The Most Popular Smartphone Apps for Weight Loss: A Quality Assessment

Background: Advancements in mobile phone technology have led to the development of smartphones with the capability to run apps. The availability of a plethora of health- and fitness-related smartphone apps has the potential, both on a clinical and public health level, to facilitate healthy behavior change and weight management. However, current top-rated apps in this area have not been extensively evaluated in terms of scientific quality and behavioral theory evidence base. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of the most popular dietary weight-loss smartphone apps on the commercial market using comprehensive quality assessment criteria, and to quantify the behavior change techniques (BCTs) incorporated. Methods: The top 200-rated Health & Fitness category apps from the free and paid sections of Google Play and iTunes App Store in Australia (n=800) were screened in August 2014. To be included in further analysis, an app had to focus on weight management, include a facility to record diet intake (self-monitoring), and be in English. One researcher downloaded and used the eligible apps thoroughly for 5 days and assessed the apps against quality assessment criteria which included the following domains: accountability, scientific coverage and content accuracy of information relevant to weight management, technology-enhanced features, usability, and incorporation of BCTs. For inter-rater reliability purposes, a second assessor provided ratings on 30% of the apps. The accuracy of app energy intake calculations was further investigated by comparison with results from a 3-day weighed food record (WFR). Results: Across the eligible apps reviewed (n=28), only 1 app (4%) received full marks for accountability. Overall, apps included an average of 5.1 (SD 2.3) out of 14 technology-enhanced features, and received a mean score of 13.5 (SD 3.7) out of 20 for usability. The majority of apps provided estimated energy requirements (24/28, 86%) and used a food database to calculate energy intake (21/28, 75%). When compared against the WFR, the mean absolute energy difference of apps which featured energy intake calculations (23/28, 82%) was 127 kJ (95% CI -45 to 299). An average of 6.3 (SD 3.7) of 26 BCTs were included. Conclusions: Overall, the most popular commercial apps for weight management are suboptimal in quality, given the inadequate scientific coverage and accuracy of weight-related information, and the relative absence of BCTs across the apps reviewed. With the limited regulatory oversight around the quality of these types of apps, this evaluation provides clinicians and consumers an informed view of the highest-quality apps in the current popular app pool appropriate for recommendation and uptake. Further research is necessary to assess the effectiveness of apps for weight management

Fluxo de caixa descontado como método de avaliação de empresas : estudo de caso da Log CP

O presente trabalho objetiva realizar uma análise da aplicação do método de fluxo de caixa descontado para a avaliação de empresas, sob o ponto de vista aplicado. Para isso, os aspectos pertinentes ao método serão primeiramente analisados à luz da literatura, ressaltando qualidades e deficiências enquanto abordagem de avaliação. Passamos, em seguida, à aplicação do fluxo de caixa descontado a partir dos números financeiros e operacionais da Log CP, empresa do setor imobiliário voltado ao aluguel de galpões logísticos, delineando projeções a respeito do desempenho futuro da companhia e por consequência estimando seu valor intrínseco, a partir de uma análise em três cenários: base, otimista e pessimista. Por fim comparamos os valores encontrados com a cotação da empresa, sob o ticker LOGG3, na Bovespa.This paper aims to perform an analysis of the application of the discounted cash flow method for the valuation of companies, on the practical side. For that reason, the main aspects will first be analyzed from the literature, highlighting qualities and deficiencies as an evaluation approach. We then applied the discounted cash flow from the financial and operating figures of Log CP, a real estate company focused on renting logistic sheds, outlining projections about the company's future performance and estimating its intrinsic value, from an analysis in three scenarios: neutral, optimistic and pessimistic. Finally, we compare the values found with the company's stock price, whose the ticker is LOGG3, on the Bovespa

A Ciência em um ambiente conservador

O Editorial aborda o desenvolvimento de Ciência no país num momento político conservador

Diabetes self-management arrangements in Europe: a realist review to facilitate a project implemented in six countries

