Sample Of Ages Research Articles

What works for whom in pediatric OCD: description of causally interpretable meta-analysis methods and report on trial data harmonization.

Improving patient outcomes will be enhanced by understanding "what works, for whom?" enabling better matching of patients to available treatments. However, answering this "what works, for whom?" question requires sample sizes that exceed those of most individual trials. Conventional methods for combining data across trials, including aggregate-data meta-analysis, suffer from key limitations including difficulty accounting for differences across trials (e.g., comparing "apples to oranges"). Causally interpretable meta-analysis (CI-MA) addresses these limitations by pairing individual-participant-data (IPD) across trials using advancements in transportability methods to extend causal inferences to clinical "target" populations of interest. Combining IPD across trials also requires careful acquisition and harmonization of data, a challenging process for which practical guidance is not well-described in the literature. We describe methods and work to date for a large harmonization project in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that employs CI-MA. We review the data acquisition, harmonization, meta-data coding, and IPD analysis processes for Project Harmony, a study that (1) harmonizes 28 randomized controlled trials, along with target data from a clinical sample of treatment-seeking youth ages 4-20 with OCD, and (2) applies CI-MA to examine "what works, for whom?" We also detail dissemination strategies and partner involvement planned throughout the project to enhance the future clinical utility of CI-MA findings. Data harmonization took approximately 125 hours per trial (3,000 hours total), which was considerably higher than preliminary projections. Applying CI-MA to harmonize data has the potential to answer "what works for whom?" in pediatric OCD.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of group-based trajectory modeling of sleep duration across age groups and in relation to health outcomes.

To shed light on understanding sleep duration trajectories (SDTs) using different classification methods and their outcomes, this study aimed to 1) identify common SDTs among different age groups, 2) investigate the alignment versus differences between SDTs identification by group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) and clinical standards, and 3) examine the impacts of SDTs on health outcomes. Systematic literature search from four databases yielded 34 longitudinal SDT studies with GBTM analyses spanning three or more data waves. Apart from the proportion meta-analysis, a three-level meta-analysis was conducted with 14 of the studies that examined the association between SDT groups and health outcomes. Assessment of study quality was performed using the Guidelines for Reporting on Latent Trajectory Studies checklist. Qualitative analysis identified four age-related SDT classes based on longitudinal trends: "persistent sleepers", "increase sleepers", "decrease sleepers", and "variable sleepers". Meta-analysis also showed differential proportions of "GBTM-defined shortest sleepers" across age groups and sample regions, as well as significant discrepancies in prevalence of short sleep identified by clinical standards (=50% vs. 15% per GBTM). Overall, SDTs predicted emotional and behavioral outcomes, neurocognitive problems, and physical health (OR = 1.538, p < 0.001), in GBTM-defined "short", "fluctuating", "long", and "decreasing" sleepers as compared to the "adequate" group. The effects were stronger in adolescents and in datasets with more waves. The identification of the GBTM-defined "short", "fluctuating", "long", and "decreasing" SDT groups and their associations with various health outcomes supported longitudinal investigations, as well as the development of interventions focusing on both the length and stability of sleep durations, especially in younger populations.

Next-Generation Snow Leopard Population Assessment Tool: Multiplex-PCR SNP Panel for Individual Identification From Faeces.

In recent years, numerous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel methods to genotype non-invasive faecal samples have been developed. However, none of these existing methods fit all of the criteria necessary to make a SNP panel broadly usable for conservation projects in any country-cost effective, streamlined lab protocol and user-friendly open-source bioinformatics protocols for panel design and analysis. Here, we present such a method and display its utility by developing a multiplex PCR SNP panel for conducting individual ID of snow leopards, Panthera uncia, from faecal samples. The SNP panel we present consists of 144 SNPs and utilises next-generation sequencing technology. We validate our SNP panel with paired tissue and faecal samples from zoo individuals, showing a minimum of 96.7% accuracy in allele calls per run. We then generate SNP data from 235 field-collected faecal samples from across Pakistan to show that the panel can reliably identify individuals from low-quality faecal samples of unknown age and is robust to contamination. We also show that our SNP panel has the capability to identify first-order relatives among sampled zoo individuals and provides insights into the geographic origin of samples. This SNP panel will empower the snow leopard research community in their efforts to assess local and global snow leopard population sizes. More broadly, we present a SNP panel development method that can be used for any species of interest for which adequate genomic reference data is available.

