Demographic Characteristics Associated With Intentions to Receive the 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine.

INTRODUCTION: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna on September 11, 2023. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation that everyone aged ≥6 years receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine, the general public's intentions to receive the new 2023-2024 vaccine are unknown. METHODS: Intentions to receive the new COVID-19 vaccine and the demographic predictors of those intentions were assessed from a survey of adult residents, aged ≥18 years, of Los Angeles County, California conducted in October 2023. RESULTS: Of the 1,090 participants, 701 (64.3%) indicated they were planning on receiving the new COVID-19 vaccine, 217 (19.9%) responded no, and 172 (15.8%) were unsure. Male gender (versus female); age groups of 50-64 and ≥65 years (versus 18-29 years); and ≥$100,000 household income (versus ≤$49,999) were associated with higher odds of reporting yes than reporting no regarding their vaccination intentions. Asian and Hispanic race/ethnicity (versus Non-Hispanic White) were associated with higher odds of indicating not sure than the odds of indicating no vaccination intentions. A significantly higher proportion of not-sure respondents reported "I plan to wait and see if it is safe and may get it later", whereas a significantly higher proportion of no respondents reported "I don't believe I need a COVID-19 vaccine booster" and "I don't trust COVID-19 vaccines." CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates demographic differences in attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination intentions and highlights the importance of promotional messages and initiatives that target more hesitant populations. These messages should address possible side effects and vaccine safety.

Evaluation of a COVID-19 rapid antigen testing program among student athletes in a public high school district.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate a COVID-19 rapid antigen testing program among high school athletes through testing data and qualitative analysis from key stakeholders. METHODS: Testing data was obtained by the partnering school district. Testing staff, coaches, and parents participated in a focus group using a semi-structured focus group guide. Transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to produce the themes of the study. RESULTS: Rapid antigen tests quickly identified a COVID-19-positive student athlete, which allowed for quick isolation and zero transmission to teammates. Focus groups with parents, testing staff, and coaches indicated the testing program improved perceived safety and demonstrated the ability for school staff to implement a widespread COVID-19 screening program with minimal training. CONCLUSIONS: As schools continue to respond to various waves of COVID-19 infections, targeted testing for high-risk activities in school settings such as sports programs may help prevent school outbreaks during times of high community transmission rates. This evaluation adds to a body of literature that will aid schools and policy makers in their decision on how to best keep student athletes and school communities safe for future waves of COVID-19 infection and other pandemics.

COVID-19 booster vaccine attitudes and behaviors among university students and staff in the United States: The USC Trojan pandemic research Initiative.

Although authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (BNT162b2 by BioNTech/Pfizer and mRNA-1273 by Moderna) significantly reduce morbidity and mortality, recent evidence suggests that immunity wanes over time, and that a booster dose could further reduce COVID-19 transmission and severe illness. However, research examining attitudes on booster willingness in diverse populations is needed. This study examined COVID-19 booster vaccine attitudes and behaviors among university students and staff in the fall of 2021. In our sample, 96.2% of respondents indicated willingness to get a COVID-19 booster shot at least once per year. In both bivariate and multivariate analyses higher trust in science was associated with having higher odds of booster willingness. Those who identify as Black, on average, reported trusting science less than other racial/ethnic groups. Our findings demonstrate high willingness to receive a COVID-19 booster shot and highlight the importance of educational messages and initiatives that focus on building trust in science to increase willingness to get the COVID-19 booster. More research is needed to better understand the impact of cultural beliefs on booster willingness and vaccine hesitancy. This understanding will help determine what messages and populations to target to increase booster willingness in the future.

Evaluation of a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Testing Program in a Supervised Community Distance Learning Setting for K-8 Students.

