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Tells how it is possible for the Verification Technology Information Center (VERTIC) to monitor nuclear testing in China within three hours of the detonation. Use of commercial satellite imagery, seismic data and computer programs; Questions regarding collection and dissemination of sensitive information in an increasingly open world; Tests in China detected by VERTIC during 1992; Response of commercial agents to requests for high-resolution images; French connection.

Emphasis on local foods and local food systems has often meant that the importance of other scales goes unrecognized or underappreciated. While each scale has limitations, some food system experts now assert the benefits of the regional scale for its ability to foster a more sufficient, diverse, affordable, and resilient food system. This paper contributes to this debate by exploring people’s perceptions of regionally produced foods. Seven focus groups were conducted with a total of 51 participants across four locations in the U.S. Northeast. Topics discussed included the importance of knowing where food is sourced, how people described their region, personal connections to the region, globalization of food, importance of food origin, perceived benefits and drawbacks of regional foods, and the sense of efficacy and engagement involving food. While many participants were familiar with the concept of the local food system, their perceptions of the regional scale were weaker, less formed, and more divergent. These focus groups provide foundational insights into emerging consumer definitions and values related to regional food systems, which may help develop appropriately targeted messages to reinforce regional benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good nutrition in late life is key to the health of older adults and demands the attention of health promoters. To assess how the social lives and community environmental supports and barriers affect older adults' nutritional health, we conducted 29 focus groups with 144 residents of The Villages, Florida. Participants reside in one of the largest retirement communities in the United States. Thematic analysis revealed that the high social connectedness of residents confers both positive and negative influences on the nutritional lives of residents. Neighbors and friends are essential to a resident's ability to access foods in times of need. Conversely, many social functions in the community revolve around the consumption of foods of low nutrient density. Friends and neighbors may provide the best point of entry for nutritional interventions, such as food assistance strategies and health promotion and education. Policy and practice implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acculturation profiles and their impact on telomere length among foreign-born Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States (US) are relatively unknown. The limited research available has linked acculturation with shortened telomere length. Objectives: To identify acculturation profiles among a US representative sample of Hispanics/Latinos and to then examine telomere length differences between profiles. Methods: We conducted a latent class analysis among a non-institutionalized US-representative sample of Hispanics/Latinos using the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ( N = 2,292). The latent variable of acculturation was assessed by length of time in the US and language used as a child, read and spoken, usually spoken at home, used to think, and used with friends (i.e., Spanish and/or English). Telomere length assessed from leukocytes was used as the distal continuous outcome. Results: We identified five profiles: (1) low acculturated [33.2% of sample]; (2) partially integrated [18.6% of sample]; (3) integrated [19.4% of sample]; (4) partially assimilated [15.1% of sample]; and (5) assimilated [13.7% of sample]. Acculturation profiles revealed nuanced differences in conditional probabilities with language use despite the length of time spent in the US. While telomere length did vary, there were no significant differences between profiles. Conclusion: Profiles identified revealed that possible life-course and generational effects may be at play in the partially assimilated and assimilated profiles. Our findings expand public health research using complex survey data to identify and assess the dynamic relationship of acculturation profiles and health biomarkers, while being among the first to examine this context using a person-centered approach., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Montiel Ishino, McNab, Villalobos, Cohen, Nápoles and Williams.)