Internalizing symptomatology and academic achievement: bi-directional prospective relations in adolescence

Prior research has documented negative, concurrent relations between internalizing symptomatology and academic achievement among adolescents. The present study provided the first rigorous, longitudinal examination of the bi-directional, prospective relations between adolescent internalizing symptomatology and academic achievement. One hundred and thirty adolescents reported depression and anxiety annually from 6th through 10th grades, and GPA records were obtained annually from schools. Results showed that a) high depression and anxiety at the beginning of a school year predicted lower GPA during that school year, and b) low GPA in any school year predicted higher depression and anxiety at the beginning of the following school year. These findings underscore the tight link between adolescent internalizing symptomatology and academic achievement

Maternal Genistein Alters Coat Color and Protects A(vy) Mouse Offspring from Obesity by Modifying the Fetal Epigenome

Genistein, the major phytoestrogen in soy, is linked to diminished female reproductive performance and to cancer chemoprevention and decreased adipose deposition. Dietary genistein may also play a role in the decreased incidence of cancer in Asians compared with Westerners, as well as increased cancer incidence in Asians immigrating to the United States. Here, we report that maternal dietary genistein supplementation of mice during gestation, at levels comparable with humans consuming high-soy diets, shifted the coat color of heterozygous viable yellow agouti (A(vy)/a) offspring toward pseudoagouti. This marked phenotypic change was significantly associated with increased methylation of six cytosine–guanine sites in a retrotransposon upstream of the transcription start site of the Agouti gene. The extent of this DNA methylation was similar in endodermal, mesodermal, and ectodermal tissues, indicating that genistein acts during early embryonic development. Moreover, this genistein-induced hypermethylation persisted into adulthood, decreasing ectopic Agouti expression and protecting offspring from obesity. Thus, we provide the first evidence that in utero dietary genistein affects gene expression and alters susceptibility to obesity in adulthood by permanently altering the epigenome

Force acting on a rough disk spinning in a flow of noninteracting particles

Pressure force exerted on a rough disk spinning in a flow of noninteracting particles is determined by considering that a flow of point particles impinges on a body spinning around a fixed point. The rough disk is identical with the sequence of sets and thus the sets can be viewed as successive approximations of the rough disk. A proper choice of sequence of sets shows that the characteristic of billiard scattering is independent of n, and the billiard scattering on the rough set is defined. The pressure force exerted on the disk is independent of its angular velocity and that the characteristic of the interaction that is the moment of the pressure force slows down the rotation of the rough disk. The transverse force aligned with the instantaneous velocity of the front point of the body results in Magnus effect

Highly Tunable Colloidal Perovskite Nanoplatelets through Variable Cation, Metal, and Halide Composition.

Colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets are a promising class of semiconductor nanomaterials-exhibiting bright luminescence, tunable and spectrally narrow absorption and emission features, strongly confined excitonic states, and facile colloidal synthesis. Here, we demonstrate the high degree of spectral tunability achievable through variation of the cation, metal, and halide composition as well as nanoplatelet thickness. We synthesize nanoplatelets of the form L2[ABX3]n-1BX4, where L is an organic ligand (octylammonium, butylammonium), A is a monovalent metal or organic molecular cation (cesium, methylammonium, formamidinium), B is a divalent metal cation (lead, tin), X is a halide anion (chloride, bromide, iodide), and n-1 is the number of unit cells in thickness. We show that variation of n, B, and X leads to large changes in the absorption and emission energy, while variation of the A cation leads to only subtle changes but can significantly impact the nanoplatelet stability and photoluminescence quantum yield (with values over 20%). Furthermore, mixed halide nanoplatelets exhibit continuous spectral tunability over a 1.5 eV spectral range, from 2.2 to 3.7 eV. The nanoplatelets have relatively large lateral dimensions (100 nm to 1 μm), which promote self-assembly into stacked superlattice structures-the periodicity of which can be adjusted based on the nanoplatelet surface ligand length. These results demonstrate the versatility of colloidal perovskite nanoplatelets as a material platform, with tunability extending from the deep-UV, across the visible, into the near-IR. In particular, the tin-containing nanoplatelets represent a significant addition to the small but increasingly important family of lead- and cadmium-free colloidal semiconductors

