Black Americans report high levels of vaccine hesitancy

Hesitancy also high among Black health Care workers

RAND CORPORATION

Research News

Black Americans have a high level of vaccine hesitancy and mistrust of COVID-19 vaccines, including among Black health care workers, according to a new RAND Corporation survey.

Those who expressed vaccine hesitancy also showed high levels of overall mistrust in the vaccine, concerns about potential harm and side effects, and lack of confidence in vaccine effectiveness and safety.

Participants in the RAND survey reported higher trust in COVID-19 information from health care providers and public health officials than from elected local and federal officials.

The findings are based on a survey of 207 Black Americans who are participants in the RAND American Life Panel, a nationally representative internet panel. Participants were surveyed during November and December 2020.

"Public health messages and communication strategies to address vaccine hesitancy should be tailored through authentic community engagement," said Laura M. Bogart, the study's lead author and a senior behavioral scientist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. "Messaging about COVID-19 vaccines should first acknowledge systemic racism as a justifiable reason for mistrust before providing transparent information about the vaccine, including specific information about efficacy and safety."

The survey found that mistrust of the government's motives and transparency around COVID-19, as well as beliefs about racism in health care, appear to be contributing to mistrust of the vaccine. In addition, the more participants believed that people close to them would want them to get vaccinated, the more likely they were to say that they would get vaccinated themselves.

Black Americans attribute their medical mistrust, in general and specific to COVID-19 vaccines, to systemic racism, including discrimination and mistreatment in health care, as well as by the government.

Overall, more than one-third of all survey participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would not get a COVID-19 vaccine, and an additional 25% said they "don't know" if they would become vaccinated. Only 40% indicated that they planned to get vaccinated.

Participants in health care fields, including health care practitioners and those in technical and support occupations, showed higher vaccine hesitancy. Specifically, 48% of participants in health care fields indicated that they would not get vaccinated, compared with 32% of participants who were not in health care-related occupations.

When asked about which sources they trusted for information about COVID-19, nearly two-thirds of all respondents said that they trusted health care professionals such as doctors and nurses. Health care providers were trusted by higher percentages of participants who said that they would get the vaccine (72%) than those who said that they would not (56%).

Participants said that public health campaigns should involve trusted, known community members and trusted local organizations. Some participants suggested partnerships with Black celebrities such as hip-hop artists to encourage vaccination.

###

The study, "What Contributes to COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Black Communities, and How Can It Be Addressed?," is available at http://www.rand.org.

Other authors of the study are Lu Dong, Priya Gandhi, Samantha Ryan, Terry L. Smith, David J. Klein, Luckie Alexander Fuller and Bisola O. Ojikutu.

RAND Health Care promotes healthier societies by improving health care systems in the United States and other countries.

Deep dive into bioarchaeological data reveals Mediterranean migration trends over 8,000 years

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

Research News

IMAGE: THOMAS LEPPARD IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY. view more 

CREDIT: FSU PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES

A team of international researchers led by a Florida State University assistant professor has analyzed reams of data from the Neolithic to Late Roman period looking at migration patterns across the Mediterranean and found that despite evidence of cultural connections, there's little evidence of massive migration across the region.

"Because of the prevailing scholarly attitude of the 'connected' Mediterranean -- one with high degrees of mobility and migration that drive the archaeological patterns we see -- we'd imagined we'd see comparatively high levels of migration reflected in the strontium isotope data," said Thomas Leppard, assistant professor of anthropology at Florida State. "That instead we saw low levels of migration, and that these in fact decreased over time, was very surprising."

Leppard and his colleagues found that from about 7,500 BC to AD 500, migration rates ranged from about 6% to 9% of the population within the dataset. These rates seem to have decreased over time.

The research is published in the Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology.

Many historians and archaeologists consider the Mediterranean basin to have been interconnected for much of its history. However, that theory is largely built on material culture that suggests such connections - for example, Greek-looking pots in Sicily in the Late Bronze Age, Arabic coins in Medieval Sardinia, or Roman-style dining sets in 2nd century AD Portugal.

