Increased cognitive control after task conflict? Investigating the N-3 effect in task switching.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuch, Stefanie; Grange, James A

2018-05-25

Task inhibition is considered to facilitate switching to a new task and is assumed to decay slowly over time. Hence, more persisting inhibition needs to be overcome when returning to a task after one intermediary trial (ABA task sequence) than when returning after two or more intermediary trials (CBA task sequence). Schuch and Grange (J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn 41:760-767, 2015) put forward the hypothesis that there is higher task conflict in ABA than CBA sequences, leading to increased cognitive control in the subsequent trial. They provided evidence that performance is better in trials following ABA than following CBA task sequences. Here, this effect of the previous task sequence ("N-3 effect") is further investigated by varying the cue-stimulus interval (CSI), allowing for short (100 ms) or long (900 ms) preparation time for the upcoming task. If increased cognitive control after ABA involves a better preparation for the upcoming task, the N-3 effect should be larger with long than short CSI. The results clearly show that this is not the case. In Experiment 1, the N-3 effect was smaller with long than short CSI; in Experiment 2, the N-3 effect was not affected by CSI. Diffusion model analysis confirmed previous results in the literature (regarding the effect of CSI and of the ABA-CBA difference); however, the N-3 effect was not unequivocally associated with any of the diffusion model parameters. In exploratory analysis, we also tested the alternative hypothesis that the N-3 effect involves more effective task shielding, which would be reflected in reduced congruency effects in trials following ABA, relative to trials following CBA; congruency effects did not differ between these conditions. Taken together, we can rule out two potential explanations of the N-3 effect: Neither is this effect due to enhanced task preparation, nor to more effective task shielding.

Interventions aimed at increasing research use in nursing: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moore Katherine

2007-05-01

nursing, and the evidence to support or refute specific interventions is inconclusive. To advance the field, we recommend that investigators: (1 use theoretically informed interventions to increase research use, (2 measure research use longitudinally using theoretically informed and psychometrically sound measures of research use, as well as, measuring patient outcomes relevant to the intervention, and (3 use more robust and methodologically sound study designs to evaluate interventions. If investigators aim to establish a link between using research and improved patient outcomes they must first identify those interventions that are effective at increasing research use.

Bilateral pulmonary arterial banding results in an increased need for subsequent pulmonary artery interventions.

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Davies, Ryan R; Radtke, Wolfgang A; Klenk, Dore; Pizarro, Christian

2014-02-01

Despite increasing use of bilateral branch pulmonary artery banding (bPAB), both as a temporary stabilizing treatment and as part of comprehensive hybrid management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, little is known about the long-term outcomes of the pulmonary arteries (PAs) in banded patients. We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with ductal-dependent systemic circulation (2001-2013) undergoing bPAB placement at a single institution (bPAB, n = 50); patients who underwent a stage I Norwood procedure (Norwood, n = 53) were used for comparison. The need for PA interventions (surgical arterioplasty, balloon angioplasty, and stent implantation) and PA growth were assessed. Bands were in place for a median of 76 days. PA growth and size were similar between groups, but bPAB patients required more interventions (1.4 ± 2.9 vs 0.5 ± 1.2, P = .01). In competing risks analysis, only 20% of bPAB patients were alive and free from intervention at 5 years after bPAB removal. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression of operative interventions within the bPAB group demonstrated the following risk factors: subsequent 2-ventricle repairs (hazard ratio [HR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-6.7), smallest band diameter (HR per additional millimeter, 0.059; 95% CI, 0.004-0.849), and duration of band placement more than 90 days (HR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.0-12.6). Hemodynamics and Fontan candidacy did not differ between groups. Patients with bPAB require additional interventions at earlier time points than Norwood patients. Patients with smaller bands and longer duration of banding are at high risk. Despite stenoses requiring additional interventions, Fontan candidacy is maintained. Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A 3-year physical activity intervention program increases the gain in bone mineral and bone width in prepubertal girls but not boys: the prospective copenhagen school child interventions study (CoSCIS).

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Hasselstrøm, H A; Karlsson, M K; Hansen, S E; Grønfeldt, V; Froberg, K; Andersen, L B

2008-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increasing the amount of time spent in physical education classes on bone mineral accrual and gain in bone size in prepubertal Danish children. A total of 135 boys and 108 girls, aged 6-8 years, were included in a school-based curriculum intervention program where the usual time spent in physical education classes was doubled to four classes (180 min) per week. The control group comprised age-matched children (62 boys and 76 girls) recruited from a separate community who completed the usual Danish school curriculum of physical activity (90 min/week). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to evaluate bone mineral content (BMC; g), bone mineral density (g/cm(2)), and bone width at the calcaneus and distal forearm before and after 3 years of intervention. Anthropometrics and Tanner stages were evaluated on the same occasions. General physical activity was measured with an accelerometer worn for 4 days. In girls, the intervention group had a 12.5% increase (P = 0.04) in distal forearm BMC and a 13.2% increase (P = 0.005) in distal forearm scanned area compared with girls in the control group. No differences were found between the intervention and control groups in boys. Increasing the frequency of physical education classes for prepubertal children is associated with a higher accrual of bone mineral and higher gain in bone size after 3 years in girls but not in boys.

Serum n-3 Tetracosapentaenoic Acid and Tetracosahexaenoic Acid Increase Following Higher Dietary α-Linolenic Acid but not Docosahexaenoic Acid.

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Metherel, Adam H; Domenichiello, Anthony F; Kitson, Alex P; Lin, Yu-Hong; Bazinet, Richard P

2017-02-01

n-3 Tetracosapentaenoic acid (24:5n-3, TPAn-3) and tetracosahexaenoic acid (24:6n-3, THA) are believed to be important intermediates to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) synthesis. The purpose of this study is to report for the first time serum concentrations of TPAn-3 and THA and their response to changing dietary α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3, ALA) and DHA. The responses will then be used in an attempt to predict the location of these fatty acids in relation to DHA in the biosynthetic pathway. Male Long Evans rats (n = 6 per group) were fed either a low (0.1% of total fatty acids), medium (3%) or high (10%) ALA diet with no added DHA, or a low (0%), medium (0.2%) or high (2%) DHA diet with a background of 2% ALA for 8 weeks post-weaning. Serum n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations (nmol/mL ± SEM) were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Serum THA increases from low (0.3 ± 0.1) to medium (5.8 ± 0.7) but not from medium to high (4.6 ± 0.9) dietary ALA, while serum TPAn-3 increases with increasing dietary ALA from 0.09 ± 0.04 to 0.70 ± 0.09 to 1.23 ± 0.14 nmol/mL. Following DHA feeding, neither TPAn-3 or THA change across all dietary DHA intake levels. Serum TPAn-3 demonstrates a similar response to dietary DHA. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate that increases in dietary ALA but not DHA increase serum TPAn-3 and THA in rats, suggesting that both fatty acids are precursors to DHA in the biosynthetic pathway.

Red Blood Cell Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPA n-3) is Inversely Associated with Triglycerides and C-reactive Protein (CRP) in Healthy Adults and Dose-Dependently Increases Following n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation

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Skulas-Ray, Ann C.; Flock, Michael R.; Richter, Chesney K.; Harris, William S.; West, Sheila G.; Kris-Etherton, Penny M.

2015-01-01

The role of the long-chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in lipid metabolism and inflammation has been extensively studied; however, little is known about the relationship between docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5 n-3) and inflammation and triglycerides (TG). We evaluated whether n-3 DPA content of red blood cells (RBC) was associated with markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) and fasting TG prior to n-3 supplementation in two studies (Study 1: n = 115, aged 20–44 years, body mass index (BMI) 20–30 kg/m2, TG = 34–176 mg/dL; Study 2: n = 28, aged 22–65 years, BMI 24–37 kg/m2, TG = 141–339 mg/dL). We also characterized the dose-response effects of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on RBC n-3 DPA after five months of supplementation with fish oil (Study 1: 0, 300, 600, 900, and 1800 mg/day EPA + DHA) and eight weeks of prescription n-3 ethyl esters (Study 2: 0, 850, and 3400 mg/day EPA + DHA). In Study 1, RBC n-3 DPA was inversely correlated with CRP (R2 = 36%, p < 0.001) and with fasting TG (r = −0.30, p = 0.001). The latter finding was replicated in Study 2 (r = −0.33, p = 0.04). In both studies, n-3 supplementation significantly increased RBC n-3 DPA dose-dependently. Relative increases were greater for Study 1, with increases of 29%–61% vs. 14%–26% for Study 2. The associations between RBC n-3 DPA, CRP, and fasting TG may have important implications for the prevention of atherosclerosis and chronic inflammatory diseases and warrant further study. PMID:26247967

n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Leukocyte Telomere Length in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

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Anne Barden

2016-03-01

Full Text Available DNA telomere shortening associates with the age-related increase cardiovascular disease (CVD risk. Reducing oxidative stress, could modify telomere erosion during cell replication, and CVD risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD. The effect of n-3 fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ on telomere length was studied in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial in CKD. Eighty-five CKD patients were randomized to: n-3 fatty acids (4 g; CoQ (200 mg; both supplements; or control (4 g olive oil, daily for 8 weeks. Telomere length was measured in neutrophils and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC at baseline and 8 weeks, with and without correction for cell counts. Main and interactive effects of n-3 fatty acids and CoQ on telomere length were assessed adjusting for baseline values. F2-isoprostanes were measured as markers of oxidative stress. There was no effect of n-3 fatty acids or CoQ on neutrophil or PBMC telomere length. However, telomere length corrected for neutrophil count was increased after n-3 fatty acids (p = 0.015. Post-intervention plasma F2-isoprostanes were negative predictors of post-intervention telomere length corrected for neutrophil count (p = 0.025.The effect of n-3 fatty acids to increased telomere length corrected for neutrophil count may relate to reduced oxidative stress and increased clearance of neutrophils with shorter telomeres from the circulation. This may be a novel mechanism of modifying CVD risk in CKD patients.

Effectiveness of a multi-strategy intervention in increasing the implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by Australian primary schools: a non-randomized controlled trial.

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Nathan, Nicole; Wolfenden, Luke; Bell, Andrew C; Wyse, Rebecca; Morgan, Philip J; Butler, Michelle; Sutherland, Rachel; Milat, Andrew J; Hector, Debra; Wiggers, John

2012-08-13

Limited evidence exists describing the effectiveness of strategies in facilitating the implementation of vegetable and fruit programs by schools on a population wide basis. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a multi-strategy intervention in increasing the population-wide implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by primary schools and to determine if intervention effectiveness varied by school characteristics. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in primary schools in the state of New South Wales, Australia. All primary schools in one region of the state (n = 422) received a multi-strategy intervention. A random sample of schools (n = 406) in the remainder of the state served as comparison schools. The multi-strategy intervention to increase vegetable and fruit breaks involved the development and provision of: program consensus and leadership; staff training; program materials; incentives; follow-up support; and implementation feedback. Comparison schools had access to routine information-based Government support. Data to assess the prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks were collected by telephone from Principals of the intervention and comparison schools at baseline (2006-2007) and 11 to 15 months following the commencement of the intervention (2009-2010). GEE analysis was used to examine the change in the prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks in intervention schools compared to comparison schools. At follow-up, prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks increased significantly in both intervention (50.3% to 82.0%, p strategy intervention can significantly increase the implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by a large number of Australian primary schools.

Interventions for increasing uptake in screening programmes

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Droste, Sigrid

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Opportunities for the early detection of disease are not sufficiently being taken advantage of. Specific interventions could increase the uptake of prevention programmes. A comprehensive analysis of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these interventions with reference to Germany is still needed. Objectives: This report aimed to describe and assess interventions to increase uptake in primary and secondary prevention and to explore the assessment of their cost-effectiveness. Methods: 29 scientific databases were systematically searched in a wide strategy. Additional references were located from bibliographies. All published systematic reviews and primary studies were assessed for inclusion without language restrictions. Teams of two reviewers identified the literature, extracted data and assessed the quality of the publications independently. Results: Four HTA reports and 22 systematic reviews were identified for the medical evaluation covering a variety of interventions. The economic evaluation was based on two HTA-reports, one meta-analysis and 15 studies. The evidence was consistent for the effectiveness of invitations and reminders aimed at users, and for prompts aimed at health care professionals. These interventions were the most commonly analysed. (Financial Incentives for users and professionals were identified in a small number of studies. Limited evidence was available for cost-effectiveness showing incremental costs for follow-up reminders and invitations by telephone. Evidence for ethical, social and legal aspects pointed to needs in vulnerable populations. Discussion: The material was heterogeneous regarding interventions used, study populations and settings. The majority of references originated from the United States and focused on secondary prevention. Approaching all target groups by invitations and reminders was recommended to increase uptake in prevention programmes in general. Conclusions: Further research

Pocket change: a simple educational intervention increases hospitalist documentation of comorbidities and improves hospital quality performance measures.

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Sparks, Rachel; Salskov, Alex H; Chang, Anita S; Wentworth, Kelly L; Gupta, Pritha P; Staiger, Thomas O; Anawalt, Bradley D

2015-01-01

Complete documentation of patient comorbidities in the medical record is important for clinical care, hospital reimbursement, and quality performance measures. We designed a pocket card reminder and brief educational intervention aimed at hospitalists with the goal of improving documentation of 6 common comorbidities present on admission: coagulation abnormalities, metastatic cancer, anemia, fluid and electrolyte abnormalities, malnutrition, and obesity. Two internal medicine inpatient teams led by 10 hospitalist physicians at an academic medical center received the educational intervention and pocket card reminder (n = 520 admissions). Two internal medicine teams led by nonhospitalist physicians served as a control group (n = 590 admissions). Levels of documentation of 6 common comorbidities, expected length of stay, and expected mortality were measured at baseline and during the 9-month study period. The intervention was associated with increased documentation of anemia, fluid and electrolyte abnormalities, malnutrition, and obesity in the intervention group, both compared to baseline and compared to the control group during the study period. The expected length of stay increased in the intervention group during the study period. A simple educational intervention and pocket card reminder were associated with improved documentation and hospital quality measures at an academic medical center.

Psycho Educational Group Intervention for Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kash, Kathryn

1998-01-01

... in women at increased risk for breast cancer; (2) examine the impact of a psychoeducational intervention on the endpoint variables of quality of life and adherence to screening in women at increased risk for breast cancer; and (3...

Psycho Educational Group Intervention for Women at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kash, Kathryn

1997-01-01

... skills in women at increased risk for breast cancer; (2) to examine the impact of a psychoeducational intervention on the endpoint variables of quality of life and adherence to screening in women at increased risk for breast cancer; and (3...

Interventions for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children aged five years and under.

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Hodder, Rebecca K; Stacey, Fiona G; O'Brien, Kate M; Wyse, Rebecca J; Clinton-McHarg, Tara; Tzelepis, Flora; James, Erica L; Bartlem, Kate M; Nathan, Nicole K; Sutherland, Rachel; Robson, Emma; Yoong, Sze Lin; Wolfenden, Luke

2018-01-25

vegetable intake. Thirteen trials examined the impact of parent nutrition education in increasing child fruit and vegetable intake. Eight studies examined the impact of multicomponent interventions (e.g. parent nutrition education and preschool policy changes) in increasing child fruit and vegetable intake. One study examined the effect of a nutrition intervention delivered to children in increasing child fruit and vegetable intake.We judged 14 of the 55 included trials as free from high risks of bias across all domains; performance, detection and attrition bias were the most common domains judged at high risk of bias for the remaining studies.Meta-analysis of trials examining child-feeding practices versus no intervention revealed a positive effect on child vegetable consumption (SMD 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15 to 0.61; n = 1509; 11 studies; very low-quality evidence), equivalent to a mean difference of 4.03 g of vegetables. There were no short-term differences in child consumption of fruit and vegetables in meta-analyses of trials examining parent nutrition education versus no intervention (SMD 0.11, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.28; n = 3023; 10 studies; very low-quality evidence) or multicomponent interventions versus no intervention (SMD 0.28, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.63; n = 1861; 4 studies; very low-quality evidence).Insufficient data were available to assess long-term effectiveness, cost effectiveness and unintended adverse consequences of interventions. Studies reported receiving governmental or charitable funds, except for three studies reporting industry funding. Despite identifying 55 eligible trials of various intervention approaches, the evidence for how to increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption remains sparse. There was very low-quality evidence that child-feeding practice interventions are effective in increasing vegetable consumption in children aged five years and younger, however the effect size was very small and long-term follow-up is required

Utilización de coxibs: una estrategia de intervención en la atención primaria Prescription of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors: an intervention strategy in primary care

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Isabel Rosich

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar una intervención dirigida a mejorar la prescripción de antiinflamatorios no esteroideos (AINE, fundamentalmente del grupo de los inhibidores de la ciclooxigenenasa-2 (coxibs. Sujetos y métodos: Estudio de intervención antes-después individual para médicos altamente prescriptores y grupal para el resto. Los datos sobre prescripción se obtuvieron del aplicativo de farmacia del Institut Català de la Salut. El período preintervención se comparó con el postintervención inmediato (que coincidió con la publicación de una alerta farmacológica sobre los efectos secundarios de los coxibs y tardío. Se controlaron el gasto de coxibs, la dosis diaria definida (DDD por 1.000 habitantes/día (DHD, el porcentaje DHD coxibs/total AINE, el porcentaje de AINE recomendados/total AINE, y el coste medio diario de la DDD de AINE. Resultados: La reducción media mensual del gasto en coxibs fue de 19.480 €/mes en el período postintervención inmediato y de 18.555 e/mes en el tardío. La disminución de la DHD de coxibs fue del 35,4% (p Objective: To evaluate an intervention designed to rationalize prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, especially cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COXIBs. Subjects and methods: We performed a before-after intervention study. Face-to-face educational outreach visits were conducted in general practitioners who were heavy prescribers and group intervention for the remaining. Data on prescribing habits were obtained from the pharmacy database of the Catalan Health Institute. The pre-intervention period (period 1 was compared with the immediate postintervention period (period 2, which coincided with the publication of a safety alert on the adverse effects of COXIBs and the late postintervention period (period 3. The data monitored were: a expenditure due to COXIBs; b consumption in daily defined doses (DDD per 1,000 habitants/day (DHD; c the percentage of COXIBs/total NSAIDs and the

An Educational Intervention Designed to Increase Women's Leadership Self-Efficacy

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac, Carol; Kaatz, Anna; Lee, Barbara; Carnes, Molly

2012-01-01

Women are sparsely represented in leadership in academic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Cultural stereotypes about men, women, and leaders influence the attitudes, judgments, and decisions that others make about women and the choices women make for themselves. Multilevel interventions are needed to counteract the impact of these pervasive and easily activated stereotypes, which conspire in multiple ways to constrain women's entry, persistence, and advancement in academic STEMM. We describe an individual-level educational intervention. Using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change as a framework, we assessed the success of a semester course on increasing women's leadership self-efficacy for the first three cohorts of course participants (n = 30). Pre/post questionnaires showed gains in leadership self-efficacy, personal mastery, and self-esteem, and decreases in perceived constraints. Qualitative text analysis of weekly journals indicated increasing leadership self-efficacy as course participants applied course information and integrated strategies to mitigate the impact of societal stereotypes into their own leadership practices. Follow-up queries of the first two cohorts supported the enduring value of course participation. We conclude that providing strategies to recognize and mitigate the impact of gender stereotypes is effective in increasing leadership self-efficacy in women at early stages of academic STEMM careers. PMID:22949427

An educational intervention designed to increase women's leadership self-efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac, Carol; Kaatz, Anna; Lee, Barbara; Carnes, Molly

2012-01-01

Women are sparsely represented in leadership in academic science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Cultural stereotypes about men, women, and leaders influence the attitudes, judgments, and decisions that others make about women and the choices women make for themselves. Multilevel interventions are needed to counteract the impact of these pervasive and easily activated stereotypes, which conspire in multiple ways to constrain women's entry, persistence, and advancement in academic STEMM. We describe an individual-level educational intervention. Using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change as a framework, we assessed the success of a semester course on increasing women's leadership self-efficacy for the first three cohorts of course participants (n = 30). Pre/post questionnaires showed gains in leadership self-efficacy, personal mastery, and self-esteem, and decreases in perceived constraints. Qualitative text analysis of weekly journals indicated increasing leadership self-efficacy as course participants applied course information and integrated strategies to mitigate the impact of societal stereotypes into their own leadership practices. Follow-up queries of the first two cohorts supported the enduring value of course participation. We conclude that providing strategies to recognize and mitigate the impact of gender stereotypes is effective in increasing leadership self-efficacy in women at early stages of academic STEMM careers.

Text Messaging: An Intervention to Increase Physical Activity among African American Participants in a Faith-Based, Competitive Weight Loss Program

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Pamela McCoy

2017-03-01

Full Text Available African American adults are less likely to meet the recommended physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity than Caucasian adults. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a text message intervention would increase physical activity in this population. This pilot study used a pre-/post-questionnaire non-randomized design. Participants in a faith-based weight loss competition who agreed to participate in the text messaging were assigned to the intervention group (n = 52. Participants who declined to participate in the intervention, but agreed to participate in the study, were assigned to the control group (n = 30. The text messages provided strategies for increasing physical activity and were based on constructs of the Health Belief Model and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Chi square tests determined the intervention group participants increased exercise time by approximately eight percent (p = 0.03, while the control group’s exercise time remained constant. The intervention group increased walking and running. The control group increased running. Most participants indicated that the health text messages were effective. The results of this pilot study suggest that text messaging may be an effective method for providing options for motivating individuals to increase physical activity.

A systematic review of workplace health promotion interventions for increasing physical activity.

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Malik, Sumaira H; Blake, Holly; Suggs, L Suzanne

2014-02-01

The benefits of an active lifestyle are widely documented, yet studies show that only a small proportion of adults engage in sufficient levels of physical activity. The workplace presents an ideal avenue for delivering initiatives to promote physical activity, overcoming commonly cited barriers such as a 'lack of time' and providing access to a large intersection of society. The purpose of this study was to (1) explore the types of interventions workplaces implement to promote physical activity among staff, (2) describe the characteristics of those interventions, (3) understand whether these interventions positively impact on activity levels, and (4) assess the methodological quality of studies. A systematic review of workplace physical activity interventions published up to April 2011 was conducted to identify types of interventions and their outcomes. Of the 58 studies included, the majority utilized health promotion initiatives. There were six physical activity/exercise interventions, 13 counselling/support interventions, and 39 health promotion messages/information interventions. Thirty-two of these studies showed a statistically significant increase in a measure of physical activity against a control group at follow-up. While the studies included in this review show some evidence that workplace physical activity interventions can be efficacious, overall the results are inconclusive. Despite the proliferation of research in this area, there is still a need for more well-designed studies to fully determine the effectiveness of workplace interventions for increasing physical activity and to identify the types of interventions that show the most promise. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Workplace pedometer interventions for increasing physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Freak-Poli, Rosanne L A; Cumpston, Miranda; Peeters, Anna; Clemes, Stacy A

2013-04-30

The World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum have recommended further research to strengthen current knowledge of workplace health programmes, particularly on effectiveness and using simple instruments. A pedometer is one such simple instrument that can be incorporated in workplace interventions. To assess the effectiveness of pedometer interventions in the workplace for increasing physical activity and improving subsequent health outcomes. Electronic searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (671 potential papers), MEDLINE (1001), Embase (965), CINAHL (1262), OSH UPDATE databases (75) and Web of Science (1154) from the earliest record to between 30th January and 6th February 2012 yielded 3248 unique records. Reference lists of articles yielded an additional 34 papers. Contact with individuals and organisations did not produce any further records. We included individual and cluster-randomised controlled trials of workplace health promotion interventions with a pedometer component in employed adults. The primary outcome was physical activity and was part of the eligibility criteria. We considered subsequent health outcomes, including adverse effects, as secondary outcomes. Two review authors undertook the screening of titles and abstracts and the full-text papers independently. Two review authors (RFP and MC) independently completed data extraction and risk of bias assessment. We contacted authors to obtain additional data and clarification. We found four relevant studies providing data for 1809 employees, 60% of whom were allocated to the intervention group. All studies assessed outcomes immediately after the intervention had finished and the intervention duration varied between three to six months. All studies had usual treatment control conditions; however one study's usual treatment was an alternative physical activity programme while the other three had minimally active controls. In general, there was high risk of bias mainly

Discounts on fruit and vegetables combined with a space management intervention increased sales in supermarkets.

Science.gov (United States)

Toft, U; Winkler, L L; Mikkelsen, B E; Bloch, P; Glümer, C

2017-04-01

To examine the effects of two interventions on consumer purchases of fruits and vegetables (F&V) on the Danish island of Bornholm: a 20% discount on F&V combined with improved shelf-space allocation, and improved shelf-space allocation alone. A space management intervention to promote F&V sales was performed in two large discount supermarkets on Bornholm in Denmark for 3 months (September-November 2012). In addition, a 20% discount on F&V was introduced for 3 months in one of the supermarkets ('space + price'). The effect was evaluated using sales data from the two intervention supermarkets and three control supermarkets from the same supermarket chain but in Odsherred, Denmark (control area). Both the effect on sales of fresh F&V and potential unhealthy substitution effects were evaluated using multi-level regression analyses. During the price intervention period, the index number for sales of fresh vegetables increased by 22.2% (P=0.001) in the 'space + price' intervention supermarket compared with the control supermarkets. Furthermore, the index number for the sale of organic fresh fruit and vegetables increased by 12.1% (P=0.04) and the sale of the total amount of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried and canned) increased by 15.3% (P=0.01) compared with the control supermarkets. In the 'space only' intervention supermarket no significant increase in the sale of fruit and vegetables was found. No unhealthy substitution effects were found. In conclusion, a 20% price reduction on F&V significantly increased sales of F&V. The effect was most pronounced on vegetables and no negative/unhealthy substitution effects were found.

Policymakers' experience of a capacity-building intervention designed to increase their use of research: a realist process evaluation.

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Haynes, Abby; Brennan, Sue; Redman, Sally; Williamson, Anna; Makkar, Steve R; Gallego, Gisselle; Butow, Phyllis

2017-11-23

An intervention's success depends on how participants interact with it in local settings. Process evaluation examines these interactions, indicating why an intervention was or was not effective, and how it (and similar interventions) can be improved for better contextual fit. This is particularly important for innovative trials like Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial (SPIRIT), where causal mechanisms are poorly understood. SPIRIT was testing a multi-component intervention designed to increase the capacity of health policymakers to use research. Our mixed-methods process evaluation sought to explain variation in observed process effects across the six agencies that participated in SPIRIT. Data collection included observations of intervention workshops (n = 59), purposively sampled interviews (n = 76) and participant feedback forms (n = 553). Using a realist approach, data was coded for context-mechanism-process effect configurations (retroductive analysis) by two authors. Intervention workshops were very well received. There was greater variation of views regarding other aspects of SPIRIT such as data collection, communication and the intervention's overall value. We identified nine inter-related mechanisms that were crucial for engaging participants in these policy settings: (1) Accepting the premise (agreeing with the study's assumptions); (2) Self-determination (participative choice); (3) The Value Proposition (seeing potential gain); (4) 'Getting good stuff' (identifying useful ideas, resources or connections); (5) Self-efficacy (believing 'we can do this!'); (6) Respect (feeling that SPIRIT understands and values one's work); (7) Confidence (believing in the study's integrity and validity); (8) Persuasive leadership (authentic and compelling advocacy from leaders); and (9) Strategic insider facilitation (local translation and mediation). These findings were used to develop tentative explanatory propositions and to revise the

Plasma fatty acid changes following consumption of dietary oils containing n-3, n-6, and n-9 fatty acids at different proportions: preliminary findings of the Canola Oil Multicenter Intervention Trial (COMIT).

Science.gov (United States)

Senanayake, Vijitha K; Pu, Shuaihua; Jenkins, David A; Lamarche, Benoît; Kris-Etherton, Penny M; West, Sheila G; Fleming, Jennifer A; Liu, Xiaoran; McCrea, Cindy E; Jones, Peter J

2014-04-23

The Canola Oil Multicenter Intervention Trial (COMIT) was a randomized controlled crossover study designed to evaluate the effects of five diets that provided different oils and/or oil blends on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in individuals with abdominal obesity. The present objective is to report preliminary findings on plasma fatty acid profiles in volunteers with abdominal obesity, following the consumption of diets enriched with n-3, n-6 and n-9 fatty acids. COMIT was conducted at three clinical sites, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Québec City, Québec, Canada and University Park, Pennsylvania, United States. Inclusion criteria were at least one of the followings: waist circumference (≥90 cm for males and ≥84 cm for females), and at least one other criterion: triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol/L, high density lipoprotein cholesterol safflower oil blend, and corn oil and safflower oil blend. A per protocol approach with a mixed model analysis was decided to be appropriate for data analysis. One hundred and seventy volunteers were randomized and 130 completed the study with a dropout rate of 23.5%. The mean plasma total DHA concentrations, which were analyzed among all participants as a measure of adherence, increased by more than 100% in the DHA-enriched phase, compared to other phases, demonstrating excellent dietary adherence. Recruitment and retention strategies were effective in achieving a sufficient number of participants who completed the study protocol to enable sufficient statistical power to resolve small differences in outcome measures. It is expected that the study will generate important data thereby enhancing our understanding of the effects of n-3, n-6, and n-9 fatty acid-containing oils on CVD risks. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01351012.

Increasing cardiac interventions among the aged.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Groarke, J D

2010-11-01

Ireland\\'s over 65 year population is growing. As incidence of coronary events rises with age, there is a growing population of elderly patients with cardiac disease. The changing age profile of patients treated by a tertiary hospital\\'s Cardiology service was quantified using Hospital Inpatient Enquiry data. 53% of CCU admissions were aged > or = 65 years, with admissions aged > or = 85 years in 2008 four times greater than in 2002. Percentages of patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions in 1997 aged > or = 70 years were 19% and 18% respectively. By 2007, these percentages had risen to 31% and 34% respectively--greatest increases were in the very elderly age categories. The proportion of ICD recipients aged > 70 years increased from 8% in 2003 to 25% by 2008. The proportion of elderly patients receiving advanced cardiac care is increasing. This trend will continue and has clear resource implications. Outcomes of interventions in the very old need further investigation, since the \\'old old\\' are under-represented in clinical trials.

Interventions to increase use of services; Mental Health Awareness in Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Julian; Nwefoh, Emeka; Okafor, Godwin; Onyeonoro, Ugochukwu; Nwaubani, Kenneth; Henderson, Claire

2017-01-01

Mental health services in Nigeria consist mainly of large government psychiatric hospitals and there are very few mental health professionals to serve the large population of the country. However, more recently, community mental health services, which have been shown to improve access to care and clinical outcomes are beginning to develop in some locations. Despite efforts to promote more accessible services, low levels of knowledge about effective treatment of mental disorders means that even where these services are available, a very small proportion of people utilise these services. Therefore interventions to increase service use are an essential component of health system. This intervention was designed to increase use of a mental health services through the work of community-based Village Health Workers. Fifteen Village Health Workers in each Local Government Area (district) were selected and trained to create mental health awareness in communities. Their function also include identification and referral of persons with mental illness to trained mental health nurses in the clinics. Attendance data prior to and after intervention were collected and compared. The incident rate for initial period of intervention is five times higher than the baseline rate (95% CI; 3.42-7.56; p awareness raising using volunteers in communities as part of health programme implementation can increase services use by a population. Mechanisms such as informing populations of the existence of a service which they were previously lacking; explanation of causation of mental illness and achieving community leaders' support for a new service can make investment in services more efficient by increasing attendance.

Interventions implemented through sporting organisations for increasing participation in sport.

Science.gov (United States)

Priest, Naomi; Armstrong, Rebecca; Doyle, Jodie; Waters, Elizabeth

2008-07-16

There is now compelling scientific evidence that increased levels of physical activity can bring wide-ranging health benefits. These benefits can extend beyond physical health to include other positive impacts relating to mental health and personal development. The sport and recreation sector is viewed as a priority area for increasing rates of physical activity. Participation rates in organised sport have been shown to be lower in females and to decline with age, and are reduced in lower socio-economic and minority groups including people from non-English speaking and Indigenous backgrounds. It is important to determine the most effective interventions that sporting organisations can use to increase people's participation. To update a review of all controlled studies evaluating interventions implemented through sporting organisations to increase participation. We updated the original (2004) searches in May 2007. We searched: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 2 2007); MEDLINE and MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations (2004 to Week 3 April 2007); EMBASE (2004 to Week 17 2007); PsyclNFO (2004 to April Week 1 2007); CINAHL (2004 to Week 1 May 2007); SPORTDiscus (2004 to April 2007); Sociological Abstracts (2004 to 2007); Dissertation Abstracts (2004 to May 2007), and a number of freely-available online health promotion and sports-related databases. We used the internet extensively to search for studies and locate information generated by sporting bodies throughout the world. Controlled studies evaluating any intervention designed to increase active and/ or non-active participation in sport by people of all ages. Interventions could include: mass media campaigns; information or education sessions; management or organisational change strategies; policy changes, for example to improve the socio-cultural environment to encourage people of specific age, gender or ethnicity to participate; changes to

US school morbidity and mortality, mandatory vaccination, institution closure, and interventions implemented during the 2009 influenza A H1N1 pandemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebmann, Terri; Elliott, Michael B; Swick, Zachary; Reddick, David

2013-03-01

The 2009 H1N1 pandemic disproportionately affected school-aged children, but only school-based outbreak case studies have been conducted. The purposes of this study were to evaluate US academic institutions' experiences during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic in terms of infection prevention interventions implemented and to examine factors associated with school closure during the pandemic. An online survey was sent to school nurses in May through July 2011. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used to determine predictive models for having a mandatory H1N1 vaccination policy for school nurses and school closure. In all, 1,997 nurses from 26 states participated. Very few nurses (3.3%, n=65) reported having a mandatory H1N1 influenza vaccination policy; nurses were more likely than all other school employees (pnurse employed by a public health agency or hospital, and being a private school. The most commonly implemented interventions included encouraging staff and students to exercise hand hygiene and increasing classroom cleaning; least commonly implemented interventions included discouraging face-to-face meetings, training staff on H1N1 influenza and/or respiratory hygiene, and discouraging handshaking. Schools should develop and continue to improve their pandemic plans, including collaborating with community response agencies.

Shopper marketing nutrition interventions: Social norms on grocery carts increase produce spending without increasing shopper budgets☆

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Collin R.; Niculescu, Mihai; Just, David R.; Kelly, Michael P.

2015-01-01

Objectives We assessed the efficacy of an easy-to-implement shopper marketing nutrition intervention in a pilot and two additional studies to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability or increasing shopper budgets. Methods We created grocery cart placards that detailed the number of produce items purchased (i.e., descriptive norm) at particular stores (i.e., provincial norm). The effect of these placards on produce spending was assessed across 971,706 individual person grocery store transactions aggregated by day. The pilot study designated a baseline period (in both control and intervention store) followed by installation of grocery cart placards (in the intervention store) for two weeks. The pilot study was conducted in Texas in 2012. In two additional stores, we designated baseline periods followed by 28 days of the same grocery cart placard intervention as in the pilot. Additional interventions were conducted in New Mexico in 2013. Results The pilot study resulted in a significant difference between average produce spending per day per person across treatment periods (i.e., intervention versus same time period in control) (16%) and the difference between average produce spending per day per person across stores in the control periods (4%); Furthermore, the same intervention in two additional stores resulted in significant produce spending increases of 12.4% and 7.5% per day per person respectively. In all stores, total spending did not change. Conclusions Descriptive and provincial social norm messages (i.e., on grocery cart placards) may be an overlooked tool to increase produce demand without decreasing store profitability and increasing shopper budgets. PMID:26844084

Now hiring! Empirically testing a three-step intervention to increase faculty gender diversity in STEM

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jessi L.; Handley, Ian M.; Zale, Alexander V.; Rushing, Sara; Potvin, Martha A.

2015-01-01

Workforce homogeneity limits creativity, discovery, and job satisfaction; nonetheless, the vast majority of university faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are men. We conducted a randomized and controlled three-step faculty search intervention based in self-determination theory aimed at increasing the number of women faculty in STEM at one US university where increasing diversity had historically proved elusive. Results show that the numbers of women candidates considered for and offered tenure-track positions were significantly higher in the intervention groups compared with those in controls. Searches in the intervention were 6.3 times more likely to make an offer to a woman candidate, and women who were made an offer were 5.8 times more likely to accept the offer from an intervention search. Although the focus was on increasing women faculty within STEM, the intervention can be adapted to other scientific and academic communities to advance diversity along any dimension.

Randomized Controlled Trial for Early Intervention for Autism: A Pilot Study of the Autism 1-2-3 Project

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Virginia C. N.; Kwan, Queenie K.

2010-01-01

We piloted a 2-week "Autism-1-2-3" early intervention for children with autism and their parents immediately after diagnosis that targeted at (1) eye contact, (2) gesture and (3) vocalization/words. Seventeen children were randomized into the Intervention (n = 9) and Control (n = 8) groups. Outcome measures included the Autism Diagnostic…

A pilot test of the Latin active hip hop intervention to increase physical activity among low-income Mexican-American adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Andrea J

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of the current study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a hip hop dance intervention, Latin Active, among low-income Mexican-American adolescents. Mexican-descent adolescents tend to have disproportionate rates of low physical activity, overweight status, and obesity. A 5-week intervention design with pretest and post-test self-report measures. Charter middle school (grades 6-9) health/science classes in a low-income neighborhood were the setting for the Latin Active intervention. Overall, 81 participants were recruited; 73 (n  =  41, female; n  =  32, male) provided active parental consent to complete pretest/post-test surveys. Intervention . The Latin Active program included 10 interactive 50-minute lessons that were delivered twice a week during science/health classes. The curriculum was created on the basis of Social Cognitive Theory, Critical Hip Hop Pedagogy, and feedback from key stakeholders. The lessons focused on increasing physical activity as well as neighborhood barriers. The self-report pretest (n  =  73) and post-test (n  =  56) surveys included measures for frequency of vigorous physical activity, self-efficacy, and neighborhood barriers. Analysis . Paired-sample t-test analyses were conducted to assess mean differences from pretest to post-test results for intervention outcomes by gender. The Latin Active program (with 77% retention at post-test) significantly increased vigorous physical activity and dance (p hip hop physical activity program, Latin Active demonstrated preliminary efficacy to increase girl's vigorous physical activity and boy's perception of neighborhood barriers to physical activity. Future research will need to use a randomized, controlled design and investigate the effect of the program on measures of body mass index.

Evaluation of a Mobile Phone-Based Intervention to Increase Parents' Knowledge About the Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination and Their Psychological Empowerment: Mixed-Method Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadda, Marta; Galimberti, Elisa; Fiordelli, Maddalena; Schulz, Peter Johannes

2018-03-07

There is mixed evidence on the effectiveness of vaccination-related interventions. A major limitation of most intervention studies is that they do not apply randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the method that, over the last 2 decades, has increasingly been considered as the only method to provide proof of the effectiveness of an intervention and, consequently, as the most important instrument in deciding whether to adopt an intervention or not. This study, however, holds that methods other than RCTs also can produce meaningful results. The aim of this study was to evaluate 2 mobile phone-based interventions aimed at increasing parents' knowledge of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination (through elements of gamification) and their psychological empowerment (through the use of narratives), respectively. The 2 interventions were part of an RCT. We conducted 2 studies with the RCT participants: a Web-based survey aimed at assessing their rating of the tool regarding a number of qualities such as usability and usefulness (N=140), and qualitative telephonic interviews to explore participants' experiences with the app (N=60). The results of the survey showed that participants receiving the knowledge intervention (alone or together with the empowerment intervention) liked the app significantly better compared with the group that only received the empowerment intervention (F 2,137 =15.335; Pbenefits of the vaccination at the same time. International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number 30768813; http://www.isrctn.com/ ISRCTN30768813 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xOQSJ3w8). ©Marta Fadda, Elisa Galimberti, Maddalena Fiordelli, Peter Johannes Schulz. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 07.03.2018.

Insights for Exercise Adherence from a Minimal Planning Intervention to Increase Physical Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Janine; Campbell, Marianne; Wilson, Carlene

2015-01-01

Objective: To test the impact of a minimal, online planning intervention on physical activity in Australian office workers. Method: Employees were randomized to an implementation intention intervention (n = 124) or health information control group (n = 130). Measures of physical activity, past behavior, and motivation were taken at baseline and 6…

Piloting a mobile health intervention to increase physical activity for adolescents with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenfelder, Erin; Moreno, Megan; Wilner, Molly; Whitlock, Kathryn B; Mendoza, Jason A

2017-06-01

Physical activity (PA) reduces symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); interventions to increase PA may improve functioning and health for adolescents with ADHD. Mobile health (mHealth) technology and social media constitute promising interactive modalities for engaging adolescents-who are at highest risk for ADHD treatment drop-out-in interventions to increase PA. The current pilot study evaluated feasibility and acceptability of an innovative intervention incorporating an mHealth-linked wearable activity tracker (Fitbit Flex) and a Facebook group to increase PA among adolescents with ADHD. 11 adolescents diagnosed with ADHD (age 14-18, m = 15.5; 54% female) participated in a 4-week trial utilizing the Fitbit Flex in conjunction with (1) weekly personalized step count goals (2) social support through a Facebook group and (3) daily text messages about PA. The study took place in the greater Seattle, Washington area in the fall of 2015. Adolescents completed online surveys twice per week to rate their ADHD symptoms and positive and negative mood states, and parents rated adolescent ADHD symptoms weekly. Participants were adherent to the study protocol and acceptability of the intervention was high. Linear mixed models indicated that participants significantly increased their average weekly steps over the course of the study and demonstrated improvements in both adolescent and parent-reported ADHD Inattentive symptoms. Results indicate that this mHealth intervention is engaging and promising for increasing PA among adolescents with ADHD, and warrant further study. Implications for improving ADHD symptoms and overall functioning for this undertreated population are discussed.

Environmental Intervention in Carryout Restaurants Increases Sales of Healthy Menu Items in a Low-Income Urban Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee-Kwan, Seung Hee; Bleich, Sara N; Kim, Hyunju; Colantuoni, Elizabeth; Gittelsohn, Joel

2015-01-01

To investigate how a pilot environmental intervention changed food sales patterns in carryout restaurants. Quasi-experimental. Low-income neighborhoods of Baltimore, Maryland. Seven carryouts (three intervention, four comparison). Phase 1, menu board revision and healthy menu labeling; phase 2, increase of healthy sides and beverages; and phase 3, promotion of cheaper and healthier combination meals. Weekly handwritten menu orders collected to assess changes in the proportion of units sold and revenue of healthy items (entrée, sides and beverages, and combined). Logistic and Poisson regression models with generalized estimating equations. In the intervention group, odds for healthy entrée units and odds for healthy side and beverage units sold significantly increased in phases 2 and 3; odds for healthy entrée revenue significantly increased in phase 1 (odds ratio [OR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.26), phase 2 (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.25-1.41), and phase 3 (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.14-1.70); and odds for healthy side and beverage revenues increased significantly in phase 2 (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.33-1.97) and phase 3 (OR 2.73, 95% CI 2.15-3.47) compared to baseline. Total revenue in the intervention group was significantly higher in all phases than in the comparison group (p selection, and competitive pricing can increase availability and sales of healthy items in carryouts.

Effectiveness of a primary care practice intervention for increasing colorectal cancer screening in Appalachian Kentucky.

Science.gov (United States)

Dignan, Mark; Shelton, Brent; Slone, Stacey A; Tolle, Cheri; Mohammad, Sohail; Schoenberg, Nancy; Pearce, Kevin; Van Meter, Emily; Ely, Gretchen

2014-01-01

This report describes findings from a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in primary care practices in Appalachian Kentucky. Sixty-six primary care practices were randomized to early or delayed intervention groups. The intervention was provided at practices using academic detailing, a method of education where providers receive information on a specific topic through personal contact. Data were collected in cross-sectional surveys of medical records at baseline and six months post-intervention. A total of 3844 medical records were reviewed at baseline and 3751 at the six-month follow-up. At baselines, colonoscopy was recommended more frequently (43.4%) than any other screening modality, followed by fecal occult blood testing (18.0%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (0.4%), and double-contrast barium enema (0.3%). Rates of documented screening results were higher for all practices at the six-month follow-up for colonoscopy (31.8% vs 29.6%) and fecal occult blood testing (12.2% vs 11.2%). For early intervention practices that recommended screening, colonoscopy rates increased by 15.7% at six months compared to an increase of 2.4% in the delayed intervention practices (p=.01). Using academic detailing to reach rural primary care providers with a CRC screening intervention was associated with an increase in colonoscopy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A workplace intervention program and the increase in HIV ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Vulnerability to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among factory workers is a global problem. This study investigated the effectiveness of an intervention to increase AIDS knowledge, perceived accessibility to condoms and condom use among young factory workers in Thailand. The intervention was a ...

Increasing children's physical activity through a teaching-assistant led extracurricular intervention: process evaluation of the action 3:30 randomised feasibility trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jago, Russell; Sebire, Simon J; Davies, Ben; Wood, Lesley; Banfield, Kathryn; Edwards, Mark J; Powell, Jane E; Montgomery, Alan A; Thompson, Janice L; Fox, Kenneth R

2015-02-18

Many children do not engage in recommended levels of physical activity (PA), highlighting the need to find ways to increase children's PA. Process evaluations play an important role in improving the science of randomised controlled trials. We recently reported the results of the Action 3:30 cluster randomised feasibility trial illustrating higher levels of moderate to vigorous intensity PA among boys but not girls. The aim of this paper is to report the process evaluation results including intervention fidelity, implementation, context and how intervention components and trial design could be improved before proceeding to a definitive RCT. Children's session enjoyment was assessed every two weeks. Reasons for non-attendance were provided by questionnaire at the end of the intervention. Post intervention interviews were held with participating teaching assistants (TAs) and school key contacts (KCs), and focus groups were conducted with children in all 10 intervention schools. Interviews and focus groups examined how recruitment and session attendance might be improved and established which elements of the programme that were and were not well received. Data indicated good intervention fidelity with TA's adopting enjoyment-focussed teaching styles and the sessions improving children's skills and self-esteem. Several positive aspects of implementation were identified, including high session variety, the opportunity to work in teams, the child-led sessions and the engaging leader style. In terms of context there was evidence that TA's faced difficulties managing challenging behaviour and that further training in this area was needed. TAs and KCs felt that recruitment could be improved by providing taster sessions during PE lessons and clarifying the days that the clubs would run at the point of recruitment. The programme could be improved to enhance interest for girls, by including training for managing disruptive behaviour and making some activities more age

N-3 fatty acids reduced trans fatty acids retention and increased docosahexaenoic acid levels in the brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavandera, Jimena Verónica; Saín, Juliana; Fariña, Ana Clara; Bernal, Claudio Adrián; González, Marcela Aída

2017-09-01

The levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) are critical for the normal structure and function of the brain. Trans fatty acids (TFA) and the source of the dietary fatty acids (FA) interfere with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TFA supplementation in diets containing different proportions of n-9, n-6, and n-3 FA on the brain FA profile, including the retention of TFA, LC-PUFA levels, and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios. These parameters were also investigated in the liver, considering that LC-PUFA are mainly bioconverted from their dietary precursors in this tissue and transported by serum to the brain. Also, stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) gene expressions were evaluated. Male CF1 mice were fed (16 weeks) diets containing different oils (olive, corn, and rapeseed) with distinct proportions of n-9, n-6, and n-3 FA (55.2/17.2/0.7, 32.0/51.3/0.9, and 61.1/18.4/8.6), respectively, substituted or not with 0.75% of TFA. FA composition of the brain, liver, and serum was assessed by gas chromatography. TFA were incorporated into, and therefore retained in the brain, liver, and serum. However, the magnitude of retention was dependent on the tissue and type of isomer. In the brain, total TFA retention was lower than 1% in all diets. Dietary n-3 PUFA decreased TFA retention and increased DHA accretion in the brain. The results underscore the importance of the type of dietary FA on the retention of TFA in the brain and also on the changes of the FA profile.

Increasing ventilation as an intervention in homes of asthmatic children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hogaard, Nina Viskum; Rubak, Sune Leisgaard Mørck; Halken, Susanne

2016-01-01

in children. We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study with 46 asthmatic, house dust mite allergic children. The aim was to investigate the association between indoor air quality in homes and severity of asthma, in particular the effect of increased ventilation rate and expected lower...... exposure to HDM on medication intake among these children. As a result of the intervention, the ventilation rate increased and the CO2 concentration fell significantly compared to baseline in the intervention group. The analyses of the effect of ventilation on health outcomes are being processed...

Increasing physical activity through mobile device interventions: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Muntaner, Adrià; Vidal-Conti, Josep; Palou, Pere

2016-09-01

Physical inactivity is a health problem that affects people worldwide and has been identified as the fourth largest risk factor for overall mortality (contributing to 6% of deaths globally). Many researchers have tried to increase physical activity levels through traditional methods without much success. Thus, many researchers are turning to mobile technology as an emerging method for changing health behaviours. This systematic review sought to summarise and update the existing scientific literature on increasing physical activity through mobile device interventions, taking into account the methodological quality of the studies. The articles were identified by searching the PubMed, SCOPUS and SPORTDiscus databases for studies published between January 2003 and December 2013. Studies investigating efforts to increase physical activity through mobile phone or even personal digital assistant interventions were included. The search results allowed the inclusion of 11 studies that gave rise to 12 publications. Six of the articles included in this review reported significant increases in physical activity levels. The number of studies using mobile devices for interventions has increased exponentially in the last few years, but future investigations with better methodological quality are needed to draw stronger conclusions regarding how to increase physical activity through mobile device interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

A practice-centered intervention to increase screening for domestic violence in primary care practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Palla Shana L

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Interventions to change practice patterns among health care professionals have had mixed success. We tested the effectiveness of a practice centered intervention to increase screening for domestic violence in primary care practices. Methods A multifaceted intervention was conducted among primary care practice in North Carolina. All practices designated two individuals to serve as domestic violence resources persons, underwent initial training on screening for domestic violence, and participated in 3 lunch and learn sessions. Within this framework, practices selected the screening instrument, patient educational material, and content best suited for their environment. Effectiveness was evaluated using a pre/post cross-sectional telephone survey of a random selection of female patients from each practice. Results Seventeen practices were recruited and fifteen completed the study. Baseline screening for domestic violence was 16% with a range of 2% to 49%. An absolute increase in screening of 10% was achieved (range of increase 0 to 22%. After controlling for clustering by practice and other patient characteristics, female patients were 79% more likely to have been screened after the intervention (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.43–2.23. Conclusion An intervention that allowed practices to tailor certain aspects to fit their needs increased screening for domestic violence. Further studies testing this technique using other outcomes are needed.

Behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in adults with coronary heart disease in Jordan.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsaleh, Eman; Windle, Richard; Blake, Holly

2016-07-26

Patients with coronary heart disease often do not follow prescribed physical activity recommendations. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease not attending structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Parallel randomised controlled trial comparing 6-month multi-component behavioural change intervention (n = 71) with usual care (n = 85) was conducted in two hospitals in Jordan, Middle East. Intervention included one face-to-face individualised consultation, 6 telephone support calls (for goal-setting, feedback and self-monitoring) and 18 reminder text messages. Patients were randomly allocated to the two groups by opening opaque sealed sequence envelopes. The patients and the researcher who provided the intervention and assessed the outcomes were not blinded. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Primary outcome was physical activity level, secondary outcomes were blood pressure, body mass index, exercise self-efficacy for exercise and health-related quality of life. Intervention and control groups were comparable at baseline. Moderate physical activity significantly increased in the intervention group compared with control group (mean change (SD) of frequency: 0.23 (0.87) days/week versus -.06 (0.40); duration: 15.53 (90.15) minutes/week versus -3.67 (22.60) minutes/week; intensity: 31.05 (105.98) Metabolic equivalents (METs) versus 14.68 (90.40) METs). Effect size was 0.03 for moderate PA frequency, 0.02 for moderate PA duration and 0.01 for moderate PA intensity. Walking significantly increased in the intervention group compared with control group (mean change (SD) of frequency: 3.15 (2.75) days/week versus 0.37 (1.83) days/week; duration: 150.90 (124.47) minutes/week versus 24.05 (195.93) minutes/week; intensity: 495.12 (413.74) METs versus14.62 (265.06) METs). Effect size was 0.36 for walking frequency, 0.05 for walking duration, 0

Behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in adults with coronary heart disease in Jordan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eman Alsaleh

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with coronary heart disease often do not follow prescribed physical activity recommendations. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a behavioural intervention to increase physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease not attending structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Methods Parallel randomised controlled trial comparing 6-month multi-component behavioural change intervention (n = 71 with usual care (n = 85 was conducted in two hospitals in Jordan, Middle East. Intervention included one face-to-face individualised consultation, 6 telephone support calls (for goal-setting, feedback and self-monitoring and 18 reminder text messages. Patients were randomly allocated to the two groups by opening opaque sealed sequence envelopes. The patients and the researcher who provided the intervention and assessed the outcomes were not blinded. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Primary outcome was physical activity level, secondary outcomes were blood pressure, body mass index, exercise self-efficacy for exercise and health-related quality of life. Results Intervention and control groups were comparable at baseline. Moderate physical activity significantly increased in the intervention group compared with control group (mean change (SD of frequency: 0.23 (0.87 days/week versus -.06 (0.40; duration: 15.53 (90.15 minutes/week versus −3.67 (22.60 minutes/week; intensity: 31.05 (105.98 Metabolic equivalents (METs versus 14.68 (90.40 METs. Effect size was 0.03 for moderate PA frequency, 0.02 for moderate PA duration and 0.01 for moderate PA intensity. Walking significantly increased in the intervention group compared with control group (mean change (SD of frequency: 3.15 (2.75 days/week versus 0.37 (1.83 days/week; duration: 150.90 (124.47 minutes/week versus 24.05 (195.93 minutes/week; intensity: 495.12 (413.74 METs versus14.62 (265.06 METs. Effect size was 0.36 for walking

Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in early childhood: effects on blood pressure and arterial structure and function at age 8 y.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayer, Julian G; Harmer, Jason A; Xuan, Wei; Toelle, Brett; Webb, Karen; Almqvist, Catarina; Marks, Guy B; Celermajer, David S

2009-08-01

n-3 Fatty acid supplementation in adults results in cardiovascular benefits. However, the cardiovascular effects of n-3 supplementation in early childhood are unknown. The objective was to evaluate blood pressure (BP) and arterial structure and function in 8-y-old children who had participated in a randomized controlled trial of dietary n-3 and n-6 modification over the first 5 y of life. The children (n = 616; 49% girls) were randomly assigned antenatally to active (n = 312; increase in n-3 intake and decrease in n-6 intake) or control (n = 304) diet interventions implemented from the time of weaning or introduction of solids until 5 y of age. At age 8.0 +/- 0.1 y, BP, carotid intima-media thickness, carotid artery distensibility, augmentation index, and brachial pulse wave velocity were measured in 405 of these children. Venous blood was collected for measurement of plasma fatty acids, lipoproteins, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and asymmetric dimethylarginine. Plasma fatty acid concentrations were also assessed during the intervention. Plasma concentrations of n-3 fatty acids were higher and of n-6 were lower in the active than in the control diet group at 18 mo and 3 and 5 y (P n-3 and n-6 fatty acids were similar at 8 y. At 8 y of age, no significant differences were found in BP, carotid intima-media thickness, carotid artery distensibility, augmentation index, asymmetric dimethylarginine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or lipoproteins between diet groups. A dietary supplement intervention to increase n-3 and decrease n-6 intakes from infancy until 5 y does not result in significant improvements in arterial structure and function at age 8 y. This trial was registered at the Australian Clinical Trials Registry as ACTRN012605000042640.

L’intervention ergonomique comme acte pédagogique Ergonomic intervention as a teaching strategy La intervención ergonómica como acto pedagógico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Daniellou

2010-11-01

Full Text Available La pratique de l’ergonomie est un champ de recherche qui permet depuis une vingtaine d’années, de produire des connaissances utiles à l’élaboration de démarches d’intervention et, par conséquent, utiles à la formation des ergonomes. À partir d’un modèle décrivant les registres possibles de l’échange en pédagogie, et insistant sur les liens possibles entre l’intervenant, les apprenants et les savoirs, nous tentons de montrer l’intérêt de puiser dans le creuset des sciences de l’éducation pour comprendre et structurer des démarches d’intervention en ergonomie. Sur la base de 3 interventions différentes, les résultats que nous obtenons nous permettent, non seulement, d’admettre qu’il existe une dimension pédagogique dans l’intervention ergonomique, mais aussi, d’explorer des possibilités de structurer l’intervention compte tenu des objectifs pédagogiques que l’on pourrait se fixer en tant qu’ergonome.Ergonomics is a field of research that has, for about twenty years, produced knowledge useful for the development of intervention models and, consequently, useful for the training of ergonomists. From a model describing the possible pedagogical exchange registers, and emphasizing the possible links between the instructor, the learners and the types of knowledge, we attempt to show the interest in drawing from concepts of education sciences in order to understand and structure ergonomic intervention processes. The cases of 3 different interventions are presented. The results that we obtain allow us, first, to acknowledge that there is an educational dimension in ergonomic intervention, but also, to investigate possibilities of structuring the intervention, considering the educational objectives that we could set for ourselves as ergonomists.La práctica de la ergonomía es un campo de investigación que permite desde hace una veintena de años, producir conocimientos útiles a la elaboración de

Evaluation of an intervention to increase self-efficacy for independent exercise in cardiac rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkley, Sherry A; Fahrenwald, Nancy L

2013-01-01

Adherence to independent exercise is an essential outcome of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), yet limited theory-based interventions to improve adherence exist. This study tested the effects of an intervention based on Bandura's conceptualization of self-efficacy. The self-efficacy coaching intervention (SCI), a supplement to standard care, was designed to increase self-efficacy for independent exercise and independent exercise behavior in CR. We examined whether the SCI vs. attention control (AC) resulted in improved exercise self-efficacy (ESE), barriers self-efficacy (BARSE), and minutes of independent exercise for CR participants (n = 65). While between-group differences did not reach significance (p > .10) for any of the outcome measures, significant within-group changes were noted in BARSE scores and independent exercise (p exercise for the AC group was also significant (p =. 006). Further study is needed to explore whether short-term changes translate into maintenance of independent exercise participation after program completion.

Playful Interventions Increase Knowledge about Healthy Habits and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children: The CARDIOKIDS Randomized Study

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Fátima H. Cecchetto

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Childhood obesity is an important health problem worldwide. In this context, there is a need for the development and evaluation of innovative educational interventions targeting prevention and formation of health habits. Objectives: To ascertain the impact of ludic workshops on children’s knowledge, self-care, and body weight. Methods: This was a randomized, clinical study with 79 students aged 7-11 years, conducted from March to November 2012. Anthropometric measurements were collected and two questionnaires (Typical Day of Physical Activities and Food Intake, in Portuguese, and the CARDIOKIDS, a questionnaire of knowledge about cardiovascular risk factors were applied at baseline, at the end of intervention, and three months thereafter. The intervention consisted of eight playful workshops, which involved the presentation of a play. Results: Seventy-nine students were randomized to the intervention (n = 40 or the control group (n = 39. Mean age was 10.0 ± 1.1 years. After eight weeks, the intervention group showed significant improvement in the knowledge score (p < 0.001. There was an increase in physical activity scores in both groups, but with no difference between the groups at the end of intervention (p = 0.209. A reduction in the BMI percentile was observed in the intervention group, but there was no significant statistical difference between the two groups after the intervention. Conclusions: Playful interventions may improve knowledge and physical activity levels in children and, when combined with other strategies, may be beneficial to prevent child obesity and improve self-care.

Systematic review of recess interventions to increase physical activity.

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Ickes, Melinda J; Erwin, Heather; Beighle, Aaron

2013-08-01

With the rapid increase in obesity rates among youth, efforts to increase physical activity (PA) have become a priority. School-based strategies for PA promotion must be cost-effective, unobtrusive, and linked to improved academic performance. Efforts to maximize recess PA are advocated because of both health and academic benefits. The purpose of this manuscript was to review recess interventions aimed to improve PA among youth, and make recommendations to develop related best practices. An extensive literature search was conducted to include all primary research articles evaluating any recess intervention with PA as an outcome. The included 13 interventions represented both settings within the U.S and internationally, among preschools and elementary/primary schools. A variety of strategies were used within the design and implementation of each of the interventions including: added equipment/materials, markings, zones, teacher involvement, active video games, activity of the week, and activity cards. Of the included studies, 95% demonstrated positive outcomes as a result of the recess intervention. A number of simple, low-cost strategies can be implemented to maximize the amount of recess time students are allotted. Long-term follow-up studies are warranted for each of the recess strategies identified to be effective.

Case Series of a Knowledge Translation Intervention to Increase Upper Limb Exercise in Stroke Rehabilitation.

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Connell, Louise A; McMahon, Naoimh E; Tyson, Sarah F; Watkins, Caroline L; Eng, Janice J

2016-12-01

Current approaches to upper limb rehabilitation are not sufficient to drive neural reorganization and maximize recovery after stroke. To address this evidence-practice gap, a knowledge translation intervention using the Behaviour Change Wheel was developed. The intervention involves collaboratively working with stroke therapy teams to change their practice and increase therapy intensity by therapists prescribing supplementary self-directed arm exercise. The purposes of this case series are: (1) to provide an illustrative example of how a research-informed process changed clinical practice and (2) to report on staff members' and patients' perceptions of the utility of the developed intervention. A participatory action research approach was used in 3 stroke rehabilitation units in the United Kingdom. The intervention aimed to change 4 therapist-level behaviors: (1) screening patients for suitability for supplementary self-directed arm exercise, (2) provision of exercises, (3) involving family and caregivers in assisting with exercises, and (4) monitoring and progressing exercises. Data on changes in practice were collected by therapy teams using a bespoke audit tool. Utility of the intervention was explored in qualitative interviews with patients and staff. Components of the intervention were successfully embedded in 2 of the 3 stroke units. At these sites, almost all admitted patients were screened for suitability for supplementary self-directed exercise. Exercises were provided to 77%, 70%, and 88% of suitable patients across the 3 sites. Involving family and caregivers and monitoring and progressing exercises were not performed consistently. This case series is an example of how a rigorous research-informed knowledge translation process resulted in practice change. Research is needed to demonstrate that these changes can translate into increased intensity of upper limb exercise and affect patient outcomes. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

An e-health intervention designed to increase workday energy expenditure by reducing prolonged occupational sitting habits.

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Pedersen, Scott J; Cooley, Paul D; Mainsbridge, Casey

2014-01-01

Desk-based employees face multiple workplace health hazards such as insufficient physical activity and prolonged sitting. The objective of this study was to increase workday energy expenditure by interrupting prolonged occupational sitting time and introducing short-bursts of physical activity to employees' daily work habits. Over a 13-week period participants (n=17) in the intervention group were regularly exposed to a passive prompt delivered through their desktop computer that required them to stand up and engage in a short-burst of physical activity, while the control group (n=17) was not exposed to this intervention. Instead, the control group continued with their normal work routine. All participants completed a pre- and post- intervention survey to estimate workplace daily energy expenditure (calories). There was a significant 2 (Group) × 2 (Test) interaction, F (1, 32)=9.26, p employee work-related energy expenditure. Engaging employees in regular short-bursts of physical activity during the workday resulted in reduced sitting time, which may have long-term effects on the improvement of employee health.

Mail-Based Intervention for Sarcopenia Prevention Increased Anabolic Hormone and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Community-Dwelling Japanese Older Adults: The INE (Intervention by Nutrition and Exercise) Study.

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Yamada, Minoru; Nishiguchi, Shu; Fukutani, Naoto; Aoyama, Tomoki; Arai, Hidenori

2015-08-01

The aim of the Intervention by Nutrition and Exercise (INE) study was to investigate the effects of a mail-based intervention for sarcopenia prevention on muscle mass and anabolic hormones in community-dwelling older adults. A cluster-randomized controlled trial. This trial recruited community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older in Japan. The 227 participants were cluster randomized into a walking and nutrition (W/N) group (n = 79), a walking (W) group (n = 71), and a control (C) group (n = 77). We analyzed the physical and biochemical measurements in this substudy. Six months of mail-based intervention (a pedometer-based walking program and nutritional supplementation). The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) using the bioelectrical impedance data acquisition system, biochemical measurements, such as those of insulinlike growth factor (IGF-1), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25[OH]D), as well as frailty, were assessed by the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. Participants in the W/N and W groups had significantly greater improvements in SMI, IGF-1, and 25(OH)D (P < .05) than those in the C group. Participants in the W/N group had significantly greater improvements in DHEA-S (P < .05) than in the other groups. These effects were more pronounced in frail, older adults. These results suggest that the mail-based walking intervention of the remote monitoring type for sarcopenia prevention can increase anabolic hormone levels and SMI in community-dwelling older adults, particularly in those who are frail. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intervention Mapping to Adapt Evidence-Based Interventions for Use in Practice: Increasing Mammography among African American Women.

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Highfield, Linda; Hartman, Marieke A; Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Rodriguez, Serena A; Fernandez, Maria E; Bartholomew, L Kay

2015-01-01

This paper describes and demonstrates the use of the systematic planning process, Intervention Mapping, to adapt an evidence-based public health intervention (EBI). We used a simplified version of Intervention Mapping (IM Adapt) to increase an intervention's fit with a new setting and population. IM Adapt guides researchers and practitioners in selecting an EBI, making decisions about whether and what to adapt, and executing the adaptation while guarding the EBI's essential elements (those responsible for effectiveness). We present a case study of a project in which we used IM Adapt to find, adapt, implement, and evaluate an EBI to improve mammography adherence for African American women in a new practice setting in Houston, Texas. IM Adapt includes the following (1) assess needs and organizational capacity; (2) find EBIs; (3) plan adaptations based on fit assessments; (4) make adaptations; (5) plan for implementation; and (6) plan for evaluation of the adapted EBI. The case study shows an example of how public health researchers and practitioners can use the tool to make it easier to find and use EBIs, thus encouraging greater uptake. IM Adapt adds to existing dissemination and adaptation models by providing detailed guidance on how to decide on effective adaptation, while maintaining the essential elements of the EBI.

Increasing adolescents' depth of understanding of cross-curriculum words: an intervention study.

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Spencer, Sarah; Clegg, Judy; Lowe, Hilary; Stackhouse, Joy

2017-09-01

There is some evidence that vocabulary intervention is effective for children, although further research is needed to confirm the impact of intervention within contexts of social disadvantage. Very little is known about the effectiveness of interventions to increase adolescent knowledge of cross-curriculum words. To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention programme designed to develop adolescents' knowledge of cross-curriculum words. Participants were 35 adolescents aged between 12 and 14 years who were at risk of educational underachievement with low scores on a range of assessments. Participants received a 10-week intervention programme in small groups, targeting 10 cross-curriculum words (e.g., 'summarize'). This was evaluated using a bespoke outcome measure (the Word Knowledge Profile). The study involved an AABA design, with a repeated baseline, delayed intervention cohort and blind assessment. Intervention included both semantic and phonological information about the target words and involved the adolescents using the words in multiple contexts. Results were promising and participants' knowledge of the targeted words significantly increased following intervention. Progress was demonstrated on the Word Knowledge Profile on the item requiring participants to define the word (for the summer intervention group only). This increase in depth of knowledge was seen on taught words but not on matched non-taught words. Cross-curriculum words are not consistently understood by adolescents at risk of low educational attainment within a low socio-economic context. A 10-week intervention programme resulted in some increases to the depth of knowledge of targeted cross-curriculum words. © 2017 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Does a population-based multifactorial lifestyle intervention increase social inequality in physical activity? The Inter99 study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aadahl, M; Smith, L von Huth; Toft, U

2011-01-01

Aim To examine the effect of a multifactorial lifestyle intervention on 5-year change in physical activity (PA) and to explore whether length of education had an impact on the effect of the intervention. Methods Two random samples (high intervention group A, n=11 708; low intervention group B, n......-based multifactorial lifestyle intervention did not influence social inequality in PA. Keywords Lifestyle, Exercise, Randomised Intervention Study, Ischemic Heart Disease, Socioeconomic Position....

Intervention Mapping to Adapt Evidence-Based Interventions for Use in Practice: Increasing Mammography among African American Women

OpenAIRE

Highfield, Linda; Hartman, Marieke A.; Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Rodriguez, Serena A.; Fernandez, Maria E.; Bartholomew, L. Kay

2015-01-01

This paper describes and demonstrates the use of the systematic planning process, Intervention Mapping, to adapt an evidence-based public health intervention (EBI). We used a simplified version of Intervention Mapping (IM Adapt) to increase an intervention's fit with a new setting and population. IM Adapt guides researchers and practitioners in selecting an EBI, making decisions about whether and what to adapt, and executing the adaptation while guarding the EBI's essential elements (those re...

Differentiation of malignant and degenerative bone lesions using dexamethasone interventional 3- and 24-hour bone scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, A.; Mondal, A.; Kashyap, R.; Sharma, R.K.; Sharma, R.; Chakravarty, S.K.; Bihari, V.; Sawroop, K.; Chopra, M.K.; Soni, N.L.

1994-01-01

Seventy-seven adult patients with suspected skeletal metastases were divided into two groups. In group A (n=30), following intravenous administration of 20 mCi (740 MBq) of technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-MDP), 3- and 24-h scintigraphy of bone lesions was performed. The 24/3 h lesion to bone background radiouptake ratio (RUR) was calculated for each lesion. In group B (n=47), the same procedure was followed with dexamethasone intervention (10 mg in 24 h) following the 3-h acquisition. In group A, after determination of the critical point, malignant and degenerative bone lesions could be separated with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 0.76, 0.72 and 0.73, respectively. The mean RUR of the malignant lesions was 1.20± 0.23, and that of the benign lesions, 0.95± 0.15. In group B cases, significantly increased sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 0.87, 0.94 and 0.92, respectively, were found (P<0.001). The mean RUR of the malignant lesions was 1.48± 0.34, and that of degenerative lesions, 0.88± 0.19. Dexamethasone interventional bone scintigraphy seems to be a new cost-effective method for differentiating malignant from degenerative bone lesions using the RUR. (orig.)

Incorporation of n-3 PUFA and γ-linolenic acid in blood lipids and red blood cell lipids together with their influence on disease activity in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis - a randomized controlled human intervention trial

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Springer Monika

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background and aim Marine n-3 fatty acids and γ-linolenic acid both have anti-inflammatory effects and may be useful to help treat inflammatory diseases. The effects of these alone or combined were examined in patients with arthritis in a randomized controlled trial. Design Patients with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis were randomized into four groups in a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel designed study. Patients received the respective capsules (1: 3.0 g n-3 LC-PUFA/d; 2: 3.2 g γ-linolenic acid/d; 3: 1.6 g n-3 LC-PUFA + 1.8 g γ-linolenic acid/d; 4: 3.0 g olive oil for a twelve week period. Clinical status was evaluated and blood samples were taken at the beginning and at the end of the period. Differences before and after intervention were tested with paired t-test or with Wilcoxon test for non-normal data distribution. Results 60 patients (54 rheumatoid arthritis, 6 psoriatic arthritis were randomised, 47 finished per protocol. In group 1, the ratio of arachidonic acid (AA/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA decreased from 6.5 ± 3.7 to 2.7 ± 2.1 in plasma lipids and from 25.1 ± 10.1 to 7.2 ± 4.7 in erythrocyte membranes (p ≤ 0.001. There was no significant influence on AA/EPA ratio due to interventions in group 2-4. In group 2, the intake of γ-linolenic acid resulted in a strong rise of γ-linolenic acid and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid concentrations in plasma lipids, cholesteryl esters, and erythrocyte membranes. The combination of n-3 LC-PUFA and γ-linolenic acid (group 3 led to an increase of γ-linolenic acid and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid concentrations in plasma lipids, cholesteryl esters, and erythrocyte mem-branes. This increase was only half of that in group 2. Conclusions Incorporation of eicosanoid precursor FAs was influenced by an intake of n-3 LC-PUFA and γ-linolenic acid suggesting a possible benefit for therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials NCT01179971

Supervised dance intervention based on video game choreography increases quadriceps cross sectional area and peak of torque in community dwelling older women

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Elisângela Valevein Rodrigues

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract AIMS the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a supervised dance intervention based on video game choreography on isokinetic concentric and eccentric knee peak of torque (PT, quadriceps and hamstrings cross sectional area (CSA and functionality in community-dwelling older women. METHODS Forty-seven older women were allocated in Control Group (CG, n=25 and Intervention Group (IG, n=22. The IG performed dance based on video game choreography (Dance Central, XBOX 360®, Kinect, during 12 weeks, ~40 minutes, 3x/week, without foam (1-6week and with foam and visual disturbances (7-12 week. The pretest-training-posttest assessments included: isokinetic concentric and eccentric knee PT and CSA (Magnetic resonance imaging of quadriceps and hamstrings and functional tests. RESULTS The light-to-moderate-intensity 12-weeks training increased 8.5% the eccentric PT of quadriceps at 60°/s (p=0.04 and 1.3% quadriceps CSA (p=0.02. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that dance training based on video game choreography can enhance PT and induce hypertrophy in community-dwelling older women.

Does a short self-compassion intervention for students increase healthy self-regulation?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dundas, Ingrid; Binder, Per Einar; Hansen, Tia G.B.

2017-01-01

negative self-directed thinking; as well as for self-compassion, anxiety and depression. Concluding, a short self-compassion course seems an effective method of increasing self-compassion and perceived control over one's life for university students, as well as increasing mental health.......The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of a two-week self-compassion course on healthy self-regulation (personal growth self-efficacy and healthy impulse control) and unhealthy self-regulation (self-judgment and habitual negative self-directed thinking) in university students. We...... also examined the effects on self-compassion, anxiety and depression. Students (N = 158, 85% women, mean age = 25 years) were randomized to an intervention group and a waiting-list control group in a multi-baseline randomized control trial. Healthy self-control was measured by the Personal Growth...

Effectiveness of worksite interventions to increase influenza vaccination rates among employees and families.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofstead, Cori L; Sherman, Bruce W; Wetzler, Harry P; Dirlam Langlay, Alexandra M; Mueller, Natalie J; Ward, Jeremy M; Ritter, Daniel R; Poland, Gregory A

2013-02-01

To increase influenza vaccination rates among industrial employees and their families through a campaign at a large corporation. This prospective, multisite study used employee surveys and claims data to evaluate an evidence-based worksite vaccination program. Vaccination rates among insured employees and dependents (N = 13,520) increased significantly after the intervention (P employees received vaccine at employer-sponsored events. There was a strong association between employee and family vaccination status. Primary reasons for receiving the vaccine were economic (free 84%; convenient 80%; avoid absenteeism 82%), rather than health-related. Knowledge was associated with vaccination, but customized education did not change beliefs. Worksite programs can demonstrably increase vaccination rates among industrial employees and families. Consideration should be given to repositioning vaccination from medical treatment to community initiatives offered with other worksite health promotion programs.

An Integrated Intervention for Increasing Clinical Nurses’ Knowledge of HIV/AIDS-Related Occupational Safety

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Liping He

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Approximately 35 new HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV cases and at least 1000 serious infections are transmitted annually to health care workers. In China, HIV prevalence is increasing and nursing personnel are encountering these individuals more than in the past. Contaminated needle-stick injuries represent a significant occupational burden for nurses. Evidence suggests that nurses in China may not fully understand HIV/AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, AIDS and HIV-related occupational safety. At this time, universal protection precautions are not strictly implemented in Chinese hospitals. Lack of training may place nurses at risk for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of integrated interventions on nurses’ knowledge improvement about reducing the risk of occupationally acquired HIV infection. Methods: We audited integrated interventions using 300 questionnaires collected from nurses at the Affiliated Hospital of Xiangnan University, a public polyclinic in Hunan Province. The intervention studied was multifaceted and included appropriate and targeted training content for hospital, department and individual levels. After three months of occupational safety integrated interventions, 234 participants who completed the program were assessed. Results: Of the subjects studied, 94.3% (283/300 were injured one or more times by medical sharp instruments or splashed by body fluids in the last year and 95.3% considered their risk of occupational exposure high or very high. After the intervention, awareness of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge improved significantly (χ2 = 86.34, p = 0.00, and correct answers increased from 67.9% to 82.34%. Correct answers regarding risk perception were significantly different between pre-test (54.4% and post-test (66.6% (χ2 = 73.2, p = 0.00. When coming into contact with patient body fluids and blood only 24.0% of subjects used gloves regularly

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase indexes and n-6/n-3 fatty acids ratio as biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk factors in normal-weight rabbits fed high fat diets.

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Alarcón, Gabriela; Roco, Julieta; Medina, Analia; Van Nieuwenhove, Carina; Medina, Mirta; Jerez, Susana

2016-01-20

Biomarkers for cardiometabolic risk (CMR) factors would be important tools to maximize the effectiveness of dietary interventions to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) indexes and n-6/n-3 fatty acids (FA) ratio as biomarkers of CMR induced by feeding rabbits on high fat diets (HFDs). Rabbits were fed either regular diet or 18 % fat in regular diet (HFD) or 1 % cholesterol diet (HD) or diet containing 1 % cholesterol and 18 % fat (HFD-HD) during 6 weeks. Body weights (BW), blood pressure, visceral abdominal fat (VAF) and glucose tolerance test were determined. Total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), fasting glucose (FG), and FA levels from plasma were measured. SCD indexes were calculated as product/precursor ratios of individual FA. BW was similar in all diet groups. HD increased TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG. HFD increased TG, VAF and FG, and decreased HDL-C. The addition of HFD to HD joined to dyslipidemia increased VAF and FG. SCD indexes were increased and n-6/n-3 was unchanged in HD. SCD indexes were reduced and n-6/n-3 FA ratio was increased in HFD and HFD-HD. CMR factors were correlated positively with n-6/n-3 FA ratio. Although VAF had a stronger correlation with n-6/n-3 FA ratio than with SCD indexes, VAF was associated independently to both markers. HFD simulating lipid composition of the average Western-style diet induced experimental rabbit models of normal-weight metabolic syndrome (MS). SCD indexes and n-6/n-3 were modified according to the type of dietary fat. Considering that VAF and CMR factors appear to be stronger associated to n-6/n-3 FA ratio than to SCD indexes, n-6/n-3 FA ratio may be a better biomarker of MS and CMR in normal-weight subjects than SCD indexes.

Pork as a Source of Omega-3 (n-3) Fatty Acids.

Science.gov (United States)

Dugan, Michael E R; Vahmani, Payam; Turner, Tyler D; Mapiye, Cletos; Juárez, Manuel; Prieto, Nuria; Beaulieu, Angela D; Zijlstra, Ruurd T; Patience, John F; Aalhus, Jennifer L

2015-12-16

Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, but typical feeding practices give it a high omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid ratio and make it a poor source of n-3 fatty acids. Feeding pigs n-3 fatty acids can increase their contents in pork, and in countries where label claims are permitted, claims can be met with limited feeding of n-3 fatty acid enrich feedstuffs, provided contributions of both fat and muscle are included in pork servings. Pork enriched with n-3 fatty acids is, however, not widely available. Producing and marketing n-3 fatty acid enriched pork requires regulatory approval, development costs, quality control costs, may increase production costs, and enriched pork has to be tracked to retail and sold for a premium. Mandatory labelling of the n-6/n-3 ratio and the n-3 fatty acid content of pork may help drive production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork, and open the door to population-based disease prevention polices (i.e., food tax to provide incentives to improve production practices). A shift from the status-quo, however, will require stronger signals along the value chain indicating production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork is an industry priority.

Pork as a Source of Omega-3 (n-3) Fatty Acids

Science.gov (United States)

Dugan, Michael E.R.; Vahmani, Payam; Turner, Tyler D.; Mapiye, Cletos; Juárez, Manuel; Prieto, Nuria; Beaulieu, Angela D.; Zijlstra, Ruurd T.; Patience, John F.; Aalhus, Jennifer L.

2015-01-01

Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, but typical feeding practices give it a high omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid ratio and make it a poor source of n-3 fatty acids. Feeding pigs n-3 fatty acids can increase their contents in pork, and in countries where label claims are permitted, claims can be met with limited feeding of n-3 fatty acid enrich feedstuffs, provided contributions of both fat and muscle are included in pork servings. Pork enriched with n-3 fatty acids is, however, not widely available. Producing and marketing n-3 fatty acid enriched pork requires regulatory approval, development costs, quality control costs, may increase production costs, and enriched pork has to be tracked to retail and sold for a premium. Mandatory labelling of the n-6/n-3 ratio and the n-3 fatty acid content of pork may help drive production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork, and open the door to population-based disease prevention polices (i.e., food tax to provide incentives to improve production practices). A shift from the status-quo, however, will require stronger signals along the value chain indicating production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork is an industry priority. PMID:26694475

Pork as a Source of Omega-3 (n-3 Fatty Acids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael E.R. Dugan

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, but typical feeding practices give it a high omega-6 (n-6 to omega-3 (n-3 fatty acid ratio and make it a poor source of n-3 fatty acids. Feeding pigs n-3 fatty acids can increase their contents in pork, and in countries where label claims are permitted, claims can be met with limited feeding of n-3 fatty acid enrich feedstuffs, provided contributions of both fat and muscle are included in pork servings. Pork enriched with n-3 fatty acids is, however, not widely available. Producing and marketing n-3 fatty acid enriched pork requires regulatory approval, development costs, quality control costs, may increase production costs, and enriched pork has to be tracked to retail and sold for a premium. Mandatory labelling of the n-6/n-3 ratio and the n-3 fatty acid content of pork may help drive production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork, and open the door to population-based disease prevention polices (i.e., food tax to provide incentives to improve production practices. A shift from the status-quo, however, will require stronger signals along the value chain indicating production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork is an industry priority.

Behavioural intervention to increase physical activity among patients with coronary heart disease: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsaleh, Eman; Blake, Holly; Windle, Richard

2012-12-01

Although physical activity has significant health benefits in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease, patients often do not follow prescribed physical activity recommendations. Behavioural strategies have been shown to be efficacious in increasing physical activity among those patients with coronary heart disease who are attending structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes. Research has also shown that tailoring consultation according to patients' needs and sending motivational reminders are successful ways of motivating patients to be physically active. However, there is a lack of evidence for the efficacy of behavioural interventions based on individualised consultation in promoting physical activity among those patients with coronary heart disease who are not attending structured physical activity programmes. This paper outlines the study protocol for a trial which is currently underway, to examine the effect of a behavioural change intervention delivered through individualised consultation calls and motivational reminder text messages on the level of physical activity among patients with coronary heart disease. Two large hospitals in Jordan. Eligible patients aged between 18 and 70 years, who are clinically stable, are able to perform physical activity and who have access to a mobile telephone have been randomly allocated to control or intervention group. Two-group randomised controlled trial. Behavioural intervention will be compared with usual care in increasing physical activity levels among patients with coronary heart disease. The control group (n=85) will receive advice from their doctors about physical activity as they would in usual practice. The intervention group (n=71) will receive the same advice, but will also receive behavioural change intervention (goal-setting, feed-back, self-monitoring) that will be delivered over a period of six months. Intervention will be delivered through individually tailored face-to-face and telephone

Pragmatic trial of an intervention to increase human papillomavirus vaccination in safety-net clinics

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Maureen Sanderson

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV infection has been causally linked to six cancers, and many disproportionately affect minorties. This study reports on the development and effectiveness of an intervention aimed at increasing HPV vaccine uptake among African American and Hispanic pediatric patients in safety-net clinics. Methods Formative research, community engagement, and theory guided development of the intervention. A clustered, non-randomized controlled pragmatic trial was conducted in four clinics providing healthcare for the underserved in Tennessee, U.S., with two intervention sites and two usual care sites. Patients aged 9-18 years (N = 408 and their mothers (N = 305 enrolled, with children clustered within families. The intervention consisted of two provider/staff training sessions and provision of patient education materials, consisting of a video/flyer promoting HPV vaccine. Medical records were reviewed before/after the initial visit and after 12 months. Results At the initial visit, provision of patient education materials and provider recommendation were higher at intervention sites versus usual care sites, and receipt of HPV vaccine was higher at intervention sites (45.4% versus 32.9% but not significantly after adjusting for patient’s age and mother’s education. Provider recommendation, but not education materials, increased the likelihood of vaccine receipt at the initial visit, although over one-third of intervention mothers cited the flyer/video as motivating vaccination. Completion of the 3-dose series at follow-up was lower in the intervention arm. Conclusions Future interventions should combine patient education, intensive provider/staff education, and patient reminders. Research should compare patient education focusing on HPV vaccine only versus all adolescent vaccines. Trial registration Retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02808832 , 9/12/16

Time series evaluation of an intervention to increase statin tablet splitting by general practitioners.

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Polinski, Jennifer M; Schneeweiss, Sebastian; Maclure, Malcolm; Marshall, Blair; Ramsden, Samuel; Dormuth, Colin

2011-02-01

Tablet splitting, in which a higher-dose tablet is split to get 2 doses, reduces patients' drug costs. Statins can be split safely. General practitioners (GPs) may not direct their patients to split statins because of safety concerns or unawareness of costs. Medical chart inserts provide cost-effective education to physicians. The aim of this study was to assess whether providing GPs with statin-splitting chart inserts would increase splitting rates, and to identify predictors of splitting. In 2005 and 2006, we faxed a statin chart insert to British Columbia GPs with a request for a telephone interview. Consenting GPs were mailed 3 statin chart inserts and interviewed by phone (the intervention). In an interrupted time series, we compared monthly rates of statin-splitting prescriptions among intervention and nonintervention GPs before, during, and after the intervention. In multivariate logistic regressions accounting for patient clustering, predictors of splitting included physician and patient demographics and the specific statin prescribed. Of 5051 GPs reached, 282 (6%) agreed to the intervention. Before the intervention, GPs' splitting rate was 2.6%; after intervention, GPs' splitting rate was 7.5%. The rate for the nonintervention GPs was 4.4%. Intervention GPs were 1.68 (95% CI, 1.12-2.53) times more likely to prescribe splitting after the intervention than were nonintervention GPs. Other predictors were a patient's female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.18-1.34), lower patient income (OR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.18-1.34), and a lack of drug insurance (OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.69-2.04). An inexpensive intervention was effective in producing a sustained increase in GPs' splitting rate during 22 months of observed follow-up. Expanding statin-splitting education to all GPs might reduce prescription costs for many patients and payors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Gender Bias Habit-Breaking Intervention Led to Increased Hiring of Female Faculty in STEMM Departments.

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Devine, Patricia G; Forscher, Patrick S; Cox, William T L; Kaatz, Anna; Sheridan, Jennifer; Carnes, Molly

2017-11-01

Addressing the underrepresentation of women in science is a top priority for many institutions, but the majority of efforts to increase representation of women are neither evidence-based nor rigorously assessed. One exception is the gender bias habit-breaking intervention (Carnes et al., 2015), which, in a cluster-randomized trial involving all but two departmental clusters ( N = 92) in the 6 STEMM focused schools/colleges at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, led to increases in gender bias awareness and self-efficacy to promote gender equity in academic science departments. Following this initial success, the present study compares, in a preregistered analysis, hiring rates of new female faculty pre- and post-manipulation. Whereas the proportion of women hired by control departments remained stable over time, the proportion of women hired by intervention departments increased by an estimated 18 percentage points ( OR = 2.23, d OR = 0.34). Though the preregistered analysis did not achieve conventional levels of statistical significance ( p power, as the cluster-randomized trial has a maximum sample size of 92 departmental clusters. These patterns have undeniable practical significance for the advancement of women in science, and provide promising evidence that psychological interventions can facilitate gender equity and diversity.

A multifaceted hospital-wide intervention increases hand hygiene ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A multifaceted hospital-wide intervention increases hand hygiene compliance. B Patel, H Engelbrecht, H McDonald, V Morris, W Smythe. Abstract. Background. Hand hygiene is an important and basic practice that should be used by all healthcare staff to protect both themselves and their patients against infection.

A Randomized Trial to Compare Alternative Educational Interventions to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Hard-to-Reach Urban Minority Population with Health Insurance.

Science.gov (United States)

Basch, Charles E; Zybert, Patricia; Wolf, Randi L; Basch, Corey H; Ullman, Ralph; Shmukler, Celia; King, Fionnuala; Neugut, Alfred I; Shea, Steven

2015-10-01

This randomized controlled trial assessed different educational approaches for increasing colorectal cancer screening uptake in a sample of primarily non-US born urban minority individuals, over aged 50, with health insurance, and out of compliance with screening guidelines. In one group, participants were mailed printed educational material (n = 180); in a second, participants' primary care physicians received academic detailing to improve screening referral and follow-up practices (n = 185); in a third, physicians received academic detailing and participants received tailored telephone education (n = 199). Overall, 21.5% of participants (n = 121) received appropriate screening within one year of randomization. There were no statistically significant pairwise differences between groups in screening rate. Among those 60 years of age or older, however, the detailing plus telephone education group had a higher screening rate than the print group (27.3 vs. 7.7%, p = .02). Different kinds of interventions will be required to increase colorectal cancer screening among the increasingly small population segment that remains unscreened. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02392143.

Intervention Mapping to Adapt Evidence-Based Interventions for Use in Practice: Increasing Mammography among African American Women

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Linda Highfield

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes and demonstrates the use of the systematic planning process, Intervention Mapping, to adapt an evidence-based public health intervention (EBI. We used a simplified version of Intervention Mapping (IM Adapt to increase an intervention’s fit with a new setting and population. IM Adapt guides researchers and practitioners in selecting an EBI, making decisions about whether and what to adapt, and executing the adaptation while guarding the EBI’s essential elements (those responsible for effectiveness. We present a case study of a project in which we used IM Adapt to find, adapt, implement, and evaluate an EBI to improve mammography adherence for African American women in a new practice setting in Houston, Texas. IM Adapt includes the following (1 assess needs and organizational capacity; (2 find EBIs; (3 plan adaptations based on fit assessments; (4 make adaptations; (5 plan for implementation; and (6 plan for evaluation of the adapted EBI. The case study shows an example of how public health researchers and practitioners can use the tool to make it easier to find and use EBIs, thus encouraging greater uptake. IM Adapt adds to existing dissemination and adaptation models by providing detailed guidance on how to decide on effective adaptation, while maintaining the essential elements of the EBI.

Effectiveness of a Web 2.0 Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Real-World Settings: Randomized Ecological Trial.

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Vandelanotte, Corneel; Kolt, Gregory S; Caperchione, Cristina M; Savage, Trevor N; Rosenkranz, Richard R; Maeder, Anthony J; Van Itallie, Anetta; Tague, Rhys; Oldmeadow, Christopher; Mummery, W Kerry; Duncan, Mitch J

2017-11-13

The translation of Web-based physical activity intervention research into the real world is lacking and becoming increasingly important. To compare usage and effectiveness, in real-world settings, of a traditional Web 1.0 Web-based physical activity intervention, providing limited interactivity, to a Web 2.0 Web-based physical activity intervention that includes interactive features, such as social networking (ie, status updates, online "friends," and personalized profile pages), blogs, and Google Maps mash-ups. Adults spontaneously signing up for the freely available 10,000 Steps website were randomized to the 10,000 Steps website (Web 1.0) or the newly developed WALK 2.0 website (Web 2.0). Physical activity (Active Australia Survey), quality of life (RAND 36), and body mass index (BMI) were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months. Website usage was measured continuously. Analyses of covariance were used to assess change over time in continuous outcome measures. Multiple imputation was used to deal with missing data. A total of 1328 participants completed baseline assessments. Only 3-month outcomes (224 completers) were analyzed due to high attrition at 12 months (77 completers). Web 2.0 group participants increased physical activity by 92.8 minutes per week more than those in the Web 1.0 group (95% CI 28.8-156.8; P=.005); their BMI values also decreased more (-1.03 kg/m2, 95% CI -1.65 to -0.41; P=.001). For quality of life, only the physical functioning domain score significantly improved more in the Web 2.0 group (3.6, 95% CI 1.7-5.5; PWeb 2.0 group compared to the Web 1.0 group. The difference in time-to-nonusage attrition was not statistically significant between groups (Hazard Ratio=0.97, 95% CI 0.86-1.09; P=.59). Only 21.99% (292/1328) of participants (n=292 summed for both groups) were still using either website after 2 weeks and 6.55% (87/1328) were using either website after 10 weeks. The website that provided more interactive and social features

Immune dysfunction and increased oxidative stress state in diet-induced obese mice are reverted by nutritional supplementation with monounsaturated and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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Hunsche, Caroline; Hernandez, Oskarina; Gheorghe, Alina; Díaz, Ligia Esperanza; Marcos, Ascensión; De la Fuente, Mónica

2018-04-01

Obesity is associated with impaired immune defences and chronic low levels of inflammation and oxidation. In addition, this condition may lead to premature aging. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a nutritional supplementation with monounsaturated and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on several functions and oxidative stress parameters in peritoneal immune cells of obese mice, as well as on the life span of these animals. Obesity was induced in adult female ICR/CD1 by the administration of a high-fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. During the last 6 weeks of HFD feeding, one group of obese mice received the same HFD, supplemented with 1500 mg of 2-hydroxyoleic acid (2-OHOA) and another with 3000 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Several functions and oxidative stress parameters of peritoneal leukocytes were evaluated. The groups of obese mice treated with 2-OHOA or with EPA and DHA showed a significant improvement in several functions such as chemotaxis, phagocytosis, digestion capacity, Natural killer activity and lymphoproliferation in response to mitogens. All of these functions, which were decreased in obese mice, increased reaching similar levels to those found in non-obese controls. Both treatments also improved oxidative stress parameters such as xanthine oxidase activity, which decreased, catalase activity and glutathione levels, which increased. These data suggest that dietary supplementation with monounsaturated and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could be an effective nutritional intervention to restore the immune response and oxidative stress state, which are impaired in obese mice.

Lepidopterismo por Hylesia Nigricans (mariposa negra: Investigación y acción preventiva en Buenos Aires Lepidopterism due to the butterfly Hylesia nigricans: Preventive research-intervention in Buenos Aires

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Ascar D. Salomón

2005-06-01

Full Text Available En el barrio El Pato, municipio de Berazategui, provincia de Buenos Aires, se realizó una investigación-acción preventiva contra la «mariposa negra» Hylesia nigricans, luego del aumento de consultas espontáneas por dermatitis inespecífica. La incidencia pre-intervención, durante el verano del año 2001, se estimó mediante una encuesta semiestructurada. En noviembre de 2002 se roció con Bacillus thuringiensis el arbolado público, evaluándose su efecto insecticida en campo y en laboratorio. El impacto se estimó mediante una encuesta post-intervención en marzo de 2002. La distribución por edad, signos clínicos, persistencia (11 días y estacionalidad de los casos (enero-febrero 2001 fue consistente con dermatitis por H. nigricans. La mortalidad de larvas a las 96 horas del rociado fue del 100%. Las tasas de incidencia de dermatitis antes y después de la intervención fueron de 10.3% y 1.8% respectivamente. La acción coordinada de agentes nacionales, provinciales y locales permitió identificar el problema, diseñar investigaciones operacionales, y aplicar una estrategia de control preventivo, transferible por sus mismos efectores a la comunidad.A preventive research-intervention against the butterfly Hylesia nigricans was performed after an increase in spontaneous reports of nonspecific dermatitis in El Pato neighbourhood, Berazategui County, Buenos Aires Province. The overall pre-intervention incidence was estimated with a semistructured questionnaire carried out during March 2001. The trees in the street were sprayed with Bacillus thuringiensis, and the insecticide effect was evaluated both in the field and in the laboratory (November 2002. The impact was estimated with a post-intervention questionnaire during March 2002. The age distribution, clinical appearance, persistence (11 days and seasonality (January-February 2001 of the cases were consistent with dermatitis due to H. nigricans. The mortality of larvae 96 h after the

A CBPR partnership increases HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM): outcome findings from a pilot test of the CyBER/testing internet intervention.

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Rhodes, Scott D; Vissman, Aaron T; Stowers, Jason; Miller, Cindy; McCoy, Thomas P; Hergenrather, Kenneth C; Wilkin, Aimee M; Reece, Michael; Bachmann, Laura H; Ore, Addison; Ross, Michael W; Hendrix, Ellen; Eng, Eugenia

2011-06-01

The Internet has emerged as an important tool for the delivery of health promotion and disease prevention interventions. Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership developed and piloted CyBER/testing, a culturally congruent intervention designed to promote HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) within existing Internet chat rooms. Using a quasi-experimental, single-group study design, cross-sectional data were collected from chat room participants, known as "chatters," at pretest (n = 346) and posttest (n = 315). Extant profile data also were collected to describe the demographics of the online population. The intervention significantly increased self-reported HIV testing among chatters overall, increasing rates from 44.5% at pretest to nearly 60% at posttest (p testing at posttest. Findings suggest that chat room-based HIV testing intervention may increase testing among MSM who may be difficult to reach in traditional physical spaces.

Patrón de prescripción de trihexifenidilo posterior a una intervención Prescription pattern of Trihexifenidilo after intervention

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Liuba Alonso Carbonell

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Introducción: El trihexifenidilo es una sustancia psicoestimulante con peligro de adicción, por lo que su prescripción exige el cumplimiento de una serie de requisitos con el objetivo de regular su consumo. Objetivos: Caracterizar la prescripción de trihexifenidilo e identificar diferencias entre el patrón de prescripción de trihexifenidilo posterior a una intervención y el caracterizado en el año 2002. Métodos: Se realizó estudio de utilización de medicamentos clasificado como de intervención en 23 municipios del país en 2 periodos (año 2002 y 2005 . Se incluyeron todos los pacientes inscriptos con trihexifenidilo y la información recogida fue la referente a: edad, sexo, municipio, provincia, diagnóstico, presentación de la tableta, dosis diaria, especialidad, nivel de atención y otros fármacos consumidos por el paciente. Resultados: Se comprobó que las indicaciones fueron justificadas en el 90 % de los casos para el 2005 con respecto al 81,8 % en el 2002. El rango de dosis fue correcto en el 99,8 % en el año 2005 y del 87,2 % en el año 2002. La indicación predominante en el 2005 fue el síndrome extrapiramidal con el 35,3 % de los casos. Alrededor del 70 % de los certificados fueron emitidos por la especialidad de Psiquiatría en ambos años y predominó la emisión de certificados en la atención primaria para ambos periodos (79,6 % para el 2005 y 63 % en el 2002. Conclusiones: E l impacto de las intervenciones realizadas es positivo, pues se observa una mejoría en la calidad de las prescripciones de trihexifenidiloIntroduction: Trihexifenidile is a psychostimulanting substance that may cause addiction, so the prescription of this drug must fulfill a number of requirements to control its consumption. Objectives: characterize the prescription of Trihexifenidile and identify differences between the pattern of prescription of Trihexifenidile after an intervention and the characterized pattern in 2002. Methods: A study of

Pilot study of a brief intervention based on the theory of planned behaviour and self-identity to increase chlamydia testing among young people living in deprived areas.

