Men’s and Women’s Health Beliefs Differentially Predict Coronary Heart Disease Incidence in a Population-Based Sample

Objective. To examine gender differences in the association between beliefs in heart disease preventability and 10-year incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in a population-based sample. Methods. A total of 2,688 Noninstitutionalized Nova Scotians without prior CHD enrolled in the Nova Scotia Health Study (NSHS95) and were followed for 10 years. Risk factors, health behaviors, and incident CHD were assessed. Participants responded “yes” or “no” to a question about heart disease preventability. Survival models, adjusted for age, income, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure, were used to estimate the relation between health belief and incident CHD. Gender differences in the relation between health beliefs and health behaviors were assessed. Results. Gender was a significant moderator of the relation between belief and CHD incidence; specifically, women who believed heart disease could be prevented were less likely to have incident CHD events compared with women who believed heart disease could not be prevented (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.24-0.55, p < .001). This relation was not found for men. Belief was also related to smoking behavior for women (β = −0.70, odds ratio [OR] = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.33-0.74, p = .001) but not for men. Smoking significantly mediated the relation between health beliefs and incident CHD for women (z = −1.96, p = .05), but not for men. Conclusion. Health belief in prevention and subsequent smoking was an important independent predictor of incident CHD in women but not in men

Economic evaluation of weekends-off antiretroviral therapy for young people in 11 countries

Objectives: To analyze the cost effectiveness of short-cycle therapy (SCT), where patients take antiretroviral (ARV) drugs 5 consecutive days a week and have 2 days off, as an alternative to continuous ARV therapy for young people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and taking efavirenz-based first-line ARV drugs. Methods: We conduct a hierarchical cost-effectiveness analysis based on data on clinical outcomes and resource use from the BREATHER trial. BREATHER is a randomized trial investigating the effectiveness of SCT and continuous therapy in 199 participants aged 8 to 24 years and taking efavirenz-based first-line ARV drugs in 11 countries worldwide. Alongside nationally representative unit costs/prices, these data were used to estimate costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs). An incremental cost-effectiveness comparison was performed using a multilevel bivariate regression approach for total costs and QALYs. Further analyses explored cost-effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries with access to low-cost generic ARV drugs and high-income countries purchasing branded ARV drugs, respectively. Results: At 48 weeks, SCT offered significant total cost savings over continuous therapy of US dollar (USD) 41 per patient in countries using generic drugs and USD 4346 per patient in countries using branded ARV drugs, while accruing nonsignificant total health benefits of 0.008 and 0.009 QALYs, respectively. Cost-effectiveness estimates were similar across settings with access to generic ARV drugs but showed significant variation among high-income countries where branded ARV drugs are purchased. Conclusion: SCT is a cost-effective treatment alternative to continuous therapy for young people infected with HIV in countries where viral load monitoring is available

Proliferation of mesenchymal cells of growing dental pulp

Las células troncales dentarias constituyen una vía para poder regenerar patologías del complejo dentino-pulpar y periapical y la totalidad de una pieza dentaria perdida. Las células pulpares representan células mesenquimales procedentes de un tejido adulto con capacidad de autorrenovación y diferenciación en otros fenotipos. Las células pulpares serían una alternativa en la ingeniería de tejidos dentales por el fácil acceso quirúrgico, la recolección muestral, la conservación de la viabilidad y baja morbilidad, cuestiones que las hacen competentes para crear in vitro.Dental stem cells constitute a way to be able to regenerate pathologies of the complex dentino-pulp and periapical and the totality of a lost tooth. The pulp cells represent mesenchymal cells from an adult tissue capable of self-renewal and differentiation into other phenotypes. The pulp cells would be an alternative in the engineering of dental tissues by easy surgical access, sample collection, the preservation of the viability and low morbidity, issues that make them competent to create in vitro.Facultad de Odontologí

Proliferation of mesenchymal cells of growing dental pulp

Las células troncales dentarias constituyen una vía para poder regenerar patologías del complejo dentino-pulpar y periapical y la totalidad de una pieza dentaria perdida. Las células pulpares representan células mesenquimales procedentes de un tejido adulto con capacidad de autorrenovación y diferenciación en otros fenotipos. Las células pulpares serían una alternativa en la ingeniería de tejidos dentales por el fácil acceso quirúrgico, la recolección muestral, la conservación de la viabilidad y baja morbilidad, cuestiones que las hacen competentes para crear in vitro.Dental stem cells constitute a way to be able to regenerate pathologies of the complex dentino-pulp and periapical and the totality of a lost tooth. The pulp cells represent mesenchymal cells from an adult tissue capable of self-renewal and differentiation into other phenotypes. The pulp cells would be an alternative in the engineering of dental tissues by easy surgical access, sample collection, the preservation of the viability and low morbidity, issues that make them competent to create in vitro.Facultad de Odontologí

