Passive Control Group Research Articles

Play-integrated fostering of basic mathematical skills: findings of two experiments

Empirical research highlights the benefits for the development of children’s mathematical competencies when they play linear number board games with dice and receive feedback. We, therefore, investigated mathematical competencies in two training studies with six sessions and a 3 × 2 design. The sample in the first experiment consisted of N = 79 German 5- to 7-year-old preschoolers and in the second of N = 64 German 6- to 8-year-old primary school students. Participants either belonged to a passive control group or played the board game House of Numbers up to number 20 (HoN-20). Some members of the HoN-20 group received specific feedback (e.g. ‘well calculated’), while the remaining children received unspecific feedback (e.g. ‘good’). Pre-posttest comparisons pointed to diverse effects: Playing the HoN-20 game and receiving feedback led to significantly greater gains in different levels of acquisition of basic arithmetic skills.

Differences in the Impact of Various Types of Exercise on Irisin Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Irisin, a myokine that is responsive to exercise, induces significant changes in subcutaneous adipose tissue. By promoting the browning of white fat tissue, it enhances energy expenditure, thereby addressing overweight and obesity. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of different types of physical exercises on irisin levels in overweight and obese adults. Specifically, the review focused on studies involving obese or overweight individuals who participated in exercise training for a minimum of 8 weeks, with measured and reported changes in serum irisin levels compared to a control group. Data were collected from four databases (Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Scopus). The risk of bias was assessed using the Begg and Egger tests, and the results were synthesized. Initial searches identified 560 titles, out of which only seven met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant increase in serum irisin concentration (SMD = 0.957, P = 0.005) among obese and overweight individuals who engaged in exercise, compared to the passive control group. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) (SMD = 1.229, P < 0.001) had a more pronounced effect on increasing serum irisin levels than other exercise protocols. Furthermore, the effectiveness of exercise varied based on the participants' weight status (significant changes for overweight individuals; P < 0.001 and insignificant changes for obese individuals; P = 0.1), age (significant changes for those under 40 years old; P < 0.001 and insignificant changes for those over 40 years old; P = 0.322), and gender (significant changes for men; P < 0.001 and insignificant changes for women; P = 0.285). Consequently, exercise can elevate serum irisin levels, leading to alterations in adipose tissue phenotype and thermogenesis, ultimately contributing to weight reduction in obese and overweight individuals.

Efficacy and Safety of Omarigliptin, a Novel Once-Weekly Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor, in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

No recent meta-analysis has holistically analyzed and summarized the efficacy and safety of omarigliptin in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We conducted a meta-analysis to address this knowledge gap. Electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included patients with T2DM who received omarigliptin in the intervention arm. The control arm consisted of either a placebo (passive control group [PCG]) or an active comparator (active control group [ACG]). The primary outcome assessed was changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), while secondary outcomes included variations in glucose levels, achievement of glycemic targets, adverse events (AEs), and hypoglycemic events. From 332 initially screened articles, data from 16 RCTs involving 8,804 subjects were analyzed. Omarigliptin demonstrated superiority over placebo in reducing HbA1c levels (mean difference, -0.58%; 95% confidence interval, -0.75 to -0.40; P<0.00001; I2=91%). Additionally, omarigliptin outperformed placebo in lowering fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour postprandial glucose, and in the percentage of participants achieving HbA1c levels below 7.0% and 6.5%. The glycemic efficacy of omarigliptin was similar to that of the ACG across all measures. Although the omarigliptin group experienced a higher incidence of hypoglycemic events compared to the PCG, the overall AEs, serious AEs, hypoglycemia, and severe hypoglycemia were comparable between the omarigliptin and control groups (PCG and ACG). Omarigliptin has a favorable glycemic efficacy and safety profile for managing T2DM.

Fostering metacognitive activities during job search: The Three Good Job Search Things intervention

AbstractBased on principles from positive psychology and broaden‐and‐build theory, we examined whether conducting a Three Good Job Search Things intervention can increase metacognitive activities among job seekers. We further theorize that positive affect (i.e., activating and deactivating) serves as a mediating mechanism for the effect of the reflection intervention on metacognitive activities. We designed a randomized control group pretest–posttest experimental study with three groups (i.e., Three Good Job Search Things, active control, and passive control) and two measurement times (N = 116). Results show that the Three Good Job Search Things intervention increased job seekers' metacognitive activities as compared with the passive control group, but not as compared to the active control group. However, the active control group results did not differ significantly from the passive control group. The effects of the intervention on job seekers' metacognitive activities were not mediated by enhanced positive affect. This study contributes to the job search literature by expanding our understanding of how metacognition during job search can be improved by reflecting upon one's job search process.

