Virus isolation and immune studies in a cohort of homosexual men

Virus shedding was detected in 77% of homosexual subjects and in only 6% of heterosexual controls. The overall virus isolation rate in homosexual subjects was not significantly different among HIV-seropositive (79%) and HIV-seronegative (74%) individuals. In about 20% of homosexual subjects, virus shedding from multiple sites was observed. The most frequently isolated virus was cytomegalovirus (CMV) (41%), followed by enteroviruses (23%), herpes simplex virus (HSV) (7%), and adenoviruses (6%). In the control group, about 50% of subjects were seronegative for HSV-1 and 2, and about 70% were negative for CMV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Only 2% of homosexuals were seronegative for CMV, about 5% for HSV-1 and 2, and about 20% for EBV. No differences were found in antibody levels against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) among the control and homosexual groups. The proportion of seronegatives for Coxsackie and hepatitis viruses was significantly higher in control than in homosexual subjects. However, no differences in the proportion of seronegatives for measles, mumps, and rubella were observed. No HIV-antibody-negative individual was detected with an OKT4/OKT8 ratio of less than 0.75. On the other hand, only HIV-positive subjects, with a ratio of less than 0.75, had high serum IFN alpha titers. The results suggest that the high rate of virus shedding among HIV-negative homosexual subjects might be a factor in the development of AIDS in this high-risk population.     

男性同性恋生物学成因的研究进展

男性同性恋是一种普遍存在的、成因未明的复杂生命现象.普遍认为其形成是由生物因素和环境因素共同决定的.对其生物学因素的研究主要集中于遗传学、神经生物学和发育及内分泌学的范畴,目前已取得一定的进展.本文将从生物学角度对男同性恋成因的研究进行综述,以指导今后该领域的研究.     

男男HIV/AIDS患者自我歧视形成的作用模型研究

目的确立男男HIV/AIDS患者自我歧视形成的作用模型,为自我歧视干预提供依据。方法在北京市2所医院便利选取277例男男HIV/AIDS患者,测量其自我歧视水平、年龄、刻板印象、控制感、信息情绪支持和负性情绪等项目,利用结构方程模型确立这些因素对自我歧视的作用途径,形成模型。结果患者自我歧视评分32.29±7.16,除控制感和信息情绪支持外,年龄、刻板印象和负性情绪均对自我歧视有增强作用,模型可解释自我歧视形成作用的40.90%。结论刻板印象是自我歧视的直接成因之一,控制感和信息情绪支持是自我歧视降低的保护性因素,负性情绪会增加自我歧视的水平并妨碍信息情绪支持。建议在对男男HIV/AIDS患者自我歧视干预中提供充分的信息情绪支持以及认知干预,改善患者的刻板印象和负性情绪,降低其自我歧视。     

男男性接触者梅毒感染危险因素病例-对照研究

目的探讨与男男性接触者（MSM）梅毒感染有关的危险因素。方法采用应答驱动抽样（RDS）、关键知情人介绍、网上招募、同志酒吧招募等方法在安徽省合肥、芜湖、淮南3个城市招募研究对象，共有261名符合条件的男男性接触者（MSM）接受了梅毒和人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）抗体血清学检测。采用病例对照研究方法，将梅毒初筛和确认试验均阳性者22例作为病例组。按年龄上下相差1岁以内、职业相近的条件进行1：4配比．从梅毒检测阴性者中选取了88人作为对照，对研究对象进行面对面问卷调查。结果单因素分析结果显示．MSM人群HIV／性传播疾病（STDS）感染危险性意识低．同性性伴总数≥10个，近6个月同性性伴数≥3个，经常参加同性恋组织聚会、有同性肛交偶然性伴以及肛交偶然性伴以及肛交安全套使用率低于75％与梅毒感染有关。多因素条件Logistic回归分析显示，HIV／STDS感染危险意识低，近6个月同性肛交偶然性伴数多、肛交安全套使用率低是梅毒感染的主要危险因素。结论在MSM人群进行性病的干预，重点为提高该人群HIV／STIs感染危险性意识，减少性伴数和提高安全套使用率。     

Sexual Risk-Taking in Gay Men: The Relevance of Sexual Arousability, Mood, and Sensation Seeking

