Sample records for early maturing girls
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Elevated Social Anxiety among Early Maturing Girls
Blumenthal, Heidemarie; Leen-Feldner, Ellen W.; Babson, Kimberly A.; Gahr, Jessica L.; Trainor, Casey D.; Frala, Jamie L.
2012-01-01
Adolescence is a key period in terms of the development of anxiety psychopathology. An emerging literature suggests that early pubertal maturation is associated with enhanced vulnerability for anxiety symptomatology, although few studies have examined this association with regard to social anxiety. Accordingly, the current study was designed to further elucidate the relation between pubertal timing and social anxiety, with a focus on clarifying the role of gender. Participants were 138 adolescents (ages 12-17 years) recruited from the general community. Level of social anxiety was examined as a function of gender and within-sample pubertal timing. As expected, early-maturing girls evidenced significantly higher social anxiety as compared to on-time girls and early-maturing boys, and no other differences were found as a function of gender or developmental timing. Findings and future directions are discussed in terms of forwarding developmentally-sensitive models of social anxiety etiology and prevention. PMID:21604866
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Depressive Symptomatology among Very Early Maturing Girls.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rierdan, Jill; Koff, Elissa
1991-01-01
The relationship between very early menarche and depression was studied in a sample of 488 girls (336 sixth graders and 152 seventh graders), less than 10 percent of whom were very early maturers. Very early menarche was associated with higher levels of depression than was more normative development. (SLD)
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Explaining Why Early-Maturing Girls Are More Exposed to Sexual Harassment in Early Adolescence
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Skoog, Therése; Bayram Özdemir, Sevgi
2016-01-01
In this study, we tested two competing explanations of the previously established link between early female puberty and sexual harassment in early adolescence. The sample included 680 seventh-grade Swedish girls (M[subscript age] = 13.40, SD = 0.53). Findings revealed that looking more sexually mature and being sexually active mediated the link…
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Reynolds, Bridget M; Juvonen, Jaana
2011-11-01
Despite the widely reported link between early pubertal timing and internalizing symptoms among girls, less is known about the peer reputation of earlier maturing girls. The current study assesses whether early maturation is associated with perceived popularity and/or rumors, and whether these reputational factors help account for earlier maturing girls' vulnerability to emotional distress. Drawing on three waves of data collected from an ethnically diverse sample of middle school girls (n = 912), hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that more advanced development at the start of middle school predicted peer- and teacher-reported popularity as well as increased risk of being targeted for rumors. Mediation analyses suggested that popularity among boys can put earlier developing girls at risk for rumors. Finally, rumors acted as a partial mechanism through which early maturation was associated with subsequent internalizing symptoms. Knowledge of the peer mechanisms putting earlier developing girls at risk for psychosocial maladjustment can inform intervention and prevention efforts aimed at improving adolescent well-being.
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Niven, Alisa G; Fawkner, Samantha G; Knowles, Anne-Marie; Stephenson, Claire
2007-11-01
This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between physical self-perceptions (PSPs), maturation, and physical activity and compared the strength of the relationships of biological and chronological age with PSPs in early adolescent girls (N = 208; mean age = 11.83 +/- 0.39 years). Participants completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children, the Children's Physical Self-Perception Profile, and the Pubertal Development Scale. Results indicated that PSPs were significantly and moderately correlated with physical activity. There were no differences in physical activity between maturation stages. Girls who were in the early stages of maturation had significantly more positive perceptions of body attractiveness and physical self-worth than girls in the mid stages of maturation. There was no evidence of a relationship between PSPs and chronological age. This study provided further support for the relationship between PSPs and physical activity and the relationship between maturation and aspects of PSPs. In this age group, maturation does not appear to be related to physical activity or the PSPs most strongly influential on physical activity behavior.
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Mass media as a sexual super peer for early maturing girls.
Brown, Jane D; Halpern, Carolyn Tucker; L'Engle, Kelly Ladin
2005-05-01
To investigate the possibility that the mass media (television, movies, music, and magazines) serve as a kind of super peer for girls who enter puberty sooner than their age-mates. Multiple studies have demonstrated significant associations between earlier pubertal timing and earlier transition to first sex. Does puberty also stimulate interest in sexual media content that is seen as giving permission to engage in sexual behavior? White and African-American female adolescents (n = 471; average age 13.7 years) recruited from public middle schools in central North Carolina completed two self-administered surveys in their homes about their pubertal status, interest in and exposure to various media, and perceptions of sexual media content. Earlier maturing girls reported more interest than later maturing girls in seeing sexual content in movies, television, and magazines, and in listening to sexual content in music, regardless of age or race. Earlier maturing girls were also more likely to be listening to music and reading magazines with sexual content, more likely to see R-rated movies, and to interpret the messages they saw in the media as approving of teens having sexual intercourse. The mass media may be serving as a kind of sexual super peer, especially for earlier maturing girls. Given the lack of sexual health messages in most media adolescents attend to, these findings give cause for concern. The media should be encouraged to provide more sexually healthy content, and youth service providers and physicians should be aware that earlier maturing girls may be interested in sexual information.
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Early puberty, negative peer influence, and problem behaviors in adolescent girls.
Mrug, Sylvie; Elliott, Marc N; Davies, Susan; Tortolero, Susan R; Cuccaro, Paula; Schuster, Mark A
2014-01-01
To determine how early puberty and peer deviance relate to trajectories of aggressive and delinquent behavior in early adolescence and whether these relationships differ by race/ethnicity. In this longitudinal study, 2607 girls from 3 metropolitan areas and their parents were interviewed at ages 11, 13, and 16 years. Girls reported on their age of onset of menarche, best friend's deviant behavior, delinquency, and physical, relational, and nonphysical aggression. Parents provided information on family sociodemographic characteristics and girls' race/ethnicity. Sixteen percent of girls were classified as early maturers (defined by onset of menarche before age 11 years). Overall, relational and nonphysical aggression increased from age 11 to age 16, whereas delinquency and physical aggression remained stable. Early puberty was associated with elevated delinquency and physical aggression at age 11. The relationship with early puberty diminished over time for physical aggression but not for delinquency. Best friend's deviant behavior was linked with higher levels of all problem behaviors, but the effect lessened over time for most outcomes. Early puberty was associated with a stronger link between best friend's deviance and delinquency, suggesting increased vulnerability to negative peer influences among early-maturing girls. A similar vulnerability was observed for relational and nonphysical aggression among girls in the "other" racial/ethnic minority group only. Early puberty and friends' deviance may increase the risk of problem behavior in young adolescent girls. Although many of these associations dissipate over time, early-maturing girls are at risk of persistently higher delinquency and stronger negative peer influences.
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Early Puberty, Negative Peer Influence, and Problem Behaviors in Adolescent Girls
Elliott, Marc N.; Davies, Susan; Tortolero, Susan R.; Cuccaro, Paula; Schuster, Mark A.
2014-01-01
OBJECTIVE: To determine how early puberty and peer deviance relate to trajectories of aggressive and delinquent behavior in early adolescence and whether these relationships differ by race/ethnicity. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 2607 girls from 3 metropolitan areas and their parents were interviewed at ages 11, 13, and 16 years. Girls reported on their age of onset of menarche, best friend’s deviant behavior, delinquency, and physical, relational, and nonphysical aggression. Parents provided information on family sociodemographic characteristics and girls’ race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Sixteen percent of girls were classified as early maturers (defined by onset of menarche before age 11 years). Overall, relational and nonphysical aggression increased from age 11 to age 16, whereas delinquency and physical aggression remained stable. Early puberty was associated with elevated delinquency and physical aggression at age 11. The relationship with early puberty diminished over time for physical aggression but not for delinquency. Best friend’s deviant behavior was linked with higher levels of all problem behaviors, but the effect lessened over time for most outcomes. Early puberty was associated with a stronger link between best friend’s deviance and delinquency, suggesting increased vulnerability to negative peer influences among early-maturing girls. A similar vulnerability was observed for relational and nonphysical aggression among girls in the “other” racial/ethnic minority group only. CONCLUSIONS: Early puberty and friends’ deviance may increase the risk of problem behavior in young adolescent girls. Although many of these associations dissipate over time, early-maturing girls are at risk of persistently higher delinquency and stronger negative peer influences. PMID:24324002
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Kozieł, Sławomir M; Malina, Robert M
2018-01-01
Predicted maturity offset and age at peak height velocity are increasingly used with youth athletes, although validation studies of the equations indicated major limitations. The equations have since been modified and simplified. The objective of this study was to validate the new maturity offset prediction equations in independent longitudinal samples of boys and girls. Two new equations for boys with chronological age and sitting height and chronological age and stature as predictors, and one equation for girls with chronological age and stature as predictors were evaluated in serial data from the Wrocław Growth Study, 193 boys (aged 8-18 years) and 198 girls (aged 8-16 years). Observed age at peak height velocity for each youth was estimated with the Preece-Baines Model 1. The original prediction equations were included for comparison. Predicted age at peak height velocity was the difference between chronological age at prediction and maturity offset. Predicted ages at peak height velocity with the new equations approximated observed ages at peak height velocity in average maturing boys near the time of peak height velocity; a corresponding window for average maturing girls was not apparent. Compared with observed age at peak height velocity, predicted ages at peak height velocity with the new and original equations were consistently later in early maturing youth and earlier in late maturing youth of both sexes. Predicted ages at peak height velocity with the new equations had reduced variation compared with the original equations and especially observed ages at peak height velocity. Intra-individual variation in predicted ages at peak height velocity with all equations was considerable. The new equations are useful for average maturing boys close to the time of peak height velocity; there does not appear to be a clear window for average maturing girls. The new and original equations have major limitations with early and late maturing boys and girls.
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Elevated Social Anxiety among Early Maturing Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Blumenthal, Heidemarie; Leen-Feldner, Ellen W.; Babson, Kimberly A.; Gahr, Jessica L.; Trainor, Casey D.; Frala, Jamie L.
2011-01-01
Adolescence is a key period in terms of the development of anxiety psychopathology. An emerging literature suggests that early pubertal maturation is associated with enhanced vulnerability for anxiety symptomatology, although few studies have examined this association with regard to social anxiety. Accordingly, the current study was designed to…
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Maturation, Peer Context, and Indigenous Girls' Early-Onset Substance Use
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Walls, Melissa L.; Whitbeck, Les B.
2011-01-01
This article examines a biosocial model of the impact of puberty on indigenous girls' early-onset substance use by considering the potential mediating role of peer context (i.e., mixed-sex peer groups and substance use prototypes) on the puberty and substance use relationship. Data include responses from 360 girls of a common indigenous cultural…
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Knowles, Ann-Marie; Niven, Ailsa G; Fawkner, Samantha G; Henretty, Joan M
2009-06-01
This longitudinal study investigated the influence of maturation on physical self-perceptions and the relationship with physical activity in early adolescent girls (N=150; mean age=12.79+/-0.31). Physical characteristics were measured and participants completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children, the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile and the Pubertal Development Scale on two occasions 12 months apart. The results demonstrated a decrease in overall physical activity levels over 12 months which was not influenced by maturational status or physical characteristics. Additional analysis indicated that physical self-perceptions partially accounted for the explained variance in physical activity change, with physical condition being an important individual predictor of physical activity. Further analysis indicated that body mass was an important individual predictor of changes in perceptions of body attractiveness and physical self-worth. At this age maturation has a limited influence on the physical activity behaviours of early adolescent girls and although the variance in physical activity was partly accounted for by physical self-perceptions, this was a relatively small contribution and other factors related to this drop in physical activity need to be considered longitudinally.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Knowles, Ann-Marie; Niven, Ailsa G.; Fawkner, Samantha G.; Henretty, Joan M.
2009-01-01
This longitudinal study investigated the influence of maturation on physical self-perceptions and the relationship with physical activity in early adolescent girls (N = 150; mean age = 12.79 plus or minus 0.31). Physical characteristics were measured and participants completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children, the Children and…
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Pindus, Dominika M; Cumming, Sean P; Sherar, Lauren B; Gammon, Catherine; Coelho e Silva, Manuel; Malina, Robert M
2014-01-01
Using a Biocultural Model of Maturity-Associated Variance in physical activity (PA) as a conceptual framework, the main and interactive effects of biological maturity status and perceived peer acceptance on PA and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescent girls were examined. Three hundred forty-two female British students in years 7 to 9 (13.2±0.83 years) participated in the study. All participants completed the PA Questionnaire for Adolescents and KIDSCREEN-10, a measure of HRQoL. Self-reported perceptions of peer acceptance were measured by items from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.Maturity status was estimated as the percentage of predicted adult (mature) height attained at the time of observation. Analysis of covariance suggested an influence of peer acceptance on maturity-associated differences in PA, but not on HRQoL. Girls early and "on time" in maturation with higher perceptions of peer acceptance reported greater involvement in PA than girls early and "on time" in maturation with lower perceptions of peer acceptance. A reverse association was observed for late-maturing girls. Peer acceptance is an important moderator of maturity-associated variation in PA.
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Fawkner, Samantha; Henretty, Joan; Knowles, Ann-Marie; Nevill, Alan; Niven, Ailsa
2014-01-01
The aim of this study was to adopt a longitudinal design to explore the direct effects of both absolute and relative maturation and changes in body size on physical activity, and explore if, and how, physical self-perceptions might mediate this effect. We recruited 208 girls (11.8 ± 0.4 years) at baseline. Data were collected at three subsequent time points, each 6 months apart. At 18 months, 119 girls remained in the study. At each time point, girls completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children, the Pubertal Development Scale (from which, both a measure of relative and absolute maturation were defined) and the Physical Self-Perception Profile, and had physical size characteristics assessed. Multilevel modelling for physical activity indicated a significant negative effect of age, positive effect for physical condition and sport competence and positive association for relatively early maturers. Absolute maturation, body mass, waist circumference and sum of skinfolds did not significantly contribute to the model. Contrary to common hypotheses, relatively more mature girls may, in fact, be more active than their less mature peers. However, neither changes in absolute maturation nor physical size appear to directly influence changes in physical activity in adolescent girls.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Natsuaki, Misaki N.; Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie; Ge, Xiaojia; Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A.; Hastings, Paul D.; Zahn-Waxler, Carolyn
2009-01-01
An accumulating body of literature has shown a link between early pubertal maturation and internalizing problems, particularly among girls. Our knowledge is, however, limited with regard to what accounts for this association. Based on a hypothesis that early maturing girls have heightened stress sensitivity that increases the risk of internalizing…
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Early Puberty in African-American Girls: Nutrition Past and Present.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Talpade, Medha; Talpade, Salil
2001-01-01
Early sexual maturation is associated with many high-risk behaviors and a prediction was made that food consumption may contribute to early onset of puberty. A comparison was made between the eating habits of several generations of African-American women. Girls today were found to consume more calcium, grains, and meat then older women did in…
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Detrimental Psychological Outcomes Associated with Early Pubertal Timing in Adolescent Girls
Mendle, Jane; Turkheimer, Eric; Emery, Robert E.
2010-01-01
Though often discussed as though it were a discrete event, puberty comprises one segment of a larger developmental continuum and is notable for rapid transformation across a multitude of domains. Research suggests that an earlier rate of pubertal maturation in girls correlates with a number of detrimental outcomes compared with on-time or later maturation. The present review synthesizes the research on negative psychological sequelae of early pubertal timing in adolescent girls. Emphasis is on three theoretical perspectives by which precocious development is believed to affect the emergence of adverse outcomes: biological, psychosocial, and selection effects. PMID:20740062
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Validation of maturity offset in a longitudinal sample of Polish girls.
Malina, Robert M; Kozieł, Sławomir M
2014-01-01
This study attempted to validate an anthropometric equation for predicting age at peak height velocity (PHV) in 198 Polish girls followed longitudinally from 8 to 18 years. Maturity offset (years before or after PHV) was predicted from chronological age, mass, stature, sitting height and estimated leg length at each observation; predicted age at PHV was the difference between age and maturity offset. Actual age at PHV for each girl was derived with Preece-Baines Model 1. Predicted ages at PHV increased from 8 to16 years and varied relative to time before and after actual age at PHV. Predicted and actual ages at PHV did not differ at 9 years, but predicted overestimated actual age at PHV from 10 to 16 years. Girls of contrasting maturity status differed in predicted age at PHV from 8 to 14 years. In conclusion, predicted age at PHV is dependent upon age at prediction and individual differences in actual age at PHV, which limits its utility as an indicator of maturity timing in general and in sport talent programmes. It may have limited applicability as a categorical variable (pre-, post-PHV) among average maturing girls during the interval of the growth spurt, ~11.0-13.0 years.
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Early-life Determinants of Stunted Adolescent Girls and Boys in Matlab, Bangladesh
Bosch, Alinda M.; Baqui, Abdullah H.; van Ginneken, Jeroen K.
2008-01-01
This paper presents the results of a longitudinal study, conducted in Matlab, Bangladesh, that examined to what extent the level of stunting in adolescence can be predicted by nutritional status in early childhood and maternal height. A linked set of data collected from the same individuals at two moments in time, i.e. early childhood (1988–1989) and adolescence (2001), was analyzed. The study found that the odds of being stunted in adolescence could be explained by the combined effect of being stunted in childhood and having a mother whose height was less than 145 cm. Also, girls were more likely than boys to be stunted in childhood, whereas boys were more likely than girls to be stunted in adolescence. The latter is probably attributable to differences in the pace of maturation. In terms of policy and (reproductive health) programmes, it is important to recall that adolescent girls whose height and weight were subnormal (weight <45 kg and height <145 cm) might run an obstetric risk. Following these cut-off points, 83% and 23% of 16-year-old girls in this study would face obstetric risk, respectively, for weight and height if they marry and become pregnant soon. PMID:18686552
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Sontag-Padilla, Lisa M.; Dorn, Lorah D.; Tissot, Abbigail; Susman, Elizabeth J.; Beers, Sue R.; Rose, Susan R.
2012-01-01
The study examined the interaction between early maturational timing [as measured by premature adrenarche (PA)] and executive functioning and cortisol reactivity on symptoms of psychopathology. The study included 76 girls aged 6 through 8 years (mean = 7.50; SD = .85) with PA (n = 40) and on-time adrenarche (n = 36). Girls completed a battery of psychological and neuropsychological tests and blood sampling for cortisol. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Results demonstrated that girls with PA with lower levels of executive functioning had higher externalizing and anxious symptoms compared to other girls. Additionally, girls with PA who demonstrated increases in serum cortisol had higher externalizing symptoms than those with stable patterns. Finally, girls with PA who demonstrated decreases in cortisol reported higher depressive symptoms. Findings from this study provide important information concerning the impact of cognitive functioning and stress reactivity on adjustment to early maturation in girls with PA. Results of this research may inform screening and intervention efforts for girls who may be at greatest risk for emotional and behavioral problems as a result of early maturation. PMID:22293005
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Early Puberty, Friendship Group Characteristics, and Dating Abuse in US Girls.
Chen, Frances R; Rothman, Emily F; Jaffee, Sara R
2017-06-01
The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between advanced pubertal development and adolescent dating abuse (ADA) and to test if this relationship is moderated by friendship group characteristics in a nationally representative sample of US girls. Data were drawn from wave 1 and 2 (1995-1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The sample included 3870 girls aged 13 to 17 years, all of whom were in romantic and/or nonromantic sexual relationships. Relative pubertal development was measured as perceived physical development as compared with peers of the same age and race and age at menarche at wave 1. Participants reported at wave 2 whether they had experienced any verbal or physical abuse in their relationships. Friendship group characteristics included the percentage of boy friends, older friends, and friends' risk behavior level. Negative binomial regression analyses revealed an interaction between advanced pubertal development and percentage of boy friends on ADA victimization, adjusted for age, race, parents' marital status, household income, number of relationships, self-esteem, self-control, and antisocial behavior history. Advanced pubertal development was associated with more ADA victimization when girls' friendship groups comprised a higher percentage of boys. Findings highlight the importance of pubertal timing and friendship group characteristics to ADA victimization. Early pubertal development is a risk marker for ADA victimization, particularly when a higher percentage of girls' friends are boys. Pediatricians and adolescent health specialists should be sensitive to the elevated risk for ADA victimization in early-maturing girls. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Depression Prevention for Early Adolescent Girls
Chaplin, Tara M.; Gillham, Jane E.; Reivich, Karen; Elkon, Andrea G. L.; Samuels, Barbra; Freres, Derek R.; Winder, Breanna; Seligman, Martin E. P.
2015-01-01
Given the dramatic increase in depression that occurs during early adolescence in girls, interventions must address the needs of girls. The authors examined whether a depression prevention program, the Penn Resiliency Program, was more effective for girls in all-girls groups than in co-ed groups. Within co-ed groups, the authors also tested whether there were greater effects for boys than for girls. Participants were 208 11- to 14-year-olds. Girls were randomly assigned to all-girls groups, co-ed groups, or control. Boys were assigned to co-ed groups or control. Students completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and explanatory style before and after the intervention. Girls groups were better than co-ed groups in reducing girls’hopelessness and for session attendance rates but were similar to co-ed groups in reducing depressive symptoms. Co-ed groups decreased depressive symptoms, but this did not differ by gender. Findings support prevention programs and suggest additional benefits of girls groups. PMID:26139955
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2017-01-01
Dental maturity is associated with skeletal maturity, which is advanced in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP). We investigated the performance of dental maturity as a screening method for CPP using mandibular second premolar and molar calcification stages, assessed the associated anthropometric and laboratory factors, and evaluated pubertal response predictors using the gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test (GnRHST) in prepubertal and pubertal girls. A prospective case-control study was conducted in girls, aged 7.0–8.9 years, classified into pubertal (peak luteinizing hormone [LH] after GnRHST ≥ 5 IU/L), prepubertal (peak LH < 5 IU/L), and control groups. Auxological and biochemical tests, panoramic radiographs, and GnRHSTs in participants with breast development were conducted. Dental maturity was assessed using the Demirjian index (DI). We included 103 girls (pubertal, 40; prepubertal, 19; control, 44). Chronological age (CA) was not significantly different between groups. Bone age (BA) and BA advancement was higher in the pubertal and prepubertal groups. Increased DI values at the mandibular second premolar and molar were significantly associated with CA, BA, BA advancement, height standard deviation score (SDS), peak LH after GnRHST, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (all P < 0.05). Moreover, odds ratio (OR) of the mandibular second premolar and molar (a DI value of ≥ E) for predicting a positive response to GnRHST was 8.7 (95% confidence intervals [CI], 2.9–26.1) and 5.2 (95% CI, 2.2–12.7), respectively. Dental maturity was a strong predictor for diagnosing CPP. Determining dental maturity in girls with suspected precocious puberty might help determine the performance of GnRHSTs. PMID:28049241
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Baik, Jee Seon; Choi, Jin Woo; Kim, Su Jin; Kim, Ji Hyun; Kim, Sollip; Kim, Jae Hyun
2017-02-01
Dental maturity is associated with skeletal maturity, which is advanced in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP). We investigated the performance of dental maturity as a screening method for CPP using mandibular second premolar and molar calcification stages, assessed the associated anthropometric and laboratory factors, and evaluated pubertal response predictors using the gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test (GnRHST) in prepubertal and pubertal girls. A prospective case-control study was conducted in girls, aged 7.0-8.9 years, classified into pubertal (peak luteinizing hormone [LH] after GnRHST ≥ 5 IU/L), prepubertal (peak LH < 5 IU/L), and control groups. Auxological and biochemical tests, panoramic radiographs, and GnRHSTs in participants with breast development were conducted. Dental maturity was assessed using the Demirjian index (DI). We included 103 girls (pubertal, 40; prepubertal, 19; control, 44). Chronological age (CA) was not significantly different between groups. Bone age (BA) and BA advancement was higher in the pubertal and prepubertal groups. Increased DI values at the mandibular second premolar and molar were significantly associated with CA, BA, BA advancement, height standard deviation score (SDS), peak LH after GnRHST, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (all P < 0.05). Moreover, odds ratio (OR) of the mandibular second premolar and molar (a DI value of ≥ E) for predicting a positive response to GnRHST was 8.7 (95% confidence intervals [CI], 2.9-26.1) and 5.2 (95% CI, 2.2-12.7), respectively. Dental maturity was a strong predictor for diagnosing CPP. Determining dental maturity in girls with suspected precocious puberty might help determine the performance of GnRHSTs.
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Harden, K. Paige; Mendle, Jane
2014-01-01
Early pubertal timing places girls at elevated risk for a breadth of negative outcomes, including involvement in delinquent behavior. While previous developmental research has emphasized the unique social challenges faced by early maturing girls, this relation is complicated by genetic influences for both delinquent behavior and pubertal timing, which are seldom controlled for in existing research. The current study uses genetically informed data on 924 female-female twin and sibling pairs drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to (1) disentangle biological versus environmental mechanisms for the effects of early pubertal timing and (2) test for gene-environment interactions. Results indicate that early pubertal timing influences girls’ delinquency through a complex interplay between biological risk and environmental experiences. Genes related to earlier age at menarche and higher perceived development significantly predict increased involvement in both non-violent and violent delinquency. Moreover, after accounting for this genetic association between pubertal timing and delinquency, the impact of non-shared environmental influences on delinquency are significantly moderated by pubertal timing, such that the non-shared environment is most important among early maturing girls. This interaction effect is particularly evident for non-violent delinquency. Overall, results suggest early maturing girls are vulnerable to an interaction between genetic and environmental risks for delinquent behavior. PMID:21668078
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Byun, Bo-Ram; Kim, Yong-Il; Yamaguchi, Tetsutaro; Maki, Koutaro; Son, Woo-Sung
2015-01-01
This study was aimed to examine the correlation between skeletal maturation status and parameters from the odontoid process/body of the second vertebra and the bodies of third and fourth cervical vertebrae and simultaneously build multiple regression models to be able to estimate skeletal maturation status in Korean girls. Hand-wrist radiographs and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained from 74 Korean girls (6-18 years of age). CBCT-generated cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) was used to demarcate the odontoid process and the body of the second cervical vertebra, based on the dentocentral synchondrosis. Correlation coefficient analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used for each parameter of the cervical vertebrae (P < 0.05). Forty-seven of 64 parameters from CBCT-generated CVM (independent variables) exhibited statistically significant correlations (P < 0.05). The multiple regression model with the greatest R (2) had six parameters (PH2/W2, UW2/W2, (OH+AH2)/LW2, UW3/LW3, D3, and H4/W4) as independent variables with a variance inflation factor (VIF) of <2. CBCT-generated CVM was able to include parameters from the second cervical vertebral body and odontoid process, respectively, for the multiple regression models. This suggests that quantitative analysis might be used to estimate skeletal maturation status.
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Byun, Bo-Ram; Kim, Yong-Il; Maki, Koutaro; Son, Woo-Sung
2015-01-01
This study was aimed to examine the correlation between skeletal maturation status and parameters from the odontoid process/body of the second vertebra and the bodies of third and fourth cervical vertebrae and simultaneously build multiple regression models to be able to estimate skeletal maturation status in Korean girls. Hand-wrist radiographs and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained from 74 Korean girls (6–18 years of age). CBCT-generated cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) was used to demarcate the odontoid process and the body of the second cervical vertebra, based on the dentocentral synchondrosis. Correlation coefficient analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used for each parameter of the cervical vertebrae (P < 0.05). Forty-seven of 64 parameters from CBCT-generated CVM (independent variables) exhibited statistically significant correlations (P < 0.05). The multiple regression model with the greatest R 2 had six parameters (PH2/W2, UW2/W2, (OH+AH2)/LW2, UW3/LW3, D3, and H4/W4) as independent variables with a variance inflation factor (VIF) of <2. CBCT-generated CVM was able to include parameters from the second cervical vertebral body and odontoid process, respectively, for the multiple regression models. This suggests that quantitative analysis might be used to estimate skeletal maturation status. PMID:25878721
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Macdonald, Heather M; Kontulainen, Saija A; Mackelvie-O'Brien, Kerry J; Petit, Moira A; Janssen, Patricia; Khan, Karim M; McKay, Heather A
2005-06-01
During growth, bone strength is conferred through subtle adaptations in bone mass and geometry in response to muscle forces. Few studies have examined the changes in bone geometry, strength and the bone-muscle strength relationship across maturity in boys and girls. Our aims were to describe (i) 20-month changes in bone geometry and strength at the tibial midshaft across three maturity groups of boys and girls, (ii) differences in these adaptations between sexes at the same approximate level of maturity and (iii) the bone-muscle strength relationship across maturity groups of boys and girls and between sexes. We used peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT, Stratec XCT-2000) to measure change in total bone cross-sectional area (ToA, mm(2)), cortical area (CoA, mm(2)), average cortical thickness (C.Th., mm), section modulus (mm(3)) and muscle cross-sectional area (mm(2)) at the tibial midshaft (50% site) in 128 EARLY-, PERI- and POST-pubertal girls (n = 69, 11.9 +/- 0.6 years) and boys (n = 59, 12.0 +/- 0.6 years) across 20 months. We also calculated two bone-muscle strength indices (BMSI) for compression (CoA/MCSA) and bending [strength index/MCSA; where strength index = Z / (tibial length / 2)]. EARLY boys and girls had smaller ToA at baseline than same sex PERI or POST participants. There were no sex differences in ToA or CoA at baseline; however, boys increased both parameters significantly more than girls in every maturity group (8.5-11.1%, P < 0.01). These changes in bone geometry conferred greater gains in bone strength for boys compared with girls in each maturity group (13.8-15.6%, P < 0.01). Baseline BMSIs did not differ between sexes for EARLY and PERI groups, whereas BMSIs were significantly higher for POST boys compared with POST girls (P < 0.05). BMSIs decreased for EARLY and PERI girls (-7.4-(-1.1%)) whereas the ratios remained stable for EARLY and PERI boys (-0.6-2.5%). This sex difference in BMSI change was due to a relatively greater
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Correlation between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity.
Chen, Jianwei; Hu, Haikun; Guo, Jing; Liu, Zeping; Liu, Renkai; Li, Fan; Zou, Shujuan
2010-12-01
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dental and skeletal maturity. Digital panoramic radiographs and lateral skull cephalograms of 302 patients (134 boys and 168 girls, ranging from 8 to 16 years of age) were examined. Dental maturity was assessed by calcification stages of the mandibular canines, first and second premolars, and second molars, whereas skeletal maturity was estimated by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) stages. The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient was used to measure the association between CVM stage and dental calcification stage of individual teeth. The mean chronologic age of girls was significantly lower than that of boys in each CVM stage. The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity ranged from 0.391 to 0.582 for girls and from 0.464 to 0.496 for boys (P < 0.05). In girls, the mandibular second molar had the highest and the canine the lowest correlation. In boys, the canine had the highest and the first premolar the lowest correlation. Tooth calcification stage was significantly correlated with cervical vertebral maturation stage. The development of the mandibular second molar in females and that of the mandibular canine in males had the strongest correlations with cervical vertebral maturity. Therefore, it is practical to consider the relationship between dental and skeletal maturity when planning orthodontic treatment. Copyright © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Lu, Wencheng; Hou, Wensheng; Sun, Shi; Yan, Hongrui; Han, Tianfu
2014-01-01
Background With the migration of human beings, advances of agricultural sciences, evolution of planting patterns and global warming, soybeans have expanded to both tropical and high-latitude cold regions (HCRs). Unlike other regions, HCRs have much more significant and diverse photoperiods and temperature conditions over seasons or across latitudes, and HCR soybeans released there show rich diversity in maturity traits. However, HCR soybeans have not been as well classified into maturity groups (MGs) as other places. Therefore, it is necessary to identify MGs in HCRs and to genotype the maturity loci. Methods Local varieties were collected from the northern part of Northeast China and the far-eastern region of Russia. Maturity group reference (MGR) soybeans of MGs MG000, MG00, and MG0 were used as references during field experiments. Both local varieties and MGR soybeans were planted for two years (2010-2011) in Heihe (N 50°15′, E 127°27′, H 168.5 m), China. The days to VE (emergence), R1 (beginning bloom) and R7 (beginning maturity) were recorded and statistically analyzed. Furthermore, some varieties were further genotyped at four molecularly-identified maturity loci E1, E2, E3 and E4. Results The HCR varieties were classified into MG0 or even more early-maturing. In Heihe, some varieties matured much earlier than MG000, which is the most early-maturing known MG, and clustered into a separate group. We designated the group as MG0000, following the convention of MGs. HCR soybeans had relatively stable days to beginning bloom from emergence. The HCR varieties diversified into genotypes of E1, E2, E3 and E4. These loci had different effects on maturity. Conclusion HCRs diversify early-maturing MGs of soybean. MG0000, a new MG that matures much earlier than known MGs, was developed. HCR soybean breeding should focus more on shortening post-flowering reproductive growth. E1, E2, E3, and E4 function differentially. PMID:24740097
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Jia, Hongchang; Jiang, Bingjun; Wu, Cunxiang; Lu, Wencheng; Hou, Wensheng; Sun, Shi; Yan, Hongrui; Han, Tianfu
2014-01-01
With the migration of human beings, advances of agricultural sciences, evolution of planting patterns and global warming, soybeans have expanded to both tropical and high-latitude cold regions (HCRs). Unlike other regions, HCRs have much more significant and diverse photoperiods and temperature conditions over seasons or across latitudes, and HCR soybeans released there show rich diversity in maturity traits. However, HCR soybeans have not been as well classified into maturity groups (MGs) as other places. Therefore, it is necessary to identify MGs in HCRs and to genotype the maturity loci. Local varieties were collected from the northern part of Northeast China and the far-eastern region of Russia. Maturity group reference (MGR) soybeans of MGs MG000, MG00, and MG0 were used as references during field experiments. Both local varieties and MGR soybeans were planted for two years (2010-2011) in Heihe (N 50°15', E 127°27', H 168.5 m), China. The days to VE (emergence), R1 (beginning bloom) and R7 (beginning maturity) were recorded and statistically analyzed. Furthermore, some varieties were further genotyped at four molecularly-identified maturity loci E1, E2, E3 and E4. The HCR varieties were classified into MG0 or even more early-maturing. In Heihe, some varieties matured much earlier than MG000, which is the most early-maturing known MG, and clustered into a separate group. We designated the group as MG0000, following the convention of MGs. HCR soybeans had relatively stable days to beginning bloom from emergence. The HCR varieties diversified into genotypes of E1, E2, E3 and E4. These loci had different effects on maturity. HCRs diversify early-maturing MGs of soybean. MG0000, a new MG that matures much earlier than known MGs, was developed. HCR soybean breeding should focus more on shortening post-flowering reproductive growth. E1, E2, E3, and E4 function differentially.
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Context. Animal studies suggest that lead exposure may delay sexual maturation, raising concern about children's environmental lead exposure.
Objective. Assess the realtion between blood lead and sexual maturation in girls.
Design. Third National and Nutrition Examinatio... -
McCartney, Christopher R.; Blank, Susan K.; Prendergast, Kathleen A.; Chhabra, Sandhya; Eagleson, Christine A.; Helm, Kristin D.; Yoo, Richard; Chang, R. Jeffrey; Foster, Carol M.; Caprio, Sonia; Marshall, John C.
2008-01-01
Context Peripubertal obesity is associated with abnormal sex steroid concentrations, but the timing of onset and degree of these abnormalities remain unclear. Objective To assess the degree of hyperandrogenemia across puberty in obese girls, and to assess overnight sex steroid changes in Tanner 1–3 girls. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting General Clinical Research Centers. Subjects Thirty normal weight (BMI-for-age < 85%) and 74 obese (BMI-for-age ≥ 95%) peripubertal girls. Intervention Blood samples (circa 0500–0700 h) while fasting. Samples from the preceding evening (circa 2300 h) were obtained in 23 Tanner 1–3 girls. Main outcome measures Hormone concentrations stratified by Tanner stage. Results Compared to normal weight girls, mean free testosterone (T) was elevated 2- to 9-fold across puberty in obese girls, while fasting insulin was 3-fold elevated in obese Tanner 1–3 girls (P < 0.05). Mean LH was lower in obese Tanner 1 and 2 girls (P < 0.05), but not in more mature girls. In a subgroup of normal weight Tanner 1–3 girls (n = 17), mean progesterone (P) and T increased overnight 2.3- and 2.4-fold, respectively (P ≤ 0.001). In obese Tanner 1–3 girls (n = 6), evening P and T were elevated, and both tended to increase overnight (mean 1.4- and 1.6-fold, respectively [P = 0.06]). Conclusions Peripubertal obesity is associated with hyperandrogenemia and hyperinsulinemia throughout puberty, being especially marked shortly before and during early puberty. Progesterone and testosterone concentrations in normal weight Tanner 1–3 girls increase overnight, with similar but less evident changes in obese girls. PMID:17118995
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Eating behaviors among early adolescent African American girls and their mothers.