Sensitivity of anti-filarial antibodies for lymphatic filariasis surveillance: Insights from a serological survey in Samoa in 2018.

Sensitive diagnostic tools that signal lymphatic filariasis (LF) transmission are needed to monitor the progress of LF elimination programs. Anti-filarial antibody (Ab) markers could be more sensitive than antigen (Ag) point-of-care tests for monitoring LF transmission in some settings. This study aimed to investigate the sensitivity of anti-filarial Abs for detecting signals of LF transmission in Samoa by i) investigating the sensitivity and specificity of Ab to identify Ag-positives; ii) estimating the average number needed to test (NNTestav) to identify LF-seropositives (seropositive for Ag and/or any Ab), and iii) compare the efficiency of the different serological indicators by target age group and sampling design. A community-based serological survey of participants aged ≥5 years was conducted 1.5-3.5 months following the first round of triple-drug mass drug administration in Samoa in 2018, covering 35 primary sampling units (PSUs) (30 randomly selected and five purposively selected 'suspected hotspots'). Ag-positivity was detected using Alere Filariasis Test Strips, and Ab-seropositivity (Bm14, Wb123, Bm33 Abs) were measured using multiplex bead assays. Seroprevalence was adjusted for study design and standardised for age and gender. NNTestav was calculated using the formula 1/p, where p was the adjusted seroprevalence for each subgroup. Of 3795 participants (mean age: 20.7; 51.2% female), 1892 (49.9%) were LF-seropositive. If Ag alone was used to identify LF-seropositives, only 5% (117/1892) would be identified. Of the three Ab seromarkers, Bm14 Ab had the highest area under the Receiver-Operating Characteristic Curve ([ROC]=0.88) to classify participants as Ag-positive, followed by Wb123 Ab (ROC=0.83) and Bm33 Ab (ROC=0.76). Participants aged ≥10 years had lower NNTestav compared to participants aged 5-9 years for all seromarkers. NNTestav was lower in purposively versus randomly selected PSUs. All Ab seromarkers had high ROC values to classify patients as Ag-positive and may be useful tools for LF surveillance in some settings. However, further research is required to fully understand how best Ab serosurveillance can be incorporated into LF elimination programmes.

Use of images to assess awareness and use of emerging nicotine pouch products.

Accurate measurement is critical for understanding the population health impact of nicotine pouches, yet precise, standardized measures of nicotine pouch use are lacking, possibly driving disparate prevalence estimates across studies. We implemented a split sample survey experiment to assess the impact of including a product image when asking about nicotine pouches. We randomized an online sample of US adults ages 18-45 (N=2,130) recruited through the February 2023 wave of the Rutgers Omnibus Study to view either a text-only or text-plus-image description of oral nicotine pouches before being asked about awareness of the products. Participants who endorsed awareness were then asked about their use and brands they had tried. We calculated prevalence of awareness, ever, and current use of nicotine pouches and used chi-square tests to assess differences in responses to each question by survey condition. Participants in the image condition were more likely than those in the text condition to report awareness (40.6% vs 31.5%, P<.001) and ever use (7.2% vs 5.2%, P=.044). Among those reporting nicotine pouch use, 5.9% in the text-only condition, compared to 0% in the image condition, listed a smokeless tobacco brand as one they tried, suggesting they were misclassified by the text-only question. Inclusion of product imagery can improve nicotine pouch measurement accuracy in surveys, while text-only measures may misestimate prevalence of awareness and use. Differences in nicotine pouch prevalence estimates may be explained in part by differences in survey measures, highlighting a need to harmonize measures across studies. In this first study to evaluate nicotine pouch measurement methods, findings suggest that existing surveillance and research efforts may be undermined by misclassification. Text-only measures of nicotine pouch awareness and use may produce biased prevalence estimates, and inclusion of product imagery can improve nicotine pouch measurement accuracy in surveys.

