Uterine Fibroids.

This JAMA Insights in the Women's Health series discusses the incidence, diagnosis, and treatment of uterine fibroids.

Projected future climatic forcing on the global distribution of vegetation types.

Most emissions scenarios suggest temperature and precipitation regimes will change dramatically across the globe over the next 500 years. These changes will have large impacts on the biosphere, with species forced to migrate to follow their preferred environmental conditions, therefore moving and fragmenting ecosystems. However, most projections of the impacts of climate change only reach 2100, limiting our understanding of the temporal scope of climate impacts, and potentially impeding suitable adaptive action. To address this data gap, we model future climate change every 20 years from 2000 to 2500 CE, under different CO2 emissions scenarios, using a general circulation model. We then apply a biome model to these modelled climate futures, to investigate shifts in climatic forcing on vegetation worldwide, the feasibility of the migration required to enact these modelled vegetation changes, and potential overlap with human land use based on modern-day anthromes. Under a business-as-usual scenario, up to 40% of terrestrial area is expected to be suited to a different biome by 2500. Cold-adapted biomes, particularly boreal forest and dry tundra, are predicted to experience the greatest losses of suitable area. Without mitigation, these changes could have severe consequences both for global biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'.

Longitudinal Associations Between Optimism and Objective Measures of Physical Functioning in Women.

Importance: Identifying factors contributing to sustained physical functioning is critical for the health and well-being of the aging population, especially as physical functioning may precede and predict subsequent health outcomes. Prior work suggests optimism may protect health, but less is known about the association between optimism and objective physical functioning measures as individuals age. Objective: To evaluate the longitudinal association between optimism and 3 physical functioning measures. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a prospective cohort study using data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) with participants recruited from 1993 to 1998 and followed up over 6 years. Data analysis was conducted from January 2022 to July 2022. Participants included postmenopausal women older than 65 years recruited from 40 clinical centers in the US. Exposure: Optimism was assessed at baseline using the Life Orientation Test-Revised. Main Outcomes and Measures: Physical functioning was measured at 4 time points across 6 years by study staff evaluating performance in grip strength, timed walk, and chair stands. Results: The final analytic sample included 5930 women (mean [SD] age, 70 [4] years). Linear mixed-effects models controlling for demographics, depression, health status, and health behaviors showed that higher optimism was associated with higher grip strength (ß = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.21-0.50) and number of chair stands (ß = 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.10) but not timed walk at baseline. Higher optimism was also associated with slower rates of decline in timed walk (ß = -0.09; 95% CI, -0.13 to -0.04) and number of chair stands (ß = 0.01; 95% CI, 0-0.03) but not grip strength over time. Cox proportional hazards models showed that higher optimism was associated with lower hazards of reaching clinically defined thresholds of impairment for all 3 outcomes over 6 years of follow-up. For example, in fully adjusted models, for a 1-SD increase in optimism, hazard ratios for reaching impairment thresholds were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.80-0.92) for grip strength, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88-1.01) for timed walk, and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.85-0.98) for chair stands. Conclusion and Relevance: In this cohort study of postmenopausal women, at baseline, higher optimism was associated with higher grip strength and number of chair stands but not with the time it took to walk 6 m. Higher optimism at baseline was also associated with maintaining healthier functioning on 2 of the 3 performance measures over time, including less decline in walking speed and in number of chair stands women could perform over 6 years of follow-up. Given experimental studies suggesting that optimism is modifiable, it may be a promising target for interventions to slow age-related declines in physical functioning. Future work should explore associations of optimism with maintenance of physical functioning in diverse populations.

Trends in Adolescent Suicide by Method in the US, 1999-2020.

