380,165 research outputs found
The effectiveness of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid interventions during pregnancy on obesity measures in the offspring: an up-to-date systematic review and meta-analysis.
No full textBACKGROUND: The potential role of ω-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation during pregnancy on subsequent risk of obesity outcomes in the offspring is not clear and there is a need to synthesise this evidence. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), including the most recent studies, was conducted to assess the effectiveness of ω-3 LCPUFA interventions during pregnancy on obesity measures, e.g. BMI, body weight, fat mass in offspring. METHODS: Included RCTs had a minimum of 1-month follow-up post-partum. The search included CENTRAL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, WHO's International Clinical Trials Reg., E-theses and Web of Science databases. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. RESULTS: Eleven RCTs, from ten unique trials, (3644 children) examined the effectiveness of ω-3 LCPUFA maternal supplementation during pregnancy on the development of obesity outcomes in offspring. There were heterogeneities between the trials in terms of their sample, type and duration of intervention and follow-up. Pooled estimates did not show an association between prenatal intake of fatty acids and obesity measures in offspring. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that maternal supplementation with ω-3 LCPUFA during pregnancy does not have a beneficial effect on obesity risk. Due to the high heterogeneity between studies along with small sample sizes and high rates of attrition, the effects of ω-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy for prevention of childhood obesity in the long-term remains unclear. Large high-quality RCTs are needed that are designed specifically to examine the effect of prenatal intake of fatty acids for prevention of childhood obesity. There is also a need to determine specific sub-groups in the population that might get a greater benefit and whether different ω-3 LCPUFA, i.e. eicosapentaenoic (EPA) vs. docosahexanoic (DHA) acids might potentially have different effects
Attention-induced deactivations in very low frequency EEG oscillations: differential localisation according to ADHD symptom status
No full textBackground: the default-mode network (DMN) is characterised by coherent very low frequency (VLF) brain oscillations. The cognitive significance of this VLF profile remains unclear, partly because of the temporally constrained nature of the blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal. Previously we have identified a VLF EEG network of scalp locations that shares many features of the DMN. Here we explore the intracranial sources of VLF EEG and examine their overlap with the DMN in adults with high and low ADHD ratings.Methodology/Principal Findings: DC-EEG was recorded using an equidistant 66 channel electrode montage in 25 adult participants with high- and 25 participants with low-ratings of ADHD symptoms during a rest condition and an attention demanding Eriksen task. VLF EEG power was calculated in the VLF band (0.02 to 0.2 Hz) for the rest and task condition and compared for high and low ADHD participants. sLORETA was used to identify brain sources associated with the attention-induced deactivation of VLF EEG power, and to examine these sources in relation to ADHD symptoms. There was significant deactivation of VLF EEG power between the rest and task condition for the whole sample. Using s-LORETA the sources of this deactivation were localised to medial prefrontal regions, posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus and temporal regions. However, deactivation sources were different for high and low ADHD groups: In the low ADHD group attention-induced VLF EEG deactivation was most significant in medial prefrontal regions while for the high ADHD group this deactivation was predominantly localised to the temporal lobes.Conclusions/Significance: attention-induced VLF EEG deactivations have intracranial sources that appear to overlap with those of the DMN. Furthermore, these seem to be related to ADHD symptom status, with high ADHD adults failing to significantly deactivate medial prefrontal regions while at the same time showing significant attenuation of VLF EEG power in temporal lobe
ω-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy and risk of allergic outcomes or sensitization in offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
No full textBACKGROUND: Allergic diseases have increased worldwide in the last 2 decades, with children suffering the highest burden of the condition. The ω-3 long-chain poly-unsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) possesses anti-inflammatory properties that could lead to a reduction in inflammatory mediators in allergies. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the most recent follow-ups of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to assess the effectiveness of ω-3 LCPUFA supplementation started during pregnancy on allergic outcomes in offspring. METHODS: The RCTs with a minimum of 1-month follow-up post gestation were eligible for inclusion. The CENTRAL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, WHO's International Clinical Trials Register, E-theses, and Web of Science databases were searched. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. RESULTS: Ten RCTs (3,637 children), from 9 unique trials, examined the effectiveness of ω-3 LCPUFA supplementation started during pregnancy on the development of allergic outcomes in offspring. Heterogeneities were seen between the trials in terms of their sample, type, and duration of intervention and follow-up. Pooled estimates showed a significant reduction in childhood "sensitization to egg" (relative risk [RR] = 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32-0.90), and "sensitization to peanut" (RR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.40-0.96). No statistical differences were found for other allergic outcomes (eg, eczema, asthma/wheeze). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that intake of ω-3 LCPUFA started during pregnancy can reduce the risk of sensitization to egg and peanut; however, the evidence is limited because of the small number of studies that contributed to the meta-analyses. The current evidence on the association between supplementation with ω-3 LCPUFA started during pregnancy and allergic outcomes is weak, because of the risk of bias and heterogeneities between studies
Narrative support for technical documents: Formalising Rhetorical Structure Theory
No full textBusiness Process Re-engineering (BPR) is an area that requires a lot of technical documents and an important feature of a well-written document is a coherent narrative. Even though computer software has helped authors in many other aspects of writing, support for document narratives is almost non-existent. Therefore, we introduce CANS (Computer-Aided Narrative Support), a tool that uses Rhetorical Structure Theory to enhance the narrative of a document. From this narrative, the tool generates questions to prompt the author for the content of the document. CANS also allows the author to explore alternative narratives for a document. A catalogue of predefined narrative structures for popular types of documents is provided too. Our tool is still in its rudimentary stages but sufficiently complete to be demonstrated
Looking for the link between library usage and student attainment
No full textIn 2010, the University of Huddersfield shared results from its analysis of anonymised library usage data [1]. Data was analysed for over 700 courses over four years - 2005/6 – 2008/9; this included the number of e-resources accessed, the number of book loans and the number of accesses to the University Library. This investigation suggested a strong correlation between library usage and degree results, and also significant underuse of expensive library resources at both School and course level. At the time, it was highlighted that the correlation between library usage and grade had not yet been significance-tested and that it was not known whether the Huddersfield findings were an anomaly or the norm [2]. As a result, a number of universities approached Huddersfield in order to benchmark against the data.
