Refining Black men's depression measurement using participatory approaches: a concept mapping study.

Background: Despite cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage and risk factors, Black Americans have a lower prevalence of depression than whites. Given the emerging focus of depression as a public mental health crisis, culturally informed depression measures and scale development techniques are needed to better alleviate the mental health burden of socially marginalized populations. Yet, for Black men, race- and gender-related factors that position emotional vulnerability as a sign of weakness, may potentially mask the timely identification of mental health needs in this population.

They lift my spirit up: stakeholders' perspectives on support teams for African Americans facing serious illness.

Background: Active social and spiritual support for persons with cancer and other serious illnesses has been shown to improve psychological adjustment to illness and quality of life.

Objective: To evaluate a community-based support team intervention within the African American community using stakeholder interviews.

Methods: Support team members were recruited from African American churches, community organizations, and the social network of individuals with serious illness.

Patterns of care analysis among women with ductal carcinoma in situ in North Carolina.

Background: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast comprises approximately 25% of new breast cancer cases. The aim of this study was to delineate patterns of care for women with DCIS as related to age, tumor characteristics, and race/ethnicity. Further study goals included the identification of predictors of breast-conserving surgery (BCS), adjuvant radiation, and/or hormonal therapy, as well as breast reconstruction after mastectomy.

Automated measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity in rat peripheral tissues.

The accepted mechanism of toxicity of many organophosphorous and carbamate insecticides is inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. In mammals, part of the toxicity assessment usually includes monitoring blood and/or brain acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Other tissues, however, contain cholinesterase activity (i.