"It's Their Consent You Have to Wait For": Intimate Partner Violence and BDSM Among Gender and Sexual Minority Youth.

Gender and sexual minoritized (GSM) youth are more likely than their cisgender heterosexual peers to experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and practice bondage and discipline, domination and submission, sadism, and masochism (BDSM). Although IPV and BDSM are vastly different phenomena, superficial similarities (e.g., violent behaviors) can lead to misidentification in both practice and research. This study explores how GSM youth (a) experience and understand the differences between IPV and BDSM and (b) report consensual violent and controlling behaviors when answering items on IPV measures. Nine demographically diverse GSM youth (mean age 21.2) were drawn from a GSM youth-serving organization in the Northeast United States. Participants were interviewed about their experiences with IPV, BDSM, and consent. Participants also were asked to describe the process of completing two standardized measures of IPV. Interviews were coded using conventional and directed content analysis. Eight of nine participants reported IPV victimization, and seven reported BDSM interest or experiences. Four themes emerged: (a) GSM youth experience a spectrum of IPV victimization, often related to their gender and sexual identity; (b) interest in BDSM does not imply an acceptance of IPV; (c) GSM youth have a nuanced understanding of consent and strategies to communicate consent with their partners; and (d) Consent is the organizing framework by which GSM youth distinguish IPV from BDSM. Participants reported various degrees of certainty that they would include BDSM behaviors when answering questions about violent behaviors. Findings underscore the importance of conceptually and operationally differentiating IPV and BDSM. Programs that serve GSM youth should address IPV victimization, offer sex-positive education regarding healthy relationships and BDSM, and assist GSM youth in differentiating abusive behaviors from consensual BDSM. Standardized measures that do not conflate BDSM with IPV are crucial for studying IPV among GSM youth.

Intimate Partner Violence Help-Seeking in the U.S. Transgender Survey.

Research finds that transgender survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often face transphobia-related barriers to reaching help. Due partially to a dearth of larger datasets supporting multivariate analyses, it is unclear whether sociodemographic factors can further hinder transgender help-seeking. Addressing these gaps, logistic regression secondary data analyses were conducted with 15,198 transgender IPV survivors from the nationally-representative 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Odds of seeking help from survivor agencies were significantly greater for survivors who are trans men, assigned-female-at-birth genderqueer, Alaska Native or American Indian, poorer, transphobia victims, and victims of any IPV type, especially controlling IPV. In addition, odds of not seeking help due fearing transphobic responses were significantly greater for survivors who are trans women, asexual or bisexual, poorer, younger, undocumented, childless, ever homeless, transphobia victims, or victims of any IPV type, particularly sexual IPV. Implications for future research and population-specific service provision are discussed.

Transgender Polyvictimization in the U.S. Transgender Survey.

Relative to cisgender people, transgender individuals not only are at an elevated risk of experiencing at least one form of physical or sexual violence, but also at an increased risk of polyvictimization: that is, exposure to multiple types of violence over the life course. Given that polyvictimization increases vulnerability to adverse mental and physical health sequelae, there is a pressing need to identify which sociodemographic subgroups of transgender people are at greater risk of polyvictimization. Understanding these risk profiles will have important implications for developing transgender-specific models for violence prevention, screening, and intervention. Responding to this need in the literature, the present article offers secondary data analyses of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, the largest study to-date of transgender people in the United States (N = 27,715 transgender adults), with participants selected from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., as well as several U.S. territories and overseas military bases. Multiple variable regressions examine sociodemographic predictors of five distinct forms of violence, as well as how many of these five violence types were experienced. The examined sociodemographic predictors included gender, sexual orientation, race-ethnicity, citizenship status, ever been homeless, has a disability, transgender outness, gender visual conformity, household income, and age. The five assessed violence victimization types included intimate partner violence, nonpartner sexual assault, antitransgender family violence, antitransgender physical violence during Kindergarten through 12th grade, and past-year antitransgender physical violence. With some exceptions, results indicate that more marginalized segments of transgender communities have a greater likelihood of experiencing polyvictimization. Recommendations are discussed for future research and service provision.

SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission in a community-health population (Mexico City, Mexico)

The SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.519, arose in North and Central America, circulating primarily in Mexico. We demonstrate that this variant peaked during the second wave of COVID-19 in Mexico City in the spring of 2021. This variant is likely more infectious, attributed to mutation in the RBD of the spike protein T478K also seen in the alpha variant (B.1.1.7). However the time dynamics of the spread of this variant drastically changed upon the introduction of delta (B.1.617.2) to the country in which we observe a shift from 0% in May 2021 to 55% delta in the span of one month. Since the delta variant has dominantly spread across the globe, we investigated the increasing frequency of the Mexico variant, B.1.1.519, in the public community within Mexico City. Once present, the delta variant was 78% of the Mexico City catchment in July 2021, a time which marked the commencement of Mexicos third wave. Our data supports the growing concern that the delta variant is closely associated with the massive infection spread of the VOC in Central and South America. While the T478K mutation, also seen in the alpha variant, has evidence for increased transmissibility, these data suggest that the delta variant shows overall increased fitness seeing as it outcompeted the B.1.1519 this Mexico community.

Automated ELISA on-chip for the detection of an-ti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most critical public health issue in modern his-tory due to its highly infectious and deathly potential; and the limited access to massive, low-cost, and reliable testing has significantly worsened the crisis. The recovery and the vaccination of millions of people against COVID-19, have made serological tests highly relevant to identify the presence and levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Due to its advantages, microfluidic-based technologies represent an attractive alternative to the conventional testing methodologies used for these purposes. In this work, we describe the development of an automated ELISA on-chip capable of detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in serum samples from COVID-19 patients and vaccinated individuals. The colorimetric reactions were analyzed with a microplate reader. No statistically significant differences were observed when comparing the results of our automated ELISA on-chip against the ones obtained from a traditional ELISA on a microplate. Moreover, we demonstrated that it is possible to carry out the analysis of the colorimetric reaction by performing basic image analysis of photos taken with a smartphone, which constitutes a useful alternative when lacking specialized equipment or a laboratory setting. Our automated ELISA on-chip has the potential to be used in a clinical setting and mitigate some of the burden caused by testing deficiencies.