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Booth, Amy R; Norman, Paul; Goyder, Elizabeth; Harris, Peter R; Campbell, Michael J

2014-09-01

This study sought to estimate the effects of a novel intervention, compared with usual chlamydia testing promotion, on chlamydia test uptake and intentions among young people living in deprived areas. The intervention was based on the theory of planned behaviour, augmented with self-identity, and targeted the significant predictors of chlamydia testing intentions identified in the previous research. Cluster randomization was used to allocate college tutor groups (intervention n = 10; control n = 11) to the intervention or control group. The sample comprised 253 participants (intervention n = 145, control n = 108). The primary outcome was test offer uptake at the end of the session. Other outcomes measured at immediate follow-up were intention, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and self-identity. Generalized estimating equations, controlling for cluster effects and sexual activity, found a small but non-significant effect of condition on test offer uptake, OR = 1.65 (95% CI 0.70, 3.88) p = .25, with 57.5% of intervention participants accepting the offer of a test compared with 40.2% of control participants. Using the same analysis procedure, small-to-medium intervention effects were found on other outcome variables, including a significant effect on attitudes towards chlamydia testing, OR = 1.37 (95% CI 1.00, 1.87), p = .05. The results provide encouraging initial evidence that this theory-based intervention, targeting the key determinants of chlamydia testing, may help to improve chlamydia testing uptake in a high-risk group. They support the conduct of a larger trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. What is already known on this subject? Young people living in areas of increased socio-economic deprivation have been identified as a high-risk group for chlamydia. Previous research within an extended model of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) found that attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and self

Increasing Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage: A Randomised, Community-Based Clinical Trial.

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Amelia Acera

Full Text Available Opportunistic cervical cancer screening can lead to suboptimal screening coverage. Coverage could be increased after a personalised invitation to the target population. We present a community randomized intervention study with three strategies aiming to increase screening coverage.The CRICERVA study is a community-based clinical trial to improve coverage of population-based screening in the Cerdanyola SAP area in Barcelona.A total of 32,858 women residing in the study area, aged 30 to 70 years were evaluated. A total of 15,965 women were identified as having no registration of a cervical cytology in the last 3.5 years within the Public Health data base system. Eligible women were assigned to one of four community randomized intervention groups (IGs: (1 (IG1 N = 4197 personalised invitation letter, (2 (IG2 N = 3601 personalised invitation letter + informative leaflet, (3 (IG3 N = 6088 personalised invitation letter + informative leaflet + personalised phone call and (4 (Control N = 2079 based on spontaneous demand of cervical cancer screening as officially recommended. To evaluate screening coverage, we used heterogeneity tests to compare impact of the interventions and mixed logistic regression models to assess the age effect. We refer a "rescue" visit as the screening visit resulting from the study invitation.Among the 13,886 women in the IGs, 2,862 were evaluated as having an adequate screening history after the initial contact; 4,263 were lost to follow-up and 5,341 were identified as having insufficient screening and thus being eligible for a rescue visit. All intervention strategies significantly increased participation to screening compared to the control group. Coverage after the intervention reached 84.1% while the control group reached 64.8%. The final impact of our study was an increase of 20% in the three IGs and of 9% in the control group (p<0.001. Within the intervention arms, age was an important determinant of rescue visits

Do ergonomics improvements increase computer workers' productivity?: an intervention study in a call centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Michael J; Bayehi, Antoinette Derjani

2003-01-15

This paper examines whether improving physical ergonomics working conditions affects worker productivity in a call centre with computer-intensive work. A field study was conducted at a catalogue retail service organization to explore the impact of ergonomics improvements on worker production. There were three levels of ergonomics interventions, each adding incrementally to the previous one. The first level was ergonomics training for all computer users accompanied by workstation ergonomics analysis leading to specific customized adjustments to better fit each worker (Group C). The second level added specific workstation accessories to improve the worker fit if the ergonomics analysis indicated a need for them (Group B). The third level met Group B requirements plus an improved chair (Group A). Productivity data was gathered from 72 volunteer participants who received ergonomics improvements to their workstations and 370 control subjects working in the same departments. Daily company records of production outputs for each worker were taken before ergonomics intervention (baseline) and 12 months after ergonomics intervention. Productivity improvement from baseline to 12 months post-intervention was examined across all ergonomics conditions combined, and also compared to the control group. The findings showed that worker performance increased for 50% of the ergonomics improvement participants and decreased for 50%. Overall, there was a 4.87% output increase for the ergonomics improvement group as compared to a 3.46% output decrease for the control group. The level of productivity increase varied by the type of the ergonomics improvements with Group C showing the best improvement (9.43%). Even though the average production improved, caution must be used in interpreting the findings since the ergonomics interventions were not successful for one-half of the participants.

Using Intervention Mapping for Systematic Development of Two School-Based Interventions Aimed at Increasing Children's Fruit and Vegetable Intake

Science.gov (United States)

Reinaerts, E.; De Nooijer, J.; De Vries, N. K.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show how the intervention mapping (IM) protocol could be applied to the development of two school-based interventions. It provides an extensive description of the development, implementation and evaluation of two interventions which aimed to increase fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption among primary…

The role of n-3 LCPUFA in pregnancy

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Makrides Maria

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The metabolic demand for n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (22: 6 n-3, DHA is increased during pregnancy because of the extra needs of the fetus, expanded maternal cell mass and placenta. However, in Western countries maternal dietary n-3 LCPUFA intake in pregnancy is low and it is not clear whether adaptive metabolic mechanisms, such as increased DHA synthesis from precursor fatty acids, are capable of meeting the increased need in pregnancy. Consequently randomized controlled trials have been important to determine whether additional dietary n-3 LCPUFA in pregnancy modifies pregnancy, maternal and infant health outcomes. Supplementation with at least 1g n-3 LCPUFA per day results in a modest increase in the duration of gestation that may be most evident at the extremes of gestation. Additionally, n-3 LPUFA supplementation of well nourished pregnant women has little benefit in preventing maternal postnatal depression and is unlikely to result in major benefits to the developmental outcomes of young children. Further work in needed to identify the specific ‘‘at risk’’ groups who are most likely to benefit from supplementation.

A multifaceted hospital-wide intervention increases hand hygiene compliance.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, B; Engelbrecht, H; McDonald, H; Morris, V; Smythe, W

2016-03-07

Hand hygiene is an important and basic practice that should be used by all healthcare staff to protect both themselves and their patients against infection. Unfortunately hand hygiene compliance remains poor. To show an improvement in hand hygiene compliance using a multifaceted approach. This was a quasiexperimental pre-post intervention study design with a number of standardised interventions to promote hand hygiene. The World Health Organization hand hygiene multimodal (five-step) intervention approach was used. The study ran from June 2015 to August 2015 in 11 selected wards of a 975-bed tertiary and quaternary care public hospital (Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa). The outcome was to assess improvement in hand hygiene compliance monthly over the 3 months, compared with non-intervention wards and compared with the wards' own performance measured in 2014. The study included both descriptive and analytical components. Post intervention, hand hygiene compliance showed a statistically significant improvement for before patient contact from 34% in 2014 to 76% in 2015 (p<0.05) and for after patient contact from 47% in 2014 to 82% in 2015 (p<0.05). The intervention improved hand hygiene compliance and can easily be replicated in other wards, resulting in sustaining a culture of hand hygiene improvement and behavioural change throughout the hospital.

Interventions for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children aged five years and under.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodder, Rebecca K; O'Brien, Kate M; Stacey, Fiona G; Wyse, Rebecca J; Clinton-McHarg, Tara; Tzelepis, Flora; James, Erica L; Bartlem, Kate M; Nathan, Nicole K; Sutherland, Rachel; Robson, Emma; Yoong, Sze Lin; Wolfenden, Luke

2018-05-17

. We included 63 trials with 178 trial arms and 11,698 participants. Thirty-nine trials examined the impact of child-feeding practices (e.g. repeated food exposure) in increasing child vegetable intake. Fourteen trials examined the impact of parent nutrition education in increasing child fruit and vegetable intake. Nine studies examined the impact of multicomponent interventions (e.g. parent nutrition education and preschool policy changes) in increasing child fruit and vegetable intake. One study examined the effect of a nutrition education intervention delivered to children in increasing child fruit and vegetable intake.We judged 14 of the 63 included trials as free from high risks of bias across all domains; performance, detection and attrition bias were the most common domains judged at high risk of bias for the remaining studies.There is very low quality evidence that child-feeding practices versus no intervention may have a small positive effect on child vegetable consumption equivalent to an increase of 3.50 g as-desired consumption of vegetables (SMD 0.33, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.54; participants = 1741; studies = 13). Multicomponent interventions versus no intervention may have a very small effect on child consumption of fruit and vegetables (SMD 0.35, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.66; participants = 2009; studies = 5; low-quality evidence), equivalent to an increase of 0.37 cups of fruit and vegetables per day. It is uncertain whether there are any short-term differences in child consumption of fruit and vegetables in meta-analyses of trials examining parent nutrition education versus no intervention (SMD 0.12, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.28; participants = 3078; studies = 11; very low-quality evidence).Insufficient data were available to assess long-term effectiveness, cost effectiveness and unintended adverse consequences of interventions. Studies reported receiving governmental or charitable funds, except for four studies reporting industry funding. Despite identifying 63 eligible

An intervention to reduce sitting and increase light-intensity physical activity at work: Design and rationale of the 'Stand & Move at Work' group randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Buman, Matthew P; Mullane, Sarah L; Toledo, Meynard J; Rydell, Sarah A; Gaesser, Glenn A; Crespo, Noe C; Hannan, Peter; Feltes, Linda; Vuong, Brenna; Pereira, Mark A

2017-02-01

American workers spend 70-80% of their time at work being sedentary. Traditional approaches to increase moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may be perceived to be harmful to productivity. Approaches that target reductions in sedentary behavior and/or increases in standing or light-intensity physical activity [LPA] may not interfere with productivity and may be more feasible to achieve through small changes accumulated throughout the workday METHODS/DESIGN: This group randomized trial (i.e., cluster randomized trial) will test the relative efficacy of two sedentary behavior focused interventions in 24 worksites across two states (N=720 workers). The MOVE+ intervention is a multilevel individual, social, environmental, and organizational intervention targeting increases in light-intensity physical activity in the workplace. The STAND+ intervention is the MOVE+ intervention with the addition of the installation and use of sit-stand workstations to reduce sedentary behavior and enhance light-intensity physical activity opportunities. Our primary outcome will be objectively-measured changes in sedentary behavior and light-intensity physical activity over 12months, with additional process measures at 3months and longer-term sustainability outcomes at 24months. Our secondary outcomes will be a clustered cardiometabolic risk score (comprised of fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and blood pressure), workplace productivity, and job satisfaction DISCUSSION: This study will determine the efficacy of a multi-level workplace intervention (including the use of a sit-stand workstation) to reduce sedentary behavior and increase LPA and concomitant impact on cardiometabolic health, workplace productivity, and satisfaction. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02566317 (date of registration: 10/1/2015). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness and implementation of interventions to increase commuter cycling to school

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Lars; Støckel, Jan Toftegaard; Andersen, Lars Bo

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Active transportation to school has been positively associated with various health parameters whereas only sparse evidence exists on risk of injury while commuting to school. This study investigated the overall effectiveness of cycling promotion combined with structural changes...... on cycling to school. METHODS: Interventions at public schools in three different regions in Denmark were based on planned infrastructural changes near schools (e.g. road surface and traffic regulation) and school-motivation for promoting commuter cycling. Participants were pupils from control schools (n...... = 12) or intervention schools (n = 13). All children (n = 2415) from the 4(th) and 5(th) grade were measured at baseline during spring 2010 and at follow-up one year later. RESULTS: No significant differences in commuter cycling were detected in the adjusted analyses comparing the intervention...

Parent-child intervention decreases stress and increases maternal brain activity and connectivity during own baby-cry: An exploratory study.

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Swain, James E; Ho, S Shaun; Rosenblum, Katherine L; Morelen, Diana; Dayton, Carolyn J; Muzik, Maria

2017-05-01

Parental responses to their children are crucially influenced by stress. However, brain-based mechanistic understanding of the adverse effects of parenting stress and benefits of therapeutic interventions is lacking. We studied maternal brain responses to salient child signals as a function of Mom Power (MP), an attachment-based parenting intervention established to decrease maternal distress. Twenty-nine mothers underwent two functional magnetic resonance imaging brain scans during a baby-cry task designed to solicit maternal responses to child's or self's distress signals. Between scans, mothers were pseudorandomly assigned to either MP (n = 14) or control (n = 15) with groups balanced for depression. Compared to control, MP decreased parenting stress and increased child-focused responses in social brain areas highlighted by the precuneus and its functional connectivity with subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, which are key components of reflective self-awareness and decision-making neurocircuitry. Furthermore, over 13 weeks, reduction in parenting stress was related to increasing child- versus self-focused baby-cry responses in amygdala-temporal pole functional connectivity, which may mediate maternal ability to take her child's perspective. Although replication in larger samples is needed, the results of this first parental-brain intervention study demonstrate robust stress-related brain circuits for maternal care that can be modulated by psychotherapy.

Enhancing Students' Engagement: Report of a 3-Year Intervention with Middle School Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Julianne C.; Christensen, Andrea; Kackar-Cam, Hayal Z.; Trucano, Meg; Fulmer, Sara M.

2014-01-01

All teachers (N = 32) at one middle school participated in a university-led intervention to improve student engagement. Teachers discussed four principles of motivation and related instructional strategies. Teachers enacted instructional strategies in their classrooms. We observed six randomly selected teachers and their students over 3 years.…

A multistage controlled intervention to increase stair climbing at work: effectiveness and process evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellicha, Alice; Kieusseian, Aurélie; Fontvieille, Anne-Marie; Tataranni, Antonio; Copin, Nane; Charreire, Hélène; Oppert, Jean-Michel

2016-04-11

Stair climbing helps to accumulate short bouts of physical activity throughout the day as a strategy for attaining recommended physical activity levels. There exists a need for effective long-term stair-climbing interventions that can be transferred to various worksite settings. The aims of this study were: 1) to evaluate short- and long-term effectiveness of a worksite stair-climbing intervention using an objective measurement of stair climbing and a controlled design; and 2) to perform a process evaluation of the intervention. We performed a controlled before-and-after study. The study was conducted in two corporate buildings of the same company located in Paris (France), between September, 2013 and September, 2014. The status of either "intervention site" or "control site" was assigned by the investigators. Participants were on-site employees (intervention site: n = 783; control site: n = 545 at baseline). Two one-month intervention phases using signs (intervention phase 1) and enhancement of stairwell aesthetics (intervention phase 2) were performed. The main outcome was the change in stair climbing, measured with automatic counters and expressed in absolute counts/day/100 employees and percent change compared to baseline. Qualitative outcomes were used to describe the intervention process. Stair climbing significantly increased at the intervention site (+18.7%) but decreased at the control site (-13.3%) during the second intervention phase (difference between sites: +4.6 counts/day/100 employees, p levels at the intervention site, but a significant difference between sites was found (intervention site vs. control site: +2.9 counts/day/100 employees, p level after the end of the study. This study shows a successful stair-climbing intervention at the worksite. The main barriers to adoption and implementation were related to location and visibility of posters. Process evaluation was useful in identifying these barriers throughout the study, and in

Interventions developed with the Intervention Mapping protocol in the field of cancer: A systematic review.

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Lamort-Bouché, Marion; Sarnin, Philippe; Kok, Gerjo; Rouat, Sabrina; Péron, Julien; Letrilliart, Laurent; Fassier, Jean-Baptiste

2018-04-01

The Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol provides a structured framework to develop, implement, and evaluate complex interventions. The main objective of this review was to identify and describe the content of the interventions developed in the field of cancer with the IM protocol. Secondary objectives were to assess their fidelity to the IM protocol and to review their theoretical frameworks. Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PASCAL, FRANCIS, and BDSP databases were searched. All titles and abstracts were reviewed. A standardized extraction form was developed. All included studies were reviewed by 2 reviewers blinded to each other. Sixteen studies were identified, and these reported 15 interventions. The objectives were to increase cancer screening participation (n = 7), early consultation (n = 1), and aftercare/quality of life among cancer survivors (n = 7). Six reported a complete participatory planning group, and 7 described a complete logic model of the problem. Ten studies described a complete logic model of change. The main theoretical frameworks used were the theory of planned behaviour (n = 8), the transtheoretical model (n = 6), the health belief model (n = 6), and the social cognitive theory (n = 6). The environment was rarely integrated in the interventions (n = 4). Five interventions were reported as effective. Culturally relevant interventions were developed with the IM protocol that were effective to increase cancer screening and reduce social disparities, particularly when they were developed through a participative approach and integrated the environment. Stakeholders' involvement and the role of the environment were heterogeneously integrated in the interventions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of a 3-year intervention: The Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bugge, Anna; El-Naaman, Bianca; Dencker, Magnus

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION: This study assessed short and long term effects of a 3-year controlled school-based physical activity (PA) intervention on fatness, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in children. METHODS: The study involved 18 schools (10 intervention...

Is a school-based physical activity intervention effective for increasing tibial bone strength in boys and girls?

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Macdonald, Heather M; Kontulainen, Saija A; Khan, Karim M; McKay, Heather A

2007-03-01

This 16-month randomized, controlled school-based study compared change in tibial bone strength between 281 boys and girls participating in a daily program of physical activity (Action Schools! BC) and 129 same-sex controls. The simple, pragmatic intervention increased distal tibia bone strength in prepubertal boys; it had no effect in early pubertal boys or pre or early pubertal girls. Numerous school-based exercise interventions have proven effective for enhancing BMC, but none have used pQCT to evaluate the effects of increased loading on bone strength during growth. Thus, our aim was to determine whether a daily program of physical activity, Action Schools! BC (AS! BC) would improve tibial bone strength in boys and girls who were pre- (Tanner stage 1) or early pubertal (Tanner stage 2 or 3) at baseline. Ten schools were randomized to intervention (INT, 7 schools) or control (CON, 3 schools). The bone-loading component of AS! BC included a daily jumping program (Bounce at the Bell) plus 15 minutes/day of classroom physical activity in addition to regular physical education. We used pQCT to compare 16-month change in bone strength index (BSI, mg2/mm4) at the distal tibia (8% site) and polar strength strain index (SSIp, mm3) at the tibial midshaft (50% site) in 281 boys and girls participating in AS! BC and 129 same-sex controls. We used a linear mixed effects model to analyze our data. Children were 10.2+/-0.6 years at baseline. Intervention boys tended to have a greater increase in BSI (+774.6 mg2/mm4; 95% CI: 672.7, 876.4) than CON boys (+650.9 mg2/mm4; 95% CI: 496.4, 805.4), but the difference was only significant in prepubertal boys (p=0.03 for group x maturity interaction). Intervention boys also tended to have a greater increase in SSIp (+198.6 mm3; 95% CI: 182.9, 214.3) than CON boys (+177.1 mm3; 95% CI: 153.5, 200.7). Change in BSI and SSIp was similar between CON and INT girls. Our findings suggest that a simple, pragmatic program of daily activity

A comparison of two short-term intensive physical activity interventions: methodological considerations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norton Lynda H

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increases in chronic illness due to sedentary lifestyles and poor metabolic fitness have led to numerous intervention strategies to promote physical activity (PA. This paper describes the methodological strategies of two short-term PA interventions. Outcome measures reported are PA adherence and compliance rates during the intervention and at 3, 6 and 12-month follow-up. Methods The 40-day interventions were: a pedometer-based walking program (n = 251 and a group-based intensive program (n = 148. There was also an active control group (n = 135. Intervention subjects were prescribed PA each day and required to record all activity sessions (pedometer steps or energy expenditure from heart rate monitors. Results Compliance (≥ 150 min/wk PA was highest post-intervention (81.1% and 64.5% for the group and pedometer subjects, respectively and then progressively decreased across the 12-month follow-up period (final compliance rates were 53.5% and 46.6%, respectively although they remained significantly higher than pre-intervention rates (zero %. There was significantly higher adherence to 6 months (75.0% and 64.9%, and compliance to 3 months (64.9% and 51.0%, for group versus pedometer subjects. The active control group maintained the highest adherence and compliance rates across the study. Conclusions The group-based program resulted in higher adherence and compliance rates post-intervention although both types of interventions showed long-term effectiveness to increase activity patterns.

The effect of a couples intervention to increase breast cancer screening among korean americans.

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Lee, Eunice; Menon, Usha; Nandy, Karabi; Szalacha, Laura; Kviz, Frederick; Cho, Young; Miller, Arlene; Park, Hanjong

2014-05-01

To assess the efficacy of Korean Immigrants and Mammography-Culture-Specific Health Intervention (KIM-CHI), an educational program for Korean American (KA) couples designed to improve mammography uptake among KA women. A two-group cluster randomized, longitudinal, controlled design. 50 KA religious organizations in the Chicago area. 428 married KA women 40 years of age or older who had not had a mammogram in the past year. The women and their husbands were recruited from 50 KA religious organizations. Couples were randomly assigned to intervention or attention control groups. Those in the KIM-CHI program (n = 211 couples) were compared to an attention control group (n = 217 couples) at baseline, as well as at 6 and 15 months postintervention on mammogram uptake. Sociodemographic variables and mammography uptake were measured. Level of acculturation was measured using the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale. Researchers asked questions about healthcare resources and use, health insurance status, usual source of care, physical examinations in the past two years, family history of breast cancer, and history of mammography. The KIM-CHI group showed statistically significant increases in mammography uptake compared to the attention control group at 6 months and 15 months postintervention. The culturally targeted KIM-CHI program was effective in increasing mammogram uptake among nonadherent KA women. Nurses and healthcare providers should consider specific health beliefs as well as inclusion of husbands or significant others. They also should target education to be culturally relevant for KA women to effectively improve frequency of breast cancer screening.

Increasing community capacity to prevent childhood obesity: challenges, lessons learned and results from the Romp & Chomp intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

de Groot Florentine P

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Obesity is a major public health issue; however, only limited evidence is available about effective ways to prevent obesity, particularly in early childhood. Romp & Chomp was a community-wide obesity prevention intervention conducted in Geelong Australia with a target group of 12,000 children aged 0-5 years. The intervention had an environmental and capacity building focus and we have recently demonstrated that the prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower in intervention children, post-intervention. Capacity building is defined as the development of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems and leadership to enable effective health promotion and the aim of this study was to determine if the capacity of the Geelong community, represented by key stakeholder organisations, to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children was increased after Romp & Chomp. Methods A mixed methods evaluation with three data sources was utilised. 1 Document analysis comprised assessment of the documented formative and intervention activities against a capacity building framework (five domains: Partnerships, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Workforce Development, and Organisational Development; 2 Thematic analysis of key informant interviews (n = 16; and 3 the quantitative Community Capacity Index Survey. Results Document analysis showed that the majority of the capacity building activities addressed the Partnerships, Resource Allocation and Organisational Development domains of capacity building, with a lack of activity in the Leadership and Workforce Development domains. The thematic analysis revealed the establishment of sustainable partnerships, use of specialist advice, and integration of activities into ongoing formal training for early childhood workers. Complex issues also emerged from the key informant interviews regarding the challenges of limited funding, high staff turnover, changing governance structures

Increasing community capacity to prevent childhood obesity: challenges, lessons learned and results from the Romp & Chomp intervention.

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de Groot, Florentine P; Robertson, Narelle M; Swinburn, Boyd A; de Silva-Sanigorski, Andrea M

2010-08-31

Obesity is a major public health issue; however, only limited evidence is available about effective ways to prevent obesity, particularly in early childhood. Romp & Chomp was a community-wide obesity prevention intervention conducted in Geelong Australia with a target group of 12,000 children aged 0-5 years. The intervention had an environmental and capacity building focus and we have recently demonstrated that the prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower in intervention children, post-intervention. Capacity building is defined as the development of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, systems and leadership to enable effective health promotion and the aim of this study was to determine if the capacity of the Geelong community, represented by key stakeholder organisations, to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children was increased after Romp & Chomp. A mixed methods evaluation with three data sources was utilised. 1) Document analysis comprised assessment of the documented formative and intervention activities against a capacity building framework (five domains: Partnerships, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Workforce Development, and Organisational Development); 2) Thematic analysis of key informant interviews (n = 16); and 3) the quantitative Community Capacity Index Survey. Document analysis showed that the majority of the capacity building activities addressed the Partnerships, Resource Allocation and Organisational Development domains of capacity building, with a lack of activity in the Leadership and Workforce Development domains. The thematic analysis revealed the establishment of sustainable partnerships, use of specialist advice, and integration of activities into ongoing formal training for early childhood workers. Complex issues also emerged from the key informant interviews regarding the challenges of limited funding, high staff turnover, changing governance structures, lack of high level leadership and unclear

A Teacher-Focused Intervention to Decrease PE Students' Amotivation by Increasing Need Satisfaction and Decreasing Need Frustration.

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Cheon, Sung Hyeon; Reeve, Johnmarshall; Song, Yong-Gwan

2016-06-01

Intervention-induced gains in need satisfaction decrease PE students' amotivation. The present study adopted a dual-process model to test whether an intervention could also decrease need frustration and hence provide a second supplemental source to further decrease students' PE amotivation. Using an experimental, longitudinal research design, 19 experienced PE teachers (9 experimental, 10 control) and their 1,017 students participated in an intervention program to help teachers become both more autonomy supportive and less controlling. Multilevel repeated measures analyses showed that students of teachers in the experimental group reported greater T2, T3, and T4 perceived autonomy support, need satisfaction, and engagement and lesser T2, T3, and T4 perceived teacher control, need frustration, and amotivation than did students of teachers in the control group. Multilevel structural equation modeling analyses confirmed the hypothesized dual-process model in which both intervention-induced increases in need satisfaction and intervention-induced decreases need frustration decreased students' end-of-semester amotivation. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this new finding on the dual antecedents of diminished amotivation.

Transgenic increase in N-3/n-6 Fatty Acid ratio reduces maternal obesity-associated inflammation and limits adverse developmental programming in mice.

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Heerwagen, Margaret J R; Stewart, Michael S; de la Houssaye, Becky A; Janssen, Rachel C; Friedman, Jacob E

2013-01-01

Maternal and pediatric obesity has risen dramatically over recent years, and is a known predictor of adverse long-term metabolic outcomes in offspring. However, which particular aspects of obese pregnancy promote such outcomes is less clear. While maternal obesity increases both maternal and placental inflammation, it is still unknown whether this is a dominant mechanism in fetal metabolic programming. In this study, we utilized the Fat-1 transgenic mouse to test whether increasing the maternal n-3/n-6 tissue fatty acid ratio could reduce the consequences of maternal obesity-associated inflammation and thereby mitigate downstream developmental programming. Eight-week-old WT or hemizygous Fat-1 C57BL/6J female mice were placed on a high-fat diet (HFD) or control diet (CD) for 8 weeks prior to mating with WT chow-fed males. Only WT offspring from Fat-1 mothers were analyzed. WT-HFD mothers demonstrated increased markers of infiltrating adipose tissue macrophages (Pmaternal insulin resistance (r = 0.59, Pmaternal protection from excess inflammation corresponded with improved metabolic outcomes in adult WT offspring. While the offspring from WT-HFD mothers weaned onto CD demonstrated increased weight gain (Pmaternal inflammation may be a promising target for preventing adverse fetal metabolic outcomes in pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity.

Evaluation of a workplace treadmill desk intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

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Schuna, John M; Swift, Damon L; Hendrick, Chelsea A; Duet, Megan T; Johnson, William D; Martin, Corby K; Church, Timothy S; Tudor-Locke, Catrine

2014-12-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a 3-month treadmill desk intervention in eliciting changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior among overweight/obese office workers. A randomized controlled trial was conducted among overweight/obese office workers (n = 41; mean age = 40.1 ± 10.1 years) at a private workplace. Participants were randomly assigned to a shared-treadmill desk intervention (n = 21) or a usual working condition control group (n = 20). Accelerometer-determined physical activity and sedentary behavior were measured before and after the intervention. Compared with the control group, the intervention group increased daily steps (1622 steps/day; P = 0.013) and light physical activity (1.6 minutes/hour; P = 0.008), and decreased sedentary time (-3.6 minutes/hour; P = 0.047) during working hours. Shared-treadmill desks in the workplace can be effective at promoting favorable changes in light physical activity (specifically 40 to 99 steps/minute) and sedentary behavior among overweight/obese office workers.

Community wide interventions for increasing physical activity.

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Baker, Philip R A; Francis, Daniel P; Soares, Jesus; Weightman, Alison L; Foster, Charles

2015-01-05

Multi-strategic community wide interventions for physical activity are increasingly popular but their ability to achieve population level improvements is unknown. To evaluate the effects of community wide, multi-strategic interventions upon population levels of physical activity. We searched the Cochrane Public Health Group Segment of the Cochrane Register of Studies,The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, MEDLINE in Process, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, PsycINFO, ASSIA, the British Nursing Index, Chinese CNKI databases, EPPI Centre (DoPHER, TRoPHI), ERIC, HMIC, Sociological Abstracts, SPORT Discus, Transport Database and Web of Science (Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index). We also scanned websites of the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health; Health-Evidence.org; the International Union for Health Promotion and Education; the NIHR Coordinating Centre for Health Technology (NCCHTA); the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and NICE and SIGN guidelines. Reference lists of all relevant systematic reviews, guidelines and primary studies were searched and we contacted experts in the field. The searches were updated to 16 January 2014, unrestricted by language or publication status. Cluster randomised controlled trials, randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs which used a control population for comparison, interrupted time-series studies, and prospective controlled cohort studies were included. Only studies with a minimum six-month follow up from the start of the intervention to measurement of outcomes were included. Community wide interventions had to comprise at least two broad strategies aimed at physical activity for the whole population. Studies which randomised individuals from the same community were excluded. At least two review authors independently extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias. Each study was assessed for the setting, the number of included components

Can state early intervention programs meet the increased demand of children suspected of having autism spectrum disorders?

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Wise, Marissa D; Little, Alison A; Holliman, Jaime Bruce; Wise, Paul H; Wang, C Jason

2010-01-01

To determine whether Early Intervention programs have the capacity to accommodate the expected increase in referrals following the American Academy of Pediatrics' 2007 recommendation for universal screening of 18- and 24-month-old children for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We conducted a telephone survey of all state and territory early. Intervention coordinators about the demand for ASD evaluations, services, and program capacity. We used multivariate models to examine state-level factors associated with the capacity to serve children with ASD. Fifty-two of the 57 coordinators (91%) responded to the survey. Most states reported an increase in demand for ASD-related evaluations (65%) and services (58%) since 2007. In addition, 46% reported that their current capacity poses a challenge to meeting the 45-day time limit for creating the Individualized Family Service Plan. Many states reported that they have shortages of ASD-related personnel, including behavioral therapists (89%), speech-language pathologists (82%), and occupational therapists (79%). Among states that reported the number of service hours (n = 34) 44% indicated that children with ASD receive 5 or fewer weekly service hours. Multivariate models showed that states with a higher percentage of African-American and Latino children were more likely to have provider shortages whereas states with higher population densities were more likely to offer a greater number of service hours. Many Early Intervention programs may not have the capability to address the expected increase in demand for ASD services. Early Intervention programs will likely need enhanced resources to provide all children with suspected ASD with appropriate evaluations and services.

Cluster randomised trial of a school-community child health promotion and obesity prevention intervention: findings from the evaluation of fun 'n healthy in Moreland!

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Waters, Elizabeth; Gibbs, Lisa; Tadic, Maryanne; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Magarey, Anthea; Okely, Anthony D; de Silva, Andrea; Armit, Christine; Green, Julie; O'Connor, Thea; Johnson, Britt; Swinburn, Boyd; Carpenter, Lauren; Moore, Graham; Littlecott, Hannah; Gold, Lisa

2017-08-03

Multi-level, longer-term obesity prevention interventions that focus on inequalities are scarce. Fun 'n healthy in Moreland! aimed to improve child adiposity, school policies and environments, parent engagement, health behaviours and child wellbeing. All children from primary schools in an inner urban, culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged area in Victoria, Australia were eligible for participation. The intervention, fun 'n healthy in Moreland!, used a Health Promoting Schools Framework and provided schools with evidence, school research data and part time support from a Community Development Worker to develop health promoting strategies. Comparison schools continued as normal. Participants were not blinded to intervention status. The primary outcome was change in adiposity. Repeated cross-sectional design with nested longitudinal subsample. Students from twenty-four primary schools (clusters) were randomised (aged 5-12 years at baseline). 1426 students from 12 intervention schools and 1539 students from 10 comparison schools consented to follow up measurements. Despite increased prevalence of healthy weight across all schools, after 3.5 years of intervention there was no statistically significant difference between trial arms in BMI z score post-intervention (Mean (sd): Intervention 0.68(1.16); Comparison: 0.72(1.12); Adjusted mean difference (AMD): -0.05, CI: -0.19 to 0.08, p = 0.44). Children from intervention schools consumed more daily fruit serves (AMD: 0.19, CI:0.00 to 0.37, p = 0.10), were more likely to have water (AOR: 1.71, CI:1.05 to 2.78, p = 0.03) and vegetables (AOR: 1.23, CI: 0.99 to 1.55, p = 0.07), and less likely to have fruit juice/cordial (AOR: 0.58, CI:0.36 to 0.93, p = 0.02) in school lunch compared to children in comparison schools. More intervention schools (8/11) had healthy eating and physical activity policies compared with comparison schools (2/9). Principals and schools highly valued the approach as a catalyst

Does a 3-month multidisciplinary intervention improve pain, body composition and physical fitness in women with fibromyalgia?

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Carbonell-Baeza, Ana; Aparicio, Virginia A; Ortega, Francisco B; Cuevas, Ana M; Alvarez, Inmaculada C; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Delgado-Fernandez, Manuel

2011-12-01

To determine the effects of a 3-month multidisciplinary intervention on pain (primary outcome), body composition and physical fitness (secondary outcomes) in women with fibromyalgia (FM). 75 women with FM were allocated to a low-moderate intensity 3-month (three times/week) multidisciplinary (pool, land-based and psychological sessions) programme (n=33) or to a usual care group (n=32). The outcome variables were pain threshold, body composition (body mass index and estimated body fat percentage) and physical fitness (30 s chair stand, handgrip strength, chair sit and reach, back scratch, blind flamingo, 8 feet up and go and 6 min walk test). The authors observed a significant interaction effect (group*time) for the left (L) and right (R) side of the anterior cervical (pbody composition variables. A 3-month multidisciplinary intervention three times/week had a positive effect on pain threshold in several tender points in women with FM. Though no overall improvements were observed in physical fitness or body composition, the intervention had positive effects on lower-body flexibility.

A workplace intervention program and the increase in HIV ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-10-16

Oct 16, 2017 ... aInstitute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, ... investigated the effectiveness of an intervention to increase AIDS ... with regular sexual partners among 699 young factory workers (aged 18–24 ...... tute of population and social research, Mahidol University, Publication no 338.

Structure strategy interventions: Increasing reading comprehension of expository text

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonnie J. F. MEYER

2011-11-01

Full Text Available In this review of the literature we examine empirical studies designed to teach the structure strategy to increase reading comprehension of expository texts. First, we review the research that has served as a foundation for many of the studies examining the effects of text structure instruction. Text structures generally can be grouped into six categories: comparison, problem-and solution, causation, sequence, collection, and description. Next, we provide a historical look at research of structure strategyinterventions. Strategy interventions employ modeling, practice, and feedback to teach students how to use text structure strategically and eventually automatically. Finally, we review recent text structure interventions for elementary school students. We present similarities and differences among these studies and applications for instruction. Our review of intervention research suggests that direct instruction, modeling, scaffolding, elaborated feedback, and adaptation of instruction to student performance are keys in teaching students to strategically use knowledge about text structure.

Utility-value intervention with parents increases students' STEM preparation and career pursuit.

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Rozek, Christopher S; Svoboda, Ryan C; Harackiewicz, Judith M; Hulleman, Chris S; Hyde, Janet S

2017-01-31

During high school, developing competence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is critically important as preparation to pursue STEM careers, yet students in the United States lag behind other countries, ranking 35th in mathematics and 27th in science achievement internationally. Given the importance of STEM careers as drivers of modern economies, this deficiency in preparation for STEM careers threatens the United States' continued economic progress. In the present study, we evaluated the long-term effects of a theory-based intervention designed to help parents convey the importance of mathematics and science courses to their high-school-aged children. A prior report on this intervention showed that it promoted STEM course-taking in high school; in the current follow-up study, we found that the intervention improved mathematics and science standardized test scores on a college preparatory examination (ACT) for adolescents by 12 percentile points. Greater high-school STEM preparation (STEM course-taking and ACT scores) was associated with increased STEM career pursuit (i.e., STEM career interest, the number of college STEM courses, and students' attitudes toward STEM) 5 y after the intervention. These results suggest that the intervention can affect STEM career pursuit indirectly by increasing high-school STEM preparation. This finding underscores the importance of targeting high-school STEM preparation to increase STEM career pursuit. Overall, these findings demonstrate that a motivational intervention with parents can have important effects on STEM preparation in high school, as well as downstream effects on STEM career pursuit 5 y later.

A randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on cognitive and retinal function in cognitively healthy older people: the Older People And n-3 Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (OPAL study protocol [ISRCTN72331636

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Letley Louise

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract The number of individuals with age-related cognitive impairment is rising dramatically in the UK and globally. There is considerable interest in the general hypothesis that improving the diet of older people may slow the progression of cognitive decline. To date, there has been little attention given to the possible protective role of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPs most commonly found in oily fish, in age-related loss of cognitive function. The main research hypothesis of this study is that an increased dietary intake of n-3 LCPs will have a positive effect on cognitive performance in older people in the UK. To test this hypothesis, a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial will be carried out among adults aged 70–79 years in which the intervention arm will receive daily capsules containing n-3 LCP (0.5 g/day docosahexaenoic acid and 0.2 g/day eicosapentaenoic acid while the placebo arm will receive daily capsules containing olive oil. The main outcome variable assessed at 24 months will be cognitive performance and a second major outcome variable will be retinal function. Retinal function tests are included as the retina is a specifically differentiated neural tissue and therefore represents an accessible window into the functioning of the brain. The overall purpose of this public-health research is to help define a simple and effective dietary intervention aimed at maintaining cognitive and retinal function in later life. This will be the first trial of its kind aiming to slow the decline of cognitive and retinal function in older people by increasing daily dietary intake of n-3 LCPs. The link between cognitive ability, visual function and quality of life among older people suggests that this novel line of research may have considerable public health importance.

Using Behavioral Analytics to Increase Exercise: A Randomized N-of-1 Study.

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Yoon, Sunmoo; Schwartz, Joseph E; Burg, Matthew M; Kronish, Ian M; Alcantara, Carmela; Julian, Jacob; Parsons, Faith; Davidson, Karina W; Diaz, Keith M

2018-04-01

This intervention study used mobile technologies to investigate whether those randomized to receive a personalized "activity fingerprint" (i.e., a one-time tailored message about personal predictors of exercise developed from 6 months of observational data) increased their physical activity levels relative to those not receiving the fingerprint. A 12-month randomized intervention study. From 2014 to 2015, 79 intermittent exercisers had their daily physical activity assessed by accelerometry (Fitbit Flex) and daily stress experience, a potential predictor of exercise behavior, was assessed by smartphone. Data collected during the first 6 months of observation were used to develop a person-specific "activity fingerprint" (i.e., N-of-1) that was subsequently sent via email on a single occasion to randomized participants. Pre-post changes in the percentage of days exercised were analyzed within and between control and intervention groups. The control group significantly decreased their proportion of days exercised (10.5% decrease, purban adults. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interventions to increase tuberculosis case detection at primary healthcare or community-level services.

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Mhimbira, Francis A; Cuevas, Luis E; Dacombe, Russell; Mkopi, Abdallah; Sinclair, David

2017-11-28

screening, using house-to-house visits, sometimes combined with printed information about going to clinic, may increase tuberculosis case detection (RR 1.24, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.79; 4 trials, 6,458,591 participants in 297 clusters, low-certainty evidence); and probably increases case detection in areas with tuberculosis prevalence of 5% or more (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.09; 3 trials, 155,918 participants, moderate-certainty evidence; prespecified stratified analysis). These interventions may lower the early default (prior to starting treatment) or default during treatment (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.96; 3 trials, 849 participants, low-certainty evidence). However, this intervention may have may have little or no effect on treatment success (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.15; 3 trials, 849 participants, low-certainty evidence), and we do not know if there is an effect on treatment failure or mortality. One study investigated long-term prevalence in the community, but with no clear effect due to imprecision and differences in care between the two groups (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.65 to 2.00; 1 trial, 556,836 participants, very low-certainty evidence).Four studies examined health promotion activities to encourage people to attend for screening, including mass media strategies and more locally organized activities. There was some increase, but this could have been related to temporal trends, with no corresponding increase in case notifications, and no evidence of an effect on long-term tuberculosis prevalence. Two studies examined the effects of two to six nurse practitioner educational sessions in tuberculosis diagnosis, with no clear effect on tuberculosis cases detected. One trial compared mobile clinics every five days with house-to-house screening every six months, and showed an increase in tuberculosis cases.There was also insufficient evidence to determine if sustained improvements in case detection impact on long-term tuberculosis prevalence; this was evaluated in one study, which

Therapeutic interventions for increasing ankle dorsiflexion after ankle sprain: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Terada, Masafumi; Pietrosimone, Brian G; Gribble, Phillip A

2013-01-01

Clinicians perform therapeutic interventions, such as stretching, manual therapy, electrotherapy, ultrasound, and exercises, to increase ankle dorsiflexion. However, authors of previous studies have not determined which intervention or combination of interventions is most effective. To determine the magnitude of therapeutic intervention effects on and the most effective therapeutic interventions for restoring normal ankle dorsiflexion after ankle sprain. We performed a comprehensive literature search in Web of Science and EBSCO HOST from 1965 to May 29, 2011, with 19 search terms related to ankle sprain, dorsiflexion, and intervention and by cross-referencing pertinent articles. Eligible studies had to be written in English and include the means and standard deviations of both pretreatment and posttreatment in patients with acute, subacute, or chronic ankle sprains. Outcomes of interest included various joint mobilizations, stretching, local vibration, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, electrical stimulation, and mental-relaxation interventions. We extracted data on dorsiflexion improvements among various therapeutic applications by calculating Cohen d effect sizes with associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and evaluated the methodologic quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. In total, 9 studies (PEDro score = 5.22 ± 1.92) met the inclusion criteria. Static-stretching interventions with a home exercise program had the strongest effects on increasing dorsiflexion in patients 2 weeks after acute ankle sprains (Cohen d = 1.06; 95% CI = 0.12, 2.42). The range of effect sizes for movement with mobilization on ankle dorsiflexion among individuals with recurrent ankle sprains was small (Cohen d range = 0.14 to 0.39). Static-stretching intervention as a part of standardized care yielded the strongest effects on dorsiflexion after acute ankle sprains. The existing evidence suggests that clinicians need to consider what may be the limiting factor of

Community wide interventions for increasing physical activity.

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Baker, Philip Ra; Francis, Daniel P; Soares, Jesus; Weightman, Alison L; Foster, Charles

2011-04-13

Multi-strategic community wide interventions for physical activity are increasingly popular but their ability to achieve population level improvements is unknown. To evaluate the effects of community wide, multi-strategic interventions upon population levels of physical activity. We searched the Cochrane Public Health Group Specialised Register, The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, MEDLINE in Process, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, PsycINFO, ASSIA, The British Nursing Index, Chinese CNKI databases, EPPI Centre (DoPHER, TRoPHI), ERIC, HMIC, Sociological Abstracts, SPORTDiscus, Transport Database and Web of Science (Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, Conference Proceedings Citation Index). We also scanned websites of the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health; Health-Evidence.ca; the International Union for Health Promotion and Education; the NIHR Coordinating Centre for Health Technology (NCCHTA) and NICE and SIGN guidelines. Reference lists of all relevant systematic reviews, guidelines and primary studies were followed up. We contacted experts in the field from the National Obesity Observatory Oxford, Oxford University; Queensland Health, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Central Queensland; the University of Tennessee and Washington University; and handsearched six relevant journals. The searches were last updated to the end of November 2009 and were not restricted by language or publication status. Cluster randomised controlled trials, randomised controlled trials (RCT), quasi-experimental designs which used a control population for comparison, interrupted time-series (ITS) studies, and prospective controlled cohort studies (PCCS) were included. Only studies with a minimum six-month follow up from the start of the intervention to measurement of outcomes were included. Community wide interventions had to comprise at least two broad strategies aimed at physical activity for the whole population. Studies which randomised

Increasing the acceptance of internet-based mental health interventions in primary care patients with depressive symptoms. A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebert, D D; Berking, M; Cuijpers, P; Lehr, D; Pörtner, M; Baumeister, H

2015-05-01

Internet-based interventions (IBI) are effective in treating depression. However, uptake rates in routine care are still limited. Hence, this study aimed to (1) assess the acceptance of IBIs in primary care patients with depressive symptoms and to (2) examine the effects of a brief acceptance facilitating intervention in the form of an informational video on patients' acceptance of IBIs. Primary care patients (N=128) with Minor or Major Depression were randomly assigned to an intervention (IG) or control group (CG). Patients in the IG were shown a brief informational video about IBIs before receiving a questionnaire that assessed their acceptance of IBIs and other secondary outcomes. Patients of the CG filled out the questionnaire immediately. Baseline acceptance of IBIs in the CG was high for 6.3%, moderate for 53.1% and low for 40.6% of patients. Acceptance of IBIs was significantly higher in the IG when compared to the CG (d=.71, 95%-CI:.09-2.91). Except for social influence and the general attitude towards psychological treatment, all secondary outcomes were also significantly improved (e.g. effort- (d=.40) and performance-expectancy: d=.65; knowledge about Internet interventions d=.35). Depression of the participants was only assessed using a self-report measure (PHQ-9). Primary care patients' acceptance of IBIs for depressive symptoms was low but could be increased significantly using a brief acceptance facilitating intervention on the basis of an informational video. Future studies should further examine the potential of acceptance facilitating interventions for patients and health care providers to exploit the public health impact of IBIs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of 3H-3-azido-salicyl-N-(n-decyl) amide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Bin; Xu Jianxing; Chen Shizhi

2000-01-01

A novel method for the synthesis of molecular probe of ubiquinone-binding protein is described. With 3-nitrosalicylic acid and decylamine as initial compounds and under the existence of DCC, the 3-nitro-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is synthesized at room temperature. Then, 3-nitro-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is reduced by hydrogen with 5 % Pd/C as catalyst to form 3-amino-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide which is exchanged with tritium to be 3 H-3-amino-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide. At the temperature below 5 degree C, 3 H-3-amino-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide reacts with NaNO 2 and HCl, and the 3-diazo-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is formed in an ice salt bath. As soon as the reaction is completed, NaN 3 is added to the mixture and stirred for 3 h at the temperature between 0 - 5 degree C and in the dark, the molecular probe of studying ubiquinone-binding protein, i. e., 3 H-3-azido-salicyl-N-(n-decyl)amide is produced

Self-efficacy enhancing intervention increases light physical activity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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Larson JL

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Janet L Larson,1,2 Margaret K Covey,2 Mary C Kapella,2 Charles G Alex,3,4 Edward McAuley,5 1Division of Acute, Critical and Long-Term Care Programs, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 3Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital, Hines, IL, 4Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oaklawn, IL, 5Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne, Urbana, IL, USA Background: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lead sedentary lives and could benefit from increasing their physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine if an exercise-specific self-efficacy enhancing intervention could increase physical activity and functional performance when delivered in the context of 4 months of upper body resistance training with a 12-month follow-up. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, subjects were assigned to: exercise-specific self-efficacy enhancing intervention with upper body resistance training (SE-UBR, health education with upper body resistance training (ED-UBR, or health education with gentle chair exercises (ED-Chair. Physical activity was measured with an accelerometer and functional performance was measured with the Functional Performance Inventory. Forty-nine people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease completed 4 months of training and provided valid accelerometry data, and 34 also provided accelerometry data at 12 months of follow-up. The self-efficacy enhancing intervention emphasized meeting physical activity guidelines and increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Results: Differences were observed in light physical activity (LPA after 4 months of training, time by group interaction effect (P=0.045. The SE-UBR group increased time spent in

Effect of Live Poultry Market Interventions on Influenza A(H7N9) Virus, Guangdong, China

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jie; Lu, Jing; Faria, Nuno R.; Zeng, Xianqiao; Song, Yingchao; Zou, Lirong; Yi, Lina; Liang, Lijun; Ni, Hanzhong; Kang, Min; Zhang, Xin; Huang, Guofeng; Zhong, Haojie; Bowden, Thomas A.; Raghwani, Jayna; He, Jianfeng; He, Xiang; Lin, Jinyan; Koopmans, Marion; Pybus, Oliver G.

