Pregnant smokers’ experiences and opinions of techniques aimed to address barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation: A qualitative study

Pregnant women experience certain barriers and facilitators (B&Fs) when trying to quit smoking. This study aimed to elicit women’s views on techniques that could help overcome or enhance these. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 pregnant women who had experience of smoking during pregnancy. Participants were prompted to discuss experiences of B&Fs and give suggestions of techniques that could address these appropriately. A thematic analysis was conducted using the one sheet of paper method. Four themes relating to suggested techniques were identified: accessing professional help, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), distraction, and social interactions. Experiences of accessing professional help were generally positive, especially if there was a good rapport with, and easy access to a practitioner. Most women were aware of NRT, those who had used it reported both negative and positive experiences. Praise and encouragement from others towards cessation attempts appeared motivating; peer support groups were deemed useful. Women reported experiencing B&Fs which fell under four themes: influence of others, internal motivation, cues to smoke, and health. Overall, accessing professional support generated positive changes in smoking habits. Establishing ways of how to encourage more women to seek help and raising awareness of different types of support available would seem beneficial

Testing of an Amine-Based Pressure-Swing System for Carbon Dioxide and Humidity Control

In a crewed spacecraft environment, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and moisture control is crucial. Hamilton Sundstrand has developed a stable and efficient amine-based CO2 and water vapor sorbent, SA9T, that is well-suited for use in a spacecraft environment. The sorbent is efficiently packaged in pressure-swing regenerable beds that are thermally linked to improve removal efficiency and minimize vehicle thermal loads. Flows are all controlled with a single spool valve. This technology has been baselined for the new Orion spacecraft. However, more data was needed on the operational characteristics of the package in a simulated spacecraft environment. A unit was therefore tested with simulated metabolic loads in a closed chamber at Johnson Space Center during the last third of 2006. Tests were run at a variety of cabin temperatures and with a range of operating conditions varying cycle time, vacuum pressure, air flow rate, and crew activity levels. Results of this testing are presented and potential flight operational strategies discussed

A Single-Tube HNB-Based Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for the Robust Detection of the Ostreid Herpesvirus 1

The Ostreid herpesvirus 1 species affects shellfish, contributing significantly to high economic losses during production. To counteract the threat related to mortality, there is a need for the development of novel point-of-care testing (POCT) that can be implemented in aquaculture production to prevent disease outbreaks. In this study, a simple, rapid and specific colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has been developed for the detection of Ostreid herpesvirus1 (OsHV-1) and its variants infecting Crassostrea gigas (C. gigas). The LAMP assay has been optimized to use hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) for visual colorimetric distinction of positive and negative templates. The effect of an additional Tte UvrD helicase enzyme used in the reaction was also evaluated with an improved reaction time of 10 min. Additionally, this study provides a robust workflow for optimization of primers for uncultured viruses using designed target plasmid when DNA availability is limited.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Single-Tube HNB-Based Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for the Robust Detection of the Ostreid herpesvirus 1

The Ostreid herpesvirus 1 species affects shellfish, contributing significantly to high economic losses during production. To counteract the threat related to mortality, there is a need for the development of novel point-of-care testing (POCT) that can be implemented in aquaculture production to prevent disease outbreaks. In this study, a simple, rapid and specific colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has been developed for the detection of Ostreid herpesvirus1 (OsHV-1) and its variants infecting Crassostrea gigas (C. gigas). The LAMP assay has been optimized to use hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) for visual colorimetric distinction of positive and negative templates. The effect of an additional Tte UvrD helicase enzyme used in the reaction was also evaluated with an improved reaction time of 10 min. Additionally, this study provides a robust workflow for optimization of primers for uncultured viruses using designed target plasmid when DNA availability is limited.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy for treatment-resistant depression in primary care: the CoBalT randomised controlled trial

Background: Only one-third of patients with depression respond fully to treatment with antidepressant medication. However, there is little robust evidence to guide the management of those whose symptoms are 'treatment resistant'.<p></p> Objective: The CoBalT trial examined the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as an adjunct to usual care (including pharmacotherapy) for primary care patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) compared with usual care alone.<p></p> Design: Pragmatic, multicentre individually randomised controlled trial with follow-up at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. A subset took part in a qualitative study investigating views and experiences of CBT, reasons for completing/not completing therapy, and usual care for TRD.<p></p> Setting: General practices in Bristol, Exeter and Glasgow, and surrounding areas.<p></p> Participants: Patients aged 18-75 years who had TRD [on antidepressants for 6 weeks, had adhered to medication, Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd version (BDI-II) score of 14 and fulfilled the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth edition criteria for depression]. Individuals were excluded who (1) had bipolar disorder/psychosis or major alcohol/substance abuse problems; (2) were unable to complete the questionnaires; or (3) were pregnant, as were those currently receiving CBT/other psychotherapy/secondary care for depression, or who had received CBT in the past 3 years.<p></p> Interventions: Participants were randomised, using a computer-generated code, to usual care or CBT (12-18 sessions) in addition to usual care.<p></p> Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was 'response', defined as 50% reduction in depressive symptoms (BDI-II score) at 6 months compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes included BDI-II score as a continuous variable, remission of symptoms (BDI-II score of < 10), quality of life, anxiety and antidepressant use at 6 and 12 months. Data on health and social care use, personal costs, and time off work were collected at 6 and 12 months. Costs from these three perspectives were reported using a cost-consequence analysis. A cost-utility analysis compared health and social care costs with quality adjusted life-years.<p></p> Results: A total of 469 patients were randomised (intervention: n = 234; usual care: n = 235), with 422 participants (90%) and 396 (84%) followed up at 6 and 12 months. Ninety-five participants (46.1%) in the intervention group met criteria for 'response' at 6 months compared with 46 (21.6%) in the usual-care group {odds ratio [OR] 3.26 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.10 to 5.06], p < 0.001}. In repeated measures analyses using data from 6 and 12 months, the OR for 'response' was 2.89 (95% CI 2.03 to 4.10, p < 0.001) and for a secondary 'remission' outcome (BDI-II score of < 10) 2.74 (95% CI 1.82 to 4.13, p < 0.001). The mean cost of CBT per participant was £910, the incremental health and social care cost £850, the incremental QALY gain 0.057 and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio £14,911. Forty participants were interviewed. Patients described CBT as challenging but helping them to manage their depression; listed social, emotional and practical reasons for not completing treatment; and described usual care as mainly taking medication.<p></p> Conclusions: Among patients who have not responded to antidepressants, augmenting usual care with CBT is effective in reducing depressive symptoms, and these effects, including outcomes reflecting remission, are maintained over 12 months. The intervention was cost-effective based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence threshold. Patients may experience CBT as difficult but effective. Further research should evaluate long-term effectiveness, as this would have major implications for the recommended treatment of depression.<p></p&gt

Joint analysis of stressors and ecosystem services to enhance restoration effectiveness

With increasing pressure placed on natural systems by growing human populations, both scientists and resource managers need a better understanding of the relationships between cumulative stress from human activities and valued ecosystem services. Societies often seek to mitigate threats to these services through large-scale, costly restoration projects, such as the over one billion dollar Great Lakes Restoration Initiative currently underway. To help inform these efforts, we merged high-resolution spatial analyses of environmental stressors with mapping of ecosystem services for all five Great Lakes. Cumulative ecosystem stress is highest in near-shore habitats, but also extends offshore in Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Michigan. Variation in cumulative stress is driven largely by spatial concordance among multiple stressors, indicating the importance of considering all stressors when planning restoration activities. In addition, highly stressed areas reflect numerous different combinations of stressors rather than a single suite of problems, suggesting that a detailed understanding of the stressors needing alleviation could improve restoration planning. We also find that many important areas for fisheries and recreation are subject to high stress, indicating that ecosystem degradation could be threatening key services. Current restoration efforts have targeted high-stress sites almost exclusively, but generally without knowledge of the full range of stressors affecting these locations or differences among sites in service provisioning. Our results demonstrate that joint spatial analysis of stressors and ecosystem services can provide a critical foundation for maximizing social and ecological benefits from restoration investments. www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1213841110/-/DCSupplementa

Exploring the Potential of Using Carbonyl Sulfide to Track the Urban Biosphere Signal

