The duration of inpatient disease ranged from 24 to 30 days Beca

The duration of inpatient disease ranged from 24 to 30 days. Because of uncertainty in our baseline estimates, we conducted univariate

and bivariate sensitivity analysis on key parameters, such as the frequency of icteric cases, rates of hospitalization, proportions of liver transplantation, vaccine price and outpatient care costs. A reduction of 1% a year in the incidence of hepatitis A due to improvement in sanitary conditions was also considered VE-822 molecular weight in the sensitivity analyzes. Hepatitis A seroprevalence data from the nationwide population survey [7], [8] and [9], provided the following fitting parameters: k1 = (0.01762 ± 0.00096) yr−2 and k2 = (0.0699 ± 0.0048) yr−1 for the “North” area and k1 = (0.00815 ± 0.00018) yr−2 and k2 = (0.0485 ± 0.0031) yr−1 for the “South” area. Those parameters were used to estimate the force of infection for each area ( Fig. 1). We ran a simulation of the SIRV model without vaccination to estimate the proportion of infectious Ψ(a, t) ( Appendix A). This proportion was then converted to number of new infections per Selleckchem INK 128 100,000 inhabitants ( Fig. 2). The next step was simulating different vaccination scenarios: with 75% effective coverage (vaccine efficacy of 90% and coverage rate of 84%), 85% effective coverage (94% and 90%), and

90% effective coverage (95% and 95%) for both areas separately. These proportions were also converted to number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants ( Fig. 2). The numbers of new infections in both areas by age and year of occurrence were added up to run the national analysis. Table 3 and Table 4 summarize disease impact, costs and cost-effectiveness ratios of the analyses of the two areas and the national. Under the base case assumptions (two dose vaccination schedule, vaccine efficacy of 94% and coverage of 90%) a universal childhood immunization program would have a significant impact on disease epidemiology, resulting in 64% reduction in the number of icteric cases, 59% reduction in deaths and 62% decrease of life years lost, in a nationwide perspective. The reduction of the icteric cases

would be slightly larger in the “North” (68%) than in the “South” (61%), as well as the reduction in deaths, “North” (65%) and “South” (57%). The universal program brings incremental Thymidine kinase costs that are compensated for lower disease treatment costs (Table 3). Hepatitis A vaccination was a cost-saving (more effective and less expensive) strategy in the “North” (intermediate endemicity), in the “South” (low endemicity), and in Brazil as a whole from both health system and society perspective, without and with 5% discount of cost and benefits. Universal childhood hepatitis A vaccination program was a cost-effective strategy in most variations of the key estimates (Table 4). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were more sensible to variations in the proportion of icteric cases, vaccine costs and outpatient care costs.

La prise en charge du phénomène de Raynaud et de ses complication

La prise en charge du phénomène de Raynaud et de ses complications

est un objectif majeur dans la ScS. Associés aux mesures prophylactiques, les inhibiteurs calciques constituent un traitement essentiel au cours de la ScS, permettant de diminuer la fréquence et la sévérité des accès de phénomène de Raynaud et probablement de réduire Sorafenib clinical trial le risque de survenue des UD, bien que ce dernier point n’ait jamais été démontré [38]. Dans une étude prospective randomisée menée chez 57 patients atteints de phénomène de Raynaud secondaire, le sildénafil a permis de réduire la fréquence des crises [39]. Enfin, la prostacycline intraveineuse améliore le phénomène de Raynaud chez les patients atteints de ScS [40]. Il n’est cependant pas démontré qu’elle puisse prévenir la survenue des UD. Ainsi, si dans certains pays elle est prescrite en prévention primaire, ce n’est semble-t-il pas le cas en France. Le traitement des UD est très important, car ils sont une cause majeure de handicap de la main. En plus des mesures prophylactiques détaillées précédemment

pour le phénomène de Raynaud, un traitement préventif peut être proposé. Malgré leur absence d’évaluation en prévention, les inhibiteurs calciques doivent être prescrits à tous les patients atteints de ScS, l’absence de traitement inhibiteur calcique constituant un facteur de risque this website important pour la survenue d’UD. Il n’existe aucune étude dans la littérature montrant que l’iloprost peut empêcher la survenue des UD, même si un certain nombre de médecins utilisent ce médicament en prévention primaire, en particulier en Italie. Deux études prospectives randomisées ont démontré l’efficacité du

