Low Prior Exposure and Incidence of Hepatitis C in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Negative Gay and Bisexual Men Taking Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Findings From the Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities-New South Wales Prospective Implementation Study.

Background: The use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has raised concerns of increased sexual risk behaviors. These behaviors may be associated with increased incidence of sexually acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) among gay and bisexual men.

Methods: The Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities-New South Wales (EPIC-NSW) study was a cohort study of daily coformulated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine for HIV prevention.

Using Videoconferencing Focus Groups in Sexual and Reproductive Health Research With Chinese Im/Migrants in Australia.

Videoconferencing focus groups have emerged as a popular method for collecting qualitative data. However, its use in sexual and reproductive health research is still very much in its infancy. Based on participants' feedback and researchers' reflections on using videoconferencing focus groups to collect sexual and reproductive health data with 39 heterosexual and non-heterosexual Chinese im/migrants in Australia, we discuss some of the key lessons learned, and considerations involved in shifting from face-to-face to online focus groups.

Long-term protection from HIV infection with oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in gay and bisexual men: findings from the expanded and extended EPIC-NSW prospective implementation study.

Background: Daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in preventing HIV, but few long-term data are available on effectiveness and adherence in real-world settings. Here, we report trends in HIV incidence over 3 years in individuals at high risk who were prescribed PrEP in New South Wales (NSW), as well as adherence before the transition to subsidised PrEP.

Methods: Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities-New South Wales (EPIC-NSW) was a pragmatic, prospective, single-arm, implementation study of daily, oral PrEP in 31 sites (sexual health clinics, general practices, and a hospital) in NSW, Australia.

Adherence to daily HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in a large-scale implementation study in New South Wales, Australia.

Objectives: To examine patterns of long-term pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence and its association with HIV seroconversion in NSW, Australia.

Design: Population-based HIV PrEP implementation study.

Methods: Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities in New South Wales was an open-label study of daily oral PrEP which recruited participants from March 2016 to April 2018.

Comparison of Trends in Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections Before vs After Initiation of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex With Men.

Importance: There have been concerns that HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may be associated with increases in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) because of subsequent reductions in condom use and/or increases in sexual partners.

Objective: To determine trends in STI test positivity among high-risk men who have sex with men (MSM) before and after the start of HIV PrEP.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A before-after analysis was conducted using a subcohort of a single-group PrEP implementation study cohort in New South Wales, Australia (Expanded PreEP Implementation in Communities in New South Wales [EPIC-NSW]), from up to 1 year before enrollment if after January 1, 2015, and up to 2 years after enrollment and before December 31, 2018.

The experiences of patients and their family members when receiving bad news about cancer: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

Objective: This qualitative meta-synthesis explored the subjective experiences of patients and their family members when receiving bad news about cancer, with a focus on what was important to them during this process and making future recommendations.

Methods: A search of five electronic databases yielded 587 different records that resulted in 88 articles assessed against the inclusion/exclusion criteria. With the supplement of four additional records, 29 articles were analysed using thematic synthesis.

Evaluation of a low-intensity version of the early start Denver model with four preschool-aged boys with autism spectrum disorder.

Objectives: Data indicate that some developmentally and behaviorally based early intervention programs can lead to a range of improvements in children with autism spectrum disorder. However, many such programs call for a fairly intensive amount of intervention. The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a low-intensity therapist delivered intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder.

A contextual work-life experiences model to understand nurse commitment and turnover.

Aims: The aim of this study was to present a discussion and model depicting most effecting work-life experience contextual factors that influence commitment and turnover intentions for nurses in Sri Lanka.

Background: Increasing demand for nurses has made the retention of experienced, qualified nursing staff a priority for healthcare organizations and highlights the need to capture contextual work-life experiences that influence nurses' turnover decisions.

Design: Discussion paper.

Training Direct-Care Staff to Provide Communication Intervention to Adults With Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: The aim of this review was to summarize and evaluate studies on training direct-care staff to provide communication intervention to adults with intellectual disability.

Method: Systematic searches identified 22 studies. These were summarized and evaluated in terms of (a) participants; (b) settings; (c) training aims and procedures; (d) research designs; (e) reliability, integrity, and social validity; (f) outcomes; (g) generalization and follow-up; and (h) certainty of evidence.

Evaluating the Social Validity of the Early Start Denver Model: A Convergent Mixed Methods Study.

An intervention has social validity to the extent that it is socially acceptable to participants and stakeholders. This pilot convergent mixed methods study evaluated parents' perceptions of the social validity of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a naturalistic behavioral intervention for children with autism. It focused on whether the parents viewed (a) the ESDM goals as appropriate for their children, (b) the intervention procedures as acceptable and appropriate, and (c) whether changes in their children's behavior was practically significant.

General anaesthesia vs. conscious sedation for transfemoral aortic valve implantation: a single UK centre before-and-after study.

Reported data suggest that 99% of transfemoral, transcatheter aortic valve implantations in the UK are performed under general anaesthesia. This before-and-after study is the first UK comparison of conscious sedation vs. general anaesthesia for this procedure.

