Geographic Variations and the Associated Factors in Adherence to and Persistence with Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy for the Privately Insured women Aged 18-64 with Breast Cancer in Texas.

The purpose of this study is to examine the geographical patterns of adjuvant hormonal therapy adherence and persistence and the associated factors in insured Texan women aged 18-64 with early breast cancer. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 5-year claims data for the population insured by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX). Women diagnosed with early breast cancer who were taking tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for adjuvant hormonal therapy with at least one prescription claim were identified. Adherence to adjuvant hormonal therapy and persistence with adjuvant hormonal therapy were calculated as outcome measures. Women without a gap between two consecutively dispensed prescriptions of at least 90 days were considered to be persistently taking the medications. Patient-level multivariate logistic regression models with repeated regional-level adjustments and a Cox proportional hazards model with mixed effects were used to determine the geographical variations and patient-, provider-, and area-level factors that were associated with adjuvant hormonal therapy adherence and persistence. Of the 938 women in the cohort, 627 (66.8%) initiated adjuvant hormonal therapy. Most of the smaller HRRs have significantly higher or lower rates of treatment adherence and persistence rates relative to the median regions. The use of AHT varies substantially from one geographical area to another, especially for adherence, with an approximately two-fold difference between the lowest and highest areas, and area-level factors were found to be significantly associated with the compliance of AHT. There are geographical variations in AHT adherence and persistence in Texas. Patient-level and area-level factors have significant associations explaining these patterns.

Impact of Access to Breast Care For West Texas Program on Early Detection and Regional Breast Cancer Mortality.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess whether the Access to Breast Care for West Texas (ABC4WT) program impacted regional breast cancer detection and mortality in the Texas Council of Governments (COG)1 region. METHODS: Interrupted time series analyses were utilized to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Spearman's rank correlation and cross-orrelation analyses were performed to assess the relationship between the total number of screenings and (i) the total number of breast cancer detected and (ii) the proportion of early-stage cancer detected and the (pre-whitened) residuals. A three-way interaction model compared pre-and post-intervention mortality in COG 1 with the COG 9 region (control). RESULTS: Increased screening rate was associated with increased breast and early-stage cancer incidences (P = .001 and P = .002, respectively). There were significant positive cross-correlations between the total number of screenings and the total number of breast cancer detected (r = .996) and the proportion of early-stage cancer detected (r = .709) without a lag even after pre-whitening. Univariate analysis showed that regional mortality decreased with time (P < .001) and after intervention (P = .001). Multivariate analysis did not show any significant difference in time (P = .594), intervention (P = .453), and time and intervention interaction (P = .273). The three-way interaction model showed no difference in the baseline mortality and pre-intervention trend difference in COG 1 and COG 9 regions. However, there was a significant pre-post intervention trend difference in mortality COG 1 compared to the COG 9 region (P = .041). CONCLUSION: Implementing the ABC4WT program was associated with the early detection of breast cancer and reducing regional mortality in the COG 1 region.

When what can go wrong, does go wrong: Fire department operations during cascading events.

In 2021, Texas experienced a historic winter storm that paralysed the state. In particular, the city of San Antonio experienced a weather system which, over the span of seven days, created a pattern of cascading issues. This paper describes how the situation forced the San Antonio Fire Department to adapt its policies and procedures to respond to issues and circumstances that were never even thought possible for the area. The paper shows how critical thinking and innovation provided the department the ability to respond to the needs of the residents of San Antonio.

Occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in shelter cats in the lower Rio Grande Valley region in South Texas, United States, using integrated diagnostic approaches.

