Reflections on research ethics in a public health emergency: Experiences of Brazilian women affected by Zika.

In Brazil, the epicenter of the Zika crisis, brown, black, and indigenous poor women living in municipalities with scarce resources were disproportionally affected. The gendered consequences of the epidemic exposed how intersectional lenses are central to understand the impact of public health emergencies in the lives of women and girls. The demand for Zika-affected children and women to be research participants is relevant for an ethical analysis of participant protection procedures during a crisis. We investigated how women experienced research participation by analyzing their narratives. Two-year-long longitudinal qualitative study in Brazilian sites located in the epidemic's epicenter was performed using mixed methods: ethnography with women from two distinct states and individual semi-structured interviews with five women in different Zika-affected states, four of which were community leaders. All women in the study were mothers or grandmothers of Zika-affected children. Thematic analysis was used for data evaluation. Women perceived being pressured to participate in research and a lack of benefit sharing. Structural determinants of gender inequality, such as its effect on power distribution, were found to impact research participant protection. Formal procedures for research protocols approvals were insufficient in protecting participants because these instruments were unable to account for structural aspects. Communitarian mobilization, through WhatsApp groups, was found to be an important mechanism to create conditions to challenge oppressive structures. Strengthening public health, effective community-based participation in research planning and implantation of ethical strategies that promotes gender equality can have transformative effect on unequal power structures and promote participant protection.

Invisibility in global health: A case for disturbing bioethical frameworks.

In recent years, the global health community has increasingly reported the problem of 'invisibility': aspects of health and wellbeing, particularly amongst the world's most marginalized and impoverished people, that are systematically overlooked and ignored by people and institutions in relative positions of power. It is unclear how to realistically manage global health invisibility within bioethics and other social science disciplines and move forward. In this letter, we reflect on several case studies of invisibility experienced by people in Brazil, Malaysia, West Africa and other transnational contexts. Highlighting the complex nature of invisibility and its interconnectedness with social, political and economic issues and trends, we argue that while local and targeted interventions might provide relief and comfort locally, they will not be able to solve the underlying causes of invisibility. Building from the shared lessons of case study presentations at an Oxford-Johns Hopkins Global Infectious Disease Ethics Collaborative (GLIDE), we argue that in dealing with an intersectional issue such as invisibility, twenty-first century global health bioethics could pursue a more 'disturbing' framework, challenging the narrow comforting solutions which take as a given the sociomaterial inequalities of the status quo. We highlight that comforting and disturbing bioethical frameworks should not be considered as opposing sides, but as two approaches working in tandem in order to achieve the internationally set global health milestones of providing better health and wellbeing for everyone. Insights from sociology, anthropology, postcolonial studies, history, feminist studies and other styles of critical reasoning have long been disturbing to grand narratives of people and their conditions. To rediscover the ethos of the WHO Alma Ata Declaration-a vision of "health for all by the year 2000"-these thinking tools will be necessary aids in developing cooperation and support beyond the narrow market logic that dominates the landscape of contemporary global health.

The vulnerabilities of lives: Zika, women and children in Alagoas State, Brazil.

Until 2015, Zika was mostly unknown in Brazil and in the world. Since then, the Zika virus has been found to be vertically transmitted and to cause congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). This study aims to describe and analyze the vulnerabilities of the women and children most affected by the Zika epidemic in Brazil. Alagoas has the lowest Human Development Index in Brazil and one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy. Between December 2016 and March 2017, interviews were conducted with 54 women with children affected by Zika. The interviews had two components: a narrative-oriented conversation and a semi-structured questionnaire. This comprehensive mixed methods case study represented 45% of the confirmed CZS cases and 20% of the cases under investigation in the state at that time. The women are predominantly Afro-Brazilian; most experienced their first pregnancy during adolescence, and had little education. Many were not covered by social protection programs and were not receiving adequate health care. The rights and needs of these women and children are impacted by a systemic lack of access to services and medications. There is inadequate transportation to services that many families depend on. Discrimination against their children with disabilities is a new and complex concept in their lives. The Zika epidemic has compounded rights violations in their lives and worsened their social and economic layers of vulnerability. There is an urgent need for a robust public response to guarantee the rights of these women and children and to implement mechanisms to prevent and eliminate their vulnerabilities.

