Intra-individual variation in children\u27s physical activity patterns: Implications for measurement

Children\u27s physical activity (PA) patterns change form day to day. This intra-individual variability affects precision when measuring key physical activity and sedentary behavior variables. This paper discusses strategies to reduce the random error associated with intra-individual variability and demonstrates the implications for assessing PA when varying number of days are sampled. Self-reported data collected on two hundred and ninety eight 13- to 14-year-olds were used to compare estimates of PA and sedentary behaviour derived from between 1 and 7 days of recall data. Large intra-individual coefficients of variation were calculated for physical activity level (14.5%), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (83.4%), screen time (60.8%) and sleep (12.2%). While the magnitude of error associated with estimating means decreased as more days were sampled, the paper notes that depending on the nature of the research question being asked, fewer days may yield sufficiently precise estimates. Therefore, researchers should conduct power analyses based on estimated inter- and intra-individual variability and sample size to determine how many days to sample when assessing children\u27s PA patterns

Strategic foresight paper on AtlantOS in the European context: Towards strengthened coordination and governance of ocean observing systems

This paper looks at the marine science-policy landscape and brings together different policy discussions aimed at the development of a European Ocean Observing System, in the context of AtlantOS and how this relates to wider Atlantic and global policy drivers and existing and emerging wider ocean observation coordination. It has a European focus, looking at proposed mechanisms and components for ocean coordination and governance and the potential contribution of existing organizations and initiatives. The report serves as a reference document for, and contribution to, the European Strategy on Atlantic Ocean Observing and international BluePrint for an integrated Atlantic Ocean Observing System

Efficacy of Intraoperative Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Monitoring: A Single-Institutions’ Experience

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) during thyroidectomy in preventing recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Academic institution. Patients: Consecutive sample of subjects undergoing thyroidectomy by experienced endocrine surgeons between 2006 and 2008 at a single institution. Intervention: Intraoperative RLN monitoring. Main outcome measure: RLN injury. Results: Between 2006 and 2008, 296 subjects underwent thyroid lobectomy or total thyroidectomy by the authors. One patient was excluded because of preoperative documentation of RLN injury. IONM was used in 253 (88%) cases, with a total of 403 nerves at risk of injury. Loss of RLN signal following surgical dissection occurred in 13 cases, prompting a change in surgical plan in one case. Post-operative laryngoscopy was performed in eight patients with hoarseness, documenting vocal cord paralysis in one patient who had clear intraoperative anatomic evidence of RLN injury. In no case did loss of RLN signal after dissection lead to nerve injury in the absence of anatomical evidence of injury as detected by the surgeon. Conclusions: IONM added cost and resulted in surgeon angst in cases of malfunction without a clear benefit in RLN identification and protection. Anatomic identification of the RLN should remain the gold standard in preventing RLN injury during thyroidectomy

Future Generations, Discount Rates and the Optimal Harvest of Fisheries Resources

The role of discounting in determining the optimal harvest of natural resources has been extensively debated in the economic and natural resources literature. Differing approaches to discounting to address sustainability and intergenerational equity issues have the potential to significantly affect the allocation of resources between harvesting and conservation for this generation and the stock of resources available for future generations. This presents a very real problem in New Zealand where legislation requires fisheries managers to maintain the potential of the resources to meet the “reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations.” This paper investigates the appropriate use of discount rates in evaluating policy decisions that involve the intergenerational allocation of fisheries resources. Dynamic bioeconomic optimisation is used to model the effect of discount rates on the optimal harvest of a stock characterized by moderate longevity and growth. The economic and biological effects of alternative rebuilding strategies that are assumed to meet the needs of future generations are explored under alternative prices, variable costs, and rebuilding horizons. The preliminary empirical analysis revealed that higher discount rates produce lower net present values, slower rebuilding rates, and more pronounced harvest reductions as the rebuilding deadline approached. However, at discount rates that are common and justified in the literature, the effects may be insignificant. Whether these results are dependent on the assumed moderate growth characteristic of the stock, the failure to account for perceptions regarding biological and economic risk, or the use of a common discount rate are subjects of continuing research.Keywords: Discount rates, future generations, bioeconomic modelling, New Zealand Fisheries Ac

Diet, Weight Management, Physical activity and Ovarian & Breast Cancer Risk in Women With

INTRODUCTION: Women with pathogenic germline gene variants in METHODS: We searched Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov up to October 3, 2019. We identified 2775 records and included 21. RESULTS: There is limited evidence related to these factors and ovarian cancer risk. For breast cancer risk, evidence suggests higher diet quality, adulthood weight-loss of ≥10 pounds, and activity during adolescence and young-adulthood may be linked with decreased risk. Higher meat intake and higher daily energy intake may be linked with increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: There is not enough evidence to suggest tailored recommendations for dietary habits or weight management among women wit

The process of co‐design for a new anxiety intervention for autistic children

Background: Mental health difficulties are common for autistic people; however, almost no interventions have been co‐designed with the autistic community. Co‐design has the potential to add important insights from lived experience into intervention design, but there are currently limited examples of how rigorously to undertake this practice. This paper details a worked model of co‐design and its process, focussed on adapting an evidenced parent‐led intervention for non‐autistic child anxiety (HYC), to meet the needs of young autistic children. The aim is to provide an example of co‐design, integrating autistic, parental, academic, clinical, experience and expertise. Methods: Using prior literature and theory, including Experience‐Based Co‐Design, we developed an iterative and collaborative process between the research team and an expert reference group (ERG). The research team comprised autistic and non‐autistic members. The ERG included parents (autistic and non‐autistic) of autistic children with anxiety problems, autistic adults with experience of anxiety problems, and clinicians with experience supporting autistic children with anxiety problems. The ERG and research team reviewed information from qualitative research interviews with autistic children with anxiety problems and their parents along with information from clinical experience and the academic literature to reach consensus on the adapted intervention design. Results: The creation of a truly co‐designed intervention that includes a neurodiversity‐affirmative perspective, alongside CBT techniques. With anxiety problems experienced by autistic children being framed by combining the impacts of being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world, developmental science and well known cognitive behavioural models of child‐anxiety. Conclusion: Co‐design can help to integrate multiple perspectives and result in the creation of interventions that are potentially relevant and acceptable to autistic people, their family members, and clinicians

