Observed face mask use outside retail chain stores during the COVID-19 pandemic in two cities in the state of Idaho, USA.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, public health authorities have encouraged the use of face masks to minimize transmission within the community. To assess mask wear during a COVID-19 surge and guide public health response efforts, including public messaging on mask recommendations, we compared observed mask use in the largest city in each of Idaho's 2 most populous counties, both without a current mask mandate. We recorded mask usage by every third person exiting stores of 5 retail chains in Boise and Nampa during November 8-December 5, 2021. Observations were conducted during three time periods (morning, afternoon, and evening) on weekday and weekend days. A multivariable model with city, retail chain, and city-chain interaction was used to assess mask wear differences by city for each chain. Of 3021 observed persons, 22.0% wore masks. In Boise, 31.3% (430/1376) of observed persons wore masks; in Nampa, 14.3% (236/1645) wore masks. Among all persons wearing masks, > 94% wore masks correctly; cloth and surgical masks were most common. By retail chain, observed individuals at Boise locations were 2.3-5.7 times as likely to wear masks than persons at respective Nampa locations. This study provided a rapid, nonconfrontational assessment of public use of mitigation measures in 2 Idaho cities during a COVID-19 surge.

Preparation of hyperstar polymers with encapsulated Au25(SR)18 clusters as recyclable catalysts for nitrophenol reduction.

A robust approach is developed to prepare hyperstar polymer-Au25(SR)18 nanocomposites for catalysis. The synthesis started with atom transfer radical copolymerization of an inimer with a cyclic disulfide-containing methacrylate monomer in a microemulsion to produce hyperbranched copolymers with high molar mass, low polydispersity, and a vital fraction of dangling disulfide groups. The core-shell structured hyperstar polymers were then prepared using hyperbranched copolymers as macroinitiators to polymerize oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (Mn = 500) and grow the radiating arms. The hyperstar polymers with disulfide groups were proved to efficiently encapsulate Au25(SR)18 nanoclusters through ligand exchange without destroying the fine structure of the Au25(SR)18 clusters. The obtained hyperstar-Au25(SR)18 nanocomposites showed great stability with no size change after a three-month shelf storage. They were used as efficient catalysts for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol by NaBH4, showing convenient recovery and reuse without losing catalytic efficiency.

Comparison of Loading Efficiency between Hyperbranched Polymers and Cross-Linked Nanogels at Various Branching Densities.

The effect of branching point structures and densities is studied between azido-containing hyperbranched polymers and cross-linked nanogels on their loading efficiency of alkynyl-containing dendron molecules. Hyperbranched polymers that contained "T"-shaped branching linkage from which three chains radiated out and cross-linked nanogels that contained "X"-shaped branching linkage with four radiating chains are synthesized in microemulsion using either atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) or conventional radical polymerization (RP) technique. Both polymers have similar density of azido groups in the structure and exhibit similar hydrodynamic diameter in latexes before purification. Subsequent copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions between these polymers and alkynyl-containing dendrons in various sizes (G1-G3) demonstrate an order of dendron loading efficiencies (i.e., final conversion of alkynyl-containing dendron) as hyperbranched polymers > nanogels synthesized by ATRP > nanogels synthesized by RP. Decreasing the branching density or using smaller dendron molecules increases the click efficiency of both polymers. When G2 dendrons with a molecular weight of 627 Da are used to click with the hyperbranched polymers composed of 100% inimer, a maximum loading efficiency of G2 in the loaded hyperbranched polymer is 58% of G2 by weight. These results represent the first comparison between hyperbranched polymers and cross-linked nanogels to explore the effect of branching structures on their loading efficiencies.

Chain-growth click polymerization of AB2 monomers for the formation of hyperbranched polymers with low polydispersities in a one-pot process.

Hyperbranched polymers are important soft nanomaterials but robust synthetic methods with which the polymer structures can be easily controlled have rarely been reported. For the first time, we present a one-pot one-batch synthesis of polytriazole-based hyperbranched polymers with both low polydispersity and a high degree of branching (DB) using a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerization. The use of a trifunctional AB2 monomer that contains one alkyne and two azide groups ensures that all Cu catalysts are bound to polytriazole polymers at low monomer conversion. Subsequent CuAAC polymerization displayed the features of a "living" chain-growth mechanism with a linear increase in molecular weight with conversion and clean chain extension for repeated monomer additions. Furthermore, the triazole group in a linear (L) monomer unit complexed Cu(I) , which catalyzed a faster reaction of the second azide group to quickly convert the L unit into a dendritic unit, producing hyperbranched polymers with DB=0.83.

Breast cancer stage, surgery, and survival statistics for Idaho's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program population, 2004-2012.

INTRODUCTION: The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women in all states and US territories. In Idaho, a rural state with very low breast and cervical cancer screening rates, this program is called Women's Health Check (WHC). The program has been operating continuously since 1997 and served 4,719 enrollees in 2013. The objective of this study was to assess whether disparities existed in cause-specific survival (a net survival measure representing survival of a specified cause of death in the absence of other causes of death) between women screened by WHC and outside WHC and to determine how type of surgery or survival varies with stage at diagnosis. METHODS: WHC data were linked to Idaho's central cancer registry to compare stage distribution, type of surgery, and cause-specific survival between women with WHC-linked breast cancer and a comparison group of women whose records did not link to the WHC database (nonlinked breast cancer). RESULTS: WHC-linked breast cancer was significantly more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage of disease than nonlinked breast cancer. Because of differences in stage distribution between WHC-linked and nonlinked breast cancers, overall age-standardized, cause-specific breast cancer survival proportions diverged over time, with a 5.1 percentage-point deficit in survival among WHC-linked cases at 5 years of follow-up (83.9% vs 89.0%). Differences in type of surgery and cause-specific survival were attenuated when controlling for stage. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that disparities may exist for Idaho WHC enrollees in the timely diagnosis of breast cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first study to publish comparisons of cause-specific breast cancer survival between NBCCEDP-linked and nonlinked cases.

