Family connectedness and sexual minority Asian Americans' eating behavior regulation.

To date, psychosocial and interpersonal protective factors such as family connectedness have received little attention in studies of eating behaviors among sexual minority Asian Americans. Therefore, we investigated associations of family connectedness and two types of eating behavior regulation motives and the moderating role of individualism in these associations among 134 sexual minority Asian American young adults. Linear regression models assessed the main and interaction effects of family connectedness and individualism on introjected and identified eating behavior regulation motives. We observed a significant interaction effect between family connectedness and individualism only on introjected regulation. For participants with low levels of individualism, those who reported high levels of family connectedness had lower scores for introjected regulation of eating behavior. The findings of this study highlight the importance of examining strengths related to sexual minority Asian Americans by demonstrating the important role family connectedness plays in eating behavior regulation motives, particularly for those with lower individualism.

Myelofibrosis progression grading based on type I and type III collagen and fibrillin 1 expression boosted by whole slide image analysis.

AIMS: The progression of primary myelofibrosis is characterised by ongoing extracellular matrix deposition graded based on 'reticulin' and 'collagen' fibrosis, as revealed by Gomori's silver impregnation. Here we studied the expression of the major extracellular matrix proteins of fibrosis in relation to diagnostic silver grading supported by image analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: By using automated immunohistochemistry, in this study we demonstrate that the expression of both types I and III collagens and fibrillin 1 by bone marrow stromal cells can reveal the extracellular matrix scaffolding in line with myelofibrosis progression as classified by silver grading. 'Reticulin' fibrosis indicated by type III collagen expression and 'collagen' fibrosis featured by type I collagen expression were parallel, rather than sequential, events. This is line with the proposed role of type III collagen in regulating type I collagen fibrillogenesis. The uniformly strong fibrillin 1 immune signals offered the best inter-rater agreements and the highest statistical correlations with silver grading of the three markers, which was robustly confirmed by automated whole slide digital image analysis using a machine learning-based algorithm. The progressive up-regulation of fibrillin 1 during myelofibrosis may result from a negative feedback loop as fibrillin microfibrils sequester TGF-ß, the major promoter of fibrosis. This can also reduce TGF-ß-induced RANKL levels, which would stimulate osteoclastogenesis and thus can support osteosclerosis in advanced myelofibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Through the in-situ detection of these extracellular matrix proteins, our results verify the molecular pathobiology of fibrosis during myelofibrosis progression. In particular, fibrillin 1 immunohistochemistry, with or without image analysis, can complement diagnostic silver grading at decent cell morphology.

The Role of Participant Immigrant Background and Gender in Middle School Youth's Responses to Actual and Hypothetical Experiences of Bias-Based Bullying.

The present study draws on socio-cultural theories and socio-cognitive theories as guiding frameworks to examine responses to bias-based bullying among 481 middle school youth (49% female; 15% immigrant; 36% minoritized ethnicity). Based on student self-report data, we examined: (1) whether middle-schoolers response strategies' from the perspective of the victim being excluded or bullied varied across three hypothetical bias-based bullying scenarios based on participant's immigrant background and gender and by target victim's ethnic im/migrant background (e.g. Arab, Latinx, Black); and (2) whether youth disclosure of actual bullying experiences (i.e. to whom they disclosed their bullying experience) differed by their immigrant background and gender. Findings revealed that none of the immigrant girls reported that they would hit the excluder from the perspective of the Latina hypothetical victim compared to when the hypothetical victim was Black and Arab. In response to their actual experiences, immigrant girls were least likely to tell anyone (e.g. peer, teacher, or parent) if they were bullied at school. Results highlight the importance of fostering family and school administration awareness of bullying victimization and the creation of culturally sensitive school interventions and policies for reporting and preventing the bullying victimization of immigrant children, particularly for immigrant girls.

Correlations Between the Expression of Stromal Cell Activation Related Biomarkers, L-NGFR, Phospho-ERK1-2 and CXCL12, and Primary Myelofibrosis Progression.