bosentanà prévenir la survenue de nouveaux UD au cours de la ScS [41] and [42]. Une étude prospective, randomisée, a mis 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase en évidence que l’atorvastatine prévient l’apparition de nouveaux UD chez les patients ayant une ScS [43]. Nous ne détaillerons pas ici le traitement local des UD et nous invitons le lecteur à se référer à d’autres revues générales récentes abordant ce sujet en détail [37] and [44]. Bien qu’aucun traitement administré par voie générale n’ait d’efficacité prouvée dans la cicatrisation des UD de la ScS, la prostacycline administrée par voie intraveineuse (iloprost) est utilisée chez les malades ayant un UD constitué. Le bosentan n’a pas d’efficacité démontrée dans le traitement des UD actifs chez les patients sclérodermiques. Il a été mis en évidence dans une étude ouverte que le sildénafil pouvait diminuer le risque de survenue de nouveaux infarctus ou d’ulcères digitaux et accélérer la guérison des UD constitués. Une étude prospective randomisée contre placebo évalue actuellement son efficacité dans la cicatrisation des UD de mécanisme vasculaire chez les patients atteints de ScS. Les résultats devraient être disponibles en 2014.

” Response options were strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (

” Response options were strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (4). For comparability to previous studies, these items were also retained in the original subscales. Self-reported weight in kilograms and height in meters were used to calculate BMI = weight/height2. Region (Seattle/King County or Maryland/Washington, DC region), gender, age, education level, ethnicity, marital status, and number of vehicles per adult in

the household were included as covariates. SPSS version 17.0 was used for analyses. Because the study design involved recruitment of participants clustered within 32 neighborhoods pre-selected to fall within the quadrants representing high/low-walkability Selleckchem CX-5461 by high/low-income, intraclass correlations (ICCs) reflecting any covariation among participants clustered within the same neighborhoods were computed for the bicycling frequency measures. The ICCs were very near or equal

to zero: current biking frequency, ICC = 0.011; Perifosine biking frequency if safer from cars, ICC = 0.000; and difference score (i.e., difference between current biking frequency and frequency if safer from cars), ICC = 0.009. Because the ICCs were zero or almost zero, negligible random clustering effects were expected, and traditional regression procedures were used. All variables were treated as continuous/ordinal except bicycle ownership (yes/no) and five demographic variables: region, sex, ethnicity (White non-Hispanic, vs. others), education (at least a college degree, vs. less than a college degree), and marital status (married or cohabiting vs. other). The

first isothipendyl group of analyses examined all environmental and demographic variables by bike ownership. Binary logistic regression was used to identify significant associations with bike ownership in separate models for each potential correlate. The second set of analyses used linear regression procedures to examine bivariate correlates of the bicycling frequency outcomes: (a) frequency of biking (bike owners only) and (b) self-projected change (difference score) in bicycling frequency if participants thought riding was safe from cars. Although these outcome variables were somewhat skewed (+ 2.0 and + 1.0, respectively), these skewness values fall within ranges of commonly used rules of thumb, especially when using ANOVA/regression procedures that are considered robust to non-normality (van Belle, 2002, p. 10). Thus, it was judged preferable to retain the original units (e.g., 5-point ordinal categories) rather than transform the ordinal categories to log-units. Each environmental and demographic correlate was examined in separate analyses. The third group of analyses investigated whether variables significant (p < .10) in bivariate analyses remained significant (p ≤ .05) in multivariable regression models.

Ticks were maintained under laboratory conditions for two years p

Ticks were maintained under laboratory conditions for two years prior to use in the experiments reported here. Cattle were

used to cycle the tick progeny. Tick stages requiring incubation were kept in the laboratory at 28 °C and 80% relative humidity. The Campo Grande cattle tick CDK inhibition strain is susceptible to commercially available acaricides. The expressed sequence tag (EST) coding for RmLTI (GenBank ID: CK186726[21] and [24]) was optimized for P. pastoris codon usage, and synthesized by Epoch Biolabs, Inc. Codon optimization was done using Epoch Biolabs, Inc. proprietary software set at 15% cut off for codon efficiency. This RmLTI DNA fragment was cloned into pPICZαA, producing the pPICZαRmLTI construct. The recombinant plasmid codes for a His tag that is added to the N-terminus of the protein product. Previously described procedures were followed to produce rRmLTI in the P. pastoris expression system [25]. Alignment, similarity, and discordance comparisons based on bioinformatics techniques were conducted between predicted amino acid sequences for: rRmLTI, EST CK186726, BmTI-6 from ovarian cDNA (GenBank ID: P83606.2), and N-terminal amino acid sequence information for BmTI-A (GenBank ID: P83609), BmTI-D (GenBank INCB024360 research buy ID: P83607), BmTI-2 (GenBank ID: P83603), and BmTI-3 (GenBank ID: P83604). ClustalW

from the BioEdit suite was used with Vector NTI® software (Invitrogen) as described previously to conduct the bioinformatics analyses [16]. The amino acid sequence from rRmLTI was submitted to protein function and superfamily analysis using the protein domains identifier software InterProScan [42]. Protein concentration in P. pastoris culture supernatant was quantified as described previously [25]. Proteins were precipitated with methanol and the precipitated proteins resuspended in denaturing binding buffer (8 M Urea, 20 mM sodium phosphate

pH 7.8, 500 mM NaCl). The rRmLTI was purified using a Ni2+ charged Ni-NTA (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) affinity column with denaturing elution buffer (8 M Urea, 20 mM Sodium Phosphate pH 4.0, 500 mM NaCl) and the purification process monitored by 7.5% SDS-PAGE. Eluted fractions of high purity were pooled and dialyzed no against PBS. Animal care and use was conducted at EMBRAPA Beef Cattle according to institutional guidelines. Polyclonal serum against R. microplus larval extract or rRmLTI was produced using BALB/c mice as described previously [25]. The RmLTI vaccine was prepared with 500 μg of rRmLTI protein resuspended in 4 mL of 150-mM Tris–HCl at pH 7.4 and emulsified with 6 mL of Montanide ISA 61 VG (Seppic, Paris). Twelve female BALB/c mice were used, which were separated into two groups of six animals. One group received the rRmLTI formulation and the other the larval extract preparation. Each mouse within the respective group was immunized with 50 μg mL−1 dose−1 of rRmLTI, or 100 μg mL−1 dose−1 of larval extract. Three subcutaneous doses were applied at 21-day intervals.

The sample is a representation of the NP microbiome, which contai

The sample is a representation of the NP microbiome, which contains numerous bacterial species [67] and may include close relatives of pneumococci such as

S. pseudopneumoniae, Streptococcus mitis and other streptococcal species that also inhabit this niche [68]. The ideal method for non-culture identification in NP swabs should unequivocally detect the pneumococcus with high sensitivity and specificity; it should also be rapid, easy to perform, inexpensive, and deployable on a large scale. In the last decade, several non-culture methods aiming to detect pneumococci in biological samples have been developed including PCR-based strategies targeting specific DNA markers such as rpoA [69], sodA [70], tuf [71], recA [72], EGFR inhibitor piaA [73], Spn9802 [74], ply [75], a 181-bp pneumococcal-specific fragment [76], 16S-rDNA [77], R428 purchase psaA [78], and lytA [79], [80] and [81]. For many of these methods specificity problems have been detected [64], [65], [82] and [83]. For others, there has been insufficient validation against diverse collections of close relatives of pneumococci. In addition, there is an increasing body of more sophisticated

methods that, although promising, may not be easily applied in routine analysis of NP samples [84], [85], [86] and [87]. While there is currently no gold standard method for non-culture identification of pneumococci from NP swabs [63], [88] and [89], the lytA real-time PCR assay described by Carvalho et al. [81] is widely used and appears to be species-specific. However, given the capacity of pneumococci to exchange genes with other oral streptococci [88] and [90] a multilocus approach such as used in multilocus sequence typing (MLST), microarray or whole genome-sequencing may prove valuable [64], [91] and [92].

