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Background:Given the significant health effects, we assessed geospatial patterns of adverse events (AEs), defined as physical or sexual abuse and accidents or poisonings at home, among children in a mixed rural–urban community.Methods:We conducted a population-based cohort study of children ($$Relative\;Difference = {\rm{ }}{{Observed\;Case\;Density - Expected\;Case\;Density} \over {Expected\;Case\;Density}}$$; hotspot ≥ 0.33) using kernel density methods. A Bayesian geospatial logistic regression model was used to test for association of subject characteristics (including residential features) with AEs, adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES).Results:Of the 30,227 eligible children (Conclusions:MHC residence is a significant unrecognized risk factor for AEs among non-Hispanic, White children in a mixed rural–urban community. Given plausible outreach difficulty due to address discrepancies, MHC residents might be a geographically underserved population for clinical care and research.

Background: Studies examining the role of geographic factors in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) epidemiology among rural populations are lacking. Methods: Our study is a population-based longitudinal study based on rural residents in four southeast Minnesota counties from March through October 2020. We used a kernel density estimation approach to identify hotspots for COVID-19 cases. Temporal trends of cases and testing were examined by generating a series of hotspot maps during the study period. Household/individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) was measured using the HOUSES index and examined for association between identified hotspots and SES. Results: During the study period, 24,243 of 90,975 residents (26.6%) were tested for COVID-19 at least once; 1498 (6.2%) of these tested positive. Compared to other rural residents, hotspot residents were overall younger (median age: 40.5 vs 43.2), more likely to be minorities (10.7% vs 9.7%), and of higher SES (lowest HOUSES [SES] quadrant: 14.6% vs 18.7%). Hotspots accounted for 30.1% of cases (14.5% of population) for rural cities and 60.8% of cases (27.1% of population) for townships. Lower SES and minority households were primarily affected early in the pandemic and higher SES and non-minority households affected later. Conclusion: In rural areas of these four counties in Minnesota, geographic factors (hotspots) play a significant role in the overall burden of COVID-19 with associated racial/ethnic and SES disparities, of which pattern differed by the timing of the pandemic (earlier in pandemic vs later). The study results could more precisely guide community outreach efforts (e.g., public health education, testing/tracing, and vaccine roll out) to those residing in hotspots.

Objective To perform a geospatial and temporal trend analysis for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a Midwest community to identify and characterize hot spots for COVID-19. Participants and Methods We conducted a population-based longitudinal surveillance assessing the semimonthly geospatial trends of the prevalence of test confirmed COVID-19 cases in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from March 11, 2020, through October 31, 2020. As urban areas accounted for 84% of the population and 86% of all COVID-19 cases in Olmsted County, MN, we determined hot spots for COVID-19 in urban areas (Rochester and other small cities) of Olmsted County, MN, during the study period by using kernel density analysis with a half-mile bandwidth. Results As of October 31, 2020, a total of 37,141 individuals (30%) were tested at least once, of whom 2433 (7%) tested positive. Testing rates among race groups were similar: 29% (black), 30% (Hispanic), 25% (Asian), and 31% (white). Ten urban hot spots accounted for 590 cases at 220 addresses (2.68 cases per address) as compared with 1843 cases at 1292 addresses in areas outside hot spots (1.43 cases per address). Overall, 12% of the population residing in hot spots accounted for 24% of all COVID-19 cases. Hot spots were concentrated in neighborhoods with low-income apartments and mobile home communities. People living in hot spots tended to be minorities and from a lower socioeconomic background. Conclusion Geographic and residential risk factors might considerably account for the overall burden of COVID-19 and its associated racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities. Results could geospatially guide community outreach efforts (eg, testing/tracing and vaccine rollout) for populations at risk for COVID-19.

