Exploring the barriers and facilitators to safer hair product purchasing and use among Black women in the greater Boston area through photovoice in the RESTYLE study.

Introduction: Racial/ethnic differences in personal care product (PCP) use, including hair products, are well-documented in the United States (US). Black women are more highly exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals in PCPs compared to other racial/ethnic groups. We identified barriers and facilitators to safer hair product purchasing and use in the greater Boston, Massachusetts area.

Local Recurrence and Survival in Patients With Melanoma In Situ.

Importance: The overdiagnosis of melanoma in situ (MIS) is well documented. There is limited evidence on the rate of local recurrence of the non-lentigo maligna (non-LM)/non-acral lentiginous melanoma (non-ALM) subtypes.

Objective: To investigate local recurrence and prognosis in non-LM/non-ALM MIS, the histopathological clearance of the excisional biopsy margins, and the association with the size of wide excision margins.

Transparent Reporting of Observational Studies Emulating a Target Trial-The TARGET Statement.

Importance: When randomized trials are unavailable or not feasible, observational studies can be used to answer causal questions about the comparative effects of interventions by attempting to emulate a hypothetical pragmatic randomized trial (target trial). Published guidance to aid reporting of these studies is not available.

Objective: To develop consensus-based guidance for reporting observational studies performed to estimate causal effects by explicitly emulating a target trial.

Arteriosclerosis in the heart-brain axis and Alzheimer's disease plasma markers in the Rotterdam Study.

BackgroundArteriosclerosis in the heart-brain axis has emerged as an important area of study in Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia research. While previous research primarily focused on structural brain changes, the relationship between arteriosclerosis and blood-based markers for AD dementia remains understudied.ObjectiveTo comprehensively assess arteriosclerosis in the heart-brain axis and investigate its link to AD dementia plasma markers.

REFINE2: A simplified simulation tool to help epidemiologists evaluate the suitability and sensitivity of effect estimation within user-specified data.

Epidemiologists have access to various methods to reduce bias and improve statistical efficiency in effect estimation, from standard multivariable regression to state-of-the-art doubly-robust efficient estimators paired with highly flexible, data-adaptive algorithms ("machine learning"). However, due to numerous assumptions and trade-offs, epidemiologists face practical difficulties in recognizing which method, if any, may be suitable for their specific data and hypotheses. Importantly, relative advantages are necessarily context-specific (data structure, algorithms, model misspecification), limiting the utility of universal guidance.

HIV resistance to dolutegravir varies with co-administered agents.

We hypothesized that HIV-dolutegravir-resistance is more frequent when co-administered with nucleos(t)ides with shorter intracellular half-lives. Multivariable analysis of 183 viremic (≥200c/mL) participants from four cohorts (N=660 participants) found dolutegravir-resistance in 21 (11.5%).

A cross-sectional study of demographic variation in health problem-related limitations in life across 22 countries: a cross-national analysis.

Background: Health limitations, defined as problems in life that limit an individual from activities of daily living, have been associated with human flourishing, globally. However, how health problems leading to functional limitations vary across multiple demographic characteristics and how these vary across countries requires additional exploration.

Methods: The Global Flourishing Study is a 5-year longitudinal study of human flourishing among 202,898 individuals across 22 countries.

Cost and cost-effectiveness analysis of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in obstetrics: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Facing the profound health impacts and economic challenges posed by the high maternal mortality ratio worldwide, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has shown its potential to enhance diagnostic efficiency, reduce healthcare costs and improve health outcomes. However, concerns regarding the explicit and implicit costs as well as actual clinical outcomes of POCUS also exist. This systematic review protocol aims to synthesise existing evidence regarding the costs and cost-effectiveness of POCUS in obstetric care to provide a clearer understanding of its economic and clinical impact, ultimately guaranteeing global maternal and neonatal health and supporting the vision of the 2030 sustainable development goals.

Assessing the global variation in patient characteristics, management and short-term outcomes of spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage worldwide: a protocol for a global observational prospective multicentre study (the PLOT-ICH study).

Introduction: Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with the greatest burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Haemorrhagic stroke or spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage (sICH), including intraparenchymal haemorrhage (IPH) and subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), has the highest mortality and morbidity. Local management practices for haemorrhagic stroke vary greatly between geographical regions.

Fine particulate matter exposure and sperm DNA fragmentation in US men: a spatial cross-sectional study.

Study Question: Does exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) impact sperm DNA fragmentation?

Summary Answer: Higher PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased sperm DNA fragmentation, with greater effects observed in men of lower socioeconomic status (SES).

Serum Galectin-9 and Decorin in relation to brain aging and the green-Mediterranean diet: A secondary analysis of the DIRECT PLUS randomized trial.

Background And Aims: We explored whether changes in serum proteomic profiles differed between participants with distinct brain aging trajectories, and whether these changes were influenced by dietary intervention.

Methods: In this secondary analysis of the 18-month DIRECT PLUS trial, 294 participants were randomized to one of three arms: 1) Healthy dietary guidelines (HDG); 2) Mediterranean (MED) diet (+440 mg/day polyphenols from walnuts); or 3) low red/processed meat green-MED diet (+1240 mg/day polyphenols from walnuts, Mankai plant, and green tea). We measured 87 serum proteins (Olink-CVDII).

Opportunities for employers to address the opioid epidemic: results from a national survey.

Introduction: Employers play a critical role in addressing the opioid crisis in the United States, so the federal government created the Recovery-Ready Workplace (RRW) framework, which suggests employer action in 4 areas: prevention and risk reduction, education, employment, and treatment.

Methods: This study examines employees' views of RRW-related actions taken by their employers to address opioid misuse, using a national survey of 1010 U.S.

Biomarkers of Atrial Fibrillation-Related Pathways and Left Atrial Structure and Function in an Overweight and Obese Population.

Background Exploring longitudinal associations of blood biomarkers with left atrial (LA) structure and function can enhance our understanding of atrial fibrillation (AF) etiopathogenesis. Methods We studied 532 participants of the PREDIMED-Plus trial, a multicenter randomized trial in overweight and obese adults with metabolic syndrome. At baseline, 3 and 5 years after randomization, participants underwent transthoracic echocardiography and provided blood for serum biomarker measurements (propeptide of procollagen type I (PICP), high-sensitivity (hs) troponin T (hsTnT), hs C-reactive protein (hsCRP), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), and N-terminal propeptide of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)).

The COVID-19 global pandemic and allostatic load among a cohort of Black and Latina transgender women living with HIV.

This exploratory study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress biomarkers and allostatic load for Black and Latina transgender women living with HIV (BLTWLH), as well as COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and vaccination status. LITE Plus is a longitudinal cohort study of BLTWLH designed to identify pathways linking biopsychosocial stress to HIV co-morbidities. Participants were enrolled between October 2019-June 2022.

A Call for a Unified Database to Address Exposure Disparities in the United States.

United States (US) drinking water quality is federally regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) with the goal of ensuring clean, safe drinking water for the entire population. However, siting of pollution point sources in historically redlined communities with lower socioeconomic status and higher proportions of people of color adversely affects drinking water quality. Prior studies show higher concentrations of a suite of contaminants in small PWS, PWS in rural areas, and PWS serving greater proportions of people of color.

-specific antibodies in plasma and saliva in cholera patients during a severe outbreak in Zambia: an antibody profiling approach.

Background: Cholera is a public health threat in resource-limited settings and is responsible for causing over 3 million cases globally. Mucosal immune responses play an important role in protecting against infection, a non-invasive mucosal pathogen, yet traditional plasma-based assays are invasive and logistically challenging, particularly during outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Saliva offers a unique window into mucosal immunity and may serve as a non-invasive alternative for seroprevalence and vaccine immunogenicity studies.

Effect of smoking on drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment outcomes and exploring potential pathways: A multicountry cohort study.

People who smoke are at increased risk of unfavorable tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes compared with those who do not, but the pathways explaining this effect are unclear. We estimated the effect of smoking on a successful end-of-treatment outcome for multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant (MDR/RR) TB and examined if intervening on loss to follow-up mitigates this effect. The endTB Observational Study was a prospective cohort of people with MDR/RR-TB who were treated with longer regimens containing bedaquiline and/or delamanid.

Metabolomic signatures of hypocaloric dietary interventions associate with breast cancer risk in the Nurses' Health Study II.

Background: An individual's metabolic state plays a critical role in breast cancer (BC) risk, influenced by factors such as obesity and insulin signaling. Hypocaloric diets induce metabolic changes that influence these metabolic factors, thereby potentially influencing BC risk. However, it remains unclear whether metabolic profiles like those induced by such beneficial diets are associated with BC risk.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas or Biomass for Cooking and Effects on Blood Pressure: Results from the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial.

Background: Exposure to household air pollution from burning coal and biomass for cooking is associated with higher blood pressure and other adverse indicators of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Evidence demonstrating that switching from biomass to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will reduce blood pressure is limited.

Methods: As part of a larger trial of 3200 households, we conducted a randomized trial of 342 women aged 40 to 79 years who lived in households using biomass for cooking in rural areas of Guatemala, India, Peru, and Rwanda to assess the effects of a free LPG stove and fuel intervention.

WHF Roadmap on Single Pill Combination Therapies.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of mortality, with treatment adherence posing a major barrier to effective prevention and control. Single pill combinations (SPCs), also known as fixed-dose combinations, simplify treatment by combining multiple agents into one pill, improving adherence and reducing cardiovascular risk. This World Heart Federation Roadmap synthesizes the latest clinical evidence and identifies key barriers to SPC implementation, including limited manufacturing, affordability, regulatory complexity, and inconsistent guideline inclusion.

Exploring the relationships between Early Childhood Adversity, Social Cognition, and Aggression in a South African Study of People Living with Schizophrenia.

People living with schizophrenia (PLS) are at increased risk of being both victims and perpetrators of violence. Recent research suggests that social cognitive impairments may contribute to heightened aggression in schizophrenia. Childhood trauma, a well-established risk factor for both schizophrenia and aggression, is also linked to more severe cognitive deficits in PLS.

Trends and factors associated with opioid prescribing from 2017 to 2023.

Widespread misuse of prescription opioids has resulted in large numbers of opioid-related overdose deaths. It is critical to have a better understanding of the temporal patterns of opioid prescribing practices and associated clinical scenarios. We examined opioid prescription trends over 7 years in a large medical system using electronic health record data.