Search

Since the onset of the Somali civil war in the late 1980s, more than 2 million Somalis have been internally displaced or crossed international borders to seek haven. Yet, research on diasporic Somali women’s intergenerational communication about marriage, sex, and female genital cutting (FGC) remains scant. This paper draws from data we collected from 15 women over the age of 45 who were part of a much larger project on refugee women and sexual health and well-being. The analysis centers on how Somali women across the generations recalibrate definitions of family. We analyze the new roles that sisters, aunts, and grandmothers occupy in the lives of younger women, as family dispersal often results in the absence of biological mothers. In the new settlement, the findings showcase both continuity and change in how sex, marriage, and female genital cutting (FGC) are discussed among female family members. Our findings support not only the dynamic nature of family roles that women occupy across generations but also the malleability of cultural practices as families navigate changing cultural, legal, and social norms in their new settlements.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading complication after both liver and kidney transplantation. Factors associated with and rates of cardiovascular events (CVEs) after simultaneous liver–kidney transplant (SLKT) are unknown. This was a retrospective cohort study of adult SLKT recipients between 2002 and 2017 at six centers in six United Network for Organ Sharing regions in the US Multicenter SLKT Consortium. The primary outcome was a CVE defined as hospitalization due to acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, or other CV causes (stroke or peripheral vascular disease) within 1 year of SLKT. Among 515 SLKT subjects (mean age ± SD, 55.4 ± 10.6 years; 35.5% women; 68.1% White), 8.7% had a CVE within 1 year of SLKT. The prevalence of a CVE increased from 3.3% in 2002–2008 to 8.9% in 2009–2011 to 14.0% in 2012–2017 (p = 0.0005). SLKT recipients with a CVE were older (59.9 vs. 54.9 years, p

Background. Length of stay (LOS) during index solid organ transplant impacts morbidity and healthcare costs. To date, there are no studies evaluating characteristics and outcomes of simultaneous liver-kidney transplant (SLKT) index hospitalization. We examined factors associated with LOS and mortality during index SLKT admission. Methods. Adult SLKT recipients between 2002 and 2017 at 6 transplant centers across 6 UNOS regions were retrospectively enrolled in the US-Multicenter SLKT Consortium. Multivariable regression analyses assessed predictors of SLKT LOS and death during index admission. Results. Median age of cohort (N = 570) was 58 y (interquartile range: 51–64); 63% male, 75% White, 32.3% hepatitis C, 23.3% alcohol-related, 20.1% nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with median MELD-Na at SLKT 28 (23–34). Seventy-one percent were hospitalized at the time of SLKT with median LOS pretransplant of 10 d. Majority of patients were discharged alive (N = 549; 96%)‚ and 36% were discharged to subacute rehab facility. LOS for index SLKT was 19 d (Q1: 10, Q3: 34 d). Female sex (P = 0.003), Black race (P = 0.02), advanced age (P = 0.007), ICU admission at time of SLKT (P = 0.03), high MELD-Na (P = 0.003), on cyclosporine during index hospitalization (P = 0.03), pre-SLKT dialysis (P 2 wk and affected overall patient survival. Further investigation is needed to optimize healthcare resources for these patients in a financially strained healthcare landscape.

Objective The purpose of this paper is to describe a participant-driven, online text message-based social support network that emerged from an eLearning nutrition education and supplemental produce intervention. Methods Adults (n = 20) who utilized a safety-net clinic for their healthcare participated in a 12-week smartphone-based nutrition education eLearning program using loaned smartphones. Participants also received a box of fresh produce weekly. Participants received weekly text message reminders to collect their produce, and from this researcher-initiated reminder text, a supportive, participant-led, all-group text message thread commenced. Researchers collected all 471 text messages in this all-group thread and included them in the qualitative content analysis of pre and post intervention focus groups. Results The original design of the eLearning nutrition education program was to asynchronously engage learners with nutrition education resources. However, participants themselves initiated a robust group text message support system through which they shared encouragement, recipes, grocery shopping tips, and images of food they prepared with the produce box amongst themselves for the duration of the 12-week intervention. Conclusion The novel nature by which these participants voluntarily engaged in this peer-to-peer nutrition education-focused text message conversation exemplifies participants becoming agents in their own learning experience and will be used to enhance future eLearning nutrition education experiences developed by our team.

