Online support seeking, co-rumination, and mental health in adolescent girls.

Introduction: Adolescents frequently use informal support seeking to cope with stress and worries. Past research in face-to-face contexts has shown that the relationship between informal support seeking and mental health is influenced by the specific strategy used and the mode through which support is sought. To date, little research has considered the relationship between support seeking online and adolescent mental health. Methods: In this study, structural equation modeling (SEM) examined the mediating role of co-rumination in the relationships between seeking support from friends or online and two measures of mental health: depression and anxiety. Participants were 186 adolescent girls, drawn from four independent girls' schools in Sydney, Australia. Four brief vignettes described common social stressors and participants rated their likelihood of seeking support from close friends and from informal online sources. Co-rumination was measured using a short form of the Co-rumination Questionnaire and depression and anxiety were measured with the youth version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-Youth (DASS-Y). Results: Different patterns of findings were found for support seeking from close friends and support seeking online. First, support seeking from friends was related to lower levels of depression and anxiety while seeking support online was related to higher levels depression and anxiety. Second, co-rumination suppressed the relationship between seeking support from friends and depression, but not online support seeking and depression or anxiety. Discussion: These findings suggest that co-rumination reduces the benefits of seeking support from friends but is unrelated to online support seeking. The findings also confirm the problematic nature of online support seeking for adolescent girls' mental health, particularly in response to social stressors.

Overcoming Limitations in Peer-Victimization Research That Impede Successful Intervention: Challenges and New Directions.

Peer victimization at school is a worldwide problem with profound implications for victims, bullies, and whole-school communities. Yet the 50-year quest to solve the problem has produced mostly disappointing results. A critical examination of current research reveals both pivotal limitations and potential solutions. Solutions include introducing psychometrically sound measures to assess the parallel components of bullying and victimization, analyzing cross-national data sets, and embracing a social-ecological perspective emphasizing the motivation of bullies, importance of bystanders, pro-defending and antibullying attitudes, classroom climate, and a multilevel perspective. These solutions have been integrated into a series of recent interventions. Teachers can be professionally trained to create a highly supportive climate that allows student-bystanders to overcome their otherwise normative tendency to reinforce bullies. Once established, this intervention-enabled classroom climate impedes bully-victim episodes. The take-home message is to work with teachers on how to develop an interpersonally supportive classroom climate at the beginning of the school year to catalyze student-bystanders' volitional internalization of pro-defending and antibullying attitudes and social norms. Recommendations for future research include studying bullying and victimization simultaneously, testing multilevel models, targeting classroom climate and bystander roles as critical intervention outcomes, and integrating school-wide and individual student interventions only after improving social norms and the school climate.

The Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument- Bully/Target: Measurement Invariance Across Gender, Age, and Clinical Status.

Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument-Bully/Target (APRI-BT) is a multidimensional scale designed to assess bullying involvement both as target and perpetrator. Although existing research has shown that the APRI-BT satisfies the assumption of measurement invariance across age and gender, these findings come from western individualistic countries (e.g., Australia). This study aimed to investigate the factorial structure and measurement invariance across age, gender, and clinical status in a sample of Romanian youths. Participants were 1,024 adolescents, 10 to 18 years, recruited from both community and clinical setting. Our results confirmed a six first-order factor structure and two second-order factors (Bully including Bullying Physical, Bullying Verbal, Bullying Social and Victimization including Physical Victimization, Verbal Victimization, Social Victimization). In addition, measurement invariance across age, gender, and clinical status was demonstrated. This study identifies APRI-BT as an instrument with solid psychometric proprieties for measuring bullying and victimization among preadolescents and adolescents.

Phytoene synthase 1 (Psy-1) and lipoxygenase 1 (Lpx-1) Genes Influence on Semolina Yellowness in Wheat Mediterranean Germplasm.

