Today's Hours: 8:00am - 8:00pm

Search

Did You Mean:

Search Results

  • Article
    Chen Z, Xie L, Tang X, Zhang Z.
    MethodsX. 2023;10:101969.
    Although meiotic recombination is a key step shared by eukaryotes, the rate of recombination varies at different taxonomic levels. The construction of high-resolution genome-wide recombination maps will help us understand the variability patterns of recombination rates and their molecular basis. ONT sequencing technology has the characteristics of long read length, high throughput, and reasonable cost, and can be used as a data source for the construction of whole-gene recombination landscapes. In order to construct the genome-wide recombination map of an individual conveniently and accurately, we developed a method to construct the recombination landscape based on the third-generation sequencing technology, Oxford Nanopore Sequencing. Here we detail a step-by-step approach to efficiently and accurately construct genome-wide recombination maps using ONT pooled sequencing data. The main contents include compression homopolymers and alignment; acquisition of high-quality variants; estimation of recombinant molecules by the sliding window method; and construction of recombinant maps. The results of simulation data validation show that our method has high sensitivity and specificity at moderate heterozygous variant density and sequencing depth. This method provides a new way of constructing high-resolution individual genome recombination maps using long read sequences, and has important reference significance for the study of recombination rate variation.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Liao W, Coupland CAC, Innes H, Jepsen P, Matthews PC, Campbell C, DeLIVER consortium, Barnes E, Hippisley-Cox J.
    EClinicalMedicine. 2023 May;59:101969.
    Background: Liver cancer has one of the fastest rising incidence and mortality rates among all cancers in the UK, but it receives little attention. This study aims to understand the disparities in epidemiology and clinical pathways of primary liver cancer and identify the gaps for early detection and diagnosis of liver cancer in England.
    Methods: This study used a dynamic English primary care cohort of 8.52 million individuals aged ≥25 years in the QResearch database during 2008-2018, followed up to June 2021. The crude and age-standardised incidence rates, and the observed survival duration were calculated by sex and three liver cancer subtypes, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and other specified/unspecified primary liver cancer. Regression models were used to investigate factors associated with an incident diagnosis of liver cancer, emergency presentation, late stage at diagnosis, receiving treatments, and survival duration after diagnosis by subtype.
    Findings: 7331 patients were diagnosed with primary liver cancer during follow-up. The age-standardised incidence rates increased over the study period, particularly for HCC in men (increased by 60%). Age, sex, socioeconomic deprivation, ethnicity, and geographical regions were all significantly associated with liver cancer incidence in the English primary care population. People aged ≥80 years were more likely to be diagnosed through emergency presentation and in late stages, less likely to receive treatments and had poorer survival than those aged <60 years. Men had a higher risk of being diagnosed with liver cancer than women, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.9 (95% confidence interval 3.6-4.2) for HCC, 1.2 (1.1-1.3) for CCA, and 1.7 (1.5-2.0) for other specified/unspecified liver cancer. Compared with white British, Asians and Black Africans were more likely to be diagnosed with HCC. Patients with higher socioeconomic deprivation were more likely to be diagnosed through the emergency route. Survival rates were poor overall. Patients diagnosed with HCC had better survival rates (14.5% at 10-year survival, 13.1%-16.0%) compared to CCA (4.4%, 3.4%-5.6%) and other specified/unspecified liver cancer (12.5%, 10.1%-15.2%). For 62.7% of patients with missing/unknown stage in liver cancer, their survival outcomes were between those diagnosed in Stages III and IV.
    Interpretation: This study provides an overview of the current epidemiology and the disparities in clinical pathways of primary liver cancer in England between 2008 and 2018. A complex public health approach is needed to tackle the rapid increase in incidence and the poor survival of liver cancer. Further studies are urgently needed to address the gaps in early detection and diagnosis of liver cancer in England.
