bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fetal Heart Rate and Variability: Stability and Prediction to Developmental Outcomes in Early Childhood
Authors: DiPietro Janet A. , Bornstein Marc H. , Hahn Chun‐Shin , Costigan Kathleen , Achy‐Brou Aristide
Published: November 2007

Stability in cardiac indicators before birth and their utility in predicting variation in postnatal development were examined. Fetal heart rate and variability were measured longitudinally from 20 through 38 weeks gestation (n= 137) and again at age 2 (n= 79). Significant within‐individual stability during the prenatal period and into childhood was demonstrated. Fetal heart rate variability at or after 28 weeks gestation and steeper developmental trajectories were significantly associated with mental and psychomotor development at 2 years (n= 82) and language ability at 2.5 years (n= 61). These data suggest that the foundations of individual differences in autonomic control originate during gestation and the developmental momentum of the fetal period continues after birth.
Do Novel Words Facilitate 18‐Month‐Olds’ Spatial Categorization?
Authors: Casasola Marianella , Bhagwat Jui
Published: November 2007

Eighteen‐month‐olds’ spatial categorization was tested when hearing a novel spatial word. Infants formed an abstract categorical representation of support (i.e., placing 1 objectonanother) when hearing a novel spatial particle during habituation but not when viewing the events in silence. Infants with a productive spatial vocabulary did not discriminate the support relation when hearing the same novel word as a count noun. However, infants who were not yet producing spatial words did attend to the support relation when presented with the novel count noun. The results indicate that 18‐month‐olds can use a novel particle (possibly assisted by a familiar verb) to facilitate their spatial categorization but that the specificity of this effect varies with infants’ acquisition of spatial language.
Peer Group Socialization of Homophobic Attitudes and Behavior During Adolescence
Authors: Poteat V. Paul
Published: November 2007

A social developmental framework was applied to test for the socialization of homophobic attitudes and behavior within adolescent peer groups (Grades 7–11; aged 12–17 years). Substantial similarity within and differences across groups were documented. Multilevel models identified a group socializing contextual effect, predicting homophobic attitudes and behavior of individuals within the group 8 months later, even after controlling for the predictive effect of individuals’ own previously reported attitudes and behavior. Several group characteristics moderated the extent to which individuals’ previously reported attitudes predicted later attitudes. Findings indicate the need to integrate the concurrent assessment of individual and social factors to inform the construction of more comprehensive models of how prejudiced attitudes and behaviors develop and are perpetuated.
The Dyadic Nature of Bullying and Victimization: Testing a Dual‐Perspective Theory
Authors: Veenstra René , Lindenberg Siegwart , Zijlstra Bonne J. H. , De Winter Andrea F. , Verhulst Frank C. , Ormel Johan
Published: November 2007

For this study, information onWho Bullies Whowas collected from 54 school classes with 918 children (Mage = 11) and 13,606 dyadic relations. Bullying and victimization were viewed separately from the point of view of the bully and the victim. The two perspectives were highly complementary. The probability of a bully–victim relationship was higher if the bully was more dominant than the victim, and if the victim was more vulnerable than the bully and more rejected by the class. In a bully–victim dyad, boys were more often the bullies. There was no finding of sex effect for victimization. Liking reduced and disliking increased the probability of a bully–victim relationship.
The Genetic–Environmental Etiology of Cognitive School Readiness and Later Academic Achievement in Early Childhood
Authors: Lemelin Jean‐Pascal , Boivin Michel , Forget‐Dubois Nadine , Dionne Ginette , Séguin Jean R. , Brendgen Mara , Vitaro Frank , Tremblay Richard E. , Pérusse Daniel
Published: November 2007

Using a genetic design of 840 60‐month‐old twins, this study investigated the genetic and environmental contributions to (a) individual differences in four components of cognitive school readiness, (b) the general ability underlying these four components, and (c) the predictive association between school readiness and school achievement. Results revealed that the contribution of the shared environment for cognitive school readiness was substantial. Genetic effects were more important for the core abilities underlying school readiness than for each specific skill, although shared environment remained the largest factor overall. Genetic, shared, and nonshared environmental factors all accounted for the predictive association between school readiness and early school achievement. These results contribute to a better understanding of the early determinants of school readiness.
Wider reading at Key Stage 3: happy accidents, bootlegging and serial readers
Authors: Westbrook Jo
Published: November 2007

