Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Sleep Quality In Southern Italian Adults, Justyna Godos, Raffaele Ferri, Filippo Caraci, Filomena I. I. Cosentino, Sabrina Castellano, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Fabio Galvano, Giuseppe Grosso

Faculty Publications

Background: Current evidence supports the central role of a subclinical, low-grade inflammation in a number of chronic illnesses and mental disorders; however, studies on sleep quality are scarce. The aim of this study was to test the association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and sleep quality in a cohort of Italian adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data of the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Aging, and Lifestyle (MEAL) study was conducted on 1936 individuals recruited in the urban area of Catania during 2014-2015 through random sampling. A food frequency questionnaire and other validated instruments were used to calculate …

Stray Radiation Dose From X-Ray And Proton Beam Radiation Therapies, Christopher William Schneider

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The growing population of cancer survivors at risk of radiation induced side-effects is a public health concern. These side-effects include serious conditions such as second cancers, the majority of which occur outside of the primary treatment volume. Radiotherapy treatment planning systems systematically underestimate the dose to tissues out-of-field. Attempts to predict and reduce the risks of radiogenic side effects require accurate and personalized knowledge of the out-of-field radiation dose to patients. The long-term goal of this research is to provide clinical and research tools necessary to reduce the risk of radiotherapy side effects and improve the health outcomes of radiotherapy …

Integration Of Random Forest Classifiers And Deep Convolutional Neural Networks For Classification And Biomolecular Modeling Of Cancer Driver Mutations, Steve Agajanian, Odeyemi Oluyemi, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Development of machine learning solutions for prediction of functional and clinical significance of cancer driver genes and mutations are paramount in modern biomedical research and have gained a significant momentum in a recent decade. In this work, we integrate different machine learning approaches, including tree based methods, random forest and gradient boosted tree (GBT) classifiers along with deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) for prediction of cancer driver mutations in the genomic datasets. The feasibility of CNN in using raw nucleotide sequences for classification of cancer driver mutations was initially explored by employing label encoding, one hot encoding, and embedding to …

Extreme Site Fidelity As An Optimal Strategy In An Unpredictable And Homogeneous Environment, Brian D. Gerber, Mevin B. Hooten, Christopher P. Peck, Mindy B. Rice, James H. Gammonley, Anthony D. Apa, Amy J. Davis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Animal site fidelity structures space use, population demography and ultimately gene flow. Understanding the adaptive selection for site fidelity patterns provides a mechanistic understanding to both spatial and population processes. This can be achieved by linking space use with environmental variability (spatial and temporal) and demographic parameters. However, rarely is the environmental context that drives the selection for site fidelity behaviour fully considered.

2. We use ecological theory to understand whether the spatial and temporal variability in breeding site quality can explain the site fidelity behaviour and demographic patterns of Gunnison sage‐grouse (Centrocercus minimus). We examined female site fidelity …

Using Big Data Analytics To Improve Hiv Medical Care Utilisation In South Carolina: A Study Protocol, Bankole Olatosi, Jiajia Zhang, Sharon Weissman, Jianjun Hu, Mohammad Rifat Haider, Xiaoming Li

Faculty Publications

Introduction Linkage and retention in HIV medical care remains problematic in the USA. Extensive health utilisation data collection through electronic health records (EHR) and claims data represent new opportunities for scientific discovery. Big data science (BDS) is a powerful tool for investigating HIV care utilisation patterns. The South Carolina (SC) office of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs (RFA) data warehouse captures individual-level longitudinal health utilisation data for persons living with HIV (PLWH). The data warehouse includes EHR, claims and data from private institutions, housing, prisons, mental health, Medicare, Medicaid, State Health Plan and the department of health and human services. The …

Epidemiologic Evaluation Of Nhanes For Environmental Factors And Periodontal Disease, P. Emecen-Huja, H. -F. Li, J. L. Ebersole, J. Lambert, Heather M. Bush

