PTSD Treatment-Seeking Among Rural Latino Combat Veterans: A Review of the Literature

Latino combat soldiers report both higher prevalence and greater overall severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms than non-Hispanic Caucasians. However, these veterans face unique social and cultural barriers to accessing treatment for PTSD that distinguish them from their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Latino veterans who reside in rural settings face additional socio-cultural and structural impediments, in that they are likely to reside far from VA (Veterans Administration) medical facilities, have limited access to public transportation, and hold more conservative views toward mental health treatment than those residing in urban locales. However, little is known about the unique individual, sociocultural, and structural barriers to treatment faced by rural Latino veterans. This paper synthesizes the separate mental health and treatment-seeking literatures pertaining to Latinos, rural populations, and veterans, with the goal of identifying fruitful areas of conceptual overlap, and providing direction for future theory building, research, and targeted interventions

Identification of candidate structured RNAs in the marine organism 'Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique'

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metagenomic sequence data are proving to be a vast resource for the discovery of biological components. Yet analysis of this data to identify functional RNAs lags behind efforts to characterize protein diversity. The genome of '<it>Candidatus </it>Pelagibacter ubique' HTCC 1062 is the closest match for approximately 20% of marine metagenomic sequence reads. It is also small, contains little non-coding DNA, and has strikingly low GC content.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To aid the discovery of RNA motifs within the marine metagenome we exploited the genomic properties of '<it>Cand</it>. P. ubique' by targeting our search to long intergenic regions (IGRs) with relatively high GC content. Analysis of known RNAs (rRNA, tRNA, riboswitches etc.) shows that structured RNAs are significantly enriched in such IGRs. To identify additional candidate structured RNAs, we examined other IGRs with similar characteristics from '<it>Cand</it>. P. ubique' using comparative genomics approaches in conjunction with marine metagenomic data. Employing this strategy, we discovered four candidate structured RNAs including a new riboswitch class as well as three additional likely <it>cis</it>-regulatory elements that precede genes encoding ribosomal proteins S2 and S12, and the cytoplasmic protein component of the signal recognition particle. We also describe four additional potential RNA motifs with few or no examples occurring outside the metagenomic data.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This work begins the process of identifying functional RNA motifs present in the metagenomic data and illustrates how existing completed genomes may be used to aid in this task.</p

The role of taxonomic expertise in interpretation of metabarcoding studies

Abstract The performance of DNA metabarcoding approaches for characterizing biodiversity can be influenced by multiple factors. Here, we used morphological assessment of taxa in zooplankton samples to develop a large barcode database and to assess the congruence of taxonomic identification with metabarcoding under different conditions. We analysed taxonomic assignment of metabarcoded samples using two genetic markers (COI, 18S V1–2), two types of clustering into molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs, ZOTUs), and three methods for taxonomic assignment (RDP Classifier, BLASTn to GenBank, BLASTn to a local barcode database). The local database includes 1042 COI and 1108 18S (SSU) barcode sequences, and we added new high-quality sequences to GenBank for both markers, including 109 contributions at the species level. The number of phyla detected and the number of taxa identified to phylum varied between a genetic marker and among the three methods used for taxonomic assignments. Blasting the metabarcodes to the local database generated multiple unique contributions to identify OTUs and ZOTUs. We argue that a multi-marker approach combined with taxonomic expertise to develop a curated, vouchered, local barcode database increases taxon detection with metabarcoding, and its potential as a tool for zooplankton biodiversity surveys

Enteric bacterial pathogen detection in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) is associated with coastal urbanization and freshwater runoff

Although protected for nearly a century, California’s sea otters have been slow to recover, in part due to exposure to fecally-associated protozoal pathogens like Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona. However, potential impacts from exposure to fecal bacteria have not been systematically explored. Using selective media, we examined feces from live and dead sea otters from California for specific enteric bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, C. difficile and Escherichia coli O157:H7), and pathogens endemic to the marine environment (Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus and Plesiomonas shigelloides). We evaluated statistical associations between detection of these pathogens in otter feces and demographic or environmental risk factors for otter exposure, and found that dead otters were more likely to test positive for C. perfringens, Campylobacter and V. parahaemolyticus than were live otters. Otters from more urbanized coastlines and areas with high freshwater runoff (near outflows of rivers or streams) were more likely to test positive for one or more of these bacterial pathogens. Other risk factors for bacterial detection in otters included male gender and fecal samples collected during the rainy season when surface runoff is maximal. Similar risk factors were reported in prior studies of pathogen exposure for California otters and their invertebrate prey, suggesting that land-sea transfer and/or facilitation of pathogen survival in degraded coastal marine habitat may be impacting sea otter recovery. Because otters and humans share many of the same foods, our findings may also have implications for human health

Handbook on dynamics of jointed structures.

The problem of understanding and modeling the complicated physics underlying the action and response of the interfaces in typical structures under dynamic loading conditions has occupied researchers for many decades. This handbook presents an integrated approach to the goal of dynamic modeling of typical jointed structures, beginning with a mathematical assessment of experimental or simulation data, development of constitutive models to account for load histories to deformation, establishment of kinematic models coupling to the continuum models, and application of finite element analysis leading to dynamic structural simulation. In addition, formulations are discussed to mitigate the very short simulation time steps that appear to be required in numerical simulation for problems such as this. This handbook satisfies the commitment to DOE that Sandia will develop the technical content and write a Joints Handbook. The content will include: (1) Methods for characterizing the nonlinear stiffness and energy dissipation for typical joints used in mechanical systems and components. (2) The methodology will include practical guidance on experiments, and reduced order models that can be used to characterize joint behavior. (3) Examples for typical bolted and screw joints will be provided

Validation of a priori candidate Alzheimer’s disease SNPs with brain amyloid-beta deposition

The accumulation of brain amyloid β (Aβ) is one of the main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the role of brain amyloid deposition in the development of AD and the genetic variants associated with this process remain unclear. In this study, we sought to identify associations between Aβ deposition and an a priori evidence based set of 1610 genetic markers, genotyped from 505 unrelated individuals (258 Aβ+ and 247 Aβ−) enrolled in the Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle (AIBL) study. We found statistically significant associations for 6 markers located within intronic regions of 6 genes, including AC103796.1-BDNF, PPP3R1, NGFR, KL, ABCA7 & CALHM1. Although functional studies are required to elucidate the role of these genes in the accumulation of Aβ and their potential implication in AD pathophysiology, our findings are consistent with results obtained in previous GWAS efforts

Neurological complications and recovery rates of patients with adult cervical deformity surgeries

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to report the incidence, risk factors, and recovery rate of neurological complications (NC) in patients with adult cervical deformity (ACD) who underwent corrective surgery. METHODS: ACD patients undergoing surgery from 2013 to 2015 were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter database. Patients were separated into 2 groups according to the presence of neurological complications (NC vs no-NC groups). The types, timing, recovery patterns, and interventions for NC were recorded. Patients\u27 demographics, surgical details, radiographic parameters, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores were compared. RESULTS: 106 patients were prospectively included. Average age was 60.8 years with a mean of 18.2 months follow-up. The overall incidence of NC was 18.9%; of these, 68.1% were major complications. Nerve root motor deficit was the most common complication, followed by radiculopathy, sensory deficit, and spinal cord injury. The proportion of complications occurring within 30 days of surgery was 54.5%. The recovery rate from neurological complication was high (90.9%), with most of the recoveries occurring within 6 months and continuing even after 12 months. Only 2 patients (1.9%) had continuous neurological complication. No demographic or preoperative radiographic risk factors could be identified, and anterior corpectomy and posterior foraminotomy were found to be performed less in the NC group. The final HRQOL outcome was not significantly different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data is valuable to surgeons and patients to better understand the neurological complications before performing or undergoing complex cervical deformity surgery

Dural tears in adult deformity surgery: Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: Describe the rate of dural tears (DTs) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. Describe the risk factors for DT and the impact of this complication on clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients with ASD undergoing surgery between 2008 and 2014 were separated into DT and non-DT cohorts; demographics, operative details, radiographic, and clinical outcomes were compared. Statistical analysis included Results: A total of 564 patients were identified. The rate of DT was 10.8% (n = 61). Patients with DT were older (61.1 vs 56.5 years, Conclusions: The rate of DT was 10.8% in an ASD cohort. This is similar to rates of DT reported following surgery for degenerative pathology. A history of prior spine surgery, decompression, interbody fusion, and osteotomies are all associated with an increased risk of DT, but decompression is the only independent risk factor for DT