Case file coding of child maltreatment: Methods, challenges, and innovations in a longitudinal project of youth in foster care

State social service agency case files are a common mechanism for obtaining information about a child's maltreatment history, yet these documents are often challenging for researchers to access, and then to process in a manner consistent with the requirements of social science research designs. Specifically, accessing and navigating case files is an extensive undertaking, and a task that many researchers have had to maneuver with little guidance. Even after the files are in hand and the research questions and relevant variables have been clarified, case file information about a child's maltreatment exposure can be idiosyncratic, vague, inconsistent, and incomplete, making coding such information into useful variables for statistical analyses difficult. The Modified Maltreatment Classification System (MMCS) is a popular tool used to guide the process, and though comprehensive, this coding system cannot cover all idiosyncrasies found in case files. It is not clear from the literature how researchers implement this system while accounting for issues outside of the purview of the MMCS or that arise during MMCS use. Finally, a large yet reliable file coding team is essential to the process, however, the literature lacks training guidelines and methods for establishing reliability between coders. In an effort to move the field toward a common approach, the purpose of the present discussion is to detail the process used by one large-scale study of child maltreatment, the Studying Pathways to Adjustment and Resilience in Kids (SPARK) project, a longitudinal study of resilience in youth in foster care. The article addresses each phase of case file coding, from accessing case files, to identifying how to measure constructs of interest, to dealing with exceptions to the coding system, to coding variables reliably, to training large teams of coders and monitoring for fidelity. Implications for a comprehensive and efficient approach to case file coding are discussed.

Mexico attempts to tackle obesity: the process, results, push backs and future challenges

Mexico's obesity prevalence is one of the world's highest. In 2006, academics, and federal and state government agencies initiated efforts to design a national policy for obesity prevention. The Ministry of Health (MOH) established an expert panel to develop recommendations on beverage intake for a healthy life in 2008. Subsequently, the MOH, with support from academia, initiated the development of the National Agreement for Healthy Nutrition (ANSA). ANSA was signed by all relevant sectoral actors in 2010 and led to initiatives banning sodas and regulating unhealthy food in schools and the design of other yet to be implemented initiatives, such as a front-of-package labeling system. A main challenge of the ANSA has been the lack of harmonization between industry interests and public health objectives and effective accountability and monitoring mechanisms to assess implementation across government sectors. Bold strategies currently under consideration include taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, improvement of norms for healthy food in schools, regulation of food and beverage marketing to children and implementation of a national front-of-pack labeling system. Strong civil society organizations have embraced the prevention of obesity as their goal and have used evidence from academia to position obesity prevention in the public debate and in the government agenda.

Foundry sands as low-cost adsorbent material for Cr (VI) removal

The potential of foundry sands, industrial waste from the iron foundry industry, was evaluated for the removal of Cr (VI) using discontinuous assays. Chemical foundry sands are composed of fine silica sand, furanic resins as binder, chemical catalyst and residual iron particles. The influence ofpH, agitation rate and metal concentration on the removal process was investigated. Kinetic and equilibrium tests were conducted to determine Cr (VI) removal from aqueous solutions at a temperature range of 25-55 degrees C. Cr (VI) removal of 40-100% for a range of pH 6-1.6 was obtained. This removal was attributed to the presence of a large number of protonated silanol and aluminol groups. Cr (VI) adsorption in foundry sands follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic reaction (Ho model, r2 > 0.999) reaching kinetic constants of 0.341, 0.551, 0.775 and 0.920 g/mg h at 25, 35, 45 and 55 degrees C, respectively. The adsorption data were fitted to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model (r > 0.99) obtaining adsorption capacities (q(max)) of 1.99, 2.40, 2.50, and 3.14 mg Cr (VI)/g sand at 25, 35, 45 and 55 degrees C, respectively. Calculated Gibbs free energy change (deltaG0), adsorption energy (E) and activation energy (E(a)) values indicate that a physisorption mechanism governs Cr (VI) adsorption process in foundry sands.

Spin-glass transition of the three-dimensional Heisenberg spin glass

It is shown, by means of Monte Carlo simulation and finite size scaling analysis, that the Heisenberg spin glass undergoes a finite-temperature phase transition in three dimensions. There is a single critical temperature, at which both a spin glass and a chiral glass ordering develop. The Monte Carlo algorithm, adapted from lattice gauge theory simulations, makes it possible to thermalize lattices of size L = 32, larger than in any previous spin-glass simulation in three dimensions. High accuracy is reached thanks to the use of the Marenostrum supercomputer. The large range of system sizes studied allows us to consider scaling corrections.