Reed, Monique; Dancy, Barbara; Holm, Karyn; Wilbur, JoEllen; Fogg, Louis
2013-12-01
African American (AA) girls aged 10-12 living in urban communities designated as food deserts have a significantly greater prevalence of overweight and obesity than girls that age in the general population. The purpose of our study was (a) to examine the agreement in nutritional intake between AA girls aged 10-12 and their mothers and (b) to determine if the girls' weight categories were associated with their or their mothers demographic characteristics, eating behaviors, nutritional intake, and health problem. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in predominantly low-income AA communities in Chicago. Forty-three dyads of early adolescent AA girls and their mothers responded to food frequency and eating habits questionnaires. There was a strong and significant correlation between mother's and daughter's kilocalories consumed (r = .61). Our study suggests that interventions aimed at improving eating behaviors in early adolescent AA girls should include their mothers.
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Marván, Ma Luisa; Alcalá-Herrera, Verónica
2014-04-01
To investigate the relationships between menarcheal timing and both menarcheal experience and attitudes toward menstruation in Mexican girls. Cross-sectional survey. Sample of adolescents attending 10 different public schools. Mexican postmenarcheal adolescents, aged 11-16 years. Participants answered 1 questionnaire about menarcheal experience and another about attitudes towards menstruation. Early maturers (menarche before 11 years) were more likely than average (menarche at 11 or 12 years) or late maturers (menarche at 13 or more years) to state they had not known what they should do at the moment they got their first period (P < .01), that they had not felt prepared to start menstruating (P < .05), and that they thought they must keep secret the fact of already having had their first period (P < .05). Concerning their emotional reactions to menarche, early maturers were the most likely to have felt scared (P < .05), worried (P < .05) and sad (P < .05) and were the least likely to have felt calm (P < .05). They were also the most likely to show current secretive attitudes towards menstruation (P < .01). Finally, late maturers showed more positive attitudes toward menstruation than their peers (P < .01). These results could be useful for developing resources to help early maturing girls manage menstruation. Since these girls have limited or in some cases no time for preparation, they need special support. Copyright © 2014 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Kramer, Karen L; Greaves, Russell D; Ellison, Peter T
2009-01-01
Life history theory places central importance on relationships between ontogeny, reproduction, and mortality. Fast human life histories have been theoretically and empirically associated with high mortality regimes. This relationship, however, poses an unanswered question about energy allocation. In epidemiologically stressful environments, a greater proportion of energy is allocated to immune function. If growth and maintenance are competing energetic expenditures, less energy should be available for growth, and the mechanism to sustain rapid maturation remains unclear. The human pattern of extended juvenile provisioning and resource sharing may provide an important source of variation in energy availability not predicted by tradeoff models that assume independence at weaning. We consider a group of South American foragers to evaluate the effects that pooled energy budgets may have on early reproduction. Despite growing up in an environment with distinct seasonal under-nutrition, harsh epidemiological conditions, and no health care, Pumé girls mature quickly and initiate childbearing in their midteens. Pooled energy budgets compensate for the low productivity of girls not only through direct food transfers but importantly by reducing energy they would otherwise expend in foraging activities to meet metabolic requirements. We suggest that pooled energy budgets affect energy availability at both extrinsic and intrinsic levels. Because energy budgets are pooled, Pumé girls and young women are buffered from environmental downturns and can maximize energy allocated to growth completion and initiate reproduction earlier than a traditional bound-energy model would predict. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Pathways to Early Coital Debut for Adolescent Girls: A Recursive Partitioning Analysis
Pearson, Matthew R.; Kholodkov, Tatyana; Henson, James M.; Impett, Emily A.
2011-01-01
The current study examined pathways to early coital debut among early to middle adolescent girls in the United States. In a two-year longitudinal study of 104 adolescent girls, we conducted Recursive Partitioning (RP) analyses to examine the specific factors that were related to engaging in first intercourse by the 10th grade among adolescent girls who had not yet engaged in sexual intercourse by the 8th grade. RP analyses identified subsamples of girls who had low, medium, and high likelihoods of engaging in early coital debut based on six variables (i.e., school aspirations, early physical intimacy experiences, depression, body objectification, body image, and relationship inauthenticity). For example, girls in the lowest likelihood group (3% had engaged in sex by the 10th grade) reported no prior experiences with being touched under their clothes, low body objectification, high aspirations to complete graduate education, and low depressive symptoms; girls in the highest likelihood group (75% had engaged in sex by the 10th grade) also reported no prior experiences with being touched under their clothes but had high levels of body objectification. The implications of these analyses for the development of female adolescent sexuality as well as for advances in quantitative methods are discussed. PMID:21512947
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Wang, Weijun; Zhen, Xin; Sun, Xu; Zhu, Zezhang; Zhu, Feng; Lam, T P; Cheng, Jack C Y; Qiu, Yong
2012-01-01
A grading system for ossification of the iliac apophysis (Risser sign) was developed for skeletal maturity assessment in the United States (US) then adopted with modifications in France (Fr) and other countries. Despite the same name, these systems have important differences. With the aim to analyzing the difference between US and Fr Risser grading systems in determining the growth maturity of girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), Fifty-three AIS girls undergoing posterior spinal correction with autogenous bone graft were recruited. The Risser grades were recorded for the non-dominant side iliac crest apophysis according to the US and Fr grading systems. Growth activity was determined by standard histologic grades (HGs) on iliac crest cartilage. As a result, Kappa statistics showed poor agreement between two grading systems. The US system showed higher correlation with HGs compared to Fr system by Spearman correlation analysis. It was also found that growth cessation could be determined by Risser grade 5 of US system or Risser grade 4 of Fr system. Furthermore, by employing Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, it was found that the Risser grade 4-5 of US system with two years after menarche could be used in determining growth cessation with the highest sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Hence it was concluded that the US Risser grading system was better in determining maturity of girls with AIS than Fr Risser grading system. By combining years since menarche, the accuracy of Risser grades in determining growth cessation could be enhanced, and the time of weaning from a brace could be advanced.
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Morales-Vives, Fabia; Dueñas, Jorge Manuel
2018-04-10
In recent years, suicide rates have increased in adolescents and the young population, so these age groups are considered as populations at risk. Considering that suicidal ideation is the first sign of possible future suicide behavior, the objective of this study is to determine the relative importance of psychological maturity, personality, depression and life satisfaction in predicting suicidal ideation in adolescents. Results show that depressive symptoms is the variable that best predicts suicidal ideation, but psychological maturity, life satisfaction and emotional stability are predictors as well (R2 = .51, p < .001). However, the Multigroup Structural Equation Models analyses carried out show that emotional stability has an indirect relationship with suicidal ideation, through its relationship with depressive symptoms, life satisfaction and identity. Two Multigroup Structural Equation Models were proposed to better understand the relationships between these variables for each sex. The results show that the fit of the model that includes the variable Self-reliance is better for boys than for girls (chi-square contributions of 8.175 for girls and 1.978 for boys) unlike the other model (chi-square contributions of 0.288 for girls and 1.650 for boys). These results suggest that the psychological maturity subscale Self-reliance play a role in suicidal ideation in males but not in females. Although there have been no previous studies on the role of psychological maturity as a predictor of suicidal phenomena, the current study suggests that it is a feature to be considered in the prediction of adolescent suicidal ideation.
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van der Molen, Elsa; Blokland, Arjan A J; Hipwell, Alison E; Vermeiren, Robert R J M; Doreleijers, Theo A H; Loeber, Rolf
2015-07-01
It is widely recognized that early onset of disruptive behavior is linked to a variety of detrimental outcomes in males, later in life. In contrast, little is known about the association between girls' childhood trajectories of disruptive behavior and adjustment problems in early adolescence. This study used nine waves of data from the ongoing Pittsburgh Girls Study. A semiparametric group-based model was used to identify trajectories of disruptive behavior in 1,513 girls from age 6 to 12 years. Adjustment problems were characterized by depression, self-harm, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance use, interpersonal aggression, sexual behavior, affiliation with delinquent peers, and academic achievement at ages 13 and 14. Three trajectories of childhood disruptive behavior were identified: low, medium, and high. Girls in the high group were at increased risk for depression, self-harm, PTSD, illegal substance use, interpersonal aggression, early and risky sexual behavior, and lower academic achievement. The likelihood of multiple adjustment problems increased with trajectories reflecting higher levels of disruptive behavior. Girls following the high childhood trajectory of disruptive behavior require early intervention programs to prevent multiple, adverse outcomes in adolescence and further escalation in adulthood. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
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Garcia, Catarina; Teles, Júlia; Barrigas, Carlos; Fragoso, Isabel
2018-06-01
The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between biological maturation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Portuguese children and adolescents of both sexes when the effect of chronological age (CA) and volume of physical activity (VPA) were removed. HRQoL, biological maturation, CA, and VPA were assessed in 750 children and adolescents, 11-17 years old, from 3 schools in Lisbon, Portugal. The KIDSCREEN-52 was used to assess HRQoL. Maturity indicator was bone age (BA), using Tanner-Whitehouse III method (TW3). The participants were classified into three different maturity categories: late, on time, and early maturers. VPA was assessed by questionnaire (RAPIL II). An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), using the CA and the VPA as covariates was completed. The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Analysis of covariance suggested an influence of biological maturation in physical well-being dimension in both sexes, with early-maturing girls and boys having worst perception. Maturity groups were also influent in moods and emotions for girls. CA seems to be particularly important in self-perception and parent relation and home life for girls and in school environment for boys. Biological maturation and CA have relevant impact on some HRQoL dimensions. These variables, due to their nature and effect should be considered particularly when working with specific domains of HRQoL as physical well-being in both sexes, moods and emotions and self-perception and parent relation and home life for girls and in school environment for boys.
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Sun, Ying; Deng, Fang; Liu, Yang; Tao, Fang-Biao
2015-01-01
Objective. The present study aimed at investigating unique patterns of salivary cortisol reactivity and recovery in response to a social stressor among girls with early puberty and exploring possible role of depressive symptom in this association. Design. Case-control study. Patients. Fifty-six girls with early puberty and age- and body mass index- (BMI-) matched normal puberty controls (n = 56) were selected. Measurements. Salivary cortisol was measured in response to the Groningen Social Stress Test for Children. Results. Girls with early puberty had higher cortisol concentration at the end of the GSST (C3), cortisol concentration 20 min after the end of the GSST (C4), and AUC increment (AUCi) compared to non-early puberty girls. Depressive symptoms correlated with blunted HPA reactivity among girls with early puberty. Conclusion. This study demonstrated the disturbance effect of objectively examined early pubertal timing on HPA axis responses. It also suggested that stress reactivity might be blunted for individuals with depressive symptoms.
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Social status strategy in early adolescent girls: Testosterone and value-based decision making.
Cardoos, Stephanie L; Ballonoff Suleiman, Ahna; Johnson, Megan; van den Bos, Wouter; Hinshaw, Stephen P; Dahl, Ronald E
2017-07-01
There has been strong interest, spanning several disciplines, in understanding adolescence as a developmental period of increased risk-taking behavior. Our goals focus on one line of investigation within this larger developmental risk framework. Specifically, we examined levels of pubertal hormones in girls in relation to their willingness to take greater financial risks to gain social status. To this end, we tested the hypothesis that higher levels of testosterone during the ages of pubertal maturation are associated with a greater willingness to sacrifice money for social admiration. Sixty-three girls ages 10-14 (M age =12.74) participated in laboratory measures and completed at-home saliva sample collection. The Pubertal Development Scale (PDS) and basal hormone levels (testosterone, estradiol, DHEA) measured pubertal maturation. We made use of a developmentally appropriate version of an Auction Task in which adolescents could take financial risks in order to gain socially motivated outcomes (social status). PDS and testosterone were each associated with overall levels of financial risk taking over the course of the Auction Task. In hierarchical models, PDS and testosterone were predictors of the slope of overbidding over the course of the task. Results provide evidence for the role of testosterone and pubertal maturation in girls' motivations to engage in costly decision making in order to gain social status. Findings contribute to our understanding of the developmental underpinnings of some interesting aspects of adolescent risk behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Deardorff, Julianna; Cham, Heining; Gonzales, Nancy A.; White, Rebecca M. B.; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Wong, Jessie J.; Roosa, Mark W.
2013-01-01
Early-maturing girls are at risk for internalizing and externalizing problems. Research concerning pubertal timing and mental health among Mexican Americans or the influence of parenting behaviors on these relations has been scarce. This study addressed these gaps. This was a prospective examination of 362 Mexican-origin girls and their mothers in…
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Menarcheal age of girls from dysfunctional families.
Toromanović, Alma; Tahirović, Husref
2004-07-01
The objective of the present study was to determine median age at menarche and the influence of familial instability on maturation. The sample included 7047 girls between the ages of 9 and 17 years from Tuzla Canton. The girls were divided into two groups. Group A (N=5230) comprised girls who lived in families free of strong traumatic events. Group B (N=1817) included girls whose family dysfunction exposed them to prolonged distress. Probit analysis was performed to estimate mean menarcheal age using the Probit procedure of SAS package. The mean menarcheal age calculated by probit analysis for all the girls studied was 13.07 years. In girls from dysfunctional families a very clear shift toward earlier maturation was observed. The mean age at menarche for group B was 13.0 years, which was significantly lower that that for group A, 13.11 years (t=2.92, P<0.01). The results surveyed here lead to the conclusion that girls from dysfunctional families mature not later but even earlier than girls from normal families. This supports the hypothesis that stressful childhood life events accelerate maturation of girls.
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Ebrahimi, Aziz; Zarei, Abdolkarim; Zamani Fardadonbeh, Mojtaba; Lawson, Shaneka
2017-01-01
Limiting the juvenile phase and reducing tree size are the two main challenges for breeders to improve most fruit crops. Early maturation and dwarf cultivars have been reported for many fruit species. "Early mature" and low vigor walnut genotypes were found among seedlings of Persian walnut. Nine microsatellite markers were used to evaluate genetic diversity among "Early Mature" Persian walnut accessions and provide a comparison with "normal growth" accessions. Six maturation related characteristics were also measured in "Early Mature" samples. Phenotypic traits and diversity indices showed relatively high levels of genetic diversity in "Early Mature" seedlings and indicated high differentiation between individuals. Seedling height, the most diverse phenotypic trait, has an important role in the clustering of "Early Mature" accessions. The "Early Mature" type had higher number of alleles, number of effective allele, and Shannon index compared to the "Normal Growth" group. The two types of studied walnuts had different alleles, with more than half of produced alleles specific to a specific group. "Early Mature" and "Normal Growth" walnuts had 27 and 17 private alleles, respectively. Grouping with different methods separated "Early Mature" and "Normal Growth" samples entirely. The presence of moderate to high genetic diversity in "Early Mature" walnuts and high genetic differentiation with "Normal Growth" walnuts, indicated that "Early Mature" walnuts were more diverse and distinct from "Normal Growth" samples. Moreover, our results showed SSR markers were useful for differentiating between "Early Mature" and "Normal Growth" walnuts. A number of identified loci have potential in breeding programs for identification of "Early Mature" walnuts at the germination phase.
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The family antecedents and the subsequent outcomes of early puberty.
Arim, Rübab G; Tramonte, Lucia; Shapka, Jennifer D; Dahinten, V Susan; Willms, J Douglas
2011-11-01
The purpose of this study was to examine both the family antecedents and the outcomes of early puberty, with a particular focus on factors related to family socioeconomic status (SES). The study employed a comprehensive measurement of pubertal development and longitudinal data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. The sample (N = 8,440; 49% girls) included four cohorts of children who were followed biennially for 10 years, starting from age 4-11 to 14-21 years. Data were drawn at different years of age from these cohorts of children. Girls whose fathers were unemployed were more likely to experience early puberty than those whose fathers were employed. For boys, those living with fathers who had not finished secondary school were more likely to experience early puberty. Early maturing girls tended to engage in smoking and drinking at an earlier age compared with their peers. These findings provide support for psychosocial acceleration theory and suggest that different aspects of low family SES may act as a psychosocial stress for early pubertal maturation in boys versus girls, which may lead to engagement in drinking and smoking at a younger age, at least for girls.
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Skoog, Therése; Bayram Özdemir, Sevgi; Stattin, Håkan
2016-02-01
The link between sexual maturation, or pubertal timing, in girls and adolescent depressive symptoms is well-documented, but the underlying processes remain unclear. We examined whether sexual harassment, which has previously been linked to both pubertal timing and depressive symptoms, mediates this link, using a two-wave longitudinal study including 454 girls in 7th (M age = 13.42, SD = .53) and 8th grade (M age = 14.42, SD = .55). Pubertal timing was linked to depressive symptoms in both age groups, and predicted an increase in depressive symptoms among the 7th graders. Sexual harassment significantly mediated the link between pubertal timing and depressive symptoms among the 7th, but not the 8th grade girls. Together, our findings suggest that one way to prevent depressive symptoms among early-maturing girls could be to address sexual harassment in preventive intervention in early adolescence.
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Ruberman, Louise
2011-01-01
The observation of deficits in the capacity for mature emotional self-regulation in girls who cut is noted in the literature (Daldin, 1990; Novick & Novick, 1991; Nock et al., 2008). The acquisition of the ability to respond in a healthy manner to stress and challenge, either from outside or inside the self is one of the most important tasks of early development; girls who cut have not accomplished this developmental task or are seriously compromised in their efforts to do so. The connection between this observation, the psychosexual developmental antecedents of this deficit, and psychodynamic approaches to treatment are explored in the literature and in case reviews.
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Rodriguez, Erin M.; Nichols, Sara; Emerson, Erin; Donenberg, Geri R.
2014-01-01
Disruptive behavior problems (DBP) represent a growing concern for young women (e.g., Snyder & Sickmund, 2006), but gender-specific investigations have been traditionally underrepresented in this area. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations among gender-relevant risk factors for DBP among 217 African American girls in psychiatric care. African American girls, 12–16 years old (M=14.6; SD=1.2), and their primary female caregivers (N=254) were recruited from outpatient mental health clinics and reported on girls’ DBP, heterosexual dating experiences (romantic and sexual), peer relationships, pubertal development, and self-silencing at baseline, 6-, and 12-months. Structural Equation Modeling examined evidence for full versus mediated (via self-silencing) models and the structural relationships (direct and indirect) among key study variables. Results suggest that the full model was a significantly better fit than the mediated model as indicated by a Chi-squared difference test (p < .01). In the full model, direct effects of greater romantic dating experiences and lower quality peer relationships at baseline predicted DBP at 12-months. Sexual dating experiences were more strongly linked with DBP at 12-months for early maturing compared to average or later maturing girls. Indirect effects analyses suggested that girls’ suppression of relational needs, assessed through a measure of self-silencing, explained the association between peer relationships and DBP. Findings highlight the importance of the relational context for girls’ DBP, with treatment implications supporting relationship-based models of care, early intervention, and skill building around negotiating needs with peers and partners. PMID:24748499
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Growth and development of overweight and obese girls.
Wronka, Iwona
2011-01-01
The pattern of development of obesity during childhood and adolescence is unclear, hindering preventive strategies. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in growth and tempo of maturation between overweight or obese and normal weight girls. The data were obtained from 1008 schoolgirls aged 16-18 years for whom earlier data on weight and height were available. The height and body mass were measured and the BMI was calculated. Height and weight in early life were assessed by medical records review. Underweight, overweight and obesity were assessed using the international BMI cut points, defined by Cole et al. Girls in higher BMI categories at 7 years had significantly higher values of BMI at 9, 14 and 16-18 years of age, however only 10% of them were also overweight or obese at youth. Overweight and obese girls tend to lose body weight after the puberty period, whereas normal weight children tend to gain body weight. Overweight and obese children were significantly taller than their peers at 7, 9 and 14 years. Those differences vanished after the puberty period. The rate of height gain between ages 7 and 16-18 years was lower in girls with higher BMI values at childhood. Girls, those who were overweight or obese at young age experience menarche at a younger age than normal weight girls. The obtained data show that overweight and obesity in childhood is associated with rapid tempo of growth and maturity.
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Change in cortical bone density and its distribution differs between boys and girls during puberty.
Kontulainen, Saija A; Macdonald, Heather M; McKay, Heather A
2006-07-01
Postmenarchal girls and premenopausal women have 3-4% higher cortical bone density (CoD, milligrams per cubic centimeter), compared with postpubertal boys and men, respectively. Females' denser cortical bone is thought to serve as a calcium reservoir for reproductive needs. However, prospective data are lacking that describe CoD development and bone mineral density distribution during puberty in both sexes. Thus, our objectives were to assess maturity and sex differences in the 20-month change of CoD and radial distribution of bone mineral density (RDBMD, milligrams per cubic centimeter) in early-, peri-, and postpubertal girls and boys. Maturity groups were based on change in menarcheal status (girls, n = 68) and pubic hair stage (Tanner) (boys, n = 59). Peripheral quantitative computed tomography was used to measure CoD and RDBMD at the tibial middiaphysis. The increase in average CoD was 1.9% [22.8 mg/cm(3); 95% confidence interval (CI), 10-36], 2.8% (33.8 mg/cm(3); 95% CI, 21-47), and 1.5% (55.0 mg/cm(3); 95% CI, 17-93) greater in early, peri-, and postpubertal girls, compared with boys, respectively. Analysis of RDBMD revealed that the change in density distribution varied across pubertal groups in girls. Across puberty, all girls showed an increase in the high density midcortical region, whereas only peripubertal girls showed an increase in the lower density subcortical region. A sex-difference in RDBMD change was noted within early and peripubertal groups. Our findings of sexual dimorphism in CoD development give support to the hypothesis that female bone deposits calcium for reproductive needs by consolidation of cortical bone during puberty.
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The Challenge of Sexual Maturation in Early Adolescence.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services, Ann Arbor, MI.
This fifth chapter in "The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools" looks at the issue of sexual maturation in early adolescence via four articles. "The Counselor's Impact on Middle-Grade Students," by Hershel Thornburg, examines physical, intellectual, and social developmental tasks of early adolescence. "Contraceptive and Sexuality Knowledge…
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Early Childhood Maltreatment and Girls' Sexual Behavior: The Mediating Role of Pubertal Timing.
Ryan, Rebecca M; Mendle, Jane; Markowitz, Anna J
2015-09-01
Although links between early childhood maltreatment and girls' sexual behavior in adolescence have been well established, it is unclear whether different forms of maltreatment are differentially associated with sexual outcomes and whether distinct mechanisms explain associations across maltreatment types. Using data from National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the present study examines whether physical abuse, sexual abuse, and physical neglect in early childhood differentially predict girls' age at first intercourse and number of sexual partners in early adulthood. The study also tests whether early pubertal timing mediates the link between early maltreatment and sexual behavior (N = 6,364). Findings indicate that early sexual and physical abuse were equally predictive of earlier age at first intercourse and a greater number of sexual partners, but that only the sexual abuse-age at first intercourse link was mediated by early puberty. These results suggest that sexual abuse and physical abuse are associated with earlier and riskier sexual behavior in girls relative to no maltreatment and to similar degrees. However, only the link between sexual abuse and sexual behavior involves a biological mechanism manifested in early pubertal timing. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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White matter maturation profiles through early childhood predict general cognitive ability.
Deoni, Sean C L; O'Muircheartaigh, Jonathan; Elison, Jed T; Walker, Lindsay; Doernberg, Ellen; Waskiewicz, Nicole; Dirks, Holly; Piryatinsky, Irene; Dean, Doug C; Jumbe, N L
2016-03-01
Infancy and early childhood are periods of rapid brain development, during which brain structure and function mature alongside evolving cognitive ability. An important neurodevelopmental process during this postnatal period is the maturation of the myelinated white matter, which facilitates rapid communication across neural systems and networks. Though prior brain imaging studies in children (4 years of age and above), adolescents, and adults have consistently linked white matter development with cognitive maturation and intelligence, few studies have examined how these processes are related throughout early development (birth to 4 years of age). Here, we show that the profile of white matter myelination across the first 5 years of life is strongly and specifically related to cognitive ability. Using a longitudinal design, coupled with advanced magnetic resonance imaging, we demonstrate that children with above-average ability show differential trajectories of myelin development compared to average and below average ability children, even when controlling for socioeconomic status, gestation, and birth weight. Specifically, higher ability children exhibit slower but more prolonged early development, resulting in overall increased myelin measures by ~3 years of age. These results provide new insight into the early neuroanatomical correlates of cognitive ability, and suggest an early period of prolonged maturation with associated protracted white matter plasticity may result in strengthened neural networks that can better support later development. Further, these results reinforce the necessity of a longitudinal perspective in investigating typical or suspected atypical cognitive maturation.
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Association Between Early Menarche and School Bullying.
Su, Qiru; Chen, Zhengyang; Li, Ruili; Elgar, Frank J; Liu, Zhihao; Lian, Qiguo
2018-04-25
Early pubertal onset may relate to more involvement in bullying in adolescent girls, both as a target and as a perpetrator. However, the few studies of the association between early menarche and school bullying have shown mixed findings. The present study examined whether early menarche is associated with bullying victimization and perpetration. We obtained survey data on adolescent girls from the 2001-2002, 2005-2006, and 2009-2010 cycles of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study in 35 European and North American countries. We identified school bullying in the past 2 months using the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. We defined early menarche as a reported onset of menarche before 11 years and tested the associations between early menarche and bullying victimization and perpetration using three-level logistic regression models. The sample included 227,443 adolescent girls with a mean age of 13.64 (standard deviation [SD] 1.63) years, of which 10,172 (4.47%) were early matured; 62,528 (28.33%) and 56,582 (25.67%) were occasional victims and perpetrators, respectively; and 21,985 (9.96%) and 14,115 (6.40%) were frequent victims and perpetrators, respectively. Early menarche related to occasional victimization (adjusted odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21 [1.12-1.31]) and perpetration (aOR [95% CI] = 1.19 [1.11-1.27]) and to frequent victimization (aOR [95% CI] = 1.35 [1.22-1.50]) and perpetration (aOR [95% CI] = 1.46 [1.31-1.63]). Early menarche in European and North American adolescent girls positively relates to bullying victimization and perpetration. Early-maturing girls should not be neglected in antibullying programs. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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The Development of the Sexual Self-Concept Inventory for Early Adolescent Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
O'Sullivan, Lucia F.; Meyer-Bahlburg, Heino F. L.; McKeague, Ian W.
2006-01-01
The Sexual Self-Concept Inventory (SSCI) was developed to assess sexual self-concept in an ethnically diverse sample of urban early adolescent girls. Three scales (Sexual Arousability, Sexual Agency, and Negative Sexual Affect) were shown to be distinct and reliable dimensions of girls' sexual self-concepts. Validity was established through…
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COPI selectively drives maturation of the early Golgi
Papanikou, Effrosyni; Day, Kasey J; Austin, Jotham; Glick, Benjamin S
2015-01-01
COPI coated vesicles carry material between Golgi compartments, but the role of COPI in the secretory pathway has been ambiguous. Previous studies of thermosensitive yeast COPI mutants yielded the surprising conclusion that COPI was dispensable both for the secretion of certain proteins and for Golgi cisternal maturation. To revisit these issues, we optimized the anchor-away method, which allows peripheral membrane proteins such as COPI to be sequestered rapidly by adding rapamycin. Video fluorescence microscopy revealed that COPI inactivation causes an early Golgi protein to remain in place while late Golgi proteins undergo cycles of arrival and departure. These dynamics generate partially functional hybrid Golgi structures that contain both early and late Golgi proteins, explaining how secretion can persist when COPI has been inactivated. Our findings suggest that cisternal maturation involves a COPI-dependent pathway that recycles early Golgi proteins, followed by multiple COPI-independent pathways that recycle late Golgi proteins. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13232.001 PMID:26709839
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COPI selectively drives maturation of the early Golgi
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Papanikou, Effrosyni; Day, Kasey J.; Austin, II, Jotham
COPI coated vesicles carry material between Golgi compartments, but the role of COPI in the secretory pathway has been ambiguous. Previous studies of thermosensitive yeast COPI mutants yielded the surprising conclusion that COPI was dispensable both for the secretion of certain proteins and for Golgi cisternal maturation. To revisit these issues, we optimized the anchor-away method, which allows peripheral membrane proteins such as COPI to be sequestered rapidly by adding rapamycin. Video fluorescence microscopy revealed that COPI inactivation causes an early Golgi protein to remain in place while late Golgi proteins undergo cycles of arrival and departure. These dynamics generatemore » partially functional hybrid Golgi structures that contain both early and late Golgi proteins, explaining how secretion can persist when COPI has been inactivated. Lastly, our findings suggest that cisternal maturation involves a COPI-dependent pathway that recycles early Golgi proteins, followed by multiple COPI-independent pathways that recycle late Golgi proteins.« less
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COPI selectively drives maturation of the early Golgi
Papanikou, Effrosyni; Day, Kasey J.; Austin, II, Jotham; ...
2015-12-28
COPI coated vesicles carry material between Golgi compartments, but the role of COPI in the secretory pathway has been ambiguous. Previous studies of thermosensitive yeast COPI mutants yielded the surprising conclusion that COPI was dispensable both for the secretion of certain proteins and for Golgi cisternal maturation. To revisit these issues, we optimized the anchor-away method, which allows peripheral membrane proteins such as COPI to be sequestered rapidly by adding rapamycin. Video fluorescence microscopy revealed that COPI inactivation causes an early Golgi protein to remain in place while late Golgi proteins undergo cycles of arrival and departure. These dynamics generatemore » partially functional hybrid Golgi structures that contain both early and late Golgi proteins, explaining how secretion can persist when COPI has been inactivated. Lastly, our findings suggest that cisternal maturation involves a COPI-dependent pathway that recycles early Golgi proteins, followed by multiple COPI-independent pathways that recycle late Golgi proteins.« less
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Blustein, Erica C.; Munn-Chernoff, Melissa A.; Grant, Julia D.; Sartor, Carolyn E.; Waldron, Mary; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Madden, Pamela A. F.; Heath, Andrew C.
2015-01-01
Objective: Research indicates that low parental monitoring increases the risk for early substance use. Because low parental monitoring tends to co-occur with other familial and neighborhood factors, the specificity of the association is challenging to establish. Using logistic regression and propensity score analyses, we examined associations between low parental monitoring and early substance use in European American (EA) and African American (AA) girls, controlling for risk factors associated with low parental monitoring. Method: Participants were 3,133 EA and 523 AA girls from the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study with data on parental monitoring assessed via self-report questionnaire, and with ages at first use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis queried in at least one of three diagnostic interviews (median ages = 15, 22, and 24 years). Results: The rate of early alcohol use was greater in EA than AA girls, whereas the proportion of AA girls reporting low parental monitoring was higher than in EA girls. EA girls who experienced low parental monitoring were at elevated risk for early alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use, findings supported in both logistic regression and propensity score analyses. Evidence regarding associations between low parental monitoring and risk for early substance use was less definitive forAA girls. Conclusions: Findings highlight the role of parental monitoring in modifying risk for early substance use in EA girls. However, we know little regarding the unique effects, if any, of low parental monitoring on the timing of first substance use in AA girls. PMID:26562593
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Montazeri, Simin; Gharacheh, Maryam; Mohammadi, Nooredin; Alaghband Rad, Javad; Eftekhar Ardabili, Hassan
2016-01-01
Early marriage is a worldwide problem associated with a range of health and social consequences for teenage girls. Designing effective health interventions for managing early marriage needs to apply the community-based approaches. However, it has received less attention from policymakers and health researchers in Iran. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore determinants of early marriage from married girls' perspectives. The study was conducted from May 2013 to January 2015 in Ahvaz, Iran. A purposeful sampling method was used to select fifteen eligible participants. Data were collected through face-to-face, semistructured interviews and were analyzed using the conventional content analysis approach. Three categories emerged from the qualitative data including "family structure," "Low autonomy in decision-making," and "response to needs." According to the results, although the participants were not ready to get married and intended to postpone their marriage, multiple factors such as individual and contextual factors propelled them to early marriage. Given that early marriage is a multifactorial problem, health care providers should consider a multidimensional approach to support and empower these vulnerable girls.
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Costa E Silva, Lara; Fragoso, Maria Isabel; Teles, Júlia
Physical activity (PA) is beneficial, enhancing healthy development. However, one-third of school-age children practicing sports regularly suffer from an injury. These injuries are associated with sex, chronological age, and PA level. To identify the importance of age, PA level, and maturity as predictors of injury in Portuguese youth. Descriptive epidemiological study. Level 3. Information about injury and PA level was assessed via 2 questionnaires (LESADO RAPIL II) from 647 subjects aged 10 to 17 years. Maturity offset according to Mirwald (time before or after peak height velocity) and Tanner-Whitehouse III bone age estimates were used to evaluate maturation. Binary logistic regression and gamma regression were used to determine significant predictors of injury and injury rate. Injury occurrence was higher for both sexes in recreational, school, and federated athletes (athletes engaged in sports that are regulated by their respective federations, with formal competition). These injuries also increased with age in boys and in the higher maturity offset group in girls. Injury rate was higher for both sexes in the no sports participation group. Early-maturing girls, with higher bone age and lower maturity offset, showed higher injury rate. Injuries in Portuguese youth were related to PA level, age, and biological maturation. Recreational, school, and federated athletes had more injury ocurrences while subjects with no sports participation had higher injury risk. Older subjects had more injuries. Early-maturing girls that had just passed peak height velocity may be particularly vulnerable to risk of sports injury because of the growing process. Increased knowledge about injury with specific PA exposure data is important to an overall risk management strategy. This study has deepened the association between injury and biological maturation variables.
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Neuropsychological and Early Maturational Correlates of Intelligence.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Denno, Deborah J.
A study designed to examine biological, sociological, and early maturational correlates of intelligence collected data prospectively, from birth to 15 years of age, on a sample of 987 black children. Multiple indicators of eight independent and three dependent variables were tested in a structural equation model. Altogether, clear sex differences…
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Early Puberty, School Context, and Delinquency Among South Korean Girls.
Park, Hye-Sook; Yun, Ilhong; Walsh, Anthony
2017-05-01
Compared with chronological age, criminologists have paid less attention to the biological sense of age typically expressed by pubertal development. Studies that have examined pubertal timing's effects on delinquency have almost exclusively been conducted in Western countries using mostly White samples. To our knowledge, no study has ever examined this issue in the Asian context. The current study is the first attempt to bridge this research gap by examining the association among menarcheal timing, the sex composition of schools, and delinquency in a representative sample of 1,108 ninth-grade girls in South Korea. The results show that significant association between early menarche and delinquency exists only in mixed-sex schools but not in all-girls schools. In addition, the significant linkage between early menarche and delinquency in mixed-sex schools is mediated by delinquent peer associations.
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Montasser, Mona A; Viana, Grace; Evans, Carla A
2017-04-01
To investigate the presence of secular trends in skeletal maturation of girls and boys as assessed by the use of cervical vertebrae bones. The study compared two main groups: the first included data collected from the Denver growth study (1930s to 1960s) and the second included data collected from recent pretreatment records (1980s to 2010s) of patients from the orthodontic clinic of a North American University. The records from the two groups were all for Caucasian subjects. The sample for each group included 78 lateral cephalographs for girls and the same number for boys. The age of the subjects ranged from 7 to 18 years. Cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) stages were directly assessed from the radiographs according to the method described by Hassel and Farman in which six CVM stages were designated from cervical vertebrae 2, 3, and 4. The mean age of girls from the Denver growth study and girls from the university clinic in each of the six CVM stages was not different at P ≤0.05. However, the mean age of boys from the two groups was not different only in stage 3 (P = 0.139) and stage 4 (P = 0.211). The results showed no evidence to indicate a tendency for earlier skeletal maturation of girls or boys. Boys in the university group started their skeletal maturation later than boys in the Denver group and completed their maturation earlier. Gender was a significant factor affecting skeletal maturation stages in both Denver and university groups. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com
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Do Early Caregiver Concerns Differ for Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Little, Lauren M.; Wallisch, Anna; Salley, Brenda; Jamison, Rene
2017-01-01
Given that early caregiver concerns may be different for children who go on to receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder versus another developmental disability, early caregiver concerns may differ for girls. Using a community-based sample of children (n = 241), we examined the extent to which gender differences may be related to caregiver…
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Hamlat, Elissa J.; Shapero, Benjamin G.; Hamilton, Jessica L.; Stange, Jonathan P.; Abramson, Lyn Y.; Alloy, Lauren B.
