Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Analgesic Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid-1-Active Compounds Inhibit Native And Recombinant T-Type Calcium Channels, Jeffrey R. Mcarthur, Rocio Finol-Urdaneta, David J. Adams

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background and Purpose: T-type calcium (Ca_v3) and transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) channels play central roles in the control of excitability in the peripheral nervous system and are regarded as potential therapeutic pain targets. Modulators that either activate or inhibit TRPV1-mediated currents display analgesic properties in various pain models despite opposing effects on their connate target, TRPV1. We explored the effects of TRPV1-active compounds on Ca_v3-mediated currents.

Experimental Approach: Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were used to examine the effects of TRPV1-active compounds on rat dorsal root ganglion low voltage-activated calcium currents and recombinant Ca …

A Study Protocol For The N-Ice Trial: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study Of The Safety And Efficacy Of N-Acetyl-Cysteine (Nac) As A Pharmacotherapy For Methamphetamine ("Ice") Dependence, Rebecca Mcketin, Olivia Dean, Alyna Turner, Peter James Kelly, Brendan Quinn, Daniel Lubman, Paul Dietze, Gregory L. Carter, Peter Higgs, Amanda Baker, Barbara L. Sinclair, David Reid, Victoria Manning, Nina Te Pas, Wenbin Liang, Tamsin H. Thomas, Ramez Bathish, Margaret Kent, Dayle Raftery, Shalini Arunogiri, Frank Cordaro, Harry Hill, Michael Berk

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: There are currently no approved pharmacotherapies for managing methamphetamine dependence. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been found to reduce the craving for methamphetamine and other drugs, but its effect on methamphetamine use and other clinically related endpoints are uncertain. The N-ICE trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of NAC as a take-home pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine dependence.

Methods/design: This is a two-arm parallel double-blind placebo-controlled three-site randomised trial (ratio 1:1) using permuted block randomisation, with variable block sizes. It is stratified by site, sex and whether the methamphetamine is injected or not. Participants (N = 180; 60 per site) …

Cortisol, Oxytocin, And Quality Of Life In Major Depressive Disorder, Ai Ling Tang, Susan J. Thomas, Theresa A. Larkin

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Purpose: Quality of life (QoL) is greatly impaired in major depressive disorder (MDD). These impairments are not fully accounted for by symptom severity, may persist beyond depressive episodes, and are a risk factor for poor outcomes. MDD is often associated with prominent neuroendocrine changes and increased risk of chronic disease. However, there is a lack of research examining whether biological factors are related to QoL in MDD. This research examined relationships between cortisol, oxytocin, symptom severity, and QoL in MDD.

Methods: Sixty adults meeting DSM-5 criteria for MDD and 60 healthy controls provided morning plasma samples which were …

Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure And The Resting Eeg: Exploring The Thermal Mechanism Hypothesis, Sarah P. Loughran, Adam Verrender, Anna Dalecki, Catriona A. Burdon, Kyoko Tagami, Joonhee Park, Nigel A.S. Taylor, Rodney J. Croft

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

There is now strong evidence that radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure influences the human electroencephalogram (EEG). While effects on the alpha band of the resting EEG have been repeatedly shown, the mechanisms underlying that effect have not been established. The current study used well-controlled methods to assess the RF-EMF exposure effect on the EEG and determine whether that effect might be thermally mediated. Thirty-six healthy adults participated in a randomized, double-blind, counterbalanced provocation study. A water-perfusion suit (34 ◦C) was worn throughout the study to negate environmental influences and stabilize skin temperature. Participants attended the laboratory on four occasions, the …

Effect Of Cannabidiol On Endocannabinoid, Glutamatergic And Gabaergic Signalling Markers In Male Offspring Of A Maternal Immune Activation (Poly I:C) Model Relevant To Schizophrenia, Ashleigh L. Osborne, Nadia Solowij, Ilijana Babic, Jeremy Lum, Kelly A. Newell, Xu-Feng Huang, Katrina Weston-Green

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

The mainstay treatment for schizophrenia is antipsychotic drugs (APDs), which are mostly effective against the positive symptoms (e.g. hallucinations), but provide minimal benefits for the negative symptoms (e.g. social withdrawal) and cognitive deficits. We have recently shown that treatment with the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), can improve cognition and social interaction deficits in a maternal immune activation (MIA) model relevant to the aetiology of schizophrenia, however, the mechanisms underlying this effect are unknown. An imbalance in the main excitatory (glutamate) and inhibitory (GABA) neurotransmitter systems in the brain plays a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Therefore, the endocannabinoid system …