Estimating DNS Source and Cache Dynamics under Interval-Censored Age Sampling

Since inception, DNS has used a TTL-based replication scheme that allows the source (i.e., an authoritative domain server) to control the frequency of record eviction from client caches. Existing studies of DNS predominantly focus on reducing query latency and source bandwidth, both of which are optimized by increasing the cache hit rate. However, this causes less-frequent contacts with the source and results in higher staleness of retrieved records. Given high data-churn rates at certain providers (e.g., dynamic DNS, CDNs) and importance of consistency to their clients, we propose that cache models include the probability of freshness as an integral performance measure. We derive this metric under general update/download processes and present a novel framework for measuring its value using remote observation (i.e., without access to the source or the cache). Besides freshness, our methods can estimate the inter-update distribution of DNS records, cache hit rate, distribution of TTL, and query arrival rate from other clients. Furthermore, these algorithms do not require any changes to the existing infrastructure/protocols.

Self-Directed Violence Among Black Young Adults with Negative Police Experiences.

The current study assessed associations between negative experiences with police and self-directed violence (SDV) among a United States (US) sample of Black young adults ages 18-29 reporting lifetime police stops. Data come from the "INtervening on Self-Harm and Policing to Increase Racial Equity" (INSPIRE) survey (N = 672) and were collected between December 2023 and March 2024. This high-risk sample exhibited elevated rates of self-harm ideation or NSSI (27.23%) and attempted suicide (48.22%). Findings also revealed that, net of covariates, both police discrimination and arrest increased the relative risk of self-harm or NSSI by 257% and 242%, respectively. These police experiences also significantly increased the risk of attempted suicide. When examining specific forms of police discrimination, discrimination by race, immigration status, and sexual orientation emerged as significant predictors of one or more SDV outcomes. Results signal a need for SDV screenings among Black young adults with a history of negative experiences with police discrimination and arrest in the US.

Elucidating distinct and common fMRI-complexity patterns in pre-adolescent children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder diagnoses.

The pathophysiology of ADHD is complicated by high rates of psychiatric comorbidities, thus delineating unique versus shared functional brain perturbations is critical in elucidating illness pathophysiology. To investigate resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI)-complexity alterations among children with ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), respectively, and comorbid ADHD, ODD, and OCD, within the cool and hot executive function (EF) networks. We leveraged baseline data (wave 0) from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The data was collected between September 2016 and September 2019 from 21 sites in the USA. Children who singularly met all DSM-5 behavioral criteria for ADHD ( N = 61), ODD ( N = 38), and OCD ( N = 48), respectively, were extracted, alongside children with comorbid ADHD, ODD, OCD, and/or other psychiatric diagnoses ( N = 833). A control sample of age-, sex-, and developmentally-matched children was also extracted ( N = 269). Voxel-wise sample entropy (SampEn) was computed using the LOFT Complexity Toolbox. Mean SampEn within all regions of the EF networks was calculated for each participant and hierarchical models with Generalized Estimating Equations compared SampEn of comorbid-free and comorbid ADHD, ODD, and OCD within the EF networks. SampEn was reduced in comorbid-free ADHD and ODD in overlapping regions of both EF networks, including the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, anterior/posterior cingulate gyrus, and bilateral caudate (Wald statistic = 5.682 to 10.798, p < 0.05 & BH corrected), with ADHD additionally affected in the right inferior/middle frontal gyrus and bilateral frontal orbital cortex (Wald statistic = 7.231 to 9.420, p < 0.05 & BH corrected). Among comorbid presentations, the additional presence of ADHD symptomatology was associated with significantly lower SampEn in every region of interest ( z = -3.973 to -2.235, p < 0.05 & BH corrected). ADHD and ODD shared common impairments underlying the EF networks in the comorbid-free presentations, with ADHD showing more widespread complexity reduction. When ADHD co-occurred with other psychiatric disorders, the reduction in SampEn extended beyond the regions affected in comorbid-free ADHD, indicating that comorbidities amplify neural complexity deficits.

Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on Skin and Blood Melanin Traits in Xichou Black-Boned Chicken: A Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Study.

