A systematic review of correlates of sedentary behaviour in adults aged 18–65 years: a socio-ecological approach

Background: Recent research shows that sedentary behaviour is associated with adverse cardio-metabolic consequences even among those considered sufficiently physically active. In order to successfully develop interventions to address this unhealthy behaviour, factors that influence sedentariness need to be identified and fully understood. The aim of this review is to identify individual, social, environmental, and policy-related determinants or correlates of sedentary behaviours among adults aged 18-65 years. Methods: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched for articles published between January 2000 and September 2015. The search strategy was based on four key elements and their synonyms: (a) sedentary behaviour (b) correlates (c) types of sedentary behaviours (d) types of correlates. Articles were included if information relating to sedentary behaviour in adults (18-65 years) was reported. Studies on samples selected by disease were excluded. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2014:CRD42014009823). Results: 74 original studies were identified out of 4041: 71 observational, two qualitative and one experimental study. Sedentary behaviour was primarily measured as self-reported screen leisure time and total sitting time. In 15 studies, objectively measured total sedentary time was reported: accelerometry (n = 14) and heart rate (n = 1). Individual level factors such as age, physical activity levels, body mass index, socio-economic status and mood were all significantly correlated with sedentariness. A trend towards increased amounts of leisure screen time was identified in those married or cohabiting while having children resulted in less total sitting time. Several environmental correlates were identified including proximity of green space, neighbourhood walkability and safety and weather. Conclusions: Results provide further evidence relating to several already recognised individual level factors and preliminary evidence relating to social and environmental factors that should be further investigated. Most studies relied upon cross-sectional design limiting causal inference and the heterogeneity of the sedentary measures prevented direct comparison of findings. Future research necessitates longitudinal study designs, exploration of policy-related factors, further exploration of environmental factors, analysis of inter-relationships between identified factors and better classification of sedentary behaviour domains

The efficacy of surgical decompression before 24 hours versus 24 to 72 hours in patients with spinal cord injury from T1 to L1 – with specific consideration on ethics: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is no clear evidence that early decompression following spinal cord injury (SCI) improves neurologic outcome. Such information must be obtained from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). To date no large scale RCT has been performed evaluating the timing of surgical decompression in the setting of thoracolumbar spinal cord injury. A concern for many is the ethical dilemma that a delay in surgery may adversely effect neurologic recovery although this has never been conclusively proven. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of early (before 24 hours) verse late (24–72 hours) surgical decompression in terms of neurological improvement in the setting of traumatic thoracolumbar spinal cord injury in a randomized format by independent, trained and blinded examiners.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this prospective, randomized clinical trial, 328 selected spinal cord injury patients with traumatic thoracolumbar spinal cord injury are to be randomly assigned to: 1) early surgery (before 24 hours); or 2) late surgery (24–72 hours). A rapid response team and set up is prepared to assist the early treatment for the early decompressive group. Supportive care, i.e. pressure support, immobilization, will be provided on admission to the late decompression group. Patients will be followed for at least 12 months posttrauma.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study will hopefully assist in contributing to the question of the efficacy of the timing of surgery in traumatic thoracolumbar SCI.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p><b>RCT registration number: ISRCTN61263382</b></p

Hypothesis for the evolution of three-helix Chl a/b and Chl a/c light-harvesting antenna proteins from two-helix and four-helix ancestors

The nuclear-encoded Chl a/b and Chl a/c antenna proteins of photosynthetic eukaryotes are part of an extended family of proteins that also includes the early light-induced proteins (ELIPs) and the 22 kDa intrinsic protein of PS II (encoded by psb S gene). All members of this family have three transmembrane helices except for the psb S protein, which has four. The amino acid sequences of these proteins are compared and related to the three-dimensional structure of pea LHC II Type I (Kühlbrandt and Wang, Nature 350: 130–134, 1991). The similarity of psb S to the three-helix members of the family suggests that the latter arose from a four-helix ancestor that lost its C-terminal helix by deletion. Strong internal similarity between the two halves of the psb S protein suggests that it in turn arose as the result of the duplication of a gene encoding a two-helix protein. Since psb S is reported to be present in at least one cyanobacterium, the ancestral four-helix protein may have been present prior to the endosymbiotic event or events that gave rise to the photosynthetic eukaryotes. The Chl a/b and Chl a/c antenna proteins, and the immunologically-related proteins in the rhodophytes may have had a common ancestor which was present in the early photosynthetic eukaryotes, and predated their division into rhodophyte, chromophyte and chlorophyte lineages. The LHC I-LHC II divergence probably occurred before the separation of higher plants from chlorophyte algae and euglenophytes, and the different Types of LHC I and LHC II proteins arose prior to the separation of angiosperms and gymnosperms.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43538/1/11120_2004_Article_BF00029382.pd

