Interview with the Berlin Patient in Houston

Timothy Ray Brown, aka “The Berlin Patient,” is the first person to be declared cured of HIV. A Seattle native living in Berlin until his recent move to San Francisco, he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006 while living with HIV. Timothy underwent an innovative treatment for his cancer that resulted in not only a remission of his leukemia, but also having HIV completely eliminated from his body.
We were happy to have Brown speak on September 22 in Houston at two HIV-cure advocacy lectures sponsored by LIVE Consortium for the LGBT community and doctors at Baylor School of Medicine. His speech moved many in the audience to tears as they heard about his struggle and triumph. At the end of the speech, he was made an honorary citizen of Houston by Mayor Annise Parker. Following is a short interview with Brown.


Read more here:

http://outsmartmagazine.com/2011/11/the-%E2%80%98berlin-patient%E2%80%99/

Sexual Dysfunction in HIV

Sexual disturbances develop in some patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy. To evaluate sexual dysfunction and the influence that different antiretrovirals could have on those parameters, a study was conducted a prospective study in patients with stable clinical condition attending an HIV outpatient clinic. A total of 351 evaluations were performed in 189 HIV-infected men, who were interviewed about symptoms of sexual dysfunction. Sex hormones as well as other clinical and laboratory parameters were also measured at the time of each evaluation. The mean CD4 count was 451 cells/L, and viral load was undetectable in two thirds of the determinations. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 19.5% overall, but it was influenced by treatment, particularly (although not exclusively) byprotease inhibitors (PIs) (27.1% vs. 3.8% for untreated patients). Sexual dysfunction was not related to testosterone blood levels. Although several parameters were associated with sexual dysfunction in the univariate analysis, only antiretroviral treatment was significantly predictive of this disorder in a logistic regression analysis. Sexual dysfunction is common in HIV-infected patients in stable clinical condition receiving HAART, and all antiretroviral drugs, particularly PIs, seem to be related to it.

More here: http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Nutrition/Q217890.html

Cognitive Therapy Gives Boost to 50-Year-Olds With Long-Term HIV

Small sample but very hopeful

Subject: NATAP/Aging Wk: Cognitive therapy in Aging Patients >50

Cognitive Therapy Gives Boost to 50-Year-Olds With Long-Term HIV 

2nd International Workshop on HIV and Aging, October 27-28, 2011, Baltimore, Maryland

Mark Mascolini

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy proved popular and effective in improving quality of life in a randomized trial involving 40 men and women around 50 years old in Barcelona [1]. Whether positive effects of this intensive therapeutic course last more than a few months in people with HIV remains to be seen.

Anxiety and depression rates are high among people with HIV and may increase as HIV-positive people age. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy--designed for people with depression--combines cognitive therapy with meditation and other practices aimed at cultivating mindfulness. Psychologists variously define mindfulness as focusing complete attention on the present moment or staying aware of thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the present moment--instead of mulling past or future concerns [2].

Carmina Fumaz and colleagues at Badalona's Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital planned this randomized trial of 20 men and 20 women with HIV infection for at least 15 years and with quality-of-life deficits marked by scores at or above 65 on the Nottingham Health Profile. The researchers excluded people with bipolar disorder, a documented psychotic episode or epileptic episode, or ongoing psychotherapy. They randomized 10 men and 10 women to a control arm involving only assessment and 10 men and 10 women to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Fumaz and colleagues evaluated study participants 3 and 6 months after the intervention.

Cognitive therapy involved eight 3-hour weekly classes, a day-long retreat, and an hour or more of "homework" 6 days a week. The goal of these exercises was to encourage people "to appreciate the present moment instead of focusing on worries about [the] future or past."

Everyone invited to participate agreed to join the study. Median age stood at 50 years (interquartile range [IQR] 46 to 52), median HIV duration at 20 years (IQR 16 to 24), and median time on antiretroviral therapy at 16 years (IQR 12 to 18). Median current CD4 count was 527 (IQR 364 to 633), 39 people (98%) had a viral load below 25 copies, and 17 (43%) had a stable partner. These numbers did not differ significantly between the intervention group and the control group. Nor did measures of energy, pain, emotional reactions, sleep, social isolation, and physical mobility on the Nottingham Health Profile. Only 1 person (in the cognitive therapy group) dropped out.

