Linguistic phenotype in a sample of Arabic speaking children with Williams and fragile X syndromes

The detailed linguistic assessment of children with Williams syndrome (WS) in comparison to typically developing (TD) children and other genetic syndromes such as fragile X syndrome (FXS) could reveal the language specific difficulties and help in better designing of intervention plans. Aim: To investigate the linguistic abilities with detailed syntactic performance in a sample of Egyptian children with WS in comparison to TD and FXS children from the same pool. The participants (n=30) included WS, TD children of similar sex and age of WS group and FXS group matching the WS group for mental age. The linguistic assessment was established using the Wechsler intelligence scale for children-III, Vineland social maturity scale and the standardized Arabic language test. The linguistic abilities of WS group were delayed even in relation to their mental age and when compared to TD children. WS group manifested deficits in past verb tense, manner adverbs and in spatially related syntax. The overall WS group language profile differed from that of FXS group especially regarding Pragmatics. The cognitive assessment revealed differences between the groups. The in depth detailed language assessment supports the presence of certain profile in the Arabic speaking WS participants. Individuals with WS do need language and social intervention plans as early as possible in addition to the original required visuospatial improvement strategies

Anthropometric Study of Growth of Egyptian Nubian Children

Anthropometric measurements and body proportions of a cross-sectional sample of 1613 children aged six to twelve years, of the three ethnic- groups of Egyptian Nubians (Kenouz, Arabs, Fededji) are reported by age, sex and ethnic group. The dimensions increase almost linearly with age Intergroup differences are therefore tested by comparing the slopes and intercepts of the coefficients of regression on age. There are some minor intergroup differences in bodily dimensions, but there are no significant differences in slopes or intercepts of trunk and limb dimensions other than bicristal breadth intercepts and bistyloid breadth of the wrist slopes in females. The major differences are in head and face measurements and their proportions. Kenouz boys have significantly broader heads and significantly narrower and higher faces than Fededji. Kenouz girls show the same trends. Fededji children have longer and narrower heads, as well as narrow faces. The slopes are significantly different for face height in boys and face breadth in girls; and for hand grip in both sexes. Compared with other groups, growth is delayed and, expectedly, continues for a longer duration as a result of suboptimal environmental conditions. However some of the differences between the three ethnic groups appear to be genetic

Avaliação comparativa do espaçamento anterior em nipo-brasileiros e leucodermas, na dentição decídua Comparative assessment of anterior spacing in Japanese-Brazilian and white children in the primary dentition

OBJETIVO: avaliar comparativamente a prevalência das características de espaçamento anterior em nipo-brasileiros e leucodermas, na dentição decídua. MÉTODOS: duas amostras de crianças com 2 a 6 anos de idade foram selecionadas: 405 nipo-brasileiros de 36 escolas do estado de São Paulo e 510 leucodermas de 11 instituições públicas da cidade de São Paulo. As variantes oclusais foram classificadas em quatro categorias, nas arcadas superior e inferior: espaçamento generalizado; somente espaços primatas; ausência de espaços; e apinhamento. Foi aplicada regressão logística para análise do efeito dos fatores idade, sexo e grupo étnico sobre a prevalência das características oclusais (&#945; = 0,05). RESULTADOS: em nipo-brasileiros, o espaçamento generalizado foi a característica mais prevalente nas arcadas superior (46,2%) e inferior (53,3%). A frequência dos espaços primatas foi maior na arcada superior (28,2% versus 15,3%). Para a ausência de espaços (21,7-26,4%) e o apinhamento (4,0-4,9%), a variação entre as arcadas foi relativamente pequena. Em leucodermas, a ausência de espaços e a presença exclusiva dos primatas evidenciaram distribuição similar à observada nos nipo-brasileiros. O espaçamento generalizado foi diagnosticado em aproximadamente 50% das arcadas. A prevalência de apinhamento foi maior na arcada inferior (12,8% versus 3,9%). O único modelo de regressão logística que apresentou algum fator significativo foi o ajustado para a prevalência de apinhamento. Apenas o fator racial foi significativo (p < 0,001). CONCLUSÃO: sugere-se que as características de espaçamento anterior, na dentição decídua, não estariam condicionadas à idade ou ao sexo. Contudo, leucodermas teriam chances 2,8 vezes maiores de apresentar apinhamento na arcada inferior, em comparação aos nipo-brasileiros.<br>OBJECTIVE: To carry out a comparative evaluation of the prevalence of anterior spacing characteristics in Japanese-Brazilian and white children in primary dentition. METHODS: Two selected samples of children aged 2-6 years were: 405 Japanese-Brazilians from 36 schools in the State of São Paulo and 510 white children from 11 public institutions in São Paulo city. The spacing features in the maxillary and mandibular arches were assigned to four categories: generalized spacing; only primate spaces; no spacing; and crowding. Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of age, gender and ethnic group on the prevalence of the occlusal characteristics (&#945;=0.05). RESULTS: In Japanese-Brazilians, generalized spacing was the most prevalent trait in the maxillary (46.2%) and mandibular (53.3%) arches. The frequency of primate spaces was higher in the maxillary arch (28.2% versus 15.3%). Concerning no spacing (21.7-26.4%) and crowding (4.0-4.9%), the variation between arches was relatively small. In white children, no spacing and exclusive presence of primate spaces showed distributions similar to that observed in Japanese-Brazilians. Generalized spacing was diagnosed in approximately 50% of the arches. Crowding prevalence was higher in the mandibular arch (12.8% versus 3.9%). The regression model adjusted for crowding prevalence was the only significant one. Only racial factor was significant (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: It may be suggested that anterior spacing features in primary dentition would not be influenced by age or gender. Nevertheless, white children would have 2.8 times more chances of presenting crowding in the mandibular arch, in comparison with Japanese-Brazilians

Associations of birth order with early growth and adolescent height, body composition, and blood pressure: prospective birth cohort from Brazil

Birth weight has been inversely associated with later blood pressure. Firstborns tend to have lower birth weight than their later-born peers, but the long-term consequences remain unclear. The study objective was to investigate differences between firstborn and later-born individuals in early growth patterns, body composition, and blood pressure in Brazilian adolescents. The authors studied 453 adolescents aged 13.3 years from the prospective 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort. Anthropometry, blood pressure, physical activity by accelerometry, and body composition by deuterium were measured. Firstborns (n¼ 143) had significantly lower birth weight than later borns (n¼ 310). At 4 years, firstborns had significantly greater weight and height, indicating a substantial overshoot in catch-up growth. In adolescence, firstborns had significantly greater height and blood pressure and a lower activity level. The difference in systolic blood pressure could be attributed to variability in early growth and that in diastolic blood pressure to reduced physical activity. The magnitude of increased blood pressure is clinically significant; hence, birth order is an important developmental predictor of cardiovascular risk in this population. Firstborns may be more sensitive to environmental factors that promote catch-up growth, and this information could potentially be used in nutritional management to prevent catch-up ‘‘overshoot.’