The Northern Ireland early onset psychosis study:Phenomenology and co-morbidity in the first 25 cases

Diagnosing psychotic disorders in young people is difficult. High rates of co-morbidity may be one reason for this difficulty, but it may also be the case that current diagnostic categories are not the most useful when approaching the care of young people with psychotic symptoms. The Northern Ireland Early Onset Psychosis Study is the first study to investigate psychotic disorders in children and adolescents in this region. Young people presenting with psychotic symptoms with onset before their 18th birthday were prospectively ascertained over a three-year period (2001-2004). Those who provided informed consent were subject to a diagnostic interview using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia - Present and Lifetime Version. Twenty-five young people have completed the full assessment process to date. Ten young people met criteria for schizophrenia, 11 for affective psychosis, two for schizoaffective disorder and two for schizophreniform disorder. Twenty-one (80%) subjects also fulfilled criteria for at least one other DSM-IV diagnosis. In conclusion, whilst all subjects met criteria for one or other psychotic disorder, co-morbidity was common in this clinical sample. Greater awareness of the difficulties encountered when trying to reach a diagnosis in this age group may help to improve treatment outcomes.

Pristine Early Eocene Wood Buried Deeply in Kimberlite from Northern Canada

We report exceptional preservation of fossil wood buried deeply in a kimberlite pipe that intruded northwestern Canada's Slave Province 53.3±0.6 million years ago (Ma), revealed during excavation of diamond source rock. The wood originated from forest surrounding the eruption zone and collapsed into the diatreme before resettling in volcaniclastic kimberlite to depths >300 m, where it was mummified in a sterile environment. Anatomy of the unpermineralized wood permits conclusive identification to the genus Metasequoia (Cupressaceae). The wood yields genuine cellulose and occluded amber, both of which have been characterized spectroscopically and isotopically. From cellulose d O and d H measurements, we infer that Early Eocene paleoclimates in the western Canadian subarctic were 12-17°C warmer and four times wetter than present. Canadian kimberlites offer Lagerstätte-quality preservation of wood from a region with limited alternate sources of paleobotanical information. © 2012 Wolfe et al.

A pilot survey for Fusarium mycotoxin biomarkers in women from Golestan, northern Iran

Fusarium mycotoxins are frequent contaminants of cereals in many world regions, and are suggested risk factors for various acute and chronic human diseases. To date a lack of exposure tools has restricted epidemiological studies of the potential health effects. Recently established exposure biomarkers for deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins are now available and here a pilot biomarker survey of 110 women (aged 39 to 72 years) from Golestan, northern Iran was conducted on samples collected at one time point during August-September 2007. Urinary DON and DON-glucuronide combined were detected frequently (79/110, 72%), mean 1.3 ng DON/ml urine, range not detected (nd)-6.5 ng/ml; mean creatinine adjusted levels were 1.5 ng DON/mg creatinine, range nd-7.1 ng/mg). Neither urinary de-epoxy DON (DOM-1) and DOM-1 glucuronide combined, nor urinary fumonisin B-1 were detected. This study is the first reported biomarker based exposure assessment of DON and fumonisins in this region. Overall DON exposure at this time point appears modest compared to other world regions where data are available.

Maternal Religiosity, Family Resources and Stressors, and Parent-Child Attachment Security in Northern Ireland

This study explores the associations between mothers' religiosity, and families' and children's functioning in a stratified random sample of 695 Catholic and Protestant motherchild dyads in socially deprived areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a region which has experienced centuries of sectarian conflict between Protestant Unionists and Catholics Nationalists. Findings based on mother and child surveys indicated that even in this context of historical political violence associated with religious affiliation, mothers' religiosity played a consistently positive role, including associations with multiple indicators of better family functioning (i.e., more cohesion and behavioral control and less conflict, psychological distress, and adjustment problems) and greater parentchild attachment security. Mothers' religiosity also moderated the association between parentchild attachment security and family resources and family stressors, enhancing positive effects of cohesion and mother behavioral control on motherchild attachment security, and providing protection against risks associated with mothers' psychological distress. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for understanding the role of religiosity in serving as a protective or risk factor for children and families.

