Modeling and optimization of a modified iron-yoked electromagnetic propulsion system using the gravitational search algorithm.

Potential uses for electromagnetic launchers in defense systems, space exploration, and transportation have recently emerged. In addition, this accelerator has many applications, such as deploying small satellites into low-earth orbit and accelerating high-speed trains (e.g., bullet trains and Hyperloop) with a low-cost propulsion system instead of expensive linear motors, particularly in space applications. Therefore, the full capability and optimization of these launchers' efficiency are still required. Therefore, this paper focuses on presenting a new design to decrease the coil's magnetic circuit reluctance and boost the magnetic flux lines by adding a laminated iron yoke surrounding the coil. This design makes the inductance value of the iron-yoked accelerator twice the inductance in case of the absence of the iron-yoke at its peak. Additionally, the initial inductance of the iron-yoked accelerator is approximately 65% higher than that of the coil without the iron yoke. Consequently, the modified design proposed an efficiency of 17.5%, which represents a 60% improvement over the efficiency of the regular accelerator. In addition, the introduced design eliminates the suck-back force using a fast-switching device (IGBT) to switch the coil off when the projectile reaches half of the coil. Moreover, a mathematical model for the iron-yoked accelerator is built on MATLAB Simulink and validated experimentally. An artificial intelligence optimization technique, the gravitational search algorithm (GSA), is used to optimize the accelerator parameters, such as the number of turns, capacitor value, and capacitor voltage. Finally, the experimental evaluation of the GSA-optimized system demonstrated an additional 15% enhancement in efficiency, bringing the total efficiency to 20%.

Fatal Pediatric Firearm Injuries: When and Where are Children at Risk?

OBJECTIVE: In 2022, firearms injured or killed more than 6000 American children. Significant disparities exist in injury risk. We hypothesized that analyzing an injury's time, date, and location could help identify additional risk and protective factors in the pediatric population. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the 2003-2020 National Violent Death Reporting System. The National Violent Death Reporting System currently collects data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Demographic (age, sex, race/ethnicity) and incident (date, time, location) data were abstracted. Inclusion criteria were pediatric victims (age≤18) of fatal firearm injuries. Records with missing values were excluded. Chi-squared tests were used to test the association between victim demographics and time, date, or location. Significance was P < 0.05. RESULTS: Nine thousand fifty-eight children (male: 83.5% [n = 7559]), age: 17 yrs old (interquartile range: 15-18 years old), Black: 64.1% [n = 5810]) were eligible. 6161 (68.1%) of children had not completed high school. 3308 (36.5%) fatal injuries occurred after school or at night (1601-2359 h). 3678 (40.6%) injuries occurred at home. Black children were significantly more likely to be injured during the summer months (June - August, P < 0.01), after school or at night (P < 0.001), and along a street (P < 0.001). Hispanic children were more likely to be killed after school or at night (P < 0.001) and along a street (P < 0.001). There was no seasonal variation in this demographic. Compared to other times of the day, there was a significant increase in weekend (Friday-Sunday) morning (0000- 0800) injuries. (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Firearm violence disproportionately impacts Black children. There are significant associations with the time and season. Interventions during those times such as extended academic engagement or after school programs beyond the traditional school day and school year may afford opportunities which could mitigate exposure to firearm violence.

Gun Ownership for Safety/Protection and Unsecure Firearm Storage Practices: Suicide Risk and Prevention among U.S. Army Servicemembers.

INTRODUCTION: 2021 had the highest number firearm suicide deaths in U.S. history, with veterans representing 62.4% of firearm suicide deaths. The study objective is to understand motivations for firearm ownership, storage practices, history of mental health disorders and suicide risk in servicemembers, as reported by family members. METHODS: . Data were obtained from a case-control psychological autopsy study of 135 suicide decedents in the U.S. Army compared to a probability sample of 255 living controls, who are also service members weighted to be representative of the Army. Next-of-kin and Army supervisor informants participated in structured interviews and assessed reasons for firearm ownership, and storage practices. The military medical record provided mental health history of suicide decedents. A subsample of 123 personal firearm owners (n = 31 cases and n = 92 living controls) addressed the study objectives. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were constructed to examine predictors of unsecured firearm storage practices. RESULTS: Family members reported safety/protection as the main reason for suicide decedents' firearm ownership, which was significantly associated with unsecure firearm storage practices (OR = 3.8, 95% CI, 1.65, 8.75, x2 = 9.88, p = 0.0017). Ownership for safety/protection and lifetime history of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) from the military medical record (OR = 3.65, 95% CI, 1.48 - 9.02, x2 = 7.89 p = 0.0050) predicted unsecure storage. CONCLUSIONS: Ownership for safety/protection and the presence of clinically significant anxiety predicted unsecure firearm storage practices. Future research examining motivations for gun ownership for safety/protection, anxiety, and unsecure storage practices may help target interventions to prevent suicide.

A full-face contouring using micro-autologous fat transplantation (MAFT)-gun technique in Vietnamese population.

INTRODUCTION: The micro-autologous fat transplantation (MAFT)-gun technique is applied to accurately deliver small fat parcels to multiple fat layers across different sites. Our study presents the surgical and clinical outcomes of using the MAFT-gun technique for full-face contouring. METHODS: From January 2021 to June 2023, 31 healthy participants undergoing full-face volumization using the MAFT-gun technique at our hospital were included in this study. Data on fat volume grafted at different facial sites, complications, and satisfaction rates (%) were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The average fat volumes grafted over the left and right cheeks were 10.3 ± 0.31 ml and 10.2 ± 0.30 ml, respectively. The forehead and temples required lower fat volumes of 9.8 ± 0.23 ml and 4.5 ± 0.21 ml, respectively. Small fat volumes were required for the nasolabial fold, the tear trough, and the infraorbital areas, with 2.2 ± 0.11 ml, 1.9 ± 0.10 ml, and 1.4 ± 0.11 ml, respectively. The fat volumes for the nasolabial fold and the tear trough were significantly different between young and old people. No complications, including infection, necrosis, or vascular injury, were noted. At the end of the follow-up, 26 patients (83.9%) expressed their satisfaction after the procedure. CONCLUSION: The MAFT-gun technique is safe and effective for full-face autologous fat grafting. Commercial closed-system processors could be an effective alternative to centrifugation for fat processing. The procedure significantly improved facial hollowness and resulted in a more attractive and satisfied appearance to people even after 12 months postoperatively.

Genetic Transformation of Triticum dicoccum and Triticum aestivum with Genes of Jasmonate Biosynthesis Pathway Affects Growth and Productivity Characteristics.

The transformation protocol based on the dual selection approach (fluorescent protein and herbicide resistance) has been applied here to produce transgenic plants of two cereal species, emmer wheat and bread wheat, with the goal of activating the synthesis of the stress hormone jasmonates by overexpressing ALLENE OXIDE SYNTHASE from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtAOS) and bread wheat (TaAOS) and OXOPHYTODIENOATE REDUCTASE 3 from A. thaliana (AtOPR3) under the strong constitutive promoter (ZmUbi1), either individually or both genes simultaneously. The delivery of the expression cassette encoding AOS was found to affect morphogenesis in both wheat species negatively. The effect of transgene expression on the accumulation of individual jasmonates in hexaploid and tetraploid wheat was observed. Among the introduced genes, overexpression of TaAOS was the most successful in increasing stress-inducible phytohormone levels in transgenic plants, resulting in higher accumulations of JA and JA-Ile in emmer wheat and 12-OPDA in bread wheat. In general, overexpression of AOS, alone or together with AtOPR3, negatively affected leaf lamina length and grain numbers per spike in both wheat species. Double (AtAOS + AtOPR3) transgenic wheat plants were characterized by significantly reduced plant height and seed numbers, especially in emmer wheat, where several primary plants failed to produce seeds.

Being a psychiatrist in the evaluation process of a gun license report: morally challenging experience - a qualitative study from Turkey.

Many psychiatrists in Turkey participate in evaluating health board reports regarding gun licensing in their daily practice. There is no relevant study on the experiences of psychiatrists in this process. In addition, there is no other country where psychiatrists participate in the gun licensing process as in Turkey. In this context, the psychiatrists' relevant experiences, their views on their roles in this process and their understanding of the ethical dimension are considered important issues. To investigate the experiences of psychiatrists, a qualitative study has been conducted. The study included 19 psychiatrists who actively participated in evaluating gun license reports. Taking part in the gun license report process for psychiatrists is a highly challenging experience professionally, morally and emotionally. Psychiatrists resort to various functional and dysfunctional strategies to address problems in this process. However, there are structural and general solutions suggested for the future.

Associations between gun violence exposure and suicide mortality rates in US counties.