Over the last 20 years, ecological restoration of degraded habitats has become common in conservation practice. Mountain hares (

Rationale Clinical decision support (CDS) tools leveraging electronic health records (EHRs) have been an approach for addressing challenges in asthma care but remain under-studied through clinical trials. Objectives To assess the effectiveness and efficiency of Asthma-Guidance and Prediction System (A-GPS), an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted CDS tool, in optimizing asthma management through a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Methods This was a single-center pragmatic RCT with a stratified randomization design conducted for one year in the primary care pediatric practice of the Mayo Clinic, MN. Children ( Measurements Intervention was a quarterly A-GPS report to clinicians including relevant clinical information for asthma management from EHRs and machine learning-based prediction for risk of asthma exacerbation (AE). Primary endpoint was the occurrence of AE within 1 year and secondary outcomes included time required for clinicians to review EHRs for asthma management. Main results Out of 555 participants invited to the study, 184 consented for the study and were randomized (90 in intervention and 94 in control group). Median age of 184 participants was 8.5 years. While the proportion of children with AE in both groups decreased from the baseline (P = 0.042), there was no difference in AE frequency between the two groups (12% for the intervention group vs. 15% for the control group, Odds Ratio: 0.82; 95%CI 0.374–1.96; P = 0.626) during the study period. For the secondary end points, A-GPS intervention, however, significantly reduced time for reviewing EHRs for asthma management of each participant (median: 3.5 min, IQR: 2–5), compared to usual care without A-GPS (median: 11.3 min, IQR: 6.3–15); p Conclusions While A-GPS-based intervention showed similar reduction in AE events to usual care, it might reduce clinicians’ burden for EHRs review resulting in efficient asthma management. A larger RCT is needed for further studying the findings. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02865967.

Objective: To identify motivators and barriers to wearing a mask to prevent COVID-19. Participants and methods: An anonymous, online survey of adults from Southeastern Minnesota conducted August 2020. We assessed willingness to wear a mask and its associations with socio-demographics, COVID-19-related factors and prevention behaviors using multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Results: Of 7,786 respondents (78% women, 51% rural), 9% reported ‘not at all willing’, 27% ‘willing’, and 64% ‘very willing’ to wear a mask. Factors independently associated with willingness to wear a mask were: urban residence (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.05–1.44, p = 0.009); college degree or greater (OR 1.42, CI 1.05–1.93, p = 0.025); age (18–29 years OR 1.29, CI 01.02–1.64, p = 0.038; 30–39 OR = 1.37, CI 1.12–1.69, p = 0.003; 60–69 OR = 1.44, CI 1.09–1.91, p = 0.011; 70–89 OR 2.09, CI 1.32–3.37, p = 0.002; 40–49 reference group); and (all p

ObjectiveTwo pertussis outbreaks occurred in Olmsted County, Minnesota, during 2004–2005 and 2012 (5–10 times higher than other years), with significantly higher incidence than for the State. We aimed to assess whether there were similar spatio-temporal patterns between the two outbreaks.SettingOlmsted County, Minnesota, USAParticipantsWe conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of all Olmsted County residents during the 2004–2005 and 2012 outbreaks, including laboratory-positive pertussis cases.Primary outcome measureFor each outbreak, we estimated (1) age-specific incidence rate using laboratory-positive pertussis cases (numerator) and the Rochester Epidemiology Project Census (denominator), a medical record-linkage system for virtually all Olmsted County residents, and (2) pertussis case density using kernel density estimation to identify areas with high case density. To account for population size, we calculated relative difference of observed density and expected density based on age-specific incidence.ResultsWe identified 157 and 195 geocoded cases in 2004–2005 and 2012, respectively. Incidence was the highest among adolescents (ages 11 to ConclusionsComparing spatio-temporal patterns between two pertussis outbreaks identified a consistent geographical area with higher incidence of pertussis at the beginning of outbreaks in this community. This finding can be tested in future outbreaks, and, if confirmed, can be used for identifying epidemiological risk factors clustered in such areas for geographically targeted intervention.

