Texas Area Research Articles

Applying Intersectionality to Address Racial and Spatial Postsecondary Disparities—Rural Latino Youth

Background/Context: There is a growing concern about the ways in which geography affects the educational opportunity for America’s rural youth. Most research on this population has assumed that rural America is primarily White and that rural college access is stratified by an individual’s ability to complete the application process. Such approaches ignore race and the interplay among geography, admissions practices, and individual behavior and decision-making. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study examines the postsecondary experiences and opportunity structures for Latino youth living in rural Latino communities in South Texas. The purpose of this study is to understand quantitively and qualitatively how the geographic context of a predominantly rural Latino area shaped the college-going process and pathway decisions for the Latino youth living within these rural communities. To critically understand beyond the individual and learn about how systemic conditions in rural Latino communities can usher in (dis)advantages in their postsecondary experiences and sort students into pathways, this study employed Núñez’s (2014) multilevel model of intersectionality framework. As such, this study asked the following research questions: (1) What is the college access experience for Latino youth living in rural communities in South Texas? (2) In what ways, if any, do rural Latino youth describe how their rural geography structures (in) equalities in the college-going process? (3) How are rural Latino youths’ college access and opportunity structured, and does this differ from other geographic contexts? Research Design: Using a three-phase mixed-methods design (QUAL→quan), this study interviewed 101 Latino youth living in three different rural areas in South Texas toward the end of their senior year of high school. The quantitative component of the study used descriptive and spatial data to further expand on, complement, and confirm the intersectional findings in the qualitative data. In the last phase, data were integrated, and inferences were made about how college access opportunities are structured for Latino youth living in rural communities. Conclusions/Recommendations: Using an intersectionality framework, this study identified several ways in which the geography of rural Latino communities is structured that render and perpetuate inequities and disadvantages for Latino youth pursuing college. Rural Latino youth lived in communities that systemically experienced higher poverty, lower median incomes, and less access to resources and opportunities as compared with (sub)urban metro areas. Most students discussed how these geographic conditions played a role in the ways that bounded the opportunities they experienced during their college-going process and their decision to enroll at a college within close proximity to their rural region. This study has implications for how intersectionality frames can expand our understanding of the unique characteristics of rural regions that creates both opportunities and challenges for rural Latino youth pursuing postsecondary opportunities. This is significant given that most higher education researchers, policymakers, and practitioners conflate the racial/ethnic diversity of rural areas with whiteness and being White. In doing so, they overlook the presence of Latinos in rural areas and ignore their intersecting assets and challenges, hindering effective policy solutions that can better support historically marginalized students.

Patient-Centered Care Through Nurse Practitioner-Led Integrated Behavioral Health: A Case Study.

Integrated behavioral health can improve primary care and mental health outcomes. Access to behavioral health and primary care services in Texas is in crisis because of high uninsurance rates, regulatory restrictions, and lack of workforce. To address gaps in access to care, a partnership formed among a large local mental health authority in central Texas, a federally designated rural health clinic, and the Texas A&M University School of Nursing to create an interprofessional team-based health care delivery model led by nurse practitioners in rural and medically underserved areas of central Texas. Academic-practice partners identified 5 clinics for an integrated behavioral health care delivery model. From July 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021, a total of 3183 patient visits were completed. Patients were predominantly female (n = 1719, 54%) and Hispanic (n = 1750, 55%); 1050 (33%) were living at or below the federal poverty level; and 1400 (44%) were uninsured. The purpose of this case study was to describe the first year of implementation of the integrated health care delivery model, barriers to implementation, challenges to sustainability, and successes. We analyzed data from multiple sources, including meeting minutes and agendas, grant reports, direct observations of clinic flow, and interviews with clinic staff, and identified common qualitative themes (eg, challenges to integration, sustainability of integration, outcome successes). Results revealed implementation challenges with the electronic health record, service integration, low staffing levels during a global pandemic, and effective communication. We also examined 2 patient cases to illustrate the success of integrated behavioral health and highlighted lessons learned from the implementation process, including the need for a robust electronic health record and organizational flexibility.

