ALIGNMENT OF PREP USE WITH POTENTIAL HIV EXPOSURE IN YOUNG WOMEN AND MEN IN UGANDA.

Background: Despite high oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among young heterosexual cisgender women, early discontinuation is frequent. It is unclear whether this aligns with potential HIV exposure.

Methods: Young women 16-25 years and ≥1 of their male partners were enrolled in separate but linked longitudinal HIV PrEP studies in Kampala, Uganda from 2018-2021.

Health impact, budget impact, and price threshold for cost-effectiveness of lenacapavir for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in eastern and southern Africa: a modelling analysis.

Background: Injectable lenacapavir administered every 6 months is a promising product for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We aimed to estimate the health and budget impacts and threshold price at which lenacapavir could be cost-effective in eastern and southern Africa.

Methods: We adapted an agent-based network model, EMOD-HIV, to simulate lenacapavir scale-up in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and western Kenya from 2026 to 2035.

Adherence and HIV Protection Thresholds for Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Preexposure Prophylaxis among Cisgender Women: A Systematic Review.

Purpose Of Review: Adherence-concentration-efficacy benchmarks have not been fully characterized for cisgender women using emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) oral daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention.

Recent Findings: We conducted a systematic review to investigate current evidence on the adherence-concentration-efficacy relationship of tenofovir-diphosphate (TFV-DP) derived from FTC/TDF PrEP in dried blood spots (DBS) and peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) in cisgender women without HIV, including during pregnancy. We searched for completed and ongoing studies published before May 2024 in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and clinicaltrial.

Diagnosis and treatment status of inoperable locally advanced breast cancer and the application value of inorganic nanomaterials.

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a heterogeneous group of breast cancer that accounts for 10-30% of breast cancer cases. Despite the ongoing development of current treatment methods, LABC remains a severe and complex public health concern around the world, thus prompting the urgent requirement for innovative diagnosis and treatment strategies. The primary treatment challenges are inoperable clinical status and ineffective local control methods.

Establishing adherence-concentration-efficacy thresholds of TDF-FTC pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention in African women: a protocol for the Women TDF-FTC Benchmark Study.

Background: Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using co-formulated emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a potent HIV prevention method for men and women, with its efficacy highly dependent on adherence. A pivotal HIV efficacy study combined with a directly observed pharmacological study defined the thresholds for HIV protection in men who have sex with men (MSM), which are the keys to PrEP promotion and development of new PrEP agents. For African women at risk for HIV and belonging to a priority group considered due to disproportionately high incident HIV infections, the variable adherence in PrEP clinical trials and the limited pharmacologic data have resulted in a lack of clarity about the PrEP adherence required for HIV protection.

Characterization of aroma-active compounds in sesame hulls at different roasting temperatures by SAFE and GC-O-MS.

The study characterized the aroma-active compounds produced by sesame hulls at three roasting temperatures and analyzed the similarities and differences in the aroma profile of sesame hulls with whole seeds and kernels after roasting. Roasting hulls produced mainly furans, aldehydes, and ketones volatiles. 140 Compounds were identified as aroma-active compounds, including 36 key aroma compounds (odor activity value, OAV ≥ 1).

Presence of manubrium-sternum joint does not assure sufficient elevation of sternum in Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum patients.

Background: The manubrium and body of the sternum are connected by the manubrium-sternum joint (MSJ). In performing the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum patients, the body of the sternum is elevated as the operator flips correction bars upside down. Theoretically, the presence of the MSJ should allow elevation of the sternum body.

Biomechanical Evaluation of Additional Surgical Maneuvers to Improve Symmetry in Performing Nuss Procedure for Asymmetric Pectus Excavatum.

Background: Severing part of the thorax prior to bar placement is effective to improve outcomes in performing the Nuss procedure for asymmetric pectus excavatum. This study aims to elucidate the patterns of severing to provide an ideal outcome.

Methods: Three-dimensional biomechanical computer models were produced simulating the thoraxes of 10 actual patients with asymmetric pectus excavatum.

Long-Term Tetrabromobisphenol A Exposure Induces Gut Microbiota Imbalance and Metabolic Disorders via the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Signaling Pathway in the Regenerated Gut of .

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a commonly utilized brominated flame retardant, is found in many types of abiotic and biotic matrices. TBBPA can increase oxidative stress, disrupt the endocrine system, cause neurodevelopmental disorders and activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors to modulate lipid deposits in aquatic animals. However, the toxic mechanism of TBBPA on the gut microbiota and intestinal health remains unclear.

Simulation and prediction of the geographical distribution of five Caragana species in the north temperate zone.

The shrub encroachment caused by Caragana species (mainly C. microphylla, C. korshinskii, C.

Integration of sexually transmitted infection and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis services in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

Background: Persons living in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face disproportionate risk from overlapping epidemics of HIV and bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention is gradually being scaled up globally including in several settings in SSA, which represents a key opportunity to integrate STI services with HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, there is limited literature on how to successfully integrate these services, particularly in the SSA context.

Challenges and advances for glioma therapy based on inorganic nanoparticles.

Glioma is one of the most serious central nervous system diseases, with high mortality and poor prognosis. Despite the continuous development of existing treatment methods, the median survival time of glioma patients is still only 15 months. The main treatment difficulties are the invasive growth of glioma and the obstruction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to drugs.

A new method for mutation inducing in rice by using DC electrophoresis bath and its mutagenic effects.

Mutation breeding is a significant means of increasing breeding efficiency and accelerating breeding process. In present study, we explored a new method for mutations inducing in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by using direct current electrophoresis bath (DCEB).

MYB Transcription Factor Involves the Regulation of Purple Leaf Sheath in Rice.

Although several regulators associated with purple traits in rice have been identified, the genetic basis of the purple sheath remains unclear. In the present study, F2-1 and F2-2 populations were constructed using purple sheath (H93S) and green sheath (R1173 and YHSM), respectively. In order to identify QTL loci in purple sheaths, BSA analyses were performed on the two F2 populations.

Hardness of Artificial Bone and Vulnerability of Reconstructed Skull-A Biomechanical Study.

Background: Various materials are used to reconstruct cranial defects. The present study focuses on what happens when reconstructed skulls are impacted in trauma situations. Using biomechanical analysis, the present study elucidates how the hardness of reconstruction material affects the vulnerability of reconstructed skulls.

Association of longer telomere length in cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts with worse prognosis.

Background: Telomere dysfunction has been reported to be directly involved in carcinogenesis owing to chromosomal instability and immortalization; however, the clinicopathological significance of telomeres remains controversial. We have shown that telomere shortening occurs in normal-appearing duct cells at initiation and then continues during the progression of pancreatic cancer. In this study, we determined the clinicopathological and prognostic value of telomere length (TL) in cancer progression.

RNA-Seq and Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Potential Genes for Rice Seed Shattering.

The loss of the shattering ability is one of the key events in rice domestication. The strength of the seed shattering ability is closely related to the harvest yield and the adaptability of modern mechanical harvesting methods. In this study, using a population of 587 natural rice cultivars, quantitative trait loci associated with seed shattering were detected by genome-wide association studies (GWASs).

Biological saccharification coupled with anaerobic digestion using corn straw for sustainable methane production.

In this study, accumulated fermentable sugars from biosaccharified corn straw were used to generate methane through anaerobic digestion (AD). The results showed that reducing sugars from biosaccharification expanded corn straw (BECS) treated with Clostridium thermocellum XF811 accumulated with yields of 94.9 mg/g.

PrEP use and HIV seroconversion rates in adolescent girls and young women from Kenya and South Africa: the POWER demonstration project.

Introduction: HIV incidence remains high among African adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). The primary objective of this study is to assess pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation, use, persistence and HIV acquisition among African AGYW offered PrEP in order to inform PrEP scale-up.

Methods: POWER was a prospective implementation science evaluation of PrEP delivery for sexually active HIV-negative AGYW ages 16-25 in family planning clinics in Kisumu, Kenya and youth and primary healthcare clinics in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Efficient conversion of hemicellulose into 2, 3-butanediol by engineered psychrotrophic Raoultella terrigena: mechanism and efficiency.

Low-temperature biorefineries inhibit the multiplication of undesired microorganisms, improve product purity and reduce economic costs. Herein, to improve the 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) bioconversion efficiency from hemicellulose, a psychrotrophic hemicellulose-degrading strain Raoultella terrigena HC6 with high β-xylosidase activity 1520 U/mL was isolated and genetically modified. Xylan (hemicellulose replacement) was depolymerized into xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and xylose by HC6, which were further converted into 2,3-BD.