Exploring How Youth Use TikTok for Mental Health Information in British Columbia: Semistructured Interview Study With Youth.

BACKGROUND: TikTok (ByteDance) experienced a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for people to interact with others, share experiences and thoughts related to the pandemic, and cope with ongoing mental health challenges. However, few studies have explored how youth use TikTok to learn about mental health. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand how youth used TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic to learn about mental health and mental health support. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 youths (aged 12-24 years) living in British Columbia, Canada, who had accessed TikTok for mental health information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using an inductive, data-driven approach. RESULTS: A total of 3 overarching themes were identified describing youth's experiences. The first theme centered on how TikTok gave youth easy access to mental health information and support, which was particularly helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic to curb the effects of social isolation and the additional challenges of accessing mental health services. The second theme described how the platform provided youth with connection, as it gave youth a safe space to talk about mental health and allowed them to feel seen by others going through similar experiences. This helped normalize and destigmatize conversations about mental health and brought awareness to various mental health conditions. Finally, the last theme focused on how this information led to action, such as trying different coping strategies, discussing mental health with peers and family, accessing mental health services, and advocating for themselves during medical appointments. Across the 3 themes, youth expressed having to be mindful of bias and misinformation, highlighting the barriers to identifying and reporting misinformation and providing individualized advice on the platform. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that TikTok can be a useful tool to increase mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage youth to learn and address their mental health challenges while providing a source of peer connection and support. Simultaneously, TikTok can adversely impact mental health through repetitive exposure to mentally distressing content and misleading diagnosis and treatment information. Regulations against harmful content are needed to mitigate these risks and make TikTok safer for youth. Efforts should also be made to increase media and health literacy among youth so that they can better assess the information they consume online.

Interfacially Enhanced Superconductivity in Fe(Te,Se)/Bi4Te3 Heterostructures.

Realizing topological superconductivity by integrating high-transition-temperature (TC) superconductors with topological insulators can open new paths for quantum computing applications. Here, a new approach is reported for increasing the superconducting transition temperature ( T C onset ) $( {T_{\mathrm{C}}^{{\mathrm{onset}}}} )$ by interfacing the unconventional superconductor Fe(Te,Se) with the topological insulator Bi-Te system in the low-Se doping regime, near where superconductivity vanishes in the bulk. The critical finding is that the T C onset $T_{\mathrm{C}}^{{\mathrm{onset}}}$ of Fe(Te,Se) increases from nominally non-superconducting to as high as 12.5 K when Bi2Te3 is replaced with the topological phase Bi4Te3. Interfacing Fe(Te,Se) with Bi4Te3 is also found to be critical for stabilizing superconductivity in monolayer films where T C onset $T_{\mathrm{C}}^{{\mathrm{onset}}}$ can be as high as 6 K. Measurements of the electronic and crystalline structure of the Bi4Te3 layer reveal that a large electron transfer, epitaxial strain, and novel chemical reduction processes are critical factors for the enhancement of superconductivity. This novel route for enhancing TC in an important epitaxial system provides new insight on the nature of interfacial superconductivity and a platform to identify and utilize new electronic phases.

Neuromorphic one-shot learning utilizing a phase-transition material.

Design of hardware based on biological principles of neuronal computation and plasticity in the brain is a leading approach to realizing energy- and sample-efficient AI and learning machines. An important factor in selection of the hardware building blocks is the identification of candidate materials with physical properties suitable to emulate the large dynamic ranges and varied timescales of neuronal signaling. Previous work has shown that the all-or-none spiking behavior of neurons can be mimicked by threshold switches utilizing material phase transitions. Here, we demonstrate that devices based on a prototypical metal-insulator-transition material, vanadium dioxide (VO2), can be dynamically controlled to access a continuum of intermediate resistance states. Furthermore, the timescale of their intrinsic relaxation can be configured to match a range of biologically relevant timescales from milliseconds to seconds. We exploit these device properties to emulate three aspects of neuronal analog computation: fast (~1 ms) spiking in a neuronal soma compartment, slow (~100 ms) spiking in a dendritic compartment, and ultraslow (~1 s) biochemical signaling involved in temporal credit assignment for a recently discovered biological mechanism of one-shot learning. Simulations show that an artificial neural network using properties of VO2 devices to control an agent navigating a spatial environment can learn an efficient path to a reward in up to fourfold fewer trials than standard methods. The phase relaxations described in our study may be engineered in a variety of materials and can be controlled by thermal, electrical, or optical stimuli, suggesting further opportunities to emulate biological learning in neuromorphic hardware.

