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Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Social Anxiety Disorder Index-5 (SADI-5) and Its Relationship to Religious Affiliation in College Students
Get PDFSocial Anxiety Disorder (SAD), a pervasive and impairing psychological disorder, has been conceptualized differently throughout the various iterations of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), introducing new essential symptoms in the DSM-5 and the DSM-5-TR. Despite the advancements made in enhancing understanding of this disorder, there is a need for empirically supported measures that delve into the qualities of the essential symptoms of the disorder in the DSM-5-TR, as a psychological construct. The Social Anxiety Disorder Index-5 (SADI-5), a nine-item self-report measure, was constructed to fill this gap in the social anxiety-related disorder literature. A simulated data set created from a deidentified archival data set was used to investigate the psychometric properties of the SADI-5. In Study 1 (N = 210), the full information factor analysis results and internal consistency estimates supported the unidimensional structure of the SADI-5. Study 2 (N = 438, N= 332) investigated whether the SADI-5 scale scores differed on the basis of religious affiliation and gender. The analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in the SADI-5 scale scores. The result suggests that religious and gender identity alone may not account for differences in the experiences of social anxiety symptoms in this sample. Contrary to expectations, the SADI-5 did not show convergent validity with other concurrent measures of social anxiety. However, discriminant validity was supported with concurrent measures of anger expression and suicide behaviors. The findings of these studies suggest the need for researchers to examine other properties of the instrument, including the extent to which scores of specific item groups differentiate the responses of groups who present with SAD and those who do not.Psycholog
Prevalent Cardiovascular Disease and Atrial Fibrillation in Relation to Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden
Get PDFBackground/Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) contributes to stroke and dementia. Individuals with CVD have high risk for adverse cognitive outcomes and stroke, possibly due to shared risk factors between CVD, stroke, and dementia, which may be attributed to cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). We aim to determine the association between prevalent CVD and atrial fibrillation (AF) with CSVD. Methods: Composite of CVD [coronary heart disease, heart failure (HF)], its individual components, and AF were assessed. Multi-marker CSVD score was used to reflect increasing CSVD burden (cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), high-burden perivascular spaces, extensive white matter hyperintensity, cortical superficial siderosis, or covert brain infarcts were assigned 1 point each, with a range of 0–5). We related prevalent CVD, its individual components, and AF to multi-marker CSVD score and individual CSVD markers using logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, FHS cohort, time between MRI and clinic exam (model-1), and vascular risk factors (model-2). Results: In 3413 participants (mean age: 59 ± 14 years, 53.4% women), 11% had prevalent CVD or AF, 8% had prevalent CVD, and 4% had prevalent AF. One CSVD marker was seen in 23% participants, and 9% had ≥ 2 markers. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, composite prevalent CVD and AF was associated with the presence of one CSVD marker (OR: 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.84). The association with ≥2 CSVD markers was not significant. Only CMBs were associated with components of CVD and AF, with the highest odds of association with HF. Conclusions: Prevalent CVD (including AF) is associated with the presence of CSVD, with all components associated with CMBs.Public Healt
Critical Comparison of Select Electrochemical Approaches to Measuring Ionic Diffusion Coefficients in Solution
Get PDFThis poster was presented at the 2025 Postdoctoral Appreciation Week event.Accurate determination of diffusion coefficients is crucial for understanding the transport properties of electroactive species in electrochemical systems. Various experimental methods are used to measure the diffusion coefficients of redox couples, each based on different assumptions with distinct advantages and limitations. This study evaluates multiple electrochemical techniques using the well-studied Fe2+/Fe3+ redox couple, considering factors such as experimental conditions, instrumentation, electrolytes, electrode surface characteristics, and the presence of catalyst layers. While the diffusion coefficients obtained from different methods show some variation, they remain within the same order of magnitude and align with reported literature values. Notably, all methods require the electroactive species to be present in the bulk electrolyte, except for the transient response time method. This method uniquely enables the determination of diffusion coefficients for species initially absent from the electrolyte but present in the form of their opposite redox couple. These findings offer critical insights into selecting suitable electrochemical techniques for diffusion coefficient measurements, thereby ensuring methodological accuracy across diverse experimental setups.Biomedical Engineering and Chemical EngineeringMechanical, Aerospace and Industrial Engineerin
