UK Alcohol Treatment trial: client-treatment matching effects

Aim To test a priori hypotheses concerning client–treatment matching in the treatment of alcohol problems and to evaluate the more general hypothesis that client–treatment matching adds to the overall effectiveness of treatment. Design Pragmatic, multi-centre, randomized controlled trial (the UK Alcohol Treatment Trial: UKATT) with open follow-up at 3 months after entry and blind follow-up at 12 months. Setting Five treatment centres, comprising seven treatment sites, including National Health Service (NHS), social services and joint NHS/non-statutory facilities. Treatments Motivational enhancement therapy and social behaviour and network therapy. Measurements Matching hypotheses were tested by examining interactions between client attributes and treatment types at both 3 and 12 months follow-up using the outcome variables of percentage days abstinent, drinks per drinking day and scores on the Alcohol Problems Questionnaire and Leeds Dependence Questionnaire. Findings None of five matching hypotheses was confirmed at either follow-up point on any outcome variable. Conclusion The findings strongly support the conclusion reached in Project MATCH in the United States that client–treatment matching, at least of the kind examined, is unlikely to result in substantial improvements to the effectiveness of treatment for alcohol problems. Possible reasons for this failure to support the general matching hypothesis are discussed, as are the implications of UKATT findings for the provision of treatment for alcohol problems in the United Kingdom

Measuring the effects of listening for leisure on outcome after stroke (MELLO):A pilot randomized controlled trial of mindful music listening

Background: Cognitive deficits and low mood are common post-stroke. Music listening is suggested to have beneficial effects on cognition, while mindfulness may improve mood. Combining these approaches may enhance cognitive recovery and improve mood early post-stroke. Aims: To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a novel mindful music listening intervention. Methods: A parallel group randomized controlled feasibility trial with ischemic stroke patients, comparing three groups; mindful music listening, music listening and audiobook listening (control group), eight weeks intervention. Feasibility was measured using adherence to protocol and questionnaires. Cognition (including measures of verbal memory and attention) and mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were assessed at baseline, end of intervention and at six-months post-stroke. Results: Seventy-two participants were randomized to mindful music listening (n = 23), music listening (n = 24), or audiobook listening (n = 25). Feasibility and acceptability measures were encouraging: 94% fully consistent with protocol; 68.1% completing ≥6/8 treatment visits; 80–107% listening adherence; 83% retention to six-month endpoint. Treatment effect sizes for cognition at six month follow-up ranged from d = 0.00 ([−0.64,0.64], music alone), d = 0.31, ([0.36,0.97], mindful music) for list learning; to d = 0.58 ([0.06,1.11], music alone), d = 0.51 ([−0.07,1.09], mindful music) for immediate story recall; and d = 0.67 ([0.12,1.22], music alone), d = 0.77 ([0.16,1.38]mindful music) for attentional switching compared to audiobooks. No signal of change was seen for mood. A definitive study would require 306 participants to detect a clinically substantial difference in improvement (z-score difference = 0.66, p = 0.017, 80% power) in verbal memory (delayed story recall). Conclusions: Mindful music listening is feasible and acceptable post-stroke. Music listening interventions appear to be a promising approach to improving recovery from stroke

Building a diverse workforce and thinkforce to reduce health disparities

The Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program was congressionally man-dated in 1985 to build research capacity at institutions that currently and historically recruit, train, and award doctorate degrees in the health professions and health-related sciences, primarily to individuals from underrepresented and minority populations. RCMI grantees share similar infrastructure needs and institutional goals. Of particular importance is the professional development of multidisciplinary teams of academic and community scholars (the “workforce”) and the harnessing of the heterogeneity of thought (the “thinkforce”) to reduce health disparities. The purpose of this report is to summarize the presentations and discussion at the RCMI Investigator Development Core (IDC) Workshop, held in conjunction with the RCMI Program National Conference in Bethesda, Maryland, in December 2019. The RCMI IDC Directors provided information about their professional development activities and Pilot Projects Programs and discussed barriers identified by new and early-stage investigators that limit effective career development, as well as potential solutions to overcome such obstacles. This report also proposes potential alignments of professional development activities, targeted goals and common metrics to track productivity and success

The Oxytricha trifallax Mitochondrial Genome

The Oxytricha trifallax mitochondrial genome contains the largest sequenced ciliate mitochondrial chromosome (∼70 kb) plus a ∼5-kb linear plasmid bearing mitochondrial telomeres. We identify two new ciliate split genes (rps3 and nad2) as well as four new mitochondrial genes (ribosomal small subunit protein genes: rps- 2, 7, 8, 10), previously undetected in ciliates due to their extreme divergence. The increased size of the Oxytricha mitochondrial genome relative to other ciliates is primarily a consequence of terminal expansions, rather than the retention of ancestral mitochondrial genes. Successive segmental duplications, visible in one of the two Oxytricha mitochondrial subterminal regions, appear to have contributed to the genome expansion. Consistent with pseudogene formation and decay, the subtermini possess shorter, more loosely packed open reading frames than the remainder of the genome. The mitochondrial plasmid shares a 251-bp region with 82% identity to the mitochondrial chromosome, suggesting that it most likely integrated into the chromosome at least once. This region on the chromosome is also close to the end of the most terminal member of a series of duplications, hinting at a possible association between the plasmid and the duplications. The presence of mitochondrial telomeres on the mitochondrial plasmid suggests that such plasmids may be a vehicle for lateral transfer of telomeric sequences between mitochondrial genomes. We conjecture that the extreme divergence observed in ciliate mitochondrial genomes may be due, in part, to repeated invasions by relatively error-prone DNA polymerase-bearing mobile elements

