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Aims: To synthesize literature examining (1) rural hospital or obstetric unit closures as a social determinant of maternal/infant health outcomes and (2) closures as a social determinant of racial/ethnic disparities in maternal/infant health outcomes. Design: Scoping review. Data Sources: MEDLINE, OVID/Embase and CINAHL were searched systematically to identify sources from 31 July 2003 to 31 July 2023. The Arksey and O'Malley methodology for scoping reviews was used. Results: Four studies from the United States and Australia documented the impact of rural hospital or obstetric unit closures on maternal/infant health outcomes, such as increased births in hospitals without obstetric units, out‐of‐hospital births or babies born before arrival, preterm birth, infant mortality and sociocultural risks that contribute to clinical risk. No eligible studies investigated hospital or obstetric unit closure as a social determinant of racial disparities in rural maternal/infant health outcomes. Conclusion: Despite significant racial and ethnic rural maternal health disparities, associations between rural closures and maternal health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities are understudied. More research is needed to understand the extent to which rural closures, a social determinant of health, could disproportionately, negatively affect the health of racially and ethnically minoritized women. Implications for the Profession and Patient Care: Rural women have a greater risk of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity compared with urban women, and the impact of rural closures on racial and ethnic maternal health disparities is not well documented. Research about the impact of rural closures on maternal health disparities could inform policy to assure essential obstetric care is available for rural populations globally. Impact: Findings provide a call to action for research to understand relationships between rural closures and racial and ethnic maternal health disparities, which is especially important for serving rural Non‐Hispanic Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The racial/ethnic and gender disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality in the United States are evident. Across nearly every metric, non-Hispanic Black women have poorer overall cardiovascular health. Emerging evidence shows a disproportionately high burden of increased CVD risk factors in Black women of childbearing age, which has a far-reaching impact on both maternal and child outcomes, resulting in premature onset of CVD and further widens the racial disparities in CVD. There is growing recognition that the fundamental driver of persistent racial/ethnic disparities in CVD, as well as disparities in behavioral risk factors such as physical activity and sleep, is structural racism. Further, the lived personal experience of racial discrimination not only has a negative impact on health behaviors, but also links to various physiological pathways to CVD risks, such as internalized stress resulting in a pro-inflammatory state. Limited research, however, has examined the interaction between daily experience and health behaviors, which are influenced by upstream social determinants of health, and the downstream effect on biological/physiological indicators of cardiovascular health in non-pregnant Black women of childbearing age. Methods/Design: The BLOOM Study is an observational study that combines real-time ambulatory assessments over a 10-day monitoring period with in-depth cross-sectional lab-based physiological and biological assessments. We will use a wrist-worn actigraphy device to capture 24-h movement behaviors and electronic ecological momentary assessment to capture perceived discrimination, microaggression, and stress. Blood pressure will be captured continuously through a wristband. Saliva samples will be self-collected to assess cortisol level as a biomarker of psychological stress. Lab assessments include a fasting venous blood sample, and assessment of various indices of peripheral and cerebral vascular function/health. Participants' address or primary residence will be used to obtain neighborhood-level built environmental and social environmental characteristics. We plan to enroll 80 healthy Black women who are between 18 and 49 years old for this study. Discussion: Results from this study will inform the development of multilevel (i.e., individual, interpersonal, and social-environmental levels) lifestyle interventions tailored to Black women based on their lived experiences with the goal of reducing CVD risk. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06150989. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate and compare the proportion of foreign-born Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) children without health insurance, public, or private insurance to foreign- and US-born White and US-born MENA children. Methods: Using 2000 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey data (N = 311 961 children) and 2015 to 2019 American Community Survey data (n = 1 892 255 children), we ran multivariable logistic regression to test the association between region of birth among non-Hispanic White children (independent variable) and health insurance coverage types (dependent variables). Results: In the NHIS and ACS, foreign-born MENA children had higher odds of being uninsured (NHIS OR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.10-2.05; ACS OR = 2.11, 95%CI = 1.88-2.37) compared to US-born White children. In the ACS, foreign-born MENA children had 2.11 times higher odds (95%CI = 1.83-2.45) of being uninsured compared to US-born MENA children. Conclusion: Our findings have implications for the health status of foreign-born MENA children, who are currently more likely to be uninsured. Strategies such as interventions to increase health insurance enrollment, updating enrollment forms to capture race, ethnicity, and nativity can aid in identifying and monitoring key disparities among MENA children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College students' stress levels, coping strategies, and sleep quality are important indicators of functioning and further predict their health and well‐being. The current study utilises data repeatedly collected over more than 4 years from students enroled at a large public research university in the Midwestern US. Our data collection period coincided with the COVID‐19 pandemic's onset, facilitating systematic examination of whether and how college students' trajectories (i.e., level and slopes) of stress, coping, and sleep quality changed as the pandemic progressed. Across five waves, surveys assessed multiple outcome and predictor domains every 6 months. Analyses revealed differential courses of change for the outcomes. Stress levels were overall lower immediately after the onset but trended upwards as the pandemic continued. Reported coping reduced significantly after the onset and showed a steeper decline as the pandemic wore on. Sleep quality showed no significant pandemic changes over time, though sleep duration and timing showed initial onset effects. College students' stress, coping, and sleep changed in complex and nuanced ways after the pandemic's onset and findings from our longitudinal analyses expand upon those from previous limited repeated measure and cross‐sectional studies. Altogether, findings demonstrate multifaceted changes that may have ongoing effects to affect well‐being during key developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Few studies have evaluated the health of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) women