This paper reports a small‐scale study of wider reading at Key Stage 3 in current English classrooms in secondary schools in the south of England. Six English teachers, three of whom were relatively new to teaching, were interviewed on what they thought about wider reading. The findings indicate that because of a lack of time and absence of demand for such reading in the current English curriculum, the more experienced teachers felt ambivalent about encouraging and assessing wider reading. The less experienced teachers were uncertain about how to encourage it and whether to respond positively to students' preferred reading patterns, such as the serial reading of books by a particular author. In several of the schools concerned, it appeared that school librarians had taken over the role of encouraging wider reading, as the English teachers focused on the technical skills required by the National Literacy Strategy. Where teachers did initiate wider reading, this was sometimes against departmental practice, a semi‐illicit addition to their workload and could thus be seen almost as a form of ‘bootlegging’. In addition to wider educational effects, the lack of support for this practice has implications for students' future success in English at General Certificate of Secondary Education and Key Stage 5 (16–18) as both require students to read whole texts widely and confidently. The paper argues that it might be more productive to prepare students for this than to expect such reading to develop spontaneously as a ‘happy accident’.
Writing the future in the digital age
Authors: Merchant Guy
Published: November 2007

Meaning making in new media presents new opportunities and challenges for those working in formal and informal educational contexts. How this impacts on a literacy curriculum that attempts both to deliver ‘the basics’ and to respond to new technology demands careful exploration. This paper examines what we mean by digital literacy and how it differs from traditional print literacy, identifying some key priorities for literacy educators. Drawing on the work of Gee, Kress and Lankshear and Knobel, it maps the field of digital literacy and locates areas for research and development. A discussion of the significant changes in materiality and textual form is followed by an exploration of the concept of critical digital literacy. The paper concludes with an overview of future trends in digital communication, which suggest that written representation will continue to be important and that digital literacy will continue to develop distinct registers.
Professional development for family learning programmes: a rationale and outline curriculum
Authors: Heydon Liz , Reilly Jill
Published: November 2007

Practice in working with parents is changing and communicating with parents is increasingly a part of teachers' responsibilities. Besides focusing on supporting their children's learning, many schools now involve parents in education for themselves. Yet despite the expectation that they will work to engage parents in their children's learning, in England and Wales pre‐16 teachers receive little or no support in understanding the different pedagogical practices for working with adults. This article outlines a curriculum for professional development to support family learning programmes and describes approaches that enable both pre‐ and post‐16 teachers to gain transferable skills for working with adult groups. The main focus is on the needs of pre‐16 teachers who have to meet the challenges of working across sectors. The article highlights the need to include in professional development programmes both content and methods that are most likely to result in reflection and changes in practice.
From ‘bored’ to screen: the use of the interactive whiteboard for literacy in six primary classrooms in England
Authors: Shenton Arthur , Pagett Linda
Published: November 2007

In recent years, interactive white boards (IWBs) have been introduced into many primary classrooms in England. This enquiry examines the ways in which they are being used in the context of literacy teaching, in six primary classrooms in the south‐west. Drawing on the perspectives of teachers and pupils, this report reflects on the impact of IWB use on the teaching and learning of literacy. It concludes that, while IWB use appears to have some general effects, such as supporting a more cross‐curricular approach to literacy and raising the level of student engagement, their use is not identical in all classrooms. In the classrooms studied, IWBs are used in various ways, according to teachers' technical expertise and experience. To help more teachers towards effective use of the IWB, it is suggested that, rather than the ‘top‐down’ commercial or professional models of transmission training, teachers need a ‘bottom‐up’ approach, that is more practitioner focused.
Preliterate phonological awareness and early literacy skills in Turkish
Authors: Babayiğit Selma , Stainthorp Rhona
Published: November 2007

The role of preschool phonological awareness in early reading and spelling skills was investigated in the transparent orthography of Turkish. Fifty‐six preschool children (mean age=5.6 years) were followed into Grade 2 (mean age=7.6 years). While preschool phonological awareness failed to make any reliable contribution to future reading skills, it was the strongest longitudinal correlate of spelling skills measured at the end of Grades 1 and 2. Overall findings suggested that phonological awareness may be differentially related to reading and spelling, and that spelling is a more sensitive index of phonological processing skills. In this study, verbal short‐term memory emerged as the most powerful and consistent longitudinal correlate of reading speed. This finding raised important questions about the component processes of reading speed, and the role of memory and morphosyntactic skills in an agglutinative and transparent orthography such as Turkish.
Relationship between L1 and L2 word‐level reading and phonological processing in adults learning English as a second language
Authors: Harrison Gina L. , Krol Lisa
Published: November 2007

Word‐level reading and phonological processing measures were administered in English and Chinese to adult ESL students whose first language (L1) was Mandarin and whose second language (L2) was English. Instructors also identified students who may be at risk for L2 reading difficulties based on specific identification criteria. L2 phonological processing measures were related to L2 word‐level reading and there was a cross‐linguistic relationship between L1 and L2 phonological processing measures. Students considered at risk for L2 reading difficulties also differed significantly from those students not at risk on one L1 and several L2 phonological processing measures. Results are discussed in relation to contemporary theory on the assessment and identification of reading difficulties in English language learners.
Chinese language teachers' orientation to reading instruction and their instructional practices
Authors: Lau Kit‐ling
Published: November 2007