2015-01-01
This study prospectively examined pubertal timing and peer victimization as interactive predictors of depressive symptoms in a racially diverse community sample of adolescents. We also expanded on past research by assessing body esteem as a mechanism by which pubertal timing and peer victimization confer risk for depression. In all, 218 adolescents (53.4% female, 49.3% African American, 50.7% Caucasian) completed both a baseline assessment and a follow-up assessment approximately 8 months later. Early maturing Caucasian girls and late maturing African American girls experienced the greatest increases in depressive symptoms at follow-up if they experienced higher levels of peer victimization between baseline and follow-up. Furthermore, body esteem significantly mediated the relationship between pubertal timing, peer victimization, and depressive symptoms for girls of both races. The interaction of pubertal timing and peer victimization did not predict depressive symptoms for boys of either race. These results support body esteem as a mechanism that contributes to increased depression among girls in adolescence—despite a differential impact of pubertal timing for Caucasian and African American girls. PMID:26146433
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Deardorff, Julianna; Cham, Heining; Gonzales, Nancy A; White, Rebecca M B; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Wong, Jessie J; Roosa, Mark W
2013-09-01
Early-maturing girls are at risk for internalizing and externalizing problems. Research concerning pubertal timing and mental health among Mexican Americans or the influence of parenting behaviors on these relations has been scarce. This study addressed these gaps. This was a prospective examination of 362 Mexican-origin girls and their mothers in 3 waves of data. Measures included girls' self-report of pubertal development and girls' and mothers' report of maternal harsh parenting and daughters' mental health. Using structural equation modeling, we examined whether pubertal timing in 5th grade predicted girls' internalizing and externalizing outcomes in 10th grade. We also examined the mediating and moderating effects of harsh parenting on the relations between pubertal timing and internalizing and externalizing behaviors, as well as the influence of mothers' and daughters' nativity on these relations. Results differed depending on reporter and maternal nativity. Using daughters' report, we found that Mexican American mothers' harsh parenting acted as a moderator. At high levels of harsh parenting, early pubertal timing predicted higher externalizing scores, while at low levels of harsh parenting, early timing predicted lower externalizing scores. For Mexican immigrant mothers, harsh parenting mediated the effects of pubertal timing on girls' internalizing and externalizing problems. There were no significant pubertal effects for mothers' report. Findings suggest that maternal harsh parenting plays a key role in the relations between early pubertal timing and behavioral and emotional outcomes among Mexican-origin girls. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.
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Montazeri, Simin; Gharacheh, Maryam; Mohammadi, Nooredin; Alaghband Rad, Javad; Eftekhar Ardabili, Hassan
2016-01-01
Early marriage is a worldwide problem associated with a range of health and social consequences for teenage girls. Designing effective health interventions for managing early marriage needs to apply the community-based approaches. However, it has received less attention from policymakers and health researchers in Iran. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore determinants of early marriage from married girls' perspectives. The study was conducted from May 2013 to January 2015 in Ahvaz, Iran. A purposeful sampling method was used to select fifteen eligible participants. Data were collected through face-to-face, semistructured interviews and were analyzed using the conventional content analysis approach. Three categories emerged from the qualitative data including “family structure,” “Low autonomy in decision-making,” and “response to needs.” According to the results, although the participants were not ready to get married and intended to postpone their marriage, multiple factors such as individual and contextual factors propelled them to early marriage. Given that early marriage is a multifactorial problem, health care providers should consider a multidimensional approach to support and empower these vulnerable girls. PMID:27123012
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ganira, Lilian K.; Inda, Nancy A.; Odundo, Paul A.; Akondo, Joseph Ochieng; Ngaruiya, Boniface
2015-01-01
Early and forced marriage infringes rights of women and girls globally, undermining initiatives to raise involvement in education, reduce maternal mortality, increase employment and enterprise levels. Parental and Communal involvement in Early and Forced Child Marriage negatively influence Girls' Education, which hinders their participation in…
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A biopsychosocial model of body image concerns and disordered eating in early adolescent girls.
Rodgers, Rachel F; Paxton, Susan J; McLean, Siân A
2014-05-01
Body image and eating concerns are prevalent among early adolescent girls, and associated with biological, psychological and sociocultural risk factors. To date, explorations of biopsychosocial models of body image concerns and disordered eating in early adolescent girls are lacking. A sample of 488 early adolescent girls, mean age = 12.35 years (SD = 0.53), completed a questionnaire assessing depressive symptoms, self-esteem, body mass index (BMI), sociocultural appearance pressures, thin-ideal internalization, appearance comparison, body image concerns and disordered eating. Structural equation modelling was conducted to test a hypothetical model in which internalization and comparison were mediators of the effect of both negative affect and sociocultural influences on body image concerns and disordered eating. In addition, the model proposed that BMI would impact body image concerns. Although the initial model was a poor fit to the data, the fit was improved after the addition of a direct pathway between negative affect and bulimic symptoms. The final model explained a large to moderate proportion of the variance in body image and eating concerns. This study supports the role of negative affect in biopsychosocial models of the development of body image concerns and disordered eating in early adolescent girls. Interventions including strategies to address negative affect as well as sociocultural appearance pressures may help decrease the risk for body image concerns and disordered eating among this age group.
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Do Secular Trends in Skeletal Maturity Occur Equally in Both Sexes?
Duren, Dana L; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Sherwood, Richard J
2015-08-01
Skeletal maturity assessment provides information on a child's physical development and expectations based on chronological age. Given recently recognized trends for earlier maturity in a variety of systems, most notably puberty, examination of sex-specific secular trends in skeletal maturation is important. For the orthopaedist, recent trends and changes in developmental timing can affect clinical management (eg, treatment timing) if they are currently based on outdated sources. (1) Has the male or female pediatric skeleton experienced a secular trend for earlier maturation over the past 80 years? (2) Do all indicators of maturity trend in the same direction (earlier versus later)? In this retrospective study, a total of 1240 children were examined longitudinally through hand-wrist radiographs for skeletal maturity based on the Fels method. All subjects participate in the Fels Longitudinal Study based in Ohio and were born between 1930 and 1964 for the "early" cohort and between 1965 and 2001 for the "recent" cohort. Sex-specific secular trends were estimated for (1) mean relative skeletal maturity through linear mixed models; and (2) median age of maturation for individual maturity indicators through logistic regression and generalized estimating equations. Overall relative skeletal maturity was significantly advanced in the recent cohort (maximum difference of 5 months at age 13 years for girls, 4 months at age 15 years for boys). For individual maturity indicators, the direction and magnitude of secular trends varied by indicator type and sex. The following statistically significant secular trends were found: (1) earlier maturation of indicators of fusion in both sexes (4 months for girls, 3 months for boys); (2) later maturation of indicators of projection in long bones in both sexes (3 months for girls, 2 months for boys); (3) earlier maturation of indicators of density (4 months) and projection (3 months) in carpals and density in long bones (6
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Proteomic analysis of 'Zaosu' pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) and its early-maturing bud sport.
Liu, Xueting; Zhai, Rui; Feng, Wenting; Zhang, Shiwei; Wang, Zhigang; Qiu, Zonghao; Zhang, Junke; Ma, Fengwang; Xu, Lingfei
2014-07-01
Maturation of fruits involves a series of physiological, biochemical, and organoleptic changes that eventually make fleshy fruits attractive, palatable, and nutritional. In order to understand the mature mechanism of the early-maturing bud sport of 'Zaosu' pear, we analyzed the differences of proteome expression between the both pears in different mature stages by the methods of a combination of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. Seventy-five differential expressed protein spots (p<0.05) were obtained between 'Zaosu' pear and its early-maturing bud sport, but only sixty-eight were demonstratively identified in the database of NCBI and uniprot. The majority of proteins were linked to metabolism, energy, stress response/defense and cell structure. Additionally, our data confirmed an increase of proteins related to cell-wall modification, oxidative stress and pentose phosphate metabolism and a decrease of proteins related to photosynthesis and glycolysis during the development process of both pears, but all these proteins increased or decreased faster in the early-maturing bud sport. This comparative analysis between both pears showed that these proteins were closely associated with maturation and could provide more detailed characteristics of the maturation process of both pears. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Buga, G A; Amoko, D H; Ncayiyana, D J
1996-02-01
Teenagers make up a quarter of all mothers in Transkei, South Africa, and well over 75% of them are unmarried. Such a high rate of teenage pregnancy is indicative of a high level of unprotected adolescent sexual activity. We examined sexual behaviour, knowledge and attitudes to sexuality among adolescent school girls in Transkei, using a self-administered questionnaire, in order to establish the incidence of sexual activity, and associated risk factors. Of the 1072 respondents, 74.6% were already sexually experienced, and 21.0% were not. The majority of sexually experienced girls (SEGs) and sexually inexperienced girls (SIGs) were living with both their parents. There were no religious differences between the two groups of girls. The age of SEGs at first coitus correlated positively with the age of menarche, and the age at the first date, suggesting that sexual maturation and onset of dating were possible risk factors for initiation of sexual activity. Contraceptive use was low, and a third of SEGs had been pregnant at least once. The knowledge of reproductive biology among both groups of girls was generally poor, although SEGs were significantly more knowledgeable than SIGs. The majority of girls in both groups did not approve of premarital sex, and adolescent pregnancy. They also did not approve of the idea of introducing sex education in schools, or the provision of contraceptives by schools. Nearly a third of the respondents in both groups did not wish to get married in future. In conclusion, there is a high level of unprotected sexual activity among school girls in Transkei. The risk factors for this include early sexual maturation, early onset of dating, and poor knowledge of reproductive biology and contraceptives.
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Marques, Adilson; Branquinho, Cátia; De Matos, Margarida Gaspar
2016-07-01
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between girls' sexual maturation (age of menarche) and physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Data were collected from a national representative sample of girls in 2010 (pre-menarcheal girls n = 583, post-menarcheal girls n = 741). Physical activity (times/week and hours/week) and screen-based sedentary time (minutes/day) including television/video/DVD watching, playing videogames, and computer use were self-reported. Pre-menarcheal girls engaged significantly more times in physical activity in the last 7 days than post-menarcheal girls (3.5 ± 1.9 times/week vs. 3.0 ± 1.7 times/week, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between pre-menarcheal and post-menarcheal girls in time (hours/week) spent in physical activity. Post-menarcheal girls spent significantly more minutes per day than pre-menarcheal girls watching TV, playing videogames, and using computers on weekdays (TV: 165.2 ± 105.8 vs. 136.0 ± 106.3, P < 0.001; videogames 72.0 ± 84.8 vs. 60.3 ± 78.9, P = 0.015; computer: 123.3 ± 103.9 vs. 82.8 ± 95.8, P < 0.001) and on weekends (TV: 249.0 ± 116.2 vs. 209.3 ± 124.8, P < 0.001; videogames: 123.0 ± 114.0 vs. 104.7 ± 103.5, P = 0.020; computer: 177.0 ± 122.2 vs. 119.7 ± 112.7, P < 0.001). After adjusting analyses for age, BMI, and socioeconomic status, differences were still significant for physical activity and for computer use. Specific interventions should be designed for girls to increase their physical activity participation and decrease time spent on the computer, for post-menarcheal girls in particular. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:471-475, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Testing an equifinality model of nonsuicidal self-injury among early adolescent girls.
Keenan, Kate; Hipwell, Alison E; Stepp, Stephanie D; Wroblewski, Kristen
2014-08-01
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common behavior among females that has been shown to confer risk for continued self-injury and suicidal attempts. NSSI can be viewed conceptually as behavior that is pathognomonic with aggression and/or depression. Empirical research on concurrent correlates supports this concept: numerous and diverse factors are shown to be significantly associated with self-harm, including depression, emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and aggression and other conduct problems, as well as environmental stressors such as bullying, harsh parenting, and negative life events. In the present study, we test hypotheses regarding developmental precursors (measured from ages 8 to 12 years) to NSSI in young adolescent girls (ages 13-14 years), specifically whether aggression, depression, and environmental stressors distinguish girls with and without self-harm, and whether there is evidence for multiple developmental pathways to NSSI. Data were derived from the longitudinal Pittsburgh Girls Study. In this community sample of girls, the prevalence of NSSI at ages 13 or 14 years of age was 6.0%. Initial levels in dimensions measured within the depression, aggression, and environmental stressor domains accounted for variance in NSSI in early adolescence. Changes over time in relational aggression and assertiveness were also significantly associated with risk for NSSI. To a large extent, adolescent NSSI was predicted by psychological deficits and stress exposure that began early in childhood. Risk indices were calculated using the 85th or 15th percentile. Close to 80% of girls who engaged in NSSI during adolescence were identified by at least one risk domain in childhood. A sizable proportion of adolescent girls who later engaged in NSSI had childhood risk scores in all three domains; the remaining girls with adolescent NSSI were relatively evenly distributed across the other risk domain profiles. The observation that multiple pathways to NSSI exist suggests
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Testing an equifinality model of nonsuicidal self-injury among early adolescent girls
KEENAN, KATE; HIPWELL, ALISON E.; STEPP, STEPHANIE D.; WROBLEWSKI, KRISTEN
2015-01-01
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common behavior among females that has been shown to confer risk for continued self-injury and suicidal attempts. NSSI can be viewed conceptually as behavior that is pathognomonic with aggression and/or depression. Empirical research on concurrent correlates supports this concept: numerous and diverse factors are shown to be significantly associated with self-harm, including depression, emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and aggression and other conduct problems, as well as environmental stressors such as bullying, harsh parenting, and negative life events. In the present study, we test hypotheses regarding developmental precursors (measured from ages 8 to 12 years) to NSSI in young adolescent girls (ages 13–14 years), specifically whether aggression, depression, and environmental stressors distinguish girls with and without self-harm, and whether there is evidence for multiple developmental pathways to NSSI. Data were derived from the longitudinal Pittsburgh Girls Study. In this community sample of girls, the prevalence of NSSI at ages 13 or 14 years of age was 6.0%. Initial levels in dimensions measured within the depression, aggression, and environmental stressor domains accounted for variance in NSSI in early adolescence. Changes over time in relational aggression and assertiveness were also significantly associated with risk for NSSI. To a large extent, adolescent NSSI was predicted by psychological deficits and stress exposure that began early in childhood. Risk indices were calculated using the 85th or 15th percentile. Close to 80% of girls who engaged in NSSI during adolescence were identified by at least one risk domain in childhood. A sizable proportion of adolescent girls who later engaged in NSSI had childhood risk scores in all three domains; the remaining girls with adolescent NSSI were relatively evenly distributed across the other risk domain profiles. The observation that multiple pathways to NSSI exist
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Precocious Puberty in Adolescent Girls: A Biomarker of Later Psychosocial Adjustment Problems
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tremblay, Line; Frigon, Jean-Yves
2005-01-01
We have investigated the hypothesis that stress condition will accelerate pubertal maturation in adolescent girls and that faster maturing girls will display more behavioral problems than their on-time or late-maturing peers during pubertal development. Longitudinal data were collected yearly from 1986 to 1997. Parents of 1039 French-speaking…
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Virnoche, Mary E.
Little longitudinal or follow-up data is available on the impact of Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) conferences. The purpose of the conferences is to encourage girls to take more math and science in high school by exposing them to hands-on activities and role models in math and science professions. This paper is based on 2005 and 2006 one-to-one and small-group interview data from 22 high school girls who attended an EYH conference during their middle school years. The data suggests that EYH strengthens girls' persistence in math and science pathways. Most girls came to the conferences already interested in math and science and at the urging of parents or teachers. Most felt empowered through the shared experience with hundreds of other girls and women, and relayed detailed and enthusiastic descriptions of hands-on activities. Many of the girls also drew connections between EYH and their course-taking actions and career goals. This paper highlights examples of these experiences and makes recommendations for future math and science early pipeline diversity work.
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Girl child marriage as a risk factor for early childhood development and stunting.
Efevbera, Yvette; Bhabha, Jacqueline; Farmer, Paul E; Fink, Günther
2017-07-01
This paper quantitatively examines the intergenerational effects of girl child marriage, or the developmental and health outcomes of children born to women who marry before age 18. The overall objective is to understand the mechanisms through which girl child marriage affects the health and well-being of children in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the relative magnitude and impact of these mechanisms. We used data from 37,558 mother-child pairs identified through 16 national and sub-national cross-sectional surveys across sub-Saharan Africa conducted between 2010 and 2014 by the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Clusters Survey program. The Early Childhood Development Index was used to measure child development, and stunting was used to measure health. Using logistic regression, we found that the odds of being off-track for development and being stunted were 25% and 29% higher, respectively, for children born to women who married before age 18 compared to those whose mothers married later (p < 0.001). Geographic location and primary education, which were conceptualized as contextual factors, explained most of this relationship, controlling for country fixed-effects. In adjusted models, we found that early childbearing was not the sole pathway through which girl child marriage affected child development and health. Our final models revealed that disparities in advanced maternal education and wealth explained child development and stunting. We conclude that there are intergenerational consequences of girl child marriage on her child's well-being, and that through association with other contextual, socioeconomic, and biological factors, marrying early does matter for child development and health. Our findings resonate with existing literature and point toward important policy considerations for improving early childhood outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Girls Are Great. Contemporary Issues: Growing Up Female.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mosatche, Harriet S.; And Others
This document is designed to help Girl Scout leaders understand the maturation of girls and how to assist the girls in their development. The information and activities described in this booklet are designed to help girls see themselves in a positive way, understand some of the forces that influence them as they develop, and cope with the stresses…
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Ethnic and sex differences in skeletal maturation among the Birth to Twenty cohort in South Africa
Cole, Tim J; Rousham, Emily K; Hawley, Nicola L; Cameron, Noel; Norris, Shane A; Pettifor, John M
2015-01-01
Aim To examine ethnic and sex differences in the pattern of skeletal maturity from adolescence to adulthood using a novel longitudinal analysis technique (SuperImposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR)). Setting Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants 607 boys and girls of black as well as white ethnicity from the Birth to Twenty bone health study, assessed annually from 9 to 20 years of age. Outcome measure Bone maturity scores (Tanner–Whitehouse III radius, ulna, and short bones (TW3 RUS)) assessed longitudinally from hand-wrist radiographs were used to produce individual and mean growth curves of bone maturity and analysed by the SITAR method. Results The longitudinal analysis showed that black boys matured later by 7.0 SE 1.6 months (p<0.0001) but at the same rate as white boys, whereas black girls matured at the same age but at a faster rate than white girls (by 8.7% SE 2.6%, p=0.0007). The mean curves for bone maturity score consistently showed a midpubertal double kink, contrasting with the quadratic shape of the commonly used reference centile curves for bone maturity (TW3). Conclusions Skeletal maturity was reached 1.9 years earlier in girls than boys, and the pattern of maturation differed between the sexes. Within girls, there were no ethnic differences in the pattern or timing of skeletal maturity. Within boys, however, skeletal maturity was delayed by 7 months in black compared with white ethnicity. Skeletal maturation, therefore, varies differentially by sex and ethnicity. The delayed maturity of black boys, but not black girls, supports the hypothesis that boys have greater sensitivity to environmental constraints than girls. PMID:25409981
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[Local injection of exogenous nerve growth factor improves early bone maturation of implants].
Yao, Yang; Du, Yu; Gu, Xia; Guang, Meng-Kai; Huang, Bo; Gong, Ping
2018-04-01
To investigate the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the osteogenic action of implants and the maturation and reconstruction changes in bone tissues in the early stage of osseointegration. The mouse implant model was established by placing titanium in the femoral head of the mouse and locally injecting NGF in the implant zone. On 1, 2 and 4 weeks after operation, stain samples were collected from animals using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining. The effect of NGF on the bone maturation was compared at different time points of early stage osseointegration. The results of HE and Masson staining indicated that the local injection of external NGF can up-regulate bone mass, amount of bone trabecula, and bone maturity in the mouse model. The mature bone rate in treatment group of 1 week and 4 weeks after operation were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). NGF can shorten the period of bone maturation.
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Improving Early Adolescent Girls' Motor Skill: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.
Lander, Natalie; Morgan, Philip J; Salmon, J O; Barnett, Lisa M
2017-12-01
Physical activity (PA) levels decline substantially during adolescence and are consistently lower in girls. Competency in a range of fundamental movement skills (FMSs) may serve as a protective factor for the decline in PA typically observed in adolescent girls; yet, girls' mastery in FMS is low. Although interventions can improve FMS, there is a lack of interventions targeting girls, and very few are conducted in high schools. In addition, interventions are usually conducted by researchers, not teachers, and thus have little chance of being embedded into curricula. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention, delivered by teachers, in improving adolescent girls' FMS. Four all-girls Australian secondary schools were recruited and randomized into intervention or control groups. In total, 190 year 7 girls (103 control/87 intervention; mean age, 12.4 ± 0.3 yr) completed baseline and posttest measures at 12 wk. Six FMS (i.e., catch, throw, kick, jump, leap, and dodge) were measured using the Victorian FMS Assessment instrument. Mixed models with posttest skill (i.e., locomotor, object control, and total skill) as the outcome, adjusting for baseline skill, intervention and control status, and relevant covariates, as well as accounting for clustering at school and class level, were used to assess the intervention impact. There were significant intervention effects, and large effect sizes (Cohen d) noted in locomotor (P = 0.04, t = 5.15, d = 1.6), object control (P < 0.001, t = 11.06, d = 0.83), and total skill (P = 0.02, t = 7.22, d = 1.36). Teachers adequately trained in authentic assessment and student-centered instruction can significantly improve the FMS competency of early adolescent girls. Therefore, comprehensive teacher training should be viewed as an integral component of future school-based interventions.
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Ethnic and sex differences in skeletal maturation among the Birth to Twenty cohort in South Africa.
Cole, Tim J; Rousham, Emily K; Hawley, Nicola L; Cameron, Noel; Norris, Shane A; Pettifor, John M
2015-02-01
To examine ethnic and sex differences in the pattern of skeletal maturity from adolescence to adulthood using a novel longitudinal analysis technique (SuperImposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR)). Johannesburg, South Africa. 607 boys and girls of black as well as white ethnicity from the Birth to Twenty bone health study, assessed annually from 9 to 20 years of age. Bone maturity scores (Tanner-Whitehouse III radius, ulna, and short bones (TW3 RUS)) assessed longitudinally from hand-wrist radiographs were used to produce individual and mean growth curves of bone maturity and analysed by the SITAR method. The longitudinal analysis showed that black boys matured later by 7.0 SE 1.6 months (p<0.0001) but at the same rate as white boys, whereas black girls matured at the same age but at a faster rate than white girls (by 8.7% SE 2.6%, p=0.0007). The mean curves for bone maturity score consistently showed a midpubertal double kink, contrasting with the quadratic shape of the commonly used reference centile curves for bone maturity (TW3). Skeletal maturity was reached 1.9 years earlier in girls than boys, and the pattern of maturation differed between the sexes. Within girls, there were no ethnic differences in the pattern or timing of skeletal maturity. Within boys, however, skeletal maturity was delayed by 7 months in black compared with white ethnicity. Skeletal maturation, therefore, varies differentially by sex and ethnicity. The delayed maturity of black boys, but not black girls, supports the hypothesis that boys have greater sensitivity to environmental constraints than girls. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
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Crichton, Joanna; Ibisomi, Latifat; Gyimah, Stephen Obeng
2012-02-01
Parental communication and support is associated with improved developmental, health and behavioral outcomes in adolescence. This study explores the quality of mother-daughter communication about sexual maturation, abstinence and unintended pregnancy in Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. We use data from 14 focus group discussions (n = 124) and 25 interviews with girls aged 12-17, mothers of teenage girls, and key informant teachers. Many girls and women believed that mothers are the best source of information and support during puberty but only a minority described good experiences with communication in practice. Girls preferred communication to begin early and be repeated regularly. Mothers often combined themes of sexual maturation, abstinence and avoiding pregnancy in their messages. Communication was facilitated by mothers' availability, warmth and close parent-child relationships. Challenges included communication taboos, embarrassment, ambiguous message content, and parental lack of knowledge and uncertainty. Neighborhood poverty undermined some mothers' time and motivation for communicating. Copyright © 2011 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Datta Banik, Sudip; Mendez, Nina; Dickinson, Federico
2015-01-01
Early menarche (EM) (i.e., age at menarche [AAM] <12 years of age) is related to short height and higher body fatness. In a mixed-longitudinal study done in Merida, Yucatan, height, body mass index (BMI), and percentage of body fat (BF%) were recorded at a one-year interval among 258 postmenarcheal (EM = 94) girls. Anthropometric measurements were recorded of the age cohorts in 2008-09 when participants were 13-17 years of age (baseline), and in the one-year follow-up study (± 6 days) the girls were 14-18 years of age. The BF% was estimated through bioelectrical impedance analysis. Mean AAM was 10.59 years in EM girls and 12.54 years in not early menarche (NEM) girls. Height growth (cm/year) was greater in NEM girls. Mean values of BMI, BF%, and frequencies of stunting (low height-for-age) and excess weight (overweight + obesity) were higher in EM girls than in their NEM age peers.
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Skeletal maturation in obese patients.
Giuca, Maria Rita; Pasini, Marco; Tecco, Simona; Marchetti, Enrico; Giannotti, Laura; Marzo, Giuseppe
2012-12-01
The objective of this study was to compare skeletal maturation in obese patients and in subjects of normal weight to evaluate the best timing for orthopedic and orthodontic treatment. The null hypothesis was that obese and normal-weight patients show similar degrees of skeletal maturation. The sample for this retrospective study consisted of 50 white patients (28 boys, 22 girls) whose x-rays (hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs) were already available. The test group included 25 obese patients (11 girls, 14 boys; average age, 9.8 ± 2.11 years), and the control group included 25 subjects of normal weight (11 girls, 14 boys; average age, 9.9 ± 2.5 years). Skeletal maturation was determined by using the carpal analysis method and the cervical vertebral maturation method. According to the carpal analysis, there was a significant difference between skeletal and chronologic ages between the test group (11.8 ± 11.4 months) and the control group (-2.9 ± 3.1 months). Furthermore, the obese subjects exhibited a significantly higher mean cervical vertebral maturation score (2.8 ± 0.7) than did the control subjects (2 ± 0.6) (P <0.05). Compared with the normal-weight subjects, the obese subjects showed a higher mean discrepancy between skeletal and chronologic ages according to the carpal analysis and had a significantly higher cervical vertebral maturation score. Thus, to account for the growth in obese patients with skeletal discrepancies, it might be necessary to perform examinations and dentofacial and orthopedic treatments earlier than in normal-weight subjects. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Delayed dental maturity in dentitions with agenesis of mandibular second premolars.
Daugaard, S; Christensen, I J; Kjaer, I
2010-11-01
To evaluate dental maturity in the mandibular canine/premolar and molar innervation fields in children with agenesis of the 2nd mandibular premolar and to associate these findings with normal control material. Department of Orthodontics, Institute of Odontology, University of Copenhagen. Eighty-three panoramic radiographs (27 girls and 31 boys with agenesis of one mandibular 2nd premolar and 17 girls and eight boys with agenesis of both mandibular 2nd premolars) represented all mandibular second premolar agenesis cases from a material of 2847 radiographs. On each radiograph, dental maturity of all available mandibular premolars, canines and 2nd molars was evaluated and categorized in maturity stages according to Haavikko whose material served as control material. Descriptive statistics given by sample mean, standard deviation and range for each tooth stratified by gender and agenesis. Ninety-five percentage confidence limits and T-statistics were used. p-values <5% were considered significant. In unilateral agenesis, the canines are specifically delayed in both girls and boys, with a larger delay in girls (p=0.009). The second molar is not delayed in boys (p=0.98) but is in girls (p=0.04). The differences in delay for the canine compared to the second molar are significant for both girls and boys. The results show a considerable delay in tooth maturation within the canine/premolar innervation field predominantly in girls. The 2nd molar is delayed in girls but not in boys. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
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Girls who masturbate in early infancy: diagnostics, natural course and a long-term follow-up.
Rödöö, Peo; Hellberg, Dan
2013-07-01
To evaluate the natural course, onset, diagnostics and long-term follow-up masturbation in infant girls, which up to now has only been described in case reports. Nineteen consecutive healthy, masturbating girls, diagnosed in early infancy between three and 15 months, were followed up for an average of 8 years. All were diagnosed in the same Swedish hospital between May 1996 and June 2010. Ten girls were videotaped and/or directly observed while masturbating. Mean age at onset of masturbation was 10.4 months. The diagnosis was based on history taking and clinical observation. Parents reported that masturbation ranged from a few times a week to two-to-fifty episodes a day. Twelve girls had stopped masturbating when this study was written, after a mean duration of 66 months. Their symptoms and diagnostics are described in detail. This is the first follow-up study of girls who started masturbating in early infancy, with a mean duration of five-and-a-half years. Diagnosis may be difficult, but with awareness and knowledge of the condition, a normal physical and neurological examination, a detailed history from the parents and, in particular, video documentation, it can be settled without extensive investigations and the parents reassured. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sommer, Marni
2011-01-01
The onset of puberty, and specifically menstruation, is an opportune moment for reaching girls as they transition into adolescence and young womanhood. Despite the importance of this transitional period, the reproductive health community has tended to overlook the onset of menstruation and early puberty in global, national and local policy and…
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Ibáñez, Lourdes; López-Bermejo, Abel; Díaz, Marta; Marcos, Maria Victoria; de Zegher, Francis
2011-08-01
Girls with a combined history of low(-normal) birth weight (LBW) and precocious pubarche (PP) are at high risk to develop polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The objective of the study was to compare the capacity of early vs. late metformin treatment to prevent adolescent PCOS. This was a randomized, open-label study over 7 yr. The study was conducted at a university hospital. Thirty-eight LBW-PP girls were followed up from the mean age 8 until age 15 yr. Early metformin (study yr 1-4; age 8-12 yr) vs. late metformin (yr 6; age 13-14 yr). Measures included height; weight; hirsutism score; menstrual cycle; endocrine-metabolic screening (fasting; follicular phase); C-reactive protein; body composition (absorptiometry); abdominal fat partitioning (magnetic resonance imaging); ovarian morphology (ultrasound); PCOS (National Institutes of Health and Androgen Excess Society definitions) after yr 7 (all girls thus untreated for at least 1 yr). None of the girls dropped out of the study. At age 15 yr, early-metformin girls were taller (4 cm), were in a less proinflammatory state, and had less central fat due to reductions in visceral and hepatic fat. Hirsutism, androgen excess, oligomenorrhea, and PCOS were between 2- and 8-fold more prevalent in late- than early-treated girls. Abdominal adiposity was the first variable to diverge (at age 8-10 yr) between girls without vs. with PCOS at age 15 yr. In LBW-PP girls, early metformin therapy was found to prevent or delay the development of hirsutism, androgen excess, oligomenorrhea, and PCOS more effectively than late metformin. The time window of late childhood and early puberty may be more critical for the development, and thus for the prevention, of adolescent PCOS than the first years beyond menarche.
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Fairclough, Stuart J; Ridgers, Nicola D
2010-01-01
The aim of this study was to examine the influence of maturity status on primary school children's physical activity and physical self-perceptions. Altogether, 175 children (97 girls, 78 boys) aged 10.6 +/- 0.3 years completed the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile and wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for five consecutive days to assess moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Anthropometric measures were completed to estimate maturity status. A two-level, multi-level analysis was used to assess the influence of maturity status on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and physical self-perceptions. Boys performed more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than girls (P < 0.0001), but when the effect of maturity status was controlled the difference was reduced (P = 0.02). Significant differences between the sexes were also observed for physical self-perception sub-domains (boys > girls, P = 0.02 to 0.0001). When maturity status was added to the model, significant differences were no longer apparent for each sub-domain, with the exception of perceived strength. Significant interactions between gender and maturity status revealed that boys' physical self-perceptions improved with more advanced maturity status, whereas girls' self-perceptions decreased (P = 0.07 to 0.002). Significant differences between the sexes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and some domains of physical self-perceptions were reduced or no longer evident when the effect of maturity status was controlled. Maturity status may differentially influence boys' and girls' physical self-perceptions.
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Björkegren, Johan L. M.; Hägg, Sara; Jain, Rajeev K.; Cedergren, Cecilia; Shang, Ming-Mei; Rossignoli, Aránzazu; Takolander, Rabbe; Melander, Olle; Hamsten, Anders; Michoel, Tom; Skogsberg, Josefin
2014-01-01
Plasma cholesterol lowering (PCL) slows and sometimes prevents progression of atherosclerosis and may even lead to regression. Little is known about how molecular processes in the atherosclerotic arterial wall respond to PCL and modify responses to atherosclerosis regression. We studied atherosclerosis regression and global gene expression responses to PCL (≥80%) and to atherosclerosis regression itself in early, mature, and advanced lesions. In atherosclerotic aortic wall from Ldlr−/−Apob 100/100 Mttp flox/floxMx1-Cre mice, atherosclerosis regressed after PCL regardless of lesion stage. However, near-complete regression was observed only in mice with early lesions; mice with mature and advanced lesions were left with regression-resistant, relatively unstable plaque remnants. Atherosclerosis genes responding to PCL before regression, unlike those responding to the regression itself, were enriched in inherited risk for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction, indicating causality. Inference of transcription factor (TF) regulatory networks of these PCL-responsive gene sets revealed largely different networks in early, mature, and advanced lesions. In early lesions, PPARG was identified as a specific master regulator of the PCL-responsive atherosclerosis TF-regulatory network, whereas in mature and advanced lesions, the specific master regulators were MLL5 and SRSF10/XRN2, respectively. In a THP-1 foam cell model of atherosclerosis regression, siRNA targeting of these master regulators activated the time-point-specific TF-regulatory networks and altered the accumulation of cholesterol esters. We conclude that PCL leads to complete atherosclerosis regression only in mice with early lesions. Identified master regulators and related PCL-responsive TF-regulatory networks will be interesting targets to enhance PCL-mediated regression of mature and advanced atherosclerotic lesions. PMID:24586211
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Sex-specific cognitive abnormalities in early-onset psychosis.
Ruiz-Veguilla, Miguel; Moreno-Granados, Josefa; Salcedo-Marin, Maria D; Barrigon, Maria L; Blanco-Morales, Maria J; Igunza, Evelio; Cañabate, Anselmo; Garcia, Maria D; Guijarro, Teresa; Diaz-Atienza, Francisco; Ferrin, Maite
2017-01-01
Brain maturation differs depending on the area of the brain and sex. Girls show an earlier peak in maturation of the prefrontal cortex. Although differences between adult females and males with schizophrenia have been widely studied, there has been less research in girls and boys with psychosis. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in verbal and visual memory, verbal working memory, auditory attention, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility between boys and girls. We compared a group of 80 boys and girls with first-episode psychosis to a group of controls. We found interactions between group and sex in verbal working memory (p = 0.04) and auditory attention (p = 0.01). The female controls showed better working memory (p = 0.01) and auditory attention (p = 0.001) than males. However, we did not find any sex differences in working memory (p = 0.91) or auditory attention (p = 0.93) in the psychosis group. These results are consistent with the presence of sex-modulated cognitive profiles at first presentation of early-onset psychosis.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Reay, Diane
2001-01-01
Suggests that contemporary gendered power relations are complex, highlighting female British elementary students who assumed varied positions in relation to traditional femininities, though they all occasionally bolstered boys' power at the expense of their own. Students viewed girls as harder working, more mature, and more socially skilled, yet…
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Structural and Maturational Covariance in Early Childhood Brain Development.
Geng, Xiujuan; Li, Gang; Lu, Zhaohua; Gao, Wei; Wang, Li; Shen, Dinggang; Zhu, Hongtu; Gilmore, John H
2017-03-01
Brain structural covariance networks (SCNs) composed of regions with correlated variation are altered in neuropsychiatric disease and change with age. Little is known about the development of SCNs in early childhood, a period of rapid cortical growth. We investigated the development of structural and maturational covariance networks, including default, dorsal attention, primary visual and sensorimotor networks in a longitudinal population of 118 children after birth to 2 years old and compared them with intrinsic functional connectivity networks. We found that structural covariance of all networks exhibit strong correlations mostly limited to their seed regions. By Age 2, default and dorsal attention structural networks are much less distributed compared with their functional maps. The maturational covariance maps, however, revealed significant couplings in rates of change between distributed regions, which partially recapitulate their functional networks. The structural and maturational covariance of the primary visual and sensorimotor networks shows similar patterns to the corresponding functional networks. Results indicate that functional networks are in place prior to structural networks, that correlated structural patterns in adult may arise in part from coordinated cortical maturation, and that regional co-activation in functional networks may guide and refine the maturation of SCNs over childhood development. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Leach, Fiona
2012-01-01
The origins of modern schooling in early nineteenth-century Africa have been poorly researched. Moreover, histories of education in Africa have focused largely on the education of boys. Little attention has been paid to girls' schooling or to the missionary women who sought to construct a new feminine Christian identity for African girls. In the…
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Intellectual maturity and physical fitness in preschool children.
Latorre-Román, Pedro Á; Mora-López, David; García-Pinillos, Felipe
2016-06-01
There is an important connection between body growth, physical fitness and cognition. The association between physical fitness and cognitive function has been investigated in some studies, but little is known about the relationship between physical and motor performance and intellectual maturity in preschool children. The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the association between intellectual maturity and physical and motor fitness in preschool children. A total of 1012 children aged 3-6 years participated voluntarily. A fitness test battery and the Goodenough-Harris drawing test (GHDT) were used. Boys did better in the standing broad jump and 20 m sprint (P < 0.001), and girls had a better crude GHDT score (P = 0.001). With regard to age group, there were significant differences (P < 0.01) between all groups in all fitness test variables and GHDT. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between crude GHDT score and the fitness test variables. From an early age, physical-motor performance and intellectual maturity are linked. Fitness condition is able to predict intellectual maturity. Increasing the amount of time devoted to physical education can promote cognitive benefits in preschool children. © 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.
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Idiopathic precocious puberty in girls: Psychosexual development.
