No abstract

Female sex workers (FSWs) were recruited from known hotspots in Kigali, Rwanda, and offered free, anonymous human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). From September 2012 to March 2015, 1168 FSWs sought services, including 587 (50%) who were HIV-positive. More than 90% had previously tested for HIV, and 26% who reported previously testing negative had seroconverted. Of the 349 who already knew their HIV-positive status, 74% were on antiretroviral treatment. The prevalence of serologic syphilis was 43% in HIV-positive and 19% in HIV-negative FSWs (p < 0.0001), and Trichomonas vaginalis was found in vaginal wet mounts in 21% of HIV-positive and 13% of HIV-negative FSWs (p < 0.0001). Signs and symptoms of STIs were found in 35% of HIV-positive compared with 21% of HIV-negative FSWs (p < 0.0001). Only one-third reported consistent condom use in the last month. Modern contraceptive use was reported by 43% of HIV-positive and 56% of HIV-negative FSWs (p < 0.0001). Current pregnancy was reported by 4% of HIV-positive and 6% of HIV-negative FSWs (p = 0.0409). Despite Rwanda’s successes with preventing 70% of new infections in the general population through nationwide couples’ testing in antenatal clinics, prevention and timely treatment in key populations including FSWs are lacking. The prevalence of HIV – including many new cases – and STIs among FSWs in Kigali is high and condom and contraceptive use are low. Tailored and integrated HIV/STIs and family planning programs are urgently needed for FSWs.

Several investigators suggest a relationship between neurotransmitters, serotonin (also called 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), and dopamine (DA) in the regulation of growth and reproductive development of vertebrate species, rather than the invertebrate species. In this study, we evaluated the role of 5-HT and DA in reproductive development of an invertebrate species, the freshwater crab Barytelphusa guerini. We tested the effects of 5-HT both alone and combined, and also the effects of an opioid antagonist naloxone, on reproductive development of B. guerini in terms of testicular and ovarian developmental parameters. Injection of either 5-HT or naloxone alone significantly increased the ovarian index and the oocyte diameter in female crabs, and the testicular index and testicular follicular diameter in male crabs. In contrast, injection of DA inhibited all the reproductive measures in both sexes. Co-injection of 5-HT with DA exhibited no significant effects on the reproductive development in both sexes compared to the control treatments. These results suggest that 5-HT, DA, and exogenous naloxone may be involved in the regulation of gonad stimulating hormone (GSH) and/or gonad inhibiting hormone (GIH). These results also provide evidence that naloxone may regulate endogenous neurotransmitters and its downstream hormones, GSH and GIH.

Hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs) play essential roles in cancer cell growth and metastasis by stimulating angiogenesis. Curcumin inhibits the activity several oncogenic transcriptional factors including HIF‐1á, thus we investigated whether curcumin and its analogs EF‐31 and UBS‐109, could disrupt angiogenesis using colorectal cancer cells (CRC). HCT‐116 and HT‐29 cells were used in these experiments. HUVEC tube formation assay, Matrigel plug assay, Western blotting, QRT‐PCR, and VEGF activity assay were carried out to determine the curcumin, EF‐31 and UBS‐109 role in angiogenesis. Conditioned medium from HCT116 or HT29 cells exposed to curcumin, EF‐31 and UBS‐109 in vitro significantly blocked HUVEC tube assembly in comparison to control. In vivo, Curcumin, EF‐31 and UBS‐109 blocked the vascularization of subcutaneous matrigel plugs and the growth of CRC xenografts. We observed significant inhibition of VEGF synthesis and secretion in both colon cell lines treated with curcumin, EF‐31 and UBS‐109 in concert with the loss of HIF‐1á expression, of which transcriptionally regulate VEGF. These results suggesting that curcumin, EF‐31 and UBS‐109 inhibits VEGF production in part through the degradation of HIF‐1á. Taken together, destabilization of HIF‐1á may be important contributing factors to the antiangiogenic action of curcumin, EF‐31 and UBS‐109 in CRC.