Graduate Research Posters

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  Multidimensional Recovery Among an Opioid Use Disorder Outpatient Treatment Population

  Anna Beth Parlier-Ahmad, Lori Beck, and Caitlin E. Martin

  Background: Given the current opioid crisis, recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD) warrants attention. SAMHSA’s working definition of recovery highlights dimensions that support recovery including health, home, community, and purpose. Recovery capital captures factors that support recovery within these dimensions and has been associated with recovery outcomes. Prior research highlights possible gender differences in recovery outcomes. Objective: 1) Describe and compare recovery capital among an OUD outpatient treatment population by gender; 2) Identify the relationship between recovery capital and length of time in treatment within this population.

  Methods: Patients (n=126) taking medication for OUD at a single outpatient substance use treatment clinic completed an electronic, cross-sectional survey (July-September 2019). The Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital (BARC-10) assessed recovery components. Length of current treatment episode was abstracted from Virginia’s Prescription Monitoring Program. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi square and Mann Whitney-U were used to test differences by gender. Multivariate linear regression was conducted.

  Results: Participants (n=126) were 45.3% men and 54.7% women. Most identified as Black (67.7%) and were single (69.0%). Compared to men, women were younger (38.8711.31 vs. 47.0712.12; p<.001) and more likely to be unemployed (60.9% vs. 42.1%; p=.037). Mean BARC-10 score was 45.08 (9.73) and did not vary by gender. Several BARC-10 individual items within the purpose recovery dimension differed by gender (p<.05). More social support was associated with higher BARC-10 score (p<.001); length of treatment was not (p=.599).

  Conclusions: Recovery capital was high and gender differences minimal. Individuals receiving medication for OUD can initiate and sustain recovery.

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  Differences in treatment for substance use disorders by insurance status: Self-help only versus outpatient medical treatment

  Huyen Pham, Lauryn Walker PhD RN, Andrew J. Barnes PhD, and Peter Cunningham PhD

  Background: The role of insurance on substance use disorders (SUD) treatment utilization generally is poorly understood and still less is known on how insurance status relates to the use of evidence-based treatment (i.e., medicalization approach) compared to other treatments, like single self-help groups, where the research on effectiveness is less supportive. This study examines associations between health insurance and any SUD treatment utilization as well as use of single self- help versus medicalization approach.

  Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were from the 2015-2017, public use National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Adjusted logistic regressions were used to examine the associations controlling for socio-demographics, recent major depressive episode, and survey year. All analyses used survey weights to be representative of the US population and account for the NSDUH’s complex survey design.

  Results: After adjustment for covariates, those with publicly insured remained more likely to use any SUD treatment in the past year (odd ratio [OR] 1.82; 95% CI: 1.36-2.43), compared to those without insurance. Further, compared with uninsured, those with public insurance reported lower odds of using only self-help treatment (OR 0.42; 95% CI: 0.23-0.74) versus medicalization approach utilization.

  Conclusions: Publicly insured persons with SUD are more likely to use SUD treatment in the past year than the uninsured. Uninsured people with SUD are more likely to use single self-help as a substitute for medicalization approach.

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  Life Satisfaction: Measurement Invariance and Correlations with Adolescent Adjustment

  Sarah K. Pittman, Robert F. Valois, and Albert D. Farrell

  Background

  Low life satisfaction during adolescence has been associated with adjustment problems. There are few well-validated measures available to assess adolescents’ life-satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of the Life Satisfaction Scale, evaluate its measurement invariance across sex and race/ethnicity, and investigate its associations with related constructs.

  Methods

  Participants were 3,340 adolescents from rural middle schools in Florida. Half the participants were female, 51% were White, 15% were Black, and 22% were Latinx. Adolescents completed the Life Satisfaction Scale, the Children’s Report of Exposure to Violence scale, and the Problem Behavior Frequency Scale.

  Results

  Confirmatory factor analysis found support for a single factor representing overall life satisfaction, and strong measurement invariance across race, but not across sex. There were significant differences in item thresholds such that girls at the same level of life satisfaction as boys, were more likely to endorse higher responses to items assessing satisfaction with school, with themselves, and with their friendships. Life satisfaction had significant negative correlations with violence exposure, problem behavior, and peer pressure for drug use.

  Conclusion

  Findings suggest that the Life Satisfaction Scale may be suitable for assessing life satisfaction across different groups of adolescents. Examining sex differences must be done cautiously as life satisfaction may have different meanings to boys and girls. The inverse correlations between life satisfaction, violence exposure and problem behavior across groups highlights the importance of developing sound measures to assess this important construct and determine how it relates to youth adjustment.

