Purpose: To explore attitudes and acceptance (i.e., intent for future adoption) of survivors of lung cancer and their family members toward a dyad-focused mHealth mindfulness-based intervention (MBI). Approach: Focus groups. Setting: Community hospital setting in South Carolina. Participants: Survivors n = 11 (M = 64.6 years; 73% female; 64% African American) of non-small cell lung cancer (stage I-IIIa) and their family members, n = 8 (M = 58.6 years; 38% female; 75% African American). Intervention: A fully functional prototype mHealth app to deliver a tailored MBI for survivors of lung cancer and their family members. Method: Semi-structured focus groups were conducted and assessed using thematic data analysis to identify the benefits, concerns, needs, and expectations of the app. Results: Convenience and health were the top benefits of using the app, while cost and difficulty of use were the top concerns. Survivors mentioned benefits more than their family members did. Participants felt positively about adding a community network to the app. Finally, participants expected to hear about Breathe Easier from their care provider. Conclusion: Participants perceived a benefit to having credible health information delivered through an mHealth app. Guidance and credible health information regarding lung cancer survivorship should be accessible and convenient for everyone impacted by the disease. Thus, future research should explore platforms for a virtual support system and understanding dissemination of mHealth apps through health care providers.
<abstract> <p>Biofilms are aggregates of bacteria, in most cases, which are resistant usually to broad-spectrum antibiotics in their typical concentrations or even in higher doses. A trend of increasing multi-drug resistance in biofilms, which are responsible for emerging life-threatening nosocomial infections, is becoming a serious problem. Biofilms, however, are at various sensitivity levels to environmental factors and are versatile in infectivity depending on virulence factors. This review presents the fundamental information about biofilms: formation, antibiotic resistance, impacts on public health and alternatives to conventional approaches. Novel developments in micro-biosystems that help reveal the new treatment tools by sensing and characterization of biofilms will also be discussed. Understanding the formation, structure, physiology and properties of biofilms better helps eliminate them by the usage of appropriate antibiotics or their control by novel therapy approaches, such as anti-biofilm molecules, effective gene editing, drug-delivery systems and probiotics.</p> </abstract>
Simple and conditional discrimination training programs are commonly presented in simultaneous discrimination arrangements, which include an array of two or more comparisons. Several descriptive studies have found that these arrangements may be associated with low levels of procedural integrity, which may also affect or even prevent learning. Automated systems may offer several advantages to human-implemented procedures, although computer- or tablet-based paradigms are rarely described in the skill acquisition literature. The current study used a modified version of Smith and Greer’s (2022) validation model to evaluate the technical adequacy of Testable, a web-based software program used to conduct behavioral and psychological experiments, when presenting simple and conditional discrimination tasks. The findings of the five-step model suggested that Testable successfully executed all experimenter-defined conditions and parameters. Moreover, the program reliably recorded response latency, correct responding, and response position. These findings are considered along with recent discussion regarding procedural integrity risk classifications in behavior analytic research.
Football is one of the most popular sports in North America. Because of different position-specific demands, football players require a different skill set highly dependent on their anthropometric characteristics and body composition. Therefore, the goal of the study was to identify the impact of an off-season training program among NCAA football players Division II of different positions on body mass index (BMI), percentage of muscle, and fat. Football players (N=68) were tested at the beginning of the off-season training and at the end of this training period. Percentage of fat and muscle mass, and BMI of players from eight positions (quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, and defensive back) were assessed. At the beginning of the off-season, BMI of the offensive line and the defensive line was higher than all other positions; however, only the offensive line had a higher body fat percentage and lower muscle mass percentage when compared to the other positions, except the defensive line (p<0.05). There was an increase in the percentage of muscle mass overall (p<0.05) and no difference in the percentage of fat (p=0.053) at the end of the off-season when compared to the beginning. When stratified in positions, the percentage of muscle increased in quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker, and defensive back, whereas the percentage of fat decreased in running back, wide receiver, linebacker, and defensive back (p<0.05). Thus, the training program applied during the off-season improves body composition and reflects on the performance enhancement of NCAA football players Division II.
e23046 Background: Survivors of lung cancer often experience a myriad of symptoms that have devastating effects on their physical and psychological functioning such as dyspnea, fatigue, and stress. To combat these symptoms, the American College of Chest Physicians has recommended the use of complementary therapies. Mindfulness-based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) can empower survivors, and caregivers who often cope with their own health problems and the stress related to caring for a survivor. Our goal is to deliver a tailored, culturally sensitive, MBCR intervention to survivors and family members via a mHealth app. Methods: This research was comprised of four phases. Phase I was the development and testing of an 8-week in-person intervention called Breathe Easier with survivors and family members (dyads). Phase II adapted Breathe Easier into a mHealth app prototype utilizing user-centered design. Phase III was a focus-group evaluation of the usability and acceptance of the mHealth app prototype by survivors and family members. Phase IV was comprised of additional interviews with an African-American subset of survivors and family members to assess the cultural sensitivity of the mHealth app. Results: Findings from the in-person intervention (n = 62) showed that all agreed the intervention materials were acceptable, different levels of yoga, breathing exercises, and meditations helped them, and involving a family member was important. Preliminary analyses showed survivors had less dyspnea and perceived stress over time (T1 vs T2). Both groups had improved fatigue and sleep scores. Findings from the mHealth app design and acceptance evaluation were organized into two primary categories: usefulness and ease of use. User-friendly design recommendations included aesthetic appeal, navigation layout, and display of content. Furthermore, potential health outcomes, privacy concerns, and comparison to in-person interventions also influenced app usefulness and acceptance. Lastly, findings from our cultural sensitivity assessment demonstrated that the mHealth app was culturally sensitive for African-Americans, but some changes were recommended. Conclusions: MBCR interventions hold great promise for improving the lives of racially diverse survivors of lung cancer and family members. An mHealth app will increase accessibility. However, special consideration of app design is needed to ensure future acceptance and longer-term usage.
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