Andrew J. Scally

Background: To evaluate factors associated with better outcomes from optical treatment alone in amblyopic children from 3 up to 7 years. Methods: Data extracted from two studies with similar protocols, Amblyopic Treatment Studies 5 (n = 152) and 13 (n = 128) from the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group database, were used to determine by regression analysis the factors associated with improvements in visual acuity in the amblyopic eye, inter-ocular visual acuity difference and stereoacuity. Input variables were aetiology of amblyopia (anisometropic, strabismic and combined-mechanism amblyopia), treatment compliance, visual acuity, interocular visual acuity difference, stereoacuity, tropia size at distance and near, age and refractive error at baseline. Results: Despite the range of clinical factors considered, our models explain only a modest proportion of the variance in optical treatment outcomes. The better predictors of the degree of optical treatment success in amblyopic children are visual acuity of the amblyopic eye, interocular visual acuity difference, stereoacuity, treatment compliance and the amblyopic eye spherical-equivalent refractive error. While the aetiology of the amblyopia does not exert a major influence upon treatment outcome, combined-mechanism amblyopes experience the smallest improvement in visual acuity, tropia and stereoacuity and may need longer optical treatment periods. Conclusions: While results identify the factors influencing optical treatment outcome in amblyopic children, clinicians will be unable to predict accurately the benefits of optical treatment in individual patients. Whether this is because relevant clinical or non-clinical factors (e.g. nature and volume of daily activities undertaken) influences the outcomes from optical treatment has not yet been identified and remains to be discovered.

Objectives: Breastfeeding is important to infant health and survival in sub-Saharan Africa. To promote breastfeeding effectively, understanding of psychological factors associated with infant feeding choices is required. This study investigated breastfeeding attitudes and health locus of control (HLoC) in a Nigerian community sample. Methods: Men and women (N = 400) (71% female; mean age 34.2 years/ range 18–86 years) were recruited through community groups in Nigeria. Self-report survey by questionnaire measured breastfeeding attitudes using the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) and health locus of control using the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLoCs). Results Mean: IIFAS scores (mean = 57.7; sd = 7.8) became less favourable with increasing age (p = 0.02). Men had higher IIFAS scores (mean = 58.6; sd = 7.6) than women (mean = 56.6; sd = 8.0) indicating more favourable attitudes toward breastfeeding (p = 0.02). Women scored higher than men on external chance HLoC (ECHLoC) (p = 0.003) and external powerful others HLoC (EPHLoC) (p = 0.02). Increasing age was associated with higher scores on ECHLoC (p < 0.01) and EPHLoC (p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis was significant (p < 0.001) and explained 7.8% of variance in breastfeeding attitude. Lower IIFAS scores, reflecting more negative attitudes to breastfeeding, were associated with higher ECHLoC (p < 0.01) and EPOHLoC (p < 0.05). Higher IIFAS scores, reflecting more positive attitudes to breastfeeding, were associated with greater IHLoC (p < 0.01). Neither age nor gender were associated with IIFAS scores in the final model. Conclusions: This implies a need to explore health locus of control when promoting positive attitudes to breastfeeding and supporting families in breastfeeding advocacy.

Objective To identify the injury history features reported by patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and determine whether history may be used to identify patients requiring follow-up appointments from acute trauma services. Methods Multisite cross-sectional service evaluation using a survey questionnaire design conducted in the UK. The four injury history features investigated were ‘leg giving way at the time of injury’, ‘inability to continue activity immediately following injury’, ‘marked effusion’ and ‘pop (heard or felt) at the time of injury’(LIMP). Results 194 patients with ACL injury were identified, of which 165 (85.5%) attended an acute trauma service. Data on delay was available for 163 (98.8%) of these patients of which 120 (73.6%) had a follow-up appointment arranged. Patients who had a follow-up appointment arranged waited significantly less time for a correct diagnosis (geometric mean 29 vs 198 days; pConclusions Findings support the value of questioning patients on specific injury history features in identifying patients who may have suffered ACL injury. Using a threshold of two or more of the four LIMP history features investigated would have reduced the percentage of patients inappropriately discharged by 22.2%. Evidence presented suggests that this would significantly reduce the time to diagnosis and specialist consultation minimising the chance of secondary complications.

