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BackgroundBlack and Hispanic men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV in the United States. The Internet is a promising vehicle for delivery of HIV prevention interventions to these men, but retention of MSM of color in longitudinal Internet-based studies has been problematic. Text message follow-up may enhance retention in these studies. ObjectiveTo compare retention in a 12-month prospective Internet-based study of HIV-negative MSM randomized to receive bimonthly follow-up surveys either through an Internet browser online or through text messages. MethodsInternet-using MSM were recruited through banner advertisements on social networking and Internet-dating sites. White, black, and Hispanic men who were ≥18, completed an online baseline survey, and returned an at-home HIV test kit, which tested HIV negative, were eligible. Men were randomized to receive follow-up surveys every 2 months on the Internet or by text message for 12 months (unblinded). We used time-to-event methods to compare the rate of loss-to-follow-up (defined as non-response to a follow-up survey after multiple systematically-delivered contact attempts) in the 2 follow-up groups, overall and by race/ethnicity. Results are reported as hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the rate of loss-to-follow-up for men randomized to text message follow-up compared to online follow-up. ResultsOf 1489 eligible and consenting men who started the online baseline survey, 895 (60%) completed the survey and were sent an at-home HIV test kit. Of these, 710 of the 895 (79%) returned the at-home HIV test kit, tested HIV-negative, and were followed prospectively. The study cohort comprised 66% white men (470/710), 15% (106/710) black men, and 19% (134/710) Hispanic men. At 12 months, 77% (282/366) of men randomized to online follow-up were retained in the study, compared to 70% (241/344) men randomized to text message follow-up (HR=1.30, 95% CI 0.97-1.73). The rate of loss-to-follow-up was non-significantly higher in the text message arm compared to the online arm for both white (HR=1.43, 95% CI 0.97-1.73) and Hispanic men (HR=1.71, 95% CI 0.91-3.23); however, loss-to-follow-up among black men was non-significantly lower among those who received text message follow-up compared to online follow-up (HR=0.78, 95% CI 0.41-1.50). In the online arm, black men were significantly more likely to be lost to follow-up compared to white men (HR=2.25, 95% CI 1.36-3.71), but this was not the case in the text message arm (HR=1.23, 95% CI 0.70-2.16). ConclusionsWe retained >70% of MSM enrolled in an online study for 12 months; thus, engaging men in online studies for a sufficient time to assess sustained outcomes is possible. Text message follow-up of an online cohort of MSM is feasible, and may result in higher retention among black MSM.

Prescribed burning is the primary method used to reduce wildfire risk in a range of ecosystems globally. Knowledge of how animal populations respond to prescribed burns is essential for designing fuel management plans that are sensitive to ecological values. We conducted a before–after, control‐impact experiment in the temperate jarrah forest ecosystem of south‐western Australia to examine how reptiles respond to season of burning (spring or autumn) and time since burning (0–5 years). Through pitfall trapping at 10 survey grids over 7 years, we captured 1808 reptiles from 22 species. Bayesian mixed effects models revealed that six of the eight species analysed showed either a decrease or increase in capture rate at burnt compared to unburnt sites, and most of these effects only occurred within the first 2 years post fire. Species richness showed a weak negative response to one autumn burn and no relationship with time since fire. Fire effects were more common in autumn compared to spring burns, which is likely a reflection of differing fire severities. These results suggest that prescribed burning can temporarily reduce habitat suitability and abundance for some species, particularly those that rely on leaf litter for shelter and foraging. Our findings emphasise the dynamic nature of reptile responses to prescribed burns and underscore the importance of considering both fire seasonality and recency of burning in wildlife management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) in dried blood spots (DBS), a measure of cumulative antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, is associated with viral suppression and predicts future viremia in persons with HIV (PWH). However, its utility to identify those at risk for virologic failure (VF) and drug resistance is unknown. To address this, we aimed to establish the association between this adherence biomarker and VF with drug resistance in a cohort of PWH initiating first-line ART in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: PWH initiating TFV disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based ART within a parent prospective cohort were evaluated. Using a nested design, DBS for TFV-DP were collected from cases who developed VF (HIV-1 RNA [greater than or equal to]1000 copies/ml) after [greater than or equal to]5 months on ART versus controls, matched 1:2 by site, age, gender, race and ART duration. Cases were categorized as having VF with or without resistance using genotyping. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare TFV-DP for controls, cases with VF and resistance, and cases with VF without resistance. Data are presented as mean (standard deviation, SD) or geometric mean [95% confidence interval, 95% CI]. Results and discussion: One thousand participants were enrolled in the parent study between 2014 and 2016, of which 288 (29%) had DBS available. Of these, 94 (33%) were cases and 194 (67%) were controls; 59% were women. Mean age of our population was 33 (SD 8) years. Genotyping was available in 50 (53%) of the 94 cases. Geometric mean TFV-DP in DBS from controls was 708 [95% CI; 647-773] fmol/punch, which was higher compared to participants having VF with resistance (n = 36), 386 [95% CI; 241-617] fmol/punch and VF without resistance (n = 14), 61 [95% CI; 22-164] fmol/punch; p Conclusions: TFV-DP in DBS showed a stepwise association with VF and drug resistance in South African PWH. Participants having VF with resistance had mid-range concentrations of TFV-DP, which were higher than those for PWH without resistance. Future research on the clinical utility of TFV-DP concentrations in DBS to predict and prevent the development of VF and drug resistance is needed. Keywords: adherence; dried blood spots; HIV resistance; South Africa; tenofovir diphosphate; viral failure, 1 | INTRODUCTION Although current antiretroviral therapy (ART) is highly effective, durable adherence remains necessary to sustain viral suppression in persons with HIV (PWH). Unfortunately, up to 30-40% of PWH [...]

