5'/3' RACE method for sequencing the 5' and 3' untranslated regions of Zika virus.

The spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) from the African continent to the Americas promoted its molecular evolution, as reflected by mutations in its RNA genome. Most of the ZIKV genome sequences in the GenBank database have incomplete 5' and 3' UTR sequences, reflecting the deficiency of whole-genome sequencing technologies to resolve the sequences of the genome ends. We modified a protocol for rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) to determine the complete sequences of the 5' and 3' UTRs of a previously reported ZIKV isolate (GenBank no. MH544701.1). This strategy is useful for determining 5' and 3' UTR sequences of ZIKV isolates and will be useful for comparative genomics applications.

Determination of the Ratio of the Decantation Time and the Separation of Components in Lipoaspirate.

Decantation of the lipoaspirate is one of the most common techniques used to prepare the fat graft. The aim of the study was to determine the ideal time of decantation that provides the best separation of the components without compromising the viability of the adipocytes. METHODS: Thirty milliliters of fat were obtained from 11 healthy adults and decanted at room temperature for 0, 30, and 60 minutes. After decantation, the infiltration liquid and the remnant fat were measured with a volumetric pipette. Once the solution was removed, the remnant fat was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes to separate any residual solution, to measure the amount of actual fat obtained at that time point. Viability was determined with trypan blue staining for all the samples. RESULTS: After decantation, 9.4 ± 0.79 mL of fat was obtained at time 0, whereas 7.7 ± 1.56 mL was obtained at 30 minutes and 6.9 ± 0.92 mL at 60 minutes. Actual fat volume was 6.6 ± 1.56 mL, 5.5 ± 1.39, and 5.26 ± 1.3 mL, respectively. Viability at time 0 was 73.33 ± 0.06%, 72.57 ± 0.1% at 30 minutes, and 59.3 ± 0.09% at 60 minutes (P = 0.004). RESULTS: The fat grafting, processed by decantation, will have the best performance within a period of 30 minutes after harvesting, where the best rate of viability and separation of components will be achieved.

CREB3L1-mediated functional and structural adaptation of the secretory pathway in hormone-stimulated thyroid cells.

Many secretory cells increase the synthesis and secretion of cargo proteins in response to specific stimuli. How cells couple increased cargo load with a coordinate rise in secretory capacity to ensure efficient transport is not well understood. We used thyroid cells stimulated with thyrotropin (TSH) to demonstrate a coordinate increase in the production of thyroid-specific cargo proteins and ER-Golgi transport factors, and a parallel expansion of the Golgi complex. TSH also increased expression of the CREB3L1 transcription factor, which alone caused amplified transport factor levels and Golgi enlargement. Furthermore, CREB3L1 potentiated the TSH-induced increase in Golgi volume. A dominant-negative CREB3L1 construct hampered the ability of TSH to induce Golgi expansion, implying that this transcription factor contributes to Golgi expansion. Our findings support a model in which CREB3L1 acts as a downstream effector of TSH to regulate the expression of cargo proteins, and simultaneously increases the synthesis of transport factors and the expansion of the Golgi to synchronize the rise in cargo load with the amplified capacity of the secretory pathway.

A Test for the Clinical Evaluation of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis of the Fifth Finger.

Physical examination is essential in diagnosing tendinous lesions. This is particularly true of the flexor digitorum superficialis of the little finger (FDS5), which is functionally absent in approximately 30% of the population. The objective of our study was to determine the diagnostic value of 3 clinical tests commonly used to assess the function of this tendon. METHODS: Patients with wounds of the FDS5 were included in this study. Under local or regional anesthesia, 3 described clinical tests were performed to assess the function of the FDS5: (i) the classic test; (ii) Stein's modified test, and (iii) Mecott's modified test. We determined sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of all such tests. The integrity of the tendon was assessed surgically. Correlation among blinded observers was also established. RESULTS: A total of 28 subjects with a mean age of 28 years (ranging from 5 to 56) participated in this study. The classic test obtained a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 72%; Stein's test resulted in a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 95%, whereas Mecott's test reached a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 95%. CONCLUSIONS: Among the 3 tests described and used in our study, Mecott's modified test proved to be more sensitive and specific than the other two; therefore, we consider this to be the test that should be used in determining the integrity of the FDS5.

Epigenetic mechanisms, T-cell activation, and CCR5 genetics interact to regulate T-cell expression of CCR5, the major HIV-1 coreceptor.