Reconfigurable Resistive Switching in VO2/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/Al2O3 (0001) Memristive Devices for Neuromorphic Computing.

The coexistence of nonvolatile and volatile switching modes in a single memristive device provides flexibility to emulate both neuronal and synaptic functions in the brain. Furthermore, such a device structure may eliminate the need for additional circuit elements such as transistor-based selectors, enabling low-power consumption and high-density device integration in fully memristive spiking neural networks. In this work, we report dual resistive switching (RS) modes in VO2/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) bilayer memristive devices. Specifically, the nonvolatile RS is driven by the movement of oxygen vacancies (Vo) at the VO2/LSMO interface and requires a higher biasing voltage, whereas the volatile RS is controlled by the metal-insulator transition (MIT) of VO2 under a lower biasing voltage. The simple device structure is electrically driven between the two RS modes and thus can operate as a one selector-one resistor (1S1R) cell, which is a desirable feature in memristive crossbar arrays to avoid the sneak-path current issue. The RS modes are found to be stable and repeatable and can be reconfigured by exploiting the interfacial and phase transition properties, and thus, they hold great promise for applications in memristive neural networks and neuromorphic computing.

A drug-selectable acoustic reporter gene system for human cell ultrasound imaging.

A promising new field of genetically encoded ultrasound contrast agents in the form of gas vesicles has recently emerged, which could extend the specificity of medical ultrasound imaging. However, given the delicate genetic nature of how these genes are integrated and expressed, current methods of producing gas vesicle-expressing mammalian cell lines requires significant cell processing time to establish a clonal/polyclonal line that robustly expresses the gas vesicles sufficiently enough for ultrasound contrast. Here, we describe an inducible and drug-selectable acoustic reporter gene system that can enable gas vesicle expression in mammalian cell lines, which we demonstrate using HEK293T cells. Our drug-selectable construct design increases the stability and proportion of cells that successfully integrate all plasmids into their genome, thus reducing the amount of cell processing time required. Additionally, we demonstrate that our drug-selectable strategy forgoes the need for single-cell cloning and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and that a drug-selected mixed population is sufficient to generate robust ultrasound contrast. Successful gas vesicle expression was optically and ultrasonically verified, with cells expressing gas vesicles exhibiting an 80% greater signal-to-noise ratio compared to negative controls and a 500% greater signal-to-noise ratio compared to wild-type HEK293T cells. This technology presents a new reporter gene paradigm by which ultrasound can be harnessed to visualize specific cell types for applications including cellular reporting and cell therapies.

Promoting pain coping skills in haemophilia: A remote intervention integrating exercise and pain education.

BACKGROUND: Chronic joint pain is a significant and widespread symptom in people with haemophilia (PWH). Despite medical advancements, effective pain management remains challenging. AIM: This study presents an innovative approach that integrates remote physical exercises, pain neuroscience education, and coping strategies to address chronic pain in PWH. METHODS: The remote intervention consisted of sixteen 5-min videos encompassing physical exercises for chronic pain management and pain education strategies. These videos formed an 8-week remote intervention program. Clinical and physical assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. RESULTS: A total of thirty-one PWHs, with a median age of 34 years (ranging from 16 to 59 years), completed the remote intervention. The study revealed significant improvements in pain intensity, disability, and physical performance among PWH with chronic pain. Enhanced functional capacity was evident in the Timed Up and Go and Single Leg Stance tests, accompanied by improved scores on the Functional Independence Score in Haemophilia (FISH). Although lacking a control group, our findings are consistent with other successful exercise and pain education programs. CONCLUSIONS: This innovative intervention holds promise for managing chronic pain in PWH, underscoring patient empowerment, education, and collaboration. Notably, our study stands out by uniquely combining pain education and coping strategies, bolstering evidence for effective pain management.

A veterinary cerumenomic assay for bovine laminitis identification.

