Evidence-Based Programs & Measures Of Mental Health Literacy among Adolescents: A Narrative Research Review

Evidence-Based Programs & Measures Of Mental Health Literacy among Adolescents: A Narrative Research Review Roxana Naemi, Dept. of Psychology, Sabrina Hawa, & Chloe Walker, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. Chelsea D. Williams, Dept. of Psychology This current narrative research review aims to provide a review of measures that assess the principles of mental health literacy among adolescents. Mental health literacy can be defined as the degree to which an individual processes and understands mental health information and is able to seek further treatment (Olsson & Kennedy, 2010) and varies based upon age (Farrera et al., 2008), sex differences and relationships with peers (Burns& Rupee 2006), and attitudes towards mental health (Olsson & Kennedy, 2010). Using PsycINFO to find research to date, findings of the review indicated that for evidence-based programs using mental health literacy, adolescents had a better understanding of mental health literacy post-program, whereas when they were first interviewed through surveys and questionnaires. Additionally, the review indicated that more studies assessing psychometrics of existing measures used to assess mental health literacy among adolescents are warranted. Discussion will center on programs and methodological approaches used to examine mental health literacy among adolescents and the need for implementing more programs promoting mental health literacy within schools.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1312/thumbnail.jp

"Hydro-kinematic" method for quantifying glide efficiency of swimmers

The purpose of this thesis was to introduce and test methods of quantifying the glide efficiency and the hydrodynamic parameters related to an underwater glide of a human body in a streamlined position and to investigate their relationship with the size and shape characteristics of a body with consideration of actual anthropometry, morphology and posture of body in a streamlined glide position.The thesis comprises three studies. The aim of the first study was to develop and test a method of quantifying glide efficiency in a way that accounts for both the inertial and resistive characteristics of the gliding body as well as the differences in the instantaneous velocities. To achieve this, a displacement function was derived from the equation of motion of the body during a horizontal rectilinear glide. By fitting this function to the position-time data of a body during a rectilinear horizontal glide, a glide factor that indicates the glide efficiency was quantified. This factor represented a combined kinematic and hydrodynamic measure of a glide. As the glide efficiency of a body is influenced by the body shape as well as by the body size, the size-related and shape-related glide efficiencies were determined as separate entities. The validity and applicability of the method was established. Also the glide factor enabled the exact prediction of deceleration during a glide which was not possible knowing the resistive factor alone. It was found that the glide factor increased with decreasing velocity. The method was shown to be able to detect differences in the glide efficiency between subjects and across trials within subjects.The aim of the second study was to develop and test a method of quantifying the hydrodynamic properties of a human body in a streamlined position during an underwater glide so that the values of the resistive factor and the virtual mass can be determined separately. To achieve this aim a displacement function was derived from the equation of motion of the body during an inclined rectilinear glide. By fitting this function to the position-time data of a body during a rectilinear inclined glide, and taking iii advantage of the component of net buoyancy as a constant parameter in the equation of motion, the resistive and inertial parameters were quantified. As the resistive and inertial parameters of a body are influenced by the body shape as well as by the body size, the drag and added mass coefficients were determined to investigate resistive and added inertial properties of a body independent of its size. The validity and applicability of the method was established. The method was able to quantify the hydrodynamic resistance and added inertia parameters considering the glide under realistic conditions. Also added mass of a body during deceleration was quantified with this method. It was found that the added mass decreased with increasing velocity while the resistive force increased.The aim of the third study was to determine the true relationship between the size and the shape characteristics of the body and its hydrodynamic and glide efficiency parameters. In the third study the actual anthropometric measures, morphological indices and postural angles of the body in a streamlined position were determined, in order to quantify the size and shape characteristics of a body in a streamlined position. The correlations between these parameters and the glide efficiency and the resistive and added inertia parameters were obtained. It was found that the gliding ability is more dependent on having a good shape than on having a large body mass with a low crosssectional area. Also the difference of hydrodynamic parameters including the resistive factor and the added mass between two bodies is the result of the differences in the shape characteristics including morphological indices and postural angles rather than due to the differences in size. The results indicated that some of the morphological indices and joint angles investigated in this study were correlated to the glide efficiency and hydrodynamic parameters. The belief that more streamlined objects possess a lower added mass coefficient seems not to be applicable to the human body.The method developed has practical applications in testing swimming suits designed to improve performance. Using the 'Hydro-kinematic' method the suit effect on the ability of a body to entrain added masses of water together with its ability to reduce drag as well as the combined effect on the glide efficiency may be quantified. The results of this study indicate that in talent identification the evaluation should be based on the shape of the body rather than its size. The existence of relationship between some of the morphological indices and the hydrodynamic and glide efficiency parameters would also allow identifying the streamlining degree of a body without the requirement for the direct drag force measurements

