Southwest United States Research Articles

How Do Forecast Model Biases Affect Large-Scale Teleconnections That Control Southwest U.S. Precipitation? Part I: S2S Models

Abstract We analyze biases in subseasonal forecast models and their effect on Southwest United States (SWUS) precipitation prediction (2–6-week time scale). Cluster analyses identify three primary wave trains associated with SWUS precipitation: a meridional El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)–type wave train, an arching Pacific–North American (PNA)–type wave train, and a circumglobal zonal wave train. Compared to reanalysis, the models overrepresent the arching pattern, underrepresent the zonal pattern, and produce mixed results for the meridional pattern. The arching pattern overrepresentation is linked to model mean flow biases in the midlatitude–subpolar North Pacific, which cause a westward retraction of the region of forbidden linear Rossby wave propagation. The zonal pattern underrepresentation is linked to westerly biases in the subtropical jet, which cause a westward retraction of the waveguide in the midlatitude eastern North Pacific and divert wave trains southward. These results are confirmed using linear, barotropic ray-tracing analysis. In addition to mean state biases, the models also contain errors in their representation of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). Tropical convection anomalies associated with the MJO are too weak and incoherent at lead times greater than 2 weeks when compared to reanalysis. Additionally, there is a strong SWUS precipitation signal as far out as 5 weeks after a strong MJO in reanalysis, associated with its persistent eastward propagation, but this signal is absent in the models. Our results indicate that there is still significant room for improvement in subseasonal predictions if we can reduce model biases in the background flow and improve the representation of the MJO.

Social determinants of pet needs among young adults experiencing homelessness in the Southwest United States

ABSTRACT A substantial proportion of unhoused Americans own pets, yet there is a dearth of research examining what factors predict unhoused people needing support to care for pets. With this information, support programs for unhoused pet owners can be targeted more effectively and efficiently. Survey data included young adults aged 18–34 (n = 205) experiencing homelessness in Phoenix, Arizona. We fit logistic regression models predicting pet needs (has pet needs versus does not have pet needs). We included demographic covariates and information regarding respondents’ situations, including their ability to find support and care for themselves. Unhoused People of Color were significantly more likely to have pet needs than unhoused non-Hispanic White people. Respondents who needed protection from rape, needed help finding other people to spend time with, and had some form of health insurance were also more likely to have pet needs. The widespread pet-exclusionary policies of many support services may exclude some of the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness, namely People of Color and people at risk of sexual assault. Our findings support the expansion of pet-inclusive homelessness support services.

Prediction of post-PCV13 pneumococcal evolution using invasive disease data enhanced by inverse-invasiveness weighting.

After introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), serotype replacement occurred in Streptococcus pneumoniae. Predicting which pneumococcal strains will become common in carriage after vaccination can enhance vaccine design, public health interventions, and understanding of pneumococcal evolution. Invasive pneumococcal isolates were collected during 1998-2018 by the Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs). Carriage data from Massachusetts (MA) and Southwest United States were used to calculate weights. Using pre-vaccine data, serotype-specific inverse-invasiveness weights were defined as the ratio of the proportion of the serotype in carriage to the proportion in invasive data. Genomic data were processed under bioinformatic pipelines to define genetically similar sequence clusters (i.e., strains), and accessory genes (COGs) present in 5-95% of isolates. Weights were applied to adjust observed strain proportions and COG frequencies. The negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS) model predicted strain proportions by calculating the post-vaccine strain composition in the weighted invasive disease population that would best match pre-vaccine COG frequencies. Inverse-invasiveness weighting increased the correlation of COG frequencies between invasive and carriage data in linear or logit scale for pre-vaccine, post-PCV7, and post-PCV13; and between different epochs in the invasive data. Weighting the invasive data significantly improved the NFDS model's accuracy in predicting strain proportions in the carriage population in the post-PCV13 epoch, with the adjusted R2 increasing from 0.254 before weighting to 0.545 after weighting. The weighting system adjusted invasive disease data to better represent the pneumococcal carriage population, allowing the NFDS mechanism to predict strain proportions in carriage in the post-PCV13 epoch. Our methods enrich the value of genomic sequences from invasive disease surveillance.IMPORTANCEStreptococcus pneumoniae, a common colonizer in the human nasopharynx, can cause invasive diseases including pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis mostly in children under 5 years or older adults. The PCV7 was introduced in 2000 in the United States within the pediatric population to prevent disease and reduce deaths, followed by PCV13 in 2010, PCV15 in 2022, and PCV20 in 2023. After the removal of vaccine serotypes, the prevalence of carriage remained stable as the vacated pediatric ecological niche was filled with certain non-vaccine serotypes. Predicting which pneumococcal clones, and which serotypes, will be most successful in colonization after vaccination can enhance vaccine design and public health interventions, while also improving our understanding of pneumococcal evolution. While carriage data, which are collected from the pneumococcal population that is competing to colonize and transmit, are most directly relevant to evolutionary studies, invasive disease data are often more plentiful. Previously, evolutionary models based on negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS) on the accessory genome were shown to predict which non-vaccine strains and serotypes were most successful in colonization following the introduction of PCV7. Here, we show that an inverse-invasiveness weighting system applied to invasive disease surveillance data allows the NFDS model to predict strain proportions in the projected carriage population in the post-PCV13/pre-PCV15 and pre-PCV20 epoch. The significance of our research lies in using a sample of invasive disease surveillance data to extend the use of NFDS as an evolutionary mechanism to predict post-PCV13 population dynamics. This has shown that we can correct for biased sampling that arises from differences in virulence and can enrich the value of genomic data from disease surveillance and advance our understanding of how NFDS impacts carriage population dynamics after both PCV7 and PCV13 vaccination.

Magnetic signature of deep pit ovens from Paquimé, ceremonial center of the Casas Grandes culture (Northern Mexico)

The Casas Grandes culture in Northern Mexico and Southwest United States has been characterized by its impressive architecture - unique to desert cultures, with houses and constructions of up to four floors built by adobe. In this study, we report an integrated rock-magnetic and archaeomagnetic study from Paquimé archaeological site, considered as an outstanding testimony of the relationship between the cultures of North America and Mesoamerica. The In Situ structures of Paquimé archaeological zone were magnetically analyzed for the first time. Four up to 2.6 m deep Pit Ovens, commonly used for agave cooking, were sampled. 78 specimens were subjected to stepwise alternating field demagnetizations to retrieve characteristic remanence archaeodirections. The great majority of samples yielded evidence of essentially stable, single component remanent magnetization carried by the end members of titanomagnetite solid solutions (almost magnetite phase). Hematite grains apparently also co-exist, but their contribution in total thermoremanence is minor. The archaeomagnetic dating, based on mean declination and inclination, was performed using the global geomagnetic models and the available regional Paleosecular Variation Curves available for Mesoamerica. Additionally, SW United State paleosecular variation patterns from Four Corner region was also considered. The most probable age interval for one of the studied ovens (around 940 AD) is out of Paquimé’s main occupation phase between 1200 and 1450 AD. The age estimation for the PH1 pit oven, around 1150 AD, could be located near the limit of the beginning of the Medio Period. Remained two analyzed ovens yielded up to three possible ages distributed around 1100, 1320 and 1480 AD. Pit Ovens studied here, were long time considered to correspond to same time interval, while these new results attest that these combustion structures encompassed almost six centuries in agreement with the historical fact that the city of Paquimé was abandoned before the arrival of the Spaniards.

Direct and Legacy Effects of Varying Cool-Season Precipitation Totals on Ecosystem Carbon Flux in a Semi-Arid Mixed Grassland.

