bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predictors of outcome for unrelated adoptive placements made during middle childhood
Authors: Dance Cherilyn , Rushton Alan 
Published: October 2005

ABSTRACTThis paper reports on a follow‐up to adolescence of two longitudinal prospective studies of children placed from public care with non‐related adoptive families in the UK. Factors associated with outcome are presented for 99 children (one index child per adoptive family) who were between 5 and 11 years of age at placement. Information concerning the children's backgrounds and care histories was obtained shortly after placement (T1), from social workers. Adopters were interviewed at T1 and again at the end of the first year (T2). A further follow‐up was conducted an average of six years after placement (T3).Outcomes at T3 were classified as either disrupted, which was true for 23%, continuing and ‘positive’ (49%) or continuing but ‘difficult’ (28%). Bivariate analyses revealed a number of attributes, related to both the child and the adoptive parents, which were associated with differential outcomes. Logistic regression produced five predictors of placement disruption: age at placement, behavioural problems, preferential rejection, time in care and the child's degree of attachment to the new mother. Differences were found between ‘positive’ and ‘difficult’ outcomes in continuing placements as well as between continuing and disrupted placements. The analysis suggests that adoption should certainly be considered as an option for children over 5 years of age while recognizing the need for both preparation and post‐placement support. Evidence of differential outcome in continuing placements provides support for efforts to reduce the number of placements and returns home that a child at risk experiences.
More than a piece of paper?: Personal education plans and ‘looked after’ children in England
Authors: Hayden Carol 
Published: October 2005

ABSTRACTThis paper reports on research into personal education plans (PEPs) for ‘looked after’ children (children in care) in one large county local authority in England. PEPs were introduced by guidance from the Department for Education and Employment and Department of Health in 2000. The fieldwork for this research began two years after this guidance was published. The research findings show that although social services staff and teachers are critical of specific aspects of PEPs, they have helped to raise the profile of the educational needs of looked after children in the local authority studied. They have provided a forum for social work and education professionals to meet in the interests of particular children. Key problems relate to practical issues: ensuring social workers and teachers feel able to fulfil their expected roles in relation to the education of looked after children; making the system focus on meeting the needs of children as well as practitioners; difficulty in meeting specified timescales; more meaningful, constructive and sensitive involvement of children in the process of producing and reviewing PEPs. The broader issue, however, is about the ability to plan the education of looked after children. Additional barriers to planning were particularly apparent in residential care and specifically within secure accommodation.
Understanding and negotiating identity: Children from cross‐community families in public care in Northern Ireland
Authors: Kelly Berni , Sinclair Ruth 
Published: October 2005

ABSTRACTIn Northern Ireland, most research on the impact upon children of living through the ‘troubles’ and in a divided society has assumed that children are from either the Catholic or Protestant community. There has been very little research with children from cross‐community families who have one parent from a Catholic background and one from a Protestant background. It is known, however, that these children are over‐represented in the public care system in Northern Ireland. The study reported in this paper addresses this gap in knowledge by exploring the experiences and views of children from cross‐community families who are in public care in Northern Ireland. The study has key messages for the development of services for looked after children from cross‐community families, if these are to be delivered in accordance with legislative duties in Northern Ireland and in an anti‐sectarian manner.
A grass roots approach to influencing child welfare policy
Authors: Kufeldt Kathleen , Simard Marie , Thomas Paul , Vachon Jacques 
Published: October 2005

ABSTRACTThis paper provides a brief review of child welfare issues identified by a Canadian Task Force convened for the 1979 Year of the Child. Project experience with the use of Looking After Children is linked to the issues identified in 1979. A fairly extensive discussion of legal considerations is presented to provide a context for the challenge of influencing policy. Finally, the possibility of influencing policy from a grass roots approach that can transcend jurisdictional boundaries is presented as offering hope for change in a child‐centred direction.
Care proceedings and parents with learning difficulties: comparative prevalence and outcomes in an English and Australian court sample
Authors: Booth Tim , Booth Wendy , McConnell David 
Published: October 2005