This study aimed to develop a set of quantitative instruments to investigate Hong Kong Chinese language teachers' orientation to reading instruction, their instructional practices and the relation between these two constructs under the implementation of the new curriculum. A total of 493 Chinese language teachers from 170 secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in this study. The findings of this study generally supported the psychometric properties of the instruments. Teachers participating in this study showed a higher level of acceptance of the competence‐based orientation proposed in the new curriculum compared with the traditional text‐based orientation. On the basis of self‐report, teachers' orientation to reading instruction was closely related to their daily instructional practices although instructional practices were not directly observed. While competence‐based orientation was the strongest predictor of the use of competence‐based instructional strategies, text‐based orientation was also found to be positively related to teachers' instruction. Teachers who believed in both competence‐based and text‐based orientation employed competence‐based instructional strategies more frequently than did teachers who only believed in one or the other type of orientation. Implications of these findings for understanding and facilitating Hong Kong teachers' implementation of the new reading instructional approach and the limitations of the use of self‐report measures are discussed.
Tail Index Estimation for Heavy-Tailed Models: Accommodation of Bias in Weighted Log-Excesses
Authors: Ivette Gomes M. , De Haan Laurens , Rodrigues Lígia Henriques
Published: November 2007

We are interested in the derivation of the distributional properties of a weighted log-excesses estimator of a positive tail index γ. One of the main objectives of such an estimator is the accommodation of the dominant component of asymptotic bias, together with the maintenance of the asymptotic variance of the maximum likelihood estimator of γ, under a strict Pareto model. We consider the external estimation not only of a second-order shape parameter ρ but also of a second-order scale parameter β. This will enable us to reduce the asymptotic variance of the final estimators under consideration, compared with second-order reduced bias estimators that are already available in the literature. The second-order reduced bias estimators that are considered are also studied for finite samples, through Monte Carlo techniques, as well as applied to real data in the field of finance.
A Two-Stage Procedure for Comparing Hazard Rate Functions
Authors: Qiu Peihua , Sheng Jun
Published: November 2007

Comparison of two hazard rates is important in applications that are related to times to occurrence of a specific event. Conventional comparison procedures, such as the log-rank, Gehan–Wilcoxon and Peto–Peto tests, are powerful only when the two hazard rates do not cross each other. Because crossing hazard rates are common in practice, several procedures have been proposed in the literature for comparing such rates. However, most of these procedures consider only the alternative hypothesis with crossing hazard rates; many other realistic cases, including those when the two hazard rates run parallel to each other, are excluded from consideration. We propose a two-stage procedure that considers all possible alternatives, including ones with crossing or running parallel hazard rates. To define its significance level and p-value properly, a new procedure for handling the crossing hazard rates problem is suggested, which has the property that its test statistic is asymptotically independent of the test statistic of the log-rank test. We show that the two-stage procedure, with the log-rank test and the suggested procedure for handling the crossing hazard rates problem used in its two stages, performs well in applications in comparing two hazard rates.
Model Selection in High Dimensions: A Quadratic-Risk-Based Approach
Authors: Ray Surajit , Lindsay Bruce G.
Published: November 2007

We propose a general class of risk measures which can be used for data-based evaluation of parametric models. The loss function is defined as the generalized quadratic distance between the true density and the model proposed. These distances are characterized by a simple quadratic form structure that is adaptable through the choice of a non-negative definite kernel and a bandwidth parameter. Using asymptotic results for the quadratic distances we build a quick-to-compute approximation for the risk function. Its derivation is analogous to the Akaike information criterion but, unlike the Akaike information criterion, the quadratic risk is a global comparison tool. The method does not require resampling, which is a great advantage when point estimators are expensive to compute. The method is illustrated by using the problem of selecting the number of components in a mixture model, where it is shown that, by using an appropriate kernel, the method is computationally straightforward in arbitrarily high data dimensions. In this same context it is shown that the method has some clear advantages over the Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion.
The Analysis of Randomized Response Sum Score Variables
Authors: Cruyff Maarten J. L. F. , Van Den Hout Ardo , Van Der Heijden Peter G. M.
Published: November 2007

Randomized response (RR) is an interview technique that ensures confidentiality when questions are sensitive. In RR the answer to a sensitive question depends to a certain extent on a probability mechanism. As a result the observed data are partially misclassified, and the true status of the respondent is obscured. RR data are commonly analysed in a univariate way, with models that relate the observed responses to the prevalence of the sensitive characteristic, and with the more recent logistic regression models that relate the sensitive characteristic to a set of covariates. In an RR design with multiple sensitive questions, interest is usually not confined to the univariate prevalence and regression parameter estimates. Additional multivariate information may be obtained from an RR sum score variable, assessing the sum of sensitive characteristics that are associated with the respondent. However, the construction of an RR sum score variable is by no means straightforward, which might explain why sum scores have not yet been used within the context of RR. We present two models for RR sum score variables: the RR sum score model that relates the observed sum scores to the true sum scores and the RR proportional odds model that relates the true sum scores to covariates. The models are applied to RR data from a Dutch survey on non-compliance with social security regulations.
A New Reconstruction of Multivariate Normal Orthant Probabilities
Authors: Craig Peter
Published: November 2007

