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As the United States continues to get more diverse, the percentage of American students who are children or grandchildren of immigrants has increased. A survey was used to discover how the immigrant academic advantage affects both Black and non-Black Latino students in New York State. Second- and third-generation students between the ages of 14 and 18 completed a survey that assessed feelings of cultural identity, perceived and real academic success, and academic motivations. The results confirmed the widely accepted second-generation advantage but found that Latino students may not be at an academic disadvantage as much of the previous research concluded. Black Latino and non-Black Latino students had no significant academic differences, meaning both groups were equally benefited by the academic advantage. This research can lead to new conversations regarding Black Latino students and their academic attitudes, however, as there was a significant correlation between race and academic confidence.

Chemical sensors are used mainly for odor discrimination and odor concentration monitoring. A recent development is the insertion of chemical sensors in mobile robots to track odor traces as well as to detect and declare odor sources. A major drawback of a chemical sensor for perceiving odors is the time it needs to recover its original state once saturated. Furthermore, when the source behaves as a constant gas leak, the presence of the odor is always increasing in the environment, saturating the sensors. The integration of chemical sensors into real-time mobile applications requires the smell perception system to desaturate them faster. This paper proposed an artificial nostril, inspired by nature, including the design of chambers to desaturate the sensors and the mathematical model. The main contribution is the implementation of the biologically inspired process of “ventilation” that bears in mind the sensor model as a cyclic behavior that includes three stages named inhalation, sampling, and exhalation. This model guided the design of the smelling device. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

At the moment, smell sensors for odor source localization in mobile robotics represent a topic of interest for researchers around the world. In particular, we introduce in this paper the idea of developing biologically inspired sniffing robots in combination with bioinspired techniques such as evolutionary computing. The aim is to approach the problem of creating an artificial nose that can be incorporated into a real working system, while considering the environmental model and odor behavior, the perception system, and algorithm for tracking the odor plume. Current algorithms try to emulate animal behavior in an attempt to replicate their capability to follow odors. Nevertheless, odor perception systems are still in their infancy and far from their biological counterpart. This paper presents a proposal in which a real-working artificial nose is tested as a perception system within a mobile robot. Genetic programming is used as the learning technique platform to develop odor source localization algorithms. Experiments in simulation and with an actual working robot are presented and the results compared with two algorithms. The quality of results demonstrates that genetic programming is able to recreate chemotaxis behavior by considering mathematical models for odor propagation and perception system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytolacca tetramera Hauman is an endemic species of the Province of Buenos Aires (Argentina), in danger of extinction. This species has active fungicides. The methanol extract of its berries possess antifungal activity against opportunistic fungal pathogens. The somatic embryogenesis technique relies on the formation of an embryo from a somatic cell, that is, without the need for the fusion of gametes (Tisserat et al, 1979), which facilitates mass production of in vitro plants. Obtaining somatic embryos gives us the ability to automate the production process in short periods of time and in a confined space. The technique is a necessary step to generate synthetic seeds. In order to adjust a protocol of somatic embryogenesis sections young leaves of Phytolacca tetramera obtained in vitro were placed in a Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2, 4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid at different concentrations. Somatic embryos were obtained directly from the cutting edge of the blade and embryogenic callus (indirect way) from the midrib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein, lipid, water and ash contents of the liver and different parts of the muscle tissue of albacore, Thunnus alalunga, were measured. Fish were caught at three different seasons and were separated into three size groups for analysis. There were significant differences among the composition of the tissues; size and season also had significant effects. Fish were stored in ice, and scales for the sensory assessment of freshness were developed for raw fish and for cooked meat. Changes in total volatile bases, trimethylamine, and adenine nucleotide decomposition products during storage in ice were measured. Sensory assessments and K index gave the highest correlation with storage time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its associated factors in patients who survived COVID-19 and to assess a prospective evaluation of the prevalence and severity of their depression and anxiety symptoms., Methods: We followed up a sample of hospitalized patients who survived COVID-19 at 3 and 12 months after discharge. We assessed HRQoL (Euroqol-5D-5L) through telephone interviews. Any problem in any dimension of Euroqol-5D-5L was considered as low HRQoL. The depression and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 tools, respectively. We estimated the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) to low HRQoL using Poisson regression and the changes on their depression and anxiety symptoms during the follow-up., Results: We included 119 patients with a mean follow-up time of 363.6 days. 74% of the participants had low HRQoL at one year after hospital discharge and were associated with being ≥ 41 years old (aPR: 1.95), having a previous history of psychiatric diagnoses before COVID-19 infection (aPR: 1.47), having any COVID-19 symptom during the follow-up at one year (aPR: 1.84), and having a family member who had died from COVID-19 during the first wave (aPR: 1.24). In addition, the clinically relevant depression symptoms were frequent, and they increased from 3 (14.3%) to 12 months (18.5%)., Conclusion: One year after COVID-19 hospitalization discharge, patients had low HRQoL, and their depression symptoms increased. These findings acknowledge the need to provide services that adequately address mental health sequels and HRQoL to reduce the burden of the COVID-19., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

