bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
S08 Sharing experiences in local PA policy development and monitoring, to increase collaboration, efficiency, and inclusiveness
Authors: Gelius Peter
Published: September 2024

The importance of local governments' engagement in physical activity (PA) promotion has been widely acknowledged and described at international and national levels, by governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Generally, public policies can positively influence PA determinants and local PA policies in particular can have a more direct and sustainable positive impact on the target populations.

However, the monitoring of the development and implementation of these (legally binding or voluntary based) local initiatives has so far been lagging behind the expected or needed coverage and / or consistency.

The current symposium aims to present how local PA policy assessment can contribute to enlightenments in regards to policy monitoring scaling-up, increasing cross-sectoral collaboration to increase PA policy effectiveness and PA services accessibility and highlighting the gap between goals and practices in local PA policy targeting diverse population subgroups.

The presentations will be followed-up by a Q&A session focusing on aspects related to the importance of local PA policy monitoring and evaluation and the actions local governments can uptake in order to shift from experimental to routine policy monitoring and how academia can support this transition.
S08-2: Challenges of cooperation between urban planning, sustainable mobility, sport, and public health for effective HEPA policies - lessons from Slovenia
Authors: Erjavec Ina Šuklje , Kozamernik Jana , Žlender Vita
Published: September 2024

Purpose

In accordance with state or federal legislation in each country, local governments have public health related responsibilities, to protect and promote health in the populations. Due to changes in the natural & built environments, work characteristics, sedentarism became an important public health issue. Therefore, in the last 15-20 years, physical activity (PA) became more and more prominent in the preoccupations of national and local governments, with strategies, policies and programs to promote PA being issued, adopted and some implemented and evaluated.

The aim of this study is to explore the potential gap between local governments’ PA promotion related goals (as stated in their official PA related strategies or policies) and the actual PA projects or programs implemented at local level targeting diverse populations subgroups.

Methods

We used the CAPLA-Santé local policy assessment tool to describe the PA related strategies or policies in 5 selected municipalities from Finland, France, Germany, Japan and Romania. This presentation focuses on the respective target audiences of PA policy (CAPLA-Santé question 11) and examples of concrete actions in the form of programmes, interventions, or structuring initiatives (question 14).

Results

In each of the 5 selected municipalities, the local PA related strategies or policies include diverse populations subgroups such as: pre-school, children/adolescents, students, women, people in care facilities/patients suffering from chronic diseases, migrants, disabled individuals, seniors etc. However, from the examples of good practice reported, for all municipalities, only some of these subgroups (i.e. seniors, patients suffering from chronic diseases, women) are targeted in the PA related programs, interventions, or initiatives.

Conclusions

Even though inclusion in public health / PA promotion is at declarative / goals level on the agenda for all analyzed municipalities, in practice, only a few population subgroups benefit from local dedicated PA promotion initiatives. Reasons for this and potential ways to improve the current status quo are discussed.

Funding source

European Commission, Erasmus Plus programme, 613568-EPP-1-2019-1-RO-SPO-SSCP
S10-1: Using open GIS data to identify bikeable neighbourhoods for adolescents across Germany: Results of the MoMo-Study
Authors: Klos Leon , Pedrick-Case Rebecca , Fry Richard , Wäsche Hagen , Niessner Claudia , Woll Alexander
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Bikeability is an emerging concept that quantifies the perceived comfort and convenience of accessing important destinations by bike. Existing bikeability indices are limited to adults, single, large cities and use restricted GIS sources. The aims of this study are to (1) identify environment characteristics related for a bikeable neighbourhood that can be analysed using open GIS data and (2) find associations between bikeability measures and cycling behaviour in adolescents across Germany.

Methods

Street network data, and location data on schools, shops, food establishments, parks and outdoor pitches were downloaded from OpenStreetMap, topography data was taken from the European Digital Elevation Model and population data from the German census. A routing algorithm was used to model the access to the different destinations and to measure the length of streets with slow traffic and separated cycling infrastructure within 4-20 minute bike rides. Data from the MoMo study wave 3 (1253 adolescents aged 11-17 years, 50.1% female) were used to assess the relationship between the GIS measures and cycling to school and non-motorized vehicle use (e. g. cycling, longboarding).

Results

Preliminary results indicate that access to all types of locations is positively correlated with cycling to school, strongest within the 12 and 16 minute bike ride buffer. Smaller associations were found between accessibility and non-motorized vehicle use. The length of dedicated cycling infrastructure and residential streets within an 8-16 minute bike ride are related to cycling to school. Results on separated cycling infrastructure along main streets are inconsistent.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that openly available GIS data can be used to quantify bikeable neighbourhoods for adolescents across Germany. Safe cycling infrastructure, roads with low speed limits, and access to different places of interest are crucial to promote cycling in adolescents, strengthening the evidence for the European Declaration on Cycling.

