Relationship Between Criminal and Status Offense Behaviors, Substance Use, and HIV Risk Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Cape Town, South Africa.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between externalizing behaviors, substance use, and sexual risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Cape Town, South Africa, who experience social disadvantage characterized by poverty and school dropout. We analyzed baseline data from 500 AGYW in a cluster-randomized trial who had dropped out of school. Multivariate logistic regression models explored associations between self-reported criminal behaviors and other status offenses, heavy episodic drinking, polydrug use, and condomless sex.

Artificial intelligence based assessment of minimally invasive surgical skills using standardised objective metrics - A narrative review.

Introduction: Many studies display significant heterogeneity in the reliability of artificial intelligence (AI) assessment of minimally invasive surgical (MIS) skills. Our objective is to investigate whether AI systems utilising standardised objective metrics (SOMs) as the basis of skill assessment can provide a clearer understanding of the current state of such technology.

Methods: We systematically searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL and Web of Science from March 2023 to September 2023.

Clinical, legal and ethical implications of coercion and compulsory treatment in eating disorders: do rapid review findings identify clear answers or more muddy waters?

Introduction: This Rapid Review (RR) aimed to assess the current literature over the past decade to determine the prevailing evidence regarding compulsory treatment* in eating disorders (ED). It is hoped that the review will help inform a consensus opinion as to whether this course of action confers significant clinical benefit, and importantly, to whom it should apply. The review also explores alternative options to involuntary care.

Tumor suppressor miR-317 and lncRNA Peony are expressed from a polycistronic non-coding RNA locus that regulates germline differentiation and testis morphology.

This research focuses on investigating the impact of non-coding RNAs on stem cell biology and differentiation processes. We found that plays a role in germline stem cell progeny differentiation. and its neighbor, the lncRNA , originate and are co-expressed from a singular polycistronic non-coding RNA locus.

Caloric Restriction Diet Attenuates Systemic Bone Fragility after Radiotherapy.

Bone fragility is a well-documented long-term side effect of radiotherapy, which currently has no preventative treatments. In this study, we applied a caloric restriction (CR) diet to attenuate both local and systemic bone loss after irradiation (RTx) in an established female Balb/c mouse model (4 consecutive daily doses of 5 Gy to the right hindlimb only). CR mice were tapered down to a 30% reduced calorie diet (RTx/CR) one week before irradiation, while regular diet (RD) mice received food ad libitum (RTx/RD).

Patient and provider perceptions of the relationship between alcohol use and TB and readiness for treatment: a qualitative study in South Africa.

Background: Unhealthy alcohol use is widespread in South Africa and has been linked to tuberculosis (TB) disease and poor treatment outcomes. This study used qualitative methods to explore the relationship between TB and alcohol use during TB treatment.

Methods: Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 34 participants who had previous or current drug-susceptible TB and self-reported current alcohol use.

Associations between childbirth, gang exposure and substance use among young women in Cape Town, South Africa.

The prevalence and influence of gangs on adolescents and young adults remain a concern in Western Cape, South Africa-particularly as they have one of the largest gang presence. While less attention has been focused on young women, there is a need to elucidate the relationship between gang exposure and health behaviors, such substance use, in addition to understanding whether becoming a caregiver impacts this relationship. This study uses baseline data from 496 participants enrolled in a NIDA-funded R01 trial that recruited young women aged 16 to 19 who were out of school and reported recent alcohol or other drug use and sexual risk behavior.

The impact of alcohol and illicit substance use on the pharmacokinetics of first-line TB drugs.

Background: In South Africa, an estimated 11% of the population have high alcohol use, a major risk factor for TB. Alcohol and other substance use are also associated with poor treatment response, with a potential mechanism being altered TB drug pharmacokinetics.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of alcohol and illicit substance use on the pharmacokinetics of first-line TB drugs in participants with pulmonary TB.

Efficient exact exchange using Wannier functions and other related developments in planewave-pseudopotential implementation of RT-TDDFT.

The plane-wave pseudopotential (PW-PP) formalism is widely used for the first-principles electronic structure calculation of extended periodic systems. The PW-PP approach has also been adapted for real-time time-dependent density functional theory (RT-TDDFT) to investigate time-dependent electronic dynamical phenomena. In this work, we detail recent advances in the PW-PP formalism for RT-TDDFT, particularly how maximally localized Wannier functions (MLWFs) are used to accelerate simulations using the exact exchange.

Multilevel strategies to end HIV for young couples in Cape Town: Study protocol for a cluster randomized trial.

