Search

Many children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have emotion recognition and regulation difficulties, but there are currently no known interventions enhancing emotional awareness in this population. This study explores the impact of parents' perspectives regarding children with DLD emotional understanding through a parent-led online emotion recognition (ER) intervention. Ten parents of children with DLD aged 6–11 participated in the study. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was employed, allowing for a rigorous analysis of changes in parental beliefs over time. Weekly data were collected through the Parents' Beliefs About Children's Emotions Questionnaire. Interviews were also conducted to gain deeper insights into parents' perceptions regarding the ER skills of their children. Results indicated that parents' beliefs about the need for guiding and supporting their child's ER skills increased over the intervention. Interviews also supported this, and three main themes were generated. The intervention program increased parents' awareness of (a) the importance of ER for children with DLD, (b) emotion-focused communication and engagement with their child, and (c) the integration of emotions into daily life. This study is the first known study that explores parents' beliefs about children with DLD ER skills, highlighting the importance of supporting parents through accessible interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: For dogs and their owners to live in harmony, owner expectations and the behaviour of their dogs need to be aligned. Limited socialisation can contribute to the development of undesirable behaviours, so the reduced socialisation opportunities for many puppies during the COVID-19 lockdown is a concern. This United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland study used data collected between May 2016 and November 2022 to examine the impact of age and lockdown phase (pre-, during, and post-) on the types of socialisation experiences of 8-to-19-week-old puppies and the recency of socialisation experiences of 6-month-old puppies. The findings showed that puppies under 19-weeks had more types of experiences as they aged, and during pre-lockdown compared to post-lockdown, but not between other lockdown phases. Most 6-month-old puppies had met new adults or dogs, familiar dogs, or children within the last 1–7 days, regardless of lockdown phase. However, during lockdown, 6-month-old puppies experienced longer periods between meeting new adults in their homes. Overall, lockdown had a smaller impact on socialisation experiences than expected, but the quantity and quality of these experiences may have been affected. Future research will explore whether these early-life experiences relate to adult behaviour as the dogs in the study grow older. Limited socialisation can contribute to the development of undesirable dog behaviours. The COVID-19 lockdown potentially limited socialisation opportunities, which may negatively impact the future behaviour of puppies raised during lockdown. Data were gathered from longitudinal study participants in the United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland via multiple questionnaires between May 2016 and November 2022. The impact of age and lockdown phase (pre-, during, and post-) on the types of socialisation experiences of 8-to-19-week-old puppies and the recency of socialisation experiences of approximately 6-month-old puppies were examined. Puppies under 19-weeks had significantly more types of socialisation experiences (from a predefined list) as they aged, and pre-lockdown compared to post-lockdown, but not between other lockdown phases. Most 6-month-old puppies had met a new adult or dog outside the household, a familiar dog, and/or a child within the last 1–7 days, and this was similar between lockdown phases. During lockdown, 6-month-old puppies experienced longer periods between meeting a new adult in their home. Puppies were hypothesised to have had fewer experiences during lockdown, but this was not found. However, the quantity and quality of these experiences may have been affected. Future research within this longitudinal study will explore relationships between the timing and type of experiences had by puppies and their subsequent behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushrooms support the Irish economy, with a farm gate value of roughly EUR 130 million in 2022 and with 80%–85% of Irish production exported to the United Kingdom. In order to apply cutting edge technologies and offer creative solutions to increase the shelf life of mushrooms, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of action and preservation effects of the current trends in edible mushroom packaging systems. This review summarises the mechanisms of action for nanopackaging, biodegradable packaging, edible coatings, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and active packaging in terms of their enzyme activity, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, and rate of respiration along with the changes in texture, colour, nutritional value, and shelf life of mushrooms reflected in the preservation effects of these packaging systems. SWOT analysis highlights the strengths, weaknesses, and threats of these packaging systems and provides potential opportunities for trialing innovative packaging materials for fresh edible mushrooms in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing demand from consumers for more assurance in premium food products such as beef and especially steak. The quality of beef steak is primarily dictated by the maturation which ultimately influences its taste and flavor. These enhanced qualities have resulted in steak becoming a premium product that consumers are willing to pay a premium price for. A challenge, however, is analyzing the maturity of beef by traditional analytical techniques. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a methodology that is gaining traction mainly due to miniaturization, improved optics, and software. In this study, HSI was applied to wet aged beef supplied at various stages of maturity, with spectral data generated using a portable hyperspectral camera. Two trials were conducted over a five-month period: (i) proof of principle and (ii) a bespoke sampling trial for the industry. With the support of industry participation, all samples were sourced from a highly reputable UK/Ireland supplier. To enhance data interpretation, the spectral data collected were combined with multivariate analysis. A range of chemometric models were generated using unsupervised and supervised methods to determine the maturity of the beef, and external validation was performed. The external validation showed good accuracy for "unknown samples" tested against the model set and ranged from 74 to 100% for the different stages of maturity (20, 30, and 40 days old). This study demonstrated that HSI can detect different maturity timepoints for beef samples, which could play an important role in solving some of the challenges that the industry faces with ensuring the authenticity of their products. This is the first time that portable HSI has been coupled with chemometric modeling for assessing the maturity of beef, and it can serve as a model for other food authenticity and quality applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future quantum internet will leverage existing communication infrastructures, including deployed optical fibre networks, to enable novel applications that outperform current information technology. In this scenario, we perform a feasibility study of quantum communications over an industrial 224 km submarine optical fibre link deployed between Southport in the United Kingdom (UK) and Portrane in the Republic of Ireland (IE). With a characterisation of phase drift, polarisation stability and the arrival time of entangled photons, we demonstrate the suitability of the link to enable international UK–IE quantum communications for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Isle of Man is a large island which lies in the middle of the northern Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland and, because of its insularity and size, has an impoverished flora compared with the two main islands. This has been the case throughout the postglacial and warrants the island's description as a separate phytogeographic province. We have considered Holocene tree pollen data from seventeen sites on the island which together preserve a vegetation history that spans the six thousand years of the early and mid-postglacial from the end of the Lateglacial at 11,700 cal. BP to the mid-Holocene Ulmus decline at ca. 5800 cal. BP. Radiocarbon dating of the rational limits of the pollen curves for the main tree taxa has allowed an appraisal of the timing of each one's expansion to become a significant component of the island's woodland, and comparison with the dates of their expansion on the adjacent regions of Britain and Ireland. The radiocarbon dates show that, although some variability exists probably due to local factors, there is considerable concordance between the timings of major pollen zone boundaries in Britain and Ireland around the northern Irish Sea. On the Isle of Man the expansions of both Juniperus and Betula were delayed by several centuries compared to the British/Irish data, however the timing of the expansions of Corylus, Ulmus, Quercus, Pinus and Alnus on the Isle of Man all appear closely comparable to the ages for these pollen stratigraphic events in north Wales, northwest England, southwest Scotland and eastern Ireland, as are those for the Ulmus decline. It is likely that local pedological and edaphic factors on the island account for the differences in the first Holocene millennium, while regional climatic factors governed the timings for the rest of the expansions of tree taxa across the wider region, including the Isle of Man. Disturbance, including by human agency, was important at the site scale and perhaps triggered early tree expansion in some places, including Quercus, Ulmus and Alnus. Insularity seems not to have been a significant factor in the expansion of the major forest trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Travellers and Gypsies are recognised ethnic groups in the UK and Ireland. Horse ownership is an important part of their lives; however, poor horse welfare is often perceived to be associated with these horse-owning communities. Nevertheless, studies on the welfare of Traveller and Gypsy-owned horses are lacking. The welfare of 104 horses in the UK and Ireland was evaluated using a horse welfare protocol that assessed health conditions, resource provision, management and horse behaviour. In order to potentially understand how a horse was feeling, Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) was used to evaluate their body language. Most horses were found to have good body condition, a healthy coat and few skin problems or joint issues, however, 27% of horses were found to have neglected hooves. In the voluntary animal approach test, most horses showed a friendly response. Positive QBA terms were more prevalent than negative terms, therefore, the emotional state of Traveller and Gypsy owned horses was deemed to be positive overall. An association between QBA and various horse welfare measures was identified, e.g., improved mood was associated with better water availability. Findings in this study did not support previous negative perceptions of horse welfare in Traveller and Gypsy horse owning communities. Travellers and Gypsies are recognised ethnic groups in the UK and Ireland. Horse ownership is an important cultural tradition, however, practices associated with poor welfare are often perceived to be linked to these horse owning communities. Despite this, empirical studies on the welfare status of Traveller and Gypsy owned horses are lacking. To determine the welfare status of Traveller and Gypsy owned horses, 104 horses were assessed using a bespoke horse welfare protocol. This protocol assessed animal, resource and management-based measures. In addition, Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) identified horses' emotional state. Results indicated that 81% of horses had an optimal body condition score, with no horse recorded as very thin/fat. The absence of limb conditions (95%), ocular (98%) and nasal (93%) discharges were evident in most horses, and 81% of horses responded positively to the voluntary animal approach test. The most commonly observed welfare issues were hoof neglect (27%), with hoof cracks/breakages (19%) being the most prevalent. QBA indicated that positive emotional states were more commonplace than negative. A relationship between QBA and other horse welfare measures was observed, e.g., improved mood was associated with better