Why do Nigerian manufacturing firms take action on AIDS?

Objective: To identify differences between manufacturing firms in Nigeria that have undertaken HIV/AIDS prevention activities and those that have not as a step toward improving the targeting of HIV policies and interventions. Methods: A survey of a representative sample of registered manufacturing firms in Nigeria, stratified by location, workforce size, and industrial sector. The survey was administered to managers of 232 firms representing most major industrial areas and sectors in March-April 2001. Results: 45.3 percent of the firms’ managers received information about HIV/AIDS from a source outside the firm in 2000; 7.7 percent knew of an employee who was HIV-positive at the time of the survey; and 13.6 percent knew of an employee who had left the firm and/or died in service due to AIDS. Only 31.7 percent of firms took any action to prevent HIV among employees in 2000, and 23.9 percent had discussed the epidemic as a potential business concern. The best correlates of having taken action on HIV were knowledge of an HIV-positive employee or having lost an employee to AIDS (odds ratio [OR] 6.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.30, 17.57) and receiving information about the disease from an outside source (OR 7.83, 95% CI: 3.46, 17.69). Conclusions: Despite a nationwide HIV seroprevalence of 5.8 percent, as of 2001 most Nigerian manufacturing firm managers did not regard HIV/AIDS as a serious problem and had neither taken any action on it nor discussed it as a business issue. Providing managers with accurate, relevant information about the epidemic and practical prevention interventions might strengthen the business response to AIDS in countries like Nigeria

P02-07. High Concentrations of Interleukin-15 and Low Concentrations of CCL5 in Breast Milk are Associated with Protection against Postnatal HIV Transmission

Background: Natural variations in IL-15 concentration have not been investigated for an association with an immune-protection against HIV. Given IL-15's central role in anti-HIV immunity, we hypothesized that higher concentrations of IL-15 in breast milk may protect against postnatal mother-to-child HIV transmission. Methods: In a case-control study nested within a clinical trial in Zambia, we compared IL-15 concentrations in breast milk of 22 HIV-infected women who transmitted HIV to their infants through breastfeeding with those of 72 who did not, as well as 18 HIV-uninfected women. Breast milk HIV RNA quantity, sodium, CXCL12, CCL5, and IL-8 concentrations were measured as well as maternal plasma HIV RNA concentrations and CD4 cell count. We used logistic regression modeling to adjust for potential confounders. Results: Higher concentrations of IL-15 in breast milk (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.01 per log10 pg/ml increase, 95% confidence interval [CI]: <0.001 to 0.3) were associated with protection against postnatal HIV transmission in univariate analysis and after adjusting for maternal CD4 cell counts, breast milk HIV RNA, CCL5, CXCL12, and IL-8 concentrations. Breast milk IL-15 concentration correlated with breast milk sodium, the other cytokines and HIV RNA concentration. It was inversely correlated with infant birth weight and tended to be higher in 1 week than in 1 month post-partum samples. Breast milk CCL5 concentrations were associated with increased risk of HIV transmission (AOR: 12.7 95% CI: 1.6 to 102.0) in adjusted analysis. Breast milk CXCL12 and IL-8 concentrations were not independently associated with transmission. Conclusion: High concentration of IL-15 were associated with a protection against breastfeeding HIV transmission after adjusting for other pro-inflammatory cytokines, HIV RNA in breast milk, and maternal CD4 cell count. These results corroborate a protective role of IL-15-mediated cellular immunity against HIV transmission during breastfeeding. They are informative for vaccination studies using IL-15 as an adjuvant

Examining Guided Reading Practices in Kindergarten Classrooms

This study investigated how 15 kindergarten teachers from one school district implemented small-group Guided Reading (GR). Analysis of video recordings indicates substantial differences in how GR was conducted, with none of the teachers fully implementing GR as conceptualized by Fountas and Pinnell (2012). Consistency across teachers was limited to reading a new book and using a picture walk as part of the book introduction. Differences were observed in how the books were read (choral, round robin, or independent reading) and in instructional activities before and after reading the new book, with word solving being the most prevalent focus of instruction. Findings suggest that while districts may promote a GR approach, teachers may be doing very different things. These findings are considered in light of current debates around early reading instruction and the importance of evidence-based decision making with regard to instructional improvements

Security guidelines for field research in complex, remote and hazardous places

These guidelines assist researchers in conducting their field-based research or fieldwork in hazardous, remote or complex environments as safely and securely as possible. Fieldwork comes with risks, ranging from the mundane risks of car accidents to more exceptional risks of encountering violence. These risks may affect the security of the researcher and the research outcomes, as well as the security of the respondents, local assistants and interpreters, the home and host organizations, and research sponsors. Taking into account the risk environment should be an integral part of the methodological and ethical choices researchers make. The first section of the publication deals with the particular security considerations posed by field-based research and suggests a set of ethical guidelines for field-based research. Section two is about field work and details how to conduct context analysis and risk assessment as well as how to plan and stay healthy during the course of field research. The final section is largely comprised of checklists and key considerations to assist researchers in managing their own personal security, both in terms of preventive and reactive measures

PET radioligand injection for pig neuroimaging

Pigs are useful models in neuroimaging studies with positron emission tomography (PET). Radiolabeled ligands are injected intravenously at the start of the scan and in pigs the most easily accessible route of administration is the ear vein. However, in brain studies the short distance between the brain and ear vein can be problematic as both are localized inside the field of view and, as a consequence, tracer residues in the catheter may influence the outcome of the scan. Here, we discuss options to avoid this problem. The femoral vein can be used in studies where repeated arterial blood sampling is needed because surgical incision has to be performed to allow access to the artery. When a non-invasive technique is preferred, the ear vein is a good alternative although it is recommended to dilute the tracer sufficiently in saline (20-50 mL) prior to injection. In addition, the tracer can be injected through an extension tube (filled with saline before injection), which is removed together with the syringe immediately after tracer injection. This avoids placing the syringe with tracer inside the PET gantry while injecting. By applying these simple techniques, it is our experience that it is possible to obtain high-quality images without exposing pigs to invasive procedures

Security guidelines for field research in complex, remote and hazardous places

These guidelines assist researchers in conducting their field-based research or fieldwork in hazardous, remote or complex environments as safely and securely as possible. Fieldwork comes with risks, ranging from the mundane risks of car accidents to more exceptional risks of encountering violence. These risks may affect the security of the researcher and the research outcomes, as well as the security of the respondents, local assistants and interpreters, the home and host organizations, and research sponsors. Taking into account the risk environment should be