A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE IRISH ELECTORAL REGISTER AND ITS USE FOR POPULATION ESTIMATION AND SAMPLE SURVEYS. General Research Series Paper No. 130, July 1986

The Electoral Register’s prime purpose is to serve as a list of those persons in tile State who are eligible to vote in national and local elections. Apart from this function it is also used by researchers in the social sciences for other purposes, as it is tile only regularly updated list of the adult population which is readily available. In particular, it has been used as a sampling frame for social surveys and as an indicator of population levels. The accuracy of the Register is, therefore, of interest to researchers

Morality, responsibility and risk: Gay men and proximity to HIV. London

Network analysis and network theory have emerged in various strands of research on HIV. Epidemiological research has used network analysis to map and predict the course of the HIV and STI epidemics among Gay men (Doherty et al. 2005; Piqueira et al. 2004). It constitutes an advance on cruder epidemiological models of random mixing (see Keeling & Eames 2005). Social network analysis and social attachment have been important concepts in informing more recent HIV prevention interventions (see Fernandez et al. 2003; Latkin and Knowlton 2005) and have had specific applications in the case of disadvantaged communities such as injecting drug users and sex workers (Latkin et al. 2003; Rhodes et al. 2005). Moreover, network analysis has been useful in understanding social support of disadvantaged groups living with HIV such as African migrants and ethnic minority women (Hough et al. 2005; Asander et al. 2004; Sivaram et al. 2005). Considering a Gay man as part of a social network involves engaging with the social and cultural factors that shape his experience. Rather than thinking of his relationships as essentially random, we characterise them as being profoundly influenced by his social environment; an environment made up by other individuals who share common understandings and social norms. This social network is generally self-perpetuating and limited. Individuals come into contact and hence derive friends and partners from this finite network. Network analysis is especially valuable when examining a population that is highly heterogeneous and made up of individuals who enter that population as autonomous adults. Gay men are such a population being made up of socially mobile individuals deriving from a range of social, ethnic and geographical backgrounds. Social networks are central to our understanding of the dynamics of HIV risk among Gay men. The nature and density of social networks have been found to be connected to sexual risk practices and susceptibility to HIV infection in Gay men (Smith et al. 2004). Moreover, networks influence Gay men’s perceptions and understandings of the HIV epidemic (Grierson 2005). In addition, social networks may have a role in influencing an individuals’ knowledge and understandings of, and access to new technologies such as PEP (see Dodds & Hammond 2006; Korner et al. 2005). Social norms have been found to be important in influencing Gay men’s attitudes towards safer sex and risk-taking especially among groups that have been traditionally disempowered or marginalised such as young Gay men (see Amirkhanian et al. 2005a) and Black/ethnic minority Gay men (see Wilson et al. 2002; Peterson et al. 2003; Zea et al. 2005). Finally social network analysis has been useful in describing social support for Gay men living with HIV and their carers (Shippy et al. 2003; White and Cant 2003; Cant 2004; Zea et al. 2005). A range of HIV prevention interventions have been based around social networks and innovation diffusion theory (see Amirkhanian et al. 2005a). Such interventions would seem to have most salience with disadvantaged groups of Gay and Bisexual men and have achieved some success (see Amirkhanian et al. 2005b). Other authors point out the limitations of network interventions in reaching men at relatively low risk or stress limitations in their efficacy over time (see Martin et al. 2003). Findings from the 2003 Gay Men’s Sex Survey (GMSS) highlight the importance of proximity to HIV. That is, men in certain social and cultural networks had limited experience of HIV in their social network and these men tended to have greater HIV prevention need (see Reid et al. 2004). GMSS 2003 established a range of indicators to measure personal and social proximity to the epidemic. These included: • Having tested for HIV. • Not having tested positive, but believing you are or could be infected. • Being in or having had a sero-discordant relationship. • Personally knowing someone with HIV. At the population level proximity to HIV was mediated by a range of demographic factors. • Area of residence: Men resident in London had greater proximity than men resident elsewhere, although men with low proximity to HIV were present in every city and town and in every area of the UK. • Age: Men in their 30's and 40's had greater proximity than either older or younger men. • Ethnicity: Black men and White men of ethnicities other than British had greater proximity than men in other ethnic groups. • Education: Better educated men had greater proximity (even though less well educated men were more likely to have HIV). • Income: Men in higher income brackets had greater proximity than men in lower income brackets. • Gender of sexual partners: Exclusively homosexually active men had greater proximity to HIV than men who were behaviourally bisexual. • Numbers of male partners: Men with greater numbers of partners had greater proximity than men with fewer partners. While these differences are important it is essential to note that they denote difference at the population level. In fact, there are men with low proximity to HIV in every city and town in the UK (including London); in every age group and ethnic group; with every level of formal education and at every income level; and with a range of sexual identities and sexual practices. These population differences in proximity to HIV present an interesting health promotion dilemma. Those men with greatest proximity have less unmet needs but are more likely to be involved in HIV exposure. Those with less proximity have the greatest unmet need and will therefore be vulnerable if they do come into contact with HIV (either knowingly or unknowingly) but they are probably less likely to do so. In response, the original research recommends “a diverse portfolio of interventions that are encountered by men with a wide variety of relationships to HIV” (Reid et al. 2004). The study presented in this report is in response to these findings. That is, a qualitative examination of social proximity to the epidemic among Gay men. However, we must start with a caveat. Neither GMSS nor this study measures actual proximity to HIV, that is the numbers of social and sexual contacts an individual has who are actually HIV positive, or the percentages of a social network who are actually positive. Rather, GMSS sets up a range of proxy markers to indicate proximity (such as testing history, beliefs about one’s own status and beliefs about the HIV status of social and sexual partners). Likewise, this study measures perceptions of proximity to the epidemic rather than actual proximity (to study actual proximity would require an ambitious network analysis where we recruited all the social and sexual contacts of respondents and asked them about their actual or known HIV status). Studying men’s perceptions of their proximity to the epidemic allows us to examine the ways in which men’s perceptions of their social surroundings influence how they experience and negotiate sexual risk. Moreover, an individual’s perception of the world around him influences the types of information and messages he is likely to notice. The purpose of this study is to inform the nature of interventions targeting men based on their perceived proximity to the epidemic. We will do so by exploring how their perceptions of proximity influence management of HIV-related sexual risk among men who assume or know themselves to be HIV negative

