Maternal Perception of Toddler Temperament: The Effect of Maternal and Infant Health or Illness during the Neonatal Period

Melanocytic lesions with borderline features are diagnostically challenging. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, which detect genomic copy number alterations (CNAs), can be helpful in distinguishing between nevi and melanoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been used as a more rapid, less expensive alternative to SNP array, using a panel of probes that are often gained or lost in melanoma. We used SNP array data from 63 borderline cutaneous melanocytic lesions and 44 definitive melanomas to predict the performance of FISH testing. Lesions were considered positive by “virtual FISH” if 1 or more of the 5 FISH-probed loci demonstrated appropriate CNAs by SNP array. Cases were classified as positive by SNP array if ≥3 CNAs were present, based on internal validation studies, or if FISH criteria were met. Conventional FISH was performed in 33 cases (17 borderline lesions, 16 melanomas). Of the 63 borderline cases, 44 (70%) were positive by SNP array and 30 (48%) were positive by virtual FISH. A higher proportion of melanomas were positive by SNP array (41/44, 93% sensitivity) and virtual FISH (36/44, 82% sensitivity). Virtual FISH had 61% sensitivity in the borderline group using SNP array as the gold standard, whereas specificity was 84%. There was good correlation between conventional and virtual FISH, with agreement in 30 of 33 (91%) cases. Although FISH is highly effective in distinguishing between nevi and melanoma in cases where the histological diagnosis is straightforward, it is not nearly as sensitive or specific as SNP array when applied to borderline lesions.

INTRODUCTION:The objectives of this study were (a) to compare maternal and paternal perceptions of infant medical diagnoses with hospital-chart diagnoses, (b) to examine whether parental perceptions of infant medical condition (using three variables) were related to eight other parental perceptions, and (c) to determine what medical diagnoses were associated with parental expectations that neonatal diagnoses were having current effects of would have future effects on their infant. METHOD:With a questionnaire format 76 parents reported information about medical diagnoses and their perceptions about eight other issues for their infants who had been hospitalized in an NICU. RESULTS:Parents reported approximately 62% of the medical diagnoses for their infants during NICU hospitalization; these significantly differed from hospital-chart diagnoses. Parents who reported current or future effects of neonatal diagnoses also (a) had fears for their infants while in the hospital or currently, (b) perceived prematurity as having current or future effects, (c) reported restrictions for their infants caused by neonatal diagnoses, and (d) gave less optimal ratings for their infants' current health status. Parents' perceptions of current or future effects of neonatal diagnoses appeared to be inaccurate given the actual diagnoses for their infants. DISCUSSION:The underreporting of diagnoses by parents raises several issues as to how accurately parents are perceiving their infants. Parents who perceived continued effects of neonatal diagnoses also had less optimal perceptions of other related issues. Parent's perceptions of continued effects of neonatal diagnoses appeared to be unwarranted with respect to the actual diagnoses assigned to their infants.

NORMAL HEARING AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME FOR INFANTS WITH PPHN TREATED WITH MODERATE HYPERVENTILATION: A CONTROLLED STUDY. 1203

One hundred forty parents rated the temperament of their infants between the ages of 4 and 8 months. Analyses of the data examined the relationships between temperament and infant risk status (high or low), delivery method (vaginal or cesarean section), and the combined effects of infant risk status and delivery method. Although high-risk and low-risk infants were similar on the easy-difficult profile ratings of the revised infant temperament questionnaire, high-risk infants were rated more adaptable and more positive in mood than were the low-risk infants. Low-risk infants delivered by cesarean section were rated less optimally on three of the temperament factor scores, including withdrawal, mood, and adaptability. Interpretations of these findings are discussed and suggestions are offered for nurse practitioners and their provision of pediatric care to infants and their families.

: The purpose of this study was to document joint range of motion of premature, very low birthweight infants and to describe developmental changes in joint range in the first year of life. The relationship between a group of three central nervous system complications and obtained range of motion was investigated. A longitudinal descriptive design was used documenting joint range of motion values over the first year of life in 65 premature, very low birthweight infants. Joint range of motion values were obtained using a plastic goniometer. Measures were based on an adaptation of the Amiel-Tison assessment. Infants were tested at the time of hospital discharge, and at 4, 8, and 12 months chronological age. The obtained values were summarized through descriptive statistical methods. Longitudinal trends in the sample demonstrated changes in joint range of motion over time. However, the preterm infants never displayed the high amount of flexion characteristic of full-term babies. The premature infants in the present study demonstrated more hip extension as they approached term conceptional age than previously reported values for full-term newborns. The present sample also had more elbow extension and less ankle dorsiflexion in comparison with previously reported findings for term infants. These findings may have developmental implications for a divergent course of neuromotor development in premature infants.

