Hate Speech Against Asian American Youth: Pre-Pandemic Trends and The Role of School Factors.

Although hate speech against Asian American youth has intensified in recent years-fueled, in part, by anti-Asian rhetoric associated with the COVID-19 pandemic-the phenomenon remains largely understudied at scale and in relation to the role of schools prior to the pandemic. This study describes the prevalence of hate speech against Asian American adolescents in the US between 2015 and 2019 and investigates how school-related factors are associated with whether Asian American youth are victims of hate speech at school. Analyses are based on a sample of 938 Asian American adolescents (Mage = 14.8; 48% female) from the three most recently available waves (2015, 2017, and 2019) of the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey. On average, approximately 7% of Asian Americans were targets of hate speech at school between 2015 and 2019, with rates remaining stable over time. Findings also indicate that students had lower odds of experiencing hate speech if they attended schools with a stronger authoritative school climate, which is characterized by strict, yet fair disciplinary rules coupled with high levels of support from adults. On the other hand, Asian American youth faced higher odds of experiencing hate speech if they were involved in school fights. Authoritative school climate and exposure to fights are malleable and can be shaped directly by broader school climate related policies, programs and interventions. Accordingly, efforts to promote stronger authoritative climates and reduce exposure to physical fights hold considerable potential in protecting Asian American youth from hate speech at school.

Flavored Tobacco Sales Restrictions and Youth E-cigarette Behavior: Impact by Tobacco Retailer Density in Diverse Communities in California.

INTRODUCTION: Factors that impact flavored tobacco sales restriction (flavor restrictions) effectiveness on youth e-cigarette behavior are unclear. Tobacco retailer density (retailer density) is a health equity issue with greater retailer density in high-minority, low-income areas. We examined the association between flavor restrictions and youth e-cigarette behavior by retailer density across diverse communities in the California Bay Area. AIMS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from the California Healthy Kids Survey using a difference-in-differences (DID) strategy. We compared pre- and post-policy changes in e-cigarette access and use one-year post-implementation among high school students in the Bay Area with a flavor restriction (n = 20 832) versus without (n = 66 126). Separate analyses were conducted for students in cities with low and high retailer density, with a median cutoff of 3.3 tobacco retailers/square mile. RESULTS: Students with high retailer density were more likely to identify as a minority and have parents with lower education. Among students with low retailer density, flavor restrictions were associated with 24% lower odds in the pre- to post-policy increase in ease of access relative to unexposed students (DID = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.99). Among students with high retailer density, flavor restrictions were associated with 26% higher odds in ease of access (DID: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.56) and 57% higher odds of current use (DID = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.87). CONCLUSIONS: Flavor restrictions had positive impacts on youth e-cigarette access in low, but not high retailer density cities. From a health equity perspective, our results underscore how flavor restrictions may have uneven effects among vulnerable groups. IMPLICATIONS: In diverse communities in the California Bay Area, our results suggest a protective association between flavored tobacco sales restrictions and youth access to e-cigarettes in low, but not high tobacco retailer density cities one-year post-implementation. These results underscore how flavor restrictions may have uneven effects, and when implemented in high retailer density areas, may disproportionately place already vulnerable groups at heightened exposure to e-cigarette use and access. In high retailer density areas, additional tobacco control efforts may need to be included with flavor restriction implementation, such as increased education, youth prevention and cessation programs, policies to reduce tobacco retailer density, or stronger tobacco retailer enforcement or compliance monitoring.

