Establishing an Academic-Community Partnership to Explore the Potential of Barbers and Barbershops in the Southern United States to Address Racial Disparities in HIV Care Outcomes for Black Men Living With HIV

Black men comprise most new HIV infections in the Southern United States and have worse HIV outcomes than their non-Black counterparts. We developed an academic-community partnership in Nashville, Tennessee, to explore opportunities to improve HIV outcomes for Black men. We recruited barbers to an HIV training and focus group discussion about prevention and potential barber/barbershop-based strategies to address HIV-related needs for Black men. We assessed HIV knowledge and stigma with validated scales and conducted thematic analysis on discussion transcripts. HIV-related stigma was low (1.8 of 15 points [SD = 1.69]) among 13 participants of unknown HIV status (12 men and one woman). HIV knowledge increased among eight (67%) participants after receiving a brief HIV didactic. Participants described general health care barriers (e.g., the social norm that Black men do not go to the doctor until they are "damn near dead"), fears about unwanted HIV disclosure when seeking HIV testing or care, and community fears about negative stereotypes associated with HIV. Participants expressed enthusiasm about receiving more HIV-related training and utilizing communication skills and client/community relationships to serve as health educators and navigators. Barbers highlighted opportunities to disseminate HIV information in barbershops and combine HIV interventions with other health issues, such as COVID-19, and suggested that these interventions may help reduce HIV-related stigma. Our findings suggest that barbers and barbershops are an underutilized resource for disseminating HIV-related health information and engaging Black men in HIV and other important prevention and care activities such as COVID-19.

A-11 Comparison of the PHQ-9 and ImPACT Affective Symptom Cluster Scores in Measuring Depression at Baseline Among College Athletes

Objective

Previous research has suggested that the affective symptom cluster in ImPACT can be used to screen for mood-related depressive symptoms in college athletes in place of a standalone mood measure (Riegler, Guty & Arnett, 2019). However, examining the clinical utility of a mood measure that additionally assesses for non-affective depression symptoms should be explored.

Method

Division II college athletes (n = 1,209) completed ImPACT and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at their first annual pre-participation baseline assessment (mean age = 19.28, 37% female). ImPACT symptoms were divided into four symptom clusters: physical, sleep, cognitive, and affective.

Results

Mean affective symptom cluster score was 0.51 while mean PHQ-9 total score was 1.32. Ninety (7.44%) of the 1,209 athletes fell above the cutoff for mild depression on the PHQ-9. The sleep symptom cluster was the best individual predictor of PHQ-9 total score (R2 = .202, p < .001) compared to the affective symptom cluster (R2 = .147, p < .001), physical symptom cluster (R2 = .124, p < .001) and cognitive symptom cluster (R2 = .145, p < .001). The individual ImPACT symptom of “fatigue” accounted for the most individual variance in PHQ-9 total score (R2 = .158, p < .001).

Conclusions

These results suggest there is clinical utility in utilizing a stand-alone mood measure to assess dysphoria that presents in a sleep-related manner as opposed to a purely affective manner.

The organizational context of non-lethal workplace violence: its interpersonal, temporal, and spatial correlates

This article examines 993 violent incidents involving faculty, students, and staff that occurred at a highly ranked teaching and research university and its affiliated medical center. Violent incidents were included in the sample if they involved faculty, students, or staff, regardless of their specific location or context (i.e., whether they occurred on campus and/or off-campus and whether they occurred within the context of work or some other activity). The theoretical goal of the project was to compare work-related incidents with non-work-related incidents of interpersonal violence occurring in a single, multifunctioning, and professionally hierarchical organization. Data were collected over a 7-year period from three police departments (city, county, and university), university records, and criminal history records obtained from the state police. The coding protocol was developed to capture crime-scene information pertinent to each of the incidents. This included information about the victim, the perpetrator, the relationship between the victim and perpetrator, and the violent incident. The data were examined using nonparametric statistics and logistic regression to model predictive differences between the workplace and non-workplace incidents. The results suggest that the workplace incidents of violence differ from the non-workplace incidents according to their time, victim age, degree of victim injury, and whether the workplace is a medical location. The authors conclude that these differences are better explained by the movement of people in and out of the workplace who bring societal violence with them, rather than by a category or type of workplace violence.

