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Childhood maltreatment represents a form of trauma capable of altering fundamental neurobiological properties and negatively impacting neurodevelopmental processes. An outcome of childhood maltreatment is the emergence of psychopathology, which might become evident during childhood or adolescence, but might also project into adulthood. In this Review, we propose a biobehavioural framework in which childhood maltreatment and the associated aberrant neurobiological mechanisms and behavioural processes additionally lead to the onset of altered pain processing and, ultimately, the existence of pain syndromes. Considering that subpopulations of maltreated children show preserved function and minimal psychiatric or pain symptoms, compensatory mechanisms-perhaps instilled by robust psychosocial support systems-are also discussed. We present validated tools and experimental methods that could facilitate better comprehension of the interactions between childhood maltreatment, psychopathology, and pain. Such tools and approaches can in parallel be implemented to monitor abnormal pain-related processes and potentially guide early intervention strategies in cases of childhood maltreatment.

This study examines how formal education in biological and behavioral sciences may impact punishment intuitions (views on criminal sentencing, free will, responsibility, and dangerousness) in cases involving neurobiological evidence. In a survey experiment, we compared intuitions between biobehavioral science and non-science university graduates by presenting them with a baseline case without a neurobiological explanation for offending followed by one of two cases with a neurobiological explanation (described as either innate or acquired biological influences to offending). An ordinal logistic regression indicated that both science and non-science graduates selected significantly more severe punishments for the baseline case as compared to when an innate neurobiological explanation for offending was provided. However, across all cases, science graduates selected significantly less severe sentences than non-science graduates, and only science graduates' decisions were mediated by free will and responsibility attributions. Findings are discussed in relation to scientific understandings of behavior, the impact of science education on attitudes towards punishment, and potential criminal-legal implications.

In the eighteenth century, Daniel Bernoulli, Adam Smith and Jeremy Bentham proposed that economic choices rely on the computation and comparison of subjective values

Drug and alcohol use is associated with risky sexual behavior (RSB). It is unclear whether this association is due to correlated liabilities (e.g., third variables influencing both traits), or whether use of drugs and alcohol during sexual decision making increases RSB. This study addresses this question by fitting a series of biometrical models using over 800 twin pairs assessed in early adulthood (m = 25.21 years). Measures included an index of sex under the influence (e.g., frequency that drugs or alcohol affect sexual decision making), number of lifetime sexual partners, and a general measure of substance use. Analyses suggest the covariance among these measures is explained by both genetic and environmental correlated liabilities. The overlap was not specific to sex under the influence, but was shared with a measure of general substance use. Models testing necessary but not sufficient parameters for direction of causation suggest that sex under the influence is unlikely to cause an increase in RSB; more evidence for reverse causation was found.

Objective: The dual-pathway model has been proposed to explain the heterogeneity in symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by two independent psychological pathways based on distinct brain circuits. The authors sought to test whether the hypothesized cognitive and motivational pathways have separable neural correlates. Methods: In a longitudinal community-based cohort of 1,963 adolescents, the neuroanatomical correlates of ADHD were identified by a voxel-wise association analysis and then validated using an independent clinical sample (99 never-medicated patients with ADHD, 56 medicated patients with ADHD, and 267 healthy control subjects). The cognitive and motivational pathways were assessed by neuropsychological tests of working memory, intrasubject variability, stop-signal reaction time, and delay discounting. The associations were tested between the identified neuroanatomical correlates and both ADHD symptoms 2 years later and the polygenic risk score for ADHD. Results: Gray matter volumes of both a prefrontal cluster and a posterior occipital cluster were negatively associated with inattention. Compared with healthy control subjects, never-medicated patients, but not medicated patients, had significantly lower gray matter volumes in these two clusters. Working memory and intrasubject variability were associated with the posterior occipital cluster, and delay discounting was independently associated with both clusters. The baseline gray matter volume of the posterior occipital cluster predicted the inattention symptoms in a 2-year follow-up and was associated with the genetic risk for ADHD. Conclusions: The dual-pathway model has both shared and separable neuroanatomical correlates, and the shared correlate in the occipital cortex has the potential to serve as an imaging trait marker of ADHD, especially the inattention symptom domain.

Perceived racial discrimination is linked to unhealthy behaviors and stress-related morbidities. A compelling body of research indicates that perceived racial discrimination may contribute to health disparities among African Americans (AAs). The purposes of this study were to describe the study protocol including data collection procedures and study measures and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of intensive biobehavioral data collection using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), salivary biomarkers, and accelerometers over 7 days among middle-aged AAs with a goal of understanding the relationships between perceived racial discrimination and biobehavioral responses to stress. Twelve AA men and women participated in the feasibility/acceptability study. They completed surveys, anthropometrics, and received in-person training in EMA and saliva sample collection at baseline. Participants were asked to respond to the random prompt text message-based EMA five times a day, wear an accelerometer daily for 7 days, and to self-collect saliva samples four times a day for 4 consecutive days. The EMA surveys included perceived racial discrimination, affective states, lifestyle behaviors, and social and physical contexts. The mean EMA response rate was 82.8%. All participants collected saliva samples four times a day for 4 consecutive days. About 83% of participants wore the accelerometer on the hip 6 out of 7 days. Despite the perception that the intensive nature of assessments would result in high participant burden, the acceptability of the study procedures was uniformly favorable.

Most human societies exhibit a distinct class structure, with an elite, middle classes, and a bottom class, whereas animals form simple dominance hierarchies in which individuals with higher fighting ability do not appear to form coalitions to "oppress" weaker individuals. Here, we extend our model of primate coalitions and find that a division into a bottom class and an upper class is inevitable whenever fitness-enhancing resources, such as food or real estate, are exploitable or tradable and the members of the bottom class cannot easily leave the group. The model predicts that the bottom class has a near flat, low payoff and always comprises at least half the society. The upper class may subdivide into one or more middle class(es), resulting in improved payoff for the topmost members (elite). The model predicts that the bottom class on its own is incapable of mounting effective counter-coalitions against the upper class, except when receiving support from dissatisfied members of the middle class(es). Such counter-coalitions can be prevented by keeping the payoff to the lowest-ranked members of the middle classes (through concessions) well above that of the bottom class. This simple model explains why classes are also absent in nomadic hunter-gatherers and predominate in (though are not limited to) societies that produce and store food. Its results also agree well with various other known features of societies with classes.

