 0.83, 95% CI 0.81 – 0.86). We observed 97% agreement between the claims algorithm and clinical operative reports; the positive predictive value of the claims algorithm exceeded 90% for identification of both partial nephrectomy and laparoscopic surgery.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Medicare claims represent an accurate data source for ascertainment of population-based patterns of surgical care among patients with early-stage kidney cancer.</p

Domain-and species-specific monoclonal antibodies recognize the Von Willebrand Factor-C domain of CCN5

The CCN family of proteins typically consists of four distinct peptide domains: an insulin-like growth factor binding protein-type (IGFBP) domain, a Von Willebrand Factor C (VWC) domain, a thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSP1) domain, and a carboxy-terminal (CT) domain. The six family members participate in many processes, including proliferation, motility, cell-matrix signaling, angiogenesis, and wound healing. Accumulating evidence suggests that truncated and alternatively spliced isoforms are responsible for the diverse functions of CCN proteins in both normal and pathophysiologic states. Analysis of the properties and functions of individual CCN domains further corroborates this idea. CCN5 is unique among the CCN family members because it lacks the CT-domain. To dissect the domain functions of CCN5, we are developing domain-specific mouse monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies have the advantages of great specificity, reproducibility, and ease of long-term storage and production. In this communication, we injected mixtures of GST-fused rat CCN5 domains into mice to generate monoclonal antibodies. To identify the domains recognized by the antibodies, we constructed serial expression plasmids that express dual-tagged rat CCN5 domains. All of the monoclonal antibodies generated to date recognize the VWC domain, indicating it is the most highly immunogenic of the CCN5 domains. We characterized one particular clone, 22H10, and found that it recognizes mouse and rat CCN5, but not human recombinant CCN5. Purified 22H10 was successfully applied in Western Blot analysis, immunofluorescence of cultured cells and tissues, and immunoprecipitation, indicating that it will be a useful tool for domain analysis and studies of mouse-human tumor models

Clonal Population of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains Reside within Multiple Lung Cavities

(MTB) are localized within lung cavities of patients suffering from chronic progressive TB.Multiple cavity isolates from lung of 5 patients who had undergone pulmonary resection surgery were analyzed on the basis of their drug susceptibility profile, and genotyped by spoligotyping and 24-loci MIRU-VNTR. The patients past history including treatment was studied. Three of the 5 patients had extensive drug resistant TB. Heteroresistance was also reported within different cavity isolates of the lung. Both genotyping methods reported the presence of clonal population of MTB strain within different cavities of the each patient, even those reporting heteroresistance. Four of the 5 patients were infected with a population of the Beijing genotype. Post-surgery they were prescribed a drug regimen consisting of cycloserine, a fluoroquinolone and an injectable drug. A 6 month post-surgery follow-up reported only 2 patients with positive clinical outcome, showing sputum conversion.Identical spoligotype patterns and MIRU-VNTR profiles between multiple cavities of each patient, characterize the presence of clonal population of MTB strains (and absence of multiple MTB infection)