ABSTRACTThis paper presents and contrasts the findings from two independent but comparable court studies in England and Australia of care proceedings involving parents with learning difficulties. Significant differences between the two jurisdictions were found in both prevalence and outcomes, with a much higher proportion of cases showing in the England sample, with many more children being returned home to live with their parents in Australia, and with far more children being placed out‐of‐home and outside the family network in England. We explore the reasons for these differences and discuss the implications of the findings.
Assessing the impact of community programmes working with children and families in disadvantaged areas
Authors: Jack Gordon 
Published: October 2005

ABSTRACTCommunity programmes designed to improve the functioning of disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the families living there, as well as to reduce specific problems such as child abuse and youth offending, are currently very popular with the UK government. However, whilst there is considerable knowledge about the structural causes of individual and neighbourhood disadvantage in UK society, evidence about the role that community programmes can play in addressing these inequalities is much more limited. The evidence that does exist tends either to have been imported from other parts of the world (notably the USA), or to be in the early stages of evaluation in the UK, with the initial findings sometimes proving rather unconvincing. In particular, the limitations of targeted funding, and the difficulties of establishing and maintaining the effective partnerships upon which successful programmes rely, are emerging as significant issues.In this paper the implications of these findings for the future of children's services is considered, in the context of ever‐widening inequalities in UK society and the government's plans for children's trusts, integrated children's centres, and extended schools, involving multi‐agency working between health, education and social services.
Determination of iodine concentration in urine by isotope dilution analysis and thyroid volume of school children in the west coast of Turkey after mandatory salt iodization
Authors: Darcan Şükran , Unak Perihan , Yalman Osman , Lambrecht Fatma Yurt , Biber F. Zümrüt , Göksen Damla , Coker Mahmut 
Published: October 2005

SummaryObjective  This study was designed to evaluate iodine deficiency status in children 6–12 years in the west coast (Aegean Region) of Turkey after 5 years of mandatory iodine prophylaxis. A total of 2300 children from 72 populations (rural and urban area) were evaluated with urinary iodine excretion and thyroid volume.Design  Cross‐sectional, observational study designed and performed according to surveillance methods for iodine deficiency disease (IDD) prevalence recommended by WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD.Subjects  The study population consisted of 2300 school children age ranging from 6 to 12 years. The children were selected by multiple stage randomization from 91 primary schools of 76 zones (91 clusters). Information about the use of iodized salt was obtained from the families.Measurements  Data on the following were collected: birth date, sex, weight, height, thyroid size by palpation and ultrasonography; and urinary iodine by isotope dilution analysis method. Thyroid volumes above 97th percentile according to the WHO/ICCIDD by age and body surface area (BSA) were accepted as goitre.Results  Iodized salt consumption was 51·7%. The prevalence of goitre determined by palpation was 12·1% and by ultrasound based on BSA and age were 9·8% and 5·5%, respectively. Median urinary iodine was 53 (2–142) µg/l.Conclusion  Mild to severe degree of iodine deficiency was detected in the west coast of Turkey.
Electric waves recorded from the testicle: are they capsular or from the testicular tissue?
Authors: SHAFIK AHMED , SHAFIK ISMAIL , SIBAI OLFAT EL , SHAFIK ALI A. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryWe demonstrated in a previous study that electric waves could be recorded from the testicle by applying the electrodes either directly to the tunica albuginea (TA) or transcutaneously. As the TA contains smooth muscle fibres which presumably transmit the electric waves, we investigated the hypothesis that the electric waves recorded from the testicle originated from the TA. During the repair of inguino‐scrotal hernia in 24 men [age 36.6 ± 8.6 years (mean ± SD)], the tunica vaginalis was everted because of the presence of hydrocele. The electric activity of the TA was recorded by three surface electrodes and that of the testicle by three needle electrodes. The recorded potentials were amplified and displayed on an electromyographic apparatus. Triphasic slow waves (SWs) were recorded from the TA. They showed similar frequency, amplitude and conduction velocity from the three electrodes of the individual subject and were reproducible. They were followed or superimposed by bursts of action potentials (APs) which occurred randomly. No waves were recorded from the three needle electrodes inserted into the testicular tissue. The current study could demonstrate that the electric waves recorded from the electrodes applied to the testicle were derived from the TA and not from the testicular tissue. This finding apparently denotes that the TA has a resting tone and probably motile activity, the role of which in testicular function needs to be studied.
Interchromosomal effect in sperm of males with translocations: report of 6 cases and review of the literature
Authors: DOUET‐GUILBERT N. , BRIS M.‐J. L. , AMICE V. , MARCHETTI C. , DELOBEL B. , AMICE J. , BRAEKELEER M. D. , MOREL F. 
Published: October 2005

