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This study, conducted by the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (PROPASS) consortium, looked at the relationship between various movement behaviours and cardiometabolic health outcomes. They analysed data from over 15,000 participants from six studies across five countries using thigh-worn accelerometers to track movement behaviour. The study found that increasing time spent in moderate-to vigorous physical activity was the most strongly associated with better cardiometabolic health outcomes. The study also found that standing, and to a lesser extent light-intensity physical activity, may have some benefits. However, they found that increasing sedentary behaviour was consistently associated with poorer outcomes.

Research paper:

Blodgett JM, Ahmadi MN, Atkin AJ, Chastin S, Chan HW, Suorsa K, Bakker EA, Hettiarcachchi P, Johansson PJ, Sherar LB, Rangul V, Pulsford RM, Mishra G, Eijsvogels TMH, Stenholm S, Hughes AD, Teixeira-Pinto AM, Ekelund U, Lee IM, Holtermann A, Koster A, Stamatakis E, Hamer M; ProPASS Collaboration. Device-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health: the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium. Eur Heart J. 2024 Feb 7;45(6):458-471.

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This article discusses the shortcomings of current methods for recording harms in behavioural change intervention trials, which primarily rely on definitions designed for drug trials. The authors argue that these definitions can miss important harms specific to behavioural interventions, leading to inefficient recording practices. They propose evidence-based recommendations for identifying and recording potential harms, encompassing a multidisciplinary approach, involving stakeholders, and incorporating a range of data collection methods. These recommendations aim to improve transparency, efficiency, and the overall understanding of potential risks and benefits of these interventions.

Research paper:

Papaioannou D, Hamer-Kiwacz S, Mooney C, Sprange K, Cooper C, O'Cathain A et al. Recommendations on recording harms in randomised controlled trials of behaviour change interventions BMJ 2024; 387:e077418

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This research paper examines the current state of knowledge surrounding the evolution of eukaryotic cells, which are more complex than their prokaryotic counterparts. The paper focuses on the two key events involved in eukaryogenesis: the evolution of the host cell, which is now believed to be closely related to Asgard archaea, and the acquisition of mitochondria, which are thought to have originated from a free-living bacterium. The authors discuss the different hypotheses surrounding the timing and nature of these events and highlight the advancements made possible by metagenomic sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. They also explain the ongoing research on the functional roles of eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs) found in Asgard archaea and propose future research avenues that will help us understand the enigmatic origins of the eukaryotic cell.

Research paper:

Vosseberg, J., van Hooff, J.J.E., Köstlbacher, S. et al. The emerging view on the origin and early evolution of eukaryotic cells. Nature 633, 295–305 (2024).

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This article examines the complex relationship between

Research paper:

Mariek M P Vanden Abeele, Digital Wellbeing as a Dynamic Construct, Communication Theory, Volume 31, Issue 4, November 2021, Pages 932–955.

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This is a comprehensive guide on conducting a meta analysis, a research technique that combines results from multiple studies to reach a more robust conclusion. The paper outlines eight key steps, starting with defining the research question and searching for relevant literature, and then progresses through the selection of effect sizes and analytical methods. It also covers coding data, analysing for potential bias, and finally reporting the results. The guide highlights the importance of choosing appropriate methods, software, and reporting practices to ensure accuracy and transparency.

How to conduct a meta-analysis in eight steps: a practical guide

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This article from the New England Journal of Medicine examines the integration of wearable digital health technologies (DHTs) into clinical care, focusing on the challenges and opportunities presented by their increasing use. The authors highlight six key issues: data ownership, patient trust, literacy, and access, standards and interoperability, integration into clinical environments, patient empowerment and agency, and reimbursement and return on investment. The article suggests that while DHTs hold immense potential for improving health outcomes and patient care, addressing these challenges is crucial for their successful and equitable implementation.

Research paper:

Ginsburg GS, Picard RW, Friend SH. Key Issues as Wearable Digital Health Technologies Enter Clinical Care. N Engl J Med. 2024 Mar 21;390(12):1118-1127.

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This is a guide on how to conduct a systematic review, which is a type of research that aims to synthesise the best available evidence on a particular topic. We talk about the key stages involved in conducting a systematic review: identifying the research question, defining inclusion and exclusion criteria, searching for studies, selecting studies, extracting data, assessing quality, and synthesizing and presenting results. Each stage is discussed in detail with practical tips and tools to make the process more efficient and effective. This highlights the importance of using a systematic approach to ensure that the review is comprehensive, rigorous, and unbiased.

Five steps to conducting a systematic review

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This research, published in The Lancet, explores the benefits of adding a short course of chemotherapy before standard chemoradiotherapy for women with locally advanced cervical cancer. The INTERLACE trial, an international, multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial, compared the standard treatment with a group that received induction chemotherapy followed by the standard chemoradiotherapy. The study found that induction chemotherapy significantly improved both progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. While the treatment caused increased haematological toxicity, particularly neutropenia, the benefits were considered clinically meaningful, and the researchers recommend that this treatment approach be included in clinical guidelines as an option to improve outcomes in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.

Research paper:

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The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) system is a widely used framework for systematically assessing and presenting the quality of evidence for clinical practice recommendations. It outlines a structured approach for evaluating the certainty of evidence based on study design, potential biases, and other factors. GRADE helps clinicians understand the strength of evidence supporting various treatments or interventions and informs their decision-making process. The system provides a clear hierarchy of evidence quality, including high, moderate, low, and very low levels, and details factors that can increase or decrease certainty in the evidence. This framework encourages a transparent and reproducible approach to assessing evidence, facilitating collaboration and informed decision-making among clinicians. The GRADE Handbook further details how to create evidence summaries and graded recommendations in healthcare, outlining the application of GRADE's systematic approach for assessing evidence quality and recommendation strength.

What is “quality of evidence” and why is it important to clinicians?

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What is GRADE?

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This podcast episode discusses a groundbreaking study published in Nature that examined the effects of calorie restriction and intermittent fasting on the lifespan and health of genetically diverse mice. The study, unlike previous research using single mouse strains, used 960 mice with different genetic backgrounds to create a more realistic picture of how individuals respond to dietary interventions. While both calorie restriction and intermittent fasting led to a slight increase in lifespan, the study revealed that the mice who started heavier benefited from calorie restriction but not intermittent fasting, suggesting that different approaches may be optimal for different body types. The study also highlighted the importance of stress resilience in promoting longevity, demonstrating that even on restricted diets, mice who maintained a healthy weight during stressful periods lived longer. The episode concludes by emphasizing the importance of personalized approaches to lifespan extension, recognizing that there's no single magic formula for everyone. It also discusses exciting areas of ongoing research like the role of the gut microbiome and the potential of drugs targeting senescent cells in promoting longevity.

Research paper:

Di Francesco, A., Deighan, A.G., Litichevskiy, L. et al. Dietary restriction impacts health and lifespan of genetically diverse mice. Nature (2024).

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