CORA
Cork Open Research Archive (CORA) is UCC’s Open Access institutional repository which enables UCC researchers to make their research outputs freely available and accessible.
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The association between threatened miscarriage in early pregnancy and depression or anxiety in offspring in late adolescence
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Kidd, Ciara; O'Driscoll, David; O'Byrne, Laura J.; O'Keeffe, Gerard W.; Khashan, Ali S.; Maher, Gillian M.; INFANT Research Centre, University College Cork
Background: Adolescent mental health is a known determinant of health across the lifespan underscoring the importance of identifying determining factors. Threatened miscarriage is a common pregnancy complication, yet its influence on child mental health outcomes is unclear. Here we examined the association between pregnancies complicated by threatened miscarriage and the risk of offspring depression or anxiety in late adolescence using the representative longitudinal UK Millennium Cohort Study. Methods: Maternal reported data on threatened miscarriage and potential confounders were collected at 9-months postpartum. Data on depression and anxiety were collected as one variable when children were aged 17 years using self-reported doctor diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for several maternal and sociodemographic factors. We examined separate interaction effects for threatened miscarriage and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, small for gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth. Results: N = 9521 mother-child dyads were included in the analyses, with n = 574 (6 %) women experiencing a threatened miscarriage, and 978 (10.3 %) children reported depression or anxiety diagnosis. Adjusted results suggested that threatened miscarriage was associated with a 34 % increase in the odds of depression or anxiety (OR: 1.34, 95 % CI 1.03, 1.73). An interaction effect was observed for threatened miscarriage and SGA (OR: 2.09, 95 % CI: 1.01, 4.36) and threatened miscarriage and preterm birth (OR:2.23, 95 % CI: 1.26, 3.95). Conclusion: Threatened miscarriage was associated with an increased odds of depression or anxiety in offspring by age 17 years, albeit residual and unmeasured confounding cannot be ruled out. Future research should examine the potential biological mechanisms mediating this association. © 2025 The Authors
Barriers and facilitators to attending postpartum diabetes screening among women with previous gestational diabetes in China: A qualitative analysis
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2025) Huang, Jing; Forde, Rita; Forbes, Angus; Parsons, Judith
Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication of pregnancy associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the future. Postpartum diabetes screening is important to identify glucose intolerance and introduce diabetes prevention support. However, screening uptake is suboptimal, including in China where the prevalence of GDM is high. There is limited evidence on the barriers and facilitators to screening uptake among Chinese women. Aims: To explore the barriers and facilitators of postpartum diabetes screening uptake among Chinese women with GDM to inform the development of an intervention to increase screening attendance. Methods: Women with current or previous GDM were recruited from social network platforms and pregnancy groups in China. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using Framework Analysis to identify themes related to the barriers and facilitators for screening uptake. Results: Twenty-four women with current (n = 4) or previous (n = 20) GDM participated. The postpartum glucose screening attendance rate was 35% among those with previous GDM. Screening uptake was influenced by: risk awareness of T2DM and its complications, interactions with healthcare providers (HCPs), screening-related factors (understanding and beliefs, accessibility and acceptability of the test) and motivation to maintain personal health, which was influenced by fear of T2DM, lack of symptoms, confidence in self management without support, and prioritisation of the child's needs. Conclusion: Postpartum screening uptake after GDM could be boosted through raising risk awareness, more constructive communication from HCPs, increasing the acceptability and accessibility of screening procedures, and addressing psychological factors related to attendance. © 2025 The Author(s). Diabetic Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Diabetes UK.
Hiding in plain sight: The biomolecular identification of pinniped use in medieval manuscripts
(Royal Society Publishing, 2025) Lévêque, Élodie; Teasdale, Matthew D.; Fiddyment, Sarah; Bro-Jørgensen, Maiken Hemme; Spindler, Luke; MacLeod, Ruairidh; Bougard, François; Olsen, Morten Tange; Collins, Matthew; Horizon 2020; European Research Council
The survival of medieval manuscripts in their original bindings remains a rare occurrence. Taking advantage of the diversity of bindings in Cistercian libraries such as Clairvaux and its daughter abbeys during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, this study focuses on the biocodicological analysis of medieval manuscript bindings, with particular emphasis on the use of sealskins. Using innovative methods such as electrostatic zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (eZooMS) and ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis, this research identifies the animal species and origin of the leather used in these bindings as predominantly pinniped (seal) species. In particular, the collagen-based eZooMS technique facilitated the classification of seven chemises into the pinniped clade, although species identification remained elusive, except in one additional case where a bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) was definitively identified. aDNA analysis was instrumental in verifying the origin of the sealskins, with four samples identified as harbour seals and a single sample as a harp seal and sourced to (contemporary) populations in Scandinavia, Scotland and Iceland or Greenland. This geographical inference supports the notion of a robust medieval trade network that went well beyond local sourcing, linking the Cistercians to wider economic circuits that included fur trade with the Norse. The study, therefore, highlights the use of an unexpected skin (seal) from an unexpected source (the northwestern Atlantic). The widespread use of sealskins in Cistercian libraries such as Clairvaux and its daughter abbeys during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries hints at broader trade networks that brought, for example, walrus ivory from the far north into continental Europe. This integration of the biological sciences into the study of historical manuscripts not only provides a clearer picture of the material culture of medieval Europe, but also illustrates the extensive trade networks that Cistercian monasteries were part of, challenging previous assumptions about local resource use in manuscript production. © 2025 The Author(s).
Pre-treatment of whey protein concentrate using calcium sequestering salts and high-pressure homogenisation to modify component partitioning during microfiltration
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2025) Mestawet, Asfaw T.; France, Thomas C.; Mulcahy, Patrick G. J.; O'Mahony, James A.; Enterprise Ireland; Horizon 2020
Whey protein concentrate (WPC) undergoes microfiltration (MF) to produce whey protein isolate (WPI), generating a lower value MF retentate as a co-product. Higher-than-expected protein retention in the retentate, attributed to protein aggregation, has been shown to limit WPI yield. Strategies to reverse or reduce aggregation would be expected to increase protein transmission during MF. This study investigated the effects of pre-treating WPC with 5 mM trisodium citrate (TSC), a calcium-binding salt and high-pressure homogenisation (HPH) at 650 bar, both individually and in combination, on protein transmission during MF. A WPC solution (2.4% protein) was pre-treated with TSC, HPH, TSC followed by HPH (TSC + HPH), or HPH followed by TSC (HPH + TSC). Microfiltration was performed using a 1000 kDa polyethersulfone membrane. Processing time, component partitioning and chemical composition in feed, retentate and permeate were analysed. Protein profiles were assessed using SDS-PAGE and RP-HPLC, in addition to whey protein denaturation. Data were obtained from three independent trials, with all analyses conducted in triplicate. Treatment significantly reduced processing time and increased protein permeation (P < 0.05). Processing time decreased by 6.4–11.0%, with TSC and HPH having the strongest effects. Compared with the control, protein retention in MF retentate from pre-treated samples decreased by 7.5–11.5%, with HPH + TSC showing the greatest effect, while permeate protein content increased by 5.45–9.64% (P < 0.05). SDS-PAGE confirmed lower levels of protein aggregation, particularly in HPH + TSC, coinciding with the lowest sedimented protein level (43.4%). Trisodium citrate pre-treated samples showed significantly lower (P < 0.05) calcium and magnesium levels, providing evidence that cations are involved in mediating protein aggregation. The results indicate that WPC treatment can modify protein permeation, improving the yield of WPI while also generating an MF retentate further enriched in polar lipids, supporting more sustainable dairy processing. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Dairy Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Dairy Technology.
Enhancing pragmatic competence in investigator-initiated clinical trials: structure and evaluation of the CONSCIOUS II training programme
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025) Rychlíčková, Jitka; Čechová, Zora; Nagy, Viktoria; Nebeská, Kateřina; Součková, Lenka; Mouly, Stéphane; Kovacs, Gabor Laszlo; Kubiak, Christine; Takács, Eva; Moreira de Oliveira, Tiago H.; Painho, Marco; Monteiro, Emília C.; Maia, Sara; Batuca, Joana; Shiely, Frances; ERASMUS+
Introduction: Investigator-initiated trials (IITs) bridge the gap between applied clinical research and everyday clinical practice. However, they require the skilled multidisciplinary teams from different backgrounds but all with clinical trial training to ensure trials are designed, conducted and reported according to best practice and regulatory standards. The availability of trainings to fulfil these needs is limited. The CONSCIOUS II project facilitated to expand the supply of such programmes. The objective is to describe the curriculum designed for PhD students and early-career researchers, and evaluate participants’ perceptions and feedback after completion of the training. Methods: The curriculum was developed according to key principles that underpin building of competencies relevant to quality IITs and transdisciplinary skills. A multidisciplinary team created the curriculum, elaborated a comprehensive set of study materials, including the training platform. This team also conducted an international, collaborative pilot course. The effectiveness of the educational materials for the target audience was assessed through questionnaires administered after the pilot course. Additionally, all learning materials, including the video recordings of the pilot course, were externally evaluated. Results: A 12-chapter thoroughly revised curriculum was developed for asynchronous preparation and served as a pre-class reading for a 3-month pilot course. The chapters, along with supplementary materials, and recordings of the pilot course are freely accessible on the CONSCIOUS II training platform. This platform facilitates the dissemination and implementation in the existing curricula. The feedback from both the pilot course participants and the stakeholders was uniformly positive across all survey aspects. Conclusion: This remote programme which combines asynchronous and synchronous components with international and interprofessional collaboration effectively addresses the gap in developing core competencies for the 21st -century clinical researchers. The implementation of this curriculum has the potential to improve the quality of IITs. © The Author(s) 2025.