Willingness to Risk Death Endpoint in HIV Cure-Related Research with Otherwise Healthy Volunteers is Misleading

This viewpoint article critiques two recent articles examining 'willingness to risk death' to advance HIV cure-related research. The 'willingness to risk death' endpoint sends the wrong signal to the HIV cure-related research community about ongoing research in otherwise healthy volunteers living with HIV. Socio-behavioural scientists have examined the acceptability of a 99% risk of death scenario, which is unrealistic and would not be acceptable by current regulatory and ethical standards. We believe that the field needs robust and relevant socio-behavioural research reflecting ongoing biomedical HIV cure-related trials. These studies will need to withstand regulatory and ethical scrutiny if cure or remission regimens are to proceed to the licensing stage. The HIV cure-related research community must continue to protect the public trust in the HIV cure-related research field and sustain societal value generated by such research. We call for the utmost prudence in designing biomedical HIV cure trials as well as in setting up socio-behavioural research experiments related to these complex trials

Planning for sustainable development: 'wicked problems' at Sydney's Malabar Headland

This chapter explores a set of wicked problems in the Malabar Headland in Sydney, Australia. By employing a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, it was found that wicked problems were produced, reproduced and perpetuated in the Malabar Headland due mainly to two principal reasons: a) operational – relating to the complex and conflicting valuesets among stakeholders and multiple uses; and b) structural – relating to the institutional and interest group politics inherent within the layered federal system of government in Australia

Decay Process for Three - Species Reaction - Diffusion System

We propose the deterministic rate equation of three-species in the reaction - diffusion system. For this case, our purpose is to carry out the decay process in our three-species reaction-diffusion model of the form $A+B+C\to D$. The particle density and the global reaction rate are also shown analytically and numerically on a two-dimensional square lattice with the periodic boundary conditions. Especially, the crossover of the global reaction rate is discussed in both early-time and long-time regimes.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Late

Cobranding with Pinterest: Expediting Apparel Retail Brand Experience

Cobranding creates points of difference, generates sales from existing markets, and opens opportunities (Lebar, Buehler, Keller, & Sawicka, 2005). Pinterest is an effective cobranding platform for consumer interaction. Bullas (2015) reports 69% of apparel brands have a presence on Pinterest, and 88% of the 70 million Pinterest users purchase a product they pin. Thus, we examined: (a) the impacts of apparel brand reputation and Pinterest usefulness on consumer experiences with apparel brands at Pinterest; (b) the impacts of consumer experiences of apparel brands at Pinterest on loyalty toward apparel brand and Pinterest; and (c) the mediation of consumer experience at Pinterest between apparel brand reputation and apparel band\u27s attitudinal loyalty. Findings suggest cobranding with Pinterest combines the strength of partner brands by increasing value, attracting new customers, and validating the brand among consumers. An effective brand Pinterest page creates important backlinks that expand apparel brand awareness and direct other consumers to the brand website (Walberg, 2015)

Identifying Apparel Attributes: The Relationship between Risks, Perceived Copyright Infringement and Purchase Intention of Knockoff Fashion Apparel Products

The success of fast fashion retailers has some industry leaders calling for copyright protection for apparel and closely aligned fashion products (Cline, 2012). Establishing criteria to determine what constitutes apparel copyright infringement is extremely difficult, as few designs are completely original (Raustiala & Sprigman, 2006). Apparel attributes are pertinent to purchase intention of fashion apparel and could influence perceived copyright infringement of knockoff fashion apparel products. The primary purpose of this study was to identify prominent visual fashion apparel attributes that could determine perceived copyright infringement. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationships among fashion apparel attributes, perceived copyright infringement, perceived risk, and purchase intention of knockoff fashion apparel. Researchers have identified apparel attribute factors including: Quality (Wee, Tan, & Cheok, 1995), appearance (Abraham-Murali & Littrell, 1995; Zhang, Li, Gong, and Wu, 2002), aesthetics (Abraham-Murali & Littrell, 1995) and functionality (Zhang, et al., 2002)

Secondary HIV Infection and Mitigation in Cure-Related HIV Trials During Analytical Treatment Interruptions

To the Editor—We are writing to express concerns regarding facts reported in 2 recent Journal of Infectious Diseases articles pertaining to the ANRSLIGHT study, conducted in 18 clinical sites in France between September 2013 and May 2015. Initially, we were delighted to see the authors implemented several inclusion criteria that we believe were likely to ensure safety of participants during the analytical treatment interruption (ATI) that occurred during the trial, for example a nadir of CD4+ T-cell count of ≥300 cells/mm3 and an initial CD4+ T-cell count of ≥600/mm3. However, other aspects are dismaying, including the detailed identifying information about the index participant and partner. We fear it is possible to identify both persons from the elaborate medical and nonmedical history provided. After contacting the study Principal Investigator, Dr Lelièvre, through a European colleague, it appears there were no consents to disclose this information. Thus, we feel strongly that it was inappropriate to include such comprehensive, potentially identifying details

Ethics/Aesthetics

This is the editorial of Autumn 2012 issue of JoLA-Journal of Landscape Architecture. Aesthetics are rearely explicitly addressed in conjunction with ethics in the body of literature examining recent landscape architectural research. The article addresses the relationship between ethics and aesthetics

Effect of Bean Leaf Beetle Management on Soybean Yield and on Incidence of Bean Pod Mottle Virus in Eastern Iowa

The bean leaf beetle (BLB) is a long-time pest of soybeans and other beans; but until 2000, it seldom reached levels that warranted treatment on a large scale. Recently however, the BLB also has been identified as the transmission source of a disease called bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), which can cause yield reduction of benas as well as discoloring of soybeans that results in dockage at market. During the winter of 2000–2001, high overwintering BLB populations due to an extensive insulating snow cover suggested that BLB populations would be quite high during the 2001 growing season. While research by Dr. Larry Pedigo, professor of entomology, and others has been done to establish developmental stage thresholds for BLB management in soybeans, the addition of BPMV to the overall equation indicated the need for additional research to determine timing, effectiveness, and economics of spraying to prevent the introduction of BPMV into the plants