Understanding sexual and reproductive health needs of young women living in Zika affected regions: a qualitative study in northeastern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: In 2016, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to Zika's association with microcephaly and other neurological disorders. Brazil was the epicenter of this epidemic and the most affected region has the lowest Human Development Index and the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy. Despite the end of the epidemic, Brazil continues to be the epicenter of Zika illness. This study examined the barriers faced by young women who seek sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services living in affected areas and their attitudes towards SRH needs and the available services. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 young women, aged 14-24 years in three Zika affected municipalities in the Brazilian Northeast. This qualitative research used thematic analysis for data analysis. RESULTS: Almost half (n = 10) of the participants had their first pregnancy during adolescence (from 12 to 19), all of which were unintended. Lack of information and barriers to access family planning were found to contribute to the unmet need for contraception. Participants reported knowledge gaps about contraception. Zika was not considered a health concern and participants were unaware of the possibility of Zika's sexual transmission. CONCLUSIONS: The young women's knowledge and attitudes towards their SRH needs highlight the barriers to access care. It also implies that comprehensive, biopsychosocial and political, understanding is necessary in order to adequately provide SRH to this population and meet their needs. The government should place women at the center of any public health response to an emergency affecting women of reproductive age and focus on improving access to information and family planning services in a culturally and age appropriate manner.

The vulnerabilities of lives: Zika, women and children in Alagoas State, Brazil / As vulnerabilidades das vidas: Zika, mulheres e crianças no Estado de Alagoas, Brasil / Vulnerabilidades en vidas: Zika, mujeres y niños en el Estado de Alagoas, Brasil

Abstract: Until 2015, Zika was mostly unknown in Brazil and in the world. Since then, the Zika virus has been found to be vertically transmitted and to cause congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). This study aims to describe and analyze the vulnerabilities of the women and children most affected by the Zika epidemic in Brazil. Alagoas has the lowest Human Development Index in Brazil and one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy. Between December 2016 and March 2017, interviews were conducted with 54 women with children affected by Zika. The interviews had two components: a narrative-oriented conversation and a semi-structured questionnaire. This comprehensive mixed methods case study represented 45% of the confirmed CZS cases and 20% of the cases under investigation in the state at that time. The women are predominantly Afro-Brazilian; most experienced their first pregnancy during adolescence, and had little education. Many were not covered by social protection programs and were not receiving adequate health care. The rights and needs of these women and children are impacted by a systemic lack of access to services and medications. There is inadequate transportation to services that many families depend on. Discrimination against their children with disabilities is a new and complex concept in their lives. The Zika epidemic has compounded rights violations in their lives and worsened their social and economic layers of vulnerability. There is an urgent need for a robust public response to guarantee the rights of these women and children and to implement mechanisms to prevent and eliminate their vulnerabilities.

Resumo: Até 2015, o Zika vírus era praticamente desconhecido no Brasil e no mundo. Desde então, descobriu-se que o vírus é transmitido verticalmente, da gestante para o feto, e que causa a síndrome congênita do Zika vírus (SCZV). O estudo tem como objetivo descrever e analisar as vulnerabilidades das mulheres e crianças mais afetadas pela epidemia do Zika no Brasil. Alagoas é o estado do Brasil com o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano mais baixo, e com uma das maiores taxas de gravidez na adolescência. Entre dezembro de 2016 e março de 2017, foram realizadas entrevistas com 54 mulheres com crianças afetadas pelo Zika. As entrevistas tinham dois componentes: uma conversa orientada por narrativa e um questionário semiestruturado. Este estudo de casos com métodos mistos representa 45% dos casos confirmados de SCZV e 20% dos casos investigados no estado na época. As mulheres eram predominantemente afro-brasileiras, a maioria primigesta durante a adolescência e com baixa escolaridade. Muitas não estavam inscritas em programas de proteção social e não recebiam cuidados de saúde adequados. Os direitos e necessidades dessas mulheres e crianças são impactados pela falta sistemática de acesso a serviços e medicamentos. Há deficiências no transporte público até os serviços de saúde, dos quais dependem muitas famílias. A discriminação contra os filhos com a síndrome é um conceito novo e complexo na vida dessas mulheres. A epidemia do Zika agravou as violações de seus direitos e os fatores sociais e econômicos de sua vulnerabilidade. Há uma necessidade urgente de uma resposta pública robusta para garantir os direitos dessas mulheres e crianças e para implementar mecanismos para prevenir e eliminar as vulnerabilidades.

