Is neighbourhood deprivation a risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus?

AIMS: To assess the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and the rate of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using routinely collected data from a clinical information system, in Plymouth, UK. METHODS: Between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1997, 3933 women residing within the Plymouth Primary Care Trust (PCT) were screened for GDM using indices of neighbourhood deprivation and prevalence of GDM. Areas (n = 43) were classified according to the Townsend index, measuring material deprivation. Pregnant women with and without GDM were compared. RESULTS: The prevalence of GDM was 1.7%[95%, confidence interval (CI) 1.20, 2.11]. The prevalence of GDM ranged from 1.05% (95% CI 0.60, 1.70) in the most deprived to 2.10% (95%, CI 1.34, 3.13), in the least deprived neighbourhood. Crude rates decreased by 50%[relative prevalence (RP) (95% CI) 0.50 (0.27, 0.94); P = 0.06] amongst those living in the most-deprived compared with those living in the least-deprived areas. Using a stepwise binary logistic regression model, older age at delivery significantly increased the risk of developing GDM. [RP (95%, CI) 1.09, (1.04, 1.13)]. Townsend deprivation score had no significant independent association with GDM when other covariates were considered. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the neighbourhood context in which women live has no impact on the risk of GDM. Diabet.     

Mutations in SOX2 cause anophthalmia-esophageal-genital (AEG) syndrome

Table 1     

Correction of head movement on PET studies: comparison of methods.

Head movement presents a continuing problem in PET studies. Head restraint minimizes movement but is unreliable, resulting in the need to develop alternative strategies. These include frame-by-frame (FBF) realignment or use of motion tracking (MT) during the scan to realign PET acquisition data. Here we present a comparative analysis of these 2 methods of motion correction. METHODS: Eight volunteers were examined at rest using (11)C-raclopride PET with the radioligand administered as a bolus followed by constant infusion to achieve steady state. Binding potential (BP) was estimated using the ratio method during 2 periods of the scan at steady state. Head movement was compensated by using coregistration between frames (FBF) and 3 methods using MT measurements of head position acquired with a commercially available optical tracking system. RESULTS: All methods of realignment improved test-retest reliability and noise characteristics of the raw data, with important consequences for the power to detect small changes in radiotracer binding, and the potential to reduce false-positive and false-negative results. MT methods were superior to FBF realignment using coregistration on some indices. CONCLUSION: Such methods have considerable potential to improve the reliability of PET data with important implications for the numbers of volunteers required to test hypotheses.     

Vaginal tape erosion following transobturator tape (TOT) operation for stress urinary incontinence.

Inorganic sling materials when used for treatment of urinary stress incontinence have a high success rate of achieving continence. They unfortunately attract the complication of vaginal tape erosion. When used for Transobturator tape procedure (TOT) we found the Obtape sling (Mentor-Porges, Le Plessis-Robinson, France) attracted a high rate of erosion, likely due to the tape properties. We describe a series of tape erosions with the Obtape sling, the presentation, conservative and surgical management with favourable rates of maintenance of continence. We suggest the use of larger pore sized tapes to decrease the occurrence of vaginal tape erosion.     

Effectiveness of an HIV prevention intervention in prison among African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians.

Prisons and prison inmates present important targets for HIV/AIDS prevention interventions. Inmates often have histories of high-risk behavior that place them in danger of contracting HIV/AIDS, and rates of HIV/AIDS tend to be much higher in this population. The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a prison-based HIV/AIDS intervention to change attitudes toward HIV prevention, norms supporting HIV prevention, perceived behavioral control (i.e., self-efficacy) for HIV prevention behaviors, and intentions to engage in HIV prevention behaviors postrelease. The intervention also had the goal of encouraging inmates to become HIV/AIDS peer educators. The intervention appeared most successful at influencing beliefs and behaviors related to peer education and somewhat successful at influencing beliefs and intentions related to condom use. Analyses also showed some significant differences in effectiveness by race/ethnicity. Results are discussed from the perspectives of both research and practice with regard to prison-based HIV prevention efforts.