Dirofilaria immitis is a mosquito-borne filarioid nematode that affects dogs and cats. Although heartworm infections in cats can be fatal, it is commonly neglected by cat owners and veterinarians. Moreover, diagnosing heartworm infection in cats can be challenging, requiring the integration of multiple laboratorial tests and clinical examination. The objective of this study was to estimate the occurrence of D. immitis infection in shelter cats in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region of Texas using a combination of immunodiagnostic and molecular methods. The RGV has a large population of stray animals with limited access to veterinary care. One hundred and twenty-two paired samples of serum and DNA extracted from the blood clots of cats from 14 towns in this region were analyzed. Serum samples were used for heartworm antibody detection (Heska® Solo Step®), and heartworm antigen detection using a commercial ELISA kit (DiroCHEK®) pre- and post-immune-complex dissociation (ICD) via heat treatment. A species-specific probe-based qPCR assay targeting a fragment of the cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 of the mitochondrial DNA was utilized to detect the presence of parasite DNA. Twenty-two cats (18%) were positive in at least one diagnostic test. Antibody testing detected most cases (19/122; 15.6%); pre- and post-ICD antigen testing detected 6 cases (6/122; 4.9%); and qPCR detected the fewest cases (4/122; 3.3%), with 2 cats positive on all three diagnostic tests. Veterinarians should encourage local cat owners to utilize year-round heartworm prevention.

Comparison of mechanical properties of 3-dimensional printed and thermoformed orthodontic aligners.

INTRODUCTION: Orthodontic treatment using clear aligners has experienced exponential growth since its introduction in the late 1990s. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has also grown in popularity among orthodontists, and companies have begun to produce resins to directly print clear aligners. This study aimed to examine the mechanical properties of commercially available thermoformed aligners and direct 3D-printed aligners under laboratory conditions and a simulated oral environment. METHODS: Samples were prepared (approximately 2.5 × 20 mm) from 2 thermoformed materials, EX30 and LD30 (Align Technology Inc, San Jose, Calif), as well as 2 direct 3D-printing resins, Material X (Envisiontec, Inc; Dearborn, Mich) and OD-Clear TF (3DResyns, Barcelona, Spain). Wet samples were subjected to phosphate-buffered saline at 37°C for 7 days, whereas dry samples were stored at 25°C. Tensile and stress relaxation tests were carried out on an RSA3 Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (Texas Instruments, Dallas, Tex) and Instron Universal Testing System (Instron, Norwood, Mass) to calculate elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, and stress relaxation. RESULTS: The elastic modulus of dry and wet samples was 103.2 ± 17.3 MPa and 114.4 ± 17.9 MPa (EX30), 61.3 ± 9.18 MPa and 103.5 ± 11.4 MPa (LD30), 431.2 ± 16.0 MPa and 139.9 ± 34.6 MPa (Material X), and 38.4 ± 14.7 MPa and 38.3 ± 8.4 MPa (OD-Clear TF), respectively. The ultimate tensile strength of dry and wet samples was 64.41 ± 7.25 MPa and 61.43 ± 7.41MPa (EX30), 40.04 ± 5.00 MPa and 30.09 ± 1.50 MPa (LD30), 28.11 ± 3.75 MPa and 27.57 ± 4.09 MPa (Material X), and 9.34 ± 1.96 MPa and 8.27 ± 0.93 MPa (OD-Clear TF), respectively. Residual stress of wet samples at 2% strain for 2 hours was 59.99 ± 3.02% (EX30), 52.57 ± 12.28% (LD30), 6.98 ± 2.64% (Material X), and 4.39 ± 0.84% (OD-Clear TF). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant difference in elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength, and stress relaxation among the samples tested. Moisture, specifically a simulated oral environment, appears to have a greater effect on the mechanical properties of direct 3D-printed aligners when compared with thermoformed aligners. This is likely to impact the ability of 3D-printed aligners to generate and maintain adequate force levels for tooth movement.

Patterns of Observed Dyadic Ethnic-Racial Socialization among Black and Latinx Families in Response to a Hypothetical Experience of Discrimination at School.

Ethnic-racial socialization has primarily been examined as a unidirectional, caregiver-directed process. Instead, applying the Theory of Racial Socialization in Action (Smith-Bynum, 2023), the current study observed caregiver-youth conversations about a hypothetical discriminatory experience at school for patterns of dyadic ethnic-racial socialization. Participants were 353 Black (39.7%), Latinx (47.3%), and multiracial/ethnic (13%) pre-adolescents (Mage = 11.19, SD = 0.43; 45.3% female) and their caregivers (94% mothers) with low income from Dallas, Texas. Five subgroups of dyads were identified (High Dyadic Engagement, Parent-Led, Justice Salient Advocates, Child-Dominant and Low Dyadic Engagement) that differed by demographic characteristics of the dyads (e.g., race/ethnicity, caregiver education). Observing ethnic-racial socialization in action with dyads could improve the delivery of interventions to better meet the needs of families.

Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in carnivores kept in zoos in Texas, USA: risk perception, practices, and antigen detection.

BACKGROUND: Dirofilaria immitis is the causative agent of heartworm disease in wild and domestic canids, felids, and mustelids. Recent studies demonstrate that additional families in the order Carnivora are also susceptible to infection. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) better understand current practices surrounding heartworm prevention and diagnostics in zoological facilities located in the state of Texas, USA, and (2) assess archival serum samples of carnivores kept in these facilities for the presence D. immitis antigen and/or antibody. METHODS: A questionnaire was completed by veterinarians or veterinary technicians representing 10 zoological facilities across Texas. This questionnaire was designed at the taxonomic family level, encompassing the 12 terrestrial carnivore families Ailuridae, Canidae, Eupleridae, Felidae, Herpestidae, Hyaenidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Prionodontidae, Procyonidae, Ursidae, and Viverridae. The second objective was achieved with the use of archival serum samples made available by six zoo facilities. RESULTS: Risk perception varied across facilities for every family, including among species belonging to Canidae. All facilities used monthly heartworm prevention in canids and felids, with more variation existing in the other families. The use of diagnostic testing and type and route of administration of preventive varied by facility, with oral ivermectin the most commonly used preventive. A total of 217 archival serum samples, belonging to 211 individual animals encompassing 11 families and 39 species, were tested with a commercial heartworm antigen ELISA test, pre- and post-immune-complex dissociation. A subset of samples was also assessed for the presence of feline anti-heartworm antibodies using a commercial ELISA test. Two animals, both of which were Asian small-clawed otters from the same facility, had antigen detected (0.95%). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that while the zoo veterinary community is aware of the risk and health impact of heartworm disease in canids and felids, there is still a great deal of uncertainty regarding the risks and ideal strategies for prevention in other carnivore families. The low proportion of antigen detection may serve as a baseline for future prevalence studies across the southern United States, where there is an emerging concern of macrocyclic lactone resistance in heartworm.

Nutrition Effects of a Family-Centered Health Promotion Program for Mexican-Heritage Children in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

Systemic and social factors, like poverty and food insecurity, negatively influence fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and body mass index (BMI) among Latino/a children. Behavioral programs are needed to support children's nutrition. This study examined program effects on FV intake and BMI outcomes for Mexican-heritage children (9-11 years). The program used a modified stepped-wedge design in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (2019 and 2020). Promotoras led experiential nutrition education sessions and collected height, weight, and instant skin carotenoid scores (biomarker for FV intake) at pre-test (baseline), post-test (6 weeks), and maintenance (3-4 months after post-test). Mean changes and group differences in skin carotenoid scores, BMI z-scores and percentiles were obtained from analyses of variance. Linear mixed-effects models were used to determine overall program effects. Mexican-heritage children were enrolled (n = 57 and 52.6% female). An overall decrease in skin carotenoid scores was observed at post-test (-15.1; 95% CI: -24.95, -5.33). While scores varied widely (range: 17-498), an increase of 14.8 ± 23.8 points occurred in one intervention group. Compared to the control period, greater reductions in BMI outcomes occurred during the program. These findings provide evidence for the use of strengths-based approaches in behavioral nutrition programs.

