UNLABELLED Treatment guidance for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) released by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) offers two options for interferon (IFN)-ineligible/intolerant individuals with genotype 1 infection: sofosbuvir/ribavirin (SOF/RBV) for 24 weeks or sofosbuvir/simeprevir (SOF/SMV) for 12 weeks. A 24-week co...

Background. The recommended therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), genotype 1, who have cirrhosis and have failed prior therapy is 12 weeks of sofosbuvir (SOF), ledipasvir (LDV), and ribavirin (RBV). This recommendation is based on expert opinion, and the efficacy of 12 weeks of SOF/LDV compared to SOF/LDV/RBV in this patient population has not yet been established. Methods. We co...

Serum opacity factor (SOF) is a protein expressed by Streptococcus pyogenes that opacifies mammalian serum. SOF is also a virulence factor of S. pyogenes, but it has not been previously shown to elicit a protective immune response. Herein, we report that SOF evokes bactericidal antibodies against S. pyogenes in humans, rabbits, and mice. Rabbit antiserum against purified recombinant SOF2 opsoni...

Serum opacity factor (SOF) is a unique multifunctional virulence determinant expressed at the surface of Streptococcus pyogenes and has been shown to elicit protective immunity against GAS infection in a murine challenge model. SOF consists of two distinct domains with different binding capacities: an N-terminal domain that binds apolipoprotein AI and a C-terminal repeat domain that binds fibro...

OBJECTIVE To measure the effects of a summary-of-findings (SoF) table on user satisfaction, understanding, and time spent finding key results in a Cochrane review. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We randomized participants in an evidence-based practice workshop (randomized controlled trial [RCT] I) and a Cochrane Collaboration entities meeting (RCT II) to receive a Cochrane review with or without an...

Serum opacity factor (SOF) is a bifunctional cell surface protein expressed by 40-50% of group A streptococcal (GAS) strains comprised of a C-terminal domain that binds fibronectin and an N-terminal domain that mediates opacification of mammalian sera. The sof gene was recently discovered to be cotranscribed in a two-gene operon with a gene encoding another fibronectin-binding protein, sfbX. We...

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can lead to increased mortality, disability, and liver transplantation if left untreated, it is associated with a possible increase in disease burden the future, all of which would surely have significant impact on health system. New antiviral regimens are effective treatment yet expensive. Objectives: The purpose present study was assess cost-effectiveness t...

BACKGROUND Combination therapy with sofosbuvir (SOF) and simeprevir (SIM) is used to treat patients with hepatitis C virus infection. It is currently unknown whether adding ribavirin (RBV) to SOF + SIM, which raises the pill count from two up to eight pills a day, impacts adherence. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of pill count on real-world adherence rates in patients treated wi...

OBJECTIVES A clear knowledge of the location of the maxillo-facial foramina is essential for clinicians while performing endoscopic surgeries and regional nerve blocks. In the present study, a detailed analysis of the supraorbital foramen (SOF) and supraorbital notch (SON) of South Indian skulls is reported and the data are compared with those from other races and regions. METHODS Anatomical ...