Factors Associated with Prenatal Health Behaviors among Low-Income, Ethnic Minority Women.

Less than one-third of pregnant women in the U.S. meet prenatal nutrition, exercise, and stress management health behavior guidelines. Low rates of these prenatal health behaviors have been especially observed among low-income, ethnic minority women, placing them and their infants at a disproportionally higher risk for health complications. Yet, few studies have identified factors associated with these prenatal health behaviors in this population. This study examined whether certain demographic (e.g., ethnicity) and psychosocial characteristics (i.e., coping, stress, pregnancy-specific stress, and depression) were associated with prenatal nutrition (i.e., high-fat food and fruit and vegetable intake), exercise, and stress management health behaviors in 100 low-income, pregnant women (39% African American, 30% foreign-born Latinas, 15% U.S.-born Latinas, 10% non-Hispanic white, and 6% Asian American/Pacific Islander) in southern California using an embedded, mixed-methods, cross-sectional design. Results demonstrated that ethnic minority women who experienced more stress and used more maladaptive coping strategies (e.g., avoidance) were particularly at risk of consuming more high-fat foods and engaging in less exercise and stress management during pregnancy. Qualitative responses revealed women's experiences with these prenatal health behaviors. These findings highlight the need for interventions and collaborative care models that target psychosocial factors in order to optimize prenatal health behaviors and health outcomes among ethnic minority women.

Use of Remote Structural Tap Testing Devices Deployed via Ground Vehicle for Health Monitoring of Transportation Infrastructure.

Transportation infrastructure is an integral part of the world's overall functionality; however, current transportation infrastructure has aged since it was first developed and implemented. Consequently, given its condition, preservation has become a main priority for transportation agencies. Billions of dollars annually are required to maintain the United States' transportation system; however, with limited budgets the prioritization of maintenance and repairs is key. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) methods can efficiently inform the prioritization of preservation efforts. This paper presents an acoustic monitoring SHM method, deemed tap testing, which is used to detect signs of deterioration in structural/mechanical surfaces through nondestructive means. This method is proposed as a tool to assist bridge inspectors, who already utilize a costly form of SHM methodology when conducting inspections in the field. Challenges arise when it comes to this method of testing, especially when SHM device deployment is done by hand, and when the results are based solely upon a given inspector's abilities. This type of monitoring solution is also, in general, only available to experts, and is associated with special cases that justify their cost. With the creation of a low-cost, cyber-physical system that interrogates and classifies the mechanical health of given surfaces, we lower the cost of SHM, decrease the challenges faced when conducting such tests, and enable communities with a revolutionary solution that is adaptable to their needs. The authors of this paper created and tested a low-cost, interrogating robot that informs users of structural/mechanical defects. This research describes the further development, validation of, and experimentation with, a tap testing device that utilizes remote technology.