Safi ya George Dalmida is an assistant Professor at Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta, GA. She is a graduate of Emory University's Ph.D. in Nursing program and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in research on Religion and Health from Duke University in Durham, NC. Her research focuses on intersections between stress and coping, including religious coping, and relationship to mental health, immune function and health-related quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS, particularly among women and minorities. Her work also focuses on the examination of sexual decision making of African American adolescents and their risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. She is particularly interested in the role of social factors, including religious and cultural factors, and cognitive function in HIV/STI-associated sexual risk behavior of minority adolescents.

African American (AA) girls are disproportionately aff ected by the human immunodefi ciency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Th ese epidemics among adolescents in the U.S. are inextricably tied to individual, psychosocial and cultural phenomena. However, knowledge gaps persist, especially regarding the role of neurocognitive determinants of adolescent sexual risk behavior (SRB). Th e purpose of this pilot study is to examine: (1) neurocognitive and psychosocial correlates of SRBand (2) individual variation in associations between emotive/aff ective and cognitive control components of the social information processing network (SIPN) and individual variation in SRB, among AA girls. Th is study is guided by the Biopsychosocial Model of Risk Taking (BMRT); a combined social neuroscience framework that incorporates biological, psychological, cognitive, environmental and social factors, which infl uence adolescent risk taking. 32 AA females ages 15-23 years were recruited from community organizations. Data Collection: A battery of computerized neuropsychological tests measured prefrontal cortex/executive function/decisionmaking, impulse control and emotive-cognitive function to examine the underlying cognitive mechanisms of decision making and correlates of SRB. Participants also completed sociodemographics, psychosocial and SRB-related surveys. Analysis: Bivariate correlations, mixed modeling and hierarchical regression statistics were used. Our results indicate that poor cognitive skills were signifi cantly correlated to risky sexual patterns. Higher SRB is associated with poorer cognition, mainly poorer impulse control & also time to make aff ective choices. Some AA girls with high reported SRB (compared to low SRB) showed greater cognitive delay aversion during reward-related risk-taking (gambling). On average, AA girls with high SRB made more illogically based decisions and took longer to make decisions. Conclusions/Implications: Healthcare providers should provide tailored HIV/STI prevention education based on important links between executive/aff ective cognition, impulse control & psychosocial factors and AA girls’ SRB. Findings will facilitate development and testing of future hypothesis-driven, culturally-specifi c, age-appropriate imaging, longitudinal and intervention studies.

Denise Chan is a research Assistant Professor at the Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research areas include epidemiology of HIV/STIs and community-based surveillance of infectious diseases. She has been actively involved in fi eld researches on sexually transmitted diseases, particular among the at-risk populations.

Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) appears to be an important factor in sexual transmission and acquisition of HIV, and men who have sex with men (MSM) are particularly vulnerable to both infections. Th e present study aims to examine the prevalence of HIV, HSV-2, and risk behaviors among MSM in Hong Kong. Th ree hundred and six MSM seeking voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services were recruited in 2012-2013. Each MSM completed a structured questionnaire survey which explored socio-demographic characteristics, history of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), HSV-2/HIV-related knowledge, and sexual behaviors. Blood specimens were collected for HIV and HSV-2 screening. Overall, the seroprevalence of HIV and HSV-2 were 1.0% and 3.3%, respectively. Th ere was no statistical diff erence in seropositivity of HSV-2 between HIV-positive and HIVnegative MSM (p=0.190). Of all MSM, 7.8% self-reported having ever contracted STD. Knowledge of HSV-2 transmission (12.1%) and symptoms (40.8%) were low, and only 2.6% of MSM had ever been tested for HSV-2. Of anal sex MSM, 40.1% (117/292) always used condom in the last 6 months. Among those who had visited commercial sex worker, limited consistent condom use (31.3%) was found. Our fi ndings suggest a relatively low seroprevalence of HSV-2 among MSM attendants of VCT center. As the majority of MSM have limited understandings of HSV-2 transmission and the sexual risk behaviors are still prevalent, eff ective educational intervention and serosurveillance for HSV-2 among the hidden MSM population are needed to further enhance HIV/STD control in Hong Kong.

Elucir Gir is a Professor in College of Nursing, University of Sao Paulo. She has published over 100 articles in national and international journals and member as editor of national and international journals. She conducts studies with people living with HIV/AIDS for over two decades.

This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach that aimed to develop and implement an intervention proposal for health education in an interdisciplinary way, through group activities with people living with HIV / AIDS treated at referral service in Maceió-AL. It was adopted as a method action research based on theoretical and methodological framework of Paulo Freire. 84 workshops were conducted health education with 126 people from April 2009 to December 2010 in which it was adopted the methodology of conversation circles using various educational strategies with a focus on health promotion and quality of life, whose themes valued addressed, beyond the biological, emotional issues, the social and aff ective life and living with HIV / AIDS. Th is proposal is a viable strategy and qualifi es health care to people living with HIV/AIDS.

