Emerging Adult Resilience to the Early Stages of the COVID-Pandemic: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Human resilience to COVID-19 related stressors remains a pressing concern following the aftereffects of the pandemic and in the face of probable future pandemics. In response, we systematically scoped the available literature (n = 2030 records) to determine the nature and extent of research on emerging adults' adaptive responses to COVID-19 stressors in the early stages of the pandemic. Using a multisystem resilience framework, our narrative review of 48 eligible studies unpacks the personal, relational, institutional and/or physical ecological resources that enabled positive emerging adult outcomes to COVID-18 stressors. We found that there is a geographical bias in studies on this topic, with majority world contexts poorly represented. Resources leading to positive outcomes foregrounded psychological and social support, while institutional and ecological supports were seldom mentioned. Multisystemic combinations of resources were rarely considered. This knowledge has valuable implications for understanding resilience in the context of other large-scale adverse conditions.

A multisystemic perspective on the temporal interplay between adolescent depression and resilience-supporting individual and social resources.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent depression can severely interfere with age-appropriate and lifetime development and functionality. Physical functioning in daily life (as a means of individual support) as well as social support from family and friends have been shown to enhance adolescent resilience against depression. By applying a multisystemic model of resilience, this study investigates how these resources reciprocally influence each other and how they interact with depression over time. METHODS: Longitudinal data (three assessments over three years) from the Resilient Youth in Stressed Environments project was analyzed using panel network analysis to investigate short- and long-term uni- and bidirectional effects. The sample consisted of N = 500 adolescents from Canada (mean age = 18.49, SD = 3.01, 56.40% young women) at the first assessment. RESULTS: Depression seemed to fluctuate, while the resources showed significant stability over the course of the study. Perceived family and friend support were not significantly influenced by depression while they had significantly negative temporal effects on depression. Only physical functioning showed a negative feedback loop, notably with somatic symptoms of depression. Family and friend support shared a reinforcing feedback loop, while physical functioning was not related to either type of support. LIMITATIONS: Future studies should address the low average of depressive symptomatology and subjective, global measures of social support. CONCLUSIONS: The resources show potential time-dependent effects: symptom-specific resources need to be applied in the short-term, while a pool of multisystemic resilience resources seems necessary over the long-term to increase the resilience to depression among adolescents.

The expression, secretion and activity of the aspartic protease MpAPr1 in Metschnikowia pulcherrima IWBT Y1123.

Protease-secreting yeasts have broad biotechnological potential for application to various industrial processes, including winemaking. However, this activity is influenced by the yeast response to environmental factors such as nitrogen and protein sources, as are found in grape juice. In this study, the wine-relevant yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima IWBT Y1123, with known protease-secreting ability, was subjected to different nitrogen-containing compounds to monitor their impact on protease secretion and activity. Protease activity increased above basal levels for haemoglobin-containing treatments, indicating an inductive influence of proteins. On the other hand, treatments containing both haemoglobin and assimilable nitrogen sources led to a delayed increase in protease activity and protein degradation, suggesting a nitrogen catabolite repression mechanism at work. Protease activity and expression were furthermore evaluated in grape juice, which revealed increased expression and activity levels over time as promising results for further investigations into the impact of this yeast on wine properties.

Comparison of quantitative PCR and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry assays for identification of bacteria in milk samples from cows with subclinical mastitis.