Outcomes for human immunodeficiency virus-1-infected infants in the United kingdom and Republic of Ireland in the era of effective antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: There are few data about disease progression and response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in vertically HIV-infected infants in the era of effective therapy. DESIGN: Cohort study. METHODS: We examined progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and death over calendar time for infants reported to the National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood in the United Kingdom/Ireland. The use of ART and CD4 and HIV-1 RNA responses were assessed in a subset in the Collaborative HIV Pediatric Study. RESULTS: Among 481 infants, mortality was lower in those born after 1997 (HR 0.30; P < 0.001), with no significant change in progression to AIDS. Of 174 infants born since 1997 in the Collaborative HIV Pediatric Study, 41 (24%) were followed from birth, 77 (44%) presented pre-AIDS and 56 (32%) presented with AIDS. Of 125 (72%) children on 3- or 4-drug ART by the age of 2 years, 59% had HIV-1 RNA <400 at 12 months; median CD4 percentage increased from 24% to 35%. Among 41 infants followed from birth, 12 progressed to AIDS (5 while ART naive) and 3 died; 1 of 10 infants initiating ART before 3 months of age progressed clinically. CONCLUSION: Mortality in HIV-infected infants is significantly lower in the era of effective ART, but symptomatic disease rates remain high. Infrequent clinic attendance and poor compliance with cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and/or ART in infants born to diagnosed HIV-infected women and late presentation of infants identified after birth appear to be major contributors. Poor virologic response to ART during infancy is of concern because of increased likelihood of early development of resistance

Towards the understanding of the cocoa transcriptome: Production and analysis of an exhaustive dataset of ESTs of Theobroma cacao L. generated from various tissues and under various conditions

Theobroma cacao L., is a tree originated from the tropical rainforest of South America. It is one of the major cash crops for many tropical countries. T. cacao is mainly produced on smallholdings, providing resources for 14 million farmers. Disease resistance and T. cacao quality improvement are two important challenges for all actors of cocoa and chocolate production. T. cacao is seriously affected by pests and fungal diseases, responsible for more than 40% yield losses and quality improvement, nutritional and organoleptic, is also important for consumers. An international collaboration was formed to develop an EST genomic resource database for cacao. Fifty-six cDNA libraries were constructed from different organs, different genotypes and different environmental conditions. A total of 149,650 valid EST sequences were generated corresponding to 48,594 unigenes, 12,692 contigs and 35,902 singletons. A total of 29,849 unigenes shared significant homology with public sequences from other species. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation was applied to distribute the ESTs among the main GO categories. A specific information system (ESTtik) was constructed to process, store and manage this EST collection allowing the user to query a database. To check the representativeness of our EST collection, we looked for the genes known to be involved in two different metabolic pathways extensively studied in other plant species and important for T. cacao qualities: the flavonoid and the terpene pathways. Most of the enzymes described in other crops for these two metabolic pathways were found in our EST collection. A large collection of new genetic markers was provided by this ESTs collection. This EST collection displays a good representation of the T. cacao transcriptome, suitable for analysis of biochemical pathways based on oligonucleotide microarrays derived from these ESTs. It will provide numerous genetic markers that will allow the construction of a high density gene map of T. cacao. This EST collection represents a unique and important molecular resource for T. cacao study and improvement, facilitating the discovery of candidate genes for important T. cacao trait variation. (Résumé d'auteur

Spontaneous Clearance Of Vertically Acquired Hepatitis C Infection: Implications For Testing And Treatment

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend that infants born to women with hepatitis C (HCV) viremia are screened for HCV antibody at age 18 months, and if positive, referred for RNA testing at 3 years to confirm chronic infection. This policy is based in part on analyses suggesting 25%-40% of vertically acquired HCV infections clear spontaneously within 4-5 years. METHODS: Data on 179 infants with HCV RNA and/or anti-HCV evidence of vertically acquired infection in three prospective European cohorts were investigated. Ages at clearance of infection were estimated taking account of interval censoring and delayed entry. We also investigated clearance in initially HCV RNA negative infants in whom RNA was not detectable until after 6 weeks. RESULTS: Clearance rates are initially high then decline slowly. Apparently, many infections clear before they can be confirmed. An estimated 65.9% (50.1-81.6) of confirmed infections cleared by 5 years, at a median 12.4 (7.1-18.9) months. If treatment began at age 6 months, 18 months or 3 years, at least 59.0% (42.0-76.9), 39.7% (17.9-65.9), and 20.9% (4.6-44.8) of those treated would clear without treatment. In seven (6.6%) confirmed infections, RNA was not detectable until after 6 weeks, and in 2 (1.9%) not until after 6 months. However, all such cases subsequently cleared. CONCLUSIONS: Most confirmed infection clears by age 3 years. Treatment before age 3, if it was available, would avoid loss to follow-up, but would result in substantial over-treatment