2016-01-01

Since March 2013, three waves of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus have been detected in China. To investigate virus transmission within and across epidemic waves, we used surveillance data and whole-genome analysis of viruses sampled in Guangdong during 2013–2015. We observed a geographic shift of human A(H7N9) infections from the second to the third waves. Live poultry market interventions were undertaken in epicenter cities; however, spatial phylogenetic analysis indicated that the third-wave outbreaks in central Guangdong most likely resulted from local virus persistence rather than introduction from elsewhere. Although the number of clinical cases in humans declined by 35% from the second to the third waves, the genetic diversity of third-wave viruses in Guangdong increased. Our results highlight the epidemic risk to a region reporting comparatively few A(H7N9) cases. Moreover, our results suggest that live-poultry market interventions cannot completely halt A(H7N9) virus persistence and dissemination. PMID:27869613

What implementation interventions increase cancer screening rates? a systematic review

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Lent Barbara

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Appropriate screening may reduce the mortality and morbidity of colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers. However, effective implementation strategies are warranted if the full benefits of screening are to be realized. As part of a larger agenda to create an implementation guideline, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate interventions designed to increase the rate of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer (CRC screening. The interventions considered were: client reminders, client incentives, mass media, small media, group education, one-on-one education, reduction in structural barriers, reduction in out-of-pocket costs, provider assessment and feedback interventions, and provider incentives. Our primary outcome, screening completion, was calculated as the overall median post-intervention absolute percentage point (PP change in completed screening tests. Methods Our first step was to conduct an iterative scoping review in the research area. This yielded three relevant high-quality systematic reviews. Serving as our evidentiary foundation, we conducted a formal update. Randomized controlled trials and cluster randomized controlled trials, published between 2004 and 2010, were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE and PSYCHinfo. Results The update yielded 66 studies new eligible studies with 74 comparisons. The new studies ranged considerably in quality. Client reminders, small media, and provider audit and feedback appear to be effective interventions to increase the uptake of screening for three cancers. One-on-one education and reduction of structural barriers also appears effective, but their roles with CRC and cervical screening, respectively, are less established. More study is required to assess client incentives, mass media, group education, reduction of out-of-pocket costs, and provider incentive interventions. Conclusion The new evidence generally aligns with the evidence and conclusions from the original systematic

Pharmacotherapeutic Problems and Pharmacist Interventions in a Medical Intensive Care Unit

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Tae Yun Park

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Interest in pharmacist participation in the multidisciplinary intensive care team is increasing. However, studies examining pharmacist interventions in the medical intensive care unit (MICU are limited in Korea. The aim of this study was to describe the current status of pharmacist interventions and to identify common pharmacologic problems requiring pharmacist intervention in the MICU. Methods: Between September 2013 and August 2014, a retrospective, observational study was conducted in the 22-bed MICU at a university hospital. Data were obtained from two trained pharmacists who participated in MICU rounds three times a week. In addition to patient characteristics, data on the cause, type, related drug, and acceptance rate of interventions were collected. Results: In 340 patients, a total of 1211 pharmacologic interventions were performed. The majority of pharmacologic interventions were suggested by pharmacists at multidisciplinary rounds in the MICU. The most common pharmacologic interventions were adjustment of dosage and administration (n = 328, 26.0%, followed by parenteral/enteral nutritional support (n = 228, 18.1%, the provision of drug information (n = 228, 18.1%, and advice regarding pharmacokinetics (n = 118, 9.3%. Antimicrobial agents (n = 516, 42.6% were the most frequent type of drug associated with pharmacist interventions. The acceptance rate of interventions was 84.1% with most accepted by physicians within 24 hours (n = 602, 92.8%. Conclusions: Medication and nutritional problems are frequently encountered pharmacotherapeutic problems in the MICU. Pharmacist interventions play an important role in the management of these problems.

The effect of n-3 fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 supplementation on neutrophil leukotrienes, mediators of inflammation resolution and myeloperoxidase in chronic kidney disease.

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Barden, Anne E; Shinde, Sujata; Burke, Valerie; Puddey, Ian B; Beilin, Lawrence J; Irish, Ashley B; Watts, Gerald F; Mori, Trevor A

2018-03-22

Neutrophils release leukotriene (LT)B 4 and myeloperoxidase (MPO) that may be important mediators of chronic inflammation in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have the potential to attenuate inflammation through production of LTB 5 and the Specialized Proresolving Lipid Mediators (SPM) that promote the resolution of inflammation. In animal models, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) also attenuates inflammation by reducing MPO and LTB 4 . This study evaluated the independent and combined effects of n-3 FA and CoQ supplementation on neutrophil leukotrienes, the pro-inflammatory eicosanoid 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), SPM, and plasma MPO, in patients with CKD. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention of factorial design, 85 patients with CKD were randomized to either n-3 FA (4 g), CoQ (200 mg), both supplements, or control (4 g olive oil), daily for 8 weeks. Plasma MPO and calcium ionophore-stimulated neutrophil release of LTs, 5-HETE and SPM were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks. Seventy four patients completed the intervention. n-3 FA, but not CoQ, significantly increased neutrophil LTB 5 (P n-3 FA or CoQ. Plasma MPO was significantly reduced with n-3 FA alone (P = 0.013) but not when given in combination with CoQ. n-3 FA supplementation in patients with CKD leads to increased neutrophil release of LTB 5 and several SPM, as well as a reduction in plasma MPO that may have important implications for limiting chronic inflammation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of fatty acid positioning in dietary triacylglycerols and intake of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on bone mineral accretion in growing piglets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Anders Daniel; Ludvig, Stine E; Damsgaard, Camilla Trab

2013-01-01

compared with a control (CONT) and if increasing n-3LCPUFA intake giving fish oil (FO) compared with sunflower oil (SO) would affect bone parameters in piglets in two sets of controlled 14d-interventions (n=12/group). We assessed this by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and ex vivo peripheral quantitative...

Diet-induced changes in iron and n-3 fatty acid status and associations with cognitive performance in 8-11-year-old Danish children: secondary analyses of the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet School Meal Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, Louise Bergmann; Damsgaard, Camilla Trab; Dalskov, Stine-Mathilde; Petersen, Rikke Agnete; Egelund, Niels; Dyssegaard, Camilla Brørup; Stark, Ken D; Andersen, Rikke; Tetens, Inge; Astrup, Arne; Michaelsen, Kim Fleisher; Lauritzen, Lotte

2015-11-28

Fe and n-3 long-chain PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) have both been associated with cognition, but evidence remains inconclusive in well-nourished school-aged children. In the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study, the 3-month intervention increased reading performance, inattention, impulsivity and dietary intake of fish and Fe. This study investigated whether the intervention influenced n-3 LCPUFA and Fe status and, if so, explored how these changes correlated with the changes in cognitive performance. The study was a cluster-randomised cross-over trial comparing school meals with packed lunch (control). At baseline and after each treatment, we measured serum ferritin, whole-blood n-3 LCPUFA and Hb, and performance in reading, mathematics and d2-test of attention. Data were analysed using mixed models (n 726) and principal component analysis of test performances (n 644), which showed two main patterns: 'school performance' and 'reading comprehension'. The latter indicated that children with good reading comprehension were also more inattentive and impulsive (i.e. higher d2-test error%). The intervention improved 'school performance' (P=0·015), 'reading comprehension' (P=0·043) and EPA+DHA status 0·21 (95% CI 0·15, 0·27) w/w % (Pschool performance' in girls, but with better 'reading comprehension' in both boys and girls. Both baseline EPA+DHA status and the intervention-induced increase in EPA+DHA status was positively associated with 'school performance', suggesting that n-3 LCPUFA could potentially explain approximately 20 % of the intervention effect. These exploratory associations indicate that increased fish intake might explain some of the increase in reading performance and inattention in the study.

Methadone dose increase and abstinence reinforcement for treatment of continued heroin use during methadone maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, K L; Umbricht, A; Epstein, D H

2000-04-01

Although methadone maintenance is an effective therapy for heroin dependence, some patients continue to use heroin and may benefit from therapeutic modifications. This study evaluated a behavioral intervention, a pharmacological intervention, and a combination of both interventions. Throughout the study all patients received daily methadone hydrochloride maintenance (initially 50 mg/d orally) and weekly counseling. Following baseline treatment patients who continued to use heroin were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 interventions: (1) contingent vouchers for opiate-negative urine specimens (n = 29 patients); (2) methadone hydrochloride dose increase to 70 mg/d (n = 31 patients); (3) combined contingent vouchers and methadone dose increase (n = 32 patients); and (4) neither intervention (comparison standard; n = 28 patients). Methadone dose increases were double blind. Vouchers had monetary value and were exchangeable for goods and services. Groups not receiving contingent vouchers received matching vouchers independent of urine test results. Primary outcome measure was opiate-negative urine specimens (thrice weekly urinalysis). Contingent vouchers and a methadone dose increase each significantly increased the percentage of opiate-negative urine specimens during intervention. Contingent vouchers, with or without a methadone dose increase, increased the duration of sustained abstinence as assessed by urine screenings. Methadone dose increase, with or without contingent vouchers, reduced self-reported frequency of use and self-reported craving. In patients enrolled in a methadone-maintainence program who continued to use heroin, abstinence reinforcement and a methadone dose increase were each effective in reducing use. When combined, they did not dramatically enhance each other's effects on any 1 outcome measure, but they did seem to have complementary benefits.

Diagnostic reference levels and complexity indices in interventional radiology: a national programme

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Ruiz-Cruces, R.; Perez-Martinez, M.; Pastor-Vega, J.M.; Canete, S. [University of Malaga, School of Medicine, Malaga (Spain); Vano, E.; Fernandez-Soto, J.M.; Sanchez-Casanueva, R.; Gallego-Beuter, J.J. [Complutense University, San Carlos Hospital, Medical School, Madrid (Spain); Carrera-Magarino, F.; Moreno-Rodriguez, F.; Moreno-Sanchez, T. [Juan Ramon Jimenez University Hospital, Huelva (Spain); Soler-Cantos, M.M.; Canis-Lopez, M. [Reina Sofia University Hospital, Cordoba (Spain); Hernandez-Armas, J.; Diaz-Romero, F.J. [University Hospital of Canary Islands, Tenerife (Spain); Rosales-Espizua, F.; Lopez-Medina, A.; Gonzalez-de-Garay, M. [Basurto Hospital, Bilbao (Spain); Martin-Palanca, A. [Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Malaga (Spain); Gil-Agudo, A.; Zarca-Diaz, M.A.; Zapata-Jimenez, J.C. [General University Hospital, Ciudad Real (Spain); Parra-Osorio, V.; Munoz Ruiz-Canela, J.J.; Moreno-Saiz, C.; Galan-Montenegro, P. [Carlos Haya University Hospital, Malaga (Spain)

2016-12-15

To propose national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for interventional radiology and to evaluate the impact of the procedural complexity on patient doses. Eight interventional radiology units from Spanish hospitals were involved in this project. The participants agreed to undergo common quality control procedures for X-ray systems. Kerma area product (KAP) was collected from a sample of 1,649 procedures. A consensus document established the criteria to evaluate the complexity of seven types of procedures. DRLs were set as the 3rd quartile of KAP values. The KAP (3rd quartile) in Gy cm{sup 2} for the procedures included in the survey were: lower extremity arteriography (n = 784) 78; renal arteriography (n = 37) 107; transjugular hepatic biopsies (THB) (n = 30) 45; biliary drainage (BD) (n = 314) 30; uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) (n = 56) 214; colon endoprostheses (CE) (n = 31) 169; hepatic chemoembolization (HC) (n = 269) 303; femoropopliteal revascularization (FR) (n = 62) 119; and iliac stent (n = 66) 170. The complexity involved the increases in the following KAP factors from simple to complex procedures: THB x4; BD x13; UFE x3; CE x3; HC x5; FR x5 and IS x4. The evaluation of the procedure complexity in patient doses will allow the proper use of DRLs for the optimization of interventional radiology. (orig.)

Can a brief biologically-based psychoeducational intervention reduce stigma and increase help-seeking intentions for depression in young people? A randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Kerry A; Griffiths, Kathleen M; McKetin, Rebecca; Ma, Jennifer

2018-05-01

There is disagreement in the literature as to whether biological attribution increases or decreases stigma. This study investigated the effect of an online biological intervention on stigma and help-seeking intentions for depression among adolescents. A three-arm, pre-post test, double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) was used to compare the effects of a biological and a psychosocial intervention delivered online. Participants comprised secondary school students (N = 327) aged 16-19 years. Outcome measures included anticipated self-stigma for depression (primary), personal stigma, help-seeking intention for depression, and biological and psychosocial attribution. Neither the biological nor the psychosocial educational intervention significantly reduced anticipated self-stigma or personal stigma for depression relative to the control. However, a small increase in help-seeking intention for depression relative to the control was found for the biological educational condition. The study was undertaken over a single session and it is unknown whether the intervention effect on help-seeking intentions was sustained or would translate into help-seeking behaviour. A brief online biological education intervention did not alter stigma, but did promote a small increase in help-seeking intentions for depression among adolescents. This type of intervention may be a practical means for facilitating help-seeking among adolescents with current or future depression treatment needs.

Dietary n-3 PUFA May Attenuate Experimental Colitis

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Cloé Charpentier

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD occurred in genetically predisposed people exposed to environmental triggers. Diet has long been suspected to contribute to the development of IBD. Supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA protects against intestinal inflammation in rodent models while clinical trials showed no benefits. We hypothesized that intervention timing is crucial and dietary fatty acid pattern may influence intestinal environment to modify inflammation genesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary effect of PUFA composition on intestinal inflammation. Methods. Animals received diet varying in their PUFA composition for four weeks before TNBS-induced colitis. Colon inflammatory markers and gut barrier function parameters were assessed. Inflammatory pathway PCR arrays were determined. Results. n-3 diet significantly decreased colon iNOS, COX-2 expression, IL-6 production, and LTB4 production but tended to decrease colon TNFα production (P=0.0617 compared to control diet. Tight junction protein (claudin-1, occludin expressions and MUC2 and TFF3 mRNA levels were not different among groups. n-9 diet also decreased colon IL-6 production (P<0.05. Conclusions. Dietary n-3 PUFA influence colitis development by attenuating inflammatory markers. Further research is required to better define dietary advice with a scientific rationale.

Impact of a population based intervention to increase the adoption of multiple physical activity practices in centre based childcare services: a quasi experimental, effectiveness study

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Finch Meghan

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is considerable scope to improve the delivery of practices that increase the physical activity of children in centre based childcare services. Few studies have reported the effectiveness of interventions to address this, particularly at a population level. The primary aim of this study was to describe the impact of an intervention to increase the adoption of multiple policies and practices to promote physical activity in centre based childcare services. Methods A quasi experimental study was conducted in centre based childcare services (n =228 in New South Wales (NSW, Australia and involved a three month intervention to increase the adoption of eight practices within childcare services that have been suggested to promote child physical activity. Intervention strategies to support the adoption of practices included staff training, resources, incentives, follow-up support and performance monitoring and feedback. Randomly selected childcare services in the remainder of NSW acted as a comparison group (n = 164 and did not receive the intervention but may have been exposed to a concurrent NSW government healthy eating and physical activity initiative. Self reported information on physical activity policies, fundamental movement skills sessions, structured physical activity opportunities, staff involvement in active play and provision of verbal prompts to encourage physical activity, small screen recreation opportunities, sedentary time, and staff trained in physical activity were collected by telephone survey with childcare service managers at baseline and 18 months later. Results Compared with the comparison area, the study found significantly greater increases in the prevalence of intervention services with a written physical activity policy, with policy referring to placing limits on small screen recreation, and with staff trained in physical activity. In addition, non-significant trends towards a greater increase in the

Increasing chlamydia screening tests in general practice: a modified Zelen prospective Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial evaluating a complex intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

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McNulty, Cliodna A M; Hogan, Angela H; Ricketts, Ellie J; Wallace, Louise; Oliver, Isabel; Campbell, Rona; Kalwij, Sebastian; O'Connell, Elaine; Charlett, Andre

2014-05-01

To determine if a structured complex intervention increases opportunistic chlamydia screening testing of patients aged 15-24 years attending English general practitioner (GP) practices. A prospective, Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial with a modified Zelen design involving 160 practices in South West England in 2010. The intervention was based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). It comprised of practice-based education with up to two additional contacts to increase the importance of screening to GP staff and their confidence to offer tests through skill development (including videos). Practical resources (targets, posters, invitation cards, computer reminders, newsletters including feedback) aimed to actively influence social cognitions of staff, increasing their testing intention. Data from 76 intervention and 81 control practices were analysed. In intervention practices, chlamydia screening test rates were 2.43/100 15-24-year-olds registered preintervention, 4.34 during intervention and 3.46 postintervention; controls testing rates were 2.61/100 registered patients prior intervention, 3.0 during intervention and 2.82 postintervention. During the intervention period, testing in intervention practices was 1.76 times as great (CI 1.24 to 2.48) as controls; this persisted for 9 months postintervention (1.57 times as great, CI 1.27 to 2.30). Chlamydia infections detected increased in intervention practices from 2.1/1000 registered 15-24-year-olds prior intervention to 2.5 during the intervention compared with 2.0 and 2.3/1000 in controls (Estimated Rate Ratio intervention versus controls 1.4 (CI 1.01 to 1.93). This complex intervention doubled chlamydia screening tests in fully engaged practices. The modified Zelen design gave realistic measures of practice full engagement (63%) and efficacy of this educational intervention in general practice; it should be used more often. The trial was registered on the UK Clinical Research Network Study Portfolio database

Effects of similar intakes of marine n-3 fatty acids from enriched food products and fish oil on cardiovascular risk markers in healthy human subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkhus, Bente; Lamglait, Amandine; Eilertsen, Karl-Erik; Falch, Eva; Haider, Trond; Vik, Hogne; Hoem, Nils; Hagve, Tor-Arne; Basu, Samar; Olsen, Elisabeth; Seljeflot, Ingebjørg; Nyberg, Lena; Elind, Elisabeth; Ulven, Stine M

2012-05-01

There is convincing evidence that consumption of fish and fish oil rich in long-chain (LC) n-3 PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA), EPA (20 : 5n-3) and DHA (22 : 6n-3) reduce the risk of CHD. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether n-3 LCPUFA-enriched food products provide similar beneficial effects as fish oil with regard to incorporation into plasma lipids and effects on cardiovascular risk markers. A parallel 7-week intervention trial was performed where 159 healthy men and women were randomised to consume either 34 g fish pâté (n 44), 500 ml fruit juice (n 38) or three capsules of concentrated fish oil (n 40), all contributing to a daily intake of approximately 1 g EPA and DHA. A fourth group did not receive any supplementation or food product and served as controls (n 37). Plasma fatty acid composition, serum lipids, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress were measured. Compared with the control group, plasma n-3 LCPUFA and EPA:arachidonic acid ratio increased equally in all intervention groups. However, no significant changes in blood lipids and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress were observed. In conclusion, enriched fish pâté and fruit juice represent suitable delivery systems for n-3 LCPUFA. However, although the dose given is known to reduce the risk of CVD, no significant changes were observed on cardiovascular risk markers in this healthy population.

Reduced upper obstructions in N3 and increased lower obstructions in REM sleep stage detected with manometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirth, Markus; Schramm, Juliane; Bautz, Maximilian; Hofauer, Benedikt; Edenharter, Günther; Ott, Armin; Heiser, Clemens

2018-01-01

In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), airway obstruction occurs at different anatomic levels. The frequency and location of obstructions play a crucial role in the planning of surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharyngeal obstruction levels in different sleep stages with manometry in OSA patients. In addition, the manometry results were compared with drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). Forty-one patients with OSA received manometry measurements during one night of sleep. All patients were simultaneously evaluated with polysomnography. The frequency of obstructions in different sleep stages was assessed. Twenty patients were additionally studied with DISE. Obstruction levels detected with manometry were compared with DISE. The frequency of upper and to a lesser extent lower obstructions decreased in sleep stage N3. In rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, lower obstructions increased. The overall proportion of upper and lower obstructions detected with manometry corresponded with DISE in 13 of 20 cases. A significant change in the obstruction levels was detected with manometry in N3 and REM sleep. The reduction of both upper and to a lesser extent lower obstructions in N3 suggests more stable airways in slow-wave sleep. Relevant lower obstructions were not detected in DISE compared to manometry in 5 out of 20 examinations. This could be a potential reason for treatment failure of site-specific surgical OSA treatment when only performing DISE preoperatively. Therefore, manometry could be a useful complementary tool in the preoperative evaluation for OSA.

Interventions to Increase Male Attendance and Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections at Publicly-Funded Family Planning Clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fine, David; Warner, Lee; Salomon, Sarah; Johnson, David M

2017-07-01

We assessed the impact of staff, clinic, and community interventions on male and female family planning client visit volume and sexually transmitted infection testing at a multisite community-based health care agency. Staff training, clinic environmental changes, in-reach/outreach, and efficiency assessments were implemented in two Family Health Center (San Diego, CA) family planning clinics during 2010-2012; five Family Health Center family planning programs were identified as comparison clinics. Client visit records were compared between preintervention (2007-2009) and postintervention (2010-2012) for both sets of clinics. Of 7,826 male client visits during the time before intervention, most were for clients who were aged male visits (4,004 to 8,385; Δ = +109%); for comparison clinics, male visits increased modestly (3,822 to 4,500; Δ = +18%). The proportion of male clinic visits where chlamydia testing was performed increased in intervention clinics (35% to 42%; p males yielded similar findings for male client volume and chlamydia testing. The number of female visits declined nearly 40% in both comparison (21,800 to 13,202; -39%) and intervention clinics (30,830 to 19,971; -35%) between preintervention and postintervention periods. Multilevel interventions designed to increase male client volume and sexually transmitted infection testing services in family planning clinics succeeded without affecting female client volume or services. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

Prevención de la mortalidad materna: Un ejemplo de intervención comunitaria en salud en el Congo Prevencion of Maternal Mortality: an example on community intervention in Congo

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Miguel Ángel Luque Fernández

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Introducción: En el año 2005, la Organización Mundial de la Salud llamó la atención de la comunidad médica internacional sobre la crisis sanitaria invisible que provocan las muertes maternas en los países más pobres del mundo. Tras el lema "Cada madre y cada niño contarán" del informe mundial de la salud, se reconoce la mortalidad materna como un gran problema de salud pública internacional y de derechos humanos. Objetivo: Aumentar el número de partos institucionalizados mediante una investigación-acción con el objetivo de disminuir indirectamente la mortalidad materna. Métodos: Un ensayo comunitario, de metodología cualitativa-cuantitativa, realizada en Pweto (República Democrática del Congo entre 2002 y 2004. Mediante un abordaje etnográfico se obtuvieron las claves determinantes de la baja proporción de partos instititucionalizados desde la perspectiva de las mujeres y se instauró un programa de intervención. La efectividad del programa se mensuró mediante el test de la T de student, comparando los partos atendidos en las estructuras sanitarias antes y después de la intervención. Resultados: La diferencias observadas tras la intervención, con un aumento de 1279 partos, son estadísticamente significativas (T:-12,062 con 28 g.l., pIntroduction: The WHO "World Health Report 2005" calls attention to the international medical community about the invisible health crisis causing the maternal deaths in the poorest countries of the world. Under the slogan "Make every mother and child count", the maternal mortality was recognised as a huge international public health and human rights problem. Objective: Increase the number of institutional deliveries trough an action research, with the objective to reduce indirectly maternal mortality. Methods: A qualitative-quantitative community trial was conducted in Pweto (Democratic Republic of Congo from 2002 to 2004. An intensive ethnographic research was done to obtain the key

Impact of Interventions to Increase the Proportion of Medical Students Choosing a Primary Care Career: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfarrwaller, Eva; Sommer, Johanna; Chung, Christopher; Maisonneuve, Hubert; Nendaz, Mathieu; Junod Perron, Noëlle; Haller, Dagmar M

2015-09-01

Increasing the attractiveness of primary care careers is a key step in addressing the growing shortage of primary care physicians. The purpose of this review was to (1) identify interventions aimed at increasing the proportion of undergraduate medical students choosing a primary care specialty, (2) describe the characteristics of these interventions, (3) assess the quality of the studies, and (4) compare the findings to those of a previous literature review within a global context. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, CINAHL, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library, and Dissertations & Theses A&I for articles published between 1993 and February 20, 2015. We included quantitative and qualitative studies reporting on primary care specialty choice outcomes of interventions in the undergraduate medical curriculum, without geographic restrictions. Data extracted included study characteristics, intervention details, and relevant outcomes. Studies were assessed for quality and strength of findings using a five-point scale. The review included 72 articles reporting on 66 different interventions. Longitudinal programs were the only intervention consistently associated with an increased proportion of students choosing primary care. Successful interventions were characterized by diverse teaching formats, student selection, and good-quality teaching. Study quality had not improved since recommendations were published in 1995. Many studies used cross-sectional designs and non-validated surveys, did not include control groups, and were not based on a theory or conceptual framework. Our review supports the value of longitudinal, multifaceted, primary care programs to increase the proportion of students choosing primary care specialties. Isolated modules or clerkships did not appear to be effective. Our results are in line with the conclusions from previous reviews and add an international perspective, but the evidence is limited by the overall low methodological quality of the included

Developing team leadership to facilitate guideline utilization: planning and evaluating a 3-month intervention strategy.

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Gifford, Wendy; Davies, Barbara; Tourangeau, Ann; Lefebre, Nancy

2011-01-01

Research describes leadership as important to guideline use. Yet interventions to develop current and future leaders for this purpose are not well understood. To describe the planning and evaluation of a leadership intervention to facilitate nurses' use of guideline recommendations for diabetic foot ulcers in home health care. Planning the intervention involved a synthesis of theory and research (qualitative interviews and chart audits). One workshop and three follow-up teleconferences were delivered at two sites to nurse managers and clinical leaders (n=15) responsible for 180 staff nurses. Evaluation involved workshop surveys and interviews. Highest rated intervention components (four-point scale) were: identification of target indicators (mean 3.7), and development of a team leadership action plan (mean 3.5). Pre-workshop barriers assessment rated lowest (mean 2.9). Three months later participants indicated their leadership performance had changed as a result of the intervention, being more engaged with staff and clear about implementation goals. Creating a team leadership action plan to operationalize leadership behaviours can help in delivery of evidence-informed care. Access to clinical data and understanding team leadership knowledge and skills prior to formal training will assist nursing management in tailoring intervention strategies to identify needs and gaps. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[A workplace intervention aimed at increasing awareness in nursing personnel performing manual handling activities].

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Scorpiniti, A; Lorusso, A; L'Abbate, N

2007-01-01

Here we describe a workplace intervention aimed at reducing the risk of low back pain in nursing personnel. The intervention we carried out included a specific ergonomic training and an exercise program according to the Feldenkrais Method. After the intervention, we evaluated its effect on the execution of manual handling activities in nurses. We found an increased rate of correct manual handling in the post-intervention period.

Definition of a COPD self-management intervention: International Expert Group consensus.

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Effing, Tanja W; Vercoulen, Jan H; Bourbeau, Jean; Trappenburg, Jaap; Lenferink, Anke; Cafarella, Paul; Coultas, David; Meek, Paula; van der Valk, Paul; Bischoff, Erik W M A; Bucknall, Christine; Dewan, Naresh A; Early, Frances; Fan, Vincent; Frith, Peter; Janssen, Daisy J A; Mitchell, Katy; Morgan, Mike; Nici, Linda; Patel, Irem; Walters, Haydn; Rice, Kathryn L; Singh, Sally; Zuwallack, Richard; Benzo, Roberto; Goldstein, Roger; Partridge, Martyn R; van der Palen, Job

2016-07-01

There is an urgent need for consensus on what defines a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) self-management intervention. We aimed to obtain consensus regarding the conceptual definition of a COPD self-management intervention by engaging an international panel of COPD self-management experts using Delphi technique features and an additional group meeting.In each consensus round the experts were asked to provide feedback on the proposed definition and to score their level of agreement (1=totally disagree; 5=totally agree). The information provided was used to modify the definition for the next consensus round. Thematic analysis was used for free text responses and descriptive statistics were used for agreement scores.In total, 28 experts participated. The consensus round response rate varied randomly over the five rounds (ranging from 48% (n=13) to 85% (n=23)), and mean definition agreement scores increased from 3.8 (round 1) to 4.8 (round 5) with an increasing percentage of experts allocating the highest score of 5 (round 1: 14% (n=3); round 5: 83% (n=19)).In this study we reached consensus regarding a conceptual definition of what should be a COPD self-management intervention, clarifying the requisites for such an intervention. Operationalisation of this conceptual definition in the near future will be an essential next step. The content of this work is not subject to copyright. Design and branding are copyright ©ERS 2016.

A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods

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Nicholl Jon

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Systematic reviews have identified a range of brief interventions which increase physical activity in previously sedentary people. There is an absence of evidence about whether follow up beyond three months can maintain long term physical activity. This study assesses whether it is worth providing motivational interviews, three months after giving initial advice, to those who have become more active. Methods/Design Study candidates (n = 1500 will initially be given an interactive DVD and receive two telephone follow ups at monthly intervals checking on receipt and use of the DVD. Only those that have increased their physical activity after three months (n = 600 will be randomised into the study. These participants will receive either a "mini booster" (n = 200, "full booster" (n = 200 or no booster (n = 200. The "mini booster" consists of two telephone calls one month apart to discuss physical activity and maintenance strategies. The "full booster" consists of a face-to-face meeting with the facilitator at the same intervals. The purpose of these booster sessions is to help the individual maintain their increase in physical activity. Differences in physical activity, quality of life and costs associated with the booster interventions, will be measured three and nine months from randomisation. The research will be conducted in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Sheffield, which have large, ethnically diverse populations, high levels of economic deprivation, low levels of physical activity, poorer health and shorter life expectancy. Participants will be recruited through general practices and community groups, as well as by postal invitation, to ensure the participation of minority ethnic groups and those with lower levels of literacy. Sheffield City Council and Primary Care Trust fund a range of facilities and activities to promote physical activity and variations in access to these between neighbourhoods will make it

Applying the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention to increase European preschool children's physical activity levels: the ToyBox-study.

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De Craemer, M; De Decker, E; De Bourdeaudhuij, I; Verloigne, M; Duvinage, K; Koletzko, B; Ibrügger, S; Kreichauf, S; Grammatikaki, E; Moreno, L; Iotova, V; Socha, P; Szott, K; Manios, Y; Cardon, G

2014-08-01

Although sufficient physical activity is beneficial for preschoolers' health, activity levels in most preschoolers are low. As preschoolers spend a considerable amount of time at home and at kindergarten, interventions should target both environments to increase their activity levels. The aim of the current paper was to describe the six different steps of the Intervention Mapping protocol towards the systematic development and implementation of the physical activity component of the ToyBox-intervention. This intervention is a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention implemented across six European countries. Based on the results of literature reviews and focus groups with parents/caregivers and kindergarten teachers, matrices of change objectives were created. Then, theory-based methods and practical strategies were selected to develop intervention materials at three different levels: (i) individual level (preschoolers); (ii) interpersonal level (parents/caregivers) and (iii) organizational level (teachers). This resulted in a standardized intervention with room for local and cultural adaptations in each participating country. Although the Intervention Mapping protocol is a time-consuming process, using this systematic approach may lead to an increase in intervention effectiveness. The presented matrices of change objectives are useful for future programme planners to develop and implement an intervention based on the Intervention Mapping protocol to increase physical activity levels in preschoolers. © 2014 World Obesity.

H3(+) as a trap for noble gases-3: multiple trapping of neon, argon, and krypton in X(n)H3(+) (n = 1-3).

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Pauzat, F; Ellinger, Y; Pilmé, J; Mousis, O

2009-05-07

Recent studies on the formation of XH(3)(+) noble gas complexes have shown strategic implications for the composition of the atmospheres of the giant planets as well as for the composition of comets. One crucial factor in the astrophysical process is the relative abundances of the noble gases versus H(3)(+). It is the context in which the possibility for clustering with more than one noble gas (X(n)H(3)(+) up to n = 3) has been investigated for noble gases X ranging from neon to krypton. In order to assert our results, a variety of methods have been used including ab initio coupled cluster CCSD and CCSD(T), MP2, and density functional BH&HLYP levels of theory. All complexes with one, two, and three noble gases are found to be stable in the Ne, Ar, and Kr families. These stable structures are planar with the noble gases attached to the apices of the H(3)(+) triangle. The binding energy of the nth atom, defined as the X(n)H(3)(+) --> X(n-1)H(3)(+) + X reaction energy, increases slightly with n varying from 1 to 3 in the neon series, while it decreases in the argon series and shows a minimum for n = 2 in the krypton series. The origin of this phenomenon is to be found in the variations in the respective vibrational energies. A topological analysis of the electron localization function shows the importance of the charge transfer from the noble gases toward H(3)(+) as a driving force in the bonding along the series. It is also consistent with the increase in the atomic polarizabilities from neon to krypton. Rotational constants and harmonic frequencies are reported in order to provide a body of data to be used for the detection in laboratory prior to space observations. This study strongly suggests that the noble gases could be sequestered even in an environment where the H(3)(+) abundance is small.

The dietary inclusion of Portulaca oleracea to the diet of laying hens increases the n-3 fatty acids content and reduces the cholesterol content in the egg yolk

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Igino Andrighetto

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA-enriched diet on yolk fatty acid profile and cholesterol content was evaluated. Dried Poutulaca oleracea (purslane: PO diet was added to a commercial diet (C diet at 20% of inclusion level. The effect of the supplemented diet was compared to that of C diet. Twenty-six laying hens were fed ad libitum for 21 days with the 2 diets, supplemented also with 300 mg α-tocopherol acetate/kg. Eggs were collected and then the fatty acids (FA profile and the cholesterol content were analysed. The PO diet significantly reduced the saturated FA content (P<0.05 and increased that of the polyunsaturated FA (PUFA: 18:2 n-6 (P<0.001, 18:3 n-3 (P<0.001 and 22:6 n-3 (DHA; P<0.01. Both n-6 and n-3 PUFA significantly increased with the PO diet and the n-6/n-3 ratio was improved (10.4 vs 11.3; P<0.05.

Undergraduate-driven interventions to increase representation in science classrooms

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Freilich, M.; Aluthge, D.; Bryant, R. M.; Knox, B.; McAdams, J.; Plummer, A.; Schlottman, N.; Stanley, Z.; Suglia, E.; Watson-Daniels, J.

2014-12-01

Recognizing that racial, ethnic, and gender underrepresentation in science classrooms persists despite intervention programs and institutional commitments to diversity, a group of undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds and academic disciplines came together for a group independent study to (a) study the theoretical foundations of the current practice of science and of programs meant to increase diversity, (b) utilize the experiences of course participants and our peers to better understand the drivers of underrepresentation, and (c) design and implement interventions at Brown University. We will present on individual and small group projects designed by course members in collaboration with faculty. The projects emerged from an exploration of literature in history, philosophy, and sociology of science, as well as an examination of anthropological and psychological studies. We also evaluated the effectiveness of top-down and bottom-up approaches that have already been attempted in developing our projects. They focus on the specific problems faced by underrepresented minorities, women, LGBTQ+ people, and well-represented minorities. We will share experiences of faculty-student collaboration and engaged scholarship focused on representation in science and discuss student-designed interventions.

Decreased n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio reduces chronic reflux esophagitis in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Jing-Jing; Tang, Du-Peng; Xie, Jing-Jing; Yang, Li-Yong; Zhuang, Ze-Hao

2016-09-01

To investigate the effect of dietary ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFAs on chronic reflux esophagitis (RE) and lipid peroxidation. Rat RE model were established and then fed on a diet contained different n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios (1:1.5, 5:1, 10:1) or received pure n-6 PUFA diet for 14 days. Esophageal pathological changes were evaluated using macroscopic examination and hematoxyline-eosin staining. IL-1β, IL-8, and TNFα mRNA and protein levels of were determined using RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were determined using ELISA. The severity of esophagitis was lowest in the PUFA(1:1.5) group (P<0.05). IL-1β, IL-8, and TNFα mRNA and protein and MDA levels were significantly increased in model groups with the increasing n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios. SOD levels were significantly decreased in all RE PUFA groups (P<0.05). Esophageal injury and lipid peroxidation appeared to be ameliorated by increased n-3 PUFAs intake. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forms of n-3 (ALA, C18:3n-3 or DHA, C22:6n-3) Fatty Acids Affect Carcass Yield, Blood Lipids, Muscle n-3 Fatty Acids and Liver Gene Expression in Lambs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponnampalam, Eric N; Lewandowski, Paul A; Fahri, Fahri T; Burnett, Viv F; Dunshea, Frank R; Plozza, Tim; Jacobs, Joe L

2015-11-01

The effects of supplementing diets with n-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on plasma metabolites, carcass yield, muscle n-3 fatty acids and liver messenger RNA (mRNA) in lambs were investigated. Lambs (n = 120) were stratified to 12 groups based on body weight (35 ± 3.1 kg), and within groups randomly allocated to four dietary treatments: basal diet (BAS), BAS with 10.7 % flaxseed supplement (Flax), BAS with 1.8 % algae supplement (DHA), BAS with Flax and DHA (FlaxDHA). Lambs were fed for 56 days. Blood samples were collected on day 0 and day 56, and plasma analysed for insulin and lipids. Lambs were slaughtered, and carcass traits measured. At 30 min and 24 h, liver and muscle samples, respectively, were collected for determination of mRNA (FADS1, FADS2, CPT1A, ACOX1) and fatty acid composition. Lambs fed Flax had higher plasma triacylglycerol, body weight, body fat and carcass yield compared with the BAS group (P DHA supplementation increased carcass yield and muscle DHA while lowering plasma insulin compared with the BAS diet (P DHA treatment increased (P DHA concentration. Liver mRNA FADS2 was higher and CPT1A lower in the DHA group (P DHA diet. In summary, supplementation with ALA or DHA modulated plasma metabolites, muscle DHA, body fat and liver gene expression differently.

n-3 Fatty acids combined with flavan-3-ols prevent steatosis and liver injury in a murine model of NAFLD.

Science.gov (United States)

Vauzour, David; Rodriguez-Ramiro, Ildefonso; Rushbrook, Simon; Ipharraguerre, Ignacio R; Bevan, Damon; Davies, Susan; Tejera, Noemi; Mena, Pedro; de Pascual-Teresa, Sonia; Del Rio, Daniele; Gavrilovic, Jelena; Minihane, Anne Marie

2018-01-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 25% of adults and at present no licensed medication has been approved. Despite its complex patho-physiology, dietary strategies aiming at delaying or preventing NAFLD have taken a reductionist approach, examining the impact of single components. Accumulating evidence suggests that n-3 LC-PUFAs are efficacious in regulating lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. In addition, plant derived flavonoids are also emerging as a dietary strategy for NAFLD prevention, with efficacy attributed to their insulin sensitising and indirect antioxidant effects. Based on knowledge of their complementary molecular targets, we aimed to demonstrate that the combination of n-3 LC-PUFA (n-3) and flavan-3-ols (FLAV) prevents NAFLD. In a high-fat high-fructose (HF/HFr) fed C57Bl/6J mouse model, the independent and interactive impact of n-3 and FLAV on histologically defined NAFLD, insulin sensitivity, weight gain, intestinal and hepatic gene expression, intestinal bile acids were examined. Only the combination of FLAV and n-3 (FLAVn-3) prevented steatosis as evidenced by a strong reduction in hepatocyte ballooning. While FLAV reduced body (-28-30%), adipose tissue (-45-50%) weights and serum insulin (-22-25%) as observed following an intra-peritoneal glucose tolerance test, n-3 downregulated the expression of Srebf1 and the lipogenic genes (Acaca, Fasn). Significant impacts of interventions on intestinal bile acid metabolism, farnesoid X receptor (Fxr) signalling in the intestine and liver, and hepatic expression of fatty acid transporters (Fabp4, Vldlr, Cd36) were also evident. FLAVn-3 may be a novel intervention for NAFLD. Future research should aim to demonstrate its efficacy in the prevention and treatment of human NAFLD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term increase of fat mass after a four week intervention with fast food based hyper-alimentation and limitation of physical activity.

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Ernersson, Asa; Nystrom, Fredrik H; Lindström, Torbjörn

2010-08-25

A sedentary lifestyle and increased consumption of energy dense food have become more common in many parts of the world. The aim of this study was to study long term effects on body composition after a four week intervention with fast food based hyper-alimentation and limited physical activity in young normal weight subjects. Eighteen subjects, mean age 26 (6.6) years, increased their energy intake with in average 70% and physical activity were not to exceed 5000 steps/day. Body composition was measured by Dual energy x-ray (DXA) at baseline, after the intervention and after 12 months. A matched control group was also included. ANOVA and Student's paired and unpaired t-test were used. During the intervention body weight increased with 6.4 (2.8) kg and DXA measurements showed increases of both fat free mass and fat mass. Six months after the intervention the subjects had lost most of the weight gain, - 4.7 (3.1) kg. Twelve months after the intervention body weight had increased with 1.5 (2.4) kg compared to baseline (p = 0.018). DXA measurements at 12 months showed unchanged fat free mass compared to baseline but higher fat mass, + 1.4 (1.9) kg (p = 0.01). After 2.5 years the increase of body weight was 3.1 (4.0) kg (p = 0.01) while there was no change in controls compared to baseline, + 0.1(2.5) kg (p = 0.88). One year after a short term intervention with increased fast food based hyper-alimentation there was an increase of fat mass but unchanged fat free mass. As the change of fat mass was larger than expected from prospective epidemiological studies and as there was no increase of body weight in controls it raises the issue whether there is a long-term effect to increase fat mass of a short period of hyper-alimentation.

Long-term increase of fat mass after a four week intervention with fast food based hyper-alimentation and limitation of physical activity

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Ernersson Åsa

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A sedentary lifestyle and increased consumption of energy dense food have become more common in many parts of the world. The aim of this study was to study long term effects on body composition after a four week intervention with fast food based hyper-alimentation and limited physical activity in young normal weight subjects. Methods Eighteen subjects, mean age 26 (6.6 years, increased their energy intake with in average 70% and physical activity were not to exceed 5000 steps/day. Body composition was measured by Dual energy x-ray (DXA at baseline, after the intervention and after 12 months. A matched control group was also included. ANOVA and Student's paired and unpaired t-test were used. Results During the intervention body weight increased with 6.4 (2.8 kg and DXA measurements showed increases of both fat free mass and fat mass. Six months after the intervention the subjects had lost most of the weight gain, - 4.7 (3.1 kg. Twelve months after the intervention body weight had increased with 1.5 (2.4 kg compared to baseline (p = 0.018. DXA measurements at 12 months showed unchanged fat free mass compared to baseline but higher fat mass, + 1.4 (1.9 kg (p = 0.01. After 2.5 years the increase of body weight was 3.1 (4.0 kg (p = 0.01 while there was no change in controls compared to baseline, + 0.1(2.5 kg (p = 0.88. Conclusion One year after a short term intervention with increased fast food based hyper-alimentation there was an increase of fat mass but unchanged fat free mass. As the change of fat mass was larger than expected from prospective epidemiological studies and as there was no increase of body weight in controls it raises the issue whether there is a long-term effect to increase fat mass of a short period of hyper-alimentation.

One-shot exogenous interventions increase subsequent coordination in Denmark, Spain and Ghana

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abatayo, Anna Lou; Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark

2017-01-01

in a lab. Participants play a minimum effort game repeated 5 times under fixed matching with a one-time behavioral instruction in either the first or second round. Since coordination behavior may vary across countries, we run experiments in Denmark, Spain and Ghana, and map cross-country rankings...... in coordination with known national measures of fractualization, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. Our results show that exogenous interventions increase subsequent coordination, with earlier interventions yielding better coordination than later interventions. We also find that cross......-country rankings in coordination map with published national measures of fractualization, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation....

Cluster randomised trial of a school-community child health promotion and obesity prevention intervention: findings from the evaluation of fun ‘n healthy in Moreland!

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Elizabeth Waters

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multi-level, longer-term obesity prevention interventions that focus on inequalities are scarce. Fun ‘n healthy in Moreland! aimed to improve child adiposity, school policies and environments, parent engagement, health behaviours and child wellbeing. Methods All children from primary schools in an inner urban, culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged area in Victoria, Australia were eligible for participation. The intervention, fun ‘n healthy in Moreland!, used a Health Promoting Schools Framework and provided schools with evidence, school research data and part time support from a Community Development Worker to develop health promoting strategies. Comparison schools continued as normal. Participants were not blinded to intervention status. The primary outcome was change in adiposity. Repeated cross-sectional design with nested longitudinal subsample. Results Students from twenty-four primary schools (clusters were randomised (aged 5–12 years at baseline. 1426 students from 12 intervention schools and 1539 students from 10 comparison schools consented to follow up measurements. Despite increased prevalence of healthy weight across all schools, after 3.5 years of intervention there was no statistically significant difference between trial arms in BMI z score post-intervention (Mean (sd: Intervention 0.68(1.16; Comparison: 0.72(1.12; Adjusted mean difference (AMD: -0.05, CI: -0.19 to 0.08, p = 0.44. Children from intervention schools consumed more daily fruit serves (AMD: 0.19, CI:0.00 to 0.37, p = 0.10, were more likely to have water (AOR: 1.71, CI:1.05 to 2.78, p = 0.03 and vegetables (AOR: 1.23, CI: 0.99 to 1.55, p = 0.07, and less likely to have fruit juice/cordial (AOR: 0.58, CI:0.36 to 0.93, p = 0.02 in school lunch compared to children in comparison schools. More intervention schools (8/11 had healthy eating and physical activity policies compared with comparison schools (2/9. Principals and

Increasing physical activity efficiently: an experimental pilot study of a website and mobile phone intervention.

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Thorsteinsen, Kjærsti; Vittersø, Joar; Svendsen, Gunnvald Bendix

2014-01-01

The main objective of this pilot study was to test the effectiveness of an online, interactive physical activity intervention that also incorporated gaming components. The intervention design included an activity planner, progress monitoring, and gamification components and used SMS text as a secondary delivery channel and feedback to improve engagement in the intervention content. Healthy adults (n = 21) recruited through ads in local newspapers (age 35-73) were randomized to the intervention or the control condition. Both groups reported physical activity using daily report forms in four registration weeks during the three-month study: only the experiment condition received access to the intervention. Analyses showed that the intervention group had significantly more minutes of physical activity in weeks five and nine. We also found a difference in the intensity of exercise in week five. Although the intervention group reported more minutes of physical activity at higher intensity levels, we were not able to find a significant effect at the end of the study period. In conclusion, this study adds to the research on the effectiveness of using the Internet and SMS text messages for delivering physical activity interventions and supports gamification as a viable intervention tool.

Brief Computer-Delivered Intervention to Increase Parental Monitoring in Families of African American Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Ellis, Deborah A; Idalski Carcone, April; Ondersma, Steven J; Naar-King, Sylvie; Dekelbab, Bassem; Moltz, Kathleen

2017-06-01

African American adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at elevated risk for poor diabetes management and metabolic control. Parental supervision and monitoring of adolescent diabetes management have been shown to promote better diabetes management among adolescents, but parents typically decrease their oversight during the transition to independent diabetes care. The purpose of the study was to conduct a randomized clinical trial to test the feasibility and efficacy of a three-session, computer-delivered motivational intervention (The 3Ms) to promote increased parental monitoring among primary caregivers of young African American adolescents with T1D. The intervention was brief and optimized for delivery during routine diabetes clinic visits. Sixty-seven adolescents with T1D aged 11-14 and their primary caregiver were randomly assigned to one of three arms: adolescent and parent motivational intervention (Arm 1), adolescent control and parent motivational intervention (Arm 2), or adolescent and parent control (Arm 3). Intervention effects were assessed 1 month after intervention completion. Parents in Arm 1 and Arm 2 had significant increases in knowledge of the importance of monitoring adolescents' diabetes care. Parents in Arm 2 also had trend to significant increases in direct observation and monitoring of adolescent diabetes care, and adolescents in Arm 2 had significant improvements in glycemic control. Findings from the present study provide preliminary support for the efficacy of a brief, computer-delivered parenting intervention for improving family management practices and adolescent health outcomes among African American adolescents with T1D and their caregivers.

Assessment of the effectiveness of physical activity interventions in the Brazilian Unified Health System

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Evelyn Helena Corgosinho Ribeiro

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of interventions on the levels of physical activity of healthy adults, users of the Brazilian Unified Health System and attended by the Family Health Strategy. METHODS Non-randomized experimental study with 157 adults allocated in three groups: 1 physical exercise classes (n = 54, 2 health education (n = 54, 3 control (n = 49. The study lasted for18 months, with 12 months of interventions and six months of follow-up after intervention. Assessments took place at the beginning, in the 12 months, and in the 18 months of study. Physical activity has been assessed by questionnaires and accelerometry. For the analyses, we have used the intention-to-treat principle and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS After 12 months, both intervention groups have increased the minutes of weekly leisure time physical activity and annual scores of physical exercise, leisure and transport-related physical activity. The exercise class group has obtained the highest average annual physical exercises score when compared to the other groups (p < 0.001. In the follow-up period, the exercise class group reduced its annual score (average: -0.3; 95%CI -0.5–-0.1, while the health education group increased this score (average: 0.2; 95%CI 0.1–0.4. There have been no differences in the levels of physical activity measured by accelerometry. CONCLUSIONS The interventions have been effective in increasing the practice of physical activity. However, we have observed that the health education intervention was more effective for maintaining the practice of physical activity in the period after intervention. We recommend the use of both interventions to promote physical activity in the Brazilian Unified Health System, according to the local reality of professionals, facilities, and team objectives.

Do walking strategies to increase physical activity reduce reported sitting in workplaces: a randomized control trial

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Burton Nicola W

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Interventions designed to increase workplace physical activity may not automatically reduce high volumes of sitting, a behaviour independently linked to chronic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes. This study compared the impact two different walking strategies had on step counts and reported sitting times. Methods Participants were white-collar university employees (n = 179; age 41.3 ± 10.1 years; 141 women, who volunteered and undertook a standardised ten-week intervention at three sites. Pre-intervention step counts (Yamax SW-200 and self-reported sitting times were measured over five consecutive workdays. Using pre-intervention step counts, employees at each site were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 60; maintain normal behaviour, a route-based walking group (n = 60; at least 10 minutes sustained walking each workday or an incidental walking group (n = 59; walking in workday tasks. Workday step counts and reported sitting times were re-assessed at the beginning, mid- and endpoint of intervention and group mean± SD steps/day and reported sitting times for pre-intervention and intervention measurement points compared using a mixed factorial ANOVA; paired sample-t-tests were used for follow-up, simple effect analyses. Results A significant interactive effect (F = 3.5; p t = 3.9, p t = 2.5, p Conclusion Compared to controls, both route and incidental walking increased physical activity in white-collar employees. Our data suggests that workplace walking, particularly through incidental movement, also has the potential to decrease employee sitting times, but there is a need for on-going research using concurrent and objective measures of sitting, standing and walking.

“The 3/3 Strategy”: A Successful Multifaceted Hospital Wide Hand Hygiene Intervention Based on WHO and Continuous Quality Improvement Methodology

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Mestre, Gabriel; Berbel, Cristina; Tortajada, Purificación; Alarcia, Margarita; Coca, Roser; Gallemi, Gema; Garcia, Irene; Fernández, Mari Mar; Aguilar, Mari Carmen; Martínez, José Antonio; Rodríguez-Baño, Jesús

2012-01-01

Background Only multifaceted hospital wide interventions have been successful in achieving sustained improvements in hand hygiene (HH) compliance. Methodology/Principal Findings Pre-post intervention study of HH performance at baseline (October 2007– December 2009) and during intervention, which included two phases. Phase 1 (2010) included multimodal WHO approach. Phase 2 (2011) added Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) tools and was based on: a) Increase of alcohol hand rub (AHR) solution placement (from 0.57 dispensers/bed to 1.56); b) Increase in frequency of audits (three days every three weeks: “3/3 strategy”); c) Implementation of a standardized register form of HH corrective actions; d) Statistical Process Control (SPC) as time series analysis methodology through appropriate control charts. During the intervention period we performed 819 scheduled direct observation audits which provided data from 11,714 HH opportunities. The most remarkable findings were: a) significant improvements in HH compliance with respect to baseline (25% mean increase); b) sustained high level (82%) of HH compliance during intervention; c) significant increase in AHRs consumption over time; c) significant decrease in the rate of healthcare-acquired MRSA; d) small but significant improvements in HH compliance when comparing phase 2 to phase 1 [79.5% (95% CI: 78.2–80.7) vs 84.6% (95% CI:83.8–85.4), phygiene day”; and “negative”:73.7% as lowest HH compliance coinciding with a statutory lay-off proceeding). Conclusions/Significance CQI tools may be a key addition to WHO strategy to maintain a good HH performance over time. In addition, SPC has shown to be a powerful methodology to detect special causes in HH performance (positive and negative) and to help establishing adequate feedback to healthcare workers. PMID:23110061

An Emergency Department Intervention to Increase Parent-Child Tobacco Communication: A Pilot Study

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Mahabee-Gittens, E. Melinda; Huang, Bin; Slap, Gail B.; Gordon, Judith S.

2008-01-01

We conducted a randomized trial of parents and their 9- to 16-year-old children to pilot test an emergency department (ED)-based intervention designed to increase parent-child tobacco communication. Intervention group (IG) parents received verbal/written instructions on how to relay anti-tobacco messages to their children; control group (CG)…

Una intervención para mejorar el control de la diabetes en Chile An intervention to improve diabetes control in Chile

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Alberto Barceló

2001-11-01

effectiveness of an intervention that included patient education, self-monitoring of blood glucose, and determination of the level of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c. Methods. The patients were grouped into three categories, taking into account such clinical manifestations as the duration of their diabetes, its treatment, and their hospitalization history. After the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, the persons were randomly assigned to two groups. One group (210 patients received the educational intervention, and the control group (206 patients received customary care. The intervention group received educational information needed for self-monitoring of blood glucose and for the self-evaluation of positive and negative behaviors related to metabolic control of the disease. Results. The two groups were similar with respect to age (mean of 52.3 and 50.5 years and to the proportion of patients with type 1 diabetes (13.8% and 16.0%. There were no initial differences in the average concentration of HbA1c in the two groups (8.9% ± 0.1% and 8.9% ± 1.4%. A total of 50 persons dropped out of the study, 14.8% of those in the intervention group and 9.2% of those in the control group. In the intervention group, compliance with dietary recommendations increased by 43.5%, from 57.5% at the beginning of the study to 82.5% at the end (P < 0.001; in the control group there was also a change but it was not significant. Although patients with a high initial HbA1c concentration were underrepresented in this study, the average HbA1c concentration declined significantly in the intervention group (-0.4% ± 1.1%, P = 0.001 but not in the control group (-0.1% ± 0.1%. Conclusions. In one developing country, educating patients about diabetes helped improve metabolic control, a fact that can be attributed mainly to the intervention's positive impact on those persons' diet.

Fluoroscopically guided pyeloureteral interventions using a retrograde perurethral approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amendola, M.A.; Banner, M.P.; Pollack, H.M.; Gordon, R.L.; Van Arsdalen, K.N.

1987-01-01

Employing standard interventional equipment, fluoroscopy, and partially or completely inserted ureteral catheters for access, the authors performed 168 perurethral interventional procedures since 1985. Procedures have included insertion of double (n = 42) or single pigtail stents (n = 47), advancement of retrograde ureteral catheters with or without displacement of a ureteral stone to the renal pelvis (n = 42), urothelial biopsy (n = 30), balloon dilation of ureteral structures (n = 3), ureteral stone extraction (n = 1), and conversion of retrograde to antegrade catheters for balloon dilation of ureteropelvic junction strictures (n = 3). This retrograde approach often obviates the need for antegrade interventional procedures (including percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stenting), ureteroscopy, or surgery. Indications, techniques, pitfalls, and complications are illustrated

Analyzing Power of 3He(n, n)3He Between 1.60 and 5.54 MeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esterline, J.; Tornow, W.

2013-01-01

We report the measurements of the analyzing power A y (θ) of n- 3 He elastic scattering with unprecedented accuracy and angular coverage at five incident neutron energies between 1.60 and 5.54 MeV. To this end, we employed the polarization-transfer reactions 3 H(p, n) 3 He and 2 H(d, n) 3 He at 0 ° for neutron generation and a recently developed high-pressure 3 He gas scintillator as an active target, enabling neutron-time-of-flight and 3 He recoil-energy determinations. We obtained simultaneously the neutron polarization with a 4 He-based polarimeter, capitalizing on the well-known n- 4 He A y (θ). Our n- 3 He A y (θ) data are compared to rigorous four-nucleon calculations using high-precision nucleon–nucleon potential models. The agreement between data and calculations is fair at the lower energies and becomes less satisfactory with increasing neutron energy. However, in comparison to the pure isotriplet p- 3 He system in the same energy region, the agreement between measured and calculated A y is much better for the mixed (isotriplet and isosinglet) n- 3 He system, indicating large and somewhat counterintuitive isospin effects. We note that the incorporation of a Δ-mediated three-nucleon force in calculations of n- 3 He scattering was found to affect A y (θ) negligibly, suggesting the need for the reconsideration of fundamental interactions in resolving the four-nucleon analyzing power puzzle first established about a decade ago in p- 3 He scattering. (author)

Increasing Physical Activity Efficiently: An Experimental Pilot Study of a Website and Mobile Phone Intervention

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Kjærsti Thorsteinsen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this pilot study was to test the effectiveness of an online, interactive physical activity intervention that also incorporated gaming components. The intervention design included an activity planner, progress monitoring, and gamification components and used SMS text as a secondary delivery channel and feedback to improve engagement in the intervention content. Healthy adults (n=21 recruited through ads in local newspapers (age 35–73 were randomized to the intervention or the control condition. Both groups reported physical activity using daily report forms in four registration weeks during the three-month study: only the experiment condition received access to the intervention. Analyses showed that the intervention group had significantly more minutes of physical activity in weeks five and nine. We also found a difference in the intensity of exercise in week five. Although the intervention group reported more minutes of physical activity at higher intensity levels, we were not able to find a significant effect at the end of the study period. In conclusion, this study adds to the research on the effectiveness of using the Internet and SMS text messages for delivering physical activity interventions and supports gamification as a viable intervention tool.

Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the cytoskeleton: an open-label intervention study.

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Schmidt, Simone; Willers, Janina; Riecker, Sabine; Möller, Katharina; Schuchardt, Jan Philipp; Hahn, Andreas

2015-02-14

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) show beneficial effects on cardiovascular health and cognitive functions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. Because of the fact that cytoskeleton dynamics affect almost every cellular process, the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics could be a new pathway by which n-3 PUFAs exert their effects on cellular level. A 12-week open-label intervention study with 12 healthy men was conducted to determine the effects of 2.7 g/d n-3 PUFA on changes in mRNA expression of cytoskeleton-associated genes by quantitative real-time PCR in whole blood. Furthermore, the actin content in red blood cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence imaging. N-3 PUFA supplementation resulted in a significant down-regulation of cytoskeleton-associated genes, in particular three GTPases (RAC1, RHOA, CDC42), three kinases (ROCK1, PAK2, LIMK), two Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome proteins (WASL, WASF2) as well as actin related protein 2/3 complex (ARPC2, ARPC3) and cofilin (CFL1). Variability in F-actin content between subjects was high; reduced actin content was only reduced within group evaluation. Reduced cytoskeleton-associated gene expression after n-3 PUFA supplementation suggests that regulation of cytoskeleton dynamics might be an additional way by which n-3 PUFAs exert their cellular effects. Concerning F-actin, this analysis did not reveal unmistakable results impeding a generalized conclusion.

Increasing Memory Self-Efficacy and Strategy Use in Hispanic Elders.

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McDougall, Graham J

1998-01-01

This study tested the effects of a 4-week, nine-session group intervention taught in Spanish to Hispanic older adults entitled "Quieres Mejorar Tu Memoria" (Do you wish to improve your memory?). The program was based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory and was designed to increase memory self-efficacy and strategy use. A total of 33 older adults attending a senior center (mean--age = 69 years; education = 5 years; MMSE = 25) participated in the study. A booster session and a post-test were given at 3 months to the intervention group (n=22). At posttest the intervention reported greater confidence in preventing decline in their memories, and in particular greater use of the internal strategy of elaboration (2.99 vs. 3.41), and the external strategies of list (2.55 vs. 3.38) and note (3.27 vs. 3.75).

Self-Efficacy, Planning, or a Combination of Both? A Longitudinal Experimental Study Comparing Effects of Three Interventions on Adolescents’ Body Fat

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Luszczynska, Aleksandra; Hagger, Martin S.; Banik, Anna; Horodyska, Karolina; Knoll, Nina; Scholz, Urte

2016-01-01

Background The superiority of an intervention combining two sets of theory-based behavior change techniques targeting planning and self-efficacy over an intervention targeting planning only or self-efficacy only has rarely been investigated. Purpose We compared the influence of self-efficacy, planning, and self-efficacy+planning interventions with an education-based control condition on adolescents’ body fat, assuming mediating effects of respective social cognitive variables and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The moderating role of the built environment was examined. Methods Participants (N = 1217, aged 14–18 years) were randomly assigned to four conditions: planning (n = 270), self-efficacy (n = 311), self-efficacy+planning (n = 351), and control (n = 285). The measurement was conducted at baseline (T1), two-month follow-up (T2), and fourteen-month follow-up (T3). Interventions/control group procedures were delivered at T1 and T2. Percent of body fat tissue (measured at T1 and T3) was the main outcome. Social cognitive mediators (self-efficacy and planning) were assessed at T1 and T2. The behavioral mediator (MVPA) and the presence of built MVPA facilities (the moderator) were evaluated at T1 and T3. Results Similar small increases of body fat were found across the three intervention groups, but the increment of body fat was significantly larger in the control group. On average, differences between control and intervention groups translated to approximately 1% of body fat. Effects of the interventions on body fat were mediated by relevant social cognitive variables and MVPA. A lower increase of body fat was found among intervention group participants who had access to newly-built MVPA facilities. Conclusions We found no superiority of an intervention targeting two social cognitive variables over the intervention targeting one cognition only. PMID:27410961

Increased bleeding risk during percutaneous coronary interventions by arterial hypertension.

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Ndrepepa, Gjin; Groha, Philipp; Lahmann, Anna L; Lohaus, Raphaela; Cassese, Salvatore; Schulz-Schüpke, Stefanie; Kufner, Sebastian; Mayer, Katharina; Bernlochner, Isabell; Byrne, Robert A; Fusaro, Massimiliano; Laugwitz, Karl-Ludwig; Schunkert, Heribert; Kastrati, Adnan

2016-08-01

We aimed to assess the association between arterial hypertension and bleeding in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The impact of arterial hypertension on bleeding risk of patients with coronary artery disease undergoing PCI is unknown. This study included 14,180 patients who underwent PCI. Bleeding was defined using the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) criteria. Arterial hypertension was defined as treatment with antihypertensive drugs or a systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure value >90 mm Hg documented on at least 2 occasions. The primary outcome was bleeding rate within 30 days of PCI. Overall, 11,066 patients (78.0%) had arterial hypertension. Bleeding events occurred in 1,232 patients with arterial hypertension and 278 patients without arterial hypertension (11.1% vs 8.9%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-1.46, P arterial hypertension and 175 patients without arterial hypertension (6.6% vs 5.6%: OR = 1.19 [1.01-1.41], P = 0.049). Non-access-site bleeding occurred in 502 patients with and 103 patients without arterial hypertension (4.5% vs 3.3%; OR = 1.39 [1.12-1.72], P = 0.003). After adjustment, arterial hypertension was significantly associated with any bleeding (adjusted OR = 1.41 [1.19-1.67], P arterial hypertension increased the risk of non-access-site bleeding (P = 0.002), whereas systolic blood pressure at the time of PCI increased the risk of access site bleeding (P = 0.018). Arterial hypertension is associated with increased risk of bleeding during PCI procedures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of a multifaceted implementation intervention to increase utilization of pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorders in the US Veterans Health Administration.

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Harris, Alex H S; Brown, Randall; Dawes, Michael; Dieperink, Eric; Myrick, Donald Hugh; Gerould, Heather; Wagner, Todd H; Wisdom, Jennifer P; Hagedorn, Hildi J

2017-11-01

Over 16 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD), but only 7.8% of them receive formal treatment each year. Safe and effective pharmacological treatments for AUD exist; however, they are rarely prescribed. Therefore, we developed and pilot tested a multifaceted implementation intervention to improve consideration and receipt of effective pharmacologic treatments for AUD, focusing on primary care settings where patients have the most frequent contact with healthcare systems. The intervention included training of local providers to serve as champions and a website for primary care providers that included educational materials, a case-finding dashboard, and contact information for local and national clinical experts. We also mailed patients educational material about treatment options. The intervention was implemented at three large facilities of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). An interrupted time series design, analyzed with segmented logistic regression, was used to evaluate the intervention's effects. The odds of a patient with AUD receiving one of the AUD medications was increasing throughout the pre-implementation period, and the rate of change (slope) increased significantly in the implementation period. Translating these numbers into percentages, at baseline 2.9% of patients filled a prescription for an AUD medication within 30days of a primary care visit. This increased to 3.8% by the end of the pre-implementation period (increasing 0.037% per month), and increased to 5.2% by the end of the implementation period (increasing 0.142% per month). However, the intervention effect was not significant when control sites were added, suggesting that improvement may have been driven by secular trends rather than solely by this intervention. Although the intervention was feasible, it was not effective. Continued analysis of process and implementation data including qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, may elucidate the

Web-based nutrition education intervention improves self-efficacy and self-regulation related to increased dairy intake in college students.

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Poddar, Kavita H; Hosig, Kathy W; Anderson, Eileen S; Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M; Duncan, Susan E

2010-11-01

Dairy consumption declines substantially during young adulthood. Interventions that incorporate theory-based nutrition education can provide insight into factors associated with dietary choices. The aim of this experimental study was to improve outcome expectations, self-efficacy, self-regulation, and behavior related to dairy intake in college students using social cognitive theory. Students (n=294) enrolled in a personal health class were randomized to intervention (n=148) or comparison group (n=146). The 5-week intervention (March 2006 to April 2006) was conducted using an online course system; components included e-mail messages, posted information, and behavior checklists with tailored feedback. Multivariate analysis of covariance with age and sex as covariates (Pself-regulatory strategies (P=0.038) and self-efficacy for consuming three servings/day of dairy products (P=0.049), but not in outcome expectations or consumption of dairy products. A Web-based intervention designed to change dairy intake in college students was effective in modifying some social cognitive theory constructs; strategies that positively impact outcome expectations and social support through online interventions require further development. Copyright © 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peer-Led Culinary Skills Intervention for Adolescents: Pilot Study of the Impact on Knowledge, Attitude, and Self-efficacy.

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Oakley, Amanda R; Nelson, Sarah A; Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M

To assess the impact and feasibility of a culinary skills intervention for adolescents led by peer educators compared with adult educators. Adolescents (aged 11-14 years) were randomized to peer educator (n = 22) or adult educator (n = 20) groups and attended 2 2.5-hour culinary skills lessons addressing knife skills, cooking methods, and recipes. Knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy measurements were completed before and immediately after the intervention and at 3 and 6 months after the intervention. Fidelity checklists assessed the feasibility of program delivery. Differences within and between groups over time were assessed using ANOVA. Adolescents (n = 42) increased knowledge (3.7 ± 2.6 points [mean ± SD]; P culinary skills program for adolescents that increases knowledge. To affect attitude and self-efficacy, additional training of peer educators may be needed. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary omega-6 fatty acid lowering increases bioavailability of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in human plasma lipid pools

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Taha, Ameer Y.; Cheon, Yewon; Faurot, Keturah F.; MacIntosh, Beth; Majchrzak-Hong, Sharon F.; Mann, J. Douglas; Hibbeln, Joseph R.; Ringel, Amit; Ramsden, Christopher E.

2014-01-01

Background Dietary linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6) lowering in rats reduces n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) plasma concentrations and increases n-3 PUFA (eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) concentrations. Objective To evaluate the extent to which 12 weeks of dietary n-6 PUFA lowering, with or without increased dietary n-3 PUFAs, change unesterified and esterified plasma n-6 and n-3 PUFA concentrations in subjects with chronic headache. Design Secondary analysis of a randomized trial. Subjects with chronic headache were randomized for 12 weeks to: (1) average n-3, low n-6 (L6) diet; or (2) high n-3, low n-6 LA (H3-L6) diet. Esterified and unesterified plasma fatty acids were quantified at baseline (0 weeks) and after 12 weeks on a diet. Results Compared to baseline, the L6 diet reduced esterified plasma LA and increased esterified n-3 PUFA concentrations (nmol/ml), but did not significantly change plasma arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) concentration. In addition, unesterified EPA concentration was increased significantly among unesterified fatty acids. The H3-L6 diet decreased esterified LA and AA concentrations, and produced more marked increases in esterified and unesterified n-3 PUFA concentrations. Conclusion Dietary n-6 PUFA lowering for 12 weeks significantly reduces LA and increases n-3 PUFA concentrations in plasma, without altering plasma AA concentration. A concurrent increase in dietary n-3 PUFA for 12 weeks further increases n-3 PUFA plasma concentrations, but also reduces AA. PMID:24675168

Dietary omega-6 fatty acid lowering increases bioavailability of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in human plasma lipid pools.

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Ameer Y; Cheon, Yewon; Faurot, Keturah F; Macintosh, Beth; Majchrzak-Hong, Sharon F; Mann, J Douglas; Hibbeln, Joseph R; Ringel, Amit; Ramsden, Christopher E

2014-05-01

Dietary linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6) lowering in rats reduces n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) plasma concentrations and increases n-3 PUFA (eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) concentrations. To evaluate the extent to which 12 weeks of dietary n-6 PUFA lowering, with or without increased dietary n-3 PUFAs, alters unesterified and esterified plasma n-6 and n-3 PUFA concentrations in subjects with chronic headache. Secondary analysis of a randomized trial. Subjects with chronic headache were randomized for 12 weeks to (1) average n-3, low n-6 (L6) diet; or (2) high n-3, low n-6 LA (H3-L6) diet. Esterified and unesterified plasma fatty acids were quantified at baseline (0 weeks) and after 12 weeks on a diet. Compared to baseline, the L6 diet reduced esterified plasma LA and increased esterified n-3 PUFA concentrations (nmol/ml), but did not significantly change plasma arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) concentration. In addition, unesterified EPA concentration was increased significantly among unesterified fatty acids. The H3-L6 diet decreased esterified LA and AA concentrations, and produced more marked increases in esterified and unesterified n-3 PUFA concentrations. Dietary n-6 PUFA lowering for 12 weeks significantly reduces LA and increases n-3 PUFA concentrations in plasma, without altering plasma AA concentration. A concurrent increase in dietary n-3 PUFAs for 12 weeks further increases n-3 PUFA plasma concentrations and reduces AA. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Strategies for increasing house staff management of cholesterol with inpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Boekeloo, B O; Becker, D M; Levine, D M; Belitsos, P C; Pearson, T A

1990-01-01

This study tested the effectiveness of two conceptually different chart audit-based approaches to modifying physicians' clinical practices to conform with quality-assurance standards. The objective was to increase intern utilization of cholesterol management opportunities in the inpatient setting. Using a clinical trial study design, 29 internal medicine interns were randomly assigned to four intervention groups identified by the intervention they received: control, reminder checklists (checklists), patient-specific feedback (feedback), or both interventions (combined). Over a nine-month period, intern management of high blood cholesterol levels in internal medicine inpatients (n = 459) was monitored by postdischarge chart audit. During both a baseline and subsequent intervention period, interns documented significantly more cholesterol management for inpatients with coronary artery disease (CAD) than without CAD. During baseline, 27.3%, 24.3%, 21.7%, 12.4%, 5.4%, and 2.7% of all inpatient charts had intern documentation concerning a low-fat hospital diet, cholesterol history, screening blood cholesterol level assessment, follow-up lipid profile, nutritionist consult, and preventive cardiology consult, respectively. The feedback intervention significantly increased overall intern-documented cholesterol management among inpatients with CAD. The checklists significantly decreased overall intern-documented cholesterol management. Feedback appears to be an effective approach to increasing intern cholesterol management in inpatients.

Interventions to increase enrollment in a large multicenter phase 3 trial of carotid stenting vs. endarterectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Longbottom, Mary E; Roberts, Jamie N; Tom, Meelee; Hughes, Susan E; Howard, Virginia J; Sheffet, Alice J; Meschia, James F; Brott, Thomas G

2012-08-01

Randomized clinical trials often encounter slow enrollment. Failing to meet sample size requirements has scientific, financial, and ethical implications. We report interventions used to accelerate recruitment in a large multicenter clinical trial that was not meeting prespecified enrollment commitments. The Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial began randomization in December 2000. To accelerate enrollment, multiple recruitment tactics were initiated, which included expanding the number of sites, hiring a recruitment director (May 2003), broadening eligibility criteria (April 2005), branding with a study logo, Web site, and recruitment materials, increasing site visits by study leadership, sending e-mails to the site teams after every enrollment, distributing electronic newsletters, and implementing investigator and coordinator conferences. From December 2000 through May 2003, 14 sites became active (54 patients randomized), from June 2003 through April 2005, 44 sites were added (404 patients randomized), and from May 2005 through July 2008, 54 sites were added (2044 patients randomized). During these time intervals, the number of patients enrolled per site per year was 1·5, 3·6, and 5·6. For the single years 2004 to 2008, the mean monthly randomization rates per year were 19·7, 38·1, 56·4, 53·0, and 54·7 (annualized), respectively. Enrollment was highest after recruitment tactics were implemented: 677 patients in 2006, 636 in 2007, and 657 in 2008 (annualized). The prespecified sample size of 2502 patients, 47% asymptomatic, was accomplished on July 2008. Aggressive recruitment tactics and investment in a full-time recruitment director who can lead implementation may be effective in accelerating recruitment in multicenter trials. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2012 World Stroke Organization.

Increasing Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening in Jamaica: Effectiveness of a Theory-Based Educational Intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evelyn Coronado Interis

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Despite declines in cervical cancer mortality in developed countries, cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates remain high in Jamaica due to low levels of screening. Effective interventions are needed to decrease barriers to preventive behaviors and increase adoption of behaviors and services to improve prospects of survival. We enrolled 225 women attending health facilities in an intervention consisting of a pre-test, educational presentation and post-test. The questionnaires assessed attitudes, knowledge, risk factors, and symptoms of cervical cancer among women. Changes in knowledge and intention to screen were assessed using paired t-tests and tests for correlated proportions. Participants were followed approximately six months post-intervention to determine cervical cancer screening rates. We found statistically significant increases from pre-test to post-test in the percentage of questions correctly answered and in participants’ intention to screen for cervical cancer. The greatest improvements were observed in responses to questions on knowledge, symptoms and prevention, with some items increasing up to 62% from pre-test to post-test. Of the 123 women reached for follow-up, 50 (40.7% screened for cervical cancer. This theory-based education intervention significantly increased knowledge of and intention to screen for cervical cancer, and may be replicated in similar settings to promote awareness and increase screening rates.

Intake of marine fat, rich in (n-3)-polyunsaturated fatty acids, may increase birthweight by prolonging gestation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, S.F.; Hansen, Harald S.; Sørensen, T.I.

1986-01-01

an important part in the timing of parturition in human beings. Dietary (n-3)-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in high amounts influence endogenous prostaglandin metabolism. Owing to the large consumption of marine fat, the average intake of (n-3)-PUFA in the Faroes by far exceeds that in Denmark...

Diet-induced changes in iron and n-3 fatty acid status and associations with cognitive performance in 8-11-year-old Danish children: secondary analyses of the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet School Meal Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Louise Bergmann; Damsgaard, Camilla Trab; Dalskov, Stine-Mathilde

2015-01-01

Fe and n-3 long-chain PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) have both been associated with cognition, but evidence remains inconclusive in well-nourished school-aged children. In the Optimal Well-Being, Development and Health for Danish Children through a Healthy New Nordic Diet (OPUS) School Meal Study, the 3-month...... intervention increased reading performance, inattention, impulsivity and dietary intake of fish and Fe. This study investigated whether the intervention influenced n-3 LCPUFA and Fe status and, if so, explored how these changes correlated with the changes in cognitive performance. The study was a cluster...... analysis of test performances (n 644), which showed two main patterns: 'school performance' and 'reading comprehension'. The latter indicated that children with good reading comprehension were also more inattentive and impulsive (i.e. higher d2-test error%). The intervention improved 'school performance...

Increasing mental health awareness and appropriate service use in older Chinese Americans: a pilot intervention.

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Teng, Ellen J; Friedman, Lois C

2009-07-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a community intervention in increasing awareness of mental health issues and available resources among elderly Chinese Americans. Twenty-seven members of a community church received a 1-h didactic presentation, in English and Mandarin, and completed surveys regarding their help-seeking preferences before and after the intervention. Results were analyzed using a series of Wilcoxon matched-pair signed rank tests and comparing pre- and post-test scores. Findings indicated an increase (pmental health professional for psychiatric symptoms at post-test. A significant increase also was found in preference for consulting a physician for physical symptoms. The pilot educational intervention increased awareness of mental health and treatment issues and the role of mental health professionals, lending support to evaluate the intervention on a larger scale. Greater awareness of mental health among Chinese Americans can be promoted via education forums provided through faith-based organizations. Stigma of mental illness leads many Chinese individuals to seek help for psychiatric problems from primary care physicians. Integrating mental health practitioners in primary care settings may help decrease stigma and encourage appropriate help-seeking behavior.

Enabling parents who smoke to prevent their children from initiating smoking: results from a 3-year intervention evaluation.

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Jackson, Christine; Dickinson, Denise

2006-01-01

To evaluate effects of a home-based antismoking socialization program on the initiation of smoking among children whose parents smoke. Three-year randomized controlled trial. Parents who were current smokers and had a child in the third grade who had not tried smoking were eligible; 873 parents-offspring pairs met these criteria, completed baseline interviews, and were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition; 776 children (89%) completed an interview 3 years after baseline and were included in the study. During 3 months, the intervention group (n = 371) received 5 printed activity guides, parenting tip sheets, child newsletters, and incentives; this group also received a booster activity guide 1 year later. The control group (n = 405) received fact sheets about smoking. Initiation of smoking (first instance of puffing on a cigarette) was reported by 12% vs 19% of children in the intervention vs control groups. Logistic regression analysis indicated that children in the control condition had twice the odds of reporting initiation of smoking as children in the intervention condition (adjusted odds ratio, 2.16; Pparent sex, parent race, parent educational achievement, child's best friends' smoking, parent smoking rate at baseline, and parent cessation status. Children in the pre-initiation phase of smoking who receive antismoking socialization from their parents are less likely to initiate smoking, even if their parents smoke.

Transgenic increase in N-3/n-6 Fatty Acid ratio reduces maternal obesity-associated inflammation and limits adverse developmental programming in mice.

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Margaret J R Heerwagen

Full Text Available Maternal and pediatric obesity has risen dramatically over recent years, and is a known predictor of adverse long-term metabolic outcomes in offspring. However, which particular aspects of obese pregnancy promote such outcomes is less clear. While maternal obesity increases both maternal and placental inflammation, it is still unknown whether this is a dominant mechanism in fetal metabolic programming. In this study, we utilized the Fat-1 transgenic mouse to test whether increasing the maternal n-3/n-6 tissue fatty acid ratio could reduce the consequences of maternal obesity-associated inflammation and thereby mitigate downstream developmental programming. Eight-week-old WT or hemizygous Fat-1 C57BL/6J female mice were placed on a high-fat diet (HFD or control diet (CD for 8 weeks prior to mating with WT chow-fed males. Only WT offspring from Fat-1 mothers were analyzed. WT-HFD mothers demonstrated increased markers of infiltrating adipose tissue macrophages (P<0.02, and a striking increase in 12 serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (P<0.05, while Fat1-HFD mothers remained similar to WT-CD mothers, despite equal weight gain. E18.5 Fetuses from WT-HFD mothers had larger placentas (P<0.02, as well as increased placenta and fetal liver TG deposition (P<0.01 and P<0.02, respectively and increased placental LPL TG-hydrolase activity (P<0.02, which correlated with degree of maternal insulin resistance (r = 0.59, P<0.02. The placentas and fetal livers from Fat1-HFD mothers were protected from this excess placental growth and fetal-placental lipid deposition. Importantly, maternal protection from excess inflammation corresponded with improved metabolic outcomes in adult WT offspring. While the offspring from WT-HFD mothers weaned onto CD demonstrated increased weight gain (P<0.05, body and liver fat (P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively, and whole body insulin resistance (P<0.05, these were prevented in WT offspring from Fat1-HFD mothers. Our results

LCoMotion - Learning, Cognition and Motion; a multicomponent cluster randomized school-based intervention aimed at increasing learning and cognition - rationale, design and methods.

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Bugge, Anna; Tarp, Jakob; Østergaard, Lars; Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Andersen, Lars Bo; Froberg, Karsten

2014-09-18

The aim of the study; LCoMotion - Learning, Cognition and Motion was to develop, document, and evaluate a multi-component physical activity (PA) intervention in public schools in Denmark. The primary outcome was cognitive function. Secondary outcomes were academic skills, body composition, aerobic fitness and PA. The primary aim of the present paper was to describe the rationale, design and methods of the LCoMotion study. LCoMotion was designed as a cluster-randomized controlled study. Fourteen schools from all five regions in Denmark participated. All students from 6th and 7th grades were invited to participate (n = 869) and consent was obtained for 87% (n = 759). Baseline measurements were obtained in November/December 2013 and follow-up measurements in May/June 2014. The intervention lasted five months and consisted of a "package" of three main components: PA during academic lessons, PA during recess and PA homework. Furthermore a cycling campaign was conducted during the intervention period. Intervention schools should endeavor to ensure that students were physically active for at least 60 min every school day. Cognitive function was measured by a modified Eriksen flanker task and academic skills by a custom made mathematics test. PA was objectively measured by accelerometers (ActiGraph, GT3X and GT3X+) and aerobic fitness assessed by an intermittent shuttle-run test (the Andersen intermittent running test). Furthermore, compliance with the intervention was assessed by short message service (SMS)-tracking and questionnaires were delivered to students, parents and teachers. LCoMotion has ability to provide new insights on the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention on cognitive function and academic skills in 6th and 7th grade students. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02012881 (10/10/2013).

Effectiveness of an intervention in increasing the provision of preventive care by community mental health services: a non-randomized, multiple baseline implementation trial.

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Bartlem, Kate M; Bowman, Jenny; Freund, Megan; Wye, Paula M; Barker, Daniel; McElwaine, Kathleen M; Wolfenden, Luke; Campbell, Elizabeth M; McElduff, Patrick; Gillham, Karen; Wiggers, John

2016-04-02

Relative to the general population, people with a mental illness are more likely to have modifiable chronic disease health risk behaviours. Care to reduce such risks is not routinely provided by community mental health clinicians. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an intervention in increasing the provision of preventive care by such clinicians addressing four chronic disease risk behaviours. A multiple baseline trial was undertaken in two groups of community mental health services in New South Wales, Australia (2011-2014). A 12-month practice change intervention was sequentially implemented in each group. Outcome data were collected continuously via telephone interviews with a random sample of clients over a 3-year period, from 6 months pre-intervention in the first group, to 6 months post intervention in the second group. Outcomes were client-reported receipt of assessment, advice and referral for tobacco smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, inadequate fruit and/or vegetable consumption and inadequate physical activity and for the four behaviours combined. Logistic regression analyses examined change in client-reported receipt of care. There was an increase in assessment for all risks combined following the intervention (18 to 29 %; OR 3.55, p = 0.002: n = 805 at baseline, 982 at follow-up). No significant change in assessment, advice or referral for each individual risk was found. The intervention had a limited effect on increasing the provision of preventive care. Further research is required to determine how to increase the provision of preventive care in community mental health services. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000693729.

Development of an intervention program to increase effective behaviours by patients and clinicians in psychiatric services: Intervention Mapping study.

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Koekkoek, Bauke; van Meijel, Berno; Schene, Aart; Hutschemaekers, Giel

2010-10-25

Health clinicians perceive certain patients as 'difficult' across all settings, including mental health care. In this area, patients with non-psychotic disorders that become long-term care users may be perceived as obstructing their own recovery or seeking secondary gain. This negative perception of patients results in ineffective responses and low-quality care by health clinicians. Using the concept of illness behaviour, this paper describes the development, implementation, and planned evaluation of a structured intervention aimed at prevention and management of ineffective behaviours by long-term non-psychotic patients and their treating clinicians. The principles of Intervention Mapping were applied to guide the development, implementation, and planned evaluation of the intervention. Qualitative (individual and group interviews), quantitative (survey), and mixed methods (Delphi-procedure) research was used to gain a broad perspective of the problem. Empirical findings, theoretical models, and existing evidence were combined to construct a program tailored to the needs of the target groups. A structured program to increase effective illness behaviour in long-term non-psychotic patients and effective professional behaviour in their treating clinicians was developed, consisting of three subsequent stages and four substantial components, that is described in detail. Implementation took place and evaluation of the intervention is being carried out. Intervention Mapping proved to be a suitable method to develop a structured intervention for a multi-faceted problem in mental health care.

n-3 fatty acids reduce plasma 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid and blood pressure in patients with chronic kidney disease.

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Barden, Anne E; Burke, Valerie; Mas, Emilie; Beilin, Lawrence J; Puddey, Ian B; Watts, Gerald F; Irish, Ashley B; Mori, Trevor A

2015-09-01

Metabolism of arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450 ω-hydroxylase leads to the formation of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) that regulates vascular function, sodium homeostasis and blood pressure (BP). Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids is known to alter arachidonic acid metabolism and reduce the formation of the lipid peroxidation products F2-isoprostanes, but the effect of n-3 fatty acids on 20-HETE has not been studied. We previously reported a significant effect of n-3 fatty acids but not coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) to reduce BP in a double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention, wherein patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were randomized to n-3 fatty acids (4 g), CoQ (200 mg), both supplements or control (4 g olive oil), daily for 8 weeks. This study examined the effect of n-3 fatty acids on plasma and urinary 20-HETE in the same study, as well as plasma and urinary F2-isoprostanes, and relate these to changes in BP. Seventy-four patients completed the 8-week intervention. n-3 fatty acids but not CoQ significantly reduced plasma 20-HETE (P = 0.001) and F2-isoprostanes (P fatty acids. This is the first report that n-3 fatty acid supplementation reduces plasma 20-HETE in humans and that this associates with reduced BP. These results provide a plausible mechanism for the reduction in BP observed in patients with CKD following n-3 fatty acid supplementation.

Synthesis and distribution of tritiated N,N`-dibenzoyl-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambert, D.M.; Gallez, Bernard [Universite Catholique de Louvain, Dept. des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Bruxelles (Belgium)

1996-10-01

Tritiated N,N`-dibenzoyl-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol, a compound mimicking a diacylglycerol moiety used as a lipid drug carrier was prepared from N,N`-dibenzoyl-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol by isotopic exchange in the presence of rhodium chloride. Preliminary preparation of the deuterated analog was made in order to assess the position of the substitution. A biodistribution study was carried out in mice after intravenous administration. Five minutes after administration, the level found in the brain was about 9% of the injected dose per g organ. This value decreases to 1 % 3 hours after administration while at the same time radioactive levels measured in the urine increased. (author).

Development of a Colorectal Cancer Screening Intervention for Iranian Adults: Appling Intervention Mapping

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Besharati, Fereshteh; Karimi-Shahanjarini, Akram; Hazavehei, Seyed Mohammad Mehdi; Bashirian, Saeid; Bagheri, Fahimeh; Faradmal, Javad

2017-08-27

Background: While the incidence rate of the colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing over the last three decades in Iran, very limited interventions to increase CRC screening have been developed for Iranian population. The purpose of this study was to describe the use of Intervention Mapping (IM) for applying theory and evidence and considering local contexts to develop a CRC screening program among adults in Iran. Materials and Methods: From April 2014 to July 2016 following the IM process, six steps were formulated and implemented. First a need assessment was conducted involving relevant stakeholders and using focus groups discussions (n=10), individual interviews (n=20), and a household survey (n= 480). Then a matrix of change objectives was developed for each behavioral outcome and theoretical methods and their practical applications were identified to guide intervention development and implementation. A multi-component intervention was developed and piloted. Decision on suitable parts of intervention was made based on feedback of pilot study. Finally, evaluation plan including process and outcome evaluation was generated and conducted to inform future scale up. Results: The needs assessment highlighted factors affecting CRC screening including knowledge, self efficacy, social support and perceived benefit and barriers (financial problems, fear of detection of cancer and etc). Results of needs assessment were used to develop next steps IM. The program utilized methods like information delivery, modeling, and persuasion. Practical applications included video presentation, group discussion, role playing and postcards.This program was assessed through a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Results showed that there were significant differences in CRC screening uptake between intervention groups and control (Pintervention addressing CRC screening among Iranian population. Creative Commons Attribution License

Primary amino acid derivatives: substitution of the 4'-N'-benzylamide site in (R)-N'-benzyl 2-amino-3-methylbutanamide, (R)-N'-benzyl 2-amino-3,3-dimethylbutanamide, and (R)-N'-benzyl 2-amino-3-methoxypropionamide provides potent anticonvulsants with pain-attenuating properties.

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King, Amber M; Salomé, Christophe; Salomé-Grosjean, Elise; De Ryck, Marc; Kaminski, Rafal; Valade, Anne; Stables, James P; Kohn, Harold

2011-10-13

Recently, we reported that select N'-benzyl 2-substituted 2-amino acetamides (primary amino acid derivatives (PAADs)) exhibited pronounced activities in established whole animal anticonvulsant (i.e., maximal electroshock seizure (MES)) and neuropathic pain (i.e., formalin) models. The anticonvulsant activities of C(2)-hydrocarbon N'-benzyl 2-amino acetamides (MES ED(50) = 13-21 mg/kg) exceeded those of phenobarbital (ED(50) = 22 mg/kg). Two additional studies defining the structure-activity relationship of PAADs are presented in this issue of the journal. In this study, we demonstrated that the anticonvulsant activities of (R)-N'-benzyl 2-amino-3-methylbutanamide and (R)-N'-benzyl 2-amino-3,3-dimethylbutanamide were sensitive to substituents at the 4'-N'-benzylamide site; electron-withdrawing groups retained activity, electron-donating groups led to a loss of activity, and incorporating either a 3-fluorobenzyloxy or 3-fluorophenoxymethyl group using a rationally designed multiple ligand approach improved activity. Additionally, we showed that substituents at the 4'-N'-benzylamide site of (R)-N'-benzyl 2-amino-3-methoxypropionamide also improved anticonvulsant activity, with the 3-fluorophenoxymethyl group providing the largest (∼4-fold) increase in activity (ED(50) = 8.9 mg/kg), a value that surpassed phenytoin (ED(50) = 9.5 mg/kg). Collectively, the pharmacological findings provided new information that C(2)-hydrocarbon PAADs represent a novel class of anticonvulsants.

Improving Decision Making about Genetic Testing in the Clinic: An Overview of Effective Knowledge Translation Interventions.

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Légaré, France; Robitaille, Hubert; Gane, Claire; Hébert, Jessica; Labrecque, Michel; Rousseau, François

2016-01-01

Knowledge translation (KT) interventions are attempts to change behavior in keeping with scientific evidence. While genetic tests are increasingly available to healthcare consumers in the clinic, evidence about their benefits is unclear and decisions about genetic testing are thus difficult for all parties. We sought to identify KT interventions that involved decisions about genetic testing in the clinical context and to assess their effectiveness for improving decision making in terms of behavior change, increased knowledge and wellbeing. We searched for trials assessing KT interventions in the context of genetic testing up to March 2014 in all systematic reviews (n = 153) published by two Cochrane review groups: Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) and Consumers and Communication. We retrieved 2473 unique trials of which we retained only 28 (1%). Two EPOC reviews yielded two trials of KT interventions: audit and feedback (n = 1) and educational outreach (n = 1). Both targeted health professionals and the KT intervention they assessed was found to be effective. Four Consumers and Communication reviews yielded 26 trials: decision aids (n = 15), communication of DNA-based disease risk estimates (n = 7), personalized risk communication (n = 3) and mobile phone messaging (n = 1). Among these, 25 trials targeted only health consumers or patients and the KT interventions were found to be effective in four trials, partly effective in seven, and ineffective in four. Lastly, only one trial targeted both physicians and patients and was found to be effective. More research on the effectiveness of KT interventions regarding genetic testing in the clinical context may contribute to patients making informed value-based decisions and drawing the maximum benefit from clinical applications of genetic and genomic innovations.

A Media and Clinic Intervention to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Ohio Appalachia

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Jessica L. Krok-Schoen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To test the effectiveness of a colorectal cancer (CRC screening intervention among adults living in Ohio Appalachia. Methods. We conducted a group-randomized trial of a county-level intervention among adults living in 12 Ohio Appalachian counties who received a media campaign and clinic intervention focused on either CRC screening or fruits and vegetables. Participants’ percentage within CRC screening guidelines was assessed with cross-sectional surveys conducted annually for four years, and validated with medical record review of screening. Results. On average, screening data were obtained on 564 intervention and 559 comparison participants per year. There was no difference in the Wave 4 CRC screening rates of intervention and comparison counties (35.2% versus 31.4%. Multivariate analyses found that high perceived risk of CRC, willingness to have a CRC test if recommended by a doctor, doctor recommendation of a CRC screening test, and patient-physician communication about changes in bowel habits, family history of CRC, and eating fruits and vegetables were significant (p<0.05 predictors of being within CRC screening guidelines. Conclusions. The intervention was not effective in increasing CRC rates among Ohio Appalachian adults. Future research should determine how media and clinic-based interventions can be modified to improve CRC screening rates among this underserved population.

A Japanese Stretching Intervention Can Modify Lumbar Lordosis Curvature.

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Kadono, Norio; Tsuchiya, Kazushi; Uematsu, Azusa; Kamoshita, Hiroshi; Kiryu, Kazunori; Hortobágyi, Tibor; Suzuki, Shuji

2017-08-01

Eighteen healthy male adults were assigned to either an intervention or control group. Isogai dynamic therapy (IDT) is one of Japanese stretching interventions and has been practiced for over 70 years. However, its scientific quantitative evidence remains unestablished. The objective of this study was to determine whether IDT could modify lumbar curvature in healthy young adults compared with stretching exercises used currently in clinical practice. None of previous studies have provided data that conventional stretching interventions could modify spinal curvatures. However, this study provides the first evidence that a specific form of a Japanese stretching intervention can acutely modify the spinal curvatures. We compared the effects of IDT, a Japanese stretching intervention (n=9 males), with a conventional stretching routine (n=9 males) used widely in clinics to modify pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis (LL) angle. We measured thoracic kyphosis (TK) and LL angles 3 times during erect standing using the Spinal Mouse before and after each intervention. IDT consisted of: (1) hip joint correction, (2) pelvic tilt correction, (3) lumbar alignment correction, and (4) squat exercise stretch. The control group performed hamstring stretches while (1) standing and (2) sitting. IDT increased LL angle to 25.1 degrees (±5.9) from 21.2 degrees (±6.9) (P=0.047) without changing TK angle (pretest: 36.8 degrees [±6.9]; posttest: 36.1 degrees [±6.5]) (P=0.572). The control group showed no changes in TK (P=0.819) and LL angles (P=0.744). IDT can thus be effective for increasing LL angle, hence anterior pelvic tilt. Such modifications could ameliorate low back pain and improve mobility in old adults with an unfavorable pelvic position.

Red Blood Cell Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPA n-3) is Inversely Associated with Triglycerides and C-reactive Protein (CRP) in Healthy Adults and Dose-Dependently Increases Following n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation

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Skulas-Ray, Ann C.; Flock, Michael R.; Richter, Chesney K.; Harris, William S.; West, Sheila G.; Kris-Etherton, Penny M.

2015-01-01

The role of the long-chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in lipid metabolism and inflammation has been extensively studied; however, little is known about the relationship between docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5 n-3) and inflammation and triglycerides (TG). We evaluated whether n-3 DPA content of red blood cells (RBC) was associated with markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protei...

Increasing the public health impact of evidence-based interventions in behavioral medicine: new approaches and future directions.

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Buscemi, Joanna; Janke, E Amy; Kugler, Kari C; Duffecy, Jenna; Mielenz, Thelma J; St George, Sara M; Sheinfeld Gorin, Sherri N

2017-02-01

The dissemination and implementation of evidence-based behavioral medicine interventions into real world practice has been limited. The purpose of this paper is to discuss specific limitations of current behavioral medicine research within the context of the RE-AIM framework, and potential opportunities to increase public health impact by applying novel intervention designs and data collection approaches. The MOST framework has recently emerged as an alternative approach to development and evaluation that aims to optimize multicomponent behavioral and bio-behavioral interventions. SMART designs, imbedded within the MOST framework, are an approach to optimize adaptive interventions. In addition to innovative design strategies, novel data collection approaches that have the potential to improve the public-health dissemination include mHealth approaches and considering environment as a potential data source. Finally, becoming involved in advocacy via policy related work may help to improve the impact of evidence-based behavioral interventions. Innovative methods, if increasingly implemented, may have the ability to increase the public health impact of evidence-based behavioral interventions to prevent disease.

Efficacy of interventions to increase the uptake of chlamydia screening in primary care: a systematic review

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Donovan Basil

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background As most genital chlamydia infections are asymptomatic, screening is the main way to detect and cases for treatment. We undertook a systematic review of studies assessing the efficacy of interventions for increasing the uptake of chlamydia screening in primary care. Methods We reviewed studies which compared chlamydia screening in the presence and the absence of an intervention. The primary endpoints were screening rate or total tests. Results We identified 16 intervention strategies; 11 were randomised controlled trials and five observational studies, 10 targeted females only, five both males and females, and one males only. Of the 15 interventions among females, six were associated with significant increases in screening rates at the 0.05 level including a multifaceted quality improvement program that involved provision of a urine jar to patients at registration (44% in intervention clinics vs. 16% in the control clinic; linking screening to routine Pap smears (6.9% vs. 4.5%, computer alerts for doctors (12.2% vs. 10.6%; education workshops for clinic staff; internet-based continuing medical education (15.5% vs. 12.4%; and free sexual health consultations (16.8% vs. 13.2%. Of the six interventions targeting males, two found significant increases including the multifaceted quality improvement program in which urine jars were provided to patients at registration (45% vs. 15%; and the offering by doctors of a test to all presenting young male clients, prior to consultation (29 vs. 4%. Conclusions Interventions that promoted the universal offer of a chlamydia test in young people had the greatest impact on increasing screening in primary care.

A Hybrid Online Intervention for Reducing Sedentary Behavior in Obese Women

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Melanie M Adams

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Sedentary behavior (SB has emerged as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. While exercise is known to reduce these risks, reducing SB through increases in non-structured PA and breaks from sitting may appeal to obese women who have lower self-efficacy for PA. This study examined effects of a combined face-to-face and online intervention to reduce SB in overweight and obese women. A two-group quasi-experimental study was used with measures taken pre and post. Female volunteers (M age=58.5, SD=12.5 yrs were enrolled in the intervention (n=40 or waitlisted (n=24. The intervention, based on the Social Cognitive Theory, combined group sessions with email messages over 6 weeks. Individualized feedback to support mastery and peer models of active behaviors were included in the emails. Participants self-monitored PA with a pedometer. Baseline and post measures of PA and SB were assessed by accelerometer and self-report. Standard measures of height, weight and waist circumference were conducted. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for analyses. Self-reported SB and light PA in the intervention group (I changed significantly over time [SB, F(1,2= 3.81, p=.03, light PA, F(1,2=3.39, p=.04]. Significant Group x Time interactions were found for light PA, F(1,63=5.22, p=.03, moderate PA, F(1, 63=3.90, p=.05, and for waist circumference, F(1,63=16.0, p=.001. The I group decreased significantly while the comparison group was unchanged. Hybrid computer interventions to reduce SB may provide a non-exercise alternative for increasing daily PA and potentially reduce waist circumference, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Consumer-grade accelerometers may aide improvements to PA and SB and should be tested as part of future interventions.

