State Residence Research Articles

Stochastic Syncing in Sinusoidally Driven Atomic Orbital Memory.

Stochastically fluctuating multiwell systems are a promising route toward physical implementations of energy-based machine learning and neuromorphic hardware. One of the challenges is finding tunable material platforms that exhibit such multiwell behavior and understanding how complex dynamic input signals influence their stochastic response. One such platform is the recently discovered atomic Boltzmann machine, where each stochastic unit is represented by a binary orbital memory state of an individual atom. Here, we investigate the stochastic response of binary orbital memory states to sinusoidal input voltages. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we investigated orbital memory derived from individual Fe and Co atoms on black phosphorus. We quantify the state residence times as a function of various input parameters such as frequency, amplitude, and offset voltage. The state residence times for both species, when driven by a sinusoidal signal, exhibit synchronization that can be quantitatively modeled by a Poisson process based on the switching rates in the absence of a sinusoidal signal. For individual Fe atoms, we also observe a frequency-dependent response of the state favorability, which can be tuned by the input parameters. In contrast to Fe, there is no significant frequency dependence in the state favorability for individual Co atoms. Based on the Poisson model, the difference in the response of the state favorability can be traced to the difference in the voltage-dependent switching rates of the two different species. This platform provides a tunable way to induce population changes in stochastic systems and provides a foundation toward understanding driven stochastic multiwell systems.

Determinants of substance use among young people attending primary health centers in India

Abstract Background Substance use is a complex condition with multidimensional determinants. The present study aims to find the prevalence and determinants of substance use among young people attending primary healthcare centers in India. Methods A multicentric cross-sectional study was conducted across 15 states in India on 1,630 young people (10–24 years) attending primary health centers. The Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) was used to capture data on substance use. The degree of substance involvement was assessed and multivariate regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors of substance use. Results The prevalence of substance use was 32.8%, with a median substance initiation age of 18 years. Among the substance users, 75.5% began before completing adolescence. Tobacco (26.4%), alcohol (26.1%) and cannabis (9.5%) were commonly consumed. Sociodemographic determinants included higher age, male gender, urban residence, positive family history, northeastern state residence and lower socioeconomic class. Over 80% of users had moderate or high involvement. Conclusions High substance use prevalence among young people in Indian healthcare centers underscores the urgency of targeted intervention. Insights on determinants guide effective prevention strategies for this complex public health issue.

National Estimates of the Adult Diabetes Care Continuum in India, 2019-2021

Diabetes is widespread and treatable, but little is known about the diabetes care continuum (diagnosis, treatment, and control) in India and how it varies at the national, state, and district levels. To estimate the adult population levels of diabetes diagnosis, treatment, and control in India at national, state, and district levels and by sociodemographic characteristics. In this cross-sectional, nationally representative survey study from 2019 to 2021, adults in India from 28 states, 8 union territories, and 707 districts were surveyed for India's Fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5). The survey team collected data on blood glucose among all adults (18-98 years) who were living in the same household as eligible participants (pregnant or nonpregnant female individuals aged 15-49 years and male individuals aged 15-54 years). The overall sample consisted of 1 895 287 adults. The analytic sample was restricted to those who either self-reported having diabetes or who had a valid measurement of blood glucose. The exposures in this survey study were district and state residence; urban vs rural residence; age (18-39 years, 40-64 years, or ≥65 years); sex; and household wealth quintile. Diabetes was defined by self-report or high capillary blood glucose (fasting: ≥126 mg/dL [to convert to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0555]; nonfasting: ≥220 mg/dL). Among respondents who had previously been diagnosed with diabetes, the main outcome was the proportion treated based on self-reported medication use and the proportion controlled (fasting: blood glucose <126 mg/dL; nonfasting: ≤180 mg/dL). The findings were benchmarked against the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Diabetes Compact targets (80% diagnosis; 80% control among those diagnosed). The variance in indicators between and within states was partitioned using variance partition coefficients (VPCs). Among 1 651 176 adult respondents (mean [SD] age, 41.6 [16.4] years; 867 896 [52.6%] female) with blood glucose measures, the proportion of individuals with diabetes was 6.5% (95% CI, 6.4%-6.6%). Among adults with diabetes, 74.2% (95% CI, 73.3%-75.0%) were diagnosed. Among those diagnosed, 59.4% (95% CI, 58.1%-60.6%) reported taking medication, and 65.5% (95% CI, 64.5%-66.4%) achieved control. Diagnosis and treatment were higher in urban areas, older age groups, and wealthier households. Among those diagnosed in the 707 districts surveyed, 246 (34.8%) districts met the WHO diagnosis target, while 76 (10.7%) districts met the WHO control target. Most of the variability in diabetes diagnosis (VPC, 89.1%), treatment (VPC, 85.9%), and control (VPC, 95.6%) were within states, not between states. In this survey study, the diabetes care continuum in India is represented by considerable district-level variation, age-related disparities, and rural-urban differences. Surveillance at the district level can guide state health administrators to prioritize interventions and monitor achievement of global targets.

