UCC Journals (Univ. College Cork)
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Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and cognitive outcomes in childhood and adolescence
No full textBackground: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia, have been linked to lower cognitive scores in offspring, but findings remain inconsistent. This study examines the relationship between maternal HDP and cognitive development in offspring aged 3–17 years.
Methods: We conducted a cohort study using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (2001). Maternal HDP was examined as an exposure factor in relation to children’s cognitive abilities, including verbal and visuospatial outcomes. Cognitive delay was defined as scoring >1 SD below the mean and classified as “never delayed,” “delayed only once,” “persistent delay,” “early childhood delay,” or “adolescent onset delay.”
Results: Among 5,994 singleton pregnancies, 460 were affected by maternal HDP. Mothers were primarily aged 30–39 years (51.6%) and predominantly Caucasian (86.2%). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) controlled for maternal characteristics (age, ethnicity, BMI, alcohol use, smoking, education, income) and offspring gender. No significant association was found between maternal HDP and verbal delay at 3 years (OR: 1.008, 95% CI: 0.783–1.297), 5 years (OR: 0.864, 95% CI: 0.659–1.133), or 7 years (OR: 1.034, 95% CI: 0.800–1.336). Similarly, visuospatial delay at 7 years (OR: 0.863, 95% CI: 0.679–1.097) and adolescence (14 years: OR: 0.871, 95% CI: 0.688–1.101; 17 years: OR: 1.069, 95% CI: 0.856–1.336) showed no significant association.
Conclusion: Maternal HDP does not appear to significantly impact offspring cognitive development. Further research with larger cohorts is needed
Indications and quality of care of warfarin at King Abdulaziz Hospital, Al Ahsa
No full textIntroduction: The anticoagulation effect of warfarin is monitored through two laboratory tests: Prothrombin Time (PT) and International Normalised Ratio (INR). The quality of warfarin control in patients is assessed by calculating the Time in Therapeutic Range (TTR) using INR values. However, there are only a few studies in Saudi Arabia that have investigated INR control in patients receiving warfarin.
Methods: Biographical data, indications for anticoagulation, and INR values were extracted from electronic medical records of patients on warfarin therapy between November 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021. The TTR for each patient was calculated using the Rosendaal method.
Results: A total of 88 patients were included in this study, comprising 29 males and 59 females. The indications for anticoagulation were categorised into four groups: ‘Mechanical Valve’ (28 patients), ‘Atrial Fibrillation’ (14 patients), ‘Mechanical Valve + Atrial Fibrillation’ (12 patients), and ‘Other Indications’ including haematological disorders (34 patients). The overall median TTR for the cohort was 58.73%. Patients with ‘Mechanical Valves’ had a median TTR of 62.50%, those with ‘Atrial Fibrillation’ had a median TTR of 50.18%, patients with ‘Mechanical Valve + Atrial Fibrillation’ had a median TTR of 54.61%, and patients with ‘Other Indications’ had a median TTR of 55.11%. The differences in TTR between these groups were not statistically significant (p = 0.101).
Conclusion: The INR control for patients taking warfarin was suboptimal, with a median TTR below the recommended threshold of 60%. This underscores the need for further studies to explore and improve the management of warfarin in patients
Rethinking Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome: is obesity the primary driver of hypoventilation?
No full textBackground: Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (OHS) is usually diagnosed following an acute admission wit type 2 respiratory failure, or incidentally following overnight sleep studies in someone suspected of having Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Obesity is widely considered to be the main causative factor in (OHS). It follows that with increasing Body Mass Index (BMI), evidence of nocturnal hypoxaemia would emerge strongly. We hypothesized that this assumption is not accurate and set out to investigate the relationship between BMI and nocturnal hypoventilation.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 770 bariatric patients with BMIs ranging from 35-82kg/m2..Using linear and multivariate regression analysis, we assessed the relationship between BMI and surrogate markers for nocturnal hypoventilation, including average SpO2, Lowest SpO2, Time spent with SpO2<90% (T90), AHI, and bicarbonate levels.