Although the DSM-5 added sensory symptoms as a criterion for ASC, there is a group of children who display sensory symptoms but do not have ASC; children with sensory processing disorder (SPD). To be able to differentiate these two disorders, our aim was to evaluate whether children with ASC show more sensory symptomatology and/or different cognitive styles in empathy and systemizing compared to children with SPD and typically developing (TD) children. The study included 210 participants: 68 children with ASC, 79 with SPD and 63 TD children. The Sensory Processing Scale Inventory was used to measure sensory symptoms, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) to measure autistic traits, and the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ) to measure cognitive styles. Across groups, a greater sensory symptomatology was associated with lower empathy. Further, both the ASC and SPD groups showed more sensory symptoms than TD children. Children with ASC and SPD only differed on sensory under-reactivity. The ASD group did, however, show lower empathy and higher systemizing scores than the SPD group. Together, this suggest that sensory symptoms alone may not be adequate to differentiate children with ASC and SPD but that cognitive style measures could be used for differential diagnosis. Keywords: Autism spectrum conditions, Sensory processing disorder, Sensory symptoms, Empathy, Systemizing

Abstract Background In recent years, compounded bioidentical hormone therapy (CBHT) has emerged as a popular alternative to manufactured, FDA approved hormone therapy (HT)—despite concerns within the medical community and the availability of new FDA approved “bioidentical” products. This study aims to characterize the motivations for using CBHT in a U.S. sample of ordinary midlife women. Methods We analyze data collected from 21 current and former users of CBHT who participated in a larger qualitative study of menopausal decision-making among U.S. women. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using an iterative inductive and deductive process. Results Although women’s individual motivations varied, two overarching themes emerged: “push motivations” that drove women away from conventional HT and from alternative therapies, and “pull motivations” that attracted women to CBHT. Push motivations focused on (1) fear and uncertainty about the safety of conventional HT, (2) an aversion to conjugated estrogens in particular, and (3) and overarching distrust of a medical system perceived as dismissive of their concerns and overly reliant on pharmaceuticals. Participants also voiced dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of herbal and soy supplements. Participants were attracted to CBHT because they perceive it to be (1) effective in managing menopausal symptoms, (2) safer than conventional HT, (3) tailored to their individual bodies and needs, and (4) accompanied by enhanced clinical care and attention. Conclusions This study finds that women draw upon a range of “push” and “pull” motivations in their decision to use CBHT. Importantly, we find that women are not only seeking alternatives to conventional pharmaceuticals, but alternatives to conventional care where their menopausal experience is solicited, their treatment goals are heard, and they are engaged as agents in managing their own menopause. The significance of this finding goes beyond understanding why women choose CBHT. Women making menopause treatment decisions of all kinds would benefit from greater shared decision-making in the clinical context in which they are explicitly invited to share their experiences, priorities, and preferences. This would also provide an opportunity for clinicians to discuss the pros and cons of conventional HT, CBHT, and other approaches to managing menopause.

African-born immigrants have been identified as a high risk population for contracting HIV/AIDS. We used Community Identification processes to interview three types of respondents: 11 HIV-seropositive East African-born men; 11 professionals working with HIV-seropositive East African-born men; and 11 individuals interacting with HIV-seropositive East African-born men. Using grounded theory methodology, we developed the East African HIV Prevention Model which displays four components (demographic factors, stigma, disclosure, education) contributing to high risk behaviors and HIV testing. Our model suggests interventions for targeting community demographic factors, pervasive stigma leading to lack of disclosure, and education in the East African community.

Campus agricultural projects (CAPs) are campus farms or gardens where students learn to grow food. With at least 286 CAPs at institutions of higher education across the United States, this study seeks to understand the impact that participation in intensive internships at CAPs has on students and how student experiences align with the missions of CAPs. We used mixed ethnographic methods to collect rich, longitudinal data with 23 students enrolled in semester-long internships at one particular CAP over the course of three semesters. Drawing on thematic analysis, we identify themes that capture what students are learning and experiencing in these spaces. Results from this study demonstrate that students participating in these internships gain not only agricultural and horticultural skills from hands-on learning, but also interpersonal skills (i.e., teamwork and communication) and practical skills (i.e., changing a tire). Over the course of the semester, we see students gain confidence from these skills and develop self-efficacy in their ability to face challenges and tackle new tasks in the future. Notably, students also develop a strong sense of community within these spaces. Finally, although students express a lingering disconnect between their work and its specific contribution to the community, we find that students can gain insights into service and community engagement in a service-learning focused CAP.

