University of Hartford

Enduring disinvestment can lead to different socioeconomic trajectories and the clustering of distressed, blighted urban areas. Do these differential trajectories explain present-day public safety? This study examines the long-term public safety impacts of the residential security maps, the once-legal 1930s racially discriminatory maps used to determine the real estate market’s “risk” of lower property values, limiting residential loans to racial-minority individuals. This research collects incident-level data from 48 police departments and compares areas near different color-grade boundaries around a small bandwidth in a spatial regression discontinuity design. Neighborhoods differed along sociodemographic dimensions before the introduction of redlining maps. There are significant increases in present-day violent, property, low-level, and weapon-related offenses in redlined areas, even after controlling for historical differences. There is some evidence that present-day law enforcement, as measured by arrests, police stops, and calls for service, was also affected. Redlining maps may have exacerbated neighborhood disadvantages, potentially preventing safer neighborhoods in the long run, although their impact may be smaller than previously suggested.

Abstract Research Summary Complementing the role of AI in facilitating search and identifying combinations of high value in inventive activity, we argue that AI fundamentally alters the innovation landscape by unlocking new combinations that were previously infeasible. This effect arises because AI acts as a powerful shared layer due to its predictive capabilities and its ability to transmit solutions across domains, thereby creating a bridge between previously unconnected elements. Utilizing a matched sample of patents, we show that inventions incorporating AI exhibit a greater degree of novel recombinations compared to those without AI, and that our proposed bridging mechanism is consistent with these novel recombinations. Our study contributes by identifying a new mechanism by which recombinations emerge in inventive activity while also highlighting the role of enabling technologies such as AI in facilitating such recombinations. Managerial Summary How does AI impact inventive activity? We examine the question by studying the patenting activity of US firms over the period 2005–2023. We argue that AI fundamentally alters the innovation landscape by unlocking new combinations that were previously infeasible. This effect arises because AI acts as a powerful shared layer due to its predictive capabilities and its ability to transmit shared solutions, thereby creating a bridge between previously unconnected technological elements. Our analysis demonstrates that inventions that build on AI involve novel recombinations to a greater degree compared to inventions that don’t, and that AI bridges and connects knowledge domains that were hitherto disparate. These findings indicate that AI is more than just an invention of a new method of invention, and that it fundamentally reshapes the nature of inventive activity.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant barrier to HIV prevention service utilization, yet little is known about its impact on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). This study examines the association between IPV victimization and PrEP adherence using data from an online survey of 937 current PrEP users in Ukraine, conducted in early 2022, a few days before Russia's invasion. Participants reported on six types of IPV experienced in the past six months, physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse as well as partners' monitoring and controlling behaviors. Further, they self-reported their PrEP adherence and were asked to describe the reasons for missing PrEP medications through an open-ended question. Nearly 40% of respondents experienced at least one form of IPV, with sexual and emotional IPV being most common. Only 35.4% reported excellent or very good adherence to PrEP medication. Self-reported reasons for missed doses included COVID-19 restrictions, changes in sexual behavior, use of alternative HIV prevention methods, and health or psychological factors. In multivariable models adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral factors, sexual IPV, monitoring, and controlling IPV were associated with higher PrEP adherence. The positive association may suggest that IPV survivors increase their PrEP adherence as a protective strategy against HIV infection. These findings highlight the importance of integrating trauma-informed IPV screening and support within PrEP programs and adopting flexible service models to sustain adherence, especially during social and political crises. Future longitudinal research should explore mechanisms linking IPV and PrEP adherence and develop structural interventions to better support this vulnerable population.

Abstract At Mars, the MAVEN spacecraft has made observations of Hot Flow Anomalies (HFAs) in the foreshock. Due to the bow shock's proximity to the planet, it is theorized that HFAs contribute to atmospheric escape at Mars through the excavation of ionospheric ions. A case study investigates one HFA observation, with parameters suggesting a novel mechanism for planetary ion extraction. The event is further characterized by elevated number densities of and ions observed prior to the current sheet crossing. Statistical study is conducted on a set of 91 events, facilitating the estimation of HFA frequency at Mars to be 1/day. The estimated ion escape of the event is approximately 9 of the typical ion escape rate under nominal conditions at Mars. Calculation of further events reveals escape rates between 1 and 9 of the nominal conditions. This represents a modest contribution to the overall escape, highlighting a potentially underexplored pathway.

Recent studies have indicated that sleep is fundamental for adolescents' physical and mental health. Although it is known that context influences sleep, the impact of school climate on sleep duration remains understudied. Using a large, diverse, population-based sample of adolescents attending California high schools (N = 277,954; data collection: 2018-2019) and applying two statistical methods suggested for quantitative research using an intersectionality approach (linear regressions with interaction terms and Exhaustive Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection [ECHAID]), this study examined associations between school climate and sleep duration among adolescents at the intersection of multiple social positions. Similar proportions of participants were assigned male and female at birth. The sample was racially and ethnically diverse (54.1% Latina/x/o). The large majority of participants were straight (85.4%) and cisgender (97.7%). On average, participants slept 6.75 h/night. Positive school climate was associated with longer and adequate sleep duration; however, this association varied across social positions, such that the effects of school climate on sleep duration were attenuated among adolescents who held some minoritized social positions. ECHAID results indicated that those reporting the lowest averages of sleep duration not only perceived school climate as negative but also held multiple minoritized identities. In contrast, those who perceive their school climate as positive are overrepresented among those who reported the highest averages of sleep duration. Findings underscore the impact that schools have on adolescents' sleep health. Our study indicates that adolescents with multiple minoritized social positions face additional challenges impacting their sleep. Future interventions should focus on strategies to improve school climates, given that they would benefit a large number of students.

