Sexual Health and HPV Vaccine Conversations: Enhancing Provider Communication for Young Women

Young women (ages 18-26) face a multitude of difficulties when choosing to disclose information regarding their sexual health to their provider. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of patient-provider communication and the patient’s likelihood to receive the HPV vaccine with an explicit recommendation. Interviews were conducted with 11 young women (M = 21.36; SD = 2.46), with the majority identified as Seniors (n = 4; 36.4%), non-Hispanic (n = 10; 90.9%) and White (n = 9, 81.8%). Interviews were also conducted with two providers, one male and one female (M = 43.5; SD = 7.78), both who identified as non-Hispanic and White, to cross-check the data. Young women and providers were recruited from the Northeast and interviews ranged from 10-30 minutes in length. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed between two researchers following the Grounded Theory coding process (Klose & Seifert, 2017). The collection of qualitative data allowed for a greater understanding of young women’s perspective of their providers, as well as factors that influence their willingness to share sexual health information and receive the HPV vaccine. Suggestions for improvements in communication by providers on sexual health and the HPV vaccine with young women are discussed throughout the research paper

The knowns, known unknowns and unknowns of sequestration of soil organic carbon

Soil contains approximately 2344 Gt (1 gigaton = 1 billion tonnes) of organic carbon globally and is the largest terrestrial pool of organic carbon. Small changes in the soil organic carbon stock could result in significant impacts on the atmospheric carbon concentration. The fluxes of soil organic carbon vary in response to a host of potential environmental and anthropogenic driving factors. Scientists worldwide are contemplating questions such as: 'What is the average net change in soil organic carbon due to environmental conditions or management practices?', 'How can soil organic carbon sequestration be enhanced to achieve some mitigation of atmospheric carbon dioxide?' and 'Will this secure soil quality?'. These questions are far reaching, because maintaining and improving the world's soil resource is imperative to providing sufficient food and fibre to a growing population. Additional challenges are expected through climate change and its potential to increase food shortages. This review highlights knowledge of the amount of carbon stored in soils globally, and the potential for carbon sequestration in soil. It also discusses successful methods and models used to determine and estimate carbon pools and fluxes. This knowledge and technology underpins decisions to protect the soil resource

Cul4 ubiquitin ligase cofactor DCAF12 promotes neurotransmitter release and homeostatic plasticity

We genetically characterized the synaptic role of the Drosophila homologue of human DCAF12, a putative cofactor of Cullin4 (Cul4) ubiquitin ligase complexes. Deletion of Drosophila DCAF12 impairs larval locomotion and arrests development. At larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), DCAF12 is expressed presynaptically in synaptic boutons, axons, and nuclei of motor neurons. Postsynaptically, DCAF12 is expressed in muscle nuclei and facilitates Cul4-dependent ubiquitination. Genetic experiments identified several mechanistically independent functions of DCAF12 at larval NMJs. First, presynaptic DCAF12 promotes evoked neurotransmitter release. Second, postsynaptic DCAF12 negatively controls the synaptic levels of the glutamate receptor subunits GluRIIA, GluRIIC, and GluRIID. The down-regulation of synaptic GluRIIA subunits by nuclear DCAF12 requires Cul4. Third, presynaptic DCAF12 is required for the expression of synaptic homeostatic potentiation. We suggest that DCAF12 and Cul4 are critical for normal synaptic function and plasticity at larval NMJs.National Institutes of Health [2P40OD010949]; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [R03 NS057215]; National Science Foundation [IOS-1121054]6 month embargo; published online: 22 January 2019This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]