Associations between hope and trajectories of critical consciousness among U.S. youth of color.

We examined associations between hope as an internal asset that supports positive youth development, and growth trajectories of three critical consciousness components. Using five waves of data collected over the course of high school (N = 618), we modeled growth trajectories of awareness of inequity (critical reflection), a sense of agency about taking sociopolitical action (critical agency), and behaviors targeting systems of oppression (critical action). Hope was highest among those with high trajectories of critical agency and critical action. Clear associations with hope emerged at the last time point for critical reflection, suggesting that sustained growth in critical reflection is associated with hope. When supporting the critical consciousness development of youth of color, concurrent support for hope may be instrumental.

Systematic analysis of F-box proteins reveals a new branch of the yeast mating pathway.

The mating pathway in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long been used to reveal new mechanisms of signal transduction. The pathway comprises a pheromone receptor, a heterotrimeric G protein, and intracellular effectors of morphogenesis and transcription. Polarized cell growth, in the direction of a potential mating partner, is accomplished by the G-protein ßγ subunits and the small G-protein Cdc42. Transcription induction, needed for cell-cell fusion, is mediated by Gßγ and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) scaffold protein Ste5. A potential third pathway is initiated by the G-protein α subunit Gpa1. Gpa1 signaling was shown previously to involve the F-box adaptor protein Dia2 and an endosomal effector protein, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase Vps34. Vps34 is also required for proper vacuolar sorting and autophagy. Here, using a panel of reporter assays, we demonstrate that mating pheromone stimulates vacuolar targeting of a cytoplasmic reporter protein and that this process depends on Vps34. Through a systematic analysis of F-box deletion mutants, we show that Dia2 is required to sustain pheromone-induced vacuolar targeting. We also found that other F-box proteins selectively regulate morphogenesis (Ydr306, renamed Pfu1) and transcription (Ucc1). These findings point to the existence of a new and distinct branch of the pheromone-signaling pathway, one that likely leads to vacuolar engulfment of cytoplasmic proteins and recycling of cellular contents in preparation for mating.

Critical Action Among Asian and Hispanic/Latinx Youth: Identifying a Multidimensional Measure and Exploring Within-Group Differences.

Critical action-behaviors aimed at dismantling systems of oppression-must be examined within youths' racialized experiences and should incorporate cultural and sociohistorical factors. We considered an expansive list of items capturing youth behaviors to create a novel four-factor (service, community change, expression, and care) measure of critical action for Asian and Hispanic/Latinx youth. Multiple distinct profiles of critical action were identified within both racial-ethnic groups, and associations between the profiles and sociodemographic and contextual support variables were explored. Gender differences in the type of critical action were found in both racial-ethnic groups, pointing to the potential influence of gender roles on critical action among these populations. Differences in critical action patterns were also found between those born in the U.S. versus those born outside the U.S.; access to critical action may differ within racial-ethnic groups depending on birthplace and associated nuances in familial and cultural contexts. This paper demonstrated a need for attending to variation between and within groups in the study of critical action in order to effectively support racialized youth's coping within and resistance against systems of oppression.

Trajectories of sociopolitical stress during the 2020 United States presidential election season: Associations with psychological well-being, civic action, and social identities.

Sociopolitical stress arises in reaction to awareness of, exposure to, and/or involvement in political events. Among a longitudinal cohort of 628 college students from 10 universities across the U.S., we explored trajectories of sociopolitical stress during the 2020 United States presidential election season and examined relationships to psychological well-being. Growth mixture modeling classified our sample into four subgroups each with distinct trajectories of sociopolitical stress: High and Decreasing, Moderate and Increasing, Consistently Low, and High-to-Low. Participants with lower levels of sociopolitical stress expressed higher psychological well-being (high flourishing, high optimism, low anxiety symptoms, low depressive symptoms). The High and Decreasing subgroup was associated with the highest levels of civic action. Participants in the High and Decreasing trajectory were 20 times more likely to identify as LGBQ+, and 4 times more likely to be a woman or a transgender/gender diverse student, compared to participants in the Consistently Low subgroup.

