104 research outputs found
Publisher Correction: Enhanced clay formation key in sustaining the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (Nature Geoscience, (2023), 16, 8, (730-738), 10.1038/s41561-023-01234-y)
Correction to: Nature Geoscience, published online 31 July 2023. In the version of the article originally published, a reference was missing from the seventh paragraph of the âA global shift towards enhanced clay formationâ section and the first paragraph of the âFurther information on the successful model Scenario 8â section (in the latter instance, the reference is cited in the added text âalthough a global reorganisation of the silicon cycle may have also played a partâ). The referenceâDunlea, A. G. et al. Cenozoic global cooling and increased seawater Mg/Ca via reduced reverse weathering. Nat. Commun. 8, 844 (2017)âhas now been inserted as new ref. 54. In the âData treatment and availability sectionâ, the isotopic data, which can be found in the Figshare data repository at , were incorrectly said to be found in the PANGAEA data repository. These corrections have been made in the HTML and PDF versions of the article
The effectiveness of interventions to change six health behaviours: a review of reviews
Background: Several World Health Organisation reports over recent years have highlighted the high incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and cancer. Contributory factors include unhealthy diets, alcohol and tobacco use and sedentary lifestyles. This paper reports the findings of a review of reviews of behavioural change interventions to reduce unhealthy behaviours or promote healthy behaviours. We included six different health-related behaviours in the review: healthy eating, physical exercise, smoking, alcohol misuse, sexual risk taking (in young people) and illicit drug use. We excluded reviews which focussed on pharmacological treatments or those which required intensive treatments (e. g. for drug or alcohol dependency).
Methods: The Cochrane Library, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) and several Ovid databases were searched for systematic reviews of interventions for the six behaviours (updated search 2008). Two reviewers applied the inclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed the quality of the reviews. The results were discussed in a narrative synthesis.
Results: We included 103 reviews published between 1995 and 2008. The focus of interventions varied, but those targeting specific individuals were generally designed to change an existing behaviour (e. g. cigarette smoking, alcohol misuse), whilst those aimed at the general population or groups such as school children were designed to promote positive behaviours (e. g. healthy eating). Almost 50% (n = 48) of the reviews focussed on smoking (either prevention or cessation). Interventions that were most effective across a range of health behaviours included physician advice or individual counselling, and workplace- and school-based activities. Mass media campaigns and legislative interventions also showed small to moderate effects in changing health behaviours. Generally, the evidence related to short-term effects rather than sustained/longer-term impact and there was a relative lack of evidence on how best to address inequalities.
Conclusions: Despite limitations of the review of reviews approach, it is encouraging that there are interventions that are effective in achieving behavioural change. Further emphasis in both primary studies and secondary analysis (e.g. systematic reviews) should be placed on assessing the differential effectiveness of interventions across different population subgroups to ensure that health inequalities are addressed.</p
Development of a standardized and validated flow cytometry approach for monitoring of innate myeloid immune cells in human blood
Innate myeloid cell (IMC) populations form an essential part of innate immunity. Flow cytometric (FCM) monitoring of IMCs in peripheral blood (PB) has great clinical potential for disease monitoring due to their role in maintenance of tissue homeostasis and ability to sense micro-environmental changes, such as inflammatory processes and tissue damage. However, the lack of standardized and validated approaches has hampered broad clinical implementation. For accurate identification and separation of IMC populations, 62 antibodies against 44 different proteins were evaluated. In multiple rounds of EuroFlow-based design-testing-evaluation-redesign, finally 16 antibodies were selected for their non-redundancy and separation power. Accordingly, two antibody combinations were designed for fast, sensitive, and reproducible FCM monitoring of IMC populations in PB in clinical settings (11-color; 13 antibodies) and translational research (14-color; 16 antibodies). Performance of pre-analytical and analytical variables among different instruments, together with optimized post-analytical data analysis and reference values were assessed. Overall, 265 blood samples were used for design and validation of the antibody combinations and in vitro functional assays, as well as for assessing the impact of sample preparation procedures and conditions. The two (11- and 14-color) antibody combinations allowed for robust and sensitive detection of 19 and 23 IMC populations, respectively. Highly reproducible identification and enumeration of IMC populations was achieved, independently of anticoagulant, type of FCM instrument and center, particularly when database/software-guided automated (vs. manual "expert-based") gating was used. Whereas no significant changes were observed in identification of IMC populations for up to 24h delayed sample processing, a significant impact was observed in their absolute counts after >12h delay. Therefore, accurate identification and quantitation of IMC populations requires sample processing on the same day. Significantly different counts were observed in PB for multiple IMC populations according to age and sex. Consequently, PB samples from 116 healthy donors (8-69 years) were used for collecting age and sex related reference values for all IMC populations. In summary, the two antibody combinations and FCM approach allow for rapid, standardized, automated and reproducible identification of 19 and 23 IMC populations in PB, suited for monitoring of innate immune responses in clinical and translational research settings
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of transmural collaborative care with consultation letter (TCCCL) and duloxetine for major depressive disorder (MDD) and (sub)chronic pain in collaboration with primary care: design of a randomized placebo-controlled multi-Centre trial: TCC:PAINDIP
__Abstract__
Background: The comorbidity of pain and depression is associated with high disease burden for patients in terms
of disability, wellbeing, and use of medical care. Patients with major and minor depression often present
themselves with pain to a general practitioner and recognition of depression in such cases is low, but evolving.
