Quiet

Bridget Davis is a senior from Andover, Minnesota pursuing a BA in English and a BA in art at the College of Saint Benedict. She is also an artist who works in a variety of media, as well as an aspiring writer

Blue

Bridget Davis is a senior from Andover, Minnesota pursuing a BA in English and a BA in art at the College of Saint Benedict. She is also an artist who works in a variety of media, as well as an aspiring writer

Sunlit

Bridget Davis is a senior from Andover, Minnesota pursuing a BA in English and a BA in art at the College of Saint Benedict. She is also an artist who works in a variety of media, as well as an aspiring writer

Improved targeting of miRNA with antisense oligonucleotides

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of 20–24 nt noncoding RNAs that regulate target mRNAs post-transcriptionally by binding with imperfect complementarity in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) and inhibiting translation or RNA stability. Current understanding of miRNA biology is limited, and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) inhibition is a powerful technique for miRNA functionalization in vitro and in vivo, and for therapeutic targeting of miRNAs. Identification of optimal ASO chemistries for targeting miRNAs is therefore of great interest. We evaluated a number of 2′-sugar and backbone ASO modifications for their ability to inhibit miR-21 activity on a luciferase reporter mRNA. ASO modifications that improved target affinity improved miRNA ASO activity, yet the positioning of high-affinity modifications also had dramatically different effects on miRNA activity, suggesting that more than affinity determined the effectiveness of the miRNA ASOs. We present data in which the activity of a modified miRNA ASO was inversely correlated to its tolerability as an siRNA passenger strand, suggesting that a similar mechanism could be involved in the dissociation of miRNA ASOs and siRNA passenger strands. These studies begin to define the factors important for designing improved miRNA ASOs, enabling more effective miRNA functionalization and therapeutic targeting

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Teenage Pregnancy: Perspectives from Teens and Community Members in Connecticut

BACKGROUND: Teenage pregnancy has negative consequences for mother and baby, for example, high school drop out and low birth weight, respectively. Overall, Connecticut (CT) has one of the lowest teen pregnancy rates in the United States. However, a great disparity exists between whites and other ethnicities. Black teens are 4 – 5 times as likely to give birth than their white counterparts and Latino teens are 8 times as likely to give birth as white teens. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) has identified this disparity and seeks the assistance of our research team in developing targets and programming to prevent teen pregnancies. METHODS: Teen focus groups and key informant interviews were used to examine barriers to teen birth reduction among ethnic minorities in three cities (Hartford, New London, and New Haven, CT). We develop ed an action plan for PPSNE that identifies potential barriers to preventing teenage pregnancy, identifies potential community partnerships , and includes population attributable risk estimation s to demonstrate potential decreases in teen pregnancy by race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Three focus group sessions were completed with a total of 22 adolescent participants (14 females and 8 males) between the ages of 15 and 21. Focus group respondents attributed teen pregnancy to desire for pregnancy, perceived invincibility, lack of knowledge/sexual education and family precedent. The teens indicated that a more substantial presence from peer educators and improved sex education in schools could have an impact on reducing teen pregnancy in minorities. Two key informant interviews with community organization staff members revealed overlapping themes of inadequate education, inadequate support to stay in school, and lack of support for pregnancy prevention programs. Overall, respondents had positive perceptions of Planned Parenthood. IMPLICATIONS: Results from this research will provide information to PPSNE regarding the necessary steps to design programs aimed at reducing disparities in teen birth rates in Connecticut. By focusing on Black and Latino teens, we hope to facilitate the development of culturally competent initiatives that result in the elimination of disparities surrounding teen births. Partnership development between PPSNE and community organizations can foster successful and sustainable programs in our populations of interest.https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysph_pbchrr/1038/thumbnail.jp

The feasibility and effects of eye movement training for visual field loss after stroke: a mixed methods study

Acknowledgements The author(s) would like to thank the designers of all included scanning training tools for providing free access during this study. They wish to note that MyHappyNeuron is designed for a general population, and a version specifically for healthcare use (HappyNeuron Pro) is also available. We would also like to thank the low vision centres and rehabilitation officers involved in this study Funding This study was funded by the Stroke Association (UK) by way of a Junior Research and Training Fellowship held by the lead author (TSA JRTF 2011/02). MCB, AP and the NMAHP Research Unit are funded by the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. The views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Opioids and Young Adults in Alaska: Access, Consumption, Consequences, and Perceptions

