Natural Theories of Ultra-Low Mass PNGB's: Axions and Quintessence

We consider the Wilson Line PNGB which arises in a U(1)^N gauge theory, abstracted from a latticized, periodically compactified extra dimension U(1). Planck scale breaking of the PNGB's global symmetry is suppressed, providing natural candidates for the axion and quintessence. We construct an explicit model in which the axion may be viewed as the 5th component of the U(1)_Y gauge field in a 1+4 latticized periodically compactified extra dimension. We also construct a quintessence PNGB model where the ultra-low mass arises from Planck-scale suppressed physics itself.Comment: 20 pages, fixed typo and reference

Signatures of non-gaussianity in the isocurvature modes of primordial black hole dark matter

Primordial black holes (PBHs) are black holes which may have formed very early on during the radiation dominated era in the early universe. We present here a method by which the large scale perturbations in the density of primordial black holes may be used to place tight constraints on non-gaussianity if PBHs account for dark matter (DM). The presence of local-type non-gaussianity is known to have a significant effect on the abundance of primordial black holes, and modal coupling from the observed CMB scale modes can significantly alter the number density of PBHs that form within different regions of the universe, which appear as DM isocurvature modes. Using the recent \emph{Planck} constraints on isocurvature perturbations, we show that PBHs are excluded as DM candidates for even very small local-type non-gaussianity, $|f_{NL}|\approx0.001$ and remarkably the constraint on $g_{NL}$ is almost as strong. Even small non-gaussianity is excluded if DM is composed of PBHs. If local non-Gaussianity is ever detected on CMB scales, the constraints on the fraction of the universe collapsing into PBHs (which are massive enough to have not yet evaporated) will become much tighter.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures. V2: minor corrections and changes, matches published versio

Adolescent Experiences of Violence Victimizations Among Minors Who Exchange Sex/Experience Minor Sex Trafficking

This work investigates the associations between experiences of domestic minor sex trafficking and adolescent interpersonal violence victimizations, including intimate partner violence (IPV) and community violence. Abuse and violence in childhood are commonly proposed as risk factors for domestic minor sex trafficking. However, less is known about how interpersonal violence victimizations in adolescence connect to domestic minor sex trafficking experiences. The poly-victimization framework provides a means to understand domestic minor sex trafficking as a type of violence amid a web of additional interconnected violence victimizations. Efforts to better understand the interpersonal violence experienced by survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking are valuable in contextualizing trafficking experiences for adolescents. Data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a population-based sample of adolescents in the United States (n = 12,605) were used to examine experiences of domestic minor sex trafficking for minor respondents, as measured through questions about exchanging sex for money or drugs. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the associations between domestic minor sex trafficking and IPV or community violence, while controlling for demographic variables and adolescent risk behaviors. Minors who experience community violence had significantly greater odds of having exchanged sex (aOR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.32 -2.64). However, IPV was not significantly associated with minors’ experiences of sex exchange (aOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 0.85 -1.54). Alcohol or drug use (aOR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.32 -2.65) and having run away (aOR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.53 -2.72) were also significantly associated with minor sex exchange. As experiences of domestic minor sex trafficking were significantly associated with community violence victimizations, prevention and intervention efforts targeting youth at high risk for or survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking should consider how community violence victimizations impact these adolescent populations, and programming/messaging should be adjusted to account for these additional violence victimizations

Preconception and Prenatal Predictors of Early Experiences of Risk and Protection Among Alaska Children

Objectives: Our objective was to identify preconception and prenatal predictors of early experiences of co-occurring risk and protective factors to help target prevention efforts to the highest-need families prior to the birth of the child. Methods: Data were from the Alaska Longitudinal Child Abuse and Neglect Linkage project and the 2012–2014 Alaska Child Understanding Behaviors Survey. We used latent class analysis and Vermunt’s three-step approach to examine predictors of latent classes of risk and protective factors among Alaska children. Results: Among children of Alaska Native/American Indian mothers, financial (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.04, 3.90) and partner stress (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.02, 4.10) prior to childbirth, maternal education < 12 years (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.05, 4.96), and maternal substance use (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.30, 4.89) were associated with a higher likelihood of membership in a high risk/moderate protection class as compared to a low socioeconomic status/high protection class. Among children of non-Native mothers, partner stress prior to childbirth (OR 3.92, 95% CI 1.08, 14.19), maternal education < 12 years (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.24, 5.81), maternal substance use (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.24, 5.81), younger maternal age (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80, 0.95), and a greater number of children (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.09, 2.41) were associated with a higher likelihood of membership in a moderate risk/high protection class as compared to a low risk/moderate protection class. Conclusions: Results can inform eligibility criteria for prenatal home visiting programs and prenatal screening in Alaska to ensure prevention programming and referrals are directed to families most in need of additional support

Heterogeneity in Risk and Protection Among Alaska Native/American Indian and Non-Native Children

Currently, little is known about patterns of co-occurring risk and protective factors among young children. Understanding variations in co-occurring risk and protective factors among children in Alaska is important as experiences of collective trauma may contribute to differences in the intersection of risk and protective factors between Alaska Native/American Indian (AN/AI) and non-Native children. Using data from the Alaska Longitudinal Child Abuse and Neglect Linkage (ALCANLink) project, a linkage of the 2009–2011 Alaska Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey and administrative data sources, and the 2012–2014 Childhood Understanding Behaviors Survey, we conducted latent class analysis to identify classes of AN/AI (N = 593) and non-Native (N = 1018) children in terms of seven risk factors (poverty, maternal depression, maternal binge drinking, parental incarceration, intimate partner violence exposure, other violence exposure, child maltreatment) and four protective factors (father figure involvement, reading by adults, family meals, peer interactions) experienced prior to age 3 years. We identified two classes among AN/AI children: (1) high risk-moderate protection (29.1%) and (2) low socioeconomic status-high protection (70.9%). We identified two classes among non-Native children: (1) moderate risk-high protection (32.9%) and (2) low risk-high protection (67.1%). A test of invariance revealed that risk and protective factor probabilities differed significantly for corresponding classes of AN/AI and non-Native children. Overall, results demonstrate heterogeneity within and between AN/AI and non-Native children in early experiences of risk and protection and suggest that interventions will be more effective if tailored to the experiences and developmental needs of specific groups of Alaska children

