University of the Sunshine Coast
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Targeting interleukin-10 signalling for cancer immunotherapy, a promising and complicated task
No full textInterleukin 10 (IL-10) belongs to IL-10 family cytokines that are critical for maintaining the integrity of epithelial tissues, protecting pathogenic infection, and preventing excessive immune responses to damage self. Temporal IL-10 signaling blockade enhances vaccine-induced tumor regression by CD8 + T cells. IL-10, especially pegylated IL-10, mediates tumor regression by expanding tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cells. Moreover, targeting IL-10 enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor mediated tumor regression. In the current paper, we will review recent advances in this area and discuss the complexity of IL-10 manipulation for cancer therapy
Effect of a mindfulness programme for long‐term care residents with type 2 diabetes: A cluster randomised controlled trial measuring outcomes of glycaemic control, relocation stress and depression
No full textAims:
The aim of this study was to determine physical, behavioural and psychosocial effects of a newly developed mindfulness programme for older adults with type 2 diabetes relocating to long‐term care facility.
Background:
Taiwan is viewed as an “aged society” with significant proportion of the population living in a long‐term care facility. Approximately one third of residents living in long‐term care facilities have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and disruption to management of their glycaemic levels is at risk for up to one year after relocating to a long‐term care facility.
Design:
A cluster randomised controlled trial was used to examine the effects of a newly developed mindfulness programme on outcomes of glycaemic levels, relocation stress and depression.
Methods:
A total of 140 participants were recruited from six long‐term care facilities in Southern Taiwan. A mindfulness programme was delivered over 9 weeks and consisted of meditations, education and exercise techniques that were delivered by a Registered Nurse trained in mindfulness strategies. Participants in the control group received routine care as provided in the facilities, including routine check‐ups at diabetes clinics as necessary. Data were analysed by Johnson–Neyman technique and generalised estimating equations.
Results:
In total, 120 residents completed the study. The majority of patients were female (64.8%), and 83.5% of the sample were financially supported by their children. The results showed significant improvements in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), relocation stress (Wald χ2 = 78.91) and depression (Wald χ2 = 45.70) between groups. In the intervention group, the mean of HbA1c levels showed 16.4% reduction (Mean differences = 1.3; SD = 0.3). However, there were no significant differences in relocation stress and depression within groups.
Conclusion:
The results provided positive effects of the mindfulness programme for older people with diabetes moving into long‐term care facilities. The programme will assist in future planning for diabetes care in long‐term care facilities
Using document analysis to identify core concepts for dietetics: The first step in promoting conceptual learning
No full textConcept‐based approaches to curriculum design have been proposed in nursing and health sciences education to address the issue of content overload in curricula but have not been described in dietetics. This study aimed to identify core concepts for the dietetics discipline in Australia and investigate the commonality and differences in these concepts across different dietetic organizations across the world. This study used document analysis of a purposive sample of international dietetics competency or proficiency standards identified from English speaking dietetic organizations worldwide. Content analysis was applied to the performance criteria or equivalent from ten documents (nine organizations) to identify the most common elements. A total of 1,007 statements were analyzed. Fifty‐six concepts were developed. The four most frequent concepts coded across all statements were “critical thinking,” “communication,” “nutrition and dietetic service” and “quality assurance and improvement.” There were 55 concepts common to all standards. The concept of “food security” was not present in one of the standards from the United States. The concepts that emerged from this study were common across different English‐speaking dietetic organizations across the world. Small differences on the emphasis of concepts, between different competency standards may reflect the health needs; health, political, economic, and social systems; and the cultural context of a country. Identifying core concepts in dietetics is the first step to help to inform curriculum design, which may address overcrowded curricular and promote conceptual learning
Power, privilege and provocation: Public Health Palliative Care today
No full textNo abstract available
How to communicate COVID-19 risk without fuelling anti-Chinese sentiment in Indonesia
No full textNo abstract available
Negotiating leisure etiquette in the context of drones
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to explore leisure etiquette as negotiated through the lens of recreational drones. While drones have experienced spectacular growth in terms of sales and revenue, there remains very little known about how the nuances of recreational drone users negotiate codes of conduct to guide their leisure activities and behavior. Drawing from the overarching notion of leisure etiquette, this research explores the context of two groups of leisure drone users operating in Brisbane, Australia and Singapore. Through participant observation and social media content analysis, the research found that participants negotiated etiquette through three elements – Keeping time, sequence of flights and self-regulation of usage behavior. This research elucidates how leisure etiquette is better understood from the increased presence of recreational drones and offers practical steps for governance and regulations related to technologically-mediated leisure spaces
Climate change adaptation in the Pacific Islands: a review of faith-engaged approaches and opportunities