The Effect of Psychoeducational Interventions on Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies.

Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of cancer patients. Psychoeducation is often used in the management of cancer-related fatigue. The aim of this study was to synthesize the effects of psychoeducational interventions on cancer-related fatigue. This article is a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. The 11 electronic databases were searched, and studies using psychoeducational interventions to manage cancer-related fatigue were included. Data synthesis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 3.0. The random-effects model was used to pool the effect size for intervention. The subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of the characteristics of psychoeducational interventions. This study was reported according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention version 6.3 and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines. This analysis included 10 studies with a total of 1369 participants. Most of the included studies compared the psychoeducational intervention group with the passive control group. Our meta-analysis revealed that psychoeducational intervention has a positive medium effect on improving cancer-related fatigue with a low quality of evidence. Subgroup analyses indicated no difference between group and individual interventions, between face-to-face and digital interventions, or between ≤3 and >3 sessions. Psychoeducational interventions can improve cancer-related fatigue. Additional well-designed randomized controlled studies are needed to upgrade the quality of evidence for psychoeducational interventions on cancer-related fatigue. Nurses may practice psychoeducational interventions to manage cancer-related fatigue and may use this study design for randomized controlled studies for psychoeducational interventions on cancer-related fatigue.

Effect of online Kundalini Yoga mental health of university students during Covid-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial.

University students were at an increased risk for psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a randomized controlled trial, we examined the efficacy of an online Kundalini Yoga intervention on students' psychological functioning. Healthy university students (N = 106) were randomly assigned to a Kundalini Yoga group, an active control group, or a passive control group in a 1:1:1 ratio. The experimental group attended six Yoga sessions over 6 weeks and the active control group attended to six autogenic relaxation sessions over 6 weeks. All participants completed the study protocol, which involved answering questionnaires related to psychological distress, emotion regulation, self-compassion, self-concept, spiritual well-being, and subjective happiness at three different time points: baseline, at the end of the intervention, and at 1-month follow-up. Results showed that Yoga contributed to improving self-compassion, extrinsic affect improving, and personal and communal spiritual well-being, in comparison to the control groups.

Cognitive training based on human-computer interaction and susceptibility to visual illusions. Reduction of the Ponzo effect through working memory training

The main objective of the current study was to test the efficiency of adaptive cognitive training programs based on human-computer interaction. More specifically, the influence of this training on resistance to orientation visual illusions (Poggendorff, Zӧllner) and metric visual illusions (Ebbinghaus, Müller-Lyer, Ponzo) was tested. In addition, the second goal of the study was to verify whether Witkin's field dependence/independence, defined as an individual's ability to identify parts of an organized visual field as elements separate from that field, moderates the influence of cognitive training on visual illusion resistance. 250 participants aged 19–32 took part in the experiment. In addition to a passive control group, three training groups were used: a working memory-training group, an attention-training group, and a perception-training group. The groups were homogeneous in terms of gender, age, and proportion of field-dependent and field-independent individuals. All groups received about three weeks of adaptive cognitive training, consisting of 18 sessions of 30 min per day. The results showed that, in general, field-dependent participants appeared to be more susceptible to visual illusions than field-independent ones. Most importantly, working memory training appeared to be effective in reducing susceptibility to the Ponzo illusion.

Reflexology in oncological treatment – a systematic review

BackgroundAs cancer and its therapy comes with a wide range of negative effects, people look for options to mitigate these effects. Reflexology is among the options of complementary medicine.MethodIn March 2022 a systematic search was conducted searching five electronic databases (Embase, Cochrane, PsychInfo, CINAHL and Medline) to find studies concerning the use, effectiveness and potential harm of reflexology on cancer patients.ResultsFrom all 821 search results, 29 publications concerning 26 studies with 2465 patients were included in this systematic review. The patients treated with reflexology were mainly diagnosed with breast, lung, gastrointestinal and hematological cancer. Outcomes were mainly pain, quality of life, anxiety, depression, fatigue. The studies had moderate to low quality and reported heterogeneous results: Some studies reported significant improvements in above mentioned outcomes while other studies did not find any changes concerning these endpoints.ConclusionDue to the very heterogeneous results and methodical limitations of the included studies, a clear statement regarding the effectiveness of reflexology on cancer patients is not possible. The current evidence indicates that reflexology is superior to passive control groups for pain, quality of life and fatigue, however, more studies with comparable active control groups are needed.

