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Effects of acute exercise on craving, mood and anxiety in non-treatment seeking adults with alcohol use disorder: An exploratory study
No full textBackground: Exercise is increasingly being used in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We examined the short-term effects of acute exercise on alcohol craving, mood states and state anxiety in physically inactive, nontreatment seeking adults with AUD.
Methods: Exploratory, single-arm study. In total, 140 adults with AUD (53.7 ± 11.8 years; 70 % female) were included in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to study effects of physical activity on alcohol consumption. This acute exercise study was nested within the larger RCT. The intervention was a 12-minute sub-maximal fitness test performed on a cycle ergometer. Participants self-rated their desire for alcohol (DAQ) and completed mood (POMS-Brief) and state anxiety (STAI-Y1) questionnaires 30-minutes before exercise, immediately before, immediately after, and 30-minutes post. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected. Effects of exercise were assessed using RM-ANOVA and dependent sample t-tests with effect sizes (Hedges g). Results: In total, 70.6 % had mild or moderate AUD (DSM-5 criteria = 4.9 ± 2). The intervention was generally perceived as ‘strenuous’ (RPE = 16.1 ± 1.6). In the total sample, there was a main effect of time with reductions in alcohol craving [F(3,411) = 27.33, p < 0.001], mood disturbance [F(3,411) = 53.44, p < 0.001], and state anxiety [F(3,411) = 3.83, p = 0.013]. Between-group analyses indicated larger magnitude effects in those with severe compared to mild AUD, however, AUD severity did not significantly moderate the within-group improvements: group x time interaction for alcohol craving [F(6,411) = 1.21, p = 0.305]. Positive effects of exercise were maintained 30-minutes post-exercise. Conclusion: A short bout of aerobic exercise reduced alcohol craving and improved mood states in adults with AUD
Parents about parenting dual career athletes: A systematic literature review.
No full textObjectives: To establish the scientific literature on the parents’ view as supporters of dual career (DC) athletes, and to highlight practical implications for the development of education programmes to empower parents in this role. Method: ology: The systematic literature review included four electronic databases, from which 438 articles published in English between 1999 and 2019 were retrieved. Results: A total of 14 studies achieved the eligibility criteria (i.e., focus on DC, involving parents as participants) for inclusion. Results show that the 14 studies included in the review were characterised by sample sizes 50 parents of individual and/or team sports athletes, involving data collection based on interviews, semi structured interviews focus groups, questionnaires and a survey. A thematic synthesis highlighted a two primary constructs: the individual level and the inter-individual level, respectively. The individual level comprised two main themes: Approach to both Sport and Education, and Stressors and Coping, which included five aspects of parenting. The inter-individual level presented three themes: Relationship with the Athlete; Relationship with the Sport Environment and Relationship with the Academic Environment. Conclusions: Findings highlighted a relevant parental role in supporting DC athletes and partial information on parental support strategies. In conclusions, the limited sample size and typology of sports, and the partial representativeness of countries have impacted the global application of the main findings. Furthermore, the need of an educational programme for parents and the need of regular parents-athlete-teacher/coach engagement were considered crucial to facilitate successful parental interventions at academic and/or sports levels and to limit the potential negative effects of DC parenting
Economic methodology in 2020: looking forward, looking back
No full textI appraise some areas of recent achievement in economic methodology by identifying four topics on which there will likely be heavy exogenously generated demand for methodological innovation over coming years, and asking what foundations have been set for this work. The topics in question are economists\u27 role in policy formation, macroeconomic management, causal and structural modeling of economic processes, and welfare with non-standard and dynamic utility
Hydrocarbon fluid inclusion fluorescence: A review
No full textGeological fluid inclusions are small voids that can contain a variety of liquids which are often found in natural minerals and rocks. Typically they are less than 10 micrometres in size that host fossil fluids which existed when the minerals grew or healed after fracture. Of particular interest to the petroleum industry are inclusions that contain hydrocarbon fluids, which originated from petroleum that once migrated through the rocks before becoming trapped. These hydrocarbon-bearing fluid inclusions (HCFI) are useful for learning about the processes, fluid compositions, temperatures and pressure conditions in geologic systems such as the migration of hydrocarbon fluids in petroleum basins. The accurate characterisation of the petroleum fluid entrapped in inclusions presents the analyst with considerable challenges. HCFI samples are very valuable (usually obtained from core drilling) and thus a non-contact, non-destructive,
analytical method is required. The small size of HCFI necessitates the use of microscopy based techniques while spectroscopic methods are needed to characterise the chemical composition. Fluorescence based methods offer the best combination of high sensitivity, diagnostic potential, and relatively uncomplicated
instrumentation. It is the fluorescence of HCFI and the spectroscopic methods
employed for their analysis which is the focus of this review.
