Analyze Ability of Early Childhood Based on Gender

The experimental design in this study has a particular interest in making conclusions made about gender differences in the ability to analyze children aged 5 years in the perspective of Taxonomic Bloom. The problem in this research is represented by the sample of research subjects by using items that have been loaded instrument. Test reliability and heterogeneity of variance can be randomly drawn conclusions from the scores of women and men on the instrument used. The results showed a statistically significant effect size difference difference (.01 Mean) in favor of women. The magnitude of gender differences in the impact of learning outcomes, however, differs substantially throughout the specific product domain graphically.

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in cord blood and associations of DNA methylation with sex in newborns

DNA methylation has been widely studied for associations with exposures and health outcomes. Both 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) are epigenetic marks that may function differently to impact gene expression; however, the most commonly used technology to assess methylation for population studies in blood use are the Illumina 450K and EPIC BeadChips, for which the traditional bisulfite conversion does not differentiate 5mC and 5hmC marks. We used a modified protocol originally developed by Stewart et al. to analyse oxidative bisulfite-converted and conventional bisulfite-converted DNA for the same subject in parallel by the EPIC chip, allowing us to isolate the two measures. We measured 5mC and 5hmC in cord blood of 41 newborn participants of the Center for Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort and investigated differential methylation of 5mC + 5hmC, isolated 5mC and isolated 5hmC with sex at birth as an example of a biological variable previously associated with DNA methylation. Results showed low levels of 5hmC throughout the epigenome in the cord blood samples in comparison to 5mC. The concordance of autosomal hits between 5mC + 5hmC and exclusive 5mC analyses were low (25%); however, overlap was larger with increased effect size difference. There were 43 autosomal cytosine nucleotide followed by a guanine nucleotide (CpG) sites where 5hmC was associated with sex, 21 of which were unique to 5hmC after adjustment for cell composition. 5hmC only accounts for a small portion of overall methylation in cord blood; however, it has the potential to impact interpretation of combined 5hmC + 5mC studies in cord blood, especially given that effect sizes of differential methylation analyses are often small. Several significant CpG sites were unique to 5hmC, suggesting some functions distinct from 5mC. More studies of genome-wide 5hmC in children are warranted.

Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and child’s cognitive performance at 6–8 years of age in rural Burkina Faso: an observational study

Background In Burkina Faso, it is not uncommon for mothers to drink alcohol, even during pregnancy. We aimed to study the association between maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the child’s cognitive performance using the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (KABC-II) and the Children’s Category Test Level 1 (CCT-1) in rural Burkina Faso. Methods We conducted a follow-up study of a community cluster-randomised Exclusive breastfeeding trial, and re-enrolled the children in rural Burkina Faso. A total of 518 children (268 boys and 250 girls) aged 6–8 years were assessed using the KABC-II and the CCT-1. We examined the effect size difference using Cohen’s d and conducted a linear regression analysis to examine the association. Results Self-reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy was 18.5% (96/518). Children whose mothers reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy performed significantly poorly for memory and spatial abilities tests from small effect size difference for ‘Atlantis’ (0.27) and ‘Triangle’ (0.29) to moderate effect size difference for ‘Number recall’ (0.72) compared to children whose mothers did not consume alcohol during pregnancy; the exposed children scored significantly higher errors with a small effect size (0.37) at problem solving (CCT-1) test compared to unexposed children. At unstandardized and standardized multivariable analysis, children whose mothers reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy performed significantly poorer for memory-‘Atlantis’ (p = 0.03) and ‘Number recall’ (p = 0.0001), and spatial ability tests-‘Triangle’ (p = 0.03); they scored significantly higher errors at problem solving CCT-1 test (p = 0.002); all the results were adjusted for age, sex, schooling, stunting, father’s education, mother’s employment and the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding. No statistical association was found for visual abilities-‘Conceptual Thinking’, ‘Face recognition’, ‘Story completion’, and reasoning tests-‘Rover’, ‘Block counting’, and ‘Pattern Reasoning’. Conclusion Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with poorer cognitive performance for memory, spatial ability, and problem solving tests in the offspring in rural Burkina Faso. Futures studies needs to assess in more detail the maternal alcohol consumption patterns in Burkina Faso and possible preventive strategies.

