A systematic review of the relationship between socio-economic position and physical activity

Objective The aim of the present review was to examine epidemiological evidence to determine if there is strong evidence of a positive gradient of increasing physical activity across the socio-economic strata, and how relationships are affected by socio-economic measurement. Design Systematic review. Method A search of major databases was conducted to identify published studies that reported physical activity in relation to socio-economic position (SEP) in adults. Results Twenty-eight cross-sectional and five longitudinal studies met the inclusion criteria. Approximately half of these were American. Consequently education and income were most commonly used to represent SEP. The majority of studies were secondary analyses of existing health survey data, which could explain the generally large sample sizes and methodological weaknesses in physical activity and SEP measurement. There was consistent evidence of a higher prevalence or higher levels of leisure-time or moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity in those at the top of the socio-economic strata compared with those at the bottom. Evidence for positive gradients across the socio-economic strata was less consistent. Education produced the most stable relationships, less susceptible to confounding effects of ethnicity and the environment. Conclusion Those at the top of the socio-economic scale appear to perform more leisure-time activity than those at the bottom. Diverse and often crude physical activity and socio-economic measurement made it difficult to distinguish between artefact and true effect in a relationship with so many potential confounding influences. Further studies using up-to-date methods of socio-economic and physical activity measurement are necessary to further explore this relationship and its confounders

A systematic review of the relationship between socio-economic position and physical activity

Objective \ud The aim of the present review was to examine epidemiological evidence to determine if there is strong evidence of a positive gradient of increasing physical activity across the socio-economic strata, and how relationships are affected by socio-economic measurement.\ud \ud Design \ud Systematic review.\ud \ud Method \ud A search of major databases was conducted to identify published studies that reported physical activity in relation to socio-economic position (SEP) in adults.\ud Results Twenty-eight cross-sectional and five longitudinal studies met the inclusion criteria. Approximately half of these were American. Consequently education and income were most commonly used to represent SEP. The majority of studies were secondary analyses of existing health survey data, which could explain the generally large sample sizes and methodological weaknesses in physical activity and SEP measurement. There was consistent evidence of a higher prevalence or higher levels of leisure-time or moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity in those at the top of the socio-economic strata compared with those at the bottom. Evidence for positive gradients across the socio-economic strata was less consistent. Education produced the most stable relationships, less susceptible to confounding effects of ethnicity and the environment.\ud \ud Conclusion \ud Those at the top of the socio-economic scale appear to perform more leisure-time activity than those at the bottom. Diverse and often crude physical activity and socio-economic measurement made it difficult to distinguish between artefact and true effect in a relationship with so many potential confounding influences. Further studies using up-to-date methods of socio-economic and physical activity measurement are necessary to further explore this relationship and its confounders

Challenging the nuances of pain assessment with co-designed audio-visual simulations in nursing education: A descriptive study

Background: Appropriate management of pain remains a challenging issue. Surfacing nurses’ inherent assumptions about pain may lead to better pain management. This study developed and evaluated new audio-visual (AV) simulations for nursing students showcasing patient characteristics that may influence pain assessment. Methods: Descriptive pre/post intervention study informed by the STROBE framework. Participants were drawn from two Australian universities. Three AV simulations were codesigned by clinicians, educators, and health consumers. Data included: demographics, previous experiences of pain assessment; compassion scale, feasibility, and relevance of AV simulations. Quantile regression and content analyses were applied. Results: Full data sets of 491 participants (314 from Curtin University and 177 from Queensland University of Technology) were analyzed. Cohorts were equivalent except for age, country of birth, and stage within the program of study. Participants found the AV simulations easy to understand, relevant to practice, and beneficial in prompting reflection on patients’ responses to pain and nurses’ critical thinking. Compassion scores increased significantly following the intervention. Conclusions: AV simulations triggered participants’ reflection on factors that can influence pain assessment and were considered valuable learning experiences

Developing a resource for arts educators to enhance the social and emotional well-being of young people

Background: Mental health concerns prevent positive well-being and are key challenges for Australian children and young people. Arts organisations play a role in enhancing the positive mental health of children and young people. This paper describes the involvement of young people and their parents in the development of a resource for arts organisation’s intentional support of social and emotional well-being. Methods: Six focus groups were conducted with 19 young people who participate in dance, drama, and circus programs, and 17 of their parents. Questions explored how the arts currently, and potentially, support their social and emotional well-being. Results: Three overarching themes: Connecting with Others; Being Myself; and Teaching Methods, plus 14 sub-themes were identified. Conclusion: A framework of well-being factors and pedagogies was developed to guide the creation of a resource to help support the social and emotional well-being of young people participating in arts programs

Book reviews

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/45614/1/11199_2004_Article_BF00287509.pd

