The infant health effects of starting universal child benefits in pregnancy: Evidence from England and Wales

Child benefits are typically paid from birth. This paper asks whether starting universal child benefits in pregnancy leads to improvements in infant health. Leveraging administrative birth registry and hospital microdata from England and Wales, I study the effects of the Health in Pregnancy Grant, a universal conditional cash transfer equivalent to three months of child benefit (190 GBP) as a lump sum to pregnant mothers from 2009 to 2011. I exploit quasi-experimental variation in eligibility with a regression discontinuity design in the date of birth of the baby. I find that the policy increased birth weight by 8–12 grams on average, reduced low birth weight ($<$2500 g) by 3-6 percent and decreased prematurity by 9–11 percent. Younger mothers, particularly those living in deprived areas, benefit the most. I present evidence that the mechanisms are unlikely to be antenatal care, nutrition or smoking, with reductions in stress remaining a possible explanation.     

Contribution of different somatosensory afferent input to subcortical somatosensory evoked potentials in humans

ObjectivesTo investigate the subcortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to electrical stimulation of either muscle or cutaneous afferents.MethodsSEPs were recorded in 6 patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD) who underwent electrode implantation in the pedunculopontine (PPTg) nucleus area. We compared SEPs recorded from the scalp and from the intracranial electrode contacts to electrical stimuli applied to: 1) median nerve at the wrist, 2) abductor pollicis brevis motor point, and 3) distal phalanx of the thumb. Also the high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) were analysed.ResultsAfter median nerve and pure cutaneous (distant phalanx of the thumb) stimulation, a P1-N1 complex was recorded by the intracranial lead, while the scalp electrodes recorded the short-latency far-field responses (P14 and N18). On the contrary, motor point stimulation did not evoke any low-frequency component in the PPTg traces, nor the N18 potential on the scalp. HFOs were recorded to stimulation of all modalities by the PPTg electrode contacts.ConclusionsStimulus processing within the cuneate nucleus depends on modality, since only the cutaneous input activates the complex intranuclear network possibly generating the scalp N18 potential.SignificanceOur results shed light on the subcortical processing of the somatosensory input of different modalities.     

Enlarged high frequency oscillations of the median nerve somatosensory evoked potential and survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ObjectiveA large N20 and P25 of the median nerve somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) predicts short survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated whether high frequency oscillations (HFOs) over N20 are enlarged and associated with survival in ALS.MethodsA total of 145 patients with ALS and 57 healthy subjects were studied. We recorded the median nerve SEP and measured the onset-to-peak amplitude of N20 (N20o-p), and peak-to-peak amplitude between N20 and P25 (N20p-P25p). We obtained early and late HFO potentials by filtering SEP between 500 and 1 kHz, and measured the peak-to-peak amplitude. We followed up patients until endpoints (death or tracheostomy) and analyzed the relationship between SEP or HFO amplitudes and survival using a Cox analysis.ResultsPatients showed larger N20o-p, N20p-P25p, and early and late HFO amplitudes than the control values. N20p-P25p was associated with survival periods (p = 0.0004), while early and late HFO amplitudes showed no significant association with survival (p = 0.4307, and p = 0.6858, respectively).ConclusionsThe HFO amplitude in ALS is increased, but does not predict survival.SignificanceThe enlarged HFOs in ALS might be a compensatory phenomenon to the hyperexcitability of the sensory cortex pyramidal neurons.     

肥胖型PCOS患者的生物学特征和临床特征

多囊卵巢综合征（polycystic ovary syndrome,PCOS）是一种内分泌代谢紊乱综合征,临床表现高度异质性。肥胖是PCOS异质性临床表现之一,超过50%的PCOS患者超重或肥胖。肥胖型PCOS主要表现为高雄激素血症、中心型肥胖和糖脂代谢紊乱,非肥胖型PCOS主要表现为黄体生成激素（luteinizing hormone,LH）水平异常升高。尽管肥胖型和非肥胖型PCOS均存在内分泌代谢异常,然而肥胖可加重PCOS糖脂代谢紊乱;肥胖型PCOS还表现脂肪代谢的异常。综述肥胖型PCOS患者的临床特征、性激素水平、糖脂代谢特征,旨在为肥胖型和非肥胖型PCOS患者新的分型诊治提供参考。     

Effect of chronic ankle instability on lower extremity kinematics,dynamic postural stability,and muscle activity during unilateral jump-landing tasks: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo determine if individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) demonstrate altered landing kinematics, muscle activity, and impaired dynamic postural stability during a unilateral jump-landing task.Methods21 studies were included from PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL searched on September 26, 2021. Mean differences in joint angles and muscle activity between CAI and controls were analysed as continuous variables and pooled using a random-effects model to obtain standardised mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. Dynamic postural stability measured using time to stabilisation (TTS) was assessed qualitatively.ResultsWe found greater plantarflexion (pooled SMD = 0.33, 95%CI [0.02,0.65]), reduced knee flexion (pooled SMD = −0.67, 95%CI [−0.97, −0.37]), and reduced hip flexion (pooled SMD = −0.52, 95%CI [−0.96, −0.07]) in CAI after landing. Regarding muscle activity, we observed reduced peroneus longus muscle activation (pooled SMD = −0.77, 95% CI [−1.17, −0.36]) in CAI prior to landing.ConclusionOur study provides preliminary evidence of altered landing kinematics in the sagittal plane and reduced peroneus muscle activity in CAI during a dynamic jump-landing task. These results may have clinical implications in the development of more effective and targeted rehabilitation programmes for patients with CAI.     

国外动物智能军事应用情报研究

目的：阐述动物智能在军事学的应用及意义。方法：以学术论文、新闻、报纸、智库报告等作为信息源，综合研究国外动物智能军事应用实例及内在关联，描述动物智能在未来战场应用场景。结果：动物智能军事应用主要是动物特殊能力的军事应用和动物智能的仿生武器应用。结论：动物部队、仿生作战部队和动物战术是未来战争不可忽视的重要组成部分，动物智能的隐匿、灵活、多变等特点正逐渐被广泛应用于战场。     

Robust antibody response after a third BNT162b2 vaccine compared to the second among immunocompromised and healthy individuals,a prospective longitudinal cohort study

PurposeAs protection from COVID-19 following two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine showed a time dependent waning, a third (booster) dose was administrated. This study aims to compare the antibody response following the third dose versus the second and to evaluate post-booster seroconversion.MethodsA prospective observational study conducted in Maccabi Healthcare Services. Serial SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG tests, 1,2,3 and 6 months following the second vaccine dose and one month following the third were obtained. Neutralizing antibody levels were measured in a subset of participants. Per individual SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG titer ratios were calculated one month after the booster administration compared to titers one month following the second dose and prior to booster.ResultsAmong 110 participants, 56 (51%) were women. Mean age was 61.7 ± 1.9 years and 66 (60%) were immunocompromised. One month after third dose, IgG titers were induced 7.83 (95 %CI 5.25–11.67) folds and 2.40 (95 %CI 1.90–3.03) folds compared to one month after the second, in the immunocompromised and immunocompetent groups, respectively. Of the 17 immunocompromised participants who were seronegative after the second dose, 4 (24%) became seropositive following the third. Comparing the titers prior to the third dose, an increase of 50.7 (95 %CI 32.5–79.1) fold in the immunocompromised group and 25.7 (95 %CI 19.1–34.7) fold in and immunocompetent group, was observed.ConclusionA third BNT162b2 vaccine elicited robust humoral response, superior to the response observed following the second, among immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals.     

Overweight and obese youth with type 1 or type 2 diabetes share similar elevation in triglycerides during middle and late adolescence

BackgroundOverweight and obesity have been observed in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This further increases their future risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) as well as the development of other risk factors, such as dyslipidemia.AimsTo compare lipid profiles in children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes and lean mass (T1L), Type 1 diabetes and overweight or obese (T1OW/OB), and type 2 diabetes (T2D).MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of 669 patients with T1D or T2D aged 2–19 years using retrospective data collected from 2003 to 2014. Included patients were categorized into lean (BMI < 85th ile and overweight or Obese (BMI ≥ 85th ile). Patients were subcategorized into three age groups: < 10 years, 10–14 years, and 15–19 years.Results7.6% of patients had T2D. Of the patients with T1D, 58.9% were lean, 26.4% were overweight, and 14.7% were obese. Total Cholesterol (TC), Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and Non-HDL-C levels were similar across groups. In the 15–19 years group, Triglycerides (TG) levels were significantly higher in T1OW/OB and similar to T2D. High-density lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly lower in T2D. Weight status significantly correlated with TG and HDL-C levels in T1D and T2D groups.ConclusionsT1OW/OB constitutes a significant proportion of the T1D population. Patients with obesity and T1D, especially if in their late adolescence, have an adverse lipid profile pattern that is comparable to adolescents with T2D. Based on these findings, risk for future CVD in T1OW/OB and T2D may be equivalent.