Habitat partitioning between woodland caribou and moose in Ontario: the potential role of shared prédation risk

This paper explores mechanisms of coexistence for woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) and moose (Akes alces) preyed upon by gray wolves (Canis lupus) in northern Ontario. Autocorrelation analysis of winter track locations showed habitat partitioning by caribou and moose. Numbers of Delaunay link edges for moose-wolves did not differ significantly from what would be expected by random process, but those for caribou-wolves were significantly fewer. Thus, habitat partitioning provided implicit refuges that put greater distances between caribou and wolves, presumably decreasing predation on the caribou. Yet, direct competition cannot be ruled out; both apparent and direct competition may be involved in real-life situations. A synthesis including both explanations fits ecological theory, as well as current understanding about caribou ecology

Effects of hippocampal lesions on acquisition and memory for context

Hippocampal lesions impair memory for context in some tasks but not others. Factors that may contribute include: a) whether context is encoded in configurally or elementally; b) whether lesions are performed before or after acquisition of contextual information. c) the size of the lesion. This study compared the effects of pre- vs post-acquisition hippocampal lesions on performance of a novel context-dependent odour discrimination task that required explicit processing of the contextual features. As the task required a configuration to be formed between context, odour and reward, it was hypothesised that the hippocampus would be essential for the acquisition and performance of this task. Pre-surgery training consisted of simultaneous presentations of a context-dependent and a context-independent odour discrimination task. In the context dependent task, odour A but not odour B was rewarded in context 1, whereas odour B but not odour A was rewarded in context 2. In the context independent task, odour C was rewarded in both contexts, whereas odour D was rewarded in neither. Rats took around 60 days to reach criterion level (2 days >80% correct on both tasks). Subsequently, they received either bilateral ibotenic acid lesions of the hippocampus or sham surgery. After a 14 day recovery period, post-surgery testing began. On the first 2 days of post-operative testing, lesioned animals were significantly impaired on the CD task, but not on the CI task. Thereafter they performed as well as controls. Thus, the data demonstrate that although the hippocampus normally contributes to the retention of contextual information, it is not necessary for the performance of this context dependent odour discrimination task. Other areas can take over these functional demands in its absence. However, the involvement of the hippocampus cannot be completely disregarded due to the high degree of correlation between spared hippocampal tissue and the immediate post-surgery performance level of the animals (i.e. larger the volume of tissue spared the higher the initial degree of accuracy on the CD task). These findings were shown to be highly replicable, regardless of whether the odorous stimuli were presented simultaneously or successively. Furthermore, the hippocampal and extra-hippocampal methods of task resolution were not identical. When a cue conflict situation arose between intra-maze and selfmotion cues, it affected the two groups in a differentially. The ambiguity between cues had a highly detrimental affect on the performance of the intact animals; yet the hippocampal lesioned animals appeared oblivious to the inconsistency. They continued to perform the context dependent odour discrimination task as normal. Thus although apparently able to process the major contextual cues, the hippocampal lesioned animals had a deficit in detecting and responding to more subtle distinctions that were not integral to normal success on the task. In the final aspect of this thesis, hippocampal lesioned animals were found to demonstrate no deficits in the acquisition of new variants of the context dependent odour discrimination task (new odours / contexts), thus the hippocampus is not essential for learning contextual discriminations. Overall, the hypothesis that the hippocampus would be necessary for contextual representations, is unsupported by this thesis. Nevertheless, if present during training, the hippocampus will contribute to the retention of contextual stimuli and provides a more all encompassing view of ‘context’ than other areas can achieve alone

The General Practice Care of People With Intellectual Disability: Barriers and Solutions

A questionnaire exploring general practitioners' (GPs) perceptions of the barriers and solutions to providing health care to people with intellectual disability was sent to 912 randomly selected GPs throughout Australia. a response rate of 58% was obtained. Results indicated that numerous barriers compromised the quality of health care able to be provided to people with intellectual disability. communications difficulties with patients and other health professionals, and problems in obtaining patient histories stood out as the two most significant barriers. A range of other barriers were identified, including GPs' lack of training and experience, patients' poor compliance with management plans, consultation time constraints, difficulties in problem determination, examination difficulties, poor continuity of care, and GPs' inadequate knowledge of the services and resources available. General practitioners also suggested numerous solutions to these barriers, and emphasized the need for increased opportunities for education and training in intellectual disability. The GPs showed an overwhelming interest to be involved in further education. Other major solutions included increasing consultation duration or frequency, proactively involving families and carers in patients' ongoing health care, and increasing remuneration

