Investigating the Poverty-Reducing Effects of SNAP on Non-nutritional Family Outcomes: A Scoping Review.

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Poverty-reduction efforts that seek to support households with children and enable healthy family functioning are vital to produce positive economic, health, developmental, and upward mobility outcomes. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an effective poverty-reduction policy for individuals and families. This study investigated the non-nutritional effects that families experience when receiving SNAP benefits. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review using the PRISMA Guidelines and strategic search terms across seven databases from 01 January 2008 to 01 February 2023 (n=2456). Data extraction involved two researchers performing title-abstract reviews. Full-text articles were assessed for eligibility (n=103). Forty articles were included for data retrieval. RESULTS: SNAP positively impacts family health across the five categories of the Family Stress Model (Healthcare utilization for children and parents, Familial allocation of resources, Impact on child development and behavior, Mental health, and Abuse or neglect). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: SNAP is a highly effective program with growing evidence that it positively impacts family health and alleviates poverty. Four priority policy actions are discussed to overcome the unintentional barriers for SNAP: distributing benefits more than once a month; increasing SNAP benefits for recipients; softening the abrupt end of benefits when wages increase; and coordinating SNAP eligibility and enrollment with other programs.

The effects of COVID-19 stressors and family life on anxiety and depression one-year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19)-related stressors and family health on adult anxiety and depressive symptoms 1 year into the pandemic. The sample consisted of 442 adults living in the United States who were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Results indicated that compared to a sample 1 month into the pandemic, participants in the current sample reported worse family health and increases in both positive and negative perceptions of the pandemic on family life and routines. COVID-19 stressors and perceived negative effects of the pandemic on family life increased the odds for moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety while having more family health resources decreased the odds for depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants reported lower odds for worse depression and anxiety since the beginning of the pandemic when they reported more positive family meaning due to the pandemic. The results suggest a need to consider the impact of family life on mental health in pandemics and other disasters.

Disentangling "Bright" and "Dark" Interactions in Ordered Assemblies of Organic Semiconductors.

We report on spatially correlated wavelength-resolved photoluminescence and Kelvin probe force microscopy to probe ground state charge-transfer coupling and its correlation with pi-stacking order in nanoscale assemblies of a small molecule n-type organic semiconductor, tetraazaterrylene (TAT). We find a distinct upshift in surface potential contrast (SPC) corresponding to a decrease in work function in TAT in the transition from disordered spun-cast films to ordered crystalline nanowire assemblies, accompanied by a nanowire size dependence in the SPC shift suggesting that the shift depends on both ground state charge transfer interaction and a size (volume)-dependent intrinsic doping associated with the nitrogen substitutions. For the smallest nanowires studied (surface height ≈ 10-15 nm), the SPC shift with respect to disordered films is +110 meV, in close agreement with recent theoretical calculations. These results illustrate how "dark" (ground-state) interactions in organic semiconductors can be distinguished from "bright" (excited-state) exciton coupling typically assessed by spectral measurements alone.

Carpenter's Rule Folding in Rigid-Flexible Block Copolymers with Conjugation-Interrupting, Flexible Tethers Between Oligophenylenevinylenes.

Rigid-flexible segmented block copolymers were synthesized and characterized as 4.5-oligophenylenevinylene chromophores tethered by flexible, conjugation-interrupting 1,2-ethanedioxy or 1,4-butanedioxy units. The flexible tethers allow the possibility of collapsed order chromophore assemblies within individual polymers by chain folding at specific sites much like an old fashioned, folding carpenter's rule. Our results indicate that using a short, flexible tether in a rigid-flexible segmented copolymer can result in collapsed rodlike structures as signaled by strongly quenched photoluminescence, even after thermal annealing. Such ability to "program" folding and tertiary structure in conjugated copolymers is important for solid-state organic light emitting materials and understanding of organic chromophore self-assembly.

Azulene methacrylate polymers: synthesis, electronic properties, and solar cell fabrication.

We report the synthesis of novel azulene-substituted methacrylate polymers by free radical polymerization, in which the azulene moieties represent hydrophobic dipoles strung pendant to the polymer backbone and impart unique electronic properties to the polymers. Tunable optoelectronic properties were realized by adjusting the azulene density, ranging from homopolymers (having one azulene group per repeat unit) to copolymers in which the azulene density was diluted with other pendant groups. Treating these polymers with organic acids revealed optical and excitonic behavior that depended critically on the azulene density along the polymer chain. Copolymers of azulene with zwitterionic methacrylates proved useful as cathode modification layers in bulk-heterojunction solar cells, where the relative azulene content affected the device metrics and the power conversion efficiency reached 7.9%.

Understanding and predicting social media use among community health center patients: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The use of social media by health care organizations is growing and provides Web-based tools to connect patients, caregivers, and providers. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the use and factors predicting the use of social media for health care-related purposes among medically underserved primary care patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 444 patients of a federally qualified community health center. RESULTS: Community health center patients preferred that their providers use email, cell phones for texting, and Facebook and cell phone apps for sharing health information. Significantly more Hispanic than white patients believed their providers should use Facebook (P=.001), YouTube (P=.01), and Twitter (P=.04) for sharing health information. Use and intentions to use social media for health-related purposes were significantly higher for those patients with higher subjective norm scores. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding use and factors predicting use can increase adoption and utilization of social media for health care-related purposes among underserved patients in community health centers.

Determining the critical particle size to induce enhanced emission in aggregates of a highly twisted triarylamine.

Towards highly luminescent aggregates: A highly twisted triphenylamine displays aggregation-induced enhanced emission. A solvent-specific critical molecular aggregate size, once reached, gives rapid onset of enhanced emission in polar solvent mixtures that favor quenching of solvated individual molecule excited states.

Tweaking and tweeting: exploring Twitter for nonmedical use of a psychostimulant drug (Adderall) among college students.

BACKGROUND: Adderall is the most commonly abused prescription stimulant among college students. Social media provides a real-time avenue for monitoring public health, specifically for this population. OBJECTIVE: This study explores discussion of Adderall on Twitter to identify variations in volume around college exam periods, differences across sets of colleges and universities, and commonly mentioned side effects and co-ingested substances. METHODS: Public-facing Twitter status messages containing the term "Adderall" were monitored from November 2011 to May 2012. Tweets were examined for mention of side effects and other commonly abused substances. Tweets from likely students containing GPS data were identified with clusters of nearby colleges and universities for regional comparison. RESULTS: 213,633 tweets from 132,099 unique user accounts mentioned "Adderall." The number of Adderall tweets peaked during traditional college and university final exam periods. Rates of Adderall tweeters were highest among college and university clusters in the northeast and south regions of the United States. 27,473 (12.9%) mentioned an alternative motive (eg, study aid) in the same tweet. The most common substances mentioned with Adderall were alcohol (4.8%) and stimulants (4.7%), and the most common side effects were sleep deprivation (5.0%) and loss of appetite (2.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Twitter posts confirm the use of Adderall as a study aid among college students. Adderall discussions through social media such as Twitter may contribute to normative behavior regarding its abuse.

Chiroptical dissymmetries in fluorescence excitation from single molecules of (M-2) helicene dimers.