Phytoene synthase 1 (Psy1) and lipoxygenase 1 (Lpx-1) are key genes involved in the synthesis and catalysis of carotenoid pigments in durum wheat, regulating the increase and decrease in these compounds, respectively, resulting in the distinct yellow color of semolina and pasta. Here, we reported new haplotype variants and/or allele combinations of these two genes significantly affecting yellow pigment content in grain and semolina through their effect on carotenoid pigments. To reach the purpose of this work, three complementary approaches were undertaken: the identification of QTLs associated to carotenoid content on a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, the characterization of a Mediterranean panel of accessions for Psy1 and Lpx-1 genes, and monitoring the expression of Psy1 and Lpx-1 genes during grain filling on two genotypes with contrasting yellow pigments. Our data suggest that Psy1 plays a major role during grain development, contributing to semolina yellowness, and Lpx-1 appears to be more predominant at post-harvest stages and during pasta making.

New Findings in the Amino Acid Profile and Gene Expression in Contrasting Durum Wheat Gluten Strength Genotypes during Grain Filling.

Grain protein composition is important in wheat quality and may influence the amino acidic sequence of bioactive peptides obtained from this feedstock. However, the genetic basis modulating the amino acid profile in durum wheat is not well-understood. Therefore, strong and weak gluten strength durum wheat genotypes were evaluated for their amino acid composition along grain filling. Strong gluten strength lines showed higher expression levels of low-molecular-weight glutenin-related genes between 21 and 35 days post-anthesis (DPA) and exhibited up to 43.5% more alanine than the weak lines at 42 DPA, which was supported by the higher expression levels of putative alanine amino transferase genes in strong genotypes. Therefore, with the involvement of chemistry and molecular biology, the results present here may influence the science of wheat.

Carotenoid Pigment Content in Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum): An Overview of Quantitative Trait Loci and Candidate Genes.

Carotenoid pigment content is an important quality trait as it confers a natural bright yellow color to pasta preferred by consumers (whiteness vs. yellowness) and nutrients, such as provitamin A and antioxidants, essential for human diet. The main goal of the present review is to summarize the knowledge about the genetic regulation of the accumulation of pigment content in durum wheat grain and describe the genetic improvements obtained by using breeding approaches in the last two decades. Although carotenoid pigment content is a quantitative character regulated by various genes with additive effects, its high heritability has facilitated the durum breeding progress for this quality trait. Mapping research for yellow index and yellow pigment content has identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) on all wheat chromosomes. The major QTL, accounting for up to 60%, were mapped on 7L homoeologous chromosome arms, and they are explained by allelic variations of the phytoene synthase (PSY) genes. Minor QTL were detected on all chromosomes and associated to significant molecular markers, indicating the complexity of the trait. Despite there being currently a better knowledge of the mechanisms controlling carotenoid content and composition, there are gaps that require further investigation and bridging to better understand the genetic architecture of this important trait. The development and the utilization of molecular markers in marker-assisted selection (MAS) programs for improving grain quality have been reviewed and discussed.

Exploring the Dimensional Structure of Bullying Victimization Among Primary and Lower-Secondary School Students: Is One Factor Enough, or Do We Need More?

In adolescence, bullying victimization is typically represented in terms of a three-fold factor structure reflecting three components of verbal, physical, and social victimization. Recent studies have suggested the usefulness of alternativte models including both general and component-specific factors. In this study, we assessed the empirical and theoretical validity of an instrument assessing verbal, physical and social victimization using a set of alternative models of victimization: a unidimensional model, a three-factor model, and a bifactor model. Association between emerging factors and student variables were explored to establish theoretical fit of the models. Sample consisted of upper primary and lower secondary school students [N = 1311; 53% Male; Mean age (SD) = 10.73 (1.45)] and their teachers. The three factor and bifactor models showed good fit. In spite of acceptable fit, the unidimensional model showed lower empirical support when compared with the other models. The dimensions of the three-factor model showed similar associations with most student variables, while the bifactor showed more heterogeneous, and theoretically coherent associations. General victimization decreased with age and was positively related with externalizing and internalizing symptoms, student-teacher conflict and negative expectations. Verbal victimization showed increased prevalence among girls and older students. Physical victimization showed increased prevalence among boys and younger students, and positive associations with externalizing symptoms and student-teacher conflict. Social victimization was more frequent among girls, and positively related with internalizing symptoms and negative expectations toward teachers. These findings highlight the usefulness of modeling victimization using both general and form-specific dimensions for both assessment and theory-building purposes.

