Blood-Based Protein Changes in Childhood Are Associated With increased risk for later psychotic disorder: evidence from a nested case–control study of the ALSPAC Longitudinal Birth Cohort

The identification of early biological changes associated with the psychotic disorder (PD) is important as it may provide clues to the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. We undertook the first proteomic profiling of blood plasma samples of children who later develop a PD. Participants were recruited from the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort who also participated in psychiatric assessment interviews at age 18. Protein expression levels at age 11 were compared between individuals who developed PD at age 18 (n = 37) with population-based age-matched controls (n = 38). Sixty out of 181 plasma proteins profiled were found to be differentially expressed (P < .05) in children with an outcome of the PD. Thirty-four of these proteins were found to be differentially expressed following correction for multiple comparisons. Pathway analysis implicated the complement and coagulation cascade. A second, targeted proteomic approach was used to verify these findings in age 11 plasma from subjects who reported psychotic experiences at age 18 (n = 40) in comparison to age-matched controls (n = 66). Our findings indicate that the complement and coagulation system is dysregulated in the blood during childhood before the development of the PD

Irish Roma: a literature review

It is estimated that the Roma are the largest ethnic minority population in Europe (HSE in Roma Intercultural Guide, 2020). There is a dearth of information in the Irish medical literature on the Roma in Ireland. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Roma in Ireland, to identify Roma-specifc culture, family structure, paediatric illness, and health equality within the context of the Irish population. To do this, a review was completed of the English language literature on Roma available from 2010 to 2021 using web of science databases. Relevant clinicians and organisations were contacted to compile data on the Irish Roma to inform appropriate action in Roma child health. Up until 2021, the national census in Ireland did not include Roma as a category in ethnicity (HSE in Roma Intercultural Guide, 2020). As such, it is difficult to get an accurate number of the population in Ireland. Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre in 2009 estimated a population of approximately 5000 (National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy in Justice.ie, 2017). The majority of the Roma in Ireland are Romanian (National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy in Justice.ie, 2017). There is limited understanding of their culture in Ireland (National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy in Justice.ie, 2017). Often overlooked, small indigenous groups or nomadic races have unmet medical needs (National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy in Justice. ie, 2017). Across Europe, they have a lower life expectancy and higher burden of illness due to lower socioeconomic status, discrimination, and poor access to health services (National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy in Justice.ie, 2017). Cultural competence is necessary to provide effective healthcare.</p

Digital tools to support the maintenance of physical activity in people with long-term conditions: A scoping review

Objective: This scoping review aimed to bring together and identify digital tools that support people with one or more long-term conditions to maintain physical activity and describe their components and theoretical underpinnings. Methods: Searches were conducted in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, EMBASE, IEEE Xplore, PsycINFO, Scopus, Google Scholar and clinical trial databases, for studies published between 2009 and 2019, across a range of long-term conditions. Screening and data extraction was undertaken by two independent reviewers and the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews guidelines informed the review's conduct and reporting. Results: A total of 38 results were identified from 34 studies, with the majority randomised controlled trials or protocols, with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity the most common long-term conditions. Comorbidities were reported in >50% of studies but did not clearly inform intervention development. Most digital tools were web-browser-based ± wearables/trackers, telerehabilitation tools or gaming devices/components. Mobile device applications and combination short message service/activity trackers/wearables were also identified. Most interventions were supported by a facilitator, often for goal setting/feedback and/or monitoring. Physical activity maintenance outcomes were mostly reported at 9 months or 3 months post-intervention, while theoretical underpinnings were commonly social cognitive theory, the transtheoretical model and the theory of planned behaviour. Conclusions: This review mapped the literature on a wide range of digital tools and long-term conditions. It identified the increasing use of digital tools, in combination with human support, to help people with long-term conditions, to maintain physical activity, commonly for under a year post-intervention. Clear gaps were the lack of digital tools for multimorbid long-term conditions, longer-term follow-ups, understanding participant's experiences and informs future questions around effectiveness

Exploring the Links between Diet and Health in an Irish Cohort: A Lipidomic Approach

Epidemiology and clinical studies provide clear evidence of the complex links between diet and health. To understand these links, reliable dietary assessment methods are pivotal. Biomarkers have emerged as more objective measures of intake compared with traditional dietary assessment methods. However, there are only a limited number of putative biomarkers of intake successfully identified and validated. The use of biomarkers that reflect food intake to examine diet related diseases represents the next step in biomarker research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to (1) identify and confirm biomarkers associated with dietary fat intake and (2) examine the relationship between those biomarkers with health parameters. Heatmap analysis identified a panel of 22 lipid biomarkers associated with total dietary fat intake in the Metabolic Challenge (MECHE) Study. Confirmation of four of these biomarkers demonstrated responsiveness to different levels of fat intake in a separate intervention study (NutriTech study). Linear regression identified a significant relationship between the panel of dietary fat biomarkers and HOMA-IR, with three lipid biomarkers (C16, PCaaC36:2, and PCae36:4) demonstrating significant associations. Identifying such links allows us to explore the relationship between diet and health to determine whether these biomarkers can be modulated through diet to improve health outcomes.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marin

Digital tools to support the maintenance of physical activity in people with long-term conditions: A scoping review

ObjectiveThis scoping review aimed to bring together and identify digital tools that support people with one or more long-term conditions to maintain physical activity and describe their components and theoretical underpinnings.MethodsSearches were conducted in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, EMBASE, IEEE Xplore, PsycINFO, Scopus, Google Scholar and clinical trial databases, for studies published between 2009 and 2019, across a range of long-term conditions. Screening and data extraction was undertaken by two independent reviewers and the Preferred Reporting Items for Scoping Reviews guidelines informed the review&#39;s conduct and reporting.ResultsA total of 38 results were identified from 34 studies, with the majority randomised controlled trials or protocols, with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity the most common long-term conditions. Comorbidities were reported in &amp;gt;50% of studies but did not clearly inform intervention development. Most digital tools were web-browser-based &plusmn; wearables/trackers, telerehabilitation tools or gaming devices/components. Mobile device applications and combination short message service/activity trackers/wearables were also identified. Most interventions were supported by a facilitator, often for goal setting/feedback and/or monitoring. Physical activity maintenance outcomes were mostly reported at 9 months or 3 months post-intervention, while theoretical underpinnings were commonly social cognitive theory, the transtheoretical model and the theory of planned behaviour.ConclusionsThis review mapped the literature on a wide range of digital tools and long-term conditions. It identified the increasing use of digital tools, in combination with human support, to help people with long-term conditions, to maintain physical activity, commonly for under a year post-intervention. Clear gaps were the lack of digital tools for multimorbid long-term conditions, longer-term follow-ups, understanding participant&#39;s experiences and informs future questions around effectiveness.</span