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Targeted Bisulfite Pyrosequencing & Amplicon Bisulfite Sequencing Epigenetic Analysis
Charles Tran, Lin Xie, Min Zhao, and Edwin JCG van den Oord
Targeted Bisulfite Pyrosequencing & Amplicon Bisulfite Sequencing Epigenetic Analysis
Charles Tran, Dept. of Biology, with Dr. Karolina Aberg, VCU School of Pharmacy
Background: The Great Smoky Mountain Study is a longitudinal study that started in 1992 and includes 1,420 participants that were 9 to 13 years at intake and have since been revisited ~ every 2 years. Participants (and their parents) provided detailed assessment of stressors and health outcomes as well as blood samples at each interview. In a recent methylome-wide association study the samples were used to identify methylation marks associated with childhood trauma. In the current work, we present an investigation to replicate these methylation marks in an independent sample. Objective: Our objective is to optimize and apply epigenomic-specific protocols in order to replicate trauma associated methylation biomarkers in an independent study sample. Materials and Methods: We will use DNA samples extracted from saliva from The Young Adolescent Project, another longitudinal study which has obtained relevant information related to childhood trauma. In this sample we will perform replication of top findings using targeted amplicon bisulfite sequencing in saliva samples where amplicons are amplified with JUNO sequencing platform or Pyromark PCR pyrosequencing. Forward and reverse primers are first designed using Pyromark Assay Design software. Primer set candidates are chosen based off of a score of 100; scores are determined by potential for mispriming, likelihood for primer dimers, etc. Higher scores correlate to better PCR performance. Then, BiSearch, an online primer-design algorithm and search tool is used to check primer sets in order to ameliorate PCR efficiency by avoiding non-specific PCR products due to genomic repetition. PCR product is then examined with 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and Agilent Bioanalyzer chip-based capillary electrophoresis in order to determine if amplicons of the correct size were obtained. (Once primers of sufficient efficacy are designed, they are subject to 5’ biotin tag modifications—this makes purification of proteins and other target molecules easier while utilizing streptavidin-coupled Dynabeads). Methylation sites incompatible with JUNO due to amplicon sites exceeding 200 base pairs would instead be analyzed using Pyromark Pyrosequencing Assay for which it is easier to design assays but is more costly and lower throughput: the output of resulting data being similar in quality. Results: We attempted to design assays for 60 loci. Of these we have designed and validated the quality of 23 assays for JUNO and 3 for the Pyromark Q96 sequencing and quantification platform. PCR analysis followed afterwards. We were not able to design assays for 34 sites due to: amplicon sites having exceeded 200 base pairs, forming of hair pins, forming of primer dimers, amplicon sites being too far from target region, or formation of multiple PCR products, as determined by IDT analysis. The 3 primer sets were incompatible with JUNO due to formation of primer dimer and hairpin formations when 5’ tags were added therefore Pyromark Q96 assay was optimal. Conclusion: In conclusion we have optimized and evaluated 23 assays for the JUNO sequencing platform and 3 primers for Pyromark Q96 that, in the next step, will be used to assess the replication of loci of interest in trauma associated methylation biomarkers from saliva samples.
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Aesthetic Chills: An Autoethnographic Study
Jessica Turner
Aesthetic Chills: An Autoethnographic Study
Jessica Turner, Dept. of Psychology, with Dr. Richard Bargdill, Dept. of Psychology
The purpose of this poster is to describe autoethnographic research that recorded experiences of aesthetic chills. Aesthetic chills are a psychophysiological response to stimuli that create pilo-erection and a “chill” effect on the body not related to temperature (i.e. goosebumps due to experiences of beauty). For the last two years, the researcher has made a written record of each instance of his experience of an aesthetic chill and the circumstances that triggered the chill. The data consists of brief descriptions of the triggering event, the date the chill occurred. Some descriptions also include the location where the chills were experienced on the body (i.e. back of the neck) as well as the intensity of that chill (mild, intense, pulsar). The encounters have been analyzed for similarities in conditions and given a number in numerical order of the date it was recorded. This research has provided both quantitative and qualitative data to analyze for the purpose of understanding more about the how frequently and under what thematic categories the aesthetic chills occur for this researcher.
According to Denzin (2008) analytic autoethnography has five key features. It is ethnographic work in which: (a)The researcher “is a full member in a research group or setting” meaning that the researcher is also the participant (b) The researcher “uses analytic reflexivity;” the researcher is researching one’s own experience and has decided in advance how to capture that experience. (c) The researcher “has a visible narrative presence in the written text.” That is, the data is a record of the researchers experience and contains one’s personal knowledge. (d) The researcher “engages in dialogue with informants beyond the self.” The data is to be shared with other researchers of the topic and his research team. e) Researcher “is committed to an analytic research agenda focused on improving theoretical understandings of broader social phenomena.” The research is intended to answer questions about whether recording aesthetic chills increases one’s sensitivity to them and thus increases their frequency.
Dr. Bargdill is the autoethnographer since he is both author and focus of the research. He is the one who narrates his experiences as the observer and the observed. By being able to incorporate himself into the research, he is able to tie together the personal aspect of the culture, thinking and observing as an ethnographer and both the writing and describing as a storyteller and researcher.
