Hospital consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems scores relating to pain following the incorporation of clinical pharmacists into patient education prior to joint replacement surgery.

Background: Pharmacist involvement has been shown to improve various aspects of patient care. Patients undergoing knee and hip replacement surgery generally experience post-operative pain and discomfort. Pain control can impact patient satisfaction, as reported by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey.

Detailed characterization of T cell responses to herpes simplex virus-2 in immune seronegative persons.

In 2003, we described a small cohort of subjects (n = 6) who possessed no detectable serum Abs to HSV-1 or HSV-2 and no clinical or virological evidence of mucosal HSV infection yet possessed consistently detectable HSV-specific T cell responses measured primarily by lymphoproliferative (LP) and CTL assays to whole HSV-2 Ag. We termed these persons immune seronegative (IS). This report characterizes the T cell responses in 22 IS subjects largely recruited from studies of HSV-seronegative subjects in ongoing sexual relationships with HSV-2-seropositive (HSV-2(+)) partners using pools of overlapping peptides spanning 16 immuno-prevalent HSV-2 proteins.

Persistence of HIV-1 receptor-positive cells after HSV-2 reactivation is a potential mechanism for increased HIV-1 acquisition.

To explore the mechanism by which herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 infection is related to HIV-1 acquisition, we conducted in situ analysis of the cellular infiltrate from sequential biopsies of HSV-2 lesions from patients on and off antiviral therapy. CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and a mixed population of plasmacytoid and myeloid dendritic cells (DCs), including cells expressing the C-type lectin receptor DC-SIGN, persisted at sites of HSV-2 reactivation for months after healing, even with daily antiviral therapy. The CD4(+) T cells that persisted reacted to HSV-2 antigen, were enriched for expression of the chemokine receptor CCR5, and were contiguous to DCs expressing the interleukin-3 receptor CD123 or DC-SIGN.

Herpes simplex virus viremia during primary genital infection.

Primary genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is commonly associated with systemic symptoms. A systematic evaluation of HSV viremia during primary genital infection has not been performed previously. Plasma samples from adults with a first clinical episode of genital HSV infection were assayed for HSV DNA by polymerase chain reaction.

Phase I dose-escalation study of a monovalent heat shock protein 70-herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) peptide-based vaccine designed to prime or boost CD8 T-cell responses in HSV-naïve and HSV-2-infected subjects.

This was a phase I study to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of escalating doses of AG-702, a noncovalent complex of an HLA A*0201-restricted epitope in the glycoprotein B protein of herpes simplex virus type 2 (gB2) and truncated human constitutive heat shock protein 70. Similar vaccines have been immunogenic in animals. Three injections of 10 to 250 mug were administered intradermally to HLA A*0201-bearing subjects who were either herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-infected or HSV uninfected.

Minimizing recurrences of genital herpes--a role for suppressive antiviral therapy.

Stress may contribute to recurrent episodes of genital herpes, which themselves cause more stress. minimizing the frequency of recurrences--or eliminating them altogether--may help to break the cycle.

Two-day regimen of acyclovir for treatment of recurrent genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection.

The standard course of antiviral therapy for recurrent genital herpes requires administration of multiple doses of medication for 5 days. To assess the efficacy of a shorter course of antiviral therapy, patients with recurrent genital herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of acyclovir (800 mg given by mouth 3 times per day [t.i.

Tris(benzylthiolato)bismuth. Efficient Precursor to Phase-Pure Polycrystalline Bi(2)S(3).

Details of the synthesis, physical and spectroscopic characterization, and thermal decomposition of tris(benzylthiolato)bismuth, (BnS)(3)Bi, Bn = CH(2)C(6)H(5), are presented. Results from pyrolysis of (BnS)(3)Bi demonstrate that this compound is a convenient precursor to phase-pure, polycrystalline Bi(2)S(3) with low carbon and hydrogen contamination under mild thermal conditions (ca. 275 degrees C).