Central administration of mCPP, a serotonin 5-HT(2B/2C) agonist, decreases water intake in rats

In the present study, we investigated in rats the effect of third ventricle injections of 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine (mCPP), a 5-HT(2) receptor agonist, on water intake induced by three different physiological stimuli: fluid deprivation, acute salt load and hypovolemia. Injections of mCPP in the doses of 80 and 160 nmol/rat were able to decrease water intake in all three conditions studied. Third ventricle injections of mCPP (160 nmol/rat) were no longer able to diminish water intake in the groups of rats pretreated with central injections of an equimolar amount of (+)-cis-4,5,7a,8,9,10,11,11a-octahydro-7H-10-methylindolo[1,7-bc][2,6]-naphthyridine (SDZ SER 082), a selective 5-HT(2B/2C) antagonist. The central administration of mCPP (160 nmol/rat) was not able to modify the intake of a 0.1% saccharin solution. It is suggested that the central activation of a 5-HT(2B/2C) component is able to impair the drive for water intake induced by the physiological stimuli represented by fluid deprivation, acute salt load and hypovolemia. This effect seems not to be consequent on a general nonspecific central nervous system depression or on a locomotor deficit, because saccharin intake is not affected by third ventricle injections of mCPP.

Effect of co-culture of porcine sperm and oocytes with porcine oviductal epithelial cells on in vitro fertilization

This study was designed to determine the effect of co-culture with porcine oviductal epithelial cell (POEC) monolayers on in vitro fertilization of pig oocytes. The in vitro penetrability of mature (experiment 1) or immature (experiment 2) oocytes was studied in presence or absence of POEC during IVF with fresh semen. In experiment 3, boar and POEC effects were analyzed but in this case with frozen-thawed spermatozoa. In experiment 4, the spermatozoa were pre-incubated before IVF with or without POEC in order to assess their effect on IVF sperm-related parameters. In experiment 5, the effect of POEC was studied by co-culturing them with oocytes before IVF to determine if monospermy was improved. The results showed that high sperm concentration and POEC increase oocyte penetrability (P<0.01) and decrease monospermy rate (P<0.01), in both mature and immature oocytes (P<0.01) with fresh semen and a 18 h culture time. With frozen semen was detected a boar and POEC effect (P<0.01) on penetration rate. The sperm pre-culture 2 h with POEC also resulted in an increase of sperm penetration in terms of number of sperm per oocyte (P<0.01) and this treatment did not increase monospermy when contact time between gametes was limited to 6 h although monospermy was higher when POEC were present during IVF. Finally, exposure of oocytes to POEC for 4 h before IVF facilitated monospermic penetration to over 70% (P<0.01). In conclusion, the use of POEC in porcine IVF systems provides the possibility of working with low sperm concentrations and the effect of POEC on monospermy depends on sperm concentration, boar and contact time between gametes. Moreover, the exposure of oocytes to POEC before IVF improves the rate of monospermy.

[In vitro evaluation of antibacterial substances produced by bacteria isolated from different marine organisms]

Bacteria from several groups of marine organisms were isolated and, using direct antibiograms, identified those that produce antibacterial substances, using a human pathogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 as revealing microorganism. Bacteria which produce substances that inhibited S. aureus growth were identified through morphological, physiological and biochemical tests. Out of 290 bacteria, 54 (18.6%) inhibited the growth of S. aureus, but only 27 survived for identification. Bivalves, sponges and corals were the most represented from which 41.2, 33.3 and 29.7%, respectively, produced antibacterial substances of the isolated bacteria in each group. The marine species with highest proportions of these bacteria were the hard coral Madracis decactis (62.5%), the sponges Cliona sp. (57.1%) and the octocoral Plexaura flexuosa (50.0%). Out of the 27 strains that produced antibacterial substances, 51.8% were Aeromonas spp. and 14.8% Vibrio spp. Marine bacteria that produce antibacterial substances are abundant, most belong in the Vibrionacea group and were isolated mainly from corals and bivalve mollusks.

