Food Insecurity Prevalence Across Diverse Sites During COVID-19: A Year of Comprehensive Data

Key Findings NFACT includes 18 study sites in 15 states as well as a national poll, collectively representing a sample size of more than 26,000 people. Some sites have implemented multiple survey rounds, here we report results from 22 separate surveys conducted during the year since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. 18 out of 19 surveys in 14 sites with data for before and since the pandemic began found an increase in food insecurity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to before the pandemic. In nearly all surveys (18/19) that measured food insecurity both before and during the pandemic, more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) were classified as food insecure during the pandemic as compared to before it began. Prevalence of food insecurity for BIPOC respondents was higher than the overall population in the majority of surveys (19/20) sampling a general population. In almost all surveys (21/22), the prevalence of food insecurity for households with children was higher than the overall prevalence of food insecurity. Food insecurity prevalence was higher for households experiencing a negative job impact during the pandemic (i.e. job loss, furlough, reduction in hours) in nearly all surveys and study sites (21/22). Food insecurity prevalence in most sites was significantly higher before COVID-19 than estimates from that time period. Reporting a percent change between pre and during COVID-19 prevalence may provide additional information about the rate of change in food insecurity since the start of the pandemic, which absolute prevalence of food insecurity may not capture. Results highlight consistent trends in food insecurity outcomes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, across diverse study sites, methodological approaches, and time

Search for muon neutrinos from gamma-ray bursts with the ANTARES neutrino telescope using 2008 to 2011 data

9 pages, 8 figures; added Fig. 1 with effective area, updated Fig. 8 (b) according to arXiv:1204.4219 ; Références publication Astron Astrophys 559 (2013) A9International audienceAims. We search for muon neutrinos in coincidence with GRBs with the ANTARES neutrino detector using data from the end of 2007 to 2011. Methods. Expected neutrino fluxes were calculated for each burst individually. The most recent numerical calculations of the spectra using the NeuCosmA code were employed, which include Monte Carlo simulations of the full underlying photohadronic interaction processes. The discovery probability for a selection of 296 GRBs in the given period was optimised using an extended maximum-likelihood strategy. Results. No significant excess over background is found in the data, and 90% confidence level upper limits are placed on the total expected flux according to the model

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Effect of secondary phases on the evolution of glass alteration

International audienceWhatever the environment (soils, water and atmosphere), glass of varying compositions undergo alteration process conditioned by exposure conditions and glass intrinsic chemical and physical properties. Modification varies from a simple loss of transparency to a severe material loss but always involve modifications of the structure and chemical composition at the interface between the glass and the environment (hydration, dealkalinisation, dissolution,…). In many cases, these alteration of the glass structure are associated to the conjointed precipitation of secondary phases outside of the glass network often in cracks and fractures or directly on the glass outer surface. On site and laboratory alteration were both carried out for two very different environent : atmospheric and burial conditions. In the case of atmospheric alteration analogues and original stained glasses were compared in order to study the early and long-term evolution of the glass weathering. The samples observed in the two types of site show comparable alteration patterns. The nature of the precipitates outlines the impact of specific environmental conditions but, in every exposure conditions, similarities can be drawn on the secondary phases retroactive impact on the glass alteration processes. Nano-scale chemical characterization of the various phases was carried out through SEM-EDX, TEM-EDX; mineralogical characterization through electron diffraction, and STXM (for the structural environment of Si and Fe). From those observation some comparison of the phases influence on the system evolution and glass alteration can be made. Often, the precipitations are located within cracks inside the glass object. In some cases the precipitates have a clogging effect and can even trap glass-borne elements released from further alteration, but more often than not, local dissolution/precipitation of these secondary minerals inside the network favours the widening of the fractures, which facilitate fluid circulation, hence triggering further glass dissolution (congruent and selective) and precipitation of other secondary phases

Effect of secondary phases on the evolution of glass alteration

International audienceWhatever the environment (soils, water and atmosphere), glass of varying compositions undergo alteration process conditioned by exposure conditions and glass intrinsic chemical and physical properties. Modification varies from a simple loss of transparency to a severe material loss but always involve modifications of the structure and chemical composition at the interface between the glass and the environment (hydration, dealkalinisation, dissolution,…). In many cases, these alteration of the glass structure are associated to the conjointed precipitation of secondary phases outside of the glass network often in cracks and fractures or directly on the glass outer surface. On site and laboratory alteration were both carried out for two very different environent : atmospheric and burial conditions. In the case of atmospheric alteration analogues and original stained glasses were compared in order to study the early and long-term evolution of the glass weathering. The samples observed in the two types of site show comparable alteration patterns. The nature of the precipitates outlines the impact of specific environmental conditions but, in every exposure conditions, similarities can be drawn on the secondary phases retroactive impact on the glass alteration processes. Nano-scale chemical characterization of the various phases was carried out through SEM-EDX, TEM-EDX; mineralogical characterization through electron diffraction, and STXM (for the structural environment of Si and Fe). From those observation some comparison of the phases influence on the system evolution and glass alteration can be made. Often, the precipitations are located within cracks inside the glass object. In some cases the precipitates have a clogging effect and can even trap glass-borne elements released from further alteration, but more often than not, local dissolution/precipitation of these secondary minerals inside the network favours the widening of the fractures, which facilitate fluid circulation, hence triggering further glass dissolution (congruent and selective) and precipitation of other secondary phases

Emerging Adults’ Adherence to Preventative Health Guidelines in Response to COVID-19

Objective To examine rates of emerging adults’ (EA) adherence to preventative health behavior recommendations during early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate demographic (i.e., gender, years of education, socioeconomic status, school enrollment status, and living situation) and exposure and impact-related correlates of adherence. Methods Participants were 273 [M (SD) age = 22 (2.1) years, 55% female, 32% from minoritized groups] EA completed an online survey of adherence to 11 preventative health behaviors recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) during summer 2020. Participants rated adherence via a visual analog scale. Participants also reported demographic information and completed the COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Adolescent and Young Adult Version (CEFIS-AYA). Results Median levels of adherence to preventative recommendations ranged from 66% to 100%. Highest adherence levels (Mdn \u3e 90%) were reported for quarantining if exposed to COVID-19; covering mouth when sneezing; avoiding the elderly/those at high risk; and avoiding large gatherings. Median adherence was \u3c80% for mask wearing; maintaining a 6-foot distance; avoiding in-person visits with romantic partners or friends; and disinfecting surfaces. Female gender was the only variable significantly associated with overall adherence, and it explained 4% of the variance. Conclusions Following guidelines related to social distancing practices may be particularly challenging for EA, possibly because of unique developmental needs of this group, and males may be at greater risk for non-adherence to CDC recommendations. Therefore, public health messaging and adherence intervention development should be designed with males and social distancing practices in mind