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Latinx Immigrants' Healthcare Access: Barriers, Consequences and Strategies for the Future
Ashley Victor, Farheen Zaman, MiJin Cho, and Paola Callejas
Latinx Immigrants' Healthcare Access: Barriers, Consequences and Strategies for the Future
Ashley Victor, Depts. of Bioinformatics and Product Innovation, Farheen Zaman, MiJin Cho, and Paola Callejas, with Dr. Indira Sultanić, School of World Studies
As the largest minority group in America, the Latinx population faces significant obstacles to receiving equitable healthcare. The Collective Corazón—a VCU student organization that addresses Latinx healthy equity through service and advocacy—performed a meta-analysis to pinpoint the barriers that the Latinx population faces in health care, determine the consequences in the community, and formulate strategies for the future. This study found that overall, immigrants tend to have lower rates of healthcare coverage compared to people born in the United States. Latinx immigrants in particular struggle because of language barriers within the healthcare system, as well as a lack of cultural competency of healthcare workers, and the inability to obtain health insurance because of their immigration and socioeconomic status. These factors lead to poor health outcomes for Latinx immigrants that are not seen in members of the community born in the United States, including low birth weights, chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma, and musculoskeletal problems. Based on these findings, this study posits that these disparities can be mitigated by addressing language and cultural barriers through training programs centered around cultural humility, the increased use of professional interpreters, and the development of community health resources, like school-based health centers.
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Psychometric Assessment of the Spanish SCORE-15 for Families of Individuals with Parkinson's Disease in Mexico
Jack Watson
Psychometric Assessment of the Spanish SCORE-15 for Families of Individuals with Parkinson's Disease in Mexico
Jack Watson, Dept. of Psychology, Dr. Grace McKee, Mid-Atlantic MIRECC, Dr. Sarah Lageman, VCU School of Medicine and Dept. of Psychology, Dr. Teresita Villaseñor, University of Guadalajara, and Dr. Paul Perrin, Dept. of Psychology
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and can lead to a number of mental health problems for both patients and caregivers. Research has suggested that worse caregiver mental health predicts greater patient mortality for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, and caregiver mental health is best when family needs are met. As healthcare trends toward an outpatient, home setting, it is important to study the effects of PD within the family setting. Objective: To test the proposed three-factor structure found in English of the Spanish Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (SCORE-15, a measure of family dynamics) in a sample of PD caregivers from Mexico. Method: PD caregivers (n = 148) were recruited from an urban academic medical center in Mexico. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis (CFA/EFA) of the SCORE-15 were conducted. Results: Results from an initial CFA suggested that the three-factor SCORE-15 solution was a poor fit to the data, and an EFA was conducted in order to determine a better factor structure. We found evidence for a two-factor structure representing (1) general pathology and (2) family strengths. This factor structure bore little resemblance to the original three-factor structure (strengths and adaptability, overwhelmed with difficulties, and disrupted communication). Discussion: The SCORE-15 was originally validated in an English-speaking population. Our results suggest that the SCORE-15 does not measure the same three factor structure in Spanish in the context of PD for which it was intended within English-speaking samples. This could be due to the wording of the measures, the translation, or the cross-cultural applicability of family dynamic constructs. Future research would benefit from investigating this discrepancy in order to improve cross-cultural sensitivity in measures of family dynamics.
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Health Disparities among Latinx Communities: Issues of Access to Information, Interpreters, and Bilingual Providers
Shea Wenzler, Roma Kankaria, Sydney Welles, and Anubhav Thapaliya
Health Disparities among Latinx Communities: Issues of Access to Information, Interpreters, and Bilingual Providers
Shea Wenzler, Depts. of Psychology and Political Science, Roma Kankaria, Sydney Welles, and Anubhav Thapaliya, with Dr. Indira Sultanić, School of World Studies
Members of the Latinx community in Richmond and the United States face challenges in obtaining equitable health care access because of socioeconomic and systematic barriers within the healthcare system. This analysis conducted by the Collective Corazón—a VCU student organization that addresses Latinx healthy equity through service and advocacy—examines the underlying causes of Latinx health disparities. Special emphasis is placed on access to just, equitable, and ethical care, information, qualified interpreters, and bilingual healthcare providers—with the objective of proposing viable solutions to alleviate health disparities. This study found that while the U.S. Census Bureau identifies the Latinx population as the fastest growing demographic in the country, the group’s average income and educational attainment fall below the national average, causing increased amounts of stress and thus contributing to poor mental and physical health outcomes. The health disparities created by these socioeconomic factors are further exacerbated by discrimination by healthcare workers and language barriers that result from a lack of qualified interpreters and bilingual providers. This situation creates a cultural divide in which Latinx individuals who are less comfortable speaking English are more likely to turn to alternative forms of support, such as religious and community institutions. This study contends that increasing physician and interpreter training, designing and delivering culturally specific eHealth and Telehealth tools, connecting language access to patient safety and quality of care, and encouraging connections with community leaders are ways to lessen the challenges faced by Latinx individuals in healthcare.
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Conversations About Race and Perceptions of Racial Discrimination Among Emerging Adults
Angel Whitfield, Alanna Cason, Maria Cisneros, Arlenis Santana, and Eryn DeLaney
Conversations About Race and Perceptions of Racial Discrimination Among Emerging Adults
Alanna Cason, Depts. of Psychology and Criminal Justice, Angel Whitfield, Maria Cisneros, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, Arlenis Santana, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, & Eryn DeLaney, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. Chelsea D. Williams, Dr. Tricia Smith, Dr. Amy Adkins, and Dr. Danielle Dick
College students of color have positive race-related experiences (e.g.., positive conversations), as well as negative race-related experiences (e.g., racial discrimination and negative experiences about race; Spencer 2006). Limited work has focused on conversations students have about race, although the U.S. has become more diverse especially in college settings (Martinez-Acosta & Favero, 2018). To address these gaps, the current study focused on bidirectional relations between students’ conversations about race and how they are related to discrimination experiences among 95 college-age students of color. We hypothesized that (1) more negative conversations about race (and less positive conversations) would increase students’ perceptions of racial discrimination, and (2) the more students experienced discrimination, they would have more negative conversations (less positive conversations) about race. Two linear regression analyses were conducted. The first analysis indicated that negative conversations about race (B = .38, p
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An Analysis of the UK and US on the Perceived Adequacy of Workplace Mental Health Programs
Julia Woods
An Analysis of the UK and US on the Perceived Adequacy of Workplace Mental Health Programs
Julia Woods, Depts. of Business and Psychology, with Dr Deborah DiazGranados, VCU School of Medicine
Research examining employee provided health benefits typically concentrate on evaluating a program’s impact on organizational outcomes such as retention, absenteeism, presenteeism, and cost-effectiveness (Cuffel, Goldman, and Schlesinger, 1999; Munz & Kohler, 1997). The typical methods used for evaluation of these programs tend to be quantitative in nature, however, qualitative methods could help organizations better understand how its employees react to and view such programs. This paper explores employee’s perceptions of health benefits provided by employers, specifically mental health programs, within the United Kingdom and the United States. These countries were chosen because of perceived similarities in culture, labor markets, views of the parity of mental and physical health care, and focus on individual's rights. A review and analysis of major categories of mental health programs were conducted to best capture the cultural context, effectiveness, and employee perception of employee health benefits. The search for literature primarily included online searches of the following databases (e.g., Google Scholar, PsychINFO, PubMed, PsycNET) for literature published between 1995 and 2019. The following key terms were used in different combinations: Mental health programs, mental health benefits, adequacy, employer-provided programs, employee satisfaction, employee perception, either the United Kingdom or the United States. In addition, to highlight a few common employer-provided mental health benefits a targeted search was done for specific benefits (e.g., employee assistance programs, workplace counseling, cognitive behavior therapy, mental health insurance/coverage, and stress management interventions) in combination with the previously listed terms. The initial search resulted in eight publications that were then used for a manual secondary search of reference lists which resulted in three additional publications that were used for the review. Results of the analysis of sources indicate that employer-provided benefits improved employee’s mental well-being, which in turn impacted their work. Interestingly, one study conducted by Elliot and Williams (2002) reported comments like “I haven’t had any panic attacks since counseling ended,” and “my workload is now being dealt with more quickly” by counseling clients. Qualitative reports such as these are particularly interesting when trying to understand how employees view their work after they conclude a mental health program. Future research should consider examining questions such as: 1) what is the overall and longitudinal impact on employee well-being from employer-provided mental health benefits, 2) how do employer-provided mental health programs influence personal well-being, and how does an employee’s personal well-being in turn influence employee productivity, and 3) how do cultural differences and a country’s approach to mental health care inform the employee’s availability/accessibility to mental health care at work.
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Effect of Political Ideology, Femininity, and Gender on Abortion Stigma
Rym Yousfi, Emily Beatty, Allison Patev, and Chelsie Dunn
Effect of Political Ideology, Femininity, and Gender on Abortion Stigma
Rym Yousfi, Dept. of Psychology, Emily Beatty, and Allison Patev and Chelsie Dunn, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Students, with Dr. Kristina Hood, Dept. of Psychology
Abortion stigma is a negative characteristic attributed to individuals who terminate a pregnancy that marks them as inferior to social ideals of womanhood (Kumar et al, 2009). One factor influencing abortion stigma is political ideology. Conservative individuals display more opposition to abortion and hold more abortion stigmatizing attitudes, when compared to their liberal counterparts (Bessett et al, 2015). Further, individuals’ gender may impact endorsement of these stigmatizing attitudes towards individuals who have had an abortion. Women have less stigma likely due to the fact that they could need to have an abortion (Patev, Hood, & Hall, 2019). Although gender seems to predict abortion stigma, it is unclear how individuals’ endorsement of traditional feminine characteristics may relate to abortion stigma, independent of gender. Abortion violates fundamental entities of womanhood, such as being a nurturing mother and being sexually pure (Kumar et al, 2009). Feminine ideals indicate that women should not have control over their own reproduction and sexuality, leading to increased stigmatizing attitudes towards women who have an abortion (Norris et al, 2011). Therefore, the endorsement of traditional feminine ideals may lead to increased abortion stigma, regardless of political ideology or gender. Limited study has examined the relationship between feminine characteristics and abortion stigma. Better understanding abortion stigma is essential; as, research has shown that stigmatizing attitudes can greatly affect the health of individuals who have had an abortion (Major & Gramzow, 1999; O’Donnell et al., 2018). The current study sought to determine the effect of femininity on abortion stigmatizing attitudes, beyond the effects of political ideology and gender. We initially projected that individuals with more traditional feminine values would hold more abortion stigma.
Participants (N= 305) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and completed an online survey. The survey included the Stigmatizing Attitudes, Beliefs, and Actions Scale (Shellenberg et al., 2014) to assess abortion stigma, the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (Spence et al., 1974) to assess femininity, one item assessing gender (i.e., men coded as 1 and women coded as 2), and one item assessing political ideology (e.g., lower scores indicate conservative ideology). A hierarchical regression was conducted to determine how individuals’ femininity impacts abortion stigma, beyond the effects of gender and political ideology. Political ideology was entered in the first step, and was significant,b= -.54, SE= .28, p< .001, with more of a conservative ideology related to increased abortion stigma. Political ideology accounted for 29.1% of the variability in abortion stigma. Gender was entered in the second step, controlling for political ideology, and was found to be significant, b = -.11, SE= 1.29,p= .03, with women holding less stigma than men. Gender accounted for an additional 1.1% of the variability in abortion stigma, beyond the effects of political ideology. Finally, femininity was added into the third step, controlling for gender and political ideology, and significantly predicted abortion stigma, b = -.11, SE= .16, p= .03, and accounted for an additional 1.0% of the variance in abortion stigma. However, this finding was not in the predicted direction. We found a negative relationship, indicating that individuals with more femininity held less abortion stigma. This is counter to our original prediction, where we projected that individuals with more traditional feminine characteristics would hold more abortion stigma.
These findings extend on previous work determining factors that predict abortion stigma. Having a better understanding of these factors combined influence will aid in decreasing abortion stigma. These results could help to create educational programs on sexual and reproductive health that can reduce abortion stigma and bias, and ultimately could lead to reducing negative health outcomes for individuals who have had an abortion.
