Maternal and paternal sensitivity: Key determinants of child attachment security examined through meta-analysis.

Sensitive caregiving behavior, which involves the ability to notice, interpret, and quickly respond to a child's signals of need and/or interest, is a central determinant of secure child-caregiver attachment. Yet, significant heterogeneity in effect sizes exists across the literature, and sources of heterogeneity have yet to be explained. For all child-caregiver dyads, there was a significant and positive pooled association between caregiver sensitivity and parent-child attachment (r = .25, 95% CI [.22, .28], k = 174, 230 effect sizes, N = 22,914). We also found a positive association between maternal sensitivity and child attachment security (r = .26, 95% CI [.22, .29], k = 159, 202 effect sizes, N = 21,483), which was equivalent in magnitude to paternal sensitivity and child attachment security (r = .21, 95% CI [.14, 27], k = 22, 23 effect sizes, N = 1,626). Maternal sensitivity was also negatively associated with all three classifications of insecure attachment (avoidant: k = 43, r = -.24 [-.34, -.13]; resistant: k = 43, r = -.12 [-.19, -.06]; disorganized: k = 24, r = -.19 [-.27, -.11]). For maternal sensitivity, associations were larger in studies that used the Attachment Q-Sort (vs. the Strange Situation), used the Maternal Behavior Q-Sort (vs. Ainsworth or Emotional Availability Scales), had strong (vs. poor) interrater measurement reliability, had a longer observation of sensitivity, and had less time elapse between assessments. For paternal sensitivity, associations were larger in older (vs. younger) fathers and children. These findings confirm the importance of both maternal and paternal sensitivity for the development of child attachment security and add understanding of the methodological and substantive factors that allow this effect to be observed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Synthesis and Conformational Dynamics of Selenanthrene (Oxides): Establishing an Energetic Flexibility Index for Scaffolds.

The use of new dynamic scaffolds for constructing inorganic and organometallic complexes with enhanced reactivities is an important new research direction. Toward this fundamental aim, an improved synthesis of the dynamic scaffold selenanthrene, along with its monoxide, trans-dioxide and the previously unknown trioxide, is reported. A discussion of the potential reaction mechanism for selenanthrene is provided, and all products were characterized using 1H, 13C, and 77Se nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The dynamic ring inversion processes (i.e., "butterfly motion") for selenanthrene and its oxides were investigated using variable-temperature 1H NMR and density functional theory calculations. The findings suggest that selenanthrene possesses a roughly equal barrier to inversion as its sulfur analogue, thianthrene. However, selenanthrene oxides evidently possess larger inversion barriers as compared to their sulfur analogues due to the enhanced electrostatic intramolecular interactions inherent between the highly polar selenium-oxygen bond and adjacent C-H moieties. Finally, we propose a quantitative "flexibility index" in deg/(kcal/mol) for various tricyclic scaffolds to provide researchers with a comparative scale of dynamic motion across many different systems.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Infrastructure and Resources in Schools in Belize during the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2021-2023.

Access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources in schools is critical for disease prevention and control, especially during public health emergencies. In Belize, systematic, national data on WASH in schools are needed to inform public health decisions and interventions. From December 2021 to January 2022, a national survey was sent electronically to government and government-aided primary and secondary schools in Belize (N = 308) to gather information on WASH services. From the survey, 12 pilot schools were selected based on the highest self-reported need for WASH resources to participate in additional evaluation and intervention, which included environmental nudges, supplemental supply provision, and hand hygiene education. To understand how the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced hand hygiene, facility assessments to evaluate access to hand hygiene resources were conducted in person when most schools reopened for face-to-face learning during the pandemic (March 2022) and 15 months later (June 2023). Among the schools participating in the national survey (N = 221), 55% reported times when water was not available at the schools. Almost 9 in 10 schools (89%) had a functional handwashing station, and 47% reported always having soap for handwashing. Between baseline and follow-up at the 12 pilot schools, we observed decreases in the proportion of functional handwashing access points (-11%), functional handwashing access points accessible for individuals with disabilities (-17%) and small children (-29%), and functional alcohol-based hand rub dispensers (-13%). Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we observed gaps in WASH resources in schools in Belize during the onsite assessments at the pilot schools. Schools should be encouraged and provided with WASH resources to maintain vigilance for disease control measures.

