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Individual differences in interpretation biases—the tendency to interpret ambiguous stimuli as threatening—partially explain the presence of comorbid depressive symptoms among anxious youth. Increasing efforts have examined physiological processes that influence the association between interpretation biases and depressive symptoms in this population, and potential gender differences in this relationship. This study examined the moderating role of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) suppression (i.e., decrease from baseline)—an index of parasympathetic nervous system reactivity—in the association between interpretation biases and depressive symptoms in clinically anxious youth. One-hundred-and-five clinically anxious children (M(age) = 10.09 years, SD = 1.22; 56.7% female; 61.9% racial/ethnic minority) completed measures of self-reported and behaviorally indexed interpretation biases, reported anxiety/depression symptom severity, and participated in a speech task. RSA suppression during the task moderated the association between interpretation biases and depressive symptom severity in the total sample. Separate exploratory moderation analyses were conducted among girls and boys. Among girls, RSA suppression moderated the association between behaviorally indexed interpretation biases and depressive symptoms, and marginally moderated (p = .067) the association between self-reported interpretation biases and depressive symptoms. Among boys, RSA suppression was not a significant moderator. These findings may help identify clinically anxious youth most at-risk for comorbid depressive symptoms.

Background and Objectives Research suggests that Latinos experience significantly more mental health and alcohol use problems than non-Latino whites. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms underlying alcohol use in this population. One factor associated with excessive alcohol use in Latinos is anxiety. A potential explanatory mechanism for this relationship is emotion dysregulation, as emotion dysregulation in the context of anxiety may lead to alcohol use problems/disorders. The aim of the current study was to examine the indirect effect of anxiety, through emotion dysregulation, on drinking severity and probable hazardous drinking in Latinos. Methods Latino adults (N = 264) were recruited from a primary care health clinic as part of a larger ongoing study examining mental health among Latinos in primary care. Participants were interviewed using the MINI and then completed various self-report assessments (in Spanish). Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate model fit. Results Structural models fit the data well. Additionally, there were statistically significant indirect effects of anxiety via emotion dysregulation on drinking severity and probable screen for hazardous drinking. Discussion and Conclusions Anxiety may contribute to alcohol use problems due to an overall tendency to engage in maladaptive attempts to regulate emotions. Scientific Significance Targeting emotion dysregulation in the context of anxiety and hazardous alcohol use among Latinos may be one therapeutic strategy to reduce severity of alcohol use (and hazardous drinking). (Am J Addict 2017;XX:1–8)

Identifying mechanisms that explain the relationship between anxiety and depression are needed. The Tripartite Model is one model that has been proposed to help explain the association between these two problems, positing a shared component called negative affect. The objective of the present study was to examine the role of loneliness in relation to anxiety and depression. A total of 10,891 school-based youth (Grades 2–12) and 254 clinical children and adolescents receiving residential treatment (Grades 2–12) completed measures of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and negative affect. The relationships among loneliness, anxiety, depression, and negative affect were examined, including whether loneliness was a significant intervening variable. Various mediational tests converged showing that loneliness was a significant mediator in the relationship between anxiety and depression. This effect was found across children (Grades 2–6) and adolescent (Grades 7–12) school-based youth. In the clinical sample, loneliness was found to be a significant mediator between anxiety and depression, even after introducing negative affect based on the Tripartite Model. Results supported loneliness as a significant risk factor in youths' lives that may result from anxiety and place youth at risk for subsequent depression. Implications related to intervention and prevention in school settings are also discussed.

Objective(s): Limited research has examined how temperamental (i.e., behavioral inhibition, anxiety sensitivity) and cognitive (i.e., interpretive and judgment biases) risks for the development anxiety covary to influence anxiety symptoms. Thus, the present study aimed to advance understanding of the direct and indirect links between anxiety sensitivity, behavioral inhibition, and interpretive biases, and judgment biases (in the form of perceived control) to anxiety outcomes (i.e., worry and trait anxiety symptoms). Method: 842 emerging adults (mean = 18.75 years, standard deviation = 1.05; age range = 18–24; 70% women) recruited from a university in the northeast participated in this study. Participants completed a battery of self-report measures assessing risk factors and anxiety outcomes of interest. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed anxiety sensitivity and behavioral inhibition were directly linked with anxiety outcomes. Anxiety sensitivity and behavioral inhibition were also indirectly linked with anxiety outcomes through interpretive and judgment biases. The hypothesized model was partially invariant across high-risk and low-risk groups for anxiety disorders. Conclusions: Results of this study provide preliminary support for theoretical models hypothesizing a developmental progression from temperamental to cognitive risks and culminating in the expression of anxiety symptoms. Limitations and clinical implications of this research are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Clin. Psychol. 00:1-20, 2012.

