Global prevalence of preterm birth among Pacific Islanders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The epidemiology of preterm birth among Pacific Islanders is minimally understood. The purpose of this study was to estimate pooled prevalence of preterm birth among Pacific Islanders and to estimate their risk of preterm birth compared to White/European women. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Global Health, and two regional journals in March 2023.

Consensus-building during the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative in Samoa: A qualitative content analysis.

The Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative provides countries with an evidence-based toolbox to improve the national breastfeeding environment by assessing and developing a plan to effectively scale up well-coordinated national policies and programs. BBF is carried out by a multi-institutional, intersectoral committee of experts, convening across five committee meetings designed to produce policy recommendations that can be implemented in the country's context. Samoa successfully completed the BBF initiative in 2018, resulting in the institution of breastfeeding policy in hospitals and the establishment of lactation rooms within government ministries.

Preterm birth among Pacific Islanders in the United States and the US-affiliated Pacific Islands: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To better understand the epidemiology of preterm birth among Pacific Islanders in the United States and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands.

Methods: Systematic searches of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, two nonindexed regional journals, and gray literature were conducted and finalized in September 2021. Observational studies published since January 2010 that documented preterm birth outcomes among Pacific Islanders in the United States and the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands were eligible for inclusion.

Cross-sectional and prospective associations between household socioeconomic resources, appetite traits, and body size among Samoan infants.

In high-income countries, household socioeconomic resources (as measured by education, occupation, income, and/or household assets) and childhood obesity risk tend to be negatively associated. This association may arise in part because children from households with fewer resources are exposed to obesogenic environments that shape appetite trait development. In contrast, many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) exhibit a positive association between socioeconomic resources and child body size.

The Legacy of Infectious Disease Exposure on the Genomic Diversity of Indigenous Southern Mexicans.

To characterize host risk factors for infectious disease in Mesoamerican populations, we interrogated 857,481 SNPs assayed using the Affymetrix 6.0 genotyping array for signatures of natural selection in immune response genes. We applied three statistical tests to identify signatures of natural selection: locus-specific branch length (LSBL), the cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH), and the integrated haplotype score (iHS).

How much does it cost to implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative training step in the United States and Mexico?

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) has been shown to increase breastfeeding rates, improving maternal and child health and driving down healthcare costs via the benefits of breastfeeding. Despite its clear public health and economic benefits, one key challenge of implementing the BFHI is procuring funding to sustain the program. To address this need and help healthcare stakeholders advocate for funds, we developed a structured method to estimate the first-year cost of implementing BFHI staff training, using the United States (US) and Mexico as case studies.

Pregnancy health and perinatal outcomes among Pacific Islander women in the United States and US Affiliated Pacific Islands: Protocol for a scoping review.

This scoping review examines the literature on pregnancy and perinatal outcomes among Pacific Islander women in the United States (U.S.) and U.

Feasibility of using infrared thermal imaging to examine brown adipose tissue in infants aged 18 to 25 months.

Background: Recent studies in adults indicate that cold-induced temperature change of supraclavicular skin corresponds with brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis.

Aim: This study examined the feasibility of using thermography to assess temperature changes in infants aged 18-25 months after mild cooling. Further, this study sought to evaluate whether cold exposure induces a thermal response suggestive of BAT activity underlying the supraclavicular region.

Preterm birth among Pacific Islander women and related perinatal outcomes: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Infants born alive <37 weeks are classified as premature. The global estimate of preterm birth in 2014 was 10.6%, and it is the leading cause of death of children under the age of 5 years.

Demystifying mentorship: Tips for successfully navigating the mentor-mentee journey.

Background: Quality mentorship is crucial for long-term success in academia and overall job satisfaction. Unfortunately, formal mentorship training is lacking, and there is little recourse for failed mentor-mentee relationships.

Methods: We performed a literature review to understand the current state of mentorship research with a focus on: (1) what mentorship is and why it is important for success; (2) establishing mentor-mentee relationships; and (3) the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Body size and composition of Samoan toddlers aged 18-25 months in 2019.

Background: The " (Beginning of Life)" study is a prospective birth cohort of  = 160 Samoan mother-infant dyads established in 2017-2018. A primary study aim is to explore how a missense variant at rs373863828 impacts growth in early life, given its association with increased body size but lower risk of diabetes in adult Samoans. Here, we examine body size and composition by genotype among toddlers aged 18.

Factorial validation analysis of the Baby and Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaires in Samoa.

Survey instruments for assessing eating behaviors in infancy and early childhood have yet to be validated among Pacific Islanders, among whom the prevalence of pediatric obesity is steadily increasing. This study aimed to evaluate Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire (BEBQ) and Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) factor structures against data collected from mother-infant dyads in Samoa. The BEBQ was administered across two time points: approximately 2 months (mean = 2.

COVID-19 Infections Among Students and Staff in New York City Public Schools.

Background: The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic led many jurisdictions to close in-person school instruction.

Methods: We collected data about COVID-19 cases associated with New York City (NYC) public schools from polymerase chain reaction testing performed in each school on a sample of asymptomatic students and staff and from routine reporting. We compared prevalence from testing done in schools to community prevalence estimates from statistical models.

Effect of maternal nutrient intake during 31-37 weeks gestation on offspring body composition in Samoa.

Background: Pregnancy dietary intake may be associated with newborn body composition, a predictor of future obesity. In Samoa, an energy-dense diet contributes to an alarming prevalence of adult obesity. Identifying associations between pregnancy nutrition and infant body composition in this setting may guide strategies to mitigate intergenerational transmission of obesity risk.

A missense variant in CREBRF, rs373863828, is associated with fat-free mass, not fat mass in Samoan infants.

Background/objectives: In Samoa, where 80% of the adult population is living with obesity, understanding the determinants of adiposity and growth during infancy may inform prevention efforts. We examined the association of a missense variant, rs373863828, in the CREBRF gene with body composition in Samoan infants. Adults with one or more copies of the rs373863828 minor allele (A) have higher odds of obesity, based on body-mass index (BMI), but paradoxically decreased odds of diabetes compared to those without the allele.

Oral contraceptives cause evolutionarily novel increases in hormone exposure: A risk factor for breast cancer.

In the evolutionary past, women spent most of their reproductive lives either pregnant or in lactational amenorrhea, and rarely menstruated. The current pattern of frequent menses, and the associated increase in endogenous hormonal exposure, has been implicated in the current breast cancer epidemic. It is not known, however, whether oral contraceptives further increase, or actually decrease, hormonal exposure over one menstrual cycle.

[The effect of transcerebral electrical impulse exposures on regional hemodynamics after the surgical treatment of uterine myoma].

After surgical treatment of uterine myoma 28 patients with cardiovascular diseases experienced disturbances of cerebral, upper limb and small pelvis circulation. The course of transcerebral electrotherapy (short bipolar nonsymmetrical impulses with large amplitude of the negative part) relieved the symptoms as a results of better cerebral and upper limb hemodynamics.