Heart Failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. With aging of the US population, the public health burden of HF is enormous. We aimed to develop an ensemble prediction model for 30-day mortality after discharge using machine learning. Using an electronic medical records (EMR) database, all patients with a non-elective HF admission over 10 years (January 2001 - December 2010) within the Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) health system, in the Bronx, New York, were included. We developed an ensemble model for 30-day mortality after discharge and employed discrimination, range of prediction, Brier index and explained variance as metrics in assessing model performance. A total of 7,516 patients were included. The discrimination achieved by the ensemble model was higher 0.83 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.87) compared to the benchmark model 0.79 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.84). The ensemble model also exhibited a better range of prediction as well as a favorable profile with respect to the other metrics employed. In conclusion, an ensemble machine learning approach exhibited an improvement in performance compared to the benchmark logistic model in predicting all-cause mortality among HF patients within 30-days of discharge. Machine learning is a promising alternative approach for risk profiling of HF patients, and it enhances individualized patient management.Targeting the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human ACE2, its primary cell membrane receptor, is a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent viral entry. Recent in vitro studies revealed that the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein plays a prominent role in ACE2 binding, yet a simple and quantitative assay for monitoring this interaction in a cellular environment is lacking. Here, we developed an RBD-ACE2 binding assay that is based on time-resolved FRET, which reliably monitors the interaction in a physiologically relevant and cellular context. Because it is modular, the assay can monitor the impact of different cellular components, such as heparan sulfate, lipids, and membrane proteins on the RBD-ACE2 interaction and it can be extended to the full-length spike protein. The assay is HTS compatible and can detect small-molecule competitive and allosteric modulators of the RBD-ACE2 interaction with high relevance for SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. To examine participant perceptions of a free, monthly produce market at a health center in Massachusetts. Participants were recruited at a produce market between June 2019 and January 2020 and engaged in a 30-65-minute focus group (n = 3 English language; n = 2 Spanish; n = 2 Arabic) conducted by trained facilitators using a semistructured guide. Adults (n = 49) who had attended the market at least twice in the previous 6 months. Participant-reported facilitators, barriers, perceived benefits, and opportunities for improvement. Conventional content analysis. Reported facilitators included accessibility (eg, convenient location and timing), program experience (eg, positive volunteer interactions), and characteristics of goods and services (eg, acceptable variety of produce). Barriers fell under similar themes and included transportation challenges, poor weather, and insufficient quantity of produce for larger households. Participants perceived the market as improving diet and finances and offered suggestions for improvement distributing nonproduce foods (eg, meat) or nonfood items (eg, toiletries) and augmenting existing initiatives aimed to help attendees make use of the produce (eg, handing out recipe cards). The produce market was widely accepted, and targeted areas for improvement were identified. Findings may improve existing and future charitable produce markets among diverse populations.The produce market was widely accepted, and targeted areas for improvement were identified. Findings may improve existing and future charitable produce markets among diverse populations. To assess the prevalence of plant-based alternatives to meat consumption in students at a Midwest university, describe associations between demographics, environmental concern attitudes, and consumption, and determine variables statistically associated with trying the plant-based alternatives. Descriptive cross-sectional convenience sample; self-administered online surveys. College students at a Midwest university. Currently enrolled students aged 18-30 taking courses on campus as of March 2020. Plant-based alternative consumption; demographics; vegetarian status; environmental attitudes; influences on food choices; and trusted sources of food information. Bivariate comparisons for consumption of plant-based alternatives; logistic regression analysis. Fifty-five percent had tried a plant-based meat alternative. Top reasons were enjoying new foods and curiosity about the products. Out-of-state residency, vegetarian status, and 10 of 11 environmental attitude statements were significantly associated with plant-based alternative consumption (P < 0.05). About 30% of consumers indicated they wanted to eat less meat and that plant alternatives were better for the environment. Nonconsumers had less favorable views of meatless meals. This study supports that positive environmental attitudes were predictive of plant-based alternative consumption among college students. Selleck MPTP Increased awareness and familiarity could encourage consumption among this population.This study supports that positive environmental attitudes were predictive of plant-based alternative consumption among college students. Increased awareness and familiarity could encourage consumption among this population. To examine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) perceptions-knowledge, attitudes, and norms and media literacy-and beverage consumption, and to identify differences in beverage consumption and SSB perceptions by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Cross-sectional. Diverse California school district. A total of 992 fifth-grade (elementary), seventh-grade (middle), and ninth-12th-grade (high school) students. Questionnaire-assessed continuous beverage consumption and perceptions. Linear regression adjusting for school, grade, gender, race/ethnicity, and free and reduced-price meal (FRPM) eligibility. Knowledge, attitudes, and norms, and media literacy items were associated with SSB consumption in expected directions (P < 0.05). Among elementary students, FRPM-eligible and Black students had higher SSB consumption (P < 0.01). In middle/high school, non-Hispanic White students consumed fewer SSBs than all other racial/ethnic groups (P < 0.01). There were differences in SSB-related perceptions by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (eg, Black students perceived sugary drinks as less unhealthy); Black, Hispanic, and FRPM-eligible students expressed less distrust of food/beverage advertisements; and Black, Hispanic, Asian, multirace, and FRPM-eligible students perceived more frequent SSB consumption among their peers (P < 0.