bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The factors affecting the relation between the menarcheal age of mother and daughter
Authors: Ersoy B. , Balkan C. , Gunay T. , Egemen A. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractBackground  Menarche is one of the most important biologic signals in the life of a woman. Menarche is a biological variable which has a significant genotypic component in girls. In recent years, many studies reporting the earlier onset of menarche owing to the improvement of socio‐economic conditions have been published.Design  We asked some questions about menarche to 1017 female students studying in the high schools of Manisa region in order to determine the menarcheal age and the correlation of menarcheal age between the mothers and daughters in our region.Results  The mean age at menarche for the girls was 12.82 ± 1.07 years and for the mothers was 13.6 ± 1.39 years. The mean menarcheal age of the mothers was higher than the mean menarcheal age of the girls (P < 0.001). This difference persisted independent of the socio‐economic status, nutritional state and physical activity of the girls. There was a significant correlation between the menarcheal age of the girls and their mothers (r = 0.262, P < 0.001). This correlation existed in all the girls with different socio‐economic status, nutritional state and physical activity. However, this correlation disappeared in girls with body mass index (BMI) > 25 (r = 0.04, P = 0.813). In girls with BMI < 25, there was a correlation between the menarcheal age of the girls and mothers (r = 0.282, P < 0.001).Conclusion  These results suggest that the menarche occurs earlier in the daughters than their mothers. The correlation between the menarcheal age of the girls and their mothers persists under all circumstances except in obesity. The mother's menarcheal age is a good predictor of the daughter's menarcheal age in non‐obese girls and the BMI is an important factor.
Standardization of the motor scales of the Griffiths Test II on children aged 3 to 6 years in Greece
Authors: Giagazoglou P. , Tsimaras V. , Fotiadou E. , Evaggelinou C. , Tsikoulas J. , Angelopoulou N. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractAims The present study aimed at the standardization of the motor scales (A – locomotor and D – eye–hand co‐ordination) of the Griffiths Test II on Greek preschool‐aged children.Participants Nine hundred and thirty children living in Northern Greece were assessed (455 boys and 475 girls), aged from 37 to 72 months (3–6 years old).Results Percentile ranks were determined depending on the developmental quotient and the chronological age of the child. Through the present application of the Griffiths Test to the children in our country, we showed that the average developmental quotients of the two scales were higher than the relevant published quotients of the Griffiths Test II.Discussion Some of the factors that may have contributed to faster motor development are passage of time and the environmental and cultural differences between countries. The findings reinforce the need for standardization of a test before it is applied to the population of a country, and its re‐standardization on the population of the country where it was first applied.
Going to the doctors: the views of mothers of children with recurrent abdominal pain
Authors: Smart S. , Cottrell D. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractObjectives  to explore how mothers of children with recurrent abdominal pain view seeking medical help on behalf of their children.Design  qualitative interview study.Setting  paediatric clinics and schools.Participants  purposive sample of 28 mothers of children with recurrent abdominal pain.Main outcome measures  Beliefs concerning recurrent abdominal pain, the respective roles of doctors and mothers and the nature and quality of interactions with doctors.Results  Mothers of children with recurrent abdominal pain reported shaping the way they discussed the child's problem with doctors according to their beliefs about their own roles and the beliefs they perceived doctors to hold about recurrent abdominal pain. Where they were seeking help in managing the pain, they often felt undermined and threatened and responded to this by stressing the physical aspects of the child's presentation.Conclusions  Doctors may need to acknowledge actively mothers’ competence in order to establish a therapeutic alliance.