Resumen: Hasta el 2015, Zika era desconocido para la mayoría, tanto en Brasil, como en el resto del mundo. Desde entonces, se ha descubierto que el virus del Zika se trasmite verticalmente y causa el síndrome congénito por el virus Zika (SCZ). El objetivo de este estudio es describir y analizar las vulnerabilidades de las mujeres y niños más afectados por la epidemia de Zika en Brasil. Alagoas cuenta con el índice más bajo de desarrollo humano y una de las más altas tasas de embarazo adolescente. Entre diciembre de 2016 y marzo de 2017, se realizaron entrevistas a 54 mujeres con niños afectados por el Zika. Las entrevistas estuvieron compuestas por: una conversación orientada al relato y un cuestionario semiestructurado. En aquel momento este estudio de casos con métodos combinados integrales representó un 45% de los casos confirmados de SCZ, y un 20% de los casos en investigación, dentro del estado. Las mujeres eran predominantemente afrobrasileñas, la mayoría vivieron su primer embarazo durante la adolescencia, y contaban con poca formación educativa. Muchas no estaban inscritas en los programas de protección social y no estaban recibiendo cuidados de salud adecuados. Los derechos y necesidades de estas mujeres y niños estaban afectados por una carencia sistémica de acceso a servicios y medicamentos. Existe un transporte inadecuado a los servicios de los que dependen muchas familias. La discriminación contra sus hijos con discapacidades es una nueva y compleja vicisitud en sus vidas. La epidemia de Zika ha agravado las violaciones de derechos en sus vidas y empeorado varios de sus factores de vulnerabilidad social y económica. Existe una necesidad urgente de una respuesta pública rotunda, con el fin de garantizar los derechos de esas mujeres y niños, así como implementar mecanismos, con el fin de prevenir y eliminar sus vulnerabilidades.

Understanding the sexual and reproductive health needs in Brazil's Zika-affected region: placing women at the center of the discussion.

Zika is no longer high on the public health agenda. There is a lack of information about Zika infection transmission, prevention, and its effects in Brazil.

Restless legs syndrome in combined hormonal contraception users.

The goal of the study was to estimate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) among women of childbearing age taking combined hormonal or combined oral contraception (CHC). A survey that included demographic information, contraceptive use history, the four criteria necessary for RLS diagnosis and an International RLS study group severity scale was distributed to 145 women taking CHC and 169 matched control women not on CHC. A high prevalence of moderate to severe RLS of 20.7% was found. A significant correlation between CHC use and RLS was not found (p = 0.53). RLS severity was not significantly associated with CHC use either (p = 0.2127). Women with RLS were significantly heavier compared with those without RLS (p = 0.0015). RLS severity weakly correlated with body mass index (R = 0.26, p = 0.044). Hormonal contraceptive therapy does not increase the risk of developing RLS symptoms.

Polarized apical sorting of guanylyl cyclase C is specified by a cytosolic signal.

Receptor guanylyl cyclases respond to ligand stimulation by increasing intracellular cGMP, thereby initiating a variety of cell-signaling pathways. Furthermore, these proteins are differentially localized at the apical and basolateral membranes of epithelial cells. We have identified a region of 11 amino acids in the cytosolic COOH terminus of guanylyl cyclase C (GCC) required for normal apical localization in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. These amino acids share no significant sequence homology with previously identified cytosolic apical sorting determinants. However, these amino acids are highly conserved and are sufficient to confer apical polarity to the interleukin-2 receptor alpha-chain (Tac). Additionally, we find two molecular weight species of GCC in lysates prepared from MDCK cells over-expressing GCC but observe only the fully mature species on the cell surface. Using pulse-chase analysis in polarized MDCK cells, we followed the generation of this mature species over time finding it to be detectable only at the apical cell surface. These data support the hypothesis that selective apical sorting can be determined using short, cytosolic amino acid motifs and argue for the existence of apical sorting machinery comparable with the machinery identified for basolateral protein traffic.