Effects of religiosity and racial socialization on subjective stigmatization in African-American adolescents

The direct effects of religiosity and racial socialization on subjective stigmatization among 50 African-American adolescents were investigated. A stigma is a characteristic about which others hold negative attitudes and stereotypes. Subjective stigmatization measures the degree to which an individual internalizes such negative attitudes and stereotypes toward a social group of which he or she is a member. Participants who showed strong commitment to the church were more destigmatized than were participants who did not. Further, participants who received racial socialization messages stemming from a single "primary" category were more destigmatized than those who did not. Unexpectedly, the more racial socialization messages participants received, the more self-stigmatized they were. The importance of religiosity and racial socialization in the lives of African-American adolescents are discussed.     

The economic impact of foot and mouth disease and its control in South-East Asia: a preliminary assessment with special reference to Thailand.

A pilot study of the economic impact of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the countries and region of South-East Asia is described. Previous economic impact assessments are reviewed and summarised and a synthesis of these contributions is constructed. A framework for the future economic impact of the disease is then developed, incorporating analyses at the sectoral (production system), national and regional levels. Data requirements for such studies are also identified. Integrated epidemiological and economic models for impact assessment were developed and applied to the case study country of Thailand. The models were used to evaluate the economic viability of FMD control programmes in the country. Scenarios evaluated include the effect of improving vaccination coverage and thus reducing productivity losses, and the effect of eventual eradication of the disease. The results indicate that economic returns to the high expenditures incurred in FMD control could be achieved in the short term if greater international trade in pork products was made possible and export prices higher than those in the domestic market could be attained. If FMD were to be eradicated from Thailand in 2010, the eradication would be economically viable, even without exports, with a predicted benefit-cost ratio of 3.73. With additional exports, the economic justification for control becomes much stronger with a benefit-cost ratio of up to 15:1 being achieved. If eradication is not achieved until 2020, returns remain positive without exports, but at a lower rate. The authors propose that the integrated epidemiological and economic models developed be applied to other countries of the region to gain a more accurate insight into the future benefits of FMD control and eradication in the region.     

Combining qualitative interviews with video-recorded consultations: gaining insight into GPs' decision-making.

BACKGROUND: Studies of GPs' decision-making are important for facilitating our understanding of GPs' consulting behaviours. We have used a novel combination of semi-structured interviews and video-recorded consultations to research the influences on decisions made by GPs during their consultations. OBJECTIVE: We describe the use of GPs' video-recorded consultations as a stimulus for focused, semi-structured interviews and to discuss how this research method compares with other approaches for studying GPs' decision-making during consultations. METHODS: GPs' surgery sessions were video-recorded and later they were shown video recordings of themselves consulting with smokers before participating in semi-structured interviews about these consultations. Interviews aimed to describe the factors which GPs perceived to influence their decisions to discuss or not discuss smoking with patients. DISCUSSION: This technique can be used to research decisions, which are made frequently by GPs. It is probably most appropriate for gaining insight into decision-making during mundane consultations, to which GPs would otherwise give little thought.     

Booster immunization of HIV-1 negative volunteers with HGP-30 vaccine induces protection against HIV-1 virus challenge in SCID mice

Eleven HIV-1 seronegative subjects previously injected with an HIV-1 p17 synthetic peptide vaccine (HGP-30) were given two booster immunizations to evaluate memory cell responses and the ability to boost cellular and humoral immune responses. Five of 11 subjects showed a significant increase in their antibody titres to HGP-30 or p17 and 6/11 had T-cell proliferation responses to either HGP-30 or p17. HIV-1 virus challenge studies in SCID mice demonstrated that 39 of 50 mice (78%) receiving PBMC from 5 of the HGP-30 immunized subjects were protected from infection with a different strain of HIV-1 compared to 4 of 30 mice (13%) that received PBMC from 3 non-immunized subjects (p < 0.001). These studies show that booster immunizations with HGP-30 vaccine are safe and non-toxic and induce protective cell mediated immune responses.     

Exploring young people's difficulties in talking about contraception: how can we encourage more discussion between partners?

Interviews were conducted with 56 young men and women aged 16-19 within the Southampton Community Health NHS Trust to explore difficulties in talking about contraception. Concern about a partner's hostile or negative reaction to any discussion about contraception was central to explaining why some people found it so difficult to initiate such discussions. Admitting the intention to have intercourse, together with a perceived association between condom use and disease prevention, were the main concerns. There was some indication of gender differences in these findings. Furthermore, this negative reaction is perceived to be exacerbated according to the partner's reputation, the potential for harming one's own reputation and whether there is a desire for a longer-term relationship with this partner. The most important outcome of the interviews was that these concerns about a partner's negative reaction were largely unjustified, with the vast majority of participants showing only positive responses to scenarios of future partners initiating discussions with them about contraception. In addition to the need to improve communication skills, the data suggest that greater awareness about the positive reactions towards such discussions should be encouraged.     

Marketing syringe/needle exchange programs

In an effort to bring the AIDS epidemic under control among the highest risk population of injecting drug users, Syringe/Needle Exchange Programs are being considered, developed and implemented. This paper looks at some of the programs in the United States in various stages of development. Also discussed will be the medical, social and political issues surrounding Needle Exchange Programs.     

The on-eye dehydration of proclear compatibles lenses.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the on-eye dehydration over time, of molded omafilcon A lenses (Proclear Compatibles) compared to a range of frequent replacement lenses. METHODS: Ten subjects wore a Proclear Compatibles lens in one eye and a control lens in the other eye for 4-, 8- and 12-hours. The control lenses were Acuvue, Soflens 66 and Optima frequent replacement lenses. Each subject wore three different pairs of lenses for each time period in a masked, randomized fashion. A gravimetric technique was used to determine lens water content. RESULTS: The Proclear Compatibles lenses showed significantly less relative dehydration than the Acuvue and Soflens 66 lenses. The Acuvue and Soflens 66 lenses showed a significant increase in relative dehydration with increasing wearing time. Subjective comfort was graded higher with the Proclear Compatibles than with the Acuvue lenses. There was a significant negative correlation between Acuvue dehydration and subjective ratings of comfort. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that Proclear Compatibles lenses dehydrate significantly less than the other frequent replacement high-water content lenses. The Acuvue and Soflens 66 lenses showed increasing dehydration during the 4-12 hour wearing period.     

Potential for Central American mosquitoes to transmit epizootic and enzootic strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.

Experimental studies were undertaken to compare the vector competence of Culex (Melanoconion) taeniopus Dyar and Knab, Culex (Melanoconion) ocossa Dyar and Knab, and Psorophora confinnis (Lynch Arribalzalga) from Central America for epizootic (IAB) and enzootic (IE) strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus. Virus infection and dissemination rates were significantly higher in Cx. taeniopus orally exposed to IE as compared to those orally exposed to IAB virus. In contrast, both infection and dissemination rates were similar in Cx. ocossa exposed to either IAB or IE strains of VEE virus. Thus, susceptibility to epizootic and enzootic strains of VEE virus seems to be species specific within the subgenus Culex (Melanoconion). Both species transmitted each strain of VEE virus after intrathoracic inoculation, indicating that a midgut barrier affected vector competence in these species. Psorophora confinnis was equally susceptible to both IAB and IE viruses, but apparently had a salivary gland barrier, as only 1 of 16 mosquitoes with a disseminated infection transmitted VEE virus by bite.     

Resistance to glutathione depletion in diabetic and non-diabetic human erythrocytes in-vitro

We have investigated the resistance of erythrocytes from diabetics and non-diabetics to glutathione depletion caused by p-benzoquinone, 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), diethyl maleate and 4-aminophenol. Incubation of erythrocytes with 4-aminophenol (2 mM) caused a precipitous reduction (>80%) in cellular glutathione levels although there was no significant difference between 4-aminophenol-mediated glutathione depletion in the diabetic and non-diabetic cells. p-Benzoquinone and CDNB were both associated with a less severe initial reduction in glutathione levels (>50% at 30 min) although p-benzoquinone caused greater depletion (P < 0.001) at 4.5 h (21.1 +/- 3.1%, non-diabetic; 20.0 +/- 1.0%, diabetic) compared with CDNB (49.2 +/- 2.2%, non-diabetic; 51.3 +/- 1.1% diabetic). Although there was no significant difference between the two types of cell in terms of level of depletion, administration of diethyl maleate caused a significant reduction in glutathione levels at 30 min (P < 0.0005), 3.5 h (P < 0.05) and 4.5 h (P < 0.05) in erythrocytes from diabetic man compared with those from non-diabetic man. Co-administration of buthionine sulphoximine (20 mM) and 4-aminophenol (1 mM) also led to a significant reduction in glutathione levels in diabetic cells at 30 min (P < 0.05), 3.5 h (P < 0.02) and 4.5 h (P < 0.007) compared with those in non-diabetic cells. The observations that diabetic red cells' resistance to depletion was similar to that of nondiabetic cells for three of the four depletors, and that the combination of 4-aminophenol and buthionine sulphoximine-mediated inhibition of glutathione synthesis was required to illustrate differences suggests that diabetic complications might be a result of the long-term effect of small deficiencies in oxidative self-defence mechanisms such as glutathione.