water availability. This research provides novel data in the under-researched area of the welfare of Traveller and Gypsy owned horses and counters perceptions of a poor welfare state in this group of horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to determine the seasonal trends in internet searches for plantar fasciitis and related symptoms in various countries using search engine query data on Google. We used Google Trends to obtain internet search query data from January 2009 to December 2019. We collected monthly search volumes for the query terms "plantar fasciitis" and "heel pain" in the USA, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Statistical analysis of the seasonal effects on plantar fasciitis was performed using a cosinor model. The cosinor analyses confirmed statistically significant seasonal patterns in the relative search volumes for the terms "plantar fasciitis" and "heel pain" in the USA, Canada, the U.K., Ireland, and Australia, with peaks during the summer and troughs during the winter. For New Zealand, the seasonal trend was statistically significant only for the term "plantar fasciitis", while a similar trend for the term "heel pain" was present without achieving statistical significance for seasonality. This seasonality is thought to be related to more frequent occurrence of plantar fasciitis due to increased physical activity of people during the warmer months. In this study, the search query data using the terms "plantar fasciitis" and "heel pain" on Google Trends show significant seasonal variation across several countries, with a peak in the summer and a trough in the winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Early-onset cancers, defined as cancers in adults aged 18 to 49 years, are increasing in a number of cancer sites in developed countries. Cancers commonly seen in older people are now being diagnosed in younger adults, for example bowel, breast, stomach and pancreatic cancers. In this review, we report statistics about early-onset cancers using exemplar data from a UK region and discuss issues unique to this age group. Topics covered include the long-term consequences of cancer treatment, how cancer treatment affects fertility and the use of social media by patients, healthcare professionals and researchers. We also outline important future research priorities for early-onset cancers. Rising incidence of specific types of early-age onset cancers in adults aged 18–49 years has been reported in high-income countries. In this review, we summarise the epidemiology of early-onset cancers using exemplar data from a high-income UK region, discuss supportive care needs for young patients and outline future research directions. The incidence rate of early-onset cancers increased by 20.5% from 1993 to 2019 in Northern Ireland. Differences in types of cancer were observed between sexes and across age groups of 18–29, 30–39 and 40–49 years. One and five-year net survival was mostly better in 18–29-year-olds for all cancers combined compared to older age groups for both sexes, but there were variations in specific cancer types. Poorer survival was observed for patients with brain/central nervous system, connective and soft tissue or lung cancers. Patients with early-onset cancers face unique supportive care needs and require holistic care. The impact of cancer treatment on fertility and fertility preservation treatments is an important consideration. Social media can be used for patient support, information, fundraising, advocacy work and recruitment to research studies. We also outline suggested future research priorities for early-onset cancers, spanning prevention, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a growing health burden. High mortality rates, increasing numbers of at-risk hosts, and a limited availability of rapid diagnostics and therapeutic options mean that patients are increasingly exposed to unnecessary antifungals. High rates of prescriptions promote patient exposure to undue toxicity and drive the emergence of resistance. Antifungal stewardship (AFS) aims to guide antifungal usage and reduce unnecessary exposure and antifungal consumption whilst maintaining or improving outcomes. Here, we examine several AFS approaches from hospitals across the UK and Ireland to demonstrate the benefits of AFS practices and support the broader implementation of AFS as both a necessary and achievable strategy. Since the accuracy and turnaround times (TATs) of diagnostic tools can impact treatment decisions, several AFS strategies have included the development and implementation of diagnostic-driven care pathways. AFS informed treatment strategies can help stratify patients on a risk basis ensuring the right patients receive antifungals at the optimal time. Using a multidisciplinary approach is also key due to the complexity of managing and treating patients at risk of IFD. Through knowledge sharing, such as The Gilead Antifungal Information Network (GAIN), we hope to drive practices that improve patient management and support the preservation of antifungals for future use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how Christian clergy in Ireland have framed their adoption of online ministries during the COVID-19 pandemic as opportunities for the churches to retain some significance, even in secularizing societies. It is based on an island-wide survey of 439 faith leaders and 32 in-depth, follow-up interviews. The results of this study are analysed in light of scholarship in three areas: (1) secularization in Ireland, informed by Norris and Inglehart's evolutionary modernization theory; (2) cross-national research that has found increasing interest in spirituality or religion during the pandemic (with the UK as the main point of comparison); and (3) wider pre-pandemic scholarship on digital religion. The article concludes by arguing that the clergy's framing of online ministries as opportunities is important: if they regard online ministries as potential sites of religious revitalization, they are more likely to invest in them. There is some evidence that they may be assisted in this by lay volunteers. However, given the secularization already underway, it remains to be seen whether an embrace of blended online and in-person religion will have far-reaching impacts on Ireland's religious landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Zoo animal management can lead to disruption in social groups