In the semi-arid grasslands of the southwest United States, annual precipitation is divided between warm-season (July-September) convective precipitation and cool-season (December-March) frontal storms. While evidence suggests shifts in precipitation seasonal distribution, there is a poor understanding of the ecosystem carbon flux responses to cool-season precipitation and the potential legacy effects on subsequent warm-season carbon fluxes. Results from a two-year experiment with three cool-season precipitation treatments (dry, received 5th percentile cool-season total precipitation; normal, 50th; wet, 95th) and constant warm-season precipitation illustrate the direct and legacy effects on carbon fluxes, but in opposing ways. In wet cool-season plots, gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) were 103% and 127% higher than in normal cool-season plots. In dry cool-season plots, GPP and ER were 47% and 85% lower compared to normal cool-season plots. Unexpectedly, we found a positive legacy effect of the dry cool-season treatment on warm-season carbon flux, resulting in a significant increase in both GPP and ER in the subsequent warm season, compared to normal cool-season plots. Our results reveal positive legacy effects of cool-season drought on warm-season carbon fluxes and highlight the importance of the relatively under-studied cool-growing season and its direct/indirect impact on the ecosystem carbon budget.

The Trajectory of Antibody Responses One Year Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Indigenous Individuals in the Southwest United States

SARS-CoV-2 antibody kinetics based on immunologic history is not fully understood. We analyzed anti-spike and anti-nucleocapsid antibody responses following acute infection in a cohort of Indigenous persons. The models of peak concentrations and decay rates estimated that one year after infection, participants would serorevert for anti-nucleocapsid antibodies and remain seropositive for anti-spike antibodies. The peak anti-spike concentrations were higher for individuals vaccinated prior to infection, but the decay rates were similar across immunologic status groups. Children had significantly lower peak anti-spike concentrations than adults. This study affirms the importance of continued vaccination to maintain high levels of immunity in the face of waning immunity.

Satellite observations indicate that chia uses less water than other crops in warm climates

Many parts of the world face severe and prolonged drought conditions, stressing the sustainability of water resources and agriculture. Transitioning to water-efficient crops is one strategy that can help adapt to water scarcity. An emerging drought-tolerant crop of interest is chia (Salvia hispanica). Yet, no study has compared its large-scale water use dynamics to those of widely established crops across the globe. Here, we use satellite data over multiple years to assess the water use efficiency of chia, alfalfa, corn, and soybean globally. Results show that chia consumed 13-38% less water than alfalfa, corn, and soy and assimilated 14-20% more carbon per amount of water used. Substituting 10% of Southwest United States alfalfa cultivation with chia would save 184 million liters of water per growing season, equivalent to the annual water consumption of 1,300 households. Future research shall explore the economic, societal, and environmental ramifications of substituting alfalfa with chia in dry areas worldwide. These insights can guide decision-makers in promoting sustainable agriculture and water resource management.

Association between Precipitation Events, Drought, and Animal Operations with Campylobacter Infections in the Southwest United States, 2009–2021

Association between Precipitation Events, Drought, and Animal Operations with <i>Campylobacter</i> Infections in the Southwest United States, 2009–2021

Daily Variation in Religious Activities, Spiritual Experiences, Alcohol Use, and Life Satisfaction Among Emerging Adults in the USA.

Research suggests that religious activity and spiritual experiences are associated with well-being among emerging adults. This research is primarily evaluated on the between-person level, leaving within-person effects largely unexplored. We examined relations between religious activity and spiritual experiences and their relation to life satisfaction and alcohol use among 383 college students at a moderately large university in the southwest USA. Participants completed daily reports of study measures. Multilevel regression indicated that daily religious activities and spiritual experiences were directly, and indirectly through moral emotions, associated with satisfaction with life. Results suggest that students who engage in regular religious activity and spiritual experience see a concomitant increase in life satisfaction.