Overall vertical transmission of HCV, transmission net of clearance, and timing of transmission

Background: It is widely accepted that the risk of HCV vertical transmission (VT) is 5-6% in mono-infected women, and that 25-40% of HCV infection clears spontaneously within 5 years. However, there is no consensus on how VT rates should be estimated, and there is a lack of information on VT rates “net” of clearance. // Methods: We re-analysed data on 1749 children in 3 prospective cohorts to obtain coherent estimates of overall VT rate and VT rates “net” of clearance at different ages. Clearance rates were used to impute the proportion of uninfected children who had been infected and then cleared before testing negative. The proportion of transmission early in utero, late in utero and at delivery was estimated from data on the proportion of HCV RNA positive within three days of birth, and differences between elective caesarean and non-elective caesarean deliveries. // Findings: Overall VT rates were 7.2% (95% credible interval 5.6-8.9) in mothers who were HIV negative and 12.1% (8.6-16.8) in HIV-co-infected women. The corresponding rates net of clearance at 5 years were 2.4% (1.1-4.1) and 4.1% (1.7-7.3). We estimated that 24.8% (12.1-40.8) of infections occur early in utero, 66.0% (42.5-83.3) later in utero, and 9.3% (0.5-30.6) during delivery. // Conclusion: Overall VT rates are about 24% higher than previously assumed, but the risk of infection persisting beyond age 5 years is about 38% lower. The results can inform design of trials of to prevent or treat pediatric HCV infection, and strategies to manage children exposed in utero

Dying 2 Talk: Generating a more compassion community for young people

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Springer Nature in Journal of Applied Youth Studies on 27/11/2023, available online: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43151-023-00106-x The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.People in the Global North often have a problem talking about — and processing — the inevitability of death. This can be because death and care of the dying has been professionalised, with encounters of death within our families and communities no longer being ‘normal and routine’ (Kellehear 2005). Young people are particularly excluded from these conversations, with implications for future mental health and wellbeing (Ainsley-Green 2017). Working in Wolverhampton and Bradford, the Dying 2 Talk (D2T) project aimed to build young people’s future resilience around this challenging topic. We recruited over 20 young people as project ambassadors to co-produce resources that would encourage talk about death, dying and bereavement. The resources were used as the basis of ‘Festivals of the Dead’ which were taken to schools to engage wider audiences of young people (aged 11 +). The project aimed to use alternative ‘ways in’ to open discussion, beginning with archaeology, and ultimately using gaming, dance, creative writing and other creative outputs to facilitate discussion, encourage compassionate relationships and build resilience. The resources succeeded in engaging young people from ages 11–19 years, facilitating a comfortable and supportive environment for these vital conversations. Project evaluations and observations revealed that the Festivals, and the activities co-created by the young ambassadors helped to facilitate spontaneous conversations about death, dying and bereavement amongst young people by providing a comfortable and supportive environment. The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/V008609/1), building on a pilot project funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Bradford.The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/V008609/1), building on a pilot project funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Bradford.Published versio

Dying 2 Talk: Generating a more compassion community for young people

YesPeople in the Global North often have a problem talking about — and processing — the inevitability of death. This can be because death and care of the dying has been professionalised, with encounters of death within our families and communities no longer being ‘normal and routine’ (Kellehear 2005). Young people are particularly excluded from these conversations, with implications for future mental health and wellbeing (Ainsley-Green 2017). Working in Wolverhampton and Bradford, the Dying 2 Talk (D2T) project aimed to build young people’s future resilience around this challenging topic. We recruited over 20 young people as project ambassadors to co-produce resources that would encourage talk about death, dying and bereavement. The resources were used as the basis of ‘Festivals of the Dead’ which were taken to schools to engage wider audiences of young people (aged 11 +). The project aimed to use alternative ‘ways in’ to open discussion, beginning with archaeology, and ultimately using gaming, dance, creative writing and other creative outputs to facilitate discussion, encourage compassionate relationships and build resilience. The resources succeeded in engaging young people from ages 11–19 years, facilitating a comfortable and supportive environment for these vital conversations. Project evaluations and observations revealed that the Festivals, and the activities co-created by the young ambassadors helped to facilitate spontaneous conversations about death, dying and bereavement amongst young people by providing a comfortable and supportive environment. The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/V008609/1), building on a pilot project funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Bradford.The project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/V008609/1), building on a pilot project funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Bradford