Evolution of dementia diagnosis over time (1988-2013): Evidence from French and English cohorts. Implication for secular trends analyses.

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study are to examine the evolution of clinical dementia diagnosis over 3 decades and to investigate secular trends of dementia. METHODS: Four cohorts covering a period from 1988 to 2013 were used: the Personnes Agées Quid and Three-City-Bordeaux studies, and the Cognitive Function and Aging Study (CFAS) I and II. Mini-Mental State Examination scores at clinical diagnosis were evaluated over a 24-year follow-up period in French studies. An algorithmic approach was applied to CFAS I and II to provide dementia prevalence and incidence estimates. RESULTS: A significant increase of the Mini-Mental State Examination score at diagnosis was observed until 2000 and a significant decrease after. We reported a prevalence of 8.8% for CFAS I (1990-1993) compared with a prevalence of 6.5% in CFAS II (2008-2011). The 2-year incidence rate was estimated at 31.2/1000 (95% confidence interval = 28.0-34.8) for CFAS I and 15.0/1000 (95% confidence interval = 13.5-16.7) for CFAS II. DISCUSSION: Applying a stable algorithm to different cohorts across time can provide a robust method for time trends estimation.Includes MRC grants

COCARDE: A research platform for a new look to ancient mounds

Carbonate mounds are important contributors of life in different settings, from warm-water to cold-water environments, and throughout geological history. Research on modern carbonate mounds over the last years made a major contribution to our overall understanding of these particular sedimentary systems. By looking to the modern carbonate mound community, some fundamental questions could be addressed, until now not yet explored in fossil mound settings.The international network COCARDE (Cold-Water Carbonate Reservoir Systems in Deep Environment) is a platform for exploring new insights in cold- and warm-water carbonate mound research of recent and ancient mound systems (http://www.cocarde.eu). One aim of the COCARDE network is to bring scientific communities together, to study recent carbonate mounds in midslope environments in the present ocean, and to investigate fossil mounds spanning the whole Phanerozoic time.Scientific challenges on modern and ancient carbonate mound systems got already well defined during two dedicated workshops of the COCARDE network: 1) the ESF Magellan COCARDEWorkshop in Fribourg, Switzerland, January 21-24, 2009, and 2) the ESF MiCROSYSTEMS – FWO COCARDE Flanders – ESF CHECREEF Workshop and Field Seminar, Oviedo, Spain, September 16–20, 2009.The wide spectrum of disciplines in geosciences and biology are summarized in the following five topics for the carbonate mound research: i) Palaeoenvironment; ii) The Microbial Filter; iii) Petrophysical Characterization; iv) Connectivity and Compartmentalization – the Fluid System; v) Advancing our Insight in Phanerozoic Reef Systems– the Slope Niche. One of the most important outcomes of these meetings was the identification of the need for combined research efforts on fossil and modern carbonate settings to provide the baseline reference standard for a better understanding of these exceptional systems and their potential as hydrocarbon reservoirs

Deep-water oyster cliffs at La Chapelle Bank (Celtic Margin)

The maiden voyage of Ghent University’s ROV GENESIS on-board R/V Belgica (13-20 June 2006) has succeeded in contributing to several objectives of the EU-projects HERMES and EURODOM, as well as of the ESF Euromargins project MoundForce. After several trials in the Bay of Douarnenez, GENESIS made its first deep-water survey dives off the Banc de la Chapelle, on the Celtic margin, down to 700 m. The French canyon system near the Banc de la Chapelle offered a perfect location for rigorous trials of GENESIS: reported cold-water coral finds, rugged topography and hydrodynamics in a setting linking the shelf seas to the deep marine realm. The area was first surveyed using R/V Belgica’s multibeam echosounder, imaging deep canyons and thalweg channels between prominent spurs where corals had been reported. High resolution seismic sparker lines provided a geological context and linked in to the existing seismostratigraphy.Two successful dives revealed a sandy-muddy seabed with curious bedforms and erosion exposing consolidated sedimentary sequences, often cut by vertical cliffs up to 10m high. At the base of the cliffs, fallen blocks provided settlement sites for sessile organisms whilst the cliffs and protruding banks revealed dense communities of unidentified giant ostreidae (probably Neopycnodonte sp) forming 3D assemblage with occasional cold-water coral colonies (Lophelia pertusa). Though deep-water ‘oyster banks’ of Neopyncodonte cochlear had already been reported in the Bay of Biscay by ..Le Danois (1948) based on dredges, these dramatic seascapes had remained largely hidden to the human eye up to now