This article critically examines the psychological and policy implications of the belief that characteristics of social groups are grounded in biology and thus are unchangeable. We specifically focus on how this immutability mind-set may perpetuate group-based educational achievement gaps and deter treatment seeking for mental/behavioral health conditions. We then consider the prospect of plasticity: the notion that psychological attributes, although rooted in our biological endowment, are inherently malleable. Our discussion reviews the evidence for—and social implications of—this alternative mind-set for intellectual achievement as well as mental/behavioral health. We conclude by describing several concrete policy applications of a plasticity perspective.

Novel genetic resources now make it possible to directly assess the effects of natural selection on specific regions of the salmonid genome. Natural selection on specific genetic loci will also affect the variation in linked flanking regions through “hitchhiking” effects, causing greater differentiation between populations than would be expected from purely neutral processes. Here we identify candidate genomic regions for the effects of differential natural selection in two closely related populations of steelhead–rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss separated for the last century following anthropogenic introduction above a barrier waterfall in a coastal California stream. A set of 110 expressed sequence tag (EST)-linked and 188 anonymous microsatellite loci, most of which are mapped, were chosen to provide distributed coverage of all linkage groups in the O. mykiss genome. A genome screen was then performed to identify genomic regions under divergent selection. Multiple complementary statistical m...

Please cite this paper as: Salmon-Mulanovich et al. (2010) Frequency of human bocavirus (HBoV) infection among children with febrile respiratory symptoms in Argentina, Nicaragua and Peru. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 5(1), 1–5. Background Globally, respiratory infections are the primary cause of illness in developing countries, specifically among children; however, an etiological agent for many of these illnesses is rarely identified. Objectives Our study aimed to estimate the frequency of human bocavirus (HBoV) infection among pediatric populations in Argentina, Nicaragua and Peru. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using stored samples of an influenza-like illness surveillance program. Irrespective of previous diagnosis, nasopharyngeal or nasal swab specimens were randomly selected and tested using real-time PCR from three sites during 2007 from patients younger than 6 years old. Results A total of 568 specimens from Argentina (185), Nicaragua (192) and Peru (191) were tested. The prevalence of HBoV was 10·8% (95% CI: 6·3; 15·3) in Argentina, 33·3% in Nicaragua (95% CI: 26·6; 40·1) and 25·1% in Peru (95% CI: 18·9; 31·3). Conclusions These findings demonstrate circulation of HBoV in Argentina, Nicaragua and Peru among children with influenza-like symptoms enrolled in a sentinel surveillance program.

Summary Soil nitrogen (N) is considered an important driver of crop-weed interactions, yet the mechanisms involved have been only partially explored, especially with respect to early-season growth, when competitive hierarchies are formed. This study characterises the effects of different N levels on biomass accumulation and plant morphology for maize (Zea mays), and four important weed species (Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti, Setaria faberi, and Chenopodium album). Under glasshouse conditions, plants were grown in separate pots and irrigated with nutrient solution at four N concentrations (0.2, 0.5, 2, 5 μm L−1) until 57 days after emergence. Except for S. faberi, which was unresponsive to N, the relative biomass growth rates (RGR) of maize and the broad-leaved weeds were positively and similarly affected by increasing nitrogen. At all N levels, maize had a height advantage by virtue of its larger seed size, which conferred early growth benefits independent of RGR. At low N, biomass growth was instrumental to S. faberi’s improved competitive position, whereas height development per unit biomass improved the competitive position of A. theophrasti, C. album and A. retroflexus. The approach presented could be applied to other crop-weed systems to evaluate environmental impacts on competitive outcomes.

UNLABELLED: A controlled, randomized, double-blind study in Bangladeshi children (ages 4-36 mo) with acute diarrhoea was undertaken to determine whether bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) would prevent the development of persistent diarrhoea (PD) in young children. The children were randomized to two groups: 226 were given liquid oral BSS, (as Pepto-Bismol), 100 mg/kg/d for 5 d; 225 were given placebo of identical appearance. On admission to the study, the two groups were comparable both clinically and microbiologically. Rotavirus was found in 56% of all the children, and enterotoxigenic E. coli in 31% of a subsample studied. Children treated with BSS had less severe and less prolonged illness than those treated with placebo (p = 0.057). There was, however, no difference in the development of PD between the two groups (8% and 11%). Unexpectedly, patients treated with BSS gained significantly more weight (2.3%) than those treated with placebo (0.5%; p < 0.001) during the course of the study. No toxicity of BSS was detected. CONCLUSION: Treatment with BSS had a modest therapeutic effect on acute diarrhoea, as has been previously demonstrated, but with no suggestion of a therapeutic effect on the prevention of persistent diarrhoea in this group of patients.

This descriptive study employed a within-groups analytic approach to examine patterns of sexual risk behavior and co-occurring general and race/ethnicity-specific risk and protective factors in a community sample of African-American youth (n = 436). Cluster analysis was used to classify young adults by levels of self-reported past year sexual risk behaviors. MANOVA, ANOVA, and chi-square analyses indicated significant associations between cluster membership and (a) lifetime psychiatric diagnoses, (b) peer substance use behaviors, and (c) self-reported past year alcohol and marijuana use. Cluster membership was not associated with several race/ethnicity-specific variables: racial/ethnic orientation, cultural mistrust, and perceived discrimination. The results of the current study can inform the development of HIV/STI prevention strategies for vulnerable African-American youth. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 447–462, 2007.

Summary 1 Understanding the development of plants’ below-ground zone of influence, the region over which a plant acquires soil resources, is essential for understanding and predicting interplant competition. 2 The objective of this experiment was to characterize root system development of four weed species (Abutilon theophrasti Medic., Amaranthus retroflexus L., Chenopodium album L. and Setaria faberi Herm.) when grown in monoculture and in mixture to assess the influence of maize competition on root system volume and shape. 3 Using a herbicide-injection technique, root development was assessed at two field sites with contrasting soil textures. Lateral root growth (LRG) was measured over the growing season at 15, 30 and 60 cm depths. Similarly, vertical root growth (VRG) was assessed when roots reached 15, 30 and 60 cm depths. The technique proved useful for quantifying VRG and LRG over time for all four weed species. From vertical and lateral root system expansion, the volume of soil exploited by the root system (V) was calculated and used as an estimator of the below-ground zone of influence. 4 For A. theophrasti and A. retroflexus, VRG was less influenced than LRG by interspecific competition, and was independent of plant size. In contrast, LRG was strongly related to plant size. Differences in LRG were primarily responsible for the sizeable reductions in below-ground zone of influence for plants of similar ages but of lower above-ground biomass (AGB) due to competition with maize. 5 Above-ground biomass of A. theophrasti and A. retroflexus was exponentially related to below-ground zone of influence with a scaling exponent of 0·71 (AGB = 84·14V0·71, R2 = 0·74). Soil type (sandy loam vs silt loam), plant species, or interspecific competition (monoculture vs mixture with maize) did not substantially influence this relationship. 6 The scaling factor reported in this study could be used to improve dynamic models of plant competition in annual agroecosystems. This work also provides insights into the likelihood of below-ground competition between neighbouring plants during root system development.

This study documents significant associations among lifetime abuse experiences, psychiatric diagnoses, and sexual risk behaviors in a multiethnic community sample of young men and women (N = 1803) in South Florida. Self-report data were collected via structured interviews as part of a longitudinal follow-up of a larger school-based study. Participants were grouped according to extent of lifetime abuse experiences. Cumulative lifetime abuse experiences were associated with increased risk for a broad range of individual lifetime psychiatric disorders, as well as cumulative lifetime psychiatric disorders. Both cumulative abuse experiences and cumulative psychiatric disorders were independently associated with (a) higher levels of sexual risk behaviors and (b) higher risk for lifetime sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Implications for selective prevention of sexual risk behaviors and STDs among young adults with histories of abuse and psychiatric disorders are discussed.

Findings from a longitudinal study are presented on the relationships between the problems and stresses resulting from Hurricane Andrew and posthurricane minor deviant behavior. The sample (N = 4,978) included Hispanic, African-American, and White non-Hispanic middle school students enrolled in Dade County, Florida public schools. Two waves of data were collected prior to the hurricane; a third was obtained approximately 6 months following the storm. Results indicated that females were likely to report higher levels of hurricane-related stress symptoms than males. After controlling for prehurricane levels of minor deviance, family support, and race/ethnicity, hurricane stress symptom level remained a significant predictor of posthurricane minor deviant behavior. The findings lend support to stress theories of social deviance.

This empirical study examines the behavioral sequelae of acculturation strains among Latino adolescents in home ans school settings. Two theoretically derived hypotheses are tested. First, low acculturation Latinos experiencing strains associated wsith rapid cultural and language transitions will have more behavior problems reported by their parents and teachers. Second, highly acculturated Latinos reporting more acculturation strains. associated with perceptions of prejudical treatment and internalization of inority status will have more behavior problems reported by aprents and teachers. The data were taken from the self-reports of 2,360 adolescents in the greater Miami (Florida) area, ans their teacher ans parent reports. problem behaviors were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Teacher Report Form. Strain measures included language conflicts, acculturation conflicts, perceived discrimination, and perception of a closed society. Results indicated general confirmation of both hypotheses. Among immigrant adolescents only language confilicts were associated with reported behavior problems reported by teachers and parents. Among the U.S. born, language conficts, perceived discrimination, and perceptions ofa closed society were associated with behavior problems reported by teachers but not by parents. The central finding is that both immigrant and nonimmigrant Latino adolescents are likely to experience a variety of acculturative strains in the school setting that may affect role performance and lower educational aspirations.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the prevalence of stressful life events and of the relationships between stressful life events and alcohol, illicit drug, and cigarette use among a multi-ethnic community sample (N = 2,446) of early adolescent boys. The data were derived from a longitudinal study of substance use behaviors and their psychosocial correlates among Hispanic, African-American, and White non-Hispanic adolescent boys residing in Dade County, Florida. Similar levels of event exposure were found among the subgroups, with one exception. African Americans were significantly more likely to experience a death-related event in the past year. Stressful life events were not significantly related with substance use among African-American students. Among Hispanics and White non-Hispanics, however, a number of significant positive relationships were found. A number of bidirectional events (i.e., those events that could be either an antecedent to and/or the result of substance use) were significantly related with stressful events, highlighting the importance of longitudinal research in delineating the temporal ordering of events and outcomes. The authors conclude that future stress research with adolescents should pay particular attention to the important moderating influences of culture and ethnicity as well as to the bidirectional nature of life events and substance use.

We describe a novel method for screening large libraries of random peptides for T cell antigens. Two libraries were constructed, containing fixed amino acids representing the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I anchor residues for H-2Kb-restricted octamers and H-2Db-restricted nonamers. Peptides from the Kb-restricted library (KbL: SXIXFXXL) and the Db-restricted library (DbL: XXXXNXXXIM) specifically stabilize empty Kb and Db molecules, respectively. The libraries contain peptides that mimic several H-2b-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes, and 21 mimotopes for a Db-restricted H-Y epitope were isolated. A degenerate synthetic peptide of limited complexity containing the identified H-Y sequence motif was found to be similar to the natural H-Y epitope by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography analysis. This peptide is also capable of immunizing female mice against male splenocytes. Several applications for MHC-restricted peptide libraries are discussed.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the effects of acculturation and acculturative stress on the self-esteem of Hispanic/Latino adolescents. The study is comparative in that it focuses on variations among both immigrant and native-born Hispanics. The data were derived from a longitudinal study of adolescents (n = 6,760) being conducted in Miami, Florida. The sample for this paper (n = 4,296) consisted of all the adolescents of Hispanic heritage. A complex patterning of acculturative strains was found for US.-and foreign-born adolescents. Acculturation strains and family pride have more powerful effects on self-esteem as acculturation increases among the foreign born, but the opposite is true for the U.S. born. The proportion of variance explained by the acculturation strains and family pride is greater for the U.S.-born adolescents (range = 21% to 29%) than for those who are foreign born (range = 15% to 19%). The findings indicate that much of the research on this subject has failed to reflect the differential processes of psychosocial adjustment faced by immigrant and nonimmigrant adolescents. There are differences in the types of strains reported, as well as in the effects of the strains on self-esteem. Low acculturation adolescents who are U.S. born have an especially problematic profile of strain, whereas bicultural adolescents born in the United States appear to have the best profile. The results suggest a need to advance from simple linear explanations to multifactorial stress models that will increase our understanding of the acculturative process.

