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Introduction: The South and Southeast Asia region has the second‐highest number of people living with HIV globally. Despite progress in reducing HIV incidence and AIDS‐related deaths, the region still has a long way to go in achieving the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 95‐95‐95 HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression targets. HIV self‐testing (HIVST) is recommended by the World Health Organization as an additional approach to HIV testing. This paper provides a commentary on the implementation status, benefits, barriers and recommendations for HIVST implementation in South and Southeast Asia. Additionally, it presents perspectives from HIV testing service experts from 11 countries in the region to put forth recommendations to accelerate the implementation of HIVST in South and Southeast Asia. Discussion: There is uneven progress in national HIVST policy development and implementation across the region. HIVST, as an additional testing approach, can help to enhance testing coverage, frequency and demand for follow‐up HIV services among key populations. Key factors influencing the implementation and scale‐up of HIVST include the degree of awareness of HIVST among general and key populations, the development and implementation of supportive national HIVST policies and the availability of public funding for HIVST. To address barriers and leverage enablers to HIVST implementation, generating evidence on cost‐effectiveness and budget impact, developing multisectoral partnerships for market shaping, promoting differentiated and decentralized delivery models, and optimizing linkage to further testing and care are recommended. Conclusions: It is crucial to accelerate the implementation and scale‐up of HIVST to differentiate and decentralize the delivery of HIV testing services in South and Southeast Asian countries. Sharing experiences among country experts is vital to foster the adoption of best practices and facilitate the trial‐and‐error process of HIVST implementation. Such collaborative approaches can help South and Southeast Asian countries attain the UNAIDS 95‐95‐95 targets, especially the first 95 on HIV diagnosis, and play a significant role in ending the global AIDS epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Category emergence has been a central question in organization theory. Yet, we still do not understand what drives category persistence and updating during emergence as new information arises. We investigate this question through a rich set of oral histories and archival materials on the emergence of the category AIDS from 1978 to 1985. We show that the initial proto-category's features and causal theories cohered with its stigmatized moral meanings. Over time, anomalies challenging these features and theories spurred a minority of medical professionals to update the category's causal theory. However, a silent majority resisted updating the category because the new causal theory conflicted with the proto-category's moral meanings, challenging the clear moral boundary dividing what was perceived as worthy from what was perceived as unworthy. As a result, the majority silenced the vocal minority's updated understandings and withheld resources from the category. This article contributes to the literature on categorization by showing that conflicts between category dimensions can stifle updating, amplify imprinting, and prolong category persistence. Particularly, the dichotomous nature of the moral dimension might hinder the updating of other dimensions, such as the causal one, despite accumulated evidence suggesting the need for updates. We show that calls for category updating backed solely by rational arguments may fail to persuade the silent majority and may falter until the moral boundary is punctured and the category is morally reappraised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a significant area of concern; advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have notably extended the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLWH), concurrently elevating the prevalence of chronic conditions such as CVD. This paper explores the multifaceted relationship between HIV infection, ART, and cardiovascular health, focusing on the mechanisms by which HIV and ART contribute to increased cardiovascular risk, including the promotion of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, immune activation, and metabolic disturbances. We highlight the critical roles of HIV-associated proteins—Tat, Nef, and gp120—in accelerating atherosclerosis through direct and indirect pathways that exacerbate endothelial damage and inflammation. Additionally, we address the persistent challenge of chronic inflammation and immune activation in PLWH, factors that are strongly predictive of non-AIDS-related diseases, including CVD, even in the context of effective viral suppression. The impact of ART on cardiovascular risk is examined, with particular attention to the metabolic implications of specific ART regimens, which can influence lipid profiles and body composition, thereby modifying CVD risk. The therapeutic potential of statins, aspirin, and emerging treatments such as PCSK9 inhibitors in mitigating cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among PLWH is discussed, alongside considerations for their use in conjunction with ART. Our review underscores the necessity for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to cardiovascular care in PLWH, which integrates vigilant cardiovascular risk assessment and management with HIV treatment. As we navigate the evolving landscape of HIV care, the goal remains to optimize treatment outcomes while minimizing cardiovascular risk, ensuring that the gains in longevity afforded by ART translate into improved overall health and quality of life for PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is one of the main causes of mortality in the world, accounting for more fatalities than homicide, war, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), breast cancer, and malaria. Significantly, the biggest risk factors for suicide in the general population are having already attempted suicide and suicidal ideation. Despite the availability of studies on suicidal ideation among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Ethiopia, the results are inconsistent. Thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation among people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. To find papers published in the English language before 20 May 2023, the electronic databases of Medline, Science Direct, Excerpta Medica Database, Cochrane Library, African Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar were searched. The DerSimonian and Laird method for random effects models was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation with a 95% confidence interval in STATA V.14.0 statistical software. To test for heterogeneity between studies and publication bias, respectively, forest plots and funnel plots were used. Additionally, leave-one-out sensitivity was conducted. Results: A total of nine studies with 3,411 study participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation among PLWHA was 20.55% (95% CI 14.76, 26.33). Being female (Odds ratio (OR) = 4.27, 95% CI = 2.29, 7.97), living alone (OR = 5.02, 95% CI = 2.15, 11.64), poor social support (OR = 3.80, 95% CI = 2.56, 5.65), perceived stigma (OR = 3.50, 95% CI = 1.55, 7.87), depression (OR = 5.08, 95% CI = 2.55, 11.48), undisclosed HIV status (OR = 4.8, 95% CI = 2.10, 10.93), and World Health Organization HIV clinical stages of III or IV (OR = 4.40, 95% CI = 2.95, 6.58) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Conclusion: Suicidal ideation among PLWHA is high in Ethiopia. Therefore, emphasis should be given to psychiatric assessment and interventions with a special focus on individuals having the associated factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high-resolution remote sensing images, there are areas with weak textures such as large building roofs, which occupy a large number of pixels in the image. These areas pose a challenge for traditional semantic segmentation networks to obtain ideal results. Common strategies like downsampling, patch cropping, and cascade models often sacrifice fine details or global context, resulting in limited accuracy. To address these issues, a novel semantic segmentation framework has been designed specifically