bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does amblyopia affect educational, health, and social outcomes? Findings from 1958 British birth cohort
Authors: Reading Richard 
Published: September 2010

.

Rahi J.S.,
Cumberland P.M. &
Peckham C.S.
(
2006
)

,
332
,
820
–
825
.

DOI: 10.1136/bmj.38751.597963.AE.
Objective  To determine any association of amblyopia with diverse educational, health, and social outcomes in order to inform current debate about population screening for this condition.Design, setting, and participants  Comparison of 8432 people with normal vision in each eye with 429 (4.8%) people with amblyopia (childhood unilateral reduced acuity when tested with correction and unaccounted for by eye disease) from the 1958 British birth cohort, with respect to subsequent health and social functioning.Results  No functionally or clinically significant differences existed between people with and without amblyopia in educational outcomes, behavioural difficulties or social maladjustment, participation in social activities, unintended injuries (school, workplace, or road traffic accidents as driver), general or mental health and mortality, paid employment, or occupation based social class trajectories.Conclusions  It may be difficult to distinguish, at population level, between the lives of people with amblyopia and those without, in terms of several important outcomes. A pressing need exists for further concerted research on what it means to have amblyopia and, specifically, how this varies with severity and how it changes with treatment, so that screening programmes can best serve those who have the most to gain from early identification.
Development of a new assessment of time processing ability in children, using Rasch analysis
Authors: Janeslätt G. , Granlund M. , Alderman I. , Kottorp A. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBackground Children with disabilities like ADHD, Autism or Intellectual Disabilities may have problems with everyday functioning related to time management and hence there is a need to develop systematic methods for evaluation of the ability to understand and use time information. The purpose of this study was to examine aspects of construct validity of a new instrument, KaTid, for assessing time processing ability (TPA) in children.Methods Data from 144 typically developing, 5–10‐years‐old typically developing children, were analysed with Rasch analysis. Instruments used were the KaTid, a self‐rating scale measuring autonomy in daily routines and a parent scale measuring daily time management.Results Fifty‐one items in KaTid, initially defined in three subcategories: time perception, time orientation and time management, all demonstrated acceptable goodness‐of‐fit to a Rasch model, indicating evidence of internal scale validity. Performance of the children on the KaTid also provided evidence for validity in response processes and that it may discriminate among children with different levels of TPA. Relationships between the KaTid measures and the parents' ratings of the child's daily time management indicated further evidence of construct validity.Conclusions The results of this study supports evidence of construct validity in the KaTid when used with typically developing 5–10 years‐old children. Further research is needed to evaluate the validity of KaTid in children with known time processing difficulties.
Development of a Children's Trust in General Physicians Scale
Authors: Rotenberg K. J. , Cunningham J. , Hayton N. , Hutson L. , Jones L. , Marks C. , Woods E. , Betts L. R. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBackground  Researchers have developed scales assessing adults' trust beliefs in physicians and found that those are associated with measures of health behaviour and physical health. The purpose of the research was to develop a Children's Trust in General Physicians Scale (CTGPS) and examine its relation to health behaviour: adherence to medical regimes.Methods  The participants were 128 children (68 girls and 60 boys) in Study 1 and 198 children (105 girls and 93 boys) in Study 2 who attended years 5 and 6 of elementary school in UK (mean ages = 10 years and 10 months and 10 years and 7 months respectively). The children completed the nine‐item CTGPS and reported their trust in doctors and (in Study 2) adherence to medical regimes. Parents also reported those behaviours.Results  Principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis of the CTGPS yielded the expected three factors: Honesty, Emotional and Reliability. The CTGPS had acceptable internal consistency and, as evidence for its validity, was associated with reported trust in doctors. The results from Study 2 confirmed that the CTGPS was associated with adherence to medical regimes.Conclusion  A CTGPS was developed that is associated with adherence to medical regimes.
Obesity in looked after children: is foster care protective from the dangers of obesity?
Authors: Hadfield S. C. , Preece P. M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBackground  Obesity in all age groups of children has become an increasing concern in recent years. Children looked after by the Local Authority (LA) should be protected from health problems while being accommodated. These studies assess the effect on weight of looked after children (LAC) in the care of a Midlands County Council.They assess the frequency of obesity or overweight problems in looked after children following receipt into care and review changes in body mass index (BMI) while in the care of the LA.Method  The height and weight measurements of all 106 children who had statutory health assessments while in the care of the LA between 1 January 2004 and 30 December 2004 were used to calculate their BMI. The data were plotted onto standard Growth Foundation charts and the International Obesity Task Force Paediatric cut‐offs were determined to distinguish overweight and obese children and young people.The date that the child had come into the care system and the number of moves of placement was obtained for each child from the social care. This was related to the total group and the overweight group of looked after children.Result  Looked after children are more likely to be overweight and obese compared with standard norms, and there are a number of children (35%) whose BMI increases once in care.Outcome  Looked after care did not protect a child from the national problem of increasing weight gain and obesity.
BIO AND IMMUNO‐ACTIVITY OF FSH IN SERUM AFTER INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION OF HIGHLY PURIFIED URINARY HUMAN FSH IN NORMAL MEN
Authors: JOCKENHÖVEL F. , FINGSCHEIDT U. , KHAN S. A. , BEHRE H. M. , NIESCHLAG E. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThe pharmacokinetics of a human FSH preparation widely used in clinical practice was evaluated in healthy male volunteers whose endogenous FSH was suppressed by 19‐nortestosterone injections. 9‐7 h following intramuscular injection of 150 IU FSH the mean immunoreactive peak concentration over baseline was 3–8 IU/1. Injection of 450 IU FSH led to a mean immunoreactive peak level of 10‐4 IU/1 at 9‐8 h. Mean half‐life was 24‐6 h (150 IU FSH) and 36‐2 h (450 IU FSH). Serum bioFSH concentrations were suppressed below the detection limit after injection of the 19‐nortestosterone and rose to preinjection levels after administration of FSH. Mean bioactive peak level for the 450 IU FSH was 7‐3 IU/1 FSH at 7‐4 h. The half‐life of bioFSH was calculated to be 13‐4 h and is considerably shorter than the half‐life of immunoFSH. Serum inhibin levels were suppressed by 19‐nortestosterone and did not change significantly after injection of the FSH preparation, suggesting that the FSH dose was insufficient to elicit this biological response. It is concluded that the currently used dose regimen for the treatment of male hypogonadism is inadequate for maintenace of serum bioFSH levels in the normal range.
EFFECTS OF LUTEINIZING HORMONE, INSULIN, INSULIN‐LIKE GROWTH FACTOR‐I AND INSULINLIKE GROWTH FACTOR SMALL BINDING PROTEIN 1 IN THE POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME
Authors: CONWAY GERARD S. , JACOBS H. S. , HOLLY J. M. P. , WASS J. A. H. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYThis study explores the clinical and endocrine implications of hyperinsulinae‐mia in the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed on 34 lean and 19 obese women with PCOS and on 13 lean women with normal ovaries. Insulin measurements were compared with basal gonado‐trophins, androgens, insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) and insulin‐like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP‐1). Unselected lean women with PCOS were found to have fasting hyperinsulinaemia and the raised serum insulin concentrations were associated with menstrual disturbance and hyperandro‐genaemia. In addition, serum insulin concentrations in lean women with PCOS correlated positively with serum IGF‐I and negatively with serum IGFBP‐I concentrations. Ovarian stimulation by insulin appears to be independent of luteinizing hormone (LH) and is an important feature in 30% of lean women with PCOS.
PYRIDOSTIGMINE DOES NOT REVERSE DEXAMETHASONE‐INDUCED GROWTH HORMONE INHIBITION
Authors: DEL BALZO P. , SALVATOR R. , CAPPA M. , GERTNER J. M. 
Published: September 2010

