Ecological Determinants of Respiratory Health: Examining Associations between Asthma Emergency Department Visits, Diesel Particulate Matter, and Public Parks and Open Space in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles County (LAC) low-income communities of color experience uneven asthma rates, evidenced by asthma emergency department visits (AEDV). This has partly been attributed to inequitable exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM). Promisingly, public parks and open space (PPOS) contribute to DPM mitigation. However, low-income communities of color with limited access to PPOS may be deprived of associated public health benefits. Therefore, this novel study investigates the AEDV, DPM, PPOS nexus to address this public health dilemma and inform public policy in at-risk communities. Optimized Hotspot Analysis was used to examine geographic clustering of AEDVs, DPM, and PPOS at the census tract unit of analysis in LAC. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was used to examine the extent to which DPM and PPOS predict AEDVs. Finally, Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR) was employed to account for spatial dependence in the global OLS model. Optimized Hotspot Analysis confirmed significant clustering of elevated AEDVs and DPM in census tracts with reduced PPOS. After controlling for pertinent demographic characteristics (poverty, children, race/ ethnicity), regression analysis confirmed that DPM was significantly positively associated with AEDVs, whereas PPOS was significantly negatively associated with AEDVs. Furthermore, GWR revealed that 71.5% of LACs census tracts would benefit from DPM reductions and 79.4% would benefit from PPOS increases toward redressing AEDVs. This is the first study to identify AEDV reductions in census tracts with higher concentrations of PPOS. Thus, reducing DPM and increasing PPOS may serve to improve asthma outcomes, particularly in lowincome communities of color

Ecological determinants of respiratory health: Examining associations between asthma emergency department visits, diesel particulate matter, and public parks and open space in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles County (LAC) low-income communities of color experience uneven asthma rates, evidenced by asthma emergency department visits (AEDV). This has partly been attributed to inequitable exposure to diesel particulate matter (DPM). Promisingly, public parks and open space (PPOS) contribute to DPM mitigation. However, low-income communities of color with limited access to PPOS may be deprived of associated public health benefits. Therefore, this novel study investigates the AEDV, DPM, PPOS nexus to address this public health dilemma and inform public policy in at-risk communities. Optimized Hotspot Analysis was used to examine geographic clustering of AEDVs, DPM, and PPOS at the census tract unit of analysis in LAC. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was used to examine the extent to which DPM and PPOS predict AEDVs. Finally, Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR) was employed to account for spatial dependence in the global OLS model. Optimized Hotspot Analysis confirmed significant clustering of elevated AEDVs and DPM in census tracts with reduced PPOS. After controlling for pertinent demographic characteristics (poverty, children, race/ethnicity), regression analysis confirmed that DPM was significantly positively associated with AEDVs, whereas PPOS was significantly negatively associated with AEDVs. Furthermore, GWR revealed that 71.5% of LACs census tracts would benefit from DPM reductions and 79.4% would benefit from PPOS increases toward redressing AEDVs. This is the first study to identify AEDV reductions in census tracts with higher concentrations of PPOS. Thus, reducing DPM and increasing PPOS may serve to improve asthma outcomes, particularly in low-income communities of color

Using Long-Term Constant-Effort Banding Data to Monitor Population Trends of Migratory Birds: A 33-Year Assessment of Adjacent Coastal Stations

One technique for monitoring population trends of many species of migratory songbirds is to assess changes in population indices at constant-effort mist-netting stations located at sites of migration stopover. However, few studies have attempted to validate this approach. We compared long-term (1969–2001) population trends based on annual variation in capture rates at two banding stations located 30 km apart in southern Rhode Island, with one on the mainland, the other on an offshore island. Of 24 species with sufficient sample sizes, 21 species exhibited a significant linear decline at one or both stations. There was a high degree of conformity in trend-slope directions observed at each station. Annual fluctuations and trend magnitude conformed less well, although there was more concordance for nine transient species that do not breed in southern New England. At both stations trends were similar to those at a migration-monitoring station ~95 km away in coastal Massachusetts. The trends at this network of three migration-monitoring stations were more negative than those of Breeding Bird Surveys in northern New England and southeastern Canada. Our results demonstrate that constant-effort mist-netting stations could be used to monitor population trends of many species of migratory songbirds, although it is not clear which breeding populations are being monitored. This suggests that banding stations could be used to supplement existing large-scale monitoring programs

Traffic-Light Labels and Choice Architecture: Promoting Healthy Food Choices

Background: Preventing obesity requires maintenance of healthy eating behaviors over time. Food labels and strategies that increase visibility and convenience of healthy foods (choice architecture) promote healthier choices, but long-term effectiveness is unknown. Purpose: Assess effectiveness of traffic-light labeling and choice architecture cafeteria intervention over 24 months. Design: Longitudinal pre–post cohort follow-up study between December 2009 and February 2012. Data were analyzed in 2012. Setting/participants: Large hospital cafeteria with a mean of 6511 transactions daily. Cafeteria sales were analyzed for (1) all cafeteria customers and (2) a longitudinal cohort of 2285 hospital employees who used the cafeteria regularly. Intervention: After a 3-month baseline period, cafeteria items were labeled green (healthy); yellow (less healthy); or red (unhealthy) and rearranged to make healthy items more accessible. Main outcome measures: Proportion of cafeteria sales that were green or red during each 3-month period from baseline to 24 months. Changes in 12- and 24-month sales were compared to baseline for all transactions and transactions by the employee cohort. Results: The proportion of sales of red items decreased from 24% at baseline to 20% at 24 months (p\u3c0.001), and green sales increased from 41% to 46% (p\u3c0.001). Red beverages decreased from 26% of beverage sales at baseline to 17% at 24 months (p\u3c0.001); green beverages increased from 52% to 60% (p\u3c0.001). Similar patterns were observed for the cohort of employees, with the largest change for red beverages (23%–14%, p\u3c0.001). Conclusions: A traffic-light and choice architecture cafeteria intervention resulted in sustained healthier choices over 2 years, suggesting that food environment interventions can promote long-term changes in population eating behaviors

MODELING CARBON FIBER SUSPENSION DYNAMICS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING POLYMER MELT FLOWS

The addition of short carbon fibers to the feedstock of large-scale polymer extrusion/deposition additive manufacturing results in significant increases in mechanical properties dependent on the fiber distribution and orientation in the beads. In order to analyze those factors, a coupled computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element modeling (DEM) approach is developed to simulate the behavior of fibers in an extrusion/deposition nozzle flow after calibrations in simple shear flows. The DEM model uses bonded discrete particles to make up flexible and breakable fibers that are first calibrated to match Jeffery’s orbit and to produce interactions that are consistent with Advani-Tucker orientation tensor predictions. The DEM/CFD model is then used to simulate the processing of fiber suspensions in the variable flow and geometries present in extrusion/deposition nozzles. The computed results provide enhanced insight into the evolution of fiber orientation and distribution during extrusion/deposition as compared to existing models through individual fiber tracking over time and space on multiple parameters of interest such as orientation, flexure, and contact forces.Mechanical Engineerin

When REBOA grows wings: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta to facilitate aeromedical transport

BACKGROUND: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a helpful adjunct in the control of non-compressible truncal hemorrhage. Concerns regarding ischemia time limits its applicability in transfer. We describe the first reported case of civilian transfer via aeromedical transport to a higher level of care with a zone 3 REBOA catheter deployed. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a patient in hemorrhagic shock with a complex pelvic fracture exceeding the capability of a rural level-two trauma center requiring the use of REBOA catheter to permit aeromedical transport to a level-one trauma center for definitive embolization. CONCLUSION: Deployment of REBOA catheter to facilitate aeromedical transport to an appropriate level of care may be considered if travel times can be kept brief and there is a process and training in place to empower flight medics to consider transporting with a REBOA deployed

Mechanism of action of VP1-001 in cryAB(R120G)-associated and age-related cataracts

PurposeWe previously identified an oxysterol, VP1-001 (also known as compound 29), that partially restores the transparency of lenses with cataracts. To understand the mechanism of VP1-001, we tested the ability of its enantiomer, ent-VP1-001, to bind and stabilize αB-crystallin (cryAB) in vitro and to produce a similar therapeutic effect in cryAB(R120G) mutant and aged wild-type mice with cataracts. VP1-001 and ent-VP1-001 have identical physicochemical properties. These experiments are designed to critically evaluate whether stereoselective binding to cryAB is required for activity.MethodsWe compared the binding of VP1-001 and ent-VP1-001 to cryAB using in silico docking, differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), and microscale thermophoresis (MST). Compounds were delivered by six topical administrations to mouse eyes over 2 weeks, and the effects on cataracts and lens refractive measures in vivo were examined. Additionally, lens epithelial and fiber cell morphologies were assessed via transmission electron microscopy.ResultsDocking studies suggested greater binding of VP1-001 into a deep groove in the cryAB dimer compared with ent-VP1-001. Consistent with this prediction, DSF and MST experiments showed that VP1-001 bound cryAB, whereas ent-VP1-001 did not. Accordingly, topical treatment of lenses with ent-VP1-001 had no effect, whereas VP1-001 produced a statistically significant improvement in lens clarity and favorable changes in lens morphology.ConclusionsThe ability of VP1-001 to bind native cryAB dimers is important for its ability to reverse lens opacity in mouse models of cataracts