Sex differences in the prevalence of high-risk oral and anal human papillomavirus infections among heterosexually active populations in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Purpose: To determine sex differences in the prevalence of oral and anal high-risk HPV infections among heterosexually active males and females in Ibadan.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis from the Sexual Behavior and HPV Infections in Nigerians in Ibadan (SHINI) study that involved sexually active males and females aged 18-45 years. After a face-to-face interview, samples were collected from the mouth, cervix, vulva, and anus by a sex-matched trained nurse.

Whole genome sequence-based association analysis of African American individuals with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

In studies of individuals of primarily European genetic ancestry, common and low- frequency variants and rare coding variants have been found to be associated with the risk of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ). However, less is known for individuals of other genetic ancestries or the role of rare non-coding variants in BD and SZ risk. We performed whole genome sequencing (∼27X) of African American individuals: 1,598 with BD, 3,295 with SZ, and 2,651 unaffected controls (InPSYght study).

Future of Families: Cardiovascular Health Among Young Adults Cohort Study: Rationale, Key Questions, Study Design, and Participant Characteristics.

Background: Childhood social determinants of adult cardiovascular health and potential mechanisms that link them are poorly understood. The FF-CHAYA (Future of Families-Cardiovascular Health Among Young Adults) study is designed to address these knowledge gaps.

Methods: The FF-CHAYA sample is a subcohort of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, which enrolled 4897 mother-baby dyads at delivery beginning in 1998 to 2000 and collected extensive data on neighborhood, family, school, and behavioral exposures at birth and offspring ages 1, 3, 5, 9, 15, and 22 years.

Molecular epidemiology of human papillomavirus genotypes among HIV-negative women and women living with HIV with cervical cancer in two regions in Nigeria.

BackgroundCervical cancer (CC) is highly prevalent in Nigeria, with over 12,000 cases and 8000 deaths annually. Differences in diagnostic methods for human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes have generated varied prevalence rates across populations.MethodsWe analyzed the prevalence and distribution of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) genotypes among women with CC, comparing HIV-negative women and women living with HIV (WLWH), using data from a prospective Nigerian cohort study (2018-2022).

Prevalence of, and factors associated with oral sexual behaviours in men and women in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Unprotected oral sex is associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HPV and associated head and neck cancers. However, many studies lack clear definitions of oral sex and there are few data from West Africa. This study assessed the pattern and prevalence of, and factors associated with oral sex among Nigerian men and women from the general population.

DNA Methylation Signatures of Cardiovascular Health Provide Insights Into Diseases.

Background: The association of overall cardiovascular health (CVH) with changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) has not been well characterized.

Methods: We calculated the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 score to reflect CVH in 5 cohorts with diverse backgrounds (mean age 54 years, 55% women, and enrollment year ranging from 1989 to 2012). Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) for Life's Essential 8 score were conducted, followed by bioinformatic analyses.

DNA methylation biomarkers for cervical cancer risk prediction in HIV-positive Nigerian women.

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a significant public health issue in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in Western sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria. While global CC incidence and mortality have declined, these regions continue to face high rates due to inadequate screening and the high prevalence of HIV, which increases CC risk by promoting persistent HPV infections. This study aimed to identify DNA methylation (DNAm) biomarkers for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and CC in HIV-positive Nigerian women and to assess their potential for clinical risk prediction.

Lower Frequency of Polymorphism in West African Populations and Divergent Associations With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background And Aims: The germline variant patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 ()-rs738409 (I148M) is associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in European and East Asian populations, but its association with HCC in Africans has not been investigated. We examined the association between -rs738409 and HCC risk in Ghanaian and Nigerian populations, compared to a U.S.

Polygenic scores for obstructive sleep apnoea reveal pathways contributing to cardiovascular disease.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common chronic condition, with obesity its strongest risk factor. Polygenic scores (PGSs) summarise the genetic liability to phenotype and can provide insights into relationships between phenotypes. Recently, large datasets that include genetic data and OSA status became available, providing an opportunity to utilise PGS approaches to study the genetic relationship between OSA and other phenotypes, while differentiating OSA-specific from obesity-specific genetic factors.

Metabolic and immune consequences of antibiotic related microbiome alterations during first-line tuberculosis treatment in Bamako, Mali.

Background: Individuals with a history of tuberculosis (TB) treatment are at a higher risk of experiencing a recurrent episode of the disease. Previous cross-sectional studies identified a connection between dysbiosis (alterations) in the gut microbiota composition and the administration of first-line TB antibiotics. However, these studies have not successfully elucidated this dysbiosis's resulting metabolic and immune consequences.

Methylation risk score of C-reactive protein associates sleep health with related health outcomes.

C-reactive protein (CRP) reflects inflammation status and is linked to poor sleep, metabolic and cardiovascular health. Methylation (MRS) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) reflect long-term systemic inflammation, and genetically-determined CRP, respectively. To refine understanding of inflammation-linked sleep and health outcomes, we construct PRS-CRPs using GWAS summary statistics and a previously-developed MRS-CRP in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

High-dimensional mediation analysis for longitudinal mediators and survival outcomes.

Mediation analysis with high-dimensional mediators is crucial for identifying epigenetic pathways linking environmental exposures to health outcomes. However, high-dimensional mediation analysis methods for longitudinal mediators and a survival outcome remain underdeveloped. This study fills that gap by introducing a method that captures mediation effects over time using multivariate, longitudinally measured time-varying mediators.