A Tale of Two Cities: COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy as a Result of Racial, Socioeconomic, Digital, and Partisan Divides

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has drawn great attention to the issue of vaccine hesitancy, as the acceptance of the innovative RNA vaccine is relatively low. Studies have addressed multiple factors, such as socioeconomic, political, and racial backgrounds. These studies, however, rely on survey data from participants as part of the population. This study utilizes the actual data from the U.S. Census Bureau as well as actual 2020 U.S. presidential election results to generate four major category of factors that divide the population: socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, access to technology, and political identification. This study then selects a region in a traditionally democratic state (Capital Region in New York) and a region in a traditionally republican state (Houston metropolitan area in Texas). Statistical analyses such as correlation and geographically weighted regression reveal that factors such as political identification, education attainment, and non-White Hispanic ethnicity in both regions all impact vaccine acceptance significantly. Other factors, such as poverty and particular minority races, have different influences in each region. These results also highlight the necessity of addressing additional factors to further shed light on vaccine hesitancy and potential solutions according to identified factors.

Mexican and Mexican-American mothers’ visions and decisions amidst dual language bilingual education expansion

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine Mexican and Mexican-American mothers’ perspectives about the construction of two-way dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs in the context of an urban area in South Texas and to analyze the factors that contribute to their decision about their children’s participation in such programs. Our main data sources included 14 interviews, two personal narratives, field notes, and audio recordings from school and district meetings. We found that in addition to the general goals of DLBE programs (i.e., academic achievement, bilingualism, and biculturalism), there are additional factors that DLBE programs need to consider to better serve Mexican and Mexican-American communities. These factors include: a) bilingualism for heritage sustainability, social integration, and occupational inclusion; b) school-community building; c) meeting families’ basic needs; and d) attention to the dissemination of program information and misinformation. DLBE must adopt these components in order to foster a social justice stance as a central program tenet.

Three Women Artists: Expanding Abstract Expressionism in the American West by Amy Von Lintel and Bonnie Roos

Reviewed by: Three Women Artists: Expanding Abstract Expressionism in the American West by Amy Von Lintel and Bonnie Roos Randolph K. Tibbits Three Women Artists: Expanding Abstract Expressionism in the American West. By Amy Von Lintel and Bonnie Roos. (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2022. Pp. 341. Illustrations, appendix, notes, bibliography, index.) From the late 1950s onward, Abstract Expressionism (Ab-Ex), which reigned supreme in the New York art world at mid-century but had begun to fade there, found renewed life and a new home in a seemingly unlikely location: the Texas Panhandle and surrounding areas. This development occurred thanks to a symbiotic partnership between a "closeted gay man" (2) and a number of New York City-based Ab-Ex artists, mostly women, who were underappreciated in the big city. That is one of the bold propositions advanced by the authors of this interesting and beautiful new book. [End Page 599] The Three Women Artists of the title, painter Elaine de Kooning, mosaic artist Jeanne Reynal, and sculptor Louise Nevelson, were not unknown in their lifetimes, but they have become the subjects of increased interest and regard in recent years as scholars and the viewing public have taken a closer look at the art and careers of women artists throughout history. Amarillo gallerist, teacher, and art promoter Dord Fitz, the closeted gay man, is little known, even to those who have an active interest in the art history of Texas. One of the valuable contributions of the book is its deft presentation of a rich and provocative story of "decentered" modernism, as the authors call it (2), in which important contemporary American art was as vital on the High Plains of Texas as in the sometimes myopic New York art world, with both places giving as well as taking as far the art itself was concerned. Fitz, an Oklahoman who had to reinvent himself after being fired from a plum academic job at the University of Kentucky following a 1951 arrest on morals charges, returned with his wife and children to Bannister Ranch in the western part of the state. He applied his experience in art and education to teaching art classes in northwest Oklahoma and surrounding areas of Kansas and Texas, fostering a patron base on which he could build when he opened his art gallery in Amarillo, and began showing and promoting avant-garde New York art. Through annual trips to New York, he established relationships with the artists he wished to show. He found De Kooning, Reynal, and Nevelson particularly responsive because he offered them the prospect of an appreciative public, and additional income from art sales and teaching, on a more gender-level playing field than they faced in New York, where male artists received significantly more attention. The authors assert that Fitz and the women artists who became his gallery stars meshed in part because of their shared experiences navigating gender and sexuality hurdles as they operated in male- and hetero-dominated environments. This is another of the refreshingly exciting threads of the story the book tells, one only recently being addressed in either Texas history or art history. Clearly Fitz thrived based on his connections to the New Yorkers, but the artists, and their art, profited too. All three spent time in Amarillo, where Fitz made sure they had the Texas experience. But in addition to entertaining visits, all three, especially De Kooning, who is quoted as saying, "I love Texas" (21), sold art, found new influences for their work, and developed mutually beneficial relationships with local patrons and students. This in a place that stereotypes often cast as indifferent, even hostile, to such things as abstract art. Von Lintel has already done a masterful job of showing how the Texas experience helped shape the art of the preeminent American Modernist, Georgia O'Keeffe. With this new volume, she and co-author Roos have made an equally important contribution to broadening our understanding [End Page 600] of Texas as both receptive home and active contributor to American art of this later era. Randolph K. Tibbits Houston Earlier Texas Art Group Copyright © 2022 The Texas State Historical Association