Latinos represent a critical resource of talent that could be cultivated to expand the HIV research workforce. However, their rapid growth, as the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group in the US population, has yet to translate into a significant increase in Latino health academic researchers. Historically, strategies to build a diverse research workforce have grouped together individuals from underrepresented minority populations obscuring significance between and within group differences. This limits ap­proaches that are responsive to the diversity of needs and experiences of emerging investigators from underrepresented groups.In this article, we discuss challenges associ­ated with heterogeneity of Latinos and bar­riers that impede research independence/ career success in the context of a review of Latino-investigator targeted mentorship approaches on the behavioral-social science of HIV infection. Mentorship workforce strategies could benefit from a personal­ized framework emphasizing individualized and tailored approaches to address the limitations and gaps in knowledge regard­ing Latino research development. This perspective encourages increased emphasis on organizational and structural processes to aid in overcoming institutional-level barriers that impede research and career develop­ment. Recommendations are proposed for features and components of effective mentorship programs that will lead to robust outcomes for strengthening the Latino research workforce in the HIV research field and elsewhere.Ethn Dis. 2020;30(2):305- 312; doi:10.18865/ed.30.2.305.

Resumen Introducción: la investigación sobre rasgos de personalidad en pacientes con trasplante renal es limitada. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir el perfil de personalidad de pacientes con trasplante renal, utilizando el modelo alternativo de cinco factores (AFFM), y compararlo con población estándar española. Material y métodos: la personalidad fue evaluada mediante el Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ). Una muestra de 207 pacientes con trasplante renal se emparejó por edad y género con 207controles de la población estándar. El análisis de regresión logística permitió estudiar la aportación de cada dimensión del ZKPQ al perfil distintivo de los pacientes trasplantados. Resultados: aparecieron diferencias significativas en las dimensiones de Neuroticismo-Ansiedad (p=.001), Agresión-Hostilidad (p=.009) y Actividad (p=.001), con puntuaciones bajas en pacientes trasplantados en comparación con la población estándar. La sociabilidad (p=.024) fue significativamente mayor en pacientes trasplantados. En el análisis de regresión, las bajas puntuaciones en Neuroticismo-Ansiedad (p=.005) y Actividad (p=.001) fueron predictores significativos para caracterizar los rasgos de personalidad de pacientes trasplantados. Conclusiones: desde el AFFM, los pacientes con trasplante renal muestran un perfil diferente de personalidad comparado con la población estándar, con bajas puntuaciones en las dimensiones de Neuroticismo-Ansiedad y Actividad. Abstract Background: There is limited research on personality traits that characterized kidney transplant patients. The aim of this study was to describe personality profile of kidney transplant patients using the Alternative Five Factor Model (AFFM), and compared it with the Spanish standard population. Method: Personality was assessed using the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ). A sample of 207 kidney transplant patients was matched by age and gender with 207 standard range controls. A logistic regression analyses was utilized to study the contribution of each ZKPQ dimension to describe the distinctive transplant patient's profile. Results: Significant differences were showed in Neuroticism-Anxiety (p=.001), Aggression-Hostility (p=.009), and Activity (p=.001) dimensions, with lower scores on transplant patients compared with standard population. But Sociability (p=.024) was significantly higher on kidney transplant patients. In logistic regression analysis low scores on Neuroticism-Anxiety (p=.005) and Activity (p=.001) were the significant predictors to characterize personality traits of kidney transplant patients. Conclusions: Kidney transplant patients had a differential profile under the AFFM compared to standard range sample, with lower scores on Neuroticism-Anxiety and Activity dimensions.

Bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) has biological activities, including anticancer effects in vitro; however, its anticancer effects in human glioblastoma (GBM) cells have not been examined yet. This study aimed to evaluate the tumor inhibitory effect and molecular mechanism of BDMC on human GBM 8401/luc2 cells in vitro and in vivo. In vitro studies have shown that BDMC significantly reduced cell viability and induced cell apoptosis in GBM 8401/luc2 cells. Furthermore, BDMC induced apoptosis via inhibited Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic protein) and increased Bax (pro-apoptotic proteins) and cytochrome c release in GBM 8401/luc2 cells in vitro. Then, twelve BALB/c-nude mice were xenografted with human glioblastoma GBM 8401/luc2 cancer cells subcutaneously, and the xenograft nude mice were treated without and with BDMC (30 and 60 mg/kg of BDMC treatment) every 3 days. GBM 8401/luc2 cell xenografts experiment showed that the growth of the tumors was significantly suppressed by BDMC administration at both doses based on the reduction of tumor size and weights. BDMC did not change the body weight and the H&E histopathology analysis of liver samples, indicating that BDMC did not induce systemic toxicity. Meanwhile, treatment with BDMC up-regulated the expressions of BAX and cleaved caspase-3, while it down-regulated the protein expressions of Bcl-2 and XIAP in the tumor tissues compared with the control group. This study has demonstrated that BDMC presents potent anticancer activity on the human glioblastoma GBM 8401/luc2 cell xenograft model by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and shows the potential for further development to the anti-GBM cancer drug.

