Measuring food-related attentional bias

Objective: Food-related attentional bias has been defined as the tendency to givepreferential attention to food-related stimuli. Attentional bias is of interest as studies havefound that increased attentional bias is associated with obesity; others, however, havenot. A possible reason for mixed results may be that there is no agreed upon measureof attentional bias: studies differ in both measurement and scoring of attentional bias.Additionally, little is known about the stability of attentional bias over time. The presentstudy aims to compare attentional bias measures generated from commonly usedattentional bias tasks and scoring protocols, and to test re-test reliability.Methods: As part of a larger study, 69 participants (67% female) completed two food-related visual probe tasks at baseline: lexical (words as stimuli), and pictorial (picturesas stimuli). Reaction time bias scores (attentional bias scores) for each task werecalculated in three different ways: by subtracting the reaction times for the trials whereprobes replaced (1) neutral stimuli from the trials where the probes replaced all foodstimuli, (2) neutral stimuli from the trials where probes replaced high caloric food stimuli,and (3) neutral stimuli from low caloric food stimuli. This resulted in three separateattentional bias scores for each task. These reaction time results were then correlated.The pictorial visual probe task was administered a second time 14-days later to assesstest-retest reliability.Results: Regardless of the scoring use, lexical attentional bias scores were minimal,suggesting minimal attentional bias. Pictorial task attentional bias scores were larger,suggesting greater attentional bias. The correlation between the various scores wasrelatively small (r= 0.13–0.20). Similarly, test-retest reliability for the pictorial task waspoor regardless of how the test was scored (r = 0.20–0.41).Conclusion: These results suggest that at least some of the variation in findingsacross attentional bias studies could be due to differences in the way that attentionalbias is measured. Future research may benefit from either combining eye-trackingmeasurements in addition to reaction times

Evaluation of Serbian commercial maize hybrid tolerance to feeding by larval western corn rootworm (diabrotica virgifera virgifera leconte) using me novel 'difference approach'

Since the discovery of the pest in 1992, western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (WCR)) populations in Serbia have successfully been kept low with crop rotation. This has reduced the efficiency of screening maize for WCR resistance. A cooperative project between Iowa State University and the Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje evaluated 13 Serbian commercial maize varieties in Ames, Iowa over a two-year period using the difference approach. Maize hybrids were planted on trap crops where high WCR populations were assumed. Hybrids were evaluated for WCR resistance using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments were paired-rows arranged in split plots with one row in each pair treated with insecticide and the other row left untreated. WCR injury was evaluated using a rating of root size and root re-growth (1-6 scale), root injury (0-3 Node-Injury Scale), root mass, lodging, and yield. The results indicated significant differences among the Serbian hybrids in the presence of moderate-to-high levels of western corn rootworms. The relative benefit of insecticide treatments for maize hybrids was a useful tool in evaluating resistant germplasm. However, conducting analyses on relative differences between insecticide treated and untreated plots was not as effective at detecting differences as comparing the plots independently

Desarrollo integral Agrícola de la franja transversal del norte: diagnóstico integral Sechac

122 páginas pdf.Este trabajo, posee los resultados de la capacitación en servicio impartida por los especialistas del Proyecto de Apoyo IICA/FSB a profesionales, técnicos promotores agrícolas que desarrollan sus actividades. Además hace referencia a aspectos de recursos naturales, agropecuarios, socioeconómicos, infraestructura, organización de empresas y recomendaciones que resumen y señalan los aspectos relevantes en cuanto al desarrollo de la comunidad

A Bayesian reanalysis of the Standard versus Accelerated Initiation of Renal-Replacement Therapy in Acute Kidney Injury (STARRT-AKI) trial

Background Timing of initiation of kidney-replacement therapy (KRT) in critically ill patients remains controversial. The Standard versus Accelerated Initiation of Renal-Replacement Therapy in Acute Kidney Injury (STARRT-AKI) trial compared two strategies of KRT initiation (accelerated versus standard) in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury and found neutral results for 90-day all-cause mortality. Probabilistic exploration of the trial endpoints may enable greater understanding of the trial findings. We aimed to perform a reanalysis using a Bayesian framework. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of all 2927 patients randomized in multi-national STARRT-AKI trial, performed at 168 centers in 15 countries. The primary endpoint, 90-day all-cause mortality, was evaluated using hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression. A spectrum of priors includes optimistic, neutral, and pessimistic priors, along with priors informed from earlier clinical trials. Secondary endpoints (KRT-free days and hospital-free days) were assessed using zero–one inflated beta regression. Results The posterior probability of benefit comparing an accelerated versus a standard KRT initiation strategy for the primary endpoint suggested no important difference, regardless of the prior used (absolute difference of 0.13% [95% credible interval [CrI] − 3.30%; 3.40%], − 0.39% [95% CrI − 3.46%; 3.00%], and 0.64% [95% CrI − 2.53%; 3.88%] for neutral, optimistic, and pessimistic priors, respectively). There was a very low probability that the effect size was equal or larger than a consensus-defined minimal clinically important difference. Patients allocated to the accelerated strategy had a lower number of KRT-free days (median absolute difference of − 3.55 days [95% CrI − 6.38; − 0.48]), with a probability that the accelerated strategy was associated with more KRT-free days of 0.008. Hospital-free days were similar between strategies, with the accelerated strategy having a median absolute difference of 0.48 more hospital-free days (95% CrI − 1.87; 2.72) compared with the standard strategy and the probability that the accelerated strategy had more hospital-free days was 0.66. Conclusions In a Bayesian reanalysis of the STARRT-AKI trial, we found very low probability that an accelerated strategy has clinically important benefits compared with the standard strategy. Patients receiving the accelerated strategy probably have fewer days alive and KRT-free. These findings do not support the adoption of an accelerated strategy of KRT initiation

Regional Practice Variation and Outcomes in the Standard Versus Accelerated Initiation of Renal Replacement Therapy in Acute Kidney Injury (STARRT-AKI) Trial: A Post Hoc Secondary Analysis.

ObjectivesAmong patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI) admitted to the ICU in high-income countries, regional practice variations for fluid balance (FB) management, timing, and choice of renal replacement therapy (RRT) modality may be significant.DesignSecondary post hoc analysis of the STandard vs. Accelerated initiation of Renal Replacement Therapy in Acute Kidney Injury (STARRT-AKI) trial (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02568722).SettingOne hundred-fifty-three ICUs in 13 countries.PatientsAltogether 2693 critically ill patients with AKI, of whom 994 were North American, 1143 European, and 556 from Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).InterventionsNone.Measurements and main resultsTotal mean FB to a maximum of 14 days was +7199 mL in North America, +5641 mL in Europe, and +2211 mL in ANZ (p p p p p p p p = 0.007).ConclusionsAmong STARRT-AKI trial centers, significant regional practice variation exists regarding FB, timing of initiation of RRT, and initial use of continuous RRT. After adjustment, such practice variation was associated with lower ICU and hospital stay and 90-day mortality among ANZ patients compared with other regions