Objective To determine if there are differences or similarities in arthritis intervention preferences and barriers to participation between Blacks and Whites with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Using a needs assessment survey, intervention preferences and barriers to participation in arthritis interventions among Black (n=60) and White (n=55) adults with self-reported doctor-diagnosed OA were examined. T-tests, chi-square tests, and multiple regression analyses adjusting for covariates were examined to determine race effects. Results While there were many similarities, Blacks were more likely to report cost (p<.01), lack of trust (p=.04), fear of being the only person of their race (p<.001), lack of recommendation from their doctor (p=.04), and lack of recommendation of a family member or friend (p=.02) as barriers to participating in a community-based self-management arthritis intervention. After adjusting for covariates, Blacks preferred interventions that provide information on arthritis-related internet sources (p=.04), solving arthritis-related problems (p=.04), and talking to family and friends about their condition (p=.02) in comparison to Whites. Blacks also preferred an intervention with child care services provided (p<.01), instructors and participants of the same race (p<.01; p<.001) or gender (p<.001; p=.03), allows a friend (p=.001) or family (p=.02) to attend, offered at a local church (p=.01), clinic (p<.01) or mailed (p<.01). Conclusion Findings suggest that similar interventions are preferred across racial groups, but some practical adaptations could be made to existing arthritis interventions to minimize barriers, increase cultural sensitivity, and offer programs that would be appealing to Blacks and Whites with arthritis.

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The first molecular dynamics study of a series of heterospacer-expanded tricyclic bases in DNA using modified force field parameters in AMBER is detailed. The expanded purine nucleoside monomers have been designed to probe the effects of a heteroaromatic spacer ring on the structure, function, and dynamics of the DNA helix. The heterobase scaffold has been expanded with a furan, pyrrole, or thiophene spacer ring. This structural modification increases the polarizability of the bases and provides an additional hydrogen bond donor with the amine hydrogen of the pyrrole ring or hydrogen bond acceptor with the furan or thiophene ring free electron pairs. The polarizability of the expanded bases were determined by AM1 calculations and the results of the MD simulations of 20-mers predict that the modified curvature of the expanded base leads to a much larger major groove, while the effect on the minor groove is negligible. Overall, the structure resembles A-DNA. MD simulations of 10-mers suggest that the balance between base pairing vs. base stacking and intercalation can be shifted towards the latter due to the increased surface area and polarizability of the expanded bases.

To receive federal homeless funds, communities are required to produce statistically reliable, unduplicated counts or estimates of homeless persons in sheltered and unsheltered locations during a one-night period (within the last ten days of January) called a point-in-time (PIT) count. In Los Angeles, a general population telephone survey was implemented to estimate the number of unsheltered homeless adults who are hidden from view during the PIT count. Two estimation approaches were investigated: i) the number of homeless persons identified as living on private property, which employed a conventional household weight for the estimated total (Horvitz-Thompson approach); and ii) the number of homeless persons identified as living on a neighbor's property, which employed an additional adjustment derived from the size of the neighborhood network to estimate the total (multiplicity-based approach). This article compares the results of these two methods and discusses the implications therein.

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