11 x 224 Gb/s POLMUX-RZ-16QAM transmission over 670 km of SSMF with 50-Ghz channel spacing

We demonstrate the generation and transmission of eleven channels with 224-Gb/s polarization-multiplexed, return to zero, 16-level quadrature amplitude modulation (POLMUX-RZ-16QAM) over 670 km of standard single mode fiber (SSMF) with 50-GHz channel spacing and a spectral efficiency of 4.2 b/s/Hz. We report a penalty of around 4.3 dB in the performance at back-to-back in comparison to the theoretical limits, and a margin of 1 dB in Q-factor below the forward error correction (FEC) limit (assumed to be at a bit error rate of 3.8x10-3) after transmission over 670 km of SSMF

Transmission of 11 x 224 Gb/s POLMUX-RZ-16QAM over 1500 km of LongLine and pure-silica SMF

We demonstrate transmission of 11 x 224-Gb/s POLMUX-RZ-16QAM over 1500 km with a channel spacing of 50 GHz. A hybrid configuration of LongLine and pure silica fiber is used to optimize both nonlinear tolerance and Raman gain.</p

Reduction of Gordon-Mollenauer phase noise by midlink spectral inversion

We show that spectral inversion can be employed for regeneration to reduce the effect of phase noise (Gordon-Mollenauer phase noise) in a nonreturn-to-zero differential phase-shift-keying based transmission system. Several locations of the spectral inverter in an eight-span transmission link have been investigated. We show that the best results are obtained when the spectral inverter is placed in the middle of the link. Compared to the transmission system without spectral inverter, an improvement of over four decades in bit-error-rate performance is achieved

SISTA South Africa: The adaptation of an efficacious HIV prevention trial conducted with African-American women for isiXhosa-speaking South African women

Although new HIV treatments continue to offer hope for individuals living with HIV, behavioural interventions shown to reduce HIV risk behaviour remain one of the most powerful tools in curbing the HIV epidemic. Unfortunately, the development of evidencebased HIV interventions is a resource-intensive process that has not progressed as quickly as the epidemiology of the disease. As the epidemic continues to evolve, there is a need to expedite the development of evidence-based HIV interventions for populations that are often disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. One mechanism of accelerating the development process is to adapt evidence-based HIV interventions for vulnerable populations. The aim of this paper was to describe the adaptation process of a HIV intervention for African-American women for black South African Xhosa women. For African-American women the intervention was effective in increasing consistent condom use, sexual self-control, sexual communication, sexual assertiveness and partner adoption of norms supporting consistent condom use. Keywords: Intervention, women, cultural adaptation, HIV transmission risk behaviours.SAHARA-J Vol. 5 (4) 2008: pp. 186-19

10x224-Gb/s POLMUX-16QAM transmission over 656 km of large-Aeff PSCF with a special efficiency of 5.6 b/s/Hz

We demonstrate the successful transmission of 10 channels with 224-Gb/s POLMUX-16QAM modulation (28 GBaud) on a 37.5-GHz wavelength grid. Using large-Aeff pure-silica-core fibers we show a 656-km transmission distance with a spectral efficiency of 5.6 b/s/Hz. We report a back-to-back performance penalty of 3.5 dB compared to theoretical limits at the forward-error correction (FEC) limit (bit-error rate of 3.8·10-3), and a margin of 0.5 dB in Q-factor with respect to the FEC-limit after 656 km of transmission

111-Gb/s POLMUX-RZ-DQPSK Transmission over LEAF: Optical versus Electrical Dispersion Compensation

We investigate the transmission performance of 111-Gb/s POLMUX-RZ-DQPSK modulation using either optical or electrical dispersion compensation. We show that after 2000-km LEAF transmission both link configurations have a comparable nonlinear tolerance

'It is like a tomato stall where someone can pick what he likes': structure and practices of female sex work in Kampala, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Effective interventions among female sex workers require a thorough knowledge of the context of local sex industries. We explore the organisation of female sex work in a low socio-economic setting in Kampala, Uganda. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study with 101 participants selected from an epidemiological cohort of 1027 women at high risk of HIV in Kampala. Repeat in-depth life history and work practice interviews were conducted from March 2010 to June 2011. Context specific factors of female sex workers' day-to-day lives were captured. Reported themes were identified and categorised inductively. RESULTS: Of the 101 women, 58 were active self-identified sex workers operating in different locations within the area of study and nine had quit sex work. This paper focuses on these 67 women who gave information about their involvement in sex work. The majority had not gone beyond primary level of education and all had at least one child. Thirty one voluntarily disclosed that they were HIV-positive. Common sex work locations were streets/roadsides, bars and night clubs. Typically sex occurred in lodges near bars/night clubs, dark alleyways or car parking lots. Overall, women experienced sex work-related challenges at their work locations but these were more apparent in outdoor settings. These settings exposed women to violence, visibility to police, a stigmatising public as well as competition for clients, while bars provided some protection from these challenges. Older sex workers tended to prefer bars while the younger ones were mostly based on the streets. Alcohol consumption was a feature in all locations and women said it gave them courage and helped them to withstand the night chill. Condom use was determined by clients' willingness, a woman's level of sobriety or price offered. CONCLUSIONS: Sex work operates across a variety of locations in the study area in Kampala, with each presenting different strategies and challenges for those operating there. Risky practices are present in all locations although they are higher on the streets compared to other locations. Location specific interventions are required to address the complex challenges in sex work environments