Co-Use of Tobacco Products and Cannabis Is Associated with Absenteeism and Lower Grades in California High School Students.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between co-use of commercial tobacco product (hereafter referred to as tobacco) and cannabis with educational outcomes among high school students. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed high school student data from the 2021-2022 California Healthy Kids Survey (n = 287 653). Current (past-month) or ever tobacco and cannabis use was categorized as co-use, only tobacco or cannabis, or neither. Two self-reported educational outcomes were examined: absenteeism and grades. Adjusted logistic and linear regression models were used to examine the association between tobacco/cannabis use and absenteeism or grades, respectively. Estimates were adjusted for individual, peer, and school covariates, and clustering within schools. RESULTS: Current co-use of tobacco and cannabis was more than double the use of only tobacco (3.7% vs 1.7%) and similar to only cannabis (3.7%). Almost 18% of students reported absenteeism. Compared with students who used neither substance, students with current co-use had greater odds of absenteeism (aOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.33-1.49) and lower grades (ß = -0.87, 95% CI -0.92 to -0.82). Compared with students using tobacco alone, students with co-use also had a significant elevated odds of absenteeism (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10-1.29) and lower grades (ß = -0.39, 95% CI -0.46 to -0.32). Similar results were found for students who ever used tobacco and cannabis. CONCLUSIONS: California youth who co-use tobacco and cannabis were most likely to have absenteeism and lower grades. Comprehensive efforts to prevent or reduce youth substance use may improve educational outcomes.

Educational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States: Inequities by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused reverberations throughout the educational system that disproportionately impacted students of color and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. In this review, we examine recent research documenting the disparate educational impacts of the pandemic across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic status groups that deepened existing educational inequities in the United States. Numerous systemic barriers underlie these disparities, including disproportionate access to in-person learning and technology alongside the intensification of racial discrimination. Amidst these disparities, we also highlight emerging evidence of similarities in the educational impacts. Finally, recent evidence reveals a more multifaceted view of how some students of color leveraged supplemental educational supports and their academic confidence to confront educational challenges during the pandemic despite experiencing more pandemic-related stressors.

Flavored Tobacco Sales Restrictions and Teen E-cigarette Use: Quasi-experimental Evidence From California.

INTRODUCTION: Flavored tobacco sales restrictions (FTSRs) are implemented to reduce access to flavored tobacco products. We examined the association between seven cities with local FTSRs implemented in 2018/2019 and e-cigarette use among high school students in the California Bay Area. AIMS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from the California Healthy Kids Survey using a difference-in-differences (D-I-D) strategy. We compared pre- and post-policy changes one year after implementation in current and ever e-cigarette use among students attending school in a city with a FTSR (exposed) (n = 20 832) versus without (unexposed) (n = 66 126). Other outcomes included ever marijuana use in an e-cigarette and ease of access to e-cigarettes. RESULTS: Pre- to post-policy, the adjusted odds of current and ever e-cigarette use did not significantly change among students exposed and unexposed to a FTSR. In the adjusted D-I-D analysis, the odds of current (aOR: 1.25, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.65) and ever e-cigarette use (aOR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.26) did not significantly change by exposure group. However, one year post-implementation, the odds of ease of access to e-cigarettes significantly increased among exposed (aOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.95) and unexposed students (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.39, 1.70). Similarly, the odds of ever using marijuana in an e-cigarette significantly increased among exposed (aOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.53) and unexposed students (aOR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.39). CONCLUSIONS: Local FTSRs in the California Bay Area were not associated with a change in e-cigarette use one year post-implementation. Increased ease of access and marijuana use may be explanatory factors. IMPLICATIONS: FTSRs were not associated with a decrease in current or ever e-cigarette use among high school students in the California Bay Area one-year post-implementation. Potential explanatory factors are that ease of access to e-cigarettes and using marijuana in an e-cigarette increased. More research is needed to understand the influence of these factors on youth access and behaviors. To address the youth e-cigarette epidemic, a comprehensive approach is needed, including policies, media campaigns, education programs, and cessation tools targeted to youth.

Use of Chipless RFID as a Passive, Printable Sensor Technology for Aerospace Strain and Temperature Monitoring.

This paper was concerned with the current level of progress towards the development of chipless radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors that are capable of sensing strain and temperature. More specifically, it was interested in the possibility that the resulting devices could be used as a passive wireless structural health monitoring (SHM) sensor technology that could be printed in situ. This work contains the development and performance characterization results for both novel strain and novel temperature sensor designs with resulting sensitivities of 9.77 MHz/%ε and 0.88 MHz/°C, respectively. Furthermore, a detailed discussion on the interrogation system required to meet the relevant aerospace sensing requirements was also discussed, and several methods were explored to enhance the multi-sensor support capabilities of this technology.

BMI Reporting and Accuracy of Child's Weight Perception.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate whether school-based body mass index (BMI) reports impacted the accuracy of children's self-reported weight category, for children overall and within subgroups. METHODS: We analyzed existing data from the Fit Study, a randomized controlled trial of a BMI screening and reporting intervention conducted in California from 2014 to 2017. The sample included 4690 children in 27 schools randomized to receive BMI reports and 4975 children in 27 controls schools that received BMI screening only. To estimate how BMI reporting affected accuracy, we fit multinomial logistic regression models to our data. We calculated average marginal effects, which capture the change in probability that children more accurately reported their weight category because of BMI reporting. RESULTS: We detected no impact of BMI reporting on children's self-reported weight accuracy. Exploratory subgroup analyses show that for Black children, exposure to 1 round of BMI reporting was associated with a 10.0 percentage point increase in the probability of accurately reporting their weight category (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.6 to 17.4). Two rounds of reporting were associated with an increase in the probability of accuracy for Asian children (6.6 percentage points; 95% CI: 0.4 to 12.8), 5th graders (11.1 percentage points; 95% CI: 1.6 to 20.5), and those with BMI <5th percentile (17.1 percentage points; 95% CI: 2.7 to 31.6). CONCLUSIONS: BMI reporting has limited efficacy in increasing children's weight perception accuracy. Although exploratory analyses show that specific subpopulations became more accurate, future prospective studies should be designed to confirm these results.

In the Aftermath of School Victimization: Links Between Authoritative School Climate and Adolescents' Perceptions of the Negative Effects of Bullying Victimization.

Although authoritative school climate-strict, yet fair enforcement of rules alongside strong adult support-is associated with lower rates of bullying victimization, less is known about whether it influences how negatively adolescents feel after being victimized at school. Further, it is unclear whether boys and girls respond differently to an authoritative climate. Identifying ways that schools can reduce negative feelings after being bullied is important given the long term psychological ramifications of bullying that, if left unaddressed, can extend into adulthood. To address these gaps, this study examined whether authoritative school climate related to how negatively adolescents felt about their schoolwork, relationships, physical health and self-perception after being bullied. Differences between boys and girls were also investigated. Analyses were conducting using national data from the 2017 School Crime Supplement on a sample of 1,331 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (Mage = 14.3 years; 59% girls). Findings from a set of ordinal regression models with a robust set of student, parent and school controls demonstrated that adolescents in more supportive schools were less likely to report that bullying victimization negatively impacted their schoolwork and feelings about themselves. Similar results were found for girls but not boys. By investing in supportive school climates, schools can be potentially transformative places where adolescents, especially girls, can feel more positively about themselves despite being bullied.

Role of the gut microbiome in cardiovascular drug response: The potential for clinical application.

Response to cardiovascular drugs can vary greatly between individuals, and the role of the microbiome in this variability is being increasingly appreciated. Recent evidence indicates that bacteria and other microbes are responsible for direct and indirect effects on drug efficacy and toxicity. Pharmacomicrobiomics aims to uncover variability in drug response due to microbes in the human body, which may alter drug disposition through microbial metabolism, interference by microbial metabolites, or modification of host enzymes. In this review, we present recent advances in our understanding of the interplay between microbes, host metabolism, and cardiovascular drugs. We report numerous cardiovascular drugs with evidence of, or potential for, gut-microbe interactions. However, the effects of gut microbiota on many cardiovascular drugs are yet uninvestigated. Finally, we consider potential clinical applications for the described findings.

Proof of Concept Novel Configurable Chipless RFID Strain Sensor.

This paper contains two main areas of research: First, this work outlines a novel, highly sensitive strain sensor design that should support various levels of deformation, depending on the substrate type used. Physical implementations in this work have focused on proving its large deformation capabilities, and simulations have been used to assess its more general electromagnetic response. The other part of this paper focusses on exploring other effects that will impact the sensing of strain of resolutions below 10 µÎµ, which is a capability achieved by other aerospace-grade strain sensor technologies. These effects are limited to mechanical swelling and sensor orientation in the azimuth and elevation planes, as these appear to be unexplored and highly relevant issues to the topic of chipless RFID-based strain sensing. From this exploration, it is apparent that the effects of mechanical swelling and sensor orientation (amongst others) will need to be addressed in any real-life implementation of the sensor, requiring a strain resolution below 10 µÎµ.

Promoting college and career readiness among underserved adolescents: A mixed methods pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Many underserved adolescents, defined as those with inequitable access to educational resources, face limited access to interventions that develop their college and career know-how. In our study, we implemented and evaluated a pilot college and career readiness curriculum intervention called Paths to the Future for All (P2F4A). P2F4A takes a developmental approach to college and career development, weaving together the procedural know-how of college and career planning with a broader focus on building social-emotional skills that support positive trajectories towards the future. We evaluated pre-post changes in adolescents' career-related and social-emotional outcomes alongside views of their personal growth. METHODS: We used a purposeful sample of five schools in the Western region of the United States and recruited a sample of adolescents (N = 61; Mage = 16.3 years; 57.4% female) who experienced challenging academic and life circumstances to participate in P2F4A. We conducted pre-post surveys as well as focus groups and interviews with adolescents. RESULTS: We detected significant (p < .05) pre-post gains in adolescents' knowledge of P2F4A curricular content and selected coping skills, such as relaxing and solving family problems. Our focus groups and interviews revealed that P2F4A helped adolescents build stronger interpersonal relationships with peers and the content was directly applicable to real life. CONCLUSION: Our new findings suggest that college and career readiness curriculum interventions-if appropriately developed for and targeted to underserved adolescents-have strong potential to build underserved adolescents' foundational skills that they can apply towards realizing their future college and career aspirations.

Current Progress towards the Integration of Thermocouple and Chipless RFID Technologies and the Sensing of a Dynamic Stimulus.

To date, no printable chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor-related publications in the current literature discuss the possibility of thermocouple integration, particularly for the use in extreme environments. Furthermore, the effects of a time-dependent stimulus on the scattering parameters of a chipless RFID have never been discussed in the known literature. This work includes a review of possible methods to achieve this goal and the design and characterization of a Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) based VHF/UHF voltage sensing circuit. Proof-of-concept thermocouple integration was attempted, and subsequent testing was performed using a signal generator. These subsequent tests involved applying ramp and sinusoid voltage waveforms to the circuit and the characteristics of these signals are largely extracted from the scattering response. Overall conclusions of this paper are that thermocouple integration into chipless RFID technology is still a significant challenge and further work is needed to identify methods of thermocouple integration. With that being said, the developed circuit shows promise as being capable of being configured into a conventional chipless RFID DC voltage sensor.

School-Based Telemedicine Interventions for Asthma: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: School health systems are increasingly investing in telemedicine platforms to address acute and chronic illnesses. Asthma, the most common chronic illness in childhood, is of particular interest given its high burden on school absenteeism. OBJECTIVE: Conduct a systematic review evaluating impact of school-based telemedicine programs on improving asthma-related outcomes. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Embase, and Google Scholar. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Original research, including quasi-experimental studies, without restriction on the type of telemedicine. PARTICIPANTS: School-aged pediatric patients with asthma and their families. INTERVENTIONS: School-based telemedicine. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Two authors independently screened each abstract, conducted full-text review, assessed study quality, and extracted information. A third author resolved disagreements. RESULTS: Of 371 articles identified, 7 were included for the review. Outcomes of interest were asthma symptom-free days, asthma symptom frequency, quality of life, health care utilization, school absences, and spirometry. Four of 7 studies reported significant increases in symptom-free days and/or decrease in symptom frequency. Five of 6 reported increases in at least one quality-of-life metric, 2 of 7 reported a decrease in at least 1 health care utilization metric, 1 of 3 showed reductions in school absences, and 1 of 2 reported improvements in spirometry measures. LIMITATIONS: Variability in intervention designs and outcome measures make comparisons and quantitative analyses across studies difficult. Only 2 of 7 studies were randomized controlled trials. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS: High-quality evidence supporting the use of school-based telemedicine programs to improve patient outcomes is limited. While available evidence suggests benefit, only 2 comparative trials were identified, and the contribution of telemedicine to these studies' results is unclear.

Excessive Absenteeism Due to Asthma in California Elementary Schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies of asthma-related school absenteeism have reported absenteeism dichotomously (ie, any school days missed vs none). However, schools use higher thresholds to identify and intervene for students at risk of chronic absenteeism (18 days or ≥10% schoolyear missed), which is associated with negative health and educational outcomes. We sought to identify factors associated with excessive absenteeism (EA) due to asthma (≥9 days missed), a threshold based on a convention defined by Attendance Works for absenteeism risk, and is linked to decreased academic performance and increased risk of chronic absenteeism. METHODS: We examined responses for asthma-related absenteeism from the 2011 to 2014 California Health Interview Survey for children ages 5-11. Multivariate logistic regression modeled odds ratios of EA for demographic, healthcare utilization, and asthma-related factors. Sensitivity analysis was performed modeling a ≥1 threshold (any absenteeism). RESULTS: 715 respondents represent an estimated 314,200 California schoolchildren with asthma. 50.3% of students missed ≥1 day, and 11.7% missed ≥9 days of school due to asthma. Odds of EA were significantly higher for younger children, lower-income families, and rural students, but not significant for any absenteeism. Indicators of greater asthma severity and poorer control were significantly associated with both EA and any absenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified factors significantly associated with EA that were not significant for lower absence thresholds. This may help direct school-based asthma interventions for which limited resources must target students at higher risk of chronic absenteeism.

A Review of Chipless Remote Sensing Solutions Based on RFID Technology.

Chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has been used in a variety of remote sensing applications and is currently a hot research topic. To date, there have been a large number of chipless RFID tags developed in both academia and in industry that boast a large variation in design characteristics. This review paper sets out to discuss the various design aspects needed in a chipless RFID sensor. Such aspects include: (1) Addressing strategies to allow for unique identification of the tag, (2) Sensing mechanisms used to allow for impedance-based response signal modulation and (3) Sensing materials to introduce the desired impedance change when under the influence of the target stimulus. From the tabular comparison of the various sensing and addressing techniques, it is concluded that although many sensors provide adequate performance characteristics, more work is needed to ensure that this technology is capable/robust enough to operate in many of the applications it has been earmarked for.

Future of Personalized Therapy Targeting Aberrant Signaling Pathways in Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a genetically complex disease. Identification of mutations and aberrant signaling pathways that contribute to the progression of MM and drug resistance has potential to lead to specific targets and personalized treatment. Aberrant signal pathways include RAS pathway activation due to RAS or BRAF mutations (targeted by vemurafenib alone or combined with cobimetinib), BCL-2 overexpression in t(11:14) (targeted by venetoclax), JAK2 pathway activation (targeted by ruxolitinib), NF-κB pathway activation (treated with DANFIN combined with bortezomib), MDM2 overexpression, and PI3K/mTOR pathway activation (targeted by BEZ235). Cyclin D1 (CCND1) and MYC are also emerging as key potential targets. In addition, histone deacetylase inhibitors are already in use for the treatment of MM in combination therapy, and targeted inhibition of FGFR3 (AZD4547) is effective in myeloma cells with t(4;14) translocation. Bromodomain and extra terminal (BET) protein antagonists decrease the expression of MYC and have displayed promising antimyeloma activity. A better understanding of the alterations in signaling pathways that promote MM progression will further inform the development of precision therapy for patients.

Leveraging the Public School System to Combat Adolescent Obesity: The Limits of Arkansas's Statewide Policy Initiative.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the effectiveness of one of the earliest statewide policy initiatives to address obesity via schools-Arkansas's Act 1220 of 2003-on adolescent obesity. The Act required public schools in Arkansas to conduct body mass index (BMI) screening and reporting, restrict access to vending machines, and establish physical education and nutrition standards. METHODS: To determine the effect of Act 1220 as a whole, this study analyzed data representative of adolescents in grades 9-12 from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey using the quasi-experimental method of difference-in-differences. Changes in adolescents' weight outcomes in Arkansas before (1999 and 2001) and after (2005, 2007, and 2009) the implementation of Act 1220 were compared to changes in weight outcomes for adolescents from the neighboring state of Missouri across the same time period. RESULTS: Arkansas's Act 1220 did not significantly influence adolescents' BMI-for-age z-scores (-.017; 95% confidence interval [CI] [-.097, .063]; p = .68). Further, the Act did not lead to significant reductions in BMI-for-age z-scores among adolescents who were either overweight (-.003; 95% CI [-.043, .036]; p = .86) or obese (-.010; 95% CI [-.070, .051]; p = .75). Results remain robust to adjustments for self-report bias in height and weight as well as a set of alternative comparison states. CONCLUSIONS: Preventing adolescent overweight and obesity is unlikely to occur through such large-scale policy initiatives alone.

Potential application and prevalence of the CD30 (Ki-1) antigen among solid tumors: A focus review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: CD30 (Ki-1) is a cell membrane protein derived from the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family. The CD30 antigen has been associated primarily with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL). Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting the CD30 antigen. FDA approval for BV includes relapsed and refractory HL and sALCL. The CD30 antigen also has been identified in many solid tumors, predominantly of germ cell origins and early clinical data is promising. OBJECTIVE: Perform a focus literature review evaluating the prevalence of the CD30 antigen among nonlymphomatous tumors with a potential correlate for CD30 targeted therapy. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Inclusion criteria: all retrospective reviews and case reports citing CD30 positivity or negativity in non-lymphomatous malignancies in which data were presented based on location. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: studies with hematopoetic malignancies, cutaneous malignancies, non-human populations, and non-english publications. INCLUDED STUDIES: A total of 119 articles met these criteria and are summarized in this manuscript. CONCLUSION: The CD30 antigen has shown variable prevalence among non-hematopoetic tumors, most notably among germ cell tumors and mesothelioma. With additional, preclinical and properly powered clinical studies, CD30 targeted therapy such as that of BV, alone or in combination with other agents may prove to be a strong candidate in the treatment of various CD30+ malignancies.

Regulators of Lysosome Function and Dynamics in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Lysosomes, the major membrane-bound degradative organelles, have a multitude of functions in eukaryotic cells. Lysosomes are the terminal compartments in the endocytic pathway, though they display highly dynamic behaviors, fusing with each other and with late endosomes in the endocytic pathway, and with the plasma membrane during regulated exocytosis and for wound repair. After fusing with late endosomes, lysosomes are reformed from the resulting hybrid organelles through a process that involves budding of a nascent lysosome, extension of the nascent lysosome from the hybrid organelle, while remaining connected by a membrane bridge, and scission of the membrane bridge to release the newly formed lysosome. The newly formed lysosomes undergo cycles of homotypic fusion and fission reactions to form mature lysosomes. In this study, we used a forward genetic screen in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify six regulators of lysosome biology. We show that these proteins function in different steps of lysosome biology, regulating lysosome formation, lysosome fusion, and lysosome degradation.