The circadian rhythms of many night-shift workers are maladapted to their imposed behavioural schedule, and this factor may be implicated in the increased occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) reported in shift workers. One way in which CVD risk could be mediated is through inappropriate hormonal and metabolic responses to meals. This study investigated the responses to standard meals at different circadian times in a group of night-shift workers on a British Antarctic Survey station at Halley Bay (75 S) in Antarctica.Twelve healthy subjects (ten men and two women) were recruited. Their postprandial hormone and metabolic responses to an identical mixed test meal of 3330 kJ were measured on three occasions: (i) during daytime on a normal working day, (ii) during night-time at the beginning of a period of night-shift work, and (iii) during the daytime on return from nightworking to daytime working. Venous blood was taken for 9 h after the meal for the measurement of glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol (TAG) and non-esterified fatty acids. Urine was collected 4-hourly (longer during sleep) on each test day for assessment of the circadian phase via 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) assay.During normal daytime working, aMT6s acrophase was delayed (7·7 1·0 h (...)) compared with that previously found in temperate zones in a comparable age-group. During the night shift a further delay was evident (11·8 1·9 h) and subjects' acrophases remained delayed 2 days after return to daytime working (12·4 1·8 h). Integrated postprandial glucose, insulin and TAG responses were significantly elevated during the night shift compared with normal daytime working. Two days after their return to daytime working, subjects' postprandial glucose and insulin responses had returned to pre-shift levels; however, integrated TAG levels remained significantly elevated.These results are very similar to those previously found in simulated night-shift conditions; it is the first time such changes have been reported in real shift workers in field conditions. They provide evidence that the abnormal metabolic responses to meals taken at night during unadapted night shifts are due, at least in part, to a relative insulin resistance, which could contribute to the documented cardiovascular morbidity associated with shift work. When applied to the 20% of the UK workforce currently employed on shift work, these findings have major significance from an occupational health perspective.

302 mentally retarded adults, sampled by epidemiological criteria, were examined with regard to handicaps, behaviour, skills and psychopathology by use of the MRC HBS-schedule and a list of psychiatric items. Based on research criteria, a computerized psychiatric diagnosis was made on a hierarchial scale. A psychiatric disorder was diagnosed in 85 (27.1%), which is a smaller prevalence rate than found in other studies. Next to behaviour disorder (10.9%), psychosis of uncertain type (5%) was the most common disorder. Dementia and early childhood autism were found equally often (3.6% each). Neurosis was seldom (2%), while schizophrenia (1.3%) and affective disorder (1.7%) occurred at about the same rates as found in similar investigations. No cases of alcohol or drug abuse were found.

No abstract

Based on data from the Danish Central Criminal Register, the total number of mentally retarded offenders serving statutory care orders on a census day decreased from 290 in 1973 to 91 in 1984. The reduction was caused by shorter sentences and a dramatic decrease in the number of sentenced borderline retarded offenders: the total number of sentences per year slightly decreased, and the number of first-time sentences was stable. Crimes of property are decreasing among this population, while violence, arson, and sexual offences are increasing. Behaviour disorder was found in 87.5% of 91 offenders serving care orders in 1984. Offensive behaviour was significantly predicted by early institutionalisation, having retarded or divorced parents of low socio-economic status, and behaviour disorder of social-aggressive type. Independent significant effects were attributed to behaviour disorder and low socioeconomic background. All predictors were closely correlated. Biological factors did not have any significant predictive value.

No abstract

In a survey study of psychiatric morbidity, based on a representative sample from the Danish mental retardation register, 44 adults with Down's syndrome (DS) were compared with 258 other mentally retarded adults. Assessed by the parameters psychiatric disorder, behaviour problems, neurotic traits, and deviant social interaction, the DS group functioned better on all parameters. However, male and female DS patients were very different, the females constituting a superior well-functioning group while the males had major problems in every area. High prevalence rates of dementia and infantile autism were found in the DS group. General function rapidly decreased with age in DS patients.

302 mentally retarded adults, sampled by epidemiological criteria, were examined with regard to epilepsy and psychiatric disorder. Each of the complications was frequent and related to degree and origin of mental retardation. In 55 (18.2%) epilepsy had occurred at some time during their lives, in 25 (8.3%) of these in the past year. In 52% of persons with seizures in the past year a present state psychiatric diagnosis was established, compared to 26% in those without seizures. The nature of the combination of epilepsy and psychiatric disorder is complex, but in the mentally retarded most often reflecting underlying brain pathology in the form of widespread cortical and subcortical cerebral damage causing epilepsy of generalised or mixed type, and predominantly interictal psychiatric disorders unrelated in time to seizures and dominated by behaviour problems.

Background and aimsPhysical activity has preventive as well as therapeutic benefits for overweight subjects. In this study we aimed to examine effects of in vivo exercise on in vitro metabolic adaptations by studying energy metabolism in cultured myotubes isolated from biopsies taken before and after 12 weeks of extensive endurance and strength training, from healthy sedentary normal weight and overweight men.MethodsHealthy sedentary men, aged 40–62 years, with normal weight (body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2) or overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) were included. Fatty acid and glucose metabolism were studied in myotubes using [14C]oleic acid and [14C]glucose, respectively. Gene and protein expressions, as well as DNA methylation were measured for selected genes.ResultsThe 12-week training intervention improved endurance, strength and insulin sensitivity in vivo, and reduced the participants’ body weight. Biopsy-derived cultured human myotubes after exercise showed increased total cellular oleic acid uptake (30%), oxidation (46%) and lipid accumulation (34%), as well as increased fractional glucose oxidation (14%) compared to cultures established prior to exercise. Most of these exercise-induced increases were significant in the overweight group, whereas the normal weight group showed no change in oleic acid or glucose metabolism.Conclusions12 weeks of combined endurance and strength training promoted increased lipid and glucose metabolism in biopsy-derived cultured human myotubes, showing that training in vivo are able to induce changes in human myotubes that are discernible in vitro.