3 results
Peer mentoring in psychiatry: a trainee-led initiative
- Zoe Moore, Linda Irwin, Stuart Brown, Julie Anderson, Stephen Moore
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- Journal:
- BJPsych Open / Volume 7 / Issue S1 / June 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 June 2021, p. S149
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Aims
Our aim was to establish a Peer Mentoring Network within Psychiatry Training in Northern Ireland.
Recognising that starting a new job can be a stressful time in any junior doctor's career, we wanted to ensure that new Core Trainees (CT1s) joining our Specialty Programme were well supported through this transition.
Although Clinical and Educational Supervision is well established in providing a support structure for trainees, we believed that a peer mentoring relationship, (with allocation of a Higher Psychiatry Trainee as mentor), would be of additional benefit.
It was hoped that the scheme would prove mutually beneficial to both mentee and mentor.
MethodWe delivered a presentation at CT1 induction and sent out follow-up emails to encourage participation. Higher trainees were also sent information via email and asked to complete a basic application form if interested in becoming a mentor. Prospective mentors then attended a one-day training session.
Two lead mentors, (also higher trainees), were allocated to oversee the scheme, with additional supervision from two lead Consultants. Mentor-Mentee matches were made based on information such as location, sub-specialty affiliations and outside interests.
Matched pairs were advised about the intended frequency and nature of contacts. Check-in emails were sent halfway through the year and feedback evaluations completed at the end.
Result95% of trainees who completed the evaluations said they would recommend the scheme to colleagues.
Mentees reported benefits in terms of personal and professional development, whilst mentors reported improved listening, coaching, and supervisory skills.
A small number of trainees highlighted that 6 monthly rotations impacted on ability to maintain face to face contacts.
Recruitment and engagement have improved annually. We are currently running the third year of the scheme and have achieved 100% uptake amongst CT1s and are over-subscribed with mentors, (19 mentors to 13 mentees).
ConclusionThe majority of feedback received has been positive and interest in the scheme continues to grow.
Potential issues relating to location of postings has been overcome, at least in part, by recent changes to ways of working and the use of alternative forms of contact, such as video calling.
Having exceeded demand in terms of mentor recruitment, we hope to extend the scheme to include trainees of other grades, and particularly those who are new to Northern Ireland.
We are excited to see where the next stage of our journey takes us and hope that others will be inspired to embark on similar schemes within their areas of work.
The effect of a fibre extract from the red seaweed, Palmaria palmata, on lipid metabolism and inflammation in healthy adults
- Zoe Irwin, Emeir M. McSorley, Mary M. Slevin, Lisa Rowan, Paul McMillen, Danielle McCullagh, Pamela J. Magee, Christopher I. R. Gill, Paul Cherry, William Crowe, Conall R. Strain, Catherine Stanton, Philip J. Allsopp
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- Journal:
- Proceedings of the Nutrition Society / Volume 79 / Issue OCE2 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 10 June 2020, E691
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Evidence from observational studies indicates that seaweed consumption may reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, and obesity. Accumulating evidence from in vitro and animal studies suggest seaweed have antihyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which may in part be attributed to the high content of soluble dietary fibre in seaweeds. The viscosity of seaweed fibres is suggested to mediate antihyperlipdiemic effects via the alteration of lipid/bile acid absorption kinetics to decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL). Thus, there is a need to evaluate the efficacy of seaweed derived dietary fibre in the management of dyslipidemia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of a fibre rich extract from Palmaria palmata on the lipid profile as well as markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in healthy adults. A total of 60 healthy participants (30 male and 30 female) aged 20 to 58 years, were assigned to consume the Palmaria palmata fibre extract (5g/day), Synergy-1 and the placebo (maltodextrin) for a duration of 4 weeks with a minimum 4 week washout between each treatment in a double blind, randomised crossover study conducted over 5 months. Fasting concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) were analysed and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and LDL: HDL ratio was calculated. C-reactive protein (CRP) and Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) were analysed as markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, respectively. Supplementation for 4 weeks with Palmaria palmata resulted in favourable changes to lipid profiles with a reduced LDL:HDL ratio; however intention-to-treat univariate ANCOVA identified no significant difference between the treatment groups over time on any of the lipid profile markers. A non-significant increase in CRP and triglyceride concentration along with lower FRAP was also observed with Palmaria palmata supplementation. Evidence from this study suggests that Palmaria palmata may have effects on lipid metabolism and appears to mobilise triglycerides. More research is needed in individuals with dyslipidaemia to fully elucidate these effects.
Macroevolutionary trends in silicoflagellate skeletal morphology: the costs and benefits of silicification
- Helena M. van Tol, Andrew J. Irwin, Zoe V. Finkel
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- Journal:
- Paleobiology / Volume 38 / Issue 3 / Summer 2012
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 08 February 2016, pp. 391-402
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The silicoflagellates are a class of enigmatic chrysophytes characterized by netlike skeletons composed of opaline silica. Other major groups of siliceous plankton—the diatoms and radiolarians—exhibit evidence of decreasing size or silicification over the Cenozoic. We investigated trends in the silicoflagellate fossil record by constructing a species-level database of diversity and morphological metrics. This new database reveals a proliferation of silicoflagellate species with spined skeletons along with an increase in the mean number of spines per species over the Cenozoic. Although there is little change in skeleton size or silicification among species with spines, those without spines are larger than species with spines and exhibit a decrease in size toward the present. Increased grazing pressure combined with declining surface silicate availability may have shifted the costs and benefits of silicification, causing divergent responses in skeletal morphology between these different morphological lineages of silicoflagellates over time. We postulate that diminishing Cenozoic surface silicic acid availability may have predisposed large spineless silicoflagellate species to extinction, whereas increased grazing pressure may have contributed to the extinction of all remaining spineless species within the edible size range of grazers.