Sexual behaviors and their correlates among young people in Mauritius: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Indian Ocean region, including Mauritius. National records suggest a prevalence of HIV in Mauritius of < 1% in the general population, which is one of the lowest prevalence rates in southern Africa. However, HIV-positive cases have been increasing recently in Mauritius. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in January 2003 to assess the prevalence of HIVrelated sexual behaviors and their correlates among young people aged 15–24 years in Mauritius.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We identified 1200 participants using two-stage cluster sampling. Demographic, social, sexual, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS data were obtained in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire administered by trained interviewers. The prevalence of sexual behaviors was described in relation to gender, and the correlates of ever having had sex and nonuse of condom at last sex were analyzed using logistic regression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the target population, 30.9% of males and 9.7% of females reported a history of sexual intercourse. Of the currently sexually active participants, 50.6% of men and 71.2% of women did not use condoms at their last sexual encounter. Logistic regression revealed that work experience and marijuana use were significantly associated with men's sexual experience, whereas being out of school and drinking experience were significantly associated with women's sexual experience. For both men and women, being Christian and visiting nightclubs were associated with having ever had sexual intercourse (P < 0.05). In addition, not using a condom at the first sexual encounter and lack of exposure to a nongovernmental organization (NGO) dealing with HIV/AIDS were associated with the nonuse of condoms at the last sexual encounter (P < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Young people in Mauritius are at risk of a future HIV epidemic because behaviors predisposing to HIV infection are prevalent among sexually experienced youth. A focused prevention program targeting young people should be reinforced as part of the National AIDS Control Program, taking into account the predictors of sexual behaviors identified here.</p

Upon impact: the fate of adhering <i>Pseudomonas fluorescens</i> cells during Nanofiltration

Nanofiltration (NF) is a high-pressure membrane filtration process increasingly applied in drinking water treatment and water reuse processes. NF typically rejects divalent salts, organic matter, and micropollutants. However, the efficiency of NF is adversely affected by membrane biofouling, during which microorganisms adhere to the membrane and proliferate to create a biofilm. Here we show that adhered Pseudomonas fluorescens cells under high permeate flux conditions are met with high fluid shear and convective fluxes at the membrane-liquid interface, resulting in their structural damage and collapse. These results were confirmed by fluorescent staining, flow cytometry, and scanning electron microscopy. This present study offers a 'first-glimpse' of cell damage and death during the initial phases of bacterial adhesion to NF membranes and raises a key question about the role of this observed phenomena during early-stage biofilm formation under permeate flux and cross-flow conditions.European Research Council (ERC

Omics-based molecular techniques in oral pathology centred cancer: Prospect and challenges in Africa

: The completion of the human genome project and the accomplished milestones in the human proteome project; as well as the progress made so far in computational bioinformatics and “big data” processing have contributed immensely to individualized/personalized medicine in the developed world.At the dawn of precision medicine, various omics-based therapies and bioengineering can now be applied accurately for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and risk stratifcation of cancer in a manner that was hitherto not thought possible. The widespread introduction of genomics and other omics-based approaches into the postgraduate training curriculum of diverse medical and dental specialties, including pathology has improved the profciency of practitioners in the use of novel molecular signatures in patient management. In addition, intricate details about disease disparity among diferent human populations are beginning to emerge. This would facilitate the use of tailor-made novel theranostic methods based on emerging molecular evidences

Abstract 363: Development of computer-aided detection (CAD) tool for liver metastasis micro CT imaging using targeted contrast agent

Abstract Introduction: Preclinical in-vivo micro CT studies of liver metastasis are difficult due to poor inherent soft tissue contrast and the need for highly technical, manual analysis of the data. Research has implicated that Kupffer cells in the liver encapsulate liver metastases providing an opportunity to deliver macrophage-specific contrast agents for the detection of small metastatic lesions. A new, long-acting preclinical CT contrast agent that targets Kupffer cells has been developed that may allow automated detection of liver lesions via CAD software. Method: A pancreatic cancer liver metastasis model was created by surgically implanting human pancreatic cancer cell line (L3.6pl) within the spleen. Mice were injected with the contrast agent and scanned to obtain baseline anatomy of the liver before implantation. The mice were scanned 1 day after implantation and weekly after that for 5 weeks to monitor the liver metastasis progression. The control group followed an identical protocol but with a sham surgery. Liver tissues were harvested and fixed in paraffin blocks after the last scan. Paraffin blocks were scanned using high resolution micro CT before IHC staining. Human Mitochondrial and F4/80 IHC were used to identify L3.6pl and Kupffer cells, respectively. The CT images were compared to the IHC images from the same block to verify that the locations of the contrast agent and the Kupffer cells were related. Once the pattern of contrast agent and metastatic tumors had been identified, CAD software was developed for automatic tumor detection. Results: The contrast agent was evenly distributed throughout the healthy liver tissue within 1 hour post injection. In healthy mice, the homogenous distribution of contrast remained unchanged for at least 6 weeks. In liver metastasis models, the contrast began to concentrate in various areas of the liver within 2 weeks post implantation. As tumors developed and grew, the contrast became highly concentrated on the borders of tumors creating a 3 dimensional outline of the lesion. IHC staining and micro CT imaging of the fixed tissue verified that the tumors are surrounded by Kupffer cells and that the distribution of concentrated contrast agent matched them. Software was able to detect the tumors based on these contrast outlines and compare them over successive weekly scans. Conclusion: Our new imaging method enables automated detection and evaluation of liver metastasis 1 mm or smaller from as early as 2 weeks. In addition to allowing better visualization, it provides new insight into macrophage motility within the liver. CAD software can take advantage of this unique capability to automate data analysis and allow for large scale longitudinal studies. This new imaging method could be a useful tool to facilitate longitudinal imaging of liver metastases in mice and has the potential for translation into clinical practice. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 363. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-363</jats:p