Populations In Mississippi Research Articles

3222 University of Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS): A Catalyst for Clinical and Translational Sciences

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: To introduce CCTS to the clinical and translational research community. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Established in the summer of 2017, the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) fosters cooperative clinical and translational sciences between the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). CCTS facilitates the translation of basic research discoveries into clinically validated therapies to improve the health of populations in Mississippi and beyond. Priority areas of investigation in CCTS include Cardiometabolic disorders, Cancer, Neuroscience, Infectious diseases, Precision Medicine, and Community-Based Research. To accomplish CCTS mission three overarching goals have been defined: I) Develop progressive and sustainable capacity for clinical and translational research in Mississippi; II) Promote interprofessional engagement in clinical and translational science; and III) Foster research collaboration among stakeholders in and outside of Mississippi. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: To carry its CCTS’s mission three research units have been established: 1) The Pre-clinical Research Unit: Develops processes to move basic science discoveries towards translation into research in humans. This unit provides guidance in the development of Investigational New Drug (IND) applications; and identifies and pursues opportunities to develop progressive capacities for in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo, and in silico approaches for evaluating new pharmaceutical and therapeutic agents. 2) The Clinical Research Unit: Transitions projects that have received IND approval into the first phase of clinical trials. It also transitions clinical trials from Phase I to Phase II and to Phase III; develops standard operating procedures (SOPs), personnel training plans, and policies to guide clinical research; works with industry sponsors and governmental funding agencies; and assures compliance with regulatory requirements. 3) Community/population Research Unit: Develops, coordinates, and facilitates research activities and translation between clinical and community/population research stages. To do so, this unit works closely with community partners and Population Health programs on the Oxford and Jackson campuses. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Since its inception, the CCTS has surpassed 1.5 million dollars in competitive funding. This early success positions the CCTS well to promote research collaboration between UMSOP and UMMC and to progress in becoming a national leader in clinical and translational investigation.

State-level prevalence, health service use, and spending vary widely among Medicare beneficiaries with Parkinson disease

State-level variations in disease, healthcare utilization, and spending influence healthcare planning at federal and state levels and should be examined to understand national disparities in health outcomes. This descriptive study examined state-level variations in Parkinson disease (PD) prevalence, patient characteristics, Medicare spending, out-of-pocket costs, and health service utilization using data on 27.5 million Medicare beneficiaries in the US in 2014. We found that 45.8% (n = 179,496) of Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with PD were women; 26.1% (n = 102,205) were aged 85+. The District of Columbia, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and Florida had the highest age-, race-, and sex-adjusted prevalence of Parkinson disease among Medicare beneficiaries in the US. Women comprised over 48.5% of PD patient populations in West Virginia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. More than 31% of the PD populations in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Rhode Island were aged 85+. PD patients who were “dual-eligible”—receiving both Medicare and Medicaid benefits—also varied by state, from <10% to >25%. Hospitalizations varied from 304 to 653 stays per 1000 PD patients and accounted for 26.5% of the 7.9 billion United States Dollars (USD) paid by the Medicare program for healthcare services delivered to our sample. A diagnosis of PD was associated with greater healthcare use and spending. This study provides initial evidence of substantial geographic variation in PD patient characteristics, health service use, and spending. Further study is necessary to inform the development of state- and federal-level health policies that are cost-efficient and support desired outcomes for PD patients.

Southern Pine Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Pheromone Component trans-Verbenol: Enantiomeric Specificity and Potential as a Lure Adjuvant.

The southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) utilizes a multi-component aggregation pheromone to mediate mass-attacks and thereby colonize otherwise unsusceptible trees. Females produce the attractant frontalin and a synergist, trans-verbenol. We investigated trans-verbenol to determine whether enantiomeric composition, airborne concentration, and possibly other factors might affect its biological activity. Newly-emerged females from Mississippi populations produced 54-87% of the (-)-enantiomer; females initiating galleries in logs produced lower amounts and a wider range of enantiomeric ratios [12-92% (-)]. Coupled gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) studies did not suggest large differences in the concentration threshold of olfaction for the two enantiomers. We examined the effect of adding trans-verbenol to traps located outside infested areas and baited with components of the aggregation attractant. Male attraction was similarly increased by lures with 3, 81, or 98% of the (-)-enantiomer of trans-verbenol, whereas females preferred 81 over 3%. When release rate of 81% (-)-trans-verbenol in traps was varied across three orders of magnitude (0.3, 3, and 30 mg/d), the data suggested a positive dose-response trend. A high release (i.e., 2-5 g/d) device of host-odor alpha-pinene had a much stronger enhancing effect on trap catches than a trans-verbenol device (~30 mg/d), and trans-verbenol did not further enhance attraction when alpha-pinene was present. Our results suggest that the weak attraction-enhancing activity of trans-verbenol reported previously cannot be improved by adjusting the enantiomeric composition or release rate of lures, and furthermore there are no anticipated benefits of adding trans-verbenol to the D. frontalis monitoring lure.

Population genomics of Fundulus grandis exposed to oil from Deepwater Horizon

The April 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill released over 4 million barrels of oil into northern Gulf of Mexico ecosystems. Due to the magnitude of the spill and observed effects from previous spills, the ecological impacts were predicted to be catastrophic. While negative effects of petroleum hydrocarbon exposure to fish have been documented at the organismal scale, most studies of fish assemblages have noted few, if any, DWH impacts. Our understanding of DWH effects is therefore limited by a disconnect in results reported at different organizational levels. We used population genomic tools to test hypotheses about population-level DWH impacts to Gulf Killifish (Fundulus grandis) in coastal Mississippi. Fundulus grandis is one of the most abundant marsh species in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and along with the sister species F. heteroclitus, has served as a model for toxicology research. We collected genotyping by sequencing data from four populations of F. grandis (two oiled and two not) to test predictions about DWH-related gene flow, demographics, genetic diversity and evidence of selection. Mississippi populations of F. grandis showed clear genetic structure, but there were few indicators (e.g. reduced genetic diversity, lower Ne estimates) consistent with large-scale mortality or migration related to DWH oil. Only one estimate of effective population size was reduced in oil-exposed populations and of the twenty outlier loci only two were in regions with potential adaptive significance (i.e., immune functions). While the toxic effects of oil on F. grandis at the organismal level is well established, the minimal impacts we detected to populations along the Mississippi coast likely reflects the complexity of the northern Gulf of Mexico and DWH oil spill. However, we do recognize that the patchiness of oil exposure and low genome coverage of the data limit our ability to conclude there were no DWH effects on these populations.

Prevalence of canine heartworm infection in Mississippi animal shelters

Understanding diagnosis of heartworm disease in the context of animal shelters’ needs and expectations is crucial for developing guidelines that specifically address the unique shelter population. Accurate and economical heartworm testing strategies are essential. However, current comprehensive guidelines for the management of heartworm disease in dogs are directed toward client-owned animals and do not address needs of animal shelters and other resource-scarce facilities. Additionally, testing recommendations do not take into account regional and local differences in heartworm prevalence across the United States that occur due to abiotic and biotic factors. The objective of this study was to determine the apparent prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis microfilaremia and antigenemia in dogs from Mississippi animal shelters. Further, we compare agreement between microfilaria and antigen testing in this population. We performed a cross-sectional study using canine serum and blood bank samples representative of the Mississippi shelter population. Microfilaria testing of whole blood included a blood smear and modified Knott test. Antigen testing of serum was performed using the DiroCHEK® antigen ELISA test. Analyses included descriptive and analytic statistics as well as Cohen’s kappa for test agreement. A total of 283 whole blood samples and 363 serum samples, representing 363 dogs from 18 shelters in 17 Mississippi counties, were utilized in this study. Sixty-four (22.6%) whole blood samples demonstrated D. immitis microfilariae on the modified Knott test and 125 (34.4%) serum samples had detectable D. immitis antigen. Increasing age and low body condition were associated with antigen-positive test results. Only age was associated with microfilaria-positive test results. There was moderate agreement between the antigen ELISA test and the modified Knott microfilaria test and poor agreement between the antigen ELISA and the blood smear. This study provides the first known report of the prevalence of D. immitis microfilaremia and antigenemia in Mississippi shelter dogs. We observed that prevalence of both microfilaremia and antigenemia was significantly higher in these sampled dogs compared to previous reports for the owned canine population in Mississippi. Heartworm infection presents unique management challenges for animal shelters. Knowledge of the expected prevalence in the area can be utilized for management decisions related to prevention, testing, and treatment of dogs in shelter populations.

African American Clergy Perspectives About the HIV Care Continuum: Results From a Qualitative Study in Jackson, Mississippi.

Mississippi has some of the most pronounced racial disparities in HIV infection in the country; African Americans comprised 37% of the Mississippi population but represented 80% of new HIV cases in 2015. Improving outcomes along the HIV care continuum, including linking and retaining more individuals and enhancing adherence to medication, may reduce the disparities faced by African Americans in Mississippi. Little is understood about clergy's views about the HIV care continuum. We assessed knowledge of African American pastors and ministers in Jackson, Mississippi about HIV and the HIV care continuum. We also assessed their willingness to promote HIV screening and biomedical prevention technologies as well as efforts to enhance linkage and retention in care with their congregations. Four focus groups were conducted with 19 African American clergy. Clergy noted pervasive stigma associated with HIV and believed they had a moral imperative to promote HIV awareness and testing; they provided recommendations on how to normalize conversations related to HIV testing and treatment. Overall, clergy were willing to promote and help assist with linking and retaining HIV positive individuals in care but knew little about how HIV treatment can enhance prevention or new biomedical technologies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Clergy underscored the importance of building coalitions to promote a collective local response to the epidemic. The results of this study highlight important public health opportunities to engage African American clergy in the HIV care continuum in order to reduce racial disparities in HIV infection.

Bayesian spatiotemporal dynamic models for regional dynamics of avian populations

The spatiotemporal dynamics of multiple animal populations may exhibit the hierarchical dynamic patterns including regional common trends or spatial synchrony and local variability. Environmental drivers such as climatic variability, operating on large spatial scales, have been proposed to be a driver of the spatial synchrony of avian and mammalian populations (i.e., the Moran effect). On the other hand, demographic responses to heterogeneous, local environments may result in substantial local population variability (i.e., variance across multiple populations). This study used the Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal dynamic model to determine the spatiotemporal dynamic patterns of 27 eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) populations scattered across Mississippi, USA, from 1994 to 2005. The regional effects of seasonal climate and relative amount of forest in habitats were also evaluated to test the Moran effect. Twenty seven wild turkey populations had a spatial synchrony with the strength and spatial scale similar to those of other avian populations in North America. Warming spring or spring-autumn climate appeared to reduce wild turkey relative abundance; however, winter climate did not influence the dynamics of wild turkey populations in Mississippi. Average proportion of forest affected the average relative abundance of wild turkeys in a nonlinear manner, with its positive effects switching to a lessened constant effect beyond the threshold of 60% forest cover. However, regional climatic variability was unlikely to synchronize wild turkey populations in Mississippi. This study proposed a hypothesis concerning regional habitat quality degradation, which may cause regional population declines and synchronize the dynamics of animal populations.

Effects of Annual Droughts on Fish Communities in Mississippi Sound Estuaries

The Mississippi coastal region has two major rivers and four smaller rivers influencing the estuaries that make up the Mississippi Sound. The islands off Mississippi create a barrier which allows the area to be a widespread, productive estuarine region. With such a dependence on discharge from the drainages, it is important to understand the effect of salinity regimes on fish communities. Drought conditions in other regions have been shown to dramatically change the fish community structure. We used the long running Interjurisdictional Fisheries Program database (2006–2014) within Mississippi state waters and compared yearly fish communities between drought and non-drought years. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (nMDS), Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM), and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) were used to compare drought and non-drought conditions in the Mississippi Sound. During 2006 and 2007, which were identified as drought years by the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), differences in fish community structure were identified and compared to non-drought years (2008–2009 and 2011–2014). The ISA identified a total of eight species that were significantly influenced by drought years. Of the eight species, the abundance of seven species significantly decreased while the abundance of one species significantly increased. With an increasing human population in central and south Mississippi, pressure on freshwater resources is likely to increase, resulting in possible changes in the fish community dynamics of the Mississippi Sound. Understanding the influence of decreased river discharges will assist managers in determining the impacts of freshwater withdrawals during base flow periods.