This protocol presents a multilevel cluster randomized study in 24 communities in Cape Town, South Africa. The study comprises four specific aims. Aim 1, conducted during the formative phase, was to modify the original Couples Health CoOp (CHC) intervention to include antiretroviral therapy/pre-exposure prophylaxis (ART/PrEP), called the Couples Health CoOp Plus (CHC+), with review from our Community Collaborative Board and a Peer Advisory Board.

Genetic regulation of injury-induced heterotopic ossification in adult zebrafish.

Heterotopic ossification is the inappropriate formation of bone in soft tissues of the body. It can manifest spontaneously in rare genetic conditions or as a response to injury, known as acquired heterotopic ossification. There are several experimental models for studying acquired heterotopic ossification from different sources of damage.

Outcomes of substance use and sexual power among adolescent girls and young women in Cape Town: Implications for structural and cultural differences.

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa experience contextual barriers to HIV risk reduction including incomplete schooling, unintended pregnancy, substance use, and gender-based violence. A cluster randomised trial in Cape Town allocated 24 Black and Coloured communities to a gender-focused HIV risk-reduction intervention or HIV testing, with 500 AGYW total enrolled. We evaluated intervention efficacy by comparing mean differences overall, by community population group (Black and Coloured) and among those with structural barriers based on neighbourhood, education, and employment (n = 406).

MIC10b can polymerize into cristae-shaping filaments.

Cristae are invaginations of the mitochondrial inner membrane that are crucial for cellular energy metabolism. The formation of cristae requires the presence of a protein complex known as MICOS, which is conserved across eukaryotic species. One of the subunits of this complex, MIC10, is a transmembrane protein that supports cristae formation by oligomerization.

Binge drinking and condom negotiation behaviours among adolescent girls and young women living in Cape Town, South Africa: sexual control and perceived personal power.

Background: Condom use among young people in South Africa has declined in recent years and adolescent girls and young women continue to bear the highest incidence of HIV in the country. Young women who have dropped out of school may be more at risk because of traditional gender norms that create substantial power imbalances and a lack of power to negotiate condom use with their male partners, especially when using alcohol and other drugs.

Methods: This study presents an analysis of baseline data provided by 500 adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) from Cape Town communities between November 2016 and November 2018 who were reached for a cluster-randomised trial conducted to assess the efficacy of an evidence-based, young woman-focused intervention seeking to reduce HIV risk and substance use behaviours.

Pupillary dilations in a Target/Distractor visual task paradigm and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD is a neurocognitive disorder characterized by attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, often persisting into adulthood with substantial personal and societal consequences. Despite the importance of neurophysiological assessment and treatment monitoring tests, their availability outside of research settings remains limited. Cognitive neuroscience investigations have identified distinct components associated with ADHD, including deficits in sustained attention, inefficient enhancement of attended Targets, and altered suppression of ignored Distractors.

wnt10a is required for zebrafish median fin fold maintenance and adult unpaired fin metamorphosis.

Background: Mutations of human WNT10A are associated with odonto-ectodermal dysplasia syndromes. Here, we present analyses of wnt10a loss-of-function mutants in the zebrafish.

Results: wnt10a mutant zebrafish embryos display impaired tooth development and a collapsing median fin fold (MFF).

Patient and provider perceptions of the relationship between alcohol use and TB and readiness for treatment: a qualitative study in South Africa.

Background: Unhealthy alcohol use is widespread in South Africa and has been linked to tuberculosis (TB) disease and poor treatment outcomes. This study used qualitative methods to explore the relationship between TB and alcohol use during TB treatment.

Methods: Focus groups (FGs) were conducted with 34 participants who had previous or current drugsusceptible TB and self-reported current alcohol use.

Latent class analysis of substance use typologies associated with mental and sexual health outcomes among sexual and gender minority youth.

Little is known about sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) who have sex with men's unique patterns of substance use, even though they are at risk for substance use and adverse mental and other health outcomes. We used latent class analysis to examine typologies of substance use and multinomial logistic regression to investigate mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety) and HIV/STI testing correlates associated with different classes of substance use in a sample of SGMY who have sex with men in the USA and use substances (n = 414) who participated in an online survey. The average age was 22.

From Guardianship to Supported Decision-Making: Still Searching for True North?

This article argues that asking whether guardianship has changed is the wrong question. It is the wrong question because guardianship does not exist in isolation from other institutions and legal instruments, such as enduring powers and nominee powers, or informal community arrangements of support or substituted decision-making. It is the wrong question because archetypical purity of guardianship as substitution and support as autonomy does not reflect real world experience of it as it is always a mixture of both, changing over time and decision type; and because change is very hard to pin down.