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Characteristics of Medicaid Dental Providers Who Provide Oral Health Services to Pregnant Women in Virginia
Hasib Zaman
Characteristics of Medicaid Dental Providers Who Provide Oral Health Services to Pregnant Women in Virginia
Hasib Zaman, Depts. of Bioinformatics and Computer Science, with Dr. Shilipa Naavaal, VCU School of Dentistry
Introduction: Medicaid is a federal program that provides health insurance for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, and elderly adults in the United States. Virginia expanded their Medicaid, both financially and demographically, in January 2019 and currently has 1,317,981 individuals enrolled in Medicaid, which is an increase of 39.7% from 2018; however, within this expansion, there was no increase in budget for dental Medicaid. Although there are programs, such as Smile for Children, that cater to the oral health of pregnant women, many women do not use the available opportunities due to limited awareness and accessibility of services, as well as cultural factors affecting the quality of service (e.g., linguistic differences). Furthermore, only 39% of dentists nationwide accept Medicaid and/or children's health insurance, which not only discourages young families from seeking oral healthcare, but also limits their accessibility to these vital services. In order to clarify oral healthcare disparities for pregnant women, this study will explore the characteristics of providers who participate in Medicaid and provide oral health services to pregnant women in Virginia. Findings can inform policy focused on improving Medicaid participation among dental providers. Methods: The 2015-2018 Medicaid provider data was obtained through the State Department of Medical Assistance Services. The license numbers of each provider were collected using a public License Lookup tool available through the Virginia Department of Health Professions (VDHP). Additional provider characteristics (i.e., gender, age, years in practice, location) will be requested from the VDHP. Descriptive analysis is done to explore the characteristics of Medicaid providers, to map the distribution in the state of Virginia . Results: Analyses revealed that most providers were located in the Eastern and Northern regions of Virginia’s health districts (55%). These regions have the greatest number of providers that were involved in Medicaid, as it is a very suburban area containing a vast variety of demographics. Following these regions, there are approximately 11% of the providers in the Central region. Furthermore, the Northwest and Southwest regions combined to make up for approximately 34% of providers. Further analysis will be conducted in order to determine the socio demographic context of the providers within these regions. Discussions: During pregnancy, there is an increase in hormones that can affect one’s body’s response to plaque which can lead to increased tooth decay or gum disease. Therefore, there is a need to improve dental providers' participation in Medicaid to improve oral health services among pregnant women. These results have implications for workforce growth and development. Our study results suggest disparities in the distribution of dental providers by various characteristics. Findings provide an overview of the distribution of Medicaid, oral health providers throughout Virginia, with a particular concentration in the Northern region. Additionally, with regions such as Eastern and Northwestern that have a higher percentile of women that do not speak English fluently while having more providers that tend to be caucasian , there are demographic barriers between the two parties that inhibit women from seeking services.
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Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care
Casey Zapata, Demetrius Carter, MaryKate Crawford, Samantha Mladen, Emily Donovan, Amber Fox, and Kristen O'Loughlin
Behavioral Health Integration in Primary Care
Casey Zapata, Depts. of Psychology and English, Demetrius Carter, & MaryKate Crawford, and Samantha Mladen, Emily Donovan, Amber Fox, & Kristen O’Loughlin, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Students, with Dr. Bruce Rybarczyk, Dept. of Psychology
Background/Aims: Due to limited access to mental health care, many patients present to primary care with mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety. Integrated primary care (IPC), an emerging practice model that integrates behavioral health providers with medical providers in primary care, has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes. This project aims to characterize patients being seen in safety-net IPC, both demographically and clinically. Methods: The data were collected across three safety-net clinics in the Richmond area. The sample consisted of 96 adult patients: 68 female (71%), 24 male (25%), 1 non binary (1%), and 3 not collected (3%); 54 African-American (56%), 29 White (30%), 1 Asian (1%), 1 Other (1%), and 11 not collected (12%). Measures included a patient-completed checklist of patients’ behavioral health concerns, the PHQ-9 for depression, the GAD-7 for anxiety, and clinician-completed chart review for demographic factors. Results: Of the 72 patients who completed the GAD-7, patients reported 13 (18%) severe symptoms of anxiety, 11 (15%) moderate symptoms, 15 (21%) mild symptoms, and 33 (46%) subclinical symptoms. For the 37 patients who completed the PHQ-9, patients reported 7 (19%) severe depressive symptoms, 10 (27%) moderately severe symptoms, 12 (32%) moderate symptoms, 6 (16%) mild symptoms, and 2 (5%) subclinical symptoms. The six most commonly patient-reported problems were stress (n= 73), anxiety (n= 70), depression (n= 65), sleep (n = 55), grief (n = 53), and irritability (n= 53). When asked to rank their top three concerning problems, the five concerns most commonly ranked as top problems were: : (1) anxiety (n = 29), (2) stress (n = 28), (3) depression (n = 27), (4) sleep (n=16), and (5) weight (n=15). Further, 56 (58%) participants reported both depression and anxiety as among their top three concerns. Discussion: Anxiety and depression were reported by the majority of patients, with 33% experiencing at least moderate anxiety and 78% experiencing at least moderate depression. Additionally, anxiety and depression were cited as the third most commonly reported concerns, respectively, as well as ranked within the top three most concerning problems for most participants. Stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep were included in both the most commonly reported problems and the most common top three concerns of participants, suggesting that these concerns are both pervasive and troublesome for participants. Over time, this project will prioritize increasing sample size and tracking longitudinal trends. The continued study of safety-net IPC may allow for increasing access to behavioral health, identifying common behavioral health concerns in primary care, and meeting unmet patient needs.
