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Introduction: American Indians have the highest cigarette smoking prevalence of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S. There is currently no effective empirically based smoking-cessation program for American Indians. The purpose of this study was to determine if a culturally tailored smoking-cessation program, All Nations Breath of Life (ANBL), is more effective than a non-tailored cessation program among American Indian smokers.Design: A multisite RCT was conducted from September 2009 to July 2014; analysis was conducted in 2015.Setting/participants: Participants were rural or reservation-based American Indian smokers aged ≥18 years.Intervention: Smokers were group randomized to either the culturally tailored ANBL or non-tailored current best practices (CBP) for a total enrolled sample size of 463 (ANBL, n=243; CBP, n=220).Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome of interest was salivary cotinine-verified 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence at 6 months. Results for both responder-only and intent-to-treat analyses for self-reported and cotinine-verified abstinence are presented.Results: Intention-to-treat, imputing all non-responses as smokers, the self-reported point prevalence abstinence rates at 12 weeks were 27.9% in the ANBL arm and 17.4% in the CBP arm (p=0.028). There was a statistically significant difference in self-reported 6-month intent-to-treat point prevalence abstinence rates between ANBL (20.1%) and CBP (12.0%) arms (p=0.029). None of the cotinine-verified results were statistically significant.Conclusions: The culturally tailored smoking-cessation program ANBL may or may not be an effective program in promoting cessation at 12 weeks and 6 months. Participants in the culturally tailored ANBL program were approximately twice as likely to quit smoking at 6 months compared with the CBP program, using self-reported abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Smoking menthol cigarettes is more prevalent among African Americans (AA) compared to Whites. Menthol has been found to be inversely related to smoking cessation among AA, yet little is known about the factors associated with menthol smoking among AA light smokers. This study examines baseline demographic, psychological, and smoking factors associated with smoking menthol cigarettes among AA light smokers (≤10 cigarettes per day). Methods: Participants (n=540) were enrolled in a double blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of bupropion in combination with health education counseling for smoking cessation. Bivariate differences between menthol and non-menthol smokers were explored and baseline factors associated with smoking menthol cigarettes were identified. Results: Participants averaged 46.5years in age, predominantly female (66.1%), and smoked an average of 8.0cpd (SD=2.5). The majority (83.7%) smoked menthol cigarettes. In bivariate analysis, menthol cigarette smokers were younger (mean age: 45 vs. 52years p<0.0001), were more likely to be female (68% vs. 52% p=0.003) and had smoked for shorter duration (28 vs. 34years p<0.0001) compared to non-menthol smokers. While depression and withdrawal scores were slightly higher and exhaled carbon monoxide values were lower among menthol smokers, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Among AA light smokers, younger individuals and females were more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes and may be more susceptible to the health effects of smoking. Appropriately targeted health education campaigns are needed to prevent smoking uptake in this high-risk population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Large 6mm×9mm silicon chips have been successfully bonded to alumina substrates with electroplated Au/Sn/Au structure at the eutectic composition. The new bonding process is entirely fluxless, or flux-free. It is performed in vacuum (50milliTorrs), where the oxygen content is reduced by a factor of 15,200 comparing to air, to inhibit solder oxidation. Eutectic Au80Sn20 alloy is a well established solder that exhibits excellent fatigue-resistance, creep-resistance, and long-term reliability. Despite the popularity of plastic packages and organic substrates, alumina remains an important packaging material for highly reliable products in demanding environment. A major challenge in silicon-to-alumina bonding is the large thermal expansion mismatch between silicon (2.7ppm/°C) and alumina (7ppm/°C). The new process developed shows that a large silicon chip can be bonded to an alumina substrate without chip cracking or solder fracture. In this research, we learned the specific bonding procedures necessary to turn the Au/Sn/Au structure into homogeneous eutectic alloy without the chip breaking away from the solder layer. Nearly void-free joints are produced as confirmed by a scanning acoustic microscope (SAM). The joints are studied using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to evaluate the microstructure and the composition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We examined the smoking relapse curves for African-American smokers by level of smoking to characterize nicotine dependence in this population of smokers. This analysis was conducted from data originally collected to study differences in level of smoking among African-Americans at an inner-city health center in Midwest. Relatively little research has been conducted to clarify