Neglected Issues in Research on In-Home Services in Child Welfare: Final Report

This study considers several previously unexamined issues that affect the delivery and outcomes of intensive, in-home services for families of abused and neglected children. In this report, we present new, empirical data on parents\u27 and other primary caretakers\u27 readiness for change, their alliances (working relationships) with in-home services caseworkers, and the nature and extent of their substance use. we look at these issues--and at caretakers\u27 tendencies to give socially desirable responses--in relation to change over time in caretaker and family functioning, housing and economic conditions, social support, child well-being, the recurrence of child maltreatment, and out-of-home placement. Conducted as a supplement to a large evaluation of in-home services in child welfare (the Evaluation of Family Preservation and Reunification Services), our study includes 353 families who were referred for intensive family preservation services in Philadelphia county between March 1997 and June 1999. All of these families were the subject of at least one substantiated report of child abuse or neglect prior to referral. For purposes of the Evaluation of Family Preservation and Reunification Services (EFPRS), the families were randomly assigned to intensive, in-home family preservation services (FPS) or less intensive Services to Children in their Own Homes (SCOH). Longitudinal data were gathered by Westat, Inc. via interviews with primary caretakers and FPS/SCOH caseworkers, self-administered surveys of caseworkers and intake workers, and administrative databases. Interviews with caretakers were conducted at three points in time: within a few weeks of random assignment (Time 1), at approximately four months (Time 2), and at one year after random assignment (Time 3). Most of the primary caretakers in the study are African-American (81%) women (95%) who were unmarried (90%) and unemployed (83%). At the time of referral, their average age was 32 (the range is 19 to 78) and they had 3.4 children on average. More than half (53%) of the caretakers were the only adult in their household. Approximately 70% were receiving TANF at referral; hence, most had annual household incomes under $l0,000. At least 20% had difficulty buying food for their families and paying rent. Nearly 40% reported difficulty paying electric and heating bills and buying clothes for their children. FPS and SCOH caseworkers were predominately women (70%) and two-thirds were African-American. Almost half had some graduate-level education. On average, the caseworkers had 9 years of social work experience and 6 years of experience in child welfare. Unanticipated delays in the assignment of FPS and SCOH caseworkers to cases in the study affected service delivery and data collection. We encountered more problems than expected with missing data, particularly from caseworkers and on alliances

Human Vault Nanoparticle Targeted Delivery of Antiretroviral Drugs to Inhibit Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection.

"Vaults" are ubiquitously expressed endogenous ribonucleoprotein nanoparticles with potential utility for targeted drug delivery. Here, we show that recombinant human vault nanoparticles are readily engulfed by certain key human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), predominately dendritic cells, monocytes/macrophages, and activated T cells. As these cell types are the primary targets for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, we examined the utility of recombinant human vaults for targeted delivery of antiretroviral drugs. We chemically modified three different antiretroviral drugs, zidovudine, tenofovir, and elvitegravir, for direct conjugation to vaults. Tested in infection assays, drug-conjugated vaults inhibited HIV-1 infection of PBMC with equivalent activity to free drugs, indicating vault delivery and drug release in the cytoplasm of HIV-1-susceptible cells. The ability to deliver functional drugs via vault nanoparticle conjugates suggests their potential utility for targeted drug delivery against HIV-1

Amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex are inversely coupled during regulation of negative affect and predict the diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion among older adults

Among younger adults, the ability to willfully regulate negative affect, enabling effective responses to stressful experiences, engages regions of prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala. Because regions of PFC and the amygdala are known to influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, here we test whether PFC and amygdala responses during emotion regulation predict the diurnal pattern of salivary cortisol secretion. We also test whether PFC and amygdala regions are engaged during emotion regulation in older (62- to 64-year-old) rather than younger individuals. We measured brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging as participants regulated (increased or decreased) their affective responses or attended to negative picture stimuli. We also collected saliva samples for 1 week at home for cortisol assay. Consistent with previous work in younger samples, increasing negative affect resulted in ventral lateral, dorsolateral, and dorsomedial regions of PFC and amygdala activation. In contrast to previous work, decreasing negative affect did not produce the predicted robust pattern of higher PFC and lower amygdala activation. Individuals demonstrating the predicted effect (decrease s attend in the amygdala), however, exhibited higher signal in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) for the same contrast. Furthermore, participants displaying higher VMPFC and lower amygdala signal when decreasing compared with the attention control condition evidenced steeper, more normative declines in cortisol over the course of the day. Individual differences yielded the predicted link between brain function while reducing negative affect in the laboratory and diurnal regulation of endocrine activity in the home environment

