Food insecurity affects more than 6 million households with children in the U.S., the majority of which are insecure without hunger. Food insecurity and the accompanying chronic unpredictability are associated with significant negative health outcomes, such as impaired immune function, anxiety/eating disorders, malnutrition, and delayed language acquisition. To explore the connection between the unpredictability of a food source and cognitive impairments, prior studies have attempted to model food insecurity in rodent models. An ideal study design to answer this question would expose mice to a truly unpredictable food source for an extended period and assess their behavior for any significant changes, but most of the prior work has not been able to make a truly unpredictable food source which limits the generalizability of their findings. To address these limitations, the present study aimed to ensure that the rodent's food source was truly unpredictable by randomly assigning periods of limited food access across each week of the study. 18-month-old male and female C57BL/6J mice were either given ad libitum food access or were food insecure, where their otherwise full food-hopper would be reduced to 25% of their baseline consumption two randomly selected nights each week until the following morning. At 21 months, the mice underwent a battery of behavioral tests, including the open field test, elevated-zero maze, and novel object location task, to assess anxiety-like behavior and spatial memory capabilities. While insecurely-fed male mice were trending towards displaying more anxiety-like behavior than their securely-fed counterparts, we found no significant impact of food insecurity on anxiety-like behavior or spatial memory capabilities. Taken together, this study provides a more complete analysis of the behavioral changes due to a truly unpredictable food source, which more closely represents the environment of those living with food insecurity, and highlights areas to improve the model for future investigations.

Substance use among adolescents, particularly those in the juvenile justice (JJ) system, remains a critical public health issue with serious long-term consequences. Adolescents in JJ facilities face a heightened risk of developing substance use disorders (SUDs) and are more likely to experience negative outcomes such as mental health challenges and re-incarceration. Identifying substance use patterns in this population is essential for developing targeted treatment and intervention strategies that can mitigate these risks. This study examines the prevalence and patterns of substance use among incarcerated youth, focusing on how these patterns, as well as changes in use over time, relate to treatment needs. Data were analyzed from the Leveraging Safe Adults (LeSA) project, a 5-year longitudinal study evaluating the effectiveness of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) in reducing opioid use among youth after release from JJ facilities. Quantitative methods, including frequencies, cross-tabulations, and ANCOVAs, were used to analyze survey data. Results at baseline (N = 250) indicate that incarcerated youth report most frequent use of marijuana and alcohol and identify marijuana as the most problematic substance for them. However, a general decrease in marijuana and alcohol use was observed at a 3-month follow-up (n = 90) and 6-month follow-up (n = 60). These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions focused on marijuana use and provide preliminary evidence that substance use patterns in this population can improve over time. Findings could inform future interventions designed to address the unique challenges faced by adolescents within the juvenile justice system.

At least 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and above are living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as of 2024, and that number is only expected to increase as the aging population grows. The exact cause of AD has yet to be discovered, but there are several significant risk factors such as sleep deprivation, a lack of exercise, and diet quality. Our lab has investigated diet quality in relation to AD pathology through the creation of two representative diets, the Typical American Diet (TAD) and the Mediterranean Diet (MD). These diets are calorically matched and are used to investigate their long- and short-term effects on Alzheimer’s pathology in C57BL/6J mice. To follow up on a previous study that used 6 months of diet exposure to explore the longer-term effects of these diets, groups of mice were fed either the TAD or MD for 3 months, beginning at 4 months of age, to better understand the short-term effects. This project then conducted histological analysis on the colon, liver, and gonadal white adipose tissue using different histological techniques. Specifically, a cryostat and microtome were used to prepare the tissue samples, and they were stained using Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Oil Red O. Samples were then examined using confocal microscopy, and tissues from each diet were compared and analysed. We found that 3 months of diet led to excess hepatic lipid deposition, as was found in the 6-month study. Additionally, the 6-month study suggested that the TAD may have induced an insulin resistance (IR) state, so gonadal white adipose tissue was examined to explore adipocyte expansion after 3 months on diet. Preliminary colon histology was conducted to begin the exploration into gut dysbiosis and inflammation and the connection to Alzheimer’s pathology. This study presents novel histological evidence of the impact of diet quality on peripheral tissue in relation to Alzheimer’s disease.

Sector diversity in professional training programs is a crucial factor in expanding the reach and effectiveness of trauma-informed interventions across multiple disciplines. This exploratory study examines the year-to-year expansion of sector diversity in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner Training from 2019 to 2024. Data from 4,048 participants across six years of training sessions were analyzed to assess trends in sector representation across 16 professional categories. Annual participant counts ranged from 498 in 2020 to 1,229 in 2024. Findings indicate a gradual diversification of professional representation, with juvenile justice, sex trafficking, corrections, international outreach, and medical professional sectors remaining underrepresented. These insights highlight areas requiring targeted outreach to enhance the inclusion of diverse professional backgrounds in future training cohorts. The study contributes to understanding trends in professional diversity within TBRI training and informs future recruitment strategies for underrepresented sectors.

Each year, Black women are disproportionately affected by new HIV diagnoses. Recent data of HIV cases in Texas indicate that approximately 56% of new HIV cases in women occur in Black women, despite them making up only 13% of the female population in the state. This stark disparity highlights the need for targeted interventions that address the barriers to accessing sexual health resources, including HIV prevention services. The Beauty Shop Study seeks to address these gaps by leveraging beauty professionals as trusted community health advocates (CHAs). These CHAs facilitate sexual health conversations and connect clients with essential healthcare services. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the two combined interventions: (a) using beauty shops as community health hubs and (b) providing healthcare through either a mobile health unit (MHU) or a referral coordinator. Participants engage in three visits with a research assistant across 6 months, which include interviews and specimen collection. In Tarrant County, participants have access to a MHU for 3 months, while in Dallas County, participants receive support from referral coordinators for the same duration. Recruitment for the present study presented several challenges, including the ineffectiveness of virtual training for CHAs and the inability to accept snowball referrals. However, outreach efforts strengthened trust, ultimately increasing referrals and community engagement. Moving forward, insights from this pilot study will inform the development of future iterations of the project. The findings will continue to advancing community-centered approaches that enhance Black women’s access to sexual health care.