Valued Learning Topics in Kindergarten

In the Scandinavian tradition, how children learn is of much greater importance than what children. However, this study seeks primarily to investigate “what to learn” as opposed to “how to learn.” The matter of what topics are most valued is under-researched, particularly in regard to kindergarten teachers and what they think children should learn during their time in kindergarten. In this study, the above-stated fact was investigated through focus group interviews (Halkier, 2015) in six kindergartens during January of 2020. In each kindergarten, 3-5 kindergarten teachers – 23 in total – participated in these interviews. A qualitative approach was used to obtain participants and capture their perspectives (Kvale & Brinkman, 2015). All of the responses emphasized a common theme, that focus should be placed on learning and developing social competence and early literacy learning (ELL). National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) defines ELL as learning vocabulary and developing oral language, along with becoming familiarized with the alphabet, writing letters, and obtaining phonological awareness (2008). In contrast, when asked what the most important aspect was in following the governmental curriculum, kindergarten teachers specified ELL. The findings discussed regarded ELL as a critical topic in early childhood education and care (ECEC), both internationally and in the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark (Børne-og Undervisningsministeriet, 2007; Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2017; Skolverket, 2019). The findings were also discussed regarding social competence as an expression of the Bildung concept (Klafki, 1997) and in regard to Froebelian pedagogy, which has greatly influenced Scandinavian kindergartens. Although this heritage may have been used, shaped and interpreted in a child-oriented direction (Brostrøm, 2004; Håberg, 2017), it has the potential to provide various input and directions

A Specific Role of the Human Hippocampus in Recall of Temporal Sequences

There is a growing interest in how temporal order of episodic memories is represented within the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Animal studies suggest that the hippocampal formation (HF) is critical for retrieving the temporal order of past experiences. However, human imaging studies that have tested recency discrimination between pairs of previously encoded items have generally failed to report HF activation. We hypothesized that recalling a naturalistic sequence of past events would be particularly sensitive to HF function, attributable to greater involvement of associative processes. To test this prediction, we let subjects watch a novel movie and later, during functional magnetic resonance imaging, asked them to rearrange and "replay" scenes from the movie in correct order. To identify areas specifically involved in retrieval of temporal order, we used a control condition where subjects logically inferred the order of scenes from the same movie. Extensive MTL activation was observed during sequence recall. Activation within the right HF was specifically related to retrieval of temporal order and correlated positively with accuracy of sequence recall. Also, the bilateral parahippocampal cortex responded to retrieval of temporal order, but the activation here was not related to performance. Our study is the first to unequivocally demonstrate that correct sequence recall depends on H

Longitudinal study of the effect of a 5-year exercise intervention on structural brain complexity in older adults. A Generation 100 substudy

Physical inactivity has been identified as an important risk factor for dementia. High levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. However, the mechanism by which exercise affects brain health is still debated. Fractal dimension (FD) is an index that quantifies the structural complexity of the brain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 5-year exercise intervention on the structural complexity of the brain, measured through the FD, in a subset of 105 healthy older adults participating in the randomized controlled trial Generation 100 Study. The subjects were randomized into control, moderate intensity continuous training, and high intensity interval training groups. Both brain MRI and CRF were acquired at baseline and at 1-, 3- and 5-years follow-ups. Cortical thickness and volume data were extracted with FreeSurfer, and FD of the cortical lobes, cerebral and cerebellar gray and white matter were computed. CRF was measured as peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) using ergospirometry during graded maximal exercise testing. Linear mixed models were used to investigate exercise group differences and possible CRF effects on the brain's structural complexity. Associations between change over time in CRF and FD were performed if there was a significant association between CRF and FD. There were no effects of group membership on the structural complexity. However, we found a positive association between CRF and the cerebral gray matter FD (p < 0.001) and the temporal lobe gray matter FD (p < 0.001). This effect was not present for cortical thickness, suggesting that FD is a more sensitive index of structural changes. The change over time in CRF was associated with the change in temporal lobe gray matter FD from baseline to 5-year follow-up (p < 0.05). No association of the change was found between CRF and cerebral gray matter FD. These results demonstrated that entering old age with high and preserved CRF levels protected against loss of structural complexity in areas sensitive to aging and age-related pathology

Prediction of gestational age based on genome-wide differentially methylated regions

BACKGROUND: We explored the association between gestational age and cord blood DNA methylation at birth and whether DNA methylation could be effective in predicting gestational age due to limitations with the presently used methods. We used data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Birth Cohort study (MoBa) with Illumina HumanMethylation450 data measured for 1753 newborns in two batches: MoBa 1, n = 1068; and MoBa 2, n = 685. Gestational age was computed using both ultrasound and the last menstrual period. We evaluated associations between DNA methylation and gestational age and developed a statistical model for predicting gestational age using MoBa 1 for training and MoBa 2 for predictions. The prediction model was additionally used to compare ultrasound and last menstrual period-based gestational age predictions. Furthermore, both CpGs and associated genes detected in the training models were compared to those detected in a published prediction model for chronological age. RESULTS: There were 5474 CpGs associated with ultrasound gestational age after adjustment for a set of covariates, including estimated cell type proportions, and Bonferroni-correction for multiple testing. Our model predicted ultrasound gestational age more accurately than it predicted last menstrual period gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: DNA methylation at birth appears to be a good predictor of gestational age. Ultrasound gestational age is more strongly associated with methylation than last menstrual period gestational age. The CpGs linked with our gestational age prediction model, and their associated genes, differed substantially from the corresponding CpGs and genes associated with a chronological age prediction model. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-016-1063-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

A prospective cohort study comparing the reactogenicity of trivalent influenza vaccine in pregnant and non-pregnant women

Background: Influenza vaccination during pregnancy can prevent serious illness in expectant mothers and provide protection to newborns; however, historically uptake has been limited due to a number of factors, including safety concerns. Symptomatic complaints are common during pregnancy and may be mistakenly associated with reactions to trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV). To investigate this, we compared post-vaccination events self-reported by pregnant women to events reported by non-pregnant women receiving TIV. Methods: A prospective cohort of 1,086 pregnant women and 314 non-pregnant female healthcare workers (HCWs) who received TIV between March-May 2014 were followed-up seven days post-vaccination to assess local and systemic adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs). Women were surveyed by text message regarding perceived reactions to TIV. Those reporting an AEFI completed an interview by telephone or mobile phone to ascertain details. Logistic regression models adjusting for age and residence were used to compare reactions reported by pregnant women and non-pregnant HCWs. Results: Similar proportions of pregnant women and non-pregnant, female HCWs reported ≥1 reaction following vaccination with TIV (13.0% and 17.3%, respectively; OR = 1.2 [95% CI: 0.8-1.8]). Non-pregnant, female HCWs were more likely to report fever or headache compared to pregnant women (OR: 4.6 [95% CI 2.1-10.3] and OR: 2.2 [95% CI 1.0-4.6], respectively). No other significant differences in reported symptoms were observed. No serious vaccine-associated adverse events were reported, and less than 2% of each group sought medical advice for a reaction. Conclusions: We found no evidence suggesting pregnant women are more likely to report adverse events following influenza vaccination when compared to non-pregnant female HCWs of similar age, and in some cases, pregnant women reported significantly fewer adverse events. These results further support the safety of TIV administered in pregnant women

Separating parental and treatment contributions to perinatal health after fresh and frozen embryo transfer in assisted reproduction : A cohort study with within-sibship analysis