Importance: Adolescent suicide in the US is a major public health problem, yet temporal trends in suicide methods by demographics are understudied. Objective: To examine national trends in suicide mortality by method (firearm, poisoning, hanging and asphyxiation, and all other means) from 1999 to 2020 by demographic characteristics. Design, Setting, and Participants: This serial cross-sectional study used national death certificate data of adolescent (aged 10-19 years) suicide decedents compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2020. Data analysis was performed from April 1, 2023, to July 9, 2023. Exposures: Age, sex, and race and ethnicity. Main Outcomes and Measures: Trends in age-standardized mortality rates and average annual percent change (AAPC) in rates were estimated by age, sex, and race and ethnicity for each suicide method. Results: This study assessed data from 47 217 adolescent suicide decedents. From 1999 to 2020, suicide by firearm (AAPC, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.1-1.9), poisoning (AAPC, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.0-4.4), hanging and asphyxiation (AAPC, 2.4; 95% CI, 0.2-4.6), and other means (AAPC, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-4.6) increased. Rapidly increasing rates were observed among female adolescents for poisoning (AAPC, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.3-6.7) and hanging and asphyxiation (AAPC, 5.9; 95% CI, 5.0-6.8) suicides. From 2007 to 2020, firearm suicides sharply increased among female (annual percent change [APC], 7.8; 95% CI, 6.0-9.5) and male (APC, 5.3; 95% CI, 4.3-6.3) adolescents. Firearm suicide rates increased among Black adolescents from 2012 to 2020 (APC, 14.5; 95% CI, 9.7-19.5), Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents from 2008 to 2020 (APC, 12.0; 95% CI, 9.7-14.5), American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents from 2014 to 2020 (APC, 10.6; 95% CI, 2.6-19.3), and Hispanic or Latino adolescents from 2011 to 2020 (APC, 10.2; 95% CI, 6.3-13.8). During the study period, Black adolescents had the highest average increase in hanging and asphyxiation suicides (AAPC, 4.2; 95% CI, 3.2-5.2). From 2011 to 2020, poisoning suicide deaths increased (APC, 12.6; 95% CI, 8.5-16.7) among female adolescents. Conclusions and Relevance: Suicide rates increased across all methods from 1999 to 2020. Differences were noted by sex, age, and race and ethnicity. Increasing suicide rates among racial and ethnic minoritized youth are especially concerning, and effective prevention strategies are urgently needed.

Cone-Opponent Ganglion Cells in the Primate Fovea Tuned to Non-Cardinal Color Directions.

A long-standing question in vision science is how the three cone photoreceptor types - long (L), medium (M) and short (S) wavelength sensitive - combine to generate our perception of color. Hue perception can be described along two opponent axes: red-green and blue-yellow. Psychophysical measurements of color appearance indicate that the cone inputs to the red-green and blue-yellow opponent axes are M vs. L+S and L vs. M+S, respectively. However, the "cardinal directions of color space" revealed by psychophysical measurements of color detection thresholds following adaptation are L vs. M and S vs. L+M. These cardinal directions match the most common cone-opponent retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the primate retina. Accordingly, the cone opponency necessary for color appearance is thought to be established in cortex. However, small populations with the appropriate M vs. L+S and L vs. M+S cone-opponency have been reported in large surveys of cone inputs to primate RGCs and their projections to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), yet their existence continues to be debated. Resolving this long-standing open question is necessary because a complete account of the cone-opponency in the retinal output is critical for efforts to understand how downstream neural circuits process color. Here, we performed adaptive optics calcium imaging to longitudinally, noninvasively measure foveal RGC light responses in the living macaque (Macaca fascicularis) eye. We confirm the presence of L vs. M+S and M vs. L+S neurons with non-cardinal cone-opponency and demonstrate that cone-opponent signals in the retinal output are more diverse than classically thought.Significance Statement Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) provide the only source of visual information to the brain and thus make up the building blocks for downstream visual processing. Accordingly, a complete account of how RGCs compare the cone photoreceptors is critical for understanding color vision. The cone inputs to the most common primate RGCs establish "cardinal directions" in color space that can explain color detection, but not color appearance. We identified foveal RGCs with non-cardinal cone opponency matching the signed cone inputs to red, green, blue and yellow. While this correlation does not imply causation, it opens new directions for understanding the neural processing of color. Our results indicate that the spectral information in the retinal output is more diverse than classically thought.

Purpose in Life and Its Association to Parkinsonism.