Long-term weight maintenance and cardiovascular risk factors are not different following weight loss on carbohydrate-restricted diets high in either monounsaturated fat or protein in obese hyperinsulinaemic men and women

The aim of this study was to determine after 52 weeks whether advice to follow a lower carbohydrate diet, either high in monounsaturated fat or low fat, high in protein had differential effects in a free-living community setting. Following weight loss on either a high monounsaturated fat, standard protein (HMF; 50 % fat, 20 % protein (67 g/d), 30 % carbohydrate) or a high protein, moderate fat (HP) (40 % protein (136 g/d), 30 % fat, 30 % carbohydrate) energy-restricted diet (6000 kJ/d) subjects were asked to maintain the same dietary pattern without intensive dietary counselling for the following 36 weeks. Overall weight loss was 6·2 (sd 7·3) kg (P < 0·01 for time with no diet effect, 7·6 (sd 8·1) kg, HMF v. 4·8 (sd 6·6) kg, HP). In a multivariate regression model predictors of weight loss at the end of the study were sex, age and reported percentage energy from protein (R2 0·22, P < 0·05 for the whole model). Fasting plasma insulin decreased (P < 0·01, with no difference between diets), 13·9 (sd 4·6) to 10·2 (sd 5·2) mIU/l, but fasting plasma glucose was not reduced. Neither total cholesterol nor LDL-cholesterol were different but HDL was higher, 1·19 (sd 0·26) v. 1·04 (sd 0·29) (P < 0·001 for time, no diet effect), while TAG was lower, 1·87 (sd 1·23) v. 2·22 (sd 1·15) mmol/l (P < 0·05 for time, no diet effect). C-reactive protein decreased (3·97 (sd 2·84) to 2·43 (sd 2·29) mg/l, P < 0·01). Food records showed that compliance to the prescribed dietary patterns was poor. After 1 year there remained a clinically significant weight loss and improvement in cardiovascular risk factors with no adverse effects of a high monounsaturated fat diet.Jennifer B. Keogh, Natalie D. Luscombe-Marsh, Manny Noakes, Gary A. Wittert and Peter M. Clifto

