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ObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionsClinical ImplicationsThis study aimed to validate a measure of feelings of empowerment among family caregivers of persons with life limiting illnesses.Family caregivers (N = 295) completed a survey on their feelings of empowerment and psychosocial constructs.Utilizing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the study validated the Empowerment in the Context of Caregiving scale, revealing a two-factor structure related to influencing the care recipient and controlling personal outcomes, with high reliability and validity. Convergent validity was supported by a strong association with an established measure of power. Discriminant validity was demonstrated through weak associations with theoretically less relevant constructs, confirming the scale’s validity.This scale provides a reliable tool to identify feelings of disempowerment among caregivers, with implications for theory and practice. Future research should explore predictive validity and consider cultural factors to enhance its applicability in diverse caregiving contexts.This study provides a reliable tool to identify feelings of empowerment among family caregivers of persons with life limiting illnesses for clinicians. It also allows future studies to reliably investigate a theory-driven intervention target, feelings of power, and allows clinicians to tailor this into theory-driven intervention for family caregivers of persons with life limiting illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trial was conducted to investigate the response of broilers to changing levels of calcium and non-phytate phosphorus. A total of 1344 chicks were allocated to 96 cages in a controlled-environment house. Limestone and phosphoric acid were added to a maize-soya basal diet so that six levels of calcium were fed, with four levels of non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) at each. Birds were weighed on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Each week, two birds per pen were killed and tibial ash and breaking strength were determined. Feed intake and bird weight for each pen were measured weekly. Calcium and nonphytate phosphorus had a marked effect on body-weight gain, feed intake, and gain/feed. The poorest performance was recorded for the highest Ca:P and the best at 1.36 g Ca/g nPP (7.5 g Ca and 5.5 g nPP/kg feed). Multiple regression analysis of the weekly measurements showed linear effects on body weight gain of calcium and nPP, a quadratic effect of calcium, and an interaction between calcium and nPP. The same variables influenced tibial breaking strength and ash at 14 and 21 d. Feed intake was influenced by nPP. The negative effects of high calcium on the availability of phosphorus affected bird growth. A digestible phosphorus model that takes account of calcium and nPP in the complete feed is a better predictor of performance than nPP alone. This approach is recommended if calcium and phosphorus in broilers is to be modelled and birds are to be fed more precisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To determine mortality risk among those recently released from a Minnesota jail or prison. Methods. Using linked prison, jail, and death records, our retrospective cohort study followed 99 065 people who were released from Minnesota jails and prisons between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021. We explored differences between jail and prison exposures regarding mortality using standardized mortality ratios. Results. Adjusting for age and gender, we estimated that the rate of overdose death for people released from jail was 15.5 times that of the Minnesota general population. Overdose death rates for people released from prison were even higher at 28.3 times the rate of the Minnesota general population. Conclusions. Drug overdose was the leading cause of death for people reentering their communities from both jail and prison in Minnesota—with opioids being the leading cause of overdoses. Overdose death relative to the general population was double the estimates from earlier studies among people leaving prison. Providing seamless access to medications for opioid use disorder during and after incarceration is important to lower the risk of death following release. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(9):913–922. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307723) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of age and surface on patellofemoral joint (PFJ) stress magnitude and waveform during stair ascent and descent tasks. A total of 12 young and 12 older adults had knee biomechanics quantified while they ascended and descended stairs on normal, slick, and uneven surfaces. The peak of stance (0–100%) PFJ stress and associated components were submitted to a two-way repeated measures ANOVA, while the PFJ stress waveform was submitted to statistical parametric mapping two-way ANOVA. During stair ascent, older adults exhibited greater PFJ stress waveforms, from 55 to 59% and 74 to 84% of stance (p < 0.001) as well as greater PFJ stress–time integral across stance (p = 0.003), and later peak PFJ stress, than young adults (p = 0.002). When ascending on the uneven surface, participants exhibited smaller PFJ stress from 9 to 24% of stance compared to the normal surface, but greater PFJ stress from 75 to 88% and from 63 to 68% of stance (p < 0.001) as well as greater PFJ stress–time integrals compared to normal and slick surfaces (p < 0.032). During stair descent, older adults exhibited a smaller PFJ contact area range (p = 0.034) and peak knee flexion angle (p = 0.022) than young adults. When descending on the slick surface, participants exhibited smaller PFJ stress from 5 to 18% of stance, but greater stress, from 92 to 98% of stance (both: p < 0.001), compared to the normal surface. Negotiating slick and uneven stairs may produce knee biomechanics that increase PFJ stress, and the larger, later PFJ stress exhibited by older adults may further increase their risk of PFJ pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misperception of others' sexual willingness or consent is widely considered to contribute to sexual coercion. Sexual arousal is commonly present among those in situations with potential to result in sexual assault. The current research tests the effects of sexual arousal on related attitudes: including those toward token resistance, assertive sexual strategies, and affirmative consent. Sexual arousal was primed through a narrative writing paradigm. Results indicate sexual arousal led all participants to be more likely to endorse belief in female token resistance, and led women to more strongly endorse men's assertive sexual strategies. Implications for research on sexual consent are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased social power—defined as one's influence on another's behavior—guides activation of one's behavioral activation system which, in turn, elicits greater positive emotion. Positive emotion has also been linked to greater health. The current research assessed whether power and positive emotion are related to health. In Study 1, participants (N = 403; Mage = 48.33 years) wrote a narrative about a time in which they felt powerful or powerless. Greater self-reported feelings of power, concurrent with more frequent use of positive emotional words within the narrative, was associated with fewer references to health within the narrative. In Study 2, participants (N = 401; Mage = 33.05 years) primed with the concept of power (vs. powerlessness) reported greater health competency through enhanced positive emotion. Findings provided preliminary data supporting the continued study of power to better understand the link between positive emotion and health. Future research should elucidate the long-term relationships between these variables to examine whether increased power can produce downstream positive effects on health and health behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Fishes generate force to swim by activating muscles on either side of their flexible bodies. To accelerate, they must produce higher muscle forces, which leads to higher reaction forces back on their bodies from the environment. If their bodies are too flexible, the forces during acceleration could not be transmitted effectively to the environment, but fish can potentially use their muscles to increase the effective stiffness of their body. Here, we quantified red muscle activity during acceleration and steady swimming, looking for patterns that would be consistent with the hypothesis of body stiffening. We used high-speed video, electromyographic recordings, and a new digital inertial measurement unit to quantify body kinematics, red muscle activity, and 3D orientation and centre of mass acceleration during forward accelerations and steady swimming over several speeds. During acceleration, fish co-activated anterior muscle on the left and right side, and activated all muscle sooner and kept it active for a larger fraction of the tail beat cycle. These activity patterns are both known to increase effective stiffness for muscle tissue in vitro, which is consistent with our hypothesis that fish use their red muscle to stiffen their bodies during acceleration. We suggest that during impulsive movements, flexible organisms like fishes can use their muscles not only to generate propulsive power but to tune the effective mechanical properties of their bodies, increasing performance during rapid movements and maintaining flexibility for slow, steady movements.