Child asthma disparities are prevalent in socio-economically stressed single-parent families. Stress impacts childhood asthma mediated by immune and autonomic pathways, but specific family stress pathways are not well established. This study tests the hypothesis, derived from a version of the Biobehavioral Family Model, that single parent maternal depression impacts child asthma mediated by insecure attachment and child depression.In a cross-sectional study, children with asthma (age 7-17 years old) from a socio-economically disadvantaged population and their single parent mothers (N = 202) were assessed for depression and attachment security. Child asthma disease activity was assessed by symptom report and lung function tests. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test a model in which caregiver depression impacts child asthma disease activity mediated by insecure attachment and child depression.SEM results indicated that maternal depression statistically predicted child depression (β = 0.21, p 0.01) and insecure mother-child attachment (β = 0.17, p 0.05). In addition, insecure attachment statistically predicted child depression (β = 0.50, p 0.001). Child depression mediated the adverse effects of maternal depression and insecure attachment on child asthma disease activity (β = 0.43, p 0.01). There was no direct effect of insecure attachment on child asthma.In single-parent families, maternal depression may impact child asthma disease activity, mediated serially by insecure attachment and child depression. Longitudinal and/or intervention studies are needed to establish a causal effect. These findings suggest that caregiver depression and parent-child relationships may be important targets for family intervention. These interventions may help improve child asthma outcomes and reduce health disparities.目标: 在社会经济压力大的单亲家庭中, 儿童哮喘的差异性很普遍。压力对儿童哮喘的影响是由免疫和自律神经途径带来的的, 但具体的家庭压力途径还没有很好地研究清楚。本研究测试了从生物行为家庭模型的一个版本中得出的假设, 即单亲母亲的抑郁症对儿童哮喘的影响是由不安全的依恋和儿童抑郁症引发的。 研究方法: 在一项横断面研究中, 针对来自社会经济弱势人群的哮喘儿童 (7-17岁) 及其他们的单亲母亲 (N=202) 作抑郁症和依恋安全方面的评估。儿童哮喘疾病活动是通过症状报告和肺功能测试来评估的。结构方程模型 (SEM) 被用来测试一个模型, 在这个模型中, 照料者的抑郁表现影响儿童哮喘病的活动, 并由不安全的依恋和儿童的抑郁影响。 研究结果: SEM结果显示, 母亲抑郁症在统计学上预测了儿童抑郁症 (Β=0.21, p0.01) 和不安全的母子依恋 (Β=0.17, p0.05) 。此外, 不安全的依恋在统计上预测了儿童患抑郁的可能性 (Β = .50, p.001) 。儿童抑郁症引发了母亲抑郁症和不安全依恋对儿童哮喘疾病活动的不利影响 (Β = .43, p.01) 。不安全的依恋对儿童哮喘并没有直接影响。 结论: 在单亲家庭中, 母亲的抑郁症可能会影响儿童哮喘病的活动, 依次引发不安全的依恋和孩子的抑郁症。需要进行纵向和/或干预研究以确定因果效应。这些发现表明, 照顾者的抑郁和亲子关系可能是家庭干预的重要目标。这些干预措施可能有助于改善儿童哮喘症状的结果, 并减少在健康方面的差异。.

Severe pneumonia in children is a group of inflammatory diseases of respiratory tract caused by pathogenic microorganisms. Increasing evidence suggested the crucial effects of microRNA on inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to reveal the expression and role of miR-483-3p in the serum of children with severe pneumonia, and to explore the effect of miR-483-3p on the biological function of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MRC-5 cells. MRC-5 cells were disposed with LPS to construct an in vitro pneumonia cell model. The relative expression level of miR-483-3p was measured by qRT-PCR. ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-483-3p in severe pneumonia. The Kaplan-Meier curve was performed to test the characteristics of survival distribution of different miRNA classifications. Cell viability and apoptosis were performed by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 were detected by ELISA. Luciferase reporter gene assay and western blot analysis were performed to detect the interaction between miR-483-3p and IGF-1. The expression of serum miR-483-3p in severe pneumonia patients was higher than in controls. The AUC value of the ROC curve was 0.919, indicating that miR-483-3p had diagnostic value for severe pneumonia. The survival curve showed that patients with high expression of miR-483-3p had higher mortality. Cell viability and apoptosis assay showed that overexpression of miR-483-3p suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. And upregulation of miR-483-3p promoted generation of inflammatory cytokines. Luciferase report gene assay and western blot assay both illustrated that IGF-1 might be the target gene of miR-483-3p. Serum miR-483-3p can be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of severe pneumonia. High expression of miR-483-3p promoted the development of severe pneumonia.

This study examined sedentary behaviors among older adults and explored associations with social context and health measures using cross-sectional data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 1,687). Multivariate models were estimated to explore associations of time in six sedentary behaviors (i.e., television watching, sitting and talking, hobbies, computer use, driving, and resting) with sociodemographic characteristics and level of social engagement and with health status. Results indicated substantial variability in sedentary behaviors, with television watching being the most frequent and resting the least frequent activities. Sedentary behaviors varied by sociodemographic characteristics, including age, race/ethnicity, and education, as well as by level of social engagement. Television watching and resting, but not other behaviors, were associated with poorer health. These findings help to unpack the role of social context in sedentary behaviors and could inform public health interventions aimed at reducing time spent in behaviors that are adversely associated with health.

Objective To advance public health support for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s smoke-free rule, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated with the Georgia Institute of Technology to develop a geospatial mapping tool. The objective was to create a tool state and local public health agencies could use to tailor smoke-free educational materials and cessation interventions for specific public housing development resident populations. Results The resulting “Extinguish Tool” includes an interactive map of U.S. public housing developments (PHDs) and healthcare facilities that provides detailed information on individual PHDs, their proximity to existing healthcare facilities, and the demographic characteristics of residents. The tool also estimates the number of PHD residents who smoke cigarettes and calculates crude estimates of the potential economic benefits of providing cessation interventions to these residents. The geospatial mapping tool project serves as an example of a collaborative and innovative public health approach to protecting the health and well-being of the nation’s two million public housing residents, including 760,000 children, from the harms of tobacco smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in the places where they live, play, and gather.

Objective This study aimed to (1) identify mechanistic model structures that produced quality fit to historic obesity prevalence trends and (2) evaluate the sensitivity of future obesity prevalence to social transmission and nonsocial parameters. Methods An age- and gender-structured compartmental model was used to describe transitions between weight status groups. Four model structures with different combinations of social transmission and nonsocial mechanisms were calibrated to match historic time series and assessed for quality of fit. Projections of overall obesity prevalence to 2052 were simulated, and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results The model structure that included only nonsocial mechanisms indicated that the overall obesity prevalence in the United States has already stabilized and will increase little more; however, it underestimated observed obesity prevalence since 2013. If social transmission mechanisms influence obesity, the model estimated continued increases in obesity prevalence, reaching 48.0% to 55.1% by 2050. Obesity prevalence was most sensitive to changes in the adult social transmission parameters, especially among women. Conclusions The model projected that US obesity prevalence in the overall population will likely continue to increase for decades. The findings that obesity prevalence was most sensitive to adult parameters can be used to inform conversations about priorities for public health and health care programs and policies.