Language Advice Networks: a form of social capital in the multinational corporation

This thesis introduces the emerging phenomenon of Language Advice Networks (LANs) in multilingual, multinational corporations. As an informal network of individuals, a LAN is utilized on a need basis to seek and offer language-related advice, with the common goal of performing efficiently and avoiding more time-consuming traditional translation. Through three separate yet related studies, I introduce the LAN, its structural and relational formation, and the career implications of LAN engagement for individuals. The three studies entail both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Conducted in QatarCo (a pseudonym), the MNC’s headquarters is located in Qatar and operates with English as its lingua franca. I accumulated participant observation fieldnotes for 10 consecutive months, conducted 65 one-to-one, semistructured interviews and two focus groups, and surveyed 107 employees representing four departments. Study 1 explores how employees with varying degrees of lingua franca fluency deploy their intra-firm social capital to exchange – seek and offer – language-related knowledge, on a need basis. Using a mixed methods approach, I define the LAN, elaborate its properties and dimensions, and distinguish its structure from that of general advice networks. Study 2 extends the structural exposition by examining the relational dimension of LANs. To investigate the individual and dyadic attributes of the language advisors. I apply exponential random graph modelling to reveal that that the advisory role is predicted by a cosmopolitan mindset: ability to articulate advice in a manner understood by a culturally dissimilar counterpart. Study 3 uses grounded theory to demonstrate that advising in a LAN entails generalized reciprocity with career implications, including enhanced status, non-financial rewards, financial incentives, and sense of empowerment. The data also indicate that the relationship between LAN engagement and career success can be explained through two mechanisms: establishing a rewarding reputation and enhancing one’s intra-firm social capital. I conclude by discussing the thesis’s theoretical contributions to the International Business, career, and social capital literature, as well as managerial implications, research limitations, and future research directions

A COMPARISON OF TWO FUNCTIONS REPRESENTING VELOCITY OF A HUMAN BODY SUBJECT TO PASSIVE DRAG

The purpose of this study was to compare the goodness of fit of two functions representing horizontal velocity of a human body subject to passive drag. Hyperbolic and exponential functions were fitted to the horizontal velocity data of three glides following push-off from the wall of five swimmers. Measures of goodness of fit included root mean square errors (RMSE), and the coefficient of determination (R2). The hyperbolic function provided a better fit to the actual values of velocity, provided a closer match to the initial velocity, and predicted better the velocities beyond the fitted interval than the exponential function. It was concluded that for the swimmers and range of glide velocities tested, drag was closer to being proportional to the square of velocity than a linear function of velocity

An MRI compatible loading device for the reconstruction of clinically relevant plantar pressure distributions and loading scenarios of the forefoot

This study aims to present a new MRI compatible loading device capable of reconstructing realistic loading scenarios of the human foot for research in the field of foot biomechanics. This device has two different configurations: one used to compress the forefoot and one to bend the metatarsophalangeal joints. Required plantar pressure distribution under the metatarsal heads can be achieved by modifying the distribution of the dorsally applied forces. To validate the device, subject-specific plantar pressures were measured and then reconstructed using the device. For quiet stance the peak pressure reconstruction error was 3% while for mid-stance phase of gait it was 8%. The device was also used to measure the passive bending stiffness of the metatarsophalangeal joints of one subject with low intra-subject variability. A series of preliminary MRI scans confirmed that the loading device can be used to produce static weight-bearing images of the foot (voxel size: 0.23mm×0.23mm×1.00mm). The results indicate that the device presented here can accurately reconstruct subject specific plantar pressure distributions and measure the foot’s metatarsophalangeal passive stiffness. Possible future applications include the validation of finite element models, the investigation of the relationship between plantar pressure and internal stresses/strains and the study of the foot’s inter-segmental passive stiffness

