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Thelazia callipaeda eyeworm was considered an exotic parasite in North America until an autochthonous case was reported in a dog from New York, USA, in 2020 (1). T. callipaeda eyeworm [...]

Plasmodium vivax, the most widely geographically distributed species of the Plasmodium genus, causes malaria in humans and is transmitted through the bite of infectious Anopheles mosquitoes. P. vivax is the [...]

Western-trained, non-Indigenous researchers in Canada have an ethical responsibility to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples and to re-envision the scientific research process through the lens of reconciliation. The health of the natural environment has long been a concern to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, and weaving different ways of knowing could provide a path forward to address critical wildlife health concerns. Here, we conducted a review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature that claims to weave Indigenous and Western ways of knowing in ecotoxicology and wildlife health in Canada, coding for background information, wildlife health stressors, research methods, Indigenous participation, and research outcomes. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which were published since 2015 and took place in Canada's North. Research collaborations were often between First Nations or Inuit knowledge holders (most frequently, active harvesters and Elders) and Western-trained, non-Indigenous academics. Most studies were initiated by mutual agreement between community partners and researchers, but no study was 'Indigenous-led' at any stage of research. Studies investigated environmental contaminants and health-related topics in a range of wildlife, usually traditional subsistence species. The most commonly studied disease was avian cholera, and the most studied class of toxicants was metals and trace elements. Indigenous knowledge was primarily collected via interviews. Studies often used multiple methodologies to braid or weave knowledge, but the most frequently used methodology was community-based participatory research. To provide a more holistic understanding of the process of weaving knowledge, we conducted an in-depth examination, applying a decolonizing lens, of two exemplar cases of collaborative research with Indigenous communities. This exploration led to the conclusion that research that weaves ways of knowing must not be approached with a 'one-size-nts-all' mindset, but instead should emphasize relationship building, continuous engagement, and ethical practices. By adopting such practices, Western-trained, non-Indigenous academics can better address critical wildlife health concerns while contributing meaningfully to advancing healing and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Key words: Indigenous People, reconciliation, Indigenous knowledge, natural sciences, braiding knowledge systems, collaborative research, Introduction For many Indigenous Peoples around the world ''research' is one of the dirtiest words' (Smith 2021). Research with Indigenous Peoples and communities in Canada has not always been meaningful [...]

Objectives Healthy lifestyle, including healthy diet and physical activity, has been associated with lower blood pressure (BP). We hypothesized that overweight/obese women randomized to a lifestyle intervention beginning in early pregnancy would be less likely to have a higher BP trajectory. Methods The Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum study promoted a healthy lifestyle in pregnant and postpartum women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity. BP was measured at study visits at [less than or equal to] 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy and 6 and 12 months postpartum. Latent class trajectories were constructed to identify groups of participants with similar BP patterns throughout the study period. Odds of being assigned to the higher BP trajectories between the intervention and control group were determined with logistic regression, adjusted for age, race, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, smoking during the study period, and household income. Results Of the 219 participants enrolled (44.3% Black participants, 55.7% White participants, mean age = 29.7 ± 0.3 years), 112 (51.1%) were randomized to the intervention. Two systolic and diastolic BP trajectory groups were identified (Low-Stable, Moderate-Increasing). Randomization to the lifestyle intervention was not associated with odds of Moderate-Increasing systolic (OR 0.83, 95%CI 0.4, 1.6) or diastolic (OR 0.67, 95%CI 0.3, 1.3) BP trajectory assignment. Those in the Moderate-Increasing BP groups had higher BMI and were more likely to have an adverse pregnancy outcome. Conclusions A lifestyle intervention initiated in early pregnancy to help prevent excessive gestational weight gain was not associated with odds of specific BP patterns through pregnancy and postpartum., Author(s): Abbi Lane [sup.1] , Sara Wilcox [sup.1] [sup.2] , Ellen Wingard [sup.2] , Marnie K. McLean [sup.1] , Jihong Liu [sup.2] [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.254567.7, 0000 0000 9075 [...]

This article examines the rise of online narrowcasting and the battle over the right to remediate ephemeral televisual content through the case study of Justin.tv. The platform became wildly popular, garnering forty-five million monthly users at its height, because it allowed anyone with a stable Internet connection to become a distributor of content. The platform quickly transitioned from a place for 'life-casting' to one where users were narrowcasting a wide array of content, including original media, copyrighted live television and sports programs, and taped archives of television shows. This platform-shifted retransmission of televisual content caught the attention of traditional broadcasters and the US Congress. Justin.tv's narrowcasts followed the traditional linear model of broadcasting but also included the interactivity and open-source usage rules of Web 2.0. This led to a conflict in which the copyright holders attempted to redefine the retransmission of the content--which had originally been intended to be temporary--as stealing. Considering the explosive growth of live-streaming platforms such as Twitch (Justin.tv's successor) during the COVID-19 pandemic, reexamining the antecedents of narrowcasting and contested sites of remediation through Justin.tv provides important context for understanding the current media ecosystem., IN AN ERA BEFORE TIME-SHIFTING DEVICES AND ON-DEMAND CONTENT, ELECTRONIC BROADCASTS would appear before the eyes and ears of gathered audiences and then vanish forever into the air. This temporary [...]

BACKGROUND: Phthalate exposures are ubiquitous during pregnancy and may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in preterm birth. OBJECTIVES: We investigated race and ethnicity in the relationship between biomarkers of phthalate exposure and preterm birth by examining: a) how hypothetical reductions in racial and ethnic disparities in phthalate metabolites might reduce the probability of preterm birth; and b) exposure-response models stratified by race and ethnicity. METHODS: We pooled individual-level data on 6,045 pregnancies from 16 U.S. cohorts. We investigated covariate- adjusted differences in nine urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations by race and ethnicity [non-Hispanic White (White, 43%), non-Hispanic Black (Black, 13%), Hispanic/Latina (38%), and Asian/Pacific Islander (3%)]. Using g-computation, we estimated changes in the probability of preterm birth under hypothetical interventions to eliminate disparities in levels of urinary phthalate metabolites by proportionally lowering average concentrations in Black and Hispanic/ Latina participants to be approximately equal to the averages in White participants. We also used race and ethnicity- stratified logistic regression to characterize associations between phthalate metabolites and preterm birth. RESULTS: In comparison with concentrations among White participants, adjusted mean phthalate metabolite concentrations were consistently higher among Black and Hispanic/Latina participants by 23%-148% and 4%-94%, respectively. Asian/Pacific Islander participants had metabolite levels that were similar to those of White participants. Hypothetical interventions to reduce disparities in metabolite mixtures were associated with lower probabilities of preterm birth for Black [13% relative reduction; 95% confidence interval (CI): -34%, 8.6%] and Hispanic/Latina (9% relative reduction; 95% CI: -19%, 0.8%) participants. Odds ratios for preterm birth in association with phthalate metabolites demonstrated heterogeneity by race and ethnicity for two individual metabolites (mono-n-butyl and monoisobutyl phthalate), with positive associations that were larger in magnitude observed among Black or Hispanic/Latina participants. CONCLUSIONS: Phthalate metabolite concentrations differed substantially by race and ethnicity. Our results show hypothetical interventions to reduce population-level racial and ethnic disparities in biomarkers of phthalate exposure could potentially reduce the probability of preterm birth. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12831, Introduction Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity that may perpetuate impacts on intergenerational health. (1) In the United States, preterm birth rates increased over the [...]

THE POINT OF THE NEEDLE Why sewing matters BARBARA BURMAN 288pp. Reaktion. 15.95 [pounds sterling]. Barbara Burman became interested in the stitch 'as perhaps one of the smallest things a [...]

Background: Parabens, found in everyday items from personal care products to foods, are chemicals with endocrine- disrupting activity, which has been shown to influence reproductive function. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether urinary concentrations of methylparaben, propylparaben, or butylparaben were associated with the urinary metabolome during the periconceptional period, a critical window for female reproductive function. Changes to the periconceptional urinary metabolome could provide insights into the mechanisms by which parabens could impact fertility. Methods: Urinary paraben concentrations were measured in paired pre- and postconception urine samples from 42 participants in the Early Pregnancy Study, a prospective cohort of 221 women attempting to conceive. We performed untargeted and targeted metabolomics analyses using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We used principal component analysis, orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis, and permutation testing, coupled with univariate statistical analyses, to find metabolites associated with paraben concentration at the two time points. Potential confounders were identified with a directed acyclic graph and used to adjust results with multivariable linear regression. Metabolites were identified using fragmentation data. Results: Seven metabolites were associated with paraben concentration (variable importance to projection score >1, false discovery rate-corrected q-value Discussion: This study identified novel relationships between urinary paraben concentrations and diet-related metabolites but not with metabolites on endocrine-disrupting pathways, as hypothesized. It demonstrates the feasibility of integrating untargeted metabolomics data with environmental exposure information and epidemiological adjustment for confounders. The findings underscore a potentially important connection between diet and paraben exposure, with applications to nutritional epidemiology and dietary exposure assessment. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12125, Introduction Parabens are common antimicrobial preservatives used in personal care products, cosmetics, foods, and medications since the 1930s. (1-4) Exposure typically occurs through ingestion of foods and medications and dermal [...]

Food acquisition is critical for individual fitness. Recent work has highlighted the importance of behavioral traits, such as boldness, for explaining variation in foraging abilities within populations. Greater flexibility in these behavioral traits might help populations persist in the face of environmental change; this may be particularly important for small populations that are more susceptible to local extirpation. We performed a winter-feeding experiment in an extensively studied island population of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to examine if intrinsic factors (age, sex, and inbreeding) explain variation in behavioral traits (neophobia, boldness toward predators, boldness toward competitors, and aggression) and how behavioral traits influence the probability of local survival for adults and of no dispersal and survival for juveniles. Our results showed that adults were less neophobic and bolder toward competitors than juveniles. This suggests that juvenile Song Sparrows might be more vulnerable to environmental changes than adults and may help explain why juvenile survival has been more strongly impacted by a new competitor on the island. Females were less neophobic than males, indicating that the sexes vary in their behaviors associated with resource acquisition, potentially due to constraints associated with reproduction in females. We found that the individual inbreeding coefficient did not appear to influence any of the behavioral traits examined here. Lastly, more neophobic adults were found to be more likely to survive to hold a territory the following breeding season, demonstrating the consequences of behavior on future fitness. These findings highlight that behavioral traits impact resource acquisition and fitness, and, thus, variation in these behaviors may play a critical role in understanding and predicting how populations respond to environmental change. Received 25 August 2021. Accepted 26 February 2022. Key words: age, aggression, boldness, inbreeding level, neophobia, sex. La adquisicion de alimento es critica para la sobrevivencia individual. Trabajos recientes han destacado la importancia de caracteristicas conductuales, como la osadia, para explicar la variacion en capacidades de forrajeo al interior de poblaciones. Una mayor flexibilidad en caracteristicas conductuales podria ayudar a las poblaciones a persistir de cara al cambio ambiental y esto podria ser particularmente importante para poblaciones pequehas que son mas susceptibles a extinciones locales. Llevamos a cabo un experimento de alimcntacion invernal en una poblacion del gorrion Melospiza melodia que ha sido extensamente estudiada para examinar si factores intrinsecos (edad. sexo y endogamia) explican la variacion en las caracteristicas conductuales (neofobia, osadia ante depredadores, osadia ante competidores y agresion) y como las caracteristicas conductuales influencian la probabilidad de sobrevivencia local para los adultos, y la nodispersion y sobrevivencia para juveniles. Nuestros resultados muestran que los adultos fueron menos neofobicos y mas osados hacia competidores que los juveniles. Esto sugiere que los gorriones juveniles podrian ser mas vulnerables a cambios ambientales que los adultos y csto podria ayudar a explicar por que la sobrevivencia de los juveniles ha estado mas fuertemente impactada ante un nuevo competidor en la isla. Las hembras fueron menos neofobicas que los machos, indicando que los sexos varian en comportamientos asociados con adquisicion de rccursos. potencialmente debido a limitacioncs asociadas con la reproduccion en las hembras. Encontramos que el coeficiente de endogamia individual no parece influenciar ninguna de las caracteristicas conductuales que examinamos aqui. Finalmente. los adultos mas neofobicos fueron mas proclives a sobrevivir y asegurar un territorio en la siguicntc temporada reproductiva. demostrando las consecuencias del comportamiento en la sobrevivencia futura. Estos hallazgos destacan que las caracteristicas conductuales impactan la adquisicion de recursos y, por ello, la variacion en estas conductas podria jugar un papel critico en nuestro entendimiento y capacidad de predecir como responden las poblaciones al cambio ambiental. Palabras clave: agresion. edad, neofobia. nivel de endogamia, osadia, sexo., An individual's ability to obtain food resources is critical for individual fitness and can have cascading effects on a population's stability and ability to withstand changing environments (Arcese and Smith [...]

Les foyers artistiques a la fin du regne de Louis XIV (1682-1715): Musique et spectacles. Edited by Anne-Madeleine Goulet in collaboration with Remy Campos, Mathieu da Vinha, and Jean Duron. [...]