Empowered and educated: How an immigration service-learning course influenced students’ paths toward critical consciousness

In this qualitative case study, using Freire’s theory of critical consciousness development, we examined the influence of a 1-credit immigration policy service-learning course on college students’ motivations to act against immigration injustices. We found that after witnessing immigration issues at the Lower Rio Grande Valley area in Texas, participants felt compelled to advocate for immigrant communities. Also, by engaging in a critical analysis of systemic discrimination and ongoing reflections of their social locations, participants saw possibilities for both micro- and macro-level actions they could take to support immigrants and refugees. However, while participants felt an urge to act at the macro-level, they felt limited and powerless without additional credentials, such as law degrees. Participants perceived that to foster changes at a macro-level, they needed to further their education; thus, they focused their immediate efforts on micro-level actions, such as talking to family and friends about immigration policy issues.

Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety and Subsequent Use of Nicotine and THC in Electronic Cigarettes

Background: This study examines whether symptoms of depression, anxiety, or comorbid depression and anxiety are associated with future use of nicotine or THC in e-cigarettes. Methods: Data were from an online survey of youth and young adults in urban areas of Texas with complete data (n = 2,307) in spring 2019 (baseline) and spring 2020 (12-month follow-up). Multivariable logistic regression models examined associations between self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, or comorbid depression and anxiety at baseline and past 30-day e-cigarette use with nicotine or THC at 12-month follow-up. Analyses adjusted for baseline demographics and baseline past 30-day e-cigarette, combustible tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol use and stratified by race/ethnicity, gender, grade level, and SES. Results: Participants were 16–23 years old, 58.1% female and 37.9% Hispanic. At baseline, 14.7% reported symptoms of comorbid depression and anxiety, 7.9% depression, and 4.7% anxiety. Prevalence of past 30-day e-cigarette use at 12-month follow-up was 10.4% with nicotine and 10.3% with THC. Symptoms of depression and comorbid depression and anxiety at baseline were significantly associated with both nicotine and THC use in e-cigarettes 12 months later. Symptoms of anxiety were associated with nicotine use in e-cigarettes 12 months later. Conclusions: Symptoms of anxiety and depression may be important indicators of future nicotine and THC vaping among young people. Clinicians should be aware of groups most at risk who may benefit from substance use counseling and intervention.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Uptake in the Rio Grande Valley: Results from a Pilot Community-Based Educational and School-Based Vaccination Program and Its Expansion.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a safe and effective strategy for reducing HPV morbidity and mortality. Schools have become an increasingly attractive setting for delivering vaccinations and supporting vaccination health literacy and decisional support. This study assesses the effectiveness of a community-based, physician-led HPV education campaign (starting in 2016) and onsite middle school-based HPV vaccination program across six school districts (2017, 2019, 2020) in a rural, medically underserved Texas area (Rio Grande Valley). Pre- and post-intervention HPV vaccination rates were tracked against the 2016 National Immunization Survey-Teen target rates (initiation: 49.3%; completion: 32.9%). Summary statistics were stratified by gender, school district, and grade level. The study reached 19,951 students who received HPV vaccines directly or indirectly through our program (10,289 females; 9662 males) (August 2016-August 2022). Of those, 2145 students (1074 females; 1071 males) were vaccinated directly through our program. The overall HPV up-to-date (UTD) rates were 58.8%. The overall median age at HPV vaccine initiation and HPV-UTD (range) was 11 years (9-21) and 12 years (9-20). The overall median interval between HPV vaccine doses (range) was 291 days (146-2968). Recommending HPV vaccine initiation at younger ages increases HPV vaccine completion and providing access to HPV vaccines encourages on-time vaccination and completion.