Leppard wondered if the same pattern would be obvious if they brought human biochemistry into the mix.

For several years, scientists have been able to understand individual life histories by analyzing the chemistry of human remains. In humans, bodily tissues, including most bones, remake themselves constantly so that their chemical composition reflects their current environment. However, dental enamel and a small skull bone called the petrous portion are extremely hard and don't remodel, so once a human reaches adulthood, the isotope ratios in those two areas of the body don't change.

"As a result, if you spend childhood somewhere, and then move as an adult to a different place with different underlying chemistry, we can see a difference in the chemistry - and critically in the ratios of different strontium isotopes - between your dental enamel and your other bones," Leppard said. "If, however, you grew up and died in the same location, the ratios will be the same. That means we can start to quantify percentages of locals, and percentages of nonlocals in a given area."

Archaeologists have employed this technique for a while in the Mediterranean, but the sample sizes are generally very small because the experiments are expensive and there often aren't many samples of human remains. Leppard and his colleagues compiled all the data from many smaller experiments capturing a large time frame and re-analyzed it.

He cautioned that this is a starting place to assess the migration patterns of this region.

"It's important to say that migration is only one aspect of human mobility; we can't access seasonal or habitual mobility with this method, for example," Leppard said. "That said, we thought this would be a powerful method for assessing large-scale trends in Mediterranean migration across time. That these trends don't really match the current scholarship should generate productive debate and prompt new research."

###

Leppard's co-authors are Carmen Esposito, a doctoral student at Queen's University in Belfast; and Massimiliano Esposito, a former doctoral student from Imperial College London.

A research group proposes six guidelines for managing the impacts of invasive species

Researchers in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and the UK are participating in the initiative; results are published in the journal BioScience

FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO

Research News

 

IMAGE: PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING A NON-INVADED AREA [LEFT] AND AN AREA INVADED BY UROCHLOA BRIZANTHA [PALISADE GRASS, RIGHT] / GABRIELLA DAMASCENO) view more 

CREDIT: GABRIELLA DAMASCENO

 Invasive alien species, defined as animals and plants that breed and disperse in a landscape beyond their native range, have negative environmental, social, and economic impacts. One example among many is the forage grass genus Brachiaria, originally African and introduced to Brazil to form cattle pasture. It has become a major threat to the survival of native species and biodiversity at several spatial scales. 

Complete eradication of invasive species is often impracticable. Attempts to do so have had undesirable consequences and even been damaging because merely withdrawing an invasive species does not restore the original environment, as in the areas of Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) invaded by pines. Instead of eradication, therefore, the goal should be continuous management, according to many experts. This is the line taken by researchers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and the United Kingdom, who have agreed on a strategic approach focusing on impact mitigation rather than elimination.

They call their project CONTAIN Latam. The name refers to the impossibility of eradicating invasive non-native species and the need for containment of their growth and impacts. 

The project resulted from a 2018 call for proposals issued under the aegis of a cooperation agreement involving FAPESP, the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Newton Fund, Argentina's National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Chile's National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT), and Peru's National Council for Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (CONCYTEC).

The initiative aims at developing management tools to optimize the control of invasive species in the medium to long term. The Brazilian members of the group are affiliated with São Paulo State University (UNESP) and coordinated by Alessandra Fidelis, a professor in UNESP's Rio Claro Institute of Biosciences.

A study by the CONTAIN group is the subject of an article published recently in the journal BioScience. The study was supported by FAPESP via a research project for which Fidelis is principal investigator in Brazil.

"Our study set out not just to analyze invasive species but also to put forward guidelines for interaction with managers with the aim of containing proliferation of these species and mitigating their impacts," Fidelis told Agência FAPESP.

The full definition stated early on in the article is that invasive species "successfully transition the three initial invasion stages (transport, introduction, and establishment) and subsequently establish multiple self-sustaining populations composed of individuals that breed, survive and disperse in a landscape beyond their native range", and that a "subset" of invasive species produces an array of "negative environmental, social, and economic impacts at various spatial scales". 

