This article concerns alcohol use as it pertains to the construction of White masculinity through an analysis of students' accounts. Seventy-eight face-to-face interviews were conducted with ...volunteer female and male, African American, European American, heterosexual and homosexual students at a mid-sized university. Results suggest that the meaning of public drinking is to express a form of masculinity. In students' gendered descriptions of their own and peers' drinking behavior, alcohol use among White men was found to symbolize the embodiment of hegemonic masculinity. Masculinities were constructed via drinking stories, the body's ability to tolerate alcohol, and the relevance of drinking too little or not at all, which symbolized weakness, homosexuality, or femininity. Implications for social policy and future research are discussed. Adapted from the source document.
Microbiomes can aid in the protection of hosts from infection and disease, but the mechanisms underpinning these functions in complex environmental systems remain unresolved. Soils contain ...microbiomes that influence plant performance, including their susceptibility to disease. For example, some soil microorganisms produce antimicrobial compounds that suppress the growth of plant pathogens, which can provide benefits for sustainable agricultural management. Evidence shows that crop rotations increase soil fertility and tend to promote microbial diversity, and it has been hypothesized that crop rotations can enhance disease suppressive capacity, either through the influence of plant diversity impacting soil bacterial composition or through the increased abundance of disease suppressive microorganisms. In this study, we used a long‐term field experiment to test the effects of crop diversity through time (i.e., rotations) on soil microbial diversity and disease suppressive capacity. We sampled soil from seven treatments along a crop diversity gradient (from monoculture to five crop species rotation) and a spring fallow (non‐crop) treatment to examine crop diversity influence on soil microbiomes including bacteria that are capable of producing antifungal compounds. Crop diversity significantly influenced bacterial community composition, where the most diverse cropping systems with cover crops and fallow differed from bacterial communities in the 1–3 crop species diversity treatments. While soil bacterial diversity was about 4% lower in the most diverse crop rotation (corn–soybean–wheat + 2 cover crops) compared to monoculture corn, crop diversity increased disease suppressive functional group prnD gene abundance in the more diverse rotation by about 9% compared to monocultures. In addition, disease suppressive potential was significantly diminished in the (non‐crop) fallow treatment compared to the most diverse crop rotation treatments. The composition of the microbial community could be more important than diversity to disease suppressive function in our study. Identifying patterns in microbial diversity and ecosystem function relationships can provide insight into microbiome management, which will require manipulating soil nutrients and resources mediated through plant diversity.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carbon-based molecules that are ubiquitous in a variety of astrophysical objects and environments. In this work we use JWST/MIRI MRS spectroscopy of three ...Seyferts to compare their nuclear PAH emission with that of star-forming (SF) regions. This study represents the first of its kind to use sub-arcsecond angular resolution data of local luminous Seyferts (
L
bol
> 10
44.46
erg s
−1
) with a wide wavelength coverage (4.9–28.1 μm). We present an analysis of their nuclear PAH properties by comparing the observed ratios with PAH diagnostic model grids derived from theoretical spectra. Our results show that a suite of PAH features is present in the innermost parts of luminous Seyfert galaxies (∼0.45″ at 12 μm; in the inner ∼142–245 pc). We find that the nuclear regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lie at different positions of the PAH diagnostic diagrams, whereas the SF regions are concentrated around the average values of SF galaxies. In particular, we find that the nuclear PAH emission mainly originates in neutral PAHs. In contrast, PAH emission originating in the SF regions favours ionised PAH grains. The observed PAH ratios in the nuclear region of the AGN-dominated galaxy NGC 6552 indicate the presence of larger PAH molecules compared with those of the SF regions. Therefore, our results provide evidence that the AGN have a significant impact on the ionisation state (and probably the size) of the PAH grains on scales of ∼142–245 pc.
We report a Cu-catalyzed oxidative coupling of aliphatic amines with benzylic and aliphatic boronic esters to give high value alkyl amines, products found widely in applications from medicinal ...chemistry to materials science. This operationally simple reaction, which can be performed on gram scale, runs under mild conditions and exhibits broad functional group tolerance. The terminal oxidant of the reaction is O
from the air, avoiding the need for additional chemical oxidants. Investigation into the reaction mechanism suggests that the boronic ester is activated by an aminyl radical, formed through oxidation of the amine by the Cu catalyst, to give a key alkyl radical intermediate. To demonstrate its utility and potential for late-stage functionalization, we showcase the method as the final step in the total synthesis of a TRPV1 antagonist.
It is estimated that less than one third of women (28%) worldwide, are not sufficiently active, and there is evidence indicating physical activity (PA) participation is lower during pregnancy and the ...postpartum period. Despite the importance of educating and encouraging postpartum women to engage in PA, existing systematic reviews have only focused on examining the impact of individually tailored PA interventions and on specific postpartum populations such as women who are inactive (i.e., do not meet PA recommendations) or women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus or postnatal depression. This review aims to fill this gap by examining the impact of group-based PA interventions on postpartum women's PA levels or other health behavior outcomes.
A systematic literature search was conducted using four electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsychInfo) of published studies between 1st January 2000 and 31st October 2020. Studies were included if they targeted postpartum women with no current health conditions, had children aged 0-5 years, and engaged postpartum women in a group-based PA program that reported PA or other health behavior outcomes. Out of a total of 1091 articles that were initially identified, six were included.
Group-based PA interventions were moderately successful in changing or increasing postpartum women's self-reported PA levels and psychological wellbeing in the first 2 years of their offspring's life. Overall, group-based PA interventions were not successful in changing or increasing postpartum women's objectively measured PA levels, but only one study objectively measured postpartum women's PA levels. Narrative synthesis highlights the heterogeneity of the outcomes and methodologies used, and the low to medium risk of bias in the included studies.