Increased Tau Phosphorylation In Motor Neurons From Clinically Pure Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients, Claire H. Stevens, Natalie Guthrie, Marloes Van Roijen, Glenda M. Halliday, Lezanne Ooi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. There is a pathological and genetic link between ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Although FTLD is characterized by abnormal phosphorylated tau deposition, it is unknown whether tau is phosphorylated in ALS motor neurons. Therefore, this study assessed tau epitopes that are commonly phosphorylated in FTLD, including serine 396 (pS396), 214 (pS214), and 404 (pS404) in motor neurons from clinically pure sporadic ALS cases compared with controls. In ALS lower motor neurons, tau pS396 was observed in the nucleus or the nucleus and cytoplasm. In ALS upper …

The Ubiquitin Proteasome System Is A Key Regulator Of Pluripotent Stem Cell Survival And Motor Neuron Differentiation, Monique Bax, Jessie Mckenna, Phuong Dzung Do-Ha, Claire H. Stevens, Sarah L. Higginbottom, Rachelle Balez, Mauricio E Castro Cabral Da Silva, Natalie E. Farrawell, Martin Engel, Philip Poronnik, Justin J. Yerbury, Darren N. Saunders, Lezanne Ooi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) plays an important role in regulating numerous cellular processes, and a dysfunctional UPS is thought to contribute to motor neuron disease. Consequently, we sought to map the changing ubiquitome in human iPSCs during their pluripotent stage and following differentiation to motor neurons. Ubiquitinomics analysis identified that spliceosomal and ribosomal proteins were more ubiquitylated in pluripotent stem cells, whilst proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism and the cytoskeleton were specifically ubiquitylated in the motor neurons. The UPS regulator, ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 1 (UBA1), was increased 36-fold in the ubiquitome of motor neurons compared to pluripotent …

Experiences Of Patient-Centred Care In Alcohol And Other Drug Treatment Settings: A Qualitative Study To Inform Design Of A Patient-Reported Experience Measure, Kathryn Hinsley, Peter James Kelly, Esther L. Davis

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Introduction and Aims: A growing body of literature supports the use of patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) to monitor the provision of patient-centred care to people accessing health services. However, there is an absence of research into PREMs in the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) field. The aim of this study was to explore patient experiences of AOD care and to develop a PREM for AOD treatment settings. Design and Methods: Five focus groups were conducted with people accessing AOD treatment services in New South Wales, Australia (N = 39). Data were analysed using iterative categorisation. A draft PREM was developed …

Application Of The Integrated Behavioral Model To Oral Self‐Care Behavior Of Community‐Dwelling Middle‐Aged And Older People In Taiwan, Mu-Hsing Ho, H.C. Chang, Yen-Kuang Lin, Victoria Traynor, Hung-Huey Tsai, Kathleen Buckwalter, Megan F. Liu, Chia-Chi Chang

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Objectives This study evaluated the Integrated Behavioral Model and examined oral self‐care behavior of community‐dwelling middle‐aged and older people. Design A cross‐sectional design was used. Sample Purposive sampling was employed to recruit middle and older age community‐dwelling individuals, with research locations in public health centers in northern Taiwan. Measurements Structured questionnaires comprised: participant demographics, oral health literacy, oral self‐care attitude, self‐efficacy, intention, and behavior, and significant others' perceptions and beliefs as well as environmental constraints. The Model verification was evaluated by path analysis. Results Two hundred and sixty‐three participants (N = 263) completed the questionnaire survey. Results identified significant direct …

Beliefs About Safety Behaviours In The Prediction Of Safety Behaviour Use, Johanna Meyer, Alex Kirk, Joanna J. Arch, Peter James Kelly, Brett J. Deacon