The T cell receptor (TcR) on CD8+ T lymphocytes recognizes a complex which consists of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) heavy chain, beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M), and peptide on the surface of antigen-presenting cells. Mutational analyses have suggested that the TcR recognizes both the alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains of the heavy chain as well as the peptide. In light of this, it is of interest to know to what extent the heavy chain domains take on distinct conformations when bound to individual peptides. It has recently been shown that antibodies which recognize the Kb MHC complex are sensitive to which peptides are bound in the groove. We have extended this analysis to include eight Kb-specific antibodies, seven of which are peptide sensitive. These antibodies, all of which are allo-antibodies, recognize Kb-bearing cells which, it is now appreciated, have a highly heterogeneous mix of self peptides presented in their grooves. We show that these self peptides also can affect antibody binding. It has been suggested that peptides alter the conformation of the alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains of the heavy chain and that this in turn affects the recognition of Kb by antibody. An alternative hypothesis is that solvent-exposed peptide side chains may prevent the antibody from binding the complex. Using a panel of 128 single-amino acid variants of a Kb-binding antigenic peptide from ovalbumin we show that for most Kb-specific antibodies, the second idea is more likely. Those variants which prevent antibody binding are at solvent exposed positions, and in general, the bulkier the side chain, the greater the inhibition of antibody binding. However, in the case of two antibodies, 100.30 and 34.4.20, the peptide residues which affect antibody recognition are buried, suggesting that these antibodies see an alternate conformation of the peptide/MHC complex.

While it has been suggested that mistrust of the dominant White society may be an important protective factor for some members of racial minorities, the question of whether mistrust may also be related to nonnormative behaviors among minority members has not been explored. Using survey data from Miami, Florida, this study empirically tests this hypothesis among a sample of African American, Haitian, and other Caribbean island Black adolescent boys. Bivariate analyses suggest a strong relationship between racial mistrust and conventional forms of delinquency for all three ethnic groups. These findings also held in multivariate analyses in which six traditional predictors of deviance were statistically controlled. The authors conclude that racial mistrust adds a new dimension to empirical prediction models. In addition, they conclude that issues associated with racial mistrust should be considered when developing and implementing prevention strategies.

The school health program in Mexico directed by the Office of School Hygiene (la Unidad de Higiene Escolar) is in a state of flux. The program will change substantially if an initiative between the national offices of health and education is enacted which would establish a national commission to be replicated at state country and district levels. Commissions would oversee integration of the health services component social participation and research into the school health program which currently focuses on health environment. The initiative would restore and improve a former model that incorporated health services as a part of the school health program. The history of the school health program can trace its roots to 1860 and President Benito Juarez. The goal of the Mexican school health program (SHP) is to promote the health of the community teachers students and families. In 1861 President Benito Juarez promulgated a law that included a class for women on the relationship of health and morals. In 1867 another law extended the course to males in elementary and junior high school. In 1959 a required course in health protection and physical fitness was set up. In 1971 the primary course of study was changed and health instruction was integrated into the natural science course. In 1981 the health services part of the SHP was transferred from the Ministry for Education to the Ministry for Public Health. The most extensive program of the SHP is one to treat and detect visual disorders. 2 pilot programs screening for malnutrition and oral health promotion have begun in the federal district. There are 9 goals of the health education course. For the past 10 years a research department in the Office of School Health has investigated instruction services and environment. (authors modified)