This study investigated the effects of ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation on the blackness traits of Xichou Black-boned Chickens and their underlying molecular mechanisms through combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. A total of 240 one-day-old Xichou Black-boned Chickens were randomly divided into four groups and exposed to different durations of UVA radiation at an intensity of 47 μW/cm2. Skin blackness was measured at 1, 22, and 45 days of age, and blood and pectoral skin samples were collected at 45 days for analysis. The results showed that an exposure time of 1 h per day at 47 μW/cm2 was ideal for enhancing the blackness traits of the chickens, while exposure times exceeding 3 h led to a significant increase in mortality. Omics studies revealed that the mTOR pathway and tryptophan metabolism pathway are potentially involved in the biological processes by which UVA radiation affects the blackness traits of Xichou Black-boned Chickens, with the FZD3 gene being a candidate gene for these effects. These findings provide theoretical foundations and references for understanding the molecular regulation of blackness traits in these chickens and the potential application of UVA radiation in their production.

Fundamental constraints and questions from the study of Martian meteorites and the need for returned samples

Physical materials from planetary bodies are crucial for understanding fundamental processes that constrain the evolution of the solar system, as samples can be analyzed at high precision and accuracy in Earth-based laboratories. Mars is the only planet outside of Earth from which we possess samples in the form of meteorites. Martian meteorites (n > 350) have enabled constraints to be placed on various aspects of the red planet’s formation and evolution, notably: that Mars accreted and differentiated rapidly; that the planet has a complex volatile element evolution; and that it has always been volcanically active with a rich and diverse magmatic history. Meteorites have limitations, however, with lack of field context, restricted lithological diversity compared to the martian surface, and with no sampling of a major portion of Mars’ history between 4.1 and 2.4 billion years ago. Returned samples from Mars have the potential to fill these gaps and answer many open questions driven by the study of meteorites, as well as reveal new fundamental research questions. Key questions that Mars Sample Return is likely to answer regard the basic evolution of the martian interior and surface, its potential for habitability and the possibility of past life, and calibration of age dating of the martian surface. Samples of various lithologies and different ages collected at Jezero crater by the Perseverance rover will aid in better understanding our own planet and will answer outstanding questions regarding Mars’ future geological evolution and habitability.

Trends and disparities in alcohol screening and brief counseling following the U.S. Affordable Care Act.

U.S. health reforms increased primary care access for underserved groups and provided support for alcohol screening and brief counseling (ASBC) in primary care. We examined temporal trends and changing disparities in ASBC from 2013 to 2019. A sample of adults ages 18-64 who had consumed alcohol and received primary care in the past year (N = 150,332) was drawn from the 2013-2019 U.S. National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. ASBC outcomes included alcohol quantity screening, problem assessment, brief counseling, and provision of treatment information. We compared adjusted prevalence of ASBC across time by insurance type and by race and ethnicity for three alcohol severity groups (no heavy drinking (HD) or alcohol use disorder (AUD); HD without AUD; and AUD). Covariates included demographics, drinking pattern, health conditions, drug use disorder, and healthcare visits. Adjusted prevalence of ASBC outcomes (excepting quantity assessment) remained low across years. Prevalence of problem assessment was ≤ 10.1 % and brief counseling ≤ 4.0 % in the HD-only group; and 16.4-17.3 % and 14.9-15.6 %, respectively, in the AUD group. Significant increases by alcohol severity level were modest (<8.6 percentage points for quantity assessment; <2.0 points for other outcomes). White adults showed increases in all ASBC outcomes, followed by the privately-insured showing increased quantity and problem assessment. Insurance- and race-based disparities increased over time. White-Black disparities in quantity assessment increased nearly four-fold among individuals who drink heavily and almost three-fold among those who did not drink heavily. Evidence-based alcohol preventive care was increasingly inequitable. Interventions to increase ASBC generally and particularly for underserved groups are warranted.

National Survey of Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility in United States Veterans.

