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Biomedical subjects

M Mira

Publications and source records attributed to M Mira.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Community prevalence survey of children's blood lead levels and environmental lead contamination in inner Sydney.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of blood lead levels in preschool children in inner Sydney and identify possible sources of environmental lead. DESIGN: Cross sectional community based prevalence survey of children and the houses in which they live, and a survey of volunteer children. SETTING: Mort Bay and Summer Hill, residential localities in inner Sydney. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-five children aged 9-48 months able to be identified in a defined geographic area and 63 children aged 9-48 months volunteered by their parents. OUTCOME MEASURES: Concentrations of lead in venous blood of all children and in samples from the home environment of Mort Bay children. RESULTS: Four of the children (2.5%) had blood lead levels > or = 1.21 mumol/L (25 micrograms/dL, the current Australian threshold of concern), 27 (17.1%) had levels > or = 0.72 mumol/L (15 micrograms/dL, the new US threshold for individual intervention) and 80 (50.6%) had levels > or = 0.48 mumol/L (10 micrograms/dL, the new US threshold for community intervention). Blood lead concentrations were significantly correlated with concentrations of lead in "sink" soil (r = 0.555, P = 0.026), play area soil (r = 0.492, P = 0.016) and dust from vacuum cleaners (r = 0.428, P = 0.05), and with age of child (r = -0.182, P = 0.023). The presence of the child during house renovation was a strong predictor of having a blood lead level above 0.72 mumol/L (15 micrograms/dL) (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-11.7, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Lead in soil and in household dust in older areas of Sydney is likely to represent a significant health hazard to young children. Many thousands of children may be affected in Sydney and other Australian cities. There is an urgent need for expanded prevalence surveys, public education and the development of strategies for the abatement of lead in urban environments.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1990

Recovery after childbirth: a preliminary prospective study.

This prospective study examined the time for 93 women to cease to feel discomfort in their perineal areas after the births of their first babies. Sixty-two of the women had experienced a spontaneous delivery that did not require forceps assistance. In 58 patients, an episiotomy was performed. Of the 35 women in whom an episiotomy was not performed, 24 women required sutures and only four women did not suffer any perineal damage. The median time for perineal comfort in general (including walking and sitting) was one month (range, zero to six months); 20% of women took more than two months to achieve general perineal comfort. For comfort during sexual intercourse, the median time was three months (range, one to more than 12 months); 20% of women took longer than six months to achieve comfort during sexual intercourse. Factors that were associated with discomfort for longer than the median time were delivery by forceps; spontaneous vaginal (not perineal) tears; and, in the three to four days after the birth, oedema and the breakdown of muscle or skin sutures. There was no significant difference in these times between patients who did not undergo an episiotomy and those who underwent an episiotomy without a forceps delivery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Should ovulation be induced in women recovering from an eating disorder or who are compulsive exercisers?

The eating and exercise history of women with secondary amenorrhea and failure of ovulation using CC was studied in 14 consecutive women on a GnRH-a program. All had a history of an eating or exercise disorder. At the time of the interview, 7 women continued to have an eating or exercise disorder. There were 15 pregnancies (12 women) with 12 live births, of which 4 weighed less than 2,500 g. Infertility specialists should inquire routinely about a woman's body weight and eating and exercise behaviors, and consider treatment for these before prescribing drugs to induce ovulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Reduction of food intake in the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle.

Food intake was weighed and recorded daily during one complete menstrual cycle in 18 healthy normally menstruating women. Urinary luteinizing hormone indicated the time of ovulation. Mean daily intakes of energy, macronutrients, and alcohol were calculated for five phases during the menstrual cycle: menses, postmenses, ovulatory, postovulatory, and premenses. Weekly variations were also measured. Energy intake was lowest during the ovulatory phase compared with postovulatory, premenses, and menses phases (p less than 0.05). The maximum difference, 1.36 MJ (324 kcal)/d, occurred between ovulatory and postovulatory phases and was twofold higher than the increase of 0.64 MJ (152 kcal)/d observed at weekends. This reduction of food intake at ovulation has not been previously described in humans. It coincides with the expected peak in circulating estrogen levels and is consistent with the hypothesis in animal models that estrogen is an appetite suppressant.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Vitamin and trace element status of women with disordered eating.

