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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is relatively common (Ruscio, Stein, Chiu, & Kessler, 2010) and leads to significant functional impairment (World Health Organization, 2001). Research suggests that exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) is efficacious for reducing OCD symptoms (NICE, 2006); however, standard outpatient EX/RP does not effectively alleviate symptom severity among a substantial proportion of OCD patients (Abramowitz, 2006). Intensive EX/RP programs have been developed to address the needs of treatment-refractory OCD patients (Veale et al., 2016). While evidence from effectiveness studies suggests that intensive EX/RP programs lead to significant reductions in OCD symptom severity, a portion of patients do not demonstrate improvement in response to intensive treatment (e.g., Björgvinsson, Hart, et al., 2013; Boschen, Drummond, & Pillay, 2008). These findings underscore the need to identify reliable predictors of OCD patient response to intensive EX/RP to help target clinical and research efforts toward improving treatment outcomes for those least likely to respond to current treatment modalities. Therefore, the proposed study evaluated distinct trajectories of OCD symptom change across six-weeks of intensive treatment and examined factors that predict membership in those trajectory groups. Results suggested that three latent subgroups of OCD patients emerged with one demonstrating symptom relapse during intensive treatment. Further, OCD symptom severity was the only baseline factor that predicted latent-class membership. Implications and future directions of research are discussed.

Background and aims: Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) has been long-recognized, however the underlying etiology and risk factors have not been historically well-studied. We aim to study the underlying etiologies of CIF and predictive factors for long-term parenteral support (PS). Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with newly diagnosed CIF who received PS to maintain nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic between 2000 and 2017. Long-term PS was defined as a duration of more than 3 months. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of the need for long-term PS. Results: We identified 350 patients with CIF, 150 (43%) and 200 (57%) were diagnosed before and after 2010, respectively. The most common etiology was Crohn's disease (CD) in both cohorts (34.7% versus 30.5%, p = 0.41). Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) was a less frequent cause of CIF after 2010 (12.7% versus 2.5%, p = 0.0002). The type of PS was mostly total parenteral nutrition before and after 2010, 95% and 96%, respectively (p = 0.55). On univariable analysis, absence of ileocecal valve (p < 0.0001), ischemic bowel disease (p = 0.009), and whole colon resection (p = 0.033) were associated with the need for long-term PS. On multivariable analysis, absence of ileocecal valve (OR 2.19, p = 0.011) and ischemic bowel disease (OR 3.04, p = 0.003) remained statistically significant predictors of long-term PS. Conclusion: In our cohort of patients with CIF, CD remains the leading etiology over the last 20 years, whereas GVHD is less common after 2010. The absence of ileocecal valve and ischemic bowel disease were reliable predictive factors for requiring long-term PS.

Background: Nigeria currently ranks 4th on the list of countries with the highest absolute number of people living with HIV (1.8 million) and is classified by UNAIDS as having a Generalized HIV epidemic (prevalence of 1.3%). Given that knowledge of HIV/AIDS is a key predictor of transmission, there is a need to understand the current state of HIV knowledge among Nigerian women. Method: A cross-sectional study using data from the individual (women’s) recode dataset from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative household cluster survey of 41821 Nigerian women aged 15-49. Data analysis was done using SAS version 9.4. Following descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests followed by logistic regression analysis were used to explore the relationship between explanatory variables and the outcome variable(comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS - a binary variable, coded as yes if a participant knows both HIV prevention methods, is aware that any healthy-looking person can have the virus, and rejects the two most common local misconceptions, otherwise no.) The results were reported using odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: Approximately 94% of participants had ever heard of HIV/AIDS, but less than half (45.4%) of them had comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS. 81.2% of the participants were aware that any healthy-looking person can have the virus, 70.7% correctly identified the two best preventive practices against HIV (having one faithful uninfected partner and using condoms every time one has sex), and 60.4% rejected the two commonest local misconceptions about HIV transmission (the beliefs that people can get HIV from mosquito bites and through witchcraft). All predictive variables were significantly associated with having comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. After adjustment, older participants(Age groups > 15-19 had higher odds of having comprehensive knowledge of HIV/AIDS than younger ones(15-19) with aOR 1.34, 1.48, 1.53, 1.51, 1.49, and 1.36; p-values all <0.0001. Urban residents had more odds than rural dwellers (aOR 1.36, CI 1.29–1.44), and participants with secondary education or higher, had more odds than those with no education(aOR of 1.50, CI 1.40-1.61). Participants in other religious groups had more odds than Catholics(aOR 1.42, CI 1.02–1.96), so are wealthier compared to poorer ones(middle and high wealth indices with aOR 1.13 and 1.50; CI 1.06–1.21 and 1.40-1.61). Access to mass media at least once a week was associated with higher odds than no access (aOR 1.34; 95% CI 1.28-1.41). Having more than one sexual partner (2, 3, 4, and 5+ partners with aOR 0.73, 0.62, 0.68, and 0.75; 95% CI 0.69-0.78, 0.57-0.67, 0.61-0.77 and 0.67-0.83) is associated with fewer odds than having one partner and so is belonging to other Christian groups compared to Catholics (aOR 0.77, CI 0.71-0.83). Conclusion: These findings underscore the need for a more pragmatic HIV/AIDS-related knowledge intervention targeted at all age groups while paying close attention to adolescents, rural area residents, and less educated women. Further studies are vital to monitor the progress of HIV interventions.

The subjective experience of presence is considered to be important in the treatment of anxiety disorders using virtual reality. Presence can be defined as a psychological phenomenon through which one's cognitive processes are oriented towards another world. Most of the research on presence has focused on the roles of technological factors influencing presence, while the number of studies focusing on the personality and physiological predictors are far fewer. Thus, the present study examined the relationship between various personality variables and presence, along with physiological correlates of presence when engaged in a virtual environment. The Presence Questionnaire, to determine their experience of presence, and a small battery of personality-related questionnaires were administered to 70 young adults who participated in 3 different virtual reality scenarios. Participants' physiological responses were recorded in the form of heart rate, galvanic skin levels, and galvanic skin responses were assessed as were urges to drink (craving). Data analysis showed that expectations, levels of craving, and drinking history played a significant role in the experience of presence.

With the passing of the No Child Left Behind legislation (2001), individual states have been required to administer standardized tests to measure students’ academic achievement in several academic areas, including reading comprehension. Many schools are using curriculum embedded reading comprehension tests to assess students’ progress in achieving grade level expectations before the administration of state standardized test. This study used de-identified student data on curriculum embedded reading comprehension tests and the state standardized reading test, FCAT 2.0 to assess the correlation between a specific curriculum-based measure and the FCAT 2.0. The researcher used Pearson and Spearman Correlation to assess the predictive relationship of the curriculum-embedded reading tests and FCAT 2.0 reading. Strong correlations were found between the two assessments which educators may find useful when planning and differentiating reading comprehension instruction throughout the school year.

The Master’s in Oral Health Sciences (OHS) program at Boston University, affiliated with BU Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BUGSDM), is a branch of Graduate Medical Sciences located within the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. The program was initiated in 2005 to serve as a pathway for students from underrepresented groups to enhance their academic credentials and gain admission to dental school. Taking previous studies into account, this investigation aimed to (1) determine whether working during the undergraduate degree program impacted undergraduate performance, as measured by the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA); (2) determine whether performance improved during OHS, a program during which a student is assumed to not work due to the program’s academic rigor, as measured by the student’s OHS GPA; and (3) determine whether specific academic factors (e.g. subsection scores on the Dental Admission Test [DAT], certain undergraduate courses such as upper-level biology or upper-level math courses, etc.) were associated with success in coursework and thus could serve as positive predictors for admissions and future success in dental school. Data was obtained using (a) available deidentified applications to the OHS program and (b) available deidentified American Dental Education Association Associated American Dental Schools Application Service applications to BUGSDM for five OHS class years: 2016-2020. Analysis of variance was used to determine if statistically significant relationships existed between academic parameters. It was found that significant relationships existed between OHS GPA and (1) the following DAT subsection scores: perceptual ability, quantitative reasoning, biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, total science, and academic average and (2) the following undergraduate courses: Biology I, Biology II, and General Chemistry I. Those students earning a B or better in Biology I, Biology II, and General Chemistry I courses were found to have a graduate (OHS program) GPA 0.03-0.04 points higher than the mean. Additionally, those students earning lower DAT scores in the BI (17), GC (18), and OC (18) subsections earned a lower overall OHS GPA. Students earning higher DAT scores in the BI (19), GC (20), and OC (19) subsections earned a higher overall OHS GPA. These relationships were found to be statistically significant. The implications of this study can extend to other U.S. pre-dental post-baccalaureate programs and dental programs and be used as positive predictors for academic success and in admissions.

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