To strengthen the evidence-base for group-based PA programs with postpartum women there is an on-going need for more rigorous randomised controlled trials of appropriate length (at least 3 months in duration) with an adequate dose of group-based PA sessions per week (to meet PA guidelines), and that utilise objective measures of PA. In addition, future PA interventions for this population should include, at the very least, fidelity and process data to capture the characteristics or design features that appeal most to postpartum women.
Wetland mitigation is implemented to replace ecosystem functions provided by wetlands; however, restoration efforts frequently fail to establish equivalent levels of ecosystem services. Delivery of ...microbially mediated ecosystem functions, such as denitrification, is influenced by both the structure and activity of the microbial community. The objective of this study was to compare the relationship between soil and vegetation factors and microbial community structure and function in restored and reference wetlands within a mitigation bank. Microbial community composition was assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism targeting the 16S rRNA gene (total bacteria) and the nosZ gene (denitrifiers). Comparisons of microbial function were based on potential denitrification rates. Bacterial community structures differed significantly between restored and reference wetlands; denitrifier community assemblages were similar among reference sites but highly variable among restored sites throughout the mitigation bank. Potential denitrification was highest in the reference wetland sites. These data demonstrate that wetland restoration efforts in this mitigation bank have not successfully restored denitrification and that differences in potential denitrification rates may be due to distinct microbial assemblages observed in restored and reference (natural) wetlands. Further, we have identified gradients in soil moisture and soil fertility that were associated with differences in microbial community structure. Microbial function was influenced by bacterial community composition and soil fertility. Identifying soil factors that are primary ecological drivers of soil bacterial communities, especially denitrifying populations, can potentially aid the development of predictive models for restoration of biogeochemical transformations and enhance the success of wetland restoration efforts.
Immunopathology in Taenia solium neurocysticercosis Fleury, A.; Cardenas, G.; Adalid‐Peralta, L. ...
Parasite immunology,
March 2016, 2016-Mar, 2016-03-00, 20160301, Letnik:
38, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Summary
Neurocysticercosis is a clinically and radiologically heterogeneous disease, ranging from asymptomatic infection to a severe, potentially fatal clinical picture. The intensity and extension ...of the parasite‐elicited inflammatory reaction is a key factor for such variability. The main features of the inflammatory process found in the brain and in the peripheral blood of neurocysticercosis patients will be discussed in this review, and the factors involved in its modulation will be herein presented.
Objectives
Psychological treatment of depression in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) has focused on severely depressed patients. We designed and tested a brief (5 weeks) cognitive behavioural ...intervention (CBI) to reduce mild and moderate depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with ESRD.
Design
For the purpose of this study, a single‐blind, randomized controlled design was used to compare patients with ESRD under haemodialysis treatment with and without the CBI.
Methods
Depression and anxiety symptoms were screened in 152 subjects (18–60 years old, 84 male). Sixty participants (age 41.8 ± 14.7, 29 males) with mild or moderate scores of depression (Beck Depression Inventory) and anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory) were randomly assigned to CBI or the control group. CBI techniques consisted of positive self‐reinforcement, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and cognitive restructuring. Depression, anxiety, quality of life (QoL), and cognitive distortion scores were evaluated at baseline, after 5 weeks (end of treatment) and after 4‐week follow‐up. All scores were compared by ANOVA for repeated measures with post‐hoc tests adjusted by Bonferroni's method (p < .05 was considered significant).
Results
At follow‐up, depression, anxiety, and cognitive distortions had decreased, and QoL had increased in the intervention group, and there were no changes in the control group. Clinical utility was 33% for depression and 43% for anxiety.
Conclusions
A brief CBI of 5 weeks is effective for decreasing mild or moderate depression and anxiety symptoms and improving QoL in ESRD haemodialysis patients.
Practitioner points
A brief, systematic and structured cognitive behavioural intervention (CBI) decreases anxiety and depression symptoms and improves quality of life in patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) who are being treated with haemodialysis. These benefits are not achieved when anxiety and depression symptoms are identified but not treated psychologically.
This CBI consisted of cognitive restructuring of the distorted thoughts (perfectionism, catastrophic thinking, negative self‐labelling, and dichotomous thinking) that are correlated with depression and anxiety symptoms and that can be assessed by a validated questionnaire designed for patients with ESRD.
The handbooks that were developed for this study are structured and systematic. They could be valuable in supporting the efforts and participation of non‐specialized health professionals in CBI such as nurses, physicians, social workers, and psychologists, raising the possibility of further application in a variety of clinical populations. Both the therapy and the client workbooks are available in Spanish upon request.
Notwithstanding evidence that tuberculosis (TB) is declining, one of the greatest concerns to public health is the emergence and spread of multi-drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ...(MDR-TB). MDR-TB are defined as strains which are resistant to at least isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin, the two most potent TB drugs, and their increasing incidence is a serious concern. Recently, notable efforts have been spent on research to pursue novel treatments against MDR-TB, especially on synergistic drug combinations as they have the potential to improve TB treatment. Our research group has previously reported promising synergistic antimicrobial effects between transition-metal compounds and antibiotics in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In this work, we evaluated antimycobacterial activity of transition-metals/antibiotics combinatorial treatments against first-line drug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our data showed that INH/AgNO
combinatorial treatment had an additive effect (bactericidal activity) in an isoniazid-resistant clinical strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Moreover, in vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity induced by both, the individual tratments of AgNO
and INH and the combinatorial treatment of INH/AgNO
in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and human A549 lung cells; showed no toxic effects. Together, this data suggests that the INH/AgNO
combinatorial treatment could be used in the development of new strategies to treat resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
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