Effectiveness of group-based self-management education for individuals with Type 2 diabetes:A systematic review with meta-analyses and meta-regression

Aims: Patient education for the management of Type 2 diabetes can be delivered in various forms, with the goal of promoting and supporting positive self-management behaviours. This systematic review aimed to determine the effectiveness of group-based interventions compared with individual interventions or usual care for improving clinical, lifestyle and psychosocial outcomes in people with Type 2 diabetes. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched. Group-based education programmes for adults with Type 2 diabetes that measured glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and followed participants for ≥ 6 months were included. The primary outcome was HbA1c, and secondary outcomes included fasting blood glucose, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood lipid profiles, diabetes knowledge and self-efficacy. Results: Fifty-three publications describing 47 studies were included (n = 8533 participants). Greater reductions in HbA1c occurred in group-based education compared with controls at 6–10 months [n = 30 studies; mean difference (MD) = 3 mmol/mol (0.3%); 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.48, −0.15; P = 0.0002], 12–14 months [n = 27 studies; MD = 4 mmol/mol (0.3%); 95% CI: −0.49, −0.17; P < 0.0001], 18 months [n = 3 studies; MD = 8 mmol/mol (0.7%); 95% CI: −1.26, −0.18; P = 0.009] and 36–48 months [n = 5 studies; MD = 10 mmol/mol (0.9%); 95% CI: −1.52, −0.34; P = 0.002], but not at 24 months. Outcomes also favoured group-based education for fasting blood glucose, body weight, waist circumference, triglyceride levels and diabetes knowledge, but not at all time points. Interventions facilitated by a single discipline, multidisciplinary teams or health professionals with peer supporters resulted in improved outcomes in HbA1c when compared with peer-led interventions. Conclusions: Group-based education interventions are more effective than usual care, waiting list control and individual education at improving clinical, lifestyle and psychosocial outcomes in people with Type 2 diabetes.No Full Tex

Probing the isovector transition strength of the low-lying nuclear excitations induced by inverse kinematics proton scattering

A compact approach based on the folding model is suggested for the determination of the isoscalar and isovector transition strengths of the low-lying ($\Delta S=\Delta T=0$) excitations induced by inelastic proton scattering measured with exotic beams. Our analysis of the recently measured inelastic $^{18,20}$O+p scattering data at $E_{\rm lab}=30$ and 43 MeV/nucleon has given for the first time an accurate estimate of the isoscalar $\beta_0$ and isovector $\beta_1$ deformation parameters (which cannot be determined from the (p,p') data alone by standard methods) for 2$^+_1$ and $3^-_1$ excited states in $^{18,20}$O. Quite strong isovector mixing was found in the 2$^+_1$ inelastic $^{20}$O+p scattering channel, where the strength of the isovector form factor $F_1$ (prototype of the Lane potential) corresponds to a $\beta_1$ value almost 3 times larger than $\beta_0$ and a ratio of nuclear transition matrix elements $M_n/M_p\simeq 4.2$.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Tuneable Fabry–Perot etalon for terahertz radiation

Copyright © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. This is the published version of an article published in New Journal of Physics Vol. 10, article 033012. DOI:10.1088/1367-2630/10/3/033012An indium tin oxide-clad liquid crystal filled Fabry–Perot etalon structure has been shown to act as an effective narrow-band filter at terahertz frequencies. An applied voltage, which controls the alignment of the nematic liquid crystal allows the refractive index of the core to be tuned. Transmission spectra show well-defined resonant peaks which shift in position when the alignment is changed from planar to homeotropic. The measured transmission spectra agree well with the results of a multilayer optics model and the birefringence of the liquid crystals over this frequency range are determined as Δn = 0.15(± 0.01) and Δn = 0.08(± 0.01) for E7 and ZLI 2293, respectively

High efficiency CCD detectors at UV wavelengths

The Faint Intergalactic Redshifted Emission Balloon (FIREBall) is a NASA/CNES balloon-borne ultraviolet multi-object spectrograph designed to observe the diffuse gas around galaxies (the circumgalactic medium) via line emission redshifted to ~ 205 nm. FIREBall uses a ultraviolet-optimized delta doped e2v CCD201 with a custom designed high efficiency five layer anti-re ection coating. This combination achieves very high quantum efficiency (QE) and photon-counting capability, a first for a CCD detector in this wavelength range. We also present new work on red blocking mirror coatings to reduce red leak

The Distribution of the Major Economies' Effort in the Durban Platform Scenarios

The feasibility of achieving climate stabilization consistent with the objective of 2 degrees C is heavily influenced by how the effort in terms of mitigation and economic resources will be distributed among the major economies. This paper provides a multi-model quantification of the mitigation commitment in ten major regions of the world for a diversity of allocation schemes. Our results indicate that a policy with uniform carbon pricing and no transfer payments would yield an uneven distribution of policy costs, which would be lower than the global average for OECD countries, higher for developing economies and the highest, for energy exporters. We show that a resource sharing scheme based on long-term convergence of per capita emissions would not resolve the issue of cost distribution. An effort sharing scheme which equalizes regional policy costs would yield an allocation of allowances comparable with the ones proposed by the Major Economies. Under such a scheme, emissions would peak between 2030 and 2045 for China and remain rather flat for India. In all cases, a very large international carbon market would be required

Quasiparticle RPA with finite rank approximation for Skyrme interactions

A finite rank separable approximation for the particle-hole RPA calculations with Skyrme interactions is extended to take into account the pairing. As an illustration of the method energies and transition probabilities for the quadrupole and octupole excitations in some O, Ar, Sn and Pb isotopes are calculated. The values obtained within our approach are very close to those that were calculated within QRPA with the full Skyrme interaction. They are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Phys.Rev.

Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence: a systematic review of measurement properties

Background: Attachment theory proposes that humans develop representations of self and other in early childhood which are relatively stable across the life-course, and play a key role in psychological adaptation. However, to date, the psychometric properties of attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence have not been evaluated in a systematic review. Method: A systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42017057772) was conducted using COSMIN criteria. Two researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PsychINFO and Embase databases for relevant articles. Results: Fifty-four studies were included in the review. The methodological quality of studies was typically fair or poor, with only a smaller number of studies being rated as of good or excellent quality. The measurement properties of attachment measures in this age group were frequently rated as inadequate according to COSMIN criteria. The Child Attachment Interview (CAI) has the best psychometric properties of the interview and projective measures, and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) the best evidence of the self-report measures. Overall, the evidence for the CAI and IPPA included both positive and negative findings relating to adequacy of measurement properties. Conclusions: Attachment measures in middle childhood and adolescence currently have limited evidence for the adequacy of their psychometric properties

Separabelized Skyrme Interactions and Quasiparticle RPA

A finite rank separable approximation for the quasiparticle RPA with Skyrme interactions is applied to study the low lying quadrupole and octupole states in some S isotopes and giant resonances in some spherical nuclei. It is shown that characteristics calculated within the suggested approach are in a good agreement with available experimental data.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of the Seventh School-Seminar on Heavy Ion Physics, Dubna, Russia, May 27-June 1, 2002; to appear in Physics of Atomic Nucle