An individual-based model is presented which shows that cyclic insects outbreaks in the forest (here presented as a certain type of the dynamics of total numbers of insects in the forest) can be a result of the joint action of four factors: (1) spatial structure of the system — resources, green tree biomass, used by larval insects are distributed in a two-dimensional space, (2) properties of trees — their limited resistance to feeding by insects, and regeneration ability after some time of relaxation, when they cannot sustain a local insect population, (3) insect properties — the most important of which is the ability of adult individuals to move between spatially distributed resources and to lay eggs on neighbouring trees, and (4) the type of dynamics of local insect population exploiting resources of a tree, which depends on individual variability of insects and their progeny production. Insects disperse from the original tree and occupy successive not infested trees over the forest, omitting the trees with exploited resources that need time for regeneration. The cyclic outbreak dynamics will take place when insects have opportunity to return to the places where there are trees with regenerated resources. In addition to the cyclic outbreak, we will observe permanent outbreaks (small fluctuations of insect, combined with a similar dynamics of tree biomass) or pulse outbreaks (an increase in the number of insects, followed by their extinction and leading to a temporary destruction of tree biomass). The type of the simulation output will depend on the values of the model parameters. Intermediate resistance of trees to insect feeding and their not very short regeneration time will lead to cyclic outbreaks. Additionally great number of dispersing insects will promote cyclic outbreaks. High degree of individual variability, high mortality of adult insects or small progeny production will produce favourable conditions for permanent outbreaks. Pulse outbreaks can easily occur when insect individual variability is small or progeny production is high.

The aim of this study was to predict alcohol inebriation and mental health (internalizing and externalizing problems plus well-being), and potential gender-specific patterns among young adolescents, by a biopsychosocial model of personality traits. Self-reported data from 853 adolescents (479 girls) in Sweden, aged 13–15 years, from the Longitudinal Research on Development In Adolescence (LoRDIA) program were used. Predictions from personality to inebriation and mediating effects of mental health were estimated by means of logistic regression and generalized structural equation modelling. Separated gender analyses were performed throughout the study to reveal potential gender-specific patterns. Externalizing problems, Novelty Seeking and Cooperativeness had independent effects on alcohol inebriation for both genders as well as Harm Avoidance among girls and Internalizing problems among boys. Novelty Seeking and Self-Directedness had indirect effects through externalizing problems and Harm Avoidance and Self-Directedness had indirect effects through internalizing problems for boys. Self-directedness showed an indirect effect through externalizing problems for girls. The combination of an immature character (low Self-directedness and Cooperativeness) with an extreme temperament profile (high Novelty Seeking and low Harm Avoidance) was a predictor of inebriation across gender, both directly and indirectly through mental health. This study contributes with valuable information about gender-specific considerations when developing and conducting preventative interventions targeting psychological risk and resilience factors for early alcohol inebriation among young adolescents.

The senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM) strain has been established as an inbred strain with an accelerated aging phenotype. SAM prone-8 (SAMP8), one of the SAM strain, exhibits learning disability, immune deficiency, and circadian rhythm loss at a relatively young age. However, it has not been clarified whether aging affects the autonomic nervous activity in SAMP8. The aim of this study was to clarify the utility of SAMP8 in age-related studies of autonomic nervous function. Electrocardiogram (ECG), body temperature, and locomotor activity were recorded to evaluate bio-behavioral activities. Autonomic nervous activity was evaluated via power spectral analysis of heart rate variability from ECG recordings. SAMP8 significantly decreased both biological and autonomic nervous functions, and the animals exhibited circadian rhythm loss of locomotive activity at as early as 40 weeks of age compared with a control strain at the same age. We concluded that the SAMP8 strain can be used as an animal model for age-related studies of autonomic nervous function.

Objective To compare the effectiveness of a biobehavioral approach with and without orthopedic manual physical therapy on the intensity and frequency of pain in patients diagnosed with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Methods A single-blind randomized controlled trial. Fifty patients were randomly allocated into two groups: one group received biobehavioral therapy with orthopedic manual physical therapy, and the other group received only biobehavioral therapy. Both groups completed a total of eight sessions, with a frequency of two sessions per week. The somatosensory, physical, and psychological variables were recorded at baseline and during the first and third month after initiation of treatment. Results In both groups, the treatment was effective, presenting significant differences for all the variables in the time factor. There were no significant differences between groups in intensity or frequency of pain, with a large effect size (>0.80), but there were intragroup differences for both intervention groups at one- and three-month follow-up. There were also no significant differences between groups in the secondary variables during the same follow-up period. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that orthopedic manual physical therapy does not increase the effects of a treatment based on biobehavioral therapy in the short or medium term, but these results should be interpreted with caution.

Reproduction is a defining process of biological systems. Every generation, across all species, breeding females repopulate ecosystems with offspring. r/K selection was the first theory to classify animal species by linking the rates with which breeding females repopulated ecosystems, to the stability of ecosystems. Here, I introduce a species classification scheme that extends the reach of r-K selection and CSR selection by linking breeder investments in offspring quantity, quality, and diversity to specific natural selection pressures. The species classification scheme is predicated on the assumption that high rates of predation favor breeders that invest more in offspring quantity than quality; and that spatiotemporal scarcity favors breeders that investment more in offspring quality than quantity. I present equations that convert the species classification scheme into a maternal risk-management model. Thereafter, using the equations, I classify eighty-seven animal species into the model’s natural selection categories. Species of reptiles, fish, and marine invertebrates clustered in the predation selection category. Species of birds and mammals clustered in the scarcity selection category. Several species of apex predators clustered in the weak selection category. Several species of social insects and social mammals clustered in the convergent selection category. In summary, by acknowledging breeding females as the individuals upon which natural selection acts to repopulate ecosystems with offspring, the proposed maternal risk-management model offers a testable, theoretical framework for the field of ecology.

