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Background: Data on the effectiveness of one dose of HPV vaccine are lacking, particularly in population-based settings. Data from a national HPV immunisation catch-up programme of 14-18-year-old girls were used to assess the effectiveness of<3 doses of the bivalent vaccine on vaccine-type and cross-reactive-type HPV infection.Methods: Cervical samples from women attending for their first cervical smear, which had been genotyped for HPV as part of a longitudinal HPV surveillance programme were linked to immunisation records to establish the number of vaccine doses (0, 1, 2 and 3) administered. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) adjusted for deprivation and age at first dose, was assessed for prevalent HPV 16/18 and HPV 31/33/45 infection.Results: VE for prevalent HPV 16/18 infection associated with 1, 2 and 3 doses was 48.2% (95% CI 16.8, 68.9), 54.8% (95% CI 30.7, 70.8) and 72.8% (95% CI 62.8, 80.3). Equivalent VE for prevalent HPV 31/33/45 infection was -1.62% (95% CI -85.1, 45.3), 48.3% (95% CI 7.6, 71.8) and 55.2% (95% CI 32.6, 70.2).Conclusions: Consistent with recent aggregated trial data, we demonstrate the potential effectiveness of even one dose of HPV vaccine on vaccine-type infection. Given that these women were immunised as part of a catch-up campaign, the VE observed in this study is likely to be an underestimate of what will occur in girls vaccinated at younger ages. Further population-based studies which look at the clinical efficacy of one-dose schedules are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To document the effect of bivalent HPV immunisation on cervical cytology as a screening test and assess the implications of any change, using a retrospective analysis of routinely collected data from the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme (SCSP).Methods: Data were extracted from the Scottish Cervical Call Recall System (SCCRS), the Scottish Population Register and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. A total of 95 876 cytology records with 2226 linked histology records from women born between 1 January 1988 and 30 September 1993 were assessed. Women born in or after 1990 were eligible for the national catch-up programme of HPV immunisation. The performance of cervical cytology as a screening test was evaluated using the key performance indicators used routinely in the English and Scottish Cervical Screening Programmes (NHSCSP and SCSP), and related to vaccination status.Results: Significant reductions in positive predictive value (16%) and abnormal predictive value (63%) for CIN2+ and the mean colposcopy score (18%) were observed. A significant increase (38%) in the number of women who had to be referred to colposcopy to detect one case of CIN2+ was shown. The negative predictive value of negative- or low-grade cytology for CIN2+ increased significantly (12%). Sensitivity and specificity, as used by the UK cervical screening programmes, were maintained.Conclusions: The lower incidence of disease in vaccinated women alters the key performance indicators of cervical cytology used to monitor the quality of the screening programme. These findings have implications for screening, colposcopy referral criteria, colposcopy practice and histology reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To measure the uptake of first invitation to cervical screening by vaccine status in a population-based cohort offered HPV immunisation in a national catch-up campaign.Methods: A retrospective observational study of routinely collected data from the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme. Data were extracted and linked from the Scottish Cervical Call Recall System, the Scottish Population Register and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Records from 201 023 women born between 1 January 1988 and 30 September 1993 were assessed. Women born in or after 1990 were eligible for the national catch-up programme of HPV immunisation. Attendance for screening was within 12 months of the first invitation at age 20 years.Results: There was a significant decline in overall attendance from the 1988 cohort to the 1993 cohort with the adjusted attendance ratio of the 1988 cohort being 1.49 times (95% CI 1.46-1.52) that of the 1993 cohort. Immunisation compensated for this decrease in uptake with unvaccinated individuals having a reduced ratio of attendance compared with those fully vaccinated (RR=0.65, 95% CI 0.64-0.65). Not taking up the opportunity for HPV immunisation was associated with an attendance for screening below the trend line for all women before the availability of HPV immunisation.Conclusions: HPV immunisation is not associated with the reduced attendance for screening that had been feared. Immunised women in the catch-up cohorts appear to be more motivated to attend than unimmunised women, but this may be a result of a greater awareness of health issues. These results, while reassuring, may not be reproduced in routinely immunised women. Continued monitoring of attendance for the first smear and subsequent routine smears is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:In Scotland, a national HPV immunisation programme began in 2008 for 12- to 13-year olds, with a catch-up campaign from 2008 to 2011 for those under the age of 18. To monitor the impact of HPV immunisation on cervical disease at the population level, a programme of national surveillance was established.Methods:We analysed colposcopy data from a cohort of women born between 1988 and 1992 who entered the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme (SCSP) and were aged 20-21 in 2008-2012.Results:By linking datasets from the SCSP and colposcopy services, we observed a significant reduction in diagnoses of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (CIN 1; RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.87; P=0.0008), CIN 2 (RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.63; P<0.0001) and CIN 3 (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.58; P<0.0001) for women who received three doses of vaccine compared with unvaccinated women.Conclusions:To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to show a reduction of low- and high-grade CIN associated with high uptake of the HPV bivalent vaccine at the population level. These data are very encouraging for countries that have achieved high HPV vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reef manta ray Manta alfredi aggregates at several sites along the east coast of Australia. Photographic identification and mark-recapture methods were used to report on the site affinity, size and structure of this population of M. alfredi. A total of 716 individuals were identified in 1982-2012, including 636 at Lady Elliot Island (LEI), southern Great Barrier Reef. Over 60 % of individuals identified were resighted at least once during the study period. Multiple resightings within and among years imply a high degree of site affinity by individuals to aggregation sites. One individual was sighted 11 times at LEI over a 30-yr period. The sex ratio of this population was significantly biased towards females (1.2:1 female-to-male ratio), and females were more commonly resighted than males. Robust design population models were used to estimate the population size of the winter aggregation at LEI over a 4-yr period. The models estimated up to 456 (95 % CI 399-535) M. alfredi individuals in the population within one winter season and a high annual apparent survival. This study demonstrated that waters around LEI form a key aggregation site for a large portion of the M. alfredi population in east Australian waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2008, a national human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme began in Scotland for 12-13 year old females with a three-year catch-up campaign for those under the age of 18. Since 2008, three-dose uptake of bivalent vaccine in the routine cohort aged 12-13 has exceeded 90% annually, while in the catch-up cohort overall uptake is 66%.Methods: To monitor the impact of HPV immunisation, a programme of national surveillance was established (pre and post introduction) which included yearly sampling and HPV genotyping of women attending for cervical screening at age 20. By linking individual vaccination, screening and HPV testing records, we aim to determine the impact of the immunisation programme on circulating type-specific HPV infection particularly for four outcomes: (i) the vaccine types HPV 16 or 18 (ii) types considered to be associated with cross-protection: HPV 31, 33 or 45; (iii) all other high-risk types and (iv) any HPV.Results: From a total of 4679 samples tested, we demonstrate that three doses (n=1100) of bivalent vaccine are associated with a significant reduction in prevalence of HPV 16 and 18 from 29.8% (95% confidence interval 28.3, 31.3%) to 13.6% (95% confidence interval 11.7, 15.8%). The data also suggest cross-protection against HPV 31, 33 and 45. HPV 51 and 56 emerged as the most prevalent (10.5% and 9.6%, respectively) non-vaccine high-risk types in those vaccinated, but at lower rates than HPV 16 (25.9%) in those unvaccinated.Conclusions: This data demonstrate the positive impact of bivalent vaccination on the prevalence of HPV 16, 18, 31, 33 and 45 in the target population and is encouraging for countries which have achieved high-vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shade cloth is commonly used in agroforestry research. It produces a continuous, uniform reduced light environment. Shade cloth and a slatted structure were compared in relation to the inability to represent the light regime and plant responses of an agroforestry system. The split-split-plot randomised block experiment had main plots as covering status (with or without radiata pine trees), subplots as artificial shade (none, shade cloth or wooden slats) and sub-subplots as growth rotation, over sown alfalfa, in three replicates. The quantity of light transmittance was 49% under trees, 41% under cloth and 44% under slats. Temporal changes and spectral composition under trees were more accurately reproduced under the slats than shade cloth. The red to far red ratio was 0.64 under tree shade and 0.74 during the shaded period under slats. This compared with 1.31 in open pasture, 1.28 under shade cloth in open and 1.26 under slats during sunny periods. To compensate for low light quantity and quality, alfalfa had elongated stems and internodes. In open pasture and under cloth in the open, it produced short stems. The mean dry matter yield under trees was 68% of the 30.3 t ha in open pasture, 56% under cloth and 57% under slats. The slats induced similar morphological responses in alfalfa to those in the agroforestry system. The magnitude of changes had little effect on growth and yield responses. The artificial slatted structure approximated the intermittent light environment and consequent plant responses observed in an agroforestry system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture content from 0 to 2 m depth was monitored under 2–6 year old radiata pine ( Pinus radiata) with three understoreys of bare ground, lucerne ( Medicago sativa) and ryegrass/clover ( Lolium perenne/ Trifolium spp.) and under adjacent open-grown lucerne and ryegrass/clover pastures. By the fifth year soil moisture depletion/recharge pattern under the trees alone was similar to that under open pasture and under trees with pasture understoreys. Maximum plant available moisture storage was 207–223 mm in the top meter of this Templeton silt loam soil but only 69–104 mm at 1–2 m depth where coarse textures often