Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium intake, and bone mineral density in Spanish adults

Summary Vitamin D insufficiency is very common among Spanish community-dwelling adult subjects. A threshold of serum 25(OH)D around 30 ng/ml would be necessary for the prevention of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hip bone loss in our population, regardless of the dairy calcium ingestion. Introduction This study aims to assess 25-hydroxyvitamin D?25(OH)D?status in Spanish adult subjects and to analyze its relationships with serum PTH levels, calcium intake, and bone mineral density (BMD). Methods A total of 1811 individuals (1154 postmenopausal women and 657 men) aged 44?93 years participated in the study. Serum 25(OH)D, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), aminoterminal propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP), and Cterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (?-CTX) levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence. BMD was determined by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip. Results Serum 25(OH)D levels were below 10, 20, and 30 ng/ml in 5, 40, and 83%of participants, respectively. There was a significant seasonal difference in mean serum 25(OH)D, with higher levels in summer?autumn. In multivariate analysis, 25(OH)D levels were negatively correlated with age, serum PTH and creatinine, body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, and a number of chronic diseases, but positively with dairy calcium intake. The magnitude of the difference in serum PTH according to 25(OH)D quartiles was not influenced by calcium intake. A threshold of serum 25(OH)D around 30 ng/ml was observed for serum PTH and hip BMD. Conclusions Vitamin D insufficiency is very common among Spanish community-dwelling adult subjects. A threshold of serum 25(OH)D around 30 ng/ml would be necessary for the prevention of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hip bone loss in our population, regardless of the dairy calcium ingestion. Programs to improve vitamin D status may be required in our country

Acceptability and feasibility of a virtual community of practice to primary care professionals regarding patient empowerment : A qualitative pilot study

Background: Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions. Methods: We used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software. Results: The available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016

Acceptability and feasibility of a virtual community of practice to primary care professionals regarding patient empowerment: A qualitative pilot study

Background: Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions. Methods: We used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software. Results: The available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016.This study was financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Cofinanced by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. Gobierno de España. (PI15/00164, PI15/00586, PI15/00566

A regulated deficit irrigation strategy for hedgerow olive orchards with high plant density

Background & Aims There is not a consensus on the best irrigation approach for super-high density (SHD) olive orchards. Our aim was to design and test a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategy for a sustainable balance between water saving, tree vigour and oil production. Methods We tested our RDI strategy for 3 years in an ‘Arbequina’ orchard with 1,667 trees ha−1. Two levels of irrigation reduction were applied, 60RDI and 30RDI, scaled to replacing 60 % and 30 %, respectively, of the of irrigation needs (IN). We also had a full irrigation (FI) treatment as control, with IN totalling 4,701 m3 ha−1 Results The 30RDI treatment showed the best balance between water saving, tree vigour and oil production. With a yearly irrigation amount (IA) of 1,366 m3 ha−1, which meant 72 % water saving as compared to FI, the reduction in oil yield was 26 % only. Conclusions Our results, together with recent knowledge on the effect of water stress on fruit development, allowed us to suggest a potentially improved RDI strategy for which a total IA of ca. 2,100 m3 ha−1 was calculated. Both some management details and the benefits of this suggested RDI strategy are still to be tested

Salud de los trabajadores

Actividad física y su relación con los factores de riesgo cardiovascular de carteros chilenosAnálisis de resultados: riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo Suceso-Istas 21 en Cesfam QuellónAusentismo laboral por enfermedades oftalmológicas, Chile 2009Brote de diarreas por norovirus, posterremoto-tsunami, Constitución, Región del MauleCalidad de vida en profesionales de la salud pública chilenaCaracterización del reposo laboral en personal del SSMN durante el primer semestre de 2010Concentración de nicotina en pelo en trabajadores no fumadores expuestos a humo de tabaco ambientalCondiciones de trabajo y bienestar/malestar docente en profesores de enseñanza media de SantiagoDisfunción auditiva inducida por exposición a xilenoErgonomía aplicada al estudio del síndrome de dolor lumbar en el trabajoEstimación de la frecuencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de una empresa mineraExposición a plaguicidas inhibidores de la acetilcolinesterasa en Colombia, 2006-2009Factores de riesgo y daños de salud en conductores de una empresa peruana de transporte terrestre, 2009Las consecuencias de la cultura en salud y seguridad ocupacional en una empresa mineraPercepción de cambios en la práctica médica y estrategias de afrontamientoPercepción de la calidad de vida en la Universidad del BiobíoPesos máximos aceptables para tareas de levantamiento manual de carga en población laboral femeninaRiesgo coronario en trabajadores mineros según la función de Framingham adaptada para la población chilenaTrastornos emocionales y riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de la salu

Dual targeting of p53 and c-MYC selectively eliminates leukaemic stem cells

e Glasgow and Manchester Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC), which are funded by CR-UK and the Chief Scientist’s Office (Scotland). We acknowledge the funders who have contributed to this work: MRC stratified medicine infrastructure award (A.D.W.), CR-UK C11074/A11008 (F.P., L.E.M.H., T.L.H., A.D.W.); LLR08071 (S.A.A., E.C.); LLR11017 (M.C.); SCD/04 (M.C.); LLR13035 (S.A.A., K.D., A.D.W., and A.P.); LLR14005 (M.T.S., D.V.); KKL690 (L.E.P.); KKL698 (P.B.); LLR08004 (A.D.W., A.P. and A.J.W.); MRC CiC (M.E.D.); The Howat Foundation (FACS support); Friends of Paul O’Gorman (K.D. and FACS support); ELF 67954 (S.A.A.); BSH start up fund (S.A.A.); MR/K014854/1 (K.D.)