Miocene divergence for Texoreddellia? An important component of the cave-adapted fauna of Texas and northern Mexico.

The genus Texoreddellia (Zygentoma; Nicoletiidae) is an important component of the cave-adapted fauna of Texas and northern Mexico. Specimens are often found in caves in central Texas. They are less common in western Texas and Coahuila, Mexico. We describe a new species, Texoreddellia chihuahuensis n. sp., from Chihuahua, Mexico, greatly expanding the range for the genus. The new species is found in an isolated karstic zone, far removed from the other cave forming areas inhabited by Texoreddellia spp. Phyletic analyses show the species to be the most basal and earliest to diverge within the genus. When compared to a calibrated molecular clock of the 16S rRNA for nicoleiids, its sequence supports a divergence of roughly 20 mya. Such a date is congruent with the geological origins of the Rio Grande and the Pecos River. Structural deformations coupled with long term erosion and downcutting through major river basins may have contributed in forming biological barriers that influenced speciation and isolation, especially between the western and eastern species of Texoreddellia.

Childhood cancer survival in the highly vulnerable population of South Texas: A cohort study.

This study examines childhood cancer survival rates and prognostic factors related to survival in the majority Hispanic population of South Texas. The population-based cohort study used Texas Cancer Registry data (1995-2017) to examine survival and prognostic factors. Cox proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used for survival analyses. The 5-year relative survival rate for 7,999 South Texas cancer patients diagnosed at 0-19 years was 80.3% for all races/ethnicities. Hispanic patients had statistically significant lower 5-year relative survival rates than non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients for male and female together diagnosed at age≥5 years. When comparing survival among Hispanic and NHW patients for the most common cancer, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), the difference was most significant in the 15-19 years age range, with 47.7% Hispanic patients surviving at 5 years compared to 78.4% of NHW counterparts. The multivariable-adjusted analysis showed that males had statistically significant 13% increased mortality risk than females [hazard ratio (HR): 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.01-1.26] for all cancer types. Comparing to patients diagnosed at ages 1-4 years, patients diagnosed at age < 1 year (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.36-2.09), at 10-14 year (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.68), or at 15-19 years (HR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20-1.64) had significant increased mortality risk. Comparing to NHW patients, Hispanic patients showed 38% significantly increased mortality risk for all cancer types, 66% for ALL, and 52% for brain cancer. South Texas Hispanic patients had lower 5-year relative survival than NHW patients especially for ALL. Male gender, diagnosis at age<1 year or 10-19 years were also associated with decreased childhood cancer survival. Despite advances in treatment, Hispanic patients lag significantly behind NHW patients. Further cohort studies in South Texas are warranted to identify additional factors affecting survival and to develop interventional strategies.

Abortion Access and Medically Complex Pregnancies Before and After Texas Senate Bill 8.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how Texas health care professionals who care for patients experiencing medically complex pregnancies navigate abortion restrictions. METHODS: We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with health care professionals across Texas who cared for patients with life-limiting fetal diagnoses or who had existing or developed health conditions that adversely affected pregnancy. We conducted the first round of interviews March-June 2021 and the second round of interviews January-May 2022 after the implementation of Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8), which prohibited most abortions after detection of embryonic cardiac activity. We used inductive and deductive qualitative analysis to identify themes and changes in practice after the implementation of SB8. RESULTS: We conducted a total of 50 interviews: 25 before implementation of SB8 and 25 after the law's implementation. We interviewed 21 maternal-fetal medicine specialists, 19 obstetrician-gynecologists, eight physicians whose primary practice is the provision of abortion care, and two genetic counselors. Participants reported presenting their patients with information about health risks and outcomes of continued pregnancy in each policy period; however, counseling on these options was curtailed after implementation of SB8. Even in cases in which a patient's health and, in some cases, life would be compromised, narrow criteria for abortions at hospitals limited care before implementation of SB8, and criteria often became more stringent after implementation of SB8. Administrative approval processes and referrals for abortion delayed care and endangered patients' health, which worsened after in-state options were eliminated after implementation of SB8. Participants noted that patients with more limited resources who were unable to travel out of state often had to continue pregnancies, further increasing their risk of morbidity. CONCLUSION: Texas health care professionals' abilities to provide evidence-based abortion care to patients with medically complex pregnancies were constrained by institutional policies, and care options narrowed further after implementation of SB8. Abortion restrictions limit shared decision making, compromise patient care, and put pregnant people's health at risk.