Also, physical symptoms, including pain, in major depressive disorder, predict a poorer response to treatment. A
multi-faceted, patient-tailored treatment programme, like collaborative care, is promising. However, treatment of
chronic pain conditions in depressive patients has, so far, received limited attention in research. Cost effectiveness
of an integrated approach of pain in depressed patients has not been studied.
This article describes the aims and design of a study to evaluate effects and costs of collaborative care with the
antidepressant duloxetine for patients with pain symptoms and a depressive disorder, compared to collaborative
care with placebo and compared to duloxetine alone
Patient adherence to medical treatment: a review of reviews
BACKGROUND: Patients' non-adherence to medical treatment remains a persistent problem. Many interventions to improve patient adherence are unsuccessful and sound theoretical foundations are lacking. Innovations in theory and practice are badly needed. A new and promising way could be to review the existing reviews of adherence to interventions and identify the underlying theories for effective interventions. That is the aim of our study. METHODS: The study is a review of 38 systematic reviews of the effectiveness of adherence interventions published between 1990 and 2005. Electronic literature searches were conducted in Medline, Psychinfo, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The scope of the study is patient adherence to medical treatment in the cure and care sector. RESULTS: Significant differences in the effectiveness of adherence interventions were found in 23 of the 38 systematic reviews. Effective interventions were found in each of four theoretical approaches to adherence interventions: technical, behavioural, educational and multi-faceted or complex interventions. Technical solutions, such as a simplification of the regimen, were often found to be effective, although that does not count for every therapeutic regimen.Overall, our results show that, firstly, there are effective adherence interventions without an explicit theoretical explanation of the operating mechanisms, for example technical solutions. Secondly, there are effective adherence interventions, which clearly stem from the behavioural theories, for example incentives and reminders. Thirdly, there are other theoretical models that seem plausible for explaining non-adherence, but not very effective in improving adherence behaviour. Fourthly, effective components within promising theories could not be identified because of the complexity of many adherence interventions and the lack of studies that explicitly compare theoretical components. CONCLUSION: There is a scarcity of comparative studies explicitly contrasting theoretical models or their components. The relative weight of these theories and the effective components in the interventions designed to improve adherence, need to be assessed in future studies. (aut.ref.
Variation in population levels of sedentary time in European children and adolescents according to cross-European studies: a systematic literature review within DEDIPAC
peer-reviewedBackground: A high amount of sedentary time has been proposed as a risk factor for various health outcomes in
adults. While the evidence is less clear in children and adolescents, monitoring sedentary time is important to
understand the prevalence rates and how this behaviour varies over time and by place. This systematic literature
review aims to provide an overview of existing cross-European studies on sedentary time in children (0-12y) and
adolescents (13-18y), to describe the variation in population levels of sedentary time, and to discuss the impact of
assessment methods.
Methods: Six literature databases were searched (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SportDiscus and OpenGrey),
followed by backward- and forward tracking and searching authorsâ and expertsâ literature databases. Included
articles were observational studies reporting on levels of sedentary time in the general population of children
and/or adolescents in at least two European countries. Population levels were reported separately for children
and adolescents. Data were reviewed, extracted and assessed by two researchers, with disagreements being
resolved by a third researcher. The review protocol is published under registration number CRD42014013379
in the PROSPERO database.
Forty-two eligible articles were identified, most were cross-sectional (n = 38). The number of included
European countries per article ranged from 2 to 36. Levels of sedentary time were observed to be higher in
East-European countries compared to the rest of Europe. There was a large variation in assessment methods
and reported outcome variables. The majority of articles used a child-specific questionnaire (60 %). Other
methods included accelerometers, parental questionnaires or interviews and ecological momentary assessment
tools. Television time was reported as outcome variable in 57 % of included articles (ranging from a mean
value of 1 h to 2.7 h in children and 1.3 h to 4.4 h in adolescents), total sedentary time in 24 % (ranging
from a mean value of 192 min to 552 min in children and from 268 min to 506 min in adolescents).
A substantial number of published studies report on levels of sedentary time in children and
adolescents across European countries, but there was a large variation in assessment methods. Questionnaires
(child specific) were used most often, but they mostly measured specific screen-based activities and did not
assess total sedentary time. There is a need for harmonisation and standardisation of objective and subjective
methods to assess sedentary time in children and adolescents to enable comparison across countries
A school-based intervention to reduce overweight and inactivity in children aged 6â12 years: study design of a randomized controlled trial
Background
Effective interventions to prevent overweight and obesity in children are urgently needed especially in inner-city neighbourhoods where prevalence of overweight and inactivity among primary school children is high. A school based intervention was developed aiming at the reduction of overweight and inactivity in these children by addressing both behavioural and environmental determinants.
Methods/design
The main components of the intervention (Lekker Fit!) are the re-establishment of a professional physical education teacher; three (instead of two) PE classes per week; additional sport and play activities outside school hours; fitness testing; classroom education on healthy nutrition, active living and healthy lifestyle choices; and the involvement of parents. The effectiveness of the intervention is evaluated through a cluster randomized controlled trial in 20 primary schools among grades 3 through 8 (6â12 year olds). Primary outcome measures are BMI, waist circumference and fitness. Secondary outcome measures are assessed in a subgroup of grade 6â8 pupils (9â12 year olds) through classroom questionnaires and constitute of nutrition and physical activity behaviours and behavioural determinants. Multilevel regression analyses are used to study differences in outcomes between children in the intervention schools and in control schools, taking clustering of children within schools into account.
Discussion
Hypotheses are that the intervention results in a lower prevalence of children being overweight and an improved mean fitness score, in comparison with a control group where the intervention is not implemented. The results of our study will contribute to the discussion on the role of physical education and physical activity in the school curriculum.
Trial registration
[ISRCTN84383524
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Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being
Wild and managed pollinators provide a wide range of benefits to society in terms of contributions to food security, farmer
and beekeeper livelihoods, social and cultural values, as well as the maintenance of wider biodiversity and ecosystem
stability. Pollinators face numerous threats, including changes in land-use and management intensity, climate change,
pesticides and genetically modified crops, pollinator management and pathogens, and invasive alien species. There are
well-documented declines in some wild and managed pollinators in several regions of the world. However, many effective
policy and management responses can be implemented to safeguard pollinators and sustain pollination services
Neonicotinoid Insecticides and Their Impacts on Bees: A Systematic Review of Research Approaches and Identification of Knowledge Gaps
It has been suggested that the widespread use of neonicotinoid insecticides threatens bees, but research on this topic has been surrounded by controversy. In order to synthesize which research approaches have been used to examine the effect of neonicotinoids on bees and to identify knowledge gaps, we systematically reviewed research on this subject that was available on the Web of Science and PubMed in June 2015. Most of the 216 primary research studies were conducted in Europe or North America (82%), involved the neonicotinoid imidacloprid (78%), and concerned the western honey bee Apis mellifera (75%). Thus, little seems to be known about neonicotinoids and bees in areas outside Europe and North America. Furthermore, because there is considerable variation in ecological traits among bee taxa, studies on honey bees are not likely to fully predict impacts of neonicotinoids on other species. Studies on crops were dominated by seed-treated maize, oilseed rape (canola) and sunflower, whereas less is known about potential side effects on bees from the use of other application methods on insect pollinated fruit and vegetable crops, or on lawns and ornamental plants. Laboratory approaches were most common, and we suggest that their capability to infer real-world consequences are improved when combined with information from field studies about realistic exposures to neonicotinoids. Studies using field approaches often examined only bee exposure to neonicotinoids and more field studies are needed that measure impacts of exposure. Most studies measured effects on individual bees. We suggest that effects on the individual bee should be linked to both mechanisms at the sub-individual level and also to the consequences for the colony and wider bee populations. As bees are increasingly facing multiple interacting pressures future research needs to clarify the role of neonicotinoids in relative to other drivers of bee declines
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