Trends in Black-White Disparities in HIV Diagnosis by Selected Characteristics, 2017‒2021-United States.

Objective(s): To identify trends in HIV diagnosis disparities among subpopulations of Black/African American and White persons by selected characteristics (i.e., sex assigned at birth, age group, and region of residence) in the United States during 2017‒2021.

Pharmacologic Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury.

Neuroprotective strategies aimed at preventing secondary neurologic injury following acute spinal cord injury remain an important area of clinical, translational, and basic science research. Despite recent advancement in the understanding of basic mechanisms of primary and secondary neurologic injury, few pharmacologic agents have shown consistent promise in improving neurologic outcomes following SCI in large randomized clinical trials. The authors review the existing literature and clinical guidelines for pharmacologic therapy investigated for managing acute SCI, including corticosteroids, GM-1 ganglioside (Sygen), Riluzole, opioid antagonists, Cethrin, minocycline, and vasopressors for mean arterial pressure augmentation.

Spinal cord metrics derived from diffusion MRI: improvement in prognostication in cervical spondylotic myelopathy compared with conventional MRI.

Objective: A major shortcoming in optimizing care for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the lack of robust quantitative imaging tools offered by conventional MRI. Advanced MRI modalities, such as diffusion MRI (dMRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI), may help address this limitation by providing granular evaluations of spinal cord microstructure.

Methods: Forty-seven patients with CSM underwent comprehensive clinical assessments and dMRI, followed by DTI and DBSI modeling.

Inhibition of DXR in the MEP pathway with lipophilic -alkoxyaryl FR900098 analogs.

In () and (), the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway is responsible for isoprene synthesis. This pathway and its products are vital to bacterial/parasitic metabolism and survival, and represent an attractive set of drug targets due to their essentiality in these pathogens but absence in humans. The second step in the MEP pathway is the conversion of 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate (DXP) to MEP and is catalyzed by 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR).

Using the Index of Concentration at the Extremes to Evaluate Associations of Economic and Hispanic/Latino-White Racial Segregation with HIV Outcomes Among Adults Aged ≥ 18 Years with Diagnosed HIV - United States, 2021.

Objective(s): To examine associations between Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) measures (proxy for structural racism) for economic and Hispanic/Latino-White racial segregation and HIV outcomes among adults in the U.S.

Methods: Census tract-level HIV diagnoses, linkage to HIV medical care within 1 month of diagnosis (linkage), and viral suppression within 6 months of diagnosis (viral suppression) data for 2021 from the National HIV Surveillance System were used.

Validation of the Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification score in children: a single-institution experience at a level 1 pediatric trauma center.

Objective: The Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification (SLIC) score has not been previously validated for a pediatric population. The authors compared the SLIC treatment recommendations for pediatric subaxial cervical spine trauma with real-world pediatric spine surgery practice.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study at a pediatric level 1 trauma center was conducted in patients < 18 years of age evaluated for trauma from 2012 to 2021.

Single institution experience of MRI-guided radiotherapy for thoracic tumors and clinical characteristics impacting treatment duty cycle.

Introduction: MRI-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) allows for direct motion management and real-time radiation treatment plan adaptation. We report our institutional experience using low strength 0.35T MRgRT for thoracic malignancies, and evaluate changes in treatment duty cycle between first and final MRgRT fractions.

Diffusion MRI Metrics Characterize Postoperative Clinical Outcomes After Surgery for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Background And Objectives: Advanced diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) modeling, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI), may help guide rehabilitation strategies after surgical decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Currently, however, postoperative DWI is difficult to interpret, owing to signal distortions from spinal instrumentation. Therefore, we examined the relationship between postoperative DTI/DBSI-extracted from the rostral C3 spinal level-and clinical outcome measures at 2-year follow-up after decompressive surgery for CSM.

Exploring the rationale for prescribing ankle-foot orthoses and supramalleolar orthoses in children with cerebral palsy: A narrative synthesis of rationale statements.

Background: To help improve outcomes for children with cerebral palsy (CP), ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and supramalleolar orthoses (SMOs) are prescribed. However, it is not clear why one intervention is prescribed over the other.

Objectives: To explore the rationale for prescribing AFOs and SMOs in children with CP and its link to the choice of outcome measure used.

Establishing a Benchmark for Iatrogenic Hemodilution and Blood Transfusion in Long-Segment Spine Fusion Surgery.

Study Design: Single-center retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To identify risk factors for transfusion during long-segment thoracolumbar fusion surgery and benchmark cutoffs that could be used by the operative team to guide the use of transfusion.

Summary Of Background Data: Perioperative transfusion for patients undergoing long-segment thoracolumbar fusion surgery is common.

Interstate Mobility of People With Diagnosed HIV in the United States, 2011-2019.