Characterization of a new AMPA receptor radioligand, [3H]2-amino-3-(3-carboxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid

(RS)-2-Amino-3-(3-carboxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (ACPA), which is a potent and selective agonist at (RS)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, has previously been shown to desensitize AMPA receptors to a much lower degree than AMPA itself. We now report the synthesis of [3H]ACPA (32.5 Ci/mmol), the neurochemical and pharmacological characterization of [3H]ACPA binding, and a comparison of the distribution of [3H]ACPA, [3H]AMPA, and [3H](S)-5-fluorowillardiine binding sites in rat brain. Under equilibrium conditions, [3H]ACPA was shown to bind to a single population of receptor sites on rat brain membranes. [3H]ACPA was shown to bind with single and similar affinities (15-45 nM) to cloned AMPA receptor subunits (GluR1-4), expressed in insect cells, whereas a K(D) value of 330 nM was determined for the binding of [3H]ACPA to cloned kainic acid preferring GluR5 subunits. Whereas Bmax and K(D) values for [3H]ACPA binding, determined using filtration techniques, were different from such obtained in centrifugation assays, Bmax and K(D) values as well as association and dissociation constants were not significantly affected by the addition of the chaotropic agent KSCN. K(D) values, determined under equilibrium conditions, were, however, markedly different from K(D) values derived from kinetic data. Furthermore, the results of analyses of these kinetic data were consistent with the existence of two different populations of [3H]ACPA binding sites. The pharmacology of [3H]ACPA binding sites was characterized using a series of AMPA receptor agonists and antagonists. Whereas addition of KSCN had little effect on the affinities of AMPA receptor agonists for [3H]ACPA binding, this chaotropic agent reduced the affinities of AMPA receptor antagonists structurally related to AMPA. Based on these and previously reported data, the AMPA receptor agonists, ACPA, AMPA and (S)-5-fluorowillardiine, seem to bind to and activate AMPA receptors in a nonidentical fashion, and these three agonists together may be useful tools for studies of AMPA receptor mechanisms.

Families of the lesbian baby boom: children's contact with grandparents and other adults

In an exploratory study of 37 lesbian-mother families, the frequency of children's contact with adults in their extended family and friendship networks was found to counter stereotypes of such children as isolated from parents' families of origin. Children were more likely to have regular contact with relatives of the biological than nonbiological mother. Mothers rated those in regular contact with grandparents as having fewer behavior problems, and those in more regular contact with unrelated adults rated themselves more positively on general well-being.

The relationship between alexithymia, depression, and axis II psychopathology in eating disorder inpatients

OBJECTIVE

The major purpose of this study was to examine alexithymia in relationship to depression and Axis II psychopathology in eating disorder patients.

METHOD

Fifty-three female inpatients representing three DSM-IV eating disorder diagnostic groups and 14 control subjects completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Eating Disorder Inventory-2, and the Beck Depression Inventory within the first week of their hospital admission and shortly before discharge. Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-III-R (SCID) I and II were also conducted. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the contribution of mood, diagnostic, and personality variables in predicting the alexithymia score.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

After controlling for depression, only the TAS factor, "difficulty expressing feelings," remained significantly different between groups, with the anorexia nervosa-restrictors (AN-R) having significantly higher scores than controls and bulimia nervosa patients. This factor appears to be a relatively stable personality characteristic in AN-R. The level of depression and the presence of avoidant personality disorder were the most predictable variables for the alexithymia total score.

