bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Associations between glaucomatous visual field loss and participation in activities of daily living
Authors: Noe Geertje , Ferraro John , Lamoureux Ecosse , Rait Julian , Keeffe Jill E 
Published: November 2003

Abstract Purpose: This study investigated the association between visual field loss and participation in daily activities in individuals with glaucoma. Methods: Seventy‐nine patients were recruited from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. Visual fields were assessed using the Esterman binocular visual field tests and participation in daily activities was assessed using the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI) questionnaire. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were also measured. Results: There was no independent relationship between visual field loss and IVI score (r = −0.20; P = 0.09), except for the mobility domain (r = 0.25; P = 0.03). Mobility was the most affected domain of the IVI (mean = 1.2). Over a quarter of the patients reported experiencing moderate to severe restriction with mobility activities despite relatively minor binocular field loss. Conclusion: Mobility is the area in which glaucoma patients encounter difficulties even when the visual field and visual acuity are relatively good. Questions related to mobility could be asked to identify those patients who need rehabilitation.
Three horizontal muscle squint surgery for large angle infantile esotropia
Authors: Forrest Michael P , Finnigan Sidney , Finnigan Sonya , Gole Glen A 
Published: November 2003

Abstract Background: To report the long‐term outcome of a series of 49 patients who underwent three horizontal muscle squint surgery for large angle infantile esotropia. Methods: The patient records were retrospectively reviewed of 49 (24 girls [49%], 25 boys) consecutive patients with infantile esotropia of angle ≥60 Δ, who had undergone three horizontal muscle surgery performed by one surgeon (author GG). Surgery consisted of bilateral medial rectus recession combined with graded unilateral lateral rectus resection. Surgeries were carried out over a 6‐year period with a mean follow‐up period of 32.9 months (3.7−71.8 months). Results: Using Kaplan−Meier life‐table analysis, cumulative surgical success (orthotropia ±10 Δ) was 93.9% at 1 week, 91.8% at 2 and 6 months, 87.7% at 12 and 18 months, 79.9% at 2 years, 77.1% at 3, 4 and 5 years, and 70.6% at 6 years. The mean preoperative deviation was 68.7 Δ. The mean age at surgery was 12.9 months. The failure rate was independent of preoperative deviation. Prevalence of residual esotropia (>10 Δ) varied from 2.0% at 1 week to 17.0% at 6 years. Similarly the prevalence of consecutive exotropia (>10 Δ) varied from 4.0% at 1 week to 12.4% at 6 years. Conclusion: Operating in a graded fashion on three horizontal muscles in children with large angle infantile esotropia has a high success rate, even over long‐term follow up. Based on the study's results, amounts of surgery for a given angle of strabismus are proposed.
Photodynamic therapy in practice: a review of the results of the first 12 months experience with verteporfin at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
Authors: Essex Rohan W , Qureshi Salmaan H , Cain Melinda S , Harper C Alex , Guymer Robyn H 
Published: November 2003

Abstract Purpose: To review the 12‐month results of the first 136 eyes treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin at a single institution, and to determine if this treatment when used in the broader community could reproduce the results achieved in the Treatment of Age‐related Macular Degeneration (AMD) with PDT (TAP) study. Methods: A record of all patients who first received PDT with verteporfin at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital between the time of its introduction in February 2000 and February 2001 was prospectively maintained. The medical charts of these cases were reviewed and fluorescein angiograms were graded. Eyes with AMD were classified into three groups: TAP comparable if they had predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and visual acuity between 6/12 and 6/60; VIP comparable if they had occult but no classic subfoveal CNV and visual acuity better than 6/36; and PDT ineligible if they fell outside recommended eligibility guidelines of the TAP/VIP studies. The main outcome measure was visual acuity change, with total number of treatments a secondary outcome variable. Results: A total of 136 eyes of 130 patients began PDT during this period. The baseline angiogram and clinical data were available for 123 eyes (90%), and these were reviewed. Fourteen eyes had non‐AMD related CNV, while 109 eyes of 105 patients had AMD. Of the 109 AMD related lesions, 72 (66%) were TAP comparable, six (5.5%) were VIP comparable and 31 (28%) were PDT ineligible. At the 12‐month visit the proportion of TAP comparable eyes with same or better vision was 36/72 (50%), compared to 13/31 (42%) of the PDT ineligible eyes (P = 0.45). Only 30/72 (42%) of the TAP comparable eyes were still undergoing regular angiographic and clinical assessment (similar to the TAP protocol) at the time of the 12 month visit. The number of these who had same or better vision at 12 months was 17/30 (57%) compared to 19/42 (44%) TAP comparable eyes without regular angiographic follow up to 12 months (P = 0.37). Conclusions: When used according to the guidelines estab­lished by the TAP study, the visual acuity results with PDT approached those achieved in the TAP study. When eyes were either enrolled outside the TAP study eligibility guidelines, or were not actively followed up over the 12‐month period as per TAP study guidelines, the visual outcome was similar to natural history of CNV secondary to AMD.
Measurement of the economic impact of visual impairment from age‐related macular degeneration in Australia
Authors: Hopley Charles , Carter Rob , Mitchell Paul 
Published: November 2003