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  Photolithographic micropatterning of organic, flexible biomaterials and its applications

  Sayantan Pradhan, Sayantan Pradhan, Meng Xu, and Vamsi K. Yadavalli

  A current trend in biodevices has involved a shift from traditional rigid platforms to flexible and stretchable formats. These flexible devices are expected to have a significant impact on future healthcare, disease diagnostics and therapeutics. However, the fabrication of such flexible devices has been limited by the choice of materials. Biomimetic composites of naturally derived and synthetic polymers provide exciting opportunities to develop mechanically flexible, physiologically compliant, and degradable bioelectronic systems. Advantages include the ability to provide conformal contact at non-planar biointerfaces, being able to be degraded at controllable rate, and invoking minimal reactions within the body. These factors present great potential as implantable devices for in-vivo applications, while also addressing concerns with “electronic waste” by being intrinsically degradable. In this work, we present a combination of photo-crosslinkable silk proteins and conductive polymers to precisely fabricate flexible devices and cell culture substrate. A facile and scalable photolithography is applied to fabricate flexible substrates with conductive and non- conductive micropatterns which show tuneable electrical and mechanical properties. We also demonstrate an approach to engineer flexibility in materials through the creation of patterned defects inspired from Kirigami- the Japanese art of paper cutting. Mechanically flexible, free- standing, optically transparent, large-area biomaterial sheets with precisely defined and computationally designed microscale cuts can be formed using a single-step photolithographic process. As composites with conducting polymers, flexible, intrinsically electroactive sheets can be formed. Through this work, the possibility of making next- generation, fully organic, flexible bioelectronics is explored.

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  Predicting Caregiver Burden Over the First 4 Months After TBI in Latin America: A Multi-site, Multi-Country Study

  Mickeal Pugh Jr., Paul B. Perrin, Yaneth Rodriguez, Silvia Olivera, Maria Cristina Quijano, and Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla

  Disparities in TBI exist between developed and developing regions, and this neurological condition typically requires caregivers to provide aid and functional support for those with TBI (Hyder, Wunderlich, Puvanachandra, Gururaj, & Kobusingye, 2007). Latin America, among these global regions, has elevated risks of both sustaining TBI and poorer post-TBI functioning (Bonow et al., 2018). Previous literature has shown the poor cognitive, mental health, and social functional outcomes following the injury (Deloche, Dellatolas, & Christensen, 2000), but research has minimally explored both longitudinal trends of these outcomes, and if functional outcomes of the injury differentially predict caregiver burden. The aim of the current study was to examine if deficits in cognitive/executive functioning, depression, and social disadaptation among individuals with TBI in Latin America predict longitudinal trajectories of caregiver burden. A sample of 109 Latin American caregivers of individuals with a newly sustained TBI, from three hospitals were included in the study. In order to evaluate this series of relationships, Hierarchal Linear Modeling (HLM) assessed whether key features of TBI (e.g, depression, cognitive dysfunction, and social disadaptation), at baseline, predicted longitudinal outcomes of caregiver burden. Study findings showed that social disadaptation significantly predicted caregiver burden trajectory. Further, results showed that caregiver burden trajectories generally decreased over time, and men reported greater caregiver burden compared to women. These findings highlight unique trends among post-TBI caregivers in Latin America and suggest that future research should assess mechanisms that influence these trends.

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  Examining gender differences in young men and women’s goals for a technology-driven weight loss intervention

  Jean M. Reading, Melissa M. Crane, and Jessica G. LaRose

  Background

  Emerging adults (EA) are at high risk for weight gain and obesity yet are underrepresented in behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs and fare worse than their older counterparts when they join these programs. Further, even within BWL programs adapted specifically for this population, young men are particularly challenging to recruit, representing less than 20% of samples in recent trials. One hypothesis for the poor recruitment of men is that men’s goals for a weight loss program are not described in recruitment messages for these studies. Understanding whether men and women’s personal goals for participating in a weight loss program could be a key way to tailor recruitment messaging. As such, the objective of this study is to compare young men and women’s personal goals for a BWL program.

  Methods

  Participants (N=382; 21.9+1.2 years; 83% female; BMI=33.5+4.9 kg/m²) were recruited for a technology-driven weight loss intervention adapted for this age group. At baseline, participants ranked their top 3 personal goals from a list of 15 areas in which they wanted to see change during the program. The most commonly reported areas (n=8) were coded as yes or no if the goal was ranked as one of their top 3. Chi-square tests were conducted to compare men and women on the most commonly reported goals for the program; using Bonferroni correction to adjust for multiple comparisons (p<.006).

  Results

  Overall, the most commonly reported areas for wanting to change in the program were: weight (62.7%), physical fitness (43.7%), body fat percentage (25.7%), body shape (25.1%), energy level (24.1%), clothing size (19.6%), confidence (18.8%), and self-esteem (18.0%). Weight was the most commonly ranked as a top goal (43.5%), followed by physical fitness (11.3%) and body fat percentage (8.9%). No significant differences were found between men and women for personal goals.

  Conclusion

  Emerging adults have a desire to lose weight and body fat, as well as improve physical fitness when it comes to personal goals for a weight loss program. While there were no gender differences in goals for a weight loss program, this could be due to enrollment of a treatment seeking sample. Coupled with differential enrollment of young men, it is possible the results may not be representative of non-treatment seeking young men. More research is needed to understand potential gender differences in goals for a weight loss program to improve recruitment messaging targeting young men.

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  Impact of Diet on Colorectal Cancer

  Ashley Rosenberg MD, Mirinda Gromley MSPH, Nicole Weighard MD, and Juan Lu J PhD MPH MD

  Background

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed worldwide. Modifiable risk factors such as diet have been linked to the development of CRC but results of previous research have been inconsistent. We utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to determine whether the consumption of dietary variables contributed to increased diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

  Methods

  Participants from NHANES 2015-2016 database aged 16 years or older, with available two-day dietary and CRC information were included. Study exposure included dietary consumptions (salt, cholesterol, sugar, fat, and carbohydrates); the outcome was self-reported CRC. Descriptive analysis was performed with chi-square tests to elicit the relationship between dietary consumptions and CRC, and a multivariate logistic regression model, adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics age, race, sex, income, BMI, smoking status, dietary consumptions, and complex sample design.

  Results

  A total of 76,044 participants were included. Individuals with older age (66-80 years vs. <65:>74% vs. 26%; p$35,000: 62% vs. 38%; p

  Conclusions

  A significant association was found between income, age and self-reported CRC. Although literature supports a relationship between diet and colorectal cancer, a more extensive dietary history may be needed to elicit the relationship.

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  Perceptions of Using Smart Speaker Technology for Improving the Health and Wellness of Older Adults Living in a Low-Income Community

  Brooke Saba McDowell, Jane Chung, and Johnathan Bennett

  There is a growing interest in the usage of smart speakers in various settings with older adults for improved quality of life and health. Residents who live within a low-income housing development may benefit from the use of smart speaker technology for creating a more engaging and healthier lifestyle. Because technology acceptance is critical; this study aims to examine smart speaker acceptance among low-income senior housing residents. A cross-sectional survey (n=46) was conducted to assess smart speaker acceptance, perceived usefulness, perceived ease, and privacy concerns. Individuals were recruited through varying methodologies, including group information sessions, sign-up sheets, word of mouth, contact cards, and fliers. Descriptive analysis indicated study participants were 51% male; 63% Black/African American, and 87% completed a high school degree/GED or less. The technology survey results indicated that 66% were smartphone users, 51% had laptops, 87% heard “of an Echo Dot or Alexa,” and 89% reported that a reminder of medical appointments would be helpful. Also, 96% agreed it would be helpful to use the smart speaker if they had fallen, to alert someone. Technology can be helpful to older adults living in low-income environments. Most study participants reported that a smart speaker would be helpful in the case of a fall and that it would be helpful to use as a medication reminder system. This research can be used as guidelines for designing smart speaker-based health interventions for older adults and is an important step towards understanding the perception of smart speaker technology.

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  Perfusion Cell Seeding and Expansion in Dual Mechanical Stimulation Bioreactor for In Vitro Tissue Development

  Sarah Saunders, Sam Coles, and Joao S. Soares

  BACKGROUND: Engineered tissues are an exciting potential source of small diameter vascular grafts due to limited supply and patency of available alternatives. Engineered tissue vascular grafts (ETVGs) will provide physiological function that resembles native arteries and maintain the required mechanical properties as they integrate with host tissue. Mechanical stimulation during incubation encourages proper cell alignment and increases extracellular matrix deposition. The enhanced organization of the engineered tissue leads to improved compliance over synthetic alternatives without sacrificing strength and may lead to better integration in vivo.

  METHODS: We have developed a bioreactor that mechanically trains grafts during incubation. To test the seeding efficiency of the bioreactor, rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were seeded onto electrospun PCL scaffolds by perfusion at various cell concentrations then incubated Page | 15 for 1 week under static conditions. We assessed gross morphology with H&E; collagen with picrosirius red; and VSMC density with DAPI. ETVGs were further evaluated with mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy to evaluate mechanical and microstructural properties.

  RESULTS: Cells were successfully seeded evenly onto the luminal surface of electrospun PCL scaffolds. Cells remained viable and continued to proliferate and deposit ECM throughout incubation.

  CONCLUSIONS: Progress in the ETVG paradigm requires a systematic approach toward better understanding of the cause-effect interplay between implant properties, host reactions, and their modulation with controllable parameters. Future directions involve the assessment of the effects of mechanical training on growth and remodeling of engineered tissues in vitro and subsequent effects on the foreign body response post-implantation in a murine model.

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  Food Choice as a Signal of Racial Identity

  Danyel Smith; Shawn C.T. Jones, PhD; and Nao Hagiwara,PhD

  Objectives: This study experimentally assessed food preference as one potentially important racial identity cue particularly for Black Americans, which in turn impacts interpersonal relations both between ethnicities/races (i.e., inter-group) and within ethnicity/race (i.e., intra-group). We hypothesized that preference for “Soul Food,” which is historically significant to Black Americans, as opposed to “Fresh Salad,” would be associated with stronger racial identity and induce more positive reactions among Black participants but more negative reactions among White participants.

  Methods: Undergraduate students (N = 365) viewed one of four online profiles that were ostensibly completed by a Black Student. Student gender (i.e., DeShawn vs. LaKeisha) and student food preference (Soul food vs. fresh salad) were manipulated experimentally within the online profiles.

  Results: Consistent with the prediction, preference for “Soul Food” was associated with stronger perceived racial identity, regardless of participant race. Additionally, Black participants responded more positively when “Soul Food” was preferred. In contrast, there was no evidence that White participants reacted differently to the Black students based on food preference.

  Conclusions: Food preference serves as one indicator of racial identity among Black Americans. Further implications are discussed.

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  Centering High Risk Pregnancies Interprofessionaly (CHRPI) to Reduce Racial Disparities in Pregnancy Outcomes

  Dongjin Suh B.S.; Dhruv Srinivasachar B.S.; WintWar Phyo B.S.; Asma Khan B.S.; and Sarah H. Milton, M.D.

  Background:

  Despite the steady rise in use of prenatal care, significant racial disparities exist in pregnancy-related outcomes. This calls for innovative prenatal care to improve pregnancy outcomes in racial minorities. CHRPI is an innovative prenatal care model designed to address risk factors and manageable conditions particularly prevalent in African Americans that threaten their course of pregnancy.

  Methods:

  CHRPI is an outpatient model (Fig. 1) that will accept pregnant moms with risk-factors outlined by the ACOG. They are initially evaluated by a Maternal Fetal Medicine physician where management is outlined. Then, patients are placed in groups of 4 according to their expected course of pregnancy, social, and medical needs. Between medical appointments, patients will attend sessions facilitated by a multidisciplinary team to receive education on nutrition, insulin management, alarming symptoms and more. Additionally, patients will have opportunity to address individual social and medical needs with licensed clinical social workers and mid-level providers outside of groups. Lastly, CHRPI’s care extends as far as 6 months postpartum to reassess newly diagnosed conditions or risk-factors to protect future pregnancies and establish primary care upon exiting the program.

  Results:

  Compared to traditional care of high-risk patients (Fig. 2), proposed CHRPI model is expected to decrease rate of maternal and infant mortality, pre-term birth, NICU admissions, and patient satisfaction.

  Conclusion:

  CHRPI aims to reduce racial disparities in maternal and infant mortalities associated with high-risk pregnancies by utilizing an innovative multidisciplinary group approach with significant emphasis on nutrition, education, and primary care to protect future pregnancies.

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  Characterization of Cardiovascular Risk Factors People Living with HIV in a Veteran Population

  Veronica Taylor; Joe Castillo; and Daniel Tassone PharmD, BCPS

  Background: CVD is the leading cause of death in PLWH. HIV positive individuals have a 1.5-2-fold greater risk of CVD compared to uninfected individuals, even if complete viral load suppression is achieved. HIV-associated CVD has tripled over the past 20 years, yet scant data is available describing this population. We have characterized CVD risk factors and treatment in PLWH in order to assess and improve cardioprotective treatment.

  Methods: A retrospective EMR review was conducted for HIV positive patients enrolled at the McGuire VAMC between 12/2018 and 12/2019. Patients were excluded if labs were older than one year from follow-up. Patient demographics was collected along with characterization and treatment of their HIV, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Patient CVD status and risk factors were analyzed, and cardioprotective agent appropriateness was assessed.

  Results: 242 patients were included in this study. Overall, 91% had HIV viral load ≤ 200. 25% of patients had diabetes, of which 51% were controlled. 86% of patients achieved a blood pressure goal of ≤ 140/90. 40% of patients achieved LDL ≤ 70, with 56% of patients on a statin. 14% of patients had past history significant for cardiovascular event.

  Conclusion: Characterization of CVD in PLWH should be a high priority and treatment should be closely monitored due to the rising disease state burden. Lack of large clinical trials outlining treatment strategies in this aging population has hindered appropriate patient care. Intensified and targeted cardioprotective strategies are needed due to a high proportion of patients with uncontrolled CVD risk factors.

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  Emotion Regulation and Prosocial Tendencies Mediate the Association between Parenting Styles and Later Substance Use

  Nathaniel Thomas, Marcia Winter, The Spit for Science Working Group, and Danielle Dick

  PURPOSE: Substance use is common, heritable, and associated with negative outcomes in emerging adults. Previous work suggests that parenting styles are associated with substance use outcomes. Emotion regulation and prosocial tendencies, such as civic efficacy and engagement with community or school extracurricular activities, are associated with lower levels of substance use and may represent mechanisms of the influence of parenting styles on substance use. The current study examines whether the association between parenting styles and substance use is mediated by emotion regulation and prosocial tendencies in a large sample of emerging adult college students

  METHODS: Subjects were drawn from a longitudinal study of behavioral and emotional health at a large, urban university in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region (n=755). Parenting styles, emotion regulation, prosocial tendencies, family members’ problems with alcohol or other drugs, and recent use of alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, cocaine, and opioids were assessed via self-report. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the mediated association between parenting styles and polysubstance use through emotion regulation and prosocial behavior after adjusting for heritable familial risk. All analyses controlled for age, sex, and race/ethnicity

  RESULTS: Parenting style marked by high involvement, low autonomy-granting, and low support for emotion expression predicted lower emotion regulation (=-0.398 [-0.559, -0.237]). Emotion regulation predicted greater prosocial tendencies (=0.214 [0.019, 0.408]). Prosocial tendencies predicted lower polysubstance use (=-0.149, [-0.251, -0.047]). Parenting style did not predict prosocial tendencies directly (=-0.026 [-0.176, 0.124]) and emotion regulation did not predict polysubstance use directly (=0.045 [-0.076, 0.167]). A significant indirect effect was identified, such that parenting style predicts emotion regulation, emotion regulation predicts prosocial tendencies, and prosocial tendencies predicts polysubstance use (=0.013 [0.001, 0.037]).

  CONCLUSION: Parenting styles influence substance use outcomes in emerging adulthood via a mediated pathway through emotion regulation and prosocial tendencies. Encouraging parenting styles marked by autonomy-granting and support for emotion expression early in development may improve a constellation of outcomes throughout development.