    Funding: The Early Detection of Hepatocellular Liver Cancer (DeLIVER) project is funded by Cancer Research UK (Early Detection Programme Award, grant reference: C30358/A29725).
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Heggdal POL, Aarstad HJ, Brännström J, Vassbotn FS, Specht K.
    Neuroimage Clin. 2019;24:101969.
    OBJECTIVE: Our main aim was to investigate the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response to monaural and binaural speech- and non-speech stimuli as measured with fMRI in subjects with single-sided deafness and in normal hearing controls. We hypothesised that the response to monaural stimulation in both normal hearing subjects and persons with single-sided deafness would vary with the complexity and nature of the stimuli and the side of stimulation.
    DESIGN: Patients with left- and right single-sided deafness and controls with normal hearing receiving either binaural or monaural stimuli were tested using speech and non-speech auditory stimuli in an event-related fMRI experiment.
    STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-two patients with single-sided deafness after treatment for vestibular schwannoma and 50 normal hearing controls.
    RESULTS: Normal hearing persons receiving right side monaural stimuli activate bilateral temporal regions. Activation following left side monaural stimulation is more right lateralized. Persons with single-sided deafness respond similarly to controls to monaural stimulation. Persons with right side single-sided deafness show activation of frontal cortical regions not seen in persons with left side single-sided deafness following speech stimuli. This is possibly related to increased effort and more frequently reported problems with communication. Right side single-sided deafness is related to increased activation of areas usually related to processing of degraded input, including the thalamus.
    CONCLUSION: Hemispheric dominance following monaural auditory stimulation is modulated by the spectral-temporal properties of the stimuli and by which ear is stimulated. Differences between patients with right- and left side deafness suggests that right side deafness is related to increased activation of areas involved in processing of degraded input.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Price S, Abel GA, Hamilton W.
    Cancer Epidemiol. 2021 08;73:101969.
    BACKGROUND: A standard measure of the cancer diagnostic pathway, diagnostic interval, is the time from "first presentation of cancer" to diagnosis. Cancer presentation may be unclear in patients with multimorbidity or non-specific symptoms, signs or test results ("features"). We propose an alternative, guideline interval, with a more certain start date; namely, when the patient first meets suspected-cancer criteria for investigation or referral.
    METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and English cancer registry data. Participants, aged ≥55 years, had diagnostic codes for oesophagogastric cancers in 1/1/12-31/12/17. Features of oesophagogastric cancer in the year before diagnosis were identified from CPRD codes for dysphagia, haematemesis, upper-abdominal mass or pain, low haemoglobin, reflux, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, weight loss or thrombocytosis. Diagnostic interval was the time from first feature to diagnosis; guidance interval, the time from first meeting criteria in NICE suspected-cancer guidance to diagnosis. Multimorbidity burden was quantified using Adjusted Clinical Groups®. Accelerated failure-time models explored associations between multimorbidity burden and length of both diagnostic and guideline interval.
    RESULTS: There were 3,793 eligible participants (69.0 % male), mean age 74.1 years (SD 10.5). 3,097 (81.7 %) presented with ≥1 feature in the year before diagnosis, and 1,990 (52.5 %) met NICE suspected-cancer criteria. The median for both intervals was 11 days in healthy users, and rose with increasing morbidity burden. At very high multimorbidity burden, diagnostic interval was 5.47 (95%CI 3.25-9.20) times longer and guideline interval was 3.91 (2.63-5.80) times longer than for healthy users.
    CONCLUSIONS: Guideline interval is proposed as a new measure of the cancer diagnostic pathway. It has a more certain start date than diagnostic interval, and is lengthened less than diagnostic interval in people with a very high multimorbidity burden. Guideline interval has potential for assessing the implementation of suspected-cancer policies.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Gamallat Y, Fang X, Mai H, Liu X, Li H, Zhou P, Han D, Zheng S, Liao C, Yang M, Li Y, Zuo L, Sun L, Hu H, Li N.