Fluorescence-informed photoacoustic discrimination of multiple chromophores by lifetime mapping optically gated responses

Synchronously Amplified Photoacoustic Image Recovery (SAPhIRe) offers improved background suppression using non-linear properties of modulatable contrast agents. Using SAPhIRe, multiple contrast agents in the same absorption window can be detected independently based on their unique triplet-state lifetimes. Here, we have demonstrated the unmixing of rose bengal and eosin Y signals from solution based on triplet-state lifetime mapping using both fluorescence and photoacoustics. Varying the pump-probe delay enables resolution and recovery of fast-decaying rose bengal and of slowly decaying eosin Y modulated photoacoustic signals, resulting from optically gated triplet state residence. Distinct images were reconstructed within tissue-mimicking phantom using the fitting coefficients of triplet-state lifetimes. Fluorescence was used to screen for modulation prior to photoacoustic imaging. The results suggest that lifetime unmixing can be utilized to simultaneously detect multiple pathologies with overlapping spectra using photoacoustic imaging.

Residence in a Medicaid-expansion state and receipt of alcohol screening and brief counseling by adults with lower incomes: Is increased access to primary care enough?

We investigate whether living in a state that expanded Medicaid eligibility is associated with receiving alcohol screening and brief counseling among nonelderly, low-income adults and a subgroup with chronic health conditions caused or exacerbated by alcohol use. Data are from the 2017 and 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 15,743 low-income adults; n = 7062 with a chronic condition). We used propensity score-weighted, covariate-adjusted, modified Poisson regression to estimate associations between residence in a Medicaid-expansion state and receipt of alcohol screening and brief counseling. Models estimated associations in the overall sample and chronic conditions subsample, as well as differential associations across sex, race, and ethnicity using interaction terms. Living in a state that expanded Medicaid eligibility was associated with being asked whether one drank (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.08, 1.22), but not with further alcohol screening, guidance about harmful drinking, or advice to reduce drinking. Among individuals with alcohol-related chronic conditions, expansion state residence was associated with being asked about drinking (PR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.20) and, among past 30-day drinkers with chronic conditions, being asked how much one drank (PR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.59) and about binge drinking (PR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.99). Interaction terms suggest that some associations differ by race and ethnicity. Living in a state that expanded Medicaid is associated with a higher prevalence of receiving some alcohol screening at a check-up in the past 2 years among low-income residents, particularly among individuals with alcohol-related chronic conditions, but not with the receipt of high-quality screening and brief counseling. Policies may have to address provider barriers to delivery of these services in addition to access to care.

Structurally Flexible Au-Cu Alloy Nanoclusters Enabling Efficient Triplet Sensitization and Photon Upconversion.

Ligand-protected noble-metal nanoclusters exhibit an innately triplet nature and have been recently recognized as emerging platforms for triplet sensitizers of photon upconversion (UC) via triplet-triplet annihilation. Herein, we report that a structurally flexible Au-Cu alloy nanocluster, [Au4Cu4(S-Adm)5(DPPM)2]+ (Au4Cu4; S-Adm = 1-adamantanethiolate, DPPM = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane), exhibited favorable sensitizer properties and superior UC performance. Contrary to the structurally rigid Au2Cu6(S-Adm)6(TPP)2 (Au2Cu6, TPP = triphenylphosphine), Au4Cu4 exhibited significantly better sensitizer characteristics, such as a near-unity quantum yield for intersystem crossing (ISC), long triplet lifetime (ca. 8 μs), and efficient triplet energy transfer (TET). The efficient ISC of Au4Cu4 was attributed to the practically negligible activation barriers during the ISC process, which was caused by the spin-orbit interaction between the two isoenergetic isomers predicted by theoretical calculations. A series of aromatic molecules with different triplet energies were used as acceptors to reveal the driving force dependence of the TET rate constant (kTET). This dependency was analyzed to evaluate the triplet energy and sensitization ability of the alloy nanoclusters. The results showed that the maximum value of kTET for Au4Cu4 was seven times larger than that for Au2Cu6, which presumably reflects the structural/electronic fluctuations of Au4Cu4 during the triplet state residence. The combination of the Au4Cu4 sensitizer and the 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) annihilator/emitter achieved UC with internal quantum yields of 14% (out of 50% maximum) and extremely low threshold intensities (2-26 mWcm-2). This performance far exceeds that of Au2Cu6 and is also outstanding among the organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials reported so far.

