Learning about sex: Results from Natsal 2000.

11-13 September 2002

Sexual behaviour in Britain: partnerships, practices, and HIV risk behaviours.

BACKGROUND: Sexual behaviour is a major determinant of sexual and reproductive health. We did a National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal 2000) in 1999-2001 to provide population estimates of behaviour patterns and to compare them with estimates from 1990-91 (Natsal 1990). METHODS: We did a probability sample survey of men and women aged 16-44 years who were resident in Britain, using computer-assisted interviews. Results were compared with data from respondents in Natsal 1990. FINDINGS: We interviewed 11161 respondents (4762 men, 6399 women). Patterns of heterosexual and homosexual partnership varied substantially by age, residence in Greater London, and marital status. In the past 5 years, mean numbers of heterosexual partners were 3.8 (SD 8.2) for men, and 2.4 (SD 4.6) for women; 2.6% (95% CI 2.2-3.1) of both men and women reported homosexual partnerships; and 4.3% (95% CI 3.7-5.0) of men reported paying for sex. In the past year, mean number of new partners varied from 2.04 (SD 8.4) for single men aged 25-34 years to 0.05 (SD 0.3) for married women aged 35-44 years. Prevalence of many reported behaviours had risen compared with data from Natsal 1990. Benefits of greater condom use were offset by increases in reported partners. Changes between surveys were generally greater for women than men and for respondents outside London. INTERPRETATION: Our study provides updated estimates of sexual behaviour patterns. The increased reporting of risky sexual behaviours is consistent with changing cohabitation patterns and rising incidence of sexually transmitted infections. Observed differences between Natsal 1990 and Natsal 2000 are likely to result from a combination of true change and greater willingness to report sensitive behaviours in Natsal 2000 due to improved survey methodology and more tolerant social attitudes

Severe mental illness and cardioprotective medication prescribing:qualitative study in general practice

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe mental illness (SMI) die 10-20 years earlier than the general population. They have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) yet may experience lower cardioprotective medication prescribing. AIM: To understand the challenges experienced by GPs in prescribing cardioprotective medication to patients with SMI. DESIGN AND SETTING: A qualitative study with 15 GPs from 11 practices in two Scottish Health Boards, including practices servicing highly-deprived areas (Deep End). METHOD: Semi-structured 1:1 interviews with fully-qualified GPs with clinical experience of patients with SMI. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. RESULTS: Participants aimed to routinely prescribe cardioprotective medication to relevant patients with SMI but were hampered by various challenges. These included: lack of funding for chronic disease management, insufficient consultation time, workforce shortages, IT infrastructure and navigating boundaries with mental health services. Patient-related challenges included: patients’ complex health and social needs, their understandable prioritisation of mental health needs/existing physical conditions and presentation during crises. Participants emphasised continuity of care as fundamental in engaging this patient group in effective cardiovascular health management. A cross-cutting theme was the current GP workforce crisis leading to ‘firefighting’ and diminishing capacity for primary prevention. This was particularly acute in Deep End practices, which have a high proportion of patients with complex needs and greater resource challenges. CONCLUSION: Although participants aspire to prescribe cardioprotective medication to patients with SMI, professional, system and patient-level barriers often make this challenging, particularly in deprived areas due to patient complexity and the inverse care law. KEYWORDS Cardiovascular Disease; General Practice; Healthcare Inequalities; Mental Disorders; Prescribing Patterns; Qualitative Research. <br/

Association of antihypertensive monotherapy with serum sodium and potassium levels in Chinese patients

&lt;b&gt;Background&lt;/b&gt; International guidelines on management of hypertension recommend any major classes of antihypertensive drugs. However, the low prescribing rate of thiazides has been attributed to concerns about electrolyte disturbances and studies between antihypertensive drug classes and hyponatremia/hypokalemia among Chinese patients were scarce. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methods&lt;/b&gt; From clinical databases we included 2,759 patients who received their first-ever antihypertensive monotherapy from January 2004 to June 2007 in a large territory of Hong Kong. We studied the plasma sodium and potassium levels 8 weeks after prescriptions and factors associated with hyponatremia and hypokalemia by multivariable regression analyses. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt; Among major antihypertensive drug classes, thiazide users had the lowest sodium level (139.6 mEq/l, 95% confidence interval (CI) 139.3, 140.0, P &#60; 0.001) and patients-prescribed calcium channel blockers (CCBs; 3.92 mEq/l, 95% CI 3.89, 3.95) or thiazide diuretics (3.99 mEq/l, 95% CI 3.93, 4.04) had the lowest potassium levels (P &#60; 0.001). Multivariate analysis reported that advanced age (&#62;/=70 years, odds ratio (OR) 7.49, 95% CI 2.84, 19.8, P &#60; 0.001), male gender (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.45, 3.91, P &#60; 0.001), and thiazide users (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.29, 4.56, P = 0.006) were significantly associated with hyponatremia, while renin-angiotensin system (RAS) (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.13, 0.73, P = 0.008) and beta-blockers (BBs) (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.23, 0.54, P &#60; 0.001) users were less likely to present with hypokalemia. However, the proportions having normonatremic (95.1%) and normokalemic (89.4%) levels were high. &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusions&lt;/b&gt; In view of the low prevalence of hyponatremia and hypokalemia associated with thiazides, physicians should not be deterred from prescribing thiazide diuretics as first-line antihypertensive agents as recommended by most international guidelines

NP108, an Antimicrobial Polymer with Activity against Methicillin- and Mupirocin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