Core-double-shell Fe3O4@carbon@poly(In(III)-carboxylate) microspheres: cycloaddition of CO2 and epoxides on coordination polymer shells constituted by imidazolium-derived Al(III)-Salen bifunctional catalysts.

A hydrid microsphere Fe3O4@carbon@poly(In(III)-carboxylate) consisting of a cluster of Fe3O4 nanoparticles as the core, a carbon layer as the inner shell and a porous In(III)-carboxylate coordination polymer as the outer shell was prepared and applied as a recyclable catalyst for the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides. Construction of this hybrid microsphere was achieved in the two steps, including (1) the one-pot solvothermal synthesis of Fe3O4@C particles with the abundant carboxylic groups on the carbon surface and (2) the subsequent growth of the outer shell polymers based on the precipitation coordination polymerization. Imidazolium-substituted Salen ligands were synthesized and chelated with the In(III) ions using the terminal carboxylic groups. The coordination polymer shell was formed on the Fe3O4@C particles, and the structures including shell thickness, surface area and porosity could be varied by tuning the feeding ratios of the In(III) ions and the ligands. The optimal structure of the coordination polymers showed a shell thickness of ca. 45 nm with ∼5 nm of mesopore, 174.7 m(2)/g of surface area and 0.2175 cm(3)/g of pore volume. In light of gas uptake capability, catalytic activity and magnetic susceptibility, cycloaddition of CO2 with a series of epoxides were studied by using Al-complexed Fe3O4@C@In(III)-[IL-Salen] microspheres. The results validated that the self-supporting catalytic layer with high surface area was of remarkable advantages, which were attributed from great increment of effective active sites and combination of nucleophilic/electrophilic synergistic property and CO2 uptake capability. Therefore, these hybrid microspheres provided excellent catalytic activity, prominent selectivity to cyclic carbonates and outstanding recyclability with the assistance of an applied magnetic field.

Using a geographic information system to improve childhood lead-screening efforts.

The Idaho Division of Public Health conducted a pilot study to produce a lead-exposure-risk map to help local and state agencies better target childhood lead-screening efforts. Priority lead-screening areas, at the block group level, were created by using county tax assessor data and geographic information system software. A series of maps were produced, indicating childhood lead-screening prevalence in areas in which there was high potential for exposure to lead. These maps could enable development of more systematically targeted and cost-effective childhood lead-screening efforts.

Striking rural-urban disparities observed in acute stroke care capacity and services in the pacific northwest: implications and recommendations.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The age-adjusted stroke death rate in adults aged ≥45 years is significantly higher in the Northwest region than in the rest of the United States. Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington have substantial rural and frontier areas with unique characteristics and complexities that pose challenges to timely acute stroke care and ultimately affect the patient. METHODS: A regional needs assessment was conducted to assess acute stroke care capacity and services in the Northwest region. Hospitals with an emergency department were surveyed with a standardized online tool based on the Brain Attack Coalition recommendations and developed by stroke neurologists, emergency medical services leaders, state public health professionals, and American Stroke Association members. RESULTS: Approximately 76% of hospitals completed the questionnaire. Striking rural-urban differences were seen with rural hospitals having a much lower capacity to adequately care for patients with stroke. Two thirds lacked the necessary personnel, one third lacked necessary neuroimaging equipment, and one fourth were functioning without written emergency department and tissue plasminogen activator stroke protocols. CONCLUSIONS: This survey represents the first comprehensive regional assessment of stroke care capacity and services both in the Northwest region and the whole United States. The findings have confirmed the need to focus on strengthening stroke personnel, increasing access to care, and promoting written protocols, especially in rural settings. Additionally, promoting stroke center certification, increasing the number of stroke registries throughout the region, encouraging use of inpatient stroke care protocols in rural hospitals, and conducting ongoing stroke care capacity and services surveys is highly recommended.

Differences in perceptions of what constitutes having "had sex" in a population of people living with HIV/AIDS.

The reduction of high-risk sexual behavior among HIV-infected individuals is a major aspect of prevention strategies to reduce HIV infection in the United States. These prevention efforts assume a common understanding between clinicians and HIV-infected individuals of the terms "sex" and what constitutes having "had sex." The purpose of this study was to determine what sexual behaviors HIV-infected individuals perceive as having had sex and to examine the variability of these perceptions. Surveys were done of 279 HIV-positive adults receiving services at an HIV-focused community health center in Dallas, TX. Responses from participants about whether they perceived a given behavior as constituting having had sex were analyzed by Chi-squared analysis. Overall, only 80.9% of respondents perceived penile-vaginal intercourse as "sex," while 76.9% said they "had sex" if someone had oral contact with their genitals. There were gender and ethnicity differences in what was perceived as having had sex. Females were significantly less likely than males to perceive anal intercourse as having had sex. Variability exists among HIV-positive individuals regarding what they perceive as having had sex. Results support the need for clinicians to more precisely ascertain sexual perceptions and risks to achieve HIV prevention goals.