Identification of Lycopene epsilon cyclase (LCYE) gene mutants to potentially increase ß-carotene content in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.ssp. durum) through TILLING.

Increasing ß-carotene (a vitamin A precursor) content in Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum (durum wheat) grains is important to improve pasta nutritional quality. Studies in other species show that altering the expression of LCYE genes increases the flux towards the ß-ß branch, accumulating higher ß-carotene levels. Durum wheat is a tetraploid species that has two LCYE genes (LCYE-A and LCYE-B) associated to the A and B genomes. The objective of this work was to produce durum wheat LCYE mutants through EMS to potentially increase ß-carotene content. The LCYE point mutations created with EMS were identified using a Kronos TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesion IN Genomes) mutant population. Specific primers that amplified exons 3 through 10 of the LCYE genes were designed and validated. To simplify the TILLING procedure, fragments were digested with CJE (Celery Juice Extract) and visualized on 2% agarose gels. 6X mutant pools were identified, which showed cleavage products and then made into 2X pools to identify mutant individuals. LCYE mutants were then sequenced and evaluated with BLOSUM62, SIFT and PSSM algorithms. Mutants with substitutions W437*, P334L and G368R in LCYE-A and P405L, G352R and T393I in LCYE-B predicted to affect protein function were selected. Substitution W437* increased ß-carotene in 75% and overall total carotenoids content in leaves of the mutant 2426 (A1 mutant line), but no significant differences relative to the control were found in grains through HPLC. Finally, the increased levels of ß-carotene on leaves have potential applications to improving plant resistance under contaminated environmental conditions.

Opinion on the Hurdles and Potential Health Benefits in Value-Added Use of Plant Food Processing By-Products as Sources of Phenolic Compounds.

Plant foods, their products and processing by-products are well recognized as important sources of phenolic compounds. Recent studies in this field have demonstrated that food processing by-products are often richer sources of bioactive compounds as compared with their original feedstock. However, their final application as a source of nutraceuticals and bioactives requires addressing certain hurdles and challenges. This review discusses recent knowledge advances in the use of plant food processing by-products as sources of phenolic compounds with special attention to the role of genetics on the distribution and biosynthesis of plant phenolics, as well as their profiling and screening, potential health benefits, and safety issues. The potentialities in health improvement from food phenolics in animal models and in humans is well substantiated, however, considering the emerging market of plant food by-products as potential sources of phenolic bioactives, more research in humans is deemed necessary.

Temporal ordering effects of adolescent depression, relational aggression, and victimization over six waves: Fully latent reciprocal effects models.

The temporal ordering of depression, aggression, and victimization has important implications for theory, policy, and practice. For a representative sample of high school students (Grades 7-10; N = 3,793) who completed the same psychometrically strong, multiitem scales 6 times over a 2-year period, there were reciprocal effects between relational-aggression and relational-victimization factors: aggression led to subsequent victimization and victimization led to subsequent aggression. After controlling for prior depression, aggression, and victimization, depression had a positive effect on subsequent victimization, but victimization had no effect on subsequent depression. Aggression neither affected nor was affected by depression. The results suggest that depression is a selection factor that leads to victimization, but that victimization has little or no effect on subsequent depression beyond what can be explained by the preexisting depression. In support of developmental equilibrium, the results were consistent across the 6 waves. (PsycINFO Database Record

Prevalence of patients with cleft lip and palate who were treated at the San Borja Arriarán Clinical Hospital in Santiago Chile, within the AUGE Healthcare Plan / Prevalencia de pacientes con fisuras labio palatinas tratadas en el Hospital San Borja Arriarán en Santiago de Chile, en el marco del Plan Auge

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are congenital defects caused by faulty fusion of the embryonic processes that participate in the formation of oral and nasal cavities, this leads to a number of functional, social and psychological alterations. The incidence is estimated at 1/700 live birth, resulting in a high cost to the public health system. In 2005 these malformations were incorporated in the Regime of Explicit Health Guarantees (Garantías Explícitas en Salud ­ GES), also known as Plan AUGE, a health program developed in Chile, that has been conceived and implemented to guarantee access, quality, protection and recovery for certain pathologies. To determine which clefts are more prevalent in patients who were treated in the Hospital and compare these results are consistent with international literature, along with which gender is more affected and their association with other syndromes. Medical records of 169 patients with CLP were reviewed. Their gender, type of cleft according to its anatomical classification and their association with other syndromes were recorded. Ten percent of the CLP were associated with syndromes, there being a higher prevalence among male infants (56.8%) than females (43.2%). Incidence of cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, was higher than the incidence of isolated cleft palate. CLP has a heterogeneous distribution. This creates the need to know, which clefts are more prevalent in our patients and to compare with other results.

Las Fisuras Labio Palatinas (FLP) son defectos congénitos causados por una mala fusión de los procesos embrionarios que participan en la formación de las cavidades oral y nasal, que generan una seria de alteraciones funcionales, sociales y pscicológicas. La incidencia de las FLP se estima en 1/700 nacidos vivos, lo que genera un importante gasto a nivel de salud pública. En el 2005 éstas malformaciones fueron incorporadas al "Régimen de Garantías Explícitas en Salud (GES)", también conocido como Plan AUGE, éste es un programa de salud concebido y creado para garantizar el acceso, calidad, protección y recuperación de ciertas patologías. Determinar que fisuras con más prevalentes en pacientes que han sido tratados en el Hospital y comparar estos resultados con la literatura internacional, además determinar que género se ve más afectado y si existe asociación con síndromes. Se revisaron las fichas clínicas de 169 pacientes con FLP. Registrándose el género, el tipo FLP de acuerdo a su clasificación anatómica y la asociación con otros síndromes. Resultados: 10% de las FLP presentaban otro síndrome asociado. Hay una mayor incidencia en el género masculino (56,8%) que en el femenino (43.2%). Las fisuras de labio, con o sin compromiso del paladar, son más frecuentes que las fisuras labiales aisladas. Las FLP tienen una distribución heterogénea. Esto crea la necesidad de conocer que fisuras son más prevalentes en nuestros pacientes con el objetivo de compararlos con otros resultados.

Sorbitol dehydrogenase is a cytosolic protein required for sorbitol metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Sorbitol is converted to fructose in Rosaceae species by SORBITOL DEHYDROGENASE (SDH, EC 1.1.1.14), especially in sink organs. SDH has also been found in non-Rosaceae species and here we show that the protein encoded by At5g51970 in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. possesses the molecular characteristics of an SDH. Using a green fluorescent protein-tagged version and anti-SDH antisera, we determined that SDH is cytosolically localized, consistent with bioinformatic predictions. We also show that SDH is widely expressed, and that SDH protein accumulates in both source and sink organs. In the presence of NAD+, recombinant SDH exhibited greatest oxidative activity with sorbitol, ribitol and xylitol as substrates; other sugar alcohols were oxidized to a lesser extent. Under standard growth conditions, three independent sdh- mutants developed as wild-type. Nevertheless, all three exhibited reduced dry weight and primary root length compared to wild-type when grown in the presence of sorbitol. Additionally, under short-day conditions, the mutants were more resistant to dehydration stress, as shown by a reduced loss of leaf water content when watering was withheld, and a greater survival rate on re-watering. This evidence suggests that limitations in the metabolism of sugar alcohols alter the growth of Arabidopsis and its response to drought.

Características craneofaciales en pacientes con desgaste dentario severo / Craniofacial characteristics in patients with severe toothwear

