Centering Black Trans Lives: Social Network Exploration of #BlackTransLivesMatter Content on Twitter

May 27, 2020 saw the fatal shooting of Tony McDade, a Black transgender man. McDade is one of many lives underlying the Black Lives Matter movement which, in 2020, became the largest movement in United States’ history. Although the Black Lives Matter movement has successfully brought the reality of systemic racism in the United States to the forefront of media, there remains a lack of visibility for and conversation surrounding the most vulnerable members: the Black transgender community. Through an intersectional lens, this thesis broadly examines the sentiment surrounding tweets utilizing the #blacktranslivesmatter hashtag, and how the intersection of race and gender impact marginalized community members’ experiences in the United States. Using mixed-method content analysis and a social network analytical approach, I provide a detailed exploration of the current attitudes surrounding the movement and #blacktranslivesmatter media content circulating on one of today\u27s most influential social media platforms: Twitter. I address the following questions: What textual or media content is included in tweets utilizing the hashtag #blacktranslivesmatter? Who is tweeting or retweeting content with #blacktranslivesmatter? What do these tweets reveal about the sentiment surrounding the #blacktranslivesmatter movement

Discrimination, Coping, and Depression among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men

Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) have elevated risk for depression compared to the general population. BMSM’s capacity to cope with these experiences is not well understood. Increased understanding of how multiple forms of discrimination contribute to depression and how BMSM cope with discrimination can better inform interventions. Data come from 3,510 BMSM who attended Black Pride events in six U.S. cities from 2015-2017. Participants completed a health survey that ascertained their psychosocial health and resiliency profiles. Using multivariable logistic regression models, we tested the associations between type-specific discrimination (race, sexuality, HIV status) and depression. We then conducted sub-analyses to determine if coping attenuated the association between type-specific discrimination and depression. Our findings indicated that increased odds of depression among BMSM were associated with discrimination based on race (aOR=1.38, 95% CI = 1.08-1.76), sexual orientation (aOR=1.32, 95% CI = 1.01-1.72), and HIV status (aOR=1.53, 95% CI = 1.08-2.17). Sub-analyses indicated coping had inconsistent moderation effects between type-specific discrimination and depression. Our findings demonstrate that impact of various forms of discrimination on BMSM’s mental health and the mitigating role of coping. Interventions should seek to address depression by reducing experiences of discrimination and building coping resiliency

Hinode/Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer Observations of the Temperature Structure of the Quiet Corona

We present a Differential Emission Measure (DEM) analysis of the quiet solar corona on disk using data obtained by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on {\it Hinode}. We show that the expected quiet Sun DEM distribution can be recovered from judiciously selected lines, and that their average intensities can be reproduced to within 30%. We present a subset of these selected lines spanning the temperature range $\log$ T = 5.6 to 6.4 K that can be used to derive the DEM distribution reliably. The subset can be used without the need for extensive measurements and the observed intensities can be reproduced to within the estimated uncertainty in the pre-launch calibration of EIS. Furthermore, using this subset, we also demonstrate that the quiet coronal DEM distribution can be recovered on size scales down to the spatial resolution of the instrument (1$"$ pixels). The subset will therefore be useful for studies of small-scale spatial inhomogeneities in the coronal temperature structure, for example, in addition to studies requiring multiple DEM derivations in space or time. We apply the subset to 45 quiet Sun datasets taken in the period 2007 January to April, and show that although the absolute magnitude of the coronal DEM may scale with the amount of released energy, the shape of the distribution is very similar up to at least $\log$ T $\sim$ 6.2 K in all cases. This result is consistent with the view that the {\it shape} of the quiet Sun DEM is mainly a function of the radiating and conducting properties of the plasma and is fairly insensitive to the location and rate of energy deposition. This {\it universal} DEM may be sensitive to other factors such as loop geometry, flows, and the heating mechanism, but if so they cannot vary significantly from quiet Sun region to region.Comment: Version accepted by ApJ and published in ApJ 705. Abridged abstrac

Diversity and dynamics of Escherichia coli ST131 causing bacteremia in a tertiary hospital in Madrid (1996-2016) using genomic tools and latest generation bioinformatics

Trabajo de fin de máster en Bioinformática y Biología ComputacionalMotivation: Extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli is the leading cause of urinary tract infections and of adult bacteremia. The clonal group STc131 has been identified as the primary cause of the global pandemic of multidrug resistance within these E. coli. Objective: To analyze the diversity of STc131 from a representative sample of isolates of phylogroup B2 E. coli that caused bacteremia in the hospital Ramón y Cajal in the last 20 years. Material and Methods: Eighty-three E. coli strains, primarily identified as STc131 from a representative sample of 528 B2-EC isolates associated with non-duplicated episodes of bacteremia in Hospital Ramón y Cajal from the years 1996-2016, were selected for next generation sequencing. Bioinformatic techniques were used to annotate the genomes and to identify epidemiological markers and mobile genetic elements that may contribute to the pathogenic success of particular STc131 clades. Results: The number of clade C subgroups of STc131 samples isolated from episodes of bacteremia in Hospital Ramón y Cajal has increased over the period of collection (1996-2016), while clade B maintained a stable frequency. Analysis of the accessory genomes of these isolates indicate a high degree of diversity between and within the different STc131 clades. Less than a quarter (23.7%) of the sample were ESBL positive. Conclusions. These data indicate the importance of the accessory genome, including the plasmid content of the isolates, in the dynamics of this STc131 population with each clade having a distinct plasmid, virulence, and antibiotic resistance signature. The results highlight diversification of the STc131 before and after the selection by first line antibiotics including fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins

Distinctive ECG patterns in healthy black adults

Six ECG patterns are found more frequently in healthy black adults than in whites. These patterns are presumably benign, but also may resemble those of malignant disease. 1) Healthy black adults show higher QRS voltage, and more often meet ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Associated repolarization abnormalities can produce ST segment elevation (STE) that resembles ST elevation MI (STEMI). 2) The pattern of benign anterior STE, seen often in males, is more common in black subjects. Similar to LVH, this pattern may falsely suggest STEMI. 3) Both early repolarization (ER) and benign inferolateral STE are more common in black patients. Although they may convey a higher risk of fatal arrhythmias or cardiac death in white populations, it does not appear that black subjects with these patterns show a similar risk. 4) The persistent juvenile T wave inversion pattern shows asymmetric T wave inversion (TWI) in V1-V4, without ST segment deviations. It is most common in black females, and is considered benign. However, this pattern can also resemble the anterior TWI of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). 5) A pattern of anterior TWI with associated J point elevation is a common finding in the black population, especially athletes. It could suggest hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but can be presumed to be a benign finding in black athletes, when TWI is limited to V1-V4 and preceded by J point elevation. 6) TWI in the lateral precordial leads, usually associated with end-QRS slurring or notches is seen much more often in apparently healthy black subjects than white subjects. Unlike the anterior TWI pattern, however, it cannot be presumed benign. In conclusion, awareness of these ECG patterns may help to avoid unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic interventions, but also encourage appropriate investigations

Distinctive ECG patterns in healthy black adults

Six ECG patterns are found more frequently in healthy black adults than in whites. These patterns are presumably benign, but also may resemble those of malignant disease. 1) Healthy black adults show higher QRS voltage, and more often meet ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Associated repolarization abnormalities can produce ST segment elevation (STE) that resembles ST elevation MI (STEMI). 2) The pattern of benign anterior STE, seen often in males, is more common in black subjects. Similar to LVH, this pattern may falsely suggest STEMI. 3) Both early repolarization (ER) and benign inferolateral STE are more common in black patients. Although they may convey a higher risk of fatal arrhythmias or cardiac death in white populations, it does not appear that black subjects with these patterns show a similar risk. 4) The persistent juvenile T wave inversion pattern shows asymmetric T wave inversion (TWI) in V1-V4, without ST segment deviations. It is most common in black females, and is considered benign. However, this pattern can also resemble the anterior TWI of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). 5) A pattern of anterior TWI with associated J point elevation is a common finding in the black population, especially athletes. It could suggest hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but can be presumed to be a benign finding in black athletes, when TWI is limited to V1-V4 and preceded by J point elevation. 6) TWI in the lateral precordial leads, usually associated with end-QRS slurring or notches is seen much more often in apparently healthy black subjects than white subjects. Unlike the anterior TWI pattern, however, it cannot be presumed benign. In conclusion, awareness of these ECG patterns may help to avoid unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic interventions, but also encourage appropriate investigations

Innovations in ex vivo light sheet fluorescence microscopy

Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM) has revolutionized how optical imaging of biological specimens can be performed as this technique allows to produce 3D fluorescence images of entire samples with a high spatiotemporal resolution. In this manuscript, we aim to provide readers with an overview of the field of LSFM on ex vivo samples. Recent advances in LSFM architectures have made the technique widely accessible and have improved its acquisition speed and resolution, among other features. These developments are strongly supported by quantitative analysis of the huge image volumes produced thanks to the boost in computational capacities, the advent of Deep Learning techniques, and by the combination of LSFM with other imaging modalities. Namely, LSFM allows for the characterization of biological structures, disease manifestations and drug effectivity studies. This information can ultimately serve to develop novel diagnostic procedures, treatments and even to model the organs physiology in healthy and pathological conditions.This work was produced with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (TEC2016-78052-R, RTC-2017-6600-1, PID2019-109820RB-100, FPU19/02854)

Differences in Distress Between Rural and Non-rural Appalachian Breast Cancer Patient / Caregiver Dyads During the First Year of Treatment

Introduction: Breast cancer patients and their caregivers living in rural Appalachia face substantial health disparities compared to their non-rural Appalachian counterparts. However, there is limited research on how these specific health disparities in rural Appalachian communities may impact patient psychological distress and caregiver strain during the first year of breast cancer treatment. Purpose: The purpose of the current study was to assess differences in patient psychological distress (depression and anxiety) and caregiver strain between rural non-rural Appalachian breast-cancer-affected dyads (patients and their caregivers) during the first year of treatment. Methods: A total of 48 Appalachian breast cancer patients (with a Stage I through Stage III diagnosis) and their identified caregiver (together, ‘dyads’) were identified from The University of Tennessee Medical Center across 2019 to 2020. Dyads completed follow-up surveys throughout the first year of treatment. In this prospective pilot study, measures on anxiety, depression and caregiver strain were self-reported and then analyzed using RM-ANOVA. Results: There was a statistically significant higher number of reports of patient depression and caregiver strain in rural-residing dyads compared to non-rural-residing dyads. However, there was not a statistically significant difference between rural and non-rural Appalachian dyads for patient-reported anxiety during the first year of treatment. Implications: The higher reported patient depression and caregiver strain among rural-residing Appalachian patients may indicate the need for implementing remote (e.g., telehealth) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to address the psychological needs of rural-residing dyads. Additionally, greater education from physicians to rural dyads on what to expect during treatment could alleviate caregiver strain