OBJECTIVES: Purpose in life has been associated with diverse health outcomes; however, few studies have examined its associations with progressive motor decline in older adults. We tested if higher purpose would be associated with lower likelihood of incident parkinsonism as well as with lower levels and slower rates of increase in parkinsonian signs. METHODS: Participants were 2,626 older adults from the Rush Memory and Aging Project and Minority Aging Research Study followed for an average of 7.2 years (standard deviation [SD] = 4.6). Purpose was measured using the purpose in life subscale of the modified Ryff's and Keyes's measure of psychological well-being. Four parkinsonian signs (i.e., parkinsonian gait, rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor) were assessed using the United Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. We examined purpose with risk of developing incident parkinsonism using Cox proportional hazards models. We also used linear mixed-effect models to assess the association between purpose and parkinsonian sign trajectories. RESULTS: After including demographics, health conditions, and health behaviors in the model, for a 1-SD increase in purpose, the hazards ratio for incident parkinsonism was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80, 0.97). A 1-SD increase in purpose was associated with a -0.19 (95% CI -0.24, -0.15) point lower score in the global parkinsonian summary score at baseline but no differences in rate of change were evident. DISCUSSION: Higher purpose was associated with lower hazards of incident parkinsonism and lower levels of parkinsonian signs at baseline. Associations were seen even after adjustment for a wide range of covariates. Findings suggest higher purpose may contribute to maintenance of healthy physical function among older adults.

Spectral Dependence of Light Exposure on Retinal Pigment Epithelium Disruption in Living Primate Retina.

Purpose: RPE disruption with light exposures below or close to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) photochemical maximum permissible exposure (MPE) have been observed, but these findings were limited to two wavelengths. We have extended the measurements across the visible spectrum. Methods: Retinal imaging with fluorescence adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (FAOSLO) was used to provide an in vivo measure of RPE disruption at a cellular level. The threshold retinal radiant exposures (RREs) for RPE disruption (localized detectable change in the fluorescence image) were determined at 460, 476, 488, 530, 543, 561, 594, 632, and 671 nm (uniform 0.5° square exposure) using multiples locations in 4 macaques. Results: FAOSLO is sensitive in detecting RPE disruption. The visible light action spectrum dependence for RPE disruption with continuous wave (CW) extended field exposures was determined. It has a shallower slope than the current ANSI blue-light hazard MPE. At all wavelengths beyond 530 nm, the disruption threshold is below the ANSI blue-light hazard MPE. There is reciprocity of exposure irradiance and duration for exposures at 460 and 594 nm. Conclusions: We measured with FAOSLO the action spectrum dependence for photochemical RPE disruption across the visible light spectrum. Using this in vivo measure of phototoxicity provided by FAOSLO, we find that thresholds are lower than previously measured. The wavelength dependence in our data is considerably shallower than the spectral dependence of the traditional ANSI blue-light hazard, emphasizing the need for more caution with increasing wavelength than expected.

Addressing Structural Racism Through Public Policy Advocacy: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Heart Association created a new 2024 Impact Goal with health equity at its core, in recognition of the increasing health disparities in our country and the overwhelming evidence of the damaging effect of structural racism on cardiovascular and stroke health. Concurrent with the announcement of the new Impact Goal was the release of an American Heart Association presidential advisory on structural racism, recognizing racism as a fundamental driver of health disparities and directing the American Heart Association to advance antiracist strategies regarding science, business operations, leadership, quality improvement, and advocacy. This policy statement builds on the call to action put forth in our presidential advisory, discussing specific opportunities to leverage public policy in promoting overall well-being and rectifying those long-standing structural barriers that impede the progress that we need and seek for the health of all communities. Although this policy statement discusses difficult aspects of our past, it is meant to provide a forward-looking blueprint that can be embraced by a broad spectrum of stakeholders who share the association's commitment to addressing structural racism and realizing true health equity.

The cost of doubt: assessing the association between attributional ambiguity and mental health.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the association between attributional ambiguity-the uncertainty of whether an experience is discrimination-and mental health. METHODS: Using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults recruited through an online survey by Ipsos (April 23 and May 3, 2021), attributional ambiguity was quantified by asking participants if they experienced anything in the past 6 months that they were unsure was discrimination. The survey also assessed the degree to which these experiences caused participants to feel bothered and to ruminate on them. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze associations between attributional ambiguity and depressive symptoms and mental health status. RESULTS: Black and Hispanic participants reported higher rates of attributional ambiguity than White participants. Experiencing attributional ambiguity was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and poorer self-reported mental health status. Among those who reported attributional ambiguity, increases in bother and rumination scores were positively associated with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Attributional ambiguity is an important yet overlooked social determinant of mental health. More research is needed to fully understand the impact of this stressor on population health, particularly among minoritized populations.

