Racial and ethnic differences in topography and subjective effects among young adults in response to smoking their usual brand menthol or nonmenthol cigarette.

Menthol smoking, which is popular among Black and Hispanic individuals who smoke and young adults, is linked to positive subjective effects and difficulty quitting, although studies of topography and subjective effects show inconsistent differences. This study compared subjective effects and laboratory smoking across menthol and nonmenthol young adults who smoke and examined differences by race/ethnicity. Smoking topography, subjective effects, and pre/postsmoking craving, vitals, cigarette weight, and exhaled carbon monoxide were assessed in 121 young adults who smoke ( = 23.

An mHealth Intervention With Financial Incentives to Promote Smoking Cessation and Physical Activity Among Black Adults: Protocol for a Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Black adults in the United States experience disproportionately high rates of tobacco- and obesity-related diseases, driven in part by disparities in smoking cessation and physical activity. Smartphone-based interventions with financial incentives offer a scalable solution to address these health disparities.

Objective: This study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a mobile health intervention that provides financial incentives for smoking cessation and physical activity among Black adults.

Current advances in multimodal imaging in geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: A review.

As we move toward an era in which there will be treatment options for geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration, the need to accurately understand and interpret multimodal imaging (MMI) for the condition is paramount. This review discusses the evolution of MMI in GA and how it has led to a greater understanding of different phenotypes and risk factors for progression. These advancements have allowed novel imaging biomarkers to be used as end points in large interventional studies exploring new therapies for GA treatment.

Adults perceive similar ultra-processed and minimally processed foods as having different levels of healthfulness: Development of stimuli for an ultra-processed food-related implicit association task.

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is excessive across the United States (US). Understanding perceptions of food based on processing is critical to elucidate reasons for UPF intake and inform tool development for measuring related cognition. Design and evaluate perceptions of UPF and non-UPF food among general US adults.

Symptom trajectories over time by cannabis use status among patients undergoing cancer treatment.

Adults with cancer may perceive cannabis as beneficial for managing their cancer-related symptoms, but the evidence supporting its medical use is varied and inconclusive. This study characterized associations of cannabis use with cancer-related symptom trajectories. Participants were adults undergoing cancer treatment at the Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC; n = 218) in Oklahoma; they were 71% female, 10% minoritized race, and 45% had stage III or IV cancer.

The Relative Reinforcing Value of Menthol Among Young Adult Cigarette Smokers: Results From a Behavioral Choice Task.

Introduction: Menthol cigarettes are associated with experimentation and progression to regular use. Although reinforcement processes likely underlie menthol's appeal, the reinforcing value of menthol cigarettes remains unknown.

Aims And Methods: This study examined the relative reinforcing value (RRV) of menthol versus nonmenthol cigarettes in young adult menthol (n = 54) and nonmenthol (n = 53) smokers, and differences in menthol's RRV by race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Developing a systems-focused tool for modeling lung cancer screening resource needs.

Background: Early detection through screening dramatically improves lung cancer survival rates, including among war Veterans, who are at heightened risk. The effectiveness of low dose computed tomography scans in lung cancer screening (LCS) prompted the Veteran's Affairs Lung Precision Oncology Program (VA LPOP) to increase screening rates. We aimed to develop an adaptive population health tool to determine adequate resource allocation for the program, with a specific focus on primary care providers, nurse navigators, and radiologists.

Cannabis Users' and Non-Users' Differential Responses to Two Anti-Cannabis Campaigns.

Even though multiple states have approved legal recreational use of cannabis, the expansion of recreational cannabis legalization has led to public health concerns in the United States. Young adults (18-25 years old) have the highest percentage of cannabis use disorder compared to all other age groups. The purpose of this study is to compare cognitive and emotional responses of young adults who use cannabis and non-users to two anti-cannabis media campaigns that employed different message strategies.

Secondhand cannabis smoke exposure and respiratory symptoms among adults living in a state with legalized medical cannabis with limited smoke-free protections.

Background: Little is known about the demographic and health correlates of secondhand cannabis smoke (SHCS) exposure, despite increased availability and use of cannabis across the U.S. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of SHCS exposure in a sample of N=5,410 adults living in Oklahoma and the association of SHCS exposure with self-reported respiratory problems.

Cannabis Use and Subsequent Cigarette Discontinuation Among U.S. Adults in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, Waves 1-5.

Introduction: This study examined the association between the current co-use of cannabis and cigarettes in the past 30 days and subsequent cigarette discontinuation (past 30-day point-prevalence abstinence) among U.S. adults with established cigarette use in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

"It frees your body from that pain thought": A mixed-methods exploration of patterns, contexts, and experiences of cannabis use for pain in rural communities.

U.S. adults increasingly report using cannabis to manage chronic pain and rural areas have inadequate comprehensive pain management.

The effect of experimentally induced sleep fragmentation and estradiol suppression on neurobehavioral performance and subjective sleepiness in premenopausal women.

Study Objectives: Menopause is associated with nighttime sleep fragmentation, declining estradiol, and impaired cognition. In a model of pharmacologically induced estradiol suppression mimicking menopause, we examined the impact of menopause-pattern sleep fragmentation on daytime neurobehavioral performance and sleepiness in premenopausal women.

Methods: Twenty premenopausal women completed two five-night inpatient studies in the mid-to-late follicular phase (estrogenized) and after pharmacological estradiol suppression (hypo-estrogenized).

Orbital cavernous venous malformation shrinkage during fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy contributing to the development of radiation retinopathy.

Background: Posterior movement of ocular tissue secondary to orbital cavernous venous malformation shrinkage from fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy can allow healthy structures to move into the radiation field during treatment. This may carry an increased risk of radiation-induced retinopathy.

Methods: We present a case of a young female whose radiotherapy treatment for an orbital cavernous venous malformation resulted in a 3 mm reduction in proptosis and subsequent retinopathy.

Neighborhood Inequities in Tobacco Product Descriptors, Washington, DC, 2018-2019.

Background: The tobacco industry uses product descriptors to communicate reduced harm and increase appeal. This cross-sectional study assessed store-level racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in the distribution of retail tobacco product descriptors in a convenience sample of retailers in Washington, DC.

Methods: Young adults (n = 146) who did not currently use tobacco reported real-time store visits over 14 days.

Clinical performance of predicting late age-related macular degeneration development using multimodal imaging.

Background: To examine whether the clinical performance of predicting late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) development is improved through using multimodal imaging (MMI) compared to using colour fundus photography (CFP) alone, and how this compares with a basic prediction model using well-established AMD risk factors.

Methods: Individuals with AMD in this study underwent MMI, including optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus autofluorescence, near-infrared reflectance and CFP at baseline, and then at 6-monthly intervals for 3-years to determine MMI-defined late AMD development. Four retinal specialists independently assessed the likelihood that each eye at baseline would progress to MMI-defined late AMD over 3-years with CFP, and then with MMI.

Getting stuck in a rut as an emergent feature of a dynamic decision-making system.

Human sensorimotor decision making has a tendency to get 'stuck in a rut', being biased towards selecting a previously implemented action structure (hysteresis). Existing explanations propose this is the consequence of an agent efficiently modifying an existing plan, rather than creating a new plan from scratch. Instead, we propose that hysteresis is an emergent property of a system learning from the consequences of its actions.

Modified FOLFOX6 plus bevacizumab with and without nivolumab for first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer: phase 2 results from the CheckMate 9X8 randomized clinical trial.

Background: Standard first-line therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) include fluoropyrimidine-containing regimens with oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan and a biologic agent. Immunotherapy may enhance antitumor activity in combination with standard therapies in patients with mCRC. Here, we present phase 2 results of nivolumab plus standard-of-care therapy (SOC; 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin/bevacizumab) versus SOC in the first-line treatment of patients with mCRC (CheckMate 9X8).

Planning for the future of maternal immunization: Building on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the clinical and public health community raced to understand SARS-CoV-2 infection and develop life-saving vaccines. Pregnant persons were disproportionately impacted, experiencing more severe illness and adverse pregnancy outcomes. And yet, when COVID-19 vaccines became available in late 2020, safety and efficacy data were not available to inform their use during pregnancy because pregnant persons were excluded from pre-authorization clinical trials.

Patterns of Tobacco and Cannabis Use Among Sexual Minority Females and Males From PATH Wave 5: The Role of Sociodemographic and Psychosocial Correlates.

Introduction: Although sexual minority (SM; vs heterosexual) individuals display higher rates of tobacco and cannabis use, limited research has examined sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of single and co-use among this population.

Methods: Participants were SM-identifying female (N = 2419;  = 27.80; 50.

Strengthening COVID-19 vaccine confidence & demand during the US COVID-19 emergency response.

In October 2020, the CDC's Vaccinate with Confidence strategy specific to COVID-19 vaccines rollout was published. Adapted from an existing vaccine confidence framework for childhood immunization, the Vaccinate with Confidence strategy for COVID-19 aimed to improve vaccine confidence, demand, and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in the US. The objectives for COVID-19 were to 1.

Cannabis Use Differences Among Sexual Minority Versus Heterosexual Females and Males in Oklahoma: The Roles of Mental Health, Cannabis Perceptions, and Cannabis Marketing Exposure.

Introduction: Despite the high cannabis use rates among sexual minority (SM) individuals, less research has examined factors related to cannabis use among SM (vs. heterosexual) individuals, especially in places with legal medical cannabis retail markets and high structural stigma, like Oklahoma.

Methods: Data were from a survey of Oklahoma adults, including 3020 females (18.