Friday 30 May 2014

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NUI Galway launches Bug Run School Days: an ‘Antibiotic Awareness’ iPad App

Pictured are the team behind ‘BugRun School Days’ iPad app, from the Discipline of General Practice, School of Medicine at NUI Galway, (clockwise from left) Post Doctorate Fellows Sinead Duane, Sandra Galvin and Aoife Callan, and the project leader Dr Akke Vellinga

Bug Run is a fun and interactive iPad app to educate children and adults on the issue of Antibiotic Resistance
The Discipline of General Practice at NUI Galway have launched Bug Run, a free iPad app that combines a game and an educational video to educate children and adults on the issue of antibiotic resistance. Funded by the Health Research Board (HRB), the app has two parts; a game and an educational video. The game teaches children (4 – 10 years) about the importance of staying healthy and that taking antibiotics comes at a price. The accompanying short video developed for adults highlights the issue of antibiotic resistance and provides suggestions on how to discuss this with their General Practitioner.
Bug Run recently received the 2014 Crystal Clear MSD Health Literacy Award, which recognises and rewards excellence in health literacy in the healthcare sector. Bug Run received the award in the category ‘Best Project in General Practice’ for improving a patient’s understanding and help them take more responsibility in managing their health.
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to patients’ safety in Europe because it can result in treatment failure of serious infections. To address the issue of antibiotic resistance it is important that antibiotics are used in the right way to secure their use in the future.

Global increase in obesity and overweight


The latest analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 shows there has been a startling increase in rates of obesity and overweight worldwide—in both adults (28% increase) and children (up by 47%) in the past 33 years. The number of overweight and obese people has increased from 857 million in 1980 to 2·1 billion in 2013. In a Comment, Klim McPherson calls for a political solution stating that policy needs to solve the problem of rising obesity.

According to the comprehensive global study of the problem, Ireland's population has overweight and obesity levels in excess of the European average, .


The research, details of which are published in the journal The Lancet today, shows 26.5% of Irish girls and 16% of Irish boys under the age of 20 are classed as overweight or obese.
These figures compare to a western European average of 24.2%. 

Thursday 29 May 2014

Study on Bullying of Nurses and Midwives in the Workplace

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has teamed up with NUI Galway and the National College of Ireland to undertake a study on bullying of nurses and midwives in the workplace which will be launched in INMO HQ in Dublin at 11am tomorrow, Thursday, 29 May.
The INMO conducted a survey of its members in 1993 which sought to review the extent to which bullying in the workplace was affecting their working life. This led to an INMO policy on bullying and eventually the HSE policy on bullying and harassment being negotiated. Within the Irish Public health care system, bullying in the workplace should be addressed through the HSE’s ‘Dignity at Work Policy’ which came into operation on 1 May 2004.
 Yet academic and practitioner evidence suggests that nurses and midwives working in Ireland continue to frequently experience workplace bullying. This is reported as having very negative consequences for nurses and midwives’ personal health and personal and family relationships. It also adds to already high levels of stress experienced by members working within the Irish health care system. 
At the INMO’s recent Annual Conference in Kilkenny there was a motion put forward to repeat this study and the Organisation has partnered with NUI Galway and the National College of Ireland to conduct a survey on current levels of workplace bullying experienced by its members. Critically, the survey is seeking nurses/midwives’ input on how bullying can be reduced and what support is needed if they experience or witness bullying in their workplaces. 
The survey will be available on the INMO’s website www.inmo.ie until 1 July 2014. Input from nurses and midwives is critical to the success of this study which is completely anonymous.
The study is headed by Professor Maura Sheehan at NUI Galway who has published widely on issues of workplace discrimination and injustice
The survey will take about ten minutes to complete online at www.inmo.ie (from 29th May '14) and the evaluation and results of the survey will be available to the INMO in October 2014.

Record year for transplants in Irish hospitals

Last year was a record year for organ transplantation, with 294 transplants carried out in Irish hospitals.

