Sex workers perspectives on strategies to reduce sexual exploitation and HIV risk: a qualitative study in Tijuana, Mexico.

Globally, female sex workers are a population at greatly elevated risk of HIV infection, and the reasons for and context of sex industry involvement have key implications for HIV risk and prevention. Evidence suggests that experiences of sexual exploitation (i.e., forced/coerced sex exchange) contribute to health-related harms. However, public health interventions that address HIV vulnerability and sexual exploitation are lacking. Therefore, the objective of this study was to elicit recommendations for interventions to prevent sexual exploitation and reduce HIV risk from current female sex workers with a history of sexual exploitation or youth sex work. From 2010-2011, we conducted in-depth interviews with sex workers (n = 31) in Tijuana, Mexico who reported having previously experienced sexual exploitation or youth sex work. Participants recommended that interventions aim to (1) reduce susceptibility to sexual exploitation by providing social support and peer-based education; (2) mitigate harms by improving access to HIV prevention resources and psychological support, and reducing gender-based violence; and (3) provide opportunities to exit the sex industry via vocational supports and improved access to effective drug treatment. Structural interventions incorporating these strategies are recommended to reduce susceptibility to sexual exploitation and enhance capacities to prevent HIV infection among marginalized women and girls in Mexico and across international settings

Student–Faculty Engagement Solutions for Retention of Racially Minoritized Students

This qualitative study examined the importance of student–faculty interactions for racially minoritized students. Persistent challenges in low retention rates for racially minoritized students have been a focal point of scholarly investigation for decades (Carey, 2004; Kinzie et al., 2008). Despite research indicating that engagement between students and faculty is crucial for improving student retention, these interactions are constrained (Cox et al., 2010). The presence of effective student–faculty engagement can foster students’ persistence, while the absence of engagement can create a negative academic experience, especially for racially minoritized students. Tinto’s theory of student departure (1975, 1987, 1993) is one of the most relevant college impact theories to understand student retention. Tinto’s work considers retention by accounting for multiple dynamic factors, as opposed to just academic performance or exclusively student-focused concerns (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Therefore, this study used this theory to develop research questions and interpret the data. The purpose of this study was to identify strategies to increase student–faculty interactions by addressing the disparity between the limited interactions and the established benefits associated with such interactions. Understanding the causes of student attrition is crucial for universities to develop and implement successful retention strategies. In this study, a qualitative semistructured interview design was employed at a medium-sized public university in the Midwest. The researchers conducted a comprehensive exploration of student–faculty engagement with racially minoritized students who identified as first-time first-year college students. Through the participants’ personal stories and examples, the researchers identified factors that deter student–faculty engagement and identified effective strategies to enhance such interactions. The findings revealed students desire a welcoming and comfortable learning environment and professors who exhibit characteristics and behaviors that promote relationship building. The findings also indicated students navigate through barriers that hinder academic progress. In addition, students value holistic support and personal development to enhance their educational experience. Awareness of students’ needs, coupled with intentional techniques on the professor’s behalf, has the potential to be transformative for students’ academic experiences. The recommendations of this study can serve as a framework for institutions seeking to enhance interactions between racially minoritized students and faculty, thereby contributing to improved retention

Coherent control of indirect excitonic qubits in optically driven quantum dot molecules

We propose an optoelectronic scheme to define and manipulate an indirect neutral exciton qubit within a quantum dot molecule. We demonstrate coherent dynamics of indirect excitons resilient against decoherence effects, including direct exciton spontaneous recombination. For molecules with large interdot separation, the exciton dressed spectrum yields an often overlooked avoided crossing between spatially indirect exciton states. Effective two level system Hamiltonians are extracted by Feshbach projection over the multilevel exciton configurations. An adiabatic manipulation of the qubit states is devised using time dependent electric field sweeps. The exciton dynamics yields the necessary conditions for qubit initialization and near unitary rotations in the picosecond time scale, driven by the system internal dynamics. Despite the strong influence of laser excitation, charge tunneling, and interdot dipole-dipole interactions, the effective relaxation time of indirect excitons is much longer than the direct exciton spontaneous recombination time, rendering indirect excitons as potential elemental qubits in more complex schemes.Comment: Submitted to PRB, 11 pages and 6 figure

Obtenção da farinha de bocaiuva (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart) na Casa do Artesão de Corumbá-MS.