At post-treatment evaluations, all of the just-noted psychosocial variables improved significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group. All 20 people in the cognitive therapy group had a poor energy score before treatment and none did afterwards. Among seven aspects of daily living, four improved significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group: work, relationships at home, interests and hobbies, and ability to take holidays. The positive impact of cognitive therapy did not differ by gender. 

Fumaz and colleagues concluded that mindfulness therapy may be a useful strategy in aging people with HIV infection.

At the Aging Workshop, David Clifford (Washington University, St. Louis) noted that this intervention requires a big time commitment and wondered whether recruitment favored selection of people attuned to this type of therapy. Notably, half of the study participants were retired.

Fumaz agreed that this strategy takes time (she did not discuss cost) but said their center now has a waiting list of people who want to try it. Health workers in the hospital are also eager to sign up for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Fumaz noted that 200 hospitals in the United States have mindfulness-based cognitive therapy programs. 

The researchers plan to monitor study participants to see if the reported benefits persist longer than 1 year. Three-year follow-up of 18 of 22 US patients in a trial of mindfulness-based meditation for anxiety disorders found sustained good responses on Hamilton and Beck Anxiety and Depression scores, the Hamilton pain score, the Mobility Index-Accompanied test, and the Fear Survey [3].

References
1. Fumaz CR, Gonzalez-Garcia M, Munoz-Moreno JA, et al. Improvement of quality of life after the application of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in subjects aging with HIV infection. 2nd International Workshop on HIV and Aging. October 27-28, 2011. Baltimore, Maryland. Abstract: O_09.
2. Baer RA. Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: a conceptual and empirical review. Clin Psychol Sci Prac. 2003;10:125-143. http://www.wisebrain.org/papers/MindfulnessPsyTx.pdf.
3. Miller JJ, Fletcher K, Kabat-Zinn J. Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 1995;17:192-200. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7649463.

Healthy Eating and Exercise Videos by Nelson Vergel and Mark King

Healthy Eating Video



Exercise Video

Is the Cure for HIV Possible in our LIfetime?

IDSA: HIV Patients Face Early Anal Cancer Risk

By Ed Susman, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today
Published: October 25, 2011

BOSTON -- Anal intraepithelial neoplasia seems to develop during in the first year of HIV infection, according to the results of a cross-sectional study.

Among 82 patients in the study group, 32.4% were diagnosed with high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia and 35.4% were diagnosed with low-grade disease, said John Lough, a medical student at Rush Memorial College in Chicago, in his presentation at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In addition, 3.7% were observed with atypia and 18% of the group had normal pathology.

Action Points  

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• Note that this study was published as an abstract and presented at a conference. These data and conclusions should be considered to be preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Explain that anal intraepithelial neoplasia seems to develop during the first year of HIV infection, according to the results of a cross-sectional study.
• Note that individuals who had more than one unprotected receptive anal sex partner during the past six months had a 4.53-fold increased risk of developing high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia.

"Intervention with early treatment and possibly vaccination may be able to prevent the future development of anal cancer in this high-risk population," Lough said. He noted that high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia is considered a direct precursor of anal cancer.
Lough and colleagues recruited the 82 men (average age 36 years) from the Options Project, an NIH study of individuals with confirmed, primary HIV infection within the previous year. Nearly 70% of the patients in the cohort were white and about 16% were Hispanic.
About 32% of the men admitted to use of drugs, such as amphetamines, while 30% were tobacco smokers at the time of the study. Additionally, 40% of the patients were on highly active antiretroviral therapy. The median CD4-positive cell count was about 550 cells/mm³.
The patients underwent a comprehensive clinical examination, an external visual examination, and biopsies of visible anal lesions with high-resolution anoscopy. The researchers used logistic regression to find risk factors for the development of high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia.
The authors found that patients who had been infected with HIV for longer than six months had 5.91-fold risk of developing high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia when compared with patients who had been diagnosed for less than six months (P=0.01).
He said that 22% of the patients diagnosed with HIV infection for less than six months tested positive for high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia compared with 51.6% of patients who had been infected for more than six months (P<0.01).
Individuals who had more than one unprotected receptive anal sex partner during the past six months had a 4.53-fold increased risk of developing high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (P=0.06).
"High-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia likely develops in the later part of early HIV infection," Lough suggested. He said that CD4-positive cells counts were not particularly helpful in determining the lesion grade.
"There is a need to continue to build capacity for screening for anal cancer especially among HIV-infected men who have sex with men," Lough concluded.
Screening patients for anal intraepithelial neoplasia is controversial, commented IDSA session moderator Joel Gallant, MD, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
"Many of us assume we should be screening for this because of what we know about cervical cancer which is such a similar disease," he told MedPage Today. "We extrapolate from cervical cancer that we should be doing this screening."
But there is currently no evidence that screening can help prevent anal cancer, Gallant said, pointing out that some professional guidelines recommend it while others do not. One problem with anal cancer screening is that high-resolution anoscopy requires special training and equipment that may not be widely available, he added.