Food insecurity and consumption of cariogenic foods in mothers and their two-year-old children in Appalachia.

To describe the association between household food insecurity and intake of cariogenic foods that increase risk of dental caries. Cross-sectional analysis of 842 mothers in Appalachia and their children participating in the Center for Oral Health Research Cohort 2 between 2011 and 2017 when their children were ~ 24 months of age. Mothers completed a telephone interview regarding cariogenic food consumption and food insecurity. Associations between food insecurity and daily food intake were adjusted for education, income, state residence, and daily snacking. After adjustment for household income, state residence, daily snacking, and maternal education, mothers from moderately/severely food insecure households drank on average ½ more sugar-sweetened beverage servings per day (p=0.005) and children drank almost 1/3 servings more (p=0.006). Further, mothers and children from moderately/severely food insecure households had lower, but not statistically significant, daily average consumption of vegetables (mothers: 1/5 less of a vegetable serving per day, children: ~1/10 less) and fruits (mothers: 1/5 less of a fruit serving per day, children: ~ 1/10 les) and elevated consumption of sweets (mothers: ~ 1/25 more sweet servings per day, children: ~ 2/25 more); differences based on state residence were noted. Food insecurity is associated with higher consumption of foods that increase risk of dental caries, but this association is modified by maternal education, income, and state residence. Food insecurity, and its socioeconomic determinants, should be considered when designing and implementing interventions to prevent dental caries.

Medicaid Expansion and Racial-Ethnic Health Care Coverage Disparities Among Low-Income Adults With Substance Use Disorders.

In light of historical racial-ethnic disparities in health care coverage, the authors assessed changes in coverage in nationally representative samples of Black, White, and Hispanic low-income adults with substance use disorders after the 2014 Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion. Data from 12 years of the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2019) identified low-income adults ages 18-64 years with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, or heroin use disorder (N=749,033). Trends in coverage focused on non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic individuals. Age- and sex-adjusted difference-in-differences analysis assessed effects of expansion state residence on insurance coverage for the three groups. Before Medicaid expansion (2008-2013), 38.5% of Black, 37.6% of White, and 51.2% of Hispanic low-income adults with substance use disorders were uninsured. After expansion (2014-2019), these proportions significantly declined for Black (24.2%), White (22.0%), and Hispanic (34.5%) groups. Decreases in rates of individuals without insurance and increases in Medicaid coverage tended to be more pronounced for those in expansion states than for those in nonexpansion states. In nonexpansion states, the proportions of those without insurance significantly decreased among Black and White individuals but not among Hispanic individuals. Proportions receiving past-year substance use treatment did not significantly change and remained low postexpansion: Black, 10.7%; White, 14.6%; and Hispanic, 9.0%. After Medicaid expansion, coverage increased for low-income Black, White, and Hispanic adults with substance use disorders. For all three groups, Medicaid coverage disproportionately increased among those living in expansion states. However, coverage remained far from universal, especially for Hispanic adults with substance use disorders.

“Los Hijos Son La Riqueza Del Pobre:” Mexican Child Migration and the Making of Domestic (Im)migrant Exclusion, 1937–1960

Abstract This article expands upon adult-centric migration histories by analyzing the international and domestic migration of Mexican youth to and within the United States, mainly in the post–World War II period. It uncovers an overlapping set of far-reaching legal regimes composed of federal child labor regulations, state residence requirements, compulsory school attendance and border enforcement policies that jeopardized the welfare of all border-crossing Mexican youth, making even US–born children of immigrants subject to a domestic form of migrant exclusion. Through an examination of geographically disparate and neglected archival records, this article makes the case that an expansive view of national (im)migrant exclusion can account for overlooked injuries to child welfare and unique mechanisms of expulsion. Beyond deportation, exclusion in mid-twentieth-century America relied upon domestic forms of removal to exclude citizen and non-citizen migrant youth from public schools and relegate them to isolated sites of agricultural labor exploitation and incarceration.