BACKGROUND: School-based COVID-19 testing is a potential strategy to limit COVID-19 transmission among youth in congregate settings such as schools, sports programs, and summer camps. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of frequent rapid antigen testing at a supervised distance-learning setting for elementary and middle school children while their schools were closed. METHODS: This evaluation examines participation rates and testing data in addition to qualitative analysis of focus groups from a Los Angeles City-sponsored rapid antigen testing pilot program. In total, 434 children and staff were enrolled in the 13-week pilot program in the spring of 2021. RESULTS: In this pilot program, 2482 rapid antigen tests were administered, resulting in 3 positive test results, 1 of which was a false positive (confirmed by polymerase chain reaction testing) and 0 outbreaks or community spread. CONCLUSIONS: Throughout this pilot program, implementing rapid antigen tests allowed for the quick identification and isolation of potentially COVID-19-positive children, improved perceived safety for parents and staff who interact with children, and demonstrated the ability for staff and non-health care professionals in a school-based setting to implement a widespread COVID-19 screening program with minimal training.

DNA-Tethered RNA Polymerase for Programmable In vitro Transcription and Molecular Computation.

DNA nanotechnology enables programmable self-assembly of nucleic acids into user-prescribed shapes and dynamics for diverse applications. This work demonstrates that concepts from DNA nanotechnology can be used to program the enzymatic activity of the phage-derived T7 RNA polymerase (RNAP) and build scalable synthetic gene regulatory networks. First, an oligonucleotide-tethered T7 RNAP is engineered via expression of an N-terminally SNAP-tagged RNAP and subsequent chemical coupling of the SNAP-tag with a benzylguanine (BG)-modified oligonucleotide. Next, nucleic-acid strand displacement is used to program polymerase transcription on-demand. In addition, auxiliary nucleic acid assemblies can be used as "artificial transcription factors" to regulate the interactions between the DNA-programmed T7 RNAP with its DNA templates. This in vitro transcription regulatory mechanism can implement a variety of circuit behaviors such as digital logic, feedback, cascading, and multiplexing. The composability of this gene regulatory architecture facilitates design abstraction, standardization, and scaling. These features will enable the rapid prototyping of in vitro genetic devices for applications such as bio-sensing, disease detection, and data storage.

Visual imagery influences attentional guidance during visual search: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence.

Recent behavioral studies have shown that color imagery can benefit visual search when it is congruent with an upcoming target. In the present study we investigated whether this color imagery benefit was due to the processes underlying attentional guidance, as indicated by the electrophysiological marker known as the N2pc component. Participants were instructed to imagine a color prior to each trial of a singleton search task. On some trials, the imagined color was congruent with the target, and on other trials, it was congruent with the distractors. The analyses revealed that the N2pc was present when color imagery was congruent with the search target, and absent when it was congruent with the distractors. Further, there was preliminary evidence that attentional guidance depended on the vividness of color imagery and the frequency at which participants implemented the imagery instruction. Overall, the results of the present study indicate that color imagery can influence the attentional guidance processes underlying visual search.

Acute toxicity testing of TiO2-based vs. oxybenzone-based sunscreens on clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris).

Given the prevalence of skin cancer, sunscreens are recommended by dermatologists including the American Academy of Dermatology to protect skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. Unfortunately, this leads to an estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen entering waterways each year. Many of the chemicals in sunscreens, such as oxybenzone and benzophenone-2, are indicated to have adverse effects on corals and other aquatic life. As an eco-conscious alternative, physical barrier sunscreens, such as non-nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2), have been suggested as a replacement. This study examines the impact of a non-nano-TiO2-based sunscreen over a nationally sold brand of sunscreen containing oxybenzone, on clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris). Animals were evaluated for mortality, swimming behavior, and feeding behavior. Our data indicate that at an exposure level of 100 mg/L oxybenzone-containing sunscreen had a negative impact on mortality, leading to 25% death by the end of the 97-h testing period. Negative impacts on behavior were even more dramatic for the 100 mg/L oxybenzone-containing sunscreen, with 100% of the animals failing to feed over the first 49 h of testing and 100% of animals demonstrating abnormal swimming behavior over the entire testing period. By comparison, the non-nano-(TiO2) sunscreen at 100 mg/L had little (6.7%) negative impact on mortality and feeding. While swimming behavior was disrupted during the first 25 h of testing (26.7% abnormal movement), animals recovered well over the remainder of the testing period (out to 97 h).