Experiences of diagnosis, stigma, culpability, and disclosure in male patients with hepatitis C virus: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

The current study aimed to explore the lived experience of patients with hepatitis C virus infection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven male participants living with hepatitis C virus and were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Two master themes were identified: (1) diagnosis and the search for meaning and (2) impact of stigma on disclosure. Participants reported fears of contaminating others, feelings of stigma and concerns of disclosing the condition to others. Response to diagnosis, stigma and disclosure among the participants appeared to be interrelated and directly related to locus of blame for virus contraction. More specifically, hepatitis C virus transmission via medical routes led to an externalisation of culpability and an openness to disclosure. Transmission of hepatitis C virus as a direct result of intravenous drug use led to internalised blame and a fear of disclosure. The inter- and intra-personal consequences of hepatitis C virus explored in the current study have potential implications for tailoring future psychological therapy and psychoeducation to the specific needs of the hepatitis C virus population

PhyloSift: Phylogenetic analysis of genomes and metagenomes

Like all organisms on the planet, environmental microbes are subject to the forces of molecular evolution. Metagenomic sequencing provides a means to access the DNA sequence of uncultured microbes. By combining DNA sequencing of microbial communities with evolutionary modeling and phylogenetic analysis we might obtain new insights into microbiology and also provide a basis for practical tools such as forensic pathogen detection. In this work we present an approach to leverage phylogenetic analysis of metagenomic sequence data to conduct several types of analysis. First, we present a method to conduct phylogeny-driven Bayesian hypothesis tests for the presence of an organism in a sample. Second, we present a means to compare community structure across a collection of many samples and develop direct associations between the abundance of certain organisms and sample metadata. Third, we apply new tools to analyze the phylogenetic diversity of microbial communities and again demonstrate how this can be associated to sample metadata. These analyses are implemented in an open source software pipeline called PhyloSift. As a pipeline, PhyloSift incorporates several other programs including LAST, HMMER, and pplacer to automate phylogenetic analysis of protein coding and RNA sequences in metagenomic datasets generated by modern sequencing platforms (e.g., Illumina, 454). © 2014 Darling et al

High-Dose Terazosin Therapy (5 mg) in Korean Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms with or without Concomitant Hypertension: A Prospective, Open-Label Study

Purpose: We determined the efficacy and safety of a relatively high dose of terazosin (5 mg) in Korean patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), with or without concomitant hypertension. Materials and Methods: From July to December 2006, 200 men who consecutively presented with LUTS were prospectively studied. Eight weeks after treatment, blood pressure (BP), uroflowmetry, and International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) were assessed. For analysis purposes, patients were stratified according to concomitant hypertension. Of the 200 patients, 173 completed the scheduled eight-week treatment period. Results: At baseline, no differences were evident in the two groups in terms of I-PSS, Qmax, PVR and BP. After eight weeks of treatment-although I-PSS and uroflowmetry parameters were not significantly different in the two groups-systolic and diastolic BP in the non-hypertensive control group were higher than in the hypertensive group (p= 0.001 and p = 0.0100, respectively). Changes in I-PSS, uroflowmetry parameters, and BPs measured at week eight posttreatment commencement did not significantly differ between the two groups. Moreover, the addition of 5 mg of terazosin to antihypertensives did not cause a significant reduction in either systolic or diastolic BP in either group. Conclusion: Adding terazosin to existing antihypertensive regimens did not seem to increase the incidence of adverse events. Our findings suggest that 5 mg terazosin is effective and that it has an acceptable safety profile as an add-on therapy for patients with LUTS and concomitant hypertension. Key Words: Hypertension, prostate, lower urinary tract symptoms, terazosi

Metallopanstimulin as a marker for head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND: Metallopanstimulin (MPS-1) is a ribosomal protein that is found in elevated amounts in the sera of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We used a test, denoted MPS-H, which detects MPS-1 and MPS-1-like proteins, to determine the relationship between MPS-H serum levels and clinical status of patients with, or at risk for, HNSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 125 patients were prospectively enrolled from a university head and neck oncology clinic. Participants included only newly diagnosed HNSCC patients. Two control groups, including 25 non-smokers and 64 smokers, were studied for comparison. A total of 821 serum samples collected over a twenty-four month period were analyzed by the MPS-H radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: HNSCC, non-smokers, and smokers had average MPS-H values of 41.5 ng/mL, 10.2 ng/mL, and 12.8 ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: We conclude that MPS-1 and MPS-1-like proteins are elevated in patients with HNSCC, and that MPS-H appears to be a promising marker of presence of disease and response to treatment in HNSCC patients

