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Objective: This study aims to determine the feasibility of recruiting peer leaders to deliver a community-based health intervention using social media. Method: We recruited 16 African American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) as peer leaders for either an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention or general health intervention using social media. Inclusion criteria required that peer leaders were African American or Latino MSM health communication experts experienced using social media. To receive certification, peer leaders attended three training sessions on using social media for public health. Questionnaires asking about health knowledge and comfort using social media to discuss health-related topics were provided at baseline and post-training to ensure that peer leaders were qualified post-training. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) models and chi[superscript 2] tests tested for differences in peer leader knowledge and comfort using social media pre- and post-training. Results: After training, peer leaders were significantly more comfortable using social media to discuss sexual positions. There were no significant differences pre- and post-training on other comfort or knowledge measures as, at baseline, almost all peer leaders were already comfortable using social media. Conclusion: Results suggest that peer leaders can be recruited who are qualified to conduct health interventions without needing additional training. The discussed training plan can further ensure that any unqualified peer leaders will be prepared after training. To our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest that peer leaders can be recruited as peer health educators to communicate using social media. (Contains 3 tables.)

To better understand the contribution of alpine lakes to global CO2 emissions, carbon dioxide concentrations and fluxes to the atmosphere were measured in five high‐elevation lakes and five reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada, California. Median summer surface concentrations of dissolved CO2 (reservoirs: 21.1 μM, lakes: 23.7 μM) were supersaturated for most of the ice‐free season. Median diffusive flux of CO2 was low as compared to other inland waters (lakes: 260 mg CO2 m−2 d−1, reservoirs: 192 mg CO2 m−2 d−1). Linear mixed modeling demonstrated that the length of ice cover, persisting for 5–9 months and allowing for accumulation of under‐ice CO2, was a strong predictor of summer surface CO2. During the ice‐free period, surface evasion of CO2 was highest for the first 40 d after ice‐off when carbon dioxide that had accumulated during winter was released, although supersaturation and evasion continued until fall at most sites despite low rates of ecosystem metabolism. This study suggests that the contribution of high‐elevation, oligotrophic lakes and reservoirs in the Sierra to global CO2 emissions are small despite persistent supersaturation, and are primarily driven by the duration of ice cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2005, 4 Clostridium sordellii-associated toxic shock fatalities were reported in young Californian women after medical abortions. The true incidence of this rare disease is unknown, and a population-based study has never been performed. Additional clostridia-associated deaths were sought to describe associated clinical characteristics. Study Design: Population-based death certificate review and a clinical case definition for clostridial-associated toxic shock identified women with likelihood of dying from a Clostridium infection. Formalin-fixed autopsy tissues underwent immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction assays. Results: Thirty-eight women were suspected of having C sordellii-associated death. Five tested positive for Clostridium species: 3 for Clostridium perfringens, 1 for C sordellii, and 1 for both. Deaths occurred after the medical procedures for cervical dysplasia (n = 2), surgical abortion (n = 1), stillborn delivery (n = 1), and term live birth (n = 1). None had a medical abortion. Conclusion: C sordellii and C perfringens are associated with undiagnosed catastrophic infectious gynecologic illnesses among women of childbearing age. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]