Some 32 lung, 11 heart, 55 liver, 11 pancreas and 185 kidney transplants were performed in 2013, up from a total of 27 transplants the year before, according to the annual report of the HSE’s National Organ Donation and Transplantation Office.

All the operations were carried out in three Dublin hospitals, the Mater, St Vincent’s and Beaumont.

The organs went to 246 people and were provided by the families of 86 deceased donors who agreed to donate their loved one’s organs. A record 20 per cent of all kidney transplants were made possible by living donors who donated a kidney. Of the 147 kidney transplants from deceased donors, 11 were combined kidney and pancreas transplants.

Professor Jim Egan, director of the office, said Ireland was comparing favourably with the UK and other European countries for survival rates.

More organs were needed, he said. “I would encourage everyone to have a conversation with their loved ones and let their wishes be known about organ donation. This will make decisions easier for families who are faced with the question of organ donation.”

Dr Philip Crowley, director of patient safety at the HSE, described the figure as a significant achievement for patients and the health service.

The office, which has received additional funding to enhance services, aims to increase transplant rates by 7 per cent this year and to reduce waiting times for transplant patients.

View: HSE's Annual Organ Donation Report 2013 here

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Trust your doctor, not Wikipedia, say scientists

Wikipedia, the online encyclopaedia, contains errors in nine out of 10 of its health entries, and should be treated with caution, a study has said.
Scientists in the US compared entries about conditions such as heart disease, lung cancer, depression and diabetes with peer-reviewed medical research.
They said most articles in Wikipedia contained "many errors".
Wikimedia UK, its British arm, said it was "crucial" that people with health concerns spoke to their GP first.
The online encyclopaedia is a charity, and has 30 million articles in 285 languages.
It can be edited by anybody, but many volunteers from the medical profession check the pages for inaccuracies, said Wikimedia UK.
The open-access nature has "raised concern" among doctors about its reliability, as it is the sixth most popular site on the internet, the US authors of the research, published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, said.
Up to 70% of physicians and medical students use the tool, they say.
The 10 researchers across America looked at online articles for 10 of the "most costly" conditions in the US, including osteoarthritis, back problems and asthma.
They printed off the articles on 25 April 2012 to analyse, and discovered that 90% of the entries made statements that contradicted latest medical research.

View more information here on BBC/Health

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Monday 26 May 2014

Kidney dialysis machine 'miniaturised' for babies

Italian scientists have designed a dialysis machine specifically to treat babies with kidney failure, which they say could improve treatment.
Dialysis machines for adults can cause complications when used in very young children, the Lancet study says.
The miniaturised machine has been tested on a newborn with multiple organ failure, whose kidney function was restored after 30 days.
UK experts warn dialysis is still very challenging, even with new equipment.
Prof Claudio Ronco, from the International Renal Research Institute at San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza, designed and developed the new machine to treat babies and small infants weighing between 2kg and 10kg (4lb and 1st 8lb).
In his study, published in the Lancet, he said adult kidney dialysis machines were inaccurate and potentially unsafe when used in those babies.
Prof Ronco said: "A major problem is the potential for errors in ultra-filtration volumes.
"Adult dialysis equipment has a tendency to either withdraw too much fluid from a child, leading to dehydration and loss of blood pressure, or too little fluid, leading to high blood pressure and oedema."
The new machine - named Carpe Diem (cardio-renal pediatric dialysis emergency machine) - replaces the lost function of the kidney by removing excess fluid and urine from the body through blood vessels.
It allows the use of a much smaller-sized catheter than normal which could prevent damage to blood vessels in babies, the study says.