A new method is introduced for geometrically reconstructing orthant probabilities for non-singular multivariate normal distributions. Orthant probabilities are expressed in terms of those for auto-regressive sequences and an efficient method is developed for numerical approximation of the latter. The approach allows more efficient accurate evaluation of the multivariate normal cumulative distribution function than previously, for many situations where the original distribution arises from a graphical model. An implementation is available as a package for the statistical software R and an application is given to multivariate probit models.
A quantitative analysis of the Eutherian orbit: correlations with masticatory apparatus
Authors: Cox Philip G.
Published: November 2007

The mammalian orbit, or eye‐socket, is a highly plastic region of the skull. It comprises between seven and nine bones, all of which vary widely in their contribution to this region among the different mammalian orders and families. It is hypothesised that the structure of the mammalian orbit is principally influenced by the forces generated by the jaw‐closing musculature. In order to quantify the orbit, fourteen linear, angular and area measurements were taken from 84 species of placental mammals using a Microscribe‐3D digitiser. The results were then analysed using principal components analysis. The results of the multivariate analysis on untransformed data showed a clear division of the mammalian taxa into temporalis‐dominant forms and masseter‐dominant forms. This correlation between orbital structure and masticatory musculature was reinforced by results from the size‐corrected data, which showed a separation of the taxa into the three specialised feeding types proposed byTurnbull (1970): i.e. ‘carnivore‐shear’, ‘ungulate‐grinding’ and ‘rodent‐gnawing’. Moreover, within the rodents there was a clear distinction between species in which the masseter is highly developed and those in which the temporalis has more prominence. These results were reinforced by analysis of variance which showed significant differences in the relative orbital areas of certain bones between temporalis‐dominant and masseter‐dominant taxa. Subsequent cluster analysis suggested that most of the variables could be grouped into three assemblages: those associated with the length of the rostrum; those associated with the width of the skull; and those associated with the relative size of the orbit and the shape of the face. However, the relative area of the palatine bone showed weak correlations with the other variables and did not fit into any group. Overall the relative area of the palatine was most closely correlated with feeding type, and this measure that appeared to be most strongly associated with the arrangement of the masticatory musculature. These results give a strong indication that, although orbital structure is in part determined by the relative size and orientation of the orbits, the forces generated by the muscles of mastication also have a large effect.
Development of an intestinal cell culture model to obtain smooth muscle cells and myenteric neurones
Authors: Batista Lobo S. , Denyer M. , Britland S. , Javid F. A.
Published: November 2007

This paper reports on the development of an entirely new intestinal smooth muscle cell (ISMC) culture model using rat neonates for use in pharmacological research applications. Segments of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were obtained from Sprague‐Dawley rat neonates. The cell extraction technique consisted of ligating both ends of the intestine and incubating (37 ºC) in 0.25% trypsin for periods of 30–90 min. Isolated cells were suspended in DMEM‐HEPES, plated and allowed to proliferate for 7 days. Cell culture quality was assessed via a series of viability tests using the dye exclusion assay. In separate experiments, tissues were exposed to trypsin for varying durations and subsequently histological procedures were applied. Cell purification techniques included differential adhesion technique for minimizing fibroblasts. Selective treatments with neurotoxin scorpion venom (30 µg mL−1) and anti‐mitotic cytosine arabinoside (6 µm) were also applied to purify respectively ISMC and myenteric neurones selectively. The different cell populations were identified in regard to morphology and growth characteristics via immunocytochemistry using antibodies to smooth muscle α‐actin, α‐actinin and serotonin‐5HT3 receptors. Based on both viability and cell confluence experiments, results demonstrated that intestinal cells were best obtained from segments of the ileum dissociated in trypsin for 30 min. This provided the optimum parameters to yield highly viable cells and confluent cultures. The finding was further supported by histological studies demonstrating that an optimum incubation time of 30 min is required to isolate viable cells from the muscularis externae layer. When cell cultures were treated with cytosine arabinoside, the non‐neuronal cells were abolished, resulting in the proliferation of cell bodies and extended neurites. Conversely, cultures treated with scorpion venom resulted in complete abolition of neurones and proliferation of increasing numbers of ISMC, which were spindle‐shaped and uniform throughout the culture. When characterized by immunocytochemistry, neurones were stained with antibody to 5HT3 receptors but not with antibodies to α‐smooth muscle actin and α‐actinin. Conversely, ISMC were stained with antibodies to α‐smooth muscle actin and α‐actinin but not with antibody to 5HT3 receptors. The present study provides evidence that our method of dissociation and selectively purifying different cell populations will allow for pharmacological investigation of each cell type on different or defined mixtures of different cell types.
Distribution of TRPV1‐ and TRPV2‐immunoreactive afferent nerve endings in rat trachea
Authors: Yamamoto Yoshio , Sato Yoshikazu , Taniguchi Kazuyuki
Published: November 2007

Nociception in the trachea is important for respiratory modulation. We investigated the distribution, neurochemical characteristics, and origin of nerve endings with immunoreactivity for candidate sensor channels, TRPV1 and TRPV2, in rat trachea. In the epithelial layer, the intraepithelial nerve endings and dense subepithelial network of nerve fibers were immunoreactive for TRPV1. In contrast, TRPV2 immunoreactivity was observed mainly in nerve fibers of the tracheal submucosal layer and in several intrinsic ganglion cells in the peritracheal plexus. Double immunostaining revealed that some TRPV1‐immunoreactive nerve fibers were also immunoreactive for substance P or calcitonin gene‐related peptide, but neither neuropeptide colocalized with TRPV2. Injection of the retrograde tracer, fast blue, into the tracheal wall near the thoracic inlet demonstrated labeled neurons in the jugular, nodose, and dorsal root ganglia at segmental levels of C2–C8. In the jugular and nodose ganglia, 59.3% (70/118) and 10.7% (17/159), respectively, of fast blue‐labeled neurons were immunoreactive for TRPV1, compared to 8.8% (8/91) and 2.6% (5/191) for TRPV2‐immunoreactive. Our results indicate that TRPV1‐immunoreactive nerve endings are important for tracheal nociception, and the different expression patterns of TRPV1 and TRPV2 with neuropeptides may reflect different subpopulations of sensory neurons.
Predictive validity of DSM‐IV and ICD‐10 criteria for ADHD and hyperkinetic disorder
Authors: Lee Soyoung I. , Schachar Russell J. , Chen Shirley X. , Ornstein Tisha J. , Charach Alice , Barr Cathy , Ickowicz Abel
Published: November 2007

Background:  The goal of this study was to compare the predictive validity of the two main diagnostic schemata for childhood hyperactivity – attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual– IV) and hyperkinetic disorder (HKD; International Classification of Diseases– 10th Edition).

Methods:  Diagnostic criteria for ADHD and HKD were used to classify 419 children ages 6 to 16 years referred to a clinic for behavioral problems into one of four groups: HKD, ADHD combined subtype (ADHD‐C), ADHD hyperactive‐impulsive subtype (ADHD‐HI), ADHD inattentive subtype (ADHD‐IA). These groups were compared on clinical characteristics including total symptom severity, overall impairment, exposure to psychosocial and neuro‐developmental risks, family history of ADHD in first‐degree family members, rate and type of comorbidity, intelligence, academic achievement, and on laboratory tests of motor response inhibition and working memory with each other and with normal controls (47).

Results:  Of the 419 cases, there were 46 HKD (11.0%), 200 ADHD‐C (47.7%), 60 ADHD‐HI (14.3%) and 113 ADHD‐IA (27.0%) cases. The HKD group had more symptoms and was more impaired on teachers’ ratings than were the other groups. The ADHD‐C and HKD groups had poorer inhibitory control than the ADHD‐IA, ADHD‐HI and control groups, and all four clinic groups showed inhibition deficit compared to controls. Groups did not differ in working memory. Compared to controls, the HKD, ADHD‐C, ADHD‐HI and ADHD‐IA groups had higher familial risk of ADHD, greater psychosocial risk exposure, lower intellectual level and poorer academic attainment. However, we observed no differences among the clinic groups in these characteristics.

Conclusions:  Like earlier versions, ICD‐10 and DSM‐IV continue to delineate diagnostic entities with substantially different prevalence in clinic samples. However, HKD, ADHD‐C, ADHD‐IA and ADHD‐HI groups overlap substantially in terms of important clinical characteristics, although HKD and ADHD‐C may be somewhat more severe variants of the condition than ADHD‐IA and ADHD‐HI.
Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder in delinquent female adolescents
Authors: Ariga Michio , Uehara Toru , Takeuchi Kazuo , Ishige Yoko , Nakano Reiko , Mikuni Masahiko
Published: November 2007

Background:  Although juveniles within the justice system have high psychiatric morbidity, few comprehensive investigations have shown posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female delinquents. Here, we aim to describe the nature and extent of PTSD and trauma exposure and to clarify the relationships among comorbidity and psychosocial factors in juvenile female offenders.

Method:  Sixty‐four girls were randomly interviewed using structured tools. Self‐report measures were used to assess depression, eating behaviour, impulsivity and parental attitude.

Results:  The PTSD prevalence was 33%, and 77% of the female juvenile offenders had been exposed to trauma. The offenders with PTSD showed a significantly high psychiatric comorbidity. Depression and adverse parenting were associated with PTSD development, and abnormal eating was also correlated with PTSD symptoms. Marked differences in the frequency and intensity of PTSD evaluation depending on the type of comorbidity and trauma were observed.