We report on the single-molecule chiroptical properties of "right"-handed bridged triaryl amine helicene dimers, MH2. Using an experimental setup to precisely define the circular excitation polarization at the sample plane, we investigated the circular dichroic response in luminescence from individual molecules in which induced ellipticity from microscope optics is minimized. Our results comparing circular anisotropies in fluorescence excitation from MH2 and perylene diimide (PDI), an achiral, centrosymmetric chromophore, demonstrate a significant reduction in the breadth of the distribution of circular dissymmetry parameters obtained from modulation of the circularly polarized excitation source (457 nm). For PDI, we observe a symmetric distribution of circular anisotropy parameters centered about zero, with a fwhm of 0.25. For MH2, we observe an asymmetric distribution peaked at g = -0.09, with a slightly larger width as the corresponding PDI distribution. These results indicate that the large dissymmetry parameters (|g| > 0.5) in fluorescence excitation described in our original report (Hassey, R.; et al. Chirality 2008, 20, 1039-1046 and Hassey, R.; et al. Science 2006, 314, 1437-1439) were indeed affected by (at the time, unknown) linear polarization artifacts. However, the present results on MH2 provide compelling evidence for single-molecule circular dissymmetries much larger than solution or thin-film ensemble values, defined primarily by the enhanced rotatory strength (relative to the monomer), and restricted orientation at the sample surface.

"Right time, right place" health communication on Twitter: value and accuracy of location information.

BACKGROUND: Twitter provides various types of location data, including exact Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, which could be used for infoveillance and infodemiology (ie, the study and monitoring of online health information), health communication, and interventions. Despite its potential, Twitter location information is not well understood or well documented, limiting its public health utility. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to document and describe the various types of location information available in Twitter. The different types of location data that can be ascertained from Twitter users are described. This information is key to informing future research on the availability, usability, and limitations of such location data. METHODS: Location data was gathered directly from Twitter using its application programming interface (API). The maximum tweets allowed by Twitter were gathered (1% of the total tweets) over 2 separate weeks in October and November 2011. The final dataset consisted of 23.8 million tweets from 9.5 million unique users. Frequencies for each of the location options were calculated to determine the prevalence of the various location data options by region of the world, time zone, and state within the United States. Data from the US Census Bureau were also compiled to determine population proportions in each state, and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to compare each state's population with the number of Twitter users who enable the GPS location option. RESULTS: The GPS location data could be ascertained for 2.02% of tweets and 2.70% of unique users. Using a simple text-matching approach, 17.13% of user profiles in the 4 continental US time zones were able to be used to determine the user's city and state. Agreement between GPS data and data from the text-matching approach was high (87.69%). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the number of Twitter users per state and the 2010 US Census state populations (r ≥ 0.97, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Health researchers exploring ways to use Twitter data for disease surveillance should be aware that the majority of tweets are not currently associated with an identifiable geographic location. Location can be identified for approximately 4 times the number of tweets using a straightforward text-matching process compared to using the GPS location information available in Twitter. Given the strong correlation between both data gathering methods, future research may consider using more qualitative approaches with higher yields, such as text mining, to acquire information about Twitter users' geographical location.

There's an app for that: content analysis of paid health and fitness apps.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of Apple's iPhone provided a platform for developers to design third-party apps, which greatly expanded the functionality and utility of mobile devices for public health. OBJECTIVE: This study provides an overview of the developers' written descriptions of health and fitness apps and appraises each app's potential for influencing behavior change. METHODS: Data for this study came from a content analysis of health and fitness app descriptions available on iTunes during February 2011. The Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) and the Precede-Proceed Model (PPM) were used as frameworks to guide the coding of 3336 paid apps. RESULTS: Compared to apps with a cost less than US $0.99, apps exceeding US $0.99 were more likely to be scored as intending to promote health or prevent disease (92.55%, 1925/3336 vs 83.59%, 1411/3336; P<.001), to be credible or trustworthy (91.11%, 1895/3336 vs 86.14%, 1454/3349; P<.001), and more likely to be used personally or recommended to a health care client (72.93%, 1517/2644 vs 66.77%, 1127/2644; P<.001). Apps related to healthy eating, physical activity, and personal health and wellness were more common than apps for substance abuse, mental and emotional health, violence prevention and safety, and sexual and reproductive health. Reinforcing apps were less common than predisposing and enabling apps. Only 1.86% (62/3336) of apps included all 3 factors (ie, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing). CONCLUSIONS: Development efforts could target public health behaviors for which few apps currently exist. Furthermore, practitioners should be cautious when promoting the use of apps as it appears most provide health-related information (predisposing) or make attempts at enabling behavior, with almost none including all theoretical factors recommended for behavior change.

Spectral properties of multiply charged semiconductor quantum dots.

Spectrally resolved fluorescence imaging of single CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs), charged by electrospray deposition under negative bias has revealed a surprising net blue shift (∼60 meV peak-to-peak) in the distribution of center frequencies in QD band-edge luminescence. Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) on the electrospray QD samples showed a subpopulation of charged QDs with 4.7 ± 0.7 excess electrons, as well as a significant fraction of uncharged QDs as evidenced by the distinct cantilever response under bias. We show that the blue-shifted peak recombination energy can be understood as a first-order electronic perturbation that affects the band-edge electron- and hole-states differently. These studies provide new insight into the role of electronic perturbations of QD luminescence by excess charges.

Use of social media in health promotion: purposes, key performance indicators, and evaluation metrics.

Despite the expanding use of social media, little has been published about its appropriate role in health promotion, and even less has been written about evaluation. The purpose of this article is threefold: (a) outline purposes for social media in health promotion, (b) identify potential key performance indicators associated with these purposes, and (c) propose evaluation metrics for social media related to the key performance indicators. Process evaluation is presented in this article as an overarching evaluation strategy for social media.

Stabilization of Three-Particle Excitations in Monolayer MoS2 by Fluorinated Methacrylate Polymers.

While extrinsic factors, such as substrates and chemical doping, are known to strongly influence visible photoemission from monolayer MoS2, key fundamental knowledge for p-type polymeric dopants is lacking. We investigated perturbations to the electronic environment of 2D MoS2 using fluorinated polymer coatings and specifically studied stabilization of three-particle states by monitoring changes in intensities and emission maxima of three-particle and two-particle emissions. We calculated changes in carrier density and trion binding energy, the latter having an additional contribution from MoS2 polarization by the polymer. Polarization is further suggested by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements of large Fermi level shifts. Changes similar in magnitude, but opposite in sign, were observed in 2D MoS2 coated with an analogous nonfluorinated polymer. These findings highlight the important interplay between electron exchange and electrostatic interactions at the interface between polymers and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), which govern fundamental electronic properties relevant to next-generation devices.

Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma: The Mediating Effects of Family Health.

Family health is important to the well-being of individual family members and the collective family unit, and as such, may serve as a mediator for the intergenerational transmission of trauma (ITT). This study aimed to understand the intergenerational impact of parent's adverse and positive childhood experiences (ACEs and PCEs) on their children's adverse family experiences (AFEs) and how family health mediated those relationships. The sample consisted of 482 heterosexual married or cohabiting couples (dyads) in the United States who had a child between the ages of 3 and 13 years old. Each member of the dyad completed a survey, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Parental ACEs were associated with more AFEs. The fathers', but not the mothers', ACEs were associated with worse family health. Parental PCEs were associated with better family health, and family health was associated with lower AFE scores. Indirect effects indicated that parental PCEs decreased AFEs through their impact on family health. Family health also mediated the relationship between the father's ACEs and the child's AFEs. Interventions designed to support family health may help decrease child AFEs.

Life experience pathways to college student emotional and mental health: A structural equation model.

Objective: Previous research suggests that both adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), positive childhood experiences (PCEs), and current life experiences are associated with emotional wellbeing and mental health. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of these life experience and coping processes on college student emotional and mental health. Participants: College students (N = 555) were recruited from a large western university. Methods: Participants completed an online cross-sectional survey measuring early and current life experiences, cognitive and emotional coping efforts, and emotional and mental health outcomes. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: There was an indirect effect of PCEs on emotional and mental health through cognitive and emotional coping efforts. No association was observed between ACEs and mental health. Conclusions: Increases in PCEs are protective, enhance coping efforts, and strengthen emotional and mental health outcomes among college students.

Highly twisted triarylamines for photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer.

