Exploring the active ingredients of workplace physical and psychological wellbeing programs: a systematic review.

Previous reviews have established that workplace wellbeing initiatives are effective at promoting wellbeing, but less is known about which intervention characteristics or "active ingredients" underpin this effectiveness (i.e., behavior change techniques [BCTs]). This review aims to illuminate the connections between the types of BCTs and the level of intervention intensity with intervention effectiveness. A systematic search for peer-reviewed studies evaluating a workplace wellbeing initiative was undertaken across five databases: Medline, Scopus, PsycInfo, and CINAHL (Ovid Emcare). Eligible studies included those that evaluated the effect of a workplace wellbeing initiative on participants' physical wellbeing (e.g., physical activity and quality of life) and psychological wellbeing (e.g., mental health and stress), were published between 2009 and September 2019, and utilized a comparator (e.g., control group or prepost change). Studies were screened in independent duplicate to minimize bias. Effect sizes were calculated. Following removal of duplicates, 1,541 studies were identified and screened for eligibility. Of these, 23 studies reporting 28 comparisons were deemed to meet eligibility criteria. Just over 50% of these studies reported evidence of either a strong or moderate effect across a physical and a psychological outcome, providing a positive indication that workplace wellbeing programs can promote physical and psychological wellbeing in workers. Interventions tended to employ multiple BCTs (mean range 8.1-9.4), however, no discernible patterns between the types or numbers of BCTs employed and intervention effectiveness was found. Further experimental work is required that compares and contrasts workplace wellbeing initiatives to enable a better understanding of how to develop and implement highly effective programs.

Reliability and predictive validity of the Food Technology Neophobia Scale.

The recently developed Food Technology Neophobia Scale (FTNS) was further tested to assess scale reliability. On 2 occasions, 131 consumers responded to the FTNS, technologies descriptions and 'willingness to try' food technologies for 7 products. In the second session, they were offered foods to taste. 'Information seeking' was measured as a potential confounder of stability. The intra-class correlation was 0.86 and there was no difference between the FTNS scores (p>0.05). Correlations with 'willingness to try' novel technologies were -0.39 to -0.58. The FTNS is confirmed as a reliable and predictive measure of responses to novel food technologies.

Estimating food intakes in Australia: validation of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) food frequency questionnaire against weighed dietary intakes.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of knowledge about the foods that Australian adults eat and a need for a flexible, easy-to-use tool that can estimate usual dietary intakes. The present study was to validate a commonly used Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) food-frequency questionnaire (C-FFQ) against two 4-day weighed food records (WFR), as the reference method. METHODS: The C-FFQ, as the test item, was administrated before the WFR. Two 4-day WFR were administrated 4 weeks apart. Under-reporting was established using specific cut-off limits and estimated basal metabolic rate. Seventy-four women, aged 31-60 years, were enrolled from a free-living community setting. RESULTS: After exclusion for under-reporting, the final sample comprised 62 individuals. Correlations between protein intake from the WFR and urinary urea were significant. Overall agreement between FFQ and WFR was shown by 'levels of agreement' (LOA) and least products regressions. There was presence of fixed and proportional bias for almost half the nutrients, including energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates. For most of the nutrients that did not present bias, the LOA were 50-200%. Agreement was demonstrated for percentage dietary energy protein and fat; carbohydrate; and absolute amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, magnesium and iron. However, relative intake agreement was fair to moderate, with approximately 70% of (selected) nutrients exact or within +/-1 quintile difference. CONCLUSION: The C-FFQ is reasonable at measuring percentage energy from macronutrients and some micronutrients, and comprises a valuable tool for ranking intakes by quintiles; however, it is poor at measuring many absolute nutrient intakes relative to WFR.

Drosophila par-1 is required for oocyte differentiation and microtubule organization.