Biology research is becoming increasingly dependent on large-scale, "big data," networked research initiatives. At the same time, there has been a corresponding effort to expand undergraduate participation in research to benefit student learning and persistence in science. This essay examines the confluence of this trend through eight years of a collaboration within a successful biology research network that explicitly incorporates undergraduates into large-scale scientific research. We draw upon interviews with faculty in this network to consider the interplay of scientific and pedagogical objectives at the heart of this undergraduate-focused network research project. We identify ways that this network has expanded and diversified access to scientific knowledge production for faculty and students and examine a goal conflict that emerged around the dual objectives of mentoring emerging scientists while producing high-quality scientific data for the larger biology community. Based on lessons learned within this network, we provide three recommendations that can support institutions and faculty engaging in networked research projects with undergraduates: (1) establish rigorous protocols to ensure data and database quality, (2) protect personnel time to coordinate network and scientific processes, and (3) select appropriate partners and establish explicit expectations for specific collaborations.

Since the onset of the Somali civil war in the late 1980s, more than 2 million Somalis have been internally displaced or crossed international borders to seek haven. Yet, research on diasporic Somali women's intergenerational communication about marriage, sex, and female genital cutting (FGC) remains scant. This paper draws from data we collected from 15 women over the age of 45 who were part of a much larger project on refugee women and sexual health and well-being. The analysis centers on how Somali women across the generations recalibrate definitions of family. We analyze the new roles that sisters, aunts, and grandmothers occupy in the lives of younger women, as family dispersal often results in the absence of biological mothers. In the new settlement, the findings showcase both continuity and change in how sex, marriage, and female genital cutting (FGC) are discussed among female family members. Our findings support not only the dynamic nature of family roles that women occupy across generations but also the malleability of cultural practices as families navigate changing cultural, legal, and social norms in their new settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campus farms and gardens, or campus agricultural projects (CAPs), are a growing phenomenon across the United States. While this phenomenon is not novel, the documentation of its contributions is. In response to this dearth of knowledge, this work analyzes the mission and purpose of CAPs to understand their contributions to institutions of higher education and their surrounding communities. Using the mission statements of CAPs online and drawing from content analysis, we use web-based data to qualitatively analyze their missions and aims. We find that CAPs aim to enhance their institutions of higher education through the main themes of student development, community engagement, campus community engagement, and sustainability. Several under-recognized themes such as sharing culture/tradition, increasing wellbeing, and promoting inclusivity emerged from this work. These resulting themes show that CAPs are not only sites where students learn to grow food but where they connect to grow themselves and their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that cultural capital plays an underexamined role in students' recognition as budding scientists by faculty. By triangulating interview data from undergraduates and faculty mentors in a multi-institutional biology research network, we identified a set of intersecting domains of capital that help render students recognizable to faculty. We argue that faculty recognition often reflects a (mis)alignment between the cultural capital that students possess and display and what faculty expect to see. To understand "why" mis- or underrecognition occurs, and how this influenced students' opportunities to further develop cultural capital, we explored our data set for patterns of explanation. Several key themes cut across students' experiences and influenced their recognition by faculty: Faculty more easily recognized students interested in research science trajectories and those involved in institutional programs to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics success. Students with competing family responsibilities struggled to maintain faculty recognition. Finally, faculty who broadened their scopes of recognition were able to affirm the science identities of students with fewer incoming cultural resources in science and support their development of capital. Students can and do develop scientific cultural capital through practice, but this requires access to research and mentorship that explicitly teaches students the implicit "rules of the game."

Recent calls for reform in undergraduate biology education have emphasized integrating research experiences into the learning experiences of all undergraduates. Contemporary science research increasingly demands collaboration across disciplines and institutions to investigate complex research questions, providing new contexts and models for involving undergraduates in research. In this study, we examined the experiences of undergraduates participating in a multi-institution and interdisciplinary biology research network. Unlike the traditional apprenticeship model of research, in which a student participates in research under the guidance of a single faculty member, students participating in networked research have the opportunity to develop relationships with additional faculty and students working in other areas of the project, at their own and at other institutions. We examined how students in this network develop social ties and to what extent a networked research experience affords opportunities for students to develop social, cultural, and human capital. Most studies of undergraduate involvement in science research have focused on documenting student outcomes rather than elucidating how students gain access to research experiences or how elements of research participation lead to desired student outcomes. By taking a qualitative approach framed by capital theories, we have identified ways that undergraduates utilize and further develop various forms of capital important for success in science research. In our study of the first 16 months of a biology research network, we found that undergraduates drew upon a combination of human, cultural, and social capital to gain access to the network. Within their immediate research groups, students built multidimensional social ties with faculty, peers, and others, yielding social capital that can be drawn upon for information, resources, and support. They reported developing cultural capital in the form of learning to think and work like a scientist--a scientific "habitus." They reported developing human capital in the forms of technical, analytical, and communication skills in scientific research. Most of the students had little, direct interaction with network members in other research groups and thus developed little cross-institutional capital. The exception to this trend was at one institution that housed three research groups. Because proximity facilitated shared activities, students across research groups at this institution developed cross-lab ties with faculty and peers through which they developed social, cultural, and human capital. An important long-term concern is whether the capital students have developed will help them access opportunities in science beyond the network. At this point, many undergraduates have had limited opportunities to actually draw on capital beyond the network. Nevertheless, a number of students demonstrated awareness that they had developed resources that they could use in other scientific contexts.

