Severe receptive language disorder in childhood--familial aspects and long-term outcomes: results from a Scottish study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Little is known about the familial characteristics of children with severe receptive specific language impairment (SLI). Affected children are more likely to have long-term problems than those with expressive SLI but to date they have only been described as small cohorts within SLI populations. We therefore aimed to describe the clinical and familial characteristics of severe receptive SLI as defined by a rigorous phenotype and to establish whether non-word repetition showed a relationship with language impairment in these families. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of children who met ICD-10 (F80.2) criteria for receptive SLI at school entry, their siblings and genetic parents with standardised measures of language and non-verbal IQ, phonological auditory memory and speech sound inventory. RESULTS: At a mean of 6 years after school entry with a severe receptive SLI, the 58 participants had a normal mean and standard deviation non-verbal IQ, but only 3% (two) had attained language measures in the normal range. One third still had severe receptive language impairment. One third of siblings not known to be affected had language levels outside the normal range. Phonological auditory memory was impaired in most family members. CONCLUSION: Severe receptive SLI is nearly always associated with an equally severe reduction in expressive language skills. Language impairment in siblings may go undetected and yet they are at high risk. Family members had weak phonological auditory memory skills, suggesting that this could be a marker for language acquisition difficulties. Receptive SLI rarely resolves and trials of therapy are urgently needed.     

Sesame food allergy and sensitization in children: the natural history and long-term follow-up

Sesame food allergy (SFA) in children is an increasingly recognized one in many countries. Our objective was to describe the course and natural history of SFA. Seventy-four patients sensitized to sesame were evaluated using clinical records, questionnaires, skin prick tests (SPT), in vitro specific immunoglobulin (sIg) E, and oral challenges (OC) and categorized into three groups: group A: patients who experienced allergic reaction after ingestion of sesame-containing food (n = 45); group B: patients evaluated for atopic dermatitis and found to be sesame SPT-positive (n = 11); group C: patients with sensitization to sesame allergen (n = 18). Group A patients were followed for an average of 6.7 yr. Analysis of our results revealed that 76% of patients in group A developed the allergy by the age of 2. The median age at onset of allergy in these patients was 1 yr. Immediate reaction to a minimal amount of sesame was characteristic. Skin was the most common site of involvement, followed by respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Tolerance developed in only 20% of the patients. High sIgE (>0.15 IU) was demonstrated only in 75% of those in which it was examined. Sixteen patients performed oral sesame food challenge which was found positive in 88%. No correlation was found between the size of SPT and the level of in vitro sesame IgE antibodies, the outcome of OC results, and the development of tolerance to sesame. In conclusion, SFA tends to appear early in life, but unlike cow's milk and egg allergy, persists in 80% of the cases. Typical reactions combined with positive sesame SPT are reliable for diagnosis.     

Does birth spacing affect maternal or child nutritional status? A systematic literature review

This review addresses the question of whether a short birth interval is associated with adverse nutritional outcomes for the mother or the child. Indices of anthropometric status (maternal weight or body mass index; child growth) and micronutrient status (e.g. iron or vitamin A) were included as outcomes. A computerized search of all relevant papers published since 1966 was completed, and the 'snowball' method was used to identify additional relevant published or unpublished papers. In total, 57 papers were found to contain data regarding the relationship between birth spacing and nutritional outcomes (35 for child nutrition, 11 for maternal anthropometric status, and 11 for maternal anaemia or micronutrient status). Of these, 23 papers were excluded from further consideration because they did not include any multivariate analysis, leaving 34 papers that met the criteria for the review (22 for child nutrition, eight for maternal anthropometric status, and four for maternal anaemia or micronutrient status). The studies on child nutrition outcomes indicate that a longer birth interval is associated with a lower risk of malnutrition in some populations, but not all. In those countries in which the relationship was significant, the reduction in stunting associated with a previous birth interval >or=36 months ranged from approximately 10% to 50%. Some of this reduction may be due to residual confounding, i.e. to factors not included in the analysis (such as breastfeeding and maternal height). The studies on maternal anthropometric outcomes yielded mixed results. Because the nutritional burden on the mother between pregnancies depends on the extent of breastfeeding, the interpregnancy interval is not the best measure of whether the mother has had a chance to recover from the pregnancy, in terms of repleting her nutritional status. Therefore, some studies examined the 'recuperative interval' (duration of the non-pregnant, non-lactating interval) instead. Taken as a whole, the studies do not provide clear evidence of a link between interpregnancy or recuperative interval and maternal anthropometric status. This may be due, in part, to changes in the hormonal regulation of nutrient partitioning between the mother and the fetus when a mother is malnourished. Only four papers were identified that related to micronutrient status, three of which examined maternal anaemia. One study showed an increased risk for maternal anaemia when the interpregnancy interval was <6 months, but the analysis did not control for iron supplementation during pregnancy. The other two studies did not show a significant association between interpregnancy interval and maternal anaemia. One study of micronutrient status indicated no significant relationship between interpregnancy interval and maternal serum zinc, copper, magnesium, ferritin, folate or thyroid-stimulating hormone. Important methodological limitations were apparent in most of the studies. Thus, further research with more comprehensive control of potentially confounding variables is needed.     

