Social Media Use for Cancer Support Among Young Adults with Cancer

Purpose: Social media can facilitate peer support among young adults with cancer; however, information is needed about what social media are used, by whom, and how to inform resource and intervention recommendations. Methods: In December 2021, we conducted an online survey with 396 young adults with cancer, ages 18–39, with any diagnosis ages 15–39. Participants reported their social media use to connect with other young adults with cancer, including frequency of use, type of support, and affect (positive to negative) when using to connect with cancer peers. Results: Participants were on average 31 years old (SD = 5.2), with an average age of 27 at diagnosis (63.4% male, 62.1% non-Hispanic White). Almost all (97.5%) reported using social media to connect with other young adults with cancer. Many (48.0%) used three or more social media platforms for cancer support, including Facebook (44.4%), YouTube (43.6%), Instagram (43.4%), Snapchat (36.9%), and Twitter (36.9%). Daily use for cancer support was common (32.9%–60.9%) among those who used social media, particularly among those who were younger; are not transgender; live in urban areas; or had brain, gynecologic, or testicular cancers. Across social media platforms, young adults with cancer reported seeking and sharing emotional support (88.9%), informational support (84.1%), and making connections (81.3%). Conclusion: Young adults with cancer use social media to connect with cancer peers for support. Commonly used existing social media (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, Instagram) should be prioritized in interventions to reach young adults who desire more age-appropriate resources to improve their psychosocial health

Infrared Absorption Investigations Confirm the Extraterrestrial Origin of Carbonado-Diamonds

The first complete infrared FTIR absorption spectra for carbonado-diamond confirm the interstellar origin for the most enigmatic diamonds known as carbonado. All previous attempts failed to measure the absorption of carbonado-diamond in the most important IR-range of 1000-1300 cm-1 (10.00-7.69 micro-m.) because of silica inclusions. In our investigation, KBr pellets were made from crushed silica-free carbonado-diamond and thin sections were also prepared. The 100 to 1000 times brighter synchrotron infrared radiation permits a greater spatial resolution. Inclusions and pore spaces were avoided and/or sources of chemical contamination were removed. The FTIR spectra of carbonado-diamond mostly depict the presence of single nitrogen impurities, and hydrogen. The lack of identifiable nitrogen aggregates in the infrared spectra, the presence of features related to hydrocarbon stretch bonds, and the resemblance of the spectra to CVD and presolar diamonds indicate that carbonado-diamonds formed in a hydrogen-rich interstellar environment. This is consistent with carbonado-diamond being sintered and porous, with extremely reduced metals, metal alloys, carbides and nitrides, light carbon isotopes, surfaces with glassy melt-like patinas, deformation lamellae, and a complete absence of primary, terrestrial mineral inclusions. The 2.6-3.8 billion year old fragmented body was of asteroidal proportions

A MENAGERIE OF INTERFACE STRUCTURES IN COPOLYMER SYSTEMS

Les macromolécules de copolymère dibloc peuvent être considérées comme amphophiles. De telles molécules s'auto-assemblent instantanément sous forme d'un grand nombre de structures qui présentent des surfaces de courbure moyenne à peu près constante séparant les composants du matériau. Les transitions ordre-désordre dans les matériaux non traités résultent en des structures de micro-domaines ordonnés formes de sphères BCC, de cylindres groupés hexagonalement et de lamelles empilées. De plus la structure double diamant bicontinu ordonne (OBDD) se trouve aussi apparaître sous forme de phase cubique entre les morphologies cylindriques et lamellaires. La structure de l'interface de l'OBDD ressemble à une famille de surfaces de courbure moyenne constante récemment découvertes qui incluent la surface minimale D de Schwarz. Une autre structure d'interface qui approxime la Première Surface de Scherk est une rotation de 90 degrés de la frontière entre les grains de lamelles. Le mélange d'un copolymère dibloc avec un homopolymère fournit un système binaire aux usages variés qui présente une concentration micellaire critique, des micelles sphériques et cylindriques, des vesicles lamellaires ainsi que des transitions ordonnées dépendant de la composition. La pénétration du homopolymère dans un coté de la région proche de l'interface joue un rôle dans les variations observées de la courbure de l'interface dans les mélanges aussi bien que dans le copolymère dibloc pur. Des géométries confinantes telles que les surfaces externes, les films fins et les micro-gouttelettes peuvent influencer les structures de l'interface. Il a été montré que des structures chaotiques discontinues ainsi que parallèles à la surface telles que des coques sphériques concentriques apparaissent dans les micro-gouttelettes d'un copolymère dibloc qui forment des microdomaines lamellaires dans le matériau.Diblock copolymer macromolecules may be viewed as giant amphiphiles. Such molecules readily self-assemble into a wide variety of structures which exhibit intermaterial dividing surfaces of approximately constant mean curvature. Order-disorder transitions in bulk materials result in ordered microdomain structures of BCC spheres, hexagonally packed cylinders and stacked lamella. An additional structure, the ordered bicontinuous double-diamond (OBDD) is also shown to occur as a cubic phase between the cylindrical and lamellar morphologies. The interface structure of the OBDD resembles a recently discovered family of constant mean curvature surfaces which include the Schwarz D minimal surface. Another interface structure which approximates Scherk's First Surface is a 90 twist boundary between grains of lamella. Blending of diblock copolymer with homopolymer provides a versatile binary system which displays a critical micelle concentration, spherical and cylindrical micelles, lamellar vesicles as well as ordering transitions depending on composition. The penetration of homopolymer into one side of the near-interface region accounts for the observed variations in interface curvature in blends from that of the pure diblock. Confining geometries, such as external surfaces, thin films and microdroplets can influence interface structures. Chaotic bicontinuous as well as parallel surface structures such as concentric spherical shells are shown to occur in microdroplets of a diblock copolymer which forms lamellar microdomains in the bulk

A menagerie of interface structures in copolymer systems

Diblock copolymer macromolecules may be viewed as giant amphiphiles. Such molecules readily self-assemble into a wide variety of structures which exhibit intermaterial dividing surfaces of approximately constant mean curvature. Order-disorder transitions in bulk materials result in ordered microdomain structures of BCC spheres, hexagonally packed cylinders and stacked lamella. An additional structure, the ordered bicontinuous double-diamond (OBDD) is also shown to occur as a cubic phase between the cylindrical and lamellar morphologies. The interface structure of the OBDD resembles a recently discovered family of constant mean curvature surfaces which include the Schwarz D minimal surface. Another interface structure which approximates Scherk's First Surface is a 90 twist boundary between grains of lamella. Blending of diblock copolymer with homopolymer provides a versatile binary system which displays a critical micelle concentration, spherical and cylindrical micelles, lamellar vesicles as well as ordering transitions depending on composition. The penetration of homopolymer into one side of the near-interface region accounts for the observed variations in interface curvature in blends from that of the pure diblock. Confining geometries, such as external surfaces, thin films and microdroplets can influence interface structures. Chaotic bicontinuous as well as parallel surface structures such as concentric spherical shells are shown to occur in microdroplets of a diblock copolymer which forms lamellar microdomains in the bulk

FT-IR microscopical analysis with synchrotron radiation: The microscope optics and system performance

When a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectrometer was first interfaced with the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) in September 1993, there was an instant realization that the performance at the diffraction limit had increased 40-100 times. The synchrotron source transformed the IR microspectrometer into a true IR microprobe, providing high-quality IR spectra for probe diameters at the diffraction limit. The combination of IR microspectroscopy and synchrotron radiation provides a powerful new tool for molecular spectroscopy. The ability to perform IR microspectroscopy with synchrotron radiation is still under development at Brookhaven National Laboratory, but several initial studies have been completed that demonstrate the broad-ranging applications of this technology and its potential for materials characterization