and poor individual welfare. Animals who display natural fluctuations in their wild social structure may be more difficult to cater for within zoos. The proactive management of animal social groups has potential implications for the positive welfare of individuals. Here, we used elephants as a case study to enhance the understanding of potential group dynamics in zoo animal social groups. Social interactions were defined as positive physical, positive non-physical, negative physical or negative non-physical. Data were collected over 12 months to investigate temporal dynamics in social networks. Positive social interaction networks were more interlinked than negative interaction networks. Social networks were fluid, but they did not follow a seasonal pattern. The results demonstrate the importance of understanding social networks and social behaviour over extended periods of time. Consideration of temporal changes in social relationships will enable and support evidence-based management. Such management will lead to the improved welfare of socially housed zoo species, through increased understanding and the recognition of the impact of management actions on welfare. In order to ensure the welfare of managed animals is not impinged by husbandry routines or breeding programmes, management must be led by knowledge of social relationships. Zoo animal management procedures which lead to changes to social groups can cause disruption in social hierarchies and the temporary breakdown of social relationships. Animals have different roles in social networks. Understanding individual positions in social networks is important for effective management and ensuring positive welfare for all animals. Using elephants as a case study, the aim of this research was to investigate temporal social dynamics in zoo animals. Behavioural data were collected between January 2016 and February 2017 from 10 African and 22 Asian elephants housed at seven zoos and safari parks in the UK and Ireland. Social interactions were defined as positive physical, positive non-physical, negative physical or negative non-physical. Social network analysis explored social relationships including the fluidity of networks over time and dyadic reciprocity. Social interaction networks were found to be fluid but did not follow a seasonal pattern. Positive interaction networks tended to include the entire social group whereas negative interactions were restricted to specific individuals. Unbalanced ties were observed within dyads, suggesting potential inequalities in relationships. This could impact on individual experiences and welfare. This research highlights subtle temporal dynamics in zoo elephants with the potential for species-level differences. Similar temporal dynamics may also be present in other socially housed zoo species. This research thus provides evidence for the importance of understanding the social networks of zoo animals over longer periods of time. Understanding social networks enables pro-active and evidence-based management approaches. Further research should seek to identify the minimum sampling efforts for social networks in a range of species, to enable the implementation of regular monitoring of social networks and thus improve the welfare of social species under human care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The androgen receptor (AR) has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for AR-positive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, conflicting reports regarding AR's prognostic role in TNBC are putting its usefulness in question. Some studies conclude that AR positivity indicates a good prognosis in TNBC, whereas others suggest the opposite, and some show that AR status has no significant bearing on the patients' prognosis. Methods: We evaluated the prognostic value of AR in resected primary tumors from TNBC patients from six international cohorts {US (n = 420), UK (n = 239), Norway (n = 104), Ireland (n = 222), Nigeria (n = 180), and India (n = 242); total n = 1407}. All TNBC samples were stained with the same anti-AR antibody using the same immunohistochemistry protocol, and samples with ≥1% of AR-positive nuclei were deemed AR-positive TNBCs. Results: AR status shows population-specific patterns of association with patients' overall survival after controlling for age, grade, population, and chemotherapy. We found AR-positive status to be a marker of good prognosis in US and Nigerian cohorts, a marker of poor prognosis in Norway, Ireland and Indian cohorts, and neutral in UK cohort. Conclusion: AR status, on its own, is not a reliable prognostic marker. More research to investigate molecular subtype composition among the different cohorts is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV) have been widely used as a device to control pressure at nodes in water distribution networks and thus reduce leakages. However, an energy dissipation takes place during PRV operation. Thus, micro-hydropower turbines and, more precisely, Pump As Turbines (PAT) could be used as both leakage control and energy generating devices, thus contributing to a more sustainable water supply network. Studies providing clear guidelines for the determination of the most cost-effective device (PRV or PAT) analysing a wide database and considering all the costs involved, the water saving and the eventual power generation, have not been carried out to date. A model to determine the most cost-effective device has been developed, taking into account the Net Present Value (NPV). The model has been applied to two case studies: A database with 156 PRVs sites located in the UK; and a rural water supply network in Ireland with three PRVs. The application of the model showed that although the investment cost associated to the PRV installation is lower in the majority of cases, the NPV over the lifespan of the PAT is higher than the NPV associated with the PRV operation. Furthermore, the ratio between the NPV and the water saved over the lifespan of the PAT/PRV also offered higher values (from 6% to 29%) for the PAT installation, making PATs a more cost-effective and more sustainable means of pressure control in water distribution networks. Finally, the development of less expensive turbines and/or PATs adapted to work under different flow-head conditions will tip the balance toward the installation of these devices even further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]