A PROBIT MODEL ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMPTION OF FRESH SWEET CORN IN MAJOR U.S. MARKETS

In an effort to more effectively utilize its resources to promote fresh sweet corn, the Fresh Supersweet Corn Council contracted with the Florida Agricultural Market Research Center (FAMRC) of the University of Florida to conduct a comprehensive consumer survey. The consumer survey was designed to investigate consumer preferences, attitudes, and behavior regarding the purchase and consumption of fresh sweet corn. A total of 1,031 consumer telephone interviews were conducted in Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia between September 7 and November 3, 2001. Respondents' revealed very limited consumption in the winter, spring, and fall seasons and consumers' perceptions that sweet corn is not available in these seasons. Probit models are estimated to determine effects of seasonalityConsumer/Household Economics,

Offspring of Prenatal IV Nicotine Exposure Exhibit Increased Sensitivity to the Reinforcing Effects of Methamphetamine

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased substance abuse in offspring. Preclinical research shows that in utero exposure to nicotine, the primary psychoactive compound in tobacco smoke, influences the neurodevelopment of reward systems and alters motivated behavior in offspring. The present study determined if prenatal nicotine (PN) exposure altered the sensitivity to the reinforcing and aversive effects of methamphetamine (METH) in offspring using a low dose, intravenous (IV) exposure method. Pregnant dams were administered nicotine (0.05 mg/kg/injection) or prenatal saline (PS) 3×/day on gestational days 8–21, and adult offspring were tested using METH self-administration (experiment 1) or METH-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA; experiment 2) procedures. For METH self-administration, animals were trained to respond for IV METH (0.05 mg/kg/infusion; fixed-ratio 3) and they were tested on varying doses of the reinforcer (0.0005–1.0 mg/kg/infusion). For METH CTA, rats received three saccharin and METH pairings (0, 0.3, or 0.5 mg/kg, sc) followed by 14 daily extinction trials. Experiment 1: PN and PS animals exhibited inverted U-shaped dose-response curves; however, the PN animal’s curve was shifted to the left, suggesting PN animals were more sensitive to the reinforcing effects of METH. Experiment 2: METH CTA was acquired in a dose-dependent manner and the factor of PN exposure was not related to the acquisition or extinction of METH-induced CTA. There were no sex differences in either experiment. These results indicate that IV PN-exposed adult offspring exhibited increased sensitivity to IV METH. This suggests that PN exposure, via maternal smoking, will alter the reinforcing effects of METH during later stages of development, and furthermore, will influence substance use vulnerability in adult human offspring

Web-Based Surface Metering Display (SMD) User Manual

This document serves as a user manual for the ATD-2 Web-Based Surface Metering Display (SMD). It describes the elements of the full SMD interface and provides explanations for how to interact with SMD. The document provides instructions for selecting the type of metering, entering specific metering parameters, and setting excess queue time variables. There are instructions for submitting system feedback and bug reports, as well.This document also includes information to guide a user in how to check the current metering state on other components of the ATD-2 system, via either the STBO Client or the RTC/RMTC

Efficiency and Detection Accuracy Using Print and Digital Stereo Aerial Photography for Remotely Mapping Vernal Pools in New England Landscapes

Aerial imagery has been used to identify potential vernal pools (PVPs) using stereo photographic prints. Stereoplotter photogrammetry now allows digital aerial images to be viewed in stereo (3-Dimensional) to enhance remote sensing capabilities. We used both print and digital imagery to map PVPs in 10 towns in Maine, USA. We used field verification of 771 PVPs to explore efficiency and accuracy of the two methodologies and to determine effects of pool size and land cover on accuracy. We compared known pool locations with National Wetland Inventory (NWI) data. The stereoplotter was more efficient and easier to use than prints. In the towns where print imagery was used, 77.4 % of surveyed PVPs were confirmed as compared to 60.8 % of PVPs surveyed in the towns with digital photography. The higher commission errors using the digital method were likely due to enhanced ability to detect smaller features. Omission errors were common using both print and digital methods. Only 43 % of confirmed vernal pools were located in areas mapped by NWI, suggesting that NWI information does not improve detection accuracy. Aerial photo interpretation continues to be effective for PVP identification in our region and is improved with the use of digital stereoplotters

Harms and benefits associated with psychoactive drugs: Findings of an international survey of active drug users

There have been several recent efforts in the UK and the Netherlands to describe the harms of psychoactive substances based on ratings of either experts or drug users. This study aimed to assess the perceived benefits as well as harms of widely used recreational drugs, both licit and illicit, in an international sample of drug users. The survey was hosted at https://www.internationaldrugsurvey.org/ and was available in three languages. Residents reported their experience of 15 commonly used drugs or drug classes; regular users then rated their harms and benefits. In all, 5791 individuals from over 40 countries completed the survey, although the majority were from English speaking countries. Rankings of drugs differed across 10 categories of perceived benefits. Skunk and herbal cannabis were ranked consistently beneficial, whilst alcohol and tobacco fell below many classified drugs. There was no correlation at all between users’ harm ranking of drugs and their classification in schedules of the USA or ABC system in the UK. Prescription analgesics, alcohol and tobacco were ranked within the top 10 most harmful drugs. These findings suggest that neither the UK nor US classification systems act to inform users of the harms of psychoactive substances. It is hoped the results might inform health professionals and educators of what are considered to be both the harms and benefits of psychoactive substances to young people

