Working memory and reading : a developmental study

Models of reading comprehension using the working memory paradigm have been formulated from studies using adult readers. Although there appear to be differences in working memory skills between beginner and mature readers, and normal and reading disabled children, the exact role of working memory in reading is still unclear. This study examined the role of working memory in the development of reading in children. A study ~v Baddeley, Logie, Nimmo-Smith, and Brereton (1985) was modified for this purpose to accommodate factors relevant to reading development in childre

The influence of the Malamulele onward intervention model on caregivers of children with cerebral palsy

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Medicine (Child Health Neurodevelopment). Johannesburg, 2016Aim This study utilised data collected during focus group discussions with caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in the Mnquma sub-district of the Eastern Cape that were conducted as part of a much larger, longitudinal study into the use of the Malamulele Onward Intervention Approach. This Approach provides intensive therapeutic intervention for children with cerebral palsy who live in poor rural areas in South Africa as well as education and home programme training for their caregivers. Method This study explored the influence of the Approach on the caregivers’ lives whose children attended the cerebral palsy clinics at the Butterworth and Tafalofefe Hospitals. The focus group discussions took place after the initial assessment of the children in 2007 and during follow-up visits in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The participants included IsiXhosa-speaking primary caregivers (N = 21, 16 mothers and 5 grandmothers). The discussions were audiotaped, transcribed and translated from IsiXhosa to English by professional translators and the content was analysed using thematic coding techniques. Findings Five main themes emerged related to the open ended questions posed to participants, namely ‘validation’, ‘empowerment’, ‘wellbeing’, ‘faith and hope’ and ‘stress and strain’. They revealed positive feedback on the Malamulele Onward programme and indicated that participation was worthwhile. Information on cerebral vi palsy proved useful and techniques learned and special equipment provided resulted in improvement in their children. Conclusions In general, the caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in this study reported a reduction in burden of care, improvement in psychological status and social support with enhanced quality of life overall.MB201

Advances in aquaculture research and development: Biennial report 1998 and 1999

The report provides an account of the achievements of the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department made in the period 1998-1999. During these 2 years, 4 critical areas of concern were addressed: poverty alleviation; food security; environment-friendly technology; and, export/cash crops

Cardiac regulation, attachment style, and frustration tolerance in children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is a childhood mood disorder characterized by severe difficulty in emotion regulation, particularly anger and irritability. Limited research has explored the relationship between attachment style and DMDD, despite the potential influence of attachment on physiological and behavioural regulation. This study investigated the role of attachment style, and subsequent adaptive shifts in parasympathetic regulation of the heart (indexed by vagal tone), as a potential contributing factor in the onset and maintenance of DMDD. The sample consisted of children who were diagnosed with DMDD (n=15) and a control group of typically developing peers (n =15). The avoidant attachment style was prominent in the DMDD group, compared to the control group. No differences in vagal tone were apparent at baseline or during a frustrating task. A negative correlation was found between the number of social interaction problems reported by parents in the DMDD group and autonomic regulation of the heart during the frustrating task. The study highlights the need for further research on the role of attachment style and physiological state regulation when frustrated to develop targeted interventions and support systems for children with DMDD

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: The relationship between cardiac vagal tone, emotion regulation and recognition

Children with Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) have difficulties with emotion regulation and recognition which impacts their social functioning. Due to its recent definition, there is limited information on the neural mechanisms of this disorder. This exploratory study examined the role of autonomic heart regulation in children with DMDD, motivated by suggestions of reduced autonomic regulation (as indicated by heart rate variability) associated with psychiatric disorders in adults and children The cross-sectional design sampled two groups of children, one with DMDD (n = 15; 28 male) and the other with typical development (n = 15; 28 male. Heart rate variability, facial emotion recognition accuracy and speed, and prosody were measured. There were no significant differences in heart rate variability between the two groups prior to, or during, the tasks, however children with DMDD experienced significantly more difficulty recognising the fear in faces compared to controls and confused other negatively valenced emotions. There was also a significant, negative correlation between heart rate variability and prosody modulation in the control group, a relationship that was absent in the DMDD group. These results suggest that atypical autonomic regulation during emotionally evocative situations and facial emotion recognition may contribute to the difficulties experienced by children with DMDD

Defectos refractivos más frecuentes que causan baja visión Most common refractive defects causative of low vision

Objetivo: Determinar los errores refractivos más frecuentes en pacientes con baja visión. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, prospectivo en los pacientes atendidos en el Instituto Cubano de Oftalmología “Ramón Pando Ferrer” durante el año 2008. Se tomó una muestra de 265 pacientes del total que acudió a consulta de baja visión. Resultados: La miopía estuvo presente en el 69 ,8 % de los pacientes. El desprendimiento de retina fue la entidad asociada más frecuente. Más de 50 % se rehabilitó, y las ayudas ópticas más utilizadas fueron las hipercorrecciones en el 67 % de estos. Conclusión: La mayoría de los pacientes se rehabilitaron, fueron las las ayudas ópticas mejor aceptadas las hipercorrecciones y las lupas.Objective: To determine the most frequent refractive errors on low vision patients. Methods: a descriptive and prospective study was conducted in patients who attended to “Ramón Pando Ferrer” Cuban Institute of Ophthalmology during 2008. A sample of 265 selected cases out of the total number was taken. Results: Myopia was present in 69.8% of patients; the retinal detachment was the most frequently associated problem. More than 50% of patients were rehabilitated and the most used optic device was hypercorrection in the 67% of them. Conclusions: Most of patients were rehabilitated, being hypercorrections and magnifiers the mostly accepted optic devices

Genome-wide trans-ancestry meta-analysis provides insight into the genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes susceptibility

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the pageTo further understanding of the genetic basis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) susceptibility, we aggregated published meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), including 26,488 cases and 83,964 controls of European, east Asian, south Asian and Mexican and Mexican American ancestry. We observed a significant excess in the directional consistency of T2D risk alleles across ancestry groups, even at SNPs demonstrating only weak evidence of association. By following up the strongest signals of association from the trans-ethnic meta-analysis in an additional 21,491 cases and 55,647 controls of European ancestry, we identified seven new T2D susceptibility loci. Furthermore, we observed considerable improvements in the fine-mapping resolution of common variant association signals at several T2D susceptibility loci. These observations highlight the benefits of trans-ethnic GWAS for the discovery and characterization of complex trait loci and emphasize an exciting opportunity to extend insight into the genetic architecture and pathogenesis of human diseases across populations of diverse ancestry.Canadian Institutes of Health Research Medical Research Council UK G0601261 Mexico Convocatoria SSA/IMMS/ISSSTE-CONACYT 2012-2 clave 150352 IMSS R-2011-785-018 CONACYT Salud-2007-C01-71068 US National Institutes of Health DK062370 HG000376 DK085584 DK085545 DK073541 DK085501 Wellcome Trust WT098017 WT090532 WT090367 WT098381 WT081682 WT085475info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/20141