Prenatal intention to human milk feed in the native Hawaiian population: predictors of any human milk feeding from birth to six months postpartum.

BACKGROUND: Rates of non-communicable diseases are disproportionately high among Native Hawaiian (NH) people, and the proportion of NH infants being fed human milk (HM) is the lowest among all ethnicities within the state of Hawai'i. The aim of this study was to explore biological, socio-economic, and psychosocial determinants of the initiation and duration of human milk feeding (HMF) among a study of NH mothers and infants. METHODS: A sample of 85 NH mother-infant dyads who were participating in a larger prospective study were involved in this research. Recruitment for the parent was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruitment started in November 2020 and continued until April 2022. Questionnaires were distributed at birth, two-months, four-months, and six-months postpartum. Questionnaires addressed topics relating to maternal and infant characteristics and infant feeding practices. Descriptive statistics, comparative analysis, and multivariate logistic regression tests were conducted. RESULTS: The majority of participating mothers were aged between 31 and 35 years, had some college education or more, were employed, and multiparous. The majority of infants were receiving HM at each timepoint (94% at birth, 78% at two-months postpartum, and 76% at four and six-months postpartum). Factors found to be significantly associated with HMF initiation and duration were prenatal intention to HMF, maternal educational attainment, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipiency. A prenatal intention to HMF was found to be a strong predictor of HMF at birth (aOR = 64.18, 95% CI 2.94, 1400.28) and at two-months postpartum (aOR = 231.55, 95% CI 2.18, 2418.3). Participants not involved with WIC were more likely to be HMF at four-months postpartum (aOR = 6.83, 95% CI 1.01, 46.23). CONCLUSION: This research supports existing evidence that prenatal intention to HMF and higher maternal educational attainment are positive predictors of HMF. WIC participation and being a SNAP recipient were found to be negatively associated with HMF which suggests a need for more culturally tailored support. Further research is required to reduce the gap in knowledge related to the determinants of HMF in NH.

Competing adaptations maintain nonadaptive variation in a wild cricket population.

How emerging adaptive variants interact is an important factor in the evolution of wild populations, but the opportunity to empirically study this interaction is rare. We recently documented the emergence of an adaptive phenotype "curly-wing" in Hawaiian populations of field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus). Curly-wing inhibits males' ability to sing, protecting them from eavesdropping parasitoid flies (Ormia ochracea). Surprisingly, curly-wing co-occurs with similarly protective silent "flatwing" phenotypes in multiple populations, in which neither phenotype has spread to fixation. These two phenotypes are frequently coexpressed, but since either sufficiently reduces song amplitude to evade the fly, their coexpression confers no additional fitness benefit. Numerous "off-target" phenotypic changes are known to accompany flatwing, and we find that curly-wing, too, negatively impacts male courtship ability and affects mass and survival of females under lab conditions. We show through crosses and genomic and mRNA sequencing that curly-wing expression is associated with variation on a single autosome. In parallel analyses of flatwing, our results reinforce previous findings of X-linked single-locus inheritance. By combining insights into the genetic architecture of these alternative phenotypes with simulations and field observations, we show that the co-occurrence of these two adaptations impedes either from fixing, despite extreme fitness benefits, due to fitness epistasis. This co-occurrence of similar adaptive forms in the same populations might be more common than is generally considered and could be an important force inhibiting adaptive evolution in wild populations of sexually reproducing organisms.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Older Adults Who Participate in Group Physical Exercise Program.

