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Int J Drug Policy 2019 Apr 16;68:62-74. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Liverpool John Moores University, Public Health Institute, Exchange Station, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool. L2 2QP.

Background: Drug consumptions rooms (DCRs) are a well-established and evidence-based harm reduction response to drug use. Recently, a consortium led by health services in Glasgow, United Kingdom (UK), proposed piloting a DCR. In this article, we examine how the proposals were represented in news media reporting, and the possible effects of such reporting. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Apr 18;9(1):6292. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Injection drug use (IDU) is one of the most significant risk factors for viral hepatitis (B and C) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. This study assessed seroprevalence rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in people who inject drugs (PWID) in Kuwait. We conducted a cross-sectional study from April to September 2017. Read More

Int J STD AIDS 2019 Apr 4;30(5):472-478. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

1 Department of Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases (GUIDE), St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs) remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals despite the widespread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and availability of pneumococcal vaccines. The aim of this study was to measure temporal trends in incidence and risk factors for IPD (defined as culture of Streptococcus pneumoniae from blood, cerebrospinal fluid or both) in a cohort of HIV-positive patients attending an ambulatory HIV care centre in Dublin, Ireland over a 10-year period 2006-2015. Incidence of IPD was determined as events per 100,000 person-years' follow-up. Read More

J Urban Health 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Behaviours and Health Risks Program, Public Health Discipline, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.

People who inject drugs (PWID) are disproportionately represented among individuals who experience imprisonment and often have more complex physical and mental health needs than people in prison without injecting histories. The trajectories of PWID after prison release are poorly understood, hampering the development of effective strategies to address their distinct health needs. The Prison and Transition Health (PATH) Cohort Study is characterising the post-release trajectories of incarcerated male PWID in Victoria, Australia. Read More

Asia Pac J Public Health 2019 Apr 15:1010539519841294. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

2 University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Malaysia currently has an estimated hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence of 1.3% with an infected population of 384,000. Fishermen in Malaysia are at risk of HCV infection due to injection drug use and disproportionately high rates of incarceration. Read More

Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Evaluation of Interventions, UK.

Background: WHO aims to eliminate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat by 2030. Injection drug use is an important risk factor for HCV transmission, but its contribution to country-level and global epidemics is unknown. We estimated the contribution of injection drug use to risk for HCV epidemics globally, regionally, and at country level. Read More

Lancet HIV 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK; Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, UK.

Background: In 2015, an outbreak of HIV was identified among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) area of Scotland, an area which distributes more than 1 million needles and syringes per year. This is the largest such incident in the UK for 30 years. Here, we provide an epidemiological analysis of the impact of the outbreak on HIV prevalence trends in the population and the individual and environmental risk factors associated with infection. Read More

Int J Drug Policy 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health & Monash University, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; Disease Elimination Program, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported to be high among people experiencing homelessness. People who are homeless often have multiple needs that may take precedence over HCV testing and treatment. We quantitatively evaluated the outcomes of a service providing HCV treatment to people attending homeless services. Read More

Asian J Psychiatr 2019 Mar 26;42:79-84. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Background: Most people who inject drugs (PWID) start their drug use careers by using non-injecting opioid drugs. A variety of interconnected factors may influence the risk of transition from non-injecting to injecting drug use (IDU). However, such factors have not been studied well in India. Read More

Hepatol Commun 2019 Apr 10;3(4):478-492. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Vancouver Canada.

We evaluated the effectiveness of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) in treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and SOF/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) for all genotypes among people who inject drugs (PWID) and those not injecting drugs and who were on or off opioid agonist therapy (OAT). Study participants comprised a population-based cohort in British Columbia, Canada. The British Columbia Hepatitis Testers Cohort includes data on individuals tested for HCV from 1990 to 2016 that are integrated with medical visits, hospitalization, and prescription drug data. Read More

Int J Drug Policy 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, 66 Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point, NSW, 2011, Australia; Kings College, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK; Centre for Social Research and Health, University of New South Wales, High St, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia. Electronic address:

In the 1990s, a trial of prescribing pharmaceutical heroin for people with opioid-dependence had support from Australian State Health Ministers. However, in 1997 the proposal was vetoed by the federal Prime Minister in face of a negative tabloid media campaign. The debate then shifted to abstinence-orientated treatments. Read More

Harm Reduct J 2019 Apr 11;16(1):28. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

TB HIV Care, 11 Adderley Street, Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV without accessible harm reduction programmes. Coverage of needle and syringe and opioid substitution therapy (OST) services in South Africa is below global recommendations and no hepatitis services exist for PWID. We assessed HCV, HBV and HIV prevalence and risk factors among PWID accessing harm reduction services in Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria to inform policy and programming. Read More

Subst Use Misuse 2019 Apr 11:1-8. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

a The Sydney Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health , University of Sydney , Sydney , NSW , Australia.

