Therapists’ views on working with bilingual Spanish–English speaking clients: A qualitative investigation.

Through semistructured interviews, language switching in therapy was examined with 9 bilingual Spanish and English therapists. Therapists were asked about how and when they switched from one language to another during treatment, as well as the ways in which their clients’ switched languages. After the use of consensual qualitative research methods (C. E. Hill et al., 2005; C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, & E. N. Williams, 1997), the results revealed that therapists used language switching as a mechanism to establish trust, bond with clients, and promote disclosure through the use of specific phrases or specific words; particularly, the use of Spanish idiomatic expressions (dichos) served to engage, redirect, and increase client self-understanding and awareness. Therapists reported that their clients switched from English to Spanish when recounting experiences that involved certain emotions (e.g., anger) and represented themselves differently depending on the language they were speaking. Therapists also reported that their clients switched from English to Spanish to improve communication and to connect with them. Future directions for research and implications for training and practice are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of the Multidimensional Acculturative Stress Inventory for adults of Mexican origin.

The Multidimensional Acculturative Stress Inventory (MASI), a 36-item stress measure that was developed to assess acculturative stress among persons of Mexican origin living in the United States, was tested on a community sample of 174 adults (117 women, 57 men). Principal-components analyses yielded 4 stable and internally consistent factors: Spanish Competency Pressures (7 items), English Competency Pressures (7 items), Pressure to Acculturate (7 items), and Pressure Against Acculturation (4 items). These 4 factors accounted for 64.4% of the variance and correlated in the expected directions with criterion measures of acculturation and/or psychological adjustment. Further reliability and validity testing of the MASI is discussed as well as the utility of this measure in assessing acculturative stress among adults of Mexican origin. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Observed maternal strategies and children's health locus of control in low-income Mexican Americans.

This study examined the relationship among mothers' health locus of control (HLOC) beliefs, their socialization strategies, and their children's HLOC beliefs in 80 low-income Mexican American families. Maternal socialization strategies were assessed from videotaped interactions of mothers and children engaged in a structured task. Factor analysis of the coded strategies yielded 4 factors: Tell Answer, Teaching, Clarify, and Reinforce. Findings indicated that maternal-health-internally scores negatively predicted mothers' use of the Tell Answer strategies and positively predicted their use of Teaching strategies. Mothers who believed that Powerful Others (e.g., health professionals) controlled their health were more likely to use the Tell Answer strategy. In contrast, mothers who believed that health was due to chance were less likely to use Teaching. Maternal use of Teaching strategies predicted children's internal HLOC, whereas maternal Tell Answer strategies predicted children's external HLOC. Findings suggest that mothers' HLOC beliefs influence the socialization strategies they use and that these strategies are associated with children's HLOC beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-disclosure of HIV infection: Preliminary results from a sample of Hispanic men.

Examined self-disclosure of HIV infection among 101 adult Hispanic men with HIV infection. Results indicated that disclosure was highly selective and presumably influenced by the social, psychological, and material consequences of informing others about one's medical condition. Ss tended to inform significant others (parents, friends, and lovers) rather than less significant others (employers, landlords, and religious leaders.) There was a high rate of disclosure (75%) to doctors/dentists who were not treating Ss for HIV infection. Gay and bisexual Ss were more inclined to disclose their HIV serostatus to homosexual or bisexual others than to heterosexuals, and to inform those who were aware of their sexual orientation. Disclosure increased with severity of disease independently of length of time since testing seropositive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prenatal estrogens and the development of homosexual orientation.

In psychobiological research on sexual orientation, the prenatal hormone theory has a central position. This article examines the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens contribute to the development of human sexual orientation. Several groups of women with a history of prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, were compared with several samples of control women in the context of a comprehensive study of the psychiatric and psychologic effects of prenatal DES. Various aspects of sexual orientation were assessed by systematic interview. Consistently across samples, more DES-exposed women than controls were rated as bisexual or homosexual (scores 2–6 on Kinsey-format scales ranging from 0 to 6). The data are compatible with the hypothesis that prenatal estrogens may play a role in the development of human sexual orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Energy efficiency labeling of buildings: An assessment of the Brazilian case

This paper addresses the application of Energy Efficiency Rating Technical Quality Regulations for Commercial, Service and Government Buildings - RTQ-C in order to ascertain whether the conventional construction system for buildings complies with these requirements. Additionally, it investigates the contribution of labeling to reducing electricity consumption by the building. To do so, the RTQ-C was applied to two buildings in order to calculate the efficiency levels of their envelopes and possible alterations are proposed for upgrading the envelope performance where pertinent. It is noted that conventional buildings adopting measures such as painting the walls and roof white, in addition to using smoked glass, are sufficient to bring the rating up to an A grade. As no specific concern was noted in the architectural designs for the buildings studied, making use of design strategies that minimize the use of electricity in these buildings, the findings of these case studies may well indicate that the RTQ-C has adopted technical requirements that are not particularly stringent. Consequently, it is believed that these requirements should be reviewed during a second stage, in order to make them more restrictive and attain further improvements in the constructed environment with better energy efficiency for buildings.     

