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Effect of Active and Assisted Living technologies on psychosocial well-being in older adults: systematic review
No full textBackground: In a rapidly aging society, the concept of psychosocial well-being becomes increasingly relevant, independent of health. Indeed, psychosocial well-being is closely related to autonomy, independence, and self-efficacy. Technological approaches that support older adults in leading active, healthy, and independent lives are framed within the concept of Active and Assisted Living (AAL). However, evidence regarding their impact on psychosocial well-being remains limited. Objective: This systematic review evaluates the psychosocial effects of AAL technologies in older adults. Methods: We included intervention studies reporting psychosocial outcomes related to older adults’ use of AAL technologies. We excluded studies involving participants receiving continuous on-site healthcare assistance or with moderate to severe mental health problems, technologies restricted to basic home automation or lacking advanced data processing and automation, and interventions focused on rehabilitation after acute events. Studies using not-validated measures or without quantitative evaluation of outcomes were also excluded. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, IEEE Xplore, APA PsycArticles, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to January 2025. Key attributes of eligible publications were critically discussed using a 2 × 2 logic which frames findings by both technological performance and psychosocial outcome. Results: Of 6,349 records identified, 15 independent studies were included. AAL solutions targeted promotion or guidance of physical activity, self-management of chronic conditions, fostering healthy and safe habits or distraction from pain. Twelve studies assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and close concepts. Depression was the second most investigated outcome, followed by fear of falling, with QoL and loneliness also reported. Conclusion: This review offers a critical analysis of both the findings and the methodologies employed in the selected studies, acknowledging the complexity of drawing unequivocally positive or negative conclusions regarding the impact of AAL technologies on the psychosocial well-being of older adults. The results highlight the need for a shared conceptual framework to inform the design, assessment, and validation of technologies intended to support daily living
The World of Languages and Languages of the World (WoLLoW): a pupils’ voice study on primary languages and multilingualism: a pupils’ voice study on primary languages and multilingualism
Full text linkWhilst the intention behind compulsory Primary Languages in England is laudable, the reality of the challenges faced by the Modern Foreign Language (MFL) community in terms of staffing and organisation of primary languages and transition to secondary means that 10 years on, the policy is still struggling to translate into consistent practice. WoLLoW, a fully resourced and freely available curriculum for KS2 and KS3 was born out of the need to find a solution for these challenges at grassroot level. The programme is designed with primary school teachers in mind, and its dialogic and exploratory approach to teaching and learning empowers non-specialists to support language learning with expertise and confidence, to inspire a love of languages in pupils and support their future language learning. This study explored pupils’ responses to the programme through focus groups, with three year 5 classes in two separate schools. It was found that such programme has the potential to foster self-motivation regarding language learning, by fulfilling the needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Furthermore, pupils were provided with a unique space for positive and empowering discussions around multilingualism, which could potentially enhance the language learning provision at primary and the transition to secondary
Hydroxycinnamate anions: the evolution of gas-phase action spectroscopy to study photoisomerisable molecules
Full text linkThe hydroxycinnamate moiety is a widespread biochromophore in nature, acting as a photoswitch in photoactive yellow protein and as UV-absorbing photoprotective units in the leaves of plants. The α, β-unsaturated carbonyl group supports E and Z geometric isomers, which may photoisomerise following the absorption of light, with this structural change driving subsequent photodynamics or activity in biological systems. This review summarises our current understanding of the intrinsic (gas phase) photophysics of hydroxycinnamates anions, focussing on the most common para structural isomers. While the photochemistry of hydroxycinnamate anions has intrigued scientists for several decades, recent advances in gas-phase instrumentation involving the coupling of electrospray ionisation with mass spectrometry and action spectroscopy techniques have incrementally provided a complete picture of their fundamental photo-induced dynamics. Significantly, the combination of femtosecond time-resolved photoelectron and photoisomerisation action spectroscopy has highlighted the role of excited-state barriers along the isomerisation co-ordinate in defining the photophysics. These barriers are largely suppressed in condensed phases. Overall, the hydroxycinnamates provide a clear example of how gas-phase action spectroscopy experiments have evolved to uncover intrinsic reaction dynamics of isolated molecules
Fewer skin tumours diagnosed in England during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: greatest reductions in melanoma in situ, stage I melanomas and basal cell carcinomas
No full textHost immunogenetic variation and gut microbiome functionality in a wild vertebrate population
Full text linkBackground: The gut microbiome (GM) –important for host health and survival– is partially shaped by host immunogenetics. However, to date, no study has investigated the influence of host Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes on gut microbiome functionality in a wild population. Here we use a natural population of the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis) to assess the effects of MHC genes on GM taxonomy and functionality using shotgun metagenomics. Results: Our results show that taxonomic GM composition was associated with MHC-II diversity and the presence of one specific MHC-I allele (Ase-ua 7). Specifically, MHC-II diversity was associated with decreased Lactococcus lactis and increased Staphylococcus lloydii abundance, while Ase-ua 7 was linked to reduced Enterococcus casselifavus and Gordonia sp OPL2 but increased Escherichia coli and Vulcaniibacterium thermophilum. These taxonomic changes may reflect differences in MHC-mediated microbial recognition. In contrast, functional GM composition was significantly associated with increasing individual MHC-I diversity but not MHC-II diversity. In particular, increasing MHC-I diversity was associated with an increased prevalence of microbial defence genes but a reduced prevalence of microbial metabolism genes. Analysis also revealed that functional GM networks were more fragmented in high compared to low MHC-I diversity hosts. Conclusion: These results suggest that MHC variation (particularly at MHC-I) plays an important role in shaping both the taxonomy and function of the GM in wild vertebrates. In the Seychelles warbler, this results in trade-offs whereby there is an increase in microbial defence and a reduction in GM metabolic potential in individuals with higher MHC-I diversity. Thus, this work sheds light on the possible costs and benefits of maintaining a healthy microbiome, which is essential for understanding how the GM and immune system co-evolve
Extreme weather impacts on health services and communities in lower income countries : A thematic systematic review
No full textBackground Most previous research about the dangers of extreme weather events was applicable to populations in high income countries. Data summarising harms related to extreme weather events in lower income settings are lacking. Methods A systematic review thematically summarised evidence about weather-event-linked harms and responses in low- and lower-middle income countries. Peer review and grey literature were systematically searched and selected. Data were extracted about harms, responses and outcomes relevant to six WHO Building Blocks of health care systems. Framework analysis was used to identify predominant themes related to harms, responses and the WHO Building Blocks. Results Included reports numbered 183. Flooding and high winds were the most common type of extreme weather event documented. The main community experience themes identified were displacement of populations and disruption. The main themes identified for health service delivery were: Vulnerability, Disruption and Resilience. Documented examples of resilience or recovery were far fewer for all six WHO healthcare system Building Blocks than descriptions of vulnerability and disruption. Conclusions Extreme weather events can be highly disruptive and harmful to health care systems and communities in LMIC settings that are often already highly vulnerable
A Statistical Model for Lung Function Trajectory and Mortality in Patients with Fibrotic ILD
No full textBackground: Fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) cause loss of forced vital capacity (FVC) and increased risk of death over time. Most clinical trials aim to slow FVC decline and reduce mortality. However, the association of lower FVC with higher mortality will bias estimates of differences in FVC progression between groups. Therefore, both the time-dependent decline in FVC and increase in mortality should be jointly modelled. Methods: We developed a Bayesian, joint random-effects disease progression model (DPM), using minimally informative prior distributions, for FVC trajectory and hazard for mortality over time. This model minimizes bias due to mortality in estimating differences in the rate of FVC decline and is suitable for use when characterizing populations or in estimating a treatment effect in a clinical trial. The DPM was applied to individual patient data from prospective cohort studies of fibrotic ILD (PROFILE and INJUSTIS). Results: The DPM yields a higher estimated rate of FVC decline (6.0 vs 4.7%/year), a more precise fit than a mixed linear model of FVC alone, and replicates the non-linear pattern in observed data. By modelling the full FVC trajectory rather than only the change from baseline at a given time point, the approach increases the information obtained from each patient and reduces both the time to information and the effect of variability in baseline FVC measurements on the estimation of treatment effects. Conclusions: The joint DPM provides an integrated approach to minimizing bias in the estimation of treatment effects in clinical trials in fibrotic ILDs
Cross-Cultural Validation of the Refusal of Care Informant Scale (RoCIS) for European Portuguese Population
No full textObjectives: Care refusal behaviours in dementia represent meaningful expressions of autonomy, yet validated assessment tools for Portuguese-speaking populations remain absent. The Refusal of Care Informant Scale (RoCIS) measures care refusal expressions during personal care interactions. This study aimed to conduct cross-cultural validation of the RoCIS for European Portuguese populations, establishing psychometric properties in nursing home settings. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed systematic translation and psychometric evaluation using classical test theory and Rasch analysis. A sample of 183 older adults living with dementia from 12 Portuguese nursing homes was assessed using the Portuguese RoCIS alongside validated measures including Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire, Barthel Index, and Functional Assessment Staging Tool. Results: The Portuguese RoCIS demonstrated internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.834; 95% CI: 0.796-0.867). Rasch analysis confirmed item reliability (0.91) and unidimensionality. Convergent validity was established through significant correlations with agitation (r = 0.523, p < 0.001) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (r = 0.427, p < 0.001). Known-groups validity showed significant discrimination across cognitive dependency levels (F(2,180) = 3.410, p = 0.035). Conclusion: The Portuguese RoCIS represents the first cross-cultural validation beyond the original country of development, providing strong evidence for the scale's international applicability and supporting relationship-centred dementia care globally