Colonial drivers and cultural protectors of brain health among Indigenous peoples internationally.

Despite relatively higher rates of dementia among Indigenous populations internationally, research into drivers of disparities in brain health and cognitive function has tended to focus on modifiable risk factors over cultural understandings and contextual determinants. By seeking to characterize social and cultural factors that shape brain health and cognition in Indigenous populations, this mini scoping review expands prevailing schools of thought to include Indigenous knowledge systems. This reveals important gaps in culturally aligned care. It also reclaims horizons for research important to Indigenous Peoples that have garnered diminished attention in biomedical approaches. Twenty-three sources were included for data extraction. This synthesis of 23 sources includes health communication about dementia, health provider knowledge about Indigenous health, culturally relevant screening and assessment tools, and culturally grounded care models. Much of the focus is currently still on modifiable risk factors that reside at individual factors, whereas attention to wider social factors that impact populations is needed, as stressors through isolation, discrimination, and unequal care are widely reported. Going forward, identifying structural barriers to living well and recognizing the importance of connection to culture will benefit both Indigenous and non-Indigenous understandings of brain health.

Health care impact of implementing a clinical pathway for acute care of pediatric concussion: a stepped wedge, cluster randomised trial.

OBJECTIVES: To test the effects of actively implementing a clinical pathway for acute care of pediatric concussion on health care utilization and costs. METHODS: Stepped wedge, cluster randomized trial of a clinical pathway, conducted in 5 emergency departments (ED) in Alberta, Canada from February 1 to November 30, 2019. The clinical pathway emphasized standardized assessment of risk for persistent symptoms, provision of consistent information to patients and families, and referral for outpatient follow-up. De-identified administrative data measured 6 outcomes: ED return visits; outpatient follow-up visits; length of ED stay, including total time, time from triage to physician initial assessment, and time from physician initial assessment to disposition; and total physician claims in an episode of care. RESULTS: A total of 2878 unique patients (1164 female, 1713 male) aged 5-17 years (median 11.00, IQR 8, 14) met case criteria. They completed 3009 visits to the 5 sites and 781 follow-up visits to outpatient care, constituting 2910 episodes of care. Implementation did not alter the likelihood of an ED return visit (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.39, 1.52), but increased the likelihood of outpatient follow-up visits (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.19, 2.85). Total length of ED stay was unchanged, but time from physician initial assessment to disposition decreased significantly (mean change - 23.76 min, 95% CI - 37.99, - 9.52). Total physician claims increased significantly at only 1 of 5 sites. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a clinical pathway in the ED increased outpatient follow-up and reduced the time from physician initial assessment to disposition, without increasing physician costs. Implementation of a clinical pathway can align acute care of pediatric concussion more closely with existing clinical practice guidelines while making care more efficient. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05095012.

