There is currently a mismatch between the chemical properties of a typical star and those within star clusters across the Milky Way galaxy. Star clusters are groups of stars bound by gravity, many of which are found in the disk of the Milky Way. Studying these star clusters reveals essential information about the rich history of our Galaxy, as we can measure their age and their chemical composition independently. While some clusters interact with their environment, causing them to dissolve, other clusters remain bound for billions of years. In order to investigate these disruption events, we will study the evolution of star clusters throughout cosmic time via simulations. With the use of cosmological simulations, such as the Feedback In Realistic Environment (FIRE) simulation, we are able to learn why clusters move from their original place of formation and how far they go. Additionally, FIRE allows us to trace star clusters through their different stages of their evolution, and study how they survive as they interact with other components of the galaxy. In this study, we will investigate the Galactic chemical gradient mismatch for the Milky Way, as we compare the FIRE simulations to the observed star cluster distribution and properties measured from Gaia satellite and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

Approximately 72% of Americans are overweight or obese, and healthcare for obesity-induced chronic diseases accounts for almost half of the total costs for disease treatment in the U.S. Further, obesity is a key risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a fatal disease that is the 6th leading causes of death in the U.S. As obesity and AD are comorbid, dietary intervention could be a key strategy to reduce excessive weight gain and AD risk.

High obesity prevalence in the U.S. is most likely due to the typical American diet, known as the Western Diet (WD), which is comprised of simple carbohydrates, refined sugars and vegetable oils, processed meat, and high-fat dairy products. Conversely, the Mediterranean Diet (MD), a plant-based diet, is typically comprised of complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, seafood, and low-fat dairy products. The MD has been shown to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, and thus, has the potential to protect against AD.

The current study examined the effects of the MD and WD, modeled after typical human diets, in a hippocampus dependent learning task in wildtype mice. As the hippocampus is a crucial brain region for learning and memory, and hardest hit by AD pathologies, we aimed to explore how diet affects learning and memory processes that are dependent on this brain region. The results revealed that life-long consumption of the MD enhanced spatial learning and memory, in comparison to the WD, in male mice. These results suggest that long-term consumption of the MD could be used to enhance cognition in older adults.

Healthy sleep is imperative for many biological and psychological functions, including immune function and neural plasticity. Alarmingly, over one-third of US adults report getting less than the minimum recommended 7 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, sleep loss is linked with impairments in immune and cognitive function. Our lab previously demonstrated that chronic sleep restriction (CSR) is associated with cognitive impairment in wild-type mice. The present research investigated the impact of CSR on markers of inflammation and neural plasticity in response to an immune insult in adult C57BL/6 mice. Male and female mice underwent six weeks of CSR, followed by one intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline. Four hours post-injection, serum and hippocampal tissue were collected for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cytokine analysis. Results revealed patterns that differed between males and females. Male mice that underwent CSR and received LPS had increased serum pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, while cytokine mRNA in the hippocampus was decreased compared to control mice that received LPS. Conversely, female mice that underwent CSR and received LPS had decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines in both the serum and hippocampus compared to control mice that received LPS. Moreover, males that underwent CSR exhibited decreased hippocampal BDNF mRNA compared to controls, while this difference was not observed in females. These patterns of findings suggest a complicated interaction between chronic sleep loss, immune function, and sex, underscoring the necessity to understand how lifestyle factors such as sleep loss can influence immune and cognitive dysfunction in both men and women.

Previous research finds that people are perceived as naïve and socially submissive when expressing fear. The outward expression of this emotion is thought to function to elicit prosocial responses from others. However, no work has examined whether fearful expressions are also perceived as an opportunity for exploitation in environments which favor opportunistic responding such as harsh, low resource environments. The current research was designed to examine 1) the perceived opportunities posed by fearful individuals, and 2) whether the presence of someone from a harsh environment leads individuals to suppress, rather than express, their fear. In two studies, participants were randomly assigned to evaluate the opportunities for exploitation posed by a person expressing either fear or no emotion. In a third study, participants were randomly assigned to view a fear inducing video from a horror movie or a neutral video from a nature documentary. Participants then disclosed to a bogus study partner (from a harsh or benign environment) the degree of fear they felt while watching the video. Results revealed that fearful individuals are perceived as posing more of an opportunity for exploitation than individuals expressing no emotion. Additionally, being in the presence of an individual from a harsh environment was associated with reduced fear expression after watching a scary video. These results suggest that the expression of fear may be risky under certain contexts.

Aim. This study aims to explore the feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and reliability of a new observational assessment tool - the Child and Adolescent Wellbeing Scale (CAWS), designed to evaluate socio-emotional health and attachment patterns in children and adolescents.
Background. There is significant interest in child trauma and interventions, and therefore a need for an assessment tool to assess child-level outcomes of trauma-informed interventions, care, and services. The CAWS was created to address this gap, providing a measure rooted in child-caregiver attachment and relational trauma. The CAWS is a 25-item scale with three subscales: Connection, Regulation, and Felt-Safety, which align with Bath’s Three Pillars of Trauma-Informed Care.
Method. Twenty mental health clinicians were trained to use the CAWS during two virtual sessions. Following training, each participant independently observed and rated 15 pre-recorded video interactions between children and their caregivers (totaling 300 independent ratings). Clinicians provided feedback on the CAWS instrument content and format after rating the videotaped interactions; validated measures were used to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of the instrument. Reliability estimates were calculated using the generalizability theory.
Results. Ninety-four percent of participants (95% white, 85% female, median age 40.5 years, 100% Master’s degree) reported that administering the CAWS was feasible (i.e., implementable, doable), 100% indicated it was acceptable (i.e., appealing, meets approval), and 100% indicated it was appropriate (i.e., suitable, applicable). Additionally, 100% of participants reported that they would likely use the CAWS in their practice. The CAWS demonstrated excellent inter-rater reliability overall (R1F = .82), was a reliable measurement of systematic change in children (Rc = .94), and reliability emphasized the stable individual difference between children (RKF = .98).
Conclusion. The current study demonstrates the CAWS as a promising evaluation tool with excellent reliability, feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. Additional studies should investigate the CAWS instrument's validity further, focusing on its applicability in field settings and its utility in measuring change over time.