Kyle Grahm is currently working at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Canada

The aim of the work was to describe type of contraception utilized by perinatally HIV+ adolescents as compared to behaviorally acquired HIV+ adolescents age 14-25. A pilot retrospective chart review of HIV+ adolescents aged 15-25 years old, who had at least one clinic visit at Maternal Child and Adolescent Center for Infectious Disease Clinic from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012. Th irty-three women were identifi ed and 28 charts were reviewed. All physician, social work and allied provider documentation was reviewed for information regarding sexual health and contraception utilization. Secondary outcomes include pregnancy rates, change in contraceptive method, and self-reported condom usage. Perinatally and behaviorally acquired adolescents were compared; both groups were also compared to the National Survey of Family Growth and Adolescent Health in the United States. Th ere were 18 (64%) perinatally acquired HIV+ individuals and 10 (36%) behaviorally acquired through heterosexual contact. Condoms were the most commonly utilized form of contraception used by 13 women (43%), followed by depomedroxyporgesterone acetate (DMPA) 10 (36%). Average pregnancy rate among behaviorally acquired adolescents was 2.8 (range 1-5) vs. 0.4 (range 0-2) among perinatally acquired adolescents. Perinatally acquired adolescents have diff erent contraceptive practices and pregnancy rates as compared to behaviorally acquired HIV+ adolescents. Both groups have contraception uptake that mirrors national rates however, their pregnancy rates exceed our national averages.

Huynh Vu has received Ph.D. in Bio-Organic Chemistry from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 1979. He was chemist at Nippon Kayaku Chemical Co., Japan and postdoc with School of Pharmacy, Purdue University. He worked with Stanford Research Institute International, in Bio-Organic Chemistry Department, and Applied Biosystems Inc., in R&D Department. Dr. Huynh was senior manager in anti-HIV research at Triplex Pharmaceuticals Inc., and molecular diagnostic research at Gen-Probe Inc. From 2009, he worked as CSO of Genomeplex Research Institute, Inc. for manufacturing of real-time PCR for HIV-1 virus. He has more than 200 presentations, publications and product developments with companies.

UNAIDS reported (2012) that 3.4 million children worldwide were living with AIDS. 230,000 deaths occurred among children under 15 years (2011). 2,000 newborn babies and 6,000 pregnant women infected with HIV annually in Vietnam. Th e importance of early identifi cation of HIV infection is refl ected in the 40% mortality rate within the fi rst 12 months of infected infants that do not receive antiretroviral therapy (ART). In a study of infected infants, ART initiated prior to 2 months of age reduced mortality by 76%, supporting the effi cacy of early ART. Th e detection of HIV is possible directly following the birth of a child by utilizing PCR to amplify HIV-DNA or RNA from blood samples. Blood collected on fi lter paper provide a fast, effi cient, and low cost means to transport samples for HIV detection. RT-PCR detection and quantitation of specifi c amplicons have been achieved using dye and quencher labeled probes. Th e molecular beacon has a fl uorescent reporter dye at 5’-end and a quencher at the 3’-end. When the closed molecular beacon is excited by irradiation, the reporter fl uorescence is greatly reduced by quenching through the process of fl uorescence resonance energy transfer. When the molecular beacon hybridizes to the target, the stem loop opens the reporter dye, with the quencher dye, thus increasing the reporter dye fl uorescence intensity. In this presentation, the manufacturing of real-time PCR kits for HIV-1, and distributing of kits to 64 cities and towns in Vietnam for detection, quantitation of virus in infected new-born babies, will be presented and discussed.

Claudio Cirne-Santos completed his PhD in 2008 and is currently a postdoc at Fluminense Federal University in Rio de Janeiro. Has Masters and PhD students under his supervision in line antiretroviral research. Has 20 articles published in journals in the fi eld and develops projects in the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation - FIOCRUZ