smoking and quitting patterns among African-American smokers. The median number of cigarettes smoked currently was 7 cigarettes per day (cpd) for light smokers and 20 cpd for the moderate to heavy smokers. The heavier smokers reported smoking at this rate longer than light smokers, 11 and 5 years, respectively. The major finding in this study is that African-American light smokers have abstinence rates very similar to heavier smokers and the median length of their most recent quit attempts were also similar. Therefore, stable light smokers may also need smoking cessation interventions similar to those used for heavier smokers in order to successfully stop smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have shown that tobacco advertising leads to the onset of smoking among adolescents. However, much more still remains to be learned about the impact of tobacco advertising in the later transitions, mainly from experimentation to established smoking. In this study, we focused on the influence of tobacco advertising and promotions on the transition from experimentation to established smoking.Methods: Data were derived from a longitudinal survey of adolescents in California. Adolescents who were classified as experimenters at baseline were included in the analyses (N=965). Receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotions refers to the development of a positive affective response to the communication (e.g., having a favorite tobacco advertisement or being willing to use a promotional item).Results: Approximately 32% of adolescents who were experimenters at baseline in 1993, progressed to established smoking by follow-up in 1996. Progression was higher among Caucasian (37.3%) than Hispanic (21.9%) or African-American (17.6%) adolescents. Adolescents who perceived that most of their peers smoked, had poor relationships with family members, and were exposed to smoking friends and family members were more likely to progress to established smoking at follow-up in 1996. In addition, adolescents who were receptive to advertising and believed that they could quit anytime were more likely to progress to established smoking than those who did not think they could quit anytime. Adolescents who were willing to use a promotional item and who believed that they could quit anytime had the highest rate of progression to established smoking (52%).Conclusions: This study provides evidence that receptivity to tobacco advertising and promotions is an important factor in progressing from experimentation to established smoking among adolescents. Because perceived ability to quit made adolescents more likely to progress, counter-tobacco marketing campaigns should incorporate messages about addiction and difficulties associated with quitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Although the relationship between risk perceptions and quit intentions has been established, few studies explore the potential impact of smoking level on these associations, and none have done so among diversely-aged samples of multiple ethnicities. Methods Participants, ranging in age from 25 to 81, were 1133 nondaily smokers (smoked ≥1 cigarette on 4 to 24 days in the past 30 days), 556 light daily smokers ( ≤10 cigarettes per day), and 585 moderate to heavy daily smokers (≤10 cigarettes per day). Each smoking level comprised approximately equal numbers of African Americans, Latinos, and Whites. A logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sociodemographics, self-rated health, time to the first cigarette of the day and smoking level, was used to examine the association between risk perception (perceived risk of acquiring lung cancer, lung disease, and heart disease) and intention to quit (≤6 months versus >6 months/never). A second adjusted model tested moderation by smoking level with an interaction term. Results Greater risk perception was associated with a higher odds of planning to quit within 6 months (AOR=1.34, CI.95=1.24, 1.45). Smoking level did not moderate this association (p=.85). Conclusions Results suggest that educating all smokers, irrespective of their smoking level, about increased risk of developing smoking-related diseases might be a helpful strategy to enhance their intention to make a smoking quit attempt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: American Indians (AI) have the highest smoking rates of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S. and have more difficulty quitting smoking. Little is known about the smoking characteristics of AI smokers. The present study compared the demographic and smoking characteristics of light (≤10 cigarettes per day; N=206) and moderate/heavy (11+ cigarettes per day; N=86) AI smokers participating in a cross-sectional survey about smoking and health. Methods: Multiple methods were used to recruit participants in attendance at powwows, health and career fairs, and conferences. A total of 998 AI (76% cooperation rate) completed a survey assessing general health, sociodemographics, traditional and commercial tobacco use, knowledge and attitudes related to cancer, source of health information and care and other health-related behaviors. Results: AI light smokers were younger and less likely to be married or living with a partner compared to moderate/heavy smokers. AI light smokers were less dependent on smoking and more likely to have home smoking restrictions. There were no differences with respect to number of quit attempts in the past year or the average length of their