Long-term drinking stability in the open-access self-administration monkey model.

The Non-Human Primate (NHP) model for the study of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) as developed in our laboratories is critical to our understanding of the pathophysiology of voluntary, chronic, ethanol consumption. Previous work in this model established categories of ethanol consumption that parallel reported categories of human consumption across a spectrum spanning low drinking, binge drinking, heavy drinking, and very heavy drinking, albeit at generally higher daily intakes across categories than documented in people. Original categories assigned to ethanol consumption patterns were established using a limited cohort of rhesus macaques.

Exploring Coping Strategies and Barriers in Dementia Care: A Mixed-Methods Study of African American Family Caregivers in Kentucky.

This study explores coping strategies and barriers to dementia care experienced by African American dementia caregivers in Kentucky. Utilizing a convergent mixed-method design integrating focus group and survey data on African American dementia caregivers recruited through churches in Kentucky ( = 28), we elucidate three coping strategies: love-based coping, religion-based coping, and family support. Results from survey data supported these themes, with over 90% of participants reporting that they provide care to give back to family members and for religious reasons.

Pairing food and drink: A physiological model of blood ethanol levels for a variety of drinking behaviors.

We present a blood ethanol concentration compartment model which utilizes an animal's ethanol intake, food intake, and weight to predict the animal's blood ethanol concentration at any given time. By incorporating the food digestion process into the model we can predict blood ethanol concentration levels over time for a variety of drinking and eating scenarios. The model is calibrated and validated using data from cohorts of male monkeys, and is able to capture blood ethanol concentration kinetics of the monkeys from a variety of drinking behavior classifications.

Chalcones: Synthetic Chemistry Follows Where Nature Leads.

Chalcones belong to the flavonoid class of phenolic compounds. They form one of the largest groups of bioactive natural products. The potential anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiparasitic properties of naturally occurring chalcones, and their unique chemical structural features inspired the synthesis of numerous chalcone derivatives.

A Historical Analysis of Racism Within the US Presidency: Implications for African Americans and the Political Process.

This article examines the history of racism in the American presidency and the implications that it has had for Black residents of this country. The paper begins with a discussion of President Trump's racist rhetoric towards Blacks but notes that a history of racism is woven into the US presidency. We employ critical race theory as a theoretical framework to demonstrate why institutional racism has always been pervasive in the American presidency.

Six feet apart or six feet under: The impact of COVID-19 on the Black community.

To date, 110,000+ people in the United States have died from the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, the authors will discuss COVID-19 relative to Black people and their overrepresentation among those who are infected and died from the disease. Their dying, death, and grief experiences are explored through a cultural and spiritual lens.

Isolate independent molecular typing improves the yield of O typing of infections due to Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli.

Molecular screening has increased detection of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC). However, it is difficult to isolate the organism for epidemiological typing. We applied a molecular method for direct detection of nine O types from 110 stx positive faeces samples and compared the results with conventional isolate based methods.

Cultural responses to loss and grief among Black Americans: Theory and practice implications for clinicians.

Dying, death, and grief are universal human experiences that are impacted by cultural values and beliefs. We provide service providers a context from which to consider the importance of spirituality and religiosity in the grief process and the variances in grief practices that exist within the Black community. This knowledge can serve as a catalyst for developing culturally appropriate interventions for Black people aimed at helping them to more effectively cope with grief and further enabling them to thrive rather than merely survive a sociopolitical US climate that is laden with grief producing experiences.

"Eat to Live"-Piloting a Culinary Medicine Program for Head & Neck Radiotherapy Patients.

Background: Head and neck radiotherapy (H&N RT) patients are at risk for malnutrition following treatment due to dysphagia and alterations in taste quality. This project studied feasibility of a food skills intervention strategy support food preparation, cooking confidence, and individualized dietary choices to support nutritional status in this patient population.

Methods: We piloted a monthly cooking class (called "Eat to Live") from November 2018 to January 2019.

Time for a Drink? A Mathematical Model of Non-human Primate Alcohol Consumption.

We simulate a non-human primate's alcohol drinking pattern in order to better understand temporal patterning of alcoholic drinks that can lead to the excessive intakes associated with alcohol use disorder. A stochastic mathematical model of alcohol consumption pattern is developed, where model parameters are calibrated to an individual monkey's drinking history. The model predicts a time series that simulates a monkey's alcohol intake in time, and we analyze this drinking pattern to understand the variations in day and night drinking, the lengths of drinks (intake in 5 or more consecutive secs), and lengths of bouts (1 or more drinks per 5 min occasion).

Burnout and resilience in critical care nurses: A grounded theory of Managing Exposure.

Background: Many critical care nurses experience burnout; however, resilience shows promise as a potential solution to burnout. This study was conducted to better understand nurse burnout and resilience in response to workplace adversity in critical care.

Design: A grounded theory investigation, using the Corbin and Strauss methodology.

Black Male Mental Health and the Black Church: Advancing a Collaborative Partnership and Research Agenda.