    Redox Biol. 2021 07;43:101969.
    Fibrous sheath interacting protein 1 (Fsip1) is a cytoskeletal structural protein of the sperm flagellar proteome. A few studies have reported that it plays a vital role in the tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, little is known about the role of Fsip1 in spermatogenesis and mammalian sperm flagellogenesis. Fsip1 protein showed the highest expression in round spermatids, and was translocated from nucleus to the anterior region of the elongating spermatid head. To investigate its role we constructed homozygous Fsip1 null (Fsip1-/-) mice. We found that the homozygous Fsip1-/- mutant mice were infertile, with a low sperm count and impaired motility. Interestingly, a subtle phenotype characterized by abnormal head shape, and flagella deformities was observed in the sperm of Fsip1-/- mutant mice similar to the partial globozoospermia phenotype. Electron microscopy analysis of Fsip1-/- sperm revealed abnormal accumulation of mitochondria, disrupted axoneme and retained cytoplasm. Testicular sections showed increased cytoplasmic vacuoles in the elongated spermatid of Fsip1-/-mice, which indicated an intraflagellar transport (IFT) defect. Using proteomic approaches, we characterized the cellular components and the mechanism underlying this subtle phenotype. Our result indicated that Fsip1-/-downregulates the formation of acrosomal membrane and vesicles proteins, intraflagellar transport particles B, and sperm flagellum components. Our results suggest that Fsip1 is essential for normal spermiogenesis, and plays an essential role in the acrosome biogenesis and flagellogenesis by attenuating intraflagellar transport proteins.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Kalafateli AL, Satir TM, Vallöf D, Zetterberg H, Jerlhag E.
    Prog Neurobiol. 2021 05;200:101969.
    Alcohol causes stimulatory behavioral responses by activating reward-processing brain areas including the laterodorsal (LDTg) and ventral tegmental areas (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Systemic administration of the amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist salmon calcitonin (sCT) attenuates alcohol-mediated behaviors, but the brain sites involved in this process remain unknown. Firstly, to identify potential sCT sites of action in the brain, we used immunohistochemistry after systemic administration of fluorescent-labeled sCT. We then performed behavioral experiments to explore how infused sCT into the aforementioned reward-processing brain areas affects acute alcohol-induced behaviors in mice and chronic alcohol consumption in rats. We show that peripheral sCT crosses the blood brain barrier and is detected in all the brain areas studied herein. sCT infused into the LDTg attenuates alcohol-evoked dopamine release in the NAc shell in mice and reduces alcohol intake in rats. sCT into the VTA blocks alcohol-induced locomotor stimulation and dopamine release in the NAc shell in mice and decreases alcohol intake in rats. Lastly, sCT into the NAc shell prevents alcohol-induced locomotor activity in mice. Our data suggest that central sCT modulates the ability of alcohol to activate reward-processing brain regions.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Berthold DE, Lefler FW, Huang IS, Abdulla H, Zimba PV, Laughinghouse HD.
    Harmful Algae. 2021 01;101:101969.
    Iningainema is a recently described genus of heterocytous, false-branching cyanobacteria originally described from Australia. In this work, we present Iningainema tapete sp. nov., isolated from subaerial and terrestrial environments in central Florida (USA). In comparison to the sister species, our novel cyanobacterium produces nodularin-R (NOD-R) and a methylated isoform [MeAdda3] NOD previously not reported within this genus; in addition to possessing the biosynthetic gene clusters for microcystin and anabaenopeptins production. Nodularin accumulation by this cyanobacterium exceeded 500 µg g-1 dry weight in cultures grown in nitrogen-depleted media. Such elevated toxin concentrations are alarming as the cyanobacterium was isolated from a food production greenhouse and poses a potential risk for food products and for workforce exposure. Using morphology, 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) secondary structure, coupled with toxin detection and toxin gene presence, we provide evidence for the establishment of a novel toxic species of cyanobacteria, Iningainema tapete.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Hanscheid T, Grobusch MP.
