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This is a qualitative systematic review in which we investigated barriers and enablers influencing dietary behavior change after metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS). Database searches retrieved publications reporting perceived factors influencing dietary behavior change post-MBS. Data (quotes, survey results, interpretative summaries) were extracted and analyzed using combined deductive and inductive thematic analyses. The generated barrier/enabler themes mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework and then behavior change techniques to identify potential strategies to improve post-operative dietary behavior. Thirty-four publications were included. Key barriers fell within the domains of 'Environmental Context and Resources' (e.g., insufficient and unreliable healthcare services), 'Behavioral Regulation' (e.g., lack of self-discipline), 'Emotions' (e.g., eating as a strategy to overcome negative emotions), 'Beliefs about Consequences' (e.g., the extent of realistic expectations from MBS), and 'Social Influences' (e.g., challenge of eating at social events). Key enablers were also identified within 'Environmental Context and Resources' (e.g. self-access internet-based resources), 'Behavioral Regulation' (e.g. learning how to develop new dietary strategies), 'Beliefs about Consequences' (e.g., positive impacts of surgery-induced food intolerances), and 'Social Influences' (e.g., support from social/group sessions). Potential strategies to change postoperative dietary behavior include social support, problem-solving, goal setting, and self-monitoring of behavior. This provides insight into the targets for future post-operative nutrition-focused interventions., (© 2025 World Obesity Federation.)

Background: A pressing challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond is to provide accessible and scalable mental health support to isolated older adults in the community. The Telehealth Intervention Program for Older Adults (TIP-OA) is a large-scale, volunteer-based, friendly telephone support program designed to address this unmet need., Methods: A prospective cohort study of 112 TIP-OA participants aged ≥60 years old was conducted in Quebec, Canada (October 2020-June 2021). The intervention consisted of weekly friendly phone calls from trained volunteers. The primary outcome measures included changes in scores of stress, depression, anxiety, and fear surrounding COVID-19, assessed at baseline, 4 and 8-weeks. Additional subgroup analyses were performed with participants with higher baseline scores., Results: The subgroup of participants with higher baseline depression scores (PHQ9 ≥10) had significant improvements in depression scores over the 8-week period measured [mean change score = -2.27 (±4.76), 95%CI (-3.719, -0.827), p = 0.003]. Similarly, participants with higher baseline anxiety scores (GAD7 ≥10) had an improvement over the same period, which, approached significance ( p = 0.06). Moreover, despite peaks in the pandemic and related stressors, our study found no significant ( p ≥ 0.09) increase in stress, depression, anxiety or fear of COVID-19 scores., Discussion: This scalable, volunteer-based, friendly telephone intervention program was associated with decreased scores of depression and anxiety in older adults who reported higher scores at baseline (PHQ 9 ≥10 and GAD7 ≥10)., Competing Interests: Author SR receives a salary award from the Fonds de Recherche de Québec-Santé (FRQS), is a steering committee member for AbbVie, and is a shareholder of Aifred Health. HS has a CIHR fellowship award, MITACS fellowship award, and AGE-WELL award. Author EM receives salary support from the Fond de recherche Santé Québec. Author SK has received research support from Brain and Behavior Foundation, National institute on Aging, BrightFocus Foundation, Brain Canada, Canadian Institute of Health Research, Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging, Centre for Ageing and Brain Health Innovation, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, an Academic Scholars Award from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and Equipment support from Soterix Medical. Author SBo receives funds from the Canada research Chairs program and various provincial and federal granting agencies. He is president of, and owns equity in, Cliniques et Development In Virtuo; a company that distributes virtual reality environments. Conflicts of interest are managed under UQO's conflicts of interest policy. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Sekhon, Lavin, Vacaflor, Rigas, Cinalioglu, Su, Bodenstein, Dikaios, Goodman, Raymond, Ibrahim, Bein, Gruber, Se, Sasi, Walsh, Nazar, Hanganu, Berkani, Royal, Schiavetto, Looper, Launay, McDonald, Seitz, Kumar, Beauchet, Khoury, Bouchard, Battistini, Fallavollita, Miresco, Bruneau, Vahia, Bukhari and Rej.)

UltraPrep is an open-source, two-step method for purification of cell-free DNA that entails extraction of total DNA followed by size-selective enrichment of the smaller fragments that are characteristic of DNA originating from fragmentation between nucleosome. The advantages of the two related protocols that are described are that they can easily accommodate a wide range of sample input volumes, they rely on simple, magnetic bead-based technology, the yields of cfDNA are directly comparable to the most popular methods for cfDNA purification, and they dramatically reduce the cost of cfDNA isolation relative to currently available commercial methods. We provide a framework for physical and molecular quality analysis of purified cfDNA and demonstrate that the cfDNA generated by UltraPrep meets or exceeds the quality metrics of the most commonly used procedure. In addition, our method removes high molecular weight genomic DNA (hmwgDNA) that can interfere with downstream assay results, thereby addressing one of the primary concerns for preanalytical collection of blood samples., Competing Interests: All of the authors that contributed to this study are affiliated with either Ripple Biosolutions or PlasmaLab International as employees. In addition, the authors have an ownership stake in these entities. This affiliation does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The open-source UltraPrep methods described in this manuscript are used to manufacture our commercial product, “UltraPure cfDNA”.

Polymorphic residues of HLA class II molecules influence immune activation in part by determining specific structural constraints for binding antigenic peptides. We identified a peptide from glutamic acid decarboxylase, a diabetes-associated autoantigen that preferentially bound to HLA-DQ3.2 molecules, one of the HLA determinants highly associated with insulin-dependent diabetes. We analyzed interactions of specific HLA-DQ residues with modified peptide analogues and found a pattern of permissive site-specific amino acids that accommodated allele-specific binding. Four anchor residues constrain binding to different DQ alleles; limited variation at two of these sites, residues 4 and 9, accounts for the unique pattern of peptide binding to HLA-DQ3.1 or HLA-DQ3.2.

The impact of HLA-DQ allelic polymorphism on peptide binding interactions was investigated. MHC class II binding peptides from lambda repressor (lambda R), thyroid peroxidase (TPO), and a modified poly-alanine peptide (AKY) were used in two different binding assays, one with purified DQ molecules and another with cells that expressed DQ cell surface dimers. Class II heterodimers of different combinations of DQ alpha-chain and the DQ beta-chain independently influenced specific peptide interactions. Each of the peptides tested bound differentially to DQ alleles: TPO632-645 bound test to DQ2 molecules (DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201), lambda R12-24 bound best to DQ8 molecules (DQ3.2 or DQA1*0301/DQB1*0302), and AYK bound best to DQ1 (DQA*0102/DQB*0602) and DQ7 (DQ3.1 OR DQA1*0301/DQB1*0301). However, in each case in which either the DQ alpha- or DQ beta-chain was exchanged, major alterations or reversals of this pattern of interaction were observed. The interaction of lambda R with DQ8 was highly dependent on specific sequence polymorphisms at residue 57; an Ala-->Asp substitution on the DQ beta-chain at the polymorphic codon 57 prevented peptide binding. However, Ala 57 alone was not sufficient to permit binding in other DQ allelic contexts. These studies demonstrate the critical role of specific DQ polymorphisms in establishing the nature of bound Ag and thereby influencing the potential immune repertoire. Analysis of the ability of DQ molecules to bind and present antigenic peptides should aid in understanding their role in immunity and in development of HLA-DQ-associated autoimmune disease.