Barriers to Psychosocial Services Use For Latina Versus Non-Latina White Breast Cancer Survivors.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to compare barriers to use of psychosocial services by Latina versus non-Latina white women who had been diagnosed as having breast cancer and to examine associations between the barriers and use of psychosocial services. METHODS: A sample of 265 Latina and non-Latina white women who had received treatment in a comprehensive cancer center in New York City completed a mailed questionnaire. The questionnaire measured quality of life, interest in receiving help for psychological distress, psychosocial services use, and barriers to use of psychosocial services. Bivariate and adjusted logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: More than half of the sample reported preferring to return to their normal routines, felt they could take care of their emotional problems themselves, and preferred to seek support from their family or friends. Latinas were more likely to seek counseling from a spiritual leader, to report that there were no counselors who spoke their language and understood their values or background, and to report that mental health services were too expensive. CONCLUSIONS: It is crucial to address the barriers that contribute to health disparities and discrepancies in patient access to and use of psychosocial health care. These findings highlight the need to educate providers about patients' psychosocial needs, provide patients with information about the benefits of psychosocial services, normalize mental health service use, diminish stigma surrounding use of these services, and provide culturally and linguistically sensitive services for Latina patients.

Quadruplex Integrated DNA (QuID) Nanosensors for Monitoring Dopamine.

Dopamine is widely innervated throughout the brain and critical for many cognitive and motor functions. Imbalances or loss in dopamine transmission underlie various psychiatric disorders and degenerative diseases. Research involving cellular studies and disease states would benefit from a tool for measuring dopamine transmission. Here we show a Quadruplex Integrated DNA (QuID) nanosensor platform for selective and dynamic detection of dopamine. This nanosensor exploits DNA technology and enzyme recognition systems to optically image dopamine levels. The DNA quadruplex architecture is designed to be compatible in physically constrained environments (110 nm) with high flexibility, homogeneity, and a lower detection limit of 110 µM.

Biofunctionalization of Multiplexed Silicon Photonic Biosensors.

Silicon photonic (SiP) sensors offer a promising platform for robust and low-cost decentralized diagnostics due to their high scalability, low limit of detection, and ability to integrate multiple sensors for multiplexed analyte detection. Their CMOS-compatible fabrication enables chip-scale miniaturization, high scalability, and low-cost mass production. Sensitive, specific detection with silicon photonic sensors is afforded through biofunctionalization of the sensor surface; consequently, this functionalization chemistry is inextricably linked to sensor performance. In this review, we first highlight the biofunctionalization needs for SiP biosensors, including sensitivity, specificity, cost, shelf-stability, and replicability and establish a set of performance criteria. We then benchmark biofunctionalization strategies for SiP biosensors against these criteria, organizing the review around three key aspects: bioreceptor selection, immobilization strategies, and patterning techniques. First, we evaluate bioreceptors, including antibodies, aptamers, nucleic acid probes, molecularly imprinted polymers, peptides, glycans, and lectins. We then compare adsorption, bioaffinity, and covalent chemistries for immobilizing bioreceptors on SiP surfaces. Finally, we compare biopatterning techniques for spatially controlling and multiplexing the biofunctionalization of SiP sensors, including microcontact printing, pin- and pipette-based spotting, microfluidic patterning in channels, inkjet printing, and microfluidic probes.

Mental Burden of Hospital Workers During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Quanti-Qualitative Analysis.

Context: This study is a quanti-qualitative analysis of all contacts to a helpline service for hospital workers during the COVID-19 crisis. Our aim was to describe the nature of mental burden in hospital workers and factors subjectively associated to this burden from the workers' perspective. Methods: We included all 50 contacts from 25 different workers and 10 different professions over the course of 1 month. We described the corpus and reported the computerized qualitative analysis of summary of contacts. We performed a descendant hierarchical analysis and analyzed specificities of classes of age with a correspondence factor analysis. Results: The corpus was composed of three classes: (1) distress specific to the COVID-19 situation, (2) help provided, and (3) pre-existing psychological vulnerability. Factors subjectively responsible for mental distress were: (a) the contamination risk, (b) confinement, and (c) the rapidly evolving situation and changing instructions. Lack of "COVID-free time" seemed to increase negative emotions. Reassignment to a high viral density unit was a stressor, especially in older workers. Young workers mentioned pre-existing vulnerability more than others. Fear of death was shared by all classes of age, regardless of the objective risk of contamination. Discussion: Hospital workers experience mental distress factors both in common with the general population and specific to the hospital environment. Preserving and organizing support for the mental health of all hospital workers is a critical challenge, including those with poorly recognized professions. Leads for institutions to avoid additional stressors for hospital workers are presented. Young workers with pre-existing vulnerability seem particularly impacted.

DNA-Based Photoacoustic Nanosensor for Interferon Gamma Detection.

Tracking protein levels in the body is vital in both research and medicine, where understanding their physiological roles provides insight into their regulation in homeostasis and diseases. In medicine, protein levels are actively sampled since they continuously fluctuate, reflecting the status of biological systems and provide insight into patient health. One such protein is interferon gamma, a clinically relevant protein with immunoregulatory functions that play critical roles against infection. New tools for continuously monitoring protein levels in vivo are invaluable in monitoring real-time conditions of patients to allow better care. Here, we developed a DNA-based nanosensor for the photoacoustic detection of interferon gamma. This work demonstrates how we transformed a simple DNA motif, receptors, and a novel phthalocyanine dye into a proof-of-concept photoacoustic nanosensor for protein detection. Surface plasmon resonance kinetic analysis demonstrated that the nanosensor is responsive and reversible to interferon gamma with an affinity in the nanomolar range, KD1 = 167 nM and KD2 = 316 nM. As a reporter, our design includes a novel phthalocyanine-based photoacoustic dye that stacks in a J-aggregate, causing a 22.5% increase in signal. Upon receptor binding, the DNA structure bends to induce phthalocyanine dye stacking, resulting in a 55% increase in photoacoustic signal in the presence of 10 µM interferon gamma. This proof-of-concept nanosensor is a novel approach to the development of a photoacoustic sensor and may be adapted for other proteins of interest in the future for in vivo tracking.

