Prevalence, Predictors, and Outcomes of HIV Care in HIV-Positive Clients Entering HIV Care With Advanced HIV Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa 2010-2022: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Aims: Sub-Saharan Africa drives global HIV-related mortality, and patients continuously present with advanced HIV disease (AHD) at diagnosis. We describe prevalence, predictors, and treatment outcomes in HIV clients with AHD.

Methods: We systematically reviewed PUBMED, SCOPUS, Web of Science, JSTOR, and CINAHL for relevant studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2010 to 2022.

Outpatient COVID-19 convalescent plasma recipient antibody thresholds correlated to reduced hospitalizations within a randomized trial.

Background: The COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) viral specific antibody levels that translate into recipient post-transfusion antibody levels sufficient to prevent disease progression is not defined.

Methods: This secondary analysis correlated donor and recipient antibody levels to hospitalization risk among unvaccinated, seronegative CCP recipients within the outpatient, double blind, randomized clinical trial that compared CCP to control plasma. The majority of COVID-19 CCP arm hospitalizations (15/17, 88%) occurred in this unvaccinated, seronegative subgroup.

Safety, target engagement, and biomarker effects of bosutinib in dementia with Lewy bodies.

Introduction: Bosutinib, a dual Abelson/Src inhibitor, was investigated in individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

Methods: A single site, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of oral bosutinib, 100 mg once daily for 12 weeks on primary safety and pharmacokinetics and secondary biomarker outcomes.

Results: Twenty-six participants were randomized and included male and female (12:1) in the bosutinib arm and all male (13) in the placebo arm.

Effect of metformin on the high-density lipoprotein proteome in youth with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have normal or elevated High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C), however, the function of HDL, partly mediated by the HDL proteome, may be impaired. Metformin can be used as an adjunct therapy in youth with T1D, but its effects on the HDL proteome are unknown.

Objective: To determine the effect of metformin on the HDL proteome.

Depression and Psychosocial Stress Are Associated With Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis Among Women Living With HIV.

Background To identify reasons for increased atherosclerotic risk among women living with HIV (WLWH), we evaluated the associations between psychosocial risk factors (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms) and subclinical atherosclerosis among WLWH and HIV-negative women. Methods and Results Carotid artery focal plaque (localized intima-media thickness >1.5 mm) was measured using B-mode ultrasound imaging in 2004-2005 and 2010-2012 in the Women's Interagency HIV Study.

Efficacy of an Inhibitor of Hepatitis B Virus Expression in Combination With Entecavir and Interferon-α in Woodchucks Chronically Infected With Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus.

RG7834 is a small-molecule inhibitor of hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene expression that significantly reduces the levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA in a humanized liver HBV mouse model. In the current study, we evaluated the potency of RG7834 in the woodchuck model of chronic HBV infection, alone and in combination with entecavir (ETV) and/or woodchuck interferon-α (wIFN-α). RG7834 reduced woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) surface antigen (WHsAg) by a mean of 2.

Metabolic correlates of prevalent mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome.

Introduction: Disruption of metabolic function is a recognized feature of late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). We sought to determine whether similar metabolic pathways are implicated in adults with Down syndrome (DS) who have increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: We examined peripheral blood from 292 participants with DS who completed baseline assessments in the Alzheimer's Biomarkers Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) using untargeted mass spectrometry (MS).

Dose distribution and up-titration patterns of metformin monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: To assess the dose distribution among users of metformin monotherapy as well as the patterns of up-titration following initiation of therapy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adults with T2DM in the United Kingdom (UK). Metformin dose distribution was assessed at 0, 6 and 12 months in people initiating metformin monotherapy (new users) and cross-sectionally in people with ongoing metformin monotherapy (prevalent users).

Liver-Targeted Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonist Combined With Entecavir Promotes a Functional Cure in the Woodchuck Model of Hepatitis B Virus.

Current therapeutics for chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) rarely induce functional cure due to the immunotolerant status of patients. Small molecule agonists targeting toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) have been shown to elicit a functional cure in animal models of HBV but sometimes with poor tolerability due to immune-related toxicities. In an effort to increase the therapeutic window of TLR7 agonists to treat chronic hepatitis B (CHB), we developed an oral TLR7 agonist, APR002, designed to act locally in the gastrointestinal tract and liver, thus minimizing systemic exposure and improving tolerability.

Treatment With Tetrahydrobiopterin Improves White Matter Maturation in a Mouse Model for Prenatal Hypoxia in Congenital Heart Disease.

Background Reduced oxygen delivery in congenital heart disease causes delayed brain maturation and white matter abnormalities in utero. No treatment currently exists. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a cofactor for neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

Rapid strep testing in children with recently treated streptococcal pharyngitis.

Importance: The use of the rapid antigen-detection test (RADT) has become the standard of care in the early diagnosis of group A beta-hemolytic (GAS) pharyngitis. Concern has been expressed over increased false positives when the child had been treated recently for GAS pharyngitis, resulting in over use of antibiotics.

Objective: To determine if the false positive rate for RADT is increased in children recently treated for GAS pharyngitis.

Ultrastructural Changes of the Right Ventricular Myocytes in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH ) is a serious disease without cure. Elevated pulmonary vascular resistance puts strain on the right ventricle ( RV ) and patients die of RV failure. Subjecting Sprague-Dawley rats to SU 5416 injection and hypoxia promotes severe PAH with pulmonary vascular lesions similar to human disease and has been well utilized to investigate pulmonary vascular pathology.

Apomorphine Subcutaneous Injection for the Management of Morning Akinesia in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: In patients with motor fluctuations complicating Parkinson's disease (PD), delays in time-to-ON with levodopa are common. This open-label study aimed to assess the effect of apomorphine on time-to-ON in PD patients with morning akinesia.

Methods: The safety population included 127 enrolled patients, and the full analysis set (FAS) included 88 patients.

Current progress of human trials using stem cell therapy as a treatment for diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus affects millions of people worldwide, and is associated with serious complications that affect nearly all body systems. Because of the severity of this global health concern, there is a great deal of research being performed on alternative treatments and possible cures. Previous treatments for diabetes have included exogenous insulin injection and pancreatic islet transplantations.

Genome-wide multi-omics profiling of colorectal cancer identifies immune determinants strongly associated with relapse.

The use and benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy to treat stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is not well understood since the majority of these patients are cured by surgery alone. Identification of biological markers of relapse is a critical challenge to effectively target treatments to the ~20% of patients destined to relapse. We have integrated molecular profiling results of several "omics" data types to determine the most reliable prognostic biomarkers for relapse in CRC using data from 40 stage I and II CRC patients.

IL-22 activates oxidant signaling in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate cell-signaling processes in response to various ligands and play important roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The present study reports that interleukin-22 (IL-22) elicits signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) through a ROS-dependent mechanism. We find that pulmonary artery SMCs express IL-22 receptor alpha 1 and that IL-22 activates STAT3 through this receptor.