Your search

One of the four overarching goals of Healthy People 2020 is to achieve health equity, eliminate health disparities, and improve the health of all groups, including the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) populations. In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report that drew attention to the unique health disparities experienced by sexual minorities and underscored the need for a comprehensive approach to sexual minority health research. This article proposes a new model of LGBTQ health to help measure, explore, explain, and predict the impact of sexual minority status on health outcomes. The Intersectional Ecology Model of LGBTQ Health (IEM) demonstrates how the relentless hypervigilance of LGBTQ individuals in a heteronormative society impacts health outcomes through the primary vehicles of stigma and chronic, elevated stress. The purpose of the IEM is to guide future research and enhance public health practice for LGBTQ populations. © 2014 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Background: Significant racial disparities exist in the US unplanned pregnancy rate. We conducted a qualitative study using the theory of planned behavior as a framework to describe how low-income, African American women approach family planning. Study Design: Structured focus groups were held with adult, low-income, nonpregnant, African American women in Connecticut. Data were collected using a standardized discussion guide, audio-taped and transcribed. Four independent researchers coded the transcripts using the constant comparative method. Codes were organized into overarching themes. Results: Contraceptive knowledge was limited, with formal contraceptive education often occurring after sexual debut. Attitudes about contraception were overtly negative, with method effectiveness being judged by the presence of side effects. Family and friends strongly influence contraceptive decisions, while male partners are primarily seen as a barrier. Contraceptive pills are perceived as readily accessible, although compliance is considered a barrier. Conclusions: Contraception education should occur before sexual debut, should involve trusted family and community members and should positively frame issues in terms of achieving life goals. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Purpose: The study examined the barriers faced, the goals selected, and the optimization and compensation strategies of older workers in relation to career change. Method: Thirty open-ended interviews, 12 in the United States and 18 in New Zealand, were conducted, recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes. Results: Barriers to finding and maintaining work included task difficulty, problems with coworkers and management, lack of self-confidence, health/physical limitations, ageism, and stereotyping. Respondents' most frequently selected goals for a new career were the desire to help others, work satisfaction, and acquisition of learning. Seventy-five percent of respondents in paid employment had earning an income as a goal. Optimization strategies included drawing on past experience, assessing skills, seeking careers/organizations that fitted their values, and a willingness to accept lower pay or unpaid work. Attitudinal strategies included focus and persistence, optimism, and positive attitudes toward change. The compensation strategies reported were on-the-job training; help from coworkers, clients, or customers; friends and family social support; and professional networks. Management practices considered helpful were flexible work schedules, supervisors' patience, and formal recognition of the value of older workers. Conclusion: This qualitative study, using the SOC framework, showed that evaluating one's skills and values, being positive about change, and being part of a supportive work environment were key contributors to adaptive competence. © 2012 © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The present study examined how exposure to traumatic events impacts children with severe emotional disturbance who are being served in a school-based system of care. Multilevel growth curve models were used to examine the relationships between a child's history of traumatic events (physical abuse, sexual abuse, or domestic violence) and behavioral and emotional strengths, internalizing problem behaviors, or externalizing problem behaviors over 18 months. Results indicate that children receiving services (N = 134) exhibited increased emotional and behavioral strengths and decreased internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors from enrollment to 18 months follow-up. Children with a history of traumatic events improved more slowly than children without such a history on both strengths and internalizing problem behaviors, even after controlling for dosage of services received and other characteristics previously found to predict outcomes. Gender was also related to improvement in internalizing symptoms. Results highlight the continued need to assess the impact of exposure to traumatic events for children served in a system of care.

The present study examines the impact of child and family risk factors on service access for youth and families in a school-based system of care. Regression analyses examined the relationships between risk factors and services recommended, services received, and dosage of services received. Logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between risk factors and whether or not youth received specific types of services within the system of care. Results revealed that youth with a personal or family history of substance use had more services recommended than youth without these risk factors, while youth with a family history of substance use received more services. Youth with a history of substance use received a significantly higher dosage of services overall. Finally, history of family mental illness was associated with receiving mental health and operational services (e.g., family advocacy, emergency funds). Implications and limitations are discussed.