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation that destroys periodontal tissues caused by the accumulation of bacterial biofilms that can be affected by environmental factors. This report describes an association study to evaluate the relationship of environmental factors to the expression of periodontitis using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) from 1999–2004. A wide range of environmental variables (156) were assessed in patients categorized for periodontitis (n = 8884). Multiple statistical approaches were used to explore this dataset and identify environmental variable patterns that enhanced or lowered the prevalence of periodontitis. Our findings indicate an array of environmental variables were …

An Interdisciplinary Weight Loss Program Improves Body Composition And Metabolic Profile In Adolescents With Obesity: Associations With The Dietary Inflammatory Index, Yasmin Alaby Martins Ferreira, Ana Claudia Pelissari Kravchychyn, Sofia De Castro Ferreira Vicente, Raquel Munhoz Da Silveira Campos, Lian Tock, Lila Missae Oyama, Valter Tadeu Boldarine, Deborah Cristina Landi Masquio, David Thivel, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Ana R. Dâmaso

Faculty Publications

Background and Aims: The prevalence of overweight and obesity consitutes a global epidemic and it is growing around the world. Food and nutrition are essential requirements for promoting health and protecting against non-communicable chronic diseases, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease. Specific dietary components may modulate inflammation and oxidative stress in obese individuals. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) was developed to characterize the anti- and pro-inflammatory effects of individuals' diet. Few studies have investigated the role of diet-associated inflammation in adolescents with obesity. The present study aims to investigate the effects of an interdisciplinary weight loss therapy on DII scores …

Manufacturing Process Implications On Aerosolized Submicron To Nano-Sized Particles From Respiratory Drug Delivery Devices, Mohammed Ali

Faculty Posters

No abstract provided.

Involuntary Hospitalization Among Young People With Early Psychosis: A Population-Based Study Using Health Administrative Data., Rebecca Rodrigues, Arlene G Macdougall, Guangyong Zou, Michael Lebenbaum, Paul Kurdyak, Lihua Li, Salimah Z Shariff, Kelly K Anderson

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

OBJECTIVE: Early psychosis is an important window for establishing long-term trajectories. Involuntary hospitalization during this period may impact subsequent service engagement in people with newly diagnosed psychotic disorder. However, population-based studies of involuntary hospitalization in early psychosis are lacking. We sought to estimate the proportion of people aged 16 to 35 years with early psychosis in Ontario who are hospitalized involuntarily at first admission, and to identify the associated risk factors and outcomes.

METHODS: Using linked population-based health administrative data, we identified incident cases of non-affective psychosis over a five-year period (2009-2013) and followed cases for two years to ascertain …

Tumor Heterogeneity As A Predictor Of Response To Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy In Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer, Alissa Greenbaum, David R. Martin, Therese J. Bocklage, Ji-Hyun Lee, Scott A. Ness, Ashwani Rajput

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) is the standard of care for locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the rectum, but it is currently unknown which patients have disease that will respond. This study tested the correlation between response to nCRT and intratumoral heterogeneity using next-generation sequencing assays.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy samples from a cohort of patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma (T3/4 or N1/2 disease) who received nCRT. High read-depth sequencing of > 400 cancer-relevant genes was performed. Tumor mutations and variant allele frequencies were used to calculate mutant-allele tumor heterogeneity (MATH) scores as measures of intratumoral …

Development And Usability Assessment Of A Connected Resistance Exercise Band Application For Strength-Monitoring, John A. Batsis, George G. Boateng, Lillian M. Seo, Curtis L. Petersen, Karen L. Fortuna, Emily V. Wechsler, Ronald J. Peterson, Summer B. Cook, Dawna Pidgeon, Rachel S. Dokko, Ryan J. Halter, David F. Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

Resistance exercise bands are a core component of any physical activity strengthening program. Strength training can mitigate the development of sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass or strength and function with aging. Yet, the adherence of such behavioral exercise strategies in a home-based setting are fraught with issues of monitoring and compliance. Our group developed a Bluetooth-enabled resistance exercise band capable of transmitting data to an open-source platform. In this work, we developed an application to capture this information in real-time, and conducted three usability studies in two mixed-aged groups of participants (n=6 each) and a group of older adults …

