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Sexually transmitted disease prevalence and characteristics of market vendors in eastern China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have soared in China. To address the impact, we studied market stall vendors in eastern China. GOAL: The goal was to determine STD prevalence and predictors. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 1536 randomly selected market stall vendors were interviewed and tested for STDs. RESULTS: The prevalence of any STD was 20.1% among those reporting sexual intercourse and 5.5% among those reporting never having sexual intercourse. Among those reporting sexual intercourse, chlamydia was most common (9.4%), followed by herpes (9.3%). A total of 4.5% of those reporting never having sexual intercourse had herpes infection, but none had chlamydia. Prevalence of all STDs was higher among females, and those with low education and multiple partners. The pharmacy was the major source of health care (48.8%). CONCLUSION: Generalizing from the results, targeting only STD clinic patients and persons reporting multiple partners for intervention will exclude a high proportion of those with STDs. More effective, less stigmatized sources of STD treatment should be developed.

Adult↗

Using peer recruitment and OraSure to increase HIV testing.

We describe a community-based pilot study to boost HIV testing in a minority community through social network recruitment and a noninvasive HIV testing methodology. Over an 11-month period, the number of test takers at the intervention site increased by 71.7%, and the proportions of test takers with risk factors similar to those of peer recruiters (heterosexual sex and multiple partners) increased by 24.2% and 19.5%, respectively. At a comparison site, testing remained stable, while the proportion of test takers reporting heterosexual sex and multiple partners decreased by 42.5% and 21.8%, respectively. The use of a social network recruitment strategy in combination with an oral HIV test shows promise in increasing testing and in targeting populations.

Attitude to Health↗

Polyandry produces sexy sons at the cost of daughters in red flour beetles.

Female mating with multiple males within a single fertile period is a common phenomenon in the animal kingdom. Female insects are particularly promiscuous. It is not clear why females mate with multiple partners despite several potential costs, such as expenditure of time and energy, reduced lifespan, risk of predation and contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Female red flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) obtain sufficient sperm from a single insemination to retain fertility for several months. Nonetheless they copulate repeatedly within minutes with different males despite no direct fitness benefits from this behaviour. One hypothesis is that females mate with multiple partners to provide indirect benefits via enhanced offspring fitness. To test this hypothesis, we compared the relative fitness of F(1) offspring from females mated with single males and multiple males (2, 4, 8, or 16 partners), under the condition of relatively high intraspecific competition. We found that a female mating with 16 males enhanced the relative fitness of F(1) males (in two out of three trials) but reduced F(1) females' fitness (in two independent trials) in comparison with singly mated females. We also determined whether several important fitness correlates were affected by polyandry. We found that F(1) males from mothers with 16 partners inseminated more females than F(1) males from mothers with a single partner. The viability of the eggs sired or produced by F(1) males and females from highly polyandrous mothers was also increased under conditions of low intra-specific competition. Thus, the effects of polyandry on F(1) offspring fitness depend on environmental conditions. Our results demonstrated a fitness trade-off between male and female offspring from polyandrous mothers in a competitive environment. The mechanisms and biological significance of this unique phenomenon are discussed.

Animals↗

Gender inequalities, intimate partner violence and HIV preventive practices: findings of a South African cross-sectional study.

The aim of the paper is to investigate associations between a range of markers of gender inequity, including financial, psychological and physical violence, and two proximal practices in HIV prevention, namely discussion of HIV between partners and the woman suggesting condom use. The paper presents an analysis of data from a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of women from three South African Provinces which was primarily undertaken as an epidemiological study of gender-based violence. A multi-stage sampling design was used with clusters sampled with probability proportional to number of households. Households were randomly selected from within clusters. One randomly selected woman aged 18-49 years was interviewed in each selected home. One thousand three hundred and six women were interviewed (90.3% of eligible women). One thousand one hundred sixty four women had a partner in the previous year and were asked questions related to HIV prevention and gender inequalities in the relationship. The results indicate that discussion of HIV was significantly positively associated with education, living in Mpumalanga Province, the man being a migrant, the woman having multiple partners in the past year and having no confidante. It was significantly negatively associated with living in the Northern Province, the relationship being poor and there being a substantial age difference between partners. The woman suggesting condom use was significantly positively associated with her education, her having multiple partners, domestic violence prior to the past year and financial abuse. It was negatively associated with the relationship being poor. We conclude that this suggests that some indicators of gender inequalities are significantly associated with discussion of HIV and condom use but the direction of association found was both positive and negative. This highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of gender inequalities and their relationship to HIV risk. Suggestions for key research questions are made.