for large-format high-resolution remote sensing images by aggregating global and local features in this paper. The framework consists of two branches: one branch deals with low-resolution downsampled images to capture global features, while the other branch focuses on cropped patches to extract high-resolution local details. Also, this paper introduces a feature aggregation module based on the Transformer structure, which effectively aggregates global and local information. Additionally, to save GPU memory usage, a novel three-step training method has been developed. Extensive experiments on two public datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, with an IoU of 90.83% on the AIDS dataset and 90.30% on the WBDS dataset, surpassing state-of-the-art methods such as DANet, DeepLab v3+, U-Net, ViT, TransUNet, CMTFNet, and UANet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Implementation science (IS) offers methods to systematically achieve the Ending the HIV Epidemic goals in the United States, as well as the global UNAIDS targets. Federal funders such as the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) have invested in implementation research to achieve these goals, including supporting the AIDS Research Centres (ARCs), which focus on high‐impact science in HIV and mental health (MH). To facilitate capacity building for the HIV/MH research workforce in IS, "grey areas," or areas of IS that are confusing, particularly for new investigators, should be addressed in the context of HIV/MH research. Discussion: A group of IS experts affiliated with NIMH‐funded ARCs convened to identify common and challenging grey areas. The group generated a preliminary list of 19 grey areas in HIV/MH‐related IS. From the list, the authors developed a survey which was distributed to all ARCs to prioritize grey areas to address in this paper. ARC members across the United States (N = 60) identified priority grey areas requiring clarification. This commentary discusses topics with 40% or more endorsement. The top grey areas that ARC members identified were: (1) Differentiating implementation strategies from interventions; (2) Determining when an intervention has sufficient evidence for adaptation; (3) Integrating recipient perspectives into HIV/MH implementation research; (4) Evaluating whether an implementation strategy is evidence‐based; (5) Identifying rigorous approaches for evaluating the impact of implementation strategies in the absence of a control group or randomization; and (6) Addressing innovation in HIV/MH IS grants. The commentary addresses each grey area by drawing from the existing literature (when available), providing expert guidance on addressing each in the context of HIV/MH research, and providing domestic and global HIV and HIV/MH case examples that address these grey areas. Conclusions: HIV/MH IS is key to achieving domestic and international goals for ending HIV transmission and mitigating its impact. Guidance offered in this paper can help to overcome challenges to rigorous and high‐impact HIV/MH implementation research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, humanity has suffered and endured deadly pandemics of varying mortality rates. Irrefutably, research shows that the outbreak of pandemics is flooded by mythical and fallacious information among the public, hence stifling the prevention, treatment, and management of diseases. This paper focused on comparing selected aspects of the two pandemics, that is, HIV/AIDS and Coronavirus. This comparative analysis is important for drawing informative lessons for effective response and management of pandemics in the future. Through a literature review analysis, the paper established that both pandemics have more similarities than distinctions. The etiology and epidemiology of the diseases assume a similar cascading trajectory; the public health information about the diseases is characterized by myths, conspiracy theories, illusions, and delusions from the public. The myths associated with pandemics prevail around causation, disease transmission, and cure. The pandemics present economic paradoxes, though arguably the negatives outdo the positives. There is a need for the governments and international health custodians to be richly prepared for the pandemics in the future. This implies having special budgetary allocations for possible pandemic outbreaks, investing in vaccine development and disease surveillance, and training and skilling personnel in all social-health-related sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a compartmental model on the co-infection of pneumonia and HIV/AIDS with optimal control strategies was formulated using the system of ordinary differential equations. Using qualitative methods, we have analysed the mono-infection and HIV/AIDS and pneumonia co-infection models. We have computed effective reproduction numbers by applying the next-generation matrix method, applying Castillo Chavez criteria the models disease-free equilibrium points global stabilities were shown, while we have used the Centre manifold criteria to determine that the pneumonia infection and pneumonia and HIV/AIDS co-infection exhibit the phenomenon of backward bifurcation whenever the corresponding effective reproduction number is less than unity. We carried out the numerical simulations to investigate the behaviour of the co-infection model solutions. Furthermore,wehave investigated various optimal control strategies to predict the best control strategy to minimize and possibly to eradicate the HIV/AIDS and pneumonia co-infection from the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, despite the increasing poverty and inequalities, policies should be designed to deal with population heterogeneity and environmental changes. Bottom-up designs, such as the Agent-Based Model (ABM), can model these features, dealing with such complexity. HIV/AIDS has a complex dynamic of structural factors, risk behaviors, biomedical characteristics and interventions. All embedded in unequal, stigmatized and heterogeneous social structure. To understand how ABMs can model this complexity, we performed a scoping review of HIV applications, highlighting their potentialities. Methods: We searched on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus repositories following the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. Our inclusion criteria were HIV/AIDS studies with an ABM application. We identified the main articles using a local co-citation analysis and categorized the overall literature aims, (sub)populations, regions, and if the papers declared the use of ODD protocol and limitations. Results: We found 154 articles. We identified eleven main papers, and discussed them using the overall category results. Most studies model Transmission Dynamics (37/154), about Men who have sex with Men (MSM) (41/154), or individuals living in the US or South Africa (84/154). Recent studies applied ABM to model PrEP interventions (17/154) and Racial Disparities (12/154). Only six papers declared the use of ODD Protocol (6/154), and 34/154 didn't mention the study limitations. Conclusions: While ABM is among the most sophisticated techniques available to model HIV/AIDS complexity. Their applications are still restricted to some realities. However, researchers are challenged to think about social structure due model characteristics, the inclusion of these features is still restricted to case-specific. Data and computational power availability can enhance this feature providing insightful results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper analyzes the implications of illness and queerness for the identity Gil de Biedma constructs through his personal diary of 1985. This is a unique case of a Spanish author providing a complex picture of the effect of HIV/AIDS on his own life and work. In addition, the author's diaries are a rare example of Spanish autobiographical writing on illness. Gil de Biedma kept several diaries throughout his life. The last diary, titled "Diario de 1985", is an account of his stay at a French hospital while undergoing treatment for Kaposi's sarcoma. This short diary offers crude yet insightful material on human illness, suffering and the stigma of HIV/AIDS in Spain during the 1980s. By close reading a selection of fragments of the author's diary, utilizing an approach that combines psychoanalysis and social history, this paper exposes the connections between illness, sexuality and identity in Gil de Biedma's autobiographical