Costs of pair-bonding and paternal care in male prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

The direct costs of paternal care are relatively well documented in primates, however little research has explored these effects in monogamous rodents. The present study examines the long-term effects that pairing and parenting have on male prairie voles. We hypothesized that there would be a significant weight loss over the course of pairing and parenting, presumably from the energetic demands that accompany these changes in social condition. In a longitudinal study, we followed ten male prairie voles through being housed with their brother; paired with a female; and caring for three consecutive litters. We found a significant drop in bodyweight across time, with maximum weight loss near the weaning of the first litter. At that same time, feeding increased, leading to possible recovery in weight; however, leptin levels dropped precipitously across time and did not recover. Corticosterone did not change significantly across time points, and overall activity levels also did not vary significantly over the course of the study. In addition, newly paired males showed a significant increase in preference for a 2% sucrose solution during a three-hour test, indicating a metabolic need for more calories. A cross-sectional study confirmed leptin and corticosterone findings, and showed significant loss of subcutaneous (inguinal) fat in males that had cared for a litter of pups, when compared to males housed with their brothers or newly paired males. These results suggest that cohabitation with a female, and caring for pups, all have costs for male prairie voles.     

Laser Sintered Porous Ti–6Al–4V Implants Stimulate Vertical Bone Growth

The objective of this study was to examine the ability of 3D implants with trabecular-bone-inspired porosity and micro-/nano-rough surfaces to enhance vertical bone ingrowth. Porous Ti–6Al–4V constructs were fabricated via laser-sintering and processed to obtain micro-/nano-rough surfaces. Male and female human osteoblasts were seeded on constructs to analyze cell morphology and response. Implants were then placed on rat calvaria for 10 weeks to assess vertical bone ingrowth, mechanical stability and osseointegration. All osteoblasts showed higher levels of osteocalcin, osteoprotegerin, vascular endothelial growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein 2 on porous constructs compared to solid laser-sintered controls. Porous implants placed in vivo resulted in an average of 3.1 ± 0.6 mm³ vertical bone growth and osseointegration within implant pores and had significantly higher pull-out strength values than solid implants. New bone formation and pull-out strength was not improved with the addition of demineralized bone matrix putty. Scanning electron images and histological results corroborated vertical bone growth. This study indicates that Ti–6Al–4V implants fabricated by additive manufacturing to have porosity based on trabecular bone and post-build processing to have micro-/nano-surface roughness can support vertical bone growth in vivo, and suggests that these implants may be used clinically to increase osseointegration in challenging patient cases.     

Validation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for measuring cytokine expression in equine macrophages

The study of the equine immune system and inflammatory responses, by measuring cytokine expression, can provide important insight into disease pathogenesis in the horse. A set of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assays for the equine cytokines IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha were validated using QPCR primers and probes which were generated for the equine IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and 18S genes. Amplification efficiency, intra-assay and inter-assay variation were determined using 10-fold dilutions of plasmid for each gene. Under these conditions the amplification efficiencies of the primers and probes ranged from 99% to 101%. The mean coefficient of variation (CV) across five sets of plasmid DNA for both intra-assay and inter-assay variation was 0.63% (range 0.2% to 1.8%). Amplification efficiency was also determined using 2-fold dilutions of cDNA and under these conditions amplification efficiency ranged from 83% to 95%. The specificity of amplification was confirmed by DNA sequencing of reaction products. The QPCR assays were also evaluated using three sets of cDNA from equine monocyte derived macrophages (EMDM) stimulated for 1 h with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The general trend was the same for all three samples with IL-1alpha showing the greatest induction and IL-6 the lowest induction. The range of cytokine induction was greater than has previously been reported with values ranging from 12-fold to 30,000-fold. We present a set of QPCR primers and probes that are suitable for quantitation of expression of a set of equine cytokines. The primers and probes have been rigorously analyzed, and we demonstrate that they are specific for the desired genes, have a high amplification efficiency and the assays are highly reproducible.     

The avidity of PR3‐ANCA in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis during follow‐up

The objective of this study is to investigate whether the avidity of proteinase‐3‐anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (PR3‐ANCA) changes during follow‐up in different subgroups of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). We selected 10 patients with renal relapsing GPA, 10 patients with renal non‐relapsing GPA and 10 patients with non‐renal relapsing GPA. In all patients, an ANCA rise occurred during remission. The avidity was measured using a chaotropic approach at the time of an ANCA rise and at the time of a relapse in relapsing patients or time‐matched during remission in non‐relapsing patients. No difference was observed in the avidity at the ANCA rise between renal relapsing patients [26·2% (15·5–47·5)], renal patients without a relapse [39·6% (21·2–63·4)] and non‐renal relapsing patients [34·2% (21·6–59·5)]. In renal relapsing patients, the avidity increased significantly from the moment of the ANCA rise to the relapse [difference 6·4% (0·0–17·1), P = 0·0273]. The avidity did not increase after an ANCA rise in renal non‐relapsing patients [difference 3·5 (?6·0 to 10·1), P = 0·6250] or in non‐renal relapsing patients [difference ?3·1% (?8·0 to 5·0), P = 0·5703]. The avidity of PR3‐ANCA increases after an ANCA rise during follow‐up in renal relapsing patients, but not after an ANCA rise in renal patients who remain in remission or in non‐renal relapsing patients.