Adolescent↗

[Study on the changes of demography and behavioral characteristics of drug users in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the demography changes and behaviors in drug users. METHOD: Self-reported questionnaires was used and longitudinal investigation was conducted in one of the detoxication centers in Beijing in 1998 and 2000. Drug users were randomly chosen. RESULTS: Results showed that age of drug users tend to become younger with the numbers of drug users aged below 25, increased from 18.7% in 1998 to 28.2% in 2000. Majority of drug users remained males, but the proportion of females seemed to increase. Distribution of occupation showed that the largest increase fell among individual enterprisers, from 15.2% in 1998 to 25.9% in 2000. With educational back-ground, the proportion of lower than elementary education level, including illiterate, increased. Fifty percent of drug users were unmarried which increased from 40.8% in 1998 to 53.2% in 2000. Needle sharing was quite common, 16.5% in 1998 and 11.9% in 2000, but the decrease was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Fifty-seven point three percent of the injecting drug users did not have constant partners to share equipments. Proportion of extra-marriage sexual practice increased from 12.5% in 1998 to 27.5% in 2000, and significant difference (Chi-square = 12.50, P < 0.001). Multiple partners in extra-married drug users was also found (mean = 2). Compared to 1998, condom use during every sexual practice increased in 2000, but 47.7% drug users still never used condom. CONCLUSION: In summary, as the quick increase of drug users, sharing of injecting equipment and high-risk sexual behavior, including multiple partners and unprotected sex, were quite common, with the possibility of HIV epidemic in drug users.

Adult↗

The relationships between sexual behavior, alcohol use, and personal network characteristics among injecting drug users in Baltimore, Maryland.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and HIV-related risk behaviors report inconclusive and contradictory results. GOAL OF THIS STUDY: This study sought to examine the relationship between drug and alcohol use, personal network characteristics, and sexual risk behaviors. STUDY DESIGN: A sample of 290 injecting drug users in Baltimore, Maryland, were interviewed. RESULTS: More than half the males and 28% of the females reported multiple partners within the prior 6 months, and 33% of the males reported exchanging money or drugs for sex. For males, heavy drinking was significantly associated with multiple partners, exchanging money or drugs for sex, and casual sex. The personal network characteristics of size and density, as measured by the percentage of network members who knew each other, were associated with sexual risk behaviors. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that among injecting drug users in Baltimore, heavy drinkers, and those with larger, lower density personal networks have increased levels of sexual risk behaviors.

Adult↗

Different demographic and sexual correlates for chlamydial infection and gonorrhoea in Rotterdam.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of gonorrhoea and chlamydial infections and to determine sexual and demographic correlates for these sexually transmitted diseases (STD) among visitors of an STD clinic. METHODS: In 1994, a cross-sectional study was carried out among 2984 consecutive visitors of the STD clinic of the University Hospital Rotterdam. RESULTS: The prevalence of chlamydial infection was 12.1% for women and 12.3% for men. For gonorrhoea, prevalence was 3.2% and 6.0%, respectively. For men, gonorrhoea was independently associated with multiple partners in the last month, homosexual activities, a history of gonorrhoea, last sexual contact in the past 4-14 days and casual partners. In contrast, chlamydial infection was less likely to be found in homosexual men and male intravenous drug users. Additionally, chlamydial infection was independently associated with young age, multiple partners in the last 6 months and with last sexual contact in the past 2 months. For women, intravenous drug use (associated with commercial sex work) and a history of trichomoniasis were independent risk factors for gonorrhoea. Independent risk factors for chlamydial infection in women were: young age, two or three sexual partners during life and last sexual contact within 2 months. Chlamydial infection was uncommon in commercial sex workers. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in the epidemiological correlates suggest that chlamydial infection is more diffusely spread into the general population than gonorrhoea. Additionally, it is hypothesized that men acquire their chlamydial infection through less stable relationships and subsequently infect their regular female partner.

