SCIENCE AND TECH
Eva Semel 17, Jul 3 mins
3 mins
The Ritz Herald
© Gabriel Tovar
More than half of newborns diagnosed with HIV by age one did not receive preventative medicine after birth, suggesting undetected maternal infections

A recent study has uncovered alarming statistics regarding HIV prevention efforts for infants, particularly concerning those exposed to HIV during pregnancy and birth. Newborns diagnosed with HIV are supposed to receive immediate antiretroviral medication after delivery to significantly reduce the risk of transmission from mother to child. However, the study indicates that over half of the infants diagnosed with HIV within their first year did not receive this vital postnatal treatment. This suggests significant gaps in the detection of maternal HIV infections during pregnancy.

The findings, published in the journal *Pediatrics*, also shed light on troubling racial disparities. A striking majority of untreated infants were Black, reflecting systemic inequities in healthcare access and maternal care. Senior author Dr. Kengo Inagaki, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, emphasized the critical impact of being born with HIV on a child’s future health. “We have effective tools to prevent it,” he stated. “When newborns aren’t getting preventive treatment, it suggests we may be missing HIV infections in pregnant women and critical opportunities to intervene.”

The research team analyzed Medicaid data from over three million infants born between 2009 and 2021. Among 52 infants diagnosed with HIV by age one, more than half did not receive the recommended postnatal antiretroviral prophylaxis. Dr. Inagaki noted, “Our findings point to potential gaps in prenatal HIV detection,” urging for universal HIV screening in the first trimester, with an emphasis on retesting during the third trimester to identify mothers who acquire HIV later.

Moreover, the racial disparities observed align with broader national trends. Nearly 74% of untreated infants diagnosed with HIV were Black, consistent with national…

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© Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
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Experts in newest treatment option for cancer, neurological disorders unite to speed progress, expand access

To expand on early progress in the emerging field of cell and gene therapy, five research centers across New York State are collaborating to develop new cell therapies for cancer and other diseases. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, the University of Rochester Wilmot Cancer Institute in Rochester and three academic research centers in New York City — The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NYU Langone Health and Weill Cornell Medicine — have partnered to launch the Empire State Cellular Therapy Consortium.

Member centers will have expanded access to resources across the network, including Roswell Park’s 20-clean-room GMP Engineering & Cell Manufacturing Facility, and the ability to participate in clinical trials originating out of any of the five member sites — paving the way for faster progress and earlier, more convenient access to innovative therapies for patients.

“A partnership like this opens the doors to accelerating research, bringing innovative treatments from bench to bedside much faster. By combining our resources, we can learn from one another, strengthening our efforts to bring new and better options to patients,” says Consortium co-founder Marco Davila, MD, PhD, Roswell Park Senior Vice President, Associate Director of Translational Research and Rustum Family Endowed Chair…

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U.S. Department of Energy. © Timothy Epple
The Ritz Herald
Secretary Wright and Secretary Burgum signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance collaboration on energy and artificial intelligence with Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel Ambassador Leiter

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Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized the crucial role of AI in achieving the U.S.’s energy goals. “U.S. Energy Dominance demands the advancement of artificial intelligence,” he stated. Burgum underscored the collaborative effort between the U.S. and Israel, emphasizing the potential for innovation in the energy sector powered by AI. He…

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© W.A. Rasic Construction

As cities continue to grow taller and smarter, the systems that make them work are being built further underground. We often marvel at new high-rises or tech-powered transit hubs, but it’s the hidden infrastructure that companies like W.A. Rasic Construction establish—the power lines, data conduits, and utility pipelines—that quietly supports modern urban life.

And amidst rapid urbanization and climate change, those underground systems are becoming more critical than ever.

Beneath the Surface, Above the Trend 

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Adaptation Through Infrastructure

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The 157-year-old institution occupies a distinctive place within New York City’s educational landscape. Brooklyn Friends School began as a grade school, later adding kindergarten (1902), high school (1907), and preschool programs (1985 and 1992). Throughout these expansions, the school maintained its Quaker identity while evolving its approach to education.

“Guided by the Quaker belief that there is a Divine Light in everyone, Brooklyn Friends School cultivates an intellectually ambitious and diverse community that celebrates each individual’s gifts,” reads the school’s mission statement.

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