Does the home environment and the sex of the child modify the adverse effects of prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos on child working memory?

Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphorus insecticide, has long been associated with delayed neurocognitive development and most recently with decrements in working memory at age 7. In the current paper, we expanded the previous work on CPF to investigate how additional biological and social environmental factors might create or explain differential neurodevelopmental susceptibility, focusing on main and moderating effects of the quality of the home environment (HOME) and child sex. We evaluate how the quality of the home environment (specifically, parental nurturance and environmental stimulation) and child sex interact with the adverse effects of prenatal CPF exposure on working memory at child age 7years. We did not observe a remediating effect of a high quality home environment (either parental nurturance or environmental stimulation) on the adverse effects of prenatal CPF exposure on working memory. However, we detected a borderline significant interaction between prenatal exposure to CPF and child sex (B (95% CI) for interaction term=-1.714 (-3.753 to 0.326)) suggesting males experience a greater decrement in working memory than females following prenatal CPF exposure. In addition, we detected a borderline interaction between parental nurturance and child sex (B (95% CI) for interaction term=1.490 (-0.518 to 3.499)) suggesting that, in terms of working memory, males benefit more from a nurturing environment than females. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation into factors that may inform an intervention strategy to reduce or reverse the cognitive deficits resulting from prenatal CPF exposure.     

Anxiety, Appearance Contingent Self-Worth, and Appearance Conversations with Friends in Relation to Disordered Eating: Examining Moderator Models

This study examined whether anxiety, combined with a focus on appearance, would identify individuals most likely to exhibit eating pathology, conceptualized as safety behaviors/avoidance strategies. In particular, we examined appearance contingent self-worth and appearance conversations with friends as possible moderators of the anxiety-disordered eating relation. Participants were 441 women attending a Southeastern university who completed an online survey. Results indicated that those with the three-way combination of high anxiety, high appearance contingent self-worth, and frequent appearance conversations exhibited the most frequent binge eating. While no significant three-way interactions emerged for broad eating pathology and dietary restraint, in both models it was the anxiety × appearance contingent self-worth interaction that accounted for unique variance in these eating patterns. Results provide researchers and clinicians with a better understanding of who experiences various types of disordered eating in association with anxiety and possible points of intervention.     

Confirmation of correct tracheal tube placement in newborn infants

Tracheal intubation remains a common procedure during neonatal intensive care. Rapid confirmation of correct tube placement is important because tube malposition is associated with serious adverse outcomes. The current gold standard test to confirm tube position is a chest radiograph, however this is often delayed until after ventilation has commenced. Hence, point of care methods to confirm correct tube placement have been developed. The aim of this article is to review the available literature on tube placement in newborn infants. We reviewed books, resuscitation manuals and articles from 1830 to the present with the search terms “Infant, Newborn”, “Endotracheal intubation”, “Resuscitation”, “Clinical signs”, “Radiography”, “Respiratory Function Tests”, “Laryngoscopy”, “Ultrasonography”, and “Bronchoscopy”. Various techniques have been studied to help clinicians assess tube placement. However, despite 85 years of clinical practice, the search for higher success rates and quicker intubation continues. Currently, chest radiography remains the gold standard test to confirm tube position. However, rigorous evaluation of new techniques is required to ensure the safety of newborn infants.