Workers Without Health Insurance: Who Are They and How Can Policy Reach Them?

Offers a detailed picture of the 16 million uninsured working population in the U.S., identifies potential causes and effects, and examines the policy implications and options

Nutrient and carbonate chemistry patterns associated with Karenia brevis blooms in three West Florida Shelf estuaries 2020-2023

Ocean acidification (OA) driven by eutrophication, riverine discharge, and other threats from local population growth that affect the inorganic carbonate system is already affecting the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Long-term declines in pH of ~ -0.001 pH units yr-1 have been observed in many southwest Florida estuaries over the past few decades. Coastal and estuarine waters of southwest Florida experience high biomass harmful algal blooms (HABs) of the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis nearly every year; and these blooms have the potential to impact and be impacted by seasonal to interannual patterns of carbonate chemistry. Sampling was conducted seasonally along three estuarine transects (Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Caloosahatchee River) between May 2020 and May 2023 to obtain baseline measurements of carbonate chemistry prior to, during, and following K. brevis blooms. Conductivity, temperature and depth data and discrete water samples for K. brevis cell abundance, nutrients, and carbonate chemistry (total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbonate (DIC), pCO2, and pHT were evaluated to identify seasonal patterns and linkages among carbonate system variables, nutrients, and K. brevis blooms. Karenia brevis blooms were observed during six samplings, and highest pCO2 and lowest pHT was observed either during or after blooms in all three estuaries. Highest average pH and lowest pCO2 were observed in Tampa Bay. In all three estuaries, average DIC and pHT were higher and pCO2 was lower during dry seasons than wet seasons. There was strong influence of net community calcification (NCC) and net community production (NCP) on the carbonate system; and NCC : NCP ratios in Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and the Caloosahatchee River were 0.83, 0.93, and 1.02, respectively. Linear relationships between salinity and dissolved ammonium, phosphate, and nitrate indicate strong influence of freshwater inflow from river input and discharge events on nutrient concentrations. This study is a first step towards connecting observations of high biomass blooms like those caused by K. brevis and alterations of carbonate chemistry in Southwest Florida. Our study demonstrates the need for integrated monitoring to improve understanding of interactions among the carbonate system, HABs, water quality, and acidification over local to regional spatial scales and event to decadal time scales

A conjugated diosma-octacyclic complex and its mixed-valence singly reduced state

In this work two dicationic diosma-octacyclic complexes have successfully been synthesized and fully characterized. One of them, with aromatic osmapentalene termini linked by the non-aromatic osmafuran moiety to the rigid naphthalenediolate bridge, represents the first example of a fused, fully conjugated dimetalla-octacyclic complex. A reference complex with more flexible biphenolate in the bridging position was also prepared. Their redox and electronic properties were investigated by combined methods of cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis-NIR–IR spectroelectrochemistry, supported by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. The rigid octacyclic complex forms a stable singly reduced mixed-valence species with the spin density localized at one of the osmapentalene termini

Corrigendum to “Randomized phase 2 trial and open-label extension of domagrozumab in Duchenne muscular dystrophy” [Neuromuscular Disorders, Vol. 30 (6) 2020, 492-502] (Neuromuscular Disorders (2020) 30(6) (492–502), (S0960896620301188), (10.1016/j.nmd.2020.05.002))