most recent quit attempt by light vs. moderate/heavy smoking. In addition, a similar proportion of light and heavy smokers reported using tobacco for traditional purposes such as ceremonial, spiritual and prayer. Conclusions: These findings highlight important differences between AI light and heavier smokers. Differences related to smoking characteristics such as level of dependence and home smoking restrictions have important implications for the treatment of AI smokers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: This is the first study to examine predictors of successful cessation in African American (AA) light smokers treated within a placebo-controlled trial of bupropion. Methods: We analyzed data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of bupropion and health education for 540 African American light smokers. African American light smokers (≤10 cigarettes per day, cpd) were randomly assigned to receive 150mg bid bupropion SR (n=270) or placebo (n=270) for 7weeks. All participants received health education counseling at weeks 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7. Using chi-square tests, two sample t-tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses, we examined baseline psychosocial and smoking characteristics as predictors of cotinine-verified 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence among study participants at the end treatment (Week 7) and at the end of follow-up (Week 26). Results: Participants who received bupropion were significantly more likely to quit smoking compared to those who received placebo (OR=2.72, 95% CI=1.60–4.62, P=0.0002). Greater study session attendance (OR=2.47, 95% CI=1.76–3.46, P=0.0001), and smoking non-menthol cigarettes increased the likelihood of quitting (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.01–3.36, P=0.05); while longer years of smoking (OR=0.98, 95% CI=0.96–1.00, P=0.05) and higher baseline cotinine (OR=0.97, 95% CI=0.95–0.99, P=0.002) significantly reduced the odds of quitting at Week 7. Conversely, at the end of follow-up (Week 26), treatment with bupropion vs. placebo (OR=1.14, 95% CI=0.65–2.02, P=0.64) was not significantly associated with quitting and type of cigarette smoked (menthol vs. non-menthol) did not appear in the final logistic regression model. Greater study session attendance (OR=1.96, 95% CI=1.44–2.66, P=0.0001); BMI (OR=1.03, 95% CI=1.00–1.07, P =0.04); and weight efficacy (OR=1.03, 95% CI=1.01–1.05, P=0.01) increased the likelihood of quitting at Week 26. Similar to our findings at Week 7, longer years of smoking (OR=0.96, 95% CI=0.94–0.99, P=0.01) and higher baseline cotinine (OR=0.97, 95% CI=0.95–0.99, P=0.02) significantly reduced the odds of quitting at Week 26. Conclusions: Baseline cotinine levels, number of years smoked and study session attendance are associated with both short- and long-term smoking cessation, while bupropion and the type of cigarette smoked were associated with quitting on short term only. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: This study sought to explore home food availability and common settings of food consumption as correlates of fruit, vegetable, and fat intake among a sample of non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white adolescents. Participants and Design: Adolescents (n=144 black, 84 white) and their parents completed a cross-sectional survey in an urban adolescent health clinic. The adolescent survey included screening measures for fruit, vegetable, and fat intake and items on frequency of eating meals with family, while watching television, and at three types of restaurants. Parents provided information on home availability of foods. Main Outcomes: Correlates of fruit, vegetable, and fat consumption. Statistical Analysis: Spearman correlations for associations among variables, t tests for mean comparisons, and multiple stepwise regression conducted separately for black and white adolescents. Results: In multiple regression, home availability was not significantly associated with fruit, vegetable, or fat intake except for fruit intake among white adolescents only. Use of non–fast-food restaurants was the strongest positive predictor of vegetable intake. For both black and white adolescents, fast-food and buffet restaurant use and eating while watching television were the strongest predictors of fat intake. Conclusions: Compared with restaurant use and eating while watching television, home availability had a relatively small impact on fruit, vegetable, and fat consumption for both black and white adolescents. Intervention programs on adolescent nutrition should target not just availability of healthful foods, but also ease of access, such as the preparation of fruits and vegetables so that they are flavorful and ready to eat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The profile of tetrodotoxin sensitive (TTX-S) and resistant (TTX-R) Na+ channels and their contribution to action potentials and firing patterns were studied in isolated small dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons after L5/L6 spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Total TTX-R Na+ currents and Nav 1.8 mRNA were reduced in injured L5 DRG neurons 14 days after SNL. In contrast, TTX-R Na+currents and Nav 1.8 mRNA were upregulated in uninjured L4 DRG neurons after SNL. Voltage-dependent inactivation of TTX-R Na+ channels in these neurons was shifted to hyperpolarized potentials by 4 mV. Two types of neurons were identified in injured L5 DRG neurons after SNL. Type I neurons (57%) had significantly lower threshold but exhibited normal resting membrane potential (RMP) and action potential amplitude. Type II neurons (43%) had significantly smaller action potential amplitude but retained similar RMP and threshold to those from sham rats. None of the injured neurons could generate repetitive firing. In the presence of TTX, only 26% of injured neurons could generate action potentials that had smaller amplitude, higher threshold, and higher rheobase compared with sham rats. In contrast, action potentials and firing patterns in uninjured L4 DRG neurons after SNL, in the presence or absence of TTX, were not affected. These results suggest that TTX-R Na+ channels play important roles in regulating action potentials and firing patterns in small DRG neurons and that downregulation in injured neurons and upregulation in uninjured neurons confer differential roles in shaping electrogenesis, and perhaps pain transmission, in these neurons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Recruitment is often the rate-limiting step in conducting clinical trials among ethnic minorities. Little is known about participants who consent and enroll into a trial, but do not return for randomization. Why participants fail to return for randomization is largely unknown.Methods: We compared 287 enrolled African American smokers who did not return for randomization, to the 500 who returned and were randomized to participate in a clinical trial for smoking cessation in African Americans. Analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with not returning for randomization.Results: Univariate comparisons found the nonrandomized group to be significantly different from those randomized. Logistic regression showed younger age, less readiness to quit, having been proactively recruited, lacking a regular source of health care, believing that they will be smoking in 6 months, less church attendance, and a lower literacy level to be jointly related with not returning for randomization.Conclusions: African American participants who did not return for randomization into a clinical trial were different from those who did. Better understanding of these factors may allow researchers to target recruitment efforts resulting in enhanced accrual in clinical trials and increased efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Recruitment is often the rate-limiting step in conducting clinical trials among ethnic minorities. Little is known about participants who consent and enroll into a trial, but do not return for randomization. Why participants fail to return for randomization is largely unknown.METHODS: We compared 287 enrolled African American smokers who did not return for randomization, to the 500 who returned and were randomized to participate in a clinical trial for smoking cessation in African Americans. Analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with not returning for randomization.RESULTS: Univariate comparisons found the nonrandomized group to be significantly different from those randomized. Logistic regression showed younger age, less readiness to quit, having been proactively recruited, lacking a regular source of health care, believing that they will be smoking in 6 months, less church attendance, and a lower literacy level to be jointly related with not returning for randomization.CONCLUSIONS: African American participants who did not return for randomization into a clinical trial were different from those who did. Better understanding of these factors may allow researchers to target recruitment efforts resulting in enhanced accrual in clinical trials and increased efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: National data indicate a higher prevalence of obesity among American Indian (AI) populations and greater disparity of morbidity and mortality among younger age groups compared with other ethnicities. Diet and physical activity are important obesity preventive behaviors, but no published data exist that describe these behaviors in relation to obesity in AI young adults at tribal colleges. Study purposes were to: (1) identify fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity practices of AI young adults from three U.S. tribal colleges according to BMI categories; (2) identify the accuracy of body weight perceptions; and (3) identify predictor variables for weight misperception.Methods: In this observational study during 2011-2014, a total of 1,256 participants were recruited from three participating U.S. tribal colleges to complete an online survey addressing issues related to diet, physical activity, and weight perception. Reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI categories, and differences between BMI categories were examined. Gender differences related to accuracy of weight perception by BMI categories were also examined. Analyses were conducted in 2016.Results: Based on self-reported height and weight, 68% of the sample was overweight or obese (BMI ≥25) and mean BMI was 28.9 (SD=6.9). Most did not meet recommendations for fruit intake (78.7%), vegetable intake (96.6%), or physical activity (65.6%). More than half (53.7%%) who were overweight/obese underestimated their weight category. Men more often underestimated their weight category (54.2%) than women (35.1%).Conclusions: Interventions are needed to improve weight-related lifestyle behaviors of AI tribal college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]