Implementation science research to understand the readiness of a mobile clinic intervention to screen for high-risk HPV infections and associated morbidity in Mali and Nigeria.

Access to and community acceptance of point-of-care testing for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) are vital to cervical cancer (CC) prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports high rates of HPV-16/18 (oncogenic hrHPV strains) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In rural Mali and peri-urban Nigeria, prevention efforts are limited by cognitive, socio-cultural, logistical, and resource-related barriers, leading to ongoing transmission, late diagnoses, limited treatment options, and preventable deaths.

Analytical performance of the ScreenFire HPV RS Zebra BioDome assay on four different qPCR platforms.

Objectives: Cervical cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), accounting for nearly 85% of the global cervical cancer burden. High-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection is the main cause of cervical cancer. Easy-to-use, rapid, scalable, high-throughput, and cost-effective HPV tests are urgently needed for low-resource settings.

Assessment of Relative Contributions of Lifestyle, Behavioral and Biological Risk Factors for Cervical Human Papillomavirus Infections in Female Sex Workers.

This study aimed to identify and quantify the relative and collective contributions of lifestyle, behavioral, and biological risk factors to cervical HPV infections among female sex workers (FSWs) in Ibadan, Nigeria. This cross-sectional study was part of the Sexual Behavior and HPV Infections in Nigerians in Ibadan project and involved 182 FSWs for whom complete data on HPV genotypes were available. Quantile-based g-computation was employed to assess the relative and collective contributions of risk factors to any cervical HPV/hrHPV infections and multiple cervical HPV/hrHPV.

Urban imperviousness and carotid intima-medial thickness: Evidence from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

Background: Urbanization has increased impervious cover - surfaces that cannot absorb or filter water - which may raise cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks through reduced walkability, increased heat, and pollution. However, the relationship between imperviousness and subclinical CVD indicators, specifically carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), remains unexplored, especially across diverse populations. This study aims to investigate whether impervious cover in residential communities is associated with CIMT, and whether these associations differ by race and sex.

Developing a Novel Index for Individual-Level Social Determinants and Cardiovascular Diseases in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

Background: Social determinants of health (SDH) have been found to contribute to cardiovascular risk and the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few studies have examined early-life exposure to SDH and the combined effect of multiple SDH measures on CVD. There is an urgent need to develop an SDH index for use in practice and clinical settings.

Whole genome sequencing analysis of body mass index identifies novel African ancestry-specific risk allele.

Obesity is a major public health crisis associated with high mortality rates. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigating body mass index (BMI) have largely relied on imputed data from European individuals. This study leveraged whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from 88,873 participants from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Program, of which 51% were of non-European population groups.

Alterations in DNA Methylation, Proteomic, and Metabolomic Profiles in African Ancestry Populations with APOL1 Risk Alleles.

Key Points: We aimed to elucidate potential methylation, proteomic, and metabolomic mechanisms by which variants may be linked to kidney disease. We report distinct methylation profiling between risk allele carriers and noncarriers, many near gene family. We report higher APOL1 protein and lower C18:1 cholesteryl ester in two risk allele carriers.

Life-course socioeconomic position and the gut microbiome in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Socioeconomic position (SEP) in childhood and beyond may influence the gut microbiome, with implications for disease risk. Studies evaluating the relationship between life-course SEP and the gut microbiome are sparse, particularly among Hispanic/Latino individuals, who have a high prevalence of low SEP. We use the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a population-based cohort study conducted in four field centers in the United States (U.

The association of DNA methylation-based epigenetic age acceleration with facial expression recognition in older adults.

Background: Facial expression recognition (FER) abilities play a crucial role in fostering beneficial social relationships for healthy aging, however, these abilities tend to decline as people age. We investigated the association between epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) and FER among older individuals.

Methods: Accuracy rates and response times for six emotions, anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise, were assessed in outpatients who visited the Veterans Health Service Medical Center.

Associations of Social Vulnerability and Race-Ethnicity With Gastrointestinal Cancers in the United States.

Background: National social determinant of health (SDoH) studies on gastrointestinal cancers (GIC) have observed single GIC-types for surgery but not across all GIC-types, non-surgical treatments outcomes, or mortality. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a validated large-data SDoH-tool, quantifiably characterizes the interrelatedness of SDoH-impact through dynamic, region-contextualized measures.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study assessed GIC patients (20+ years) between 2013 and 2017 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for total and subcomponent social vulnerability associations across 15 SDoH-variables encompassing themes of socioeconomic status, minority-language status, household composition, and housing-transportation measured by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI).

Evaluating Intermittent Dosing of Aspirin for Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention.

Aspirin reduces colorectal cancer risk but has a potential for adverse effects. Recent preclinical data suggest that intermittent dosing of aspirin may minimize adverse effects while maintaining efficacy. We conducted a three-arm double-blind randomized placebo-controlled phase II trial.

Unveiling the Genetic Landscape of Coronary Artery Disease Through Common and Rare Structural Variants.

Background: Genome-wide association studies have identified several hundred susceptibility single nucleotide variants for coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite single nucleotide variant-based genome-wide association studies improving our understanding of the genetics of CAD, the contribution of structural variants (SVs) to the risk of CAD remains largely unclear.

Method And Results: We leveraged SVs detected from high-coverage whole genome sequencing data in a diverse group of participants from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine program.