In vitro efficacy of tavaborole topical solution, 5% after penetration through nail polish on ex vivo human fingernails

This document is the Accepted Manuscript of the following article: Aditya K. Gupta, et al, 'In vitro efficacy of tavaborole topical solution, 5% after penetration through nail polish on ex vivo human fingernails', Journal of Dermatological Treatment, Jan 2018. Under embargo until 10 January 2019. The final, published version is available online at doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2017.1422078.Background: Topical antifungal treatments for onychomycosis are applied to clean, unpolished nails for 48 weeks or longer. Patients often wish to mask their infection with nail polish yet there is no evidence to suggest antifungal efficacy in the presence of nail polish. Objective: To determine if tavaborole retains the ability to penetrate the nail plate and inhibit fungal growth in the presence of nail polish. Method: Tavaborole was applied to human fingernails painted with 2 or 4 coats of nail polish, and unpainted nails in an ex vivo model. Nails were mounted on TurChub ® chambers seeded with Trichophyton rubrum and allowed to incubate for 7 days. Antifungal activity was assessed by measuring zones of inhibition. Results and conclusion: Tavaborole exhibited antifungal activity in all experimental groups. The zones of inhibition of T. rubrum for all experimental groups (2 or 4 coats of polish, unpolished) were greater than infected controls (polished and unpolished), p s <.001. Tavaborole penetrates polished nails and kills T. rubrum in this ex vivo model.Peer reviewe

‘Hitting the target and missing the point’: Analysis of air permeability data for new UK dwellings and what it reveals about the testing procedure

Airtightness testing is widely undertaken to assess the as-built performance of dwellings, in support of achieving energy and ventilation strategies. Mandatory schemes operate in some countries, such as the UK, to ensure that dwellings are built in accordance with their design air permeability. However, testing is only useful if the results give a true picture of the airtightness of the building. Previous literature has investigated factors which could influence airtightness test results but has not questioned data quality, despite the pressure on builders to achieve design targets. This paper presents air permeability results from the largest UK dataset, comprising 144,024 dwellings tested under the Air Tightness Testing and Measurement Association (ATTMA) scheme. The data show an unexpected distribution of test results with narrow peaks just within test targets. Such results were not expected theoretically but do reflect findings in other fields where performance-based targets are in place. Such a close match between design and tested airtightness may be achieved by remedial works taking place during the test rather than afterwards. Recommendations are made with respect to quality assurance systems, design guidance and on-site sealing practices to increase the likelihood of long-term airtight buildings being constructed first time

Future changes to high impact weather in the UK

High impact weather events such as extreme temperatures or rainfall can cause significant disruption across the UK affecting sectors such as health, transport, agriculture and energy. In this study we draw on the latest set of UK climate projections, UKCP, to examine metrics relating to high-impact weather over the UK and how these change with different levels of future global warming from 1.5 °C to 4 °C above pre-industrial. The changes to these hazards show increases in the frequency of extremely hot days and nights, with a UK average increase in hot days of between 5 and 39 days per year between 1.5 °C and 4 °C of global warming. Projections indicate an increase in cooling degree days of 134–627% and an increase in growing degree days of 19–60% between 1.5 °C and 4 °C of global warming. Extremely hot nights, which are currently rare, are emerging as more common occurrences. The frequency of high daily temperatures and rainfall increase systematically, while the frequency of very cold conditions (based on days where temperatures fall below 0 °C) is shown to decrease by 10 to 49 days per year. A reduction in heating degree days, of 11–32% between 1.5 °C and 4 °C of warming, is projected. Levels of daily rainfall, which currently relate to increased risk of river flooding, are shown to increase across the country, with increases of days with high impact levels of rainfall occurring by 1 to 8 days per year between 1.5 °C and 4 °C of warming. Average drought severity is projected to increase for 3-, 6-, 12- and 36-month-long droughts. The largest changes in the severity of the 12-month drought are between −3 and +19% between 1.5 °C and 4 °C of warming and for 36-month drought between −2 and +54% between 1.5 °C and 4 °C of warming. The projected future changes in high impact weather from this study will enable the characterization of climate risks and ultimately be able to better inform adaptation planning in different sectors to support the increase in resilience of the UK to future climate variability and change