Secret encounters: black men, bisexuality, and AIDS in Alabama

Black men suffer the highest rates of HIV infection in Alabama. However, little is known about the HIV risks of this sector of the population, primarily because the current public health focus is on women and children. The dearth of research on HIV risk among black men in Alabama is addressed by drawing on focus group, elicitation, and key informant data from an ongoing epidemiologic study on AIDS in that state. These hypothesis-generating qualitative interviews were used to identify three high-risk scenarios: "sex for money or drugs"; "prison sex"; and "sneaky sex" by married or nominally heterosexual men. It was found that covert and unprotected sex among bisexually active black men was commonplace for reasons that included prostitution, habituation to same-sex relations during incarceration, and the desire to maintain a facade of heterosexuality in homophobic communities. It was concluded that bisexual activity is highly correlated with secrecy and unprotected sex. The risks of bisexuality among black men are exacerbated by incarceration, homophobia, drug use, and the prison and public health focus on surveillance rather than prevention.     

Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 from patients with AIDS in northern Thailand.

Primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates were obtained from 22 patients with AIDS from northern Thailand, where HIV-1 is transmitted primarily through the heterosexual route. Viral sequences were determined for the 22 patients with AIDS, and all were subtype E HIV-1 on the basis of sequence analysis of a region from the envelope protein gp120. Syncytium-inducing (SI) viruses were detected for 16 of 22 patients with AIDS by using MT-2 cells. Characteristics of amino acid sequences in V3 which have not been reported previously for subtype B SI HIV-1 were associated with the subtype E HIV-1 SI phenotype. The SI viruses from our study population contain predominantly a GPGR or GPGH motif at the tip of the V3 loop, in contrast to the previously described subtype E HIV-1 from Thailand which contained predominantly GPGQ. All the SI viruses lost a potential N-linked glycosylation site in V3 which is highly conserved among previously described subtype E HIV-1 isolates from asymptomatic patients from Thailand. HIV-1 envelope sequences including V3 from some patients with AIDS were significantly more divergent than viruses from asymptomatic patients in Thailand characterized 2 years ago or earlier. These results suggest that emergence of subtype E SI HIV-1 variants is associated with the development of AIDS, as it is for subtype B HIV-1. The divergence of subtype E HIV-1 in patients with AIDS as the disease progresses, and the divergence of subtype E HIV-1 in the infected population as the epidemic continues in Thailand, may have important implications for vaccine development.     

Aeroallergens in northern and southern provinces of Thailand

An aeroallergen survey in two provinces, Chiangmai in the northern and Songkhla in the southern part of Thailand which are 1 500 km apart, was done in 1986 and 1987 using a rotorod sampler. The five most common pollen types and mold spores were: Chiangmai: Mold spores: Cladosporium, rust, Fusarium, Nigrospora, 1-celled spore. Pollen grains: Mimosa, wild grasses, Urticaceae, Cyperaceae, tetrad pollen. Songkhla: Mold spores: Cladosporium, rust, Nigrospora, Papularia, 1-celled spore. Pollen grains: Casuarina, Mimosa, Urticaceae, Cyperaceae, wild grass. There were definite differences in the amount and frequency of occurrences of aeroallergens between these two provinces. Furthermore, some specific pollen and mold spores, such as tetrads and Mimosa pollen, were found only in Chiangmai, and Casuarina pollen and Papularia spores only in Songkhla. These findings might be caused by the differences in geography, plantation and meteorological data.     

Prevalence of α-thalassemias in northern Thailand

The population of northern Thailand has one of the highest frequencies of α-thalassemia in the world. However, the available distributional data are controversial. In addition to deletional types of α-thalassemia Hb, type Constant Spring should also be taken into consideration in α-thalassemia population studies, because it causes clinical α-thalassemia in the homozygous state or when present with both α-globin genes deleted in trans. We have examined a sample of 215 healthy subjects from four rural districts of Chiang Mai province. Out of these, 77 exhibited anomalies of the α-globin genes (αα/-α^3.7 in 36; -α^3.7/-α^3.7 in 3; ––^SEA in 30; αα/α^CSα in 5; ααα^anti3.7 in 3). Therefore, no fewer than 2% of the children in northern Thailand are expected to be born with HbH disease or thalassemic hydrops fetalis. The considerable public health problem of hemoglobinopaties and the increasing acceptance of family planning necessitates facilities for the pre- and postnatal diagnosis of these disorders at the DNA level. Received: 4 March 1996 / Revised: 9 April 1996     

Job strain and alcohol intake: a collaborative meta-analysis of individual-participant data from 140,000 men and women

Background

The relationship between work-related stress and alcohol intake is uncertain. In order to add to the thus far inconsistent evidence from relatively small studies, we conducted individual-participant meta-analyses of the association between work-related stress (operationalised as self-reported job strain) and alcohol intake.

