Chronic Stress Exacerbates Hyperglycemia-Induced Affective Symptoms in Male Mice.

INTRODUCTION: Among chronically ill populations, affective disorders remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. A high degree of comorbidity exists between diabetes and affective disorders, particularly depression and anxiety. The mechanisms underlying stress-induced affective dysregulation are likely distinct from those induced by diabetes. A direct comparison between stress- and hyperglycemia-induced affective dysregulation could provide insight into distinct mechanistic targets for depression/anxiety associated with these different conditions. METHODS: To this end, the present study used male C57BL/6J mice to compare the independent and combined behavioral and neuroinflammatory effects of two models: (1) unpredictable chronic mild stress and (2) pharmacologically induced hyperglycemia. RESULTS: Streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia was associated with a set of behavioral changes reflective of the neurovegetative symptoms of depression (i.e., reduced open field activity, reduced grooming, increased immobility in the forced swim task, and decreased marble burying), increased hippocampal Bdnf and Tnf expression, and elevations in frontal cortex Il1b expression. Our chronic stress protocol produced alterations in anxiety-like behavior and decreased frontal cortex Il1b expression. DISCUSSION: While the combination of chronic stress and hyperglycemia produced limited additive effects, their combination exacerbated total symptom burden. Overall, the data indicate that stress and hyperglycemia induce different symptom profiles via distinct mechanisms.

Accuracy of HIV Risk Perceptions Among Episodic Substance-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Using the HIV Incident Risk Index for men who have sex with men-an objective and validated measure of risk for HIV acquisition, and self-perceptions of belief and worry about acquiring HIV, we identified individuals who underestimated substantial risk for HIV. Data from a racially/ethnically diverse cohort of 324 HIV-negative episodic substance-using men who have sex with men (SUMSM) enrolled in a behavioral risk reduction intervention (2010-2012) were analyzed. Two hundred and fourteen (66%) SUMSM at substantial risk for HIV were identified, of whom 147 (69%, or 45% of the total sample) underestimated their risk. In multivariable regression analyses, compared to others in the cohort, SUMSM who underestimated their substantial risk were more likely to report: a recent sexually transmitted infection diagnosis, experiencing greater social isolation, and exchanging sex for drugs, money, or other goods. An objective risk screener can be valuable to providers in identifying and discussing with SUMSM factors associated with substantial HIV risk, particularly those who may not recognize their risk.

The Role of Structural Barriers in Risky Sexual Behavior, Victimization and Readiness to Change HIV/STI-Related Risk Behavior Among Transgender Women.

This study examines the role of structural barriers experienced by a community-based sample of 63 HIV-positive and negative transgender women that may elevate HIV infection and transmission risks. Separate hierarchical linear multiple regression analyses tested the association between structural barriers (e.g., unemployment, lack of food, shelter) and condomless anal sex acts, abuse, and readiness to change risk behavior, while controlling for other related factors. Among this primarily Hispanic and African-American sample, HIV-positive and negative transgender women experienced a similar number of structural barriers and experiencing structural barriers was significantly associated with an increased number of condomless anal sex acts (p = .002), victimization (p = .000) and a decreased readiness to change HIV-related risk behavior (p = .014). Structural-level interventions are needed to address this elevated risk among this underserved and hard-to-reach population.

A Comparison of Referred Sexual Partners to Their Community Recruited Counterparts in The BROTHERS Project (HPTN 061).

The BROTHERS Project (HPTN 061) was established to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a multi-component intervention among African American MSM to reduce HIV incidence. The goal of this analysis was to determine if the sexual partner referral approach used in HPTN 061 broadened the reach of recruitment with regards to characteristics associated with higher infection rates and barriers to quality health care. Overall, referred sexual partners had notable structural barrier differences in comparison to community-recruited participants: lower income, less education, higher unemployment, HIV positive diagnosis, incarceration history, and no health insurance. The study's findings pose implications for utilizing the sexual partner referral approach in reaching African American MSM who may not be accessed by traditional recruitment methods or who are well-integrated in health care systems.