Quantifying urban park use in the USA at scale: empirical estimates of realised park usage using smartphone location data

A large body of evidence connects access to greenspace with substantial benefits to physical and mental health. In urban settings where access to greenspace can be limited, park access and use have been associated with higher levels of physical activity, improved physical health, and lower levels of markers of mental distress. Despite the potential health benefits of urban parks, little is known about how park usage varies across locations (between or within cities) or over time. We estimated park usage among urban residents (identified as residents of urban census tracts) in 498 US cities from 2019 to 2021 from aggregated and anonymised opted-in smartphone location history data. We used descriptive statistics to quantify differences in park usage over time, between cities, and across census tracts within cities, and used generalised linear models to estimate the associations between park usage and census tract level descriptors. In spring (March 1 to May 31) 2019, 18·9% of urban residents visited a park at least once per week, with average use higher in northwest and southwest USA, and lowest in the southeast. Park usage varied substantially both within and between cities; was unequally distributed across census tract-level markers of race, ethnicity, income, and social vulnerability; and was only moderately correlated with established markers of census tract greenspace. In spring 2019, a doubling of walking time to parks was associated with a 10·1% (95% CI 5·6-14·3) lower average weekly park usage, adjusting for city and social vulnerability index. The median decline in park usage from spring 2019 to spring 2020 was 38·0% (IQR 28·4-46·5), coincident with the onset of physical distancing policies across much of the country. We estimated that the COVID-19-related decline in park usage was more pronounced for those living further from a park and those living in areas of higher social vulnerability. These estimates provide novel insights into the patterns and correlates of park use and could enable new studies of the health benefits of urban greenspace. In addition, the availability of an empirical park usage metric that varies over time could be a useful tool for assessing the effectiveness of policies intended to increase such activities. Google.

25-Year Evaluation of an In-Person Therapeutic Community Program in the Southwest United States between 1994 and 2019

This study investigated the effect of therapeutic community programming and aftercare treatment completion on rearrest rates in the Southwest United States across 25 years. The asymptote of rearrest trajectories did not occur until 10 years post-release, although this varied by risk classification. Treatment receipt was not related to 25-year rearrest trajectories. However, people classified as higher risk were more likely to be rearrested than those classified a low risk while controlling for treatment receipt. Aftercare completion extended the time to arrest; individuals completing an aftercare program were less likely to be arrested, and high-risk participants that completed aftercare showed a similar rearrest trajectory as low-risk participants.

Exploring Canine Picornavirus Diversity in the USA Using Wastewater Surveillance: From High-Throughput Genomic Sequencing to Immuno-Informatics and Capsid Structure Modeling.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic resulted in a scale-up of viral genomic surveillance globally. However, the wet lab constraints (economic, infrastructural, and personnel) of translating novel virus variant sequence information to meaningful immunological and structural insights that are valuable for the development of broadly acting countermeasures (especially for emerging and re-emerging viruses) remain a challenge in many resource-limited settings. Here, we describe a workflow that couples wastewater surveillance, high-throughput sequencing, phylogenetics, immuno-informatics, and virus capsid structure modeling for the genotype-to-serotype characterization of uncultivated picornavirus sequences identified in wastewater. Specifically, we analyzed canine picornaviruses (CanPVs), which are uncultivated and yet-to-be-assigned members of the family Picornaviridae that cause systemic infections in canines. We analyzed 118 archived (stored at -20 °C) wastewater (WW) samples representing a population of ~700,000 persons in southwest USA between October 2019 to March 2020 and October 2020 to March 2021. Samples were pooled into 12 two-liter volumes by month, partitioned (into filter-trapped solids [FTSs] and filtrates) using 450 nm membrane filters, and subsequently concentrated to 2 mL (1000×) using 10,000 Da MW cutoff centrifugal filters. The 24 concentrates were subjected to RNA extraction, CanPV complete capsid single-contig RT-PCR, Illumina sequencing, phylogenetics, immuno-informatics, and structure prediction. We detected CanPVs in 58.3% (14/24) of the samples generated 13,824,046 trimmed Illumina reads and 27 CanPV contigs. Phylogenetic and pairwise identity analyses showed eight CanPV genotypes (intragenotype divergence <14%) belonging to four clusters, with intracluster divergence of <20%. Similarity analysis, immuno-informatics, and virus protomer and capsid structure prediction suggested that the four clusters were likely distinct serological types, with predicted cluster-distinguishing B-cell epitopes clustered in the northern and southern rims of the canyon surrounding the 5-fold axis of symmetry. Our approach allows forgenotype-to-serotype characterization of uncultivated picornavirus sequences by coupling phylogenetics, immuno-informatics, and virus capsid structure prediction. This consequently bypasses a major wet lab-associated bottleneck, thereby allowing resource-limited settings to leapfrog from wastewater-sourced genomic data to valuable immunological insights necessary for the development of prophylaxis and other mitigation measures.