Background: During Drosophila development, titers of the steroid ecdysone trigger and maintain temporal and tissue specific biological transitions. Decades of evidence reveal that the ecdysone response is both unique to specific tissues and distinct among developmental timepoints. To achieve this diversity in response, the several isoforms of the Ecdysone Receptor, which transduce the hormone signal to the genome level, are believed to interact with tissue specific cofactors. To date, little is known about the identity of these cofactor interactions; therefore, we conducted a bioinformatics informed, RNAi luciferase reporter screen against a subset of putative candidate cofactors identified through an in silico proteome screen. Candidates were chosen based on criteria obtained from bioinformatic consensus of known nuclear receptor cofactors and homologs, including amino acid sequence motif content and context. Results: The bioinformatics pre-screen of the Drosophila melanogaster proteome was successful in identifying an enriched putative candidate gene cohort. Over 80% of the genes tested yielded a positive hit in our reporter screen. We have identified both cell type specific and common cofactors which appear to be necessary for proper ecdysone induced gene regulation. We have determined that certain cofactors act as co-repressors to reduce target gene expression, while others act as co-activators to increase target gene expression. Interestingly, we find that a few of the cofactors shared among cell types have a reversible roles to function as co-repressors in certain cell types while in other cell types they serve as co-activators. Lastly, these proteins are highly conserved, with higher order organism homologs also harboring the LXXLL steroid receptor interaction domains, suggesting a highly conserved mode of steroid cell target specificity. Conclusions: In conclusion, we submit these cofactors as novel components of the ecdysone signaling pathway in order to further elucidate the dynamics of steroid specificity. © 2011 Davis et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Research supports that office referral data is useful in informing programmatic decisions and planning interventions such as Positive Behavior Supports (PBS). Knowledge of patterns of office referrals may facilitate development of interventions that target specific groups. This study examines patterns in office referrals within an urban district by gender, race/ ethnicity and grade. Findings reveal that there are differences by grade that appear to be related to developmental level, with more referrals for aggression in younger students (grades K-6), disrespectful behavior in middle school students (grades 7-8), and attendance problems in high school students. Gender differences in the rate and type of referrals were found, with significantly more referrals for boys' delinquent/aggressive behavior, which may relate to how schools define unacceptable behavior and the data collection method. Finally, there were significantly more referrals for African American/black students than Hispanic students, suggesting that schools consider racial differences when developing behavioral expectations.

The molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity are not well understood. Identifying mechanisms underlying alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) in species for which the behavioural and fitness consequences of this variation are well characterized provides an opportunity to integrate evolutionary and mechanistic understanding of the maintenance of variation within populations. In the ocellated wrasse Symphodus ocellatus, the behavioural phenotypes of three distinct male morphs (sneakers, satellites and nesting males), which arise from a single genome, have been thoroughly characterized. To determine the neuroendocrine and genomic mechanisms associated with discrete phenotypic variation and ARTs in S. ocellatus in their natural environment, we constructed a whole-brain de novo transcriptome and compared global patterns of gene expression between sexes and male morphs. Next, we quantified circulating cortisol and 11-ketotestosterone (11-kt), mediators of male reproductive behaviours, as well as stress and gonadal steroid hormone receptor expression in the preoptic area, ventral subpallial division of the telencephalon and dorsolateral telencephalon, critical brain regions for social and reproductive behaviours. We found higher levels of 11-kt in nesting males and higher levels of cortisol in sneaker males relative to other male morphs and females. We also identified distinct patterns of brain region-specific hormone receptor expression between males such that most hormone receptors are more highly expressed in satellites and nesting males relative to sneakers and females. Our results establish the neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms that underlie ARTs in the wild and provide a foundation for experimentally testing hypotheses about the relationship between neuromolecular processes and reproductive success. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Fish exhibit impaired sensory function and altered behaviour at levels of ocean acidification expected to occur owing to anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions during this century. We provide the first evidence of the effects of ocean acidification on reproductive behaviour of fish in the wild. Satellite and sneaker male ocellated wrasse (Symphodus ocellatus) compete to fertilize eggs guarded by dominant nesting males. Key mating behaviours such as dominant male courtship and nest defence did not differ between sites with ambient versus elevated CO2 concentrations. Dominant males did, however, experience significantly lower rates of pair spawning at elevated CO2 levels. Despite the higher risk of sperm competition found at elevated CO2, we also found a trend of lower satellite and sneaker male paternity at elevated CO2 Given the importance of fish for food security and ecosystem stability, this study highlights the need for targeted research into the effects of rising CO2 levels on patterns of reproduction in wild fish. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s).

Prior research has shown that nonhumans show an extreme preference for variable-over fixed-delays to reinforcement. This well-established preference for variability occurs because a reinforcer's strength or “value” decreases according to a curvilinear function as its delay increases. The purpose of the present experiments was to investigate whether this preference for variability occurs with human participants making hypothetical choices. In three experiments, participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk made choices between variable and fixed monetary rewards. In a variable-delay procedure, participants repeatedly chose between a reward delivered either immediately or after a delay (with equal probability) and a reward after a fixed delay (Experiments 1 and 2). In a double-reward procedure, participants made choices between an alternative consisting of two rewards, one delivered immediately and one after a delay, and a second alternative consisting of a single reward delivered after a delay (Experiments 1 and 3). Finally, all participants completed a standard delay-discounting task. Although we observed both curvilinear discounting and magnitude effects in the standard discounting task, we found no consistent evidence of a preference for variability-as predicted by two prominent models of curvilinear discounting (i.e., a simple hyperbola and a hyperboloid)-in our variable-delay and double-reward procedures. This failure to observe a preference for variability may be attributed to the hypothetical, rule-governed nature of choices in the present study. In such contexts, participants may adopt relatively simple strategies for making more complex choices.

The long-term outcomes associated with happiness and meaning-making were examined by following up on participants in previous studies on experiential learning an average of 2.5 years later. Measures of happiness and meaning-making were extracted by analyzing the participants' journals using a computerized text-analysis program. Happiness as assessed by a composite measure of positive emotionality showed weak associations with the measures of adaptive functioning, and was negatively correlated with optimism, as well as positively correlated with emotion suppression. By contrast, meaning-making as assessed by composite measures of cognitive processing and self-distancing was robustly positively correlated with almost all measures of adaptive functioning. Regression analyses revealed that the two measures of meaning and their interaction term accounted for 20-24% of the variance in predicting the outcome measures. This study revealed that there may be at times a trade-off between happiness and meaning-making as well as a reversal in their patterns of long-term outcomes.

In species with internal fertilization, females can favour certain males over others, not only before mating but also within the female's reproductive tract after mating. Here, we ask whether such directional post-mating (that is, cryptic) female mate choice can also occur in species with external fertilization. Using an in vitro sperm competition experiment, we demonstrate that female ovarian fluid (ovarian fluid) changes the outcome of sperm competition by decreasing the importance of sperm number thereby increasing the relative importance of sperm velocity. We further show that ovarian fluid does not differentially affect sperm from alternative male phenotypes, but generally enhances sperm velocity, motility, straightness and chemoattraction. Under natural conditions, female ovarian fluid likely increases the paternity of the preferred parental male phenotype, as these males release fewer but faster sperm. These results imply females have greater control over fertilization and potential to exert selection on males in species with external fertilization than previously thought possible.

Adolescents are sensitive to the anxiolytic effect of ethanol, and evidence suggests that they may be more sensitive to stress than adults. Relatively little is known, however, about age-related differences in stress modulation of ethanol drinking or stress modulation of ethanol-induced sedation and hypnosis. We observed that chronic restraint stress transiently exacerbated free-choice ethanol drinking in adolescent, but not in adult, rats. Restraint stress altered exploration patterns of a light-dark box apparatus in adolescents and adults. Stressed animals spent significantly more time in the white area of the maze and made significantly more transfers between compartments than their non-stressed peers. Behavioral response to acute stress, on the other hand, was modulated by prior restraint stress only in adults. Adolescents, unlike adults, exhibited ethanol-induced motor stimulation in an open field. Stress increased the duration of loss of the righting reflex after a high ethanol dose, yet this effect was similar at both ages. Ethanol-induced sleep time was much higher in adult than in adolescent rats, yet stress diminished ethanol-induced sleep time only in adults. The study indicates age-related differences that may increase the risk for initiation and escalation in alcohol drinking. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early life neglect increases risk for the development of psychopathologies during childhood and adulthood, including depression and anxiety disorders. We recently reported epigenetic changes in DNA derived from saliva in three genes predicted depression in a cohort of maltreated children: DNA-binding protein inhibitor ID-3 (ID3), Glutamate NMDA Receptor (GRIN1), and Tubulin Polymerization Promoting Protein (TPPP). To validate the role of these genes in depression risk, secondary analyses were conducted of gene expression data obtained from medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) tissue of mice subjected to a model of maternal neglect which included maternal separation and early weaning (MSEW). Anxiety and depression-like phenotype data derived using the elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swimming test (FST), respectively, were also available for secondary analyses. Behavioral tests were conducted in MSEW and control adult male mice when they were between 65 and 80days old. ID3, GRIN1 and TPPP gene expression in the mPFC were found to significantly predict behavioral differences in the EPM and FST. These results further support the role of these genes in the etiology of depressive and anxiety phenotypes following early life stress. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) enhances the risk for alcoholism by increasing the propensity to consume alcohol and altering neurophysiological response to alcohol challenge. Trans-generationally transmittable genetic alterations have been implicated in these behavioral changes. To date, transgenerational transmission of PAE-induced behavioral responses to alcohol has never been experimentally investigated. Therefore, we explored the transgenerational transmission of PAE-induced behavioral effects across 3 generations. Methods: Pregnant Sprague Dawley dams received 1 g/kg ethanol (EtOH) or water daily on gestational days 17 through 20 via gavage, or remained untreated in their home cages. To produce second filial (F2) or F3 generations, similarly treated adult F1 or F2 offspring were mated and left undisturbed through gestation. On postnatal day (PND) 14, male and female F1, F2, and F3 offspring were tested for consumption of 5% (w/v) EtOH (in water), or water. Using the loss of righting reflex (LORR) paradigm on PND 42, F1 and F2 adolescent male offspring were tested for sensitivity to acute EtOH-induced sedation-hypnosis at 3.5 or 4.5 g/kg dose. F3 male adolescents were similarly tested at 3.5 g/kg dose. Blood EtOH concentration (BEC) was measured at waking. Results: EtOH exposure increased EtOH consumption compared to both water and untreated control groups in all generations. EtOH-treated group F1 and F2 adolescents displayed attenuated LORR duration compared to the water group. No attenuated LORR was observed in the F3 generation. BEC at waking corroborated with the significant LORR duration differences while also revealing differences between untreated control and water groups in F1 and F2 generations. Conclusions: Our results provide novel behavioral evidence attesting that late gestational moderate EtOH exposure increases EtOH intake across 3 generations and may alter sensitivity to EtOH-induced sedation-hypnosis across 2 generations. © 2016 Research Society on Alcoholism.