ABSTRAIT: OBJECTIFS: Mettre à l'essai les effets de la mise en œuvre active d'une voie clinique pour le traitement aigu des commotions cérébrales chez les enfants sur l'utilisation et les coûts des soins de santé. MéTHODES: Essai randomisé en grappes d'une voie clinique, échelonné, mené dans cinq services d'urgence en Alberta, au Canada, du 1 février au 30 novembre 2019. Le cheminement clinique mettait l'accent sur l'évaluation normalisée du risque de symptômes persistants, la fourniture de renseignements uniformes aux patients et aux familles, et l'aiguillage vers un suivi externe. Les données administratives dépersonnalisées ont permis de mesurer six résultats : visites de retour à l'urgence; visites de suivi en clinique externe; durée du séjour à l'urgence, y compris le temps total. le temps entre le triage et l'évaluation initiale du médecin, et le temps entre l'évaluation initiale du médecin et la décision; et le nombre total de demandes de remboursement du médecin dans un épisode de soins. RéSULTATS: Un total de 2878 patients uniques (1164 femmes, 1713 hommes) âgés de 5 à 17 ans (médiane 11,00, IQR 8, 14) répondaient aux critères de cas. Ils ont effectué 3009 visites aux 5 sites et 781 visites de suivi aux soins ambulatoires, ce qui représente 2910 épisodes de soins. La mise en œuvre n'a pas modifié la probabilité d'une visite de retour à l'urgence (RC 0,77, IC à 95 %, 0,39, 1,52), mais a augmenté la probabilité de visites de suivi en clinique externe (RC 1,84, IC à 95 %, 1,19, 2,85). La durée totale du séjour à l'urgence est demeurée inchangée, mais le temps écoulé entre l'évaluation initiale du médecin et la décision a diminué considérablement (changement moyen : -23,76 minutes, IC à 95 %, -37,99, -9,52). Le nombre total de demandes de règlement de médecins a augmenté de façon significative à seulement 1 site sur 5. CONCLUSIONS: La mise en œuvre d'un cheminement clinique à l'urgence a augmenté le suivi des patients externes et réduit le temps entre l'évaluation initiale du médecin et son élimination, sans augmenter les coûts des médecins. La mise en œuvre d'un cheminement clinique peut harmoniser davantage les soins de courte durée en cas de commotion cérébrale pédiatrique avec les lignes directrices de pratique clinique existantes tout en rendant les soins plus efficaces. ENREGISTREMENT D'ESSAI: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05095012.

New Conceptual Model of Social Sustainability: Review from Past Concepts and Ideas.

The social dimension of sustainability has remained relatively underdefined, despite the efforts to specify and integrate this dimension into the general sustainability conversation of scholars and practitioners. This study aims to advance the conversation of social sustainability by examining past the multi-disciplinary literature and policy documents, as well as proposing a comprehensive conceptual model of social sustainability. We present a model with five dimensions: safety and security, equity, adaptability, social inclusion and cohesion, and quality of life. Through these dimensions, we propose social sustainability as a process that strives for effective management and allocation of social capital as a constitutive resource, and the confrontation of such controllable and uncontrollable risks as natural disasters and climate change. Our model was constructed with the purpose of providing scholars, policymakers, and practitioners with a comprehensive guideline to create social sustainability policy with human beings as the priority and cultural awareness as a grounding approach to initiating disaster-related and climate-change resilience.

Optimizing Blood Glucose Control through the Timing of Exercise in Pregnant Individuals Diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of moderate intensity walking on postprandial blood glucose control for pregnant individuals with (GDM) and without gestational diabetes mellitus (NON-GDM). Using a randomized cross-over design, individuals completed 5 days of exercise (three 10-min walks immediately after eating (SHORT), or one 30-min walk (LONG) outside of 1 h after eating). These protocols were preceded and separated by 2-days of habitual exercise (NORMAL). Individuals were instrumented with a continuous glucose monitor, a physical activity monitor for 14-days, and a heart rate monitor during exercise. Participants completed a physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) to indicate their protocol preference. The GDM group had higher fasting, 24-h mean, and daily peak glucose values compared to NON-GDMs across all conditions (effect of group, p = 0.02; p = 0.02; p = 0.03, respectively). Fasting, 24-h mean, and daily peak glucose were not influenced by the SHORT or LONG exercise (effect of intervention, p > 0.05). Blood glucose values were higher among the GDM group for at least 1 h after eating, yet the exercise intervention had no effect on 1 or 2 h postprandial glucose values (effect of intervention, p > 0.05). Physical activity outcomes (wear time, total activity time, and time spent on each intensity) were not different between the groups nor interventions (effect of group, p > 0.05; effect of intervention, p > 0.05,). There were no differences between the groups or interventions for the PACES score (effect of group, p > 0.05; effect of intervention, p > 0.05). To conclude, there were no differences between the groups or exercise protocols on blood glucose control. More research is warranted to elucidate higher exercise volumes in this outcome for individuals with GDM.

Increases in vein length compensate for leaf area lost to lobing in grapevine.