SUMMARYGlucocorticoids inhibit the growth hormone (GH) response to a variety of stimuli, including GH‐releasing hormone (GHRH) in vivo, but they increase GHRH‐stimulated GH secretion when added, in vitro, to animal and human pituitary cells. This discrepancy has led to the hypothesis that glucocorticoids act in vivo by increasing somatostatin secretion from the hypothalamus. To examine this hypothesis, we used a cholinergic drug, pyridostigmine (PD), which reduces hypothalamic somatostatin secretion. Eight normal volunteers were studied. They underwent four tests: (1) GHRH test; (2) Dex + GHRH (GHRH test after treatment the night before, with dexamethasone (Dex)); (3) PD + GHRH; (4) Dex + PD + GHRH. Dex significantly inhibited the GH response to GHRH expressed as area under the GH/time curve (AUC, μug/1/ min) (mean ± SEM = 895‐2 ± 196‐6 vs 1970‐9 ± 600‐1, P < 005). PD significantly increased the AUC of GH secretion in PD + GHRH compared with GHRH alone (3541‐2 + 571‐3 vs 1970‐9 + 600‐1, P<001) but by no means restored completely the normal GH response to GHRH, when given to Dex‐pretreated subjects. Furthermore, the mean AUC of Dex + PD + GHRH was significantly lower than that of PD + GHRH (1621‐7±500‐6 vs 3541‐2 + 571‐3, P<0–01), demonstrating that Dex continues to exert its inhibitory effect on GH secretion in the presence of PD. These results suggest that glucocorticoid‐induced GH inhibition does not act solely through an increase in hypothalamic somatostatin secretion.
Hypoparathyroidism—a long‐term follow‐up experience with 1α‐vitamin D3 therapy
Authors: Halabe A. , Arle R. , Mimran D. , Samuel R. , Liberman U. A. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryOBJECTIVE Previous studies have suggested that alpha‐D3 therapy can cause deterioration in renal function. We have, therefore, examined the long‐term effect of 1α‐hydroxyvitamin D3 (alpha‐D3) administration upon renal function in hypoparathyroid patients.DESIGN This is a prospective long‐term follow‐up study of alpha‐D3 administration on hypoparathyroid patients at a mean daily dose of 1 μg (range 0.5–2.5 μg) during a total of 2040 patient‐months.PATIENTS Seventeen unselected patients (14 females and 3 males), two with primary and 15 with post‐surgical hypoparathyroidism.RESULTS The significant effect of alpha‐D3 on serum and urinary calcium was achieved during the first week of treatment and remained stable at the same range during the close follow‐up of 2040 patient‐months. No significant change was observed in the serum creatinine during the whole follow‐up period. During follow‐up, five women developed hypercalcluria and one patient developed hypercalcaemia that disappeared when the dose of the drug was reduced or discontinued.CONCLUSIONS From our study we concluded that alpha‐D3 is a safe and effective drug in the long‐term therapy of hypoparathyroid patients.
Pharmacokinetics and metabolic effects of growth hormone injected subcutaneously in growth hormone deficient patients: thigh versus abdomen
Authors: Laursen Torben , Jørgensen Jens O. L. , Christiansen Jens S. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryOBJECTIVE The absorption of insulin following subcutaneous (s.c.) injection is faster in the abdomen than the thigh. We therefore studied the effect of changing the site of injection on the absorption and metabolic effects of human growth hormone.DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS in a cross‐over study human GH (Norditropin) was injected s.c. in the thigh or abdomen in random order. Ultrasonography of the thigh and abdomen was performed in order to evaluate the thickness of the s.c. tissue. After each treatment period (4 weeks), serum profiles of GH, IGF‐I, IGF binding proteins 1 and 3 (IGFBP‐1 and IGFBP‐3), glucose, insulin, non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA), glycerol, 3‐hydroxy‐butyrate, alanine, lactate and glucagon were measured for 37 hours after GH injection (3 IU/m2 at 1900 hour).PATIENTS Nine GH deficient patients (five males, four females).RESULTS The mean (± SEM) thickness of the s.c. tissue (mm) was higher on the abdominal site (9·35 ± 1·38 (thigh), and 22·61 ± 2·19 (abdomen), P<0·001). Mean (±SEM) integrated levels (area under the curves (AUC) divided by time) of GH (mU/l) were identical: 5·54 ± 0·70 (thigh) versus 5·48 ± 0·64 (abdomen) (P = 0·91). AUC (mU/l) for the initial 6 hours were, however, significantly different (14·10 ± 3·76 (thigh) and 19·02 ± 3·18 (abdomen), P = 0·02). Maximal serum concentration (Cmax) (mU/l) 23·18 ± 3·86 (thigh) and 29·66 ± 4·78 (abdomen) (P = 0·19) was achieved faster (Tmax) following injection in the abdomen. Tmax (hours) was 5·89 ± 0·41 (thigh) and 4·26 ± 0·49 (abdomen) (P<0·002). Mean IGF‐I levels (μg/l) were unaffected by GH injection sites (355 ± 60 (thigh) and 365 ± 63 (abdomen), P = 0·61). Mean IGFBP‐3 levels (μg/l) were significantly different (2100 ± 143 (thigh), and 2350 ± 176 (abdomen), P = 0·05). Mean levels of IGFBP‐1, insulin, glucose, lipid intermediates, metabolites and glucagon were not significantly different.CONCLUSIONS Human GH was absorbed faster when injected s.c. In the abdomen as compared with the thigh, despite the thicker s.c. tissue on the abdomen. Apart from higher IGFBP‐3 levels after s.c. injections in the abdomen, similar metabolic effects of GH were obtained with the two injection sites.
Octreotide administration, under particular temporal conditions, enhances the responses of growth hormone to growth hormone‐releasing hormone in normal subjects
Authors: Valcavl Roberto , Zinl Michele 
Published: September 2010