A preliminary vaccination trial against the emergent pathogen, SARS-CoV-2, was completed in captive black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes; BFF) to assess safety, immunogenicity, and anti-viral efficacy. Vaccination and boosting of 15 BFF with purified SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit protein produced a nearly 150-fold increase in mean antibody titers compared to pre-vaccination titers. Serum antibody responses were highest in young animals, but in all vaccinees, antibody response declined rapidly. Anti-viral activity from vaccinated and unvaccinated BFF was determined in vitro, as well as in vivo with a passive serum transfer study in mice. Transgenic mice that received BFF serum transfers and were subsequently challenged with SARS-CoV-2 had lung viral loads that negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with the BFF serum titer received. Lastly, an experimental challenge study in a small group of BFF was completed to test susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. Despite viral replication and shedding in the upper respiratory tract for up to 7 days post-challenge, no clinical disease was observed in either vaccinated or naive animals. The lack of morbidity or mortality observed indicates SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely to affect wild BFF populations, but infected captive animals pose a potential risk, albeit low, for humans and other animals.

Objectives To estimate the health characteristics and racial/ethnic health disparities among a probation cohort in Hennepin County. We hypothesised the probation population would have higher health needs compared with the general population as well as significant racial/ethnic health disparities.Design Cross-sectional study using linked administrative records.Participants Of 7992 eligible individuals, 5873 met inclusion criteria of 6 or more months of eligibility for a full-benefit Minnesota healthcare plan.Setting Probation system in Hennepin County in 2016.Outcomes We compared health condition prevalence among our probation cohort with survey data from the general population and analysed by race/ethnicity. We also measured sociodemographic characteristics, including the use of safety-net services.Results Individuals were predominantly male (80.5%), young (mean age: 35.5 years), and disproportionately black or African American (52.9%). A majority of individuals enrolled in Medicaid were eligible via Medicaid expansion (65.9%). Compared with the general population, individuals on probation had higher rates of substance use disorders (66.5% vs 8.1%), mental illness (55.3% vs 14.4%) and many physical conditions (eg, asthma: 17.0% vs 12.5%, chronic kidney disease: 5.8% vs 0.2%). White individuals on probation were significantly more likely than black or African American individuals to have a diagnosed substance use disorder (71.6% vs 62.0%) or mental health disorder (64.9% vs 48.5%), but fewer chronic physical health conditions (average: 0.52 vs 0.73 chronic physical conditions).Conclusions Individuals on probation have high health needs, which vary substantially by race/ethnicity. Without attention to this variation, interventions to address health conditions in this population could worsen racial/ethnic disparities.

The unprecedented global demand for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has demonstrated the need for highly effective vaccine candidates that are thermostable and amenable to large-scale manufacturing. Nanoparticle immunogens presenting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein (S) in repetitive arrays are being advanced as second-generation vaccine candidates, as they feature robust manufacturing characteristics and have shown promising immunogenicity in preclinical models. Here, we used previously reported deep mutational scanning (DMS) data to guide the design of stabilized variants of the RBD. The selected mutations fill a cavity in the RBD that has been identified as a linoleic acid binding pocket. Screening of several designs led to the selection of two lead candidates that expressed at higher yields than the wild-type RBD. These stabilized RBDs possess enhanced thermal stability and resistance to aggregation, particularly when incorporated into an icosahedral nanoparticle immunogen that maintained its integrity and antigenicity for 28 days at 35-40°C, while corresponding immunogens displaying the wild-type RBD experienced aggregation and loss of antigenicity. The stabilized immunogens preserved the potent immunogenicity of the original nanoparticle immunogen, which is currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial. Our findings may improve the scalability and stability of RBD-based coronavirus vaccines in any format and more generally highlight the utility of comprehensive DMS data in guiding vaccine design.

Epitaxial strains offer unique opportunities to obtain topological states in thin films and heterostructures that do not exist in their bulk counterparts. Here, we investigate the point group symmetries of coherently strained films of cadmium arsenide (Cd3As2), a prototype three-dimensional Dirac semimetal, by convergent beam electron diffraction. We report a loss of the fourfold rotational axis and adoption of the orthorhombic mmm point group in (112)-oriented films under biaxial compressive stress. (001)-oriented Cd3As2 films that are under a small biaxial tensile stress retain the fourfold rotational symmetry that protects the bulk nodes but adopt the non-centrosymmetric 4mm point group symmetry. This, in turn, suggests that (001) films adopt a different crystal structure in biaxial tension, one that differs in the arrangement of the ordered Cd vacancies that are an inherent feature of the crystal structure of Cd3As2 and that are key to its nodal electronic structure. Density functional theory calculations confirm the experimental findings of the stability of the non-centrosymmetric structure under biaxial tension, whereas the centrosymmetric structure is stable under biaxial compression. The results show that bulk Cd3As2 is already close to structural instability and showcase the extraordinary tunability of the topological states of Cd3As2.