Bovine laminitis disorder results in animal welfare and economic concerns in dairy and beef farms worldwide. However, the affected metabolic pathways, pathophysiologic characteristics, and inflammatory mechanisms remain unclear, hampering the development of new diagnostics. Using cerumen (earwax) as a source of volatile metabolites (cerumenomic) that carry valuable biological information has interesting implications for veterinary medicine. Nonetheless, up to now, no applications of veterinary cerumenomic assays have been made to identify bovine laminitis. This work aims to develop a veterinary cerumenomic assay for bovine laminitis identification that is non-invasive, robust, accurate, and sensitive to detecting the metabolic disturbances in bovine volatile metabolome. Twenty earwax samples (10 from healthy/control calves and 10 from laminitis calves) were collected from Nellore cattle, followed by Headspace/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS/GC-MS) analysis and biomarker selection in two multivariate approaches: semiquantitative (intensity data) and semiqualitative (binary data). Following the analysis, cerumen volatile metabolites were indicated as candidate biomarkers for identifying bovine laminitis by monitoring their intensity or occurrence. In the semiquantitative strategy, the p-cresol presented the highest diagnostic figures of merit (area under the curve: 0.845, sensitivity: 0.700, and specificity: 0.900). Regarding the binary approach, a panel combining eight variables/volatiles, with formamide being the most prominent one, showed an area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.97, 0.81, and 0.90, respectively. In summary, this work describes the first veterinary cerumenomic assay for bovine laminitis that indicates new metabolites altered during the inflammatory condition, paving the way for developing laminitis early diagnosis by monitoring the cerumen metabolites.

The portrayal of organ donation on TikTok: A content analysis of popular English-language TikTok videos.

Objective: TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms and plays a role in shaping public perceptions. This research examined how organ donation was portrayed on the platform. Methods: We built a dataset of the most popular English-language TikTok videos that used the hashtags #organdonor or #organdonation. We then performed content analysis on the 400 most viewed videos after limiting data set inclusion to one video per user account. Results: The finalized videos (N = 313) had generated nearly 80 million views and 10 million likes. Featuring both donors (56.2%) and recipients (44.1%), videos shared experiences that celebrated and lamented lost donor lives (41.8%) while also celebrating transplantation successes (31.3%). Very few videos included public solicitation (2.9%). Common video traits included detailing medical procedures (45.4%), presenting honor walks (10.9%), and displaying donors and recipients connecting or wanting to connect (16.9%). Videos mostly had a positive (74.1%) versus negative (10.2%) leaning tone. Conclusion: Far from superficially glamorizing organ donation/transplantation processes and procedures, popular English-language TikTok videos depicted what we perceived as highly emotional and expository experiences. While the videos likely offered learning and cathartic opportunities for individuals and communities, they also highlight some tensions between personal anecdotes and data/research. Findings from this research can inform public outreach efforts as well as policies related to protecting anonymity and celebrating donors with honor walks. Indeed, given TikTok's increasing popularity and influence, it could be a valuable tool to meaningfully learn from, and engage with, patient and donor communities.

Manipulating topological Hall-like signatures by interface engineering in epitaxial ruthenate/manganite heterostructures.

Topologically protected non-trivial spin textures (e.g. skyrmions) give rise to a novel phenomenon called the topological Hall effect (THE) and have promising implications in future energy-efficient nanoelectronic and spintronic devices. Here, we have studied the Hall effect in SrRuO3/La0.42Ca0.58MnO3 (SRO/LCMO) bilayers. Our investigation suggests that pure SRO has hard and soft magnetic characteristics but the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in SRO is governed by the high coercivity phase. We have shown that the proximity effect of a soft magnetic LCMO on SRO plays a critical role in interfacial magnetic coupling and transport properties in SRO. Upon reducing the SRO thickness in the bilayer, the proximity effect becomes the dominant feature, enhancing the magnitude and temperature range of THE-like signatures. The THE-like features in bilayers can be explained by a diffusive Berry phase transition model in the presence of an emergent magnetic state due to interface coupling. This work provides an alternative understanding of THE-like signatures and their manipulation in SRO-based heterostructures, bilayers and superlattices.

Anisotropic Properties of Epitaxial Ferroelectric Lead-Free 0.5[Ba(Ti0.8Zr0.2)O3]-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 Films.

As the energy demand is expected to double over the next 30 years, there has been a major initiative towards advancing the technology of both energy harvesting and storage for renewable energy. In this work, we explore a subset class of dielectrics for energy storage since ferroelectrics offer a unique combination of characteristics needed for energy storage devices. We investigate ferroelectric lead-free 0.5[Ba(Ti0.8Zr0.2)O3]-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 epitaxial thin films with different crystallographic orientations grown by pulsed laser deposition. We focus our attention on the influence of the crystallographic orientation on the microstructure, ferroelectric, and dielectric properties. Our results indicate an enhancement of the polarization and strong anisotropy in the dielectric response for the (001)-oriented film. The enhanced ferroelectric, energy storage, and dielectric properties of the (001)-oriented film is explained by the coexistence of orthorhombic-tetragonal phase, where the disordered local structure is in its free energy minimum.

Emergent Magnetism with Continuous Control in the Ultrahigh-Conductivity Layered Oxide PdCoO2.

The current challenge to realizing continuously tunable magnetism lies in our inability to systematically change properties, such as valence, spin, and orbital degrees of freedom, as well as crystallographic geometry. Here, we demonstrate that ferromagnetism can be externally turned on with the application of low-energy helium implantation and can be subsequently erased and returned to the pristine state via annealing. This high level of continuous control is made possible by targeting magnetic metastability in the ultrahigh-conductivity, nonmagnetic layered oxide PdCoO2 where local lattice distortions generated by helium implantation induce the emergence of a net moment on the surrounding transition metal octahedral sites. These highly localized moments communicate through the itinerant metal states, which trigger the onset of percolated long-range ferromagnetism. The ability to continuously tune competing interactions enables tailoring precise magnetic and magnetotransport responses in an ultrahigh-conductivity film and will be critical to applications across spintronics.

Evaluating the impacts of Payment for Ecosystem Services (water supplies) in an agricultural system of the Brazilian Cerrado.

In this study, we investigated the effects of the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in an agrisystem located in the Brazilian Midwest. This PES benefits the owners of rural properties that encompass springs that feed the Abóbora River microbasin which supplies water for consumption in the city of Rio Verde, Goiás. We evaluated the percentage of native vegetation cover around the springs of the watercourses and also estimated its change over time (2005, 2011 and 2017). The vegetation cover of the Areas of Permanent Preservation (APP) increased by 2.24% on average, seven years after the implantation of the PES. There was little difference in the change of vegetation cover maintained over the study years (2005, 2011, and 2017), however, the vegetation cover increased for 17 springs, decreased for 11 springs, and was completely degraded for other two. To improve the performance of this PES, we recommend (1) expanding the program to include the APPs surrounding the springs, together with the legal reserves of each property, (2) implementing measures to ensure that properties are environmentally adequate, (3) including the properties in the Brazilian Rural Environment Register (CAR), and (4) obtaining environmental licensing for the activities undertaken within the Abóbora River basin.

Machine Learning-Enabled Superior Energy Storage in Ferroelectric Films with a Slush-Like Polar State.

Heterogeneities in structure and polarization have been employed to enhance the energy storage properties of ferroelectric films. The presence of nonpolar phases, however, weakens the net polarization. Here, we achieve a slush-like polar state with fine domains of different ferroelectric polar phases by narrowing the large combinatorial space of likely candidates using machine learning methods. The formation of the slush-like polar state at the nanoscale in cation-doped BaTiO3 films is simulated by phase field simulation and confirmed by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. The large polarization and the delayed polarization saturation lead to greatly enhanced energy density of 80 J/cm3 and transfer efficiency of 85% over a wide temperature range. Such a data-driven design recipe for a slush-like polar state is generally applicable to quickly optimize functionalities of ferroelectric materials.