A survey for hydroxyl in the THOR pilot region around W43

We report on observations of the hydroxyl radical (OH) within The H{\sc I}, OH Recombination line survey (THOR) pilot region. The region is bounded approximately between Galactic coordinates l=29.2 to 31.5 ∘ and b=-1.0 to +1.0 ∘ and includes the high-mass star forming region W43. We identify 103 maser sites, including 72 with 1612\,MHz masers, 42 showing masers in either of the main line transitions at 1665 and 1667\,MHz and four showing 1720\,MHz masers. Most maser sites with either main-line or 1720\,MHz emission are associated with star formation, whereas most of the 1612\,MHz masers are associated with evolved stars. We find that nearly all of the main-line maser sites are co-spatial with an infrared source, detected by GLIMPSE. We also find diffuse OH emission, as well as OH in absorption towards selected unresolved or partially resolved sites. Extended OH absorption is found towards the well known star forming complex W43 Main

Effectiveness of self-financing patient-led support groups in the management of hypertension and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review

OBJECTIVE: There is insufficient evidence on the role of self-financing patient support groups in the control of blood pressure (BP) and/or diabetes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a systematic review to investigate the effectiveness of these groups in BP and glycaemic control. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Global Health, African Journals Online, CINAHL and African Index Medicus for published peer-reviewed articles from inception up to November 2021. Grey literature was obtained from OpenGrey. Studies on patient support groups for hypertension and/or diabetes with a component of pooling financial resources, conducted in LMICs, were included. Narrative reviews, commentaries, editorials and articles published in languages other than English and French were excluded. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed using the National Institutes of Health Quality assessment tool and the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Results are reported according to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Of 724 records screened, three studies met the criteria: two trials conducted in Kenya and a retrospective cohort study conducted in Cambodia. All studies reported improvement in BP control after 12 months follow-up with reductions in systolic BP of 23, 14.8, and 16.9 mmHg, respectively. Two studies reported diabetes parameters. The first reported improvement in HbA1c (reduction from baseline 10.8%, to 10.6% at 6 months) and random blood sugar (baseline 8.9 mmol/L, to 8.5 mmol/L at 6 months) but these changes did not achieve statistical significance. The second reported a reduction in fasting blood glucose (baseline-216 mg/dl, 12 months-159 mg/dl) in diabetic patients on medication. CONCLUSION: Self-financing patient support groups for diabetes and hypertension are potentially effective in the control of BP and diabetes in LMICs. More studies are needed to add to the scarce evidence base on the role of self-financing patient support groups

Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy leads to tuberculosis reactivation via dysregulation of TNF-alpha

Previously, we developed a 3-dimensional cell culture model of human tuberculosis (TB) and demonstrated its potential to interrogate the host-pathogen interaction (Tezera et al., 2017a). Here, we use the model to investigate mechanisms whereby immune checkpoint therapy for cancer paradoxically activates TB infection. In patients, PD-1 is expressed in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-infected lung tissue but is absent in areas of immunopathology. In the microsphere model, PD-1 ligands are up-regulated by infection, and the PD-1/PD-L1 axis is further induced by hypoxia. Inhibition of PD-1 signalling increases Mtb growth, and augments cytokine secretion. TNF-a is responsible for accelerated Mtb growth, and TNF-a neutralisation reverses augmented Mtb growth caused by anti-PD-1 treatment. In human TB, pulmonary TNF-a immunoreactivity is increased and circulating PD-1 expression negatively correlates with sputum TNF-a concentrations. Together, our findings demonstrate that PD-1 regulates the immune response in TB, and inhibition of PD-1 accelerates Mtb growth via excessive TNF-a secretion.</p

GASKAP -- The Galactic ASKAP Survey

A survey of the Milky Way disk and the Magellanic System at the wavelengths of the 21-cm atomic hydrogen (HI) line and three 18-cm lines of the OH molecule will be carried out with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope. The survey will study the distribution of HI emission and absorption with unprecedented angular and velocity resolution, as well as molecular line thermal emission, absorption, and maser lines. The area to be covered includes the Galactic plane (|b|< 10deg) at all declinations south of delta = +40deg, spanning longitudes 167deg through 360deg to 79deg at b=0deg, plus the entire area of the Magellanic Stream and Clouds, a total of 13,020 square degrees. The brightness temperature sensitivity will be very good, typically sigma_T ~ 1 K at resolution 30arcsec and 1 km/s. The survey has a wide spectrum of scientific goals, from studies of galaxy evolution to star formation, with particular contributions to understanding stellar wind kinematics, the thermal phases of the interstellar medium, the interaction between gas in the disk and halo, and the dynamical and thermal states of gas at various positions along the Magellanic Stream.Comment: 45 pages, 8 figures, Pub. Astron. Soc. Australia (in press

What is quantitative plant biology?

Quantitative plant biology is an interdisciplinary field that builds on a long history of biomathematics and biophysics. Today, thanks to high spatiotemporal resolution tools and computational modelling, it sets a new standard in plant science. Acquired data, whether molecular, geometric or mechanical, are quantified, statistically assessed and integrated at multiple scales and across fields. They feed testable predictions that, in turn, guide further experimental tests. Quantitative features such as variability, noise, robustness, delays or feedback loops are included to account for the inner dynamics of plants and their interactions with the environment. Here, we present the main features of this ongoing revolution, through new questions around signalling networks, tissue topology, shape plasticity, biomechanics, bioenergetics, ecology and engineering. In the end, quantitative plant biology allows us to question and better understand our interactions with plants. In turn, this field opens the door to transdisciplinary projects with the society, notably through citizen science.Peer reviewe