York Sites Research Articles

Rapid invasion and expansion of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) into a new area on Long Island, New York, USA

Since its discovery in the United States in 2017, the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) has been detected in most eastern states between Rhode Island and Georgia. Long Island, east of New York City, a recognized high-risk area for tick-borne diseases, is geographically close to New Jersey and New York sites where H. longicornis was originally found. However, extensive tick surveys conducted in 2018 did not identify H. longicornis on Long Island. In stark contrast, our 2022 tick survey suggests that H. longicornis has rapidly invaded and expanded in multiple surveying sites on Long Island (12 out of 17 sites). Overall, the relative abundance of H. longicornis was similar to that of lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum, a previously recognized tick species abundantly present on Long Island. Interestingly, our survey suggests that H. longicornis has expanded within the Appalachian forest ecological zone of Long Island's north shore compared to the Pine Barrens located on the south shore of Long Island. The rapid invasion and expansion of H. longicornis into an insular environment are different from the historical invasion and expansion of two native tick species, Ixodes scapularis (blacklegged tick or deer tick) and A. americanum, in Long Island. The implications of H. longicornis transmitting or introducing tick-borne pathogens of public health importance remain unknown.

Imperiled sparrows can exhibit high nest survival despite atypical nest site selection in urban saltmarshes

Understanding habitat selection and its fitness consequences in remnant populations of birds in fragmented and urbanized habitat may provide guidance to land managers for imperiled species conservation. We studied Saltmarsh Sparrow, <em>Ammospiza caudacuta</em>, and Seaside Sparrow, <em>A. maritima</em>, nest site selection and nest survival at five sites in New York City (NYC) and one site on western Long Island, New York in 2012 and 2013. We compared marsh vegetation and nest structure characteristics between our study sites and other studied sites for these species in the Northeastern United States. Saltmarsh Sparrows in NYC selected nest sites with the tall form of low-elevation marsh grass (at two sites this was above the proportion available), which is atypical for this species, and Seaside Sparrows selected an upland shrub species at one site, possibly to compensate for a lack of tall low-elevation marsh grasses. Daily nest survival at New York sites increased with nest height above the ground for both species, contrary to previous studies for Saltmarsh Sparrows in intact habitat. Mean nest height for both species was found to be taller in NYC than at other studied locations, and NYC sites may have had taller than average vegetation available, indicating that these sparrows may be able to adapt to some changing marsh characteristics. The difference in nest site selection observed in NYC populations from published studies did not appear to have a cost to nest survival in at least one year. Although high-elevation marsh is the optimal habitat restoration target for Saltmarsh Sparrows, it may be difficult to create in small, urbanized marshes, and our results suggest that other approaches may be successful. A mix of substrates and vegetation heights may allow sparrows to exhibit variation in nest site selection and promote nest survival in the face of changing limiting factors.

Performance, Politics, and Historiography in and out of Time: American Responses to the Paris Commune

American echoes of the Paris Commune have been muffled by the nation’s obsession with freedom at the expense of solidarity, but performative responses to social upheaval, including drama, parades, and protests, have tested the boundaries of public space and multiple temporalities from 1871 to 2021. This article notes traces of the Commune in the writings and performances of nineteenth century American anarchists but analyzes this legacy primarily in the 2012 performance of Brecht’s The Days of the Commune (1949) at New York sites claimed by the Occupy Movement in 2011. It also uses the argument of Brecht’s contemporary Ernst Bloch for cultural action grounded in an understanding of historical disappointment to anticipates setbacks while maintaining hope for future revolution. The paper delineates five theses on the politics of time: 1) the dramatic appeal of the clean break hides the tension between gradual evolution and a sudden event that ruptures the long span of history (Badiou); 2) historiography, the narrative that turns data into evidence, challenges the illusion of objectivity and thus a simple split between timely intervention and untimely interference with the established order (Nietzsche); 3) ana-chronology, the logic of untimeliness reads contemporaneity as companionship between events and agents across different times and places (Barthes); 4) recollecting history requires acts of forgetting, which shatter the constraints of the past to meet demands of the present (Renan, Nietzsche); 5) the politics of time entails the politics of place and thus requires the analysis of multiple temporalitieslayered on one site as well as political acts and performance in distinct places.