Intracellular distribution of actin in cells of the orgen of Corti: A structural basis for cell shape and motility

Immunofluorescence staining and phalloidin labeling have provided localization of actin in the sensory and supporting cells of the inner ear at the light microscopic level. However, with electron microscopy, neither actin nor actin filaments have been found in the outer hair cell body. This paper describes various techniques utilized to preserve and identify cytoplasmic actin at the ultrastructural level. Post-embedding staining of Lowicryl K4M sections, pre-embedding staining of permeabilized cells of the organ of Corti, pre-embedding staining of vibratome sections, and pre-embedding staining of permeabilized dissociated cells documented the presence of actin, but each of these techniques was best suited to localize actin in specific parts of the cell. Cytoplasmic actin was labeled when isolated cells were lightly fixed and membranes were permeabilized with detergent—conditions under which the cell ultrastructure was compromised. Under conditions of optimal fixation, cytoplasmic filaments embedded in the dense granular matrix of the hair cell cytoplasm were observed.     

Variation and Genetic Structure in Platanus mexicana (Platanaceae) along Riparian Altitudinal Gradient

Platanus mexicana is a dominant arboreal species of riparian ecosystems. These ecosystems are associated with altitudinal gradients that can generate genetic differences in the species, especially in the extremes of the distribution. However, studies on the altitudinal effect on genetic variation to riparian species are scarce. In Mexico, the population of P. mexicana along the Colipa River (Veracruz State) grows below its reported minimum altitude range, possibly the lowest where this tree grows. This suggests that altitude might be an important factor in population genetics differentiation. We examined the genetic variation and population structuring at four sites with different altitudes (70, 200, 600 and 1700 m a.s.l.) using ten inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. The highest value for Shannon index and Nei’s gene diversity was obtained at 1700 m a.s.l. (He = 0.27, Ne = 1.47, I = 0.42) and polymorphism reached the top value at the middle altitude (% p = 88.57). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and STRUCTURE analysis indicated intrapopulation genetic differentiation. The arithmetic average (UPGMA) dendrogram identified 70 m a.s.l. as the most genetically distant site. The genetic structuring resulted from limited gene flow and genetic drift. This is the first report of genetic variation in populations of P. mexicana in Mexico. This research highlights its importance as a dominant species, and its ecological and evolutionary implications in altitudinal gradients of riparian ecosystems.     

Listeria monocytogenes in vegetables minimally processed

The demand of vegetables minimally processed (ready-to-use) has increased partly due to the frequent use of the food services, where the salads are always included in the daily menus. The use of new technologies for processing and packaging has made possible to obtain a product ready to serve. Nevertheless the associated risk of the presence of emergent pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes seems to be involved. The aim of this work was to assess the microbiological quality of this kind of food. 120 samples of vegetables minimally processed ready-to-use were analyzed for their content of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total and fecal coliforms and E. coli, and the presence of Shigella spp. Vibrio cholerae and Listeria monocytogenes. The TECRA UNIQUE LISTERIA, the BCM Listeria monocytogenes and the API LISTERIA systems, and the methods of molecular detection AccuProbe and GENE-TRAK were used for isolation and identification. E. coli was detected in approximately 30.3% of the vegetables used in this study. The genus Listeria was evidenced in 25% of the samples; 30% corresponded to L. monocytogenes. Shigella spp and Vibrio cholerae were not isolated. The findings of this study suggest the need of the microbiological control of the vegetables minimally processed ready-to-use to assure their quality and safety.     

The effect of different palm oil‐based bio‐polyols on foaming process and selected properties of porous polyurethanes

Rigid polyurethane foams were successfully prepared by blending up to 70 wt% of two different palm oil‐based bio‐polyols with a petrochemical polyether polyol. The bio‐polyols were synthesized by epoxidation–oxirane ring‐opening process using water (PP102) and diethylene glycol (PP147), respectively. Due to the high viscosity of both bio‐polyols the reactive mixture was heated to start the foaming reaction at about 50 °C. Under these conditions, the gelling reactions speed up as the amount of PP147 increases but slow down to a great extent when PP102 is used. The thermal conductivity of modified foams is higher and the closed cell content lower compared to reference ones, even when the bio‐foams present a lower apparent density. However, all foams exhibit reduced water absorption, excellent dimensional stability and better thermal stability at temperatures up to 400 °C than the control foam. Conversely, their mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties become poorer as the PP147 concentration increases and even more so if PP102 is used instead. PP147 foams containing up to 50% bio‐polyol could be used as a green replacement of petroleum‐based ones in applications where excellent behaviour in compression (the most affected properties) is not fundamental, with the additional advantages of reduced density and increased content of bio‐derived components. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry