Longitudinal associations between intersectional stigmas, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and viral load among women living with HIV using multidimensional latent transition item response analysis.

Background: In the US, Women, especially Black and Latina women living in disadvantaged environments, are disproportionally affected by HIV. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) have higher rates of suboptimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and detectable viral load (VL). Experiences of intersectional poverty, HIV, gender, and racial stigmas may increase the rates of detectable VL through suboptimal ART adherence.

A novel approach for inferring effects on pregnancy loss.

Identifying the determinants of pregnancy loss is a critical public health concern. However, pregnancy loss is often not noticed, and even when it is, it is inconsistently recorded. Thus, past studies have been limited to medically-identified losses or small, highly selected cohorts, which can lead to biased or non-generalizable results.

Generating fair, reliable, and accurate neuropsychological test norms for people with HIV in a low- or middle-income country.

Effective neuropsychological assessment of people with HIV (PWH) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is hampered by the unavailability of adequate test norms. We aimed to: (1) develop demographically-corrected (regression-based) South African (SA) normative data for an HIV appropriate neuropsychological test battery for Xhosa home-language speakers; (2) compare the utility of those norms to that of (i) internal standardization norms and (ii) US test publisher norms; and (3) determine the criterion validity of the newly-developed norms. 114 controls and 102 demographically comparable Xhosa home-language people living with HIV completed a well-establised, standard HIV neuropsychological test battery assessing seven cognitive domains.

Unveiling the neglected role of the intensity of acute stress disorder in the prediction of full- and sub-threshold posttraumatic stress disorder: looking beyond the diagnosis.

Purpose: Exposure to traumatic events may lead to the development of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) within the first month post-trauma in some individuals, while others may not exhibit ASD symptoms. ASD was introduced as a potential early indicator to identify those at higher risk of developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), however, PTSD can occur in some individuals even without prior ASD. Assessing ASD post-trauma can assist in identifying those who would most benefit from intervention to prevent later PTSD, yet the predictive power of ASD varies across studies, with intensity of ASD symptoms and subthreshold PTSD often less considered.

The relationship between mitochondrial health, telomerase activity and longitudinal telomere attrition, considering the role of chronic stress.

Telomere attrition is a hallmark of biological aging, contributing to cellular replicative senescence. However, few studies have examined the determinants of telomere attrition in vivo in humans. Mitochondrial Health Index (MHI), a composite marker integrating mitochondrial energy-transformation capacity and content, may be one important mediator of telomere attrition, as it could impact telomerase activity, a direct regulator of telomere maintenance.

The use and operationalization of "structural stigma" in health-related research: A scoping review.

Background: Research that investigates the negative health effects of stigma beyond the individual and interpersonal levels is increasingly using the concept of "structural stigma." This scoping review investigates how the concept of "structural stigma" has been used and operationalized in health-related literature to date in order to characterize its usage and inform future operationalizations.

Methods: A systematic search and screening process identified peer-reviewed, English-language research articles that used the term "structural stigma" available prior to January 1, 2024 in five databases (i.

Effect of competition on emergent phases and phase transitions in competitive systems.

This paper considers Lotka-Volterra competitive systems characterizing laboratory experiment by Hu et al. (Science, 378:85-89, 2022). Using dynamical systems theory and projection method, we give theoretical analysis and numerical simulation on the model with four species by demonstrating equilibrium stability, periodic oscillation and chaotic fluctuation in the systems.

Comparing Large Language Models and Human Programmers for Generating Programming Code.

The performance of seven large language models (LLMs) in generating programming code using various prompt strategies, programming languages, and task difficulties is systematically evaluated. GPT-4 substantially outperforms other LLMs, including Gemini Ultra and Claude 2. The coding performance of GPT-4 varies considerably with different prompt strategies.

Individuals with Heterogenous Trabecular Bone Texture by Clinical MRI have Lower Bone Strength and Stiffness by QCT Based Finite Element Analysis.

