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Background In recent years, ownership of firearms has increased to approximately one-third of American households. Firearm access is a threat to child safety, with the most common location of fatal childhood firearm injury being at home. Exploring differences in opinions on gun violence prevention policies among Black firearm owners could inform community-supported interventions as one approach to reduce violent injuries among disproportionately affected youth. This study examined support for child-safety-related firearm policies among Black gun owners and whether support differed between those with and without children living in the home. Methods This observational cross-sectional study used data from the 2023 wave of the National Survey of Gun Policy, fielded using NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel. Black survey respondents ( n  = 177) self-reported firearm ownership and whether children lived in the home. Fourteen key policies potentially relevant to youth firearm violence, firearm exposure, and safety were evaluated in this study using a binary measure of support derived from a five-point Likert scale. Survey weights were applied to adjust for sampling deviations, and survey-weighted proportions (WPs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to examine differences between groups. Results Black firearm owners with children in the home ( n  = 65) were younger, had lower income, and were more likely to live in metropolitan areas compared to those without children in the home ( n  = 112). There was over 60% support, with little variance, among Black firearm owners with and without children living in the home for 11 of the 14 policies. The only significant difference among these groups was in support for temporary firearm removal by law enforcement for individuals posing an immediate threat. Although still over 60%, support was lower among owners with children living in the home (65%, CI: 0.51–0.79) compared to those without children living in the home (85%, CI: 0.77–0.93). Conclusions This study found that Black firearm owners are a demographically diverse group overall and when comparing those with and without children living in the home. These findings suggest that Black firearm owners may be receptive to policies and programs to reduce violence among pediatric populations.

BackgroundYouth aged 15–24 experience high rates of firearm homicide and suicide, yet there is limited research on the impact of promising preventative policies, such as firearm purchaser licensing (FPL) laws, among this age group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of adopting or repealing an FPL law on homicide and suicide among those aged 15–24, by age subgroup (ie, 15–17, 18–20, 21–24).MethodsMortality data from 1990 to 2019 were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. We used augmented synthetic controls to estimate the effect of FPL law adoption in Connecticut and Maryland and repeal in Missouri and Michigan on youth homicide and suicide rates. Analyses were stratified by age subgroup and firearm involvement.ResultsFPL adoption was associated with decreases in firearm homicide and suicide among those aged 15–24 overall and among most age subgroups in Connecticut. FPL repeal was consistently associated with increases in firearm suicide among each age subgroup, with less consistent results for firearm homicide.Discussion and conclusionsFPL law changes had meaningful impacts on firearm homicide and suicide among youth aged 15–24, with consistent protective effects observed following adoption in Connecticut and consistent harmful effects following repeal in Missouri. Mixed results in Maryland and Michigan highlight the importance of policy features and sociopolitical context in shaping the effectiveness of these laws. These findings reinforce the effectiveness of FPL laws as a strategy to reduce firearm-related mortality among youth.

For mixtures of many chemicals, a ray design based on a relevant, fixed mixing ratio is useful for detecting departure from additivity. Methods for detecting departure involve modeling the response as a function of total dose along the ray. For mixtures with many components, the interaction may be dose dependent. Therefore, we have developed the use of a three-segment model containing both a dose threshold and an interaction threshold. Prior to the dose threshold, the response is that of background; between the dose threshold and the interaction threshold, an additive relationship exists; the model allows for departure from additivity beyond the interaction threshold. With such a model, we can conduct a hypothesis test of additivity, as well as a test for a region of additivity. The methods are illustrated with cytotoxicity data that arise when Chinese hamster ovary cells are exposed to a mixture of nine haloacetic acids.