Meyer-Bahlburg, H F; Ehrhardt, A A; Bell, J J; Cohen, S F; Healey, J M; Feldman, J F; Morishima, A; Baker, S W; New, M I
1985-08-01
A promising model syndrome for the examination of the role of physical maturation in the development of female sexuality is idiopathic precocious puberty (IPP). In this first controlled study of psychosexual development in IPP females, 16 females between 13 and 20 years of age with a history of IPP were compared to 16 control subjects with a history of normal puberty pair-matched to the index subjects on the basis of sex, race, age, socioeconomic level, and menarcheal status. The psychosexual history and the current psychosexual status were assessed by a systematic half-structured interview. The IPP females on average passed the psychosexual milestones at an earlier age than their normal maturing peers, with a particularly early onset of masturbation. Those who were sociosexually active tended to report a higher total orgasmic outlet and a higher sex drive. There was no increase in homosexuality among IPP girls. The timing of puberty has a (modest) influence on psychosexual development in females.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Marceau, Kristine; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Lichtenstein, Paul; Reiss, David
2012-01-01
The literature consistently shows an association between pubertal maturation and internalizing problems in girls. The association for boys is less clear. The present study examines genetic and environmental influences on the association between pubertal maturation and internalizing problems for boys and girls in two primarily Caucasian adolescent…
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NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Slavkin, Michael
What impact do gender roles and self-esteem have on early adolescent girls' abilities to solve problems when participating in natural science-related activities? Bronfenbrenner's human ecology model and Barker's behavior setting theory were used to assess how environmental contexts relate to problem solving in scientific contexts. These models also provided improved methodology and increased understanding of these constructs when compared with prior research. Early adolescent girls gender roles and self-esteem were found to relate to differences in problem solving in science-related groups. Specifically, early adolescent girls' gender roles were associated with levels of verbal expression, expression of positive affect, dominance, and supportive behavior during science experiments. Also, levels of early adolescent girls self-esteem were related to verbal expression and dominance in peer groups. Girls with high self-esteem also were more verbally expressive and had higher levels of dominance during science experiments. The dominant model of a masculine-typed and feminine-typed dichotomy of problem solving based on previous literature was not effective in Identifying differences within girls' problem solving. Such differences in the results of these studies may be the result of this study's use of observational measures and analysis of the behavior settings in which group members participated. Group behavior and problem-solving approaches of early adolescent girls seemed most likely to be defined by environmental contexts, not governed solely by the personalities of participants. A discussion for the examination of environmental factors when assessing early adolescent girls' gender roles and self-esteem follows this discussion.
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Blood pressure and sexual maturity in adolescents: the Heartfelt Study.
Cho, S D; Mueller, W H; Meininger, J C; Liehr, P; Chan, W
2001-01-01
This study investigates sexual maturity as a predictor of resting blood pressures independent of other known predictors, in 179 boys and 204 girls 11-16 years of age from the Heartfelt Study. The sample included youth of African (n = 140), Mexican (n = 117), and European and "other" (n = 126) backgrounds. Sexual maturity was assessed during clinical examination of three standard indicators for each sex. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in children of maturity stages IV and V, compared to stages I-III, in each gender/ethnic group (P < 0.01 in almost all groups). Boys and girls advanced in sexual maturity for their age group, had significantly higher systolic blood pressures (but not diastolic) than the less advanced in linear models that included height, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity, and age as co-predictors. Diastolic blood pressures were predicted by height in boys and by age and the BMI in girls. This analysis, using a very conservative approach, suggests that sexual maturity provides important and independent information on systolic blood pressure in adolescents. Further investigation of its role in 24-hr blood pressures and in blood pressures taken during physical and emotional stress, is recommended.
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Chen, Jie; Yu, Jing; Wu, Yun; Zhang, Jianxin
2015-06-01
This study aimed to investigate the influences of pubertal timing and stressful life events on Chinese adolescents' depression and delinquency. Sex differences in these influences were also examined. A large sample with 4,228 participants aged 12-15 years (53% girls) was recruited in Beijing, China. Participants' pubertal development, stressful life events, depressive symptoms, and delinquency were measured using self-reported questionnaires. Both early maturing girls and boys displayed more delinquency than their same-sex on-time and late maturing peers. Early maturing girls displayed more depressive symptoms than on-time and late maturing girls, but boys in the three maturation groups showed similar levels of depressive symptoms. The interactive effects between early pubertal timing and stressful life events were significant in predicting depression and delinquency, particularly for girls. Early pubertal maturation is an important risk factor for Chinese adolescents' depression and delinquency. Stressful life events intensified the detrimental effects of early pubertal maturation on adolescents' depression and delinquency, particularly for girls. © 2015 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
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A girl with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy associated with microdeletion involving CDKL5.
Saitsu, Hirotomo; Osaka, Hitoshi; Nishiyama, Kiyomi; Tsurusaki, Yoshinori; Doi, Hiroshi; Miyake, Noriko; Matsumoto, Naomichi
2012-05-01
Recent studies have shown that aberrations of CDKL5 in female patients cause early-onset intractable seizures, severe developmental delay or regression, and Rett syndrome-like features. We report on a Japanese girl with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy, hypotonia, developmental regression, and Rett syndrome-like features. The patient showed generalized tonic seizures, and later, massive myoclonus induced by phone and light stimuli. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no structural brain anomalies but cerebral atrophy. Electroencephalogram showed frontal dominant diffuse poly spikes and waves. Through copy number analysis by genomic microarray, we found a microdeletion at Xp22.13. A de novo 137-kb deletion, involving exons 5-21 of CDKL5, RS1, and part of PPEF1 gene, was confirmed by quantitative PCR and breakpoint specific PCR analyses. Our report suggests that the clinical features associated with CDKL5 deletions could be implicated in Japanese patients, and that genetic testing of CDKL5, including both sequencing and deletion analyses, should be considered in girls with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy and RTT-like features. Copyright © 2011 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Skeletal Maturation, Body Size, and Motor Coordination in Youth 11-14 Years.
Freitas, Duarte Luís; Lausen, Berthold; Maia, José Antonio Ribeiro; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Thomis, Martine; Lefevre, Johan; Silva, Ricardo Dinis; Malina, Robert M
2016-06-01
The objective of this study is to estimate the relative contribution of biological maturation to variance in the motor coordination (MC) among youth and to explore gender differences in the associations. Skeletal maturation (Tanner-Whitehouse 3), stature, body mass, and MC (Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder) were assessed in 613 youths, 284 boys and 329 girls 11-14 yr of age. Standardized residuals of skeletal age on chronological age were used as the estimate of skeletal maturity status independent of chronological age. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to analyse associations between skeletal maturity status and MC. Skeletal maturity status by itself, i.e., standardized residuals of skeletal age on chronological age (step 3) explained a maximum of 8.1% of the variance in MC in boys (ΔR3 in the range of 0.0%-8.1%) and 2.8% of the variance in girls (ΔR3 in the range of 0.0%-2.8%), after controlling for stature, body mass and interactions of the standardized residuals of skeletal age on chronological age with stature and body mass. Corresponding percentages for the interactions of the standardized residuals of skeletal age and stature and body mass, after adjusting for stature and body mass (step 2) were 8.7% in boys (ΔR2 in the range of 0.3%-8.7%) and 7.1% in girls (ΔR2 in the range of 0.1%-7.1%). Chow tests suggested structural changes in β-coefficients in the four MC tests among boys and girls, 12-13 yr. The percentage of variance in the four MC tests explained by skeletal maturation was relatively small, but the relationships differed between boys and girls. By inference, other factors, e.g., neuromuscular maturation, specific instruction and practice, sport participation, and others may influence MC at these ages.
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Girls' and boys' experience with teen sexting in early and late adolescence.
Ševčíková, Anna
2016-08-01
This study explored the extent to which sexting represents a problematic behavior in early and late adolescence. Using data from the EU Kids Online II project (17,016 participants aged 11-16 from 25 European countries, 49.7% boys), multilevel logistic regression analyses were conducted separately for four groups: younger girls, older girls, younger boys, and older boys. Irrespective of age and gender, sexting was associated with emotional problems and alcohol use. Its effect decreased in older adolescents, except for emotional difficulties, which remained relatively high in older boys. Vaginal sex was associated with sexting in both younger and older boys while, in girls, the association was observed only in the older group. Younger boys with higher self-efficacy were more likely to send sexts than those with lower self-efficacy. Although sexting is associated with psychological challenges and other types of risk behavior, sexting in some younger boys may not necessarily represent problematic behavior. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Fang, Lin; Barnes-Ceeney, Kevin; Schinke, Steven P
2011-11-01
Confronting developmental tasks and challenges associated with bridging two different cultures, Asian American adolescent girls face increasing risks for substance use. Identifying risk and protective factors in this population is essential, particularly when those factors can inform preventive programs. Guided by family interaction theory, the present cross-sectional study explored the associations of psychological and familial factors with use of alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs among early-adolescent Asian American girls. Between August 2007 and March 2008, 135 pairs of Asian American girls (mean age 13.21 years, SD=0.90) and their mothers (mean age 39.86 years, SD=6.99) were recruited from 19 states that had significant Asian populations. Girls and mothers each completed an online survey. Relative to girls who did not use substances, girls who did had higher levels of depressive symptoms, perceived peer substance use, and maternal substance use. Multiple logistic regression modeling revealed that they also had significantly lower levels of body satisfaction, problem-solving ability, parental monitoring, mother-daughter communication, family involvement, and family rules about substance use. Household composition, acculturation, and academic achievement were not associated with girls' substance use. These findings point to directions for substance abuse prevention programming among Asian American girls.
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Casement, Melynda D; Guyer, Amanda E; Hipwell, Alison E; McAloon, Rose L; Hoffmann, Amy M; Keenan, Kathryn E; Forbes, Erika E
2014-04-01
Developmental models of psychopathology posit that exposure to social stressors may confer risk for depression in adolescent girls by disrupting neural reward circuitry. The current study tested this hypothesis by examining the relationship between early adolescent social stressors and later neural reward processing and depressive symptoms. Participants were 120 girls from an ongoing longitudinal study of precursors to depression across adolescent development. Low parental warmth, peer victimization, and depressive symptoms were assessed when the girls were 11 and 12 years old, and participants completed a monetary reward guessing fMRI task and assessment of depressive symptoms at age 16. Results indicate that low parental warmth was associated with increased response to potential rewards in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), striatum, and amygdala, whereas peer victimization was associated with decreased response to potential rewards in the mPFC. Furthermore, concurrent depressive symptoms were associated with increased reward anticipation response in mPFC and striatal regions that were also associated with early adolescent psychosocial stressors, with mPFC and striatal response mediating the association between social stressors and depressive symptoms. These findings are consistent with developmental models that emphasize the adverse impact of early psychosocial stressors on neural reward processing and risk for depression in adolescence. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stice, Eric; Presnell, Katherine; Bearman, Sarah Kate
2001-01-01
Used interview data from a community study to test whether early menarche partially accounts for increased depression, eating pathology, substance abuse, and comorbid psychopathology among adolescent girls. Found that menarche prior to 11.6 years related to elevated depression and substance abuse. Findings support assertion that early menarche is…
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Maturity-Associated Variation in Total and Depot-Specific Body Fat in Children and Adolescents
Staiano, Amanda E.; Broyles, Stephanie T.; Gupta, Alok K.; Malina, Robert M.; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.
2014-01-01
Objectives This study considered the association between sexual maturation and adiposity in children and adolescents, and examined the contribution of sexual maturation to ethnic differences in total and depot-specific body fat. Methods The sample included 382 White and African American 5–18-year-olds. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and sexual maturity status (breast/genital and pubic hair stage) were assessed in a clinical setting. Total body fat (TBF) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Analysis of covariance adjusted for age was used to examine the association between sexual maturity status and adiposity, and linear regression adjusted for age was used to examine the influence of sexual maturation on ethnic differences in adiposity. Analysis of VAT also controlled for TBF. Significance was accepted at P<0.05. Results Breast/genital stage was significantly associated with BMI, WC, TBF, and SAT in girls of both ethnic groups and in White boys. Breast stage was associated with VAT. Stage of pubic hair was significantly associated with TBF and VAT in White girls only. In girls, sexual maturation attenuated the ethnic effects on BMI and WC, but the ethnic effect in VAT persisted. In boys, sexual maturation did not attenuate ethnic differences on VAT and did not predict WC or SAT. Sexual maturity status independently explained variance in adiposity in girls only. Conclusions Sexual maturity status is an important determinant of pediatric adiposity and attenuates ethnic differences in girls’ adiposity. PMID:23564417
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Sandøy, Ingvild Fossgard; Mudenda, Mweetwa; Zulu, Joseph; Munsaka, Ecloss; Blystad, Astrid; Makasa, Mpundu C; Mæstad, Ottar; Tungodden, Bertil; Jacobs, Choolwe; Kampata, Linda; Fylkesnes, Knut; Svanemyr, Joar; Moland, Karen Marie; Banda, Richard; Musonda, Patrick
2016-12-09
Adolescent pregnancies pose a risk to the young mothers and their babies. In Zambia, 35% of young girls in rural areas have given birth by the age of 18 years. Pregnancy rates are particularly high among out-of-school girls. Poverty, low enrolment in secondary school, myths and community norms all contribute to early childbearing. This protocol describes a trial aiming to measure the effect on early childbearing rates in a rural Zambian context of (1) economic support to girls and their families, and (2) combining economic support with a community intervention to enhance knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and supportive community norms. This cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT) will have three arms. The clusters are rural schools with surrounding communities. Approximately 4900 girls in grade 7 in 2016 will be recruited from 157 schools in 12 districts. In one intervention arm, participating girls and their guardians will be offered cash transfers and payment of school fees. In the second intervention arm, there will be both economic support and a community intervention. The interventions will be implemented for approximately 2 years. The final survey will be 4.5 years after recruitment. The primary outcomes will be "incidence of births within 8 months of the end of the intervention period", "incidence of births before girls' 18th birthday" and "proportion of girls who sit for the grade 9 exam". Final survey interviewers will be unaware of the intervention status of respondents. Analysis will be by intention-to-treat and adjusted for cluster design and confounders. Qualitative process evaluation will be conducted. This is the first CRCT to measure the effect of combining economic support with a community intervention to prevent adolescent childbearing in a low- or middle-income country. We have designed a programme that will be sustainable and feasible to scale up. The findings will be relevant for programmes for adolescent reproductive health in
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Gillison, Fiona; Cumming, Sean; Standage, Martyn; Barnaby, Catherine; Katzmarzyk, Peter
2017-06-26
To compare the weight categorisation of a cohort of UK children using standard procedures (ie, comparing body mass index (BMI) centiles to age-matched UK reference data) versus an approach adjusted for maturation status (ie, matching relative to biological age). Analysis of data collected from an observational study of UK primary school children. Schools in South West England. Four hundred and seven 9-11 year-old children (98% white British). Weight status was classified using BMI centiles using (1) sex and chronological age-matched referents and (2) sex and biological age-matched referents (based on % of predicted adult stature) relative to UK 1990 reference growth charts. For both approaches, children were classified as a normal weight if >2nd centile and <85thcentile, overweight if 85th and <95thcentiles, and obese if ≥95thcentile. Fifty-one children (12.5%) were overweight, and a further 51 obese (12.5%) according to standard chronological age-matched classifications. Adjustment for maturity resulted in 32% of overweight girls, and 15% of overweight boys being reclassified as a normal weight, and 11% and 8% of obese girls and boys, respectively, being reclassified as overweight. Early maturing children were 4.9 times more likely to be reclassified from overweight to normal weight than 'on-time' maturers (OR 95% CI 1.3 to 19). Incorporating assessments of maturational status into weight classification resulted in significant changes to the classification of early-maturing adolescents. Further research exploring the implications for objective health risk and well-being is needed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.
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Chandra, Jyotsna; Ghannoum, Mahmoud A
2018-02-01
Currently available echinocandins are generally effective against Candida biofilms, but the recent emergence of resistance has underscored the importance of developing new antifungal agents that are effective against biofilms. CD101 is a long-acting novel echinocandin with distinctive pharmacokinetic properties and improved stability and safety relative to other drugs in the same class. CD101 is currently being evaluated as a once-weekly intravenous (i.v.) infusion for the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis. In this study, we determined (i) the effect of CD101 against early and mature phase biofilms formed by C. albicans in vitro and (ii) the temporal effect of CD101 on the formation of biofilms using time-lapse microscopy (TLM). Early- or mature-phase biofilms were formed on silicone elastomer discs and were exposed to the test compounds for 24 h and quantified by measuring their metabolic activity. Separate batches were observed under a confocal microscope or used to capture TLM images from 0 to 16 h. Measurements of their metabolic activity showed that CD101 (0.25 or 1 μg/ml) significantly prevented adhesion-phase cells from developing into mature biofilms ( P = 0.0062 or 0.0064, respectively) and eradicated preformed mature biofilms ( P = 0.04 or 0.01, respectively) compared to those of untreated controls. Confocal microscopy showed significant reductions in biofilm thicknesses for both early and mature phases ( P < 0.05). TLM showed that CD101 stopped the growth of adhesion- and early-phase biofilms within minutes. CD101-treated hyphae failed to grow into mature biofilms. These results suggest that CD101 may be effective in the prevention and treatment of biofilm-associated nosocomial infections. Copyright © 2018 Chandra and Ghannoum.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Norris, Anne E.; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Miller-Day, Michelle; Hecht, Michael L.; Hutchison, Janet; Campoe, Kristi
2015-01-01
A content analysis of early adolescent X-bar = 12.02 years) Latino girls' (n = 44) responses to open-ended questions embedded in an electronic survey was conducted to explore strategies girls may use to resist peer pressure with respect to sexual behavior. Analysis yielded 341 codable response units, 74% of which were consistent with the REAL…
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Al-Attar, Ghada; De Meyer, Sara; El-Gibaly, Omaima; Michielsen, Kristien; Animosa, Lydia H; Mmari, Kristin
2017-10-01
A gender analysis was conducted to illuminate the key elements of friendships highlighted by early adolescent girls and boys in two sites for the purpose of better understanding the impact of gender norms on adolescent friendships in different contexts. Narrative interviews with early adolescents were conducted in two sites: Assiut, Egypt (n = 37) and Ghent, Belgium (n = 30). The interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated into English, and coded using Atlas.ti for analysis. In both Assiut and Ghent, early adolescents reported some similarities in defining key characteristics of their same-sex friends as well as in the activities they share. However, differences were noticed among boys and girls within each site. In addition, the scope of shared activity was broader in Ghent than in Assiut. In both sites, few opposite-sex friendships were reported. Gender norms influenced choice of friends as well as the type and place of shared activities. Building on knowledge that adolescent friendships guide and reinforce attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that impact immediate and long-term health, our findings indicate that gender norms inform early adolescent friendships, which may impact healthy development. Copyright © 2017 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Fang, Lin; Barnes-Ceeney, Kevin; Schinke, Steven P.
2012-01-01
Confronting developmental tasks and challenges associated with bridging two different cultures, Asian American adolescent girls face increasing risks for substance use. Identifying risk and protective factors in this population is essential, particularly when those factors can inform preventive programs. Guided by family interaction theory, the present cross-sectional study explored the associations of psychological and familial factors with use of alcohol, prescription drugs, and other drugs among early-adolescent Asian American girls. Between August 2007 and March 2008, 135 pairs of Asian American girls (mean age 13.21 years, SD = 0.90) and their mothers (mean age 39.86 years, SD = 6.99) were recruited from 19 states that had significant Asian populations. Girls and mothers each completed an online survey. Relative to girls who did not use substances, girls who did had higher levels of depressive symptoms, perceived peer substance use, and maternal substance use. Multiple logistic regression modeling revealed that they also had significantly lower levels of body satisfaction, problem-solving ability, parental monitoring, mother-daughter communication, family involvement, and family rules about substance use. Household composition, acculturation, and academic achievement were not associated with girls’ substance use. These findings point to directions for substance abuse prevention programming among Asian American girls. PMID:22082244
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Exploring Work and Development Options to Reduce Early Labour Force Exit of Mature Aged Australians
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pillay, Hitendra; Kelly, Kathy; Tones, Megan
2008-01-01
Early labour force exit is a significant challenge associated with the ageing workforce in Australia and many other developed countries. A reduction and increased flexibility of work hours has been suggested to improve labour force participation of the mature aged cohort. However, little is known about mature aged workers' aspirations for…
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Cervical vertebral maturation of female children with orofacial clefts.
Sun, Ling; Li, Wei Ran
2013-09-01
Objective : To evaluate the skeletal maturation of girls with orofacial clefts using the cervical vertebral maturation method. Design : Case-control study. Setting : The School of Stomatology, Peking University. Patients : A total of 173 girls with cleft lip and/or palate from 8 to 16 years old were compared with 1038 age-matched girls without clefts. Results : In the 8- to 9-year-olds, most of the girls from both groups were in cervical stage 1. In the 14- to 15-year-olds and 15- to 16-year-olds, almost all the girls from both groups were in cervical stages 5 and 6, and most of the 15- to 16-year-old girls were in cervical stage 6. Differences existed in each year for 9- to 14-year-olds, which was confirmed by statistical analysis. After ordinal logistical regression of data from girls 9 to 14 years of age, girls of the same age in the non-cleft lip and/or palate group were associated with 1.559 times the odds of having achieved higher cervical stages than those in the cleft lip and/or palate group. Most girls without cleft lip and/or palate were in cervical stages 3 and 4 in the 11- to 12-year-olds; whereas, it was not so obvious in the girls with cleft lip and/or palate. By the age of 12, girls with cleft lip and/or palate had 2.667 times the risk of delayed cervical stage 3, and the 95% confidence interval for the odds ratio was 1.013 to 7.019. Conclusions : Girls with cleft lip and/or palate are at a higher risk of delayed pubertal growth.
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Marceau, Kristine; Abar, Caitlin C; Jackson, Kristina M
2015-09-01
Earlier pubertal development and less parental knowledge have been linked to more substance use during adolescence. The present study examines interactions between pubertal timing and tempo and parental knowledge (children's disclosure, parental control, and parental solicitation) for adolescent substance initiation. Data are from a northeastern US-based cohort-sequential study examining 1023 youth (52 % female) semiannually for up to 6 assessments (ages 10.5-19 years). The findings supported the hypothesis that lower knowledge is a contextual amplifier of early timing-substance use associations in girls and later timing/slower tempo-substance use associations in boys, though results varied based on source of knowledge. The findings suggest that prevention efforts may have the greatest impact when targeting families of early developing girls, and later developing boys, and that incorporating a focus on specific sources of knowledge depending on the pubertal maturation profile of the adolescent may prove valuable in prevention/intervention efforts.
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Prenatal and early life stress and risk of eating disorders in adolescent girls and young women.
Su, Xiujuan; Liang, Hong; Yuan, Wei; Olsen, Jørn; Cnattingius, Sven; Li, Jiong
2016-11-01
Females are more likely than males to develop eating disorders (EDs) in the adolescence and youth, and the etiology remains unclear. We aimed to estimate the effect of severe early life stress following bereavement, the death of a close relative, on the risk of EDs among females aged 10-26 years. This population-based cohort study included girls born in Denmark (from 1973 to 2000) or Sweden (from 1970 to 1997). Girls were categorized as exposed if they were born to mothers who lost a close relative 1 year prior to or during pregnancy or if the girl herself lost a parent or a sibling within the first 10 years of life. All other girls were included in unexposed group. An ED case was defined by a diagnosis of EDs at ages of 10-26 years, including broadly defined bulimia nervosa, broadly defined anorexia nervosa and mixed EDs. Poisson regression models were used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) between exposed group and unexposed group.A total of 64453 (3.05 %) girls were included in the exposed group. We identified 9477 girls with a diagnosis of EDs, of whom 307 (3.24 %) were from the exposed group. Both prenatal and postnatal exposure following bereavement by unexpected death was associated with an increased overall risk of EDs (IRR prenatal : 1.49, 95 % CI: 1.01-2.19 and IRR postnatal : 1.34, 95 % CI: 1.05-1.71). We observed similar results for subtypes of broadly defined bulimia nervosa (IRR: 2.47, 95 % CI: 1.67-3.65) and mixed EDs (IRR: 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.02-2.07).Our findings suggest that prenatal and early postnatal life stress due to unexpected death of a close relative is associated with an increased overall risk of eating disorders in adolescent girls and young women. The increased risk might be driven mainly by differences in broadly defined bulimia nervosa and mixed eating disorders, but not broadly defined anorexia nervosa.
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Colton, Patricia; Olmsted, Marion; Daneman, Denis; Rydall, Anne; Rodin, Gary
2004-07-01
To compare the prevalence of eating disturbances in preteen and early teenage girls with type 1 diabetes to their nondiabetic peers. A cross-sectional, case-controlled study of 101 girls with type 1 diabetes, ages 9-14 years, and 303 age-matched, female nondiabetic control subjects was conducted. Participants completed a Children's Eating Disorder Examination interview. Socioeconomic status, BMI, and diabetes-related variables were assessed. Groups were compared using chi(2) analyses. Binge eating; the use of intense, excessive exercise for weight control; the combination of two disturbed eating-related behaviors; and subthreshold eating disorders were all more common in girls with type 1 diabetes. Metabolic control was not related to eating behavior in this study population. Eating disturbances, though mostly mild, were significantly more common in preteen and early teenage girls with type 1 diabetes. Screening and prevention programs for this high-risk group should begin in the preteen years.
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The maturation of cortical sleep rhythms and networks over early development
Chu, CJ; Leahy, J; Pathmanathan, J; Kramer, MA; Cash, SS
2014-01-01
Objective Although neuronal activity drives all aspects of cortical development, how human brain rhythms spontaneously mature remains an active area of research. We sought to systematically evaluate the emergence of human brain rhythms and functional cortical networks over early development. Methods We examined cortical rhythms and coupling patterns from birth through adolescence in a large cohort of healthy children (n=384) using scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) in the sleep state. Results We found that the emergence of brain rhythms follows a stereotyped sequence over early development. In general, higher frequencies increase in prominence with striking regional specificity throughout development. The coordination of these rhythmic activities across brain regions follows a general pattern of maturation in which broadly distributed networks of low-frequency oscillations increase in density while networks of high frequency oscillations become sparser and more highly clustered. Conclusion Our results indicate that a predictable program directs the development of key rhythmic components and physiological brain networks over early development. Significance This work expands our knowledge of normal cortical development. The stereotyped neurophysiological processes observed at the level of rhythms and networks may provide a scaffolding to support critical periods of cognitive growth. Furthermore, these conserved patterns could provide a sensitive biomarker for cortical health across development. PMID:24418219
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Bertelloni, Silvano; Massart, Francesco; Miccoli, Mario; Baroncelli, Giampiero I
2017-06-01
Early puberty (EP) has been defined as the onset of puberty in the low-normal range; it may be a cause for concern regarding a possible impairment of adult height (AH). This paper meta-analysed data on AH after spontaneous growth or after gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog treatment in girls with EP. A computerized literature search was conducted from 1980 to June 30, 2016. Only published studies in English were considered. Eight papers were selected (483 cases). In untreated girls (n = 300), predicted adult height (PAH) at start of follow-up (-0.559 SDS (95%CI -1.110 to 0.001); P = 0.050) was close to mid-parental height (MPH) (-0.557 SDS (95%CI -0.736 to -0.419); P < 0.0001) and AH (-0.663 SDS (95%CI -0.803 to -0.524); P < 0.0001). In GnRH analog treated girls (n = 183), PAH before the start of treatment was slightly reduced (-0.939 SDS (95%CI -1.401 to -0.477; P < 0.0001) vs MPH (-0.678 SDS (95%CI -0.942 to -0.414); P < 0.0000), but AH (-0.604 SDS (95%CI -0.877 to -0.338); P < 0.0000) was close to MPH. Present meta-analysis indicates that girls with EP spontaneously reach their MPH and that GnRH analog treatment does not widely change growth outcome. Differences among the selected studies for definition of EP, inclusion criteria, treatment duration, age at discontinuation of therapy, definition of AH may affect results. What is Known: • Early puberty represents a main cause of consultation in paediatric endocrinology offices due to concerns of both practitioners and parents. • Treatment with GnRH analogs is sometimes attempted with the aim to improve adult height. What is New: • Untreated and GnRH analog treated girls with early puberty reached similar adult height. • Adult height was consistent with mid-parental height in both untreated and GnRH analog treated girls with early puberty.
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Crespi, Catherine M; Wang, May C; Seto, Edmund; Mare, Robert; Gee, Gilbert
2015-01-01
Although many studies have examined the relationship of adiposity with neighborhood socioeconomic context in adults, few studies have investigated this relationship during adolescence. Using 10-year annual measurements of body mass index, expressed as z-scores (BMIz), obtained from 775 black and white participants of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study, a prospective cohort study of girls from pre- to postadolescence, we used multilevel modeling to investigate whether family socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics (measured by census-tract median family income) explain variation in BMIz trajectory parameters. Analyses controlled for pubertal maturation. We found that lower SES was associated with higher overall levels of BMIz for both white and black girls. Additionally, lower-SES black girls had a more sustained increase in BMIz during early adolescence and reached a higher peak compared to higher-SES black girls and to white girls. Neighborhood income was associated with BMIz trajectory for black girls only. Unexpectedly, among black girls, living in higher-income neighborhoods was associated with higher overall levels of BMIz, controlling for SES. Our findings suggest that neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics may affect adolescent BMIz trajectories differently in different racial/ethnic groups.
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Crespi, Catherine M.; Wang, May C.; Seto, Edmund; Mare, Robert; Gee, Gilbert
2014-01-01
Although many studies have examined the relationship of adiposity with neighborhood socioeconomic context in adults, few studies have investigated this relationship during adolescence. Using 10-year annual measurements of body mass index, expressed as z-scores (BMIz), obtained from 775 Black and White participants of the NHLBI Growth and Health Study, a prospective cohort study of girls from pre- to post-adolescence, we used multilevel modeling to investigate whether family socioeconomic status (SES) and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics (measured by census tract median family income) explain variation in BMIz trajectory parameters. Analyses controlled for pubertal maturation. We found that lower SES was associated with higher overall levels of BMIz for both White and Black girls. Additionally, lower SES Black girls had a more sustained increase in BMIz during early adolescence and reached a higher peak compared to higher SES Black girls and to White girls. Neighborhood income was associated with BMIz trajectory for Black girls only. Unexpectedly, among Black girls, living in higher income neighborhoods was associated with higher overall levels of BMIz, controlling for SES. Our findings suggest that neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics may affect adolescent BMIz trajectory differently in different racial/ethnic groups. PMID:25879263
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Hung, Alec L H; Chau, W W; Shi, B; Chow, Simon K; Yu, Fiona Y P; Lam, T P; Ng, Bobby K W; Qiu, Y; Cheng, Jack C Y
2017-09-06
Accurate skeletal maturity assessment is important to guide clinical evaluation of idiopathic scoliosis, but commonly used methods are inadequate or too complex for rapid clinical use. The objective of the study was to propose a new simplified staging method, called the thumb ossification composite index (TOCI), based on the ossification pattern of the 2 thumb epiphyses and the adductor sesamoid bone; to determine its accuracy in predicting skeletal maturation when compared with the Sanders simplified skeletal maturity system (SSMS); and to validate its interrater and intrarater reliability. Hand radiographs of 125 girls, acquired when they were newly diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis prior to menarche and during longitudinal follow-up until skeletal maturity (a minimum of 4 years), were scored with the TOCI and SSMS. These scores were compared with digital skeletal age (DSA) and radius, ulna, and small hand bones (RUS) scores; anthropometric data; peak height velocity; and growth-remaining profiles. Correlations were analyzed with the chi-square test, Spearman and Cramer V correlation methods, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Reliability analysis using the intraclass correlation (ICC) was conducted. Six hundred and forty-five hand radiographs (average, 5 of each girl) were scored. The TOCI staging system was highly correlated with the DSA and RUS scores (r = 0.93 and 0.92, p < 0.01). The mean peak height velocity (and standard deviation) was 7.43 ± 1.45 cm/yr and occurred at a mean age of 11.9 ± 0.86 years, with 70.1% and 51.4% of the subjects attaining their peak height velocity at TOCI stage 5 and SSMS stage 3, respectively. The 2 systems predicted peak height velocity with comparable accuracy, with a strong Cramer V association (0.526 and 0.466, respectively; p < 0.01) and similar sensitivity and specificity on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The mean age at menarche was 12.57 ± 1.12 years, with menarche occurring
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Macdonald, Heather M; Kontulainen, Saija A; Khan, Karim M; McKay, Heather A
2007-03-01
This 16-month randomized, controlled school-based study compared change in tibial bone strength between 281 boys and girls participating in a daily program of physical activity (Action Schools! BC) and 129 same-sex controls. The simple, pragmatic intervention increased distal tibia bone strength in prepubertal boys; it had no effect in early pubertal boys or pre or early pubertal girls. Numerous school-based exercise interventions have proven effective for enhancing BMC, but none have used pQCT to evaluate the effects of increased loading on bone strength during growth. Thus, our aim was to determine whether a daily program of physical activity, Action Schools! BC (AS! BC) would improve tibial bone strength in boys and girls who were pre- (Tanner stage 1) or early pubertal (Tanner stage 2 or 3) at baseline. Ten schools were randomized to intervention (INT, 7 schools) or control (CON, 3 schools). The bone-loading component of AS! BC included a daily jumping program (Bounce at the Bell) plus 15 minutes/day of classroom physical activity in addition to regular physical education. We used pQCT to compare 16-month change in bone strength index (BSI, mg2/mm4) at the distal tibia (8% site) and polar strength strain index (SSIp, mm3) at the tibial midshaft (50% site) in 281 boys and girls participating in AS! BC and 129 same-sex controls. We used a linear mixed effects model to analyze our data. Children were 10.2+/-0.6 years at baseline. Intervention boys tended to have a greater increase in BSI (+774.6 mg2/mm4; 95% CI: 672.7, 876.4) than CON boys (+650.9 mg2/mm4; 95% CI: 496.4, 805.4), but the difference was only significant in prepubertal boys (p=0.03 for group x maturity interaction). Intervention boys also tended to have a greater increase in SSIp (+198.6 mm3; 95% CI: 182.9, 214.3) than CON boys (+177.1 mm3; 95% CI: 153.5, 200.7). Change in BSI and SSIp was similar between CON and INT girls. Our findings suggest that a simple, pragmatic program of daily activity
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Recent pregnancy trends among early adolescent girls in Japan.
Baba, Sachiko; Goto, Aya; Reich, Michael R
2014-01-01
The paper examines recent time trends, explores potentially influential background factors and discusses prevention strategies of pregnancy among girls under 15 years of age in Japan. Using Japanese government data, we first analyzed time trends of early adolescence (<15 years of age) abortion, live birth and child sexual abuse from 2003 to 2010. Second, we analyzed ecological correlations of early adolescent pregnancy (abortion, live birth and stillbirth) with pregnancy in other age groups, child sexual abuse, and indicators of juvenile victimization and juvenile delinquency, using prefectural data. We found that rates of both abortion and live birth in early adolescents have increased since 2005 (annual percent change 5.3% and 2.3%, respectively), despite declining rates in older age groups. The abortion ratio in early adolescence remained the highest among all age groups in Japan. The early adolescent pregnancy rate showed significant correlation with the rates of juvenile victimization of welfare crimes (obscenity, alcohol drinking, smoking and drug use) (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [rs] = 0.42, P = 0.00) and juvenile delinquency among junior high school students (12-14 years of age) (rs = 0.69, P = 0.00). The observed rise in rates of abortion, live birth and child sexual abuse among early adolescents along with strong ecological correlations of their pregnancy rate with juvenile victimization and delinquency indicators suggests that epidemiological investigation and public health programs at the individual and community levels are needed to address the complex social roots of these trends and to produce effective improvements in early adolescent reproductive health. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2013 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Maturational and Non-Maturational Factors in Heritage Language Acquisition
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Moon, Ji Hye
2012-01-01
This dissertation aims to understand the maturational and non-maturational aspects of early bilingualism and language attrition in heritage speakers who have acquired their L1 incompletely in childhood. The study highlights the influential role of age and input dynamics in early L1 development, where the timing of reduction in L1 input and the…
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Lucky, A W; Biro, F M; Simbartl, L A; Morrison, J A; Sorg, N W
1997-01-01
The objectives of this study were to determine which factors in early pubertal girls might be predictive of later, severe facial acne. The study was a 5-year longitudinal cohort study, with yearly visits from 1987 through 1991, in a volunteer sample of 439 black and 432 white fourth- and fifth-grade girls with consent from their legal guardians. The subjects were recruited from public and parochial schools in Cincinnati, Ohio. The degree of facial acne was classified annually as mild, moderate, or severe. Blood samples were obtained at the first, third, and fifth years of the study. Using the acne status during the fifth year of the study as the outcome variable, we determined the contributions from the prior acne status and the serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), testosterone, free testosterone (FT), estradiol (E2), progesterone, and testosterone-estrogen binding globulin (TEBG) and compared the results at various ages and at times before and after menarche. No racial differences in acne or hormone levels were found. There was a progressive increase in the number of acne lesions with age and maturation. The girls exhibited many more comedonal than inflammatory acne lesions, regardless of age. The girls in whom severe acne developed by the fifth year of the study had significantly more comedones and inflammatory lesions than girls with mild or moderate acne, as early as age 10 years, approximately 2 h years before menarche, a time when their degree of acne was mild. Girls with mild comedonal acne had significantly later onset of menarche (12.5 compared with 12.2 years) than girls with severe comedonal acne. Girls in whom severe comedonal acne developed had significantly higher levels of serum DHEAS and, in a longitudinal analysis, somewhat higher levels of testosterone and FT in comparison with girls who had mild or moderate comedonal acne. Serum E2, testosterone/E2, progesterone, and TEBG values were no different in girls with severe compared
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Soegiharto, Benny M; Cunningham, Susan J; Moles, David R
2008-08-01
The purpose of this study was to describe the stages of skeletal maturity of Deutero-Malay Indonesian children according to the hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae methods and to compare them with white children. The study included 2167 patients with hand-wrist radiographs and lateral cephalometric radiographs. Of these, there were 648 Indonesian boys, 303 white boys (age range of boys, 10-17 years), 774 Indonesian girls, and 442 white girls (age range of girls, 8-15 years). The skeletal maturation index (SMI) was used to evaluate the stages of skeletal maturity from hand-wrist radiographs, and the cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) index was used to evaluate the stages of skeletal maturity from lateral cephalometric radiographs. One observer made all observations, and a repeatability study was undertaken. Box-and-whisker plots were used to show the age distribution on attainment of each maturation stage based on the SMI and CVM. On average, both the SMI and the CVM showed that white children attained each maturation stage about 0.5 to 1 year earlier than their Indonesian peers, although the differences were less obvious in girls than in boys. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict the SMI from the chronologic age. Both the Indonesian and the white boys groups showed a good relationship between predicted SMI and chronologic age (R(2) = 0.728 and 0.739, respectively), as did the Indonesian and white girls groups (R(2) = 0.755 and 0.748, respectively). Further multiple regression analyses used to investigate the differences in the ages of attainment of skeletal development between Indonesian and white subjects indicated that, across the age ranges investigated, on average for a particular age, the white boys were 1 SMI stage ahead of the Indonesian boys, and the white girls were about 0.5 SMI stage ahead of their Indonesian peers. Because the CVM has only 5 categories, it was not considered appropriate to use this form of multiple regression analysis. The
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ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DENTAL AND SKELETAL MATURATION STAGES IN CROATIAN SUBJECTS.
Srkoc, Tamara; Mestrović, Senka; Anić-Milosević, Sandra; Slaj, Mladen
2015-12-01
This study investigated the relationships between the stages of calcification of teeth and cervical vertebral maturation. The sample consisted of 295 subjects (129 male and 166 female), mean age 13.36 ± 2.65 (range 7-18) years. Dental age was evaluated from panoramic radiographs according to the method of Demirjian. Cervical vertebral maturation was determined on lateral cephalometric radiographs using cervical vertebrae maturation stages (CVS). For assessing the relationship between cervical vertebral and dental maturation, percentage distributions of the stages of calcification for each studied tooth were calculated. Only in the first CVS stage, boys and girls were of the same age. In all other stages (CVS 2-CVS 6) girls were by 0.98 (range 0.23-1.86) younger than boys. Gender differences in the mineralization pattern were also observed. It was found that dental maturation was finished earlier in female subjects. The highest correlation coefficient between dental and skeletal maturity was found for second premolars. Mineralization pattern of second premolars could be considered as a guideline for prediction of the pubertal growth spurt. Dental maturation stages might be clinically useful as a reliable indicator of facial growth.
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Maturation of EEG Power Spectra in Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cragg, Lucy; Kovacevic, Natasa; McIntosh, Anthony Randal; Poulsen, Catherine; Martinu, Kristina; Leonard, Gabriel; Paus, Tomas
2011-01-01
This study investigated the fine-grained development of the EEG power spectra in early adolescence, and the extent to which it is reflected in changes in peak frequency. It also sought to determine whether sex differences in the EEG power spectra reflect differential patterns of maturation. A group of 56 adolescents were tested at age 10 years and…
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Mei, Davide; Marini, Carla; Novara, Francesca; Bernardina, Bernardo D; Granata, Tiziana; Fontana, Elena; Parrini, Elena; Ferrari, Anna R; Murgia, Alessandra; Zuffardi, Orsetta; Guerrini, Renzo
2010-04-01
Mutations of the X-linked gene cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) cause an X-linked encephalopathy with early onset intractable epilepsy, including infantile spasms and other seizure types, and a Rett syndrome (RTT)-like phenotype. Very limited information is available on the frequency and phenotypic spectrum associated with CDKL5 deletions/duplications. We investigated the role of CDKL5 deletions/duplications in causing early onset intractable epilepsy of unknown etiology in girls. We studied 49 girls with early onset intractable epilepsy, with or without infantile spasms, and developmental impairment, for whom no etiologic factors were obvious after clinical examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and expanded screening for inborn errors of metabolism. We performed CDKL5 gene mutation analysis in all and multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification assay (MLPA) in those who were mutation negative. Custom Array-comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), breakpoint polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, and X-inactivation studies were performed in patients in whom MLPA uncovered a genomic alteration. We found CDKL5 mutations in 8.2% (4 of 49) of patients and genomic deletions in 8.2% (4 of 49). Overall, abnormalities of the CDKL5 gene accounted for 16.3% (8 of 49) of patients. CDKL5 gene deletions are an under-ascertained cause of early onset intractable epilepsy in girls. Genetic testing of CDKL5, including both mutation and deletion/duplication analysis, should be considered in this clinical subgroup.
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Rao, Hengyi; Betancourt, Laura; Giannetta, Joan M; Brodsky, Nancy L; Korczykowski, Marc; Avants, Brian B; Gee, James C; Wang, Jiongjiong; Hurt, Hallam; Detre, John A; Farah, Martha J
2010-01-01
The effects of early life experience on later brain structure and function have been studied extensively in animals, yet the relationship between childhood experience and normal brain development in humans remains largely unknown. Using a unique longitudinal data set including ecologically valid in-home measures of early experience during childhood (at age 4 and 8 years) and high-resolution structural brain imaging during adolescence (mean age 14 years), we examined the effects on later brain morphology of two dimensions of early experience: parental nurturance and environmental stimulation. Parental nurturance at age 4 predicts the volume of the left hippocampus in adolescence, with better nurturance associated with smaller hippocampal volume. In contrast, environmental stimulation did not correlate with hippocampal volume. Moreover, the association between hippocampal volume and parental nurturance disappears at age 8, supporting the existence of a sensitive developmental period for brain maturation. These findings indicate that variation in normal childhood experience is associated with differences in brain morphology, and hippocampal volume is specifically associated with early parental nurturance. Our results provide neuroimaging evidence supporting the important role of warm parental care during early childhood for brain maturation.
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The maturation of cortical sleep rhythms and networks over early development.
Chu, C J; Leahy, J; Pathmanathan, J; Kramer, M A; Cash, S S
2014-07-01
Although neuronal activity drives all aspects of cortical development, how human brain rhythms spontaneously mature remains an active area of research. We sought to systematically evaluate the emergence of human brain rhythms and functional cortical networks over early development. We examined cortical rhythms and coupling patterns from birth through adolescence in a large cohort of healthy children (n=384) using scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) in the sleep state. We found that the emergence of brain rhythms follows a stereotyped sequence over early development. In general, higher frequencies increase in prominence with striking regional specificity throughout development. The coordination of these rhythmic activities across brain regions follows a general pattern of maturation in which broadly distributed networks of low-frequency oscillations increase in density while networks of high frequency oscillations become sparser and more highly clustered. Our results indicate that a predictable program directs the development of key rhythmic components and physiological brain networks over early development. This work expands our knowledge of normal cortical development. The stereotyped neurophysiological processes observed at the level of rhythms and networks may provide a scaffolding to support critical periods of cognitive growth. Furthermore, these conserved patterns could provide a sensitive biomarker for cortical health across development. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Mahmoud, Alaa El Dine H
2015-09-01
A large proportion of the female population all over the world, particularly in developing countries, experience some form of gender-based violence (GBV) during their life. Early marriage, a form of GBV, is particularly highly prevalent in rural Upper Egypt. The aim of the current study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of adolescents in Upper Egypt on domestic GBV, with a focus on early girls' marriage. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive household survey targeting 400 randomly selected adolescent boys and girls aged 11-16 years from five villages of Minya Governorate in Upper Egypt. The proportion of interviewed adolescents who could identify certain practices as forms of GBV was relatively low: the identified practices were mainly deprivation of work (9.0%), deprivation of inheritance (3.3%), arbitrary neglect and desertion (2.8%), and preventing from visiting relatives (0.5%). Abusive sexual behavior was not identified by any of the study participants as a form of domestic GBV. A total of 112 boys (56.0%) reported that they have been perpetrators in domestic GBV events at least once and 118 girls (59.0%) reported that they have been actual victims of domestic GBV. An overall 65.6% of study participants could correctly identify the legal age of marriage as 18 years, yet only 22.0% identified earlier ages of marriage as a form of domestic GBV. The vast majority of girls and boys reported that they would not agree to get married before the age of 18 years (91.0 and 87.0%, respectively). Adolescents in Upper Egypt demonstrated a less than satisfactory knowledge about the forms of GBV. Although early girls' marriage was not universally recognized by adolescents as a form of domestic GBV, they demonstrated satisfactory knowledge about the legal age of marriage, as well as a tendency to abandon the practice. Establishing a community-based awareness program for adolescents of both sexes about GBV with a focus on early girls' marriage is
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Relative Skeletal Maturation and Population Ancestry in Nonobese Children and Adolescents
McCormack, Shana E; Chesi, Alessandra; Mitchell, Jonathan A; Roy, Sani M; Cousminer, Diana L; Kalkwarf, Heidi J; Lappe, Joan M; Gilsanz, Vicente; Oberfield, Sharon E; Shepherd, John A; Mahboubi, Soroosh; Winer, Karen K; Kelly, Andrea; Grant, Struan FA; Zemel, Babette S
2017-01-01
More rapid skeletal maturation in African-American (AA) children is recognized and generally attributed to an increased prevalence of obesity. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of population ancestry on relative skeletal maturation in healthy, non-obese children and adolescents, accounting for body composition and sexual maturation. To do this, we leveraged a multiethnic, mixed-longitudinal study with annual assessments for up to 7 years (The Bone Mineral Density in Childhood Study and its ancillary cohort) conducted at five US clinical centers. Participants included 1592 children, skeletally immature (45% females, 19% AA) who were aged 5 to 17 years at study entry. The primary outcome measure was relative skeletal maturation as assessed by hand-wrist radiograph. Additional covariates measured included anthropometrics, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and Tanner stage of sexual maturation. Using mixed effects longitudinal models, without covariates, advancement in relative skeletal maturation was noted in self-reported AA girls (~0.33 years, p<0.001) and boys (~0.43 years, p<0.001). Boys and girls of all ancestry groups showed independent positive associations of height, lean mass, fat mass, and puberty with relative skeletal maturation. The effect of ancestry was attenuated but persistent after accounting for covariates: for girls, 0.12 years (ancestry by self-report, p = 0.12) or 0.29 years (ancestry by admixture, p = 0.004); and for boys, 0.20 years (ancestry by self-report, p = 0.0038) or 0.29 years (ancestry by admixture, p = 0.004). In summary, we conclude that advancement in relative skeletal maturation was associated with AA ancestry in healthy, non-obese children, independent of growth, body composition, and puberty. Further research into the mechanisms underlying this observation may provide insights into the regulation of skeletal maturation. PMID:27419386
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Buchanan, Christy Miller
Examined were relations between concentrations and variability of hormones (testosterone, estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone, and leutenizing hormone) and mood intensity, mood variability (within and across days), energy, and restlessness in early adolescent girls. The study also considered the issue of whether hormones have effects on mood…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kuperminc, Gabriel P.; Thomason, Jessica; DiMeo, Michelle; Broomfield-Massey, Kimberley
2011-01-01
The past two decades have seen a transformation in youth programming toward a comprehensive positive youth development (YD) framework. Cool Girls, Inc., a YD program, focuses on improving girls' life chances by promoting positive behaviors and attitudes in multiple domains. These include self-concept, academic orientation, future orientation, and…
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Fighting like a girl fighting like a guy: gender identity, ideology, and girls at early adolescence.
Brown, Lyn Mikel; Tappan, Mark B
2008-01-01
In this chapter we explore the phenomenon of "girls fighting like guys" by listening to adolescent girls' justification for physical fighting with other girls. We argue that physical girlfighting is a particular kind of gendered performance--a performance of identity that expresses, at least in part, an answer to the question, "Who am I?"--that both perpetuates and challenges the usual notions of masculinity and femininity and the differential power associated with these discourses. We present a sociocultural approach to identity that we believe not only holds promise for helping us to understand girl-fighting behavior but also highlights the clear interrelationship between social identity and personal identity. We conclude by highlighting several implications of this analysis for those who work with girls (and boys) in educational and clinical settings.
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Fukunaga, Yuko; Takai, Yohei; Yoshimoto, Takaya; Fujita, Eiji; Yamamoto, Masayoshi; Kanehisa, Hiroaki
2013-03-12
The purpose of this study was to examine maturity-related differences in anthropometry and body composition in Japanese youth within a single year. Two hundred and ten Japanese youth aged from 13 to 13.99 years participated in this study. Their maturity status was assessed using a self-assessment of stage of pubic hair development. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to estimate percent body fat and lean body mass (LBM). Muscle thickness of the anterior thigh, posterior lower leg and rectus abdominis muscles were measured by ultrasound. For boys, height, body weight, and LBM in less mature groups were lower than that in more mature groups. The maturity-related differences were still significant after adjusting for chronological age. On the other hand, muscle thickness values in the lower extremity and abdomen differed among the groups at different stages of pubic hair development, whereas there was no maturity-related difference in the relative values corrected by LBM, except for those thickness values measured at the abdomen. For girls, only the muscle thickness at the anterior thigh and muscle thickness relative to LBM1/3 at the posterior lower leg was significantly affected by maturity status, but significant maturity-related difference was not found after adjusting for chronological age. At least for Japanese boys and girls aged 13 years, maturity status affected body size in boys, but not in girls, and the influence of maturation on the muscularity of the lower extremity and trunk muscles is less in both sexes.
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2013-01-01
Background The purpose of this study was to examine maturity-related differences in anthropometry and body composition in Japanese youth within a single year. Methods Two hundred and ten Japanese youth aged from 13 to 13.99 years participated in this study. Their maturity status was assessed using a self-assessment of stage of pubic hair development. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to estimate percent body fat and lean body mass (LBM). Muscle thickness of the anterior thigh, posterior lower leg and rectus abdominis muscles were measured by ultrasound. Results For boys, height, body weight, and LBM in less mature groups were lower than that in more mature groups. The maturity-related differences were still significant after adjusting for chronological age. On the other hand, muscle thickness values in the lower extremity and abdomen differed among the groups at different stages of pubic hair development, whereas there was no maturity-related difference in the relative values corrected by LBM, except for those thickness values measured at the abdomen. For girls, only the muscle thickness at the anterior thigh and muscle thickness relative to LBM1/3 at the posterior lower leg was significantly affected by maturity status, but significant maturity-related difference was not found after adjusting for chronological age. Conclusions At least for Japanese boys and girls aged 13 years, maturity status affected body size in boys, but not in girls, and the influence of maturation on the muscularity of the lower extremity and trunk muscles is less in both sexes. PMID:23497570
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Simons-Morton, B; Crump, A D; Haynie, D L; Saylor, K E; Eitel, P; Yu, K
1999-02-01
Experimentation with smoking often begins during adolescence, but an adequate understanding of the factors associated with early initiation remains elusive. Sixth- to eighth-grade students (n = 4,263, 67.1% white, 23.5% black, 7.2% other) from seven middle schools were surveyed. The overall prevalence of recent smoking (past 30 days) of 10.4% was similar for boys and girls and by race, but increased from 3.7% in sixth to 17.8% in eighth grade. In multiple logistic regression analyses positive outcome expectations, high perceived prevalence, deviance acceptance, and trouble at school were independently associated with smoking for both boys and girls. Among boys, problem-behaving friends, peer pressure, authoritative parenting, and mother's education and among girls, self-control problems, knowledgeable parents, and grade were independently associated with smoking. This is one of the few studies to report an independent association between smoking and outcome expectations, the first study to report an independent effect for peer influences among boys only, and one of several to find a negative association between smoking and positive parenting behavior. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of preventive interventions might be improved by targeting parent, school, and student outcomes, including outcome expectations, deviance acceptance, and social norms for both boys and girls, peer influences among boys, and self-control among girls.
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Caterson, E J; Shetye, Pradip R; Grayson, Barry H; McCarthy, Joseph G
2013-10-01
The classic Le Fort III procedure was recommended in syndromic craniosynostotic children to reduce exorbitism, improve airway function, and decrease dysmorphism. This study reports on a cohort of syndromic craniosynostosis patients who have undergone early primary subcranial (classic Tessier) Le Fort III advancement and who have been followed longitudinally through skeletal maturity and beyond. In this study, the Le Fort III advancements all occurred between the ages of 3 to 5 years, with a mean age of 4.6 years. Subsequently, these early Le Fort III patients were followed throughout development with longitudinal dental, medical, radiographic, and photographic evaluations conducted through skeletal maturity and beyond. For study inclusion, the patients had to have preoperative medical photographs and cephalometric studies at 6 months and 1, 5, and 10 years postoperatively after the primary Le Fort III advancement as well as cephalometric documentation 6 months and 1 year after the secondary midface advancement after skeletal maturity. After early or primary Le Fort III advancement, there was no evidence of relapse and only minimal anterior or horizontal postoperative growth of the midface. However, there was also a return of occlusal disharmony from "anticipated" mandibular growth, approaching a maximum at skeletal maturity. The dysmorphic concave facial profile and malocclusion, and airway and ocular considerations, provided the impetus for secondary midface surgery after skeletal maturity was attained. The data demonstrate that early Le Fort III advancement performed before the age of mixed dentition does not obviate the need for a secondary advancement after skeletal maturity is reached. Therapeutic, IV.
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Fang, Lin; Schinke, Steven P; Cole, Kristin C A
2010-11-01
This study examined the efficacy and generalizability of a family-oriented, web-based substance use prevention program to young Asian-American adolescent girls. Between September and December 2007, a total of 108 Asian-American girls aged 10-14 years and their mothers were recruited through online advertisements and from community service agencies. Mother-daughter dyads were randomly assigned to an intervention arm or to a test-only control arm. After pretest measurement, intervention-arm dyads completed a 9-session web-based substance use prevention program. Guided by family interaction theory, the program aimed to improve girls' psychological states, strengthen substance use prevention skills, increase mother-daughter interactions, enhance maternal monitoring, and prevent girls' substance use. Study outcomes were assessed using generalized estimating equations. At posttest, relative to control-arm girls, intervention-arm girls showed less depressed mood; reported improved self-efficacy and refusal skills; had higher levels of mother-daughter closeness, mother-daughter communication, and maternal monitoring; and reported more family rules against substance use. Intervention-arm girls also reported fewer instances of alcohol, marijuana, and illicit prescription drug use, and expressed lower intentions to use substances in the future. A family-oriented, web-based substance use prevention program was efficacious in preventing substance use behavior among early Asian-American adolescent girls. Copyright © 2010 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Biological maturity at birth, the course of the subsequent ontogenetic stages and age at menarche.
Szwed, A; Kosińska, M
2012-08-01
The main aim of the study was to assess the influence of biological maturity at birth on growth processes in the subsequent years and during puberty in girls. The material of this study comes from the outpatient clinic cards and cross-sectional research on girls from the province of Wielkopolska in Poland. It includes data of 527 girls. The influence of perinatal maturity on body weight in the later stages of ontogeny was determined with the use of the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test. In order to determine the relationship between perinatal maturity and age at menarche, the survival analysis module was used. The results show a diverse influence of perinatal maturity on the values of body weight achieved in later years of life. The indicated predictive factors included both birth weight and gestational age. In the examined girls menarche occurred between the 10th year and the 17th year of life (X¯=12.87, s=1.26; Me=13 years). The comparison showed a significant variation in age at menarche depending on the length of pregnancy (log-rank χ(2)(2)=27.068, p<0.0001) and birth weight (log-rank χ(2)(2)=23.241, p<0.0001). There was no variation in maturation of the examined girls conditioned by the occurrence of intra-uterine growth retardation (log-rank χ(2)(2)=2.046, p>0.05). Remote prognoses as to the postnatal development of preterm-born children and/or children with low birth weight indicate adverse influence of these variables on age at menarche. Perinatal biological maturity of a newborn conditions the course of postnatal development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rutz, Andreas
2012-01-01
Girls' schools in the early modern era were largely run by nuns and can therefore be distinguished as Catholic institutions of learning. These schools flourished in the Catholic parts of Europe since the turn of the seventeenth century. Despite their focus on religious education, elementary skills such as reading, writing and sometimes arithmetic…
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Body Dissatisfaction of Adolescent Girls and Boys: Risk and Resource Factors.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Barker, Erin T.; Galambos, Nancy L.
2003-01-01
Examined factors predicting body dissatisfaction for seventh- and tenth-grade girls and boys in the second wave of a 3-year study of psychosocial maturity. Identified high body mass index, greater figure management, and being teased about appearance as risk factors for girls' body dissatisfaction. Being teased was boys' only significant risk…
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Bartels, Susan Andrea; Michael, Saja; Roupetz, Sophie; Garbern, Stephanie; Kilzar, Lama; Bergquist, Harveen; Bakhache, Nour; Davison, Colleen; Bunting, Annie
2018-01-01
Introduction The Syrian conflict has resulted in over 2.3 million child refugees in the Middle East and the prevalence of early marriage has reportedly increased among displaced Syrian families. This study explores the underlying factors contributing to child marriage among Syrian refugees in Lebanon with the goal of informing community-based strategies to address the issue. Methods In July–August 2016, trained interviewers collected self-interpreted stories in Lebanon using Cognitive Edge’s SenseMaker, a mixed-method data collection tool. Participants included married and unmarried Syrian girls, Syrian parents as well as married and unmarried men. Each participant shared a story about the experiences of Syrian girls and then interpreted the story by plotting their perspectives on a variety of questions. Patterns in the responses were analysed in SPSS and the accompanying qualitative narratives were reviewed to facilitate interpretation of the quantitative results. Results 1422 self-interpreted stories from 1346 unique participants were collected with 40% of shared stories focused on (n=332) or mentioning (n=245) child marriage. Quantitative data summarised the different perspectives of female and male participants. Syrian girls and mothers were more likely to share stories about protection/security and/or education and were more likely to report that girls were overprotected. Male participants were more likely to share stories about financial security as well as sexual exploitation of girls and more often reported that girls were not protected enough. Despite these gendered perspectives, many of the shared narratives highlighted similar themes of financial hardship, lack of educational opportunities and safety concerns around sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Conclusions A complex myriad of factors contribute to early marriage including poverty, lack of educational opportunities and concerns about SGBV. Sexual exploitation under the guise of marriage
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Cox, Anne E; Cole, Amy N; Laurson, Kelly
2016-06-01
We tested the moderating role of physical self-perceptions in the relationship between physical maturity and physical self-worth (PSW). Students in Grades 5 through 8 (N = 241; 57% females; Mage = 12.30 years) completed a questionnaire assessing physical self-perceptions (i.e., perceived sport competence, conditioning, strength, and body attractiveness), PSW, and maturity status. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test interactions between maturity and physical self-perceptions predicting PSW separately for boys and girls. For girls, maturity level and physical self-perceptions explained significant variance, F(5, 131) = 73.44, p < .001, R(2) = .74, with interactions explaining a little extra variance, ΔF = 3.42, p = .01, ΔR(2) = .03. Perceived attractiveness interacted with maturity status to predict PSW (p = .01), indicating that maturity was positively related to PSW only for girls with higher body attractiveness. Maturity status and physical self-perceptions also significantly predicted PSW in boys, F(5, 98) = 46.52, p < .001, R(2) = .70, with interactions explaining a little extra variance, ΔF = 3.16, p = .02, ΔR(2) = .04. A statistically significant interaction between perceived strength and maturity (p < .001) indicated that maturity related positively to PSW, but only for boys with higher perceived strength. The maturity-PSW relationship differs by gender and depends partly on physical self-perceptions. This finding reinforces previous findings that illustrate the relative importance of perceived attractiveness and strength for girls and boys, respectively. PSW is an important predictor of physical activity behavior; therefore, it is critical to understand the interplay between these key antecedents.
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Mukhopadhyay, K K
1995-01-01
This article discusses the nature, magnitude, causes, and consequences of female child prostitution in India and offers measures for control and prevention of girl prostitution. Data are obtained from the 6-city study of prostitution and the author's own research. An estimated 85% of all prostitutes in Calcutta and Delhi entered the work at an early age. The numbers are rising. The promotion of tourism is linked with prostitution. Girl prostitutes are primarily located in low-middle income areas and business districts and are known by officials. Brothel keepers regularly recruit young girls. An estimated 33% of prostitutes are young girls. In Bangalore, Calcutta, Delhi, and Hyderabad, there are an estimated 10,000 girl prostitutes. UNICEF estimates about 300,000 child prostitutes. Girl prostitutes are grouped as common prostitutes, singers and dancers, call girls, religious prostitutes or devdasi, and caged brothel prostitutes. Religious prostitutes are mainly found in the South. Caged ones are found in Bombay. A little over 50% of prostitutes come from other countries, such as Nepal and Bangladesh. The girls tend to come from urban slums and poor rural areas. High prostitute supply regions include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengel states. About 85% are Hindus, and about 66% are from scheduled castes and tribes. Bangalore and Bombay have a higher proportion of girl prostitutes. The causes of prostitution include ill treatment by parents, bad company, family prostitutes, social customs, inability to arrange marriage, lack of sex education, media, prior incest and rape, early marriage and desertion, lack of recreational facilities, ignorance, and acceptance of prostitution. Economic causes include poverty and economic distress. Psychological causes include desire for physical pleasure, greed, and dejection. Most enter involuntarily. A brief profile is given of the life of a prostitute.
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Susman, Elizabeth J.; Houts, Renate M.; Steinberg, Laurence; Belsky, Jay; Cauffman, Elizabeth; DeHart, Ganie; Friedman, Sarah L.; Roisman, Glenn I.; Halpern-Felsher, Bonnie L.
2010-01-01
Objectives To identify ages when adolescents were in sexual maturity stages 2 through 5; to explain the relations between breast (girls), genital (boys), and pubic hair (girls and boys) development between ages 9½ and 15½ years; and to evaluate synchrony of pubertal development across characteristics. Design Annual pubertal assessments. Setting Ten locations in the United States. Participants A total of 859 adolescents (427 boys [49.7%] and 432 girls [50.3%]; 737 white [85.8%] and 122 black [14.2%]). Main Outcome Measures Changes in the 5 stages of breast, genital, and pubic hair development. Results Girls were in breast maturity stages 2 and 3 earlier than comparable pubic hair stages. Although breast development in girls started earlier than pubic hair development, girls completed breast and pubic hair development at approximately the same age. Black girls were in all stages of breast and pubic hair development earlier than white girls. Boys were in stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 of genital development before the comparable pubic hair stage. In boys, genital development started earlier than pubic hair development, but pubic hair development was completed in less time. Black boys were in genital and pubic hair development about 7 months earlier than white boys. Black and white boys completed genital development in approximately 4½ years, but black boys took approximately 6 months longer than white boys to complete pubic hair development. At stage 2, for 66.2% of girls, breast development preceded their pubic hair development; for 91.1% of boys, genital development preceded their pubic hair development. Conclusions The results of this study are useful in understanding normative variation in the timing and change in the development of secondary sexual characteristics at puberty. They will help identify adolescents with atypical changes in sexual maturation and unusual progression of sexual maturation and growth disorders. PMID:20124146
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Susman, Elizabeth J; Houts, Renate M; Steinberg, Laurence; Belsky, Jay; Cauffman, Elizabeth; Dehart, Ganie; Friedman, Sarah L; Roisman, Glenn I; Halpern-Felsher, Bonnie L
2010-02-01
To identify ages when adolescents were in sexual maturity stages 2 through 5; to explain the relations between breast (girls), genital (boys), and pubic hair (girls and boys) development between ages 9(1/2) and 15(1/2) years; and to evaluate synchrony of pubertal development across characteristics. Annual pubertal assessments. Ten locations in the United States. A total of 859 adolescents (427 boys [49.7%] and 432 girls [50.3%]; 737 white [85.8%] and 122 black [14.2%]). Changes in the 5 stages of breast, genital, and pubic hair development. Girls were in breast maturity stages 2 and 3 earlier than comparable pubic hair stages. Although breast development in girls started earlier than pubic hair development, girls completed breast and pubic hair development at approximately the same age. Black girls were in all stages of breast and pubic hair development earlier than white girls. Boys were in stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 of genital development before the comparable pubic hair stage. In boys, genital development started earlier than pubic hair development, but pubic hair development was completed in less time. Black boys were in genital and pubic hair development about 7 months earlier than white boys. Black and white boys completed genital development in approximately 4(1/2) years, but black boys took approximately 6 months longer than white boys to complete pubic hair development. At stage 2, for 66.2% of girls, breast development preceded their pubic hair development; for 91.1% of boys, genital development preceded their pubic hair development. The results of this study are useful in understanding normative variation in the timing and change in the development of secondary sexual characteristics at puberty. They will help identify adolescents with atypical changes in sexual maturation and unusual progression of sexual maturation and growth disorders.
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Gender in the Early Years: Boys and Girls in an African Working Class Primary School
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bhana, Deevia; Nzimakwe, Thokozani; Nzimakwe, Phumzile
2011-01-01
Understanding the ways in which young boys and girls give meaning to gender and sexuality is vital, and is especially significant in the light of South Africa's commitment to gender equality. Yet the, gendered cultures of young children in the early years of South African primary schools remains a, marginal concern in debate, research and…
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Validation of Maturity Offset in the Fels Longitudinal Study.
Malina, Robert M; Choh, Audrey C; Czerwinski, Stefan A; Chumlea, Wm Cameron
2016-08-01
Sex-specific equations for predicting maturity offset, time before or after peak height velocity (PHV), were evaluated in 63 girls and 74 boys from the Fels Longitudinal Study. Serially measured heights (0.1 cm), sitting heights (0.1 cm), weights (0.1 kg), and estimated leg lengths (0.1 cm) from 8 to 18 years were used. Predicted age at PHV (years) was calculated as the difference between chronological age (CA) and maturity offset. Actual age at PHV for each child was derived with a triple logistic model (Bock-Thissen-du Toit). Mean predicted maturity offset was negative and lowest at 8 years and increased linearly with increasing CA. Predicted ages at PHV increased linearly with CA from 8 to 18 years in girls and from 8 to 13 years in boys; predictions varied within relatively narrow limits from 12 to 15 years and then increased to 18 years in boys. Differences between predicted and actual ages at PHV among youth of contrasting maturity status were significant across the age range in both sexes. Dependence of predicted age at PHV upon CA at prediction and on actual age at PHV limits its utility as an indicator of maturity timing and in sport talent programs.
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Relative Skeletal Maturation and Population Ancestry in Nonobese Children and Adolescents.
McCormack, Shana E; Chesi, Alessandra; Mitchell, Jonathan A; Roy, Sani M; Cousminer, Diana L; Kalkwarf, Heidi J; Lappe, Joan M; Gilsanz, Vicente; Oberfield, Sharon E; Shepherd, John A; Mahboubi, Soroosh; Winer, Karen K; Kelly, Andrea; Grant, Struan Fa; Zemel, Babette S
2017-01-01
More rapid skeletal maturation in African-American (AA) children is recognized and generally attributed to an increased prevalence of obesity. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of population ancestry on relative skeletal maturation in healthy, non-obese children and adolescents, accounting for body composition and sexual maturation. To do this, we leveraged a multiethnic, mixed-longitudinal study with annual assessments for up to 7 years (The Bone Mineral Density in Childhood Study and its ancillary cohort) conducted at five US clinical centers. Participants included 1592 children, skeletally immature (45% females, 19% AA) who were aged 5 to 17 years at study entry. The primary outcome measure was relative skeletal maturation as assessed by hand-wrist radiograph. Additional covariates measured included anthropometrics, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and Tanner stage of sexual maturation. Using mixed effects longitudinal models, without covariates, advancement in relative skeletal maturation was noted in self-reported AA girls (∼0.33 years, p < 0.001) and boys (∼0.43 years, p < 0.001). Boys and girls of all ancestry groups showed independent positive associations of height, lean mass, fat mass, and puberty with relative skeletal maturation. The effect of ancestry was attenuated but persistent after accounting for covariates: for girls, 0.19 years (ancestry by self-report, p = 0.02) or 0.29 years (ancestry by admixture, p = 0.004); and for boys, 0.20 years (ancestry by self-report, p = 0.004), or 0.29 years (ancestry by admixture, p = 0.004). In summary, we conclude that advancement in relative skeletal maturation was associated with AA ancestry in healthy, non-obese children, independent of growth, body composition, and puberty. Further research into the mechanisms underlying this observation may provide insights into the regulation of skeletal maturation. © 2016 American Society
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gonzales-Backen, Melinda A.; Bámaca-Colbert, Mayra Y.; Allen, Kimberly
2016-01-01
We examined trajectories of ethnic identity exploration, resolution, and affirmation and their associations with depressive symptoms and self-esteem 3.5 years later among early and middle adolescent Mexican-origin girls (N = 338). Findings indicated that exploration, resolution, and affirmation increased over time for both cohorts. Among early…
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Abstract. Epidemiologic studies of air pollution effects on respiratory health report significant modification by sex. Studies of children suggest stronger effects among boys in early life and girls in later childhood. In adults, particularly the elderly, studies report stronger...
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Kahl, H; Schaffrath Rosario, A; Schlaud, M
2007-01-01
Following the standstill in maturity acceleration in the eighties of the twentieth century, now a further shift in maturity development towards younger ages is the issue of an international and also German discussion. The collection of sexual maturity data in boys and girls as part of the nationwide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) is intended to pro vide population-representative information on sexual maturation and to evaluate associations between maturity status and selected health and social data. Girls were interviewed regarding their first menstrual period (menarche) and boys regarding voice change (status-quo method). Pubic hair was self-assessed by children and adolescents from 10 to 17 years of age, based on drawings of Tanner's defined developmental stages. The median age for menarche, for voice change and pubic hair stages were calculated using a logit model. At an age of 10 years, 42.4 % of girls and 35.7 % of boys report the development of pubic hair. At 17 years of age, the majority of girls and boys have reached the stages PH5 (girls 57.5 %, boys 47.8 %) and PH6 (girls 23.6 %, boys 46.5 %) according to Tanner. The average age for each pubic hair stage is lower in girls (PH2 10.8; PH3 11.7; PH4 12.3; PH5 13.4 years) than in boys (PH2 10.9; PH3 12.6; PH4 13.4; PH5 14.1). The median age at menarche is 12.8 years, the median for voice change (voice low) 15.1 years. Significant differences in age at menarche are found in girls depending on socioeconomic status (12.7/12.9/13.0 years for low/middle/high status) and between girls with and without migration background (12.5/12.9 years). No differences in age at menarche can be seen between East and West Germany or cities and rural areas. The association between maturity status and BMI is more pronounced in girls than in boys. Overall, the onset of maturity development in German children and adolescents is not significantly earlier than in other European
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Gifted Girls and Nonmathematical Aspirations: A Longitudinal Case Study of Two Gifted Korean Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lee, Kyeong Hwa; Sriraman, Bharath
2012-01-01
In this longitudinal study of two gifted Korean girls, experiences with early admittance into a gifted program are charted alongside their family and societal experiences that ultimately influenced their career choices in nonmathematical fields. The 8-year-long qualitative study involved extensive interviews with the two gifted girls and their…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Di Noia, Jennifer; Schinke, Steven P.