SummarySomatic chromosomal abnormalities are frequently found in infertile men, particularly in those with low sperm count and/or seeking intracytoplasmic sperm injection. These abnormalities mostly consist of numerical sex chromosome abnormalities and translocations (Robertsonian or reciprocal). In this study, we searched for the occurrence of non‐disjunction of chromosomes not involved in translocations during meiosis, phenomenon called interchromosomal effect (ICE) and first described by Lejeune (1965). Ejaculate samples of two patients carrying a Robertsonian translocation and four a reciprocal translocation patients and four controls (men with a 46,XY karyotype and normal sperm parameters) were studied in dual FISH 7‐9, dual FISH 13‐21 and triple FISH X‐Y‐18. A statistically significant increase of disomy X, Y and XY (P = 0.009, P = 0.004, P < 0.001) was found in the Robertsonian der(13;14)(q10;q10) carrier but not in the der(14;21)(q10;q10) carrier compared with controls. Among reciprocal translocation carriers, a significant increase of disomy 21 (P = 0.033) was observed in a sole patient with a t(9;22)(q21;q11.2). The increase of meiotic non‐disjunction for chromosome 21 and sex chromosomes is a recurrent event found in other studies. According to our results and published data, the ICE on some specific chromosomes is likely in men carrier of a translocation, although it cannot be excluded that the aneuploidy is related to the oligoasthenoteratozoospermia usually present in these men. Moreover, this phenomenon showed interindividual variations which cannot be predicted. The risk of aneuploidy in sperm of males used for ICSI need to be evaluated. It could be superadded to that of meiotic segregation of the translocation to give a more precise and personalized risk assessment of aneuploidy in the offspring of those men.
Expression of Mina53, a product of a Myc target gene in mouse testis
Authors: TSUNEOKA MAKOTO , NISHIMUNE YOSHITAKE , OHTA KEISUKE , TEYE KWESI , TANAKA HIROMITSU , SOEJIMA MIKIKO , IIDA HIROSHI , INOKUCHI TETSUO , KIMURA HIROSHI , KODA YOSHIRO 
Published: October 2005