Cost-effectiveness of Improved WIC Food Package for Preventing Childhood Obesity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) prevents food insecurity and supports nutrition for more than 3 million low-income young children. Our objectives were to determine the cost-effectiveness of changes to WIC's nutrition standards in 2009 for preventing obesity and to estimate impacts on socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequities. METHODS: We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis to estimate impacts from 2010 through 2019 of the 2009 WIC food package change on obesity risk for children aged 2 to 4 years participating in WIC. Microsimulation models estimated the cases of obesity prevented in 2019 and costs per quality-adjusted-life year gained. RESULTS: An estimated 14.0 million 2- to 4-year old US children (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 13.7-14.2 million) were reached by the updated WIC nutrition standards from 2010 through 2019. In 2019, an estimated 62 700 (95% UI, 53 900-71 100) cases of childhood obesity were prevented, entirely among children from households with low incomes, leading to improved health equity. The update was estimated to cost $10 600 per quality-adjusted-life year gained (95% UI, $9760-$11 700). If WIC had reached all eligible children, more than twice as many cases of childhood obesity would have been prevented. CONCLUSIONS: Updates to WIC's nutrition standards for young children in 2009 were estimated to be highly cost-effective for preventing childhood obesity and contributed to reducing socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequities in obesity prevalence. Improving nutrition policies for young children can be a sound public health investment; future research should explore how to improve access to them.

Effects of novel raloxifene analogs alone or in combination with mechanical loading in the Col1a2G610c/+ murine model of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary bone disease in which gene mutations affect collagen formation, leading to a weak, brittle bone phenotype that can cause severe skeletal deformity and increased fracture risk. OI interventions typically repurpose osteoporosis medications to increase bone mass, but this approach does not address compromised tissue-level material properties. Raloxifene (RAL) is a mild anti-resorptive used to treat osteoporosis that has also been shown to increase bone strength by a-cellularly increasing bone bound water content, but RAL cannot be administered to children due to its hormonal activity. The goal of this study was to test a RAL analog with no estrogen receptor (ER) signaling but maintained ability to reduce fracture risk. The best performing analog from a previous analog characterization project, named RAL-ADM, was tested in an in vivo study. Female wildtype (WT) and Col1a2G610C/+ (G610C) mice were randomly assigned to treated or untreated groups, for a total of 4 groups (n = 15). Starting at 10 weeks of age, all mice underwent compressive tibial loading 3×/week to induce an anabolic bone formation response in conjunction with RAL-ADM treatment (0.5 mg/kg; 5×/week) for 6 weeks. Tibiae were scanned via microcomputed tomography then tested to failure in four-point bending. RAL-ADM had reduced ER affinity, and increased post-yield properties, but did not improve bone strength in OI animals, suggesting some properties can be improved by RAL analogs but further development is needed to create an analog with decidedly positive impacts to OI bone.

Cost Effectiveness of Calorie Labeling at Large Fast-Food Chains Across the U.S.

INTRODUCTION: Calorie labeling of standard menu items has been implemented at large restaurant chains across the U.S. since 2018. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of calorie labeling at large U.S. fast-food chains. METHODS: This study evaluated the national implementation of calorie labeling at large fast-food chains from a modified societal perspective and projected its cost effectiveness over a 10-year period (2018-2027) using the Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost-Effectiveness Study microsimulation model. Using evidence from over 67 million fast-food restaurant transactions between 2015 and 2019, the impact of calorie labeling on calorie consumption and obesity incidence was projected. Benefits were estimated across all racial, ethnic, and income groups. Analyses were performed in 2022. RESULTS: Calorie labeling is estimated to be cost saving; prevent 550,000 cases of obesity in 2027 alone (95% uncertainty interval=518,000; 586,000), including 41,500 (95% uncertainty interval=33,700; 50,800) cases of childhood obesity; and save $22.60 in healthcare costs for every $1 spent by society in implementation costs. Calorie labeling is also projected to prevent cases of obesity across all racial and ethnic groups (range between 126 and 185 cases per 100,000 people) and all income groups (range between 152 and 186 cases per 100,000 people). CONCLUSIONS: Calorie labeling at large fast-food chains is estimated to be a cost-saving intervention to improve long-term population health. Calorie labeling is a low-cost intervention that is already implemented across the U.S. in large chain restaurants.

A Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Excise Tax in California: Projected Benefits for Population Obesity and Health Equity.