Lung cancer screening is underutilized, especially in rural areas where lung cancer mortality is high. Approximately 11.2% of the United States (US) population over age 50 meet the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 2021 lung cancer screening eligibility criteria; the proportion of eligible Veterans is unknown. This study evaluated the proportion of Veterans who are USPSTF-eligible and tested the hypothesis that more USPSTF-2021-eligible Veterans reside in rural versus non-rural areas. Investigators cross-sectionally surveyed a national sample of Veterans age 50 years and older January-November 2022. Oversampling ensured inclusion of minority groups and accounted for geographic variation in tobacco use. Analyses in 2023-2024 evaluated the proportion of USPSTF-eligible Veterans by year (2013 and 2021) and tested USPSTF-2021 eligibility by rural status (rural vs non-rural) using Chi square tests. Weighting accounted for survey non-response and applied results to the whole Veteran population in a sensitivity analysis. Of 2,000 surveyed, 754 responded (37.7% response rate); most respondents were White (74.4%), male (92.6%), resided in non-rural areas (66.0%). Proportions meeting USPSTF criteria were 35.5% (95% CI 31.6-39.6%) in 2021 and 27.8% (95%CI 24.3-31.7%) in 2013. The proportion of USPSTF-2021-eligible rural Veterans (41.2%;95%CI 34.8-48.0%) was higher compared with non-rural (32.5%;95% CI 27.7-37.7%), P=0.037. A sensitivity analysis found the proportion of Veterans USPSTF-2021-eligible in the whole population was 33.0%. The proportion of Veterans USPSTF-2021-eligible was nearly three times higher than the general US population (11.2%), and a greater proportion of eligible Veterans resided in rural compared with non-rural areas. These findings are critical for policies aimed at fully implementing lung cancer screening at scale.

USING DATA TO DRIVE POLICY: AN EXAMPLE OF A STATE–UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES

Abstract The Pennsylvania Department on Aging (PDA) is developing a “Master Plan for Older Adults” called “Aging Our Way.” The plan will help guide policies and programs for the next 10 years. Agency leadership turned to the University of Pittsburgh to conduct a statewide needs assessment survey as part of a broad stakeholder engagement process that involved community meetings in all 67 counties. The University conducted a statewide telephone survey drawing on the Age-Friendly Community model. A sample of adults age 60 and older was stratified into eight regions to assure that the entire state was represented. To reach non-English speaking adults and disabled adults who might not respond by telephone, a web-based version of the survey was developed and translated into Chinese, Spanish and Russian and distributed via email to stakeholder groups. Paper versions in were mailed to community-based organizations to reach individuals who were not able to access the internet. The telephone survey results (n=900) were weighted to match the 2021 American Community Survey. The web-based survey results (n=6950) are reported separately. Findings were presented to the Long-Term Care Council, a stakeholder group that is convened by the PDA to advise on policy. The Council was formed into several subcommittees that addressed different policy topics (e.g., housing, transportation). The draft report developed by the Council was shared with the University team to develop objectives that could be measured by repeating the survey. The overall collaboration between the University and the PDA led to a strong, empirically based report.

ASSESSMENT OF SUBJECTIVE SEXUAL EXPERIENCES OF OLDER ADULTS

Abstract There is extensive research focusing on sexual dysfunction, decreased frequency, and sexual effects of aging, however few studies explore older adults’ subjective sexual experiences. Consequently, ageist myths prevail that older adults are neither sexually active nor desirous and the quality of their sexual activity must be extremely poor due to dysfunction and older bodies. The aim of this study was to determine how older adults assess their sexual experiences, what aspects are important, and their sexual outlook through survey research with a sample of individuals age 60+ (N=556). The results found older adults are overwhelmingly positive about their sexual experiences along with a realistic recognition of aging effects. Almost all, 85%, are sexually active, partnered and/or solo sex. Satisfaction is high indicated by 45% extremely/very satisfied with both quality and frequency and by a majority rating recent sexual experiences above average on a 1 to 10 scale and a third ranking it as “great sex” (8+). Their positivity is further evidenced as 80% describe their recent sexual experiences as fun and 67% answered exciting, despite 60% also recognizing it is predictable and more challenging, and 72% admitting it’s not their best sex ever. Sexual desire remains high as the majority look forward to their next sexual experience and 70% anticipate an unlimited number of orgasms in their future. Consistent trends were found across all 4 age groups. This study’s findings are significant for reframing the myths and demonstrating that older adults are sexually interested and having overwhelmingly positive sexual experiences.