A quantitative study on the approximation error and speed-up of the multi-scale MCMC (Monte Carlo Markov chain) method for molecular dynamics

The past two decades have borne remarkable progress in the application of the molecular dynamics method in a number of engineering problems. However, the computational efficiency is limited by the massive-atoms system, and the study of rare dynamically-relevant events is challenging at the timescale of molecular dynamics. In this work, a multi-scale molecular simulation algorithm is proposed with a novel toy model that can mimic the state transitions in extensive scenarios. The algorithm consists of two scales, including producing the realistic particle trajectory and probability transition matrix in the molecular dynamics scale and calculating the state distribution and residence time in the Monte Carlo scale. A new state definition is proposed to take the velocity direction into consideration, and different coarsening models are established in the spatial and time scales. The accuracy, efficiency, and robustness of our proposed multi-scale method have been validated, and the general applicability is also demonstrated by explaining two practical applications in the shale gas adsorption and protein folding problems respectively.

Medical and Non-Medical Opioid Use at the Intersection of Gender and Sexual Identity: Associations with State Medical Cannabis Law Status in a U.S. National Sample of Adults.

At the structural level, medical cannabis laws (MCLs) have been negatively associated with opioid prescribing practices, and sexual minority adults report disproportionately high non-medical prescription opioid use. We examined medical/non-medical prescription opioid use by intersecting sexual identity and gender and explored associations with MCLs using the 2015-2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which captured sexual identity and MCL state residence for adults 18 + years (N = 126,463). Survey-weighted gender-stratified multinomial logistic models estimated adjusted relative risk ratios (aRRR) of medical vs. no prescription opioid use, and any non-medical vs. no prescription opioid use, by sexual identity and MCL, and tested moderation by MCL. Past-year medical prescription opioid use was higher among women than men across sexual identities (e.g., bisexual: 38.5% women vs. 30.2% men). Non-medical prescription opioid use was lower among women than men, except for bisexual adults (12.4% women vs. 7.6% men). MCL was associated with lower medical prescription opioid vs. no use among heterosexual women (aRRR = 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81-0.91), bisexual women (aRRR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.62-0.89), and heterosexual men (aRRR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.85-0.97). Living in an MCL state was associated with lower non-medical vs. no use among heterosexual and bisexual women, but not among men or lesbian/gay women. MCL status did not moderate associations between sexual identity and prescription opioid outcomes. Future studies should assess whether implementing MCLs could particularly affect bisexual women who reported the highest prescription opioid use and may need targeted services.

Individual and community-level risk factors of women\u2019s acceptance of intimate partner violence in Ethiopia: multilevel analysis of 2011 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey

BackgroundThe prevalence of Intimate partner violence (IPV) is higher in societies with higher acceptance of norms that support IPV. In Ethiopia, the proportion of women’s acceptance of IPV was 69%, posing a central challenge in preventing IPV. The main objective of this study was to assess the individual and community-level factors associated with women’s acceptance of IPV.MethodsTwo-level mixed-effects logistic regression was applied to the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data. A total of 16,366 women nested in the 596 clusters were included in the analysis.ResultsThe acceptability of the IPV was estimated to be 69%. Among the individual-level factors: women’s education with secondary and above (AOR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.29–0.52), partner’s education secondary and above (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI 0.54–0.82), women aged 35–49 years (AOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.54–0.82), fully empowered in household level decision making (AOR = 0.67; 95% CI0.54–0.81), literate (AOR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.62–0.92), and perceived existence of law that prevents IPV (AOR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.50–0.63) were significantly associated with women’s acceptance of IPV. Similarly, rural residence (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI 1.53–2.43) and living in the State region (AOR = 2.37; 95% CI 1.81–3.10) were significantly associated with the women’s acceptance of IPV among the community-level factors.ConclusionBoth individual and community-level factors were significant risk factors for the acceptability of intimate partner violence. Women's education, women's age, women’s empowerment, partner education level, perceived existence of the law, and literacy were among individual factors. State region and residence were among community-level risk factors significantly associated women’s acceptance of IPV.