Support/Funding Source

This work has been developed within the Motorik-Modul Longitudinal Study (MoMo) (2009 – 2022) MoMo is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (funding reference number: 01ER1503).
S11-3: Enhancing the reach of PA promotion among socially disadvantaged groups: lessons learned
Authors: Verkooijen Kirsten , van Uden Daniëlla , Alarslan Güven , de Jager Dico , Wagemakers Annemarie
Published: September 2024

Purpose

People in socially vulnerable positions constitute a diverse group that face a variety of life challenges, such as low income, mental illness, homelessness, and social isolation. Participation in physical activity (PA) programs could help these people by strengthening resources, such as social support and mental health, that help them cope with these challenges. Several PA programs have been developed specifically for this purpose. However, the reach of these programs is often suboptimal. The aim of this research is to find (potentially) effective strategies to enhance the reach of PA promotion among socially disadvantaged groups.

Methods

Qualitative data from three, past and ongoing, research projects on PA programs for socially disadvantaged groups were combined and analysed to extract important lessons with regards to effective strategies that enhance program reach. The data were gathered as part of the process and effect evaluation of these projects and involved interviews with program participants, program providers, and other relevant stakeholders.

Results

Several effective strategies were identified to enhance the reach of PA programs among socially disadvantaged groups. At the organisational level, intersectoral collaboration was found to be very important for the recruitment of participants. At the program level, family-oriented programs showed potential to increase program reach as well as working with experts-by-experience and including the target group in the planning and design of activities. With regard to the latter strategy, providing meaningful involvement at the individual level appeared key.

Conclusions

Notwithstanding the possible high quality of PA programs designed specifically for socially disadvantaged groups, their success is highly dependent on their reach among targeted participants. Further research into the effective strategies that increase program reach is warranted to inform and support practitioners involved in the design, implementation or organisation of these programs.

Support/Funding Source

The projects were funded by ZonMW and NWO (Dutch organisations for scientific research).
S13 Optimising the inclusivity of mass participation physical activity initiatives: lessons from 20 years of parkrun
Authors: Haake Steve
Published: September 2024

Over 20 years, parkrun has evolved from a small time trial in London, to a global physical activity and volunteering initiative with over 100 million instances of participation at a Saturday 5km parkrun or Sunday 2km junior parkrun. Every week throughout the year, parkrun takes place at more than 1,800 locations across 22 countries. parkrun welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, with the average finish time getting progressively slower. Volunteering is considered an equal form of participation and walking is encouraged.

Yet certain groups face unique and complex barriers to mass-participation physical activity initiatives and are often underrepresented. As parkrun grows, inclusive strategies are needed to optimise inclusivity.

This symposium will explore the experience of parkrun for three priority, often underrepresented, groups; 1) people with common mental health conditions; 2) those at risk of poor mental and social wellbeing; and 3) those with vision impairment. The influence of the ‘parkwalk’ initiative will be discussed as a possible solution for optimising the inclusivity of parkrun. Speakers will reflect on how the learnings from parkrun research can be applied to other health-enhancing physical activity initiatives.

Presentations

 1. The experience of parkrun by those with mental health conditions: results from the parkrun UK Health and Wellbeing Survey 2018

 2. “I enjoyed the camaraderie, the atmosphere and the inclusiveness of parkrun”: A qualitative study to explore mental wellbeing in middle-aged men at parkrun Ireland

 3. “I’m just one of the runners, one of the walkers”. Exploring the experiences of participants who are vision impaired at parkrun in Ireland

 4. Using the socio-ecological model of physical activity to test the efficacy of a social intervention at an active leisure event: the parkwalker initiative

Interactive Q&A

Prof Steve Haake (Chair of the parkrun Research Board) will lead a Q&A session with the audience and will start by asking the speakers how inclusivity could be improved. The Chair will invite questions from the audience and curate the discussion to ensure a lively debate about ‘the lessons from parkrun’.

The symposium slides and a summary of discussion topics will be made available online after the conference.
S13-1: The experience of parkrun by those with mental health conditions: results from the parkrun UK Health and Wellbeing Survey 2018
Authors: Quirk Helen , Bullas Alice , Haake Steve , Ker Suzy
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Physical activity can alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety and has been recognised as an effective treatment option, but suitable activities are often lacking. parkrun is a free, weekly 5km walk/run and volunteer initiative. The 2018 parkrun UK Health and Wellbeing Survey identified participants who self-reported mental health conditions. The aim was to understand motives for taking part, the impact of participation and the characteristics of parkrun that influence their experience.