Charge capture in the BICU: Increasing revenue by improving documentation behaviors.

Documentation by a healthcare provider is the key to capturing appropriate reimbursement for effort, expertize, and time given to patients. However, patient encounters are known to be under-coded; often describing a level of service that does not reflect the physician's labor. If there is deficient medical decision making (MDM) documentation, this will ultimately lead to a loss of revenue, as coders can only evaluate service levels from the documentation during the encounter. Physicians at the Timothy J. Harnar Regional Burn Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center were experiencing below-average reimbursement for work performed in the burn center and theorized that deficiencies in documentation (particularly in the area of MDM) were the cause. They hypothesized that poor documentation by physicians was resulting in a substantial proportion of encounters being compulsorily coded at inadequate and imprecise levels of service. To improve the service levels of MDM in physician documentation at the Burn Center and consequently, increase the numbers and levels of billable encounters in the unit with an accompanying increase in revenue, two resources were created and employed with the purpose of providing increased documentation recall and thoroughness. These resources included a pocket card, designed to prevent missed details when documenting patient encounters, and a standardized EMR template that was mandated to be used by all BICU medical professionals rotating through the unit. After completion of the intervention period (July - October 2021), a comparison was made between the 4-month periods of July-October 2019 and 2021. Based on the encounters provided by residents and one fellow assigned to the BICU medical director, inpatient subsequent visit codes showed an average increase in billable encounters of 1500% amid the compared periods. Upon implementation of the intervention, subsequent visit codes 99231, 99232, and 99233 (higher-numbered codes indicating an increased level of service and accompanying reimbursement) raised by 142%, 2158%, and 2200%, respectively. An additional finding since the implementation of the pocket card and revised template, billable encounters have replaced the once-dominate global encounter, 99024 (associated with no reimbursement); realizing an increase in billable inpatient services due to complete and thorough documentation of non-global issues patients experienced throughout their hospital stays. Obtaining buy-in from physicians proved a significant challenge; consistent training and feedback allowed for an improved understanding of billing and coding processes within the BICU. The described findings indicate that a focused effort to improve documentation offers a promising method to yield potentially significant improvements in a unit's profitability.

After a Texas Judge Invalidated the ACA's No-Cost Mandate for Common Preventive Care Under Private Insurance, What Can Patients Expect?

This Medical News article discusses a recent court ruling that invalidated the Affordable Care Act's requirement for privately insured patients to have no out-of-pocket costs for certain preventive services and drugs.

Judicial interference with mifepristone.

In the days since Texas federal judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk invalidated the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of mifepristone, a medication used to terminate pregnancy, a shock wave of concern has swept through many people, organizations, and companies that work closely with the agency. The strong opposition reflects the high stakes not only for pregnant persons and for the FDA, but also for the scientific process of drug development and public access to safe and effective medications. Twists and turns in the case are already happening. A federal appeals court stayed the full suspension of mifepristone, but permitted multiple restrictions on its availability. Then the Supreme Court, which recently overturned the constitutional right to abortion, kept the status quo in place for a few days while considering the government's appeal. The results of the legal battle will be enormously consequential for reproductive health care-and far beyond, for innovation, science, and health.

Longitudinal Evaluation of Salmonella in Environmental Components and Peripheral Lymph Nodes of Fed Cattle From Weaning to Finish in Three Distinct Feeding Locations.

