A cross-section of articles we've read this week about HIV/AIDS, STIs and a wide cross-section of structural and systemic factors impacting HIV/AIDS in Black communities.

MSM

Intimate Partner Violence in Men Who Have Sex with Men is Linked to Adverse Health Effects 

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) is linked to greater risk of mental and physical health symptoms, substance misuse, and sexually transmitted infections, according to a research article published in this week's PLOS Medicine. The study, led by Ana Maria Buller and Loraine Bacchus from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK, working with experts from King's College London, identified associations with negative health indicators for both victims and perpetrators of IPV among MSM.

Prevention

Vaginal Gel Might Prevent HIV Hours After Exposure 

Lab tests with monkeys look promising, study says.

Science

Sex Between HIV-Mixed Partners May Not Always End in Viral Transmission; But Couples Should Still Use Protection 

For couples where one partner carries human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), determining a comfortable level of sexual activity and protection can be difficult, as there is always the risk that the HIV-negative partner will contract the deadly disease. Now, preliminary results from a new study show that this risk may be lower than expected, though researchers are far from saying it's safe.

Unique Individual with Lupus and HIV Demonstrates Desired Immune Response to HIV 

One person's unique ability to fight HIV has provided key insights into an immune response that researchers now hope to trigger with a vaccine, according to findings reported by a team that includes Duke Medicine scientists.

Miscellaneous

Bronx Pharmacy Busted in $10M HIV Drug Buyback Scam 

The owners of a Bronx pharmacy bilked the federal government out of nearly $10 million in the past year - by preying on cash-strapped Medicaid patients with HIV, convincing them to sell back their lifesaving drugs, officials said Tuesday.

CDC: Rare female-to-female HIV transmission 

(CNN) -- A Texas woman apparently contracted HIV through sexual contact with another woman, the Centers for Disease Control reported Thursday, a rare female-to-female transmission of the virus.

Does No-Cost Contraception Promote Promiscuity? No, Says Study 

New research has found that women are on average no more likely to have multiple sexual partners in a single month after they are provided no-cost access to birth control methods than they were before. And while women reported a slight uptick in their reported monthly sexual encounters a year after getting free contraceptives, the new study says the resulting frequency of sexual activity fell within expected boundaries for women of childbearing age.

The Health Benefits of Texting 

Communication between physicians and other health care providers and their patients may be taking on an entirely new dimension through text messaging, according to David Finitsis, a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology and lead author of a recently published article in the journal PLOS ONE.

Key Findings on HIV from the 2014 CROI 

HIV researchers from across the globe came together in Boston last week from March 3-6 for the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI). CDC researchers from the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention presented results of more than 30 studies. Below are some of which may be of particular interest to you.

Most States Lag in Health Insurance Sign-Ups 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Most states are still lagging when it comes to sign-ups under President Barack Obama's health care law, but an Associated Press analysis of numbers reported Wednesday finds a dozen high-achievers getting ahead of the game.