Multiscale Analysis of the Relationship between Toxic Chemical Hazard Risks and Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Groups in Texas, USA.

Although quantitative environmental (in)justice research demonstrates a disproportionate burden of toxic chemical hazard risks among racial/ethnic minorities and people in low socioeconomic positions, limited knowledge exists on how racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups across geographic spaces experience toxic chemical hazards. This study analyzed the spatial non-stationarity in the associations between toxic chemical hazard risk and community characteristics of census block groups in Texas, USA, for 2017 using a multiscale geographically weighted regression. The results showed that the percentage of Black or Asian population has significant positive associations with toxic risk across block groups in Texas, meaning that racial minorities suffered more from toxic risk wherever they are located in the state. By contrast, the percentage of Hispanic or Latino has a positive relationship with toxic risk, and the relationship varies locally and is only significant in eastern areas of Texas. Statistical associations between toxic risk and socioeconomic variables are not stationary across the state, showing sub-state patterns of spatial variation in terms of the sign, significant level, and magnitude of the coefficient. Income has a significant negative association with toxic risk around the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area. Proportions of people without high school diploma and the unemployment rate both have positive relationships with toxic risk in the eastern area of Texas. Our findings highlight the importance of identifying the spatial patterns of the association between toxic chemical hazard risks and community characteristics at the census block group level for addressing environmental inequality.

The Brazilian peppertree biological control agent Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) displays a flexible feeding strategy between foliage and reproductive tissues

The biological control agent, Pseudophilothrips ichini, is being released for control of Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia (Anacardiaceae), an invasive weed of natural and agricultural areas of California, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas (USA). The thrips larvae and adults feed on flushed leaves and stems that are produced during the vegetative season of the host. However, during the reproductive season from September to December in Florida, few flushing leaves are available as resources are shunted to plant reproduction. As field releases were being implemented, thrips were found feeding and damaging immature fruits and flowers of their host. We hypothesized that the thrips used volatile organic compounds produced by reproductive tissues to locate and feed on these tissues. When examined under laboratory choice tests, individual thrips or groups of either 20 adults or larvae, chose flushing leaves over all reproductive tissues, female flowers, male flowers, and immature fruit. However, to simulate seasons when few flushing leaves were available, additional choice tests were conducted where flushing leaves were omitted, and only reproductive tissues and a filter paper control were included. Individual thrips or groups of either 20 adults or larvae selected all reproductive tissues over controls. When presented with a choice between immature and mature fruit, thrips chose immature fruit. Thrips caused significant damage to live female flowers, male flowers, and immature fruit, and thrips survival rates were similar when fed flush leaves, female flowers, or male flowers. The thrips responses could be tied to VOC production, which significantly varied among tissue types. Volatile blends from flush leaves that include DMNT, Terpinolene, and δ-Elemene may attract P. ichini whereas those that repel them include α-Thujene, α-Pinene, β-Pinene, Camphene, and β-Phellandrene. These results suggest P. ichini has a flexible feeding strategy and exploits Brazilian peppertree reproductive tissues when few flushing tips were available. Further they suggest thrips feeding will have direct impacts on Brazilian peppertree reproduction.

The Use of Appreciative Inquiries In Rural Communities

Counties in East Texas experience elevated levels of poverty and underemployment, and limited access to important services. However, in these rural areas in Texas, Unites States, social capital and relationships are considered some of the most important strengths. The connection between people, ongoing support for each other, and the need to bring about change in their communities, lead people to use their own power to create sustainable change. When addressing specific needs such as rural access to services, substance use, mental health care, and supporting families with infants and children, it is important to build on the social capital of the communities. How do we connect people to engage and intervene in a sustainable way? In rural communities, coalitions have emerged for many years as an innovative way to address needs. Coalitions bring people with the same purpose together. To establish coalitions, community social workers use appreciative inquiries to strengthen the social capital and develop important sustainable and focused connections between people.The article focuses on the usability of the appreciative inquiry approach in rural communities and details three case studies of effective rural coalition development. In all three case studies the purpose was to (1) identify the needs, challenges and strengths as described by people with lived experiences and diverse stakeholders, (2) identify specific priorities and (3) develop and sustain a coalition to address the priorities in a sustainable way. As with any appreciative inquiry, the data collection takes place at the same time as reflection and development of action. A descriptive process to discover, dream, design, and deliver to establish coalitions (destiny) is introduced. At the center of this process are the people with lived experiences who participate in the discovery process, serve on the coalitions, and they are the key to the development of the coalitions.