Meadow fescue seeding rate impacts mixtures with alfalfa on marginal sites

AbstractAlfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)–grass mixtures are often used to provide high‐quality dairy forage in the northeastern United States. Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) is popular as a companion for alfalfa in the region because of its high nutritive value. We aimed to evaluate alfalfa–meadow fescue mixtures in northern environments that are unsuited to alfalfa production. Our study was conducted in the year after seeding at two northern New York sites. A reduced‐lignin [fall dormancy (FD) = 4] and a conventional alfalfa (FD = 3) were seeded with diploid and tetraploid meadow fescue varieties in replicated plots, with five seeding rates for meadow fescue. Dry matter yield increased linearly with increased meadow fescue seeding rate. The meadow fescue percentage of mixtures had a curvilinear response to meadow fescue seeding rate, increasing from 44% at the 0.5 lb acre–1 seeding rate to 67.4% at the 4 lb acre–1 rate. Tetraploid meadow fescue had a smaller grass percentage in mixtures and higher nutritive value than a diploid meadow fescue. Reduced‐lignin alfalfa was not greatly different in nutritive value from a conventional cultivar under unfavorable environmental conditions for alfalfa production. We conclude that meadow fescue should be seeded at a very low rate (1 lb acre–1) with alfalfa in northern environments that are unsuitable for alfalfa. Moreover, reduced‐lignin alfalfa (FD = 4) may not result in large increases in nutritive value compared with conventional cultivars selected for high nutritive value on marginal northern sites better suited to FD 3 cultivars.

Early Fluted-biface Variation in Glaciated Northeastern North America

ABSTRACTMost researchers argue that archaeological evidence for the Clovis technological complex, although documented across most of unglaciated North America, is absent in the glaciated Northeast, suggesting that early Paleoindian populations in the latter region were descendent from early Native American peoples associated with Clovis technology. If so, what are the earliest fluted-biface forms in glaciated northeastern North America? To refine developmental and relative chronological relationships of early Paleoindian fluted bifaces in the region, we (1) examine fluted-biface-reduction sequences at the Rogers (Ontario) and West Athens Hill (WAH) (New York) sites, and (2) compare fluted-point samples from early Paleoindian sites in the Northeast and vicinity. For Rogers and WAH, our results document variable frequencies of overshot and overface flaking during fluted-point manufacture – features linked elsewhere to Clovis biface reduction. In addition, analyses identify several early Paleoindian fluted-point samples in the Northeast that bear similarities to Clovis points but differ from, and therefore likely predate Gainey and Gainey-related early Paleoindian point forms in the glaciated Northeast.

Designing a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a community-based narrative intervention for improving colorectal cancer screening for African Americans

ObjectiveTo describe the methodology of a 2-arm randomized controlled trial that compared the effects of a narrative and didactic version of the Witness CARES (Community Awareness, Reach, & Empowerment for Screening) intervention on colorectal cancer screening behavior among African Americans, as well as the cognitive and affective determinants of screening. MethodsWitness CARES targeted cognitive and affective predictors of screening using a culturally competent, community-based, narrative or didactic communication approach. New and existing community partners were recruited in two New York sites. Group randomization allocated programs to the narrative or didactic arm. Five phases of data collection were conducted: baseline, post-intervention, three-month, six-month, and qualitative interviews. The primary outcome was screening behavior; secondary outcomes included cognitive and affective determinants of screening. ResultsA total of 183 programs were conducted for 2655 attendees. Of these attendees, 19.4% (N=516) across 158 programs (50% narrative; 50% didactic) were study-eligible and consented to participate. Half (45.6%) of the programs were delivered to new community partners and 34.8% were delivered at faith-based organizations. Mean age of the total sample was 64.7years and 75.4% were female. ConclusionThe planned number of programs was delivered, but the proportion of study-eligible attendees was lower than predicted. This community-based participatory research approach was largely successful in involving the community served in the development and implementation of the intervention and study.