T-cell expression levels of CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) are a critical determinant of HIV/AIDS susceptibility, and manifest wide variations (i) between T-cell subsets and among individuals and (ii) in T-cell activation-induced increases in expression levels. We demonstrate that a unifying mechanism for this variation is differences in constitutive and T-cell activation-induced DNA methylation status of CCR5 cis-regulatory regions (cis-regions). Commencing at an evolutionarily conserved CpG (CpG -41), CCR5 cis-regions manifest lower vs. higher methylation in T cells with higher vs. lower CCR5 levels (memory vs. naïve T cells) and in memory T cells with higher vs. lower CCR5 levels. HIV-related and in vitro induced T-cell activation is associated with demethylation of these cis-regions. CCR5 haplotypes associated with increased vs. decreased gene/surface expression levels and HIV/AIDS susceptibility magnify vs. dampen T-cell activation-associated demethylation. Methylation status of CCR5 intron 2 explains a larger proportion of the variation in CCR5 levels than genotype or T-cell activation. The ancestral, protective CCR5-HHA haplotype bears a polymorphism at CpG -41 that is (i) specific to southern Africa, (ii) abrogates binding of the transcription factor CREB1 to this cis-region, and (iii) exhibits a trend for overrepresentation in persons with reduced susceptibility to HIV and disease progression. Genotypes lacking the CCR5-Δ32 mutation but with hypermethylated cis-regions have CCR5 levels similar to genotypes heterozygous for CCR5-Δ32. In HIV-infected individuals, CCR5 cis-regions remain demethylated, despite restoration of CD4+ counts (≥800 cells per mm(3)) with antiretroviral therapy. Thus, methylation content of CCR5 cis-regions is a central epigenetic determinant of T-cell CCR5 levels, and possibly HIV-related outcomes.

Preservation of epithelial cell barrier function and muted inflammation in resistance to allergic rhinoconjunctivitis from house dust mite challenge.

BACKGROUND: An emerging paradigm holds that resistance to the development of allergic diseases, including allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, relates to an intact epithelial/epidermal barrier during early childhood. Conceivably, the immunologic and genomic footprint of this resistance is preserved in nonatopic, nonallergic adults and is unmasked during exposure to an aeroallergen. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to obtain direct support of the epithelial/epidermal barrier model for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. METHODS: Twenty-three adults allergic to house dust mites (HDMs) (M+) and 15 nonsensitive, nonallergic (M-) participants completed 3-hour exposures to aerosolized HDM (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) powder on 4 consecutive days in an allergen challenge chamber. We analyzed: (1) peripheral blood leukocyte levels and immune responses; and (2) RNA sequencing-derived expression profiles of nasal cells, before and after HDM exposure. RESULTS: On HDM challenge: (1) only M+ persons developed allergic rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms; and (2) peripheral blood leukocyte levels/responses and gene expression patterns in nasal cells were largely concordant between M+ and M- participants; gross differences in these parameters were not observed at baseline (pre-exposure). Two key differences were observed. First, peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell activation levels initially decreased in M- participants versus increased in M+ participants. Second, in M- compared with M+ participants, genes that promoted epidermal/epithelial barrier function (eg, filament-aggregating protein [filaggrin]) versus inflammation (eg, chemokines) and innate immunity (interferon) were upregulated versus muted, respectively. CONCLUSION: An imprint of resistance to HDM challenge in nonatopic, nonallergic adults was muted T-cell activation in the peripheral blood and inflammatory response in the nasal compartment, coupled with upregulation of genes that promote epidermal/epithelial cell barrier function.

Lateral diffusion, function, and expression of the slow channel congenital myasthenia syndrome αC418W nicotinic receptor mutation with changes in lipid raft components.

Lipid rafts, specialized membrane microdomains in the plasma membrane rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids, are hot spots for a number of important cellular processes. The novel nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) mutation αC418W, the first lipid-exposed mutation identified in a patient that causes slow channel congenital myasthenia syndrome was shown to be cholesterol-sensitive and to accumulate in microdomains rich in the membrane raft marker protein caveolin-1. The objective of this study is to gain insight into the mechanism by which lateral segregation into specialized raft membrane microdomains regulates the activable pool of nAChRs. We performed fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), quantitative RT-PCR, and whole cell patch clamp recordings of GFP-encoding Mus musculus nAChRs transfected into HEK 293 cells to assess the role of cholesterol and caveolin-1 (CAV-1) in the diffusion, expression, and functionality of the nAChR (WT and αC418W). Our findings support the hypothesis that a cholesterol-sensitive nAChR might reside in specialized membrane microdomains that upon cholesterol depletion become disrupted and release the cholesterol-sensitive nAChRs to the pool of activable receptors. In addition, our results in HEK 293 cells show an interdependence between CAV-1 and αC418W that could confer end plates rich in αC418W nAChRs to a susceptibility to changes in cholesterol levels that could cause adverse drug reactions to cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins. The current work suggests that the interplay between cholesterol and CAV-1 provides the molecular basis for modulating the function and dynamics of the cholesterol-sensitive αC418W nAChR.

