Measurement of adolescent psychological wellbeing: A test of factor structure and measurement invariance.

Gains in holistic approaches to adult mental health have been associated with increasing interest in understanding psychological wellbeing (PWB) among adolescents. Empirical examination of measurement models for PWB in adolescence is lacking. Thus, the current study examined PWB in a longitudinal, diverse sample of 433 adolescents (non-Latinx Black: 37.6%; non-Latinx White: 25.9%; Latinx: 36.5%; Male adolescents: 50.1%). A one-factor, correlated six-factor and hierarchical models were examined across racial/ethnic (White, Black, and Hispanic) and gender (female, male) identities, after which the best fitting model was selected to undergo invariance testing. A one-factor structure was superior, and exhibited strict invariance across racial/ethnic and gender identities at each wave of the study, as well as longitudinal invariance within the entire sample.

Adolescent Loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Pre-Pandemic Risk Factors.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global mental health crisis that disproportionately impacts adolescents. Loneliness is a particularly salient pandemic psychosocial outcome to understand; however, research to date on this outcome is sparse and largely cross-sectional. In response, we examined pre-pandemic risk factors for pandemic loneliness. Further, we examined how risk may differ based on key demographics, and whether mediation or moderation models best explained potential disparities in experiencing loneliness. Self-reported, pre-pandemic mental health, trauma exposure, and family conflict survey data were collected at Wave 1 in a diverse sample of 369 adolescents (54.5% female, 45.5% male; 30.1% White; 30.9% Black; 18.4% Hispanic; Mage = 15.04; SD age = 1.10). Subsequently, self-reported experiences of loneliness during the pandemic were collected 6 months (April-June 2020) and 12 months (October-December 2020) later. Using a regression-based framework (i.e., PROCESS), we tested (a) which pre-pandemic risks uniquely predicted prospective loneliness and (b) whether loneliness risk was elevated for certain identities (i.e., mediation models) or whether certain identities were more sensitive to specific risks (i.e., moderation models). Overall, pre-pandemic depressive and aggression symptoms predicted early pandemic loneliness (6-month follow-up), whereas anxiety symptoms specifically predicted mid-pandemic loneliness (12-month follow-up). Environmental stressors were moderated by gender, such that females with pre-pandemic trauma exposure were more likely to report pandemic loneliness. Further, pre-pandemic internalizing distress for girls and externalizing symptoms for boys, reflected gender-specific pathways for loneliness. Implications for mental health prevention in the wake of national disasters are discussed. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12187-022-09984-8.

Is ACEs Screening for Adolescent Mental Health Accurate and Fair?

Increasingly, adversity-focused assessment tools are being introduced into preventive mental health screening protocols. However, few studies have explicitly examined whether use of these instruments serves as equitable, clinically useful measures of mental health risk in adolescents. In response, the present study examined whether an adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) measure was accurate and fair as an index of environmental risk for adolescent mental health diagnoses. Secondary data analyses were conducted on the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement. Adolescents (N = 10,148; AgeMean = 15.20; 51.3% male; 65.6% White, 15.1% Black, and 14.4% Hispanic) answered ten questions concerning childhood adversities and completed diagnostic interviews for PTSD, depression, and externalizing disorders. In the overall sample, ACEs showed some clinical utility (e.g., area under the curve (AUCs) ≥ 0.64), diagnostic likelihood ratios (DLRs) > 4.0) and acceptable calibration (i.e., expected/observed indices' confidence intervals included 1) across diagnoses. Within subpopulations, however, predictive validity varied. The AUCs were lower for multiple diagnoses in Black male and Hispanic female adolescents and DLRs suggested greater clinical utility for indexing mental health in White, female adolescents. Finally, models were not well-calibrated between adolescent subpopulations, suggesting recommended ACEs screening can potentially produce biased results when used to inform mental health policy and prevention. Reasons for why results from ACEs screening may vary across adolescent subpopulations and the importance of testing statistical fairness for preventive mental health screening are discussed.

Testing the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale in adolescents across time, gender, and race/ethnicity.

The Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS) is a self-report measure designed to assess anticipatory and consummatory pleasure, two facets of anhedonic predispositions. Despite its widespread use, the factor structure of the TEPS has yet to be tested in adolescents, who are at increased risk for psychopathology and undergoing rapid changes in reward-related processes. In response, the present study aimed to test the factor structure and measurement invariance of the TEPS across time, gender, and race/ethnicity in a diverse adolescent sample. Adolescents (N = 441; Mage = 14.98; 223 female) who identified as either Black (37%), Hispanic (37%), or White (26%), completed the TEPS at Baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups. Factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of the TEPS, while configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance were tested across time and demographics. Findings supported the two-factor structure of the TEPS, above and beyond other conceptualizations (e.g., 4-factor, bifactor), full longitudinal invariance, and partial invariance across gender and race/ethnicity. Examination of mean differences suggested no temporal, gender nor race/ethnic differences for anticipatory pleasure. For consummatory pleasure, no differences were found for gender, but results suggested higher levels over time and lower levels in Black adolescents. Our findings provide preliminary support for reliable cross-group interpretations of anticipatory and consummatory anhedonic predispositions as measured through the TEPS. Together, results provide support for the clinical utility of the TEPS for anhedonic-related psychopathology risk assessment in adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Cardiac autonomic functioning across stress and reward: Links with depression in emerging adults.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) has received much attention as a potential low-cost, peripheral indicator of depression. Despite theoretical support, however, results have been mixed as to whether indices of the ANS reliably index depression. In response, the present study sought to clarify the relation between ANS activity and depression by examining cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) and cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR), two composite indices of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, within both a stressful and rewarding context. We hypothesized that CABStress, representing the difference between the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches in response to stress, and CARReward, representing the summation of the two branches in response to reward, will be most indicative of depressogenic risk. We examined the parasympathetic (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia) and sympathetic (i.e., pre-ejection period) responses of 97 emerging adults (Mage = 18.93) for a stress (i.e., negative mood induction) and reward (i.e., probabilistic learning) task, as well as their depressive symptoms at baseline, 3-week, and 6-week follow-up. Analyses found partial support for our hypotheses, revealing greater CARReward (i.e., coactivation of both branches) was related to lower depressive symptoms. Further, exploratory analyses examining gender differences found lower CABStress (i.e., sympathetically-oriented response) was predictive of an increasing trajectory of depression, but only among males. Overall, the current study highlights the importance of simultaneously examining both branches of the ANS across various environmental contexts. Research and clinical implications of the current findings are discussed.

Psychological Distress and Well-Being in Trauma-Exposed Adolescents: A Residualized, Person-Centered Approach to Resilience.

Positive adaptation manifests differently in the aftermath of traumatic events. Methodological limitations, however, impede the ability to test conceptualizations of resilience that emphasize the multifaceted nature of these responses. In response, an approach that synthesized a residualized and person-centered conceptualization of resilience examined associations between aspects of resilience in an adolescent sample. In total, 584 racially/ethnically diverse adolescents (age range: 12-17 years; M = 14.98 years; SD = 1.05; 50.9% female; 30.1% White, 29.6% African American, 19.5% Hispanic) self-reported lifetime emotional maltreatment and community violence exposure as well as current levels of depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), violent behavior, and psychological well-being (PWB). Each mental health outcome was regressed on lifetime trauma exposure to create residuals used as indices of resilience. Correlations between the residuals suggested that PWB was more closely related to resilience to depression and PTS, rs = .17-.30, than violent behavior, r = .00. Residuals were subsequently entered into person-centered analyses to identify representative well-being profiles. Cluster analysis identified four groups, including two adaptive profiles defined by (a) lower distress and higher PWB and (b) lower psychopathology and lower PWB, based on adolescents' levels of trauma exposure. These two profiles did not vary regarding impairment, p > .999, suggesting both profiles represent positive adaption to lifetime trauma exposure. Theoretical and clinical implications of distinguishing between these two profiles by assessing PWB in adolescents are discussed, as well as how PWB may manifest within the context of different patterns of psychological distress.