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Motor Evoked Potential Recruitment Curves Indicate Neuroplasticity after Spinal Cord Injury
Yasmina Zeineddine and Thibault Roumengous
Motor Evoked Potential Recruitment Curves Indicate Neuroplasticity after Spinal Cord Injury
Yasmina Zeineddine, Depts. of Biomedical Engineering and Anthropology, with Thibault Roumengous, Graduate Student in Biomedical Engineering, and Dr. Carrie Peterson, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering
Introduction: Motor evoked potential (MEP) recruitment curves in response to transcranial magnetic stimulation across a range of stimulation intensities can provide insight into the condition of neural pathways to a muscle. Further, corticomotor reorganization associated with recovery of motor function may be reflected in changes in the MEP recruitment curve. At low TMS intensity, the MEP often consists of a single direct wave, whereas at higher stimulus intensities, the MEP amplitude increases due to recruitment of later indirect waves (I-waves). These late I-waves are thought to depend on trans-synaptic activation of corticospinal axons through excitatory interneurons. [1] In impaired patients, MEP recruitment curves can inform the development of individualized rehabilitation treatments, as curve irregularities can reveal specific deficits, and enhance our understanding of the neuroplastic changes that occur after injury. In comparing the biceps brachii recruitment curve of subjects with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) to nonimpaired individuals, we hypothesized that individuals with SCI would have greater biceps excitability, and therefore greater RC slopes, due to the biceps cortical representation growing in response to triceps paralysis [2]. Materials and Methods: Ten nonimpaired (4 female, 6 male) and 5 impaired (3 female, 2 male) subjects consented to participate in the study. Subjects were seated and had their dominant arm positioned at a 90° elbow angle. EMG surface electrodes were placed on the biceps after being cleaned with alcohol wipes. The biceps cortical hotspot was determined as the area over the motor cortex where TMS evoked the largest MEP response. The resting motor threshold (RMT) was the lowest stimulus intensity required to elicit a 50μVpp MEP response in 3/5 trials. TMS was performed with a 126 mm diameter double cone coil and Magstim BiStim2 . MEPs were recorded from the BB and normalized by dividing by Mmax. Recruitment curves were recorded at stimulus intensities ranging from 80%- 160% of subject RMT in 10% increments. Pulse intensities were randomly administered with interstimulus intervals of 10 s. The data was recorded using Spike software and processed in Matlab. MEPs were excluded if they exceeded ±3 standard deviations of the mean response per intensity. Results and Discussion: The recruitment curve slopes for individuals with SCI, on average, were greater relative to the slopes of nonimpaired individuals. This was based on an analysis of MEPs between intensities of 100% and 140% RMT, wherein the slope was on average 5.13 across individuals with SCI, and 1.49 in the nonimpaired population. The greater slope in individuals with SCI suggests enhanced excitability of the biceps, which is consistent with previous studies showing greater cortical representation of non-paralyzed hand muscles relative to paralyzed muscles [2]. Conclusions: Our results indicate that cervical SCI promotes greater excitability in the muscles controlled by nerves rostral to the location of injury, and demonstrate neural plasticity following injury. The steeper slopes in individuals with SCI indicate greater recruitment of later I-waves. Whether increased recruitment of later I-waves is associated with greater cortical map area is unclear and will require further investigation.
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Nutrigenomics: Using Sulforaphane Consumption as a Mechanism to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease through Epigenetic Regulation
Alisha Agrawal
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Diet composition and reduced expression of the transcription factor Nrf2 are both possible factors contributing to cardiovascular disease. As vitamin supplementation grows in scope and popularity, it is becoming common to replace vegetable consumption with multivitamins. The purpose of this research was to investigate how sulforaphane, an isothiocyanate found in its greatest quantities in broccoli, prevents cardiovascular disease through epigenetic regulation in order to promote the understanding that vitamin supplementation does not adequately replace the health benefits of phytonutrients found in vegetables. In order to investigate sulforaphane’s ability to prevent cardiovascular disease through epigenetic regulation, I studied scholarly journal articles that focused on experiments involving sulforaphane-induced activation of Nrf2 and the effects of Nrf2 activation such as up-regulation of antioxidant genes and phase II enzymes. Additionally, I studied articles examining sulforaphane-induced reductions in blood pressure and elimination of cardiac dysfunctions such as cardiac hypertrophy and decreased fractional shortening with the goal of identifying Nrf2 activation as the underlying mechanism. The results showed that up-regulation of antioxidant genes, signaling of phase II enzymes, lowered blood pressure, and elimination of cardiac dysfunctions were all a result of sulforaphane-induced activation of Nrf2. These results indicate that people who may be at risk for cardiovascular disease could benefit from including broccoli in their diet rather than using vitamin and mineral supplementation to replace vegetables that provide valuable phytonutrients.
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A Comparative Study of Extreme Religious Nationalist Terrorist Groups in the United States
Colleen Arthur
The aim of this paper is to conduct a comparative study of Radical Right Wing terrorism and Radical Islamic terrorism both of which are categorized under the Religious Nationalism/Extremism typology of terrorism. In order to compare and contrast the two fairly, I broke down the ideology, motives, methods, and the demographic profile of members of both Radical Right Wing and Radical Islamic terrorism then provided examples of different groups that fall within those categories in order to effectively illustrate the striking similarities of the two categories that have been addressed and condemned differently by the United States. Then I had analyzed how and why the United States has approached groups that fall under Radical Right Wing terrorism vastly different than groups under Radical Islamic terrorism even though both fall under the same Religious Nationalism/Extremism category of terrorism. This comparative study is also being conducted to examine why the United States did not have the same reaction to Radical Right Wing terrorist groups before the September 11th attacks as it did to the Radical Islamic groups since Radical Right Wing groups had committed the most violent acts in the United States prior to September 11th 2001. Lastly, I will also briefly discuss the present day social implications associated with the difference of treatment between the two terrorist groups.
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Effects of Nostalgia on Responses to Negative Feedback
Michaela K. Avino, Thomas Cotter, Simron Richard, Athena Cairo, and Jeffrey Green
Nostalgia is a bittersweet emotion evoked by memories of cherished personal experiences. Though nostalgia is a self-focused emotion, it has many interpersonal effects as well. Feeling nostalgia increases feelings of social connectedness and self esteem, and may protect against negative effects of existential threat (Wildschut et al., 2006). However, less is known about the extent to which nostalgia relates to anger and aggression. We hypothesized that nostalgia would buffer against the effect of negative feedback on feelings of anger and motivation to aggress. Undergraduate students wrote about a nostalgic or objective memory, and then received negative feedback about another personal writing project. Participants reported their feelings of anger, then had the opportunity to punish the individual who gave them negative feedback by administering loud noise blasts in a competitive game. We discuss the results and real-world implications of these findings.
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Effect of Energy Metabolism on NF-kB activity in Ovarian Cancer
Simren K. Bagri
NF-kB is a transcription factor involved in cancer cell growth and survival. The activation of NF-kB can be assessed by monitoring phosphorylation of RelA p65 at Ser-536, which is a surrogate of the NF-kB transcription factor activation. The objective of this study was to determine if the loss of ATP leads to NF-kB deficiency and thus, apoptotic cell death of “bad” cells in ovarian cancer cells. The independent variables were metformin (Met), an anti-diabetic medicine, another compound MinB functionally similar to Met and a glucose transporter inhibitor BAY-876. The dependent variables were the resulting effect of Met and MinB on phosphorylated AMPK at Thr-172 (marker of ATP loss) and RelA p65 at Ser-536 (marker of NF-kB activation). In each experiment, AMPK and RelA phosphorylation were tested by treatment of ovarian cancer cell lines with Met, MinB, BAY-876, Met+BAY-876, MinB+BAY-876. Western blotting was performed to determine the phosphorylation levels of AMPK and RelA p65. For two gels, the process was repeated. In each gel, Met or MinB treatment leads to thicker bands of AMPK-p, indicating decrease in cellular ATP levels following treatments. The effect of Met, MinB, or BAY-876 on RelA p65 was limited. However, co-treatment of Met or MinB with BAY-876 caused strong inhibition of NF-kB, as reflected by reduction in RelA p65-p. These results suggested that ATP deficiency together with inhibition of glucose transport cause inactivation of NK-kB. Future research will be conducted to study the effects of these compounds or their combinations on ovarian cancer cell growth and survival against from apoptosis.
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A Comparison of Two Methods of Quantifying Mating Success in Low Density Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) Populations
Alexandra Barry, Hannah Byrne, and Derek M. Johnson
The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a defoliating pest native to Europe and invasive to North America. The gypsy moth is subject to depressed mating success in low density populations, which may restrict spread of the forest pest. Research focusing on gypsy moth density as it relates to mating behavior has often used counts of males caught in pheromone-baited delta traps as a proxy to estimate the probability of female mating success. The purpose of this project was to determine whether pheromone trap counts provide accurate estimates of female mating success probability, by comparing data gathered from pheromone-baited delta traps to data gathered on mating success of tethered females. To determine the relationship between number of males caught in delta traps and the probability of successful mating, male catch counts in traps were compared to mating success of tethered females in a mass male release experiment. The relationship between delta trap catch of males and female mating success was quantified using a Bayesian framework, which explicitly incorporates uncertainties in the model. Vegetative cover in the study plots was reduced to a single measure through principal components analysis and included as an independent factor in the model. The data suggest that delta traps reduce the male’s ability to find a female by 67%; thus, results garnered from delta trap catch counts tend to underestimate the underlying ability of males to locate and mate with females. Thick understory vegetation further reduced the male’s ability to locate a female, and further reduced the effectiveness of delta traps. Future studies that seek to use counts of males in pheromone-baited traps as a proxy for mating success should consider using an adjustment factor to equate the two methods of quantifying reproductive behavior in the gypsy moth.
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College Student Alcohol Use and Engagement in Prevention Programming
Alexis H. Branch, Shimona Kumar, and Christina McGrath
Social problems and adverse consequences have been associated with risky alcohol use (Paschall et al, 2015). Personalized Normative Feedback (PNF) has been utilized to address these problems (White and Hingson, 2014) by comparing students’ alcohol use to campus or national norms (Butler et al, 2009). The current investigation sought to understand differences in alcohol use behaviors in freshmen who did and did not report completion of a personalized feedback intervention (PFI) in a diverse sample of college students from the Spit for Science (S4S) project. S4S is a campus-wide, longitudinal study on the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to mental health and substance use outcomes in college students. Freshmen (N=1,168) completed surveys in the fall and spring; in the spring, whether or not students completed a PFI during their freshman year was assessed. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and grams of ethanol consumed were calculated for participants who reported completing an online PFI for alcohol use (n=365) and for those who did not (n=803). We hypothesized that (1) PFI freshmen would exhibit greater alcohol consumption and AUD symptoms in the fall (pre-PFI), and (2) students in both groups would exhibit equal rates in the spring (post-PFI). There was sufficient evidence to support the fall hypothesis: students in the prevention group exhibited higher levels of alcohol consumption (t=1.39, p<0.001) and AUD symptoms (t=2.42, p=0.031). The spring hypothesis was not supported: PFI students exhibited higher levels of alcohol consumption (t)=1.4373, p<0.01) and AUD symptoms (t=2.09, p < 0.01). Future research could examine whether the results may vary by ethnicity or other demographic characteristics.
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How Personal Names Shape the Way Society Sees People as Individuals in the United States.
