Maintaining Intergenerational Solidarity in Mexican Transnational Families

This study explored how Mexican transnational families maintain intergenerational relationships, using five of the dimensions of the intergenerational solidarity framework. Interview data from 13 adult migrant children who lived in the U.S. and their parents who lived in Mexico were analyzed. Structural solidarity was challenged by great distance between families. Families maintained associational solidarity by making contact frequently, though visiting was often restricted by lack of documentation. Functional solidarity was expressed through financial support to parents. This involved remittances sent to parents. However, it should be noted that it was often migrants’ siblings in Mexico who managed these remittances. Affectual solidarity was expressed through statements of love and concern for one another. Normative solidarity and consensual solidarity reflected the value of familismo through financial support and the desire to live together. Several dimensions of intergenerational solidarity are interconnected. This study provides evidence for the relevance of the intergenerational solidarity framework in transnational families and suggests that geographic context is relevant when studying intergenerational relationships

Paleomagnetic results from Grenvillian-aged rocks from Oaxaca, Mexico: Evidence for a displaced terrane

In order to test the possibly displaced nature of the Proterozoic (`Grenville'-aged) Oaxaca terrane, a paleomagnetic study was carried out on gneissic and meta-igneous (anorthosite) rocks with metamorphic ages reported to be between 1100 and 900 Ma. Using alternating field (AF) and thermal demagnetization techniques, we have isolated two magnetic directions: a shallow and southerly direction (D = 155[deg], I = -1[deg]) and a very steeply down direction (D = 6[deg], I = +74[deg]). It seems likely that the shallow direction is a remagnetization associated with a slight reheating and cooling due to a nearby Permian-Triassic intrusion. The steep direction is interpreted as a magnetization acquired during uplift and cooling following the Oaxacan Orogeny, and gives a paleopole at 47[deg]N, 93[deg]W with an age of ~950 Ma. This pole is at least 40[deg] from the Grenville Loop of the North American apparent polar wander path and the observed paleolatitude of 60[deg]N is much higher than that predicted for Oaxaca if it had always belonged to North America in the same relative position it has today. The high paleolatitude obtained for the Oaxaca terrane does not preclude, however, that it was part of North America during Grenvillian times, but in that case its position would have been much closer to Ontario and Quebec than it is today.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28036/1/0000475.pd

Standardised protocol for a prospective cross-sectional multicentre clinic-based evaluation of two dual point-of-care tests for the screening of HIV and syphilis in men who have sex with men, sex workers and pregnant women

Introduction Dual point-of-care tests (POCTs) for detecting antibodies to HIV and syphilis have been developed for use with venous whole blood, serum/plasma or finger-prick capillary whole blood. Several tests are commercially available showing encouraging performance compared with ‘gold-standard’ reference tests in laboratory-based studies. However, data on their performance in the field are limited. This prospective cross-sectional study will conduct a clinic-based evaluation to assess the performance characteristics and acceptability to end-users of two dual HIV/syphilis POCTs for the screening of HIV and syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers (SWs) and pregnant women (PW). This master protocol outlines the overall research approach that will be used in seven countries. Method and analysis MSM, SWs and PW presenting at clinic evaluation sites in high, low and middle-income countries will be enrolled. The (WHO preapproved) POCTs to be evaluated are SD Bioline HIV/Syphilis Duo (Abbott) and Dual Path Platform HIV-Syphilis Assay (Chembio). Finger-prick blood will be collected to perform POCTs and compared with laboratory results (venepuncture blood). Procedures will be carried out by trained healthcare staff and tests performed according to the manufacturers’ directions. Sample size was calculated based on local prevalence of HIV and syphilis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for each POCT will be calculated. The study is ongoing with recruitment expected to be completed in all countries by mid to late 2021. Ethics and dissemination This core protocol was independently peer reviewed and approved by the Research Project Review Panel (RP2) of the WHO Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research and by the WHO Ethics Review Committee (ERC). The protocol has been adapted to individual countries and approved by RP2, ERC and institutional review boards at each site. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and relevant conferences

Proteasome inhibition for treatment of leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and sleeping sickness

Chagas disease, leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness affect 20 million people worldwide and lead to more than 50,000 deaths annually. The diseases are caused by infection with the kinetoplastid parasites Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma brucei spp., respectively. These parasites have similar biology and genomic sequence, suggesting that all three diseases could be cured with drugs that modulate the activity of a conserved parasite target. However, no such molecular targets or broad spectrum drugs have been identified to date. Here we describe a selective inhibitor of the kinetoplastid proteasome (GNF6702) with unprecedented in vivo efficacy, which cleared parasites from mice in all three models of infection. GNF6702 inhibits the kinetoplastid proteasome through a non-competitive mechanism, does not inhibit the mammalian proteasome or growth of mammalian cells, and is well-tolerated in mice. Our data provide genetic and chemical validation of the parasite proteasome as a promising therapeutic target for treatment of kinetoplastid infections, and underscore the possibility of developing a single class of drugs for these neglected diseases

