Factors associated with viral suppression among cisgender women living with human immunodeficiency virus in the United States: An integrative review.

Introduction: Women account for 23% of new human immunodeficiency virus diagnoses in the United States, yet remain understudied. Adherence to antiretroviral therapy and consequent viral suppression are keys to preventing human immunodeficiency virus transmission, reducing risk of drug resistance, and improving health outcomes.

Objectives: This review identified and synthesized peer-reviewed studies in the United States describing factors associated with viral suppression among cisgender women living with human immunodeficiency virus.

A New Smartphone-Based Optic Nerve Head Biometric for Verification and Change Detection.

Purpose: Lens adapted smartphones are being used regularly instead of ophthalmoscopes. The most common causes of preventable blindness in the world, which are glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, can develop asymptomatic changes to the optic nerve head (ONH) especially in the developing world where there is a dire shortage of ophthalmologists but ubiquitous mobile phones. We developed a proof-of-concept ONH biometric (application [APP]) to use as a routine biometric on a mobile phone.

Reducing the African American HIV Disease Burden in the Deep South: Addressing the Role of Faith and Spirituality.

Nearly half of HIV infections in the United States are concentrated among African Americans, and over half of new HIV infections occur in the South. African Americans have poorer outcomes in the entire continua of HIV and PrEP care. Complex social, structural, and behavioral factors contribute to our nation's alarming racial disparities in HIV infection, particularly in the Deep South.

PrismPlus: a mouse line expressing distinct fluorophores in four different brain cell types.

To screen the complex central nervous system (CNS) injury responses, we created a quadruple-labelled 'PrismPlus' mouse line with a genetically encoded distinct fluorescent tag in oligodendrocytes, microglia, neurons, and astrocytes. Cx3cr1-gfp and Prism mice originally developed by Jung et al., 2000 and Dougherty et al.

High Resolution 3D Imaging of the Human Pancreas Neuro-insular Network.

Using traditional histological methods, researchers are hampered in their ability to image whole tissues or organs in large-scale 3D. Histological sections are generally limited to <20 µm as formalin fixed paraffin section on glass slides or <500 µm for free-floating fixed sections. Therefore, extensive efforts are required for serial sectioning and large-scale image reconstruction methods to recreate 3D for samples >500 µm using traditional methods.

The Role of Early Maternal Support in Balancing Full-Time Work and Infant Exclusive Breastfeeding: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Support of others is a key factor for mothers who choose to breastfeed their infants, including those who balance work outside the home and breastfeeding. However, little research has been done to understand how maternal support during the postpartum period impacts mothers' ability to later balance work and breastfeeding, in particular full-time work and exclusive breastfeeding. The results of this qualitative study indicate that the timing of support plays a key role in mothers' ability to successfully overcome barriers during the early postpartum period, thus building maternal self-efficacy in addressing problems encountered when they return to work.

Opposing Effects of Maternal Hypo- and Hyperthyroidism on the Stability of Thalamocortical Synapses in the Visual Cortex of Adult Offspring.

Insufficient or excessive thyroid hormone (TH) levels during fetal development can cause long-term neurological and cognitive problems. Studies in animal models of perinatal hypo- and hyperthyroidism suggest that these problems may be a consequence of the formation of maladaptive circuitry in the cerebral cortex, which can persist into adulthood. Here we used mouse models of maternal hypo- and hyperthyroidism to investigate the long-term effects of altering thyroxine (T4) levels during pregnancy (corresponding to embryonic days 6.

Neonatal seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol or kainic acid disrupt primary cilia growth on developing mouse cortical neurons.

Neonatal or early-life seizures (ELS) are often associated with life-long neurophysiological, cognitive and behavioral deficits, but the underlying mechanisms contributing to these deficits remain poorly understood. Newborn, post-migratory cortical neurons sprout ciliary buds (procilia) that mature into primary cilia. Disruption of the growth or signaling capabilities of these cilia has been linked to atypical neurite outgrowth from neurons and abnormalities in neuronal circuitry.

Wearable 3-D Photoacoustic Tomography for Functional Brain Imaging in Behaving Rats.

Understanding the relationship between brain function and behavior remains a major challenge in neuroscience. Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging technique that allows for noninvasive in vivo brain imaging at micrometer-millisecond spatiotemporal resolution. In this article, a novel, miniaturized 3D wearable PAT (3D-wPAT) technique is described for brain imaging in behaving rats.

Comprehension and Data-Sharing Behavior of Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Test Customers.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate current direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic customers' ability to interpret and comprehend test results and to determine if honest brokers are needed.

Method: One hundred and twenty-two customers of the DTC genetic testing company 23andMe were polled in an online survey. The subjects were asked about their personal test results and to interpret the results of two mock test cases (type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis), where results were translated into disease probability for an individual compared to the public.

Organ Donor Recovery Performed at an Organ Procurement Organization-Based Facility Is an Effective Way to Minimize Organ Recovery Costs and Increase Organ Yield.

Background: A new era in organ donation with national redistricting is being proposed. With these proposals, costs of organ acquisition are estimated to more than double. Traditionally, organ recoveries occur in the donor hospital setting, incurring premium hospital expenses.

