First Look Inside the Herpes Virus

The herpesvirus family includes herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores, and type 2 (HSV-2), which causes genital herpes. Herpesviruses comprise a large DNA genome enclosed in a large and complex protein cage called a capsid (see the Perspective by Heldwein). Dai and Zhou used electron microscopy to determine a high-resolution structure of the HSV-1 capsid bound to the tegument proteins that occupy the space between the capsid and the nuclear envelope. The structure suggests how these components may play a role in viral transport. Yuan et al. describe a higher-resolution structure of an HSV-2 capsid, providing insight into how the shell assembles and is stabilized.

A new class of drug to treat herpes simplex virus-1 infection

 

Organ-on-chip technology enters next stage as experts test hepatitis B virus

Case Report – Induced Lactation in Transgender Woman

A 30-year-old transgender woman who had been receiving feminizing hormone therapy for the past 6 years presented to our clinic with the goal of being able to breastfeed her adopted infant. After implementing a regimen of domperidone, estradiol, progesterone, and breast pumping, she was able to achieve sufficient breast milk volume to be the sole source of nourishment for her child for 6 weeks. This case illustrates that, in some circumstances, modest but functional lactation can be induced in transgender women…

 

Increased 1-year continuation of DMPA among women randomized to self-administration

Self-administration of subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-sc) is feasible, acceptable, and effective. Our objective was to compare one-year continuation of DMPA-sc between women randomized to self-administration versus clinic administration…

 

A harm-reduction model of abortion counseling about misoprostol use in Peru with telephone and in-person follow-up

Eighty-six percent of participants took misoprostol; among those taking misoprostol, 89% reported a complete abortion at the time of the survey. Twenty-two percent obtained an aspiration after taking misoprostol and 8% self-reported adverse events including hemorrhage without transfusion, infection, or severe pain. Among women who took misoprostol, 46% reported receiving in-person follow-up (in some cases both telephone and in-person), 34% received telephone only, and 20% did not report receiving any form of follow-up. Those who had in-person follow-up with the counselor were most likely to report a complete abortion (<0.001). Satisfaction with both types of follow-up was very high, with 81%-89% reporting being very satisfied…

 

Comparison of comprehensive and abstinence-only sexuality education in young African American adolescents

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of sexual behavior and condom use in African American adolescents, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive sexuality and abstinence-only education to reduce adolescent sexual behavior and increase condom use. Participants included 450 adolescents aged 12–14 years in the southern United States. Regression analyses showed favorable attitudes toward sexual behavior and social norms significantly predicted recent sexual behavior, and favorable attitudes toward condoms significantly predicted condom usage. Self-efficacy was not found to be predictive of adolescents’ sexual behavior or condom use. There were no significant differences in recent sexual behavior based on type of sexuality education. Adolescents who received abstinence-only education had reduced favorable attitudes toward condom use, and were more likely to have unprotected sex than the comparison group. Findings suggest that adolescents who receive abstinence-only education are at greater risk of engaging in unprotected sex…

 

 

 

 

Study Shows Male Virgins Can Still Contract HPV

Men who have never engaged in sexual intercourse are still at risk for acquiring HPV, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Infectious Diseases by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health….

 

The Non-Binary Brain

Misogynists are fascinated by the idea that human brains are biologically male or female. But they’ve got the science wrong…

 

Fraternal birth order effect on sexual orientation explained

Twenty years ago, Ray Blanchard and Anthony Bogaert demonstrated that the probability of a boy growing up to be gay increases for each older brother born to the same mother, the so-called fraternal birth order (FBO) effect. Their first investigation indicated that each older brother increased the probability of being gay by about 33%…

 

Abortion Reversal Class Approved for California Nurses

California nursing regulators have again given the green light to a class teaching nurses about unproven abortion pill “reversal,” marking the third time the oversight agency has reversed course on the continuing ed class…

 

Bad Sex Science in Black Mirror Episode

The science fiction show’s second episode of the season mixed up emergency contraception (EC) and medication abortion. And the internet let the show’s creator, Charlie Brooker, and the episode’s director, Oscar-winner Jodie Foster, know that they’d screwed up…

 

Trump Fires Entire HIV/AIDS Council

\With no explanation, the White House has terminated members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS amid widespread discontent with President Trump’s approach to the epidemic…

Lab Grown Vaginas

A follow-up study on the successful implantation of vaginas into girls between 13 and 18 who lacked fully functional ones due to a rare disorder.

