Prairie View A&M University

Hurricanes have significant consequences for ecosystems, potentially disrupting the carbon cycle at both local and regional scales and releasing carbon back into the atmosphere through storm-associated impacts on vegetation and agricultural areas. The present work analyzes the interactions amongst terrestrial carbon fluxes, rainfall, and land cover for three significant hurricanes: Harvey (Texas), Irma (Florida), and Maria (Puerto Rico). This study utilized net ecosystem exchange (NEE) data derived from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) NASA satellite mission, which provides global estimates of soil moisture and carbon flux, and analyzed these data for coastal climate zones during the hurricane season. The results were validated using eddy covariance tower-based in-situ CO 2 flux observations during hurricane landfall. Results showed that southern Texas (Harvey) experienced the highest amount of carbon release (0.33 megatons), followed by Florida (Irma) (0.03 megatons) and Puerto Rico (Maria) (0.02 megatons). The land cover products, such as the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) and the Copernicus Global Land Service (CGLS), showed overall reductions in land cover in Florida (-1.02%), Texas (-0.97%), and Puerto Rico (-0.46%). Furthermore, vegetation cover changes were estimated using MODIS-derived enhanced vegetation index (EVI), showing major changes over Puerto Rico (-3.81%) and southeast Texas (-2.94%), while normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed more moderate reductions over Puerto Rico (-3.06%), southeast Texas (-1.12%), and Florida (-0.16%). These reductions indicate short-term vegetation stress and decreased photosynthetic activity, which may temporarily reduce carbon uptake, leading affected regions to transition from carbon sinks to temporary carbon sources. These findings highlight hurricanes as significant drivers of short-term carbon emissions and vegetation change. This study enhances understanding of hurricane-associated disturbances in the carbon cycle by examining spatial and temporal variations in carbon fluxes during extreme weather events. • The impacts of hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria (2017) on terrestrial carbon fluxes were assessed. • Carbon release during and after landfall was measured using SMAP-derived NEE and eddy covariance CO 2 flux data. • Hurricane Harvey resulted in the largest carbon emission (0.33 megatons), followed by Irma (0.03 megatons) and Maria (0.02 megatons). • Vegetation loss, derived from MODIS NDVI and land cover change products, was greatest in Texas (6,199.3 km 2 ), then Florida (492.92 km 2 ), and Puerto Rico (14.53 km 2 ). • Vegetation declines led to reduced photosynthetic activity, temporarily turning affected areas from carbon sinks into carbon sources. • Findings highlight hurricanes as significant short-term drivers of carbon emissions and ecosystem disturbance across coastal regions.

This paper is a proposal for reimagining a rural healthcare ecosystem as an integral part of a connected network of regional and national healthcare ecosystems. An analogy for such a system is the telecommunications ecosystem, which in addition to being a network of networks, also incorporates evolutions along with evolving protocols and regulations, but keeping the customer at the center. In the United States, over 60 million Americans rely on local healthcare facilities. There are several challenges facing the rural healthcare systems disrupting continuity, increased costs and additional toll on physical and emotional wellbeing. Emphasis is made on the modern technologies, especially AI (Artificial Intelligence) and IoMT (Internet of Medical Things). Several medical innovations are discussed along with an international perspective. Specific issues with broadband connectivity, AI implementations and the associate security risks, and suggestions towards mitigating those risks are also discussed. We close with a potential approach towards establishing a viable healthcare ecosystem.

Despite the CROWN Act of 2022, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair, current hair bias research and frameworks have not fully accounted for how hair microaggressions connect to Black women's experiences at work. Grounded in social identity theory and conservation of resources theory, we introduce the hair and its ramifications model, a comprehensive model on the consequences of hair-related microaggressions with a distinct focus on Black women's hair. We emphasize Black women because they are the targets of hair bias for reasons that include both their racio-ethnic status and their gender status (intersectionality), which results in their unique experience of identity threats and subsequent adverse outcomes. The hair and its ramifications model offers boundary conditions that either increase the possibility that identity threat will occur after a hair microaggression or reduce the negative impact of an identity threat on perceived inclusion. We also discuss implications related to Black women's experience when the environment devalues their natural hair and encourages them to modify their hair to meet Eurocentric standards of beauty, particularly if they want to advance within organizations. Theoretical and future research implications of the hair and its ramifications model are also offered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Abstract Neural tube defects and orofacial clefts are serious congenital anomalies that can substantially affect a child's survival and long-term well-being. Folate deficiency is a well-established cause of neural tube defects and may also contribute to the risk of orofacial clefts. This narrative review summarises Ghana-relevant evidence on folate deficiency and related birth defects, with attention to prevalence patterns, plausible determinants, and policy and programme responses. Evidence was drawn from peer-reviewed literature and key national and partner reports identified through targeted searches of major biomedical databases and Google Scholar, supplemented by publicly available materials from institutions such as the Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, and UNICEF Ghana. National data on folate status are limited. In the only national survey reporting folate biomarkers, 53.8% (47.6–60.0) of non-pregnant women were folate deficient, defined as plasma folate <10 nmol/L. National epidemiological data on neural tube defects and orofacial clefts remain limited and are largely derived from facility-based studies, constraining inference on population-level trends. Current responses include iron–folic acid supplementation for adolescent girls and pregnant women and wheat flour fortification policies, though implementation and compliance challenges persist. Overall, folate deficiency remains an important public health concern in Ghana, supporting the need to strengthen programme coverage and quality, improve monitoring, and advance surveillance for folate status and major folate-related birth defects.