We studied biochemical measures of vitamin B-6, zinc, and copper in a group of 96 women and vitamin A and vitamin E concentrations in 89 women, all suffering from an eating disorder. Twenty-three control subjects were studied. Eating-disorder patients not taking vitamin or mineral supplements had significantly higher plasma concentrations of vitamins A and E than did control subjects (also not taking supplements). No difference was found in indices indicating vitamin B-6 status or in plasma zinc or copper concentrations. Self-induced vomiting was the only significant predictor of upper-quartile vitamin A concentrations. Upper-quartile vitamin B-6 activations (indicating lower vitamin B-6 activity) were significantly predicted only by low actual body weight. These results suggest that supplementation of micronutrient intake needs only to be considered for those eating-disorder patients at low weight and then only with water-soluble vitamins.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Women's attitudes to withdrawal bleeding and their knowledge and beliefs about the oral contraceptive pill.

One hundred and fifty-eight attenders at general practices and family-planning clinics, and 20 young female doctors volunteered to complete a questionnaire about how women take the oral contraceptive pill, their knowledge of the Pill and their attitudes to withdrawal bleeding. Forty-three per cent of female patients has used the Pill to alter the time of withdrawal bleeding. Twenty-two per cent of female patients had taken the Pill daily for more than six weeks on at least one occasion and all reported positive experiences. However, 83% of female patients believed that it was necessary to bleed monthly when taking the Pill and 69% of the female patients believed that continuous use of active medication is undesirable. The over-all knowledge of the Pill was poor and 43% of female patients did not know what to do if they missed two consecutive Pills. Female doctors were better informed but had similar attitudes about the Pill to those of other women. Forty-six per cent of the female patients and 55% of young female doctors would chose to bleed at intervals of three months or greater if they could determine their own Pill regimen.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Vitamin and trace element status in premenstrual syndrome.

Nutritional and trace element status as measured by plasma concentrations of magnesium, zinc, retinol (vitamin A), and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) and the activities of red cell enzymes dependent on thiamin and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) were determined in 38 women suffering premenstrual syndrome and in 23 control subjects. Blood samples were collected in the premenstrual and in midfollicular phase. Diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome was based on accepted retrospective criteria and on prospective symptom reports collected over three menstrual cycles. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that premenstrual symptoms are caused by absolute or relative nutritional deficiencies.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Biochemical abnormalities in anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

We report the biochemical results in 90 women presenting to an eating disorders clinic: 61 who had bulimia, 22 with anorexia nervosa and seven unclassified. The results were compared with 30 control women. The group of women with an eating disorder had significantly higher concentrations of total CO2, calcium, AST, ALT, ALP, albumin and cholesterol and significantly lower concentrations of potassium, chloride and phosphate in the plasma. The elevated calcium could be accounted for in part by an increase in total CO2 and an increase in albumin. Hypokalaemia was strongly associated with self-induced vomiting and laxative abuse. Biochemical abnormalities occurred in both forms of eating disorders; however, hypercholesterolaemia was more common in anorexia nervosa and abnormal liver enzymes were more common in bulimia.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Mefenamic acid in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome.

The use of mefenamic acid in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) was investigated in 15 women over six menstrual cycles. A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design was used to overcome the methodologic criticisms of other medication trials in this condition. Mefenamic acid significantly improved many of the physical, mood, and performance symptoms associated with PMS. The physical symptoms that showed marked improvement were fatigue, headache, and general aches and pains (P less than .001). Most mood symptoms were improved, the most significant being freedom from mood swings (P less than .005).

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Menstruation, menstrual protection and menstrual cycle problems. The knowledge, attitudes and practices of young Australian women.

The results of a survey of 1377 young Australian women aged 14 to 19 years, conducted to determine their attitudes, state of knowledge and practices with regard to menstruation, are presented. The young women, as a group, lacked sufficient information about menstruation, about the time of ovulation, about menstrual discharge, and about the use of tampons. A high proportion (80%) considered menstruation to be inconvenient or embarrassing. Certain measures aimed at remedial action are suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Continuous tracking of behavioral development in infants.

Infant development scales provide a one time measure of the number of scale items an infant performs and his standing relative to his age group. Repeated assessment indicates how many more items he can perform and whether his relative status has altered but does not measure actual changes in the same behaviors as development progresses. This paper discusses the importance of continuously measuring the same behavior over time as an alternative strategy. The developmental information is exemplified by the behavioral records of two infants observed over a 25-week period for changes in frequency and duration of three prone position motor responses.

Child Behavior↗