Abstract Submitted for Presentation

Name of Event/Presentation: 2024 conference of the Eastern Psychological Association meeting

Date of Presentation: February 29 - March 2, 2024

Type of Presentation: Undergraduate Poster Presentation Session

Title of Study:  Acculturation of South Asian Youth: Generational Differences and Impacts on Psychological Well-being

Abstract:  
Acculturation is a nonlinear process where individuals choose to connect their host culture and their cultural identity, influencing cultural values, behaviors, family obligations and psychological well-being including ethnic identity, self-esteem, and stress. Given that the host culture typically has more power compared to the individual’s other cultural groups, it is important to examine how acculturation strategies vary among different generations and influence psychological well-being. This review of the literature aimed to examine whether preferences for primary and secondary acculturation strategies between first generation (G1) and second generation (G2) South Asian adolescents and young adults differentially affected their psychological wellbeing.

The model driving this literature review is Berry’s 1974 Model of Acculturation, which proposed four modes of acculturation: assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization. Assimilation occurs when an individual does not wish to maintain their cultural identity. Separation occurs when an individual does not wish to interact with members of the host culture and maintain their own culture. Integration involves an individual maintaining their cultural identity while interacting with the host culture. Finally, Marginalization occurs when an individual is not interested in maintaining their culture of origin or interacting with the host culture.

Based on previous studies with samples of South Asian adolescents and young adults, it was first hypothesized that that the acculturation strategy of integration would be the primary and preferred acculturation strategy of choice for G1 and G2 and will have a generally similar positive effect on the psychological wellbeing of South Asian adolescents. It also was hypothesized that G1 and G2 would choose different secondary acculturation strategies resulting in differential impact on psychological well-being.

45 articles were reviewed, of which 20 were chosen to identify differences in primary and secondary acculturation strategies between G1 and G2 South Asian adolescents and young adults and possible differential impacts on their psychological wellbeing. Four databases, including Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), PsycArticles, and JStor were searched, with search terms including ‘Acculturation,’ ‘South Asian,’ ‘Generational Differences,’ ‘First-Generation,’ ‘Second-Generation,’ ‘Psychological Well-Being,’ ‘Self Esteem’, and ‘Ethnic Pride.’ Articles were initially screened by their title and abstract. Publications were excluded if they did not include a discussion about psychological wellbeing, including ethnic pride or self-esteem, or if the primary ethnic group focused on was not a minority, preferably of Asian descent. Additionally, articles were excluded if they did not discuss ingroup or outgroup characteristics, acculturation attitudes, or generational status.

Although the primary group of interest was South Asian adolescents living in the United States, there were few studies that fit this criterion. Because of this limitation, various geographic regions were included such as South Asian adolescents living in Europe, East Asia, and Oceania.

Preliminary results reveal differences between G1 and G2 youths’ preference for acculturation strategies across different regions. For example, in Western countries like Canada, G1 and G2 youth prefer integration first, though the second choice of acculturation strategy varies between separation (G1) and assimilation (G2). However, in East Asian countries like China, the primary acculturation strategy of choice is marginalization. As described in Yoon et al (2013), integration is positively correlated with positive psychological wellbeing, while marginalization is positively correlated with negative psychological wellbeing.

Preliminary results also revealed differences between psychological wellbeing as it relates to differences in acculturation strategies and generational differences. Overall, primary choice of acculturation strategy predicts self-esteem among Asian American adolescents and young adults. In Western countries (where integration is the preferred acculturation strategy), G1 South Asian immigrants’ acculturation-related in-group hassles contribute to psychological distress, while G2 South Asian immigrants’ acculturation-related outgroup hassles contribute to psychological distress.

It is important to examine the effects of preferred acculturation strategies on psychological wellbeing, as acculturation heavily influences an individual’s identity. Individuals navigating this complex process may experience identity conflicts or create a hybrid identity that integrates both cultural influences. Acculturation has significant implications on an individual’s sense of self. Understanding which acculturation strategy is used by an individual, and how that strategy may positively or negatively impact their psychological well-being, can better inform how mental health professionals tailor interventions that align with South Asian adolescents and young adults’ unique cultural identity.

This review also revealed a gap in the literature. For example, while there has been research done describing the effects of differences in acculturation strategies on the psychological wellbeing of South Asian youth in Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong, few studies have examined these concepts for South Asian youth living in America. More often, acculturation research done on South Asian immigrants in America uses adult populations. Research done on non-South Asian G1 and G2 immigrant youth in America show that there are significant issues with psychological wellbeing related to acculturation strategies. Given that South Asian youth is a rapidly growing population in America, more research is needed for this group.

Future research questions should examine why there is a difference between acculturation strategies regionally, but not so much generationally within the same region? Additional research should also look at why acculturation strategies are the same between generations, and why are there significant differences regarding psychological wellbeing (as it relates to acculturation) within generations?

Along with rising temperatures, the number of days over 90 degrees is rising in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Historically, Philadelphia averaged 21 days at 90 degrees or higher annually; however, July 2020 alone recorded 21 days in the nineties. Projections show Philadelphia will double the number of 90-degree days by 2030. Due to a history of disinvestment and fewer green spaces, the increasing heat unequally impacts low-income communities and communities of color. The Hunting Park neighborhood of mostly Hispanic and Black residents records surface temperatures more than 22 degrees hotter than greener areas in the city. The increased heat leads to an increase in health risks in the neighborhood. Drexel University, the Philadelphia Office of Sustainability, and the non-profit Esperanza collaborated to install cooling structures of umbrellas and planter boxes in Hunting Park to combat heat. This study initiates the analysis to examine the effectiveness of the cooling structures. Comparisons of temperatures between neighborhood blocks in Hunting Park, analyzed the capability of the cooling structures to reduce heat by assessing the temperature difference between neighborhood blocks with and without cooling structures. With help from Civic Scientists collecting temperature data with mobile sensors, the localization of urban heat islands was determined to help assess areas within Hunting Park with an increase in heat disparity. A methodology to determine hyper local urban heat islands to assess heat disparities within neighborhoods with more precision was developed. Implementations of cooling structures will be guided by the findings to prioritize areas with the greatest increased heat exposure. 

Optimization of cPTs to Improve Affinity and Potency to Target HIV-1 gp120 Trimer 

In 2020, approximately 38.4 million people worldwide had ongoing HIV infections. Current therapies have significantly improved survival rates; however, there is still no cure or vaccine. Moreover, recent global reports indicate a significant increase in HAART resistant population, increasing the demand to find novel drugs with new modes of action. The gp120 trimer complex on the viral envelope on HIV is of interest as this spike attaches to host cells to allow entry of viral proteins and genetic material. The Chaiken lab group focuses on developing a peptide to bind to the CD4 Phe 43 pocket to prevent viral entry by targeting the gp120 trimer. The cyclic peptide triazole complex N2 (AAR029N2) is the lead molecule with a pharmacophore of the isoleucine, tryptophan and triazole residues. N2 will be optimized with a focus on the triazole and tryptophan moieties. The desired cPTs were synthesized through use of the CEM Liberty Blue and were then purified validated through preparative and analytical HPLC/MS. The pyrazole containing cPTs went through a second round of purification via analytical HPLC. To evaluate binding affinity and relative potencies of synthesized compounds, surface plasmon resonance and infection inhibition assays were conducted respectively. The data obtained from both infection inhibition and SPR competition assays led to the main finding that future optimization of the cPTs must diverge into two paths, one to obtain a crystal structure and the second to serve improvement of potency. The current derivatives featuring a pyrazole at the triazole-Pro residue point to this conclusion. While the SPR results show a ~2 fold increase in binding affinity (KD) of MG-II-20 compared to N2, the IC50 values do not support that MG-II-20 has the best relative potency. Additionally, the initial hypothesis regarding crystallography candidates was to tag the tryptophan residue with a bromine atom to increase chances of visibility under x-ray radiation, however with SPR data it is clear that a bromine attachment severely hinders affinity by a ~25 to 30 fold decrease. Third, the presence of sulfur is vital for membrane penetrating interactions when looking to obtain potent compounds. Future work will entail running ITC experiments to confirm current relative KD ranking among cPTs. From QSAR predictions for improving potency, a bithiophene and methyl thiophene moiety at the triazole site will be synthesized and tested next. We hope that this work can be further developed for further mechanistic insights as well as potential drug candidacy.

The Role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Network Moderator with Precision Intrinsic System Mapping   
Cognitive control regulates thoughts and aids action selection as well as guides switching, directing, and manipulating between actions. Deficits of cognitive control have been implicated in various afflictions associated with disordered thought such as, Alzheimer’s Disease, binge eating disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s Disease. Functional connectivity is the temporal relationship of different brain regions and can show how the brain is connected and how it communicates. Understanding functional connectivity between and within networks and their responses to perturbation is crucial to increase wellbeing of those with cognitive impairments by being able to target specific regions with deficits. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, cognitive functional networks were obtained utilizing an individualized functional brain parcellation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was performed at three individualized targets for each individual subject (n=20). The targets were the frontoparietal control network (FPCN) associated with task switching, the dorsal attention network (DAN) associated with alerting and integration of external attention, and the vertex which acted as a control location. All subjects participated in three sessions where intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) was administered to a different network for each session in a randomized-counterbalanced manner. The subjects completed three tasks: the Navon, the Stroop, and the n-back that test switching, inhibiting, and working memory respectively before and after stimulation. A statistical analysis using mixed-effects modeling was completed to determine the effects of TMS on behavior and to examine functional connectivity within and between the specified networks on a trial-level basis.  Preliminary results show that TMS has an excitatory effect on the networks that causes an increase in associated behaviors such as faster response times and improved accuracy.  Further understanding of how networks communicate with each other to bring about behavior and how they can be perturbed can allow for the creation of treatment options in those with cognitive deficits. Furthermore, through our individualized techniques, these treatment targets have shown a possibility that they can be customized to the specific person.

