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Predictors of caregiver satisfaction with the State of Rhode Island Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
Full text linkBackground and Objectives: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been linked to positive health outcomes. However, caregiver perspectives on WIC in Rhode Island remain unexplored. This study examines factors influencing caregiver satisfaction with WIC. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 163 caregivers receiving WIC services (online or in-person) in Rhode Island was conducted using a selfadministered questionnaire. Data included sociodemographics, WIC experiences, service awareness, 20 and satisfaction ratings (customer service, appointment duration, overall satisfaction) on a 3- item Likert scale. Ordered logistic regression identified predictors of satisfaction. Results: The mean caregiver age was 30 years; 52.8% had a high school education, half were non-Hispanic, and 52.8% were unemployed. Eight percent reported difficulties, primarily difficulty finding WIC foods, and 14.7% suggested improving product identification in stores. Caregivers with less than a high school education (OR= 0.14, 95% CI= 0.02, 0.79) or some college (OR= 0.16, 95% CI= 0.03, 0.92) had lower satisfaction than college graduates. Spanish-speaking caregivers were 97% less likely to be satisfied than English-speaking caregivers (OR= 0.03, 95% CI= 0.01, 0.09). Current WIC participants were 13.5 times more likely to be satisfied than those who dropped out (OR= 13.57, 95% CI= 1.74, 25.80). Receiving WIC referrals increased satisfaction 4.6 times (OR= 4.63, 95% CI= 1.28, 16.71). Conclusion: Education, language preference, enrollment status, and referrals influence caregiver satisfaction. These factors should guide interventions to improve WIC participation and retention.
Contributors: Ophelia X. Mensah, Fred B. Addo, Emilie Signore, Kathryn Roy, Ann Barone, Nick N. Hamdi, Sarah Amin, Isaac Agbemafl
An Exhibition and Protest of Executions in Iran
Full text linkAn exhibition and protest of executions in Iran was held in Washington, D.C. in June 2025. Portraits of 2000 men and women who were killed or executed in Iran since the 1980s were displayed on the National Mall in front of the Capitol. The Iranian Resistance estimates that 30,000 activists were massacred in one period in 1988. Executions of prisoners have continued steadily, making Iran the world’s leading executioner of men and women. In recent years, there has been a sharp escalation in the number of executions of prisoners. A United Nations Special Rapporteur reported that over 800 persons were executed in 2024. The Iranian regime uses public executions to terrorize the Iranian population and maintain control. The exhibition and protest represented activists from the 1988 massacre and the protests of 2019 and 2022 (the Woman, Life, Freedom movement). The Iranian American Community that sponsored the exhibition supports the pro-democracy, human rights agenda of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
Classroom contexts: Teachers talk teaching media literacy
Full text linkIn this study, we examine the lived experiences of educators who engage with youth through media literacy education. While prior research has examined the efficacy of media literacy education interventions, little attention has been paid to the contexts in which these are conducted. Our analysis of 20 semistructured interviews reveals how the structural context illuminates several “divides,” shaping how media literacy is taught and experienced. Three major themes emerged from the data: (1) teachers and high school students inhabit distinct media worlds, shaping their media understanding differently; (2) the socio-economic status of the school determines whether media literacy is taught functionally or analytically; (3) media choices and political context significantly influence media literacy education. Our analysis reveals that these divides lead to different understandings of media and media literacy between students and teachers, undermining the efficacy of media literacy efforts. Thus, we highlight the need for bottom-up approaches to address educational resource limitations to ensure more cohesive media literacy education outcomes
Furthering the Capabilities of Diffusive-Gradient Passive Samplers for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
