Long-Term Efficacy of a Mobile Mental Wellness Program: Prospective Single-Arm Study.

BACKGROUND: Rising rates of psychological distress (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress) among adults in the United States necessitate effective mental wellness interventions. Despite the prevalence of smartphone app-based programs, research on their efficacy is limited, with only 14% showing clinically validated evidence. Our study evaluates Noom Mood, a commercially available smartphone-based app that uses cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based programming. In this study, we address gaps in the existing literature by examining postintervention outcomes and the broader impact on mental wellness. OBJECTIVE: Noom Mood is a smartphone-based mental wellness program designed to be used by the general population. This prospective study evaluates the efficacy and postintervention outcomes of Noom Mood. We aim to address the rising psychological distress among adults in the United States. METHODS: A 1-arm study design was used, with participants having access to the Noom Mood program for 16 weeks (N=273). Surveys were conducted at baseline, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, and week 32 (16 weeks' postprogram follow-up). This study assessed a range of mental health outcomes, including anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, well-being, quality of life, coping, emotion regulation, sleep, and workplace productivity (absenteeism or presenteeism). RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 40.5 (SD 11.7) years. Statistically significant improvements in anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress were observed by week 4 and maintained through the 16-week intervention and the 32-week follow-up. The largest changes were observed in the first 4 weeks (29% lower, 25% lower, and 15% lower for anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress, respectively), and only small improvements were observed afterward. Reductions in clinically relevant anxiety (7-item generalized anxiety disorder scale) and depression (8-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale) criteria were also maintained from program initiation through the 16-week intervention and the 32-week follow-up. Work productivity also showed statistically significant results, with participants gaining 2.57 productive work days from baseline at 16 weeks, and remaining relatively stable (2.23 productive work days gained) at follow-up (32 weeks). Additionally, effects across all coping, sleep disturbance (23% lower at 32 weeks), and emotion dysregulation variables exhibited positive and significant trends at all time points (15% higher, 23% lower, and 25% higher respectively at 32 weeks). CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes insights into the promising positive impact of Noom Mood on mental health and well-being outcomes, extending beyond the intervention phase. Though more rigorous studies are necessary to understand the mechanism of action at play, this exploratory study addresses critical gaps in the literature, highlighting the potential of smartphone-based mental wellness programs to lessen barriers to mental health support and improve diverse dimensions of well-being. Future research should explore the scalability, feasibility, and long-term adherence of such interventions across diverse populations.

Regional specialization manifests in the reliability of neural population codes.

The brain has the remarkable ability to learn and guide the performance of complex tasks. Decades of lesion studies suggest that different brain regions perform specialized functions in support of complex behaviors1-3. Yet recent large-scale studies of neural activity reveal similar patterns of activity and encoding distributed widely throughout the brain4-6. How these distributed patterns of activity and encoding are compatible with regional specialization of brain function remains unclear. Two frontal brain regions, the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), are a paradigm of this conundrum. In the setting complex behaviors, the dmPFC is necessary for choosing optimal actions2,7,8, whereas the OFC is necessary for waiting for3,9 and learning from2,7,9-12 the outcomes of those actions. Yet both dmPFC and OFC encode both choice- and outcome-related quantities13-20. Here we show that while ensembles of neurons in the dmPFC and OFC of rats encode similar elements of a cognitive task with similar patterns of activity, the two regions differ in when that coding is consistent across trials ("reliable"). In line with the known critical functions of each region, dmPFC activity is more reliable when animals are making choices and less reliable preceding outcomes, whereas OFC activity shows the opposite pattern. Our findings identify the dynamic reliability of neural population codes as a mechanism whereby different brain regions may support distinct cognitive functions despite exhibiting similar patterns of activity and encoding similar quantities.

Employment and child support outcomes among noncustodial fathers: An evaluation of the Fathers Advancing Community Together program.

Prior research underscores the importance of fathers' involvement in their children's lives. However, there is mixed evidence about the degree to which fatherhood programs improve economic stability and child support outcomes among noncustodial fathers. We attempted to address some of these gaps in the literature by evaluating the Fathers Advancing Community Together (FACT) program. FACT was implemented by Rubicon Programs, a community-based nonprofit organization in the Bay Area, California known for providing services to help move people out of poverty. The program provided parents economic stability, responsible parenting, and healthy relationship workshops, as well as support services and intensive case management. We relied on data from the Department of Child Support Services to assess whether FACT increased the likelihood of employment, child support modifications, and child support payments among noncustodial fathers during a 6-month post-enrollment period. Using 3:1 coarsened exact matching procedures, the total sample resulted in 744 fathers (186 in the intervention group and 558 in the comparison group). Results from logistic regression models indicate that FACT participants were more likely to be employed and more likely to receive a child support modification during the post-enrollment period than their comparison counterparts, though we found no significant relationship between FACT participation and whether fathers made a child support payment.

Investigaciones previas subrayan la importancia de la participación de los padres en las vidas de sus hijos. Sin embargo, hay datos contradictorios acerca del grado en el cual los programas sobre la paternidad mejoran los resultados en la estabilidad económica y la manutención infantil entre los padres que no tienen la custodia de sus hijos. Intentamos abordar algunos de estos vacíos en las publicaciones evaluando el programa "Padres que fomentan la comunidad juntos" (Fathers Advancing Community Together, FACT). El programa FACT fue implementado por Rubicon Programs, una organización comunitaria sin fines de lucro en el Área de la Bahía de California, conocida por prestar servicios para ayudar a las personas a salir de la pobreza. El programa ofreció talleres de estabilidad económica para los padres, crianza responsable y relaciones sanas, así como servicios de apoyo y gestión intensiva de casos. Utilizamos datos del Departamento de Servicios de Manutención Infantil (Department of Child Support Services) para evaluar si el FACT aumentó la probabilidad de empleo, las modificaciones en la manutención infantil y los pagos de la manutención infantil entre padres sin la custodia de sus hijos durante un periodo de seis meses posterior a la inscripción. Utilizando métodos de emparejamiento exacto 3:1, la muestra total dio como resultado 744 padres (186 en el grupo de intervención y 558 en el grupo de comparación). Los resultados de los modelos de regresión logística indican que los participantes del FACT tuvieron más probabilidades de ser empleados y de recibir una modificación en la manutención infantil durante el periodo posterior a la inscripción que sus homólogos del grupo de de comparación, aunque no encontramos una relación significativa entre la participación en el FACT y si los padres hicieron un pago de manutención infantil.

Genome Sequences of Gordonia terrae Bacteriophages Phinally and Vivi2.

Bacteriophages Phinally and Vivi2 were isolated from soil from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, using host Gordonia terrae 3612. The Phinally and Vivi2 genomes are 59,265 bp and 59,337 bp, respectively, and share sequence similarity with each other and with GTE6. Fewer than 25% of the 87 to 89 putative genes have predictable functions.

Genome Sequences of Gordonia Phages BaxterFox, Kita, Nymphadora, and Yeezy.

Gordonia phages BaxterFox, Kita, Nymphadora, and Yeezy are newly characterized phages of Gordonia terrae, isolated from soil samples in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These phages have genome lengths between 50,346 and 53,717 bp, and encode on average 84 predicted proteins. All have G+C content of 66.6%.

Genome Sequences of Gordonia terrae Phages Attis and SoilAssassin.

Attis and SoilAssassin are two closely related bacteriophages isolated on Gordonia terrae 3612 from separate soil samples in Pittsburgh, PA. The Attis and SoilAssassin genomes are 47,881 bp and 47,880 bp, respectively, and have 74 predicted protein-coding genes, including toxin-antitoxin systems, but no tRNAs.

Genome Sequences of Gordonia terrae Phages Benczkowski14 and Katyusha.

Bacteriophages Katyusha and Benczkowski14 are newly isolated phages that infect Gordonia terrae 3612. Both have siphoviral morphologies with isometric heads and long tails (500 nm). The genomes are 75,380 bp long and closely related, and the tape measure genes (9 kbp) are among the largest to be identified.

Genome Sequences of Mycobacteriophages AlanGrant, Baee, Corofin, OrangeOswald, and Vincenzo, New Members of Cluster B.

AlanGrant, Baee, Corofin, OrangeOswald, and Vincenzo are newly isolated phages of Mycobacterium smegmatis mc(2)155 discovered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. All five phages share nucleotide similarity with cluster B mycobacteriophages but span considerable diversity with Corofin and OrangeOswald in subcluster B3, AlanGrant and Vincenzo in subcluster B4, and Baee in subcluster B5.

Clergy knowledge and attitudes concerning faith community nursing: toward a three-dimensional scale.

OBJECTIVE: Research has described faith community nursing practice, including positive aspects and barriers to practice. Barriers to faith community nursing practice must be identified and addressed to facilitate faith community nursing programs. The primary purpose of this study was to pilot test a newly developed instrument to measure knowledge and attitudes concerning faith community nursing. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: A survey design was used. The sample included clergy in the United Church of Christ (n=34). MEASURES: An investigator developed survey entitled Knowledge, Attitudes, and Opinions Concerning Faith Community Nursing was administered. RESULTS: Psychometric evaluation of the survey included content validity and internal consistency reliability for each of 3 scales. Coefficient alpha was high, ranging from .88 to .95. The results of the survey indicate that clergy, within the selected Christian denomination, generally have adequate knowledge and positive attitudes about faith community nursing. Knowledge scores on one item indicated some uncertainty among clergy about spiritual counseling as a nursing intervention. A major limitation to this study was the small, homogeneous sample. Future research should include further psychometric evaluation of validity and reliability in a larger, diverse sample. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that, with further testing, the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Opinions Concerning Faith Community Nursing Survey has the potential to expand assessment of barriers to faith community nursing.

The relationship of fatigue and meaning in life in breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To determine relationships among (a) cancer-related fatigue and meaning in life, (b) overall symptom distress and meaning in life, (c) fatigue and performance, and (d) overall symptom distress and performance in breast cancer survivors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and correlational. SETTING: Community-based setting in eastern Pennsylvania. SAMPLE: 34 women who had completed their last treatment for breast cancer within the prior 16 months. METHODS: Data were collected using the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), Life Attitude Profile-Revised (LAP-R), Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF), and Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form 36 (SF-36). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Fatigue and meaning in life. FINDINGS: One moderate negative correlation was found between the PFS sensory subscale and the choice or responsibleness dimension of the LAP-R. Significant moderate to strong negative correlations were found between the MSAS-SF total score and two subscale scores and the existential transcendence dimension of the LAP-R. Significant moderate to strong negative correlations were found between four subscales of the SF-36 representing performance and the MSAS-SF total score. CONCLUSIONS: Meaning in life may influence fatigue and overall symptoms in breast cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Assessment of meaning in life may be important in the management of fatigue and overall symptoms in women after treatment for breast cancer.