Background Hypertension (HTN) is frequently linked with depression (DEP) in adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet the underlying mechanism and successful management remain elusive. We approached this knowledge gap through the lens that humans are eukaryote-prokaryote "meta-organisms," such that cardiovascular disease dysregulation is a mosaic disorder involving dysbiosis of the gut. We hypothesized that patients diagnosed with hypertension plus depression harbor a unique gut microbial ecology with attending functional genomics engaged with their hosts' gut/brain axis physiology. Methods Stool microbiome DNA was analyzed by whole metagenome shotgun sequencing in 54 subjects parsed into cohorts diagnosed with HTN only (N = 18), DEP only (N = 7), DEP plus HTN (DEP-HTN) (N = 8), or reference subjects with neither HTN nor DEP (N = 21). A novel battery of machine-learning multivariate analyses of de-noised data yielded effect sizes and permutational covariance-based dissimilarities that significantly differentiated the cohorts (false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted P ≤ .05); data clustering within 95% confidence interval). Results Metagenomic significant differences extricated the four cohorts. Data of the cohort exhibiting DEP-HTN were germane to the interplay of central control of blood pressure concomitant with the neuropathology of depressive disorders. DEP-HTN gut bacterial community ecology was defined by co-occurrence of Eubacterium siraeum, Alistipes obesi, Holdemania filiformis, and Lachnospiraceae bacterium 1.1.57FAA with Streptococcus salivariu. The corresponding microbial functional genomics of DEP-HTN engaged pathways degrading GABA and beneficial short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and are associated with enhanced sodium absorption and inflammasome induction. Conclusions These data suggest a new putative endotype of hypertension, which we denote “depressive-hypertension” (DEP-HTN), for which we posit a model that is distinctive from either HTN alone or DEP alone. An "endotype" is a subtype of a heterogeneous pathophysiological mechanism. The DEP-HTN model incorporates a unique signature of microbial taxa and functional genomics with crosstalk that putatively intertwines host pathophysiology involving the gastrointestinal tract with disruptions in central control of blood pressure and mood. The DEP-HTN endotype model engages cardiology with gastroenterology and psychiatry, providing a proof-of-concept foundation to explore future treatments, diagnosis, and prevention of HTN-coupled mood disorders.

Developmental science research often involves research questions developed by academic teams, which are tested within community or educational settings. In this piece, we outline the importance of research-practice partnerships, which involve both research and practice-based partners collaborating at each stage of the research process. We articulate challenges and benefits of these partnerships for developmental science research, identify relevant research frameworks that may inform these partnerships, and provide an example of an ongoing research-practice partnership.

Foot orthoses have been used for decades despite uncertainty surrunding their therapeutic efficacy. Orthoses have been used exclusively to affect neuro-biomechanical input and outcome variables, however, there is emerging evidence that therapeutic efficacy may be affected by a psychological stimulus. Critical appraisal of the literature highlights that there is no holistic model upon which foot orthosis practice is taught, practised nor investigated. This paper introduces a conceptual model of foot orthosis practice (Value Based Foot Orthosis Practice (VALUATOR) model) that embraces a broader range of factors that are pertinent to orthosis practice, incorporating contemporary health service behaviours and values into orthosis practice for the first time.Within the VALUATOR model, foot orthosis design and clinical value is considered along a bio-psycho-social-digital continuum that reflects the reality of foot orthosis practice. The model contextualises the variable outcomes that are observed in research and practice within 6 key areas: 1) value, 2) person-centered approach, 3) zone of optimal bio-psycho-social stress, 4) bio-psycho-social assessment, 5) monitoring, 6) primary and secondary clinical strategies.The VALUATOR model is targeted at students, lecturers, scientists and practitioners and includes carefully chosen terminology to support a robust basis for educational and scientific discussion. It is believed that it provides a contemporary viewpoint and a structured conceptual metaphor that builds on existing evidence from a wide range of sources, invites constructive intellectual debate, and is anchored in the experiences of practitioners too. Stress testing the VALUATOR model will help determine its model and support further developments and evolution of orthotic practice in a evidence based way.

Observation ability, which is the basis of following decision-making and vehicle manipulation behaviour, is of great importance while driving. However, the subject self-cognition and objective assessment of driving ability are usually different, especially for the young novice drivers. In this paper, drivers’ observation abilities for both static traffic signs and markings and dynamic surrounding vehicles were investigated based on questionnaire data. Effects of gender and driving characteristics (driving year, driving frequency, driving time) on drivers’ observation abilities were verified by ANOVA analysis and structural equation model (SEM) from two aspects: drivers’ self-assessment scores (self-assessment) and mutual assessment scores (evaluated by others). Significant difference could be found between all the factors and drivers’ self-assessment scores, while only driving year had a significant effect on drivers’ mutual assessment scores. Besides, cognitive bias was found between all the driving year groups. It seemed that drivers with driving experience less than one year were always overconfident with their driving abilities. And drivers with driving experience more than three years usually gave the most conservative assessment scores for themselves and others. With more exposures to various traffic conditions, experienced drivers are more aware of their limitations on observing surrounding information, while young novice drivers still not realized their limitations on observing traffic signs and other vehicles in a right way.