Summary: Monoclonal antibodies and antibody cocktails are a promising therapeutic and prophylaxis for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, ongoing evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can render monoclonal antibodies ineffective. Here, we completely map all of the mutations to the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) that escape binding by a leading monoclonal antibody, LY-CoV555, and its cocktail combination with LY-CoV016. Individual mutations that escape binding by each antibody are combined in the circulating B.1.351 and P.1 SARS-CoV-2 lineages (E484K escapes LY-CoV555, K417N/T escapes LY-CoV016). In addition, the L452R mutation in the B.1.429 lineage escapes LY-CoV555. Furthermore, we identify single amino acid changes that escape the combined LY-CoV555+LY-CoV016 cocktail. We suggest that future efforts diversify the epitopes targeted by antibodies and antibody cocktails to make them more resilient to the antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2.

BackgroundIn 2016, over 11 million individuals were admitted to prisons and jails in the United States. Because the majority of these individuals will return to the community, addressing their health needs requires coordination between community and correctional health care providers. However, few systems exist to facilitate this process and little is known about how physicians perceive and manage these transitions.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to characterize physicians' views on transitions both into and out of incarceration and describe how knowledge of a patient's criminal justice involvement impacts patient care plans.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted between October 2018 and May 2019 with physicians from three community clinics in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Team members used a hybrid approach of deductive and inductive coding, in which a priori codes were defined based on the interview guide while also allowing for data-driven codes to emerge.ResultsFour themes emerged related to physicians' perceptions on continuity of care for patients with criminal justice involvement. Physicians identified disruptions in patient-physician relationships, barriers to accessing prescription medications, disruptions in insurance coverage, and problems with sharing medical records, as factors contributing to discontinuity of care for patients entering and exiting incarceration. These factors impacted patients differently depending on the direction of the transition.ConclusionsOur findings identified four disruptions to continuity of care that physicians viewed as key barriers to successful transitions into and out of incarceration. These disruptions are unlikely to be effectively addressed at the provider level and will require system-level changes, which Medicaid and managed care organizations could play a leading role in developing.

Abstract Introduction Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized primarily by abnormal aggregation of two proteins, tau and amyloid beta. We assessed tau pathology and white matter connectivity changes in subfields of the hippocampus simultaneously in vivo in AD. Methods Twenty‐four subjects were scanned using simultaneous time‐of‐flight 18F‐PI‐2620 tau positron emission tomography/3‐Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and automated segmentation. Results We observed extensive tau elevation in the entorhinal/perirhinal regions, intermediate tau elevation in cornu ammonis 1/subiculum, and an absence of tau elevation in the dentate gyrus, relative to controls. Diffusion tensor imaging showed parahippocampal gyral fractional anisotropy was lower in AD and mild cognitive impairment compared to controls and strongly correlated with early tau accumulation in the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. Discussion This study demonstrates the potential for quantifiable patterns of 18F‐PI2620 binding in hippocampus subfields, accompanied by diffusion and volume metrics, to be valuable markers of AD.

The purpose of this study was to identify the benefits of a systematic mentorship programme using a recreational agency as the case study. Demographic information was used to understand the current state of recreation agencies and this resulted in utilising a systematic mentoring process to address a lack diversity and inclusion in their membership agencies and communities, with the intended purpose of improving the effectiveness of park and recreation agencies. An example of a systematic mentorship programme is a 3-person cohort programme that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and experience between each member of the cohort. The benefit of this mentorship approach is to engage in discussions to strategically address and provide recommendations related to diversity and inclusion.