This study applied a framework of shared and nonshared agency to investigate how social partners can help and hinder young adults' career development. We also considered the extent to which motivational control could be promoted or burdened when young people seek help and encouragement from others in their careers. Based on the importance of shared agency in life goal pursuit, it was hypothesized that shared agency (i.e., perceived support and collaboration) with mothers, fathers, important adults, and romantic partners would have direct and positive associations with young adults' career satisfaction and exploration and positive indirect associations on career development via motivational control. We further hypothesized that nonshared agency (i.e., directing and uninvolvement) would have direct and negative effects on career satisfaction and exploration and negative indirect effects on career development via motivational strategies. Results indicated that relationships can facilitate career development but differently depending upon relationship type. We found that support and directing from mothers and VIPs had positive associations with outcomes via individual motivational control whereas a total effect of collaboration with fathers and romantic partners were associated with outcomes without an indirect effect via motivational control. These findings are discussed within the context of previous socialization research and theory., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Chang, Shane, Villarreal and Heckhausen.)

Purpose: Narcolepsy type I and type II are central hypersomnias characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and nocturnal sleep disruptions. These rare disorders make the diagnosis complex, as multiple sleep disorders are known to cause false-positive results on testing. There is a high incidence of sleep disorders in the military, and the diagnosis of narcolepsy can have serious career implications. This study looked to assess for the presence of confounding disorders in patients previously diagnosed with narcolepsy., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients aged 18-65 previously diagnosed with narcolepsy at an outside facility, referred for repeat evaluation at the Wilford Hall Sleep Disorders Center. Previous test results from the time of original diagnosis were reviewed if available and compared with repeat evaluation which included actigraphy, in-laboratory polysomnography, and multiple sleep latency testing., Results: Of the 23 patients, 2 (9%) retained a diagnosis of narcolepsy after repeat testing. Ten patients (43%) had insufficient sleep syndrome, five (22%) had significant circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, and nine (39%) patients were diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Four of the nine patients with OSA (44%) had supine predominant OSA., Conclusion: Diagnostic testing for narcolepsy may be influenced by the presence of comorbid sleep disorders including sleep-disordered breathing, insufficient sleep duration, and circadian misalignment which are common in active military personnel. This study emphasizes the importance of excluding these comorbid diagnoses in this population.

Allergic diseases are one of the most frequent chronic diseases in the world. It has been established that there is a worldwide epidemic of allergic diseases; therefore, the treatment of allergies should be acknowledged as a worldwide priority and the specialty of allergy should be considered an important field in medicine. Due to the fact that allergic diseases involve many organs, and Allergy and Clinical Immunology is one of the specialties in which physicians may be trained to treat patients of all ages, the subject in medical schools is not always taught as an individual specialty but often as part of another subject such as internal medicine or pediatrics. Certified allergists are an important contribution to health systems, providing the necessary care for patients who have allergic diseases. Undergraduate programs in many universities do not include allergy as a subject, contributing to a lack of knowledge regarding the correct management of allergic diseases. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 1 allergist per 50,000 people; however, there is an uneven distribution of allergy and clinical immunology specialists. Most practitioners are localized mainly in larger cities and state capitals, while in other regions, specialists are still greatly needed. Support and training systems are required for allergy and clinical immunology specialists to promote continuing education and keep their clinical competence up to date, which will lead to better care for their patients. Increased exposure to the concepts of allergy and clinical immunology diagnosis and treatment in undergraduate education may also potentially lead to an increase in interest in the field of allergy and clinical immunology among physicians in training. This review will approach allergy education in Mexico and other parts of Latin America., Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Centrosomes are the major microtubule organising centres of animal cells. Deregulation in their number occurs in cancer and was shown to trigger tumorigenesis in mice. However, the incidence, consequence and origins of this abnormality are poorly understood. Here, we screened the NCI-60 panel of human cancer cell lines to systematically analyse centriole number and structure. Our screen shows that centriole amplification is widespread in cancer cell lines and highly prevalent in aggressive breast carcinomas. Moreover, we identify another recurrent feature of cancer cells: centriole size deregulation. Further experiments demonstrate that severe centriole over-elongation can promote amplification through both centriole fragmentation and ectopic procentriole formation. Furthermore, we show that overly long centrioles form over-active centrosomes that nucleate more microtubules, a known cause of invasiveness, and perturb chromosome segregation. Our screen establishes centriole amplification and size deregulation as recurrent features of cancer cells and identifies novel causes and consequences of those abnormalities.

Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology, which was first described in 1936, is the study of the interactions between the psyche, neural and endocrine functions and immune responses. The aim of psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology is to apply medical knowledge to the treatment of different allergic, immune, autoimmune, rheumatic, neoplastic, endocrine, cardiovascular and dental pathologies, among other disorders. Epigenetic factors and major stresses from different types of stimuli acting through distinct pathways and neurotransmitters are highly involved in altering the psychoneuroimmunoendocrine axis, resulting in the emergence of disease. The main purpose of this report is to expand the understanding of psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology and to demonstrate the importance of the above-mentioned interactions in the etiology of multiple pathologies. In this review, a search of the medical literature using PubMed (free access search engine for the Medline database of the National Library of Medicine of the United States) over the years 1936 to 2016 was conducted, and descriptive and experimental studies and reviews of the scientific literature were included.

Background: The presence of allergic mucin in allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is a manifestation that identifies it as a hypersensitivity process. AFS has a phenomenon of cross-reactivity to IgE-bound proteins having at least two shared epitopes., Clinical Report: A 13-year-old male with nasal obstructive symptoms of three years of evolution. An obstructive mass was identified in the sinuses through physical examination and CT. In endoscopic surgery, the left nostril polyp was identified with the macroscopic appearance of allergic mucin; the polyp was resected. Final histopathological examination using periodic acid-Schiff and Grocott's methenamine silver staining indicated Aspergillus. Two weeks after surgery, percutaneous tests showed sensitization to Alternaria, Helminthosporium sativum, and Deramatophagoides farianae with negativity to Aspergillus fumigatus., Conclusions: The absence of significant titers of specific IgE antibodies to Aspergillus fumigatus was the evidence that the hypersensitivity response was triggered by a pathogen other than that isolated in histopathological study, which coupled with positive tests for other fungi may be explained by the cross-reactivity phenomenon in a phenomenon of likely hypersensitivity.

Background: As part of the etiology of respiratory allergy we have genetics, prenatal factors and sensitivity to various airborne allergens, between these fungi are found. Relationship has been found between sensitization to fungal in skin tests and allergy pathogenesis and aggravation. There is a few literature in Mexico and in the north of the country it is lacking regarding this problem., Objective: Assess the prevalence of sensitization to fungi in patients with respiratory allergy in skin tests to airborne allergens; determine the most prevalent fungus and prevalence of sensitization to each species of fungus per year, to assess the prevalence of sensitization to fungi by years., Material and Method: Cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study conducted from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014 in patients treated at the Regional Center of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Monterrey, Mexico) where we reviewed a database with patients whom performed skin tests, sensitization to 6 species of fungi were evaluated. We performed tables of data capture and statistical analysis., Results: 4880 patients had respiratory allergy, a 17.1% prevalence of sensitization to fungal skin tests was determined. The fungus specie most prevalent was Alternaria alternata with 5.5%. The year range with the highest prevalence of sensitization was 0-10 years with a 6.7., Conclusions: The prevalence of fungi sensitization was higher than the global prevalence found, but lower than the prevalence found in other researches in Mexico.

