Sexual orientation discrimination and eating disorder symptoms in early adolescence: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Sexual orientation discrimination increases the risks of negative health outcomes for sexual minorities. Previous studies have found increased rates of eating disorder symptoms in sexual minority individuals, which is attributable to minority stress and discrimination that they experience. Emerging research suggests relationships between sexual orientation discrimination and eating disorder symptoms.

Transgender Identity and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms: Findings From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine associations between identifying as transgender and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in US early adolescents.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (Year 3, 2019-2021) to estimate associations between gender identity and ADHD symptoms using the Child Behavior Checklist Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-oriented attention problem scale scores, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, parent education, household income, and study site. Additional models adjusted for stress problems and depression symptoms.

Associations of adverse childhood experiences with blood pressure among early adolescents in the United States.

The associations of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with blood pressure in adulthood are inconclusive. Similarly, the association between ACEs and blood pressure earlier in the life course is understudied. This study aims to assess the associations of ACEs with blood pressure among early adolescents.

Toward mechanical proprioception in autonomously reconfigurable kirigami-inspired mechanical systems.

Mechanical metamaterials have recently been exploited as an interesting platform for information storing, retrieval and processing, analogous to electronic devices. In this work, we describe the design and fabrication a two-dimensional (2D) multistable metamaterial consisting of building blocks that can be switched between two distinct stable phases, and which are capable of storing binary information analogous to digital bits. By changing the spatial distribution of the phases, we can achieve a variety of different configurations and tunable mechanical properties (both static and dynamic).

Programmable responsive metamaterials for mechanical computing and robotics.

Unconventional computing based on mechanical metamaterials has been of growing interest, including how such metamaterials might process information via autonomous interactions with their environment. Here we describe recent efforts to combine responsive materials with nonlinear mechanical metamaterials to achieve stimuli-responsive mechanical logic and computation. We also describe some key challenges and opportunities in the design and construction of these devices, including the lack of comprehensive computational tools, and the challenges associated with patterning multi-material mechanisms.

Sexual Identity Is Associated With Adverse Childhood Experiences in US Early Adolescents.

Objective: To determine disparities in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) by sexual identity in a national cohort of early adolescents.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from year 2 of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (N = 10,934, 2018-20, ages 10-14 years). Disparities in ACE scores across lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB), not sure, and heterosexual adolescents were assessed using multinomial logistic regression analyses.

Improving structural damage tolerance and fracture energy via bamboo-inspired void patterns.

Bamboo has a functionally-graded microstructure that endows it with a combination of desirable properties, such as high failure strain, high toughness, and a low density. As a result, bamboo has been widely used in load-bearing structures. In this work, we study the use of bamboo-inspired void patterns to geometrically improve the failure properties of structures made from brittle polymers.

Mental Well-Being Among Adversity-Exposed Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Importance: Further research is needed to understand factors associated with well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescents who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Objective: To explore factors associated with improved mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescents who have experienced ACEs.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the baseline (2016-2018) and sixth (March 2021) COVID Rapid Response Research (RRR) surveys of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, which includes 21 sites across the US.

Adverse childhood experiences and unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood.

Objective: This study assesses the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) occurring before the age of 18 years and patterns of fast-food consumption and sugary beverage consumption in adulthood. The study also examines how perceived stress and socio-economic status (SES) (college educational attainment and income) in adulthood mediate this relationship.

Design: Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adulthood Health ( 8599), multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess the association between ACE and unhealthy dietary behaviours in adulthood.

Phase transitions in 2D multistable mechanical metamaterials via collisions of soliton-like pulses.

In recent years, mechanical metamaterials have been developed that support the propagation of an intriguing variety of nonlinear waves, including transition waves and vector solitons (solitons with coupling between multiple degrees of freedom). Here we report observations of phase transitions in 2D multistable mechanical metamaterials that are initiated by collisions of soliton-like pulses in the metamaterial. Analogous to first-order phase transitions in crystalline solids, we observe that the multistable metamaterials support phase transitions if the new phase meets or exceeds a critical nucleus size.

The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Bullying Victimization, and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among Early Adolescents: Examining Cumulative and Interactive Associations.

Both adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and bullying victimization are linked with mental health problems in adolescents. However, little is known about the overlap between the two factors and how this impacts adolescent mental health problems (i.e.

Associations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Early Adolescent Physical Activity in the United States.

Objective: To determine the associations between the number of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and objectively-measured physical activity (PA) in a population-based, demographically diverse cohort of 9-14-year-olds and to determine which subtypes of ACEs were associated with physical activity levels.

Methods: We analyzed data (n = 7046) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study 4.0 release at baseline and year 2 follow-up.

Mechanical metamaterials and beyond.