and children in the United States. Objectives were to determine the odds of well-visits, preventive behaviors during pregnancy, and low birthweight among foreign-born non-Hispanic MENA women and children compared to their US- and foreign-born non-Hispanic White counterparts after adjusting for covariates (hereafter, reported as MENA and White). Methods: We analyzed 2000–2018 National Health Interview Survey data (411,709 women, 311,961 children). Outcomes included well-woman visits (past 12 months); dentist visits (past 6 months) and current smoking among pregnant women; and low, moderately low, and very low birthweight among children. Covariates included age, family income, and health insurance for children. Education and marital status were also evaluated among women. Results: Over half (53.4%) of foreign-born MENA women were of childbearing age (ages 18–45) compared to 47.7% US-born and 43.2% foreign-born White women. The odds of completing a well-women visit were 0.73 times lower (95% CI = 0.38–0.89) among foreign-born MENA women compared to US-born White women after adjusting for age, education, and marital status. There was no statistically significant difference in dental visits between groups. No foreign-born MENA pregnant women reported current smoking. Foreign-born MENA children had higher odds of low (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.16–2.35) and moderately low birthweight (OR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.19–2.66) compared to US-born White children in adjusted models. Discussion: MENA women and children are classified as White by the federal government. Our results highlight that the health of foreign-born MENA women and children differ from their White counterparts. Significance: What is already known on this subject?: National studies have evaluated maternal and perinatal health among minoritized groups; however, none have presented results among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) women and children. The few studies that have evaluated MENA maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes have provided only state and local estimates. What this study adds?: This study provides nationally representative baseline data on the maternal and perinatal health of foreign-born MENA women and children. This is the first study to examine oral health among pregnant MENA women compared to US- and foreign-born pregnant White women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is underutilized among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the Southern United States. We assessed comfort receiving PrEP at various locations among 65 BMSM. Chi-square and t-tests explored associations between demographics, experienced homophobia and racism, and comfort receiving PrEP. BMSM with greater experienced homophobia were less comfortable at academically affiliated clinics [X2(2, N = 59) = 10.61, p = 0.01], CBOs [X2(3, N = 59) = 10.02, p = 0.02], and STI/HIV clinics [X2(3, N = 59) = 8.63, p = 0.04]. Those with greater experienced racism were more comfortable receiving PrEP by mail [X2(3, N = 61) = 9.40, p = 0.02]. Homophobia and racism influence preferences of BMSM for where and how they receive PREP care. Private modes of PrEP delivery and interventions targeting provider and organizational bias should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residents of Appalachia, especially those in rural Appalachia, are generally considered to be medically underserved. In fact, cancer mortality in Appalachia, especially in rural Appalachia, is higher than it is in the remainder of the United States. Developing from the Appalachia Leadership Initiative on Cancer, the Appalachia Cancer Network (ACN) is a network of academic and community organizations that seek to conduct surveillance, intervention, and dissemination research to reduce this excess cancer burden in Appalachia. The purpose of this report is to (1) describe the approach to cancer control research in ACN, a Special Population Network, among the medically underserved of Appalachia, and (2) to put forward observations from this experience to enhance the research of other academic and community networks among underserved populations. ACN has instituted a conceptual model, organizational structure, and other methods to foster this research and to develop junior and community-based investigators. Important issues and questions related to the effectiveness of such research networks have also been articulated.

Objective(s): Despite providing lifesaving care, 106 rural hospitals have closed in the United States since 2010. Although the role of rural hospital nursing is central, limited information is available about closures from a nursing lens. The purpose was to describe rural hospital closure contributors, processes, and outcomes from the perspective of licensed rural nurses in a hospital during its closure. Design: This cross‐sectional study used a retrospective, qualitative design grounded in subjective epistemology. Sample: Purposive, snowball sampling was used to recruit ten participants from two rural hospitals that closed in Texas between 2014–2015. Sample size was sufficient and comparable to prior rural nursing research. Measurements: Between July 2020 and February 2021, participants completed online demographic questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews. Results: Thematic analysis yielded six themes and 16 subthemes. The themes are presented in three main components: pre‐closure, closure process and dynamics, and closure impacts. According to nurses, pre‐closure contextual factors can influence closure dynamics. Nurses also reported perceived long‐term impacts after closure. Conclusion: Beyond financial explanations, community politics and organizational characteristics can contribute to rural closure processes and outcomes from the nursing lens. Policies are needed to address modifiable factors contributing to closures and to create sustainable rural care models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the effects of psychological, psychosocial, educational and alternative interventions on mental health outcomes of Indigenous adult populations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States and the Indigenous involvement and content in each study. Methods: We systematically searched databases, key journals and gray literature, for records until June 2020. Eligible studies were in English or French and examined the impact of interventions on mental health outcomes including anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, psychological distress or stress for Indigenous adults (⩾16 years). Data were extracted using a modified Cochrane Data Extraction Form and the Template for Intervention Description and Replication. Quality was evaluated using the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment form. Results: In total, 21 studies were eligible, comprising 8 randomized controlled trials, 10 single-group pre–post studies and 3 pre–post studies with comparison groups. Twenty studies had Indigenous individuals or organizations involved in some decision-making capacity, though extent of involvement varied widely. In total, 9 studies were rated moderate and 12 weak in the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment. Eight studies measuring depression, three measuring posttraumatic stress disorder, three measuring psychological distress and two measuring stress showed statistically significant improvements following the intervention. Conclusion: A wide range of interventions demonstrated mental health improvements. However, it is difficult to draw generalizable conclusions on intervention effectiveness, given