Comparison of drug delivery with autoinjector versus manual prefilled syringe and between three different autoinjector devices administered in pig thigh

Robert L Hill,1,* John G Wilmot,1,* Beth A Belluscio,1&nbsp;Kevin Cleary,2 David Lindisch,3&nbsp;Robin Tucker,4&nbsp;Emmanuel Wilson,2&nbsp;Rajesh B Shukla11Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Columbia, MD, 2Children&rsquo;s National Medical Center, 3Washington DC VA Medical Center, 4Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA *These authors have contributed equally to this work Abstract: Parenteral routes of drug administration are often selected to optimize actual dose of drug delivered, assure high bioavailability, bypass first-pass metabolism or harsh gastrointestinal environments, as well as maximize the speed of onset. Intramuscular (IM) delivery can be preferred to intravenous delivery when initiating intravenous access is difficult or impossible. Drugs can be injected intramuscularly using a syringe or an automated delivery device (autoinjector). Investigation into the IM delivery dynamics of these methods may guide further improvements in the performance of injection technologies. Two porcine model studies were conducted to compare differences in dispersion of injectate volume for different methods of IM drug administration. The first study compared the differences in the degree of dispersion and uptake of injectate following the use of a manual syringe and an autoinjector. The second study compared the spatial spread of the injected formulation, or dispersion volume, and uptake of injectate following the use of five different autoinjectors (EpiPen&reg; [0.3 mL], EpiPen&reg; Jr [0.3 mL], Twinject&reg; [0.15 mL, 0.3 mL], and Anapen&reg; 300 [0.3 mL]) with varying needle length, needle gauge, and force applied to the plunger. In the first study, the autoinjector provided higher peak volumes of injectate, indicating a greater degree of dispersion, compared with manual syringe delivery. In the second study, EpiPen autoinjectors resulted in larger dispersion volumes and higher initial dispersion ratios, which decreased rapidly over time, suggesting a greater rate of uptake of injectate than the other autoinjectors. The differences in dispersion and uptake of injectate are likely the result of different functional characteristics of the delivery systems. Both studies demonstrate that the functional characteristics of the method for delivering IM injections impact the dispersion and uptake of the material injected, which could significantly affect the pharmacokinetics and, ultimately, the effectiveness of the drug. Keywords: anaphylaxis, autoinjector device, injector pen, intramuscular drug administration, dispersion volum

Links between introduced fish and zooplanktonic and zoobenthic food sources in the food webs of two reservoirs of a semi-arid zone in Algeria

International audienceFew studies have focused on the trophic functioning of the reservoirs in Algeria. The study of the gut contents of fish species, as well as the analysis of the stable isotopes of 13C and 15N in the environment, were carried out on samples collected during spring 2010 in two reservoirs: Ghrib and Harreza of the upper Cheliff plain (Algeria) within a semi-arid climate zone. In each of the reservoirs, 13C and 15N were measured in sediments, particulate organic matter (POM), macrophytes, zooplankton, zoobenthos and fish. The isotopic analysis shows that the carbon values that supply both reservoirs, Ghrib and Harreza, were −31.16 ± 0.05 < 13C < −18.01 ± 0.21‰ and −30.82 ± 0.07 < 13C < −17.24 ± 3.50‰, respectively. The carnivorous fish Sander lucioperca, and Abramis brama, an omnivorous fish, were allocated to the top of the food web in Ghrib and Harreza reservoirs, respectively. In the latter, a reservoir with low hydrodynamism and depth, the food web is simpler with a single fish species, which benefits from both benthic and pelagic sources. In Ghrib, a deeper dam with stronger hydrodynamics, only the riverine crab Potamon algeriense exploits the benthic sources, whereas fish mainly feed on zooplankton