Let's Talk About Breastfeeding: The Importance of Delivering a Message in a Home Visiting Program.

To examine the potential impact of paraprofessional home visitors in promoting breastfeeding initiation and continuation among a high-risk population. A secondary analysis of program data from a statewide home visitation program. Thirty-six Healthy Families New York sites across New York State. A total of 3521 pregnant mothers at risk of poor child health and developmental outcomes. Home visitors deliver a multifaceted intervention that includes educating high-risk mothers on benefits of breastfeeding, encouraging them to breastfeed and supporting their efforts during prenatal and postnatal periods. Home visitor-reported content and frequency of home visits, participant-reported breastfeeding initiation and duration, and covariates (Kempe Family Stress Index, race and ethnicity, region, nativity, marital status, age, and education). Logistic regression. Breastfeeding initiation increased by 1.5% for each 1-point increase in the percentage of prenatal home visits that included breastfeeding discussions. Breastfeeding continuation during the first 6 months also increased with the percentage of earlier home visits that included breastfeeding discussions. Additionally, if a participant receives 1 more home visit during the third month, her likelihood of breastfeeding at 6 months increases by 11%. Effect sizes varied by months postpartum. Delivering a breastfeeding message consistently during regular home visits is important for increasing breastfeeding rates. Given that home visiting programs target new mothers least likely to breastfeed, a more consistent focus on breastfeeding in this supportive context may reduce breastfeeding disparities.

Manganese and Mn/Ca ratios in soil and vegetation in forests across the northeastern US: Insights on spatial Mn enrichment

Manganese (Mn) cycling in the Critical Zone is important because of its role as an essential nutrient and potential toxicity to plants and organisms. Quantifying Mn enrichment in terrestrial environments has been limited since Mn is monoisotopic. However, elemental ratios of Mn/Ca ratios may be used to determine spatial Mn enrichment and in aboveground and belowground pools. The objectives of this study were to quantify the spatial variation in Mn concentrations and Mn/Ca ratios in foliage, bolewood, forest floor, and mineral soil horizons across the northeastern United States and compare Mn/Ca ratios to estimate enrichment. Forest floor and mineral soil samples were collected from 26 study sites across the northeastern United States and analyzed by strong acid digestion. Foliage and bolewood was collected from 12 of the 26 sites and analyzed for total Mn and Ca. Our results show forest floor and mineral soil horizon Mn concentrations and Mn/Ca ratios were higher at Pennsylvania and New York sites than New Hampshire and Vermont sites. Using a modified isotope equation, enrichment factors (EF) for Mn/Ca ratios were calculated to be ~3.6 in the forest floor, upper and lower mineral soil horizons at sites in New York and Pennsylvania compared to reference sites in New Hampshire and Vermont. Foliar and bolewood Mn concentrations also decreased from Pennsylvania towards New Hampshire. Moreover, foliar and bolewood Mn concentrations were strongly correlated to forest floor, upper, and lower mineral soil Mn concentrations. It was hypothesized that internal cycling (uptake, throughfall, and litterfall) of Mn controls retention of enriched Mn in forests. Geologic influences from a lithologic gradient and soil pH gradient could also influence Mn enrichment in addition to Mn pollution. Ratios of Mn/Ca and other elemental ratios hold promise as geochemical tracers but require further development.