Using a daily diary approach to examine the early effects of COVID-19 on daily physical activity bouts and contexts among residents of Colorado and California.

COVID-19 restrictions may prevent adults from achieving sufficient physical activity (PA) and may affect PA context. This study examined the early effects of COVID-19 on daily PA bouts and contexts during April–June 2020 using a daily diary approach. Adults (N = 390) completed daily diary surveys for 28 days assessing number of PA bouts and social (e.g., alone), locational (i.e., home, neighborhood, recreational space), and technology (e.g., using streaming videos) contexts of PA. Mixed-effects models examined the effects of days since the pandemic started (on 3/13/2020), state residence, and demographics on number of daily PA bouts. Models examined demographic and temporal effects on PA context. Participants were 18–77 years, 15% Hispanic/Latino, and 80% female. PA bouts per day decreased significantly over time among Californians versus Coloradans (bsimple = −0.01, p < .001) and Hispanics/Latinos (vs. non-Hispanic Latinos) did fewer PA bouts per day (b = −0.17, p = .04). Most PA bouts occurred while alone (56.7%), at home (43.4%), or in any neighborhood (40.5%). Older (60+ years) versus younger (<40 years) adults were less likely to do PA with others (odds ratio [OR] = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18–0.90). PA bouts in recreational spaces were more common on weekends versus weekdays (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.32–1.92) and were less common among California versus Colorado residents (OR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.12–0.42). PA bouts decreased from April to June 2020, and these changes disparately affected subgroups. Resources are needed to counteract the negative effects of COVID-19 restrictions intended to slow disease spread on PA.

Defining the Limits of Section 117 of the Constitution: The Need for a Theory of the Role of States

Since the 1989 High Court decision in Street v Queensland Bar Association (‘Street’), it has been recognised that section 117 of the Australian Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of state residence, is not absolute in its operation. For example, states may limit voting in state elections to their own residents. However, no consensus was reached in Street as to how the limits to section 117 are to be defined, nor since. This article argues that the resolution of this issue will require the Court to develop a theory of the role of states, which will involve identifying the functions that states are constitutionally expected to perform. The article proceeds to explore how such a theory might be developed, having regard firstly to the text, purpose and history of section 117, and then to those constitutional sources that shed light on what it is that states are supposed to do.

Family medicine provision of online medication abortion in three US states during COVID-19

ObjectiveTo examine provision of direct-to-patient medication abortion during COVID-19 by United States family physicians through a clinician-supported, asynchronous online service, Aid Access. Study DesignWe analyzed data from United States residents in New Jersey, New York, and Washington who requested medication abortion from 3 family physicians using the online service from Aid Access between April and November 2020. This study seeks to examine individual characteristics, motivations, and geographic locations of patients receiving abortion care through the Aid Access platform. ResultsOver 7 months, three family physicians using the Aid Access platform provided medication abortion care to 534 residents of New Jersey, New York, and Washington. There were no demographic differences between patients seeking care in these states. A high percentage (85%) were less than 7 weeks gestation at the time of their request for care. The reasons patients chose Aid Access for abortion services were similar regardless of state residence. The majority (71%) of Aid Access users lived in urban areas. Each family physician provided care to most counties in their respective states. Among those who received services in the three states, almost one-quarter (24%) lived in high Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) counties, with roughly one-third living in medium-high SVI counties (33%), followed by another quarter (26%) living in medium-low SVI counties. ConclusionsFamily physicians successfully provided medication abortion in three states using asynchronous online consultations and medications mailed directly to patients. ImplicationsPrimary care patients are requesting direct-to-patient first trimester abortion services online. By providing abortion care online, a single provider can serve the entire state, thus greatly increasing geographic access to medication abortion.

Markov automata with multiple objectives

Markov automata combine probabilistic branching, exponentially distributed delays and nondeterminism. This compositional variant of continuous-time Markov decision processes is used in reliability engineering, performance evaluation and stochastic scheduling. Their verification so far focused on single objectives such as (timed) reachability, and expected costs. In practice, often the objectives are mutually dependent and the aim is to reveal trade-offs. We present algorithms to analyze several objectives simultaneously and approximate Pareto curves. This includes, e.g., several (timed) reachability objectives, or various expected cost objectives. We also consider combinations thereof, such as on-time-within-budget objectives—which policies guarantee reaching a goal state within a deadline with at least probability p while keeping the allowed average costs below a threshold? We adopt existing approaches for classical Markov decision processes. The main challenge is to treat policies exploiting state residence times, even for untimed objectives. Experimental results show the feasibility and scalability of our approach.