This article explores the role the Black Church could play in facilitating spiritually sensitive, culturally relevant and gender-specific services to address the mental health and well-being of Black males. The help-seeking behaviors of Black men are examined as the authors offer two theories: the body, mind, spirit, environment, social, transcendent, and health, illness, men, and masculinities that may assist the Black Church in functioning as an effective support networks for healthy Black male mental health. Next, the authors discuss implications for practice, research, and education, and lastly, eight recommendations for Black Church leadership, social workers, and mental health professionals are also discussed.

Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting Program Committee: Analysis of Impact of Committee Size and Review Process on Abstract Acceptance.

Objective: To evaluate whether scientific abstracts selected for podium presentation at the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting differ based on the program committee size and/or the proportion of abstracts each committee member evaluates.

Methods: Abstract scores from the Orthopaedic Trauma Association program committee from 2010 through 2016 were obtained. All members (range, 8-9) reviewed each clinical abstract (range, 506-778) each year in a blinded fashion.

"I'm Still Here": Personhood and the Early-Onset Dementia Experience.

Early-onset dementia (EOD) occurs before age 65. The current study examined the lived experience from the point of view of four adults younger than 65 with dementia, particularly how they perceive their personhood. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis as the research approach, findings revealed that the EOD experience can be incorporated into six themes: (a) A Personal Journey, (b) Navigating the System, (c) The Stigma of Dementia, (d) Connecting to the World, (e) A Story Worth Telling, and (f) I'm Still Here.

Use of the EntericBio Gastro Panel II in a diagnostic microbiology laboratory: challenges and opportunities.

We sought to verify the performance of the EntericBio real-time Gastro Panel 2 (GP2; Serosep, Ireland) assay targeting Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, verotoxin producing E. coli (VTEC), Giardia, and Cryptosporidium in a high-throughput diagnostic laboratory. Following a technical verification period where 237 faecal samples were tested in parallel, guided culture and discrepancy analysis were performed.

Quantitative analysis of malondialdehyde-guanine adducts in genomic DNA samples by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Rationale: The lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde forms M dG adducts with guanine bases in genomic DNA. The analysis of these adducts is important as a biomarker of lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and inflammation which may be linked to disease risk or exposure to a range of chemicals.

Methods: Genomic DNA samples were subjected to acid hydrolysis to release the adducts in the base form (M G) alongside the other purines.

Identifying Future Drinkers: Behavioral Analysis of Monkeys Initiating Drinking to Intoxication is Predictive of Future Drinking Classification.

Background: The Monkey Alcohol Tissue Research Resource (MATRR) is a repository and analytics platform for detailed data derived from well-documented nonhuman primate (NHP) alcohol self-administration studies. This macaque model has demonstrated categorical drinking norms reflective of human drinking populations, resulting in consumption pattern classifications of very heavy drinking (VHD), heavy drinking (HD), binge drinking (BD), and low drinking (LD) individuals. Here, we expand on previous findings that suggest ethanol drinking patterns during initial drinking to intoxication can reliably predict future drinking category assignment.

Mass Spectrometric Mapping of the DNA Adductome as a Means to Study Genotoxin Exposure, Metabolism, and Effect.

Covalent binding of endo- or exogenous chemicals to DNA results in the formation of DNA adducts which are reflective of exposure of the human body to DNA-damaging molecules and their metabolic pathways. The study of DNA adduct types and levels in human tissue therefore offers an interesting tool in several fields of research, including toxicology and cancer epidemiology. Over the years, a range of techniques and methods have been developed to study the formation of endo- and exogenous DNA adducts.

A Unique DNA Recombination Mechanism of the Mating/Cell-type Switching of Fission Yeasts: a Review.

Cells of the highly diverged Schizosaccharomyces (S.) pombe and S. japonicus fission yeasts exist in one of two sex/mating types, called P (for plus) or M (for minus), specified by which allele, M or P, resides at mat1.

O⁶-carboxymethylguanine DNA adduct formation and lipid peroxidation upon in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of haem-rich meat.

Scope: Epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that the consumption of red haem-rich meat may contribute to the risk of colorectal cancer. Two hypotheses have been put forward to explain this causal relationship, i.e.

Exploring the experience of nursing home residents participation in a hope-focused group.

A qualitative intervention was used to explore how older adults living in a long-term care environment (nursing home) understand hope and experience being participants in a group in which a hope intervention was carried out. A group project in which each session focused intentionally on a hope strategy was carried out with a convenience sample of 10 women (ages 75-99) who were members of an existing group. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis of the interviews (conducted before the group intervention was carried out and again at the end), field notes, and collaborative conversations regarding emerging themes.

Development of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to investigate the presence of biomarkers of DNA damage in urine related to red meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer.

Rationale: The consumption of red meat is known to enhance the endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), which are potent carcinogens. DNA damage related to NOCs, and hence red meat, has been detected in colorectal cells and in blood. We proposed to extend previous studies to a non-invasive approach for the detection of O(6)-carboxymethylguanine (O(6)CMG) and O(6)-carboxymethyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (O(6)CMdG) in urine in relation to red meat intake using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).