Specific sections focus on the description of HCFI, petroleum fluorescence, and microscopic techniques. The review and discussion focuses primarily on advances and studies reported in the literature from 1980 s onwards, and outlines some of the issues that need to be addressed to make fluorescence methods more reproducible and quantitative for HCFI analysis.Not peer reviewe
‘Catalytic nuclear war’ in the age of artificial intelligence & autonomy: Emerging military technology and escalation risk between nuclear-armed states
No full textThis article revisits the Cold War-era concept of ‘catalytic nuclear war,’ considered by many as unworkable, and reconceptualizes it in light of technological change, as well as improved understanding of human psychology and other factors. It argues in the modern digital era, the catalyzing chain of reaction and counter-retaliation dynamics set in motion by the deliberate action of a non-state or third-party actor is fast becoming a more accessible and plausible alternative to acquiring a nuclear weapon or manufacturing an improvised atomic device – or ‘dirty bomb.’ The article concludes that artificial intelligence (AI) technology is creating new – and exacerbating old – escalation pathways that risk catalyzing accidental nuclear confrontation between nuclear-armed powers, particularly under irrational (or sub-rational) conditions. Are existing notions of accidental and inadvertent nuclear escalation still relevant in the age of AI and autonomy
Video-based online interviews for palliative care research: a new normal in COVID-19?
No full textThere is no doubt thatCOVID-19 has significantly disrupted the course of health and clinical research. In some cases, researchers may have had to arrest data collection or re-design studies to accommodate to COVID-19.However, despite the challenges of carrying out research during COVID-19, researchers in palliative care are conducting research including research on palliative care needs in the context of COVID-19. The pandemic has necessitated online participation in studies, particularly for studies involving patients and caregivers
Simple and complex retinal dystrophies are associated with profoundly different disease networks
No full textRetinopathies are a group of monogenetic or complex retinal diseases associated with high unmet medical need. Monogenic disorders are caused by rare genetic variation and usually arise early in life. Other diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), develop late in life and are considered to be of complex origin as they develop from a combination of genetic, ageing, environmental and lifestyle risk factors. Here, we contrast the underlying disease networks and pathological mechanisms of monogenic as opposed to complex retinopathies, using AMD as an example of the latter. We show that, surprisingly, genes associated with the different forms of retinopathies in general do not overlap despite their overlapping retinal phenotypes. Further, AMD risk genes participate in multiple networks with interaction partners that link to different ubiquitous pathways affecting general tissue integrity and homeostasis. Thus AMD most likely represents an endophenotype with differing underlying pathogenesis in different subjects. Localising these pathomechanisms and processes within and across different retinal anatomical compartments provides a novel representation of AMD that may be extended to complex disease in general. This approach may generate improved treatment options that target multiple processes with the aim of restoring tissue homeostasis and maintaining vision.European Commission Horizon 2020Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivenes
Learning from incidents: A qualitative study in the continuing airworthiness sector
No full textLearning from incidents (LFI) is a useful approach when examining past events and developing measures to prevent ensuing recurrence. Although the reporting of incidents in the aircraft maintenance and continuing airworthiness domain is well appointed, it is often unclear how the maximum effect of safety data can be efficaciously applied in support of LFI in the area. From semi structured interviews, with thirty-four participants, the gathered data were thematically analyzed with the support of NVivo software. This study establishes a relationship between an incident in its lifecycle and the learning process. The main aim of this work is to elucidate factors that enable LFI. The analysis of the data revealed, for example, the benefits of a just culture and the use of formal continuation training programs in this respect. Moreover, it identified limitations inherent in current processes such as poor event causation and poorly designed learning syllabi. Additionally, aspects such as a lack of regulatory requirements for competence in the areas of learning for managers and accountable persons currently exist. This thematic analysis could be used in support of organizations examining their own processes for learning from incidents. Additionally, it can support the development of terms of reference for a continuing airworthiness regulatory working group to examine, strengthen and better apply LFI in the aviation industry
Spray Encapsulation as a Formulation Strategy for Drug-Based Room Temperature Ionic Liquids: Exploiting Drug−Polymer Immiscibility to Enable Processing for Solid Dosage Forms
No full textActive pharmaceutical ingredient (API)-based ionic liquids (API-ILs) present an exciting new paradigm for the formulation of poorly water-soluble drugs. In this study, a model room temperature API-IL (1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium ibuprofenate) was demonstrated to be not just highly soluble but fully miscible and hence have effectively unlimited solubility in water, compared to 0.021 mg mL–1 solubility for the ibuprofen API. Solutions of the API-IL were found to be stable for up to 2 years, indicating that they have the potential to offer thermodynamic stability upon release, avoiding in vivo recrystallization issues that can limit the bioavailability of amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) and some high-energy crystalline forms. The ibuprofen API-IL was successfully spray-dried into a polymer carrier in loadings of up to 75% w/w in order to transform it into a solid powder suitable for oral solid dosage (OSD) formulation. From modulated differential scanning calorimetry, hot-stage microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements, the mechanism by which this high loading was achieved is based on the immiscibility between the polymer and API-IL, with the polymer encapsulating the phase-separated API-IL. Dissolution studies showed that solidification of the API-IL into microcapsules by spray drying in this manner had no detrimental effect on release characteristics. Failure to dissolve crystalline API forms into the polymer matrix eliminates the solubility enhancement of ASDs but not for highly soluble or fully miscible API-ILs. Furthermore, miscible API-IL/polymer dispersions at high loadings were found to possess less-favorable physical properties because of melting point depression, resulting, in some cases, in a failure to form a viable powder. As such, microencapsulated API-ILs at high loadings in immiscible or low-miscibility polymers that have solubility enhancement of the API-IL form, while providing solid powders for processing, represent a promising new platform for the formulation of poorly soluble compounds as OSDs.European Commission - European Regional Development FundIrish Research CouncilScience Foundation Irelan
Personalised Medicine in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis: The Role of Urine Soluble CD163
No full textIn this thesis I have identified a highly sensitive and specific association between urinary sCD163 and active renal vasculitis in the clinical setting of renal vasculitis flare in both retrospective and prospective studies. To define clinical caveats in usCD163 interpretation, I have explored the influence of high-grade proteinuria on usCD163 interpretation. There is a strong biologic rationale for usCD163 in the monitoring of renal vasculitis activity as it is a marker of macrophages and is strongly expressed in glomerular crescents. In crescentic glomerulonephritis there is direct shedding of soluble CD163 protein from the glomerular crescent cell surface directly into the urinary space leads to elevated levels. usCD163 is easily measured by commercial ELISA with this thesis validating a diagnostic grade assay.