2007-01-01
This study evaluates the efficacy of Keepin' It Safe, a theory-based, gender-specific, CD-ROM-mediated HIV prevention program for urban, early adolescent girls. Intervention effects were examined in a randomized, pretest-posttest wait-list control-group design. Changes in HIV/AIDS knowledge, protective attitudes, and skills for reducing HIV…
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White, Rebecca M B; Deardorff, Julianna; Gonzales, Nancy A
2012-06-01
To examine the role of neighborhood contextual variation in the putative association between pubertal timing and depressive symptoms among Mexican-origin girls. Mexican-origin girls (N = 344; x̄(age) = 10.8 years) self-reported their total pubertal, adrenal, and gonadal events, along with levels of depressive symptoms in the 5th grade. Girls' residential addresses were geocoded into neighborhoods, and census data were obtained to describe neighborhoods along two dimensions: Hispanic cultural context and socioeconomic disadvantage. Two years later, when most of the girls were in the 7th grade, we reassessed the girls regarding depressive symptoms. Neighborhood Hispanic composition and neighborhood disadvantage were highly positively correlated. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we examined the moderating influence of neighborhood Hispanic composition and neighborhood disadvantage on the prospective associations between pubertal timing (total, gonadal, and adrenal) and depressive symptoms. Neighborhood Hispanic composition moderated the prospective association between total pubertal and gonadal timing and depressive symptoms. Neighborhood disadvantage did not moderate these associations. Our results suggest that early maturing 5th grade Mexican-origin girls living in non-Hispanic neighborhoods are at the greatest risk for increased depressive symptoms in the 7th grade, even though these neighborhoods tend to be socioeconomically more advantaged. The protective cultural context of largely Hispanic neighborhoods may outweigh the potential amplifying effects of neighborhood disadvantage. Copyright © 2012 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Linking Childhood Maltreatment with Girls’ Internalizing Symptoms: Early Puberty as a Tipping Point
Mendle, Jane; Leve, Leslie D.; Van Ryzin, Mark; Natsuaki, Misaki N.
2013-01-01
Early pubertal timing in girls is one of the most frequently replicated antecedents of adolescent emotional distress. Yet understanding the impact of pubertal timing in psychosocial development has presented something of a conundrum for developmentalists, as earlier physical maturation may often be preceded by a range of early adversities and life stressors. The present paper disentangles these associations by investigating childhood maltreatment, adolescent internalizing symptoms, and perceived pubertal timing in girls who were residing in foster care at study entry (N = 100, M = 11.54 years old at Time 1). Girls were assessed at two time points two years apart. There were no significant direct effects of maltreatment on internalizing symptoms; rather, childhood sexual abuse predicted earlier perceived pubertal development at study onset which, in turn, was associated with higher levels of internalizing symptomatology. These higher levels of internalizing symptoms persisted over the two years of the study. This distinctive role for early pubertal timing – even within a sample subject to stressors and risks which far exceed the developmental norm – confirms the unique salience of pubertal timing in emotional adjustment, and suggests that the heightened sexual circumstances of puberty may be especially disturbing for girls whose lives have already been traumatically disrupted by inappropriate and unwanted sexual experiences. PMID:25419091
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Wang, D H; Ren, J; Zhou, C J; Han, Z; Wang, L; Liang, C G
2018-05-17
The strategies for improving the in vitro maturation (IVM) of domestic animal oocytes focus on promoting nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. The identification of paracrine factors and their supplementation in the culture medium represent effective approaches for oocyte maturation and embryo development. This study investigated the effects of paracrine factor supplementation including connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), nerve growth factor (NGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and stromal derived factor 1 (SDF1) on ovine oocytes and early parthenogenetic embryos using an in vitro culture system. First, we identified the optimal concentrations of CTGF (30 ng/mL), SDF1 (10 ng/mL), NGF (3 ng/mL), and HGF (100 ng/mL) for promoting oocyte maturation, which combined, induced nuclear maturation in 94.19% of oocytes. This combination also promoted cumulus cell expansion and inhibited oocyte/cumulus apoptosis, while enabling a larger proportion (33.04%) of embryos to develop into blastocysts than in the controls and prevented embryo apoptosis. These novel findings demonstrate that the paracrine factors CTGF, SDF1, NGF, and HGF facilitate ovine oocyte and early parthenogenetic embryo development in vitro. Thus, supplementation with these factors may help optimize the IVM of ovine oocytes and early parthenogenetic embryo development strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schachner, Maja K.; Van de Vijver, Fons J. R.; Noack, Peter
2018-01-01
Navigating between cultures in addition to developmental changes and challenges in early adolescence can be difficult. We investigated school, family, and ethnic group as conditions for acculturation and school adjustment among early-adolescent boys and girls. Analyses were based on 860 mostly second- and third-generation immigrant students from…
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Family Economic Stress and Adjustment of Early Adolescent Girls.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Conger, Rand D.; And Others
1993-01-01
Adolescent girls and their parents and a sibling completed questionnaires that measured several family variables and were observed interacting. Found that family economic pressures led to parents' depression, marital conflict, and disrupted parenting. Parents' depressed mood and disrupted child-rearing practices affected girls' adjustment. (BC)
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Do mature forest birds prefer early-successional habitat during the post-fledging period?
Carlin C. Chandler; David I. King; Richard B. Chandler
2012-01-01
Recent studies have highlighted the importance of the post-fledging period to bird populations, suggesting that the importance of this portion of the life cycle is equal to or greater than the nesting period. Nevertheless, few studies have compared abundance of forest nesting species between mature forest and early-successional habitats while controlling for...
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Yoo, Changhee; Do, Hyun-Ah; Jeong, In Gab; Park, Hongzoo; Hwang, Jung-Jin; Hong, Jun Hyuk; Cho, Jin Seon; Choo, Myong-Soo; Ahn, Hanjong; Kim, Choung-Soo
2010-09-01
Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells. OK432 (Picibanil) was introduced as a potent stimulator of DC maturation in combination with prostaglandin-E(2) and interferon-alpha. We compared the efficacy of a DC-prostate cancer vaccine using early-mature DCs stimulated with OK432, PGE2 and INF-alpha (OPA) with that of vaccines using other methods. On days 3 or 7 of DC culture, TNF-alpha (T), TNF-alpha and LPS (TL) or OPA were employed as maturation stimulators. DU145 cells subjected to heat stress were hybridized with mature DCs using polyethyleneglycol. T cells were sensitized by the hybrids, and their proliferative and cytokine secretion activities and cytotoxicity were measured. The yields of early-mature DCs were higher, compared to yields at the conventional maturation time (P<0.05). In the early maturation setting, the mean fusion ratios, calculated from the fraction of dual-positive cells, were 13.3%, 18.6%, and 39.9%, respectively (P=0.051) in the T only, TL, and OPA-treated groups. The function of cytotoxic T cells, which were sensitized with the hybrids containing DCs matured early with OPA, was superior to that using other methods. The antitumor effects of DC-DU145 hybrids generated with DCs subjected to early maturation with the OPA may be superior to that of the hybrids using conventional maturation methods.
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Budd, Elizabeth L; McQueen, Amy; Eyler, Amy A; Haire-Joshu, Debra; Auslander, Wendy F; Brownson, Ross C
2018-06-01
Most girls experience a notable decline in physical activity (PA) in early adolescence, increasing their risk for harmful health outcomes. Enjoyment for PA (i.e., positive feelings toward PA) is a determinant of PA among girls during adolescence and sustained PA throughout adulthood. Previous studies recommended increasing girls' PA enjoyment in order to increase their PA, but did not include environmental-level strategies for how families, schools, or communities do this. To gain insight on such strategies, this study examines the role of PA enjoyment as a mediator of social and physical environments to moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA of early adolescent girls. Cross-sectional, secondary analyses, using structural equation modeling, were conducted on a U.S. national dataset of 1721 sixth grade girls from the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls in 2003. Mediation model fit parameters included χ 2 (292, N = 1721) = 947.73 p < 0.001, CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.04 (90% CI = 0.03, 0.04), and SRMR = 0.037 suggesting overall good fit. There were no indirect effects on PA through PA enjoyment from the social or physical environmental factors. To PA, there were significant direct effects only from social support from friends (β = 0.15, CI = 0.09, 0.22). To PA enjoyment, there were significant direct effects from social support from family (β = 0.15, CI = 0.08, 0.23), school climate (teachers β = 0.15, CI = 0.10, 0.21 and boys β = 0.15, CI = 0.09, 0.20), and neighborhood environment (β = 0.10, CI = 0.04, 0.17). The findings of this study identified several direct effects of the social and physical environment on PA enjoyment that can begin to inform environmental-level strategies for increasing PA enjoyment among early adolescent girls. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Girl child: her rights and law.
Gokhale, S D
1995-01-01
This article points out the disparity between India's laws to protect female children and their actual living conditions. It is asserted that the role of women needs to be strengthened and that equal rights are executed to the advantage of children. Equality must come at the very beginning of life. Girl children need access to health, nutrition, education, and other basic services. In India, girls are guaranteed an equal right to education, but fewer girls are enrolled in primary school, and very few girls go on to secondary schools. There is no enforcement of compulsory laws, which particularly disadvantage girls from poor families. Girls marry below the legal minimum age. Early childbearing shortens women's life expectancy and adversely affects their health, nutrition, education, and employment opportunities. Prevention of early child marriage should be strictly enforced. Amniocentesis is performed in order to determine the sex of the child and abort female fetuses. The Juvenile Justice Act of 1986 includes special provisions for the protection, treatment, and rehabilitation of girls under 18 years old and of boys younger than 16. This act protects girls trapped in brothels for child prostitution and protects any person engaged in an immoral, drunken, or depraved life. Juvenile Welfare Boards address the problem of neglected girls and offer special protective homes and supervision by probation officers. The act needs to strengthen noninstitutional services, such as sponsorship, family assistance, foster care, and adoption. Girl children grow to womanhood. Effective social development in childhood reaps rewards in adulthood.
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Laska-Mierzejewska, T; Olszewska, E
2004-01-01
The aim of this study was to find out whether the political and economic system transformation in Poland in 1989 had an influence on the rate of maturation of girls from various categories of the rural population in two regions, differing in wealth. The stratification of the villagers was based on the source of the family income (farmers, farmer-workers and non-farmers), on parents' education, and on the number of children per family. The age at menarche (AM) was used as biological indicator of living conditions. Rural girls aged 9.5-18.5 years were studied in 1987 in Leszno (L), a rich region (n = 2049), and in 1989 in Suwałki (S), a poor region (n = 2077). The study was repeated in 2001 in the same villages, the numbers of subjects amounting to 2440 and 2122, respectively. In the 1980s, AM in regions L and S amounted to 13.18 and 13.88 years, respectively, and was strongly related to social stratification. The earliest AM was found in daughters of non-farmers and the latest in the girls from farmers' families. In 2001, the acceleration in AM amounted to 0.14 years in the rich region and to 0.46 years in the poor region. The percentage of families owning a car, freezer, colour TV and automatic washing machine markedly increased and the education of parents improved. Such results are indicative of an improvement in the living standard of the groups investigated, but the villagers regard themselves as the losers as a result of the system transformation in Poland. Since the Polish population is considered as ethnically homogenous, the great differences in AM within the rural population, as well as the differences between the inhabitants of villages and large cities should be regarded as biological effects of social inequalities. Such differences indicate that Polish rural girls are far below the genetic potential for menarcheal age.
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Mechanical factors direct mouse aortic remodelling during early maturation
Le, Victoria P.; Cheng, Jeffrey K.; Kim, Jungsil; Staiculescu, Marius C.; Ficker, Shawn W.; Sheth, Saahil C.; Bhayani, Siddharth A.; Mecham, Robert P.; Yanagisawa, Hiromi; Wagenseil, Jessica E.
2015-01-01
Numerous diseases have been linked to genetic mutations that lead to reduced amounts or disorganization of arterial elastic fibres. Previous work has shown that mice with reduced amounts of elastin (Eln+/−) are able to live a normal lifespan through cardiovascular adaptations, including changes in haemodynamic stresses, arterial geometry and arterial wall mechanics. It is not known if the timeline and presence of these adaptations are consistent in other mouse models of elastic fibre disease, such as those caused by the absence of fibulin-5 expression (Fbln5−/−). Adult Fbln5−/− mice have disorganized elastic fibres, decreased arterial compliance and high blood pressure. We examined mechanical behaviour of the aorta in Fbln5−/− mice through early maturation when the elastic fibres are being assembled. We found that the physiologic circumferential stretch, stress and modulus of Fbln5−/− aorta are maintained near wild-type levels. Constitutive modelling suggests that elastin contributions to the total stress are decreased, whereas collagen contributions are increased. Understanding how collagen fibre structure and mechanics compensate for defective elastic fibres to meet the mechanical requirements of the maturing aorta may help to better understand arterial remodelling in human elastinopathies. PMID:25652465
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Sladek, Michael R; Doane, Leah D; Stroud, Catherine B
2017-01-01
Prior work has identified alterations in activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a potential mechanism underlying stress-induced emotional health problems, which disproportionately impact girls beginning in mid-adolescence. How adolescent girls differ from one another in dispositional coping tendencies and shift specific coping strategies in response to varying stressors have been theorized as important predictors of their adaptation, health, and well-being during this dynamic period of development. The goal of this study was to examine whether individual and day-to-day (within-person) differences in adolescent girls' coping responses are associated with daily patterns of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, indexed by cortisol. Participants were 122 early adolescent girls (M age = 12.39) who provided three saliva samples per day for 3 days and completed daily coping reports, as well as a standard coping survey. Participants and primary caregivers also completed objective life stress interviews. On average, girls who were more likely to respond to interpersonal stress with voluntary engagement (active) coping exhibited generally adaptive daily physiological regulation-steeper diurnal cortisol slopes, lower total diurnal cortisol output, and lower cortisol awakening responses. Chronic interpersonal stress level significantly moderated these associations in different ways for two distinct components of the diurnal pattern-the slope and cortisol awakening responses. Regarding within-person differences, using active coping more than usual was associated with higher waking cortisol the following morning, which may help to prepare adolescent girls for perceived daily demands. These findings highlight the interactive influence of stress and coping in the prediction of daily hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and support the stress-buffering role of active coping for adolescent girls.
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Advanced dental maturity of Finnish 6- to 12-yr-old children is associated with high energy intake.
Jääsaari, Päivi; Tolvanen, Mimmi; Niinikoski, Harri; Karjalainen, Sara
2016-10-01
We studied the association of dental maturity with body mass index (BMI), energy intake, and macronutrient intake. A randomly selected subset (n = 148) of the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP) was invited to an oral follow-up study, and the 6- and 12-yr-examination data (n = 111, 60 boys) were used. Food records for four consecutive days and BMI values were extracted from the databank of the main STRIP project. The developmental stage of seven permanent mandibular teeth was assessed using panoramic radiographs. The resulting maturity scores were converted to dental age estimates. Three dental-maturity groups (delayed, average, and advanced) and two BMI groups [normal BMI (≤mean+1SD) and high BMI (>mean+1SD)] were formed. The dental age was higher than the chronological age by 0.6-0.8 yr. Maturity scores for girls were statistically significantly higher than for boys. The distribution of girls into dental-maturity groups at age 12 yr was different from that of the boys and there were more boys than girls among the high-BMI group. Children of the advanced dental-maturity group had a statistically significantly higher energy intake than children in the other groups. We conclude that advanced dental maturity is associated with higher energy intake. © 2016 Eur J Oral Sci.
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Novotny, Rachel; Davis, James
2015-01-01
This study intends to identify differences in growth of Asian and White girls. Asian girls gained bone at similar rates to White girls. Physical activity was important to bone growth. Ethnic differences remained after adjusting for physical activity, demographics, and diet. Physical activity can improve bone gain. The purpose of this study is to examine differences in body size and bone growth of Asian, White, and Asian-White Mixed girls. Three prospective examinations of 99 Asian, 73 White, and 63 Mixed Asian and White girls, with a mean age of 11.0 years at enrollment were performed. Calcaneal bone mass, skeletal breadths, and body fat were measured. Physical activity, diet, and birth size were reported. The analyses examined the extent that body dimensions and bone size changed over time by demographic, diet, physical activity, body, and bone size parameters. White children were the most physically active yet had lower calcaneal ultrasound values for speed of sound (SOS). Based on regression models, bone mass, and subscapular skinfold thickness were greater in Asian girls compared to White and Asian-White Mixed girls at age 10 years. Asian-White Mixed girls had greater BMI compared to Asian or White girls. Asian girls gained body size more slowly than White girls, but changes in bone parameters did not differ significantly; Asian-White Mixed girls gained abdomen, hip, and weight more slowly than White girls. Among all girls, SOS and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) increased significantly by level of physical activity before 12 years, but not after. Asian girls had more upper body (subscapular) fat at age 10 years and gained height and hip and abdomen circumferences more slowly than Asian-White and White girls. Asian girls had greater bone SOS and BUA at age 10 years but gained bone at similar rates to White girls. Physical activity was especially important to bone growth before age 12 years. However, ethnic differences remained after adjusting for
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Dental complications of rickets in early childhood: case report on 2 young girls.
Davit-Béal, Tiphaine; Gabay, Julie; Antoniolli, Pauline; Masle-Farquhar, Jeanne; Wolikow, Maryse
2014-04-01
Vitamin D is an essential hormone for calcium gut absorption. It is also involved in child growth, cancer prevention, immune system responses, and tooth formation. Due to inadequate vitamin D intake and/or decreased sunlight exposure, vitamin D deficiency has resurfaced in developed countries despite known inexpensive and effective preventive methods. Vitamin D deficiency is a common cause of rickets, a condition that affects bone development in children and that can have serious dental complications. Deficiency during pregnancy can cause enamel hypoplasia of primary teeth. Enamel regeneration is currently impossible; hypoplasia is therefore irreversible, and once affected, teeth are prone to fast caries development. Deficiency during early childhood can affect permanent teeth and ensuing caries can sometimes lead to tooth loss at a young age. Oral manifestations of rickets should be diagnosed early by both physicians and dentists to prevent severe dental complications. This case study presents 2 young girls with rickets in early childhood who suffered from subsequent serious tooth decay.
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Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts (Girl Scout Stars)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
DeVore, Edna; Harman, Pamela; Girl Scouts of the USA; Girl Scouts of Northern California; University of Arizona; Astronomical Society of the Pacific; Aires Scientific
2017-01-01
Girl Scout Stars aims to enhance STEM experiences for Girl Scouts in grades K-12. New space science badges are being created for every Girl Scout level. Using best practices, we engage girls and volunteers with the fundamental STEM concepts that underpin our human quest to explore the universe. Through early and sustained exposure to the people and assets of NASA and the excitement of NASA’s Mission, they explore STEM content, discoveries, and careers. Today’s tech savvy Girl Scout volunteers prefer just-in-time materials and asynchronous learning. The Volunteer Tool Kit taps into the wealth of NASA's online materials for the new space science badges. Training volunteers supports troop activities for the younger girls. For older girls, we enhance Girl Scout summer camp activities, support in-depth experiences at Univ. of Arizona’s Astronomy Camp, and “Destination” events for the 2017 total solar eclipse. We partner with the Night Sky Network to engage amateur astronomers with Girl Scouts. Univ. of Arizona also leads Astronomy Camp for Girl Scout volunteers. Aires Scientific leads eclipse preparation and summer sessions at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for teams of volunteers, amateur astronomers and older Girl Scouts.There are 1,900,000 Girl Scouts and 800,000 volunteers in the USA. During development, we work with the Girl Scouts of Northern California (50,000 girl members and 31,000 volunteers) and expand across the USA to 121 Girl Scout councils over five years. SETI Institute leads the space science educators and scientists at Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Univ. of Arizona, and Aires Scientific. Girl Scouts of the USA leads dissemination of Girl Scout Stars with support of Girl Scouts of Northern California. Through professional development of Girl Scout volunteers, Girl Scout Stars enhances public science literacy. Girl Scout Stars supports the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Education Objectives and NASA’s STEM Engagement and
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Preparing Girls for Menstruation: Recommendations from Adolescent Girls.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Koff, Elissa; Rierdan, Jill
1995-01-01
Ninth-grade girls (n=157) rated their own experience of menarche and answered 4 open-ended questions. Responses suggested several ways that early preparation could be revised, and supported a conceptualization of menstrual education as a long-term, continuous process, beginning well before menarche and continuing long after. (JPS)
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Schinke, Steven P.; Cole, Kristin C. A.; Fang, Lin
2009-01-01
Objective: This study evaluated a gender-specific, computer-mediated intervention program to prevent underage drinking among early adolescent girls. Method: Study participants were adolescent girls and their mothers from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Participants completed pretests online and were randomly divided between intervention and control arms. Intervention-arm girls and their mothers interacted with a computer program aimed to enhance mother-daughter relationships and to teach girls skills for managing conflict, resisting media influences, refusing alcohol and drugs, and correcting peer norms about underage drinking, smoking, and drug use. After intervention, all participants (control and intervention) completed posttest and follow-up measurements. Results: Two months following program delivery and relative to control-arm participants, intervention-arm girls and mothers had improved their mother-daughter communication skills and their perceptions and applications of parental monitoring and rule-setting relative to girls' alcohol use. Also at follow-up, intervention-arm girls had improved their conflict management and alcohol use-refusal skills; reported healthier normative beliefs about underage drinking; demonstrated greater self-efficacy about their ability to avoid underage drinking; reported less alcohol consumption in the past 7 days, 30 days, and year; and expressed lower intentions to drink as adults. Conclusions: Study findings modestly support the viability of a mother-daughter, computer-mediated program to prevent underage drinking among adolescent girls. The data have implications for the further development of gender-specific approaches to combat increases in alcohol and other substance use among American girls. PMID:19118394
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Schinke, Steven P; Cole, Kristin C A; Fang, Lin
2009-01-01
This study evaluated a gender-specific, computer-mediated intervention program to prevent underage drinking among early adolescent girls. Study participants were adolescent girls and their mothers from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Participants completed pretests online and were randomly divided between intervention and control arms. Intervention-arm girls and their mothers interacted with a computer program aimed to enhance mother-daughter relationships and to teach girls skills for managing conflict, resisting media influences, refusing alcohol and drugs, and correcting peer norms about underage drinking, smoking, and drug use. After intervention, all participants (control and intervention) completed posttest and follow-up measurements. Two months following program delivery and relative to control-arm participants, intervention-arm girls and mothers had improved their mother-daughter communication skills and their perceptions and applications of parental monitoring and rule-setting relative to girls' alcohol use. Also at follow-up, intervention-arm girls had improved their conflict management and alcohol use-refusal skills; reported healthier normative beliefs about underage drinking; demonstrated greater self-efficacy about their ability to avoid underage drinking; reported less alcohol consumption in the past 7 days, 30 days, and year; and expressed lower intentions to drink as adults. Study findings modestly support the viability of a mother-daughter, computer-mediated program to prevent underage drinking among adolescent girls. The data have implications for the further development of gender-specific approaches to combat increases in alcohol and other substance use among American girls.
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Reliability of pubertal maturation self-assessment in a school-based survey.
Jaruratanasirikul, Somchit; Kreetapirom, Piyawut; Tassanakijpanich, Nattaporn; Sriplung, Hutcha
2015-03-01
To assess the reliability of pubertal self-assessment of Thai adolescents. Some 927 girls and 997 boys, aged 8-18 years, from nine schools in Hat-Yai municipality. The adolescents evaluated their pubertal status after being shown a line drawing of the five Tanner stages with a short description. Girls assessed their breast and pubic hair development, and boys assessed their pubic hair development. The pubertal self-assessments were compared to pubertal assessments made by a pediatrician who examined the children after their self-assessment. Kappa coefficient and percent agreement were used for statistical analysis. The percent agreement of breast and pubic hair development between the girl's self-assessments and the assessments by the pediatrician were 60.8% and 78%, respectively. Kappa coefficient for breast assessment was 0.50 (95% confidence interval, CI 0.47-0.53) and for pubic hair 0.68 (95% CI 0.65-0.72). Nearly 30% of girls aged younger than 10 years overestimated their breast development status while 45% of girls aged over 14 years underestimated their breast development (p<0.001). For boys, the percent agreement of pubic hair development between the adolescents and the pediatrician was 76.4%, with a weighted kappa coefficient of 0.68 (95% CI 0.65-0.72). Pubertal self-assessment using line drawings with a short description can be used as a reliable method to assess pubic hair maturation in boys and girls, but can be used with less reliability to assess the breast maturation in young girls.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cumming, Sean P.; Sherar, Lauren B.; Smart, Joanna E. Hunter; Rodrigues, Aristides M. M.; Standage, Martyn; Gillison, Fiona B.; Malina, Robert M.
2012-01-01
In this study we tested for differences in physical activity (PA), physical self-concept, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between the least and most biologically mature adolescent females within their respective chronological and academic year groups. A total of 222 British female adolescents aged 10 to 14 years (X[bar] age = 12.7…
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Yoo, Changhee; Do, Hyun-Ah; Jeong, In Gab; Park, Hongzoo; Hwang, Jung-Jin; Hong, Jun Hyuk; Cho, Jin Seon; Choo, Myong-Soo; Ahn, Hanjong
2010-01-01
Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells. OK432 (Picibanil®) was introduced as a potent stimulator of DC maturation in combination with prostaglandin-E2 and interferon-α. We compared the efficacy of a DC-prostate cancer vaccine using early-mature DCs stimulated with OK432, PGE2 and INF-α (OPA) with that of vaccines using other methods. On days 3 or 7 of DC culture, TNF-α (T), TNF-α and LPS (TL) or OPA were employed as maturation stimulators. DU145 cells subjected to heat stress were hybridized with mature DCs using polyethyleneglycol. T cells were sensitized by the hybrids, and their proliferative and cytokine secretion activities and cytotoxicity were measured. The yields of early-mature DCs were higher, compared to yields at the conventional maturation time (P<0.05). In the early maturation setting, the mean fusion ratios, calculated from the fraction of dual-positive cells, were 13.3%, 18.6%, and 39.9%, respectively (P=0.051) in the T only, TL, and OPA-treated groups. The function of cytotoxic T cells, which were sensitized with the hybrids containing DCs matured early with OPA, was superior to that using other methods. The antitumor effects of DC-DU145 hybrids generated with DCs subjected to early maturation with the OPA may be superior to that of the hybrids using conventional maturation methods. PMID:20808670
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Belachew, Tefera; Hadley, Craig; Lindstrom, David; Getachew, Yehenew; Duchateau, Luc; Kolsteren, Patrick
2011-09-13
Age at menarche is the reflection of cumulative pre-adolescent exposure of girls to either adverse environment such as food insecurity or affluent living conditions. Food insecurity could result in inadequate nutrient intake and stress, both of which are hypothesized to have opposing effects on the timing of menarche through divergent pathways. It is not known whether food insecure girls have delayed menarche or early menarche compared with their food secure peers. In this study we test the competing hypothesis of the relationship between food insecurity and age at menarche among adolescent girls in the Southwest Ethiopia. We report on 900 girls who were investigated in the first two rounds of the five year longitudinal survey. The semi-parametric frailty model was fitted to determine the effect of adolescent food insecurity on time to menarche after adjusting for socio-demographic and economic variables. Food insecure girls have menarche one year later than their food secure peer (median age of 15 years vs 14 years). The hazard of menarche showed a significant decline (P = 0.019) as severity of food insecurity level increased, the hazard ratio (HR) for mild food insecurity and moderate/severe food insecurity were 0.936 and 0.496, respectively compared to food secure girls. Stunted girls had menarche nearly one year later than their non-stunted peers (HR = 0.551, P < 0.001). Food insecurity is associated with delay of age at menarche by one year among girls in the study area. Stunted girls had menarche one year later than their non-stunted peers. Age at menarche reflects the development of girls including the timing of sexual maturation, nutritional status and trajectory of growth during the pre-pubertal periods. The findings reflect the consequence of chronic food insecurity on the development and well-being of girls in the study area.
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Early life stress accelerates behavioral and neural maturation of the hippocampus in male mice.
Bath, K; Manzano-Nieves, G; Goodwill, H
2016-06-01
Early life stress (ELS) increases the risk for later cognitive and emotional dysfunction. ELS is known to truncate neural development through effects on suppressing cell birth, increasing cell death, and altering neuronal morphology, effects that have been associated with behavioral profiles indicative of precocious maturation. However, how earlier silencing of growth drives accelerated behavioral maturation has remained puzzling. Here, we test the novel hypothesis that, ELS drives a switch from growth to maturation to accelerate neural and behavioral development. To test this, we used a mouse model of ELS, fragmented maternal care, and a cross-sectional dense sampling approach focusing on hippocampus and measured effects of ELS on the ontogeny of behavioral development and biomarkers of neural maturation. Consistent with previous work, ELS was associated with an earlier developmental decline in expression of markers of cell proliferation (Ki-67) and differentiation (doublecortin). However, ELS also led to a precocious arrival of Parvalbumin-positive cells, led to an earlier switch in NMDA receptor subunit expression (marker of synaptic maturity), and was associated with an earlier rise in myelin basic protein expression (key component of the myelin sheath). In addition, in a contextual fear-conditioning task, ELS accelerated the timed developmental suppression of contextual fear. Together, these data provide support for the hypothesis that ELS serves to switch neurodevelopment from processes of growth to maturation and promotes accelerated development of some forms of emotional learning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Sexual maturation in kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka
Patterson, S.D.; Scarnecchia, D.L.; Congleton, J.L.
2008-01-01
We used observational and experimental approaches to obtain information on factors affecting the timing of maturation of kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka, a semelparous, landlocked salmon. Gonadal staging criteria were developed and applied to three kokanee populations in Idaho lakes and reservoirs. Testes were classified into three stages: immature (stage one, S1), maturing (S2), and mature (S3). Ovaries were classified into eight stages: immature (S1-S3), transitional (stage S4), maturing (S5-S7), and mature (S8). Males entered the maturing stage (S2) in February through April of the spawning year. Females entered maturing stage (S5) as early as July of the year before the spawning year, and as late as March of the spawning year. Three hatchery experiments demonstrated that attainment of a larger body size 10 to 16 months before spawning increased the likelihood of initiation of maturation in both sexes. No gonads in a state of regression were observed. A gonadosomatic index above 0.1 by early July was a good indicator of a maturing male, and a gonadosomatic index above 1.0 by early July was a good indicator of a maturing female. Instantaneous growth rates were not good predictors of maturation, but attaining a size threshold of 18 to 19 cm in the fall was a good predictor of maturation the following year. This improved knowledge of kokanee maturation will permit more effectively management of the species for age, growth and size at maturity as well as for contributions to fisheries. ?? 2008 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Slavkin, Michael
2001-01-01
Investigates the role of gender and self-esteem on early adolescent girls' abilities to solve problems when participating in natural science-related activities. Reports girls' gender role association with levels of verbal expression, expression of positive effect, dominance, and supportive behavior during science experiments as well as dominance…
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Girls' and Women's Education in Nepal.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
The impact of enlightened policies and incentives designed to increase girls' enrollment and achievement in education has been marginal in Nepal. Ministry of Education (MOE) goals aimed at increasing girls' participation include increasing the enrollment rate, opening early childhood development centers, promoting recruitment of at least one…
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Reaching for the Stars: NASA Space Science for Girl Scouts (Girl Scout Stars)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
DeVore, E. K.; Harman, P. K.; Berg, J.; Friedman, W.; Fahy, J.; Henricks, J.; Chin, W.; Hudson, A.; Grissom, C.; Lebofsky, L. A.; McCarthy, D.; Gurton, S. P.; White, V.; Summer, T.; Mayo, L.; Patel, R.; Bass, K.
2016-12-01
Girl Scout Stars aims to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathermatics (STEM) experiences for Girl Scouts in grades K-12 through the national Girl Scout Leadership Experience. New space science badges are being created for every Girl Scout level. Using best practices, we engage girls and volunteers with the fundamental STEM concepts that underpin our human quest to explore the universe. Through early and sustained exposure to the people and assets of NASA and the excitement of NASA's Mission, they explore STEM content, discoveries, and careers. Today's tech savvy Girl Scout volunteers prefer just-in-time materials and asynchronous learning. The Girl Scout Volunteer Tool Kit taps into the wealth of online materials provided by NASA for the new space science badges. Training volunteers supports troop activities for the younger girls. For older girls, we enhance Girl Scout summer camp activities, support in-depth experiences at University of Arizona's Astronomy Camp, and "Destination" events for the 2017 total solar eclipse. We partner with the Night Sky Network to engage amateur astronomers with Girl Scouts. Univeristy of Arizona also leads Astronomy Camp for Girl Scout volunteers. Aires Scientific leads eclipse preparation and summer sessions at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for teams of volunteers, amateur astronomers and older Girl Scouts. There are 1,900,000 Girl Scouts and 800,000 volunteers in the USA. During development, we work with the Girl Scouts of Northern California (50,000 girl members and 31,000 volunteers) and expand across the USA to 121 Girl Scout councils over five years. SETI Institute leads the experienced space science educators and scientists at Astronomical Society of the Pacific, University of Arizona, and Aires Scientific. Girl Scouts of the USA leads dissemination of Girl Scout Stars to Councils across the USA with support of Girl Scouts of Northern California. Through professional development of Girl Scout volunteers, Girl
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Li, Libei; Zhao, Shuqi; Su, Junji; Fan, Shuli; Pang, Chaoyou; Wei, Hengling; Wang, Hantao; Gu, Lijiao; Zhang, Chi; Liu, Guoyuan; Yu, Dingwei; Liu, Qibao; Zhang, Xianlong; Yu, Shuxun
2017-01-01
Due to China's rapidly increasing population, the total arable land area has dramatically decreased; as a consequence, the competition for farming land allocated for grain and cotton production has become fierce. Therefore, to overcome the existing contradiction between cotton grain and fiber production and the limited farming land, development of early-maturing cultivars is necessary. In this research, a high-density linkage map of upland cotton was constructed using genotyping by sequencing (GBS) to discover single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with early maturity in 170 F2 individuals derived from a cross between LU28 and ZHONG213. The high-density genetic map, which was composed of 3978 SNP markers across the 26 cotton chromosomes, spanned 2480 cM with an average genetic distance of 0.62 cM. Collinearity analysis showed that the genetic map was of high quality and accurate and agreed well with the Gossypium hirsutum reference genome. Based on this high-density linkage map, QTL analysis was performed on cotton early-maturity traits, including FT, FBP, WGP, NFFB, HNFFB and PH. A total 47 QTLs for the six traits were detected; each of these QTLs explained between 2.61% and 32.57% of the observed phenotypic variation. A major region controlling early-maturity traits in Gossypium hirsutum was identified for FT, FBP, WGP, NFFB and HNFFB on chromosome D03. QTL analyses revealed that phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranged from 10.42% to 32.57%. Two potential candidate genes, Gh_D03G0885 and Gh_D03G0922, were predicted in a stable QTL region and had higher expression levels in the early-maturity variety ZHONG213 than in the late-maturity variety LU28. However, further evidence is required for functional validation. This study could provide useful information for the dissection of early-maturity traits and guide valuable genetic loci for molecular-assisted selection (MAS) in cotton breeding.
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Li, Libei; Zhao, Shuqi; Su, Junji; Fan, Shuli; Pang, Chaoyou; Wei, Hengling; Wang, Hantao; Gu, Lijiao; Zhang, Chi; Liu, Guoyuan; Yu, Dingwei; Liu, Qibao; Zhang, Xianlong
2017-01-01
Due to China’s rapidly increasing population, the total arable land area has dramatically decreased; as a consequence, the competition for farming land allocated for grain and cotton production has become fierce. Therefore, to overcome the existing contradiction between cotton grain and fiber production and the limited farming land, development of early-maturing cultivars is necessary. In this research, a high-density linkage map of upland cotton was constructed using genotyping by sequencing (GBS) to discover single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with early maturity in 170 F2 individuals derived from a cross between LU28 and ZHONG213. The high-density genetic map, which was composed of 3978 SNP markers across the 26 cotton chromosomes, spanned 2480 cM with an average genetic distance of 0.62 cM. Collinearity analysis showed that the genetic map was of high quality and accurate and agreed well with the Gossypium hirsutum reference genome. Based on this high-density linkage map, QTL analysis was performed on cotton early-maturity traits, including FT, FBP, WGP, NFFB, HNFFB and PH. A total 47 QTLs for the six traits were detected; each of these QTLs explained between 2.61% and 32.57% of the observed phenotypic variation. A major region controlling early-maturity traits in Gossypium hirsutum was identified for FT, FBP, WGP, NFFB and HNFFB on chromosome D03. QTL analyses revealed that phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranged from 10.42% to 32.57%. Two potential candidate genes, Gh_D03G0885 and Gh_D03G0922, were predicted in a stable QTL region and had higher expression levels in the early-maturity variety ZHONG213 than in the late-maturity variety LU28. However, further evidence is required for functional validation. This study could provide useful information for the dissection of early-maturity traits and guide valuable genetic loci for molecular-assisted selection (MAS) in cotton breeding. PMID:28809947
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Sad and lonely: body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls.
Forste, Renata; Potter, Marina; Erickson, Lance
2017-06-21
Purpose To further understand the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among adolescent girls, we examine how this association, as reported by pre-teen and adolescent girls, is mediated or moderated by the quality of peer and family relationships. Methods Our data are from the Health Behavior of School-Aged Children 2009-2010, a nationally representative survey of school-aged children in the US. We analyze a sample of 5658 girls in Grades 5 through 10. We utilize ordinary least squares (OLS) regression techniques and adjust for the complex sampling design. We explore how the link between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness is mediated or moderated by family and peer relationships and also include controls for age, race, media exposure, and physical health. Results We find that body dissatisfaction is predictive of sadness/loneliness for girls at all grade levels and that the quality of peer and family relationships mediates 27%-38% of this association, particularly among early adolescent girls. Positive peer relationships also moderate or help mitigate the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among pre-teens. Conclusion Our findings underscore the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among early adolescent girls. In addition, our results highlight the importance of quality peer and family relationships in terms of how girls think about their bodies and respond emotionally to them. To evaluate feelings of sadness and loneliness among early adolescent girls, health care professionals need to consider not only body dissatisfaction but also the context of peer and family relationships.