During the human immunodefi ciency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replicative cycle, viral RNA undergoes reverse transcription, by means of the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase (RT), and the cDNA is further integrated in the host genome. Th e enzyme RT is a major target for antiretroviral therapy, and several RT inhibitors are in clinical use. Now the perspective of microbicides agents has been important approach to the protection and prevention of the HIV pandemic. We performed kinetic studies and investigated whether D1 could synergize with other antiretrovirals. Initially, we found by PCR methods that D1 (0.8 or 10 μM) blocked the synthesis and integration of HIV-1 provirus and completely ablated HIV-1 replication in PBMCs. Next, we observed that D1 Ki value was 1,2 uM (AZT Ki = 0.1 μM), which is in agreement with D1 EC50 previously found (1.8 μM), indicating that RT is the main target of D1. Studies of kinetic mode of action with respect to dTTP/ template-primer detected that D1 is a noncompetitive inhibitor of RT. Th us, D1 might act at the pocket of the palm region of RT, similarly to other non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs). Following, we addressed whether D1 could present additive or synergistic eff ects with other HIV-1 inhibitors. Th us, HIV-1-infected PBMCs were treated with D1 at EC50 dose plus sub-optimal concentrations of classical antiretrovirals. D1 presented an additive eff ect with AZT (HIV-1 inhibition: D1 = 50%; AZT 5 nM = 40%, D1 plus AZT = 90%), and a synergistic eff ect with atazanavir (HIV-1 inhibition: D1 = 50%; atazanavir 5 μM = 20%; D1 plus atazanavir = 100%). D1 plus nevirapine resulted in no additive eff ects. Here we describe the microbicide eff ect and observe that D1 has shown a strong protective eff ect against HIV-1 in human tissues demonstrating a possible potential microbicide. We are conducting various studies and obtained combinatorial chemical molecules that have shown strong eff ects antiretroviral toxicity and with a greatly diminished. Studies in animal experimentation also shows that these substances showed no toxicities hepatic, renal or nervous system. D1 presented a potent antiretroviral activity against a panel of ten HIV-1 isolates carrying common NNRTI-associated resistance mutations. We propose that D1 could be considered as a potential candidate for HIV-1 therapy or prevention, possibly acting as a microbicide. Currently, we are carrying out pre-clinical studies on animal models and tissue explants.

Sherif Salah Consultant of clinical immunology vets. Medicine Cairo university, Innovator of three Pharmaceuticals in Egyptian Market , won two International Prize “Gold Medals” in European and in Italian Exhibition of Creativity and Innovation EUROINVENT and 2 silver Medals in Korea and Moscow in [Antiviral compositions for treatment of HCV & HBV] in 2012. And awarded two patents of invention in treatment of hepatitis C virus, WO 2008/092466 A1, and treatment of liver cancer WO 2009/138094 A1. G.P.O.

HIV infection is frequently reported in Egypt. Th is study introduces a new approach for HIV eradication based on a new enzyme combination reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase (VK 25 RD) formula for inhibiting and or preventing the disease. Th is pilot study was done on fi ve naive patients who were all positive for HIV antibodies, never treated with anti retroviral medications. Th ose patients were registered and under surveillance by HIV/AIDS Control Department at the Egyptian ministry of Health (MOH). Th eir immunological data revealed a viral load more than 1000 copies/ml by HIV-RNA-PCR, antibody positive to HIV-1 and CD4+ T-cell values less than 250 cells/μL. All of the patients showed the same clinical symptoms of HIV/AIDS and wrote consent of acceptance to take this combination therapy in the form of subcutaneous injection of 0.1 cc twice daily for 24 weeks. At the end of therapy, all of the above patient's viral loads had become under the detectable limits [less than 16 copies/ ml]; also there was a signifi cant increase of their CD4 cells count over 500 cells/μL. According to these fi ndings, this therapeutic modality was promising for treating HIV-1 disease and human immunodefi ciency syndrome.

Malatji Sekobo Pupuru Samuel has completed his undergraduate Bachelor Degree studies in Nursing Science from University of Limpopo of South Africa and he also completed his postgraduate Masters Degree studies in Nursing Science from University of Venda of South Africa, under the supervision of Professor MS Maputle. He is currently working as a Clinical Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Health of South Africa. His area of interest is in the fi eld HIV/ AIDS and STIs programs.

Provider-initiated counselling and testing refers to HIV counselling and testing which is routinely recommended by health care providers to persons attending health care facilities as a standard component of medical care. PICT promotes universal access to prevention, care and treatment services for all clients by increasing the utilisation and acceptance of HIV counselling and testing services. Th e knowledge of one’s status is important for preventing the spread of the infection. As indicated by the World Health Organisation, those clients who have learnt that they are HIV positive are able to modify their behaviour with the purpose of reducing the risk of HIV transmission. Th e objective was to assess the knowledge and determine attitudes of youth in relation to provider initiated HIV counselling and testing at the primary health care services in South Africa. Th e context of the study was four primary health care facilities. Th e target population was the youth between the ages of 16 and 35 years. Participants who were between less than 18 years, consent to participate was obtained from parents or guardians. Th e sampling method was non-probability convenient sampling, while data were gathered by using a structured questionnaire. Th e data was summarised by means of descriptive statistics. Validity and reliability were ensured by undertaking a literature review; and developing and pretesting the questionnaire. Ethical considerations were adhered to. Results indicated that youth had knowledge and awareness of the availability of PICT services; however had negative attitudes on the utilization of the services. Recommendations were made for future research studies in the fi eld of HIV and AIDS prevention, and establishment of youth-friendly HCT services at primary health care facilities.