HIV Testing and Care in Canadian Aboriginal Youth: A community based mixed methods study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HIV infection is a serious concern in the Canadian Aboriginal population, particularly among youth; however, there is limited attention to this issue in research literature. The purpose of this national study was to explore HIV testing and care decisions of Canadian Aboriginal youth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A community-based mixed-method design incorporating the Aboriginal research principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) was used. Data were collected through surveys (n = 413) and qualitative interviews (n = 28). Eleven community-based organizations including urban Aboriginal AIDS service organizations and health and friendship centres in seven provinces and one territory assisted with the recruitment of youth (15 to 30 years).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Average age of survey participants was 21.5 years (median = 21.0 years) and qualitative interview participants was 24.4 years (median = 24.0). Fifty-one percent of the survey respondents (210 of 413 youth) and 25 of 28 interview participants had been tested for HIV. The most common reason to seek testing was having sex without a condom (43.6%) or pregnancy (35.4%) while common reasons for not testing were the perception of being low HIV risk (45.3%) or not having had sex with an infected person (34.5%). Among interviewees, a contributing reason for not testing was feeling invulnerable. Most surveyed youth tested in the community in which they lived (86.5%) and 34.1% visited a physician for the test. The majority of surveyed youth (60.0%) had tested once or twice in the previous 2 years, however, about one-quarter had tested more than twice. Among the 26 surveyed youth who reported that they were HIV-positive, 6 (23.1%) had AIDS at the time of diagnosis. Delays in care-seeking after diagnosis varied from a few months to seven years from time of test.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is encouraging that many youth who had tested for HIV did so based on a realistic self-assessment of HIV risk behaviours; however, for others, a feeling of invulnerability was a barrier to testing. For those who tested positive, there was often a delay in accessing health services.</p

Human pallidothalamic and cerebellothalamic tracts: anatomical basis for functional stereotactic neurosurgery

Anatomical knowledge of the structures to be targeted and of the circuitry involved is crucial in stereotactic functional neurosurgery. The present study was undertaken in the context of surgical treatment of motor disorders such as essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) to precisely determine the course and three-dimensional stereotactic localisation of the cerebellothalamic and pallidothalamic tracts in the human brain. The course of the fibre tracts to the thalamus was traced in the subthalamic region using multiple staining procedures and their entrance into the thalamus determined according to our atlas of the human thalamus and basal ganglia [Morel (2007) Stereotactic atlas of the human thalamus and basal ganglia. Informa Healthcare Inc., New York]. Stereotactic three-dimensional coordinates were determined by sectioning thalamic and basal ganglia blocks parallel to stereotactic planes and, in two cases, by correlation with magnetic resonance images (MRI) from the same brains prior to sectioning. The major contributions of this study are to provide: (1) evidence that the bulks of the cerebellothalamic and pallidothalamic tracts are clearly separated up to their thalamic entrance, (2) stereotactic maps of the two tracts in the subthalamic region, (3) the possibility to discriminate between different subthalamic fibre tracts on the basis of immunohistochemical stainings, (4) correlations of histologically identified fibre tracts with high-resolution MRI, and (5) evaluation of the interindividual variability of the fibre systems in the subthalamic region. This study should provide an important basis for accurate stereotactic neurosurgical targeting of the subthalamic region in motor disorders such as PD and ET

Bullous pemphigoid: Italian guidelines adapted from EDF/EADV guidelines

Bullous pemphigoid is the most common autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes. This disease typically affects the elderly and presents with itch and localised or generalised bullous lesions. In up to 20% of affected patients blister may be completely absent, and only excoriations, prurigo-like lesions, eczematous lesions, urticated lesions, and/or infiltrated plaques are observed. The disease is significantly associated with neurological disorders. The morbidity of bullous pemphigoid and its impact on the quality of life are significant. So far, a limited number of national treatment guidelines have been proposed, but no common European consensus has emerged. This guideline for the treatment of bullous pemphigoid has been developed by an Italian group of experts taking in account the Italian legislation and local pharmacological governance. Guidelines are adapted from the original article under the guidance of the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) in collaboration with the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV). It summarises evidence-based and expert-based recommendations (S2 level)

Italian guidelines in pemphigus - adapted from the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology (EADV)

Pemphigus is a life threatening autoimmune epidermal blistering disease involving skin and mucous membranes. Pemphigus usually affects middle age men and women involving oral mucosa first and then spreading on the skin. It is caused by the presence of autoantibodies (IgG and less frequently by IgA) directed against desmogleins, and/or other glycoproteins that plays a critical role in cell-cell attachment. Upon a predisposing genetic background, different agents have been shown to act as triggers for the pathogenesis of pemphigus. This guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of pemphigus has been developed by an Italian group of experts taking in account the Italian legislation and local pharmacological governance. Guidelines are adapted from the original article under the guidance of the European Dermatology Forum in collaboration with the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. It summarizes evidence-based and expert-based recommendations (S2 level)

Italian Guidelines in diagnosis and treatment of Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder that targets anagen phase hair follicles. The course is unpredictable and current available treatments have variable efficacy. Nowadays, there is relatively little evidence on treatment of AA from well-designed clinical trials. Moreover, none of the treatments or devices commonly used to treat AA are specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The Italian Study Group for Cutaneous Annexial Disease of the Italian Society of dermatology proposes these Italian guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Alopecia Areata deeming useful for the daily management of the disease. This article summarizes evidence-based treatment associated with expert-based recommendations