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Relationship stigma negatively impacts the relationship quality of trans women
Get PDFTrans women face negative health outcomes due to multiple types of anti-trans stigma. Relationship stigma, or when people experience stigma because their romantic partnerships are devalued by society, can negatively impact experiences in relationships of trans women. Relationships and their quality are important predictors of wellness across populations, but little is known about relationship quality for trans women. This study was conducted to determine whether relationship stigma is associated with relationship quality for trans women with main partners. This is a secondary analysis of data from 89 trans women with main partners enrolled in the 2020 Partners Study, an online, interviewer-administered, cross-sectional survey of trans women in the San Francisco Bay Area. Multivariate logistic was used to test for an association between relationship stigma and relationship quality among trans women with main partners. The trans women surveyed were White (29.2%), Latinx (24.7%), or multiracial (23.6%), with the majority having never been married (65.2%). Those who often felt they must hide their partnerships had significantly lower odds of reporting satisfaction with intimacy and closeness in their relationships [odds ratio (OR): 0.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.68, p = 0.02] and of reporting satisfaction with their overall relationship (OR: 0.02; 95% CI: 0.02–0.34, p < 0.01). Those whose families were not supportive of their partnerships had significantly lower odds of reporting relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and closeness with their main partners (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01–0.85, p = 0.04) and of reporting satisfaction with their overall relationship (OR: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.51, p = 0.01). Relationship stigma was negatively associated with relationship quality for trans women with main partners in this study. Stigma from family also had a significant negative impact on relationship quality, suggesting the important influence of family on trans women's relationships. Efforts to boost family support may foster intimacy and improve relationship satisfaction for trans women in main partnerships
The Role of Gender and Strong Interests in Self-Reported Camouflaging of Autistic Adults
Get PDFThe current study explores how gender, gender-diversity, and strong interests are associated with camouflaging in autistic adults. Seventy-two autistic adults completed an online survey, including measures characterizing the frequency/intensity of their strong interests and self-reported camouflaging, comprised of assimilation, masking, and compensatory behaviors. Adults self-reported their gender (18 men, 30 women, 24 non-binary) and whether they identified as a gender minority (n = 41). Camouflaging varied as a function of gender identity, gender-diversity, and strong interests: non-binary adults, followed by women, reported the most camouflaging behaviors. Women and non-binary adults reported more masking-related behaviors, and non-binary adults and gender minority individuals were distinguished by heightened assimilation-related behaviors. Greater camouflaging was predicted by more frequent engagement with strong interests and experiencing more distress when disengaging from these interests. Further research is needed to examine any connection between engaging with strong interests and the experience of burnout often associated with intense or lengthy camouflaging. These results add to the growing understanding of the association between camouflaging and gender, and provide a first step to understanding connections between strong interests and camouflaging. Clinical implications for supporting autistic individuals with camouflaging experiences are discussed
Enhancing Foreign Exchange Rate Prediction with Cross-Asset Correlations: A Multivariate LSTM Approach to USDCAD Forecasting
Get PDFThis research explores the predictive power of deep learning models for FX, specifically examining the influence of cross-asset correlations. Using USDCAD and Brent Crude oil as an example, the study tests whether incorporating oil prices into long-short-term memory (LSTM) models enhances predictive accuracy and trading performance compared to a model that uses only past USDCAD prices. Furthermore, this research evaluates the interaction between asset time series and its impact on prediction quality. This research concludes that adding cross-asset information enhances the LSTM prediction but requires further improvements to provide advantages to real-world trading. This research provides insights into improving FX forecasting and trading strategies by analyzing these relationships.Bachelor of Scienc
Assessing Rooftop Solar Feasibility in Greensboro, North Carolina: Examining Political, Economic, and Technical Constraints on Grid Integration
Get PDFThe scientific literature is clear that anthropogenic causes are driving climate change. To mitigate the continued degradation of the planet from higher concentrations of greenhouse gases, many countries are accelerating the integration of renewable energy resources onto their grids. This paper examines how political, economic, and technical constraints could affect the real-world integration at the city and utility scale by analyzing the impact of these constraints on simulated residential-scale solar energy systems in Greensboro, North Carolina. Each constraint serves as a filter, refining the simulated energy data from a theoretical maximum to a real-world estimate. It was found that, depending on the presence of a net metering structure, anywhere between 23.67 and 47.42 MW of additional solar exports from residential-scale systems could be integrated into Greensboro’s electric grid with no additional grid upgrades. Of the three filters studied, this paper finds that technical capacity and the economic access to residential solar are the two most prohibitive constraints facing continued decarbonization of the American energy industry. Ultimately, this research aims to translate insights on decarbonization challenges into actionable information for utilities and policymakers working to decarbonize cities like Greensboro through clean energy deployment.Bachelor of Scienc
Therapeutic Induction of Tumor Antigen GD2 in Osteosarcoma
Get PDFOsteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy in children and represents a major challenge in pediatric oncology given its highly aggressive nature. Current therapy consists of a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, yet survival for patients who have metastatic or relapsed disease remains poor. Immunotherapy is a novel therapeutic strategy to utilize a patient’s immune system to treat cancers and has shown promise in pediatric oncology through the use of antibodies to target tumor associated antigens such as GD2. Clinical trials have previously investigated GD2-targeted immunotherapies in osteosarcoma without success, likely due to, in part, the heterogenous expression of tumor GD2. This study aimed to look at the impact of epigenetically targeted drugs, tazemetostat (an EZH2 inhibitor) and entinostat (a HDAC inhibitor), on the expression of GD2 in osteosarcoma. Flow cytometry and PCR analyses were employed to determine the mechanisms through which tazemetostat and entinostat modulate GD2 expression. Both drugs were found to enhance GD2 expression independently and synergistically enhanced GD2 expression when combined. Increasing the expression of the cancer antigen GD2 can enhance the efficacy of GD2 targeted immunotherapies. Our study represents a promising step toward improving target treatment and may ultimately contribute to better clinical outcomes for patients with osteosarcoma.Bachelor of Art
In-hospital trends of non-communicable disease mortality during the pandemic for patients without COVID-19 at a regional referral hospital in southwestern Uganda
Get PDFBackground Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a growing health burden in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Uganda. The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant challenges for the Ugandan healthcare system, though changes in hospital admissions and outcomes for adults with NCDs and without COVID-19 infection remain unknown. We evaluated trends of NCD-related in-hospital mortality among patients without COVID-19 in a large regional referral hospital in Uganda from March 2019 through August 2021. Methods Between March 1, 2019, and August 31, 2021, we conducted a chart review of Ugandan adults who carried a history of or were admitted for an NCD to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. Based on mortality trends, we broke admissions into three periods: Pre-Pandemic (March 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020), Early Pandemic (June 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021), and Late Pandemic (April 1, 2021, to August 31, 2021), and calculated admission and mortality rates for the most common NCD diagnoses. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted for a primary outcome of in-hospital mortality. Results Of 3777 total individuals, 1655 were admitted Pre-Pandemic, 1423 in the Early Pandemic, and 699 in the Late Pandemic. We found a five-fold increase in mortality in the Early Pandemic period compared to the Pre-Pandemic and Late Pandemic periods (15.4 vs 2.9 vs 2.4, p < 0.001). Factors associated with increased odds for in-hospital mortality included admission during the Early Pandemic period (odds ratio [OR] 5.59; 95% CI 3.90, 8.02; p < 0.001), admission with hypotension (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.40, 3.24; p < 0.001), admission diagnosis of malignancy (OR 1.79; 95% CI 1.06, 3.01; p = 0.028) and stroke (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.06, 2.88; p = 0.028), and each unit increase in SOFA score (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.30, 1.52; p < 0.001). Length of stay greater than 7 days was associated with decreased odds of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.56; 95%CI 0.40, 0.79; p = 0.001). Conclusions NCD-associated in-hospital mortality was high in the early COVID-19 pandemic period. Disruptions in longitudinal NCD care that occurred due to the pandemic may have been contributory, though this requires further investigation. Future work should focus on NCD care for hospitalized individuals in resource limited settings and developing more resilient systems of NCD care
Strengthening Sovereignty and Resilience: Generating Land Management Tools for the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center in North Carolina