Структура феномена социально-психологического благополучия личности детей: концептуальные представления и результаты эмпирического исследования

This study is relevant because socio-psychological well-being of children is rarely researched due to the difficulty in identifying its indicators, which vary at different stages of primary socialization. A partial solution to this problem is feasible if the concept of “socio-psychological well-being” is developed and its operationalization and psychometric verification of the model on a specific age sample are conducted. The aim of this study is to carry out a psychometric verification of the structure of socio-psychological well-being. Hypothesis: There is a correlation between the indicators of the three components of socio-psychological well-being of a personality (SPWBP). All indicators of the “self-attitude” component are positively correlated with all indicators of the other two components of SPWBP; however, not all indicators of the components “relationships with significant others” and “agency” are correlated. Participants: 116 children aged from 5.5 to 7 years (M = 6.1; SD = 0.40), with 50% being males; all residing in Moscow. Methods (tools): The study employed several methodologies, including “Typology of the Subject Regulation of the Child” (S. V. Khusainova, G. S. Prygin) and the projective technique “Draw a Story” (R. Silver) for assessing the empirical referents of “self-attitude”; “Secret” (T. A. Repina), “The family in the Representations of Children” (T. V. Drobysheva, I. N. Mikieva), “Drawing a Family,” as well as clarifying conversation for evaluating “relationships with others”; “Peculiarities of the Manifestation of the Will of Preschoolers” (R. M. Gevorkyan) for measuring indicators of “agency.” Additionally, a questionnaire collected the socio-demographic data of the children. Results: The concept and structure of children’s SPWBP were formulated based on theoretical analysis. The hypothesis suggesting a three-component structure of SPWBP has been empirically confirmed, and a high consistency of SPWBP indicators within each of the components has been established. Conclusions: Self–attitude is fundamental in the structure of SPWBP, linking the other two components: “agency” and “relationships with significant others.” Respondents’ level of satisfaction with their relationships with others depends on the consistency of their self-assessments and the modality of their self-attitude. A positive self-attitude stimulates agency in children (their ability to show initiative, independence and endurance in interaction with peers). Practical Significance: The research findings can inform psychological assessments for children, educational practices, and parental counseling.

The first serological survey of C. Burnetii in domestic animals in Poland

Background• Q fever, known as coxiellosis in animals, represents a global zoonotic threat caused by the intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii). The disease affects many animal species, including those considered significant reservoirs, such as cattle, sheep and goats. Transmission of the pathogen to other domestic animals, including companion animals, and then to humans has also been observed, highlighting the importance of understanding the epidemiology and prevalence of C. burnetii among companion animals. The present study aimed to determine the frequency of seroreagents for C. burnetii within pet dogs, cats and rabbits from urban Poland areas and identify possible risk factors for these animals.Results• In total, serum samples from 491 dogs, 427 cats and 93 rabbits were used in the study. The seroprevalence of anti-C. burnetii antibodies in dogs and cats reached 0.61% (3/491; 95% CI: 0.21–1.78) and 0.23% (1/427; 95% CI: 0.04–1.31), respectively. No significant differences in seroprevalence across species and different subpopulations (age group, gender, exhibited symptoms, or sampling location) were found. All 93 samples from rabbits were negative for anti-C.burnetii antibodies.Conclusions• The seroprevalence rates of C. burnetii in dogs and cats were low; however, our results confirm that pet dogs and cats in Poland can be exposed to C. burnetii and may exhibit serological reactions. It has been reported that people who come into contact with secretions and excretions from the reproductive systems of dogs and cats (such as breeders, veterinarians, and veterinary clinic staff) may be at risk of contracting C. burnetii. Based on the findings, it is advised to be particularly cautious, especially when assisting with dogs and cats giving birth. Coxiellosis should be considered a potential cause of reproductive disorders in these animals. The results indicate that rabbits are probably less important in the circulation of the C. burnetii in the present study. This is the first serological survey of C. burnetii in pet dogs, cats and rabbits in Poland.

Turfgrass species and sward age influence soil carbon pools near the soil surface

AbstractEnhancing soil carbon (C) sequestration helps reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Turfgrasses are important crops in the urban environment and have shown potential for C sequestration. However, little is known about how turfgrass species selection affects soil C concentration or how this varies over time. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of three turfgrass species, sward age, and soil sampling depth on total soil C and N, soil organic matter (SOM), and labile soil C. A total of 25 locations throughout Indiana were sampled from established swards of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.], and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) with varying sward age. Turfgrass species affected soil total C and labile C concentrations but had no effect on soil total nitrogen (N) or SOM. Differences between the C pools of soils under turf 0–10 years in age compared to those 11–25 years in age only occurred near the soil surface. As turf swards age, total soil C, total soil N, and SOM increased near the soil surface (0‐ to 7.5‐cm depth) and little beyond the 7.5 cm in depth. The strong relationship (p ≤ 0.0001, R2 &gt; 0.57) between total N, SOM, and labile C highlighted their interplay in the mineralization of N from SOM and changes in the short‐term C pool of a turfgrass system.

