A Pilot Randomized Trial of Intervention Components Addressing Drug Use in Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC) with Male Couples.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) experience high rates of substance use and HIV infection. Main partners are the source of many (35-68%) of these new HIV infections. This study developed and examined the efficacy of two adjunct components to couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC)-communication training (CT) videos and a substance use module (SUM)-to reduce drug use and sexual HIV transmission risk in MSM couples.

HOPON (Hyperbaric Oxygen for the Prevention of Osteoradionecrosis): A Randomized Controlled Trial of Hyperbaric Oxygen to Prevent Osteoradionecrosis of the Irradiated Mandible After Dentoalveolar Surgery.

Purpose: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) has been advocated in the prevention and treatment of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the jaw after head and neck radiation therapy, but supporting evidence is weak. The aim of this randomized trial was to establish the benefit of HBO in the prevention of ORN after high-risk surgical procedures to the irradiated mandible.

Methods And Materials: HOPON was a randomized, controlled, phase 3 trial.

Relationship Dynamics in the Context of Binge Drinking and Polydrug Use Among Same-Sex Male Couples in Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago.

An estimated one- to two-thirds of incident HIV infections among U.S. men who have sex with men (MSM) occur within the context of a primary relationship.

Variations in Testing for HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections Across Gender Identity Among Transgender Youth.

Transgender youth are at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but their rates of screening are unknown. This study sought to quantify HIV and other STI testing levels and to examine variations in testing levels across three categories of gender identity: transgender men, transgender women, and nonbinary individuals. Between June 2017 and June 2018, 186 transgender youth aged 15-24 years were recruited into a randomized trial of home HIV testing supplemented with telehealth-based counseling.

Perceptions of Strategies and Intervention Approaches for HIV Self-Management among Ugandan Adolescents: A Qualitative Study.

The heightened vulnerability of adolescents to poor HIV care outcomes underscores the need for interventions that create and promote HIV self-management behavioral skills. Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) experience a complex array of physical, emotional, and social challenges that constrain their self-care, but the majority of existing psychosocial programs focus primarily on medication adherence. Understanding adolescents' self-care needs, challenges, and preferences is necessary for developing effective culturally relevant interventions.

Adapting a Sexual Violence Primary Prevention Program to Ghana Utilizing the ADAPT-ITT Framework.

Prevention of sexual violence among young people has become a priority area in Ghana, although few initiatives have focused on this topic. The ADAPT-ITT (ssessment, ecisions, dministration, roduction, opical experts, ntegration, raining staff, and esting) framework was used to systematically adapt an evidence-based sexual violence prevention program developed in the United States to a university in Ghana. Results from cognitive interviews, focus groups, beta testing, and topical experts indicate the adapted primary prevention program is promising for use in Ghanaian universities.

Rho Flares Repair Local Tight Junction Leaks.

Tight junctions contribute to epithelial barrier function by selectively regulating the quantity and type of molecules that cross the paracellular barrier. Experimental approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of tight junctions are typically global, tissue-scale measures. Here, we introduce Zinc-based Ultrasensitive Microscopic Barrier Assay (ZnUMBA), which we used in Xenopus laevis embryos to visualize short-lived, local breaches in epithelial barrier function.

Toward a New Definition of Unmet Need for Contraception.

The current definition of unmet need for contraception assumes that all women who are using a method have a met need. We argue that without taking into account the level of satisfaction with a method, many women are classified as having a met need, when in fact they have an unmet need. They are using a method that does not meet their preferences, either because it causes side effects they find untenable or has other characteristics they do not like.

Anillin regulates epithelial cell mechanics by structuring the medial-apical actomyosin network.

Cellular forces sculpt organisms during development, while misregulation of cellular mechanics can promote disease. Here, we investigate how the actomyosin scaffold protein anillin contributes to epithelial mechanics in embryos. Increased mechanosensitive recruitment of vinculin to cell-cell junctions when anillin is overexpressed suggested that anillin promotes junctional tension.

Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence Among Recently Married Dyads Residing in the Slums of Pune, India: Development and Rationale for a Dyadic Intervention.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is frequently experienced by women of low socioeconomic status in India. It is a human rights violation and associated with negative effects on physical and mental well-being, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a dyadic intervention for the primary prevention of IPV among newly married couples residing in slum communities in India.

Severity of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Use Disorders Among Sexual Minority Individuals and Their "Not Sure" Counterparts.

Purpose: Sexual minority individuals have heightened risk for substance use; however, previous studies have not assessed severity of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), tobacco use disorders (TUDs), and drug use disorders (DUDs) among lesbian/gay and bisexual individuals and those "not sure" of their sexual identity compared with heterosexual individuals. This study examined how three dimensions of sexual orientation (identity, attraction, and behavior) relate to severity of AUD, TUD, and DUD.

Methods: This study used cross-sectional national data (N = 36,309) from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, and well-validated alcohol, tobacco, and drug measures that align with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria.

Cognitive and Emotional Factors Associated with Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) between the ages of 13 and 24 account for a disproportionate number of new HIV infections in the U.S. Recognizing the unique developmental circumstances that YMSM face and building on the dual-process model, it is important to consider the role of cognitive and emotional factors as well as self-efficacy to negotiate safer sex when understanding experiences of sexual risk-taking among YMSM.