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-MCities are implementing additional urban green as a means to capture CO and become more carbon neutral. However, cities are complex systems where anthropogenic and natural components of the CO budget interact with each other, and the ability to measure the efficacy of such measures is still not properly addressed. There is still a high degree of uncertainty in determining the contribution of the vegetation signal, which furthermore confounds the use of CO mole fraction measurements for inferring anthropogenic emissions of CO. Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is a tracer of photosynthesis which can aid in constraining the biosphere signal. This study explores the potential of using OCS to track the urban biosphere signal. We used the Sulfur Transport and dEposition Model (STEM) to simulate the OCS concentrations and the Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach ecosystem model to simulate global CO fluxes over the Bay Area of San Francisco during March 2015. Two observation towers provided measurements of OCS and CO: The Sutro tower in San Francisco (upwind from the area of study providing background observations), and a tower located at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore (downwind of the highly urbanized San Francisco region). Our results show that the STEM model works better under stable marine influence, and that the boundary layer height and entrainment are driving the diurnal changes in OCS and CO at the downwind Sandia site. However, the STEM model needs to better represent the transport and boundary layer variability, and improved estimates of gross primary productivity for characterizing the urban biosphere signal are needed

International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and performance

Position Statement: The position of The Society regarding caffeine supplementation and sport performance is summarized by the following seven points: 1.) Caffeine is effective for enhancing sport performance in trained athletes when consumed in low-to-moderate dosages (~3-6 mg/kg) and overall does not result in further enhancement in performance when consumed in higher dosages (≥ 9 mg/kg). 2.) Caffeine exerts a greater ergogenic effect when consumed in an anhydrous state as compared to coffee. 3.) It has been shown that caffeine can enhance vigilance during bouts of extended exhaustive exercise, as well as periods of sustained sleep deprivation. 4.) Caffeine is ergogenic for sustained maximal endurance exercise, and has been shown to be highly effective for time-trial performance. 5.) Caffeine supplementation is beneficial for high-intensity exercise, including team sports such as soccer and rugby, both of which are categorized by intermittent activity within a period of prolonged duration. 6.) The literature is equivocal when considering the effects of caffeine supplementation on strength-power performance, and additional research in this area is warranted. 7.) The scientific literature does not support caffeine-induced diuresis during exercise, or any harmful change in fluid balance that would negatively affect performance

The US Navy coupled ocean-wave prediction system

A new coupled ocean-wave model has been developed and tested as a new component of the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS(circle)). The modeling system is comprised of the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) wave model and the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM). The models are two-way coupled using the Earth System Modeling Framework (ESMF). The ocean model has been modified to incorporate the effect of the Stokes drift current, wave radiation stresses due to horizontal gradients of the momentum flux of surface waves, enhancement of bottom drag in shallow water, and enhanced vertical mixing due to Langmuir turbulence. The wave model ingests surface currents (wave-current interaction) and water levels. The system is designed to support the Navy's ocean forecast requirements for regional and coastal domains. Validation studies for the Florida Straits and Virginia coastal area are presented. The system will run at the Naval Oceanographic Office and at the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center

International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB)

Abstract Position Statement: The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) bases the following position stand on a critical analysis of the literature on the use of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) as a nutritional supplement. The ISSN has concluded the following. 1. HMB can be used to enhance recovery by attenuating exercise induced skeletal muscle damage in trained and untrained populations. 2. If consuming HMB, an athlete will benefit from consuming the supplement in close proximity to their workout. 3. HMB appears to be most effective when consumed for 2 weeks prior to an exercise bout. 4. Thirty-eight mg·kg·BM-1 daily of HMB has been demonstrated to enhance skeletal muscle hypertrophy, strength, and power in untrained and trained populations when the appropriate exercise prescription is utilized. 5. Currently, two forms of HMB have been used: Calcium HMB (HMB-Ca) and a free acid form of HMB (HMB-FA). HMB-FA may increase plasma absorption and retention of HMB to a greater extent than HMB-CA. However, research with HMB-FA is in its infancy, and there is not enough research to support whether one form is superior. 6. HMB has been demonstrated to increase LBM and functionality in elderly, sedentary populations. 7. HMB ingestion in conjunction with a structured exercise program may result in greater declines in fat mass (FM). 8. HMB’s mechanisms of action include an inhibition and increase of proteolysis and protein synthesis, respectively. 9. Chronic consumption of HMB is safe in both young and old populations