Conclusions:  Incarcerated young females in Japan have serious trauma‐related problems, and the degree of depression is a strong predictor of PTSD development and symptoms. This study highlights the importance of adequate diagnosis and treatment of PTSD in delinquent female adolescents.
Infant and toddler oral‐ and manual‐motor skills predict later speech fluency in autism
Authors: Gernsbacher Morton Ann , Sauer Eve A. , Geye Heather M. , Schweigert Emily K. , Hill Goldsmith H.
Published: November 2007

Background:  Spoken and gestural communication proficiency varies greatly among autistic individuals. Three studies examined the role of oral‐ and manual‐motor skill in predicting autistic children's speech development.

Methods:  Study 1 investigated whether infant and toddler oral‐ and manual‐motor skills predict middle childhood and teenage speech fluency; Study 2 verified those early infant and toddler predictions with historical home video; and Study 3 assessed the relation between autistic children's current‐day oral‐motor skill and their speech fluency.

Results:  Infant and toddler oral‐motor and manual‐motor skills inter‐correlated significantly, distinguished autistic children (N = 115) from typically developing children (N = 44), and distinguished autistic children whose current‐day speech was minimally fluent (N = 33), moderately fluent (N = 39), and highly fluent (N = 39). These results were corroborated by analysis of historical home video (N = 32) and verified with current‐day assessment (N = 40).

Conclusions:  The prominent associations among early oral‐ and manual‐motor skills and later speech fluency bear implications for understanding communication in autism. For instance, these associations challenge the common assumption (made even in diagnostic criteria) that manual modes of communication are available to autistic individuals – if simply they choose to use them. These associations also highlight a potential confound from manual‐motor skills when assessing autistic cognition, receptive language, and ‘nonverbal’ social communication.
The effect of cleft lip and palate, and the timing of lip repair on mother–infant interactions and infant development
Authors: Murray Lynne , Hentges Françoise , Hill Jonathan , Karpf Janne , Mistry Beejal , Kreutz Marianne , Woodall Peter , Moss Tony , Goodacre Tim ,   the Cleft Lip and Palate Study team
Published: November 2007

Background: Children with cleft lip and palate are at risk for psychological problems. Difficulties in mother–child interactions may be relevant, and could be affected by the timing of lip repair.

Method: We assessed cognitive development, behaviour problems, and attachment in 94 infants with cleft lip (with and without cleft palate) and 96 non‐affected control infants at 18 months; mother–infant interactions were assessed at two, six and 12 months. Index infants received either ‘early’, neonatal, lip repair, or ‘late’ repair (3–4 months).

Results: Index infants did not differ from controls on measures of behaviour problems or attachment, regardless of timing of lip repair; however, infants having late lip repair performed worse on the Bayley Scales of Mental Development; the cognitive development of early repair infants was not impaired. Difficulties in early mother–infant interactions mediated the effects of late lip repair on infant cognitive outcome.

Conclusions: Early interaction difficulties between mothers and infants having late repair of cleft lip are associated with poor cognitive functioning at 18 months. Interventions to facilitate mother–infant interactions prior to surgical lip repair should be explored.
Word recognition and cognitive profiles of Chinese pre‐school children at risk for dyslexia through language delay or familial history of dyslexia
Authors: McBride‐Chang Catherine , Lam Fanny , Lam Catherine , Doo Sylvia , Wong Simpson W.L. , Chow Yvonne Y.Y.
Published: November 2007

Background:  This study sought to identify cognitive abilities that might distinguish Hong Kong Chinese kindergarten children at risk for dyslexia through either language delay or familial history of dyslexia from children who were not at risk and to examine how these abilities were associated with Chinese word recognition. The cognitive skills of interest were syllable awareness, tone detection, rapid automatised naming, visual skill, and morphological awareness.

Method:  We recruited 36 children whose sibling had been previously diagnosed with dyslexia (familial risk group) and 36 children who were initially reported to have difficulties in preschool literacy acquisition by either teachers or parents and subsequently found to demonstrate clinical at‐risk factors in aspects of language by paediatricians (language delayed group); the mean age of these groups was approximately 61 months. Thirty‐six children with no such risk factors were matched by age, IQ, and parents’ education to the at‐risk groups. All children were tested on cognitive skills and Chinese word recognition.

Results:  Compared to the controls, children in the language delayed group scored significantly lower on all measures, whereas children in the familial risk group performed significantly worse only on tone detection, morphological awareness, and Chinese word recognition. In regression analyses, word recognition was best explained by morphological awareness, tone detection and visual skill.

Conclusions:  Language‐related measures are strongly associated with early reading development and impairment in Hong Kong Chinese children. Tests of tone detection and morphological awareness may be important clinical tools for diagnosing risk for reading problems in young Chinese children. In contrast, Chinese language delay may be associated with broader cognitive impairments as found previously in various Indo‐European languages (e.g., Bishop & Snowling, 2004).
Which children receive grandparental care and what effect does it have?
Authors: Fergusson Emma , Maughan Barbara , Golding Jean
Published: November 2007

Background:  Grandparents are increasingly involved in the care of young children, but little is known about factors associated with this type of care, or its implications for children's behavioural development.