Background: Buprenorphine and buprenorphine/naloxone (BNX) were developed to improve the safety profile of opioid substitution treatment (OST) and reduce diversion and injection, yet continue to be injected, despite the risk of harm. Previous studies examining injection of these substances have relied on self-reported injection and overdose. Using data from the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Center (MSIC) in Sydney, this study aimed to assess the overdose risk associated with the use of buprenorphine and BNX and identify factors associated with injecting. Read More

Euro Surveill 2019 Apr;24(14)

Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

IntroductionData on chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection prevalence in European prisons are incomplete and impact the public health opportunity that incarceration provides.AimsWe aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of untreated chronic HCV infection and to identify associated risk factors in an Irish male prison.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study involving a researcher-administered questionnaire, review of medical records and HCV serology. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2019 Apr 6;114:108851. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, 563006, China. Electronic address:

Pulmonary fibrosis is the final outcome of a variety of diffuse pulmonary interstitial diseases, and it has an unclear pathogenesis. There is no effective drug treatment, so the clinical prognosis is poor. As an effective component of ginseng, total ginsenoside (TG) inhibits acute lung injury. Read More

Polymers (Basel) 2018 Aug 9;10(8). Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan.

In this study, we developed biodegradable lidocaine⁻/vancomycin⁻/ceftazidime⁻eluting poly(d,l⁻lactide⁻⁻glycolide) (PLGA) nano/microparticulate carriers using an electrospraying process, and we evaluated the release behaviors of the carriers in knee joints. To prepare the particles, predetermined weight percentages of PLGA, vancomycin, ceftazidime, and lidocaine were dissolved in solvents. The PLGA/antibiotic/lidocaine solutions were then fed into a syringe for electrospraying. Read More

Ann Intern Med 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville and Prisma Health-Upstate, Greenville, South Carolina, and Clemson University School of Health Research, Clemson, South Carolina (A.H.L.).

Background: Many people who inject drugs (PWID) are denied treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, even if they are receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT). Research suggests that HCV in PWID may be treated effectively, but optimal models of care for promoting adherence and sustained virologic response (SVR) have not been evaluated in the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era.

Objective: To determine whether directly observed therapy (DOT) and group treatment (GT) are more effective than self-administered individual treatment (SIT) in promoting adherence and achieving SVR among PWID receiving OAT. Read More

Addiction 2019 Apr 7. Epub 2019 Apr 7.

CHUM Research Centre, Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Background And Aims: For most people who inject drugs (PWID), drug injecting follows a dynamic process characterized by transitions in and out of injecting. The objective of this investigation was to examine injecting cessation episodes of one- to three-month duration as predictors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) acquisition.

Design: Cohort study. Read More

J Pharm Sci 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Department of Drug Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya 468-8503, Japan. Electronic address:

In order to evaluate the in-vivo effect of inhaled formulations, it is a gold standard to create a lung metastasis model by intravenously injecting cancer cells into an animal. Since the cancer grows from the blood vessel side, there is a possibility of underestimating the effect of an inhaled formulation administered to the lung epithelium side. In addition, the metastasis model has disadvantages in terms of preparation time and expense. Read More

Euro Surveill 2019 Mar;24(13)

Authors contributed equally to the work and share last authorship.

Background: In 2015, Bristol (South West England) experienced a large increase in cases of meticillin-resistant (MRSA) infection in people who inject drugs (PWID).

Aim: We aimed to characterise and estimate the prevalence of MRSA colonisation among PWID in Bristol and test evidence of a clonal outbreak.

Methods: PWID recruited through an unlinked-anonymous community survey during 2016 completed behavioural questionnaires and were screened for MRSA. Read More

Drug Alcohol Rev 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Sydney, Australia.

Issues: Drug consumptions rooms (DCR) and supervised injecting facilities (SIF) are expanding internationally. Previous reviews have not systematically addressed evaluation methodologies.

Approach: Results from systematic searches of scientific databases in English until June 2017 were coded for paper type, country and year of publication. Read More

AIDS Res Treat 2019 27;2019:1525646. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.

