Challenges and barriers to WIC participation vary by participation status and language: Findings from focus groups in Missouri.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is one of the largest federal food and nutrition program serving women and young children and has a low coverage rate of about 50 percent. There is no peer-reviewed article that compares maternal perceptions of challenges and barriers to WIC participation by language and participation status. We compare challenges and barriers faced by English-speaking mothers to those faced by Spanish-speaking mothers to enrollment and retention in WIC within each group: current participants (n = 43), prior participants (dropouts; n = 27), and eligible non-participants (n = 18), using focus groups we conducted in Missouri in 2021-2023.

Microplastic occurrence and distribution in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Microplastics (MPs) were assessed in water and sediment samples along the Salado Estuary, an estuarine system composed of a complex river drainage network in Guayas, Ecuador. MPs were quantified and categorized according to shape, size, and composition. Pellet morphology (237,490 MP/L) and transparent color MPs (252,990 MP/L) were the most common in water, while fragments (27,330 MP/m) and silver color MPs (25,310 MP/kg) were the most common in solid samples (river sediments, mangrove mud, and sand).

The Link between Abdominal Obesity Indices and the Progression of Liver Fibrosis: Insights from a Population-Based Study.

There is currently no available information on the correlation between abdominal obesity indices and the risk of liver fibrosis progression. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and the visceral adiposity index (VAI) with the progression of liver fibrosis. The study also evaluated the association between these indices and the prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and liver fibrosis.

Clinical epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents. The LiverKids: Study protocol.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly increasing alongside overweight and obesity, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents. It is unknown what impact the development of NAFLD in childhood may have in later life. The importance of early detection and treatment lies in its potential for progression to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver-related death, as well as its associated extrahepatic comorbidities.

REPRESENT recommendations: improving inclusion and trust in cancer early detection research.

Detecting cancer early is essential to improving cancer outcomes. Minoritized groups remain underrepresented in early detection cancer research, which means that findings and interventions are not generalisable across the population, thus exacerbating disparities in cancer outcomes. In light of these challenges, this paper sets out twelve recommendations to build relations of trust and include minoritized groups in ED cancer research.

SNAP Participation and Medication Adherence Among Older Black Medicaid-Insured Individuals Living With Hypertension.

Background: Black people are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension and to experience food insecurity and antihypertensive medication non-adherence compared to White people in the U.S. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-a means-tested program that targets food insecurity has been shown to affect health outcomes.

Churn in the older adult SNAP population.

Using administrative records from Missouri, we investigate the characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants aged 60 and older who experience administrative churn. Among these adults, 1 in 4 experienced administrative churn, and 1 in 5 experienced more than one spell of churn. Risk of churn, frequency, duration of churn spells, and the value of foregone SNAP benefits varied with individual, household, and geographic characteristics, and was more common among non-whites, members of larger households, and those living in urban areas.

Chronic resveratrol administration reduces oxidative stress and brain cell loss and improves memory of recognition in old rats.

The cognitive functions of people over 60 years of age have been diminished, due to the structural and functional changes that the brain has during aging. The most evident changes are at the behavioral and cognitive level, with decreased learning capacity, recognition memory, and motor incoordination. The use of exogenous antioxidants has been implemented as a potential pharmacological option to delay the onset of brain aging by attenuating oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.

Represent: A community engagement roadmap to improve participant representation in cancer early detection research: An Oregon case study.

Introduction: While authentic and sustained community involvement in the research process is critically important to making new technologies and interventions effective and socially acceptable, there is uneven participation across sociodemographic, racial, and ethnic communities in many research areas, including cancer early detection research. Currently, 18% of cancer in the United States impacts Hispanics and Latinos, this population accounts for < 10% of research participants. Understanding barriers and facilitators to cancer early detection research is imperative to the ultimate success of this research.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation and Medication Adherence Among Medicaid-Insured Older Adults Living with Hypertension.

Background: Food insecurity has been associated with medication non-adherence among individuals living with chronic diseases like hypertension. The relationship between Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-a public program that addresses food insecurity-and Medication adherence among older Medicaid-insured adults living with hypertension is not clear.

Objective: To analyze the association between patterns of SNAP participation and adherence to antihypertensive medications among older Medicaid-insured individuals.

Measuring Food Security in the United States for More Than 25 years: History, Methods, Findings, and Opportunities.

This article sets the stage for the "25 Years of Food Security Measurement: Answered Questions and Further Research" conference, with support from the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture, by providing some history of federal food security measurement, summarizing notable findings, and reviewing selected special topics in analysis methods. The federal government uses food security surveys to monitor national progress toward reducing food insecurity and to evaluate federal nutrition assistance programs. For the monitoring purpose, there is a tension between focus (on a single authoritative measurement approach) and breadth (encompassing multiple tools or instruments suitable for diverse populations, contexts, and applications).

Giving kids a boost: The positive relationship between frequency of SNAP participation and Infant's preventative health care utilization.