Mechanical metamaterials enable the creation of structural materials with unprecedented mechanical properties. However, thus far, research on mechanical metamaterials has focused on passive mechanical metamaterials and the tunability of their mechanical properties. Deep integration of multifunctionality, sensing, electrical actuation, information processing, and advancing data-driven designs are grand challenges in the mechanical metamaterials community that could lead to truly intelligent mechanical metamaterials.

Racial discrimination is associated with binge-eating disorder in early adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Racial and ethnic discrimination are known stressors and are associated with negative psychological and physical health outcomes. Previous studies have found relationships between racial/ethnic discrimination and binge-eating disorder (BED), though they have mainly focused on adult populations. The aim of this study was to determine associations between racial/ethnic discrimination and BED in a large, national cohort study of early adolescents.

A modular strategy for distributed, embodied control of electronics-free soft robots.

Robots typically interact with their environments via feedback loops consisting of electronic sensors, microcontrollers, and actuators, which can be bulky and complex. Researchers have sought new strategies for achieving autonomous sensing and control in next-generation soft robots. We describe here an electronics-free approach for autonomous control of soft robots, whose compositional and structural features embody the sensing, control, and actuation feedback loop of their soft bodies.

Racial Discrimination is Associated with Binge-Eating Disorder in Early Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background Racial and ethnic discrimination are known stressors and are associated with negative psychological and physical health outcomes. Previous studies have found relationships between racial/ethnic discrimination and binge-eating disorder (BED), though they have mainly focused on adult populations. The aim of this study was to determine associations between racial/ethnic discrimination and BED in a large, national cohort study of early adolescents.

Associations between adverse childhood experiences and early adolescent problematic screen use in the United States.

Background: Problematic screen use, defined as an inability to control use despite private, social, and professional life consequences, is increasingly common among adolescents and can have significant mental and physical health consequences. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are important risk factors in the development of addictive behaviors and may play an important role in the development of problematic screen use.

Methods: Prospective data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (Baseline and Year 2; 2018-2020; N = 9,673, participants who did not use screens were excluded) were analyzed in 2023.

Adverse childhood experiences and sipping alcohol in U.S. Children: Findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between accumulating adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and sipping alcohol in a large, nationwide sample of 9-to-10-year-old U.S. children.

Adverse childhood experiences and early adolescent cyberbullying in the United States.

Introduction: With the increasing use of social media and online platforms among adolescents, the relationship between traumatic life events and cyberbullying remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cyberbullying victimization among a racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of early adolescents.

Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data from 10,317 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, baseline (2016-2018, ages 9-10 years) to Year 2.

Adverse childhood experiences and binge-eating disorder in early adolescents.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common and linked to negative health outcomes. Previous studies have found associations between ACEs and binge-eating disorder (BED), though they have mainly focused on adults and use cross-sectional data. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between ACEs and BED in a large, national cohort of 9-14-year-old early adolescents in the US.

Direct ink writing of tough, stretchable silicone composites.

In this work, we report 3D printable soft composites that are simultaneously stretchable and tough. The matrix of the composite consists of polydimethylsiloxane containing octuple hydrogen bonding sites, resulting in a material significantly tougher than conventional polydimethylsiloxane. Short glass fibers are also added to the material.

Ineffective penicillin treatment and absence of partner treatment may drive the congenital syphilis epidemic in Brazil.

Background: Reducing congenital syphilis has been the focus of Brazilian health programs for decades, yet the cases continue to increase. Although health interventions have targeted HIV screening and treatment, syphilis management continues to be challenging. Syphilis during pregnancy may enhance the HIV maternal seroconversion risk.

Associations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adolescent Screen Time and Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: To determine the associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), adolescent screen time, and physical activity during the early COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data (2016-2020) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study were analyzed. Linear regression analyses estimated associations between ACE score and screen time and physical activity in May 2020, adjusting for potential confounders.

Tough, aorta-inspired soft composites.

Spatial variations in fiber alignment (and, therefore, in mechanical anisotropy) play a central role in the excellent toughness and fatigue characteristics of many biological materials. In this work, we examine the effect of fiber alignment in soft composites, including both "in-plane" and "out-of-plane" fiber arrangements. We take inspiration from the spatial variations of fiber alignment found in the aorta to three-dimensionally (3D) print soft, tough silicone composites with an excellent combination of stiffness, toughness, and fatigue threshold, regardless of the direction of loading.

Leaf-Like Origami with Bistability for Self-Adaptive Grasping Motions.

The leaf-like origami structure is inspired by geometric patterns found in nature, exhibiting unique transitions between open and closed shapes. With a bistable energy landscape, leaf-like origami is able to replicate the autonomous grasping of objects observed in biological systems such as the Venus flytrap. We show uniform grasping motions of the leaf-like origami, as well as various nonuniform grasping motions that arise from its multitransformable nature.