    Parasitol Int. 2020 02;74:101969.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Singh MS, Harna B, Singh S, Vishwakarma G.
    Foot (Edinb). 2023 Mar;54:101969.
    PURPOSE: Chronic insertional Achilles tendinopathy is a common pathology in the over 50 years old population. Patients not relieved with conservative treatment had to undergo surgical intervention for the management. This study evaluates the clinical outcome of FHL transfer in such patients using validated ankle functional scores.
    METHOD: It is a retrospective study including 20 patients of either gender managed with debridement of the distal degenerative remnant Achilles tendon fibers either at the insertion site or the distal end of the torn tendon, resection of Haglund deformity with FHL transfer, and reattachment of Achilles tendon. The average age of the patients was 56.55 + 11 years (50-77 years) followed by over 35.6 months (Range 22-48months). The preoperative FAAM, FADI, SF 36, VAS, and AOFAS scores were calculated and followed every 6 months. The plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle were also recorded preoperatively and at follow-up visits.
    RESULTS: All the patients were operated on by a single surgeon (MS) with the same surgical technique, implant, and rehabilitation protocol. All the patients were followed for an average of 35.6 months (Range 22-48 months). All the ankle scores, FAAM, FADI, SF36, VAS, and AOFAS improved in follow-ups. The mean plantarflexion and dorsiflexion were 39.300+ 4.90 and 12.50+ 4.70 respectively. Three patients had minor wound complications. All the patients returned to activities of daily living.
    CONCLUSION: FHL transfer in elderly patients with insertional Achilles tendinopathy improves the validated ankle functional scores and decreases pain significantly. Furthermore, randomized studies with a larger study population and longer follow-ups may ascertain the beneficial effects.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Zang X, Wang R, Wang Z, Qiu S, Zhang F, Zhou L, Shen Y, Qian H, Xu W, Jiang J.
    Transl Oncol. 2024 Jul;45:101969.
    BACKGROUND: Exosomes, one of small extracellular vesicles, play a vital role in cell to cell communication and contribute to the advancement of tumors through their cargo molecules. Exosomal circRNAs have emerged as significant players in various types of tumors. Thus, this study aimed to investigate how exosomal circRNAs are involved in the diagnosis and progression of gastric cancer (GC).
    METHODS: Serum exosomes were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and Western blot. CCK-8, colony formation and transwell assays were conducted to study the function of hsa_circ_0050547 (named as circ50547). qRT-PCR was used to quantify the expression of circ50547 in GC tissues and serum exosomes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to detect the cellular distribution of circ50547. Stemness and drug-resistance were detected by sphere formation, WB, flow cytometry and half-maximal inhibitory concentration analyses. Bioinformatic analyses, luciferase experiments, qRT-PCR and WB were used to investigate molecular mechanisms.
    RESULTS: We discovered for the first time a new type of GC-derived exosomal circRNA, circ50547. We found that circ50547 is highly expressed in both GC tissues and serum exosomes. Interestingly, we observed that the diagnostic value of exosomal circ50547 is superior to that of serum circ50547. Circ50547 overexpression enhanced the proliferation, migration, invasion, stemness and drug resistance of GC cells, while knockdown of circ50547 showed the opposite effect. Mechanistically, circ50547 acted as a sponge for miR-217 to regulate the expression of HNF1B, which promoted gastric cancer progression.
    CONCLUSION: Exosomal circ50547 may be a promising marker for the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of GC. These findings suggest that it plays an oncogenic role through miR-217/HNF1B signaling pathway in GC.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Gao Y, Kim K, Vitrac H, Salazar RL, Gould BD, Soedkamp D, Spivia W, Raedschelders K, Dinh AQ, Guzman AG, Tan L, Azinas S, Taylor DJR, Schiffer W, McNavish D, Burks HB, Gottlieb RA, Lorenzi PL, Hanson BM, Van Eyk JE, Taegtmeyer H, Karlstaedt A.
