Development of a trash classification system to map potential Aedes aegypti breeding grounds using unmanned aerial vehicle imaging.

Aedes aegypti mosquitos are the primary vector for dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses and tend to breed in small containers of water, with a propensity to breed in small piles of trash and abandoned tires. This study piloted the use of aerial imaging to map and classify potential Ae. aegypti breeding sites with a specific focus on trash, including discarded tires.

Correlation Between H-Index, M-Index, and Academic Rank in Urology.

Objective: To evaluate the h- and m-indices of academic urologists across all U.S. accredited urology residency programs to determine the relationship between these metrics and an author's academic rank, academic degrees, and gender.

Microbial interactions among , and prior to incident bacterial vaginosis: protocol for a prospective, observational study.

Introduction: The aetiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a biofilm-associated vaginal infection, remains unknown. Epidemiologic data suggest that it is sexually transmitted. BV is characterised by loss of lactic acid-producing lactobacilli and an increase in facultative and strict anaerobic bacteria.

Multiplicity adjustments for the Dunnett procedure under heterokcedasticity.

We give a simulation-based method for computing the multiplicity adjusted p-values and critical constants for the Dunnett procedure for comparing treatments with a control under heteroskedasticity. The Welch-Satterthwaite test statistics used in this procedure do not have a simple multivariate t-distribution because their denominators are mixtures of chi-squares and are correlated because of the common control treatment sample variance present in all denominators. The joint distribution of the denominators of the test statistics is approximated by correlated chi-square variables and is generated using a novel algorithm proposed in this paper.

Impact of Converting from Immediate-Release Tacrolimus to Envarsus on BK Viremia Incidence in Kidney Transplant Patients with Rapid Metabolism.

BACKGROUND BK infections have been observed more frequently among people who are rapid metabolizers. The tacrolimus c/d ratio identifies rapid metabolizers after transplantation. Envarsus has a lower peak drug level exposure than tacrolimus and is more pronounced in rapid metabolizers.

Impact of testosterone use on the vaginal microbiota of transgender men, including susceptibility to bacterial vaginosis: study protocol for a prospective, observational study.

Introduction: The effect of testosterone (T) therapy on the vaginal microbiota of transgender men (TGM) is not well characterised, although one cross-sectional study comparing the vaginal microbiota of cisgender women to TGM on T≥1 year found that, in 71% of the TGM, the vaginal microbiota was less likely to be -dominated and more likely to be enriched with >30 other bacterial species, many associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). This prospective study aims to investigate changes in the composition of the vaginal microbiota over time in TGM who retain their natal genitalia (ie, vagina) and initiate T. In addition, we will identify changes in the vaginal microbiota preceding incident BV (iBV) in this cohort while investigating behavioural factors, along with hormonal shifts, which may be associated with iBV.

Metronomic Chemotherapy for Burkitt Lymphoma in a Patient With HIV: Case Report.

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). With high-dose combination chemotherapy, cure rates are excellent. Treatment for HIV-positive BL is similar to that for HIV-negative BL.

Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathological change (LATE-NC) is associated with lower R relaxation rate: an ex-vivo MRI and pathology investigation.

Limbic predominant age-related transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) encephalopathy neuropathological change (LATE-NC) is common in persons older than 80 years of age and is associated with cognitive decline and increased likelihood of dementia. The MRI signature of LATE-NC has not been fully determined. In this study, the association of LATE-NC with the transverse relaxation rate, R, was investigated in a large number of community-based older adults.

Sexually transmitted infection screening to prevent adverse birth and newborn outcomes: study protocol for a randomized-controlled hybrid-effectiveness trial.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during pregnancy are associated with adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight, perinatal death, and congenital infections such as increased mother-to-child HIV transmission. Prevalence of STIs among pregnant women in South Africa remains high, with most women being asymptomatic for their infection(s). Unfortunately, most STIs remain undetected and untreated due to standard practice syndromic management in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Pediatric Otoscopy Video Screening With Shift Contrastive Anomaly Detection.

Ear related concerns and symptoms represent the leading indication for seeking pediatric healthcare attention. Despite the high incidence of such encounters, the diagnostic process of commonly encountered diseases of the middle and external presents a significant challenge. Much of this challenge stems from the lack of cost effective diagnostic testing, which necessitates the presence or absence of ear pathology to be determined clinically.

Safer in care: A pandemic-tested model of integrated HIV/OUD care.