writing. This paper claims that Gil de Biedma (un)consciously represses naming the illness in his diaries while being very descriptive about the physical symptoms of AIDS and its treatment. This evidences the brutal social and familial pressure to conform to a certain identity, ultimately giving way to a very particular symbiosis between the author's literary persona and his bourgeois self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents in silico mutational research on the energetics of the most resolved protein structure of HIV-1 NNRTIs, the 4G1Q HIV-1 reverse transcriptase protein. Twenty nearby residues that are less than 6 Å from the center of the embedded ligand are subjected to in silico alterations. For the current study, 380 unique proteins are generated in silico using a set of 380 surrounding residues that have been altered. Analyses and comparison with the parent protein have been done to determine the impact of mutation on the change in folding-unfolding free energy (G), protein stability, and solvation energy. To evaluate the impact of mutation (i) by and (ii) on a particular amino acid residue, a two-fold investigation is conducted. The findings imply that in 12 designed proteins (G − 3.0), folding-unfolding is significantly favored, resulting in the creation of a highly stable conformation. The 11 designed proteins are unstable because the positive values of G > 0.5 in these proteins point to unfavorable mutations. However, the G value in 171 designed proteins is − 1.0, which suggests that mutations cause designed proteins to adopt a stable conformation. According to the findings, out of the 380 created proteins, 11 had extremely unfavorable, 69 less-favorable, and 270 favorable folding-unfolding changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the ways in which the intellectual and political history of AIDS can assist in the chronological conceptualization of a pandemic such as COVID-19 as it is unfolding. It problematizes the idea of pandemic "beginnings" and "ends" to show that such definitions are shaped by the disciplinary location and thematic foci of relevant scholars. Central to this analysis is the notion that ethical and political contexts affect research on a pandemic in different ways at national and global levels at various points in its trajectory. The article develops this argument in relation to two main themes: firstly, with reference to the history of AIDS research in South Africa; secondly, with the philosophical concept of bioagency to understand the ways in which viruses and humans co-shape the course of epidemics over time. I first make the case for the development of historically informed, long-term ethnographic studies of COVID-19. Using bioagency as a point of departure to consider viruses as social actors, the essay then critiques the notion of bioinformationalism as catalyzing the widening accessibility of biomedical research. Instead, I discuss the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries as protagonists in the operation of biocapital. I argue that the history of AIDS in South Africa can provide methodological and theoretical insights into how to interpret an unfolding epidemic, outlining an ambitious transdisciplinary research agenda for thinking about the temporality of a pandemic spanning the different, interconnected, scales of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The era of modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) has markedly improved health and survival among persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH). In the pre-ART era, wasting was associated with HIV disease progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and death. Effective ART has reduced the prevalence and incidence of this pre-ART form of HIV-associated wasting. However, a subgroup of ART-treated virally suppressed PWH continue to lose weight, often accompanied by aging-related comorbidities and/or functional deficits. For this subgroup of patients, the older definition of HIV-associated wasting (HIVAW) cannot and should not be applied. An expert panel comprising the authors of this white paper convened to review the existing definition of HIVAW and to create an updated definition that they termed HIV-associated weight loss, based on clinically defined parameters among contemporary PWH receiving ART. Here, clinical features and laboratory biomarkers associated with HIV-associated weight loss are reviewed and approaches to screening and treatment are considered. Available management approaches, including the use of current US Food and Drug Administration–approved medications for HIVAW and other available therapies are discussed. The expert panel also identified knowledge gaps and provided recommendations for clinicians, payers, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the papers of friends and fellow San Francisco Art Institute students Jerome Caja and Charles Sexton at the Archives of American Art. Both Caja and Sexton died of AIDS but not before they forged an agreement that the "winner"—the one who died first—would leave their bodily remains to the "loser." Their close friendship thus culminated in an extraordinary posthumous collaboration where Caja used Sexton's ashes to create a series of depictions of his late friend. This work was contemporaneous with ACT UP's activist deployment of the remains of People with AIDS in their first Ashes Actions. The author contextualizes the friends' art and life practices in the dynamic queer subcultural activity taking place in San Francisco in the early 1990s, particularly at and around Kiki Gallery. The article also reflects on the meanings of Caja's and Sexton's incorporation into the Archives and the continuing power that their transgressive archival "remains" exert today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiretroviral therapy has led to AIDS being a chronic disease. Nevertheless, the presence of constantly emerging drug resistance mutations poses a challenge to clinical treatment. A systematic analysis to summarize the advancements and uncharted territory of drug resistance mutations is urgently needed and may provide new clues for solving this problem. Methods: We gathered 3,694 publications on drug resistance mutations from the Web of Science Core Collection with CiteSpace software and performed an analysis to visualize the results and predict future new directions and emerging trends. Betweenness centrality, count, and burst value were taken as standards. Results: The number of papers on HIV medication resistance mutations during the last 10 years shows a wave-like trend. In terms of nation, organization, and author, the United States (1449), University of London (193), and Mark A. Wainberg (66) are the most significant contributors. The most frequently cited article is "Drug resistance mutations for surveillance of transmitted HIV-1 drug-resistance: 2009 update." Hot topics in this field include "next-generation sequencing," "tenofovir alafenamide," "children," "regimens," "accumulation," "dolutegravir," "rilpivirine," "sex," "pretreatment drug resistance," and "open label." Research on drug resistance in teenagers, novel mutation detection techniques, and drug development is ongoing, and numerous publications have indicated the presence of mutations related to current medications. Therefore, testing must be performed regularly for patients who have used medications for a long period. Additionally, by choosing medications with a longer half-life, patients can take fewer doses of their prescription, increasing patient compliance. Conclusion: This study involved a bibliometric visualization analysis of the literature on drug resistance mutations, providing insight into the field's evolution and emerging patterns and offering academics a resource to better understand HIV drug resistance mutations and contribute to the field's advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a global issue that has unequally affected several countries. Due to the complexity of this condition and the human drama it represents to those most affected by it, several fields have contributed to solving or at least alleviating this situation, and the information systems (IS) field has not been absent from these efforts. With the importance of antiretroviral therapy (ART) as a starting point, several initiatives in the IS field have focused on ways to improve the adherence and effectiveness of this therapy: mobile phone reminders (for pill intake and appointments), and