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important determinant of health, but SES measures are frequently unavailable in commonly used datasets. Area-level SES measures are used as proxy measures of individual SES when the individual measures are lacking. Little is known about the agreement between individual-level versus area-level SES measures in mixed urban-rural settings.We identified SES agreement by comparing information from telephone self-reported SES levels and SES calculated from area-level SES measures. We assessed the impact of this agreement on reported associations between SES and rates of childhood obesity, low birth weight2500 g and smoking within the household in a mixed urban-rural setting.750 households were surveyed with a response rate of 62%: 51% male, 89% Caucasian; mean child age 9.5 years. Individual-level self-reported income was more strongly associated with all three childhood health outcomes compared to area-level SES. We found significant disagreement rates of 22-31%. The weighted Cohen's κ indices ranged from 0.15 to 0.22, suggesting poor agreement between individual-level and area-level measures.In a mixed urban-rural setting comprised of both rural and urbanised areas, area-level SES proxy measures significantly disagree with individual SES measures, and have different patterns of association with health outcomes from individual-level SES measures. Area-level SES may be an unsuitable proxy for SES when individual rather than community characteristics are of primary concern.

Purpose Accidental falls are a major public health concern among people of all ages. Little is known about whether an individual-level housing-based socioeconomic status measure is associated with the risk of accidental falls. Methods Among 12,286 Mayo Clinic Biobank participants residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, subjects who experienced accidental falls between the biobank enrollment and September 2014 were identified using ICD-9 codes evaluated at emergency departments. HOUSES (HOUsing-based Index of SocioEconomic Status), a socioeconomic status measure based on individual housing features, was also calculated. Cox regression models were utilized to assess the association of the HOUSES (in quartiles) with accidental fall risk. Results Seven hundred eleven (5.8%) participants had at least one emergency room visit due to an accidental fall during the study period. Subjects with higher HOUSES were less likely to experience falls in a dose-response manner (hazard ratio: 0.58; 95% confidence interval: 0.44–0.76 for comparing the highest to the lowest quartile). In addition, the HOUSES was positively associated with better health behaviors, social support, and functional status. Conclusions The HOUSES is inversely associated with accidental fall risk requiring emergency care in a dose-response manner. The HOUSES may capture falls-related risk factors through housing features and socioeconomic status-related psychosocial factors.

Traditional hydraulic fatigue testing is performed on open ended cylindrical sections of pressure vessels to establish their fatigue life. Typically only hoop loading of the pressure vessels is required to determine fatigue life. However, for some specific geometries and service conditions a more complex test is required. It has been confirmed that certain geometries have experienced circumferential cracking because of combined, nearly equivalent axial loading and hoop loading. Consequently, a test fixture was engineered, designed, built and tested by US Army - Benét Laboratories / ARDEC to replicate the service loading condition. Simultaneous axial / hoop fatigue testing results in a more realistic representation of service loading conditions and a more accurate determination of fatigue life for these non-typical cases.

Objectives Socioeconomic status (SES) is a well-established risk factor for many health outcomes. Recently, we developed an SES measure based on 4 housing-related characteristics (termed HOUSES) and demonstrated its ability to assess health disparities. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether fewer housing-related characteristics could be used to provide a similar representation of SES. Study setting and participants We performed a cross-sectional study using parents/guardians of children aged 1–17 years from 2 US Midwestern counties (n=728 in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and n=701 in Jackson County, Missouri). Primary and secondary outcome measures For each participant, housing-related characteristics used in the formulation of HOUSES (assessed housing value, square footage, number of bedrooms and number of bathrooms) were obtained from the local government assessor's offices, and additional SES measures and health outcomes with known associations to SES (obesity, low birth weight and smoking exposure) were collected from a telephone survey. Housing characteristics with the greatest contribution for predicting the health outcomes were added to formulate a modified HOUSES index. Results Among the 4 housing characteristics used in the original HOUSES, the strongest contributions for predicting health outcomes were observed from assessed housing value and square footage (combined contribution ranged between 89% and 96%). Based on this observation, these 2 were used to calculate a modified HOUSES index. Correlation between modified HOUSES and other SES measures was comparable to the original HOUSES for both locations. Consistent with the original HOUSES formula, the strongest association with modified HOUSES was observed with smoking exposure (OR=0.24 with 95% CI 0.11 to 0.49 for comparing participants in highest HOUSES vs lowest group; overall p

