University of Exeter

About: University of Exeter is a education organization based out in Exeter, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 15820 authors who have published 50650 publications receiving 1793046 citations. The organization is also known as: Exeter University & University of the South West of England.

Cross sectional study of symptom attribution and recognition of depression and anxiety in primary care

Abstract: # Cross sectional study of symptom attribution and recognition of depression and anxiety in primary care {#article-title-2} Objectives : To examine the effect of patients' causal attributions of common somatic symptoms on recognition by general practitioners of cases of depression and anxiety and to test the hypothesis that normalising attributions make recognition less likely. Design : Cross sectional survey. Setting : One general practice of eight doctors in Bristol. Subjects : 305 general practice attenders. Main outcome measure : The rate of detection by general practitioners of cases of depression and anxiety as defined by the general health questionnaire. Results : Consecutive attenders completed the general health questionnaire and the symptom interpretation questionnaire, which scores style of symptom attribution along the dimensions of psychologising, somatising, and normalising. General practitioners detected depression or anxiety in 56 (36%; 95% confidence interval 28% to 44%) of the 157 patients who scored highly on the general health questionnaire. Subjects with a normalising attributional style were less likely to be detected as cases; doctors did not make any psychological diagnosis in 46 (85%; 73% to 93%) of 54 patients who had high questionnaire and high normalising scores. Those with a psychologising style were more likely to be detected; doctors did not detect 21 (38%; 25% to 52%) of 55 patients who had high questionnaire and high psychologising scores. The somatisation scale was not associated with low detection rates. This pattern of results persisted after adjustment for age, sex, general health questionnaire score, and general practitioner. Conclusions : Normalising attributions minimise symptoms and are non-pathological in character. The normalising attributional style is predominant in general practice attenders and is an important cause of low rates of detection of depression and anxiety. # Commentary: There must be limits to the medicalisation of human distress {#article-title-17}

The role of practice in the development of performing musicians

Abstract: A sample of 257 young people aged between eight and 18 who had undertaken individual instrumental tuition were interviewed in depth about their performing history from the start of playing. A subset of 94 of these individuals also kept a practice diary for a 42-week period. The data collected allowed estimates to be calculated of the amount of time devoted to various types of practice and other activities. The sample was selected in order to encompass a wide range of levels of musical achievement, from pupils at a highly selective specialist music school through to individuals who had abandoned instrumental study after less than a year of formal instruction. Data about formal examination successes confirmed the very wide range of achievement in the sample. It was discovered that there was a strong relationship between musical achievement and the amount of formal practice undertaken. Weaker relationships were discovered between achievement and amount of informal playing. There was no evidence that high achievers were able to gain a given level of examination success on less practice than low achievers. High achievers tended to be more consistent in their pattern of practice from week to week, and tended to concentrate technical practice in the mornings. These data lend strong support to the theory that formal effortful practice is a principal determinant of musical achievement. © The British Pschological Society.

Bacteria-phage antagonistic coevolution in soil.

Abstract: Bacteria and their viruses (phages) undergo rapid coevolution in test tubes, but the relevance to natural environments is unclear. By using a "mark-recapture" approach, we showed rapid coevolution of bacteria and phages in a soil community. Unlike coevolution in vitro, which is characterized by increases in infectivity and resistance through time (arms race dynamics), coevolution in soil resulted in hosts more resistant to their contemporary than past and future parasites (fluctuating selection dynamics). Fluctuating selection dynamics, which can potentially continue indefinitely, can be explained by fitness costs constraining the evolution of high levels of resistance in soil. These results suggest that rapid coevolution between bacteria and phage is likely to play a key role in structuring natural microbial communities.

Genetic associations at 53 loci highlight cell types and biological pathways relevant for kidney function

Abstract: Reduced glomerular filtration rate defines chronic kidney disease and is associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. We conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), combining data across 133,413 individuals with replication in up to 42,166 individuals. We identify 24 new and confirm 29 previously identified loci. Of these 53 loci, 19 associate with eGFR among individuals with diabetes. Using bioinformatics, we show that identified genes at eGFR loci are enriched for expression in kidney tissues and in pathways relevant for kidney development and transmembrane transporter activity, kidney structure, and regulation of glucose metabolism. Chromatin state mapping and DNase I hypersensitivity analyses across adult tissues demonstrate preferential mapping of associated variants to regulatory regions in kidney but not extra-renal tissues. These findings suggest that genetic determinants of eGFR are mediated largely through direct effects within the kidney and highlight important cell types and biological pathways.