PREMISE: Leaf lobing and leaf size vary considerably across and within species, including among grapevines (Vitis spp.), some of the best-studied leaves. We examined the relationship between leaf lobing and leaf area across grapevine populations that varied in extent of leaf lobing. METHODS: We used homologous landmarking techniques to measure 2632 leaves across 2 years in 476 unique, genetically distinct grapevines from five biparental crosses that vary primarily in the extent of lobing. We determined to what extent leaf area explained variation in lobing, vein length, and vein to blade ratio. RESULTS: Although lobing was the primary source of variation in shape across the leaves we measured, leaf area varied only slightly as a function of lobing. Rather, leaf area increases as a function of total major vein length, total branching vein length, and vein to blade ratio. These relationships are stronger for more highly lobed leaves, with the residuals for each model differing as a function of distal lobing. CONCLUSIONS: For leaves with different extents of lobing but the same area, the more highly lobed leaves have longer veins and higher vein to blade ratios, allowing them to maintain similar leaf areas despite increased lobing. These findings show how more highly lobed leaves may compensate for what would otherwise result in a reduced leaf area, allowing for increased photosynthetic capacity through similar leaf size.

Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Acute Dengue Virus Infections Detected through Acute Febrile Illness Surveillance, Belize 2020.

The Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) Surveillance Network in Belize is a country-wide active surveillance program aimed at diagnosing vector-borne, respiratory, and enteric pathogens among patients presenting to 11 participating hospitals and clinics with new onset fever. This study describes the epidemiology of dengue virus (DENV) infections in Belize diagnosed through AFI surveillance in 2020. Of the 894 patients enrolled and PCR-tested for DENV in this period, 44 DENV-positive cases (5%) were identified. All four DENV serotypes were detected, with two cases testing positive for DENV serotype 4, which is the first report of this serotype in Belize since 2004. The majority of DENV cases (66%) were diagnosed in the Belize District, which contains the largest urban center in the country (Belize City). Positive cases were detected between January 2020 and September 2020, with the majority (89%) diagnosed during the dry season between January and April, unlike years prior when cases were more often diagnosed during the wet season. Clinical signs and symptoms varied slightly between DENV serotypes. Active surveillance of DENV among AFI cases provides insight into the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of DENV in Belize. This information is important for informing public health interventions to mitigate DENV transmission.

FDA Approval Summary: Margetuximab plus Chemotherapy for Advanced or Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

On December 16, 2020, the FDA granted regular approval to margetuximab-cmkb (MARGENZA), in combination with chemotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with HER2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 regimens, at least one of which was for metastatic disease. Approval was based on data from SOPHIA, a multicenter, randomized, open-label, active controlled study comparing margetuximab with trastuzumab, in combination with chemotherapy. The primary efficacy endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) by blinded independent central review. SOPHIA demonstrated a 0.9-month difference in median PFS between the two treatment arms [5.8 vs. 4.9 months, respectively; stratified HR, 0.76 (95% confidence interval: 0.59-0.98; P = 0.0334)]. Overall survival (OS) was immature at the data cut-off date of September 10, 2019. Infusion-related reactions (IRR) are an important safety signal associated with margetuximab plus chemotherapy. In SOPHIA, 13% of patients treated with margetuximab plus chemotherapy reported IRRs, of which 1.5% were grade 3. The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions (>10%) with margetuximab in combination with chemotherapy were fatigue/asthenia, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, headache, pyrexia, alopecia, abdominal pain, peripheral neuropathy, arthralgia/myalgia, cough, decreased appetite, dyspnea, IRR, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, and extremity pain. Overall, the favorable risk-benefit profile for margetuximab when added to chemotherapy supported its approval for the intended indication.

Improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), with a focus on hand hygiene, globally for community mitigation of COVID-19.