Perfil clínico-epidemiológico de las defunciones por influenza con antecedente de vacunación oportuna, México 2010-2018.

INTRODUCTION: Influenza epidemics are of higher risk at the extremes of life and in people with comorbidities. Effective -vaccination prevents the occurrence of serious cases and decreases mortality. OBJECTIVE: To describe deaths from influenza with a history of timely vaccination, from the 2010 to the 2018 season in Mexico. METHOD: Cross-sectional, descriptive study where the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance System database was used. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2018, 65 vaccinated individuals died from influenza, from which 55% of cases (n = 36) were due to type A (H1N1), 51% (n = 33) were females, median age was 57 years, 21 % (n = 14) did not meet the operational definition of influenza-like illness or severe acute respiratory infection, 83% (n = 54) had at least one comorbidity, with the most common being diabetes mellitus and hypertension (32% each); 55% (n = 36) of deaths received antiviral treatment and only 8% (n = 5) had no comorbidities and received treatment with oseltamivir. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths from influenza with timely vaccination represent a very low percentage of the totality. Vaccination against influenza has been a specific prevention strategy that decreases disease burden.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las epidemias de influenza son de mayor riesgo en los extremos de la vida y en personas con comorbilidades. La vacunación efectiva previene la aparición de casos graves y disminuye la mortalidad. OBJETIVO: Describir las defunciones por influenza en México con antecedente de vacunación oportuna, de 2010 a 2018. MÉTODO: Estudio transversal descriptivo en el que se utilizó la base de datos del Sistema de Vigilancia Epidemiológica de Influenza. RESULTADOS: De 2010 a 2018 fallecieron por influenza 65 personas con vacunación, 55 % (n = 36) de las cuales por tipo A (H1N1), 51 % (n = 33) del sexo femenino, la mediana de edad fue de 57 años, 21 % (n = 14) no cumplía la definición operacional de enfermedad tipo influenza o infección respiratoria aguda grave, 83 % (n = 54) tenía al menos una comorbilidad; las comorbilidades más frecuentes fueron diabetes mellitus e hipertensión arterial (32 % cada una); 55 % (n = 36) recibió tratamiento antiviral y solo 8 % (n = 5) no presentaba comorbilidades y tenía tratamiento con oseltamivir. CONCLUSIONES: Las defunciones por influenza con vacunación oportuna representan un porcentaje muy bajo del total. La vacunación contra influenza ha sido una estrategia de prevención específica que disminuye la carga de la enfermedad.

Modulation of the extraneuronal cholinergic system on main innate response leukocytes.

The expression of elements of the cholinergic system has been demonstrated in non-neuronal cells, such as immune cells, where acetylcholine modulates innate and adaptive responses. However, the study of the non-neuronal cholinergic system has focused on lymphocyte cholinergic mechanisms, with less attention to its role of innate cells. Considering this background, the aims of this review are 1) to review information regarding the cholinergic components of innate immune system cells; 2) to discuss the effect of cholinergic stimuli on cell functions; 3) and to describe the importance of cholinergic stimuli on host immunocompetence, in order to set the base for the design of intervention strategies in the biomedical field.

Clinical-epidemiological profile of deaths from influenza with a history of timely vaccination, Mexico 2010-2018.

INTRODUCTION: Influenza epidemics are of higher risk at the extremes of life and in people with comorbidities. Effective vaccination prevents the occurrence of serious cases and decreases mortality. OBJECTIVE: To describe deaths from influenza with a history of timely vaccination, from the 2010 to the 2018 season in Mexico. METHOD: Cross-sectional, descriptive study where the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance System database was used. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2018, 65 vaccinated individuals died from influenza, from which 55% of cases (n = 36) were due to type A (H1N1), 51% (n = 33) were females, median age was 57 years, 21 % (n = 14) did not meet the operational definition of influenza-like illness or severe acute respiratory infection, 83% (n = 54) had at least one comorbidity, with the most common being diabetes mellitus and hypertension (32% each); 55% (n = 36) of deaths received antiviral treatment and only 8% (n = 5) had no comorbidities and received treatment with oseltamivir. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths from influenza with timely vaccination represent a very low percentage of the totality. Vaccination against influenza has been a specific prevention strategy that decreases disease burden.

"I Wasn't a Priority, I Wasn't a Victim": Challenges in Help Seeking for Transgender Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Among the crucial advancements in the study of intimate partner violence (IPV) is an understanding of the distinct help-seeking barriers that gay and lesbian victims face. Despite these additions to the literature, transgender IPV victimization remains under-researched. The current study utilized semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires of 18 trans-identified survivors of IPV. Working through a modified grounded analytic approach, two major themes emerged in the help-seeking process: "walking the gender tightrope" in which participants first struggled with gendered notions of victimization that made it difficult to identify abuse, and second, the challenges of "navigating genderist resources."

Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes on demand by polymer wrapping.

Efficient selection of semiconducting SWCNTs of large diameter range (0.8-1.6 nm) on demand is demonstrated. Different diameters of SWCNT are systematically selected by tuning the alkyl side-chain lengths of the wrapping polymers of similar backbone. The exceptional quality and high concentration of the SWCNTs is validated by the outstanding optical properties and the highly performing random network ambipolar field-effect transistors.