The COVID pandemic exposed the vulnerability of older adults in myriad ways and social service organizations faced unprecedented challenges in safely providing support for older adults. Since 2007, Hawai'i Healthy Aging Partnership (HHAP) has offered Enhance®Fitness, an evidence-based program to reduce the risk of falls and promote health among older adults. Due to the pandemic, all the Enhance®Fitness sites had to close and stop offering the program. The HHAP started to provide alternative activities remotely in May 2020. To explore the pandemic's impact, the feasibility of online exercise programs, and the support needed among older adults to stay physically active, HHAP surveyed existing Enhance®Fitness participants and received 291 responses (59% response rate). The study used frequency distributions, comparison of means, and chi-square to analyze the survey data. Findings showed that the shutdown of the group exercise program during the pandemic led to a health status decline, a reduction in physical activities, and a shift from group to individual physical activities among older adult participants. Most respondents tried the remote exercise opportunities during the pandemic and would consider joining the remote programs in the future. However, about one-fourth of the respondents did not participate in remote exercise activities due to the lack of electronic devices, internet access, or interest in remote activity formats. To ensure equitable access to physical exercise programs for older adults in the post-pandemic era, it is critical to address the access challenges and resources needed for providing multiple programming options.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Inpatient Pediatric Medical Student Education in Hawai'i.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many effects on medical student education, ranging from safety measures limiting patient exposure to changes in patient diagnoses encountered by medical students in their clerkship experience. This study aimed to identify the impact of the pandemic on the inpatient experiences of third- and fourth-year medical students by assessing patient volumes and diagnoses seen by students. Frequency and types of notes written by medical students on hospital-based pediatric rotations at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as well as patient diagnoses and ages were compared between 2 time periods: pre-pandemic (July 2018-February 2020) and pandemic (May 2020-September 2021). On average, the number of patients seen by medical students was significantly reduced in the pandemic period from 112 patients/month to 88 patients/month (P=.041). The proportion of patients with bronchiolitis or pneumonia were also significantly reduced in the pandemic period (P<.001). Bronchiolitis was diagnosed in 1.3% of patients seen by medical students during the pandemic period, compared with 5.9% of patients pre-pandemic. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 1.0% of patients seen by medical students in the pandemic period compared with 4.6% pre-pandemic. There was no significant difference in patient age between the 2 groups (P=.092). During the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students in this institution had a remarkably different inpatient experience from that of their predecessors. They saw fewer patients, and those patients had fewer common pediatric respiratory diseases. These decreases suggest these students may require supplemental education to compensate for these gaps in direct pediatric clinical experience.

How COVID-19 Impacted Colonoscopy Utilization and Colorectal Cancer Detection in Hawai'i in 2020.

The Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a profound impact on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and diagnostic testing. During the initial months of the pandemic, there was a sharp decline in colonoscopies performed as many areas were on lockdown and elective procedures could not be performed. In later months, even when routine procedures started being scheduled again, some patients became fearful of contracting COVID during colonoscopy or lost their health insurance, leading to further delays in CRC diagnosis by colonoscopy. Previous studies have reported the dramatic decrease in colonoscopy rates and CRC detection at various institutions across the country, but no previous study has been performed to determine rates of colorectal screening by colonoscopy in Hawai'i where the demographics of CRC differ. The team investigated the pandemic's impact on colonoscopy services and colorectal neoplasia detection at several large outpatient endoscopy centers in Hawai'i and also classified new CRC cases by patient demographics of age, sex, and ethnicity. There were fewer colonoscopies performed in these endoscopy centers in 2020 than in 2019 and a disproportionate decrease in CRC cases diagnosed. Elderly males as well as Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were most impacted by this decrease in CRC detection. It is possible there will be an increase in later stage presentation of CRC and eventual CRC related mortality among these patients.

Ku Like Kakou: Utilizing a Community-led Model of Collaboration to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 brought significant challenges for Native Hawaiians (NH), Pacific Islanders (PI), and other communities of color worldwide. Rapidly increasing rates of infection and transmission of the virus in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities and incomplete or unavailable data signaled to Hawai'i's leaders that advocacy and action needed to take place to minimize the impact of COVID-19. The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Response, Recovery, and Resilience team (NHPI 3R Team) emerged from an effort to lead and fill gaps in response to COVID-19. Through the swift, intentional, and collaborative work of the team and its partners, NHPI communities and the entities that serve them were better equipped to navigate the pandemic, improve health outcomes, and contribute to a reduction in the number of infections, a rise in vaccination uptake, and an increase in NH and PI representation on various levels of government agencies. As the world shifts its focus from COVID-19 to broader health topics, the NHPI 3R Team will continue to serve as a hub for the exchange of resources and a model of community-led work that can be used to tackle issues like COVID-19 and beyond.

The biogeographic and evolutionary processes shaping population divergence in Laupala.

Speciation generates biodiversity and the mechanisms involved are thought to vary across the tree of life and across environments. For example, well-studied adaptive radiations are thought to be fuelled by divergent ecological selection, but additionally are influenced heavily by biogeographic, genomic and demographic factors. Mechanisms of non-adaptive radiations, producing ecologically cryptic taxa, have been less well-studied but should likewise be influenced by these latter factors. Comparing among contexts can help pinpoint universal mechanisms and outcomes, especially if we integrate biogeographic, ecological and evolutionary processes. We investigate population divergence in the swordtail cricket Laupala cerasina, a wide-spread endemic on Hawai'i Island and one of 38 ecologically cryptic Laupala species. The nine sampled populations show striking population genetic structure at small spatio-temporal scales. The rapid differentiation among populations and species of Laupala shows that neither a specific geographical context nor ecological opportunity are pre-requisites for rapid divergence. Spatio-temporal patterns in population divergence, population size change, and gene flow are aligned with the chronosequence of the four volcanoes on which L. cerasina occurs and reveal the composite effects of geological dynamics and Quaternary climate change on population dynamics. Spatio-temporal patterns in genetic variation along the genome reveal the interplay of genetic and genomic architecture in shaping population divergence. In early phases of divergence, we find elevated differentiation in genomic regions harbouring mating song loci. In later stages of divergence, we find a signature of linked selection that interacts with recombination rate variation. Comparing our findings with recent work on complementary systems supports the conclusion that mostly universal factors influence the speciation process.

Ka Malu a Wa'ahila: Cultivating cultural safety for Native Hawaiian students in university behavioral health.

Ka Malu a Wa'ahila, an Indigenous-centered and student-informed program, was established in 2022 to meet the growing behavioral health needs of Native Hawaiian college students at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Utilizing a cultural safety foundation and relying on the wisdom of community voices articulated by the Pilinaha framework, clinicians provide prevention, direct intervention, and outreach services. As the program continues to evolve, future plans include expanding to other Pacific Islanders and developing an additional layer of systemic change through building an Indigenous behavioral health training pathway and training curriculum for clinicians serving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities.

Adapting STEMM in Hawai'i: Necessary actions for one of the most diverse places in the United States.

Hawai'i's diverse population prime it to be an exemplary environment to study representation in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). In actuality, Hawai'i has low STEMM enrollment and therefore, low representation in STEMM. What primarily inhibits Hawai'i from having a strong STEMM workforce is the lack of education in STEMM, resources allocated to STEMM, and mentorship to succeed in STEMM. Other factors such as cultural values, high costs of living, and geographical barriers also contribute to Hawai'i's low STEMM enrollment. To combat these issues, I offer suggestions to encourage STEMM enrollment, such as directing funds toward after-school education. I also suggest combatting the lack of resources by providing more online opportunities for students and workers. As for Hawai'i's low mentorship, I suggest that more programs be created within communities and universities to create a platform for mentors and mentees to network. This manuscript seeks to highlight these areas of improvement and recognize lessons to be learned from Hawai'i, thus serving as a resource for individuals internationally.

A review of predator exclusion fencing to create mainland islands in Hawai'i.