PURPOSE: Gun violence traumatizes communities and places a heavy burden on the mental health of those exposed. This ecological study examines the association between gun violence exposure and suicide mortality rates in US counties for the period 1999-2020 at various urbanicity levels. METHODS: A Bayesian hierarchical Gamma-Poisson model with state random effects was employed to model the age-adjusted suicide mortality rates which adjusted for sex ratio, urbanicity, social vulnerability, gun ownership, culture of honor, and exposure spillovers from neighbouring counties. RESULTS: Results indicate a small significant positive association between gun violence and suicide mortality rates. Urbanicity levels do not appear to modify this association, although the association may be slightly smaller for large urban metros. CONCLUSIONS: Gun violence exposure may be positively associated with suicide mortality in US counties.

Female Victims of Firearm Intimate Partner Violence: Characterization and Lethality Predictors.

Objective: To characterize the sociological risk factors for firearm intimate partner violence (IPV) among women in Texas, with a focus on lethal predictors to aid in screening and intervention guidelines. Methods: A retrospective medical and forensic chart review was conducted and supplemented by news sources, public police reports, and court records on firearm cases in Houston, TX, from 2018 to 2020. IPV was defined as a cis-gendered female victim of firearm violence from a current or ex-intimate partner. Non-IPV was defined as cis-gendered female victims of firearm violence from strangers, friends/acquaintances, gang, client, or similar relationships. Numeric variables were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and reported as median [Q1, Q3]. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher's exact test and reported as count (%). Results: A total of 102 cases of IPV were identified. Nonspousal IPV was more prevalent than spousal (65.7% versus 34.3%). Lethal injuries, older age, home location, and head injuries were more prevalent in the IPV cohort. Older age, spousal perpetrator, home shooting location, and history of prior domestic abuse were associated with lethal IPV. There were 31 cases of murder-suicide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, IPV cases increased by 91.3%, with lethal cases increasing by 57.6%. Conclusion: Risk factors for overall IPV and lethal IPV are not the same; therefore, it is imperative that all women, irrespective of race, age, or relationship status, be screened for IPV and prior domestic violence to allow intervention and prevention of lethal IPV. Patients should also be screened for personal or partner access to firearms as firearm IPV is a highly lethal form of violence.

Political violence, racial violence, and new gun ownership: results from the 2023 National Survey of Gun Policy.

BACKGROUND: U.S. firearm sales surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many purchases by first-time firearm owners. The 2023 National Survey of Gun Policy sought to understand the public health implications of this surge by comparing the purchasing motivations and firearm policy views of pandemic-era first-time purchasers to prior gun owners. METHODS: We fielded a nationally representative public opinion survey of U.S. adults (n = 3096) from 1/4/23 to 2/6/23. We oversampled for gun owners and Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. Survey weights were applied to generate representative estimates. New gun owners were identified through affirmative responses to: "Have you bought any guns since January 1, 2020?" and "Did you buy your first gun after January 1, 2020?" Recent purchasers were additionally asked whether concerns of 1) political or 2) racial violence motivated their purchase. Purchase motivations and gun policy support were examined among new and prior gun owners (n = 1002) and compared using logistic regression and predictive probabilities. RESULTS: Overall, 11% of respondents reported purchasing a gun since 1/1/20, 35% for the first time. Among recent purchasers, larger proportions of Democrat, Black, Asian, and Hispanic respondents were new gun owners than Republican or white respondents. Compared to prior owners, odds were 4.5-times higher that new gun owners' recent purchase was motivated by racial violence and 3.2-times higher for political violence. Majority support was found for protective gun policies, with few differences by purchase recency or motivations. The only policy for which support by new and prior gun owners differed significantly was the permit-to-purchase policy (76% v. 63%, respectively). Similarly, few significant differences in support were observed when stratifying by purchase motivation. Notably, both those who reported recent purchase motivations of racial violence and of political violence expressed significantly higher support for a "stand-your-ground" policy compared to those who did not report such motivations. CONCLUSIONS: Racial and political violence appear to be larger concerns among new gun owners, motivating purchasing among demographic groups with traditionally lower gun ownership rates. These findings suggest a need for safety assurances amid racial and political tensions and growing gun ownership. Gun owners' support for such policies remains strong.

Modeling a needs assessment approach for policymakers to investigate, understand, and reduce gun violence.