Background Community engagement is central to the conduct of health-related research studies as a way to determine priorities, inform study design and implementation, increase recruitment and retention, build relationships, and ensure that research meets the goals of the community. Community sensitization meetings, a form of community engagement, are often held prior to the initiation of research studies to provide information about upcoming study activities and resolve concerns in consultation with potential participants. This study estimated demographic, health, economic, and social network correlates of attendance at community sensitization meetings held in advance of a whole-population, combined behavioral, and biomedical research study in rural Uganda. Methods and findings Research assistants collected survey data from 1,630 adults participating in an ongoing sociocentric social network cohort study conducted in a rural region of southwestern Uganda. These community survey data, collected between 2016 and 2018, were linked to attendance logs from community sensitization meetings held in 2018 and 2019 before the subsequent community survey and community health fair. Of all participants, 264 (16%) attended a community sensitization meeting before the community survey, 464 (28%) attended a meeting before the community health fair, 558 (34%) attended a meeting before either study activity (survey or health fair), and 170 (10%) attended a meeting before both study activities (survey and health fair). Using multivariable Poisson regression models, we estimated correlates of attendance at community sensitization meetings. Attendance was more likely among study participants who were women (adjusted relative risk [ARR]health fair = 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32 to 2.21, p < 0.001), older age (ARRsurvey = 1.02 per year, 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.02, p < 0.001; ARRhealth fair = 1.02 per year, 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.02, p < 0.001), married (ARRsurvey = 1.74, 95% CI, 1.29 to 2.35, p < 0.001; ARRhealth fair = 1.41, 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.76, p = 0.002), and members of more community groups (ARRsurvey = 1.26 per group, 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.44, p = 0.001; ARRhealth fair = 1.26 per group, 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.43, p < 0.001). Attendance was less likely among study participants who lived farther from meeting locations (ARRsurvey = 0.54 per kilometer, 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.97, p = 0.041; ARRhealth fair = 0.57 per kilometer, 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.86, p = 0.007). Leveraging the cohort’s sociocentric design, social network analyses suggested that information conveyed during community sensitization meetings could reach a broader group of potential study participants through attendees’ social network and household connections. Study limitations include lack of detailed data on reasons for attendance/nonattendance at community sensitization meetings; achieving a representative sample of community members was not an explicit aim of the study; and generalizability may not extend beyond this study setting. Conclusions In this longitudinal, sociocentric social network study conducted in rural Uganda, we observed that older age, female sex, being married, membership in more community groups, and geographical proximity to meeting locations were correlated with attendance at community sensitization meetings held in advance of bio-behavioral research activities. Information conveyed during meetings could have reached a broader portion of the population through attendees’ social network and household connections. To ensure broader input and potentially increase participation in health-related research studies, the dissemination of research-related information through community sensitization meetings may need to target members of underrepresented groups., In a social network cohort study, Emily Satinsky and colleagues estimate demographic, health, economic and social network factor associated with attendance at community sensitization meetings held in advance of participation in health-related research studies in rural Uganda., Author summary Why was this study done? Community engagement is central to the conduct of health-related research studies as a means of developing trust, increasing awareness of and engagement with research procedures, and safeguarding ethical good practice. Community sensitization meetings are often held in advance of global health research activities to build community awareness of key scientific and research concepts and to create opportunities for collaboration and feedback. Since successful research implementation requires buy-in from a range of stakeholders, fulfillment of community sensitization meeting aims requires widespread attendance and, potentially, subsequent dissemination of information to community members not in attendance. What did the researchers do and find? We conducted a longitudinal, sociocentric social network study with 1,630 adults in a rural region of southwestern Uganda to understand the demographic, health, economic, and social network correlates of attendance at community sensitization meetings held before 2 research study activities. Attendance at community sensitization meetings was more likely among study participants who were older age, women, married, members of more community groups, and living in closer geographical proximity to the meeting locations. Nonattendees living in the households of meeting attendees were more likely (compared with meeting attendees) to be younger age, men, unmarried, and members of fewer community groups. What do these findings mean? These findings suggest that information dissemination, relationships, and trust achieved through the use of community sensitization meetings held in advance of research studies may disproportionately extend to certain sociodemographic subgroups. However, information conveyed during community sensitization meetings may reach a broader sample of the population via informal transmission through attendees’ social network and household connections. Future community sensitization efforts should aim to better target members of underrepresented groups.

During the past forty years, statistical modelling and simulation have come to frame perceptions of epidemic disease and to determine public health interventions that might limit or suppress the transmission of the causative agent. The influence of such formulaic disease modelling has pervaded public health policy and practice during the Covid-19 pandemic. The critical vocabulary of epidemiology, and now popular debate, thus includes R0, the basic reproduction number of the virus, ‘flattening the curve’, and epidemic ‘waves’. How did this happen? What are the consequences of framing and foreseeing the pandemic in these modes? Focusing on historical and contemporary disease responses, primarily in Britain, I explore the emergence of statistical modelling as a ‘crisis technology’, a reductive mechanism for making rapid decisions or judgments under uncertain biological constraint. I consider how Covid-19 might be configured or assembled otherwise, constituted as a more heterogeneous object of knowledge, a different and more encompassing moment of truth – not simply as a measured telos directing us to a new normal. Drawing on earlier critical engagements with the AIDS pandemic, inquiries into how to have ‘theory’ and ‘promiscuity’ in a crisis, I seek to open up a space for greater ecological, sociological, and cultural complexity in the biopolitics of modelling, thereby attempting to validate a role for critique in the Covid-19 crisis.

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is a critical problem in liver transplantation that can lead to life-threatening complications and substantially limit the utilization of livers for transplantation. However, because there are no early diagnostics available, fulminant injury may only become evident post-transplant. Mitochondria play a central role in IRI and are an ideal diagnostic target. During ischemia, changes in the mitochondrial redox state form the first link in the chain of events that lead to IRI. In this study we used resonance Raman spectroscopy to provide a rapid, non-invasive, and label-free diagnostic for quantification of the hepatic mitochondrial redox status. We show this diagnostic can be used to significantly distinguish transplantable versus non-transplantable ischemically injured rat livers during oxygenated machine perfusion and demonstrate spatial differences in the response of mitochondrial redox to ischemia reperfusion. This novel diagnostic may be used in the future to predict the viability of human livers for transplantation and as a tool to better understand the mechanisms of hepatic IRI.

Online shopping behavior has the characteristics of rich granularity dimension and data sparsity and presents a challenging task in e-commerce. Previous studies on user behavior prediction did not seriously discuss feature selection and ensemble design, which are important to improving the performance of machine learning algorithms. In this paper, we proposed an SE-stacking model based on information fusion and ensemble learning for user purchase behavior prediction. After successfully using the ensemble feature selection method to screen purchase-related factors, we used the stacking algorithm for user purchase behavior prediction. In our efforts to avoid the deviation of the prediction results, we optimized the model by selecting ten different types of models as base learners and modifying the relevant parameters specifically for them. Experiments conducted on a publicly available dataset show that the SE-stacking model can achieve a 98.40% F1 score, approximately 0.09% higher than the optimal base models. The SE-stacking model not only has a good application in the prediction of user purchase behavior but also has practical value when combined with the actual e-commerce scene. At the same time, this model has important significance in academic research and the development of this field.

