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Background: Each year, nearly 790.000 new cases of myocardial infarction (MI) are recorded in the United States. Better knowledge of the modifiable risk factors for this cardiovascular disease remains a major public health issue. In this perspective, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and risk of subsequent myocardial infarction (MI).Methods: A systematic review using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines was performed by searching four bibliographic databases (PubMed/Medline, PsycINFO, Science Direct and Proquest Dissertations and Theses).Results: A total of 14 articles were included. Nine of these included depression as a covariate. Among 13 studies (N = 848.903), the pooled HR for the magnitude of the relationship between PTSD and MI was 1.49 (95% CI 1.31-1.69) before adjustment for depression. The pooled HR estimate for the 9 depression-adjusted estimates (N = 814.441) was 1.32 (95% CI 1.12-1.56).Limitations: These results should be considered with caution because there is high heterogeneity between studies and possible publication bias; thus, further research is required to support these results.Conclusions: Further research is still needed to identify in more precise terms the mediating factors involved in the direct association between PTSD and the subsequent occurrence of ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fishmeal demands alongside a multitude of other issues, including animal welfare concerns, antibiotic use and resistance, and occupational risks, make it easy to see why the U.S. would continue not to authorize offshore finfish farming, and possibly even enact a moratorium or ban on offshore finfish aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite several environmental and economic benefits of crop rotation, the adoption of this agricultural practice is relatively low. Understanding the reasons for low adoption is important from a sustainability policy perspective. This study explores the motivation, challenges, and sources of information of agricultural producers who participate in crop rotation practices in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska. The findings of a mail survey of 672 producers in these three states show that producers are familiar with the crop rotation practice. Economic profitability is found to drive motivation for crop rotation adoption. The results of a binary logistic regression model show that a producer who perceives that crop rotation is beneficial to farm profitability is 1.83 times more likely to adopt it than the producer who does not believe in its profitability to the farm. The lack of time or resources is the primary barrier to the adoption of crop rotation practice. This study provides additional evidence in support of the importance of farm profitability for the adoption of the practice of crop rotation. Understanding the rationale and addressing the challenges faced by agricultural producers would be useful in planning and policy making of sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North America has experienced rapid growth in the construction of utility-scale wind farms, with over 65,000 wind turbines constructed in the past 25 years. While wind farms are located almost exclusively in rural areas, ownership of the wind energy industry is largely a mix of multinational corporate energy conglomerates along with some smaller private energy firms. Despite the growth of the wind industry, little research has examined how the ownership structure of wind farms may affect host communities, even though research on other types of energy projects demonstrates local ownership tends to have more public support and positive benefits to the community. This exploratory research involves 36 in-depth interviews with leaders and residents in three case study communities located in the U.S. states of South Dakota and Minnesota: three communities impacted by wind farms variously owned by a regional electrical cooperative, municipalities, multinational corporations, and a local-resident group. The interviews describe the types of impacts perceived to have occurred in local communities, the role that wind farm ownership appears to play in shaping these impacts and reveal broader structural attributes of the U.S. wind industry. In doing so, this research describes the unique case of Community Wind North, a 12-turbine wind farm in southwestern Minnesota that is owned by 120 local member investors. Our findings from this exploratory research in wind farm host communities suggest that it is the local context of these rural communities that shapes the effects of wind farm development far more than if the wind farm is cooperatively, cooperatively, or municipally owned. We additionally employ Roland Warren's concepts of vertical and horizontal patterns of community to contextualize our findings, with findings that suggest the structure of the wind industry contributes to the continued advancement of the vertical patterns or linkages between rural areas and metropolitan regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder affecting 5% of the population over the age of 85 years. Current treatments primarily involve dopamine replacement therapy, which leads to temporary relief of motor symptoms but fails to slow the underlying neurodegeneration. Thus, there is a need for safe PD therapies with neuroprotective