SummaryRecently we have identified a novel gene mina53 (mina), which is a direct transcriptional target of oncoprotein Myc. Mina53 protein was shown to be highly expressed in tumour cells and to play a role in cell proliferation. Here we report the expression of Mina53 in mouse testis, which contains proliferating cells and expresses many cancer‐related genes. Immunohistochemical studies by using newly produced monoclonal antibody to Mina53 showed that Mina53 was expressed in the nuclei of spermatogonia. Mina53 was also expressed in meiotic prophase cells such as preleptotene, leptotene and zygotene, and weakly in early pachytene spermatocytes, but was absent in late pachytene spermatocytes, spermatids and mature sperm. The expression pattern of Mina53 was quite similar to that of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Using experimental cryptorchid testis, it was found that Mina53 was highly expressed in undifferentiated spermatogonia, which were PCNA‐positive. These results suggest that Mina53 is prominently expressed in proliferating, undifferentiated spermatogonia, and plays a role in cell proliferation from the spermatogonial stage to the meiotic prophase in spermatogenesis, but not in meiotic divisions per se.
Cellular origins of testicular dysgenesis in rats exposed in utero to di(n‐butyl) phthalate
Authors: MAHOOD I. KIM , MCKINNELL CHRIS , WALKER MARION , HALLMARK NINA , SCOTT HAYLEY , FISHER JANE S. , RIVAS ANA , HARTUNG STEFAN , IVELL RICHARD , MASON J. IAN , SHARPE RICHARD M. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryFoetal exposure of male rats to di(n‐butyl) phthalate (DBP) induces testicular changes similar to testicular dysgenesis syndrome in humans, including the formation of focal ‘dysgenetic areas’ within post‐natal testes, surrounded by otherwise normal tubules exhibiting complete spermatogenesis. We hypothesize that these dysgenetic areas form when Sertoli (and other) cells are ‘trapped’ during the abnormal formation of large Leydig cell (LC) clusters in foetal life and by post‐natal day (d) 4 these groups of intermingled cells attempt to form seminiferous tubules. It is likely that the malformed tubules resulting correspond to the dysgenetic areas evident in later life. This also provides a plausible explanation for the occurrence of LCs within seminiferous cords/tubules in or bordering the dysgenetic areas. In our previous studies intratubular LCs (ITLCs) were identified by immunostaining for 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β‐HSD), the definitive LC cytoplasmic marker. However, the possibility remained that the ‘presumptive’ ITLCs were in fact Sertoli cells that had aberrantly gained the ability to express 3β‐HSD. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to fully characterize the ITLCs induced by in utero DBP exposure in d25 rats using a number of LC‐ (3β‐HSD, P450 side‐chain cleavage enzyme, insulin‐like factor 3, oestrogen receptor alpha) and Sertoli cell‐ (vimentin, Wilm's tumour‐1) specific markers. Our results show that ITLCs express all four LC‐specific markers but do not express either of the Sertoli cell markers. It is therefore concluded that the ITLCs are bona fide LCs that are abnormally located within the seminiferous tubules of DBP‐exposed rats in post‐natal life.
Recent data on pubertal milestones in United States children: the secular trend toward earlier development
Authors: HERMAN‐GIDDENS MARCIA E. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryTracking secular trends in the pubertal development of a country's children is important for social and public health reasons. Although comparable studies are largely lacking for US children over the last half century, existing data on girls, particularly that for menarche, indicate that the trend for earlier sexual maturatin has continued and that racial differences are significant, with African‐American girls developing earlier than white girls. Data on boys, though less reliable, suggest that they may be beginning maturation earlier as well. More studies on boys with reliable methodologies are needed. Earlier development may not be healthy and may indicate environmental problems that need to be further researched and addressed.
Register data on assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Europe including a detailed description of ART in Denmark
Authors: NYBOE ANDERSEN ANDERS , ERB KARIN 
Published: October 2005

SummaryThe European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has monitored Assisted Reproduction in Europe since 1997. In 2001, 579 clinics from 23 countries reported 289 690 treatment cycles with: in vitro fertilization (IVF) 120 946, intracytoplasmatisk sperm injection (ICSI) 114 378, frozen embryo replacements (FER) 47 195 and egg donation (ED) 7171. Intrauterine inseminations are less consistently reported, but in 2001, 15 countries reported 67 124 cycles (IUI‐H 52 949 and IUI‐D 14 185). Data from 2001 showed that in 12 countries, where all clinics reported the in vitro techniques to the register, 829 treatment cycles were performed per million inhabitants. The availability was highest in the Nordic countries (range 975–1923 cycles). The proportion of infants born after ART with in vitro techniques ranged from 0.2% in Latvia to 3.9% in Denmark. In general, the impact of the in vitro techniques on the birth rate is highest in the Nordic countries (range 2.2–3.9%). Denmark is the only country with an established National ART reporting system involving all ART treatments both with the in vitro techniques and intrauterine inseminations. In the year 2002, a total of 20 837 treatment cycles were performed. The result was that 6.2% of all infants were born after assisted reproduction.
Does folic acid and zinc sulphate intervention affect endocrine parameters and sperm characteristics in men?
Authors: EBISCH I. M. W. , PIERIK F. H. , DE JONG F. H. , THOMAS C. M. G. , STEEGERS‐THEUNISSEN R. P. M. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryWe evaluated pre‐ and post‐intervention endocrine and semen parameters in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled intervention study to investigate the underlying mechanism of increased sperm concentration after folic acid and zinc sulphate intervention. A total of 47 fertile and 40 subfertile males participated in a 26‐week intervention study consisting of a daily treatment with folic acid (5 mg/day) and zinc sulphate (66 mg/day), or placebo. Pre‐ and post‐intervention semen parameters, serum folate, zinc, follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and inhibin B concentrations were measured. The results indicated that intervention treatment significantly increased sperm concentration in subfertile males. Other semen and endocrine parameters were not affected by intervention treatment. At baseline, positive correlations were found between serum zinc and sperm concentration, motility and inhibin B. Serum zinc and FSH were inversely correlated. As (already) well known from previous research, inhibin B positively correlated with sperm concentration, motility and morphology, and was inversely correlated with FSH. The latter was positively correlated with testosterone. In addition, testosterone and inhibin B were inversely correlated. After intervention, the correlations with zinc disappeared. We conclude that the increase in sperm concentration after folic acid and zinc sulphate intervention is not the result of alterations in FSH, testosterone or inhibin B concentrations. Although zinc and folate have several effects on spermatogenesis, the underlying mechanisms involved are not clear.
Familial risks in testicular cancer as aetiological clues
Authors: HEMMINKI KARI , CHEN BOWANG 
Published: October 2005

