Computer-Based Interventions for Problematic Alcohol Use:a Review of Systematic Reviews

PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of knowledge and knowledge gaps in the field of computer-based alcohol interventions by (1) collating evidence on the effectiveness of computer-based alcohol interventions in different populations and (2) exploring the impact of four specified moderators of effectiveness: therapeutic orientation, length of intervention, guidance and trial engagement.  METHODS: A review of systematic reviews of randomized trials reporting on effectiveness of computer-based alcohol interventions published between 2005 and 2015.  RESULTS: Fourteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. Across the included reviews, it was generally reported that computer-based alcohol interventions were effective in reducing alcohol consumption, with mostly small effect sizes. There were indications that longer, multisession interventions are more effective than shorter or single session interventions. Evidence on the association between therapeutic orientation of an intervention, guidance or trial engagement and reductions in alcohol consumption is limited, as the number of reviews addressing these themes is low. None of the included reviews addressed the association between therapeutic orientation, length of intervention or guidance and trial engagement.  CONCLUSIONS: This review of systematic reviews highlights the mostly positive evidence supporting computer-based alcohol interventions as well as reveals a number of knowledge gaps that could guide future research in this field

In vitro assessment of adsorbents aiming to prevent deoxynivalenol and zearalenone mycotoxicoses

The high prevalence of the Fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) in animal feeds in mild climatic zones of Europe and North America results in considerable economic losses, as these toxins affect health and productivity particularly of pigs from all age groups. The use of mycotoxin adsorbents as feed additives is one of the most prominent approaches to reduce the risk for mycotoxicoses in farm animals, and to minimise carry-over of mycotoxins from contaminated feeds into foods of animal origin. Successful aflatoxin adsorption by means of different substances (phyllosilicate minerals, zeolites, activated charcoal, synthetic resins or yeast cell-wall-derived products) has been demonstrated in vivo and in vitro. However, attempts to adsorb DON and ZON have been less encouraging. Here we describe the adsorption capacity of a variety of potential binders, including compounds that have not been evaluated before, such as humic acids. All compounds were tested at realistic inclusion levels for their capacity to bind ZON and DON, using an in vitro method that resembles the different pH conditions in the gastro-intestinal tract of pigs. Mycotoxin adsorption was assessed by chemical methods and distinct bioassays, using specific markers of toxicity as endpoints of toxicity in cytological assays. Whereas none of the tested substances was able to bind DON in an appreciable percentage, some of the selected smectite clays, humic substances and yeast-wall derived products efficiently adsorbed ZON (>70%). Binding efficiency was indirectly confirmed by the reduction of toxicity in the in vitro bioassays. In conclusion, the presented test protocol allows the rapid screening of potential mycotoxin binders. Like other in vitro assays, the presented protocol combining chemical and biological assays cannot completely simulate the conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract, and hence in vivo experiments remain mandatory to assess the efficacy of mycotoxin binders under practical conditions

Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study

A41 Use of SMS texts for facilitating access to online alcohol interventions: a feasibility study In: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2017, 12(Suppl 1): A4

Design for Mobile Mental Health:An Exploratory Review

A large number of mobile mental health apps are available to the public but current knowledge about requirements of designing such solutions is scarce, especially from sociotechnical and user centred points of view. Due to the significant role of mobile apps in the mental health service models, identifying the design requirements of mobile mental health solutions is crucial. Some of those requirements have been addressed individually in the literature, but there are few research studies that show a comprehensive picture of this domain. This exploratory review aims to facilitate such holistic understanding. The main search keywords of the review were identified in a cross-disciplinary requirements workshop. The search was started by finding some core references in the healthcare databases. A wider range of references then has been explored using a snowball method. Findings showed that there is a good understanding of individual design requirements in current literature but there are few examples of implementing a combination of different design requirements in real world products. The design processes specifically developed for mobile mental health apps are also rare. Most studies on operational mobile mental health apps address major mental health issues while prevention and wellbeing areas are underdeveloped. In conclusion, the main recommendations for designing future mobile mental health solutions include: moving towards sociotechnical and open design strategies, understanding and creating shared value, recognizing all dimensions of efficacy, bridging design and medical research and development, and considering an ecosystem perspective

Where from cattle’s mycotoxicosis get

Wieloskładnikowa dawka żywieniowa przeżuwaczy, składająca się z paszy treściwej i objętościowej, może być źródłem bardzo różnych mikotoksyn, które zanieczyszczają poszczególne składniki pasz. Spory odsetek mikotoksyn jest skutecznie inaktywowany w żwaczu, podczas gdy inne przechodzą bez zmian lub powstają metabolity, które zachowują aktywność biologiczną. Stąd aktywność bariery żwacza, w dużej mierze determinuje podatność wobec mikotoksyn krów mlecznych i innych gatunków przeżuwaczy. Osłabienie tej funkcji, spowodowanej stanami chorobowymi lub bezpośredniego działania przeciwbakteryjnego niektórych mikotoksyn, może zwiększyć wskaźnik absorpcji mikotoksyn. Szybkość wchłaniania nie zależy wyłącznie od ilości pobranych mikotoksyn i ryzyka wystąpienia niepożądanych skutków zdrowotnych, ale także od stopnia wydalanie mikotoksyn i biologicznej aktywnych ich metabolitów np. w mleku.The complex diet of ruminants, consisting of forages, concentrates, and preserved feeds, can be a source of very diverse mycotoxins that contaminate individual feed components. A number of mycotoxins are successfully inactivated by the rumen flora, whereas others pass unchanged or are converted into metabolites that retain biological activity. Hence, the barrier function of the rumen largely determines the susceptibility of dairy cows and other ruminant species towards individual mycotoxins. An impairment of this barrier function due to diseases or the direct antimicrobial effect of certain mycotoxins may increase absorption rates. The rate of absorption deter-mines not only the internal dose and risk for adverse health effects, but also the excretion of mycotoxins and the biologically active metabolites into milk

Is mycotoxins can be used as inhibitors in milk?

Zwierzęta mogą być narażone na działanie mikotoksyn w łańcuchu paszowym. Miko-toksyny występują głównie, jako zanieczyszczenia w paszy i mogą być wydalane w płynach biologicznych, takich jak mocz lub w mleku zwierząt lub ludzi, jako substancja macierzysta lub jako metabolit. Wiele prób dotyczących obecności mikotoksyn zostało przeprowadzonych na całym świecie i z badań tych wynika, że ma miejsce współwy-stępowanie mikotoksyn w materiałach paszowych i żywności. W rzeczywistości, wyni-ki sugerują, że w pewnych sytuacjach nawet 50% produktów mleczarskich może być zanieczyszczone przez mikotoksyny. Jednak opierając się na danych analitycznych w celu określenia stopnia ekspozycji mikotoksynami zwierząt i ludzi wyniki są słabo obiecujące ze względu na niejednorodny rozkład mikotoksyn w materiałach paszo-wych i produktach spożywczych, odstępu czasu pomiędzy pobraniem mikotoksyn, rozwojem choroby przewlekłej i niedokładności dietetycznych podczas określania danych w paszy i żywności. Jednak w porównaniu do innych płynów ustrojowych, takich jak krew, osocze czy mocz, to poziom wielu mikotoksyn w mleku zwierząt i ludzi jest raczej mały. Mleko matki jest istotnym źródłem mikotoksyn dla noworod-ków zwierząt i ludzi, ponieważ ich obecność została udokumentowana w próbkach pobranych w kilku krajach europejskich. Dlatego obecność mikotoksyny w mleku krów może być ważnym i poważnym problemem.Animals can be exposed to mycotoxins through the feed chain. Mycotoxins are mainly found as contaminants in feed and could be subsequently excreted via biological fluids such as urine or animal breast milk in native or metabolized form. Many attempts to study the occurrence of mycotoxins have been carried out around the world and these surveys have commonly demonstrated the co-occurrence of mycotoxins in feed mate-rials and food. In fact, results suggest that in certain situations as much as 50% of the dairy products may be contaminated by mycotoxins. However, relying on analytical data for determining mycotoxin exposure of animal and human populations is difficult due to the heterogeneous distribution of mycotoxins in feed materials and food com-modities, the time lag between toxin intake and the development of chronic disease and the inaccuracies of dietary for determining feed and food intake data. Yet, in com-parison to other biological fluids such as blood, plasma and urine, the database on multi-mycotoxin levels in animal and human milk is rather small. Breast milk is a re-levant source of mycotoxins for animal and human neonates since their presence in samples collected in several European countries has been documented. Therefore, the presence of mycotoxins in cow's milk could be a important and serious problem