AIMS: The objective of this study was to compare qualitatively and quantitatively the results of identification of the bacteria present in milk samples from cows with subclinical mastitis using multiplex qPCR assay and matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS® ) after bacteriological growth. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 182 samples were aseptically collected from 119 cows with high somatic cell counts (>2·105 SCC per ml) on 11 farms in Belgium in 2014. The mutiplex qPCR assay was carried out on 350 µl of milk with the PathoProof® Complete-16kit. Ten microlitre of milk was streaked on Columbia blood agar and three selective agar plates. Growing colonies were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Of the 182 samples, 90 gave positive results with either or both tests for one or two bacterial species/genera. Total qualitative agreement of the bacteria identified was observed in 41 mono- or bi-bacterial samples (46%) and partial agreement in 19 bi-bacterial samples at both or either tests (21%). The results of both tests on those mono- and bi-bacterial samples were not significantly different (McNemar test; P = 0·395) with a fair agreement (Cohen's kappa test; k = 0·375; P = 0·055). Moreover, quantitative correlation between the qPCR intensity and the numbers of growing colonies was observed in half of the 60 samples with qualitative matching results. CONCLUSIONS: Both methods give identical qualitative and quantitative results with approximately a half and a quarter of the mono- and bi-bacterial samples respectively. Several reasons can explain the differences. The multiplex qPCR assay only targets the most important mammary gland pathogens and can detect DNA of bacteria both alive and dead. Conversely, bacteria only grow when alive and the MALDI-TOF MS databases do not include all bovine milk-associated bacterial species yet. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study further highlights the limitations and complementarity of the genetic and phenotypic tests for the identification of bacteria present in milk samples.

Understanding the regulation of extracellular protease gene expression in fungi: a key step towards their biotechnological applications.

The secretion of proteases by certain species of yeast and filamentous fungi is of importance not only for their biological function and survival, but also for their biotechnological application to various processes in the food, beverage, and bioprocessing industries. A key step towards understanding the role that these organisms play in their environment, and how their protease-secreting ability may be optimally utilised through industrial applications, involves an evaluation of those factors which influence protease production. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the findings from investigations directed at elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying extracellular protease secretion in yeast and filamentous fungi, and the environmental stimuli that elicit these responses. The influence of nitrogen-, carbon-, and sulphur-containing compounds, as well as proteins, temperature, and pH, on extracellular protease regulation, which is frequently exerted at the transcriptional level, is discussed in particular depth. Protease-secreting organisms of biotechnological interest are also presented in this context, in an effort to explore the areas of industrial significance that could possibly benefit from such knowledge. In this way, the establishment of a platform of existing knowledge regarding fungal protease regulation is attempted, with the particular goal of aiding in the practical application of these organisms to processes that require secretion of this enzyme.

Acculturation, resilience, and the mental health of migrant youth: a cross-country comparative study.

OBJECTIVES: Using data from an international collaborative research project on youth resilience in the context of migration, this study aims to investigate how different acculturation patterns (i.e. integration, assimilation, separation and marginalization) influence the mental health of migrant youth, and whether resilience might function as a mediator in the association between acculturation and mental health. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional pilot study conducted in six countries employing a common survey questionnaire. METHODS: The study sample was 194 youths aged 10-17 years (median = 13.6) from six countries (Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, South Africa, and United Kingdom) and included cross-border and internal migrants. Mental health and well-being was measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). Resilience was measured by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure-28 (CYRM-28). Acculturation was assessed using the Acculturation, Habits, and Interests Multicultural Scale for Adolescents (AHIMSA). Multivariate regression and path analysis were performed to examine the hypothesized mediation model. RESULTS: Resilience scores correlated strongly with mental health and well-being. Acculturation exerted no significant direct effects on the mental health of migrant youths. Nevertheless, compared to youths who were integration-oriented, assimilation-oriented youths tended to exhibit lower levels of resilience, resulting in poorer mental health. Compared to youths from other countries, migrant youths from China also reported lower levels of resilience, which led to poorer mental health outcome. CONCLUSION: Acculturation plays a significant role in the mental health of migrant youth, with different acculturative orientations exhibiting different influences through the mediation effect of resilience. Fostering resilience and facilitating integration-oriented acculturation are recommended public health strategies for migrant youth.

Primary Care Practitioners' Views on Incorporating Long-term Prognosis in the Care of Older Adults.

