The Role of Baby-Friendly Designated Hospitals in Breastfeeding Initiation Across Racial/Ethnic Groups in Florida.

Background: Baby-Friendly Hospitals (BFH) in the United States (U.S.) are associated with higher breastfeeding initiation rates.

Adverse Birth Outcomes and Maternal Morbidity Among Afro-Latinas and Their Infants: A Systematic Literature Review.

Objectives: To evaluate and synthesize research findings on adverse birth outcomes and maternal morbidity among Afro-Latinas and their infants.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted within PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases. Four thousand five hundred twenty-six published peer-reviewed articles from 1970 to 2023 that reported outcomes related to maternal morbidity and/or birth outcomes were screened.

Child Care Center Staff Readiness to Change in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program.

Context: The childcare center (CCC) setting has the potential to be a strong foundation that supports the introduction of sustainable healthy lifestyle behaviors to prevent childhood obesity. It is important to assess barriers and facilitators to healthy weight development initiatives via program evaluation, including measuring CCC staff readiness to change.

Objective: The overall goal of this study was to assess the readiness level over 1 school year among CCC staff who participated in "Healthy Caregivers-Healthy Children" (HC2), a cluster randomized controlled trial that evaluated the effectiveness of a childhood obesity prevention program from 2015 to 2018 in 24 low-income, racially/ethnically diverse centers.

Health status of childcare center providers in a COVID-19 hotspot.

Background: Childcare center providers in Miami-Dade County, Florida a COVID-19 hotspot, are made up almost entirely of ethnic minority women. This is a critical frontline staff that is now encountering the triple threat of respiratory illnesses from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza viruses (or the seasonal flu), and COVID-19.

Objective: To examine sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometrics, and health behaviors that were collected from a sample of CCC teachers in Miami Dade County, a COVID-19 hotspot.

The Role of Intervention Fidelity, Culture, and Individual-Level Factors on Health-Related Outcomes Among Hispanic Adolescents with Unhealthy Weight: Findings from a Longitudinal Intervention Trial.

Previous studies have suggested the impact of intervention fidelity on the management and prevention of chronic diseases; however, little is known about the effect of the contributing determinants (at multiple levels of influence) that can impact health-related interventions intending to improve the health status of Hispanic adolescents with overweight or obesity. The current study aimed to assess whether fidelity (i.e.

Latinas and Maternal and Child Health: Research, Policy, and Representation.

Over the last 50 years, the Latino population in the US has grown and changed. Latinos are the nation's largest minority group and among this group, there is incredible diversity. Much of Latino health research and outcomes have been treated interchangeably with immigrant health, but as the US Latino population evolves so should the focus of Latino health research.

"Ganja Mamas": Online discussions about cannabis use in pregnancy.

Background: Nearly 5 % of pregnant women in the United States use cannabis. However, expecting mothers often do not seek counsel from their healthcare providers about prenatal cannabis use due to stigma and legal ramifications. Instead, cannabis-using pregnant women turn to each other to learn.

Relationship between teacher fidelity to an early childhood obesity prevention program and the Child care center nutrition and physical activity environment.

Background: Child care centers (CCC) can be strategic settings to establish healthy lifestyle behaviors through obesity prevention programs. Fidelity to the implementation of such programs is a vital evaluation component, but is often not measured. This study assessed CCC teacher fidelity to the implementation of "Healthy Caregivers, Healthy Children (HC2)", a CCC-based obesity prevention intervention.

Racial/ethnic differences in maternal feeding practices and beliefs at 6 months postpartum.

Objective: To examine racial/ethnic differences in maternal feeding practices and beliefs in a sample of low-income smoke-exposed women.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis using data collected during a randomised control trial. Maternal feeding practices and beliefs were assessed using the Infant Feeding Questionnaire (IFQ), which was administered at 6 months postpartum.

Establishing the prevalence and relative rates of 1,4-dioxane biodegradation in groundwater to improve remedy evaluations.

Options for remediating 1,4-dioxane at groundwater sites are limited due to the physical-chemical properties of this compound. The relevance of natural attenuation processes for 1,4-dioxane was investigated through data from field, lab, and modeling efforts. The objectives were to use multiple lines of evidence for 1,4-dioxane biodegradation to understand the prevalence of this activity and evaluate convergence between lines of evidence.

