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Objective To identify factors associated with maternal hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence and transmission of HCV as identified by qualitative HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the infants of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected women delivering in New York State (NYS) in 2006. Study Design In this retrospective cohort study of HIV-exposed infants born in NYS, leftover infant plasma from HIV diagnostic testing was de-identified and tested for HCV. If HCV antibodies were detected, a second specimen collected when the infant was >2 months old was tested for HCV qualitative RNA. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with HCV seropositivity. Results In a final sample of 553 live birth events with perinatal HIV exposure, 21 (3.8 %) of tested infant specimens had HCV antibodies indicative of maternal HCV seropositivity. Maternal age at delivery of >35 years, Hispanic ethnicity, white race and injection drug use (IDU) were significantly associated with HCV seropositivity in multivariate analysis. No cases of HCV vertical transmission were identified among HCV exposed infant specimens. Conclusions This statewide population-based study of HIV-infected childbearing women shows HCV seroprevalence of 3.8 %. Maternal age of >35 years and IDU are the strongest predictors of HCV seropositivity. Although no viral transmission was documented, more comprehensive longitudinal testing would be required to conclude that HCV transmission did not occur., Author(s): L. Ghazaryan[sup.1] , L. Smith[sup.2] , M. Parker[sup.3] , C. Flanigan[sup.4] , W. Pulver[sup.2] , T. Sullivan[sup.5] , A. Carrascal[sup.6] Author Affiliations: (1) Surveillance and Special Projects Unit, Bureau [...]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to a commentary by Doctor A. D. Thomson and Professor C. C. H. Cook and the original paper by Doctors A. Ramayya and P. Jauhar, entitled "Increasing incidence of Korsakoff's psychosis in the East End of Glasgow," which were both published in the May/June 1997 issue.

Presents a summary of the report 'Comparison of oral fluconazole and itraconazole for progressive nonmeningeal coccidioidomycosis. A randomized, double-blind trial,' published in 'Annals of Internal Medicine,' November 7, 2000 issue.

Current carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies require high energy input and costly catalysts. Here, an effective pathway is offered that addresses climate action by atmospheric CO 2 sequestration. Industrially relevant highly reactive alkali cellulose solutions are used as CO 2 absorption media. The latter lead to mineralized cellulose materials (MCM) at a tailorable cellulose-to-mineral ratio, forming organic-inorganic viscous systems (viscosity from 10 2 to 10 7  mPa s and storage modulus from 10 to 10 5  Pa). CO 2 absorption and conversion into calcium carbonate and associated minerals translate to maximum absorption of 6.5 gCO 2 g cellulose -1 , tracking inversely with cellulose loading. Cellulose lean gels are easily converted into dry powders, shown as a functional component of ceramic glazes and cementitious composites. Meanwhile, cellulose-rich gels are moldable and extrudable, yielding stone-like structures tested as artificial substrates for coral reef restoration. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) suggests new CCU opportunities for building materials, as demonstrated in underwater deployment for coral reef ecosystem restoration., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Persons who inject drugs (PWID) have been experiencing a higher burden of new hepatitis C (HCV) due to the opioid epidemic. The greatest increases in injection have been in rural communities. However, less is known about the prevalence of HCV or its risk factors in rural compared to non-rural communities. This study compared HCV infection history, current infection, and associated behavioural and sociodemographic correlates among PWID recruited from rural and non-rural communities from Upstate New York (NY). This cross-sectional study recruited 309 PWID, using respondent-driven sampling. Blood samples were collected through finger stick for HCV antibody and RNA tests. A survey was also self-administered for HCV infection history, sociodemographics and behavioural correlates to compare by setting rurality. HCV seropositivity was significantly higher among PWID from rural than non-rural communities (71.0% vs. 46.8%), as was current infection (41.4% vs. 25.9%). High levels of past year syringe (44.4%) and equipment (62.2%) sharing were reported. Factors associated with infection history include syringe service program utilization, non-Hispanic white race, sharing needles and methamphetamine injection, which was higher in rural vs. non-rural communities (38.5% vs. 15.5%). HCV burden among PWID appears higher in rural than non-rural communities and may be increasing possibly due to greater levels of methamphetamine injection. On-going systematic surveillance of HCV prevalence and correlates is crucial to respond to the changing opioid epidemic landscape. Additionally, improving access to harm reduction services, especially with special focus on stimulants, may be important to reduce HCV prevalence among PWID in rural settings., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Blueberry pruning waste (BPw), sourced as residues from agroforestry operations in Chile, was used to produce added-value products, including platform chemicals and materials. BPw fractionation was implemented using biobased solvents (γ-valerolactone, GVL) and pyrolysis (500 °C), yielding solid fractions that are rich in phenols and antioxidants. The liquid fraction was found to be enriched in sugars, acids, and amides. Alongside, filaments and 3D-printed meshes were produced via wet spinning and Direct-Ink-Writing (DIW), respectively. For the latter purpose, BPw was dissolved in an ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([emim][OAc]), and regenerated into lignocellulose filaments with highly aligned nanofibrils (wide-angle X-ray scattering) that simultaneously showed extensibility (wet strain as high as 39%). BPw-derived lignocellulose filaments showed a tenacity (up to 2.3 cN dtex -1 ) that is comparable to that of rayon fibers and showed low light reflectance ( R ES factor <3%). Meanwhile, DIW of the respective gels led to meshes with up to 60% wet stretchability. The LCF and meshes were demonstrated to have reliable performance in marine environments. As a demonstration, we show the prospects of replacing plastic cords and other materials used to restore coral reefs on the coast of Mexico., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Objectives: We investigated a cluster of new hepatitis C cases in rural New York among a cohort of young people who inject drugs (PWID) and misuse prescription opioid analgesics (POA)., Methods: We recruited a purposive sample of PWID from Cortland County for an in-person survey and HCV rapid antibody test (March-July 2012). We examined sociodemographics, drugs currently injected, and lifetime and recent injection behaviors to ascertain associations with HCV antibody (anti-HCV) positivity., Results: Of 123 PWID, 76 (61.8%) were younger than 30 years, and 100 (81.3%) received HCV rapid testing. Of those tested, 34 (34.0%) were positive. Participants who reported injecting POA in the past 12 months were 5 times more likely to be anti-HCV positive than those who injected drugs other than POA, and participants who reported sharing injection equipment in the past 12 months were roughly 4 times more likely to be anti-HCV positive than those who did not., Conclusions: Our analysis suggests people injecting POA may be at higher risk for HCV infection than people who inject heroin or other drugs but not POA.

