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Aim: This descriptive cross-sectional study estimates the frequencies and kinds of potential developmental disabilities (DD) and behavior problems (BP) among children in grades R and 1 who attend a primary public school in rural Western Cape Province, South Africa. Methods: Data were collected on 174 children aged 5.1-8.8 years using the "Ten Question Screener" (10QS) and the "Developmental Behaviors Checklist-Short form." Results: For the entire sample, 42% (n = 73) screened positive for 1 or more possible DD on the 10SQ. Twenty-one percent (n = 36) screened positive for one or more possible DDs. Thirty-six percent (n = 63) of the sample scored above the cutoff for a behavioral problem that may be clinically significant. For this group the proportion of females (n = 36, 39%) was slightly higher than males (n = 28, 35%). Conclusion: The percent of possible DDs and BP among children in grades R and 1 is higher than the number of learners with special needs reported by the Principal for the entire school (18.7%). The findings from this study suggest that there may be more learners than formally designated who have special educational needs that may benefit from special educational programs (e.g. speech, occupational, language, etc.). There may be a need for expanded remedial educational and behavioral services in this school and elsewhere in the district. (Contains 3 tables.)

This study examined the association between sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, and condom use among African American and Hispanic urban girls. In this sample of 56 sexually active girls, 50% did not use condoms consistently and therefore were at higher risk for acquiring HIV or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teens who experienced more intimate partner violence had a significantly higher likelihood of inconsistent condom use and therefore a greater risk for HIV/STDs. Girls' sense of sexual control in their relationships was not directly associated with inconsistent condom use but was inversely related to verbal and emotional abuse. Interventions aimed at reducing HIV/STD risk for adolescent girls need to address patterns of dominance and control in adolescent relationships as well as multiple forms of partner violence. This suggests the need for multilevel intervention approaches that promote girls' agency and multiple ways to keep girls safe from perpetrators of partner abuse. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

This study examined the association between sexual relationship power, intimate partner violence, and condom use among African American and Hispanic urban girls. In this sample of 56 sexually active girls, 50% did not use condoms consistently and therefore were at higher risk for acquiring HIV or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Teens who experienced more intimate partner violence had a significantly higher likelihood of inconsistent condom use and therefore a greater risk for HIV/STDs. Girls' sense of sexual control in their relationships was not directly associated with inconsistent condom use but was inversely related to verbal and emotional abuse. Interventions aimed at reducing HIV/STD risk for adolescent girls need to address patterns of dominance and control in adolescent relationships as well as multiple forms of partner violence. This suggests the need for multilevel intervention approaches that promote girls' agency and multiple ways to keep girls safe from perpetrators of partner abuse. Keywords: adolescents; prevention; condom use; partner abuse; relationship power: intimate partner violence

Naturally SIV-infected sooty mangabeys (SMs) remain asymptomatic despite high virus replication. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying AIDS resistance of SIV-infected SMs may provide crucial information to better understand AIDS pathogenesis. In this study, we assessed the determinants of set-point viremia in naturally SIV-infected SMs, i.e., immune control of SIV replication versus target cell limitation. We depleted [CD4.sup.+] T cells in 6 naturally SIV-infected SMs by treating with humanized anti-CD4 mAb (Cdr-OKT4A-huIgG1). [CD4.sup.+] T cells were depleted almost completely in blood and BM and at variable levels in mucosal tissues and LNs. No marked depletion of [CD14.sup.+] monocytes was observed. Importantly, [CD4.sup.+] T cell depletion was associated with a rapid, significant decline in viral load, which returned to baseline level at day 30-45, coincident with an increased fraction of proliferating and activated [CD4.sup.+] T cells. Throughout the study, virus replication correlated with the level of proliferating [CD4.sup.+] T cells. [CD4.sup.+] T cell depletion did not induce any changes in the fraction of Tregs or the level of SIV-specific [CD8.sup.+] T cells. Our results suggest that the availability of activated [CD4.sup.+] T cells, rather than immune control of SIV replication, is the main determinant of set-point viral load during natural SIV infection of SMs., Introduction The HIV epidemic in humans arose after zoonotic transmission of simian [CD4.sup.+] T cell tropic lentiviruses, which naturally infect a range of African monkey host species and are now [...]

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for microvascular blood flow measurement. We used a continuous ASL scheme (CASL) to investigate the hyperemic flow difference between major muscle groups in human extremities. Twentyfour healthy subjects with no evidence of vascular disease were recruited. MRI was conducted on a 3.0 Tesla Siemens Trio whole body system with a transmit/receive knee coil. A nonmagnetic orthopedic tourniquet system was used to create a 5-min period of ischemia followed by a period of hyperemic flow (occlusion pressure = 250 mmHg). CASL imaging, lasting from 2 min before cuff inflation to 3 min after cuff deflation, was performed on the midcalf, midfoot, and midforearm in separate sessions from which blood flow was quantified with an effective temporal resolution of 16 s. When muscles in the same anatomic location were compared, hyperemic flow was found to be significantly higher in the compartments containing muscles known to have relatively higher slow-twitch type I fiber compositions, such as the soleus muscle in the calf and the extensors in the forearm. In the foot, the plantar flexors exhibited a slightly delayed hyperemic response relative to that of the dorsal compartment, but no betweengroup flow difference was observed. These results demonstrate that CASL is sensitive to flow heterogeneity between diverse muscle groups and that nonuniform hyperemic flow patterns following an ischemic paradigm correlate with relative fiber-type predominance. skeletal muscle; magnetic resonance imaging

Byline: Norma G. Cuellar, DSN, RN (School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, ncuellar@nursing.upenn.edu); Sarah J. Ratcliffe, PhD (Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics School of Medicine at the [...]