Females of the scarabaeid beetleCyclocephala lurida produce a volatile sex pheromone which attracts conspecific males. Field experiments demonstrated that larvae of both sexes also emit volatile chemicals that stimulate similar responses in adult males, including attempts by the attracted males to mate with the nonreproductive immature stage. Significantly more adult males were caught in traps baited with conspecific male or female larvae or adult females than in blank control traps. Hexane extracts of both male and female grubs were at least as effective as live larvae in trapping male adults, demonstrating that the behavioral responses are mediated by volatile chemicals. Sensory and behavioral responses of males to sex pheromones emitted by adult females are part of the functional communication system. However, their response to grubs is not functional, because grubs are normally temporally and spatially inaccessible to mate-seeking males. In theory, the evolution of a communication system is problematic because it requires the development of a signal in one sex and the sensory and behavioral attributes to respond to that signal in the other sex. The ontogeny of sex pheromone communication inC. lurida suggests a partial solution to this evolutionary problem. We propose that this sex pheromone communication system is probably derived from noncommunicative volatile chemicals that are lost in adult males and retained by adult females.
Purpose: To determine whether lower prevaccination CD4 counts decrease odds of immune development against hepatitis A virus/hepatitis B virus (HAV/HBV) among patients who receive the vaccine and examine the relationship between vaccine response and sex, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, tobacco use, substance abuse, or comorbidities. Methods: This study was performed among patients who received the standard dose for HAV and/or HBV vaccine. Results: Among 76 HIVinfected patients, immunity development to HAV or HBV increased as CD4 counts increased. In addition, males had greater vaccine response than females. Whites were observed to have higher rates of immunity than other races/ethnicities. Patients with private insurance had greater vaccine response than those with Medicaid, Medicare, or no insurance. Patients not experiencing hypertension and hyperlipidemia developed immunity more often than patients with these comorbidities. Substance abuse and tobacco use were also associated with lower vaccine response. Conclusions: Higher CD4 counts improved likelihood of patients developing an antibody response after vaccination.
BackgroundThe Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted on March 23, 2010 may have subsequently affected referral patterns for persons living with HIV (PLWH). The ACA permits states to provide Medicaid for individuals at or below 138% of the federal poverty line with federal funding for 3 years after enactment. Following the Kentucky Medicaid expansion in September 2013, the uninsured rate fell from 14.3% (~616,000) in 2013 to 6% (~261,000) in 2015 (USDC, 2016). As of June 2016 the total number of diagnosed PLWH in Kentucky was 9,928 (CHFS, 2016).This study evaluated the impact of the ACA on referrals to care for PLWH. The University of Kentucky Bluegrass Care Clinic (UK BCC) is a federally funded Ryan White HIV/AIDS clinic that serves 63 counties in central and eastern Kentucky.MethodsThis study examined 1,022 newly enrolled patients between March 24, 2010 and June 8, 2017 to observe changes in referral patterns at the UK BCC. Referral type was categorized into one of nine groups (referral by self, outpatient clinic, hospital, OB/GYN, community organization, UK BCC, transfer, health department, and unknown). Unknown observations were removed from the data analysis.ResultsOf the 1,022 intake records, 127 had an unknown referral source (12.4%). Between the period 2010–2013 (Pre-ACA) there was an 18% decrease in referrals from Health Departments between pre- and post-ACA (29.8% vs. 12.0%). In addition, there was a 13.0% increase in transfer care to the UK BCC (16.1% vs. 29.3%). There was an overall significant difference in referral care patterns between the two time periods (P < 0.0001) when considering all referral groups.ConclusionThe decrease in referral of patient from Health Departments may indicate that PLWH have more access to screening and referrals to clinic care through primary care providers with Medicaid expansion. Further, the increase in patients who transfer from pre-existing care to the Ryan White clinic suggest that the expansion of PLWH using Medicare and Medicaid may have resulted in loss of eligibility from other HIV care providers. These results have implications to engage more PLWH into care, particularly in states that have increased access to primary care through healthcare expansions.Figure 1.Proportion of Patients by Referral Source for the Years 2010–2013 and 2014–2017.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.
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