Redefining low-threshold buprenorphine access in an integrated mobile clinic program: Factors associated with treatment retention.

Introduction: The Spot mobile clinic provides low-threshold buprenorphine integrated with clinical and social services in Baltimore City, MD. In 2021, The Spot modified practices to improve engagement including providing extended prescriptions, reducing frequency of toxicology testing, giving up to six months to stabilize on medication, offering maximum doses (up to 32 mg total) daily, and utilizing telemedicine. This study characterizes care retention by examining both the total time in care and the percentage of time with buprenorphine prescription coverage during these practice changes, and examines factors associated with retention.

Changes in Angiogenesis and Bone Turnover Markers in Patients with Gaucher Disease Developing Osteonecrosis.

: Patients with Gaucher disease have a high risk of bone disease, with osteonecrosis representing the most debilitating complication. The pathogenesis of osteonecrosis has not been fully elucidated yet, and there is an unmet need for predictive biomarkers of bone complications. We aimed to assess the utility of angiogenesis and bone turnover biomarkers as predictors of osteonecrosis in Gaucher disease.

Challenges and Opportunities for Treating Hepatitis C Amongst People Who Use Drugs: Experience of an Integrated Mobile Clinic in Baltimore City.

Progress in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been slow amongst people who use drugs (PWUD). This study describes the HCV treatment cascade amongst people accessing a mobile clinic offering integrated low-threshold buprenorphine and infectious disease services in Baltimore City. From May 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, 560 people had a rapid HCV antibody test, of whom 201 (36%) had a positive result and amongst those, 117 (58%) had an HCV RNA test performed, 81 (40%) had a documented positive RNA, 45 (22%) were prescribed medication, 42 (21%) started medication, 32 (16%) completed medication, 22 (11%) had blood work to assess for sustained virologic response and 20 (10%) had a documented cure.

A Road Map to Hepatitis C Elimination: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.

There are an estimated 3.5 million people with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the United States, resulting in 15 000 HCV-related deaths in 2019 and approximately $7 billion annually in healthcare costs. Although the United States had experienced declining incidence, since 2010 hepatitis C infections have rebounded.

Associations of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) indication, HIV risk perception and unwillingness to use PrEP among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, MD.

Background: Perceived HIV risk may impact willingness to initiate PrEP among people who inject drugs (PWID).

Methods: We analyzed baseline data from PrEP eligible PWID in Baltimore, MD. Risk perception was assessed by PWID relative to the average risk of their age group categorized as: higher-than, lower-than, or about average.

Neurodevelopmental Pathways to Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: Insights From Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Obesity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Report on Research Supported by Pathway to Stop Diabetes.

Incidences of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are climbing at alarming rates. Evidence points to prenatal exposures to maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) as key contributors to these upward trends. Children born to mothers with these conditions face higher risks of obesity and T2D, beyond genetic or shared environmental factors.

Predictors of future overdose among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, Maryland.

Background: Longitudinal studies of future overdose risk among people who inject drugs (PWID) are needed to inform planning of targeted overdose preventions in the United States.

Methods: The Integrating Services to Improve Treatment and Engagement (INSITE) study followed 720 PWID between June 2018 and August 2019 to evaluate the delivery of mobilized healthcare services in Baltimore, Maryland. The present analyses used logistic regression to identify baseline characteristics predictive of non-fatal or fatal overdose during the 6-month follow-up among 507 participants with overdose information.

Hazardous Alcohol Use and Its Effect on Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy Initiation among People with Active Injection Drug Use and Current Hepatitis C Infection.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and hazardous alcohol use are both preventable causes of morbidity and mortality among people who inject drugs (PWID). In the general population, hazardous alcohol is associated with a reduced likelihood of HCV treatment initiation. Less is known about the prevalence and impact of hazardous alcohol use on direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy initiation among PWID with active injection drug use.

Comparing men who have sex with men only and men who have sex with men and women visiting a public STI clinic.

Background: Men reporting same-sex behaviors are disproportionately impacted by sexually transmitted infections (STI). Differences in clinical characteristics and STIs in men who have sex with men only (MSMO), with men and women (MSMW), and with women only (MSW) are not well described.

Methods: First visits to two Baltimore City STI clinics 2011-2016 from MSMO and MSMW compared to an age-matched random sample of MSW were analyzed.

Susceptibility and infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 in children versus adults, by variant (wild-type, alpha, delta): A systematic review and meta-analysis of household contact studies.

Importance: Understanding the susceptibility and infectiousness of children and adolescents in comparison to adults is important to appreciate their role in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To determine SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and infectiousness of children and adolescents with adults as comparator for three variants (wild-type, alpha, delta) in the household setting. We aimed to identify the effects independent of vaccination or prior infection.

Exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus in utero impacts hippocampal functional connectivity in response to food cues in children.

Objectives: Intrauterine exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of obesity in the offspring, but little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms. The hippocampus is crucial for food intake regulation and is vulnerable to the effects of obesity. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether GDM exposure affects hippocampal functional connectivity during exposure to food cues using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Perceived stress and associations between physical activity, sedentary time, and interstitial glucose in healthy adolescents.

Background: Less moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), more sedentary time (ST), and higher perceived stress are related to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) occurrence, but observational evidence addressing the interaction of these factors is lacking in youth. This pilot study investigated momentary stress as a moderator in the acute associations of MVPA and ST with subsequent glucose in healthy adolescents.

Methods: Participants (N=15, Mage=13.

Persistent Food Insecurity and Material Hardships: A Latent Class Analysis of Experiences among Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in Urban Colombia.

The causes and conditions of displacement often increase the vulnerability of migrant and refugee populations to food insecurity, alongside other material hardships. We aimed to examine the multidimensional aspects and patterns of food insecurity and other material hardships in a cross-sectional sample of 6221 Venezuelan refugees and migrants in urban Colombia using a latent class analysis. Using multinomial and logistic regression models, we investigated the demographic and migratory experiences associated with identified classes and how class membership is associated with multiple health outcomes among Venezuelan refugees and migrants, respectively.

An Analysis of Social Determinants of Health and Their Implications for Hepatitis C Virus Treatment in People Who Inject Drugs: The Case of Baltimore.

Background: Sixty-eight percent of the nearly 3.5 million people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States are people who inject drugs (PWID). Despite effective treatments, uptake remains low in PWID.

Integrated care van delivery of evidence-based services for people who inject drugs: A cluster-randomized trial.

Background And Aims: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for adverse outcomes across multiple dimensions. While evidence-based interventions are available, services are often fragmented and difficult to access. We measured the effectiveness of an integrated care van (ICV) that offered services for PWID.

Exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus in utero impacts hippocampal functional connectivity in response to food cues in children.

Objectives: Intrauterine exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of obesity in the offspring, but little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms. The hippocampus is crucial for food intake regulation and is vulnerable to the effects of obesity. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether GDM exposure affects hippocampal functional connectivity during exposure to food cues using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

The impact of policy and policy communication on COVID-19 vaccination inequalities among Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia: a comparative cross-sectional interrupted time-series analysis.

Introduction: Equitable access to vaccines for migrants and refugees is necessary to ensure their right to health and to achieve public health goals of reducing vaccine-preventable illness. Public health policies require regulatory frameworks and communication to effect uptake of effective vaccines among the target population. In Colombia, the National COVID-19 Vaccination Plan implicitly included Venezuelan refugees and migrants; however, initial communication of the policy indicated that vaccine availability was restricted to people with regular migration status.

Syphilis prevalence and correlates of infection among Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia: findings of a cross-sectional biobehavioral survey.

Background: Population-based estimates of syphilis prevalence are critical to informing public health response. We aimed to measure syphilis prevalence among Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Colombia to inform public health programming.

Methods: Between July 2021 and February 2022, we surveyed 6221 adult Venezuelan refugees and migrants in four cities in Colombia using respondent-driven sampling (RDS).

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Glycemic Control Among Patients With SARS-CoV-2 in the Baltimore-Washington, District of Columbia Region.

Introduction: Diabetes is a leading risk factor for COVID-19, disproportionally impacting marginalized populations. We analyzed racial/ethnic differences in glycemic control among patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the Baltimore-Washington, District of Columbia region.

Methods: Glycemic control measured by HbA1c was compared by race and ethnicity among patients with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test at the Johns Hopkins Health System between March 1, 2020, and March 31, 2022.

Delayed Diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Latino Population at a Federally Qualified Community Health Center in New Jersey.

Late diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with early progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We examined racial/ethnic differences in presentation with advanced HIV/AIDS at a community health center in New Jersey. Records of patients diagnosed with HIV between 1990 and 2018 were reviewed.

A Neuro-Influence Experiment to Evaluate the Persuasiveness of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Promotion Messages Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but behavioral factors limit uptake, especially among men who have sex with men. A better understanding of how humans cognitively process information may inform health message development to promote PrEP uptake.

Objective: This paper is informed by the neuroscience of persuasion and influence and describes the protocol of a neuro-influence experiment using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to evaluate the persuasiveness of PrEP promotion messages among men who have sex with men in Baltimore, Maryland.