Methods

Findings from 1,574 respondents were analysed using mixed methods. Quantitative data were analysed using chi square and logistic regression to explore the reported motives and perceived impact of parkrun. Open text responses about the impact of parkrun on health and wellbeing were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Health conditions included anxiety disorder (n = 902), depression (n = 1,202), panic attacks (n = 225), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (n = 150). This group was significantly more likely than those with no health conditions to choose mental health, condition management and happiness as motives for participation in parkrun. They were more likely to report that parkrun improved their mental health and confidence compared to those with no health conditions. Qualitative responses revealed that people benefitted from the regular, social, outdoors, and volunteering aspects of parkrun. For many people, parkrun was deemed inclusive and catalysed other positive experiences such as improved social connections, running ability and health choices. It was praised for being accessible due to the mixed abilities and option to walk or volunteer. However, parkrun was “not all sunshine and roses” with some reports of social anxiety, concerns about being too slow, coming last and not fitting in.

Conclusions

Inclusive physical activity provision in the community is often lacking for people with mental health conditions. This study has found a wide range of benefits of parkrun, particularly for people who are socially isolated and less active. For sustained participation, it is crucial that new participants are supported to overcome anxieties and feel included.

Funding

None
S13-2: ”I enjoyed the camaraderie, the atmosphere and the inclusiveness of parkrun”: A qualitative study to explore mental wellbeing in middle-aged men at parkrun Ireland
Authors: Dunne Allison , Quirk Helen , Bullas Alice , Haake Steve
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Middle-aged men in Ireland are a population who are known to be at high risk of poor mental wellbeing and suicide. One health promotion strategy for this population is to participate in community initiatives which combine a purposeful activity with social contact to support physical, mental and social wellbeing. Research on the weekly running, walking, and volunteering initiative parkrun has indicated that participation may have mental wellbeing benefits but engagement by the population group of middle-aged men in Ireland has not been explored in depth. This study asks How does the parkrun model for community initiatives promote inclusion and mental wellbeing for middle aged men in Ireland?

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted online in 2022/23 with 39 men, aged 45-64 years, who run, walk or volunteer at parkrun. Men from rural and urban communities across Ireland gave interviews lasting a mean of 32 minutes. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to explore the experiences of the men during parkrun participation. Here we report the findings from one theme relating to inclusivity at parkrun; parkrun offers a supportive environment for health.

Results

Many men in the study positively described the operational characteristics of parkrun such as free access, regular, weekly events, global locations, and a mix of ages and genders. Attendance with friends and family members, familiar location, a non-judgemental environment and the opportunity for socialising were all included as reasons for the welcoming atmosphere. The men described the social connections made at parkrun as being supportive for their mental wellbeing.

Conclusions

The physical activity initiative parkrun can offer a supportive environment to promote mental wellbeing. As parkrun is a global initiative the benefits to other population groups at risk of poor mental wellbeing should be explored. The parkrun operational model can be applied to other physical activity initiatives to encourage inclusion and reduce barriers to participation.

Funding

AD is supported by a fees-only PhD scholarship from Sheffield Hallam University
S13-3: ”I’m just one of the runners, one of the walkers”. Exploring the experiences of participants who are vision impaired at parkrun in Ireland
Authors: Ryan Joan
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The benefits of physical activity are well established but people who are vision impaired are known to have low levels of participation. This qualitative research explores the experiences of nine people who are vision impaired at parkrun, a free, weekly 5km, mainstream community running and walking event.

Method

Semi structured interviews were conducted with nine parkrun participants who were vision impaired who had each participated in a minimum of 10 events. The results were analysed using the thematic analysis process of Braun and Clarke.

Results

Three main themes were identified from the data. The participants felt they were welcomed, in terms which they felt comfortable with. They felt that their wellbeing and health were enhanced by participation. They felt a sense of belonging within a mainstream community. Their successful participation enabled them to feel the benefits of physical activity from not just a biomechanical functioning perspective, but they also felt benefits to their psychosocial wellbeing which reached beyond the 5km weekly event.

Conclusion

This data gives valuable insight into the perspective of people with disability within a mainstream physical activity event. It contributes to new insights on how inclusion is defined and achieved using the voice of people with vision impairment. It also provides an important contribution to the growing body of academic research on parkrun.

Funding

The author is supported by a fees only PhD scholarship funded by Topcon and Vision Sports Ireland. This research is conducted as part of a PhD studentship at TU Dublin.
S14-1: EUPAP Feasibility Study. Practice transfer of a HEPA prescription model to other nine EU countries. From theory to practice
Authors: Mas-Alòs Sebastià , Rosa Bruno Avelar , Demeyer Dempsey , Domnariu Carmen , Farías-Torbidoni Estela , Godinho Cristina , Hansson Lena , Lipkens Luc , Matas Sergi , Merlo Laura , Planas-Anzano Antoni , Silva Catarina Santos , Ursu Ciprian , Vestemean Ioana , Friberg Marita
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The Swedish Physical Activity on Prescription (PAP-S) method was to be transferred to other European regions through the EUPAP Project, innovative for implementing a reliable method to other nine countries. Implementation practices are strongly context-dependent; therefore, the practice transfer requires a flexible approach.