Oral language skills intervention in pre-school-a cautionary tale.

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Haley, Allyson; Hulme, Charles; Bowyer-Crane, Claudine; Snowling, Margaret J; Fricke, Silke

2017-01-01

While practitioners are increasingly asked to be mindful of the evidence base of intervention programmes, evidence from rigorous trials for the effectiveness of interventions that promote oral language abilities in the early years is sparse. To evaluate the effectiveness of a language intervention programme for children identified as having poor oral language skills in preschool classes. A randomized controlled trial was carried out in 13 UK nursery schools. In each nursery, eight children (N = 104, mean age = 3 years 11 months) with the poorest performance on standardized language measures were selected to take part. All but one child were randomly allocated to either an intervention (N = 52) or a waiting control group (N = 51). The intervention group received a 15-week oral language programme in addition to their standard nursery curriculum. The programme was delivered by trained teaching assistants and aimed to foster vocabulary knowledge, narrative and listening skills. Initial results revealed significant differences between the intervention and control group on measures of taught vocabulary. No group differences were found on any standardized language measure; however, there were gains of moderate effect size in listening comprehension. The study suggests that an intervention, of moderate duration and intensity, for small groups of preschool children successfully builds vocabulary knowledge, but does not generalize to non-taught areas of language. The findings strike a note of caution about implementing language interventions of moderate duration in preschool settings. The findings also highlight the importance of including a control group in intervention studies. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

The KinFact intervention - a randomized controlled trial to increase family communication about cancer history.

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Bodurtha, Joann N; McClish, Donna; Gyure, Maria; Corona, Rosalie; Krist, Alexander H; Rodríguez, Vivian M; Maibauer, Alisa M; Borzelleca, Joseph; Bowen, Deborah J; Quillin, John M

2014-10-01

Knowing family history is important for understanding cancer risk, yet communication within families is suboptimal. Providing strategies to enhance communication may be useful. Four hundred ninety women were recruited from urban, safety-net, hospital-based primary care women's health clinics. Participants were randomized to receive the KinFact intervention or the control handout on lowering risks for breast/colon cancer and screening recommendations. Cancer family history was reviewed with all participants. The 20-minute KinFact intervention, based in communication and behavior theory, included reviewing individualized breast/colon cancer risks and an interactive presentation about cancer and communication. Study outcomes included whether participants reported collecting family history, shared cancer risk information with relatives, and the frequency of communication with relatives. Data were collected at baseline, 1, 6, and 14 months. Overall, intervention participants were significantly more likely to gather family cancer information at follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01, 3.71) and to share familial cancer information with relatives (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.48). Communication frequency (1=not at all; 4=a lot) was significantly increased at follow-up (1.67 vs. 1.54). Differences were not modified by age, race, education, or family history. However, effects were modified by pregnancy status and genetic literacy. Intervention effects for information gathering and frequency were observed for nonpregnant women but not for pregnant women. Additionally, intervention effects were observed for information gathering in women with high genetic literacy, but not in women with low genetic literacy. The KinFact intervention successfully promoted family communication about cancer risk. Educating women to enhance their communication skills surrounding family history may allow them to partner more effectively with their families and ultimately

DSA diagnosis and interventional management of postoperative bleeding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Yuwei; Zhang Fuqiang; Li Yunhui; Yuan Liang; Si Guangyan; Liu Lili

2009-01-01

Objective: To discuss the clinical application of DSA and interventional management in diagnosing and treating the bleeding after surgery. Methods: The clinical data and the interventional management of 14 patients with DSA-proved postoperative bleeding, encountered during the period of Aug. 2005-Jan. 2008, were retrospectively analyzed. The surgeries included subtotal gastrectomy (n=4), pancreatoduodenectomy (n=3), cesarean section (n=2), nephrolithotomy (n=3), heminephrectomy (n=1), internal hemorrhoidectomy (n=1). Results: Seventeen arterial bleeding sites were demonstrated, including gastroduodenal (n=2), left gastric (n=4), phrenic (n=1), short gastric (n=1), superior mesenteric (n=2), renal (n=4), uterine (n=2) and internal pudendal (n=1) artery. The diagnosis was confirmed with DSA in all 14 patients, of which embolization was successfully carried out in 13 in one session (92.8%). The remaining one case had to be operated again to stop the bleeding because of the failure of the superselective catheterization. No serious complications, such as organ necrosis or visceral dysfunction, occurred. Conclusion: As a safe, minimally-invasive and effective technique, DSA and interventional management are very helpful in diagnosing and treating the bleeding after surgery. (authors)

Effect of consumption of tomato juice enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the lipid profile, antioxidant biomarker status, and cardiovascular disease risk in healthy women.

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García-Alonso, F J; Jorge-Vidal, V; Ros, G; Periago, M J

2012-06-01

We compared the effects of consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched tomato juice versus plain tomato juice on the serum lipid profile and levels of biomarkers related to antioxidant status and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women. Eighteen healthy women participated in a 2-week intervention trial involving the daily intake of 500 mL of n-3 PUFA-enriched juice (n = 11) or plain tomato juice (n = 7). Each serving of enriched juice provided 250 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Both juices provided natural antioxidant compounds such as phenolics (181 mg) and lycopene (26.5 mg). Intervention with the enriched juice had no effect on the lipid profile, and serum levels of triglycerides and cholesterol (total, LDL, and HDL) remained unchanged. The serum antioxidant status improved following juice intake, as revealed by an increase in total antioxidant capacity and a slight decrease in lipid peroxidation. The serum levels of homocysteine, a cardiovascular risk factor, decreased following n-3 PUFA-enriched juice consumption. A decrease in vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) levels was also noted after intake of either plain or enriched tomato juice, whereas intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) levels only decreased following intake of the enriched juice. Overall, stronger positive amelioration of CVD risk factors was observed following the intake of n-3 PUFA-enriched juice than after plain tomato juice consumption, which suggested a possible synergistic action between n-3 PUFAs and tomato antioxidants.

Biotinylated N-Acetyllactosamine- and N,N-Diacetyllactosamine-Based Oligosaccharides as Novel Ligands for Human Galectin-3

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Sophia Böcker

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Galectin inhibitor design is an emerging research field due to the involvement of galectins in cancer. Galectin-3, in particular, plays an important role in tumor progression. To generate inhibitors, modifications of the glycan structure can be introduced. Conjugation of hydrophobic compounds to saccharides has proven to be promising as increased binding of galectin-3 can be observed. In the present study, we report on neo-glycans carrying hydrophobic biotin as novel ligands for human galectin-3. We modified N-acetyllactosamine- and N,N-diacetyllactosamine-based tetrasaccharides at the C6-position of the terminal saccharide unit using selective enzymatic oxidation and subsequent chemical conjugation of biotinamidohexanoic acid hydrazide. These neo-glycans were much better bound by galectin-3 than the unmodified counterparts. High selectivity for galectin-3 over galectin-1 was also proven. We generated multivalent neo-glycoproteins by conjugation of neo-glycans to bovine serum albumin showing high affinity for galectin-3. Compared to non-biotinylated neo-glycoproteins, we achieved high binding levels of galectin-3 with a lesser amount of conjugated neo-glycans. Multivalent ligand presentation of neo-glycoproteins significantly increased the inhibitory potency towards galectin-3 binding to asialofetuin when compared to free monovalent glycans. Our findings show the positive impact of 6-biotinylation of tetrasaccharides on galectin-3 binding, which broadens the recent design approaches for producing high-affinity ligands.

Chemical intervention in plant sugar signalling increases yield and resilience

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Griffiths, Cara A.; Sagar, Ram; Geng, Yiqun; Primavesi, Lucia F.; Patel, Mitul K.; Passarelli, Melissa K.; Gilmore, Ian S.; Steven, Rory T.; Bunch, Josephine; Paul, Matthew J.; Davis, Benjamin G.

2016-12-01

The pressing global issue of food insecurity due to population growth, diminishing land and variable climate can only be addressed in agriculture by improving both maximum crop yield potential and resilience. Genetic modification is one potential solution, but has yet to achieve worldwide acceptance, particularly for crops such as wheat. Trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), a central sugar signal in plants, regulates sucrose use and allocation, underpinning crop growth and development. Here we show that application of a chemical intervention strategy directly modulates T6P levels in planta. Plant-permeable analogues of T6P were designed and constructed based on a ‘signalling-precursor’ concept for permeability, ready uptake and sunlight-triggered release of T6P in planta. We show that chemical intervention in a potent sugar signal increases grain yield, whereas application to vegetative tissue improves recovery and resurrection from drought. This technology offers a means to combine increases in yield with crop stress resilience. Given the generality of the T6P pathway in plants and other small-molecule signals in biology, these studies suggest that suitable synthetic exogenous small-molecule signal precursors can be used to directly enhance plant performance and perhaps other organism function.

Evaluación del impacto de un ensayo comunitario sobre el consumo de frutas y verduras en Colombia Evaluation of the impact of a community intervention on the consumption of fruits and vegetables in Colombia

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Gloria Esperanza Prada

2007-02-01

evaluation was carried out on two levels: the family and the HC. The Bland-Alman method was used to determine the intra- and inter-group impact. A multiple linear regression model enabled the evaluation of the intervention's effect on consumption frequency, adjusted for economic and demographic variables. RESULTS: The frequency of consumption of fruits increased an average of 1.3 times per week (CI 0.3, 1.8, p= 0.040. This was achieved when the probability of having a blender was higher than 75% (R² for the regression 0.33; n= 26. The frequency of vegetable consumption did not increase. CONCLUSIONS: In poor populations an increase in the consumption of fruits can be achieved through educational strategies. However, the limited access to equipment for transforming and preserving alimentary products is decisive to the final result.

Increasing children's lunchtime consumption of fruit and vegetables: an evaluation of the Food Dudes programme.

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Upton, Dominic; Upton, Penney; Taylor, Charlotte

2013-06-01

Although previous research has shown that the Food Dudes programme increases children's fruit and vegetable consumption at school, there has been limited evaluation of the extent to which changes are maintained in the long term. Furthermore, despite knowledge that the nutritional content of home-supplied meals is lower than that of school-supplied meals, little consideration has been given to the programme's impact on meals provided from home. The present study therefore assessed the long-term effectiveness of the Food Dudes programme for both school- and home-supplied lunches. Two cohorts of children participated, one receiving the Food Dudes intervention and a matched control group who did not receive any intervention. Consumption of fruit and vegetables was assessed pre-intervention, then at 3 and 12 months post-intervention. Consumption was measured across five consecutive days in each school using weighed intake (school-provided meals) and digital photography (home-provided meals). Fifteen primary schools, six intervention (n 1282) and seven control schools (n 1151). Participants were children aged 4-11 years. A significant increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables was found at 3 months for children in the intervention schools, but only for those eating school-supplied lunches. However, increases were not maintained at 12 months. The Food Dudes programme has a limited effect in producing even short-term changes in children's fruit and vegetable consumption at lunchtime. Further development work is required to ensure the short- and long-term effectiveness of interventions promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in children such as the Food Dudes programme.

Low-fat diet with omega-3 fatty acids increases plasma insulin-like growth factor concentration in healthy postmenopausal women.

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Young, Lindsay R; Kurzer, Mindy S; Thomas, William; Redmon, J Bruce; Raatz, Susan K

2013-07-01

The insulin-like growth factor pathway plays a central role in the normal and abnormal growth of tissues; however, nutritional determinants of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and its binding proteins in healthy individuals are not well defined. Three test diets-high-fat diet (40% energy as fat), low-fat diet (LF; 20% energy as fat), and a diet with low fat and high omega-3 fatty acid (LFn3; 23% energy as fat)--were tested in a randomized crossover designed controlled feeding trial in healthy postmenopausal women. Plasma IGF-I, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), insulin, glucose, and ratio of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 concentrations were measured in response to diets. Insulin sensitivity was calculated using the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance We hypothesized that IGF-I, insulin, and glucose concentrations would decrease and IGFBP-3 concentration would increase in response to the low-fat diets. Eight weeks of the LFn3 diet increased circulating IGF-I (P diet increased IGFBP-3 (P = .04), resulting in trends toward an increased IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio with the LFn3 diet and a decreased IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio with the LF diet (P = .13 for both comparisons). No statistically significant differences were detected between treatments at baseline or 8 weeks for IGF-1, IGFBP-3, or the ratio of IGF-1/IGFBP-3. Insulin, glucose, and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance were not altered by the interventions. Low-fat diet with high n-3 fatty acids may increase circulating IGF-I concentrations without adversely affecting insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Use of real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in intracardiac catheter based interventions.

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Perk, Gila; Lang, Roberto M; Garcia-Fernandez, Miguel Angel; Lodato, Joe; Sugeng, Lissa; Lopez, John; Knight, Brad P; Messika-Zeitoun, David; Shah, Sanjiv; Slater, James; Brochet, Eric; Varkey, Mathew; Hijazi, Ziyad; Marino, Nino; Ruiz, Carlos; Kronzon, Itzhak

2009-08-01

Real-time three-dimensional (RT3D) echocardiography is a recently developed technique that is being increasingly used in echocardiography laboratories. Over the past several years, improvements in transducer technologies have allowed development of a full matrix-array transducer that allows acquisition of pyramidal-shaped data sets. These data sets can be processed online and offline to allow accurate evaluation of cardiac structures, volumes, and mass. More recently, a transesophageal transducer with RT3D capabilities has been developed. This allows acquisition of high-quality RT3D images on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Percutaneous catheter-based procedures have gained growing acceptance in the cardiac procedural armamentarium. Advances in technology and technical skills allow increasingly complex procedures to be performed using a catheter-based approach, thus obviating the need for open-heart surgery. The authors used RT3D TEE to guide 72 catheter-based cardiac interventions. The procedures included the occlusion of atrial septal defects or patent foramen ovales (n=25), percutaneous mitral valve repair (e-valve clipping; n=3), mitral balloon valvuloplasty for mitral stenosis (n=10), left atrial appendage obliteration (n=11), left atrial or pulmonary vein ablation for atrial fibrillation (n=5), percutaneous closures of prosthetic valve dehiscence (n=10), percutaneous aortic valve replacement (n=6), and percutaneous closures of ventricular septal defects (n=2). In this review, the authors describe their experience with this technique, the added value over multiplanar two-dimensional TEE, and the pitfalls that were encountered. The main advantages found for the use RT3D TEE during catheter-based interventions were (1) the ability to visualize the entire lengths of intracardiac catheters, including the tips of all catheters and the balloons or devices they carry, along with a clear depiction of their positions in relation to other cardiac structures, and

Improving Decision Making about Genetic Testing in the Clinic: An Overview of Effective Knowledge Translation Interventions.

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France Légaré

Full Text Available Knowledge translation (KT interventions are attempts to change behavior in keeping with scientific evidence. While genetic tests are increasingly available to healthcare consumers in the clinic, evidence about their benefits is unclear and decisions about genetic testing are thus difficult for all parties.We sought to identify KT interventions that involved decisions about genetic testing in the clinical context and to assess their effectiveness for improving decision making in terms of behavior change, increased knowledge and wellbeing.We searched for trials assessing KT interventions in the context of genetic testing up to March 2014 in all systematic reviews (n = 153 published by two Cochrane review groups: Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC and Consumers and Communication.We retrieved 2473 unique trials of which we retained only 28 (1%. Two EPOC reviews yielded two trials of KT interventions: audit and feedback (n = 1 and educational outreach (n = 1. Both targeted health professionals and the KT intervention they assessed was found to be effective. Four Consumers and Communication reviews yielded 26 trials: decision aids (n = 15, communication of DNA-based disease risk estimates (n = 7, personalized risk communication (n = 3 and mobile phone messaging (n = 1. Among these, 25 trials targeted only health consumers or patients and the KT interventions were found to be effective in four trials, partly effective in seven, and ineffective in four. Lastly, only one trial targeted both physicians and patients and was found to be effective.More research on the effectiveness of KT interventions regarding genetic testing in the clinical context may contribute to patients making informed value-based decisions and drawing the maximum benefit from clinical applications of genetic and genomic innovations.

How to Increase Reach and Adherence of Web-Based Interventions: A Design Research Viewpoint.

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Ludden, Geke D S; van Rompay, Thomas J L; Kelders, Saskia M; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E W C

2015-07-10

Nowadays, technology is increasingly used to increase people's well-being. For example, many mobile and Web-based apps have been developed that can support people to become mentally fit or to manage their daily diet. However, analyses of current Web-based interventions show that many systems are only used by a specific group of users (eg, women, highly educated), and that even they often do not persist and drop out as the intervention unfolds. In this paper, we assess the impact of design features of Web-based interventions on reach and adherence and conclude that the power that design can have has not been used to its full potential. We propose looking at design research as a source of inspiration for new (to the field) design approaches. The paper goes on to specify and discuss three of these approaches: personalization, ambient information, and use of metaphors. Central to our viewpoint is the role of positive affect triggered by well-designed persuasive features to boost adherence and well-being. Finally, we discuss the future of persuasive eHealth interventions and suggest avenues for follow-up research.

Declines in Malaria Burden and All-Cause Child Mortality following Increases in Control Interventions in Senegal, 2005-2010.

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Thwing, Julie; Eckert, Erin; Dione, Demba Anta; Tine, Roger; Faye, Adama; Yé, Yazoume; Ndiop, Medoune; Cisse, Moustapha; Ndione, Jacques Andre; Diouf, Mame Birame; Ba, Mady

2017-09-01

Malaria is endemic in Senegal. The national malaria control strategy focuses on achieving universal coverage for major interventions, with a goal of reaching preelimination status by 2018. Senegal began distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and introduced artemisinin-based combination therapy in 2006, then introduced rapid diagnostic tests in 2007. We evaluated the impact of these efforts using a plausibility design based on malaria's contribution to all-cause under-five mortality (ACCM) and considering other contextual factors which may influence ACCM. Between 2005 and 2010, household ownership of ITNs increased from 20% to 63%, and the proportion of people sleeping under an ITN the night prior to the survey increased from 6% to 29%. Malaria parasite prevalence declined from 6% to 3% from 2008 to 2010 among children under five. Some nonmalaria indicators of child health improved, for example, increase of complete vaccination coverage from 58% to 64%; however, nutritional indicators deteriorated, with an increase in stunting from 16% to 26%. Although economic indicators improved, environmental conditions favored an increase in malaria transmission. ACCM decreased 40% between 2005 and 2010, from 121 (95% confidence interval [CI] 113-129) to 72 (95% CI 66-77) per 1,000, and declines were greater among age groups, epidemiologic zones, and wealth quintiles most at risk for malaria. After considering coverage of malaria interventions, trends in malaria morbidity, effects of contextual factors, and trends in ACCM, it is plausible that malaria control interventions contributed to a reduction in malaria mortality and to the impressive gains in child survival in Senegal.

Evaluation of the Dogs, Physical Activity, and Walking (Dogs PAW) Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Richards, Elizabeth A; Ogata, Niwako; Cheng, Ching-Wei

2016-01-01

To facilitate physical activity (PA) adoption and maintenance, promotion of innovative population-level strategies that focus on incorporating moderate-intensity lifestyle PAs are needed. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the Dogs, Physical Activity, and Walking intervention, a 3-month, social cognitive theory (SCT), e-mail-based PA intervention. In a longitudinal, repeated-measures design, 49 dog owners were randomly assigned to a control (n = 25) or intervention group (n = 24). The intervention group received e-mail messages (twice weekly for 4 weeks and weekly for 8 weeks) designed to influence SCT constructs of self-efficacy, self-regulation, outcome expectations and expectancies, and social support. At baseline and every 3 months through 1 year, participants completed self-reported questionnaires of individual, interpersonal, and PA variables. Linear mixed models were used to assess for significant differences in weekly minutes of dog walking and theoretical constructs between groups (intervention and control) across time. To test self-efficacy as a mediator of social support for dog walking, tests for mediation were conducted using the bootstrapping technique. With the exception of Month 9, participants in the intervention group accumulated significantly more weekly minutes of dog walking than the control group. On average, the intervention group accumulated 58.4 more minutes (SD = 18.1) of weekly dog walking than the control group (p dog walking. Results indicate that a simple SCT-based e-mail intervention is effective in increasing and maintaining an increase in dog walking among dog owners at 12-month follow-up. In light of these findings, it may be advantageous to design dog walking interventions that focus on increasing self-efficacy for dog walking by fostering social support.

Structural Intervention With School Nurses Increases Receipt of Sexual Health Care Among Male High School Students.

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Dittus, Patricia J; Harper, Christopher R; Becasen, Jeffrey S; Donatello, Robin A; Ethier, Kathleen A

2018-01-01

Adolescent males are less likely to receive health care and have lower levels of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge than adolescent females. The purpose of this study was to determine if a school-based structural intervention focused on school nurses increases receipt of condoms and SRH information among male students. Interventions to improve student access to sexual and reproductive health care were implemented in six urban high schools with a matched set of comparison schools. Interventions included working with school nurses to improve access to sexual and reproductive health care, including the provision of condoms and information about pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention and services. Intervention effects were assessed through five cross-sectional yearly surveys, and analyses include data from 13,740 male students. Nurses in intervention schools changed their interactions with male students who visited them for services, such that, among those who reported they went to the school nurse for any reason in the previous year, those in intervention schools reported significant increases in receipt of sexual health services over the course of the study compared with students in comparison schools. Further, these results translated into population-level effects. Among all male students surveyed, those in intervention schools were more likely than those in comparison schools to report increases in receipt of sexual health services from school nurses. With a minimal investment of resources, school nurses can become important sources of SRH information and condoms for male high school students. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effectiveness of a multi-level asthma intervention in increasing controller medication use: a randomized control trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Canino, Glorisa; Shrout, Patrick E; Vila, Doryliz; Ramírez, Rafael; Rand, Cynthia

2016-01-01

Poor self-management by families is an important factor in explaining high rates of asthma morbidity in Puerto Rico, and for this reason we previously tested a family intervention called CALMA that was found effective in improving most asthma outcomes, but not effective in increasing the use of controller medications. CALMA-plus was developed to address this issue by adding to CALMA, components of provider training and screening for asthma in clinics. Study participants were selected from claims Medicaid data in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After screening, 404 children in eight clinics were selected after forming pairs of clinics and randomizing the clinics) to CALMA-only or CALMA-plus. For all three primary outcomes at 12 months, the mean differences between treatment arms were small but in the predicted direction. However, after adjusting for clinic variation, the study failed to demonstrate that the CALMA-plus intervention was more efficacious than the CALMA-only intervention for increasing controller medication use, or decreasing asthma symptoms. Both groups had lower rates of asthma symptoms and service utilization, consistent with previous results of the CALMA-only intervention. Compliance of providers with the intervention and training, small number of clinics available and the multiple barriers experienced by providers for medicating may have been related to the lack of difference observed between the groups. Future interventions should respond to the limitations of the present study design and provide more resources to providers that will increase provider participation in training and implementation of the intervention.

Lifestyle interventions for diabetes mellitus type 2 prevention.

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Sagarra, R; Costa, B; Cabré, J J; Solà-Morales, O; Barrio, F

2014-03-01

Transferring the results from clinical trials on type 2 diabetes prevention is the objective of the Diabetes in Europe-Prevention using Lifestyle, Physical Activity and Nutritional intervention (DE-PLAN) project in Catalonia, whose cost-effectiveness analysis is now presented. A prospective cohort study was performed in primary care involving individuals without diagnosed diabetes aged 45-75 years (n=2054) screened using the questionnaire Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) and a subsequent oral glucose tolerance test. Where feasible, high-risk individuals who were identified (n=552) were allocated sequentially to standard care (n=219), a group-based (n=230) or an individual-level (n=103) intensive (structured programme of six hours using specific teaching techniques) lifestyle intervention (n=333). The primary outcome was the development of diabetes (WHO). We evaluated the cost of resources used with comparison of standard care and the intervention groups in terms of effectiveness and quality of life (15D questionnaire). After 4.2-year median follow-up, the cumulative incidences were 18.3% (14.3-22.9%) in the intensive intervention group and 28.8% (22.9-35.3%) in the standard care group (36.5% relative-risk-reduction). The corresponding 4-year HR was 0.64 (0.47-0.87; Pdiabetes, respectively. The estimated incremental cost-utility ratio was 3243€ per quality-adjusted life-years gained. The intensive lifestyle intervention delayed the development of diabetes and was efficient in economic analysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Performance of interventional procedures in a day-hospital system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Jae Ik; Park, Auh Whan; Cho, Hye Seon; Park, Eun Hee; Choi, Gap Suk; Lee, Seon Ju; Kim, Yong Woo; Juhn, Je Ryang

2007-01-01

We wanted to describe the practice and results of applying the day-hospital system in an interventional radiology clinic. From Oct. 2004 to Dec. 2005, the day-hospital system was applied to various interventional procedures with using a part of the recovery room of an angiography suite as a facility for hospital admission. The study included 91 cases in 73 patients. The source of the patient referral, the procedures, hospital courses and complications were analyzed and questionnaire surveys were conducted for the available 55 patients. Among the patients, 70% (n=64) were referred form other departments, 5% (n=5) from other hospitals, 5% (n=4) were new patients and 20% (n=18) were re-admissions. The procedures included gastrointestinal, biliary, urinary, hemodialysis related-and implantable port related interventions. 96% (n=87) of the patients were successfully discharged in a day and admission to the general ward was only 4% (n=4). Minor complications occurred after discharges in 3% (n=3). The questionnaire survey revealed that 96% (n=53) of the patients were satisfied with the service and they were not anxious after discharge. Most of common interventional procedures were safely done under the day-hospital system with the patients being highly satisfied. The day-hospital system can be a good tool for establishing admitting privileges for an interventional radiology clinic

"Booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods: internal pilot and feasibility study

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Walters Stephen J

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Systematic reviews have identified a range of brief interventions which increase physical activity in previously sedentary people. A randomised controlled trial is needed to assess whether providing motivational interviewing, three months after giving initial advice, sustains physical activity levels in those who recently became physically active. This paper reports the results of an internal pilot study designed to test the feasibility of the study in terms of recruitment, per protocol delivery of the intervention and retention at three months. Methods Participants were: aged 40-64 years; resident in deprived areas of Sheffield, UK; and, had recently become physically active as a result of using a brief intervention following an invitation from a mass mailout. Interventions: Motivational Interviewing 'boosters' aimed at sustaining change in physical activity status delivered face-to-face or over the telephone compared with no further intervention. Outcomes of the feasibility study: recruitment of 60 participants from mailout of 3,300; retention of 45 participants with 3-month follow-up accelerometry measurements; 70% of those randomised to boosters receiving intervention per protocol. Sample size and power were recalculated using the accelerometry data collected. Results Forty-seven participants were randomised (78% of the feasibility target; 37 participants were retained at three months, 29 with at least four days of accelerometry data (64% of the feasibility target; 79% of those allocated boosters received them per protocol (surpassing the feasibility target. The proposed sample size of 600 was confirmed as appropriate and power is expected to be sufficient to detect a difference between groups. Conclusions The main study will continue with the original recruitment target of 600 participants but to ensure feasibility, it is necessary to increase recruitment and improve the numbers of those followed-up who have evaluable

`Discover, Understand, Implement, and Transfer': Effectiveness of an intervention programme to motivate students for science

Science.gov (United States)

Schütte, Kerstin; Köller, Olaf

2015-09-01

Considerable research has focused on how best to satisfy modern societies' needs for skilled labour in the field of science. The present study evaluated an intervention programme designed to increase secondary school students' motivation to pursue a science career. Students from 3 schools of the highest educational track participated for up to 2 years in the intervention programme, which was implemented as an elective in the school curriculum. Our longitudinal study design for evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention programme included all students at the grade levels involved in the programme with students who did not participate serving as a control group. Mixed-model analyses of variance showed none of the intended effects of the intervention programme on science motivation; latent growth models corroborated these results. When the programme began, students who enrolled in the science elective (n = 92) were already substantially more motivated than their classmates (n = 228). Offering such an intervention programme as an elective did not further increase the participating students' science motivation. It seems worthwhile to carry out intervention programmes with talented students who show (comparatively) little interest in science at the outset rather than with highly motivated students who self-select into the programme.

40 CFR 721.10175 - 1-Propanaminium, N-(3-aminopropyl)-2-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-3-sulfo-, N-(C12-18 and C18-unsatd...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false 1-Propanaminium, N-(3-aminopropyl)-2... 1-Propanaminium, N-(3-aminopropyl)-2-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-3-sulfo-, N-(C12-18 and C18-unsatd. acyl... chemical substance identified as 1-Propanaminium, N-(3-aminopropyl)-2-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-3-sulfo-, N-(C12...

A Narrative Review of Social Media and Game-Based Nutrition Interventions Targeted at Young Adults.

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Nour, Monica; Yeung, Sin Hang; Partridge, Stephanie; Allman-Farinelli, Margaret

2017-05-01

The increased popularity of social media and mobile gaming among young adults provides an opportunity for innovative nutrition programs. This review evaluated the efficacy of these strategies in interventions targeted at 18- to 35-year-olds. The protocol was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Ten scientific databases, information technology conference proceedings, and gray literature were searched. Two reviewers conducted screening, data extraction, and quality assessments. Interventions were included if they used social media or electronic games. Comparisons were made pre- to post-intervention, or between intervention and control arms. Outcomes of interest included change in nutrition knowledge, attitudes, behavior, or weight and/or body composition. Eleven social media-based (randomized controlled trials [RCT] n=7) and six game-based [RCT n=1]) interventions were included. Overall quality of studies was low. Social media-based strategies included forum/blogs (n=5), Facebook (n=5), Twitter (n=1), YouTube (n=1), and chat rooms (n=1). Eight (RCT n=6) of 11 social media-based studies demonstrated improvements in outcomes. Findings suggested that social media may be more effective when combined with other strategies. Virtual reality games (n=3), web-based games (n=2), and a mobile application (n=1) were used in the gaming interventions. While a significant increase in knowledge was reported by three gaming studies (RCT=1), two used nonvalidated tools and longer-term measures of weight and behavioral outcomes were limited. The use of social media and gaming for nutrition promotion is in its infancy. Preliminary evidence suggests that these strategies have some utility for intervening with young adults. Further research using high-quality study designs is required, with measurement of outcomes over longer time periods. The systematic review protocol is registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42015025427

Does aerobic exercise increase 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure among workers with high occupational physical activity? - A RCT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korshøj, Mette; Krause, Niklas; Clays, Els

2017-01-01

.9–3.8). Cleaners with high aerobic workload exhibited particularly high 24-hour ABP increases: systolic 6.0 mm Hg (95% CI 2.4–9.6), and diastolic 3.8 mm Hg (95% CI 1.3–6.4). CONCLUSION Aerobic exercise increased 24-hour ABP among cleaners. This adverse effect raises questions about the safety and intended benefits......OBJECTIVE High occupational physical activity (OPA) increases cardiovascular risk and aerobic exercise has been recommended for reducing this risk. This paper investigates the effects of an aerobic exercise intervention on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) among cleaners with high OPA....... METHODS Hundred and sixteen cleaners between 18 and 65 years were randomized. During the 4-month intervention period, the aerobic exercise group (AE) (n = 57) performed worksite aerobic exercise (2 × 30 minutes/week), while the reference group (REF) (n = 59) attended lectures. Between-group differences...

Does Aerobic Exercise Increase 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Among Workers With High Occupational Physical Activity? - A RCT

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korshøj, Mette; Krause, Niklas; Clays, Els

2017-01-01

.9–3.8). Cleaners with high aerobic workload exhibited particularly high 24-hour ABP increases: systolic 6.0 mm Hg (95% CI 2.4–9.6), and diastolic 3.8 mm Hg (95% CI 1.3–6.4). CONCLUSION Aerobic exercise increased 24-hour ABP among cleaners. This adverse effect raises questions about the safety and intended benefits......OBJECTIVE High occupational physical activity (OPA) increases cardiovascular risk and aerobic exercise has been recommended for reducing this risk. This paper investigates the effects of an aerobic exercise intervention on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) among cleaners with high OPA....... METHODS Hundred and sixteen cleaners between 18 and 65 years were randomized. During the 4-month intervention period, the aerobic exercise group (AE) (n = 57) performed worksite aerobic exercise (2 × 30 minutes/week), while the reference group (REF) (n = 59) attended lectures. Between-group differences...

Optical phonon scattering on electronic mobility in Al2O3/AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures

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Zhou, X. J.; Qu, Y.; Ban, S. L.; Wang, Z. P.

2017-12-01

Considering the built-in electric fields and the two-mode property of transverse optical phonons in AlGaN material, the electronic eigen-energies and wave functions are obtained by solving Schrödinger equation with the finite difference method. The dispersion relations and potentials of the optical phonons are given by the transfer matrix method. The mobility of the two dimensional electron gas influenced by the optical phonons in Al2O3/AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures is investigated based on the theory of Lei-Ting force balance equation. It is found that the scattering from the half-space phonons is the main factor affecting the electronic mobility, and the influence of the other phonons can be ignored. The results show that the mobility decreases with increasing the thicknesses of Al2O3 and AlN layers, but there is no definite relationship between the mobility and the thickness of AlGaN barrier. The mobility is obviously reduced by increasing Al component in AlGaN crystal to show that the effect of ternary mixed crystals is important. It is also found that the mobility increases first and then decreases as the increment of the fixed charges, but decreases always with increasing temperature. The heterostructures constructed here can be good candidates as metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron-mobility-transistors since they have higher electronic mobility due to the influence from interface phonons weakened by the AlN interlayer.

Beneficial effects of enrichment of chicken meat with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and selenium on health parameters: a study on male rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Konieczka, P; Rozbicka-Wieczorek, A J; Czauderna, M; Smulikowska, S

2017-08-01

Consumption of chicken meat enriched with bioactive compounds such as n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAn-3), vitamin E (vE) and selenium (Se) can help prevent many diseases and can be used to deliver those substances to humans. This might be of importance as chicken meat consumption is increasing worldwide. The effects of enriching chicken meat with PUFAn-3, vE and Se through dietary interventions were studied in rats. Four groups of Ross 308 female broilers from day 22 to day 35 of age were fed control diet (L) that contained lard and 80 mg vE and 0.3 mg Se/kg, or diets that contained rape seeds and fish oil with the same level of Se and vE as in the control diet, the same level of Se as in the control and 150 mg vE/kg, or 150 mg of vE and 0.7 mg Se/kg. Broiler carcasses were boiled, deboned, lyophilized and pooled by group. Boiled edible components of chicken carcass (BECC) were included (240 g/kg) in the diets fed to four groups of ten 10-week-old Wistar male rats for 8 weeks. Inclusion of BECCs modulated dietary fatty acid profile in the rat diets. Feeding these diets did not influence parameters related to growth or relative weights of internal organs in the rats. Feeding BECCs with lower PUFAn-6/n-3 decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio in the rat brain and liver, and increased the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid in the brain lipids. Liver cholesterol level was similar among the experimental groups, whereas the concentration of vE in the liver of rats fed BECC with increased vE levels was higher than that in the rats fed BECC with the basal vE level. Haematological and biochemical parameters in blood were within the normal range for rats, but a few rats showed a tendency towards increased levels because of the higher vE and Se level. The health-promoting effect of feeding rats PUFAn-3 enriched BECC was more pronounced when an increased dietary level of vE was used, but the increased level of Se did not provide the rats with additional benefits. Thus, the

Student Content Knowledge Increases after Participation in a Hands-on Biotechnology Intervention

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Bigler, Amber M.; Hanegan, Nikki L.

2011-01-01

Implementing biotechnology education through hands-on teaching methods should be considered by secondary biology teachers. This study is an experimental research design to examine increased student content knowledge in biotechnology after a hands-on biotechnology intervention. The teachers from both school groups participated in, Project Crawfish,…

Findings from Encontros: a multilevel STI/HIV intervention to increase condom use, reduce STI, and change the social environment among sex workers in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Lippman, Sheri A; Chinaglia, Magda; Donini, Angela A; Diaz, Juan; Reingold, Arthur; Kerrigan, Deanna L

2012-03-01

Sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV prevention programs, which do not modify social structural contexts that contribute to risk of STI/HIV may fail to bring about improvements in health, particularly among groups who experience discrimination and exclusion from public life. We conducted a multilevel intervention with sex workers, including improved clinical care and community-mobilizing strategies to modify social structural factors that shape sexual behavior, to improve condom use and reduce incident STI. We followed 420 sex workers participating in the Encontros intervention in Corumbá, Brazil, between 2003 and 2005. We estimated the effect of the intervention on incident chlamydia and gonorrhea infections and condom use using generalized estimating equations and inverse probability weighting by comparing those who actively engaged in the intervention activities (exposed) with those who were less engaged (unexposed). We also determined the association of participation on reported social cohesion and participation in networks. Exposed participants had significantly higher odds of reporting consistent condom use with regular clients (odds ratio [OR]: 1.9, 95% confidence interval:1.1-3.3) and nonsignificantly increased odds with both new clients (OR: 1.6, 0.9-2.8) and nonpaying partners (OR: 1.5, 0.9-1.5). The odds of an incident STI were nonsignificantly reduced for exposed participants compared with unexposed (OR: 0.46, 0.2-1.3). Participation was significantly associated with increased perceived cohesion and participation in networks. This prospective study provides evidence that multilevel interventions with mobilizing strategies to modify aspects of the social environment can improve condom use, reduce STIs, and increase social cohesion and participation in networks among sex workers.

Incorporation of eicosapentaenioic and docosahexaenoic acids into breast adipose tissue of women at high risk of breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial of dietary fish and n-3 fatty acid capsules.

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Straka, Shana; Lester, Joanne L; Cole, Rachel M; Andridge, Rebecca R; Puchala, Sarah; Rose, Angela M; Clinton, Steven K; Belury, Martha A; Yee, Lisa D

2015-09-01

The fatty acid profile of dietary lipids is reflected in mammary adipose tissue and may influence mammary gland biology and cancer risk. To determine the effects of fish consumption on breast adipose tissue fatty acids, we conducted a study of fish versus n-3 PUFA supplements in women at increased risk of breast cancer. High risk women were randomized to comparable doses of marine n-3 PUFAs as canned salmon + albacore or capsules for 3 months. Pre- and posttreatment fatty acid profiles were obtained by GC. Dietary fish (n = 12) and n-3 PUFA capsules (n = 13) yielded increased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in plasma (p breast fat (p Women taking capsules had higher plasma and erythrocyte membrane EPA changes (∼four versus twofold, p = 0.002), without significant differences in DHA. Increases in breast adipose EPA, DHA were similar for both groups. Higher BMI correlated with smaller changes in plasma, erythrocyte membrane EPA, and breast adipose EPA, DHA. Adherence was excellent at 93.9% overall and higher in the fish arm (p = 0.01). Fish provides an excellent source of n-3 PUFAs that increases breast adipose EPA, DHA similar to supplements and represents a well-tolerated intervention for future studies of the impact of n-3 PUFAs and dietary patterns on breast cancer. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A systematic review of interventions to increase breast and cervical cancer screening uptake among Asian women.

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Lu, Mingshan; Moritz, Sabina; Lorenzetti, Diane; Sykes, Lindsay; Straus, Sharon; Quan, Hude

2012-06-07

The Asian population is one of the fastest growing ethnic minority groups in western countries. However, cancer screening uptake is consistently lower in this group than in the native-born populations. As a first step towards developing an effective cancer screening intervention program targeting Asian women, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review, without geographic, language or date limitations, to update current knowledge on the effectiveness of existing intervention strategies to enhance breast and cervical screening uptake in Asian women. This study systematically reviewed studies published as of January 2010 to synthesize knowledge about effectiveness of cancer screening interventions targeting Asian women. Fifteen multidisciplinary peer-reviewed and grey literature databases were searched to identify relevant studies. The results of our systematic review were reported in accordance with the PRISMA Statement. Of 37 selected intervention studies, only 18 studies included valid outcome measures (i.e. self-reported or recorded receipt of mammograms or Pap smear). 11 of the 18 intervention studies with valid outcome measures used multiple intervention strategies to target individuals in a specific Asian ethnic group. This observed pattern of intervention design supports the hypothesis that employing a combination of multiple strategies is more likely to be successful than single interventions. The effectiveness of community-based or workplace-based group education programs increases when additional supports, such as assistance in scheduling/attending screening and mobile screening services are provided. Combining cultural awareness training for health care professionals with outreach workers who can help healthcare professionals overcome language and cultural barriers is likely to improve cancer screening uptake. Media campaigns and mailed culturally sensitive print materials alone may be ineffective in increasing screening uptake. Intervention

A systematic review of interventions to increase breast and cervical cancer screening uptake among Asian women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Mingshan

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Asian population is one of the fastest growing ethnic minority groups in western countries. However, cancer screening uptake is consistently lower in this group than in the native-born populations. As a first step towards developing an effective cancer screening intervention program targeting Asian women, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review, without geographic, language or date limitations, to update current knowledge on the effectiveness of existing intervention strategies to enhance breast and cervical screening uptake in Asian women. Methods This study systematically reviewed studies published as of January 2010 to synthesize knowledge about effectiveness of cancer screening interventions targeting Asian women. Fifteen multidisciplinary peer-reviewed and grey literature databases were searched to identify relevant studies. Results The results of our systematic review were reported in accordance with the PRISMA Statement. Of 37 selected intervention studies, only 18 studies included valid outcome measures (i.e. self-reported or recorded receipt of mammograms or Pap smear. 11 of the 18 intervention studies with valid outcome measures used multiple intervention strategies to target individuals in a specific Asian ethnic group. This observed pattern of intervention design supports the hypothesis that employing a combination of multiple strategies is more likely to be successful than single interventions. The effectiveness of community-based or workplace-based group education programs increases when additional supports, such as assistance in scheduling/attending screening and mobile screening services are provided. Combining cultural awareness training for health care professionals with outreach workers who can help healthcare professionals overcome language and cultural barriers is likely to improve cancer screening uptake. Media campaigns and mailed culturally sensitive print materials alone may be ineffective

After Early Autism Diagnosis: Changes in Intervention and Parent-Child Interaction.

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Suma, Katharine; Adamson, Lauren B; Bakeman, Roger; Robins, Diana L; Abrams, Danielle N

2016-08-01

This study documents the relation between an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, increases in intervention, and changes in parent-child interaction quality. Information about intervention and observations of interaction were collected before diagnosis and a half year after diagnosis for 79 low-risk toddlers who had screened positive for ASD risk during a well-baby checkup. Children diagnosed with ASD (n = 44) were 2.69 times more likely to increase intervention hours. After ASD diagnosis, the relation between intervention and interaction quality was complex: although increases in intervention and interaction quality were only modestly related, the overall amount of intervention after diagnosis was associated with higher quality interactions. Moreover, lower quality interactions before diagnosis significantly increased the likelihood that intervention would increase post-diagnosis.

Ethanol oxidation reactions catalyzed by water molecules: CH3CH2OH+n H2O→ CH3CHO+ H2+n H2O (n=0,1,2)

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Takahashi, H.; Hisaoka, S.; Nitta, T.

2002-09-01

Ab initio density functional theory calculations have been performed to investigate the catalytic role of water molecules in the oxidation reaction of ethanol: CH3CH2OH+n H2O→ CH3CHO+ H2+n H2O (n=0,1,2) . The results show that the potential energy barrier for the reaction is 88.0 kcal/mol in case of n=0, while it is reduced by ˜34 kcal/mol when two water molecules are involved ( n=2) in the reaction. As a result, the rate constant increases to 3.31×10 -4 s-1, which shows a significant catalytic role of water molecules in the ethanol oxidation reactions.

Increased Adoption of Quality Improvement Interventions to Implement Evidence-Based Practices for Pressure Ulcer Prevention in U.S. Academic Medical Centers.

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Padula, William V; Mishra, Manish K; Makic, Mary Beth F; Wald, Heidi L; Campbell, Jonathan D; Nair, Kavita V; Valuck, Robert J

2015-12-01

In 2008, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services enacted a nonpayment policy for stage III and IV hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs), which incentivized hospitals to improve prevention efforts. In response, hospitals looked for ways to support implementation of evidence-based practices for HAPU prevention, such as adoption of quality improvement (QI) interventions. The objective of this study was to quantify adoption patterns of QI interventions for supporting evidence-based practices for HAPU prevention. This study surveyed wound care specialists working at hospitals within the University HealthSystem Consortium. A questionnaire was used to retrospectively describe QI adoption patterns according to 25 HAPU-specific QI interventions into four domains: leadership, staff, information technology (IT), and performance and improvement. Respondents indicated QI interventions implemented between 2007 and 2012 to the nearest quarter and year. Descriptive statistics defined patterns of QI adoption. A t-test and statistical process control chart established statistically significant increase in adoption following nonpayment policy enactment in October 2008. Increase are described in terms of scope (number of QI domains employed) and scale (number of QI interventions within domains). Fifty-three of the 55 hospitals surveyed reported implementing QI interventions for HAPU prevention. Leadership interventions were most frequent, increasing in scope from 40% to 63% between 2008 and 2012; "annual programs to promote pressure ulcer prevention" showed the greatest increase in scale. Staff interventions increased in scope from 32% to 53%; "frequent consult driven huddles" showed the greatest increase in scale. IT interventions increased in scope from 31% to 55%. Performance and improvement interventions increased in scope from 18% to 40%, with "new skin care products . . ." increasing the most. Academic medical centers increased adoption of QI interventions

A 12-month exercise intervention decreased stress symptoms and increased mental resources among working adults – Results perceived after a 12-month follow-up

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Oili Kettunen

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction This study evaluated the effect of a 12-month physical exercise intervention accompanied by a 12-month followup evaluating stress symptoms (SS, mental resources (MR and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF in healthy, working adults. We hypothesized that the stress symptoms would decrease and mental resources would increase during the intervention and that these results are associated with changes in CRF. Material and methods The study group included healthy adults (N = 371. Three hundred thirty eight participants (212 women, 126 men were allocated in the exercise group and 33 in the control group (17 women and 16 men. For the analysis, the exercise group was divided into subgroups according to the baseline SS and MR. Stress symptoms and MR were measured using the Occupational Stress Questionnaire. Results During the 12-month exercise intervention, SS decreased by 16% (p < 0.0001, MR increased by 8% (p < 0.0001 and CRF increased by 7% (p < 0.0001 in the exercise group, while no changes occurred in the control group (ANCOVA, p < 0.01. In the exercise group, the results (SS, MR, and CRF remained improved during the follow-up. There was a positive correlation between the change in SS and the change in CRF (r = 0.19, p < 0.01. In the subgroup having the highest SS at baseline, SS during the intervention decreased most (26% (ANCOVA, p < 0.0001. Conclusions One year physical exercise intervention improved mental well-being among working adults and this was associated with an improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness. The positive changes remained after the 12-month follow-up.

Protocol for a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of a peer-led school-based intervention to increase the physical activity of adolescent girls (PLAN-A).

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Sebire, Simon J; Edwards, Mark J; Campbell, Rona; Jago, Russell; Kipping, Ruth; Banfield, Kathryn; Tomkinson, Keeley; Garfield, Kirsty; Lyons, Ronan A; Simon, Joanne; Blair, Peter S; Hollingworth, William

2016-01-01

Physical activity levels are low amongst adolescent girls, and this population faces specific barriers to being active. Peer influences on health behaviours are important in adolescence and peer-led interventions might hold promise to change behaviour. This paper describes the protocol for a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of Peer-Led physical Activity iNtervention for Adolescent girls (PLAN-A), a peer-led intervention aimed at increasing adolescent girls' physical activity levels. A two-arm cluster randomised feasibility trial will be conducted in six secondary schools (intervention n  = 4; control n  = 2) with year 8 (12-13 years old) girls. The intervention will operate at a year group level and consist of year 8 girls nominating influential peers within their year group to become peer-supporters. Approximately 15 % of the cohort will receive 3 days of training about physical activity and interpersonal communication skills. Peer-supporters will then informally diffuse messages about physical activity amongst their friends for 10 weeks. Data will be collected at baseline (time 0 (T0)), immediately after the intervention (time 1 (T1)) and 12 months after baseline measures (time 2 (T2)). In this feasibility trial, the primary interest is in the recruitment of schools and participants (both year 8 girls and peer-supporters), delivery and receipt of the intervention, data provision rates and identifying the cost categories for future economic analysis. Physical activity will be assessed using 7-day accelerometry, with the likely primary outcome in a fully-powered trial being daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Participants will also complete psychosocial questionnaires at each time point: assessing motivation, self-esteem and peer physical activity norms. Data analysis will be largely descriptive and focus on recruitment, attendance and data provision rates. The findings will inform the sample size required for a

The effectiveness of behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity participation in people with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Sangelaji, Bahram; Smith, Catherin M; Paul, Lorna; Sampath, Kesava Kovanur; Treharne, Gareth J; Hale, Leigh Anne

2016-06-01

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to illustrate whether people with multiple sclerosis engage in more physical activity following behaviour change interventions. MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, EMBASE and PEDro were searched from their inception till 30 April 2015. Randomized and clinical controlled trials that used behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity in people with multiple sclerosis were selected, regardless of type or duration of multiple sclerosis or disability severity. Data extraction was conducted by two independent reviewers and the Cochrane Collaboration's recommended method was used to assess the risk of bias of each included study. A total of 19 out of 573 studies were included. Focusing on trials without risk of bias, meta-analysis showed that behaviour change interventions can significantly increase physical activity participation (z = 2.20, p = 0.03, standardised main difference 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.07 to 1.22, 3 trials, I(2) = 68%) (eight to 12 weeks' duration). Behaviour change interventions did not significantly impact on the physical components of quality of life or fatigue. Behaviour change interventions provided for relatively short duration (eight to 12 weeks) may increase the amount of physical activity people with multiple sclerosis engage in, but appear to have no effect on the physical components of quality of life and fatigue. Further high quality investigations of the efficacy of behaviour change interventions to increase physical activity participation that focus on dose, long-term impact and method of delivery are warranted for people with multiple sclerosis. © The Author(s) 2015.

The effectiveness of asking behaviors among 9-11 year-old children in increasing home availability and children's intake of fruit and vegetables: results from the Squire's Quest II self-regulation game intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

DeSmet, Ann; Liu, Yan; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Baranowski, Tom; Thompson, Debbe

2017-04-21

Home environment has an important influence on children's fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, but children may in turn also impact their home FV environment, e.g. by asking for FV. The Squire's Quest II serious game intervention aimed to increase asking behaviors to improve home FV availability and children's FV intake. This study's aims were to assess: 1) did asking behaviors at baseline predict home FV availability at baseline (T0) (RQ1); 2) were asking behaviors and home FV availability influenced by the intervention (RQ2); 3) did increases in asking behaviors predict increased home FV availability (RQ3); and 4) did increases in asking behaviors and increases in home FV availability mediate increases in FV intake among children (RQ4)? This is a secondary analysis of a study using a randomized controlled trial, with 4 groups (each n = 100 child-parent dyads). All groups were analyzed together for this paper since groups did not vary on components relevant to our analysis. All children and parents (n = 400 dyads) received a self-regulation serious game intervention and parent material. The intervention ran for three months. Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately after intervention and at 3-month follow-up. Asking behavior and home FV availability were measured using questionnaires; child FV intake was measured using 24-h dietary recalls. ANCOVA methods (research question 1), linear mixed-effect models (research question 2), and Structural Equation Modeling (research questions 3 and 4) were used. Baseline child asking behaviors predicted baseline home FV availability. The intervention increased child asking behaviors and home FV availability. Increases in child asking behaviors, however, did not predict increased home FV availability. Increased child asking behaviors and home FV availability also did not mediate the increases in child FV intake. Children influence their home FV environment through their asking behaviors, which can be enhanced

Synthesis and description of complexes of Cu(I), Mn(II) and Zn(II) using the linking N,N'-bis(2-sulphide benzil)-3,3'-diamine N'-methyldipropylamine of sodium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amador Godoy, Ginnette

2000-01-01

This work optimized the synthesis's procedure of the linking called N,N ' -bis(2-sulphide benzil)-3,3 ' -diamino - N ' -methyldipropylamine of sodium. It described the synthesis's intermediate products of the linking by 1 H-NMR. It synthesized complexes utilizing the linking mentioned previously and the metal salts of cooper and manganese. The description of the complexes was realized by electrochemical, magnetic and spectroscopic methods. To the (I) cooper's complex, it was gotten an effective magnetic moment of 0.62 M.B. and the molecular formula proposed is: C 2 1H 2 9N 3 S 2 Cu.CH 3 OH. It determined that the oxide-reduction process is quasi reversible. The (II) manganese's complex has an effective magnetic moment of 5.2 M.B. that corresponds to a configuration d 5 of tall porcupine. It proposes the molecular formula C 2 1H 2 9N 3 S 2 Mn and the metal/nitrogen relation is 3/1. The oxide-reduction process is quasi reversible. It described the zinc's complex in dissolution by 1 H-NMR and 1 3C-NMR to different temperatures, it observed an increase of the separation and definition of the signals when the temperature increased until to get an spectro 1 H-NMR to 130 centigrade with the standard signals of the different shapes that can adopt the molecule, besides it got an spectro of 1 3C-NMR to 100 centigrade [es

ELOVL4 protein preferentially elongates 20:5n3 to very long chain PUFAs over 20:4n6 and 22:6n3[S

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Yu, Man; Benham, Aaron; Logan, Sreemathi; Brush, R. Steven; Mandal, Md Nawajes A.; Anderson, Robert E.; Agbaga, Martin-Paul

2012-01-01

We hypothesized that reduction/loss of very long chain PUFAs (VLC-PUFAs) due to mutations in the ELOngase of very long chain fatty acid-4 (ELOVL4) protein contributes to retinal degeneration in autosomal dominant Stargardt-like macular dystrophy (STGD3) and age-related macular degeneration; hence, increasing VLC-PUFA in the retina of these patients could provide some therapeutic benefits. Thus, we tested the efficiency of elongation of C20-C22 PUFA by the ELOVL4 protein to determine which substrates are the best precursors for biosynthesis of VLC-PUFA. The ELOVL4 protein was expressed in pheochromocytoma cells, while green fluorescent protein-expressing and nontransduced cells served as controls. The cells were treated with 20:5n3, 22:6n3, and 20:4n6, either individually or in equal combinations. Both transduced and control cells internalized and elongated the supplemented FAs to C22-C26 precursors. Only ELOVL4-expressing cells synthesized C28-C38 VLC-PUFA from these precursors. In general, 20:5n3 was more efficiently elongated to VLC-PUFA in the ELOVL4-expressing cells, regardless of whether it was in combination with 22:6n3 or with 20:4n6. In each FA treatment group, C34 and C36 VLC-PUFAs were the predominant VLC-PUFAs in the ELOVL4-expressing cells. In summary, 20:5n3, followed by 20:4n6, seems to be the best precursor for boosting the synthesis of VLC-PUFA by ELOVL4 protein. PMID:22158834

Intervention-engagement and its role in the effectiveness of stage-matched interventions promoting physical exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Richert, Jana; Lippke, Sonia; Ziegelmann, Jochen P

2011-01-01

Intervention-engagement has received little attention in sports medicine as well as research and promotion of physical exercise. The construct is important, however, in the understanding of why interventions work. This study aimed at shedding more light on the interplay of engagement and the subsequent effectiveness of physical exercise interventions. A three-stage model differentiating among nonintenders, intenders, and actors informed the intervention design in this study. In an Internet-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two measurement points, N = 326 participants received a stage-matched, stage-mismatched, or control treatment. Assessed variables were goal setting, planning, behavior, and intervention-engagement. It was found that regarding goal setting, nonintenders in the stage-matched intervention and those who engaged highly in the stage-matched intervention improved significantly over time. Regarding planning, intenders in the matched condition as well as all actors increased their levels over time. Regarding behavior, nonintenders and intenders having engaged highly in the intervention improved more than those having engaged little. In order to help nonintenders progress on their way toward goal behavior, it is necessary that they engage highly in a stage-matched intervention. Implications for exercise promotion are that interventions should also aim at increasing participants' intervention-engagement.

Piloting a mobile health intervention to increase physical activity for adolescents with ADHD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin Schoenfelder

2017-06-01

Results indicate that this mHealth intervention is engaging and promising for increasing PA among adolescents with ADHD, and warrant further study. Implications for improving ADHD symptoms and overall functioning for this undertreated population are discussed.

Key Factors in Smoking Cessation Intervention among 15-16-Year-Olds

Science.gov (United States)

Heikkinen, Anna Maria; Broms, Ulla; Pitkaniemi, Janne; Koskenvuo, Markku; Meurman, Jukka

2009-01-01

The authors aimed to investigate factors associated with smoking cessation among adolescents after tobacco intervention. They examined smokers (n = 127) from one birth cohort (n = 545) in the city of Kotka in Finland. These smokers were randomized in 3 intervention groups the dentist (n = 44) and the school nurse (n = 42 groups), and a control…

Mechanisms whereby insulin increases diacylglycerol in BC3H-1 myocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Farese, R V; Cooper, D R; Konda, T S; Nair, G; Standaert, M L; Davis, J S; Pollet, R J

1988-01-01

We previously suggested that insulin increases diacylglycerol (DAG) in BC3H-1 myocytes, both by increases in synthesis de novo of phosphatidic acid (PA) and by hydrolysis of non-inositol-containing phospholipids, such as phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). We have now evaluated these insulin effects more thoroughly, and several potential mechanisms for their induction. In studies of the effect on PA synthesis de novo, insulin stimulated [2-3H]glycerol incorporation into PA, DAG, PC/PE and total glycerolipids of BC3H-1 myocytes, regardless of whether insulin was added simultaneously with, or after 2 h or 3 or 10 days of prelabelling with, [2-3H]glycerol. In prelabelled cells, time-related changes in [2-3H]glycerol labelling of DAG correlated well with increases in DAG content: both were maximal in 30-60 s and persisted for 20-30 min. [2-3H]Glycerol labelling of glycerol 3-phosphate, on the other hand, was decreased by insulin, presumably reflecting increased utilization for PA synthesis. Glycerol 3-phosphate concentrations were 0.36 and 0.38 mM before and 1 min after insulin treatment, and insulin effects could not be explained by increases in glycerol 3-phosphate specific radioactivity. In addition to that of [2-3H]glycerol, insulin increased [U-14C]glucose and [1,2,3-3H]glycerol incorporation into DAG and other glycerolipids. Effects of insulin on [2-3H]glycerol incorporation into DAG and other glycerolipids were half-maximal and maximal at 2 nM- and 20 nM-insulin respectively, and were not dependent on glucose concentration in the medium, extracellular Ca2+ or protein synthesis. Despite good correlation between [3H]DAG and DAG content, calculated increases in DAG content from glycerol 3-phosphate specific radioactivity (i.e. via the pathway of PA synthesis de novo) could account for only 15-30% of the observed increases in DAG content. In addition to increases in [3H]glycerol labelling of PC/PE, insulin rapidly (within 30 s) increased PC

The KinFact Intervention – A Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase Family Communication About Cancer History

Science.gov (United States)

McClish, Donna; Gyure, Maria; Corona, Rosalie; Krist, Alexander H.; Rodríguez, Vivian M.; Maibauer, Alisa M.; Borzelleca, Joseph; Bowen, Deborah J.; Quillin, John M.

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Knowing family history is important for understanding cancer risk, yet communication within families is suboptimal. Providing strategies to enhance communication may be useful. Methods: Four hundred ninety women were recruited from urban, safety-net, hospital-based primary care women's health clinics. Participants were randomized to receive the KinFact intervention or the control handout on lowering risks for breast/colon cancer and screening recommendations. Cancer family history was reviewed with all participants. The 20-minute KinFact intervention, based in communication and behavior theory, included reviewing individualized breast/colon cancer risks and an interactive presentation about cancer and communication. Study outcomes included whether participants reported collecting family history, shared cancer risk information with relatives, and the frequency of communication with relatives. Data were collected at baseline, 1, 6, and 14 months. Results: Overall, intervention participants were significantly more likely to gather family cancer information at follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01, 3.71) and to share familial cancer information with relatives (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.48). Communication frequency (1=not at all; 4=a lot) was significantly increased at follow-up (1.67 vs. 1.54). Differences were not modified by age, race, education, or family history. However, effects were modified by pregnancy status and genetic literacy. Intervention effects for information gathering and frequency were observed for nonpregnant women but not for pregnant women. Additionally, intervention effects were observed for information gathering in women with high genetic literacy, but not in women with low genetic literacy. Conclusions: The KinFact intervention successfully promoted family communication about cancer risk. Educating women to enhance their communication skills surrounding family history may allow them to partner

A pilot RCT of an intervention to reduce HIV condomless sex and increase self-acceptance among MSM in Chennai, India

OpenAIRE

Safren, Steven A.; Thomas, Beena E.; Mayer, Kenneth H.; Biello, Katie B.; Mani, Jamuna; Rajagandhi, Vijaylakshmi; Periyasamy, Murugesan; Swaminathan, Soumya; Mimiaga, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

This is a 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial (N=96) of a behavioral intervention (4 group and 4 individual sessions) integrating risk reduction counseling with counseling to foster self-acceptance in MSM in India compared to Enhanced Standard of Care (ESOC). Both conditions involved HIV and STI testing and counseling at baseline and 6-months, and assessments of condomless sex at baseline, 3-, and 6-months. A significant condition by time interaction suggested a difference in the rate of ...

Negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy of solvated electron cluster anions, (H2O)n- and (NH3)n-

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, G.H.; Arnold, S.T.; Eaton, J.G; Sarkas, H.W.; Bowen, K.H.; Ludewigt, C.; Haberland, H.

1991-01-01

The photodetachment spectra of (H 2 O) - n=2-69 and (NH 3 ) - n=41-1100 have been recorded, and vertical detachment energies (VDEs) were obtained from the spectra. For both systems, the cluster anion VDEs increase smoothly with increasing sizes and most species plot linearly with n -1/3 , extrapolating to a VDE (n = ∞) value which is very close to the photoelectric threshold energy for the corresponding condensed phase solvated electron system. The linear extrapolation of this data to the analogous condensed phase property suggests that these cluster anions are gas phase counterparts to solvated electrons, i.e. they are embryonic forms of hydrated and ammoniated electrons which mature with increasing cluster size toward condensed phase solvated electrons. (orig.)

Negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy of solvated electron cluster anions, (H2O){/n -} and (NH3){/n -}

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, G. H.; Arnold, S. T.; Eaton, J. G.; Sarkas, H. W.; Bowen, K. H.; Ludewigt, C.; Haberland, H.

1991-03-01

The photodetachment spectra of (H2O){/n =2-69/-} and (NH3){/n =41-1100/-} have been recorded, and vertical detachment energies (VDEs) were obtained from the spectra. For both systems, the cluster anion VDEs increase smoothly with increasing sizes and most species plot linearly with n -1/3, extrapolating to a VDE ( n=∞) value which is very close to the photoelectric threshold energy for the corresponding condensed phase solvated electron system. The linear extrapolation of this data to the analogous condensed phase property suggests that these cluster anions are gas phase counterparts to solvated electrons, i.e. they are embryonic forms of hydrated and ammoniated electrons which mature with increasing cluster size toward condensed phase solvated electrons.

Maternal fish oil supplementation in lactation: Effect on visual acuity and n-3 fatty acid content of infant erythrocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritzen, L.; Jørgensen, M.H.; Mikkelsen, T.B.

2004-01-01

of fish oil (FO) supplements in lactating mothers. In this double-blinded randomized trial, Danish mothers with habitual fish intake below the 50th percentile of the Danish National Birth Cohort were randomized to microencapsulated FO [1.3 g/d long-chain n-3 FA (n-3 LCPUFA)] or olive oil (00......). The intervention started within a week after delivery and lasted 4 mon. Mothers with habitual high fish intake and their infants were included as a reference group. Ninety-seven infants completed the trial (44 OO-group, 53 FO-group) and 47 reference infants were followed up. The primary outcome measures were: DHA...... content of milk samples (0, 2, and 4 mon postnatal) and of infant red blood cell (RBC) membranes (4 mon postnatal), and infant visual acuity (measured by swept visual evoked potential at 2 and 4 mon of age). FO supplementation gave rise to a threefold increase in the DHA content of the 4-mon milk samples...

Photocatalytic decomposition of N2O over TiO2/g-C3N4 photocatalysts heterojunction

Science.gov (United States)

Kočí, K.; Reli, M.; Troppová, I.; Šihor, M.; Kupková, J.; Kustrowski, P.; Praus, P.

2017-02-01

TiO2/g-C3N4 photocatalysts with the various TiO2/g-C3N4 weight ratios from 1:2 to 1:6 were fabricated by mechanical mixing in water suspension followed by calcination. Pure TiO2 was prepared by thermal hydrolysis and pure g-C3N4 was prepared from commercial melamine by thermal annealing at 620 °C. All the nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoelectrochemical measurements and nitrogen physisorption. The prepared mixtures along with pure TiO2 and g-C3N4 were tested for the photocatalytic decomposition of nitrous oxide under UVC (λ = 254 nm), UVA (λ = 365 nm) and Vis (λ > 400 nm) irradiation. The TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites showed moderate improvement compared to pure g-C3N4 but pure TiO2 proved to be a better photocatalyst under UVC irradiation. However, under UVA irradiation conditions, the photocatalytic activity of TiO2/g-C3N4 (1:2) nanocomposite exhibited an increase compared to pure TiO2. Nevertheless, further increase of g-C3N4 amount leads/led to a decrease in reactivity. These results are suggesting the nanocomposite with the optimal weight ratio of TiO2 and g-C3N4 have shifted absorption edge energy towards longer wavelengths and decreased the recombination rate of charge carriers compared to pure g-C3N4. This is probably due to the generation of heterojunction on the TiO2/g-C3N4 interface.

A Novel Heart-Centered, Gratitude-Meditation Intervention to Increase Well-Being among Adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lunthita M. Duthely

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Population studies paint a dismal picture of the mental health status of adolescents, in the US and worldwide. Positive psychology, which takes a preventative approach to keeping individuals in higher states of well-being, is being implemented increasingly among youth, with the goal of avoiding future mental health and psychological problems. In this study, a novel intervention, which fused the practice of meditation with gratitude visualizations, was tested among adolescents. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the extent to which the intervention affected life satisfaction, school satisfaction, and measured gratitude, among a culturally diverse cohort of adolescents. Instrumentation consisted of three positive psychology measures—the Student Life Satisfaction Scale, the School Satisfaction Subscale, and the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form. Participants were randomly assigned either to the delayed-intervention, no-treatment control group or to the experimental group. The four-week intervention was manualized primarily from the heart-centered gratitude visualizations outlined in a happiness and positive emotions handbook, The Jewels of Happiness: Inspiration and Wisdom to Guide Your Life-Journey. The intervention significantly affected life satisfaction, school satisfaction, and gratitude of the experimental group, when compared to the control group. Medium to large effect sizes were detected using the ANCOVA statistical test.

Age differences in workplace intervention effects on employees' nighttime and daytime sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Soomi; Almeida, David M; Berkman, Lisa; Olson, Ryan; Moen, Phyllis; Buxton, Orfeu M

2016-12-01

To examine the effects of a workplace flexibility/support intervention on employees' sleep quantity and quality during nights and days and whether the effects differ by employee age. Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Information technology industry workplaces. US employees ( M age = 46.9 years) at an information technology firm who provided actigraphy at baseline and a 12-month follow-up (N = 396; n = 195 intervention, n = 201 control). The Work, Family, and Health Study intervention aimed to increase workplace flexibility and support. The intervention consisted of facilitated discussions to help employees increase control over when and where they work as well as manager-specific training sessions to increase manager support for employees' work-family issues. Nighttime sleep duration, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and nap duration were measured with wrist actigraphy. Day-to-day variability in these variables (min 2 ) was also estimated. Intervention employees increased nighttime sleep duration at 12 months, by 9 minutes per day, relative to control employees. There were interaction effects between the intervention and age on daytime nap duration and day-to-day variability in WASO. Older employees (56-70 years) in the intervention condition decreased nap duration at 12 months relative to older employees in the control condition. Older employees in the intervention condition also exhibited a greater decrease in day-to-day variability of WASO at 12 months compared with their baseline. The workplace flexibility/support intervention was effective in enhancing employees' sleep health by increasing nighttime sleep duration. Furthermore, the intervention was particularly effective for older employees in decreasing their daytime nap duration and day-to-day variability in WASO.

[Effect of NH4(+) -N/NO3(-)-N ratio in applied supplementary fertilizer on nitrogen metabolism and main chemical composition of Pinellia ternata].

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Long-Jiao; Wang, Kang-Cai; Li, Can-Wen

2013-07-01

To study the effect of nitrogen forms on nitrogen metabolism and main chemical composition of Pinellia ternate. Through the soilless cultivation experiment and based at the same nitrogen level and different NH4(+) -N/NO3(-) -N ratios, nitrate reductase (NR) activity, glutamine synthetase (GS) activity, the content of nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen in different parts of P. ternate were determined. The contents of total alkaloid, free total organic acids and guanosine in the tuber were determined. The yield of bulbil and tuber was calculated. The test results showed that, with the NH4(+) -N/NO3(-) -N ratio increasing, the activity of nitrate reductase decreased, the content of nitrate nitrogen in the leaves, petioles and tuber increasing initially, then decreased, and the content of nitrate nitrogen in the root decreased. Meanwhile, with the NH4(+) -N/NO3(-) -N ratio increasing, the activity of glutamine synthetase in the leaves, petioles and root increased, the activity of glutamine synthetase in the tuber increasing initially, then decreased. The contents of ammonium nitrogen in the leaves, tuber and root increased initially, then decreased, and the contents of ammonium nitrogen in the petioles increased with the NH4(+)(-N/NO3(-)-N ratio increasing. The yield of bulbil and tuber were the highest at the NH4(+)-N/NO3(-) -N ratio of 75: 25. The content of total alkaloid and guanosine in the tuber were the highest at the NH4(+)-N/NO3(-) -N ratio of 0: 100, and the contents were 0.245% and 0.0197% respectively. With the NH4(+)-N/NO3(-) -N ratio of 50: 50, the content of free total organic acids was the highest, it reached 0.7%, however, the content of free total organic acids was the lowest at the NH4(+) -N/NO3(-) -N ratio of 0: 100. Nitrogen fertilization significant influences the nitrogen metabolism, the yield and main chemical composition of P. ternate.

The effect of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on acute reflux esophagitis in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Ze-Hao; Xie, Jing-Jing; Wei, Jing-Jing; Tang, Du-Peng; Yang, Li-Yong

2016-10-04

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play various roles in inflammation. However, the effect of PUFAs in the development of reflux esophagitis (RE) is unclear. This study is to investigate the potential effect of n-3/n-6 PUFAs on acute RE in rats along with the underlying protective mechanisms. Forty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 in each group). RE model was established by pyloric clip and section ligation. Fish oil- and soybean oil-based fatty emulsion (n-3 and n-6 groups), or normal saline (control and sham operation groups) was injected intraperitoneally 2 h prior to surgery and 24 h postoperatively (2 mL/kg, respectively). The expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL-6 and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) in esophageal tissues were evaluated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry after 72 h. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression in the esophageal tissues were determined to assess the oxidative stress. The mildest macroscopic/microscopic esophagitis was found in the n-3 group (P < 0.05). The expression of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-6 and MyD88 were increased in all RE groups, while the lowest and highest expression were found in n-3 and n-6 group, respectively (P < 0.05). The MDA levels were increased in all groups (P < 0.05), in an ascending trend from n-3, n-6 groups to control group. The lowest and highest SOD levels were found in the control and n-3 group, respectively (P < 0.05). n-3 PUFAs may reduce acute RE in rats, which may be due to inhibition of the MyD88-NF-kB pathway and limit oxidative damage.

[Thermolabile drugs: pharmacist intervention as a guarantee of cold chain maintenance].

Science.gov (United States)

Ricote-Lobera, I; Santos-Mena, B; Fraile-Gil, S; Ortiz-Martín, B; Hidalgo-Correas, F J; García-Díaz, B

2014-05-01

To determine whether pharmacist is able to guarantee cold chain maintenance of thermolabile drugs during transport using the available information in the reception process and to compare these results with those obtained in a subsequent intervention phase, in which the manufacturing laboratories were contacted. Intervention study, prospective and comparative"before-after". It was analyzed the storage conditions during transport of all thermolabile drugs received in a 400-bed hospital for 3 months, excluding those from clinical trials. The intervention allowed to ensure cold chain maintenance in 76,5% (n = 488) of received drugs, representing an increase of 41,8% (IC 95% 36,7-46,6%; p cold chain maintenance of received thermolabile drugs without temperature monitoring device (64,6%). Reports requested from laboratories allowed to increase significantly that percentage. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

The effect of n-3 PUFAs on circulating adiponectin and leptin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Farimani, Azam Rezaei; Hariri, Mitra; Azimi-Nezhad, Mohsen; Borji, Abasalt; Zarei, Sadegh; Hooshmand, Elham

2018-02-16

N-3 PUFAs can potentially influence levels of inflammatory and non-inflammatory adipokines. Given the contradictory effects of n-3 PUFAs on serum levels of adipokines in type 2 diabetes, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis study of randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials that examined the effects of n-3 PUFAs on serum levels of leptin and adiponectin in patients with type 2 diabetes. The electronic databases, without regard to language restrictions including PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, SCOPUS and ISI Web of Science until August 2017, were used to identify randomized controlled trials that assessed the effect of n-3 PUFAs on serum leptin and adiponectin concentrations in type 2 diabetes. Outcomes were extracted based on the mean ± SD as effect size at baseline and end of the intervention. Between-study heterogeneity was evaluated by the I 2 estimates and their 95% CIs. Funnel plot asymmetry was used to investigate the existence of publication bias. Stata software and Review Manager were used for statistical data analysis. Data from 10 eligible articles involved 494 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (intervention groups = 254 and control groups = 240), with age between 44 and 70 years, treated with doses of 0.52-7.4 g/day n-3 PUFAs. Adiponectin concentration nonsignificantly increased by a MD = 0.17 µg/mL (95% CI - 0.11, 0.44). Also, leptin concentration nonsignificantly reduced by a MD = - 0.31 ng/mL (95% CI - 0.69, 0.07). Plant and marine sources of n-3 PUFAs can modify serum leptin and adiponectin levels by increasing adiponectin and decreasing leptin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Due to some limitations in this study, further studies are needed to reach a definitive conclusion about the effect of n-3 PUFAs on the levels of leptin and adiponectin in T2DM.

Integrative exercise and lifestyle intervention increases leisure-time activity in breast cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casla, Soraya; Hojman, Pernille; Cubedo, Ricardo

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Physical activity has been demonstrated to increase survival in breast cancer patients, but few breast cancer patients meet the general recommendations for physical activity. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate if a supervised integrated counseling and group-based exercise...... program could increase leisure-time activity in women with breast cancer. METHODS: This pilot project, designed as a single-arm study with pre-post testing, consisted of 24 classes of combined aerobic and strength exercise training as well as classes on dietary and health behavior. A total of 48 women...... with breast cancer who were undergoing or had recently completed anticancer treatment completed the study. Leisure-time physical activity, grip strength, functional capacity, quality of life (QoL), and depression were assessed at baseline, after intervention, and at the 12-week follow-up after intervention...

Intervención preventiva en lugares de interacción social de hombres que mantienen relaciones sexuales con otros hombres Preventive intervention in venues for interaction used by men who have sex with men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabel Hurtado

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Se realizó una intervención en saunas y pisos para contactos sexuales entre hombres que mantienen relaciones sexuales con hombres de Valencia, cuyo objetivo era prevenir la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH o, en su caso, evitar el retraso en el diagnóstico y facilitar el contacto con los circuitos sanitarios. Se proporcionó información sobre prevención y se efectuó la prueba rápida para el VIH y la sífilis. Se habló con 500 hombres y se realizó la intervención en 171. El 37% de los sujetos en las saunas y de cada en los pisos nunca se había realizado una prueba. La prevalencia del VIH fue del 1,6% (n=2 en las saunas y del 11% en los pisos (n=5; para la sífilis estos porcentajes fueron del 5 y el 2,3%, respectivamente. La intervención permitió detectar la existencia de bolsas de población poco atendidas y muy expuestas, y facilitó el acceso de estos sujetos al sistema sanitario.An intervention in venues for interaction used by men who have sex with men in Valencia (Spain was performed to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection or avoid delay in diagnosis and to facilitate contact with the health circuit. Information was provided on prevention and a rapid test for HIV and syphilis was performed. We contacted 500 men and the intervention was performed in 171; 37% of the subjects in saunas and one in four of those in prostitution apartments had never been tested. The prevalence of HIV was 1.6% (n=2 in the saunas, and 11% (n=5 in the apartments (n=5. For syphilis, these percentages were 5% and 2.3% respectively. The intervention revealed the existence of highly exposed population groups with low compliance and facilitated access to the health system in these groups.

The effect of community-based reproductive health communication interventions on contraceptive use among young married couples in Bihar, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel, Elkan E; Masilamani, Rekha; Rahman, Mizanur

2008-12-01

Contraceptive use among young couples in India is low, and early childbearing and short birth intervals are common. The PRACHAR Project, an ongoing intervention in Bihar, seeks to increase contraceptive use for delaying and spacing births through communication interventions. Random samples of married women younger than 25 with no more than one child were surveyed in 2002-2003, before PRACHAR was implemented (N=1,995), and in 2004, 21-27 months after implementation (N=2,080). Contraceptive demand and use, and related attitudes and knowledge, were assessed in the two surveys in both intervention areas and comparison areas. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of the interventions on these indicators. Contraceptive use was very low (2-6%) at baseline in both comparison and intervention areas. Demand for contraception increased from 25% at baseline to 40% at follow-up in intervention areas, but remained virtually unchanged in comparison areas. At follow-up, contraceptive use had risen in both areas, but the adjusted odds of use in intervention areas were 3.8 times those in comparison areas. Women in intervention areas had elevated odds of knowing that fertility varies during the menstrual cycle, and of agreeing that early childbirth can be harmful and that contraceptive use is necessary and safe for delaying first births (odds ratios, 1.6-3.0). Culturally appropriate, community-based communication programs that target youth and those who influence their decisions can create demand for contraception among young couples and lead to increased contraceptive use.

L’évaluation, un outil de l’ergonome pour transformer le contexte d’intervention Evaluation, a tool of ergonomists for changing the intervention context La evaluación, una herramienta del ergónomo para transformar el contexto de la intervención

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurélie Landry

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Cet article expose la mise en œuvre d’une recherche-action visant à explorer si une démarche évaluative de type recherche-évaluative permet d’identifier les facteurs favorables à une intervention et d’instruire les hypothèses des intervenants sur les liens entre processus d’intervention et résultats obtenus. Les cas utilisés illustrent comment la recherche évaluative peut permettre à l’ergonome d’améliorer les conditions dans lesquelles il intervient en partageant des indicateurs d’évaluation sur le déroulement du projet. En communiquant avec les autres acteurs du projet sur les indicateurs de pilotage d’intervention, l’ergonome modifie le contexte dans lequel il intervient au cours du déroulement de l’action. En utilisant également des indicateurs de résultats, l’ergonome peut montrer les apports de l’action et chercher à mieux adapter ses méthodes compte tenu des leviers ou obstacles présents dans le contexte d’action.This article presents the application of action-research whose aim is to investigate whether an evaluative research type process can identify favorable factors for an intervention and allow evaluation of the stakeholders’ hypotheses on the links between the intervention process and the results obtained. The cases used illustrate how evaluative research can help the ergonomist improve the conditions in which he acts by sharing evaluation indicators on the project process. By communicating intervention process indicators with the other stakeholders, the ergonomist changes the context in which he acts during the intervention. By also using result indicators, the ergonomist can show the contribution of the intervention and attempt to better adapt his methods, considering the advantages or obstacles present in the context of the intervention.Este artículo expone la puesta en marcha de una investigación-acción que pretende explorar si un enfoque evaluativo del tipo investigación

A Technology-Mediated Behavioral Weight Gain Prevention Intervention for College Students: Controlled, Quasi-Experimental Study.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Delia Smith; Monroe, Courtney M; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Sundstrom, Beth; Larsen, Chelsea; Magradey, Karen; Wilcox, Sara; Brandt, Heather M

2016-06-13

Both men and women are vulnerable to weight gain during the college years, and this phenomenon is linked to an increased risk of several chronic diseases and mortality. Technology represents an attractive medium for the delivery of weight control interventions focused on college students, given its reach and appeal among this population. However, few technology-mediated weight gain prevention interventions have been evaluated for college students. This study examined a new technology-based, social media-facilitated weight gain prevention intervention for college students. Undergraduates (n =58) in two sections of a public university course were allocated to either a behavioral weight gain prevention intervention (Healthy Weight, HW; N=29) or a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination awareness intervention (control; N=29). All students were enrolled, regardless of initial body weight or expressed interest in weight management. The interventions delivered 8 lessons via electronic newsletters and Facebook postings over 9 weeks, which were designed to foster social support and introduce relevant educational content. The HW intervention targeted behavioral strategies to prevent weight gain and provided participants with a Wi-Fi-enabled scale and an electronic physical activity tracker to facilitate weight regulation. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine within- and between-group differences in measures of self-reported weight control practices and objectively measured weight. Use of each intervention medium and device was objectively tracked, and intervention satisfaction measures were obtained. Students remained weight stable (HW: -0.48+1.9 kg; control: -0.45+1.4 kg), with no significant difference between groups over 9 weeks (P =.94). However, HW students reported a significantly greater increase in the number of appropriate weight control strategies than did controls (2.1+4.5 vs -1.1+3.4, respectively; P =.003) and there was no increase in

How to increase rearch and adherence of web-based interventions : a design research viewpoint

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ludden, Geke D.S.; van Rompay, Thomas J.L.; Kelders, Saskia M.; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.

2015-01-01

Nowadays, technology is increasingly used to increase people’s well-being. For example, many mobile and Web-based apps have been developed that can support people to become mentally fit or to manage their daily diet. However, analyses of current Web-based interventions show that many systems are

Extracting properties of N,N,N'N'-tetraalkyl-2 alkyl propane -1,3 diamides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nigond, L.

1992-01-01

N,N,N',N'-tetraalkyl -2 alkyl propane -1,3 diamides (RR'NCO) 2 CHR'' are investigated in the aim to separate actinides from nuclear wastes. N,N'-dimethyl N,N'-dibutyl tetradecylmalonamide (DMDBTDMA) was selected. This molecule can extract trivalent actinides in aliphatic diluents. Americium extraction is faster than iron extraction, hydrolytic degradation and solubility in aqueous phase are satisfactory. In non acidic media, diamides form aggregates, the size of which is function of diluent and diamide concentration. Extraction equilibria of HNO 3 , UO 2 2+ , Pu 4+ , Am 3+ and Fe 3+ are investigated.Four complexes are formed with nitric acid: L 2 HNO 3 , LHNO 3 , L 2 (HNO 3 ) 2 and L(HNO 3 ) 3 with L=DMDBTDMA. UO 2 2+ and Pu 4+ extraction takes place via the formation of neutral complexes: LUO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 , LPu(NO 3 ) 4 and L 2 Pu(NO 3 ) 4 for any nitric acid concentration. Am 3+ extraction takes place via the formation of LAm(NO 3 ) 3 and L 2 Am(NO 3 ) 3 for low nitric acid concentration and L x H y Am(NO 3 ) 3+y at higher acidity. Fe 3+ extraction involves anionic complexes L x HFe(NO 3 ) 4 for any acid concentration. In the presence of metallic cations, two kinds of interactions are observed: in the inner sphere of the metal diamide-metal ion complexation and in the outer sphere diamide-metallic complex interaction. The malonamide DMDBTDMA can be used to separate (III), (IV) and (VI) actinides from radioactive wastes

Rapidly increasing prescribing of proton pump inhibitors in primary care despite interventions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haastrup, Peter; Paulsen, Maja Skov; Zwisler, Jon Eik

2014-01-01

Background: Guideline and reimbursement modifications have been introduced to optimize prescribing of antisecretory medication in Danish general practice. Impacts of the interventions have not been evaluated. Objectives: To analyse developments in prescribing of antisecretory medication in Denmark...... increased substantially during the past decade. Both number of users and the average individual use have increased. The prescribing of ulcerogenic drugs to the elderly has stagnated in the same time range. Reimbursement modifications and scientific guidelines do not seem to have had a substantial influence...

Results of a lay health education intervention to increase colorectal cancer screening among Filipino Americans: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuaresma, Charlene F; Sy, Angela U; Nguyen, Tung T; Ho, Reginald C S; Gildengorin, Ginny L; Tsoh, Janice Y; Jo, Angela M; Tong, Elisa K; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Stewart, Susan L

2018-04-01

Filipino colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates fall below Healthy People 2020 goals. In this study, the authors explore whether a lay health educator (LHE) approach can increase CRC screening among Filipino Americans ages 50 to 75 years in Hawai'i. A cluster randomized controlled trial from 2012 through 2015 compared an intervention, which consisted of LHEs delivering 2 education sessions and 2 telephone follow-up calls on CRC screening plus a CRC brochure versus an attention control, in which 2 lectures and 2 follow-up calls on nutrition and physical activity plus a CRC brochure were provided. The primary outcome was change in self-reported ever receipt of CRC screening at 6 months. Among 304 participants (77% women, 86% had > 10 years of residence in the United States), the proportion of participants who reported ever having received CRC screening increased significantly in the intervention group (from 80% to 89%; P = .0003), but not in the control group (from 73% to 74%; P = .60). After covariate adjustment, there was a significant intervention effect (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-3.5). There was no intervention effect on up-to-date screening. This first randomized controlled trial for CRC screening among Hawai'i's Filipinos used an LHE intervention with mixed, but promising, results. Cancer 2018;124:1535-42. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Effects of Mindfulness Interventions on Health Outcomes in Older Lesbian/Bisexual Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingraham, Natalie; Eliason, Michele J; Garbers, Samantha; Harbatkin, Dawn; Minnis, Alexandra M; McElroy, Jane A; Haynes, Suzanne G

2016-07-07

Lesbian and bisexual (LB) women are at higher risk for obesity, but no reported interventions focus on older LB women who are overweight or obese. The Healthy Weight in Lesbian and Bisexual Women study funded five programs (n = 266 LB women age ≥40); two examined effects of mindfulness interventions on health outcomes. Analysis of variance and regression measured the impact of mindfulness-based programs on health behaviors and quality of life (MCS). Outcomes were also compared between intervention sites (mindfulness vs. standard weight loss approaches). Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) subscale scores improved significantly from preassessment to postassessment in mindfulness interventions. LB women who reported an increase (top tertile) in mindful eating had the most significant increase in MCS scores (35.3%) compared with those with low gains (low and medium tertile) in mindfulness (3.8%). MEQ score increase predicted 40.8% of the variance (adjusted) in MCS score, R(2) = .431, F(6,145) = 18.337, p mindfulness were significantly related to increases in physical activity and some nutrition outcomes. Mindfulness intervention sites showed within-person improvements in MCS and fruit and vegetable intake, whereas standard intervention sites showed within-person decreases in alcohol intake and increases in physical activity level. Although weight loss was not a primary outcome at the mindfulness sites, small but significant weight loss and weight-to-height ratio decreases were reported at all five sites. Increases in mindfulness were associated with a number of significant self-reported health improvements, including a great increase in perceived mental health quality of life. Mindfulness may be a promising practice to address health issues in aging LB women. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. All rights reserved.

Moderating Effects of Weather-Related Factors on a Physical Activity Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Whitney A; Spring, Bonnie; Phillips, Siobhan M; Siddique, Juned

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to identify whether weather-related factors moderate the effect of a physical activity (PA) intervention. Participants (N=204, 77% female, mean age 33 [SD=11] years, mean BMI 28.2 [SD=7.1]) from the Make Better Choices 1 trial, enrolled April 2005 to April 2008, were randomized to one of two treatment conditions: (1) increase moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) treatment group, or (2) decrease sedentary behavior control group. Participants wore an accelerometer for 5 weeks: a 2-week baseline assessment followed by a 3-week intervention. Accelerometer data were used to estimate minutes/day of MVPA. Average daily temperature, day length, and precipitation were obtained from the National Climatic Data Center and combined with the accelerometer data. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine whether these weather-related factors moderated the effect of the intervention on MVPA. Separate models were fit for season, daily average temperature, and day length. There was a significant moderating effect of season on MVPA such that the PA intervention, as compared with control, increased MVPA 10.4 minutes more in the summer than in the winter (95% CI=1.1, 19.6, p=0.029). There was a significant moderating effect of daily temperature such that every 10°F increase in temperature was associated with an additional 1.5 minutes/day increase in the difference in MVPA increase between the two intervention conditions (95% CI=0.1, 2.9, p=0.015). There was a significant moderating effect of day length such that every additional hour of daylight was associated with a 2.23-minute increase in the PA intervention's impact on increasing MVPA (95% CI=0.8, 3.7, p=0.002). Day length and temperature had a significant moderating effect on change in MVPA during a PA intervention such that the intervention was less effective on colder days and on shorter days, independently. These results suggest that strategies to overcome environmental barriers

Cultivation of CNPA G3 sesame irrigated with saline water and fertilized with nitrate-N and ammonium-N

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geovani S. de Lima

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The study aimed to evaluate the effects of irrigation with saline water and fertilization with nitrate (NO3--N and ammonium (NH4+-N ratios on growth, flowering, water consumption and water use efficiency of the sesame cv. CNPA G3. The treatments were distributed in randomized blocks in a 5 x 5 factorial with three replicates, referring to five levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water - ECw (0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4 and 3.0 dS m-1 and nitrate (NO3--N and ammonium (NH4+-N (200/0, 150/50, 100/100, 50/150, 0/200 mg kg-1 ratios. Irrigation with saline water above 0.6 dS m-1 inhibited the growth, delayed flowering and promoted early maturation of capsules of sesame, cv. CNPA G3. The proportion of 0/200 mg kg-1 of NO3--N/NH4+-N promoted the greatest increase relative to stem diameter and height of sesame plants. Water consumption decreases with increasing ECw and was significantly lower in plants fertilized with the proportion of 0/200 of NO3--N/NH4+-N. The interaction between ECw levels and ammonium/nitrate proportions significantly affect water use efficiency, and the highest value was obtained with ECw of 0.6 dS m-1 and fertilization with 150:50 mg kg-1 of NO3--N and NH4+-N.

Findings from Encontros: a multi-level STI/HIV intervention to increase condom use, reduce STI, and change the social environment among sex workers in Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Lippman, Sheri A.; Chinaglia, Magda; Donini, Angela A.; Diaz, Juan; Reingold, Arthur; Kerrigan, Deanna L.

2012-01-01

Background Sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV prevention programs which do not modify social-structural contexts that contribute to risk of STI/HIV may fail to bring about improvements in health, particularly among groups who experience discrimination and exclusion from public life. We conducted a multi-level intervention with sex workers, including improved clinical care and community mobilizing strategies to modify social-structural factors that shape sexual behavior, in order to improve condom use and reduce incident STI. Methods We followed 420 sex workers participating in the Encontros intervention in Corumbá, Brazil from 2003-2005. We estimated the effect of the intervention on incident chlamydia and gonorrhea infections and condom use using generalized estimating equations and inverse probability weighting by comparing those who actively engaged in the intervention activities (exposed) to those who were less engaged (unexposed). We also determined the association of participation on reported social cohesion and participation in networks. Results Exposed participants had significantly higher odds of reporting consistent condom use with regular clients (OR:1.9, 95%CI:1.1-3.3) and non-significantly increased odds with both new clients (OR:1.6, 0.9-2.8) and nonpaying partners (OR:1.5, 0.9-1.5). The odds of an incident STI were non-significantly reduced for exposed participants compared to unexposed (OR:0.46, 0.2-1.3). Participation was significantly associated with increased perceived cohesion and participation in networks. Conclusion This prospective study provides evidence that multi-level interventions with mobilizing strategies to modify aspects of the social environment can improve condom use, reduce STIs, and increase social cohesion and participation in networks among sex workers. PMID:22337108

Randomized Trial of Psychological Interventions to Preventing Postpartum Depression among Iranian First-time Mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fathi-Ashtiani, Ali; Ahmadi, Ahmad; Ghobari-Bonab, Bagher; Azizi, Mohammed Parsa; Saheb-Alzamani, Sayeh Moosavi

2015-01-01

The current study was conducted to examine the effect of cognitive behavior therapy on the reduction postpartum mood disorder and increasing the self-esteem of at-risk Iranian mothers. In this quasi-experimental study, 135 at-risk mothers were selected from the population by means of cluster sampling and randomly assigned into one of two groups: Intervention (n = 64), or control (n = 71). The control group received usual medical care, and the intervention group received an eight sessions' cognitive behavior program during pregnancy. Assessments were administered at two time points (pretest at the beginning of the third trimester and posttest at 2 weeks postpartum). Beck anxiety, beck depression, Edinburgh postpartum depression, (PPD) Coopersmith self-esteem, and religious attitude questionnaire were used to collect data. The mean age of participants was 25.8 ± 3.7 years. One-third of them had either bachelor or higher degrees in education (33%). About two-third of participants were unemployment with similar distribution in both the groups (intervention = 80%, control = 83%). The majority (70%) of the participants had cesarean section deliveries. There were no statistically significant differences respects to sociodemographic characteristics between the control and intervention groups (P > 0.05). The multivariate analysis of covariance results showed that the average scores of PPD were reduced significantly in the intervention group (P self-esteem increased from 29.09 (SE = 3.51) to 31.81 (SE = 2.76), no change was statistically significant in comparison to the control group. According to the findings of the present study, cognitive behavior intervention is effective in reducing PPD in at-risk mothers.

The role of nutritional interventions in increasing fruit and vegetable intake in the elderlies: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazavehei, Seyed Mohammad Mehdi; Afshari, Maryam

2016-08-01

The consumption of fruit and vegetables in old ages is particularly important, so that the appropriate consumption amount leads to reduction in the risk of chronic diseases. To increase consumption of fruit and vegetables and modify consumption pattern in the elderlies, training programs and appropriate intervention can be designed and implemented. The study was done to assess and compare nutritional intervention-based training methods and education using theories and health education models for the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the elderlies. Electronic search using keywords of Country Review Information Bank (Magiran), Scientific Information Database, Pub Med, Science direct, Science, Biomed central from the beginning of March 2014 to end of April 2015 was performed. Ten interventional studies were assessed in this systematic study. The interventions were divided into two groups of studies, a total of five studies, theories and health education models were the basis of training intervention and the other five studies that include their interventions without the use of theories and health education models was carried out. Of ten interventional studies, three studies as before and after and seven studies as the intervention and control was performed. The results showed that education-based theory and health education models have a greater impact on the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the elderlies. The duration and interventions performing method, environmental factors and educational programs using appropriate models and theories are important on the effectiveness of interventions to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables in the elderliness.

Layered Halide Double Perovskites Cs3+nM(II)nSb2X9+3n (M = Sn, Ge) for Photovoltaic Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Gang; Xiao, Zewen; Hosono, Hideo; Kamiya, Toshio; Fang, Daining; Hong, Jiawang

2018-01-04

Over the past few years, the development of lead-free and stable perovskite absorbers with excellent performance has attracted extensive attention. Much effort has been devoted to screening and synthesizing this type of solar cell absorbers. Here, we present a general design strategy for designing the layered halide double perovskites Cs 3+n M(II) n Sb 2 X 9+3n (M = Sn, Ge) with desired photovoltaic-relevant properties by inserting [MX 6 ] octahedral layers, based on the principles of increased electronic dimensionality. Compared to Cs 3 Sb 2 I 9 , more suitable band gaps, smaller carrier effective masses, larger dielectric constants, lower exciton binding energies, and higher optical absorption can be achieved by inserting variable [SnI 6 ] or [GeI 6 ] octahedral layers into the [Sb 2 I 9 ] bilayers. Moreover, our results show that adjusting the thickness of inserted octahedral layers is an effective approach to tune the band gaps and carrier effective masses in a large range. Our work provides useful guidance for designing the promising layered antimony halide double perovskite absorbers for photovoltaic applications.

Separation and gravimetric determination of rare earths with N-(3-nitrobenzoyl), N-(3-tolyl) hydroxylamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agrawal, Y.K.; Kapoor, H.L.

1977-01-01

The N-(3-nitrobenzoyl), N-(3-tolyl) hydroxylamine is used as a reagent for the separation and gravimetric determination of Ce 3+ , La 3+ , Pr 3+ , Nd 3+ , Sm 3+ and Gd 3+ . The optimum conditions of precipitation of these rare earths indicate that, by control of pH and judicious use of masking agents, these ions can be separated from, and determined gravimetrically among several other ions. Further, the stochiometric nature of the N-(3-nitrobenzoyl), N-(3-tolyl) hydroxylamine acid is advantageous for the direct determination by weighting of (C 14 H 11 N 2 O 4 ) 3 M complex without ignition to obtain oxides. These complexes are characterized by infrared spectra

Community-based restaurant interventions to promote healthy eating: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdivia Espino, Jennifer N; Guerrero, Natalie; Rhoads, Natalie; Simon, Norma-Jean; Escaron, Anne L; Meinen, Amy; Nieto, F Javier; Martinez-Donate, Ana P

2015-05-21

Eating in restaurants is associated with high caloric intake. This review summarizes and evaluates the evidence supporting community-based restaurant interventions. We searched all years of PubMed and Web of Knowledge through January 2014 for original articles describing or evaluating community-based restaurant interventions to promote healthy eating. We extracted summary information and classified the interventions into 9 categories according to the strategies implemented. A scoring system was adapted to evaluate the evidence, assigning 0 to 3 points to each intervention for study design, public awareness, and effectiveness. The average values were summed and then multiplied by 1 to 3 points, according to the volume of research available for each category. These summary scores were used to determine the level of evidence (insufficient, sufficient, or strong) supporting the effectiveness of each category. This review included 27 interventions described in 25 studies published since 1979. Most interventions took place in exclusively urban areas of the United States, either in the West or the South. The most common intervention categories were the use of point-of-purchase information with promotion and communication (n = 6), and point-of-purchase information with increased availability of healthy choices (n = 6). Only the latter category had sufficient evidence. The remaining 8 categories had insufficient evidence because of interventions showing no, minimal, or mixed findings; limited reporting of awareness and effectiveness; low volume of research; or weak study designs. No intervention reported an average negative impact on outcomes. Evidence about effective community-based strategies to promote healthy eating in restaurants is limited, especially for interventions in rural areas. To expand the evidence base, more studies should be conducted using robust study designs, standardized evaluation methods, and measures of sales, behavior, and health outcomes.