Introducción: con la finalidad de contrastar la hipótesis nula “no existen diferencias significativas en lascaracterísticas arquitecturales y estructurales craneofaciales entre individuos con y sin desgaste dentario” se realizó un estudio analítico, no experimental de casos y controles en pacientes que consultaron por tratamiento prostodóncico u ortodóncico. Métodos: la muestra quedó conformada por 26 pacientes con desgate dentario severo (estudio) y 52 pacientes sin desgaste dentario (control).El grupo control se obtuvo por pareamiento según sexo, rango de edad y ángulo de la base de cráneo. Todos ellos poseían estabilidad oclusal y no presentaban tratamiento ortodóncico previo, procedimientos quirúrgicos maxilofaciales ni patologías de crecimiento y desarrollo. Se utilizó un cefalograma específicamente diseñado que incluyó los parámetros arquitecturales y estructurales delanálisis de Delaire. Para el análisis de los datos fueron utilizados el t Test y el Chi cuadrado dependiendo de la naturaleza de los datos. Resultados: diferencias significativas fueron encontradas particularmente a nivel del hueso basal maxilar y mandibular y en la posición del plano oclusal real respecto al plano oclusal teórico. Conclusiones: se concluyó que en pacientes con desgaste dentario severo, se produce una modificación del hueso basal y mandibular por remodelación del proceso dentoalveolar que resulta en una rotación craneal del plano oclusal. Se observa aparente estabilidad de la altura facial y del ángulo mandibular a pesar del cambio obvio de la posición del plano oclusal.

Introduction: in order to test the null hypothesis “there are no significant differences in the craniofacial architectural and structural characteristics among individuals with and without severe tooth wear”, a non experimental analytic case controlstudy was carried out with patients who consulted for prosthodontic or orthodontic treatment. Methods: 78 patients between 22 and 55 years of age participated. The experimental group consisted of 26 patients between 29 and 55 years of age (9 women and17 men). The control group consisted of 52 patients between 22 and 50 years of age (18 women and 34 men) matched by gender —age range and posterior cranium base angle. All of them had occlusal stability, without previous orthodontic treatment, surgeryor growth and development alterations. The measuring instrument was a specifically designed cephalogram which included the architectural and structural parameters from Delaire’s Analysis, combined with some extra radiographic points defined by the authors for this particular study. The parameters under investigation were different cranial structural relationships includingocclusal plane position. Statistical analysis using t-test, Chi square test and Pearson’s correlation test were carried out depending of the nature of the data. Results: significant differences were particularly found on maxillary and mandibular basal bone and on the position of the actual occlusal plane with respect to the theoretical plane. Conclusions: it was concluded that in patients with severe tooth wear, a modification of the maxillary and mandibular basal bone could have taken place with remodelling of the dental alveolar process resulting in a cranial rotation of the occlusal plane. An apparent stability of the facial height and the mandibular angle was observed in spite of the obvious change in the position of the occlusal plane.

A política nacional de atenção oncológica e o papel da atenção básica na prevenção e controle do câncer / Brazilian cancer control policy and the role of primary care in cancer prevention and control

O câncer é um problema de saúde pública no Brasil e a Política Nacional de Atenção Oncológica foi proposta como estratégia para ações integradas de controle das neoplasias malignas. Dentre essas ações, o controle dos cânceres do colo do útero e de mama é assumido como prioridade nacional pela elevada incidência e possibilidade de redução da morbi-mortalidade mediante o rastreamento populacional. A Coordenação de Prevenção e Vigilância do Instituto Nacional do Câncer tem atuado junto às Secretarias Estaduais de Saúde para contribuir com a organização da rede de atenção oncológica nos Estados. Com base nesta experiência, o artigo objetivou oferecer um panorama do controle do câncer no Brasil e destacar o papel da atenção básica na detecção precoce dos cânceres de mama e do colo do útero. Na conclusão, é apontada a necessidade de engajamento efetivo dos diversos atores na produção social da saúde e na qualificação da rede assistencial para que as estratégias de controle do câncer se integrem e produzam resultados.

This paper concerns cancer as a public health problem in Brazil and introduces the Brazilian Cancer Control Policy as a strategy to integrate actions or programs for cancer control. Among these activities are the control of cervical and breast cancer, considered national priorities due to their high incidence and the possibility of morbidity and mortality reduction by screening of the population. The Division of Cancer Care of the National Cancer Institute?s Cancer Prevention and Surveillance Coordination, has been working with States Secretaries of Health to help with the organization of the network of oncological services of the States. Based on this experience, this paper?s goal is to offer a panoramic view of the current cancer control initiatives and highlights the role of primary care in the early detection of cervical and breast cancer in Brazil. Finally, the need is stressed for an effective enlistment of a variety of players in the social production of health and competency building of the healthcare network so that the strategies of cancer control take root and produce results.