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  Comparative morphological study on the shape variance of the scapula in extant Cercopithecidae

  Marie Vergamini and Lisa Day

  Morphological variation in forelimb bones has been tied to substrate use in Cercopithecidae. Studies of the distal humerus and proximal ulna (Rector et al., 2018) suggest that African and Asian monkeys’ locomotor repertoires can be distinguished through analysis of variation of the elbow joint. Given that the scapula may be directly involved in weight-bearing during locomotion - similar to the elbow - the relationship between morphological variation and arboreality in the glenoid cavity, acromion, and coracoid process may be analogous. Using a Microscribe, 25 landmarks were collected to capture the shape of the scapula from a sample of 50+ extant Cercopithecidae. Each species was placed in a locomotor category including ground quadrupedalism, branch quadrupedalism, arm-swinging, and branch quadrupedalism, and branch and ground quadrupedalism based on their primary locomotor strategy during traveling. Variation was analyzed using 3D geometric morphometric PCA, PGLs, and phylogenetic ANOVAs to determine if differential substrate use can be identified through analysis of shape variation in the scapulae of Cercopithecidae. Results suggest that scapular morphology is more variable in branch quadrupedal cercopithecids than ground quadrupedal ones. However, variation in the scapula can be used to successfully differentiate ground quadrupeds and branch quadrupeds in modern Cercopithecidae. As a valuable factor in the ecology of these primates, this locomotor behavior contributes information on niche differentiation, resource competition, and community organization in living and fossil primates.

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  Vascular Dysfunction and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Examining the Role of Oxidative Stress and Sympathetic Activity

  Jennifer Weggen, Aaron Autler, Gina Tuzzolo, Austin C. Hogwood, Ashley M. Darling, Kevin P. Decker, and Ryan S. Garten

  Purpose: The physiological manifestations of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with an increase in risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) independent of negative lifestyle factors. The goal of the study was to better elucidate the mechanisms behind the increased CVD risk by examining peripheral vascular function, a precursor to CVD. Moreover, this study sought to determine the role of oxidative stress and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in PTSD-induced vascular dysfunction.

  Methods: Sixteen individuals with PTSD (10 women, 6 men; age 24 ± 4 years), and twenty-four healthy controls (CTRL; 15 women, 9 men, 24 ± 4 years), participated in the study. The PTSD group participated in two visits, consuming either a placebo or antioxidant cocktail (AO - vitamins C and E and alpha lipoic acid) prior to their visits, in a randomized order. Arm vascular function was assessed via the reactive hyperemia- induced flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery (BAFMD) technique and evaluated with Doppler ultrasonography. Brachial artery and arm microvascular function were determined by percent change of diameter from baseline normalized for BA shear rate (BAD/Shear), and blood flow area under the curve (BF AUC), respectively. Heart rate variability (HRV) was used to assess autonomic nervous system activity.

  Results: BF AUC was significantly lower (p = 0.02) and SNS activity was significantly higher (p = 0.02) in the PTSD group when compared to the CTRL group. BAD/Shear was not different between groups. Following the acute AO supplementation, BF AUC was augmented to which it was no longer significantly different (p = 0.16) when compared to the CTRL group. SNS activity within the PTSD group was significantly reduced (p=.007) following the AO supplementation when compared to the PL condition, and the difference between PTSD and CTRL was no longer significant (p=.41).

  Conclusion: Young individuals with PTSD demonstrated lower arm microvascular, but not brachial artery, function as well as higher sympathetic activity when compared to healthy controls matched for age, sex, and physical activity level. Furthermore, this microvascular dysfunction and SNS activity was attenuated by an acute AO supplementation to the level of the healthy controls. Taken together, this study revealed that the modulation of oxidative stress, via an acute AO supplementation, improved vascular dysfunction in individuals with PTSD, potentially by reducing the substantial SNS activity associated with this disorder.

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  SPATIO-TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF WARM DENSE PLASMAS: MOLECULAR DYNAMICS MODELING

  Harrison Wenzel and Gennady Miloshevsky

  SPATIO-TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF WARM DENSE PLASMAS: MOLECULAR

  DYNAMICS MODELING Cole Wenzel and Gennady Miloshevsky

  Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, 401

  West Main St, Richmond, VA 23284-3015

  The exo-atmospheric detonation of nuclear device would be of great impact on the material integrity of orbiting satellites. The spectral energy distribution of high intensity X-ray flux, ~10 28 -10 35 photons/(cm 2 ∙s), originating from a nuclear blast is described by the Planck's blackbody function with the temperature from 0.1 keV to 10 keV. Particular damage would occur to the multi-layered, solar cell panels of satellites. However, the X-ray flux incident upon the solar panels is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from a point where a weapon was detonated. For example, the X-ray flux is reduced by a factor of 10 -10 at the distance of 100 km. Even accounting for this geometric factor, the enormous power density, ~0.1 - 10 4 GW/cm 3 , absorbed within a few microns of a Ge slab of solar cells produces the extreme pressures and temperatures. The X-ray induced blow-off and Warm Dense Plasma (WDP) formation on the surface of materials, particularly in a gap between the unshielded Ge elements is initiated. In this work, the profiles of deposited energy and power density produced by cold X- rays (~ 1 keV) in the multi-layered materials are calculated using the Monte Carlo method within the Geant4 software toolkit. The power density is used as an input for the Molecular Dynamics (MD) modeling of WDP formation and expansion into vacuum. The MD computational model is implemented within the LAMMPS software toolkit. The spatio-temporal evolution of WDP as well as its temperature, stress, and mass density distribution are investigated for different X-ray irradiation conditions. Presenting author: Cole Wenzel This work is supported by Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Grant No. DTRA1‐19‐1‐0019.

