MicroRNA Networks in Cognition and Dementia

The change from viewing noncoding RNA as “junk” in the genome to seeing it as a critical epigenetic regulator in almost every human condition or disease has forced a paradigm shift in biomedical and clinical research. Small and long noncoding RNA transcripts are now routinely evaluated as putative diagnostic or therapeutic agents. A prominent role for noncoding microRNAs in the central nervous system has uncovered promising new clinical candidates for dementia-related disorders, treatments for which currently remain elusive even as the percentage of diagnosed patients increases significantly. Cognitive decline is a core neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer’s Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, Huntington’s Disease, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, and a significant portion of Parkinson’s Disease patients. This review will discuss the microRNA-associated networks which influence these pathologies, including inflammatory and viral-mediated pathways (such as the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus implicated in COVID-19), and their current status in clinical trials

Evidence Vanished in Thin (H)air

Hair is one of the easiest objects to find, it seems to be everywhere. This is because on average a person loses 50 to 100 strands per day, but how is this applicable to crime scenes? Hair is one of the most prominent types of evidence, and it can be used to identify both victims and suspects. Given hair’s ability to build a case on a suspect, many criminals attempt to destroy the hair and other evidence at the crime scene. But the real question is, how well is the evidence destroyed? By conducting solubility tests with five different solvents (acetic acid, ammonia, toluene, acetone, and dimethylsulfoxide) on six different hair types, potential changes in morphology can be observed to answer the question of how well can evidence be destroyed. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy are also being utilized to determine morphological changes. It is suspected that hair will experience morphological changes after being treated with solvent

STI Testing among Medicaid Enrollees Initiating PrEP for HIV Prevention in Six Southern States

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing among Medicaid enrollees initiating preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent human immunodeficiency virus. Secondary data are in the form of Medicaid enrollment and claims data in six states in the US South. METHODS: Research partnerships in six states in the US South developed a distributed research network to accomplish study aims. Each state identified all first-time PrEP users in fiscal year 2017-2018 (combined N = 990) and measured the presence of STI testing for chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea through 2019. Each state calculated the percentage of individuals with at least one STI test during 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up periods. RESULTS: The proportion of first-time PrEP users that received an STI test varied by state: 37% to 67% of all of the individuals in each state who initiated PrEP received a test within the first 6 months of PrEP treatment and 50% to 77% received a test within the first 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends STI testing at least every 6 months for PrEP users, our analysis of Medicaid data suggests that STI testing occurs less frequently than recommended in populations at elevated risk of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia