The barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation experienced by women’s partners during pregnancy and the post-partum period: a systematic review of qualitative research

Background Smoking in pregnancy can cause substantial harm and, while many women quit, others continue to smoke throughout pregnancy. The role of partners is an important but relatively under-researched factor in relation to women's smoking in pregnancy; partner's smoking status and attitudes to smoking cessation are important influences in a pregnant women's attempt to quit. Further understanding of how partners perceive the barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation in pregnancy is needed, particularly from qualitative studies where participants describe these issues in their own words. Methods A synthesis of qualitative research of partners' views of smoking in pregnancy and post-partum was conducted using meta-ethnography. Searches were undertaken from 1990 to January 2014 using terms for partner/household, pregnancy, post-partum, smoking, qualitative in seven electronic databases. The review was reported in accordance with the ‘Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research' (ENTREQ) statement. Results Nine studies reported in 14 papers were included, detailing the experience of 158 partners; the majority were interviewed during the post-partum period. Partners were all male, with a single exception. Socioeconomic measures indicated that most participants were socially disadvantaged. The synthesis identified recurring smoking-related perceptions and experiences that hindered (barriers) and encouraged (facilitators) partners to consider quitting during the woman's pregnancy and into the post-partum period. These were represented in five lines of argument relating to: smoking being an integral part of everyday life; becoming and being a father; the couple's relationship; perceptions of the risks of smoking; and their harm reduction and quitting strategies. Conclusions The cluster of identified barriers and facilitators to quitting offers pointers for policy and practice. The workplace emerges as an important space for and influence on partners' smoking habits, suggesting alternative cessation intervention locations for future parents. Conversely, health and community settings are seen to offer little support to fathers. Interventions centred on valued personal traits, like will-power and autonomy, may have particular salience. The review points, too, to the potential for health information that directly addresses perceived weaknesses in official advice, for example, around causal mechanisms and effects and around contrary evidence of healthy babies born to smokers. Systematic review registration PROSPERO 2013: CRD4201300417

Health professionals' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to providing smoking cessation advice to women in pregnancy and during the post-partum period : a systematic review of qualitative research

Background: Reducing smoking in pregnancy is a policy priority in many countries and as a result there has been a rise in the development of services to help pregnant women to quit. A wide range of professionals are involved in providing these services, with midwives playing a particularly pivotal role. Understanding professionals' experiences of providing smoking cessation support in pregnancy can help to inform the design of interventions as well as to improve routine care. Methods: A synthesis of qualitative research of health professionals' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to providing smoking cessation advice to women in pregnancy and the post-partum period was conducted using meta-ethnography. Searches were undertaken from 1990 to January 2015 using terms for maternity health professionals and smoking cessation advisors, pregnancy, post-partum, smoking, and qualitative in seven electronic databases. The review was reported in accordance with the 'Enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research' (ENTREQ) statement. Results: Eight studies reported in nine papers were included, reporting on the views of 190 health professionals/ key informants, including 85 midwives and health visitors. The synthesis identified that both the professional role of participants and the organisational context in which they worked could act as either barriers or facilitators to an individual's ability to provide smoking cessation support to pregnant or post-partum women. Underpinning these factors was an acknowledgment that the association between maternal smoking and social disadvantage was a considerable barrier to addressing and supporting smoking cessation Conclusions: The review identifies a role for professional education, both pre-qualification and in continuing professional development that will enable individuals to provide smoking cessation support to pregnant women. Key to the success of this education is recognising the centrality of the professional-client/patient relationship in any interaction. The review also highlights a widespread professional perception of the barriers associated with helping women give up smoking in pregnancy, particularly for those in disadvantaged circumstances. Improving the quality and accessibility of evidence on effective healthcare interventions, including evidence on 'what works' to support smoking cessation in disadvantaged groups, should therefore be a priority

Location, seasonal, and functional characteristics of water holding containers with juvenile and pupal Aedes aegypti in Southern Taiwan:A cross-sectional study using hurdle model analyses