Well-child visits are protective for child health but underutilized in the United States. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest federal food assistance program in the United States, has been shown to reduce food insecurity and may also promote child health by supporting preventative health care utilization. We examined the relationship between SNAP participation and infant well-child visits using state administrative data from Missouri's Department of Social Services for the period January 2006 to July 2014 for more than 50,000 infant-mother dyads.

TSH Levels as an Independent Risk Factor for NAFLD and Liver Fibrosis in the General Population.

Thyroid hormones may be a risk factor for the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its progression to liver fibrosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, NAFLD, and liver fibrosis in the general population. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed in subjects aged 18-75 years randomly selected from primary care centers between 2012 and 2016.

Hypertension, Diabetes and Medication Adherence among the Older Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Population.

The burdens of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes for older Americans are profound. Yet, data on the population-level prevalence of hypertension and diabetes among the older adult Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) population and the associated level of medication adherence is lacking despite evidence of the "treat or eat" trade-off in the general population. We used linked administrative data from SNAP and Medicaid between 2006 and 2014 in the state of Missouri to document rates of hypertension or diabetes diagnoses and medication adherence.

Cancer, COVID-19, and the need for critique.

In this open letter we examine the implications of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for cancer research and care from the point of view of the social studies of science, technology, and medicine. We discuss how the pandemic has disrupted several aspects of cancer care, underscoring the fragmentation of institutional arrangements, the malleable priorities in cancer research, and the changing promises of therapeutic innovation. We argue for the critical relevance of qualitative social sciences in cancer research during the pandemic despite the difficulties of immersive kinds of fieldwork.

Risk of Liver Fibrosis According to TSH Levels in Euthyroid Subjects.

Alterations in thyroid function may contribute to the development of liver fibrosis especially in subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study aimed to investigate the risk of liver fibrosis according to low-normal thyroid function in the general population. We performed a descriptive cross-sectional study in subjects from 18-75 years randomly selected from 16 primary health care centers from 2017-2019.

Childhood injuries and food stamp benefits: an examination of administrative data in one US state.

Background: Currently in the United States, childhood injuries are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, resulting in an estimated 9.2 million emergency department visits and $17 billion annually in medical costs. For preschoolers, it is also the leading cause of disability.

Prevalence of Early Chronic Kidney Disease and Main Associated Factors in Spanish Population: Populational Study.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of early chronic kidney disease (EKD) (stages 1 and 2) and the factors associated. This was a populational study including individuals from 18-75 years randomly selected from 18 Primary Healthcare centers in the area of Barcelonès Nord and Maresme (Catalunya, Spain). Variables: anamnesis, physical examination, blood pressure, and analysis.

Improving Teacher Practices With Children Under Five: Experimental Evidence From the Mississippi Buildings Blocks.

Background: The literature on the effects of teacher coaching in early childhood (EC) education programs is underdeveloped but emerging. Using the theory of action in professional development as our theoretical framework, we hypothesize that active coaching improves teaching methods and creates a more effective classroom environment for enhancing children's learning and skills.

Objectives: This study evaluates the effects of the Mississippi Building Blocks (MBB) program, an EC intervention with a strong emphasis on supervisor and coaching training.

Dosage Effects in the Child-Parent Center PreK-to-3 Grade Program: A Re-Analysis in the Chicago Longitudinal Study.

Although substantial investments in early childhood intervention have continued, whether gains are sustained past kindergarten for routinely implemented programs is a critical research need. Using data from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS; N=1,539; 50.3% female; 92.

Relationship between hypothyroidism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the Spanish population.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease in developed countries and is considered the hepatic component of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Recently hypothyroidism has been associated with NAFLD but has never been studied in Spain.

Objectives: To analyze the relationship between hypothyroidism (clinical and subclinical) and NAFLD.

SNAP benefits and childhood asthma.

Anecdotal and descriptive evidence has led to the claim that some low-income households may face a "eat or breathe" tradeoff, but quantitative evidence is scarce. We link Medicaid claims data to monthly Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) participation data from the state of Missouri from 2010 to 2013 to explore monthly patterns in children's emergency room (ER) claims for asthma and to examine whether these patterns are sensitive to the timing and amount of SNAP benefits. This allows us to empirically test whether SNAP households with Medicaid insurance face trade-offs between food and medicine that increases the likelihood that a child in a SNAP and Medicaid household will go to the ER for asthma at the end of the month.

Dual Ion Species Plasma Expansion from Isotopically Layered Cryogenic Targets.

A dual ion species plasma expansion scheme from a novel target structure is introduced, in which a nanometer-thick layer of pure deuterium exists as a buffer species at the target-vacuum interface of a hydrogen plasma. Modeling shows that by controlling the deuterium layer thickness, a composite H^{+}/D^{+} ion beam can be produced by target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA), with an adjustable ratio of ion densities, as high energy proton acceleration is suppressed by the acceleration of a spectrally peaked deuteron beam. Particle in cell modeling shows that a (4.

High Prevalence of Liver Fibrosis Among European Adults With Unknown Liver Disease: A Population-Based Study.

Background & Aims: Liver fibrosis is the main determinant of long-term outcome in chronic liver diseases. Little is known about the prevalence of liver fibrosis in the general population. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of liver fibrosis in the general adult population with unknown liver disease.