Effects of a complex yoga-based intervention on physical characteristics

Empirical studies on yoga have shown that regular practice can have a beneficial effect on risk factors of cardiovascular diseases; also, it can decrease body weight, body fat and increase muscle mass. Positive effects on balance and flexibility were also reported. This study evaluated the impact of a 3-month complex yoga-based program, including physical exercises, education, and social support, with a quasi-randomized design in a middle-aged community sample. The intervention group consisted of 46 participants while the passive control group was 29 participants. The intervention group showed a significant increase in core muscle strength and hamstring flexibility and a decrease in body fat. No significant changes were found concerning risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, body weight, muscle mass, balancing ability, and dietary habits. A 3-month yoga intervention cannot substantially impact the cardiovascular system and body weight control in middle-aged adults.

Effects of recreational team sports on the metabolic health, body composition and physical fitness parameters of overweight and obese populations: A systematic review.

This systematic review aims to provide a summary of the results from individual studies that specifically focused on overweight or obese populations, regardless of age or sex. The goal is to determine the effects of structured recreational team sports interventions (TSG) on metabolic health, body composition and physical fitness parameters when compared to passive or active control groups. This study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines for reporting a systematic review. A thorough examination of relevant literature was conducted on November 06, 2023, using three prominent databases: PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science. Inclusion criteria considered overweight (e.g., BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) and obese (e.g., BMI > 30 kg/m2) populations exposed to training interventions using recreational team sports, while the comparator group consisted of the same populations not exposed to exercise (passive controls) or exposed to alternative training methods. The primary outcomes of interest were metabolic health parameters (glucose, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides), body composition (e.g., fat mass, lean mass), as well as physical fitness parameters (e.g., aerobic fitness, muscular fitness). Only studies with two- or multi-arm designs, whether randomized or not, were eligible for inclusion. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological bias of the included studies. Out of the initial 275 titles retrieved, we deemed ten eligible for our study. In terms of body composition, TSG demonstrated a significant decrease in body mass index across three studies (-2.3 to -5.1%) and a significant reduction in waist circumference in four studies (-4.6% to -8.4%). Regarding blood pressure, TSG exhibited a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure in two studies (-3.9% to -8.3%), while diastolic blood pressure showed a significant decrease in only one study (-7.3%). Cholesterol levels saw a significant decrease in TSG in three studies (-7.0% to -9.7%), and triglyceride levels showed a significant reduction in four studies (-16.4% to -20.1%). In terms of aerobic fitness, TSG demonstrated within-group improvements in the field-based tests in three studies (8.1% to 79.0%), and within-group improvements in maximal oxygen uptake in four studies (6.5% to 31.0%), with significant favoring of TSG in most studies. Overall, TSG demonstrated significant benefits for overweight and obese populations compared to the control group, particularly in terms of improvements in body mass index, systolic blood pressures, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and aerobic fitness. Future research ought to concentrate on tailoring responses to varying training volumes on an individualized basis.

Can robots do therapy?: Examining the efficacy of a CBT bot in comparison with other behavioral intervention technologies in alleviating mental health symptoms

Artificial intelligence therapy bots are gaining traction in the psychotherapy marketplace. Yet, the only existing study examining the efficacy of a therapy bot lacks any meaningful controls for comparison in claiming its effectiveness to treat depression. The current study aims to examine the efficacy of Woebot against three control conditions, including ELIZA, a basic (non-“smart”) conversational bot, a journaling app, and a passive psychoeducation control group. In a sample of 65 young adults, a repeated measures ANOVA failed to detect differences in symptom reduction between active and passive groups. In follow-up analyses using paired samples t-tests, ELIZA users experienced mental health improvements with the largest effect sizes across all mental health outcomes, followed by daily journaling, then Woebot, and finally psychoeducation. Findings reveal that Woebot does not offer benefit above and beyond other self-help behavioral intervention technologies. They underscore that using a no-treatment control group study design to market clinical services should no longer be acceptable nor serve as an acceptable precursor to marketing a chatbot as functionally equivalent to psychotherapy. Doing so creates unnecessary risk for consumers of psychotherapy and undermines the clinical value of robotic therapeutics that could prove effective at addressing mental health problems through rigorous research.

Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) is associated with DNA methylation changes at DNA repeats: A pilot study.

The control of non-coding repeated DNA by DNA methylation plays an important role in genomic stability, contributing to health and healthy aging. Mind-body practices can elicit psychophysical wellbeing via epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation. However, in this context the effects of movement meditations have rarely been examined. Consequently, the current study investigates the effects of a specifically structured movement meditation, called the Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) on psychophysical wellbeing and on the methylation level of repeated sequences. An 8-week daily QMT program was administered to healthy women aged 40-60 years and compared with a passive control group matched for gender and age. Psychological well-being was assessed within both groups by using self-reporting scales, including the Meaning in Life Questionnaire [MLQ] and Psychological Wellbeing Scale [PWB]). DNA methylation profiles of repeated sequences (ribosomal DNA, LINE-1 and Alu) were determined in saliva samples by deep-sequencing. In contrast to controls, the QMT group exhibited increased Search for Meaning, decreased Presence of Meaning and increased Positive Relations, suggesting that QMT may lessen the automatic patterns of thinking. In the QMT group, we also found site-specific significant methylation variations in ribosomal DNA and LINE-1 repeats, consistent with increased genome stability. Finally, the correlations found between changes in methylation and psychometric indices (MLQ and PWB) suggest that the observed epigenetic and psychological changes are interrelated. Collectively, the current results indicate that QMT may improve psychophysical health trajectories by influencing the DNA methylation of specific repetitive sequences.

The impact of multiple-behavior HIV interventions as a function of regional disadvantages: An analysis of syndemics.

Disadvantaged populations, including inhabitants of developing countries as well as racial/ethnic and sexual minorities in the United States, are disproportionally burdened by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, delayed HIV diagnosis, and unfavorable HIV-treatment outcomes. HIV interventions targeting single behaviors (e.g., testing) in these populations have shown to be efficacious at producing behavioral and clinical change but have been unable to eliminate the social health disparities associated with syndemics (i.e., a set of connected risks, interacting synergistically, and contributing to excess burden of disease in a population). This meta-analysis of 331 reports (clusters; number of effect sizes [k] = 1,364) assessed whether multiple-behavior interventions that target clusters of syndemic risks are more efficacious for those in disadvantaged regions and social groups. Across the board, multiple-behavior interventions were more efficacious than single-behavior ones as well as passive control groups among samples from countries with lower log gross domestic product (GDP), lower Human Development Index (HDI), and lower Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index. Within the United States, the efficacy of multiple-behavior interventions was similar across different levels of representation of racial/ethnic and sexual minorities. The analyses used robust variance estimation with small-sample corrections to assess the differential effects of multiple-behavior interventions and Egger Sandwich test with the multilevel meta-analysis approach to detect selection biases. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

S15-4 Challenges in translating research from controlled to real-life settings: preliminary results and evaluation of the “Take your brain for a walk” study

Abstract Purpose Developing strategies to promote healthy cognitive ageing is a priority given the growing ageing population. Recent research has shown that cognitive activity (CA) combined with physical activity (PA) improves cognitive functioning. However, most studies on PA+CA have been conducted in controlled settings, and there is a need for real-life PA+CA interventions. We developed a real-life cognitively enriched walking program “Take your brain for a walk” in co-creation with older adults and experts. Currently, we are conducting a six-month randomized controlled trial (RCT), including an outcome and process evaluation. Methods Participants are cognitively healthy community-dwelling adults aged 65+ years. They were randomly assigned to a: 1) cognitively enriched walking program (PA+CA) (performing cognitive tasks while walking); 2) walking program (PA only); or 3) passive control group. Both walking programs consist of two supervised 60-minute group-based walking sessions per week, with a total duration of six months (October 2022-April 2023). Memory and executive functioning are assessed using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery at baseline (T0), three months (T1), six months (T2) and twelve months (T3; T1-T3 2023). Furthermore, a mixed-method process evaluation will be implemented based on the framework of Saunders et al. (2005), including a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview for the coaches and participants of the walking programs. Results At baseline, 148 participants were included with a mean age of 70.4 (4.3) years, 70.9% was female. Seventeen participants dropped out in the first 3 months of the study. Three- and six-months effects (data from T0, T1 and T2) of the program on memory and executive functioning will be presented. We expect to see positive changes in cognitive functioning in both the PA+CA and PA arms, with larger effects for the PA+CA arm. Furthermore, the process evaluation results regarding fidelity, dose (delivered or received), satisfaction, adherence and context will be presented. The focus will be on the challenges of research in real-life settings. Conclusions Findings will inform future lifestyle programs to promote cognitive functioning by simultaneously focusing on PA and CA for older adults in real-life settings. Support/Funding Source This project is funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO).

