Decolonising violence against women research: a study design for co-developing violence prevention interventions with communities in low and middle income countries (LMICs).

BACKGROUND: There has been substantial progress in research on preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the last 20 years. While the evidence suggests the potential of well-designed curriculum-based interventions that target known risk factors of violence at the community level, this has certain limitations for working in partnership with communities in low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries, particularly when it comes to addressing the power dynamics embedded within north-south research relationships. METHODS: As an alternative approach, we outline the study design for the EVE Project: a formative research project implemented in partnership with community-based researchers in Samoa and Amantaní (Peru) using a participatory co-design approach to VAWG prevention research. We detail the methods we will use to overcome the power dynamics that have been historically embedded in Western research practices, including: collaboratively defining and agreeing research guidelines before the start of the project, co-creating theories of change with community stakeholders, identifying local understandings of violence to inform the selection and measurement of potential outcomes, and co-designing VAWG prevention interventions with communities. DISCUSSION: Indigenous knowledge and ways of thinking have often been undermined historically by Western research practices, contributing to repeated calls for better recognition of Southern epistemologies. The EVE Project design outlines our collective thinking on how to address this gap and to further VAWG prevention through the meaningful participation of communities affected by violence in the research and design of their own interventions. We also discuss the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the project in ways that have both disrupted and expanded the potential for a better transfer of power to the communities involved. This article offers specific strategies for integrating Southern epistemologies into VAWG research practices in four domains: ethics, theories of change, measurement, and intervention design. Our aim is to create new spaces for engagement between indigenous ways of thinking and the evidence that has been established from the past two decades of VAWG prevention research and practice.

Racial and Ethnic Variations in Mortality Rates for Patients Undergoing Maintenance Dialysis Treated in US Territories Compared with the US 50 States.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the United States mortality rates for patients treated with dialysis differ by racial and/or ethnic (racial/ethnic) group. Mortality outcomes for patients undergoing maintenance dialysis in the United States territories may differ from patients in the United States 50 states. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: This retrospective cohort study of using US Renal Data System data included 1,547,438 adults with no prior transplantation and first dialysis treatment between April 1, 1995 and September 28, 2012. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) of death for the territories versus 50 states for each racial/ethnic group using the whole cohort and covariate-matched samples. Covariates included demographics, year of dialysis initiation, cause of kidney failure, comorbid conditions, dialysis modality, and many others. RESULTS: Of 22,828 patients treated in the territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands), 321 were white, 666 were black, 20,299 were Hispanic, and 1542 were Asian. Of 1,524,610 patients in the 50 states, 838,736 were white, 444,066 were black, 182,994 were Hispanic, and 58,814 were Asian. The crude mortality rate (deaths per 100 patient-years) was lower for whites in the territories than the 50 states (14 and 29, respectively), similar for blacks (18 and 17, respectively), higher for Hispanics (27 and 16, respectively), and higher for Asians (22 and 15). In matched analyses, greater risks of death remained for Hispanics (HR, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.60 to 1.70; P<0.001) and Asians (HR, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.78 to 2.27; P<0.001) living in the territories versus their matched 50 states counterparts. There were no significant differences in mortality among white or black patients in the territories versus the 50 states. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates for patients undergoing dialysis in the United States territories differ substantially by race/ethnicity compared with the 50 states. After matched analyses for comparable age and risk factors, mortality risk no longer differed for whites or blacks, but remained much greater for territory-dwelling Hispanics and Asians.

Revision of black fungus gnat species (Diptera, Sciaridae) described from the Hawaiian Islands by D.E. Hardy and W.A. Steffan, and a contribution to the knowledge of the sciarid fauna of the Galápagos Islands.

On the Hawaiian Islands 22 sciarid species were detected, belonging to the following ten genera: Austrosciara Schmitz Mjöberg, Bradysia Winnertz, Corynoptera Winnertz, Cratyna Winnertz, Epidapus Haliday, Hyperlasion Schmitz, Lycoriella Frey, Phytosciara Frey, Pseudolycoriella Menzel Mohrig and Scatopsciara Edwards. The revision resulted in new combinations for the following five species: Austrosciara hawaiiensis (Hardy) comb. n., Corynoptera prominens (Hardy) comb. n., Cratyna adrostylata (Hardy) comb. n., Cr. longicosta (Hardy) comb. n., and Scatopsciara hoyti (Hardy) comb. n. Eight species were declared as new synonyms: Bradysia bishopi Steffan, 1973 = B. centidens Vilkamaa, Hippa Mohrig, 2012 syn. n.; B. crassicornis (Skuse, 1890) = B. molokaiensis (Grimshaw, 1901) syn. n. and = B. aspercera Mohrig, 2016 syn. n.; B. radicum (Brunetti, 1912) = B. spatitergum (Hardy, 1956) syn. n.; Corynoptera prominens (Hardy, 1956) = C. gladiota Mohrig, 2004 syn. n.; Cosmosciara hartii (Johannsen, 1912) = Plastosciara (Plastosciara) latipons Hardy, 1956 syn. n.; Hyperlasion wasmanni (Schmitz, 1918) = Scythropochroa magnisensoria Hardy, 1956 syn. n.; and Scatopsciara hoyti (Hardy, 1956) = Sc. spiculata Vilkamaa, Hippa Mohrig, 2012 syn. n. These four species are new reports for Hawai'i, three of them are new to science: Epidapus pallidus (Séguy), Pseudolycoriella nigrofemoralis Mohrig, Kauschke Broadley sp. n., Scatopsciara hardyi Mohrig, Kauschke Broadley sp. n. and Sc. steffani Mohrig, Kauschke Broadley sp. n. A lectotype was designated for Bradysia radicum (Brunetti) in order to fix the name. All new and revised species are figured.        The species Bradysia bishopi Steffan, 1973, B. ocellaris (Comstock, 1882), B. radicum (Brunetti, 1912), Cosmosciara hartii (Johannsen, 1912), Pseudolycoriella planiforceps (Steffan, 1971) and Scatopsciara steffani Mohrig, Kauschke Broadley sp. n. are reported from the Galápagos Islands.