IMPORTANCE: Clinical practice recommendations increasingly advocate that older patients' life expectancy be considered to inform a number of clinical decisions. It is not clear how primary care practitioners approach these recommendations in their clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To explore the range of perspectives from primary care practitioners on long-term prognosis, defined as prognosis regarding life expectancy in the range of years, in their care of older adults. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A qualitative, semistructured interview study was conducted in a large group practice with multiple sites in rural, urban, and suburban settings. Twenty-eight primary care practitioners were interviewed; 20 of these participants (71%) reported that at least 25% of their patient panel was older adults. The audiorecorded discussions were transcribed and analyzed, using qualitative content analysis to identify major themes and subthemes. The study was conducted between January 30 and May 13, 2015. Data analysis was performed between June 10 and September 1, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The constant comparative approach was used to qualitatively analyze the content of the transcripts. RESULTS: Of the 28 participants, 16 were women and 21 were white; the mean (SD) age was 46.2 (10.3) years. Twenty-six were physicians and 2 were nurse practitioners. Their time since completing clinical training was 16.0 (11.4) years. These primary care practitioners reported considering life expectancy, often in the range of 5 to 10 years, in several clinical scenarios in the care of older adults, but balanced the prognosis consideration against various other factors in decision making. In particular, patient age was found to modulate how prognosis affects the primary care practitioners' decision making, with significant reluctance among them to cease preventive care that has a long lag time to achieve benefit in younger patients despite limited life expectancy. The participants assessed life expectancy based on clinical experience rather than using validated tools and varied widely in their prognostication time frame, from 2 years to 30 years. Participants often considered prognosis without explicitly discussing it with patients and disagreed on whether and when long-term prognosis needs to be specifically discussed. The participants identified numerous barriers to incorporating prognosis in the care of older adults including uncertainty in predicting prognosis, difficulty in discussing prognosis, and concern about patient reactions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Despite clinical recommendations to increasingly incorporate patients' long-term prognosis in clinical decisions, primary care practitioners encounter several barriers and ambiguities in the implementation of these recommendations.

Mediation analysis to estimate direct and indirect milk losses associated with bacterial load in bovine subclinical mammary infections.

Milk losses associated with mastitis can be attributed to either effects of pathogens per se (i.e. direct losses) or to effects of the immune response triggered by the presence of mammary pathogens (i.e. indirect losses). Test-day milk somatic cell counts (SCC) and number of bacterial colony forming units (CFU) found in milk samples are putative measures of the level of immune response and of the bacterial load, respectively. Mediation models, in which one independent variable affects a second variable which, in turn, affects a third one, are conceivable models to estimate direct and indirect losses. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of a mediation model in which test-day SCC and milk were regressed toward bacterial CFU measured at three selected sampling dates, 1 week apart. We applied this method on cows free of clinical signs and with records on up to 3 test-days before and after the date of the first bacteriological samples. Most bacteriological cultures were negative (52.38%), others contained either staphylococci (23.08%), streptococci (9.16%), mixed bacteria (8.79%) or were contaminated (6.59%). Only losses mediated by an increase in SCC were significantly different from null. In cows with three consecutive bacteriological positive results, we estimated a decreased milk yield of 0.28 kg per day for each unit increase in log2-transformed CFU that elicited one unit increase in log2-transformed SCC. In cows with one or two bacteriological positive results, indirect milk loss was not significantly different from null although test-day milk decreased by 0.74 kg per day for each unit increase of log2-transformed SCC. These results highlight the importance of milk losses that are mediated by an increase in SCC during mammary infection and the feasibility of decomposing total milk loss into its direct and indirect components.

On the role of mid-infrared predicted phenotypes in fertility and health dairy breeding programs.

Fertility and health traits are of prime importance in dairy breeding programs. However, these traits are generally complex, difficult to record, and lowly heritable (<0.10), thereby hampering genetic improvement in disease resistance and fertility. Hence, indicators are useful in the prediction of genetic merit for fertility and health traits as long as they are easier to measure than direct fitness traits, heritable, and genetically correlated. Considering that changes in (fine) milk composition over a lactation reflect the physiological status of the cow, mid-infrared (MIR) analysis of milk opens the door to a wide range of potential indicator traits of fertility and health. Previous studies investigated the phenotypic and genetic relationships between fertility and MIR-predicted phenotypes, most being related to negative postpartum energy balance and body fat mobilization (e.g., fat:protein ratio, urea, fatty acids profile). Results showed that a combination of various fatty acid traits (e.g., C18:1 cis-9 and C10:0) could be used to improve fertility. Furthermore, occurrence of (sub)clinical ketosis has been related to milk-based phenotypes such as fat:protein ratio, fatty acids, and ketone bodies. Hence, MIR-predicted acetone and ß-hydroxybutyrate contents in milk could be useful for breeding cows less susceptible to ketosis. Although studies investigating the genetic association among mastitis and MIR-predicted phenotypes are scarce, a wide range of traits, potentially predicted by MIR spectrometry, are worthy of consideration. These include traits related to the disease response of the cow (e.g., lactoferrin), reduced secretory activity (e.g., casein), and the alteration of the blood-milk barrier (e.g., minerals). Moreover, direct MIR prediction of fertility and health traits should be further considered. To conclude, MIR-predicted phenotypes have a role to play in the improvement of dairy cow fertility and health. However, further studies are warranted to (1) grasp underlying associations among MIR-predicted indicator and fitness traits, (2) estimate the genetic parameters, and (3) include these traits in broader breeding strategies.