Enzyme-linked DNA dendrimer nanosensors for acetylcholine.

It is currently difficult to measure small dynamics of molecules in the brain with high spatial and temporal resolution while connecting them to the bigger picture of brain function. A step towards understanding the underlying neural networks of the brain is the ability to sense discrete changes of acetylcholine within a synapse. Here we show an efficient method for generating acetylcholine-detecting nanosensors based on DNA dendrimer scaffolds that incorporate butyrylcholinesterase and fluorescein in a nanoscale arrangement. These nanosensors are selective for acetylcholine and reversibly respond to levels of acetylcholine in the neurophysiological range. This DNA dendrimer architecture has the potential to overcome current obstacles to sensing in the synaptic environment, including the nanoscale size constraints of the synapse and the ability to quantify the spatio-temporal fluctuations of neurotransmitter release. By combining the control of nanosensor architecture with the strategic placement of fluorescent reporters and enzymes, this novel nanosensor platform can facilitate the development of new selective imaging tools for neuroscience.

Departamentos de frontera y violencia periférica en Colombia / Border departments and peripheral violence in Colombia / Departamentos de fronteira e violência periférica na Colômbia

Resumen El presente trabajo tiene como principal propósito exponer algunas de las dinámicas de la violencia directa y estructural de siete departamentos de frontera que, en los últimos años, se han erigido como algunos de los escenarios en los que concurren una suerte de variables que pueden experimentar nuevas violencias en el marco del posconflicto armado en Colombia, que serán prioridad para el Acuerdo de Paz suscrito con la guerrilla de las FARC-EP. Estos departamentos son Arauca, Cauca, Chocó, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo y Valle del Cauca, para todos ellos se presenta un análisis de indicadores de activismo armado y de carácter socioeconómico que va desde el número de acciones guerrilleras o muertes por violencia directa hasta las necesidades básicas insatisfechas o la condición de pobreza, pasando por la presencia de economías ilícitas como los cultivos cocaleros o la minería ilegal. El trabajo, asimismo, integra percepciones de las alcaldías -recogidas entre 2014 y 2015- en las que ya se alertaba de las especiales dificultades en estos escenarios a efectos de atender un proceso de construcción de paz integral.

Abstract This work has as main purpose to expose some of the dynamics of the direct and structural violence of seven border departments that, in the last years, have raised as some of the scenarios in which concur a sort of variables that can experience new violences in the framework of the post-conflict in Colombia, which will be priority for the Peace Agreement subscribed with the FARC-EP guerrilla. Those departments are Arauca, Cauca, Chocó, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo and Valle del Cauca; for all of them an analysis of indicators of armed activism and socio-economic character is presented that goes from the number of guerilla actions or deaths by direct violence up to unsatisfied basic needs or the poverty condition, through the presence of illicit economies such as the coca crops or the illegal mining. The work, likewise, integrates perceptions of the municipal governments - collected between 2014 and 2015 - in which a warning was already issued about the special difficulties on those scenarios for the purpose of attending a process of building of comprehensive peace.

Resumo O presente trabalho tem como principal propósito exporalgumas das dinâmicas da violência direta e estrutural de sete departamentos de fronteira que, nos últimos anos, tem sido erigidos como alguns dos cenários nos que concorrem uma sorte de variáveis que podem experimentar novas violências no marco do pôs-conflito na Colômbia, que serão prioridade para o Acordo de Paz subscrito com a guerrilha das FARCEP. Estes departamentos são Arauca, Cauca, Chocó, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo e Valle del Cauca; para todos estes apresenta-se uma análise de indicadores de ativismo armado e de caráter socioeconómico que vai desde o número de ações guerrilheiras ou mortes por violencia direta até as necessidades básicas insatisfeitas ou a condição de pobreza, passando pela presença de economias ilícitas como os cultivos cocaleros ou a mineração ilegal. O trabalho, do mesmo modo, integra percepções das prefeituras -recolhidas entre 2014 e 2015- nas que já se alertava das especiais dificuldades nestes cenários para efeitos de atender um processo de construção de paz integral.

High-resolution structure of the nitrile reductase QueF combined with molecular simulations provide insight into enzyme mechanism.

Here, we report the 1.53-Å crystal structure of the enzyme 7-cyano-7-deazaguanine reductase (QueF) from Vibrio cholerae, which is responsible for the complete reduction of a nitrile (CN) bond to a primary amine (H(2)C-NH(2)). At present, this is the only example of a biological pathway that includes reduction of a nitrile bond, establishing QueF as particularly noteworthy. The structure of the QueF monomer resembles two connected ferrodoxin-like domains that assemble into dimers. Ligands identified in the crystal structure suggest the likely binding conformation of the native substrates NADPH and 7-cyano-7-deazaguanine. We also report on a series of numerical simulations that have shed light on the mechanism by which this enzyme affects the transfer of four protons (and electrons) to the 7-cyano-7-deazaguanine substrate. In particular, the simulations suggest that the initial step of the catalytic process is the formation of a covalent adduct with the residue Cys194, in agreement with previous studies. The crystal structure also suggests that two conserved residues (His233 and Asp102) play an important role in the delivery of a fourth proton to the substrate.