Melt movement through the Icelandic crust.

We use both seismology and geobarometry to investigate the movement of melt through the volcanic crust of Iceland. We have captured melt in the act of moving within or through a series of sills ranging from the upper mantle to the shallow crust by the clusters of small earthquakes it produces as it forces its way upward. The melt is injected not just beneath the central volcanoes, but also at discrete locations along the rift zones and above the centre of the underlying mantle plume. We suggest that the high strain rates required to produce seismicity at depths of 10-25 km in a normally ductile part of the Icelandic crust are linked to the exsolution of carbon dioxide from the basaltic melts. The seismicity and geobarometry provide complementary information on the way that the melt moves through the crust, stalling and fractionating, and often freezing in one or more melt lenses on its way upwards: the seismicity shows what is happening instantaneously today, while the geobarometry gives constraints averaged over longer time scales on the depths of residence in the crust of melts prior to their eruption. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Magma reservoir architecture and dynamics'

Yoga programme for type-2 diabetes prevention (YOGA-DP) among high risk people in India: a multicentre feasibility randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: A huge population in India is at high risk of type-2 diabetes (T2DM). Physical activity and a healthy diet (healthy lifestyle) improve blood glucose levels in people at high risk of T2DM. However, an unhealthy lifestyle is common among Indians. Yoga covers physical activity and a healthy diet and can help to prevent T2DM. The research question to be addressed by the main randomised controlled trial (RCT) is whether a Yoga programme for T2DM prevention (YOGA-DP) is effective in preventing T2DM among high risk people in India as compared with enhanced standard care. In this current study, we are determining the feasibility of undertaking the main RCT. INTERVENTION: YOGA-DP is a structured lifestyle education and exercise programme. The exercise part is based on Yoga and includes Shithilikarana Vyayama (loosening exercises), Surya Namaskar (sun salutation exercises), Asana (Yogic poses), Pranayama (breathing practices) and Dhyana (meditation) and relaxation practices. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre, two-arm, parallel-group, feasibility RCT with blinded outcome assessment and integrated mixed-methods process evaluation. Eligible participants should be aged 18-74 years, at high risk of T2DM (fasting plasma glucose level 5.6-6.9 mmol/L) and safe to participate in physical activities. At least 64 participants will be randomised to intervention or control group with final follow-up at 6 months. Important parameters, needed to design the main RCT, will be estimated, such as SD of the outcome measure (fasting plasma glucose level at 6-month follow-up), recruitment, intervention adherence, follow-up, potential contamination and time needed to conduct the study. Semistructured qualitative interviews will be conducted with up to 20-30 participants, a sample of those declining to participate, four YOGA-DP instructors and around eight study staff to explore their perceptions and experiences of taking part in the study and of the intervention, reasons behind non-participation, experiences of delivering the intervention and running the study, respectively. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from the following Research Ethics Committees: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham (UK); Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC, India); Bapu Nature Cure Hospital and Yogashram (BNCHY, India) and Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA, India). The results will be widely disseminated among key stakeholders through various avenues. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTRI/2019/05/018893

Adaptation and validation of the Charlson Index for Read/OXMIS coded databases

BACKGROUND: The Charlson comorbidity index is widely used in ICD-9 administrative data, however, there is no translation for Read/OXMIS coded data despite increasing use of the General Practice Research Database (GPRD). Our main objective was to translate the Charlson index for use with Read/OXMIS coded data such as the GPRD and test its association with mortality. We also aimed to provide a version of the comorbidity index for other researchers using similar datasets. METHODS: Two clinicians translated the Charlson index into Read/OXMIS codes. We tested the association between comorbidity score and increased mortality in 146 441 patients from the GPRD using proportional hazards models. RESULTS: This Read/OXMIS translation of the Charlson index contains 3156 codes. Our validation showed a strong positive association between Charlson score and age. Cox proportional models show a positive increasing association with mortality and Charlson score. The discrimination of the logistic regression model for mortality was good (AUC = 0.853). CONCLUSION: We have translated a commonly used comorbidity index into Read/OXMIS for use in UK primary care databases. The translated index showed a good discrimination in our study population. This is the first study to develop a co-morbidity index for use with the Read/OXMIS coding system and the GPRD. A copy of the co-morbidity index is provided for other researchers using similar database