mobile interfaces between patients and health workers are popular contributions. However, many of these solutions have been difficult to implement or deploy in some countries in the Global South, which are among the most affected by this pandemic. This paper presents one such case. Using a case‐study approach with an extreme‐case selection technique, the paper studies an m‐health system for HIV patients in the Kalangala region of Uganda. Using Heeks' design—reality gap model for data analysis, the paper shows that the rich interaction between social context and technology should be considered a central concern when designing or deploying such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I contend that both HIV and AIDS must continue to be seen as crises if the pandemic is ever to be brought to an end. I start by exploring the presence of death imagery in Danez Smith's poetry in light of Marianne Hirsch (2008) and Samuel O'Donoghue's (2018) reflections on postmemory, arguing that AIDS haunts the experience of HIV in Smith's work in the form of postmemory. Based on this idea, I engage with the ongoing debate about the "post-crisis era" (Kagan, 2018; Rofes, 1998), and critical "post-AIDS discourse" (Basu et al., 2022; Walker, 2020) to claim that postmemory constitutes one of the multiple expressions of the "network of crises" which AIDS and HIV continue to be in the 21st century (Cheng et al., 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many children and adolescents living with HIV have ended up as orphans. Due to HIV taking away their parents leaves them deprived of their most important social network and support, which predisposes them to poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Various studies have shown poor adherence to ART among orphaned children and adolescents. This systematic review and meta-analysis, therefore, aims to determine the level of ART adherence among orphaned children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: This PROSPERO registered review (CRD42022352867) included studies from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Africa Journal Online, and selected HIV/AIDS journals from data inception to June 01, 2022. We included articles published in all languages that report the prevalence of adherence to ART among children and adolescent orphans (single parent orphans and/or double orphans) living with HIV/AIDS. We excluded qualitative studies, case studies, opinion papers, and letters to editors. We used the random-effect model to calculate the pooled prevalence of ART adherence based on the highest prevalence provided by the various methods in a particular study. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute Appraisal tool for the prevalence study to evaluate for risk of bias in the included studies. The Egger's test was used to assess small study effects. Results: Out of 1087 publications identified from the various databases, six met the selection criteria. The included six studies had a total 2013 orphans living with HIV/AIDS. The pooled prevalence of ART adherence was 78∙0% (95% Confidence Interval: 67.4–87.7; I2 = 82.92%, p<0∙001) and ranged between 7∙6% and >95%, using one of the following methods: pill count, caregiver's self-report, clinical attendance, and nevirapine plasma levels (above three μg/mL). The factors associated with adherence were pill burden, caregiver involvement, stunting, and caregiver relationship. Limitation: There was a high level of heterogeneity in the finding. Conclusion: Approximately four fifth of orphan children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS adhere to ART. Strategies to improve adherence among this group should be prioritized, especially among the double orphaned children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to stigma or legal issues, populations with higher HIV risk are often hard to reach, which impedes accurate population estimation of HIV burden. To better sample hard-to-reach populations (HTRPs) for HIV surveillance, various sampling methods have been designed and/or used since HIV epidemic following the first reported AIDS cases in 1981. This paper describes the development and the assessment (i.e., validity and reproducibility) of approximately eight sampling methods (e.g., convenience sampling, snowball sampling, time location sampling, and respondent-driven sampling) for HTRPs in HIV surveillance, with a focus on respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Compared to other methods, RDS has been greatly assessed. However, current evidence is still inadequate for RDS to be considered the best option for sampling HTRPs. The field must continue to assess RDS and to develop new sampling approaches or modifications to existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Persons with disabilities (PWD) often experience risks associated with HIV/AIDS including unmet needs and overlooked stigmatization. This could be attributed to certain misconceptions such as PWDs are asexual, and cannot enjoy sexual pleasure, among others. Therefore, this paper sought to investigate the extent of disability inclusion in recent National Strategic Plans (NSPs) for HIV/AIDS in West African countries. Methods: This study was a policy review of NSPs in 13 African countries. Relevant indicators in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UNAIDS International Guidelines on HIV and Human Rights were used. Six indicators (identification of people living with disability (PLWD) as a key population, the inclusion of principles related to PWD within the NSPs on HIV/AIDS, protecting the rights of PWD, recognition of PWD as a vulnerable population at higher risk of HIV and in need of special protection, providing HIV-related support services for PWD and monitoring and evaluating the impact of HIV on PWD). Results: Findings from this study revealed that only 30% of West African countries recognized disability as an issue of concern. Also, 38.5% of these countries recognize the vulnerability of people with disabilities to HIV. However, only a few (7.6%) provided support in the context of special needs, monitoring, and surveillance specifically for persons with disabilities. Conclusion: Most of the West African NSPs are outdated and due for renewal. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate the needs of persons with disabilities within the context of HIV/AIDS in the NSPs. More importantly, support and services should also be prioritized among the vulnerable groups to optimize inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN) are two pivotal enzymes in HIV-1 replication. RT converts the single-stranded viral RNA genome into double-stranded DNA and IN catalyzes the integration of viral double-stranded DNA into host DNA. Currently, dual inhibitors of HIV-1 RT and IN have become a hotspot in new anti-HIV drug research and development. A dual inhibitor of HIV-1 RT/IN does the same thing as the two independent drugs would do. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model comprising a system of nonlinear differential equations describing HIV-1 RT/IN catalyzed biochemical reactions based on Michaelis–Menten enzyme kinetic reaction. In the formulated model we incorporate HIV-1 RT/IN dual inhibitor which simultaneously works as a non-nucleoside RT inhibitor and IN inhibitor. To examine the efficacy of HIV-1 RT/IN dual inhibitor in the treatment of HIV-1 infection, we have introduced a one-dimensional impulsive differential equation model and determined an effective dosing regimen for applying the inhibitor numerically. Furthermore, the exact closed form solution of the impulsive differential equation model is carried out by using the Lambert W function and the local stability of the periodic solution is also obtained analytically. The results obtained from analytical as well as numerical studies provide a basic idea to investigate the minimum dose with the highest efficacy for administering HIV-1 RT/IN dual inhibitors to prevent HIV-1 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, telemedicine has advanced significantly, offering new possibilities for improving healthcare and patient outcomes. This paper presents a telemedicine app for HIV patients, developed using a human-centered design approach. Designed to meet the diverse and specific needs of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) users and Late Presenters (LP), the app is part of the COMTRAC-HIV Project at the University Hospital Frankfurt. Through interviews with HIV experts and healthcare professionals, initial design solutions were derived. The paper explores the app's design process, core functionalities, and future directions, aiming to provide comprehensive support for individuals living with HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The fractional order HIV model has an important role in biological science. To study the HIV model in a better way, the model is presented with the help of Atangana- Baleanu operator which is in Caputo sense. Also, the characteristics of the solutions are described briefly with the help of the advance numerical techniques for the different values of fractional order derivatives. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned objectives. Design/methodology/approach: In this work, Adams-Bashforth method and Euler method are used to get the solution of the HIV model. These are the important numerical methods. The comparison results also are described with the physical meaning of the solutions of the model. Findings: HIV model is analyzed under the view of fractional and AB derivative in Atangana-Baleanu-Caputo sense. The uniqueness of the solution is proved by using Banach Fixed point. The solution is derived with the help of Sumudu transform. Further, the authors employed fractional Adam-Bashforth method and Euler method to enumerate numerical results. The authors have used several values of fractional orders to present the outcomes graphically. The above calculations have been done with the help of MATLAB (R2016a). The numerical scheme used in the proposed study is valid and fruitful, and the same can be used to explore other real issues. Research limitations/implications: This investigation can be done for the real data sets. Practical implications: This paper aims to express the solution of the HIV model in a better way with the effect of non-locality, this work is very useful. Originality/value: In this work, HIV model is developed with the help of Atangana- Baleanu operator in Caputo sense. By using Banach Fixed point, the authors proved that the solution is unique. Also, the solution is presented with the help of Sumudu transform. The behaviors of the solutions are checked for different values of fractional order derivatives with the physical meaning with help of the Adam-Bashforth method and the Euler method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of the study was to determine the volume and extent of general human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) research in Turkey as well as the coverage of national HIV/AIDS research agenda. Material and methods: Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection advanced search engine was applied to conduct bibliometric search. "HIV or AIDS or HIV/AIDS or Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV-1 or HIV-2 or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" and "Turkey" were used as search key words. In addition, the study included "Language = English", "Document area = medicine" and "Document type = Article". We also selected science citation index expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) and social sciences citation index (SSCI) as Web of Science indexes. The data in WoS improved all information on publications, including fields of study, institutions, group authors, funding agencies, journals, citations, and co-authorship. Results: In total, 313 articles were found. The first document was published in 1996, and 310 (99%) papers were published in the last 20 years. The documents were mostly (62.300%) published in science citation index expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) indexed journals. Most of the publications were from medicine general internal (33.866%) area. The top-ranked affiliations from Turkey in HIV/AIDS research were Istanbul University (19.169%), Ege University (10.863%), University of Health Sciences (9.265%), and Hacettepe University (8.626%). ACTHIV-IST (ACTion against HIV in Istanbul) study group (n = 3, 0.958) was Turkey's most productive HIV/AIDS research group. 87.220% of the studies were not funded. Conclusions: According to the findings, Turkey has limited HIV/AIDS research output. Furthermore, the majority of investigations were conducted by only a few centers. Because the study covered the entire country, and there are more centers that follow HIV/AIDS patients, these centers should also take part in the research. As a result, the current study emphasizes the importance of increasing targeted financing for HIV/AIDS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is a chronic and sometimes fatal illness. HIV reduces an individual's capability against infection and illness by demolishing his or her immunity. This paper presents a new model that governs the dynamical behavior of HIV/AIDS by integrating new compartments, i.e., the treatment class T. The steady-state solutions of the model are investigated, and accordingly, the threshold quantity R 0 is calculated, which describes the global dynamics of the proposed model. It is proved that for R 0 less than one, the infection-free state of the model is globally asymptotically stable. However, as the threshold number increases by one, the endemic equilibrium becomes globally asymptotically stable, and in such case, the disease-free state is unstable. At the end of the paper, the analytic conclusions obtained from the analysis of the ordinary differential equation (ODE) model are supported through numerical simulations. The paper also addresses a comprehensive analysis of a fractional-order HIV model utilizing the Caputo fractional differential operator. The model's qualitative analysis is investigated, and computational modeling is used to examine the system's long-term behavior. The existence/uniqueness of the solution to the model is determined by applying some results from the fixed points of the theory. The stability results for the system are established by incorporating the Ulam–Hyers method. For numerical treatment and simulations, we apply Newton's polynomial and the Toufik–Atangana numerical method. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of the fractional-order approach in capturing the dynamics of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and provide valuable insights for designing effective control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The residual life of a patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is of major interest to patients and their physicians. While existing analyses of HIV patient survival focus mostly on data collected at baseline, residual life analysis allows for dynamic analysis based on additional data collected over a period of time. As survival times typically exhibit a right-skewed distribution, the median provides a more useful summary of the underlying distribution than the mean. In this paper, we propose an efficient inference procedure that fits a semiparametric quantile regression model assessing the effect of longitudinal biomarkers on the residual life of HIV patients until the development of dyslipidemia, a disease becoming more prevalent among those with HIV. Methods: For estimation of model parameters, we propose an induced smoothing method that smooths nonsmooth estimating functions based on check functions. For variance estimation, we propose an efficient resampling-based estimator. The proposed estimators are theoretically justified. Simulation studies are used to evaluate their finite sample performances, including their prediction accuracy. We analyze the Korea HIV/AIDS cohort study data to examine the effects of CD4 (cluster of differentiation 4) cell count on the residual life of HIV patients to the onset of dyslipidemia. Results: The proposed estimator is shown to be consistent and normally distributed asymptotically. Under various simulation settings, our estimates are approximately unbiased. Their variances estimates are close to the empirical variances and their computational efficiency is superior to that of the nonsmooth counterparts. Two measures of prediction performance indicate that our method adequately reflects the dynamic character of longitudinal biomarkers and residual life. The analysis of the Korea HIV/AIDS cohort study data shows that CD4 cell count is positively associated with residual life to the onset of dyslipidemia but the effect is not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our method enables direct prediction of residual lifetimes with a dynamic feature that accommodates data accumulated at different