The digitisation of agriculture is underway—with advocates highlighting its potential to improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts of agriculture, and critics suggesting that emerging technology will exacerbate inequalities in the food system. Drawing on five years of collaboration within an interdisciplinary sustainable agriculture project, I critically consider the limitations of on-farm research as a strategy for rendering 'real-world' farm practice into data for digital tools to guide farmer decision-making. In engagements with data science, anthropologists must use our seat at the table to practice what Helen Verran (2001) called 'generative critique' in support of responsible research and innovation. Our training in engaged yet critical participant observation, and our experience building long-term relationships within communities, makes anthropologists particularly well-suited for this role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Marine microbes that have for eons been adapted to stable salinity regimes are confronted with sudden decreases in salinity in the Arctic Ocean. The episodic freshening is increasing due to climate change with melting multi-year sea-ice and glaciers, greater inflows from rivers, and increased precipitation. To investigate algal responses to lowered salinity, we analyzed the responses and acclimatation over 24 h in a non-model Arctic marine alga (pelagophyte CCMP2097) following transfer to realistic lower salinities. Using RNA-seq transcriptomics, here we show rapid differentially expressed genes related to stress oxidative responses, proteins involved in the photosystem and circadian clock, and those affecting lipids and inorganic ions. After 24 h the pelagophyte adjusted to the lower salinity seen in the overexpression of genes associated with freezing resistance, cold adaptation, and salt tolerance. Overall, a suite of ancient widespread pathways is recruited enabling the species to adjust to the stress of rapid salinity change.

Background/Aims The aim of this study was to compare the short- and long-term retention rates of biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) in Korean patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. Methods This study was conducted with 1,538 treatment courses of 1,063 patients, including adalimumab (n = 332), etanercept (n = 369), infliximab (n = 146), abatacept (n = 152), tocilizumab (n = 299), tofacitinib (n = 136), and baricitinib (n = 104), in patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis who started b/tsDMARD treatment between 2008 and 2020 at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital. Discontinuation 1 and 3 years after the first prescription of each drug was investigated. Kaplan– Meier estimates of time to discontinuation were calculated to compare the difference in drug retention rate for each drug. Patient-level predictors of drug discontinuation were evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results The overall 1-year drug retention rate was from 60.1% for adalimumab to 90.0% for tofacitinib in the b/tsDMARD-naïve group, and from 55.2% for infliximab to 84.8% for tofacitinib in the b/tsDMARD-experienced group. The 3-year drug retention rate was from 36.9% for infliximab to 86.5% for tofacitinib in the b/tsDMARD-naïve group, and from 31.0% for infliximab to 65.4% for tocilizumab in the b/tsDMARD-experienced group. Drug discontinuation appeared to be affected by specific types of b/tsDMARDs. Conclusions Tocilizumab and tofacitinib are less commonly discontinued compared to tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors at 1 and 3 years. Specifically, tofacitinib in the b/tsDMARD-naïve group and tocilizumab in the b/tsDMARD-experienced group showed the highest 3-year retention rates.

Abstract Soil microbiomes are heterogeneous, complex microbial communities. Metagenomic analysis is generating vast amounts of data, creating immense challenges in sequence assembly and analysis. Although advances in technology have resulted in the ability to easily collect large amounts of sequence data, soil samples containing thousands of unique taxa are often poorly characterized. These challenges reduce the usefulness of genome-resolved metagenomic (GRM) analysis seen in other fields of microbiology, such as the creation of high quality metagenomic assembled genomes and the adoption of genome scale modeling approaches. The absence of these resources restricts the scale of future research, limiting hypothesis generation and the predictive modeling of microbial communities. Creating publicly available databases of soil MAGs, similar to databases produced for other microbiomes, has the potential to transform scientific insights about soil microbiomes without requiring the computational resources and domain expertise for assembly and binning.