Effect of Training Phase on Physical and Physiological Parameters of Male Powerlifters

Longitudinal research on training and dietary practices of natural powerlifters is limited. This study investigated the effect of phases of training on physical and physiological parameters in male natural powerlifters. Nine participants completed testing at two time points: (i) preparatory phase (~3 months prior to a major competition) and (ii) competition phase (1–2 weeks from a major competition). No significant changes between training phases were found for muscle strength and power. A trend for significance was found for decreased muscle endurance of the lower body (−24.4%, p = 0.08). A significant increase in leg lean mass was found at the competition phase (2.3%, p = 0.04), although no changes for other body composition measures were observed. No change was observed for any health marker except a trend for increased urinary creatinine clearance at the competition phase (12.5%, p = 0.08). A significant reduction in training volume for the lower body (−75.0%, p = 0.04) and a trend for a decrease in total energy intake (−17.0%, p = 0.06) was observed during the competition phase. Despite modifications in training and dietary practices, it appears that muscle performance, body composition, and health status remain relatively stable between training phases in male natural powerlifters

Association of Pulmonary Hemorrhage, Positive Proteinase 3, and Urinary Red Blood Cell Casts With Venous Thromboembolism in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis

Objective To assess the frequency of venous thromboembolism (VTE) events in the Rituximab in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA)-Associated Vasculitis (RAVE) trial and identify novel potential risk factors. Methods VTE events in 197 patients enrolled in the RAVE trial were analyzed. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with VTE in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Results VTE occurred in 16 patients (8.1%) with an overall average time to event of 1.5 months (range 1.0-2.75). In univariate analyses with calculation of hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), heart involvement (HR 17.408 [95% CI 2.247-134.842]; P = 0.006), positive proteinase 3 (PR3)-ANCA (HR 7.731 [95% CI 1.021-58.545]; P = 0.048), pulmonary hemorrhage (HR 3.889 [95% CI 1.448-10.448]; P = 0.008), and the presence of red blood cell casts (HR 15.617 [95% CI 3.491-69.854]; P <0.001) were associated with the onset of VTE. In multivariate models adjusted for age and sex, the significant associations between VTE events and heart involvement (HR 21.836 [95% CI 2.566-185.805]; P = 0.005), PR3-ANCA (HR 9.12 [95% CI 1.158-71.839]; P = 0.036), pulmonary hemorrhage (HR 3.91 [95% CI 1.453-10.522]; P = 0.007), and urinary red blood cell casts (HR 16.455 [95% CI 3.607-75.075]; P <0.001) remained. Conclusion Patients diagnosed as having AAV with pulmonary hemorrhage, positive PR3-ANCA, heart involvement, and the presence of red blood cell casts are at an increased risk to develop VTE. Further studies are needed to confirm and expand these findings and to explore the mechanisms of hypercoagulability in these patients with the aim of informing potential targets for therapeutic intervention

Human BDNF/TrkB variants impair hippocampal synaptogenesis and associate with neurobehavioural abnormalities

Abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signals through its high affinity receptor Tropomyosin receptor kinase-B (TrkB) to regulate neuronal development, synapse formation and plasticity. In rodents, genetic disruption of Bdnf and TrkB leads to weight gain and a spectrum of neurobehavioural phenotypes. Here, we functionally characterised a de novo missense variant in BDNF and seven rare variants in TrkB identified in a large cohort of people with severe, childhood-onset obesity. In cells, the E183K BDNF variant resulted in impaired processing and secretion of the mature peptide. Multiple variants in the kinase domain and one variant in the extracellular domain of TrkB led to a loss of function through multiple signalling pathways, impaired neurite outgrowth and dominantly inhibited glutamatergic synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons. BDNF/TrkB variant carriers exhibited learning difficulties, impaired memory, hyperactivity, stereotyped and sometimes, maladaptive behaviours. In conclusion, human loss of function BDNF/TrkB variants that impair hippocampal synaptogenesis may contribute to a spectrum of neurobehavioural disorders