Methods:  We used information collected from 8752 families in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) on grandparent involvement when the study children were aged 8, 15 and 24 months; potential maternal and family predictors of grandparent care; and behavioural outcomes at age 4 years.

Results:  Forty‐four percent of children were regularly cared for by grandparents at each age. Throughout the sample, key correlates of grandparent care were maternal age and education. In families without access to paid help with childcare, the child's ordinal position, maternal employment, the mother's recall of parenting by her own mother and the reasons for choosing the type of childcare were also associated with variations in grandparent care. Grandparent care was associated with some elevated rates of hyperactivity and peer difficulties at age 4, but these were largely attributable to variations in the types of families using grandparent care.

Conclusions:  The popular belief that the extended family is no longer an important part of British life is not borne out by this study. Grandparents played a significant role in the care of their young grandchildren. The modest behavioural sequelae of extensive grandparental care differ from those reported for group‐based day care.
Which forms of child/adolescent externalizing behaviors account for late adolescent risky sexual behavior and substance use?
Authors: Timmermans Maartje , Van Lier Pol A.C. , Koot Hans M.
Published: November 2007

Background:  Health risk behaviors like substance use (alcohol, tobacco, soft/hard drugs) and risky sexual behavior become more prevalent in adolescence. Children with behavior problems are thought to be prone to engage in health risk behaviors later in life. It is, however, unclear which problems within the externalizing spectrum account for these outcomes.

Methods:  Three hundred and nine children were followed from age 4/5 years to 18 years (14‐year follow‐up). Level and course of parent‐rated opposition, physical aggression, status violations and property violations were used to predict adolescent‐reported substance use and risky sexual behavior at age 18 years.

Results:  Both level and change in physical aggression were unique predictors of all forms of adolescent health risk behavior. Levels of status violations predicted smoking and soft drug use only, while change in property violations predicted each of the health risk behaviors. The links between opposition and health risk behaviors were accounted for by co‐occurring problem behaviors.

Conclusions:  Of externalizing problems, physical aggression is the best predictor of adolescent substance use and risky sexual behavior from childhood onwards. Possible explanations and implications of these findings, and future research directions are discussed.
Effect of gestational hypercholesterolaemia on omental vasoreactivity, placental enzyme activity and transplacental passage of normal and oxidised fatty acids
Authors: Liguori A , D’Armiento FP , Palagiano A , Balestrieri ML , Williams‐Ignarro S , De Nigris F , Lerman LO , D’Amora M , Rienzo M , Fiorito C , Ignarro LJ , Palinski W , Napoli C
Published: November 2007

Objective  Maternal hypercholesterolaemia during pregnancy increases lipid peroxidation in mothers and fetuses and programs increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis later in life. The objective of this study was to elucidate the role of the placenta in mediating oxidative stress from mother to offspring.

Design  Comparison between normo‐ and hypercholesterolaemic mothers (n = 36 each) and their children.

Setting  Obstetric wards, hospitals of the University of Naples and Regione Campania.

Population  Healthy primiparas delivering by caesarean section.

Methods  Biochemical measurements of oxidative stress and serum leptin in cord plasma and placenta, immunochemistry of placenta microvessels, and vasoreactivity studies were performed.

Main outcome measures  Oxidative status (i.e. lipid composition and content of oxidised fatty acids, activity of pro‐ and antioxidant enzymes, immunohistochemical presence of oxidation‐specific epitopes) in maternal and cord blood and in placental tissue, as well as vascular reactivity in omental arteries.

Results  Hypercholesterolaemia during pregnancy was associated with extensive changes in fatty acid composition of both maternal and cord blood lipids, sufficient to alter vasoreactivity of omental vessels. Results also indicated that the placenta is not only subject to substantial oxidative stress, but that it may further increase fetal oxidative stress through changes of pro‐ and antioxidant enzyme activities.

Conclusions  The placenta plays an important role in both transmitting and enhancing pathogenic effects of gestational hypercholesterolaemia.
Tibolone and low‐dose continuous combined hormone treatment: vaginal bleeding pattern, efficacy and tolerability
Authors: Hammar ML , Van De Weijer P , Franke HR , Pornel B , Von Mauw EMJ , Nijland EA ,   TOTAL Study Investigators Group
Published: November 2007

Objectives  The primary objective was to compare the vaginal bleeding pattern during administration of tibolone and low‐dose continuous combined estradiol plus norethisterone acetate (E2/NETA). The secondary objectives were efficacy on vasomotor symptoms and vaginal atrophy.

Design  A randomised, double‐blind, double‐dummy, group comparative intervention trial.

Setting  Multicentre study executed in 32 centres in 7 European countries.

Sample  Five hundred and seventy‐two healthy symptomatic postmenopausal women, aged 45–65 years.

Methods  Participants were randomised to receive 2.5 mg tibolone or 1 mg 17β estradiol plus 0.5 mg norethisterone acetate (E2/NETA) daily for 48 weeks.

