Behavioral and neural responses to social rejection: Individual differences in developmental trajectories across childhood and adolescence

Dealing with social rejection is challenging, especially during childhood when behavioral and neural responses to social rejection are still developing. In the current longitudinal study, we used a Bayesian multilevel growth curve model to describe individual differences in the development of behavioral and neural responses to social rejection in a large sample (n > 500). We found a peak in aggression following negative feedback (compared to neutral feedback) during late childhood, as well as individual differences during this developmental phase, possibly suggesting a sensitive window for dealing with social rejection across late childhood. Moreover, we found evidence for individual differences in the linear development of neural responses to social rejection in our three brain regions of interest: The anterior insula, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition to providing insights in the individual trajectories of dealing with social rejection during childhood, this study also makes a meaningful methodological contribution: Our statistical analysis strategy (and can be found in this study's online supplementary materials at https://jeroendmulder.github.io/social-emotion-regulation/) can be used as an example on how to take into account the many complexities of developmental neuroimaging datasets, while still enabling researchers to answer interesting questions about individual-level relationships.

Survival, growth and digestive functions after exposure to nanodiamonds - Transgenerational effects beyond contact time in house cricket strains

The long-term exposure effects of nanodiamonds (NDs), spanning an organism's entire lifespan and continuing for subsequent generation, remain understudied. Most research has focused on evaluating their biological impacts on cell lines and selected organisms, typically over short exposure durations lasting hours or days. The study aimed to assess growth, mortality, and digestive functions in wild (H) and long-lived (D) strains of Acheta domesticus (Insecta: Orthoptera) after two-generational exposure to NDs in concentrations of 0.2 or 2 mg kg-1 of food, followed by their elimination in the third generation. NDs induced subtle stimulating effect that depended on the strain and generation. In the first generation, more such responses occurred in the H than in the D strain. In the first generation of H strain insects, contact with NDs increased survival, stimulated the growth of young larvae, and the activity of most digestive enzymes in mature adults. The same doses and exposure time did not cause similar effects in the D strain. In the first generation of D strain insects, survival and growth were unaffected by NDs, whereas, in the second generation, significant stimulation of those parameters was visible. Selection towards longevity appears to support higher resistance of the insects to exposure to additional stressor, at least in the first generation. The cessation of ND exposure in the third generation caused potentially harmful changes, which included, e.g., decreased survival probability in H strain insects, slowed growth of both strains, as well as changes in heterochromatin density and distribution in nuclei of the gut cells in both strains. Such a reaction may suggest the involvement of epigenetic inheritance mechanisms, which may become inadequate after the stress factor is removed.

Case Studies in the Assessment of Microbial Fitness: Seemingly Subtle Changes Can Have Major Effects on Phenotypic Outcomes

Following the completion of an adaptive evolution experiment, fitness evaluations are routinely conducted to assess the magnitude of adaptation. In doing so, proper consideration should be given when determining the appropriate methods as trade-offs may exist between accuracy and throughput. Here, we present three instances in which small changes in the framework or execution of fitness evaluations significantly impacted the outcomes. The first case illustrates that discrepancies in fitness conclusions can arise depending on the approach to evaluating fitness, the culture vessel used, and the sampling method. The second case reveals that variations in environmental conditions can occur associated with culture vessel material. Specifically, these subtle changes can greatly affect microbial physiology leading to changes in the culture pH and distorting fitness measurements. Finally, the last case reports that heterogeneity in CFU formation time can result in inaccurate fitness conclusions. Based on each case, considerations and recommendations are presented for future adaptive evolution experiments.

A new animal product free defined medium for 2D and 3D culturing of normal and cancer cells to study cell proliferation and migration as well as dose response to chemical treatment

Cell culturing methods are increasingly used to reduce and replace the use of live animals in biomedical research and chemical toxicity testing. Although live animals are avoided when using cell culturing methods, they often contain animal-derived components of which one of the most commonly used is foetal bovine serum (FBS). FBS is added to cell culture media among other supplements to support cell attachment/spreading and cell proliferation. The safety, batch-to-batch variation, and ethical problems with FBS are acknowledged and therefore world-wide efforts are ongoing to produce FBS free media. Here, we present the composition of a new defined medium with only human proteins either recombinant or derived from human tissues. This defined medium supports long-term culturing/routine culturing of normal cells and of cancer cells, and can be used for freezing and thawing of cells, i.e. for cell banking. Here, we show for our defined medium, growth curves and dose response curves of cells grown in two and three dimensions, and applications such as cell migration. Cell morphology was studied in real time by phase contrast and phase holographic microscopy time-lapse imaging. The cell lines used are human cancer-associated fibroblasts, keratinocytes, breast cancer JIMT-1 and MDA-MB-231 cells, colon cancer CaCo-2 cells, and pancreatic cancer MiaPaCa-2 cells as well as the mouse L929 cell line. In conclusion, we present the composition of a defined medium without animal-derived products which can be used for routine culturing and in experimental settings for normal cells and for cancer cells, i.e. our defined medium provides a leap towards a universal animal product free cell culture medium.

Health asymmetry as a predictor of depressive symptomatology over time among older European adults: A growth curve analysis

OBJECTIVE

Subjective (SH) and objective health (OH) measures are associated with depressive symptomatology in older adults. We explored whether the discrepancy between SH and OH (operationalised as 'health asymmetry' with four categories: 'health optimistic', 'health pessimistic' and 'good health realistic' and 'poor health realistic') may also relate to depressive symptomatology 1) cross-sectionally, and 2) longitudinally, among older European adults.

METHODS

Adults (n = 26,520), aged 50+, from 11 European countries, were assessed over six waves of data collection (2006-2020) in the SHARE study. A hierarchical multi-level growth curve model explored whether health asymmetry was associated with depressive symptomology at baseline, and with depressive symptom trajectories across time, accounting for country of origin.

RESULTS

At baseline, 11.8% of older adults were classified as health pessimistic, with 15.5% being health optimistic, 42.9% being poor health realistic and 29.8% being good health realistic. A positive linear trend in depressive symptomatology was noted across 14 years of SHARE data (β = 0.11, p < .001). Health pessimists displayed higher levels of depressive symptoms than both health realistic groups and health optimists. However, health pessimists experienced a less steep increase in depressive symptoms across time (β = -0.10, p < .001), relative to good health realists.

CONCLUSION

Health pessimists experience elevated levels of depressive symptoms, but show less growth in depressive symptomatology than expected. Further research is required to understand the underlying causes of the varying depressive symptom trajectories among these groups.

New Frontiers in Prevention Research Models: Commentary on the Special Issue

Models considered in the current special issue represent valuable additions to the statistical toolbox of prevention researchers for many types of research questions and designs. Their appropriate use, however, depends on critical evaluation relative to previously existing techniques. This evaluation includes (a.) model choice involving "right-sizing" of the model relative to the amount and quality of data at hand, (b.) examination of the external validity of identified associations relative to observed or latent subgroups, (c.) confirmation of the reasonableness of the functional form assumed by the model, and (d.) identification of influential or outlying observations which unduly affect model fit or parameter estimates. Models in this issue allow for testing of new types of hypotheses in prevention research, and can constitute counterarguments to existing statistical practice. These models may, however, in turn be the object of critical examination of counterarguments a reasonable skeptic may offer.

Microscopical observations on the regenerating tail of tsinling dwarf skink (Scincella tsinlingensis)

Although the key steps of tail regeneration in lizards are well understood, further investigations involving skinks can provide the field of regeneration research with additional information. In order to characterize the cytoarchitecture of tail regeneration in Scincella tsinlingensis, an endemic species in China, its histological events and growth trends are investigated. The rate of tail regeneration varies with the season: it proceeds faster in summer and autumn than it does in winter and spring. Tail regeneration of S. tsinlingensis is summarized as wound healing, blastema formation, cell differentiation and tail growth, which can be subdivided into seven stages. Wound healing following tail loss, begins with an obvious outgrowth undergoing re-epithelialization. Numerous proliferating mesenchymal-like cells aggregate near the distal end of the severed spinal cord to form the blastema. The expanding blastema is invaded by blood vessels, nerves and ependyma. A cartilaginous skeleton is formed around the ependymal tube and the muscle starts to differentiate. The keratinization of epidermis coincides with scale formation. Pigmentation eventually occurs in the regenerated tail. Tail regeneration in S. tsinlingensis is an epimorphic kind of regeneration that is also known as blastema-mediated. Structure and composition of the regenerated tail, including its cytoarchitecture, represent a conserved pattern of regeneration also known from other lizards.

Nutritional status and growth centiles using anthropometric measures of school-aged children and adolescents from Multan district

BACKGROUND

Nutritional status among children and adolescents is assessed using growth rates. The aim of this study was to assess age- and gender-specific height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) centiles among children and adolescents relative to World Health Organization (WHO) references.

METHODS

A sample of 1040 school-aged children and adolescents aged 3-18 years from Multan District in Pakistan were selected for the study between January and March 2020. Multistage stratified random sampling was used for sample selection. Centile curves of height, weight, and BMI for age and gender were obtained using the lambda-mu-sigma (LMS) method, and results were compared with WHO 2007 references.

RESULTS

For boys and girls, the average height was 137.37 ± 8.24 and 135.62 ± 9.64 cm, average weight was 36.32 ± 6.84 and 35.21 ± 7.27 kg, and average BMI was 18.44 ± 2.67 and 18.36 ± 2.91, respectively. The height centiles of boys were higher than the WHO reference, and during the prepubertal period (age 8 years or older) the centiles were lower than the WHO reference. The height centiles of girls were higher than the WHO reference, and during the pubertal period (age 10 years or older) the centiles were lower than the WHO reference. The gender-wise BMI centiles were higher compared to the WHO reference.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of thinness, overweight, and obesity in boys and girls was significantly higher than the WHO reference. The results of this study on centiles are up-to-date and will be used as a standard for comparison.

Nonlinear Physical Growth of Children from Infancy to Middle Adolescence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

BACKGROUND

The growth curve has a significant role in understanding the growth trajectories over time and examining the mathematical relationship between the outcome variable and time.

STUDY DESIGN

A longitudinal prospective cohort study.

METHODS

This study aimed to identify a nonlinear growth curve that best represents the growth trajectories in children's physical growth from ages 1 to 15 years. The data were obtained from the Young Lives study conducted in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam. Nonlinear growth curves were studied through the families of three-parameter nonlinear mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

The study examined the performances of different three-parameter nonlinear growth curves for the growth trajectory analysis, and the Logistic curve was chosen for the trajectory analysis. Gender and country differences had significant effects on the child's growth. Females reached asymptotic height earlier and shorter than males. The mean height values at the end of the growth stage for children in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam were 171.78, 170.37, 171.30, 174.31cm, respectively. Children in Ethiopia approached adult height earlier than those in India but later than children in Peru. However, no significant growth change was observed between children in Ethiopia and Vietnam. This indicates that children in Ethiopia and Vietnam have no significant differences regarding approaching adult height.

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that the Logistic curve was found to be the best growth curve to describe the growth trajectories. Children in all four countries exhibited different growth parameters.

[Management of fetal growth restriction in France: Survey of teaching hospitals and tertiary referral centers]

OBJECTIVES

French Guidelines on Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) were published in December 2013. It seemed interesting to us to carry out an inventory on the management of FGR in teaching hospitals and tertiary referral centers MATERIAL AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective survey on the academic year 2020/2021. All teaching hospitals and level III maternity in mainland France were contacted (67). The questionnaire focused on the growth curves used, the etiological assessment carried out, the rate and modalities of antenatal surveillance as well as the criteria indicating a birth.

RESULTS

The response rate was 76%. The CFEF curves are used for screening in 78.4% of centers and in the event of FGR in 39.2% of them. The etiological assessment includes a referent ultrasound in 62.7% of cases and amniocentesis is offered in 74.5% of hospitals in case of severe and early FGR. All centers use umbilical Doppler for FGR. The fetal heart rate is monitored between once a week to three times a day in the event of cerebro-placental redistribution. In case of reverse flow, birth is induced from 28 weeks on for some teams while others continue the pregnancy until 39 weeks. In case of cessation of fetal growth, the expected terms of birth are between 28 and 38 weeks.

CONCLUSION

There is great heterogeneity in the management of FGR, particularly in terms of antenatal surveillance and the term of birth envisaged.

Nonlinear Models to Describe the Testicular Size Growth Curve of Mangalarga Marchador Stallions

This study aimed to describe the testicular growth curve in Mangalarga Marchador stallions fitting nonlinear models to data of total scrotal width (TSW) and testicular volume (TV). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 120 stallions, aging from 1.75 to 21.93 years. The parameters of nonlinear models (Brody, Gompertz, Hill, Logistic I and II, Meloun I and II, Michaelis-Menten, Mitscherlich, and von-Bertalanffy) were estimated by Gauss-Newton iterative process. Goodness of fit was evaluated by the corrected Akaike (AICc) and Bayesian (BIC) information criteria, adjusted R², error sum of square, mean absolute deviation and average prediction error. Based on the goodness of fit, the Logistic I model fitted better for TSW while Logistic II fitted better for TV growth curve. The inflection point (IP) of TSW growth was estimated in 5.23 cm at 0.76 years; the IP of TV growth was estimated in 139.36 cm³ at 2.57 years. The TV growth curve reached a plateau later than TSW growth curve, mainly because testicular height maintains growth for a longer period. In addition, there were moderate and positive correlations between whiter height and TSW and TV (r = 0.51 and r = 0.53, respectively). Findings suggest that TV is more associated with sexual maturity than sexual precocity. In addition, the moderate and positive correlations between whiter height and TSW and TV indicate that testicular traits can be included in selection programs of Mangalarga Marchador stallions with the same relevance as the morphometric traits.

Sleep development in preschool predicts executive functioning in early elementary school

This report investigates the role of normative developments in sleep during preschool years in the prediction of child EF performance at early school age. Sleep was assessed by actigraphy at ages 2, 3, and 4, and EF with behavioral tasks when children were in Grade 2. The results revealed that children whose sleep followed expected developmental trends more rapidly showed better EF performance: a more pronounced decrease in sleep duration between ages 2 and 4 predicted better subsequent working memory, whereas a more pronounced increase in sleep efficiency was predictive of better inhibitory control performance. These findings suggest that age-related development may be a key characteristic of sleep as it relates to children's executive skills.

Extrauterine growth restriction in very preterm infant: etiology, diagnosis, and 2-year follow-up

In very-preterm small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, long-term postnatal growth is confused with extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR). We aimed to document EUGR in SGA infants and in non-SGA infants ("true-EUGR") and its relationship with fetal, maternal, and neonatal etiological factors. Four hundred seventy-nine very-preterm infants (< 32 weeks) born between 2003 and 2014 and attending the follow-up clinic were included. INTERGROWTH-21st preterm postnatal growth standards in conjunction with WHO Child Growth Standards were used to judge the postnatal growth patterns. EUGR was defined as weight < 10th percentile according to the sex at 36-34 weeks postmenstrual age, usually at discharge. Catch-up was evaluated at 2-2.5 years. Low-weight-for-age (wasting), low-length-for-age (stunting), and low-head-circumference-for-age were diagnosed if the z-scores were below - 2 SD. Logistic regression analysis estimated the association between the risk factors and EUGR, according to the SGA status at birth. Overall, EUGR occurred in 51% at 36-34 postmenstrual weeks and 21% at 2-2.5 years. However, among 411 non-SGA infants, "true-EUGR" rates were 43% and 15%, respectively.Conclusion: By 2-2.5 years of age, a "true-EUGR" of 15% can be expected and only the head circumference normalizes in SGA infants. Low birth weight, hyaline membrane disease, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and male sex were associated with "true-EUGR." What is Known: • Fetal, neonatal, or postnatal charts have been considered to monitor the postnatal growth of preterm infants. • This selection influences the diagnosis of "extrauterine growth restriction" (EUGR) and the clinical strategies used. What is New: • Extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants can not be considered a true EUGR but a postnatal evolution of fetal growth restriction. • Preeclampsia, low gestational age, severe neonatal morbidity and male sex are independently associated with EUGR in non-SGA infants (named "true-EUGR"), which can be expected in 15% of very preterm infants by 2-2.5 years of age.

Patterns of growth in executive functioning during school years: Contributions of early mother-child attachment security and maternal autonomy support

Executive functioning (EF) undergoes marked developmental improvements during the early school years. Given the crucial role of EF in learning and school adjustment, it is important to document the factors that bolster the development of executive competence, especially during a period of growth. Although substantial evidence suggests that parent-child relationships relate to EF, few longitudinal studies have examined the parental antecedents of EF developmental trajectories during the school years. Accordingly, this multiyear longitudinal study (N = 102) explored the respective roles of early mother-child attachment security and maternal autonomy support in the prediction of patterns of growth in working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning skills across Grades 2 to 4. Multilevel growth curve analyses revealed a unique positive relation between attachment security and all EF skills, whereas autonomy support was mainly independently associated with initial planning performance. These findings provide further suggestion for a global contribution of secure attachment relationships to children's executive competence and highlight the importance of supporting children's autonomy to foster the emergence of more complex EF abilities such as planning. This study also supports the relevance of considering multiple aspects of parent-child relationships to delineate how early caregiving experiences contribute to children's EF development.

[Percentile reference value of waist circumference for Chinese children aged 3-7 years]

Objective: To study and establish the percentile reference values of waist circumference (WC) for Chinese children aged 3-7 years. Methods: A total of 26 480 children aged 3-7 years were collected as part of the National Survey on Physical Growth and Development of Children in nine cities (Beijing, Harbin, Xi'an, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Fuzhou and Kunming) in China from June to November 2015. Sex- and age-specific smoothed percentile reference values of WC were established using the Lambda Mu Sigma method. The P(75) and P(90) curves of WC for children aged 3-7 years in this study were linked with the published P(75) and P(90) cut-off points for Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years. The P(50) percentile of WC in this study was compared with the corresponding percentiles of several foreign studies. Results: The P(5), P(10), P(15), P(20), P(25), P(50), P(75), P(80), P(85), P(90) and P(95) reference values of WC were obtained for boys and girls aged 3-7 years biannually, at the interval of every six months. Results showed that WC at the P(50) had significantly increased from 47.5 cm at the age of 3 to 54.2 cm at the age of 7 for boys and from 47.0 cm at the age of 3 to 52.2 cm for girls at the age of 7. The corresponding WC percentile values appeared a bit higher in boys than those in girls at the same age, with the differences from 0.4 to 3.6 cm. The differences between measured and fitted WC at each empirical percentile ranged from -0.3 to 0.5 cm for both boys and girls aged 3-7 years. The P(75) and P(90) values of WC for boys and girls aged 3-7 years in this study presented a consistent, continuous tendency on age with the published WC cut-off points (P(75) and P(90)) for Chinese children and adolescent aged 7-18. The increasing trend of WC by age in Chinese children aged 3-7 years was consistent with those of foreign studies, at the middle level for boys and lower middle level for girls. Conclusions: Through this study, we established the WC percentile values for Chinese children aged 3-7 years and achieved the continuity in age with the published WC cut-off points for Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18. These established WC percentile values can be used as reference for clinical practice, health care and scientific research.

Outcome dependent twin growth curves based on birth weight percentiles for Polish population

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to determine a healthy fetal growth pattern of twins from a Polish population based on an outcome-dependent growth curve.

METHODS

The fetal growth data of live-born twin pregnancies between 25th and 40th week gestation in the period of 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2018 from the database of a tertiary care women's hospital in Western Poland was used to calculate birth weight percentiles. The growth curves of singletons from the same database were used as comparison. Because this study aimed for an outcome-dependent approach for the calculation of fetal growth curves, all babies born that may have high risk of unfavorable outcome were excluded. After application of all exclusion criteria, 1317 records referring to 2634 children were included in our analysis. Growth curves of singletons from the same database were used as reference for this study.

RESULTS

A linear relationship between 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles and gestational age were found for twins but not for singletons suggesting the different mechanisms of intrauterine growth between singleton and twin pregnancies. Week-to-week weight gain equal to or higher than 150 g in twins also predict a favorable outcome in absence of other pathologies.

CONCLUSION

The calculated outcome-dependent fetal growth curves for twins in this study may help in the accurate diagnosis of small or large twin fetuses for their gestational age in this Western Poland population.

Characterization and Growth under Different Storage Temperatures of Ropy Slime-Producing Leuconostoc mesenteroides Isolated from Cooked Meat Products

ABSTRACT

The presence of lactic acid bacteria can be detrimental when the abundant growth of slime-producing strains (Lactobacillus spp. and Leuconostoc spp.) causes spoilage of meat products. Two strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from vacuum-packed cooked hams that had been withdrawn from the market for the so-called ropy slime defect and identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides. In an attempt to define the behavior of ropy slime-producing bacteria, two strains of L. mesenteroides were incubated in de Man Rogosa Sharpe broth at different storage temperatures and conditions of thermal abuse (4, 12, 20, 30, 37, and 44°C). Both strains showed a lack of growth at 44°C, a good level of development at 30 and 37°C, and evident growth ability at low temperatures, with a long stationary phase. In particular, the bacterial concentration at 4°C was >105 CFU mL-1 after more than 120 days of incubation. This study demonstrates that the refrigeration temperature for cooked meat products does not constitute a hurdle for ropy slime producers and their subsequent ability to spoil.

HIGHLIGHTS

Fluorescence-based method is more accurate than counting-based methods for plotting growth curves of adherent cells

OBJECTIVE

Cell growth curves constitute one of the primary assays employed to analyze cell proliferation dynamics of in vitro cultured cells under specific culture conditions. From the cell growth curve, it is possible to assess the behavior of proliferating cells under different conditions, such as drug treatment and genomic editions. Traditionally, growth curves for adherent cells are obtained by seeding the cells in multiple-well plates and counting the total number of cells at different time points. Here, we compare this traditional method to the fluorescence-based method, which is based on the CFSE fluorescence decay over time.

RESULTS

The fluorescence-based method is not dependent on the determination of the total number of cells, but rather is approached by assessing the fluorescence of a sample of single cells from a cell population at different time points after plating. Therefore, this method is not biased due to either cell loss during harvesting or to the presence of cellular debris and cell clumps. Moreover, the fluorescence-based method displays lower variation among different measurements of the same time point, which increases the reliability on the determination of lag, log and stationary phase transitions.

Variation of growth characteristics of pneumococcus with environmental conditions

BACKGROUND

Pneumococcus is exposed to a variety of temperature and oxygen levels in the upper respiratory tract and as it invades the lung, tissues, and blood. We sought to determine the effect of environmental variability on growth in vitro and to assess variability between strains. We evaluated the effect of temperature and oxygen on the growth of 256 isolates representing 53 serotypes, recovered from healthy carriers and disease patients. Strains were grown at a range of temperatures, anaerobically or in ambient air with catalase, and were monitored by reading the optical density. Regression models evaluated variation in the characteristics of the growth curves.

RESULTS

Most isolates grew to the maximal density at low temperatures (~33C) and under aerobic conditions. There was considerable variability between strains, and some of this variability was linked to serotype. However, capsule-switch experiments suggest that the production of different capsules might not be sufficient to explain this variation, suggesting there could be interactions between the capsule and genetic background.

