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.

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B50 - Monogenic and polygenic influences on human fetal growth and development - 01/01/2002

B number: 
B50
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Andrew Hattersley (University of Exeter, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Monogenic and polygenic influences on human fetal growth and development.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 1 January, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 January, 2002
Keywords: 
Genetics, Growth, Obstetrics, Pregnancy, Fetal Growth
Primary keyword: 

B296 - 1 The association of infant nutrition on childhood growth body composition 2 The association of infant nutrition on plasma lipid profile blood pressure in childhood - 01/01/2002

B number: 
B296
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Richard Martin (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
(1) The association of infant nutrition on childhood growth & body composition (2) The association of infant nutrition on plasma lipid profile & blood pressure in childhood.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 1 January, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 January, 2002
Keywords: 
Blood Pressure, Growth, Nutrition
Primary keyword: 

B48 - Using human deciduous tooth enamel to measure prenatal exposure to trace elements and heavy metals - a new tool for epidemiology and fetal origins research - 01/01/2002

B number: 
B48
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Seif Shaheen (King's College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof John Henderson (University of Bristol, UK), Prof Andy Ness (University of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
Using human deciduous tooth enamel to measure prenatal exposure to trace elements and heavy metals - a new tool for epidemiology and fetal origins research?
Proposal summary: 

Whilst the main aim is to study asthma, we will also investigate relations with related respiratory and atopic outcomes, namely lung function, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, atopy, rhinitis and eczema.

Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 1 January, 2002
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 January, 2002
Keywords: 
Allergies, Biological Samples, Respiratory, Atopy, Teeth
Primary keyword: 

B47 - Antecedents of attention deficit and hyperactive behaviour in childhood - 01/12/2001

B number: 
B47
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Jean Golding (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Dieter Wolke (University of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
Antecedents of attention deficit and hyperactive behaviour in childhood.
Proposal summary: 

The specific aims of this study are twofold: 1) to define and concurrently describe sub-groups of ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria based on parent and teacher report measures at 8 years of age. 2) to identify the factors from pregnancy through infancy, preschool and early school years that predict ADHD and test whether these are similar or different for three subtypes of ADHD and for boths sexes.

The proposed study will thus identify the affected children and provide an empirically tested model of the relevant environmental factors that increase the risk for or protect against ADHD. This information, highly relevant for developing effective preventative models. will furthermore provide the basis for future groundbreaking research at the molecular level, testing for gene-environment interactions (to be applied for separately). This will be possible due to recent developments in pinpointing promising candidate genes (Zametkin et al., 2001) and the fact that ALSPAC has DNA on 10,000 of the children and most of their mothers. Samples of paternal DNA are planned for the future.

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 December, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 December, 2001
Keywords: 
ADHD, Antisocial Behaviour
Primary keyword: 

B46 - The influence of diet physical activity levels and body composition on age at menarche in a contemporary cohort - 01/12/2001

B number: 
B46
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Imogen Roberts (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
The influence of diet, physical activity levels and body composition on age at menarche in a contemporary cohort.
Proposal summary: 

To collect comprehensive information about diet in around 5000 10 year-old girls.

To collect anthropometric measurements by standard methods from around 5000 girls at age 10.

To obtain comprehensive information about physical activity patterns from around 5000 girls at age 10.

To obtain information on menarcheal status and pubertal stage from around 5000 girls up to age 12.5.

To relate dietary intakes and physical activty patterns to pubertal and menarcheal status.

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 December, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 December, 2001
Keywords: 
Diet, Physical Activity, Puberty
Primary keyword: 

B45 - Herbalism and homeopathic medication - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B45
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Edzard Ernst (University of Exeter, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Herbalism and homeopathic medication
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Drugs
Primary keyword: 

B88 - Disentangling the genetic environment and psychological determinants of eating disorders - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B88
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Janet Treasure (King's College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Disentangling the genetic environment and psychological determinants of eating disorders.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Diet, Eating Disorder, Genetics
Primary keyword: 

B43 - Orthodontic proposal - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B43
Principal applicant name: 
A Williams (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Orthodontic proposal.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Allergies, Environmental Exposure, Respiratory, Atopy, Teeth
Primary keyword: 

B42 - Food allergy as a risk factor for severe asthma - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B42
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Gideon Lack (King's College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Food allergy as a risk factor for severe asthma.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Allergies, Asthma, Respiratory, Atopy, Diet
Primary keyword: 

B41 - Year 3 Schools Project - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B41
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Jean Golding (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Year 3 Schools Project.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Education
Primary keyword: 

B40 - Exposure to air pollution and respiratory illness in young children - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B40
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Paul Elliott (Imperial College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Exposure to air pollution and respiratory illness in young children.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Allergies, Environmental Exposure, Respiratory, Atopy
Primary keyword: 

B38 - The development of sex typed behaviour in boys and girls a longitudinal study from 20 weeks gestation to 12 years - 01/11/2001

B number: 
B38
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Melissa Hines (University of Cambridge, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Susan Golombok (University of Cambridge, UK), Prof Jean Golding (University of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
The development of sex typed behaviour in boys and girls: a longitudinal study from 20 weeks gestation to 12 years.
Proposal summary: 

We propose a longitudinal, population study investigating biological and psychological processes involved in the development of gender identity, gender role behaviour and sexual orientation.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 November, 2001
Keywords: 
Puberty, Sexual Behaviour
Primary keyword: 

B36 - The impact of air pollution on early life - 01/10/2001

B number: 
B36
Principal applicant name: 
(Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
The impact of air pollution on early life.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Keywords: 
Allergies, Respiratory, Atopy, Pollution
Primary keyword: 

B35 - The demand and supply of schooling - 01/10/2001

B number: 
B35
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Leon Feinstein (University of Michigan, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
The demand and supply of schooling.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Keywords: 
Education
Primary keyword: 

B34 - The determination of affective and cognitive outcomes of primary school children in Avon - 01/10/2001

B number: 
B34
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Leon Feinstein (University of Michigan, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
The determination of affective and cognitive outcomes of primary school children in Avon.
Proposal summary: 

The children in the ALSPAC cohort are now entering secondary school. The work already done in establishing the dataset means that there is now a unique opportunity to study in robust, quantitative and ground-breaking terms a number of crucial issues in the educational development of UK children. These studies will have important scientific benefits and implications for current and future Government policy. However, it is necessary to move quickly if the opportunity of putting the appropriate questions to the right individuals at the right times is not to be lost.

Other data collection will be occurring in ALSPAC through this phase, particularly in the fields of psychiatry and medicine and the investments made by related funding councils and others provide a platform for investments in educational research using ALSPAC.

A particular focus of the secondary school data collection in ALSPAC will be the motivation, engagement and attainments of pupils. Data collection will also concentrate on the impact on these aspects of development of family, school, policy and wider social factors. Planned reforms to the British education system for 14-19 year olds can be monitored by their impacts on this cohort of children. Social class differences in the process of engagement, choice and attainment of pupils can also be examined and quantified.

Date proposal received: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Keywords: 
Autism, Education, Motor Co-ordination, Neurology, Vision, Cognitive Function
Primary keyword: 

B288 - Maternal cholesterol during gestation Low maternal serum cholesterol in early pregnancy as a predictor of adverse birth outcome - 01/10/2001

B number: 
B288
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Maximillian Muenck (National Institute of Health Sciences, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Maternal cholesterol during gestation. Low maternal serum cholesterol in early pregnancy as a predictor of adverse birth outcome.
Proposal summary: 

Cholesterol is an essential morphogenetic cofactor in developmental pathways that pattern the central nervous system during gastrulation and early embryogenesis. Adequate cholesterol is also an essential substrate for the rapid growth of neural tissues in the embryo and for synthesizing pregnancy-related steroid hormones. These critical morphogenetic events begin at embryonic day 14, prior to the establishment of a blood-brain barrier or feto-placental circulation, indicating that the embryo's early requirements may depend on uptake from the maternal circulation. Mothers with abnormally low levels of either total serum cholesterol or any essential lipoprotein fraction during the peri-conceptional period may be unable to supply the developing embryo with adequate cholesterol during this critical phase, resulting in pregnancy loss or the birth of infants with microcephaly and/or neuro-developmental disorders.

Specifically, we predict that mothers whose earliest prenatal total serum cholesterol value is within the lowest 5% of the study cohort will have an excess rate of pregnancy loss and an excess rate of microcephaly and of developmental delay in their offspring. The ALSPAC cohort is ideal for testing this hypothesis, because the number of study participants and the comprehensive pre-and post-natal data obtained from them permit an unbiased, carefully adjusted evaluation of the study hypothesis.

Date proposal received: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Keywords: 
Birth Outcomes, Pregnancy, Nutrition
Primary keyword: 

B37 - Maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and reproductive outcome - 01/10/2001

B number: 
B37
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Kate Northstone (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and reproductive outcome.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 1 October, 2001
Keywords: 
Obstetrics, Pregnancy, Diet
Primary keyword: 

B30 - Prevalence of disability and the influence of maternal thyroid hormone levels in pregnancy - 01/09/2001

B number: 
B30
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Matthew Ellis (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Prevalence of disability and the influence of maternal thyroid hormone levels in pregnancy.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 September, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 September, 2001
Keywords: 
Autism, Motor Co-ordination, Neurology, Pregnancy, Thyroid, Vision, Hormones
Primary keyword: 

B9 - The genetic factors influencing the development of asthma and atopy in different European centres - 01/09/2001

B number: 
B9
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Andrea Sherriff (University of Glasgow, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
The genetic factors influencing the development of asthma and atopy in different European centres.
Proposal summary: 

(No proposal form received).

Date proposal received: 
Friday, 1 June, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 September, 2001
Keywords: 
Allergies, Asthma, Respiratory, Atopy
Primary keyword: 

B29 - Risk factors for obesity in contemporary children - 01/09/2001

B number: 
B29
Principal applicant name: 
Prof John Reilly (University of Strathclyde, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Andrea Sherriff (University of Glasgow, UK)
Title of project: 
Risk factors for obesity in contemporary children.
Proposal summary: 

(No outline received).

Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 1 September, 2001
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 1 September, 2001
Keywords: 
Endocrine, Growth, Obesity, Weight
Primary keyword: 

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