Healthcare Coverage for HIV Provider Visits Before and After Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

Before implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, 100 000 persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) lacked healthcare coverage and relied on a safety net of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program support, local charities, or uncompensated care (RWHAP/Uncomp) to cover visits to HIV providers. We compared HIV provider coverage before (2011-2013) versus after (first half of 2014) ACA implementation among a total of 28 374 PLWH followed up in 4 sites in Medicaid expansion states (California, Oregon, and Maryland), 4 in a state (New York) that expanded Medicaid in 2001, and 2 in nonexpansion states (Texas and Florida). Multivariate multinomial logistic models were used to assess changes in RWHAP/Uncomp, Medicaid, and private insurance coverage, using Medicare as a referent. In expansion state sites, RWHAP/Uncomp coverage decreased (unadjusted, 28% before and 13% after ACA; adjusted relative risk ratio [ARRR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], .40-.48). Medicaid coverage increased (23% and 38%; ARRR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.70-1.94), and private coverage was unchanged (21% and 19%; 0.96; .89-1.03). In New York sites, both RWHAP/Uncomp (20% and 19%) and Medicaid (50% and 50%) coverage were unchanged, while private coverage decreased (13% and 12%; ARRR, 0.86; 95% CI, .80-.92). In nonexpansion state sites, RWHAP/Uncomp (57% and 52%) and Medicaid (18% and 18%) coverage were unchanged, while private coverage increased (4% and 7%; ARRR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.62-1.99). In expansion state sites, half of PLWH relying on RWHAP/Uncomp coverage shifted to Medicaid, while in New York and nonexpansion state sites, reliance on RWHAP/Uncomp remained constant. In the first half of 2014, the ACA did not eliminate the need for RWHAP safety net provider visit coverage.

Interest in genetic testing in Ashkenazi Jewish Parkinson's disease patients and their unaffected relatives.

Our objective was to explore interest in genetic testing among Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) Parkinson's Disease (PD) cases and first-degree relatives, as genetic testing for LRRK2 G2019S is widely available. Approximately 18% of AJ PD cases carry G2019S mutations; penetrance estimations vary between 24 and 100% by age 80. A Genetic Attitude Questionnaire (GAQ) was administered at two New York sites to PD families unaware of LRRK2 G2019S mutation status. The association of G2019S, age, education, gender and family history of PD with desire for genetic testing (outcome) was modeled using logistic regression. One-hundred eleven PD cases and 77 relatives completed the GAQ. Both PD cases and relatives had excellent PD-specific genetic knowledge. Among PD, 32.6% "definitely" and 41.1% "probably" wanted testing, if offered "now." Among relatives, 23.6% "definitely" and 36.1% "probably" wanted testing "now." Desire for testing in relatives increased incrementally based on hypothetical risk of PD. The most important reasons for testing in probands and relatives were: if it influenced medication response, identifying no mutation, and early prevention and treatment. In logistic regression, older age was associated with less desire for testing in probands OR = 0.921 95%CI 0.868-0.977, p = 0.009. Both probands and relatives express interest in genetic testing, despite no link to current treatment or prevention.

Man and His Health

Running from 1939–1940, the New York World’s Fair included a Medicine and Public Health Building, which was highlighted in a 95-page volume bound with an orange spine titled Man and His Health … New York World’s Fair 1939. The book’s cover (above) is dominated by the blue image of the building’s mammoth exhibit, “Pulsation of Life”—a 22-foot-tall human model with a pulsating heart. (The guidebook’s color scheme of blue and orange reflects colors traditionally associated with the State of New York.) Near the “Pulsation of Life,” the Winthrop Chemical Company sponsored the “Anesthesia” Exhibit, which was designed by a committee chaired by Paul Meyer Wood, M.D. The success of this exhibit helped inspire Dr. Wood to continue collecting books and apparatus for his namesake library-museum, which he helped relocate from multiple New York sites to Park Ridge, Illinois. (Copyright © the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc.)George S. Bause, M.D., M.P.H., Honorary Curator, ASA’s Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, Park Ridge, Illinois, and Clinical Associate Professor, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. UJYC@aol.com.

