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This article reports results from an early intervention program aimed at preventing the development of anxiety in preschool children. Children were selected if they exhibited a high number of withdrawn/inhibited behaviors--one of the best identified risk factors for later anxiety disorders--and were randomly allocated to either a 6-session parent-education program or no intervention. The education program was group based and especially brief to allow the potential for public health application. Children whose parents were allocated to the education condition showed a significantly greater decrease in anxiety diagnoses at 12 months relative to those whose parents received no intervention. However, there were no significant effects demonstrated on measures of inhibition/withdrawal. The results demonstrate the value of (even brief) very early intervention for anxiety disorders, although these effects do not appear to be mediated through alterations of temperament.

Purpose: The management of psoriasis remains a challenge for dermatologist and patient. This study aimed to determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation improves psoriasis compared to placebo. Materials and methods: In a randomized, doubled-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 101 participants ≥18 years with psoriasis were grouped by severity and allocated to 100,000 International Units (IU) vitamin D3/month for 12 months (200,000 IU at baseline; n = 67) or an identical placebo (n = 34). Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and serum 25(OH)D concentrations were assessed at 3-monthly intervals. The primary outcome was the difference in PASI between groups over time. The relationship between 25(OH)D and PASI across the sample was also considered in a post hoc analysis. Results: PASI did not differ between groups at any time (group F(1, 104) = 0.48, p = .49; group*time F(4, 384) = 0.26, p = .90). However, 25(OH)D increased in both groups, rendering these findings inconclusive. A significant inverse relationship existed between PASI and 25(OH)D, with elevation of 25(OH)D by up to 125 nmol/L associated with mild decreases in PASI (estimated range of decrease 0-2.6; p = .002). Conclusions: A direct benefit of vitamin D3 supplementation for psoriasis could not be determined. However, these findings suggest a relationship between 25(OH)D and psoriasis severity, at least in some subgroups. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry #12611000648921. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) are well‐regarded methods for predicting body fat percentage (BF%). Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) also predicts BF% and has distinct advantages in research settings. Aim: To assess the validity of BIA against ADP and DXA to measure BF%, and to test the reliability of each method. Methods: Adults (n = 166) with a wide range of body mass index (19–38 kg/m2) were tested twice during a 5‐day period. ADP was conducted in a BodPod (Life Measurement Inc, Concord, CA, USA); DXA measurements on a QDR Discovery A (Hologic) and BIA measurements used the InBody 230 (Biospace Ltd., Seoul, Korea). Agreement between measurements was analysed using t‐tests, effect size, linear regression models and method of triads (estimating true value). Results: BIA showed excellent relative agreement to the estimated true value (ρ = 0.97 (0.96, 0.98)) and to ADP (R2 = 0.88) and DXA (R2 = 0.92), but wide limits of agreement (−4.25 to 8.37%). BIA underestimated BF% by 2%, across all values. DXA showed excellent relative agreement to the estimated true value (ρ = 0.97 (0.96, 0.98)) and with ADP (R2 = 0.92), good absolute agreement but wide limits of agreement (−6.13 to 6.91%) and under‐ and overestimation at high and low BF% levels, respectively. All methods showed excellent reliability with repeat measurements differing by less than 0.2% with very small 95% CIs. Conclusions: BIA may be a valid method in research and population samples. All three methods showed excellent reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The management of psoriasis remains a challenge for dermatologist and patient. This study aimed to determine whether vitamin D 3 supplementation improves psoriasis compared to placebo., Materials and Methods: In a randomized, doubled-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 101 participants ≥18 years with psoriasis were grouped by severity and allocated to 100,000 International Units (IU) vitamin D 3 /month for 12 months (200,000 IU at baseline; n = 67) or an identical placebo (n = 34). Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and serum 25(OH)D concentrations were assessed at 3-monthly intervals. The primary outcome was the difference in PASI between groups over time. The relationship between 25(OH)D and PASI across the sample was also considered in a post hoc analysis., Results: PASI did not differ between groups at any time (group F(1, 104) = 0.48, p = .49; group*time F(4, 384) = 0.26, p = .90). However, 25(OH)D increased in both groups, rendering these findings inconclusive. A significant inverse relationship existed between PASI and 25(OH)D, with elevation of 25(OH)D by up to 125 nmol/L associated with mild decreases in PASI (estimated range of decrease 0-2.6; p = .002)., Conclusions: A direct benefit of vitamin D 3 supplementation for psoriasis could not be determined. However, these findings suggest a relationship between 25(OH)D and psoriasis severity, at least in some subgroups. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry #12611000648921.