Rand Gabriel M. Buenaventura
In a world where people are disadvantaged by first impressions and implicit bias, names factor a lot into a person’s successes in life. Whether it be first names, last names, the number of middle initials, the gender and racial implications of a person’s name, and societal standards surrounding names and naming systems, there are multiple ways names shape a person’s identity. Thus, it is important to ask how personal names shape the way people are seen as individuals in the United States and contribute to their identity. Names are a trait that people are born with, usually determined before anything is known about that person. Research for this paper involved exploring articles about the various aspects of names, as well as investigating the psychosocial effects they have on people. A thorough understanding of the impact of names was found. It was expected that there would likely be implications surrounding only race and gender signaling names, yet it was discovered that there are much more biases that names can signal based on the contents of that person’s name. From a person’s educational worth to an association with lesser valued societal qualities, names allow people to form assumptions and draw conclusions without actively trying to. Immigrants in the United States have even faced less adversity upon anglicizing their name, simply because it allows them to more easily blend in and assimilate. As a result, bringing together this research allows a more holistic understanding of implicit bias. Broadly, this can further be applied to explaining why certain people have more privilege than others. Just like how teachers can treat certain individuals differently based on their name, affecting how that individual receives education, societal stereotypes can similarly impose different attitudes due to how names are perceived.
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Enhancing Handbag Design Through Anti-Counterfeit Technology
Kylie R. Carroll
In recent years, the presence of counterfeit goods has become a $600 billion global industry, encompassing markets ranging from designer luxury goods to pharmaceuticals. This paper identifies the threat that this increased counterfeit presence poses on the high-end handbag market. Increased counterfeit quality is significantly contributing to the deception of consumers when attempting to purchase authentic designer handbags. In response to this increased threat, numerous designer brands have begun to adopt anti-counterfeit technologies with both track-and-trace and authentication agendas, to enhance the security of their products against the counterfeit industry. Several variations of anti-counterfeit solutions exist, and this paper specifically examines the effectiveness of the security and authentication factors of hologram, digital watermark, and Radio Frequency Identification solutions within a designer handbag application. After careful analysis of the various anti-counterfeit solutions available in the contemporary market, this paper concludes that overt and covert combination technologies with a two-factor-authentication approach are the most effective in terms of security and authentication capabilities. In conjunction with an anti-counterfeit efficacy analysis, this paper proposes an anti-counterfeit technology adaptation with the aim of elevating both security and design aesthetic. Design that favors functionality has recently gained traction in the fashion industry and incorporating anti-counterfeit technology into handbag design in a visually enhancing manner is the ultimate method of furthering both form and function in a technologically advanced world.
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Using Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and Collagen Scaffolds with Sustained Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Release for Post-SCI Nerve Regeneration
Panth Doshi
Traumatic events resulting in spinal cord injuries (SCIs) often leave people paralyzed or with partial loss of motor function. The physical disabilities arising from traumatic events prevent people from functioning at the same level as pre-injury. My work aims to identify a plausible method to overcome the inhibitory post-SCI environment and to regenerate nervous tissue in order to restore neural function and, subsequently, motor function. I identified components of a new, hypothetical nerve scaffold based on the immune response after SCIs and the efficacy of currently used scaffolds for nerve regeneration. Hyaluronic acid (HA) polymer scaffolds and collagen-based scaffolds are individually effective in counteracting the post-SCI inhibitory environment and inducing neurofilament growth. In addition, sustained release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) into the lesion site has shown to supplement, and even augment, the physical and functional recovery achieved through the HA and collagen-based scaffolds. Thus, I propose the testing of a crosslinked HA and collagen scaffold with sustained BDNF release through BDNF-bound collagen binding domain and BDNF embedded PLGA microspheres as a more viable and effective method for spinal nerve regeneration in order to restore neural and motor function.
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The Forensic Characterization of Bacterial and Fungal Organisms in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Julia Grzymkowski, Christopher J. Ehrhardt, Justin L. Poklis, and Michelle R. Peace
There has been an increase in use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the United States because they are less expensive and believed to be more effective with less adverse effects in comparison to traditional pharmaceutics. Therefore, sales have increased in the US, despite articles and case studies demonstrating the dangers, such as injury and death, related to TCM, stemming from improper labelling, toxic contaminants, and, in some cases, the presence of pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study was to perform a survival experiment to demonstrate the importance of proper herbal brewing technique and to conduct a molecular and biochemical survey of microorganisms present on eleven Chinese herbal samples. The survival study compared Chinese brewing preparation and American brewing preparation by fortifying the herbal mixture with known bacteria and assessing its survival after brewing. The American brewed herbal tea was calculated to contain upwards of 3000 CFU (colony forming units)/mL, where the Chinese brewed herbal tea contained roughly 50 CFU/mL. FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) analysis was performed on the herbs to characterize any microorganisms present on the plant material already, following purchase. Strains within the Bacillus genus were identified in nearly all eleven of the herbal samples. These included B. subtilis and B. megaterium. Organisms belonging to the Bacillus ACT group (anthracis, cereus, thuringiensis) were identified in five out of eleven herb cultures as evidenced by the large ratio of 15:0 iso to 15:0 anteiso fatty acid biomarkers. Nine out of eleven herbal specimens also exhibited fungal biomarkers such as polyunsaturated 20:4 ω6,9,12,15c, and 18:3 ω6c (6,9,12).
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Adolescent Expressive Reluctance Exacerbates Risk for Substance Use Following Daily Hassles
Chad M. Hensberger, David W. Sosnowski M.S., Wendy Kliewer Ph.D, and Kristina McGuire M.S.
Previous research has established a link between adolescent’s perceived daily hassles and subsequent adjustment, but less is known about factors that exacerbate this relationship. The purpose of the present study was to identify if adolescent’s reluctance to express emotions moderated the association between their perceived daily hassles and subsequent substance use (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, tobacco). Cross-sectional data were obtained from a larger study that examined the effects of exposure to community violence among low-income, urban adolescents (N = 260, Mage = 14.14, SD = 1.62 years; 92% African American; 54% female). Linear regression analyses controlling for adolescent age, biological sex, and previous levels of drug use and daily hassles revealed that expressive reluctance moderated the association between perceived daily hassles and adolescent substance use. Specifically, for adolescents who were least likely to express their emotions, increases in perceived daily hassles were associated with significant increases in substance use. Further examination of domain-specific hassles revealed that expressive reluctance moderated the effects of academic, parental, and general neighborhood hassles on drug use, while no significant effects were detected for hassles related to friends or neighborhood danger. The present findings clarify which perceived daily hassles adversely affect adolescents, and how emotional expression can play an integral role in determining risk for poor coping behaviors.
