Perceptions of the Harm of Cigarettes, Mental Health, and Quality of Life Among Transgender Adults Who Smoke Menthol Cigarettes: Results from Wave 5 of the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals in the United States are at greater risk for combustible tobacco use and mental health problems compared to heterosexual and cisgender individuals. National data comparing associations of menthol cigarette use and mental health among transgender and cisgender individuals in the United States are lacking. The goals of the current study were to (1) characterize transgender and cisgender individuals who smoke menthol cigarettes, and (2) investigate cross-sectional associations between gender identity, harm perceptions of cigarettes, mental health experiences, and quality of life.

Commercial Tobacco Retailers Need to Be Included in Research on Policies Restricting the Sale of Menthol Cigarettes.

Introduction: Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately marketed and advertised in the commercial tobacco retail environment in Black communities across the United States, contributing to menthol cigarette-related disparities and lower likelihood of successful quitting among Black people who smoke. Policies restricting retail sales of menthol cigarettes are aimed at preventing initiation, promoting quitting, and reducing related disparities.

Methods: Structured phone interview surveys were conducted from January to July 2021 with commercial tobacco retailers in Los Angeles County, California, unincorporated communities with a high percentage of Black residents, eight months after a local policy restricting retail sales of menthol cigarettes and other flavored nicotine and commercial tobacco products became effective on May 20, 2020.

Motivation to Quit Smoking Among Black Adults Residing in Los Angeles County Communities With Menthol Cigarette Sales Restrictions.

: Research is needed to identify the determinants of motivation to quit smoking among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) adults who smoke menthol cigarettes and reside in communities covered by menthol cigarette bans. : This study examined the associations between motivation to quit smoking and a range of individual-level predictors, including measures of demographics, harm/risk perception of menthol cigarettes, and awareness of a ban on menthol cigarettes in Los Angeles County unincorporated communities. Self-identified NHB adults who currently smoke menthol cigarettes (N=50; M=47.

Hypothetical e-liquid flavor ban and opinions among vape shop retailers in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Introduction: Evaluating anticipated responses to flavor bans in the context of vape shops is needed to inform legislation and enforcement. This cross-sectional study examined vape shop retailers' opinions about the potential impacts of an e-liquid flavor ban on shop sales and customer behavior-change intentions.

Methods: From December 2019 to October 2020 we conducted structured interviews over the phone with 46 brick-and-mortar vape shop retailers in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Whole Genome Sequence of HOM3204 and Its Antioxidant Effect on D-Galactose-Induced Aging in Mice.

, previously named , is a facultative, homofermentative lactic acid bacterium widely distributed in nature. Several strains have been demonstrated to possess good probiotic properties, and HOM3204 is a potential probiotic strain isolated from homemade pickled cabbage plants. In this study, whole-genome sequencing was performed to acquire genetic information and predict the function of HOM3204, which has a circular chromosome of 3,232,697 bp and two plasmids of 48,573 and 17,060 bp, respectively.

A content analysis of website marketing for cooling flavored e-liquids in a sample of brick-and-mortar vape shops in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Introduction: Menthol is a characterizing flavor in combustible cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). E-liquids are recognized as an important reason for ENDS use. Yet, compared to menthol cigarettes, menthol flavored e-liquids and other cooling flavors, including mint and 'ice' for ENDS, are an understudied area of investigation.

Marketing claims on websites of brick-and-mortar vape shops in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Introduction: Brick-and-mortar vape shops have increased in recent years, but there is limited research on the types of marketing claims consumers are exposed to on their websites - a dominant channel for marketing electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). We investigated the websites of vape shop retailers in the Greater Los Angeles Area to describe their ENDS marketing claims.

Methods: Data collection occurred between 25 March and 20 June 2020.

Use of Social Network Analysis to Identify Popular Opinion Leaders for a Youth-Led Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative.

In the current article, we describe an innovative sexual violence (SV) prevention initiative that used social network analysis to identify youth and adult popular opinion leaders who were subsequently trained in best practices in SV prevention (e.g., bystander intervention) at a kickoff event (i.

Perceptions of E-cigarettes and Flavor Restrictions among Tobacco Retailers in Los Angeles.

In this study, we examined tobacco retailers' perceptions of e-cigarettes and associations with in-store availability of e-cigarettes. Retailers (N = 700) in multiple, racial/ethnic neighborhoods (black/African-American, N = 200); Hispanic/Latino, N = 200; white American, N = 200; Korean American, N = 100) in Los Angeles County participated in on-site interviews and store observations. Controlling for individual and racial/ethnic neighborhood factors, retailers in majority-white neighborhoods had significantly higher odds of selling e-cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes than retailers located in Hispanic/Latino (p < .

Smoking Diffusion through Networks of Diverse, Urban American Adolescents over the High School Period.

This study uses recent data to investigate if smoking initiation diffuses through friendship networks over the high school period and explores if diffusion processes differ across schools. One thousand four hundred and twenty-five racially and ethnically diverse youth from four high schools in Los Angeles were surveyed four times over the high school period from 2010 to 2013. Probit regression models and stochastic actor-based models for network dynamics tested for peer effects on smoking initiation.

T3SS effector ExoY reduces inflammasome-related responses by suppressing bacterial motility and delaying activation of NF-κB and caspase-1.

Type III-secreted effectors are essential for modulating host immune responses during the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Little is known about the impact of one of the effectors, ExoY, on inflammasome activation, which results in IL-1β production and pyroptotic cell death. In this study, we found that transcriptional expression of Il-1β was induced to a lesser extent in response to an exoY-harboring strain than to a deleted mutant.

Overlooked Threats to Respondent Driven Sampling Estimators: Peer Recruitment Reality, Degree Measures, and Random Selection Assumption.

Intensive sociometric network data were collected from a typical respondent driven sample (RDS) of 528 people who inject drugs residing in Hartford, Connecticut in 2012-2013. This rich dataset enabled us to analyze a large number of unobserved network nodes and ties for the purpose of assessing common assumptions underlying RDS estimators. Results show that several assumptions central to RDS estimators, such as random selection, enrollment probability proportional to degree, and recruitment occurring over recruiter's network ties, were violated.

Associations among dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion, and executive function proficiency in early adolescents.

The study objective was to examine the effects of two conceptually related constructs, self-compassion and dispositional mindfulness, on executive function (EF) proficiency among early adolescents. Executive function refers to a set of psychological processes governing emotional regulation, organization, and planning. While the benefits of positive psychology appear evident for mental health and wellness, little is known about the etiological relationship between dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion in their associations with EF.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa GroEL Stimulates Production of PTX3 by Activating the NF-κB Pathway and Simultaneously Downregulating MicroRNA-9.

As one of the first lines of host defense, monocytes play important roles in clearing infected microbes. The defensive response is triggered by recognition of diverse microbial moieties, including released factors, which modulate host immune responses to establish a harsh environment for clinically important bacterial pathogens. In this study, we found that the expression of PTX3, a soluble form of pattern recognition receptor, was induced by infection with live or treatment of cells with its supernatant.

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Identify Common Smoking Situations Among Korean American Emerging Adults.

The present study provides detailed contextual information about smoking habits among young Korean American smokers with the goal of characterizing situations where they are most at risk for smoking. Relevant situational factors included location, social context, concurrent activities, time of day, affective states, and food and beverage consumption. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 7 days, participants (N = 78) were instructed to respond to smoking prompts (n = 2614) and non-smoking prompts (n = 2136) randomly scheduled throughout the day.

Identification of D-amino acid dehydrogenase as an upstream regulator of the autoinduction of a putative acyltransferase in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Expression of a putative acyltransferase encoded by NCgl- 0350 of Corynebacterium glutamicum is induced by cell-free culture fluids obtained from stationary-phase growth of both C. glutamicum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, providing evidence for interspecies communication. Here, we further confirmed that such communication occurs by showing that acyltransferase expression is induced by culture fluid obtained from diverse Gram-negative and -positive bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium sp.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced IL-1β production is inhibited by Sophora flavescens via the NF-κB/inflammasome pathways.

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β plays an important role in protecting the host against airway infection; however, it can also trigger a massive influx of neutrophils into the airways, causing tissue damage. Anti-inflammatory treatments are particularly in demand for patients suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases. Sophora flavescens is a traditional herbal medicine used to reduce inflammation, but no study has examined its ability to block IL-1β production.

Parent, peer, and executive function relationships to early adolescent e-cigarette use: a substance use pathway?

Introduction: Little is known about influences on e-cigarette use among early adolescents. This study examined influences that have been previously found to be associated with gateway drug use in adolescents: demographic (age, gender, ethnicity, free lunch), social contextual influences of parents and peers, and executive function deficits (EF).

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 410 7th grade students from two diverse school districts in Southern California (M age;=12.

CRISPLD2 is a target of progesterone receptor and its expression is decreased in women with endometriosis.

Endometriosis, defined as the presence of endometrial cells outside of the uterine cavity, is a major cause of infertility and pelvic pain, afflicting more than 10% of reproductive age women. Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and lipopolysaccharide promotes the proliferation and invasion of endometriotic stromal cells. Cysteine-rich secretory protein LCCL domain-containing 2 (CRISPLD2) has high affinity for lipopolysaccharide and plays a critical role in defense against endotoxin shock.

Momentary negative moods and being with friends precede cigarette use among Korean American emerging adults.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine contextual antecedents to smoking among Korean American emerging adult (KAEA) smokers using ecological momentary assessment. Based on extant theory and data documenting the importance of negative affect (NA) and social context, we examined the extent to which being with friends and NA independently and concomitantly were associated with the likelihood of subsequent smoking, over and beyond other known situational correlates of smoking.

Methods: Twenty-two KAEA daily smokers recorded their smoking events in real time and participated in short surveys implemented on mobile phones for 7 days.

The interaction of social networks and child obesity prevention program effects: the pathways trial.

Objective: Social network analysis was used to examine whether peer influence from one's social networks moderates obesity prevention program effects on obesity-related behaviors: healthful and unhealthful.

Methods: Participants included 557 children residing in Southern California. The survey assessed health-promoting behaviors (i.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-dependent upregulation of TLR2 influences host responses to a secondary Staphylococcus aureus infection.

The clinical impact of polymicrobial infections has received increasing attention from the medical community. However, the potential effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection on the development of host responses against Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, are unknown. Here, P.

The effects of teacher fidelity of implementation of pathways to health on student outcomes.

Previous research has demonstrated the importance of ensuring that programs are implemented as intended by program developers in order to achieve desired program effects. The current study examined implementation fidelity of Pathways to Health (Pathways), a newly developed obesity prevention program for fourth- through sixth-grade children. We explored the associations between self-reported and observed implementation fidelity scores and whether implementation fidelity differed across the first 2 years of program implementation.

Prospective associations between bilingualism and executive function in Latino children: sustained effects while controlling for biculturalism.

The study purpose was to test 1-year prospective associations between English-Spanish bilingualism and executive function in 5th to 6th grade students while controlling for biculturalism. Participants included 182 US Latino students (50 % female). Self-report surveys assessed biculturalism, bilingualism, and executive function (i.