A política nacional de atenção oncológica e o papel da atenção básica na prevenção e controle do câncer / Brazilian cancer control policy and the role of primary care in cancer prevention and control

O câncer é um problema de saúde pública no Brasil e a Política Nacional de Atenção Oncológica foi proposta como estratégia para ações integradas de controle das neoplasias malignas. Dentre essas ações, o controle dos cânceres do colo do útero e de mama é assumido como prioridade nacional pela elevada incidência e possibilidade de redução da morbi-mortalidade mediante o rastreamento populacional. A Coordenação de Prevenção e Vigilância do Instituto Nacional do Câncer tem atuado junto às Secretarias Estaduais de Saúde para contribuir com a organização da rede de atenção oncológica nos Estados. Com base nesta experiência, o artigo objetivou oferecer um panorama do controle do câncer no Brasil e destacar o papel da atenção básica na detecção precoce dos cânceres de mama e do colo do útero. Na conclusão, é apontada a necessidade de engajamento efetivo dos diversos atores na produção social da saúde e na qualificação da rede assistencial para que as estratégias de controle do câncer se integrem e produzam resultados. (AU)

A short version of the Self Description Questionnaire II: operationalizing criteria for short-form evaluation with new applications of confirmatory factor analyses.

Four studies evaluate the new Self Description Questionnaire II short-form (SDQII-S) that measures 11 dimensions of adolescent self-concept based on responses to 51 of the original 102 SDQII items and demonstrate new statistical strategies to operationalize guidelines for short-form evaluation proposed by G. T. Smith, D. M. McCarthy, and K. G. Anderson (2000). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the factor structure based on responses to 51 items by a new cross-validation group (n=9,134) was invariant with the factor structures based on responses to the same 51 items and to all 102 items by the original normative archive group (n = 9,187). Reliabilities for the 11 SDQII-S factors were nearly the same and consistently high (.80 to .89) for both groups. Multitrait-multimethod analyses support the internal validity of responses over time. Gender and age effects on the 11 SDQII-S factors were invariant across the archive and cross-validation groups.

A multidimensional perspective of relations between self-concept (Self Description Questionnaire II) and adolescent mental health (Youth Self-Report).

Relations between self-concept and mental health are best understood from a multidimensional perspective. For responses by 903 adolescents (mean age = 12.6) to a new French translation of the Self Description Questionnaire II (SDQII), confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a well-defined multidimensional factor structure of reliable, highly differentiated self-concept factors. Correlations between 11 SDQII factors and 7 mental health problems (Youth Self-Report; YSR) varied substantially (.11 to -.83; mean r = -.35). Single higher-order factors could not explain relations among SDQII factors, among YSR factors, or between the SDQII and YSR factors. This highly differentiated multivariate pattern of relations supports a multidimensional perspective of self-concept, not the unidimensional perspective still prevalent in mental health research and assessment.

Federalismo e o SUS: um estudo sobre as mudanças dos padrões de governabilidade no Rio de Janeiro / Federalism and the SUS: A study on the changes of the standards of governability in Rio de Janeiro

INTRODUÇÃO:O Estado Rio de Janeiro, durante os anos 90 e início do século XXI, vem adequando as suas práticas gerenciais e políticas para assumir a plenitude de suas recentes atribuições, que não faziam parte de sua prática e de seu passado político e técnico, associado às restrições imposta s pela política econômica federal e as tensões e conflitos da construção de um Estado Federado. OBJETIVO: Esta tese analisa como as mudanças dos padrões de governabilidade ocorreram, na década de 90, no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, através do estudo das adequações, dificuldades, tensões e conflitos no âmbito de sua Secretaria de Estado de Saúde. CONCLUSÃO: Entretanto, passada uma década de construção de uma política nacional de saúde, financiando recursos e induzindo modelos, associada às disparidades regionais e intermunicipais, na compreensão e na condução de políticas próprias de saúde, é possível afirmar que a política de saúde caminha, solidamente, para se tornar de responsabilidade central, com execução e adequação regional e local.