Adolescent↗

Changes in women's sexual risk behaviors after therapeutic community treatment.

This study examines sexual risk behaviors among 197 women mandated to substance abuse treatment in therapeutic communities. The women's risk behaviors after treatment are compared with their behaviors prior to treatment, and risk behaviors among those who completed treatment are compared with those who did not. The women had a high prevalence of sexual risk behaviors (i.e., multiple partners, unprotected sex, sex trade, not asking partners to use condoms, sex with injection drug users [IDUs]) and relationship violence and conflict before treatment and a significant decrease in unprotected sex, sex trade, sex with multiple partners, and relationship violence or conflict after treatment. Those who completed treatment were significantly less likely to participate in sex trade or have sex with IDUs and were more likely to have a new sexual partner and only one sexual partner after treatment as compared with those who did not complete treatment. The present study shows that therapeutic community treatment is associated with the reduction of sexual risk behaviors among female substance abusers mandated to treatment.

Adult↗

Data from the National AIDS Behavioral Surveys. I. Sexual risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection among women in high-risk cities.

Data from 3,482 women aged 18-49 living in 23 urban areas of the United States who participated in the 1990-1991 National AIDS Behavioral Surveys show that in the preceding year, approximately 15% engaged in sexual behavior that might expose them to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Risk behaviors include having multiple sexual partners, having a risky main sexual partner or having both multiple partners and a risky main partner. An additional 17% of women with no other risk factor report that they do not know their main partner's HIV risk status. Predictors of risk factors vary by ethnicity, and having multiple partners and having a risky main partner appear to have distinct sets of predictors. Single women are more likely than others to have multiple partners, and among white women, those with more than 12 years of education are more likely to have multiple partners. Among blacks and Hispanics, younger women are more likely than older women to have multiple partners. Among Hispanic women, married respondents and those with more than 12 years of education are more likely than others to have a risky main sexual partner; the latter pattern is reversed among white women, however, with those having less than 12 years of education being more likely to have a risky main sexual partner. In general, women with a risky main partner are the least likely to use condoms consistently.

Adolescent↗

Infectivity and risk factors of hepatitis C virus transmission through sexual contact.

HCV infection among heterosexuals with multiple partners and family members of patients with hepatitis C, and HCV RNA in the body fluid of these patients were investigated. The results showed that the HCV infection in heterosexuals with multiple partners, which was related to sexual activity, was much higher than that of healthy pregnant women. The HCV RNA in the saliva, semen or vaginal discharge of patients with hepatitis C was at detectable level. Among the patient's relatives, none of the children but 2 spouses were found to be infected with HCV. We concluded that sexual contact might play some role in HCV transmission.

Adolescent↗

Avoidance, anxiety, and sex: the influence of romantic attachment on HIV-risk among pregnant women.

Most unprotected sex occurs in close relationships. However, few studies examine relational factors and sexual risk among high-risk populations. Romantic Attachment Theory states that individuals have cognitive working models for relationships that influence expectations, affect, and behavior. We investigated the influence of attachment avoidance and anxiety on sexual beliefs (e.g., condom use beliefs, self-efficacy), behavior (e.g., condom use, multiple partners, unprotected sex with risky partners), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among 755 high-risk, young pregnant women (ages 14-25) recruited from urban prenatal clinics. Attachment anxiety predicted sexual beliefs, condom use, and unprotected sex with risky partners controlling for demographic variables. Sexual beliefs did not mediate the relationship between attachment orientation and sexual behavior. Current relationship with the father of the baby did mediate the effect of attachment anxiety on multiple partners and STIs. Results indicate the importance of including general relational factors, such as attachment, in HIV prevention.

Adolescent↗

Identification of multiple binding partners for the amino-terminal domain of synapse-associated protein 97.