Cockroach sensitization mitigates allergic rhinoconjunctivitis symptom severity in patients allergic to house dust mites and pollen.

BACKGROUND: Modifiers of symptom severity in patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) are imprecisely characterized. The hygiene hypothesis implicates childhood microbial exposure as a protective factor. Cockroach sensitization (C+) might be a proxy for microbial exposure. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether C+ assayed by means of skin prick tests influenced AR symptom severity in controlled and natural settings. METHODS: Total symptom scores (TSSs) were recorded by 21 participants with house dust mite allergy (M+) in the natural setting and during repeated exposures of 3 hours per day to house dust mite allergen in an allergen challenge chamber (ACC). In M+ participants the peripheral blood and nasal cells were assayed for T-cell activation and transcriptomic profiles (by using RNA sequencing), respectively. Participants allergic to mountain cedar (n = 21), oak (n = 34), and ragweed (n = 23) recorded TSSs during separate out-of-season exposures to these pollens (any pollen sensitization [P+]) in the ACC; a subset recorded TSSs in the pollination seasons. RESULTS: The hierarchy of TSSs (highest to lowest) among M+ participants tracked the following skin prick test sensitization statuses: M+P+C- > M+P+C+ > M+P-C- > M+P-C+. In nasal cells and peripheral blood the immune/inflammatory responses were rapidly resolved in M+P+C+ compared with M+P+C- participants. Among those allergic to pollen, C+ was associated with a lower TSS during pollen challenges and the pollination season. After aggregated analysis of all 4 ACC studies, C+ status was associated with a 2.8-fold greater likelihood of a lower TSS compared with C- status (odds ratio, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.18-6.67; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: C+ status is associated with mitigation of AR symptom severity in adults with AR.

Important role of CCR2 in a murine model of coronary vasculitis.

BACKGROUND: Chemokines and their receptors play a role in the innate immune response as well as in the disruption of the balance between pro-inflammatory Th17 cells and regulatory T cells (Treg), underlying the pathogenesis of coronary vasculitis in Kawasaki disease (KD). RESULTS: Here we show that genetic inactivation of chemokine receptor (CCR)-2 is protective against the induction of aortic and coronary vasculitis following injection of Candida albicans water-soluble cell wall extracts (CAWS). Mechanistically, both T and B cells were required for the induction of vasculitis, a role that was directly modulated by CCR2. CAWS administration promoted mobilization of CCR2-dependent inflammatory monocytes (iMo) from the bone marrow (BM) to the periphery as well as production of IL-6. IL-6 was likely to contribute to the depletion of Treg and expansion of Th17 cells in CAWS-injected Ccr2(+/+) mice, processes that were ameliorated following the genetic inactivation of CCR2. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings provide novel insights into the role of CCR2 in the pathogenesis of vasculitis as seen in KD and highlight novel therapeutic targets, specifically for individuals resistant to first-line treatments.

CCR2 plays a critical role in dendritic cell maturation: possible role of CCL2 and NF-kappa B.

We postulated that CCR2-driven activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB plays a critical role in dendritic cell (DC) maturation (e.g., migration, costimulation, and IL-12p70 production), necessary for the generation of protective immune responses against the intracellular pathogen Leishmania major. Supporting this notion, we found that CCR2, its ligand CCL2, and NF-kappaB were required for CCL19 production and adequate Langerhans cell (LC) migration both ex vivo and in vivo. Furthermore, a role for CCR2 in upregulating costimulatory molecules was indicated by the reduced expression of CD80, CD86, and CD40 in Ccr2(-/-) bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) compared with wild-type (WT) BMDCs. Four lines of evidence suggested that CCR2 plays a critical role in the induction of protective immunity against L. major by regulating IL-12p70 production and migration of DC populations such as LCs. First, compared with WT, Ccr2(-/-) lymph node cells, splenocytes, BMDCs, and LCs produced lower levels of IL-12p70 following stimulation with LPS/IFN-gamma or L. major. Second, a reduced number of LCs carried L. major from the skin to the draining lymph nodes in Ccr2(-/-) mice compared with WT mice. Third, early treatment with exogenous IL-12 reversed the susceptibility to L. major infection in Ccr2(-/-) mice. Finally, disruption of IL-12p70 in radioresistant cells, such as LCs, but not in BMDCs resulted in the inability to mount a fully protective immune response in bone marrow chimeric mice. Collectively, our data point to an important role for CCR2-driven activation of NF-kappaB in the regulation of DC/LC maturation processes that regulate protective immunity against intracellular pathogens.