heterogeneity among studies. Studies should employ a thorough assessment of the Indigenous involvement and content of their interventions for reporting and for critical consideration of the implications of their research and whether they address Indigenous determinants of mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Chronic fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD) with a progressive phenotype is a clinical concept describing the broad group of ILDs characterized by progressive pulmonary fibrosis. The prevalence of progressive fibrotic ILDs other than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is not well understood. Objectives: We used a novel algorithm to estimate the prevalence range of disease progression among patients with non-IPF fibrotic ILD in a U.S. claims database. Methods: This was a retrospective study including adults with commercial or Medicare Advantage with Part D (MAPD) insurance using administrative claims data from October 2015 to September 2019. Patients likely to have non-IPF fibrosing ILD with a progressive phenotype were identified via an algorithm that incorporated ILD-related diagnosis codes (excluding IPF) and claims-based proxies for fibrotic ILD progression, including pulmonary function tests, chest imaging, oral corticosteroid (OCS) medications, immunosuppressive medications, lung transplant, oxygen therapy, palliative care, and respiratory hospitalization. The prevalence range of non-IPF fibrotic ILD with progressive disease behavior was calculated using strict and lenient case definitions to account for potential imprecision in the progression proxies. Results: Of nearly 9 million study-eligible patients, 17,136 were identified with non-IPF fibrosing ILD. The prevalence of disease progression per 10,000 (95% confidence interval) ranged from 12.14 (11.74-12.54) to 29.05 (28.43-29.67) over a mean observation time of 1.44 years for MAPD enrollees (n = 14,686), and from 0.89 (0.81-0.97) to 2.36 (2.24-2.48) over a mean observation time of 1.29 years for commercial enrollees (n = 2,450). Prevalence estimates increased with age for both insurance types. Among patients with progression, 4,097 met at least two progression proxies not considering OCS (strict case definition) and 9,946 met at least one progression proxy (lenient case definition). The mean (standard deviation) number of proxies met was 2.1 (1.3), and the most common individual proxies met (alone or in combination with other proxies) were OCS use (48.9%), respiratory hospitalization (44.2%), and oxygen therapy (44.1%). Conclusions: This is among the first claims-based estimates of the prevalence of non-IPF chronic fibrosing ILD with a progressive phenotype. Our analysis indicates that this phenotype is rare in the overall population but increases substantially with increasing age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We reviewed the literature on the association between pre-pregnancy multimorbidity (co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions) and adverse maternal outcomes in pregnancy and postpartum. Data sources: Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched from inception to September, 2021. Study selection: Observational studies were eligible if they reported on the association between ≥ 2 co-occurring chronic conditions diagnosed before conception and any adverse maternal outcome in pregnancy or within 365 days of childbirth, had a comparison group, were peer-reviewed, and were written in English. Data extraction and synthesis: Two reviewers used standardized instruments to extract data and rate study quality and the certainty of evidence. A narrative synthesis was performed. Results: Of 6,381 studies retrieved, seven met our criteria. There were two prospective cohort studies, two retrospective cohort studies, and 3 cross-sectional studies, conducted in the United States (n=6) and Canada (n=1), and ranging in size from n=3,110 to n=57,326,681. Studies showed a dose-response relation between the number of co-occurring chronic conditions and risk of adverse maternal outcomes, including severe maternal morbidity or mortality, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and acute health care use in the perinatal period. Study quality was rated as strong (n=1), moderate (n=4), or weak (n=2), and the certainty of evidence was very low to moderate. Conclusion: Given the increasing prevalence of chronic disease risk factors such as advanced maternal age and obesity, more research is needed to understand the impact of pre-pregnancy multimorbidity on maternal health so that appropriate preconception and perinatal supports can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the determinants of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence is integral to reducing HIV incidence in the United States, especially for those at highest risk. To this end, the present study explored demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors related to adherence among 43 Southern, predominately Black, men who have sex with men (MSM). During the study months, 46% of the sample reported being nonadherent to PrEP. Those with more sexual partners (p =.05), greater self-efficacy for taking PrEP (p =.03), and those who felt condoms were less important (p =.02), were more likely to be adherent to PrEP at six-month follow-up. Further interventions that consider perceived sexual risk, condom use, and adherence self-efficacy are needed to improve PrEP adherence among Southern MSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juries are the lifeblood of our criminal justice system. As the Framers clearly understood, and as the Supreme Court has consistently reaffirmed in recent years, their value goes far beyond accuracy in individual cases. Criminal juries are a democratic bulwark against overzealous state power; they keep prosecutors and police in check. Accordingly, the disappearance of traditional criminal trials is not just a problem for individual defendants. It is a problem for all of us. In this Article, we propose a novel mechanism to (partly) restore the criminal jury to its rightful pride of place--a trial lottery. In short, a small percentage of cases that plead out should be randomly selected for jury trial notwithstanding the plea, using the plea's terms as an upper limit on punishment. Such a system of lottery trials would yield three systemic benefits. First, it would counteract asymmetries in plea negotiations, leading to a more level field of bargaining. Second, it would 'audit' the law enforcement process, revealing patterns and irregularities in how police investigate and how prosecutors charge. Third, it would revitalize the role of jurors, lawyers, and judges in criminal adjudication. A trial lottery could thus restore a measure of accountability and democratic spirit to criminal justice systems that increasingly feel distressingly void of both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In several U.S. jurisdictions, prosecutors charge defendants with nonexistent criminal offenses. Sometimes the crimes do not factually exist, meaning they did not occur--defendants did not commit them, and so prosecutors lack evidence to prove them. Other crimes do not legally exist; the offense appears nowhere in a criminal code or common law. The practice contravenes core principles of criminal process, including the standard of proof, the legality principle, and legislative crime definition. Nonetheless, prosecutors succeed in convicting defendants of both sorts of nonexistent crimes, and appellate courts explicitly approve those convictions. I offer a partial defense of this practice--specifically of factually baseless charges as