Associations between forced non-consensual first-sex and HIV among sexually active women in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Studies continue to underscore the profound impact of sexual violence on women's health. Yet, little is known about the impact, via a complex matrix of behavioural and social factors, of first intercourse, namely forced non-consensual on HIV status, particularly among sexually active women (SAW) in low-income countries where HIV prevalence remains high. Using a national sample from Eswatini, we employed multivariate logistic regression modelling to estimate the associations between forced first-sex (FFS), subsequent sexual behaviour and HIV status among 3555 SAW aged from 15 years to 49 years. The results found that women who experienced FFS had a greater number of sexual partners compared to those who had never experienced FFS (aOR = 2.79, p < .01), although there were no significant differences in condom use, early sexual debut and casual sex involvement between these two groups. FFS remained significantly associated with a higher risk of having HIV (aOR = 1.70, p < .05) even after controlling for risky sexual behaviours and various other factors. These findings further reinforce the relationship between FFS and HIV, and suggest that addressing sexual violence is a critical component of HIV prevention among women in low-income countries.

A concise review on marine bromopyrrole alkaloids as anticancer agents.

Natural products have been the most important sources of chemically diverse raw materials that have inspired pharmaceutical discoveries over the past few decades. Many pharmaceutical companies are utilizing plant extracts to develop relatively crude therapeutic formulations. The interesting chemicals identified as natural products are derived from the phenomenon of biodiversity, where the interactions between the organisms and their environment formulate the diverse and complex chemical entities within them that enhance their survival and competitiveness. Marine sponges are rich sources of natural products and have provided an infinite supply of bioactive metabolites. Bromopyrrole alkaloids are a good example of marine metabolites, have a broad range of biological activity, and represent a fascinating example of chemical diversity of secondary metabolites elaborated by marine invertebrates. The isolation and synthesis of this structural class have been investigated, resulting in a series of bromopyrrole alkaloids with potential lead hits. This review presents the detailed isolation and anticancer activity of marine bromopyrrole alkaloids, and will be of interest to the wider research community both in academic and industrial settings.