Methodology and Principal Findings

We analysed cross-sectional data from 12 European studies (n = 142 140) and longitudinal data from four studies (n = 48 646). Job strain and alcohol intake were self-reported. Job strain was analysed as a binary variable (strain vs. no strain). Alcohol intake was harmonised into the following categories: none, moderate (women: 1–14, men: 1–21 drinks/week), intermediate (women: 15–20, men: 22–27 drinks/week) and heavy (women: >20, men: >27 drinks/week). Cross-sectional associations were modelled using logistic regression and the results pooled in random effects meta-analyses. Longitudinal associations were examined using mixed effects logistic and modified Poisson regression. Compared to moderate drinkers, non-drinkers and (random effects odds ratio (OR): 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.14) and heavy drinkers (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.26) had higher odds of job strain. Intermediate drinkers, on the other hand, had lower odds of job strain (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.99). We found no clear evidence for longitudinal associations between job strain and alcohol intake.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that compared to moderate drinkers, non-drinkers and heavy drinkers are more likely and intermediate drinkers less likely to report work-related stress.     

Biodiversity conservation and cash crop development in northern Thailand

This study examines some of the implications of increased cash croppingfor wildlife in the highlands of northern Thailand. Through in-depth study of twoHmong villages and interviews in several others, information was collectedregarding cash crop adoption patterns, comparisons between various cash crops interms of inputs and yields and trends in land use change and hunting behaviour.The results show that the newer cash crops, cabbage and carnations inparticular, have greater abilities to support larger human populations per unitland area and thereby reduce pressure for increased land clearing. However,strong concerns remain regarding the chemical inputs used on thesecrops. Since the adoption of cash cropping, hunting frequency has declined. Interviewees provided seven reasons, withthe time requirements for cash crop tending being the main one. Hunting isstill practiced but largely for social rather than economic reasons. Oneexception is the regular hunting of small animals by opium addicts. Others nowhave sufficient money to be able to buy meat. Hunters span all economic classes.Hunting now plays a reduced social role in the society. In general, the youngergeneration has reduced knowledge of the forest environment. No support was foundfor the hypothesis that cash cropping had reduced village regulations onhunting, as few such regulations exist amongst the Hmong. This study suggeststhat there may be advantages to biodiversity conservation from cash cropping inthe highlands of SE Asia and confirms the much broader scope that conservationscientists must embrace in order to understand all the factors that mightinfluence biodiversity in a region.     

Polymorphism of erythrocyte phosphoglucomutase,adenylate kinase and adenosine deaminase in northern Thailand

Summary Phenotypes of the erythrocyte enzymes phosphoglucomutase (PGM) (n-587), adenylate kinase (AK) (n=695), and adenosine deaminase (ADA) (n=616) were determined by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis in Thai subjects from norther Thailand, mainly from the provinces of Chiang Mai and Lamphun. The following gene frequencies were calculated: PGM ₁ ¹ 0.7385 PGM ₁ ² 0.2487 PGM ₁ ⁶ 0.0102 PGM ₁ ⁷ 0.0026, AK ¹ 0.9950 AK ² 0.0050, ADA ¹ 0.9180 ADA ² 0.0820.The regular, apparently autosomal transmission of the PGM ₁ ⁶ and PGM ₁ ⁷ alleles was demonstrated in 7 families revealing sufficient data.

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Zusammenfassung Die Phänotypen der Erythrocytenenzyme Phosphoglucomutase (PGM) (n=587), Adenylatkinase (AK) (n=695), and Adenosindeaminase (ADA) (n=616) wurden mittles horizontaler Stärkegelelektrophorese bei Thailändern aus Nordthailand, hauptsächlich aus den Provinzen Chiang Mai und Lamphun, bestimmt. Auf Grund der Ergebnisse wurden die in der englischen Zusammenfassung angegebenen Genfrequenzen berechnet. Die regelmäßige, anschinend autosomale Vererbung der Allele PGM ₁ ⁶ und PGM ₁ ⁷ wurde in 7 Familien mit ausreichenden Daten nachgewiesen.

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Established and supported by Stiftung Volkswagenwerk.     

Fronto-ethmoidal encephalomeningoceles in the population of northern Thailand

Summary Fronto-ethmoidal encephalomeningoceles are rare in europoid populations, but seem to be common in Thailand. In a population survey in a limited area in northern Thailand an incidence of 9 cases in a total population of 31,582, i.e. approximately 1:3,500 was found. Studies in 14 families with an affected member indicate that there is no simple Mendelian inheritance, but a contribution of genetic factors to the etiology of this type of fronto-ethmoidal encephalomeningocele is suggested by the occurrence of the defect in 4 close relatives of affected subjects.