BACKGROUND: Drosophila oocyte determination involves a complex process by which a single cell within an interconnected cyst of 16 germline cells differentiates into an oocyte. This process requires the asymmetric accumulation of both specific messenger RNAs and proteins within the future oocyte as well as the proper organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton, which together with the fusome provides polarity within the developing germline cyst. RESULTS: In addition to its previously described late oogenic role in the establishment of anterior-posterior polarity and subsequent embryonic axis formation, the Drosophila par-1 gene is required very early in the germline for establishing cyst polarity and for oocyte specification. Germline clonal analyses, for which we used a protein null mutation, reveal that Drosophila par-1 (par-1) is required for the asymmetric accumulation of oocyte-specific factors as well as the proper organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton. Similarly, somatic clonal analyses indicate that par-1 is required for microtubule stabilization in follicle cells. The PAR-1 protein is localized to the fusome and ring canals within the developing germline cyst in direct contact with microtubules. Likewise, in the follicular epithelium, PAR-1 colocalizes with microtubules along the basolateral membrane. However, in either case PAR-1 localization is independent of microtubules. CONCLUSIONS: The Drosophila par-1 gene plays at least two essential roles during oogenesis; it is required early in the germline for organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton and subsequent oocyte determination, and it has a second, previously described role late in oogenesis in axis formation. In both cases, par-1 appears to exert its effects through the regulation of microtubule dynamics and/or stability, and this finding is consistent with the defined role of the mammalian PAR-1 homologs.

A comparison of chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis: acceptability of procedure and maternal attachment to pregnancy.

Sixty-one women with high-risk pregnancies participated in a clinical trial comparing chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis. They were assessed initially on five background measures and maternal attachment to the fetus, then were randomly assigned to either chorionic villi sampling or an amniocentesis group. Women were further assessed for maternal attachment three times during pregnancy. During the final assessment, those who were planning future pregnancies were asked which of the two procedures they would prefer. No differences between groups were found on any of the five background measures. All 31 women who considered future pregnancies indicated a preference for chorionic villi sampling, regardless of the procedure they underwent during the study. Women receiving chorionic villi sampling reported significantly greater attachment during the second trimester than did women receiving amniocentesis, who viewed themselves as being less attached than other pregnant women during this period. The findings were interpreted as evidence for attachment suppression among women undergoing amniocentesis.

The psychological impact of diagnostic ultrasound.

The psychological impact of ultrasound scanning in pregnancy was examined in low- and high-risk pregnancies. Women in each category were assigned consecutively to a condition of either low or high feedback. In the latter condition, the women received extensive verbal and visual feedback, whereas in the former, subjects were denied visual access to the monitor. Psychological changes were measured using the State Anxiety Inventory and the Subjective Stress Scale. When a male partner attended, he was included in the assessment. The emotional impact of ultrasound was influenced by the level of feedback provided, with those in the high-feedback condition indicating significantly less anxiety and more positive emotional experiences during the scan, compared with those who received less feedback.

Psychological changes over the course of pregnancy: a study of attitudes toward the fetus/neonate.

Pregnant women's attitudes towards their fetus over the course of the pregnancy were studied in relation to physiological events of pregnancy, namely seeing the fetus via ultrasound and experiencing fetal movement. A consecutive series of primiparae (n = 129) was randomly assigned, at recruitment between 10 and 14 weeks menstrual age, to conditions of high (n = 67) or low (n = 62) feedback real time ultrasound. Thereafter, women were assessed at 16 and 32 weeks gestation, within 24 hours of delivery and by questionnaire at 3 months postpartum. On each occasion women completed attitude rating scales concerning their pregnancy and their fetus or neonate. These scales were subjected to principal components analysis and two main dimensions were derived for ratings of both attitudes towards the pregnancy and the fetus/neonate. No relationship was found between factor scores and ultrasound feedback condition, although scores on the fetal attachment dimension showed a significant linear increase over the pregnancy. Women reporting fetal movement at 16 weeks displayed significantly higher scores on the fetal-attachment dimension at all three assessment points. Multiple regression analyses were utilized to identify predictors of initial reactions to the neonate and attachment ratings at 3 months postpartum. At delivery, ratings of attachment to the neonate were related to drug requirements in labor and attachment ratings at 32 weeks. Reactions to the neonate at delivery and ratings of postpartum mood emerged as significant predictors of maternal attachment at 3 months postpartum. These results are discussed in the context of research attempting to establish the importance of postpartum bonding.

