Public trust is earned: Historical discrimination,carceral violence,and the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective

To assess whether knowledge of Tuskegee, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency's detainment of children, and satisfaction with the George Floyd death investigation were associated with trust in actors involved in the development and distribution of coronavirus vaccines.

Data Sources and Study Setting

National survey with a convenience sample of Black (n = 1019) and Hispanic (n = 994) adults between July 1 and 26, 2021.

Study Design

Observational study using stratified adjusted logistic regression models to measure the association between ratings of the trustworthiness of actors involved in the development and distribution of coronavirus vaccines.

Principal Findings

Among Black respondents, lower satisfaction with the George Floyd death investigation was associated with lower trustworthiness ratings of pharmaceutical companies (ME: −0.09; CI: −0.15, 0.02), the FDA (ME: −0.07; CI: −0.14, −0.00), the Trump Administration (ME: −0.09; CI: −0.16, −0.02), the Biden Administration (ME: −0.07, CI: −0.10, 0.04), and elected officials (ME: −0.10, CI: −0.18, −0.03). Among Hispanic respondents, lower satisfaction was associated with lower trustworthiness ratings of the Trump Administration (ME: −0.14, CI: −0.22, −0.06) and elected officials (ME: −0.11; CI: −0.19, −0.02). Greater knowledge of ICE's detainment of children and families among Hispanic respondents was associated with lower trustworthiness ratings of state elected officials (ME: −0.09, CI: −0.16, 0.01). Greater knowledge of the US Public Health Service Study of Syphilis in Tuskegee was associated with higher trustworthiness ratings of their usual source of care (ME: 0.09; CI: 0.28, 0.15) among Black respondents (ME: 0.09; CI: 0.01, 0.16).

Conclusions

Among Black respondents, lower satisfaction with the George Floyd death investigation was associated with lowered levels of trust in pharmaceutical companies, some government officials, and administrators; it was not associated with the erosion of trust in direct sources of health care delivery, information, or regulation. Among Hispanic respondents, greater knowledge of the ICE detainments was associated with lower trustworthiness ratings of elected state officials. Paradoxically, higher knowledge of the Study of Syphilis in Tuskegee was associated with higher trustworthiness ratings in usual sources of care.     

Changes in levels of dopamine and its metabolites in brain structures and immunocompetent organs during formation of the immune response

Laboratory of Mechanisms of Memory Regulation and Laboratory of Mechanisms of Neurochemical Modulation Institute of Physiology, Siberian Branch, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR Yu. P. Nikitin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 110, No. 7, pp. 66–68, July, 1990.     

Serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in the brain and immunocompetent organs after immunization

Laboratory of Mechanisms of Memory Regulation and Laboratory of Mechanisms of Neurochemical Modulation Institute of Physiology, Siberian Branch, Academy of Medical Science of the USSR, Novosibirsk. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR Yu. P. Nikitin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 110, No. 8, pp. 178–180, August, 1990.     

Reproductive Toxicity Evaluation of Acetaminophen in Swiss CD-1 Mice Using a Continuous Breeding Protocol

Acetaminophen (APAP) was evaluated for reproductive toxicityin Swiss CD-1 mice using a continuous breeding protocol. APAPwas administered in the diet at 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0% (w/w),which represented average daily intakes of 0, 357, 715, and1430 mg APAP/kg/day, respectively. Exposure of parental (P)breeding pairs to 1% APAP in the diet for 14 weeks during cohabitationsignificantly decreased the number of litters per pair, andreduced, although not significantly, the number of live pupsper litter. Importantly, 6 of 19 high-dose P pairs failed toproduce a fifth litter, and this fully accounted for the diminishednumber of litters in this group. In addition, the fifth litterthat was produced by the 13 high-dose P pairs averaged onlyabout 9 live pups per litter, which correspondingly reducedthe overall group average for this parameter. In comparison,the control and two lower-dose P pairs produced 11 or 12 livepups per litter on average. Although the birth weights for F₁pups in the final litter were unaffected by prenatal APAP exposure,postnatal growth was adversely affected as evidenced by retardedweight gain as measured at 28 and 74 ± 10 days of agefor all three dietary levels. At 1% APAP this weight gain effectwas more pronounced at Day 28 than at Day 74 ± 10, suggestingthat nursing pups may have been exposed to higher concentrationsor may be more sensitive to APAP and/or an active metabolitethan were the young adults. A mating trial of F₁ pairs at 74± 10 days of age indicated that mating, fertility, andreproductive performance were normal, except that the birthweight of F₂ pups was significantly depressed at 1% APAP. Thislatter effect may have been attributable to maternal toxicityin that body weight and relative pituitary weight were significantlydecreased, and relative brain and liver weight significantlyincreased, in high-dose F₁ females. In addition, body weightwas significantly reduced in the high-dose F₁ males at necropsy.No treatmentrelated effects on reproductive organ weights andno gross or histological changes in the reproductive tissuesof the high-dose F₁ male and female mice were observed. Continuousexposure of F₁ males at 1% APAP, however, significantly increasedthe percentage of abnormal epididymal sperm, while sperm densityand percentage of motile sperm were unaffected. Collectively,these data indicated that continuous exposure to 1% APAP viathe diet (1.43 g/kg/day) led to cumulative effects on reproductionin the P pairs, to retarded growth and abnormal sperm in theF₁ mice, and to reduced birth weight of F₂ pups.     

Reproductive Toxicity of Triethylene Glycol and Its Diacetate and Dimethyl Ether Derivatives in a Continuous Breeding Protocol in Swiss CD-1 Mice

Triethylene glycol and two of its derivatives were evaluatedfor reproductive toxicity in a continuous breeding protocolwith Swiss CD-1 mice. Triethylene glycol (TEG: 0, 0.3, 1.5,and 3%), triethylene glycol diacetate (TGD: 0, 0.75, 1.5, and3%), and triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TGDME: 0, 0.25,0.5, and 1%) were administered in drinking water to breedingpairs (20 pairs per treatment group, 40 control pairs) duringa 98-day cohabitation period. Reproductive function was assessedby the number of litters per pair, live pups per litter, proportionof pups born alive, and pup weight. There were no apparent effectson reproductive function in the animals receiving TEG or TGDat doses up to 3% in the drinking water (representing 6.78 or5.45 g/kg, respectively). However, some developmental toxicitywas demonstrated for both TEG and TGD. Continuous exposure ofdams to 1.5 or 3% TEG significantly reduced live pup weightat birth compared to control and 0.3% TEG, while exposure to3% TGD during lactation significantly (but reversibly) reducedpup body weights on Postnatal Days 14 and 21. In contrast, TGDMEwas toxic to the reproductive system as evidenced by decreasesat the highest dose (1% TGDME; 1.47 g/kg) in the proportionof pairs that produced at least one litter, live pups per litter,and proportion of pups born alive, with dose-related trendsseen in the latter two parameters. A crossover mating trialshowed that TGDME was more toxic to the female than the malereproductive system. These data indicate that TGDME (1.47 g/kg)is a reproductive toxicant in Swiss mice while re productivetoxicity was not demonstrated in mice receiving TEG or TGD (atdoses up to 6.78 or 5.45 g/kg, respectively).