Concern over the increased rate ofcesarean section delivery has led to a number of investigations that have focused on the effects of surgical delivery. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine if method of delivery was related to neonatal behavior, parental behavior, parental perceptions, or mother-newborn interaction. The investigation employed 20 full-term healthy infants in each of the following four groups: Firstborn vaginal delivery, later-born vaginal delivery, firstborn emergency cesarean, and later-born repeat cesarean section. Measures were taken on the second day after delivery and included the Neonatal Perception Inventory (NPI), a mother-infant feeding observation, the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS), and the State-Trait Inventory. Multivariate analyses performed on the method of delivery by sex of infant by birth order design indicated no significant differences for infant behavior, parental perceptions of infant behavior, or mother-infant interaction. There was a significant main effect for birth order and State scores, with mothers of firstborn infants exhibiting less optimal transitory anxiety scores. These findings suggest that the current concern over cesarean deliveries and their impact on parents and infants may be partially unfounded.

The purpose of this study was to measure fathers' and mothers' linguistic involvements with the development of communication between young siblings. In a laboratory setting, 39 two-child mother-father families were videotaped in semistructured activities. The older sibling was from 18 to 26-months-old (M=22.4 months, SD=2.5 months) and the younger sibling was from 4 to 8-weeks-old (M=5 weeks, SD =1.5 weeks). Regardless of type of vocalization, when only one parent was present, utterances encouraging sibling interactions were more often aimed at girls than at boys. As a result, such utterances occurred more when both siblings were girls than for any other gender combination. Fathers were more active in issuing such utterances, especially to girls. When both parents were present, gender differences between parents disappeared, although the effects of children's gender did not. Overall, the results suggest that fathers very actively direct sibling interactions, especially those involving girls.

Samples of green lipped mussels (Perna viridis) were collected from three sites (Huoshao, I’Maluan and Tong’an) around Xiamen coastal waters, where levels of various trace organic pollutants have been studied. Samples were also collected at a “cleaner” reference site near Dongshan Island for comparison. Clearance rate, absorption efficiency and oxygen consumption of the mussels were measured under controlled laboratory condition; organic pollutants in their tissues were also analyzed. Scope for growth (SFG) was employed as a general biomarker to evaluate the stress of pollutants. Specimens from Tong’an site had the lowest SFG values (1.14 J/h/g); while specimens from the I’Maluan site and Huoshao site had SFG values of 5.01 and 6.72 J/h/g, respectively. Specimens from Dongshan (reference site) had a relatively high SFG value of 10.96 J/h/g. There was a significant negative correlation between the SFG of the different populations of green lipped mussels and the concentration of DDT in their tissues.

Relatively high interparent agreement was demonstrated for parents of both high- and low-risk infants on the easy-difficult dimension of the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ). These findings were interpreted as indices of adequate reliability on this aspect of the RITQ. Although high and low-risk infants were rated similarly on the easy-difficult profile ratings, high-risk babies were given more rhythmic and less approaching ratings than the low-risk infants. We have noted that these specific temperament differences require further corroboration. While suggesting the utility of investigating infant temperament within an interactive framework.

The present study examined both parents' ratings of infant temperament according to the infant's risk status and type of delivery. Ninety parents rated their 45 infants, 23 of whom were low-risk and 22 who were high-risk with medical complications, on the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ). Type of delivery was not related to the easy-difficult ratings of the high-risk babies; however, a strong trend (p

NKX2.3 is a promising candidate for susceptibility genes to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to perform a candidate gene analysis of NKX2.3 in Japanese IBD and to examine how the risk allele (haplotype) affects susceptibility to IBD using allelic expression ratios of NKX2.3 mRNA in the involved colonic mucosa. A total of 344 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), 253 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 243 healthy controls (HCs) were genotyped for 3 tag-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs10883365, rs888208, and rs11596008) around NKX2.3. The allelic expression ratio of NKX2.3-mRNA was examined by TaqMan assay using rs888208 as an allelic (haplotypic) marker. Two SNPs (rs10883365 and rs888208) were significantly associated with UC (p = 7.79 × 10−4, odds ratio [OR] = 1.54 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.20–1.99], p = 7.70 × 10−3, OR = 1.41 [95% CI 1.10–1.81], respectively) and 1 SNP (rs10883365) was associated with CD (p = 0.0366, OR = 1.29 [95% CI 1.02–1.63]). Haplotype B formed by the 3 SNPs demonstrated a significant association with UC (p = 6.11 × 10−4, OR = 1.56 [95% CI 1.21–2.00]). Subgroup analyses indicated that rs10883365 was significantly associated mainly with colonic CD (p = 1.99 × 10−3, OR = 1.91 [95% CI 1.27–2.88], vs HCs). The allelic expression ratios of NKX2.3 mRNA transcribed from haplotype B (risk haplotype) to haplotype A (the nonrisk haplotype) in the involved mucosa from 10 IBD patients were significantly higher than the allelic ratio of respective genomic DNA (p = 0.00195). We confirmed the association of SNP rs10883365 located in the 5′ flanking region of NKX2-3 with Japanese UC and colonic CD and determined the risk haplotype (haplotype B) for UC. The demonstrated allelic expression imbalance supports the idea that the risk haplotype of NKX2.3 confers susceptibility to UC through increasing expression of NKX2.3 mRNA in the colonic mucosa.