Gradient Tracking by Yeast GPCRs in a Microfluidics Chamber.

Cells typically exist in a highly dynamic environment, which cannot easily be recreated in culture dishes or microwell plates. Microfluidic devices can provide precise control of the time, dose, and orientation of a stimulus, while simultaneously capturing quantitative single-cell data. The approach is particularly powerful when combined with the genetically tractable yeast model organism. The GPCR pathway in yeast is structurally conserved and functionally interchangeable with those in humans. We describe the implementation of a microfluidic device to investigate morphological and transcriptional responses of yeast to a gradient or pulse administration of a GPCR ligand, the peptide mating pheromone α-factor.

Older people's pleasant events and subjective well being / Prática de atividades prazerosas e bem-estar subjetivo em idosos

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and relationships between subjective well being and involvement in pleasant events in a sample of 156 community-dwelling older people without cognitive impairment. The Brazilian version of The California Older Person's Pleasant Events Schedule assessed the involvement in pleasant events, and subjective well-being was assessed by the Life Satisfaction Scale and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The sample showed higher levels of positive affect compared to negative affect, higher frequency of Contemplative activities and lower frequency of Intellectual activities. Significant relationships were observed between the constructs in general, suggesting that the higher the Involvement of older people in Pleasant Events the higher their Subjective Well Being. Social and Competence activities as well as Contemplative activities showed stronger associations with Subjective Well Being. These findings are relevant for the development of interventions and public policies focused on older people's mental health.

Este estudo objetivou investigar prevalência e relações entre Bem-estar Subjetivo e Prática de Atividades Prazerosas em 156 idosos da comunidade sem comprometimento cognitivo. Foram utilizadas a versão brasileira adaptada do California Older Person's Pleasant Events Schedule para avaliar prática de atividades prazerosas, a Escala de Satisfação com a Vida e a Escala de Afetos Positivos e Negativos. A amostra apresentou média superior para afetos positivos do que negativos, maior frequência nas atividades contemplativas e menor frequência nas atividades intelectuais. Foram observadas relações significativas entre os constructos, indicando que quanto mais idosos praticam atividades prazerosas, mais experimentam Bem-estar Subjetivo. As atividades sociais e de competência e as contemplativas foram as que mais se associaram ao Bem-estar Subjetivo. Esses achados são relevantes para a elaboração de intervenções e de políticas públicas voltadas à saúde mental de idosos.

A three-dimensional strain measurement method in elastic transparent materials using tomographic particle image velocimetry.

BACKGROUND: The mechanical interaction between blood vessels and medical devices can induce strains in these vessels. Measuring and understanding these strains is necessary to identify the causes of vascular complications. This study develops a method to measure the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of strain using tomographic particle image velocimetry (Tomo-PIV) and compares the measurement accuracy with the gauge strain in tensile tests. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The test system for measuring 3D strain distribution consists of two cameras, a laser, a universal testing machine, an acrylic chamber with a glycerol water solution for adjusting the refractive index with the silicone, and dumbbell-shaped specimens mixed with fluorescent tracer particles. 3D images of the particles were reconstructed from 2D images using a multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART) and motion tracking enhancement. Distributions of the 3D displacements were calculated using a digital volume correlation. To evaluate the accuracy of the measurement method in terms of particle density and interrogation voxel size, the gauge strain and one of the two cameras for Tomo-PIV were used as a video-extensometer in the tensile test. The results show that the optimal particle density and interrogation voxel size are 0.014 particles per pixel and 40 × 40 × 40 voxels with a 75% overlap. The maximum measurement error was maintained at less than 2.5% in the 4-mm-wide region of the specimen. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully developed a method to experimentally measure 3D strain distribution in an elastic silicone material using Tomo-PIV and fluorescent particles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that applies Tomo-PIV to investigate 3D strain measurements in elastic materials with large deformation and validates the measurement accuracy.

Mediunidade e desenvolvimento humano: uma investigação com médiuns espíritas de Uberaba-MG, Brasil / Mediumship and human development: an investigation with spiritist mediums from Uberaba-MG, Brazil

O objetivo deste estudo é refletir sobre os processos de desenvolvimento humano de pessoas que atuam como médiuns em comunidades espíritas na cidade de Uberaba, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Para tanto, foi empregado o modelo bioecológico tanto para a compreensão do desenvolvimento humano como da experiência da mediunidade segundo as narrativas de nove médiuns de três casas espíritas diferentes, todas submetidas à análise temática reflexiva. As relações proximais estabelecidas nos centros espíritas foram apontadas como importantes para a compreensão da experiência mediúnica, com destaque para o aprendizado oportunizado não apenas pelo estudo da doutrina dentro da instituição comodo trabalho assistencial presente no microssistema. No espiritismo, o caráter temporal ultrapassa os limites da experiência terrena, passível de compreensão bioecológica, sendo necessário que o cronossistema considere o progresso espiritual através de diferentes encarnações. A mediunidade marcou, nesses participantes, uma importante transição ecológica responsável por evidenciar a ocorrência do desenvolvimento humano.

The aim of this study is to reflect on the human development processes of people who work as mediums in spiritist communities in the city of Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The bioecological model was used both to understand human development and the experience of mediumship according to the narratives of nine mediums from three different spiritist houses, all of which were submitted to reflective thematic analysis. The proximal relationships established in the spiritist centers were pointed out as important for the understanding of the mediumistic experience, with emphasis on the learning provided not only by the study of the doctrine within the institution but also of the assistance work present in the microsystem. In spiritism, the temporal character goes beyond the limits of the earthly experience, capable of bioecological understanding, being necessary that the chronosystem considers the spiritual progress through different incarnations. Mediumship marked, in these participants, an important ecological transition responsible for highlighting the occurrence of human development.

Mediunidade e desenvolvimento humano: uma investigação com médiuns espíritas de Uberaba-MG, Brasil / Mediumship and human development: an investigation with spiritist mediums from Uberaba-MG, Brazil

O objetivo deste estudo é refletir sobre os processos de desenvolvimento humano de pessoas que atuam como médiuns em comunidades espíritas na cidade de Uberaba, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Para tanto, foi empregado o modelo bioecológico tanto para a compreensão do desenvolvimento humano como da experiência da mediunidade segundo as narrativas de nove médiuns de três casas espíritas diferentes, todas submetidas à análise temática reflexiva. As relações proximais estabelecidas nos centros espíritas foram apontadas como importantes para a compreensão da experiência mediúnica, com destaque para o aprendizado oportunizado não apenas pelo estudo da doutrina dentro da instituição comodo trabalho assistencial presente no microssistema. No espiritismo, o caráter temporal ultrapassa os limites da experiência terrena, passível de compreensão bioecológica, sendo necessário que o cronossistema considere o progresso espiritual através de diferentes encarnações. A mediunidade marcou, nesses participantes, uma importante transição ecológica responsável por evidenciar a ocorrência do desenvolvimento humano.

The aim of this study is to reflect on the human development processes of people who work as mediums in spiritist communities in the city of Uberaba, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The bioecological model was used both to understand human development and the experience of mediumship according to the narratives of nine mediums from three different spiritist houses, all of which were submitted to reflective thematic analysis. The proximal relationships established in the spiritist centers were pointed out as important for the understanding of the mediumistic experience, with emphasis on the learning provided not only by the study of the doctrine within the institution but also of the assistance work present in the microsystem. In spiritism, the temporal character goes beyond the limits of the earthly experience, capable of bioecological understanding, being necessary that the chronosystem considers the spiritual progress through different incarnations. Mediumship marked, in these participants, an important ecological transition responsible for highlighting the occurrence of human development.