Evaluation of natural attenuation of 1,4-dioxane in groundwater using a C assay.

Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) is a preferred remedy for sites contaminated with 1,4-dioxane due to its low cost and limited environmental impacts compared to active remediation. Having a robust estimate of the rate at which biodegradation occurs is an essential component of assessing MNA. In this study, an assay was developed using C-labeled 1,4-dioxane to measure rate constants for biodegradation based on accumulation of C products.

Intergenerational cardiovascular disease risks among Hispanics living in the United States.

Background: Few studies have assessed intergenerational associations of obesity and cardiovascular disease risks from parents to their children among Hispanic Americans.

Objectives: To assess intergenerational cardiovascular associations among Hispanic families.

Methods: Using baseline data from an obesity-focused efficacy trial targeting Hispanic adolescents (n = 280) and their parents, we conducted a series of logistic regression analyses to investigate the effects of parental BMI and blood pressure on adolescents' BMI and blood pressure, respectively.

Cluster-randomised trial of the impact of an obesity prevention intervention on childcare centre nutrition and physical activity environment over 2 years.

Objective: The prevalence of obesity among pre-school-aged children in the USA remains unacceptably high. Here, we examine the impact of Healthy Caregivers-Healthy Children (HC2) Phase 2, a childcare centre (CCC)-based obesity prevention intervention on changes in the CCC nutrition and physical activity environment over 2 school years.

Design: This was a cluster-randomised trial with twelve CCC receiving the HC2 intervention arm and twelve in the control arm.

A qualitative study of cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences on Hispanic mothers' early childhood feeding practices.

Young children's lifestyle behaviors are largely shaped by their parents. There are socioeconomic risk factors particular to Hispanic populations that influence the way parents feed their children. As obesity continues to be a public health issue with substantial inequities across race and ethnicity, it is critical to understand Hispanic parents' food choices and feeding practices.

Central nervous system involvement in adult-onset relapsing hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis responsive to maintenance treatment with anakinra.

A 43 year-old male presented with a relapsing and progressive systemic inflammatory disorder with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. After a two years follow up, he was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), based on clinical, laboratory and radiological findings. Treatment was started with anakinra, a recombinant humanised interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist.

Relationship between parent perception of child anthropometric phenotype and body mass index change among children with developmental disabilities.

Background: Preschool-age children with developmental disabilities (DD) have higher prevalence of obesity than children without DD. This study aimed to explore the relationship between parent perception of their children's anthropometric phenotype and child body mass index (BMI) z score change over one school year among preschoolers with DD.

Methods: The analysis consisted of a subsample (N  =  64) of children with DD from a larger randomized controlled trial to test an obesity prevention program in the childcare center setting.

A Feasibility Trial of an Online-Only, Family-Centered Preventive Intervention for Hispanics: e-Familias Unidas.

We piloted the preventive intervention e-Familias Unidas, delivered exclusively through the Internet to maximize reach and sustainability. This program is an adaptation of an evidence-based, family-centered intervention that aims to prevent Hispanic adolescent drug use and risky sexual behavior through improving family functioning. The purpose of this feasibility trial was to: (1) explore the use of Facebook and a trusted community champion in the online recruitment of Hispanic parents of adolescents, (2) test an online-only assessment and randomization protocol, (3) pilot intervention delivery via e-familiasunidas.

Identifying and Managing Aqueous Film-Forming Foam-Derived Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment.

The use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) has resulted in the widespread occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater, drinking water, soils, sediments, and receiving waters throughout the United States and other countries. We present the research and development efforts to date by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) to measure PFAS in the environment, characterize AFFF-associated sources of PFAS, understand PFAS fate and behavior in the environment, assess the risk to ecological receptors, develop in situ and ex situ treatment technologies for groundwater, treat soils and investigation-derived wastes, and examine the ecotoxicity of PFAS-free fire suppression formulations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:24-36.

Results of a Family-Based Intervention Promoting Healthy Weight Strategies in Overweight Hispanic Adolescents and Parents: An RCT.

Introduction: Hispanic adolescents in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity compared with their White, non-Hispanic counterparts.