Striving for Equity in Community Mental Health: Opportunities and Challenges for Integrating Care for BIPOC Youth.

Supporting the mental health of youth who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Color (BIPOC) continues to be a challenge for clinicians and policymakers alike. Children and adolescents are a vulnerable population, and for BIPOC youth, these vulnerabilities are magnified by the effects of structural, interpersonal, and internalized racism. Integration of psychiatric care into other medical settings has emerged as an evidence-based method to improve access to psychiatric care, but to bridge the gap experienced by BIPOC youth, care must extend beyond medical settings to other child-focused sectors, including local governments, education, child welfare, juvenile legal systems, and beyond. Intentional policy decisions are needed to incentivize and support these systems, which typically rely on coordination and collaboration between clinicians and other stakeholders. Clinicians must be trauma-informed and strive for structural competency to successfully navigate and advocate for collaborative systems that benefit BIPOC youth.

CC chemokine receptor 5 deletion impairs macrophage activation and induces adverse remodeling following myocardial infarction.

Post-myocardial infarction (MI), chemokine homing of inflammatory cells into the injured left ventricle (LV) regulates ventricular remodeling, in part by stimulating the extracellular matrix response. The CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) is a key chemokine receptor expressed on macrophages, and CCR5 ligands are highly upregulated post-MI. We hypothesized that deletion of CCR5 would attenuate adverse remodeling by decreasing inflammatory cell recruitment. Accordingly, we examined LV function, macrophage recruitment and activation, and collagen content in wild-type (WT, n = 25) and CCR5 null (n = 33) mice at 7 days post-MI. Both groups had similar infarct sizes (44 ± 2% in WT and 42 ± 2% in CCR5 null; P = 0.37). However, the LV remodeling index (end diastolic volume/LV mass) increased to a larger extent in CCR5 null (1.28 ± 0.08 µl/mg for CCR5 null and 1.02 ± 0.06 µl/mg for WT; P < 0.05). Although numbers of infiltrated macrophages were similar in WT and CCR5 null mice, CCR5-deficient macrophages isolated from the infarct zone displayed >50% decrease in gene expression levels of proinflammatory activation markers (interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α), as well as anti-inflammatory activation markers (arginase 1, CD163, mannose receptor, and transforming growth factor-ß1) compared with WT (all P < 0.05). Concomitant with the reduced macrophage activation, heat shock protein-47 and collagen type I precursor levels in the infarct region decreased in the CCR5 null (1.2 ± 0.3 units in the CCR5 null and 2.3 ± 0.4 units in the WT; P < 0.05), while collagen fragments increased (88.3 ± 5.9 units in the CCR5 null and 32.7 ± 8.5 units in the WT; P < 0.05). We conclude that CCR5 deletion impairs LV remodeling by hindering macrophage activation, which stimulates an imbalance in collagen metabolism and increases the remodeling index.

A procedure to prevent cephalic rotation of cartilage grafts in the nasal tip.

BACKGROUND: The mestizo patient usually has a small nose with a wide base, round nostrils, and a convex dorsum. The alar cartilages are weak, thin, and short, providing deficient structural support and poor definition of the nasal tip. Cartilage grafts in the nasal tip are very often used to correct this condition, but a common problem of this procedure is the cephalic or lateral rotation of these grafts. OBJECTIVE: We used an angulated extended columellar graft to give columellar support and projection to nasal tip grafts for better control and prediction of the position and effect of these grafts. METHODS: The surgical protocol included a medical history, development of a surgical plan by analysis of the deformity, and the use of pre- and postoperative photographs taken at both intermediate and long-term follow-up visits for evaluation of the results. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients underwent surgery using this procedure, 56 with an open technique and 11 with a closed technique. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 4 years. The results obtained were satisfactory, showing better control and prediction of the shape of the nasal tip. CONCLUSIONS: The angulated extended columellar graft provides better control of the projection and angularity of cartilage grafts placed in the nasal tip.