Background: Invasive species are the primary threat to island ecosystems globally and are responsible for approximately two-thirds of all island species extinctions in the past 400 years. Non-native mammals-primarily rats, cats, mongooses, goats, sheep, and pigs-have had devastating impacts on at-risk species and are major factors in population declines and extinctions in Hawai'i. With the development of fencing technology that can exclude all mammalian predators, the focus for some locations in Hawai'i shifted from predator control to local eradication. Methods: This article describes all existing and planned full predator exclusion fences in Hawai'i by documenting the size and design of each fence, the outcomes the predator eradications, maintenance issues at each fence, and the resulting native species responses. Results: Twelve predator exclusion fences were constructed in the Hawaiian Islands from 2011-2023 and six more were planned or under construction; all were for the protection of native seabirds and waterbirds. Fences ranged in length from 304-4,877 m and enclosed 1.2-640 ha. One-third of the 18 fences were peninsula-style with open ends; the remaining two-thirds of the fences were complete enclosures. The purpose of twelve of the fences (67%) was to protect existing bird populations, and six (33%) were initiated for mitigation required under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Of the six mitigation fences, 83% were for the social attraction of seabirds and one fence was for translocation of seabirds; none of the mitigation fences protected existing bird populations. Rats and mice were present in every predator exclusion fence site; mice were eradicated from five of six sites (83%) where they were targeted and rats (three species) were eradicated from eight of 11 sites (72%). Mongoose, cats, pigs, and deer were eradicated from every site where they were targeted. Predator incursions occurred in every fence. Rat and mouse incursions were in many cases chronic or complete reinvasions, but cat and mongoose incursions were occasional and depended on fence type (i.e., enclosed vs. peninsula). The advent of predator exclusion fencing has resulted in great gains for protecting existing seabirds and waterbirds, which demonstrated dramatic increases in reproductive success and colony growth. With threats from invasive species expected to increase in the future, predator exclusion fencing will become an increasingly important tool in protecting island species.

Corals that survive repeated thermal stress show signs of selection and acclimatization.

Climate change is transforming coral reefs by increasing the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves, often leading to coral bleaching and mortality. Coral communities have demonstrated modest increases in thermal tolerance following repeated exposure to moderate heat stress, but it is unclear whether these shifts represent acclimatization of individual colonies or mortality of thermally susceptible individuals. For corals that survive repeated bleaching events, it is important to understand how past bleaching responses impact future growth potential. Here, we track the bleaching responses of 1,832 corals in leeward Maui through multiple marine heatwaves and document patterns of coral growth and survivorship over a seven-year period. While we find limited evidence of acclimatization at population scales, we document reduced bleaching over time in specific individuals that is indicative of acclimatization, primarily in the stress-tolerant taxa Porites lobata. For corals that survived both bleaching events, we find no relationship between bleaching response and coral growth in three of four taxa studied. This decoupling suggests that coral survivorship is a better indicator of future growth than is a coral's bleaching history. Based on these results, we recommend restoration practitioners in Hawai'i focus on colonies of Porites and Montipora with a proven track-record of growth and survivorship, rather than devote resources toward identifying and cultivating bleaching-resistant phenotypes in the lab. Survivorship followed a latitudinal thermal stress gradient, but because this gradient was small, it is likely that local environmental factors also drove differences in coral performance between sites. Efforts to reduce human impacts at low performing sites would likely improve coral survivorship in the future.

Socioeconomic Status, Lifestyle, and DNA Methylation Age Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Adults: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program.

