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Gender affirming surgery (GAS) helps individuals to achieve a physical presence consistent with their gender identity. In this study, we explored the decision, expectation, experience, satisfaction, and quality of life (QOL) of transgender women (TGWs) who have undergone GAS and compared their QOL with transfeminine individuals (TFs) who have not and are seeking to do so in Thailand. The median overall QOL score of the TGWs who have undergone GAS was slightly higher than that of the TFs who have not (95 (92-103) vs. 92 (86-98)

Although HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is free in Thailand, many transgender women discontinue taking it after initiation. We determined the loss to follow-up (LTFU) rate of transgender women who initiated PrEP at the Mplus Foundation, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and identified associated risk factors using Cox proportional hazard models. Of 235 participants who initiated PrEP, 59 (55%) out of 108 remaining participants had reactive syphilis. The LTFU rate at 6 months was 38% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 29-48%). Multivariable analysis indicates that LTFU is independently associated with age ≥ 26 years old (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.06-4.14) and reactive syphilis (aHR = 1.98; 95% CI:1.01-3.88). Delayed appointment scheduling by the PrEP providers and the syphilis clinic was associated with transgender women having reactive syphilis, and the lockdown policy during the COVID-19 pandemic might have influenced them to discontinue PrEP and their subsequent LTFU.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is still a major cause of death in Thais and new cases of infection are still emerging among the key population comprising men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers and their clients, and transgender women (TGW) and people who inject drugs. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of HIV infection between MSM and TGW who were tested at stand-alone and mobile HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centers and to identify factors associated with HIV-positive individuals from the two services. We conducted an observational study using MSM and TGW individuals with unknown HIV status from the databases at a stand-alone center and a mobile VCT belonging to the MPlus in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. Factors associated with HIV-positive status were identified using logistic regression model. HIV VCT data were obtained for 6971 individuals at both MPlus center and mobile care unit. Among 3033 and 3938 clients tested at each facility, respectively, 168 (5.6%) and 101 (2.6%) clients were HIV positive. Individuals tested at the stand-alone centers were at a 1.91-fold higher risk of being HIV positive compared with those tested at the mobile VCT unit. Individuals who were 20-24 or >24 years old, sex workers, or sexually transmitted infection positive were more likely to be HIV positive. Our results show the beneficial effect of mobile HIV VCT facilities that enable testing of more of the at-risk population. Developing mobile VCT activities that attract a particular target population is needed to be able to reach the 90-90-90 goals. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University (0BG-2562-06418).

Objective: To explore the desires and barriers to fertility preservation among transgender women and gender diverse people assigned male at birth in Thailand. Material and methods: This study is a cross-sectional study in clinic-based setting. The data was obtained from a questionnaire. Three hundred and three participants visiting the Gender Care Clinic at Chiang Mai University Hospital and Mplus clinics between April 2019 and December 2019 were included. Of these, 199 were transgender women and 104 were gender diverse people assigned male at birth. Results: The overall parental desire was 30.4% which was similar across the 2 groups (p = 0.897). A genetically related child was preferred in 40.9% of transgender women and 50.5% of gender diverse group (p = 0.115). Factors impacting a parental desire were a good relationship with family (OR 2.905, 95%CI 1.315–6.420, p = 0.008), being in a stable relationship (OR 4.183, 95%CI 1.738–10.069, p

