Francis Meaney - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Francis Meaney

Practicing Anthropology, 1985

Almost two years ago on a cool early summer day I packed up my books and other tools of the occup... more Almost two years ago on a cool early summer day I packed up my books and other tools of the occupation, put them in my car, and drove from the medical school department where I had been "postdocing" across a parking lot to the state department of health. For me this represented a return to the public health arena after an absence of about ten years. I often refer in jest to my colleagues about the rut I am wearing in the parking lot during my continuing travels between the health department and the medical school. My hikes across the parking lot symbolize not only the life I am presently leading, one with a mix of applied biomedical research and public health administration and teaching; they also resemble the period in my graduate training when a similar mixture was necessitated by economics as well as a desire to learn more about community health. The following is an account of my journey as an applied biological anthropologist, using that label as the late Albert Damon ...

Bone and Mineral, 1991

The relationships among bone mineral measurements at hip, wrist, and spine sites and anthropometr... more The relationships among bone mineral measurements at hip, wrist, and spine sites and anthropometric measurements which provided estimates of frame size, skinfold thickness, and muscularity were examined in a population of 140 children. The average age of the children at the time of measurement was 9.5 +/- 2.5 years and all subjects were white. In this study population, the anthropometric measurements were generally highly intercorrelated. Univariate correlations among bone mass and density variables at the different sites were also high, especially in the female children. Model fitting procedures were employed to separate the effects of age, frame size, and fatness on the bone mass measures. Resulting models confirmed previous results which suggest that height is the best predictor of bone mass in children. As expected, models for bone mineral content and bone mineral density were similar. Models for hips and wrist sites were also similar in including an estimate of frame size, while in those for the spine hip circumference explained a greater percentage of the variance. It appears that there are several identifiable characteristics among the anthropometric variables which appear to exert differential effects on skeletal development in children.

Indiana medicine : the journal of the Indiana State Medical Association, 1988

International journal of obesity, 1990

Genetic and environmental influences on four measures of body fat distribution - subscapular/tric... more Genetic and environmental influences on four measures of body fat distribution - subscapular/triceps ratio (STR), waist/hip ratio (WHR), and regression-adjusted subscapular skinfold and waist circumference indices - were examined in 265 pairs of white male twins, ages 59 to 70 years, who participated in the third examination of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Twin Study. Skinfold indices of fat distribution were not highly correlated with indices based on body circumferences (r = 0.26-0.37 for the four possible correlations). After adjustment for overall obesity, the heritability of the adjusted subscapular skinfold index was substantial (h2 = 0.60, P less than 0.001), as were estimates for both subscapular and tricep skinfolds individually. By contrast, heritability of the STR was low and of borderline statistical significance (h2 = 0.24, P = 0.06). Heritability for the WHR (h2 = 0.31, P = 0.07) was also low. Although higher estimates were observed for the adjus...

Birth defects original article series, 1992

Bone and Mineral, 1990

Bone mass and anthropometrics were measured in 342 adult female twins, aged 25-79 (mean = 44.1 ye... more Bone mass and anthropometrics were measured in 342 adult female twins, aged 25-79 (mean = 44.1 years) for the purpose of: (1) identifying which anthropometric measurements were most strongly associated with bone mass at various skeletal sites, and (2) determining the accuracy of combinations of these measurements in the prediction of bone mass. Among the eight skinfolds measured, the subscapular site was more strongly correlated with all bone mass measurements than any other skinfold. Similarly, calf circumference (among four sites) and biacromial width (among five frame size measurements) provided the strongest correlations within these groups of anthropometrics with all bone sites. The somewhat surprising consistency of these results was then tested in multivariable models for the prediction of bone mass. For the entire study group, each of the anthropometric measurements (subscapular skinfold, calf circumference and biacromial width) were independent, significant predictors of bone mass, even when height, weight and age were included in the models. These data suggest that frame size, muscularity and adiposity have independent effects on the skeleton, and that single measurements of each of these anthropometric characteristics are associated with all skeletal sites.

Neuromuscular Disorders, 2007

Journal of Medical Systems, 1987

Computer-based systems for the management of data in clinical genetics have become increasingly a... more Computer-based systems for the management of data in clinical genetics have become increasingly available for patient information storage and retrieval, evaluation and diagnosis, and pedigree data. The need for a national genetic services database has been recognized, and federal grants have provided funds for the development of state and regional databases for the evaluation of genetic services. Continuation of federal funding and the development of data systems that allow local, state, and regional needs to be met are essential for any progress to be made toward a national database.

Journal of Medical Systems, 1988

In the third decade of newborn screening for phenylketonuria (PKU) and other disorders computers ... more In the third decade of newborn screening for phenylketonuria (PKU) and other disorders computers are being used increasingly for both the laboratory and the follow-up aspects of screening programs. In 1984 slightly less than 40% of the state programs had automated follow-up. Lack of funding is probably the major inhibitor of more widespread use of computers in tracking newborns through the newborn screening process. It is suggested that federal funds be made available to ensure wider distribution of currently used tracking systems and development of methods for tracking newborns from birth through follow-up.

Journal of Genetic Counseling, 1992

During the 1980s, we have witnessed an erosion in federal and state funding for the coordination ... more During the 1980s, we have witnessed an erosion in federal and state funding for the coordination of genetic services in state health departments'. As this decade begins, the federal budget for the support of the national genetics program is less than half of the total available in 1980. In addition, priorities in state maternal and child health programs have changed, and genetic services have often received lower rankings aside of programs to improve prenatal care and to address problems such as teenage pregnancy. Clearly we are at a critical point for the future of genetics programs in the public health arena. Fortunately, despite the problems with funding and priority setting, important coalitions have been built during the past decade and continued advances in medical genetics have made it difficult for public health officials to ignore the potential impact of genetic services. Council of Regional Networks" for Genetic Services (CORN) and the regional genetic services networks have provided opportunities for interaction and coordination between genetic services providers and public health officials that had not been available to any significant extent. The full potential of these coalitions has yet to be realized, but efforts in data collection, development of national guidelines and standards, and information sharing and networking have already had an influence on state genetic services programs. Continuing research on the genetics of chronic diseases and the influence of discoveries in molecular genetics will undoubtedly broaden the current scope of state public health programs in genetics, which all too often have been limited to newborn screening and administration of grants for genetic services. The regional and national genetic services programs should be strengthened and appropriate training programs should be developed in Schools of Public Health to provide

Hypertension, 1990

We have previously shown that black children have higher blood pressures than white children. In ... more We have previously shown that black children have higher blood pressures than white children. In the present study, we examined whether a possible racial difference in adrenal androgen production during adrenarche might contribute to the racial disparity in blood pressure. Adrenal androgen production was estimated from urinary excretion of adrenal androgen metabolites that showed cross-reactivity with antisera to dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). Urine samples were collected overnight in 798 children, one third of whom were black. Analyses were performed for two different age groups, less than 10 years and 10 years or more of age. In children less than 10 years of age, adrenal androgen excretion rates were 17% higher in blacks than in whites (p = 0.0099); adrenal androgen excretion rates tended to be higher in older black children as well, but differences here were not statistically significant. Adrenal androgen excretion rates were positively correlated with diastolic blood ...

Arteriosclerosis: An Official Journal of the American Heart Association, Inc., 1990

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Twin Study is a collaborative, longitudinal study o... more The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Twin Study is a collaborative, longitudinal study of white, male twins who were veterans of World War II and were born between 1917 and 1927. The twins were selected from the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council Twin Panel and were examined three times (1969-73, 1981-82, and 1986-87). At all three exams, the dizygotic (DZ) twins were found to have a greater total variance for high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than the monozygotic (MZ) twins (p less than 0.05). DZ variance estimates were also larger than the variance of singletons from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. At the third exam, HDL-C was divided by precipitation into HDL2 and HDL3 fractions, and HDL2 was found to be the primary cause of the greater DZ total variance (DZ/MZ HDL2 variance = 2.22). The DZ/MZ variance ratio decreased 9% after adjustment of HDL2 for correlations with plasma triglycerides, alcohol consumption, sm...