How old are the Mojave topographic dunes? The implications of new luminescence dating analyses from the Cady Mountains, Mojave Desert, southwest USA

The aeolian landforms of the Mojave Desert in the SW USA have been studied in detail over the last three decades, particularly in terms of their relationship to the region's topography and Pleistocene climate / sediment supply histories, as well as wider developments, such as the aeolian “sediment state” concept. In this context, the evolution of the Mojave River and its associated palaeolakes is thought to have been a key control on long-term sediment supply to aeolian systems, and luminescence dating chronologies for a range of (resulting) aeolian landforms have been related to these hydrological changes. Here we argue that at least some of these aeolian chronologies need to be re-assessed.We focus on luminescence chronologies for aeolian landforms within and marginal to the Cady Mountains, a mountain block adjacent to the Mojave River and palaeolake Manix, east of Barstow, California. We demonstrate that quartz in this locale exhibits several malign luminescence properties, and that low temperature K-feldspar infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) consistently exhibits high anomalous fading rates. Both contribute to age underestimation. We address these issues via post-infrared IRSL (pIRIR) and post-isothermal post-IR (pIt-IR) analyses of K-feldspars. The resulting ages span the last ~120 ka and imply phases of aeolian activity of a substantially greater antiquity than previously inferred. Notably, at one well-studied site – the Soldier Mountain sand ramp – the new ages suggest a landform dating not to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 1 or 2, as previously suggested, but more likely to MIS 5. The Cady Mountain record indicates that the only period of the last glacial cycle lacking evidence for aeolian sedimentation is ~40–9 ka, broadly consistent with expectations of increased regional humidity. These results also suggest that site topographic context may influence the age structure of aeolian deposits. In this instance, sand ramps consistently represent the oldest type of deposit (range ~ 40–120 ka), while early-mid Holocene dune accumulation is associated with sandsheets and valley-fill sands. Based on these findings, we argue that there is a need to critically re-assess the existing regional luminescence age database, and that there is potential to significantly revise our understanding of the region's aeolian system responses, and associated paleoenvironmental interpretations.

Characterizing fire and fire atmospheric states from space using collocated hyperspectral infrared sounding and narrow-band imagery

Under the influence of global climate change, wildfires are becoming increasingly significant within ecosystems. Satellite technology offers a critical perspective for studying fire. The synergy of high-spatial resolution narrow-band imagers and hyperspectral infrared (IR) sounders allow for comprehensive observation and long-term global monitoring of fire characteristics and associated atmospheric changes on the pixel scale. This study demonstrates methods to utilize the pixel-scale collocated fire observations from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the IR radiance spectra from the Cross Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), onboard NASA's Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite, to analyze fire and the atmospheric conditions before, during, and after fires. Two months of satellite observations over the Southwest United States and the Amazonia regions when large fires occurred in the regions of interest (October 2017 and August 2020) are used. Our findings reveal that CrIS has high sensitivity to fire that affects as little as 1% of its field of view (FOV) with FOV total fire radiative power (FRP) larger than 200 MW (MW) at night and 1000 MW during the day. By employing spectral principal component analysis (PCA), the CrIS spectral signature to atmospheric temperature, humidity, and trace gases corresponding to fire characteristics are quantified. This approach highlights that collocated imager and IR sounder data, when paired with PCA, provide a powerful method to effectively identify and monitor wildfires. This technique also allows for the observation of subsequent atmospheric alterations while managing data volume efficiently, ensuring that crucial spectral information is preserved. This methodology advances our ability to understand and respond to the multifaceted impacts of wildfires on both local and global scales, reinforcing the value of integrated satellite observations in environmental science.