D.K.M., L.K.K., D.W.S., J.R., and D.A.O. are employees of NovaBiotics Ltd. D.A.O. is a director and shareholder of NovaBiotics Ltd. D.K.M., L.K.K., F.H., D.W.S., and J.R. carried out the experiments described in the manuscript. D.K.M., L.K.K., and D.A.O. came up with the ideas and designed the experiments conducted in the manuscript. D.K.M., D.A.O., and L.K.K. wrote and edited the manuscript. Samples for electron microscopy were prepared by the microscopy and histology facility at the University of Aberdeen. The work of Laura K. Katvars was partly funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (1091582). Carol Munro was supported by the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (MR/N006364/1). AUTHOR CORRECTION Volume 61, no. 9, e00502-17, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00502-17. Page 1: Carol A. Munro should be added to the list of authors. The updated byline and affiliations are shown above. Page 11: the last paragraph of Acknowledgments should be replaced with the following sentences. The work of Laura K. Katvars was partly funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (1091582). Carol Munro was supported by the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (MR/N006364/1). Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Forming new sex partnerships while overseas: findings from the third British National Survey of Sexual Attitudes & Lifestyles (Natsal-3)

Objectives: Travelling away from home presents opportunities for new sexual partnerships, which may be associated with sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk. We examined the prevalence of, and factors associated with, reporting new sexual partner(s) while overseas, and whether this differed by partners’ region of residence. Methods: We analysed data from 12 530 men and women aged 16–74 years reporting ≥1 sexual partner(s) in the past 5 years in Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3), a probability survey undertaken 2010–2012. Results: 9.2% (95% CI 8.3% to 10.1%) of men and 5.3% (4.8% to 5.8%) of women reported new sexual partner(s) while overseas in the past 5 years. This was strongly associated with higher partner numbers and other sexual and health risk behaviours. Among those with new partners while overseas, 72% of men and 58% of women reported partner(s) who were not UK residents. Compared with those having only UK partners while abroad, these people were more likely to identify as ‘White Other’ or ‘Non-White’ (vs White British ethnicity), report higher partner numbers, new partners from outside the UK while in the UK and paying for sex (men only) all in the past 5 years. There was no difference in reporting STI diagnosis/es during this time period. Conclusions: Reporting new partners while overseas was associated with a range of sexual risk behaviours. Advice on sexual health should be included as part of holistic health advice for all travellers, regardless of age, destination or reason for travel

Mitsui-7, heat-treated, and nitrogen-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes elicit genotoxicity in human lung epithelial cells.

Background: The unique physicochemical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) have led to many industrial applications. Due to their low density and small size, MWCNT are easily aerosolized in the workplace making respiratory exposures likely in workers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer designated the pristine Mitsui-7 MWCNT (MWCNT-7) as a Group 2B carcinogen, but there was insufficient data to classify all other MWCNT. Previously, MWCNT exposed to high temperature (MWCNT-HT) or synthesized with nitrogen (MWCNT-ND) have been found to elicit attenuated toxicity; however, their genotoxic and carcinogenic potential are not known. Our aim was to measure the genotoxicity of MWCNT-7 compared to these two physicochemically-altered MWCNTs in human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B & SAEC). Results: Dose-dependent partitioning of individual nanotubes in the cell nuclei was observed for each MWCNT material and was greatest for MWCNT-7. Exposure to each MWCNT led to significantly increased mitotic aberrations with multi- and monopolar spindle morphologies and fragmented centrosomes. Quantitative analysis of the spindle pole demonstrated significantly increased centrosome fragmentation from 0.024-2.4 [mu]g/mL of each MWCNT. Significant aneuploidy was measured in a dose-response from each MWCNT-7, HT, and ND; the highest dose of 24 [mu]g/mL produced 67, 61, and 55%, respectively. Chromosome analysis demonstrated significantly increased centromere fragmentation and translocations from each MWCNT at each dose. Following 24 h of exposure to MWCNT-7, ND and/or HT in BEAS-2B a significant arrest in the G1/S phase in the cell cycle occurred, whereas the MWCNT-ND also induced a G2 arrest. Primary SAEC exposed for 24 h to each MWCNT elicited a significantly greater arrest in the G1 and G2 phases. However, SAEC arrested in the G1/S phase after 72 h of exposure. Lastly, a significant increase in clonal growth was observed one month after exposure to 0.024 [mu]g/mL MWCNT-HT & ND. Conclusions: Although MWCNT-HT & ND cause a lower incidence of genotoxicity, all three MWCNTs cause the same type of mitotic and chromosomal disruptions. Chromosomal fragmentation and translocations have not been observed with other nanomaterials. Because in vitro genotoxicity is correlated with in vivo genotoxic response, these studies in primary human lung cells may predict the genotoxic potency in exposed human populations

Micromagnetic simulations of interacting dipoles on a fcc lattice: Application to nanoparticle assemblies

Micromagnetic simulations are used to examine the effects of cubic and axial anisotropy, magnetostatic interactions and temperature on M-H loops for a collection of magnetic dipoles on fcc and sc lattices. We employ a simple model of interacting dipoles that represent single-domain particles in an attempt to explain recent experimental data on ordered arrays of magnetoferritin nanoparticles that demonstrate the crucial role of interactions between particles in a fcc lattice. Significant agreement between the simulation and experimental results is achieved, and the impact of intra-particle degrees of freedom and surface effects on thermal fluctuations are investigated.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure