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Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2020The personal and societal impact of age-related cognitive decline supports the development of effective interventions. While some strategies, such as cognitive training,...
The personal and societal impact of age-related cognitive decline supports the development of effective interventions. While some strategies, such as cognitive training, exercise or socio-intellectual engagement, appear beneficial, few studies have examined the association between personality and intervention efficacy. A systematic review was therefore conducted to summarise and synthesise the literature regarding the influence of personality traits on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive ageing. A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science was carried out. Of the 2100 papers identified by the search strategy, 10 studies were retained that met the relevant criteria (e.g., intervention studies with one or more cognitive outcomes and a measure of personality). Of these, two studies reported that higher levels of Openness to Experience were associated with greater improvement in memory performance after cognitive training interventions. Another found a positive association between Openness and improvement in divergent thinking following a novel group-based problem solving programme. One social intervention study reported positive moderating effects of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, and mixed effects of Extraversion. Mixed evidence was also found regarding Need for Cognition, with one study reporting a positive association with memory improvement and another reporting less improvement in divergent thinking. Others found no evidence of personality influencing intervention outcomes. Due to the relatively small and heterogeneous sample of studies identified, any conclusions should currently be considered preliminary. These findings highlight the need for further research exploring the role of personality in intervention efficacy, so that interventions might be better tailored to individuals.
Topics: Aged; Cognition; Cognitive Aging; Cognitive Dysfunction; Humans; Memory; Personality
PubMed: 31835190
DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2019.103992 -
Proceedings. Biological Sciences Aug 2020Combinations of intense non-pharmaceutical interventions (lockdowns) were introduced worldwide to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Many governments have begun to...
Combinations of intense non-pharmaceutical interventions (lockdowns) were introduced worldwide to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Many governments have begun to implement exit strategies that relax restrictions while attempting to control the risk of a surge in cases. Mathematical modelling has played a central role in guiding interventions, but the challenge of designing optimal exit strategies in the face of ongoing transmission is unprecedented. Here, we report discussions from the Isaac Newton Institute 'Models for an exit strategy' workshop (11-15 May 2020). A diverse community of modellers who are providing evidence to governments worldwide were asked to identify the main questions that, if answered, would allow for more accurate predictions of the effects of different exit strategies. Based on these questions, we propose a roadmap to facilitate the development of reliable models to guide exit strategies. This roadmap requires a global collaborative effort from the scientific community and policymakers, and has three parts: (i) improve estimation of key epidemiological parameters; (ii) understand sources of heterogeneity in populations; and (iii) focus on requirements for data collection, particularly in low-to-middle-income countries. This will provide important information for planning exit strategies that balance socio-economic benefits with public health.
Topics: COVID-19; Child; Coronavirus Infections; Disease Eradication; Family Characteristics; Humans; Immunity, Herd; Models, Theoretical; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Schools; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 32781946
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1405 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Jun 2023Advanced footwear technology improves average running economy compared with racing flats in sub-elite athletes. However, not all athletes benefit as performance changes... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Advanced footwear technology improves average running economy compared with racing flats in sub-elite athletes. However, not all athletes benefit as performance changes vary from a 10% drawback to a 14% improvement. The main beneficiaries from such technologies, world-class athletes, have only been analyzed using race times.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to measure running economy on a laboratory treadmill in advanced footwear technology compared to a traditional racing flat in world-class Kenyan (mean half-marathon time: 59:30 min:s) versus European amateur runners.
METHODS
Seven world-class Kenyan and seven amateur European male runners completed a maximal oxygen uptake assessment and submaximal steady-state running economy trials in three different models of advanced footwear technology and a racing flat. To confirm our results and better understand the overall effect of new technology in running shoes, we conducted a systematic search and meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Laboratory results revealed large variability in both world-class Kenyan road runners, which ranged from a 11.3% drawback to a 11.4% benefit, and amateur Europeans, which ranged from a 9.7% benefit to a 1.1% drawback in running economy of advanced footwear technology compared to a flat. The post-hoc meta-analysis revealed an overall significant medium benefit of advanced footwear technology on running economy compared with traditional flats.
CONCLUSIONS
Variability of advanced footwear technology performance appears in both world-class and amateur runners, suggesting further testing should examine such variability to ensure validity of results and explain the cause as a more personalized approach to shoe selection might be necessary for optimal benefit.
Topics: Humans; Male; Athletes; Biomechanical Phenomena; Kenya; Marathon Running; Running; Shoes
PubMed: 36862339
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01816-1 -
PloS One 2024People experiencing homelessness co-occurring with substance use or offending ('severe and multiple disadvantage' SMD) often have high levels of poor oral health and...
Improving oral health and related health behaviours (substance use, smoking, diet) in people with severe and multiple disadvantage: A systematic review of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions.
BACKGROUND
People experiencing homelessness co-occurring with substance use or offending ('severe and multiple disadvantage' SMD) often have high levels of poor oral health and related health behaviours (particularly, substance use, smoking, poor diet). This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions in adults experiencing SMD to improve oral health and related health behaviours.
METHODS AND FINDINGS
From inception to February 2023, five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Scopus) and grey literature were searched. Two researchers independently screened the search results. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparative studies and economic evaluations were included that reported outcomes on oral health and the related health behaviours. Risk of bias was assessed and results narratively synthesized. Meta-analyses were performed where appropriate. This review was registered with PROSPERO (reg. no: CRD42020202416). Thirty-eight studies were included (published between 1991 and 2023) with 34 studies reporting about effectiveness. Most studies reported on substance use (n = 30). Interventions with a combination of housing support with substance use and mental health support such as contingent work therapy appeared to show some reduction in substance use in SMD groups. However, meta-analyses showed no statistically significant results. Most studies had short periods of follow-up and high attrition rates. Only one study reported on oral health; none reported on diet. Three RCTs reported on smoking, of which one comprising nicotine replacement with contingency management showed improved smoking abstinence at 4 weeks compared to control. Five studies with economic evaluations provided some evidence that interventions such as Housing First and enhanced support could be cost-effective in reducing substance use.
CONCLUSION
This review found that services such as housing combined with other healthcare services could be effective in improving health behaviours, particularly substance use, among SMD groups. Gaps in evidence also remain on oral health improvement, smoking, and diet. High quality studies on effectiveness with adequate power and retention are needed to address these significant health challenges in SMD populations.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Oral Health; Diet; Substance-Related Disorders; Smoking; Health Behavior
PubMed: 38635524
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298885 -
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics May 2022Ondansetron is commonly used in breastfeeding mothers to treat nausea and vomiting. There is limited information in humans regarding safety of ondansetron exposure to...