Study suggests under supply in specialist dementia care

A new national survey of nursing homes suggests that there is a significant under supply in the provision of specialist care for people suffering from dementia in areas where demand will be significant in the future. 
The survey also indicates that private nursing homes provide the bulk of specialist dementia care.
It suggested that the homes do not receive any extra funding from government to help them comply with specific criteria laid down for such care.
The study was carried out by the Dementia Services Information and Development Centre at Trinity College Dublin and St James's Hospital.
The research found some areas like Cavan/Monaghan, Cork, Donegal and Galway are over-supplied with SCUs for dementia patients, while in others like Dublin Carlow Wicklow there is no provision.
But despite an expected increase in the prevalence of dementia in Ireland, no significant expansion in supply is likely in the foreseeable future, the researchers found.
The study suggests significant variation in the level of therapeutic activities on offer to patients in the SCUs.
Specific dementia specific training for staff was more common in private rather than HSE or voluntary SCUs. 
It indicated that respite beds were in short supply with just 66 available across the 54 SCUs.
Based on the estimated 30,000 community-dwelling people with dementia in Ireland, this figure suggests one respite bed for every 450 people with dementia, the authors say.

Friday 23 May 2014

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Cardiac Symptoms - Heart Test

Fact: Nearly half of those who die from heart attacks each year never showed prior symptoms of heart disease. Right now, millions of people over age 40 are suffering from heart disease and do not even know it.

Don’t be caught off guard. Know your risk now.

Dr. Crandall and Newsmaxhealth.com have partnered to create a simple, easy-to-complete, online test that will help you understand your heart attack risk factors. When you take the Simple Heart Test — it takes just 2 minutes to complete — you’ll discover:
  • Where you score on our unique heart disease risk scale
  • Which of your lifestyle habits really protect your heart
  • The true role your height and weight play in heart attack risk
  • Plus much more!
Dr. Crandall is the Director of Preventive Medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America. And this is true for not only men but also women. In fact, nearly one-third of all U.S. deaths result from heart disease.

"But there is good news I’d like to share with you today: By completing my Simple Heart Test, you’re taking an important step in reducing your risk for becoming a victim of heart attack. Because knowing your risk for heart disease gives you a powerful starting point to take action to prevent — or even reverse — this debilitating condition.
So let’s not waste any more time. Complete my Simple Heart Test now and you’ll have your results in just minutes."

Chauncey W. Crandall, M.D., F.A.C.C.

Thursday 22 May 2014

Ireland must do better on kids' exercise


The new international scale has graded Ireland with an overall D minus.

The relatively low rating has increased concern over the planned removal of physical education (PE) from junior cycle secondary school education. And under some physical activity headings, no grade was given for Ireland as adequate benchmarking or data does not exist to give an accurate score.


According to data for the island of Ireland, only between 12% and 43% of children get enough physical activity.

Ireland sits in the middle of the other countries in the new international physical activity grading and, according to Irish experts, is neither leading nor lagging on how supportive we are as a country to children's physical activity.

Dr Sarahjane Belton, Lecturer in Physical Education at Dublin City University and member of the team that developed the report card, said: "there is concern that the planned removal of PE as a subject from the junior cycle curriculum by the Department of Education and Science in the Republic will affect the PE grade in the future and this is something highlighted as a gap that the Government should address."

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Medical Device Week at NUI Galway


Week designed to educate the public about medical devices in creative ways
The Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB) at NUI Galway will be celebrating Medical Device Week from 3-6 June. 
The Week is designed to educate the public about medical device research in unique ways, with each day assigned a different theme for various topics.
The week kicks off on Tuesday with the theme of ‘New Foundations’ which involves a seminar series entitled ‘Engineering the Nanobiointerface’ at the new Biosciences Building. Invited speakers include: Professor Joachim Spatz from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Germany; Professor Laura Ballerini from the University of Trieste, Italy; and Dr Matteo Palma from Queen Mary University of London, UK.
Tuesday’s activities will end with a wine reception to celebrate “Chimera: Art of Exploration”, an exhibition which will be open to the public from 12-4pm, Wednesday to Friday. 
The week continues on Wednesday with”Reaching Out” entailing a public lecture at 1:00 at the Galway City Museum. During this lecture NFB PhD students will give an informal talk about the future of medical devices with regard to hernias, cardiovascular problems, orthopedics, and Parkinson's disease.
Thursday is “Translation” involving a seminar series, ‘Medical Devices and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products – Challenges and Opportunities in the Post Recession Era’, at the Biosciences Building. Invited speakers from the medical device industry will be presenting from companies such as Covidien, DSM, and Orbsen Therapeutics.
The week concludes Friday with “Meet the Curator” encompassing guided tours of the Chimera art exhibition.