Baby Boomer Gay Men’s Experiences with Primary Healthcare

ABSTRACT This research explored baby boomer gay men’s experiences with primary healthcare and their perspectives of future long-term care. Baby boomer gay men’s perspectives about primary healthcare remain understudied in the United States. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with 30 baby boomer men in the Southwest USA. We used semi-structured interviews to assess participants’ initiation and maintenance of primary healthcare, disclosure of sexual orientation to providers, and perspectives about future healthcare needs, including long-term care. Data were analyzed with a latent thematic analysis. We found baby boomer gay men anticipate discrimination because of their sexual orientation whenever they establish healthcare with new providers. Participants identified circumstantial comfort in the new healthcare setting as a key motivator to disclose their sexual orientation. Thus, baby boomer gay men specifically sought gay or gay-friendly healthcare providers to ease the burden of managing disclosure and to permit free discussion of their sexual orientation and healthcare needs. Participants faced recurring anticipation of rejection and discrimination from healthcare providers, which extends to their perceptions of current healthcare encounters and future long-term care placement. Healthcare providers would benefit from understanding the practice implications of this dynamic. Future research on primary healthcare inclusivity is needed.

Synoptic Analysis and WRF‐Chem Model Simulation of Dust Events in the Southwestern United States

AbstractDust transported from rangelands of the Southwestern United States (US) to mountain snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin during spring (March‐May) forces earlier and faster snowmelt, which creates problems for water resources and agriculture. To better understand the drivers of dust events, we investigated large‐scale meteorology responsible for organizing two Southwest US dust events from two different dominant geographic locations: (a) the Colorado Plateau and (b) the northern Chihuahuan Desert. High‐resolution Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry model (WRF‐Chem) simulations with the Air Force Weather Agency dust emission scheme incorporating a MODIS albedo‐based drag‐partition was used to explore land surface‐atmosphere interactions driving two dust events. We identified commonalities in their meteorological setups. The meteorological analyses revealed that Polar and Sub‐tropical jet stream interaction was a common upper‐level meteorological feature before each of the two dust events. When the two jet streams merged, a strong northeast‐directed pressure gradient upstream and over the source areas resulted in strong near‐surface winds, which lifted available dust into the atmosphere. Concurrently, a strong mid‐tropospheric flow developed over the dust source areas, which transported dust to the San Juan Mountains and southern Colorado snowpack. The WRF‐Chem simulations reproduced both dust events, indicating that the simulations represented the dust sources that contributed to dust‐on‐snow events reasonably well. The representativeness of the simulated dust emission and transport in different geographic and meteorological conditions with our use of albedo‐based drag partition provides a basis for additional dust‐on‐snow simulations to assess the hydrologic impact in the Southwest US.

Evidence for human-caused founder effect in populations of Solanum jamesii at archaeological sites: II. Genetic sequencing establishes ancient transport across the Southwest USA.

The domestication of wild plant species can begin with gathering and transport of propagules by Indigenous peoples. The effect on genomic composition, especially in clonal, self-incompatible perennials would be instantaneous and drastic with respect to new, anthropogenic populations subsequently established. Reductions in genetic diversity and mating capability would be symptomatic and the presence of unique alleles and genetic sequences would reveal the origins and ancestry of populations associated with archaeological sites. The current distribution of the Four Corners potato, Solanum jamesii Torr. in the Southwestern USA, may thus reflect the early stages of a domestication process that began with tuber transport. Herein genetic sequencing (GBS) data are used to further examine the hypothesis of domestication in this culturally significant species by sampling 25 archaeological and non-archaeological populations. Archaeological populations from Utah, Colorado and northern Arizona have lower levels of polymorphic loci, unique alleles, and heterozygosity than non-archaeological populations from the Mogollon region of central Arizona and New Mexico. Principle components analysis, Fst values, and structure analysis revealed that genetic relationships among archaeological populations did not correspond to geographic proximity. Populations in Escalante, Utah were related to those on the Mogollon Rim (400 km south) and had multiple origins and significant disjunctions with those populations in Bears Ears, Chaco Canyon, and Mesa Verde sites. Movement of tubers from the Mogollon region may have occurred many times and in multiple directions during the past, resulting in the complex genetic patterns seen in populations from across the Four Corners region.