Get PDFThis project supports the Lumbee Tribe in managing their Cultural Center property as climate change advances in Southeastern North Carolina. Guided by the CARE Principles of Indigenous Data Governance, we worked in close collaboration with the Tribe to ensure their values and priorities shaped every step of the process. We assessed the site’s vegetation, explored future climate risks, and identified strategies for sustainable land management. Our analysis highlights ways to reduce flood risk, outbreak of pests and diseases, and restore longleaf pine habitat. To support future decision-making, we developed practical tools, including a GIS data repository, an interactive mapping system, and recommendations for building Tribal GIS capacity. This work empowers the Tribe with knowledge and resources to make informed land stewardship decisions that honor their cultural heritage, protect the environment, and serve the community.Master of City and Regional Plannin
Direct marketization: Platform surveillance and the contextual integrity of democratic media
Get PDFThis essay uses the theory of privacy as contextual integrity together with critical research on the role of media in democracies to critique platform surveillance and a related process that I call direct marketization. It focuses on the case of advertising attribution, a paradigm of audience and marketing measurement that attempts to determine advertising effectiveness by observing people as both media audiences and marketplace consumers. Advertising platforms have recently promised to implement ‘privacy-preserving’ methods of attribution measurement. The paper argues that these efforts to legitimize attribution make implicit claims about the values and purposes of media systems. It then introduces the concept of direct marketization to explain how these claims relate to shifts in the social and institutional norms of ad-supported media. The analysis exposes direct marketization and advertising attribution, which both fuel and depend on platform surveillance, as contradictory to the contextual integrity of democratic media
Are Self-Reported Sensations During tACS Linked to Cortical Excitability Measured by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation? A Pilot Study in an Older Adult Sample
Get PDFStimulation-induced sensations including the perception of flickering lights (phosphenes) and scalp tingling are commonly reported in studies on transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). So far, these sensations have been considered benign side-effects of stimulation that may interfere with the blinding of participants in trials. It remains unknown what shapes the susceptibility to such side-effects. We hypothesized that cortical excitability predicts their intensity. Hence, we investigated the relationship between sensations during tACS and the motor threshold measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Nine healthy participants aged 50 and older underwent two tACS sessions at 21 Hz and 40 Hz as part of a cross-over pilot study. The stimulation amplitude was individualized to tolerability. Sensations were assessed post-session to calculate correlation with TMS-determined motor thresholds. Stimulation sensations (a flickering light and tingling scalp sensation) correlated with brain excitability as determined by the TMS motor threshold (r = −0.51, p = 0.03, N = 9). The findings suggest a relationship between the intensity of tACS-induced sensations and cortical excitability. Tailoring tACS intensity to individual tolerability and excitability thresholds may enhance the efficacy of tACS by ensuring a more consistent and effective dose relative to endogenous cortical excitability
A randomized controlled trial of a family-based HIV/STI prevention program for Black girls and male caregivers in Chicago: IMAGE study protocol paper.
Get PDFBlack girls are disproportionately impacted by HIV and STIs in the United States. Black male caregivers are underutilized in family-based HIV/STI prevention programming and offer a novel opportunity to protect Black girls. This study will evaluate the efficacy and implementation of an HIV/STI prevention program delivered to Black girls and male caregivers in community settings. IMAGE: IMARA for the Male Caregivers and Girls Empowerment was adapted from IMARA, an evidence-based mother-daughter intervention to decrease HIV/STI infection and increase communication and healthy relationships among girls and their male caregivers. Using an efficacy implementation design, we will test the effectiveness of IMAGE compared to a time-matched general health promotion program across six community-based organizations. Aim one will evaluate IMAGE in a 2-arm randomized controlled trial with 300 14-18-year-old Black girls and their male caregiver dyads in Chicago, IL. We hypothesize that girls who receive IMAGE will have lower STI incidence (primary outcome), fewer sexual partners, and more consistent condom use (secondary outcomes) at 6- and 12-months compared to girls in the health promotion program. Guided by the 3-Step Implementation Model, our second aim is to identify and describe factors (barriers, facilitators) and processes affecting implementation in community settings. HIV and STI disparities go beyond individual-level factors, and male caregivers may protect girls by being a sexual health resource. This study will facilitate rapid CBO uptake and ownership of IMAGE if effective. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06266416