PAP-S results over 20 years have reported success to a variety of populations. It addresses physically inactive individuals and/or with chronic conditions to improve their health by increasing their physical activity (PA) levels. The PAP-S five core components are: individualised patient-centred counselling, evidence-based PA recommendation, written prescription, community support, and follow-up.

The goal was to know the context regarding PA prescription and ease the transfer from the Swedish context, specifically to: a) setting relevant PAP-S indicators for planning and monitoring, b) creating guidelines for data collection, c) providing an overview of the situation in each region, and d) assessing for readiness to implement the model.

Project description

Modified Hybrid e-Delphi process by representative from 10 countries. First, commitment from organisations to assume costs for the implementation. Second, description of variables and procedures for data collection. Data comprised two dimensions (ie, macro level (early diagnosis) and micro level (preparedness for implementation)). Third, data collection. Fourth, data analysis and discussion.

Thirty-five experts participated in the EUPAP Feasibility Study. Guidelines for data collection includes indicators on macro level: a) EUPAP-relevant policy documents, b) profiles of prescribers and allied professionals, c) programmes, materials and training on HEPA, d) regulations, e) budget; and micro level: a) stakeholders, b) settings, c) agents, d) end-users.

Country-specific results were collected, compared and discussed in relation to the core components of PAP-S (findings are accessible on www.eupap.org). Project partners disseminated the results among region-specific stakeholders.

Conclusions

Data showed regions with solid background to launch the EUPAP implementation (Flanders, Catalonia, Portugal) and others with less existing materials or weak network (Malta, Romania, Germany). Policy-makers, local health services and communities may better set short- mid- and long-term goals for the PAP-S transfer. Further design on practices and policies may use the Feasibility Study Guidelines for setting specific procedures.

Funding

Co-funded by the European Union’s Health Programme (2014-2020).
S16 National initiatives and cross-country collaboration for HEPA promotion: showcasing experiences of the EU Physical Activity Country Focal Points Network
Authors: Wickramasinghe Kremlin , Woods Catherine
Published: September 2024

The promotion of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) within the European Union (EU) requires innovative strategies that can be developed through collaboration across Member States and with strong alignment between research and policy. The EU Physical Activity Country Focal Points Network has been pivotal in fostering such collaborations since its establishment in 2014. The Network has enabled Member States to share best practices, collaborate on projects, and enhance their national HEPA promotion strategies by disseminating the latest research. This symposium will highlight national good practice examples and include a ‘marketplace’ where each country focal point will be available to discuss their national priorities for HEPA promotion with researchers. The symposium will aim to provide a forum to support collaboration between HEPA practitioners, policy makers and researchers, to improve alignment of research with country priorities and identify new opportunities for HEPA promotion and future research areas.
250 Objectively assessed sit-to-stand reserve is associated with difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (iADL) among community-dwelling older adults
Authors: Löppönen Antti
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Physical reserve acts as a buffer against declines in physical function and can help maintain and restore it in acute situations that threaten physical function, such as illness. Previous studies have mainly focused on the difference between habitual and maximal walking speeds in the laboratory, neglecting the physical demands of free-living environment. Wearable sensors allow for a more comprehensive investigation of daily activities, including strength-demanding daily activities such as sit-to-stand (STS) transitions. This study investigates how STS reserve is associated with difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (iADL) among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

The study involved 230 individuals aged 79 to 89 years old, whose capacity for STS transitions was measured using the instrumented STS test and whose free-living STS transitions were continuously monitored for 24 hours a day for 4 days using a tri-axial accelerometer (UKK RM42). Variables associated with STS reserve and self-reported ADL/iADL difficulties were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression.

Results

Among the participants, 32.2% reported difficulties with one or two ADL/iADL functions, and 14.8% reported difficulties in three or more ADL/iADL functions. STS reserve was significantly associated with difficulties in one or two ADL/iADL functions (odds ratio [OR] = 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70-0.97, per 10 deg/s increase) and three or more ADL/iADL functions (OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.47-0.74, per 10 deg/s increase). After adjusting for baseline age, sex, self-reported pain, cerebrovascular diseases, MMSE, balance test, and walking speed, STS reserve remained significantly associated with difficulties in three or more ADL/iADL functions (OR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.54-0.97, per 10 deg/s increase).

Conclusions

The findings suggest that reserve determined by strength-demanding STS transitions is associated with ADL/iADL difficulties, indicating that a strong reserve may enable unrestricted independent living.

Support/Funding Source

This study was supported by the Academy of Finland, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council.
255 Evaluation and Comparison of Government-Funded School-Based Youth Physical Activity Counseling Initiatives in Finland for the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Authors: Kolunsarka Iiris
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Finland’s newly elected government launched their four-year programme titled “A Strong and Committed Finland.” Among its objectives is a significant emphasis on increasing physical activity across all age groups. To this end, the government introduced the 'Finland on the Move' initiative, dedicated to promoting an active lifestyle and improving the physical well-being of Finns. The initiative is supported by an annual budget of twenty million euros, and it consists of sixteen actions, with six specifically aimed at promoting physical activity among youth. One key action focuses on enhancing physical activity in schools, particularly through school-based youth physical activity counseling.

