Mimicking the Annulus Fibrosus Using Electrospun Polyester Blended Scaffolds.

Treatments to alleviate chronic lower back pain, caused by intervertebral disc herniation as a consequence of degenerate annulus fibrosus (AF) tissue, fail to provide long-term relief and do not restore tissue structure or function. This study aims to mimic the architecture and mechanical environment of AF tissue using electrospun fiber scaffolds made from synthetic biopolymers-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA). Pure polymer and their blends (PCL%:PLLA%; 80:20, 50:50, and 20:80) are studied and material properties-fiber diameter, alignment, % crystallinity, tensile strength, and water contact angle-characterized.

Testing a behavioral intervention to improve adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET).

Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) is used to prevent recurrence and reduce mortality for women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Poor adherence to AET is a significant problem and contributes to increased medical costs and mortality. A variety of problematic symptoms associated with AET are related to non-adherence and early discontinuation of treatment.

Effectiveness of an App and Provider Counseling for Obesity Treatment in Primary Care.

Introduction: Obesity treatment is less successful for socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, particularly when delivered in primary care. Digital health strategies can extend the reach of clinical obesity treatments to care settings serving patients at highest risk.

Methods: Track was an effectiveness RCT of a 12-month digital weight-loss intervention, embedded within a community health center system.

The Association Between Engagement and Weight Loss Through Personal Coaching and Cell Phone Interventions in Young Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Understanding how engagement in mobile health (mHealth) weight loss interventions relates to weight change may help develop effective intervention strategies.

Objective: This study aims to examine the (1) patterns of participant engagement overall and with key intervention components within each intervention arm in the Cell Phone Intervention For You (CITY) trial; (2) associations of engagement with weight change; and (3) participant characteristics related to engagement.

Methods: The CITY trial tested two 24-month weight loss interventions.

Clonal Hematopoiesis Associated With Adverse Outcomes After Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation for Lymphoma.

Purpose Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is an age-related condition characterized by somatic mutations in the blood of otherwise healthy adults. We hypothesized that in patients undergoing autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) for lymphoma, CHIP at the time of ASCT would be associated with an increased risk of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia, collectively termed therapy-related myeloid neoplasm (TMN), and other adverse outcomes. Methods We performed whole-exome sequencing on pre- and post-ASCT samples from 12 patients who developed TMN after autologous transplantation for Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma and targeted sequencing on cryopreserved aliquots of autologous stem-cell products from 401 patients who underwent ASCT for non-Hodgkin lymphoma between 2003 and 2010.

Track: A randomized controlled trial of a digital health obesity treatment intervention for medically vulnerable primary care patients.

Introduction: Obesity continues to disproportionately affect medically vulnerable populations. Digital health interventions may be effective for delivering obesity treatment in low-resource primary care settings.

Methods: Track is a 12-month randomized controlled trial of a digital health weight loss intervention in a community health center system.

Cell phone intervention for you (CITY): A randomized, controlled trial of behavioral weight loss intervention for young adults using mobile technology.

Objective: To determine the effect on weight of two mobile technology-based (mHealth) behavioral weight loss interventions in young adults.

Methods: Randomized, controlled comparative effectiveness trial in 18- to 35-year-olds with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) (overweight/obese), with participants randomized to 24 months of mHealth intervention delivered by interactive smartphone application on a cell phone (CP); personal coaching enhanced by smartphone self-monitoring (PC); or Control.

Results: The 365 randomized participants had mean baseline BMI of 35 kg/m(2) .

Adaptive intervention design in mobile health: Intervention design and development in the Cell Phone Intervention for You trial.

Background/aims: The obesity epidemic has spread to young adults, and obesity is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The prominence and increasing functionality of mobile phones may provide an opportunity to deliver longitudinal and scalable weight management interventions in young adults. The aim of this article is to describe the design and development of the intervention tested in the Cell Phone Intervention for You study and to highlight the importance of adaptive intervention design that made it possible.

Optimizing Attachment of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Poly(ε-caprolactone) Electrospun Yarns.

Research into biomaterials and tissue engineering often includes cell-based in vitro investigations, which require initial knowledge of the starting cell number. While researchers commonly reference their seeding density this does not necessarily indicate the actual number of cells that have adhered to the material in question. This is particularly the case for materials, or scaffolds, that do not cover the base of standard cell culture well plates.

Dynamic loading of electrospun yarns guides mesenchymal stem cells towards a tendon lineage.

Alternative strategies are required when autograft tissue is not sufficient or available to reconstruct damaged tendons. Electrospun fibre yarns could provide such an alternative. This study investigates the seeding of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) on electrospun yarns and their response when subjected to dynamic tensile loading.

Weight loss intervention for young adults using mobile technology: design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial - Cell Phone Intervention for You (CITY).

Background: The obesity epidemic has spread to young adults, leading to significant public health implications later in adulthood. Intervention in early adulthood may be an effective public health strategy for reducing the long-term health impact of the epidemic. Few weight loss trials have been conducted in young adults.