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Pharmabiome analyses in tandem with chemometrics can help trace the provenance of falsified medicines :A proof-of-concept study
Get PDFA lack of robust analytical approaches limits our ability to investigate the clandestine manufacturing origins of falsified medicines. We conducted a proof-of-concept study to test the feasibility of geolocating the production sites of falsified medicines, based on the identification of site-specific biological and chemo-isotopic features using a combination of environmental DNA metabarcoding, Direct Analysis in Real Time - Mass Spectrometry and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry as profiling techniques. We produced tablets at two distant locations (England vs. Thailand), using controlled manufacturing methods, excipient composition and environmental conditions. Sets of tablets produced at separate locations showed distinct bacterial and eukaryotic diversity, particularly influenced by the incorporation of water used during tableting and the background environmental biosignatures of the production site. Tablets showed corresponding site-specific chemometric profiles, but the factors contributing to the observed chemical differences were unclear. When reference samples of known origin are available, our study suggests that site-specific biological and chemical features can be used in modelling approaches to successfully predict product origin. We developed a new mapping approach to exploit the geographic information within the eukaryotic pharmabiome of the falsifications; based on eDNA-derived species identification and the integration of publicly available species distribution data. In the absence of reference samples of known origin, the application of this workflow to our dataset provided partial clues about the product's origin, with limitations likely due to taxonomic resolution and the presence of species with wide distribution ranges. Collectively, our research provides experimental support for the development of integrated, multifaceted tools for tracing the origin of falsified medicines, advancing efforts to combat this pervasive but neglected global health problem.</p
Meta-analyses of the global impact of non-antibiotic feed additives on livestock performance and health
Get PDFINTRODUCTION: The impact of non-antibiotic feed additives on livestock performance and health is contingent upon a multitude of variables, including the animal species, dosage and type of feed additives, and duration of oral administration. However, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding the relationship between these factors and the performance of livestock animals.OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to conduct a global meta-analysis based on a pool of empirical studies to investigate the effects of dietary additives on growth, production, blood metabolites, immunity, intestinal morphology, and the abundance of gut microbiota in livestock.METHODS: A meta-regression coupled with dose-effect analysis was performed to ascertain the optimal dosage and feeding duration for the optimal body function. A total of 71 papers, estimating 1, 035 effect size across 9 species and 7 types of non-antibiotic feed additives were recruited in our meta-dataset.RESULTS: Overall assessment confirmed that these additives in diet can significantly improve livestock production and immune function across species. Our findings indicated that the effects of additives on animal performance were more pronounced in herbivores than in omnivores. The dose-response results indicated that the overall optimal doses for antimicrobial peptides, enzymes, oligosaccharides, organic acids, phytogenic, probiotics and prebiotics were 100 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, 10⁶ CFU/kg, and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Oral administration of these additives for a 2-month period effectively improves livestock performance and health.CONCLUSION: This evidence-based approach provides a foundation for implementing customized feeding strategies designed to optimize livestock performance, enhance immunity and reduce feed costs. Our assessment shows that these feed additives are promising alternatives to antibiotics in reducing the use of antibiotics. Furthermore, these findings suggest that the use of these feed additives can lead to evidence-based recommendations for practical feeding strategies, providing livestock producers with a sustainable and cost-effective approach to animal health management.</p
Administrating crisis is just a transition:Interventions on bureaucratic activity in the United Kingdom, 1987-2022
Get PDFThe process of leaving the European Union set off a disruptive transformation of the UK’s system of government. Central to implementing this process was secondary legislation, called statutory instruments, which received unparalleled levels of attention by the public due to the government’s use of them to untangle UK and EU law. Yet, the legislative crisis caused by Brexit, appeared in many ways just another form of government transition. We propose that understanding how this process affected bureaucratic activity requires a broad theory of regular partisan transitions. Large changes in the ideological goals and demands of the government redirect the priority of policies developed through instruments. To examine this perspective, we analyse the most prominent partisan and political transitions in the UK from 1987 to 2022 using time series intervention analyses. The results indicate that crises and transitions alike led to lasting changes in the bureaucracy’s agenda. Transitions in 2010 and 2015 not only exhibited shifts in the topical focus of secondary legislation, but also dramatic reductions in productivity. This paper’s findings further suggest that partisan effects on issue attention may have more to do with the organisation of government than the broader distribution of issues addressed using public policy
Parent reports of eating behaviour and feeding practices:Effects of parent and child sex
Get PDFResearch on parental feeding practices has focused on mothers, often overlooking fathers' perspectives and the influence of child sex. This study examined (1) differences between fathers' and mothers' own eating behaviours, their use of feeding practices, and perceptions of their children's eating behaviours, and (2) the role of child sex in these perceptions and practices. Parents (N = 784; 145 fathers and 639 mothers) of preschoolers (3–5 years, 51.3 % female) from the UK completed an online survey assessing their eating behaviours and feeding practices, and their child's eating behaviours. There were significant sex differences in parents' eating behaviours, with mothers reporting more emotional overeating, hunger, satiety responsiveness, and slowness in eating. Mothers and fathers did not differ in their reports of children's eating behaviours. Girls were reported to have higher levels of satiety responsiveness than boys. When exploring the interaction of parent and child sex in reports of eating behaviour, fathers reported that girls had more desire to drink. Mothers and fathers differed in their reported use of some feeding practices. Both mothers and fathers reported greater use of food for emotion regulation with girls than boys. Fathers used more encouragement of balance and variety with boys. These findings highlight distinct patterns in feeding practices and eating behaviours, influenced by both parent and child sex, suggesting that girls may be at greater risk of receiving feeding practices that contribute to the development of emotional eating. These results emphasize the need to consider the role of sex in future research and the development of tailored feeding guidance.</p
Smooth Operators: Promoting Skill Acquisition in Novice Tennis Players
No full textAccording to different skill acquisition theories, top-down/bottom-up processes will differentially impact on motor skill improvements and should inform the pedagogic approach adopted by the teacher/coach. Despite these predictions, there are few studies that compare different teaching/coaching approaches from these perspectives. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of different coaching approaches when acquiring the tennis forehand drive shot among secondary school children (N = 24, age 12–13 years) in Kuwait. Specifically, three methods were compared: demonstration only, verbal instructions with demonstration and a design informed by the constraints-led approach. Measures of performance outcome, expert coach rating, learner understanding and preference, as well as upper-limb kinematics were obtained following a practice block, at delayed retention test after 1 week and on a transfer task. ANOVA revealed no significant differences between conditions for performance outcome or expert coach ratings. However, there were significant differences in the upper-limb movement kinematics (p < .05), as measured by jerk, indicating that VID had lower levels of jerk compared to CLA in all phases. Additionally, when questioned after the study on their perceptions, 92% of the participants preferred being coached using verbal instructions with a demonstration. Overall, findings indicate that the more prescriptive coaching method in this case led to improved understanding and movement smoothness and was also preferred by most participants. Teachers and coaches are therefore encouraged to carefully consider what methods are employed against learner needs and expressed preferences
Electro-mechanical tide-to-wire model of a horizontal-axis tidal turbine undergoing turbulent flow
Get PDFThis work builds up a numerical electro-mechanical coupled model of a laboratory-scale horizontal-axis tidal turbine and analyses the turbulent flow impact in the mechanical and electrical variables of the coupled system. Computational Fluid Dynamics/Large Eddy Simulation simulates turbulent flow, and the Actuator Line Method models the rotor blade dynamics. An electrical generator, controllers, power electronics, transformer, transmission lines and electrical grid compose the electrical system. Balances of hydrodynamic body forces and rotor - electromagnetic torques manage the hydro-mechanical and electro-mechanical interactions, respectively. Time series of the tidal turbine mechanical and electrical characteristics, hydrodynamic forces distribution over rotor blades, and flow development over the computational domain are analysed. Results show that turbulence influences the tidal turbine’s mechanical and electrical components, so compromising the quality of the power supplied to the grid. The coupled system response undergoing turbulent flow is compared by filtering the control signals for maximum power generation. The simulated mechanical variables are compared with laboratory measurements, and a good agreement is found. The control signal filtering allows the mitigation of the turbulent flow impact in the coupled system model. This mitigation is considerable for electromagnetic torque, generator and grid powers at around 70 %
The impacts of personal care product pollution on seagrass (Zostera marina) health
Get PDFThe presence and proliferation of seagrass play a significant role in the condition of marine ecosystems. However, the total area of seagrass coverage has declined significantly in many places worldwide. In addition to environmental and developmental pressures, combined sewage overflows (CSOs) may be a significant additional stressor to seagrass growth and function. CSOs are a primary driver for surface water runoff and other sewage problems releasing low-quality water into the ocean. Personal care products (PCPs) are often found within wastewater and could contain harmful chemicals to the coastal environment. Here, four shampoos with different potentially harmful chemical contents were tested for their ecotoxicity to Zostera marina seedlings and juveniles at three concentrations. Shampoos A and B represented conventional commercial products containing synthetic surfactants and preservatives, while shampoos C and D were environmentally marketed formulations with milder or plant-derived ingredients. Blade lengths, photosynthesis yields, germination rates, and colour (RGB) values of the specimens were measured as health indicators. There was substantial breakage in addition to browning of blades recorded following exposure to the highest shampoo concentrations. The browning and blackened blades had significantly lower or no photosynthetic capacity while the remaining living blades maintained effective photosynthetic capacity. The germination study showed early germination in seeds exposed to higher concentration solutions and less germination overall compared to the control. These results emphasise the importance of gaining a better understanding of the potential effects that wastewater runoff and dumping events have on seagrass meadows. Building on this knowledge base will improve management and regulation enforcement strategies. Future monitoring efforts should include investigations into the concentration of shampoo residues found in both treated and unfiltered sewage
Financial information sources and their impact on the financial self-confidence gap between male and female young adult consumers
No full textFemale consumers are less financially self-confident than their male counterparts. Prior research points to this difference as one reason why female consumers experience lower financial welfare and agency over their lifetime. Consumers learn financial decision-making from others via socialization and financial education. This research tests whether the confidence of a young adult consumer’s source of financial information impacts the young adult consumer’s own financial self-confidence. Data from a randomized controlled field study (involving teachers as the financial information source and high school students as young adult consumers), supports a positive impact of financial information source self-confidence. It also reveals a greater effect on female young adult consumers, positioning improvements in financial information source self-confidence as a gender-sensitive approach to reducing the financial confidence gap between young adult males and females
The role of EU funds in capital investment for health-care:A case study of Estonia's approach to provider network transformation, 2004-2024
No full textBackground Many health systems need substantial capital investment to advance people-centred, integrated care, but public capital budgets are often constrained. Estonia strategically leveraged EU grants to enable provider-network transformation alongside broader service-delivery reforms.Reform contentAfter EU accession, Estonia leveraged EU grants to finance coordinated programmes of investment aligned with national strategies. Across 121 projects, €652.8 million was invested, of which €463.8 million came from EU funds. Investments supported optimisation of the acute hospital network, expansion of nursing/long-term care, establishment of multidisciplinary primary health-care (PHC) centres, and upgrades to digital infrastructure and emergency preparedness. Project selection was determined by functional development plans, reform-related eligibility criteria and co-financing rules, with the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) engaged to assess long-term budget impact. Expected resultsOverall, this multi-phase investment programme was designed to modernise infrastructure, rationalise acute capacity, expand PHC scope and strengthen continuity of care and preparedness. Observed system changes include: fewer acute beds and more nursing beds; modernised regional hospitals; and substantial PHC and digital upgrades. However, uptake of extended PHC services was limited in practice, highlighting the need to combine capital and organisational change. ConclusionsEstonia’s experience shows that EU grant funds - though modest relative to total health spending - can spur reconfiguration when embedded in clear strategies, conditional access to capital, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and purchaser alignment. Future sustainability will depend on securing predictable domestic capital and ensuring that infrastructure investments are matched by service-delivery and workforce changes to realise intended benefits
Sibling sexual abuse:What do we know about professional responses? Stage 2 analysis of a 2-stage scoping review
No full textBackground: When responding to concerns of sibling sexual abuse, collaborative, whole-family, trauma-informed, and multi-disciplinary approaches are essential. Yet professional responses and offers of support remain varied and inconsistent. Objective: This scoping review asked the question: Of the 104 empirical papers identified in Stage 1 analysis of a 2-stage scoping review (P. Yates et al., 2024) what is known about professional responses and interventions available to professionals when working with sibling sexual abuse cases. Method: Using the guidelines of Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and 11 academic databases, 3 grey literature databases, journal hand search and Google, identified 91 empirical papers for review. An updated search identified a further 13 papers thus, a sub-sample of 32 papers were identified for this review. Results: Using the PAGER framework (Bradbury-Jones et al., 2022), we identify fragmented professional responses to sibling sexual abuse, shaped by inconsistent training, taboo beliefs, limited resources, and conflicting attitudes. These factors hinder appropriate language use and decision-making. Holistic, family-oriented approaches are recommended but are difficult to implement amid cultural differences and family complexities. Rigid victim–perpetrator models overlook children with dual experiences and non-abused siblings, leading to inconsistent and inadequate support. Conclusion: Despite growing recognition of the complexity of sibling sexual abuse, professional responses remain inconsistent and under-supported. To improve outcomes for all those affected, there is an urgent need for coherent guidance, cross-sector training, and the adoption of consistent, trauma-informed, whole-family approaches that reflect the nuanced realities of these cases.</p
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