CONCLUSIONS

Pneumococcal strains vary in how they respond to environmental variations, some of this variation can be explained by the capsule type being produced, but capsule production itself is not sufficient to explain the variability. This variability could help to explain why different lineages of pneumococcus are more common in carriage or disease.

Longitudinal study of individually adjusted fetal growth

OBJECTIVE

To construct individualized fetal growth curves estimated by ultrasound parameters adjusted for maternal and fetal characteristics.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively assessed from serial ultrasonographic examinations of singleton pregnancies at 12-42 gestational weeks among women without maternal or fetal conditions and full-term delivery at the University Hospital of University of São Paulo between July 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. Measurements included biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length. Mixed linear regression was used to model the ultrasound biometric parameters as a function of gestational age, parity, maternal height, pre-pregnancy weight, and fetal sex.

RESULTS

In total, data were assessed from 1445 examinations of 434 pregnancies meeting the inclusion criteria. The estimated fetal weight model included gestational age, fetal sex, maternal height, and pre-pregnancy body mass index as covariates. The model enabled the construction of individual estimated fetal weight curves with respective percentiles covering 12-42 gestational weeks using maternal and fetal characteristics.

CONCLUSION

The growth curves, which are based on a sample of the Brazilian population with low risk of maternal or fetal morbidity and mortality, will make it possible to determine whether a fetus is achieving ideal growth potential according to maternal and fetal characteristics.

Long-term intestinal obstruction sequelae and growth in children with cystic fibrosis operated for meconium ileus: expectancies and surprises

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

In the few studies on intestinal complications and growth of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with a history of meconium ileus (MI), operated MI has not been investigated separately. We aimed to investigate the incidence of long-term intestinal obstruction sequelae [constipation, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS)] and growth in CF patients operated for MI.

METHODS

Retrospective study (1989-2016) including operative diagnoses and procedures, constipation and DIOS events, yearly Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements. Outcomes were examined in subgroups operated for MI only and for MI with atresia and/or volvulus.

RESULTS

Of 49 patients followed-up for 15 (mean) years, 5 (10.2%) developed constipation and 14 (28.6%) DIOS. BMI was within normal percentiles in 53 patients over a 10-year follow-up. MI only and MI with atresia and/or volvulus did not differ in constipation and/or DIOS incidence (11/34 vs. 7/15, p=0.39) or in BMI (p=0.47). Cases with ileocecal valve resection (ICV-R) showed lower constipation and/or DIOS incidence than those without ICV-R (0/6 vs. 11/28, p=0.02) and no different BMI (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

CF patients operated for MI were in long-term risk for constipation/DIOS; their growth was normal. Interestingly, underlying atresia/volvulus neither increased constipation/DIOS risk nor affected growth. Strikingly, ICV-R showed no constipation/DIOS risk and no impact on growth.

TYPE OF STUDY

Retrospective comparative study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Developmental patterns of change in mother and child emotional availability from infancy to the end of the preschool years: A four-wave longitudinal study

In this four-wave longitudinal study, we examined intraindividual developmental patterns of change in mother-child emotional availability (EA) during infancy and the preschool years, the factors that promote or hinder it, and the longitudinal within-dyad association between maternal and child EA. Mother-infant dyads (N = 56) were observed at home when children were 6,12, 18 and 55-months-old. Multilevel growth modeling revealed that mother and child EA follow distinct trajectories across time. While maternal EA was found to be stable, a significant increase in child EA was found across the infancy years and into preschool. The results from the study also provide evidence for a sustained within-dyad relation between mother and child EA across time and suggest that mother, child, and contextual factors can create variations in the trajectories of maternal EA over time. The findings lead to a deeper understanding of the intraindividual changes that occur in mother and child EA across the infancy years and into preschool and the factors that can promote or hinder it.

BMI Is a Better Body Proportionality Measure than the Ponderal Index and Weight-for-Length for Preterm Infants

BACKGROUND

Clinicians have observed preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit growing disproportionally; however, the only growth charts that have been available were from preterm infants born in the 1950s which utilized the ponderal index. Prior to creating the recently published BMI curves, we found only 1 reference justifying the use of the ponderal index.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the best measure of body proportionality for assessing growth in US preterm infants.

METHODS

Using a dataset of 391,681 infants, we determined the body proportionality measure that was most correlated with weight and least correlated with length. We examined the sex-specific overall correlations and then stratified further by gestational age (GA). We then plotted the body proportionality measures versus length to visualize apparent discrepancies in the appropriate measure.

RESULTS

The overall correlations showed weight/length3 (ponderal index) was the best measure but stratification by GA indicated that BMI (weight/length2) was the best measure. This seeming inconsistency was due to negative correlations between ponderal index and length at each GA. BMI, on the other hand, had a correlation with length across GAs, but was uncorrelated with length within GAs. Both ponderal index and BMI were positively correlated with weight.