INTRODUCTION: Amid the successes of local sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, interest in state-wide policies has grown. This study evaluated the cost effectiveness of a hypothetical 2-cent-per-ounce excise tax in California and its implications for population health and health equity. METHODS: Using the Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost-Effectiveness Study microsimulation model, tax impacts on health, health equity, and cost effectiveness over 10 years in California were projected, both overall and stratified by race/ethnicity and income. Expanding on previous models, differences in the effect of intake of SSBs on weight by BMI category were incorporated. Costing was performed in 2020, and analyses were conducted in 2021-2022. RESULTS: The tax is projected to save $4.55 billion in healthcare costs, prevent 266,000 obesity cases in 2032, and gain 114,000 quality-adjusted life years. Cost-effectiveness metrics, including cost/quality-adjusted life year gained, were cost saving. Spending on SSBs was projected to decrease by $33 per adult and $26 per child overall in the first year. Reductions in obesity prevalence for Black and Hispanic Californians were 1.8 times larger than for White Californians, and reductions for adults with lowest incomes (<130% Federal Poverty Level) were 1.4 times the reduction among those with highest incomes (>350% Federal Poverty Level). The tax is projected to save $112 in obesity-related healthcare costs per $1 invested. CONCLUSIONS: A state-wide SSB tax in California would be cost saving, lead to reductions in obesity and improvement in SSB-related health equity, and lead to overall improvements in population health. The policy would generate more than $1.6 billion in state tax revenue annually that can also be used to improve health equity.

Area-level deprivation and individual-level socioeconomic correlates of the diabetes care cascade among black south africans in uMgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

South Africa is experiencing a rapidly growing diabetes epidemic that threatens its healthcare system. Research on the determinants of diabetes in South Africa receives considerable attention due to the lifestyle changes accompanying South Africa's rapid urbanization since the fall of Apartheid. However, few studies have investigated how segments of the Black South African population, who continue to endure Apartheid's institutional discriminatory legacy, experience this transition. This paper explores the association between individual and area-level socioeconomic status and diabetes prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control within a sample of Black South Africans aged 45 years or older in three municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal. Cross-sectional data were collected on 3,685 participants from February 2017 to February 2018. Individual-level socioeconomic status was assessed with employment status and educational attainment. Area-level deprivation was measured using the most recent South African Multidimensional Poverty Index scores. Covariates included age, sex, BMI, and hypertension diagnosis. The prevalence of diabetes was 23% (n = 830). Of those, 769 were aware of their diagnosis, 629 were receiving treatment, and 404 had their diabetes controlled. Compared to those with no formal education, Black South Africans with some high school education had increased diabetes prevalence, and those who had completed high school had lower prevalence of treatment receipt. Employment status was negatively associated with diabetes prevalence. Black South Africans living in more deprived wards had lower diabetes prevalence, and those residing in wards that became more deprived from 2001 to 2011 had a higher prevalence diabetes, as well as diabetic control. Results from this study can assist policymakers and practitioners in identifying modifiable risk factors for diabetes among Black South Africans to intervene on. Potential community-based interventions include those focused on patient empowerment and linkages to care. Such interventions should act in concert with policy changes, such as expanding the existing sugar-sweetened beverage tax.

"Does Religious Service Attendance Modify the Relationship between Everyday Discrimination and Risk of Obesity? Results from the Study on Stress, Spirituality and Health".

This study examined the association of everyday discrimination with risk of obesity and the potential modifying effect of religious service attendance. Participants included Black, South Asian, and white women in three cohort studies that belong to the Study on Stress, Spirituality and Health. Logistic regression models estimated odds of obesity classification (BMI ≥ 30) relative to experiences of everyday discrimination. In initial pooled analyses, high levels of discrimination were related to increased odds of obesity. Race-specific analyses revealed marginal associations for white and South Asian women. Among Black women, high levels of discrimination and religious service attendance were both associated with higher odds of obesity. However, among women who attended religious services frequently, higher levels of everyday discrimination were associated with slightly lower odds of obesity. These findings underline the complex association between obesity and religion/spirituality, suggesting that higher levels of discrimination may uniquely activate religious resources or coping strategies. Findings highlight the need for additional studies to examine the impact of everyday discrimination on risk of obesity across racial/ethnic communities and how religious practices or coping strategies might affect these dynamics.

Cone-Opponent Ganglion Cells in the Primate Fovea Tuned to Non-Cardinal Color Directions.