SummaryOBJECTIVE Somatostatin not only inhibits basal and GHRH‐stimulated GH secretion but might also enhance pituitary GH responsivity to GHRH under different temporal conditions. We investigated whether octreotide, a long‐acting somatostatin analogue, has any positive actions on GHRH‐induced GH release in normal human subjects.DESIGN The study consisted of three protocols. At 0800 hours, after fasting overnight, all subjects received 1 μg/kg GHRH l.v. bolus at 0 minutes. In each protocol, either octreotide (200 μg s.c.) or placebo were given respectively 8, 12, or 16 hours prior to GHRH challenge.SUBJECTS Three groups of eight normal volunteers (four female and four male in each group), aged 18–35 years, were randomly assigned to each protocol.MEASUREMENTS Growth hormone was measured by IRMA. Samples for GH assay were taken at −30 and 0 minutes and then at 15‐minute intervals up to 120 minutes.RESULTS When placebo or octreotide were administered 8 hours before GHRH, peak GH levels were respectively (mean ± SE, mU/l) 56·2 ± 16·6 and 60·8 ± 11·4 (NS). Also, when placebo or the somatostatin analogue were administered 16 hours prior to GHRH, peak GH levels were comparable (61·0 ± 7·4 vs 58·8 ± 7·4, NS). However, in the group receiving placebo or octreotide 12 hours prior to GHRH, the GH responses to GHRH were clearly enhanced by octreotide administration (peak GH levels, mU/l, 55·6 ± 21·6 vs 104·0 ± 17·4, P < 0·02). This enhancement of GH responses was observed in all subjects.CONCLUSIONS Octreotide administration did not affect GH responses to GHRH when given either 8 or 16 hours prior to GHRH. However, octreotide enhanced GHRH‐induced GH release when administered 12 hours prior to GHRH. It thus appears that, under particular temporal conditions, octreotide may act positively on GH secretion in man.
Pulsatile gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone therapy in patients with pituitary tumours treated by surgery and irradiation
Authors: Park Ki Hyun , Park Won II , Lee Byung Seok , Song Chan Ho , Huh Kap Bum , Lee Hyun Chul , Chung Sang Sup , Kim Gwl Eon 
Published: September 2010