Comparison of a Synthetic Chemical Lure and Standard Fermented Baits for TrappingDrosophila suzukii(Diptera: Drosophilidae)

We determined the attractiveness of a new chemical lure compared with fermented food baits in use for trapping Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, spotted wing drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae), in Connecticut, New York, and Washington in the United States and at Dossenheim in Germany. The chemical lure (SWD lure) and food baits were compared in two types of traps: the dome trap and a cup trap. Regardless of trap type, numbers of male and female D. suzukii trapped were greater with the SWD lure compared with apple cider vinegar (ACV) baits at the Washington and New York sites, and were comparable with numbers of D. suzukii captured with a wine plus vinegar bait (W + V) at Germany site and a combination bait meant to mimic W + V at the Connecticut site. Averaged over both types of attractants, the numbers of D. suzukii captured were greater in dome traps than in cup traps in New York and Connecticut for both male and female D. suzukii and in Washington for male D. suzukii. No such differences were found between trap types at the Washington site for female and Germany for male and female D. suzukii. Assessments were also made of the number of large (>0.5 cm) and small (<0.5 cm) nontarget flies trapped. The SWD lure captured fewer nontarget small flies and more large flies compared with ACV bait in New York and fewer nontarget small flies compared with W + V in Germany, although no such differences were found in Washington for the SWD lure versus ACV bait and in Connecticut for the SWD lure versus the combination bait, indicating that these effects are likely influenced by the local nontarget insect community active at the time of trapping. In New York, Connecticut, and Germany, dome traps caught more nontarget flies compared with cup traps. Our results suggest that the four-component SWD chemical lure is an effective attractant for D. suzukii and could be used in place of fermented food-type baits.

Fossil and contemporary aerosol particulate organic carbon in the eastern United States: Implications for deposition and inputs to watersheds

[1] Atmospheric particulate matter samples were collected from mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. (Virginia and New York, respectively) sites to assess the fossil versus contemporary sources contributing to aerosol organic carbon (OC) and the implications for its deposition to watersheds. Mean particulate matter total OC (TOC) deposition rates (wet + dry deposition) were calculated to be 1.6 and 2.4 mg C m−2 d−1 for the Virginia and New York sites, respectively. Wet deposition of particulate TOC was determined to be the dominant depositional mode, accounting for >65% (Virginia) and >80% (New York) of total aerosol TOC deposition. Isotopic mass balances suggest that, on average, the deposited aerosol TOC consisted of 66% (Virginia) and 68% (New York) contemporary biomass-derived material. The balance was fossil-derived material (34% and 32% for Virginia and New York, respectively), indicating significant anthropogenic fossil fuel contributions to aerosol TOC. When considered within representative northeastern U.S. watershed OC budgets, aerosol TOC depositional flux was up to 10% of net soil OC accumulation rates, and 5–70% of the OC throughfall flux for forested regions. When scaled to the entire Hudson and York River watersheds, estimated aerosol TOC depositional fluxes ranged from 6.1 to 9.7 × 1010 g C yr−1 and from 8.9 to 14 × 109 g C yr−1, respectively, and were similar in magnitude to the mean annual river OC export for these two systems (Hudson, 7.2 × 1010 g C yr−1; York, 8.4 × 109 g C yr−1). These findings underscore the potential importance of both natural and fossil fuel-derived aerosol OC inputs to watersheds.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Orofacial Clefts: Association with Maternal Satisfaction, Team Care, and Treatment Outcomes