Deep Ecg Estimation Using A Bed-Attached Geophone, Jae Yeon Park, Hyeon Cho, Wonjun Hwang, Rajesh Krishna Balan, Jeong Gil Ko

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals offer rich information for analyzing and understanding the cardiac activity of a person. The continuous monitoring of ECG can help diagnose cardiac disorders, such as arrhythmia, effectively. While many wearable healthcare platforms offer continuous ECG monitoring, these devices are cumbersome in the fact that they need to be continuously attached to the human body, which causes uncomfortableness, and limits their usage when monitoring a person's ECG throughout the night as they sleep. In this work, we propose a fully non-intrusive sensing system for monitoring the ECG of a person while in bed. Specifically, we present Heartquake, a …

Crystal Structure Of Zymonic Acid And A Redetermination Of Its Precursor, Pyruvic Acid, Dominik Heger, Alexis J. Eugene, Sean R. Parkin, Marcelo I. Guzman

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The structure of zymonic acid (systematic name: 4-hy­droxy-2-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-di­hydro­furan-2-carb­oxy­lic acid), C₆H₆O₅, which had previously eluded crystallographic determination, is presented here for the first time. It forms by intra­molecular condensation of parapyruvic acid, which is the product of aldol condensation of pyruvic acid. A redetermination of the crystal structure of pyruvic acid (systematic name: 2-oxo­propanoic acid), C₃H₄O₃, at low temperature (90 K) and with increased precision, is also presented [for the previous structure, see: Harata et al. (1977). Acta Cryst. B33, 210–212]. In zymonic acid, the hy­droxy­lactone ring …

E-Cigarette Chemistry And Analytical Detection, Robert M. Strongin

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The study of e-cigarette aerosol properties can inform public health while longer-term epidemiological investigations are ongoing. The determination of aerosol levels of known toxins, as well as of molecules with unknown inhalation toxicity profiles, affords specific information for estimating the risks of e-cigarettes and for uncovering areas that should be prioritized for further investigation.

Determining Remote Sensing Spatial Resolution Requirements For The Monitoring Of Harmful Algal Blooms In The Great Lakes, John Lekki, Eric Deutsch, Michael Sayers, Karl Bosse, Robert Anderson, Roger Tokars, Reid W. Sawtell

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become a major health and environmental concern in the Great Lakes. In 2014, severe HABs prompted the State of Ohio to request NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to assist with monitoring algal blooms in Lake Erie. The most notable species of HAB is Microcystis aeruginosa, a hepatotoxin producing cyanobacteria that is responsible for liver complications for humans and other fauna that come in contact with these blooms. NASA GRC conducts semiweekly flights in order to gather up-to-date imagery regarding the blooms' spatial extents and concentrations. Airborne hyperspectral imagery is collected using two hyperspectral imagers, HSI-2 …

Risk Assesment Of Air Pollution Exposure (No2, So2, Total Suspended Particulate, And Particulate Matter 10 Micron) And Smoking Habits On The Lung Function Of Bus Drivers In Palembang City, Elvi Sunarsih, Suheryanto Suheryanto, Rini Mutahar, Rahmi Garmini

Kesmas

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), Particulate Matter (PM10) and TSP are the most common and harmful air pollutants to humans. In short period, air pollution exposure at 5 ppm for 10 minutes to humans causes dyspnea, and when the level is increase to 800 ppm could cause 100% mortality in animals. This study was an analytical research, with cross sectional design and risk analysis. One hundred subjects were analyzed in this study. The results showed that non-cancer Hazard Index (HI) for realtime exposure with mean value was NO2: 1.85; SO2: 2.92; TSP: 7.09; and PM10: 11.7 …

Obesity As Type 2 Diabetes Common Comorbidity: Study Of Type 2 Diabetes Patients’ Eating Behaviour And Other Determinants In Jakarta, Indonesia, Isna Aulia Fajarini, Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika

Kesmas

Obesity is one of the comorbidities widely occurred among type 2 diabetes patients. It is one of the most modifiable risk factors for the prevention of other comorbid conditions such as diabetic nephropathy and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to recognize eating behaviour, physical activity, and other related factors, also their correlation with obesity as comorbidity among type 2 diabetes patients. Using cross-sectional design, data were collected from purposively selected 133 members of “PROLANIS” in Jatinegara Primary Health Care, East Jakarta. Food intake was assessed by 1x24 hours food recall and FFQ, physical activity by GPAQ. The …

Post Hypertension And Stroke: A Case Control Study, Aulia Imanda, Santi Martini, Kurnia Dwi Artanti

Kesmas

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the incidence of stroke including smoking status, past hypertension , past diabetes, diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption. The design of this study is case control with a ratio of 1: 1. The total number of respondents is 132 people. Research subjects were selected using systematic random sampling. This research was conducted at Ngudi Waluyo Hospital in Wlingi. Blitar, Indonesia in October till November 2017. Bivariate analysis showed that factors significantly related to stroke were smoking status (p=0.011, OR=2.6), history of past hypertension (p=0.00, OR= 6), past diabetes (p=0.015 …

Type 2 Diabetes Patients’ Need For Physical Activity Programming: A Qualitative Study At A Yogyakarta Hospital Clini, Novita Intan Arovah, Bernadeta Wara Kushartanti, Tracy L. Washington, Kristiann C. Heesch

Kesmas

Physical activity programs offered in Indonesian hospitals are often inadequate to help type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients meet international physical activity recommendations. This study aimed to identify T2D patients’ physical activity enablers and barriers, their preferences for, and experiences with, physical activity programming, with a view to developing future programs that are suited to these patients’ needs and preferences. Four focus groups were conducted with 28 patients (50% female) of the T2D clinic at the Local General Hospital of Yogyakarta. Discussions were thematically analysed in NVivo 10. The most reported types of physical activity were walking and participation in the …

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever And House Conditions In Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Wanti Wanti, Ririh Yudhastuti, Hari Basuki Notobroto, Sri Subekti, Oktofianus Sila, Ragu Harming Kristina, Feby Dwirahmadi

Kesmas

Kupang City has the highest Incidence of DHF in East Nusa Tenggara and also higher than the national figure. This study aims to analyze the relationship between housing conditions and the DHF incidence in the Kupang City. This observational study uses a case-control study in 25 villages with a total sample of 500 people. Data is analyzed using t test and chi square test. The house conditions were significantly related to the DHF incidence (p≤0.05), namely house lighting, water usage, wall construction, ventilation area and ownership of clean water facilities. People are advised to ventilate the house ≥10% of the …

Risk Factor Analysis Of Overnutrition Among Elementary School Children In Pekanbaru: An Urban-Rural Perspective, Arfianti Arfianti

Kesmas

The prevalence of childhood overnutrition is increasing in many parts of the world including Indonesia. National basic health research (RISKESDAS) 2010 showed that over-nutrition in urban children (10.4%) was greater than in rural areas (8.1%). The purpose of this study was to analyse risk factors for overnutrition on elementary students in urban and rural areas in Pekanbaru. This was an observasional analytical study with cross-sectional design. This study involved 137 urban and 113 rural students from six elementary schools in Pekanbaru recruited by quota sampling technique. This study was conducted between April-May 2018. The results showed that the proportions of …

Occurrence Of Natural Vertical Transmission Of “Zika Like Virus” In Aedes Aegypti Mosquito In Jambi City, Tri Baskoro Satoto, Nur Alvira Pasca Wati, Wida Purwaningsih, Hari Kusnanto Josef, Purwono Purwono, Rumbiwati Rumbiwati, Hermanto Hermanto, Roger Frutos