Political discourses and practices surrounding the current presidential administration are propagating familiar stereotypes of immigrants as "diseases," "criminals," and questionably "American." Emergent research and the news media are also reporting stories of hostility toward immigrants in schools and broader society that has been incited by such rhetoric and practices. This article proposes teacher educators concerned with social justice for immigrant youth should teach meaningfully about the controversial emotions surrounding immigration. More specifically, the authors hypothesize how critical affect literacy may be instructive for helping pre-service teachers address the polarized and controversial emotions swirling around immigration. After providing a brief overview of the current national context of schools, the authors discuss the literature on teacher education for immigration. They then describe critical affect literacy and highlight its promise for helping pre-service teachers understand and counter-act negative emotions directed at immigrant students in schools. The authors also provide examples of instructional activities that might engage critical affect literacy practices in teacher education classrooms. In doing so, the authors hope to advocate the power of emotion in teaching for social justice in an increasingly uncertain and combative political climate.

Social bonds to school (i.e., attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief) can influence educational progress and success for students; however, the children of immigrants' bonding to school remain unclear. This study utilizes data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 and incorporates multilevel analysis to examine straight-line assimilation, segmented assimilation, and immigrant optimism theories in relationship to the children of immigrants' school bonds. Findings suggest that bonds to school are moderated by gender, race, ethnicity, and immigrant generation. The implications of the evident disparities in the children of immigrants' bonds to U.S. public schools are discussed more broadly.

Objective: To determine the long‐term outcomes, including mortality and recurrent seizures, among children living with HIV (CLWH) who present with new onset seizure. Methods: Zambian CLWH and new onset seizure were enrolled prospectively to determine the risk of and risk factors for recurrent seizures. Demographic data, clinical profiles, index seizure etiology, and 30‐day mortality outcomes were previously reported. After discharge, children were followed quarterly to identify recurrent seizures and death. Given the high risk of early death, risk factors for recurrent seizure were evaluated using a model that adjusted for mortality. Results: Among 73 children enrolled, 28 died (38%), 22 within 30‐days of the index seizure. Median follow‐up was 533 days (IQR 18–957) with 5% (4/73) lost to follow‐up. Seizure recurrence was 19% among the entire cohort. Among children surviving at least 30‐days after the index seizure, 27% had a recurrent seizure. Median time from index seizure to recurrent seizure was 161 days (IQR 86–269). Central nervous system opportunistic infection (CNS OI), as the cause for the index seizure was protective against recurrent seizures and higher functional status was a risk factor for seizure recurrence. Significance: Among CLWH presenting with new onset seizure, mortality risks remain elevated beyond the acute illness period. Recurrent seizures are common and are more likely in children with higher level of functioning even after adjusting for the outcome of death. Newer antiseizure medications appropriate for co‐usage with antiretroviral therapies are needed for the care of these children. CNS OI may represent a potentially reversible provocation for the index seizure, while seizures in high functioning CLWH without a CNS OI may be the result of a prior brain injury or susceptibility to seizures unrelated to HIV and thus represent an ongoing predisposition to seizures. Plain Language Summary: This study followed CLWH who experienced a new onset seizure to find out how many go on to have more seizures and identify any patient characteristics associated with having more seizures. The study found that mortality rates continue to be high beyond the acute clinical presentation with new onset seizure. Children with a CNS OI causing the new onset seizure had a lower risk of later seizures, possibly because the trigger for the seizure can be treated. In contrast, high functioning children