Prenatal diagnosis of an orofacial cleft is thought to allow mothers greater opportunity to become prepared for the special needs of an infant with a cleft and plan for the care of their child. Using a population-based sample, we determined which children were more likely to be diagnosed prenatally, and whether early diagnosis was associated with maternal satisfaction and treatment outcomes. Interviews were completed with 235 (49% of eligible) mothers of children ages 2 to 7 with orofacial clefts initially enrolled in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study from the Arkansas, Iowa, and New York sites. Maternal satisfaction with information, support, and treatment outcomes was compared between women who received a prenatal diagnosis and those who did not. Of 235 infants with clefts, 46 (19.6%) were identified prenatally. One third of mothers were somewhat or not satisfied with information provided by medical staff. Satisfaction did not vary by timing of the diagnosis. Infants diagnosed prenatally were no more likely to have received care provided by a recognized multidisciplinary cleft team (76%) than were infants diagnosed at birth (78%). Speech problems and facial appearance as rated by the mother did not vary by timing of the diagnosis. Timing of the cleft diagnosis did not alter maternal satisfaction with information, whether care was provided by a designated cleft team, or maternal perception of facial appearance or speech. Further research should determine whether prenatal diagnoses alter maternal anxiety or influence postnatal morbidity.

Quantitative, Nondestructive Assessment of Beech Scale (Hemiptera: Cryptococcidae) Density Using Digital Image Analysis of Wax Masses

Beech scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga Lindinger, is a non-native invasive insect associated with beech bark disease. A quantitative method of measuring viable scale density at the levels of the individual tree and localized bark patches was developed. Bark patches (10 cm(2)) were removed at 0, 1, and 2 m above the ground and at the four cardinal directions from 13 trees in northern New York and 12 trees in northern Michigan. Digital photographs of each patch were made, and the wax mass area was measured from two random 1-cm(2) subsamples on each bark patch using image analysis software. Viable scale insects were counted after removing the wax under a dissecting microscope. Separate regression analyses at the whole tree level for the New York and Michigan sites each showed a strong positive relationship of wax mass area with the number of underlying viable scale insects. The relationships for the New York and Michigan data were not significantly different from each other, and when pooling data from the two sites, there was still a significant positive relationship between wax mass area and the number of scale insects. The relationships between viable scale insects and wax mass area were different at the 0-, 1-, and 2-m sampling heights but do not seem to affect the relationship. This method does not disrupt the insect or its interactions with the host tree.

Race and Ethnic Differences in a Multicenter Study of Home Safety With Vouchers Redeemable for Free Safety Devices

Most injuries to infants occur at home and are known to have a modifiable component. Additional information on safety behaviors, practices, and device ownership could inform prevention programs aimed at reducing injury-related race and ethnic disparities. This study is a secondary data analysis of race and ethnic differences in home safety using data collected by the Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New York sites of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids. Study participants were English- and Spanish-speaking parents/guardians of infants aged 4 months to 6 months. All participants received a voucher redeemable for free safety devices and educational materials. Five hundred forty-two study participants were 37.8% black, 41.7% Hispanic, 10.5% white, and 10.0% other race. Whites more frequently owned/had safety devices including cabinet latches (chi2 =28.9, p < 0.0001), drawer latches (chi2 =21.4, p < 0.0001), bath thermometers (chi2 =22.5, p < 0.0001), electric outlet covers (chi2 =15.9, p = 0.0004), and poison control number (chi 2=93.8, p < 0.0001). Practice of unsafe behaviors, such as stomach sleep position, was higher in blacks (29.3%) than whites (15.8%) or Hispanics (17.7%) (chi2 =11.8, p < 0.0083). Overall, 62.1% redeemed vouchers, but this varied significantly by ethnicity: blacks (42.2%), non-Hispanic whites (64.6%), and Hispanics (76.3%) (chi2 = 48.5, p < 0.0001). Compared with whites, both blacks and Hispanics were less likely to own a variety of safety devices at baseline, but Hispanics were more likely than blacks to redeem vouchers. This one shot voucher program was effective at increasing device ownership, but was not sufficient alone to achieve population saturation of safety devices.