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Freitas, Duarte; Malina, Robert M; Maia, José; Lefevre, Johan; Stasinopoulos, Mikis; Gouveia, Élvio; Claessens, Albrecht; Thomis, Martine; Lausen, Berthold
2012-05-01
Secular trends in height and weight are reasonably well documented in Europe. Corresponding observations for skeletal maturation are lacking. To assess secular trends in height, body mass and skeletal maturity of Portuguese children and adolescents and to provide updated reference values for skeletal maturity scores (SMSs). Data for 2856 children and adolescents of 4-17 years, 1412 boys and 1444 girls, from The 'Madeira Growth Study' (MGS; 1996-1998) and from the'Healthy Growth of Madeira Children Study' (CRES; 2006) were used. Height and body mass were measured. Skeletal maturity was assessed with the Tanner-Whitehouse 2 and 3 methods. Children from CRES were taller and heavier than peers from MGS. Differences in height reached 5.8 cm in boys and 5.5 cm in girls. RUS SMSs did not differ consistently between surveys boys, while higher RUS scores were observed in CRES girls. Adult RUS SMSs for MGS and CRES combined were attained at 15.8 years in boys and 14.8 years in girls. Corresponding ages for adult Carpal SMSs were 14.4 and 14.0, respectively. The short-term trends for height and mass were not entirely consistent with the trends in RUS and Carpal SMSs and SAs.
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Multivariate Relationships among Morphology, Fitness and Motor Coordination in Prepubertal Girls
Luz, Leonardo G. O.; Coelho-e-Silva, Manuel J.; Duarte, João P.; Valente-dos-Santos, João; Machado-Rodrigues, Aristides; Seabra, André; Carmo, Bruno C. M.; Vaeyens, Roel; Philippaerts, Renaat M.; Cumming, Sean P.; Malina, Robert M.
2018-01-01
Motor coordination and physical fitness are multidimensional concepts which cannot be reduced to a single variable. This study evaluated multivariate relationships among morphology, physical fitness and motor coordination in 74 pre-pubertal girls 8.0-8.9 years of age. Data included body dimensions, eight fitness items and four motor coordination tasks (KTK battery). Maturity status was estimated as percentage of predicted mature stature attained at the time of observation. Canonical correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between multivariate domains. Significant pairs of linear functions between indicators of morphology and fitness (rc = 0.778, Wilks’ Lambda = 0.175), and between fitness and motor coordination (rc = 0.765, Wilks’ Lambda = 0.289) were identified. Girls who were lighter and had a lower waist-to-stature ratio and % fat mass attained better scores in the endurance run, sit-ups and standing long jump tests, but poorer performances in hand grip strength and 2-kg ball throw. Better fitness test scores were also associated with better motor coordination scores. Relationships between body size and estimated fatness with motor fitness suggested an inverse relationship that was particularly evident in performance items that required the displacement of the body through space, while motor coordination was more closely related with fitness than with somatic variables. Key points Morphology and motor coordination were not substantially related in this sample of 8-year-old girls suggesting that motor coordination was independent of variation in morphology. Sit-ups (abdominal strength and endurance), the 10x5-m shuttle run (agility) and the 20-m aerobic endurance tests were the main contributors to the significant canonical correlation between fitness and motor coordination. By inference, development of these components of fitness is important during the primary school years. Relationships between estimated maturity status based on
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Slab replacement maturity guidelines.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2014-04-01
This study investigated the use of maturity method to determine early age strength of concrete in slab : replacement application. Specific objectives were (1) to evaluate effects of various factors on the compressive : maturity-strength relationship ...
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Randomized trial of a peer resistance skill-building game for Hispanic early adolescent girls.
Norris, Anne E; Hughes, Charles; Hecht, Michael; Peragallo, Nilda; Nickerson, David
2013-01-01
Adolescents can use peer resistance skills to avoid being pressured into risky behavior, such as early sexual behavior. Avatar-based virtual reality technology offers a novel way to help build these skills. The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of an avatar-based virtual reality peer resistance skill building game (DRAMA-RAMA), to explore the impact of game play on peer resistance self-efficacy, and to assess how positively the game was perceived. Forty-four low-income early adolescent Hispanic girls were assigned randomly to either the intervention (DRAMA-RAMA) or attention control game (Wii Dancing With the Stars) condition. All participants were offered a five-session curriculum that included peer resistance skill content before playing their respective game for 15 minutes, once a week, for 2 weeks. Participants completed electronic surveys at baseline, after game play, and at 2 months to assess demographics, peer resistance self-efficacy, and sexual behavior. They also completed a paper-pencil game experience questionnaire immediately after game play. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test, chi-square, and analyses of covariance. Separate analyses of covariance showed a significant game effect at posttest for the peer resistance self-efficacy measure (F = 4.21, p < .05), but not at follow-up (F = 0.01, p = .92). DRAMA-RAMA was rated as positively as the Wii Dancing With the Stars (p > .26). This randomized control trial provides preliminary support for the hypothesis that playing an avatar-based virtual reality technology game can strengthen peer resistance skills, and early adolescent Hispanic girls will have a positive response to this game.
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Early-onset anorexia nervosa in girls with Asperger syndrome.
Dudova, Iva; Kocourkova, Jana; Koutek, Jiri
2015-01-01
Eating disorders frequently occur in conjunction with autism spectrum disorders, posing diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The comorbidity of anorexia nervosa and Asperger syndrome is a significant clinical complication and has been associated with a poorer prognosis. The authors are presenting the cases of an eleven-year-old girl and a five-and-a-half-year-old girl with comorbid eating disorders and Asperger syndrome.
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Eating Behaviors among Early Adolescent African American Girls and Their Mothers
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Reed, Monique; Dancy, Barbara; Holm, Karyn; Wilbur, JoEllen; Fogg, Louis
2013-01-01
African American (AA) girls aged 10-12 living in urban communities designated as food deserts have a significantly greater prevalence of overweight and obesity than girls that age in the general population. The purpose of our study was (a) to examine the agreement in nutritional intake between AA girls aged 10-12 and their mothers and (b) to…
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Norris, Anne E.; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Miller-Day, Michelle; Hecht, Michael L.; Hutchison, Janet; Campoe, Kristi
2015-01-01
A content analysis of early adolescent (M=12.02 years) Latino girls’ (n=44) responses to open-ended questions imbedded in an electronic survey was conducted to explore strategies girls may use to resist peer pressure with respect to sexual behavior. Analysis yielded 341 codable response units, 74% of which were consistent with the REAL typology (i.e., refuse, explain, avoid, and leave) previously identified in adolescent substance use research. However, strategies reflecting a lack of resistance (11%) and inconsistency with communication competence (e.g., aggression, involving authorities) were also noted (15%). Frequency of particular strategies varied according to offer type, suggesting a variety of strategies may be needed to resist the peer pressure that puts early adolescent girls at risk for engaging in sexual behavior. Findings argue for universality of the REAL typology, building communication competence skills for conflict resolution in dating situations, and including peer resistance strategies in adolescent pregnancy prevention programs. PMID:26146434
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Oldehinkel, Albertine J.; Rosmalen, Judith G. M.; Veenstra, Rene; Dijkstra, Jan Kornelis; Ormel, Johan
2007-01-01
This study investigates associations between depressive problems and classroom social status in a large population cohort of Dutch early adolescents (N = 1046, age 13.52 plus or minus 0.51, 52.4% girls). Depressive problems were assessed by parent and self-reports and classroom status by peer nominations. We assessed peer status with respect to…
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Ferrari, Serge L; Chevalley, Thierry; Bonjour, Jean-Philippe; Rizzoli, René
2006-04-01
Whether peak bone mass is low among children with fractures remains uncertain. In a cohort of 125 girls followed over 8.5 years, 42 subjects reported 58 fractures. Among those, BMC gain at multiple sites and vertebral bone size at pubertal maturity were significantly decreased. Hence, childhood fractures may be markers of low peak bone mass acquisition and persistent skeletal fragility. Fractures in childhood may result from a deficit in bone mass accrual during rapid longitudinal growth. Whether low bone mass persists beyond this period however remains unknown. BMC at the spine, radius, hip, and femur diaphysis was prospectively measured over 8.5 years in 125 girls using DXA. Differences in bone mass and size between girls with and without fractures were analyzed using nonparametric tests. The contribution of genetic factors was evaluated by mother-daughter correlations and that of calcium intake by Cox proportional hazard models. Fifty-eight fractures occurred in 42 among 125 girls (cumulative incidence, 46.4%), one-half of all fractures affecting the forearm and wrist. Girls with and without fractures had similar age, height, weight. and calcium intake at all time-points. Before and during early puberty, BMC and width of the radius diaphysis was lower in the fracture compared with no-fracture group (p < 0.05), whereas aBMD and BMAD were similar in the two groups. At pubertal maturity (Tanner's stage 5, mean age +/- SD, 16.4 +/- 0.5 years), BMC at the ultradistal radius (UD Rad.), femur trochanter, and lumbar spine (LS), and LS projected bone area were all significantly lower in girls with fractures. Throughout puberty, BMC gain at these sites was also decreased in the fracture group (LS, -8.0%, p = 0.015; UD Rad., -12.0%, p = 0.004; trochanter, -8.4%, p = 0.05 versus no fractures). BMC was highly correlated between prepuberty and pubertal maturity (R = 0.54-0.81) and between mature daughters and their mothers (R = 0.32-0.46). Calcium intake was not related to
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Duncan, Michael J; Bryant, Elizabeth; Stodden, David
2017-11-01
This study examined differences in children's body mass index (BMI) and body fatness (BF%) as a function of gender and fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency. Following ethics approval and parental consent, 248, 6-11 year-old children (112 boys, 136 girls) underwent assessment of 7 FMS: sprint run, side gallop, hop, kick, catch, throw and vertical jump. FMS tertiles ("high", "medium" or "low" FMS) were created based on the summed components of the FMS. Skinfold measures were used to calculate BF%. Physical activity (PA) was assessed using pedometry and maturation predicted using anthropometry. Data were analysed using a 2 (Gender) × 3 (FMS tertile) ways analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for age, maturation and PA. Age (P = .001) and maturation (P = .006) were associated with BMI. Girls classified as high FMS proficiency had significantly lower BMI compared to girls with low and medium FMS proficiency. Age (P = .0001) and maturation (P = .007) were associated with BF%. BF% was also higher for girls with low FMS compared to those with medium and high FMS. BF% and BMI were not different across FMS tertile in boys. Such findings suggest focusing on FMS may be especially important for healthy weight, particularly in girls.
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Cuesta, Ines H; Lahiri, Kajori; Lopez-Olmeda, Jose Fernando; Loosli, Felix; Foulkes, Nicholas S; Vallone, Daniela
2014-05-01
One key challenge for the field of chronobiology is to identify how circadian clock function emerges during early embryonic development. Teleosts such as the zebrafish are ideal models for studying circadian clock ontogeny since the entire process of development occurs ex utero in an optically transparent chorion. Medaka (Oryzias latipes) represents another powerful fish model for exploring early clock function with, like the zebrafish, many tools available for detailed genetic analysis. However, to date there have been no reports documenting circadian clock gene expression during medaka development. Here we have characterized the expression of key clock genes in various developmental stages and in adult tissues of medaka. As previously reported for other fish, light dark cycles are required for the emergence of clock gene expression rhythms in this species. While rhythmic expression of per and cry genes is detected very early during development and seems to be light driven, rhythmic clock and bmal expression appears much later around hatching time. Furthermore, the maturation of clock function seems to correlate with the appearance of rhythmic expression of these positive elements of the clock feedback loop. By accelerating development through elevated temperatures or by artificially removing the chorion, we show an earlier onset of rhythmicity in clock and bmal expression. Thus, differential maturation of key elements of the medaka clock mechanism depends on the developmental stage and the presence of the chorion.
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Mechanisms of lipase maturation
Péterfy, Miklós
2010-01-01
Lipases are acyl hydrolases that represent a diverse group of enzymes present in organisms ranging from prokaryotes to humans. This article focuses on an evolutionarily related family of extracellular lipases that include lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase and endothelial lipase. As newly synthesized proteins, these lipases undergo a series of co- and post-translational maturation steps occurring in the endoplasmic reticulum, including glycosylation and glycan processing, and protein folding and subunit assembly. This article identifies and discusses mechanisms that direct early and late events in lipase folding and assembly. Lipase maturation employs the two general chaperone systems operating in the endoplasmic reticulum, as well as a recently identified lipase-specific chaperone termed lipase maturation factor 1. We propose that the two general chaperone systems act in a coordinated manner early in lipase maturation in order to help create partially folded monomers; lipase maturation factor 1 then facilitates final monomer folding and subunit assembly into fully functional homodimers. Once maturation is complete, the lipases exit the endoplasmic reticulum and are secreted to extracellular sites, where they carry out a number of functions related to lipoprotein and lipid metabolism. PMID:20543905
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Panigrahi, Ansuman; Das, Sai C; Sahoo, Prabhudarsan
2018-01-01
Adaptive functioning develops throughout early childhood, and its limitation is a reflection that the child has developmental or emotional problems or even mental retardation. Little is known about the adaptive functioning or developmental status of slum children. The present cross-sectional study was undertaken during the year 2014 to assess the status of adaptive functioning among girl children aged between 3 and 9 years residing in slum areas of Bhubaneswar and to explore the factors associated with poor adaptive functioning. Stratified multi-stage cluster random sampling technique was used to select the study population; 256 mother-child pairs from 256 households in selected slum areas were studied. Demographic information was collected, and adaptive functioning was assessed using the modified Vineland Social Maturity Scale. Univariate and multivariate analyses was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. One-fifth (54, 21%) of the girls sampled had poor adaptive functioning, and 44 (17%) had poor cognitive functioning. Multivariate analysis revealed that the age of the child, parents' education, presence of stunting in children and attending school/early childhood centre were strong predictors of adaptive functioning in slum children. One-fifth of girls from slums are developmentally vulnerable; parental education, stunting and early childhood education or exposure to schooling are modifiable factors influencing children's adaptive functioning. Health, education and welfare sectors need to be aware of this so that a multi-pronged approach can be planned to properly address this issue in one of the most disadvantaged sections of the society. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).
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Biocultural approach of the association between maturity and physical activity in youth.
Werneck, André O; Silva, Danilo R; Collings, Paul J; Fernandes, Rômulo A; Ronque, Enio R V; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel J; Sardinha, Luís B; Cyrino, Edilson S
2017-11-13
To test the biocultural model through direct and indirect associations between biological maturation, adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, feelings of sadness, social relationships, and physical activity in adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 1,152 Brazilian adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years. Somatic maturation was estimated through Mirwald's method (peak height velocity). Physical activity was assessed through Baecke questionnaire (occupational, leisure, and sport contexts). Body mass index, body fat (sum of skinfolds), cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run test), self-perceptions of social relationship, and frequency of sadness feelings were obtained for statistical modeling. Somatic maturation is directly related to sport practice and leisure time physical activity only among girls (β=0.12, p<0.05 and β=0.09, respectively, p<0.05). Moreover, biological (adiposity and cardiorespiratory fitness), psychological (sadness), and social (satisfaction with social relationships) variables mediated the association between maturity and physical activity in boys and for occupational physical activity in girls. In general, models presented good fit coefficients. Biocultural model presents good fit and emotional/biological factors mediate part of the relationship between somatic maturation and physical activity. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
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Mäkinen, Mauno; Puukko-Viertomies, Leena-Riitta; Lindberg, Nina; Siimes, Martti A; Aalberg, Veikko
2012-06-08
In the transition from early to mid-adolescence, gender differences in pubertal development become significant. Body dissatisfaction is often associated with body mass, low self-esteem and abnormal eating habits. The majority of studies investigating body dissatisfaction and its associations have been conducted on female populations. However, some evidence suggests that males also suffer from these problems and that gender differences might already be observed in adolescence. To examine body dissatisfaction and its relationship with body mass, as well as self-esteem and eating habits, in girls and boys in transition from early to mid-adolescence. School nurses recorded the heights and weights of 659 girls and 711 boys with a mean age of 14.5 years. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory were used as self-appraisal scales. Eating data were self-reported. The girls were less satisfied with their bodies than boys were with theirs (mean score (SD): 30.6 (SD 12.2) vs. 18.9 (SD 9.5); p < 0.001). The girls expressed most satisfaction with their bodies when they were underweight, more dissatisfaction when they were of normal weight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys also expressed most satisfaction when they were underweight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys reported higher levels of self-esteem than did the girls (mean (SD): 31.3 (4.8) vs. 28.0 (5.9); p < 0.001). The adolescents self-reporting abnormal eating habits were less satisfied with their bodies than those describing normal eating habits (mean (SD): 33.0 (12.9) vs. 21.2 (10.2); p < 0.001). Body mass, self-esteem and eating habits revealed a significant relationship with body dissatisfaction in the transitional phase from early to mid-adolescence in girls and boys, but significant gender differences were also found.
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2012-01-01
Background In the transition from early to mid-adolescence, gender differences in pubertal development become significant. Body dissatisfaction is often associated with body mass, low self-esteem and abnormal eating habits. The majority of studies investigating body dissatisfaction and its associations have been conducted on female populations. However, some evidence suggests that males also suffer from these problems and that gender differences might already be observed in adolescence. Aims To examine body dissatisfaction and its relationship with body mass, as well as self-esteem and eating habits, in girls and boys in transition from early to mid-adolescence. Methods School nurses recorded the heights and weights of 659 girls and 711 boys with a mean age of 14.5 years. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory were used as self-appraisal scales. Eating data were self-reported. Results The girls were less satisfied with their bodies than boys were with theirs (mean score (SD): 30.6 (SD 12.2) vs. 18.9 (SD 9.5); p < 0.001). The girls expressed most satisfaction with their bodies when they were underweight, more dissatisfaction when they were of normal weight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys also expressed most satisfaction when they were underweight and most dissatisfaction when they had excess body weight. The boys reported higher levels of self-esteem than did the girls (mean (SD): 31.3 (4.8) vs. 28.0 (5.9); p < 0.001). The adolescents self-reporting abnormal eating habits were less satisfied with their bodies than those describing normal eating habits (mean (SD): 33.0 (12.9) vs. 21.2 (10.2); p < 0.001). Conclusions Body mass, self-esteem and eating habits revealed a significant relationship with body dissatisfaction in the transitional phase from early to mid-adolescence in girls and boys, but significant gender differences were also found. PMID:22540528
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Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Cecilie; Ng, Johan Yau Yin; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Chatzisarantis, Nikos; Vlachopoulos, Symeon; Katartzi, Ermioni S; Nikitaras, Nikitas
2016-03-01
Predictors and outcomes of weight concerns in pre-adolescent and adolescent girls are well known, but few models have incorporated concerns reported directly by mothers as a predictor, and both eating and exercise outcomes. Using questionnaires, a comprehensive model of 232 pre-adolescent and early adolescent girls' weight concerns, eating restraint, and exercise behavior was tested. Structural equation modeling showed that daughters' weight concerns were predicted primarily by their perceptions of their mothers' concerns about the daughters' weight, as well as by daughters' BMI, appearance conversations with friends, and perceived media pressure. Mothers' concerns with their daughters' weight were indirectly associated with daughters' own concerns, via the daughters' perceptions of their mothers' concerns. Daughters' concerns with their weight were a strong predictor of eating restraint, but not exercise behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Female teachers' math anxiety affects girls' math achievement.
Beilock, Sian L; Gunderson, Elizabeth A; Ramirez, Gerardo; Levine, Susan C
2010-02-02
People's fear and anxiety about doing math--over and above actual math ability--can be an impediment to their math achievement. We show that when the math-anxious individuals are female elementary school teachers, their math anxiety carries negative consequences for the math achievement of their female students. Early elementary school teachers in the United States are almost exclusively female (>90%), and we provide evidence that these female teachers' anxieties relate to girls' math achievement via girls' beliefs about who is good at math. First- and second-grade female teachers completed measures of math anxiety. The math achievement of the students in these teachers' classrooms was also assessed. There was no relation between a teacher's math anxiety and her students' math achievement at the beginning of the school year. By the school year's end, however, the more anxious teachers were about math, the more likely girls (but not boys) were to endorse the commonly held stereotype that "boys are good at math, and girls are good at reading" and the lower these girls' math achievement. Indeed, by the end of the school year, girls who endorsed this stereotype had significantly worse math achievement than girls who did not and than boys overall. In early elementary school, where the teachers are almost all female, teachers' math anxiety carries consequences for girls' math achievement by influencing girls' beliefs about who is good at math.
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McMillan, John R.; Dunham, Jason B.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Mills, Justin S.; Jordan, Chris E.
2012-01-01
Alternative male phenotypes in salmonine fishes arise from individuals that mature as larger and older anadromous marine-migrants or as smaller and younger freshwater residents. To better understand the processes influencing the expression of these phenotypes we examined the influences of growth in length (fork length) and whole body lipid content in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish were sampled from the John Day River basin in northeast Oregon where both anadromous ("steelhead") and freshwater resident rainbow trout coexist. Larger males with higher lipid levels had a greater probability of maturing as a resident at age-1+. Among males, 38% were maturing overall, and the odds ratios of the logistic model indicated that the probability of a male maturing early as a resident at age-1+ increased 49% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 23-81%) for every 5 mm increase in length and 33% (95% CI = 10-61%) for every 0.5% increase in whole body lipid content. There was an inverse association between individual condition and water temperature as growth was greater in warmer streams while whole body lipid content was higher in cooler streams. Our results support predictions from life history theory and further suggest that relationships between individual condition, maturation, and environmental variables (e.g., water temperature) are shaped by complex developmental and evolutionary influences.
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Känsäkoski, Johanna; Raivio, Taneli; Juul, Anders; Tommiska, Johanna
2015-12-01
Idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) results from the premature reactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis leading to development of secondary sexual characteristics prior to 8 y in girls or 9 y in boys. Since the initial discovery of mutations in the maternally imprinted MKRN3 gene in 2013, several case reports have described mutations in this gene in ICPP patients from different populations, highlighting the importance of MKRN3 as a regulator of pubertal onset. We screened 29 Danish girls with ICPP for mutations in MKRN3. Expression of MKRN3 in human hypothalamic complementary DNA (cDNA) was investigated by PCR. One paternally inherited rare variant, c.1034G>A (p.Arg345His), was identified in one girl with ICPP and in her brother with early puberty. The variant is predicted to be deleterious by three different in silico prediction programs. Expression of MKRN3 was confirmed in adult human hypothalamus. Our results are in line with previous studies in which paternally inherited MKRN3 mutations have been found both in males and in females with ICPP or early puberty. Our report further expands the set of MKRN3 mutations identified in ICPP patients across diverse populations, thus supporting the major regulatory function of MKRN3 in pubertal onset.
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Early Renal Involvement in a Girl with Classic Fabry Disease.
Perretta, Fernando; Antongiovanni, Norberto; Jaurretche, Sebastián
2017-01-01
Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder resulting from the deficiency or absence of the enzyme alpha galactosidase A; this defect leads to the systemic accumulation of globotriaosylceramide and its metabolites. Organic involvement in men is well known, but in women it is controversial, mainly due to the random X-chromosome inactivation in each of their cells (Lyon hypothesis). This would explain why women (heterozygotes) present a wide variability in the severity of their phenotype. The manifestations are multisystemic and begin in early childhood, reaching a severe compromise in adulthood. Typical acroparesthesia in hands and feet, gastrointestinal symptoms, angiokeratomas, dyshidrosis, hearing loss, arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cerebrovascular accidents, and renal failure can be observed. Nephropathy is one of the major complications of Fabry disease. Glomerular and vascular changes are present before progression to overt proteinuria and decreased glomerular filtration rate, even in pediatric patients. A case of incipient renal involvement in a girl with classic Fabry disease is reported.
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Ibitoye, Mobolaji; Choi, Cecilia; Tai, Hina; Lee, Grace; Sommer, Marni
2017-01-01
menarche with early marriage, ongoing efforts to reduce child marriage may benefit from targeting efforts to early maturing girls.
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Buckley, Harriet; Owen, Robert; Marin, Ana Campos; Lu, Yongtau; Eyles, Darryl; Lacroix, Damien; Reilly, Gwendolen C.; Skerry, Tim M.; Bishop, Nick J.
2018-01-01
There is increasing evidence of persistent effects of early life vitamin D exposure on later skeletal health; linking low levels in early life to smaller bone size in childhood as well as increased fracture risk later in adulthood, independently of later vitamin D status. A major determinant of bone mass acquisition across all ages is mechanical loading. We tested the hypothesis in an animal model system that early life vitamin D depletion results in abrogation of the response to mechanical loading, with consequent reduction in bone size, mass and strength during both childhood and adulthood. A murine model was created in which pregnant dams were either vitamin D deficient or replete, and their offspring moved to a vitamin D replete diet at weaning. Tibias of the offspring were mechanically loaded and bone structure, extrinsic strength and growth measured both during growth and after skeletal maturity. Offspring of vitamin D deplete mice demonstrated lower bone mass in the non loaded limb and reduced bone mass accrual in response to loading in both the growing skeleton and after skeletal maturity. Early life vitamin D depletion led to reduced bone strength and altered bone biomechanical properties. These findings suggest early life vitamin D status may, in part, determine the propensity to osteoporosis and fracture that blights later life in many individuals. PMID:29370213
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Breast Density Assessment by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Women and Girls
2009-07-01
of this project among adult women and adolescent girls, who will be recruited as mothers and daughters, will be to 1. Correlate breast density...scans to their association with mammographic density; 3. Assess DXA breast density by Tanner stage of breast maturation among adolescent girls; 4...cancer risk, adolescents 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON USAMRMC
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A comparison of skeletal maturity and growth.
Molinari, Luciano; Gasser, Theo; Largo, Remo
2013-07-01
Somatic and bone development have each been studied in detail, but rarely in conjunction. The aim of this study was to determine what somatic and bone development have in common and how they differ. A second aim was to check for a pubertal spurt in bone age (BA) and to quantify it in a similar way as has been done for height. The Preece-Baines model is used to fit longitudinal data for BA. The data analysed are from the 1st Zurich Longitudinal Growth Study comprising 120 boys and 112 girls with almost complete data from birth to adulthood. Variability of somatic milestones was reduced in terms of BA and there was an aftergrowth after reaching adult RUS score 1000. A strong increase in the RUS score was seen at a late stage of the pubertal spurt (PS). Somatic milestones correlated with the RUS score attained at these ages and more so at an early stage of the PS. A PS for BA was clearly identified with a location at 14.2 years for boys and 12.2 years for girls. Age of peak bone development correlated highly with age of peak velocity of somatic variables. BA can be successfully modelled as a semi-quantitative entity. Bone development shows marked associations with somatic development, despite the fact that the latter reflects changes in size, while the former is essentially a maturity index and reflects changes in biochemical composition of tissues.
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Inner-City Youth Development Organizations: Strengthening Programs for Adolescent Girls
Hirsch, Barton J.; Roffman, Jennifer G.; Deutsch, Nancy L.; Flynn, Cathy A.; Loder, Tondra L.; Pagano, Maria E.
2012-01-01
The challenges of early adolescence are intensified for girls of color who live in disadvantaged urban communities. One response to the needs of these girls comes from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), a youth development organization that has a long-standing presence in inner-city neighborhoods. A gender equity initiative designed to strengthen programming for minority girls at a BGCA affiliate in a major urban center was examined. Drawing on initial qualitative findings, a conceptual framework is presented for understanding the ways in which the clubs can affect urban early adolescent girls’ self-esteem. Several strategic choices confronting this initiative then are considered. The authors emphasize the creation of a “home place” that enables the development of self via organizational responsiveness to girls’ voices, strong bonds between girls and staff, adaptive peer friendship cliques, and the development of programs that fuse the interests of girls and adult staff. PMID:23565020
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Page, Gayle G; Blakely, Wendy P; Kim, Miyong
2005-01-01
The intensive care necessary for premature newborns is characterized by multiple procedures, many of which are painful. Given emerging evidence that such early pain during this time of high brain plasticity may affect long-term neurodevelopmental and social-emotional functioning, this study explored the impact of early repeated pain on emotionality and stress responsivity at maturity. From birth through postnatal day 7, Fischer 344 pups underwent either paw needle prick every day versus every other day or daily paw touch, or were left unperturbed. Each paw received the designated perturbation once per day. At maturity, some animals underwent emotionality testing: either a 4-day series of open field exposures or a single elevated plus-maze (EPM) exposure. The paw prick groups exhibited less open field habituation and occupied the EPM open arms more. Two weeks later, all animals were either subjected to forced swim or not. At 1h post-swim, animals underwent either blood withdrawal for plasma corticosterone (CS) levels and ex vivo natural killer cell activity (NKCA) or were injected intravenously with radiolabeled NK-sensitive syngeneic MADB106 tumor cells and assessed for lung tumor retention. Sex was a major factor in the manifestation of perturbation-related differences in the biologic outcomes. Whereas postnatal pain differentially affected baseline tumor retention between males and females, only males exhibited perturbation-related differences in swim stress-induced increases in tumor retention and CS. Finally, male-female differences were evident in CS, NKCA, and tumor responses to swim stress. These findings suggest that early pain affects neurodevelopmental function in the mature organism; however, these relationships are complicated by sex differences, the postnatal pain schedule, and the outcome measured.
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2016-01-01
The menarcheal age of Korean women has been rapidly decreasing for the last 50 years, and the average menarcheal age of women born in the 1990s is approaching 12.6 years. In addition, interest in early puberty has been increasing recently owing to the rapid increase in precocious puberty. Generally, out of concern for short stature and early menarche, idiopathic central precocious puberty in female adolescents is treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs. Studies to date have described the association between early menarche and psychosocial problems such as delinquency and risky sexual behavior, as well as physical health problems such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and breast cancer throughout the lifespan of women. However, the pathophysiological mechanism underlying this association has not been clarified thus far. In this article, we review and discuss the existing literature to describe the current understanding of the effects of early menarche on the physical and psychosocial health of adolescent girls and adult women. PMID:27721839
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Nutritional status, growth and sleep habits among Senegalese adolescent girls.
Bénéfice, E; Garnier, D; Ndiaye, G
2004-02-01
To study the relation between sleep habits, nutritional status, growth and maturation in a group of African adolescent girls. The main hypothesis to be tested was that sleep length could be an effective way to spare energy, and thus malnourished girls sleep longer than normal girls. Three repeated yearly surveys (1997-1999) on a subsample of girls drawn from a larger study cohort on growth at adolescence. The Niakhar district in the central part of Senegal. In total, 40 girls were initially drawn. Missing girls were replaced at each round by girls having the same characteristics and belonging to the same cohort. At each round, data on pubertal development (breast stages and occurrence of menarche), growth and nutritional status were collected. Adolescents wore an accelerometer for three or four consecutive nights and days at each round. At the beginning of the survey, girls were 13.3+/-0.5 y old. They were under international reference values in weight and height. Their mean sleep duration was 8.5+/-0.9 h. Their puberty status did not influence their sleep habits; however, they slept more in March than in June, which was related to the seasonal change in daylight. There was a significant relation between body mass index and sleep habits: thinner girls slept a longer time and more quietly than the more corpulent girls. The nutritional status of these girls influenced their sleep habits: this may have been either a direct causal relation or a consequence of a protective attitude on the part of the mothers towards the frailer girls.
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Acne vulgaris in early adolescent boys. Correlations with pubertal maturation and age.
Lucky, A W; Biro, F M; Huster, G A; Morrison, J A; Elder, N
1991-02-01
To assess the prevalence and severity of acne vulgaris in young adolescent boys, we studied 219 black and 249 white boys in fifth through ninth grades in Cincinnati, Ohio. The mean age was 12.2 +/- 1.4 years, with a range of 9 to 15 years. Pubertal maturation was scored as Tanner pubic hair stages (PH I to V) and pubertal stages (PS I to IV) that included testicular volume assessment. Acne was scored by number of comedonal (open plus closed comedones) and inflammatory (papules plus pustules) lesions. Comedonal and inflammatory lesions were analyzed separately and evaluated both as numerical scores and as grades (1, less than or equal to 10 lesions; 2, 11 to 25 lesions; and 3, greater than or equal to 26 lesions). Grades 2 and 3 were considered clinically significant acne. Acne became progressively more severe with advancing maturity. Mean acne scores correlated better with PS and pubic hair than with age. Black subjects were more mature than white subjects. Black boys in PSI and II had significantly more comedones than white boys; white boys had significantly more inflammatory lesions at PS I and III. Clinically significant comedonal acne was already present in PS I and occurred in 100% of boys in PS IV. In contrast, no boys at PS I and only 50% at PS IV had significant inflammatory acne. Midfacial acne dominated. We concluded that acne prevalence and severity correlate well with advancing pubertal maturation in young adolescent boys. Comedonal acne was more frequent and severe than inflammatory disease. Awareness of the extent and severity of acne in preadolescents and young adolescents may ultimately provide rationale for early intervention and thus prevention of severe acne vulgaris.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Brooks-Gunn, J.
1987-01-01
Sex equity issues which are emphasized in this article include: (a) how boys and girls negotiate reproductive transitions; (b) how male and female sexual maturity is treated differently by parents, educators, and society; and (c) how the consequences of puberty and sexual behavior may differ for boys and girls. (IAH)
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ge, Xiaojia; Kim, Irene J.; Brody, Gene H.; Conger, Rand D.; Simons, Ronald L.; Gibbons, Frederick X.; Cutrona, Carolyn E.
2003-01-01
Examined effects of early physical maturation and accelerated pubertal changes on symptoms of major depression among 639 African American adolescents. Found that for girls, early maturation was consistently associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms. For boys, early maturers showed elevated depression only at age 11, with symptoms…
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is a photoperiod-sensitive and short-day major crop grown worldwide. Days to flowering (DTF) and maturity (DTM) are two traits affecting soybean adaptability and yield. Some genes conditioning soybean flowering and maturity have been recently characterized. However, ...
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Guerriero, Gea; Martin, Nathalie; Golovko, Anna; Sundström, Jens F; Rask, Lars; Ezcurra, Ines
2009-11-01
In orthodox seeds, the transcriptional activator ABI3 regulates two major stages in embryo maturation: a mid-maturation (MAT) stage leading to accumulation of storage compounds, and a late maturation (LEA) stage leading to quiescence and desiccation tolerance. Our aim was to elucidate mechanisms for transcriptional shutdown of MAT genes during late maturation, to better understand phase transition between MAT and LEA stages. Using transgenic and transient approaches in Nicotiana, we examined activities of two ABI3-dependent reporter genes driven by multimeric RY and abscisic acid response elements (ABREs) from a Brassica napus napin gene, termed RY and ABRE, where the RY reporter requires ABI3 DNA binding. Expression of RY peaks during mid-maturation and drops during late maturation, mimicking the MAT gene program, and in Arabidopsis thaliana RY elements are over-represented in MAT, but not in LEA, genes. The ABI3 transactivation of RY is inhibited by staurosporine, by a PP2C phosphatase, and by a repressor of maturation genes, VAL1/HSI2. The RY element mediates repression of MAT genes, and we propose that transcriptional shutdown of the MAT program during late maturation involves inhibition of ABI3 DNA binding by dephosphorylation. Later, during seedling growth, VAL1/HSI2 family repressors silence MAT genes by binding RY elements.
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Puberty and the Education of Girls*
CAVANAGH, SHANNON E.; RIEGLE-CRUMB, CATHERINE; CROSNOE, ROBERT
2010-01-01
This study extends previous research on the social psychological implications of pubertal timing to education by applying a life course framework to data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study. Early pubertal timing, which has previously been associated with major social psychological changes in girls' lives during middle school, predicted girls' grade point average and probability of course failure at the start of high school. Because of this initial failure during the high school transition, it also predicted their probability of dropping out of high school, and, among those who graduated, their grade point average at the end of high school. Such research demonstrates one way in which the immediate social psychological risk of early pubertal timing, measured as the age at menarche, translates into long-term disadvantage for girls, thereby opening up new avenues of research for social psychologists interested in youth development, health, and education. PMID:20216926
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Dean, M. Christopher
2016-01-01
An important question in palaeoanthropology is whether, among the australopiths and the first fossil hominins attributed to early Homo, there was a shift towards a more prolonged period of growth that can be distinguished from that of the living great apes and whether between the end of weaning and the beginning of puberty there was a slow period of growth as there is in modern humans. Evidence for the pace of growth in early fossil hominins comes from preserved tooth microstructure. A record of incremental growth in enamel and dentine persists, which allows us to reconstruct tooth growth and compare key measures of dental maturation with modern humans and living great apes. Despite their diverse diets and way of life, it is currently difficult to identify any clear differences in the timing of dental development among living great apes, australopiths and the earliest hominins attributed to the genus Homo. There is, however, limited evidence that some early hominins may have attained a greater proportion of their body mass and stature relatively earlier in the growth period than is typical of modern humans today. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Major transitions in human evolution’. PMID:27298465
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The lived experience of girl-to-girl aggression in marginalized girls.