Energy Balance Related Lifestyle Factors and Risk of Endometrial and Colorectal Cancer among individuals With Lynch Syndrome: a Systematic Review

Lifestyle factors related to energy balance, such as excess body weight, poor diet, and physical inactivity, are associated with risk of sporadic endometrial cancer (EC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). There are limited data on energy balance-related lifestyle factors and EC or CRC risk among individuals with lynch syndrome, who are at extraordinarily higher risk of developing EC or CRC. We conducted a systematic review of evidence related to weight status, weight change, dietary habits, and physical activity on EC and CRC risk among individuals with lynch syndrome. Findings are reported narratively. We searched Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov up to June 14th, 2018. In total, 1060 studies were identified and 16 were included. Three studies were related to EC and 13 to CRC. Overall, evidence suggests that weight status/weight change may not be associated with EC risk and multivitamin and folic-acid supplementation may be associated with decreased EC risk. Early-adulthood overweight/obese weight-status and adulthood weight-gain may be associated with increased CRC risk, whereas multivitamin supplementation, tea and high fruit intake, and physical activity may be associated with decreased CRC risk. Current evidence proposes that recommendations related to weight, some dietary habits, and physical activity recommended for the general public are also relevant to individuals with lynch syndrome. More research is needed, specifically prospective cohorts and randomized controlled trials, to determine if tailored recommendations are needed among individuals with lynch syndrome

Patterns of carbon processing at the seafloor: the role of faunal and microbial communities in moderating carbon flows

Marine sediments, particularly those located in estuarine and coastal zones, are key locations for the burial of organic carbon (C). However, organic C delivered to the sediment is subjected to a range of biological C-cycling processes, the rates and relative importance of which vary markedly between sites, and which are thus difficult to predict. In this study, stable isotope tracer experiments were used to quantify the processing of C by microbial and faunal communities in two contrasting Scottish estuarine sites: a subtidal, organic C rich site in Loch Etive with cohesive fine-grained sediment, and an intertidal, organic C poor site on an Ythan estuary sand flat with coarse-grained permeable sediments. In both experiments, sediment cores were recovered and amended with 13C labelled phytodetritus to quantify whole community respiration of the added C and to trace the isotope label into faunal and bacterial biomass. Similar respiration rates were found in Loch Etive and on the Ythan sand flat (0.64 ± 0.04 and 0.63 ± 0.12 mg C m−2h−1, respectively), which we attribute to the experiments being conducted at the same temperature. Faunal uptake of added C over the whole experiment was markedly greater in Loch Etive (204 ± 72 mg C m−2) than on the Ythan sand flat (0.96 ± 0.3 mg C m−2), and this difference was driven by a difference in both faunal biomass and activity. Conversely, bacterial C uptake over the whole experiment in Loch Etive was much lower than that on the Ythan sand flat (1.80 ± 1.66 and 127 ± 89 mg C m−2, respectively). This was not driven by differences in biomass, indicating that the bacterial community in the permeable Ythan sediments was particularly active, being responsible for 48 ± 18 % of total biologically processed C. This type of biological C processing appears to be favoured in permeable sediments. The total amount of biologically processed C was greatest in Loch Etive, largely due to greater faunal C uptake, which was in turn a result of higher faunal biomass. When comparing results from this study with a wide range of previously published isotope tracing experiments, we found a strong correlation between total benthic biomass (fauna plus bacteria) and total biological C processing rates. Therefore, we suggest that the total C-cycling capacity of benthic environments is primarily determined by total biomass

Radiological response heterogeneity is of prognostic significance in metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy

Background: Response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST) is widely used to assess tumour response but is limited by not considering disease site or radiological heterogeneity (RH). Objective: To determine whether RH or disease site has prognostic significance in patients with metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Design, setting, and participants: A retrospective analysis was conducted of a second-line phase II study in patients with metastatic ccRCC (NCT00942877), evaluating 138 patients with 458 baseline lesions. Intervention: The phase II trial assessed vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy ± Src inhibition. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: RH at week 8 was assessed within individual patients with two or more lesions to predict overall survival (OS) using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model. We defined a high heterogeneous response as occurring when one or more lesion underwent a ≥10% reduction and one or more lesion underwent a ≥10% increase in size. Disease progression was defined by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Results and limitations: In patients with a complete/partial response or stable disease by RECIST 1.1 and two or more lesions at week 8, those with a high heterogeneous response had a shorter OS compared to those with a homogeneous response (hazard ratio [HR] 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–2.92; p < 0.001). Response by disease site at week 8 did not affect OS. At disease progression, one or more new lesion was associated with worse survival compared with >20% increase in sum of target lesion diameters only (HR 2.12; 95% CI: 1.43–3.14; p < 0.001). Limitations include retrospective study design. Conclusions: RH and the development of new lesions may predict survival in metastatic ccRCC. Further prospective studies are required. Patient summary: We looked at individual metastases in patients with kidney cancer and showed that a variable response to treatment and the appearance of new metastases may be associated with worse survival. Further studies are required to confirm these findings