A mathematical model for top-shelf vertigo: the role of sedimenting otoconia in BPPV

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a mechanical disorder of the vestibular system in which calcite particles called otoconia interfere with the mechanical functioning of the fluid-filled semicircular canals normally used to sense rotation. Using hydrodynamic models, we examine the two mechanisms proposed by the medical community for BPPV: cupulolithiasis, in which otoconia attach directly to the cupula (a sensory membrane), and canalithiasis, in which otoconia settle through the canals and exert a fluid pressure across the cupula. We utilize known hydrodynamic calculations and make reasonable geometric and physical approximations to derive an expression for the transcupular pressure $\Delta P_c$ exerted by a settling solid particle in canalithiasis. By tracking settling otoconia in a two-dimensional model geometry, the cupular volume displacement and associated eye response (nystagmus) can be calculated quantitatively. Several important features emerge: 1) A pressure amplification occurs as otoconia enter a narrowing duct; 2) An average-sized otoconium requires approximately five seconds to settle through the wide ampulla, where $\Delta P_c$ is not amplified, which suggests a mechanism for the observed latency of BPPV; and 3) An average-sized otoconium beginning below the center of the cupula can cause a volumetric cupular displacement on the order of 30 pL, with nystagmus of order $2^\circ$/s, which is approximately the threshold for sensation. Larger cupular volume displacement and nystagmus could result from larger and/or multiple otoconia.Comment: 15 pages, 5 Figures updated, to be published in J. Biomechanic

Developing a Predictive Model to Prioritize HIV Partner Notification in North Carolina

Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) in North Carolina (NC) have less time to conduct partner notification due to competing responsibilities while simultaneously facing increased case loads due to increased HIV testing. We developed a model to predict undiagnosed HIV infection in sexual partners to prioritize DIS interviews

Experiencia de Jornadas Intercátedras: hacia la formacion extensionista para las intervenciones comunitarias.

Es intención de ésta ponencia presentar algunas reflexiones surgidas desde una experiencia extensionista conjunta, de las cátedras Economía Social (Facultad de Ciencias Económicas), Problemáticas de Vivienda Popular (Facultad de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño) y Estrategias de Intervención Comunitaria (Facultad de Psicología), de la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. La misma se centró en la realización de “Jornadas Intercátedra”, en las cuales los estudiantes planificaron intervenciones sobre una problemática habitacional en una comunidad. Las cátedras involucradas comparten un posicionamiento ético-político frente a la temática extensionista, y en función de ello sostienen acciones desde sus propios programas curriculares. Las mismas consideran como fundamentales a los procesos de inserción, comunicación y vinculación con comunidades del sector popular, la interdisciplina como modo de abordar cuestiones complejas, y el trabajo en equipo como eje organizador de prácticas y problematizaciones. A partir de esto, se han sentido convocadas a articular intereses y recursos, ya que cuentan con una amplia trayectoria extensionista, lo cual brinda una apertura a la reflexión de diversas situaciones dentro de la realidad concreta. La intervención comunitaria requiere de estrategias que contemplen la diversidad de aportes, saberes e inquietudes. Destacándose no tanto el trabajo sobre los aspectos en común, sino sobre las diferencias. Esto implica una manera diferente de entender el poder que circula; por ello, se cree que necesariamente la instalación del enfoque interdisciplinario en articulación con los saberes comunitarios cuestiona las formaciones académicas y profesionales. Actualmente, la planificación académica no contempla en sus currículas la formación interdisciplinaria práctica. Frente a esto, la convicción de que “solos no es posible”, abre camino al planteo que posibilita esta experiencia de pensar juntos desde miradas diversas dentro de un mismo marco contextual. Habilitando el encuentro de: lenguajes, complejos conceptuales, repertorios de herramientas, experiencias diferentes.La vivencia de la jornada, fue significada por estudiantes y equipos docentes, de diversas maneras:-Rescatando y poniendo en tensión las otras miradas a la dimensión humana, poniendo en juego la reflexión sobre los sujetos con quienes se busca construir la acción y el reconocimiento de la diversidad. -La posibilidad de un espacio para el ejercicio interdisciplinario como construcción conjunta de conocimientos. A partir de la experiencia realizada surgen dilemas. Desde la formación, ¿se generan condiciones para la reflexión sobre las intervenciones comunitarias? La jornada intercátedra, ¿favorece la formación interdisciplinaria de alumnos? Las miradas diversas.encontradas en este espacio, ¿enriquecen prácticas y formas de dar respuestas a las problemáticas de la población