SummaryWe used the nationwide Swedish Family‐Cancer Database to analyse the risk for testicular cancer in offspring through parental and sibling probands. Among 0 to 70‐year‐old offspring, 4586 patients had testicular cancer. Standardized incidence ratios for familial risk were 3.8‐fold when a father and 7.6‐fold when a brother had testicular cancer. Testicular cancer was associated with leukaemia, distal colon and kidney cancer, melanoma, connective tissue tumours and lung cancer in families. Non‐seminoma was associated with maternal lung cancer but the risk was highest for the late‐onset cases, providing no support to the theory of the in utero effect of maternal smoking on the son's risk of testicular cancer. However, the theory cannot be excluded but should be taken up for study when further data are available on maternal smoking. The high familial risk may be the product of shared childhood environment and heritable causes.
Expression profiles and single‐nucleotide polymorphism analysis of human HANP1/H1T2 encoding a histone H1‐like protein
Authors: TANAKA HIROMITSU , MATSUOKA YASUHIRO , ONISHI MASAYOSHI , KITAMURA KOUICHI , MIYAGAWA YASUSHI , NISHIMURA HIROMI , TSUJIMURA AKIRA , OKUYAMA AKIHIKO , NISHIMUNE YOSHITAKE 
Published: October 2005

SummaryRecently we cloned the Hanp1 cDNA that encodes a histone H1‐like haploid germ cell‐specific nuclear protein in the mouse. Homozygous Hanp1 mutant male mice were infertile, while females were fertile. Although a substantial number of sperm were recovered from the epididymis, their shape and function were abnormal. Hanp1 protein is essential for nuclear formation in functional spermatozoa, and is specifically involved in the replacement of histones with protamines during spermiogenesis. To investigate the roles of human HANP1 (h‐HANP1) and its relation to male infertility, we isolated h‐HANP1 cDNA from a human cDNA plasmid library using mouse Hanp1 cDNA as a probe. h‐HANP1 is expressed in the testes and its genomic construct also intronless as mouse Hanp1. We found that the h‐HANP1 coding region have 5 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in Japanese men.
Staple diet: a foreign body in a tooth
Authors: MCAULIFFE N. , DRAGE N. A. , HUNTER B. 
Published: October 2005

SummaryThe chance discovery of a foreign object embedded in a tooth is uncommon, and requires radiographic examination to determine the composition and location of the object. The authors describe the case of an 11‐year‐old boy who presented with a staple lodged in the root canal of the maxillary left permanent central incisor. This staple was localized using parallax techniques and successfully removed from the canal. The radiographic techniques of localization and possible methods of removal of foreign bodies are discussed.