No full textThe Pacific Islands region is highlighted in the literature as one of the most vulnerable geographic areas in the world, with a high priority for adaptation to climate change. In consequence, many interventions have been proposed and implemented over the years that approach environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change in the Pacific from a predominantly scientific and technocratic worldview perspective, in which climate change is seen as a science-informed issue, rather than a faith-informed issue. Overwhelmingly, adaptation initiatives are scientifically justified and externally conceived, funded and implemented. Regrettably, most interventions intended to reduce exposure to environmental risk and to enable effective and sustainable adaptation to climate change in the Pacific Islands region have failed to acknowledge influences on decision-making of spirituality and connectedness to Nature. In the light of the almost total Christianization of Pacific Islands within the past century, such intervention failures are surprising. The situation cannot continue because every day the need for adaptation to climate change that is effective and sustainable is growing. Given that in the Pacific Islands region decision makers are likely to be influenced more by tradition and local precedent than by science, makes the purposive exploration of faith-engaged approaches to climate change adaptation a fertile and promising undertaking. This paper extends previous research by means of a literary review of pertinent challenges and opportunities. The synthesised lessons are useful for both policy and practice serving the cause of climate change adaptation in Pacific island communities. A better understanding of the science-spirituality nexus in the Pacific will also improve the effectiveness and sustainability of adaptation responses to climate-driven environmental change
Interventions and strategies to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections with short-term indwelling urinary catheters in hospitalized patients: An integrative review
No full textAim: To explore interventions and strategies to prevent catheter‐associated urinary tract infections in hospitalized patients with a short‐term indwelling urinary catheter. Background: Interventions and strategies to prevent catheter‐associated urinary tract infections are reported in the literature, but it is not clear which might be relevant when the indwelling urinary catheter is in place for a short period of time. Methods: An integrative review was performed. A search was undertaken in databases using the following search terms: “urinary catheter, bladder catheter OR urethral catheter*”and “bundl* OR care OR manag* OR intervent*.” Electronic databases were searched up until June 2019. Manual searching of reference lists of included studies was undertaken. Twelve studies reported in 15 articles were identified and analysed by two independent reviewers. Results: Multifaceted interventions were informed by evidence‐based protocols or guidelines. Implementation strategies included local adaption of guidelines or protocols, use of an opinion leader, audit and feedback, multidisciplinary team involvement, reminders and stop orders, and education and training. Conclusion: Multifaceted, evidence‐based interventions to prevent catheter‐associated urinary tract infections are effective in preventing infections in patients with short‐term urinary catheters. However, there is little evidence to inform which combined strategies are more likely to be effective
Transdiagnostic neurocognitive subgroups and functional course in young people with emerging mental disorders: a cohort study
No full textBackground:
Neurocognitive impairments robustly predict functional outcome. However, heterogeneity in neurocognition is common within diagnostic groups, and data-driven analyses reveal homogeneous neurocognitive subgroups cutting across diagnostic boundaries.
Aims:
To determine whether data-driven neurocognitive subgroups of young people with emerging mental disorders are associated with 3-year functional course.
Method:
Model-based cluster analysis was applied to neurocognitive test scores across nine domains from 629 young people accessing mental health clinics. Cluster groups were compared on demographic, clinical and substance-use measures. Mixed-effects models explored associations between cluster-group membership and socio-occupational functioning (using the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale) over 3 years, adjusted for gender, premorbid IQ, level of education, depressive, positive, negative and manic symptoms, and diagnosis of a primary psychotic disorder.
Results:
Cluster analysis of neurocognitive test scores derived three subgroups described as ‘normal range’ (n = 243, 38.6%), ‘intermediate impairment’ (n = 252, 40.1%), and ‘global impairment’ (n = 134, 21.3%). The major mental disorder categories (depressive, anxiety, bipolar, psychotic and other) were represented in each neurocognitive subgroup. The global impairment subgroup had lower functioning for 3 years of follow-up; however, neither the global impairment (B = 0.26, 95% CI −0.67 to 1.20; P = 0.581) or intermediate impairment (B = 0.46, 95% CI −0.26 to 1.19; P = 0.211) subgroups differed from the normal range subgroup in their rate of change in functioning over time.
Conclusions:
Neurocognitive impairment may follow a continuum of severity across the major syndrome-based mental disorders, with data-driven neurocognitive subgroups predictive of functional course. Of note, the global impairment subgroup had longstanding functional impairment despite continuing engagement with clinical services
Reliability of the velocity achieved during the last repetition of sets to failure and its association with the velocity of the 1-repetition maximum
No full textBackground:
This study aimed to determine the reliability of the velocity achieved during the last repetition of sets to failure (Vlast) and the association of Vlast with the velocity of the 1-repetition maximum (V1RM) during the paused and touch-and-go bench press (BP) exercises performed in a Smith machine.
Methods:
A total of 96 healthy men participated in this study that consisted of two testing sessions. A single BP variant (paused BP or touch-and-go BP) was evaluated on each session in a randomized order. Each session consisted of an incremental loading test until reaching the 1RM, followed by two sets of repetitions to failure against a load ranging from 75% to 90% of 1RM.
Results:
The reliability of Vlast was unacceptable for both BP variants (CV > 18.3%, ICC < 0.60). The correlations between V1RM and Vlast were small for the paused BP (r = 0.18) and moderate for the touch-and-go BP (r = 0.37).
Conclusions:
Although these results suggest that Vlast could be a better indicator of the minimal velocity threshold than V1RM, the low reliability of Vlast and the similar values of Vlast for both BP variants suggest that a standard V1RM should be used to estimate the 1RM from the individualized load-velocity relationship