Assumptions about Consumption in the Archaeology of Late Nineteenth-Century Farmsteads

Farming is typically associated with rural environments. The Dubois Site in Albany, New York, however, presented an opportunity to look at a farmstead close to a growing urban center during the second half of the 19th century. The excavations of the Dubois Site are discussed and the results are compared to the more rural Porter Site, a contemporary 19th-century farmstead. The comparison examines how the different contexts might have impacted consumption and production at the two farms, as well as the treatment of the farmstead landscapes. The two New York sites are then contrasted with four contemporary farm sites in southeastern Vermont. The results indicate that some farmers, although rural, were fully immersed in the late 19th-century market in terms of consumption and production. In contrast, data from the Vermont sites indicate that some farmers remained tied to local markets and did not participate in the wider national market.

Transferability of an HGM wetland classification scheme to a longitudinal gradient of the central Appalachian Mountains: Initial hydrological results

The fundamental role of hydrology in determining HGM classification and function leads to the assumption that any test of regionalization might do well to begin with a comparison of hydrologic variation within regional subclasses across a geographical or landscape continuum. This paper deals with only the basic hydrologic comparisons between New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for similarly classified wetlands in all three regions. Water levels for headwater floodplain wetlands varied substantially between the New York region and the Pennsylvania and Virginia regions; the latter regions were very similar. The same pattern was evident for slope wetlands across the three regions, but there was no significant difference in water levels for riparian depressions. Based upon the hydrologic data alone, it seems that applying the classification outside of central Pennsylvania had mixed results; it worked well south to Virginia and less well north to New York. One substantial influence in New York was the presence of beaver (Castor canadensis) that greatly influenced almost every watershed we worked in. Furthermore, climate differences between the three regions may also have a large impact — the New York sites were subject to much more snow than sites further south.

Unexpectedly low genetic divergences among populations of the threatened bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii)

We used mitochondrial DNA sequence comparisons to assess range-wide population structure and historical patterns of differentiation among populations of the bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii). This species is one of North America’s smallest and most endangered pond turtles, and is currently found in three largely disjunct groups of populations: in the southern U.S., in the northeast, and in the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario Plains region of western and central New York State. All the New York sites and most of the northeastern sites were glaciated during the Pleistocene. We surveyed 2793 bases pairs of mitochondrial DNA spanning three genes (cytb, nd4, and d-loop) in 41 individuals from 21 populations throughout most of the bog turtle’s distribution. We found surprisingly low levels of divergence among populations, even in southern populations that have been hypothesized as refugia during times of climate change. Our data suggest populations of bog turtle’s suffered a bottleneck, followed by a rapid post-Pleistocene expansion into northern segments of the species’ range. We discuss historical changes in habitat availability and climate that may have influenced the historical deployment of lineages in this species, and possible life history traits and habitat dynamics that might also contribute to the overall low genetic diversity across its range.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of the Use of Irradiated Meat among Respondents to the FoodNet Population Survey in Connecticut and New York

Irradiation of fresh meat to control microbial pathogens received approval from the federal government in February 2000. Food irradiation is a useful, albeit underutilized, process that can help protect the public from foodborne illnesses. The objective of this study was to determine consumer knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward irradiated meat products. Data were obtained from a single-stage random-digit dialing telephone survey of residents of the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) sites conducted in 2002 to 2003, which included supplemental questions about food safety and irradiated meat for residents of the Connecticut and New York sites. Thirty-seven percent of 3,104 respondents knew that irradiated fresh meat was available for purchase; however, only 2% found the product where they shopped. Knowledge of product availability was significantly influenced by whether a respondent lived in a county with one or more grocery stores operated by chain A, which had actively promoted the sale of irradiated fresh ground beef during the survey period. In a logistic regression model, after adjusting for other factors, respondents living in a county with chain A were more likely to know that irradiated products could be purchased than respondents living in other counties (odds ratio 2.0; 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 2.5). This finding suggests that public education efforts by an individual grocery store chain can have an important effect on knowledge of irradiated food.