assess IQ. Foetal weight-deviation was calculated based on repeated ultrasound measurements of biparietal and mid-abdominal diameter at week 25, 33 and 37 of gestation for 29 SGA subjects and 75 controls. Weight-deviations were recorded as positive and negative percentages; zero denoted no deviation from individual expected growth. Mean and standard deviation (sd) for estimated foetal growth in the control group was used to dichotomize the SGA group into normal growth and IUGR (growth deviation of more than -2sd from control mean). Results The total SGA group had significantly lower IQ scores than the control group (p=0.001). In the subgroup with ultrasound measurements, six SGA subjects (21%) were defined as IUGR. In this subgroup, only these six had significantly lower IQ than controls (IQ 87 vs 101, p=0.003) whereas those with normal growth pattern did not differ from controls. Conclusions Young adults born SGA had reduced cognitive outcome. This decrease may be confined to SGA young adults with IUGR.

Background The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development is a standardised developmental assessment that assesses children up to 42 months. The goal of the assessment is to identify those children with developmental delay. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) is a standardised developmental questionnaire that parents complete. The purpose of the questionnaire is to identify those children who warrant a more detailed developmental assessment such as The Bayley Scales Assessment. Aim To assess the ASQ-3 for identification of children with developmental delay in an Irish population. Methods A cohort of 87 pairs of twins (174 children) was taken from an on-going larger twin study. All children were assessed with both the ASQ-3 and The Bayley Scales Assessment. Results In our cohort, the ASQ-3 has a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 57%. Although the ASQ-3 will give some false positive results, it is a good screening tool for picking up children with potential developmental delay as very few children with true delay will be missed. Discussion Although The Bayley Scales Assessment is the gold standard for assesment of developmental delay, it is time consuming and must be carried out by a qualified professional. Only those at highest risk for developmental delay are therefore assessed. Our results suggest that the ASQ-3 can be used a screening tool in low risk populations to identify those children who may be at risk for developmental problems.

Background: Evidence suggests that twins are disadvantaged in terms of long-term growth and neuro-developmental status. This may in part be due to the increased risk of prematurity that twins face, in particular late prematurity. Aim: We investigated neuro-developmental outcomes of a cohort of 40 pairs of late premature twins (32+ 0 to 36+ 6) at 2-3 years of age through a standardised developmental questionnaire, The Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition. (ASQ) This group of children were compared to a control group of 40 pairs of term twins of similar age. Methods: The Ages and Stages questionnaire is a developmental assessment questionnaire which looks at 5 areas of development. Twins were recruited from 4 centres across Ireland. Parents were contacted via telephone. The ASQ was sent out to each twin pair between 2-3 years of age. Results: Both groups had mean scores in the normal range for all areas of development. The late pre-term group however, had statistically significant lower scores in the areas of communication, (mean 52.7 +/− 12.55 vs 58.6 +/−, p value less than 0.001), problem solving (mean 51.4 +/− 11.45 vs 57.7 +/− 3.89, p value less than 0.001) and fine motor (mean 43.6 +/− 10.94 vs 48.4 +/− 10.7, p value 0.01.) Conclusion: Tools such as the ASQ are able to detect significant differences in development between late pre-term twins and term twins. The ASQ tool may be a cost effective means of surveying large populations of late pre-term infants who would not otherwise have developmental surveillance.

We havedetermined theDNA sequence ofthebacteriophage P2tail genesG andH,whichcodefor polypeptides of175and669residues, respectively. GeneH probably codes forthedistal partoftheP2tail fiber, since thededuced sequence ofitsproduct contains regions similar totail fiber proteins fromphages Mu,P1, A,K3,andT2.Thesimilarities ofthecarboxy-terminal portions oftheP2,Mu,andP1tail fiber proteins may explain theobservation that these phages ingeneral havethesamehost range. TheP2H geneproduct issimilar totheproducts ofbothA,openreading frame(ORF)401(sff, side tail fiber) andits downstream ORF,ORF314. If 1 bpisinserted neartheendofORF401,this reading framebecomes fused withORF314,creating anORF thatmayrepresent thecomplete sgf genethatencodes a774-amino-acid-long side tail fiber protein. Thus,a frameshift mutation seemstobepresent inthecommonlaboratory strain ofA.GeneG ofP2probably codes foraprotein required forassembly ofthetail fibers ofthevirion. Theentire Ggeneproduct isvery similar to theproducts ofgenes UandU'ofphageMu;aregion ofthese proteins isalso foundinthetail fiber assembly proteins ofphages Tula, TuIb, T4,andA.Thesimilarities inthetail fiber genes ofphages ofdifferent families provide evidence that illegitimate recombination occurs atpreviously unappreciated levels andthat phages are taking advantage ofthegenepool available tothemtoalter their hostranges underselective pressures.