Opportunistic screening is essential to improve the identification of individuals with osteoporosis. Our group has utilized image texture features to assess bone quality using clinical MRIs. We have previously demonstrated that greater heterogeneity of MRI texture related to history of fragility fractures, lower bone density, and worse microarchitecture.

A global analysis of adaptation to societal aging across low-, middle- and high-income countries using the Global Aging Society Index.

We have previously presented a multidimensional Aging Society Index, a weighted summation of five domains central to successful adaptation to societal aging: well-being, productivity and engagement, equity, cohesion and security, as a tool to assess countries' adaptation to demographic transformation. As the index was based on data from developed countries and some of the individual metrics or weightings may not be well suited for application to low- and middle-income countries, we here present the scores on a modified index (Global Aging Society Index) on 143 countries distributed across the span of economic development. Only 5 out of 143 (3.

Drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains have altered cell envelope hydrophobicity that influences infection outcomes in human macrophages.

In recent decades, drug resistant (DR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), the cause of tuberculosis (TB), have emerged that threaten public health. Although M.

Immediate postpartum contraceptive implant placement and breastfeeding success in postpartum people at risk for low milk supply: A randomized non-inferiority trial.

Objectives: Our goal was to measure the impact of postpartum contraceptive implant insertion timing on breastfeeding success and duration in a population at high-risk for low milk supply.

Study Design: We conducted a three-armed randomized non-inferiority study of postpartum people who plan to breastfeed and have known risk factors for low milk supply. Participants were randomized to one of three groups for the timing of implant placement: within 30 minutes of placental delivery, 24-72 hours postpartum, or 6+ weeks postpartum.

Is increased mutation driving genetic diversity in dogs within the Chornobyl exclusion zone?

Environmental contamination can have lasting impacts on surrounding communities, though the long-term impacts can be difficult to ascertain. The disaster at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 and subsequent remediation efforts resulted in contamination of the local environment with radioactive material, heavy metals, and additional environmental toxicants. Many of these are mutagenic in nature, and the full effect of these exposures on local flora and fauna has yet to be understood.

The persistent pool of HIV-1-infected cells is formed episodically during untreated infection.

Previous studies have shown that the majority of long-lived cells harboring persistent HIV-1 proviral genomes originates from viruses circulating in the year prior to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, but a smaller proportion originates from viruses circulating much earlier in untreated infection. These observations suggest that discrete biological factors influence the entry and persistence of viruses into the persistent proviral pool, and there may be periods earlier in untreated infection with increased seeding. Therefore, we examined the timing of formation of the long-lived pool of infected cells that persists during ART in seven women (after a median of 5.

A collaborative approach to advancing research and training in Public Health Data Science-challenges, opportunities, and lessons learnt.

The unprecedented availability of increasingly complex, voluminous, and multi-dimensional data as well as the emergence of data science as an evolving field provide ideal opportunities to address the multi-faceted public health challenges faced by low and middle income countries (LMIC), especially those in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a severe lack of well-trained data scientists and home-grown educational programs to enable context-specific training. The lack of human capacity and resources for public health data analysis as well as the dire need to use modern technology for better understanding and possible intervention cannot be dealt with currently available educational programs and computing infrastructure, demanding a great deal of collaboration and investments within Africa and with the Global North This paper describes processes undertaken to establish sustainable research training programs and to train a new generation of data scientists with knowledge, mentoring, professional skills, and research immersion.

Understanding stakeholder responses to the electronic cigarette flavor ban in China: A news media analysis.

Objectives: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been attracting users around the world due in part to appealing flavors. Many countries and regions have now taken action to limit the sales of flavored e-cigarettes. In 2022, China implemented a flavor ban on e-cigarettes, prohibiting all but tobacco-flavor.