opposed to legally nonexistent ones. I situate the practice in a broader argument about how legislation and legislative intent speaks to prosecutorial discretion: in general, through criminal statutes legislatures imply an upper bound on how prosecutors should leverage statutes to trigger criminal punishment but no comparable lower bound or minimum enforcement standard. Use of factually baseless convictions honor these bounds because they are a means to moderate the harshness or inadequacy of a criminal code or sentencing laws. Moreover, their use is transparent and limited by strong procedural constraints: defendants can be convicted of baseless charges only by pleading guilty to them and only when judges find a factual basis for a different, greater offense. Thus, the defense, the prosecution, and the court alt have a veto over baseless convictions. Collectively these actors resort to this practice only when, in effect, all agree that the criminal law or attendant sanctions are unjust. Factually baseless convictions are attempts to achieve a just outcome when existing law makes that impossible, at least in the eyes of those who best know the circumstances of individual cases. Legislatures should take this practice as a signal to revisit the criminal code and sentencing laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and related policies have led to an unequal distribution of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. For Black women and birthing people, endemic vulnerabilities and disparities may exacerbate deleterious COVID-19 impacts. Historical and ongoing macro-level policies and forces over time have induced disproportionately higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women and birthing people, and contemporary macroeconomic and healthcare policies and factors continue to hold particular consequence. These factors induce detrimental psychological, health, and behavioral responses that contribute to maternal health disparities. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to disproportionately impact Black women and birthing people, as policy responses have failed to account for the their unique socioeconomic and healthcare contexts. The resulting consequences may form a 'vicious cycle', with upstream impacts that exacerbate upstream macro-level policies and forces that can further perpetuate the clustering of maternal morbidity and mortality in this population. Understanding the impacts of COVID-19 among Black women and birthing people requires theoretical frameworks that can sufficiently conceptualize their multi-level, interacting, and dynamic nature. Thus, we advocate for the proliferation of syndemic perspectives to guide maternal disparities research and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. These perspectives can enable a holistic and nuanced understanding of the intersection of endemic and COVID-19-specific vulnerabilities and disparities experienced by Black women and birthing people. Syndemic-informed research can then lead to impactful multi-level prevention strategies that simultaneously tackle both endemic and COVID-19-specific factors and outcomes that lead to the clustering of vulnerabilities and disparities over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth living with HIV (YLH) in the United States (U.S.) face significant problems with achieving viral suppression, especially in the South. To examine this issue, YLH with a detectable viral load (N = 61) were recruited from the southern U.S and assessed over 16 weeks for health and treatment factors. Participants were part of a smartphone-based intervention trial. Analyses focused on predictors of viral suppression controlling for intervention effects. Fifty-three percent achieved suppression. In univariate models, YLH who engaged in condomless sex four to 16 weeks into the study (odds ratio [OR] = 4.00; compared to those who did not) and self-reported ≥ 90% antiretroviral adherence in the first four weeks of the study (OR = 25.00; compared to youth with <90%) had a higher likelihood of suppression. Shifts in adherence-related social support (OR = 4.98) and appointments kept (OR = 2.72) were also associated with suppression. YLH endorsing illicit drug use had a lower likelihood of suppression (OR = 0.16; compared to those without use). Effects (except drug use) remained significant or approached significance in a multivariate model. Adherence promotion efforts should consider this population's adherence-related social support, drug use, and risk for sexually transmitted infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildland fires have a multitude of ecological effects in forests, woodlands, and savannas across the globe. A major focus of past research has been on tree mortality from fire, as trees provide a vast range of biological services. We assembled a database of individual-tree records from prescribed fires and wildfires in the United States. The Fire and Tree Mortality (FTM) database includes records from 164,293 individual trees with records of fire injury (crown scorch, bole char, etc.), tree diameter, and either mortality or top-kill up to ten years post-fire. Data span 142 species and 62 genera, from 409 fires occurring from 1981-2016. Additional variables such as insect attack are included when available. The FTM database can be used to evaluate individual fire-caused mortality models for pre-fire planning and post-fire decision support, to develop improved models, and to explore general patterns of individual fire-induced tree death. The database can also be used to identify knowledge gaps that could be addressed in future research. Measurement(s) plant morphology trait • tree mortality • fire • tree fire injury • wildfire Technology Type(s) digital curation Factor Type(s) year of data collection • geographic location of fire • tree fire injury Sample Characteristic - Organism trees Sample Characteristic - Environment forest ecosystem Sample Characteristic - Location Cascades Region • Blue Mountains • Far Northern Rockies • Sierra Nevada • Piedmont Province • Region of Piedmont • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Floristic Province • Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.12369293 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of mass incarceration in the United States has occurred unevenly across American states. Prior time series, fixed effect, and case study research have failed to fully illuminate the determinants of incarceration rate change in states with varying patterns of growth. As a supplement to previously utilized approaches, the present research uses group-based trajectory modeling to consider patterns of incarceration rate growth across 48 U.S. states in relation to crime, political, structural, and institutional variables. In order to account for periodicity, group-based trajectory models of state incarceration rates are estimated separately for 1977–1990, 1990–2000, and 2000–2010. Findings suggest that political and economic factors vary in their relationships to incarceration growth over time and that, controlling for crime, the percentage of young Black males in state populations was the most consistent predictor of incarceration rate growth, particularly among high incarcerating states from 2000 to 2010. The implications of these findings for "the criminology of mass incarceration" are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health promotion/education strive to promote healthful conditions that improve quality of life based on the perceptions of those whose lives are affected Though health promotion/education might have instrumental value in reducing risks for premature morbidity and mortality, their