In myelofibrosis, pathologically enhanced extracellular matrix production due to aberrant cytokine signalling and clonal megakaryocyte functions result(s) in impaired hemopoiesis. Disease progression is still determined by detecting reticulin and collagen fibrosis with Gomori's silver impregnation. Here, we tested whether the expression growth related biomarkers L-NGFR/CD271, phospho-ERK1-2 and CXCL12 can be linked to the functional activation of bone marrow stromal cells during primary myelofibrosis progression. Immunoscores for all tested biomarkers showed varying strength of positive statistical correlation with the silver impregnation based myelofibrosis grades. The intimate relationship between spindle shaped stromal cells positive for all three markers and aberrant megakaryocytes was likely to reflect their functional cooperation. L-NGFR reaction was restricted to bone marrow stromal cells and revealed the whole length of their processes. Also, L-NGFR positive cells showed the most intersections, the best statistical correlations with myelofibrosis grades and the strongest interrater agreements. CXCL12 reaction highlighted stromal cell bodies and a weak extracellular staining in line with its constitutive release. Phospho-ERK1-2 reaction showed a similar pattern to CXCL12 in stromal cells with an additional nuclear staining in agreement with its role as a transcription factor. Both p-ERK1-2 and CXCL12 were also expressed at a moderate level in sinus endothelial cells. Connexin 43 gap junction communication channels, known to be required for CXCL12 release to maintain stem cell niche, were also expressed progressively in the myelofibrotic stromal network as a support of compartmental functions. Our results suggest that, diverse growth related pathways are activated in the functionally coupled bone marrow stromal cells during myelofibrosis progression. L-NGFR expression can be a useful biological marker of stromal cell activation which deserves diagnostic consideration for complementing Gomori's silver impregnation.

Cultural values and romantic relationship satisfaction in Mexican adolescents: The moderating effects of parental psychological control and gender.

INTRODUCTION: Cultural values and parent-adolescent relationships may impact adolescents' romantic relationship quality. The goal of this study was to examine whether perceived mothers' and fathers' psychological control and gender moderated associations between cultural values (i.e., machismo, caballerismo, views of female virginity) and romantic relationship satisfaction in Mexican adolescents. METHODS: Self-report survey data were collected from 213 adolescents (M = 14.59 years old; 50.5% girls) from two public schools in Mexico. All participants were in a romantic relationship at time of study, and reported on their age, gender, endorsement of cultural values (i.e., machismo, caballerismo, views of female virginity), perceived parental psychological control, and romantic satisfaction. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on a romantic relationship satisfaction scale. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess interactions between cultural values, mothers' and fathers' psychological control, and gender on romantic relationship satisfaction. RESULTS: Findings revealed adolescents who endorsed caballerismo reported higher relationship satisfaction. These associations were strongest for adolescent girls reporting low maternal psychological control and adolescent boys reporting high maternal psychological control. Perceived fathers' psychological control did not moderate associations between cultural values and romantic satisfaction. No associations were found between machismo, female virginity, and romantic relationship satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Adolescents' caballersimo values were linked to higher relationship satisfaction. Findings suggest that parent education programs in Mexico may benefit from teaching parents to instill values of caballerismo in their romantically involved adolescents. Additionally, specialists working with Mexican adolescent girls may help them reframe perceived psychologically controlling behaviors into attempts to communicate affection.

"What are you?" Multiracial individuals' responses to racial identification inquiries.

OBJECTIVES: Guided by a racial microaggression framework and utilizing a mixed-method approach, this study explores multiracial individuals' interpersonal experiences and perceptions of racial identification inquiries--queries directed toward them as others attempt to determine their racial background (e.g., "What are you?"). METHODS: As part of an online study, multiracial college students (n = 40) were presented with a hypothetical situation in which racial identification inquiries were delivered by a White, racial minority, or racially unspecified communicator. Qualitative analyses identified the categories and thematic codes of participants' open-ended explanations of the personal relevance of these hypothetical situations and proposed endings. Nonparametric tests examined differences in situation, affect, and communication partner ratings based on race of the communicator. RESULTS: Findings affirmed that racial identification inquiries are commonly reported by diverse multiracial individuals (92.5% of the present sample). Qualitative coding of participants' explanations of personal relevance and proposed endings for the hypothetical situations, as well as ratings of situation, affect, and communication partner, revealed both positive and negative characterizations ascribed to racial identification inquiry experiences. Participants who imagined the queries came from a White communicator allotted less time to continuing the conversation than those in the control condition (communicator race unspecified). CONCLUSIONS: A racial microaggression framework was relevant but not sufficient in reflecting the complex nature of racial identification inquiries for multiracial individuals. The insights into multiracial individuals' perceptions of these stimuli encourage more critical and dynamic thinking about racial categorization systems and interpersonal racial processes for this underrepresented but growing population.

Sexual sensation seeking, co-occurring sex and alcohol use, and sexual risk behavior among adolescents in treatment for substance use problems.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated relations between sexual sensation seeking, co-occurring sex and alcohol use, and sexual risk behaviors (eg, unprotected intercourse and multiple sex partners) among adolescents receiving treatment for substance abuse problems. METHOD: The ethnically diverse sample included 394 adolescents recruited from outpatient treatment (280 males; Mage = 16.33 years, SDage = 1.15). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test direct and indirect paths between sexual sensation seeking and sexual risk behaviors via the frequency of co-occurring sex and alcohol use. Conditional indirect effects by gender were also tested. RESULTS: Analyses identified significant effects of sexual sensation seeking on co-occurring sex and alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors. The path from co-occurring sex and alcohol use to unprotected intercourse was significantly stronger among adolescent girls, suggesting a mediation effect moderated by gender. No gender difference was found for the indirect path from sexual sensation seeking and number of past year sexual partners via co-occurring sex and alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: Selected prevention efforts are needed to promote HIV risk reduction among adolescents in substance abuse treatment. The documented conditional indirect effect for unprotected intercourse suggests that HIV prevention programs should pay special attention to gender-specific patterns of alcohol use and sexual risk behavior when tailoring program content. (Am J Addict 2013; 22:197-205).

Lymphoid aggregates may contribute to the migration and epithelial commitment of bone marrow-derived cells in colonic mucosa.

AIMS: Colonic inflammation is followed by regeneration supported by bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) including multipotent cells. They migrate to the colonic epithelial layer and may transdifferentiate into epithelial-like cells or keep their stem cell characteristics and produce progenies. The aim was to study the role of lymphoid aggregates in the migration and transition of BMDCs in both healthy colons and non-specific colitis (NSC). METHODS: Samples of normal colon (n=5) and NSC (n=5) from female patients who were initially transplanted with male bone marrow were studied. After detecting XY chromosomes using fluorescent in situ hybridisation, tissue sections were digitalised, the coverslips were eliminated and the samples were double stained for CD45 and cytokeratin with immunofluorescence. Then CDX2 expression, as a sign of intestinal epithelial commitment of Musashi-1+ stromal BMDCs, was also tested with both immunoperoxidase and parallel immunofluorescence stainings. The slides were digitalised again and analysed simultaneously. RESULTS: A significant increase in intraepithelial CD45-BMDCs was found in regions adjacent to lymphoid aggregates (median: 1.01) compared with healthy epithelial regions (median: 0.0175) or NSC (median: 0.04) samples. The stromal Musashi-1+ cells were positive for CDX2 as well, as a sign of epithelial differentiation. The CDX2+ cells bearing the Y chromosome proved the epithelial commitment of several stromal BMDCs. CONCLUSION: Elevated number of intraepithelial CD45-BMDCs at lymphoid aggregates suggests that BMDCs play a role in epithelial regeneration and that lymphoid aggregates serve as their migration route.

The role of the bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells in colonic epithelial regeneration.

Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) take part in the colonic mucosal regeneration. They are multipotent cells, which can be identified with both negative (i.e. CD13, CD 14, CD45, c-Kit, major histocompatibility complex /MHC class I and II) and positive (i.e. CD54 (ICAM1), CD133, CD146 (MCAM), CD166, Flk-1, Sca-1, Thy-1, stage-specific antigen I /SSEA-I and Musashi-1, HLA class I) markers. These cells can repopulate the gastrointestinal mucosa as they may differentiate into stromal- (i.e. myofi-broblast) or epithelial-like (Paneth-, epithel-, goblet or enteroendocrin) cells without proliferation. During the mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) stem cells enter the epithelial layer and take up epithelial cell-like properties. Rarely BM-MSCs may retain their stem cell characteristics and are capable of producing progeny. The isolated lymphoid aggregates may serve as a platform from where BM-MSCs migrate to the nearby crypts as mediated by several chemoattractant proteins, which are expressed in injured tissue. The number of BM-MSCs is influenced by the degree of inflammation. In this review we summarize the current information about the role of BM-MSCs in the repair progress of injured colonic epithelium and their potential clinical applications.

[Appearing of bone marrow derived stem cells in healthy and regenerating colonic epithelium]. / A csontvelô eredetû ôssejtek megjelenése az ép vastagbélhámban és a gyulladást követô hámregenerációban.

UNLABELLED: In the process of regeneration following colon inflammation mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) of bone marrow origin may also take part besides their local counterparts. These cells migrate in the colon epithelium where they may contribute to epithelial regeneration or form progeny for keeping up local stem cell pool. MSC cells probably leave circulation around lymphoid aggregates to then migrate into nearby crypts. During migration they change their phenotype upon the influence of local microenvironment. AIMS: In this study epithelial migration and transition of bone marrow stem cells were examined. Samples from normal healthy individuals and from aspecific inflammation were used. The possible role of lymphoid aggregates in the epithelial regeneration was also studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples of normal colon (2) and those showing mild aspecific colitis (3) from female patients who were initially transplanted with male bone marrow were studied. First we detected gender chromosomes with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and the samples were archived with digital scanning. Then CD45 and cytokeratin (CK) double immunofluorescent reactions (IF) were made followed by digitalization again. Digitalized samples were estimated simultaneously with virtual microscopy (Mirax Viewer). RESULTS: Significant elevation of CD45 negative/Y-FISH positive potential MSCs were found in crypts locating to the neighborhood of lymphoid aggregates (1,075%) compared with both normal (0,027%, p = 0,002) and mild colitis (0,045%, p = 0,004) samples. CONCLUSION: Local stem cells probably have enough regeneration capacity in case of minor inflammation. However, in aspecific inflammation the number of MSCs contributing to epithelial regeneration was elevated, suggesting their facilitated contribution to the repair process with less probable forming of local stem cell progeny.

Pregnancy wantedness and child attachment security: is there a relationship?

OBJECTIVES: Few studies examine the consequences of unwanted pregnancy on child development, and most of those that do, use measures of pregnancy intention. Here we use measures of pregnancy wantedness, together with measures of maternal motivation, to examine the potential effect of wantedness on the child's attachment relationship with its mother. METHODS: Using data collected from 78 primiparous Black women who had applied for an Early Head Start program in a Midwestern city and who had completed a pregnancy acceptance questionnaire, we created four measures: Pregnancy Wantedness, Positive Maternal Motivation, Negative Maternal Motivation, and Social Reinforcement for the pregnancy. Each child had been assessed at about 11 months of age for Difficult Temperament and at about 14 months of age for Attachment Security. We then tested both regression and linear structural equation models in order to predict the child's attachment security with the remaining variables. RESULTS: Pregnancy Wantedness is predicted with an R (2) of .198 by Negative Maternal Motivation and Social Reinforcement but does not predict Attachment Security, which is predicted with an R (2) of .375 by Positive Maternal Motivation, Negative Maternal Motivation, and Difficult Temperament. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses indicate that in a multivariate context there is no relationship between the wantedness of a pregnancy and the subsequent attachment security of the child for this sample of low-income Black primiparous mothers. This finding is related to some conceptual and measurement issues of pregnancy wantedness, the irrelevance of some aspects of wantedness to parent-child interaction, and the powerful effect of maternal motivations on child attachment security.