Alzheimers Dement

Introduction: The aims of this study are to examine the evolution of clinical dementia diagnosis over 3 decades and to investigate secular trends of dementia. Methods: Four cohorts covering a period from 1988 to 2013 were used: the Personnes Agees Quid and Three-City-Bordeaux studies, and the Cognitive Function and Aging Study (CFAS) I and II. Mini-Mental State Examination scores at clinical diagnosis were evaluated over a 24-year follow-up period in French studies. An algorithmic approach was applied to CFAS I and II to provide dementia prevalence and incidence estimates. Results: A significant increase of the Mini-Mental State Examination score at diagnosis was observed until 2000 and a significant decrease after. We reported a prevalence of 8.8% for CFAS I (1990-1993) compared with a prevalence of 6.5% in CFAS II (2008-2011). The 2-year incidence rate was estimated at 31.2/1000 (95% confidence interval = 28.0-34.8) for CFAS I and 15.0/1000 (95% confidence interval = 13.5-16.7) for CFAS II. Discussion: Applying a stable algorithm to different cohorts across time can provide a robust method for time trends estimation

Perinatal mortality in Ireland. Annual report 2014.

‌Perinatal mortality refers to the death of babies in the weeks before or after birth. Perinatal mortality includes stillbirths (babies born with no signs of life after 24 weeks of pregnancy or weighing at least 500 grams) and the deaths of babies within 28 days of being born. Perinatal mortality is an important indicator of the quality of obstetric and neonatal care. Measurement of the outcome of care is central to the development of safe and high quality healthcare services. In recent years, the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre (NPEC) has worked with colleagues in developing an in-depth clinical audit of perinatal mortality. Smoking and substance use - page 2

Diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid alpha-synuclein seed quantification in synucleinopathies

Several studies have confirmed the α-synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to have high sensitivity and specificity for Parkinson's disease. However, whether the assay can be used as a robust, quantitative measure to monitor disease progression, stratify different synucleinopathies and predict disease conversion in patients with idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder remains undetermined. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic value of CSF α-synuclein RT-QuIC quantitative parameters in regard to disease progression, stratification and conversion in synucleinopathies. We performed α-synuclein RT-QuIC in the CSF samples from 74 Parkinson's disease, 24 multiple system atrophy and 45 idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder patients alongside 55 healthy controls, analysing quantitative assay parameters in relation to clinical data. α-Synuclein RT-QuIC showed 89% sensitivity and 96% specificity for Parkinson's disease. There was no correlation between RT-QuIC quantitative parameters and Parkinson's disease clinical scores (e.g. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor), but RT-QuIC positivity and some quantitative parameters (e.g. Vmax) differed across the different phenotype clusters. RT-QuIC parameters also added value alongside standard clinical data in diagnosing Parkinson's disease. The sensitivity in multiple system atrophy was 75%, and CSF samples showed longer T50 and lower Vmax compared to Parkinson's disease. All RT-QuIC parameters correlated with worse clinical progression of multiple system atrophy (e.g. change in Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale). The overall sensitivity in idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder was 64%. In three of the four longitudinally followed idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder cohorts, we found around 90% sensitivity, but in one sample (DeNoPa) diagnosing idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder earlier from the community cases, this was much lower at 39%. During follow-up, 14 of 45 (31%) idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder patients converted to synucleinopathy with 9/14 (64%) of convertors showing baseline RT-QuIC positivity. In summary, our results showed that α-synuclein RT-QuIC adds value in diagnosing Parkinson's disease and may provide a way to distinguish variations within Parkinson's disease phenotype. However, the quantitative parameters did not correlate with disease severity in Parkinson's disease. The assay distinguished multiple system atrophy patients from Parkinson's disease patients and in contrast to Parkinson's disease, the quantitative parameters correlated with disease progression of multiple system atrophy. Our results also provided further evidence for α-synuclein RT-QuIC having potential as an early biomarker detecting synucleinopathy in idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder patients prior to conversion. Further analysis of longitudinally followed idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder patients is needed to better understand the relationship between α-synuclein RT-QuIC signature and the progression from prodromal to different synucleinopathies

Brexit and the work-family conflict:a Scottish perspective

This paper examines the Scottish Government’s desire to maintain ties with EU law post-Brexit in the context of employment and equality law, particularly those laws which impact on work-family conflict. The paper critically examines whether there is, or could be, a distinctly Scottish perspective in the context of work-family rights post-Brexit. The paper frames the analysis by considering the potentially gendered implications of Brexit in this context. In doing so, it examines this issue from the perspective of traditional heterosexual dual-partnered working family models. It is argued that rights for working fathers will be most vulnerable post-Brexit, with related consequences for working mothers. Consequently, the implications of Brexit in this context are primarily viewed through the lens of working fathers. The paper then critically examines the Scottish Government’s position on EU employment and equality law in the post-Brexit context