activity. In this study, we analyzed contemporary herbal medicinal practices used by members of the Pikuni-Blackfeet tribe from Western Montana to treat PD-related symptoms, in an effort to identify medicinal plants that are affordable to traditional communities and accessible to larger populations. Aim of the study The aims of this study were to (i) identify medicinal plants used by the Pikuni-Blackfeet tribe to treat individuals with symptoms related to PD or other CNS disorders, and (ii) characterize a subset of the identified plants in terms of antioxidant and neuroprotective activities in cellular models of PD. Materials and methods Interviews of healers and local people were carried out on the Blackfeet Indian reservation. Plant samples were collected, and water extracts were produced for subsequent analysis. A subset of botanical extracts was tested for the ability to induce activation of the Nrf2-mediated transcriptional response and to protect against neurotoxicity elicited by the PD-related toxins rotenone and paraquat. Results The ethnopharmacological interviews resulted in the documentation of 26 medicinal plants used to treat various ailments and diseases, including symptoms related to PD. Seven botanical extracts (out of a total of 10 extracts tested) showed activation of Nrf2-mediated transcriptional activity in primary cortical astrocytes. Extracts prepared from Allium sativum cloves, Trifolium pratense flowers, and Amelanchier arborea berries exhibited neuroprotective activity against toxicity elicited by rotenone, whereas only the extracts prepared from Allium sativum and Amelanchier arborea alleviated PQ-induced dopaminergic cell death. Conclusions Our findings highlight the potential clinical utility of plants used for medicinal purposes over generations by the Pikuni-Blackfeet people, and they shed light on mechanisms by which the plant extracts could slow neurodegeneration in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on resistance by women against rape in United States. Topics discussed include women organization Women of the Free Future, antirape movement and survivors of sexual violence. Other topics which includes heatlhcare for victims of sexual violence and demonstrations against violence against women are also discussed.

Public participation in local planning decisions is widely advocated as an important component of democratic decision making. It is linked to a number of positive outcomes, including increased resident satisfaction and more effective decision making. In the realm of energy development, many local governments lack regulatory control and thus lack a venue for public participation in this type of land-use decision. Private landowners are increasingly afforded the ability to participate in the planning and siting of these energy developments though contractual land leasing negotiations. Even as this form of participation becomes widespread, it occurs outside of the public sphere and challenges the traditional notions of participation in land use decisions. This article introduces the concept of “private participation” and provides results of a mail survey (n = 1,028) that reveal that such participation appears to increase landowner perceptions of control and information access, and ultimately positive attitudes toward the developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Experts have proposed core curriculum components for international emergency medicine (IEM) fellowships. This study examined perceptions of program directors (PDs) and fellows on whether IEM fellowships cover these components, whether their perspectives differ and the barriers preventing fellowships from covering them. Methods From 1 November 2011 to 30 November 2011, a survey was administered to PDs, current fellows and recent graduates of the 34 US IEM fellowships. Respondents quantified their fellowship experience in six proposed core curriculum areas: emergency medicine (EM) systems development, EM education, humanitarian assistance, public health, emergency medical services and disaster medicine. Analysis was performed regarding what per cent of programmes fulfil the six curriculum areas. A paired t test determined the difference between PDs' and fellows' responses. Agreement between PDs and fellows within the same programme was determined using a 'statistic. Results Only 1/18 (6%) (according to fellows) to 2/24 (8%) (according to PDs) of programmes expose fellows to all six components. PDs consistently reported higher exposure than fellows. The difference in mean score between PDs and fellows was statistically significant (p<0.05) in three of the 6 (50%) core curriculum elements: humanitarian aid, public health and disaster medicine. Per cent agreement between PDs and fellows within each programmes ranged from poor to fair. Conclusions While IEM fellowships have varying structure, this study highlights the importance of further discussion between PDs and fellows regarding delineation and objectives of core curriculum components. Transparent curricula and open communication between PDs and fellows may reduce differences in reported experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical scholarship on black-on-white rape has focused mainly on the oppression of black men and firmly cast white women only as false accusers. While radically politicized groups like communists in the 1930s and civil rights activists in the 1950s