ultimate value lies in contributions to quality of life. Life satisfaction (LS) has been defined as an individual's assessment of their quality of life based upon personal criteria and linked to adolescent health risk behaviors and developmental assets. Purpose: We investigated the psychometrics of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale [BMSLSS] with an adolescent sample of African Americans (N = 1,658) from four mid-sized cities in the United States. Reliability and validity of the BMSLSS has not been determined for samples of exclusively African American adolescents. Methods: Data analysis included calculating mean ratings, standard deviations and effect sizes (Cohen's d) and inspecting the scale's internal structure, reliability, and relationships to other variables. Results: Evidence of internal structure, internal consistency reliability, and hypothesized relationships to other variables for participants were determined. Translation to Health Education Practice: The BMSLSS is a useful indicator of LS for research and health education assessment purposes among African American adolescents where brevity of psychometric measures is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting safe firearm storage in pediatric primary care is one way to address youth suicide by firearm. The study objective was to determine the perspectives of primary care physicians (PCPs) and leaders of primary care practices regarding the acceptability and use of screening, counseling, and firearm locks—all components of an adapted evidence-based intervention known as the Firearm Safety Check. In 2016, an online survey was conducted in two large US health systems. PCPs (n = 204) and leaders (n = 57) from 83 clinics were invited to participate. Respondents included 71 clinics (86%), 103 PCPs (50%), and 40 leaders (70%). Main outcomes included acceptability (6-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating better acceptability) and use of the 3 intervention components (4-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating greater use), as measured by an adapted validated instrument. Analyses were conducted in 2017. PCP acceptability of screening (mean = 4.28; standard deviation [SD] = 1.12) and counseling (mean = 4.56; SD = 0.89) were high, but acceptability for firearm lock provision was more neutral (mean = 3.78; SD = 1.16). Most PCPs endorsed sometimes screening (85%) and counseling (80%). Few PCPs offered firearm locks to caregivers (15%). Leaders reported consistent information. The acceptability of screening for firearms and safe storage counseling was high; both components were used commonly but not routinely. The acceptability of providing firearm locks was neutral, and use was rarely endorsed. This study provides important insights about areas of focus for future implementation efforts from policy and research perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa and resulting cases in the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration developed a personal protective equipment selection matrix to help employers protect workers from exposure to Ebola virus in the event of additional US cases. Now, the world's second largest Ebola outbreak on record continues to expand in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where more than 70 Ebola-infected healthcare workers serve as reminders of the importance of robust infection prevention measures in keeping infectious disease responders from becoming victims themselves. Toward facilitating preparedness for cases associated with the ongoing or future outbreaks, this article discusses the matrix of personal protective equipment recommendations. The matrix applies to a variety of job tasks in health care, laboratories, waste handling, janitorial services, travel and transportation, and other sectors where workers may be exposed to the Ebola virus during outbreak events. A discussion of the information sources and decision-making process for developing the matrix forms the basis of the recommendations. The article then emphasizes challenges and considerations for formulating the matrix, including identifying information sources to help characterize occupational exposures, aligning recommendations among stakeholders with varying viewpoints, and balancing worker protections with feasibility concerns. These considerations highlight issues that remain relevant for preparedness efforts ahead of future US cases of Ebola or other emerging infectious diseases. OSHA developed a personal protective equipment selection matrix to help employers protect workers from exposure to Ebola virus in the event of future US cases. Toward facilitating preparedness for cases associated with outbreaks, this article discusses the matrix of personal protective equipment recommendations, which apply to a variety of job tasks in healthcare, laboratories, waste handling, janitorial services, travel and transportation, and other sectors where workers may be exposed to the Ebola virus during outbreak events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil woods are common in the Late Cretaceous through early Eocene rocks of the Denver Basin, Colorado. The overwhelming majority of these woods are dicotyledonous angiosperms. A new locality for fossil woods, Cherokee Ranch, in the upper D1 stratigraphic sequence (Denver Formation) is described, and evidence for it being late Paleocene is reviewed. Most Cherokee Ranch woods resemble previously described Denver Basin angiosperm woods, but there is one new type of wood attributed to the family Lauraceae. A new genus, Ubiquitoxylon, is proposed for woods with the combination of features commonly seen in the Cherokee Ranch woods. Denver Basin Paleocene woods differ from Paleocene wood assemblages to the north (Wyoming and Montana), where conifer woods are common and angiosperms are rare. The width and spacing of the water-conducting vessels and the lack of distinct growth rings in almost all of the Cherokee Ranch woods suggest that these trees did not experience water stress, and there was no pronounced seasonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that the views of "conflicted conservatives," Americans who self-identify as conservative but express support for liberal governmental policies and spending, are particularly important in policymaking and politics because they are politically engaged and often act as swing voters. We examine punitive views among conflicted conservatives and other political subgroups in three distinct periods in the politics of punishment in America between 1974 and 2014. In particular, we consider the punitive views of conflicted conservatives relative to consistent conservatives, moderates, and liberals. Given the barrier that racialized typifications of violent crime may pose to current criminal justice reform efforts, we also explore the role of anti-Black bias in predicting punitive views among White Americans across political subgroups. Our overall findings indicate that conflicted conservatives are like moderates in their support for the death penalty and like consistent conservatives on beliefs about court harshness. These findings, and supplemental analyses on punitive views and voting behaviors across political subgroups, call into question whether conflicted conservatives have acted as critical scorekeepers on penal policy issues. We also find that anti-Black racism was significantly related to punitive views across political subgroups and among liberals in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International health team volunteers frequently arrive at service sites with considerable lack of confidence and knowledge gaps because of poor