Multiprotein complexes mediate static and dynamic functions to establish and maintain cell polarity in both epithelial cells and neurons. Membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) proteins are thought to be scaffolding molecules in these processes and bind multiple proteins via their obligate postsynaptic density (PSD)-95/Disc Large/Zona Occludens-1, Src homology 3, and guanylate kinase-like domains. Subsets of MAGUK proteins have additional protein-protein interaction domains. An additional domain we identified in SAP97 called the MAGUK recruitment (MRE) domain binds the LIN-2,7 amino-terminal (L27N) domain of mLIN-2/CASK, a MAGUK known to bind mLIN-7. Here we show that SAP97 binds two other mLIN-7 binding MAGUK proteins. One of these MAGUK proteins, DLG3, coimmunoprecipitates with SAP97 in lysates from rat brain and transfected Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. This interaction requires the MRE domain of SAP97 and surprisingly, both the L27N and L27 carboxyl-terminal (L27C) domains of DLG3. We also demonstrate that SAP97 can interact with the MAGUK protein, DLG2, but not the highly related protein, PALS2. The ability of SAP97 to interact with multiple MAGUK proteins is likely to be important for the targeting of specific protein complexes in polarized cells.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Risk factors for cervical human papillomavirus and herpes simplex virus infections in Greenland and Denmark: a population-based study.

Risk factors for genital human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6/11 and 16/18 and any HPV type as well as for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections were investigated in a population-based study of 1,600 randomly selected women (20-39 years) from Godthåb (native, Nuuk), Greenland, and Nykøbing Falster, Denmark. A total of 586 Greenlandic women and 661 Danish women were included, respectively. They all had a personal interview and a gynecologic examination with cervical smear and swab for HPV analysis (filter in situ hybridization). Moreover, a blood sample was obtained for analysis for HSV-2 antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In view of the general concept of HPV as a sexually transmitted virus, it is unexpected that women with "multiple" partners revealed a significantly lower risk for all types of HPV than did women with "few" partners, the odds ratio (OR) being 40-60% decreased in women with greater than or equal to 30 partners compared with women who had 0-4 sexual partners. In contrast, the risk for HSV-2 infection was significantly increased among women with early age at first sexual intercourse (OR = 2.9 for age less than or equal to 13 vs. 14-16 years) and multiple partners (OR = 2.6 for greater than or equal to 20 vs. 0-4 partners) (hereafter referred to as "high sexual activity" as well as with an increasing number of sexually active years with an unprotected cervix (i.e., without the use of barrier contraceptives) (OR = 2.0 for greater than or equal to 15 vs. 0-9 years). The results of this study thus demonstrate a surprising risk pattern for HPV types 6/11 and 16/18, but a pattern for HSV-2 in line with that to be expected for a sexually transmitted virus. This could indicate the existence of factors, especially in women with high sexual activity, which interfere with the expression of HPV or with the ability to detect it and/or that HPV may be transmitted by means other than sexual contact.

Adult↗

Risks for HIV infection among users and sellers of crack, powder cocaine and heroin in central Harlem: implications for interventions.

This article investigates behaviours that may be associated HIV infection among users and sellers of crack, powder cocaine and heroin in central Harlem. Chain referral sampling and other strategies were combined to acquire a sample of 637 (Users = 546; Sellers = 91) who provided urine specimens that were tested for the presence of drugs and HIV. Nearly a quarter (23.9%) of all respondents were HIV positive. Drug injectors were more than 2.5 times more likely to have HIV infections than other respondents (OR = 2.66; 95% CI 1.66-4.26). Those involved in frauds/cons were almost as likely to be HIV positive (OR = 2.58; 95% CI 1.64-4.06). Those with a marital status of being separated, divorced or widowed were twice as likely to be HIV infected (OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.43-3.25). Respondents currently having multiple partner sex (OR = 1.66; 95% CI 1.1-2.51) or who were female (OR = 1.66; 95% CI 1.12-2.45) were more than 1.5 times more likely to be HIV positive. Thus, controlling for lifetime drug injection and current multiple partner sex, other factors, such as participating in frauds/cons, as well as relationship status and being female, were also associated with HIV infection.

Adult↗

Sperm competition: motility and the midpiece in primates.

In animals with multiple-partner mating systems, the gametes of two or more males must compete to fertilize a given set of ova. Here we show that the volume of the midpiece in individual sperm is significantly greater in primate species in which the females mate with multiple partners, and in which males have larger testes in relation to their body weight, than in those species that mate with only one partner and have relatively small testes. Our results indicate that sexual selection by sperm competition has influenced the evolution of a specific component of male-gamete morphology, the volume of the sperm midpiece.