IEEE SSCS and CAS Central Texas Chapter: Summary of Activities [Chapters

The SSCS and CAS chapter organized seven webinars in 2022 with a total of about 300 participants from the Austin, Texas area and worldwide.

Dietary behaviours during COVID-19 among households at risk for food insecurity.

The objective of the present study was to examine associations between variables of COVID-19-related concerns and changes in fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among a sample of participants from the Brighter Bites program at risk for food insecurity. Cross-sectional data were collected during April-June 2020 using a rapid-response survey to understand social needs, COVID-19-related concerns and diet-related behaviours among families with children participating in Brighter Bites (n 1777) in the 2019-2020 school year at risk for food insecurity, within the surrounding Houston, Dallas, Austin, Texas area; Southwest Florida; Washington, D.C., United States. Of the 1777 respondents, 92 % of households reported being at risk for food insecurity. Among those from food insecure households, the majority were of Hispanic/Mexican-American/Latino (84⋅1 %) ethnic background, predominantly from Houston, Texas (71⋅4 %). During the pandemic, among individuals from food insecure households, 41 % (n 672) reported a decrease in FV intake, 32 % (n 527) reported an increase in FV intake, and 27 % (n 439) reported no change in FV intake. Those who reported concerns about financial stability had a 40 % greater risk of decreased FV intake compared to those not concerned about financial stability (RR 1⋅4; 95 % CI 1⋅0, 2⋅0; P = 0⋅03). The present study adds to this current body of sparse literature on how the initial phase of the pandemic impacted FV consumption behaviours among food insecure households with children. Effective interventions are needed to diminish the negative impact of COVID-19 on the population's health.

SOMEBODY ELSE TO THINK ABOUT BESIDES MYSELF: VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES WITH THE CARING CALLERS PROGRAM DURING COVID-19

Abstract Social distancing during COVID-19 had significant implications for older adults, a subpopulation already at greater risk of social isolation and loneliness prior to the pandemic. Emerging evidence showed promise for implementing peer- and volunteer-led, telephone-based support programs in collaboration with community agencies to reach older adults at-risk for loneliness. Given a need for research in this area, the Caring Callers Program was developed as a telephone-based intervention using Senior Companion volunteers for at-risk older adults in a large metropolitan area in Texas. Volunteers were provided training via zoom to prepare them to provide supportive, weekly calls as well as to share community resources with their Caring Callers clients. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore the experiences of Senior Companion volunteers (N = 20) in the Caring Caller Program through the lens of productive aging. Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Date Analysis (RADaR) was used to analyze the data and yielded four themes: 1) reciprocity, reflecting how volunteers described the program mutually benefited their feelings of well-being as well as, those contacted.; 2) purposeful use of time, illustrating how the volunteers perceived their role as meaningful and fulfilled their value for civic duty; 3) learning new skills, such as active listening skills; and 4) gaining perspective, capturing how the volunteers gained new inspiration from their experiences in the program. Recommendations for future research and strategies for designing peer-led, telephone-based interventions to promote social connectedness among both older volunteers and socially isolated older adults are offered.