Social Determinants of HIV-Related Stigma in Faith-Based Organizations.

Objectives: To examine the association between social factors in faith-based settings (including religiosity and proximity to people living with HIV/AIDS) and HIV stigma.

Methods: A total of 1747 congregants from primarily African American faith-based organizations of Project FAITH (Fostering AIDS Initiatives That Heal), a South Carolina statewide initiative to address HIV-related stigma, completed a survey.

Results: Female gender (P = .

Tobacco Use and Its Relationship to Social Determinants of Health in LGBT Populations of a Midwestern State.

Purpose: Researchers have documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have a higher proportion of tobacco use as compared to general population smoking rates. This study examined the relationships between tobacco use and social determinants of health in a sample of self-identifying LGBT people who spend time in Nebraska.

Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was used to develop an online survey to assess the physical, mental, social, and sexual health of LGBT populations who live, work, or play in Nebraska.

Selective activation of a putative reinforcement signal conditions cued interval timing in primary visual cortex.

As a consequence of conditioning visual cues with delayed reward, cue-evoked neural activity that predicts the time of expected future reward emerges in the primary visual cortex (V1). We hypothesized that this reward-timing activity is engendered by a reinforcement signal conveying reward acquisition to V1. In lieu of behavioral conditioning, we assessed in vivo whether selective activation of either basal forebrain (BF) or cholinergic innervation is sufficient to condition cued interval-timing activity.

A qualitative study exploring women's beliefs about physical activity after stillbirth.

Background: Research provides strong evidence for improvements in depressive symptoms as a result of physical activity participation in many populations including pregnant and post-partum women. Little is known about how women who have experienced stillbirth (defined as fetal death at 20 or more weeks of gestation) feel about physical activity or use physical activity following this experience. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore women's beliefs about physical activity following a stillbirth.

The South Carolina LGBT needs assessment: a descriptive overview.

Limited quantitative information exists about the demographics and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in South Carolina, a predominately rural Southern state. Responses to a needs assessment survey (n = 715) were analyzed to understand the diversity and needs of members of the LGBT community in SC. The purpose was to inform future programming and guide the development of a more comprehensive portfolio of services to be offered by a local LGBT community center.

LGBT health in the midlands: a rural/urban comparison of basic health indicators.

Research into the health and wellbeing of rural lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations is limited. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used to develop an online survey for LGBT Nebraskans. The 770 participants replied to an array of questions on social determinants of health and basic health outcomes.

A faith-based community partnership to address HIV/AIDS in the southern United States: implementation, challenges, and lessons learned.

Though race and region are not by themselves risk factors for HIV infection, regional and racial disparities exist in the burden of HIV/AIDS in the US. Specifically, African Americans in the southern US appear to bear the brunt of this burden due to a complex set of upstream factors like structural and cultural influences that do not facilitate HIV/AIDS awareness, HIV testing, or sexual risk-reduction techniques while perpetuating HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Strategies proposed to mitigate the burden among this population have included establishing partnerships and collaborations with non-traditional entities like African American churches and other faith-based organizations.

Describing the use of the internet for health, physical activity, and nutrition information in pregnant women.

The purpose of this study was to determine how pregnant women in the Midwestern United States use the internet for health information during pregnancy including information related to physical activity and nutrition, and to determine the impact of the internet on women's confidence in making decisions about physical activity participation and eating behaviors during pregnancy. This was a descriptive, exploratory study using a convenient, non-probabilistic sample. Women were recruited through handouts provided in person, fliers posted at venues, or local websites that cater to women who are pregnant or up to 1 year post-partum.

Women bound to be active: differences in long-term physical activity between completers and noncompleters of a book club intervention.

Background: Ideal approaches to increasing long-term physical activity (PA) adherence in women remain unclear. This study used a longitudinal mixed-methods approach to 1) determine the effectiveness of an 8-month book club intervention for increasing PA participation and self-worth, and reducing barriers at 1-year followup; and 2) identify reasons why completers and noncompleters did or did not maintain PA.

Methods: One year after the cessation of Women Bound to be Active (WBA), completers (participated in posttesting; n = 30) and noncompleters (did not participate in posttesting; n = 22) responded to questionnaires and interviews assessing their body mass index (BMI), current PA participation, barriers, and global self-worth.

Comparison of high- and low-dose corticosteroid regimens for organ donor management.

Purpose: Corticosteroids are used to promote hemodynamic stability and reduce inflammatory organ injury after brain death. High-dose (HD) methylprednisolone has become the standard regimen based on comparisons to untreated/historical controls. However, this protocol may exacerbate hyperglycemia.

Development of a framework for HIV/AIDS prevention programs in African American churches.

Churches and other faith-based organizations (FBOs) are a vital resource for HIV prevention and education efforts in African American communities. Few models describe how churches and FBOs have implemented such efforts within their congregations or communities, the challenges they faced, or the changes that resulted from such efforts. This article presents a framework for implementing HIV/AIDS prevention programs in African American churches based upon a qualitative investigation of Project FAITH (Fostering AIDS Initiatives that Heal), an HIV education and stigma reduction demonstration project conducted in South Carolina.