Patterns of individual coping, engagement with social supports and use of formal services among a five-country sample of resilient youth.

BACKGROUND: Although resilience among victims of child abuse is commonly understood as a process of interaction between individuals and their environments, there have been very few studies of how children's individual coping strategies, social supports and formal services combine to promote well-being. METHOD: For this study, we conducted a multi-phase analysis of a qualitative dataset of 608 interviews with young people from five countries using grounded theory strategies to build a substantive theory of young people's service and support use patterns. We started with an analysis of ten interviews (two from each country) and then compared these findings to patterns found in each country's full dataset. RESULTS: The substantive theory that emerged explains young people's transience between individual coping strategies (cognitive and behavioral), reliance on social supports (family members, peers and teachers), and engagement with formal service providers whose roles are to provide interventions and case management. Young people's patterns of navigation were shown to be contingent upon the individual's risk exposure, his or her individual capacity to cope, and the quality of the formal and informal supports and services that are available and accessible. CONCLUSION: Differing amounts of formal resources in low-, middle- and high-income countries influence patterns of service use. Implications for better coordination between formal mental health services and social supports are discussed.

Evaluating somatic cell scores with a Bayesian Gaussian linear state-space model.

Because accurate characterization of health state is important for managing dairy herds, we propose to validate the use of a linear state-space model (LSSM) for evaluating monthly somatic cell scores (SCSs). To do so, we retrieved SCS from a dairy database and collected reports on clinical mastitis collected in 20 farms, during the period from January 2008 to December 2011 in the Walloon region of Belgium. The dependent variable was the SCS, and the independent variables were the number of days from calving, year of calving and parity. The LSSM also incorporated an error-free underlying variable that described the trend across time as a function of previous clinical and subclinical status. We computed the mean sum of squared differences between observed SCS and median values of the posterior SCS distribution and constructed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for SCS thresholds going from 0 to 6. Our results show SCS estimates are close to observed SCS and area under the ROC curve is higher than 90%. We discuss the meaning of the parameters in light of our current knowledge of the disease and propose methods to incorporate, in LSSM, this knowledge often expressed in the form of ordinary differential equations.

A structural equation model to evaluate direct and indirect factors associated with a latent measure of mastitis in Belgian dairy herds.

In dairy cattle, many farming practices have been associated with occurrence of mastitis but it is often difficult to disentangle the causal threads. Structural equation models may reduce the complexity of such situations. Here, we applied the method to examine the links between mastitis (subclinical and clinical) and risk factors such as herd demographics, housing conditions, feeding procedures, milking practices, and strategies of mastitis prevention and treatment in 345 dairy herds from the Walloon region of Belgium. During the period January 2006 to October 2007, up to 110 different herd management variables were recorded by two surveyors using a questionnaire for the farm managers and during a farm visit. Monthly somatic cell counts of all lactating cows were collected by the local dairy herd improvement association. Structural equation models were created to obtain a latent measure of mastitis and to reduce the complexity of the relationships between farming practices, between indicators of herd mastitis and between both. Robust maximum likelihood estimates were obtained for the effects of the herd management variables on the latent measure of herd mastitis. Variables associated directly (p<0.05) with the latent measure of herd mastitis were the addition of urea in the rations; the practices of machine stripping, of pre-and post-milking teat disinfection; the presence of cows with hyperkeratotic teats, of cubicles for housing and of dirty liners before milking; the treatment of subclinical cases of mastitis; and the age of the herd (latent variable for average age and parity of cows, and percentage of heifers in the herd). Treatment of subclinical mastitis was also an intermediate in the association between herd mastitis and post-milking teat disinfection. The study illustrates how structural equation model provides information regarding the linear relationships between risk factors and a latent measure of mastitis, distinguishes between direct relationships and relationships mediated through intermediate risk factors, allows the construction of latent variables and tests the directional hypotheses proposed in the model.