In this vast subset, the project focuses on the following: in Brazil, Brachiaria spp., Urochloa spp. and other grasses of African origin introduced as forage crops for cattle pasture, and pines (Pinus spp.) introduced from the northern hemisphere for reforestation and to produce pulp and resin; in Argentina, American mink (Neovison vison)  introduced for fur production, pines, and privet (Ligustrum spp.), of Asian origin and introduced here as a street tree, hedge or ornamental plant; in Chile, pines, mink, and the Yellowjacket or German wasp (Vespula germanica) whose origin is hitherto unknown.

"We propose six criteria for planning to mitigate their impacts. The first three comprise a detailed survey of the situation: mapping their presence and spatial distribution, finding out how long each invasive species has been present and compiling the available data on their impacts," Fidelis said. "The next three relate to the recommended responses to the situation: the kinds of intervention that are technically, socially, and economically feasible, the potential negative consequences of these interventions, and a cost-benefit analysis of the interventions and their consequences."

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a bright light on the risks of degrading the natural environment and the urgent need to implement science-based policies for controlling and mitigating these risks. "In the case of the species on which our study focused, there's a very strong additional reason for implementing such policies, as mink have been found to be transmitters of the novel coronavirus," Fidelis said.

All this will evidently be ineffectual unless the knowledge produced by universities and research institutions can cross over from academia to society in general, and especially to those responsible for managing public and private affairs.

###

About São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.

Stressed-out young oysters may grow less meat on their shells

Early exposure to heat and low oxygen makes oysters more vulnerable to same stressors later on

SMITHSONIAN

NEWS RELEASE 1-MAR-2021

Research News

 

IMAGE: EASTERN OYSTER (CRASSOSTREA VIRGINICA) TAKEN FROM THE CHOPTANK RIVER ON MARYLAND'S EASTERN SHORE. view more 

CREDIT: SARAH DONELAN

Early exposure to tough conditions--particularly warmer waters and nightly swings of low oxygen--could leave lasting scars on oysters' ability to grow meaty tissue. A team of biologists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) reported the discovery in a new study, published online Feb. 26 in the journal Ecological Applications.

Eastern oysters in Chesapeake Bay live mostly in shallow tributaries. It's a rough environment for shellfish that can't move. During hotter months, oxygen levels can swing drastically, from perfectly healthy levels in the day to near zero at night. To save energy, some oysters react by focusing more on shell growth than tissue growth. That could pose a problem for anyone involved in the seafood industry.

"What we all of course want to eat at the raw bar is the oyster tissue," said Sarah Donelan, a SERC postdoctoral fellow and lead author of the new report. "Customers and restaurants might be less pleased if there's less tissue in what looks to be a large oyster."

Total oyster growth suffered most when oysters experienced low oxygen alone. But early exposure left marks that were far easier to miss. There, researchers discovered a sharp drop in how fast oysters grow tissue versus shell. Oysters invested more in growing their shells--and less in the succulent, slurpable tissue inside--when exposed to the double punch of low oxygen and warmer waters both early and later in life.

Scars That Lie Dormant

For this study, Donelan teamed up with SERC senior scientists Matt Ogburn and Denise Breitburg. Ogburn studies conservation of oysters and other fishery species in Chesapeake Bay. Breitburg specializes in how fish and shellfish cope with the many environmental dangers that can coexist in the Chesapeake.

"Low oxygen and warming waters are a real double whammy for marine organisms," Breitburg said. "Warmer water holds less oxygen and causes oxygen to decline faster. At the same time, cold-blooded animals like oysters and finfish require more oxygen at warmer temperatures."

Donelan, an evolutionary biologist, wanted to find out if exposure to threats when very young could shape oysters later in life. Nightly swings of low oxygen put a special brand of pressure on the shellfish.

"If it's always bad, they can evolve over time to cope with those poor conditions," Donelan said. "But especially for [immobile] organisms like oysters, these fluctuations can be very stressful."

Donelan ran her experiment in a small lab SERC scientists affectionately call "The Room of DOOM" (the acronym stands for "Dissolved Oxygen Oyster Mortality"). It is a cramped, dark room filled with aquaria where biologists mimic conditions in shallow Chesapeake waters. Donelan took 3,600 young oysters, each about 3 months old, and exposed them to four possible scenarios. Some oysters experienced hotter water temps, some experienced nightly swings of low oxygen, some received both, and some got neither. After 18 days, Donelan gave the oysters a rest.

At first the oysters did not look any worse for wear. All oysters were roughly the same size regardless of whether they had been in hot water, oxygen-starved water or perfectly normal water. When Donelan estimated each oyster's shell and tissue size, she did not find any significant differences either.

But the effects of stress may simply have lain dormant. After a two-month break, Donelan put half the oysters back into experimental tanks. When faced with the same rough conditions again, oysters that had suffered from both low oxygen and hotter waters in Phase One started showing signs of strain.

The oysters managed to grow to a respectable size. But Donelan noticed something odd: Compared to more pampered oysters, oysters that suffered both stressors twice grew their shells more than their tissue. Their tissue-versus-shell growth ratio was merely half that of oysters that escaped the early double exposure.

It was a troubling find, because for oysters and oyster farmers alike, the meaty tissue is what really matters.

CAPTION

In experimental tanks like this, Sarah Donelan simulated the effects of warmer water and low oxygen in Chesapeake Bay on Eastern oysters.

CREDIT

Sarah Donelan/Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Ensuring A Safe Start

This raised a question for the biologists: Why would early exposure not toughen up the oysters instead? Donelan has spent her career watching animals adapt, and she's seen it work both ways. In this case, she suspects the combination of warming and low oxygen leaves a scar that does not easily heal.

"I think that there's likely a physiological change that's irreversible," Donelan said.

Perhaps a critical gene turned off--or turned on. Perhaps something in the oyster's microbiome shifted, making them less efficient at processing oxygen. Whatever went on behind the scenes, it pushed the oysters to grow their shells more than the tissue they need to survive and spawn more oysters.

Fortunately, oyster farmers have some options for protecting their stock. This could involve tracking oxygen levels in the water, to see which areas are vulnerable to low-oxygen swings. It could mean bubbling extra oxygen into oxygen-starved zones. For farmers with indoor systems, keeping young oysters in tanks and out of the field longer could offer more protection.

"Of course it's more of a time investment to have to move oysters around or look at dissolved oxygen profiles on your farm, but it could be worth it," Donelan said.

The key, she said, is to protect oysters while they are still young. Oysters that were not exposed to the warm water-low oxygen combo early in life fared much better when they faced the same combo later.

Meanwhile, oysters are not the only creatures that suffer these "carryover effects" from stress. They contain a telling message for conservationists: What other dangers could be headed off by protecting organisms while they are young?

###

The study, titled "Context-dependent carryover effects of hypoxia and warming in a coastal ecosystem engineer," is available at https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/eap.2315. For images, a full copy of the report or to speak with the authors, contact Kristen Minogue at minoguek@si.edu or (314) 605-4315.

Supertest evaluates performance of engineering students in Russia, the United States, India, China

A test developed jointly by HSE University Moscow and Stanford University assessed student performance in mathematics, physics, critical thinking

NATIONAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY HIGHER SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

Research News

 

IMAGE: IGOR CHIRIKOV, AFFILIATED RESEARCHER AT THE HSE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION view more 

CREDIT: IGOR CHIRIKOV

A group of researchers representing four countries summed up the results of the Supertest, a large-scale study of the academic performance of engineering students in Russia, China, India, and the United States. It is the first study to track the progress of students in computer science and electrical engineering over the course of their studies with regard to their abilities in physics, mathematics, and critical thinking and compare the results among four countries. The article about study in Nature Human Behavior.

The HSE Institute of Education played a key role not only in collecting and analyzing data from Russia, but also in developing uniform assessment tools in mathematics and physics for all countries. The Institute conducted a full range of psychometric studies in addition to substantiating the quality of the measurements and the comparability of results across different countries.

