Individual factors and perceived community characteristics in relation to mental health and mental well-being

Background
It has been argued that though correlated with mental health, mental well-being is a distinct entity. Despite the wealth of literature on mental health, less is known about mental well-being. Mental health is something experienced by individuals, whereas mental well-being can be assessed at the population level. Accordingly it is important to differentiate the individual and population level factors (environmental and social) that could be associated with mental health and well-being, and as people living in deprived areas have a higher prevalence of poor mental health, these relationships should be compared across different levels of neighbourhood deprivation.

Methods
A cross-sectional representative random sample of 1,209 adults from 62 Super Output Areas (SOAs) in Belfast, Northern Ireland (Feb 2010 – Jan 2011) were recruited in the PARC Study. Interview-administered questionnaires recorded data on socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviours, individual social capital, self-rated health, mental health (SF-8) and mental well-being (WEMWBS). Multi-variable linear regression analyses, with inclusion of clustering by SOAs, were used to explore the associations between individual and perceived community characteristics and mental health and mental well-being, and to investigate how these associations differed by the level of neighbourhood deprivation.

Results
Thirty-eight and 30 % of variability in the measures of mental well-being and mental health, respectively, could be explained by individual factors and the perceived community characteristics. In the total sample and stratified by neighbourhood deprivation, age, marital status and self-rated health were associated with both mental health and well-being, with the ‘social connections’ and local area satisfaction elements of social capital also emerging as explanatory variables. An increase of +1 in EQ-5D-3 L was associated with +1SD of the population mean in both mental health and well-being. Similarly, a change from ‘very dissatisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’ for local area satisfaction would result in +8.75 for mental well-being, but only in the more affluent of areas.

Conclusions
Self-rated health was associated with both mental health and mental well-being. Of the individual social capital explanatory variables, ‘social connections’ was more important for mental well-being. Although similarities in the explanatory variables of mental health and mental well-being exist, socio-ecological interventions designed to improve them may not have equivalent impacts in rich and poor neighbourhoods.

Progress and the Lack of Progress in Addressing Infant Health and Infant Health Inequalities in Ireland during the 20th Century

There is a growing literature which documents the importance of early life environment for outcomes across the life cycle. Research, including studies based on Irish data, demonstrates that those who experience better childhood conditions go on to be wealthier and healthier adults. Therefore, inequalities at birth and in childhood shape inequality in wellbeing in later life, and the historical evolution of the mortality and morbidity of children born in Ireland is important for understanding the current status of the Irish population. In this paper, I describe these patterns by reviewing the existing literature on infant health in Ireland over the course of the 20th century. Up to the 1950s, infant mortality in Ireland (both North and South) was substantially higher than in other developed countries, with a large penalty for those born in urban areas. The subsequent reduction in this penalty, and the sustained decline in infant death rates, occurred later than would be expected from the experience in other contexts. Using records from the Rotunda Lying-in Hospital in Dublin, I discuss sources of disparities in stillbirth in the early 1900s. Despite impressive improvements in death rates since that time, a comparison with those born at the end of the century reveals that Irish children continue to be born unequal. Evidence from studies which track people across the life course, for example research on the returns to birthweight, suggests that the economic cost of this early life inequality is substantial.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in foods: current evidence and potential consequences

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the cause of Johne's disease in cattle, sheep and goats, may have a role in Crohn's disease in humans. Animals with Johne's disease shed viable MAP in their milk and faeces. The organism is also widely disseminated in the blood and tissues of infected animals. Consequently, transmission to humans via consumption of animal-derived foods is a distinct possibility. Milk, other dairy products, beef and water have been identified as possible food vehicles of transmission. To date, viable MAP has been cultured from raw cows', sheep and goats' milk, retail pasteurized cows' milk, and some retail cheeses in several countries during recent studies. MAP has not been isolated from retail beef to date, although limited testing has been carried out. The public health consequences, if any, of low numbers of viable MAP being periodically consumed by susceptible individuals are uncertain. An association between MAP and Crohn's disease is not proven, but neither can it be discounted on the basis of current evidence. A precautionary approach is therefore warranted in relation to the existence of MAP in food, and action is needed to reduce the prevalence of Johne's disease in the cattle population worldwide, in order to minimize public exposure to this potential human pathogen.

Self-reported quality of life of 8-12 year old children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional European Study

Background

Little is known about the quality of life (QoL) of disabled children. We describe self-reported QoL of children with cerebral palsy, factors that influence it, and how it compares with QoL of the general population.

Methods

1174 children aged 8–12 years were randomly selected from eight population-based registers of children with cerebral palsy in six European countries and 743 (63%) agreed to participate; one further region recruited 75 children from multiple sources. Researchers visited these 818 children. 318 (39%) with severe intellectual impairment could not self-report; 500 (61%) reported their QoL using KIDSCREEN, an instrument with scores in ten domains, each with SD=10. Multivariable regression was used to relate QoL to impairments, pain, and sociodemographic characteristics. Comparisons were made with QoL data from the general population.