In the light of the recent Comprehensive Public Spending Review and the Lord Browne’s Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance [3], it was thought that, if the Huddersfield experience was found to be of statistical significance across a broad range of universities, there was potential for the results to be used as a factor to enhance student attainment. In parallel, there is a continuing focus on the student experience and a desire that all students should achieve their full potential whilst studying at university. Results could also be used by libraries to target their resources more effectively where budgets are shrinking.
In September 2010, the JISC released a call through the Activity Data programme [4] and in February 2011 the University of Huddersfield along with 7 partners: University of Bradford, De Montfort University, University of Exeter, University of Lincoln, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Salford and Teesside University were awarded JISC funding to prove the hypothesis that:
‘There is a statistically significant correlation across a number of universities between library activity data and student attainment
Prenatal intake of vitamins and allergic outcomes in the offspring:a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackground - Allergic diseases have seen a rise worldwide with children suffering the highest burden. Thus early prevention of allergic diseases is a public health priority. Objective - To synthesise the evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of vitamin interventions during pregnancy on developing allergic diseases in offspring. Methods - We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, WHO’s Int. Clin. Trials Reg., E-theses and Web of Science. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane’s risk of bias tool. Included RCTs had a minimum of 1-month follow-up post gestation.Results - A total of five RCTs met the inclusion criteria, including 2456 children that used vitamins C+E (one study), vitamin C (one study) and vitamin D (three studies) compared with placebo/control. Two studies were judged to have a high risk of bias for performance bias or high rate of loss to follow-up. All were rated as low risk of bias for blinding of outcome assessment. We did not perform meta-analysis with vitamin C or C+E studies due to high heterogeneity between the two included studies. However we did conduct a meta-analysis with trials on vitamin D (including 1493 children) and the results showed an association between prenatal intake of vitamin D and the risk of developing recurrent wheeze in offspring (RR=0.812, 95 % CI=0.67-0.98). Conclusion - The current evidence suggests that prenatal supplementation of vitamin D, might have a beneficial effect on recurrent wheezing in children. Longer-term follow-up of these studies are needed to ascertain whether this observed effect is a sustained. There is lack of evidence on the effect of other vitamins for prevention of respiratory and/or allergic outcomes
Diffusive author(s), cohesive author: Analysis of S/N (1994)
No full textThis study indicates the ways in which various aspects of the author(s) are brought forth in Dumb type’s performance art, the S/N production. Previous research has suggested a non-hierarchical organization of Dumb type and the absence of a “privileged author” in Dumb type’s collaborative work, S/N. However, the results that I have investigated from member’s interviews on the creative process of S/N along with my analysis of the recorded images of S/N, indicate a different aspect of the author(s). First, S/N was created through, so to speak, the collective ideas of the members of Dumb type. Further, S/N has at least nine quotations from previous performances, installations, and printed writings, besides the work-in-progress technique. Explicating one of the “author functions” as given by Michel Foucault, each text has plural subjects of the author. However, it has been revealed from members’ interviews that Teiji Furuhashi had a decision-making role in selecting the members’ ideas within the performance. Since then, S/N has had plural subjects of creation; however, Furuhashi is one of the subjects of creation along with the “privileged author.” S/N has plural authors (diffusive authors) yet at the same time, it has a “privileged author,” Teiji Furuhashi (cohesive author)
W. U. S. Helps Students
No full textA photograph of four SC Students holding a poster that says "W. U. S. Helps Students." W.U.S. stands for World University Service.Note on original sleeve that held negative said "W.U.S.
W. U. S. Helps Students
No full textA photograph of four SC Students holding a poster that says "W. U. S. Helps Students." W.U.S. stands for World University Service.Note on original sleeve that held negative said "W.U.S.
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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