Fiber-optics based fluorescence detection. Part I: Basic concepts.

Continuous in-line detection and process monitoring are essential for industrial, analytical, and biomedical applications. Lightweight, highly flexible, and low-cost fiber optics enable the construction of compact and robust hand-held devices forchemical and biological species analysis in both industrial and biomedical/detection. Despite the broad range of fiber-optic based applications, we lack a good understanding of the parameters that govern the efficiency of light collection or the sensitivity of detection.

The impact of State of Surrender on the relationship between engagement in substance use treatment and meaning in life presence: a pilot study.

The current study examined the construct of State of Surrender (SoS)-defined as a willingness to accept, without resistance, what is to come-and investigated SoS as a statistical mediator of the relationship between engagement in substance use treatment and meaning in life (MIL). Using a cross-sectional design, participants were 123 people involved with the legal system participating in a 6-month residential treatment program for substance use. Results showed that measures of treatment engagement, including treatment participation, counselor rapport, and peer support, were all positively associated with SoS scores ( s ≥ 21.

Genomic structural variation in Barramundi Perch Lates calcarifer and potential roles in speciation and adaptation.

Advancements in genome sequencing and assembly techniques have increased the documentation of structural variants in wild organisms. Of these variants, chromosomal inversions are especially prominent due to their large size and active recombination suppression between alternative homokaryotypes. This suppression enables the 2 forms of the inversion to be maintained and allows the preservation of locally adapted alleles.

The Association of a Single Nucleotide Variant in to Early Onset Keratoconus and Pectus Excavatum-Convergence of Extracellular Matrix Pathologies.

Keratoconus is a bilateral ocular condition characterized by irregularities and the thinning of the cornea. Decreased central corneal thickness is a hallmark of the condition, and numerous genes have played a role in altering corneal thickness and the subsequent development of keratoconus. Variants in the structural and regulatory genes of the extracellular matrix have been highly associated with keratoconus, as well as with pectus excavatum, a chest wall deformity commonly seen in connective tissue disorders.

Oral health literacy, knowledge, practice and beliefs among Asian Americans: A scoping review.

Objectives: The Asian American (AsA) population is at high risk for poor oral health outcomes and remains an underserved and understudied community. Low oral health literacy could explain poor oral health behaviours, practices and outcomes in this population. The aims were as follows: (i) provide a scoping review of oral health literacy, knowledge, practice and beliefs among AsA individuals residing in the United States; (ii) identify any instruments or tools translated into participants' language and (iii) determine whether the translated instruments had been assessed for validity and reliability.

Loneliness and Relationship Well-Being: Investigating the Mediating Roles of Relationship Awareness and Distraction among Romantic Partners.

Loneliness arises when there is a discrepancy between one's desired and actual social connection with others. Studies examining the effects of loneliness in romantic relationships show that people who are lonely are less satisfied and committed to their romantic relationships. The present study explored the association between loneliness and romantic relationship well-being.

Association of Social Support and Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Completion Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Patients.

Purpose: Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is presently the most evidence-based, effective treatment of obesity. Nevertheless, only half of the eligible individuals who are referred for this procedure complete it. This study aims to investigate the association between social support and MBS completion, considering race and ethnicity.

Beyond Victim Identification: A Practitioner's Guide to Designing a Youth Anti-Sex Trafficking Advocacy Program.

Thousands of youth are sexually trafficked each year in the United States. In order to address this concern, anti-trafficking advocates often emphasize the importance of uniform screening protocols to assist with the identification of survivors. Unfortunately, an oft-overlooked component of sex trafficking identification is what to do once a victim has been identified, and how to best meet survivors' complex needs.

Associations between social media engagement and young adults' subsequent onset of ENDS dependence symptoms one year later.

Background: Young adults are more vulnerable than older adults to engagement with online tobacco marketing and to the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products. Our study examined the longitudinal associations between engagement with pro- and anti-tobacco information on social media (SM) and young adults' subsequent onset of symptoms of dependence on ENDS products one year later, which remain unclear.

Methods: Participants were college students in the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas study.

Runway extinction in terrestrial toads (Rhinella arenarum): Instrumental or Pavlovian?

Instrumental appetitive extinction involves the reduction of a previously reinforced response when its occurrence is no longer rewarded. Two experiments with terrestrial toads (Rhinella arenarum) tested whether the occurrence of a nonreinforced response is necessary for response extinction by varying the time of exposure to nonrewarded goal-box stimuli across groups. In Experiment 1, toads that received the same acquisition training (15 sessions, 1 session/day, 300 s of access to water in the goal box) were randomly assigned to two groups.

One of these strains is not like the others: DW102 has an altered dependence on and for regulation of gene transcription.

Several strains of with mutations in or are readily available to aid in elucidating the functions of these two genes in DNA damage repair, meiosis, and gene repression. DW102 is the only strain to our knowledge with mutations in both and . However, several groups have reported the DW102 strain is indistinguishable from wild-type when observing levels of embryonic lethality, sensitivity to radiation, and rates of male progeny, while strains with mutations in either or display increased occurrence of these phenotypes.

Exploring Divergent Views: A Comparative Study of Uterus Transplantation Perceptions among Transplant and Obstetrics/Gynecology Providers.

: Uterus transplantation (UTx) provides women with absolute uterine-factor infertility (AUFI) the opportunity to carry their own pregnancy and deliver a child. There are multiple ethical and medical concerns associated with UTx. Since the last survey of US provider perceptions of UTx in 2018, there have been additional reports of successful transplantations and pregnancies.

-mutant undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma metastatic to lung and brain.

Sarcomas constitute approximately 1% of adult cancers and 8%-10% of paediatric cancers. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is a type of soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) characterised by dedifferentiated cancer cells. The most common sites of metastasis for UPS include the lungs, liver, bones and regional lymph nodes.

Characterization and distribution of a 14-Mb chromosomal inversion in native populations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Multiple studies in a range of taxa have found links between structural variants and the development of ecologically important traits. Such variants are becoming easier to find due, in large part, to the increase in the amount of genome-wide sequence data in nonmodel organisms. The salmonids (salmon, trout, and charr) are a taxonomic group with abundant genome-wide datasets due to their importance in aquaculture, fisheries, and variation in multiple ecologically important life-history traits.

Juvenile probation staff perceptions of engaging families in substance use services.

Objectives: Study objectives were to (a) understand juvenile justice staff members' experiences with engaging families in youth substance use services and (b) identify staff-perceived barriers to family engagement across steps of substance use service provision.

Background: Lack of family involvement in juvenile justice system substance use (SU) services is a key barrier to successful treatment of justice-involved youth.

Method: From June through November 2015, 33 focus groups were conducted at juvenile justice system probation sites across seven states.

Multiconfigurational Correlation at DFT + Cost: On-Site Electron-Electron Interactions Yield a Block-Localized Configuration Interaction Hamiltonian.

This work presents a first-principles wavefunction-in-DFT approach based on the Hubbard density functional theory (DFT) + method. This approach begins with the standard DFT reference system of noninteracting electrons and introduces an electron-electron interaction projected onto DFT+-type atomic states. The reference system's configuration interaction Hamiltonian is block-localized to these states and can be expressed in terms of state occupation numbers, state self-energies (which correspond to unscreened Hubbard values), and the promotion energies of doubly excited Slater determinants.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Emergency Department: Training, Perceptions, Applications, and Barriers from Different Healthcare Professionals.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable tool that assists in diagnosis and management of patients in the emergency department (ED) while being cost-efficient and without the use of ionizing radiation. To discern the opinions and perceptions of ED staff about POCUS applications and barriers, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of employees of 12 EDs in North Texas.

Methods: Participants completed a 20-item online survey about POCUS with questions pertaining to four domains: (1) employee and training information, (2) perceived benefits, (3) common applications, and (4) barriers to use.

Development of Consensus-Based Best Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative and Postoperative Care of Pediatric Patients With Spinal Deformity and Programmable Implanted Devices.

Study Design: Modified Delphi consensus study.

Objective: To develop consensus-based best practices for the care of pediatric patients who have implanted programmable devices (IPDs) and require spinal deformity surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Implanted programmable devices (IPDs) are often present in patients with neuromuscular or syndromic scoliosis who require spine surgery.

Exploring Menstrual Education via TikTok: A Descriptive Content Analysis.

Purpose: TikTok has rapidly emerged as one of the foremost social media platforms for young adults and adolescents, becoming the most-downloaded app in 2022. With its broad reach across demographics, TikTok may be leveraged as a tool for teaching and destigmatizing topics such as menstruation. This study is the first to analyze the quality of menstruation-related content on TikTok.

Spatiotemporal responses to emotional conflict and its psychiatric correlates in adolescents with epilepsy using magnetoencephalography.

People with epilepsy often suffer from comorbid psychiatric disorders, which negatively affects their quality of life. Emotion regulation is an important cognitive process that is impaired in individuals with psychiatric disorders, such as depression. Adults with epilepsy also show difficulties in emotion regulation, particularly during later-stage, higher-order cognitive processing.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of cortical somatosensory network in typically developing children.

Sense of touch is essential for our interactions with external objects and fine control of hand actions. Despite extensive research on human somatosensory processing, it is still elusive how involved brain regions interact as a dynamic network in processing tactile information. Few studies probed temporal dynamics of somatosensory information flow and reported inconsistent results.

The Impact of a Digital Contraceptive Decision Aid on User Outcomes: Results of an Experimental, Clinical Trial.

Background: Nearly 40% of unplanned pregnancies in the USA are the result of inconsistent or incorrect contraceptive use. Finding ways to increase women's comfort and satisfaction with contraceptive use is therefore critical to public health. One promising pathway for improving patient outcomes is through the use of digital decision aids that assist women and their physicians in choosing a contraceptive option that women are comfortable with.