CDC Prioritizes HIV Prevention and Treatment to Reduce HIV Disparities Among Cis-Gender Black Women.

To succeed in ending the HIV epidemic in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) focuses on delivering combinations of scientifically proven, cost-effective, and scalable interventions to priority populations. Systemic factors continue to contribute to persistent health disparities and disproportionately higher rates of HIV diagnosis in some communities. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy has designated cis-gender Black women (CgBW) as a priority population to address the racial and ethnic inequities in HIV. This report presents the portfolio of projects, programs, and initiatives funded by the CDC's Division of HIV Prevention (DHP) to address disparities in HIV and improve health and QOL among CgBW. These funded activities include the development, planning, and implementation of HIV prevention programs, mass media campaigns, and behavioral interventions focused on CgBW. This report also summarizes DHP's community engagement, capacity building, and partnership efforts, and highlights research and surveillance activities focusing on CgBW. Finally, this report outlines future directions for CDC's efforts to improve access to HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for CgBW in the United States.

Optimization of 13-tetradecenyl acetate sex pheromone for trapping Melanotus communis (Coleoptera: Elateridae).

Corn wireworm, Melanotus communis Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Elateridae), is an economically important larval pest of root and tuber crops in the United States. Previous work to estimate field-level abundance of M. communis has focused on grain-based larval baits placed in soil. However, this sampling method is labor intensive and may not estimate population size accurately. Recent discovery of the M. communis sex pheromone, 13-tetradecenyl acetate, provides a new method to monitor this pest during the adult stage. Early studies with this pheromone showed that different trapping methods might enhance catch and improve trap servicing. We hypothesized that placing lures on elevated traps would increase M. communis capture relative to the in-ground pitfall trapping that is currently used. We had 2 objectives for this study: (a) to compare pheromone captures among in-ground pitfall traps, on-ground pitfalls, elevated pitfalls (1 m), or elevated sticky cards (1 m) and (b) test lure longevity by aging the lures outdoors at 8-, 6-, 4-, 2-, and 0-wk intervals prior to trap deployment in the field. Experiments were conducted in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida during the 2021 and 2022 field seasons. Results highlight large variation in M. communis abundance across the 4 states. We showed that 1 m elevated pheromone traps caught the most beetles. The age of the lure prior to deployment had a significant effect on trap catch. The lures that were aged for fewer weeks attracted significantly more beetles, with 0- and 2-wk-old lures capturing the greatest numbers.

Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from retail foods.

Listeria monocytogenes isolates recovered from retail ready-to-eat (RTE) meats, raw chickens and fresh produce were characterized by serogroup identification using PCR, genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Five L. monocytogenes serogroups were identified. Of the 167 isolates 68 (41%) belonged to serogroup 1/2b, 3b; 53 (32%) belonged to serogroup 4b, 4d, 4e; 43 (26%) belonged to serogroup 1/2a, 3a; 2 (1.2%) belonged to serogroup 1/2c, 3c; and 1 (0.6%) belonged to serogroup 4a, 4c. PFGE generated 120 patterns which correlated well with PCR serogrouping. Most L. monocytogenes isolates were resistant to sulfonamide (73%) and some were resistant to tetracycline (8.4%) and ciprofloxacin (1.8%). Tetracycline resistance was conjugatively transferable and the tet(M) gene was identified in 14 tetracycline-resistant isolates as well as their transconjugants. These findings indicate that L. monocytogenes present in food were diverse, and that resistance to one or more antibiotics among these isolates was common. In addition, the presence of potential serotype 4b in all food categories is of public health concern, as serotype 4b has been the serotype most frequently associated with human listeriosis.

Women's responses to menses and nonbleeding intervals in the USA, Brazil and Germany.