Background: Antiretroviral treatment may lead to the emergence of HIV drug resistance, which can be transmitted. HIV primary drug resistance (PDR) is of great public health concern because it has the potential to compromise the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the population level.

Objective: To estimate the level of primary drug resistance among recently infected cases of HIV in 6 ART centres of North-Western India from September 2014 to June 2016. Read More

Life Sci 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Pharmacology Department, National Organization for Drug Control and Research, Egypt.

Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis is usually accompanied by various comorbidities especially on the psychological side such as depression. This study aimed at revealing the potential curative effects of venlafaxine (VFX), a serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), on experimentally-induced arthritis in rats.

Methods: Arthritis was induced by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA, 0. Read More

Drug Alcohol Depend 2019 Apr 22;197:354-360. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is an effective biomedical intervention to manage opioid use disorder among persons who inject drugs (PWID). Preliminary evidence suggests that OAT may also disrupt the social communicability of injection drug use (IDU) practices by established PWID. We therefore aim to investigate the association between OAT enrollment and initiating others into IDU among PWID in Vancouver, Canada. Read More

Brain Res Bull 2019 Mar 20;148:18-24. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

Methamphetamine (METH) relapse affects the function of the serotonergic system, which this system important for synaptic plasticity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level. While there is a clear distribution of serotonin receptors in the reward and memory areas but the function of 5-HT receptor isn't known. This article assessed effects of BRL15572 hydrochloride (5-HT receptor antagonist) on behavior, long-term potentiation (LTP), and BDNF level in reinstated METH-rats. Read More

Scand J Immunol 2019 Mar 20:e12764. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

School of Life Science, BK21 Plus KNU Creative Bioresearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase protein with pro-inflammatory cytokine-like properties. Recent studies have revealed that SAA promoted interleukin-17 (IL-17) production by various cells, including γδ T cells. γδ T cells are innate immune cells and express Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on their surface, which is one of the SAA receptors. Read More

Case Rep Med 2019 11;2019:2070973. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Sukraraj Tropical & Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Aim: Dual coinfection of HCV and HBV in HIV-1-infected population is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Also, they share routes of HIV transmission; however, it might be associated with an independent factor like injecting drug use for HCV and unsafe sex for HBV. This case report suggests that hepatitis virus coinfection may lead to late response of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-1 patients. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2019 Mar 18;19(1):264. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

Department of Internal Medicine, Clinicum, Medical Faculty, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of death in HIV patients worldwide. Here we describe the epidemiology and outcome of HIV-TB co-infections in a high-income country with low TB incidence and integrated HIV and TB therapy according to European guidelines.

Methods: This study was based on the HIV cohort of the Helsinki University Hospital which includes all HIV patients in the Helsinki region with a population of 1. Read More

AIDS Behav 2019 Mar 16. Epub 2019 Mar 16.

HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at The New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, USA.

We tested the hypothesis that an updated "Break the Cycle" (BtC) intervention, based in social cognitive theory and motivational interviewing, would reduce the likelihood that current persons who inject drugs (PWID) would assist persons who do not inject drugs (non-PWID) with first injections in Tallinn, Estonia and Staten Island, New York City. 402 PWID were recruited, a baseline interview covering demographics, drug use, and assisting non-PWID with first drug injections was administered, followed by BtC intervention. 296 follow-up interviews were conducted 6 months post-intervention. Read More

Harm Reduct J 2019 Mar 14;16(1):19. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.

Background: It has been observed in an earlier study that the number of people who inject drugs (PWID) in Estonia is declining. We provide nationwide estimates of the number of PWID in Estonia for years 2010-2015 and compare different modelling strategies to minimise over-coverage-induced bias in capture-recapture estimates.

Methods: We obtained data from the Estonian Causes of Death Registry (DR) for opioid-related deaths, the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (HIF) for opioid-related overdose and drug dependence treatment episodes, and the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board (PB) drug-related misdemeanours. Read More

Front Microbiol 2019 26;10:320. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Laboratory of T-Lymphotropic Viruses, N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russia.

