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Understanding users' acceptance of smoking cessation interventions features is a precursor to mobile cessation apps' uptake and use. We gauged perceptions of three features of smoking cessation mobile interventions (self-monitoring, tailored feedback and support, educational content) and their design in two smoking cessation apps, Quit Journey and QuitGuide, among young adults with low socioeconomic status (SES) who smoke. A convenience sample of 38 current cigarette smokers 18-29-years-old who wanted to quit and were non-college-educated nor currently enrolled in a four-year college participated in 12 semi-structured virtual focus group discussions on GoTo Meeting. Discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using the second Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) constructs (i.e., performance and effort expectancies, hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions, social influence), sentiment (i.e., positive, neutral, negative), and app features following a deductive thematic analysis approach. Participants (52.63% female, 42.10% non-Hispanic White) expressed positive sentiment toward self-monitoring (73.02%), tailored feedback and support (70.53%) and educational content (64.58%). Across both apps, performance expectancy was the dominant theme discussed in relation to feature acceptance (47.43%). Features' perceived usefulness centered on the reliability of apps in tracking smoking triggers over time, accommodating within- and between-person differences, and availability of on-demand cessation-related information. Skepticism about features' usefulness included the possibility of unintended consequences of self-monitoring, burden associated with user-input and effectiveness of tailored support given the unpredictable timing of cravings, and repetitiveness of cessation information. All features were perceived as easy to use. Other technology acceptance themes (e.g., social influence) were minimally discussed. Acceptance of features common to smoking cessation mobile applications among low socioeconomic young adult smokers was owed primarily to their perceived usefulness and ease of use. To increase user acceptance, developers should maximize integration within app features and across other apps and mobile devices.

In order to advance our understanding of the effects of maternal high-fat diet (mHFD) on the cerebrovascular health of offspring, Bordeleau et al. use a translational mouse model of mHFD exposure. They demonstrate that mHFD induces cerebrovascular and microglial changes in the offspring as well as behavioural alterations that are reminiscent of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with repetitive behaviours at adulthood.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age. Premature infants who receive life-saving oxygen therapy often develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease. Infants with BPD are at a high risk of abnormal neurodevelopment, including motor and cognitive difficulties. While neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are crucial for proper brain development, it is unclear whether they play a role in BPD-associated neurodevelopmental deficits. Here, we show that hyperoxia-induced experimental BPD in newborn mice led to lifelong impairments in cerebrovascular structure and function as well as impairments in NPC self-renewal and neurogenesis. A neurosphere assay utilizing nonhuman primate preterm baboon NPCs confirmed impairment in NPC function. Moreover, gene expression profiling revealed that genes involved in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, vascular autoregulation, neuronal formation, and neurotransmission were dysregulated following neonatal hyperoxia. These impairments were associated with motor and cognitive decline in aging hyperoxia-exposed mice, reminiscent of deficits observed in patients with BPD. Together, our findings establish a relationship between BPD and abnormal neurodevelopmental outcomes and identify molecular and cellular players of neonatal brain injury that persist throughout adulthood that may be targeted for early intervention to aid this vulnerable patient population.

BackgroundThe use of mobile technologies to deliver behavioral health interventions, including smoking cessation support, has grown. Users’ perceptions are important determinants of the adoption and use of new technologies. However, little is known about users’ perceptions of mobile technologies as smoking cessation aids, particularly among disadvantaged individuals who smoke. ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the acceptance of mobile technologies for smoking cessation among young adults with low socioeconomic status who smoke. MethodsIn total, 38 current cigarette smokers, 18 to 29 years old, who wanted to quit and did not have a 4-year college degree nor were enrolled in a 4-year college, participated in 12 semistructured digital focus groups. The moderation guide was guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Discussions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded for the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology constructs (ie, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, and social influence), sentiment (ie, negative, neutral, and positive), and purpose of using mobile technologies (ie, lifestyle and health management and smoking cessation) following a deductive thematic analysis approach. ResultsParticipants had positive experiences using mobile technologies for lifestyle and health management, primarily for fitness and dietary purposes. Salient themes were facilitating conditions of use (44/80, 55%), with prior experiences and costs subthemes, followed by perceived usefulness of mobile technologies in helping users attain health goals (22/80, 27.50%), which were generally positive. Ease of use (11/80, 13.75%) and social influences (3/80, 3.75%) were minimally discussed. Conversely, participants had limited awareness of smoking cessation uses of mobile technologies, which was the primary barrier under facilitating conditions discussed (33/51, 64.70%). Participants expressed skepticism about the usefulness of mobile technologies in helping them quit smoking (14/51, 27.45%). Effort expectancy was not discussed, given participants’ limited prior use. Social influences on mobile technology use for smoking cessation were minimally discussed (4/51, 7.84%). ConclusionsThe use of mobile technologies for smoking cessation was unknown to young adults with low socioeconomic status who smoke. To reduce cigarette smoking and associated health disparities, increasing awareness and use of evidence-based mobile-based smoking cessation interventions are needed. Smoking cessation interventions should incorporate features perceived as useful and easy to use to capitalize on positive user experiences and the acceptability of mobile technologies for lifestyle and health management.