times. Our estimator significantly improves computational efficiency in variance estimation compared to the existing nonsmooth estimator. Analysis of the HIV/AIDS cohort study data reveals dynamic effects of CD4 cell count on the residual life to the onset of dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Susan Sontag is an American writer and a political activist. She became famous with the publication of her essay "Notes on 'Camp'" in 1964. She examines certain illnesses as significant modern American cultural signs in her two nonfictional works Illness as Metaphor (1978) and AIDS and Its Metaphors (1989). In these works, tuberculosis is presented as a romantic illness; and cancer is described as a war. AIDS is presented as a cultural sign to suggest the moral depravity of people. After looking at how various illnesses in literature have been interpreted through metaphors, Sontag then rejects the use of these metaphors to see what actually the metaphorising of each illness means. The present paper examines the use of metaphors to represent illness with reference to Sontag's selected works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a sexually transmitted disease that can be passed from partner to partner, mother to child, or through blood exchange using infected syringes. AIDS symptoms might vary depending on characteristics such as age, gender, and physical activity. Headaches, muscle and joint discomfort, rashes, diarrhoea, weight loss, coughing, night sweats, sore throat, stomatitis, swollen lymph nodes, malaise, oral yeast infections, shingles (herpes zoster), and lung infections are all common symptoms. The Food and medication Administration (FDA) of the United States authorised Lenacapavir, a novel AIDS therapy medication, in 2022. Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor available in tablet and injection form that directly targets the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Capsid Protein. Various research and papers, like the Capella study, which assessed the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous Lenacapavir, were used to assess the safety and efficacy of Lenacapavir. The Calibrate study shed light on the absence of phenotypic resistance to Lenacapavir in HIV Gag cleavage site mutants and isolates resistant to existing medication classes. These studies also included data from a proof-of-concept clinical research on HIV patients examining phenotypic resistance to Lenacapavir and its efficacy as a monotherapy. The approval of Lenacapavir represents a viable new therapy option for those living with HIV. Its method of action, as well as promising safety and efficacy results from numerous studies, offer hope for better outcomes in the treatment of this severe disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to determine the knowledge and attitudes of the physicians regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), to emphasize that these patients exist and they will exist in the future and to raise awareness so as to prevent that their rights to treatment are revoked. Design/methodology/approach: The survey was conducted via a link sent through an online system. Random physicians from 81 cities of the country were invited to the survey. The survey has 41 questions regarding knowledge and attitudes in total, including epidemiological information such as age, gender and title. Findings: A total of 3,107 physicians has voluntarily participated in the study. In total, 2,195 (70.7%) are internal physicians and 912 (29.3%) are surgical physicians among the participant physicians. In total, 1,452 (46.7%) of the participants are specialist physicians, 608 (19.6%) of the participants are practising physician and the rest of it is physician assistants, academicians and dentists, respectively. Originality/value: In this study, it has been found out that the physicians have a lack of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and they adopt a discriminatory attitude towards HIV-positive persons. HIV-positive patients who are exposed to discrimination and scared of being uncovered refrain from applying to hospitals for treatment, which puts public health into jeopardy due to the high viral load and these patients are faced with difficulties in coping with both medical and emotional load of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood recipients, particularly frequent receivers, are at high-risk of receiving human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and no current serologic tests eliminate this transmission risk. The current paper aimed to provide an updated comprehensive report on the prevalence of HIV infection among blood donors in different parts of the world. HIV infection prevalence in blood donors was determined based on electronically published data through a systematic review of literature in international databases until February 2020. Studies published in Farsi and English reporting the prevalence of HIV were included. Meta-analysis was performed, and final results were classified according to World Health Organization (WHO) divisions of the world. Out of 1,859 articles, 241 met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of HIV was higher in first-time donors, males, and replacement therapy receivers. The pooled prevalence was 502.74 in 100,000. AFRO with 2,384.99 and Europe with 19.04 in 100,000 had the highest and the lowest rates, respectively. Gabon represented the highest rate of 20,623, while the USA showed the lowest rate, i.e., 4.33, among the countries. Updated reports on the prevalence of HIV among blood donors help policy-makers and care providers realize the possible need for improving the screening, diagnostics, and treatment protocols. Although the prevalence has decreased in many parts of the world, improving the current protocols is still necessary to minimize the risks in transfusion systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19, AIDS, influenza, and other infectious viral diseases have a significant impact on human health, and new antiviral drugs are continuously emerging to combat these diseases. Herein, aiming at anti-SARS-CoV-2, anti-HIV, and anti-influenza virus, the latest research progress of small-molecule drugs is reported in this paper. The discovery process, mechanism of action, synthesis process, and structure--activity relationship research of each drug are systematically expounded to promote antiviral drug research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV/AIDS-COVID-19 co-infection is a major public health concern especially in developing countries of the world. This paper presents HIV/AIDS-COVID-19 co-infection to investigate the impact of interventions on its transmission using ordinary differential equation. In the analysis of the model, the solutions are shown to be non-negative and bounded, using next-generation matrix approach the basic reproduction numbers are computed, sufficient conditions for stabilities of equilibrium points are established. The sensitivity analysis showed that transmission rates are the most sensitive parameters that have direct impact on the basic reproduction numbers and protection and treatment rates are more sensitive and have indirect impact to the basic reproduction numbers. Numerical simulations shown that some parameter effects on the transmission of single infections as well as co-infection, and applying the protection rates and treatment rates have effective roles to minimize and also to eradicate the HIV/AIDS-COVID-19 co-infection spreading in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems worldwide has been compromising the progress made in the fight against HIV. This paper aims to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted HIV comprehensive care service delivery globally as well as to consolidate the evidence and recommendations that may be useful in averting future crisis. Methods: This review adheres to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, DOAJ, Science Direct and other sources like Google Scholar and citations from included studies were searched methodically to locate studies evaluating the effects of COVID on services for HIV care. The NIH and JBI quality assessment tools were used for the quality assessment of individual studies. Results: In the present review 31 eligible studies were included and the impact on HIV care cascade were summarised under six themes: Lab services, Treatment and allied services, Counselling services, Outreach services, Psycho-social