Full text linkPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemical pollutants of growing concern for many stakeholders. Due to their ubiquity, persistence in the environment, and potential for toxicity at low environmental concentrations, it is necessary to have convenient and reliable methods to measure PFAS in natural waters. Passive sampling methods (in situ preconcentration of PFAS) may be suitable for monitoring situations. One passive sampling design successfully employed for other, well studied contaminants (e.g., methylmercury) is the diffusive gradient in thin film sampler (DGT). However, the application of DGT for PFAS requires development and validation. Here, we iterate on previous PFAS-DGT studies by introducing a redesigned diffusive gradient sampler for PFAS in water and show that it reliably measures 25 PFAS in water, consistent with diffusion theory. Diffusion and whole-sampler uptake rates consistently agreed with model predictions within ±50% relative difference, including when tested at cold temperature (5 °C). In field and laboratory deployments, DGT samplers measured PFAS concentrations within ±23% of grab sample results on average in each case─better performance than codeployed microporous polyethylene tube passive samplers. Based on the evidence in this study, the DGT passive sampler is a promising tool for consistently and accurately passively sampling PFAS in natural waters
Resonant Disruptions: Understanding Canadian Nurses’ Practice with Youth Survivors of Sexual Exploitation
Full text linkThe sexual exploitation of youth is a global concern. Youth survivors of sexual exploitation present to and require healthcare services, but most nurses do not feel effectively equipped to care for this population. There is currently little nursing literature to guide nurses in their practice with youth survivors. In this article, we report on a qualitative, hermeneutic study undertaken to explore nursing practice with youth survivors of sexual exploitation. Hermeneutics is concerned with understanding, and is a helpful way to conduct research when little is known about a topic. In this study, we asked the research question, “How might we understand nurses’ experiences of working with youth survivors of sexual exploitation?” The findings of this study are captured in three interpretations: (a) Stigma, Refuge, and Beautiful Words; (b) How to Convey Mattering to Youth Survivors of Sexual Exploitation; and (c) What Nurses Hold On to for Themselves and Their Patients. The findings point to a clear need for developing mandatory education and raising and building public awareness
Ordering According to Size of Disks in a Narrow Channel
Full text linkA long and narrow channel confines disks of two sizes. The disks are randomly agitated in a widened channel under moderate pressure, then jammed according to a tunable protocol. We present exact results that characterize jammed macrostates (volume, entropy, jamming patterns). The analysis divides jammed disk sequences into overlapping tiles out of which statistically interacting quasiparticles are constructed. The fractions of small and large disks are controlled by a chemical potential adapted to configurational statistics of granular matter. The results show regimes for the energy parameters (determined by the jamming protocol) that either enhance or suppress the mixing of disk sizes. Size segregation or size alternation driven by steric forces alone are manifestations of a broken symmetry
Machine learning-driven optical microfiltration device for improved nanoplastic sampling and detection in water systems
No full textThe rising presence of nanoplastics in water poses toxicity risks and long-term ecological and health impacts. Detecting nanoplastics remains challenging due to their small size, complex chemistry, and environmental interference. Traditional filtration combined with Raman spectroscopy is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often lacks accuracy and sensitivity. This study presents an agarose-based microfiltration device integrated with machine learning–assisted Raman analysis for nanoplastic capture and identification. The 1 % agarose microfluidic channel features circular micropost arrays enabling dual filtration: nanoplastics diffuse into the porous matrix, while larger particles (\u3e1000 nm) are blocked by the microposts. Unlike conventional systems, this design achieves both physical separation and preconcentration, enhancing nanoplastic detectability. Upon dehydration, the agarose forms a transparent film, significantly improving Raman compatibility by minimizing background interference. This transformation enables direct Raman analysis of retained nanoparticles with enhanced signal clarity and sensitivity. Using 100-nm polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) as a model, we evaluated device performance in distilled water and seawater across concentrations (6.25–50 µg/mL) and flow rates (2.5–100 µL/min). Maximum capture efficiencies of 80 % (seawater) and 66 % (distilled water) were achieved at 2.5 µL/min. A convolutional neural network (CNN) further enhanced spectral analysis, reducing mapping time by 50 % and enabling PSNP detection in seawater at 6.25 µg/mL. This agarose-based system offers a scalable, cost-effective platform for nanoplastic sampling, demonstrating the potential of combining microfluidics with machine learning–assisted Raman spectroscopy to address critical environmental and public health challenges