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with many health outcomes. Commonly used datasets such as medical records often lack data on SES but do include address information. The authors sought to determine whether an SES measure derived from housing characteristics is associated with other SES measures and outcomes known to be associated with SES. The data come from a telephone survey of parents/guardians of children aged 1–17 years who resided in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and Jackson County, Missouri. Seven variables related to housing and six neighborhood characteristics obtained from local government assessor’s offices in Olmsted County, Minnesota, were appended to survey responses. An SES index derived from housing characteristics (hereafter, HOUSES) was constructed using principal components factor analysis. For criterion validity, we assessed Pearson’s correlation coefficients between HOUSES and other SES measures, including self-reported parents’ educational levels, income, Hollingshead Index, and Nakao–Treas Index. For construct validity, we determined the association between HOUSES and outcomes, risks of low birth weight, overweight, and smoking exposure at home. We applied HOUSES to subjects in another community by formulating HOUSES from housing data of subjects in Jackson County, Missouri, using the same statistical algorithm as HOUSES for subjects in Olmsted County, Minnesota. We found that HOUSES had modest to good correlation with other SES measures. Overall, as hypothesized, HOUSES was inversely associated with outcome measures assessed among subjects from both counties. HOUSES may be a useful surrogate measure of individual SES in epidemiologic research, especially when SES measures for individuals are not available.

The water resources of southeastern Minnesota, USA, have been exploited by humans for the past two centuries. The region’s sedimentary (karst) geology holds vast underground aquifers with high-quality drinking water. Springs and seeps percolate from these aquifers in valleys to produce hundreds of kilometers of coldwater trout streams. Citizens in the region place high values on these surface and groundwater resources, protecting them from potential harm by becoming informed about threats and organizing in protest over resource contamination and perceived overuse. Agriculture, ethanol production, silica sand mining and processing, and urban development have all threatened the area’s water resources and prompted citizen action. Recent regional studies have examined long-term trends in water quality, surveyed citizen attitudes and values, and made recommendations for monitoring and protecting both surface and groundwaters in southeastern Minnesota. A culture of water stewardship will continue to grow in this region, serving as a good model to follow wherever sustainable water management practices are being developed.

Shaken baby syndrome is not a new phenomenon, with changes in the brains of abused children having been described as early as the nineteenth century. It is, however, a complex condition in which controversies abound. This introduction to the literature includes both medical and sociolegal perspectives on the history, prevalence and nature of shaken baby syndrome. Both diagnosis and management require a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach, including input from ophthalmology and radiology. All professionals involved in managing shaken baby syndrome need to be aware of the many debates on the subject, including issues around a lucid interval following the trauma; the degree of trauma required; the mechanism of the injury; and differential diagnoses that need to be considered. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The New England Butt 144 carrier braiding machine is designed to braid (knit) fibrous material into cylindrical, but not necessarily symmetric, shapes over a mandrel form. The braiding machine is capable of applying 144 continuous strands of material simultaneously onto a mandrel as well as 72 longitudinal strands to give lateral strength to the component. As the 144 strands of fiber are being applied to the mandrel, each fiber is coated with a specific amount of resin from a resin applicator. The resin applicator is an added piece of hardware to the braiding machine and was fabricated by U.S. Composites Corporation. Coating of the fibers with wet resin occurs just prior to the fibers being applied to the mandrel. During the braiding operation, the braiding machine remains stationary while a mandrel form is traversed horizontally in and out of the center of the braider's braid ring to apply layers of composite material to the mandrel's surface. This report addresses some of the braiding parameters such as braider speed, mandrel traverse rate, fiber flow rates, and resin flow rates onto a mandrel during the braiding process.

In spite of earlier investigator's reports, detailed oscillometric evaluation of peripheral circulation has not produced proof of a significant vasodilating effect of procaine hydrochloride in a series of 55 patients. No blood pressure alteration or other adverse effects occurred. However, prior to the intra-arterial administration of procaine, clinically significant arteriospasm was observed in 38 of 885 arteriographic procedures. After the routine use of procaine, clinical arteriospasm was observed in only two of 1,197 arteriographic procedures, and no arterial or venous thromboses complicated arteriography.