The Supertest was initiated by Stanford University, HSE University Moscow, the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and partner universities in China and India. The study authors include Prashant Loyalka, an Associate Professor at Stanford University and a leading researcher at the HSE International Laboratory for Evaluating Practices and Innovations in Education; Igor Chirikov a senior researcher at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at UC Berkeley and an affiliated researcher of the HSE Institute of Education; and Elena Kardanova and Denis Federyakin , leading researchers at the Centre for Psychometrics and Measurements in Education at the HSE.

More than 30,000 undergraduate students participated in the study. The researchers collected a sample of students from elite and large universities, roughly equal in number for each country. In Russia, the sample included students from six Project 5-100 universities and 28 other universities. Their skill development was measured three times: upon entering university, at the end of their second year, and at the end of their studies.

The task of the specialists of the HSE Centre for Psychometrics and Measurements in Education was to develop tests that had questions that would be neutral for students of different countries and would yield adequately comparable results across different countries. 'Over the course of analyzing the test results, we have proven that we were able to achieve both tasks,' said Centre Director Elena Kardanova. 'Testing in different countries was conducted in accordance with the same rules, with the assistance of specially trained examiners. All students were offered the same incentives to participate. We additionally tested the sensitivity of the results to possible differences in student motivation.'

The Supertest showed that at the start of their studies, Russian students perform lower than Chinese students in mathematics and physics, but higher than students from India in mathematics. After two years of study, the gap between Russian and Chinese students narrows, while Indian students catch up with Russian students in mathematics.

One finding of the study that is cause for concern relates to engineering students' critical thinking skills. Initially, upon entering university, Russian engineering students outperform Indian students while performing lower than Chinese students. In terms of developing these skills over the course of their studies, students of all three countries perform lower than students in the United States. 'We found that, as the students progress in their studies, their critical thinking skills remain approximately the same in Russia and India, but significantly decrease in China. On the contrary, American students show improvement,' said Igor Chirikov. This is a serious problem, the researchers note, because technologies change rapidly, and in order to be able to master new ones, you need not only a firm grasp of the subject area, but, above all, skills of the 21st century.

Another unexpected result was the gradual decline of academic skills among engineering students in China. 'Students at Chinese universities have an extremely high level of skills upon enrollment, but over the course of their university studies this level decreases: this applies to physics, mathematics, and critical thinking. We observe this at both elite and large universities, albeit to different extents,' said Igor Chirikov. 'A possible explanation lies in the way undergraduate education is organized in China, where institutions put emphasis on lectures, and instructors are not as demanding as in Russia and India. As a result, students have less motivation to learn and are not held accountable for developing skills.'

The results of the Supertest provide insight into how graduates perform in the globally competitive market of future computer science and electronic engineering professionals. Each represented country is renowned for its engineering expertise, and it is the Chinese, American, Russian and Indian specialists who migrate to different countries that largely determine the technological progress around the world. The balance of power in this sphere of education can play a decisive role in who will win the technology race tomorrow.

 

New report offers detailed analysis of Capitol Hill siege

GW Program on Extremism assessment finds 257 people charged in federal court represent a diverse group; offers recommendations aimed at preventing future attacks

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Research News

 

WASHINGTON (Mar. 2, 2021) -- A report released today by the George Washington University Program on Extremism reveals new information about the 257 people charged in federal court for playing a role in the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol. The report, "This is Our House!" A Preliminary Assessment of the Capitol Hill Siege Participants," also provides several recommendations aimed at combating domestic extremism.

The GW Program on Extremism tracked and categorized the people charged so far in the attack and the resulting report provides a preliminary assessment of the siege participants.

"The events of Jan. 6 may mark a watershed moment for domestic violent extremism in America," Seamus Hughes, deputy director of the GW Program on Extremism said. "Individuals came from all corners of our country, with a healthy mix of those with some operational planning and others taking advantage of the moment. This report identifies some clear steps we can take now to identify extremist groups and keep the public safe."

Here are the key findings from the report:

The 257 people charged in federal court so far represent a diverse group, including 221 men and 36 women. They came to the Capitol from 40 states and more than 90% traveled to Washington, D.C. from outside the Washington metro area. About 33 people had a military background, and of those, 36% had ties to extremist groups like the Proud Boys.