The Development and Testing of a Relationship Skills Intervention to Improve HIV Prevention Uptake Among Young Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men and Their Primary Partners (We Prevent): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) continue to be the group most heavily impacted by HIV in the United States. Substantial evidence indicates that up to two-thirds of new HIV infections occur in the context of a main partnership. Couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC) has been shown to be a promising and effective strategy for increasing HIV prevention uptake among male couples; however, YMSM who are new to relationships may not have yet developed the efficacy, negotiation, and communication skills to navigate HIV testing in their relationship and communicate around developing a prevention plan.

Perceptions of HIV Self-Management Roles and Challenges in Adolescents, Caregivers, and Health Care Providers.

Self-management of HIV is a desirable goal for the millions of adolescent persons living with HIV (PLWH). Adolescent PLWH continue to experience poor HIV care outcomes, primarily due to poor rates of medication adherence and retention in care, highlighting a need to develop adolescent self-management skills. The aim of our study was to examine adolescent, caregiver, and health care provider perceptions of adolescent PLWH self-management roles, barriers, and facilitators.

Germline Variant in and Response to Abiraterone Acetate Plus Prednisone (AA) in New-onset Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC).

There are many treatment options available for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Yet, biomarkers predictive of differential response to treatment are currently unavailable. A recent translational study suggested that genotype could predict response to abiraterone acetate for men with advanced prostate cancer.

Modulation of Premetastatic Niche by the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Pazopanib in Localized High-Risk Prostate Cancer Followed by Radical Prostatectomy: A Phase II Randomized Trial.

Lessons Learned: Pazopanib was not effective in altering the premetastatic niche in the neoadjuvant setting.Pazopanib was safe and well tolerated without any new safety signals.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) expressing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (VEGFR1+ MDSCs) potentially foster metastases by establishing a premetastatic niche.

The Dbf4 ortholog Chiffon forms a complex with Gcn5 that is necessary for histone acetylation and viability.

Metazoans contain two homologs of the Gcn5-binding protein Ada2, Ada2a and Ada2b, which nucleate formation of the ATAC and SAGA complexes, respectively. In , there are two splice isoforms of Ada2b: Ada2b-PA and Ada2b-PB. Here, we show that only the Ada2b-PB isoform is in SAGA; in contrast, Ada2b-PA associates with Gcn5, Ada3, Sgf29 and Chiffon, forming the Chiffon histone acetyltransferase (CHAT) complex.

Isometric Finger Pose Recognition with Sparse Channel SpatioTemporal EMG Imaging.

High fidelity myoelectric control of prostheses and orthoses isparamount to restoring lost function to amputees and neuro-muscular disease sufferers. In this study we prove that patio-temporal imaging can be used to allow convolutional neural networks to classify sparse channel EMG samples from a consumer-grade device with over 94 % accuracy. 10,572 images are generated from 960 samples of simple and complex isometric finger poses recorded from 4 fully intact subjects.

Randomised controlled trial of incentives to improve online survey completion among internet-using men who have sex with men.

Background: HIV prevention research often involves the use of online surveys as data collection instruments. Incomplete responses to these surveys can introduce bias. We aimed to develop and assess innovative methods to incentivise respondents to complete surveys.

Comprehensive analysis of formin localization in Xenopus epithelial cells.

Reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is crucial for cellular processes, including cytokinesis and cell-cell junction remodeling. Formins are conserved processive actin-polymerizing machines that regulate actin dynamics by nucleating, elongating, and bundling linear actin filaments. Because the formin family is large, with at least 15 members in vertebrates, there have not been any comprehensive studies examining formin localization and function within a common cell type.

Describing the Spectrum of Patient Reported Outcomes after Radical Prostatectomy: Providing Information to Improve Patient Counseling and Shared Decision Making.

Purpose: Preoperative counseling incorporating the best case, the worst case and the most likely outcome scenarios aid patient decision making. This information is not readily available for prostate cancer counseling because most patient reported outcomes are presented as averages, which minimize individual patient experiences. Using the EPIC (Expanded Prostate Index Composite) we present data to characterize the best case and the worst case after prostatectomy.

Behaviour change techniques in brief interventions to prevent HIV, STI and unintended pregnancies: A systematic review.

Background: Behaviour-change interventions have been consistently considered an essential part of comprehensive HIV, STI and unintended pregnancy prevention. In 2015, the World Health Organization reviewed and assessed existing evidence on brief behavioural interventions, leading to the publication of Brief sexuality-related communication: recommendations for a public health approach. This guideline recommends the use of brief behaviour intervention and communication programmes to promote sexual health and to prevent HIV, STIs, and unintended pregnancies in primary health services, particularly sexual and reproductive health services.

Rural Primary Care Providers' Experiences and Knowledge Regarding LGBTQ Health in a Midwestern State.

Purpose: Health disparities among LGBTQ people have been documented across various settings and recent research has indicated that many disparities are heightened in the context of rurality. Among these disparities is the decreased rate of primary care utilization by rural LGBTQ individuals. Understanding and addressing provider knowledge and attitudes related to LGBTQ health provides a relevant avenue for addressing underutilization.