Importance: Variation in DNA methylation at specific loci estimates biological age, which is associated with morbidity, mortality, and social experiences. Aging estimates known as epigenetic clocks, including the Dunedin Pace of Aging Calculated From the Epigenome (DunedinPACE), were trained on data predominately from individuals of European ancestry; however, limited research has explored DunedinPACE in underrepresented populations experiencing health disparities. Objective: To investigate associations of neighborhood and individual sociobehavioral factors with biological aging in a racially and ethnically diverse population. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study, part of the Multiethnic Cohort study conducted from May 1993 to September 1996 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in chronic diseases, integrated biospecimen and self-reported data collected between April 2004 and November 2005 from healthy Hawaii residents aged 45 to 76 years. These participants self-identified as of Japanese American, Native Hawaiian, or White racial and ethnic background. Data were analyzed from January 2022 to May 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures: DNA methylation data were generated from monocytes enriched from cryopreserved lymphocytes and used to derive DunedinPACE scores from November 2017 to June 2021. Neighborhood social economic status (NSES) was estimated from 1990 US Census Bureau data to include factors such as educational level, occupation, and income. Individual-level factors analyzed included educational level, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Linear regression analysis of DunedinPACE scores was used to examine their associations with NSES and sociobehavioral variables. Results: A total of 376 participants were included (113 [30.1%] Japanese American, 144 [38.3%] Native Hawaiian, and 119 [31.6%] White; 189 [50.3%] were female). Mean (SE) age was 57.81 (0.38) years. Overall, mean (SE) DunedinPACE scores were significantly higher among females than among males (1.28 [0.01] vs 1.25 [0.01]; P = .005); correlated negatively with NSES (R = -0.09; P = .08), HEI (R = -0.11; P = .03), and educational attainment (R = -0.15; P = .003) and positively with BMI (R = 0.31; P < .001); and varied by race and ethnicity. Native Hawaiian participants exhibited a higher mean (SE) DunedinPACE score (1.31 [0.01]) compared with Japanese American (1.25 [0.01]; P < .001) or White (1.22 [0.01]; P < .001) participants. Controlling for age, sex, HEI, BMI, and NSES, linear regression analyses revealed a negative association between educational level and DunedinPACE score among Japanese American (ß, -0.005 [95% CI, -0.013 to 0.002]; P = .03) and Native Hawaiian (ß, -0.003 [95% CI, -0.011 to 0.005]; P = .08) participants, yet this association was positive among White participants (ß, 0.007; 95% CI, -0.001 to 0.015; P = .09). Moderate to vigorous PA was associated with lower DunedinPACE scores only among Native Hawaiian participants (ß, -0.006; 95% CI, -0.011 to -0.001; P = .005), independent of NSES. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 376 adults, low NSES was associated with a higher rate of biological aging measured by DunedinPACE score, yet individual-level factors such as educational level and physical activity affected this association, which varied by race and ethnicity. These findings support sociobehavioral interventions in addressing health inequities.

Changes in microbial community structure of bio-fouled polyolefins over a year-long seawater incubation in Hawai'i.

Plastic waste, especially positively buoyant polymers known as polyolefins, are a major component of floating debris in the marine environment. While plastic colonisation by marine microbes is well documented from environmental samples, the succession of marine microbial community structure over longer time scales (> > 1 month) and across different types and shapes of plastic debris is less certain. We analysed 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA amplicon gene sequences from biofilms on polyolefin debris floating in a flow-through seawater tank in Hawai'i to assess differences in microbial succession across the plastic types of polypropylene (PP) and both high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) made of different plastic shapes (rod, film and cube) under the same environmental conditions for 1 year. Regardless of type or shape, all plastic debris were dominated by the eukaryotic diatom Nitzschia, and only plastic type was significantly important for bacterial community structure over time (p = 0.005). PE plastics had higher differential abundance when compared to PP for 20 bacterial and eight eukaryotic taxa, including the known plastic degrading bacterial taxon Hyphomonas (p = 0.01). Results from our study provide empirical evidence that plastic type may be more important for bacterial than eukaryotic microbial community succession on polyolefin pollution under similar conditions.

A psychometric analysis of the adapted historical loss scale and historical loss associated symptoms scale among native Hawaiian adults.