Relationship between socioeconomic deprivation or urban/rural residence and visual acuity before cataract surgery in Northern Scotland

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of socioeconomic factors on visual acuity before cataract surgery. ?Methods: The medical case notes of 240 consecutive patients listed for cataract surgery from January 1, 2010, at Grampian University Hospital, Aberdeen, were reviewed retrospectively. Patients with ocular comorbidity were excluded. Demographics, postal codes, and visual acuity were recorded. Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation was used to determine the deprivation rank. Home location was classified as urban or rural. The effect of these parameters on preoperative visual acuity was investigated using chi-square tests or Fisher exact test as appropriate. ?Results: A total of 184 patients (mean 75 years) were included. A total of 127 (69%) patients had visual acuity of 6/12 or better. An association was found between affluence and preoperative visual acuity of 6/12 or better (?2trend = 4.97, p = 0.03), with a significant rising trend across quintile of deprivation. There was no evidence to suggest association between geographical region and preoperative visual acuity (p = 0.63). ?Conclusion: Affluence was associated with good visual acuity (6/12 or better) before cataract surgery. There was no difference in preoperative visual acuity between rural and urban populations.

Application of factor analysis and geostatistics to identify processes controlling the distribution and bioaccessibility of trace elements in Northern Ireland soils

Geologic and environmental factors acting over varying spatial scales can control
trace element distribution and mobility in soils. In turn, the mobility of an element in soil will affect its oral bioaccessibility. Geostatistics, kriging and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to explore factors and spatial ranges of influence over a suite of 8 element oxides, soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, and the trace elements nickel (Ni), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). Bioaccessibility testing was carried out previously using the Unified BARGE Method on a sub-set of 91 soil samples from the Northern Ireland Tellus1 soil archive. Initial spatial mapping of total Ni, V and Zn concentrations shows their distributions are correlated spatially with local geologic formations, and prior correlation analyses showed that statistically significant controls were exerted over trace element bioaccessibility by the 8 oxides, SOC and pH. PCA applied to the geochemistry parameters of the bioaccessibility sample set yielded three principal components accounting for 77% of cumulative variance in the data
set. Geostatistical analysis of oxide, trace element, SOC and pH distributions using 6862 sample locations also identified distinct spatial ranges of influence for these variables, concluded to arise from geologic forming processes, weathering processes, and localised soil chemistry factors. Kriging was used to conduct a spatial PCA of Ni, V and Zn distributions which identified two factors comprising the majority of distribution variance. This was spatially accounted for firstly by basalt rock types, with the second component associated with sandstone and limestone in the region. The results suggest trace element bioaccessibility and distribution is controlled by chemical and geologic processes which occur over variable spatial ranges of influence.

Community asset transfer in Northern Ireland

Community Asset Transfer (CAT), introduced by the New Labour administration and strengthened by the Coalition, aims to provide local groups with the opportunity to own public sector facilities and related services. It is a contested concept, with critics seeing it as another strategy in welfare displacement and state disinvestment, while for others it offers communities an opportunity to acquire collateral and take control over services affecting their lives. This paper explores CAT in Northern Ireland and suggests that while there are important practices, the region lacks the policies, legislative framework and skills to develop it in more progressive and inclusive ways.

Trends in skin cancer knowledge, sun protection practices and behaviours in the Northern Ireland population

Background: Sun exposure increases risk of skin cancer, especially melanoma, incidence of which continues to rise. Reported skin cancer knowledge and trends in sun care behaviours are documented in a UK region where there has been 20 years of sun-related health promotion campaigns. Methods: In 2000, 2004 and 2008, a 'care in the sun' module was included in the Northern Ireland (NI) Omnibus survey. Randomly selected subjects were asked to complete a sun-related questionnaire and proportions of respondents analysed by demographic and socio-economic factors, with differences tested using z-tests and the chi-squared test. Results: Around 3623 persons responded. Skin cancer knowledge was high (97). Sun avoidance decreased with time and was lowest among younger age groups and males. Sunscreen use was high (70), unchanged over 8 years, and more likely among younger age groups, females, those in paid employment, and those with tertiary level education. Use of sunscreen with minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 (a campaign message) increased from 45 to 70 (P

A 1300-year multi-proxy, high-resolution record from a rich fen in northern Poland:Reconstructing hydrology, land use and climate change