predominated. Lucerne reduced soil moisture content (SMC) to lower levels during drier summers and extracted more water from 1 to 2 m depth than ryegrass/clover. Evapotranspiration (ET) during early summer when soil moisture was high was close to the Penman potential evapotranspiration (E p), but the difference increased when SMC in the top meter dropped below 200 mm. The silvopasture treatments had higher ET in winter than pasture alone but this was still less than E p. Soil moisture deficits (SMD) at the end of each summer were sufficiently large to require slightly higher than normal winter rainfall and ET < E p to recharge the soil to field capacity before the next summer. The soil moisture results, taken together with root and growth data, suggest that trees and understorey pastures are complementary in the first three or four growing seasons but this balance subsequently declines in favor of the pine trees. Management options, to extend the period that understorey pastures are productive, include reducing tree stockings, more vigorous pruning, using competitive understoreys and changing from pines to deciduous trees. Research on new silvopastoral combinations is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture content (SMC) and throughfall were monitored along transects between rows of radiata pine ( Pinus radiata D. Don) planted at 7 m row spacing and grown with ryegrass/clover or lucerne pastures or with no understorey. SMC was recorded to 1 or 2 m depths for years 2–6 or 4–6, respectively. The predominant rainfall from the south–south–west (SSW) direction created rain shadows (60% of open pasture) on the northern sunny side of the trees. The rain shadows increased as the trees grew but their position were modified by stand pruning and thinning in years 4 and 5. SMC in the top meter showed strong positional effects with the lowest SMC under the tree crowns and on the northern side. There were strong seasonal patterns driven by high spring and summer evapotranspiration, modified by rain shadows and stand age. For the no-understorey treatment, SMC remained high midway between tree rows until the trees were 4 years old and started utilizing this moisture. For the two pasture understoreys, the difference in SMC between the north and south sides decreased with time after trees were thinned and pruned. In the no-understorey there was little difference between the two aspects. Understorey evapotranspiration and fine rooting patterns also helped explain soil moisture use patterns. No difference was detected between two contrasting radiata pine tree types. The effective rooting depth of the ryegrass/clover understorey was <0.7 m while that of lucerne and trees were deeper. Alternative tree planting practices may reduce some of the negative effects of tree-understory moisture competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goals Of Work: This paper presents findings from a qualitative study investigating service users' experiences of a patient information pathway after a diagnosis of cancer.Materials and Methods: Patients (27) and relatives (20) were recruited from two identified Cancer Network sites representing a pathway that had been information mapped (Lung) and one which had not (Head and Neck). Respondents participated in up to three qualitative interviews in the year after diagnosis.Main Results: The need for information in response to serious health problems has become widely accepted. Providing cancer patients and their carers with high-quality information throughout their care pathway is a policy priority. However, the study findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that far from embracing the active role of "expert patient", many patients continue to prefer verbal to written information, to trust in health professionals as their primary and preferred source of information, and to be quite cautious and selective about what they want to know about their illness.Conclusions: Good information is regarded as a prerequisite for informed decision making and a primary means of coping with the stress of illness. However, patient attitudes to information are complex and encompass resistance, ambivalence and indifference, active engagement and interest. The study findings reinforce the need for health professionals to develop competence as skilled communicators, and for efficient local systems of information transfer between service agencies and health professionals as prerequisites for delivery of the timely, tailored and personalized information which patients require. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have examined the toxicity of over twenty antibiotics to protoplast-derived cells of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia. The least toxic antibiotics are the betalactams: ampicillin, carbenicillin and the cephalosporins can be used to provide broad spectrum antimicrobial activity without significant toxicity to plant cells. Similar broad spectrum activity can also be obtained by combining rifampicin and trimethoprim. Other antibiotics which may be useful are erythromycin and colistin. The aminoglycosides are not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the epidemiology of Giardia infection over a 16-year period in Scotland. Collection of data on Giardia infections from laboratories; Occurrence of flatulence with sometimes sulphurous belching and abdominal distention with cramps in the acute phase of giardiasis; Common risk factor for infection with Giardia.

The article presents authors comments on the introduction of national herpes zoster (HZ) or shingles immunisation in Great Britain. It mentions that shingles is caused by reactivation of latent varicella zoster (VZ) virus. It states that reactivation is related to immune senescence in aging and occurs in relation with immunosuppressive conditions.