Animals↗

Risk factors for incident and recurrent condylomata acuminata among men. A population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The rapid increase in the number of physician office visits for condylomata acuminata and the association of human papillomavirus and cancer has prompted renewed interest in the epidemiology of this sexually-transmitted disease. Few epidemiologic studies have examined what risk factors are associated with condylomata acuminata in men. GOAL: To determine what factors may predispose a man to the occurrence of condylomata acuminata. STUDY DESIGN: A population-based case-control study was conducted among male members of a health maintenance organization. Patients were men 18 years or older who were seen for condyloma at one of four primary care clinics of Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound between April 1, 1987 and September 30, 1991. Control subjects were frequency matched to the patients on clinic site, race, and age. In-person interviews were used to ascertain exposure histories from both patients and control subjects. RESULTS: Recurrent condyloma was reported by about one third of our patients. Patients with multiple partners were strongly associated with developing the disease. Several factors were either more strongly or only associated with recurrent disease. Other behavioral measures, such as recreational drug use, were also related the occurrence of condyloma. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the sexual-transmitted mechanism of condyloma in men. Exposure to multiple partners was associated with elevated risk of both recurrent and incident disease. Other cofactors may be involved in the etiology of condyloma.

Adolescent↗

Associations between sexually transmitted disease diagnosis and subsequent sexual risk and sexually transmitted disease incidence among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Empiric evidence is lacking in regard to the subsequent sexually transmitted disease (STD)-associated risk behaviors of adolescents diagnosed and treated for an STD. GOAL: The goal of this study was to prospectively identify associations between STD diagnosis and subsequent sexual risk and STD incidence among a sample of U.S. adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort of 455 adolescents (age 15-21 years) was followed for 3 months. Adolescents were recruited from primary care clinics and through outreach activities. RESULTS: A total of 10.8% were initially diagnosed with at least one STD. After adjusting for observed covariates, these adolescents (compared with those testing negative) were 2.8 times (P = 0.0001) more likely to be abstinent from sex and 2.2 times more likely to report always using condoms (P = 0.04). However, during the ensuing 3 months, they were approximately 2.4 times more likely to report having sex with multiple partners (P = 0.01), 8.9 times more likely to test positive for trichomonas (P = 0.009), and 3.0 times more likely to test positive for chlamydia (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with those testing negative, adolescents diagnosed with an STD may subsequently adopt safer sex behaviors, including abstinence. However, perhaps in part as a result of having sex with multiple partners, they might fail to practice safer sex behaviors stringently enough to avoid subsequent STD acquisition.

Adolescent↗

Protein interactions at the tight junction. Actin has multiple binding partners, and ZO-1 forms independent complexes with ZO-2 and ZO-3.

Defining how the molecular constituents of the tight junction interact is a prerequisite to understanding tight junction physiology. We utilized in vitro binding assays with purified recombinant proteins and immunoprecipitation analyses to define interactions between ZO-1, ZO-2, ZO-3, occludin, and the actin cytoskeleton. Actin cosedimentation studies showed that ZO-2, ZO-3, and occludin all interact directly with F-actin in vitro, indicating that actin is engaged in multiple interactions at the tight junction. Low speed sedimentation analyses demonstrated that neither ZO-2, ZO-3, nor occludin act as F-actin cross-linking proteins, and further evidence indicates that these proteins do not bind to actin filament ends. The binding interactions of ZO-2, ZO-3, and occludin were corroborated in vivo by immunofluorescence colocalization experiments which showed that all three proteins colocalized with actin aggregates at cell borders in cytochalasin D-treated Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Exploration of other tight junction protein interactions demonstrated that ZO-2 binds directly to both ZO-1 and occludin. Contrary to previous beliefs, our immunoprecipitation results indicate that ZO-1, ZO-2, and ZO-3 exist in situ primarily as independent ZO-1.ZO-2 and ZO-1.ZO-3 complexes rather than a trimeric ZO-1.ZO-2.ZO-3 grouping. These studies elucidate direct binding interactions among tight junction-associated proteins, giving insight into their organization as a multimolecular structure.

Actins↗