Effect of progestin-based contraceptives on HIV-associated vaginal immune biomarkers and microbiome in adolescent girls.

Adolescent girls bear a disproportionate burden of both the HIV epidemic and unintended pregnancies; yet important questions remain unanswered regarding the effects of hormonal contraceptives on the vaginal immune microenvironment, which can impact HIV susceptibility in this group. Multiple studies report genital immune alterations associated with the progestin-based contraceptive Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) in adult women, but there is little available data in adolescents. The objective of this longitudinal cohort study was to evaluate the effects of short-term use of three progestin-based contraceptives, levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG-IUD), subdermal etonogestrel (ETNG), and injectable DMPA, on HIV-associated vaginal immune biomarkers and microbiome in adolescent girls.

Cortical bone continuum damage mechanics constitutive model with stress triaxiality criterion to predict fracture initiation and pattern.

A primary objective of finite element human body models (HBMs) is to predict response and injury risk in impact scenarios, including cortical bone fracture initiation, fracture pattern, and the potential to simulate post-fracture injury to underlying soft tissues. Current HBMs have been challenged to predict the onset of failure and bone fracture patterns owing to the use of simplified failure criteria. In the present study, a continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model, incorporating observed mechanical response (orthotropy, asymmetry, damage), was coupled to a novel phenomenological effective strain fracture criterion based on stress triaxiality and investigated to predict cortical bone response under different modes of loading.

Factors affecting the numerical response and fracture location of the GHBMC M50 rib in dynamic anterior-posterior loading.

Rib fractures are common traumatic injuries, with links to increased morbidity and mortality. Finite element ribs from human body models have struggled to predict the force-displacement response, force and displacement at fracture, and the fracture location for isolated rib tests. In the current study, the sensitivity of a human body model rib with updated anisotropic and asymmetric material models to changes in boundary conditions, material properties, and geometry was investigated systematically to quantify contributions to response.

Methodology to geometrically age human body models to average and subject-specific anthropometrics, demonstrated using a small stature female model assessed in a side impact.

The aged population has been associated with an increased risk of injury in car-crash, creating a critical need for improved assessment of safety systems. Finite element human body models (HBMs) have been proposed, but require representative geometry of the aged population and high mesh quality. A new hybrid Morphing-CAD methodology was applied to a 26-year-old (YO) 5 percentile female model to create average 75YO and subject-specific 86YO HBMs.

Diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescents.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), characterized by ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenism, is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age. Early diagnosis can help clinicians address associated long-term metabolic and reproductive health complications and mitigate the negative effects of PCOS on a patient's mental health and quality of life. Clinicians often are challenged by the diagnosis and management of PCOS because of controversies around diagnostic criteria, especially for adolescents.