Preferences for PrEP modalities among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men from Brazil, Mexico, and Peru: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) scale-up is urgent to reduce new HIV cases among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Latin America. Different PrEP modalities may increase PrEP uptake and adherence, especially among young MSM. Objectives: To assess preferences for PrEP modalities among MSM from Brazil, Mexico, and Peru. Design: Cross-sectional web-based study (March-May 2018) targeting MSM through advertisements on Grindr, Hornet, and Facebook. We included MSM aged ⩾ 18 years and who reported HIV-negative status. Methods: We assessed preferences for PrEP modalities with the following question: 'Considering that all following PrEP modalities were available, which one would you prefer considering a scale from 1 to 3 (1 = most preferred): daily oral PrEP, event-driven PrEP (ED-PrEP), and long-acting injectable PrEP'. We assessed factors associated with each most preferred PrEP modality per country using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: A total of 19,457 MSM completed the questionnaire (Brazil: 58%; Mexico: 31%; Peru: 11%); median age was 28 years [interquartile range (IQR): 24-34]. Overall, injectable PrEP was the most preferred modality [42%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 41-43], followed by daily PrEP (35%; 95% CI: 34-35), and ED-PrEP (23%; 95% CI: 23-24). In multivariable models, preferring injectable PrEP was associated with PrEP awareness in all three countries, while PrEP eligibility only in Brazil. Preferring daily PrEP was associated with younger age and lower income in Brazil and Mexico, and lower education only in Brazil. The odds of preferring ED-PrEP were lower among MSM aware and eligible for PrEP in Brazil and Mexico. Conclusions: Long-acting injectable PrEP was the preferred PrEP modality among MSM in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, especially those aware and eligible for PrEP. Public health interventions to increase PrEP modalities literacy and availability in Latin America are urgent especially among MSM of young age, lower income, and lower education.

Analyzing online public commentary responding to the announcement of deemed consent organ donation legislation in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

BACKGROUND: The Canadian province of Nova Scotia recently became the first jurisdiction in North America to pass deemed consent organ donation legislation. The announcement of this legislation generated substantial online discussion, which we analyzed to provide insights on public perception. METHODS: We performed directed content analysis on 2663 user-generated comments appearing on two widely-shared Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) articles published online in April 2019. We determined levels of support and opposition in comments and described the specific rhetoric used for doing so. We also performed one-way ANOVA and Pearson chi-square tests to determine how the comments were being received and engaged by other users. RESULTS: A range of commentary was present in both support and opposition to the changes in legislation. There were more negative than positive comments, and negative commentary generated more replies. Positive comments were received more positively by other users while negative comments were received more negatively. The total sum of negative comments was greatly influenced by a small number of very active participants. Negative commentary focused more on broad concepts and principles related to government, power, and individual rights rather than specific issues in the Nova Scotian context. Substantial issues of trust in the government and healthcare system were evident. CONCLUSIONS: There were strong positive and negative sentiments expressed in the comments, but the total sum of negativity in the comments was significantly influenced by a small number of commentators. Analysis on the presumed consent concerns can be helpful to inform public outreach efforts.

Donation and transplantation coverage in the Canadian media: a content analysis of story focus over 2 decades.

Media coverage affects policy and debates around organ donation and transplantation. We performed a content analysis of stories in the Canadian popular press with a focus on organ donation and transplantation. We built a data set of articles published between Jan. 1, 2000, and May 7, 2019, that included 2082 articles, and we assessed their headlines and lead paragraphs to determine the stories' focus and tone. The most common topics were recipients and donors (46.4%), policy (31.6%) and raising awareness/funds (26.6%). The tone of the articles was positive in 39.1%, neutral in 34.4%, and negative in 26.5%. The strong focus on patients in the reporting may be clouding critical policy discussions. Health communicators and policy-makers should continually assess how to create engaging messaging that remains accurate.

Superconducting Fourfold Fe(Te,Se) Film on Sixfold Magnetic MnTe via Hybrid Symmetry Epitaxy.

Epitaxial Fe(Te,Se) thin films have been grown on various substrates but never been grown on magnetic layers. Here we report the epitaxial growth of fourfold Fe(Te,Se) film on a sixfold antiferromagnetic insulator, MnTe. The Fe(Te,Se)/MnTe heterostructure shows a clear superconducting transition at around 11 K, and the critical magnetic field measurement suggests the origin of the superconductivity to be bulk-like. Structural characterizations suggest that the uniaxial lattice match between Fe(Te,Se) and MnTe allows a hybrid symmetry epitaxy mode, which was recently discovered between Fe(Te,Se) and Bi2Te3. Furthermore, the Te/Fe flux ratio during deposition of the Fe(Te,Se) layer is found to be critical for its superconductivity. Now that superconducting Fe(Te,Se) can be grown on two related hexagonal platforms, Bi2Te3 and MnTe, this result opens a new possibility of combining topological superconductivity of Fe(Te,Se) with the rich physics in the intrinsic magnetic topological materials (MnTe)n(Bi2Te3)m family.