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BackgroundInterventions for dietary and physical activity changes in obese adults may be less effective for participants with additional obesity-related risk factors and co-morbidities than for otherwise healthy individuals. This study aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of the recruitment, allocation, measurement, retention and intervention procedures of a randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve physical activity and dietary practices amongst obese adults with additional obesity related risk factors.MethodPilot single centre open-labelled outcome assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial of obese (Body Mass Index (BMI)≥30 kg/m2) adults (age≥18 y) with obesity related co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance or hypertension. Participants were randomly allocated to a manual-based group intervention or a leaflet control condition in accordance to a 2∶1 allocation ratio. Primary outcome was acceptability and feasibility of trial procedures, secondary outcomes included measures of body composition, physical activity, food intake and psychological process measures.ResultsOut of 806 potentially eligible individuals identified through list searches in two primary care general medical practices N = 81 participants (63% female; mean-age = 56.56(11.44); mean-BMI = 36.73(6.06)) with 2.35(1.47) co-morbidities were randomised. Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) was the only significant predictor of providing consent to take part in the study (higher chances of consent for invitees with lower levels of deprivation). Participant flowcharts, qualitative and quantitative feedback suggested good acceptance and feasibility of intervention procedures but 34.6% of randomised participants were lost to follow-up due to overly high measurement burden and sub-optimal retention procedures. Participants in the intervention group showed positive trends for most psychological, behavioural and body composition outcomes.ConclusionsThe intervention procedures were found to be acceptable and feasible. Attrition rates were unacceptably high and areas for improvements of trial procedures were identified.Trial registrationControlled-Trials.com ISRCTN90101501.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a newly identified member of the small family of gasotransmitters that are endogenous gaseous signaling molecules that have a fundamental role in human biology and disease. Although it is a relatively recent discovery and the mechanism of H(2)S activity is not completely understood, it is known to be involved in a number of cellular processes; H(2)S can affect ion channels, transcription factors and protein kinases in mammals. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this paper, we have used fission yeast as a model organism to study the global gene expression profile in response to H(2)S by microarray. We initially measured the genome-wide transcriptional response of fission yeast to H(2)S. Through the functional classification of genes whose expression profile changed in response to H(2)S, we found that H(2)S mainly influences genes that encode putative or known stress proteins, membrane transporters, cell cycle/meiotic proteins, transcription factors and respiration protein in the mitochondrion. Our analysis showed that there was a significant overlap between the genes affected by H(2)S and the stress response. We identified that the target genes of the MAPK pathway respond to H(2)S; we also identified that a number of transporters respond to H(2)S, these include sugar/carbohydrate transporters, ion transporters, and amino acid transporters. We found many mitochondrial genes to be down regulated upon H(2)S treatment and that H(2)S can reduce mitochondrial oxygen consumption. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study identifies potential molecular targets of the signaling molecule H(2)S in fission yeast and provides clues about the identity of homologues human proteins and will further the understanding of the cellular role of H(2)S in human diseases.

In this paper we bring together health services research, rural studies and migration research to explore the recruitment and retention of doctors to rural areas. We argue that to understand doctors' job choices we need to understand their lives holistically - beyond solely their job. In doing this we consider why doctors move, but also why they stay in rural areas. To do this we draw on qualitative research with 56 doctors from primary and secondary care. We highlight how place-based factors are important to consider in moving beyond the language of 'recruitment and retention', as many of the issues facing doctors moving to, or staying in, rural areas are beyond the scope and influence of their jobs and the health service. With a demographic shift in general practice particularly, where many GPs are over the age of 50, specific pre-retirement migration habits are important to consider within wider research on demographic ageing in rural communities. Further, stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacts on the migration decisions of future doctors' training or career choices. This work's contribution, thus, brings holistic place-based and interdisciplinary perspectives to bear on work otherwise influenced heavily by health and medical research and we argue that such dialogue with other interdisciplinary perspectives within rural studies is important in understanding professional migratory choices, particularly of doctors, to rural places. • Rural migration research needs to focus on professional's migration choices as they are often integral to community sustainability through service provision. • Current research in doctor recruitment and retention focuses primarily from a job/career perspective. • Many of the issues facing doctors moving to, or staying in, rural areas are beyond the scope and influence of their jobs and the health service. • Place based perspectives continue to be important in understanding migratory choices to rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract African horse sickness is an economically highly important non-contagious but infectious Orbivirus disease that is transmitted by various species of Culicoides midges. The equids most severely affected by the virus are horses, ponies, and European donkeys; mules are somewhat less susceptible, and African donkeys and zebra are refractory to the devastating consequences of infection. In recent years, Bluetongue virus, an Orbivirus similar to African horse sickness, which also utilises Culicoides spp. as its vector, has drastically increased its range into previously unaffected regions in northern Europe, utilising indigenous vector species, and causing widespread economic damage to the agricultural sector. Considering these events, the current review outlines the history of African horse sickness, including information concerning virus structure, transmission, viraemia, overwintering ability, and the potential implications that an outbreak would have for Ireland. While the current risk for the introduction of African horse sickness to Ireland is considered at worst ‘very low’, it is important to note that prior to the 2006 outbreak of Bluetongue in northern Europe, both diseases were considered to be of equal risk to the United Kingdom (‘medium-risk’). It is therefore likely that any outbreak of this disease would have serious socio-economic consequences for Ireland due to the high density of vulnerable equids and the prevalence of Culicoides species, potentially capable of vectoring the virus.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to assess the content validity of a questionnaire to measure melanoma risk, knowledge and protective behaviour in a convenience sample of Scots and Australians. Australia has the highest melanoma incidence worldwide but has developed a culture of skin cancer avoidance with a long history of skin cancer primary prevention campaigns of proven effectiveness. Scotland has lower incidence, but has shown a greater rate of increase between 1985 and 2007. There is an urgent need in Scotland, therefore, to identify those groups at greatest risk and provide them with effective preventative advice. Method A self-administered postal survey was completed by four groups formed from convenience samples in two geographical locations (Northeast Scotland and Western Australia). In univariate analysis scores on personal risk, level of concern, protective behaviour, and knowledge were compared by nationality, previous skin cancer diagnosis and personally knowing someone with melanoma. Multivariate linear regression analysis modelled the influence of potential predictor variables upon each of the scores. Results 540 people completed the questionnaire, 273 Scots (50.6%). 133 (24.6%) Scots and 83 (15.4%) Australians previously had melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer, whilst 120 (22.2%) Scots and 190 (35.2%) Australians personally knew someone with melanoma. Australians had higher knowledge (p < 0.001), level of concern (p < 0.001) and protective behaviour (p < 0.001) scores than the Scottish. Australian nationality was the strongest independent predictor of a higher knowledge score (p < 0.001), followed by a previous skin cancer diagnosis (p = 0.003), personal knowledge of someone with melanoma (p = 0.011), female gender (p = 0.005) and higher education status (p < 0.001) (R2 = 0.163). Conclusion The questionnaire detected higher levels of knowledge and skin cancer protective behaviours in Australians than in Scottish people. This was expected and supports the content validity of the questionnaire and its value as a future research tool in the Scottish population.

In this article author talks about the challenge of NaNoWriMo stands for "national novel writing month" that takes place in November every year including focuses on rules that events would take place during the Coronavirus lockdown.

As technology advances and smartphone use continues to rise, so do the opportunities for community members to collect valuable scientific data via their smart phones. While the iNaturalist project and phone application (app) are widely known and used, only a fraction (<1.5%) of the >26 million observations logged to date represent fishes. To increase georeferenced observational data on fishes, the John G. Shedd Aquarium announces the Great Lakes Fish Finder (GLFF) phone application and iNaturalist project. The GLFF app contains helpful identification tips in its field guide and allows community-sourced species identification through iNaturalist.org. The georeferenced observations are open-source data allowing anyone to employ GLFF as a data collection tool and repository for their projects. We see the GLFF app as a mechanism for public engagement (anglers and the general community), that contributes useful data for researchers and resources managers, as well as a tool for educators. Ultimately, we envision the GLFF app as a tool for freshwater biodiversity conservation via public engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]