PERPETRATION OF VIOLENCE BY FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 'WE WILL CRUSH THEIR BONES'.

There is a small but important body of literature on female sex workers' (FSWs) violence towards others, but little of that focused on low- and middle-income countries. Drawn from a larger biobehavioural study of FSWs in three cities in Papua New Guinea, we analyse the interviews from 19 FSWs who reported having perpetrated physical violence towards four major groups: (1) ex-husbands; (2) clients; (3) other sex workers and (4) other people (mainly women). Our study demonstrates that FSWs' use of violence arises from a complex set of social, material and gendered circumstances and cannot be addressed in isolation from other aspects of their lives.

Male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea: a summary of research evidence and recommendations for public health following a national policy forum.

In 2005, a clinical trial in South Africa found that circumcision of young men could reduce their risk of acquiring HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection by over 60%. In the following year, two more trials in Africa confirmed this finding, leading the World Health Organization to recommend male circumcision as a public health strategy for HIV prevention in high-incidence countries. In order to inform public health policy in Papua New Guinea (PNG), two major research projects were initiated with the goals of investigating the status of penile cutting practices and assessing understandings, acceptability, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of male circumcision for HIV prevention. In addition, behavioural surveillance surveys systematically asked questions on penile cutting practices and an ethnographic literature review informed historical perspectives of penile cutting in PNG. Key findings from these research activities were presented at a National Policy Forum on Male Circumcision for HIV Prevention held in Port Moresby in November 2011. The Forum made three key recommendations: (1) the formation of a joint National Department of HealthlNational AIDS Council Secretariat Policy Committee on male circumcision; (2) the establishment of an integrated harm reduction program; and (3) that future policy on wide-scale roll-out of male circumcision for HIV prevention in PNG be informed by a combination of data from (a) male circumcision intervention pilot programs and (b) research on the potential protective effect of other forms of penile cutting.

Ophthalmologic abnormalities in encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis.

Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis (ECCL) is a sporadically occurring disorder that belongs to the group of neurocutaneous syndromes. Important characteristics of the case we present are: intracranial lipomas, a skull hamartoma, bilateral lipodermoids and jaw tumors (ossifying fibromas and compound odontomas). We propose four minimal criteria for the diagnosis of ECCL and review the ocular abnormalities reported to date.

Clopidogrel compatibility with concomitant cardiac co-medications: a study of its interactions with a beta-blocker and a calcium uptake antagonist.

The safety and pharmacodynamic compatibility of clopidogrel with medications commonly used in patients with atherosclerosis, such as, a beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist (atenolol) and a calcium uptake inhibitor (nifedipine) were assessed. Atenolol and nifedipine interactions with clopidogrel were studied in patients with peripheral arterial obstructive disease taking a well-established regimen of nifedipine (N group of 6 patients) and in patients with coronary artery disease taking a well-established regimen of either atenolol (A group of 8 patients) or of atenolol and nifedipine (AN group of 8 patients). The study was conducted as a double-blind, randomized, crossover comparison of clopidogrel, 75 mg once daily, and placebo treatment for 7 days, with a 14-day washout between treatments. Pharmacodynamic interactions between atenolol and nifedipine, either alone or in combination, and clopidogrel were assessed primarily on the clinical control of angina or hypertension and, secondarily, by comparing the extent of inhibition of ADP (5 microM)-induced platelet aggregation achieved between the 3 groups. The mean number of anginal episodes per patient during the placebo week was 1.50, 9.0 and 11.5 in the A, N and AN groups, respectively; during the week of clopidogrel treatment, it was 1.39, 7.3 and 9.0, respectively, indicating no change in occurrence. Likewise, review of the use of nitrates (long or short acting) did not suggest any major change in usage during any period of the study. ECGs did not change between the three recording times (at screening and at the end of each treatment period). Vital signs were also unchanged throughout. Percent inhibition of platelet aggregation on day 7 was 31% in the N group, 39% in the A group, 28% in the AN group, and 33% overall. In conclusion, the coadministration of clopidogrel did not interfere with the clinical control of hypertension or angina established with atenolol or nifedipine, or both. Clopidogrel retained its full antiplatelet effect, and there were no safety problems caused by the coadministration.