Preparation of sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) specimens for histological studies

Phlebotominae sand fly specimens were prepared for histological and physiological studies. Different fixatives were tested on sectioned and whole bodied adult females in order to obtain good fixation and provide satisfactory penetration of the embedding media. All fixed specimens were infiltrated (up to seven days under 5ºC) and embedded in hydroxyethyl metacrylate. Two-three µm sections were stained, mounted in Canada balsam and observed by light microscopy. Best results were achieved when whole bodied insects were double fixed in Bouin's and Carnoy's fluids (4 h/2 h) and stained in Hematoxilin/Eosin or fixed in calcium formaldehyde and stained in mercury bromophenol blue.

North Down & Ards AMH

AMH, founded in 1963, one of the largest regional voluntary sector organization in NI, has provided a range of services for people with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities. AMH Ards offers a range of person centred activities eg training in IT, administration, catering, literacy and numeracy, crafts etc. They have completed 2 Level 2 applications. This Level 3 application will endeavor to build on the success of the second project, encouraging and building capacity for people to identify their own health needs, enable them to benefit from a range of support services, including pharmacy available to them. In addition, it will continue to educate and involve pharmacists in the road to mental health recovery. 4 programmes (7 weeks long ï¿_ 3 with the pharmacist) will be delivered each year (2 at each of the centers in Ards and Bangor). This more formal programme will be supplemented by ongoing support, staff training (2 sessions) and 4 informal drop in sessions and more general health events. At all of these sessions, the pharmacists will either lead on or attend.

Analysis of need in relation to 'one stop shop' services for young people in Northern Ireland

An analysis of need for 'one stop shop'; drop-in support services in relation to alcohol and drug misuse, undertaken by the PHA for the Health Development Policy Branch of the DHSSPS.

Angiostrongylus costaricensis and experimental infection of Sarasinula marginata II: elimination routes

Angiostrongylus costaricensis intermediate hosts are terrestrial mollusks mostly belonging to the Veronicellidae family. In the present investigation we focused on the mechanisms of larval expulsion from Sarasinula marginata infected with A. costaricensis. Twenty-five mollusks were individually infected with 5000 L1 and sacrificed at 30 min and 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h post-infection and at days 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, and 30 post-infection; the mollusks were then fixed and stained. Diverse organs involved throughout the course of the migratory routes of larvae from oral penetration on were specified and the mechanisms of larval access to the fibromuscular layer through the kidney, rectum, and vascular system were defined. The elimination of L3, derived from oral and/or cutaneous infections, appears to depend on granulomas located close to the excretory ducts of mucous cells.

Never leave your drink unattended

This poster informs about the danger of leaving drinks unattended and shows how easy it is to drop a pill into an unattended drink.

Comparison of indices proposed as criteria for assigning skin notation

OBJECTIVES: Skin notations are used as a hazard identification tool to flag chemicals associated with a potential risk related to transdermal penetration. The transparency and rigorousness of the skin notation assignment process have recently been questioned. We compared different approaches proposed as criteria for these notations as a starting point for improving and systematizing current practice. METHODS: In this study, skin notations, dermal acute lethal dose 50 in mammals (LD(50)s) and two dermal risk indices derived from previously published work were compared using the lists of Swiss maximum allowable concentrations (MACs) and threshold limit values (TLVs) from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). The indices were both based on quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) estimation of transdermal fluxes. One index compared the cumulative dose received through skin given specific exposure surface and duration to that received through lungs following inhalation 8 h at the MAC or TLV. The other index estimated the blood level increase caused by adding skin exposure to the inhalation route at kinetic steady state. Dermal-to-other route ratios of LD(50) were calculated as secondary indices of dermal penetrability. RESULTS: The working data set included 364 substances. Depending on the subdataset, agreement between the Swiss and ACGIH skin notations varied between 82 and 87%. Chemicals with a skin notation were more likely to have higher dermal risk indices and lower dermal LD(50) than chemicals without a notation (probabilities between 60 and 70%). The risk indices, based on cumulative dose and kinetic steady state, respectively, appeared proportional up to a constant independent of chemical-specific properties. They agreed well with dermal LD(50)s (Spearman correlation coefficients -0.42 to -0.43). Dermal-to-other routes LD(50) ratios were moderately associated with QSAR-based transdermal fluxes (Spearman correlation coefficients -0.2 to -0.3). CONCLUSIONS: The plausible but variable relationship between current skin notations and the different approaches tested confirm the need to improve current skin notations. QSAR-based risk indices and dermal toxicity data might be successfully integrated in a systematic alternative to current skin notations for detecting chemicals associated with potential dermal risk in the workplace. [Authors]

Risky single occasion drinking frequency and alcohol-related consequences: can abstinence during early adulthood lead to alcohol problems?