Results: As expected, AHI increased with rising BMI, indicating a higher incidence and severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea as BMI increases. However, the correlation between BMI and hypoventilatory markers was weak: for instance, in BMI vs average SpO2 (r 2 =0.01). In Multivariate regression, BMI was only associated with AHI and Lowest SpO2, both of which are more characteristic of OSA rather than hypoventilation.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome may be a misnomer, as obesity alone is unlikely to be the primary cause of hypoventilation. We propose the term “Idiopathic Hypoventilation” as a more accurate name, reflecting the possibility of an underlying neurological cause or disorder of ventilatory drive
Cultivating the Creativity of Neurodivergent Thinking: A New Educational Approach for ASD Students
No full textAccording to the highly popular American podcast series The Neurodiversity Podcast, there is now a newfound appreciation for the creative works of autistic people and how they help to empower and enlighten young minds in a variety of educational contexts. This article demonstrates how the promotion and cultivation of an autistic and neurodivergent person’s creativity could effectively pave the way for a new educational approach that would potentially challenge and revitalise the training influenced rigid, rule-bound approach that has grown in prominence in most educational institutions in recent years. Building on a recent conference paper, this article argues that the seeds for this highly innovative type of education could be effectively sown through the establishment of a collaborative Third-Level-based research project. It outlines how this could be achieved through a stronger focus on a transformative participatory action research methodology. Furthermore, it identifies future directions that would support this vital and pressing educational objective
Review: The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, by Antony Loewenstein
No full textSarah Meghar reviews The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, by Antony Loewenstein. Verso. 2023. 272 pp. £12.99 (ISBN: 9781839762093
Enhancing Reflectivity and Reflexivity among Irish Immersion Teachers Through Action Research
No full textReflectivity and reflexivity in teacher education are considered vital processes for cultivating critical self-awareness and continuous pedagogical improvement; however, research examining these processes within immersion teacher education, both initial teacher education and continuing professional development for in-service teachers, remains limited. In the Irish context, immersion programmes aim to foster additive bilingualism through the immersion approach, wherein Irish (Gaeilge), a minority language, serves as the primary medium of instruction in the classroom. This study explores the role of reflectivity and reflexivity within an action research project involving a group of in-service Irish immersion teachers. It focuses on how the teaching and assessment of Irish grammar can be enhanced and gives central importance to the collaborative and evolving nature of the action research process. The study also examines the role of the researcher in influencing participants’ development of reflective and reflexive capacities, with particular attention to how their enabling presence shapes professional learning processes.
Review: Glór ón Sceilg, by Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic, edited by Máirín Nic Eoin and Mary Shine Thompson
No full textLuke Ó Donnchadha reviews Glór ón Sceilg, by Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic, edited by Máirín Nic Eoin and Mary Shine Thompson. Cork University Press, 2025. 216 pp. €25.00 (Hardcover) (ISBN: 9781782050179)
A review of Glór ón Sceilg, a collection of excerpts from the writings of Mícheál Ua Ciarmhaic. Topics discussed include: The quality of Ua Ciarmhaic\u27s writing, the merits of the editing, Ua Ciarmhaic\u27s works in the context of other Gaeltacht writers
Review : We Are All Migrants: A History of Multicultural Germany, by Jan Plamper
No full textBrandon Hamilton reviews We Are All Migrants: A History of Multicultural Germany, by Jan Plamper. Cambridge University Press, 2023. 280 pp. € 28.01 (Digital/Paperback) / €85.20 (Hardback) (ISBN: 9781009242264)
College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences (CACSSS) Postgraduate Research Conference 2025
No full textEvent: College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences (CACSSS) Postgraduate Research Conference 2025 Venue: CACSSS Seminar Room, O’ Rahilly Building, University College CorkDates: 19th to 20th February 202