Motor Development of Children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Parent Survey.

The actual literature highlights the importance of the socio-cultural context in the development of children. However, there is a lack of specific evidence about the middle East, especially regarding the development of Kurdish children who are living in a post-war scenario, in a country which is experiencing continuous instability due to the different crises. The main aim of this study is to identify the features of the motor development of Kurdish children according to parents' opinion. A comparison with Italian children is provided as a Western example, which reflects data from the literature. In the study, 331 parents of Kurdish and Italian children aged between 3 and 7 years were involved. Parents filled the questionnaire at kindergartens, after providing consent. The questionnaire was conceptualized, designed, tested and provided ad hoc for this study; it focused on the timing of development, concerning major milestones like head control, sitting and standing-up. The questionnaire consists of 15 questions and has not been standardized yet. A logistic regression showed several differences between Kurdish and Italian children, like head control (p = 0.007) or the manipulation of big objects (p < 0.0001). These results identify the effect of the socio-cultural context and the impact of the growing environment of the child. Moreover, the results of this survey show the need for introducing different adapted, translated and validated assessment tools for motor development, considering differences related to the socio-cultural context.

Spray-Drying Microencapsulation of Bauhinia ungulata L. var. obtusifolia Aqueous Extract Containing Phenolic Compounds: A Comparative Study Using Different Wall Materials.

Species belonging to the Bauhinia genus, usually known as "pata-de-vaca", are popularly used to treat diabetes. Bauhinia ungulata var. obtusifolia (Ducke) Vaz is among them, of which the leaves are used as a tea for medicinal purposes in the Amazon region. A microencapsulation study of lyophilized aqueous extract from Bauhinia ungulata leaves, which contain phenolic compounds, using five different wall materials (maltodextrin DE 4-7, maltodextrin DE 11-14; ß-cyclodextrin; pectin and sodium carboxymethylcellulose) is described in this paper. The microstructure, particle size distribution, thermal behavior, yield, and encapsulation efficiency were investigated and compared using different techniques. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, phenolics, and flavonoids were detected and quantified in the microparticles. The microparticles obtained with a yield and phenolics encapsulation efficiency ranging within 60-83% and 35-57%, respectively, showed a particle size distribution between 1.15 and 5.54 µm, spherical morphology, and a wrinkled surface. Among them, those prepared with sodium carboxymethylcellulose or pectin proved to be the most thermally stable. They had the highest flavonoid content (23.07 and 21.73 mg RUTE/g Extract) and total antioxidant activity by both the DPPH (376.55 and 367.86 µM TEq/g Extract) and ABTS (1085.72 and 1062.32 µM TEq/g Extract) assays. The chromatographic analyses allowed for quantification of the following substances retained by the microparticles, chlorogenic acid (1.74-1.98 mg/g Extract), p-coumaric acid (0.06-0.08 mg/g Extract), rutin (11.2-12.9 mg/g Extract), and isoquercitrin (0.49-0.53 mg/g Extract), compounds which considered to responsible for the antidiabetic property attributed to the species.

Iron capture through CD71 drives perinatal and tumor-associated Treg expansion.

Besides suppressing immune responses, regulatory T cells (Tregs) maintain tissue homeostasis and control systemic metabolism. Whether iron is involved in Treg-mediated tolerance is completely unknown. Here, we showed that the transferrin receptor CD71 was upregulated on activated Tregs infiltrating human liver cancer. Mice with a Treg-restricted CD71 deficiency spontaneously developed a scurfy-like disease, caused by impaired perinatal Treg expansion. CD71-null Tregs displayed decreased proliferation and tissue-Treg signature loss. In perinatal life, CD71 deficiency in Tregs triggered hepatic iron overload response, characterized by increased hepcidin transcription and iron accumulation in macrophages. Lower bacterial diversity, and reduction of beneficial species, were detected in the fecal microbiota of CD71 conditional knockout neonates. Our findings indicate that CD71-mediated iron absorption is required for Treg perinatal expansion and is related to systemic iron homeostasis and bacterial gut colonization. Therefore, we hypothesize that Tregs establish nutritional tolerance through competition for iron during bacterial colonization after birth.

Distinct neurodevelopmental and epileptic phenotypes associated with gain- and loss-of-function GABRB2 variants.

BACKGROUND: Variants in GABRB2, encoding the ß2 subunit of the γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor, can result in a diverse range of conditions, ranging from febrile seizures to severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. However, the mechanisms underlying the risk of developing milder vs more severe forms of disorder remain unclear. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive genotype-phenotype correlation analysis in a cohort of individuals with GABRB2 variants. METHODS: Genetic and electroclinical data of 42 individuals harbouring 26 different GABRB2 variants were collected and accompanied by electrophysiological analysis of the effects of the variants on receptor function. FINDINGS: Electrophysiological assessments of α1ß2γ2 receptors revealed that 25/26 variants caused dysfunction to core receptor properties such as GABA sensitivity. Of these, 17 resulted in gain-of-function (GOF) while eight yielded loss-of-function traits (LOF). Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis revealed that individuals harbouring GOF variants suffered from severe developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID, 74%), movement disorders such as dystonia or dyskinesia (59%), microcephaly (50%) and high risk of early mortality (26%). Conversely, LOF variants were associated with milder disease manifestations. Individuals with these variants typically exhibited fever-triggered seizures (92%), milder degrees of DD/ID (85%), and maintained ambulatory function (85%). Notably, severe movement disorders or microcephaly were not reported in individuals with loss-of-function variants. INTERPRETATION: The data reveals that genetic variants in GABRB2 can lead to both gain and loss-of-function, and this divergence is correlated with distinct disease manifestations. Utilising this information, we constructed a diagnostic flowchart that aids in predicting the pathogenicity of recently identified variants by considering clinical phenotypes. FUNDING: This work was funded by the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council, the Novo Nordisk Foundation and The Lundbeck Foundation.