Lymphocyte responses from 208 individuals: 20 with melanoma, 34 with colon cancer, and 4 with lung cancer (58), 18 with suspected melanoma, 28 with polyposis, and 10 with COPD (56), and 94 healthy volunteers were examined. The natural logarithm of the Olive tail moment (OTM) was plotted for exposure to UVA through 5 different agar depths (100 cell measurements/depth) and analyzed using a repeated measures regression model. Responses of patients with cancer plateaued after treatment with different UVA intensities, but returned toward control values for healthy volunteers. For precancerous conditions and suspected cancers, intermediate responses occurred. ROC analysis of mean log OTMs, for cancers plus precancerous/suspect conditions vs. controls, cancer vs. precancerous/suspect conditions plus controls, and cancer vs. controls, gave areas under the curve of 0.87, 0.89, and 0.93, respectively ( P <0.001). Optimization allowed test sensitivity or specificity to approach 100% with acceptable complementary measures. This modified comet assay could represent a stand‐alone test or an adjunct to other investigative procedures for detecting cancer.—Anderson, D., Najafzadeh, M., Gopalan, R., Ghaderi, N., Scally, A. J., Britland, S. T., Jacobs, B. K., Reynolds, P. D., Davies, J., Wright, A. L., Al‐Ghazal, S., Sharpe, D., Denyer, M. C., Sensitivity and specificity of the empirical lymphocyte genome sensitivity (LGS) assay: implications for improving cancer diagnostics. FASEB J. 28, 4563–4570 (2014). www.fasebj.org

Aim: Improved approaches to remediate cognitive deficits are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a novel cognitive remediation (CR) game in first episode psychosis (FEP). Methods: Participants were 11 FEP clients in two treatment arms; CR and Treatment as Usual (TAU). Baseline assessments included pre-morbid IQ, symptoms and neurocognition. The CR group had 8 sessions of therapy in a group setting with the control group receiving TAU. Post intervention groups were re-assessed for symptoms and cognitive function. Results: There were no significant differences between groups at baseline in symptoms or cognitive function. Post intervention significant improvements were observed in negative symptoms and executive function along with a significant relationship between negative symptoms and executive function in the CR group. Conclusions: These data, from a small sample, suggest that X-Cog could form part of an effective strategy to remediate cognitive deficits.

Aims To describe incidence, presentation, treatment and short term outcomes of severe neonatal hypernatraemia (SNH, sodium ≥160 mmol/l). Methods Prospective, population based surveillance study over 13 months using the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit. Cases were >33 weeks gestation at birth, fed breast or formula milk and Results Of 62 cases of SNH reported (7, 95% CI 5.4 to 9.0 per 1 00 000 live births), 61 mothers had intended to achieve exclusive breast feeding. Infants presented at median day 6 (range 2–17) with median weight loss of 19.5% (range 8.9–30.9). 12 had jaundice and 57 weight loss as a presenting feature. 58 presented with weight loss ≥15%. 25 babies had not stooled in the 24 h prior to admission. Serum sodium fell by median 12.9 mmol/l per 24 h (range 0–30). No baby died, had seizures or coma or was treated with dialysis or a central line. At discharge, babies had regained 11% of initial birth weight after a median admission of 5 (range 2–14) days. 10 were exclusively breast fed on discharge from hospital. Conclusions Neonatal hypernatraemia at this level, in this population, is strongly associated with weight loss. It occurs almost exclusively after attempts to initiate breast feeding, occurs uncommonly and does not appear to be associated with serious short term morbidities, beyond admission to hospital.