Adolescents’ and their parents’ views on the acceptability and design of a new diabetes education programme: a focus group analysis
Authors: Waller H. , Eiser C. , Heller S. , Knowles J. , Price K. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractBackground  The present study was conducted as part of an ongoing project to develop an innovative educational intervention for young people with type 1 diabetes. We aimed to seek the views of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents regarding (i) the acceptability of the new programme and (ii) practical aspects regarding course design and delivery.Methods  Twenty‐four children and 29 parents attended one of eight separate focus groups. Semi‐structured interview schedules were developed around two main areas of discussion: views on the education programme; and views on the design and delivery of current and future education. Discussions were tape‐recorded and transcribed, before undergoing systematic qualitative analysis.Results  Participants agreed that the proposed intervention was feasible, and were enthusiastic that it could improve quality of life and ‘normality’. Potential problems included self‐management during school‐time and parental anxiety. In terms of course design/delivery, participants emphasized the need to maximize enjoyment on the course (e.g. integrating fun and practical sessions, holding parts of the course outside of the clinic setting), and encourage effective learning and adherence to the regimen (e.g. including separate parent education, and using IT‐based reference material).Conclusions  The qualitative methodology proved an effective way of eliciting child and parent views and informing the development of the proposed intervention. These findings can now be incorporated into the development of the education programme.
Active commuting to and from school and BMI in elementary school children – preliminary data
Authors: Heelan K. A. , Donnelly J. E. , Jacobsen D. J. , Mayo M. S. , Washburn R. , Greene L. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractBackground  United States National Health Objectives include increasing the proportion of trips made by walking to and from school for children who live within 1.6 km to 50%. The purpose of this objective is to increase the level of physical activity among children. However, the impact of walking, bicycling or skating (active commuting) to and from school on the prevalence of overweight is unknown.Methods  Body mass index (BMI) was measured for 320 children (age 10.2 ± 0.7 years) in September. Over 5 months, an active commuting index (SI) and daily physical activity were estimated via questionnaire. In April, BMI and body fat were measured.Results  A significant positive association was found between April BMI and SI adjusting for September BMI (partial r = 0.03, P < 0.05). Positive associations were found between SI and physical activity before school (r = 0.17, P < 0.05) and daily moderate intensity physical activity (r = 0.13, P < 0.05). There were no significant association between SI and BF (P > 0.05).Conclusions  This preliminary data suggests that active commuting does not appear to provide sufficient amounts of physical activity to attenuate BMI; however, it may contribute to the attainment of physical activity recommendations. Future research is needed to objectively measure the impact of active commuting on the prevalence of overweight.
Drowning of babies in bath seats: do they provide false reassurance?
Authors: Sibert J. , John N. , Jenkins D. , Mann M. , Sumner V. , Kemp A. , Cornall P. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractAims  To investigate the problem of children drowning in bath seats by examining case reports, by looking at the epidemiology of bath drowning in children under two years of age and by reviewing the literature.Methods  We describe two babies: one who drowned and one nearly drowned in the bath whilst in a bath seat. We examined the RoSPA/RLSS UK database of cases of children under two years drowning in the bath for the years 1989–2003. Cases are ascertained through a press cutting system. We conducted an all language literature search of original articles, references, textbooks and conference abstracts 1951 – October 2004 in 11 standard databases.Results  The two cases illustrate how parents can have a false sense of security with bath seats. We found six cases of babies under two years drowning in the UK associated with bath seats in the time period 1989–2003. They were all boys: five of the six were under one year of age. This compared with 47 children of similar age drowning in the bath not associated with a bath seat. The literature is sparse with only four papers since 1966.Discussion  A baby drowning after being placed in a bath seats is a rare but definite cause of death. Bath seats appear to give a false sense of security (even if not encouraged by the manufacturers). It is unclear whether putting a baby in a bath seat represents an increased risk of drowning compared with a baby without a seat. Without knowing the numbers of mothers that use bath seats it is difficult to come to firm conclusions on the risks to babies. New research is needed to clarify this issue. Whether in a seat or not it is clear that the main risk to babies in the bath is being left unsupervised.