Family treatment courts (FTCs) represent a significant advancement in addressing the dual challenges of parental substance use and child welfare system involvement. This study assessed the effectiveness of an FTC program in improving child welfare outcomes, with a focus on the likelihood and timeliness of family reunification, as well as the impact on foster care utilization. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, this study examined 186 program participants and a propensity score-matched group of 274 foster children who did not receive FTC services. Results demonstrated that FTC program participation markedly enhanced the probability of family reunification and timeliness of reunification, with program participants significantly more likely to reunify with their families in a shorter period than their non-participating counterparts. These findings highlight the FTC's effectiveness in facilitating reunification and supporting families with parental substance use.

Amphibians are among the most threatened vertebrate groups globally, with over 40% of species at risk of extinction. However, a gap remains in understanding how to effectively develop and implement amphibian conservation strategies at local and global scales to minimize extinction risk. This review synthesizes multidisciplinary evidence to frame amphibian conservation as a priority not only for species preservation but for safeguarding ecosystem functioning and human well-being. Drawing on ecological, physiological, biomedical, and technological literature, we highlight the foundational roles amphibians play in various biomes: regulating invertebrate populations, mediating nutrient and energy flows, modifying physical habitats, and supporting biodiversity through trophic interactions. Their dual aquatic-terrestrial life cycles and highly permeable skin make them highly sensitive to environmental change, positioning them as bioindicators for ecosystem health. We further explore emerging tools and concepts such as environmental metabolomics, remote sensing, and citizen science for monitoring population trends and environmental stressors. Additionally, we discuss conservation challenges in relation to land-use change, climate disruption, invasive species, emerging diseases, and institutional underinvestment. We argue for the recognition of amphibians as ecological allies and the increased integration of amphibian conservation into broader frameworks such as ecosystem service valuation, climate resilience planning, and public health policy improvement. Finally, we identify key research gaps and suggest future directions to remedy these oversights, including the incorporation of traditional knowledge, socio-cultural engagement, and technological innovations for sustainable amphibian conservation. Realizing this vision will require globally coordinated, locally grounded strategies that fuse scientific insight, inclusive governance, and long-term investment-ensuring that amphibian conservation advances ecosystem stability and benefits both nature and society.

IntroductionFood pantries are critical for addressing food insecurity, but dietary quality of food offered by pantries and selected by clients is often low. Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) is an evidence-based nutrition labelling strategy (eg, green=choose often; red=choose rarely) that has not been adopted widely due to implementation barriers. Behavioural economics (BE) strategies could help overcome these barriers.Methods and analysisThe Be Well Study is testing a multicomponent BE intervention to increase implementation of SWAP in a 12-month cluster randomised controlled trial, followed by 12-month extended follow-up, in 30 pantries affiliated with a large food bank in eastern Massachusetts. During study months 1–12, intervention pantries receive the BE-enhanced SWAP implementation strategy including: SWAP toolkits, SWAP invoice labelling, dietitian-led learning communities, implementation incentives and the opportunity to earn a seal of approval. Control pantries receive basic SWAP information and invoice labelling. During extended follow-up (months 13–24), control pantries receive the BE intervention. Outcomes are assessed at the pantry (n=30) and client (n=3750) levels using pantry audits, food bank ordering data, client surveys and client basket audits and include changes from baseline to 6 and 12 (primary) months in: SWAP implementation, percent green-labelled foods ordered by pantries and selected by clients, and client dietary quality. During extended follow-up, these outcomes are assessed at 18 and 24 months. Be Well is testing strategies to overcome implementation barriers for healthy eating interventions in the charitable food system. Findings will inform future interventions to support pantry clients’ selection and consumption of healthier food.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the institutional review board of Mass General Brigham (Protocols 2024P000832). Informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and summaries shared with national and local stakeholders in the charitable food system.Trial registration numberNCT06298253.

Background: Game-based learning (GBL) grounded in constructivist and experiential learning theories has emerged as a promising strategy to improve engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention in higher education, particularly within STEM disciplines. Methods: This mixed-methods study evaluated the impact of GBL on student engagement, self-efficacy, and knowledge retention in undergraduate biology and architecture courses—two fields where GBL remains underexplored. Results: Thirty-three students (age 19.6 ± 1.6 years) participated, with near-equal representation from biology (51.4%) and architecture (48.6%) majors. Following GBL implementation, students reported significantly higher levels of engagement, participation, and perceived retention (p < 0.0001; effect size V ≥ 0.43). Biology students demonstrated greater gains in engagement and retention, while architecture students showed stronger improvements in participation and self-confidence. Qualitative feedback highlighted GBL’s interactivity and enjoyability, though some students noted distractions and accountability as challenges. Conclusions: Despite limitations such as small sample size and reliance on self-reported outcomes, the findings suggest that GBL is an effective, student-centered instructional tool with distinct benefits across disciplines. Broader, longitudinal studies using objective assessments are recommended to further validate its impact and inform scalable applications in STEM education.