Effect of refrigeration in the viability and apoptosis of decanted adipocytes after liposuction.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el efecto de la refrigeración en la apoptosis y la viabilidad del lipoaspirado en las primeras 2 horas después de la toma. MÉTODO: Se incluyeron 20 pacientes que fueron sometidas a una liposucción del abdomen por razones estéticas. Se obtuvieron 5 ml de grasa y se procesaron para su estudio. La viabilidad se determinó usando azul tripano. La apoptosis se determinó usando el ensayo TUNEL. RESULTADOS: Todas las pacientes eran mujeres, con una edad media de 36.5 años (rango: 21-67). Con respecto a la viabilidad, en el tiempo 0, en el grupo control fue del 59.08 ± 24% y en el grupo de refrigeración fue del 60.96 ± 22%; a los 60 minutos, los valores fueron del 50.82 ± 21% y el 55 ± 32.6%, respectivamente (p = 0.74); y a los 120 minutos, fueron del 42.69 ± 20.85% y el 50.33 ± 21%, respectivamente. En cuanto a la apoptosis, el porcentaje de células apoptóticas en el tiempo 0 fue del 37.87 ± 9.7% para el grupo de control y del 34.28 ± 9.74% para las muestras refrigeradas; a los 60 minutos, del 51.11 ± 8.64% y el 45.94 ± 9.15%, respectivamente; y a los 120 minutos, del 62.97 ± 13.33% y el 55.81 ± 9.45%, respectivamente. CONCLUSIONES: Refrigerar el lipoaspirado a 4 °C disminuyó la mortalidad y la apoptosis de los adipocitos en menos del 10% en las primeras 2 horas desde la toma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of refrigeration in the apoptosis and viability of the lipoaspirate in the first 2 h after harvesting. METHODS: 20 consecutive patients who underwent liposuction from the abdomen for esthetic reasons were included. 5 ml of fat were obtained and processed for study. The viability was obtained using trypan blue. Apoptosis was determined using TUNEL assay. RESULTS: All patients were female with a median age of 36.5 (21-67) years. On regard of the viability, at time 0, the viability in the control group was 59.08 ± 24% and 60.96 ± 22% in the refrigeration group. At 60 min, the values were 50.82 ± 21% versus 55 ± 32.6% (p = 0.74) and a 120 min, 42.69 ± 20.85% and 50.33 ± 21% respectively. On regard of apoptosis, the percentage of apoptotic cells at time 0 was 37.87 ± 9.7% for the control group and 34.28 ± 9.74% for refrigerated samples. At 60 min 51.11 ± 8.64% versus 45.94 ± 9.15% and at 120 min, 62.97 ± 13.33% versus 55.81 ± 9.45% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Refrigerating the lipoaspirate at 4 °C decreased the mortality and apoptosis of the adipocytes in <10% within the first 2 h from harvesting.

CC chemokine receptor (CCR)-2 prevents arthritis development following infection by Mycobacterium avium.

The host factors that influence autoimmune arthritides such as rheumatoid arthritis have not been fully elucidated. We previously found that genetic inactivation of CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) in the arthritis-prone DBA/1j mouse strain significantly increases the susceptibility of this strain to autoimmune arthritis induced by immunization with collagen type II (CII) and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Here, we show that following intradermal infection with Mycobacterium avium, a similar arthritis phenotype was detected in Ccr2-null mice in the DBA/1j, but not in the BALB/c background. The failure to develop arthritis in Ccr2-null BALB/c mice occurred in the face of high bacterial burdens and low interferon gamma (IFNgamma) production. By contrast, Ccr2-null DBA/1j mice had low bacterial burdens, produced normal amounts of IFNgamma, and had high titers of autoantibodies against CII. Thus, the Ccr2-null state in an arthritic-prone genetic background leads to increased arthritis susceptibility following infectious (M. avium) and noninfectious (CII/CFA) challenges. Because CCR2 serves as a negative regulator of murine arthritis, caution might need to be exercised while testing CCR2 blockers in human arthritis or other diseases. These findings also indicate that Ccr2-null DBA/1j mice might serve as a valuable model system to uncover the immunological determinants of arthritis and to test novel antiarthritic agents.

Spatial-Temporal Study of Rab1b Dynamics and Function at the ER-Golgi Interface.