Findings

Impairments were not significantly associated with six KIDSCREEN domains. Comparison of least and most able groups showed that severely limited self-mobility was significantly associated with reduced mean score for physical wellbeing (7·6, 95% CI 2·7–12·4); intellectual impairment with reduced mean for moods and emotions (3·7, 1·5–5·9) and autonomy (3·3, 0·9–5·7); and speech difficulties with reduced mean for relationships with parents (4·5, 1·9–7·1). Pain was common and associated with lower QoL on all domains. Impairments and pain explained up to 3% and 7%, respectively, of variation in QoL. Children with cerebral palsy had similar QoL to children in the general population in all domains except schooling, in which evidence was equivocal, and physical wellbeing, in which comparison was not possible.

Interpretation

Parents can be reassured that most children aged 8–12 years with cerebral palsy will have similar QoL to other children. This finding should guide social and educational policy to ensure that disabled children participate fully in society. Because of its association with QoL, children's pain should be carefully assessed.

Restricted gene flow in fragmented populations of a wind-pollinated tree

Fragmentation of natural populations can have negative effects at the genetic level, thus threatening their evolutionary potential. Many of the negative genetic impacts of population fragmentation can be ameliorated by gene flow and it has been suggested that in wind-pollinated tree species, high or even increased levels of gene flow are a feature of fragmented populations, although several studies have disputed this. We have used a combination of nuclear microsatellites and allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) analysis of chloroplast single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to examine the levels and patterns of genetic diversity and population differentiation in fragmented populations of juniper (Juniperus communis) in Ireland and inform conservation programs for the species. Significant population differentiation was found for both chloroplast and nuclear markers, indicating restricted gene flow, particularly over larger geographic scales. For conservation purposes, the existence of genetically distinct clusters and geographically localised chloroplast haplotypes suggests that the concept of provenance should be taken into account when formulating augmentation or reintroduction strategies. Furthermore, the potential lack of seed dispersal and seedling establishment means that ex-situ approaches to seed and seedling management may have to be considered.

Lateralized behaviour in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus

Lateralized behaviour in the felids has been subject to little investigation. We examined the paw use of 42 domestic cats on three tasks designed to determine whether the animals performed asymmetrical motor behaviour. The influence of the cats' sex and age on their paw preferences was also explored. The distribution of the cats' paw preferences differed significantly between the three tasks. Task 1, the most complex exercise involving retrieval of a food treat from an empty jar, encouraged the most apparent display of lateralized behaviour, with all but one animal showing a strong preference to use either their left or right paw consistently. Tasks 2 (an exercise involving reaching for a toy suspended overhead) and 3 (a challenge involving reaching for a toy moving along the ground) encouraged ambilateral motor performance. Lateralized behaviour was strongly sex related. Male and female cats showed paw preferences at the level of the population, but in opposite directions. Females had a greater preference for using their right paw; males were more inclined to adopt their left paw. Feline age was unrelated to either strength or direction of preferred paw use. Overall, the findings suggest that there are two distinct populations of paw preference in the cat that cluster strongly around the animals' sex. The results also point to a relationship between lateralized behaviour and task complexity. More apparent patterns of lateralized behaviour were evident on more complex manipulatory tasks, hinting at functional brain specialization in this species. © 2009 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Increasing incidence of Barrett's oesophagus: a population-based study

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma, a highly fatal cancer, has risen in incidence in Western societies, but it is unclear whether this is due to increasing incidence of its pre-cursor condition, Barrett's oesophagus (BO) or whether the proportion of BO patients undergoing malignant progression has increased in the face of unchanged BO incidence. Data from population-based studies of BO incidence is limited, with equivocal results to date difficult to distinguish from changes in endoscopic practices. The aim of this study was to assess population trends in Barrett's oesophagus (BO) diagnoses in relation to endoscopy and biopsy rates over a 13 year period. The Northern Ireland Barrett's oesophagus Register (NIBR) is a population-based register of all 9,329 adults diagnosed with columnar epithelium of the oesophagus in Northern Ireland between 1993 and 2005, of whom 58.3% were male. European age-standardised annual BO incidence rates were calculated per 100,000 of the population, per 100 endoscopies and per 100 endoscopies including an oesophageal biopsy. Average annual BO incidence rates rose by 159% during the study period, increasing from 23.9/100,000 during 1993-1997 to 62.0/100,000 during 2002-2005. This elevation far exceeded corresponding increases in rates of endoscopies and oesophageal biopsies being conducted. BO incidence increased most markedly in individuals aged <60 years, and most notably amongst males aged <40 years. This study points towards a true increase in the incidence of BO which would appear to be most marked in young males. These findings have significant implications for future rates of oesophageal adenocarcinoma and surveillance programmes. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Reproductive Patterns and Tidal Effects on Spat Settlement of Mytilus Edulis Populations in Dundrum Bay, Northern Ireland