Preparing for Class: Actions and Resources of Introductory Biology Students

Instructors want students to be prepared for class. There are several different resources and activities available to help students prepare for class, but very little is known about how students choose to prepare for class in the context of undergraduate biology. In this study, we used content analysis to investigate what students do to prepare for an introductory biology course and if and how that preparation differed under two different conditions. Students were either directed to search out and choose their resources to prepare for class (choice treatment) or assigned specific pages from a textbook (text treatment). Students in the choice treatment reported preparing for class slightly more often than students in the text treatment, with both groups reporting that they prepared for over three-quarters of classes. However, students assigned specific textbook passages engaged more while preparing than students who had to find their resources. The textbook was a popular resource but second to websites for students who got to choose. Students in both groups performed similarly in the course. This work helps instructors understand what their students may be doing to prepare for class. We provide recommendations to guide instructors on how to help their students prepare for class

The Impact of Family Therapy Participation on Youths and Young Adult Engagement and Retention in a Telehealth Intensive Outpatient Program: Quality Improvement Analysis

Background Early treatment dropout among youths and young adults (28%-75%) puts them at risk for poorer outcomes. Family engagement in treatment is linked to lower dropout and better attendance in outpatient, in-person treatment. However, this has not been studied in intensive or telehealth settings. Objective We aimed to examine whether family members’ participation in telehealth intensive outpatient (IOP) therapy for mental health disorders in youths and young adults is associated with patient’s treatment engagement. A secondary aim was to assess demographic factors associated with family engagement in treatment. Methods Data were collected from intake surveys, discharge outcome surveys, and administrative data for patients who attended a remote IOP for youths and young adults, nationwide. Data included 1487 patients who completed both intake and discharge surveys and either completed or disengaged from treatment between December 2020 and September 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample’s baseline differences in demographics, engagement, and participation in family therapy. Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests were used to explore differences in engagement and treatment completion between patients with and those without family therapy. Binomial regression was used to explore significant demographic predictors of family therapy participation and treatment completion. Results Patients with family therapy had significantly better engagement and treatment completion outcomes than clients with no family therapy. Youths and young adults with ≥1 family therapy session were significantly more likely to stay in treatment an average of 2 weeks longer (median 11 weeks vs 9 weeks) and to attend a higher percentage of IOP sessions (median 84.38% vs 75.00%). Patients with family therapy were more likely to complete treatment than clients with no family therapy (608/731, 83.2% vs 445/752, 59.2%; P<.001). Different demographic variables were associated with an increased likelihood of participating in family therapy, including younger age (odds ratio 1.3) and identifying as heterosexual (odds ratio 1.4). After controlling for demographic factors, family therapy remained a significant predictor of treatment completion, such that each family therapy session attended was associated with a 1.4-fold increase in the odds of completing treatment (95% CI 1.3-1.4). Conclusions Youths and young adults whose families participate in any family therapy have lower dropout, greater length of stay, and higher treatment completion than those whose families do not participate in services in a remote IOP program. The findings of this quality improvement analysis are the first to establish a relationship between participation in family therapy and an increased engagement and retention in remote treatment for youths and young patients in IOP programing. Given the established importance of obtaining an adequate dosage of treatment, bolstering family therapy offerings is another tool that could contribute to the provision of care that better meets the needs of youths, young adults, and their families

Development of nuclear microsatellite markers to facilitate germplasm conservation and population genetics studies of five groups of tropical perennial plants with edible fruits and shoots: rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen), lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn. and Garcinia cochinchinensis (Lour.) Choisy) and bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl and Guadua angustifolia Kunth)

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) enriched libraries for five groups of tropical perennial plants with edible fruits and shoots were prepared and sequenced in a GS-FLX Roche 454: sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen), lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn. and G. cochinchinensis (Lour.) Choisy), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), and bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl and Guadua angustifolia Kunth). For SSR development, these species were organized by their common names in five groups. A total of 3870 SSR primer sets were designed, using capillary electrophoresis 1872 nuclear SSRs were tested on 4 to 10 DNA samples within each plant group, that is 384 loci for each of the four groups of fruit trees and 336 loci for the bamboo group. Only 7.9% of the primers tested did not result in amplification. All 1872 SSRs are provided, we highlight 178 SSRs (between 26 and 47 per group) considered topquality polymorphic SSRs that amplified all the samples, had strong fluorescence signal, presented no stutters and showed minimum non-specific amplification or background fluorescence. A total of 66,057 contig sequences were submitted to GenBank Database. Markers presented here will be useful not only for conservation efforts in banks of germplasm, but also for in-depth analysis of population genetics which usually requires evaluation of large number of loci