Cognitive Teleintervention With Board Games During The Pandemic Lockdown In School-Age Children

Background. Playing modern board games has been linked to cognitive enhancement in children when playing face-to-face. However, because of the SARS-CoV-2, playing in an analog way was difficult. Objective. To test the efficacy of a cognitive intervention program with board games in school-age children (25 Spaniards; 5-12 years) delivered remotely through web conferencing. Methods. We performed a randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control group (n=10) and pre-post testing (updating, inhibition, flexibility, and verbal fluency). The study was preregistered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04823338). The experimental group (n=15) played commercialized board games adapted to an online format during 12 sessions. Results and Conclusions. We found higher flexibility and verbal fluency improvements in the experimental than in the control group. We also saw improvements in visuospatial updating solely in the passive control group. Board games played remotely could entail some cognitive benefits, though we found paradigmatic results too. Board games may benefit the most when played face to face.

Comparing the Effectiveness of a Web-Based Application With a Digital Live Seminar to Improve Safe Communication for Pregnant Women: 3-Group Partially Randomized Controlled Trial.

Medical internet interventions such as asynchronous apps and synchronous digital live seminars can be effective behavior change interventions. The research question of this study was whether digital interventions based on the Health Action Process Approach can improve pregnant women's safe communication and patient safety in obstetric care. This study aims to compare a digital live seminar with a web-based application intervention and a passive control group and to identify which social cognitive variables determine safe communication behavior and patient safety. In total, 657 pregnant women were recruited, and hereof, 367 expectant mothers from 2 German university hospitals participated in the pre-post study (live seminar: n=142; web-based app: n=81; passive control group: n=144). All interventions targeted intention, planning, self-efficacy, and communication of personal preferences. The 2.5-hour midwife-assisted live seminar included exercises on empathy and clear communication. The fully automated web-based application consisted of 9 consecutive training lessons with the same content as that of the live seminar. Controlled for sociodemographic characteristics, repeated measures analyses of covariance revealed that pregnant women significantly improved their self-reported communication behavior in all groups. The improvement was more pronounced after the digital live seminar than after the web-based application (P<.001; ηp2=0.043). Perceived patient safety improved more for pregnant women participating in the live seminar than for those participating in the web-based application group (P=.03 ηp2=0.015). A regression analysis revealed that social cognitive variables predicted safe communication behavior. Overall, the web-based application intervention appeared to be less effective than the digital live training in terms of communication behavior. Application interventions addressing communication behaviors might require more face-to-face elements. Improving intention, coping planning, and coping self-efficacy appeared to be key drivers in developing safe communication behavior in pregnant women. Future research should include social learning aspects and focus on the practical application of medical internet interventions when aiming to improve pregnant women's communication and patient safety in obstetrics. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03855735; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03855735.

Early Counseling to Improve Oral Health Behavior in Children with Major Congenital Heart Defects: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Maintaining optimal oral health behavior in children with a congenital heart defect (CHD) is important in managing the risk for caries development and infective endocarditis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an early and repeat oral health promotion intervention (OHPI) among children with major CHD. Randomized controlled trial including 72 out of 91 children born in Finland April 1, 2017–October 31, 2020 with (a) major CHD potentially included in the criteria of endocarditis prophylaxis or (b) any CHD with surgical repair combined with a chromosomal syndrome. A parallel passive control (C) group of 87 healthy children were recruited at birth. CHD children were randomized 1:1 to intervention (CHD-I) and control (CHD-C) groups. The OHPI included counseling by motivational interviewing, home delivered toothpaste and toothbrushes, and written information, and was provided at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months of age to CHD-I group. The primary outcome measure at 24 months was child’s oral health behavior (toothbrushing, sugar intake, and dental care contact). The secondary outcome measures were parents’ awareness of the importance of oral health behavior, and oral health behavior as a predictor for child behavior. At 24 months, toothbrushing was performed twice a day in 20/27 (74%) among CHD-I, in 13/30 (43%) among CHD-C (CHD-I vs. CHD-C p = 0.03), and in 37/50 (74%) among healthy comparisons (CHD-C vs. C p = 0.01). Electric toothbrush use was 12/27 (44%) in CHD-I, 5/30 (17%) in CHD-C (CHD-I vs. CHD-C p = 0.04), and 7/50 (14%) in healthy comparison (CHD-C vs. C p = 0.76) children. Among CHD-I, toothbrushing and use of electric toothbrush improved between 12 months and 24 months. Sugar drink intake was more common among CHD-C (CHD-C vs. C p = 0.02), but comparable to CHD-I children. Parental toothbrushing predicted child toothbrushing twice a day. There were no statistical group differences in dental care contact. Children with CHD are at risk for poor oral health behavior. This could be improved with early and repeat oral health promotion parental counseling.