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: the main purpose of this longitudinal study was to determine the impact of risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) frequency on alcohol dependence and drinking consequences reported 15 months later. METHODS: As a baseline sample, 5,990 young men were assessed on their drinking habits including the frequency of RSOD. Of them, 5,196 were reassessed at follow-up 15 months later on RSOD frequency, alcohol dependence and alcohol related consequences in thze interceding year. Drop out biases were investigated. RESULTS: Around 45% of the baseline participants reported regular RSOD (every month or more frequently). Despite the fact that RSOD distribution was generally stable during the initial sample, 47.4% reported a variation of their RSOD frequency 15 months later. Around 25% of the sample reported reduced RSOD frequency. Nonetheless, occasional RS drinkers were more likely to become regular (monthly) RSO drinkers at follow up. Daily and weekly RSOD were associated with high proportions of alcohol dependence and detrimental consequences of drinking. Surprisingly, abstainers at baseline were more likely to be at risk of alcohol dependence and consequences at follow up than non-RSO drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the fact that alcohol abstinence is logically the best way to avoid the detrimental consequences of alcohol drinking, abstainers at baseline reported as many problems due to alcohol use at follow up as occasional or monthly RSO drinkers. The few participants who had become RSO drinkers during the follow up period were indeed likely to engage in detrimental behaviour. Non-RSO drinkers had the fewest problems due to alcohol use. This substantiates the early occurrence of drinking consequences among inexperienced RSO drinkers.

Pyrethroid insecticide evaluation on different house structures in a Chagas disease endemic area of the Paraguayan Chaco

Insecticide effects of deltamethrin 2.5% SC (flowable solution) on different substrates and triatomine infestation rates in two indigenous villages (Estancia Salzar and Nueva Promesa) of the Paraguayan Chaco are reported. This field study was carried out to determine the extent to which variability in spray penetration may affect residual action of the insecticide. A total of 117 houses in the two villages were sprayed. Filter papers discs were placed on aluminium foil pinned to walls and roofs in selected houses and the applied insecticide concentration was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The target dose rate was 25 mg a.i./m². The mean actual applied dose in Estancia Salazar was 11.2 ± 3.1 mg a.i./m² in walls and 11.9 ± 5.6 mg a.i./m² in roofs while in Nueva Promesa, where duplicates were carried out, the mean values were 19.9 ± 6.9 mg a.i./m² and 34.7 ± 10.4 mg a.i./m² in walls and 28.8 ± 19.2 mg a.i./m² and 24.9 ± 21.8 mg a.i./m² in roofs. This shows the unevenness and variability of applied doses during spraying campaigns, and also the reduced coverage over roof surfaces. However, wall bioassays with Triatoma infestans nymphs in a 72 h exposure test showed that deposits of deltamethrin persisted in quantities sufficient to kill triatomines until three months post spraying. Knockdown by deltamethrin on both types of surfaces resulted in 100% final mortality. A lower insecticidal effect was observed on mud walls. However, three months after treatment, sprayed lime-coated mud surfaces displayed a twofold greater capacity (57.5%) to kill triatomines than mud sprayed surfaces (25%). Re-infestation was detected by manual capture only in one locality, six months after spraying,

Correlating the end-Triassic mass extinction and flood basalt volcanism at the 100 ka level

New high-precision U/Pb geochronology from volcanic ashes shows that the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and end-Triassic biological crisis from two independent marine stratigraphic sections correlate with the onset of terrestrial flood volcanism in the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province to <150 ka. This narrows the correlation between volcanism and mass extinction by an order of magnitude for any such catastrophe in Earth history. We also show that a concomitant drop and rise in sea level and negative delta C-13 spike in the very latest Triassic occurred locally in <290 ka. Such rapid sea-level fluctuations on a global scale require that global cooling and glaciation were closely associated with the end-Triassic extinction and potentially driven by Central Atlantic Magmatic Province volcanism.

The Attic Youth Cafe

The Attic Youth Cafe was established as a social inclusion initiative and response to the issues of early school leaving, lack of informal educational opportunities, early sexual activity, early use of alcohol and the lack of a recreational space for young people to access information and socialise in. The service operates on a `drop-in` basis and is open to all young people aged between 14-18 years old. The Attic Youth Cafe offers services to the broad youth population and to marginalised and vulnerable young people. Local Community Development Programme Initiative Type Community Cafés Location Cork Target Groups Children (13-18 years) Funding Local Community Development Programme

Linx Project Meals on Wheels

Our Project provides a Meals on Wheels delivery Service and a Drop in Centre five days per week.  We provide a three course meal which is made from only fresh local produce.  All soup, breads, desserts etc. are homemade. Our dinner consists of homemade soup & brown bread, Meat/Fish, two vegetables with potatoes and a dessert for €3.50.  Clients who come into our Drop in Centre avail of free tea/ coffee and biscuits throughout the day.   Initiative Type Community Food Centres Meals on Wheels Location Dublin 9 Target Groups Older people Funding HSE and Dept. Social Protection

