The promise and limits of inclusive public policy: federal safety net clinics and immigrant access to health care in the U.S.

In the United States, exclusionary public policies generate inequalities within and across labor, financial, and legal status hierarchies, which together undermine immigrant well-being. But can inclusive public policies improve immigrant health? We examine whether and how an immigrant-inclusive federal program, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), shaped health care access and use among farmworkers over nearly three decades, paying particular attention to disparities at the intersection of nativity and legal status. Linking historical administrative data on the location and funding of FQHCs with the National Agricultural Workers Survey from 1989-2017, we first document trends in farmworkers' county-level proximity to FQHCs and identify a steady increase in FQHC access among undocumented farmworkers following the Affordable Care Act.

Unequal Effects of Wildfire Exposure on Infant Health by Maternal Education, 1995-2020.

Using National Vital Statistics Birth and Fetal Death Data 1995-2020 linked to county-level information on wildfires, we use variation in wildfire timing to examine how effects of wildfire exposure on infant health vary by maternal education. Results indicate that wildfire exposure increases the likelihood of low birth weight and fetal death, but effects vary by both trimester and maternal education. Mediation analyses suggest the variation by maternal education reflects selective survival and unequal sensitivity, rather than differential parental response to wildfires.

Endothelial Cpt1a Inhibits Neonatal Hyperoxia-Induced Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling by Repressing Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) increases the mortality of preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). There are no curative therapies for this disease. Lung endothelial carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (Cpt1a), the rate-limiting enzyme of the carnitine shuttle system, is reduced in a rodent model of BPD.

Distributed model building and recursive integration for big spatial data modeling.

Motivated by the need for computationally tractable spatial methods in neuroimaging studies, we develop a distributed and integrated framework for estimation and inference of Gaussian process model parameters with ultra-high-dimensional likelihoods. We propose a shift in viewpoint from whole to local data perspectives that is rooted in distributed model building and integrated estimation and inference. The framework's backbone is a computationally and statistically efficient integration procedure that simultaneously incorporates dependence within and between spatial resolutions in a recursively partitioned spatial domain.

Multiple plastid losses within photosynthetic stramenopiles revealed by comprehensive phylogenomics.

Ochrophyta is a vast and morphologically diverse group of algae with complex plastids, including familiar taxa with fundamental ecological importance (diatoms or kelp) and a wealth of lesser-known and obscure organisms. The sheer diversity of ochrophytes poses a challenge for reconstructing their phylogeny, with major gaps in sampling and an unsettled placement of particular taxa yet to be tackled. We sequenced transcriptomes from 25 strategically selected representatives and used these data to build the most taxonomically comprehensive ochrophyte-centered phylogenomic supermatrix to date.

Toward a functional future for the cognitive neuroscience of human aging.

The cognitive neuroscience of human aging seeks to identify neural mechanisms behind the commonalities and individual differences in age-related behavioral changes. This goal has been pursued predominantly through structural or "task-free" resting-state functional neuroimaging. The former has elucidated the material foundations of behavioral decline, and the latter has provided key insight into how functional brain networks change with age.

Evaluating provider report of fidelity to contingency management in opioid treatment programs.

Introduction: With growing adoption of contingency management (CM) in addiction treatment programs, ensuring intervention fidelity over time is essential for improving patient outcomes. Nonetheless, ensuring an intervention is delivered as intended can be time- and resource-intensive for organizations. Finding ways to monitor fidelity without unduly burdening health systems is critical.

Establishment of the Normative Value of Classical Bluestone's Nine-Step Inflation/Deflation Tympanometric Eustachian Tube Function Test.

Background/objectives: The nine-step inflation/deflation tympanometric Eustachian tube function test (commonly referred to as the nine-step test) is a widely utilized method for evaluating Eustachian tube function (ETF). This study aimed to establish normative values for the nine-step test to facilitate the diagnosis of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD).

Methods: A total of 160 adults, including 70 healthy volunteers and 90 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), were recruited for this study.

The Cancer Chimera: Impact of Vimentin and Cytokeratin Co-Expression in Hybrid Epithelial/Mesenchymal Cancer Cells on Tumor Plasticity and Metastasis.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program is critical to metastatic cancer progression. EMT results in the expression of mesenchymal proteins and enhances migratory and invasive capabilities. In a small percentage of cells, EMT results in the expression of stemness-associated genes that provide a metastatic advantage.

Distinct and interdependent functions of three RING proteins regulate recombination during mammalian meiosis.

During meiosis, each pair of homologous chromosomes becomes connected by at least one crossover, as required for accurate segregation, and adjacent crossovers are widely separated thereby limiting total numbers. In coarsening models, this crossover patterning results from nascent recombination sites competing to accrue a limiting pro-crossover RING-domain protein (COR) that diffuses between synapsed chromosomes. Here, we delineate the localization dynamics of three mammalian CORs in the mouse and determine their interdependencies.

The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on PTSD and depression symptoms in trauma-exposed black adults: Pilot randomized controlled trial results.

Low-income, urban-dwelling Black adults are disproportionately affected by traumatic experiences, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression and encounter inequities in treatment access. In addition to the benefits Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for depression, there is preliminary evidence of successful symptom reduction in PTSD via MBCT across two prior pilot studies in veterans. Studies examining the effects of MBCT among trauma-exposed Black adults remains limited, and examination of effects across specific PTSD clusters is almost nonexistent.

Quality of Non-Profit Hospice Affiliated with Integrated Healthcare Systems.

Context: Research shows hospice primary caregivers report better quality of care at Non-Profit (NP) than For-Profit (FP) hospices, but there is variation in quality across NP hospices.