Objectives: The Historical Loss Scale (HLS) and Historical Loss Associated Symptoms Scale (HLASS) are standardized measures that have been accepted and previously validated among North American Indigenous communities and allow researchers to measure the impact of Historical Loss. Evidence of the psychometric properties of this instrument have not been assessed for Native Hawaiians, the Indigenous peoples of Hawai'i. The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the adapted HLS (aHLS) and HLASS for adults from multiple Hawaiian Homestead Communities throughout Hawai'i. Methods: Data are based on cross-sectional surveys administered between 2014 and 2020. The final sample included 491 Native Hawaiian adults who were predominantly female (67.3%) and between the ages of 18-90 years, who were part of the larger study entitled the Hawaiian Homestead Health Survey. Factor analyses were conducted to determine the final model structures of each scale. Reliability and correlation matrices of items are also reported. Results: The final factor structure of the aHLS model suggested 3 factors: (1) General loss of culture or cultural loss, (2) Intergenerational loss, and (3) Distrust and destruction of traditional foods. The final HLASS model also suggested 3 factors: (1) Depression and Anger, (2) Shame and Anxiety, and (3) Re-experiencing, fear, and avoidance. Conclusion: These findings have implications for future research, practice, and education that explores the role of Historical Loss and associated symptoms in Native Hawaiians and Indigenous communities at large. In particular, measuring historical loss and associated symptoms in Hawaiian Homestead communities paves the way for quantitative assessments of historical trauma and healing in these communities.

Describing the Medical Needs of Hawai'i's Houseless Population During COVID at Free Student Run Outpatient Clinics (Hawai'i HOME Project).

Hawai'i experiences some of the highest rates of houselessness per capita in the country. COVID-19 has exacerbated these disparities and made it difficult for these individuals to seek medical care. Hawai'i's Houseless Outreach in Medical Education (HOME) clinic is the largest student run free clinic in the state, which provides medical services to this patient population. This article reports the demographics, medical needs, and services provided to patients of Hawai'i's HOME clinic during the era of COVID-19. From September 2020 to 2021, the HOME clinic saw 1198 unique visits with 526 distinct patients. The most common chief complaints included wound care (42.4%), pain (26.9%), and skin complaints (15.7%). A large portion of the population suffered from comorbidities including elevated blood pressure (66%), a formal reported history of hypertension (30.6%), diabetes (11.6%), and psychiatric concerns including schizophrenia (5.2%) and generalized anxiety (5.1%). Additionally, a large portion of patients (57.2%) were substance users including 17.8% of patients endorsing use of alcohol, 48.5% tobacco and 12.5% marijuana. The most common services provided were dispensation of medication (58.7%), wound cleaning/dressing changes (30.7%), and alcohol or other drug cessation counseling (25.2%). This study emphasizes that the houseless are a diverse population with complex, evolving medical needs and a high prevalence of chronic diseases and comorbidities.

Impact of a Fast Pass on Emergency Department Wait Times for Oncology Patients with Febrile Neutropenia.

This pilot study examined differences in wait times for oncology patients who presented to the emergency department, with or without a Fast Pass, for febrile neutropenia (FN). Inadequate circulating neutrophils create a health risk for FN patients. An increased number of patients are receiving chemotherapy in an outpatient setting and may experience delays when seeking treatment in the emergency department. These delays in treatment may be due to overcrowding, patients who require life-saving medical interventions, and inconsistencies in recognizing febrile neutropenia, where fever may be the only presenting sign. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact on wait times, increasing possible risk of bacterial or viral exposure in the emergency department waiting room, for patients with a potential diagnosis of FN who presented their "Fast Pass" from the hospital cancer center's program upon arrival. Electronic medical records were reviewed over a period of 21 months, comparing wait times in the ED for oncology patients with potential FN before and after implementation of the Fast Pass program at an urban medical center in Hawai'i. Of the 1300 oncology patient chart reviews conducted, 6 patients met the study-defined inclusion criteria pre-Fast Pass and 10 met the study-defined inclusion criteria post-Fast Pass. Influence of the use of a Fast Pass on patient wait times was tested using a multivariate regression adjusted for ED patient volume. There were no differences in overall wait times pre- and post-Fast Pass.