School re‐entry after a cancer diagnosis: physician attitudes about truth telling and information sharing1
Authors: Mayer D. K. , Parsons S. K. , Terrin N. , Tighiouart H. , Jeruss S. , Nakagawa K. , Iwata Y. , Hara J. , Saiki‐Craighill S. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractBackground  School re‐entry for children with cancer hallmarks a return to age‐appropriate activities; a process fraught with adjustment challenges. The paediatric oncologist is in a pivotal role of setting the tone and providing direction to the child, family, and other members of the health care and school team about this process. Understanding physicians’ attitudes and behaviours regarding school re‐entry will provide insight into these practices.Methods  A four‐part survey (general attitudes, patient factors, work cultures and respondent characteristics) was developed and mailed to the members of US and Japanese paediatric oncology professional societies. Japanese (n = 362) and US (n = 350) paediatric oncologists comprised the study sample; the average respondent was a male in his mid‐forties providing clinical care ≥ 5 hours/week practising for about 15 years. Responses to a hypothetical scenario reflecting the range of how school re‐entry issues for a child on treatment may be handled was the outcome variable in this report.Results  US physicians (284/350, 84.5%) endorsed telling everyone (the school officials and classmates) about a child's diagnosis and treatment to facilitate the transition back to school. In contrast, only 93/359 (25.9%) of the Japanese respondents endorsed telling everyone. Japanese physicians were more likely to endorse telling everyone if they believed it was the physician's responsibility to tell children the truth at diagnosis (P < 0.001), if they did not believe that awareness of cancer dashes hope (P = 0.002), and were not influenced by type of cancer the child had (P = 0.003).Conclusions  Differences in US and Japanese paediatric oncologist responses in return to school issues may reflect larger cultural issues such as: benefits and disadvantages to telling the child that he/she has cancer; hospitalization practices; and the availability of school re‐entry programs. More needs to be learned about how children, their families and schools prefer to have re‐entry issues handled during and after treatment and how these approaches affect the child's re‐entry into school.
Purification and immunoglobulin E‐binding properties of peanut allergen Ara h 6: evidence for cross‐reactivity with Ara h 2
Authors: Koppelman S. J. , De Jong G. A. H. , Laaper‐Ertmann M. , Peeters K. A. B. M. , Knulst A. C. , Hefle S. L. , Knol E. F. 
Published: April 2005

SummaryBackground
IgE‐binding peanut proteins smaller than 15 kDa were previously identified as potential allergens in the majority of our peanut allergic population.Objective
To characterize the novel allergen in order to determine whether it was similar to one of the thus far identified recombinant peanut allergens (Ara h 1–7).Methods
An IgE‐binding protein of <15 kDa was purified and identified via N‐terminal sequencing. Its IgE‐binding properties were investigated using immunoblotting, basophil degranulation, and skin prick testing. Possible cross‐reacting epitopes with other peanut allergens were studied using IgE‐immunoblotting inhibition.Results
The purified protein is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 14 981 Da as determined using matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectroscopy. The amino acid sequence of the first 39 N‐terminal residues is identical to that of Ara h 6, indicating that the allergen is Ara h 6. It is recognized by 20 out of 29 peanut‐allergic patients on IgE‐immunoblot, and its potent biological functionality is demonstrated by the degranulation of basophils, even at concentrations below 10 pg/mL, and by positive skin prick reactions. Ara h 6 has homology to Ara h 2, especially in the middle part and at the C‐terminal part of the protein. Almost complete inhibition of IgE–Ara h 6 interaction with Ara h 2 demonstrates that at least part of the epitopes of Ara h 6 are cross‐reactive with epitopes on Ara h 2.Conclusions
Peanut‐derived Ara h 6 is a biologically active allergen recognized by the majority of our peanut‐allergic patient population and can be considered a clinically relevant peanut allergen.
Immunological characterization of a recombinant tropomyosin from a new indoor source, Lepisma saccharina
Authors: Barletta B. , Butteroni C. , Puggioni E. M. R. , Iacovacci P. , Afferni C. , Tinghino R. , Ariano R. , Panzani R. C. , Pini C. , Di Felice G. 