Intravenous Prenatal Nicotine Exposure Alters METH-Induced Hyperactivity, Conditioned Hyperactivity, and BDNF in Adult Rat Offspring

In the USA, approximately 15% of women smoke tobacco cigarettes during pregnancy. In utero tobacco smoke exposure produces somatic growth deficits like intrauterine growth restriction and low birth w

Understanding Care Linkage and Engagement Across 15 Adolescent Clinics: Provider Perspectives and Implications for Newly HIV-Infected Youth

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy emphasizes rapid care linkage and engagement for HIV-infected individuals, though many adolescents are never tested, delay entering care, and frequently drop out. We conducted 183 staff interviews at 15 adolescent medicine clinics (baseline, n = 64; Year 1, n = 60; Year 2, = 59). We used a constant comparative thematic method to examine how providers approached and discussed care linkage/engagement. Qualitative analyses revealed differences in providers' conceptualizations of linkage and engagement. Providers saw linkage as mechanistic and health system driven. It was defined by number of clinic visits and involved relatively little youth agency. In contrast, providers defined engagement by youths' responsibility and participation in their own care. Linkage and engagement are related but distinct aspects of care that require different resources and levels of staff involvement. Integrating an understanding of these differences into future interventions will allow clinic staff to help youth improve long-term health outcomes

HIV Testing, Care Referral, and Linkage to Care Intervals Affect Time to Engagement in Care for Newly Diagnosed HIV-Infected Adolescents in 15 Adolescent Medicine Clinics in the United States

OBJECTIVE: To examine how the time from HIV testing to care referral and from referral to care linkage influenced time to care engagement for newly diagnosed HIV-infected adolescents. METHODS: We evaluated the Care Initiative, a care linkage and engagement program for HIV-infected adolescents in 15 US clinics. We analyzed client-level factors, provider type, and intervals from HIV testing to care referral and from referral to care linkage as predictors of care engagement. Engagement was defined as a second HIV-related medical visit within 16 weeks of initial HIV-related medical visit (linkage). RESULTS: At 32 months, 2143 youth had been referred. Of these, 866 were linked to care through the Care Initiative within 42 days and thus eligible for study inclusion. Of the linked youth, 90.8% were ultimately engaged in care. Time from HIV testing to referral (eg, ≤7 days versus >365 days) was associated with engagement [adjusted odds ratio = 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43 to 5.94] and shorter time to engagement (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.79). Individuals with shorter care referral to linkage intervals (eg, ≤7 days versus 22-42 days) engaged in care faster (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.90; 95% CI: 2.34 to 3.60) and more successfully (adjusted odds ratio = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.04 to 3.89). CONCLUSIONS: These data address a critical piece of the care continuum and can offer suggestions of where and with whom to intervene to best achieve the care engagement goals outlined in the US National HIV/AIDS Strategy. These results may also inform programs and policies that set concrete milestones and strategies for optimal care linkage timing for newly diagnosed adolescents

Factors affecting linkage to care and engagement in care for newly diagnosed HIV-positive adolescents within fifteen adolescent medicine clinics in the United States

Early linkage to care and engagement in care are critical for initiation of medical interventions. However, over 50 % of newly diagnosed persons do not receive HIV-related care within 6 months of diagnosis. We evaluated a linkage to care and engagement in care initiative for HIV-positive adolescents in 15 U.S.-based clinics. Structural and client-level factors (e.g. demographic and behavioral characteristics, clinic staff and location) were evaluated as predictors of successful linkage and engagement. Within 32 months, 1,172/1,679 (69.8 %) of adolescents were linked to care of which 1,043/1,172 (89 %) were engaged in care. Only 62.1 % (1,043/1,679) of adolescents were linked and engaged in care. Linkage to care failure was attributed to adolescent, provider, and clinic-specific factors. Many adolescents provided incomplete data during the linkage process or failed to attend appointments, both associated with failure to linkage to care. Additional improvements in HIV care will require creative approaches to coordinated data sharing, as well as continued outreach services to support newly diagnosed adolescents

Transitioning HIV-infected adolescents to adult care at 14 clinics across the United States: Using adolescent and adult providers’ insights to create multi-level solutions to address transition barriers

HIV-infected adolescents have disproportionately low rates of care retention and viral suppression. Approximately half disengage from care while transitioning to adult clinics, in part due to fragmented care systems and lack of streamlined protocols. We conducted 58 qualitative interviews with social service and health care providers across 14 Adolescent Trials Network clinics (n=28) and 20 adult clinics that receive transitioning adolescents (n=30) from August 2015 – June 2016. We used the constant comparative approach to examine processes, barriers, and facilitators of adult care transition. Transition barriers coalesced around three levels. Structural: insurance eligibility, transportation, and HIV-related stigma; Clinical: inter-clinic communication, differences in care cultures, and resource/personnel limitations; and Individual: adolescents’ transition readiness and developmental capacity. Staff-initiated solutions (e.g., grant-funded transportation) were often unsustainable and applied individual-level solutions to structural-level barriers. Comprehensive initiatives, which develop collaborative policies and protocols that support providers’ ability to match the solution and barrier level (i.e., structural-to-structural), are sorely needed. These initiatives should also support local systematic planning to facilitate inter-clinic structures and communication. Such approaches will help HIV-infected adolescents transition to adult care and improve long-term health outcomes