This paper examined the relationship of three aspects of personality to sexual risk-taking in gay men: (1) sexual arousability, as propensity for sexual excitation, and propensity for inhibition of sexual arousal in the face of threat (measured by the Sexual Excitation, SES, and Sexual Inhibition, SIS1, SIS2, scales); (2) the relation between negative mood and sexuality; and (3) sensation seeking. Risk-taking was assessed for the past 6 months in relation to unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), oral sex, number of casual partners, and patterns of cruising behavior. A combination of number of partners and use of condoms was used to derive a longer-term risk grouping. Two patterns of association were identified. UAI and high risk oral sex were more likely in those with low inhibition of sexual response due to threat of performance consequences" (i.e., low SIS2) and low trait anxiety (low STAI). High numbers of casual partners and frequent cruising were associated with increased sexual interest in states of depression and high propensity for sexual excitation (SES). Higher long-term risk was also associated with low SIS2. Unexpectedly, high SIS1, which is strongly related to vulnerability to erectile failure, was also predictive of higher long-term risk. Possible reasons for this are discussed. Disinhibition from the Sensation Seeking Scales was a positive predictor of all types of sexual risk assessed. All three aspects of personality are of potential relevance to designing better interventions to reduce high risk sexual behavior and in evaluating their effectiveness.     

Using an Integrated Approach to Understand Vaccination Behavior Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men: Stages of Change, the Health Belief Model, and Self-Efficacy

Studies continue to show that the majority of men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States remain unvaccinated against hepatitis A (HAV); such limited vaccination coverage is a missed opportunity for preventing disease. This study sought to identify beliefs and attitudes associated with motivational readiness for vaccination against HAV among MSM, using a theoretically-integrated framework. Questionnaire data were collected from 358 MSM through bar outreach. MSM with increased readiness to complete the two-dose series perceived lower practical barriers and reported greater healthcare provider communication about their sexual orientation and risk behavior. They also perceived higher benefits to vaccination and higher severity of infection, and had higher self-efficacy to complete the vaccine series. Relationships between stages of change and theory-based constructs from the health belief model and the social learning theory follow predicted patterns suggesting that these theories may provide useful frameworks for understanding vaccination readiness and intervention strategy development among MSM.     

The children of homosexual and heterosexual single mothers

Children reared in homes headed by homosexual and heterosexual mothers were compared with respect to the mothers' and children's attitudes towards marriage, procreation and homosexuality. The mothers did not prefer their chldren to be homosexual; they desired them to marry and procreate. This was expressed more unambiguously for their sons. The children mirrored these expectations, boys with greater frequency than the girls. Most of the children expressed reservations about having a homosexual mother.     

Treatment of homosexual and heterosexual sexual dysfunction in male-only groups of mixed sexual orientation

Males complaining of erectile and ejaculatory dysfunctions were treated in a structured therapy program. Twenty-one males of heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual orientation were divided into five groups, with two male therapists for each group. Patients were those usually considered difficult to treat in that 16 had a primary sexual dysfunction with an average duration of 6 years. Extensive evaluations were made before therapy, at the completion of therapy, and at 2-months follow-up. Pre-therapeutic, post-therapeutic, and follow-up measurements indicated that the program was highly successful.     

Low serum cobalamin levels occur frequently in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome and related disorders

Low serum cobalamin levels in 10 patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex led us to also prospectively survey 40 homosexual men in our AIDS clinic. 8 of the latter (20%) had low cobalamin values. We found no evidence of megaloblastic changes in the blood or bone marrow. Assessment disclosed malabsorption of cobalamin in only 1 of 6 cases tested for it. 6 of the patients were treated with cobalamin and had no hematologic response. It appears that low serum cobalamin levels in AIDS and related disorders do not usually represent overt cobalamin deficiency. While malabsorption is occasionally responsible for the low cobalamin level, in most cases the cause is unknown and may reflect a serum abnormality similar to that in multiple myeloma. AIDS and related disorders should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained low cobalamin levels.     

Homosexual behavior in a laboratory group of stumptail monkeys (Macaca arctoides): Forms,contexts, and possible social functions

Observations of stumptail monkeys revealed frequent prolonged, intensive genital stimulation between individuals of the same sex, both males and females, adults and infants, These homosexual interactions occurred in positive emotional contexts, were accompanied by positive emotional facial expressions, and often were evidently elicited by the observation of heterosexual behavior. Infants' first copulations were performed with adults of the same or opposite sex who actively aided them. This suggests that homosexual and heterosexual encounters function as training for adult sexual roles, and that homosexual behavior is a basic primate pattern not exclusive to man.This research was supported in part by the Interdisciplinary Training Program, Langley Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco, and by United States Public Health Service Training Grant MH-7082, from the National Institutes of Public Health.The stumptail macaque,Macaca arctoides, was formerly designatedMacaca speciosa I. Geoffroy, 1926. For nomenclature, see Fooden (1967a,b) and International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1970).This article was part of the symposium Biological and Cultural Bases of Sex Role Differentiation, presented at the Meetings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, December 1971, in Philadelphia.