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  Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge in Low-Income, Richmond, VA Community Dwelling Older Adults

  Taylor Wilkerson, Ann Rhodes, Jennifer Inker, Joann Richardson, and Faika Zanjani

  Background: Different populations of individuals demonstrate varying levels of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) knowledge, as well as commonly held misconceptions about the nature of the disease and its risk factors. Older adults often demonstrate lower scores on Alzheimer’s disease knowledge scales and African American adults are often specifically not aware of their higher Alzheimer’s risk status compared to other racial groups. In addition, African American older adults are more likely to receive the fewest AD interventions. Methods: We measured the Alzheimer’s knowledge of twenty community-dwelling elders at two separate time points (baseline and 6 month follow-up) as part of a larger study on AD health coaching. Participants (n=20) were recruited from low-income communities within the Richmond, Virginia (RVA) area; the sample was 85% African American individuals (n=17), 45% female (n=9) and 55% male (n=11). Participants completed demographic measures, true/false AD knowledge measures, a relational ageism scale, and questions about their health and habits. Results: Similar to previous research, this population of older adults held common misconceptions about AD, including the ideas that mental exercise can prevent Alzheimer’s disease (20% answered correctly) and individuals with Alzheimer’s are incapable of making decisions about their care (30% answered correctly). In this sample, the majority of African American older adults were aware of the fact that they make up the population at the highest risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (80% answered correctly). Analyses also found no significant relationship between AD knowledge and health outcomes, alcohol consumption, or education. Conclusion: AD knowledge needs to be better addressed in low-income, racially diverse older adults.

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  Clinical reconciliation of patient social context and implementation of preventive care guidelines

  April Williams

  Background

  Preventive care practice guidelines are disseminated regularly through federal and scientific groups as a way of promoting best practices and evidence-based health promotion. Yet rates of their implementation are historically low and complex, with cited barriers including limits on physicians’ time, knowledge or attitudes; and external factors related to the guideline itself, the clinical environment, or patient factors. The objective of this qualitative research is to understand how primary care clinicians and staff reconcile perceived patient-level factors and implementation of preventive care guidelines.

  Methods

  Key informant interviews (n=23) with 14 clinicians and 9 office managers from 14 primary care clinics were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Codes were categorized, then reviewed using conventional content analysis to determine thematic content.

  Results

  The importance of using communication tools; convenience for access to preventive services; and weighing the evidence when deciding how to proceed with preventive care emerged as themes related to understanding how providers reconcile between patient factors and implementation of preventive care guidelines.

  Conclusions

  The interviews used in this study provide some rich context to address the research objective: how providers reconcile between what they perceive to be patient factors and how they go about providing preventive care according to guidelines. The hope for this study is to identify key themes to instigate future exploratory research and provide evidence to target improvements in patient care.

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  Prevalence of Mental Health Disorder Symptoms and Rates of Help-seeking Among University-Enrolled, Black Men

  Kofoworola D. A. Williams, Amy Adkins, Sally I-Chun Kuo, Jessica G. LaRose, Shawn O. Utsey, Jeanine P. D. Guidry, Danielle Dick, Spit for Science Working Group, and Kellie E. Carlyle

  Background. Black men in college represent a subgroup of emerging adults who are at increased risk of developing mental health disorders (MHDs), such as anxiety and depression. Such risk has been attributed to disproportionate experiences with everyday racial discrimination and high levels of psychological distress. Despite being at higher risk, university-enrolled, Black men are not utilizing mental health or health resources at optimal rates. The current evidence base describing prevalence of MHDs and health services utilization among Black men in college is limited. The present study addresses this by examining mental health prevalence among university-enrolled, Black men and their rates of health services utilization.

  Methods. We analyzed data (N ~ 2500) from a student survey, Spit for Science, a longitudinal, ongoing, research study at a mid-Atlantic, public university. Participants are given surveys in their freshman year and follow-up surveys every spring thereafter. Measures included: mental health disorders (depression and anxiety, as measured by the Symptom Checklist 90) and campus health service utilization (counseling center, health services, wellness center, and recreational sports). We conducted descriptive analyses to determine MHD symptom prevalence and utilization rates; Mann Whitney U tests to compare prevalence rates to White men and Black women; and, Chi-squared tests to compare rates of utilization among groups.

  Results. During their Freshman year, greater than 60% of students from each ethnic group reported at least one anxiety symptom and greater than 80% reported at least one depressive symptom. By senior year, reporting rates decreased significantly for Black men (49.6%) but remained high for White men (69.1%) and Black women (63%); p <0.000. For depression, results were similar; however, only significant differences between Black men (72.7%) and Black women (87.1%); p<0.000. Black men (20.4%), though reporting high levels of symptoms, still utilized counseling services at lower rates compared to White men (37.76%); p = 0.024.

