The effectiveness of pharmacological and lifestyle interventions to reduce the risk of diabetes and hyperglycaemia following gestational diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: To synthesize the available evidence to better understand the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or delay hyperglycaemia and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) postnatally in women with current or previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: We searched five databases up to December 2020 for primary peer-reviewed articles reporting postpartum glycaemic outcomes in women with (previous) GDM following pharmacological or lifestyle intervention. Outcomes were relative risk of T2DM or continuous measures of glycaemia, change or at follow-up. A minimum of two studies evaluating the same intervention-outcome combination were needed to conduct meta-analyses, otherwise studies were described narratively. Meta-regression was used to evaluate whether associations varied by additional variables. We assessed risk of bias using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. PROSPERO record CRD42018102380. RESULTS: We included 31 studies in the review with a total sample size of 8624 participants, and 26 studies in meta-analyses. Two-thirds of studies followed up participants at 1 year or less. Pharmacological interventions were associated with reduced risk of T2DM (0.80 [95% CI 0.64-1.00], n = 6 studies), as were lifestyle interventions albeit with a smaller effect size (0.88 [95% CI 0.76-1.01], n = 12 studies). Dietary and physical activity interventions were associated with a small reduction in fasting plasma glucose, particularly in longer interventions, but inconsistent effects were seen for other continuous outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although possibly due to chance, interventions to reduce hyperglycaemia after GDM may be effective. Future research should improve understanding of how interventions affect glucose control and how to optimise interventions for this population.

Correction: Spatial variation and antecedent sea surface temperature conditions influence Hawaiian intertidal community structure.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286136.].

Spatial variation and antecedent sea surface temperature conditions influence Hawaiian intertidal community structure.

Global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are increasing, and in Hawai'i, rates of ocean warming are projected to double by the end of the 21st century. However, current nearshore warming trends and their possible impacts on intertidal communities are not well understood. This study represents the first investigation into the possible effects of rising SST on intertidal algal and invertebrate communities across the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). By utilizing citizen-science data coupled with high-resolution, daily SST satellite measurements from 12 intertidal sites across the MHI from 2004-2019, the response of intertidal algal and invertebrate abundance and community diversity to changes in SST was investigated across multiple spatial scales. Results show high rates of SST warming (0.40°C Decade-1) over this study's timeframe, similar to predicted rates of warming for Hawai'i by the end of the 21st century. Changes in abundance and diversity in response to SST were variable among intertidal sites, but differences in antecedent SST among intertidal sites were significantly associated with community dissimilarity. In addition, a statistically significant positive relationship was found between SST and Simpson's diversity index, and a significant relationship was also found between SST and the abundance of six dominant taxa. For five of these six dominant taxa, antecedent SSTs over the 6-12 months preceding sampling were the most influential for describing changes to abundance. The increase in community diversity in response to higher SSTs was best explained by temperatures in the 10 months preceding sampling, and the resultant decreased abundance of dominant turf algae. These results highlight rapidly warming nearshore SSTs in Hawai'i and the longer-term effects of antecedent SSTs as significant drivers of change within Hawaiian intertidal communities. Therefore, we suggest that future research and management should consider the possibility of lagging effects of antecedent SST on intertidal communities in Hawai'i and elsewhere.

The Effects of ADHD Teacher Training Programs on Teachers and Pupils: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the evidence on the efficacy of ADHD teacher training interventions for teachers' ADHD knowledge and reducing pupils' ADHD-type behaviors. METHOD: Six electronic databases were systematically searched up to 14/04/20. Meta-analyses were performed to pool standardized mean differences (SMD). RESULTS: 29 studies were included in the systematic review, and 22 meta-analyzed. SMD for teacher knowledge within subjects at post-test and follow-up was 1.96 (95% confidence interval = 1.48, 2.43) and ‒1.21 (-2.02, -0.41) respectively. Between subjects analyses at post-test showed SMD = 1.56 (0.52, 2.59), with insufficient data at follow-up. At post-test, SMD for pupils' behavior within and between subjects was 0.78 (0.37, 1.18), and 0.71 (-0.11, 1.52), respectively. Medium-to-high risk of bias was found in all but one study. CONCLUSION: ADHD teacher training programs may be effective in initially improving ADHD teachers' knowledge. There is inconsistent evidence for their efficacy to reduce students' ADHD-type behaviors.

Inadequate postpartum screening for type 2 diabetes in women with previous gestation diabetes mellitus: A retrospective audit of practice over 17 years.

INTRODUCTION: Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) are at greatly increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The UK guidance recommends screening for T2DM at around 6-week postpartum and annually thereafter. We evaluated conformity to this guidance in two separate time periods. METHODS: The proportion of tests performed within guidance was assessed using longitudinal plasma glucose and glycated haemoglobin data in two cohorts (1999-2007, n = 251; 2015-2016, n = 260) from hospital records on women previously diagnosed with GDM. RESULTS: In the 1999-2007 and 2015-2016 cohorts, 59.8% and 35.0% of women had the recommended postpartum testing, respectively (P < .001); just 13.5% and 14.2%, respectively, underwent the first annual test on time. During long-term follow-up of the 1999-2007 cohort (median follow-up: 12.3 years), the proportion of women tested in any given year averaged 34.2% over a 17-year period; there was a progressive decline in the proportion of women receiving a yearly test with time since delivery (P = .002). Over the follow-up period, 85 women from the 1999-2007 cohort developed blood test results in the diabetic range with a median time to presumed DM diagnosis of 5.2 years (range 0.11-15.95 years). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that 18.8% of women had blood test results in the diabetes range by 5-year postpartum and 37.8% by 10-year postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high profile guidelines and a clear clinical rationale to screen women with a past diagnosis of GDM, many women did not receive adequate screening for T2DM both in the short term and long term. This suggests that alternative approaches are needed to ensure effective follow-up of this high-risk group. To have an impact, interventions need to be tailored to a young, generally healthy group in which traditional approaches to follow-up may not be best suited.

The absolute and relative risk of type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 129 studies.

AIMS: To estimate development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in women with previous gestational diabetes (GDM) and investigate characteristics associated with higher diagnoses, building on previous meta-analyses and exploring heterogeneity. METHODS: Systematic literature review of studies published up to October 2019. We included studies reporting progression to T2DM ≥6 months after pregnancy, if diagnostic methods were reported and ≥50 women with GDM participated. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regression of absolute and relative T2DM risk. PROSPERO ID: CRD42017080299. RESULTS: In 129 included studies, the percentage diagnosed with T2DM was 12% (95% confidence interval 8-16%) higher for each additional year after pregnancy, with a third developing diabetes within 15 years. Development was 18% (5-34%) higher per unit BMI at follow-up, and 57% (39-70%) lower in White European populations compared to others (adjusted for ethnicity and follow-up). Women with GDM had a relative risk of T2DM of 8.3 (6.5-10.6). 17.0% (15.1-19.0%) developed T2DM overall, although heterogeneity between studies was substantial (I2 99.3%), and remained high after accounting for various study-level characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Percentage developing T2DM after GDM is highly variable. These findings highlight the need for sustained follow-up after GDM through screening, and interventions to reduce modifiable risk factors.

Lesson of the month 2: Autoimmune sequelae of anti-GAD antibodies - thinking outside the box.

A 52 year-old female with no significant medical problems presented with left-sided weakness, unsteady gait and speech disturbance. It was thought that she had neuro-inflammation and she remained clinically stable. Several years later, she was diagnosed with latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood. Her neurological symptoms deteriorated and she was admitted into hospital. The cerebrospinal fluid was normal, as were an array of blood tests. Imaging tests, including magnetic resonance imaging, computerised tomography and positron emission tomography scans were normal. However, her anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody serum level, which had been taken in the diabetes outpatient clinic, returned at 2,000,000 IU/mL (normal range 0-10). This led to the diagnosis of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) positive cerebellar ataxia. She was treated with plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulins and over next 12 weeks her symptoms improved. Our case highlights the need for appropriate treatment of patients with GAD positive cerebellar ataxia to achieve good outcomes.

Evolution combined with genomic study elucidates genetic bases of isobutanol tolerance in Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND: Isobutanol is a promising next-generation biofuel with demonstrated high yield microbial production, but the toxicity of this molecule reduces fermentation volumetric productivity and final titer. Organic solvent tolerance is a complex, multigenic phenotype that has been recalcitrant to rational engineering approaches. We apply experimental evolution followed by genome resequencing and a gene expression study to elucidate genetic bases of adaptation to exogenous isobutanol stress. RESULTS: The adaptations acquired in our evolved lineages exhibit antagonistic pleiotropy between minimal and rich medium, and appear to be specific to the effects of longer chain alcohols. By examining genotypic adaptation in multiple independent lineages, we find evidence of parallel evolution in marC, hfq, mdh, acrAB, gatYZABCD, and rph genes. Many isobutanol tolerant lineages show reduced RpoS activity, perhaps related to mutations in hfq or acrAB. Consistent with the complex, multigenic nature of solvent tolerance, we observe adaptations in a diversity of cellular processes. Many adaptations appear to involve epistasis between different mutations, implying a rugged fitness landscape for isobutanol tolerance. We observe a trend of evolution targeting post-transcriptional regulation and high centrality nodes of biochemical networks. Collectively, the genotypic adaptations we observe suggest mechanisms of adaptation to isobutanol stress based on remodeling the cell envelope and surprisingly, stress response attenuation. CONCLUSIONS: We have discovered a set of genotypic adaptations that confer increased tolerance to exogenous isobutanol stress. Our results are immediately useful to further efforts to engineer more isobutanol tolerant host strains of E. coli for isobutanol production. We suggest that rpoS and post-transcriptional regulators, such as hfq, RNA helicases, and sRNAs may be interesting mutagenesis targets for future global phenotype engineering.

Structures and phase transitions of trigonal ZrMo2O8 and HfMo2O8.

This paper describes the structures, thermal-expansion properties and phase transitions of the trigonal forms of ZrMo(2)O(8) and HfMo(2)O(8). Both phases adopt a P(-)3m structure at room temperature and show positive thermal expansion. Both phases also undergo a displacive phase transition at high temperature (ZrMo(2)O(8) at 487 K and HfMo(2)O(8) at 463 K) to a higher-symmetry structure that has lower thermal expansion. The structure of the high-temperature alpha'-AMo(2)O(8) form (A = Zr and Hf) has been refined from powder diffraction data in space group P(-)3m1.