What is the future for diabetes treatment?

Could there be a future without diabetes? 

There are few conditions that science has made such a fundamental impact on as Type 1 diabetes - the first use of insulin in the 1920s transformed it from a death sentence into something people can live with.

But even today, Type 1 diabetes typically involves a lifetime of daily injections and, on average, people with it die younger than the rest of the population. This is why we urgently need more research into the condition.

One of the most exciting areas of research is islet cell transplants. These involves taking the islet cells - the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin - from dead donors and putting them into people with Type 1 diabetes, whose own islet cells have stopped working.

Diabetes UK funded the UK's first 15 islet cell transplants. It is now available on the NHS and 34 people have benefited since 2005.

The treatment is very effective. However, there are still issues to solve. The transplanted cells only last for a few years; there is a very limited supply of cells; and it is difficult to stop the body rejecting them.

We are already funding research that will help to solve these issues. The results should make islet transplants more successful and available to more people in the next few years.

We are also funding research into the artificial pancreas, a combination of electronic devices that work together to monitor and adjust insulin levels, like the pancreas does in people without diabetes.

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Why Mediterranean diet is 'healthy'

The combination of olive oil and leafy salad or vegetables is what gives the Mediterranean diet its healthy edge, say scientists.  When these two food groups come together they form nitro fatty acids which lower blood pressure, they told PNAS journal.
The unsaturated fat in olive oil joins forces with the nitrite in the vegetables, the study of mice suggests.  Nuts and avocados along with vegetables should work too, they say.
Inspired by traditional cuisine of countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy, the Mediterranean diet has long been associated with good health and fit hearts.  Typically, it consists of an abundance of vegetables, fresh fruit, wholegrain cereals, olive oil and nuts, as well as poultry and fish, rather than lots of red meat and butter or animal fats.
While each component of the Mediterranean diet has obvious nutritional benefits, researchers have been puzzled about what precisely makes the diet as a whole so healthy.
Prof Philip Eaton, from King's College London, and colleagues from the University of California in the US believe it is the fusion of the diet's ingredients that make nitro fatty acids.
In their study, part-funded by the British Heart Foundation, the researchers used genetically engineered mice to see what impact nitro fatty acids had on the body.
Nitro fatty acids helped lower blood pressure by blocking an enzyme called epoxide hydrolase.  Prof Eaton said: "Humans have this same enzyme so we think the same happens in people."  This explains why a Mediterranean diet is healthy, even though it contains fat, he says.
"With the fats in the Med diet, if taken together with nitrates or nitrites, there's a chemical reaction and these combine to form nitro fatty acids.
"It's nature's protective mechanism. If we can tap into this we could make new drugs for treating high blood pressure and preventing heart disease," he said.
He said human trials were planned.
Dr Sanjay Thakrar of the British Heart Foundation said: "This interesting study goes some way to explain why a Mediterranean diet appears to be good for your heart health. The results showed a way in which a particular compound could combat high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.
"However, more work is necessary as these experiments were conducted in mice and this compound could also be having its effect through other pathways."

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Risks for psychosis could be identified through tell-tale signs in IQ, memory or social intelligence tests

Professor Gary Donohoe

The study’s findings, led by NUI Galway Professor Gary Donohoe, have been published in the leading international peer-reviewed journal JAMA Psychiatry
A new study has revealed that genetic variants associated with risk for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are also associated with performance on measures of IQ, memory and social cognition. The discovery was made by NUI Galway Professor of Psychology Gary Donohue, in association with colleagues from Trinity College, Dublin and has just been published in leading journalJAMA psychiatry.
Professor Gary Donohoe said: “These findings support the view that the genetics of schizophrenia and cognition overlap. The findings also raise the possibility that the risk of developing schizophrenia may be identified by changes in cognitive ability; tell-tale signs found in IQ, memory or social intelligence tests. These cognitive deficits often appear before the emergence of clinical symptoms and go on to predict individual levels of disability. Understanding how genetic variants contribute to this aspect of disability, both individually and interaction, is an important step towards understanding the underlying biology and developing better and more personalized treatments.”
Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder affects about one in 50 Irish adults. Treatments are available, but the successful treatment rates vary. It is as yet unknown what causes or triggers schizophrenia. Disability in these disorders is significantly affected by difficulties with a wide range of neuropsychological problems, including general cognitive ability, memory function, and cognitive abilities relevant to engaging and dealing with others.

Monday 19 May 2014

Patient Care - HSE

The Health Service Executive has denied claims by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation that proposals to change work practices in the health service will compromise patient care.
HSE National Director of Human Resources Barry O'Brien said the latest round of cuts will help deliver the €290m savings agreed under the Haddington Road Agreement.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Mr O'Brien (HSE) said skill mix is being painted as a negative approach, but it is a safe and appropriate measure.

The INMO said the proposals to change staff ratios are unsafe

 He said the ratios differ across departments, as some units require higher ratios of nurses.

Mr O'Brien said the HSE will put in place the best mixture of staff to deliver the best quality of care.
He said it will recruit junior doctors where it can, including eastern Europe, in order to meet its obligations under the European Working Time Directive.

Nurses say the proposals will put severe strain on frontline health staff and managers. INMO General Secretary Liam Doran had earlier said the plan to lower the ratio of nurses to healthcare assistant in an attempt to save €80m this year was unsafe.

The INMO has also expressed concern that only essential posts will be filled from October and they will only be filled by graduates and interns.

Speaking on the same programme, Mr Doran said it would mean the de-skilling of the frontline workforce and result in managers taking decisions to close beds.

Mr Doran said the quality of patient care will suffer.  He said: "There's already been grievous hits. What the HSE is now proposing is a further hit on top of that which will de-skill the workforce at a time when in hospitals, whether that be acute, care of the elderly, disability or care in the community, there is an ever-increasing demand, an ever-increasing level of dependency and an ever-increasing demand to enhance the nursing and support workforce, not to reduce it."

Link to RTE report here

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Children's Wellbeing - Internet Usage

Children who spend large amounts of time glued to a computer risk developing mental health problems such as loneliness, depression and anxiety, government health advisers have warned.

In a hard-hitting paper, (click here to view) Public Health England, which advises the National Health Service and government, makes a clear link between the overuse of the internet and social networking sites and lower self-esteem.

Those that spend more than four hours a day looking at a screen are particularly vulnerable to mental illnesses, the report said. The findings will continue to fuel the debate over the health risks of social networking sites and computer games as companies like Facebook come under fire for failing to have a more effective age checking system for new joiners.

You must be 13 or over to join Facebook, but many younger children hold accounts. “Children who spend more time on computers, watching TV and playing video games, tend to experience higher levels of emotional distress, anxiety and depression,” the report said.

Some 750,000 teenagers, the study found, are so depressed they have “nothing to live for”

View more here

Friday 16 May 2014

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Alcohol Consumption Has Global Implications - WHO



Empty glass of wine

"More needs to be done to protect populations from the negative health consequences of alcohol consumption," said Oleg Chestnov, a WHO expert on chronic disease and mental health.

He added there was "no room for complacency", warning that drinking too much kills more men then women, raises people's risk of developing more than 200 diseases, and killed 3.3 million people in 2012.
On average, according to the WHO report, every person in the world aged 15 years or older drinks 6.2 litres of pure alcohol per year. But less than half the population - 38.3 per cent - drinks, so those who do drink on average 17 litres of pure alcohol a year.

"We found that worldwide about 16 per cent of drinkers engage in heavy episodic drinking - often referred to as 'binge-drinking' - which is the most harmful to health," said Shekhar Saxena, director for mental health and substance abuse at the WHO.

