Where children play most: physical activity levels of school children across four settings and policy implications.

Objective: This study examined physical activity levels among 2,296 Queensland school children in the school, club sport, active transport and free time settings. Childhood physical activity contributes to musculoskeletal strength, psychosocial benefits and cardiovascular health.

Methods: Data were collected from parents by computer-assisted telephone interview on an annual preventive health monitoring survey conducted by the Queensland Government.

The clinical relevance of compound heterozygosity for the C282Y and H63D substitutions in hemochromatosis.

Background & Aims: Two major mutations are defined within the hemochromatosis gene, HFE. Although the effects of the C282Y substitution have been well characterized, the clinical significance of the C282Y/H63D state remains unclear. This study assessed the phenotypic expression in C282Y/H63D subjects as compared with C282Y homozygotes.

Circadian blood pressure variation after acute stroke.

We aimed to characterise the patterns of circadian blood pressure (BP) variation after acute stroke and determine whether any relationship exists between these patterns and stroke outcome. BP was recorded manually every 4 h for 48 h following acute stroke. Patients were classified according to the percentage fall in mean systolic BP (SBP) at night compared to during the day as: dippers (fall > or = 10-<20%); extreme dippers (> or = 20%); non-dippers (> or = 0-<10%); and reverse dippers (<0%, that is, a rise in mean nocturnal SBP compared to mean daytime SBP).

Expression profiling correlates with treatment response in women with advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer.

The majority of epithelial ovarian carcinomas are of serous subtype, with most women presenting at an advanced stage. Approximately 70% respond to initial chemotherapy but eventually relapse. We aimed to find markers of treatment response that might be suitable for routine use, using the gene expression profile of tumor tissue.

Screening for hemochromatosis in asymptomatic subjects with or without a family history.

Background: Hemochromatosis in white subjects is mostly due to homozygosity for the common C282Y substitution in HFE. Although clinical symptoms are preventable by early detection of the genetic predisposition and prophylactic treatment, population screening is not currently advocated because of the discrepancy between the common mutation prevalence and apparently lower frequency of clinical disease. This study compared screening for hemochromatosis in subjects with or without a family history.

Steatosis is a cofactor in liver injury in hemochromatosis.

Background & Aims: Obesity-related steatosis is an increasingly common histologic finding and often coexists with other chronic liver diseases. Although obesity and steatosis are recognized risk factors for more advanced fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C and alcoholic liver disease, it has not been determined whether these factors influence the progression of other diseases in which steatosis is not a feature of the primary liver insult.

Methods: We studied 214 patients with hemochromatosis who were homozygous for the C282Y substitution in HFE and had undergone liver biopsy prior to phlebotomy.

Public awareness of warning symptoms, risk factors, and treatment of stroke in northwest India.

Background And Purpose: This study assessed public awareness of warning symptoms, risk factors, and treatment of stroke in Ludhiana, Punjab, North West India.

Methods: A hospital-based survey was conducted between February 2002 and September 2002 by the Stroke section of Christian Medical College. The study subjects were relatives of patients without history of stroke, attending the outpatient department of the hospital.

Serum markers of hepatic fibrogenesis in cystic fibrosis liver disease.

Background/aims: Hepatic fibrosis contributes to adverse outcome in cystic fibrosis (CF). Early detection of CF liver disease (CFLD) may identify patients at risk of significant complications. To evaluate the utility of serum markers to detect hepatic fibrosis in children with CFLD vs.