Over the past 5 years, numerous state and local activities have targeted opioid prevention among Alaskans, particularly youth and young adults. While surveillance data exists for youth, no specific data exists for opioid behaviors and perceptions among Alaskan young adults. Researchers at the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services conducted surveys in 2016 and 2019 to gather information on awareness, opioid and heroin use, social and retail access, and risk perceptions. At each timepoint, Alaskans age 18-27 were randomly selected and invited to participate. Response rates for the surveys were 10.4% and 12.8%, respectively. Survey data were weighted for gender and borough in order to represent Alaska’s population of young adults. Changes from 2016 to 2019: Increase in seeing awareness messages about opioids Increase in rating prescription opioid misuse and heroin use as problems in community. Increase in perceived risk from misusing opioids or using heroin. Among those who had been prescribed opioids in the past three years: Decrease in reported conversations with doctor of pharmacist when receiving prescription The percentage who had leftover pills remained high. Of those, increase in bringing leftover pills to pharmacy or other permanent disposal site. Survey findings indicate success at disseminating opioid prevention messages in the community and promoting disposal of leftover opioids. Additionally, increasing perceived risk among young adults in Alaska may predict future reductions in opioid and heroin use behaviors. Findings indicate opportunities for broader media messaging and communication with healthcare providers

Byzantium Beneath the Black Sea

This poster reports on the August 2007 Black Sea Expedition of the Institute for Archaeological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island (IAO) and the Institute for Exploration (IFE), in collaboration with the Department of the Underwater Heritage of Ukraine. This year’s work marks a new phase in a multi-year (2000–2012) archaeological and oceanographic survey of the Black Sea. 2007 fieldwork focuses on two Byzantine shipwrecks. The 10th century C.E. shipwreck Chersonesos A (discovered in 2006) lies at 140 m depth in the suboxic zone off the Crimean peninsula. The ship carried a cargo of one-handled jars of a widely distributed but sparsely documented local type. The sixth century C.E. shipwreck Sinop D (discovered in 2000) lies at 325 m depth off Sinop, Turkey, in the anoxic zone, and also carried a locally-made amphora type. Sinop D is the best-preserved ancient ship yet discovered in the deep sea, and non-intrusive examination of the hull yields unique information about ancient ship construction and local patterns of technological exchange. Our initial studies focus on environmental characterization and the deepwater implementation of long-term site monitoring, decay rate testing, and sediment analyses, to develop management plans for each shipwreck. Cross-site comparisons address deepwater preservation under differing levels of oxygen depletion. We conclude with an assessment of our ability to record, excavate, monitor, and conserve deepwater sites as underwater museums using remote operated vehicle (ROV) deployed technology

A qualitative exploration of the effect of visual field loss on daily life in home-dwelling stroke survivors

Objective: To explore the effect of visual field loss on the daily life of community-dwelling stroke survivors. Design: A qualitative interview study. Participants: Adult stroke survivors with visual field loss of at least six months’ duration. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a non-purposive sample of 12 stroke survivors in their own homes. These were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed with the framework method, using an inductive approach. Results: Two key analytical themes emerged. ‘Perception, experience and knowledge’ describes participant’s conflicted experience of having knowledge of their impaired vision but lacking perception of that visual field loss and operating under the assumption that they were viewing an intact visual scene when engaged in activities. Inability to recognize and deal with visual difficulties, and experiencing the consequences, contributed to their fear and loss of self-confidence. ‘Avoidance and adaptation’ were two typologies of participant response to visual field loss. Initially, all participants consciously avoided activities. Some later adapted to vision loss using self-directed head and eye scanning techniques. Conclusions: Visual field loss has a marked impact on stroke survivors. Stroke survivors lack perception of their visual loss in everyday life, resulting in fear and loss of confidence. Activity avoidance is a common response, but in some, it is replaced by self-initiated adaptive techniques