preparation. Preservice orientation has been shown to improve knowledge, confidence, and competence, but current practices fall short of meeting most needs. This health care improvement project was aimed to improve self-confidence and cultural and global health competence using a virtual preservice orientation format. The virtual innovation significantly narrowed the difference in confidence between new and experienced team members. Significant increases were observed in knowledge of global health and health equities for new and experienced team members. Following the orientation, a significant difference in global health skills for the entire team also was observed. Many Americans leave the United States annually attempting to help those in need. This effort is hindered by poor preparation and unreal expectations. Improving health team member confidence and competence is one way to address this concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International student mobility to the United States (US) has increased over the past two decades. Despite the increase in numbers, international students may experience racism, nativism, and other forms of discrimination within the US context. Much of the existing literature focus on how international students can assimilate and cope with these issues rather than interrogating the systems of oppression that create negative student experiences. Thus, we utilized critical race theory (CRT) as a framework for interrogating how international student experiences are portrayed in current literature. Although CRT is grounded in US-based legal theory, we argue that CRT must move beyond the rigid confinement within US borders and expand to consider how transnationalism and global exchange contributes to the fluidity and applicability of this theory. We also provide recommendations for critical race praxis, with an emphasis on implications for practice, theory, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite mass incarceration and overcriminalization, underenforcement of criminal law is an endemic problem. It is the target of prominent reform movements, notably with regard to inadequate prosecution of police violence and sexual assaults; biased nonenforcement parallels biased overenforcement. Justice systems recognize this problem and adopt a variety of strategies to address it. Nearly all are mechanisms to create enforcement redundancy means by which nonprosecution decisions can be reversed or trumped. In England and much of Europe, crime victims can seek administrative or judicial review of official decisions not to prosecute. Some civil law jurisdictions mandate piosecution upon sufficient evidence. Another option is to empower private parties to prosecute criminal charges when public officials do not. U.S. jurisdictions largely reject all these redundancy options in favor of another-expanding federal criminal law to overlap large parts of state criminal jurisdiction. All these approaches create redundant authority over charging: supervisory officials, judges, private actors, or rival prosecutors are empowered to second-guess, reverse, or trump a prosecutor's biased or ill-conceived decision not to charge. Each strategy has strengths and weaknesses. The focus in this Article is to assess the U.S. federalism-based approach in the context of its alternatives. Federal redundancy has worked quite well to reduce underenforcement in the context of local public corruption. It has a successful but more mixed record regarding crimes by police. It has made very little difference against states' underenforcement of sexual assault crimes. This Article considers whether other strategies are more promising where federalism is weakest, and how jurisdictions might mix different redundancy strategies to make more progress against underenforcement motivated by illicit biases or favoritism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth living with HIV (YLH) have significant problems with attending their medical appointments. Poor attendance, consequently, predicts viral non-suppression and other negative health outcomes. To identity targets of intervention, this cross-sectional study examined correlates of past-year missed clinic visits among YLH (N = 2125) attending HIV clinics in the United States and Puerto Rico. Thirty-six percent of YLH missed two or more visits in the past year. Several factors were associated with missed visits in our regression model. Among sociodemographic characteristics and HIV disclosure status, females (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.63, compared to males), Black YLH or YLH of mixed racial heritage (AORs = 1.76, 1.71, respectively, compared to White YLH), YLH with an unknown route of infection (AOR = 1.86, compared to YLH with perinatal infection), and YLH endorsing HIV disclosure (AOR = 1.37, compared to YLH not endorsing disclosure) were at greater risk for missed visits. Among behavioral health risks, YLH who endorsed marijuana use (AOR = 1.42), frequent other drug use (AOR = 1.60), or a history of incarceration (AOR = 1.27) had greater odds of missed visits than youth not endorsing these risks. Finally, two social-cognitive resources emerged as protective factors: adherence self-efficacy (AOR = .28) and social support (AOR = .88). We discuss how providers working with YLH can improve this population's retention outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The northern subspecies of the salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris halicoetes) is morphologically similar to the western harvest mouse (R. megalotis) with which it co‐occurs in the Suisun Marsh, California, USA, and therefore they are difficult to distinguish in the field. The salt marsh harvest mouse is a federal and California state‐listed endangered species, whereas the western harvest mouse has no special status. Thus, our objective was to identify the most effective field metrics that distinguish the species. First we identified a barcode of life and restriction fragment length polymorphism approach for genetically distinguishing between the species. Then we performed univariate tests to examine variation in standard external morphological traits within and between species, and found that differences between species were confounded by sex and age. We then used discriminant function analysis and multiple logistic regression (MLR) to find combinations of characters that resulted in the highest percentages of correct classification based on a data set of individuals with genetically verified species identity. The best model (MLR) correctly classified 90.1 ± 3.5% ( x ¯ ± SD) of individuals, though all approaches performed relatively poorly with smaller, ostensibly younger, mice. Therefore, tail length, body length, and tail diameter, if treated in a comprehensive multivariate context, can yield substantial accuracy for distinguishing between coexisting northern salt marsh and western harvest mice. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to summarize staff perceptions of the acceptability and utility of the safety planning and structured post-discharge follow-up contact intervention (SPI-SFU), a suicide prevention intervention that was implemented and tested in five Veterans Affairs Medical Center emergency departments (EDs). A purposive sampling approach was used to identify 50 staff member key informants. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Almost all staff perceived the intervention as helpful in connecting SPI-SFU participants to follow-up services. A slight majority of staff believed SPI-SFU increased Veteran safety. Staff members also benefited from the implementation of SPI-SFU. Their comfort discharging Veterans at some suicide risk increased. SPI-SFU provides an appealing option for improving suicide prevention services in acute care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The current study examined suicidal ideation (SI) and depression outcomes among Veterans receiving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for depression (CBT–D) throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. Patient outcomes included Beck Depression Inventory–II total score and SI item. Of 902 patients, 427 (47%) had no SI, 405 (45%) had SI but no suicidal intent, 26 (3%) indicated suicidal desire, 8 (1%) indicated suicide intent if they had the chance, and 36 (4%) did not answer this question at session one. The odds of SI decreased by 64% from 1.03 at session one to 0.37 at final assessment (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.43). Findings reveal that CBT–D was associated with significant decreases in SI and depression among Veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The reply addresses concerns raised by Belmont et al. (2016) on Gupta et al. (2015) through additional analysis of streamflow versus precipitation relationships for the Whetstone and the Redwood Rivers and with data on available soil moisture in prechange and postchange periods in the Cottonwood River watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their comments, Schottler et al. (doi:10.1002/2015WR018482) raised concerns about our technique for deciphering climate and land use land cover (LULC) change impacts on streamflow in the upper Midwestern United States. In this reply, we further explain the underpinnings of our statistical technique and point out criticism on the procedures that Schottler et al. (doi:10.1002/2015WR018482; doi:10.1002/hyp.9738) used in their comment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD) has emerged as a major cause of morbidity in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). While GLILD is among the most serious noninfectious pulmonary complications of CVID, risk factors for this condition have not been reported.Objectives: To identify clinical, physiologic, and serologic risk factors for GLILD in adults with CVID.Methods: Of 345 consecutive adult patients with CVID, we identified 34 in the National Jewish Health research database who had a radiographic-pathologic diagnosis of GLILD evaluated between 2002 and 2014. Each case was age and sex matched to 52 CVID control subjects. We used logistic regression to determine independent predictors of GLILD. A mixed effects model was used to estimate the longitudinal change in percent predicted FVC.Measurements and Main Results: The mean time from CVID diagnosis to GLILD detection was 7.8 years. Compared with matched control subjects, cases were more likely to have a history of autoimmune cytopenia, hypersplenism, polyarthritis, lower marginal zone and switched memory B cells, and restrictive lung function. Multivariate analysis revealed that hypersplenism (odds ratio [OR], 24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5-179.1), polyarthritis (OR, 19; 95% CI, 2.3-206.8), and percent predicted FVC (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87-0.98) were independently associated with the development of GLILD. The rate of change of percent predicted FVC (slope, P = 0.48) did not vary significantly in patients with GLILD over a mean follow-up of 7 years after diagnosis.Conclusions: Hypersplenism and polyarthritis are strong risk factors for GLILD in patients with CVID. Percent predicted FVC remained stable over time in patients with GLILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emergency departments (EDs) are often the primary contact point for suicidal individuals. The post-ED visit period is a high suicide risk time. To address the need for support during this time, a novel intervention was implemented in five Department of Veterans Affairs medical center EDs. The intervention combined the Safety Planning Intervention (SPI) with structured follow-up and monitoring (SFU) by telephone for suicidal individuals who did not require hospitalization. This study assessed the intervention's acceptability and perceived usefulness.Methods: A selected sample of 100 intervention participants completed a semistructured interview consisting of open-ended questions about the intervention's acceptability, usefulness, and helpfulness. Satisfaction with the SPI and SFU was separately evaluated.Results: Nearly all participants found the SAFE VET intervention to be acceptable, reporting that it was helpful in preventing further suicidal behavior and fostering treatment engagement.Conclusions: The SAFE VET intervention showed promise as an ED intervention for suicidal patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary fibrosis encompasses a group of lung-scarring disorders that occur owing to known or unknown insults and accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. Despite intense investigation spanning decades, much remains to be learned about the natural history, pathophysiology, and biologic mechanisms of disease.Purpose: To identify the most pressing research needs in the lung fibrosis community and to provide a roadmap of priorities to investigators, funding agencies, patient advocacy groups, and other interested stakeholders.Methods: An ad hoc international working group of the American Thoracic Society with experience in clinical, translational, and bench-based research in fibrotic lung diseases was convened. The group used an iterative consensus process to identify successes and challenges in pulmonary fibrosis research.Measurements and Main Results: The group identified five main priority areas in which substantial resources should be invested to advance our understanding and to develop novel therapies for patients with pulmonary fibrosis. These priorities include develop newer models of human lung fibrosis, engage current and new stakeholders to provide sustained funding for the initiatives, create a global infrastructure for storing patient-derived materials, establish collaborative preclinical and clinical research networks in fibrotic lung disease, and create a global lung fibrosis initiative that unites these multifaceted efforts into a single virtual umbrella structure.Conclusions: Despite recent advances in the treatment of some forms of lung fibrosis, many gaps in knowledge about natural history, pathophysiology, and treatment remain. Investment in the research priorities enumerated above will help address these shortcomings and enhance patient care worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive lung disease with variable course. The Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) Index and staging system uses clinical variables to stage mortality risk. It is unknown whether clinical staging predicts future decline in pulmonary function. We assessed whether the GAP stage predicts future pulmonary function decline and whether interval pulmonary function change predicts mortality after accounting for stage.Methods: Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (N = 657) were identified retrospectively at three tertiary referral centers, and baseline GAP stages were assessed. Mixed models were used to describe average trajectories of FVC and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess whether declines in pulmonary function ≥ 10% in 6 months predict mortality after accounting for GAP stage.Results: Over a 2-year period, GAP stage was not associated with differences in yearly lung function decline. After accounting for stage, a 10% decrease in FVC or Dlco over 6 months independently predicted death or transplantation (FVC hazard ratio, 