  Conclusion. Findings suggest that Black men underutilize available campus health resources despite reporting one or more symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. Further research and prevention efforts are needed to improve help-seeking among this vulnerable population.

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  For I Know the Plans I Have for You: God Locus of Control, Spiritual Change, and Death Anxiety in Primary Brain Tumor Patients

  Kelci D. Willis, Julia Brechbiel, Rachel Boutte, Laurel Kovalchick, Kyra Parker, Audrey Ann Louis Villanueva, and Ashlee R. Loughan

  Background/Purpose. Primary brain tumor (PBT) patients risk experiencing death anxiety given the high mortality rate of their diagnosis. In line with Terror Management Theory (TMT), many diagnosed with cancer utilize religion as a method of coping with the disease. However, previous literature on the relation between death anxiety and religion in cancer patients indicates mixed findings of either a negative relationship or no association. To the authors’ knowledge, no study has analyzed these two constructs together in PBT patients. The current study sought to address this gap by investigating the relationship between religiosity and death anxiety in an understudied population.

  Methods. Adult PBT patients (N = 56, Mage = 49.38, 51.8% female, 71.4% Caucasian, Mmonths since diagnosis = 55.34) completed measures of religiosity and death anxiety at their routine medical appointment at an academic medical center, including: The God Locus of Health Control Scale (GLHCS), Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Death and Dying Distress Scale (DADDS), and the Death Distress Scale (DDS). Descriptives and Pearson correlations were utilized.

  Results. The results revealed that while the GLHCS was not significantly related to either measure of death anxiety, the Spiritual Change subscale of the PTGI was positively correlated to both the DADDS (r = .56, p < .001) and the DDS (r = .41, p = .01).

  Conclusions and Implications. Results suggest that certain proxies of religiosity may be more closely associated with death anxiety than others. Although there was no evidence in our sample that PBT patient’s God locus of control was related to death anxiety, those who reported higher levels of death anxiety endorsed greater spiritual change (i.e., I have a stronger religious faith). Considering TMT, perhaps feelings of death anxiety prompt one to strengthen their religious beliefs. Future longitudinal analyses addressing the direction and course of these relationships are warranted.

  Acknowledgement of Funding:

  The current study was funded on behalf of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

  Learning Objective.

  Participants will learn about the relationship between religiosity and death anxiety in oncology patients. Further, participants will consider how these findings may or may not differ for PBT patients and across various measures of religiosity.

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  Let’s Talk: A Study of the Impact of Gendered Racial Socialization on African American Adolescent Girls’ Mental Health

  Lesley Winchester; Keyona Allen; Shawn C. T. Jones, Ph.D; and Elan Hope, Ph.D

  Internalized racial oppression in African American girls is understudied within research. As people of color are victimized by racism, they may internalize it, developing ideas, beliefs, actions and behaviors that support or collude with racism (Bivens, 1995). This internalized racism has its own systemic reality and its own negative consequences in the lives and communities of people of color. Understanding the way negative racial messages influence the mental health of African American adolescent girls allows for the development of intervention and prevention methods to reduce symptomology of depression, anxiety, and stress. In order for African American girls and young women to develop a healthy sense of self, families must prepare them to cope with the realities of experiencing intersecting oppression (i.e., racism and sexism; Edmondson Bell & Nkomo 1998; Lewis et al. 2013). This may occur through an African American-specific process of gendered racial socialization (Brown et al. 2016). While some research has examined the relationship between racial discrimination and race related stress outcomes (Buford, 2009) or internalized racial oppression on ethnic identity and self-efficacy (La Mar, 2018), there are no current studies that have looked at the impact of internalized gendered racial oppression (IGRO) on negative affect of African American adolescent girls or possible ways to moderate this impact. This study identifies a relationship between IGRO and depression, anxiety and stress symptoms while isolating messages of gendered racial pride and empowerment (GRPE) that reduce these symptoms in Black adolescent girls. To test the hypothesis, GRPE socialization moderates the relationship between IGRO socialization and indicators of psychological wellbeing (i.e., depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms) this study analyzed the responses of 287 Black adolescent girls (MAge = 15.40) who completed questionnaires assessing the study variables of interest as part of a larger parent-teen dyadic study. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. Models of the main effects of IGRO and GRPE on depression (R 2 = .04), anxiety (R 2 = .04), and stress (R 2 = .04) were significant (all ps < .001), suggesting these variables accounted for significant variance in the mental health symptoms. For depression, increases in both IGRO (b=.83, p < .001) and GRPE (b=.20, p < .05) were associated with increases in reported depression symptoms. However, examination of the interaction (b=-.16, p < .01) via simple slopes suggested that the Black girls reported higher levels of GRPE, the negative impact of IGRO on depressive symptoms was attenuated. Indeed, at the highest levels of GRPE, the effect of IGRO on depressive symptoms was reduced to non-significance. Similar patterns emerged for teen anxiety and stress, with increased IGRO associated with increasing symptom endorsement and increasing GRPE attenuating this effect. These findings suggest that it is particularly important for African-American youth to receive messages conveying pride and empowerment on being a black girl to aid in reducing the mental health symptoms associated with IGRO. By identifying key messages of gendered racial socialization, this study has the potential to educate parents and teachers on the impact of their messages on children’s mental health. Implications and future directions regarding gendered racial socialization of Black teenaged girls are discussed.

