Are digital interventions for smoking cessation in pregnancy effective?:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Smoking in pregnancy remains a global public health issue due to foetal health risks and potential maternal complications. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to explore: (1) whether digital interventions for pregnancy smoking cessation are effective, (2) the impact of intervention platform on smoking cessation, (3) the associations between specific Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) delivered within interventions and smoking cessation, and (4) the association between the total number of BCTs delivered and smoking cessation. Systematic searches of nine databases resulted in the inclusion of 12 published articles (n = 2970). The primary meta-analysis produced a sample-weighted odds ratio (OR) of 1.44 (95% CI 1.04–2.00, p=0.03) in favour of digital interventions compared with comparison groups. Computer-based (OR=3.06, 95% CI 1.28 – 7.33) and text-message interventions (OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.07 – 2.38) were the most effective digital platform. Moderator analyses revealed seven BCTs associated with smoking cessation: information about antecedents; action planning; problem solving; goal setting (behaviour); review behaviour goals; social support (unspecified); and pros and cons. A meta-regression suggested that interventions using larger numbers of BCTs produced the greatest effects. This paper highlights the potential for digital interventions to improve rates of smoking cessation in pregnancy

Grey matter in shadow banking: international organizations and expert strategies in global financial governance

Who controls global policy debates on shadow banking regulation? We show how experts secured control over how issues in shadow banking regulation are treated by examining the policy recommendations of the Bank of International Settlements, the International Monetary Fund and the Financial Stability Board. The evidence suggests that IO experts embedded a bland reformism opposed to both strong and ‘light touch’ regulation at the core of the emerging regulatory regime. Technocrats reinforced each other's expertise, excluded some potential competitors (legal scholars), co-opted others (select Fed and elite academic economists), and deployed measurement, mandate, and status strategies to assert issue control. In the field of shadow banking regulation, academic economists’ influence came from their credibility as arbitrageurs between several professional fields rather than their intellectual output. The findings have important implications for how we study the relationship between IO technocrats and experts from other professional field

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Secondary analysis of teaching methods in introductory physics: A 50 k-student study

Citation: Von Korff, J., Archibeque, B., Gomez, K. A., Heckendorf, T., McKagan, S. B., Sayre, E. C., . . . Sorell, L. (2016). Secondary analysis of teaching methods in introductory physics: A 50 k-student study. American Journal of Physics, 84(12), 969-974. doi:10.1119/1.4964354Physics education researchers have developed many evidence-based instructional strategies to enhance conceptual learning of students in introductory physics courses. These strategies have historically been tested using assessments such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE). We have performed a review and analysis of FCI and FMCE data published between 1995 and 2014. We confirm previous findings that interactive engagement teaching techniques are significantly more likely to produce high student learning gains than traditional lecture-based instruction. We also establish that interactive engagement instruction works in many settings, including those with students having a high and low level of prior knowledge, at liberal arts and research universities, and enrolled in both small and large classes. (C) 2016 Author(s)

[Statement from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, March 13, 1969]

A statement from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees clarifying what the Board is responsible for and protocols for approving changes made to the faculty by-laws and admissions procedures. It also states that the tuition increase will not be rescinded.https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/protest/1056/thumbnail.jp

Carbon-13 Dynamic MRS and MRSI of Normal and Fasted Rat Liver with Hyperpolarized C-Pyruvate

BACKGROUND: The use of in vivo (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in probing metabolic pathways to study normal metabolism and characterize disease physiology has been limited by its low sensitivity. However, recent technological advances have enabled greater than 50,000-fold enhancement of liquid-state polarization of metabolically active (13)C substrates, allowing for rapid assessment of (13)C metabolism in vivo. The present study applied hyperpolarized (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopy to the investigation of liver metabolism, demonstrating for the first time the feasibility of applying this technology to detect differences in liver metabolic states. PROCEDURES: [1-(13)C]pyruvate was hyperpolarized with a dynamic nuclear polarization instrument and injected into normal and fasted rats. The uptake of pyruvate and its conversion to the metabolic products lactate and alanine were observed with slice-localized dynamic magnetic resonance spectroscopy and 3D magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (3D-MRSI). RESULTS: Significant differences in lactate to alanine ratio (P < 0.01) between normal and fasted rat liver slice dynamic spectra were observed. 3D-MRSI localized to the fasted livers demonstrated significantly decreased (13)C-alanine levels (P < 0.01) compared to normal. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the initial demonstration of characterizing metabolic state differences in the liver with hyperpolarized (13)C spectroscopy and shows the ability to detect physiological perturbations in alanine aminotransferase activity, which is an encouraging result for future liver disease investigations with hyperpolarized magnetic resonance technology

An Association of Cancer Physicians' strategy for improving services and outcomes for cancer patients.

The Association of Cancer Physicians in the United Kingdom has developed a strategy to improve outcomes for cancer patients and identified the goals and commitments of the Association and its members.The ACP is very grateful to all of its members who have expressed views on the development of the strategy and to the sponsors of our workshops and publications, especially Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer SupportThis is the final version of the article. It was first available from Cancer Intelligence via http://dx.doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2016.60

Effective dementia education and training for the health and social care workforce: A systematic review of the literature

Ensuring an informed and effective dementia workforce is of international concern, however there remains limited understanding of how this can be achieved. This systematic review aimed to identify factors associated with effective dementia educational programmes. Critical Interpretive Synthesis underpinned by Kirkpatrick’s return on investment model for evaluation of education was applied. One hundred and fifty-two papers of variable quality were included in the review. Common features of more efficacious educational programmes included the need for educational programmes to: be relevant to participants’ role and experience; involve active face-to-face participation; underpin practice-based learning with theory; be delivered by an experienced facilitator; have a total duration of at least eight hours with individual sessions of 90 minutes or more; support application of learning in practice; and provide a structured tool or practice guideline to underpin care practice. Further robust research is required to develop the evidence base; however, the findings of this review have relevance for all working in workforce education

Whither immunity? The search for effective, durable immunity to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

One of the most important and challenging questions facing medicine today concerns the extent to which immunity develops and persists following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), that is, infection with severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or for that matter, following immunization with a candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. During the first 6 months of the pandemic, a great deal of speculation was expressed about  whether immunity would follow infection. One prepublication study that has not yet been peer reviewed has suggested that  coronavirus protective immunity has a short duration. At this stage of the pandemic, whether individuals who recover from COVID-19 can get infected again remains uncertain. Nonetheless, an enormous scientific effort is being expended urgently to develop vaccines and monoclonal antibodies to attempt to mitigate the risk for infection on the assumption that protective immunity can and does develop. Now 8 months into the pandemic, what do we know about immunity to SARS-CoV-2? What we have learned thus far suggests important roles for nonspecific, humoral, and cellular immunity