impact and Implementation of sustainable strategies. The studies also presented many innovative alternatives which were lucidly highlighted in the present article. Conclusion: Current evidence depicts multiple factors are responsible for the interruption of HIV care service delivery during the pandemic, especially in low resources settings. The prospective, alternative solutions that have been used to circumvent the threat have also been addressed in this review, in addition to the negative aspects that have been observed. Transition with new innovative, sustainable care paradigms may prove to be the building blocks in removing HIV-AIDS as a public health threat. Registration: Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/74GHM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a serious disease that threatens and affects capital stock, population composition, and economic growth. This research paper aims to study the mathematical modeling and disease dynamics of HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with memory effect. We propose two fractional models in the Caputo sense for HIV/AIDS with and without migration. First, we prove the existence and positivity of both models and calculate the basic reproduction number R0$$ {\mathcal{R}}_0 $$ using the next generation method. Then, we study the local and global stability of the obtained equilibria. In addition, numerical simulations are provided for different values of the fractional order ρ$$ \rho $$ using the Adams–Bashforth–Moulton fractional scheme, to verify the theoretical results. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis of the parameters for the model with migration is carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic is among the sustainable development goals for the next decade. To overcome the problem caused by the imbalances between the need for care and the limited resources, we shall improve our understanding of the local HIV epidemics, especially for key populations at high risk of HIV infection. However, HIV prevalence rates for key populations have been difficult to estimate because their HIV surveillance data are very scarce. This paper develops a multivariate spatial model for predicting unknown HIV prevalence rates among key populations. The proposed multivariate conditional auto-regressive model efficiently pools information from neighbouring locations and correlated populations. As the real data analysis illustrates, it provides more accurate predictions than independently fitting the sub-epidemic for each key population. Furthermore, we investigate how different pieces of surveillance data contribute to the prediction and offer practical suggestions for epidemic data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by using Itô's formula, we study the dynamic behaviors of a stochastic human immune deficiency virus (HIV) model, which describes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) with the effect of treatment. First, we discuss the global positivity of the solution to such a model with positive initial value. Then, we consider the limiting behavior of the solution. Moreover, we obtain the sufficient condition to guarantee the extinction of AIDS. Meanwhile, by constructing an appropriate Lyapunov function, we prove that the solution has a unique ergodic stationary distribution under a certain assumptions. Finally, we illustrate the validity of our results by numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a log-normal Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process and protection consciousness are included in a stochastic pandemic model of AIDS. For the 5-dimensional deterministic system, the local asymptotic stability of endemic equilibrium point is proved by Lyapunov function method instead of Routh–Hurwitz criterion. For stochastic system, we firstly verify the existence and uniqueness of global positive solution. Next, we give the sufficient condition for the presence of stationary distribution by constructing suitable Lyapunov function, and the sufficient condition for disease extinction is also given. Furthermore, the precise expression of the probability density function near the quasi-equilibrium is derived. Finally, the theoretical results are verified by numerical simulations, and the impact of log-normal Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process on the dynamic behavior of the stochastic model is also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify innovation and implementation determinants of HIV testing, diagnosis, and linkage-to-care in the U.S. Data sources and study setting: Between November 2020 and January 2022, a broad search strategy was employed in three literature databases: Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Study design: A systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. Data collection/extraction methods: A team of master's and Ph.D.-level researchers screened eligible studies against the inclusion criteria and extracted the data using COVIDENCE software in pairs with consensus performed by a senior member of the team. Barriers and facilitators were extracted and analyzed according to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Frequency of determinants across studies was mapped according to CFIR, valence, study design, delivery setting, unit of analysis, population of interest, region of the U.S., and year. Results: We identified 1,739 implementation and innovation determinants from 186 articles. Most determinants were for HIV testing rather than linkage-to-care. Most determinants were identified in the inner setting and individuals domains of CFIR, with the fewest identified in the process and innovations domains. Determinants of providers were only slightly more frequently identified than determinants of recipients. However, determinants of organizations and systems were rarely identified. Conclusion: This review provides a synthesis of innovation and implementation determinants of HIV testing and linkage-to-care using the most-cited implementation science (IS) framework, CFIR. This synthesis enables the larger field of HIV science to utilize IS in efforts to end the HIV epidemic and positions IS to consider the application of IS frameworks to fields like HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Early initiation of anti‐retroviral treatment and prompt management of heart failure in a AIDS patient is crucial. If resources available endomyocardial biopsy can guide the future management. HIV‐associated cardiomyopathy (HIVAC) is a serious complication of HIV with poorly understood pathology. Systolic dysfunction was a common characteristic of HIVAC which is now replaced as diastolic dysfunction due to the availability of ART. There are various etiologies of HIVAC depending on the degree of viral replication, immune response, availability of ART, and also the disparity between high and low‐income countries. We present the case report of a 65‐year‐old male with a past medical history of untreated HIV who came to the hospital with hemodynamic instability and was diagnosed with HIVAC with pulmonary TB, where the cause of HIVAC was poor immune response and opportunistic infection. Therefore, early cardiac monitoring is essential in HIV patients to prevent its advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV care services have been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in many states in the U.S. including South Carolina (SC). However, many HIV care facilities demonstrated organizational resilience (i.e., the ability to maintain needed health services amid rapidly changing circumstances) by addressing challenges to maintaining care during the pandemic. This study, therefore, aims to identify key facilitators for organizational resilience among AIDS Services Organizations (ASOs) in SC. In-depth interviews were conducted among 11 leaders, from 8 ASOs, across SC during the summer of 2020. The interviews were recorded after receiving proper consent and then transcribed. Utilizing a codebook based upon the interview guide, a thematic analysis approach was utilized to analyze the data. All data management and analysis were conducted in NVivo 11.0. Our findings demonstrate several facilitators of organizational resilience, including (1) accurate and timely crisis information dissemination; (2) clear and preemptive protocols; (3) effective healthcare system policies, management, and leadership; (4) prioritization of staff psychological wellbeing; (5) stable access to personal