Social Network Organization, Structure, and Patterns of Influence Within a Community of Transgender Women in Lima, Peru: Implications for Biomedical HIV Prevention.

Understanding social network structures can contribute to the introduction of new HIV prevention strategies with socially marginalized populations like transgender women (TW). We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews and four focus groups (n = 32) with TW from selected social networks in Lima, Peru between May and July, 2015. Participants described layers of social influence from diverse actors in their social networks. The majority identified a close relative as their primary social support, with whom they confided secrets but avoided issues of transgender identity, sexuality, and sex work. Participants described close circles of TW friends with whom they shared information about gender identity, body modification, and sexual partners, but avoided issues like HIV. Community leadership included political leaders (who advocated for transgender rights) as well as social leaders (who introduced TW to hormone therapy, body modification, and commercial sex). Detailed analysis of TW social networks can contribute to implementation and acceptability of new HIV prevention technologies.

Constituents of Agave americana and Agave barbadensis.

An investigation of Agave americana and Agave barbadensis resulted in the isolation of a new homoisoflavanoid, 7-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxybenzyl)-chroman (3), together with known compounds 7-hydroxy-3-(4-methoxybenzyl)-chroman-4-one (1), 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4-methoxybenzyl)-chroman-4-one (2), cantalasaponin-1 (4), and 2-hydroxy-butanedioic acid-1-methyl ester (5).

New diterpenes from Jatropha divaricata.

Extracts of the stems of Jatropha divaricata have yielded the two new diterpenes ent-3 beta,14 alpha-hydroxypimara-7,9(11),15-triene-12-one (3) and the rearranged pimarane ent-15(13-->8)abeo-8 beta(ethyl)pimarane (4), which appears to be a new skeletal type. The rare cleistanthane diterpenes spruceanol (1) and cleistanthol (2) were also obtained.

Prenylated benzophenone derivatives from Clusia havetiodes var. stenocarpa.

Extracts of the fruit of Clusia havetiodes var. stenocarpa have yielded three new prenylated benzophenone derivatives, 28,29-epoxyplukenetione A (1), 33-hydroperoxyisoplukenetione C (2), and 15,16-dihydro-16-hydroperoxyplukenetione F (3), as well as four which have been previously described, plukenetiones C, F, and G and sampsonione G.

Cycloartanes, protolimonoids, a pregnane and a new ergostane from Trichilia reticulata.

The new ergostane steroid ergosta-5,24(24')-diene-3beta,4beta,22R-triol (1), a pregnane, (E)-volkendusin, characterised as the diacetate (3), cycloartanes 4-6 and protolimonoids 7-9 were obtained from the leaves and twigs of Trichilia reticulata.

Three novel monotetrahydrofuran annonaceous acetogenins from Annona montana.

Three new monotetrahydrofuran (mono-THF) acetogenins, anmontanins A-C (1-3) were isolated from the leaves of Annona montana. Anmontanin C (3) is the first stereochemically pure acetogenin reported to have a gamma-hydroxymethyl-gamma-lactone moiety. Two known mono-THF acetogenins, murisolin and annonacin, were isolated from the seeds of the plant. The structures of compounds 1-3 were elucidated by spectral methods and chemical derivatization.

Proctoriones A-C: 2-acylcyclohexane-1,3-dione derivatives from peperomia proctorii.

The structures of three new compounds isolated from Peperomia proctorii, named proctoriones A-C, have been established by spectroscopic and chemical methods as 2,3-dihydro-5, 8-dihydroxy-2-pentadecyl-4H-benzopyran-4-one (1) and enolic forms of 4-hydroxy-2-octadecanoylcyclohexane-1,3-dione (2) and 4-hydroxy-2-octadec-(11Z)-enoylcyclohexane-1,3-dione (3).

Production of transgenic tropical maize with cryIAb and cryIAc genes via microprojectile bombardment of immature embryos.

To enhance the level of resistance to insects in tropical maize germplasm we have developed techniques to successfully transform elite tropical maize inbred based on the activity of specific cryI proteins against four major maize pests - corn earworm, fall armyworm, southwestern corn borer and sugarcane borer. Constructs containing cryIAb or cryIAc synthetic genes were used. To generate transgenic plants we have established methods for biolistic bombardment and the selection and regeneration of immature embryos and calli from the elite tropical lines CML72, CML216, CML323, CML327 and hybrids. Transgenic plants resistant to the herbicide Basta(TM) contained the bands for the cry, bar and gus genes as detected by Southern blot analyses. A simple leaf bioassay presented varying levels of resistance to Southwestern corn borer of transgenic tropical maize carrying the cryIAc gene. Analyses of the progenies confirmed the sexual transmission of the introduced genes and their stable expression.