Development of nuclear microsatellite markers to facilitate germplasm conservation and population genetics studies of five groups of tropical perennial plants with edible fruits and shoots: rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen), lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn. and Garcinia cochinchinensis (Lour.) Choisy) and bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl and Guadua angustifolia Kunth)

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) enriched libraries for five groups of tropical perennial plants with edible fruits and shoots were prepared and sequenced in a GS-FLX Roche 454: sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen), lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn. and G. cochinchinensis (Lour.) Choisy), rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), and bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C. Wendl and Guadua angustifolia Kunth). For SSR development, these species were organized by their common names in five groups. A total of 3870 SSR primer sets were designed, using capillary electrophoresis 1872 nuclear SSRs were tested on 4 to 10 DNA samples within each plant group, that is 384 loci for each of the four groups of fruit trees and 336 loci for the bamboo group. Only 7.9% of the primers tested did not result in amplifi- cation. All 1872 SSRs are provided, we highlight 178 SSRs (between 26 and 47 per group) considered top-quality polymorphic SSRs that amplified all the samples, had strong fluorescence signal, presented no stutters and showed minimum non-specific amplification or background fluorescence. A total of 66,057 contig sequences were submitted to GenBank Database. Markers presented here will be useful not only for conservation efforts in banks of germplasm, but also for in-depth analysis of population genetics which usually requires evaluation of large number of loci

Mental Health Outcomes for Youths With Public Versus Private Health Insurance Attending a Telehealth Intensive Outpatient Program: Quality Improvement Analysis

BackgroundCOVID-19 exacerbated a growing mental health crisis among youths and young adults, worsened by a lack of existing in-person options for high-acuity care. The emergence and growth of remote intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) is a solution to overcome geographic limitations to care. However, it remains unclear whether remote IOPs engender equivalent clinical outcomes among youths with public insurance (eg, Medicaid) versus private insurance (eg, commercial) given the disparities found in previous research on place-based treatment in both clinical and engagement outcomes. ObjectiveThis analysis sought to establish, as part of ongoing quality improvement efforts, whether engagement and clinical outcomes among adolescents and young adults attending remote IOP treatment differed between youths with public and those with private insurance. The identification of disparities by payer type was used to inform programmatic decisions within the remote IOP system for which this quality improvement analysis was conducted. MethodsPearson chi-square analyses and independent 2-tailed t tests were used to establish that the 2 groups defined by insurance type were equivalent on clinical outcomes (depression, suicidal ideation, and nonsuicidal self-injury [NSSI]) at intake and compare changes in clinical outcomes. McNemar chi-square analyses and repeated-measure 2-tailed t tests were used to assess changes in clinical outcomes between intake and discharge in the sample overall. In total, 495 clients who attended the remote IOP for youths and young adults in 14 states participated in ≥7 treatment sessions, and completed intake and discharge surveys between July 2021 and April 2022 were included in the analysis. ResultsOverall, the youths and young adults in the remote IOP attended a median of 91% of their scheduled group sessions (mean 85.9%, SD 16.48%) and reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms at discharge (t447=12.51; P<.001). McNemar chi-square tests of change indicated significant reductions from intake to discharge in suicidal ideation (N=470, χ21=104.4; P<.001), with nearly three-quarters of youths who reported active suicidal ideation at intake (200/468, 42.7%) no longer reporting it at discharge (142/200, 71%), and in NSSI (N=430, χ21=40.7; P<.001), with more than half of youths who reported NSSI at intake (205/428, 47.9%) reporting lower self-harm at discharge (119/205, 58%). No significant differences emerged by insurance type in attendance (median public 89%, median private 92%; P=.10), length of stay (t416=−0.35; P=.73), or reductions in clinical outcomes (depressive symptom severity: t444=−0.87 and P=.38; active suicidal ideation: N=200, χ21=0.6 and P=.49; NSSI frequency: t426=−0.98 and P=.33). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that youths and young adults who participated in remote IOP had significant reductions in depression, suicidal ideation, and NSSI. Given access to the same remote high-acuity care, youths and young adults on both public and private insurance engaged in programming at comparable rates and achieved similar improvements in clinical outcomes