Obesity and Nutritional Programs in Schools

AbstractPurposeTo establish whether nutritional programs in special schools for children with neuropsychomotor deficiencies in Romania influence the prevalence of obesity compared to similar programs for unaffected children attending normal schools.Materials and methodsThe survey included 3,103 pupils (age: 7-18 years): 663 from special schools serving breakfast, lunch and a snack and 2,440 from normal schools benefiting only from the EU fruit and milk in schools program.ResultsThe percentage of obese children in the normal schools was 8.97%, against 6.48% in the special schools. Although the presence of the deficiency implies the existence of several risk factors for obesity, contrary to expectations we find a smaller number of obese children among the children from the special schools. Under these circumstances, where there are multiple risk factors for obesity and food consumption is normal for the age group, with a higher ratio of hyper-caloric food the children with deficiencies have less prevalent obesity.ConclusionsThe low obesity prevalence in the special schools is due to the nutritional programs these children benefit from. Nutritional programs should be rethought in terms of introducing them in all school types, especially in relation to quantitative standards

Copy number variation analysis increases the diagnostic yield in muscle diseases

Objective: Copy number variants (CNVs) were analyzed from next-generation sequencing data, with the aim of improving diagnostic yield in skeletal muscle disorder cases.& para;& para;Methods: Four publicly available bioinformatic analytic tools were used to analyze CNVs from sequencing data from patients with muscle diseases. The patients were previously analyzed with a targeted gene panel for single nucleotide variants and small insertions and deletions, without achieving final diagnosis. Variants detected by multiple CNV analysis tools were verified with either array comparative genomic hybridization or PCR. The clinical significance of the verified CNVs was interpreted, considering previously identified variants, segregation studies, and clinical information of the patient cases.& para;& para;Results: Combining analysis of all different mutation types enabled integration of results and identified the final cause of the disease in 9 myopathy cases. Complex effects like compound heterozygosity of different mutation types and compound disease arising from variants of different genes were unraveled. We identified the first large intragenic deletion of the titin (TTN) gene implicated in the pathogenesis of a severe form of myopathy. Our work also revealed a "double-trouble" effect in a patient carrying a single heterozygous insertion/deletion mutation in the TTN gene and a Becker muscular dystrophy causing deletion in the dystrophin gene.& para;& para;Conclusions: Causative CNVs were identified proving that analysis of CNVs is essential for increasing the diagnostic yield in muscle diseases. Complex severe muscular dystrophy phenotypes can be the result of different mutation types but also of the compound effect of 2 different genetic diseases.Peer reviewe

Relational mobility predicts social behaviors in 39 countries and is tied to historical farming and threat

International audienc

Somato-Functional Profile of Children at Risk of Educational and Social Exclusion in Western Romania

This paper aims to identify the somatic and functional profile of middle-school students from three areas of Romania (South-West, West and North-West). A group of 364 students (173 girls and 191 boys) aged between 10 and 16 years (12.75 ± 1.2) from 6 different schools in Mehedinti, Caras-Severin and Bistrita-Nasaud counties took part in this study. The target group category includes Roma ethnic students, students from disorganised families and students at high risk of early school dropout, from both urban and rural areas. The calculated statistical indicators were: arithmetic mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and Pearson coefficient. The anthropometric measurements made to identify the somatic and functional profile of students were height, weight, BMI, arm span and Ruffier test. The results show an upward trend in the height of boys aged between 10 (1.44 m) and 16 years (1.67 m), the maximum value recorded for girls aged 14 years being 1.59 m. The highest value of body weight was identified in boys aged 15 years (58.91 kg) and girls aged 14 years (52.63 kg). The highest value for arm span was found for 15-years-old boys (167 cm) and 14-years-old girls (158.83 cm). BMI values for both boys and girls were between 17.22 and  21.52 points. In Ruffier test, the scores obtained by students ranged between 9.95 and 13.4. This research is part of the “Sustainable social and education integration through sport activities” project (PNP001). </p

Immunologic and nonimmunologic sclerodermal skin conditions - review

Scleroderma-like cutaneous lesions have been found in many pathological conditions and they have the clinical appearance of sclerotic or scleroatrophic lesions. Affected skin biopsies described histopathological changes similar to those of scleroderma located strictly on the skin or those of systemic sclerosis. These skin lesions can be found in inflammatory diseases with autoimmune substrate (generalized morphea, chronic graft versus host disease, eosinophilic fasciitis), tissue storage diseases (scleredema, scleromyxedema, nephrogenyc systemic fibrosis, systemic amyloidosis), metabolic diseases (porphyrya cutanea tarda, phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism, scleredema diabeticorum), progeroid syndromes. Given the multiple etiologies of sclerodermal lesions, a correct differential diagnosis is necessary to establish the appropriate treatment

Individual and culture-level components of survey response styles: a multi-level analysis using cultural models of selfhood

