Using personality as a predictor of diet induced weight loss and weight management

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A major challenge for successful weight management is tailoring weight loss programs to individual needs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether personality traits could be used to match individuals to a compatible weight loss program that would maximize weight loss.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Two different weight loss trials were conducted, both with a weight loss greater than 5% the measure of success. Fifty-four individuals, BMI 30-40 kg/m², either followed a slow, healthy eating weight loss diet (HEWLD) of 5000-6000 kJ/day for 12 weeks (n = 22), or a fast, very low energy diet (VLED) of 3000 kJ/day for 4 weeks (n = 32). Anthropometric measurements were recorded at baseline, at the end of the weight loss period and, for VLED, at the end of 10 weeks of weight maintenance. Personality traits were measured at baseline using the Tangney Self Control Scale plus 3 of the scales from the Five Factor Model - Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Extraversion.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The percentage weight loss was significantly greater in VLED (-7.38%) compared to HEWLD (-4.11%), (p < 0.001). Weight loss in HEWLD was positively correlated with Anxiety, a facet of Neuroticism. Weight loss in VLED was positively correlated with Neuroticism (r = 0.5, p < 0.01), and negatively correlated with Dutifulness and Discipline, facets of Conscientiousness, (p < 0.05 for both). No link was observed between weight loss and the personality trait, Self Control, in either HEWLD or VLED.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The personality factor, Neuroticism, was linked to successful weight loss (that is ≥ 5%) with a particular weight loss treatment, suggesting that there is a potential to use measures of personality to identify appropriate weight loss/management strategies for individuals.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): <a href="http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12611000716965.aspx">ACTRN12611000716965</a></p

Deep Sequencing of RNA from Blood and Oral Swab Samples Reveals the Presence of Nucleic Acid from a Number of Pathogens in Patients with Acute Ebola Virus Disease and Is Consistent with Bacterial Translocation across the Gut.

In this study, samples from the 2013-2016 West African Ebola virus outbreak from patients in Guinea with Ebola virus disease (EVD) were analyzed to discover and classify what other pathogens were present. Throat swabs were taken from deceased EVD patients, and peripheral blood samples were analyzed that had been taken from patients when they presented at the treatment center with acute illness. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and bioinformatics were used to identify the potential microorganisms. This approach confirmed Ebola virus (EBOV) in all samples from patients diagnosed as acute positive for the virus by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in deployed field laboratories. Nucleic acid mapping to Plasmodium was also used on the patient samples, confirming results obtained with an antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) conducted in the field laboratories. The data suggested that a high Plasmodium load, as determined by sequence read depth, was associated with mortality and influenced the host response, whereas a lower parasite load did not appear to affect outcome. The identifications of selected bacteria from throat swabs via RNA-seq were confirmed by culture. The data indicated that the potential pathogens identified in the blood samples were associated with translocation from the gut, suggesting the presence of bacteremia, which transcriptome data suggested may induce or aggravate the acute-phase response observed during EVD. Transcripts mapping to different viruses were also identified, including those indicative of lytic infections. The development of high-resolution analysis of samples from patients with EVD will help inform care pathways and the most appropriate general antimicrobial therapy to be used in a resource-poor setting. IMPORTANCE Our results highlight the identification of an array of pathogens in the blood of patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD). This has not been done before, and the data have important implications for the treatment of patients with EVD, particularly considering antibiotic stewardship. We show that EVD patients who were also infected with Plasmodium, particularly at higher loads, had more adverse outcomes than patients with lower levels of Plasmodium. However, the presence of Plasmodium did not influence the innate immune response, and it is likely that the presence of EBOV dominated this response. Several viruses other than EBOV were identified, and bacteria associated with sepsis were also identified. These findings were indicative of bacterial translocation across the gut during the acute phase of EVD

Resurgence of Ebola virus in 2021 in Guinea suggests a new paradigm for outbreaks

These authors contributed equally: Alpha K. Keita, Fara R. Koundouno, Martin Faye, Ariane Düx, Julia Hinzmann.International audienc

Assessment of personal qualities in selection of medical radiation science students

It is increasingly acknowledged that, in addition to prior academic achievement, there is a need to seek evidence for the abilities and personal qualities of applicants to health professional programs at a university. The aim of this study was to determine the specific abilities and personal qualities required for excellence in practice in the relevant professional domains of medical radiation science (MRS). METHODS: A focus group, consisting of MRS academic staff, developed a questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to senior MRS practitioners throughout Australia and 213 were returned for analysis. Respondents were asked to rate 40 specific abilities and qualities (referred to as "elements") on a 5-point scale. RESULTS: Two hundred thirteen completed questionnaires were returned, a 53% response rate. One hundred twelve respondents (52%) indicated they currently worked in diagnostic radiography (DR), 57 (27%) worked in radiation therapy (RT), and 44 (21%) worked in nuclear medicine (NM). The duration (mean +/- SD) of the respondents' professional practice in MRS was 14.5 +/- 10 y, with durations ranging from 1 to 43 y. Raw scores and mean scores were examined for any influence of the variable "Number of Years in Practice." DISCUSSION: No major differences were found between the ratings provided by the practitioners from the 3 different MRS professional domains of NM, RT, and DR. Factor analysis indicated the existence of 3 orthogonal factors in the questionnaire data: (a) treat others professionally and ethically, (b) engage with and be open to others, and (c) problem-solving ability. Qualitative analysis of the respondents' comments provided similar themes: (a) the need for professional competence (knowledge and abilities), (b) ethical behavior, (c) the need for a technology and a people orientation, and (d) MRS should be the first choice of MRS students and not a second choice to other professional degrees. CONCLUSION: Senior medical radiation scientists identified professionalism, ethical behavior, engagement with and openness to others, intrinsic specific motivation, and an orientation to people and technology as nonacademic qualities required for excellence in the practice of the professions embraced by MRS

Different features of Vδ2 T and NK cells in fatal and non-fatal human Ebola infections.

Human Ebola infection is characterized by a paralysis of the immune system. A signature of αβ T cells in fatal Ebola infection has been recently proposed, while the involvement of innate immune cells in the protection/pathogenesis of Ebola infection is unknown. Aim of this study was to analyze γδ T and NK cells in patients from the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2015 occurred in West Africa, and to assess their association with the clinical outcome

NK cells in survivors and in fatalities.

<p>The frequency of NK (<b>A</b>), and of NK subsets (<b>B:</b> CD56^bright, CD56^dim, and CD56^neg) was analyzed in HD (n = 14), EBOV-survivors (n = 7) and EBOV-fatalities (n = 6). Statistical analysis was performed by using Mann Whitney test and differences were considered significant with a p<0.05, and highlighted with an asterisk. *: p<0.05; **: p<0.01; ***: p<0.001.</p

Frequency of Vδ2 T-cells in survivors and in fatalities.

<p>The frequency of Vδ2 (<b>A</b>), Vδ2^posCD95^pos (<b>B</b>), of Vδ2^posCCR7^neg (<b>C</b>) and Vδ2^posCTLA-4^pos (<b>D</b>) was analyzed in HD (n = 14), EBOV-survivors (n = 10) and EBOV-fatalities (n = 6). Statistical analysis was performed by using Mann Whitney test and differences were considered significant with a p<0.05 and highlighted with an asterisk.*: p<0.05; **: p<0.01; ***: p<0.001.</p