Primary source: Infectious Diseases Society of America
Source reference:
Lough J, et al "Prevalence of high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia increases further in early HIV infection" IDSA 2011; Abstract 1391.  

HIV Cure and Aging Research Update- Fort Lauderdale Nov 9, 2011

Fw: Hot Topics at The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums

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From: "News at The Body" <update@news.thebody.com>

Date: 18 Oct 2011 18:15:38 -0400

To: <nelsonvergel@yahoo.com>

ReplyTo: "News at The Body" <update@news.thebody.com>

Subject: Hot Topics at The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums

If you have trouble reading this e-mail, you can see the online version at: www.thebody.com/topics.html

October 18, 2011 Visit the Forums "Hot Topics" Library Change/Update Subscription
Living With HIV/AIDS Mixed-Status Couples Body Shape Changes & HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS Treatment & Side Effects Other Health Issues & HIV/AIDS Understanding HIV/AIDS Labs HIV & Hepatitis C Transmission LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS  Which Diet and Supplement Regimen Will Help Me Build Muscle? I weight train four times a week, do cardio and take supplements, and I would like to build more muscle. It seems that consuming more calories or taking products like Muscle Milk aren't the answer because they may result in more visceral fat, which is already a concern for me given the metabolic changes caused by my HIV meds. Can you suggest an approach to diet and supplement use that would help me increase muscle without adding belly fat? Nelson Vergel responds in the "Nutrition and Exercise" forum MIXED-STATUS COUPLES  Can You Give Me the Pregnancy Info My Conservative Doc Wouldn't? I was diagnosed with HIV six years ago while living abroad. I remember the professionalism and kindness of the doctor who gave me hope and sound advice. Upon returning to east Texas, I eventually found and married a wonderful lady who's HIV negative. We want to have a child together but when I asked my doctor about this she said I should forget about it. It would be expensive, and I couldn't possibly "do something like that in this conservative part of the country." This was personally hurtful, but I listened to her. Now I have so much regret. I'm 42 and my wife is 40. Is it too late for us to have a baby? If not, what should we do next? David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Mental Health and HIV" forum BODY SHAPE CHANGES & HIV/AIDS  Could My Dental Work Cause My Facial Filler to Get Infected? I read somewhere that dental work, even just teeth cleaning, may cause infection in an existing Bio-Alcamid (poly-Alkyl-Imide) implant in the cheek. How is this possible and what can be done to prevent it? Gerald Pierone, M.D., responds in the "Facial Wasting" forum  I Survived Prostate Cancer: Does This Mean I Shouldn't Take Egrifta? I had my prostate removed successfully two years ago. I've recently gained a lot of belly fat, but because of my prostate cancer history I've been told I can't be a candidate to take Egrifta (tesamorelin). Why would this be? Do you have any suggestions for dealing with my weight situation? Nelson Vergel responds in the "Nutrition and Exercise" forum Detail from: "Self Divided," 1999; Brent Nicholson Earle Visit the October 2011 Visual AIDS Web Gallery to view our latest collection of art by HIV-positive artists! This month's gallery, entitled "Stereopsis," is curated by Andrew Blackley. HIV/AIDS TREATMENT & SIDE EFFECTS  Did My HIV Med Resistance Go Away? I became HIV positive about six years ago. I'm not on HIV meds yet; my CD4 count is 800, my percentage is 30 and my viral load is stable at 5,000. When I first tested positive, a resistance test showed M41L and T215 mutations. I recently had another test which showed no mutations. My doctor explained that this is common as the virus can mutate to a stronger wild-type virus and compete with the original, weaker version, but he did say the mutations would still be archived. Is all this correct? If so, what are my treatment options? Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D., responds in the "Choosing Your Meds" forum  Could My HIV Meds Be Causing Depression and Fatigue? I was diagnosed with HIV 18 months ago and have been taking Isentress (raltegravir) and Truvada (tenofovir/FTC) with good results. The problem has been increasingly severe problems with fatigue and depression. I've been a steady gym-goer for over 25 years, but lately I seldom have the energy to get through a workout. I also battle serious bouts of depression that last several days. I've tried therapists and antidepressants with no real benefit. We've looked at hormone levels but so far nothing is abnormal. I know there was one published study of temporary worsening of existing depression with Isentress. Do you know of any further data on this phenomenon? David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Mental Health and HIV" forum More Questions About HIV/AIDS Treatment & Side Effects: What Effect Does Atripla Have on Joints and Blood Sugar? Did My HIV Meds Make Me Stop Sweating? OTHER HEALTH ISSUES & HIV/AIDS  Depression Worsening as I Deal With Health Concerns: How Can I Cope? I've stopped taking my HIV meds and antidepressants on my doctor's recommendation because my liver is damaged. I was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 and have been on the same HIV med regimen since 2004; the liver damage happened all of a sudden. We've been looking for answers since June and there are no conclusive