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INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF BETRAYAL BLINDNESS BETWEEN HIGH BETRAYAL TRAUMA AND DATING VIOLENCE AMONG YOUNG MOTHERS MALTREATED AS CHILDREN
Get PDFYoung mothers experience greater rates of dating violence (DV) victimization and perpetration compared to their non-parenting, female peers as well as older mothers (Joly & Connolly, 2016). Child maltreatment is a salient predictor of DV victimization and perpetration (Li et al., 2019; Murphy et al., 2020). According to Betrayal Trauma Theory (BTT), child maltreatment perpetrated by a close loved one, such as a parent or primary caregiver, is defined as a high betrayal trauma (Freyd, 1996). Young mothers who experienced a high betrayal trauma may endorse betrayal blindness as a way to cope with abuse from their caregiver (Freyd & Birrell, 2013), however, may not detect betrayals later on in their romantic relationships. We hypothesized betrayal blindness would mediate the relationship between high betrayal trauma and DV victimization and perpetration among a sample of young mothers (N = 67). Contrary to study hypotheses, betrayal blindness was not observed; instead, evidence revealed young mothers were aware of the betrayal they experienced during their childhood. A direct effect was present between high betrayal trauma and DV perpetration, but not victimization. There was evidence for an indirect effect of betrayal awareness on the relationship between high betrayal trauma and DV perpetration and victimization. Taken together, these data may inform evidence-based, trauma treatment for young mothers who experience violence in their romantic relationships
Brain-Inspired Continual Learning: Rethinking the Role of Features in the Stability-Plasticity Dilemma
Get PDFContinual learning (CL) enables deep learning models to learn new tasks sequentially while preserving performance on previously learned tasks, akin to the human\u27s ability to accumulate knowledge over time. However, existing approaches to CL face the challenge of catastrophic forgetting, which occurs when a model\u27s performance on previously learned tasks declines after learning the new task. In this dissertation, we focus on the crucial role of input data features in determining the robustness of CL models to mitigate catastrophic forgetting. We propose a framework to create CL-robustified versions of standard datasets using a pre-trained Oracle CL model. Our experiments show that the CL model trained on CL-robust features mitigates catastrophic forgetting. We then introduce a novel approach inspired by neuroscience called robust rehearsal, which distills CL-robust samples without needing a pre-trained Oracle model or pre-distilled CL-robust sample for training the CL model. We demonstrate that rehearsal-based CL approaches mitigate catastrophic forgetting using CIFAR10, CIFAR100, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provided real-world helicopter attitude datasets. Moreover, we propose an approach to address the observed issue of overfitting rehearsal memory through adversarial diversification. This approach increases the complexity of rehearsal samples, reduces memory overfitting, and maintains their effectiveness throughout sequential learning. Finally, we conducted an extensive study to further elucidate the crucial role of features in shaping the model\u27s overall characteristics, specifically its robustness and mitigating catastrophic forgetting
Associations Between Coping Style and Perceptions of Web-Delivered Physical Activity Messages Among Women In Midlife with Cardiovascular Health Risks
Get PDFMidlife women are at unique risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and benefit from increasing physical activity (PA). Many PA interventions involve social support, though fail to address related processes such as social comparison. Desire for specific types of social support and comparison may represent emotion-focused versus problem-solving coping, though little is known about women’s preferences for/responses to these coping opportunities. The present study examined women’s selections of PA content in a digital environment. Over 7 days, women in midlife ≥1 CVD risk factor (N = 60, MAge = 50.70, SD = 5.89) wore a PA monitor and visited a proprietary website. General stress (not PA/health stress) positively predicted both emotion-focused (F1, 56] = 6.0, p = 0.02) and problem-solving coping (F[1, 56] = 5.29, p = 0.03). PA/health stress was positively associated with perceived helpfulness of emotion-focused content (r[56] = 0.26, p = 0.05), and negatively associated with problem-solving content (r[56] = -0.19, p = 0.16). Only emotion-focused content was associated with increased step count across 7 days (F[6, 162] = 2.19, p = 0.047, partial η2 = 0.08), though not active exercise minutes (F[6, 162] = 0.94, p = 0.47, partial η2 = 0.03). Findings suggest PA interventions in this population may benefit from tailoring based on coping preference, threat perception, desired outcome, and maintain flexibility given multiple unique psychosocial stressors
A Stroke or Not a Stroke? A Case of Chronic Hemiplegic Migraines
Get PDFHemiplegic migraine (HM) is a rare subtype of migraine with both familial and sporadic patterns. These migraines present episodically with reversible attacks of unilateral motor weakness. Patients may experience visual changes, sensory loss, impaired level of consciousness, ataxia, and speech changes. Symptoms can last from hours to days and can mimic acute stroke.