Name of Event: Experimental Biology 2020
Date of Presentation: April 4-7, 2020 (canceled)
Type of Presentation: Poster presentation
Title: Investigating the effects of 1700 FDA-approved drugs on pro-neural protein knockdown in Drosophila melanogaster
Abstract: Basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) proneural proteins comprise a superfamily of transcription factors that are critical to early development. This superfamily includes the Daughterless (Da) gene in Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, and the homologous TCF4 gene in mammals. These genes have many essential functions in sex determination, cell proliferation, muscle development, and neurogenesis. In addition to these roles in development, our laboratory has shown that both Da and TCF4 function in mature, differentiated neurons, where they restrict neurite branching and synapse number. Knockdown of Da thus results in decreased motor function, a readout of proper glutamatergic neurotransmission. These results are important because mutations in TCF4 have been associated with the neurodevelopmental diseases Pitt-Hopkins syndrome and schizophrenia. The purpose of this research is to screen 1700 FDA approved drugs in our Da knockdown model with the hope of using this information to better determine future therapy for individuals with Pitt-Hopkins and schizophrenia. 

Name of Event: Harvard College Undergraduate Research Association (HCURA) Conference 
Date of Presentation: 01/22/2022
Type of Presentation: Poster Presentation Virtual
Title: DBD Plasma-Induced Polymerization for Surface Functionalization
Abstract: Plasma polymerization is a novel, solvent-less method that can be used for the surface functionalization of biomedical devices for drug delivery and implantation. This study demonstrates how DBD plasma was used to successfully synthesize polystyrene (PS) without chemical treatment. The implications of this study suggest that plasma polymerization is a viable method that can be used for the polymerization of other polymers in surface treatments of medical devices.   Recently, we demonstrated that non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma can be used to initiate radical based polymerization.  DBD plasma, unlike other plasmas, is generated in normal atmospheric pressure via a simple device. DBD plasma is an energy-saving and faster approach for polymerization than other polymerization methods. Dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma machines functions to initiate polymerization of monomers in the absence of chemical, thermal, and electrochemical means of initiation. Under low pressures, a high voltage generates radiofrequency radiation. This nongaseous DBD polymerization method is simple and straightforward. The nongaseous plasma polymerization may be applied for polymerization of PS for various applications.

Characterization of Silicon Photomultipliers for NEXO. Poster presented at: Conference Experience for Undergraduates (CEU) at Division of Nuclear Physics (DNP) of American Physical Society; 2021 Oct 12; Boston (Virtual)
Abstract:
Neutrinos are constantly bombarding us, but their interactions are so weak that studying their properties, including their quantum nature, can be challenging. The next-generation nEXO experiment  is a planned experiment that would use 5000 kg of isotopically enriched liquid-xenon in a time projection chamber to look for neutrinoless double beta decay (0vββ) in 136Xe with a target half-life sensitivity of about 10^28 ys. nEXO plans to use SiPMs as photosensors to detect liquid xenon scintillation light (peak wavelength at 175 nm), because they are radiopure devices operated at low voltages with high gain (10^5-10^6 electrons) allowing. My objective is to characterize SiPMs at cryogenic temperature and ensure that it's application will help towards achieving the nEXO goal of ~1% energy resolution at the Q-value of 0vββ of 136Xe.

Mapping Air Quality with Kite-Based Sensors
Monitoring the concentration of environmental pollutants is critical for effective decision-making about how to improve air quality. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) such as drones is attractive to provide detailed data about the spatial variation of air quality metrics; however, UAVs have flight times limited by battery life, public acceptance of UAVs is challenging, and there are increasingly stringent restrictions on the safe operating zones for UAVs. This project explores an alternative kite-based system for aerial monitoring of air quality. Kites have the potential to be lower cost than UAVs, require less energy to operate, and may have operational advantages such as flying at higher wind speeds and in areas inaccessible to UAVs. This project extends past work using kites for environmental monitoring by evaluating several potential improvements: (1) flight control multi-line kites to maneuver the kite precisely throughout the wind window and (2) suspension of a lightweight air sampling tube from the kite system to ground-based sensing equipment.