This study analyzes the HIV-1 subtype diversity and its phylodynamics in Moscow region, which is the most densely populated area of Russia characterized by high rates of internal and external migration. The demographic and viral data from 896 HIV-infected individuals collected during 2011-2016 were analyzed. The study revealed broad diversity in the HIV-1 subtypes found in Moscow, which included A6 (85. Read More

Drug Des Devel Ther 2019 19;13:707-718. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China,

Background: Local anesthetics in spinal anesthesia have neurotoxic effects, resulting in severe neurological complications. Intrathecal monosialoganglioside (GM1) administration has a therapeutic effect on bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity. The aim of this study was to determine the underlying mechanisms of bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity and the potential neuroprotective role of GM1. Read More

Transl Res 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pharmacology & Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address:

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2001 for the treatment of heart failure. However, the effects of BNP in clinical applications are controversial and uncertain. Recently, study indicated that high BNP levels are associated with an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Read More

BMC Public Health 2019 Mar 8;19(1):284. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9, Canada.

Background: While supervised injection services (SIS) feasibility research has been conducted in large urban centres across North America, it is unknown whether these services are acceptable among people who inject drugs (PWID) in remote, mid-size cities. We assessed willingness to use SIS and expected frequency of SIS use among PWID in Thunder Bay, a community in Northwestern, Ontario, Canada, serving people from suburban, rural and remote areas of the region.

Methods: Between June and October 2016, peer research associates administered surveys to PWID. Read More

J Addict Med 2019 Mar 4. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine (XW); Centre of Addiction and Mental Health, Addictions Division (FDP, NC); University of Toronto, Department of Family & Community Medicine (FDP); University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry, Ontario, Canada (NC).

: Reporting of intoxication and withdrawal from aberrant use of over-the-counter medication has been sparse and inconsistent in literature. Attributed to their anticholinergic properties, medications such as dimenhydrinate (Gravol) taken in supratherapeutic doses have been associated with euphoria, anxiolysis, and hallucinations. We present a case of a woman in her forties, with a psychiatric history of bipolar disorder, and complex concurrent medical history including familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), and fibromyalgia, admitted for withdrawal management of her intravenous dimenhydrinate use. Read More

PLoS One 2019 4;14(3):e0213357. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.

Introduction: Prescription drug abuse is a major public health problem in rural and suburban areas of the United States, however its emergence in large urban settings with endemic injection drug use remains understudied. We examined temporal trends in injection drug use initiation and mortality among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Baltimore, Maryland.

Methods: Data were derived from the baseline assessment of PWID enrolled in a community-based cohort study with longitudinal follow-up for mortality assessment. Read More

AIDS 2019 03;33(4):745-751

Objectives: Evaluate long-term rates of virological failure and treatment interruption for people living with HIV (PLWHIV) with viral suppression on first-line efavirenz + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate + emtricitabine/lamivudine (EFV + TDF + FTC/3TC), and compare these according to patient characteristics.

Methods: PLWHIV enrolled in the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe cohort collaboration, who started first-line EFV + TDF + FTC/3TC at age at least 16 years and had viral suppression (<200 copies/ml) within 9 months were included. Rates of virological failure (≥200 copies/ml) and (complete) treatment interruption were estimated according to years since initial suppression. Read More

AIDS 2019 Mar;33(4):685-689

Hospital Universitaro La Paz/IdiPAZ.

Objectives: We analysed hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection among participants in a prospective registry of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients treated with all-oral direct-acting antiretroviral (DAA)-based therapy in the region of Madrid.

Design: An observational cohort study.

Methods: The study period started on the date sustained viral response (SVR) was confirmed. Read More

Georgian Med News 2019 Jan(286):87-90

National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnitsa, Ukraine.

This paper is dedicated to the study of clinical-psychopathological manifestations of co-dependence in the families of HIV-infected injecting drug users and to finding out the structure of these manifestations and how often they happen, as well as the evaluation of the role of hereditary factors in the formation of co-dependence among those who are married to HIV-infected injecting drug users. It has been established that the specificity of genealogies of patients with co-dependence is confirmed by the following factors: high frequency of mental and behavioral disorders caused by alcohol abuse, as well as mental and behavioral disorders caused by opiate abuse, assortative mating of co-dependent persons, accumulation of chemical dependencies and other dependencies like pathological gambling, personality disorders and affective disorders, comorbidity of pathologies in families of co-dependent persons and their spouses. It has also been established that in accordance with ICD-10 criteria the following clinical signs of co-dependence were manifested: mental and behavioral disorders caused by alcohol abuse (9. Read More

J Forensic Leg Med 2019 Apr 14;63:1-6. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052, Australia.