Influence of Water Quality, Formulation, Adjuvant, Rainfastness, and Nozzle Type on Efficacy of Fomesafen on Palmer Amaranth (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Amaranthus palmeri&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) Control

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors are one of the few remaining postemergence herbicide options for controlling Palmer amaranth in soybean growing areas of Mississippi, USA. Most Palmer amaranth populations in Mississippi are resistant to both glyphosate and acetolactate synthase inhibitors. Resistance to PPO inhibiting herbicides in Palmer amaranth has very recently been reported in Arkansas, Tennessee, and isolated pockets of Mississippi. A significant proportion of reports of PPO inhibitor failures in Mississippi are not considered to be resistance-related at this time. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate factors affecting the efficacy of fomesafen on Palmer amaranth including: quality of spray carrier (water), formulations, adjuvant, rainfastness, and nozzle type. All water samples and formulation combinations provided >95% control of Palmer amaranth 3 WAT. Some combinations of water samples and formulations did not result in complete control of the treated plants, with one or two individuals surviving 3 WAT. Formulation 1 provided 99% control compared to 95% from formulation 2. Irrespective of combinations of herbicide, adjuvant and height, control of Palmer amaranth was ≥91%. Formulation 1 provided 94% control compared to 88% from formulation 2. The adjuvant x height interaction was significant, owing to a 10% reduction in control of larger plants (86%) compared to smaller plants (96%) in presence of COC. COC provided better control (93%) than NIS (88%). Simulated rainfall applied ≥60 min after herbicide application did not adversely affect efficacy on Palmer amaranth when formulation 1 was applied in combination with NIS, with control ranging from 94% to 100%. Formulation 1 with COC provided ≥93% control at all rainfall application times, except 30 min after herbicide treatment, which resulted in 79% control. Formulation 2 provided better control with COC (79% to 100%) than NIS (71% to 90%), in general, across the rainfall treatments applied at various times following herbicide application. All nozzle and weed height combinations resulted in 89% or better control of Palmer amaranth. In summary, water quality, formulation, adjuvant, rainfastness, or nozzle type did not affect the activity of fomesafen under optimal application conditions in the greenhouse.

Genetic Structure of Northern Bobwhites in Northeast Mississippi and Southwest Tennessee

Precipitous declines in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations across most of the natural range may increase susceptibility to genetic isolation, restrict gene flow among subpopulations, and exacerbate vulnerability to catastrophic stochastic processes. We characterized the level of genetic variability of 223 individual bobwhites representing 4 disjunct populations in northeast Mississippi and southwest Tennessee in 2002. Analyses at 8 microsatellite loci suggested observed heterozygosity was lower than expected but showed no significant heterozygosity excess. Estimates of FIS coefficients were positive in each subpopulation, but low overall, suggesting only minor loss in heterozygosity over the entire population. Gene diversity was high and genetic differentiation within and among subpopulations and isolation by distance effects were minimal, suggesting adequate levels of gene flow. We suggest, despite population losses, gene flow is maintained among subpopulations, which may reflect the bobwhite’s ability to disperse successfully in the agricultural landscape in this region. Maintenance of gene flow across seemingly inhospitable landscapes suggests focal area management directives may enhance population sustainability. Greater understanding of the genetic structure of northern bobwhite populations on larger geographic scales and across the species’ range is paramount to population recovery.

Melanin ornament brightness and aggression at the nest in female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis)

ABSTRACT Research is increasingly addressing the evolution and use of sexually selected traits in females. One strong area of interest is the display of intrasexual aggression and how female ornaments are used in intrasexual competition. One particular type of ornament focused on for its use in intrasexual aggression in both sexes is the melanin pigmented ornaments. Over the course of 2 breeding seasons in a southeastern Mississippi population of cardinals, we assessed brightness of the melanin face mask plumage ornament in female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) and compared it to behavioral responses during intraspecific simulated nest intrusions (SNIs). All females responded to the SNI, but face mask brightness did not co-vary with the level of aggression shown. Our findings do not support earlier work suggesting that the face mask in female Northern Cardinals is an indicator of aggression at the nest. Potentially, differences in behavior and environmental variables between populations of car...