Variations in acquiescence and extremity pose substantial threats to the validity of cross-cultural research that relies on survey methods. Individual and cultural correlates of response styles when using two contrasting types of response mode were investigated, drawing on data from 55 cultural groups across 33 nations. Using seven dimensions of self-other relatedness that have often been confounded within the broader distinction between independence and interdependence, our analysis yields more specific understandings of both individual- and culture-level variations in response style. When using a Likert scale response format, acquiescence is strongest among individuals seeing themselves as similar to others, and where cultural models of selfhood favour harmony, similarity with others and receptiveness to influence. However, when using Schwartz’s (2007) portrait-comparison response procedure, acquiescence is strongest among individuals seeing themselves as self-reliant but also connected to others, and where cultural models of selfhood favour self-reliance and self-consistency. Extreme responding varies less between the two types of response modes, and is most prevalent among individuals seeing themselves as self-reliant, and in cultures favouring self-reliance. Since both types of response mode elicit distinctive styles of response, it remains important to estimate and control for style effects to ensure valid comparisons

Beyond the ‘East-West’ dichotomy: global variation in cultural models of selfhood

Markus and Kitayama’s (1991) theory of independent and interdependent self-construals had a major influence on social, personality, and developmental psychology by highlighting the role of culture in psychological processes. However, research has relied excessively on contrasts between North American and East Asian samples, and commonly used self-report measures of independence and interdependence frequently fail to show predicted cultural differences. We revisited the conceptualization and measurement of independent and interdependent self-construals in 2 large-scale multinational surveys, using improved methods for cross-cultural research. We developed (Study 1: N = 2924 students in 16 nations) and validated across cultures (Study 2: N = 7279 adults from 55 cultural groups in 33 nations) a new 7-dimensional model of self-reported ways of being independent or interdependent. Patterns of global variation support some of Markus and Kitayama’s predictions, but a simple contrast between independence and interdependence does not adequately capture the diverse models of selfhood that prevail in different world regions. Cultural groups emphasize different ways of being both independent and interdependent, depending on individualism-collectivism, national socioeconomic development, and religious heritage. Our 7-dimensional model will allow future researchers to test more accurately the implications of cultural models of selfhood for psychological processes in diverse ecocultural contexts

Being oneself through time: bases of self-continuity across 55 cultures

Self-continuity – the sense that one’s past, present, and future are meaningfully connected – is considered a defining feature of personal identity. However, bases of self-continuity may depend on cultural beliefs about personhood. In multilevel analyses of data from 7287 adults from 55 cultural groups in 33 nations, we tested a new tripartite theoretical model of bases of self-continuity. As expected, perceptions of stability, sense of narrative, and associative links to one’s past each contributed to predicting the extent to which people derived a sense of self-continuity from different aspects of their identities. Ways of constructing self-continuity were moderated by cultural and individual differences in mutable (vs. immutable) personhood beliefs – the belief that human attributes are malleable. Individuals with lower mutability beliefs based self-continuity more on stability; members of cultures where mutability beliefs were higher based self-continuity more on narrative. Bases of self-continuity were also moderated by cultural variation in contextualized (vs. decontextualized) personhood beliefs, indicating a link to cultural individualism-collectivism. Our results illustrate the cultural flexibility of the motive for self-continuity

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives—self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care—are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which datawere gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; Mage = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; Mage = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people’s fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes

Risk factors associated with adverse fetal outcomes in pregnancies affected by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a secondary analysis of the WAPM study on COVID-19.

Objectives To evaluate the strength of association between maternal and pregnancy characteristics and the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnancies with laboratory confirmed COVID-19. Methods Secondary analysis of a multinational, cohort study on all consecutive pregnant women with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from February 1, 2020 to April 30, 2020 from 73 centers from 22 different countries. A confirmed case of COVID-19 was defined as a positive result on real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay of nasal and pharyngeal swab specimens. The primary outcome was a composite adverse fetal outcome, defined as the presence of either abortion (pregnancy loss before 22 weeks of gestations), stillbirth (intrauterine fetal death after 22 weeks of gestation), neonatal death (death of a live-born infant within the first 28 days of life), and perinatal death (either stillbirth or neonatal death). Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate parameters independently associated with the primary outcome. Logistic regression was reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Mean gestational age at diagnosis was 30.6+/-9.5 weeks, with 8.0% of women being diagnosed in the first, 22.2% in the second and 69.8% in the third trimester of pregnancy. There were six miscarriage (2.3%), six intrauterine device (IUD) (2.3) and 5 (2.0%) neonatal deaths, with an overall rate of perinatal death of 4.2% (11/265), thus resulting into 17 cases experiencing and 226 not experiencing composite adverse fetal outcome. Neither stillbirths nor neonatal deaths had congenital anomalies found at antenatal or postnatal evaluation. Furthermore, none of the cases experiencing IUD had signs of impending demise at arterial or venous Doppler. Neonatal deaths were all considered as prematurity-related adverse events. Of the 250 live-born neonates, one (0.4%) was found positive at RT-PCR pharyngeal swabs performed after delivery. The mother was tested positive during the third trimester of pregnancy. The newborn was asymptomatic and had negative RT-PCR test after 14 days of life. At logistic regression analysis, gestational age at diagnosis (OR: 0.85, 95% CI 0.8-0.9 per week increase; pPeer reviewe