People involved in the siege were found to fall into one of three categories: militant networks characterized by hierarchical organization and chains of command; organized clusters, especially groups of family and friends; and inspired believers.

The participants in the attack came from more than 180 counties throughout the U.S., with the highest total cases by county coming from Los Angeles County in California, Franklin County in Ohio and Bucks County in Pennsylvania.

The alleged perpetrators face as many as 17 counts on their indictments. The charges range from trespassing and illegal entry, to conspiracy against the U.S. government and assault of law enforcement officers.

Social media played a big role in the evidence used to charge individuals. The report finds 15% of extremists publicly indicated their intent prior to storming the Capitol and 68% documented their crimes in real time.

The report also offers a series of recommendations aimed at learning more about domestic extremism and protecting the public. The authors urge Congress to establish a nonpartisan Domestic Extremism Commission to identify any systemic national security and policy failures. They also suggest that the intelligence community should learn more about the response leading up to the Jan. 6 attack, with the goal of finding concrete actions that could have been taken to prevent the violence. Finally, the authors recommend that the Biden Administration use existing structures to improve information sharing between the federal agencies tasked with combating violent extremism.

###

Learn more about the GW Program on Extremism.

To obtain an embargoed copy of the report please contact Tim Pierce or Kathy Fackelmann at tpie@gwu.edu or kfackelmann@gwu.edu

-GW-

What's happening to the most remote coral reefs on Earth?

Scientists from the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation have published their findings on the state of coral reefs in the Chagos Archipelago, considered the last frontier for coral reefs

KHALED BIN SULTAN LIVING OCEANS FOUNDATION

 

IMAGE: CORAL REEFS IN THE CHAGOS ARCHIPELAGO HAD MORE FISH PER SQUARE METER THAN REEFS IN ANY COUNTRY SURVEYED ON THE GLOBAL REEF EXPEDITION--THE LARGEST CORAL REEF SURVEY AND MAPPING EXPEDITION... view more 

CREDIT: © KHALED BIN SULTAN LIVING OCEANS FOUNDATION/KEN MARKS

In the middle of the Indian Ocean lies some of the last coral reef wilderness on Earth. The Chagos Archipelago, a collection of atolls, including Earth's largest - the Great Chagos Bank- is home to reefs that have been largely undisturbed by humans for the last 50 years. Some estimates indicate the Chagos Archipelago may contain more than half of the healthy coral reefs remaining in the entire Indian Ocean. These reefs are protected both by their remote location, and in one of the world's largest no-take marine reserves--the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) marine protected area.

In 2015, scientists at the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) came to the Chagos Archipelago to assess the status of the reefs. Over the course of two months at sea, an international team of scientists conducted thousands of surveys of the benthic and reef fish communities at over 100 locations across the archipelago. This research was conducted as part of the Foundation's Global Reef Expedition (GRE), a 5-year research mission that circumnavigated the globe to assess the health and resiliency of coral reefs.

"The Global Reef Expedition was designed to evaluate the status of the benthic and reef fish communities and assess the impact of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on coral reef ecosystems," said Alexandra Dempsey, the Director of Science Management at KSLOF and one of the report's authors. "One priority for us was to study reefs with minimal human disturbance, and there was no better place on Earth to do that than the Chagos Archipelago."

Their findings are detailed in a new report, the Global Reef Expedition: Chagos Archipelago Final Report, which contains detailed information on the diversity and abundance of corals and reef fish species along with valuable baseline data on the state of the reefs at a point in time.

What they found during the research mission were reefs with a stunning diversity of coral and an abundance of fish. Of all of the reefs surveyed on the Global Reef Expedition--the largest coral reef survey and mapping expedition in history--the reefs of the Chagos Archipelago were some of the most diverse and had some of the highest coral cover and fish biomass. They also had more fish per square meter than in any country studied on the GRE.

"When we first arrived in the Chagos Archipelago, the reefs were stunning," said Renée Carlton, Marine Ecologist at KSLOF and lead author on the report. "We saw reefs covered in a diverse assemblage of live coral, and surrounded by an astounding abundance of fish. It was refreshing to see such thriving reefs."