Intersectional Structural Stigma: A Qualitative Study With Persons Experiencing Homelessness in the Southwest United States.

This study explored the manifestations of intersectional structural stigma and stigma-reducing strategies in the context of health among a diverse group of persons experiencing homelessness in the southwest United States. Purposive sampling was used to recruit youth (ages 12-17), young adults (ages 18-24), adults (ages 25 years old or older), women with children, veterans, and males over 60 years old who self-identified as homeless. Grounded theory was applied, and thematic analysis was conducted using data collected from seven focus groups (n = 76 participants). A model of intersectional stigma was adapted from the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework. This adaptation depicts pathways for addressing intersectional stigmatization experienced by individuals with multiple intersecting identities across the interpersonal, organization, and community levels not explicitly addressed in the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework. At the interpersonal level, participants indicated they experienced stigmatizing behaviors and practices by service providers due primarily to their identities related to economic or unhoused statuses, gender, age, and mental health. Facilitators of intersectional stigma were identified through organization practices and processes. Multiple stigmatized identities due to social beliefs also facilitated stigmatization at the community level. Health outcomes influenced by stigmatization were also identified. Despite the stigmatization they experienced, participants discussed stigma-reducing strategies related to community assets, medical care, and destigmatizing practices by service providers.

Coloniality and Refugee Education in the United States

In this paper, we demonstrate the ways in which the schooling of refugee youth in the United States reflects ongoing coloniality in education. Drawing on data collected in a case study, conducted between 2013 and 2016, as part of a larger ongoing ethnography of a Southwest United States District school’s response to refugee students, we show how the enactment of policies, pedagogies, and practices within schools reinforce the government’s control over refugee students and their families. In schools, the students are kept out of certain school spaces, marginalized in remedial courses, and denied academic opportunities and integrated support services. Using empirical data, we demonstrate how the restriction of the students’ movement in and around schools is embedded within the larger limitations embedded in coloniality and assimilation. We situate our analysis within the tensions and interactions between coloniality, assimilation, and neoliberalism as articulated in studies within anthropology and sociology, migration studies, critical refugee studies, and cultural studies. We conclude with a call for the decolonization of education and offer a practical starting point in refugee education.

A Probabilistic Evaluation of Surface Loading and Concentration as Metrics for Post Structural Fire Assessment Soot Sampling Data

Surface sampling and laboratory analysis for soot/combustion particulates was conducted following a fire at an education/research facility in the southwest United States. This provided a bank of data by which to probabilistically evaluate the behavior of soot loading (counts/mm2) and relative soot concentration (percent ratio; %R) as useful metrics for quantifying differences in soot impact across a building. Surface tape sampling and analysis via light microscopy were conducted via industry standard protocols, and resulting data from various building zones were selected to construct various comparisons. The performance of counts/mm2 and %R as metrics to identify differences in soot impact for each comparison was assessed by comparing inference generated by traditional Student’s t test, Mann Whitney U rank comparison (MW), and the directly calculated axiomatic probability associated with difference in detection (pΔfd). The fourteen (14) comparisons in which a significant difference was inferred via pΔfd was similarly indicated via Student’s t and/or MW in only four (4) instances. Further, approximately one half of the comparisons generated different inference via pΔfd for counts/mm2 and %R, with the former demonstrating better discriminatory ability. In broad view, the heuristic concept of comparing numerical “soot levels” (e.g., average) by either metric was not generally suitable for the distribution of the data. In contrast, pΔfd avoids the statistical bias imposed by traditional statistical inference, and ultimately the efficacy of post fire comparative surface sampling is as dependent upon the metric and inference model utilized as it is on the sampling and laboratory analytical protocols.