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Investigating the efficacy of the web-based Common Elements Toolbox (COMET) single session intervention in improving UK university student wellbeing: Randomised controlled trial
No full textMental health problems in university students are associated with many negative outcomes, yet there is a gap between need and timely access to help. Single-session interventions (SSIs) are designed to be scalable and accessible, delivering core evidence-based intervention components within a one-off encounter. COMET (Common Elements Toolbox) is an online self-help SSI that includes behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, gratitude, and self-compassion. COMET has previously been evaluated in India, Kenya, and the United States with promising results. This study tests the acceptability, appropriateness, perceived utility, and efficacy of COMET among UK university students during the peripandemic period. We conducted a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of COMET compared with a control group, with 2- and 4-week follow-ups. Outcome variables were subjective well-being, depression severity, anxiety severity, positive affect, negative affect, and perceived stress. We also measured intervention satisfaction immediately after completion of COMET. All UK university students with access to the internet were eligible to participate and were informed of the study online. The data were analyzed using linear mixed models and reported in accordance with the CONSORT-EHEALTH (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials of Electronic and Mobile Health Applications and Online Telehealth) checklist. Of the 831 people screened, 468 participants were randomized to a condition, 407 completed the postintervention survey, 147 returned the 2-week follow-up survey, 118 returned the 4-week follow-up survey, and 89 returned both. Of the 239 randomized, 212 completed COMET. Significant between-group differences in favor of the COMET intervention were observed at 2-week follow-ups for subjective well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale; mean difference [MD] 1.39, 95% CI 0.19-2.61; P=.03), depression severity (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire; MD -1.31, 95% CI -2.51 to -0.12; P=.03), and perceived stress (4-item Perceived Stress Scale; MD -1.33, 95% CI -2.10 to -0.57;
Telemedicine in coeliac disease: In-person appointments are favoured by patients with a lower education attainment and lower household income
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IARC Workshop on the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens: Assessment of End Points for Evaluating Mechanistic Evidence of Carcinogenic Hazards
No full textBackgroundThe 10 key characteristics (KCs) of carcinogens form the basis of a framework to identify, organize, and evaluate mechanistic evidence relevant to carcinogenic hazard identification. The 10 KCs are related to mechanisms by which carcinogens cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs programme has successfully applied the KCs framework for the mechanistic evaluation of different types of exposures, including chemicals, metals, and complex exposures, such as environmental, occupational, or dietary exposures. The use of this framework has significantly enhanced the identification and organization of relevant mechanistic data, minimized bias in evaluations, and enriched the knowledge base regarding the mechanisms of known and suspected carcinogens.ObjectivesWe sought to report the main outcomes of an IARC Scientific Workshop convened by the IARC to establish appropriate, transparent, and uniform application of the KCs in future IARC Monographs evaluations.MethodsA group of experts from different disciplines reviewed the IARC Monographs experience with the KCs of carcinogens, discussing three main themes: a) the interpretation of end points forming the evidence base for the KCs, b) the incorporation of data from novel assays on the KCs, and c) the integration of the mechanistic evidence as part of cancer hazard identification. The workshop participants assessed the relevance and the informativeness of multiple KCs-associated end points for the evaluation of mechanistic evidence in studies of exposed humans and experimental systems.DiscussionConsensus was reached on how to enhance the use of in silico, molecular, and cellular high-output and high-throughput data. In addition, approaches to integrate evidence across the KCs and opportunities to improve methodologies of mechanistic evaluation of cancer hazards were explored. The findings described herein and in a forthcoming IARC technical report will support future working groups of experts in reporting and interpreting results under the KCs framework within the IARC Monographs or in other contexts. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP15389
Improving the Employability andWellbeing of Care-Experienced Young People:Initial Findings from the I-CAN Project
No full textBackground: Care-experienced young people face an elevated risk of experiencingdisadvantages across manifold domains, including health, housing, education, and employment. There is a dearth of accessible interventions targeted at this population to help them navigate the ‘cliff-edge’ transition to adulthood and improve their life chances.The 8-week I-CAN programme was designed to address the provision gaps and support care-experienced young people’s learning, personal development, and progression. Methods: A mixed methods design was used as part of a pilot evaluation study. The participants were n = 11 care-experienced young adults (three males; eight females); aged 19–30 years,M = 22 (3.17). The data collection methods comprised programme statistics, well-validated, self-reported questionnaires, and a focus group with I-CAN programme recipients. Results: The integrated quantitative and qualitative findings showed tentative support for the effectiveness of the I-CAN programme, with the majority of care-experienced young adults transitioning to a confirmed progression route (training, education, or employment) after completing the programme. The findings cautiously suggest that alongside proposedlearning outcomes, the recipients benefited in terms of their personal development (mental wellbeing and positive self-image and empowerment). Some candidate core ‘ingredients’ or factors that had facilitated positive programme outcomes were also identified. Conclusions: Future research should focus on integrating theoretical, outcome, and process issues, and refining the I-CAN theory of change
Plasticity in leukocyte migration during haematopoiesis and inflammation
No full textUnder normal physiological conditions, leukocytes and other tissue resident immune cells have been shown to migrate using the mesenchymal (integrin/adhesion dependent) and/or ameboid (integrin/adhesion independent) modes of migration. The objective of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive literature review that illustrates how leukocytes display high levels of plasticity shifting between ameboid to mesenchymal modes of migration during haematopoiesis and the inflammatory response. This plasticity is shaped by the reciprocal regulation between the pattern of gene expression associated with their haematopoietic lineage or the leukocyte activation status, and the response to the physicochemical and topological characteristics of the surrounding tissue. The use of some common elements from the F-actin polymerising and actomyosin machinery in both modes of migration may facilitate the high capacity of leukocytes to alternate between the two migration modes while navigating a highly heterogenous landscape of physicochemical cues in their anatomical journey. We discuss this paradigm using detailed examples of specific leukocyte populations such as dendritic cells, macrophages and lymphocytes. We propose that cell adhesions involved in leukocyte migration represent signalling hubs where differentiation and physicochemical cues converge. These molecular complexes then generate signalling outputs that coordinate leukocyte expansion, differentiation, and optimal patterns of cell migration during haematopoiesis and leukocyte recruitment to inflammation sites. [Abstract copyright: © 2025. The Author(s).
Development of High-Strength Aerogel Concrete
No full textAerogel is a synthetic porous ultralight material with very low thermal conductivity, and it is mainly used in buildings for external insulation in the form of blankets. In this study, the development of high-strength concrete with a partial replacement of sand with aerogel powder and aerogel beads is presented. Compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and shrinkage measurements have been conducted, and the results indicate that a replacement of sand with 30% aerogel beads leads to a high compressive strength (70 MPa) and relatively low thermal conductivity (1 W/mK) concrete