protective equipment (PPE); (6) adequate and flexible funding; and (7) infrastructure that supports telehealth. Given the facilitators of organizational resilience among ASOs in SC during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is recommended that organizations implement and maintain coordinated and informed responses based upon preemptive protocols and emerging needs. ASO funders are encouraged to allow a flexibility in spending. The lessons learned from the participating leaders enable ASOs to develop and strengthen their organizational resilience and experience fewer disruptions in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Sexual transmission accounts for a substantial proportion of HIV infections. Although some countries are experiencing an upward trend in HIV infections, there has been a lack of studies assessing the global burden of HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission. We assessed the global, regional, and national burdens of HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission from 1990 to 2019. Methods. Data on deaths, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019 were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019. The burdens and trends were evaluated using the age-standardised rates (ASR) and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). Results. Globally, HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission accounted for ~695.8 thousand (95% uncertainty interval 628.0-811.3) deaths, 33.0 million (28.7-39.9) YLLs, 3.4 million (2.4-4.6) YLDs, and 36.4 million (32.2-43.1) DALYs in 2019. In 2019, Southern sub-Saharan Africa (11350.94), Eastern sub-Saharan Africa (3530.91), and Western sub-Saharan Africa (2037.74) had the highest ASR of DALYs of HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission per 100,000. In most regions of the world, the burden of HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission has been increasing from 1990 to 2019, mainly in Oceania (EAPC 17.20, 95% confidence interval 12.82-21.75), South Asia (9.00, 3.94-14.30), and Eastern Europe (7.09, 6.35-7.84). Conclusions. HIV/AIDS acquired through sexual transmission results in a major burden globally, regionally, and nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Suicide is a major public health concern in India especially among children and adolescents. The yearly national statistics show a concerning trend of rising suicide deaths in these age groups. Methods: The present study, taking 26 years of national data from the National Crime Record Bureau during 1995–2021, examined the trend, patterns, means, and modes of children/adolescent suicides in India. We also undertook a time series analysis by using ARIMA (0,2,1) model to forecast the expected suicide rate for the next one decade. Results: A rising trend of suicide rate among children and adolescents was observed in India over the last 26 years. The forecast indicates a continuance of rising suicide cases for the upcoming decade in India. A substantially different trend of suicide rate was observed among early and late adolescents indicating significantly high vulnerability of late adolescents. Among children /adolescents, the most common causes of suicide were family problems, academic failure, illness, and unemployment. Illness has emerged as one of the leading causes of suicide, with a significant rise over time. Poverty and unemployment were also found as the important contributors with a steadily increasing trend of suicide among children and adolescents facing these problems in recent years. Conclusion: The study provides important analysis and information on suicide among children/adolescents in India, by providing useful insights for parents, teachers, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and stakeholders aiming to prevent and control children and adolescent suicide and boost mental health. The study also provides important leads on risk factors with a forecast of suicide trends for the next 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates on the level of knowledge and use of preventive measures among teachers in Lutayan District 1, Lutayan Sultan Kudarat, about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). HIV diagnoses have increased in the Philippines in recent years. This research employed qualitative and quantitative research designs. It described the HIV/AIDS awareness of teachers in terms of knowledge and attitudes in Lutayan District 1 in Sultan Kudarat. In the Philippines, there were projected to be 77,000 HIVpositive individuals by UNAIDS in 2020. To combat HIV/AIDS, the Philippine government has put in place a number of measures and programs, such as expanding access to services for prevention, treatment, and testing. Reaching important communities and overcoming societal stigma are still difficult tasks, though. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has been a major problem for the Philippines, and educators are vital in helping pupils become more aware of the disease and encourage preventive measures. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the teachers' attitudes regarding the illness as well as their knowledge of HIV/AIDS preventive strategies and transmission. The results of this study will highlight areas that need improvement and offer insightful information about how well teachers are currently being educated on HIV/AIDS. A safer and healthier learning environment for children and the larger community can be established by raising instructors' awareness and implementing preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate sexual practices and HIV risk perception among MSM, identifying associated risk factors and determinants. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted with 144 MSM in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, using the snowball sampling technique. Participants were recruited via snowball sampling and underwent rapid HIV testing, in addition to completing questionnaires on sexual practices, risk perception, and illicit drug use. Results: The majority of participants showed an unsatisfactory perception of HIV risk. Factors associated with this perception include non-penetrative sex as an HIV preventive measure, which increased the chances of having an unsatisfactory risk perception by 1.45 times (P =.04), engaging with known HIV-positive individuals without knowledge of their viral load (ORa = 2.70; P =.043), and using illicit drugs before/during sex (ORa = 0.29; P =.048). Conclusions: The results indicate a high prevalence of risky sexual practices and an unsatisfactory HIV risk perception among the MSM studied. Plain Language Summary: HIV Risk and Sexual Practices Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Brazil This study examines sexual practices and perceptions of HIV risk among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Teresina, Brazil. MSM are significantly more likely to contract HIV compared to the general population, with various factors influencing their risk. Despite this high vulnerability, many MSM do not perceive themselves to be at significant risk of HIV infection. Researchers surveyed 144 MSM to understand their sexual behaviors and how they perceive the risk of HIV. The study found that many MSM engage in risky sexual practices, such as not using condoms during oral sex, even though most use them during anal sex. Additionally, the study revealed that MSM often has a false sense of security when having sex with steady partners compared to casual partners. Key factors associated with a poor perception of HIV risk included low family income, engaging in non-penetrative sex as a preventive measure, having sexual relations with known HIV-positive individuals without knowing their viral load, and using illicit drugs during sexual activity. For instance, using illicit drugs, known as "chemsex," significantly increases risky behaviors, leading to a higher chance of HIV transmission. The study emphasizes the need for targeted health education and interventions for MSM. It suggests promoting regular condom use, better understanding of HIV transmission risks, and discouraging the use of drugs that impair judgment during sexual activities. Effective public health initiatives should be culturally sensitive and accessible to MSM of all income levels. By addressing these issues, health programs can better support MSM, reduce HIV transmission rates, and improve overall well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]