Category Archives: Feature

UCLA AIDS Institute / CFAR Grand Rounds
This monthly lecture series, which is offered by the UCLA CFAR / AIDS Institute, consists of hour-long lunchtime lectures, delivered by invited guests or distinguished members of the Institute faculty, on a broad range of subjects. The aims of the program are to highlight important developments in AIDS-related research, encourage collaborations between UCLA investigators and invited speakers, interest young investigators in AIDS research, and provide information about new findings and new funding opportunities.

Satya Dandekar, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
University of California, Davis, School of Medicine

“HIV, Microbiota and Immunity at the Gut Mucosal Interface”

Bayesian Analysis of Episodic Substance Abuse Data

Adam King, Ph.D. candidate
Department of Biostatistics
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health

Mia Humphrey & Daniel Solis – Supporting, Engaging and Partnering with Youth in Los Angeles County to address HIV

This presentation will explore the role of social determinants of health in response to
concerns regarding the HIV continuum of care and youth. The presentation will provide
working definitions; highlight strategies for adults to more effectively partner with
youth; and provide a space for discussion around how to apply concepts to community
planning in Los Angeles County.

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Mia Humphreys, MSW is the capacity building coordinator at the SYPP Center at CHLA.
She is responsible for the coordination and delivery of capacity building assistance
nationally, which includes building relationships with partner agencies and communities,
developing trainings and materials/tools to assist providers in building their cultural
competency for working with youth and LGBTQ communities, coalition development
and sustainability, and facilitates strategic planning processes for system-level change.

Daniel Solis is the training specialist at the SYPP Center at CHLA. He has worked in a
number of youth-focused community-based organizations serving diverse communities
of youth. He is responsible for coordinating curriculum development and providing
capacity building trainings to meet the evolving needs of youth-serving agencies and
coalitions throughout the United States.

Abstract:
There is a strong push to conduct large-scale randomized controlled study designs in HIV prevention studies. In these randomized controlled studies, the primary research objective is typically to determine the treatment effect based on some biological outcome (e.g. HIV infection). Millions of dollars are spent on these studies and lots of resources are spent towards collecting data on self-reported outcomes, even when such outcomes are of great interest but rarely utilized. The majority of these self-reported outcomes are never utilized in statistical analyses and we question whether the extent they are used justifies the cost, researcher’s and subject’s burden. In this presentation we will touch on some findings from the EXPLORE data, discuss some meta-analysis results on the relationship between self-reported and biological outcomes, and look at the utility of study designs with planned missingness. This is work in progress.

Ofer Harel, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Statistics and a principal Investigator in the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP) at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Harel received his doctorate in statistics in 2003 from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Harel received his post-doctoral training at the University of Washington, Department of Biostatistics, where he worked for the HSR&D Center of Excellence, VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, and the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). Dr. Harel has served as a biostatistical consultant nationally and internationally since 1997. Through his collaborative consulting, Dr. Harel has been involved with a variety of research fields including, but not limited to Alzheimer’s, diabetes, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and alcohol and drug abuse prevention.

 Drs. Thomas Rice (UCLA Public Health) and Arleen Leibowitz (CHIPTS Policy Core Director & UCLA Public Affairs) will provide a state-of-the-science overview and discuss possible HIV intervention applications.

UCLA AIDS Institute/CFAR Grand Rounds
This monthly lecture series, which is offered by the UCLA CFAR / AIDS Institute, consists of hour-long lunchtime lectures, delivered by invited guests or distinguished members of the Institute faculty, on a broad range of subjects. The aims of the program are to highlight important developments in AIDS-related research, encourage collaborations between UCLA investigators and invited speakers, interest young investigators in AIDS research, and provide information about new findings and new funding opportunities.

Dan J. Stein, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry
University of Cape Town

“Research Collaborations with Developing Countries: An African Perspective”

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The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) issued new recommendations today for vaccinating against invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) after a recently-identified increase in cases. 

The press release reads:

“Public Health has now confirmed a total of eight IMD cases in Los Angeles County in 2014. Of these eight cases, four cases were reported among men who have sex with men (MSM), including three men who were HIV-positive.

In contrast to previous IMD investigations in 2012 and 2013, some commonalities were found among the 2014 MSM cases. Of the four IMD cases among MSM, three reported either residence in, or socializing around, the West Hollywood and North Hollywood areas, and three were between 27-28 years of age (the fourth case was 50 years of age).

Based on consultation with the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health is recommending the Meningococcal vaccine for both HIV-positive MSM (including men who may or may not identify as gay or bisexual) and MSM, regardless of HIV status, whose activities put them at higher risk.

“All HIV-positive MSM and all MSM, regardless of HIV status, who regularly have close or intimate contact with multiple partners, or who seek partners through the use of digital applications, particularly those who share cigarettes, marijuana or use illegal drugs, should visit their health provider to be vaccinated against invasive meningococcal disease,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “At- risk MSM who dont have health insurance can obtain a free vaccination through the Department of Public Health.”

IMD is a sporadic and uncommon bacterial infection of the blood or the lining of the brain and spinal cord that can affect the entire body. The infection can cause brain damage, hearing loss, and even death. The bacteria can be spread by very close exposure to sneezing and coughing or direct contact with saliva or nose mucus. Disease symptoms may include: high fever, stiff neck, altered mental status, skin rash, severe headache, low blood pressure, aversion to bright lights, and generalized muscle pains. Symptoms usually occur within 5 days of the exposure, but may present as many as 10 days after exposure. IMD progresses rapidly, so immediate diagnosis and treatment is imperative.

The risk for IMD is very low for the general population. The bacteria are not spread by casual contact such as being in the same room as an infected person or handling items that an infected person has touched. The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are much less contagious than the viruses that cause the flu. Although anyone can get meningococcal disease, certain medical conditions and high-risk activities have been associated with transmission of IMD.

High-risk activities include:

• Smoking (marijuana, cigarettes, and hookah)
• Close contact with an infected person (sharing beverages or cigarettes, kissing, coughing)
• Staying in group settings (such as dorms, jails or shelters) for a prolonged period of time.

The current meningococcal vaccine can prevent two of the three most common types of meningococcal disease in the United States, including the most common type identified in Los Angeles County. Although meningococcal disease can be treated with appropriate antibiotics if detected early it is often not diagnosed until it has become life- threatening.

Public Health will be offering free meningococcal vaccine to LA County residents without health insurance, beginning Thursday, April 3. For a listing of clinics, please call the LA County Information Line at 2-1-1 from any cell phone or land line in the county or visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/.

For more information regarding invasive meningococcal disease and vaccination, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/ and http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/Mening.htm.

The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises nearly 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $900 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: @LAPublicHealth.”

For more details, click here.

CHIPTS Policy Director Dr. Arleen Leibowitz discusses cost effectiveness analysis and outcomes in the context of HIV prevention.  Click here to review her presentation.

David Wilson
Director, Global HIV/AIDS Program
The World Bank

“The End of AIDS: The Road to Implementation”

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