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Zusammenfassung Fronto-ethmoidale Encephalomeningocelen sind in europiden Populationen selten, scheinen jedoch in Thailand häufig zu sein. Bei einer Bevölkerungserhebung in einem begrenzten Bereich in Nord-Thailand fanden sich 9 Fälle in einer Population von 31582, d.h. ca. 1:3500. Untersuchungen in 14 Familien mit einem befallenen Probanden zeigten, daß kein einfacher Mendelscher Erbgang vorliegt; jedoch wird eine Beteiligung einer genetischen Disposition für diesen Typ fronto-ethmoidaler Encephalomeningocelen dadurch nahegelegt, daß die gleiche Anomalie bei 4 nahen Verwandten von Probanden gefunden wurde.

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On leave from Universitäts-Kinderklinik Bonn.

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Established and supported by Stiftung Volkswagenwerk, Hannover.     

Patterns of child fosterage in rural northern Thailand

Evolutionary theory guides an investigation of foster parent selection in two northern Thai villages with different biosocial environments: one village has high levels of labour migration and divorce, and growing numbers of parental death due to HIV/AIDS, while the other village has lower migration, divorce and parental mortality levels. Focus groups examine mothers' and fathers' motivations and ideals regarding foster caretaker selection, and quantitative family surveys examine real fostering outcomes: specifically, the laterality (matrilateral versus patrilateral) and genetic distance of the foster caretakers of all ever-fostered children in these two villages. As predicted, in environments of high marital stability and paternity certainty, parents seem to prefer close genetic kin from either side as foster parents for their children. In low marital stability and paternity certainty environments, parents trust their own lateral kin, regardless of genetic distance, over close genetic kin from the other side. The striking exception to this pattern, however, occurs in the case of parental death, in which case children are fostered to the deceased parent's kin, regardless of the child's sex or other factors. In general, the foster parents for girls are selected with more care, reflecting the daughter/female preference expected in traditionally matrilineal, matrilocal societies. An ordered decision-making pathway for foster parent selection is proposed, taking into consideration the key factors of (a) the circumstances driving the fostering decision, (b) the gender of the child, (c) the gender of the key decision-making parent, and (d) the degree of marital and population fluidity (and subsequent, paternity certainty) in the village.     

Territory establishment,song learning strategies and survival in song sparrows

In most songbirds, the processes of song learning and territory establishment overlap in the early life and a young bird usually winds up with songs matching those of his territorial neighbors in his first breeding season. In the present study, we examined the relationships among the timing of territory establishment, the pattern of song learning and territorial success in a sedentary population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Males in this population tend to learn their songs from their neighbors and consequently they show high song sharing with neighbors and use these shared songs preferentially in interactions with them. Males also show significant variation in the timing of territory establishment, ranging from their natal summer to the next spring. Using a three-year dataset, we found that the timing of territory establishment did not systematically affect the composition of the song repertoire of the tutee: early establishers and late establishers learned equally as much from their primary tutors and had a similar number of tutors and similar repertoire sizes, nor did timing of territory establishment affect subsequent survival on territory. Therefore, the song-learning program of song sparrows seems versatile enough to lead to high song sharing even for birds that establish territories relatively late.     

Song matching in a long-lived,sedentary bird with a low song rate: The importance of song type,song duration and intrusion

Territorial songbirds often match the song features or singing patterns of rivals, commonly as an aggressive signal. Most studies of song matching have been on Northern Hemisphere species with short lifespans and high song rates, but vocal matching is predicted to be affected both by longevity and territorial stability. We studied song matching in males of the white-browed scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis, a long-lived, sedentary, territorial Australian songbird. We quantified natural song rate and diversity, and then conducted three playback experiments to test: (a) whether males match by song type; (b) how they respond physically and vocally to territorial intrusion; and (c) whether they match by song length, and use it as an agonistic signal. Males naturally had very low song rates, singing on average less than three times per hour, and moderate repertoires, with an estimated mean of 17.5 song types for individual males. Males did not engage in extended counter-singing bouts. The first experiment showed that males matched the song type of immediate neighbours almost 90% of the time, if that type was in their repertoire. The remaining experiments revealed that song-type matching was an aggressive signal; males responded more aggressively to, and were more likely to match, playback simulating a neighbour's territorial intrusion than song from their shared boundary. Males did not match songs by length, but they produced longer songs after simulated intrusion. Males also responded more aggressively to playback of longer songs that simulated intrusion, but less aggressively to longer songs from the territory boundary. Overall, we show that sedentary, long-lived songbirds with low song rates, can use song-type matching as an aggressive signal to communicate with neighbours and intruders. Song length had a different role in communication, possibly related to individual quality or territory ownership.     