This study investigated the potential of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal to replace soybean meal in broiler diets by evaluating growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood biochemical responses. A total of 160 ten-day old Ross 708 chicks (216.74 ± 0.74, g) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments containing 0%, 20%, 40%, or 60% BSFL meal replacing soybean meal on a 100% equivalent basis, respectively, and evaluated during the starter (10-21 days), grower (21-42 days), and overall (10-42 days) phases. Carcass characteristics, meat color, and blood biochemistry were assessed on day 42. Data was analyzed using polynomial (linear and quadratic) contrasts. Increasing dietary BSFL levels resulted in significant reductions in body weight, average daily gain, and feed intake, while the feed conversion ratio increased linearly. Carcass yield decreased to higher inclusion levels, accompanied by a marked increase in gizzard weight. Meat color (L*, a*, b*) remained largely unchanged across treatments. Blood biochemical analysis revealed linear and quadratic shifts in key metabolites, enzymes, and electrolytes, including reductions in aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, and creatine phosphokinase, as well as altered calcium and phosphorus concentrations. Overall, BSFL meal inclusion as 20% replacement improved growth performance and stimulated beneficial lipid and protein metabolism adaptations in broilers.

Abstract We conducted an intercept survey with beef cattle farmers using paper and electronic modes to examine administration mode effects. Three outcomes were measured: (1) preferences for H-2A reforms using a discrete choice experiment, (2) responses to closed-ended questions regarding labor, and (3) survey process measures such as completion time and respondent experiences. Results show that closed-ended responses and utility scales were comparable across modes, while mean preference estimates differed. Respondents in the paper mode spent more time, paid closer attention, and reported higher satisfaction. We recommend the paper mode for complex instruments that require greater participant engagement.

BackgroundAdolescent suicide is a leading cause of death globally and remains a major public health concern in the United States. Chronic stress perspectives suggest that suicidal behaviors emerge from cumulative and interacting stress exposures that become biologically and psychologically embedded across development. This study applies an integrated chronic stress framework to examine how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), victimization, and protective relational resources jointly shape suicide-related behaviors among U.S. high school students.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2023 combined National Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System dataset (N = 254,675). National-level proportional outcomes included serious suicidal ideation, suicide planning, suicide attempts, and medically treated suicide attempts. Standardized composite indices were constructed for ACEs, victimization, and protective resources (school connectedness and parental monitoring). Fractional logistic regression models estimated average marginal effects (AMEs), adjusting for persistent sadness/hopelessness, poor mental health, sleep duration, unstable housing, and demographic characteristics. Interaction terms tested cumulative and conditional stress processes.ResultsHigher ACE and victimization indices were independently associated with greater prevalence of all suicide-related outcomes. A one-unit increase in the ACE index was associated with increased ideation (AME = 0.0534, 95%CI [0.0411, 0.0656]) and attempts (AME = 0.0240, 95%CI [0.0148, 0.0332]). Victimization demonstrated comparable or stronger associations, particularly for planning (AME = 0.0723, 95% CI [0.0605, 0.0841]) and attempts (AME = 0.0571, 95%CI [0.0472, 0.0670]). Protective resources were inversely associated with planning (AME = −0.0130, 95%CI [−0.0192, −0.0067]) and attempts (AME = −0.0110, 95%CI [−0.0159, −0.0060]). Interaction analyses revealed diminishing marginal effects at higher combined levels of ACEs and victimization (eg, ACE × victimization for ideation AME = −0.0395, 95% CI [−0.0567, −0.0223]), indicating nonlinear accumulation of stress burden. A significant three-way interaction for ideation (AME = 0.0193, 95%CI [0.0045, 0.0342]) suggested conditional buffering by protective resources. Persistent sadness/hopelessness remained the strongest correlate across outcomes.ConclusionsAdolescent suicidality reflects cumulative and interacting stress processes rather than isolated risk factors. Early adversity establishes foundational stress load, ongoing victimization compounds risk, and protective relational assets provide partial—but not complete—buffering. These findings support multilevel prevention strategies that reduce chronic stress exposure while strengthening relational protection across developmental contexts.