Accuracy of weight status perception related to weight loss stage of change among medically underserved adults

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the individuals’ perception of their weight status andthe stage of change they are currently in among an overweight and obese, medically underserved population in south Mississippi. Methods: One hundred eighty-two adults were surveyed at healthcare facilities in south Mississippi using a tablet application. Inclusion criteria were: BMI of 25 or greater, over 21 years of age, and not pre or postpartum. About 62% (n = 114) metthe inclusion criteria. Participants completed a survey pertaining to: weight perception, stage of change for weight loss, andother variables. Statistical analysis were used to analyze participant responses. Weight perception accuracy was determined bycomparing participant responses about weight status to their BMI classification. Results: Weight perception accuracy was a significant predictor of stage of change for weight loss, after controlling forconfounding factors. A Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient analysis revealed that participants do not portray themselves astheir BMI classifies them (Pearson p = .46). Ordinal regression analysis displayed that those with a mismatched were likely to beat an advanced stage of change compared to those with matched weight perception accuracy and BMI. Conclusions and implication: This study exemplifies that overweight and obese individuals who view themselves as overweightare more apt to be in active stage of change for weight loss. Weight management interventions should address weight perceptionsin overweight and obese individuals who are at a lower stage of change for weight loss.

Adjusting for seasonal harvest bias in the lactation index for white-tailed deer management

Recruitment estimates are critical for making wildlife harvest decisions. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) lactation rates are often used to estimate fawn recruitment. Relatively long hunting seasons in the southern United States commonly include the period when females cease lactating, with concomitant reduction in the detection of lactation by hunters. We used 1,587 site- and year-specific lactation rates from 383 deer populations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Virginia, USA, to model the rate of decline in lactation detection across the hunting season. For each population, we calculated distance of mean female harvest date from median parturition date, and included linear, quadratic, and cubic functions of mean harvest day as potential explanatory variables. We grouped populations into 18 regions based on median conception date and tested 12 models using year and region as possible random effects. Mean female harvest occurred 92.5–210.7 days past median parturition date ( = 148.4 days, SE = 0.5). Seasonal decline in lactation detection followed a linear trend with a daily decline of 0.25%. Given that our data contained properties where mean female harvest date varied by up to 81 days across years, this equates to a potential change in lactation index of 20% attributable only to differential detection. Adjusting hunter-estimated lactation indices should dampen variability of annual lactation indices simply associated with harvest date of females and clarify spatial and temporal trends in recruitment needed to advise wildlife managers. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

Attitudes, Practices and Self-efficacy Towards Shopping and Meal Planning: A Phone Survey of Mississippi Residents with Limited Resources

The audience will understand the current needs of the SNAP-ED population in Mississippi in regards to shopping and planning for meals and will learn how the population is willing to be trained and what Mississippi's SNAP-ED program intends to do with this information.

A cryptic new species of Indigo Snake (genus Drymarchon) from the Florida Platform of the United States.

Indigo Snakes (genus Drymarchon) occur from northern Argentina northward into to the United States, where they inhabit southern Texas and disjunct populations in Mississippi, Florida and Georgia. Based on allopatry and morphological differences Collins (1991) hypothesized that the two United States taxa-the Western Indigo Snake, D. melanurus erebennus (Cope, 1860), and the Eastern Indigo Snake, D. couperi (Holbrook, 1842)-deserved full species recognition. Building upon this hypothesis with molecular and morphological analyses we illustrate that D. couperi is split into two distinct lineages. Based on the General Lineage Concept of Species, we describe the lineage that occurs along the Gulf coast of Florida and Mississippi as a new species, Drymarchon kolpobasileus. The new species is distinguished from D. couperi by a suite of morphological features, including a shorter and shallower head, deeper and shorter 7^th infralabial scales, and shorter temporal scales. Overall, the presence of a deep 7^th infralabial scale provides the best univariate identifier of D. kolpobasileus sp. nov. This study illustrates the usefulness of using both morphological and genetic data in refining accurate descriptions of geographical distributions.