Effectiveness of Splanchnic Nerve Neurolysis for Targeting Location of Cancer Pain: Using the Pain Drawing as an Outcome Variable

The effectiveness of splanchnic nerve neurolysis (SNN) for cancer-related abdominal pain has been investigated using numeric pain intensity rating as an outcome variable. The outcome variable in this study used the grid method for obtaining a targeted pain drawing score on 60 patients with pain from pancreatic or gastro-intestinal primary cancers or metastatic disease to the abdominal region. Results demonstrate excellent inter-rater agreement (intra-class correlation [ICC] coefficient at pre-SNN = 0.97 and ICC at within one month post-SNN = 0.98) for the grid method of scoring the pain drawing and demonstrate psychometric generalizability among patients with cancerrelated pain. Using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and associated effect sizes, results show significant improvement in dispersion of pain following SNN. Effect sizes for the difference in pre-SNN to 2 post-SNN time points were higher for the pain drawing than for pain intensity rating. Specifically, the effect size difference from pre- to within one month post-SNN was r = 0.42 for pain drawing versus r = 0.23 for pain intensity rating. Based on a smaller subset of patients who were seen within 1 – 6 months following SNN, the effect size difference from pre-SNN was r = 0.46 for pain drawing versus r = 0.00 for pain intensity rating. Collectively, these data support the use of the pain drawing as a reliable outcome measure among patients with cancer pain for procedures such as SNN that target specific location and dispersion of pain. Key words: Cancer pain, pain drawing, splanchnic block

Differences in Classroom Versus Online Exam Performance Due to Asynchronous Discussion

This study compares undergraduate student exam performance of classroom and online course sections that have nearly identical instructional designs. The sections differed only in lecturing and peer discussion activities that are typical differences of classroom and online instruction. Classroom discussion activities were synchronous speech and online discussion were asynchronous text. Composite mean exam scores show a large effect size difference that is statistically significant. Results suggest that asynchronous peer-to-peer discussion is more effective than traditional classroom lecture-discussion for undergraduate students.

Meta-analytic study of the benefits and risks of treating chronic schizophrenia with risperidone or conventional neuroleptics

SummaryData from six randomised, controlled, comparative studies of risperidone and conventional neuroleptics (haloperidol, zuclopenthixol and perphenazine) in the treatment of 911 patients with chronic schizophrenia were analysed to estimate the benefits and risks of treatment. Efficacy and risk of treatment were assessed by means of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS). An effect size (difference between treatments) was calculated from the PANSS and ESRS scores. The effect size of antipsychotic effect favoured risperidone (sizes ranged from 0.22 to 0.37 on the PANSS subscales), and the effect size of safety also favoured risperidone (sizes ranged from 0.18 to 0.36 on the ESRS). An analysis of the proportions of patients requiring antiparkinsonian medication produced an effect size of 0.37 (20% of risperidone patients and 38% of patients receiving a conventional neuroleptic required antiparkinsonian medication). These data indicate that risperidone is a more effective antipsychotic than the conventional agents and causes less severe extrapyramidal symptoms.

Nonverbal Intellectual Assessment of Hispanic and Speech-Impaired Adolescents

A comprehensive new nonverbal cognitive battery (Leiter-R) was given to examine the nonverbal cognitive performance of adolescents, ages 11 to 21 from majority and nonmajority (Hispanic) ethnic backgrounds. A total of 258 Euro-American (non-Hispanic) and 62 Hispanic adolescents composed the ethnic-contrast samples (81% Euro-American vs 19% Hispanic). Also, the study used the Leiter-R to contrast the cognitive performance of speech-impaired adolescents with typical children, ages 11 to 15. There were 203 without and 21 with speech impairments. The speech-impaired contrast sample was comprised of Euro-American (75%) and African-American (25%). This sampling provided direct comparisons equated for ethnicity. Small effect size differences (.11) were found on 3 of the 10 nonverbal subtests of the Visualization and Reasoning battery of the Leiter—R between Euro-American and Hispanic adolescents and the speech-impaired contrasts (effect size difference of .17). The Leiter-R exhibited potential for ethnic fairness in assessment. Further, promise for unbiased assessment of speech-impaired adolescents was provided. Fairness of assessment was especially evident for speech-impaired adolescents on the “visual” subtests of Picture Context, Matching, and Form Completion.