Background Self-prescribed gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is common practice among transgender women, especially in resource-limited countries, yet the effectiveness of each GAHT regimen to achieve female range sex hormone concentrations is not known. Aim To describe the use and sex hormone concentrations of various GAHT regimens among transgender women who self prescribe in Thailand. Methods This was a retrospective study in a community-based setting. Five hundred and 27 records of transgender women taking GAHT who were receiving care at a community health center between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020 were included for the analysis. Main Outcome Measures Blood total testosterone and estradiol concentration after at least a 6-month period of GAHT. Results Multiple GAHT regimens were identified including oral estradiol valerate (EV), transdermal 17β-estradiol gel, injectable EV with hydroxyprogesterone caproate, injectable estradiol benzoate with progesterone, oral EV with cyproterone acetate (CPA), and oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). The most common GAHT regimen used by 49.1% of the participants was OCPs that contained 0.035 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 2 mg of CPA. Only 25.2% of this group had female range testosterone concentrations ( Clinical Implications The inadequate sex hormone levels found in these commonly self-prescribed GAHT regimens provide information regarding the efficacy and safety of GAHT regimens for health care providers working with transgender women in a community-based setting. Strengths and Limitations This study reflected a real-world situation and provided hormonal profiles among transgender women taking self-prescribed GAHT. However, issues in recall, medical literacy, and adherence to the medication may limit the results. Conclusion Combined hormonal contraceptive pill was a commonly used GAHT regimen in Thai transgender women who self prescribe GAHT. However, this regimen was not effective to decrease testosterone concentrations to the recommended range of less than 50 ng/dL. Overall, self-prescription of GAHT does not appear to be effective in reaching target sex hormone concentrations. Including health care providers in the prescription and monitoring of GAHT may be a more effective approach in the delivery of GAHT.

The modern online society requires everyone, especially children and young people, to learn how to use the Internet. Cyberbullying is one misuse that can be detrimental to the cyberbullied individuals’ mental health and lifestyle, and it often ends up with the victim becoming depressed, fearful of society, and in the worst cases, suicidal ideation. The aim of this study is to investigate the awareness, perception, and perpetration of cyberbullying by high school students and undergraduates to find ways to prevent cyberbullying in the future. For this cross-sectional study, data were collected in 2020 from 14 schools throughout Thailand and 4 universities in Chiang Mai, Thailand, using two-stage sampling. Chi-squared tests were used to compare differences between the groups. Of the 2,683 high school students, girls perceived cyberbullying more than boys (81.6% vs. 75.4%; p p = 0.033) and more likely to conduct cyberbullying behavior (p = 0.027). Of the 721 undergraduates, women were more aware of cyberbullying than men (92.1% vs. 82.7%; p

The effects of hetero nitrogen substitution on the photophysical properties and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of HBX derivatives (HBI, HBO and HBT where X=NH, O and S, respectively) were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations at B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level, which is the suitable method of choice validated from various density functionals. Geometries and absorption spectra of all derivatives as well as emission spectra of selected derivatives were calculated at the same level of theory. The hetero nitrogen substitution of HBX resulted in the red shift emission spectra, which implies that the lone pair of electron in the substituted nitrogen has the effect on the π-conjugated system. In addition, results of frontier molecular orbital analysis show that vertical S 0 →S 1 transition of these molecules corresponds essentially to the excitation from HOMO (π) to LUMO (π*). The potential energy curves (PECs) of selected derivatives were used to investigate the occurrence of ESIPT and the chance was found in this order: HBT>HBI>HBO. The hetero nitrogen substituted on 1,4 and 3,4 position of HBX derivatives could easily facilitate the ESIPT process, because the nitrogen substitution makes O–H bond of selected HBX derivatives weaker than those of other derivatives and the hydrogen bond in N–H becomes stronger in the excited state, resulting in lower PT barrier. The obtained information of the electronic structure, the photophysical property and the chance of ESIPT of hetero nitrogen substituted HBX molecules is useful for molecular design of fluorescent molecular probes.

Reduction of aromatic azides to amines is an important property of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) which is useful in fluorescence microscopy and H2S probing in cells. The aim of this work is to study the substituent effect on the absorption and emission spectra of 2-(2′-aminophenyl)benzothiazole (APBT) in order to design APBT derivatives for the use of H2S detection. Absorption and emission spectra of APBT derivatives in aqueous environment were calculated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) at B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level. The computed results favoured the substitution of strong electron-donating group on the phenyl ring opposite to the amino group for their large Stokes’ shifts and emission wavelengths of over 600 nm. Also, three designed compounds were suggested as potential candidates for the fluorescent probes. Such generalised guideline learnt from this work can also be useful in further designs of other fluorescent probes of H2S in water.