9-(N,N-Dianisylamino)anthracene (9DAAA), 9-(N,N-dianisylamino)dinaphth([1,2-a:2'-1'-j]-anthracene (9DAAH), and 9,10-bis(N,N-dianisylamino)anthracene (910BAA) were synthesized as highly twisted triarylamines with potential for photoexcited internal charge transfer. Crystallography of 9DAAA shows its dianisylamino group to be twisted nearly perpendicular to its anthracene unit, similar to a report for 910BAA. The solution fluorescence spectra show strong bathochromic shifts for each of the three molecular systems with strongly decreased quantum efficiency in higher polarity solvents. Solution-phase (ensemble) time-resolved photoluminescence measurements show up to 4-fold decreases in fluorescence lifetime in acetonitrile compared to hexane. The combined results are consistent with photoinduced, transient intramolecular charge-transfer from the bis-anisylamine unit to the polycyclic aromatic unit. Computational modeling is in accord with intramolecular transfer of electron density from the bis-anisylamino unit to the anthracene, based on in comparisons of HOMO and LUMO.

Recognition-mediated assembly of quantum dot polymer conjugates with controlled morphology.

We have demonstrated a polymer mediated "bricks and mortar" method for the self-assembly of quantum dots (QDs). This strategy allows QDs to self-assemble into structured aggregates using complementary three-point hydrogen bonding. The resulting nanocomposites have distinct morphologies and inter-particle distances based on the ratio between QDs and polymer. Time resolved photoluminescence measurements showed that the optical properties of the QDs were retained after self-assembly.

Protection Motivation During COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study of Family Health, Media, and Economic Influences.

BACKGROUND: Protection motivation to practice preventive behaviors is necessary for sustained mitigation during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, limited research exists on the ecological sources of influence for COVID-19 protection motivation. AIM: To explore sources of influence (family health, media consumption, and loss of work hours) on COVID-19 protection motivation. METHOD: An online quantitative survey of U.S. adults (N = 501) aged 18 years or older was administered using Qualtrics with participants recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Data were collected on constructs related to the protection motivation theory and theory of planned behavior as well as sources of influence and intention to socially distance and socially isolate during COVID-19. Constructs were further defined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Structural equation modeling was used to determine relationships between constructs. RESULTS: A two-factor model was identified with threat appraisal as one factor and subjective norms appraisal, coping appraisal, and behavioral intention loading as another factor. Higher news media consumption and loss of work hours due to COVID-19 were both significant predictors of increased threat appraisal. Family healthy lifestyle and family health resources were significantly related to increases in the subjective norms, coping appraisal, and behavioral intention appraisal factor. CONCLUSIONS: Family health, news media consumption, and loss of work hours are associated with COVID-19 protection motivation. COVID-19 protection motivation might be enhanced through policies and messaging that can affect ecological sources of influence.

Family well-being and individual mental health in the early stages of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to examine the association of COVID-19 with family well-being and adult mental health 1 month into the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Prior pandemics have had long-term effects on mental health. COVID-19 and its related stressors, such as loss of work and social distancing requirements, may have a profound impact on short-term and long-term mental health. Family stress theory indicates that subjective family meaning making and family resources affect how stressors lead to outcomes. METHOD: Participants, adults ages 18 years and older (N = 416), completed a cross-sectional online survey measuring depressive and anxiety symptoms, family health, subjective family meaning making, and loss of work resulting from COVID-19. Data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling framework. RESULTS: Results indicated that subjective negative family meaning and effects were associated with more depression and anxiety. Higher family health resources were associated with less depression and anxiety. Family health resources mediated the relationships between COVID-19 loss of work with depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 associated stressors 1 month into the pandemic had modest effects on family meaning making and family health resources. Individuals from families whose health resources were negatively impacted by COVID-19 reported more anxiety and depressive symptoms. Health care and public health systems should consider family health resources to help reduce the negative effects of COVID-19 on mental health. Longitudinal research is needed to examine the accumulation of stressors over time and the directionality of relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).