CAPTION

When scientists on the Global Reef Expedition first came to survey the reefs of the Chagos Archipelago in 2015, the reefs were incredibly diverse, with high coral cover and lots of fish. However, toward the end of the research mission, scientists observed the first signs of a mass global bleaching event that would come to devastate reefs worldwide.

CREDIT

© Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation/Derek Manzello

However, even here in what may be the most remote and well-protected reefs on Earth, there were signs of human impacts. Towards the end of the research mission, KSLOF scientists witnessed the beginning of what would become a catastrophic and global mass coral bleaching event, illustrating the expanse of the coral reef crisis. The data contained in the report released today are the last data collected in the Chagos Archipelago before this disastrous bleaching event caused mass coral mortality on the reefs.

"Of all the reefs visited on the Global Reef Expedition, those of the Chagos Archipelago were surely the most remote and the most undisturbed," said Sam Purkis, KSLOF's Chief Scientist as well as Professor and Chair of the Department of Marine Geosciences at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. "To witness a coral bleaching event develop during our research mission was heart-wrenching, but there's compelling evidence that reefs which are spared direct human pressures such as overfishing and coastal development, have amplified resilience, so there was hope that the archipelago would bounce back to health relatively quickly."

During the first signs of bleaching, corals in the Chagos Archipelago turned cotton-candy colored shades of pink, blue, and yellow before turning white, as the corals tried to protect themselves from the sun's harmful rays after losing their symbiotic algae. As the warm waters persisted, the extent of the bleaching was readily apparent and impacted the vast majority of the shallow-water corals. A study shortly after the bleaching event found live coral fell dramatically from the relatively healthy 31-52% observed on the Global Reef Expedition, to only 5-15%. Since then, there have been promising signs the reefs are recovering, however, it is unlikely the reefs have returned to the same state they were in prior to bleaching.

The report released today will provide marine managers with information on what the reefs were like before the devastating bleaching event, so changes to the reef can be tracked over time and monitor how the ecosystem is recovering. The Foundation has shared the report with representatives from the BIOT Marine Protected Area (MPA) as well as scientists and conservation organizations invested in the preservation of these remarkable reefs.

The Global Reef Expedition mission to the Chagos Archipelago gave scientists the chance to study some of the most pristine coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. Their findings illustrate what reefs can be when protected in large no-take MPAs, but they also highlight the perils all reefs face in a changing world.

'

CAPTION

Coral reefs in the Chagos Archipelago are some of the most remote and well-protected reefs on Earth, but even here there are signs of the coral reef crisis.

CREDIT

©Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation

School-based dental program reduces cavities by more than 50%

Study of nearly 7,000 elementary school students demonstrates success of school-based model and its potential to reduce health disparities and save federal dollars

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

Research News

 

IMAGE: A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT SCHOOL-BASED DENTAL CARE REDUCES CAVITIES BY MORE THAN 50 PERCENT. view more 

CREDIT: ©SOREL: COURTESY OF NYU PHOTO BUREAU

A school-based cavity prevention program involving nearly 7,000 elementary school students reduced cavities by more than 50 percent, according to a study led by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry. The findings are published March 1 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

"The widespread implementation of oral health programs in schools could increase the reach of traditional dental practices and improve children's oral health--all while reducing health disparities and the cost of care," said Richard Niederman, DMD, professor and chair of the Department Epidemiology & Health Promotion at NYU College of Dentistry and the study's senior author.

Dental cavities are the most common chronic disease in children, and one in five elementary school children have at least one untreated cavity. While cavities can be prevented with dental visits and good at-home oral hygiene, some families experience barriers to seeing a dentist, including cost and parents having to take time off of work.

"School-based cavity prevention programs eliminate these barriers by bringing basic dental care to children, rather than bringing children to care," said Niederman.

The study was conducted in 33 public, high-need elementary schools in Massachusetts, where dental hygienists provided care to 6,927 children. The services were provided at no cost to families.