Ondansetron is commonly used in breastfeeding mothers to treat nausea and vomiting. There is limited information in humans regarding safety of ondansetron exposure to nursing infants and no adequate study looking at ondansetron pharmacokinetics during lactation. We developed a generic physiologically-based pharmacokinetic lactation model for small molecule drugs and applied this model to predict ondansetron transfer into breast milk and characterize infant exposure. Drug-specific model inputs were parameterized using data from the literature. Population-specific inputs were derived from a previously conducted systematic literature review of anatomic and physiologic changes in postpartum women. Model predictions were evaluated using ondansetron plasma and breast milk concentration data collected prospectively from 78 women in the Commonly Used Drugs During Lactation and infant Exposure (CUDDLE) study. The final model predicted breast milk and plasma exposures following a single 4 mg dose of intravenous ondansetron in 1,000 simulated women who were 2 days postpartum. Model predictions showed good agreement with observed data. Breast milk median prediction error (MPE) was 18.4% and median absolute prediction error (MAPE) was 53.0%. Plasma MPE was 32.5% and MAPE was 43.2%. The model-predicted daily and relative infant doses were 0.005 mg/kg/day and 3.0%, respectively. This model adequately predicted ondansetron passage into breast milk. The calculated low relative infant dose indicates that mothers receiving ondansetron can safely breastfeed. The model building blocks and population database are open-source and can be adapted to other drugs.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant; Breast Feeding; Lactation; Milk, Human; Ondansetron; Postpartum Period
PubMed: 35076931
DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2530 -
Applied Network Science 2022Network analysis is a useful tool to analyse the interactions and structure of graphs that represent the relationships among entities, such as sectors within an urban... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Network analysis is a useful tool to analyse the interactions and structure of graphs that represent the relationships among entities, such as sectors within an urban system. Connecting entities in this way is vital in understanding the complexity of the modern world, and how to navigate these complexities during an event. However, the field of network analysis has grown rapidly since the 1970s to produce a vast array of available metrics that describe different graph properties. This diversity allows network analysis to be applied across myriad research domains and contexts, however widespread applications have produced polysemic metrics. Challenges arise in identifying which method of network analysis to adopt, which metrics to choose, and how many are suitable. This paper undertakes a structured review of literature to provide clarity on behind metric selection and suggests a way forward for applied network analysis. It is essential that future studies explicitly report the rationale behind metric choice and describe how the mathematics relates to target concepts and themes. An exploratory metric analysis is an important step in identifying the most important metrics and understanding redundant ones. Finally, where applicable, one should select an optimal number of metrics that describe the network both locally and globally, so as to understand the interactions and structure as holistically as possible.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41109-022-00476-w.
PubMed: 35854964
DOI: 10.1007/s41109-022-00476-w -
Annals of Work Exposures and Health Oct 2021This systematic review aimed to evaluate the evidence for air and surface contamination of workplace environments with SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the quality of the methods used...
OBJECTIVES
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the evidence for air and surface contamination of workplace environments with SARS-CoV-2 RNA and the quality of the methods used to identify actions necessary to improve the quality of the data.
METHODS
We searched Web of Science and Google Scholar until 24 December 2020 for relevant articles and extracted data on methodology and results.
RESULTS
The vast majority of data come from healthcare settings, with typically around 6% of samples having detectable concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and almost none of the samples collected had viable virus. There were a wide variety of methods used to measure airborne virus, although surface sampling was generally undertaken using nylon flocked swabs. Overall, the quality of the measurements was poor. Only a small number of studies reported the airborne concentration of SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA, mostly just reporting the detectable concentration values without reference to the detection limit. Imputing the geometric mean air concentration assuming the limit of detection was the lowest reported value, suggests typical concentrations in healthcare settings may be around 0.01 SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA copies m-3. Data on surface virus loading per unit area were mostly unavailable.
CONCLUSIONS
The reliability of the reported data is uncertain. The methods used for measuring SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses in work environments should be standardized to facilitate more consistent interpretation of contamination and to help reliably estimate worker exposure.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Occupational Exposure; RNA, Viral; Reproducibility of Results; SARS-CoV-2; Workplace
PubMed: 34329379
DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxab026 -
Palliative Medicine Apr 2021Delirium is a distressing neuropsychiatric disorder affecting patients in palliative care. Although many delirium screening tools exist, their utility, and validation...
BACKGROUND
Delirium is a distressing neuropsychiatric disorder affecting patients in palliative care. Although many delirium screening tools exist, their utility, and validation within palliative care settings has not undergone systematic review.
AIM
To systematically review studies that validate delirium screening tools conducted in palliative care settings.
DESIGN
Systematic review with narrative synthesis (PROSPERO ID: CRD42019125481). A risk of bias assessment via Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 was performed.
DATA SOURCES
Five electronic databases were systematically searched (January 1, 1982-May 3, 2020). Quantitative studies validating a screening tool in adult palliative care patient populations were included. Studies involving alcohol withdrawal, critical or perioperative care were excluded.
RESULTS
Dual-reviewer screening of 3749 unique titles and abstracts identified 95 studies for full-text review and of these, 17 studies of 14 screening tools were included ( = 3496 patients). Data analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity in patient demographics and variability in screening and diagnostic practices that limited generalizability between study populations and care settings. A risk of bias assessment revealed methodological and reporting deficits, with only 3/17 studies at low risk of bias.
CONCLUSIONS
The processes of selecting a delirium screening tool and determining optimal screening practices in palliative care are complex. One tool is unlikely to fit the needs of the entire palliative care population across all palliative care settings. Further research should be directed at evaluating and/or adapting screening tools and practices to fit the needs of specific palliative care settings and populations.
Topics: Adult; Delirium; Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing; Humans; Mass Screening; Palliative Care
PubMed: 33588640
DOI: 10.1177/0269216321994730 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Aug 2023In this scoping review, we aimed to 1) identify and evaluate existing research that describes the long-term development of training characteristics and...
OBJECTIVE
In this scoping review, we aimed to 1) identify and evaluate existing research that describes the long-term development of training characteristics and performance-determining factors in male and female endurance athletes reaching an elite/international (Tier 4) or world-class level (Tier 5), 2) summarize the available evidence and 3) point out existing knowledge gaps and provide methodological guidelines for future research in this field.
METHODS
This review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews.
RESULTS
Out of 16772 screened items across a 22-year period (1990-2022), a total of 17 peer-reviewed journal articles met the inclusion criteria and were considered for further analysis. These 17 studies described athletes from seven different sports and seven different countries, with 11 (69%) of the studies being published during the last decade. Of the 109 athletes included in this scoping review, one quarter were women (27%), and three quarters were men (73%). Ten studies included information about the long-term development of training volume and training intensity distribution. A non-linear, year-to-year increase in training volume was found for most athletes, resulting in a subsequent plateau. Furthermore, 11 studies described the development of performance determining factors. Here, most of the studies showed improvements in submaximal variables (e.g., lactate/anaerobic threshold and work economy/efficiency) and maximal performance-indices (e.g., peak speed/watt during performance testing). Conversely, the development of VO2max was inconsistent across studies. No evidence was found regarding possible sex differences in development of training or performance-determining factors among endurance athletes.
CONCLUSION
Overall, a low number of studies describing the long-term development of training and performance-determining factors is available. This suggests that existing talent development practices in endurance sports are built upon limited scientific evidence. Overall, there is an urgent need for additional long-term studies based on systematic monitoring of athletes from a young age utilizing high-precision, reproducible measurements of training and performance-determining factors.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Physical Endurance; Sports; Athletes; Anaerobic Threshold; Lactic Acid
PubMed: 37178349
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01850-z -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2020Wireless power transfer (WPT) systems have become increasingly suitable solutions for the electrical powering of advanced multifunctional micro-electronic devices such...
Wireless power transfer (WPT) systems have become increasingly suitable solutions for the electrical powering of advanced multifunctional micro-electronic devices such as those found in current biomedical implants. The design and implementation of high power transfer efficiency WPT systems are, however, challenging. The size of the WPT system, the separation distance between the outside environment and location of the implanted medical device inside the body, the operating frequency and tissue safety due to power dissipation are key parameters to consider in the design of WPT systems. This article provides a systematic review of the wide range of WPT systems that have been investigated over the last two decades to improve overall system performance. The various strategies implemented to transfer wireless power in implantable medical devices (IMDs) were reviewed, which includes capacitive coupling, inductive coupling, magnetic resonance coupling and, more recently, acoustic and optical powering methods. The strengths and limitations of all these techniques are benchmarked against each other and particular emphasis is placed on comparing the implanted receiver size, the WPT distance, power transfer efficiency and tissue safety presented by the resulting systems. Necessary improvements and trends of each WPT techniques are also indicated per specific IMD.
Topics: Electric Power Supplies; Electronics; Prostheses and Implants; Wireless Technology
PubMed: 32575663
DOI: 10.3390/s20123487