Research report: "Using what you have to get what you want": Vulnerability to HIV and prevention needs of female post‐secondary students engaged in transactional sex in Kumasi, Ghana

This study was implemented by Boston University in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 2010. The content and views expressed here are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of USAID or the U.S. Government.This report presents findings from a qualitative study examining vulnerability to HIV of female post‐secondary students engaged in transactional sex in Kumasi, Ghana and their prevention needs. The study was conducted by Boston University’s Center for Global and Health and Development (CGHD) and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as part of Project SEARCH funded by the United States Agency for International Development Ghana. Participants were recruited from five post‐secondary institutions in the greater Kumasi area. Our objective is to provide academic institutions, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), the National AIDS Control Program, donors, and other stakeholders with rich data to inform research and programmatic efforts in Kumasi specifically, as well as academic institutions in general. We set out to document what forms of transactional sex female students are engaging in, who their partners are, and what motivates them to participate. We asked students about the individual and structural vulnerabilities for HIV reported by female post‐secondary students involved in transactional sex and what their prevention needs are. We also interviewed a small sample of faculty, residence hall matrons, and hotel staff to get their perspective on the behavior of female students practicing transactional sex that might put them at risk for HIV. The findings of this study can be used as well to inform the design of future studies of young women engaging in transactional sex in Ghana. With such limited understanding of HIV transmission among young female post‐secondary students engaged in transactional sex, research is needed to determine how this group contributes to the overall HIV epidemic. The Ghana AIDS Commission has recognized the need for further research among communities engaged in less well‐defined risky sex practices in the National Strategic Plan for Most‐at – Risk Populations (MARP) 2011‐2015.4 This study attempts to fill in gaps in the research regarding transactional sex, taking into account the complexities and nuances of the practice, in addition to examining the needs of female students for targeted HIV prevention programs.Support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 201

Program brief: "Using what you have to get what you want: HIV vulnerability and prevention needs of female post‐secondary students engaged in transactional sex in Kumasi, Ghana

This study was implemented by Boston University in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 2010. The content and views expressed here are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of USAID or the U.S. Government.HIV prevalence among young Ghanaian men and women aged 15–24 years old is estimated at 1.7%.1 HIV prevalence in the specific population of female post-secondary students is unknown. The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) recognizes the need for further research in communities participating in less well-defined risky sex practices. This study was conducted by Boston University’s Center for Global Health and Development and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with funding from the United States Agency for International Development/Ghana. The objective was to provide academic institutions, the GAC, the National AIDS Control Program, donors, and other stakeholders with data to inform research and programmatic efforts in Kumasi, specifically, as well as academic institutions, in general. Study participants were recruited from five post-secondary institutions in the greater Kumasi area. Data were collected on students’ perceptions of transactional sex (TS) on campus, individual and structural HIV vulnerabilities, and prevention needs through in-depth interviews with seven female post-secondary students involved in TS and focus groups with twenty-nine female and male students. Key informant interviews were also conducted with faculty, residence hall matrons, and hotel staff. Non-commercial transactional sex is defined here as engaging in sex for the purposeof obtaining material goods, financial support, or grades.Support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Agency for International Development under Project SEARCH Task Order No. GHH‐I‐00‐07‐00023‐00, beginning August 27, 201

Human Pleural Fluid Elicits Pyruvate and Phenylalanine Metabolism in Acinetobacter baumannii to Enhance Cytotoxicity and Immune Evasion

The CCAAT box-harboring proteins represent a family of heterotrimeric transcription factors which is highly conserved in eukaryotes. In fungi, one of the particularly important homologs of this family is the Hap complex that separates the DNA-binding domain from the activation domain and imposes essential impacts on regulation of a wide range of cellular functions. So far, a comprehensive summary of this complex has been described in filamentous fungi but not in the yeast. In this review, we summarize a number of studies related to the structure and assembly mode of the Hap complex in a list of representative yeasts. Furthermore, we emphasize recent advances in understanding the regulatory functions of this complex, with a special focus on its role in regulating respiration, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and iron homeostasis.Fil: Nyah, Rodman. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Martinez, Jasmine. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Fung, Sammie. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Nakanouchi, Jun. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Myers, Amber L.. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Harris, Caitlin M.. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Dang, Emily. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Fernandez, Jennifer. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Liu, Christine. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Mendoza, Anthony M.. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Jimenez, Verónica. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Nikolaidis, Nikolas. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Brennan, Catherine A.. California State University; Estados UnidosFil: Bonomo, Robert A.. Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Cente; Estados Unidos. Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Epidemiology; Estados Unidos. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Sieira, Rodrigo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ramirez, Maria Soledad. California State University; Estados Unido

