Opportunities and Challenges: Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment Access Experiences Among People in Methadone and Buprenorphine Treatment During COVID-19, Arizona, 2021.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to characterize hepatitis C virus screening and treatment access experiences among people in treatment for opioid use disorder in Arizona during COVID-19. Methods: Arizonans receiving treatment for opioid use disorder from methadone clinics and buprenorphine providers during COVID-19 were interviewed about hepatitis C virus testing, curative treatment, and knowledge about screening recommendations. Interviews were conducted with 121 people from August 4, 2021 to October 10, 2021. Qualitative data were coded using the categories of hepatitis C virus testing, knowledge of screening recommendations, diagnosis, and experiences seeking curative treatment. Data were also quantitated for bivariate testing with outcome variables of last hepatitis C virus test, diagnosis, and curative treatment process. Findings were arrayed along an adapted hepatitis C virus cascade framework to inform program and policy improvements. Results: Just over half of the sample reported ever having tested for hepatitis C virus (51.2%, n=62) and of this group, 58.1% were tested in the past 12 months. Among those who were ever tested, 54.8% reported a hepatitis C virus diagnosis and 16.1% reported either being in treatment or having been declared cured of the hepatitis C virus. Among those who were diagnosed with hepatitis C, 14.7% indicated that they unsuccessfully tried to access curative treatment and would not attempt to again. Reasons cited for not accessing or receiving curative treatment included beliefs about treatment safety, barriers created by access requirements, natural resolution of the infection, and issues with healthcare coverage and authorization. Conclusions: Structural barriers continue to prevent curative hepatitis C virus treatment access. Given that methadone and buprenorphine treatment providers serve patients who are largely undiagnosed or treated for hepatitis C virus, opportunities exist for them to screen their patients regularly and provide support for and/or navigation to hepatitis C virus curative treatment.

Fluoroquinolones and tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the main causes of morbidity worldwide, and the emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in some parts of the world has become a major concern. The decrease in activity of the major anti-TB drugs, such as isoniazid and rifampicin, is an important threat and alternative therapies are urgently required. The anti-TB activity of the fluoroquinolones has been under investigation since the 1980s. Many are active in vitro but only a few, including ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, levofloxacin and lomefloxacin, have been clinically tested. Fluoroquinolones can be used in co-therapy with the available anti-TB drugs. However, the choice of fluoroquinolone should be based not only on the in vitro activity, but also on the long-term tolerance. Fluoroquinolones are novel anti-TB drugs to be used when a patient is infected with a MDR-TB strain.

The Role Played by Computation in Understanding Hard Materials.

In the last decade, computation has played a valuable role in the understanding of materials. Hard materials, in particular, are only part of the application. Although materials involving B, C, N or O remain the most valued atomic component of hard materials, with diamond retaining its distinct superiority as the hardest, other materials involving a wide variety of metals are proving important. In the present work the importance of both ab-initio approaches and molecular dynamics aspects will be discussed with application to quite different systems. On one hand, ab-initio methods are applied to lightweight systems and advanced nitrides. Following, the use of molecular dynamics will be considered with application to strong metals that are used for high temperature applications.

Numerical investigations into mechanical properties of hexagonal silicon carbon nanowires and nanotubes.

Single-crystalline hexagonal faceted silicon carbon nanowires and nanotubes possess simultaneous high strength and failure strain. As long as SiC nanowires or nanotubes are large or thick enough to sustain a single atomic configuration under loading, their mechanical properties are size independent. Surface atoms are firstly forced to move by stretching and then destroy the equilibrium of subsurface atoms. Then, the force in carbon-silicon bonds along the tensile directions becomes larger than that in other bonds and results in elongation by three-times of the former than that of the latter. However, the latter bonds connecting the surface to the subsurface are broken and the wires or tubes are ruptured. For thinner nanowires and nanotubes, the broken bonds don't propagate instantly, but initiate transformation from a wurtzite to a graphitic structure. This structure transformation can strengthen and plasticize SiC nanowires and nanotubes.

Effects of various media on the activity of NXL103 (formerly XRP 2868), a new oral streptogramin, against Haemophilus influenzae.

The activity of NXL103 against 108 strains of Haemophilus influenzae was tested using Haemophilus test media (HTM) obtained from various sources. With the exception of those obtained with stored HTM, MICs did not differ significantly, with MIC(50) and MIC(90) values of 0.5 and 0.5 to 1 microg/ml, respectively, in each medium.

Physaloside A, an acylated sucrose ester from Physalis viscosa.

Chemical investigations of the crude MeOH extract of Physalis viscosa led to the identification of the novel acylated sucrose ester physaloside A (1). The structure of 1 was determined by 2D NMR analysis, and the absolute configuration was determined by chemical degradation and comparison with authentic standards.