Mid-infrared prediction of lactoferrin content in bovine milk: potential indicator of mastitis.

Lactoferrin (LTF) is a milk glycoprotein favorably associated with the immune system of dairy cows. Somatic cell count is often used as an indicator of mastitis in dairy cows, but knowledge on the milk LTF content could aid in mastitis detection. An inexpensive, rapid and robust method to predict milk LTF is required. The aim of this study was to develop an equation to quantify the LTF content in bovine milk using mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometry. LTF was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and all milk samples were analyzed by MIR. After discarding samples with a coefficient of variation between 2 ELISA measurements of more than 5% and the spectral outliers, the calibration set consisted of 2499 samples from Belgium (n = 110), Ireland (n = 1658) and Scotland (n = 731). Six statistical methods were evaluated to develop the LTF equation. The best method yielded a cross-validation coefficient of determination for LTF of 0.71 and a cross-validation standard error of 50.55 mg/l of milk. An external validation was undertaken using an additional dataset containing 274 Walloon samples. The validation coefficient of determination was 0.60. To assess the usefulness of the MIR predicted LTF, four logistic regressions using somatic cell score (SCS) and MIR LTF were developed to predict the presence of mastitis. The dataset used to build the logistic regressions consisted of 275 mastitis records and 13 507 MIR data collected in 18 Walloon herds. The LTF and the interaction SCS × LTF effects were significant (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). When only the predicted LTF was included in the model, the prediction of the presence of mastitis was not accurate despite a moderate correlation between SCS and LTF (r = 0.54). The specificity and the sensitivity of models were assessed using Walloon data (i.e. internal validation) and data collected from a research herd at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (i.e. 5886 Wisconsin MIR records related to 93 mastistis events - external validation). Model specificity was better when LTF was included in the regression along with SCS when compared with SCS alone. Correct classification of non-mastitis records was 95.44% and 92.05% from Wisconsin and Walloon data, respectively. The same conclusion was formulated from the Hosmer and Lemeshow test. In conclusion, this study confirms the possibility to quantify an LTF indicator from milk MIR spectra. It suggests the usefulness of this indicator associated to SCS to detect the presence of mastitis. Moreover, the knowledge of milk LTF could also improve the milk nutritional quality.

Current advances in proteomic analysis of (fatty) liver.

In this review, an overview on proteomic studies conducted in livers of farm animals is conducted with a special focus on liver steatosis in waterfowl. Several studies had interest in understanding liver metabolism in dairy cows under various conditions (e.g. fasting) or the evolution of liver proteome during embryonic phases or growing periods in chicken. Those studies provide interesting results leading to a better understanding of the liver metabolism. Liver steatosis development in waterfowl represents a special case and a focus on proteomic studies conducted in these birds will be done. Indeed, recent studies aimed at resolving protein evolution during overfeeding in duck. Proteomic analysis combining two complementary approaches (2-dimensional electrophoresis gels and shot gun strategy) in order to better understand the mechanisms underlying the variability of cooking yield of fatty liver will be presented.

Modeling the relationships between quality and biochemical composition of fatty liver in mule ducks.