In Argentina, there are numerous native species which are an important source of natural products and which are traditionally used in medicinal applications. Some of these species are going through an intense extraction process in their natural habitat which may affect their genetic diversity. The aim of this study was to establish vegetative propagation systems for three native forestal species of medicinal interest. This will allow the rapid obtainment of plants to preserve the germplasm. This study included the following species which are widely used in folk medicine and its applications: Erythrina crista-galli or "seibo" (astringent, used for its cicatrizant properties and for bronchiolitic problems); Acacia caven or "espinillo" (antirheumatic, digestive, diuretic and with cicatrizant properties) and Salix humboldtiana or "sauce criollo" (antipyretic, sedative, antispasmodic, astringent). The methodology included the micropropagation of seibo, macro and micropropagation of Salix humboldtiana and the somatic embryogenesis of Acacia caven. The protocol for seibo regeneration was adjusted from nodal sections of seedlings which were obtained from seeds germinated in vitro. The macropropagation through rooted cuttings of "sauce criollo" was achieved and complete plants of this same species were obtained through both direct and indirect organogenesis using in vitro cultures. The somatic embryogenesis for Acacia caven was optimized and this led to obtain a high percentage of embryos in different stages of development. We are able to support the conservation of native forest resources of medicinal use by means of vegetative propagation techniques.

T-cell responses were studied in mice immunized with the Salmonella typhimurium aroA SL3261 live attenuated vaccine strain. T-cell responses in the spleen, both in whole cell populations and in nylon wool non-adherent (T-cell enriched) cells, were studied in vitro as proliferation by incorporation of tritiated thymidine and production of T-cell specific cytokines [IL-2 (interleukin-2)/IL-4]. Stimulating antigens included whole Salmonella lysates and purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS), both untreated and after alkaline hydrolysis to prevent the non-specific mitogenic effect of LPS. Strong proliferative responses were obtained with untreated whole cell extract and LPS, which were decreased by polymyxin B (PB). Alkaline detoxification of the antigens decreased the proliferative response of nylon-wool non-adherent populations to LPS, but greatly increased their response to the Salmonella extract. Surprisingly, PB also reduced proliferation to detoxified LPS. Little or no IL-2/IL-4 production was seen in response to LPS or purified polysaccharide antigens, while there was a strong IL-2/IL-4 response to whole cell lysate, again markedly increasing after alkaline treatment. The results suggest that the T-cell response elicited by immunization with live Salmonella aroA vaccines in mice recognizes antigens other than LPS determinants, and that estimation of T-cell responses to Salmonella antigens by proliferation alone may yield misleading results.

Administration of anti-TNF alpha antiserum enhanced a sublethal infection with salmonellae of moderate virulence (Salmonella typhimurium M525) in innately susceptible (Ity(s)) BALB/c mice, indicating that TNF alpha is important in the early response which suppresses bacterial growth in the reticuloendothelial system (RES). However, only transient low levels of TNF alpha were detectable on day 3 in sera from some, but not all, sublethally infected mice. Conversely, on day 4 of the same infection, clear TNF alpha inhibitory activity was detected in some sera. Neither TNF alpha or any inhibitory activity were detected in sera of lethally infected BALB/c mice undergoing an acute, overwhelming Salmonella infection. In contrast, TNF alpha inhibitory activity, but not TNF alpha, was detected in sera of mice showing a cachectic syndrome induced by persistent high bacterial numbers following intravenous inoculation of a very high dose (2 x 10(7)) of the attenuated aro- S. typhimurium SL3261 strain.