Anticipated Responses to Genetic Testing for Alzheimer's Disease Susceptibility among Latinos in Northern Manhattan.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative illness that has become a growing concern for older adults. As such, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genetic testing has become more commonly used to identify individuals' susceptibility to AD. An underrepresented population in AD research, Latinos will be disproportionately affected by AD in the coming decades.

Integrated programs for common mental illnesses within primary care and community settings in Latin America: a scoping review of components and implementation strategies.

Integrated programs for common mental illnesses are evidence-informed practices yet to be routinely implemented in Latin America. It synthesizes the literature on integrated programs for common mental illnesses (anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder) in Latin American primary care and community settings. It maps program components (the 'what') to the collaborative care model core components and implementation strategies (the 'how') to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy.

Association of gestational and childhood circulating C-peptide concentrations in the hyperglycemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes follow-up study.

Aims: This study examined the association of gravida C-peptide with progeny islet function and insulin sensitivity in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Follow-up Study (HAPO FUS).

Methods: Pregnancy 3rd trimester oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), cord blood, and offspring OGTT glucose, C-peptide and insulin at age 10-14 years were analyzed for 4,121 mother-child dyads. Gravida fasting and 1-hour C-peptide concentration correlations with cord blood and childhood C-peptide, insulin, insulinogenic index and insulin sensitivity, and insulin resistance [HOMA-IR]), were assessed by multiple linear regression.

Misclassification of opioid-involvement in drug-related overdose deaths in the United States: A scoping review.

Purpose: Most drug-related deaths in the United States (US) in 2022 involved opioids. However, methodological challenges in overdose surveillance may contribute to underestimation of opioid involvement in the overdose crisis. This scoping review aimed to synthesize existing literature to examine the breadth and contributing sources of misclassification of opioid-related overdose deaths.

An attempt to integrate information from young children into parent/teacher-based mental health evaluation of child internalizing disorders in epidemiological surveys.

Background: To date, most large surveys on the mental health of children under 11 years old have relied exclusively on data collected from parents and teachers, with no information from children themselves. However, these children are valuable informants despite their young age.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of adding young children's self-evaluation of internalizing disorders to a combined teacher/parent-based algorithm using data from a European survey carried out in Italy, Bulgaria, and in the Netherlands.

Depression is Associated with Treatment Response Trajectories in Adults with Prolonged Grief Disorder: A Machine Learning Analysis.

Unlabelled: Although evidence-based treatments for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) exist, pretreatment characteristics associated with differential improvement trajectories have not been identified. To identify clinical factors relevant to optimizing PGD treatment outcomes, we used unsupervised and supervised machine learning to study treatment effects from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Participants were randomized into four treatment groups for 20 weeks: citalopram with grief-informed clinical management, citalopram with prolonged grief disorder therapy (PGDT), pill placebo with PGDT, or pill placebo with clinical management.

Interocular retinal asymmetry and cognitive frailty: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) or ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) is associated with cognitive impairment. However, the relationship between retinal asymmetry and cognitive frailty (CF) remains unknown.

Methods: Two hundred twenty-two community-dwelling older adults were assessed starting in 2015 and underwent biennial cognitive and frailty evaluations until 2022.

Obesity and postpartum hospital use among individuals without additional medical comorbidities.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine whether obesity without preexisting or gestational comorbidities is associated with postpartum hospital use (PHU).

Methods: We studied 2016 to 2018 birth certificate and discharge data on 178,729 New York City births without International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes at delivery for diabetes; hypertension; placental disease; anemia; thyrotoxicosis; bariatric surgery; and pulmonary, cardiac, renal, bleeding, autoimmune, digestive, neuromuscular, mental, or substance-use disorders. We defined PHU as ≥1 readmission or emergency department visit within 30 days of delivery discharge.

Religion, spirituality, and DNA methylation in HPA-axis genes among Hispanic/Latino adults.

Aim: Investigate associations between religion and spirituality (R&S) and DNA methylation of four HPA-axis genes (i.e. 14 CpG sites) among 992 adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos cohorts.