    Mol Metab. 2024 Jun 20:101969.
    OBJECTIVES: Cachexia is a metabolic disorder and comorbidity with cancer and heart failure. The syndrome impacts more than thirty million people worldwide, accounting for 20% of all cancer deaths. In acute myeloid leukemia, somatic mutations of the metabolic enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 cause the production of the oncometabolite D2-hydroxyglutarate (D2-HG). Increased production of D2-HG is associated with heart and skeletal muscle atrophy, but the mechanistic links between metabolic and proteomic remodeling remain poorly understood. Therefore, we assessed how oncometabolic stress by D2-HG activates autophagy and drives skeletal muscle loss.
    METHODS: We quantified genomic, metabolomic, and proteomic changes in cultured skeletal muscle cells and mouse models of IDH-mutant leukemia using RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, and computational modeling.
    RESULTS: D2-HG impairs NADH redox homeostasis in myotubes. Increased NAD+ levels drive activation of nuclear deacetylase Sirt1, which causes deacetylation and activation of LC3, a key regulator of autophagy. Using LC3 mutants, we confirm that deacetylation of LC3 by Sirt1 shifts its distribution from the nucleus into the cytosol, where it can undergo lipidation at pre-autophagic membranes. Sirt1 silencing or p300 overexpression attenuated autophagy activation in myotubes. In vivo, we identified increased muscle atrophy and reduced grip strength in response to D2-HG in male vs. female mice. In male mice, glycolytic intermediates accumulated, and protein expression of oxidative phosphorylation machinery was reduced. In contrast, female animals upregulated the same proteins, attenuating the phenotype in vivo. Network modeling and machine learning algorithms allowed us to identify candidate proteins essential for regulating oncometabolic adaptation in mouse skeletal muscle.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our multi-omics approach exposes new metabolic vulnerabilities in response to D2-HG in skeletal muscle and provides a conceptual framework for identifying therapeutic targets in cachexia.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Ruiz N.
    Poult Sci. 2022 08;101(8):101969.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Indo H, Ito H, Koriyama C, Majima HJ, Shimada K, Tamatsu Y.
    Leg Med (Tokyo). 2022 Feb;54:101969.
    Fetal age is estimated widely by body length and weight and skeletal or dental development and maturation. Regarding dental development, dental development charts reported by Schour and Massler and Ubelaker are well known. We tried to calculate the calcification rate of the deciduous teeth, mandibular cortical bone, and clavicle in fetuses utilizing postmortem computed tomography (CT) image analysis. The CT values within the circumferential area of the region of interest were automatically calculated using a software, and the calcification rate was calculated by performing single regression analysis. Our results showed that deciduous tooth calcification could be detected in over 19-week-old fetuses using CT images. The calcification of bones (mandibular cortical bone and clavicle) started earlier than the calcification of deciduous teeth. However, the calcification rate of the bones was slower compared to that of the deciduous teeth. The calcification rate of the deciduous teeth in fetuses using CT value may be effective to estimate fetal age and evaluate deciduous teeth development, suggesting that our established method is effective for age estimation in forensic dentistry.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Moriuchi Y, Yanagihara T, Ogata H, Amemiya M, Ogawa A, Ishimatsu A, Otsuka J, Taguchi K, Kadowaki M, Maemura H, Moriwaki A, Yoshida M.
    Respir Med Case Rep. 2024;47:101969.
