Protobacco Media Exposure and Youth Susceptibility to Smoking Cigarettes, Cigarette Experimentation, and Current Tobacco Use among US Youth

Purpose: Youth are exposed to many types of protobacco influences, including smoking in movies, which has been shown to cause initiation. This study investigates associations between different channels of protobacco media and susceptibility to smoking cigarettes, cigarette experimentation, and current tobacco use among US middle and high school students. Methods: By using data from the 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey, structural equation modeling was performed in 2013. The analyses examined exposure to tobacco use in different channels of protobacco media on smoking susceptibility, experimentation, and current tobacco use, accounting for perceived peer tobacco use. Results: In 2012, 27.9% of respondents were never-smokers who reported being susceptible to trying cigarette smoking. Cigarette experimentation increased from 6.3% in 6th grade to 37.1% in 12th grade. Likewise, current tobacco use increased from 5.2% in 6th grade to 33.2% in 12th grade. Structural equation modeling supported a model in which current tobacco use is associated with exposure to static advertising through perception of peer use, and by exposure to tobacco use depicted on TV and in movies, both directly and through perception of peer use. Exposure to static advertising appears to directly increase smoking susceptibility but indirectly (through increased perceptions of peer use) to increase cigarette experimentation. Models that explicitly incorporate peer use as a mediator can better discern the direct and indirect effects of exposure to static advertising on youth tobacco use initiation.Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of reducing youth exposure to smoking in TV, movies, and static advertising

Measuring a New Stress Domain: Validation of the Couple-Level Minority Stress Scale

Existing social stress frameworks largely conceive of stress as emanating from individual experience. Recent theory and research concerning minority stress have focused on same-sex couples' experiences of both eventful and chronic stressors associated with being in a stigmatized relationship, including having ongoing or episodic fears of discrimination, and experiencing actual acts of discrimination. Such couple-level minority stressors represent a novel domain of social stress affecting minority populations that is only beginning to become a focus in empirical investigations testing minority stress theory. This article presents the results of psychometric analyses of dyadic data from 106 same-sex couples from across the U.S., introducing the Couple-Level Minority Stress (CLMS) scale featuring eight new couple-level minority stress factors: (1) Couple-Level Stigma; (2) Couple-Level Discrimination; (3) Seeking Safety as a Couple; (4) Perceived Unequal Relationship Recognition; (5) Couple-Level Visibility; (6) Managing Stereotypes about Same-Sex Couples; (7) Lack of Integration with Families of Origin; and (8) Lack of Social Support for Couples. The CLMS demonstrated a clear factor structure with satisfactory model-data fit and subscale reliabilities. The CLMS also exhibited validity as a correlate of one indicator of relationship quality (relationship satisfaction) and three indicators of mental health (nonspecific psychological distress, depressive symptomatology, and problematic drinking) when controlling for individual-level minority stressors and has great potential to extend and enrich minority stress research, particularly studies that deepen understandings of longstanding health inequities based on sexual orientation

Interactions of the periplasmic binding protein CeuE with Fe(III) n-LICAM(4-) siderophore analogues of varied linker length

Bacteria use siderophores to mediate the transport of essential Fe(III) into the cell. In Campylobacter jejuni the periplasmic binding protein CeuE, an integral part of the Fe(III) transport system, has adapted to bind tetradentate siderophores using a His and a Tyr side chain to complete the Fe(III) coordination. A series of tetradentate siderophore mimics was synthesized in which the length of the linker between the two iron-binding catecholamide units was increased from four carbon atoms (4-LICAM(4-)) to five, six and eight (5-, 6-, 8-LICAM(4-), respectively). Co-crystal structures with CeuE showed that the inter-planar angles between the iron-binding catecholamide units in the 5-, 6- and 8-LICAM(4-) structures are very similar (111°, 110° and 110°) and allow for an optimum fit into the binding pocket of CeuE, the inter-planar angle in the structure of 4-LICAM(4-) is significantly smaller (97°) due to restrictions imposed by the shorter linker. Accordingly, the protein-binding affinity was found to be slightly higher for 5- compared to 4-LICAM(4-) but decreases for 6- and 8-LICAM(4-). The optimum linker length of five matches that present in natural siderophores such as enterobactin and azotochelin. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to investigate the relative importance of the Fe(III)-coordinating residues H227 and Y288

HIV Incidence among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Meta-Analysis of Published Studies

Men who have sex with men (MSM) have now become one of the priority populations for prevention and control of HIV pandemic in China. Information of HIV incidence among MSM is important to describe the spreading of the infection and predict its trends in this population. We reviewed the published literature on the incidence of HIV infection among MSM in China.We identified relevant studies by use of a comprehensive strategy including searches of Medline and two Chinese electronic publication databases from January 2005 to September 2010. Point estimate of random effects incidence with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of HIV infection was carried out using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Subgroup analyses were examined separately, stratified by study design and geographic location.Twelve studies were identified, including three cohort studies and nine cross-sectional studies. The subgroup analyses revealed that the sub-overall incidence estimates were 3.5% (95% CI, 1.7%-5.3%) and 6.7% (95% CI, 4.8%-8.6%) for cohort and cross-sectional studies, respectively (difference between the sub-overalls, Q = 5.54, p = 0.02); and 8.3% (95% CI, 6.9%-9.7%) and 4.6% (95% CI, 2.4%-6.9%) for studies in Chongqing and other areas, respectively (difference between the sub-overalls, Q = 7.58, p<0.01). Syphilis infection (RR = 3.33, p<0.001), multiple sex partnerships (RR = 2.81, p<0.001), and unprotected receptive anal intercourse in the past six months (RR = 3.88, p = 0.007) represented significant risk for HIV seroconversion.Findings from this meta-analysis indicate that HIV incidence is substantial in MSM in China. High incidence of HIV infection and unique patterns of sexual risk behaviors in this population serve as a call for action that should be answered with the innovative social and public health intervention strategies, and development of biological prevention strategies

Association between Dog Guardianship and HIV Clinical Outcomes.

Despite numerous potential health outcomes of dog guardianship, their value has not been examined in the HIV-positive population. The study objective was to examine the relationship between dog guardianship and HIV clinical outcomes (antiretroviral adherence [≥95% versus &lt;95%], HIV viral load [≥48 versus &lt;48 copies/mL], and CD4 count) among HIV-positive individuals. The authors conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data of 370 HIV-positive men on antiretroviral regimen enrolled in the Duo Project. Generalized estimating equations were used for inferential regression analyses, while controlling for the focal dog guardianship variable and nonfocal covariates. Current dog guardianship was reported in 28.7% of participants. Dog guardianship may be associated with higher CD4 (coefficient = 60.6, P = .052) and adherence ≥95% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.80, P = .048); however, having a detectable viral load was not related to dog guardianship (OR = 0.94, P = .85). Further clinical research with detailed dog guardianship data is needed to further examine the association between dog guardianship and HIV clinical outcomes

Smoking, internalized heterosexism, and HIV disease management among male couples.

High rates of cigarette smoking have been observed among HIV-positive individuals. Smoking has been linked to HIV-related medical complications and non-AIDS defining cancers and negatively impacts on immune function and virologic control. Although internalized heterosexism has been related to smoking behaviors, little is known about associations between partners' reports of smoking, internalized heterosexism, and HIV medication management in male couples with HIV. A sample of 266 male couples completed baseline assessments for a cohort study examining relationship factors and HIV treatment. A computer-based survey assessed self-reported smoking behaviors, alcohol use, internalized heterosexism, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. HIV-positive men also provided blood samples to assess viral load. Approximately 30% of the sample reported that they are currently smoking cigarettes. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, men in a primary relationship with a partner who reported currently smoking had more than five-fold greater odds of reporting smoking. Higher levels of internalized heterosexism and financial hardship were each independently associated with greater odds of reporting smoking. Among HIV-positive men on ART (n = 371), having a partner who reported smoking was associated with almost three-fold greater odds of having a detectable viral load. Our findings add new support to the evidence of romantic partners influencing each other's health behaviors, and demonstrate an association between smoking and disease management within male couples. Future research should explore the interpersonal and social contexts of smoking in order to develop interventions that meet the unique needs of male couples

Advances in the Conceptualization and Measurement of Health Care Empowerment: Development and Validation of the Health Care Empowerment Inventory

The Health Care Empowerment Model offers direction for the investigation of patient-controlled engagement and involvement in health care. At the core of the model is the construct of Health Care Empowerment (HCE), for which there exist no validated measur