SummaryOBJECTIVE Pulsatile administration of GnRH for induction of ovulation is effective for women with idiopathic hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. We were interested to assess the pituitary‐ovarian response to pulsatile GnRH infusion and the therapeutic effectiveness of restoring ovulation in a group of hypogonadotrophic women previously treated with surgery and irradiation to pituitary tumours.PATIENTS The group of patients comprised 15 hypogonadotrophic women, aged 29–40 years (mean 32·4 years), who had undergone transsphenoidal adenomectomy or craniotomy and irradiation with a total of 4500–5400 cGy in 25 fractional doses divided over 5–6 weeks. The time interval from irradiation to study was 6·3 ± 2·0 years (mean±SD).TREATMENT A single bolus GnRH (100 μg) test and pulsatile infusion of GnRH were performed to assess the pituitary gonadotrophin reserve and induce ovulation. We tried to correlate the pituitary response with characteristics of intracranial lesions on computerized tomography findings. We undertook ovarian biopsy in one patient who falled to respond to gonadotrophin therapy and pulsatile infusion of GnRH.RESULTS Twelve women (80%) showed evidence of ovulation in response to pulsatile GnRH treatment and five subsequently became pregnant. Four of 12 ovulators were previous non‐ovulators to exogenous gonadotrophin therapy. There was no correlation between pituitary response and character of lesions based on computerized tomography findings. A patient who failed to respond to either gonadotrophin or pulsatile infusion of GnRH had premature ovarian failure on ovarian histology.CONCLUSIONS The functional reserve capacity of pituitary gonadotrophs may remain less impaired by tumour encroachment, pituitary surgery or irradiation than had previously been thought. This holds promise for ovulation induction in hypogonadotrophic patients who had been treated with surgery and irradiation for pituitary tumours.
Phase‐shifts in melatonin, 6‐sulphatoxymelatonin and alertness rhythms after treatment with moderately bright light at night
Authors: Deacon Stephen J. , Arendt Josephine 
Published: September 2010