Published: April 2005

SummaryBackground
The presence of specific IgE antibodies to invertebrates is common among patients with rhinitis and asthma. Tropomyosin has been described as an invertebrate cross‐reactive allergen. We have recently characterized an allergenic extract from silverfish (Lepisma saccharina). Since this insect could be a new source of tropomyosin in the indoor environment, we have thought important to clone and characterize the tropomyosin from it.Methods
Recombinant tropomyosin was cloned and characterized by means of immunoblotting with tropomyosin‐specific monoclonal antibodies, rabbit polyclonal antibodies and IgE from allergic patients. Its allergenic activity was investigated in histamine release assays. Immunoblotting and ELISA inhibition were carried out to identify the natural tropomyosin in the silverfish extract and to study the cross‐reactivity among other arthropod tropomyosins.Results
Tropomyosin‐specific antibodies recognized in immunoblotting the natural tropomyosin in the insoluble fraction of silverfish extract. The silverfish tropomyosin (Lep s 1) was cloned and fully expressed. It shared high homology with other arthropod tropomyosins. rLep s 1 was recognized by tropomyosin‐specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and by IgE of allergic patients. It was able to inhibit the IgE binding to the insoluble fraction of silverfish extract, and to induce histamine release by an arthropod‐allergic serum. Inhibition experiments revealed IgE cross‐reactivity between rLep s 1 and other arthropod tropomyosins.Conclusion
rLep s 1 is the first allergen cloned and characterized from silverfish extract. It enabled us to identify the natural counterpart in the insoluble fraction of silverfish extract, suggesting that the tropomyosin is not readily extractable with a classic aqueous extraction procedure. rLep s 1 displayed biological activity, suggesting that it could be regarded as a useful tool to study the role of silverfish tropomyosin in the sensitization to invertebrate allergic sources.
Prevalence and clinical relevance of specific immunoglobulin E to pollen caused by sting‐ induced specific immunoglobulin E to cross‐reacting carbohydrate determinants in Hymenoptera venoms
Authors: Kochuyt A.‐M. , Van Hoeyveld E. M. , Stevens E. A. M. 
Published: April 2005

SummaryBackground
Hymenoptera stings can induce specific IgE (sIgE) to carbohydrate determinants (CD) on venom glycoproteins that cross‐react with CD in pollen. sIgE to such cross‐reacting CD (CCD) are believed to have little or no biological activity and thus may cause misdiagnosis of pollen sensitization after a sting.Objective
To determine the prevalence of multiple false positive CAP results to pollen because of sting induced anti‐CCD sIgE in Hymenoptera venom (HV) allergic patients and to investigate the association of such anti‐CCD sIgE with features of ‘atopy’.Methods
Skin prick tests (SPT) and CAP tests with grass, tree and weed pollen and with house dust mite (HDM) were carried out prospectively in 259 HV allergic patients and CAP tests with honeybee (HBV) and yellow jacket (YJV) venom were performed. Patients with negative pollen SPT associated with positive CAP tests to all three pollen groups were operationally defined as ‘CCD positive’. We investigated in selected ‘CCD positive’ patients the presence of anti‐CCD sIgE by CAP tests with bromelain and studied the identity of CD in HVs and pollen by mutual sIgE inhibition tests with CD from proteinase treated HBV (HBV‐CD) and Lolium perenne (Lol‐CD) extracts.Results
sIgE to all three pollen groups without positive SPT or history was found in 16% of 259 patients. The presence of anti‐CCD sIgE was substantiated by positive CAP tests with bromelain in 14/14 and by inhibition of all pollen CAP tests with HBV‐CD in 8/9 and with Lol‐CD in 2/2 patients. Double venom (DV) positive CAP tests were present in 93% of ‘CCD positive’ patients and were in some associated with DV skin test positivity and allergy. The prevalence of ‘CCD positivity’ was significantly higher among HBV (23%) than among YJV (11%) allergic patients, but was also unexpectedly high among those with DV allergy (47%). ‘CCD positive’ patients were younger, had a higher total IgE and more sIgE to HDM than ‘CCD negative’ patients.Conclusion
We have shown that the risk in HV allergic patients for misdiagnosis of multivalent pollen sensitization is 16%, and we have confirmed that sting induced anti‐pollen sIgE are directed to similar CD in venoms and pollen. We found evidence that the recognition of CCD might be related to the ‘atopic’ trait. Importantly, a positive bromelain CAP test does not exclude clinical reactivity to both venoms in ‘CCD positive’ HV allergic patients.