The degree to which case surveillance captures persons ever infected with HCV is unknown. We determined the discrepancy between HCV seroprevalence, estimated from national survey data, among adults in New York State in 2008 (n = 286 262, or 1.95%) and the number of infected persons reported to the state's surveillance hepatitis registries (n = 144 015). Findings suggest the need to strengthen the existing surveillance system.

Background: Congenital infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important cause of hearing, cognitive, and motor impairments in newborns., Methods: In this phase 2, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial, we evaluated a vaccine consisting of recombinant CMV envelope glycoprotein B with MF59 adjuvant, as compared with placebo. Three doses of the CMV vaccine or placebo were given at 0, 1, and 6 months to CMV-seronegative women within 1 year after they had given birth. We tested for CMV infection in the women in quarterly tests during a 42-month period, using an assay for IgG antibodies against CMV proteins other than glycoprotein B. Infection was confirmed by virus culture or immunoblotting. The primary end point was the time until the detection of CMV infection., Results: We randomly assigned 234 subjects to receive the CMV vaccine and 230 subjects to receive placebo. A scheduled interim analysis led to a stopping recommendation because of vaccine efficacy. After a minimum of 1 year of follow-up, there were 49 confirmed infections, 18 in the vaccine group and 31 in the placebo group. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the vaccine group was more likely to remain uninfected during a 42-month period than the placebo group (P=0.02). Vaccine efficacy was 50% (95% confidence interval, 7 to 73) on the basis of infection rates per 100 person-years. One congenital infection among infants of the subjects occurred in the vaccine group, and three infections occurred in the placebo group. There were more local reactions (pain, erythema, induration, and warmth) and systemic reactions (chills, arthralgias, and myalgias) in the vaccine group than in the placebo group., Conclusions: CMV glycoprotein B vaccine has the potential to decrease incident cases of maternal and congenital CMV infection. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00125502.), (2009 Massachusetts Medical Society)