Nephrotoxicity of para-substituted thiobenzamide derivatives in the rat.

Histological examination, plasma urea nitrogen levels (BUN), and renal cortical slice uptake of paminohippurate (PAH) or tetraethylammonium (TEA) were used to assess the nephrotoxicity of thiobenzamide and its para-substituted derivatives in Sprague-Dawley rats. Intraperitoneal injection of p-methylthiobenzamide (PMTB) to rats resulted in dose-dependent nephrotoxicity as judged by increased BUN levels, decreased TEA uptake and histologic examination of the kidney. Para-methoxythiobenzamide and PMTB were more potent nephrotoxins than thiobenzamide, which was itself minimally nephrotoxic. Para-methylthiobenzamide-S-oxide (PMTBSO) was more nephrotoxic than PMTB. Rats were pretreated with 1-methyl-1-phenylbenzoylthiourea (MPBTU), a non-toxic arylthiourea which inhibits the metabolism and toxicity of thiocarbonyl compounds. The nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity of PMTB was reduced by treatment with MPBTU 30 min prior to PMTB. Pretreatment with MPBTU protected against the renal toxicity of PMTBSO. The results indicate that electron donating para-substituted thiobenzamides produce dose-dependent renal injury, dependent upon oxidative biotransformation.

Measuring fruit and vegetable intake: is five-a-day enough?

OBJECTIVE: Validation of a self-monitoring "portions' measurement of fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption against a standard of weighed intakes. DESIGN: Component of a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Subjects attended research centres in Reading and Glasgow for instruction and monitoring but undertook free-living dietary changes at home. SUBJECTS: A study sample of 42 adult men and women fulfilling the main recruitment criterion of eating less than five F&V portions/day but contemplating increasing intakes and providing weighted baseline reported energy intakes exceeding (estimated basal metabolic rate x 1.1). INTERVENTIONS: Subjects attended an intensive group advice session which included the specific relationship of high F&V intake with reduced risk of disease; practicalities; portion definition and measurement recording. The target was to exceed five F&V portions/day for 8 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-recorded simultaneous weighed inventories and F&V portion measures. RESULTS: Data from subjects who were not evident under-recorders showed correlations between portion and weighed intakes of r = 0.73, (P < 0.000), although the portions measure tended to under-estimate intakes. Using 80 g/portion the "5-a-day' concept tends to create false negatives (namely consumption could be greater than 400 g whilst recording fewer than five discrete portions) but rarely false positives (namely recorded consumption of less than 400 g did not give measures of more than five discrete portions). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that the five portions F&V/day health message, if used in conjunction with defined discrete portions, would encourage desirable consumption exceeding 400 g.

Comparison of the toxicity of methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl with that of its two major metabolites.

Pneumotoxicity and lethality resulting from administration of methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) and its 2 major metabolites in rats were compared. Following i.p. injection, MMT was found to have an LD50 value of 12.1 mg/kg. Neither of the metabolites appeared to have significant acute toxicity even when doses as high as 250 mg/kg were given. This impressive difference in toxicity may be due in part to changes in solubility of the metabolites, allowing for (1) decreased distribution into the central nervous system, coupled with (2) a more rapid excretion rate. This suggests that the oxidative metabolism of MMT that results in the formation of these metabolites is an important detoxifying pathway.

A survey of patient attitudes towards artificial insemination by donor.

The psychological characteristics of a consecutive series (n = 58) of women attending an AID clinic have been examined. Women were assessed prior to treatment on a number of attitudinal and acceptability measures, as well as required to complete personality and martial adjustment inventories. At the time of each insemination, over 6 successive cycles, state anxiety was assessed. Following an interval of 6 months women were reassessed on an acceptability measure. The results showed generally positive attitudes at the outset. No systematic trends in anxiety were identified, with no differences between women becoming pregnant and those continuing in treatment. At follow-up women acknowledged the strain involved in timing the insemination to coincide with ovulation, with both pregnant and nonpregnant women attributing outcome to their psychological and emotional state at the time. The implications of these results are considered in terms of the characteristics of women requesting AID and the ways in which clinics can attend to the psychological states of the patients.

Absorption, distribution and elimination of selenium as L-selenomethionine in non-human primates.

20 adult female macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were given oral doses of L-selenomethionine (L-SeMet) equivalent to 0, 25, 150, 300 and 600 micrograms selenium (Se)/kg body weight, and plasma, erythrocyte, hair, faecal and urine Se concentrations were determined. The macaques were scheduled for 30 daily oral doses of L-SeMet, but systemic toxicity necessitated dose reduction in several animals; two macaques given 600 micrograms Se/kg body weight/day for 10-15 days died, and the concentration of Se in their tissues was determined and compared with Se concentrations in tissues collected from one untreated animal. Circulating and urinary Se concentrations in control macaques were within the normal human ranges. Plasma, erythrocyte, hair and urinary Se concentrations were generally dependent on the dose of L-SeMet administered. Plasma Se reflected more immediately exposure to L-SeMet, whereas erythrocyte Se concentrations increased and decreased more slowly. In some cases, erythrocyte Se was still increasing or showed a plateau after L-SeMet treatment was discontinued. Plasma Se concentrations of 6.7-7.3 ppm were observed in the two animals that died due to acute toxicity to L-SeMet. Neither plasma nor erythrocyte GPx activity was influenced by a single L-SeMet dose, but an increase in erythrocyte GPx activity occurred with continuous exposure. Total tissue Se increased 13-28-fold in macaques given 600 micrograms Se/kg body weight/day for 10-15 days, with the liver and kidneys containing the the highest Se concentrations.

Effects of excess selenomethionine on selenium status indicators in pregnant long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis).

Forty pregnant long-tailed macaques were treated daily for 30 d with 0, 25, 150, or 300 micrograms selenium as L-selenomethionine/kg body weight. Erythrocyte and plasma selenium and glutathione peroxidase specific activities, hair and fecal selenium, and urinary selenium excretion were increased by and were linearly related to L-selenomethionine dose. Hair selenium was most sensitive to L-selenomethionine dose, with an 84-fold increase in the 300 micrograms selenium/(kg-d) group relative to controls (r = 0.917). Daily urinary selenium excretion (80-fold, r = 0.958), plasma selenium (22-fold, r = 0.885), erythrocyte selenium (24-fold, r = 0.920), and fecal selenium (18-fold, r = 0.911) also responded strongly to L-selenomethionine. Erythrocyte and plasma glutathione peroxidase specific activities increased 154% and 69% over controls, respectively. Toxicity was associated with erythrocyte selenium > 2.3 micrograms/mL, plasma selenium > 2.8 micrograms/mL, and hair selenium > 27 micrograms/g. Plasma, erythrocyte, and hair selenium concentrations may be useful for monitoring and preventing the toxicity of L-selenomethionine administered to humans in cancer chemoprevention trials.

The relationship between self-efficacy and depression in adolescents.

This study examined the self-efficacy status of depressed versus nondepressed adolescents. As predicted, self-efficacy was negatively correlated with depression. A three-way interaction of Sex x Age x Level of Depression suggested separate analyses for males and females. Regression analysis revealed age-related changes in the dependence of depression scores on general, academic, physical and social self-efficacy status. It was concluded that self-efficacy has an important relationship with adolescent depression. The implications of these findings are discussed.

The prevalence of depression in high school students.

In response to the need expressed in the literature on adolescent depression, recent studies have examined the incidence of affective disorders. However, there continues to be a paucity of research on the prevalence of depressive symptomatology in nonpatient adolescents. The Canadian literature is especially lacking in this area. The present study examined the prevalence of depression in a sample of 366 Canadian high school students. Consistent with similar research in the United Kingdom and the United States, 31.4% of the sample were midly to clinically depressed as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. Significant sex differences were found; these are discussed in the context of age and level of depression. The need for further research on adolescent depression is emphasized.

The Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory profiles of depressed adolescents.

The evidence indicates that adolescent depression may be more difficult to recognize than its adult counterpart, although the reasons for this difficulty remain unclear. The research in this area is in part impeded by the lack of adolescent-specific measures of personality functioning. In this study the personality styles, expressed concerns, and behavioral tendencies of depressed adolescents were investigated by means of the Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory (MAPI), a relatively new personality inventory designed specifically for this age group. Three hundred sixty-six high school students completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the MAPI, resulting in 332 valid and reliable MAPI profiles. The data were reduced to two factors, accounting for 65.1% of the total variance, by means of a principal components analysis. The two factors were interpreted as two dimensions of personality functioning associated with depression in adolescents. The first dimension suggested a socially withdrawn, overtly recognizable depression, whereas the second presents acting-out tendencies that may overshadow depressive symptomatology. The findings are integrated with the theoretical positions represented in the literature. Theoretical and practical implications for the use of the MAPI with depressed adolescents are discussed.

Predictors of Australian consumers' intentions to consume conventional and novel sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

OBJECTIVES: To elicit predictors of variation in likelihood to purchase foods rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Responses from a community sample (n = 220) were elicited using a computer-administered questionnaire based on an adaptation of Protection Motivation Theory including measures of perceived risk and vulnerability to coronary heart disease (CHD). Other measures included health status, body mass index (BMI), perceived risk/benefits of novel technologies and sociodemographics. Descriptions of model products were presented, including farmed fish fed fishmeal (FFFF); farmed fish fed genetically modified (GM) oilseed (FFFGM); bread, milk and supplements containing fish oil (SFO) or GM oilseed. It was hypothesised that perceived vulnerability to CHD would enhance acceptance of GM products (H1). Furthermore, information describing the benefits of LCO3FA, limitations to fish supply and potential alternatives was given to a treatment group (50%) and hypothesised to have a positive effect on the acceptance of GM products (H2). RESULTS: No evidence was found to support H1 or H2. FFFF was most likely to be purchased (P < 0.01), followed by SFO and FFFGM. Multivariate regression analysis identified significant (P < 0.05) predictors (standardised beta) for likelihood to purchase FFFF: self-efficacy 0.56; behaviour (product) efficacy 0.19; belief that fishmeal is unnatural -0.14 (R2 = 0.44) and for FFFGM: self-efficacy 0.65; perceived severity of CHD 0.15; BMI -0.13; significant other has/had arthritis 0.11; belief that GM oilseed is unnatural 0.11 (R2 = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Self-efficacy (confidence to consume) was the most important predictor of likelihood to purchase all products.

Emotional responses of pregnant women to chorionic villi sampling or amniocentesis.

Seventy-four "high-risk" pregnant women interested in participating in a clinical trial comparing chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis were initially assessed on five background measures and for anxiety, depression, hostility, and concern about abortion. The 61 women who then agreed to be randomized into the chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis groups were assessed three additional times between 9 and 22 weeks' gestational age. Physical discomfort experienced during the diagnostic procedure was also assessed. Women in the chorionic villi sampling group underwent a reduction in anxiety up to 10 weeks earlier and reported less procedure-related discomfort than women in the amniocentesis group. The group X time interaction for depression was also significant, with women undergoing chorionic villi sampling reporting an earlier decrease in depression than women undergoing amniocentesis. No differences were found between the two groups in hostility or concern about abortion. Findings were discussed in the context of evidence linking prenatal maternal emotionality to an increased risk of obstetric complications.