Determinantes do comportamento alimentar: uma revisão com enfoque na família / Determinants of eating behavior: a review focusing on the family

O comportamento alimentar ocupa atualmente um papel central na prevenção e no tratamento de doenças. A alimentação durante a infância, ao mesmo tempo em que é importante para o crescimento e desenvolvimento, pode também representar um dos principais fatores de prevenção de algumas doenças na fase adulta. Freqüentemente a família, os fatores sociais e os ambientais podem influenciar o padrão alimentar das crianças. O objetivo desta revisão foi abordar os diversos fatores ambientais envolvidos na aquisição de hábitos alimentares na infância. Os artigos selecionados foram pesquisados nas bases de dados Medline e SciELO considerando o período de 1978 a 2007. Foram utilizados os termos em ingles: children's eating patterns, children's dietary quality, determinants of children's eating patterns e em português. São apresentados os resultados de algumas investigações mais relevantes nesta área. Embora alguns desses fatores sejam inatos e, por isso, necessitem de um controle mais rigoroso, ressalta-se o papel determinante da família na formação dos hábitos alimentares saudáveis, pois a modificação de um hábito alimentar durante a fase adulta tem, em geral, alta taxa de insucesso. Além disso, outros fatores, como a escola, a rede social, as condições socioeconômicas e culturais, são potencialmente modificáveis e influenciam no processo de construção dos hábitos alimentares da criança e, conseqüentemente, do indivíduo adulto.

Eating behavior currently has a central role in the prevention and treatment of illnesses. Eating patterns during childhood, while important for growth and development, also represent one of the main factors that can prevent diseases in adulthood. Such eating patterns are frequently influenced by family, social and environmental factors. The objective of this review was to approach the many environmental factors involved in the acquisition of eating habits during childhood. The selected articles dating from 1978 to 2007 were found in the Medline and SciELO databases. The following keywords were used in Portuguese and English: children's eating patterns, children's dietary quality and determinants of children's eating patterns. The results of some more relevant researches in this area are presented. Although some factors are innate and thus need a more rigorous control, the determinant role played by the family in forming healthy eating habits is emphasized since attempts to modify eating habits during adulthood usually fail. Additionally, other factors such as school, social network and cultural and socioeconomic conditions are potentially modifiable and influence the process of building the child's eating habits and so that of the adult.

Perfil lipídico e obesidade em escolares de baixa renda / Lipid profile and obesity in low income school children

Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil lipídico de escolares de baixa renda em sua relação com a obesidade. Metodologia: A população em estudo foi composta por 257 escolares, com idade entre 3 e 14 anos, freqüentadores de instituições chamadas COMBEMI, no município de Itajaí-SC. Dados socioeconômicos foram coletados para a caracterização da amostra. As concentrações lipídicas de colesterol total (CT), frações HDL-c (lipoproteína de alta densidade) e LDL-c (lipoproteína de baixa densidade) e triglicerídio (TGL) foram determinadas e avaliadas segundo os pontos de corte propostos pelas III Diretrizes Brasileiras sobre Dislipidemias. A condição de obesidade foi estabelecida entre os escolares, por meio do índice peso/estatura, em escore z, nas crianças, e do índice de Massa Corporal, em percentis, nos adolescentes, sendo os pontos de corte maior que 2 e maior que o percentil 95, respectivamente. Os dados foram analisados segundo teste t de “Student”, Mann-Whitney e Qui-quadrado. A associação entre dislipidemias e obesidade foi avaliada por meio da “odds ratio”. Resultados: A renda per capta média foi de R$ 86,65. As médias de CT, TGL, HDL-c e LDL-c foram 145,61, 82 e 49 mg/dl, respectivamente. A hipercolesterolemia esteve presente em 3,1 por cento da amostra, hipertrigliceridemia em 4,7 por cento, LDL-c elevado a 6,6 por cento e inadequados níveis de HDL-c em 17,9 por cento. O percentual de obesidade encontrado foi de 7,4 por cento nos escolares. Diferenças entre sexos não foram observadas. Os níveis de HDL-c baixo associaram-se de maneira significante com a presença de obesidade (OR: 3,27 IC= 1,08-9,74). Conclusão: Os resultados apontam para um perfil lipídico diferenciado, com médias inferiores se comparados aos da literatura, sendo apenas a lipoproteína HDL-c associada à presença de obesidade entre escolares de baixa renda.