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Background. Findings from previous studies of cutaneous human papillomavirus (cuHPV) infection and keratinocyte carcinomas have varied due to several factors, including use of different sample types for cuHPV DNA detection. Elucidating the relationship between cuHPV infection in eyebrow hairs (EBHs) and skin swabs (SSWs) is critical for advancing the design of future studies. Methods. DNA corresponding to 46 β-HPV and 52 γ-HPV types was measured in EBHs and SSWs obtained from 370 individuals undergoing routine skin cancer screening examinations. Results. Prevalence of β-HPV/γ-HPV was 92%/84% and 73%/43% in SSWs and EBHs, respectively, with 71%/39% of patients testing positive for β-HPV/γ-HPV in both sample types. Number of cuHPV types detected and degree of infection were correlated across SSWs and EBHs. When the EBH was positive for a given β-HPV/γ-HPV type, the SSW was positive for that same type 81%/72% of the time. Conclusions. Testing SSWs captures more cuHPV infection than EBHs, with EBH infections usually representing a subset of SSW infections. The importance of optimizing sensitivity of cuHPV infection detection using SSWs vs specificity using EBHs (or a combination of the 2) will be ascertained in an ongoing cohort study investigating cuHPV associations with subsequent keratinocyte carcinomas.

In recent years, national and local efforts to improve diet and health in the United States have stressed the importance of nutrition security, which emphasizes consistent access to foods and beverages that promote health and prevent disease among all individuals. At the core of this endeavor is fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, a dietary practice that is integral to attaining and sustaining a healthy diet. Unfortunately, significant inequities in FV accessibility, purchasing, and consumption exist, particularly among populations that are socially and economically disadvantaged. To achieve nutrition and health equity in the United States, the field must center the goal of nutrition security and initiatives that aim to increase FV consumption, specifically, in future work. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) Special Issue titled “Nutrition and Health Equity: Revisiting the Importance of Fruit and Vegetable Availability, Purchasing, and Consumption” features several scholarly publications from experts conducting timely research on these topics. In this commentary, we (1) summarize the U.S.-based literature on inequities in FV accessibility, purchasing, and consumption, (2) describe how the contributions to this IJERPH special issue can advance nutrition security and health equity, and (3) outline future research questions from our perspective.

n = 240), majority NH Black tracts (n = 280), majority Hispanic tracts (n = 169), and racially diverse tracts (n = 109). Majority was defined as ≥ 50% representation. After adjusting for socioeconomic and environmental measures (e.g., median income, grocery store availability, walkability index), violent crime rate was associated with % physical inactivity and % obesity at the census tract level in Chicago, IL (both p < 0.001). Associations were statistically significant among majority NH Black and Hispanic tracts, but not majority NH White and racially diverse tracts. Future studies should evaluate the structural drivers of violence and the influence these drivers have on adult physical inactivity and obesity risk, particularly in communities of color.

Introduction: Violent crime (e.g., homicide, aggravated assault) is a major public health issue that disproportionately affects communities of color in large urban centers. Studies have reported that residents in high crime communities are less likely to engage in physical activity. There is limited understanding of how violent crime influences physical inactivity and obesity at the community level. We aimed to address this gap by examining differences in spatial relationships between violent crime rate, physical inactivity, and obesity by racial/ethnic composition of community residents in Chicago, IL. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that violent crime rate is associated with the prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity at the census tract level in Chicago, IL. Methods: We conducted an ecological assessment of 2018 census tract data obtained from various sources. We used data from the City of Chicago to calculate per capita violent crime rate (number of incidents per 1,000 residents) for all census tracts (N = 801). Data on physical inactivity and obesity prevalence (%) were acquired from the CDC. Socio-demographic data (i.e., % Non-Hispanic (NH) White, % NH Black, % Hispanic, median household income) were obtained from the census bureau. We examined spatial lag and error models to determine if violent crime rate is associated with % physical inactivity and % obesity after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and amenity availability (i.e., per capita outdoor parks and grocery stores). Stratified models were examined to identify differences in associations among majority NH White, NH Black, and Hispanic census tracts (defined as ≥ 50% representation). Results: NH Black census tracts (n = 278) had significantly higher rates of violent crime, physical inactivity, and obesity than Hispanic (n = 169) and NH White tracts (n = 240). Overall, violent crime rate was positivity associated with % physical inactivity (p<0.001) but not % obesity (p=0.77) in Chicago after controlling for covariates. Stratified models revealed that violent crime rate was positively associated with % physical inactivity (p<0.001) and % obesity (p=0.01) among NH Black tracts. Violent crime rate was not associated with % physical inactivity or % obesity among Hispanic and NH White census tracts. Conclusions: Racial/ethnic composition of residents appears to influence census-tract level associations between violent crime rate, physical inactivity, and obesity. Violent crime appears to be more relevant to physical inactivity and obesity in Chicago’s NH Black communities compared to Hispanic and NH White communities.