Background: Self-management of long term conditions can promote quality of life whilst delivering benefits to the financing of health care systems. However, rarely are the meso-level influences, likely to be of direct relevance to these desired outcomes, systematically explored. No specific international guidelines exist suggesting the features of the most appropriate structure and organisation of health care systems within which to situate self-management approaches and practices. This review aimed to identify the quantitative literature with regard to diabetes self-management arrangements currently in place within the health care systems of six countries (The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Bulgaria, and Greece) and explore how these are integrated into the broader health care and welfare systems in each country. Methods: The methodology for a realist review was followed. Publications of interest dating from 2000 to 2013 were identified through appropriate MeSH terms by a systematic search in six bibliographic databases. A search diary was maintained and the studies were assessed for their quality and risk of bias. Results: Following the multi-step search strategy, 56 studies were included in the final review (the majority from the UK) reporting design methods and findings on 21 interventions and programmes for diabetes and chronic disease self-management. Most (11/21, 52%) of the interventions were designed to fit within the context of primary care. The majority (11/21, 52%) highlighted behavioural change as an important goal. Finally, some (5/21, 24%) referred explicitly to Internet-based tools. Conclusions: This review is based on results which are derived from a total of at least 5,500 individuals residing in the six participating countries. It indicates a policy shift towards patient-centred self-management of diabetes in a primary care context. The professional role of diabetes specialist nurses, the need for multidisciplinary approaches and a focus on patient education emerge as fundamental principles in the design of relevant programmes. Socio-economic circumstances are relevant to the capacity to self-manage and suggest that any gains and progress will be hard to maintain during economic austerity. This realist review should be interpreted within the wider context of a whole systems approach regarding self-care support and chronic illness management

Connecting Health and Technology (CHAT): protocol of a randomized controlled trial to improve nutrition behaviours using mobile devices and tailored text messaging in young adults

Background: Increasing intakes of fruits and vegetables intake, in tandem with reducing consumption of energy-dense and nutrient poor foods and beverages are dietary priorities to prevent chronic disease. Although most adults do not eat enough fruit and vegetables, teenagers and young adults tend to have the lowest intakes. Young adults typically consume a diet which is inconsistent with the dietary recommendations. Yet little is known about the best approaches to improve dietary intakes and behaviours among this group. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using a mobile device to assess dietary intake, provide tailored dietary feedback and text messages to motivate changes in fruit, vegetable and junk food consumption among young adults

It is time to talk about people: a human-centered healthcare system

Examining vulnerabilities within our current healthcare system we propose borrowing two tools from the fields of engineering and design: a) Reason's system approach [1] and b) User-centered design [2,3]. Both approaches are human-centered in that they consider common patterns of human behavior when analyzing systems to identify problems and generate solutions. This paper examines these two human-centered approaches in the context of healthcare. We argue that maintaining a human-centered orientation in clinical care, research, training, and governance is critical to the evolution of an effective and sustainable healthcare system

Evaluation of anaerobic digestion process for derived-MBT organic solid wastes

Semi-continuous and batch system bench-scale reactors, at mesophilic temperature, were set-up to investigate the performance of anaerobic digestion treating mixed waste from municipal solid collection, derived from two large-scale mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant, in the UK. The biogas yield using the semi-continuous reactor was determined to be between 300 and 410 mL/gVS with average methane content of 51% and average volatile solid destruction of 70%. During the batch system, the biogas yield was determined to be between 200 and 220 mL/gVS, with average methane content of 54% and volatile destruction of 70%, at the end of the digestion trial. Heavy metal analysis indicated accumulation of some elements during the treatment; however, final values were lower than risk limits. Microbial community profile through phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) analysis was investigated to determine structure shifts between different treatment and over time; although no statistical significance (p>0.05) was detected, PLFA peaks presented a shift in the community profile when comparing two different treatment applied. The community structure was demonstrated to be stable and resilient, able to cope with different parameters and stress. The results of this study indicate that mixed municipal solid waste is favourable to be treated in anaerobic digestion plants with mechanical biological treatment (MBT) with regards to its biogas yield and waste size reduction through volatile solid destruction

A Ciência em um ambiente conservador

O Editorial aborda o desenvolvimento de Ciência no país num momento político conservador.</jats:p