AbstractThe purpose of this report was to: (i) outline the potential value of health economic studies into age‐related macular degeneration (AMD); (ii) provide an overview of health economic studies pertinent to AMD; and (iii) outline the basic frame work of cost‐of‐illness studies (a useful first step in applying economic methods). The detection and management of sensory loss in the elderly plays a key role in the Australian Government's Healthy Ageing Strategy. Age‐related macular degeneration is currently the leading cause of blindness in elderly Australians. Although a large proportion of AMD cases remain untreatable, the introduction of photo­dynamic therapy provides a relatively expensive and possibly cost‐effective innovation for others. Antioxidant therapy has also been proven effective in reducing progression of early to late disease. The discipline of economics can contribute to an understanding of AMD prevention and treatment through: (i)describingthe current burden of disease; (ii)predictingthe changes in the burden of disease over time, and (iii)evaluatingthe efficiency of different interventions. Cost‐of‐illness studies have been performed in many fields of medicine. Little work, however, has been done on describing the economic impact from AMD. A number of different economic evaluation methods can be used in judging the efficiency of possible interventions to reduce the disease burden of AMD. Although complementary in nature, each has specific uses and limitations. Studies of the economic impact of eye diseases are both feasible and necessary for informed health care decision‐making.
Lactose digestion in pregnant African-Americans
Authors: Paige David M , Witter Frank R , Bronner Yvonne L , Kessler Lisa A , Perman Jay A , Paige Tara R 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjective:This paper reports on the status of lactose digestion during early and late pregnancy and at 8 weeks postpartum in an African-American population. The hypothesis is that lactose digestion and milk tolerance do not change throughout pregnancy anddo not differ from those of non-pregnant African-American women.Design and subjects:This longitudinal study determined lactose digestion after ingesting 240 ml of 1% fat milk containing 12g of lactose at: (1) early pregnancy, prior to 16 weeks (n = 148); (2) late pregnancy, 30–35 weeks (n = 77); and (3) 8 weeks postpartum (n = 93). One hundred and one comparably matched non-pregnant African-American women served as controls.Results:Prevalence of lactose digestion, as measured by breath hydrogen, was 80.2% in the control women, 66.2% in early pregnancy, 68.8% in late pregnancy and 75.3% postpartum. The prevalence of women reporting symptoms was approximately 20% regardless of lactose absorption status. However, the control women reported significantly more symptoms than did the pregnant women.Conclusions:This study indicates that there is no significant change in lactose digestion during pregnancy. The prevalence of lactose intolerance for the pregnant African-American women studied is similar to that for non-pregnant African-American women and similar to previous prevalence reports in adult African-Americans. There was no change in the tolerance of lactose noted during pregnancy in these women. There were, however, fewer symptoms reported by the lactose-maldigesting pregnant women.
Risk factors of obesity among Brazilian adolescents: a case–control study
Authors: Neutzling Marilda B , Taddei José August AC , Gigante Denise P 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjective:To study risk factors associated with overweight and obesity among adolescents enrolled in private high schools in the city of Pelotas, southern Brazil.Method:This was a case–control study. The subjects were 264 overweight (body mass index (BMI) ≥85th percentile of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reference population) and 264 non-overweight (BMI > 5th and <85th NCHS percentiles) adolescents identified by means of an anthropometric survey which included 1608 students. The adolescents were weighed, measured and interviewed about food habits and physical activity at school. Parents provided their own weights and heights when contacted by telephone, and parental BMI was calculated.Results:Hierarchical multiple conditional logistic regression showed that overweight and obesity were positively associated with mother's (odds ratio (OR) 2.86, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.43–5.74) and father's (OR 2.43, 95% Cl 1.37–4.30) BMI ≥ 30 kg m−2, being overweight before 10 years of age (OR 2.26, 95% Cl 1.30–3.90) and the habit of dieting (OR 3.53, 95% Cl 1.76–7.22). Having more than three meals per day was found to be a protective factor against overweight and obesity (OR 0.54, 95% Cl 0.29–1.00).Conclusion:The present study showed that a family history of obesity, overweight during childhood and the habit of dieting for weight-loss purposes are factors associated with obesity during adolescence. The habit of having more than three daily meals turned out to be a protective factor against overweight. These results suggest the necessity for early intervention at the family and general community levels aimed at the prevention of obesity through actions directed towards the modification of established behaviours.
Competency development needs of the Australian public health nutrition workforce
Authors: Hughes Roger 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjectives:To assess factors affecting competency development of the Australian public health nutrition workforce and investigate competency development intentions, barriers and self-reported training needs.Design:Cross-sectional study using self-administered mail- or email-delivered questionnaire.Setting and subjects:Two hundred and forty practitioners working in designated community and public health nutrition positions in the Australian health system.Results:An 87% questionnaire response rate was achieved. The profile of the sample included female practitioners (95%) within the age range of 26–45 years (67%), from dietetic backgrounds (75%) and employed in state health departments as community dietitians/nutritionists (52%) or public health nutritionists (32%). Only 14% had completed higher degree qualifications but most (80%) reported an intention to do so in the future. Entry-level dietetic education was considered by most respondents (57%) to be inadequate preparation for public health nutrition practice but considered it had utility as a precursor for public health nutrition competency development because of its strong grounding in nutrition knowledge, basic research skills and problem-solving. On-the-job learning was the most prominent competency development influence reported by this workforce. Flexibility in teaching and learning approaches is needed to facilitate workforce participation in further competency development. The main competency development needs focused on analytical and policy process competencies; however, there was a general need expressed for competency development across many competency areas.Conclusions:These data provide intelligence to inform public health nutrition workforce development, particularly that relating to continued professional development amongst the existing workforce.
Refined sugar intake in Australian children
Authors: Somerset Shawn M 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjective:To estimate the intake of refined sugar in Australian children and adolescents, aged 2–18 years.Design:Foods contributing to total sugar intake were identified using data from the National Nutrition Survey 1995 (NNS95), the most recent national dietary survey of the Australian population. The top 100 foods represented means of 85% (range 79–91%) and 82% (range 78–85%) of total sugar intake for boys and girls, respectively. Using published Australian food composition data (NUTTAB95), the proportion of total sugar being refined sugar was estimated for each food. Where published food composition data were not available, calculations from ingredients and manufacturer's information were used.Subjects:The NNS95 assessed the dietary intake of a random sample of the Australian population, aged 2–18 years (n= 3007).Results:Mean daily intakes of refined sugar ranged from 26.9 to 78.3 g for 2–18-year-old girls, representing 6.6–14.8% of total energy intake. Corresponding figures for boys were 27.0 to 81.6 g and 8.0–14.0%, respectively. Of the 10 highest sources of refined sugar for each age group, sweetened beverages, especially cola-type beverages, were the most prominent.Conclusion:Refined sugar is an important contributor to dietary energy in Australian children. Sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and cordials were substantial sources of refined sugar and represent a potential target for campaigns to reduce refined sugar intake. Better access to information on the amounts of sugar added to processed food is essential for appropriate monitoring of this important energy source.
Reproducibility and validity of a food-frequency questionnaire for use among low-income Brazilian workers
Authors: Fornés Nélida Schmid , Stringhini Maria Luiza Ferreira , Elias Berenice Müller 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjectives:To assess the reproducibility and validity a 127-item, habitual intake, food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ), developed for low-income and low-literacy Brazilian workers, by comparison with a 24-hour dietary recall (24-HDR).Design:The FFQ and 24-HDR were interviewer-administered at the local workplace to each subject twice, with a period of 6 months between estimates; and four 24-HDRs were conducted during the 4-month period between the two FFQs (FFQ1 and FFQ2). Reproducibility was tested by comparing mean nutrient intakes from the two FFQs. Validity was determined by comparing the mean nutrient intakes from the FFQs with the corresponding averages of the six 24-HDRs (reference method).Setting:Goiânia City, in Central West Brazil.Subjects:The study was based on 104 (62 women and 42 men) subjects, aged 18 to 60 years, who were randomly selected.Results:Dietary intake from the FFQ was higher than from the 24-HDR. Reproducibility was assessed by Pearson correlation coefficients for nutrients from FFQ1 and FFQ2, and ranged from 0.23 for retinol to 0.69 for total energy (mean 0.52). Intra-class coefficients for nutrients averaged by the 24-HDRs ranged from 0.29 for vitamin C to 0.76 for total energy; retinol was not significant. In the validation study, correlation between the FFQ and the 24-HDR ranged between 0.21 for vitamin C and 0.70 for total energy (mean 0.50). Adjusting for total energy lowered the coefficients, except for calcium, retinol and vitamin C. Coefficients increased with attenuation, ranging from 0.35 for carbohydrate to 0.65 for calcium.Conclusions:Results indicate that this questionnaire had satisfactory reproducibility and reasonable validity.
Sociodemographic variations in obesity among Ghanaian adults
Authors: Amoah Albert GB 
Published: November 2003

AbstractObjectives:To determine the sociodemographic associations of obesity in Ghana.Design:A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 6300 adults aged 25 years and over who were selected by random cluster sampling.Setting:Two urban (high-class and low-class suburbs) and a rural community in Accra, Ghana.Subjects and methods:In total, 4731 (1857 males, 2874 females) subjects participated. Demographic data were obtained by a questionnaire and height and weight were determined with subjects in light clothing and without shoes.Results:The overall crude prevalence of overweight and obesity was 23.4 and 14.1%, respectively. The rates of overweight (27.1 vs. 17.5%) and obesity (20.2 vs. 4.6%) were higher in females than males. Obesity increased with age up to 64 years. There were more overweight and obesity in the urban high-class residents compared with the low-class residents and in urban than rural subjects. Overweight and obesity were highest among the Akan and Ga tribes and relatively low among Ewes. Subjects with tertiary education had the highest prevalence of obesity (18.8%) compared with less literate and illiterate subjects (12.5–13.8%). Subjects whose jobs were of a sedentary nature had higher levels of obesity (15%) than subjects whose jobs involved heavy physical activity (10%). Subjects who did not engage in leisure-time physical activity were more obese than those who had three or more sessions of leisure-time physical activity per week (15.3 vs. 13.5%).Conclusions:Overweight and obesity are common among residents in the Accra area. Older age, female gender, urban, high-class residence, sedentary occupation and tertiary education were associated with higher levels of obesity. Policies and programmes that promote healthy lifestyles may prove beneficial.
Quantitative approaches to nutrient density for public health nutrition
Authors: Backstrand Jeffrey R 
Published: November 2003