Salmonella prevalence in bovine lymph nodes (LNs) varies due to seasonality, geographic location, and feedyard environment. The objectives of this study were to (1) establish prevalence rates of Salmonella in environmental components (trough water, pen soil, individual feed ingredients, prepared rations, and fecal samples) and LNs from weaning to finish in three feeding locations, and (2) characterize recovered salmonellae. Calves (n = 120) were raised at the Texas A&M University McGregor Research Center; in lieu of beginning the backgrounding/stocker phase, thirty weanling calves were harvested. Of the remaining ninety calves, thirty were retained at McGregor and sixty were transported to commercial feeding operations (Location A or B; thirty calves each). Locations A and B have historically produced cattle with relatively "low" and "high" rates of Salmonella-positive LNs, respectively. Ten calves per location were harvested at the conclusion of (1) the backgrounding/stocker phase, (2) 60 d on feed, and (3) 165 d on feed. On each harvest day, peripheral LNs were excised. Environmental samples were obtained from each location before and after each phase, and every 30 d during the feeding period. In line with previous work, no Salmonella-positive LNs were recovered from cattle managed at Location A. Salmonella-positive LNs (30%) and environmental components (41%) were most commonly recovered from Location B. Of 7 and 36 total serovars recovered from Salmonella-positive LN and environmental samples, respectively, Anatum was identified most frequently. Data from this study provide insight into Salmonella prevalence differences among feeding locations and the possible influence of environmental and/or management practices at each. Such information can be used to shape industry best practices to reduce Salmonella prevalence in cattle feeding operations, resulting in a decreased prevalence of Salmonella in LNs, and thus, minimizing risks to human health.

Haemagogus equinus in Kinney County, Texas.

Larvae collected from an oak tree hole east of Brackettville, Kinney County, Texas, resulted in the collection of 3 species: Aedes triseriatus, Ae. zoosophus, and Haemagogus equinus. One larva and 1 female of Hg. equinus were recovered from this sample. This is the first report of Hg. equinus in Kinney County and the first report of this species being collected in Texas since 1962. Samples collected from other sites documented the presence of Ae. epactius, Culex nigripalpus, and Psorophora signipennis in Kinney County.

Depressive symptoms and vaping: The mediating effect of outcome expectancies among young adults.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to determine if positive affect reinforcement and social enhancement outcome expectancies mediate the longitudinal association between depressive symptoms and frequency of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use one year later among young adults. METHOD: Participants were 1567 young adults participating in the first three waves of the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas project. At Wave 1 participants were 18-25 years old (M = 20.27; SD = 1.86), 61.46% female; 36.25% non-Hispanic white, 33.95% Hispanic/Latino, 14.10% Asian, 7.72% African American/Black, 7.98% two or more races/ethnicities or another race/ethnicity. The independent variable, depressive symptoms, was assessed with the CES-D-10 at Wave 1. The mediating variables, positive affect reinforcement and social enhancement ENDS outcome expectancies were assessed using items adapted from the Youth Tobacco Survey at Wave 2 six months later. The outcome variable was frequency of past 30-day ENDS use at Wave 3, one year after Wave 1. A mediation model was used to test the study hypothesis. RESULTS: Positive affect reinforcement ENDS outcome expectancies (b = 0.013, SE = 0.006, Bootstrap 95%CI: [0.003, 0.025]), but not social enhancement expectancies (b = -0.004, SE = 0.003, Bootstrap 95%CI: [-0.010, 0.0003]), mediated the positive association between elevated depressive symptoms and frequency of ENDS use one year later. CONCLUSION: Results indicate young adults experiencing elevated depressive symptoms may use ENDS at a greater frequency than their peers because they believe ENDS use will alleviate stress, increase relaxation and/or concentration.

Do shale oil and gas production activities impact ambient air quality? A comprehensive study of 12 years of chemical concentrations and well production data from the Barnett Shale region of Texas.

