Sources of Information about Dietary Fibre: A Cross-Country Survey

Dietary fibre (DF) has been recognized as a major determinant for improvement of health. Hence the means of information through which people become aware of its benefits are crucial. This work aimed at studying the sources of information about DF, as a means to educate people about aspects related to healthy eating. Factors such as gender, level of education, living environment or country were evaluated as to their effect on the selection of sources and preferences. For this, a descriptive cross-sectional study by means of a questionnaire, applied to a non-probabilistic sample of 6010 participants from 10 countries in different continents (Europe, Africa and America), answered after informed consent by all participants. For the analysis were used several descriptive statistics tools, crosstabs and chi square test to assess the relations between some of the variables under study. The results showed that mostly the information about DF comes from the internet, but the participants recognize that television might be a most suitable way to disseminate information about DF. The results also indicated differences between genders, levels of education, living environments and countries. The internet, the preferred source of information, got highest scores for Hungary, for urban areas, for university level of education and for female gender. The radio, the least scored source of information, was preferred in Egypt, for men and with lower education (primary school). As a conclusion, people get information through the internet due to easy access. However, it is to some extent a risk given the impossibility to control de information made public on the internet. The role of health centers and hospitals as well as schools should definitely be increased, as a responsible way to ensure correct information

Level of information about dietary fibre: a study involving 10 Countries

Introduction: Dietary fibre (DF) is recognized as healthy for long, so that health claims are allowed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) due to its proved benefits, extended but not only confined to many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Objective: This work intended to analyse the level of information about DF in 10 countries, situated in Europe, Africa and South America. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken through a survey based on a questionnaire of self-response applied to a sample of 6010 participants. The data were lately treated by factor and cluster analyses, including validation methodologies. Results: Factor analysis showed that ten of the twelve items used to assess the knowledge about DF could be arranged into two factors: one related to health effects (α =0.854) and the other to the sources (α =0.644). Furthermore, cluster analysis showed that the participants could be divided into three groups: 1) Good knowledge about sources and health effects of DF; 2) Good knowledge about the sources of DF but poor knowledge about the health effects; 3) Poor knowledge about the sources and health effects of DF. Conclusions: The results clearly allowed identifying two factors and three clusters, and the variables that most influenced cluster membership were country, living environment and level of education.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High-grade ICA stenosis: Clinical-ultrasound correlation

In our daily practice, Color Doppler Ultrasound as a noninvasive technique is first choice for assessing the grade og ICA stenosis. This report describes is there any colleration among clinical symptoms and ultrasound diagnosed high-grade ICA stenosis in symptomatic patients

Lower legs arteries occlusion: Color doppler ultrasound versus IV DSA

In our daily practice, Color Doppler Ultrasound - CDU as a noninvasive technique is the first choice for assessing the patients with daudication. This report compares results gathered with Doppler Ultrasound that were checked with intra venous Digital Subtractional Arteriography - IV DSA more a less invasive than direct arteriography

Web-based integrated bipolar parenting intervention (IBPI) for parents with bipolar disorder:intervention development and evaluation in a randomised controlled pilot trial

Background: People with bipolar disorder (BD) experience parenting challenges associated with mood fluctuations. This talk describes the development and evaluation of a novel web- based self- management approach (Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention; IBPI) to support parents with BD developed with individuals with lived experience of bipolar disorder. Methods: IBPI content and structure was developed in collaboration with service users coordinated by a service user grant holder. Parents with BD with children aged 3- 10 years randomised to IBPI plus treatment as usual (TAU) or waitlist control (WL). IBPI offered 16 weeks access to interactive self- management information concerning BD and parenting issues. The trial was designed to access feasibility and acceptability as well as provide initial indications of potential benefits of IBPI. Feasibility was through recruitment, retention and web usage. Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, 16, 24, 36 and 48 weeks. A nested qualitative study was conducted focusing on participant experiences of the IBPI intervention. Results: The intervention and trial design were both feasible and acceptable. 97 participants were recruited with 90% retention to final follow- up. 77% of IBPI participants accessed the website. Child behaviour, parenting sense of competence and parenting stress improved significantly in IBPI compared to WL to end of intervention, sustained to 48 weeks. Qualitative feedback indicated participants’ valued this approach and made suggestions for further improvements. Conclusions: Developing an online self- management support for parents with BD is feasible, with promising improvements in parenting and child behaviour outcomes. A definitive clinical and cost- effectiveness trial is required