Poorer people are generally more affected by the social and health consequences of alcohol, he said: "They often lack quality health care and are less protected by functional family or community networks."
The global status report on alcohol and health covered 194 countries and looked at alcohol consumption, its impact on public health and policy responses.

It found that some countries are already strengthening measures to protect people from harmful drinking. Those include increasing taxes on alcohol, limiting its availability by raising age limits and regulating marketing.
More countries should take similar action, WHO said. More also needed to be done to raise awareness of the damage alcohol can do to people's health and screen for those who may need earlier intervention to cut down or stop.

Globally, Europe consumes the most alcohol per person. Some of its countries having particularly high rates of harmful drinking.

A study published earlier this year found that a quarter of all Russian men die before they reach their mid-fifties, largely from drinking to excess. Some men in that study reported drinking three or more bottles of vodka a week.

The WHO said global trend analyses showed that drinking has been stable over the last five years in Europe, Africa and the Americas. But it is growing in South-East Asia and the Western Pacific.

View Press Release here

Depression top cause of illness in world's teens: WHO

Some studies show that half of all people who develop mental disorders have their first symptoms by the age of 14

Depression is the top global cause of illness and disability for adolescents, with suicide the third-biggest cause of death, the World Health Organization has said.
The finding is in a new report by the UN agency.
It has pulled together a wealth of published evidence with direct consultations with 10 to 19-year-olds around the world to assess the health issues that affect them.
Some studies show that half of all people who develop mental disorders have their first symptoms by the age of 14, said the report.
The study looked at a broad range of issues, including tobacco, alcohol and drug use, HIV, injuries, mental health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and violence.
Traffic injuries were the number two cause of illness and disability, behind depression, with boys three times more likely to die than girls.
WHO said it was crucial for countries to reduce the risk by increasing access to reliable and safe public transport, improve road safety regulations such as alcohol and speed limits, establish safe pedestrian areas around schools and graduated licensing schemes where drivers' privileges are phased in over time.
Worldwide, an estimated 1.3 million adolescents died in 2012, it said.

Thursday 15 May 2014

NUI Galway Information Evening to Highlight Clinical Research

The HRB Clinical Research Facility, Galway (CRFG) is holding a public information evening on Tuesday, 20 May from 5-7pm in the Clinical Sciences Institute, NUI Galway (on the grounds of Galway University Hospital).
The information evening will highlight how ongoing clinical research studies may lead to significant medical breakthroughs and the development of new treatments. It is also an opportunity to find out more about current research projects and to meet current CRFG staff.
Professor Martin O’Donnell, Acting Director, HRB CRFG, said: “Clinical research involves a collaboration between clinicians, patients, volunteers and research staff. Therefore, public engagement is an essential part of clinical research. Over the past six years, the HRB CRFG has developed a strong clinical research group, conducting studies across a wide spectrum of medical conditions. We strive to conduct cutting-edge research, which adheres to the highest standards.”
The HRB Clinical Research Facility, Galway is a joint venture between NUI Galway, Galway University Hospitals and West Northwest Hospital Group. 
Work has begun on the new Clinical Research Facility and Translational Research Facility (CRF-TRF) building located on the grounds of Galway University Hospital. The building is due to be completed in January 2015. The CRF-TRF will facilitate cutting-edge medical research. This facility will form part of the Irish Network of Clinical Research Facilities which will conduct state of the art clinical research in a variety of clinical areas, such as Cardiology, Cancer, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, etc.
So, what is a Clinical Trial?  
A Clinical Trial is a research study to answer specific questions about a new medical treatment (medicine/drug, medical device, new therapies, vaccines), or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical Trials (also called medical research and research studies) are used to determine whether such new treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted Clinical Trials are the fastest and safest way to find new and effective treatments that work in people.
The CRFG Information Evening is free to attend, however advance registration is requested by emailing  crfg@nuigalway.ie