The GTPase Rab1b is involved in ER to Golgi transport, with multiple Rab1b effectors (located at ERES, VTCs and the Golgi complex) being required for its function. In this study, we performed live-cell dual-expression studies to analyze the dynamics of Rab1b and some effectors located at the ERES-Golgi interface. Rab1b occupied widely distributed mobile punctate and tubular structures, displaying a transient overlaps with its effectors and showing that these overlaps occurred at the same time in spatially distinct steps of ER to Golgi transport. In addition, we assessed Rab1b dynamics during cargo sorting by analyzing the concentration at ERES of a Golgi protein (SialT2-CFP) during Brefeldin A washout (BFA WO). Rab1b was associated to most of the ERES structures, but at different times during BFA WO, and recurrently SialT2-CFP was sorted in the ERES-Rab1b positive structures. Furthermore, we reveal for first time that Rab1b localization time at ERES depended on GBF1, a Rab1b effector that acts as the guanine nucleotide exchange factor of Arf1, and that Rab1b membrane association/dissociation dynamics at ERES was dependent on the GBF1 membrane association and activity, which strongly suggests that GBF1 activity modulates Rab1b membrane cycling dynamic.

La crítica de la psicología, trabajo y la pandemia de Covid-19* / The criticism of psychology, work, and the Covid-19 pandemic

Ante la pandemia de Covid-19 causada por el vírus SARS-CoV-2 que puso a los trabajadores de la región lationamericana en una condición de mayor vulnerabildad, en este artículo se consideran algunas de las respuestas proporcionadas por la psicología convencional de corte industrial-organizacional, las cuales han estado caracterizadas por su enfasis técnico y acrítico dirigido a responsabilizar a los trabajadores de la actual situación. Tambien son analizadas las propuestas construidas por la psicología crítica descritas como soluciones colectivas que convocan instancias Estatales, organizacionales, sindicales y gremiales para diseñar intervencinoes que contribuyan a mitigar la situacion de mayor vulnerabilidad laboral. Por último, son consideradas las respuestas derivadas de perspectivas externas a la psicologia que examinan criticamente esta disciplina para mostrar las operaciones de gobierno que son posibles gracias a las intervenciones psicológicas referidas a la contencion de la pandemia. Se señala que la llamada crisis de la crítica estaría permeándose tanto en aquellas psicologías que asumen perspectivas no hegemónicas, como en la crítica misma de la psicología cuando consideran la situación actual.(AU)

Diante da pandemia da Covid-19 causada pelo vírus SARS-CoV-2, que colocou os trabalhadores da região latino-americana em uma condição mais vulnerável, neste artigo se considera algumas das respostas fornecidas pela psicologia convencional, que tem se caracterizado por sua ênfase técnica e acrítica no sentido de responsabilizar os trabalhadores pela situação atual. Também se analisam as propostas construídas pela psicologia crítica descritas como soluções coletivas que apelam às instâncias estatais, organizacionais, sindicais e grupais para conceber intervenções que ajudem a mitigar a situação de maior vulnerabilidade no trabalho. Por fim, são consideradas as respostas derivadas de perspectivas externas à psicologia que examinam criticamente essa disciplina para mostrar as operações de governo que são possíveis por meio de intervenções psicológicas relacionadas à contenção da pandemia. Ressalta-se que a chamada crise da crítica estaria permeando tanto aquelas psicologias que assumem perspectivas não hegemônicas, como a própria crítica da psicologia em si ao se considerar a situação atual.(AU)

Faced with the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that put workers in the Latin American region in a more vulnerable condition, this article considers some of the responses provided by conventional industrial-organizational psychology, which have been characterized by their technical and uncritical emphasis aiming at holding workers accountable for the current situation. Also, the proposals constructed by critical psychology are analyzed to indicate that these collective solutions appeal to State, organizational, union and group instances to design interventions that contribute to mitigate the situation of greater vulnerability at work. Finally, the responses derived from perspectives external to psychology that critically examine this discipline are considered to show the government operations that are possible through psychological interventions related to the containment of the pandemic. It is pointed out how the so-called crisis of criticism is permeating those psychologies that assume non-hegemonic perspectives, as well as in the criticism of psychology itself when they consider the current situation.(AU)

Combining geometrical and dynamical disorder to enhance transport.

We look for the optimal way to distribute rectifiers in order to maximize their effect on the transport properties of Brownian particles. These rectifiers are introduced in the form of flashing asymmetric potentials distributed on a one dimensional lattice. We study the effects that different distributions of these rectifiers have on the generated current and on the energy cost of transport. Based on both analytical and numerical results, we observe an unexpected increase in the efficiency of the rectifiers and the magnitude of the current for the case in which geometrical and dynamical disorder are combined. We show that this effect is a direct consequence of the "hitchhiker" or "waiting time" paradox.