A Patient Interview-Based Needs Assessment and Evaluation of Experiences with Periviable Pregnancies.

Given the complex ethical and emotional nature of births during the periviable period for both health care providers and families, this investigation sought to identify strategies for improved counseling of pregnant patients facing preterm birth at the cusp of viability at a tertiary care center in Hawai'i. As part of a larger quality improvement project on periviability counseling, 10 patients were interviewed during either individual or small focus groups using a progression of hypothetical scenarios. Interviews were analyzed independently by 3 investigators to identify themes of patient experience and potential areas for improvement when counseling patients who are carrying periviable pregnancies. Several common themes emerged from the interviews. Patients expressed the desire for more information throughout the process delivered in a jargon-free manner with unified messaging from the medical teams, and emotional support. These findings add to a limited body of literature which addresses patient perceptions of interactions with health care providers in the face of uncertainty, particularly in a Pacific Islander population. The authors recommend increasing provider training and developing a more structured process to counsel pregnant women facing periviable pregnancy loss to improve the patient experience.

Non-destructive identification of varieties of Hawaii-grown avocados using near-infrared spectroscopy: Feasibility studies using bench-top and handheld spectrometers.

Avocados are an important economic crop of Hawaii, contributing to approximately 3% of all avocados grown in the United States. To export Hawaii-grown avocados, growers must follow strict United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) regulations. Currently, only the Sharwil variety can be exported relying on a systems approach, which allows fruit to be exported without quarantine treatment; treatments that can negatively impact the quality of avocados. However, for the systems approach to be applied, Hawaii avocado growers must positively identify the avocados variety as Sharwil with APHIS prior to export. Currently, variety identification relies on physical characteristics, which can be erroneous and subjective, and has been disputed by growers. Once the fruit is harvested, variety identification is difficult. While molecular markers can be used through DNA extraction from the skin, the process leaves the fruit unmarketable. This study evaluated the feasibility of using near-infrared spectroscopy to non-destructively discriminate between different Hawaii-grown avocado varieties, such as Sharwil, Beshore, and Yamagata, Nishikawa, and Greengold, and to positively identify Sharwil from the other varieties mentioned above. The classifiers built using a bench-top system achieved 95% total classification rates for both discriminating the varieties from one another and positively identifying Sharwil while the classifier built using a handheld spectrometer achieved 96% and 96.7% total classification rates for discriminating the varieties from one another and positively identifying Sharwil, respectively. Results from chemometric methods and chemical analysis suggested that water and lipid were key contributors to the performance of classifiers. The positive results demonstrate the feasibility of NIR spectroscopy for discriminating different avocado varieties as well as authenticating Sharwil. To develop robust and stable models for the growers, distributors, and regulators in Hawaii, more varieties and additional seasons should continue to be added.

Temporal genomics in Hawaiian crickets reveals compensatory intragenomic coadaptation during adaptive evolution.

Theory predicts that compensatory genetic changes reduce negative indirect effects of selected variants during adaptive evolution, but evidence is scarce. Here, we test this in a wild population of Hawaiian crickets using temporal genomics and a high-quality chromosome-level cricket genome. In this population, a mutation, flatwing, silences males and rapidly spread due to an acoustically-orienting parasitoid. Our sampling spanned a social transition during which flatwing fixed and the population went silent. We find long-range linkage disequilibrium around the putative flatwing locus was maintained over time, and hitchhiking genes had functions related to negative flatwing-associated effects. We develop a combinatorial enrichment approach using transcriptome data to test for compensatory, intragenomic coevolution. Temporal changes in genomic selection were distributed genome-wide and functionally associated with the population's transition to silence, particularly behavioural responses to silent environments. Our results demonstrate how 'adaptation begets adaptation'; changes to the sociogenetic environment accompanying rapid trait evolution can generate selection provoking further, compensatory adaptation.