Jean Russell | University of Birmingham (original) (raw)

Papers by Jean Russell

Archives of Oral Biology, 2009

Aims: Congenital absence of teeth is a complex condition affecting several parameters of oral dev... more Aims: Congenital absence of teeth is a complex condition affecting several parameters of oral development. This is the first study to measure tooth crown dimensions using image analysis in a family with hypodontia in whom the mutation has been identified, and compare them with a control group. Methods and Results: Study models were obtained from ten family members from three generations affected by severe hypodontia with a missense mutation in PAX9 and ten unaffected, unrelated controls. Using established image analysis techniques all teeth up to and including the first permanent molars were digitally imaged by two operators from the occlusal (O) and buccal (B) aspects three times and an average made for the mesio-distal (MDO and MDB) bucco-lingual (BL), area (A) and perimeter (P) measurements. Intra-Class Correlation Coefficients (ICCC) were calculated to assess intra-and inter-operator reliability. Two-sample t-tests were then used to compare these dimensions with those of the controls. Reliability of the technique was high (mean r>0.95). The majority of tooth types throughout the dentition were significantly smaller in the family members with hypodontia than in the control group for all parameters measured. The levels of significance were very high for upper lateral incisors (p<0.0001) whilst the canines and first molars were less different. The greatest number of significant differences were found in BL and P, closely followed by MD and A measurements. Conclusions: the significantly smaller tooth crown dimensions recorded in the affected family members show that the effect of the PAX9 mutation is seen not only in the congenitally missing teeth but also in smaller crown size throughout the dentition.

International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 2019

Background: The status of vitamin B12 and folate has been implicated in the development and progr... more Background: The status of vitamin B12 and folate has been implicated in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Methods: The study explored this issue through a retrospective case-control study design, with follow up of the case group for 18 months. The case group (n ¼ 136) comprised patients 65 years or older diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and having a Mini-mental State Examination score (MMSE) of 27. The control group comprised healthy adults 65 years or older (n ¼ 338) with a MMSE score of >27. Results: Vitamin B12 and folate levels were not found to differ between case and control groups. B12 and folate status at baseline was not predictive of disease progression in the case group. Discussion: This lack of association differs from other studies which have shown a protective effect of vitamin B12 and folate on cognitive decline. KEY POINTS The findings of this study do not confirm evidence suggesting an effect of vitamin B12 and folate levels on development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Folate and B12 levels were similar in the Alzheimer's group to those of healthy controls. Folate and B12 levels at initial assessment were not predictive of disease progression.

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2019

Background: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is difficult to diagnose without invasive te... more Background: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is difficult to diagnose without invasive testing. Peptest (RD Biomed, Hull, UK) is a recently marketed diagnostic tool which aims to quantify salivary pepsin as a marker of reflux, providing a rapid alternative to invasive procedures. Aim: To evaluate optimal timing for sampling, and to evaluate the accuracy of Peptest against an independent measure. Methods: Thirty diagnosed GERD patients (12 female, mean age 49 [range 20-72]) and 20 asymptomatic subjects (14 female, mean age 56 [range 21-56]) were subject to diurnal saliva sampling, with additional samples for 60 minutes following self-reported reflux symptoms and triggering of a proximal reflux alarm. Saliva samples were split and were analysed by both Peptest and ELISA with operators for each blinded to sample identity. Results: Salivary pepsin was detectable in most patients and most volunteers. Peptest scores were significantly lower for patients than controls (P < 0.005). ELISA scores showed no difference between patients and controls. There was no effect of diurnal sampling time (P = 0.75) or time after symptoms (P = 0.76) on Peptest readout. There was no correlation between Peptest and Pepsin ELISA (P = 0.55); Bland-Altman analysis suggested no agreement between the tests (P = 0.414). Receiver-operator curve suggests that neither Peptest (P = 0.3328) nor pepsin (P = 0.4476) is useful for predicting GERD. Conclusion: Salivary pepsin is not a reliable tool for the diagnosis of GERD. Caroline Race and Joanna Chowdry made an equal contribution to this work. Bernard M. Corfe and Stuart A. Riley made an equal contribution to this work. The Handling Editor for this article was Professor Jonathan Rhodes, and it was accepted for publication after full peer-review.