Kesmas

Zika virus can be transmitted through mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. During the transition period of 2014–2015, an outbreak of dengue was reported in Jambi City, during which several sufferers were screened positive for Zika virus infection by the Eijkman Institute. It was interesting to note that all of those positive for Zika virus infection were indigenous residents and none of them had a history of international travel. This descriptive analytic study with a cross-sectional design study was conducted to present an overview of Aedes spp. population using ovitrap and egg colonization methods and to detect the …

Factors Related To Adolescent Behavior Towards Hiv/Aids Prevention, Yuliasti Eka Purnamaningrum, Ratyas Ekartika Puspita Candra Nugrahawati, Munica Rita Hernayanti, Anne Vajee

Kesmas

In 2016 Special Region of Yogyakarta was ranked 9th as the province with the highest number of people suffered from HIV/AIDS especially at Sleman regency. Globally, AIDS was the second leading cause of adolescents’s death aged of 10-19 years. The purpose of this study was to find out factors affecting the behaviour of the adolescents towards HIV/AIDS prevention. This research using with cross sectional study design. The sampling technique which used was stratified random sampling resulted in 59 respondents from 11th grade students at SMA Negeri 2 Sleman were selected as sample. Data were collected using questionnaire and analyzed using …

Adiposity Mediates The Association Between The Dietary Inflammatory Index And Markers Of Type 2 Diabetes Risk In Middle-Aged Black South African Women, Asanda Mtintsilana, Lisa K. Micklesfield, Elin Chorell, Tommy Olsson, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hebert, Andre P. Kengne, Julia H. Goedecke

Faculty Publications

The dietary inflammatory index (DII^®), a validated tool used to measure the inflammatory potential of the diet, has been associated with metabolic disorders in various settings, but not in African populations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the DII is associated with markers of type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, and if this association is mediated by adiposity and/or low-grade inflammation, in black South Africa women. Energy-adjusted-DII (E-DII) scores were calculated in 190 women (median age, 53 years) from the Birth-to-Twenty plus cohort using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c, and inflammatory cytokines …

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Odds Of Colorectal Cancer And Colorectal Adenomatous Polyps In A Case-Control Study From Iran, Pegah Rafiee, Nitin Shivappa, James R. Hébert, Saeede Jaafari Nasab, Alireza Bahrami, Azita Hekmatdoost, Bahram Rashidkhani, Amir Sadeghi, Mohammad Houshyari, Ehsan Hejazi

Faculty Publications

Background: Chronic inflammation is implicated in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursor; colorectal adenomatous polyps (CAP). Some dietary factors are important triggers for systemic inflammation. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII^®) and the risk of CRC and CAP in an Iranian case-control study. Methods: 134 newly diagnosed CRC patients, 130 newly diagnosed CAP patients, and 240 hospitalized controls were recruited using convenience sampling. Energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) scores were computed based on dietary intake assessed using a reproducible and valid 148-item food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models …

Determination Of Scatter Fractions, Albedos, And Tenth Value Layers For Shielding Of Synchrotron Beamline Hutches, Bethany Lynn Broekhoven

LSU Master's Theses

Synchrotron facilities require substantial amounts of shielding to protect facility staff and researchers. To meet mandatory exposure limits, the traditional combination of time, distance, and shielding of the radiation source are utilized. Because of continuous 24-7 operation of most synchrotrons, time is the least useful tool. The experimental stations for synchrotron x-ray beamlines, called hutches, enforce a minimum distance from the source, but shielding provided by hutch walls is still the principal tool for a synchrotron facility. Currently there is no single resource for synchrotron beamline hutch shielding design in the literature; most hutch shielding is designed through either over-simplified …

Determination Of Anxiolytic And Antidepressant Medicines In New York City Wastewater Samples, Jasmine J. Gayle