This article reported on the results from a phase 2 trial of domagrozumab and its open-label extension in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Clinicaltrials.gov identifiers: NCT02310763 and NCT02907619). The manuscript also provided results on two secondary endpoints for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), muscle volume and muscle volume index. The authors regret that, following publication of the results and in preparation for a separate publication on MRI results from this trial, the MRI images were reviewed and segmentation errors were identified. As a result, the team worked to (1) Perform a rigorous quality inspection of all analysed data; (2) Identify cases where there were incorrect segmentations; (3) correct segmentation errors; (4) Re-analyse all data with correct segmentation. Using the updated MRI data, the MMRM analysis showed there was a change in the significance of secondary endpoints evaluating Thigh Muscle Volume and Muscle Volume Index. No significant differences between treatment groups in muscle volume measures were found in the original analysis. These results have not altered the overall interpretation of the study results but do necessitate revisions to the article. These data confirm that the trial design and execution adequately tested the hypothesis that myostatin inhibition would slow or delay the loss of function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The increase in muscle volume observed by MRI in patients with DMD treated with domagrozumab is in accordance with mechanism of action for domagrozumab, which targets myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle growth. The increase in muscle volume did not lead to a clinical benefit in patients with DMD. The primary endpoint (4 stair climb) did not meet statistical significance, nor did the other functional tests. The study was terminated due to lack of efficacy. Full details of the needed revisions are as follows: 1. In the results section 3.6 (page 8, second paragraph), we reported no significant differences in mean percent change from baseline between domagrozumab and placebo for both muscle volume and muscle volume index. This paragraph was replaced with the following text: “There was a significant difference between domagrozumab and placebo in the mean percent change from baseline in thigh muscle volume at Week 17 (difference 2.945%, P=0.0087) and Week 49 (differences 4.087%, P=0.0298), and in muscle volume index at Week 33 (difference 2.612%, P=0.0376) and Week 49 (differences3.208%, P=0.0411).” 2. In the discussion (page 9), the following sentence, “Although neither muscle volume nor muscle volume index measures were statistically significant in this study, they are both consistent with a potential anabolic effect.” was replaced with, “The increase in muscle volume observed on MRI in patients with DMD treated with domagrozumab, is in accordance with mechanism of action for this compound which targets myostatin, a negative regulator of muscle growth. However, the increase in muscle volume did not lead to a clinical benefit (improved function) in patients with DMD.” 3. In view of the correction to the Results section, this is now reflected in the abstract which has changed to read: “There were no significant between-group differences in secondary clinical endpoints, except for the thigh muscle volume and muscle volume index measures (P\u3c0.05).” The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused

Childhood sexual trauma and subsequent parenting beliefs and behaviors

Using propensity-matched controls, the present study examines the long-term adjustment of women reporting Childhood Sexual Trauma (CST) at or before the age of 14 in terms of parenting efficacy and parenting behavior. Data for these analyses were obtained from mother reports and from observational protocols from a longitudinal study of low-income, rural families. The novel use of propensity-matched controls to create a control group matched on family of origin variables provides evidence that, when women with CST are compared with the matched comparison women, females who experienced CST show poorer functioning across multiple domains of parenting (sensitivity, harsh intrusiveness, boundary dissolution), but not in parenting efficacy. Follow up moderation analyses suggest that the potential effects of trauma on parenting behaviors are not attenuated by protective factors such as higher income, higher education, or stable adult relationships. Implications for interventions with childhood sexual trauma histories and directions for future study are proposed

LSST Science Book, Version 2.0

A survey that can cover the sky in optical bands over wide fields to faint magnitudes with a fast cadence will enable many of the exciting science opportunities of the next decade. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will have an effective aperture of 6.7 meters and an imaging camera with field of view of 9.6 deg^2, and will be devoted to a ten-year imaging survey over 20,000 deg^2 south of +15 deg. Each pointing will be imaged 2000 times with fifteen second exposures in six broad bands from 0.35 to 1.1 microns, to a total point-source depth of r~27.5. The LSST Science Book describes the basic parameters of the LSST hardware, software, and observing plans. The book discusses educational and outreach opportunities, then goes on to describe a broad range of science that LSST will revolutionize: mapping the inner and outer Solar System, stellar populations in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, the structure of the Milky Way disk and halo and other objects in the Local Volume, transient and variable objects both at low and high redshift, and the properties of normal and active galaxies at low and high redshift. It then turns to far-field cosmological topics, exploring properties of supernovae to z~1, strong and weak lensing, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and baryon oscillations, and how these different probes may be combined to constrain cosmological models and the physics of dark energy.Comment: 596 pages. Also available at full resolution at http://www.lsst.org/lsst/sciboo

SARS-CoV-2 infection in central North Carolina: Protocol for a population-based longitudinal cohort study and preliminary participant results

Public health surveillance systems likely underestimate the true prevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to limited access to testing and the high proportion of subclinical infections in community-based settings. This ongoing prospective, observational study aimed to generate accurate estimates of the prevalence and incidence of, and risk factors for, SARS-CoV-2 infection among residents of a central North Carolina county. From this cohort, we collected survey data and nasal swabs every two weeks and venous blood specimens every month. Nasal swabs were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus (evidence of active infection), and serum specimens for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies (evidence of prior infection). As of June 23, 2021, we have enrolled a total of 153 participants from a county with an estimated 76,285 total residents. The anticipated study duration is at least 24 months, pending the evolution of the pandemic. Study data are being shared on a monthly basis with North Carolina state health authorities and future analyses aim to compare study data to state-wide metrics over time. Overall, the use of a probability-based sampling design and a well-characterized cohort will enable collection of critical data that can be used in planning and policy decisions for North Carolina and may be informative for other states with similar demographic characteristics