Gut microbiota induce IGF-1 and promote bone formation and growth

New interventions are needed to improve bone health and reduce the risk for osteoporosis and fracture. Dysbiosis is increasingly linked to metabolic abnormalities, although the effect of the microbiota on skeletal health is poorly understood. Previous studies suggest microbiota are detrimental to bone by increasing resorption. In this report, we show that the gut resident microbiota promote bone formation, as well as resorption, with long-term exposure to microbiota resulting in net skeletal growth. Microbiota induce the hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which promotes bone growth and remodeling. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced when microbiota ferment fiber, also induce IGF-1, suggesting a mechanism by which microbiota affect bone health. Manipulating the microbiome or its metabolites may afford opportunities to optimize bone health and growth

Diverse high-torque bacterial flagellar motors assemble wider stator rings using a conserved protein scaffold

Although it is known that diverse bacterial flagellar motors produce different torques, the mechanism underlying torque variation is unknown. To understand this difference better, we combined genetic analyses with electron cryo-tomography subtomogram averaging to determine in situ structures of flagellar motors that produce different torques, from Campylobacter and Vibrio species. For the first time, to our knowledge, our results unambiguously locate the torque-generating stator complexes and show that diverse high-torque motors use variants of an ancestrally related family of structures to scaffold incorporation of additional stator complexes at wider radii from the axial driveshaft than in the model enteric motor. We identify the protein components of these additional scaffold structures and elucidate their sequential assembly, demonstrating that they are required for stator-complex incorporation. These proteins are widespread, suggesting that different bacteria have tailored torques to specific environments by scaffolding alternative stator placement and number. Our results quantitatively account for different motor torques, complete the assignment of the locations of the major flagellar components, and provide crucial constraints for understanding mechanisms of torque generation and the evolution of multiprotein complexes

The Use of Theories, Models, and Frameworks to Inform the Uptake of Evidence-based Practices in Veterinary Medicine–A Scoping Review

Evidence based practices (EBPs) provide strategies to improve the health, welfare and productivity of animal species. However, ensuring implementation and uptake into routine practice of these EBPs is often challenging. In human health research, one approach used to improve uptake of EBPs is the use of theories, models and/or frameworks (TMFs), however the extent of the use of this approach in veterinary medicine is unknown. The aim of this scoping review was to identify existing veterinary uses of TMFs to inform the uptake of EBPs, and to understand the focus of these applications. Searches were conducted in CAB Abstracts, MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus, alongside grey literature, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. The search strategy consisted of a list of known existing TMFs that have been used to improve uptake of EBPs in human health, alongside more generic terminology for implementation and terminology relevant to veterinary medicine. Peer reviewed journal articles and grey literature detailing the use of a TMF to inform uptake of EBP(s) in a veterinary context were included. The search identified 68 studies that met the eligibility criteria. Included studies represented a diverse spread of countries, areas of veterinary concern and EBP. A range of 28 different TMFs were used, although the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) predominated, featuring in 46% of included studies (n = 31). The majority of studies (n = 65, 96%) utilised a TMF with the aim to understand and/or explain what influences implementation outcomes. Only 8 studies (12%) reported the use of a TMF alongside/in conjunction with the actual implementation of an intervention. It is clear there has been some use to date of TMFs to inform uptake of EBPs in veterinary medicine, however it has been sporadic. There has been a heavy reliance on usage of the TPB and other similar classic theories. This has typically been to inform the understanding of factors, such as barriers and facilitators, that may influence the outcome of an implementation effort without then applying this knowledge to the actual implementation of an intervention. Furthermore, there has been a lack of acknowledgement of wider contextual factors and consideration of sustainability of interventions. There is clear potential to increase and expand the usage of TMFs to improve uptake of EBPs in veterinary medicine, including utilising a wider range of TMFs and developing interdisciplinary collaborations with human implementation experts

