Search

Sexual relations between drug injectors (IDUs) and crack smokers (CS), and non-drug users are a major means of HIV spread to the broader population. However there is little literature describing community processes that regulate sexual and social partnerships among these groups. We describe these relationships in Bushwick, a low-income, mainly Latino neighbourhood in Brooklyn, NY. In this community, IDU and CS are heavily stigmatized, both by non-users and by some users. Known IDU/CS may find it harder to start and maintain social and sexual relationships, and to get jobs or support. Partially as a result of this stigma, IDU/CS attempt to ‘keep it together’ and hide either their drug use or its extent from other residents. Nevertheless, other residents believe, sometimes falsely, that they can distinguish users from nonusers. We describe some potential negative consequences of these beliefs and interactions, including their effects on risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Intravention,' prevention activities that are conducted by and sustained through ongoing actions of members of communities-at-risk, is an appropriate goal for HIV intervention activities. Data from 120 injection drug users in a Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood that has seen decreases in HIV prevalence among IDUs and little HIV diffusion to young adults indicate that most of them have recently (3 months) urged other people to engage in one or more self-protective actions. These data suggest that the common image of IDUs as simply being sources of social and medical problems is inaccurate. Research is needed into how to create and diffuse 'communities of intravention; ' and we suggest that behavioral interventions be evaluated for their success or failure at creating outward-focused health communication by participants as well as for their impact on individual risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A previously published medium has been found to be effective for plant regeneration from leaf expiants of Solanum tuberosum cv. Katahdin. A number of combinations of thidiazuron and naphthaleneacetic acid, along with a medium previously published for shoot regeneration from protoplast-derived calli of Solanum phureja, which contained zeatin, indoleacetic acid and gibberellic acid (ZIG), were tested for callus induction, and all calli were transferred to ZIG for shoot induction. We conclude that leaf expiants cultured on ZIG medium at all stages of culture were the most effective at shoot production. A mean of over six shoots were produced per expiant after four months in culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine infection patterns of sexually transmitted infections that facilitate HIV transmission among HIV-discordant couples. Methods: 112 initial respondents were recruited in an impoverished neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York. Their sexual (and injection) partners were recruited in up to four additional network sampling waves for a final sample of 465 persons aged 18 years or older. After separate informed consent had been obtained, blood and urine were collected and tested for HIV, type-specific antibodies to herpes simplex virus (HSV-2), syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Results: Of 30 HIV-discordant partnerships, five were same-sex male partnerships and 25 were opposite-sex partnerships. No subjects tested positive for syphilis or gonorrhoea. Two couples were chlamydia-discordant. For HSC02, 16 couples were double-positive, eight discordant, four double-negative, and two comprised a HSV-2-negative with a partner with missing herpes data. Conclusions: HSV-2 was present in 83% of the HIV-discordant couples, chlamydia in 7%, and syphilis and gonorrhoea in none. HSV-2 is probably more important for HIV transmission than bacterial sexually transmitted diseases because it is more widespread. Even given the limited generalisability of this community-based sample, there seems to be an important HIV-prevention role for herpes detection and prevention activities in places where HIV-infected people are likely to be encountered, including sexually transmitted disease clinics, HIV counselling and testing programmes, prisons, needle exchanges, and drug abuse treatment programmes. The effects of HSV-suppressive therapy in highly impacted groups should also be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]