Background: Rural, poor, persons with HIV (PWH) and substance use are among the most vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 and related health service disruptions. The objective of the study was to evaluate the health outcomes and utilization of PWH at an Outpatient-based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) Clinic.

Methods: We evaluated a clinic-based cohort at the University of Alabama at Birmingham HIV clinic from November 2018 to May 2021.

Ex vivo MRI facilitates localization of cerebral microbleeds of different ages during neuropathology assessment.

Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) identified by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brains of older persons may have clinical relevance due to their association with cognitive impairment and other adverse neurologic outcomes, but are often not detected in routine neuropathology evaluations. In this study, the utility of ex vivo MRI in the neuropathological identification, localization, and frequency of CMBs was investigated. The study included 3 community dwelling elders with Alzheimer's dementia, and mild to severe small vessel disease (SVD).

Group sequential Holm and Hochberg procedures.

The problem of testing multiple hypotheses using a group sequential procedure often arises in clinical trials. We review several group sequential Holm (GSHM) type procedures proposed in the literature and clarify the relationships between them. In particular, we show which procedures are equivalent or, if different, which are more powerful and what are their pros and cons.

ARTS: A novel In-vivo classifier of arteriolosclerosis for the older adult brain.

Brain arteriolosclerosis, one of the main pathologies of cerebral small vessel disease, is common in older adults and has been linked to lower cognitive and motor function and higher odds of dementia. In spite of its frequency and associated morbidity, arteriolosclerosis can only be diagnosed at autopsy. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to develop an in-vivo classifier of arteriolosclerosis based on brain MRI.

Cross-modal self-supervised representation learning for gesture and skill recognition in robotic surgery.

Purpose: Multi- and cross-modal learning consolidates information from multiple data sources which may offer a holistic representation of complex scenarios. Cross-modal learning is particularly interesting, because synchronized data streams are immediately useful as self-supervisory signals. The prospect of achieving self-supervised continual learning in surgical robotics is exciting as it may enable lifelong learning that adapts to different surgeons and cases, ultimately leading to a more general machine understanding of surgical processes.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Genital and Extragenital Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Among Transgender Women in HIV Care in the United States, 2005 to 2016.

Background: Data on testing rates and prevalence of and factors associated with genital and extragenital chlamydia and gonorrhea among transgender women with HIV in the United States are limited.

Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis included transgender women living with HIV enrolled in the US Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems cohort between January 2005 and December 2016 with chlamydia or gonorrhea testing performed in HIV clinic. The primary outcome was a positive test result for chlamydia or gonorrhea at urogenital or extragenital (rectal/pharyngeal) sites.

Direct Acting Antivirals in Hepatitis C-Infected Kidney Transplant Recipients: Associations with Long-term Graft Failure and Patient Mortality.

Background: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected kidney transplant recipients is associated with short-term improvement in protein/creatinine (P/C) ratios, but how HCV cure affects long-term graft outcomes remains unknown.

Methods: This is a retrospective follow-up study of 59 HCV-infected patients who underwent kidney transplant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between 2007-2015 who were followed until the end of 2017. We examined the association of DAA-induced HCV cure with graft failure or death by survival analyses (Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression).

Ball in the Wall: Mesenteric Fibromatosis-a Rare Case Report.

Introduction: Mesenteric fibromatosis-desmoid tumor of mesentery is a rare benign soft tissue tumor of mesentery. On CT, it mimics gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).

Case Report: A 44-year-old female with small intestinal mass, preoperatively diagnosed radiologically and pathologically as GIST.

Neuropathologic and Cognitive Correlates of Enlarged Perivascular Spaces in a Community-Based Cohort of Older Adults.

Background And Purpose: Enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) have been associated with aging, increased stroke risk, decreased cognitive function, and vascular dementia. However, the relationship of EPVS with age-related neuropathologies is not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the neuropathologic correlates of EPVS in a large community-based cohort of older adults.

Intraoperative Surgical Margin Clearance - Correlation of Touch Imprint Cytology, Frozen Section Diagnosis, and Histopathological Diagnosis.

Introduction: Touch imprint cytology (TIC) and frozen section diagnosis are valuable intraoperative guides for the management of malignancies as they make a prompt therapeutic decision that may prevent surgical re-intervention. The present study emphasizes on the correlation of TIC and frozen section for the evaluation of surgical margins considering histopathological diagnosis as the gold standard.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of frozen section diagnosis and TIC in the evaluation of surgical margin clearance.