A long-standing question in vision science is how the three cone photoreceptor types - long (L), medium (M) and short (S) wavelength sensitive - combine to generate our perception of color. Hue perception can be described along two opponent axes: red-green and blue-yellow. Psychophysical measurements of color appearance indicate that the cone inputs to the red-green and blue-yellow opponent axes are M vs. L+S and L vs. M+S, respectively. However, the "cardinal directions of color space" revealed by psychophysical measurements of color detection thresholds are L vs. M and S vs. L+M. The cardinal directions match the most common cone-opponent retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the primate retina. Accordingly, the cone opponency necessary for color appearance is thought to be established in cortex. However, small populations with the appropriate M vs. L+S and L vs. M+S cone-opponency have been reported in large surveys of cone inputs to primate RGCs and their projections to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) yet their existence continues to be debated. Resolving this long-standing open question is needed as a complete account of the cone-opponency in the retinal output is critical for efforts to understand how downstream neural circuits process color. Here, we performed adaptive optics calcium imaging to longitudinally and noninvasively measurements of the foveal RGC light responses in the living macaque eye. We confirm the presence of L vs. M+S and M vs. L+S neurons with non-cardinal cone-opponency and demonstrate that cone-opponent signals in the retinal output are substantially more diverse than classically thought.

Trauma, risk, and resilience: A qualitative study of mental health in post-conflict Liberia.

The Liberian civil wars led to widespread destruction and devastation for its individuals, communities, and economy. However, individuals' subjective trauma experiences and long-term psychological impact remain relatively understudied. This study aims to explore context-specific traumatic events and examine how risk and protective factors combine with traumas to influence trajectories of suffering and recovery over time. We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with Liberian adults who were present during the Liberian civil wars, and we used line-by-line open coding, thematic analysis, and axial coding to analyze and contextualize the data. Eight key trauma themes emerged: Abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual), Captivity, Combat, Killings, Physical Illness, Resource Loss, Family Separation, and War Environment. The risk and protective factors that were reported as salient were: Age, Biological Sex, Socioeconomic Status, and Community Support. Further, key patterns emerged across interviews that indicated greater risk for long-term suffering: 1) exposure to multiple traumatic events, 2) certain types of traumatic events (like killing of a close family member), and 3) the combination of specific traumatic events and risk and protective factors (like older women witnessing the killing of their children). This study provides culturally relevant information on trauma, suffering, and resilience in post-conflict Liberia, with the aim of guiding the development of screening tools and targeted psychological interventions that improve well-being over time.

Optogenetic Stimulation of Single Ganglion Cells in the Living Primate Fovea.

Though the responses of the rich variety of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) reflect the totality of visual processing in the retina and provide the sole conduit for those processed responses to the brain, we have much to learn about how the brain uses these signals to guide behavior. An impediment to developing a comprehensive understanding of the role of retinal circuits in behavior is the paucity of causal studies in the intact primate visual system. Here we demonstrate the ability to optogenetically activate individual RGCs with flashes of light focused on single RGC somas in vivo , without activation of neighboring cells. The ability to selectively activate specific cells is the first step toward causal experiments that directly link retinal circuits to visual experience and behavior.

In Search of the Promised Land: County-Level Disadvantage and Low Birth Weight among Black Mothers of the Great Migration.

The Great Migration was a movement of roughly eight million Black Southerners relocating to the North and West from 1910 to 1980. Despite being one of the most significant mass internal migrations during the twentieth century, little is known about the health outcomes resulting from migration and whether migrators' destination choices were potential mechanisms. This study measured the association between destination county disadvantage and odds of low birth weight during the last decade of the Great Migration. We used the US Census from 1970 as well as the birth records of first-time Black mothers who migrated from the South collected through the National Center of Health Statistics from 1973 to 1980 (n = 154,145). We examined three measures of area-based opportunity: Black male high school graduation rate, Black poverty rate, and racialized economic residential segregation. We used multilevel logistic regression, where mothers were nested within US counties, to quantify the relationship between county disadvantage and low birth weight. After adjusting for individual risk and protective factors for infant health, there was no relationship between county opportunity measures and low birth weight among migrators. Although high socioeconomic opportunity is typically associated with protection of low birth weight, we did not see these outcomes in this study. These results may support that persistent racial discrimination encountered in the North inhibited infant health even as migrators experienced higher economic opportunity relative to the South.