The effects of dietary deoxynivalenol (DON) on selected blood biochemical and hematological parameters in pre-pubertal gilts

The aim of this study was to determine whether exposure to low doses of DON leads to changes in serum hematological and biochemical profiles. In the experiment, pre-pubertal gilts (with body weight of up to 25 kg) were administered DON per os at a daily dose of 12 |ig/kg BW (group E, n=18) or a placebo (group C, n=21) over a period of 42 days. Blood for analysis was sampled seven times at weekly intervals. Minor, but statistically significant changes were observed in selected indicators, particularly in weeks 2 and 3 in values of biochemical parameters such AlAT, AspAT, Pin and Fe, and in values of hematological parameters such as RBC, MCV, MCHC, PLT, MPV, WBC, neutrophil, eosinophil, lymphocyte and monocyte counts. In group E, a decreasing trend of the values was observed in most cases, except for RBC, PLT, eosinophil, lymphocyte and monocyte counts. Similar results were obtained in the last two weeks of the experiment. Initially, exposure to DON has a stimulating effect, which is eliminated when adaptive mechanisms are triggered. The results of the study indicate that the intensity of biotransformation processes varies subjected to the body's energy resources

The effect of selected environmental Fusarium mycotoxins on the ovaries in the female wild boar (Sus scrofa)

The contamination of agricultural crops with Fusarium mycotoxins poses one of the greatest problems in food production. Wild boars live in specific habitats and are physiologically sensitive to Fusarium mycotoxins, therefore, they are an interesting model for studies investigating the effects of the discussed toxin, in particular under low-dose exposure. The objective of this study was to determine potential effects of Fusarium mycotoxins ingested with naturally contaminated food on reproductive function based on the proliferation and apoptotic indices of ovarian follicles in female wild boars. The experiment was conducted on 40 wild boars inhabiting north-eastern Poland. The effect of seasonal variations in the quantity and quality of ingested food on the concentrations of Fusarium mycotoxins and their metabolites in the blood of wild boars was analyzed. The observed differences in toxin levels were accompanied by changes in proliferation and apoptotic indices. Proliferation processes were most intense in autumn-winter and were least advanced in winter-spring. The intensity of apoptotic processes was inversely correlated with proliferation

Immunohistochemical evaluation of apoptosis and proliferation in the mucous membrane of selected uterine regions in pre - pubertal bitches exposed to low doses of zearalenone

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. Those biologically active compounds occur naturally and they include zearalenone (ZEN), a mycotoxin that contaminates plant material, including the ingredients used in the production of commercial dog food. The influence of monotonic, low-dose and long-term exposure to ZEN on pre-pubertal bitches has not been fully explored to date. This paper describes a 42-day experiment performed on clinically healthy female dogs aged approximately 70 days, with estimated body weight of 8 kg. The animals were randomly divided into two experimental groups (EI and EII) and a control group (C) of 10 animals each. Group EI received 50 μg ZEN/kg (of body weight) per os, group EII received 75 μg ZEN/kg BW per os, and the control group was administered placebo. The bitches were ovariohysterectomized at the end of the experiment (at around 112 days of age), and selected sections of the uterine wall were subjected to immunohistochemical analyses (TUNEL and PCNA). A shift towards higher apoptotic (AI) and proliferative index (PI) was observed, in particular in group EI. Higher AI and PI values were noted in the epithelium of all uterine regions analysed and in the uterine glands in the uterine horn proximal to the body of the uterus