Food Security, 2018

Genetic modification (GM) of crops provides a methodology for the agricultural improvements neede... more Genetic modification (GM) of crops provides a methodology for the agricultural improvements needed to deliver global food security. However, public opposition to GM-food is great. The debate has tended to risk communication, but here we show through study of a large nationally representative sample of British adults that public acceptance of GM-food has social, cultural and affective contexts. Regression models showed that metaphysical beliefs about the sanctity of food and an emotional dislike of GM-food were primary negative determinants, while belief in the value of science and favourable evaluation of the benefits-torisks of GM-food were secondary positive determinants. Although institutional trust, general knowledge of the GM-food debate and belief in the eco-friendliness of GM-food were all associated with acceptance, their influence was minor. While a belief in the sanctity of food had a direct inverse effect on GM acceptance, belief in the value of science was largely mediated through favourable perception of benefits-to-risks. Furthermore, segmentation analysis demonstrated that anxiety about GM-food had social and cultural antecedents, with white men being least anxious and older vegetarian women being most anxious. Rational argument alone about the risks and benefits of GM-food is unlikely to change public perceptions of GM-technology.

Fertility and Sterility, 1995

To determine the effectiveness of the in vivo administration of vitamin E as treatment for reacti... more To determine the effectiveness of the in vivo administration of vitamin E as treatment for reactive oxygen species-associated male infertility. University-based center for reproductive medicine. Double-blind randomized placebo cross-over controlled trial. Thirty healthy men with high levels of reactive oxygen species generation in semen and a normal female partner. Patients were allocated to two groups according to the blinded randomization. Each patient received either 600 mg/d of vitamin E (Ephynal, 300 mg tablets; F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., Basle, Switzerland) (order A) or identical placebo tablets (order B) for 3 months. Then after a 1-month wash-out period the patients were crossed-over to the other treatment. Improvement in the in vitro function of the spermatozoa measured by conventional semen analysis, computerized motility assessment, determination of reactive oxygen species generation, binding to the zona pellucida of the unfertilized human oocyte in a competitive zona binding assay, development of hyperactivated motility (both spontaneous and in the presence of 20% of the natural agonist, human follicular fluid) and pregnancy. Rise in the blood serum vitamin E levels after treatment accompanied by improvement in one of the sperm function tests: the zona binding assay. The zona binding ratio for order A improved from 0.2 (range 0 to 0.5) before treatment to 0.5 (range 0.1 to 1.0) after treatment, the corresponding values for order B were 0.2 (range 0 to 1.0) before treatment and 0.3 (range 0.1 to 0.7) after treatment. Oral administration of vitamin E significantly improves the in vitro function of human spermatozoa as assessed by the zona binding test.

PloS one, 2015

Pharmaceutical promotion activities in low and middle-income countries are often neither regulate... more Pharmaceutical promotion activities in low and middle-income countries are often neither regulated nor monitored. While Egypt has the highest population and per capita use of medicines in the Arab world, we know very little about pharmaceutical companies promotional activities in the country. To explore and analyze the perceptions of physicians towards promotional and marketing activities of pharmaceutical companies among physicians and pharmacists in Egypt. Perspectives of different healthcare system stakeholders were explored through semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted in 2014 in Cairo, Egypt. Interviewees were chosen via purposive sampling and snowball technique. Each interview was recorded and transcribed. Then qualitative, thematic analysis was conducted with the help of NVIVO software. The majority of physicians and pharmacists acknowledged exposure to pharmaceutical promotion. It was commonly believed that interaction with the pharmaceutical industry is necessary a...

BMC Cancer, 2014

Background: Persistent infection with one or more high-risk human papillomavirus [HR-HPV] types i... more Background: Persistent infection with one or more high-risk human papillomavirus [HR-HPV] types increases the risk of intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. A nested case-control study was conducted to investigate the importance of cervical cell folate concentration and tumour suppressor gene methylation as risk factors for HR-HPV persistence. Methods: Cervical cell samples from 955 women with HR-HPV infection and normal, borderline or mild dyskaryosis were retrieved from the archive of a population-based screening trial. Women were classified as cases or controls, reflecting the presence or absence [respectively] of any HR-HPV infection at a follow-up clinic at least 6 months from baseline. Cervical cell folate concentration and promoter methylation of five tumour suppressor genes were measured in independent samples from cases and controls. Results: A higher cervical cell folate concentration [P = 0.015] was an independent predictor of infection at follow-up, together with infection with HPV-16 or infection with multiple HR-HPV types. Methylation of the tumour suppressor gene DAPK was associated with a 2.64-fold [95% CI, 1.35-5.17] increased likelihood of HPV infection whilst CDH1 methylation was associated with a 0.53-fold [95% CI, 0.331-0.844] likelihood of HR-HPV infection at follow-up. When considering women with normal or abnormal cytology, the predictive effect of higher cervical cell folate was only seen in women with mild cytology [P = 0.021]; similarly the effect of DAPK methylation was seen in women with mild or borderline cytology [P < 0.05]. Conclusions: Higher cervical cell folate concentration and promoter methylation of the tumour suppressor gene, DAPK, in women with cervical cell dyskaryosis, are associated with increased risk of HR-HPV persistence.

Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 2012

Pomegranate juice may improve cardiovascular risk because of its content of antioxidant polypheno... more Pomegranate juice may improve cardiovascular risk because of its content of antioxidant polyphenols. We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled parallel study to examine the effect of pomegranate juice on pulse wave velocity (PWV), blood pressure (BP) and plasma antioxidant status (ferric reducing power; FRAP) in 51 healthy adults (30-50 years). Participants consumed 330 ml/day of pomegranate juice or control drink for four weeks. Measurements were made at baseline and at four weeks. There was no effect of the intervention on PWV (P = 0.694) and plasma FRAP (P = 0.700). However, there was a significant fall in systolic blood pressure (-3.14 mmHg, P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (-2.33 mmHg P < 0.001) and mean arterial pressure (-2.60 mmHg, P < 0.001). Change in weight was similar in the two groups over the intervention period (P = 0.379). The fall in BP was not paralleled by changes in concentration of serum angiotensin converting enzyme. We conclude that pomegranate...

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013

Homeless people in the UK and elsewhere have typically been found to consume a nutritionally inad... more Homeless people in the UK and elsewhere have typically been found to consume a nutritionally inadequate diet. There is need for contemporary research to update our understanding within this field. The present study aimed to provide an insight into the nutrient intake and food choice of a sample of homeless adults. In this mixed-methods study, 24 homeless individuals accessing two charitable meal services in Sheffield, UK, participated in up to four 24-h dietary recalls between April and August 2012. Twelve individuals took part in a semi-structured interview focusing on food choice. Energy intake was significantly lower than the estimated average requirement. Median intakes of vitamin A, zinc, magnesium, potassium and selenium were significantly lower than reference nutrient intakes. Contributions of saturated fat and nonmilk extrinsic sugars to total energy intake were significantly higher, whereas dietary fibre was significantly lower, than population average intakes. Charitable meals made an important contribution to intakes of energy and most micronutrients. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed three major themes: food aspirations; constraints over food choice; and food representing survival. The present study reveals risk of dietary inadequacies amongst homeless people alongside a lack of control over food choices. Charitable meal services are suggested as a vehicle for improving the dietary intake and nutritional health of homeless people.

European Journal of Nutrition, 2012

Purpose The impact of diet on endurance performance and cognitive function has been extensively r... more Purpose The impact of diet on endurance performance and cognitive function has been extensively researched in controlled settings, but there are limited observational data in field situations. This study examines relationships between nutrient intake and cognitive function following endurance exercise amongst a group of 33 recreational runners and walkers. Methods All participants (mean age of 43.2 years) took part in a long-distance walking event and completed diet diaries to estimate nutrient intake across three-time periods (previous day, breakfast and during the event). Anthropometric measurements were recorded. Cognitive tests, covering word recall, ruler drop and trail making tests (TMT) A and B were conducted pre-and post-exercise. Participants rated their exercise level on a validated scale. Nutrient intake data were summarised using principal components analysis to identify a nutrient intake pattern loaded towards water intake across all time periods. Regression analysis was used to ascertain relationships between water intake component scores and post-exercise cognitive function, controlling for anthropometric measures and exercise metrics (distance, duration and pace). Results Participants rated their exercise as 'hard-heavy' (score 14.4, ±3.2). Scores on the water intake factor were associated with significantly faster TMT A (p = 0.001) and TMT B (p = 0.005) completion times, and a tendency for improved short-term memory (p = 0.090). Water intake scores were not associated with simple reaction time (assessed via the ruler drop test). Conclusion These data are congruent with experimental research demonstrating a benefit of hydration on cognitive function. Further field research to confirm this relationship, supported with precise measures of body weight, is needed. Keywords Cognitive function Á Memory Á Reaction time Á Trail making test Á Hydration Recently, Ganio et al. [3] reported that exercise-induced mild dehydration (1.6 % loss in body weight) without hyperthermia resulted in detriment in some aspects of

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2019

We read with great interest the study by Race et al investigating the role of salivary pepsin in ... more We read with great interest the study by Race et al investigating the role of salivary pepsin in diagnosing gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). 1 Studies were performed on patients referred for conwileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/apt

Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition

Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about at... more Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about attendees' level of food insecurity, background diet quality or health. We surveyed 112 food bank attendees. Over 50% had experienced food shortage with hunger on a weekly basis or more often. Obesity and mental health problems were prevalent in women. Diet quality was poor, with energy, protein, fibre, iron and calcium intakes inadequate, while saturated fat and sugars intake were disproportionate. Women had poorer diet quality than men. Such patterns may lead to ill health.

Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 2019

Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about at... more Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about attendees’ level of food insecurity, background diet quality or health. We surveyed 112 food bank attendees. Over 50% had experienced food shortage with hunger on a weekly basis of more often. Obesity and mental health problems were prevalent in women. Diet quality was poor with energy, protein, fibre, iron and calcium intakes inadequate, while saturated fat and sugars intakes were disproportionate. Women had poorer diet quality than men. Such patterns may lead to ill health.

(OR2, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.99) among women and 32% (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.38-1.22) among men. The p... more (OR2, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.99) among women and 32% (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.38-1.22) among men. The purpose of this study was to explore for associations between adenocarcinoma of the colon and food groupings. In light of these findings, we report the results of a pilot study of water drinking and breast cancer risk. A small, hospital-based, case-control study was undertaken to investigate the hypothesis that water drinking protects against breast cancer. Although some studies have shown a positive association between diuretic beverage consumption and breast cancer risk, water drinking has not been examined (2-4). Incident cases (n = 44) were recruited sequentially between May and August 1995 from the only two hospitals that surgically treat breast cancer in the city of Sheffield, United Kingdom. Cases were women with newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed breast cancer. Controls (n 55) with nonneoplastic conditions and no history of malignancy were drawn from the same hospitals covering six surgical categories. No matching was carried out. The mean (SD) ages of the cases and controls were 56.5 (9.4) and 54.9 (11.6) years, respectively. The study procedure involved dietary assessment using the diet history method and administration of a short questionnaire to assess exposure to known breast cancer risk factors. The diet history comprised a detailed interview (carried out by one researcher), which required subjects to describe food and beverage consumption over a typical 7-day period in the year prior to hospital admission. Particular emphasis was placed on beverage consumption. Daily energy and nutrient intakes were estimated using published food portion sizes and FOODBASE dietary software. Subjects were classified as water drinkers if they reported drinking any water during the typical 7-day period referred to in the interview. In logistic regression analyses, water drinking appeared strongly, inversely, and significantly associated with breast cancer risk. The unadjusted OR for water drinking was 0.31 (95% CI, 0.13-0.72). Adjusted for age, the risk estimate remaimed unchanged (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13-0.72). Adjusted for age; height; exercise; family history; hormone replacement therapy use; endogenous estrogen exposure; oral contraceptive or birth control pill use; and tea, coffee, and alcohol consumption, the effect of water drinking on breast cancer risk was 0.21 (95% CI, 0.07-0.62). This risk estimate represented a 4.7-fold difference in the odds of exposure between cases and controls. Energy and nutrient intakes were not included in the models, because they were not associated with both the exposure and outcome in this dataset. Although the small sample size prohibited stratified analysis and/or inclusion of interaction terms in the multivariate models, the association appeared to be modified by menopausal status. The crude stratum-specific risk estimates for pre- and postmenopausal women were OR of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.17-2.69; n 35) and OR of 0.21 (95% CI, 0.07-0.62; n = 64), respectively. A larger study with the power to simultaneously account for confounding and interaction terms is needed to confirm these results. Despite the small sample size, these preliminary results seem to parallel those described by Shannon et al. (1). Water drinking appeared to confer a beneficial effect on cancer risk. Shannon et al. suggest that water intake may reduce colon cancer risk by decreasing bowel transit time and reducing mucosal contact with carcinogens. We believe that water intake may also play a role in limiting carcinogenesis via other water requirement-related mechanisms. Subclinical or “chronic” dehydration may compromise intracellular water, alter cellular concentrations, affect the activity of enzymes in metabolic regulation, and inhibit cellular carcinogen removal (5, 6). If water requirement-dependent mechanisms are important in carcinogenesis, combining water and diuretic beverage consumplion could reduce observable effects, a possible explanation for the lack of effect of total beverage consumption in the Shannon et al. study. A potential interaction between water requirements and reproductive hormone metabolism also deserves attention. Estrogen and progesterone levels have been shown to affect thirst, urine osmolality, and the threshold for the secretion of antidiuretic hormone (7-1 1). Sex and age differences in hormonemediated water requirements may explain the stronger effect of water consumption observed for women by Shannon et al. (1), as well as that observed for postmenopausal women in this pilot study.

The threat of climate change and population growth has led to calls for the adoption of environme... more The threat of climate change and population growth has led to calls for the adoption of environmentally sustainable diets; however, concerns have been raised over the nutritional quality of low Greenhouse Gas Emission (GHGE) diets. This study examined the relationship between measures of environmental sustainability and nutrient content of sandwiches and beverages sold in a UK university café. GHGE and Water Footprint Impact Indicator (WFII) values for the ingredients of sandwiches and beverages were used with recipe information to calculate GHGE (gCO2e per portion) and WFIIs (scarcity weighted litres per portion). These estimates were then combined via orthogonal regression to produce a single Environmental Impact Score (EIS); higher scores equate to greater environmental impact. The relationship between EIS and nutrient content was explored using correlation analysis. Sandwiches that contained meat and animal products as well as beverages that contained milk, cocoa, and/or coffee ...

British Food Journal

British university students who were members of a slimming club. Method: Student members of a nat... more British university students who were members of a slimming club. Method: Student members of a national commercial slimming programme 14 completed an online survey about cooking ability, weight gain, eating habits and 15 physical activity levels. Non-parametric statistical tests and regression analysis 16 were employed to examine factors associated with weight gain. 17 Results: The dataset comprised 272 current students. The majority of students 18 (67%) reported weight gain between 3.2 and 12.7 kg during university: 20.4% 19 reported to have gained >12.7 kg. Students commonly attributed their weight gain 20 to academic stress and nearly all identified with needing support to learn to cook 21 on a budget. Students reporting greatest weight gain had most frequent 22 consumption of ready meals & convenience foods, takeaway & fast foods, and 23 least frequent consumption of fruits & vegetables. Weight-stable students reported 24 lowest consumption of alcohol and were most able to cook complex meals. 25 Students who reported greatest weight gain reported lower physical activity levels. 26 There were inter-correlations between cooking ability and lifestyle factors. In a 27 multivariate model, low physical activity and frequent consumption of ready meals 28 and convenience food independently predicted weight gain. 29 Conclusion: Weight gain was inversely associated with diet quality, cooking 30 ability and physical activity with reliance on ready meals & convenience food and 31 low physical activity particularly important. Prospective studies are needed to 32 confirm these cross-sectional associations and to explore how the university 33 setting may contribute to the effect.

Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2011

Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2012

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2007

Epidemiologic data suggest that increasing folate intake may protect against colorectal cancer. R... more Epidemiologic data suggest that increasing folate intake may protect against colorectal cancer. Riboflavin may interact with folate to modulate the effect. A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled intervention study (the FAB2 Study) was carried out in healthy controls and patients with colorectal polyps (adenomatous and hyperplastic) to examine effects of folic acid and riboflavin supplements on biomarkers of nutrient status and on putative biomarkers of colorectal cancer risk (DNA methylation and DNA damage; to be reported elsewhere). Ninety-eight healthy controls and 106 patients with colorectal polyps were stratified for the thermolabile variant of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase, MTHFR C677T, and were randomized to receive 400 Mg of folic acid, 1,200 Mg of folic acid, or 400 Mg of folic acid plus 5 mg of riboflavin or placebo for 6 to 8 weeks. Blood samples and colon biopsy samples were collected for the measurement of biomarkers of folate and riboflavin status. Supplementation with folic acid elicited a significant increase in mucosal 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate, and a marked increase in RBC and plasma, with a dose-response. Measures of riboflavin status improved in response to riboflavin supplementation. Riboflavin supplement enhanced the response to low-dose folate in people carrying at least one T allele and having polyps. The magnitude of the response in mucosal folate was positively related to the increase in plasma 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate but was not different between the healthy group and polyp patients. Colorectal mucosal folate concentration responds to folic acid supplementation to an extent comparable to that seen in plasma, but with a suggestion of an upper limit.

Archives of Oral Biology, 2009

International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 2019

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2019

Food Security, 2018

Fertility and Sterility, 1995

PloS one, 2015

BMC Cancer, 2014

Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 2012

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013

European Journal of Nutrition, 2012

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2019

Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition

Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 2019

Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about at... more Food banks in contemporary Britain are feeding record numbers of people. Little is known about attendees’ level of food insecurity, background diet quality or health. We surveyed 112 food bank attendees. Over 50% had experienced food shortage with hunger on a weekly basis of more often. Obesity and mental health problems were prevalent in women. Diet quality was poor with energy, protein, fibre, iron and calcium intakes inadequate, while saturated fat and sugars intakes were disproportionate. Women had poorer diet quality than men. Such patterns may lead to ill health.

British Food Journal

Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2011

Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 2012

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2007