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: Safety behaviours are ubiquitous across anxiety disorders and are associated with the aetiology, maintenance and exacerbation of anxiety. Cognitive behavioural models posit that beliefs about safety behaviours directly influence their use. Therefore, beliefs about safety behaviours may be an important component in decreasing safety behaviour use. Unfortunately, little empirical research has evaluated this theorized relationship. Aims: The present study aimed to examine the predictive relationship between beliefs about safety behaviours and safety behaviour use while controlling for anxiety severity. Method: Adults with clinically elevated levels of social anxiety (n = 145) and anxiety sensitivity (n = 109) completed an …

Cannabidiol Improves Behavioural And Neurochemical Deficits In Adult Female Offspring Of The Maternal Immune Activation (Poly I:C) Model Of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Ashleigh L. Osborne, Nadia Solowij, Ilijana Babic, Jeremy Lum, Xu-Feng Huang, Kelly A. Newell, Katrina Weston-Green

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Cognitive impairment is a major source of disability in schizophrenia and current antipsychotic drugs (APDs) have minimal efficacy for this symptom domain. Cannabidiol (CBD), the major non-intoxicating component of Cannabis sativa L., exhibits antipsychotic and neuroprotective properties. We recently reported the effects of CBD on cognition in male offspring of a maternal immune activation (polyinosinic-polycytidilic acid (poly I:C)) model relevant to the aetiology of schizophrenia; however, the effects of CBD treatment in females are unknown. Sex differences are observed in the onset of schizophrenia symptoms and response to APD treatment. Furthermore, the endogenous cannabinoid system, a direct target of CBD, …

When I Relive A Positive Me: Vivid Autobiographical Memories Facilitate Autonoetic Brain Activation And Enhance Mood, Charlotte C. Van Schie, Chui-De Chiu, Serge A. R. B Rombouts, Willem J. Heiser, Bernet M. Elzinga

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Autobiographical memory is vital for our well-being and therefore used in therapeutic interventions. However, not much is known about the (neural) processes by which reliving memories can have beneficial effects. This study investigates what brain activation patterns and memory characteristics facilitate the effectiveness of reliving positive autobiographical memories for mood and sense of self. Particularly, the role of vividness and autonoetic consciousness is studied. Participants (N= 47) with a wide range of trait self-esteem relived neutral and positive memories while their bold responses, experienced vividness of the memory, mood, and state self-esteem were recorded. More vivid memories related to better …

Evaluation Of The Dietary Intake Data Coding Process In A Clinical Setting: Implications For Research Practice, Vivienne Guan, Yasmine Probst, Elizabeth Neale, Linda C. Tapsell

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background High quality dietary intake data is required to support evidence of diet-disease relationships exposed in clinical research. Source data verification may be a useful quality assurance method in this setting. The present pilot study aimed to apply source data verification to evaluate the quality of the data coding process for dietary intake in a clinical trial and to explore potential barriers to data quality in this setting. Methods Using a sample of 20 cases from a clinical trial, source data verification was conducted between three sets of data derived documents: transcripts of audio-recorded diet history interviews, matched paper-based diet …

Alpha-2-Macroglobulin, A Hypochlorite-Regulated Chaperone And Immune System Modulator, Jordan Cater, Mark R. Wilson, Amy R. Wyatt

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Alpha-macroglobulins are ancient proteins that include monomeric, dimeric, and tetrameric family members. In humans, and many other mammals, the predominant alpha-macroglobulin is alpha-2-macroglobulin (α₂M), a tetrameric protein that is constitutively abundant in biological fluids (e.g., blood plasma, cerebral spinal fluid, synovial fluid, ocular fluid, and interstitial fluid). α₂M is best known for its remarkable ability to inhibit a broad spectrum of proteases, but the full gamut of its activities affects diverse biological processes. For example, α₂M can stabilise and facilitate the clearance of the Alzheimer’s disease-associated amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide. Additionally, α₂M …

Effectiveness Of Quality Incentive Payments In General Practice (Equip-Gp): A Study Protocol For A Cluster-Randomised Trial Of An Outcomes-Based Funding Model In Australian General Practice To Improve Patient Care, Gregory Peterson, Grant Russell, Jan Radford, Nicholas Arnold Zwar, Danielle Mazza, Simon Eckermann, Judy Mullan, Marijka Batterham, Athena Hammond, Andrew D. Bonney