Fixed-ratio ray designs have been used for detecting and characterizing interactions of large numbers of chemicals in combination. Single-chemical dose—response data are used to predict an \"additivity curve\" along an environmentally relevant ray. A \"mixture curve\" is estimated from the mixture dose—response data along the ray. A test of additivity is equivalent to a test of these two curves, which is based on the traditional hypothesis testing framework that assumes additivity in the null hypothesis and rejects with evidence of interaction. However, failure to reject may be due to lack of statistical power, making the claim of additivity problematic. As a solution we have developed rigorous methodology to test for additivity using statistical equivalence testing logic in which additivity is claimed based on pre-specified biologically important additivity margins, if the data support such a claim. Using the principle of confidence interval inclusion, a confidence region about the difference of meaningful functions of model parameters from the mixture model and that predicted under additivity is computed. When the confidence region is completely contained within the additivity margins then additivity is claimed with a Type I error rate chosen a priori to be some acceptably small value. The method is illustrated using an environmentally relevant fixed-ratio mixture of nine haloacetic acids where cytotoxic response is measured.

Since 2006, research continues to find law enforcement unaware of human trafficking legislation and minimally able to respond to human trafficking. The understanding that human trafficking crimes is not the sole responsibility of federal authorities is becoming clear to state and local law enforcement that are on the frontlines of human trafficking. As such becomes clear, states need to address the issues relating to law enforcement responses to human trafficking, or the problem of victim under-identification will continue. This study applies systems theory and model of multiple goal agencies to assess law enforcement approaches to human trafficking in the presence (or absence) of anti-trafficking legislation. This research utilized a quantitative secondary data analysis to assess the research questions and hypotheses. The data analysis uses a one-way MANOVA to answer the primary research question and a two-way ANOVA to answer the research subquestions. A one-way MANOVA determined that in states that have trafficking legislation and states that do not, there will be a statistical difference in law enforcement's knowledge of human trafficking, identification of trafficking cases, and familiarity with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. To counter the limitations of this study and strengthen the results of this study's empirical findings, the final part of the data analysis analyzed law enforcement responses to the question in the original survey, \"Does your state have a trafficking law?\" This analysis of law enforcement responses determined that law enforcement surveyed from fifteen states did not answer this question correctly. The goal of the empirical findings of this research is to provide support for the adoption of appropriate state human trafficking legislation as a solution to law enforcement's under-identification of trafficking victims.

We have used three inbreds of Zea mays in our in situ and laboratory studies in environmental mutagenesis. Inbred W22 plants homozygous for wx-C were used in a study to detect the possible mutagenic properties of 32 pesticides or combination of pesticides under modern agricultural conditions. The large numbers of pollen grains analyzed and the ease in detecting mutant pollen grains enabled us to treat the experimental plants with field recommended rates of pesticides. In a current study we are evaluating the possible mutagenicity of Chicago municipal sewage sludge. We are measuring the frequency of mutant pollen grains in inbred M14 at both the wx-C and wx-90 heteroalleles. These plants were exposed to various concentrations of municipal sewage sludge under field conditions. We have inbred Early-Early Synthetic for five generations and tested this inbred with known mutagens. Early-Early Synthetic is a rapidly maturing inbred growing from kernel to anthesis in approximately 4 weeks and attaining a height of approximately 50 cm. Plants of this inbred have been chronically treated with ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS) or maleic hydrazide (MH) under laboratory conditions and forward mutation at the wx locus was measured in the pollen grains. EMS and MH were mutagenic at concentrations of 1 μM and 10 nM, respectively. The concentrations of EMS and MH were calibrated in Early-Early Synthetic to a linear increase in the frequency of forward mutant pollen grains. The construction of a maize monitor for environmental mutagens is currently in progress. This assay will measure forward or reverse mutation at the wx locus in pollen grains, point mutation in somatic cells and will incorporate a cytogenetic endpoint in root-tip cells.

