Graduate Research Posters

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  Family Perception, Levels of US Acculturation and School Contextual Effects on Achievement of Second-Generation Immigrants: Multi-Level Modeling

  Beatrice Lele

  Background: Students’ academic achievement is influenced by several factors from individual characteristics to contextual factors. In addition to these factors, second-generation immigrant children are faced with acculturation effects that impact on their achievement. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the individual, family, and contextual effects on the academic achievement of second-generation immigrant children.

  Methods: This was a quantitative research where a two-level Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was used. The data used in the study comes from Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS) which was done with 5,262 respondents. This data was collected through interviews and surveys. The relevant variables in the study were; GPA which was the dependent variable, and individual characteristics, perception of family, levels of acculturation (level one variables), school contextual effects (level two variables) were the independent variables.

  Results: Grade level, gender, length of stay in the U.S, Family Social Economic Status and levels of U.S acculturation; the individual characteristics all measured as level one predictors were positive and significant predictors of GPA. Contextual factors of the school population, minority population all measured as level two predictors were significant and negative predictors of GPA, while School Social Economic Status also a level two predictor was a positive and significant predictor of GPA.

  Conclusions: Family Socioeconomic Status, levels of U.S acculturation (children’s proficiency in English, children’s perception of family) and school Social Economic Status were strong and significant positive predictors of GPA.

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  L1-norm Regularized L1-norm Best-fit line problem

  Xiao Ling and Paul Brooks

  Background

  Conventional Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a widely used technique to reduce data dimension. PCA finds linear combinations of the original features capturing maximal variance of data via Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). However, SVD is sensitive to outliers, and often leads to high dimensional results. To address the issues, we propose a new method to estimate best-fit one-dimensional subspace, called l1-norm Regularized l1-norm.

  Methods

  In this article, we describe a method to fit a lower-dimensional subspace by approximate a non-linear, non-convex, non-smooth optimization problem called l1 regularized l1-norm Best- Fit Line problem; minimize a combination of the l1 error and of the l1 regularization. The procedure can be simply performed using ratios and sorting. Also ,we present applications in the area of video surveillance, where our methodology allows for background subtraction with jitters, illumination changes, and clutters.

  Results

  We compared our performance with SVD on synthetic data. The numerical results showed our algorithm successfully found a better principal component from a grossly corrupted data than SVD in terms of discordance. Moreover, our algorithm provided a sparser principal component than SVD. However, we expect it to be faster on multi-node environment.

  Conclusions

  This paper proposes a new algorithm able to generate a sparse best-fit subspace robust to outliers. The projected subspaces sought on non-contaminated data, differ little from that of traditional PCA. When subspaces are projected from contaminated data, it attain arguably significant both smaller discordance and lower dimension than that of traditional PCA.

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  When whiteness is invisible to those who teach: Teacher training, critical professional development, and the intersection of equitable education opportunities

  Robyn Lyn

  Background

  Non-White teachers comprise 18% of the teaching force with faster burnout rates than White teachers. Teachers of Color (ToC) are exhausted. Institutionally, pre-service teacher education (TE) and inservice teacher professional development (PD) neglect the experiences and perspectives of non-White teachers. Critical Professional Development (CPD) “frames teachers as politically-aware individuals who have a stake in teaching and transforming society; dialogical; honors relationality/collectivity; strengthens racial literacy; recognizes critical consciousness & transformation as an ongoing process” (Mosely, 2018, p. 271).

  Q1: What type of critical TE and PD is needed to transform the racialized education system?

  Q2: What are the benefits of transformational critical TE and PD for educators? Methods I did a systemic literature review of TE and PD in peer-reviewed journal articles.

  Results

  The results of the literature review found several themes including a lack of any racial or structural analysis; recruitment of ToC happens simultaneously with the enabling and reifying of racist beliefs; there is no education for ToC helping them navigate the racist educational system and conversations; there is no safe space in schools or the academy, e.g., “White space is unsafe – all schools are white space”; ToC experience racial violence every day in schools.

  Conclusions

  White teachers and administrators should listen to and believe ToC; critically and reflectively question their assumptions and biases; become an accomplice, a co-conspirator, not just an ally; become more observant of the ways that race and racism are operating in schools and classrooms; and engage in tough conversations about inequity at work.