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The Silver Lining: A Novel, Inkjet-Printed Mesh Coplanar-Slot Antenna for the UHF Band
Anastasios C. Karles
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is opening up frequencies within the television range (400MHz to 700MHz) of the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band for use in emerging technologies, such as cognitive radio networks and machine-to-machine communication. In order for manufacturers to produce affordable antennas that can be used in these emerging technologies, inexpensive antennas are required that meet these new spectrum needs. This paper presents a mesh coplanar-slot bowtie patch antenna fabricated using commercially available inkjet-printing technology. Two antennas were fabricated: a 27x21cm copper FR4 antenna with .25mm lines and a 27x21cm silver antenna with 2mm lines fabricated using inkjet-printing. The copper antenna was iteratively designed in High Frequency Software Simulator (HFSS) and measured using a network analyzer. Simulations and measured results, which show good agreement, verify the viability of merging the mesh and coplanar-slot topologies. The silver antenna is a variation of the copper antenna that was iteratively altered in HFSS until the desired bandwidth was achieved. Simulations and measured results, which show good agreement, verify the viability of inkjet-printing as a fabrication method. The radioelectrical performance of the antennas were also compared to each other. Although there was slight variation between the resonant frequency and bandwidth, an adequate agreement was observed between the two antennas. This demonstrates the feasibility of using inkjet-printing as a quick, efficient method to fabricate UHF antennas that can take advantage of emerging spectrum and be used in applications such as cognitive-radio-networks and machine-to-machine communication.
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Influence of Gluteus Medius Strength on Interlimb Asymmetry in Female Recreational Runners.
Morgan Meyer, Olivia Moody, Kathryn Harrison, Gregory Crosswell, and Bhushan Thakkar
PURPOSE: Running-related injuries are most often single-sided and are partially attributed to lower limb movement and loading asymmetries.1 Gluteus Medius (GM) plays a significant role in lower limb alignment, especially in the frontal and transverse planes by its influence on the pelvis and the femur.2 Female runners are more prone to GM weakness which has been proposed to be a risk factor for overuse injuries.3 These strength deficits contribute to abnormal lower limb kinematics and kinetics during dynamic tasks like running and jumping.4 These changes include an increase in peak hip adduction angle (HA), hip internal rotation angle (HI), knee abduction moment (KA) and rearfoot eversion angle (RE).4 Symmetry Angle (SA) is a commonly-used, robust measure of determining symmetry.1 No study has evaluated the role of unilateral GM strength on interlimb asymmetry for HA, HI, KA and RE during running. We hypothesized that female runners with stronger GM would demonstrate decreased interlimb asymmetry for HI, HA, KA and RE during running. METHODS: Thirty healthy female recreational runners (Age: 35.40±10.52 yrs, Height: 1.66±0.06 m, Weight: 61.61±7.31 kg) running at least 10 km per week participated in this study. Isometric GM strength was measured using a handheld dynamometer for the right lower limb and participants were divided into two groups of stronger and weaker. 3D gait analysis was conducted as participants ran on an instrumented treadmill at 2.98 m/s. Peak HA, HI, KA and RE were generated for the bilateral lower extremities and interlimb asymmetry using SA was calculated for all variables. A Shapiro-Wilk test for normality was conducted and it showed that all variables were not normally distributed. Wilcoxon Two-Sample Test was performed to look at differences between the two groups for HA, HI, KA and RE. RESULTS: Female runners with weaker GM demonstrated significantly increased asymmetry for HA (18.80±24.11 vs 12.20±24.11 %, p=0.02), HI (18.47±24.11 vs 12.53±24.11 %, p=0.03), and KA (18.33±24.11 vs 12.67±24.11 %, p=0.04). For RE, the weaker group had greater asymmetry (16.13±24.11 vs 14.87±24.11 %, p=0.35), but the relationship was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that runners with weaker GM on one side exhibited increased interlimb asymmetry during running for certain kinematic and kinetic variables. Future studies should determine how unilateral and bilateral strength deficits contribute to interlimb asymmetry and running biomechanics in healthy and injured runners.
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The Effect of DNA Methylation on TP73 Expression in Tumorgenesis
Nujuma A. Moussa
Abstract: The Effect of DNA Methylation on TP73 Expression in Tumorgenesis
Nujuma Moussa, Zhixing Yao, Zaki A. Sherif
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Howard University College of Medicine
TP73 is a member of the TP53 family of proteins that acts as a transcription factor to help regulate cellular distress. This tumor protein may play a dual role as a tumor suppressor and tumor promoter. The TP73 gene is mapped to chromosome 1p36, a frequently deleted region in neuroblastoma and other types of tumors. While mutations in the TP53 gene are commonly known to cause noxious cancers, 30% of cancers result from the overexpression of TP73. In our lab, we examined the role of TP73 in the formation of neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that begins in the nerve tissue atop the adrenal gland of kidneys in children. Normal fibroblast cell lines (HS27) and tumor kidney cells (IMR32 and SK-N-SH) were grown in their respective growth media. DNA and RNA of both cell types were extracted using standard procedures. RNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR and DNA methylation was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing. The expressions of TP73 gene and its protein were analyzed by gel electrophoresis and immunohistochemistry respectively. We found that the TP73 gene was expressed in all of the neuroblastoma cells, but there was no evidence of its expression in the normal cell lines. Subsequent methylation studies revealed that TP73 was expressed in neuroblastoma cells but not in non-cancerous cells due to silencing by DNA methylation. In conclusion, the absence of TP73 in normal cells is in part due to DNA methylation implying that TP73 plays a role in the promotion and/or progression of carcinogenesis.
Poster presentations from the annual Undergraduate Poster Symposium, organized by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and part of VCU Research Week.
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