Anomalous morphologies in Ixodes scapularis feeding on human hosts.

Cases of anomalous morphologies in the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, have been reported in both field-collected and human-biting specimen in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, complicating the identification of this medically important tick species. We herein describe four cases of morphological anomalies in I. scapularis females exhibiting nanism and abnormally small genital apertures.

SCADIE: simultaneous estimation of cell type proportions and cell type-specific gene expressions using SCAD-based iterative estimating procedure.

A challenge in bulk gene differential expression analysis is to differentiate changes due to cell type-specific gene expression and cell type proportions. SCADIE is an iterative algorithm that simultaneously estimates cell type-specific gene expression profiles and cell type proportions, and performs cell type-specific differential expression analysis at the group level. Through its unique penalty and objective function, SCADIE more accurately identifies cell type-specific differentially expressed genes than existing methods, including those that may be missed from single cell RNA-Seq data.

Eviction, intimate partner violence and HIV: Expanding concepts and assessing the pathways through which sexual partnership dynamics impact health.

Over 2 million renters in the United States are legally evicted annually, and even more renters experience other landlord-related forced moves each year. While past research has documented an association between legal eviction and HIV risk, no studies have examined the relationship between forced moves and sexual partnership dynamics longitudinally, or the pathways through which forced moves impact such risk. Addressing this gap is imperative, particularly given inequities that place Black renters and women at disproportionate risk of eviction.

Immunopathological changes, complications, sequelae and immunological memory in COVID-19 patients.

Confirmed SARS-CoV-2-caused disease (COVID-19) cases have reached 275.65 million worldwide. Although the majority of COVID-19 patients present mild to moderate symptoms, some have severe complications including death.

Characterizing tuberculosis transmission dynamics in high-burden urban and rural settings.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission dynamics in high-burden settings are poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests transmission may be characterized by extensive individual heterogeneity in secondary cases (i.e.

A pilot implementation study to scale-up methadone in incarcerated persons with opioid use disorder and retain them on treatment after release in Moldova.

Background: Eastern Europe and Central Asia have intertwined HIV and incarceration epidemics, concentrated in people who inject drugs. Moldova is one of the few countries in this region that offers methadone within prisons, but uptake and post-release retention remains suboptimal. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) procedures are a potential implementation strategy to address this problem.

Effect of exercise on body composition among women with ovarian cancer.

Purpose: Obesity is associated with a higher risk of mortality in women with ovarian cancer. Exercise has improved body composition among cancer survivors, yet no randomized controlled trial has explored the effect of exercise on body composition in women with ovarian cancer. In this analysis, we examined the effect of a six-month aerobic exercise intervention on body composition among ovarian cancer survivors in the Women's Activity and Lifestyle Study in Connecticut (WALC).

Examining the Effects of Fathers' Residency Status on Childhood Obesity.

Objective: To examine whether fathers' residency status is associated with increased BMI z-scores among young and pre-adolescent children.

Methods: Propensity score matching was used to examine the effects of fathers' residency status on child BMI z-scores for children between the ages of 2-5 and 9-11 years old. Fathers self-reported their residency status as either being residential or nonresidential, based on the amount of time they lived in the same household as the child enrolled in the study.

Patients' perspectives of medications for addiction treatment in HIV clinics: A qualitative study.

Background: While substance use disorders (SUD) disproportionately impact people with HIV (PWH), HIV clinics inconsistently provide evidence-based medications for addiction treatment (MAT). Patient receptivity to MAT is critical to enhance addiction treatment in these settings. However, we know little from patients about how to best integrate MAT into HIV clinics.

Barriers and Facilitators to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Men Who have Sex with Men Who Use Stimulants: A Qualitative Study.

The HIV epidemic disproportionately impacts men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly those who use stimulants. We explored barriers and facilitators to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among this population. From June 2018 through February 2019, we conducted semi-structured interviews in Providence, Rhode Island, and New Haven, Connecticut, with 21 MSM who reported recent (past six months) stimulant use.

Is overweight or obesity associated with anemia in children? Follow-up of Samoans in the Ola Tuputupua'e "Growing Up" study.

Objectives: Globally, there is growing evidence of a double burden of malnutrition with obesity coexisting alongside micronutrient deficiencies across the life course. An emergent double burden poses a threat to health during childhood in Samoa: among 2-4-year-olds with overweight/obesity, 42.9% were anemic.

Comparative Analysis of Social Support in Online Health Communities Using a Word Co-Occurrence Network Analysis Approach.

Online health communities (OHCs) have become a major source of social support for people with health problems. Members of OHCs interact online with others facing similar health problems and receive multiple types of social support, including but not limited to informational support, emotional support, and companionship. The aim of this study is to examine the differences in social support communication among people with different types of cancers.

Effect of Exercise on Sarcopenia among Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review.

Sarcopenia is related to adverse health outcomes in cancer survivors. Previous reviews reported exercise improved muscle mass or function in cancer survivors, but thus far a systematic review examining the effect of exercise on sarcopenia in this population has not been conducted. Therefore, we systematically searched PubMed, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and ClinicalTrials.

Contemporary practice patterns of tyrosine kinase inhibitor use among older patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the United States.