Obesity, leanness, and mortality: effect modification by physical activity in men and women

The 13-year mortality from BMI, body fat (BF), and fat-free mass (FFM) was examined among active and sedentary adults. In total, 2,819 men and women aged 35-65 years in 1987/1988, participating in the Danish MONICA project, were included, and followed for 13.6 years for total mortality. In men, physical activity modified the health hazard of both a high and a low BMI, and the U-shaped association disappeared among the active (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.86, CI: 0.72-1.02). Among active men, FFM was inversely related to mortality (HR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.40-0.77) whereas a direct positive trend was seen for BF. Among women, physical activity modified association between BMI and mortality, but the U-shaped association remained among the active. Among women, no significant associations were found between either BF or FFM and total mortality. All effects were independent of waist- and hip-circumferences. In conclusion, among men, physical activity may play an important role for the prevention of early mortality beyond its direct effects, by modifying the health hazard of both a high and a low BMI, and by lowering the risk associated with a high BF or a low FFM. Among women physical activity lowers mortality, but an effect-modifying potential of physical activity on associations between BMI or body composition could not be identified.     

Characterization of blackleg and soft rot from potato in northern Thailand

Blackleg and soft rot of potato cause economic loss through reduced yield and quality. The causal agents of bacterial blackleg and soft rot of potato were identified based on biological data and sequence analyses of the 16S rDNA gene. Between 2016 and 2018, diseased potato stems and tubers were collected in Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Province, and Chiang Khum District, Pa Yao Province. The symptoms included black stem lesions, soft rot on tubers, wilting, break down of the stem vascular ring and foliar yellowing. Of 13 bacterial isolates, five were identified as Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense, four‐Dickeya dadantii, two‐Pseudomonas putida and two‐Bacillus altitudinis. Pathogenicity tests of P. carotovorum subsp. brasiliense and D. dadantii resulted in lower leaves turning yellow and wilting followed by blackleg symptoms on lower stems and maceration of tuber tissue. Symptoms caused by P. putida were yellowing and wilting of leaves. B. altitudinis caused yellowing of the lower leaves and wilting followed by drying of leaf tissue. This is a first report of these bacterial pathogens causing blackleg and soft rot of potato in Thailand.     

Blastocystis in tap water of a community in northern Thailand

Blastocystis is the most common protist in the gut of humans and other animals having global distribution. Occasionally, this organism has also been reported in the environment. Transmission to humans occurs via the fecal-oral route, while water also comprises a transmission route. Blastocystis has been commonly found in rivers, lakes, and wells. Nonetheless, there is limited data about the prevalence and genetic diversity of Blastocystis in tap water. The main aim of this study was to examine the presence of Blastocystis subtypes in tap water (n=20) in a community in northern Thailand. Molecular characterization using the small subunit ribosomal RNA was used to screen for Blastocystis and identify the diversity of subtypes in samples. The overall prevalence was 30% with only subtype three (ST3) encountered in the tap water. These results indicate that tap water has a potential role in the transmission of this subtype in the studied community. Further investigations should focus on expanding sampling to include additional housing complexes and screening for Blastocystis in humans who are exposed to this water.     

Hymenopteran parasitoids of diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Ypeunomutidae) in northern Thailand

Larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Ypeunomutidae), cause severe economic damage to cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. variety capitata (Brassicaceae) and related vegetables in Thailand. Overuse of broad-spectrum insecticides for diamondback moth control is a serious problem and has obscured the contributions of indigenous parasitoids. Our objectives were to identify indigenous diamondback moth parasitoids in northern Thailand and to assess their potential for natural control. Six parasitoid species were reared from diamondback moth larvae and pupae collected in 1990 and in 2003-2004. These included the larval parasitoid Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov (Braconidae), a larval-pupal parasitoid Macromalon orientale Kerrich (Ichneumonidae), and pupal parasitoids Diadromus collaris Gravenhorst (Ichneumonidae) and Brachymeria excarinata Gahan (Chalcididae). Single specimens of Isotima sp. Forster (Ichneumonidae) and Brachymeria lasus Walker (Chalcididae) also were reared from diamondback moth hosts. C. plutellae was the dominant larval parasitoid and was often reared from host larvae collected from fields sprayed regularly with insecticides; parasitism ranged from 14 to 78%. Average parasitism by M. orientale was only 0.5-6%. Parasitism of host pupae by D. collaris ranged from 9 to 31%, whereas B. excarinata pupal parasitism ranged from 9 to 25%. An integrated pest management (IPM) protocol using simple presence-absence sampling for lepidopterous larvae and the exclusive use of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or neem resulted in the highest yields of undamaged cabbage compared with a control or weekly sprays of cypermethrin (local farmer practice). IPM programs focused on conservation of local diamondback moth parasitoids and on greater implementation of biological control will help alleviate growing public concerns regarding the effects of pesticides on vegetable growers and consumers.