Human BDNF/TrkB variants impair hippocampal synaptogenesis and associate with neurobehavioural abnormalities

Abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signals through its high affinity receptor Tropomyosin receptor kinase-B (TrkB) to regulate neuronal development, synapse formation and plasticity. In rodents, genetic disruption of Bdnf and TrkB leads to weight gain and a spectrum of neurobehavioural phenotypes. Here, we functionally characterised a de novo missense variant in BDNF and seven rare variants in TrkB identified in a large cohort of people with severe, childhood-onset obesity. In cells, the E183K BDNF variant resulted in impaired processing and secretion of the mature peptide. Multiple variants in the kinase domain and one variant in the extracellular domain of TrkB led to a loss of function through multiple signalling pathways, impaired neurite outgrowth and dominantly inhibited glutamatergic synaptogenesis in hippocampal neurons. BDNF/TrkB variant carriers exhibited learning difficulties, impaired memory, hyperactivity, stereotyped and sometimes, maladaptive behaviours. In conclusion, human loss of function BDNF/TrkB variants that impair hippocampal synaptogenesis may contribute to a spectrum of neurobehavioural disorders

Measured and Simulated Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Ryegrass- and Ryegrass/White Clover-Based Grasslands in a Moist Temperate Climate

There is uncertainty about the potential reduction of soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission when fertilizer nitrogen (FN) is partially or completely replaced by biological N fixation (BNF) in temperate grassland. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the changes in N2O emissions when BNF is used to replace FN in permanent grassland, and 2) evaluate the applicability of the process-based model DNDC to simulate N2O emissions from Irish grasslands. Three grazing treatments were: (i) ryegrass (Lolium perenne) grasslands receiving 226 kg FN ha−1 yr−1 (GG+FN), (ii) ryegrass/white clover (Trifolium repens) grasslands receiving 58 kg FN ha−1 yr−1 (GWC+FN) applied in spring, and (iii) ryegrass/white clover grasslands receiving no FN (GWC-FN). Two background treatments, un-grazed swards with ryegrass only (G–B) or ryegrass/white clover (WC–B), did not receive slurry or FN and the herbage was harvested by mowing. There was no significant difference in annual N2O emissions between G–B (2.38±0.12 kg N ha−1 yr−1 (mean±SE)) and WC-B (2.45±0.85 kg N ha−1 yr−1), indicating that N2O emission due to BNF itself and clover residual decomposition from permanent ryegrass/clover grassland was negligible. N2O emissions were 7.82±1.67, 6.35±1.14 and 6.54±1.70 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively, from GG+FN, GWC+FN and GWC-FN. N2O fluxes simulated by DNDC agreed well with the measured values with significant correlation between simulated and measured daily fluxes for the three grazing treatments, but the simulation did not agree very well for the background treatments. DNDC overestimated annual emission by 61% for GG+FN, and underestimated by 45% for GWC-FN, but simulated very well for GWC+FN. Both the measured and simulated results supported that there was a clear reduction of N2O emissions when FN was replaced by BNF

Heterochromatic Genome Stability Requires Regulators of Histone H3 K9 Methylation

Heterochromatin contains many repetitive DNA elements and few protein-encoding genes, yet it is essential for chromosome organization and inheritance. Here, we show that Drosophila that lack the Su(var)3-9 H3K9 methyltransferase display significantly elevated frequencies of spontaneous DNA damage in heterochromatin, in both somatic and germ-line cells. Accumulated DNA damage in these mutants correlates with chromosomal defects, such as translocations and loss of heterozygosity. DNA repair and mitotic checkpoints are also activated in mutant animals and are required for their viability. Similar effects of lower magnitude were observed in animals that lack the RNA interference pathway component Dcr2. These results suggest that the H3K9 methylation and RNAi pathways ensure heterochromatin stability