We conducted a needs assessment evaluation as part of a community effort to plan tailored responses to reduce gun violence in a midwestern town. Various data sources were used to analyze factors leading to gun violence. The results guided the creation of evidence-based response strategies. Study findings demonstrate that even in a small town, the nature and drivers of gun violence vary considerably at the micro level and thus should be examined at this level. In this paper, we present the recommendations that followed from our study, not as solutions for other jurisdictions to adopt on their face, but rather as an example of 1) the types of solutions that follow from a thorough analysis of a local problem, and 2) a plethora of potential responses by social institutions. The goal of the paper is to provide an example process for policymakers from jurisdictions of various sizes and locales of the application of a problem-oriented approach to understanding and preventing gun violence. Undertaking a comprehensive, micro-focus to analyze the gun violence problem and its drivers in a jurisdiction provides essential information to guide the formulation of tailored, evidence-based responses.

Public Mass Shootings: Counterfactual Trend Analysis of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

Background: Assault weapon and large-capacity magazine bans are potential tools for policy makers to prevent public mass shootings. However, the efficacy of these bans is a continual source of debate. In an earlier study, we estimated the impact of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (FAWB) on the number of public mass shooting events in the United States. This study provides an updated assessment with 3 additional years of firearm surveillance data to characterize the longer-term effects. Objective: This study aims to estimate the impact of the FAWB on trends in public mass shootings from 1966 to 2022. Methods: We used linear regression to estimate the impact of the FAWB on the 4-year simple moving average of annual public mass shootings, defined by events with 4 or more deaths in 24 hours, not including the perpetrator. The study period spans 1966 to 2022. The model includes indicator variables for both the FAWB period (1995-2004) and the period after its removal (2005-2022). These indicators were interacted with a linear time trend. Estimates were controlled for the national homicide rate. After estimation, the model provided counterfactual estimates of public mass shootings if the FAWB was never imposed and if the FAWB remained in place. Results: The overall upward trajectory in the number of public mass shootings substantially fell while the FAWB was in place. These trends are specific to events in which the perpetrator used an assault weapon or large-capacity magazine. Point estimates suggest the FAWB prevented up to 5 public mass shootings while the ban was active. A continuation of the FAWB and large-capacity magazine ban would have prevented up to 38 public mass shootings, but the CIs become wider as time moves further away from the period of the FAWB. Conclusions: The FAWB, which included a ban on large-capacity magazines, was associated with fewer public mass shooting events, fatalities, and nonfatal gun injuries. Gun control legislation is an important public health tool in the prevention of public mass shootings.

Effects of seismic water guns on the peristomial membrane of sea urchins (Arbacia lixula, Linnaeus 1758).

The seismic water gun is widely used and plays an important role in seabed imaging acquisition; however, acoustic impacts on marine organisms are currently poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the biochemical responses on the peristomial membrane (PM) of the sea urchin, Arbacia lixula, when exposed to water gun shots in open water. The PM (located around the mouth) is involved in vital functions, such as nutrition and protection. Individuals of sea urchins (n = 7 for each time slot) were sampled before, at the end, and at intervals of 3 h and 24 h after acoustic emission (duration of 20 min). Significant increases in superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, esterase and alkaline were observed immediately after water gun shots, highlighting an increase in the oxidative and inflammatory state of the tissue. Our results showed that acoustic impacts could interfere with PM vital functions, compromising the health, survival and ultimately the conservation of the species. Understanding these effects is crucial to predicting consequences on sea urchin populations and marine ecosystems.

Disrupting Social Violence Is Everybody's Business.

Our overarching theme for Creative Nursing Volume 30 is The Impact of Social Forces on Nursing and Health. The theme of this current journal issue was originally called Social Violence. In planning this issue, our Editorial Board had to confront head-on the many ways in which overt violence or the threat of violence pervades our lives, as nurses and as individuals. We broadened the title to Consequences and Disruptive Solutions for Social Violence, choosing to focus on what we can do to recognize the interlocking processes that enable, promote, reward, and sustain violent behavior, and to mitigate those effects when and where we can. The sobering content in this issue is the business of each of us. The realities of domestic violence and gun violence, the impact of othering and marginalization, the effects of substance use on family members and of students' experiences of trauma on the school nurses who care for them, and the lethal legacy of unthinking adherence to policies and procedures that is still relevant today-Awareness of this part of our lives and of our practice is where we must start.

Perceptions of neighborhood disorder and gun carrying during adolescence: The indirect effect of exposure to violence.