Here we present the first high-resolution multi-proxy analysis of a rich fen in the central-eastern European lowlands. The fen is located in the young glacial landscape of the Sta{ogonek}zki river valley. We investigated the fen's development pathways, asking three main questions: (i) what was the pattern and timing of the peatland's vegetation succession, (ii) how did land use and climate affect the succession in the fen ecosystem, and (iii) to what degree does the reconstructed hydrology for this site correlate with those of other sites in the region in terms of past climate change? Several stages of fen history were determined, beginning with the lake-to-fen transition ca. AD 700. Brown mosses dominated the sampling site from this period to the present. No human impact was found to have occurred until ca. AD 1700, when the first forest cutting began. Around AD 1890 a more significant disturbance took place-this date marks the clear cutting of forests and dramatic landscape openness. Deforestation changed the hydrology and chemistry of the mire, which was revealed by a shift in local plant and testate amoebae communities. We also compared a potential climatic signal recorded in the peat profile before AD 1700 with other sites from the region. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

From survey to policy: community relations in Northern Ireland

Public policy is expected to be both responsive to societal views and accountable to all citizens. As such, policy is informed, but not governed, by public opinion. Therefore, understanding the attitudes of the public is important, both to help shape and to evaluate policy priorities. In this way, surveys play a potentially important role in the policy making process.

The aim of this paper is to explore the role of survey research in policy making in Northern Ireland, with particular reference to community relations (better known internationally as good relations). In a region which is emerging from 40 years of conflict, community relations is a key policy area.

For more than 20 years, public attitudes to community relations have been recorded and monitored using two key surveys: the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes Survey (1989 to 1996) and the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (1998 to present). This paper will illustrate how these important time series datasets have been used to both inform and evaluate government policy in relation to community relations. By using four examples, we will highlight how these survey data have provided key government indicators of community relations, as well as how they have been used by other groups (such as NGOs) within policy consultation debates. Thus, the paper will provide a worked example of the integral, and bi-directional relationship between attitude measurement and policy making.

The value of water quality improvements in the region Berlin-Brandenburg as a function of distance and state residency

This study uses a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to elicit willingness to pay estimates for changes in the water quality of three rivers. As many regions the metropolitan region Berlin-Brandenburg struggles to achieve the objectives of the Water Framework Directive until 2015. A major problem is the high load of nutrients. As the region is part of two states (Länder) and the river sections are common throughout the whole region we account for the spatial context twofold. Firstly, we incorporate the distance between each respondent and all river stretches in all MNL and RPL models, and, secondly, we consider whether respondents reside in the state of Berlin or Brandenburg. The compensating variation (CV) calculated for various scenarios shows that overall people would significantly benefit from improved water quality. The CV measures, however, also reveal that not considering the spatial context would result in severely biased welfare measures. While the distance decay effect lowers CV, state residency is connected to the frequency of status quo choices and not accounting for residency would underestimate possible welfare gains in one state. Another finding is that the extent of the market varies with respect to attributes (river stretches) and attribute levels (water quality levels).

Malthusian Dynamics in a Diverging Europe: Northern Italy, 1650–1881

Recent empirical research questions the validity of using Malthusian theory in preindustrial England. Using real wage and vital rate data for the years 1650–1881, I provide empirical estimates for a different region: Northern Italy. The empirical methodology is theoretically underpinned by a simple Malthusian model, in which population, real wages, and vital rates are determined endogenously. My findings strongly support the existence of a Malthusian economy wherein population growth decreased living standards, which in turn influenced vital rates. However, these results also demonstrate how the system is best characterized as one of weak homeostasis. Furthermore, there is no evidence of Boserupian effects given that increases in population failed to spur any sustained technological progress.

Survival for haematological malignancies in Europe between 1997 and 2008 by region and age: results of EUROCARE-5, a population-based study