BackgroundCriminal justice involvement is common among pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD). Medications for OUD improve pregnancy-related outcomes, but trends in treatment data among justice-involved pregnant women are limited. We sought to examine trends in medications for OUD among pregnant women referred to treatment by criminal justice agencies and other sources before and after the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion.Methods and findingsWe conducted a serial, cross-sectional analysis using 1992-2017 data from pregnant women admitted to treatment facilities for OUD using a national survey of substance use treatment facilities in the United States (N = 131,838). We used multiple logistic regression and difference-in-differences methods to assess trends in medications for OUD by referral source. Women in the sample were predominantly aged 18-29 (63.3%), white non-Hispanic, high school graduates, and not employed. Over the study period, 26.3% (95% CI 25.7-27.0) of pregnant women referred by criminal justice agencies received medications for OUD, which was significantly less than those with individual referrals (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] 0.45, 95% CI 0.43-0.46; P < 0.001) or those referred from other sources (ARR 0.51, 95% CI 0.50-0.53; P < 0.001). Among pregnant women referred by criminal justice agencies, receipt of medications for OUD increased significantly more in states that expanded Medicaid (n = 32) compared with nonexpansion states (n = 18) (adjusted difference-in-differences: 12.0 percentage points, 95% CI 1.0-23.0; P = 0.03). Limitations of this study include encounters that are at treatment centers only and that do not encompass buprenorphine prescribed in ambulatory care settings, prisons, or jails.ConclusionsPregnant women with OUD referred by criminal justice agencies received evidence-based treatment at lower rates than women referred through other sources. Improving access to medications for OUD for pregnant women referred by criminal justice agencies could provide public health benefits to mothers, infants, and communities. Medicaid expansion is a potential mechanism for expanding access to evidence-based treatment for pregnant women in the US.

We investigate (001)-oriented films of the topological semimetal cadmium arsenide (Cd3As2) grown by molecular beam epitaxy on lattice-matched III–V AlxIn1−xSb buffer layers. Magnetotransport studies and analysis of thin film microstructures are used to determine the influence of dislocations on their carrier mobilities. We show that only a minority of the threading dislocations present in the buffer layers extend into the Cd3As2 films. Threading dislocations are shown to reduce the mobilities of carriers residing in the topological surface states, while bulk transport was unaffected by a change in the dislocation density across an order of magnitude. Thick (001) Cd3As2 films exhibit electron mobilities of up to 41 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at 2 K. The results provide insights into the influence of extended defects on the transport properties of a prototype topological semimetal.

Abstract Background Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and is concentrated among disadvantaged populations, including individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement. However, tobacco use among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement has been understudied in the United States, and data are needed to inform policy and practice. Methods We used data from the 2008–2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (unweighted N = 330,130) to examine trends in tobacco use, categories of tobacco use, characteristics of cigarette use, and health care utilization and tobacco use screening among individuals (aged 18–64) with and without a history of criminal justice involvement in the past year. We used multiple logistic and Poisson regression models with predictive margins to provide adjusted prevalence estimates. Results The weighted sample in each year was, on average, representative of 8,693,171 individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement in the past year and 182,817,228 individuals with no history of criminal justice involvement in the past year. Tobacco use was significantly more common among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement compared with individuals with no criminal justice involvement, and disparities increased over time (Difference in adjusted relative differences: − 10.2% [95% CI − 17.7 to − 2.7]). In 2016, tobacco use prevalence was more than two times higher among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement (62.9% [95% CI 59.9–66.0] vs. 27.6% [95% CI 26.9–28.3]). Individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement who smoked reported a significantly earlier age of cigarette initiation, more cigarettes used per day, and higher levels of nicotine dependence and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement were less likely to report an outpatient medical visit in the past year and, among those reporting an outpatient medical visit, were less likely to be asked about tobacco use, but paradoxically, more likely to report being advised to quit. Conclusions Novel programs and tobacco control policies are needed to address persistently high rates of tobacco use and reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among individuals with a history of criminal justice involvement.