Use of health services in the last year of life and cause of death in people with intellectual disability: A retrospective matched cohort study

Objective: To describe the cause of death together with emergency department presentations and hospital admissions in the last year of life of people with intellectual disability. Method: A retrospective matched cohort study using de-identified linked data of people aged 20 years or over, with and without intellectual disability who died during 2009 to 2013 in Western Australia. Emergency department presentations and hospital admissions in the last year of life of people with intellectual disability are described along with cause of death. Results: Of the 63 508 deaths in Western Australia from 2009 to 2013, there were 591 (0.93%) decedents with a history of intellectual disability. Decedents with intellectual disability tended to be younger, lived in areas of more social disadvantage, did not have a partner and were Australian born compared with all other decedents. A matched comparison cohort of decedents without intellectual disability (n=29 713) was identified from the general population to improve covariate balance. Decedents with intellectual disability attended emergency departments more frequently than the matched cohort (mean visits 3.2 vs 2.5) and on average were admitted to hospital less frequently (mean admissions 4.1 vs 6.1), but once admitted stayed longer (average length of stay 5.2 days vs 4.3 days). People with intellectual disability had increased odds of presentation, admission or death from conditions that have been defined as ambulatory care sensitive and are potentially preventable. These included vaccine-preventable respiratory disease, asthma, cellulitis and convulsions and epilepsy. Conclusion: People with intellectual disability were more likely to experience potentially preventable conditions at the end of their lives. This indicates a need for further improvements in access, quality and coordination of healthcare to provide optimal health for this group

Using a knowledge exchange event to assess study participants’ attitudes to research in a rapidly evolving research context [version 2; peer review: 3 approved]

Background: The UK hosts some of the world’s longest-running longitudinal cohort studies, which make repeated observations of their participants and use these data to explore health outcomes. An alternative method for data collection is record linkage; the linking together of electronic health and administrative records. Applied nationally, this could provide unrivalled opportunities to follow a large number of people in perpetuity. However, public attitudes to the use of data in research are currently unclear. Here we report on an event where we collected attitudes towards recent opportunities and controversies within health data science. / Methods: The event was attended by ~250 individuals (cohort members and their guests), who had been invited through the offices of their participating cohort studies. There were a series of presentations describing key research results and the audience participated in 15 multiple-choice questions using interactive voting pads. / Results: Our participants showed a high level of trust in researchers (87% scoring them 4/5 or 5/5) and doctors (81%); but less trust in commercial companies (35%). They supported the idea of researchers using information from both neonatal blood spots (Guthrie spots) (97% yes) and from electronic health records (95% yes). Our respondents were willing to wear devices like a ’Fit-bit’ (88% agreed) or take a brain scan that might predict later mental illness (73%). However, they were less willing to take a new drug for research purposes (45%). They were keen to encourage others to take part in research; whether that be offering the opportunity to pregnant mothers (97% agreed) or extending invitations to their own children and grandchildren (98%). / Conclusions: Our participants were broadly supportive of research access to data, albeit less supportive when commercial interests were involved. Public engagement events that facilitate two-way interactions can influence and support future research and public engagement efforts

Using a knowledge exchange event to assess study participants' attitudes to research in a rapidly evolving research context [version 1; peer review: 3 approved]

BACKGROUND: The UK hosts some of the world’s longest-running longitudinal cohort studies, who make repeated observations of their participants and use these data to explore health outcomes. An alternative method for data collection is record linkage; the linking together of electronic health and administrative records. Applied nationally, this could provide unrivalled opportunities to follow a large number of people in perpetuity. However, public attitudes to the use of data in research are currently unclear. Here we report on an event where we collected attitudes towards recent opportunities and controversies within health data science. METHODS: The event was attended by ~250 individuals (cohort members and their guests), who had been invited through the offices of their participating cohort studies. There were a series of presentations describing key research results and the audience participated in 15 multiple-choice questions using interactive voting pads. RESULTS: Our participants showed a high level of trust in researchers (87% scoring them 4/5 or 5/5) and doctors (81%); but less trust in commercial companies (35%). They supported the idea of researchers using information from both neonatal blood spots (Guthrie spots) (97% yes) and from electronic health records (95% yes). Our respondents were willing to wear devices like a ’Fit-bit’ (78% agreed) or take a brain scan that might predict later mental illness (73%). However, they were less willing to take a new drug for research purposes (45%). They were keen to encourage others to take part in research; whether that be offering the opportunity to pregnant mothers (97% agreed) or extending invitations to their own children and grandchildren (98%). CONCLUSIONS: Our participants were broadly supportive of research access to data, albeit less supportive when commercial interests were involved. Public engagement events that facilitate two-way interactions can influence and support future research and public engagement efforts