Background: More effective treatments have become available for haematological malignancies from the early 2000s, but few large-scale population-based studies have investigated their effect on survival. Using EUROCARE data, and HAEMACARE morphological groupings, we aimed to estimate time trends in population-based survival for 11 lymphoid and myeloid malignancies in 20 European countries, by region and age. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we included patients (aged 15 years and older) diagnosed with haematological malignancies, diagnosed up to Dec 31, 2007, and followed up to Dec 31, 2008. We used data from the 30 cancer registries (across 20 countries) that provided continuous incidence and good quality data from 1992 to 2007. We used a hybrid approach to estimate age-standardised and age-specific 5-year relative survival, for each malignancy, overall and for five regions (UK, and northern, central, southern, and eastern Europe), and four 3-year periods (1997–99, 2000–02, 2003–05, 2006–08). For each malignancy, we also estimated the relative excess risk of death during the 5 years after diagnosis, by period, age, and region. Findings: We analysed 560 444 cases. From 1997–99 to 2006–08 survival increased for most malignancies: the largest increases were for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (42·0% [95% CI 40·7–43·4] to 55·4% [54·6–56·2], p<0·0001), follicular lymphoma (58·9% [57·3–60·6] to 74·3% [72·9–75·5], p<0·0001), chronic myeloid leukaemia (32·3% [30·6–33·9] to 54·4% [52·5–56·2], p<0·0001), and acute promyelocytic leukaemia (50·1% [43·7–56·2] to 61·9% [57·0–66·4], p=0·0038, estimate not age-standardised). Other survival increases were seen for Hodgkin's lymphoma (75·1% [74·1–76·0] to 79·3% [78·4–80·1], p<0·0001), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (66·1% [65·1–67·1] to 69·0% [68·1–69·8], p<0·0001), multiple myeloma/plasmacytoma (29·8% [29·0–30·6] to 39·6% [38·8–40·3], p<0·0001), precursor lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma (29·8% [27·7–32·0] to 41·1% [39·0–43·1], p<0·0001), acute myeloid leukaemia (excluding acute promyelocytic leukaemia, 12·6% [11·9–13·3] to 14·8% [14·2–15·4], p<0·0001), and other myeloproliferative neoplasms (excluding chronic myeloid leukaemia, 70·3% [68·7–71·8] to 74·9% [73·8–75·9], p<0·0001). Survival increased slightly in southern Europe, more in the UK, and conspicuously in northern, central, and eastern Europe. However, eastern European survival was lower than that for other regions. Survival decreased with advancing age, and increased with time only slightly in patients aged 75 years or older, although a 10% increase in survival occurred in elderly patients with follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and chronic myeloid leukaemia. Interpretation: These trends are encouraging. Widespread use of new and more effective treatment probably explains much of the increased survival. However, the persistent differences in survival across Europe suggest variations in the quality of care and availability of the new treatments. High-resolution studies that collect data about stage at diagnosis and treatments for representative samples of cases could provide further evidence of treatment effectiveness and explain geographic variations in survival.

Northern Ireland: 20 Years After the Cease-Fires

In the closing months of 1994, the principal paramilitary organizations in Northern Ireland declared that their campaigns of violence were at an end. The cease-fires called by republican and loyalist groupings represented the most significant heralds of a complex process of conflict transformation that continues to unfold even twenty years on. In this introduction, we set out to map the key developments that have shaped the tortuous narrative of the Northern Irish 'peace process', thereby providing the historical backdrop for the articles that follow. While remarkable progress has been made over the two decades since the paramilitary cease-fires, the political context and future of the region remain rather more fraught than is often assumed abroad. It is perhaps best, then, to speak of the six counties in terms not of resolution but rather of ambiguity. Twenty years on from the optimism that greeted the paramilitary cease-fires, Northern Ireland retains the essential 'inbetweenness' of a political space that has moved from a 'long war' through a 'long peace' and into a profoundly undecided future. © 2014 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Sediment changes upstream and downstream of the Altnahinch Dam in the River Bush in Northern Ireland: A preliminary study

The River Bush must reach a standard of good ecological potential (GEP) by 2015 due to the requirements of the water framework directive. The role of sediments within a water body is extremely important to all aspects of a river's regime. The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of Altnahinch Dam on sediment distribution in the River Bush (a heavily modified water body) with comparison made against the Glendun River (an unmodified water body). Samples collected from the rivers were analysed by physical (pebble count, sieve analysis) and statistical methods (ANOVA, GRADISTAT). An increase in fine sediments upstream of the dam provides evidence that the dam is impacting sediment distribution. Downstream effects are not shown to be significant. The output of this study also implies similar impacts at other drinking water storage impoundments. This research recommends that a sediment management plan be put in place for Altnahinch Dam and that further studies be carried-out concentrating on fine sediment distribution upstream of the dam.