The gametogenic and spat settlement patterns of two Mytihis edulis beds were studied in Dundrum Inner Bay, Northern Ireland. There was evidence of gonad development throughout the year with the main development period between November and March. Spawning was protracted, lasting from May to November. Slight inter-annual and inter-population differences in the riming of the phases were observed but the cycles at both beds were broadly similar to each other and to those of other British and Irish sites. Settlement occurred throughout the year and there was evidence of both primary and secondary spat settlement at both sites. Although the reproductive cycles were similar, distinct seasonal and inter-site differences in spatfall were apparent. At the Downshire Bridge bed, settlement peaked during summer and was dominated by spat in the 0•;5-1•0 mm size range. At Ballykinler, settlement levels were highest in the winter months and larger (>1 mm) spat dominated the samples. The orientation of spat collection pads also significantly affected numbers of the larger (>1 mm) spat. Collectors facing the flood tide attracted significantly more secondary settlers than ebb-facing collectors. This effect varied seasonally and was greater at the Ballykinler bed. It is suggested that hydrodynamic regimes may be an important factor in the differences in settlement patterns of M. edulis.

Mitochondrial DNA haplotype analysis of liver fluke in bison from Bialowieza Primaeval Forest indicates domestic cattle as the likely source of infection

We have determined the mitochondrial genotype of liver fluke present in Bison (Bison bonasus) from the herd maintained in the Bialowieza National Park in order to determine the origin of the infection. Our results demonstrated that the infrapopulations present in the bison were genetically diverse and were likely to have been derived from the population present in local cattle. From a consideration of the genetic structure of the liver fluke infrapopulations we conclude that the provision of hay at feeding stations may be implicated in the transmission of this parasite to the bison. This information may be of relevance to the successful management of the herd. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis of the genus Orestias (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae) in the southern Chilean Altiplano: The relevance of ancient and recent divergence processes in speciation

This study presents phylogenetic molecular data of the Chilean species of Orestias to propose an allopatric divergence hypothesis and phylogeographic evidence that suggests the relevance of abiotic factors in promoting population divergence in this complex. The results reveal that diversification is still ongoing, e.g. in the Ascotán salt pan, where populations of Orestias ascotanensis restricted to individual freshwater springs exhibit strong genetic differentiation, reflecting putative independent evolutionary units. Diversification of Orestias in the southern Altiplano may be linked to historical vicariant events and contemporary variation in water level; these processes may have affected the populations from the Plio-Pleistocene until the present.

Dynamical characteristics of solitary waves, shocks and envelope modes in kappa-distributed non-thermal plasmas: an overview

Space plasmas provide abundant evidence of highly energetic particle population, resulting in a long-tailed non-Maxwellian distribution. Furthermore, the first stages in the evolution of plasmas produced during laser-matter interaction are dominated by nonthermal electrons, as confirmed by experimental observation and computer simulations. This phenomenon is efficiently modelled via a kappa-type distribution. We present an overview, from first principles, of the effect of superthermality on the characteristics of electrostatic plasma waves. We rely on a fluid model for ion-acoustic excitations, employing a kappa distribution function to model excess superthermality of the electron distribution. Focusing on nonlinear excitations (solitons), in the form of solitary waves (pulses), shocks and envelope solitons, and employing standard methodological tools of nonlinear plasmadynamical analysis, we discuss the role of excess superthermality in their propagation dynamics (existence laws, stability profile), geometric characteristics and stability. Numerical simulations are employed to confirm theoretical predictions, namely in terms of the stability of electrostatic pulses, as well as the modulational stability profile of bright- and dark-type envelope solitons.

Estimation of contribution of changes in classic risk factors to trends in coronary-event rates across the WHO MONICA Project populations

Background. From the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, the WHO MONICA Project monitored coronary events and classic risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in 38 populations from 21 countries. We assessed the extent to which changes in these risk factors explain the variation in the trends in coronary-event rates, across the populations. Methods. In men and women aged 35-64 years, non-fatal myocardial infarction and coronary deaths were registered continuously to assess trends in rates of coronary events. We carried out population surveys to estimate trends in risk factors. Trends in event rates were regressed on trends in risk score and in individual risk factors. Findings. Smoking rates decreased in most male populations but trends were mixed in women; mean blood pressures and cholesterol concentrations decreased, body-mass index increased, and overall risk scores and coronary-event rates decreased. The model of trends in 10-year coronary-event rates against risk scores and single risk factors showed a poor fit, but this was improved with a 4-year time lag for coronary events. The explanatory power of the analyses was limited by imprecision of the estimates and homogeneity of trends in the study populations. Interpretation. Changes in the classic risk factors seem to partly explain the variation in population trends in CHD. Residual variance is attributable to difficulties in measurement and analysis, including time lag, and to factors that were not included, such as medical interventions. The results support prevention policies based on the classic risk factors but suggest potential for prevention beyond these.