Negative selectivity of Europe’s guest-worker immigration?

The aim of this paper is to empirically test the negative selectivity hypothesis as an explanation of the lower educational achievements of Turkish immigrant pupils. We do this by comparing educational achievement Turkish immigrant pupils in various European countries with the educational achievement of Turks at home, using the PISA 2006 data. Our analysis supports the thesis that the Turkish immigrants were negatively selected from their native population. The average score of Turkish immigrant pupils is substantially lower than the science score of comparable native pupils in Turkey. However, the result also show that the negative selectivity of Turkish immigrants can not by explained by the ‘guest-workers’ programs, because the largest negative science scores relative to the scores of the native pupils in the country of origin are found among the Italian first and second generation pupils, the Austrian first generation pupils, the French first generation immigrant pupils, and the German second generation pupils. A possible explanation is that all immigrants in Europe have more difficulties in establishing themselves and their children in comparison with immigrants in the traditional immigration countries, like the USA

Negative selectivity of Europe’s guest-worker immigration?

The aim of this paper is to empirically test the negative selectivity hypothesis as an explanation of the lower educational achievements of Turkish immigrant pupils. We do this by comparing educational achievement Turkish immigrant pupils in various European countries with the educational achievement of Turks at home, using the PISA 2006 data. Our analysis supports the thesis that the Turkish immigrants were negatively selected from their native population. The average score of Turkish immigrant pupils is substantially lower than the science score of comparable native pupils in Turkey. However, the result also show that the negative selectivity of Turkish immigrants can not by explained by the ‘guest-workers’ programs, because the largest negative science scores relative to the scores of the native pupils in the country of origin are found among the Italian first and second generation pupils, the Austrian first generation pupils, the French first generation immigrant pupils, and the German second generation pupils. A possible explanation is that all immigrants in Europe have more difficulties in establishing themselves and their children in comparison with immigrants in the traditional immigration countries, like the USA

Growth patterns in fetuses with isolated cardiac defects

Objectives: There is evidence that in fetuses with congenital heart defects (CHDs), head growth is affected. However, scanty data are available on longitudinal growth patterns of other biometric parameters such as abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL). The aim was to evaluate growth patterns in fetuses with isolated CHD diagnosed prenatally in different categories of lesions. Methods: Fetuses with isolated CHD seen between 2008 and 2013 at the Fetal Medicine Unit of 2 tertiary referral centers were retrospectively included in the study. CHD was classified into 7 categories. Fetal biometry parameters were assessed at 4 variable time points between 18 and 35 weeks' gestation and transformed into Z scores. Linear mixed modeling was performed to analyze repeated measurements and construction of growth models. Results: Two hundred forty-six live births with CHD were analyzed. Linear growth modeling showed a slight decrease in head circumference (HC) in the second half of pregnancy, whereas AC and FL growth were not significantly affected. The model predicted a significantly smaller HC at 36 weeks' gestation in fetuses with conotruncal heart defects. Conclusions: Fetuses with CHD showed a modest but significant linear decrease in HC growth, whereas AC and FL growth trajectories remained stable

Functional connectome of the fetal brai

Large-scale functional connectome formation and reorganization is apparent in the second trimester of pregnancy, making it a crucial and vulnerable time window in connectome development. Here we identified which architectural principles of functional connectome organization are initiated before birth, and contrast those with topological characteristics observed in the mature adult brain. A sample of 105 pregnant women participated in human fetal resting-state fMRI studies (fetal gestational age between 20 and 40 weeks). Connectome analysis was used to analyze weighted network characteristics of fetal macroscale brain wiring. We identified efficient network attributes, common functional modules, and high overlap between the fetal and adult brain network. Our results indicate that key features of the functional connectome are present in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Understanding the organizational principles of fetal connectome organization may bring opportunities to develop markers for early detection of alterations of brain function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The fetal to neonatal period is well known as a critical stage in brain development. Rapid neurodevelopmental processes establish key functional neural circuits of the human brain. Prenatal risk factors may interfere with early trajectories of connectome formation and thereby shape future health outcomes. Recent advances in MRI have made it possible to examine fetal brain functional connectivity. In this study, we evaluate the network topography of normative functional network development during connectome genesis in utero Understanding the developmental trajectory of brain connectivity provides a basis for understanding how the prenatal period shapes future brain function and disease dysfunction

Functional Connectome of the Fetal Brain

Large-scale functional connectome formation and reorganization is apparent in the second trimester of pregnancy, making it a crucial and vulnerable time window in connectome development. Here we identified which architectural principles of functional connectome organization are initiated before birth, and contrast those with topological characteristics observed in the mature adult brain. A sample of 105 pregnant women participated in human fetal resting-state fMRI studies (fetal gestational age between 20 and 40 weeks). Connectome analysis was used to analyze weighted network characteristics of fetal macroscale brain wiring. We identified efficient network attributes, common functional modules, and high overlap between the fetal and adult brain network. Our results indicate that key features of the functional connectome are present in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Understanding the organizational principles of fetal connectome organization may bring opportunities to develop markers for early detection of alterations of brain function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The fetal to neonatal period is well known as a critical stage in brain development. Rapid neurodevelopmental processes establish key functional neural circuits of the human brain. Prenatal risk factors may interfere with early trajectories of connectome formation and thereby shape future health outcomes. Recent advances in MRI have made it possible to examine fetal brain functional connectivity. In this study, we evaluate the network topography of normative functional network development during connectome genesis in utero Understanding the developmental trajectory of brain connectivity provides a basis for understanding how the prenatal period shapes future brain function and disease dysfunction