OBJECTIVE: As society strives to curb gun violence among adolescents, understanding the risk factors associated with gun carrying is of critical importance. The current study seeks to examine the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and adolescents' susceptibility to carrying a gun to school. More specifically, the aim of the current study was threefold: (1) to examine the direct relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and exposure to violence, (2) to investigate the association between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying, and (3) to test the mediating effect of exposure to violence on the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying. METHODS: Data from waves I and II (1994-1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health was analyzed (N = 11,887). Due to the binary nature of the mediating and dependent variables (i.e., exposure to violence and gun carrying) a series of logistic regression models were estimated. RESULTS: Our analyses revealed that perceived neighborhood disorder is positive and significantly associated with, both, exposure to violence and gun carrying. The relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and gun carrying was fully mediated by exposure to violence. CONCLUSIONS: While neighborhood disorder is a risk factor for gun carrying among youth, exposure to violence explains the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and carrying a gun to school. To reduce the prevalence of gun carrying and gun violence among the adolescent population, mental health resources should be provided to those who reside in communities with high levels of disorder and violence.

A case of MRI-induced headache caused by an intracranial foreign body.

This case report delves into a unique occurrence of MRI-induced headaches attributed to an unsuspected intracranial foreign body. A male patient, presenting persistent headaches, experienced exacerbation of pain upon entering the MRI suite, hindering the imaging procedure. A subsequent head CT scan revealed a nail within the cranial cavity, stemming from a previous nail gun injury. Surgical removal was deemed unsafe, leading to continued observation. This case emphasizes the need for cautious exploration of abnormal symptoms in the MRI suite, urging healthcare professionals to consider potential foreign bodies. The incident underscores the risk of metallic fragments causing complications during MRI procedures and highlights the importance of thorough patient assessment before resorting to MRI imaging.

How the APHA Maternal and Child Health Section Advanced the Public Health Approach to Gun Violence Prevention.

PURPOSE: This manuscript provides a history of efforts by the American Public Health Association (APHA) Maternal and Child Health Section (MCH Section) Gun Violence Prevention Workgroup (GVP Workgroup) to promote gun violence prevention (GVP) as a key public health priority both within the MCH Section and APHA, and nationally. DESCRIPTION: The MCH Section established a gun violence prevention workgroup in response to the murders of twenty first-grade children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This article presents an overview of the accomplishments and challenges of the MCH Section GVP Workgroup in a context of ever-increasing gun violence. As of 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens. ASSESSMENT: Over the past decade, a small group of volunteers helped maintain GVP as one of the top priorities of both the MCH Section and APHA. Endorsement by the MCH Section and APHA leadership facilitated MCH Section GVP Workgroup efforts including organizing a national conference, developing scientific sessions for APHA annual meetings, establishing coalitions, and providing ongoing education and outreach to APHA members. CONCLUSION: The MCH Section GVP Workgroup helped to both elevate and maintain focus on GVP as a top priority of the MCH Section and APHA, indirectly impacting national efforts to promote a public health approach to GVP. The ongoing epidemic of firearm violence highlights the importance of continuing and strengthening this work. Individuals at other national, state or local organizations might look to the efforts and accomplishment of the MCH Section GVP Workgroup in pursuing critical issues within their own organizations.

School Violence Exposure as an Adverse Childhood Experience: Protocol for a Nationwide Study of Secondary Public Schools.

BACKGROUND: Poor mental health and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) predict extensive adverse outcomes in youth, including increases in long-term risk for chronic disease and injury, impaired emotional development, and poor academic outcomes. Exposure to school violence, specifically intentional gun violence, is an increasingly prevalent ACE. The anticipation of school shootings has led to the implementation of school safety and security interventions that may increase anxiety, depression, and other indicators of poor mental well-being among students and staff alike. Despite this, the association between exposure to existing school safety interventions and early adolescent student mental health outcomes, while accounting for one's history of ACEs, has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVE: The study protocol described here aims to determine whether there is a significant difference in the prevalence of mental health outcomes, perceived school safety, and academic engagement between adolescent students (grades 6-12) at schools who have experienced a school shooting and those who have not; whether existing interventions to promote school safety and security are associated with poor mental health outcomes among students and school staff; and what the strength of the association between school safety interventions and mental health outcomes among students and teachers is in schools that have experienced a school shooting versus schools that have never experienced a school shooting. METHODS: This observational study will collect cross-sectional survey data from a nationwide sample of students, teachers, and principals at 12 secondary public schools across the United States. The participants come from 6 randomly selected exposure schools that have either experienced a recent (<2 years ago) intentional school shooting or have experienced an intentional school shooting less recently (>2 years ago). Data from these schools are being directly compared with 6 secondary schools that have never experienced a school shooting. RESULTS: Institutional review board approval for this research project was obtained and the study subsequently began its recruitment and data collection phase in January 2024. Data collection is currently ongoing and the expected completion date is January 2025. The analytic plan is designed to determine if the strength of the association between school safety interventions and mental health outcomes differs among students and school staff in schools with varying levels of school violence exposure. Analyses will be used to evaluate the role of ACEs on the relationships among exposure to an intentional school shooting, exposure to school safety strategies, and student outcomes (ie, mental health and well-being, perceptions of school safety, and educational outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study promise to generate meaningful and novel findings on the extent to which having a prior history of ACEs moderates the relationships among exposure to intentional school gun violence, school safety strategies, and student outcomes (ie, mental health and well-being, and perceptions of school safety). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06153316; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06153316. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56249.