Scientific American

 

Female Breast Microbiome

A new study, the first of its kind, shows interesting differences between the female breast microbiome and the rest of the body. It could have important links to breast cancer, infant immunity, and other issues.

Bacterial microbiota of human breast tissue

 

Breast Cancer and Fertility Drugs

A new 30 year study finds little evidence for a link between modern fertility drug use and breast cancer.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention

 

FDA Panel Recommends Replacement for the Pap Test

The traditional Pap test used since 1955 has saved many lives, but a new and better test might replace it.

New York Times

 

Nano-flares and Breast Cancer Diagnosis

An interesting new and potentially much better technology for diagnosing breast cancer.

Nano-Flares and Breast Cancer

 

Injections to Prevent HIV Spread

Promising research may lead to an injection every few months that could offer 100% protection against HIV.

New York Times

 

A Microbicide to Prevent HIV Infection for Post Coital Use

An experimental gel may be able to be used both before sex and after sex to prevent HIV transmission.

Science Magazine

 

CDC Confirms Female to Female HIV Transmission

It has been theoretically possible but considered rare, but now the CDC has documented a case of female to female HIV transmission.  This find does not change the fact that female to female transmission is and will continue to be rare.

RH  Reality Check

 

Early Treatment for HIV Babies

A second case has been reported of a baby that immediate antiretrovrial treatment and now shows an undetectable viral load.

RH Reality Check

 

Gene Editing as Treatment for HIV

A new study has found this approach to be safe, and may become a new tool in the arsenal against HIV

New England Journal of Medicine

 

Using Twitter to Track HIV Outcomes

Using Big data to find relationships between self-reported risky behaviors and HIV outbreaks by region.

Science Direct

 

 

 

 

 

MRI study on Clitoral Complex and Orgasm

An interesting study that suggests a relationship between the size of the clitoral complex and its distance from the vagina, and orgasmic ability during intercourse.

CCLX Houston

 

Marijuana Might Reduce Spread of HIV

The science is beginning to look good, with a new study in the journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, but our archaic drug laws making doing the research very difficult

HuffingtonPost

 

Promising Approach to HPV

An HIV drug shows promise in wiping out HPV infections before they become cancerous.

DailyMail

 

Third Chance for Female Libido Drug

Flibanserin gets a new round of testing in hopes of being the first libido enhancing drug for women on the market

USNews

 

The Mammogram Conundrum

The British Journal of Medicine makes it even more complicated to decide how often  women should get mammograms, or if they are even effective at preventing deaths.

BMJ

 

New York Times Wrong on EC

New York Times publishes blatantly false information about emergency contraception.

RH Reality Check

 

CDC Changes Terminology

Unprotected Sex no longer means sex without a condom.

RH Reality Check

 

Medicaid Policy Challenged

There is no medical reason for a 30 day waiting period for women on Medicaid seeking a tubal ligation, and yet that policy has been in place since the 70s. Critics are now challenging it.

Medical Press

 

 

 

Sex Bonding Hormone Linked with Meal Sharing

Chimpanzees bond during meal sharing, with an increase in Oxytocin, a hormone also involved in bonding during sex, according to new research in journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

sciencedaily.com

 

Man with Two Penises tells All

A man with two penises answers questions on Reddit’s Ask Me Anything. He says that he is bisexual and in a relationship with both a man and a woman.

reddit.com

 

Flawed Breast Cancer Abortion Studies

This article by Joyce Arthur looks at the deeply flawed studies that link breast cancer with abortion, and how they are used to drive an anti-abortion agenda.

rhrealitycheck.org/

 

Doctors Spend 36 Seconds on Sex

A new study shows that doctors spend an average of 36 seconds discussing sex with their teenage patients.

rhrealitycheck.org

 

New Clues on the Role of HPV in Cervical Cancer

A new study published in the journal Nature involved an international effort to analyze the genome of cervical cancer.  Looking at integration sites where HPV inserts genetic code into the human genome, they found that it may have an amplification effect that encourages growth of the mutated genes.

huffingtonpost.com

 

Basic Reproductive Science Politicians Should Know (But Don’t)

A good article listing five important misunderstandings about women’s reproductive health issues that are being used to restrict women’s access to reproductive healthcare.

thinkprogress.org

 

Lyme Disease and Sex

Can Lyme disease be transmitted sexually? Maybe, the but the results are very preliminary.

RH Reality Check