Introduction: The choice of BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for the first line of therapy (LOT) for chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is tailored to disease risk and patient characteristics like comorbidities, which become more prevalent with age. However, contemporary evaluations of frontline TKI choice and the factors associated with TKI switching in this specific patient population are lacking.

Methods: We sought to describe TKI use in older patients (age: 66-99 years) with CML in the United States.

Predicting daily COVID-19 case rates from SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations across a diversity of wastewater catchments.

We assessed the relationship between municipality COVID-19 case rates and SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in the primary sludge of corresponding wastewater treatment facilities. Over 1700 daily primary sludge samples were collected from six wastewater treatment facilities with catchments serving 18 cities and towns in the State of Connecticut, USA. Samples were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations during a 10 month time period that overlapped with October 2020 and winter/spring 2021 COVID-19 outbreaks in each municipality.

Oxidative stress induces inflammation of lens cells and triggers immune surveillance of ocular tissues.

Recent reports have challenged the notion that the lens is immune-privileged. However, these studies have not fully identified the molecular mechanism(s) that promote immune surveillance of the lens. Using a mouse model of targeted glutathione (GSH) deficiency in ocular surface tissues, we have investigated the role of oxidative stress in upregulating cytokine expression and promoting immune surveillance of the eye.

Rhipicephalus capensis (Acari: Ixodidae), A geographically restricted South African tick, returning with a human traveler to the United States.

Accelerated frequency of recreational travel, globalization of business, and legal and illegal plant and animal trades have contributed to enduring introductions of exotic ticks into the United States. We herein report a new incursion of a female Rhipicephalus capensis on a human traveler returning to Connecticut from South Africa. Natural distribution of R.

Association of volunteer-administered home care with reduced emergency room visits and hospitalization among older adults with chronic conditions: A propensity-score-matched cohort study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the association of receiving care from a volunteer-administered outreach program with emergency room utilization and hospitalization among older people with chronic conditions in Hong Kong.

Methods: Volunteers consisting of retired healthcare professionals, university students, and openly recruited citizens received training to provide home care services to hospital-discharged older Chinese adults aged 65+ with chronic conditions who were identified as high-risk patients of hospital admission and referred by public healthcare providers. Several home visits were made to enhance the patients' self-care capacity.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Research Participants in China Toward Electronic Informed Consent in Clinical Trials: A Cross Sectional Study.

This study aims to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of participants and potential participants in clinical trials toward electronic informed consent. We conducted a survey-based cross-sectional study in Hunan Province, China in March 2021. A total of 547 respondents were included in this study.

Access to mental health support services in Accountable Care Organizations: A national survey.

Patients with serious mental illness often lack access to mental health support services. Whether new payment models facilitate access to these services is unknown. We conducted a national survey of accountable care organizations(ACOs) and find that fewer than 50% of ACOs surveyed reported that they have the ability to offer or refer patients to supported employment, family psychoeducation, assertive community treatment and illness, management and recovery services.

Relationships between short-term ambient temperature exposure and kidney disease hospitalizations in the warm season in Vietnam: A case-crossover study.

Background: Under a warming climate, adverse health effects of heat are an increasing concern. We evaluated associations between short-term ambient temperature exposure and hospital admission for kidney disease in Vietnam.

Methods: We linked province-level meteorologic data with admission data from 14 province-level hospitals (2003-2015).

Spatiotemporal distribution, abundance, and host interactions of two invasive vectors of arboviruses, Aedes albopictus and Aedes japonicus, in Pennsylvania, USA.

Background: Aedes albopictus and Aedes japonicus, two invasive mosquito species in the United States, are implicated in the transmission of arboviruses. Studies have shown interactions of these two mosquito species with a variety of vertebrate hosts; however, regional differences exist and may influence their contribution to arbovirus transmission.

Methods: We investigated the distribution, abundance, host interactions, and West Nile virus infection prevalence of Ae.

Cryptic population structure and transmission dynamics uncovered for Schistosoma mansoni populations by genetic analyses.

Patterns of diversity in pathogen genomes provide a window into the spatiotemporal spread of disease. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Schistosoma mansoni parasites form genetic clusters that coincide with the communities of their human hosts. We also looked for genetic clustering of parasites at the sub-community level.

Prevalence and Implications of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Settled Dust.

Purpose Of Review: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of more than 7,000 fluorinated compounds. The carbon-fluorine bond of PFAS provides desirable hydrophobic and oleophobic properties and stability that has led to widespread usage in consumer products and industrial applications. The strength of the carbon-fluorine bond also prevents appreciable degradation once released into the environment.

Registered nurses: can our supply meet the demand during a disaster?

Background: Death and destructions are often reported during natural disasters; yet little is known about how hospitals operate during disasters and if there are sufficient resources available for hospitals to provide ongoing care during these catastrophic events. The purpose of this study was to determine if the State of New Jersey had a supply of registered nurses (RNs) that was sufficient to meet the needs of hospitalized patients during a natural disaster - Hurricane Sandy.

Methods: Secondary data were used to forecast the demand and supply of New Jersey RNs during Hurricane Sandy.