Continuity of key water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and WASH practices-for example, hand hygiene-are among several critical community preventive and mitigation measures to reduce transmission of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. WASH guidance for COVID-19 prevention may combine existing WASH standards and new COVID-19 guidance. Many existing WASH tools can also be modified for targeted WASH assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. We partnered with local organizations to develop and deploy tools to assess WASH conditions and practices and subsequently implement, monitor, and evaluate WASH interventions to mitigate COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa, focusing on healthcare, community institution, and household settings and hand hygiene specifically. Employing mixed-methods assessments, we observed gaps in access to hand hygiene materials specifically despite most of those settings having access to improved, often onsite, water supplies. Across countries, adherence to hand hygiene among healthcare providers was about twice as high after patient contact compared to before patient contact. Poor or non-existent management of handwashing stations and alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) was common, especially in community institutions. Markets and points of entry (internal or external border crossings) represent congregation spaces, critical for COVID-19 mitigation, where globally-recognized WASH standards are needed. Development, evaluation, deployment, and refinement of new and existing standards can help ensure WASH aspects of community mitigation efforts that remain accessible and functional to enable inclusive preventive behaviors.

Melanized-Cationic Cellulose Nanofiber Foams for Bioinspired Removal of Cationic Dyes.

In recent years, water pollution has developed into a severe environmental and public health problem due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, especially in some developing countries. Finding solutions to tackle water pollution is urgently required and is of global importance. Currently, a range of water treatment methods are available; however, a water remediation process that is simple, inexpensive, eco-friendly, and effective for the removal of pollutants down to ppm/ppb concentrations has long been sought after. Herein, we describe a novel approach using fungal melanin for developing melanized-cationic cellulose nanofiber (melanized-C-CNF) foams that can successfully remove pollutants in water systems. The foam can be recycled several times while retaining its adsorption/desorption property, indicating high practicability for adsorbing the cationic dye crystal violet. This work highlights the opportunity to combine both the advanced features of sustainable polymers such as cellulose and the unique properties of fungal melanin to manufacture biohybrid composites for water purification.

"What is the actual goal of the pathway?": examining emergency department physician and nurse perspectives on the implementation of a pediatric concussion pathway using the theoretical domains framework.

BACKGROUND: Multiple evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) exist to guide the management of concussion in children, but few have been translated into clinical pathways (CP), which operationalize guidelines into accessible and actionable algorithms that can be more readily implemented by health care providers. This study aimed to identify the clinical behaviours, attitudinal factors, and environmental contexts that potentially influence the implementation of a clinical pathway for pediatric concussion. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted from October 2017 to January 2018 with 42 emergency department clinicians (17 physicians, 25 nurses) at five urban emergency departments in Alberta, Canada. A Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)-informed interview guide contained open-ended questions intended to gather feedback on the proposed pathway developed for the study, as well as factors that could potentially influence its implementation. RESULTS: The original 14 domains of the TDF were collapsed into 6 clusters based on significant overlap between domains in the issues discussed by clinicians: 1) knowledge, skills, and practice; 2) professional roles and identity; 3) attitudes, beliefs, and motivations; 4) goals and priorities; 5) local context and resources; and 6) engagement and collaboration. The 6 clusters identified in the interviews each reflect 2-4 predominant topics that can be condensed into six overarching themes regarding clinicians' views on the implementation of a concussion CP: 1) standardization in the midst of evolving research; 2) clarifying and communicating goals; 3) knowledge dissemination and alignment of information; 4) a team-oriented approach; 5) site engagement; and 6) streamlining clinical processes. CONCLUSION: Application of a comprehensive, evidence-based, and theory-driven framework in conjunction with an inductive thematic analysis approach enabled six themes to emerge as to how to successfullly implement a concussion CP.

Myosin V-mediated transport of Snc1 and Vps10 toward the trans-Golgi network.

Retrieval of cargo proteins from the endosome towards the trans-Golgi network (TGN) is a crucial intracellular process for cellular homeostasis. Its dysfunction is associated with pathogenesis of Alzheimer and Parkinson's diseases. Myosin family proteins are cellular motors walking along actin filaments by utilizing the chemical energy from ATP hydrolysis, known to involve in pleiotropic cellular trafficking pathways. However, the question of whether myosins play a role in the trafficking of Snc1 and Vps10 has not been addressed yet. The present study assesses the potential roles of all five yeast myosins in the recycling of two membrane cargo, Snc1 and Vps10. It appears that all myosins except Myo2 are not required for the Snc1 traffic, while it was found that Myo1 and 2 play important roles for Vps10 retrieval from the endosome and the vacuole. Multiple myo2 mutants harboring a point mutation in the actin binding or the cargo binding tail domain were characterized to demonstrate abnormal Vps10-GFP and GFP-Snc1 distribution phenotypes, suggesting a severe defect in their sorting and trafficking at the endosome. Furthermore, Vps10-GFP patches in all tested myo2 mutants were found to be near stationary with quantitative live cell imaging. Finally, we found that actin cables in the myo2 mutant cells were considerably disrupted, which may aggravate the trafficking of Vps10 from the endosome. Together, our results provide novel insights into the function of Myo-family proteins in the recycling traffic of Vps10 and Snc1 destined for the TGN.

Microbial production of melanin and its various applications.

Melanins are natural biopolymers that are known to contribute to different biological processes and to protect organisms from adverse environmental conditions. During the past decade, melanins have attracted increasing attention for their use in organic semiconductors and bioelectronics, drug delivery, photoprotection and environmental bioremediation. Although considerable advances in these fields have been achieved, real-world applications of melanins are still scarce, probably due to the limited and expensive source of natural melanin. Nevertheless, recent biotechnological advances have allowed for relatively large-scale production of microbial melanins, which could replace current commercial melanin. In this review, we first describe different melanin sources and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each production method. Our focus is on the microbial synthesis of melanins, including the methodology and mechanism of melanin formation. Applications of microbial melanins are also discussed, and an outlook on how to push the field forward is discussed.

Overexpression of bla OXA-58 Gene Driven by ISAba3 Is Associated with Imipenem Resistance in a Clinical Acinetobacter baumannii Isolate from Vietnam.

The aim of this study was to investigate genetic structures and expression of bla OXA-58 gene in five Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates recovered from two hospitals in southern Vietnam during 2012-2014. A. baumannii isolates were identified by automated microbiology systems and confirmed by PCR. All isolates were characterized as multidrug resistant by antimicrobial testing using the disk diffusion method. Four imipenem susceptible and one nonsusceptible isolates (MIC > 32 µg·ml-1) were identified by E-test. PCR amplification of bla OXA-58 gene upstream and downstream sequences revealed the presence of ISAba3 at both locations in one multidrug-resistant isolate. Semiquantitation of bla OXA-51 and bla OXA-58 gene expression was performed by the 2-ΔΔCt method. The bla OXA-51 gene expression of five isolates showed little difference, but the isolate bearing ISAba3-bla OXA-58-ISAba3 exhibited significantly higher bla OXA-58 mRNA level. Higher ß-lactamases activity in periplasmic than cytoplasmic fraction was found in most isolates. The isolate overexpressing bla OXA-58 gene possessed very high periplasmic enzyme activity. In conclusion, the A. baumannii isolate bearing ISAba3-bla OXA-58 gene exhibited high resistance to imipenem, corresponding to an overexpression of bla OXA-58 gene and very high periplasmic ß-lactamase activity.

The Prevalence of Sexting Behaviors Among Emerging Adults: A Meta-Analysis.

Sexting is the sharing of sexually explicit images, videos, and/or messages via electronic devices. Prevalence estimates of sexting have varied substantially, potentially due to broad age ranges being examined. The current study sought to synthesize relevant findings examining the prevalence of consensual and non-consensual sexting in a specific developmental period, emerging adulthood (≥ 18-< 29), to try to explain discrepancies in the literature. Searches were conducted in electronic databases for articles published up to April 2018. Relevant data from 50 studies with 18,122 emerging adults were extracted. The prevalence of sexting behaviors were: sending 38.3% (k = 41; CI 32.0-44.6), receiving 41.5% (k = 19; CI 31.9-51.2), and reciprocal sexting 47.7% (k = 16; CI 37.6-57.8). Thus, sexting is a common behavior among emerging adults. The prevalence of non-consensual forwarding of sexts was also frequent in emerging adults at 15.0% (k = 7; CI 6.9-23.2). Educational awareness initiatives on digital citizenship and psychological consequences of the non-consensual forwarding of sexts should be targeted to youth and emerging adults with the hopes of mitigating this potentially damaging and illegal behavior.

