Randomized controlled trial of a pilot PrEP linkage intervention for individuals leaving incarceration in a southern state: Design and baseline characteristics.

Objective: We report baseline characteristics of a pilot intervention, PrEP-Link, which uses a community health worker (CHW) model to provide navigation to PrEP, the daily HIV preventative medication, and other medical and social services upon release from incarceration.

Trial Design And Methods: This pilot study uses a randomized controlled trial design. The control group receives enhanced standard of care, and the intervention receives enhanced standard of care plus personalized navigation services from the CHW for up to one year.

Circulating apoE4 protein levels from dried blood spots predict cognitive function in a large population-based survey setting.

Introduction: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele carries risk for cognitive impairment, but whether the level of circulating apoE4 protein in carriers affects cognition is unclear, as is how health and lifestyle impact circulating apoE4 levels.

Methods: We assayed apoE4 protein levels in dried blood spots of 12,532 adults aged 50+. Regression analyses tested the likelihood of cognitive impairment between groups and within those with detected apoE4 protein.

Antigen specificities and proviral integration sites differ in HIV-infected cells by timing of antiretroviral treatment initiation.

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), persons living with HIV harbor reservoirs of persistently infected CD4+ cells, which constitute a barrier to cure. Initiation of ART during acute infection reduces the size of the HIV reservoir, and we hypothesized that in addition, it would favor integration of proviruses in HIV-specific CD4+ T cells, while initiation of ART during chronic HIV infection would favor relatively more proviruses in herpesvirus-specific cells. We further hypothesized that proviruses in acute ART initiators would be integrated into antiviral genes, whereas integration sites (ISs) in chronic ART initiators would favor genes associated with cell proliferation and exhaustion.

Optimizing a linear 'Doggybone' DNA vaccine for influenza virus through the incorporation of DNA targeting sequences and neuraminidase antigen.

Influenza virus represents a challenge for traditional vaccine approaches due to its seasonal changes and potential for zoonotic transmission. Nucleic acid vaccines can overcome some of these challenges, especially through the inclusion of multiple antigens to increase the breadth of response. RNA vaccines were an important part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but for future outbreaks DNA vaccines may have some advantages in terms of stability and manufacturing cost that warrant continuing investigation to fully realize their potential.