Multiple studies have discovered a positive association between sex in later life and increased physical and mental health. Sexuality and aging is often approached from a deficit model, presenting changes in sexual function. However, qualitative research allows for a more nuanced look at how older adults perceive their sexuality. Using convenience sampling, 61 individuals, aged 50 − 88, were recruited to participate in nine focus groups. Focus groups were held in an urban metro area in the midwestern United States. Interviewers used a semi-structured interview to gather information about sex and aging. Analysis consisted of thematic analysis at an individual level, and interactional level. Themes identified include: 1. Body changes, adaptive sexuality, and seeking pleasure through masturbation; 2. Transitions in relationships and lack of available partners; 3. Changing definitions and values about sexuality over the lifespan; 4. Moderating effects of demographics and experiences (e.g., gender, culture, sexual orientation, generation/cohort, trauma, sex education). Results indicate that older adults are invested in their sex lives and are mindful about adapting and shifting both their perspectives and their actual behaviors. These changes were identified by participants as challenges, but also as contributing to sexual wisdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a pharmaceutical intervention, vaccines remain a major public health strategy for mitigating the effects of COVID-19. Yet, vaccine intake has been affected by various cognitive and cultural factors. We examine how a selected set of factors (i.e., knowledge, concern, media, peer influence, and demographics) shaped COVID-19 vaccination intention in the early phase of the pandemic (Fall 2020). Using a survey conducted in three US states (Idaho, Texas, and Vermont) just prior to the rollout of the first vaccines against COVID-19, we find that COVID-19 concern was the primary driver of vaccination intention. Concern was shaped mainly by two factors: political ideology and media sources. Yet, ideology and media were much more important in affecting concern for those who leaned politically conservative, as opposed to those who leaned liberal or remained moderate. The results from our structural equation models affirm that the information politically conservative respondents were receiving reinforced the effects of their ideology, leading to a greater reduction in their concern. We discuss the potential implications of these findings for future pandemic preparedness.

Fruit and Vegetable Prescription (FVRx) programs rely on diverse community and clinic partnerships to improve food security and fruit and vegetable consumption among medically underserved patient populations. Despite the growth in these programs, little is known about the feasibility or effectiveness of the unique partnerships developed to implement FVRx programs conducted in both community and free safety-net clinic settings. A 6-month nonrandomized controlled trial of an FVRx program was pilot tested with 54 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)–eligible adults with diet-related chronic conditions. The intervention combined monthly produce prescriptions for local produce at a farmers market, SNAP-Ed direct nutrition education, and health screenings for low-income adults. Process and outcome evaluations were conducted with respective samples using administrative program data (recruitment, retention, and prescription redemption) and self-administered pre- and postintervention surveys with validated measures on dietary intake, nutrition knowledge and behavior, and food purchasing practices. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted. The FVRx program retained 77.3% of participants who spent nearly 90% of their prescription dollars. After the intervention, the FVRx group reported significantly increased total intake of fruits and vegetables, knowledge of fresh fruit and vegetable preparation, purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables from a farmers market, and significantly altered food purchasing practices compared with the control group. Community-based nutrition education organizations enhance the feasibility and effectiveness of community and clinic-based FVRx programs for improving low-income adults' ability to enhance food and nutrition-related behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionFor nearly two centuries, cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) breeders have improved fruit quality and yield by selecting traits on fruiting stems, termed “reproductive uprights.” Crop improvement is accelerating rapidly in contemporary breeding programs due to modern genetic tools and high-throughput phenotyping methods, improving selection efficiency and accuracy.MethodsWe conducted genotypic evaluation on 29 primary traits encompassing fruit quality, yield, and chemical composition in two full-sib cranberry breeding populations—CNJ02 (n = 168) and CNJ04 (n = 67)—over 3 years. Genetic characterization was further performed on 11 secondary traits derived from these primary traits.ResultsFor CNJ02, 170 major quantitative trait loci (QTL; R2≥ 0.10) were found with interval mapping, 150 major QTL were found with model mapping, and 9 QTL were found to be stable across multiple years. In CNJ04, 69 major QTL were found with interval mapping, 81 major QTL were found with model mapping, and 4 QTL were found to be stable across multiple years. Meta-QTL represent stable genomic regions consistent across multiple years, populations, studies, or traits. Seven multi-trait meta-QTL were found in CNJ02, one in CNJ04, and one in the combined analysis of both populations. A total of 22 meta-QTL were identified in cross-study, cross-population analysis using digital traits for berry shape and size (8 meta-QTL), digital images for berry color (2 meta-QTL), and three-study cross-analysis (12 meta-QTL).DiscussionTogether, these meta-QTL anchor high-throughput fruit quality phenotyping techniques to traditional phenotyping methods, validating state-of-the-art methods in cranberry phenotyping that will improve breeding accuracy, efficiency, and genetic gain in this globally significant fruit crop.