Fluid Intelligence and Competence Development in Secondary Schooling: No Evidence for a Moderating Role of Conscientiousness

Fluid intelligence and conscientiousness are important predictors of students’ academic performance and competence gains. Although their individual contributions have been widely acknowledged, less is known about their potential interplay. Do students profit disproportionately from being both smart and conscientious? We addressed this question using longitudinal data from two large student samples of the German National Educational Panel Study. In the first sample, we analyzed reading and mathematics competencies of 3778 fourth graders (Mage = 9.29, 51% female) and gains therein until grade 7. In the second sample, we analyzed the same competencies in 4942 seventh graders (Mage = 12.49, 49% female) and gains therein until grade 9. The results of (moderated) latent change score models supported fluid intelligence as the most consistent predictor of competence levels and gains, whereas conscientiousness predicted initial competence levels in mathematics and reading as well as gains in mathematics (but not reading) only in the older sample. There was no evidence for interaction effects between fluid intelligence and conscientiousness. We found only one statistically significant synergistic interaction in the older sample for gains in reading competence, which disappeared when including covariates. Although our findings point to largely independent effects of fluid intelligence and conscientiousness on competence gains, we delineate avenues for future research to illuminate their potential interplay

ENDOTHELIAL NITRIC OXIDE ACTIVITY & BIOAVAILABILITY DURING OBESITY CONDITIONS

Obesity has been recognized as a pandemic and linked with several metabolic dysfunctions. One of the hallmarks in the onset of obesity is the development of hypertension coupled with endothelial dysfunction. (ED) A fundamental feature of ED is the reduced bioavailability of the key vasodilator, nitric oxide (NO), which has important vasoactive functions. Endothelial nitric oxide is significantly produced by the isoform endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the vascular wall. NO production is modulated by both physiological and pathophysiological environment. Several recent studies have reported the correlation of obesity with NO bioavailability and the endogenous inhibitor of eNOS, asymmetric dimethyl arginine (ADMA). This research aims to define the mechanisms that contribute to controlling eNOS activity and NO bioavailability during obesity conditions. In this study, eight week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cafeteria diet for 16 weeks. Our findings show that body weight increased gradually with 44% of the CAF-fed group becoming obese (CAF-OB) and the remaining 56% becoming resistant to body weight gain (CAF-WR). Levels of plasma ADMA increased and serum nitrite concentrations were reduced in the CAF-OB group while the CAF-WR group had a decrease in plasma ADMA levels and an increase in serum nitrite concentrations. This reflects the interaction of ADMA as an endogenous inhibitor on the bioavailability of NO. In conclusion, CAF diet induces obesogenic effects leading to endothelial dysfunction in both weight gain and weight gain resistant groups.This project was funded by QU internal grants (QUST-CAS-SP-1/15-11)

ANIMAL MODEL FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Obesity has been recognized as a global health problem and linked with chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular syndromes, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers. Children exposed to high carbohydrate, high fat, energy dense food, are vulnerable to developing chronic health conditions. On long term exposure to low nutrient quality food, childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity in adulthood (Puhl , 2012). As the prevalence of obesity increases, it is imperative to develop animal models to understand the pre-existing metabolic milestones leading up to an obesogenic condition. It is with this goal that our team has developed a juvenile animal model replicating childhood exposure to a high carbohydrate, high fat diet. To develop our juvenile animal model, three week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were weaned and exposed to cafeteria diet for 10 weeks. Our findings show that body weight increased gradually with the treated group (CAF) becoming obese and reaching statistically significant weight gain. Furthermore, the lipid profile and plasma glucose levels of the CAF group showed increases in comparison to their standard chow fed counter parts. In conclusion, an exposure to a caloric overload induces obesogenic effects indicated by changes in body morphology, by increased abdominal adiposity, blood glucose levels and lipid profile.This study was funded by QUUG-CAS-BES-18/14-1