without a CNS OI were at higher risk of future seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linked foraging and bioenergetics models allow for increased understanding of fish growth potential and behavior by incorporating prey availability coupled to environmental conditions including temperature and prey visibility. To inform our understanding of growth and vertical migration patterns of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) inhabiting lentic ecosystems, we linked foraging and bioenergetics models to create GrowChinook (http://growchinook.fw.oregonstate.edu/). This multimodel design and optimization routine has broad applications in examining growth potential and predicting habitat use in stratified environments. We demonstrate the use of GrowChinook for the spring-summer rearing period in three Willamette River basin reservoirs, Oregon, USA. These reservoirs support juvenile spring Chinook salmon that exhibit a novel reservoir-reared life history that includes larger juvenile fish compared with nearby stream-reared subyearlings. Model outputs of predicted growth and depth use patterns based on observed prey distributions and environmental conditions were corroborated by observed empirical size and growth data from other years. Our simulations support diel vertical migration as a tactic that increases growth potential and contribute to understanding juvenile Chinook salmon growth in stratified systems. Les modeles relies d'approvisionnement et de bioenergetique permettent une meilleure comprehension du potentiel de croissance et des comportements des poissons en integrant la disponibilite de proies jumelee aux conditions ambiantes, notamment la temperature et la visibilite des proies. Pour parfaire la comprehension de la croissance et des motifs de migration verticale des saumons chinooks (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) dans les ecosystemes lentiques, nous avons relie des modeles d'approvisionnement et de bioenergetique pour creer GrowChinook (http://growchinook.fw.oregonstate.edu/). Son schema multi-modeles et sa routine d'optimisation ont de vastes applications pour l'etude du potentiel de croissance et la prediction de l'utilisation de l'habitat en milieux stratifies. Nous faisons une demonstration de l'utilisation de GrowChinook pour la periode de grossissement duprintemps etde l'ete dans trois reservoirs dubassin versantde la riviere Willamette (Oregon, Etats- Unis). Ces reservoirs supportent des saumons chinooks juveniles du printemps qui presentent un nouveau cycle biologique avec grossissement en reservoir caracterisant des poissons juveniles plus gros que les poissons de moins de landont le grossissement a eu lieu dans des cours d'eau a proximite. Les motifs de croissance et d'utilisation de differentes profondeurs issus du modele et bases sur la repartition des proies et les conditions ambiantes observees sont corrobores par des donnees d'observation empiriques sur la taille et la croissance pour d'autres annees. Nos simulations appuient l'interpretation voulant que la migration verticale nycthemerale constitue une tactique qui accroit le potentiel de croissance, et elles ameliorent la comprehension de la croissance des saumons chinooks juveniles dans les systemes stratifies. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Bioenergetics modelling has improved our understanding of growth and consumption across many fish species (Chipps and Wahl 2008). This is especially important for species of concern because growth and [...]

Academic self-efficacy reflects an adolescent's level of confidence or belief that she or he can successfully accomplish educational assignments and tasks, which are also argued to be a fundamental factor in educational progress and success. Little is known, however, about the academic self-efficacy that the children of immigrants have, which is particularly relevant today in the midst of the current social, political, and economic debate over the influence of immigration in U.S. public schools. Segmented assimilation theory guides this study's understanding of the children of immigrants' academic self-efficacy. Analyses, which draw from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 and multilevel analyses, indeed reveal imperative findings. Most notably, the association between academic self-efficacy and assimilation is moderated by gender, race, and ethnicity. This article also discusses the importance of understanding the schooling of the children of immigrants in the educational system.

