Racial Disparities in the Relationship between Parental Incarceration and Childhood Obesity.

Despite a developing literature on the consequences of parental incarceration, its effects on childhood obesity are not evident. Our research project fills this knowledge gap by describing the relationship between parental incarceration and childhood obesity among children aged 3 to 15 and determining if and how this association differs across race. We use four consecutive waves of data on 3,302 children from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

Fauna - Microplastics interactions: Empirical insights from benthos community exposure to marine plastic waste.

Microplastic deposition in soft marine sediments raises concerns on their role in sediment habitats and unknown effects on resident macrobenthic communities. To assess the reciprocal influence that MPs and macrobenthos might have on each other, we performed a mesocosm experiment with ambient concentrations of environmental Polyethylene (PE) and a non-manipulated, natural macrobenthic community from the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS). Our results show that PE fragments increase mortality of abundant bivalves (specifically Abra alba) after 30 days of exposure but not for the most abundant polychaete Owenia fusiformis, possibly due to its predominant suspension feeding behavior.

Regulating greenhouse gas dynamics in tidal wetlands: Impacts of salinity gradients and water pollution.

Tidal wetlands play a critical role in emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere; our understanding of the intricate interplay between natural processes and human activities shaping their biogeochemistry and GHG emissions remains lacking. In this study, we delve into the spatiotemporal dynamics and key drivers of the GHG emissions from five tidal wetlands in the Scheldt Estuary by focusing on the interactive impacts of salinity and water pollution, two factors exhibiting contrasting gradients in this estuarine system: pollution escalates as salinity declines. Our findings reveal a marked escalation in GHG emissions when moving upstream, primarily attributed to increased concentrations of organic matter and nutrients, coupled with reduced levels of dissolved oxygen and pH.

Structurally stable but functionally disrupted marine microbial communities under a future climate change scenario: Potential importance for nitrous oxide emissions.

The blue mussel Mytilus edulis is a widespread and abundant bivalve species along the North Sea with high economic and ecological importance as an engineer species. The shell of mussels is intensively colonized by microbial organisms that can produce significant quantities of nitrous oxide (NO), a potent greenhouse gas. To characterize the impacts of climate change on the composition, structure and functioning of microbial biofilms on the shell surface of M.

Racial and Economic Segregation Over the Life Course and Incident Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among Black Women in California.

Black women in the United States have the highest incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and are disproportionately burdened by its adverse sequalae, compared with women of all racial and ethnic groups. Segregation, a key driver of structural racism for Black families, can provide information critical to understanding these disparities. We examined the association between racial and economic segregation at 2 points and incident HDP using intergenerationally linked birth records of 45,204 Black California-born primiparous mothers (born 1982-1997) and their infants (born 1997-2011), with HDP ascertained from hospital discharge records.

A Matter of Time: Racialized Time and the Production of Health Disparities.

An expansive and methodologically varied literature designed to investigate racial disparities in health now exists. Empirical evidence points to an overlapping, complex web of social conditions that accelerate the pace of aging and erodes long-term health outcomes among people of color, especially Black Americans. However, a social exposure-or lack thereof-that is rarely mentioned is time use.

A Framework for Interfacing and Partnering with Environmental Justice Communities as a Prelude to Human Health and Hazard Identification in the Vulnerable Census Tracts of Columbus, Ohio.

Columbus, Ohio is one of the more prosperous, well-educated, and progressive cities in the United States. However, it ranks as the second worst life expectancy at birth, has a census tract wealth gap (27-year disparity), and one of the higher infant mortality rates in the country. These data suggest that there are likely several high-risk, vulnerable neighborhoods in Columbus with residents experiencing disparate and adverse outcomes.

Shades of health: Skin color, ethnicity, and mental health among Black Americans.

Skin color is an important predictor of health outcomes among Black Americans. Black Americans with darker complexions experience worse physical and psychological functioning than those with lighter complexions. However, most research on the health effects of colorism focuses solely on African Americans, omitting the experiences of other Black subpopulations.

Organic matter processing in a [simulated] offshore wind farm ecosystem in current and future climate and aquaculture scenarios.

The rapid development of blue economy and human use of offshore space triggered the concept of co-location of marine activities and is causing diverse local pressures on the environment. These pressures add to, and interact with, global challenges such as ocean acidification and warming. This study investigates the combined pressures of climate change and the planned co-location of offshore wind farm (OWF) and aquaculture zones on the carbon flow through epifaunal communities inhabiting wind turbines in the North Sea.

Big Data to Knowledge Analytics Reveals the Zika Virus Epidemic as Only One of Multiple Factors Contributing to a Year-Over-Year 28-Fold Increase in Microcephaly Incidence.

During the 2015-2016 Zika Virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Brazil, the geographical distributions of ZIKV infection and microcephaly outbreaks did not align. This raised doubts about the virus as the single cause of the microcephaly outbreak and led to research hypotheses of alternative explanatory factors, such as environmental variables and factors, agrochemical use, or immunizations. We investigated context and the intermediate and structural determinants of health inequalities, as well as social environment factors, to determine their interaction with ZIKV-positive- and ZIKV-negative-related microcephaly.

Physiological response to seawater pH of the bivalve Abra alba, a benthic ecosystem engineer, is modulated by low pH.

The presence and behaviour of bivalves can affect the functioning of seafloor sediments through the irrigation of deeper strata by feeding and respiring through siphonal channels. Here, we investigated the physiological response and consecutive impact on functioning and body condition of the white furrow shell Abra alba in three pH treatments (pH = 8.2, pH = 7.

