Women’s Health Care Utilization among Harder-to-Reach HIV-Infected Women ever on Antiretroviral Therapy in British Columbia

Background. HIV-infected women are disproportionately burdened by gynaecological complications, psychological disorders, and certain sexually transmitted infections that may not be adequately addressed by HIV-specific care. We estimate the prevalence and covariates of women’s health care (WHC) utilization among harder-to-reach, treatment-experienced HIV-infected women in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Methods. We used survey data from 231 HIV-infected, treatment-experienced women enrolled in the Longitudinal Investigations into Supportive and Ancillary Health Services (LISA) study, which recruited harder-to-reach populations, including aboriginal people and individuals using injection drugs. Independent covariates of interest included sociodemographic, psychosocial, behavioural, individual health status, structural factors, and HIV clinical variables. Logistic regression was used to generate adjusted estimates of associations between use of WHC and covariates of interest. Results. Overall, 77% of women reported regularly utilizing WHC. WHC utilization varied significantly by region of residence (P value <0.01). In addition, women with lower annual income (AOR (95% CI) = 0.14 (0.04–0.54)), who used illicit drugs (AOR (95% CI) = 0.42 (0.19–0.92)) and who had lower provider trust (AOR (95% CI) = 0.97 (0.95–0.99)), were significantly less likely to report using WHC. Conclusion. A health service gap exists along geographical and social axes for harder-to-reach HIV-infected women in BC. Women-centered WHC and HIV-specific care should be streamlined and integrated to better address women’s holistic health

Вплив харчової добавки "магнетофуд" на структурно-механічні властивості формового желейного мармеладу з різними структуроутворювачами

Development of resource- and energy-saving technologies for the production of high-quality jelly and pastille products with an extended shelf life is one of the most urgent challenges of the modern confectionery industry. It is proposed to use the "Magnetofood" mineral food supplement, which holds a high functional and technological potential and may independently form the structural and mechanical properties of jelly pastes, and also affect the gelling agents, entering into chemical and electrostatic interactions therewith. Therefore, the "Magnetofood" food supplement may influence several technological properties in the food jelly system at once: acting as a stabilizer, a thickener, a gelling agent, while improving the quality, consumer properties and extending the shelf life of molded fruit jelly products. The aim of the study is to improve the structural and mechanical properties of molded fruit jelly products by introducing the "Magnetofood" food supplement. Standard and generally accepted methods were used in the course of structural and mechanical studies (viscosity and thixotropic characteristics on the Reotest-2 rotation viscometer, strength characteristics on the AR-4/1 penetrometers). It has been established that the introduction of the "Magnetofood" food supplement into jelly pastes in the amount of 0.15 % of the total weight of raw material improves the consistency, structure, strength and form: the degree of structuring and viscosity of the jelly pastes increases over the entire shear stress range (1.5-40 s⁻¹) 2.9 times for pastes on agar and 1.85 times for pastes on pectin; the temperature effect on the effective viscosity of jelly pastes is slowed down by (50-75) Pa · s on average, destruction processes are also slowed down 1.1 times, and the recovery processes of the jelly structure after the mechanical effect ceases are accelerated by 3.8%, increasing its thixotropic ability by 7.5% in jelly pastes on agar and by 6.0% in jelly pastes on pectin; jelly strength on agar increases by (10-12)%, and by (7-9) % on pectin; the speed of structurization of jelly pastes on agar increases by a factor of 1.3-1.7, and by a factor of 1.1-1.6 on pectin.Однією з актуальних проблем сучасної кондитерської промисловості є розробка ресурсо- і енергозберігаючих технологій виробництва високоякісних мармеладо-пастильних виробів зі збільшеним терміном придатності. Пропонується використання мінеральної харчової добавки "Магнетофуд", яка володіє високим функціонально-технологічним потенціалом і може як самостійно формувати структурно-механічні властивості желейних мас, так і впливати на гелеутворювач, вступаючи з ним в хімічні і електростатичні взаємодії. Тому, харчова добавка "Магнетофуд" може впливати відразу на кілька технологічних властивостей в харчовій желейної системі: бути стабілізатором, загусником, драглеутворювачем, при цьому покращуючи якість, споживчі властивості і продовжуючи терміни зберігання формового желейного мармеладу. Метою дослідження є покращення структурно-механічних властивостей формового желейного мармеладу шляхом введення харчової добавки "Магнетофуд". Під час проведення структурно-механічних (в’язкостних і тиксотропних характеристик на ротаційному віскозиметрі Реотест-2, міцності на пенетрометри АР-4/1) досліджень були використані загальноприйняті та стандартні методики

Gene and protein expression of glucose transporter 1 and glucose transporter 3 in human laryngeal cancer—the relationship with regulatory hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression, tumor invasiveness, and patient prognosis