Project aim

This research project aims to evaluate and compare the government-funded school-based youth physical activity counseling initiatives implemented in Finland during the 2024-2025 academic year. The project seeks to answer the following research questions:

 a) How is physical activity counseling conducted in Finnish schools?

 b) How do participants benefit from the counseling?

Methods

The evaluation will begin with an analysis of publicly available program abstracts. Additionally, interviews and questionnaires will be conducted during and after the 2024-2025 academic year to gather comprehensive data.

Results (Primary)

A total of 123 cities received funding for promoting physical activity in schools, with 74 of these cities incorporating physical activity counseling into their project plans. The protocols for counseling varied significantly. Some cities will hire fitness instructors or counselors to work directly in schools, while others aim to create pathways for youth to access services provided by city-employed physical activity counselors. Certain projects focus on family-oriented physical activity counseling or lifestyle counseling, although nearly all target youth with low fitness and physical activity levels.

Conclusion

By identifying effective physical activity counseling strategies, this research project can help schools and cities implement best practices that encourage more active lifestyles among youth. Moreover, the findings from this research project can provide valuable insights for policymakers. Understanding which initiatives are most effective allows for better allocation of resources and more informed decisions about future funding and program development.
256 Bridging the Gap: Translating Sport Injury Prevention Research into Community-Level Practice
Authors: Heering Theresa , Lander Natalie , Tallis Jason , Barnett Lisa , Duncan Michael
Published: September 2024

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a severe musculoskeletal injury with significant consequences for individuals (e.g., long rehabilitation periods and an increased risk of reinjury), as well as for the healthcare system (e.g., high treatment costs). In developed countries such as Australia and Norway, the prevalence of ACL injuries has been increasing among children aged 5-14. Therefore, appropriate and effective risk reduction strategies are urgently needed. However, effective risk reduction is often hindered by a lack of knowledge or involvement from stakeholders, particularly in youth sports at the community level.

Addressing this gap, the current project aims to bridge the gap between sport injury prevention research and community-level practice. It seeks to translate findings from my recent PhD research into actionable strategies for community sports stakeholders, including sport clubs, coaches, parents, and athletes.

Using “The Physical Activity Messaging Framework” by Williamson et al. (2021), a communication strategy was developed, resulting in two tailored reports. The first report, designed for pediatric grassroots footballers, presents information on injury prevention in an accessible, “fun” format suitable for children. The second report, aimed at the parents and coaches of these young athletes, provides more in-depth information on sport injury prevention, such as focusing on improving landing techniques. Both reports were piloted with the target population (pediatric grassroots footballers: n = 4, and parents: n = 4) and adjusted according to their feedback. The final reports will be distributed to the target population (youth grassroots football players (n = 35), their parents (n = 70), and coaches (n = 5)) in September 2024.

The potential impact of this project includes promoting sport injury prevention practices through education, fostering conversations with coaches, parents, and athletes to increase awareness of ACL injuries in youth sports, and providing practical advice on reducing the risk of sporting injuries. This project not only addresses a crucial gap in sport injury prevention but exemplifies the practical application of research, ultimately contributing to safer sports environments at the community level.
Release of intracellular enzymes increases the total extracellular activities of carbohydrate-processing enzymes in marine environment
Authors: Huang Ke-Xuan , Jiang Yu-Xuan , Dang Yan-Ru , Qin Qi-Long
Published: September 2024

Microbial extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs) produced by microbes to degrade biopolymers are the ‘gatekeeper’ of carbon cycle in the marine ecosystem. It is usually assumed that these extracellular enzymes are actively secreted by microbes. However, biopolymer-degrading enzymes also exist in the intracellular space. Cell lysis will passively release these enzymes into the environments and contribute to the total EEAs. However, to what extent the cell lysis can contribute to the total EEAs are still unclear. Here, using extreme cell lysis method, we evaluated the maximum contribution of cell lysis to total EEAs in culturable marine bacteria and coastal seawater. For carbohydrate-processing enzymes (β-glucosidase, alginate lyase, and chitinase), the release of intracellular enzymes could contribute positively (up to 56.1% increase for β-glucosidase in seawater) to the total EEAs. For protease and leucine aminopeptidase, the cell lysis did not increase and even decreased the total EEAs. For alkaline phosphatase, the intracellular enzymes generally had no contribution to the total EEAs. These results showed that passively released intracellular enzymes could substantially increase the total extracellular activities of carbohydrate-processing enzymes, which should be considered in building the link between the EEAs and organic carbon cycle in the ocean.
Pathophysiologic abnormalities in transgenic mice carrying the Alzheimer disease PSEN1 Δ440 mutation
Authors: Fuller Peyton E , Collis Victoria L , Sharma Pallavi , Burkett Angelina M , Wang Shaoteng , Brown Kyle A , Weir Nick , Goulbourne Chris N , Nixon Ralph A , Longden Thomas A , Gould Todd D , Monteiro Mervyn J
Published: September 2024

