A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Trypanosoma cruzi: gene expression surveyed by proteomic analysis reveals interaction between different genotypes in mixed in vitro cultures.

We have analyzed the comportment in in vitro culture of 2 different genotypes of Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, pertaining to 2 major genetic subdivisions (near-clades) of this parasite. One of the stocks was a fast-growing one, highly virulent in mice, while the other one was slow-growing, mildly virulent in mice. The working hypothesis was that mixtures of genotypes interact, a pattern that has been observed by us in empirical experimental studies. Genotype mixtures were followed every 7 days and characterized by the DIGE technology of proteomic analysis. Proteic spots of interest were characterized by the SAMESPOT software. Patterns were compared to those of pure genotypes that were also evaluated every 7 days. One hundred and three spots exhibited changes in time by comparison with T = 0. The major part of these spots (58%) exhibited an under-expression pattern by comparison with the pure genotypes. 32% of the spots were over-expressed; 10% of spots were not different from those of pure genotypes. Interestingly, interaction started a few minutes after the mixtures were performed. We have retained 43 different proteins that clearly exhibited either under- or over-expression. Proteins showing interaction were characterized by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Close to 50% of them were either tubulins or heat shock proteins. This study confirms that mixed genotypes of T. cruzi interact at the molecular level. This is of great interest because mixtures of genotypes are very frequent in Chagas natural cycles, both in insect vectors and in mammalian hosts, and may play an important role in the transmission and severity of Chagas disease. The methodology proposed here is potentially applicable to any micropathogen, including fungi, bacteria and viruses. It should be of great interest in the case of bacteria, for which the epidemiological and clinical consequences of mixed infections could be underestimated

Trypanosoma cruzi : gene expression surveyed by proteomic analysis reveals interaction between different genotypes in mixed in vitro cultures

We have analyzed the comportment in in vitro culture of 2 different genotypes of Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, pertaining to 2 major genetic subdivisions (near-clades) of this parasite. One of the stocks was a fast-growing one, highly virulent in mice, while the other one was slow-growing, mildly virulent in mice. The working hypothesis was that mixtures of genotypes interact, a pattern that has been observed by us in empirical experimental studies. Genotype mixtures were followed every 7 days and characterized by the DIGE technology of proteomic analysis. Proteic spots of interest were characterized by the SAMESPOT software. Patterns were compared to those of pure genotypes that were also evaluated every 7 days. One hundred and three spots exhibited changes in time by comparison with T = 0. The major part of these spots (58%) exhibited an under-expression pattern by comparison with the pure genotypes. 32% of the spots wereover-expressed; 10% of spots were not different from those of pure genotypes. Interestingly, interaction started a few minutes after the mixtures were performed. We have retained 43 different proteins that clearly exhibited either under-or over-expression. Proteins showing interaction were characterized by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Close to 50% of them were either tubulins or heat shock proteins. This study confirms that mixed genotypes of T. cruzi interact at the molecular level. This is of great interest because mixtures of genotypes are very frequent in Chagas natural cycles, both in insect vectors and in mammalian hosts, and may play an important role in the transmission and severity of Chagas disease. The methodology proposed here is potentially applicable to any micropathogen, including fungi, bacteria and viruses. It should be of great interest in the case of bacteria, for which the epidemiological and clinical consequences of mixed infections could be underestimated

Atendimento às mulheres vítimas de violência sexual: um estudo qualitativo

OBJECTIVE: To assess public services attending female victims of sexual violence in the city of Sao Paulo. METHODS: This is a qualitative study conducted in two public services attending female victims of sexual violence. Interviews with 42 women were conducted, 13 of whom had sought these services for assistance and 29 were professionals working in these services. Evaluation of the services was based on the categories: reception, access, resolvability and sanitary responsibility. RESULTS: The analysis of the interviews per category has shown that there was reception in both services, problems with respect to access due to the lack of information concerning these services, and quality resolvability with a multi-professional team. As to the sanitary responsibility, it is present in these specialized services but is deficient in the emergency services and basic health care units. Many women are unaware of the rights they are entitled to with respect to specialized services. Frequently their late arrival compromises the efficacy of care. There are deficiencies both in terms of reference and counter reference. CONCLUSIONS: The results ratify the importance of these services and the need for their decentralized expansion. Health courses should introduce the theme of sexual violence at the undergraduate level.OBJETIVO: Avaliar o funcionamento de serviços públicos de atendimento a mulheres vítimas de violência sexual. MÉTODOS: Estudo de natureza qualitativa realizado em dois serviços públicos de atendimento às mulheres vítimas da violência sexual. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 42 mulheres, sendo 13 que buscaram os serviços e 29 profissionais que trabalhavam nas equipes. A avaliação teve por referência as categorias: acolhimento, acesso, resolutividade e responsabilidade sanitária. RESULTADOS: A análise das entrevistas por categorias revelou haver acolhimento em ambos os serviços, dificuldade de acesso por falta de informação da existência desses serviços, resolutividade de qualidade com equipe multiprofissional. Quanto à responsabilidade sanitária, ela existe nesses serviços especializados, mas é deficiente nos pronto-socorros e unidades básicas de saúde. Muitas mulheres desconhecem os direitos que lhes garantem serviço especializado. Muitas vezes chegam tardiamente aos serviços comprometendo sua eficácia. Há deficiência na referência e contra-referência. CONCLUSÕES: As conclusões permitem ratificar a importância desses serviços de atendimento, a necessidade de sua ampliação descentralizada e a inserção da temática da violência sexual nas graduações dos cursos de saúde

Bidimensionnal electrophoresis of the proteomic variability of the 2 <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> stocks P209 cl1 and Mn Cl2.

<p>The picture shows a total of 1,850 spots identified by Samespot. Circled and numbered spots correspond to the spots of interest identified by mass spectrometry. Above: PH gradient.</p

Two patterns of protein expression kinetics (from left to right): p209 cl1 (pure clone) shows the strongests spot, Mn cl2 (pure clone) shows the weakest spot; then: mixtures at different times of experiment.

<p>(a) Top row: the mixture at the end of the experiment exhibits overexpression by comparison with p209 cl1. (b) bottom row: the mixture at the end of the experiment shows underexpression by comparison with p209 cl1.</p

List of the proteins identified by mass spectrometry, their function and their pattern of behavior (over- vs. under-expressed) in the experiment.

<p>The Swissprot_TrEMBL entry is related to the reference of the protein in the Swissprot_TrEMBL database.</p><p>Score is calculated by the Mascot search engine for each identified protein matched from the MS peak list. If the Protein Score is equal to, or greater than, the Mascot Significance Level, the protein match is considered to be statistically non-random at the 95% confidence interval.</p