Eclipsing Cataclysmic Variables With TESS
Get PDFCataclysmic variables (CVs) are compact, interacting binary systems consisting of a white dwarf primary accreting material from an evolved main-sequence companion. Since its launch in 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has delivered unprecedented, long-term photometric coverage for numerous CVs, enabling continuous monitoring across multiple sectors. The purpose of this work is to investigate the behavior of the accretion disks in 17 eclipsing CVs, spanning multiple subclasses: nova-likes, dwarf novae, classical novae, and intermediate polars. Eclipsing systems are crucial for probing disk structure and evolution, as their geometry permits direct observation of temporal variations. The continuous coverage provided by TESS enables detailed investigation of disk variability and offers essential context for interpreting each eclipse individually. Depending on orbital period, eclipses per data set range from ~70 to ~200, with most CVs having multiple data sets at both 2-minute and 20-second cadence; containing ~15,000 and ~90,000 data points, respectively. The current number of datasets in-hand is 155 at the 2-minute cadence, with 20-second counterparts existing for a large subset of sectors. The period of each system was updated via least squares fit of the eclipse minima for all datasets to the standard ephemeris equation. Fully phased light curves were produced, resulting in updated ephemerides for all systems. P dot terms were identified via the observed minus calculated (O–C) diagrams and added to the newly updated ephemerides for all CVs.Physics and Astronom
Quantitative Research Methods: A Practical Approach
No full textThis book is a gentle introduction to quantitative approaches to social science research. The book begins with a description of approaches to social science, with a focus on human communication. The book covers univariate, bivariate, factorial, and multivariate quantitative approaches to data analysis. Throughout the book, examples are provided with links to external tools including spreadsheet calculators and video demonstrations. These external tools utilize the same examples provided in the text. In particular, many video demonstrations are provided via Stat-Tree.com, also developed by the author of this text.Communicatio
Variation in Mother's Physical and Mental Health Across Parental Stages
Get PDFThe dissertation investigates variation in mother’s physical and mental health across parental stages, conducted through three empirical studies. The first study is focused on examining the association between mother’s physical health and parental stages and how the association differs by marital status and socioeconomic status. The second study is focused on examining the association between mother’s mental health and parental stages and how the association differs by marital status and socioeconomic status. Lastly, the third study is focused on how the association of mother’s physical and mental health with parental stages varies by parenthood timing.
The key findings of the study indicate that mother’s physical and mental health vary across parental stages, and mothers at later stages of parenthood are more likely to report poorer health compared to earlier stage. Additionally, marriage and employment have a protective effect on mother’s overall health and wellbeing across the parental stages; however, the protective effect tends to diminish at later stages of parenthood. In terms of parenthood timing, mothers who enter parenthood at an earlier age are more likely to report poorer health, particularly at later stage of parenthood.Demograph
The Role of Socio-Demographic Factors on Psychosocial Support and Mammogram Utilization Among Women With Breast Cancer in the United States, 2019-2022
Get PDFInequitable access to breast cancer screening and psychosocial support services continue as a major public health issue affecting women with breast cancer across the United States. This thesis presents two essays using recent data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to examine the association between socio-demographic and financial factors and the utilization of mammogram screening and psychosocial services. The first essay explores the relationship between psychosocial distress, especially depression and anxiety, and the utilization of counseling therapy among 2,850 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2019-2022. Using the Andersen’s Behavioral Model and using multivariable logistic regression analyses, the study revealed that women diagnosed with breast cancer who experienced depression (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=5.73), or anxiety (AOR=2.92) were more likely to seek counseling therapy; however, overall counseling utilization remained low, especially among underserved groups. The second essay examines the relationship between mammogram utilization and socio-demographic and financial factors using 2021 NHIS data. Across all women, approximately 54% had a mammogram within the past year. Delays in receiving mammograms were common among those aged 81 and older, who had to pay out-of-pocket costs, unmarried, uninsured, and having lower education levels. Lack of health insurance (AOR = 3.50), paying out-of-pocket (AOR = 2.28), and older age (AOR = 4.11) were significant predictors of delayed mammogram utilization. Subgroup analysis of breast cancer survivors showed similar associations in both access to counseling and access to screening services. Findings suggest that integration of psychosocial care into routine cancer treatment and targeted outreach may promote timely breast cancer screening and reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes.Health, Community and Polic
