Innovative Programs and Promising Practices: Indian and Native American Summer Youth Employment Initiatives and the 2009 Recovery Act

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) used various strategies to redress unemployment challenges experienced by disadvantaged youth. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) received $1.2 billion for youth training and employment services. ETA allocated about$17.8 million of these funds to Indian and Native American (INA) youth through the INA Supplemental Youth Services Program. INA grantees were encouraged to use these funds to provide employment experiences to youth in summer 2009 and summer 2010. INA grantees responded by building on existing summer youth employment programs to extend services to additional youth, including older youth, and create new program components as appropriate and needed. This report describes the context in which programs for the INA Summer Youth Employment Initiative were created and provides a detailed discussion of how grantees used their Recovery Act funds to implement programs to serve youth in their communities. The analysis is based on INA grantees' performance measure data and qualitative data collected during site visits to a purposive sample of five diverse grantees in five states. This report also highlights key findings and innovations grantees made to better serve youth

‘What have you HEARD about the HERD?’ Does education about local influenza vaccination coverage and herd immunity affect willingness to vaccinate?

Education about herd immunity and local vaccination coverage could be a useful tool in increasing vaccination rates and benefiting communities. After the intervention, a higher proportion of participants reported that they had plans to get vaccinated and were concerned about getting influenza after learning about herd immunity and the vaccination coverage in their county. Initially, those who were least informed about herd immunity were significantly less likely than those with some knowledge of herd immunity to plan to get vaccinated, but their willingness to vaccinate significantly increased after receiving education about local vaccination coverage and the benefits of herd immunity, closing the gap between the two groups and increasing the proportion planning to be vaccinated.Background: Vaccination protects individuals directly and communities indirectly by reducing transmission. We aimed to determine whether information about herd immunity and local vaccination coverage could change an individual’s vaccination plans and concern about influenza. Methods:We surveyed Minnesota residents 18 years during the 2016 Minnesota State Fair. Participants were asked to identify the definition of herd immunity, to report their history of and plans to receive influenza vaccine, to report their concern about influenza, and to estimate the reported influenza vaccination coverage in their county. After providing educational information about herd immunity and local vaccination rates, we reassessed vaccination plans and concerns. We used logistic regression to estimate predicted percentages for those willing to be vaccinated, for concern about influenza, and for changes in these outcomes after the intervention. We then compared those individuals with and without prior knowledge of herd immunity, accounting for other characteristics. Results:Among 554 participants, the median age was 57 years; most were female (65.9%), white (91.0%),and non-Hispanic/Latino (93.9%). Overall, 37.2% of participants did not know about herd immunity and75.6% thought that the influenza vaccination coverage in their county was higher than it was reported.Those not knowledgeable about herd immunity were significantly less likely than those knowledgeable about the concept to report plans to be vaccinated at baseline (67.8% versus 78.9%; p = 0.004). After learn-ing about herd immunity and influenza vaccination coverage, the proportion of those not knowledgeable about herd immunity who were willing to be vaccinated increased significantly by 7.3 percentage points(p = 0.001). Educating participants eliminated the significant difference in the proportion planning to be vaccinated between these two groups (80.1% of those knowledgeable and 75.1% of those who were not initially knowledgeable became willing; p = 0.148). Conclusions:Education about herd immunity and local vaccination coverage could be a useful tool for increasing willingness to vaccinate, generating benefits both to individuals and communities.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.05.03

Dramatic Plays as a Tool to Educate Young African-American Females about HIV/AIDS

Rates of HIV/AIDS transmission have increased substantially, particularly among young African American women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV/AIDS is the number one killer for African American women aged 25 to 34. Given that many of these young women are contracting the disease in their late teens and early twenties, there is a need to develop interventions that directly address the needs of this group. The current study sought to assess the effectiveness of theater in increasing knowledge of HIV/AIDS and the likelihood of healthier sexual behavior and choices among 219 young African American women 18 to 39 years of age. Paired sample t-tests revealed that there were significant mean differences in knowledge and intended safe sex behavior after viewing the play. Young women who viewed the play reported increased knowledge of HIV and reported a higher likelihood of engaging in safer sex. Given the high rates of HIV/AIDS among young African American women, more innovative educational and prevention techniques are needed

Developmental stage of oligodendrocytes determines their response to activated microglia in vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and mature oligodendrocytes are both lost in central nervous system injury and disease. Activated microglia may play a role in OPC and oligodendrocyte loss or replacement, but it is not clear how the responses of OPCs and oligodendrocytes to activated microglia differ.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>OPCs and microglia were isolated from rat cortex. OPCs were induced to differentiate into oligodendrocytes with thyroid hormone in defined medium. For selected experiments, microglia were added to OPC or oligodendrocyte cultures. Lipopolysaccharide was used to activate microglia and microglial activation was confirmed by TNFα ELISA. Cell survival was assessed with immunocytochemistry and cell counts. OPC proliferation and oligodendrocyte apoptosis were also assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>OPCs and oligodendrocytes displayed phenotypes representative of immature and mature oligodendrocytes, respectively. Activated microglia reduced OPC survival, but increased survival and reduced apoptosis of mature oligodendrocytes. Activated microglia also underwent cell death themselves.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Activated microglia may have divergent effects on OPCs and mature oligodendrocytes, reducing OPC survival and increasing mature oligodendrocyte survival. This may be of importance because activated microglia are present in several disease states where both OPCs and mature oligodendrocytes are also reacting to injury. Activated microglia may simultaneously have deleterious and helpful effects on different cells after central nervous system injury.</p

Parent Satisfaction with Outpatient Pediatric Endoscopy Procedures at University of New Mexico Children\u27s Hospital

As a part of endoscopy quality improvement (EQI) project, we decided to measure parent satisfaction about pediatric endoscopy service at University of New Mexico Children\u27s Hospital

Revitalizing the Alleyways of Downtown Bellingham, Washington: Environmental Impact Assessment

The proposed project seeks to bring life and energy to underutilized sections of alleyways on either side of Cornwall Avenue in Bellingham\u27s central business district. A major component of the revitalization project is proposing infill development to increase potential retail space, provide housing opportunities and create a more attractive pedestrian corridor. Other elements include capital improvements such as pervious alleyway pavement, consolidating dumpsters, improving lighting, installing archways, bike racks and benches, as well as burying power lines. The project also proposes restricting vehicle access with removable bollards and keeping deliveries to off hours

Neurogenic factor-induced Langerhans cell activation in diabetic mice with mechanical allodynia

Abstract Background Langerhans cells (LCs) are antigen-presenting dendritic cells located in the skin. It has been reported that LC activation is associated with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN); however, the mechanism of LC activation is still unclear. Methods The db/db mouse, a rodent model of PDN, was used to study the roles of LCs in the development of PDN in type 2 diabetes. Hind foot pads from db/db and control db/+ mice from 5 to 24 weeks of age (encompassing the period of mechanical allodynia development and its abatement) were collected and processed for immunohistochemistry studies. LCs were identified with immunohistochemistry using an antibody against CD207 (Langerin). The intraepidermal nerve fibers and subepidermal nerve plexus were identified by immunohistochemistry of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and tropomyosin-receptor kinase (Trk) A, the high affinity nerve growth factor receptor. Results CD207-positive LCs increased in the db/db mouse during the period of mechanical allodynia, from 8 to 10 weeks of age, in both the epidermis and subepidermal plexus. At 16 weeks of age, when mechanical allodynia diminishes, LC populations were reduced in the epidermis and subepidermal plexus. Epidermal LCs (ELCs) were positive for Trk A. Subepidermal LCs (SLCs) were positive for CD68, suggesting that they are immature LCs. Additionally, these SLCs were positive for the receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and were in direct contact with TNF-α-positive nerve fibers in the subepidermal nerve plexus during the period of mechanical allodynia. Intrathecal administration of SB203580, a p38 kinase inhibitor, significantly reduced mechanical allodynia, TNF-α expression in the subepidermal plexus, and increased both ELC and SLC populations during the period of mechanical allodynia. Conclusions Our data support the hypothesis that increased LC populations in PDN are activated by p38-dependent neurogenic factors and may be involved in the pathogenesis of PDN.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135942/1/12974_2013_Article_838.pd

Neurogenic factor-induced Langerhans cell activation in diabetic mice with mechanical allodynia

Abstract Background Langerhans cells (LCs) are antigen-presenting dendritic cells located in the skin. It has been reported that LC activation is associated with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN); however, the mechanism of LC activation is still unclear. Methods The db/db mouse, a rodent model of PDN, was used to study the roles of LCs in the development of PDN in type 2 diabetes. Hind foot pads from db/db and control db/+ mice from 5 to 24 weeks of age (encompassing the period of mechanical allodynia development and its abatement) were collected and processed for immunohistochemistry studies. LCs were identified with immunohistochemistry using an antibody against CD207 (Langerin). The intraepidermal nerve fibers and subepidermal nerve plexus were identified by immunohistochemistry of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and tropomyosin-receptor kinase (Trk) A, the high affinity nerve growth factor receptor. Results CD207-positive LCs increased in the db/db mouse during the period of mechanical allodynia, from 8 to 10 weeks of age, in both the epidermis and subepidermal plexus. At 16 weeks of age, when mechanical allodynia diminishes, LC populations were reduced in the epidermis and subepidermal plexus. Epidermal LCs (ELCs) were positive for Trk A. Subepidermal LCs (SLCs) were positive for CD68, suggesting that they are immature LCs. Additionally, these SLCs were positive for the receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and were in direct contact with TNF-α-positive nerve fibers in the subepidermal nerve plexus during the period of mechanical allodynia. Intrathecal administration of SB203580, a p38 kinase inhibitor, significantly reduced mechanical allodynia, TNF-α expression in the subepidermal plexus, and increased both ELC and SLC populations during the period of mechanical allodynia. Conclusions Our data support the hypothesis that increased LC populations in PDN are activated by p38-dependent neurogenic factors and may be involved in the pathogenesis of PDN.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112392/1/12974_2013_Article_838.pd