Photoluminescence Enhancement, Blinking Suppression, and Improved Biexciton Quantum Yield of Single Quantum Dots in Zero Mode Waveguides.

The capability of quantum dots to generate both single and multiexcitons can be harnessed for a wide variety of applications, including those that require high optical gain. Here, we use time-correlated photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy to demonstrate that the isolation of single CdSeTe/ZnS core-shell, nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) in Zero Mode Waveguides (ZMWs) leads to a significant modification in PL intensity, blinking dynamics, and biexciton behavior. QDs in aluminum ZMWs (AlZMWs) exhibited a 15-fold increase in biexciton emission, indicating a preferential enhancement of the biexciton radiative decay rate as compared to the single exciton rate. The increase in biexciton behavior was accompanied by a decrease in blinking events due to a shortening in the dark state residence time. These results indicate that plasmon mediated enhanced decay rates of QDs in AlZMWs lead to substantial changes in the photophysical properties of single quantum dots, including an increase in biexciton behavior.

Reliability analysis for multi‐state systems subject to distinct random shocks

AbstractThis paper analyzes the competing and dependent failure processes for multi‐state systems suffering from four typical random shocks. Reliability analysis for discrete degradation is conducted by explicitly modeling the state transition characteristics. Semi‐Markov model is employed to explore how the system vulnerability and potential transition gap affect the state residence time. The failure dependence is specified as that random shocks can not only lead to different abrupt failures but also cause sudden changes on the state transition probabilities, making it easier for the system to stay at the degraded states. Reliability functions for all the exposed failure processes are presented based on the corresponding mechanisms. Interactions between different failure processes are also taken into account to evaluate the actual reliability levels in the context of degradation and distinct random shocks. An illustrative example of a multi‐state air conditioning system is studied to demonstrate how the proposed method can be applied to the engineering practice.

Food Insecurity and Consumption of Cariogenic Foods in Mothers and Their Two-Year-Old Children in Appalachia

Purpose: To describe the association between household food insecurity and intake of cariogenic foods that increase risk of dental caries. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 842 mothers in Appalachia and their children participating in the Center for Oral Health Research Cohort 2 between 2011 and 2017 when their children were ~2 years of age. Mothers completed a telephone interview regarding cariogenic food consumption and food insecurity. Associations between food insecurity and daily food intake were adjusted for education, income, state residence, and daily snacking. Results: After adjustment for household income, state residence, daily snacking, and maternal education, mothers and children from moderately/severely food insecure households were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages than those from food secure households. Further, mothers and children from moderately/severely food insecure households had lower average consumption of vegetables and fruits and elevated consumption of sweets; differences based on state residence were noted. Conclusions: Food insecurity is associated with higher consumption of foods that increase risk of dental caries, but this association is modified by maternal education, income, and state residence. Food insecurity, and its socioeconomic determinants, should be considered when designing and implementing interventions to prevent dental caries.

Learning Evolutionary Stages with Hidden Semi-Markov Model for Predicting Social Unrest Events

Social unrest events are common happenings in modern society which need to be proactively handled. An effective method is to continuously assess the risk of upcoming social unrest events and predict the likelihood of these events. Our previous work built a hidden Markov model- (HMM-) based framework to predict indicators associated with country instability, leaving two shortcomings which can be optimized: omitting event participants’ interaction and implicitly learning the state residence time. Inspired by this, we propose a new prediction framework in this paper, using frequent subgraph patterns and hidden semi-Markov models (HSMMs). The feature called BoEAG (Bag-of-Event-Association-subGraph) is constructed based on frequent subgraph mining and the bag of word model. The new framework leverages the large-scale digital history events captured from GDELT (Global Data on Events, Location, and Tone) to characterize the transitional process of the social unrest events’ evolutionary stages, uncovering the underlying event development mechanics and formulating the social unrest event prediction as a sequence classification problem based on Bayes decision. Experimental results with data from five main countries in Southeast Asia demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method, which outperforms the traditional HMM by 5.3% to 16.8% and the logistic regression by 11.2% to 43.6%.