Landsat-Scale Regional Forest Canopy Height Mapping Using ICESat-2 Along-Track Heights: Case Study of Eastern Texas

Spaceborne profiling lidar missions such as the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) are collecting direct elevation measurements, supporting the retrieval of vegetation attributes such as canopy height that are crucial in forest carbon and ecological studies. However, such profiling lidar systems collect observations along predefined ground tracks which limit the spatially complete mapping of forest canopy height. We demonstrate that the fusion of ICESat-2 along-track canopy height estimates and ancillary Landsat and LANDFIRE (Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project) data can enable the generation of spatially complete canopy height data at a regional level in the United States. We developed gradient-boosted regression models relating canopy heights with ancillary data values and used them to predict canopy height in unobserved locations at a 30 m spatial resolution. Model performance varied (R2 = 0.44 − 0.50, MAE = 2.61–2.80 m) when individual (per month) Landsat data and LANDFIRE data were used. Improved performance was observed when combined Landsat and LANDFIRE data were used (R2 = 0.69, MAE = 2.09 m). We produced a gridded canopy height product over our study area in eastern Texas, which agreed moderately (R2 = 0.46, MAE = 4.38 m) with independent airborne lidar-derived canopy heights. Further, we conducted a comparative assessment with the Global Forest Canopy Height product, an existing 30 m spatial resolution canopy height product generated using GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) canopy height and multitemporal Landsat data. In general, our product showed better agreement with airborne lidar heights than the global dataset (R2 = 0.19 MAE = 5.83 m). Major differences in canopy height values between the two products are attributed to land cover changes, height metrics used (98th in this study vs 95th percentile), and the inherent differences in lidar sampling and their geolocation uncertainties between ICESat-2 and GEDI. On the whole, our integration of ICESat-2 data with ancillary datasets was effective for spatially complete canopy height mapping. For better modeling performance, we recommend the careful selection of ICESat-2 datasets to remove erroneous data and applying a series of Landsat data to account for phenological changes. The canopy height product provides a valuable spatially detailed and synoptic view of canopy heights over the study area, which would support various forestry and ecological assessments at an enhanced 30 Landsat spatial resolution.

1770. Effects of Acculturation and Social Norms on Intention to use Antibiotics without a Prescription among Hispanic or Latino individuals

Abstract Background The use of antibiotics obtained without a prescription (non-prescription use) in the United States (U.S.) may contribute to antimicrobial resistance. We hypothesized that among Hispanic/Latino patients, the intention to use non-prescription antibiotics would be associated with: [1] lower acculturation (preference to socialize with Hispanic/Latinos) and [2] having friends or relatives who use antibiotics without contacting a doctor (social norms). Methods We conducted a survey on the factors that impact Hispanic/Latino patients’ decisions to use non-prescription antibiotics in safety-net primary care clinics and private emergency departments in the greater Houston, Texas area between January 2020 and June 2021. Surveys were read to patients in English or Spanish and queried patient, health system, and clinical encounter factors. Results Of 263 Hispanic/Latino patients, 59% completed the survey in Spanish and 41% in English (Table 1). Overall, 47% reported previous non-prescription antibiotic use, and 36% professed intention to hypothetically obtain and use non-prescription antibiotics, if feeling sick, from one or more of three sources (bought without a prescription in the U. S., from another country, and from friends or relatives). Lack of health insurance, being surveyed in Spanish, having friends or relatives who use antibiotics without consulting a doctor, and high cost of doctor visits were predictors of intent to use antibiotics bought without a prescription in the U.S. (Table 2). Predictors of intent to use non-prescription antibiotics from other countries included lower acculturation scores (preferring to socialize with Hispanics/Latinos), younger age, having friends or relatives who use antibiotics without consulting a doctor, and reported language barriers to medical appointments. Predictors of intent to use antibiotics from friends and relatives included having friends or relatives who use antibiotics without consulting a doctor, and high cost of doctor visits. Conclusion Interventions aimed at reducing non-prescription use in the Hispanic/Latino community should focus on ensuring affordable language concordant healthcare and promoting antibiotic stewardship as a social norm. Disclosures Barbara Trautner, MD, PhD, Genetech: Advisor/Consultant Michael K. Paasche-Orlow, MD, MPH, GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant Larissa Grigoryan, MD, PhD, Rebiotix Inc: Grant/Research Support.