1.37; Dlco hazard ratio, 1.30; both, P ≤ .03). Patients with GAP stage 2 with declining pulmonary function experienced a survival profile similar to patients with GAP stage 3, with 1-year event-free survival of 59.3% (95% CI, 49.4-67.8) vs 56.9% (95% CI, 42.2-69.1).Conclusions: Baseline GAP stage predicted death or lung transplantation but not the rate of future pulmonary function decline. After accounting for GAP stage, a decline of ≥ 10% over 6 months independently predicted death or lung transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study determined the prevalence and patterns of psychological symptoms in adolescents and young adults living with HIV (YLWH) in medical care and relationships between psychological symptoms, route and duration of infection, and antiretroviral treatment (ART). A clinic-based sample of 2032 YLWH (mean age 20.3 years), recruited from 20 adolescent medicine HIV clinics, completed a cross-sectional survey of health behaviors and psychological symptoms using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Overall, 17.5% of youth reported psychological symptoms greater than the normative threshold on the Global Severity Index. A wide variety of symptoms were reported. The prevalence of clinical symptoms was significantly greater in youth with behaviorally acquired HIV compared to those with perinatally acquired infection (20.6% vs. 10.8%, OR=2.06 in Multiple Logistic Regression (MLR)), and in those not taking ART that had been prescribed (29. 2% vs. 18.8%, OR=1.68 in MLR). Knowing one's HIV status for more than one year and disclosure of HIV status were not associated with fewer symptoms. A large proportion of YLWH have psychological symptoms and the prevalence is greatest among those with behaviorally acquired infection. The high rate of psychological symptoms for youth not taking ART that is prescribed is a cause for concern. Symptoms do not appear to be a transient reaction to diagnosis of HIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1909, curator Charles-Edward Winslow established a department of public health in New York City’s American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Winslow introduced public health as a biological science that connected human health—the modern sciences of physiology, hygiene, and urban sanitation—to the natural history of plants and animals. This was the only time an American museum created a curatorial department devoted to public health. The AMNH’s Department of Public Health comprised a unique collection of live bacterial cultures—a “Living Museum”—and an innovative plan for 15 exhibits on various aspects of health. I show how Winslow, facing opposition from AMNH colleagues, gathered scientific experts and financial support, and explain the factors that made these developments seem desirable and possible. I finish with a discussion of how the Department of Public Health met an abrupt and “inglorious end” in 1922 despite the success of its collections and exhibitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young female offenders represent a growing number of young offenders. Studies have shown that youth in the juvenile justice system, particularly young females, report higher rates of lifetime sexual abuse than their nonoffending peers. The aim of this study was to examine gender differences in risk factors for recidivism, including a history of sexual abuse, among a juvenile court clinic sample. Findings suggest that, even after accounting for previously identified risk factors for recidivism such as prior legal involvement and conduct problems, a history of sexual abuse is the most salient predictor of recidivism for young female offenders, but not for males. The development of gender-responsive interventions to reduce juvenile recidivism and continued legal involvement into adulthood may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was introduced into China more than 60 years ago, the genetic diversity and structure of this exotic insect pest and virus vector have not been studied. To investigate the population genetic characteristics of this invasive species and to identify potential invasion routes, the genetic diversity and population structure of 17 collections of T. vaporariorum from nine provinces in China were analyzed using seven microsatellite loci. The results of the analyses indicated that the genetic diversity for the populations examined from the four provinces: Jilin, Ningxia, Guizhou and Qinghai, was lower than the genetic diversity of populations from the five provinces: Yunnan, Shandong, Shanxi, Liaoning, and Gansu. The T. vaporariorum populations analyzed in this study grouped as two distinct genetic clusters based on the analysis using STRUCTURE, whereas, 8 clusters were identified based on the BAPS analysis. Of the 136 genetic distance (Fst) values, 128 (94%) were associated with a significant exact test. There was a significant relationship between Fst and geographical distance. These results demonstrate that populations of T. vaporariorum in China exhibit significant genetic differentiation, indicating the likelihood that multiple introductions of T. vaporariorum into China have occurred. Also, the populations collected from the provinces of Jilin, Ningxia, Guizhou and Qinghai appear to represent secondary introductions originating from other Chinese provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on cases decided by the U.S Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit under the U.S Securities Act of 1933 and U.S Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during 2012-2013. Court cases discussed include Miyahira v. Vitacost.com, Inc. that involved material misstatements along with an initial public offering, a case addressing the loss causation element of a fraud claim under U.S securities law such as the U.S Exchange Act and SEC v. Goble that addressed the issue of materiality.

American and English criminal law is characterized by wider use of strict liability than one finds in the criminal law of many European jurisdictions. With respect to English law, scholars have suggested that the use of lay juries explains the prevalence of strict liability offenses. This paper investigates that idea in American law and finds some evidence for it. Courts and legislatures sometimes worry that mens rea is difficult to prove when the only available evidence is circumstantial--it must be inferred from conduct and circumstances. Just as the evidence rules reflect a concern with the limits of jurors' abilities to handle certain kinds of evidence, the rules regarding strict liability as well as reverse burdens of proof (under which defendants must prove defenses) manifest a concern that juries are worse than judges at inferring culpability from available evidence. One way to address But then what safeguards remain to ensure that only the culpable are criminally punished? The answer in American law, broadly, is that adversarial criminal procedure is thought to compensate for this deficiency in substantive criminal law. Courts identify, somewhat obliquely, two procedural components in particular: the use of prosecutorial discretion, and, paradoxically, the jury. While courts are somewhat skeptical of the jury's capacity to accurately recognize proof of culpability, they profess faith in the lay jury's "common sense" instincts--or political judgments--to prevent convictions of the non-culpable. On that view, strict liability addresses the jury's weakness regarding a challenging issue of proof, while the jury's purportedly strong capacity for normative judgment, in turn, provides a safeguard against unjustified punishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]