deployed the trope of the lying white woman to defend black men accused of rape, by the mid-twentieth century the mainstream culture began to embrace this rhetoric. I am interested in how a new consensus was, formed around this rhetoric and what that meant for movements that organized for justice around sexual violence. In this article, I use the Giles-Johnson case, an instance of alleged black-on-white sexual violence, to examine how white mainstream America embraced the trope of the lying white woman at this time. This article challenges the assumptions of the false claim and begins to examine the complex interplay of racialized and sexualized constructions in cases of black-on-white rape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of unconventional natural gas resources in the Marcellus Shale region of the northeastern United States has progressed rapidly over the last decade. The discourse surrounding such development recalls quarter-century-old debates about positive and negative implications for the well-being of such energy boomtowns. Potential support or opposition relates to trust in the industry and its regulators, perceived knowledge, and perceived impacts. Our research project takes advantage of the opportunity for a natural experiment in comparing these elements between two spatially adjacent sites with contrasting approaches to gas development: in Pennsylvania, drilling of unconventional natural gas reserves has been proceeding for nearly a decade, whereas, at the time of this writing, drilling has not begun in New York. A mail survey of a random sample of New York and Pennsylvania residents within the Marcellus region revealed important differences between sites. New York residents were more opposed to development, characterized the industry in a more negative light, and were more likely to have engaged in various forms of public participation. In contrast, respondents did not differ by state on their perceived level of knowledge, even though gas development is more advanced in Pennsylvania. Potential explanations for these findings are offered, as are implications for understanding newly emerging energy boomtowns.Environmental Practice 14:287–298 (2012) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the emerging risk communication challenges linked with shale gas development in the U.S. and Europe. These challenges are contested risk information, changing information needs and risk perceptions, and communicating risk-benefit tradeoffs of natural gas development. It provides a background of shale gas development which requires novel technologies that use large amounts of water, sand, and chemical under high pressure.

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The article focuses on the importance of scanning for solutions to environmental approach to conserve biological diversity in the U.S. It states that the approach can give people a sense of the quality and quantity of solutions and the conservation priorities and to provide the groundwork for assessing the solution's effectiveness. It mentions that three main threat to test the practicality and usefulness of solution scanning including the creation of oceanic dead zones.

This study explores the similarities and differences between those who choose to remain in public child welfare (stayers) and those who leave (leavers) in a sample of Title IV-E MSW graduates. Interview transcripts from a self-selected sample of 386 specially-trained, MSW-level child welfare workers were thematically coded to compare and contrast the motivations, perceptions and experiences of 304 stayers and 82 leavers over a 10-year data collection period. Results showed that dedication to children and families and social work values does not differ between stayers and leavers. Overall, respondents raised a central issue of disconnection between educational experiences and agency realities. While all participants acknowledged workload and stress as job challenges, stayers illustrated experiences that buffered job pressures, particularly encounters with supportive supervisors. Leavers tended not to experience these buffers, and expressed more difficulty in balancing their professional and personal lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As the global trade and market for seafood has grown, so have the twin problems of renaming and mislabeling. Resource scarcity, the potential for greater profits, and weak legislation have all encouraged incorrect labeling, the results of which include consumer losses, the subversion of eco-marketing, further degradation of fisheries resources, and even adverse effects on human health. This paper examines the extent and consequences of renaming and mislabeling seafood, the state of current legislation, and the importance of future policies, with particular attention to the US, where 80% of the seafood is imported and more than one-third of all fish are mislabeled. Policy recommendations include governments’ support for a global mandate to label species, country of origin, and catching or production method on all seafood with high penalties for infractions. Chain of custody standards, such as those recently implemented by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), should also be considered for adoption worldwide. To garner support for this legislation, consumers must become better acquainted and concerned with their seafood and its