Environmental DNA reveals links between abundance and composition of airborne grass pollen and respiratory health

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordData and Code Availability Statement: Data collected using qPCR is archived and on NERC EIDC [https://doi.org/10.5285/28208be4-0163-45e6-912c-2db205126925]. Standard pollen monitoring ‘count’ data were sourced from the MEDMI database, with the exception of data from Bangor which were produced as part of the present study and are available on request. Prescribing datasets are publicly available, as are weather, air pollution, deprivation (IMD) and rural-urban category data. Hospital episode statistics (HES) datasets are sensitive, individual-level health data, which are subject to strict privacy regulations and are not publicly available. The study did not generate any unique codeGrass (Poaceae) pollen is the most important outdoor aeroallergen, exacerbating a range of respiratory conditions, including allergic asthma and rhinitis (‘hay fever’). Understanding the relationships between respiratory diseases and airborne grass pollen with view to improving forecasting has broad public health and socioeconomic relevance. It is estimated that there are over 400 million people with allergic rhinitis and over 300 million with asthma, globally, often comorbidly . In the UK, allergic asthma has an annual cost of around US$ 2.8 billion (2017). The relative contributions of the >11,000 (worldwide) grass species to respiratory health have been unresolved, as grass pollen cannot be readily discriminated using standard microscopy. Instead, here we used novel environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and quantitative PCR (qPCR) , to measure the relative abundances of airborne pollen from common grass species, during two grass pollen seasons (2016 and 2017), across the UK. We quantitatively demonstrate discrete spatiotemporal patterns in airborne grass pollen assemblages. Using a series of generalised additive models (GAMs), we explore the relationship between the incidences of airborne pollen and severe asthma exacerbations (sub-weekly) and prescribing rates of drugs for respiratory allergies (monthly). Our results indicate that a subset of grass species may have disproportionate influence on these population-scale respiratory health responses during peak grass pollen concentrations. The work demonstrates the need for sensitive and detailed biomonitoring of harmful aeroallergens in order to investigate and mitigate their impacts on human health.Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)Public Health EnglandUniversity of ExeterUniversity College LondonMet Offic

Describing adverse events in Swiss hospitalized oncology patients using the Global Trigger Tool

The occurrence rate of adverse events (AEs) related to care among hospitalized oncology patients in Switzerland remains unknown. The primary objective of this study was to describe, for the first time, the occurrence rate, type, severity of harm, and preventability of AEs related to care, reported in health records of hospitalized hematological and solid-tumor cancer patients in three Swiss hospitals.; Using an adapted version of the validated Global Trigger Tool (GTT) from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, we conducted a retrospective record review of patients discharged from oncology units over a 6-week period during 2018. Our convenience sample included all records from adult patients (≥18 years of age), diagnosed with cancer, and hospitalized (>24 hours). Per the GTT method, two trained nurses independently assessed patient records to identify AEs using triggers, and physicians from the included units analyzed the consensus of the two nurses. Together, they assessed the severity and preventability of each AE.; From the sample of 224 reviewed records, we identified 661 triggers and 169 AEs in 94 of them (42%). Pain related to care was the most frequent AE (n = 29), followed by constipation (n = 17). AEs rates were 75.4 per 100 admissions and 106.6 per 1000 patient days. Most of the identified AEs (78%) caused temporary harm to the patient and required an intervention. Among AEs during hospitalization (n = 125), 76 (61%) were considered not preventable, 28 (22%) preventable, and 21 (17%) undetermined.; About half of the hospitalized oncology patients suffered from at least one AE related to care during their hospitalization. Pain, constipation, and nosocomial infections were the most frequent AEs. It is, therefore, essential to identify AEs to guide future clinical practice initiatives to ensure patient safety