The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire: an exploration of personality traits in eating disorders

The Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) was tested in four subgroups of eating-disorder patients: anorectic-restrictors (AN-R), anorectic-bulimics (AN-B), normal weight bulimics (BN), and bulimics with a past history of anorexia (B-AN). Normal controls and patients were matched for gender and age. All subjects completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in addition to the TPQ. AN-Rs scored lower on the Novelty Seeking scale than the bulimic groups and controls, and the two normal weight bulimic groups had higher Novelty Seeking scores than the controls. On the Harm Avoidance scale, all eating disorder groups scored significantly higher than the control group. In addition, the AN-Rs scored lower than the AN-Bs and B-ANs. The Harm Avoidance scale and depression scores were positively correlated while the Reward Dependence scale and depression scores were negatively correlated. Differences between diagnostic groups on the Novelty Seeking and Persistence scales remained clearly significant when depression was partialled out. These results are discussed in terms of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire as a stable measure of traits with eating disorder subjects.

Psychometric validation of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire: application to subgroups of eating disorders

Eating disorder patients show extremes of the personality characteristics measured by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). For this reason, the TPQ was tested in four subgroups of eating disorder patients. Patients completed the TPQ and their responses were compared with a normative sample of women. Results indicated that the TPQ is an internally consistent and valid instrument to use with eating disorder patients.

Parvovirus B19 outbreak in a children's ward

Parvovirus B19 infection can cause severe complications in pregnant women, individuals with haemolytic anaemia, and those who are immunocompromised. In a hospital outbreak of this infection, a balance should be struck between protection of these individuals and the maintenance of medical services. The index case of an outbreak of parvovirus B19 infection among staff and patients of a paediatric ward was not identified. 58 members of staff were screened for B19 markers and 4 of the 6 susceptible men and 6 of the 24 susceptible women became infected (p = 0.05) as defined by serum IgM and viraemia. 1 of the 11 adults (10 members of staff and 1 parent) infected remained symptom-free. 12 immunocompromised patients were also assessed, and symptom-free infection developed in 2 of these. During the outbreak staff with symptoms were put on sick leave, immunocompromised patients (there were none with haemolytic anaemia) were given normal human immunoglobulin and nursed in single rooms by B19 IgG-positive, IgM-negative staff, and the ward was closed to B19 IgG-negative pregnant women. However, the limitation of spread of infection cannot be attributed with certainty to the measures taken.

Stability and distinctness of borderline personality disorder

In a 3-year follow-up study the authors examined the diagnostic stability of borderline personality disorder over time, its relation to affective disorder, and the severity of functional impairment. The data support the usefulness of borderline personality disorder as a diagnostic construct.

Cryopreservation of human fetal pancreas

To determine the optimal conditions for successful cryopreservation of the human fetal pancreas, techniques developed for the rat organ were modified. The parameters studied were the conditions of exposure to the cryopreservation agent dimethyl sulfoxide (dmso), the rate of cooling and thawing, and the effect of in vitro culture. A total of 33 pancreases, obtained after fetal death due to prostaglandin-induced abortion, was studied. Survival of the pancreas is based on incorporation of 3H-amino acids into protein by pancreas pieces (2 mm3) during a 4-h incubation compared with nonfrozen control pieces from the same pancreas. Toxicity of DMSO at 37 degrees C was found to be severe after a 4-h exposure. Varying the effects of temperature, time of exposure, and concentrations of DMSO on survival after freeze-thaw revealed that 1.5 M DMSO for 1 h at room temperature was optimal. The cooling rate was 0.22 degrees C/min and thawing was at room temperature. Since these conditions resulted in only 50% survival, a period of culture before exposure to DMSO was added. The optimal duration of culture was 12--16 h. Using this method with addition of culture for 24 h after thawing, survival has varied from 70 to 120% of control. If a functional test for growth and insulin production by the frozen-thawed pancreas is positive, permanent shortage of the human fetal pancreas will be possible.