Examining associations between value-behavior discrepancy guilt, anxiety, and suicide risk for Mexican descent college students: Resilience through self-compassion.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examines self-compassion (SC) as a potential protective factor in the relationship between value-behavior discrepancy guilt (VBDG) and the mental health outcomes of anxiety and suicide risk in a sample of Mexican-descent college students. METHOD: Participants consisted of 810 college students of Mexican descent. Students were recruited through a psychology participant pool and completed an online survey. Two regression analyses examined the direct effect of VBDG on anxiety symptoms and suicide risk with SC as a moderator. RESULTS: Results indicated that high levels of SC were protective in the relationship between VBDG and mental health outcomes. On the other hand, lower levels of SC put one at risk for increased anxiety symptoms and higher suicide risk when they experience VBDG. CONCLUSION: The study shows the need to develop interventions that cultivate a high sense of SC in Mexican-descent college students.

Caregiver-Youth intergeneration acculturation conflict moderates the relationship between depression severity and suicidality among female Mexican-Descent college students.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college-age students in the U.S., with disparities in suicide ideation and attempts among Latinas. The current study aims to examine if depression severity predicts suicide ideation and attempts and to examine if caregiver intergeneration acculturation conflict (IAC) moderates this link. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 246 Mexican-descent female college students. METHODS: Self-reported measures for depression severity, male and female caregiver IAC, and suicide ideation and attempts in the previous 12-months were ascertained. RESULTS: In our sample, 31.1% endorsed suicide ideation and 15.9% suicide attempts. Controlling for age, both male and female caregiver IAC moderated the relationship between depression severity and suicide ideation. A similar moderation pattern emerged for the suicide attempts outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding this exacerbating contextual factor can help inform prevention/intervention efforts targeting Mexican-descent college students who are experiencing depressive symptoms by focusing on decreasing IAC with both caregivers.Suicide is the second leading cause of death among emerging adults, defined as 18-29-year-olds,1 in the United States (U.S.) and is responsible for more deaths than any single major medical illness.2 Significant gender and ethnic/racial disparities have been well-documented and highlight that Latina emerging adults experience some of the highest rates of suicide ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA) and the greatest increases in SA over time, when compared to non-Latinx White, female emerging adults.3,4 In fact, recent research suggests that Latina college students report a 1.7% prevalence rate of suicide attempts compared to 1.2% among non-Latina White college students and data trends report a nearly double increase in the percent of suicide attempts from 2011 to 2015 (from 0.9% to 1.7%) for Latinas versus a minimal change (from 1.1% to 1.2%) among non-Latina White college students.4 Key research examining this disparity have cited that elevated depressive symptoms, which are also experienced at higher levels among Latinx groups in the U.S.,5 are strongly linked to SI and SA among Latinx college students and emerging adults.6,7 Developmentally, the highest risk period for the onset of SI and SA is during late adolescence or emerging adulthood8 and deaths due to suicide increase as adolescents move into emerging adulthood.2,9 Emerging adulthood is an even riskier developmental period for minoritized college students, like Latinx college students, because this period is marked by identity formation processes that are exacerbated by intercultural interactions on college campuses and cultural expectations at home.10 These data underscore the significance of detecting how unique contextual factors may interact with elevated depressive symptoms, and importantly, how these factors are associated with the increased suicide risk among Latinx college-age youth, as they represent a high-risk developmental and ethnic group.

Disentangling acculturation and enculturation intergenerational gaps: Examining mother-youth value discrepancies and mental health among Mexican-descent college students.

OBJECTIVE: To test the acculturation gap hypothesis by examining mother-youth value discrepancies (both acculturative and enculturative) and their association with mother-youth acculturative conflict and youth mental health outcomes. METHOD: Participants were 273 Mexican descent college students attending a large, public, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in West Texas (72% women). The participants' ages ranged 18-25 years (M = 19.33 years; SD = 1.54 years). RESULTS: Three models assessed the relationship between mother-youth value discrepancies and mental health outcomes (suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, and depressive symptoms) as mediated by mother-youth acculturative conflict. Consistently, Mexican heritage cultural values were related to mental health outcomes while American cultural values were not. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that increased mother-youth discrepancies on Mexican cultural values were associated with increased negative mental health outcomes. Our findings suggest that adopting or learning new mainstream American values does not substitute for the Mexican cultural values that protect against negative outcomes.

A Semi-automated Approach to Preparing Antibody Cocktails for Immunophenotypic Analysis of Human Peripheral Blood.

Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood by flow cytometry determines changes in the frequency and activation status of peripheral leukocytes during disease and treatment. It has the potential to predict therapeutic efficacy and identify novel therapeutic targets. Whole blood staining utilizes unmanipulated blood, which minimizes artifacts that can occur during sample preparation. However, whole blood staining must also be done on freshly collected blood to ensure the integrity of the sample. Additionally, it is best to prepare antibody cocktails on the same day to avoid potential instability of tandem-dyes and prevent reagent interaction between brilliant violet dyes. Therefore, whole blood staining requires careful standardization to control for intra and inter-experimental variability. Here, we report deployment of an automated liquid handler equipped with a two-dimensional (2D) barcode reader into a standard process of making antibody cocktails for flow cytometry. Antibodies were transferred into 2D barcoded tubes arranged in a 96 well format and their contents compiled in a database. The liquid handler could then locate the source antibody vials by referencing antibody names within the database. Our method eliminated tedious coordination for positioning of source antibody tubes. It provided versatility allowing the user to easily change any number of details in the antibody dispensing process such as specific antibody to use, volume, and destination by modifying the database without rewriting the scripting in the software method for each assay. A proof of concept experiment achieved outstanding inter and intra- assay precision, demonstrated by replicate preparation of an 11-color, 17-antibody flow cytometry assay. These methodologies increased overall throughput for flow cytometry assays and facilitated daily preparation of the complex antibody cocktails required for the detailed phenotypic characterization of freshly collected anticoagulated peripheral blood.

La escala de Work engagement de Utrech. Evaluación del Work engagement en trabajadores cubanos / Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Evaluation of the work engagement in Cuban workers

El estudio realizado contribuye a la comprensión del Work Engagement como un constructo positivo y su medición al examinar las propiedades psicométricas de la escala de Work Engagement de Utrecht (UWES) en una versión de 17 ítems en idioma español. El estudio se realizó en una muestra heterogénea de 400 trabajadores cubanos de diversas ocupaciones –docentes, investigadores y otros profesiones de servicios y de la producción. El Alpha de Cronbach fue mayor que 0,75 para las tres escalas y la general. Los resultados confirmaron una estructura factorial diferente, un factor que explica el 41,54 por ciento de la varianza para los ítems de vigor, dedicación y absorción. Esto es consistente con las versiones cortas del UWES. Los valores medios para las tres dimensiones y la escala general son mayores(AU)

The current study contributes to our understanding of work engagement as a positive construct, and to its measurement by examining the psychometric properties of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) in a version of 17 items in Spanish language. The study were carried out in a heterogeneous sample of 400 Cubans workers of different occupations –teachers, investigators and others professions of service and production. The Cronbach's Alpha was more than 0,75 for the three scales and general scale. The results confirmed a factorial structure different. This factor explains 41,54 percent of the variance for items of vigor, dedication and absorption. This is consistent with UWES in version short. The standard for three dimensions and scale general was greater

OX40 is a potent immune-stimulating target in late-stage cancer patients.

OX40 is a potent costimulatory receptor that can potentiate T-cell receptor signaling on the surface of T lymphocytes, leading to their activation by a specifically recognized antigen. In particular, OX40 engagement by ligands present on dendritic cells dramatically increases the proliferation, effector function, and survival of T cells. Preclinical studies have shown that OX40 agonists increase antitumor immunity and improve tumor-free survival. In this study, we performed a phase I clinical trial using a mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb) that agonizes human OX40 signaling in patients with advanced cancer. Patients treated with one course of the anti-OX40 mAb showed an acceptable toxicity profile and regression of at least one metastatic lesion in 12 of 30 patients. Mechanistically, this treatment increased T and B cell responses to reporter antigen immunizations, led to preferential upregulation of OX40 on CD4(+) FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and increased the antitumor reactivity of T and B cells in patients with melanoma. Our findings clinically validate OX40 as a potent immune-stimulating target for treatment in patients with cancer, providing a generalizable tool to favorably influence the antitumor properties of circulating T cells, B cells, and intratumoral regulatory T cells.

Algunos microhongos geofílicos de las planicies semiáridas del noroeste de la provincia de San Luis (Argentina) / Some geophilic microfungi from Norwest semiarid plains in the province of San Luis, Argentine

Por las técnicas del anzuelo queratínico y de dilución, se estudiaron tierras de las planicies semiáridas del noroeste de la provincia de San Luis (Argentina), en invierno y verano. Con la técnica del anzuelo queratínico se aislaron 12 géneros y 15 especies fúngicas, mientras en las procesadas por dilución en PDA, 15 géneros y 29 especies. La mayoría de las detectadas con la primera técnica pertenecieron a los Onygenales (65,4 por ciento), siendo Chrysosporium indicum el de más alta frecuencia, mientras que en las diluciones, la mayoría correspondió a hongos mitospóricos (>75 por ciento), dominando los integrantes del género Aspergillus (35,8 por ciento). Con ambas técnicas la riqueza de especies fue levemente superior en verano y aún cuando la diversidad general fue baja, se aprecia la capacidad de adaptación y sobrevivencia de ciertos géneros y especies en ambientes edáficos adversos.

Soils from northwestern semiarid plains in the province of San Luis (Argentina) were examined by means of keratinic bait and dilution techniques both in winter and summer. The first technique yielded 12 genera and 15 fungal species whereas those processed in PDA dilution resulted in 15 genera and 29 species. Most fungi detected with the former technique belonged to Onygenales(65.4 percent), being Chrysosporium indicum the most frequently occurring, while in dilutions mitosporic fungi(<75 percent) showed the highest occurrence, those of the genus Aspergillus having dominance (35.8 percent). The richness of species was fairly higher with both techniquesand even though general diversity was low, the ability of certain genera and species to adapt and survive underadverse edaphic environments could be clearly seen.