Study of Colombia North Wiwa El Encanto Amerindians HLA- genes: Pacific Islanders relatedness.

We have studied Wiwa/Sanja Amerindians HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and DQB1 allele frequencies and extended haplotypes in 52 unrelated individuals from "El Encanto" town at Guanachaca riverside. High frequency alleles were in general present in other Amerindian populations. Also, three extended haplotypes and eight ones were respectively both "new found" and already described in Amerindians from North, Central and South America, including Lakota-Sioux, Mayas, Teeneks, Quechua and Aymaras. Analyses of HLA-A*24:02 and -C*01:02 Wiwa high frequency alleles suggested a specific relatedness with another Amerindian and Pacific Islander ethnic groups (these two particular alleles bearing in high frequencies); they include New Zealand Maoris, Taiwanese, Japanese, Papua New Guinea, and Samoans among others. This may indicate that selective forces are maintaining these two alleles high frequency within this wide American/Pacific area.

Adventures in human population biology.

PIP: This article is a memoir of anthropologist Paul Baker's professional life. The introduction notes that the field of anthropology was altered by the impact of World War II when physical anthropologists provided vital information to the military. After the war, the GI bill supported the undergraduate and graduate studies of veterans, including Baker. After describing his academic training at the University of New Mexico and Harvard, Baker details his research training and field work in the desert for the US Climatic Research Laboratory and his work identifying the dead in Japan for the Quartermaster unit. Baker then traces his academic career at the Pennsylvania State University during which he directed two multidisciplinary research efforts for the International Biological Programme, one that sought to understand human adaptability at high altitude in Peru and another that studied migration and modernization in Samoa. Baker's last administrative positions were as staff consultant to the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program and as chair of the US MAB committee. Baker retired from academic life at age 60 in 1987 and has devoted his time to reading and to helping organize professional associations in anthropology, especially those devoted to furthering internationally organized scientific efforts. Baker concludes this memoir by acknowledging the growth and development of the discipline of human population biology.^ieng

Population estimates for Puerto Rico and the outlying areas: 1980 to 1987.

PIP: This report estimates the population for July 1, 1980, to 1987 for the Caribbean areas of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin islands, the Pacific areas of American Samoa, Guam, and the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The components of population change for these areas for the 1980-1987 period are also presented. Some highlights of the data follow. 1) All areas except for St. Croix and Puerto Rico are growing at a rate well above that of the US (7.4% from April 1, 1980 to July 1, 1987). 2) The Virgin Islands (population 106,100 in 1987) have shown the highest growth rate (9.8%) since 1980. Growth in St. Thomas and St. John (population 53,600) account for 72% of the total Virgin Islands growth. 3) St. Thomas and St. John together have a net immigration rate of just under 1%; St. Croix (population 52,400) had a net outmigration rate of almost 10%. 4) Puerto Rico (population 3,292,000) experienced a -7.1% net outmigration, and population increase of 95,000. 5) At 23%, Guam (population 130,400) has the largest % population growth; 21% of this growth is due to net immigration. 6) All 3 areas in the Pacific grew in the 7-year period; their overall growth rate was 23%, compared with 3% in the Caribbean areas.^ieng

Estimates of the population of Puerto Rico and the outlying areas: 1980 to 1986.

PIP: This report presents estimates of the population for July 1, 1980 to 1986 for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Census counts for 1980 are also shown for each of the areas. Components of population change for these areas for the 1980-1986 period are also shown. Most of the statistics used to prepare the area estimates were obtained from the local governments of the outlying areas. Except for Puerto Rico, all of the areas estimated are growing at a rate well above that of the US (64% from April 1, 1980 to July 1, 1986). Of the areas, Guam has exhibited the highest % of growth since 1980--19.6%. Although Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have increased in population since 1890, both experienced population declines between 1985 and 1986. The Virgin Islands' population declined by 1.2%, from 110,800 to 109,500, while Puerto Rico's decreased by 3%, from 3,282,000 to 3,274,000.^ieng