The patient is a 45-year-old male with a past medical history of hypertension and possible cerebral vascular accident use who presents to the emergency department complaining of left extremity numbness and weakness. Neuroimaging showed no acute findings and CT angiogram showed no large vessel occlusion. Tenecteplase was administered and the patient was admitted to the neurologic intensive care unit due to high suspicion of stroke by neurology. On the following day, the patient reports a return to baseline without any neurologic deficits, ataxia, dysarthria, or paresthesia. The patient elaborates that similar episodes occur approximately 10 times a month that are usually milder in intensity. Preceding the episodes, he reports seeing “white speckles\u27\u27 and experiencing both phono and photosensitivity. The symptoms generally persist for about two hours and resolve spontaneously.
Following current practice guidelines of management of HM, the patient was provided education on migraines. Atorvastatin, lisinopril, and propranolol were prescribed to control his hypertension that can decrease frequency of migraine and prevent ischemic strokes. Triptans are avoided in HM due to the risk of vasoconstriction. Lifestyle management including sleep hygiene, stress reduction, hydration, and avoiding triggers was discussed
Voices of Wisdom: Geriatric Interviews on Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes in the United States-A Systematic Review and Metasynthesis
Get PDFThis review is aimed at unraveling the intricacies of diabetic self-management among geriatric people, drawing on current insights and understanding the complex paths geriatric people navigate. A wide search was conducted in health-oriented databases, including CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, while gray literature was excluded. The search combined keywords and subject headings, focusing on the geriatric population, diabetes, self-management, and qualitative research. A three-tiered screening process was employed, with titles and then abstracts initially reviewed. Full-text analysis followed, with disagreements resolved among reviewers. In total, there were 248 participants included across these eight studies. Positive attitudes and perceptions were found to play a significant role in optimizing diabetes self-care outcomes. Support from family and friends was identified as crucial for self-care, while healthcare professionals often lacked adequate support and encouragement. Participants emphasized the importance of listening to their bodies and acknowledging hidden issues. These themes collectively highlight the multifaceted aspects of diabetes self-care and the impact of various factors on the self-management experiences of geriatric individuals with diabetes. The goal of this review is not to objectify self-management as a treatment strategy but to emphasize the importance of cultivating positive attitudes, respecting individual values, and addressing cultural and ethnic differences in healthcare practices to enhance self-management in this population. By embracing cultural diversity, understanding barriers, and respecting individual values, healthcare professionals and policymakers can improve the quality of life for the geriatric population living with diabetes
Association Between Cultural Factors and Postpartum Depression
Get PDFPostpartum depression (PPD) is present in 17.22% of the world population. The negative physical and psychological impacts of PPD impact not only the mother, but also those around her. This raises the importance of identifying factors contributing to its onset. Studies have shown that PPD prevalence rates vary between non-Western and Western regions of the world. Cultural postpartum practices differed significantly region to region. Search terms including postpartum depression and cultures were used to find peer-reviewed articles, primary surveys, and patient interviews between 2013-2023. Qualitative analyses were performed on the results. Ethnokinship cultures, commonly present in non-Western countries, prioritized social support and traditional beliefs while technocentric cultures, present in Western countries, trusted healthcare systems as their primary postnatal care. The practices of ethnokinship cultures consisted of isolation and restrictions of specific behaviors and diet. Technocentric cultures focused on medically healing the mothers and allowing them to return to daily responsibilities soon. Countries categorized as having mainly ethnokinship cultural practices were found to have higher rates of PPD compared to those having technocentric practices. Results showed that the practices of each culture had their own benefits and harms, with several harms reportedly contributing to PPD symptomatology. This indicates a correlation between cultural factors and the onset of postpartum depression. However, there is room for future studies to elaborate on the severity of the impact on PPD prevalence. The purpose of this literature review is to assess whether cultural factors play a role in the development and prevalence of postpartum depression
Effects of Cadherin Mediated Contact Normalization on Oncogenic Src Kinase Mediated Gene Expression and Protein Phosphorylation
Get PDFNontransformed cells form heterotypic cadherin junctions with adjacent transformed cells to inhibit tumor cell growth and motility. Transformed cells must override this form of growth control, called contact normalization , to invade and metastasize during cancer progression. Heterocellular cadherin junctions between transformed and nontransformed cells are needed for this process. However, specific mechanisms downstream of cadherin signaling have not been clearly elucidated. Here, we utilized a β-catenin reporter construct to determine if contact normalization affects Wnt signaling in transformed cells. β-catenin driven GFP expression in Src transformed mouse embryonic cells was decreased when cultured with cadherin competent nontransformed cells compared to transformed cells cultured with themselves, but not when cultured with cadherin deficient nontransformed cells. We also utilized a layered culture system to investigate the effects of oncogenic transformation and contact normalization on gene expression and oncogenic Src kinase mediated phosphorylation events. RNA-Seq analysis found that cadherin dependent contact normalization inhibited the expression of 22 transcripts that were induced by Src transformation, and increased the expression of 78 transcripts that were suppressed by Src transformation. Phosphoproteomic analysis of cells expressing a temperature sensitive Src kinase construct found that contact normalization decreased phosphorylation of 10 proteins on tyrosine residues that were phosphorylated within 1 h of Src kinase activation in transformed cells. Taken together, these results indicate that cadherin dependent contact normalization inhibits Wnt signaling to regulate oncogenic kinase activity and gene expression, particularly PDPN expression, in transformed cells in order to control tumor progression
Effects of Sex and Estrous Cycle on Extended-Access Oxycodone Self-Administration and Cue-Induced Drug Seeking Behavior
Get PDFINTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence indicates that sex is a factor that impacts the abuse liability and relapse vulnerability of prescription opioids like oxycodone. However, while women are more likely than men to be prescribed and to use these drugs, the impact of sex and ovarian hormones on prescription opioid use and relapse vulnerability remains unclear. Accurately assessing these measures is complicated by the fact that chronic opioid exposure can lower ovarian hormone levels and cause cycle irregularities.
METHODS: Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered oxycodone (0.1 mg/kg/infusion) under extended-access conditions (6 h/day, 10 days) followed by forced abstinence. Separate groups of animals received cue-induced seeking tests in a drug-free state during early (1-2 days) or later periods of abstinence (43-45 days). To track estrous cycle stage, animals were regularly vaginally swabbed throughout the study.
RESULTS: We observed oxycodone-induced estrous cycle dysregulation in the majority (~60%) of the animals during both self-administration and the first month of abstinence. In animals whose cycles were not dysregulated, we found a reduction in oxycodone intake during estrus compared to all other cycle stages (non-estrus). We also found that males but not females showed a time-dependent intensification or incubation of cue-induced oxycodone craving over the first 6 weeks of abstinence. This sex difference was estrous cycle-dependent, driven by a selective reduction in drug seeking during estrus.
DISCUSSION: These findings highlight the importance of tracking drug-induced estrous cyclicity and identify a clear impact of ovarian hormones on oxycodone taking and seeking behavior
Health Outcomes Reported by Healthcare Providers and Clients of a Community-Based Medically Tailored Meal Program
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Medically tailored meal (MTM) programs provide home-delivered meals to people living with serious illness and poor nutritional status. Client outcome studies have found evidence of decreased healthcare utilization and cost savings associated with MTM program participation, and inconclusive evidence of change in health measures. The purpose of this study was to use a novel observational framework to describe the client profile and change in health outcomes using routinely collected health and program data from a community-based MTM program at MANNA (Philadelphia, PA).
METHODS: Clients reported their self-rated health and experiences of food insecurity and malnutrition. Healthcare providers reported clients\u27 body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1C. These health outcomes, measured at program intake and 3-6 months later, were linked with administrative data for 1,959 clients who completed at least two months of MTM services in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
RESULTS: Clients exhibited substantial heterogeneity in demographics and health status at intake. Self-reported malnutrition risk decreased significantly over program duration (p \u3c .001). Nearly one-third of clients with poor health reported improvement over time. Over 60% of clients with obesity experienced stable BMI. Clients with hypertension experienced significant improvements in systolic blood pressure (p \u3c .001). Clients with diabetes and available data (n = 45) demonstrated significant reduction in hemoglobin A1C (p = .005).
CONCLUSION: We found evidence that participation in MANNA\u27s MTM program was associated with favorable health outcomes for clients with serious illness and nutritional risk. Community-based organizations can maximize the completeness of their data by focusing on routinely collected internal data like validated health screeners and surveys
Y-27632 targeting ROCK1&2 modulates cell growth, fibrosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hyperplastic prostate by inhibiting β-catenin pathway.
Get PDFBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent condition affecting the male urinary system, with its molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis remaining unclear. Y-27632, a non-isoform-selective Rho kinase inhibitor, has shown therapeutic potential in various diseases but its effects on static factors and fibrosis in BPH remain unexplored. This study investigated human prostate tissues, human prostate cell lines, and BPH rat model using immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and cell counting kit-8. ROCK1 and ROCK2 were significantly up-regulated in BPH tissues, correlating with clinical parameters. Y-27632 targeted the inhibition of ROCK1 & ROCK2 expression and inhibited cell proliferation, fibrosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), while induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, knockdown of either ROCK isoform inhibited fibrosis and EMT, induced apoptosis, while ROCK overexpression had the opposite effects. ROCK downregulation inhibited the β-catenin signaling pathway (such as C-MYC, Snail and Survivin) and decreased β-catenin protein stability, while inhibiting TGF-β/Sma