On the construction and sustainability of happiness: Where does my happiness come from?

Problem. Happiness is attributed to three sources: genetics and personality (50%), the situation (10%), and voluntary behaviors (40%) (Lyubomirsky, 2008). Few studies exist on the subject of happiness factors, their duration, and how these factors may relate to Lyubomirsky\u27s (2008) three sources of happiness, the purpose of this study. Method. Three hundred and forty-seven undergraduates listed what they felt contributed to their overall happiness. Then they indicated the three items they considered the most significant contributors. Finally, participants reported the duration (e.g., minutes, hours, days, weeks, or years) of happiness caused by each of these items. Results and Discussion. The number of happiness items participants expressed ranged from 0 to 77 (M = 28.58; SD = 13.74). The item listed most often was family (20.27%) followed by friends (15.18%). Most people gave priority to items that made them happy for years. As priority of the items decreased so did duration suggesting that people place greater value on factors that lead to prolonged levels of happiness. These findings have implications for happiness construction and sustainability as increasing individuals\u27 happiness levels may involve seeking out more socially-beneficial--as well as longer-lasting--resources

Redefining happiness: Is the happiness pie literature missing some slices?

This study examined the relationships among happiness-related factors, as well as the relation between the antecedents of happiness (e.g., an individual\u27s personality, situations, and voluntary behavior) and self-reported individual differences. Three hundred forty-seven undergraduates completed measures of happiness, positive affect, subjective well-being, contentment, self-compassion, depression, neuroticism, mindfulness, and openness to experience. Participants also indicated the percentage of their happiness due to personality, the situation, and voluntary behaviors. The results corroborate evidence for happiness being most indicative of a multidimensional construct, as contentment, subjective well-being, and happiness were highly related. Additionally, in spite of research showing that almost half of our happiness is determined by voluntary actions, participants, on average, divided the happiness pie into thirds, attributing their happiness to personality (30.36%), the situation (36.88%), and voluntary actions (32.7%)

Greek community needs assessment: Reducing the negative impact of alcohol and drugs

Participants representing Clemson\u27s Greek community have designed a research project that aims to define the problems associated with alcohol and drug misuse in the Greek community at Clemson University and to implement action steps based on sound evidence to mitigate the negative consequences associated with that misuse. The team is made up of Greek student leaders who are passionate about making a difference in their community and ultimately creating a plan to reduce alcohol and drug abuse among members. The team has conducted IRB and National PanHellenic approved focus groups and is in the process of coding the data. This poster reflects a preliminary analysis of that data

Towards a Clinically Relevant Lentiviral Transduction Protocol for Primary Human CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Background: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), in particular mobilized peripheral blood stem cells, represent an attractive target for cell and gene therapy. Efficient gene delivery into these target cells without compromising self-renewal and multipotency is crucial for the success of gene therapy. We investigated factors involved in the ex vivo transduction of CD34 + HSCs in order to develop a clinically relevant transduction protocol for gene delivery. Specifically sought was a protocol that allows for efficient transduction with minimal ex vivo manipulation without serum or other reagents of animal origin. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using commercially available G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood (PB) CD34 + cells as the most clinically relevant target, we systematically examined factors including the use of serum, cytokine combinations, prestimulation time, multiplicity of infection (MOI), transduction duration and the use of spinoculation and/or retronectin. A self-inactivating lentiviral vector (SIN-LV) carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used as the gene delivery vehicle. HSCs were monitored for transduction efficiency, surface marker expression and cellular function. We were able to demonstrate that efficient gene transduction can be achieved with minimal ex vivo manipulation while maintaining the cellular function of transduced HSCs without serum or other reagents of animal origin. Conclusions/Significance: This study helps to better define factors relevant towards developing a standard clinical protocol for the delivery of SIN-LV into CD34 + cells

Outcomes of Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Patients With Vitreomacular Traction

To evaluate clinical and optical coherence tomography (OCT) outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for patients with vitreomacular traction (VMT). Noncomparative, interventional, consecutive case series from 2007 to 2014. Of the 37 study eyes, patients were grouped according to the extent of VMT evident on OCT. Group 1 (18 eyes) had intraretinal cysts on OCT. Group 2 (19 eyes) had both intraretinal cysts and subretinal fluid. Visual acuity (VA) improved at least one line or more in 76% of eyes postoperatively. Postoperative VA was not significantly different across the two groups (P > .36). Postoperatively, a macular hole developed in 4 eyes (10%). After reoperation, three of four eyes achieved macular hole closure. Patients with VMT achieve visual and OCT improvements after PPV. Postoperative macular hole formation is uncommon but can be successfully repaired with further surgery

Visual Acuity and Increased Mortality: The Role of Allostatic Load and Functional Status

PURPOSE. Poor vision may detrimentally impact functional status and affect allostatic load (AL), a measure of cumulative physiological wear and tear on the body's regulatory systems. We examined the direct effects of visual acuity (VA) on mortality and its indirect effect on mortality through its impact on functional status and AL in older adults. METHODS. Data from 4981 participants (age ≥ 60 years) from the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with mortality linkage through 2006 were analyzed. Functional status was assessed by activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The AL index was composed of 10 biomarkers: systolic and diastolic blood pressures, body mass index (BMI), glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and creatinine clearance. Visual acuity was categorized as no (20/20–20/25), mild (20/30–20/40), moderate (20/50–20/80), or severe (≥20/200) visual impairment. Structural equation modeling using three mediating variables representing ADL, IADL, and AL examined the effects of VA on all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. RESULTS. Adjusting for all covariates, a one-unit change in VA category increased mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05, 1.32); IADL and AL predicted mortality (HR = 1.15; CI 1.10, 1.20 and HR = 1.13; CI 1.06, 1.20, respectively). Activities of daily living did not predict mortality (HR = 0.98; CI 0.91, 1.05). Worse VA was associated with increased AL (β = 0.11; P = 0.013) and worse IADL (β = 1.06; P < 0.001). Worse VA increased mortality risk indirectly through AL (HR = 1.01; CI 1.00, 1.03) and IADL (HR = 1.16; CI 1.09, 1.23). The total effect of VA on mortality including through IADL and AL was HR = 1.38 (CI 1.23, 1.54). Similar but slightly stronger patterns of association were found when examining CVD-related mortality, but not cancer-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS. Allostatic load and particularly IADL may function as mediators between VA impairment and mortality. Older adults with VA impairment could potentially benefit from interventions designed to prevent IADL functional status decline to reduce the risk of mortality