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background There is international interest in whether improved primary care, in particular for patients with chronic or complex conditions, can lead to decreased use of health resources and whether financial incentives help achieve this goal. This trial (EQuIP-GP) will investigate whether a funding model based upon targeted, continuous quality incentive payments for Australian general practices increases relational continuity of care, and lessens health-service utilisation, for high-risk patients and children. Methods We will use a mixed methods approach incorporating a two-arm pragmatic cluster randomised control trial with nested qualitative case studies. We aim to recruit 36 general practices from Practice-Based Research …

Multilevel Regulation Of The Glass Locus During Drosophila Eye Development, Cornelia Fritsch, F Bernardo-Garcia, Tim Humberg, Abhishek Mishra, Sara Miellet, Silvia Almeida, Michael Frochaux, Bart Deplancke, Armin Huber, Simon Sprecher

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Development of eye tissue is initiated by a conserved set of transcription factors termed retinal determination network (RDN). In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the zinc-finger transcription factor Glass acts directly downstream of the RDN to control identity of photoreceptor as well as non-photoreceptor cells. Tight control of spatial and temporal gene expression is a critical feature during development, cell-fate determination as well as maintenance of differentiated tissues. The molecular mechanisms that control expression of glass, however, remain largely unknown. We here identify complex regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of the glass locus. All information to recapitulate glass expression are contained …

Geographic Variation In Cardiometabolic Risk Distribution: A Cross-Sectional Study Of 256,525 Adult Residents In The Illawarra-Shoalhaven Region Of The Nsw, Australia, Renin Toms, Darren J. Mayne, Xiaoqi Feng, Andrew D. Bonney

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Introduction Metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) warrant significant public health concern globally. This study aims to utilise the regional database of a major laboratory network to describe the geographic distribution pattern of eight different cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs), which in turn can potentially generate hypotheses for future research into locality specific preventive approaches. Method A cross-sectional design utilising de-identified laboratory data on eight CMRFs including fasting blood sugar level (FBSL); glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c); total cholesterol (TC); high density lipoprotein (HDL); albumin creatinine ratio (ACR); estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR); body mass index (BMI); and diabetes mellitus (DM) status …

The Use Of Primary Care Electronic Health Records For Research: Lipid Medications And Mortality In Elderly Patients, Adam J. Hodgkins, Judy Mullan, Darren J. Mayne, Andrew D. Bonney

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

General practice electronic health record (EHR) data have significant potential for clinical research. This study demonstrates the feasibility of utilising longitudinal EHR data analysis to address clinically relevant outcomes and uses the relationship between lipid medication prescription and all-cause mortality in the elderly as an exemplar for the validity of this methodology. EHR data were analysed to describe the association of lipid medication use, non-use or cessation with all-cause mortality in patients aged ≥75 years. Survival analysis with Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios, which were adjusted for confounders. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality among …

National Trends In American Heart Association Revised Life's Simple 7 Metrics Associated With Risk Of Mortality Among Us Adults, Liyuan Han, Dingyun You, Wenjie Ma, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Xiaoqi Feng, Shiwei Duan, Lu Qi

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Importance: The American Heart Association (AHA) introduced the Life's Simple 7 (LS7) metrics to assess and promote cardiovascular health. However, several shortcomings of these metrics have been identified. Therefore, a revised set of LS7 metrics was developed. Objectives: To evaluate national trends in the metrics addressed by the revised LS7 and the individual and combined associations of the revised LS7 metrics with all-cause and cause-specific mortality and to compare these measures with the AHA recommended LS7 metrics. Design, Setting, and Participants: This national cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 to 2016. The …

Α-Conotoxin Vc1.1 Structure-Activity Relationship At The Human Α9Α10 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Investigated By Minimal Side Chain Replacement, Xin Chu, Han Shen Tae, Qingliang Xu, Tao Jiang, David J. Adams, Rilei Yu

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

α-Conotoxin Vc1.1 inhibits the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α9α10 subtype and has the potential to treat neuropathic chronic pain. To date, the crystal structure of Vc1.1-bound α9α10 nAChR remains unavailable; thus, understanding the structure–activity relationship of Vc1.1 with the α9α10 nAChR remains challenging. In this study, the Vc1.1 side chains were minimally modified to avoid introducing large local conformation perturbation to the interactions between Vc1.1 and α9α10 nAChR. The results suggest that the hydroxyl group of Vc1.1, Y10, forms a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl group of α9 N107 and a hydrogen bond donor is required. However, Vc1.1 S4 is …