Web-based integrated bipolar parenting intervention for parents with bipolar disorder:a randomised controlled pilot trial

BACKGROUND: People with bipolar disorder (BD) experience additional parenting challenges associated with mood driven fluctuations in communication, impulse control and motivation. This paper describes a novel web-based self-management approach (Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention; IBPI) to support parents with BD. METHOD: Parents with BD with children aged 3-10 years randomised to IBPI plus treatment as usual (TAU) or waitlist control (WL). IBPI offered 16 weeks access to interactive self-management information concerning BD and parenting issues. Feasibility was through recruitment, retention and web usage. Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, 16, 24, 36 and 48 weeks. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN75279027. RESULTS: Ninety seven participants were recruited with 98% retention to end of intervention and 90% to final follow-up (56%-94% data analysed of retained participants; higher rates for observer measures). 77% of IBPI participants accessed the website (53% accessed parenting modules). Child behaviour, parenting sense of competence and parenting stress improved significantly in IBPI compared to WL to end of intervention, sustained to 48 weeks. Impacts of IBPI on family functioning, parent mood and time to mood relapse were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Online self-management support for parents with BD is feasible, with promising improvements in parenting and child behaviour outcomes. A definitive clinical and cost-effectiveness trial is required to confirm and extend these findings

Web-based integrated bipolar parenting intervention for parents with bipolar disorder:a randomised controlled pilot trial

BACKGROUND: People with bipolar disorder (BD) experience additional parenting challenges associated with mood driven fluctuations in communication, impulse control and motivation. This paper describes a novel web-based self-management approach (Integrated Bipolar Parenting Intervention; IBPI) to support parents with BD. METHOD: Parents with BD with children aged 3-10 years randomised to IBPI plus treatment as usual (TAU) or waitlist control (WL). IBPI offered 16 weeks access to interactive self-management information concerning BD and parenting issues. Feasibility was through recruitment, retention and web usage. Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, 16, 24, 36 and 48 weeks. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN75279027. RESULTS: Ninety seven participants were recruited with 98% retention to end of intervention and 90% to final follow-up (56%-94% data analysed of retained participants; higher rates for observer measures). 77% of IBPI participants accessed the website (53% accessed parenting modules). Child behaviour, parenting sense of competence and parenting stress improved significantly in IBPI compared to WL to end of intervention, sustained to 48 weeks. Impacts of IBPI on family functioning, parent mood and time to mood relapse were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Online self-management support for parents with BD is feasible, with promising improvements in parenting and child behaviour outcomes. A definitive clinical and cost-effectiveness trial is required to confirm and extend these findings

Bi-Allelic Mutations in STXBP2 Reveal a Complementary Role for STXBP1 in Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Killing

The ability of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CL) to eliminate virus-infected or cancerous target cells through the granule exocytosis death pathway is critical to immune homeostasis. Congenital loss of CL function due to bi-allelic mutations in PRF1, UNC13D, STX11, or STXBP2 leads to a potentially fatal immune dysregulation, familial haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL). This occurs due to the failure of CLs to release functional pore-forming protein perforin and, therefore, inability to kill the target cell. Bi-allelic mutations in partner proteins STXBP2 or STX11 impair CL cytotoxicity due to failed docking/fusion of cytotoxic secretory granules with the plasma membrane. One unique feature of STXBP2- and STX11-deficient patient CLs is that their short-term in vitro treatment with a low concentration of IL-2 partially or completely restores natural killer (NK) cell degranulation and cytotoxicity, suggesting the existence of a secondary, yet unknown, pathway for secretory granule exocytosis. In the current report, we studied NK and T-cell function in an individual with late presentation of FHL due to hypomorphic bi-allelic mutations in STXBP2. Intriguingly, in addition to the expected alterations in the STXBP2 and STX11 proteins, we also observed a concomitant significant reduction in the expression of homologous STXBP1 protein and its partner STX1, which had never been implicated in CL function. Further analysis of human NK and T cells demonstrated a functional role for the STXBP1/STX1 axis in NK and CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity, where it appears to be responsible for as much as 50% of their cytotoxic activity. This discovery suggests a unique and previously unappreciated interplay between STXBP/Munc proteins regulating the same essential granule exocytosis pathway