Nutrient addition effects and the role of vegetation in California vernal pools

Thesis (M.S., Biological Sciences (Biological Conservation)) -- California State University, Sacramento, 2012Increased nutrient deposition from excessive fertilizer application, manure production, and other industrial discharges into aquatic environments is altering the structure and function of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Eutrophication is characterized by the input of excessive nutrients, which can cause a shift from a relatively clear, macrophyte-dominated condition (oligotrophic) to a turbid, algae-dominated condition at the highest nutrient levels (eutrophic). It has been extensively demonstrated to occur in continuously flooded aquatic systems, but is poorly understood in seasonal wetlands. This study investigated the effects of nutrient addition and the role of vegetation in the manifestation of these effects in California vernal pools ??? a highly threatened seasonal wetland ecosystem susceptible to eutrophication from nutrient-laden storm water runoff and excrement from grazing animals. Applying predictions observed in continuously aquatic systems and recent nutrient-addition experiments in vernal pools, it was hypothesized that the response of vernal pools to nutrient enrichment will be consistent with eutrophication observed in continuously aquatic systems (e.g., increased algae, turbidity, conductivity, decreased dissolved oxygen) and that the presence of vegetation will mitigate the effects of eutrophication, with beneficial effects to invertebrate populations. \ud The experimental design consisted of five nutrient (phosphorous) treatments replicated three times and placed in a vegetation or vegetation-removal treatment. Turbidity, dissolved oxygen, algae concentration, invertebrate density, invertebrate species richness, pH, and conductivity were measured biweekly over six weeks. Treatment effects were determined using factorial multivariate analysis of variance with Fisher???s Least Significant Different post-hoc tests conducted for significant effects of nutrient addition treatments. Correlations between dependent variables were estimated using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. \ud Vernal pool mesocosms did not exhibit a eutrophic response consistent with continuously aquatic systems when nutrients were added, but this may be attributable to the timing of the study. Nutrient addition did increase invertebrate species richness. The presence of vegetation reduced algal densities and thus lowered turbidity and also had positive effects on invertebrate species richness. This study demonstrated that the presence of vegetation mitigated some adverse effects of eutrophication and informed the ongoing debate regarding the benefit of grazing as a management tool in vernal pool ecosystems.Biological Sciences (Biological Conservation

Final Report

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MELLO: Study Protocol: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial Of Listening Based Leisure Activities Following Ischemic Stroke

Background and aims: Stroke is the leading cause of disability in older adults. Early post-stroke interventions often focus on physical recovery. Less attention is paid to mood and cognition enhancing interventions that have the potential to improve well-being without the adverse side effects associated with pharmacological interventions. Daily music listening is an accessible and a low cost activity that has been suggested to have a beneficial effect on cognition and mood post stroke. The mechanism of this effect, or if it is reliable, however is not clear. It is speculated that music listening may enhance control of attention in a similar way to mindfulness interventions, that have been demonstrated to be beneficial in the treatment of mood disorders. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention combining music listening with brief mindfulness training, within a randomised controlled trial (RCT) context, early post stroke. Method: This is a three-arm, parallel group, single-blind pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). Individuals with ischemic stroke undergo assessment of mood and cognition (attention and memory) within four weeks post-stroke prior to being randomised to receive an 8-week music listening, mindful music listening, or audiobook listening intervention. Follow-up assessments of mood and cognition are carried out at 3-months and 6-months post-stroke. In addition, a qualitative interview exploring participants’ experience will be completed post intervention. Conclusions: If the mindful music listening intervention is found to be feasible and acceptable, a full scale RCT to investigate its efficacy would be warranted

MELLO: Study Protocol: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial Of Listening Based Leisure Activities Following Ischemic Stroke

Background and aims: Stroke is the leading cause of disability in older adults. Early post-stroke interventions often focus on physical recovery. Less attention is paid to mood and cognition enhancing interventions that have the potential to improve well-being without the adverse side effects associated with pharmacological interventions. Daily music listening is an accessible and a low cost activity that has been suggested to have a beneficial effect on cognition and mood post stroke. The mechanism of this effect, or if it is reliable, however is not clear. It is speculated that music listening may enhance control of attention in a similar way to mindfulness interventions, that have been demonstrated to be beneficial in the treatment of mood disorders. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention combining music listening with brief mindfulness training, within a randomised controlled trial (RCT) context, early post stroke. Method: This is a three-arm, parallel group, single-blind pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). Individuals with ischemic stroke undergo assessment of mood and cognition (attention and memory) within four weeks post-stroke prior to being randomised to receive an 8-week music listening, mindful music listening, or audiobook listening intervention. Follow-up assessments of mood and cognition are carried out at 3-months and 6-months post-stroke. In addition, a qualitative interview exploring participants’ experience will be completed post intervention. Conclusions: If the mindful music listening intervention is found to be feasible and acceptable, a full scale RCT to investigate its efficacy would be warranted