Using Tetracysteine-Tagged Tdp-43 With A Biarsenical Dye To Monitor Real-Time Trafficking In A Cell Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Janice S. W Ng, Maya A. Hanspal, Naunehal S. Matharu, Teresa P. Barros, Elin K. Esbjorner, Mark R. Wilson, Justin J. Yerbury, Christopher M. Dobson, Janet R. Kumita

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) has been identified as the major constituent of the proteinaceous inclusions that are characteristic of most forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ubiquitin positive frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Wild type TDP-43 inclusions are a pathological hallmark of >95% of patients with sporadic ALS and of the majority of familial ALS cases, and they are also found in a significant proportion of FTLD cases. ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease, characterized by progressive weakness and muscular wasting, and typically leads to death within a few years of diagnosis. To determine how …

The Drivers Of Antibiotic Use And Misuse: The Development And Investigation Of A Theory Driven Community Measure, Mitchell K. Byrne, Sebastien R. Miellet, Anica Mcglinn, Janaye Fish, Shahla Meedya, Nina Reynolds, Antoine M. Van Oijen

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health concern, with extensive associated health and economic implications. Actions to slow and contain the development of resistance are imperative. Despite the fact that overuse and misuse of antibiotics are highlighted as major contributing factors to this resistance, no sufficiently validated measures aiming to investigate the drivers behind consumer behaviour amongst the general population are available. The objective of this study was to develop and investigate the psychometric properties of an original, novel and multiple-item questionnaire, informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour, to measure factors contributing to self-reported antibiotic use within the …

Suicide: Some Innovative Trends, Breakthroughs, And Challenges Ahead, Nagesh B. Pai

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Editorial

Molecular Processes Implicated In Human Age-Related Nuclear Cataract, Roger J. W Truscott, Michael G. Friedrich

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Human age-related nuclear cataract is commonly characterized by four biochemical features that involve modifications to the structural proteins that constitute the bulk of the lens: coloration, oxidation, insolubility, and covalent cross-linking. Each of these is progressive and increases as the cataract worsens. Significant progress has been made in understanding the origin of the factors that underpin the loss of lens transparency. Of these four hallmarks of cataract, it is protein-protein cross-linking that has been the most intransigent, and it is only recently, with the advent of proteomic methodology, that mechanisms are being elucidated. A diverse range of cross-linking processes involving …

Exploring The Geography Of Serious Mental Illness And Type 2 Diabetes Comorbidity In Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Australia (2010 -2017), Ramya Walsan, Darren J. Mayne, Nagesh B. Pai, Xiaoqi Feng, Andrew D. Bonney

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Objectives The primary aim of this study was to describe the geography of serious mental illness (SMI)-type 2 diabetes comorbidity (T2D) in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of NSW, Australia. The Secondary objective was to determine the geographic concordance if any, between the comorbidity and the single diagnosis of SMI and diabetes. Methods Spatial analytical techniques were applied to clinical data to explore the above objectives. The geographic variation in comorbidity was determined by Moran's I at the global level and the local clusters of significance were determined by Local Moran's I and spatial scan statistic. Choropleth hotspot maps and spatial scan …

Honey Bee Caste Lipidomics In Relation To Life-History Stage And The Long Life Of The Queen, Nicolas Martin, Anthony J. Hulbert, Greg Brenner, Simon H. J Brown, Todd W. Mitchell, Paul Else

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Honey bees have evolved a system in which fertilised eggs transit through the same developmental stages but can become either workers or queens. This difference is determined by their diet through development. Whereas workers live for weeks (normally 2-6 weeks), queens can live for years. Unfertilised eggs also develop through the same stages but result in a short-lived male caste (drones). Workers and drones are fed pollen throughout their late larval and adult life stages, while queens are fed exclusively on royal jelly and do not eat pollen. Pollen has a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) while royal …

Organotypic Cocultures Of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived-Neurons With Mammalian Inner Ear Hair Cells And Cochlear Nucleus Slices, Tomoko Hyakumura, Stuart Mcdougall, Sue Finch, Karina Needham, Mirella Dottori, Bryony A. Nayagam

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Stem cells have been touted as a source of potential replacement neurons for inner ear degeneration for almost two decades now; yet to date, there are few studies describing the use of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for this purpose. If stem cell therapies are to be used clinically, it is critical to validate the usefulness of hPSC lines in vitro and in vivo. Here, we present the first quantitative evidence that differentiated hPSC-derived neurons that innervate both the inner ear hair cells and cochlear nucleus neurons in coculture, with significantly more new synaptic contacts formed on target cell types. …

Comparative Genetic Architectures Of Schizophrenia In East Asian And European Populations, Max Lam, Chia Chen, Zhiqiang Li, Alicia Martin, Julien Bryois, Xixian Ma, Helena Gaspar, Masashi Ikeda, Beben Benyamin, Brielin Brown, Ruize Liu, Wei Zhou, Lili Guan, Yoichiro Kamatani, Sung Kim, Michiaki Kubo, Agung A.A.A Kusumawardhani, Chih Liu, Hong Ma, Sathish Periyasamy, Atsushi Takahashi, Zhida Xu, Hao Yu, Feng Zhu, Wei Chen, Stephen Faraone, Stephen Glatt, Lin He, Steven Hyman, Hai Hwu, Steven Mccarroll, Benjamin M. Neale, Pamela Sklar, Dieter B. Wildenauer, Xin Yu, Dai Zhang, Bryan J. Mowry, Jimmy Lee, Peter A. Holmans, Shuhua Xu, Patrick Sullivan, Stephan Ripke, Michael O'Donovan, Mark Daly, Shengying Qin, Pak Sham, Nakao Iwata, Kyung-Han Hong, Sibylle G. Schwab, Weihua Yue, Ming Tsuang, Jianjun Liu, Xiancang Ma, Rene S. Kahn, Yongyong Shi, Hailiang Huang

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder with approximately 1% lifetime risk globally. Large-scale schizophrenia genetic studies have reported primarily on European ancestry samples, potentially missing important biological insights. Here, we report the largest study to date of East Asian participants (22,778 schizophrenia cases and 35,362 controls), identifying 21 genome-wide-significant associations in 19 genetic loci. Common genetic variants that confer risk for schizophrenia have highly similar effects between East Asian and European ancestries (genetic correlation = 0.98 ± 0.03), indicating that the genetic basis of schizophrenia and its biology are broadly shared across populations. A fixed-effect meta-analysis including individuals from East …

Cross-Sectional Study Of Area-Level Disadvantage And Glycaemic-Related Risk In Community Health Service Users In The Southern.Iml Research (Simlr) Cohort, Roger Cross, Andrew D. Bonney, Darren J. Mayne, Kathryn M. Weston

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objectives. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between area-level socioeconomic disadvantage and glycaemic-related risk in health service users in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region of New South Wales, Australia. Methods. HbA1c values recorded between 2010 and 2012 for non-pregnant individuals aged 18 years were extracted from the Southern.IML Research (SIMLR) database. Individuals were assigned quintiles of the Socioeconomic Indices for Australia (SEIFA) Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage (IRSD) according to their Statistical Area 1 of residence. Glycaemic risk categories were defined as HbA1c 5.0-5.99% (lowest risk), 6.0-7.49% (intermediate risk) and 7.5% (highest risk). Logistic regression models were …

A Mediterranean-Style Dietary Intervention Supplemented With Fish Oil Improves Diet Quality And Mental Health In People With Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial (Helfimed), Natalie Parletta, Dorota M. Zarnowiecki, Jihyun Cho, Amy Wilson, Svetlana Bogomolova, Anthony Villani, Catherine Itsiopoulos, Theo Niyonsenga, Sarah Blunden, Barbara J. Meyer, Leonie Segal, Bernhard Baune, Kerin O'Dea

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objectives: We investigated whether a Mediterranean-style diet (MedDiet) supplemented with fish oil can improve mental health in adults suffering depression. Methods: Adults with self-reported depression were randomized to receive fortnightly food hampers and MedDiet cooking workshops for 3 months and fish oil supplements for 6 months, or attend social groups fortnightly for 3 months. Assessments at baseline, 3 and 6 months included mental health, quality of life (QoL) and dietary questionnaires, and blood samples for erythrocyte fatty acid analysis. Results: n = 152 eligible adults aged 18-65 were recruited (n = 95 completed 3-month and n = 85 completed 6-month …