Comparison of 68Ga-DOTANOC with 18F-FDG using PET/MRI imaging in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

We compared the somatostatin analog radioligand, DOTANOC, with FDG, to determine whether there was increased detection of active or sub-clinical lesions in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) with DOTANOC. Three groups were recruited: (1) active pulmonary TB; (2) IGRA-positive household TB contacts; (3) pneumonia (non-TB). DOTANOC PET/MRI followed by FDG PET/MRI was performed in active TB and pneumonia groups. TB contacts underwent FDG PET/MRI, then DOTANOC PET/MRI if abnormalities were detected. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed for total lung and individual lesions. Eight active TB participants, three TB contacts and three pneumonia patients had paired PET/MRI scans. In the active TB group, median SUVmax[FDG] for parenchymal lesions was 7.69 (range 3.00-15.88); median SUVmax[DOTANOC] was 2.59 (1.48-6.40). Regions of tracer uptake were fairly similar for both radioligands, albeit more diffusely distributed in the FDG scans. In TB contacts, two PET/MRIs had parenchymal lesions detected with FDG (SUVmax 5.50 and 1.82), with corresponding DOTANOC uptake < 1. FDG and DOTANOC uptake was similar in pneumonia patients (SUVmax[FDG] 4.17-6.18; SUVmax[DOTANOC] 2.92-4.78). DOTANOC can detect pulmonary TB lesions, but FDG is more sensitive for both active and sub-clinical lesions. FDG remains the preferred ligand for clinical studies, although DOTANOC may provide additional value for pathogenesis studies

An outbreak of primary dengue infection among migrant Chinese workers in Singapore characterized by prominent gastrointestinal symptoms and a high proportion of symptomatic cases

10.1016/j.jcv.2005.03.002Journal of Clinical Virology334336-340JCVI

Preliminary effects of a mobile interactive supervised therapy intervention on people living with HIV: Pilot randomized controlled trial

10.2196/15702JMIR mHealth and uHealth83e1570

Low-dose chloroquine is associated with favourable effects on lipoprotein metabolism without significant influence on insulin resistance

10.1111/dme.12889Diabetic Medicine333404 - 40

Perceptions and acceptability of digital interventions among tuberculosis patients in Cambodia: Qualitative study of video-based directly observed therapy

10.2196/16856Journal of Medical Internet Research227e1685

Neurocognitive function in HIV-infected patients: Comparison of two methods to define impairment

10.1371/journal.pone.0103498PLoS ONE97e10349

Design and application of three-phase plasma heating systems Report 1

14.00; Translated from Russian (Probl. Spetsial. Elektrometall. 1985 v. 1(1) p. 50-55)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Lending Division - LD:9023.19(VR--2939)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Effectiveness of protease inhibitor/nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based second-line antiretroviral therapy for the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Published online December 20, 2017Background. In sub-Saharan Africa, 25.5 million people are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), representing 70% of the global total. The need for second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) is projected to increase in the next decade in keeping with the expansion of treatment provision. Outcome data are required to inform policy. Methods. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the virological outcomes of protease inhibitor (PI)-based second-line ART in sub-Saharan Africa. The primary outcome was virological suppression (HIV-1 RNA <400 copies/mL) after 48 and 96 weeks of treatment. The secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with PI resistance. Pooled aggregate data were analyzed using a DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. Results. By intention-to-treat analysis, virological suppression occurred in 69.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58.2%–79.3%) of patients at week 48 (4558 participants, 14 studies), and in 61.5% (95% CI, 47.2%–74.9%) at week 96 (2145 participants, 8 studies). Preexisting resistance to nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) increased the likelihood of virological suppression. Major protease resistance mutations occurred in a median of 17% (interquartile range, 0–25%) of the virological failure population and increased with duration of second-line ART. Conclusions. One-third of patients receiving PI-based second-line ART with continued NRTI use in sub-Saharan Africa did not achieve virological suppression, although among viremic patients, protease resistance was infrequent. Significant challenges remain in implementation of viral load monitoring. Optimizing definitions and strategies for management of second-line ART failure is a research priority.Alexander J. Stockdale, Matthew J. Saunders, Mark A. Boyd, Laura J. Bonnett, Victoria Johnston, Gilles Wandeler, Annelot F. Schoffelen, Laura Ciaffi, Kristen Stafford, Ann C. Collier, Nicholas I. Paton, and Anna Maria Gerett

Adjunctive use of celecoxib with anti-tuberculosis drugs: evaluation in a whole-blood bactericidal activity model

10.1038/s41598-018-31590-4Scientific Reports811349

Sub-clinical abnormalities detected by PET/MRI in household tuberculosis contacts.

BACKGROUND: The understanding of early events following TB exposure is limited by traditional tests that rely on detection of an immune response to infection, which is delayed, or on imaging tests with low sensitivity for early disease. We investigated for evidence of lung abnormalities in heavily exposed TB contacts using PET/MRI. METHODS: 30 household contacts of 20 index patients underwent clinical assessment, IGRA testing, chest x-ray and PET/MRI scan using 18-F-FDG. MRI images were examined by a radiology/nuclear medicine dual-qualified physician using a standardised report form, while PET/MRI images were examined independently by another radiology/nuclear medicine dual-qualified physician using a similar form. Standardised uptake value (SUV) was quantified for each abnormal lesion. RESULTS: IGRA was positive in 40%. PET/MRI scan was abnormal in 30%, predominantly FDG uptake in hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes and lung apices. We did not identify any relationship between PET/MRI findings and degree of exposure or IGRA status. CONCLUSION: PET-based imaging may provide important insights into the natural history following exposure to TB that may not be available from traditional tests of TB immune response or imaging. The clinical significance of the abnormalities is uncertain and merits further investigation in longitudinal studies