ones. I've been working in HIV prevention since I was diagnosed; I did this work as my way to "get back at the disease" and recently, because of my liver, I've missed a lot of work. I'm in therapy because of all this but can only take Ativan (lorazepam) for anxiety. I'm at a loss as to how to lift my spirits. Do you have any suggestions? David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Mental Health and HIV" forum  Anal Itching Driving Me to Distraction: How Can I Treat It? In the last year I've had two episodes of anal candidiasis after taking antibiotics. They each lasted two weeks and caused intense itching in my anus. Two months ago I tested HIV positive with a CD4 count of 200 and started on Atripla (efavirenz/tenofovir/FTC) immediately. I had to be on antibiotics again last week and now my anus is again itching unbearably. How can I treat this condition? Is it likely to get better now that I'm on HIV meds? Keith Henry, M.D., responds in the "Managing Side Effects of HIV Treatment" forum  Heavy Drinking and Redness on Hands: Could It Be Liver Failure? I'm 40 years old and I was diagnosed with HIV less than a year ago. I have 686 CD4 cells and an undetectable viral load. I had a full organ panel in May, including liver tests, and all the results were normal to good. I have, however, been drinking heavily (six to 10 beers per evening, four to six days a week). My concern is a slight redness in my fingers and palms, which I've read could be a symptom of liver failure. Could I have developed cirrhosis in only a few months? David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Substance Use and HIV" forum I Disclosed My HIV Status to a Partner After We Had Unprotected Sex: What Now? (A recent post from the "Living With HIV" board) I just told someone who I had unprotected sex with about 24 hours ago that I am positive and she is freaking out. I am very worried about being prosecuted. I live in NYC; I didn't orgasm; I asked her for a condom and she didn't provide one; my viral load is undetectable and I was diagnosed six months ago. I really really hope that she doesn't press charges, and that she doesn't get infected. I really screwed up, I know that. That is the first unprotected sex I've had since I found out, and I know it was selfish. I just couldn't bear to tell her after knowing her for only a week, as I was afraid she'd look at me differently. What can I do in this situation? What should I be prepared for? What could I do differently next time? -- dmb147 Click here to join this discussion, or to start your own! To do this, you'll need to register with TheBody.com's bulletin boards if you're a new user. Registration is quick and anonymous (all you need is an e-mail address) -- click here to get started! UNDERSTANDING HIV/AIDS LABS  Could a Flu Shot Reduce My CD4 Count? I've been taking HIV meds for a year. In that time, my CD4 count has gone from 70 to 419. My viral load is now at 30. My question is, can a flu shot cause a person's CD4 count to decrease? If so, how long does this effect last? Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C., responds in the "Understanding Your Labs" forum HIV & HEPATITIS C TRANSMISSION  Hepatitis C, Sex and My Period: Is My Partner at Greater Risk? If a woman has hepatitis C and has unprotected sex with her partner while on her period, is the partner at greater risk for getting hepatitis C than at other times of the month? Barbara McGovern, M.D., responds in the "Hepatitis and HIV Coinfection" forum  Anxiety After a Rape: Does the Window Period Ever Get Bigger? I was raped in the fall of last year. In the months since then I've been tortured by fear and anxiety over whether I'm now HIV positive. I finally mustered up the courage to get tested a few weeks ago, and the test came back negative. I'm just so worried that the lady administering the test may have lied to me. Has there ever been a case where the "window period" grew wider than six months? David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Mental Health and HIV" forum Worried Your Spam Filter Might Trash Our Mailings? The Body's e-mail updates are especially prone to being caught up in spam filters, since our newsletters tend to refer frequently to sex, drugs, the human anatomy and so forth. To make sure you never miss one of our mailings because anti-spam software labeled it as junk mail, add update@news.thebody.com to your address book, talk to the person who manages your e-mail security or check your anti-spam program's instructions for more information. About This E-mail This e-mail update has been sent to nelsonvergel@yahoo.com. Want to change your subscription? Click here or send us a message at updates@thebody.com. Missed an update? Our archive of past updates will keep you in the loop. Have any other questions or comments, and don't want to send an e-mail? Feel free to snail-mail us at: The Body's E-Mail Updates The HealthCentral Network, Inc. 250 West 57th Street New York, NY 10107	Sign On: Treatment Prevents Transmission -- Obama, Stand Up for Treatment Expansion Worldwide  Action Alert: Tell Gov. Cuomo to Consider Transgender Medicaid Proposal  Take Action! PWN Stands With Planned Parenthood  Tell Your Representative to Join the Congressional AIDS Caucus  Action Alert: Tell Congress NO on Cuts to Medicaid!  Community Input for 2012 International AIDS Conference  You Are Invited! The Inaugural HIV Prevention Justice Leadership Assembly  Call for Abstracts: 2012 National African-American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and Other Health Disparities in New Orleans  AIDS Healthcare Foundation Announces March on Washington