    We present a case of an 86-year-old woman who visited our hospital with a one-year history of exertional dyspnea (modified medical research council dyspnea scale; mMRC grade 2). Despite the absence of any smoking or dust exposure history, multiple cystic lesions were apparent in both lungs on her CT scan. We suspected Sjögren's syndrome-associated lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) due to her additional symptoms of dry mouth and eyes. Her respiratory function test showed a restrictive disorder with a forced vital capacity (FVC) of 1.23 L (70.3 % predicted), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 0.88 L, and FEV1/FVC of 71.5 %. The flow-volume curve showed a downward convex, suggesting peripheral airway obstruction. We initiated a daily inhalation treatment regimen comprising vilanterol 25 μg and fluticasone furoate 200 μg. One month later, at the follow-up visit, the clinical diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome with LIP was made by positive SS-A and SS-B antibodies in the initial blood work, a Saxon test that confirmed decreased salivary secretion, and a confirmed diagnosis of dry eyes by her ophthalmologist. We noted improvement in FVC of 1.45 L (+17.8 %) and FEV1 to 0.99 L (+12.5 %) in the subsequent respiratory function test, along with alleviation of her symptoms. The present case represents the first report of LIP treated exclusively with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators, highlighting a potential therapeutic approach, particularly for elderly patients vulnerable to immunosuppressive therapies.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Sugarbaker PH.
    Surg Oncol. 2023 Dec;51:101969.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Nicolò G, Raimo N, Polcini PT, Vitolla F.
    Eval Program Plann. 2021 10;88:101969.
    This work aims to explore the relationship between academic performance and voluntary Intellectual Capital (IC) disclosure in the context of Italian Public Universities. This study applies a content analysis to investigate the extent of voluntary Intellectual Capital disclosure (ICD) provided through performance reports by a sample of 59 Italian public universities. Four multivariate regression models are estimated to examine the associations between academic performance and the level of ICD and its sub-components, namely Human Capital, Structural Capital and Relational Capital. The content analysis findings show that Italian public universities place a high value on disclosing human capital information. The results based on the multivariate analysis confirm the view that, in the case of higher performance, Italian Public Universities tend to convey a greater extent of information on both IC and its sub-components. This study broadens the scope of mainstream ICD literature's actions by bringing new expertise about the interconnections between university performance and voluntary ICD provided via performance reports. Connecting university performance to ICD can enhance the practical and theoretical understanding of the role that ICD may exert for universities to signalling their excellence and explain to stakeholders how they create value and achieve superior performance, focusing on their strategic - IC-based resources.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Lee S, Goyal A, Perelson AS, Ishida Y, Saito T, Gale M.
    iScience. 2021 Jan 22;24(1):101969.
    Hepatitis B virus (HBV) mediates persistent infection, chronic hepatitis, and liver disease. HBV covalently closed circular (ccc)DNA is central to viral persistence such that its elimination is considered the cornerstone for HBV cure. Inefficient detection by pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) in the infected hepatocyte facilitates HBV persistence via avoidance of innate immune activation and interferon regulatory factor (IRF)3 induction of antiviral gene expression. We evaluated a small molecule compound, F7, and 5'-triphosphate-poly-U/UC pathogen-associated-molecular-pattern (PAMP) RNA agonists of RIG-I, a PRR that signals innate immunity, for ability to suppress cccDNA. F7 and poly-U/UC PAMP treatment of HBV-infected cells induced RIG-I signaling of IRF3 activation to induce antiviral genes for suppression of cccDNA formation and accelerated decay of established cccDNA, and were additive to the actions of entecavir. Our study shows that activation of the RIG-I pathway and IRF3 to induce innate immune actions offers therapeutic benefit toward elimination of cccDNA.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Zhao P, Song X, Nie L, Wang Q, Zhang P, Ding Y, Wang Q.
    Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2020 Dec;32:101969.
    BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and lasers have been widely applied in non-surgical treatments in recent decades; however, their efficacy is not known. The objective of this study was to compare adjunctive PDT, different lasers, and scaling and root planning (SRP) in the management of chronic periodontitis.
    METHODS: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing adjunctive PDT, different lasers, and SRP were identified. Relevant data were extracted, and the quality and risk of bias were evaluated. Network meta-analyses were performed to analyze clinical attachment level (CAL) outcomes.
