Localized and systemic fungal infections caused by Candida albicans can lead to significant mortality and morbidity. However, severe C. albicans infections are relatively rare, occurring mostly in the very young, the very old, and immunocompromised individuals. The fact that these infections are rare is interesting because as much as 80 percent of the population is asymptomatically colonized with C. albicans. It is thought that members of the human microbiota and the immune system work in concert to reduce C. albicans overgrowth through competition and modification of the growth environment. Here, we report that Escherichia coli (strain MG1655) outcompetes and kills C. albicans (strain SC5314) in vitro. We find that E. coli produces a soluble factor that kills C. albicans in a magnesium-dependent fashion such that depletion of available magnesium is essential for toxicity.
Objective: To identify and describe behavioral interventions to promote sexual and reproductive health among US active duty military service members. Data Sources: Systematic searches of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO (N = 1609 records). Inclusion Criteria: English-language articles published between 1991 and 2018 and retrieved using search terms related to military service, interventions, and sexual and reproductive health. Exclusion Criteria: Articles excluded if not empirically based, not published in peer-reviewed journals, did not sample active duty US military personnel, and did not examine the effectiveness of specified preventive sexual or reproductive health intervention(s). Data Extraction: Teams of paired authors extracted study rationale; aims; design; setting; description of the intervention; measures; sample demographics; clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial outcomes; and conclusions. Data Synthesis: Given the heterogeneity of studies, narrative synthesis was performed. Results: Fifteen articles met inclusion criteria: 10 focused on sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition and/or unintended pregnancy and 5 on sexual assault. Studies that assessed clinical outcomes found that interventions were associated with lower rates of STIs and/or unintended pregnancy. Significant effects were found on knowledge-related outcomes, while mixed effects were found on attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. Conclusions: Current evidence on the effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health interventions in the US military is limited in quality and scope. Promoting sexual and reproductive health in this population is critical to maintaining well-being among servicemembers, their families, and the communities surrounding military installations.
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