Main outcome measures  Prevalence of vaginal bleeding, hot flushes and adverse events.

Results  The incidence of bleeding was significantly lower in the tibolone group during the first 3 months of treatment (18.3 versus 33.1%; P < 0.001) when compared with the E2/NETA group. This effect on the bleeding pattern was sustained throughout the study, although reaching statistical significance again only in 7–9 months of treatment (11 versus 19%; P < 0.05). In both treatment groups, vasomotor symptoms and vaginal atrophy were significantly reduced to a similar extent when compared with baseline. The prevalence of breast pain/tenderness was significantly lower with tibolone compared with E2/NETA (3.2 versus 9.8%; P < 0.001).

Conclusion  Tibolone reduces menopausal symptoms to a similar extent as conventional low‐dose continuous combined hormone therapy but causes significant less vaginal bleeding in the first 3 months of treatment. This constitutes an important argument for woman adherence to therapy.
Short communication: Validity of the in vitro fertilisation league tables: influence of patients’ characteristics
Authors: Johnson A , El‐Toukhy T , Sunkara SK , Khairy M , Coomarasamy A , Ross C , Bora S , Khalaf Y , Braude P
Published: November 2007

We tested the hypothesis that restricting comparison of the live birth rate following in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment in those couples having their first IVF cycle in whom the female is under 35 years of age and has a normal follicle‐stimulating hormone level would improve the validity of comparing IVF clinics’ success rates. We analysed all cycles performed over a 2‐year period in patients who fulfilled these criteria and divided the study population according to the referring primary care trusts: group A (n = 90) were referred from Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham and group B (n = 134) were referred from Brent and Harrow. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to their IVF cycle characteristics. The two groups differed in their ethnicity, cause of infertility, prevalence of uterine fibroids and smoking and alcohol consumption habits. Group A had a significantly lower live birth rate (OR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.21–0.95, P = 0.02) compared with group B. This study confirms the impact of the non‐IVF‐related patient characteristics on treatment outcome and the poor validity of comparing IVF clinics’ success rates based on the sparse data published by national IVF registries.
TECHNICAL ADVANCES: Effects of genotyping protocols on success and errors in identifying individual river otters (Lontra canadensis) from their faeces
Authors: HANSEN HEIDI , BEN‐DAVID MERAV , MCDONALD DAVID B.
Published: November 2007

In noninvasive genetic sampling, when genotyping error rates are high and recapture rates are low, misidentification of individuals can lead to overestimation of population size. Thus, estimating genotyping errors is imperative. Nonetheless, conducting multiple polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) at multiple loci is time‐consuming and costly. To address the controversy regarding the minimum number of PCRs required for obtaining a consensus genotype, we compared consumer‐style the performance of two genotyping protocols (multiple‐tubes and ‘comparative method’) in respect to genotyping success and error rates. Our results from 48 faecal samples of river otters (Lontra canadensis) collected in Wyoming in 2003, and from blood samples of five captive river otters amplified with four different primers, suggest that use of the comparative genotyping protocol can minimize the number of PCRs per locus. For all but five samples at one locus, the same consensus genotypes were reached with fewer PCRs and with reduced error rates with this protocol compared to the multiple‐tubes method. This finding is reassuring because genotyping errors can occur at relatively high rates even in tissues such as blood and hair. In addition, we found that loci that amplify readily and yield consensus genotypes, may still exhibit high error rates (7–32%) and that amplification with different primers resulted in different types and rates of error. Thus, assigning a genotype based on a single PCR for several loci could result in misidentification of individuals. We recommend that programs designed to statistically assign consensus genotypes should be modified to allow the different treatment of heterozygotes and homozygotes intrinsic to the comparative method.
Microsatellite loci isolated from the scleractinian coral, Acropora nobilis
Authors: ISOMURA NAOKO , HIDAKA MICHIO
Published: November 2007

We report the isolation and characterization of eight microsatellite loci from the scleractinian coral, Acropora nobilis. The microsatellite loci were obtained using compound SSR primers or an enrichment protocol. All the loci were polymorphic with four to eight alleles per locus and observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.22 to 0.76. Some of the primers developed for the two congeners, Acropora palmata and Acropora millepora were applicable to A. nobilis. These loci are useful for studying the connectivity among A. nobilis populations in Okinawa, southern Japan.
Microsatellite markers isolated from the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi)
Authors: DUFFIE CAROLINE , GLENN TRAVIS C. , HAGEN CRIS , PARKER PATRICIA
Published: November 2007

Eight polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci were isolated from the flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) for future population genetic studies. Genetic variability was assessed using at least 38 individuals from two populations. Allele numbers ranged from three to nine per locus. Mean observed heterozygosity varied from 0.27 to 0.78. No locus deviated from Hardy–Weinberg (HW) or linkage equilibria in either population. The high levels of detected polymorphism indicate the utility of these markers for population genetic studies of this Galápagos species.