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Biomedical subjects

B Bateman

Publications and source records attributed to B Bateman.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

The effects of a double blind, placebo controlled, artificial food colourings and benzoate preservative challenge on hyperactivity in a general population sample of preschool children.

AIMS: To determine whether artificial food colourings and a preservative in the diet of 3 year old children in the general population influence hyperactive behaviour. METHODS: A sample of 1873 children were screened in their fourth year for the presence of hyperactivity at baseline (HA), of whom 1246 had skin prick tests to identify atopy (AT). Children were selected to form the following groups: HA/AT, not-HA/AT, HA/not-AT, and not-HA/not-AT (n = 277). After baseline assessment, children were subjected to a diet eliminating artificial colourings and benzoate preservatives for one week; in the subsequent three week within subject double blind crossover study they received, in random order, periods of dietary challenge with a drink containing artificial colourings (20 mg daily) and sodium benzoate (45 mg daily) (active period), or a placebo mixture, supplementary to their diet. Behaviour was assessed by a tester blind to dietary status and by parents' ratings. RESULTS: There were significant reductions in hyperactive behaviour during the withdrawal phase. Furthermore, there were significantly greater increases in hyperactive behaviour during the active than the placebo period based on parental reports. These effects were not influenced by the presence or absence of hyperactivity, nor by the presence or absence of atopy. There were no significant differences detected based on objective testing in the clinic. CONCLUSIONS: There is a general adverse effect of artificial food colouring and benzoate preservatives on the behaviour of 3 year old children which is detectable by parents but not by a simple clinic assessment. Subgroups are not made more vulnerable to this effect by their prior levels of hyperactivity or by atopy.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2003

Primary prevention of asthma and atopy during childhood by allergen avoidance in infancy: a randomised controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Recent increases in the prevalence of asthma and atopy emphasise the need for devising effective methods for primary prevention in children at high risk of atopy. METHOD: A birth cohort of genetically at risk infants was recruited in 1990 to a randomised controlled study. Allergen avoidance measures were instituted from birth in the prophylactic group (n=58). Infants were either breast fed with mother on a low allergen diet or given an extensively hydrolysed formula. Exposure to house dust mite was reduced by the use of an acaricide and mattress covers. The control group (n=62) followed standard advice as normally given by the health visitors. At age 8, all 120 children completed a questionnaire and 110 (92%) had all assessments (skin prick test, spirometry, and bronchial challenges). RESULTS: In the prophylactic group eight children (13.8%) had current wheeze compared with 17 (27.4%) in the control group (p=0.08). Respective figures were eight (13.8%) and 20 (32.3%) for nocturnal cough (p=0.02) and 11 of 55 (20.0%) and 29 of 62 (46.8%) for atopy (p=0.003). After adjusting for confounding variables, the prophylactic group was found to be at a significantly reduced risk for current wheeze (odds ratio (OR) 0.26 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07 to 0.96)), nocturnal cough (OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.83)), asthma as defined by wheeze and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (OR 0.11 (95% CI 0.01 to 1.02)), and atopy (OR 0.21 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.62)). CONCLUSION: Strict allergen avoidance in infancy in high risk children reduces the development of allergic sensitisation to house dust mite. Our results suggest that this may prevent some cases of childhood asthma.

Allergens↗
PubMed2001

Can parents accurately perceive hyperactivity in their child?

In all, 1872 children were recruited as part of a larger study concerning food additives and behaviours in preschool children. This figure represented 70% of the whole population of 3 1/4 -year-old children resident on the Isle of Wight, UK. Parents completed an assessment concerning their perceptions of their child's behaviour. The results of this assessment were compared with scores on two validated parental questionnaires, the Weiss Werry Peters (WWP) hyperactivity scale and the Emotionality, Activity and Sociability Temperament Questionnaire (EAS), which were used to assess hyperactivity. The accuracy of parents in perceiving hyperactivity in their children was found to be around 50% if the child was hyperactive, and 89% if the child was not hyperactive. The implications of these findings for services are discussed. Frequencies of potential risk groups for future Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder were also suggested.

Child Behavior↗
PubMed2001

SarS, a SarA homolog repressible by agr, is an activator of protein A synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus.