Mathematical modeling of modified atmosphere package/LDPE film combination and its application to design breathing cylinders for extending the shelf life of green asparagus

BackgroundThe O2 levels in food packaging systems play an essential role in the deterioration of food quality and shelf life. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) supports the storage of fresh and processed foods by inhibiting chemical and physical changes while reducing the deterioration caused by microorganisms.Materials and methodsThis study established and validated the equations for the relationship between MAP formulation reagents, asparagus respiration, permeability of packaging film, and rates of O2 and CO2 mass transfer in which different interactions occur and affect each other.ResultsThe resulting atmosphere of packaging was determined to be the key to achieving the MAP benefits. The active MAP formulations developed in this study were combined with very-low-density polyethylene films to store green asparagus spears. During storage, the combined films effectively maintained the firmness of green asparagus spears, fiber, and vitamin C content, and outperformed the passive MAP and control groups. The above results confirm all the equations in the passive and active MAP systems established in this study.ConclusionsHence, maintaining the asparagus quality with an active MAP treatment will reduce economic loss and possibly provide new insights into applying active MAP retail packages to preserve fruits and vegetables in post-harvest shelf life.Graphical

Systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing mindfulness-based programs for mental health promotion

Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are widely used to prevent mental ill health. Evidence suggests beneficial average effects but wide variability. We aimed to confirm the effect of MBPs and to understand whether and how baseline distress, gender, age, education, and dispositional mindfulness modify the effect of MBPs on distress among adults in non-clinical settings. We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42020200117). Databases were searched in December 2020 for randomized controlled trials satisfying a quality threshold and comparing in-person, expert-defined MBPs with passive-control groups. Two researchers independently selected, extracted and appraised trials using the revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool. IPD of eligible trials were sought from authors. The primary outcome was psychological distress (unpleasant mental or emotional experiences including anxiety and depression) at 1 to 6 months after program completion. Data were checked and imputed if missing. Pairwise, random-effects, two-stage IPD meta-analyses were conducted. Effect modification analyses followed a within-studies approach. Stakeholders were involved throughout this study. Fifteen trials were eligible; 13 trialists shared IPD (2,371 participants representing 8 countries. In comparison with passive-control groups, MBPs reduced average distress between 1 and 6 months post-intervention with a small to moderate effect size (standardized mean difference, −0.32; 95% confidence interval, −0.41 to −0.24; P < 0.001; no heterogeneity). Results were robust to sensitivity analyses and similar for the other timepoint ranges. Confidence in the primary outcome result is high. We found no clear indication that this effect is modified by the pre-specified candidates. Group-based teacher-led MBPs generally reduce psychological distress among volunteering community adults. More research is needed to identify sources of variability in outcomes at an individual level.

Cognitive benefits of the attentional vs exergame training in older adults

Objective The present study aimed at comparing the effectiveness of an Attentional Computerized Cognitive Training and a commercial Exergame Training. Methods Eighty-four healthy older adults took part in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: Attentional Computerized Cognitive Training (ATT-CCT), Exergame Training (EXERG-T), or passive Control Group (CG). Participants assigned to the experimental groups underwent 8 laboratory-based sessions—lasting approximately 45 min each—of the respective training activity. A battery of cognitive tests was assessed before, after, and 3 months following the intervention phase. Results The results showed that just the ATT-CCT improved participants’ performance, specifically within attention, processing speed, verbal learning and memory. While both intervention groups revealed improved memory self-perception and decreased self-reported absent-mindedness, only the benefits following the ATT-CCT proved to be stable over time. Conclusions The results suggested that our ATT-CCT may be an effective tool for enhancing cognitive abilities in older healthy adults.