CONCLUSIONS

BMI is the appropriate measure of body proportionality for preterm infants, contrary to current practice.

Impact of customized growth curves on screening for small for gestational age twins

OBJECTIVE

The choice of a growth curve determines the screening for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses and little data is available on SGA twins. Our aim was to evaluate small-for-gestational-age (SGA) detection rate in twin pregnancies and assess whether the use of a customized curve allowed better identification of SGA fetuses.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study including all twins between 2010 and 2013. Two groups were formed: the SGA and the non-SGA group. Four curves were compared: Hadlock's curve, a customized curve, EPOPé M0 and EPOPé M1. We defined a composite neonatal complication criterion (transfer to intensive care unit, respiratory distress and death).

RESULT

472 fetuses were included with a 34.3% prevalence of SGA. Hadlock's curve showed better sensitivity for the detection of SGA <10th percentile (67.3% vs. 63%, 59.9% and 57.4% respectively). Diagnostic Odd Ratio were comparable for the detection of SGA. For the composite variable, there was a significant difference between the 2 groups using a customized curve adjusted for fetal sex (EPOPé M1).

CONCLUSION

The EPOPé (M0 and M1) and customized curves do not improve screening for SGA infants below the 10th percentile. The reduced effectiveness of customized curves can be related to the greater impact of placentation or cord insertion on the potential for fetal growth.

Assessment of DPOAE test-retest difference curves via hierarchical Gaussian processes

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) testing is a promising alternative to behavioral hearing tests and auditory brainstem response testing of pediatric cancer patients. The central goal of this study is to assess whether significant changes in the DPOAE frequency/emissions curve (DP-gram) occur in pediatric patients in a test-retest scenario. This is accomplished through the construction of normal reference charts, or credible regions, that DP-gram differences lie in, as well as contour probabilities that measure how abnormal (or in a certain sense rare) a test-retest difference is. A challenge is that the data were collected over varying frequencies, at different time points from baseline, and on possibly one or both ears. A hierarchical structural equation Gaussian process model is proposed to handle the different sources of correlation in the emissions measurements, wherein both subject-specific random effects and variance components governing the smoothness and variability of each child's Gaussian process are coupled together.

Clustering multivariate functional data with phase variation

When functional data come as multiple curves per subject, characterizing the source of variations is not a trivial problem. The complexity of the problem goes deeper when there is phase variation in addition to amplitude variation. We consider clustering problem with multivariate functional data that have phase variations among the functional variables. We propose a conditional subject-specific warping framework in order to extract relevant features for clustering. Using multivariate growth curves of various parts of the body as a motivating example, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The found clusters have individuals who show different relative growth patterns among different parts of the body.

Preventing postnatal growth restriction in infants with birthweight less than 1300 g

AIM

To examine nutritional and growth outcomes in very preterm infants with a birthweight (BW) of ≤1300 g before and after the introduction of enhanced enteral and parenteral nutrition protocols.

METHODS

A comparison of two historical cohorts.

RESULTS

There were 153 infants in cohort 1 and 118 in cohort 2. A total of 19% were growth restricted at birth in both cohorts. Feeds advanced more quickly in cohort 2, with decreased duration of central lines and TPN; breastmilk fortification occurred sooner. Calorie and protein intakes were increased during all of the first 14 days of life. Adverse clinical outcomes were unchanged, including NEC. The proportion of infants discharged <10th percentile of expected weight, decreased from 23% to 9%. In cohort 2, the z-score for body weight decreased by 0.39, compared to an average 1.03 in cohort 1 (p < 0.001). Head circumference and body weight were also significantly improved at discharge (p < 0.01), but length was improved to a lesser degree.

CONCLUSION

Early and enhanced postnatal intravenous and enteral feeding can provide good postnatal growth among very immature infants without adverse effects. Calorie and particularly protein intake in early life could probably be further optimised.

Data on in vivo selection of SK-OV-3 Luc ovarian cancer cells and intraperitoneal tumor formation with low inoculation numbers

This data paper contains information about the in vivo model for peritoneal implants used in the paper "Tumor-environment biomimetics delay peritoneal metastasis formation by deceiving and redirecting disseminated cancer cells" (De Vlieghere et al., 2015) [1]. A double in vivo selection of SK-OV-3 Luc human ovarian cancer cell line was used to create SK-OV-3 Luc IP1 and SK-OV-3 Luc IP2 cell lines. This data paper shows functional activities of the three cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Phase-contrast images show the morphology of these cells, metabolic and luciferase activity has been determined. Survival data of mice peritoneally injected with SK-OV-3 Luc or SK-OV-3 Luc IP2 is available with H&E histology of the peritoneal implants. Tumor growth curves and bioluminescent images of mice inoculated with a different number of SK-OV-3 Luc IP2 cells are also included.