    RESULTS: Forty-four studies, including 10 types of adjuncts, were included. PDT + SRP and PDT + diode laser (DL)+SRP were significantly more efficient than SRP at the 3-month and 6-month follow-up. Adjunctive potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser showed significantly more CAL gains than SRP at 6 months. The most effective adjunctive treatment at 3 months was PDT + DL (60 %) and at 6 months was KTP laser (71 %).
    CONCLUSIONS: PDT + DL + SRP and PDT + SRP were found to be preferentially recommended methods. KTP + SRP was significantly superior to SRP at the 6-month follow-up. However, further investigations are necessary.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    McManus KA, Strumpf A, Killelea A, Horn T, Hamp A, Keim-Malpass J.
    Prev Med Rep. 2022 Oct;29:101969.
    As part of the Ryan White HIV/AIDs Program, the federally-funded, state-administered AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) provides prescription drug medications, including antiretroviral therapy, for people with HIV (PWH) who are uninsured/underinsured and have a low income. ADAP expenditures are ∼$2.4 billion annually, but there is a dearth of formal economic analysis supporting the societal perspective. We conducted a systematic review of economic analyses of the United States' AIDS Drug Assistance Program to establish future research priorities based on gaps in knowledge. We searched six electronic databases for articles published before January 2022 that met inclusion criteria. We used the 2022 Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards to assess the quality of reporting of the economic evaluations. We extracted data into categories to assess gaps and needs for future economic evaluation. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Two used the same modeling approaches but were published with slightly different outcomes. The few economic analyses that focused solely on ADAP were conducted using 2008 or older data. The most recent study modeled the net cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) secondary to reducing new HIV cases among those virally suppressed, but did not include the economic or health benefits for PWH. ADAP programs' delivery of antiretroviral therapy has shifted from primarily direct provision to subsidizing insurance plans. None of the models take these shifts into account. Updated person-centered cost effectiveness models assessing ADAP are needed on a national and state-by-state level to guide policy decisions and coverage determinations.
    Digital Access Access Options
  • Article
    Burrows H, Slatculescu AM, Feng CX, Clow KM, Guillot C, Jardine CM, Leighton PA, Krause PJ, Kulkarni MA.
    Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2022 09;13(5):101969.
    Lyme disease is an emerging public health threat in Ontario, Canada due to ongoing range expansion of the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Tick density is an important predictor of human Lyme disease risk and is typically measured using active tick surveillance via drag sampling, which is time and resource-intensive. New cost-effective tools are needed to augment current surveillance activities. Our objective was to evaluate the ability of a maximum entropy (Maxent) species distribution model to predict I. scapularis density in three regions of Ontario - Ottawa, Kingston, and southern Ontario - in order to determine its utility in predicting the public health risk of Lyme disease. Ticks were collected via drag sampling at 60 sites across the three regions. Model-predicted habitat suitability was calculated from a previously constructed Maxent model as the mean predicted habitat suitability within a 1-km radius of each site. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to quantify the continuous relationship between model-predicted habitat suitability and tick density, and negative binomial regression was used to quantify the relationship between tick density and model-predicated habitat suitability. Spearman's correlation coefficients for the full study area, Kingston region, and Ottawa region were 0.517, 0.707, and 0.537, respectively, indicating a moderate positive relationship and ability of the model to predict tick density. Regression analysis further demonstrated a significant positive association between tick density and model-predicted habitat suitability (p< 0.001). Using a dichotomized measure of model-predicted habitat suitability, the incidence rate ratio - the ratio of ticks per m2 in sites predicted to have a 'suitable' habitat compared to those predicted to have 'not suitable' habitat - was 33.95, indicating that tick density was significantly higher at sites situated in areas with predicted suitable habitat. Given that tick density is an important component of Lyme disease risk, the ability to predict high tick density locations using the Maxent model may make it a cost-effective tool for identifying geographic areas that pose elevated public health risk of Lyme disease.
    Digital Access Access Options