Understanding Loneliness: a Systematic Review of the Impact of Social Prescribing Initiatives on Loneliness

Aims: The aim of this systematic literature review is to assess the impact of social prescribing (SP) programmes on loneliness among participants and the population. Methods: We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to search EBSCOHost (CINAHL Complete, eBook Collection, E-Journals, MEDLINE with Full Text, Open Dissertations, PsycARTICLES, and PsycINFO), UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Web of Science Core Collection, and grey literature. We included studies measuring the effectiveness and impact of SP programmes in terms of loneliness. We excluded systematic reviews and studies without evaluations. Due to the absence of confidence intervals and the low number of studies, we conduct no meta-analysis. Results: From 4415 unique citations, nine articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies do not use uniform measures or randomised samples. All nine studies report positive individual impacts; three report reductions in general practitioner (GP), A&E, social worker, or inpatient/outpatient services; and one shows that belonging to a group reduces loneliness and healthcare usage. Conclusion: The findings of this systematic review indicate that individuals and service providers view SP as a helpful tool to address loneliness. However, evidence variability and the small number of studies make it difficult to draw a conclusion on the extent of the impact and the pathways to achieving positive change. More research is needed into the impact of SP programmes on participants, populations, and communities in terms of loneliness, isolation, and connectedness, especially in light of the surge in SP activity as a key part of pandemic response

Can Social Prescribing Foster Individual and Community Well-Being? A Systematic Review of the Evidence

Social prescribing programmes (SP) are person-centred coaching schemes meant to help participants improve individual circumstances, thereby to reduce demand on health and social care. SP could be an innovative means to improve preventive and public health in the pursuit of universal financially sustainable healthcare. Given its potential, our systematic review assesses type, content, and quality of evidence available regarding SP effectiveness at the individual, system, and community levels. We examine the impact of SP on addressing loneliness, social isolation, well-being, and connectedness, as well as related concepts, which are not yet considered jointly in one study. Following PRISMA, we search: EBSCOHost (CINAHL Complete; eBook Collection; E-Journals; MEDLINE Full Text; Open Dissertations; PsycARTICLES; PsycINFO); Web of Science Core Collection; and UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Excluding systematic reviews and articles without impact evaluations, we review 51 studies. Several studies do not distinguish between core concepts and/or provide information on the measures used to assess outcomes; exactly one peer-reviewed study presents a randomised controlled trial. If we wish to know the potential of social prescribing to lead to universal financially sustainable healthcare, we urge researchers and practitioners to standardise definitions and metrics, and to explore conceptual linkages between social prescribing and system/community outcomes

Fiber hemp response to foliar application of growth regulators

The aim of this paper was to test the effect of three plant growth regulators (PGR) on fiber content of hemp cultivar Helena. Applied PGRs, Cycocel®, Regalis® and Moddus® had impact on fiber content in hemp cultivar Helena in medium concentrations: 1-2, 1.25-2.5 and 0.4-0.5 kg/ha, respectively. Further analysis of fiber quality, after application of various PGRs concentrations, should explain which PGR should be used in hemp fiber production

Proceedings of the 24th Paediatric Rheumatology European Society Congress: Part three

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications Router.Publication status: PublishedHistory: collection 2017-09, epub 2017-09-0

The Actors and The Production of \u3ci\u3eA Midsummer Night’s Dream\u3c/i\u3e

The actors were observed for two and a half months; the data have been collected during rehearsals and the performances in Gorecki Theater. The statistical analysis using the Pearson’s coefficient r, revealed a significant positive linear relationship between those people who scored high on conscientiousness and value of rehearsals at the end of rehearsal period based on actors’ self-perception. The correlation analysis of the data did not show any other significant results in relating other personality traits to rehearsal, performance, and group dynamics factor

Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis in a mouse model using adeno-associated viral vectors

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common monogenic life-threatening disease in the Caucasian population, caused by mutations in CFTR, a chloride/bicarbonate channel that regulates fluid transport across epithelium of different organs (airways, pancreas, intestine, sweat glands and vas deferens). CF affects multiple organs, but lung pathology is the major clinical manifestation. Mutations in the CFTR gene lead to an imbalance in ion and water transport followed by the formation of viscous mucus which lines the lung epithelium and contributes to vicious cycle of airway obstruction, persistent infection and inflammation resulting in irreversible decline of lung function. For the majority of CF patients the treatment is symptomatic and there is no cure available. Gene therapy holds promise to cure a wide range of genetic and acquired diseases. Recently, rAAV-based gene therapy made remarkable success showing efficacy for several hereditary disorders and progressing to the market with a first gene-based product approved by the European Medicines Agency. This encouraged us to re-explore rAAV-based gene therapeutic approach for cystic fibrosis. Furthermore, the conceptual advantage of an early treatment gains more and more support in the gene therapy field since several studies showed beneficial effect of an early treatment on the clinical outcome. In that light, early gene therapy, prior to disease onset, may even prevent disease, rather than having to cure it. In parallel with the immune system disorders, CF was at the forefront of the gene therapy field since its inception in early 1990`s. Since then, more than 20 clinical trials for CF have been conducted, but none have led to a persistent clinical benefit. Hence the question on how to further improve pulmonary gene transfer remains unanswered. In that perspective, the work presented in this thesis aimed at developing a preclinical strategy for viral vector-based gene therapy, as a first step towards a cure (curative treatment) for CF airway disease. In a first part of my thesis, I developed and characterized a model for pulmonary gene transfer using adeno-associated viral vector with airway tropism (rAAV2/5) carrying reporter genes in fetal, neonatal and adult mice to answer generic questions on stability and efficacy of gene transfer. Combining non-invasive bioluminescent imaging and histological analysis, efficient transduction of both the upper (nose) and the lower (lung) mouse airways was observed. In order to cure an inherited disease, like CF, lifelong expression of the therapeutic gene is required. rAAV2/5-mediated gene transfer in the fetal or neonatal mouse airways, followed by a single re-administration later in adult animals resulted in sustained gene expression up to 7 months, without a marked decrease. In addition, we demonstrated that a single dose of rAAV2/5 administered to adult mice also resulted in reporter gene expression at least up to 15 months, which corresponds to the expected life-span of a mouse (1.5-2 years). This generic model highlights the clinical potential of rAAV2/5 vector for treatment of inherited and acquired pulmonary disorders for which long-term gene correction is required and no effective therapy is available. In a last part of this thesis, I translated the above-mentioned generic rAAV2/5-based technology for pulmonary gene transfer to a therapeutic model for CF gene therapy. Compared to previous unsuccessful rAAV-based clinical trials, we designed an improved vector based on an airway-tropic serotype (rAAV2/5) and carrying a truncated, but functional transgene (CFTRΔR) that allows incorporation of an external promoter for optimal gene expression. Combining different functional tests (iodide efflux assay, patch-clamp and forskolin-induced swelling), we demonstrated that CFTRΔR, a CFTR version that lacks a portion of the regulatory R-domain, retains ion channel activity and it is regulated by cAMP/PKA pathway in cultured cells. Finally we assessed the therapeutic potential of rAAV-CFTRΔR vector in two complementary models: intestinal organoids derived from CF patients and in vivo across the nasal mucosa of CF mice homozygous for ΔF508 mutation. A single dose of the therapeutic vector rAAV-CFTRΔR restored chloride secretion in both models proffering a rAAV-based gene therapy option for CF, a small but promising step forward opening avenues towards a curative treatment for CF.status: publishe

Roadmap for an early gene therapy for cystic fibrosis airway disease (vol 37, pg 1181, 2017)

status: publishe