Comorbid Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Chinese Adolescents: Testing the Explanatory Power of a Diathesis-Anxiety Model.

Anxiety and depressive symptoms frequently co-occur in adolescence and confer greater distress compared to experiencing either symptom alone. A causal model (anxiety symptoms predicting depressive symptoms), a correlated liabilities model (vulnerabilities interacting with stressors to predict both symptoms), and a diathesis-anxiety model (vulnerabilities interacting with anxiety symptoms to predict depressive symptoms) have all been proposed as explanations for the relation between depression and anxiety. To date, however, research has mostly examined these models among North American/Western European adolescents. In response, the present study sought to identify the best explanatory model concerning the relationship between anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. 494 10th grade students were assessed for their perceived levels of family cohesion and conflict, stressors, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Every 3 months for 18 months, youth reported their symptoms and stressors. Symptoms and stressors were person-mean and grand-mean centered to compare nomothetic and idiographic conceptualizations of vulnerability. Overall, evidence suggested a reciprocal, versus causal, relation between anxiety and depressive symptoms. Further, while cohesion and conflict independently predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms, their interactions with stressors were not supported. Ultimately, strong support was found for a diathesis-anxiety model using an idiographic conceptualization of anxiety, such that low perceived family cohesion interacted with within-subject fluctuations of anxiety to predict prospective depressive symptoms. This study provides cross-cultural support for a diathesis-anxiety model and shows the importance of distinguishing between positive and negative family functioning when examining vulnerability in Chinese adolescents. Research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Author Correction: Structure-Activity Relationships of Baicalein and its Analogs as Novel TSLP Inhibitors.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Structure-Activity Relationships of Baicalein and its Analogs as Novel TSLP Inhibitors.

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) plays an important role in the differentiation and proliferation of Th2 cells, resulting in eosinophilic inflammation and numerous allergic diseases. Baicalein (1), a major component of Scutellaria baicalensis, was found to be the first small molecule to block TSLP signaling pathways. It inhibited effectively eosinophil infiltration in house dust mite-induced and ovalbumin-challenged mouse models. Structure-activity relationship studies identified compound 11a, a biphenyl flavanone analog, as a novel human TSLP inhibitor for the discovery and development of new anti-allergic drugs.

Controllable Switching Filaments Prepared via Tunable and Well-Defined Single Truncated Conical Nanopore Structures for Fast and Scalable SiOx Memory.

The controllability of switching conductive filaments is one of the central issues in the development of reliable metal-oxide resistive memory because the random dynamic nature and formation of the filaments pose an obstacle to desirable switching performance. Here, we introduce a simple and novel approach to control and form a single silicon nanocrystal (Si-NC) filament for use in SiOx memory devices. The filament is formed with a confined vertical nanoscale gap by using a well-defined single vertical truncated conical nanopore (StcNP) structure. The physical dimensions of the Si-NC filaments such as number, size, and length, which have a significant influence on the switching properties, can be simply engineered by the breakdown of an Au wire through different StcNP structures. In particular, we demonstrate that the designed SiOx memory junction with a StcNP of pore depth of ∼75 nm and a bottom diameter of ∼10 nm exhibited a switching speed of up to 6 ns for both set and reset process, significantly faster than reported SiOx memory devices. The device also exhibited a high ON-OFF ratio, multistate storage ability, acceptable endurance, and retention stability. The influence of the physical dimensions of the StcNP on the switching features is discussed based on the simulated temperature profiles of the Au wire and the nanogap size generated inside the StcNP structure during electromigration.

C-terminal dimerization of apo-cyclic AMP receptor protein validated in solution.

Although cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) has long served as a typical example of effector-mediated protein allostery, mechanistic details into its regulation have been controversial due to discrepancy between the known crystal structure and NMR structure of apo-CRP. Here, we report that the recombinant protein corresponding to its C-terminal DNA-binding domain (CDD) forms a dimer. This result, together with structural information obtained in the present NMR study, is consistent with the previous crystal structure and validates its relevance also in solution. Therefore, our findings suggest that dissociation of the CDD may be critically involved in cAMP-induced allosteric activation of CRP.