The proliferation of various forms of technology has made defining, measuring, and evaluating sleep both exciting and daunting at the same time. In this chapter, the authors summarize both old and new technology used to study sleep, and they highlight its clinical implications. Specifically, the authors discuss white noise machines which have been well-established for nonpharmacological interventions for sleep, as well as more recent technologies such as apps, sleep trackers, deep sleep headbands, and virtual reality games. In all these newer arenas of technology, additional studies are needed to fully assess their impact on sleep outcomes and their applicability to sleep science.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) microvascular complications is a major public health issue that disproportionately affects people of color in the U.S. and Canada. There is limited understanding of racial/ethnic disparities in the longitudinal natural history of microvascular complications. We aimed to address this gap in knowledge by examining racial/ethnic differences in microvascular complication-related measures over seven years among T2D adults living in the U.S. and Canada. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that measures of microvascular complications vary by race/ethnic group over a period of seven years. Methods: From 10,251 Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) (2003-2009) trial participants, we derived 6,683 participants having a baseline and ≥ two years of outcome recordings for our analysis (baseline mean age 62 ± 6.6 years, and 11 ± 7.4 years of diabetes diagnosis). In this longitudinal study, we used T2D microvascular measurements recorded at baseline, yearly for seven years, and during a trial exit period. Neuropathy-related measures analyzed was the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI); Nephropathy-related measures included the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation (ml/min/1.73 m 2 ), urine albumin (mg/dl), and urine albumin : creatinine (mg/g). We examined differences in measurement among Black (n 1 = 1,176), White (n 2 = 4,282), and Other race adults (n 3 = 1,229). We used multigroup latent growth modeling to compare models from fully constrained to unconstrained means, covariances, and residual variances models. Results: MNSI, eGFR, and urine albumin significantly differed across racial/ethnic groups (ΔX 2 MNSI (2) = 231.8, p<0.001; ΔX 2 eGFR (2) = 489.2, p<0.001; ΔX 2 urine-albumin (2) = 194.6, p<0.001). We noticed that at least one of the means and covariances differed across racial/ethnic groups. The average MNSI trajectory for Other race/ethnicity (intercept=1.88, slope=-0.08) were better than that for Black (intercept=2.07, slope=-0.09) and White adults (intercept=2.67, slope=-0.14). The average eGFR trajectories for Black (intercept=88.86, slope=-1.16) and Other race/ethnicity (intercept=85.68, slope=-1.15) were better than that for White adults (intercept=82.59, slope=-1.36). However, average urine albumin trajectories for Black adults were worst (intercept=10.77, slope=0.98) followed by Other race/ethnicity (intercept=9.36, slope=0.73) and White adults (intercept=7.65, slope=0.57). Conclusion: Trajectories of microvascular complication-related measures appear to vary by racial/ethnic group. Other race adults, with primarily consists of Hispanics, appeared to at lower risk of neuropathy for years than Black and White adults. Nephropathy outcomes could vary across racial/ethnic group depending on how nephropathy is defined.