Receipt of Family Planning Services in the United States: 2022-2023.

This report uses data from the 2022‒2023 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to estimate receipt of family planning services by selected characteristics among females ages 15‒49 in the United States. NSFG data were collected through a multi-mode design (in-person and web interviews) with a nationally representative samples of males and females ages 15-49 in the household population of the United States. This report uses data from 5,586 females who completed the survey between January 2022 and December 2023. During 2022‒2023, 35.7% of females ages 15‒49 received a family planning service in the past 12 months. A larger percentage of White, non-Hispanic females ages 15‒49 received a family planning service (39.7%) compared with Black, non-Hispanic (34.7%) and Hispanic (32.4%) females.

Officer gunpoint during police stops: Repercussions for youth mental health and perceived safety.

Youth-police contact is increasingly acknowledged as a stressor and a racialized adverse childhood experience that can undermine youths' mental health. The present study investigates a particularly distressing feature of youths' direct and witnessed in-person police stops-officer gunpoint (i.e., officers drawing of firearms and pointing them at youth, their peers, or other community members). We examine patterns of youths' officer gunpoint exposure and associations with youth mental health and safety perceptions. Data come from the Survey of Police-Adolescent Contact Experiences (SPACE), a cross-sectional survey of a community-based sample of Black youth ages 12-21 in Baltimore City, Maryland (n = 335), administered from August 2022 to July 2023. Findings indicate that ~33% of youth reporting in-person police stops had been exposed to officer gunpoint during stops. Officer gunpoint was significantly and positively associated with being male, unemployed, having an incarcerated parent, living in a neighborhood with greater disorder, and having been directly stopped by police, in addition to youth delinquency and impulsivity. Net of covariates, experiencing officer gunpoint was associated with a significantly higher rate of youth emotional distress during stops. Significant associations between officer gunpoint and youths' current police violence stress, police avoidance, and diminished safety perceptions also emerged and were largely explained by youths' heightened emotional distress at the time of police stops. Trauma-informed approaches are needed to mitigate the mental health harms of youth experiencing officer gunpoint.

The impact of telehealth cost-sharing on healthcare utilization: Evidence from high-deductible health plans.

Evaluate whether cost-sharing decreases led high-deductible health plans (HDHP) enrollees to increase their use of healthcare. National sample of chronically-ill patients age 18-64 from 2018 to 2020 (n = 1,318,178). Difference-in-differences analyses using entropy-balancing weights were used to evaluate the effect of a policy shift to $0 cost-sharing for telehealth on utilization for HDHP compared with non-HDHP enrollees. Due to this shock, HDHP enrollees experienced substantial declines in cost-sharing for telehealth, while non-HDHP enrollees experienced small declines. Event study models were also used to evaluate changes over time. Outcomes included use of any outpatient care; use of $0 telehealth; use of $0 telehealth as a proportion of all outpatient care; and use of any telehealth. To test whether any differences were due to preferences for care modality versus cost-sharing, we further evaluated use of non-$0 telehealth as a placebo test. There was no difference in change in overall outpatient visits (p = 0.84), with chronicall-ill HDHP enrollees using less care both before and after the policy shift. However, compared with non-HDHP enrollees, HDHP enrollees increased their use of $0 telehealth by 0.08 visits over a 9-month period, a 27% increase (95% CI 0.07-0.09, p < 0.001) and shifted 1.2 percentage points more of their care to $0 telehealth, a 15% increase (ß = 0.01, 95% CI 0.01, 0.01, p < 0.001). However, HDHP enrollees had lower uptake of non-$0 telehealth than non-HDHP enrollees (ß = -0.01, 95%CI -0.02, 0.00, p = 0.04). Recent-but-expiring federallegislation exempts telehealth from HDHP deductibles for care provided in 2023 and 2024. Our results indicate that extending the protections provided by this legislation could help reduce the gap in access to care for chronically-ill persons enrolled in HDHPs.