Common Denominators of Swainson's Warbler Breeding Habitat in Bottomland Hardwood Forest in the White River Watershed in Southeastern Arkansas

Abstract The most intensively studied breeding population of Limnothlypis swainsonii (Swainson's Warbler) is in the White River watershed of southeastern Arkansas. However, because vegetation sampling protocols employed at this site have been significantly different from those used elsewhere, it has been difficult for land managers to reconcile datasets across the species' range in order to construct consensus quantitative benchmarks for optimal breeding habitat in bottomland hardwoods. We used a standardized sampling protocol to compare the physiognomic and floristic characteristics of breeding territories at 2 sites in the White River watershed with comparable data from other populations in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Virginia. Breeding territories in the combined dataset for this rare migratory species varied substantially in successional stage, floristic diversity, hydrology, and management history. Visual screening provided by understory thickets of saplings, vine tangles, and shru...

Slavery and Forced Migration in the Antebellum South by Damian Alan Pargas

Reviewed by: Slavery and Forced Migration in the Antebellum Southby Damian Alan Pargas Charles Vincent Slavery and Forced Migration in the Antebellum South. By Damian Alan Pargas. Cambridge Studies on the American South. (New York and other cities: Cambridge University Press, 2015. Pp. xii, 281. Paper, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-107-65896-7; cloth, $80.00, ISBN 978-1-107-03121-0.) Damian Alan Pargas has produced a valuable volume on the many aspects of the forced migration of enslaved people in the antebellum South. Forced migration took three forms: trade from older southern states of the Atlantic seaboard to other areas, local movement and moving about in rural areas, and being hired out to the city. In this well-crafted volume, Pargas poses vital questions and provides documented answers. How did American slaves experience forced migration? How did they get along with other slaves? How did they negotiate their removal and rebuild their lives while contending with the “consequences of forced migrations for identity formation” (p. 3)? With a map of the domestic slave trade, pictures, and impressive documentation, this volume uses a comparative perspective “juxtaposing and contrasting the experiences of long-distance, local, and urban slave migrants” (p. 3). One argument Pargas makes is that no southern slave owner was truly committed to paternalism but rather acted out of “financial self-interest” (p. 258). In chapter 1 the author observes that “between 1820 and 1860, at least 875,000 slaves were forcibly removed from the Upper South,” causing the enslaved population in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama to increase by 68 percent and leading to a cotton boom after the invention of the cotton gin and a sugar revolution in Louisiana (p. 19). New Orleans became the South’s largest slave market. Owners sold or hired out slaves for reasons as varied as personal dislike, to cover up illicit affairs, to rid themselves of recalcitrant slaves, and to alleviate their own economic [End Page 926]indebtedness. Some of those sold had to endure the inhumanity of inspections and probing at the auction blocks, slave pens, and jails and being taken overland and by sea routes to various locations. Chapter 2 discusses how they reacted to the prospect of relocation, resisted or negotiated the terms of their relocation, and the organizational aspects of forced migration. Slaves preferred local over interstate moves, because they feared family separation and the reputation of the Deep South. The enslaved employed resistance techniques including religious appeals, physical violence, and self-mutilation. Chapter 3 describes the inhumane events that accompanied many forced migrants—slave pens, inferior food, bedbugs, lice, fleas, and sexual exploitation. A few who were hired or sold to urban areas found life a little more bearable. Chapter 4 discusses some of the struggles of learning new work routines and environments. Many forced migrants from the upper South had not seen cotton, and having to learn to pick and cultivate cotton caused slave owners to prefer younger migrants. Cotton was the great equalizer in terms of gender. While harvesting cotton or sugar was more difficult than tobacco, Pargas observes that the belief that upper South slaves were better off than lower South slaves is not true. Chapter 5 asserts that planters’ claims to paternalism and benevolence were inconsistent with the system of slavery and its ideological justification. The conditions of the slaves—housing, food, and clothes—were poor, and corporal punishment was frequent. Chapter 6 and the conclusion are insightful. Posing questions of how slaves experienced transitions and forged new relations, strategies, and identities, Pargas highlights many examples of collective resistance, including marriages among migrants and helping others escape. Worship services created bonds. Illicit visits to loved ones, “courting, marriage, and family formation” were likewise “ways to integrate into slave communities” (p. 240). Helping slaves with tasks, workplace cooperation, and lodging with newcomers also helped make some adjustment bearable. Slavery and Forced Migration in the Antebellum Southhas added greatly to a vital topic. Well documented, this volume should be high on a list of mandatory reading for classes on slavery in the antebellum South, sociology, and southern history in general. Charles Vincent Southern University and A&M College Copyright...