Comparing Norwegian nurses’ and physicians’ perceptions of the needs of significant others in Intensive Care Units
Authors: Takman Christina , Severinsson Elisabeth 
Published: April 2005

Aim and objectives.  To illuminate and compare the perceptions of registered nurses (n = 243) and physicians (n = 29) in medical and surgical ICUs for adults on the needs of significant others.Background.  Previous studies have established the necessity for healthcare professionals in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to identify and meet the needs of critically ill adult patients’ significant others.Design.  A survey was conducted and data from the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results.  The findings revealed four factors: ‘attentiveness and assurance’, ‘taking care of themselves’, ‘involvement’, and ‘information and predictability’. Nurses scored higher than physicians on ‘attentiveness and assurance’. Nurses with experience of being a patient or a significant other in an ICU placed a higher value on ‘involvement’ compared with nurses without such experience, while physicians with such experience scored higher on ‘information and predictability’ compared with those without such experience. Older physicians and those with extensive professional and ICU experience had a low score on ‘involvement’, but scored higher on ‘information and predictability’ compared with physicians with less experience. Nurses with extensive ICU and professional experience also scored higher on ‘information and predictability’ than nurses with less experience. Women placed a higher value on each of the four factors than men.Conclusion.  The study revealed variations in ICU professionals’ perceptions of significant others’ needs.Relevance to clinical practice.  There is a need for nurses and physicians to acknowledge that varying perceptions on significant others needs could lead to different ways of conducting themselves in encounters with significant others in ICUs. There is also a risk that the patients’ significant others could be forced to adapt themselves to professionals’ different and perhaps contradictory perceptions of their needs in ICUs.
Breast self‐examination and breast awareness: a literature review
Authors: McCready Tracey , Littlewood Dot , Jenkinson Jane 
Published: April 2005

Aim.  To explore the literature on breast self‐examination and breast awareness.Objectives.  To clarify the confusion surrounding breast awareness and breast self‐examination. To critique the evidence for breast awareness as a health promotion tool.Background.  Over 41 000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United Kingdom. Compared with other European countries, women in England have poor survival prospects, for breast cancer, due in part to advanced disease at first presentation. In the United Kingdom, women are encouraged to be breast aware from the age of 18. However, the evidence suggests that women do not engage in breast awareness and are frightened and confused about their role in breast health promotion.Methodology.  Four databases were used: Medline, Ebsco including CINAHL and Sociological Abstracts and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The search terms ‘breast awareness’ and ‘breast self‐examination’ were used and combined with ‘breast cancer’, ‘breast screening’ and ‘health promotion’.Conclusion.  The evidence on breast self‐examination is clear, there is no benefit to breast cancer mortality and results suggest that breast self‐examination may do more harm than good. Breast awareness provides women with some acknowledgement of the part they can play in being empowered to fight breast disease, not in terms of statistics used for mortality but on the qualitative effects of reductions in morbidity.Relevance to clinical practice.  The Royal College of Nursing of The United Kingdom is actively encouraging all nurses to promote breast awareness along with clear guidelines for doing so. The United Kingdom National Health Service Cancer Plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform, encourages preventive care, information giving, good communication as well as evidence‐based practice. In breast care this can reduce confusion for women and encourage empowerment in breast health promotion.