Objective: Examine bereaved caregiver reports of the quality as a factor of whether NP hospices are part of an integrated healthcare system that included an acute care hospital.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of NP Hospices used star ratings and adjusted hospice composite quality scores May 2023 publicly data reported on the Care Compare website.

Development and optimization of dapagliflozin oral nano-bilosomes using response surface method: evaluation, evaluation.

In treating type 2 diabetes, avoiding glucose reabsorption (glucotoxicity) and managing hyperglycemia are also important. A metabolic condition known as diabetes (type-2) is characterized by high blood sugar levels in comparison to normal Bilosomes (BLs) containing Dapagliflozin (Dapa) were formulated, optimized, and tested for oral therapeutic efficacy in the current investigation. Used the Box Behnken design to optimize the Dapa-BLs, formulated via a thin-film hydration technique.

Cold-related mortality in U.S. state and private prisons: a case-crossover analysis.

Background: Cold temperatures are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular and respiratory disease mortality. Due to limited temperature regulation in prisons, incarcerated populations may be particularly vulnerable to cold-related mortality.

Methods: We analyzed mortality data in U.

Nutrient loading as a key cause of short- and long-term anthropogenic ecological degradation of the Salton Sea.

The Salton Sea (SS), California's largest inland lake at 816 square kilometers, formed in 1905 from a levee breach in an area historically characterized by natural wet-dry cycles as Lake Cahuilla. Despite more than a century of untreated agricultural drainage inputs, there has not been a systematic assessment of nutrient loading, cycling, and associated ecological impacts at this iconic waterbody. The lake is now experiencing unprecedented degradation, particularly following the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement-the largest agricultural-to-urban water transfer in the United States.

BMT: A Cross-Validated ThinPrep Pap Cervical Cytology Dataset for Machine Learning Model Training and Validation.

In the past several years, a few cervical Pap smear datasets have been published for use in clinical training. However, most publicly available datasets consist of pre-segmented single cell images, contain on-image annotations that must be manually edited out, or are prepared using the conventional Pap smear method. Multicellular liquid Pap image datasets are a more accurate reflection of current cervical screening techniques.

Beyond punishment: psychological foundations of restorative interventions.

Work on the psychology of justice has largely focused on punishment. However, punishment is not our only strategy for dealing with conflict. Rather, emerging work suggests that people often respond to transgressions by compensating victims, involving third-party mediators, and engaging in forgiveness.

How to convert a 3D printer to a personal automated liquid handler for life science workflows.

Automated liquid handlers are fundamental in modern life science laboratories, yet their high costs and large footprints often limit accessibility for smaller labs. This study presents an innovative approach to decentralizing a liquid handling system by converting a low-cost 3D printer into a customizable and accurate liquid handler. The Personal Automated Liquid Handler (PALH) system, costing ∼$400, incorporates a single-channel pipet, custom 3D-printed components, and open-source software for personalized workflows, allowing researchers to build and modify the system for specific experimental needs.

Inclusion of Labor Migrants as a Potential Key Population for HIV: A Nationwide Study from Tajikistan.

Key populations are particularly vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Nearly half of Tajikistan's gross domestic product (GDP) originates from labor migrant transfers. While not officially designated as a key population, over 300,000 migrants return to Tajikistan every year at increased risk for HIV due to absence or interruption of treatment, change in risky behaviors, and other factors.

Modeling the role of temperature-dependent microbiome composition in black band disease transmission among coral reefs.

Black band disease (BBD) is one of the most prevalent diseases causing significant destruction of coral reefs. Coral reefs acquire this deadly disease from bacteria in the microbiome community, the composition of which is highly affected by the environmental temperature. While previous studies have provided valuable insights into various aspects of BBD, the temperature-dependent microbiome composition has not been considered in existing BBD models.

Generation of thiyl radicals in a spatiotemporal controlled manner by light: Applied for the cis to trans isomerization of unsaturated fatty acids/phospholipids.

Thiyl radicals are important reactive sulfur species and can cause cis to trans isomerization on unsaturated fatty acids. However, biocompatible strategies for the controlled generation of thiyl radicals are still lacking. In this work, we report the study of a series of naphthacyl-derived thioethers as photo-triggered thiyl radical precursors.

Progress and Gaps in Respiratory Disease Research and Treatment: Highlights of the IRM 2024 in Shanghai.

Respiratory diseases pose a major public health challenge globally, necessitating collaborative efforts between basic researchers and clinicians for effective solutions. China, which is heavily impacted by a broad spectrum of respiratory disorders, has made notable strides in both research and clinical management of these diseases. The International Respiratory Medicine (IRM) meeting was organized with the primary goal of facilitating the exchange of recent research developments and promoting collaboration between Chinese and American scientists in both basic and clinical research fields.

Mechanical properties of snake skin vary longitudinally, following large prey ingestion and among species.

The ability for snakes to ingest large prey (macrostomy) is a widespread, derived trait that involves distending the skin during ingestion and metabolic upregulation during digestion. The material behavior of the skin must accommodate significant stretch associated with a large prey bolus, but data remain sparse for how the material properties of snake skin vary: longitudinally within an individual, after ingesting large prey and among species. To test whether these three factors affected the mechanical properties of snake skin, we quantified uniaxial stresses and strains in circumferential loops of skin from the neck, mid-body and tail of fasted and recently fed Boa constrictor.

NK cells restrain cytotoxic CD8 T cells in the submandibular gland via PD-1-PD-L1.

The increasing use of anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint blockade has led to the emergence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including dysfunction of the submandibular gland (SMG). In this study, we investigated the immunoregulatory mechanism contributing to the susceptibility of the SMG to irAEs. We found that the SMGs of PD-1-deficient mice and anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-treated mice harbor an expanded population of CD8 T cells.