BackgroundAedes aegypti carries several viruses of public health importance, including the dengue virus. Dengue is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world. Prevention and control of dengue mainly rely on mosquito control as there is no antiviral treatment or a WHO-approved vaccine. To reduce the Ae. aegypti population, studying the characteristics of their habitats is necessary. Aedes aegypti prefer breeding in artificial water holding containers in peridomestic or domestic settings. Their juveniles (1st - 4th instar larvae and pupae) have a tendency to cluster in certain types of containers. To inform control strategies, it is important to assess whether the pupae subgroup has a distinct distribution by container type as compared to the overall group of juveniles. The objective of this study was to assess for distinct predictors (location, season, and function) of Ae. aegypti juveniles and pupae numbers in water holding containers by applying hurdle model analyses.MethodologyThe field component of this study was carried out from November 2013 to July 2015 in Southern Taiwan where annual autochthonous dengue has been reported for decades. Water holding containers with stagnant water were identified in a predefined urban area in Kaohsiung City (KH) and a rural area in Pingtung County. Given that mosquito survey data often include many containers with zero Ae. aegypti, a negative binomial hurdle model was applied to model the association between location, seasonal and functional characteristics of the water holding containers and the number of Ae. aegypti in each container.ResultsThe results showed that Ae. aegypti were almost exclusively present in the urban area. In this area, the negative binomial hurdle model predicted significantly more juveniles as well as pupae Ae. aegypti in water holding containers during the wet season when compared to the dry season. Notably, the model predicted more juveniles in containers located on private property compared to those on government property, irrespective of season. As for pupae, the model predicted higher amounts in indoor containers used for water storage compared to outdoor water storage containers, irrespective of season. However, for the specific category ‘other water receptacle’, higher amounts of pupae were predicted in outdoor compared to indoor in water receptacles, such as flower pot saucers and water catchment buckets.ConclusionsThe difference in predictors for juveniles and the pupae subgroup was identified and it may be of importance to the control strategies of the authorities in KH. At present the authorities focus control activities on all water holding containers found on government property. To improve the ongoing control efforts in KH, the focus of control activities maintained by the KH authorities should be expanded to indoor water storage containers and outdoor water receptacles on both private and government properties to adequately address habitats harboring greater numbers of pupae. In addition, it is proposed to increase community engagement in managing water in all types of water holding containers located on privately owned properties (indoor and outdoor), especially during wet season.</div

Handbok för bekämpning av vresros i Sverige och Finland

Denna handbok har tagits fram inom Interreg Botnia-Atlanticaprojektet INSPECT, Invasive species eradication and control. Projektet är ett samarbete mellan Sverige och Finland. Handboken innehåller därför information som gäller för båda länderna och finns också tillgänglig på finska. Invasiva främmande arter är sådana arter som människan, avsiktligt eller av misstag, tagit in till ett nytt område där de sedan sprids kraftigt och orsakar ekologisk, ekonomisk eller social skada eller skada mot hälsa. Invasiva arter anses idag vara ett av de största hoten mot biologisk mångfald. Problemet är mycket utbrett och därför är engagemang på såväl myndighets- som individnivå viktigt och kräver samarbete mellan grannar, grannkommuner och till och med mellan grannländer. Vresrosen är en invasiv art som är robust och har en god spridningsförmåga. Det har lett till att den blivit ett problem i områden där den inte hör hemma. Handboken ger stöd till alla som planerar att genomföra en bekämpningsinsats mot vresros; privatpersoner, föreningar, företag, kommuner eller myndigheter. Några kapitel riktar sig främst till större insatser, men i de fall där informationen delvis är relevant också för mindre insatser har vi sammanfattat det väsentliga i början av kapitlen. Handboken behandlar såväl bekämpningsmetoder som arbetskraft och kommunikation. Det finns också ett digitalt verktyg (hyperlänk) som föreslår lämpliga metoder utifrån angivna förutsättningar. Förutsättningar för bekämpningsinsatser bedöms subjektivt, därmed kan inte universella rekommendationer ges utan flera alternativ presenteras