origins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Short-term experiences in global health (STEGH) are increasingly common in medical education, as they can provide learners with opportunities for service, learning, and sharing perspectives. Academic institutions need high-quality preparatory curricula and mentorship to prepare learners for potential challenges in ethics, cultural sensitivity, and personal safety; however, availability and quality of these are variable. Objective: The objective of this study is to create and evaluate an open-access, interactive massive open online course (MOOC) that prepares learners to safely and effectively participate in STEGH, permits flexible and asynchronous learning, is free of charge, and provides a certificate upon successful completion. Methods: Global health experts from 8 countries, 42 institutions, and 7 specialties collaborated to create The Practitioner's Guide to Global Health (PGGH): the first course of this kind on the edX platform. Demographic data, pre- and posttests, and course evaluations were collected and analyzed. Results: Within its first year, PGGH enrolled 5935 learners from 163 countries. In a limited sample of 109 learners, mean posttest scores were significantly improved (p < 0.01). In the course's second year, 213 sampled learners had significant improvement (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We created and evaluated the first interactive, asynchronous, free-of-charge global health preparation MOOC. The course has had significant interest from US-based and international learners, and posttest scores have shown significant improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physicians play a primary role in vaccination of the population. Strong initial training of medical students is therefore essential to enable them to fulfill this role. This cross-sectional nationwide online survey conducted between September 2015 and January 2016 obtained 2,118 completed surveys from 6,690 eligible respondents (response rate, 32%) at 27 of 32 medical schools in France regarding their education about vaccination. The data were analyzed in April-June 2016. The survey covered their knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions, and assessed their level of perceived preparedness for their future practice as interns. Around a third of the students (n=708, 34%) felt insufficiently prepared for questions about vaccination, especially for communicating with patients on side effects (n=1,381, 66%) and strategies to respond to vaccine hesitancy (n=1,217, 58%). The mean knowledge score was 26/45 (SD=7.9). Lecture courses, which are the main education method used in French medical schools (1,891/5,660 responses, 33%), were considered effective by only 11% of students (693/6,155 responses), whereas practical training was significantly associated with better perceived preparedness (p<0.001). In conclusion, education about vaccination during medical school in France is not optimal. Methods based on practical learning methods (case-based learning, clinical placements, and other hands-on methods) appear to produce the best results and must be favored for improving students' preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We hypothesized that investments to improve the control of tuberculosis in selected high-incidence countries would prove to be cost saving for the United States by reducing the incidence of the disease among migrants. Methods: Using decision analysis, we estimated tuberculosis-related morbidity, mortality, and costs among legal immigrants and refugees, undocumented migrants, and temporary visitors from Mexico after their entry into the United States. We assessed the current strategy of radiographic screening of legal immigrants plus current tuberculosis-control programs alone and with the addition of either U.S.-funded expansion of the strategy of directly observed treatment, short course (DOTS), in Mexico or tuberculin skin testing to screen legal immigrants from Mexico. We also examined tuberculosis-related outcomes among migrants from Haiti and the Dominican Republic using the same three strategies. Results: As compared with the current strategy, expanding the DOTS program in Mexico at a cost to the United States of $34.9 million would result in 2591 fewer cases of tuberculosis in the United States, with 349 fewer deaths from the disease and net discounted savings of $108 million over a 20-year period. Adding tuberculin skin testing to radiographic screening of legal immigrants from Mexico would result in 401 fewer cases of tuberculosis in the United States but would cost an additional $329 million. Expansion of the DOTS program would remain cost saving even if the initial investment were doubled, if the United States paid for all antituberculosis drugs in Mexico, or if the decline in the incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico was less than projected. A $9.4 million investment to expand the DOTS program in Haiti and the Dominican Republic would result in net U.S. savings of $20 million over a 20-year period. Conclusions: U.S.-funded efforts to expand the DOTS program in Mexico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic could reduce tuberculosis-related morbidity and mortality among migrants to the United States, producing net cost savings for the United States. N Engl J Med 2005;353:1008-20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]