Background: In previous open-label noncomparative clinical trials, both fluconazole and itraconazole were effective therapy for progressive forms of coccidioidomycosis., Objective: To determine whether fluconazole or itraconazole is superior for treatment of nonmeningeal progressive coccidioidal infections., Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial., Setting: 7 treatment centers in California, Arizona, and Texas., Patients: 198 patients with chronic pulmonary, soft tissue, or skeletal coccidioidal infections., Intervention: Oral fluconazole, 400 mg/d, or itraconazole, 200 mg twice daily., Measurements: After 4, 8, and 12 months, a predefined scoring system was used to assess severity of infection. Findings were compared with those at baseline., Results: Overall, 50% of patients (47 of 94) and 63% of patients (61 of 97) responded to 8 months of treatment with fluconazole and itraconazole, respectively (difference, 13 percentage points [95% CI, -2 to 28 percentage points]; P = 0.08). Patients with skeletal infections responded twice as frequently to itraconazole as to fluconazole. By 12 months, 57% of patients had responded to fluconazole and 72% had responded to itraconazole (difference, 15 percentage points [CI, 0.003 to 30 percentage points]; P = 0.05). Soft tissue disease was associated with increased likelihood of response, as in previous studies. Azole drug was detected in serum specimens from all but 3 patients; however, drug concentrations were not helpful in predicting outcome. Relapse rates after discontinuation of therapy did not differ significantly between groups (28% after fluconazole treatment and 18% after itraconazole treatment). Both drugs were well tolerated., Conclusions: Neither fluconazole nor itraconazole showed statistically superior efficacy in nonmeningeal coccidioidomycosis, although there is a trend toward slightly greater efficacy with itraconazole at the doses studied.

Surveys of new long-stay mental hospital patients in Scotland find that 9% have a diagnosis of alcohol-related brain damage, mainly Korsakoff's psychosis (KP), whereas the rate was 5% in the old long-stay patients. The national hospital database shows a rise in rates of KP in figures for discharge diagnosis and for diagnosis of hospital residents during the past three decades. There is an argument for more specialized provision given the significance of this group of patients.

We report on a survey of knowledge of alcohol-related problems in the multi-disciplinary staff in 12 general adult psychiatry community resource centres. In total we obtained data from 111 staff, the majority of whom (63%) were community psychiatric nurses (CPNs). Seventy-three per cent of staff routinely ask clients about their alcohol consumption and 66% felt that they could identify those clients with an alcohol problem. We identified gaps in knowledge that could be seen as significant, for example, the legal driving limit and the number of units of alcohol in bottles of wine and spirits. Less than a third of staff knew the criteria for alcohol dependence. The majority of staff were able to recognise clinical complications of alcohol abuse and to identify alcohol withdrawal symptoms. We consider that it would be useful to provide a simple concise data-sheet, containing basic information about alcohol, for clinical staff.

A statewide survey of populations in proximity to blackbird roost sites to determine exposure to histoplasmosis from such sites has demonstrated that a site harboring Histoplasma capsulatum, even though undisturbed, adds significantly to the exposure rate of proximal populations. Disturbance of such a site increases the exposure rate dramatically with or without concurrent clinical cases of histoplasmosis.

The effect of progressive long term dietary protein depletion on viral susceptibility was investigated in 2 host-virus systems: (1) swine influenza in the male CF(1) mouse, and (2) Rous sarcoma virus in the New Hampshire red chicken. Data are presented demonstrating a relationship between host protein nutrition and susceptibility to virus infection. This relationship is shown to be cyclic in character, involving phases of increased and decreased viral susceptibility. The relative resistance of the host on low protein intake is a function of the duration on incomplete diet administration before virus inoculation, and consequently a function of the host's state of depletion. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the cyclic susceptibility change demonstrated by these animals on low protein diet was characterized by an initial phase of increased susceptibility, a secondary phase of increased resistance, and a final phase of increased susceptibility. It is proposed that these alterations in relative viral susceptibility result from metabolic changes occurring within the host during the process of dietary protein depletion. The resistance changes are roughly correlated to periods of depot fat utilization (increased susceptibility), reserve protein utilization (decreased susceptibility), and tissue breakdown subsequent to protein starvation (increased susceptibility). Many previously published concepts of the interplay of viral susceptibility and host nutrition maintained that host malnourishment led to increased host resistance. The cyclic change in resistance, reported herein, is given as evidence that the effect of host deficiency cannot be explained simply on the basis of an inhibition of virus growth due to retarded cellular metabolism in the host. Protein deficiency is shown not to produce an "all-or-none" effect, but a series of reproducible phases of increased and decreased resistance. From the aforementioned results it is proposed that the phases of viral susceptibility seen in the protein-deficient host are demonstrative of the dynamic interrelationship between the physiologic state and the resistance of the host. Dietary influences in the normal host, by producing similar metabolic changes, could have analogous implications on innate resistance. It is believed that the foregoing leads to a more clear and dynamic concept of viral resistance in the normal individual.