A yeast co-culture-based biosensor for determination of waste water contamination levels

Artificial microbial co-cultures were formed to develop the receptor element of a biosensor for assessment of biological oxygen demand (BOD). The co-cultures possessed broad substrate specificities and enabled assays of water and fermentation products within a broad BOD range (2.4-80 mg/dm(3)) with a high correlation to the standard method (R = 0.9988). The use of the co-cultures of the yeasts Pichia angusta, Arxula adeninivorans and Debaryomyces hansenii immobilized in N-vinylpyrrolidone-modified poly(vinyl alcohol) enabled developing a BOD biosensor possessing the characteristics not inferior to those in the known biosensors. The results are indicative of a potential of using these co-cultures as the receptor element base in prototype models of instruments for broad application.

Estimating long-term multivariate progression from short-term data

MOTIVATION

Diseases that progress slowly are often studied by observing cohorts at different stages of disease for short periods of time. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) follows elders with various degrees of cognitive impairment, from normal to impaired. The study includes a rich panel of novel cognitive tests, biomarkers, and brain images collected every 6 months for as long as 6 years. The relative timing of the observations with respect to disease pathology is unknown. We propose a general semiparametric model and iterative estimation procedure to estimate simultaneously the pathological timing and long-term growth curves. The resulting estimates of long-term progression are fine-tuned using cognitive trajectories derived from the long-term "Personnes Agées Quid" study.

RESULTS

We demonstrate with simulations that the method can recover long-term disease trends from short-term observations. The method also estimates temporal ordering of individuals with respect to disease pathology, providing subject-specific prognostic estimates of the time until onset of symptoms. When the method is applied to ADNI data, the estimated growth curves are in general agreement with prevailing theories of the Alzheimer's disease cascade. Other data sets with common outcome measures can be combined using the proposed algorithm.

AVAILABILITY

Software to fit the model and reproduce results with the statistical software R is available as the grace package. ADNI data can be downloaded from the Laboratory of NeuroImaging.

Assessment of neonatal growth in prematurely born infants

The concept that adequate nutritional status and normal growth are important is well-accepted. How to assess the adequacy of nutrition and how to define appropriate growth remains an area of active debate. Our goal is to review how growth is assessed at birth and during the hospital stay of prematurely born infants, and to offer a standardized approach.

[Construction of model for calculating and recording neonatal weight percentiles]

OBJECTIVES

To construct a model for calculating optimal foetal and neonatal weight curves with a method that allows automatic calculation of the percentile and sequential recording of results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A model was constructed for calculating optimal weight and the corresponding percentiles for gestational age and sex from a sample of 23,578 newborns, after excluding cases with diseases. Birth weight was modelled using stepwise multiple regression analysis. Newborns were classified as small or large for gestational age (SGA or LGA) using the proposed model. The resulting classification was compared with those derived from other models designed for Spanish children.

RESULTS

Optimal weight model: 3,311.062+68.074 *sex+143.267 *GE40 -13.481 *GE40(2) - 0.797 *GE40(3)+sex* (5.528 *GE40 - 0.674 *GE40(2) - 0.064 *GE40(3)). (GE, gestational age). Weight percentiles were obtained from standardized data using the coefficient of variation of the optimal weight. The degree of agreement between our model classification and those of the Carrascosa model and Ramos model, with empirical and smooth percentiles, was "almost perfect" (κ=0.866, κ=0.872, and κ=0.876 (P<.001), respectively), and between our model and that proposed by Figueras it was "substantial" (κ=0.720, P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The new model is comparable to those used for Spanish children and allows accurate, updated automatic percentile calculation for gestational age and sex. The results can be digitally stored to track longitudinal foetal growth. Free access to the model is offered, together with the possibility of automatic calculation of foetal and neonatal weight percentiles.

Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group extension to WHO growth charts: Why bother?

The Canadian Pediatric Endocrinology Group (CPEG) has produced complementary growth curves based on the 2010 'WHO Growth Charts for Canada'. In response to concerns from CPEG members and the general paediatric community regarding the presentation of the WHO data, complementary curves were generated, which the authors believe will enhance clarity, reduce potential errors in classification and enable users to better track short-term changes, particularly for weight in older children. Specifically, these curves extend weight-for-age beyond 10 years of age, restore additional percentiles within the normal range, remove extreme percentiles and harmonize the choice of body mass index percentiles with adult definitions of overweight and obesity. All modifications followed strict WHO methodology and used core data from the United States National Center for Health Statistics. The curves retain the clean appearance of the 2010 Canadian curves and are available from the CPEG website (http://cpeg-gcep.net).