Background Compared to naturally conceived children, adverse perinatal outcomes are more common among children born after assisted reproductive technology with fresh embryo transfer (fresh-ET) or frozen embryo transfer (frozen-ET). However, most previous studies could not adequately control for family confounding factors such as subfertility. We compared birth size and duration of pregnancy among infants born after fresh-ET or frozen-ET versus natural conception, using a within-sibship design to account for confounding by maternal factors. Methods and findings This registry-based cohort study with nationwide data from Denmark (1994-2014), Norway (1988-2015), and Sweden (1988-2015) consisted of 4,510,790 live-born singletons, 4,414,703 from natural conception, 78,095 from fresh-ET, and 17,990 from frozen-ET. We identified 33,056 offspring sibling groups with the same mother, conceived by at least 2 different conception methods. Outcomes were mean birthweight, small and large for gestational age, mean gestational age, preterm (= 37), and very preterm birth (= 32). Singletons born after fresh-ET had lower mean birthweight (- 51 g, 95% CI - 58 to - 45, p < 0.001) and increased odds of small for gestational age (odds ratio [OR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.34, p < 0.001), while those born after frozen-ET had higher mean birthweight (82 g, 95% CI 70 to 94, p < 0.001) and increased odds of large for gestational age (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.56 to 2.17, p < 0.001), compared to naturally conceived siblings. Conventional population analyses gave similar results. Compared to naturally conceived siblings, mean gestational age was lower after fresh-ET (-1.0 days, 95% CI - 1.2 to -0.8AU : Here; andinTable2; in 1:0days; 95%CI 1:2to 0:84; Ichanged 0:84to, p < 0.001), but not after frozen-ET (0.3 days, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.6, p = 0.028). There: were; so that related values are all given to the same decimal place: were increased odds of preterm birth after fresh-ET (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.37, p < 0.001), and in most models after frozen-ET, versus naturally conceived siblings, with somewhat stronger associations in population analyses. For very preterm birth, population analyses showed increased odds for both fresh-ET (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.90 to 2.12, p < 0.001) and frozen-ET (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.94, p < 0.001) compared with natural conception, but results were notably attenuated within siblings (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.41, p = 0.059, and OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.27, p = 0.6, for fresh-ET and frozen-ET, respectively). Sensitivity analyses in full siblings, in siblings born within 3-year interval, by birth order, and restricting to single embryo transfers and blastocyst transfers were consistent with the main analyses. Main limitations were high proportions of missing data on maternal body mass index and smoking. Conclusions We found that infants conceived by fresh-ET had lower birthweight and increased odds of small for gestational age, and those conceived by frozen-ET had higher birthweight and increased odds of large for gestational age. Conception by either fresh-ET or frozen-ET was associated with increased odds of preterm birth. That these findings were observed within siblings, as well as in conventional multivariable population analyses, reduces the likelihood that they are explained by confounding or selection bias.Peer reviewe

Pre-eclampsia and childhood asthma

Studies of pre-eclampsia and childhood asthma are conflicting, and none have performed a formal mediation analysis of preterm birth.We examined the association between pre-eclampsia and asthma at 7 years using national registries, including all births in Norway from 1999 to 2006 (n=406 907), and a subsample of children in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (n=45 028) using log-linear regression. We performed a mediation analysis of preterm birth, and a sibling comparison to evaluate unobserved confounding.There was a positive association between pre-eclampsia and asthma in the registry study, with an adjusted relative risk of 1.31 (95% CI 1.22–1.41), but not in MoBa, which had an adjusted relative risk of 1.19 (95% CI 0.99–1.44). The odds ratios for the direct effect not mediated through preterm birth and the indirect effect in the registry linkage were 1.19 (95% CI 1.10–1.29) and 1.12 (95% CI 1.11–1.14), respectively. The sibling comparison indicated no association between pre-eclampsia and asthma (adjusted OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.87–1.33).In this large study, which used different datasets and analytic approaches, there was little evidence for an association between pre-eclampsia and childhood asthma. The association was weak and largely explained by pre-term birth and confounders shared by siblings.</jats:p

Quantitative proton spectroscopic imaging of the neurochemical profile in rat brain with microliter resolution at ultra-short echo times.

Proton spectroscopy allows the simultaneous quantification of a high number of metabolite concentrations termed the neurochemical profile. The spin echo full intensity acquired localization (SPECIAL) scheme with an echo time of 2.7 ms was used at 9.4T for excitation of a slab parallel to a home-built quadrature surface coil in conjunction with phase encoding in the two remaining spatial dimensions to yield an effective spatial resolution of 1.7 microL. The absolute concentrations of at least 10 metabolites were calculated from the spectra of individual voxels using LCModel analysis. The calculated concentrations were used for constructing quantitative metabolic maps of the neurochemical profile in normal and pathological rat brain. Summation of individual spectra was used to assess the neurochemical profile of unique brain regions, such as corpus callosum, in rat for the first time. Following focal ischemia in rat pups, imaging the neurochemical profile indicated increased choline groups in the ischemic core and increased glutamine in the penumbra, which is proposed to reflect glutamate excitotoxicity. We conclude that it is feasible to achieve a sensitivity that is sufficient for quantitative mapping of the neurochemical profile at microliter spatial resolution