Blueprint for the ideal microplastic effect study: Critical issues of current experimental approaches and envisioning a path forward.

This article presents a novel conceptual blueprint for an 'ideal', i.e., ecologically relevant, microplastic effect study.

Climate change effects on the ecophysiology and ecological functioning of an offshore wind farm artificial hard substrate community.

In the effort towards a decarbonised future, the local effects of a proliferating offshore wind farm (OWF) industry add to and interact with the global effects of marine climate change. This study aimed to quantify potential ecophysiological effects of ocean warming and acidification and to estimate and compare the cumulative clearance potential of suspended food items by OWF epifauna under current and future climate conditions. To this end, this study combined ecophysiological responses to ocean warming and acidification of three dominant colonising species on OWF artificial hard substrates (the blue mussel Mytilus edulis, the tube-building amphipod Jassa herdmani and the plumose anemone Metridium senile).

Intergenerational Coresidence and Mothers' Body Weight at Midlife.

Midlife mothers report their children returning to the maternal home after departing (i.e., boomerang children) and remaining in the maternal home longer (i.

The biological plastic pump: Evidence from a local case study using blue mussel and infaunal benthic communities.

The distinct spatial variability in microplastic concentrations between marine regions and habitats calls for a better understanding about the transport pathways of this omnipresent pollutant in the marine environment. This study provides empirical evidence that a sessile filter feeder, the Blue mussel M. edulis, accelerates microplastic deposition by aggregating them into sinking particulate faeces and pseudofaeces.

Racial Disparities in Health Among College-Educated African Americans: Can Attendance at Historically Black Colleges or Universities Reduce the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife?

We expand on existing understandings of health disparities among middle-class African Americans by examining how the postsecondary educational context gives rise to the unequal distribution of health. We used panel data (1994-2009) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to estimate whether the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by midlife significantly differs for African Americans who attended Historically Black College or Universities (HBCUs) versus predominantly White institutions. We found that HBCU enrollment was associated with a 35% reduction in the odds of metabolic syndrome.

Structural and Social Determinants of Health Factors Associated with County-Level Variation in Non-Adherence to Antihypertensive Medication Treatment.

Background: Non-adherence to antihypertensive medication treatment (AHM) is a complex health behavior with determinants that extend beyond the individual patient. The structural and social determinants of health (SDH) that predispose populations to ill health and unhealthy behaviors could be potential barriers to long-term adherence to AHM. However, the role of SDH in AHM non-adherence has been understudied.

Seasonal variability in ecosystem functioning across estuarine gradients: The role of sediment communities and ecosystem processes.

Functional trait approaches advance the understanding of biodiversity-ecosystem function (BDEF) relationships and its control by the environmental context. Application of these insights into management remains constrained due to lack of evidence from real-world ecosystems that capture the natural spatial and temporal gradients at which biodiversity and environmental conditions operate. In this study we measured macrofauna community traits, ecosystem processes and abiotic properties at 9 locations during 4 months, spanning a wide gradient in sedimentary habitats and salinity in the Scheldt estuary, and quantified the (a)biotic contribution to sediment community oxygen consumption, as a measure of ecosystem function.

The Effects of Social, Personal, and Behavioral Risk Factors and PM on Cardio-Metabolic Disparities in a Cohort of Community Health Center Patients.

(1) Background: Cardio-metabolic diseases (CMD), including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes, have numerous common individual and environmental risk factors. Yet, few studies to date have considered how these multiple risk factors together affect CMD disparities between Blacks and Whites. (2) Methods: We linked daily fine particulate matter (PM) measures with survey responses of participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS).

Do different habits affect microplastics contents in organisms? A trait-based analysis on salt marsh species.

Salt marshes in urban watersheds are prone to microplastics (MP) pollution due to their hydrological characteristics and exposure to urban runoff, but little is known about MP distributions in species from these habitats. In the current study, MP occurrence was determined in six benthic invertebrate species from salt marshes along the North Adriatic lagoons (Italy) and the Schelde estuary (Netherlands). The species represented different feeding modes and sediment localisation.

The Intergenerational Transmission of Discrimination: Children's Experiences of Unfair Treatment and Their Mothers' Health at Midlife.

A growing body of research suggests that maternal exposure to discrimination helps to explain racial disparities in children's health. However, no study has considered if the intergenerational health effects of unfair treatment operate in the opposite direction-from child to mother. To this end, we use data from mother-child pairs in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 to determine whether adolescent and young adult children's experiences of discrimination influence their mother's health across midlife.

Does microplastic ingestion by zooplankton affect predator-prey interactions? An experimental study on larviphagy.

Litter is omnipresent in the ocean where it can be ingested by marine biota. Although ingestion of microplastics (MPs) is abundantly reported, insights into how MP can influence predator-prey interactions currently limits our understanding of the ecological impact of MPs. Here we demonstrate trophic transfer of MPs from zooplankton to benthic filter feeders, through consumption of contaminated prey (i.

Application of the Public Health Exposome Framework to Estimate Phenotypes of Resilience in a Model Ohio African-American Women's Cohort.

We report integration of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) United States Environmental Justice Screen (EJSCREEN) database with our Public Health Exposome dataset to interrogate 9232 census blocks to model the complexity of relationships among environmental and socio-demographic variables toward estimating adverse pregnancy outcomes [low birth weight (LBW) and pre-term birth (PTB)] in all Ohio counties. Using a hill-climbing algorithm in R software, we derived a Bayesian network that mapped all controlled associations among all variables available by applying a mapping algorithm. The results revealed 17 environmental and socio-demographic variables that were represented by nodes containing 69 links accounting for a network with 32.