Nuclear Markers Reveal Predominantly North to South Gene Flow in Ixodes scapularis, the Tick Vector of the Lyme Disease Spirochete.

Ixodes scapularis, the tick vector of the Lyme disease spirochete, is distributed over most of the eastern United States, but >80% of all Lyme disease cases occur in the northeast. The role that genetic differences between northern and southern tick populations play in explaining this disparate distribution of Lyme disease cases is unclear. The present study was conducted with 1,155 SNP markers in eight nuclear genes; the 16S mitochondrial gene was examined for comparison with earlier studies. We examined 350 I. scapularis from 7 states covering a representative area of the species. A demographic analysis using Bayesian Extended Skyline Analysis suggested that I. scapularis populations in Mississippi and Georgia began expanding 500,000 years ago, those in Florida and North Carolina 200,000 years ago and those from Maryland and New Jersey only during the past 50,000 years with an accompanying bottleneck. Wisconsin populations only began expanding in the last 20,000 years. Analysis of current migration patterns suggests large amounts of gene flow in northern collections and equally high rates of gene flow among southern collections. In contrast there is restricted and unidirectional gene flow between northern and southern collections, mostly occurring from northern into southern populations. Northern populations are characterized by nymphs that quest above the leaf litter, are easy to collect by flagging, frequently feed on mammals such as rodents and shrews, commonly attach to people, and about 25% of which are infected with B. burgdorferi. If there is a genetic basis for these behaviors, then the patterns detected in this study are of concern because they suggest that northern I. scapularis populations with a greater ability to vector B. burgdorferi to humans are expanding south.

Source populations and roads affect American black bear recolonization

Understanding species distributions and population responses to environmental parameters is important for addressing landscape-level species conservation. We assessed American black bear (Ursus americanus) resource selection based on spatial distribution of a recolonizing population in Mississippi, USA. Given the philopatric behavior of female bears and the risk-disturbance hypothesis, we predicted that bears recolonizing Mississippi would occupy areas close to their source population but avoid areas near roads and with greater human population density. Using location data from radio-collared black bears, landscape metrics, and spatial autoregressive modeling, we estimated annual population-level space use. Our results confirm that black bears recolonizing Mississippi occupy habitats proximate to source populations and avoid areas near roads as probability of bear use was greater in areas closer to source breeding populations and areas farther from roads. Land cover type, elevation, and human density did not influence black bear occurrence at the spatial resolution examined. The lack of avoidance to areas inhabited by humans was likely a consequence of overall low human density, legal protection afforded this species, and that proximity to source population likely has a greater effect on recolonization than avoidance of humans.

It is complicated: sexual partner characteristic profiles and sexually transmitted infection rates within a predominantly African American population in Mississippi.

Mississippi has among the highest prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. Understanding sexual networks can provide insight into risk factors for transmission and guide prevention interventions. Participants included 1437 primarily African American (95%) adults presenting for care at an STI clinic in Jackson, Mississippi. Latent class analysis identified underlying population subgroups with unique patterns of response on a comprehensive set of 14 sexual partner variables, such as living with or having a child with a partner, partner dependence and trust, 1-time sexual encounters, multiple main partners, substance use, sexual concurrency, and incarceration. Classes were compared on participant age, sex, sexual orientation, public assistance, lifetime partners, relationship status, and self-reported past-year STI. Three classes emerged. Class 1 (n = 746) participants were less dependent on partners and less likely to live with or have a child with a partner. Class 2 participants (n = 427) endorsed multiple STI risk factors, including partner incarceration, 6 or more lifetime partners, sexual concurrency, 1-time sexual encounters, and substance use at last sex. Class 3 participants (n = 226) were more likely to be in dependent, committed relationships with children. Class 2 had a higher proportion of self-report past-year STIs (36.7%) compared with classes 1 (26.6%) and 3 (26.1%). Certain partner factors such as incarceration, substance use, and concurrency may contribute to increased STI risk. Partner factors may be useful proxies for STI risks and could be useful questions to include in screening questionnaires in clinical settings.