Parks & Equity: A Framework for Equitable Access in Richmond, VA Parks

Increasingly, cities are investing in their green spaces, such as open spaces and parks, as a strategy to improve the livability of the city, but also to improve the health of its residents. Research finds that access and proximity to green spaces provides a host of benefits to humans, including mental and physical health improvements. However, not all residents have equal access to these green public amenities. Research focuses on best practices for identifying minimum basic standards for DPR parks and the importance and limitations of green spaces in urban design. Basic standards include: setting the minimum limit for amenities in parks, best policies, implementation practices, and funding. The plan includes an analysis of the study area, Richmond, Virginia, and park access based on age, income, and race

Development of Genomic Resources for the Evaluation of Red Snapper, an Emerging Species Candidate for Marine Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement

The northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a highly targeted reef fish candidate for marine aquaculture and stock enhancement in the southern United States. This work aimed to develop genomic resources for the genetic management of aquaculture programs and to investigate population structure using high-throughput sequencing technologies. Eighty-four new microsatellite markers were developed through screening of Illumina paired-end sequencing reads. Microsatellite loci and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) generated through Restriction Site Associated DNA (RAD) sequencing were assayed in 5 outbred full-sib families to construct a high-density linkage map of the red snapper genome. The map consists of 7,964 markers distributed across 24 linkage groups and was used to anchor genome contigs obtained during assembly of P-454 and Illumina sequencing reads. Genetic variation among four geographic populations of northern red snapper and one population of southern red snapper (Lutjanus purpureus) was studied using 6,890 SNPs generated by RAD sequencing. Northern and southern red snapper diverged significantly (average FST estimate 0.188) and Bayesian clustering suggested a complete lack of current gene flow between the two taxa. These results, coupled with the finding of divergent selection impacting several genomic regions during sliding window analysis, suggests that northern and southern red snapper should, at minimum, be managed as distinct population segments. Little evidence of population subdivision was found among northern red snapper populations, consistent with previous genetic studies. Further work is needed to improve the draft reference genome and estimate dispersal parameters in order to design management units for U.S. populations

Medical Noncompliance in a Pediatric Patient Living in a Single-Parent Household

Abstract Noncompliance is a patient’s inability to comply with the recommended treatment for their complete recovery from an ailment, while compliance is the extent to which a patient adheres to the provider’s directive, such as medication and orders given. The purpose of this study was to determine if motivational interviewing when applied to noncompliant pediatric patients from single-parent households, would improve global medical compliance in this population as compared to the standard of care at the end of three months. Thirty-two participants were recruited using the homogeneous purposeful sampling. The project employed a mixed-method approach. Fred Kleinsinger’s noncompliant behavior tool was administered to obtain staging data on noncompliance among participants. Pretest and posttest data were inputted to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and subsequently imported into SPSS version 25 software. The demographic data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pretest and posttest data were compared using a paired t test and Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test. Following motivational interviewing, median noncompliance decreased from a score of 2 preintervention to 1 postintervention. Findings from other studies suggest that motivational interviewing is effective in curbing or reducing noncompliance. In this project, the goal of implementation scientific research was met by the conclusion that motivational interviewing significantly decreased medical noncompliance among pediatric patients from single-parent families. Healthcare providers must screen for potential noncompliance and prevent it before it manifests by proactively implementing a process for addressing noncompliance in their clinics. Keywords: pediatric noncompliance, motivational interviewing, single-parent familie

Conceptual design of a fleet of autonomous regolith throwing devices for radiation shielding of lunar habitats

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in conjunction with Universities Space Research Association (USRA) has requested that the feasibility of a fleet of regolith tossing devices designed to cover a lunar habitat for radiation protection be demonstrated. The regolith, or lunar soil, protects the lunar habitat and its inhabitants from radiation. Ideally, the device will operate autonomously in the lunar environment. To prove the feasibility of throwing regolith on the Moon, throwing solutions were compared to traditional, Earth-based methods for moving soil. Various throwing configurations were investigated. A linear throwing motion combined with a spring and motor energizing system proved a superior solution. Three different overall configurations for the lunar device are presented. A single configuration is chosen and critical parameters such as operating procedure, system volume, mass, and power are developed. The report is divided into seven main sections. First, the Introduction section gives background information, defines the project requirements and the design criteria, and presents the methodology used for the completion of this design. Next, the Preliminary Analysis section presents background information on characteristics of lunar habitats and the lunar environment. Then, the Alternate Designs section presents alternate solutions to each of the critical functions of the device. Fourth, a detailed analysis of throwing the regolith is done to demonstrate its feasibility. Then, the three overall design configurations are presented. Next, a configuration is selected and the conceptual design is expanded to include system performance characteristics, size, and mass. Finally, the Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Work section evaluates the design, outlines the next step to be taken in the design process, and suggests possible goals for future design work

Effect of Aquatic Exercise on Fatigue, Fitness, Arm Edema, Levels of Distress, and Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Survivors

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a recreational therapy aquatic intervention on physical and psychosocial performance of breast cancer survivors. Eligible participants were assigned to either a water exercise group or a control group who received standard care treatment for breast cancer. The intervention group attended aquatic exercise sessions three times per week for eight weeks in a heated outdoor pool. Sessions lasted 50 minutes in duration. The aquatic exercise group significantly improved their endurance, body mass, level of distress, and total score for fatigue. No significant differences occurred in the control group. Social validity responses found that participants believed the exercise sessions improved physical fitness and that they desired to continue the program. Findings suggested that an aquatic exercise program may improve some physical and psychosocial measures among breast cancer survivors. The relatively small sample and quasi-experimental design limited capability of making greater generalizations

Substance Use Disorders in Elderly Admissions to an Academic Psychiatric Inpatient Service over a 10-Year Period

Objective: There is a paucity of research on substance use disorders (SUDs) in the elderly psychiatric population. This study examines SUDs in a geriatric psychiatry inpatient service over a 10-year period. Methods: Data from 1788 elderly psychiatric inpatients from a ten-year period was collected. Variables collected included psychiatric diagnoses, SUD, number of psychiatric admissions, and length of stay. Those with and without a SUD were compared using Chi-Square or Student’s -test as appropriate using SPSS. Results: 11.7% ( = 210) of patients had a SUD, and the most common substance was alcohol at 73.3% ( = 154) or 8.6% of all admissions. Other SUDswere sedative-hypnotics (11%), opiate (2.9%), cannabis (1%), tobacco (1.4%), and unspecified SUD(38.6%). SUD patients were significantly younger, divorced, male, and less frequently readmitted and had shorter lengths of stay.The most common comorbid diagnoses were major depression (26.1%), bipolar disorder (10.5%), and dementia (17.1%). Conclusions: Over 10% of psychogeriatric admissions were associated with a SUD, with alcohol being the most common. Considering the difficulties in diagnosing SUD in this population and the retrospective study design, the true prevalence in elderly psychiatric inpatients is likely higher.This study adds to sparse literature on SUD in elderly psychiatric patients