Effects of maturational stage, cumulus cells and coincubation of mature and immature cumulus-oocyte complexes on in vitro penetrability of porcine oocytes

The in vitro penetrability of porcine oocytes is conditioned by several factors, some of which remain unclear. Knowledge of the different effects of the cellular components involved in penetrability would no doubt serve to simplify laboratory IVF methods. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of the following factors on penetrability: oocyte maturational stage, the presence of isolated or oocyte-attached cumulus cells, and coincubation of in vitro-matured and immature oocytes. Immature oocytes and oocytes matured in Waymouth medium were obtained from non atretic follicles and fertilized in TCM 199 medium. Sperm-rich fractions were collected by the gloved hand method and semen was used for IVF at a final concentration of 1 x 10(6) cells/mL in all experiments. Under the same conditions of IVF, the penetrability of the immature cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) was significantly lower than that of mature COCs, in terms of penetration rate and mean number of sperm per penetrated oocyte. This difference was abolished when the oocytes were denuded, leading to similar penetration rates. Coincubation of mature and immature COCs reduced the penetrability of immature COCs compared with that observed when these were incubated in isolation. However, neither the addition of isolated cumulus cells from decumulated mature oocytes nor the addition of denuded mature oocytes to immature COCs modified the penetration rate. These findings suggest that the presence of surrounding cumulus cells is mainly responsible for the differences observed in penetrability, regardless of the maturational stage of the oocyte. Moreover, when mature and immature COCs are coincubated, penetrability of immature COCs is diminished by the effects of the mature COC and not by the independent actions of the cellular components.

Age-associated risk of cancer among individuals with N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) mutations and mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes

Mutations in N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), a highly polymorphic enzyme involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics and carcinogens, may affect risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), especially among individuals with germ-line mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. We determined the NAT2 genotypes and allele frequencies for 86 individuals with CRC who had mutations in hMLH1, hMSH2, or hPMS1. No significant difference in time to onset was observed between rapid (NAT2*4) and slow (NAT2*5, NAT2*6, and NAT2*7) acetylators. However, when individuals were stratified separately by NAT2 polymorphism (NAT2*5, NAT2*6, and NAT2*7), those who were heterozygous at the mutant locus NAT2*7 after adjustment for the NAT2 mutant loci NAT2*5 and NAT2*6 had a significantly higher risk of CRC (hazard ratio, 2.96; P = 0.012) and all of the cancers (hazard ratio, 3.37; P = 0.00004) than individuals homozygous for wild type at the NAT2*7 allele. These findings suggest that NAT2 genotype may be an important factor in tumorigenesis of CRC and cancers related to hereditary nonpolyposis CRC among individuals with mismatch repair defects.

Vaginal misoprostol in the management of first-trimester missed abortions

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of a regimen of vaginal misoprostol in causing the complete expulsion of first-trimester missed abortions, or alternatively dilating the cervix for surgical evacuation.

METHOD

Seventy-four women with a transvaginal ultrasound diagnosis of a first-trimester missed abortion and no more than slight vaginal bleeding were consecutively enrolled. Misoprostol (600 microg) was administered vaginally and repeated 4 h later if necessary. Surgical evacuation was performed when complete expulsion was not documented on the ultrasound 10-12 h after treatment.

RESULTS

Complete medical evacuation occurred in 42 women (56.8%), 11 (14.9%) of which required only one dose. Seventy women (94.6%) experienced abdominal pain, 73 (98.6%) vaginal bleeding, 10 (13.5%) nausea, 4 (5.4%) vomiting, 5 (6.8%) diarrhea, and 4 (5.4%) transient hyperthermia. There was one case of heavy vaginal bleeding requiring emergency surgical evacuation, and one re-admission for incomplete abortion at 30 days. All but 4 (5.4%) women had permeable cervices at the time of surgery.

CONCLUSION

The described regimen of vaginal misoprostol is safe and reasonably effective in inducing complete evacuation in missed abortions. When this does not occur, it almost always provides adequate cervical dilatation for surgery.

To be or not to be in the nucleolus

Compartmentalization has long been known to have a key role in regulation of cellular processes. By keeping enzymes and regulatory complexes in compartments where the delivery of substrate or exit of product is controlled, competing reactions can occur simultaneously in different parts of the cell. Moreover, spatial confinement facilitates the working of molecules participating in reaction chains and is crucial for coupling unfavourable with energetically favourable chemical reactions. Although in many cases intracellular compartmentalization relies on boundaries imposed by membranes, several non-membrane-bounded compartments exist in eukaryotic cells. One of these, the nucleolus, has recently attracted much attention. The emerging view is that molecular confinement in the nucleolus actively contributes to the control of cellular survival and proliferation.