The 2016 Municipal Equality Index rated Augusta, the largest city in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), as one of the least lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) friendly cities in America. To understand the context of our region in relation to LGBT wellness, we conducted the first LGBT health needs assessment of the CSRA, assessing physical and mental health status and health care needs and experiences in the community. Participants (N = 436) were recruited using venue and snowball sampling and completed an anonymous online survey. Overall, the health problems experienced (i.e., obesity, depression) were not uniformly experienced across sexual orientation and gender identity; some groups experienced significantly higher rates of these conditions than others. Similarly, transgender individuals in particular reported higher rates of negative experiences with health care providers. Regional and national dissemination of these findings is critical to reducing health disparities and improving wellness of our local LGBT community.

Although college students’ caffeine consumption has increased over the last decade, studies have not yet determined the time frame in which caffeine exerts its effects nor the impact of the vehicle by which caffeine is consumed. Sixty college students were randomly divided into one placebo (flour) and three caffeine treatment groups: 5-Hour Energy ®, Starbucks DoubleShot ®, or caffeine powder; all dosed at 3 mg caffeine/kg of body weight.  A battery of tests was performed prior to dosing and repeated 2.5 and 5 hours post treatment. Mood was self-reported on a scale of 1-100 for happiness, alertness and focus. Cognitive function was assessed by Stroop and memory tests. Reaction time, heart rate, blood glucose, and electroencephalogram were recorded. All initial measurements across groups and group baselines vs 2.5 and 5 hour results were analyzed by ANOVA followed, when indicated, by post hoc t-tests at 95% confidence levels and only significant results are reported. All caffeine groups had elevations in mood and faster reaction times at 2.5 hours (most effects sustained for 5 hours).  The 5-Hour Energy® group rated alertness higher than other caffeine treatments, and was the only group to demonstrate decreases in alpha waves, memory improvements, and impaired glucose homeostasis. All caffeine groups had improved cognition with decreased Stroop test time and the caffeine powder and 5-Hour Energy ® groups had improved Stroop test accuracy at 2.5 hours. The 5-Hour Energy shot ® had the greatest proportion of sustained caffeine effects across test parameters.

Background: Blastomycosis, an endemic mycosis of immunocompetent individuals, is typically seen after exposure to waterways within rural wooded regions. It is not considered a disease of urban environments. Infection can be solely pneumonic or disseminate to skin, bone or central nervous system. Unknown factors influence disease acquisition and severity in children. Methods: We analyzed acquisition risks and disease characteristics of blastomycosis in children seen at a tertiary care center from 1998 to 2018 to identify potential exposure sources, measure disease severity and assess the effect of race upon disease severity. Results: Of 64 infected children, mean age was 12.9 years, with median time to diagnosis 38.5 days. About 72% were male, 38% resided in urban counties and 50% had typical environmental exposure. Isolated pulmonary infection occurred in 33 (52%). The remainder had evidence of dissemination to skin (N = 13), bone (N = 16; 7 clinically silent) and cranium (N = 7; 3 clinically silent). Infection was moderate/severe in 19 (30%). Two children (3%) died. About 79% of children with moderate/severe disease (P = 0.008) and 71% of urban children (P = 0.007) lacked typical environmental exposure. Comparing children from urban counties to other residences, 63% versus 5% were black (P < 0.001) and 71% versus 35% developed extrapulmonary dissemination (P = 0.006). Moderate/severe disease was seen in 7/17 (42%) black children but only 12/47 (26%) children of other races (P = 0.23). Conclusions: Blastomycosis, can be endemic in urban children in the absence of typical exposure history, have frequent, sometimes clinically silent, extrapulmonary dissemination and possibly produces more severe disease in black children.

These data suggest that monitoring specifically the β isoform may be more informative than non-isoform-specific assay methods.

Ingestions are a prevalent form of self-harm in teenagers and are unfortunately an increasingly common reason for admission to both acute care and critical care services. The goal of this study was to identify characteristics associated with requiring PICU stay among adolescents hospitalized for ingestions.