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  The Moderating Effect of Comfort from Companion Animals and Social Support on the Relationship between Microaggressions and Mental Health in LGBTQ+ Emerging Adults

  Angela Matijczak, Jennifer L. Murphy, Camie A. Tomlinson, Kelly O'Connor, and Shelby E. McDonald

  Introduction: Sexual and/or gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, transgender, nonbinary, LGBTQ+) individuals are frequently exposed to various forms of minority stress that impact their mental health and wellbeing. Microaggressions, a form of minority stress, are defined as unconscious behaviors or statements directed at members of marginalized groups that reflect a hostile or discriminatory message. Microaggressions have been associated with several detrimental outcomes, such as depression and anxiety. Social support has been found to be an important protective factor for SGM emerging adults. Additionally, relationships with companion animals are an underexplored source of support that may be important for SGM individuals. This study aims to explore whether, and to what extent, social support from humans and comfort from companion animals moderates the relationship between SGM-related microaggressions and depressive and anxiety symptoms.

  Methods: We partnered with five community organizations to recruit our sample, which consisted of 134 SGM emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 21 (Mage = 19.31). Approximately 98.5% of our sample identified with a sexual minority identity, 49.5% identified with a gender minority identity, and 37.3% identified as a racial/ethnic minority. All participants had lived with a companion animal within the past year, with the majority of participants living with a dog and/or a cat. We conducted eight simple moderation analyses to explore whether, and to what extent, comfort from companion animals and human social support individually moderated the relationship between two forms of microaggressions (i.e., interpersonal, environmental) and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Further, we ran four additive moderation analyses to investigate whether comfort from companion animals and social support from humans moderated the relationship between each form of microaggressions and mental health symptoms, when the other moderator was held constant.

  Results: The results of our simple moderation analyses indicated that social support moderated the relationship between both forms of microaggressions and depressive symptoms (interpersonal: ΔR2 = 0.03, F(1, 125) = 4.74, ꞵ = -0.17, t(125) = -2.18, p = .03; environmental: ΔR2 = 0.02, F(1, 124) = 3.93, ꞵ = -0.19, t(124) = -1.98, p = .05). Our findings suggest that social support acted as a protective factor, because the relationship between exposure to microaggressions and depressive symptoms was not significant when participants reported high levels of social support. Comfort from companion animals also moderated the relationship between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms (ΔR2 = 0.03, F(1, 125) = 4.78, ꞵ = 0.18, t(125) = 2.19, p = .03). However, comfort from companion animals seemed to exacerbate the association between interpersonal microaggressions and depressive symptoms, as there was a positive and significant relationship between these two variables when participants reported medium or high levels of comfort from companion animals. The results of the additive moderation analyses found that the relationship between exposure to microaggressions and depressive symptoms was positive and significant when social support was low or medium and comfort from companion animals was high or medium. However, when social support was high, the relationship was no longer significant, regardless of the level of comfort from companion animals.

  Discussion: Our results suggest that social support from humans may be a key protective factor that buffers the relationship between microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Further, these findings also highlight the need to continue investigating the complex role of relationships with companion animals on mental health outcomes for SGM emerging adults. In particular, longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of these relationships, as we are unable to make causal inferences with this cross-sectional study. The results from this study have important implications for future research in this area and practice with SGM populations.

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  Investigating The Role of AEG-1 in Mouse Models of Pain

  Bryan Mckiver, Wisam Toma, Deniz Bagdas, Devanand Sarkar, and M. Imad. Damaj

  Background: Astrocyte Elevated Gene 1 (AEG-1) is a multifunctional protein shown to be a regulator of transcription and multiple intracellular signaling pathways. The role of AEG-1 in cellular inflammation appears to be primarily facilitated by its direct interaction with the transcription factor NFκB, transcriptional regulator of inflammatory cytokines. May be have a potential role in models of pain, particularly chronic inflammatory and chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods: C57BL6/J male and female mice, 8-14 weeks old. AEG-1 wild type (WT) and global knockout (KO) male and female mice, 8-14 weeks old. Chronic Inflammatory Pain induced via i.pl. injection of 50% Freund's Complete Adjuvant (CFA) or vehicle into mouse right hind paw. CIPN induced via four 8 mg/kg, i.p. injections of Paclitaxel or vehicle (Toma, et. al). Mechanical hypersensitivity assessed via von frey filaments. Acetone Test was used to assess cold sensitivity. mRNA transcripts collected from tissues were measured via qRT-PCR. Results: AEG-1 KO mice displayed protection from CFA induced mechanical hypersensitivity, thermal sensitivity, and reduces paw edema compare to WT mice. AEG-1 KO mice displayed enhanced recovery from paclitaxel induced mechanical hypersensitivity and cold sensitivity compared to WT mice. AEG-1 expression levels in the periaqueductal grey, spinal cord, and L4-6 corresponding dorsal root ganglia collected from C57BL6/J mice treated with 8mg/Kg paclitaxel or 50% CFA (3 days post injection) showed no difference from control groups. Conclusions: Our data suggest that AEG-1 may be involved in inflammatory and CIPN related nociception in C57BL6/J mice.

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  “How am I supposed to feel?”: Social Support and Black Mothers’ Infant Feeding Decisions

  Hannah M. Ming and Cecilia Barbosa

  Background: Many of the adverse health outcomes that breastfeeding protects against disparately affect black mothers and children; however, black mothers are the least likely racial group in the U.S. to breastfeed. Black mothers have indicated that breastfeeding barriers include a lack of social support. Qualitative studies examining such breastfeeding barriers often focus on women who have unsuccessfully breastfed and fail to define the experiences of women who have successfully breastfed. This study aims to identify the impacts of social support on the infant feeding decisions of black women with varying levels of breastfeeding success.

  Methods: Twenty-five black women were interviewed in mini-focus groups and were recruited according to three categorizations of breastfeeding duration: formula-fed only, breastfed for ≤3 months, or breastfed for ≥4 months. Focus group questions addressed mothers’ perceptions, attitudes, intentions, experiences, and perceived barriers and facilitators regarding infant feeding practices. Group interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed specific to social support using a grounded theory approach.

  Results: Mothers in all three breastfeeding categorizations reported experiences with tangible, emotional, and informational support from members across sectors of their social networks. Additionally, mothers reported dissonance between informational support received and their personal infant feeding intentions as well as a need for increased social support regardless of infant feeding method.

  Conclusions: This study provides an in-depth analysis of social support as a facilitator and barrier to infant feeding decisions for black mothers. Given the findings, it is suspected that experiences with social support are integral to women’s infant feeding decisions.

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  Molecular Predictors of Anakinra Treatment Success in Heart Failure Patients with Reduced Ejection Fraction

  Joshua Morriss, Daniel Contaifer Jr, Leo F. Buckley, George Wohlford, Monther Alsultan, Suad Alshammari, Asanga D. Ranasinghe, Salvatore Carbone, Justin M. Canada, Cory Trankle, Elvin T. Price, Antonio Abbate, Benjamin W. Van Tassell, and Dayanjan S. Wijesinghe

  Background. Kineret (Anakinra) is an interleukin-1 antagonist that is under investigation for its novel clinical application treating patients that have heart failure with reduced (<50%) ejection fraction (HFrEF). A prior study from our group indicated that Anakinra may restore heart function by addressing dysregulations in HFrEF metabolic pathways. Herein, we attempt to elicit Anakinra’s effects on both metabolome and lipidome.

  Methods. Lipids and metabolites that had previously been quantified by mass spectrometry (MS) from patients (n=49) who had ≥2 mg/L of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were mTIC normalized and transformed. We conducted a stepwise Linear Discriminant Analysis (r- LDA) to test Anakinra (2 and 12 weeks) vs placebo for separation from combined baseline. Metabolic pathway analysis was performed with Fisher’s exact test algorithm for detection of over-represented and enriched analytes. Univariate analysis (one tailed t-test p<0.05) compared placebo and Anakinra after 12-weeks for effect(s). Metaboanalyst 4.0, JMP Pro 14.0, and a proprietary package in R (version 3.4.4) were the software for all analyses and data wrangling.

  Results. Analytes such as acylcarnitines C10:0 and C16:0 and hsCRP showed significant improvements after 12 weeks of Anakinra, leading to improved mitochondrial function, reduced inflammation, and overall better health outcomes. Statistically significant (p<0.05) pathways including the citrate cycle, cysteine and methionine metabolism, galactose metabolism among others were associated with treatment.

  Conclusions. We were able to determine significant alterations to metabolomic and lipidomic concentrations after 12 weeks of Anakinra therapy. Our biochemical analyses verifies that Anakinra did improve heart function within our HFrEF pilot cohort.

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  Offering the Choice of Self-Administered Oral HIV Testing (CHIVST) among Long-distance Truck Drivers in Kenya: A Trial-based Cost-effectiveness Analysis

  Deo Mujwara and April D. Kimmel

  Background: Long distance truck drivers (LDTD) are a high-HIV-risk population facing unique healthcare barriers due to continuous travel and irregular schedules, and may require targeted, resource-intensive strategies for HIV-test uptake. We conducted a trial-based cost-effectiveness of CHIVST among LDTD in Kenya.

  Methods: Effectiveness data came from a randomized-controlled trial of CHIVST (n=150) versus provider-administered testing (n=155). Economic cost data came from the literature and reflected a societal perspective. Generalized Poisson and linear-gamma regression models estimated the effectiveness (relative-risk) and incremental costs (2017 I$), respectively, with incremental effectiveness calculated as the reciprocal of the absolute risk difference and reported as the number needing to receive CHIVST for an additional HIV-test uptake. We reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), with 95%CIs calculated using Fieller’s theorem. Deterministic sensitivity analysis identified key cost drivers and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves assessed uncertainty in the ICER. We determined cost-effectiveness according to a willingness-to-pay threshold of 3xGDP per-capita of Kenya (I$9,774).

  Results: HIV-test uptake was 23% more likely for CHIVST versus provider-administered HIVtesting, with six individuals needing to be offered CHIVST for an additional HIV-test uptake (6.25, 95%CI 5.00-8.33). The mean cost per patient was more than double for CHIVST (I$26.56 vs I$10.47). The incremental cost-effectiveness of CHIVST was I$97.21 [95%CI 65.74-120.98] per additional HIV-test uptake compared to provider-administered HIV-testing. Self-test kits and Page | 59 patient time were the main cost drivers of the ICER. The probability of CHIVST being costeffective approached one at a willingness-to-pay threshold of I$140.

  Conclusion: CHIVST is an efficient use of resources compared to provider-administered testing.

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  Gene-by-Intervention Effects on Alcohol Dependence Symptoms in Emerging Adulthood

  Zoe E. Neale, Sally I. Kuo, Fazil Aliev, Peter B. Barr, Jinni Su, Kit K. Elam, Thao Ha, Kathryn Lemery-Chalfant, and Danielle M. Dick

  The Importance of Peer Influence for LGBTQ+ Youth in Rural Communities

  Aaron Kemmerer

  supported by findings from Safe as Yourself (SAY) Project

  Traci Wike (PI), Leah Bouchard, Maurico Yabar, and Aaron Kemmerer

  Objectives: To explore the experiences and narratives of LGBTQ+ youth in rural North Carolina. To elaborate on the influence of peer support and impact of peer victimization for LGBTQ+ youth in rural North Carolina.

  Methods: Data was collected from eleven young people who were interviewed from 2019-2020 at an LGBTQ+ youth center in rural North Carolina. The interviews were coded and analyzed using narrative analysis on a team of interraters; the team consisted of four members from VCU School of Social Work: the principle investigator, two doctoral research assistants, and an MSW research assistant.

  Results: Analysis of the interviews, though still in process, so far highlights the impact of the dual impact of participants’ peers --- simultaneously pointing to LGBTQ+ youth experiences with both peer victimization (as a risk factor) and peer support (as a resilience factor).

  Conclusions: Peer support is vital for LGBTQ+ youth in rural communities and may help offset the negative impact of peer victimization.