The expression of protein A (spa) is repressed by global regulatory loci sarA and agr. Although SarA may directly bind to the spa promoter to downregulate spa expression, the mechanism by which agr represses spa expression is not clearly understood. In searching for SarA homologs in the partially released genome, we found a SarA homolog, encoding a 250-amino-acid protein designated SarS, upstream of the spa gene. The expression of sarS was almost undetectable in parental strain RN6390 but was highly expressed in agr and sarA mutants, strains normally expressing high level of protein A. Interestingly, protein A expression was decreased in a sarS mutant as detected in an immunoblot but returned to near-parental levels in a complemented sarS mutant. Transcriptional fusion studies with a 158- and a 491-bp spa promoter fragment linked to the xylE reporter gene disclosed that the transcription of the spa promoter was also downregulated in the sarS mutant compared with the parental strain. Interestingly, the enhancement in spa expression in an agr mutant returned to a near-parental level in the agr sarS double mutant but not in the sarA sarS double mutant. Correlating with this divergent finding is the observation that enhanced sarS expression in an agr mutant was repressed by the sarA locus supplied in trans but not in a sarA mutant expressing RNAIII from a plasmid. Gel shift studies also revealed the specific binding of SarS to the 158-bp spa promoter. Taken together, these data indicated that the agr locus probably mediates spa repression by suppressing the transcription of sarS, an activator of spa expression. However, the pathway by which the sarA locus downregulates spa expression is sarS independent.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Appendiceal perforation in children diagnosed in a pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of appendiceal perforation (AP) among children with acute appendicitis (AA) and determine factors associated with AP. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Emergency department (ED) of Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC). PATIENTS: 131 children less than 17 years of age with AA diagnosed in the PCMC ED. RESULTS: The overall rate of AP was 47%. One hundred eleven (85%) children with AA were correctly diagnosed on their first ED visit. Patients with AP had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower median age (8.0 vs 11.0 years), longer duration of illness (3.0 vs 1.4 days), greater incidence of vomiting and fever by history (91% vs 69% and 83% vs 58%, respectively), higher median temperatures (39.0 degrees vs 38.3 degrees C), and higher proportions of leukocyte (WBC) band forms (14% vs 5%). Patients with AP did not differ from those without AP with respect to total WBC count, hour of arrival, or number of ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of AP among pediatric patients with AA is greater among younger children and is associated with vomiting, prolonged illness, and higher body temperatures. Unexpectedly, patients with AP did not have higher total WBC values, more frequent late night arrivals, a longer time interval prior to surgery, or more ED visits prior to diagnosis. These findings suggest that efforts to decrease the rate of AP should be directed toward heightening awareness among primary care physicians regarding the high rate of AP in children, with an emphasis on early ED and surgical referral.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed1999

Molecular phylogenetic evidence for the evolution of specialization in anemonefishes.

Anemonefishes (genera: Amphiprion and Premnas; family Pomacentridae) are a group of 28 species of coral reef fishes that are found in obligate symbiosis with large tropical sea anemones. A phylogenetic hypothesis based on morphological analyses of this group suggests that the ancestral anemonefish was a generalist with similar morphology to other pomacentrids, and that it gave rise to other anemonefish species that were more specialized for living with particular species of host anemones. To test this hypothesis we constructed a molecular phylogeny for the anemonefishes by sequencing 1140 base pairs of the cytochrome b gene and 522 base pairs of the 16S rRNA gene for six species of anemonefishes (representatives of all subgenera and species complexes) and two other pomacentrid species. Three methods of phylogenetic analysis all strongly supported the conclusion that anemonefishes are a monophyletic group. The molecular phylogeny differs from the tree based on morphological data in that the two species of specialized anemonefishes (Premnas biaculeatus and Amphiprion ocellaris) were assigned to a basal position within the clade, and the extreme host generalist (Amphiprion clarkii) to a more derived position. Thus, the initial anemonefish ancestors were probably host specialists and subsequent speciation events led to a combination of generalist and specialist groups. Further phylogenetic studies of additional anemonefish species are required to substantiate this hypothesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Differentiating illness and disease. A dilemma for GPs.

Some patients come to the doctor with multiple symptoms but no discernible illness. Others have florid 'blue chip' diseases, but are either asymptomatic, or present with symptoms that are nothing to do with the disease. This creates a confusing situation that can adversely affect patient care. Resolving this dilemma is (yet another) big challenge for GPs.

Diagnosis↗
PubMed1994

Progression of retinal nerve fiber myelination in childhood.

Myelination of the visual pathway has been demonstrated to occur by as early as 32 weeks of gestation and continues for several years into early childhood. In most cases, the process of myelination does not extend beyond the lamina cribrosa. We studied a boy with progressive myelination that extended beyond the lamina cribrosa to the retinal nerve fibers. Ocular examination at 15 months of age disclosed myelinated optic nerve fibers of the right eye. We repeated examination every two to six months and found progression of the extent and density of the myelinated nerve fibers. Despite the marked myelination, the patient did not experience a decrease in visual acuity.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1994

Copper deficiency secondary to a copper transport defect: a new copper metabolic disturbance.

We describe a 21-year-old man who developed copper deficiency manifested as a demyelinating neuropathy, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, osteoporosis, testicular failure, retinal degeneration, and cardiomyopathy with a tortuous aorta. His serum copper was low and did not increase despite administration of large doses of intravenous copper sulfate. The ceruloplasmin level as measured by an antibody technique was normal, yet ceruloplasmin (Cp) oxidase activity was very low. The Cp amino acid sequence was normal. This suggests that the copper deficiency was caused by a defect in hepatic processing of copper for incorporation into Cp.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Evaluation of the stimulated menstrual cycle by magnetic resonance imaging.

Changes in uterine zonal anatomy in six women during a cycle of treatment with clomiphene citrate is studied by magnetic resonance imaging. There was a rapid rate of increase in endometrial thickness during the periovulatory period that was similar to the pattern seen in a prior study of women with normal (nonstimulated) cycles. Junctional zone thickness did not parallel the endometrial pattern and differed from the response seen in nonstimulated cycles. Results of large scale studies may help to further understand the effects of these medications.

Adult↗