The eusociality continuum

Eusocial societies are traditionally characterized by a reproductive division of labor, an overlap of generations, and cooperative care of the breeders' young. Eusociality was once thought to occur only in termites, ants, and some bee and wasp species, but striking evolutionary convergences have recently become apparent between the societies of these insects and those of cooperatively breeding birds and mammals. These parallels have blurred distinctions between cooperative breeding and eusociality, leading to calls for either drastically restricting or expanding wage of these terms. We favor the latter approach. Cooperative breeding and eusociality are not discrete phenomena, but rather form a continuum of fundamentally similar social systems whose main differences lie in the distribution of lifetime reproductive success among group members. Therefore we propose to array vertebrate and invertebrate cooperative breeders along a common axis, representing a standardized measure of reproductive variance, and to drop such (loaded) terms as ''primitive'' and ''advanced'' eusociality. The terminology we propose unites all occurrences of alloparental helping of kin under a single theoretical umbrella (e.g., Hamilton's rule). Thus, cooperatively breeding vertebrates can be regarded as eusocial, just as eusocial inverbrates are cooperative breeders. We believe this integrated approach will foster potentially revealing cross-taxon comparisons, which are essential to understanding social evolution in birds, mammals, and in sects.

Insufficient coping behavior under chronic stress and vulnerability to psychiatric disorders

Epidemiological data indicate that 75% of subjects with major psychiatric disorders have their onset in the age range of 17-24 years. An estimated 35-50% of college and university students drop out prematurely due to insufficient coping skills under chronic stress, while 85% of students receiving a psychiatric diagnosis withdraw from college/university prior to the completion of their education. In this study we aimed at developing standardized means for identifying students with insufficient coping skills under chronic stress and at risk for mental health problems. A sample of 1,217 college students from 3 different sites in the U.S. and Switzerland completed 2 self-report questionnaires: the Coping Strategies Inventory "COPE" and the Zurich Health Questionnaire "ZHQ" which assesses "regular exercises", "consumption behavior", "impaired physical health", "psychosomatic disturbances", and "impaired mental health". The data were subjected to structure analyses by means of a Neural Network approach. We found 2 highly stable and reproducible COPE scales that explained the observed inter-individual variation in coping behavior sufficiently well and in a socio-culturally independent way. The scales reflected basic coping behavior in terms of "activity-passivity" and "defeatism-resilience", and in the sense of stable, socio-culturally independent personality traits. Correlation analyses carried out for external validation revealed a close relationship between high scores on the defeatism scale and impaired physical and mental health. This underlined the role of insufficient coping behavior as a risk factor for physical and mental health problems. The combined COPE and ZHQ instruments appear to constitute powerful screening tools for insufficient coping skills under chronic stress and for risks of mental health problems.

Northern Ireland Point Prevalence Survey of Hospital-acquired Infections and Antimicrobial Use 2012

The PHA�coordinated Northern Ireland's participation in ECDC's National Prevalence Survey on�Hospital-Acquired Infections & on Antimicrobial Use. Hospitals in Northern Ireland participated in data collection between May and June 2012.This report provides a snapshot of the levels of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and levels of antimicrobial use (AMU) in hospitals in Northern Ireland during 2012.There have been three previous HAI PPS surveys and the last survey was carried out in 2006. It is difficult to compare each survey as the data was collected in a different way. However, after making allowances, there was an overall drop in HAI prevalence of 18% from 2006 to 2012.The PPS data collection was undertaken by hospital teams between May and June 2012 (one hospital deferred data collection until September 2012 because of a move to a new hospital); 16 hospitals surveyed 3,992 eligible patients. The median age of all patients was 66 years. A total of 383 (10 per cent) children under 16 years of age were surveyed.�Key results from this year's survey:The prevalence of HAI was 4.2%. A total of 166 patients were diagnosed with an active HAI with 3 patients having more than one infection.When comparing ward specialties, HAI prevalence was highest for patients in adult intensive care units (ICUs) at 9.1 per cent, followed by care of the elderly wards at 5.7%.The most common types of HCAI were respiratory infections (including pneumonia and infections of the lower respiratory tract) (27.9 per cent of all infections), surgical site infections (18.9 per cent) and urinary tract infections (UTI) (11.8 per cent).Since the last PPS in 2006 there has been a reduction in MRSA infections - from 0.9 per cent �of the hospital population to less than 0.1 per cent in patients; and a five-fold reduction in C. difficile infections (from 1.1 per cent to 0.2 per cent).The prevalence of antimicrobial use was 29.5%.Most antibiotic use (60 per cent) in hospitals was in patients receiving treatment for infections which commenced in the community. Eleven percent of surgical prophylaxis was prescribed for greater than one day.��

Analysis of need in relation to 'one stop shop' services for young people in Northern Ireland

An analysis of need for 'one stop shop' drop-in support services in relation to alcohol and drug misuse, undertaken by the PHA for the Health Development Policy Branch of the DHSSPS Additional information: