Proposal summaries

These are research proposals that have been approved by the ALSPAC exec. The titles include a B number which identifies the proposal and the date on which the proposals received ALSPAC exec approval.

Click here to export results in Word format.

B113 - Diet obesity and DXA - 01/05/2003

B number: 
B113
Principal applicant name: 
B Watkins (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Diet, obesity and DXA.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 1 May, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 May, 2003
Keywords: 
Diet, Endocrine, Growth, Obesity, Weight
Primary keyword: 

B112 - Preparation for data sharing in the large birth cohort studies - 01/05/2003

B number: 
B112
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Martha Wadsworth (Pennsylvania State University, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Preparation for data sharing in the large birth cohort studies.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 May, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 May, 2003
Keywords: 
Cross Cohort Study
Primary keyword: 

B110 - Bladder and bowel continence - 01/05/2003

B number: 
B110
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Jean Golding (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Bladder and bowel continence.
Proposal summary: 

Generalised Growth Mixture Models will enable us to divide the children into different groups (cluster-analysis style) and fit a different trajectory for each group. In the graph below, the y-axis is the probability of being dry at night. Preliminary analysis using data up to 91 months suggests 4 different groups: normal children, delayed dryness, severely delayed dryness and a relapse group.

Group membership can then be used as either a multinomial outcome or as a predictor for further analysis into the causes/effects of subnormal development of continence. The intention is to produce one methodological paper on the subject of fitting such models and then further epidemiological papers using the resulting groups.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 May, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 May, 2003
Keywords: 
Incontinence
Primary keyword: 

B108 - Developmental predictors of early onset mood disorders - 01/04/2003

B number: 
B108
Principal applicant name: 
A Brown (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Developmental predictors of early onset mood disorders.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 1 April, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 April, 2003
Keywords: 
Depression, Mental Health
Primary keyword: 

B107 - An investigation of the relationship between allergic sensitisation immunogenetic susceptibility and the risk of childhood common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - 01/04/2003

B number: 
B107
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Malcolm Taylor (University of Birmingham, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
An investigation of the relationship between allergic sensitisation, immunogenetic susceptibility and the risk of childhood common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 1 April, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 April, 2003
Keywords: 
Allergies, Respiratory, Atopy, Cancer
Primary keyword: 

B105 - Genetic and epidemiological study of varicella infection in childhood with particular reference to the CCR5/CCR2 gene region the CC chemokine gene region the MHC III gene region the 5q31-33 gene region and IFN gamma and IF - 01/04/2003

B number: 
B105
Principal applicant name: 
J Hull (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Genetic and epidemiological study of varicella infection in childhood with particular reference to the CCR5/CCR2 gene region, the CC chemokine gene region, the MHC III gene region, the 5q31-33 gene region and IFN gamma and IFN gamma receptor gene regions.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 1 April, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 April, 2003
Keywords: 
Genetics, Infection
Primary keyword: 

B292 - Samples for fatty acid analyses antenatal and F7 plus maternal trace metal samples for Hg analysis at CDC - 01/03/2003

B number: 
B292
Principal applicant name: 
Capt Joseph Hibbeln (National Institute of Health Sciences, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Samples for fatty acid analyses (antenatal and F@7), plus maternal trace metal samples for Hg analysis at CDC.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Keywords: 
Biological Samples
Primary keyword: 

B104 - Factors influencing detection and treatment of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - 01/03/2003

B number: 
B104
Principal applicant name: 
Prof David Foreman (University of London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Factors influencing detection and treatment of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Proposal summary: 
Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Keywords: 
ADHD, Antisocial Behaviour
Primary keyword: 

B103 - A prospective cohort study of the determinants of skeletal development in childhood - 01/03/2003

B number: 
B103
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Jon Tobias (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
A prospective cohort study of the determinants of skeletal development in childhood.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Keywords: 
Bones
Primary keyword: 

B101 - Healthy eating behavioural and functional genomics of the disorders of eating - 01/03/2003

B number: 
B101
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Janet Treasure (King's College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Healthy eating: behavioural and functional genomics of the disorders of eating.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 March, 2003
Keywords: 
Diet, Genetics, Eating disorders
Primary keyword: 

B97 - The epidemiology outcomes of psychosis-like symptoms in children - 01/02/2003

B number: 
B97
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Glynn Harrison (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof David Gunnell (University of Bristol, UK), Prof Glyn Lewis (University of Bristol, UK), Prof Dieter Wolke (University of Warwick, UK)
Title of project: 
The epidemiology & outcomes of psychosis-like symptoms in children.
Proposal summary: 

There has been considerable recent interest in 'non-clinical' psychotic symptoms in adults and children. The Dunedin study, the only birth cohort to have investigated this, reported a prevalence of 14.1% in 11 year olds. There was a strong association (OR 16.4) between psychosis-like symptoms (PLIKS) in children and subsequent development of adult schizophreniform disorder, and PLIKS were also associated with other childhood developmental impairments. The Dunedin cohort was a relatively small (n=761) and low powered study. The 14,138 person ALSPAC birth cohort (now aged 11) presents a unique opportunity to investigate the nature, prevalence, and epidemiology of psychosis-like symptoms in childhood and adolescence.

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 February, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 February, 2003
Keywords: 
Personality, PLIKS, Self-harm, Sleep, Psychosis
Primary keyword: 

B96 - Asthma treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and bone mineral density in children - 01/02/2003

B number: 
B96
Principal applicant name: 
Prof John Henderson (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Asthma, treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and bone mineral density in children.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 February, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 February, 2003
Keywords: 
Allergies, Asthma, Bones, Respiratory, Atopy
Primary keyword: 

B98 - Growth in Focus - Modelling the tempo of growth in puberty and its influence on health - 01/02/2003

B number: 
B98
Principal applicant name: 
J Shield (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Growth in Focus - Modelling the tempo of growth in puberty and its influence on health.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 February, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 February, 2003
Keywords: 
Endocrine, Growth, Obesity, Puberty, Weight
Primary keyword: 

B293 - Adult learning in ALSPAC - 01/01/2003

B number: 
B293
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Jean Golding (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Adult learning in ALSPAC.
Proposal summary: 

The purpose of this adult learning module was twofold:

1) To add to and update our knowledge about adult participation in learning activities including reasons for participating, attitudes to learning, benefits and barriers.

2) To help us better understand the educational cultures in the homes of young people, including any wider effects of adult learning on the family.

Ultimately this will allow us to develop a better understanding of the relationship between parents' education and learning activities and their children's social and emotional development.

Recent Government policy including that set out in the FE White Paper 'Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances' has emphasised the importance of equipping adults with the skills, competences and qualifications that employers value and which will prepare people to succeed in life and work. There is also recognition of the importance of learning for personal fulfilment and community development, and as parents, in supporting their children's educational progress and achievement.

Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Keywords: 
Education
Primary keyword: 

B291 - Developing access to the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children a scoping study - 01/01/2003

B number: 
B291
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Jean Golding (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Leon Feinstein (Early Intervention Foundation, UK), Prof George Davey Smith (University of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
Developing access to the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children: a scoping study.
Proposal summary: 

In this note we describe the capability of ALSPAC to add to national data resources available for UK social scientists interested in studying patterns of social change over the post-war period.

The focus is on ALSPAC as a "missing cohort," i.e. its value in relation to the 1958, 1970 and Millennium Cohorts, rather than as a self-contained study. Therefore, we do not describe the full breadth of ALSPAC but rather draw out the common elements that might be of use in a cross-cohort study. We describe the data provided by these four cohort studies that may be of value to social scientists interested in studying and analysing national patterns and post-war trends in relation to the following related issues:

  1. child attainment and development
  2. the family and social contexts of children
  3. the characteristics and behaviours of families and parents

We describe some of the key variables that would be of use to social scientists interested in addressing these issues separately or jointly. This is far from being an exhaustive list of all the many domains of measurement in these four rich studies but is indicative of the breadth and commonality of measurement that social scientists could draw on in a cross-cohort study. We focus on construct measurement without providing any discussion of appropriate methods for any particular cross-cohort analysis.

To structure the discussion of variables and measurement we adopt a classification that we hope spans the different disciplines of social scientists who may wish to explore the cross-cohort issues. The following broad categories are used:

  1. Socio-economic and demographic factors
  2. Characteristics of the home & family
  3. Proximal processes within the home
  4. Child factors
  5. Other contexts

The variables described under these headings are specified below. For each of these variables the following sections then set out key measures in the four datasets.

Socio-economic and demographic factors

Family SEG

Parental employment status and details

Parental education

Household income

Family structure and family size

Age of parents

Ethnicity

Characteristics of the home & family

Housing

Pregnancy and birth of the study child

Parental physical health (as child)

Parental physical health (as adult)

Parental mental health

Parental attitudes, beliefs & values

Proximal processes within the home

Breastfeeding

Immunisations

Parenting

Home learning

Interpersonal relationships

Child factors

Ante-natal health

Child development measures

Physical health

Other contexts

Neighbourhood

Average income & education

Social capital

Pre-school & other child-care

Type & use

Age started formal care

Hours

Quality

Informal care

School factors

Characteristics of the child in school

Characteristics of the school

Peer group

Funding

Pedagogy

Ethos.

Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Keywords: 
Cross Cohort Study
Primary keyword: 

B283 - Lymphoblastoid cell line generation banking and related services for sample collections in human biomedical research - 01/01/2003

B number: 
B283
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Marcus Pembrey (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Lymphoblastoid cell line generation, banking and related services for sample collections in human biomedical research.
Proposal summary: 

The primary aim was to develop all aspects of a robot-assisted human EBV-transformed, lymphoblastoid cell line facility within the ALSPAC population genetics laboratory in Bristol, so as to provide a reliable service for groups using large sample collections for human biomedical research. Once spare capacity arose following ALSPAC and 1958 Birth Cohort (58BC) work, this service was to be available, first, for selected Wellcome Trust funded research groups wishing to generate and bank cell lines, to use DNA from such cell lines or to study the cell lines themselves. A secondary aim was to learn more about the usefulness of EBV-transformed cell lines in genetic epidemiology beyond just providing a renewable source of DNA.

Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Keywords: 
Biological Samples, Genetics
Primary keyword: 

B298 - Association between the beta3-adrenergic receptor gene ADRB3 Trp64 Arg variant and childhood obesity risk - 01/01/2003

B number: 
B298
Principal applicant name: 
Ken Ong (Addenbrooke's Hospital, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof David Dunger (University of Cambridge, UK), Nick Wareham (MRC Epidemiology Unit, Addenbrooks Hospital, Cambridge, UK)
Title of project: 
Association between the beta3-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB3) Trp64 Arg variant and childhood obesity risk.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 1 January, 2003
Keywords: 
Obesity, Genes, Genetics
Primary keyword: 

B160 - Does proximity to high voltage power lines influence child development and morbidity in the local population A test of the corona ion hypothesis - 01/12/2002

B number: 
B160
Principal applicant name: 
Prof John Henderson (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Does proximity to high voltage power lines influence child development and morbidity in the local population? A test of the corona ion hypothesis.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Sunday, 1 December, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Sunday, 1 December, 2002
Keywords: 
Allergies, Environmental Exposure, Respiratory, Atopy, Development
Primary keyword: 

B91 - Abnormal eye growth and myopia - a study of the genetic and environmental risk factors - 01/12/2002

B number: 
B91
Principal applicant name: 
Miss Cathy E M Williams (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Abnormal eye growth and myopia - a study of the genetic and environmental risk factors.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Sunday, 1 December, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Sunday, 1 December, 2002
Keywords: 
Autism, Genetics, Motor Co-ordination, Neurology, Vision, Environmental Exposure
Primary keyword: 

B90 - The risk factors and natural history of allergic and obstructive airway disease and associated atopic problems in children teenagers and adults - 01/12/2002

B number: 
B90
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Graham C Roberts (University of Southampton, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
The risk factors and natural history of allergic and obstructive airway disease and associated atopic problems in children, teenagers and adults.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Sunday, 1 December, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Sunday, 1 December, 2002
Keywords: 
Allergies, Respiratory, Atopy
Primary keyword: 

Pages