GENOMES UNCOUPLED PROTEIN1 binds to plastid RNAs and promotes their maturation.

Plastid biogenesis and the coordination of plastid and nuclear genome expression through anterograde and retrograde signaling are essential for plant development. GENOMES UNCOUPLED1 (GUN1) plays a central role in retrograde signaling during early plant development. The putative function of GUN1 has been extensively studied, but its molecular function remains controversial. Here, we evaluate published transcriptome data and generate our own data from gun1 mutants grown under signaling-relevant conditions to show that editing and splicing are not relevant for GUN1-dependent retrograde signaling. Our study of the plastid (post)transcriptome of gun1 seedlings with white and pale cotyledons demonstrates that GUN1 deficiency significantly alters the entire plastid transcriptome. By combining this result with a pentatricopeptide repeat code-based prediction and experimental validation by RNA immunoprecipitation experiments, we identified several putative targets of GUN1, including tRNAs and RNAs derived from ycf1.2, rpoC1, and rpoC2 and the ndhH-ndhA-ndhI-ndhG-ndhE-psaC-ndhD gene cluster. The absence of plastid rRNAs and the significant reduction of almost all plastid transcripts in white gun1 mutants account for the cotyledon phenotype. Our study provides evidence for RNA binding and maturation as the long-sought molecular function of GUN1 and resolves long-standing controversies. We anticipate that our findings will serve as a basis for subsequent studies on mechanisms of plastid gene expression and will help to elucidate the function of GUN1 in retrograde signaling.

A Randomized Trial of Virtual Reality Training to Improve Firearm Safety Counseling Skills.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Resident Education And Counseling on Household (REACH) Firearm Safety, a novel virtual reality (VR) intervention. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, randomized controlled trial among pediatric residents in a Midwestern academic primary care center comparing REACH Firearm Safety with didactic training (intervention) to didactic training alone (control). In the intervention arm, participants practiced firearm safety counseling with virtual characters and received immediate feedback. All residents completed audio-recorded standardized patient (SP) encounters before and after the training as well as a retrospective pre-post survey. Two reviewers, blinded to the allocation arm, used a standardized assessment tool to generate performance scores. Outcomes of interest included the difference between groups in SP performance scores and self-reported confidence. RESULTS: From March to July 2023, 62% of eligible pediatric residents (n = 47/76) completed the allocated study tasks (intervention 19, control 28). In both groups, SP performance scores and self-reported confidence improved. Compared to the control group, the intervention group demonstrated improvement in sharing information on secure storage devices (P = 0.009) and increased confidence in providing information on secure storage (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with didactic training alone, a VR intervention using deliberate practice improved residents' skills and confidence related to firearm safety counseling.

Differences in reasons for secure and unsecure firearm storage: Results from a representative cross-sectional study of nine states.

Objectives: To examine factors that differentiate firearm owners who endorse specific reasons for secure and unsecure firearm storage. Methods: A subsample of firearm-owning adults (n = 3,119) drawn from a representative sample of adults (n = 7,785) residing in nine US states participated in an online survey. Results: The most common reason for not always using a gun safe was concerns that they render firearms too slow to access during an emergency (60.2%). The most common reasons for current firearm storage were ensuring ready access in case of emergency (59.7%) and preventing access by children and adolescents (44.6%). Firearm owners varied on their reasons based upon current storage habits, reasons for ownership, and the presence of firearms in the home. Conclusions: Firearm owners with children in the home are more likely to select storage methods they feel will prevent access by vulnerable individuals, whereas those who own for defensive purposes and those who store firearms loaded and unlocked are more likely to endorse storing their firearms for quick home defense and convenience and to see gun safes as unnecessary obstacles.