Tailoring opioid use prevention content for juvenile diversion programs with adolescents and their caregivers.

INTRODUCTION: Opioid use (OU) skyrockets as youth transition into young adulthood, indicating adolescence is a critical time for prevention. The juvenile legal system (JLS) presents an ideal setting for OU prevention, as it is the single largest referral source for youth outpatient OU treatment, after self-referral. However, no OU prevention programs have been developed for youth in JLS diversion programs or their families. The current formative study established specific OU prevention needs and preferences of families in JLS programs, to guide future tailored prevention efforts. METHODS: We interviewed 21 adolescents with substance use and 20 of their caregivers referred by a JLS diversion program in the northeastern United States to explore their OU-related knowledge, personal experiences, motivations, and behavioral skills. We used a deductive qualitative analysis approach wherein data were analyzed using an a priori coding framework based on the Information Motivation Behavioral Skills model. RESULTS: Caregivers knew more about OU than youth, several of whom misidentified both opiates and non-opiates. Few participants reported a history of personal OU, though many knew of others' OU. Participants perceived several potential motivations for OU: mental health problems, relationships, life stressors, difficulty accessing preferred substances, and experimentation. Though often unfamiliar with the symptoms, participants were eager to learn skills to identify and manage a suspected overdose. CONCLUSIONS: Youth involved in a JLS diversion program and their caregivers were open to and eager for tailored opioid use prevention content to help them reduce risks. We discuss implications for OU prevention and intervention program development.

Effect of the Ketone Body, D-ß-Hydroxybutyrate, on Sirtuin2-Mediated Regulation of Mitochondrial Quality Control and the Autophagy-Lysosomal Pathway.

Mitochondrial activity and quality control are essential for neuronal homeostasis as neurons rely on glucose oxidative metabolism. The ketone body, D-ß-hydroxybutyrate (D-BHB), is metabolized to acetyl-CoA in brain mitochondria and used as an energy fuel alternative to glucose. We have previously reported that D-BHB sustains ATP production and stimulates the autophagic flux under glucose deprivation in neurons; however, the effects of D-BHB on mitochondrial turnover under physiological conditions are still unknown. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are NAD+-activated protein deacetylases involved in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy through the activation of transcription factors FOXO1, FOXO3a, TFEB and PGC1α coactivator. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of D-BHB on mitochondrial turnover in cultured neurons and the mechanisms involved. Results show that D-BHB increased mitochondrial membrane potential and regulated the NAD+/NADH ratio. D-BHB enhanced FOXO1, FOXO3a and PGC1α nuclear levels in an SIRT2-dependent manner and stimulated autophagy, mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis. These effects increased neuronal resistance to energy stress. D-BHB also stimulated the autophagic-lysosomal pathway through AMPK activation and TFEB-mediated lysosomal biogenesis. Upregulation of SIRT2, FOXOs, PGC1α and TFEB was confirmed in the brain of ketogenic diet (KD)-treated mice. Altogether, the results identify SIRT2, for the first time, as a target of D-BHB in neurons, which is involved in the regulation of autophagy/mitophagy and mitochondrial quality control.

Experienced barriers to adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention among MSM: a systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative studies.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States are at disproportionate risk for HIV. Once-daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention is a highly effective method of preventing HIV infection; however, optimal adherence is necessary to maintain effectiveness. Many studies have profiled perceived barriers to adherence among at-risk MSM; however, nearly a decade after FDA approval, there has been little work examining experienced barriers to adherence among MSM who have previously used the medication. To assess the current state of this literature and its implications for behavioral interventions, we conducted a meta-ethnography (i.e., A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies) of experiences with PrEP use among cis-gender MSM in the United States. We found that structural-level interventions, such as telehealth and pharmacist-prescribed approaches to PrEP distribution, may circumvent barriers to uptake and adherence for some MSM, but may not be enough for already underserved communities, such as MSM of color. Furthermore, interpersonal-level factors, such as enacted PrEP stigma by providers and peers, highlight the necessary consideration of social identity in the branding of PrEP for HIV prevention. Tailored interventions should consider experienced barriers to PrEP adherence across socioecological levels to be most effective.

Fullerenes as Key Components for Low-Dimensional (Photo)electrocatalytic Nanohybrid Materials.

An emerging class of heterostructures with unprecedented (photo)electrocatalytic behavior, involving the combination of fullerenes and low-dimensional (LD) nanohybrids, is currently expanding the field of energy materials. The unique physical and chemical properties of fullerenes have offered new opportunities to tailor both the electronic structures and the catalytic activities of the nanohybrid structures. Here, we comprehensively review the synthetic approaches to prepare fullerene-based hybrids with LD (0D, 1D, and 2D) materials in addition to their resulting structural and catalytic properties. Recent advances in the design of fullerene-based LD nanomaterials for (photo)electrocatalytic applications are emphasized. The fundamental relationship between the electronic structures and the catalytic functions of the heterostructures, including the role of the fullerenes, is addressed to provide an in-depth understanding of these emerging materials at the molecular level.

High blocking temperatures for DyScS endohedral fullerene single-molecule magnets.

Dy-based single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are of great interest due to their ability to exhibit very large thermal barriers to relaxation and therefore high blocking temperatures. One interesting line of investigation is Dy-encapsulating endohedral clusterfullerenes, in which a carbon cage protects magnetic Dy3+ ions against decoherence by environmental noise and allows for the stabilization of bonding and magnetic interactions that would be difficult to achieve in other molecular architectures. Recent studies of such materials have focused on clusters with two Dy atoms, since ferromagnetic exchange between Dy atoms is known to reduce the rate of magnetic relaxation via quantum tunneling. Here, two new dysprosium-containing mixed-metallic sulfide clusterfullerenes, DyScS@C s(6)-C82 and DyScS@C 3v(8)-C82, have been successfully synthesized, isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry, Vis-NIR, cyclic voltammetry, single crystal X-ray diffractometry, and magnetic measurements. Crystallographic analyses show that the conformation of the encapsulated cluster inside the fullerene cages is notably different than in the Dy2X@C s(6)-C82 and Dy2X@C 3v(8)-C82 (X = S, O) analogues. Remarkably, both isomers of DyScS@C82 show open magnetic hysteresis and slow magnetic relaxation, even at zero field. Their magnetic blocking temperatures are around 7.3 K, which are among the highest values reported for clusterfullerene SMMs. The SMM properties of DyScS@C82 far outperform those of the dilanthanide analogues Dy2S@C82, in contrast to the trend observed for carbide and nitride Dy clusterfullerenes.