Search

Introduction: This study evaluated the patterns of smoking cessation at Wave 4 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study among established cigarette smokers who were also current e-cigarettes users at Wave 3.Methods: We assessed changes in smoking frequency at Wave 4 among established cigarette and e-cigarette users at Wave 3. The demographics of participants were analyzed as well as e-cigarettes device types, number of cigarettes smoked and time from waking up until the first cigarette. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios as well as percentage of discontinuing cigarettes use at Wave 4 were calculated for the different categories of dual users.Results: Among dual users at Wave 3, 13.1% quit cigarette smoking at Wave 4, whereas half discontinued e-cigarette use and maintained exclusive cigarette smoking. Significant differences in the percentage of smoking cessation were observed across demographic groups - dual users with a bachelor's degree were more likely to quit smoking than dual users who did not finish high school (aOR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.17-8.00) and smokers aged 25-64 years were less likely to quit smoking than those aged 18-24 years (aOR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28-0.86 for smokers aged 25-44 years, and aOR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.87 for those aged 45-64). Dual users who smoked more than 15 cigarettes per day were significantly less likely to stop smoking (aOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.17-0.88).Conclusion: E-cigarettes have the potential to aid in smoking cessation. Questions remain as to whether dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes should be encouraged as a transitional phase on the path to smoking cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generalizability of study findings may be influenced by pre-enrollment trial procedures, including the use of behavioral run-in periods. The study goals were to determine whether behavioral run-in periods and other pre-enrollment processes affect outcomes in randomized trials of behavioral weight loss interventions that have contributed to clinical guidelines. The sample was behavioral weight loss intervention trials included in the 2018 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force systematic review. Information on pre-enrollment processes (total steps, in-person steps, behavioral run-in) was abstracted, and meta-regressions were conducted in 2022 to test whether pre-enrollment processes were associated with weight loss at 6 or 12 months and trial retention at 12 months. Across 80 trials, the median number of total pre-enrollment steps was 2 (range=1–5), and that of in-person pre-enrollment steps was 1 (range=0–4). Almost one-third of the trials (k =24; 30%) used a behavioral run-in. The most common run-in tasks were self-monitoring physical activity (k =9) or both physical activity and diet (k =6). Greater weight loss was observed in trials with behavioral run-ins at 6 months (−2.33 kg; 95% CI= −3.72, −0.93) and, to an attenuated extent, at 12 months (−0.86 kg; 95% CI= −1.72, 0.01) compared to those without run-ins. The total number of pre-enrollment steps was also associated with greater 6-month weight loss (−0.85 kg; 95% CI= −1.59, −0.11). Higher retention was associated with total number of pre-enrollment steps and in-person steps and marginally with the presence of run-ins. The use of more pre-enrollment processes is associated with greater weight loss in behavioral weight loss trials and may impact the generalizability of outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Distinct changes in gene expression of the IL-1 axis are found in PDAC. • IL-1 axis expression is correlated with changes in immune checkpoint proteins. • Changes in the IL-1 axis impact the tumor immune milieu. • Low tumor expression of IL1B is associated with decreased overall survival. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a key role in carcinogenesis and several IL-1-targeted therapeutics are under investigation for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We sought to broaden our understanding of how the family of IL-1 ligands and receptors impact the tumor immune landscape and patient survival in PDAC. Gene expression data and DNA methylation data for IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, IL1R1, IL1R2, and IL1RAP was attained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and cross validated using the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Immune cell-type abundance was estimated using CIBERSORTx. Further confirmatory soluble protein analysis and peripheral blood immunophenotyping were performed on available tissue samples from our institution. 169 PDAC patients and 50 benign pancreatic TCGA-based samples were analyzed. IL1A (p < 0.001), IL1RN (p < 0.001), IL1R2 (p < 0.001), and IL1RAP (p = 0.006) were markedly increased in PDAC tumor tissue compared to benign pancreatic tissue. Furthermore, expression of IL1A, IL1B and IL1R1 were positively correlated with gene expression of immune checkpoints PVR, CD274, CD47, CD80, and HLA-A/B/C (p < 0.001). IL1B and IL1R1 were correlated to expression of PDCD1, CD86, CTLA4 and IDO1 (<0.001). Low expression of IL1RN (p = 0.020), IL1R2 (p = 0.015), and IL1RAP (p = 0.003) and high expression of IL1B (p = 0.031) were correlated with increased patient survival. At the protein level, IL-1β was correlated with increased peripheral central memory CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells as well as decreased Th2 cells. These findings suggest that the IL-1 axis plays a complex and pivotal role in the host immune response to PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Little is known about the relationship between eating behavior and weight gain during pregnancy.Purpose: Our objective was to assess the relationship among self-reported cognitive restraint, disinhibition, and hunger, and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) as defined by the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) 2009 guidelines. Based on previous research examining eating behaviors and weight gain in non-pregnant women, we hypothesized that excessive GWG would be related to higher cognitive restraint, higher disinhibition, and higher perception of hunger.Methods: 190 pregnant women from the Glowing study completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) at the enrollment visit, which included subscales assessing restraint, disinhibition, and hunger. Participants' height and weight from <10 weeks through 36 weeks gestation were measured, allowing classification within or in excess of the IOM guidelines adjusted for the week of the final measurement.Results: The odds that a participant would gain weight above IOM recommendations was 1.2 times higher (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.05-1.29) for each one-unit increase in the disinhibition subscale in the unadjusted logistic regression. However, after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline BMI categories, participants' TFEQ scores were not associated with the likelihood of having GWG above IOM guidelines. Eating behaviors subscales were modestly correlated with baseline BMI categories (all rs < 0.50 with p-values ranging from <0.001 to 0.619).Conclusions: Although disinhibition scores had a significant relationship with excessive GWG, the significance of this relationship was not sustained after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline BMI categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]