The Effect of PrEP Use Disclosure on Adherence in a Cohort of Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa

Effective strategies to support PrEP adherence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are needed. We examined PrEP use disclosure and its effect on adherence among 200 AGYW ages 16–25 initiating PrEP in South Africa to help inform these strategies. We estimated the relative prevalence of high adherence (intracellular tenofovir-diphosphate concentration ≥ 700 fmol/punch) 3- and 6-months after PrEP initiation among those who disclosed vs. did not disclose their PrEP use, both overall and by age. Most AGYW disclosed to a parent (58%), partner (58%), or friend (81%) by month 6. We did not observe a strong effect of disclosure on adherence overall; however, among younger AGYW (≤ 18 years), those who disclosed to a parent were 6.8 times as likely to have high adherence at month 6 than those who did not (95% CI 1.02, 45.56). More work is needed to understand parents’ roles as allies and identify ways peers and partners can motivate PrEP use for AGYW

Putting Prevention in Their Pockets: Developing Mobile Phone-Based HIV Interventions for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men

Young black men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate burden of HIV. Rapid expansion of mobile technologies, including smartphone applications (apps), provides a unique opportunity for outreach and tailored health messaging. We collected electronic daily journals and conducted surveys and focus groups with 22 black MSM (age 18–30) at three sites in North Carolina to inform the development of a mobile phone-based intervention. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically using NVivo. Half of the sample earned under $11,000 annually. All participants owned smartphones and had unlimited texting and many had unlimited data plans. Phones were integral to participants' lives and were a primary means of Internet access. Communication was primarily through text messaging and Internet (on-line chatting, social networking sites) rather than calls. Apps were used daily for entertainment, information, productivity, and social networking. Half of participants used their phones to find sex partners; over half used phones to find health information. For an HIV-related app, participants requested user-friendly content about test site locators, sexually transmitted diseases, symptom evaluation, drug and alcohol risk, safe sex, sexuality and relationships, gay-friendly health providers, and connection to other gay/HIV-positive men. For young black MSM in this qualitative study, mobile technologies were a widely used, acceptable means for HIV intervention. Future research is needed to measure patterns and preferences of mobile technology use among broader samples

Intimate partner violence and oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence among young African women

Objective: To estimate the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) on oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Design: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from HIV Prevention Trials Network 082 (HPTN 082), a multisite prospective study designed to assess oral PrEP adherence among AGYW in southern Africa. Methods: We estimated the relative prevalence of high PrEP adherence 3 and 6 months after initiation among AGYW 16 – 25 years who reported a history of any IPV in the past year at enrollment versus AGYW who did not, both overall and by age. High adherence was defined as an intracellular tenofovir-diphosphate concentration at least 700 fmol/ punch or more dried blood spots. Results: Among 409 PrEP-initiating AGYW, half (49%) reported experiencing any IPV by a current/recent partner in the year prior to enrollment. Overall, a similar proportion of AGYW who reported IPV had high PrEP adherence at months 3 and 6 as AGYW who did not report IPV. There was, however, evidence of effect modification by age at month 3: among AGYW less than 21 years old, those who reported IPV were less than half as likely to have high adherence [adjusted PR (aPR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22– 0.86]; among AGYW aged 21 years or older, those who reported IPV were more than twice as likely to have high adherence (aPR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.34– 3.66). At month 6, effect estimates within each age stratum were consistent in direction to those at month 3. Conclusion: IPV events may either impede or motivate PrEP adherence among African AGYW, with age appearing to be an important consideration for IPV-related adherence interventions