CD4 cell manipulation and reinfusion...will they make a difference in long term survival?

Very cool article on Matt's CD4 cell manipulation and reinfusion

Will this be a solution for people whose CD4 cells have remained low even after years of undectectable viral load? Are these "HIV resistant" CD4 cells functional in the long run? Well, Matt thinks his health has improved and he no longer has sinus infections like he used to before he joined the study.  We may soon need all of you to support this new concept, so be ready!

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hiv-treatment/hiv-cure/3275-gambling-for-a-cure-for-hiv?ic=700100

Fw: News & Views: Speeding Up Cure Research; 10 Q's Before Starting Meds; Having a Baby; and More

---

From: "News at The Body" <update@news.thebody.com>

Date: 13 Oct 2011 13:02:29 -0400

To: <nelsonvergel@yahoo.com>

ReplyTo: "News at The Body" <update@news.thebody.com>

Subject: News & Views: Speeding Up Cure Research; 10 Q's Before Starting Meds; Having a Baby; and More

If you have trouble reading this email, you can see the online version at: www.thebody.com/updates.html

October 13, 2011 Top Stories at TheBody.com News & Views Library Change/Update Subscription
On the Personal Side HIV Treatment & Health Issues News & Views HIV/STD Transmission & Education ON THE PERSONAL SIDE  Jermaine Wright: How My Baby Girl Was Conceived -- After My HIV Diagnosis "We rarely hear about men conceiving while HIV positive," Jermaine Wright observes in his latest video blog. Yet Wright's fourth daughter was born in August; she's the first child he fathered since being diagnosed with HIV. In this entry, Wright walks readers through the nerve-wracking -- and less than perfect -- steps he took while he and his partner conceived their baby (both mom and daughter stayed negative).  Rae Lewis-Thornton: I Once Prepared to Die Young; Now I Prepare for Menopause "I remember when I first started speaking I would go to high schools and ask the freshman to stand, and I'd say, 'By the time you graduate I'll be dead,'" Rae Lewis-Thornton remembers. "But a funny thing happened on the way to death: I lived!" Now, Rae's facing another "change of life," one she never thought she'd live to see: menopause.   Kaleo: HIV in Hawaii (Video) Kaleo, an eighth-generation native Hawaiian, has been living with HIV since 1989. In this video interview, he shares his views on how Hawaiian culture deals with HIV and homosexuality. It's one of three new interviews with HIVers featured in our latest collection of videos from The Positive Project.  Ellisya: My Early Years -- and Why I Am Sharing Them Every person's tale is uniquely their own. Blogger and HIV/AIDS activist Ellisya recounts poignant memories from her childhood growing up in Malaysia. This raw story of survival follows her from grade school to young motherhood, before she learned that she and her daughter were HIV positive. How Should I Mark My One-Year HIV Anniversary? (A recent post from the "Living With HIV" board) "The day I found out I am HIV positive is coming up in a few days. It will mark year one. The year has been marked with eventful highs and lows. To be honest, I don't know how I should feel about it. I know I feel a little anxious. Which is silly in a way that a particular day is any more important than another. ... How do you all mark or don't mark the day? I am thinking about doing something special just for me, to add a positive note to the day instead of marking the bad -- or should I just treat it with the same regard I do any other day?"  -- kicker Click here to join this discussion, or to start your own! To do this, you'll need to register with TheBody.com's bulletin boards if you're a new user. Registration is quick and anonymous (all you need is an email address) -- click here to get started! HIV TREATMENT & HEALTH ISSUES  10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Begin HIV Treatment An HIV diagnosis comes with its very own set of questions to ask yourself and decisions to make. Among the biggest is: When should you start treatment? It's a Russian nesting doll of a decision, with many other questions tucked inside. HIV/AIDS advocate Heidi Nass guides us through the most important ones.  What Can We Do Now to Speed Up HIV Cure Research? (Video) "I came to the realization that we needed a video that would wake people up to the challenges ahead of us to get to a cure for HIV that is accessible and practical," advocate Nelson Vergel writes. So Vergel did just that: He traveled around the country interviewing key players in the HIV community as part of a documentary he's directing on the cure. Here he shares a preview of his work.  You're Young, You're Latino, You've Got HIV. Where Do You Go for Help? "Once they learn their diagnosis, one of our biggest problems is getting them to adhere to the medication," says Arlene Martínez, youth transitional case manager at AltaMed Health Services in East Los Angeles. Martínez discusses the challenges HIV-positive young Latinos face in taking all their meds, and the huge obstacles that can prevent undocumented youths from accessing HIV care services in general.  HPV Spurs New Cases of Mouth and Throat Cancer in the U.S. In the HIV community, we know human papillomavirus (HPV) mainly as the chief culprit behind rising rates of anal cancer in both men and women. But a recent U.S. study finds that HPV's dangers extend to the other end as well: The virus is now the leading cause of cancers of the throat, mouth and neck, researchers suggest. More Headlines on HIV Treatment and Health Issues: Gambling for a Cure for HIV: Matt Sharp's Journey Through Experimental Gene Therapy (From HIVandHepatitis.com) U.S. Researchers Receive $10 Million to Study Alcohol's Effects on People With HIV (From TheBody.com) Overweight People Have Best CD4 Gains 12 Months After Starting HIV Therapy (From aidsmap) Indian Generic Drug Maker Enters Global Patent Pool; Move May Greatly Expand HIV Treatment Access (From DNA) Researchers Note First Drop in Global Tuberculosis Rates in Decades (From The Washington Post) Detail from: "Seat-Leg Table," 1989 Scott Burton Visit the October 2011 Visual AIDS Web Gallery to view our latest collection of art by HIV-positive artists! This month's gallery, entitled "Stereopsis," is curated by Andrew Blackley. NEWS & VIEWS  Inside the Activists' Summit: Empowering Women to Become Leaders in the HIV/AIDS Movement As we send this newsletter, an important meeting is taking place in Baton Rouge, La., to address the serious lack of input from, and leadership by, women living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. We sat down with some of the central women behind this key gathering to talk about its significance.  HIV/AIDS Organization Spotlight: Bronx AIDS Services This year, Bronx AIDS Services in New York celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Bronx is no stranger to the HIV/AIDS epidemic: At the end of 2009, 22,248 of New York City's 108,886 HIV-positive people were living in the Bronx. In this article, we interview Jose Davila, the executive director of Bronx AIDS Services, to go in-depth about the work his organization does.  