Simulation-based teaching versus point-of-care teaching for identification of basic transoesophageal echocardiography views: a prospective randomised study.

In recent years, the use of transoesophageal echocardiography has increased in anaesthesia and intensive care. We explored the impact of two different teaching methods on the ability of echocardiography-naïve subjects to identify cardiac anatomy associated with the 20 standard transoesophageal echocardiography imaging planes, and assessed trainees' satisfaction with these methods of training. Fifty-two subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a simulation-based and a theatre-based teaching group.

The functionalisation of ruthenium(II) and osmium(II) alkenyl complexes with amine- and alkoxy-terminated dithiocarbamates.

The complex cis-[RuCl(2)(dppm)(2)] reacts with the amine-terminated dithiocarbamates KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2) and KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2) to form the compounds [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2)}(dppm)(2)](+) and [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2)}(dppm)(2)](+), respectively. The methoxy-terminated dithiocarbamate compound [Ru{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe)(2)}(dppm)(2)](+) was also prepared from the same precursor using KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)OMe)(2). The alkenyl complexes [RuRCl(CO)(BTD)(PPh(3))(2)] (R = CH=CHBu(t), CH=CHC(6)H(4)Me-4, CH=CHCPh(2)OH), [Ru(C(C[triple bond]CBu(t))=CHBu(t))Cl(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] and [Os(CH=CHC(6)H(4)Me-4)Cl(CO)(BTD)(PPh(3))(2)] also react cleanly with KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2) and KS(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2) to yield [MR{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)] and [MR{S(2)CN(CH(2)CH(2)NEt(2))(2)}(CO)(PPh(3))(2)], respectively.

Comprehensive association study of genetic variants in the IL-1 gene family in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) have a characteristic daily spiking fever and elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines. Members of the interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene family have been implicated in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and treatment with the IL-1 receptor antagonist, Anakinra, shows remarkable improvement in some patients. This work describes the most comprehensive investigation to date of the involvement of the IL-1 gene family in sJIA.

Specific gene expression profiles in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: Patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have arthritis, quotidian fevers, and other extraarticular features. This disease often remains severe and debilitating. The purpose of this study was to compare gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with active and inactive systemic JIA to define and better understand the cause of active disease.

Positive association of SLC26A2 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To investigate SLC26A2, the gene that causes diastrophic dysplasia, in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: Nine polymorphisms across the SLC26A2 gene locus were investigated using MassArray genotyping in 826 UK Caucasian JIA cases and 617 ethnically matched healthy controls.

Results: Significant associations between multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across SLC26A2 and systemic-onset JIA were found.

No evidence for genetic association of interferon regulatory factor 1 in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) comprises several clinically distinct subgroups and is the most widespread cause of chronic childhood disability. A significant association between JIA and a polymorphism in the interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) gene has previously been reported, implicating IRF1 in disease susceptibility. The aim of this study was to replicate the IRF1 association in JIA using single-marker and haplotype analyses in a case-control study, using control subjects different from those in the previous study and a larger cohort of patients (n = 765).

Novel IL10 gene family associations with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common cause of chronic childhood disability and encompasses a number of disease subgroups. In this study we have focused on systemic JIA (sJIA), which accounts for approximately 11% of UK JIA cases. This study reports the investigation of three members of the IL10 gene family as candidate susceptibility loci in children with sJIA.

Wnt-1-inducible signaling pathway protein 3 and susceptibility to juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To determine whether Wnt-1-inducible signaling pathway protein 3 (WISP3) polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: The exons and the intron/exon boundaries of the WISP3 gene were mutation-screened by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography in 86 patients with polyarticular-course JIA (>/=5 joints affected) and 15 controls. Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped, using allelic discrimination, in a case-control study.

Novel IL-6 haplotypes and disease association.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine crucial in both adaptive and innate immunity. Numerous genetic studies have shown association with variants of this gene in a multitude of diseases and phenotypes. Most tests of association have focused on a limited set of promoter polymorphisms, in particular, the -174G>C; however, there are many inconsistencies within and between these studies.

The -174G allele of the interleukin-6 gene confers susceptibility to systemic arthritis in children: a multicenter study using simplex and multiplex juvenile idiopathic arthritis families.

Objective: Levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been shown to correlate with the fever and disease activity of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). In a previous case-control study, a significant association between the IL-6 -174 nucleotide variant and systemic JIA was noted, and HeLa cell transfection assays show functional differences in levels of transcription of the IL-6 -174 alleles. The present study was undertaken to confirm the previous findings and to assess possible association with variations of the A(n)T(n) tract in the promoter.

Physical and transcriptional map of the critical region for keratolytic winter erythema (KWE) on chromosome 8p22-p23 between D8S550 and D8S1759.

Keratolytic winter erythema is an autosomal dominant skin disorder characterised by erythema, hyperkeratosis, and peeling of the skin of the palms and soles, especially during winter. The keratolytic winter erythema locus has been mapped to human chromosome 8p22-p23. This chromosomal region has also been associated with frequent loss of heterozygosity in different types of cancer.