Opas kurtturuusun torjuntaan Suomessa ja Ruotsissa

Tämä opas on laadittu Interreg Botnia-Atlantica -hankkeessa INSPECT, Invasive species eradication and control. Hanke toteutetaan Ruotsin ja Suomen välisenä yhteistyönä. Opas sisältää siksi molempia maita koskevaa tietoa ja on saatavilla myös ruotsiksi. Haitalliset vieraslajit ovat lajeja, jotka ihminen on tuonut tarkoituksella tai vahingossa uudelle alueelle, niiden luontaisen levinneisyysalueen ulkopuolelle, missä ne leviävät voimakkaasti ja aiheuttavat ekologista, taloudellista, terveydellistä tai sosiaalista vahinkoa. Haitallisia vieraslajeja pidetään nykyään yhtenä suurimmista luonnon monimuotoisuuteen kohdistuvista uhkista. Ongelma on hyvin laaja, ja siksi sitoutuminen torjuntaan on tärkeää sekä viranomais- että yksilötasolla, ja vaatii yhteistyötä naapurien ja naapurikuntien – jopa naapurimaiden välillä. Kurtturuusu on haitallinen vieraslaji, jota voi olla vaikea poistaa, kun se on kerran saanut jalansijan. Kurtturuusun vahvuus ja hyvä leviämiskyky ovat johtaneet siihen, että siitä on tullut ongelma alueilla, joille se ei kuulu. Opas tarjoaa tukea kaikille kurtturuusun torjuntaa suunnitteleville, olipa kyse yksityishenkilöistä, yhdistyksistä, yrityksistä, kunnista tai viranomaisista. Joissakin luvuissa keskitytään lähinnä suurempiin torjuntatoimiin, mutta niissä tapauksissa, joissa tiedot ovat osittain merkityksellisiä myös pienempien toimien kannalta, olemme tiivistäneet olennaiset tiedot luvun alkuun. Oppaassa käsitellään niin torjuntamenetelmiä kuin työvoimaa ja viestintääkin. Käytössä on myös digitaalinen työkalu, joka ehdottaa sopivia menetelmiä annettujen edellytysten pohjalta. Torjuntatoimien edellytykset arvioidaan subjektiivisesti, joten yleispäteviä suosituksia ei voida antaa vaan oppaassa esitellään useita vaihtoehtoja

Das Neue Testament in verändertem Licht?

Mit dem Codex Boernerianus beherbergt die SLUB eine der außergewöhnlichsten Handschriften der neutestamentlichen Paulusbriefe. Das zweisprachige Manuskript enthält zusätzlich zum griechischen Text über jedem Wort eine lateinische Entsprechung – stellenweise auch mit mehreren Übersetzungsvarianten. Ein Seminar an der TU Dresden hat versucht, dem auf den Grund zu gehen

Geological Field Trips

This field trip guide organized in the framework of the Goldschmidt Conference 2013, held in Florence from August 25 to 30, 2013, is here presented. The two-days field trip, shows some of the many geological, naturalistic and cultural features in the Fiorano area (Modena), in which history, geology and passion for Ferrari come together in a perfect marriage. The first excursion day is dedicated to visit the Natural Reserve of Salse di Nirano, where the mud volcanoes, produced by the cold mud, salt water and hydrocarbons - mainly methane- can be observed. The second day is devoted to visit the Ferrari Museum and goes on at the Spezzano Castle, hosting the Ceramics Museum. Clays are, in fact, abundant in the hilly margin, where they form badlands, characteristic narrow crests washed out by running waters. In the Castle there is also a Balsamic Vinegar producing Consortium, it’s a peculiar and typical product of Modena province. The itinerary ends with the tour to Enzo Ferrari’s Birthplace at Modena

Targeted mitochondrial therapy using MitoQ shows equivalent renoprotection to angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition but no combined synergy in diabetes.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a pathological mediator of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Our objective was to test the mitochondrially targeted agent, MitoQ, alone and in combination with first line therapy for DKD. Intervention therapies (i) vehicle (D); (ii) MitoQ (DMitoQ;0.6 mg/kg/day); (iii) Ramipril (DRam;3 mg/kg/day) or (iv) combination (DCoAd) were administered to male diabetic db/db mice for 12 weeks (n = 11-13/group). Non-diabetic (C) db/m mice were followed concurrently. No therapy altered glycaemic control or body weight. By the study end, both monotherapies improved renal function, decreasing glomerular hyperfiltration and albuminuria. All therapies prevented tubulointerstitial collagen deposition, but glomerular mesangial expansion was unaffected. Renal cortical concentrations of ATP, ADP, AMP, cAMP, creatinine phosphate and ATP:AMP ratio were increased by diabetes and mostly decreased with therapy. A higher creatine phosphate:ATP ratio in diabetic kidney cortices, suggested a decrease in ATP consumption. Diabetes elevated glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate and oxidised (NAD+ and NADP+) and reduced (NADH) nicotinamide dinucleotides, which therapy decreased generally. Diabetes increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption (OCR) at complex II-IV. MitoQ further increased OCR but decreased ATP, suggesting mitochondrial uncoupling as its mechanism of action. MitoQ showed renoprotection equivalent to ramipril but no synergistic benefits of combining these agents were shown