Rates of stroke and obesity have increased in recent years. This study aimed to determine the body mass index (BMI) of fatal stroke cases amongst young adults, their clinical characteristics and the association with BMI with risk factors. All cases aged 15-44 years where death was attributed to stroke for whom BMI was available were retrieved from the National Coronial Information System (1/1/2009-31/12/2016). Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2019 Feb 28. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Background: HIV-positive gay and bisexual men (GBM) in Australia are well engaged in clinical care. We hypothesized that the World Health Organization's hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination target of an 80% reduction in incidence by 2030 may be reachable ahead of time in this population.

Methods: We predicted the effect of treatment and behavioral changes on HCV incidence among HIV-positive GBM up to 2025 using a HCV transmission model parameterized with Australian data. Read More

Subst Abus 2019 Feb 27:1-6. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

b New York University Silver School of Social Work , New York , New York , USA.

Background: There is a dearth of literature concerning the sexual behaviors of women who inject drugs. The existing literature emphasizes the violence, trauma, and social disadvantage experienced by these women and obscures any sense of agency or sexual pleasure. This omission imperils our ability to develop effective interventions for women, ignores the true context of their sexual and injection practices, and presumes women to be free of agency and thus at the will of external social, environmental, and economic factors. Read More

J Viral Hepat 2019 Feb 25. Epub 2019 Feb 25.

University College London Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.

Russia has one of the highest prevalences of paediatric chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC). Our aim was to provide a detailed characterization of children and adolescents with CHC including treatment outcomes. Thus, an observational study of children with CHC aged <18 years was conducted in three hepatology centres from November 2014 to May 2017. Read More

J Hepatol 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background & Aims: Understanding immune protection against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is necessary for designing an effective vaccine. A number of broadly-reactive, neutralizing antibodies have been isolated from B cells of HCV-infected subjects. However, it remains unclear whether B cells producing such antibodies contribute to the clearance and long-term immune protection against HCV. Read More

Health Policy Plan 2019 Feb 20. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK.

Integrating methadone and HIV care is a priority in many low- and middle-income settings experiencing a growing challenge of HIV epidemics linked to injecting drug use. There is as yet little understanding of how to integrate methadone and HIV care in these settings and how such services can be implemented; such a gap reflects, in part, limitations in theorizing an implementation science of integrated care. In response, we qualitatively explored the delivery of methadone after its introduction in Kenya to understand integration with HIV care. Read More

Am J Transl Res 2019 15;11(1):106-119. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Medical College, Hubei University for Nationalities Enshi, Hubei, China.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects, effective constituents and preliminary mechanisms of on liver fibrosis and screen new high-efficacy drug for fibrosis. 112 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 14 groups: control group (CG), CCL group (CTG), low/medium/high dose of ethanol extracts (EAE), catechin (CA), dihydroquercetin (DHQ) and kaempferol (KA) groups. The study lasted for 30 days by injecting CCL in peritoneal cavity to make fibrosis model, all mice were sacrificed to observe morphological changes and collagenous fiber by HE and Masson staining, to test liver index, ALT, AST, to measure the expression of α-SMA and collagen I by immunohistochemistry and western blotting, to discuss the pathways of TβR1-Smad2/3 and TNF-α-NF-κB by WB and Elisa; after being evaluated the efficacy, anti-fibrosis drug of highest efficacy was chosen to repeat these indexes in human hepatic stellate cells-LX2. Read More

Infection 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Institute of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.

Purpose: Our aim was to better explore the association between liver fibrosis (LF) and neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional cohort study by consecutively enrolling PLWH at two clinical centers. All subjects underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery; NCI was defined as having a pathological performance (1. Read More

Indian J Med Res 2018 Dec;148(6):743-747

Department of Pharmacology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belagavi, India.

Background & Objectives: Inflammatory processes are a recognized feature of atherosclerotic lesions. Ranolazine inhibits the inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukins-1 and -6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of anti-inflammatory activity of ranolazine in acute and sub-acute models of inflammation in rats and compare the same with that of control (gum acacia 1%) and aspirin (standard anti-inflammatory drug). Read More

Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench 2018 ;11(Suppl 1):S129-S133

Deputy of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.

Aim: This study was conducted to provide a clear epidemiological picture of HCV spatial pattern.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the major problems of public health, that its spatial and spatiotemporal pattern remain unclear in Hamadan province.

Methods: We used the scan statistic to identify the spatial and spatiotemporal clusters of HCV in Hamadan province with an emphasis on considering the role of carrier's and injecting drug users (IDUs) cases. Read More

J Immigr Minor Health 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC-0725, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0725, USA.

Cross-border infectious disease transmission is a concern related to drug tourism from the U.S. to Mexico. Read More