AbstractNutrient density, the vitamin or mineral content of a food or diet per unit energy, has long been a useful concept in the nutritional sciences. However, few nutritionists have applied the idea in quantitative, population-based nutrition planning and assessment. This paper discusses the conceptual issues related to the calculation of a nutrient density value that, if consumed, should meet the nutrient needs of most individuals in a population or sub-population, and outlines several methods for estimating this value. The paper also discusses the potential influence on the estimate's validity of factors such as skewed distributions and correlated energy intake and nutrient requirement.
The Creation of a Vocational Sector in Swiss Higher Education: balancing trends of system differentiation and integration
Authors: Perellon Juan‐Francisco 
Published: November 2003

AbstractThe article discusses the establishment of a vocational sector in Swiss higher education as a complement to the existing two‐tier system of cantonal Universities and federal Institutes of technology. The origins of this new player, its missions and organisational features are discussed. This overall discussion is placed into the context of changing landscape of Swiss higher education policy characterised by increasing pressures for geographical reorganisation of the higher education sector under the auspices of a more direct role of the federal government.The article makes two points. First, it argues that the creation of a vocational sector in Swiss higher education combines two contradictory trends. On the one hand, this new sector tends to provide differentiation at the system level, through the creation of a new, more marked‐oriented sector of higher education. On the other hand, system differentiation at the system level is threatened by increased demands for greater inter‐institutional cooperation and system integration, emanating principally from the federal level.Second, the article also argues that the distinction between ‘academic/scientific’ vs. ‘vocational/professional’ education generally referred to when studying the emergence of non‐university sectors in higher education, is not pertinent for the analysis of the Swiss case. Two reasons are brought forward to sustain this argument. First, this distinction reinforces an artificial binary divide, no longer relevant to assess the evolution of higher education institutions placed in a context of academic and vocational drifts. Second, the ‘academic’ vs. ‘professional’ opposition does not take into consideration the political organisation of the country and how this impacts on policy making in higher education; a crucial element in the Swiss context.
The Labour Party and Higher Education: The Nature of the Relationship
Authors: Bocock Jean , Taylor Richard 
Published: December 2003

AbstractHigher education policy has rarely been a major concern of the Labour Party in the second half of the twentieth century. This article explores the reasons for this and analyses the ideological coalition of the Labour Party in the context of the Welfare State and the commitments to moderate social democratic reformism. Three strands in particular are explored: the dominance of vocational, technological and professional priorities in HE expansion; the influence of utilitarian thinking, broadly construed; and the various social purpose, equality perspectives of those on the Left of the Party. Alongside these strands, has been Labour's reluctance to adopt interventionist policies especially in relation to the so‐called elite Universities, and the persistent advocacy of ‘modernisation’. Finally, the article considers, within a context of the debate in general political analysis, the potential of the Labour Party within this period to achieve significant reform in the field of higher education, drawing inter alia on the work of Ralph Miliband.
Reviews
Authors: Ainley Patrick , Tapper Ted 
Published: December 2003

Books reviewedRonald Barnett (2003) Beyond All Reason: Living with Ideology in the University. Buckingham: Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press. 231 pp; ISBN 0‐335‐20894‐0 (hb.) £65; 0‐335‐20893‐2 (pb.) £22.50.Cecile Deer (2002) Higher Education in England and France Since the 1980s. Oxford: Symposium Books. 208 pp; ISBN 1‐873927‐64‐9. £24.00 (pb).