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  Empirical Relationships among Trauma Exposure, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

  Sandra Yankah, Michael Southam-Gerow, Samantha Dehart, and Payton Beam

  This review synthesized and critically reviewed empirical studies that assessed relationships among trauma exposure, anxiety sensitivity (AS), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Across the literature, the prominent theory conceptualized anxiety sensitivity as a causal risk factor within two competing models. One model posited that individuals with dispositionally high AS prior to experiencing a potentially traumatizing event (PTE) have a greater likelihood of developing PTSD after trauma exposure. The second model theorized that the introduction of a PTE raises an individual’s baseline level of AS, leading to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Emerging research highlighted the possibility of reciprocal relationships, as well as moderating and mediating variables (e.g., age, gender) that cause differential relationships among the variables of interest. The majority of studies to date used a cross-sectional study design, and primarily relied on a descriptive approach that solely highlighted correlations between AS and PTSD. Consequently, the current state of the literature is still unable to authoritatively discern whether AS causes PTSD, PTSD increases AS, or if the two variables have a bidirectional relationship. Accordingly, extant evidence has only demonstrated that AS is a variable risk factor for the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Current limitations within the literature, clinical implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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  JxB FORCE EFFECTS ON BERYLLIUM MELT SPLASHING IN FUSION DEVICES

  Cheng Zhang and Gennady Miloshevsky

  Instability and disruption of high-temperature plasma in fusion devices may result in the edge-localized modes (ELMs) and lead to melting of plasma facing components (PFCs) causing their damage. Beryllium (Be) is used as a first wall for PFCs due to its low density, high strength, and high thermal conductivity. However, melting of Be on the surface of first wall is of a great concern as splashing of a molten Be layer will result in the plasma contamination and termination of fusion reaction. Therefore, it is important to understand the physics mechanisms characterizing the splashing of Be from a pool under the plasma impact in a strong magnetic field as that in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The computational model that combines the volume of fluid (VoF) and magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) models is used to simulate the effects of thermal, viscous, gravitational and surface tension forces on the molten Be layer. The additional source terms representing the external and thermo-emission currents are also implemented. These currents are taken into consideration as they contribute to the electromagnetic JxB force and may result in faster melt motion, redistribution, and splashing. In this work, the effects of JxB forces on splashing of molten Be, development and growth of waves, and ejection of molten droplets are examined. The stimulation results show the motion of molten Be layer and development waves at the vapor-melt interface. Results may complement the experiments at Joint European Torus (JET) and studies of PFCs melt layer phenomenon for ITER program.

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  Deafness: Disability or Culture? Best Practices Regarding Controversial Interventions for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

  Jacob Ziemba

  Background: Many people in the deaf community view deafness as a distinct culture, with its own unique language and history. They reject the use of assistive technologies which can restore hearing for themselves and their children. However, some members of the medical and legal communities consider it unethical to deprive a child of these interventions. Learn more about this emerging conflict, as well as best practices for working with deaf and hard of hearing students in a school environment.

  Methods: Peer-reviewed journals and popular publications were consulted to gather information about attitudes towards interventions such as the cochlear implant from members of the deaf community, as well the legal and medical communities. Education journals were consulted to gather information about best practices when working with deaf and hard of hearing students.

  Results: There are strong opinions on both sides of this issue, with various arguments being made both for and against the use of interventions like the cochlear implant. From the perspective of K-12 educators and school counselors, making sure that students feel safe and supported at school.

  Conclusions: It is not necessary for K-12 educators and school counselors to have opinions on specific assistive technologies. It is important for them to be aware of best practices for working with deaf and hard of hearing students, and to support and respect the decisions of deaf families with regards to their culture.

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  Characterization of Protein Involved in Hemolysis Expressed by Sneathia amnii, a Pathogen of the Female Urogenital Tract

  Gabriella Gentile, Lizette Carrasco, Amy Stanford, and Kimberly Jefferson

  Sneathia amnii is a poorly characterized gram-negative anaerobe that commonly colonizes the vagina. It has been linked to many obstetric disorders, including preterm labor, preeclampsia, and chorioamnionitis. S. amnii lyses human red blood cells, and we aimed to identify the hemolysin. We identified two genes that appear to encode transporter and effector components of a two-partner secretion system. The putative effector, which we refer to as SaFHA, contains a domain with amino acid similarity to the filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) of Bordetella pertussis and its predicted structure suggests it may form a transmembrane channel or pore. Thus, we hypothesized that SaFHA would be secreted by S. amnii and that it would play a role in hemoglobbin release. To test this, a portion of the gene encoding the SaFHA protein in S. amnii was expressed in E. coli and used as an immunogen in rabbits. Western analysis using anti-SaFHA revealed that the protein is secreted and localizes to the bacterial surface. Pre-treatment of S. amnii with anti-SaFHA blocked the hemolytic activity whereas antiserum against an irrelevant protein had no effect. We partially purified SaFHA from S. amnii using cation exchange chromatography and the partially purified protein mediated hemoglobin release from human RBC, supporting our hypothesis. Further characterization of SaFHA will help provide more insight on the virulence of S. amnii, and perhaps shed light on the etiology of Sneathia-associated vaginal conditions, as well as future treatment options.