Public Health England, a British Government’s health agency, just reported a case of a heterosexual man infected with ‘Neisseria gonorrhoeae’. The superbug is resistant to both the antibiotics azithromycin and ceftriaxone. This is worldwide the first case of multi-drug-resistant Gonorrhoeae. (more…)
High-risk children adopted from foster care do equally well when placed with gay, lesbian or heterosexual parents, UCLA psychologists report in the first multi-year study of children adopted by these three groups of parents.
The psychologists looked at 82 high-risk children adopted from foster care in Los Angeles County. Of those children, 60 were placed with heterosexual parents and 22 were placed with gay or lesbian parents (15 with gay male parents and seven with lesbian parents). (more…)
Scientists used genetic sequencing to discover that the vaccine used in the RV144 HIV vaccine trial, involving 16,000 men and women in Thailand, did offer some protection against certain HIV viruses. The results were published Sept. 10 in the online edition of Nature.
James Mullins, UW professor of microbiology, medicine and laboratory medicine, leads one of the two laboratories that did genetic analyses of the virus. He said the study proved that an HIV vaccine is within reach. (more…)
Understanding this phenomenon could improve psychological support systems for sexual minorities and help young people avoid alcohol problems.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Many young adults explore and define their sexual identity in college, but that process can be stressful and lead to risky behaviors. In a new study, students whose sexual self-definition didn’t fall into exclusively heterosexual or homosexual categories tended to misuse alcohol more frequently than people who had a firmly defined sexual orientation for a particular gender, according to University of Missouri researchers. These findings could be used to improve support programs for sexual minorities.
“Bisexuals and students whose sexual orientation was in flux reported the heaviest drinking and most negative consequences from alcohol use, such as uncontrolled drinking and withdrawal symptoms,” said Amelia Talley, MU assistant professor of psychological sciences in the College of Arts and Science. “Those groups reported drinking to relieve anxiety and depression at higher rates than strictly heterosexual or homosexual individuals. One possible explanation is that people who aren’t either completely heterosexual or homosexual may feel stigmatized by both groups.” (more…)