SummaryOBJECTIVES Shift work and rapid travel across several time zones leads to desynchronization of internal circadian rhythms from the external environment and from each other with consequent problems of behaviour, physiology and performance. Field studies of travellers and shift workers are expensive and difficult to control. This investigation concerns the simulation of such rhythm disturbance in a laboratory environment. The main objectives are to assess the ability of controlled exposure to moderately bright light and darkness/sleep to delay circadian rhythms in volunteers without environmental isolation and, secondly, to evaluate the use of different indices of melatonin (MT) secretion together with self‐rated alertness as marker rhythms.PATIENTS Six normal volunteers aged 22–26 years (mean ± SD 24·3 ± 1·4).DESIGN Subjects were exposed to the following periods of moderately bright light (1200 lux) on three consecutive days in early December 1991: Day (D)1: 2000‐0200 h, D2: 2200‐0400 h and D3: 2400‐0600 h. Each period was followed by 8 hours of darkness (< 1 lux). Hourly blood, sequential 4‐hourly urine (8‐hourly when asleep) and hourly saliva (except when asleep) samples were taken throughout a 24‐hour period on D0 (baseline), D4 (1 day post‐light treatment) and D7 (4 days post‐light treatment). During waking hours, subjective alertness was rated every 2 hours on a visual analogue scale.MEASUREMENTS MT was measured in plasma and saliva, and its metabolite, 6‐sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), was measured in urine. MT, aMT6s and alertness scores were analysed by ANOVA and a cosinor analysis program.RESULTS A delay shift was present in the aMT6s, plasma MT and salivary MT rhythms (degree of shift: 2·67 ± 0.3 h (P<0·001, n = 5); 2·35±0·29 h (P<0·001, n = 6); and 1·97 ± 0·32 h (P < 0·01, n = 6), mean ± SEM, respectively) 1 day post‐light treatment compared to baseline. Adaptation to the initial phase position was apparent by the 4th post‐treatment day. Significant correlations were obtained between plasma MT onset (degree of shift: 3·12 ± 0·74 h (P < 0·001, n = 6, mean ± SEM)) and the acrophases (calculated peak times) of plasma MT (P<0·001), salivary MT (P < 0·05) and urinary aMT6s (P < 0·01). A significant phase delay in the alertness rhythm was also evident 1 day post‐treatment (3·08 ± 0·67 h (P < 0·01, n = 6, mean ± SEM)) with adaptation by the 2nd post‐treatment day.CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that these methods of determining MT secretion are comparable and give reliable assessments of the MT circadian phase position even after a phase‐shift. Significant phase‐shifts of similar magnitude can be induced in both MT and alertness rhythms using moderate intensity bright light at night.
Partial nephrogenic diabetes insipidus caused by a novel mutation in the AVPR2 gene
Authors: Færch Mia , Christensen Jane H. , Corydon Thomas J. , Kamperis Konstantinos , De Zegher Francis , Gregersen Niels , Robertson Gary L. , Rittig Søren 
Published: September 2010

SummaryObjective   To identify the molecular basis and clinical characteristics of X‐linked congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (CNDI) presenting with an unusual phenotype characterized by partial resistance to AVP.Subjects   The proband was admitted at the age of 4 years with a history of polydipsia and polyuria since infancy. Initial clinical testing confirmed a diagnosis of diabetes insipidus (DI). Urine osmolarity rose during fluid deprivation and after 20 µg of intranasal desmopressin [1‐deamino‐8‐d‐arginine‐vasopressin (dDAVP)]. A similar DI phenotype was found in his brother.Methods   The coding regions of the AVP gene and the AVP receptor 2 (AVPR2) genes were sequenced in two affected and three unaffected family members. Clinical studies included a fluid deprivation test, intranasal dDAVP challenge, infusion of graded doses of dDAVP and AVP, and measurements of 24‐h urine output before and at the end of a 7‐day therapeutic trial of intranasal dDAVP.Results   A novel missense mutation (1454C > A) in exon 3 of the AVPR2 gene predicting a Ser329Arg substitution was identified in the X‐chromosome of the two affected brothers and in one of the X‐chromosomes in the mother. The AVPR2 gene was normal in two unaffected siblings. Under basal conditions, the 24‐h urine volumes of the two affected boys were 5·5 l (229 ml/kg) and 3·5 l (192 ml/kg), the urine osmolalities were 78 and 90 mosm/kg, and plasma AVP 13·5 and 19·0 pg/ml. Urine osmolalities increased to 573 and 720 mosm/kg while plasma AVP levels were practically unchanged, 13·6 and 8·8 pg/ml, during fluid deprivation. Infusion of AVP resulted in urine osmolalities of 523 and 623 mosm/kg at plasma AVP levels of 58 and 42 pg/ml. Infusion of dDAVP had a similar effect, while treatment with standard doses of intranasal dDAVP had no effect on urine output.Discussion   The affected members of this Belgian kindred have CNDI with partial resistance to AVP caused by a mutation in the AVPR2 gene that differs from any of the six mutations reported previously to produce this phenotype. Because the resistance to AVP is partial, this form of CNDI can be difficult to distinguish by indirect diagnostic tests from partial pituitary and dipsogenic DI.