Cerritos College

The birth doula movement highlights a fundamental conflict between biomedicine's relationship with time and the uncertain processes of birth, demonstrating how speed at which interventions are offered and the timetables within which choices are made can interrupt and undermine patient autonomy, health, and safety. Drawing on 25 interviews with birth doulas in 2022-23, we present a theory of sociotemporal brokerage, arguing that doulas represent themselves as temporally attuned social brokers situated between hospitals and birthing people. We highlight various ways they claim to flow with the unpredictable rhythms of reproductive time and against harmful intrusions of biomedical time. In minimizing clocks and schedules and prioritizing emotions, informed consent, and relationships, doula narratives highlight the role the doula movement can play in humanizing reproductive care. We conclude by suggesting avenues for future research on reproductive justice and sociotemporal brokerage.

Mycotoxigenic fungi contaminate cereals, nuts, fruits, and other food commodities, threatening human and animal health. This review focuses on Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium verticillioides, and Alternaria alternata as representative mycotoxigenic fungi because of their importance as food contaminants and their production of major food-relevant mycotoxins. Some methods detect fungal presence or toxigenic potential, whereas others directly quantify toxins. Fungal identification or detection of biosynthetic genes indicates presence or toxin-producing potential, respectively, but neither replaces direct mycotoxin measurement. The diversity of targets, toxins, and food matrices remains a challenge for accurate and practical analysis. Particular attention is given to immunodiagnostic approaches, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), as well as complementary formats such as lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs), and immunosensors, for laboratory and on-site food safety monitoring. The advantages and limitations of these approaches, with emphasis on sensitivity, specificity, matrix effects, and sample preparation, are discussed. Future aspects will focus on integrated, matrix-validated workflows combining robust sample preparation, multiplex recognition, portable readout, and appropriate quality controls to enable faster and more reliable monitoring of fungal contamination and mycotoxins throughout the food and feed chain.

To better understand the misfolding behavior of α-synuclein (α-syn) at a controlled amphiphilic interface that models key features of membrane-associated confinement, we employed p-polarized Multiple-Angle Incidence Resolution Spectrometry (pMAIRS) in combination with Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer methods. The pMAIRS spectra were acquired at different time points during film compression to monitor the temporal evolution of supramolecular aggregation of the α-syn segment corresponding to residues 61-95 (α-syn(61-95)) at the air-water interface. Initially, α-syn(61-95) adopts an α-helical conformation with an overall tilt angle of approximately 31° to the interface. During two-hour compression, the peptide maintains its α-helical structure while undergoing gradual reorientation. The overall tilt angle decreases to 21.2°, indicating increased parallel alignment with the interface. Using 13C isotopic labeling at specific peptides residues, we observed that N-terminus residues (68G) transition from a perpendicular orientation to a more parallel configuration. In contrast, C-terminus residues (93G) remain consistently parallel to the interface throughout this process. Extended three-day compression reveals reporter-residue-specific conformational changes representing the N- and C-terminal regions of the NAC domain. N-terminus residues convert from α-helix to β-sheet conformation, as evidenced by the shift of the 13C amide I band from 1625 to 1616 cm-1 and its appearance exclusively in out-of-plane spectrum in pMAIRS. This indicates perpendicular orientation of backbone CO in these transformed residues. C-terminus residues (93G) retain their α-helical conformation throughout the extended incubation period. This creates conformationally asymmetric aggregates with distinct structural features. AFM imaging confirms the formation of early-stage protofibrils with structures that are morphologically and dimensionally distinct from mature fibers.

The practice of racial stacking continues to play a significant role in the National Football League (NFL or the League). This paper explores the effects of racial stacking on NFL hiring practices by enumerating examples of the selection of football players and how it fosters a disadvantageous environment for Blacks who desire to become head coaches and leaders of sport franchises. With data analysis that showcases hiring practices that affect Black and Brown head coaches and front-office personnel, the paper traces the hiring of Black presidents, general managers, and head coaches while critically assessing indicators of color blindness within the pipeline to NFL leadership positions. We contend that channeling athletes to specific playing positions on a team adversely affects their chances of advancing to leadership roles as coaches and team executives.