Osteopathology and insect traces in the Australopithecus africanus skeleton StW 431

We present the first application of high-resolution micro computed tomography in an analysis of both the internal and external morphology of the lumbar region of StW 431 – a hominin skeleton recovered from Member 4 infill of the Sterkfontein Caves (South Africa) in 1987. The lumbar vertebrae of the individual present a number of proliferative and erosive bony processes, which were investigated in this study. Investigations suggest a complex history of taphonomic alteration to pre-existing spinal degenerative joint disease (SDJD) as well as post-mortem modification by an unknown insect. This study is in agreement with previous pathological diagnoses of SDJD which affected StW 431 and is the first time insect traces on this hominin are described. The results of this analysis attest to the complex series of post-mortem processes affecting the Sterkfontein site and its fossil assemblages

Transmission spectroscopy of the lowest-density gas giant: metals and a potential extended outflow in HAT-P-67b

Extremely low-density exoplanets are tantalizing targets for atmospheric characterization because of their promisingly large signals in transmission spectroscopy. We present the first analysis of the atmosphere of the lowest-density gas giant currently known, HAT-P-67 b. This inflated Saturn-mass exoplanet sits at the boundary between hot and ultrahot gas giants, where thermal dissociation of molecules begins to dominate atmospheric composition. We observed a transit of HAT-P-67 b at high spectral resolution with CARMENES and searched for atomic and molecular species using cross-correlation and likelihood mapping. Furthermore, we explored potential atmospheric escape by targeting H$\alpha$ and the metastable helium line. We detect Ca II and Na I with significances of 13.2$\sigma$ and 4.6$\sigma$, respectively. Unlike in several ultrahot Jupiters, we do not measure a day-to-night wind. The large line depths of Ca II suggest that the upper atmosphere may be more ionized than models predict. We detect strong variability in H$\alpha$ and the helium triplet during the observations. These signals suggest the possible presence of an extended planetary outflow that causes an early ingress and late egress. In the averaged transmission spectrum, we measure redshifted absorption at the $\sim 3.8\%$ and $\sim 4.5\%$ level in the H$\alpha$ and He I triplet lines, respectively. From an isothermal Parker wind model, we derive a mass loss rate of $\dot{M} \sim 10^{13}~\rm{g/s}$ and an outflow temperature of $T \sim 9900~\rm{K}$. However, due to the lack of a longer out-of-transit baseline in our data, additional observations are needed to rule out stellar variability as the source of the H$\alpha$ and He signals.Comment: The Astronomical Journal, in press. 17 pages, 9 figure

Research is ‘a step into the unknown’: an exploration of pharmacists’ perceptions of factors impacting on research participation in the NHS

Objective This study explored National Health Service (NHS) pharmacists’ perceptions and experiences of pharmacist-led research in the workplace.  Design Semistructured, face-to-face discussions continued until distinct clusters of opinion characteristics formed. Verbatim transcripts of audio-recordings were subjected to framework analysis.  Setting Interviews were carried out with 54 pharmacists with diverse backgrounds and roles from general practices and secondary care in the UK's largest health authority.  Results The purpose and potential of health services research (HSR) was understood and acknowledged to be worthwhile by participants, but a combination of individual and system-related themes tended to make participation difficult, except when this was part of formal postgraduate education leading to a qualification. Lack of prioritisation was routinely cited as the greatest barrier, with motivation, confidence and competence as additional impediments. System-related themes included lack of practical support and pharmacy professional issues. A minority of highly motivated individuals managed to embed research participation into routine activity.  Conclusions Most pharmacists realised the desirability and necessity of research to underpin pharmacy service expansion, but a combination of individual and professional level changes is needed to increase activity. Our findings provide a starting point for better understanding the mindset of hospital-based and general practice-based pharmacists towards research, as well as their perceived barriers and supports

Changes in Muscle Metabolism are Associated with Phenotypic Variability in Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-chromosome-linked disorder and the most common monogenic disease in people. Affected boys are diagnosed at a young age, become non-ambulatory by their early teens, and succumb to cardiorespiratory failure by their thirties. Despite being a monogenic condition resulting from mutations in the DMD gene, affected boys have noteworthy phenotypic variability. Efforts have identified genetic modifiers that could modify disease progression and be pharmacologic targets. Dogs affected with golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) have absent dystrophin and demonstrate phenotypic variability at the functional, histopathological, and molecular level. Our laboratory is particularly interested in muscle metabolism changes in dystrophin-deficient muscle. We identified several metabolic alterations, including myofiber type switching from fast (type II) to slow (type I), reduced glycolytic enzyme expression, reduced and morphologically abnormal mitochondria, and differential AMP-kinase phosphorylation (activation) between hypertrophied and wasted muscle. We hypothesize that muscle metabolism changes are, in part, responsible for phenotypic variability in GRMD. Pharmacological therapies aimed at modulating muscle metabolism can be tested in GRMD dogs for efficacy

A series of crystallographically characterized linear and branched σ-alkane complexes of rhodium : from propane to 3-methylpentane

We thank the EPSRC (EP/M024210, and the UK National Crystallography Service), the Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2015-447), and SGC Chemicals for funding, T. M. Boyd (York) for experimental assistance and useful discussions, and Dr. M. Chadwick (Imperial College) for the initial synthesis of [1-isoprene][BAr ] . This work used the ARCHER UK National Supercomputing Service ( http://www.archer.ac.uk ) and the Cirrus UK National Tier-2 HPC Service at the EPCC ( http://www.cirrus.ac.uk ) funded by the University of Edinburgh and the EPSRC (EP/P020267/1).Using solid-state molecular organometallic (SMOM) techniques, in particular solid/gas single-crystal to single-crystal reactivity, a series of σ-alkane complexes of the general formula [Rh(Cy2PCH2CH2PCy2)(ηn:ηm-alkane)][BArF4] have been prepared (alkane = propane, 2-methylbutane, hexane, 3-methylpentane; ArF = 3,5-(CF3)2C6H3). These new complexes have been characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction, solid-state NMR spectroscopy and DFT computational techniques and present a variety of Rh(I)···H-C binding motifs at the metal coordination site: 1,2-η2:η2 (2-methylbutane), 1,3-η2:η2 (propane), 2,4-η2:η2 (hexane), and 1,4-η1:η2 (3-methylpentane). For the linear alkanes propane and hexane, some additional Rh(I)···H-C interactions with the geminal C-H bonds are also evident. The stability of these complexes with respect to alkane loss in the solid state varies with the identity of the alkane: from propane that decomposes rapidly at 295 K to 2-methylbutane that is stable and instead undergoes an acceptorless dehydrogenation to form a bound alkene complex. In each case the alkane sits in a binding pocket defined by the {Rh(Cy2PCH2CH2PCy2)}+ fragment and the surrounding array of [BArF4]- anions. For the propane complex, a small alkane binding energy, driven in part by a lack of stabilizing short contacts with the surrounding anions, correlates with the fleeting stability of this species. 2-Methylbutane forms more short contacts within the binding pocket, and as a result the complex is considerably more stable. However, the complex of the larger 3-methylpentane ligand shows lower stability. Empirically, there therefore appears to be an optimal fit between the size and shape of the alkane and overall stability. Such observations are related to guest/host interactions in solution supramolecular chemistry and the holistic role of 1°, 2°, and 3° environments in metalloenzymes.Peer reviewe

Elevation as a proxy for mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission in the Americas.

INTRODUCTION: When Zika virus (ZIKV) first began its spread from Brazil to other parts of the Americas, national-level travel notices were issued, carrying with them significant economic consequences to affected countries. Although regions of some affected countries were likely unsuitable for mosquito-borne transmission of ZIKV, the absence of high quality, timely surveillance data made it difficult to confidently demarcate infection risk at a sub-national level. In the absence of reliable data on ZIKV activity, a pragmatic approach was needed to identify subnational geographic areas where the risk of ZIKV infection via mosquitoes was expected to be negligible. To address this urgent need, we evaluated elevation as a proxy for mosquito-borne ZIKV transmission. METHODS: For sixteen countries with local ZIKV transmission in the Americas, we analyzed (i) modelled occurrence of the primary vector for ZIKV, Aedes aegypti, (ii) human population counts, and (iii) reported historical dengue cases, specifically across 100-meter elevation levels between 1,500m and 2,500m. Specifically, we quantified land area, population size, and the number of observed dengue cases above each elevation level to identify a threshold where the predicted risks of encountering Ae. aegypti become negligible. RESULTS: Above 1,600m, less than 1% of each country's total land area was predicted to have Ae. aegypti occurrence. Above 1,900m, less than 1% of each country's resident population lived in areas where Ae. aegypti was predicted to occur. Across all 16 countries, 1.1% of historical dengue cases were reported above 2,000m. DISCUSSION: These results suggest low potential for mosquito-borne ZIKV transmission above 2,000m in the Americas. Although elevation is a crude predictor of environmental suitability for ZIKV transmission, its constancy made it a pragmatic input for policy decision-making during this public health emergency