G37V mutation of Aß42 induces a nontoxic ellipse-like aggregate: An in vitro and in silico study.

The glycine zipper motif at the C-terminus of the ß-amyloid (Aß) peptide have been shown to strongly influence the formation of neurotoxic aggregates. A previous study showed that the G37L mutation dramatically reduces the Aß toxicity in vivo and in vitro. However, the primary cause and mechanism of the glycine zipper motif on Aß properties remain unknown. To gain molecular insights into the impact of glycine zipper on Aß properties, we substituted the residue 37 of Glycine by Valine and studied the structural and biochemical properties of G37V mutation, Aß42(37V), by using in vitro and in silico approaches. Unlike G37L mutation, the G37V mutation reduced toxicity substantially but did not significantly accelerate the aggregation rate or change the content of secondary structures. Further TEM analyses showed that the G37V mutation formed an ellipse-like aggregate rather than a network-like fibril as wild type or G37L mutation of Aß42 form. This different aggregation morphology may be highly linked with the reduction of toxicity. To gain the insight for the different properties of Aß42(37V), we studied the structure of Aß42 and G37V mutation using the replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation. Our results demonstrate that although the overall secondary structure population is similar with Aß42 and Aß42(G37V), Aß42(G37V) shows an increase in the ß-turn and ß-hairpin at residues 36-37 and the flexibility of the Asp23-Lys28 salt bridge. These unique structural features may be the possible reason to account for the ellipse-like morphology.

Aggregation rate of amyloid beta peptide is controlled by beta-content in monomeric state.

Understanding the key factors that govern the rate of protein aggregation is of immense interest since protein aggregation is associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Previous experimental and theoretical studies have revealed that the hydrophobicity, charge, and population of the fibril-prone monomeric state control the fibril formation rate. Because the fibril structures consist of cross beta sheets, it is widely believed that those sequences that have a high beta content (ß) in the monomeric state should have high aggregation rates as the monomer can serve as a template for fibril growth. However, this important fact has never been explicitly proven, motivating us to carry out this study. Using replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation with implicit water, we have computed ß of 19 mutations of amyloid beta peptide of 42 residues (Aß42) for which the aggregation rate κ has been measured experimentally. We have found that κ depends on ß in such a way that the higher the propensity to aggregation, the higher the beta content in the monomeric state. Thus, we have solved a long-standing problem of the dependence of fibril formation time of the ß-structure on a quantitative level.

Testing the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis: Meta-analytic evidence of the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment.

It has long been claimed that "maltreatment begets maltreatment," that is, a parent's history of maltreatment increases the risk that his or her child will also suffer maltreatment. However, significant methodological concerns have been raised regarding evidence supporting this assertion, with some arguing that the association weakens in samples with higher methodological rigor. In the current study, the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment hypothesis is examined in 142 studies (149 samples; 227,918 dyads) that underwent a methodological quality review, as well as data extraction on a number of potential moderator variables. Results reveal a modest association of intergenerational maltreatment (k = 80; d = 0.45, 95% confidence interval; CI [0.37, 0.54]). Support for the intergenerational transmission of specific maltreatment types was also observed (neglect: k = 13, d = 0.24, 95% CI [0.11, 0.37]; physical abuse: k = 61, d = 0.41, 95% CI [0.33, 0.49]; emotional abuse: k = 18, d = 0.57, 95% CI [0.43, 0.71]; sexual abuse: k = 18, d = 0.39, 95% CI [0.24, 0.55]). Methodological quality only emerged as a significant moderator of the intergenerational transmission of physical abuse, with a weakening of effect sizes as methodological rigor increased. Evidence from this meta-analysis confirms the cycle of maltreatment hypothesis, although effect sizes were modest. Future research should focus on deepening understanding of mechanisms of transmission, as well as identifying protective factors that can effectively break the cycle of maltreatment.