Proton location in (CH3)3N-H+-(CH3OH)n: A theoretical and infrared spectroscopic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bing, Dan; Hamashima, Toru; Tsai, Chen-Wei; Fujii, Asuka; Kuo, Jer-Lai

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Preferential location of the excess proton in the trimethylamine-methanol clusters. • Collaboration between DFT calculations and IR spectroscopy. • The excess proton prefers the protonation to the trimethylamine moiety. - Abstract: The dependence of the preferential protonated site in (CH 3 ) 3 N-H + -(CH 3 OH) n on the cluster size was investigated using theoretical calculations and infrared spectroscopy measurements. While simple estimation from the magnitude of proton affinity suggested that the excess proton prefers the methanol site in n ⩾ 4, density functional theory calculations of the stabilization energy indicated the clear preference as protonation of the trimethylamine site, even for n = 9. Infrared spectra of the clusters were observed for n = 3–7. Spectral simulations were also performed using the quantum harmonic superposition approximation. The observed (CH 3 ) 3 N-H + -(CH 3 OH) n spectra were well interpreted by simulations of the isomers with the protonated trimethylamine ion core. It was shown that both the proton affinity and the mutual solvation energy govern the preferential location of the excess proton in binary component clusters

Evaluating the impact of an educational intervention to increase CRC screening rates in the African American community: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Philip, Errol J; DuHamel, Katherine; Jandorf, Lina

2010-10-01

Despite the acknowledged importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and its proven prognostic benefit, African American men and women simultaneously possess the highest rates of CRC-related incidence and mortality (Swan et al. in Cancer 97(6):1528-1540, 2003) and lowest screening rates in the United States (Polite et al. in Med Clin N Am 89(4):771-793, 2005). Effective, targeted interventions that promote CRC screening for this community are therefore critical. The current study evaluated the impact of a print-based educational intervention on screening behavior and associated patient-based factors, including cancer-related knowledge, fatalism, worry, and decisional balance (pros-cons). One hundred and eighteen individuals (mean age = 56.08, SD = 5.58) who had not undergone screening were recruited from two health clinics in New York City. Each participant received educational print materials regarding the need for screening, the process of undergoing screening, and the benefits of regular CRC screening. One in four individuals had undergone post-intervention screening at a three-month follow-up. Whereas all participants reported a decrease in cancer-related worry (p benefits and barriers of screening may be critical in the decision to undergo CRC screening. Future interventions to increase CRC-screening rates for this community may be improved by focusing on these patient-based factors.

Improvement of Interoceptive Processes after an 8-Week Body Scan Intervention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Fischer

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: Interoceptive processes are defined as ability to detect sensations arising within the body. There is a growing body of research investigating ways of improving interoceptive processes. One promising approach increasing the attention to bodily sensations is the body scan (BS, a method stemming from mindfulness-based stress reduction. Research so far revealed only heterogenous findings of meditational practice and mindfulness-based stress reduction on interoceptive processes. Even more importantly, there is no study considering the effect of an 8-week BS intervention on interoceptive processes and the distinguishable subdomains of interoception. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to examine the effects of a BS intervention on different interoceptive subdomains over 8 weeks of training in two different samples.Methods: In study 1, healthy participants executed a 20 min standardized audiotaped BS in the BS intervention group (n = 25 each day over 8 weeks. The control group (n = 24 listened to an audio book for the same amount of time. In study 2, the BS group (n = 18 was compared to an inactive control group (n = 18. In both studies, three measurement points were realized and interoceptive accuracy (IAc – using a heartbeat perception task – as well as interoceptive sensibility (IS – using confidence ratings for the heartbeat perception task and the subscale ‘interoceptive awareness’ of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2 – were assessed.Results: In study 1, we found, as a descriptive trend, IAc and confidence ratings to be increased irrespective of the condition. However, post hoc analysis revealed a significant improvement of IAc between T1 and T3 in the BS intervention only. IS revealed to be unaffected by the interventions. In study 2, we observed a significant positive effect of the BS intervention on IAc and confidence ratings compared to the inactive controls. As in study 1, IS (EDI-2 was unaffected by

The effect of Si content on the fracture toughness of CrAlN/Si3N4 coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, S.; Wheeler, J. M.; Davis, C. E.; Clegg, W. J.; Zeng, X. T.

2016-01-01

CrAlN/Si 3 N 4 nanocomposite coatings with different Si contents were deposited to understand how Si influences the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of the coatings, in particular, the fracture toughness. The coating composition, chemical bonding, microstructure, and mechanical properties were studied by energy dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and nanoindentation, respectively. Using a micro double cantilever beam sample, it was found that the fracture toughness of CrAlN/Si 3 N 4 coatings was higher than that of both the CrN and CrAlN coatings and increased with increasing Si content. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy suggested that this was caused by the suppression of cracking at columnar boundaries

Clinician-centred interventions to increase vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC): a systematic review.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Lundgren, Ingela

2015-02-05

BackgroundThe number of caesarean sections (CS) is increasing globally, and repeat CS after a previous CS is a significant contributor to the overall CS rate. Vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) can be seen as a real and viable option for most women with previous CS. To achieve success, however, women need the support of their clinicians (obstetricians and midwives). The aim of this study was to evaluate clinician-centred interventions designed to increase the rate of VBAC.MethodsThe bibliographic databases of The Cochrane Library, PubMed, PsychINFO and CINAHL were searched for randomised controlled trials, including cluster randomised trials that evaluated the effectiveness of any intervention targeted directly at clinicians aimed at increasing VBAC rates. Included studies were appraised independently by two reviewers. Data were extracted independently by three reviewers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the quality assessment tool, `Effective Public Health Practice Project¿. The primary outcome measure was VBAC rates.Results238 citations were screened, 255 were excluded by title and abstract. 11 full-text papers were reviewed; eight were excluded, resulting in three included papers. One study evaluated the effectiveness of antepartum x-ray pelvimetry (XRP) in 306 women with one previous CS. One study evaluated the effects of external peer review on CS birth in 45 hospitals, and the third evaluated opinion leader education and audit and feedback in 16 hospitals. The use of external peer review, audit and feedback had no significant effect on VBAC rates. An educational strategy delivered by an opinion leader significantly increased VBAC rates. The use of XRP significantly increased CS rates.ConclusionsThis systematic review indicates that few studies have evaluated the effects of clinician-centred interventions on VBAC rates, and interventions are of varying types which limited the ability to meta-analyse data. A further limitation is that

Effectiveness of psychosocial intervention enhancing resilience among war-affected children and the moderating role of family factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Diab, Marwan; Peltonen, Kirsi; Qouta, Samir R; Palosaari, Esa; Punamäki, Raija-Leena

2015-02-01

The study examines, first, the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention based on Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) to increase resiliency among Palestinian children, exposed to a major trauma of war. Second, it analyses the role of family factors (maternal attachment and family atmosphere) as moderating the intervention impacts on resilience. School classes in Gaza were randomized into intervention (N=242) and control (N=240) groups. The percentage of girls (49.4%) and boys (50.6%) were equal, and the child age was 10-13 years in both groups. Children reported positive indicators of their mental health (prosocial behaviour and psychosocial well-being) at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2) and at a six-month follow-up (T3). At T1 they accounted their exposure to war trauma. Mothers reported about their willingness to serve as an attachment figure, and the child reported about the family atmosphere. Resilience was conceptualized as a presence of positive indications of mental health despite trauma exposure. Against our hypothesis, the intervention did not increase the level of resilience statistically significantly, nor was the effect of the intervention moderated by maternal attachment responses or family atmosphere. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective evaluation of the radiologist's hand dose in CT-guided interventions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogits, B.; Jungnickel, K.; Loewenthal, D.; Dudeck, O.; Pech, M.; Ricke, J.; Kropf, S.; Nekolla, E.A.; Wieners, G.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Assessment of radiologist's hand dose in CT-guided interventions and determination of influencing factors. Materials and Methods: The following CT-guided interventions were included: Core biopsy, drainage, periradicular therapy, and celiac plexus neurolysis. The hand dose was measured with an immediately readable dosimeter, the EDD-30 (Unfors, Sweden). The default parameters for CT fluoroscopy were 120 kV, 90 mA and a 4 mm slice thickness. All interventions were performed on a 16-slice CT unit (Aquilion 16 Toshiba, Japan). The tumor size, degree of difficulty (1 - 3), level of experience and device parameters (mAs, dose-length product, scan time) were documented. Results: 138 CT-guided interventions (biopsy n = 99, drainage n = 23, pain therapy n = 16) at different locations (lung n = 41, retroperitoneum n = 53, liver n = 25, spine n = 19) were included. The lesion size was 4 - 240 mm (median: 23 mm). The fluoroscopy time per intervention was 4.6 - 140.2 s (median: 24.2 s). The measured hand dose ranged from 0.001 - 3.02 mSv (median: 0.22 mSv). The median hand dose for lung puncture (n = 41) was slightly higher (median: 0.32 mSv, p = 0.01) compared to that for the liver, retroperitoneum and other. Besides physical influencing factors, the degree of difficulty (p = 0.001) and summed puncture depth (p = 0.004) correlated significantly with the hand dose. Conclusion: The median hand dose for different CT-guided interventions was 0.22 mSv. Therefore, the annual hand dose limit would normally only be reached with about 2000 interventions. (orig.)

Seroprevalence of three influenza A viruses (H1N1, H3N2, and H3N8) in pet dogs presented to a veterinary hospital in Ohio.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Hyesun; Jackson, Yasmine K; Daniels, Joshua B; Ali, Ahmed; Kang, Kyung-Il; Elaish, Mohamed; Lee, Chang-Won

2017-08-31

The prevalence of canine H3N8 influenza and human H1N1 and H3N2 influenza in dogs in Ohio was estimated by conducting serologic tests on 1,082 canine serum samples. In addition, risk factors, such as health status and age were examined. The prevalences of human H1N1, H3N2, and canine H3N8 influenzas were 4.0%, 2.4%, and 2.3%, respectively. Two samples were seropositive for two subtypes (H1N1 and H3N2; H1N1 and canine influenza virus [CIV] H3N8). Compared to healthy dogs, dogs with respiratory signs were 5.795 times more likely to be seropositive against H1N1 virus ( p = 0.042). The prevalence of human flu infection increased with dog age and varied by serum collection month. The commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay used in this study did not detect nucleoprotein-specific antibodies from many hemagglutination inhibition positive sera, which indicates a need for the development and validation of rapid tests for influenza screening in canine populations. In summary, we observed low exposure of dogs to CIV and human influenza viruses in Ohio but identified potential risk factors for consideration in future investigations. Our findings support the need for establishment of reliable diagnostic standards for serologic detection of influenza infection in canine species.

Large reductions in child overweight and obesity in intervention and comparison communities 3 years after a community project.

Science.gov (United States)

Swinburn, B; Malakellis, M; Moodie, M; Waters, E; Gibbs, L; Millar, L; Herbert, J; Virgo-Milton, M; Mavoa, H; Kremer, P; de Silva-Sanigorski, A

2014-12-01

Childhood obesity has been increasing over decades and scalable, population-wide solutions are urgently needed to reverse this trend. Evidence is emerging that community-based approaches can reduce unhealthy weight gain in children. In some countries, such as Australia, the prevalence of childhood obesity appears to be flattening, suggesting that some population-wide changes may be underway. A community-based intervention project for obesity prevention in a rural town appears to have increasing effects 3 years after the end of the project, substantially reducing overweight and obesity by 6% points in new cohorts of children, 6 years after the original baseline. An apparent and unanticipated 'spillover' of effects into the surrounding region appeared to have occurred with 10%-point reductions in childhood overweight and obesity over the same time period. A 'viral-like' spread of obesity prevention efforts may be becoming possible and an increase in endogenous community activities appears to be surprisingly successful in reducing childhood obesity prevalence. The long-term evaluations of community-based childhood obesity prevention interventions are needed to determine their sustainability and scalability. To measure the impacts of the successful Be Active Eat Well (BAEW) programme in Victoria, Australia (2003-2006), 3 years after the programme finished (2009). A serial cross-sectional study of children in six intervention and 10 comparison primary schools in 2003 (n = 1674, response rate 47%) and 2009 (n = 1281, response rate 37%). Height, weight, lunch box audits, self-reported behaviours and economic investment in obesity prevention were measured. Compared with 2003, the 2009 prevalence of overweight/obesity (World Health Organization criteria) was significantly lower (P investment in obesity prevention in intervention schools was about 30 000 Australian dollars (AUD) per school per year, less than half the amount during BAEW. By contrast, the

Use of a goal setting intervention to increase adherence to low back pain rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Coppack, Russell J; Kristensen, Jakob; Karageorghis, Costas I

2012-11-01

To examine the effects of a goal setting intervention on self-efficacy, treatment efficacy, adherence and treatment outcome in patients undergoing low back pain rehabilitation. A mixed-model 2 (time) × 3 (group) randomized controlled trial. A residential rehabilitation centre for military personnel. UK military personnel volunteers (N = 48); mean age was 32.9 (SD 7.9) with a diagnosis of non-specific low back pain. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a goal setting experimental group (Exp, n = 16), therapist-led exercise therapy group (C1, n = 16) or non-therapist-led exercise therapy group (C2, n = 16). Treatment duration for all groups was three weeks. Self-efficacy, treatment efficacy and treatment outcome were recorded before and after the treatment period. Adherence was rated during regularly scheduled treatment sessions using the Sports Injury Rehabilitation Adherence Scale (SIRAS). The Biering-Sørensen test was used as the primary measure of treatment outcome. ANCOVA results showed that adherence scores were significantly higher in the experimental group (13.70 ± 1.58) compared with C2 (11.74 ± 1.35), (P goal setting to enhance adherence in clinical rehabilitation.

Evaluación de una intervención de promoción de espacios sin humo en el ámbito educativo Evaluation of a schoolbased intervention to promote smokefree areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José García-Vázquez

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Conocer el efecto de un programa sobre el consumo visible de tabaco en los institutos de enseñanza secundaria (IES, la prevalencia y la intensidad del consumo del alumnado y el profesorado, y sus actitudes y conductas respecto al consumo en el centro. Métodos: Estudio casi experimental en 18 IES que realizaron el programa y en 18 que no lo realizaron (grupo control. Por observación directa se registró el consumo visible, la existencia de ceniceros y de carteles de «espacio libre de humo». Por encuesta al profesorado y al alumnado de 3.º de ESO y 2.º de Bachillerato, se recogieron datos de consumo de tabaco, grandes fumadores, consumo en el recinto escolar y opinión sobre la prohibición de fumar; a los profesores también se les preguntó sobre el consumo delante de los alumnos y sobre los intentos de dejar de fumar. Resultados: En el grupo de intervención había menor consumo en las zonas observadas (el 27,9 frente al 45,6% y el doble de carteles. No hubo diferencias en la prevalencia de consumo diario, pero sí en el porcentaje de grandes fumadores, que fue menor en el profesorado y el alumnado del grupo de intervención; también eran menos los alumnos de 3.º de ESO que fumaban en el centro. La opinión sobre la prohibición de fumar en el centro era favorable en los dos grupos. Conclusiones: El programa contribuyó a la reducción del consumo visible y del número de cigarrillos/día consumidos por profesorado y alumnado.Objective: To determine the effect of an intervention in secondary schools on visible tobacco use, the prevalence and intensity of smoking, and the attitudes and behaviors of teachers and students. Methods: We performed a quasiexperimental study in 18 public secondary schools that carried out the program and in 18 that did not (control group. Information was obtained on visible tobacco use and the number of ashtrays and smokefree posters through direct observation. Data were collected on tobacco use, the

Motivational Interviewing as an intervention to increase adolescent self-efficacy and promote weight loss: Methodology and design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morrongiello Barbara

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Childhood obesity is associated with serious physiological and psychological consequences including type 2 diabetes, higher rates of depression and low self-esteem. With the population of overweight and obese youth increasing, appropriate interventions are needed that speak to the issue of readiness to change and motivation to maintain adherence to healthy behavior changes. Motivational Interviewing (MI is a method of therapy found to resolve ambivalence, enhance intrinsic motivation and promote confidence in a person's ability to make behavior changes. While MI has shown promise in the adult obesity literature as effecting positive lifestyle change, little is known about the effectiveness of MI with overweight and obese youth. This study aims to: 1 demonstrate that MI is an effective intervention for increasing a person's self-efficacy; 2 demonstrate that exposure to MI will facilitate healthy behavior changes; 3 explore psychological changes related to participation in MI and 4 compare physiological and anthropometric outcomes before and after intervention. Methods/Design The current investigation is a prospective study conducted with ongoing participants who regularly attend an outpatient pediatric care center for weight-loss. Overweight youth (BMI > 85th %ile between the ages of 10 and 18 who meet eligibility criteria will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned to a control group (social skills training or a treatment group (MI. Participants will meet with the therapist for approximately 30 minutes prior to seeing the dietician, over the course of 6 months. Participants will also undergo a full day assessment at the beginning and end of psychology intervention to evaluate body fat, and metabolic risk (screening for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and fitness level. The paper and pencil portions of the assessments as well as the clinical testing will occur at baseline and at the conclusion of

A Preliminary Investigation of Evidence-Based Interventions to Increase Oral Reading Fluency in Children with Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Reisener, Carmen D.; Lancaster, Amity Lewis; McMullin, W. Arrel; Ho, Tuan

2014-01-01

At present, the incidence rates of children identified with autism spectrum disorders are on the rise, leading to an increased number of school-aged children needing specialized services in public schools. Most intervention efforts in the school setting focus on behavioral interventions and/or communication and social skills remediation services…

Theory-based development of an implementation intervention to increase HPV vaccination in pediatric primary care practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Garbutt, Jane M; Dodd, Sherry; Walling, Emily; Lee, Amanda A; Kulka, Katharine; Lobb, Rebecca

2018-03-13

The national guideline for use of the vaccine targeting oncogenic strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is an evidence-based practice that is poorly implemented in primary care. Recommendations include completion of the vaccine series before the 13th birthday for girls and boys, giving the first dose at the 11- to 12-year-old check-up visit, concurrent with other recommended vaccines. Interventions to increase implementation of this guideline have had little impact, and opportunities to prevent cancer continue to be missed. We used a theory-informed approach to develop a pragmatic intervention for use in primary care settings to increase implementation of the HPV vaccine guideline recommendation. Using a concurrent mixed methods design in 10 primary care practices, we applied the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to systematically investigate and characterize factors strongly influencing vaccine use. We then used the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to analyze provider behavior and identify behaviors to target for change and behavioral change strategies to include in the intervention. We identified facilitators and barriers to guideline use across the five CFIR domains: most distinguishing factors related to provider characteristics, their perception of the intervention, and their process to deliver the vaccine. Targeted behaviors were for the provider to recommend the HPV vaccine the same way and at the same time as the other adolescent vaccines, to answer parents' questions with confidence, and to implement a vaccine delivery system. To this end, the intervention targeted improving provider's capability (knowledge, communication skills) and motivation (action planning, belief about consequences, social influences) regarding implementing guideline recommendations, and increasing their opportunity to do so (vaccine delivery system). Behavior change strategies included providing information and

Fire increases the risk of higher soil N2O emissions from Mediterranean Macchia ecosystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karhu, Kristiina; Dannenmann, M.; Kitzler, B.

2015-01-01

on climate change. However, the potential importance of indirect GHG emissions due to changes in soil biological and chemical properties after fire is less well known. Increased soil mineral nitrogen (N) concentrations after fire pose a risk for increased emissions of gaseous N, but studies on the post......-fire N2O production and soil N turnover rates (mineralization, nitrification, microbial immobilization, denitrification) are still rare. We determined N2O production, rates of N turnover and pathways for N2O production from the soil of burned and unburned plots of a Macchia shrubland in central Spain...... using a 15N labelling approach. Measurements were initiated before the controlled burning and continued for up to half a year after fire. Fire markedly increased the risk of N2O emissions from soil through denitrification (N2O production rate was 3 to ≈30 times higher in burned soils compared to control...

SYNTHESIS OF 4’-ALLYLBENZO-3N-CROWN-N ETHERS AND THEIR MASS SPECTRA COMPARED WITH BENZO-3N-CROWN-N ETHERS

OpenAIRE

Anwar, Chairil

2008-01-01

Synthesis of 4’allylbenzo-3n-crown-n ethers was carried out by reacting demethylated eugenol with α,ω-dichloro-oligoethylene glycols in 1-butanol under basic condition. The mass spectra of 4’allylbenzo-3n-crown-n and benzo-3n-crown-n were investigated by mass spectrometry using electron impact under 70 eV of electron bombardment as ionisation method. The difference between the group of compounds is only the present of allyl moiety as a side chain at the other side of benzene ring. The first g...

Superspaces for N=3 supersymmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gal'perin, A.S.; Ivanov, E.A.; Ogievetskij, V.I.

1986-01-01

N=3 superconformal group (SU(2,2/3) is realized in the real analytic subspace of harmonic N=3 superspace. Bererzinian of its transformations is shown to be unity. Conformal invariance of the N=3 Yang-Mills superfield action becomes evident within such a framework. Obtained results are preliminary stage in construction of N=3 supergravity. A complex analytic superspaces are also indicated, having a smaller number of spinor coordinates. A realization of SU(2,2/3) in this superspaces is found

Nuclear Hyperfine Structure in the Donor – Acceptor Complexes (CH3)3N-BF3 and (CH)33N-B(CH3)3

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The donor-acceptor complexes (CH3)3N-BF3 and (CH3)3N-B(CH3)3 have been reinvestigated at high resolution by rotational spectroscopy in a supersonic jet. Nuclear hyperfine structure resulting from both nitrogen and boron has been resolved and quadrupole coupling constants have bee...

Preservation of metabolic flexibility in skeletal muscle by a combined use of n-3 PUFA and rosiglitazone in dietary obese mice.

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Olga Horakova

Full Text Available Insulin resistance, the key defect in type 2 diabetes (T2D, is associated with a low capacity to adapt fuel oxidation to fuel availability, i.e., metabolic inflexibility. This, in turn, contributes to a further damage of insulin signaling. Effectiveness of T2D treatment depends in large part on the improvement of insulin sensitivity and metabolic adaptability of the muscle, the main site of whole-body glucose utilization. We have shown previously in mice fed an obesogenic high-fat diet that a combined use of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA and thiazolidinediones (TZDs, anti-diabetic drugs, preserved metabolic health and synergistically improved muscle insulin sensitivity. We investigated here whether n-3 LC-PUFA could elicit additive beneficial effects on metabolic flexibility when combined with a TZD drug rosiglitazone. Adult male C57BL/6N mice were fed an obesogenic corn oil-based high-fat diet (cHF for 8 weeks, or randomly assigned to various interventions: cHF with n-3 LC-PUFA concentrate replacing 15% of dietary lipids (cHF+F, cHF with 10 mg rosiglitazone/kg diet (cHF+ROSI, cHF+F+ROSI, or chow-fed. Indirect calorimetry demonstrated superior preservation of metabolic flexibility to carbohydrates in response to the combined intervention. Metabolomic and gene expression analyses in the muscle suggested distinct and complementary effects of the interventions, with n-3 LC-PUFA supporting complete oxidation of fatty acids in mitochondria and the combination with n-3 LC-PUFA and rosiglitazone augmenting insulin sensitivity by the modulation of branched-chain amino acid metabolism. These beneficial metabolic effects were associated with the activation of the switch between glycolytic and oxidative muscle fibers, especially in the cHF+F+ROSI mice. Our results further support the idea that the combined use of n-3 LC-PUFA and TZDs could improve the efficacy of the therapy of obese and diabetic patients.

The effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity among young girls: a meta-analysis.

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Biddle, Stuart J H; Braithwaite, Rock; Pearson, Natalie

2014-05-01

Pre-adolescent girls are an important target population for physical activity behaviour change as it may enhance tracking into the crucial period of adolescence. The quantification of intervention effectiveness for this age group of girls has not been previously reported. Studies published in English up to and including August 2013 were located from computerised (MedLine, PsychInfo, Science Direct, Web of Science, EPPI centre databases, and Cochrane Library database) and manual searches. Intervention studies aimed at promoting physical activity, which included pre-adolescent girls aged 5-11 years, and a non-physical activity control/comparison group were included. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted. The average treatment effect for pre-adolescent girls involved in physical activity interventions was significant but small (g=0.314, p<.001). Moderator analyses showed larger effects for interventions that catered for girls only and used educational and multicomponent strategies. Interventions to increase physical activity in pre-adolescent girls show small but significant effects, suggesting that behaviour change may be challenging, but results suggest some strategies that could be successful. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surgical treatment of atrial and ventricular septal defects after unsuccessful interventional therapy: a retrospective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Hongguang; Zhang Nanbin; Wang Zengwei; Wang Huishan; Zhu Hongyu; Li Xinmin

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the causes of failure in treating atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) with interventional procedures and to evaluate the clinical efficacy of surgical treatment in order to increase the successful rate. Methods: A total of 13 patients, who underwent surgical therapy because of unsuccessful interventional treatment for ASD or VSD during the period of January 2001-December 2007, were selected,and the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The surgical indications included the occluder abscission (n=7), III degree atrioventricular conduction block (n=3), valvular regurgitation (n=2), residual shunt (n=1) and interventional failure (n=1). The cardiac surgeries, including removal of the displaced occluder and / or the repair of atrioventricular septal defects, were performed with the help of cardiopulmonary bypass in all 13 cases. After surgical treatment, all patients were transferred into ICU for further supervision and treatment. Results: The average diameter of ASD on surgical exploration was 31 mm, which was greater than the preoperative average diameter (26 mm), with a significant difference (P 0.05). The III degree atrioventricular conduction block in 3 cases restored sinus rhythm after operation. All the procedures were successfully completed in all patients. No death occurred during the hospitalization period. Conclusion: Proper and timely cardiac surgery is an effective and safe measure for the treatment of the complications due to unsuccessful interventional therapy as well as the atrioventricular septal defect itself. (authors)

Feasibility and impact of Creciendo Sanos, a clinic-based pilot intervention to prevent obesity among preschool children in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Andrade, Gloria Oliva; Cespedes, Elizabeth M; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Romero-Quechol, Guillermina; González-Unzaga, Marco Aurelio; Benítez-Trejo, María Amalia; Flores-Huerta, Samuel; Horan, Chrissy; Haines, Jess; Taveras, Elsie M; Pérez-Cuevas, Ricardo; Gillman, Matthew W

2014-03-20

Mexico has the highest adult overweight and obesity prevalence in the Americas; 23.8% of children obese. Creciendo Sanos was a pilot intervention to prevent obesity among preschoolers in Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) clinics. We randomized 4 IMSS primary care clinics to either 6 weekly educational sessions promoting healthful nutrition and physical activity or usual care. We recruited 306 parent-child pairs: 168 intervention, 138 usual care. Children were 2-5 years old with WHO body mass index (BMI) z-score 0-3. We measured children's height and weight and parents reported children's diet and physical activity at baseline and 3 and 6-month follow-up. We analyzed behavioral and BMI outcomes with generalized mixed models incorporating multiple imputation for missing values. 93 (55%) intervention and 96 (70%) usual care families completed 3 and 6-month follow-up. At 3 months, intervention v. usual care children increased vegetables by 6.3 servings/week (95% CI, 1.8, 10.8). In stratified analyses, intervention participants with high program adherence (5-6 sessions) decreased snacks and screen time and increased vegetables v. usual care. No further effects on behavioral outcomes or BMI were observed. Transportation time and expenses were barriers to adherence. 90% of parents who completed the post-intervention survey were satisfied with the program. Although satisfaction was high among participants, barriers to participation and retention included transportation cost and time. In intention to treat analyses, we found intervention effects on vegetable intake, but not other behaviors or BMI. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01539070.Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica del IMSS: 2009-785-120.

Self-efficacy enhancing intervention increases light physical activity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Larson, Janet L; Covey, Margaret K; Kapella, Mary C; Alex, Charles G; McAuley, Edward

2014-01-01

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lead sedentary lives and could benefit from increasing their physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine if an exercise-specific self-efficacy enhancing intervention could increase physical activity and functional performance when delivered in the context of 4 months of upper body resistance training with a 12-month follow-up. IN THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, SUBJECTS WERE ASSIGNED TO: exercise-specific self-efficacy enhancing intervention with upper body resistance training (SE-UBR), health education with upper body resistance training (ED-UBR), or health education with gentle chair exercises (ED-Chair). Physical activity was measured with an accelerometer and functional performance was measured with the Functional Performance Inventory. Forty-nine people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease completed 4 months of training and provided valid accelerometry data, and 34 also provided accelerometry data at 12 months of follow-up. The self-efficacy enhancing intervention emphasized meeting physical activity guidelines and increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Differences were observed in light physical activity (LPA) after 4 months of training, time by group interaction effect (P=0.045). The SE-UBR group increased time spent in LPA by +20.68±29.30 minutes/day and the other groups decreased time spent in LPA by -22.43±47.88 minutes/day and -25.73±51.76 minutes/day. Changes in LPA were not sustained at 12-month follow-up. There were no significant changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sedentary time, or functional performance. Subjects spent most of their waking hours sedentary: 72%±9% for SE-UBR, 68%±10% for ED-UBR, and 74%±9% for ED-Chair. The self-efficacy enhancing intervention produced a modest short-term increase in LPA. Further work is needed to increase the magnitude and duration of effect, possibly by targeting LPA.

Ruthenium (3) coordination compounds with ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylphosphonic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ezerskaya, N.A.; Buj Kuang Ki; Shubochkin, L.K.

1987-01-01

In the process of interaction of K 2 Ru(H 2 O)Cl 5 with ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylphosphonic acid (H 8 EDTP) Ru 3 mono-, bi- and trinuclear complexonates are synthesized. On the basis of IR and X-ray electron spectroscopy and potentiometry suppositions are made on the way of ligand (EDTP, Cl - , H 2 O) coordination. Ru 3 complexonates are characterized using spectrophotometry, polarography, conductometry. Thermal decomposition of the complexonates is studied

Early Intervention for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Quality of Life in Mortuary Affairs Soldiers Postdeployment.

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Biggs, Quinn M; Fullerton, Carol S; McCarroll, James E; Liu, Xian; Wang, Leming; Dacuyan, Nicole M; Zatzick, Douglas F; Ursano, Robert J

2016-11-01

U.S. Army mortuary affairs (MA) soldiers experience stressors of deployment and exposure to the dead, increasing risk for post-traumatic stress and depression. This study examines Troop Education for Army Morale, a postdeployment early intervention based on Psychological First Aid. MA soldiers (N = 126) were randomized to intervention or comparison groups 1-month postdeployment. Intervention sessions were held at 2, 3, 4, and 7 months. Assessments of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and quality of life (QOL) were conducted at 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10 months for both groups. At baseline, 25.0% of the total sample had probable PTSD (17-item PTSD Checklist M = 35.4, SD = 16.9) and 23.6% had probable depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale M = 7.8, SD = 6.9). Over 10 months, PTSD and depression symptoms decreased and QOL improved for the total sample. At study conclusion, intervention and comparison groups were not different. Intervention group males showed a transient symptom increase at 2 to 3 months. Males attended fewer intervention sessions than females. Lower attendance was associated with more symptoms and lower QOL. Higher attendance was associated with greater intervention benefits. Findings highlight the need for better understanding postdeployment interventions and facilitating attendance. Further intervention for MA soldiers is indicated. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

A pilot study: mindfulness meditation intervention in COPD

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Chan, Roxane Raffin; Giardino, Nicholas; Larson, Janet L

2015-01-01

Living well with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires people to manage disease-related symptoms in order to participate in activities of daily living. Mindfulness practice is an intervention that has been shown to reduce symptoms of chronic disease and improve accurate symptom assessment, both of which could result in improved disease management and increased wellness for people with COPD. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate an 8-week mindful meditation intervention program tailored for the COPD population and explore the use of breathing timing parameters as a possible physiological measure of meditation uptake. Results demonstrated that those randomized to the mindful meditation intervention group (N=19) had a significant increase in respiratory rate over time as compared to those randomized to the wait-list group (N=22) (P=0.045). It was also found that the mindful meditation intervention group demonstrated a significant decrease in level of mindfulness over time as compared to the wait-list group (P=0.023). When examining participants from the mindful meditation intervention who had completed six or more classes, it was found that respiratory rate did not significantly increase in comparison to the wait-list group. Furthermore, those who completed six or more classes (N=12) demonstrated significant improvement in emotional function in comparison to the wait-list group (P=0.032) even though their level of mindfulness did not improve. This study identifies that there may be a complex relationship between breathing parameters, emotion, and mindfulness in the COPD population. The results describe good feasibility and acceptability for meditation interventions in the COPD population. PMID:25767382

Increased galectin-3 levels are associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm progression and inhibition of galectin-3 decrease elastase-induced AAA development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandez-García, Carlos-Ernesto; Tarin, Carlos; Roldan-Montero, Raquel

2017-01-01

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) evolution is unpredictable. Moreover, no specific treatment exists for AAA, except surgery to prevent aortic rupture. Galectin-3 has been previously associated with CVD, but its potential role in AAA have not been addressed. Galectin-3 levels were increased in plasma...... of AAA patients (n=225) compared to controls (n=100). Moreover, galectin-3 concentrations were associated with need for surgical repair, independently of potential confounding factors. Galectin-3 mRNA and protein expression were increased in human AAA samples compared to healthy aortas. Experimental AAA...... in mice was induced by aortic elastase perfusion. Mice were treated i.v. with the galectin-3 inhibitor modified citrus pectin (MCP, 10mg/kg, every other day) or saline. Similar to humans, galectin-3 serum and aortic mRNA levels were also increased in elastase-induced AAA mice compared to control mice...

Crystal structures of N2,N3,N5,N6-tetrakis(pyridin-2-ylmethylpyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxamide and N2,N3,N5,N6-tetrakis(pyridin-4-ylmethylpyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxamide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilovan S. Cati

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The title compounds, C32H28N10O4· unknown solvent, (I, and C32H28N10O4, (II, are pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxamide derivatives. In (I, the substituents are (pyridin-2-ylmethylcarboxamide, while in (II, the substituents are (pyridin-4-ylmethylcarboxamide. Both compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space group P21/n, with Z′ = 1 for (I, and Z′ = 0.5 for (II. The whole molecule of (II is generated by inversion symmetry, the pyrazine ring being situated about a center of inversion. In (I, the four pyridine rings are inclined to the pyrazine ring by 83.9 (2, 82.16 (18, 82.73 (19 and 17.65 (19°. This last dihedral angle involves a pyridine ring that is linked to the adjacent carboxamide O atom by an intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond. In compound (II, the unique pyridine rings are inclined to the pyrazine ring by 33.3 (3 and 81.71 (10°. There are two symmetrical intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bonds present in (II. In the crystal of (I, molecules are linked by N—H...O and N—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to (10-1. The layers are linked by C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional framework. In the crystal of (II, molecules are linked by N—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming chains propagating along the [010] direction. The chains are linked by a weaker N—H...N hydrogen bond, forming layers parallel to the (101 plane, which are in turn linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional structure. In the crystal of compound (I, a region of disordered electron density was treated with the SQUEEZE routine in PLATON [Spek (2015. Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18]. Their contribution was not taken into account during refinement. In compound (II, one of the pyridine rings is positionally disordered, and the refined occupancy ratio for the disordered Car—Car—Npy atoms is 0.58 (3:0.42 (3.

Cost-effectiveness of increasing the reach of smoking cessation interventions in Germany: results from the EQUIPTMOD.

Science.gov (United States)

Huber, Manuel B; Präger, Maximilian; Coyle, Kathryn; Coyle, Doug; Lester-George, Adam; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Nemeth, Bertalan; Cheung, Kei Long; Stark, Renee; Vogl, Matthias; Pokhrel, Subhash; Leidl, Reiner

2017-12-15

To evaluate costs, effects and cost-effectiveness of increased reach of specific smoking cessation interventions in Germany. A Markov-based state transition return on investment model (EQUIPTMOD) was used to evaluate current smoking cessation interventions as well as two prospective investment scenarios. A health-care perspective (extended to include out-of-pocket payments) with life-time horizon was considered. A probabilistic analysis was used to assess uncertainty concerning predicted estimates. Germany. Cohort of current smoking population (18+ years) in Germany. Interventions included group-based behavioural support, financial incentive programmes and varenicline. For prospective scenario 1 the reach of group-based behavioral support, financial incentive programme and varenicline was increased by 1% of yearly quit attempts (= 57 915 quit attempts), while prospective scenario 2 represented a higher reach, mirroring the levels observed in England. EQUIPTMOD considered reach, intervention cost, number of quitters, quality-of-life years (QALYs) gained, cost-effectiveness and return on investment. The highest returns through reduction in smoking-related health-care costs were seen for the financial incentive programme (€2.71 per €1 invested), followed by that of group-based behavioural support (€1.63 per €1 invested), compared with no interventions. Varenicline had lower returns (€1.02 per €1 invested) than the other two interventions. At the population level, prospective scenario 1 led to 15 034 QALYs gained and €27 million cost-savings, compared with current investment. Intervention effects and reach contributed most to the uncertainty around the return-on-investment estimates. At a hypothetical willingness-to-pay threshold of only €5000, the probability of being cost-effective is approximately 75% for prospective scenario 1. Increasing the reach of group-based behavioural support, financial incentives and varenicline for smoking cessation by

Step Tracking with Goals Increases Children's Weight Loss in Behavioral Intervention.

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Staiano, Amanda E; Beyl, Robbie A; Hsia, Daniel S; Jarrell, Amber R; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Mantzor, Savarra; Newton, Robert L; Tyson, Patrice

2017-08-01

This study examined the influence of step goals with pedometers to improve children's weight loss, physical activity, and psychosocial health during obesity treatment. Overweight and obese children ages 8-17 years (n = 105) participated in a 10-week family-based weight management intervention, including physical activity, nutrition, and behavioral modification. A quasi-experimental design was used to group eight cohorts into three conditions: no pedometer (n = 24), pedometer only (n = 25), and pedometer with step goals (i.e., 500 steps/day weekly increase above baseline; n = 56). Height and weight were measured at baseline and week 10 and used to calculate BMI. Analysis of covariance was performed to examine difference by condition for change in weight, BMI, and BMI z-score, controlling for age and baseline value. Differences in steps per day and psychosocial health were compared between the two pedometer conditions. Participants were 12.4 ± 2.5 years of age, including 70% girls and 64% African Americans. The pedometer with goals condition significantly reduced BMI (p = 0.02) and BMI z-score (p = 0.01) compared with the no-pedometer group. The pedometer with goals condition significantly increased steps per day (+1185 ± 425 steps/day) compared with the pedometer-only condition (-162 ± 620 steps/day; p goals was an effective approach to produce weight loss. Further work is needed to increase the strength of interventions to achieve clinically meaningful weight reduction for children with obesity.

The effectiveness of a community-based fundamental motor skill intervention in children aged 3-8 years: Results of the "Multimove for Kids" project.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardid, Farid; Lenoir, Matthieu; Huyben, Floris; De Martelaer, Kristine; Seghers, Jan; Goodway, Jacqueline D; Deconinck, Frederik J A

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a 30-week fundamental motor skill program in typically developing young children and to investigate possible sex differences. A multicenter quasi experimental design was set up for this study which involved 992 children aged 3-8 years. All participants received their typical Physical Education curriculum and habitual movement activities. The intervention group (n=523; 53.5% boys) received a weekly 60-min motor skill session provided by trained local instructors in existing child settings; the control group (n=469; 49.7% boys) received no additional practice. Fundamental motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd Edition before and after the intervention. To assess the effect of the intervention and possible sex differences, hierarchical linear regressions analyses were conducted for locomotor and object control gain scores. The intervention group demonstrated a higher gain in both locomotor (β=3.78, SE=1.08, pskills than the control group. Girls demonstrated a lower gain in object control skills (β=-3.50, SE=0.49, pskills (β=1.01, SE=0.44, p=0.022) than boys, regardless of group. The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of a wide-scale community-based intervention in typically developing children. The sex differences reported may indicate the need to use different pedagogical and instructional strategies to enable boys and girls to develop and master a wide range of motor skills. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypertension in Obese Type 2 Diabetes Patients is Associated with Increases in Insulin Resistance and IL-6 Cytokine Levels: Potential Targets for an Efficient Preventive Intervention

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Ljiljana Lukic

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Increased body weight as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D are found to be associated with increased incidence of hypertension, although the mechanisms facilitating hypertension in T2D or nondiabetic individuals are not clear. Therefore, in this study we compared the levels of insulin resistance (IR:OGIS, plasma insulin (PI:RIA levels, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α: ELISA, being risk factors previously found to be associated with hypertension, in T2D patients showing increased body weight (obese and overweight, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 with hypertension (group A, N = 30, or without hypertension (group B, N = 30, and in nonobese (BMI < 25 kg/m2, normotensive controls (group C, N = 15. We found that OGIS index was the lowest (A: 267 ± 35.42 vs. B: 342.89 ± 32.0, p < 0.01 and PI levels were the highest (A: 31.05 ± 8.24 vs. B: 17.23 ± 3.23, p < 0.01 in group A. In addition, IL-6 levels were higher in group A (A: 15.46 ± 5.15 vs. B: 11.77 ± 6.09; p < 0.05 while there was no difference in TNF-α levels. Our results have shown that appearance of hypertension in T2D patients with increased body weight was dependent on further increase in IR which was associated with the rise in pro-inflammatory IL-6 cytokine. The results imply that lifestyle intervention aimed to decrease IR might be beneficial in reducing the risk for hypertension in those T2D individuals.

Social Media Interventions to Promote HIV Testing, Linkage, Adherence, and Retention: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Somya; Wang, Jiangtao; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa B; Muessig, Kathryn E; Tang, Weiming; Pan, Stephen; Pendse, Razia; Tucker, Joseph D

2017-01-01

Background Social media is increasingly used to deliver HIV interventions for key populations worldwide. However, little is known about the specific uses and effects of social media on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) interventions. Objective This systematic review examines the effectiveness of social media interventions to promote HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and retention among key populations. Methods We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and Cochrane guidelines for this review and registered it on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO. We systematically searched six databases and three conference websites using search terms related to HIV, social media, and key populations. We included studies where (1) the intervention was created or implemented on social media platforms, (2) study population included men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, people who inject drugs (PWID), and/or sex workers, and (3) outcomes included promoting HIV testing, linkage, adherence, and/or retention. Meta-analyses were conducted by Review Manager, version 5.3. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by random-effects models. Results Among 981 manuscripts identified, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found 18 studies from high-income countries, 8 in middle-income countries, and 0 in low-income countries. Eight were randomized controlled trials, and 18 were observational studies. All studies (n=26) included MSM; five studies also included transgender individuals. The focus of 21 studies was HIV testing, four on HIV testing and linkage to care, and one on antiretroviral therapy adherence. Social media interventions were used to do the following: build online interactive communities to encourage HIV testing/adherence (10 studies), provide HIV testing services (9 studies), disseminate HIV information (9 studies), and develop

Effects of Si content on microstructure and mechanical properties of TiAlN/Si3N4-Cu nanocomposite coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Changjie; Hu, Shuilian; Jiang, Yuanfei; Wu, Namei; Li, Mingsheng; Xin, Li; Zhu, Shenglong; Wang, Fuhui

2014-11-01

TiAlN/Si3N4-Cu nanocomposite coatings of various Si content (0-5.09 at.%) were deposited on AISI-304 stainless steel by DC reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The chemical composition, microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of these coatings were systematically investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), nanoindentation tester, a home-made indentation system, a scratch tester and a wear tester. Results indicated that with increasing Si content in these coatings, a reduction of grain size and surface roughness, a transformation of the (1 1 1) preferred orientation was detected by XRD and FESEM. Furthermore the hardness of these coatings increase from 9.672 GPa to 18.628 GPa, and the elastic modulus reveal the rising trend that increase from 224.654 GPa to 251.933 GPa. However, the elastic modulus of TiAlN/Si3N4-Cu coating containing 3.39 at.% Si content dropped rapidly and changed to about 180.775 GPa. The H3/E2 ratio is proportional to the film resistance to plastic deformation. The H3/E2 ratio of the TiAlN/Si3N4-Cu coating containing 3.39 at.% Si content possess of the maximum of 0.11 GPa, and the indentation test indicate that few and fine cracks were observed from its indentation morphologies. The growth pattern of cracks is mainly bending growing. The present results show that the best toughness is obtained for TiAlN/Si3N4-Cu nanocomposite coating containing 3.39 at.% Si content. In addition, the TiAlN/Si3N4-Cu coating containing 3.39 at.% Si content also has good adhesion property and superior wear resistance, and the wear mechanism is mainly adhesion wear.

The helpers’ stress: Effectiveness of a web-based intervention for professionals working with trauma survivors in reducing job burnout and improving work engagement

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Anna Rogala

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: The study aimed at evaluating effectiveness of the web-based intervention, “The Helpers’ Stress,” in reducing job burnout and enhancing work engagement among professionals working with trauma survivors. Material and Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to 1 of the 3 intervention modules: 1 – the self-efficacy enhancement (N = 87, 2 – the social support enhancement (N = 85, or to 3 – the educational module (comparison group, N = 81. Participants completed the online questionnaires before the intervention (T1, immediately after (T2, and 4 weeks after the intervention (T3. Results: Due to high drop-out rate at T2 and T3 in social support enhancement module, we excluded from analysis participants assigned to this condition. Participants assigned to the self-efficacy enhancement module presented higher levels of self-efficacy (at T2 and T3, compared to those assigned to the educational module. Job burnout decreased significantly between T1 and T2, and between T2 and T3, and work engagement increased significantly between T1 and T2, and between T1 and T3, among participants assigned to both modules mentioned above. Self-efficacy (T2 mediated the relationship between the group assignment (educational module vs. self-efficacy enhancement module and respectively job burnout (T3 or work engagement (T3. Conclusions: The results of our study highlight the role of self-efficacy in reducing job burnout and increasing work engagement. Med Pr 2016;67(2:223–237

Evaluation of Internet-Based Interventions on Waist Circumference Reduction: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Dong-Chul; Niu, Jingjing

2015-07-21

Internet-based interventions are more cost-effective than conventional interventions and can provide immediate, easy-to-access, and individually tailored support for behavior change. Waist circumference is a strong predictor of an increased risk for a host of diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, independent of body mass index. To date, no study has examined the effect of Internet-based lifestyle interventions on waist circumference change. This study aimed to systematically review the effect of Internet-based interventions on waist circumference change among adults. This meta-analysis reviewed randomized controlled trials (N=31 trials and 8442 participants) that used the Internet as a main intervention approach and reported changes in waist circumference. Internet-based interventions showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (mean change -2.99 cm, 95% CI -3.68 to -2.30, I(2)=93.3%) and significantly better effects on waist circumference loss (mean loss 2.38 cm, 95% CI 1.61-3.25, I(2)=97.2%) than minimal interventions such as information-only groups. Meta-regression results showed that baseline waist circumference, gender, and the presence of social support in the intervention were significantly associated with waist circumference reduction. Internet-based interventions have a significant and promising effect on waist circumference change. Incorporating social support into an Internet-based intervention appears to be useful in reducing waist circumference. Considerable heterogeneity exists among the effects of Internet-based interventions. The design of an intervention may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the intervention.

A food-based approach introducing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes increased vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations in young children in rural Mozambique.

Science.gov (United States)

Low, Jan W; Arimond, Mary; Osman, Nadia; Cunguara, Benedito; Zano, Filipe; Tschirley, David

2007-05-01

Vitamin A deficiency is widespread and has severe consequences for young children in the developing world. Food-based approaches may be an appropriate and sustainable complement to supplementation programs. Orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is rich in beta-carotene and is well accepted by young children. In an extremely resource poor area in Mozambique, the effectiveness of introduction of OFSP was assessed in an integrated agriculture and nutrition intervention, which aimed to increase vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations in young children. The 2-y quasi-experimental intervention study followed households and children (n = 741; mean age 13 mo at baseline) through 2 agricultural cycles. In y 2, 90% of intervention households produced OFSP, and mean OFSP plot size in intervention areas increased from 33 to 359 m(2). Intervention children (n = 498) were more likely than control children (n = 243) to eat OFSP 3 or more d in the last wk (55% vs. 8%, P children (median 426 vs. 56 microg retinol activity equivalent, P children and did not increase significantly in control subjects. Integrated promotion of OFSP can complement other approaches and contribute to increases in vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations in young children in rural Mozambique and similar areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The effect of n-3 long chain fatty acids supplementation on plasma peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma and thyroid hormones in obesity

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Parizad Taraghijou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR γ is a transcription factor, which is abundantly expressed in adipose tissue and has a direct link to adiposity. It seems that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs can regulate PPAR γ expression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of n-3LC PUFA supplementation on plasma levels of PPAR γ and thyroid hormones in obesity. Materials and Methods: In a randomized double-blind controlled trial, 66 subjects with obesity were assigned to 2 groups. Participants in intervention group consumed omega3 capsules contained 1000 mg n-3 fatty acids (180 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and 120 mg of docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] and placebo group consumed placebo capsules contained paraffin twice a day for 4 wk. Fasting blood samples and weight measurements were collected at the baseline and at the end of the trial. Plasma PPAR γ and thyroid hormones were measured by ELISA. Data were analyzed using a repeated measure model-two factor for comparing two groups in two times. Results: No significant changes were observed in PPAR γ levels between and within the groups after supplementation (P>0.05. N-3LC PUFA supplementation significantly increased T4 levels after 4 wk (P<0.05 but T3 and TSH did not change significantly. Conclusion: Our study showed that n-3LC PUFAs supplementation increased T4 levels. However, no significant changes in T3, TSH and PPAR γ plasma levels were observed in obese adults.

[Use of social marketing to increase water consumption among school-age children in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Carriedo, Ángela; Bonvecchio, Anabelle; López, Nancy; Morales, Maricruz; Mena, Carmen; Théodore, Florence L; Irizarry, Laura

2013-01-01

To increase water consumption in school children in Mexico City through a social marketing intervention. Cluster quasi-experimental design. Intervention of three months in schools, including water provision and designed based on social marketing. Reported changes in attitude, knowledge and behavior were compared pre and post intervention. Children of the intervention group (n=116) increased in 38% (171 ml) water consumption during school time, control group (n=167) decreased its consumption in 21% (140 ml) (pwater consumption among children, strategy that might contribute to mitigate childhood obesity.