Twice-yearly visits involved dental examinations followed by cavity prevention and treatment, including fluoride varnish, sealants, and minimally invasive fillings to stabilize cavities without drilling. Students also received oral hygiene instructions, toothbrushes, and fluoride toothpaste to take home. If more complex care was required, students were referred to local dentists. Notably, the procedures used do not create aerosols, which limits the risk of transmitting viruses through the air.

After six visits, the prevalence of untreated cavities decreased by more than 50 percent. In one group of schools, cavities were reduced from a baseline of 39 percent to 18 percent, and in a second group, cavities decreased from 28 percent to 10 percent. The prevention program reduced cavities in both baby and permanent teeth.

"In 2010, the federal government set a goal of reducing the prevalence of cavities in children by 10 percent by 2020. Our study shows that this is not only feasible, but also that a comprehensive school-based program can reduce cavities by five times their goal," said Niederman.

Recent economic analyses of school-based cavity prevention programs by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, including one focusing on this program in Massachusetts, demonstrate that they are cost-effective and could save federal dollars. If this school-based program was implemented nationally, it could reduce Medicaid spending on children's oral health by as much as one-half.

The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted most school-based dental care because of school closures and fear of creating aerosols, even as oral health care in dental practices has safely resumed with additional infection control measures in place. The researchers stress the importance of safely continuing school-based care, given its ability to prevent cavities using aerosol-free procedures.

###

In addition to Niederman, study authors include Jacqueline Starr of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Ryan Ruff of NYU Dentistry, Joseph Palmisano of Boston University School of Public Health, Max Goodson of the Forsyth Institute, and Omair Bukhari of Umm Alqura University in Saudi Arabia. The research was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health (U24MDD006964), as well as DentaQuest, Bingham Trust, the Massachusetts State Legislature, and the American Dental Trade Alliance. Dental supplies were provided by GC America and Colgate-Palmolive.

About NYU College of Dentistry

Founded in 1865, New York University College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) is the third oldest and the largest dental school in the US, educating nearly 10 percent of all dentists. NYU Dentistry has a significant global reach with a highly diverse student body. Visit http://dental.nyu.edu for more.

New study proposes a low cost, high efficiency mask design

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS USA

Research News

 

A new paper in Oxford Open Materials Science, published by Oxford University Press, presents low cost modifications to existing N95 masks that prolongs their effectiveness and improves their reusability post disinfectants.

The COVID-19 crisis has increased demand for respiratory masks, with various models of DIY masks becoming popular alongside the commercially available N95. The utility of such masks is primarily based on the size of aerosols that they are capable of filtering out and how long they can do so effectively.

Conventional masks like the N95 use a layered system and have an efficiency rate of 95%. Yet, this rate begins to drop after someone wears them for more than eight hours. This is due to the fact that N95 masks were designed for single use. The high demand caused by COVID-19 has led people to disinfect them for reuse. As such, a team of scientists have put together various techniques for decontamination and reuse of respiratory masks based on experimental data and guidelines issued by Center for Disease Control.

Researchers here propose a low cost ($1), tri-layer mask design containing nylon, modified polypropylene, and non-woven cotton fabrics. While the polypropylene layer is available in N95 masks, this design includes a graphene oxide and polyvinylidene fluoride mixture which acts as an active filtration layer. Recent studies show that the graphene oxide mixture has a high anti-bacterial activity making it ideal for respiratory masks. This coating has also proven to be effective even after being disinfected with H2O2, a popular practice when reusing masks. The addition of these membranes results in an efficiency level of 95%, like that of an N95, while also simplifying the number of layers in the design for increased comfort.

"The possibility to produce cost effective reusable N95 masks that can help the public health system and common citizens motivated the work. We tried to leverage the connection between electrostatic charge and the filtration efficiency of masks for submicron size particles and viruses to come up with a design to make N95 masks reusable" said By Dr. Rajalakshmi.

These cheap and simple modifications can provide people in all socioeconomic classes with a long-lasting, high-filtration respiratory mask.

###

Direct correspondence to:

Tharangattu N. Narayanan
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Gopanapally Village, Hyderabad
INDIA
tnn@tifrh.res.in

To request a copy of the study, please contact:

Timothy Thomas
Timothy.Thomas@oup.com

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert syste