Developmental science research often involves research questions developed by academic teams, which are tested within community or educational settings. In this piece, we outline the importance of research–practice partnerships, which involve both research and practice‐based partners collaborating at each stage of the research process. We articulate challenges and benefits of these partnerships for developmental science research, identify relevant research frameworks that may inform these partnerships, and provide an example of an ongoing research–practice partnership.

Introduction The HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately impact sexual and gender minority Latinxs (SGML). Several syndemic conditions have been linked with HIV acquisition and transmission among SGML including immigration, discrimination, environmental racism, substance use, and mental health. Areas covered We provide a summary of biomedical, behavioral, and social/structural interventions to reduce risks for acquiring HIV and improve outcomes along the HIV care continuum among SGML. We also discuss intervention approaches and opportunities that respond at the intersection of HIV and COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Expert opinion There is a dire need for the combination of biomedical, behavioral, and social/structural interventions to reduce risks for acquiring HIV and improve outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Interventions and combination approaches should be driven by community-based participatory action research. The inclusion of community members in all stages of the research process can assure successful implementation of program activities and deliverables, including the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is disproportionately impacting individuals living with HIV and other comorbidities, the elderly, and under-resourced communities with a ferocity not seen in other communities, intervention approaches that respond at the intersection of HIV and COVID-19 prevention and treatment are also urgently needed.

3D printing is a rapidly evolving field for biological (bioprinting) and non-biological applications. Due to a high degree of freedom for geometrical parameters in 3D printing, prototype printing of bioreactors is a promising approach in the field of Tissue Engineering. The variety of printers, materials, printing parameters and device settings is difficult to overview both for beginners as well as for most professionals. In order to address this problem, we designed a guidance including test bodies to elucidate the real printing performance for a given printer system. Therefore, performance parameters such as accuracy or mechanical stability of the test bodies are systematically analysed. Moreover, post processing steps such as sterilisation or cleaning are considered in the test procedure. The guidance presented here is also applicable to optimise the printer settings for a given printer device. As proof of concept, we compared fused filament fabrication, stereolithography and selective laser sintering as the three most used printing methods. We determined fused filament fabrication printing as the most economical solution, while stereolithography is most accurate and features the highest surface quality. Finally, we tested the applicability of our guidance by identifying a printer solution to manufacture a complex bioreactor for a perfused tissue construct. Due to its design, the manufacture via subtractive mechanical methods would be 21-fold more expensive than additive manufacturing and therefore, would result in three times the number of parts to be assembled subsequently. Using this bioreactor we showed a successful 14-day-culture of a biofabricated collagen-based tissue construct containing human dermal fibroblasts as the stromal part and a perfusable central channel with human microvascular endothelial cells. Our study indicates how the full potential of biofabrication can be exploited, as most printed tissues exhibit individual shapes and require storage under physiological conditions, after the bioprinting process.

The secretin receptor (SCTR), a prototypical class B G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), exerts its effects mainly by activating Gαs proteins upon binding of its endogenous peptide ligand secretin. SCTRs can be found in a variety of tissues and organs across species, including the pancreas, stomach, liver, heart, lung, colon, kidney, and brain. Beyond that, modulation of SCTR-mediated signaling has therapeutic potential for the treatment of multiple diseases, such as heart failure, obesity, and diabetes. However, no ligands other than secretin and its peptide analogs have been described to regulate SCTRs, probably due to inherent challenges in family B GPCR drug discovery. Here we report creation of a testing funnel that allowed targeted detection of SCTR small-molecule activators. Pursuing the strategy to identify positive allosteric modulators (PAMs), we established a unique primary screening assay employing a mixture of three orthosteric stimulators that was compared in a screening campaign testing 12,000 small-molecule compounds. Beyond that, we developed a comprehensive set of secondary assays, such as a radiolabel-free target engagement assay and a NanoBiT (NanoLuc Binary Technology)-based approach to detect β-arrestin-2 recruitment, all feasible in a high-throughput environment as well as capable of profiling ligands and hits regarding their effect on binding and receptor function. This combination of methods enabled the discovery of five promising scaffolds, four of which have been validated and further characterized with respect to their allosteric activities. We propose that our results may serve as starting points for developing the first in vivo active small molecules targeting SCTRs.

Glioblastoma (GBM) continues to be the most aggressive cancer of the brain. The dismal prognosis is largely attributed to the microenvironment surrounding tumor cells. Astrocytes, the main component of the GBM microenvironment, play several fundamental physiological roles in the central nervous system. During the development of GBM, tumor-associated astrocytes (TAAs) directly contact GBM cells, which activate astrocytes to form reactive astrocytes, facilitating tumor progression, proliferation and migration through multiple well-understood signaling pathways. Notably, TAAs also influence GBM cell behaviors via suppressing immune responses and enhancing the chemoradiotherapy resistance of tumor cells. These new activities are closely linked with the treatment and prognosis of GBM. In this review, we discuss recent advances regarding new functions of reactive astrocytes, including TAA-cancer cell interactions, mechanisms involved in immunosuppressive regulation, and chemoradiotherapy resistance. It is expected that these updated experimental or clinical studies of TAAs may provide a promising approach for GBM treatment in the near future.

Behavioral neuroendocrinology has a rich history of using diverse model organisms to elucidate general principles and evolution of hormone-brain-behavior relationships. The oxytocin and vasopressin systems have been studied in many species, revealing their role in regulating social behaviors. Oxytocin and vasopressin receptors show remarkable species and individual differences in distribution in the brain that have been linked to diversity in social behaviors. New technologies allow for unprecedented interrogation of the genes and neural circuitry regulating behaviors, but these approaches often require transgenic models and are most often used in mice. Here we discuss seminal findings relating the oxytocin and vasopressin systems to social behavior with a focus on non-traditional animal models. We then evaluate the potential of using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to examine the roles of genes and enable circuit dissection, manipulation and activity monitoring of the oxytocin and vasopressin systems. We believe that it is essential to incorporate these genetic and circuit level techniques in comparative behavioral neuroendocrinology research to ensure that our field remains innovative and attractive for the next generation of investigators and funding agencies.