Early Life Social Adversity and Its Associations With Development in Colobus vellerosus
Get PDFEarly life adversities, or adverse conditions experienced specifically by individuals from embryonic development sexual maturity, are an active area of research for their potential to affect developmental trajectories that lead to lifetime fitness consequences. Here, I utilize long-term demographic data and host and bacterial DNA extracted from individual white-thighed black-and-white colobus (Colobus vellerosus) in Boabeng-Fiema, Ghana to examine the potential for events associated with infanticide—male immigration into the group, alpha male takeovers, sire loss, and infant attacks—to shape development of surviving infants. These are likely stressful periods for infants even if they are not actually killed and may be considered early adverse conditions. In Chapter 2, I determine the linkages between demographic conditions at conception, paternity patterns, and the likelihood of infants experiencing different conditions associated with infanticide. In Chapter 3, I present evidence that experiencing alpha male takeover is associated with an accelerated coat color transition in colobus infants, which may act as a counter strategy to infanticide. In Chapter 4, I demonstrate that experiencing alpha male takeover and male immigration predict immature colobus’ gut microbiome gut microbiome diversity. Overall, this dissertation illustrates the importance that potential early life adversity conditions associated with infanticide have on both external and internal systems of development.Anthropolog
PDE10A Inhibition Reduces NLRP3 Activation and Pyroptosis in Sepsis and Nerve Injury
No full textCell death and inflammation are key innate immune responses, but excessive activation can cause tissue damage. The NLRP3 inflammasome is a promising target for reducing inflammation and promoting recovery. Immunometabolism regulates NLRP3 responses in neurological and inflammatory diseases through cyclic nucleotide signaling. Targeting phosphodiesterases (PDEs), which hydrolyze cAMP and cGMP, offer a novel approach to mitigate inflammation. While 14 PDE inhibitors are FDA-approved, PDE10A’s role in NLRP3 inflammasome activation remains unclear. This study investigates the effects of PDE10A inhibition on inflammasome-driven inflammation using two PDE10A inhibitors, MP-10 and TP-10, in macrophage and animal models of sepsis and traumatic nerve injury. Our results show that PDE10A inhibition reduces inflammasome activation by preventing ASC speck formation and by lowering levels of cleaved caspase-1, gasdermin D, and IL-1β, which are key mediators of pyroptosis. In the sepsis model, MP-10 significantly reduced inflammation, decreased plasma IL-1β, alleviated thrombocytopenia, and improved organ damage markers. In the nerve injury model, PDE10A inhibition enhanced motor function recovery and reduced muscle atrophy-related gene expression. These findings suggest that PDE10A inhibition could be a promising therapeutic approach for inflammatory and neuromuscular injuries. Given MP-10’s established safety in human trials, Phase 2 clinical studies for sepsis and nerve injury are highly promising.KinesiologyMolecular Microbiology and Immunolog
The Influence of Biases on Perceptions of Same-Gender Sexual Assault Among Sexual Minority Women: The Examination of Heterosexism, Sexism, and Heteronormative Sex Beliefs as Mediated by Rape Myth Acceptance
No full textRape within LGBTQ+ communities remain under-examined, particularly regarding sexual minority women (SMW). Research focuses on heterosexual dynamics, neglecting how anti-SMW biases (i.e., heterosexism, sexism, and heteronormative sex beliefs) shape societal perceptions of rape. This study investigates how anti-SMW biases, mediated by rape myth acceptance (RMA), influence severity and classifications of sexual assault in same-gender scenarios.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of two sexual assault scenarios: a non-consensual encounter between two women or one with a male perpetrator and female victim. Measures assessed heterosexism, sexism, heteronormative sex beliefs, RMA, severity and classification of the incident. Two moderated mediation models examined the indirect effects of anti-SMW biases on severity and classification through RMA moderated by condition.
Higher sexism and heterosexism were significantly associated with increased RMA, which in turn was associated with a decreased likelihood of classifying the incident as rape and lowered perceived severity. Mediation was found in the female same-gender condition but not the mixed-gender condition regarding severity perceptions and in both scenarios for classification. Direct effects indicated that greater heteronormative opinions of sex were associated with a lack of rape classification. Additionally, higher heterosexism was associated with lower perceived severity.
Results indicate that traditional heteronormative frameworks may contribute to the under-recognition of rape in same-gender scenarios. RMA plays a pivotal role in mediating the effects of anti-SMW biases, particularly when the victim and perpetrator are both women. Findings have implications for legal policy, victim support services, and educational interventions.Psycholog