Culture should remain the gold standard for detection of pneumococci in NP swab samples. Investigators may wish to complement culture detection with a non-culture technique; the method we currently recommend is lytA real-time PCR [81]. A systematic laboratory validation of non-culture methods against large collections of nasopharyngeal and non-classical isolates is needed to guide future recommendations. Studies that are designed to determine the clinical old relevance of pneumococcal culture-negative but DNA-positive samples are needed. The current standard method for serotyping of pneumococcal isolates is the capsular reaction/swelling test (Quellung reaction or Neufeld test) [1]. The traditional method described by Lund [93], Austrian [94] and the Statens Serum Institut [95] using ×100 magnification with oil immersion, is still widely used in Europe and North America. In Australia and Papua New Guinea, the ‘dry’ method using ×40 magnification without oil [96] has been in use since at least the 1970s (M. Gratten, personal communication).

The PPP agreement is with the Biovac Institute which has a resear

The PPP agreement is with the Biovac Institute which has a research and a development function and is developing local capacity for the production of vaccines. NAGI has no formal ties with NITAGs in other countries and has informal GDC-0449 ties only through its representatives on the WHO AFRO Task Force on Immunization (TFI). NAGI considers economic issues when making its recommendations, specifically the cost of the vaccine and the overall program as well as the program’s overall affordability and sustainability. The introduction of PCV and rotavirus vaccine, for example, was supported by cost-effectiveness data submitted to the Minister of Health. Similarly, the transition from

OPV + diphtheria–tetanus–whole cell pertussis–Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (DTP–HibCV) to pentavalent vaccine (DTPa–IPV + HibCV) was decided after it was costed. Formal economic evaluations are not carried out either by the DoH or NAGI. However, NAGI frequently supported by economic data from the research units of its members. These data are then submitted to the DoH. The committee may accept economic evaluations done internationally or regionally, as well as by manufacturers, but this has not been the case in the past. The DoH would need to consider affordability and sustainability

of new vaccines in addition to other programmatic needs. Since South Africa is classified by the World Bank as a category C country, it is not eligible 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase for selleck chemical GAVI funding and is therefore required to purchase all its vaccine needs. Although the country produced almost all of its bacterial and viral vaccines up until 30 years ago, it is now solely dependent on imported vaccines. The budget for vaccine purchase thus competes with other high priority health needs and economic and financial considerations necessarily play a pivotal role in deciding vaccine strategies. Nevertheless, the mandate of

NAGI from the DoH is to focus its recommendations on medical and epidemiological criteria rather than on economic considerations. Once NAGI decides upon its recommendations they are referred to the DoH for further steps. The committee itself does not have any decision-making powers since it is purely an advisory board appointed by the MoH. Its recommendations may influence the decision-making of the minister and the National Health Council representing the 9 provinces. NAGI recommendations are also considered by the EPI directorate to be elements strengthening the EPI program and to provide assistance in troubleshooting. The Government, however, is not obliged to implement NAGI suggestions, although it does so in over 75% of the cases. When it does not, this is often because of competing priorities associated in many cases with the cost of the vaccine. The Ministry of Finance provides the budget for implementing vaccine and immunization recommendations.

1% DMSO After 24, 48, and 72 h, cell survival and

1% DMSO. After 24, 48, and 72 h, cell survival and Lapatinib datasheet growth were measured by the Cell Titer 96 Aqueous MTS Reagent (Promega, Madison, WI) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. All experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated three times, independently. The light absorbance was measured by using an automatic microplate reader (Epoch, Bio-Tek Instruments, Winooski, VT) at 490 nm (14). Data were expressed as a percentage versus control (vehicle set at 100%). HCT-116 and SW-480 cells were seeded in 24-well plates. After 24 h, the medium was changed

and PPD was added at different concentrations. After treatment for 48 h, all adherent cells were collected with 0.05% trypsin, including the floating cells in the medium, and centrifuged for 5 min at 600 g. Then, the cells were double stained with Crizotinib ic50 Annexin-V-(FITC) and propidium iodide (PI) (Becton Dickinson, San Diego, CA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions (15). Untreated cells were used as control. The stained

cells were subsequently analyzed by a FACS Canto flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson, Mountain View, CA). All experiments were performed independently three times, and run in triplicate. At least 10,000 cells were counted each time. Data were analyzed by FlowJo software 9.0. For cell cycle assay, 1 × 105 cells were seeded in 12-well plates. On the second day, PPD or vehicle was added. 48 h later, all adherent cells were collected by trypsin, fixed with 80% ethanol and stored for 2 h at −20 °C. After treatment with 0.25% Triton X-100 for 5 min, the cells were resuspended in 200 μL of PI/RNase staining buffer (Becton Dickinson, San Diego, CA), incubated in the dark for 20 min at room temperature,

and counted with a FACS Canto flow cytometer. At least Thymidine kinase 10,000 cells were counted for each measurement. Data were analyzed by FlowJo software 9.0. HCT-116 cells were plated at a density of 1 × 105 cells/dish in 60 mm tissue culture plates. Cells were allowed to adhere for 24 h before treatment. Thereafter, cells were treated with 20 or 25 μM of PPD for 24 or 48 h. Total RNA was extracted using miRNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) following the manufacturer’s instruction and quantified by NanoDrop (Thermo, Wilmington, DE) before hybridization. A group of 6 samples obtained from the in vitro assays were included in the cDNA array assays. Gene arrays were performed by using Affymetrix GeneChip Human Gene 1.0 ST Array (Dumbarton Circle, Fremont, CA), which contains 28,853 mouse genes being represented on the array by approximately 27 probes spread across the full length of a given gene. This provides a more complete and more accurate picture of gene expression than 3′-based expression array designs.

The effect of hydro-alcoholic extract was less than the alcoholic

The effect of hydro-alcoholic extract was less than the alcoholic extract at all the concentrations against MCF-7 cell lines ( Fig. 1). In all the cell lines the less growth inhibition by hydro-alcoholic extract was observed as compared to alcoholic extract at10, check details 30 and 100 μg/ml. In case of fractions, it was observed that all the four fractions of the alcoholic extract had also shown growth inhibition in dose dependent manner in all the cell lines at 10, 30, 100 μg/ml ( Fig. 2) and chloroform fractions was most active than rest of the fractions and aqueous fraction was least effective. Chloroform fraction

showed 4–80, 8–91 and 19–99% growth inhibition at 10, 30 and 100 μg/ml respectively against various cell line used in study. The maximum effect was observed against HT-29 cell line and minimum, effect was observed against Hep-2 cell line. 5-Flurouracil (20 μM), adriamycin (1 μM), paclitaxel (10 μM) and mitomycin C (1 μM) were used as positive Palbociclib price control and they induced significant cell growth inhibition (data not shown). Chloroform (F002) of the alcoholic extract showed dose dependent cytotoxicity against most of the cancer cell lines of different tissue used. The alcoholic extract showed

significant (p < 0.05) tumor growth inhibition of 42.62% and 25.96% at 40 mg/kg against Ehrlich and Sarcoma-180 solid tumor murine models respectively. Whereas, hydro-alcoholic and aqueous extract extracts showed much less tumor growth inhibition against these models (data not included). Also, chloroform fraction of the alcoholic extract showed significant tumor growth inhibition of 48.98% (p < 0.05) and 44.11% (p < 0.05) at 10 mg/kg for Ehrlich tumor and Linifanib (ABT-869) Sarcoma-180 respectively ( Table 1). A consistent proportion of people in developing countries depend on traditional medicines for their primary health needs. According, to the

several studies conducted on medicinal plants it suggested that besides possessing various medicinal benefits they also retain antitumor properties.20 Therefore, study of medicinal plant could help in identification of antitumor compounds.21 In this study, we analyzed the effects of Cuscuta reflexa (whole plant) medicinal plants, extracts and fractions on cell growth of the human cancer cell lines and the in vitro studies indicated that all the three extracts (alcoholic, hydro-alcoholic and aqueous) of Cuscuta reflexa (whole plant) have anticancer potential. The alcoholic extract has maximum potential activity whereas the aqueous extract has the least. The hydro-alcoholic extract was much better than aqueous extract but not superior than alcoholic extract. The cancer growth inhibition by these extracts was cell line and concentration dependent.

India is the largest producer (80%) and exporter (60%) of turmeri

India is the largest producer (80%) and exporter (60%) of turmeric in the world. 1 Turmeric plants are propagated by vegetative method using mother and finger rhizomes. 2 The plant is seasonally affected by few major and minor pests which includes shoot borer, Conogethes punctiferalis

and leaf roller, Udaspes folus 3 and 4 which leads to major crop loss 5 observed U. folus harboring Elettaria cardomum, Selleck Pfizer Licensed Compound Library Aframomum melegueta and Curcuma amada too. The larvae of this lepidopteron pest cause destruction in the plant leaf and cause considerable yield loss by 20–34%. Entomopathogenic fungi like Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin has been used successfully for managing insect pests in temperate regions. 6 The present study was aimed in developing a biopesticide find more against U. folus with rapid growth rate and high pathogenicity. The study was conducted in PTS turmeric variety which is a famous cultivar of India now preferred by most farmers for its high yield and its high tolerance to disease

and pest attack. Neem products are also used selectively in controlling pests of various economically useful plants. 7 The seeds contain a complex secondary metabolite azadirachtin which imparts a bitter taste. It acts as an anti-feedant, repellent and egg-laying deterrent, protecting the crop from damage. Similarly the leaves of Vitex negundo are also capable of causing mortality of lepidopteron pests. 8 So these two plant products were also used in the current study for comparison purpose. To keep in mind on all these parameters, studies were conducted to evaluate indigenous biocontrol agents to control U. folus under field conditions. Surveys were conducted in naturally infected turmeric farms to isolate and identify virulent entomopathogenic fungi infecting U. folus of PTS turmeric plants in Erode region, [11°20 N 77°431 E],

Tamil Nadu, India. The collections were made during September–November in 2010. The cadavers were collected in sterile glass Resveratrol vials separately from which the pathogens were isolated using Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium following standard mycological techniques. 9 Two fungi were subjected to 18S rDNA sequencing and BLAST and identified as Hirsutella citriformis and Nomuraea rileyi. The fungal sequences were deposited in NCBI (JQ 675289 and JQ 686668; respectively). Along with M. anisopliae and B. bassiana, which are commonly used entomopathogenic fungi; Standard H. citriformis (MTCC 6800) and N. rileyi (MTCC 4171) cultures were obtained from Microbial Type Culture Collection, Chandigarh, India and used for comparison studies. For B. bassiana, H. citriformis and M. anisopliae PDA medium and N. rileyi, Sabarouds Yeast Maltose Peptone (SYMP) medium was used for multiplication. Spore suspensions of each pathogenic fungus were prepared by using 80–100 ml of sterile distilled water containing 0.05% Tween 80 solution.

The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board

The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Human Research Ethics Committee of the Beijing Ministry for Health, and National Ethics Application Form (NEAF), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia. “
“Parents are important agents

of behaviour change in the treatment of childhood obesity (Golan and Crow, 2004). However, outside of treatment settings, the majority fail to recognise that their child is overweight (Parry et al., 2008 and Rietmeijer-Mentink et al., 2013). A parent’s inability to recognise their child’s weight status may be a barrier to effective weight management (Maximova MS-275 molecular weight et al., 2008). Several theories of health behaviour PLX4032 chemical structure propose that recognition of and intention to change an unhealthy behaviour are important steps towards change (Webb and Sheeran, 2006). The transtheoretical model (TTM) describes behaviour change as progression through a series of stages: pre-contemplation (no intention to change behaviour), contemplation (intention to change in the near future), preparation (ready to change), action, maintenance, and relapse (Prochaska and Velicer, 1997). These steps have been used to inform health promotion interventions, including

childhood weight management (Howard, 2007 and Mason et al., 2008). It is believed that increasing parental recognition of child overweight status through the provision of accurate information will prompt progression through stages of behaviour change, leading to healthier behaviours, including improved diet, increased physical activity and reduced sedentary behaviour (Cottrell et al., 2007 and Mooney et al., 2010). This is despite the widespread recognition of the ‘intention–behaviour gap’, which describes the discrepancy between stated intentions

and actions (Rhodes and de Bruijn, 2013 and Sniehotta et al., 2005). Factors such as knowledge, confidence and environmental barriers may influence progression from intentions to action (Marcus et al., 1992 and Wee et al., 2005), and these factors are likely to vary according to individual characteristics Phosphatidylinositol diacylglycerol-lyase including ethnicity and deprivation. For example, families living in more deprived areas experience greater barriers to healthy lifestyle including reduced access to fruit and vegetables (Cummins et al., 2009) and lack of safe outdoor spaces for physical activity (Molaodi et al., 2012). In the context of childhood obesity, it is unclear how large the intention–behaviour gap is among parents, and how individual characteristics influence the transition to action (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2008). Characterisation of parents who are least likely to make steps towards positive lifestyle changes may identify families in greatest need of support.