Alcohol Consumption Among Older Adults in Primary Care

BACKGROUND: Alcohol misuse is a growing public health concern for older adults, particularly among primary care patients. OBJECTIVES: To determine alcohol consumption patterns and the characteristics associated with at-risk drinking in a large sample of elderly primary care patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of multisite screening data from 6 VA Medical Centers, 2 hospital-based health care networks, and 3 Community Health Centers. PARTICIPANTS: Patients, 43,606, aged 65 to 103 years, with scheduled primary care appointments were approached for screening; 27,714 (63.6%) consented to be screened. The final sample of persons with completed screens comprised 24,863 patients. MEASUREMENTS: Quantity and frequency of alcohol use, demographics, social support measures, and measures of depression/anxiety. RESULTS: Of the 24,863 older adults screened, 70.0% reported no consumption of alcohol in the past year, 21.5% were moderate drinkers (1–7 drinks/week), 4.1% were at-risk drinkers (8–14 drinks/week), and 4.5% were heavy (>14 drinks/week) or binge drinkers. Heavy drinking showed significant positive association with depressive/anxiety symptoms [Odds ratio (OR) (95% CI): 1.79 (1.30, 2.45)] and less social support [OR (95% CI): 2.01 (1.14, 2.56)]. Heavy drinking combined with binging was similarly positively associated with depressive/anxiety symptoms [OR (95%): 1.70 (1.33, 2.17)] and perceived poor health [OR (95% CI): 1.27 (1.03, 1.57)], while at-risk drinking was not associated with any of these variables. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participants were nondrinkers; among alcohol users, at-risk drinkers did not differ significantly from moderate drinkers in their characteristics or for the 3 health parameters evaluated. In contrast, heavy drinking was associated with depression and anxiety and less social support, and heavy drinking combined with binge drinking was associated with depressive/anxiety symptoms and perceived poor health

Developing cancer warning statements for alcoholic beverages

Background: There is growing evidence of the increased cancer risk associated with alcohol consumption, but this is not well understood by the general public. This study investigated the acceptability among drinkers of cancer warning statements for alcoholic beverages. Methods: Six focus groups were conducted with Australian drinkers to develop a series of cancer-related warning statements for alcohol products. Eleven cancer warning statements and one general health warning statement were subsequently tested on 2,168 drinkers via an online survey. The statements varied by message frame (positive vs negative), cancer reference (general vs specific), and the way causality was communicated (‘increases risk of cancer’ vs ‘can cause cancer’). Results: Overall, responses to the cancer statements were neutral to favorable, indicating that they are unlikely to encounter high levels of negative reaction from the community if introduced on alcoholic beverages. Females, younger respondents, and those with higher levels of education generally found the statements to be more believable, convincing, and personally relevant. Positively framed messages, those referring to specific forms of cancer, and those using ‘increases risk of cancer’ performed better than negatively framed messages, those referring to cancer in general, and those using the term ‘can cause cancer’. Conclusion: Cancer warning statements on alcoholic beverages constitute a potential means of increasing awareness about the relationship between alcohol consumption and cancer risk

MiRNA-Mediated Control of HLA-G Expression and Function

HLA-G is a non-classical HLA class-Ib molecule expressed mainly by the extravillous cytotrophoblasts (EVT) of the placenta. The expression of HLA-G on these fetal cells protects the EVT cells from immune rejection and is therefore important for a healthy pregnancy. The mechanisms controlling HLA-G expression are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that miR-148a and miR-152 down-regulate HLA-G expression by binding its 3′UTR and that this down-regulation of HLA-G affects LILRB1 recognition and consequently, abolishes the LILRB1-mediated inhibition of NK cell killing. We further demonstrate that the C/G polymorphism at position +3142 of HLA-G 3′UTR has no effect on the miRNA targeting of HLA-G. We show that in the placenta both miR-148a and miR-152 miRNAs are expressed at relatively low levels, compared to other healthy tissues, and that the mRNA levels of HLA-G are particularly high and we therefore suggest that this might enable the tissue specific expression of HLA-G

Yoga Programme for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention (YOGA-DP) Among High-Risk People in India: A Multicenter Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Many Indians are at high risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The blood glucose level can be improved through a healthy lifestyle (such as physical activity and a healthy diet). Yoga can help in T2DM prevention, being a culturally appropriate approach to improving lifestyle. We developed the Yoga Programme for T2DM Prevention (YOGA-DP), a 24-week structured lifestyle education and exercise (Yoga) program that included 27 group Yoga sessions and self-practice of Yoga at home. In this study, the feasibility of undertaking a definitive randomized controlled trial (RCT) was explored that will evaluate the intervention's effectiveness among high-risk individuals in India. METHODS: A multicenter, two-arm, parallel-group, feasibility RCT was conducted in India. The outcome assessors and data analysts were blinded. Adults with a fasting blood glucose level of 100-125 mg/dL (i.e., at high risk of T2DM) were eligible. Participants were randomized centrally using a computer-generated randomization schedule. In the intervention group, participants received YOGA-DP. In the control group, participants received enhanced standard care. RESULTS: In this feasibility trial, the recruitment of participants took 4 months (from May to September 2019). We screened 711 people and assessed 160 for eligibility. Sixty-five participants (33 in the intervention group and 32 in the control group) were randomized, and 57 (88%) participants were followed up for 6 months (32 in the intervention group and 25 in the control group). In the intervention group, the group Yoga sessions were continuously attended by 32 (97%) participants (median (interquartile range, IQR) number of sessions attended = 27 (3)). In the intervention group, Yoga was self-practiced at home by 30 (91%) participants (median (IQR) number of days per week and minutes per day self-practiced = 2 (2) and 35 (15), respectively). In the control group, one (3%) participant attended external Yoga sessions (on Pranayama) for 1 week during the feasibility trial period. There was no serious adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: The participant recruitment and follow-up and adherence to the intervention were promising in this feasibility study. In the control group, the potential contamination was low. Therefore, it should be feasible to undertake a definitive RCT in the future that will evaluate YOGA-DP's effectiveness among high-risk people in India. FEASIBILITY TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI) CTRI/2019/05/018893; registered on May 1, 2019

Yoga programme for type 2 diabetes prevention (YOGA-DP) among high-risk people in India: a multi-center feasibility randomized controlled trial

IntroductionMany Indians are at high-risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The blood glucose level can be improved through a healthy lifestyle (such as physical activity and a healthy diet). Yoga can help in T2DM prevention, being a culturally appropriate approach to improving lifestyle. We developed a Yoga programme for T2DM prevention (YOGA-DP), a 24-week structured lifestyle education and exercise (Yoga) program that included 27 group Yoga sessions and self-practice of Yoga at home. In this study, the feasibility of undertaking a definitive randomized controlled trial (RCT) was explored that will evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness among high-risk individuals in India. MethodsA multi-center, two-arm, parallel-group, feasibility RCT was conducted in India. The outcome assessors and data analysts were blinded. Adults with a fasting blood glucose level of 100-125 mg/dL (i.e., at high-risk of T2DM) were eligible. Participants were randomized centrally using a computer-generated randomization schedule. In the intervention group, participants received YOGA-DP. In the control group, participants received enhanced standard care. ResultsIn this feasibility trial, the recruitment of participants took 4 months (from May to September 2019). We screened 711 people and assessed 160 for eligibility. Sixty-five participants (33 in the intervention group and 32 in the control group) were randomized, and 57 (88%) participants were followed up for 6 months (32 in the intervention group and 25 in the control group). In the intervention group, the group Yoga sessions were continuously attended by 32 (97%) participants (median (interquartile range (IQR)) number of sessions attended = 27 (3)). In the intervention group, Yoga was self-practiced at home by 30 (91%) participants (median (IQR) number of days/week and minutes/day self-practiced = 2 (2) and 35 (15), respectively). In the control group, one (3%) participant attended external Yoga sessions (on Pranayama) for one week during the feasibility trial period. There was no serious adverse event.ConclusionsThe participant recruitment and follow-up and adherence to the intervention were promising in this feasibility study. In the control group, the potential contamination was low. Therefore, it should be feasible to undertake a definitive RCT in the future that will evaluate YOGA-DP’s effectiveness among high-risk people in India