Increased glucose uptake mediated by glucose transporters and reliance on glycolysis are common features of malignant cells. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α supports the adaptation of hypoxic cells by inducing genes related to glucose metabolism. The contribution of glucose transporter (GLUT) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) activity to tumor behavior and their prognostic value in head and neck cancers remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive value of GLUT1, GLUT3, and HIF-1α messenger RNA (mRNA)/protein expression as markers of tumor aggressiveness and prognosis in laryngeal cancer. The level of hypoxia/metabolic marker genes was determined in 106 squamous cell laryngeal cancer (SCC) and 73 noncancerous matched mucosa (NCM) controls using quantitative realtime PCR. The related protein levels were analyzed by Western blot. Positive expression of SLC2A1, SLC2A3, and HIF-1α genes was noted in 83.9, 82.1, and 71.7 % of SCC specimens and in 34.4, 59.4, and 62.5 % of laryngeal cancer samples. Higher levels of mRNA/protein for GLUT1 and HIF-1α were noted in SCC compared to NCM (p<0.05). SLC2A1 was found to have a positive relationship with grade, tumor front grading (TFG) score, and depth and mode of invasion (p<0.05). SLC2A3 was related to grade and invasion type (p<0.05). There were also relationships of HIF-1α with pTNM, TFG scale, invasion depth and mode, tumor recurrences, and overall survival (p<0.05). In addition, more advanced tumors were found to be more likely to demonstrate positive expression of these proteins. In conclusion, the hypoxia/metabolic markers studied could be used as molecular markers of tumor invasiveness in laryngeal cancer.This work was supported, in part, by the statutory fund of the Department of Cytobiochemistry, University of Łódź, Poland (506/811), and by grant fromtheNational Science Council, Poland (N403 043 32/2326)

Contraceptive Use and Method Preference among Women in Soweto, South Africa: The Influence of Expanding Access to HIV Care and Treatment Services

Objective: Preventing unintended pregnancy among HIV-positive women constitutes a critical and cost-effective approach to primary prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and is a global public health priority for addressing the desperate state of maternal and child health in HIV hyper-endemic settings. We sought to investigate whether the prevalence of contraceptive use and method preferences varied by HIV status and receipt of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) among women in Soweto, South Africa. Methods: We used survey data from 563 sexually active, non-pregnant women (18–44 years) recruited from the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto (May–December, 2007); 171 women were HIV-positive and receiving HAART (median duration of use = 31 months; IQR = 28, 33), 178 were HIV-positive and HAART-naïve, and 214 were HIV-negative. Medical record review was conducted to confirm HIV status and clinical variables. Logistic regression models estimated adjusted associations between HIV status, receipt of HAART, and contraceptive use. Results: Overall, 78 % of women reported using contraception, with significant variation by HIV status: 86 % of HAART users, 82 % of HAART-naïve women, and 69 % of HIV-negative women (p,0.0001). In adjusted models, compared with HIVnegativ

Family Planning Decisions, Perceptions and Gender Dynamics among Couples in Mwanza, Tanzania: A Qualitative Study.

Contraceptive use is low in developing countries which are still largely driven by male dominated culture and patriarchal values. This study explored family planning (FP) decisions, perceptions and gender dynamics among couples in Mwanza region of Tanzania. Twelve focus group discussions and six in-depth interviews were used to collect information from married or cohabiting males and females aged 18-49. The participants were purposively selected. Qualitative methods were used to explore family planning decisions, perceptions and gender dynamics among couples. A guide with questions related to family planning perceptions, decisions and gender dynamics was used. The discussions and interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed manually and subjected to content analysis. Four themes emerged during the study. First, "risks and costs" which refer to the side effects of FP methods and the treatment of side -effects as well as the costs inherit in being labeled as an unfaithful spouse. Second, "male involvement" as men showed little interest in participating in family planning issues. However, the same men were mentioned as key decision-makers even on the number of children a couple should have and the child spacing of these children. Third, "gender relations and communication" as participants indicated that few women participated in decision-making on family planning and the number of children to have. Fourth, "urban-rural differences", life in rural favoring having more children than urban areas therefore, the value of children depended on the place of residence. Family Planning programs should adapt the promotion of communication as well as joint decision-making on FP among couples as a strategy aimed at enhancing FP use

Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Incidence of Pregnancy among HIV-Infected Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cohort Study

A multicountry cohort study in sub-Saharan Africa by Landon Myer and colleagues reveals higher pregnancy rates in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy (ART)

South Korea's automotive labour regime, Hyundai Motors’ global production network and trade‐based integration with the European Union

This article explores the interrelationship between global production networks(GPNs) and free trade agreements (FTAs) in the South Korean auto industry and its employment relations. It focuses on the production network of the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) — the third biggest automobile manufacturer in the world — and the FTA between the EU and South Korea. This was the first of the EU’s ‘new generation’ FTAs, which among other things contained provisions designed to protect and promote labour standards. The article’s argument is twofold. First, that HMG’s production network and Korea’s political economy (of which HMG is a crucial part) limited the possibilities for the FTA’s labour provisions to take effect. Second, that the commercial provisions in this same FTA simultaneously eroded HMG’s domestic market and corporate profitability, leading to adverse consequences for auto workers in the more insecure and low-paid jobs. In making this argument, the article advances a multiscalar conceptualization of the labour regime as an analytical intermediary between GPNs and FTAs. It also provides one of the first empirical studies of the EU–South Korea FTA in terms of employment relations, drawing on 105 interviews with trade unions, employer associations, automobile companies and state officials across both parties