Problem gambling severity and LGBTQ+ status: Evaluating influence of age and comorbid mental health and substance use problems

Abstract: This presentation will explore the relationship between LGBTQ+ identification and risk for problem gambling. Research has long identified in sexual minority groups higher rates of most mental health indicators, including anxiety, depression, suicidality, and substance misuse. However, little attention has focused on their risk of developing gambling problems. This study used an epidemiological sample of adults (N = 3,414), 6% of whom identified as LGBTQ+ (n = 216). Bivariate comparisons found those who identified as LGBTQ+ had significantly higher problems with gambling, alcohol, drugs, anxiety, depression, and a wide range of behaviors (e.g., binge eating, pornography use). Furthermore, a logistic regression found a significant interaction effect between LGBTQ+ status and age, such that the odds of having gambling disorder (PGSI ≥ 8) increased with age for individuals who identified as LGBTQ+ when controlling for demographic, mental health, and other addiction variables. Among those who gambled in the LGBTQ+ population, anxiety and/or problems with drugs were most associated with high-risk gambling. Implications: These results underscore the need to screen for gambling problems across all health, mental health, and community sectors where individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly older adults, could be identified and triaged to treatment. Presenter Bios: Jackie Stanmyre, MSW, ABD, is the Assistant Director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. Her research focuses on gambling and sports wagering among athletes and coaches, mindfulness profiles among people who gamble, screening and interventions for problem gambling, and play-by-play analysis for online gambling and sports wagering. Lia Nower, JD, PhD is Professor and Director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University. Her research focuses on etiology, treatment, policy initiatives around harm reduction and responsible gambling, and big data analyses of online gambling and sports wagering. She serves as a Senior Editor for Addiction and Assistant Editor of International Gambling Studies. Dr. Nower is also the 2022 recipient of the Lifetime Research Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling in Washington D.C. Michelle L. Malkin, JD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at East Carolina University. Her research interests include problem gambling, diversion courts, and LGBTQ+ experiences in the carceral system. In 2018, she received a research fellowship from the Center for Gaming Studies at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her dissertation on Problem Gambling, General Strain Theory and Gender received the 2022 Dr. Durand Jacobs Dissertation Award from the National Council on Problem Gambling

Adipocyte Lineage Cells Contribute to the Skin Stem Cell Niche to Drive Hair Cycling

SummaryIn mammalian skin, multiple types of resident cells are required to create a functional tissue and support tissue homeostasis and regeneration. The cells that compose the epithelial stem cell niche for skin homeostasis and regeneration are not well defined. Here, we identify adipose precursor cells within the skin and demonstrate that their dynamic regeneration parallels the activation of skin stem cells. Functional analysis of adipocyte lineage cells in mice with defects in adipogenesis and in transplantation experiments revealed that intradermal adipocyte lineage cells are necessary and sufficient to drive follicular stem cell activation. Furthermore, we implicate PDGF expression by immature adipocyte cells in the regulation of follicular stem cell activity. These data highlight adipogenic cells as skin niche cells that positively regulate skin stem cell activity, and suggest that adipocyte lineage cells may alter epithelial stem cell function clinically

Parasite diversity and ecology in a model species, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) in Trinidad

The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a model species in ecology and evolution. Many studies have examined effects of predators on guppy behaviour, reproduction, survival strategies, feeding and other life-history traits, but few have studied variation in their parasite diversity. We surveyed parasites of 18 Trinidadian populations of guppy, to provide insight on the geographical mosaic of parasite variability, which may act as a source of natural selection acting on guppies. We found 21 parasite species, including five new records for Trinidad. Spatial variation in parasite diversity was significantly higher than that of piscine predators, and significant variation in parasite richness among individuals and populations was correlated with: (i) host size, (ii) snail species richness, and (iii) the distance between populations. Differences in parasite species richness are likely to play an important, yet underestimated role in the biology of this model species of vertebrate ecology and evolution

A randomised, controlled study of outcome and cost effectiveness for RA patients attending nurse-led rheumatology clinics: Study protocol of an ongoing nationwide multi-centre study

Background: The rise in the number of patients with arthritis coupled with understaffing of medical services has seen the deployment of Clinical Nurse Specialists in running nurse-led clinics alongside the rheumatologist clinics. There are no systematic reviews of nurse-led care effectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis. Few published RCTs exist and they have shown positive results for nurse-led care but they have several limitations and there has been no economic assessment of rheumatology nurse-led care in the UK. Objective: This paper outlines the study protocol and methodology currently being used to evaluate the outcomes and cost effectiveness for patients attending rheumatology nurse-led clinics. Design and methods: A multi-centred, pragmatic randomised controlled trial with a non-inferiority design; the null hypothesis being that of 'inferiority' of nurse-led clinics compared to physician-led clinics. The primary outcome is rheumatoid arthritis disease activity (measured by DAS28 score) and secondary outcomes are quality of life, self-efficacy, disability, psychological well-being, satisfaction, pain, fatigue and stiffness. Cost effectiveness will be measured using the EQ-5D, DAS28 and cost profile for each centre. Power calculations: In this trial, a DAS28 change of 0.6 is considered to be the threshold for clinical distinction of 'inferiority'. A sample size of 180 participants (90 per treatment arm) is needed to reject the null hypothesis of 'inferiority', given 90% power. Primary analysis will focus on 2-sided 95% confidence interval evaluation of between-group differences in DAS28 change scores averaged over 4 equidistant follow up time points (13, 26, 39 and 52 weeks). Cost effectiveness will be evaluated assessing the joint parameterisation of costs and effects. Results: The study started in July 2007 and the results are expected after July 2011. Trial registration: The International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN29803766. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd

A common and unstable copy number variant is associated with differences in Glo1 expression and anxiety-like behavior

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) has been implicated in anxiety-like behavior in mice and in multiple psychiatric diseases in humans. We used mouse Affymetrix exon arrays to detect copy number variants (CNV) among inbred mouse strains and thereby identified a approximately 475 kb tandem duplication on chromosome 17 that includes Glo1 (30,174,390-30,651,226 Mb; mouse genome build 36). We developed a PCR-based strategy and used it to detect this duplication in 23 of 71 inbred strains tested, and in various outbred and wild-caught mice. Presence of the duplication is associated with a cis-acting expression QTL for Glo1 (LOD>30) in BXD recombinant inbred strains. However, evidence for an eQTL for Glo1 was not obtained when we analyzed single SNPs or 3-SNP haplotypes in a panel of 27 inbred strains. We conclude that association analysis in the inbred strain panel failed to detect an eQTL because the duplication was present on multiple highly divergent haplotypes. Furthermore, we suggest that non-allelic homologous recombination has led to multiple reversions to the non-duplicated state among inbred strains. We show associations between multiple duplication-containing haplotypes, Glo1 expression and anxiety-like behavior in both inbred strain panels and outbred CD-1 mice. Our findings provide a molecular basis for differential expression of Glo1 and further implicate Glo1 in anxiety-like behavior. More broadly, these results identify problems with commonly employed tests for association in inbred strains when CNVs are present. Finally, these data provide an example of biologically significant phenotypic variability in model organisms that can be attributed to CNVs.These studies were funded by MH070933, MH79103 and MH020065