Publications by authors named "M R Pickles"

Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the HIV epidemic among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Kenya, emphasizing their disproportionate rates of infection and the need for tailored public health strategies.
  • Researchers collected dried blood spots from 2,450 participants in different counties and found that 18.5% were living with HIV, with only a small number successfully sequenced due to high rates of viral suppression.
  • Results indicated that the majority of identified HIV phylogenetic clusters involved GBMSM who sought partners online and tested less frequently than recommended, highlighting important gaps in HIV prevention and care within the community.
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Background: Understanding the frequency of violence experienced by female sex workers (FSWs) and how violence contributes to HIV transmission can help improve HIV programs.

Methods: Using recent recommendations for modelling structural factors and associated causal pathways, we developed a HIV transmission dynamic model for FSWs and their clients in Mombasa, Kenya, mechanistically representing three types of violence (sexual violence, SV; physical violence, PV; police assault and arrest, PAA). Each type of violence affects HIV transmission through key mediators (condom non-use, HIV testing).

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Background: Transmission of HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are heavily influenced by complex interactions within sexual or injecting networks where risk behaviors occur. In Ukraine, women engaged in sex work (WSW) and men who purchase sex (MWPS) are disproportionately affected by both viruses. The aim of our study was to the investigate the influence of underlying networks on transmission of HIV and HCV.

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Background: Including structural determinants (e.g. criminalisation, stigma, inequitable gender norms) in dynamic HIV transmission models is important to help quantify their population-level impacts and guide implementation of effective interventions that reduce the burden of HIV and inequalities thereof.

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Purpose: Oropharyngeal squamous cell cancers (OPSCCs) are traditionally managed with surgery and, if indicated, adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) with or without chemotherapy. NCCN recommends keeping the time from surgery to the start of RT (TSRT) within 6 weeks to avoid possibly compromising patient outcomes. HPV+ OPSCCs behave more favorably than HPV- OPSCCs.

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