Global and Regional Differences in Brain Anatomy of Young Children Born Small for Gestational Age

In children who are born small for gestational age (SGA), an adverse intrauterine environment has led to underdevelopment of both the body and the brain. The delay in body growth is (partially) restored during the first two years in a majority of these children. In addition to a negative influence on these physical parameters, decreased levels of intelligence and cognitive impairments have been described in children born SGA. In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain anatomy in 4- to 7-year-old SGA children with and without complete bodily catch-up growth and compared them to healthy children born appropriate for gestational age. Our findings demonstrate that these children strongly differ on brain organisation when compared with healthy controls relating to both global and regional anatomical differences. Children born SGA displayed reduced cerebral and cerebellar grey and white matter volumes, smaller volumes of subcortical structures and reduced cortical surface area. Regional differences in prefrontal cortical thickness suggest a different development of the cerebral cortex. SGA children with bodily catch-up growth constitute an intermediate between those children without catch-up growth and healthy controls. Therefore, bodily catch-up growth in children born SGA does not implicate full catch-up growth of the brain

Risk to plant health of Flavescence doree for the EU territory

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health (PLH) performed a quantitative analysis of the risk posed by the Flavescence dor\ue9e phytoplasma (FDp) in the EU territory. Three scenarios were analysed, one with current measures in place (scenario A0), one designed to improve grapevine propagation material phytosanitary status (scenario A1) and one with reinforced eradication and containment (scenario A2). The potential for entry is limited, FDp being almost non-existent outside the EU. FDp and its major vector, Scaphoideus titanus, have already established over large parts of the EU and have the potential to establish in a large fraction of the currently unaffected EU territory. With the current measures in place (A0), spread of FDp is predicted to continue with a progression of between a few and ca 20 newly infested NUTS 2 regions during the next 10 years, illustrating the limitations of the current control measures against spread. FDp spread is predicted to be roughly similar between scenarios A1 and A2, but more restricted than under scenario A0. However, even with reinforced control scenarios, stabilisation or reduction in the number of infested NUTS 2 regions has only relatively low probability. Under scenario A0, FDp has a 0.5\u20131% impact on the overall EU grapes and wine production, reflecting the effectiveness of the current control measures against impact. Under both scenarios A1 and A2, FDp impact is predicted to be reduced, by approximately one-third (A1) to two-thirds (A2) as compared to A0, but the associated uncertainties are large. The generalised use of hot water treatment for planting material produced in infected zones has the most important contribution to FDp impact reduction in scenario A1 and has high feasibility. Both increased eradication and containment measures contribute to impact reduction under scenario A2 but the overall feasibility is lower

Twenty-four-hour intraocular pressure and ocular perfusion pressure characteristics in newly diagnosed patients with normal tension glaucoma

PurposeTo determine the mean 24-h intraocular pressure (IOP) and mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP) characteristics of newly diagnosed, previously untreated, Caucasian, normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and to identify relationships between these features and visual field (VF) loss at diagnosis.MethodsConsecutive newly diagnosed NTG patients underwent 24-h habitual IOP and blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Parameters from pooled measurements obtained in the sitting (0800-2200 hours) and supine (1200-0600 hours) positions were compared and associations were sought with VF mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD).ResultsSixty-two Caucasian NTG patients (24 men and 38 women) successfully completed circadian IOP and BP monitoring. In habitual position, 8 subjects (12.9%) exhibited a diurnal acrophase, 42 subjects (67.7%) demonstrated a nocturnal acrophase, one subject (1.6%) showed a flat rhythm and 11 patients (17.7%) revealed a biphasic/polyphasic rhythm. Nighttime MOPP values (supine position) were significantly greater than diurnal values (sitting position); (P<0.001). No association could be demonstrated between glaucomatous damage, as indicated by VF parameters, and either mean habitual 24-h IOP (P=0.20 and P=0.12 for MD and PSD, respectively), or habitual 24-h MOPP (P=0.96 and 0.29, for MD and PSD, respectively).ConclusionsIn this cohort of Caucasian NTG patients, most patients exhibited a nocturnal IOP acrophase when evaluated in a habitual position. No association was found between 24-h IOP or MOPP and VF damage.Eye advance online publication, 29 July 2016; doi:10.1038/eye.2016.168