Objective: Assessing mobility among people with HIV is an important consideration when measuring HIV incidence, prevalence, and the care continuum in the United States. Our aims were to measure mobility among people with HIV compared with the general population and to examine factors associated with migration among people with HIV.

Methods: We calculated state-to-state move-in and move-out migration rates for 2011 through 2019 using National HIV Surveillance System data for people with HIV and using US Census data for the general population.

Mid-term and Long-term Outcomes After Total Cervical Disk Arthroplasty Compared With Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Study Design: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare mid-term to long-term outcomes of cervical disk arthroplasty (CDA) with those of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of symptomatic cervical degenerative disk disease.

Summary Of Background Data: After ACDF to treat symptomatic cervical degenerative disk disease, the loss of motion at the index level due to fusion may accelerate adjacent-level disk degeneration.

The associations of income and Black-White racial segregation with HIV outcomes among adults aged ≥18 years-United States and Puerto Rico, 2019.

Objective(s): To examine associations between Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) measures for economic and racial segregation and HIV outcomes in the United States (U.S.) and Puerto Rico.

Epidemiology of Gunshot-Related Spinal Injuries and Related Risk Factors for In-Hospital Mortality in the United States from 2015-2019: A National Trauma Data Bank Analysis.

Firearm injuries in the U.S. pose a significant public health burden, but data on gunshot wounds (GSWs) specifically involving the spine are scarce.

Racial/ethnic disparities in estimated undiagnosed HIV infection among adolescents and adults in the United States, 2017-2021.

In 2021, there were an estimated 153 500 persons aged at least 13 years with undiagnosed HIV infection. Estimated rates among Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and White persons were used to assess disparity trends from 2017 to 2021. Rates decreased across two absolute and relative disparity measures.

Closed cervical traction techniques: moving into the 21st century.

Closed cervical traction for reducing dislocating cervical injuries, deformity correction, or discectomy distraction has been implemented in its modern form since the 1930s. Cervical traction state of the art has not changed significantly since the 1960s, with most reductions performed by using Gardner-Wells tongs or halo traction; however, there are many limitations of traditional weight-pulley traction, including limited reduction efficacy and patient safety shortcomings. In this paper, the authors review the history of cervical traction in the 20th century and the limitations of current traction techniques and describe a novel traction device developed at the University of Utah with robotic actuator load or position control and real-time force-sensing capabilities.

MEPicides: α,β-unsaturated Fosmidomycin -Acyl Analogs as Efficient Inhibitors of 1-Deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by several parasites of the genus, remains a huge threat to global public health. There are an estimated 0.5 million malaria deaths each year, mostly among African children.

LC-QToF-Based Metabolomics Identifies Aberrant Tissue Metabolites Associated with a Higher-Fat Diet and Their 'Reversion to Healthy' with Dietary Probiotic Supplementation.

Over 33% of Americans are labeled as obese, leading the World Health Organization to designate obesity as a major public health problem. One consequence of obesity is the development of metabolic syndrome, a condition which has been correlated to an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Prolonged ingestion of a higher-fat diet, one cause of obesity, results in alterations to the gut microbiome.

A Census Tract-Level Examination of Diagnosed HIV Infection and Social Vulnerability Themes Among Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and White Adults, 2019-USA.

Background: Assessing HIV diagnosis and the social vulnerability index (SVI) by themes (socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and English proficiency, and housing type and transportation) might help to identify specific social factors contributing to disparities across census tracts with high rates of diagnosed HIV infection in the USA.

Methods: We examined HIV rate ratios in 2019 using data from CDC's National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS) for Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and White persons aged ≥ 18 years. NHSS data were linked to CDC/ATSDR SVI data to compare census tracts with the lowest SVI (Q1) and highest SVI (Q4) scores.

Motorized Robotic Closed Cervical Traction: Biomechanical Proof of Concept.

Study Design: Biomechanical study.

Objective: To demonstrate that robotic cervical traction can apply closed cervical traction as effectively as manual weight-and-pulley traction in extension spring and cadaveric models.

Summary Of Background Data: Closed cervical traction is used to reduce subaxial cervical spine dislocation injuries and to distract the intervertebral space during cervical spine surgery.

Natural history of pituitary carcinoma with metastasis to the cervical spine: illustrative case.

Background: Pituitary carcinoma is a rare tumor of the adenohypophysis with noncontiguous craniospinal dissemination and/or systemic metastases. Given the rarity of this malignancy, there is limited knowledge and consensus regarding its natural history, prognosis, and optimal treatment.

Observations: The authors present the case of a 46-year-old woman initially treated with invasive prolactin-secreting pituitary macroadenoma who developed metastatic disease of the cervical spine 6 years later.

Using Frailty Measures to Predict Functional Outcomes and Mortality After Type II Odontoid Fracture in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Study Design: Single-center retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Type II odontoid fractures occur disproportionately among elderly populations and cause significant morbidity and mortality. It is a matter of debate whether these injuries are best managed surgically or conservatively.