Starting around 2008, there was rapid expansion of oil and natural gas (ONG) production into more heavily populated areas within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in the Barnett Shale region of Texas. This colocation raised concerns regarding the effect of ONG activities on chemical levels in the air. In the current study, we examined the potential impacts of ONG activity on the types and concentrations of chemicals in ambient air in the Barnett Shale. Volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations from 6-12 years (2008-2019) of hourly ambient air monitoring data from 15 monitors (4 monitors had ≥ 10 years of data) were compared to several metrics of ONG activity (number of active wells, natural gas production, condensate production) within a 2-mile radius of each monitor. Monitoring sites were also classified into urban, suburban, and rural areas as a surrogate for nearby vehicular emission sources. Analyses of this huge dataset showed that both peak and mean chemical concentrations of lighter alkane hydrocarbons (e.g., ethane) were most impacted by the number of gas wells. Levels of heavier alkanes (e.g., pentane) were increased by condensate production and at monitors located in areas with greater urbanicity, and therefore higher vehicular emissions. The levels of unsaturated alkynes (e.g., ethylene) were entirely driven by urbanicity and were unaffected by nearby ONG activity. The same pattern was seen with the ratio of iso:n-pentane, which is contrary to the findings of others and suggests an area for future research. Aromatic hydrocarbons were impacted by multiple emissions sources and did not show the same patterns as non-aromatic VOCs. No VOC concentrations were at levels of concern for human health or odor based on comparison to Texas air monitoring comparison values. Overall, ONG activities impact air quality, but this must be evaluated in the context of other emission sources such as automobiles.

Language structure, attitudes, and learning from ambient exposure: Lexical and phonotactic knowledge of Spanish among non-Spanish-speaking Californians and Texans.

Recent work shows that ambient exposure in everyday situations can yield implicit knowledge of a language that an observer does not speak. We replicate and extend this work in the context of Spanish in California and Texas. In Word Identification and Wellformedness Rating experiments, non-Spanish-speaking Californians and Texans show implicit lexical and phonotactic knowledge of Spanish, which may be affected by both language structure and attitudes. Their knowledge of Spanish appears to be weaker than New Zealanders' knowledge of Maori established in recent work, consistent with structural differences between Spanish and Maori. Additionally, the strength of a participant's knowledge increases with the value they place on Spanish and its speakers in their state. These results showcase the power and generality of statistical learning of language in adults, while also highlighting how it cannot be divorced from the structural and attitudinal factors that shape the context in which it occurs.

Leveraging the microbiome to understand clinical heterogeneity in depression: findings from the T-RAD study.

Alterations in the gut microbiome have been linked to a variety of mental illnesses including anxiety and depression. This study utilized advanced bioinformatics tools that integrated both the compositional and community nature of gut microbiota to investigate how gut microbiota influence clinical symptoms in a sample of participants with depression. Gut microbiota of 179 participants with major depressive disorder (MDD) in the Texas Resilience Against Depression (T-RAD) study were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of stool samples. Severity of anxiety, depression, and anhedonia symptoms were assessed with General Anxiety Disorder - 7 item scale, Patient Health 9-item Questionnaire, and Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale, respectively. Using weighted correlation network analysis, a data-driven approach, three co-occurrence networks of bacterial taxa were identified. One of these co-occurrence networks was significantly associated with clinical features including depression and anxiety. The hub taxa associated with this co-occurrence module -one Ruminococcaceae family taxon, one Clostridiales vadinBB60 group family taxon, and one Christencenellaceae family taxon- were connected to several additional butyrate-producing bacteria suggesting that deficits in butyrate production may contribute to clinical symptoms. Therefore, by considering the community nature of the gut microbiome in a real world clinical sample, this study identified a gut microbial co-occurrence network that was significantly associated with clinical anxiety in a cohort of depressed individuals.