Trajectories of child protective services contact among Alaska Native/American Indian and non-Native children

Background: Contact with child protective services (CPS) functions as an independent marker of child vulnerability. Alaska children are an important population for understanding patterns of CPS contact given high rates of contact overall and among specific demographic groups. Objective: We aimed to identify longitudinal trajectory classes of CPS contact among Alaska Native/American Indian (AN/AI) and non-Native children and examine preconception and prenatal risk factors associated with identified classes. Participants and setting: We used data from the Alaska Longitudinal Child Abuse and Neglect Linkage (ALCANLink) project, a linkage of 2009–2011 Alaska Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) births with administrative data including CPS records. Methods: We conducted growth mixture modeling to identify trajectory classes of CPS contact from birth to age five years. We used Vermunt's three-step approach to examine associations with preconception and prenatal risk factors. Results: Among AN/AI children, we identified three classes: 1) no/low CPS contact (75.4%); 2) continuous CPS contact (19.6%), and 3) early, decreasing CPS contact (5.0%). Among non-Native children, we identified four classes: 1) no CPS contact (81.3%); 2) low, increasing CPS contact (9.5%); 3) early, rapid decline CPS contact (5.8%); and 4) high, decreasing CPS contact (3.3%). Maternal substance use had the largest impact on probabilities of class membership, increasing the probability of membership in classes characterized by CPS contact, among both AN/AI and non-Native children. Conclusions: Results reveal heterogeneity in longitudinal patterns CPS contact across early childhood among Alaska children and identify maternal substance use as an important target for primary prevention

Patterns of Risk and Protective Factors Among Alaska Children: Association With Maternal and Child Well-Being

This study used population-representative data to examine associations of risk and protective factor patterns among Alaska Native/American Indian (AN/AI; N = 592) and non-Native (N = 1,018) children with maternal and child outcomes at age 3 years. Among AN/AI children, a high risk/moderate protection class was associated with child developmental risk and mothers being less likely to feel comfortable asking for help or knowing where to go for parenting information compared to a low socioeconomic status/high protection class. Among non-Native children, a moderate risk/high protection class was associated with child developmental risk and mothers being less likely to feel comfortable asking for help compared to a low risk/high protection class. Results provide insight on the intersection of risk and protective factors among Alaska families

Cohort profile: The national longitudinal study of adolescent to adult health (Add Health)

Why was the cohort set up? The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) was developed in the 1990s in response to a mandate from the United States Congress to fund a study of adolescent health, and was designed by a team of multidisciplinary investigators from the social, behavioural and biomedical sciences. The original purpose of Add Health was to understand the causes of adolescent health and health behaviour, with special emphasis on the multiple contexts of adolescent life. To achieve this scientific goal, Add Health sampled the school and family environments in which young people live their lives, which included data on peer relationship dyads, parents, siblings, neighbourhoods and communities, and provides independent and direct measurement of these complex environments over time. As the cohort transitioned into adulthood, research objectives turned to understanding how adolescent experiences, behaviours and contexts are linked to health and achievement outcomes in adulthood, and the name of the study was officially changed to The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health in 2014

The depths of despair among US adults entering midlife

Objectives. To test whether indicators of despair are rising among US adults as they age toward midlife and whether this rise is concentrated among low-educated Whites and in rural areas. Methods. We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a nationally representative study of US adolescents in 1994. Our sample was restricted to individuals who participated in 1 or more of 5 waves (1994-2017) and self-identified as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or Hispanic (n = 18 446).We examined change in indicators of despair from adolescence to adulthood using multilevel regression analysis, testing for differences by race/ethnicity, education, and rurality. Results. We found evidence of rising despair among this cohort over the past decade. This increase was not restricted to low-educated Whites or to rural areas. Conclusions. Results suggest that generally rising despair among the young adult cohort now reaching midlife that cuts across racial/ethnic, educational, and geographic groups may presage rising midlife mortality for these subgroups in the next decade

Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Across Early- and Mid-Life Among the Add Health Cohort

While disparities in depressive symptoms by race/ethnicity and gender have been documented, left unclear is how such status characteristics intersect to influence mental health, particularly across early life and among a diverse set of population subgroups. This study investigates how intra- and inter-individual trends in depressive symptoms unfold across a 30-year span (ages 12–42) and are structured by the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender among White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American young adults (N = 18,566). Analyses use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a nationally representative study of adolescents who have been followed through their fourth decade of life. We draw on Waves I–IV and a representative subsample of the brand new Wave V data. Growth curve models indicated depressive symptoms decreased across adolescence and young adulthood before increasing in the early 30s. Racial/ethnic minorities reported more depressive symptoms than Whites. Women reported more depressive symptoms than men and experienced especially steep increases in their late 30s. Racial/ethnic-gender disparities remained stable with age, except for Hispanic-White disparities among women and Asian American-White disparities among men, which narrowed with age. Overall, findings demonstrate dynamic inequalities across a longer period of the life span than was previously known, as well as heterogeneity in trajectories of poor mental health within and between racial/ethnic-gender groups. Results also suggest that Black and Asian American women experience the highest mental health risks and that interventions for reducing disparities in depressive symptoms should focus on adults in their late 20s/early 30s, particularly women of color