Investigating the impact of environmental and temporal features on mobile phone distracted driving behavior using phone use data

Mobile phone distracted driving (MPDD) is one of the most significant and common factors in distraction-affected crashes. In previous studies, MPDD has been described as a self-selected behavior that affects driving performance, rather than a multidimensionally impacted behavior. In this study, the researchers hypothesized that external environmental features significantly impacted MPDD and tested this hypothesis by structural equation modeling (SEM). Three external latent variables (road, operation, and control factors) were measured at different times during weekdays in urban areas of Texas by integrating a large number of mobile phone sensor data and roadway inventory data. A structural model was developed to test the relationship between the latent variables and the rate of drivers involved in MPDD (MPDDR) on the roadway during different time periods. Finally, the data summary and model results revealed significant temporal effects. Standardized estimates from the SEM results revealed the positive impact of roads factors in the morning peak that broader shoulders, wider medians, and smaller curve radians were correlated with higher MPDDR in the morning peak hours; the negative impact of operation factors that higher average annual daily truck traffic (truck AADT) were associated with lower MPDDR significantly. And the impact of control factors on MPDDR is positive. In other words, the road segments with a large number of traffic signals in urban areas had a higher MPDDR than those without traffic signals. These findings could assist transportation and legislation agencies in the development of appropriate countermeasures or enforcement tactics and implement them effectively to reduce the occurrence of MPDD. In addition, this study provides a novel perspective close to the actual consideration of drivers about using mobile phones while driving, in the context of MPDD research, rather than comparing driver groups and vehicle performance.

SPECIAL EDUCATION LEADERSHIP PRACTICES IN THE RURAL SCHOOL SETTING

This study examined the best practices and insights gained that will impact future practice in the rural special education setting with the return to post-COVID instruction. Hattie (2021) highlighted the importance of reflecting on what went right and encouraged schools to discuss the evidence of success during the pandemic school year. Following the scholar-practitioner framework, two special education directors in the rural central Texas area share their experiences during the pandemic and offer insight into new practices and procedures they are implementing post-COVID. Four common themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (a) the importance of technology, (b) changes in instructional practices, (c) barriers to student success, and (d) communication structures. This article aims to guide rural special education leaders as they continue to navigate instructional and financial challenges post-pandemic.

New State Movements, 1900-2013

The separatist vision espoused by some State of Jefferson supporters is in no way a unique idea. Almost as long as there has been a United States there have been people who, feeling alienated from their host state governments, have sought to break away into smaller, more self-regulating political territories. In fact, the current State of Jefferson movement in northern California and southern Oregon is not even the first proposed “Jefferson” in the nation’s history. A region that would later become Colorado as well as parts of Utah, Wyoming, and Nebraska was proposed as the Jefferson Territory as early as the 1850s. An area of Texas was also proposed as the State of Jefferson as early as the 1870s. These Jeffersons are by no means the only regions of the US that have sought to separate and form new states. A slew of regions have proposed secession from their state, territory, and national governments, including regions that have sought to secede so they could join other states, territories, or countries. This map displays new state movements, regions of existing states that have sought to become their own states, that have occurred in the US since 1900. Only regions for which adequate temporal and spatial data could be identified were included in this cartographic visualization. Names and data on the depicted movements were obtained from open-source websites.

New Preconsolidation Heads Following the Long-Term Hydraulic-Head Decline and Recovery in Houston, Texas.

The Houston area in Texas, United States, has been experiencing land subsidence for a century from the 1920s to 2010s. A substantial portion of the Houston area had finished a consolidation cycle following the long-term hydraulic head decline and recovery. A new "maximum effective stress" (preconsolidation stress) was preserved in the memory of the aquitards. For an aquifer system comprising aquifers and aquitards, the preconsolidation stress is corresponding to the lowest hydraulic head in the aquitards, not in the aquifers. Preconsolidation head is generally regarded as a groundwater-level threshold below which inelastic compaction begins. The preconsolidation head finalized after the long-term hydraulic head decline and recovery is called new preconsolidation head. This study has developed an empirical equation for projecting the new preconsolidation head. According to this study, the new preconsolidation heads in the primary aquifers (lower Chicot and Evangeline) are local specific: varying from about 30 m below land surface (-30 m) in the south to -50 m in the north of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) Regulatory Area 1, from -60 m in the east to -80 m in the west of Area 2, and from -70 m in the south to -100 m in the center of Area 3. In Areas 1 and 2, the current hydraulic heads are about 10m to 20 m higher than the local new preconsolidation heads; thus, remarkable land subsidence (>1cm/year) would not be reinitiated unless the hydraulic heads are to fall below the local new preconsolidation head.