Experience of clinical services shapes attitudes to mental health data sharing: findings from a UK-wide survey

BACKGROUND: Routinely-collected mental health data could deliver novel insights for mental health research. However, patients’ willingness to share their mental health data remains largely unknown. We investigated factors influencing likelihood of sharing these data for research purposes amongst people with and without experience of mental illness. METHODS: We collected responses from a diverse sample of UK National Health Service (NHS) users (n = 2187) of which about half (n = 1087) had lifetime experience of mental illness. Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the influence of demographic factors, clinical service experience, and primary mental illness on willingness to share mental health data, contrasted against physical health data. RESULTS: There was a high level of willingness to share mental (89.7%) and physical (92.8%) health data for research purposes. Higher levels of satisfaction with the NHS were associated with greater willingness to share mental health data. Furthermore, people with personal experience of mental illness were more willing than those without to share mental health data, once the variable of NHS satisfaction had been controlled for. Of the mental illnesses recorded, people with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), personality disorder or bipolar disorder were significantly more likely to share their mental health data than people without mental illness. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that positive experiences of health services and personal experience of mental illness are associated with greater willingness to share mental health data. NHS satisfaction is a potentially modifiable factor that could foster public support for increased use of NHS mental health data in research. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12694-z

Using a knowledge exchange event to assess study participants’ attitudes to research in a rapidly evolving research context

Grant information: DJP, IJD and AMM are supported by Wellcome Trust Grant 104036. IJD, DJP, JPB and AMM, IB, EJK and SFW are supported by MRC Mental Health Data Pathfinder Grant MC_PC_17209. AMM and SML are supported by MRC Grant MC_PC_MR/R01910X/1. AMM is supported by MRC Grant MR/S035818/1. Theirworld Edinburgh Birth Cohort is funded by the charity Theirworld (www.theirworld.org), and is undertaken in the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, which is funded by MRC Centre Grant (G1002033). CB and DJP are supported by Health Data Research UK, an initiative funded by UK Research and Innovation, Department of Health and Social Care (England) and the devolved administrations, and leading medical research charities.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

MQ Data Science Report to MRC on building a National Infrastructure for Mental Health Data Science in the UK

At the MQ meeting on 9th September 2019 (Edinburgh), we hosted a discussion session, where we asked participants how they would envision a National Infrastructure for Mental Health Data Science (referred to as “platform” below). Participants were advised that their collected input would be fed back to the MRC to serve as a starting point for their full consultation on this topic. Key findings ● Researchers are particularly interested in using such a platform themselves and recognise its utility to a large number of other organisations. ● The minimum useful requirement for such a platform is a searchable directory of available data with a note about access procedures. Whereas an ideal platform might contain the actual data. Our participants demonstrated a wide interest in the inclusion of different data types and research areas within such a platform. ● Participants were enthusiastic about the possibilities such a platform might enable, mentioning expansion of research topics and conducting more rigorous research. They felt the platform might enable this by maximizing data quality/usage and facilitating data access. ● Participants recognised the positive impact such a platform could have on people affected by mental illness. Patterns of responses arose around patient engagement, policy shaping, open science, and improved research quality. All these elements could help fight the stigma of mental illness in society. ● With regard to the MRC consultation, our participants recognised the need to consult with a range of organisations, including data donors, ethical boards, privacy panels and relevant charities - with an observed less enthusiastic support for political involvement (which may reflect current political circumstances). ● Our participants raised a number of concerns, which the MRC may wish to address during their consultation phase. These included long-term sustainability, governance, and ethical considerations. On a practical note, questions were raised around prioritization, practicalities on data management, platform operation and relevant training and capacity building. Lastly, the participants illustrated the need to raise public awareness of and involvement in this platform in order to ensure the successful implementation