An integrated collaborative care intervention was used to treat primary care patients with comorbid obesity and depression in a randomized clinical trial. To increase wider uptake and dissemination, information is needed on translational potential. The trial collected longitudinal, qualitative data at baseline, 6 months (end of intensive treatment), 12 months (end of maintenance treatment), and 24 months (end of follow-up). Semi-structured interviews (n = 142) were conducted with 54 out of 409 randomly selected trial participants and 37 other stakeholders, such as recruitment staff, intervention staff, and clinicians. Using a Framework Analysis approach, we examined themes across time and stakeholder groups according to the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework. At baseline, participants and other stakeholders reported being skeptical of the collaborative care approach related to some RE-AIM dimensions. However, over time they indicated greater confidence regarding the potential for future public health impact. They also provided information on barriers and actionable information to enhance program reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. RE-AIM provided a useful framework for understanding how to increase the impact of a collaborative and integrative approach for treating comorbid obesity and depression. It also demonstrates the utility of using the framework as a planning tool early in the evidence-generation pipeline.

Opioid overdose deaths have increased exponentially in the United States. Bystander response to opioid overdose ideally involves administering naloxone, providing rescue breathing, and calling 911 to summon emergency medical assistance. Recently in the US, public health and public safety agencies have begun seeking to use 911 calls as a method to identify and deliver post-overdose interventions to opioid overdose patients. Little is known about the opinions of PWUDs about the barriers, benefits, or potential harms of post-overdose interventions linked to the 911 system. We sought to understand the perspectives of PWUDs about a method for using 911 data to identify opioid overdose cases and trigger a post-overdose intervention. We conducted three focus groups with 11 PWUDs in 2018. Results are organized into 4 categories: willingness to call 911 (benefits and risks of calling), thoughts about a technique to identify opioid overdoses in 911 data (benefits and concerns), thoughts about the proposed post-overdose intervention (benefits and concerns), and recommendations for developing an ideal post-overdose intervention. For most participants, calling 911 was synonymous with \"calling the police\" and law enforcement-related fears were pervasive, limiting willingness to engage with the 911 system. The technique to identify opioid overdoses and the proposed post-overdose intervention were identified as potentially lifesaving, but the benefits were balanced by concerns related to law enforcement involvement, intervention timing, and risks to privacy/reputation. Nearly universally, participants wished for a way to summon emergency medical assistance without triggering a law enforcement response. The fact that the 911 system in the US inextricably links emergency medical assistance with law enforcement response inherently problematizes calling 911 for PWUDs, and has implications for surveillance and intervention. It is imperative to center the perspectives of PWUDs when designing and implementing interventions that rely on the 911 system for activation.

Polymer membranes are attractive for molecular-scale separations such as hydrogen purification because of inherently low energy requirements. However, membrane materials with outstanding hydrogen separation performance in feed streams containing high-pressure carbon dioxide and impurities such as hydrogen sulfide and water are not available. We report highly permeable, reverse-selective membrane materials for hydrogen purification, as exemplified by molecularly engineered, highly branched, cross-linked poly(ethylene oxide). In contrast to the performance of conventional materials, we demonstrate that plasticization can be harnessed to improve separation performance.

Animal studies show aging varies between individuals as well as between organs within an individual 1 – 4 , but whether this is true in humans and its effect on age-related diseases is unknown. We utilized levels of human blood plasma proteins originating from specific organs to measure organ-specific aging differences in living individuals. Using machine learning models, we analysed aging in 11 major organs and estimated organ age reproducibly in five independent cohorts encompassing 5,676 adults across the human lifespan. We discovered nearly 20% of the population show strongly accelerated age in one organ and 1.7% are multi-organ agers. Accelerated organ aging confers 20–50% higher mortality risk, and organ-specific diseases relate to faster aging of those organs. We find individuals with accelerated heart aging have a 250% increased heart failure risk and accelerated brain and vascular aging predict Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression independently from and as strongly as plasma pTau-181 (ref. 5 ), the current best blood-based biomarker for AD. Our models link vascular calcification, extracellular matrix alterations and synaptic protein shedding to early cognitive decline. We introduce a simple and interpretable method to study organ aging using plasma proteomics data, predicting diseases and aging effects. Blood plasma protein data was combined with machine learning models for a simple method to determine differences in organ-specific aging; the study provides a basis for the prediction of diseases and aging effects using plasma proteomics.