Mutations in PSEN1 were first discovered as a cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in 1995, yet the mechanism(s) by which the mutations cause disease still remains unknown. The generation of novel mouse models assessing the effects of different mutations could aid in this endeavor. Here we report on transgenic mouse lines made with the Δ440 PSEN1 mutation that causes AD with parkinsonism:— two expressing the un-tagged human protein and two expressing a HA-tagged version. Detailed characterization of these lines showed that Line 305 in particular, which expresses the untagged protein, develops age-dependent memory deficits and pathologic features, many of which are consistent with features found in AD. Key behavioral and physiological alterations found in the novel 305 line included an age-dependent deficit in spontaneous alternations in the Y-maze, a decrease in exploration of the center of an open field box, a decrease in the latency to fall on a rotarod, a reduction in synaptic strength and pair-pulse facilitation by electrophysiology, and profound alterations to cerebral blood flow regulation. The pathologic alterations found in the line included, significant neuronal loss in the hippocampus and cortex, astrogliosis, and changes in several proteins involved in synaptic and mitochondrial function, Ca2+ regulation, and autophagy. Taken together, these findings suggest that the transgenic lines will be useful for the investigation of AD pathogenesis.
Proactive Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Ustekinumab Is Associated With Increased Drug Persistence in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Porth Rachel , Deyhim Tina , Geeganage Grace , Smith Brenden , Zullow Samantha , Rabinowitz Loren G , Grossberg Laurie B , Cheifetz Adam S , Papamichael Konstantinos
Published: September 2024

Background

There are limited data on the role of proactive therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of ustekinumab (UST) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study investigated the efficacy and safety of proactive TDM in IBD patients treated with subcutaneous (sc) UST.

Methods

This was a retrospective single-center cohort study. Consecutive patients with IBD who received maintenance subcutaneous (sc) UST therapy and underwent TDM from January 2017 to February 2023 were eligible for inclusion. Patients were followed through May 2024 or until drug discontinuation or an IBD-related surgery. Patients underwent either at least one proactive TDM or reactive TDM only. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate drug persistence, defined as no need for drug discontinuation due to loss of response, serious adverse event (SAE) or an IBD-related surgery, and IBD-related hospitalizations.

Results

The study population consisted of 83 patients (proactive TDM, n = 46) of whom 67 (81%) had Crohn’s disease. Patients who had at least one proactive TDM had higher drug persistence (Log-rank P < .001) and less IBD-related hospitalization (Log-rank P = .012) compared to patients undergoing only reactive TDM. In multivariable COX proportional hazard regression analysis, at least one proactive TDM was associated with increased drug persistence (hazard ratio [HR]: 5; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2-10; P < .001) and decreased IBD-related hospitalization (HR: 0.24; 95% CI, 0.07-0.83; P = .024). There was no SAE reported.

Conclusions

This retrospective study showed that proactive TDM is associated with increased drug persistence and decreased IBD-related hospitalization in IBD patients treated with sc UST.
Screen Failures and Causes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Randomized Controlled Trials: A Study of 16 913 Screened Patients
Authors: Uzzan Mathieu , Georgiev Georgi , Peyrin-Biroulet Laurent , Bouhnik Yoram , Narula Neeraj , Jairath Vipul , Ungaro Ryan , Burisch Johan , Kirchgesner Julien , Verstock Bram , Hussain Fez , Reinisch Walter
Published: September 2024

Introduction

While recruitment rates in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) trials are continuously decreasing, the underlying reasons are likely multifactorial but remain poorly defined. Screen failure (SF) proportions and causes have not been extensively explored in IBD.

Aim

We assessed SF proportions and underlying SF reasons in IBD phase 2 and 3 clinical trials.

Methods

We analyzed SF-related data from 17 randomized controlled phase 2 or 3 IBD trials. Twelve trials were in ulcerative colitis (UC) and 5 trials were in Crohn’s disease (CD) operated by a single contract research organization, IQVIA. Differences between patient groups were tested for significance by Mann-Whitney and Fisher’s tests when appropriate.

Results

We analyzed a total of 11 161 patients with UC and 5752 patients with CD. The mean SF proportion was 0.43 per trial in UC. The primary reason for SFs in UC was not meeting the overall (modified) Mayo score inclusion threshold and/or the endoscopic subscore of at least 2 (33.8% of all SF). In CD clinical trials, the mean SF proportion was at 0.53. The primary cause for SFs was not meeting the CDAI eligibility criteria (23.1% of all SFs). SF proportions were significantly higher in CD versus UC trials (P = .027). Clostridium difficile or any other intestinal infection and not meeting tuberculosis screening criteria were other major reasons for SFs both in UC and CD.