Difference in tongue strength using visual feedback in healthy adults.

[Purpose] This study investigated the difference in tongue strength with and without visual feedback in healthy adults. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 30 healthy adults were recruited. We measured the strength of the anterior region of the tongue before and after applying visual feedback using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. [Results] The tongue strength was measured as 45.5 ± 9.3 kilopascals with visual feedback and 41.1 ± 8.6 kilopascals without visual feedback, showing a statistically significant difference. [Conclusion] Visual feedback may be an effective tool for increasing the strength of the tongue.

Oxidative Dimerization of PHD2 is Responsible for its Inactivation and Contributes to Metabolic Reprogramming via HIF-1α Activation.

Prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) belongs to an evolutionarily conserved superfamily of 2-oxoglutarate and Fe(II)-dependent dioxygenases that mediates homeostatic responses to oxygen deprivation by mediating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) hydroxylation and degradation. Although oxidative stress contributes to the inactivation of PHD2, the precise molecular mechanism of PHD2 inactivation independent of the levels of co-factors is not understood. Here, we identified disulfide bond-mediated PHD2 homo-dimer formation in response to oxidative stress caused by oxidizing agents and oncogenic H-ras(V12) signalling. Cysteine residues in the double-stranded ß-helix fold that constitutes the catalytic site of PHD isoforms appeared responsible for the oxidative dimerization. Furthermore, we demonstrated that disulfide bond-mediated PHD2 dimerization is associated with the stabilization and activation of HIF-1α under oxidative stress. Oncogenic H-ras(V12) signalling facilitates the accumulation of HIF-1α in the nucleus and promotes aerobic glycolysis and lactate production. Moreover, oncogenic H-ras(V12) does not trigger aerobic glycolysis in antioxidant-treated or PHD2 knocked-down cells, suggesting the participation of the ROS-mediated PHD2 inactivation in the oncogenic H-ras(V12)-mediated metabolic reprogramming. We provide here a better understanding of the mechanism by which disulfide bond-mediated PHD2 dimerization and inactivation result in the activation of HIF-1α and aerobic glycolysis in response to oxidative stress.

Anti-Inflammatory Action of an Antimicrobial Model Peptide That Suppresses the TRIF-Dependent Signaling Pathway via Inhibition of Toll-Like Receptor 4 Endocytosis in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Macrophages.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also called host defense peptides, particularly those with amphipathic helical structures, are emerging as target molecules for therapeutic development due to their immunomodulatory properties. Although the antimicrobial activity of AMPs is known to be exerted primarily by permeation of the bacterial membrane, the mechanism underlying its anti-inflammatory activity remains to be elucidated. We report potent anti-inflammatory activity of WALK11.3, an antimicrobial model peptide with an amphipathic helical conformation, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This peptide inhibited the expression of inflammatory mediators, including nitric oxide, COX-2, IL-1ß, IL-6, INF-ß, and TNF-α. Although WALK11.3 did not exert a major effect on all downstream signaling in the MyD88-dependent pathway, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)- mediated pro-inflammatory signals were markedly attenuated in the TRIF-dependent pathway due to inhibition of the phosphorylation of STAT1 by attenuation of IRF3 phosphorylation. WALK11.3 specifically inhibited the endocytosis of TLR4, which is essential for triggering TRIF-mediated signaling in macrophage cells. Hence, we suggest that specific interference with TLR4 endocytosis could be one of the major modes of the anti-inflammatory action of AMPs. Our designed WALK11 peptides, which possess both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, may be promising molecules for the development of therapies for infectious inflammation.

Maskless optical microscope lithography system.

A simple maskless photolithography system employing an optical microscope, a motorized stage and a beam blanker is proposed. Based on a pattern design, the motorized stage shifts a resist-coated substrate exposed by a focused beam under a microscope. Microscale patterns are easily defined on a single nanowire without using a mask validating the application applying to the research requiring frequent changes or free-style designs in microscale test patterns.