usCD163 is elevated in subtle renal vasculitis flare and is superior to uMCP-1: In collaboration with the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium usCD163 and uMCP-1 were measured in a serially sampled longitudinal multicentre cohort with clinically mild renal vasculitis. Both biomarkers were elevated in the presence of active renal vasculitis, with usCD163 displaying superior area under the curve than uMCP1, 0.794 and 0.687, respectively. usCD163 and uMCP1 correlated poorly with r2 of 0.11, highlighted their differing roles in glomerular macrophage recruitment and activation. In subtle active renal vasculitis, the moderate clinical utility of each biomarker in isolation was enhanced by using usCD163 to exclude active vasculitis, and then grouping the ?usCD163 positive / uMCP1 positive? and ?usCD163 / new proteinuria? as the two ?Yes? nodes, giving a positive LR of 19. This decision tree approach increased diagnostic precision and incorporated proteinuria.
usCD163 is diagnostic of renal vasculitis flare: Prospective enrolment of patients with known AAV presenting with potential renal vasculitis flare was performed in a multicentre cohort. usCD163 was measured by diagnostic and research grade ELISAs. usCD163 was elevated in renal vasculitis flare with concentrations remaining low in renal vasculitis flare mimics such as sepsis, isolated hematuria and non-vasculitic acute kidney injury. usCD163 displayed exceptional biomarker characteristics in this setting with AUC of 0.95 with superiority to RBC casts, BVAS criteria and changes in serum creatinine. usCD163 displayed similar biomarker characteristics to the current ?gold standard? of kidney biopsy. The use of a diagnostic grade sCD163 assay has enhanced the potential clinical translationof usCD163 as a diagnostic test for active renal vasculitis.usCD163 is elevated in high-grade proteinuria but correction for urinary protein attenuates usCD163 concentrations in those without active renal vasculitis: Loss of integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier may lead to detection of serum sCD163 in urine. To address this diagnostically relevant potential caveat in usCD163 interpretation we studied usCD163 in (1) primary nephrotic syndrome and (2) renal AAV with and without proteinuria. In primary nephrotic syndrome usCD163 concentrations were hypothesised to be undetectable as there is no local source of sCD163 production, however there is extensive foot process effacement with potential for passage of serum sCD163 across the glomerular filtration barrier leading to detection in urine. In primary nephrotic syndrome with proteinuria >3.5g/day, usCD163 concentrations were elevated. This signal was subsequently attenuated when sCD163 concentrations were corrected for urine protein and albumin concentrations. In renal AAV usCD163 concentration was increased in remission AAV with persistent proteinuria compared to remission AAV without proteinuria, but concentrations remained significantly less than those with active renal vasculitis. The sCD163 ratio of serum to urine protein and albumin values was calculated to provide an estimate of local glomerular sCD163 production. Normalising usCD163 to total urine protein, albumin and sCD163 ratio of serum to urine protein and albumin values yielded similar results, with no significant difference between remission proteinuric and remission non-proteinuric subjects, but concentrations remained elevated in active renal vasculitis. The simple normalisation of usCD163 to total urine protein performing marginally better than the more complex fractional excretion of protein: sCD163 ratio with AUC values of 0.93 and 0.91, respectively. Therefore, in patients with nephrotic range proteinuria, normalisation of the usCD163 value to total urine protein is the method of greatest clinical utility for non-invasive identification of active renal vasculitis.
Validation of a Diagnostic Grade Test: A key step in the translation of usCD163 from research to diagnostic grade assay was collaboration with industry to develop a diagnostic usCD163 assay. We rigorously validated both commercially available research grade and in-house research grade assays and determined that the R&D Systems Duoset sCD163 assay had the most optimal operating characteristics for detection of active renal vasculitis. We then partnered with industry to develop a diagnostic grade usCD163 ELISA. The optimal research grade usCD163 assay was used to validate the diagnostic grade assay. This assay has received the CE marking, ISO 15189 and NEQAS accreditation allowing widespread adoption by clinical laboratories and is now commercially available