Search

Premise of the Study:Herbarium specimens provide a robust record of historical plant phenology (the timing of seasonal events such as flowering or fruiting). However, the difficulty of aggregating phenological data from specimens arises from a lack of standardized scoring methods and definitions for phenological states across the collections community. Methods and Results:To address this problem, we report on a consensus reached by an iDigBio working group of curators, researchers, and data standards experts regarding an efficient scoring protocol and a data-sharing protocol for reproductive traits available from herbarium specimens of seed plants. The phenological data sets generated can be shared via Darwin Core Archives using the Extended MeasurementOrFact extension. Conclusions:Our hope is that curators and others interested in collecting phenological trait data from specimens will use the recommendations presented here in current and future scoring efforts. New tools for scoring specimens are reviewed.

Commercial gambling has seen massive global expansion in the past 25 years. It is a huge industry selling a risky form of entertainment: problem gambling is the only non-substance addiction recognized in the DSM-5, affecting an average of 2.3% of people in jurisdictions where prevalence data are available. Gambling also harms people who gamble below the clinical threshold of "problem gambling", as well as the friends, families and communities of people who gamble. Gambling harm is disproportionally felt by racialized peoples and people of lower socioeconomic status. As such, researchers and governments are increasingly viewing gambling as a public health issue. Gambling research is published in both the primary and grey literature, and the integrity of gambling research is a topic of increasingly heated debate. Bibliometric reviews have found that gambling research is heavily focused on the psychological and biological characteristics of people with problem gambling, with less emphasis on the gambling products themselves and how they are provided. While the gambling grey literature is recognized as valuable by the gambling research community, it has not yet been systematically assessed. In this paper we present the grey literature analysis portion of a pilot project to use a big data approach to produce a mapping review of gambling research from five nations: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States. For primary research publications on gambling, we performed systematized searches on the Scopus and Web of Science databases. For gambling grey literature, we retrieved all grey literature documents in the GREO International Gambling Research Evidence Centre. For the period of 2014-2018, the grey literature search yielded 360 reports, compared to 1292 articles in the primary literature search. The proportion of grey literature greatly varied by country, ranging from <10% in USA to nearly 50% in New Zealand. Content analysis revealed that the problems investigated in gambling grey literature are very different from the published literature: the top problems in the published literature were young gamblers and online gambling, whereas the top problems in the grey literature were the prevalence of problem gambling and the health and well-being of the public. This demonstrates that the grey literature is a vital piece of the puzzle to understanding this public health issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Current evidence supports the use of exercise-based treatment for chronic low back pain that encourages the patient to assume an active role in their recovery. Walking has been shown it to be an acceptable type of exercise with a low risk of injury. However, it is not known whether structured physical activity programmes are any more effective than giving advice to remain active. Methods/Design The proposed study will test the feasibility of using a pedometer-driven walking programme, as an adjunct to a standard education and advice session in participants with chronic low back pain. Fifty adult participants will be recruited via a number of different sources. Baseline outcome measures including self reported function; objective physical activity levels; fear-avoidance beliefs and health-related quality of life will be recorded. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated under strict, double blind conditions to one of two treatments groups. Participants in group A will receive a single education and advice session with a physiotherapist based on the content of the 'Back Book'. Participants in group B will receive the same education and advice session. In addition, they will also receive a graded pedometer-driven walking programme prescribed by the physiotherapist. Follow up outcomes will be recorded by the same researcher, who will remain blinded to group allocation, at eight weeks and six months post randomisation. A qualitative exploration of participants' perception of walking will also be examined by use of focus groups at the end of the intervention. As a feasibility study, treatment effects will be represented by point estimates and confidence intervals. The assessment of participant satisfaction will be tabulated, as will adherence levels and any recorded difficulties or adverse events experienced by the participants or therapists. This information will be used to modify the planned interventions to be used in a larger randomised controlled trial. Discussion This paper describes the rationale and design of a study which will test the feasibility of using a structured, pedometer-driven walking programme in participants with chronic low back pain. Trial Registration [ISRCTN67030896]

Abstract Background Activity advice and prescription are commonly used in the management of low back pain (LBP). Although there is evidence for advising patients with LBP to remain active, facilitating both recovery and return to work, to date no research has assessed whether objective measurements of free living physical activity (PA) can predict outcome, recovery and course of LBP. Methods An observational longitudinal study will investigate PA levels in a cohort of community-dwelling working age adults with acute and sub-acute LBP. Each participant's PA level, functional status, mood, fear avoidance behaviours, and levels of pain, psychological distress and occupational activity will be measured on three occasions during for 1 week periods at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year. Physical activity levels will be measured by self report, RT3 triaxial accelerometer, and activity recall questionnaires. The primary outcome measure of functional recovery will be the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). Free living PA levels and changes in functional status will be quantified in order to look at predictive relationships between levels and changes in free living PA and functional recovery in a LBP population. Discussion This research will investigate levels and changes in activity levels of an acute LBP cohort and the predictive relationship to LBP recovery. The results will assess whether occupational, psychological and behavioural factors affect the relationship between free living PA and LBP recovery. Results from this research will help to determine the strength of evidence supporting international guidelines that recommend restoration of normal activity in managing LBP. Trial registration [Clinical Trial Registration Number, ACTRN12609000282280]

Background: Musculoskeletal conditions are well documented in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, whether IBD activity influences musculoskeletal pain experiences is uncertain. Central sensitization has been proposed in patients with IBD who are suffering from persistent pain. Identification of central sensitization symptomology using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) has been reported in many pain‐related disorders. Aims of this study were to explore predictive relationships between IBD activity and musculoskeletal pain experiences (severity/interference), and the mediating effects of the CSI. Methods: A cross‐sectional online survey was performed exploring self‐reported musculoskeletal pain in adults with IBD. Survey questionnaires included IBD activity indices, numeric rating scales, PROMIS Pain Interference, and the CSI. Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between active IBD and pain experiences. Simple and serial mediation analyses were used to explore mediation models: independent variable (IBD activity), dependent variables (severity/interference), and mediators (CSI/severity). Results: 208 adults with IBD, 18 to 88 years of age, reported musculoskeletal pain. Regression analysis identified IBD activity as a significant predictor of worse pain severity (R2 = 0.039, P < 0.005) and interference (R2 = 0.067, P < 0.001). Simple mediation showed a significant indirect effect from CSI scores between IBD activity and pain severity. Serial mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect from CSI scores and pain severity, between IBD activity and pain interference. Conclusion: Active IBD demonstrated a positive association with worse musculoskeletal pain experiences. The CSI demonstrated significant mediation between active IBD and pain severity. Additionally, the CSI and pain severity demonstrated significant mediation between active IBD and pain interference. This suggests that symptoms of central sensitization significantly influence musculoskeletal pain experiences in IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise of the Study Herbarium specimens provide a robust record of historical plant phenology (the timing of seasonal events such as flowering or fruiting). However, the difficulty of aggregating phenological data from specimens arises from a lack of standardized scoring methods and definitions for phenological states across the collections community. Methods and Results: To address this problem, we report on a consensus reached by an iDigBio working group of curators, researchers, and data standards experts regarding an efficient scoring protocol and a data‐sharing protocol for reproductive traits available from herbarium specimens of seed plants. The phenological data sets generated can be shared via Darwin Core Archives using the Extended MeasurementOrFact extension. Conclusions: Our hope is that curators and others interested in collecting phenological trait data from specimens will use the recommendations presented here in current and future scoring efforts. New tools for scoring specimens are reviewed.