Biomedical subjects

Warren S Davis

Publications and source records attributed to Warren S Davis.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Effect of a low-glycemic-index diet during pregnancy on obstetric outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a condition in which the glycemic index (GI) may be of particular relevance because maternal glucose is the main energy substrate for intrauterine growth. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to compare the effects of low-GI and conventional dietary strategies on pregnancy outcomes in healthy women. Compliance and acceptability were also investigated. DESIGN: The subjects were assigned alternately to receive dietary counseling that encouraged either low-GI (LGI) carbohydrate foods or high-fiber, moderate-to-high GI (HGI) foods and were studied 5 times between <16 wk gestation and delivery. Of the 70 women who met the inclusion criteria, 62 completed the study (32 in the LGI and 30 in the HGI groups). Primary outcomes were measures of fetal size. RESULTS: The mean diet GI fell significantly in the LGI group but not in the HGI group. Compared with the LGI group, women in the HGI group gave birth to infants who were heavier (3408 +/- 78 compared with 3644 +/- 90 g; P = 0.051) and had a higher birth centile (48 +/- 5 compared with 69 +/- 5; P = 0.005), a higher ponderal index (2.62 +/- 0.04 compared with 2.74 +/- 0.04; P = 0.03), and a higher prevalence of large-for-gestational age (3.1% compared with 33.3%; P = 0.01). Women in the LGI group found the diet easier to follow. CONCLUSION: Because birth weight and ponderal index may predict chronic disease in later life, a low-GI diet may favorably influence long-term outcomes.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Endophilin is required for synaptic vesicle endocytosis by localizing synaptojanin.

Endophilin is a membrane-associated protein required for endocytosis of synaptic vesicles. Two models have been proposed for endophilin: that it alters lipid composition in order to shape membranes during endocytosis, or that it binds the polyphosphoinositide phosphatase synaptojanin and recruits this phosphatase to membranes. In this study, we demonstrate that the unc-57 gene encodes the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of endophilin A. We demonstrate that endophilin is required in C. elegans for synaptic vesicle recycling. Furthermore, the defects observed in endophilin mutants closely resemble those observed in synaptojanin mutants. The electrophysiological phenotype of endophilin and synaptojanin double mutants are virtually identical to the single mutants, demonstrating that endophilin and synaptojanin function in the same pathway. Finally, endophilin is required to stabilize expression of synaptojanin at the synapse. These data suggest that endophilin is an adaptor protein required to localize and stabilize synaptojanin at membranes during synaptic vesicle recycling.

Acyltransferases↗

PubMed2003

Defects in synaptic vesicle docking in unc-18 mutants.

Sec1-related proteins function in most, if not all, membrane trafficking pathways in eukaryotic cells. The Sec1-related protein required in neurons for synaptic vesicle exocytosis is UNC-18. Several models for UNC-18 function during vesicle exocytosis are under consideration. We have tested these models by characterizing unc-18 mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In the absence of UNC-18, the size of the readily releasable pool is severely reduced. Our results show that the near absence of fusion-competent vesicles is not caused by a reduction in syntaxin levels, by a mislocalization of syntaxin, by a defect in fusion or by a failure to open syntaxin during priming. Rather, we found a reduction of docked vesicles at the active zone in unc-18 mutants, suggesting that UNC-18 functions, directly or indirectly, as a facilitator of vesicle docking.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Twin pregnancy outcomes for women with gestational diabetes mellitus compared with glucose tolerant women.

OBJECTIVE: To examine pregnancy outcomes for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and a twin pregnancy compared with glucose tolerant women with a twin pregnancy. DESIGN: Comparison of selected pregnancy outcomes. SETTING: Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. POPULATION: Women with GDM seen over a 10-year period by an endocrinologist, and women from a selected year of an obstetric database including Wollongong and Shellharbour Hospitals. METHODS: Examination of pregnancy outcome data from the two sources. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fetal birthweights and method of delivery. RESULTS: There were 28 GDM women with a twin pregnancy from 1229 consecutive referrals (2.3%) of women with GDM for medical management. For comparison there were 29 glucose tolerant women with twin pregnancies evaluable who had delivered over a 1-year period. For the women with GDM and a twin pregnancy there were no significant differences in demographics or outcomes except for a higher rate of elective Caesarean section. CONCLUSION: The higher rate of Caesarean section appeared to be related to the combination of a twin pregnancy and GDM rather than the twin pregnancy or the GDM independently.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Gestational diabetes mellitus: compliance with testing.

An audit of birth records of two public and one private hospital was undertaken, over a 6-month period, to determine compliance with the local policy that all women are tested for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Overall 92.1% of women were tested for GDM. When those women who delivered their babies early or who had no prenatal care were excluded, then there was 95.3% compliance with the advice for universal testing.

Diabetes, Gestational↗

PubMed2003

Gestational diabetes mellitus: is a diagnosis associated with an increase in maternal anxiety and stress in the short and intermediate term?

OBJECTIVE: To examine anxiety levels of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to compare these with glucose-tolerant (GT) women at similar stages of pregnancy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study conducted on 50 women with GDM and 50 GT women. All women completed the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) forms and the Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at the beginning of the third trimester, antepartum, and 6 weeks postpartum. Specific questions were also assessed using a Likert scale. RESULTS: Women with GDM, compared with GT women, had a higher level of anxiety (state rather than trait) at the time of the first assessment. However, before delivery and in the postpartum period, there were no significant differences in anxiety scores between the two groups. Women in both groups were positive about being tested for GDM and wished to be tested during future pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: There were no sustained increased levels of anxiety for women diagnosed with GDM. Concerns expressed about causing sustained maternal anxiety by testing for GDM could not be substantiated.

Adult↗