COVID-19 Stress is Associated with Increased Smoking among People with HIV in Western Washington: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: People living with HIV (PWH) frequently have co-morbid substance use disorders that may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined associations between COVID-related stress and increased substance use among PWH in Washington State.

Methods: Between August 2020 and March 2021, we conducted an online survey of 397 PWH in Western Washington.

Correlations between postmortem quantitative MRI parameters and demyelination, axonal loss and gliosis in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used to monitor disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aims to systematically evaluate the correlation between MRI measures and histopathological changes, including demyelination, axonal loss, and gliosis, in the central nervous system of MS patients. We systematically reviewed post-mortem histological studies evaluating myelin density, axonal loss, and gliosis using quantitative imaging in MS.

Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and future projections for hip fractures in Zimbabwe.

Introduction: Population ageing in Africa is increasing healthcare demands. Hip fractures require multidisciplinary care and are considered an indicator condition for age-related health services. We aimed to estimate current hip fracture incidence in Zimbabwe, compare rates against other regional estimates and estimate future fracture numbers.

Intimate partner sexual violence is associated with unhealthy alcohol use among Kenyan women engaged in sex work.

Aim: Unhealthy alcohol use is often correlated with experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV). We investigated how different types of IPV (sexual, physical, emotional, and financial) were associated with unhealthy alcohol use among women engaged in sex work in Mombasa, Kenya.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 283 HIV-negative women who engaged in sex work recruited from an ongoing cohort study.

Task activation results in regional C-lactate signal increase in the human brain.

Hyperpolarized-C magnetic resonance imaging (HP-C MRI) was used to image changes in C-lactate signal during a visual stimulus condition in comparison to an eyes-closed control condition. Whole-brain C-pyruvate, C-lactate and C-bicarbonate production was imaged in healthy volunteers (N = 6, ages 24-33) for the two conditions using two separate hyperpolarized C-pyruvate injections. BOLD-fMRI scans were used to delineate regions of functional activation.