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 1984

Biological anthropologists can contribute a unique perspective as well as technical expertise to ... more Biological anthropologists can contribute a unique perspective as well as technical expertise to the diagnosis and classification of genetic disorders. Anthropometry has been used with increasing frequency to characterize syndromes and to establish ranges of variation within syndromes. The specific anthropometric-radiologic technique of metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis has proven useful in discriminating individuals with the Prader-Labhart-Willi (PLW) syndrome from unaffected persons. Analysis of these data also indicate a negative correlation between age and Z-score transformations of individual hand bone lengths. These findings sound a cautionary note to clinical investigators who would use the Z-score transformation to standardize for age and sex. Problems encountered in the classification of genetic syndromes afford many parallels with those faced by anthropologists in the classification of living and fossil populations. The reliance on "key" traits and the necessity of focusing on pedigree analysis results in a deemphasis of the total range of variation and typological thinking. Application of numerical taxonomic techniques to the classification of the heterogeneous connective tissue disease osteogenesis imperfecta (01) illustrates the heuristic value of this technique and points out the need to consider phenotypic overlap when defining typologies. Clinical genetics affords just one example of an area in medicine where the unique training and generalist perspective of the biological anthropologist is in demand. The decline in the availability of positions in the traditional academic habitat for biological anthropologists makes it imperative that graduate students be aware of alternatives and that they obtain training in the practical skills which such alternatives will demand.

The American Journal of Cardiology, 2001

the Medicaid program is named the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). We will r... more the Medicaid program is named the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). We will refer to the program as Medicaid for ease of recognition to most readers.

Pediatrics, 1992

Standards (95th, 50th, and 5th percentiles) in fragile X syndrome for weight, height, head circum... more Standards (95th, 50th, and 5th percentiles) in fragile X syndrome for weight, height, head circumference, ear length, and testicular volume are reported. For comparison with fragile X syndrome standardized curves, normal control data from the literature were similarly plotted and curves produced. These standards reflect the physical parameters that are frequently abnormal in males with the fragile X syndrome and should be useful in the medical management of patients with this syndrome. The standards may also be used to help identify those individuals, particularly the younger males, for chromosome studies to confirm the clinical impression of the fragile X sydrome.

International journal of obesity, 1988

We report the first prospective longitudinal study of dietary intake, weight, height, and skinfol... more We report the first prospective longitudinal study of dietary intake, weight, height, and skinfold measurements during the early phase of four Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome (PLWS) individuals (two males and two females). Although caloric intake ranged from 80 to 90 percent of recommended daily allowance during our study of the four PLWS infants, obesity still occurred. Our findings suggest that the onset of obesity in PLWS individuals occurs earlier than previously thought in spite of reduced caloric intake. The infants in our study reached the obese range judged by skinfold measurements greater than the 85th centile at an early age and before they were considered heavy based on weight for height criterion. We propose that skinfold measurements should be obtained on all individuals with PLWS and obesity judged by this criterion.

Dysmorphology and clinical genetics : official publication of the Center for Birth Defects Information Services, Inc, 1990

To determine the effects of familial background on anthropometric dimensions in Prader-Willi synd... more To determine the effects of familial background on anthropometric dimensions in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), we measured weight; height; sitting height; longitude and breadth of the head, hands, and feet; head, arm, and calf circumferences; and triceps and subscapular skinfolds in 28 individuals with the syndrome and their natural parents. Midparental-child correlations were significant for height and foot length, with heritability estimates of 0.52 and 0.68, respectively. Significant mother-child correlations were found for weight, height, foot length, and minimal frontal diameter for the total group; in addition, hand length and breadth, and calf and arm circumferences were significant for the patients age 12.5 years or under. These data provide evidence for maternal effects on several physical characteristics in PWS, particularly in younger patients.

Medical Anthropology, 1989

Clinical Genetics, 2008

Age, sex and chromosome effects on weight, height, sitting height, three head dimensions, and fiv... more Age, sex and chromosome effects on weight, height, sitting height, three head dimensions, and five hand and three foot measurements were analyzed from 57 patients (35 males and 22 females) with the Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). No significant differences were observed in anthropometric data between PWS patients with the 15q chromosome deletion and those with normal chromosomes. Preschool children were found to have dolichocephaly, while hand and foot measurements, stature and sitting height were within normal range, although foot size was smaller than hand size in females when compared with PWS males. However, anthropometric measurements, excluding weight, head length and ankle breadth, were less than − 2 SD in adult patients. Abnormal growth patterns apparently exist with significant negative correlations with age, particularly in PWS males, for height, sitting height, head circumference, and hand and foot measurements, but a significant positive correlation for weight was found in patients below 10 years of age.