The fatty liver of mule ducks (i.e., French "foie gras") is the most valuable product in duck production systems. Its quality is measured by the technological yield, which is the opposite of the fat loss during cooking. The purpose of this study was to determine whether biochemical measures of fatty liver could be used to accurately predict the technological yield (TY). Ninety-one male mule ducks were bred, overfed, and slaughtered under commercial conditions. Fatty liver weight (FLW) and biochemical variables, such as DM, lipid (LIP), and protein content (PROT), were collected. To evaluate evidence for nonlinear fat loss during cooking, we compared regression models describing linear and nonlinear relations between biochemical measures and TY. We detected significantly greater (P = 0.02) linear relation between DM and TY. Our results indicate that LIP and PROT follow a different pattern (linear) than DM and showed that LIP and PROT are nonexclusive contributing factors to TY. Other components, such as carbohydrates, other than those measured in this study, could contribute to DM. Stepwise regression for TY was performed. The traditional model with FLW was tested. The results showed that the weight of the liver is of limited value in the determination of fat loss during cooking (R(2) = 0.14). The most accurate TY prediction equation included DM (in linear and quadratic terms), FLW, and PROT (R(2) = 0.43). Biochemical measures in the fatty liver were more accurate predictors of TY than FLW. The model is useful in commercial conditions because DM, PROT, and FLW are noninvasive measures.

Transgender in Africa: Invisible; Inaccessible; or Ignored?

Transgender people are an important key population for HIV risk globally; and several studies have found HIV prevalence rates in transgender populations that are significantly higher than those among other key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM). There is a lack of research on transgender populations in Africa; and at present; there is almost no data available on HIV prevalence and risk among transgender people on the continent. It is possible that the invisibility of transgender people in epidemiological data from Africa is related to the criminalisation of same-sex behaviour in many countries and the subsequent fear of negative repercussions from participation in research. Alternatively; transgender people may be being overlooked in research due to confusion among researchers about how to ask questions about gender identity. It is also possible that transgender populations have simply been ignored in research to date. Without research on transgender-specific HIV prevalence and risk; it is very difficult to know what interventions and services are needed for this risk population. Therefore; it is important that researchers; governments; Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and donor organisations begin to pay explicit attention to transgender people in their HIV-related research and programmes in Africa

The fusion of lipid droplets is involved in fat loss during cooking of duck "foie gras".

Fat loss during cooking of duck "foie gras" is the main quality issue in processing plants. To better understand this phenomenon, a histological and ultrastructural study was conducted. The aim was to characterize changes in lipid droplets of duck "foie gras" related to fat loss during cooking. Ten fatty livers were sampled before and after cooking and prepared for optical and transmission electron microscopy. In raw livers, the lipid droplets were nearly spherical while after cooking, they were larger and lost their spherical shape. We also observed a decrease in the number of droplets after cooking, probably due to droplet fusion caused by the heat treatment. Before cooking, there were fewer lipid droplets and a higher osmium tetroxyde staining intensity in the fatty liver, which later gave a lower technological yield. Fat loss during cooking was higher when there was more fusion of lipid droplets before cooking.

Comparison of proteolysis in native, heat-treated and aged proteins from turkey meat.

1. The present study compared the ability of native, heat-treated and aged turkey breast muscle proteins to undergo proteolysis by digestive tract proteases. 2. Domestic turkey toms were slaughtered under laboratory conditions. Breast muscles were excised immediately post mortem; one was placed under conditions to develop exudative meat by maintaining the muscle at 40 degrees C for at least 30 min and the other was refrigerated under commercial conditions. 3. Meat was collected and stored for 7 d at 4 degrees C. Breast samples removed at d 0 and d 7 were frozen and stored at -80 degrees C until used for determination of solubility, protein surface hydrophobicity and protein oxidation through carbonyl content. Measurements of pepsin and trypsin/chymotrypsin activities were performed in vitro on myofibrillar proteins. 4. Storage increased carbonyl content in control samples while the oxidation increase was not significant in heat-treated myofibrillar protein. Hydrophobicity was not affected by storage time or treatment or protein solubility. 5. Storage significantly increased trypsin + chymotrypsin activity only in the control group. The activities of pepsin and trypsin + chymotrypsin were negatively correlated with protein surface hydrophobicity.

The Roots of REds: a Rationale for the Support of Educators Affected by the HIV and AIDS Pandemic

The nature of educators' work has changed dramatically; in part because of the challenges of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Despite these multiple and relentless challenges which educators contend with; and despite numerous calls for educator empowerment to cope with HIV -related challenges; little has been done up until now to support educators. By reviewing current literature; this article outlines the HIV-altered professional reality of South African educators and makes the argument that affected educators need support to cope. In conclusion; the support programme; Resilient Educators (REds); is introduced as one possible means of educator support