Streamflow-duration assessment methods (SDAMs) are rapid, indicator-based tools for classifying streamflow duration (e.g., intermittent vs perennial flow) at the reach scale. Indicators are easily assessed stream properties used as surrogates of flow duration, which is too resource intensive to measure directly for many reaches. Invertebrates are commonly used as SDAM indicators because many are not highly mobile, and different species have life stages that require flow for different durations and times of the year. The objectives of this study were to 1) identify invertebrate taxa that can be used as SDAM indicators to distinguish between stream reaches having intermittent and perennial flow, 2) to compare indicator strength across different taxonomic and numeric resolutions, and 3) to assess the relative importance of season and habitat type on the ability of invertebrates to predict streamflow-duration class. We used 2 methods, random forest models and indicator species analysis, to analyze aquatic and terrestrial invertebrate data (presence/absence, density, and biomass) at the family and genus levels from 370 samples collected from both erosional and depositional habitats during both wet and dry seasons. In total, 36 intermittent and 53 perennial reaches were sampled along 31 forested headwater streams in 4 level II ecoregions across the United States. Random forest models for family- and genus-level datasets had stream classification accuracy ranging from 88.9 to 93.2%, with slightly higher accuracy for density than for presence/absence and biomass datasets. Season (wet/dry) tended to be a stronger predictor of streamflow-duration class than habitat (erosional/depositional). Many taxa at the family (58.8%) and genus level (61.6%) were collected from both intermittent and perennial reaches, and most taxa that were exclusive to 1 streamflow-duration class were rarely collected. However, 23 family-level or higher taxa (20 aquatic and 3 terrestrial) and 44 aquatic genera were identified as potential indicators of streamflow-duration class for forested headwater streams. The utility of the potential indicators varied across level II ecoregions in part because of representation of intermittent and perennial reaches in the dataset but also because of variable ecological responses to drying among species. Aquatic invertebrates have been an important field indicator of perennial reaches in existing SDAMs, but our findings highlight how including aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates as indicators of intermittent reaches can further maximize the data collected for streamflow-duration classifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing methods for estimation of dynamic treatment regimes are mostly limited to intention-to-treat analyses—which estimate the effect of randomization to a particular treatment regime without considering the compliance behavior of patients. In this article, we propose a novel nonparametric Bayesian Q-learning approach to construct optimal sequential treatment regimes that adjust for partial compliance. We consider the popular potential compliance framework, where some potential compliances are latent and need to be imputed. The key challenge is learning the joint distribution of the potential compliances, which we accomplish using a Dirichlet process mixture model. Our approach provides two kinds of treatment regimes: (1) conditional regimes that depend on the potential compliance values; and (2) marginal regimes where the potential compliances are marginalized. Extensive simulation studies highlight the usefulness of our method compared to intention-to-treat analyses. We apply our method to the Adaptive Treatment for Alcohol and Cocaine Dependence (ENGAGE) study, where the goal is to construct optimal treatment regimes to engage patients in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing methods for estimating the mean outcome under a given sequential treatment rule often rely on intention‐to‐treat analyses, which estimate the effect of following a certain treatment rule regardless of compliance behavior of patients. There are two major concerns with intention‐to‐treat analyses: (1) the estimated effects are often biased toward the null effect; (2) the results are not generalizable and reproducible due to the potentially differential compliance behavior. These are particularly problematic in settings with a high level of non‐compliance, such as substance use disorder studies. Our work is motivated by the Adaptive Treatment for Alcohol and Cocaine Dependence study (ENGAGE), which is a multi‐stage trial that aimed to construct optimal treatment strategies to engage patients in therapy. Due to the relatively low level of compliance in this trial, intention‐to‐treat analyses essentially estimate the effect of being randomized to a certain treatment, instead of the actual effect of the treatment. We obviate this challenge by defining the target parameter as the mean outcome under a dynamic treatment regime conditional on a potential compliance stratum. We propose a flexible non‐parametric Bayesian approach based on principal stratification, which consists of a Gaussian copula model for the joint distribution of the potential compliances, and a Dirichlet process mixture model for the treatment sequence specific outcomes. We conduct extensive simulation studies which highlight the utility of our approach in the context of multi‐stage randomized trials. We show robustness of our estimator to non‐linear and non‐Gaussian settings as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Food insecurity has been linked to suboptimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in persons with HIV (PWH). This association has not been evaluated using tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) in dried blood spots (DBSs), a biomarker of cumulative ART adherence and exposure. Methods Within a prospective South African cohort of treatment-naive PWH initiating ART, a subset of participants with measured TFV-DP in DBS values was assessed for food insecurity status. Bivariate and multivariate median-based regression analysis compared the association between food insecurity and TFV-DP concentrations in DBSs adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, medication possession ratio (MPR), and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Results Drug concentrations were available for 285 study participants. Overall, 62 (22%) PWH reported worrying about food insecurity and 44 (15%) reported not having enough food to eat in the last month. The crude median concentrations of TFV-DP in DBSs differed significantly between those who expressed food insecurity worry versus those who did not (599 [interquartile range {IQR}, 417–783] fmol/punch vs 716 [IQR, 453–957] fmol/punch; P =.032). In adjusted median-based regression, those with food insecurity worry had concentrations of TFV-DP that were 155 (95% confidence interval, −275 to −35; P =.012) fmol/punch lower than those who did not report food insecurity worry. Age and MPR remained significantly associated with TFV-DP. Conclusions In this study, food insecurity worry is associated with lower TFV-DP concentrations in South African PWH. This highlights the role of food insecurity as a social determinant of HIV outcomes including ART failure and resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]