BACKGROUND: Studies from several countries suggest women differ in their preferred length of nonbleeding intervals, yet studies to date have not explored the social determinants of such preferences. METHOD: We report results from a menstrual preference and social survey of 1207 healthy women in three age groups (18-20, 25-34 and 45-49 years) and two educational strata (high and low educational attainment), from Campinas (Brazil), Heidelberg (Germany) and Ann Arbor (USA) ( approximately 400 women from each country). RESULTS: Women's preferred length of nonbleeding intervals differed significantly between countries. In Ann Arbor, only 15.5% of women preferred to bleed monthly, vs. 30.2% in Heidelberg. In both Ann Arbor and Campinas, approximately one-third of women preferred to "never" have menses, compared to 8.2% in Heidelberg. Multivariate analyses indicated that country, church attendance, stress and menstrual pain were significant predictors of women's preferences. CONCLUSION: The most common preference among women was to bleed once every 3 months, but preferences varied substantially by country groups. Preferences for nonbleeding intervals were, in part, explained by personal experiences of stress or menstrual pain, but unexplained cultural differences persist between country groups.

Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men Who Also Report Having Sex With Transgender Partners: Analysis of HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 061 Study.

HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN 061) study data of Black MSM were analyzed to determine characteristics associated with having transgender sexual partners (TGP) and the association of having TGP with sexual risk. Of 1,449 cisgender MSM, 343(24%) reported also having TGP. MSM with TGP were more likely to be older, have a sexual orientation other than homosexual, have a history of incarceration, or have insufficient funds for necessities, but less likely to be HIV positive or report sex with men to health care providers. MSM with TGP were 3.67 times more likely to recently have 5+ new partners and 2.02 times more likely to report 6+ condomless sexual acts. Since MSM with TGP reported not disclosing sex with men to health care providers, these men may need tailored HIV prevention and care. Future studies should examine differing sexual risks MSM take with sexual partners with different gender identities.

Isolation and characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from ready-to-eat foods in Florida.

Of 3,063 ready-to-eat food samples tested, 91 (2.97%) were positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and lineage 1 strains outnumbered lineage 2 strains 57 to 34. Seventy-one isolates (78%) exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance, and an L. monocytogenes-specific bacteriophage cocktail lysed 65 of 91 (71%) isolates. Determining phage, acid, and antibiotic susceptibility phenotypes enabled us to identify differences among strains which were otherwise indistinguishable by conventional methods.

Violence, homelessness, and HIV risk among crack-using African-American women.

This study compares the characteristics of out-of-treatment, homeless, crack-using African-American women with those who are not homeless to determine what risks and protective factors differentiate the two groups. From 1999 to 2001, 683 out-of-treatment, African-American crack-using women (of whom 219 were categorized as homeless) were interviewed and serologically tested. Risk factors that were examined include adverse childhood experiences, psychological distress, physical health, violence and victimization, drug use, and risky sex behaviors. Protective factors that were examined include marital status, education, public assistance, and the responsibility of caring for children. Overall, both groups of women started crack use in their mid-twenties and started drug use with alcohol in their teenage years, though differed significantly on each risk factor examined. Logistic regression analysis found that variables associated with increased odds of being homeless are physical abuse before age 18, crack runs greater than 24 hours, income less than dollars 500 in the last 30 days, depression, and current cigarette smoking. Protective factors found are marital status, living with children under 18, having had a physical in the past year, and receiving money from welfare in the last 30 days. Being sexually assaulted in the past 90 days was marginally associated with homelessness in the model. These findings, specific to crack-using African-American women, suggest that not only do these women overall report painful histories and currently stressful lives, but homeless women are more likely than women who are not homeless to have experienced childhood abuse and are more involved with drug use. Interventions designed for these women need to consider gender, cultural, and contextual issues that not only incorporate aspects of risk reduction related to violence, alcohol use, and comorbid conditions, but also linkages that will address housing issues, education, and skills for independence.