HIV-Positive Teacher Files Discrimination Lawsuit Against Chicago School System An HIV-positive elementary school teacher in Chicago filed a discrimination lawsuit against the city's school district this week. Jumeck Smith claimed that his school's principal denied him accommodations granted by the CPS because of his HIV status. Smith, who is black, also claimed that the principal treated him less favorably than teachers who were not African American. More News & Views Headlines: Funding Boost Put More Than 1,000 ADAP Wait-Listers on Treatment Last Week (From the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors) GMHC Mourns the Loss of Paula L. Ettelbrick, Prominent Activist and Community Leader (From Gay Men's Health Crisis) Video: Controversial Journalist Andrew Sullivan Calls Being Diagnosed With HIV His "Worst Day" (From TheBody.com) New Book Highlights Latino HIV/AIDS Advocates Who Have Transformed the Epidemic (From TheBody.com) Latino HIV/AIDS Service Organization Closes San Diego Center (From EDGE San Diego) Rob (From Canada) on "Remembering Robert Frascino, M.D." "I placed his picture in a frame and hang it where I can see him often and remember, gratefully, how he helped me during the most difficult days of my life. I miss him greatly." Read through more beautiful posts from hundreds of your fellow readers who have paid their respects to Dr. Bob, one of the HIV/AIDS community's most tireless educators and advocates, who passed away on Sept. 17. HIV/STD TRANSMISSION & EDUCATION  California's Governor Signs Two Bills That Promote Needle Exchange and Harm Reduction While most states do not support needle exchange programs to reduce HIV and hepatitis infections, Gov. Jerry Brown is moving California in the other direction: He recently signed two bills making clean syringes more accessible, an approach that has been frequently linked to reductions in HIV risk among drug users. More HIV/STD Transmission & Education Headlines: Questions Surround Effort to Prevent HIV With Antiretroviral Drugs (From The New York Times) Chicago Panel Addresses High Rates of HIV in African Americans (From the Windy City Times) HIV/AIDS Prevention Initiative Averts 100,000 Infections in India (From the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation) Worried Your Spam Filter Might Trash Our Mailings? TheBody.com's email updates are especially prone to being caught up in spam filters, since our newsletters tend to refer frequently to sex, drugs, the human anatomy and so forth. To make sure you never miss one of our mailings because anti-spam software labeled it as junk mail, add update@news.thebody.com to your address book, talk to the person who manages your email security or check your anti-spam program's instructions for more information. About This Email This email update has been sent to nelsonvergel@yahoo.com. Want to change your subscription? Click here or send us a message at updates@thebody.com. Missed an update? Our archive of past updates will keep you in the loop. Have any other questions or comments, and don't want to send an email? Feel free to snail-mail us at: TheBody.com's Email Updates The HealthCentral Network, Inc. 250 West 57th Street New York, NY 10107	Sign On: Treatment Prevents Transmission -- Obama, Stand Up for Treatment Expansion Worldwide  Action Alert: Tell Gov. Cuomo to Consider Transgender Medicaid Proposal  Take Action! PWN Stands With Planned Parenthood  Tell Your Representative to Join the Congressional AIDS Caucus  Action Alert: Tell Congress NO on Cuts to Medicaid!  Community Input for 2012 International AIDS Conference  You Are Invited! The Inaugural HIV Prevention Justice Leadership Assembly  Call for Abstracts: 2012 National African-American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and Other Health Disparities in New Orleans  AIDS Healthcare Foundation Announces March on Washington