A farinha de bocaiuva é um produto tradicional de Corumbá, muito utilizada para elaboração de gêneros alimentícios como, por exemplo, biscoitos, bolos, pães, mingau, etc. O presente trabalho descreve o processo de obtenção da farinha de bocaiuva (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart) realizado na Casa do Artesão de Corumbá-MS, a partir de entrevistas feitas com o artesão Sr Gilberto Rolon, principal produtor desta farinha em Corumbá e região. Foram coletados dados, informações e materiais, monitorando-se os equipamentos e utensílios que o artesão normalmente utiliza no processo. Juntamente com o Sr Gilberto a farinha de bocaiuva foi obtida, cujo rendimento foi avaliado durante o processo artesanal/mecânico a partir da matéria prima (polpa desidratada obtida artesanalmente) trazida de Comunidades da região. Primeiramente, a polpa desidratada foi selecionada conforme sua variação de cores (amarelo claro, amarelo escura, laranja avermelhada), em seguida o material foi exposto ao sol para a desidratação final. Misturouse as polpas pouco antes da trituração mecânica para obtenção da farinha. Observa-se que o rendimento da obtenção da farinha é de 72,8% um rendimento considerável a partir da matéria prima utilizada que ultrapassou o rendimento esperado pelo Sr Gilberto, ressaltamos que a farinha depende também da seleção da polpa e variação de cores. The flour of bocaiuva is a product traditional Corumbá, very used for elaboration of genres foods, such as for example biscuits, cakes, bread, porridge, etc.The present work describes the process of obtaining flour bocaiuva (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. Mart ex) held at the home of artisan Corumbá-MS, from interviews made with the craftsman Mr Gilberto Rolon, the main producer this flour on Corumbá and region. We collected data, information and materials, by monitoring the equipment and utensils that the craftsman normally uses in the process. Along with Mr. Gilberto the flour bocaiuva was obtained, whose the yield was valued during the process artisanal/ mechanic as from of raw materials (dehydrated pulp obtained artisanally) in brought the Communities the region. We first, the pulp dehydrated, was selected by the its of colors variation (light yellow, dark yellow, reddish orange), Then material was exposed to sunlight, for the dehydration the end. Mixed if the pulps shortly before trituration mechanics to obtain flour. It is observed that the yield of obtaining flour is 72.8% yield considerably from the raw material used which exceeded the expected yield by Mr. Gilberto, we emphasize that the flour also depends on the selection of pulps and color variation.Também em: SEMINÁRIO DE AGROECOLOGIA DE MATO GROSSO DO SUL, 4.; ENCONTRO DE PRODUTORES AGROECOLÓGICOS DE MS, 3., 2012, Glória de Dourados. O saber tradicional e o científico: a interação encurtando caminhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável: anais. Brasília, DF: Embrapa, 2012. 1 CD-ROM. Editado por: Leandro Fávio Carneiro, Milton Parron Padovan

Molecular dynamics simulation of gallium phosphide zincblende cutting mechanism

Gallium Phosphide (GaP) has a low machinability, due to high tool wear and the need to induce a High-Pressure Phase Transformation (HPPT). HPPT changes GaP crystallographic structure from zincblende to β-tin. The latter is ductile and metastable, therefore, rather than be experimentally observably, must be simulated using atomistic methods. In this work, Classic Molecular Dynamics Simulations (CMDS) were used to analyse GaP HPPT and tool wear mechanisms during the cutting process. Diamond tools were modelled with 10 nm cutting edge radius, -20º and -10º rake angles, and -10º clearance angle. The simulations revealed that the main shear mechanism involved stacking faults, planar dislocations within the crystal structure, while HPPT had a limited role, being restricted to the deformation zone. A more significant surface crack and tool amorphization were observed for a rake angle -10º

Pharmacological evaluation of Prosopis ruscifolia extract on lipid profile in hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic mice

La diabetes es una patología crónica grave, con efectos a largo plazo que incluyen daño a los vasos sanguíneos o dislipidemia diabética. La dislipidemia diabética se caracteriza por el aumento de las concentraciones de triglicéridos de baja densidad y lipoproteínas y una disminución de las lipoproteínas de alta densidad HDL-colesterol (HDL-c). Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el efecto de Prosopis ruscifolia sobre el perfil lipídico en ratones suizos albinos con hiperglucemia e hiperlipidemia.CONACYT – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Lower respiratory tract infections among human immunodeficiency virus-exposed, uninfected infants

Objectives: To evaluate whether maternal HIV disease severity during pregnancy is associated with an increased likelihood of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants.Methods: HIV-exposed, uninfected, singleton, term infants enrolled in the NISDI Perinatal Study, with birth weight >2500 g were followed from birth until 6 months of age. LRTI diagnoses, hospitalizations, and associated factors were assessed.Results: of 547 infants, 103 (18.8%) experienced 116 episodes of LRTI (incidence = 0.84 LRTIs/100 child-weeks). Most (81%) episodes were bronchiolitis. Forty-nine (9.0%) infants were hospitalized at least once with an LRTI. There were 53 hospitalizations (45.7%) for 116 LRTI episodes. None of these infants were breastfed. the odds of LRTI in infants whose mothers had CD4% = 29 (p = 0.003). the odds of LRTI in infants with a CD4+ count (cells/ mm(3)) = 750 (p = 0.002). Maternal CD4+ decline and infant hemoglobin at the 6-12 week visit were associated with infant LRTIs after 6-12 weeks and before 6 months of age.Conclusions: Acute bronchiolitis is common and frequently severe among HIV-exposed, uninfected infants aged 6 months or less. Lower maternal and infant CD4+ values were associated with a higher risk of infant LRTIs. Further understanding of the immunological mechanisms of severe LRTIs is needed. (C) 2010 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.NICHDUniv São Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP, BrazilWESTAT Corp, Rockville, MD 20850 USAUniv Caxias Sul, Rio Grande Do Sul, BrazilHosp Diego Paroissien, Buenos Aires, DF, ArgentinaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv W Indies, Kingston 7, JamaicaHosp Juan Fernandez, Buenos Aires, DF, ArgentinaHosp Agudos Dra Cecilia Grierson, Buenos Aires, DF, ArgentinaNICHD, Pediat Adolescent & Maternal AIDS Branch, CRMC, NIH,DHHS, Bethesda, MD USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilNICHD: N01-HD-3-3345NICHD: HHSN267200800001CNICHD: N01-DK-8-0001Web of Scienc