Student Theses

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides information about a population’s exposure to certain chemical agents, such as drugs of abuse and medicines, by the analysis of human biomarkers, also known as excretion products, in wastewater samples. Although this is a growing field worldwide, mainly in Europe, Oceania, and Asia, limited data from the US are currently available. We developed and validated an analytical method to quantitatively and qualitatively determine the presence of commonly prescribed drugs to treat anxiety (alprazolam, buspirone, clonazepam, lorazepam, and propranolol) and depression (bupropion, citalopram, clomipramine, duloxetine, fluoxetine, imipramine, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine) in wastewater using liquid chromatography tandem …

Ecological Interventions To Prevent And Manage Zoonotic Pathogen Spillover, Susanne H. Sokolow, Nicole Nova, Kim M. Pepin, Alison J. Peel, Juliet R.C. Pulliam, Kezia Manlove, Paul C. Cross, Daniel J. Becker, Raina K. Plowright, Hamish Mccallum, Giulio A. De Leo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Spillover of a pathogen from awildlife reservoir into a human or livestock host requires the pathogen to overcome a hierarchical series of barriers. Interventions aimed at one or more of these barriers may be able to prevent the occurrence of spillover. Here, we demonstrate how interventions that target the ecological context in which spillover occurs (i.e. ecological interventions) can complement conventional approaches like vaccination, treatment, disinfection and chemical control. Accelerating spillover owing to environmental change requires effective, affordable, durable and scalable solutions that fully harness the complex processes involved in cross-species pathogen spillover.

This article is part of the theme …

Scavenging In The Anthropocene: Human Impact Drives Vertebrate Scavenger Species Richness At A Global Scale, Esther Sebastián‐González, Jomar Magalhães Barbosa, Juan M. Pérez‐García, Zebensui Morales‐Reyes, Francisco Botella, Pedro P. Olea, Patricia Mateo‐Tomás, Marcos Moleón, Fernando Hiraldo, Eneko Arrondo, José A. Donázar, Ainara Cortés‐Avizanda, Nuria Selva, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Aishwarya Bhattacharjee, Alexis Brewer, Erin Abernethy, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Kelsey Turner, James C. Beasley, Travis L. Devault, Andrés Ordiz, Camilla Wikenros, Barbara Zimmermann, Petter Wabakken, Christopher C. Wilmers, Justine A. Smith, Corinne J. Kendall, Darcy Ogada, Evan R. Buechley, Ethan Frehner, Maximilian L. Allen, Heiko U. Wittmer, James R.A. Butler, Johan T. Du Toit, John Read, David Wilson, Klemen Jerina, Miha Krofel, Rich Kostecke, Richard Inger, Arockianathan Samson, Lara Naves‐Alegre, José A. Sánchez‐Zapata

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding the distribution of biodiversity across the Earth is one of the most challenging questions in biology. Much research has been directed at explaining the species latitudinal pattern showing that communities are richer in tropical areas; however, despite decades of research, a general consensus has not yet emerged. In addition, global biodiversity patterns are being rapidly altered by human activities. Here, we aim to describe large‐scale patterns of species richness and diversity in terrestrial vertebrate scavenger (carrion‐consuming) assemblages, which provide key ecosystem functions and services. We used a worldwide dataset comprising 43 sites, where vertebrate scavenger assemblages were identified using …

The Economic Impacts Of Blackbird (Icteridae) Damage To Sunflower In The Usa, Karina Ernst, Julie Elser, George Linz, Hans Kandel, Jason Holderieath, Samantha Degroot, Steven Shwiff, Stephanie Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Blackbird (Icteridae) damage to ripening sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has been a persistent economic issue in the USA for the last five decades. To quantify losses, we surveyed blackbird damage from 2001 to 2013 (excluding 2004) to physiologically mature sunflower in eight states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Colorado, Kansas, and Vermont.

RESULTS:We pooled data gathered during the most recent 5 years (2009 to 2013) of the survey and found losses averaged $US2.5 million and $US11.3 million for confectionery and oilseed hybrids, respectively. Three states, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, had sufficient acreage and bird damage …