Mitigating Disparities in Community HIV Testing among Youth and Young Adults

Prevention strategies are a key lever for reducing HIV incidence, which differentially affects jurisdictions. HIV incidence coexists with social determinants of health, health-related disparities, poverty, and other risk factors. One zip code in Jacksonville, Florida’s urban core fit the description of a disadvantaged jurisdiction; hence, the local HIV prevention consortia implemented a theory-based, social outreach HIV prevention event, which attracted 189 residents and 64 tested for HIV. Survey data from 120 respondents indicated that event attendees viewed the event’s prevention activities and the supporting entertainment music favorably. Respondents liked the emphases on healthy behaviors, health education, and community capacity to address HIV; but they disliked the outdoor heat and the small turnout; therefore, they recommended hosting future events indoors and doing more advertising. Some respondents even volunteered to assist in planning future events. Logistic regression examined odds ratios for five dichotomous outcome variables cross-tabbed by race, comparing null and saturated models. None of the odds ratios were significant, indicating respondent’s consensus on event feedback. Going forward, event planners aim to implement feedback received from participants; attract a large fan base, and increase the sample size from 120 to 263, so the margin of error is 6.0% rather than 8.92%

Evaluation of a Pilot Intervention to Relink Formerly Incarcerated PLHWHAs to HIV/AIDS Care

HIV is a manageable chronic disease. However, it requires knowing one’s status, retention in care, and medication adherence for viral suppression. Disadvantaged groups of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) who experience incarceration and major depressive disorders, homelessness, substance use and lack of social support are overwhelmed by these burdens and do not fully engage in HIV care, without help. Four Northeast Florida entities engaged in action research to influence health equity for formerly detained PLWHAs. The City of Jacksonville, Ryan White Part-A Program, Florida Department of Health-Duval, Lutheran Social Services, and Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office convened a coalition, called CAPRICE. Activities focused on intensive medical case management, linkage to core HIV services, job placement, and up to 90-days of transition housing to support the transition from jail to community. The coalition created system level relationships, with structure and processes. Next steps should focus on how to support the infrastructure for disadvantaged groups over the long-term. Estimated sustainable cost compared reasonably with published research. The local HIV Health Services Planning Council and CAPRICE members have the task of garnering financial support for this work, which aims to plug one of the leaks in the local HIV Continuum of Care

Primary brain calcification: an international study reporting novel variants and associated phenotypes.

Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC) is a rare cerebral microvascular calcifying disorder with a wide spectrum of motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is typically inherited as an autosomal-dominant trait with four causative genes identified so far: SLC20A2, PDGFRB, PDGFB, and XPR1. Our study aimed at screening the coding regions of these genes in a series of 177 unrelated probands that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for primary brain calcification regardless of their family history. Sequence variants were classified as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, or of uncertain significance (VUS), based on the ACMG-AMP recommendations. We identified 45 probands (25.4%) carrying either pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants (n = 34, 19.2%) or VUS (n = 11, 6.2%). SLC20A2 provided the highest contribution (16.9%), followed by XPR1 and PDGFB (3.4% each), and PDGFRB (1.7%). A total of 81.5% of carriers were symptomatic and the most recurrent symptoms were parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric disturbances (52.3%, 40.9%, and 38.6% of symptomatic individuals, respectively), with a wide range of age at onset (from childhood to 81 years). While the pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants identified in this study can be used for genetic counseling, the VUS will require additional evidence, such as recurrence in unrelated patients, in order to be classified as pathogenic

Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Have Developmental Effects on the Crop Pest, the Cabbage White Butterfly <i>Pieris rapae</i>

<div><p>Nutritional enhancement of crops using genetic engineering can potentially affect herbivorous pests. Recently, oilseed crops have been genetically engineered to produce the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at levels similar to that found in fish oil; to provide a more sustainable source of these compounds than is currently available from wild fish capture. We examined some of the growth and development impacts of adding EPA and DHA to an artificial diet of <i>Pieris rapae</i>, a common pest of Brassicaceae plants. We replaced 1% canola oil with EPA: DHA (11:7 ratio) in larval diets, and examined morphological traits and growth of larvae and ensuing adults across 5 dietary treatments. Diets containing increasing amounts of EPA and DHA did not affect developmental phenology, larval or pupal weight, food consumption, nor larval mortality. However, the addition of EPA and DHA in larval diets resulted in progressively heavier adults (F _{4, 108} = 6.78; p = 0.011), with smaller wings (p < 0.05) and a higher frequency of wing deformities (R = 0.988; p = 0.001). We conclude that the presence of EPA and DHA in diets of larval <i>P</i>. <i>rapae</i> may alter adult mass and wing morphology; therefore, further research on the environmental impacts of EPA and DHA production on terrestrial biota is advisable.</p></div

Incidence of wing deformities in Pieris rapae butterflies fed EPA and DHA enhanced diets in larval stage.

<p>The incidence of wing deformities correlates significantly with the level of EPA and DHA in the diet (correlation coefficient R = 0.988; p = 0.001).</p

Larval, pupal, and butterfly weights (wet weight, mg), and morphological measurements¹,² (cm) in <i>Pieris rapae</i> larvae fed experimental diets containing EPA and DHA.

<p>Larval, pupal, and butterfly weights (wet weight, mg), and morphological measurements<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0152264#t003fn001" target="_blank">¹</a>,<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0152264#t003fn002" target="_blank">²</a> (cm) in <i>Pieris rapae</i> larvae fed experimental diets containing EPA and DHA.</p

Example of cabbage butterflies (pinned to insect boards) fed experimental diets 48 hours after emergence: butterfly with deformed wings (left panel, 100% EPA + DHA diet) compared to a butterfly with intact wings (right panel, control diet).

<p>Example of cabbage butterflies (pinned to insect boards) fed experimental diets 48 hours after emergence: butterfly with deformed wings (left panel, 100% EPA + DHA diet) compared to a butterfly with intact wings (right panel, control diet).</p

Total lipid (% dry weight) and fatty acid composition (μg FA mg^-1 dry weight) of whole <i>Pieris rapae</i> butterflies (n = 12 per treatment) that were fed experimental diets during their larval stage¹.

<p>Total lipid (% dry weight) and fatty acid composition (μg FA mg^-1 dry weight) of whole <i>Pieris rapae</i> butterflies (n = 12 per treatment) that were fed experimental diets during their larval stage<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0152264#t004fn001" target="_blank">¹</a>.</p