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  Is Helping Really Helping? Health-Related Quality of Life after TBI Predicting Caregiver Depression Longitudinally in Latin America

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

  Objective: Studies have shown that functional and psychosocial sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI) predict emotional well-being of caregivers (Harris, 2000). Previous research examining the mental health of caregivers and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with TBI have primarily been in the US (Sander, 2012). Very little research has been conducted to uncover the unique relationships between HRQoL of people with TBI and caregiver mental health longitudinally, or in low-middle income Latin American countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate how HRQoL after TBI predict caregiver depression longitudinally in two countries and three data collection sites in Latin America.

  Design: Multi-site, multinational longitudinal study.

  Setting: Three hospitals in Neiva and Cali, Colombia, and Mexico City, Mexico (before hospital discharge), as well as in the homes of individuals with TBI and caregivers in these regions (before discharge, at 2 and 4 months after discharge).

  Participants: A sample of 109 TBI caregiver-patient dyads (n = 218) was included in the study.

  Main Outcome Measure(s): Caregiver depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and HRQoL in the person with TBI (Short Form-36).

  Results: Three multiple regressions were conducted to examine which aspects of patient HRQoL at baseline predicted caregiver depression at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months post-discharge. Eight aspects of patient HRQoL were simultaneously entered into each model as predictors: physical functioning, role limitations (physical and emotional), vitality, mental health, social functioning, pain, and general health. At baseline, the overall model significantly predicted caregiver depression, F(8, 105) = 2.62, p = .012, R 2 = .18. Patient mental health was the only significant unique predictor of caregiver depression at baseline, p = .021, β = -.34. The overall model predicting 2-month caregiver depression was significant, F(8, 101) = 3.21, p = .003, R 2 = .22. Only mental health, p = .016, β = -.36, was a significant unique predictor. The overall model predicting 4-month caregiver depression was significant, F(8, 98) = 2.70, p = .010, R 2 = .19, and no factors uniquely predicted caregiver depression, all ps>.05.

  Conclusions: Results suggest that TBI patient HRQoL can predict caregiver depression among Latin American caregivers before and during the first 4 months after hospital discharge. Across all three time points (baseline, 2 months, and 4 months), caregiver depression was significantly predicted by patient HRQoL. At baseline, patient mental health was the only domain that uniquely predicted caregiver depression. At 2 months, only physical role limitations uniquely predicted caregiver depression, and no unique predictors were detected at 4 months. These findings suggest that within the cultural framework in Latin America, there is a strong relationship between functional and psychological impairments after TBI and depression outcomes in Latin American caregivers. The results highlight the importance of uncovering these relational distinctions and may infer early detection of mental health needs and psychological intervention considerations for Latin American caregivers.

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  Community Input on an Enhanced Care Planning Tool Addressing Health Behaviors, Mental Health Needs, and Social Risks

  Kristen O'Loughlin, Hannah Shadowen, Paulette Lail Kashiri, and Alex Krist

  Background: Many patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) have social risks, mental health needs, and/or unhealthy behaviors. These interfere with their ability to manage their MCC. A care planning tool was created to help address these needs; this study solicited feedback from stakeholder groups and incorporated it into improving the tool.

  Methods: Instrument: The Enhanced Care Planning (ECP) tool screens patients for social risks, mental health needs, and unhealthy behaviors. They are shown where their responses revealed risk, then select 1-2 to improve upon. Next, patients set personal goals and select strategies to support them. Patients are supported by the clinical care team and a community health worker to connect them to community resources. Procedures: Four stakeholder groups provided feedback on the ECP tool: community members, community service professionals (CSPs), researchers, and patients. A community review board of community members reviewed the ECP process. Researchers and CSPs then reviewed ECP content. Feedback was incorporated into revisions of the ECP content and process, then patients provided final feedback.

  Results: All stakeholder groups provided unique feedback. Community members desired visuals, the ability to individualize and receive support throughout the process. Researchers and CSPs recommended removing jargon. While researchers were interested in specific evidence-based strategies, CSPs suggested strategies with anecdotal support. Patients expressed positive overall impressions of the tool, interest in using it, and increased awareness of domains that influence their health.

  Conclusion: Feedback from all groups significantly altered the ECP tool’s design, and is likely to improve its usability and impact.

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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.