Pathogenic bacteria acquire the acquisition of iron from the host to ensure their survival. Salmonella spp. utilizes siderophores, including salmochelin, for high affinity aggressive import of iron. Although the iroBCDEN operon is reportedly responsible for the production and the transport of salmochelin, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of its gene expression have not yet been characterized. Here, we analyzed the expression pattern of iroB using the lacZY transcriptional reporter system and determined the transcription start site in response to iron availability using primer extension analysis. We further examined the regulation of iroB expression by the ferric uptake regulator (Fur), a key regulatory protein involved in the maintenance of iron homeostasis in various bacteria, including Salmonella. Using sequence analysis followed by a gel shift assay, we verified that the Fur box lies within the promoter region of iroBCDE. The Fur box contained the consensus sequence (GATATTGGTAATTATTATC) and overlapped with the −10-element region. The expression of iroB was repressed by Fur in the presence of iron, as determined using an in vitro transcription assay. Therefore, we found that the iron acquisition system is regulated in a Fur-dependent manner in Salmonella.

Background Given the current worldwide epidemic of obesity, there is a demand for interventions with higher impact, such as those carried out in the primary health care (PHC) setting. Here we evaluate the effect of intervention performed according to the stages of change of the transtheoretical model (TTM) for weight management. Methods This randomized controlled trial in Brazilian PHC offered free physical exercise and nutrition education. The participants were women, aged 20 years or older who were obese or overweight, users in PHC service. The intervention group (IG, n = 51) received the same orientation as the comparison group (CG, n = 35) plus individual health counseling based on the TTM aimed at weight loss, which lasted 6 months. The outcome measures were anthropometric, food, and nutrient profiles. Inflammatory parameters were evaluated in a random subsample. The inter-group and intra-group differences were evaluated using interntion-to-treat analysis, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) used to assess intervention effectiveness. Results There was a difference between groups of − 1.4 kg (CI95%: − 2.5; − 0.3) in body weight after the intervention. About 97% of women in the IG reported benefits of the intervention and presented positive changes in diet, biochemical markers, and anthropometry. The IG showed better body mass index, resistine, and blood glucose results compared to the CG during follow-up. Conclusion The individualized TTM-based intervention, combined with usual care, was an effective strategy in PHC. These results should encourage the use of interdisciplinary practices; nevertheless, research to identify additional strategies is needed to address barriers to weight maintenance among obese low-income women. Trial registration The trial is registered with Brazilian clinical trials under the code: RBR-8t7ssv, Registration date: 12/12/2017 (retrospectively registered).

Background Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experiences disproportionate burden of cervical cancer incidence and mortality due in part to low uptake of cervical screening, a strategy for prevention and down-staging of cervical cancer. This scoping review identifies studies of interventions to increase uptake of cervical screening among women in the region and uses the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) to describe how interventions might work. Methods A systematic search of literature was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and CINAHL databases through May 2019. Screening and data charting were performed by two independent reviewers. Intervention studies measuring changes to uptake in screening among women in SSA were included, with no restriction to intervention type, study setting or date, or participant characteristics. Intervention type and implementation strategies were described using behavioral constructs from the IBM. Results Of the 3704 citations the search produced, 19 studies were selected for inclusion. Most studies were published between 2014 and 2019 (78.9%) and were set in Nigeria (47.4%) and South Africa (26.3%). Studies most often assessed screening with Pap smears (31.6%) and measured uptake as ever screened (42.1%) or screened during the study period (36.8%). Education-based interventions were most common (57.9%) and the IBM construct of knowledge/skills to perform screening was targeted most frequently (68.4%). Willingness to screen was high, before and after intervention. Screening coverage ranged from 1.7 to 99.2% post-intervention, with six studies (31.6%) reporting a significant improvement in screening that achieved ≥60% coverage. Conclusions Educational interventions were largely ineffective, except those that utilized peer or community health educators and mHealth implementation strategies. Two economic incentivization interventions were moderately effective, by acting on participants’ instrumental attitudes, but resulted in screening coverage less than 20%. Innovative service delivery, including community-based self-sampling, acted on environmental constraints, striving to make services more available, accessible, and appropriate to women, and were the most effective. This review demonstrates that intent to perform screening may not be the major determinant of screening behavior, suggesting other theoretical frameworks may be needed to more fully understand uptake of cervical screening in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly for health systems change interventions.

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the scientific literature concerning the use of the Precede-Proceed model (PPM) applied to educational programs and health screenings contextsV.Systematic review.The search process was based on a selection of publications listed in Medline and Scopus. The keywords used were "Precede-Proceed" AND ("screening" OR "educational programs"). Studies included in the systematic review were subdivided into those applying the model in a screening context, and those applying it within educational programs.Twenty-seven studies were retrieved, mostly performed in the USA and, generally, the promoting center was the University. In the context of cancer screening, the PPM model was most of all applied to Mammography Screening (5 of 13 studies in cancer screening), and Cervical Cancer Screening (5 of 13). Another three studies within the cancer field investigated Menopause-Inducing Cancer Treatments, Oral cancer prevention, and cancer screening in general. In the remaining studies, the model was applied in various screening areas, particularly chronic and degenerative diseases. There were many different study designs, most of which cross-sectional (8), though several RTCs (8) and focus groups (5) were also found. For the cross-sectional studies the methodological quality varied between 3/10 and 9/10, whilst for the RCTs it ranged from 2/5 to 3/5.The PPM provides an excellent framework for health intervention programs especially in screening contexts, and could improve the understanding of the relationship between variables such as knowledge and screening. Given the complexity of a behavioral change process, certain important predisposing factors could be measured in future studies, and during health intervention planning.