Group versus one‐to‐one multi‐component lifestyle interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background Multi-component lifestyle interventions that incorporate diet, physical activity and behaviour change are effective for weight management. However, it is not clear whether delivery in a group or one-to-one format influences weight loss efficacy. The present study aimed to systematically review the evidence of the effectiveness of group compared to one-to-one multi-component lifestyle interventions for weight management. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL and ISRCTN databases were searched from inception up to February 2020 for randomised controlled trials comparing group versus one-to-one multi-component lifestyle interventions for weight loss in adults with a body mass index ≥ 25 kg m–2. The primary outcome was weight loss (kg) at 12 months and the secondary outcome was attainment of ≥5% weight loss at 12 months. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analysis used random effects and estimated risk ratios and continuous inverse variance methods. Heterogeneity was investigated using I2 statistics and sensitivity analyses. Results Seven randomised controlled trials with 2576 participants were included. Group interventions were favoured over one-to-one interventions for weight loss at 12 months (−1.9 kg, 95% confidence interval = −1.3 to −2.6; I2 = 99%). Participants of group interventions were more likely to attain ≥5% weight loss at 12 months relative to one-to-one interventions (relative risk = 1.58, 95% confidence interval = 1.25–2.00; I2 = 60%). Conclusions Group multi-component lifestyle interventions are superior for weight loss compared to one-to-one interventions with respect to adult weight management. Further research is required to determine whether specific components of group interventions can explain the superiority of weight loss outcomes in group interventions

A Comparative Study of Interval Management Control Law Capabilities

This paper presents a new tool designed to allow for rapid development and testing of different control algorithms for airborne spacing. This tool, Interval Management Modeling and Spacing Tool (IM MAST), is a fast-time, low-fidelity tool created to model the approach of aircraft to a runway, with a focus on their interactions with each other. Errors can be induced between pairs of aircraft by varying initial positions, winds, speed profiles, and altitude profiles. Results to-date show that only a few of the algorithms tested had poor behavior in the arrival and approach environment. The majority of the algorithms showed only minimal variation in performance under the test conditions. Trajectory-based algorithms showed high susceptibility to wind forecast errors, while performing marginally better than the other algorithms under other conditions. Trajectory-based algorithms have a sizable advantage, however, of being able to perform relative spacing operations between aircraft on different arrival routes and flight profiles without employing ghosting. methods. This comes at the higher cost of substantially increased complexity, however. Additionally, it was shown that earlier initiation of relative spacing operations provided more time for corrections to be made without any significant problems in the spacing operation itself. Initiating spacing farther out, however, would require more of the aircraft to begin spacing before they merge onto a common route

Prospects for Searching for Excited Leptons during RunII of the Fermilab Tevatron

This letter presents a study of prospects of searching for excited leptons during RunII of the Fermilab Tevatron. We concentrate on single and pair production of excited electrons in the photonic decay channel in one CDF/DO detector equivalent for 2 fb^{-1}. By the end of RunIIa, the limits should be easily extended beyond those set by LEP and HERA for excited leptons with mass above about 190 GeV.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figure

Confirmatory factor analysis and examination of the psychometric properties of the eating beliefs questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The Eating Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ) is a 27-item self-report measure that assesses positive and negative beliefs about binge eating. It has been validated and its factor structure explored in a non-clinical sample. This study tested the psychometric properties of the EBQ in a clinical and a non-clinical sample. METHOD: A sample of 769 participants (573 participants recruited from the university and general community, 76 seeking treatment for an eating disorder and 120 participating in obesity research) completed a battery of questionnaires. A subset of clinical participants with a diagnosis of Bulimia Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorder completed the test-battery before and after receiving a psychological treatment (n = 27) or after allocation to a wait-list period (n = 28), and a subset of 35 community participants completed the test battery again after an interval of two-weeks. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed. RESULTS: CFA found a two-factor structure that provided a good fit to the data, supporting the solution presented in the development paper. Items with poor psychometric properties were removed, resulting in a 16 item measure. EBQ scores were found to correlate with binge eating episode frequency, increases in body mass index (BMI), and measures of eating disorder behaviours and related psychopathology. The EBQ was found to have excellent internal consistency (α = .94), good test-retest reliability (r = .91) and sensitivity to treatment. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the EBQ is a psychometrically sound and clinically useful measure

Searching for prompt signatures of nearby core-collapse supernovae by a joint analysis of neutrino and gravitational-wave data

We discuss the science motivations and prospects for a joint analysis of gravitational-wave (GW) and low-energy neutrino data to search for prompt signals from nearby supernovae (SNe). Both gravitational-wave and low-energy neutrinos are expected to be produced in the innermost region of a core-collapse supernova, and a search for coincident signals would probe the processes which power a supernova explosion. It is estimated that the current generation of neutrino and gravitational-wave detectors would be sensitive to Galactic core-collapse supernovae, and would also be able to detect electromagnetically dark SNe. A joint GW-neutrino search would enable improvements to searches by way of lower detection thresholds, larger distance range, better live-time coverage by a network of GW and neutrino detectors, and increased significance of candidate detections. A close collaboration between the GW and neutrino communities for such a search will thus go far toward realizing a much sought-after astrophysics goal of detecting the next nearby supernova.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Class. Quantum Gra

Methods for Reducing False Alarms in Searches for Compact Binary Coalescences in LIGO Data

The LIGO detectors are sensitive to a variety of noise transients of non-astrophysical origin. Instrumental glitches and environmental disturbances increase the false alarm rate in the searches for gravitational waves. Using times already identified when the interferometers produced data of questionable quality, or when the channels that monitor the interferometer indicated non-stationarity, we have developed techniques to safely and effectively veto false triggers from the compact binary coalescences (CBCs) search pipeline

Detecting relic gravitational waves in the CMB: A statistical bias

Analyzing the imprint of relic gravitational waves (RGWs) on the cosmic microwave background (CMB) power spectra provides a way to determine the signal of RGWs. In this Letter, we discuss a statistical bias, which could exist in the data analysis and has the tendency to overlook the RGWs. We also explain why this bias exists, and how to avoid it.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

A Concept for Airborne Precision Spacing for Dependent Parallel Approaches

The Airborne Precision Spacing concept of operations has been previously developed to support the precise delivery of aircraft landing successively on the same runway. The high-precision and consistent delivery of inter-aircraft spacing allows for increased runway throughput and the use of energy-efficient arrivals routes such as Continuous Descent Arrivals and Optimized Profile Descents. This paper describes an extension to the Airborne Precision Spacing concept to enable dependent parallel approach operations where the spacing aircraft must manage their in-trail spacing from a leading aircraft on approach to the same runway and spacing from an aircraft on approach to a parallel runway. Functionality for supporting automation is discussed as well as procedures for pilots and controllers. An analysis is performed to identify the required information and a new ADS-B report is proposed to support these information needs. Finally, several scenarios are described in detail

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and their applications [forthcoming]

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) and Their Application