Conclusion

High SF proportion in IBD clinical trials, particularly for CD studies, pose obstacles to patient recruitment. While underlying causes are diverse, arbitrarily defined clinical and/or endoscopic eligibility criteria remain the major limiting factors.
Rate of body weight gain during early gestation in F0 beef heifers has effects that extend multigenerationally to the F2 fetuses
Authors: Baumgaertner Friederike , Ramírez-Zamudio Germán Darío , Menezes Ana Clara B , Jurgens Isabella M , Hirchert Mara R , Hurlbert Jennifer L , Bochantin-Winders Kerri A , Diniz Wellison J S , Reynolds Lawrence P , Ward Alison K , Borowicz Pawel P , Underdahl S R , Kirsch James D , Dorsam Sheri T , Sedivec Kevin K , Swanson Kendall C , Caton Joel S , Dahlen Carl R
Published: September 2024

Our aim was to investigate the effects of maternal (F0) body weight (BW) gain during the first 84 d of gestation on body composition, ovarian reserve, and hormonal and metabolic parameters of breeding-age F1 heifers, as well as the BW and morphometry of F2 fetuses. The study also evaluated the effect of maternal BW gain (F0) on the mRNA relative abundance of the small intestine of both F1 heifers and F2 fetuses. Crossbred Angus heifers (F0; n = 100) were managed to gain 0.20 kg/d (low gain [LG], n = 50) or 0.75 kg/d (moderate gain [MG], n = 50) for the first 84 d of gestation. Subsequently, F0 dams were managed on a common forage-based diet for the rest of gestation until the weaning of the F1 offspring. At 15 mo of age, a subset of F1 heifers was randomly selected for the current experiment (n = 8 LG and n = 8 MG). Heifers were bred via artificial insemination (AI; day 0), then harvested on day 84 of gestation. On days −10, 42, and 84, BW was recorded, and blood was collected and analyzed for concentrations of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, progesterone, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1. The weight of F1 carcasses, organs, gravid uteri, and F2 fetuses and organs were recorded at harvest. Visible follicles were counted on F1 ovaries at harvest, and histology was used to count microscopic follicles. Liver and jejunal samples from F1 heifers were collected to measure tissue oxygen consumption and jejunal samples from F1 heifers and F2 fetuses were collected for mRNA relative abundance analysis. BW of F1 heifers from MG dams tended to be 12 kg greater (P = 0.06) than for F1 heifers from LG dams. Concentrations of glucose were greater (P = 0.03) in F1 heifers from the MG group, with no differences in other blood metabolites or follicular populations (P ≥ 0.16). Interestingly, mammary glands were heavier (P = 0.05), and placentas and body depth tended to be heavier and greater, respectively (P ≤ 0.10), for F2 fetuses from F0 LG heifers. Oxygen consumption in the liver and jejunum, as well as mRNA relative abundance in the jejunum of F1 heifers, were not affected by F0 rate of gain (P ≥ 0.16). However, the NDUFC1, SDHA, UQCR1, and PPARG genes were upregulated (P ≤ 0.05) in the jejunum of F2 fetuses from the LG group. In conclusion, BW gain of F0 heifers during early gestation exerts subtle effects on pre-breeding BW and blood metabolites in F1 offspring, with impacts present in F2 placenta, mammary gland, and intestine.
Hitting the Target but Missing the Point: How Donors Use Cost Information
Authors: Lewis Joshua , Small Deborah A
Published: September 2024

Charities often advertise the cost of a given impact (e.g., $5 provides a meal). Though often intended to demonstrate cost-effectiveness, we find that donors also use the cost as a target. Therefore, the impact cost can be too low, reducing donation amounts, or too high, deterring donors from donating altogether. We propose that, whenever donors have a reference point for a reasonable donation, the revenue-maximizing impact cost is at or just below this reference point, due to loss aversion. We examined these predictions across two online studies (N = 1,711) and one field experiment conducted within a US non-profit’s mailing appeal (N = 141,161). Study 1 demonstrates that donors target impact costs; participants report giving more when the cost of a mosquito net is higher. Study 2, the field experiment, reveals the pernicious effect of setting a target too high. Study 3 tests how the reference donation amount informs the revenue-maximizing impact cost. Supplemental studies robustly support our optimal-target recommendation, while demonstrating that cost information is ubiquitous and theoretically distinct from other types of targets. Together, these results shed light on an often-unintended side effect of providing cost information, with practical insight on how to leverage it for higher donation revenue.
Mitonuclear effects on sex ratio persist across generations in interpopulation hybrids
Authors: Edmands Suzanne , Denova Jacob R , Flanagan Ben A , Jah Murad , Applebaum Scott L
Published: September 2024

Eukaryotic energy production requires tight coordination between nuclear and mitochondrial gene products. Because males and females often have different energetic strategies, optimal mitonuclear coordination may be sex-specific. Previous work found evidence for sex-specific mitonuclear effects in the copepod Tigriopus californicus by comparing two parental lines and their reciprocal F1 crosses. However, an alternative hypothesis is that the patterns were driven by the parental source of nuclear alleles. Here, we test this alternative hypothesis by extending the same cross to F2 hybrids, which receive both maternal and paternal nuclear alleles from F1 hybrids. Results confirm mitonuclear effects on sex ratio, with distorted ratios persisting from the F1 to F2 generations, despite reduced fitness in F2 hybrids. No sex-by-cross interactions were found for other phenotypic traits measured. Mitochondrial DNA content was higher in females. Both routine metabolic rate and oxidative DNA damage were lower in F2 hybrids than in parentals. The persistence of sex-specific mitonuclear effects, even in the face of F2 hybrid breakdown, attests to the magnitude of these effects, which contribute to the maintenance of within-population mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms.
Recognition and separation of magnetotelluric strong noise based on a temporal convolutional network and K-SVD dictionary learning
Authors: Yang Zhi , Tang Jingtian , Sun Yishu , Li Jianqi , Yang Minsheng , Zhang Yuexing , Xiao Xiao
Published: September 2024

The magnetotelluric (MT) method has been widely applied in deep energy resource surveys with the advantage of large-depth exploration and sensitivity to electrical differences. However, the observed data of the MT method are exceptionally sensitive to artificial noise. To improve the survey effectiveness of the MT method in a strong electromagnetic (EM) interference environment. We introduce the temporal convolutional network (TCN) into the processing of MT data and propose a recognition and separation method for MT strong noise. First, to obtain a precise signal-to-noise recognition model, we train the TCN network by measuring MT samples that are artificially labeled. Then the trained network is used to separate the signal to be processed into high-quality segments and noise-contaminated segments. Finally, K-singular value decomposition (K-SVD) dictionary learning is applied to perform signal-to-noise separation of the recognized noise-contaminated segments to obtain the noise-free signal segments. The noise-free signal segments are recombined with the recognized high-quality signal segments to obtain a complete high-quality signal. We apply the proposed method to the processing of field data collected in Tongling City, Anhui Province, China. Compared with the results of manual labeling, the recognition accuracy of the TCN network reaches >98.2%, which is significantly higher than 93.6% of the convolutional neural network. The apparent resistivity and phase curves obtained by our method are consistent with the results of the MT remote reference method as a standard method, which eloquently proves that the proposed method has good validity and reliability.
Orders to preserve evidence at the Unified Patent Court: a practical guide
Authors: Lauzeral Marc , Signoroni Stella
Published: September 2024

This article aims to provide a practical guide on the conditions to fulfil to obtain an order to preserve evidence as provided in the Agreement on the Unified Patent Court and in the Rules of Procedure, based on the decisions of the Unified Patent Court’s (UPC) local divisions on this topic. After a brief justification of the existence of this type of measures in front of the UPC, this guide will discuss the key differences between ex parte and inter partes measures to preserve evidence, and it will outline how the judges have so far interpreted the conditions to obtain such measures.
Integrating Academic Inquiry and Reformist Activism in Psychiatry
Authors: Aftab Awais , Steingard Sandra , Waterman G. Scott
Published: September 2024

Sandra Steingard, MD, is Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. She is the editor of the book Critical Psychiatry: Controversies and Clinical Implications (Springer, 2019) and Editor-in-Chief of the Community Mental Health Journal. In 2020, she retired from her position as Chief Medical Officer, Howard Center, Burlington, Vermont. G. Scott Waterman, MD, MA, is Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, where he served at various times as Director of Psychopharmacology, Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry, and Associate Dean for Student Affairs. He is a member of the executive council of the Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry. The happy coincidence that these two intelligent and accomplished psychiatrists are married made this joint interview possible, wherein the critical psychiatry movement, philosophy of psychiatry, models of drug action, the biopsychosocial model, and critiques of psychiatric diagnosis are discussed.
Scepticism of the Gentle Variety
Authors: Aftab Awais , Bolton Derek
Published: September 2024

Derek Bolton, PhD, is Professor of Philosophy and Psychopathology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, and Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Bolton is recognized internationally as a distinguished voice in philosophy of psychiatry. This interview goes into a discussion of his philosophical work on the diagnosis and definition of mental disorder, the basis of the standards or norms by which we judge that a person has a mental disorder, and the validity of the distinction between abnormal and normal mental functioning. Bolton argues that the notion that emerges from a conceptual analysis of psychiatry’s diagnostic manuals is enmeshed with considerations related to harm and suffering, and it is a notion in which the personal, the social, and the biological cannot be clearly distinguished. The implications of this thinking with regards to the relationship between the medical model and the psychological approaches are also discussed.