Associations of health beliefs and worry with COVID-19 protective behaviors among lung cancer patients.

Although cognitions have predicted COVID-19 protective behaviors in cancer populations, theory suggests that emotions may be more predictive of these behaviors. This study examined Health Belief Model (HBM) variables as correlates of COVID-19 protective behaviors in lung cancer patients and whether worry about COVID-19 was associated with these behaviors beyond the effects of HBM variables. From 2021 to 2022, 191 patients (62.

Protocol to study neuronal membrane proteasome function in mouse peripheral sensory neurons.

Neuronal membrane proteasomes (NMPs) are expressed on a subset of somatosensory dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and influence mechanical and pain sensitivity. Here, we present a protocol for studying NMP function in mouse peripheral sensory neurons. We describe steps for procuring and culturing primary DRG neurons.

Correlates of Perceived Illness Severity and Terminality in Advanced Lung and Prostate Cancer.

Context: While prognostic awareness has been commonly assessed as perceived illness terminality in patients with advanced cancer, both perceptions of illness severity and terminality may be correlated with symptom burden and quality of life.

Objectives: The present study examined physical and psychological symptoms, quality of life, and smoking status in relation to perceived illness severity and terminality in patients with advanced, inoperable lung and prostate cancer.

Methods: Patients (N=198) were recruited from hospitals in the midwestern U.

Deep learning-based aberration compensation improves contrast and resolution in fluorescence microscopy.

Optical aberrations hinder fluorescence microscopy of thick samples, reducing image signal, contrast, and resolution. Here we introduce a deep learning-based strategy for aberration compensation, improving image quality without slowing image acquisition, applying additional dose, or introducing more optics. Our method (i) introduces synthetic aberrations to images acquired on the shallow side of image stacks, making them resemble those acquired deeper into the volume and (ii) trains neural networks to reverse the effect of these aberrations.

Measurement of Patients' Acceptable Symptom Levels and Priorities for Symptom Improvement in Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: Limited research has evaluated the success criteria and priorities for symptom improvement of patients with cancer to inform patient-centered care. In this study, we adapted and tested a measure of these constructs, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Questionnaire (PCOQ), for patients with advanced prostate cancer. We compared acceptable symptom severity levels following symptom treatment across 10 symptoms and identified patient subgroups based on symptom importance.

Non-invasive muscle-machine interface open source project: wearable hand myoelectrical orthosis (MES-FES).

The paper describes the development of an open-source, low-cost, wearable hand myoelectrical orthosis (neuro-orthosis) device for people with hand disabilities. The device uses functional electrical stimulation (FES) driven by myoelectrical signals (MES) to assist hand movements, enabling users to perform daily activities with greater ease and independence. The device comprises a forearm-wearable device developed using the 3D additive manufacturing principle, allowing user customization.

Mechanomyography-Based Metric Scale for Spasticity: A Pilot Descriptive Observational Study.

(1) Background: The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) is commonly used clinically to evaluate spasticity, but its qualitative nature introduces subjectivity. We propose a novel metric scale to quantitatively measure spasticity using mechanomyography (MMG) to mitigate these subjective effects. (2) Methods: The flexor and extensor muscles of knee and elbow joints were assessed with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) during the acquisition of mechanomyography (MMG) data.

Continuum: A Postdischarge Supportive Care Intervention for Hospitalized Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Context: Patients with advanced cancer are at increased risk for multiple hospitalizations and often have considerable needs postdischarge. Interventions to address patients' needs after transitioning home are lacking.

Objectives: We sought to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of a postdischarge intervention for this population.

Sexual Identity Continuity and Change in a U.S. National Probability Sample of Sexual Minority Adults: Associations With Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use.

Objective: Sexual minority disparities in behavioral health (e.g., mental health and substance use) are well-established.

Importance of Various E-Cigarette Device and E-Liquid Characteristics by Smoking Status among Young Adults Who Vape.

Background: E-cigarette product characteristics are known to influence appeal among young adults. Understanding which characteristics appeal to individuals with (vs. without) a history of combusted tobacco use is essential for developing effective tobacco control policies.

Ethanol disrupts hepatocellular lipophagy by altering Rab5-centric LD-lysosome trafficking.

Background: Previous reports suggest that lipid droplets (LDs) in the hepatocyte can be catabolized by a direct engulfment from nearby endolysosomes (microlipophagy). Further, it is likely that this process is compromised by chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure leading to hepatic steatosis. This study investigates the hepatocellular machinery supporting microlipophagy and EtOH-induced alterations in this process with a focus on the small, endosome-associated, GTPase Rab5.

Examining Factors Associated with Cannabis Use Among Sexual and Gender Minority and Cisgender Heterosexual Emerging Adults in California.

We explored correlates of cannabis risk and examined differences between sexual and gender minority (SGM) and cisgender heterosexual emerging adults (ages 18-29) in California. We recruited 1491 participants aged 18-29 years for a cross-sectional online survey. Ordinal logistic regressions assessed associations between minority stress (discrimination and internalized homophobia [IH]), social support (perceived social support and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ [LGBTQ+] community connectedness), and cannabis risk scores (low, medium, and high risk of developing problems related to their cannabis use).

The Association between Relationship Satisfaction Concordance and Breast Cancer Survivors' Physical and Psychosocial Well-Being.

The purpose of this article is to examine the association of relationship satisfaction concordance between breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and their partners with matched controls on physical and psychosocial outcomes. Dyads of BCSs, age-matched controls, and partners were recruited as part of a larger, cross-sectional QOL survey study. Relationship concordance was measured by the ENRICH marital satisfaction score, with each dyad's score equaling the absolute value of the difference in satisfaction between survivor/control and their partner (lower score = greater concordance).

Conceptualization and Assessment of 24-H Timing of Eating and Energy Intake: A Methodological Systematic Review of the Chronic Disease Literature.

Timing of eating (TOE) and energy intake (TOEI) has important implications for chronic disease risk beyond diet quality. The 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended developing consistent terminology to address the lack of TOE/TOEI standardization. The primary objective of this methodological systematic review was to characterize the conceptualization and assessment of TOE/TOEI within the chronic disease literature (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews registration number: CRD42021236621).

Efficacy of point source legislation quantified for a 64-year river water quality trajectory of phosphorus loading.

Changes in river water quality often follow typical trajectories characterized by sequential phases of degradation and recovery induced by management measures, typically achieved with combinations of legislative and technological interventions. However, the key question about the effectiveness of the different types of legal interventions - source control, use-related, and end-of-pipe - remains poorly understood. With the case of phosphorus (P), which is a valuable indicator of surface water quality and a widespread target of legislation at various governance levels in order to control eutrophication of water bodies, we quantified the relation between point source loading of P and resulting river water quality for a multidecadal trajectory of the river Ruhr (Germany).

Cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based interventions for distress in patients with advanced cancer: A meta-analysis.

Objective: Various psychosocial interventions have been developed to reduce distress and improve quality of life (QoL) in patients with advanced cancer, many of which are traditional cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBIs) or mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). The aims of this meta-analysis were to determine and compare the overall effects of traditional CBIs and MBIs on distress and QoL in this population and to explore potential moderators of intervention efficacy.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science.

Modeling gut neuro-epithelial connections in a novel microfluidic device.

The intestinal lumen is filled with diverse chemical and physical stimuli. Intestinal epithelial cells sense these stimuli and signal to enteric neurons which coordinate a range of physiologic processes required for normal digestive tract function. Yet, the neuro-epithelial connections remain poorly resolved, in part because the tools for orchestrating interactions between these cellular compartments are lacking.

Deep learning-based aberration compensation improves contrast and resolution in fluorescence microscopy.

Optical aberrations hinder fluorescence microscopy of thick samples, reducing image signal, contrast, and resolution. Here we introduce a deep learning-based strategy for aberration compensation, improving image quality without slowing image acquisition, applying additional dose, or introducing more optics into the imaging path. Our method (i) introduces synthetic aberrations to images acquired on the shallow side of image stacks, making them resemble those acquired deeper into the volume and (ii) trains neural networks to reverse the effect of these aberrations.

Mobile eye tracking applied as a tool for customer experience research in a crowded train station.

Train stations have increasingly become crowded, necessitating stringent requirements in the design of stations and commuter navigation through these stations. In this study, we explored the use of mobile eye tracking in combination with observation and a survey to gain knowledge on customer experience in a crowded train station. We investigated the utilization of mobile eye tracking in ascertaining customers' perception of the train station environment and analyzed the effect of a signalization prototype (visual pedestrian flow cues), which was intended for regulating pedestrian flow in a crowded underground passage.

Modeling Gut Neuro-Epithelial Connections in a Novel Micro uidic Device.

Organs that face external environments, such as skin and gut, are lined by epithelia, which have two functions - to provide a semi-permeable barrier and to sense stimuli. The intestinal lumen is filled with diverse chemical and physical stimuli. Intestinal epithelial cells sense these stimuli and signal to enteric neurons which coordinate a range of physiologic processes required for normal digestive tract function.

Sexual orientation in transgender adults in the United States.

Background: Sexual orientation refers to a person's enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to other people. Sexual orientation measures do not typically consider desires for, or sexual behavior with, transgender people. We describe measures inclusive of transgender people and characterize sexual orientation identity, behavior, and attraction in a representative sample of the U.

Ectopic expression of DOCK8 regulates lysosome-mediated pancreatic tumor cell invasion.

Amplified lysosome activity is a hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) orchestrated by oncogenic KRAS that mediates tumor growth and metastasis, though the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear. Using comparative proteomics, we found that oncogenic KRAS significantly enriches levels of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) on lysosomes. Surprisingly, DOCK8 is aberrantly expressed in a subset of PDAC, where it promotes cell invasion in vitro and in vivo.

Sexual Identity Fluidity and Depressive Symptoms: Findings From a National Longitudinal Study of Sexual Minority Adolescents.

Purpose: Sexual minority adolescents (SMAs) consistently report elevated risk of mental health symptoms, including depression. Sexual identities may change over time (referred as sexual identity fluidity), particularly during adolescence. This study examined the effect of sexual identity fluidity on depressive symptoms over time.

Bioavailable Microbial Metabolites of Flavanols Demonstrate Highly Individualized Bioactivity on In Vitro β-Cell Functions Critical for Metabolic Health.

Dietary flavanols are known for disease preventative properties but are often poorly absorbed. Gut microbiome flavanol metabolites are more bioavailable and may exert protective activities. Using metabolite mixtures extracted from the urine of rats supplemented with flavanols and treated with or without antibiotics, we investigated their effects on INS-1 832/13 β-cell glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) capacity.