Zenz Adamshick, Pamela
2010-04-01
Girl-to-girl aggression is increasingly being recognized as a health problem, and the number of teenage girls involved in serious fighting is on the rise. Research on the experiences of girl-to-girl aggression in marginalized girls who are out of the mainstream because of poor relationship skills and physical aggression is notably absent, yet this group is at heightened risk for persistent violence. In this study I used the interpretive phenomenological approach to study the lived experience of girl-to-girl aggression in girls who were marginalized and attending an alternative school because of physically aggressive behavior. Data were collected over a 4-month period by means of in-depth interviews and field notes. For this population, girl-to-girl aggression provided self-protection, expressed girls' identity, and was also a means to finding attachment, connection, and friendship. These findings have multidisciplinary implications for interventions with physically aggressive girls, including mentoring programs, in-school support groups, and exploration of a paradigm shift in the use of alternative schools.
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Baxter-Jones, A D G; Mirwald, R L; McKay, H A; Bailey, D A
2003-01-01
Although early in life there is little discernible difference in bone mass between boys and girls, at puberty sex differences are observed. It is uncertain if these differences represent differences in bone mass or just differences in anthropometric dimensions. The study aimed to identify whether sex independently affects bone mineral content (BMC) accrual in growing boys and girls. Three sites are investigated: total body (TB), femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS). 85 boys and 67 girls were assessed annually for seven consecutive years. BMC was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Biological age was defined as years from age at peak height velocity (PHV). Data were analysed using a hierarchical (random effects) modelling approach. When biological age, body size and body composition were controlled, boys had statistically significantly higher TB and FN BMC at all maturity levels (p < 0.05). No independent sex differences were found at the LS (p > 0.05). Although a statistical significant sex effect is observed, it is less than the error of the measurement, and thus sex difference are debatable. In general, sex difference are explained by anthropometric difference.
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Adapting Cognitive Interviewing for Early Adolescent Hispanic Girls and Sensitive Topics
Norris, Anne E.; Torres-Thomas, Sylvia; Williams, Ellita T.
2015-01-01
Cognitive interviewing is a research technique commonly used in survey research to improve measurement validity. However, this technique is useful to researchers planning to use self-report measures in intervention research because invalidity of such measures jeopardizes detection of intervention effects. Little research currently exists regarding the use of cognitive interviewing techniques with adolescent populations, particularly those who are Hispanic. This article describes common challenges to conducting cognitive interviewing with early adolescent girls and how these challenges are impacted by Hispanic culture and sensitive topics. A focus group approach is recommended over the traditional one-on-one cognitive interview format, and experiences from actual focus groups, conducted in preparation for an intervention study are used to illustrate strategies for accomplishing the goals of cognitive interviewing. Creative and careful planning, attention to developmental considerations, and incorporation of cultural values are essential to the success of this approach. PMID:25239207
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Barbu, Stéphanie; Cabanes, Guénaël; Le Maner-Idrissi, Gaïd
2011-01-01
Sex differences in human social behaviors and abilities have long been a question of public and scientific interest. Females are usually assumed to be more socially oriented and skilful than males. However, despite an extensive literature, the very existence of sex differences remains a matter of discussion while some studies found no sex differences whereas others reported differences that were either congruent or not with gender stereotypes. Moreover, the magnitude, consistency and stability across time of the differences remain an open question, especially during childhood. As play provides an excellent window into children's social development, we investigated whether and how sex differences change in social play across early childhood. Following a cross-sectional design, 164 children aged from 2 to 6 years old, divided into four age groups, were observed during outdoor free play at nursery school. We showed that sex differences are not stable over time evidencing a developmental gap between girls and boys. Social and structured forms of play emerge systematically earlier in girls than in boys leading to subsequent sex differences in favor of girls at some ages, successively in associative play at 3–4 years, cooperative play at 4–5 years, and social interactions with peers at 5–6 years. Preschool boys also display more solitary play than preschool girls, especially when young. Nevertheless, while boys catch up and girls move on towards more complex play, sex differences in social play patterns are reversed in favor of boys at the following ages, such as in associative play at 4–5 years and cooperative play at 5–6 years. This developmental perspective contributes to resolve apparent discrepancies between single-snapshot studies. A better understanding of the dynamics of sex differences in typical social development should also provide insights into atypical social developments which exhibit sex differences in prevalence, such as autism. PMID:21297987
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Barbu, Stéphanie; Cabanes, Guénaël; Le Maner-Idrissi, Gaïd
2011-01-28
Sex differences in human social behaviors and abilities have long been a question of public and scientific interest. Females are usually assumed to be more socially oriented and skillful than males. However, despite an extensive literature, the very existence of sex differences remains a matter of discussion while some studies found no sex differences whereas others reported differences that were either congruent or not with gender stereotypes. Moreover, the magnitude, consistency and stability across time of the differences remain an open question, especially during childhood. As play provides an excellent window into children's social development, we investigated whether and how sex differences change in social play across early childhood. Following a cross-sectional design, 164 children aged from 2 to 6 years old, divided into four age groups, were observed during outdoor free play at nursery school. We showed that sex differences are not stable over time evidencing a developmental gap between girls and boys. Social and structured forms of play emerge systematically earlier in girls than in boys leading to subsequent sex differences in favor of girls at some ages, successively in associative play at 3-4 years, cooperative play at 4-5 years, and social interactions with peers at 5-6 years. Preschool boys also display more solitary play than preschool girls, especially when young. Nevertheless, while boys catch up and girls move on towards more complex play, sex differences in social play patterns are reversed in favor of boys at the following ages, such as in associative play at 4-5 years and cooperative play at 5-6 years. This developmental perspective contributes to resolve apparent discrepancies between single-snapshot studies. A better understanding of the dynamics of sex differences in typical social development should also provide insights into atypical social developments which exhibit sex differences in prevalence, such as autism.
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Inhalant Use in Latina Early Adolescent Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Guzmán, Bianca L.; Kouyoumdjian, Claudia
2016-01-01
The purpose of the current study was to examine how lifetime use and extent of use of inhalants by Latina girls is impacted by age, acculturation, grades, ditching, sexual behaviors (light petting, heavy petting, and going all the way) and sexual agency. A total of 273 females who self-identified as being Latina whose mean age was 13.94 completed…
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Arrested development: early prefrontal lesions impair the maturation of moral judgement.
Taber-Thomas, Bradley C; Asp, Erik W; Koenigs, Michael; Sutterer, Matthew; Anderson, Steven W; Tranel, Daniel
2014-04-01
Learning to make moral judgements based on considerations beyond self-interest is a fundamental aspect of moral development. A deficit in such learning is associated with poor socialization and criminal behaviour. The neural systems required for the acquisition and maturation of moral competency are not well understood. Here we show in a unique sample of neurological patients that focal lesions involving ventromedial prefrontal cortex, acquired during development, result in an abnormally egocentric pattern of moral judgement. In response to simple hypothetical moral scenarios, the patients were more likely than comparison participants to endorse self-interested actions that involved breaking moral rules or physically harming others in order to benefit themselves. This pattern (which we also found in subjects with psychopathy) differs from that of patients with adult-onset ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions--the latter group showed normal rejection of egocentric rule violations. This novel contrast of patients with ventromedial prefrontal cortex lesions acquired during development versus during adulthood yields new evidence suggesting that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex is a critical neural substrate for the acquisition and maturation of moral competency that goes beyond self-interest to consider the welfare of others. Disruption to this affective neural system early in life interrupts moral development.
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Health and human rights of adolescent girls in Afghanistan.
Heisler, M; Rasekh, Z; Iacopino, V
1999-01-01
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) conducted a study in early 1998 to assess the health and human rights conditions of Afghan women and girls living under the Taliban regime in Kabul. This paper highlights the concerns and experiences of adolescent girls in Kabul, includes a brief overview of the political situation in Afghanistan and Taliban policies toward women and girls, and presents findings from interviews with adolescent girls and women with adolescent daughters. It concludes with a discussion of current international standards for the protection of women's and girls' rights and the crucial role of health professionals in helping defend these rights.
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Maternal characteristics predicting young girls' disruptive behavior.
van der Molen, Elsa; Hipwell, Alison E; Vermeiren, Robert; Loeber, Rolf
2011-01-01
Little is known about the relative predictive utility of maternal characteristics and parenting skills on the development of girls' disruptive behavior. The current study used five waves of parent- and child-report data from the ongoing Pittsburgh Girls Study to examine these relationships in a sample of 1,942 girls from age 7 to 12 years. Multivariate generalized estimating equation analyses indicated that European American race, mother's prenatal nicotine use, maternal depression, maternal conduct problems prior to age 15, and low maternal warmth explained unique variance. Maladaptive parenting partly mediated the effects of maternal depression and maternal conduct problems. Both current and early maternal risk factors have an impact on young girls' disruptive behavior, providing support for the timing and focus of the prevention of girls' disruptive behavior.
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Hyperandrogenemia in adolescent girls: origins of abnormal GnRH secretion
Burt Solorzano, Christine M.; McCartney, Christopher R.; Blank, Susan K.; Knudsen, Karen L.; Marshall, John C.
2010-01-01
Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a common disorder characterized by ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenemia (HA). Its origins begin peripubertally, as adolescent HA commonly leads to adult HA and decreased fertility. HA reduces inhibition of gonadotropin releasing hormone pulse frequency by progesterone, causing rapid LH pulse secretion and further increasing ovarian androgen production. Obese girls are at risk for HA and develop increased LH pulse frequency with elevated mean LH by late puberty. Many girls with HA do not exhibit normal LH pulse sensitivity to progesterone inhibition. Thus, HA may adversely affect LH pulse regulation during pubertal maturation leading to persistent HA. PMID:20002394
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Timing and secular trend of pubertal development in Beijing girls.
Chen, Fang-Fang; Wang, You-Fa; Mi, Jie
2014-02-01
Historical research is limited in changes in pubertal development in Chinese girls. We aimed to identify the timing of pubertal characteristics and the secular trend of menarche age among Beijing girls from the 1980s through the 2000s. Six data sets were analyzed, including the Beijing Child and Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome study in 2004, where 9778 Bejing girls aged 6-18 years were studied. The Fetal Origins of Adult Disease study provided retrospective menarche age from 1940 through 1960. Other four studies were conducted in Beijing to obtain supplementary information to assess secular trend in menarche age. Linear regression method was used to analyze the data. Among Beijing girls in 2004, the median age at menarche was 12.1 years, which was 0.6 years earlier in urban than in rural areas. The median age at Breast Tanner Stage 2 was 9.5 ± 1.2 years, representing 9.4 ± 1.1 years and 9.6 ± 1.2 years for urban and rural girls, respectively. In contrast, the median age at Pubic Hair Tanner Stage 2 was 11.1 ± 1.1 years, representing 10.8 ± 1.1 and 11.4 ± 1.1 years for urban and rural girls, respectively. The menarche age of urban girls decreased by 4.2 months per decade, and that of rural girls by 9.6 months per decade from 1980 to 2004. Urban girls mature earlier than rural girls in Beijing. A secular trend towards earlier menarche was observed between the 1980s and the 2000s.
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Girls First! Promoting Early Education in Tibetan Areas of China, a Case Study
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Seeberg, Vilma
2008-01-01
This study explores conditions promoting girls' education in ethnic Tibetan pastoral highlands of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of western China. Global discourse and cross national evidence on the transgenerational benefits of girls' education has shown prioritizing girls' education to be the most effective strategy of breaking the vicious cycle of…
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Barbu, Stéphanie; Nardy, Aurélie; Chevrot, Jean-Pierre; Guellaï, Bahia; Glas, Ludivine; Juhel, Jacques; Lemasson, Alban
2015-01-01
Child sex and family socioeconomic status (SES) have been repeatedly identified as a source of inter-individual variation in language development; yet their interactions have rarely been explored. While sex differences are the focus of a renewed interest concerning emerging language skills, data remain scarce and are not consistent across preschool years. The questions of whether family SES impacts boys and girls equally, as well as of the consistency of these differences throughout early childhood, remain open. We evaluated consistency of sex differences across SES and age by focusing on how children (N = 262), from 2;6 to 6;4 years old, from two contrasting social backgrounds, acquire a frequent phonological alternation in French - the liaison. By using a picture naming task eliciting the production of obligatory liaisons, we found evidence of sex differences over the preschool years in low-SES children, but not between high-SES boys and girls whose performances were very similar. Low-SES boys' performances were the poorest whereas low-SES girls' performances were intermediate, that is, lower than those of high-SES children of both sexes but higher than those of low-SES boys. Although all children's mastery of obligatory liaisons progressed with age, our findings showed a significant impeding effect of low-SES, especially for boys.
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Baroncelli, Laura; Cenni, Maria Cristina; Melani, Riccardo; Deidda, Gabriele; Landi, Silvia; Narducci, Roberta; Cancedda, Laura; Maffei, Lamberto; Berardi, Nicoletta
2017-02-01
Environmental enrichment (EE) has a remarkable impact on brain development. Continuous exposure to EE from birth determines a significant acceleration of visual system maturation both at retinal and cortical levels. A pre-weaning enriched experience is sufficient to trigger the accelerated maturation of the visual system, suggesting that factors affected by EE during the first days of life might prime visual circuits towards a faster development. The search for such factors is crucial not only to gain a better understanding of the molecular hierarchy of brain development but also to identify molecular pathways amenable to be targeted to correct atypical brain developmental trajectories. Here, we showed that IGF-1 levels are increased in the visual cortex of EE rats as early as P6 and this is a crucial event for setting in motion the developmental program induced by EE. Early intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of IGF-1 in standard rats was sufficient to mimic the action of EE on visual acuity development, whereas blocking IGF-1 signaling by i.c.v. injections of the IGF-1 receptor antagonist JB1 prevented the deployment of EE effects. Early IGF-1 decreased the ratio between the expression of NKCC1 and KCC2 cation/chloride transporters, and the reversal potential for GABA A R-driven Cl - currents (E Cl ) was shifted toward more negative potentials, indicating that IGF-1 is a crucial factor in accelerating the maturation of GABAergic neurotransmission and promoting the developmental switch of GABA polarity from excitation to inhibition. In addition, early IGF-1 promoted a later occurring increase in its own expression, suggesting a priming effect of early IGF-1 in driving post-weaning cortical maturation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Dieting and smoking initiation in early adolescent girls and boys: a prospective study.
Austin, S B; Gortmaker, S L
2001-01-01
OBJECTIVES: This analysis tested the relation between dieting frequency and risk of smoking initiation in a longitudinal sample of adolescents. METHODS: From 1995 to 1997, 1295 middle school girls and boys participated in a nutrition and physical activity intervention study. The prospective association between dieting frequency at baseline and smoking initiation 2 years later was tested. RESULTS: Compared with girls who reported no dieting at baseline, girls who dieted up to once per week had 2 times the adjusted odds of becoming smokers (odds ratio = 2.0; 95% confidence interval = 1.1, 3.5), and girls who dieted more often had 4 times the adjusted odds of becoming smokers (odds ratio = 3.9; 95% confidence interval = 1.5, 10.4). CONCLUSIONS: Dieting among girls may exacerbate risk of initiating smoking, with increasing risk with greater dieting frequency. PMID:11236412
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[The maturation steps of human immunodeficiency virus and the role of proteolysis].
Bukrinskaia, A G; Grigor'ev, V B; Korablina, E V; Gur'ev, E L; Vorkunova, G K
2010-01-01
HIV-1 virions are as immature noninfectious particles lacking a central core. Shortly after budding, virions temporally mature and acquire cores and infectious activity. The cause of maturation remains poorly studied. We have revealed that the virions produced early after infection following 24-36 hours, never mature and remain noninfectious, and only virions produced 48-72 hours after infection mature. The mature virions contain 3 times more genomic viral RNA than "early" virus. The "early" virions contain the same proteolytically cleaved Gag proteins as mature virions in contrast to the accepted version. The virus protease inhibitor Indinavir sulfate (IS) fully blocks infectivity when added early after infection. The early proteolysis of Gag precursor in the infected cells and inclusion into the virions of cellularly cleaved matrix protein (cMA) are shown in the IS-treated cells. cMA is associated with genomic viral RNA.
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Vandewalle, S; Taes, Y; Fiers, T; Toye, K; Van Caenegem, E; Kaufman, J-M; De Schepper, J
2014-12-01
Little is known about the effects of adrenal steroids on skeletal maturation and bone mass acquisition in healthy prepubertal boys. To study whether adrenal-derived steroids within the physiological range are associated with skeletal maturation, areal and volumetric bone mineral density (aBMD and vBMD) and bone geometry in healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys. 98 healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys (aged 6-14 y) were studied cross-sectionally. Androstenedione (A) and estrone (E1) were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and DHEAS was determined by immunoassay. Whole body and lumbar spine aBMD and bone area were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Trabecular (distal site) and cortical (proximal site) vBMD and bone geometry were assessed at the non-dominant forearm and leg using peripheral QCT. Skeletal age was determined by X-ray of the left hand. Adrenal-derived steroids (DHEAS, A and E1) are positively associated with bone age in prepubertal and early pubertal children, independently of age. There are no associations between the adrenal-derived steroids and the studied parameters of bone size (lumbar spine and whole body bone area, trabecular or cortical area at the radius or tibia, periosteal circumference and cortical thickness at the radius or tibia) or BMD (aBMD or vBMD). In healthy prepubertal and early pubertal boys, serum adrenal-derived steroid levels, are associated with skeletal maturation, independently of age, but not with bone size or (v)BMD. Our data suggest that adrenal derived steroids are not implicated in the accretion of bone mass before puberty in boys. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Doswell, Willa M; Braxter, Betty J; Cha, Eunseok; Kim, Kevin H
2011-12-01
This study tested the Theory of Reasoned Action to examine the prediction of early sexual behavior among African American young teen girls. Baseline data from a longitudinal randomized clinical trial were used. Between 2001 and 2005, 198 middle-school girls aged 11 to 14 years were recruited. As girls aged, they held more permissive attitudes toward engaging in early sexual behavior and had a higher intention to engage in early sexual behavior. Intention was a significant predictor to explain sexual behavior among the girls. There is a need to develop strategies that promote intention related to delay and prevention of early sexual behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Evaluation and Referral of Children With Signs of Early Puberty.
Kaplowitz, Paul; Bloch, Clifford
2016-01-01
Concerns about possible early pubertal development are a common cause for referral to pediatric medical subspecialists. Several recent studies have suggested that onset of breast and/or pubic hair development may be occurring earlier than in the past. Although there is a chance of finding pathology in girls with signs of puberty before 8 years of age and in boys before 9 years of age, the vast majority of these children with signs of apparent puberty have variations of normal growth and physical development and do not require laboratory testing, bone age radiographs, or intervention. The most common of these signs of early puberty are premature adrenarche (early onset of pubic hair and/or body odor), premature thelarche (nonprogressive breast development, usually occurring before 2 years of age), and lipomastia, in which girls have apparent breast development which, on careful palpation, is determined to be adipose tissue. Indicators that the signs of sexual maturation may represent true, central precocious puberty include progressive breast development over a 4- to 6-month period of observation or progressive penis and testicular enlargement, especially if accompanied by rapid linear growth. Children exhibiting these true indicators of early puberty need prompt evaluation by the appropriate pediatric medical subspecialist. Therapy with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist may be indicated, as discussed in this report. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Attracting Girls into Physics (abstract)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gadalla, Afaf
2009-04-01
A recent international study of women in physics showed that enrollment in physics and science is declining for both males and females and that women are severely underrepresented in careers requiring a strong physics background. The gender gap begins early in the pipeline, from the first grade. Girls are treated differently than boys at home and in society in ways that often hinder their chances for success. They have fewer freedoms, are discouraged from accessing resources or being adventurous, have far less exposure to problem solving, and are not encouraged to choose their lives. In order to motivate more girl students to study physics in the Assiut governorate of Egypt, the Assiut Alliance for the Women and Assiut Education District collaborated in renovating the education of physics in middle and secondary school classrooms. A program that helps in increasing the number of girls in science and physics has been designed in which informal groupings are organized at middle and secondary schools to involve girls in the training and experiences needed to attract and encourage girls to learn physics. During implementation of the program at some schools, girls, because they had not been trained in problem-solving as boys, appeared not to be as facile in abstracting the ideas of physics, and that was the primary reason for girls dropping out of science and physics. This could be overcome by holding a topical physics and technology summer school under the supervision of the Assiut Alliance for the Women.
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Choi, Cecilia; Tai, Hina; Lee, Grace; Sommer, Marni
2017-01-01
-income countries. Given the association of early menarche with early marriage, ongoing efforts to reduce child marriage may benefit from targeting efforts to early maturing girls. PMID:28591132
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Kotrschal, Alexander; Trombley, Susanne; Rogell, Björn; Brannström, Ioana; Foconi, Eric; Schmitz, Monika; Kolm, Niclas
It has been suggested that mating behaviours require high levels of cognitive ability. However, since investment into mating and the brain both are costly features, their relationship is likely characterized by energetic trade-offs. Empirical data on the subject remains equivocal. We investigated if early sexual maturation was associated with brain development in Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ), in which males can either stay in the river and sexually mature at a small size (sneaker males) or migrate to the sea and delay sexual maturation until they have grown much larger (anadromous males). Specifically, we tested how sexual maturation may induce plastic changes in brain development by rearing juveniles on either natural or ad libitum feeding levels. After their first season we compared brain size and brain region volumes across both types of male mating tactics and females. Body growth increased greatly across both male mating tactics and females during ad libitum feeding as compared to natural feeding levels. However, despite similar relative increases in body size, early maturing sneaker males maintained larger relative brain size during ad libitum feeding levels as compared to anadromous males and females. We also detected several differences in the relative size of separate brain regions across feeding treatments, sexes and mating strategies. For instance, the relative size of the cognitive centre of the brain, the telencephalon, was largest in sneaker males. Our data support that a large relative brain size is maintained in individuals that start reproduction early also during fast body growth. We propose that the cognitive demands during complex mating behaviours maintain a high level of investment into brain development in reproducing individuals.
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Peer deviance, parenting and disruptive behavior among young girls.
Miller, Shari; Loeber, Rolf; Hipwell, Alison
2009-02-01
This study examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between peer deviance, parenting practices, and conduct and oppositional problems among young girls ages 7 and 8. Participants were 588 African American and European American girls who were part of a population-based study of the development of conduct problems and delinquency among girls. Affiliations with problem-prone peers were apparent among a sizeable minority of the girls, and these associations included both males and females. Although peer delinquency concurrently predicted disruptive behaviors, the gender of these peers did not contribute to girls' behavior problems. Harsh parenting and low parental warmth showed both concurrent and prospective associations with girls' disruptive behaviors. Similar patterns of association were seen for African American and European American girls. The findings show that peer and parent risk processes are important contributors to the early development of young girls' conduct and oppositional behaviors. These data contribute to our understanding of girls' aggression and antisocial behaviors and further inform our understanding of risk processes for these behaviors among young girls in particular.
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Maturation of Black Cherry Fruits in Central Mississippi
F.T. Bonner
1975-01-01
Black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) in central Mississippi grew in size and weight from early May until maturity in late June. In early June, crude fat, protein-nitrogen, and calcium concentrations increased; moisture content decreased; endocarps hardened; and embryo tissues became firm. From mid-June to maturity mesocarp growth was prominent as...
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Overwinter survival of neotropical migratory birds in early successional and mature tropical forests
Conway, C.J.; Powell, G.V.N.; Nichols, J.D.
1995-01-01
Many Neotropical migratory species inhabit both mature and early successional forest on their wintering grounds, yet comparisons of survival rates between habitats are lacking. Consequently, the factors affecting habitat suitability for Neotropical migrants and the potential effects of tropical deforestation on migrants are not well understood. We estimated over-winter survival and capture probabilities of Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus), Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina), and Kentucky Warbler (Oporomis formosus) inhabiting two common tropical habitat types, mature and early-successional forest. Our results suggest that large differences (for example, ratio of survival rates (gamma) < 0.85) in overwinter survival between these habitats do not exist for any of these species. Age ratios did not differ between habitats, but males were more common in forest habitats and females more common in successional habitats for Hooded Warblers and Kentucky Warblers. Future research on overwinter survival should address the need for age- and sex-specific survival estimates before we can draw strong conclusions regarding winter habitat suitability. Our estimates of over-winter survival extrapolated to annual survival rates that were generally lower than previous estimates of annual survival of migratory birds. Capture probability differed between habitats for Kentucky Warblers, but our results provide strong evidence against large differences in capture probability between habitats for Wood Thrush, Hooded Warblers, and Ovenbirds. We found no temporal or among site differences in survival or capture probability for any of the four species. Additional research is needed to examine the effects of winter habitat use on survival during migration and between-winter survival.
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Herlitz, Agneta; Reuterskiöld, Lena; Lovén, Johanna; Thilers, Petra P; Rehnman, Jenny
2013-01-01
Are cognitive sex differences magnified by individual differences in age, sex hormones, or puberty development? Cross-sectional samples of 12- to 14-year-old boys (n = 85) and girls (n = 102) completed tasks assessing episodic memory, face recognition, verbal fluency, and mental rotations. Blood estradiol, free testosterone, and self-rated puberty scores were obtained. Sex differences were found on all cognitive measures. However, the magnitude was not larger for older children, hormones and cognitive performance were not associated, and early maturers did not perform better than late maturers. Thus, cognitive sex differences were not associated with age, levels of sex hormones, or puberty development.
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Early Life Growth Predicts Pubertal Development in South African Adolescents.
Lundeen, Elizabeth A; Norris, Shane A; Martorell, Reynaldo; Suchdev, Parminder S; Mehta, Neil K; Richter, Linda M; Stein, Aryeh D
2016-03-01
Given global trends toward earlier onset of puberty and the adverse psychosocial consequences of early puberty, it is important to understand the childhood predictors of pubertal timing and tempo. We examined the association between early growth and the timing and tempo of puberty in adolescents in South Africa. We analyzed prospectively collected data from 1060 boys and 1135 girls participating in the Birth-to-Twenty cohort in Soweto, South Africa. Height-for-age z scores (HAZs) and body mass index-for-age z scores (BMIZs) were calculated based on height (centimeters) and body mass index (kilograms per meter squared) at ages 5 y and 8 y. The development of genitals, breasts, and pubic hair was recorded annually from 9 to 16 y of age with the use of the Tanner sexual maturation scale (SMS). We used latent class growth analysis to identify pubertal trajectory classes and also characterized children as fast or slow developers based on the SMS score at 12 y of age. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate associations of HAZ and BMIZ at ages 5 and 8 y with pubertal development. We identified 3 classes for pubic hair development (for both girls and boys) and 4 classes for breast (for girls) and genital (for boys) development. In girls, both HAZ and BMIZ at age 5 y were positively associated with pubic hair development [relative risk ratio (RRR): 1.57, P < 0.001 and RRR: 1.51, P < 0.01, respectively], as was BMI at age 8 y (RRR: 2.06, P = 0.03); similar findings were observed for breast development. In boys, HAZ and BMIZ at age 5 y were positively associated with pubic hair development (RRR: 1.78, P < 0.001 and RRR: 1.43, P < 0.01, respectively); HAZ at age 5 y was associated with development of genitals (RRR: 2.19, P < 0.01). In boys and girls, both height and body mass index in early childhood predicted the trajectory of pubertal development. This may provide a tool to identify children at risk of early pubertal onset.
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Predicting the Timing of Maturational Spurts in Skeletal Age
Nahhas, Ramzi W.; Sherwood, Richard J.; Chumlea, Wm. Cameron; Towne, Bradford; Duren, Dana L.
2014-01-01
Measures of maturity provide windows into the timing and tempo of childhood growth and maturation. Delayed maturation in a single child, or systemically in a population, can result from either genetic or environmental factors. In terms of the skeleton, delayed maturation may result in short stature or indicate another underlying issue. Thus, prediction of the timing of a maturational spurt is often desirable in order to determine the likelihood that a child will catch up to their chronological age peers. Serial data from the Fels Longitudinal Study were used to predict future skeletal age conditional on current skeletal age and to predict the timing of maturational spurts. For children who were delayed relative to their chronological age peers, the like-lihood of catch-up maturation increased through the average age of onset of puberty and decreased prior to the average age of peak height velocity. For boys, the probability of an imminent maturational spurt was higher for those who were less mature. For girls aged 11 to 13 years, however, this probability was higher for those who were more mature, potentially indicating the presence of a skeletal maturation plateau between multiple spurts. The prediction model, available on the web, is most relevant to children of European ancestry living in the Midwestern US. Our model may also provide insight into the tempo of maturation for children in other populations, but must be applied with caution if those populations are known to have high burdens of environmental stressors not typical of the Midwestern US. Am J Phys Anthropol 150:68–75, 2013. PMID:23283666
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Early Cannabis Use, Polygenic Risk Score for Schizophrenia and Brain Maturation in Adolescence.
French, Leon; Gray, Courtney; Leonard, Gabriel; Perron, Michel; Pike, G Bruce; Richer, Louis; Séguin, Jean R; Veillette, Suzanne; Evans, C John; Artiges, Eric; Banaschewski, Tobias; Bokde, Arun W L; Bromberg, Uli; Bruehl, Ruediger; Buchel, Christian; Cattrell, Anna; Conrod, Patricia J; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jurgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Lemaitre, Herve; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Nees, Frauke; Orfanos, Dimitri Papadopoulos; Pangelinan, Melissa Marie; Poustka, Luise; Rietschel, Marcella; Smolka, Michael N; Walter, Henrik; Whelan, Robert; Timpson, Nic J; Schumann, Gunter; Smith, George Davey; Pausova, Zdenka; Paus, Tomáš
2015-10-01
Cannabis use during adolescence is known to increase the risk for schizophrenia in men. Sex differences in the dynamics of brain maturation during adolescence may be of particular importance with regard to vulnerability of the male brain to cannabis exposure. To evaluate whether the association between cannabis use and cortical maturation in adolescents is moderated by a polygenic risk score for schizophrenia. Observation of 3 population-based samples included initial analysis in 1024 adolescents of both sexes from the Canadian Saguenay Youth Study (SYS) and follow-up in 426 adolescents of both sexes from the IMAGEN Study from 8 European cities and 504 male youth from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) based in England. A total of 1577 participants (aged 12-21 years; 899 [57.0%] male) had (1) information about cannabis use; (2) imaging studies of the brain; and (3) a polygenic risk score for schizophrenia across 108 genetic loci identified by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Data analysis was performed from March 1 through December 31, 2014. Cortical thickness derived from T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. Linear regression tests were used to assess the relationships between cannabis use, cortical thickness, and risk score. Across the 3 samples of 1574 participants, a negative association was observed between cannabis use in early adolescence and cortical thickness in male participants with a high polygenic risk score. This observation was not the case for low-risk male participants or for the low- or high-risk female participants. Thus, in SYS male participants, cannabis use interacted with risk score vis-à-vis cortical thickness (P = .009); higher scores were associated with lower thickness only in males who used cannabis. Similarly, in the IMAGEN male participants, cannabis use interacted with increased risk score vis-à-vis a change in decreasing cortical thickness from 14.5 to 18.5 years of age (t137 = -2.36; P
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Early Cannabis Use, Polygenic Risk Score for Schizophrenia, and Brain Maturation in Adolescence
French, Leon; Gray, Courtney; Leonard, Gabriel; Perron, Michel; Pike, G. Bruce; Richer, Louis; Séguin, Jean R.; Veillette, Suzanne; Evans, C. John; Artiges, Eric; Banaschewski, Tobias; Bokde, Arun W. L.; Bromberg, Uli; Bruehl, Ruediger; Buchel, Christian; Cattrell, Anna; Conrod, Patricia J.; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jurgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Lemaitre, Herve; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Nees, Frauke; Orfanos, Dimitri Papadopoulos; Pangelinan, Melissa Marie; Poustka, Luise; Rietschel, Marcella; Smolka, Michael N.; Walter, Henrik; Whelan, Robert; Timpson, Nic J.; Schumann, Gunter; Smith, George Davey; Pausova, Zdenka; Paus, Tomáš
2016-01-01
IMPORTANCE Cannabis use during adolescence is known to increase the risk for schizophrenia in men. Sex differences in the dynamics of brain maturation during adolescence may be of particular importance with regard to vulnerability of the male brain to cannabis exposure. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the association between cannabis use and cortical maturation in adolescents is moderated by a polygenic risk score for schizophrenia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Observation of 3 population-based samples included initial analysis in 1024 adolescents of both sexes from the Canadian Saguenay Youth Study (SYS) and follow-up in 426 adolescents of both sexes from the IMAGEN Study from 8 European cities and 504 male youth from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) based in England. A total of 1577 participants (aged 12–21 years; 899 [57.0%] male) had (1) information about cannabis use; (2) imaging studies of the brain; and (3) a polygenic risk score for schizophrenia across 108 genetic loci identified by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium. Data analysis was performed from March 1 through December 31, 2014. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cortical thickness derived from T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. Linear regression tests were used to assess the relationships between cannabis use, cortical thickness, and risk score. RESULTS Across the 3 samples of 1574 participants, a negative association was observed between cannabis use in early adolescence and cortical thickness in male participants with a high polygenic risk score. This observation was not the case for low-risk male participants or for the low- or high-risk female participants. Thus, in SYS male participants, cannabis use interacted with risk score vis-à-vis cortical thickness (P = .009); higher scores were associated with lower thickness only in males who used cannabis. Similarly, in the IMAGEN male participants, cannabis use interacted with increased risk score vis-à-vis a change in
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The Girl Child, An Investment in the Future. Revised Edition 1991.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.
There are growing discernible differences between the status of Algerian girls and Algerian boys, as the onset of puberty approaches, in educational or literacy attainment or achievement. Around 19% of Algerian girls never attend school or drop out very early on. School is legally mandated through the age of 16, but many girls' families simply do…
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Predictors of ADHD Persistence in Girls at 5-Year Follow-Up
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mick, Eric; Byrne, Deirdre; Fried, Ronna; Monuteaux, Michael; Faraone, Stephen V.; Biederman, Joseph
2011-01-01
Objective: The main aim of this study was to examine the age-dependent remission from ADHD in girls transitioning through childhood into adolescence and early adulthood. Method: We conducted a 5-year prospective follow-up study of 123 girls with ADHD and 106 non-ADHD control girls aged between 6 and 17 years at ascertainment. ADHD was considered…
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[Pubertal maturation, physical self-esteem and sexuality in a sample of French adolescents].
Potard, C; Courtois, R; Clarisse, R; Le Floc'h, N; Thomine, M; Réveillère, C
2016-04-01
The aim of this study was to explore the links between pubertal maturation, physical self-esteem and sexuality in adolescence, differentiating between boys and girls. The sample was comprised of 312 French secondary school children (seventh and ninth grades); 52.6 % (n=164) of whom were girls. Participants answered three self-evaluation questionnaires: the scale of sexuality (interests, emotions, relationships: IERS) in prime adolescence (12 to 15 years); (b) the self-administered rating scale for pubertal development and (c) the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ). Pubertal maturation was associated with higher scores on "Flirting with the aim of having sexual relations" and "Going out with someone", and a drop in overall and physical self-esteem, mainly in socially valued domains, namely "Body fat" for girls, and "Strength" and "Health" for boys. Overall physical self-esteem was associated with "Going out with someone" and "Flirting with the aim of having sexual relations" in boys. Physical changes at puberty induce two distinct trends in adolescents: sexual exploration and discovery (genitalized body), and self-depreciation (social body). Copyright © 2015 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
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Girls and war: an extra vulnerability.
Black, M
1998-01-01
It is no longer possible to consider the raping of girls as an isolated atrocity of war. In Uganda, guerrilla forces have kidnapped 6000-10,000 children and have forced the "most desirable" girls to become "wives" of warlords. Girls who manage to escape are deeply traumatized and suffer ill health as well as possible social ostracism. In refugee camps, recognition that adolescent girls face special risks of rape and of engaging in the informal prostitution that may expose them to HIV/AIDS has led to the introduction of new measures to increase female security. Families in refugee camps in Burundi and Somalia protect female honor by submitting their daughters to very early marriage, which also abuses the girls' rights. Girls conscripted to military groups are forced to transport materials, cook, or help loot villages. In conditions of war, even girls who remain at home protected by their families must assume extra responsibilities, especially if men go off to fight leaving women with the agricultural and livestock burdens. Girls will be the first children withdrawn from school to help keep the household afloat. Girls and women are also expected to tend those wounded by the very war that destroys the health care services that are vital to meet women's reproductive needs. Efforts are being made to identify rape as a specific war crime, and these efforts should be extended to the kidnapping and forced recruitment of children into combat roles. Moral codes must be reestablished, even if they are only nominal at present.
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Tosti, Elisabetta; Gallo, Alessandra; Silvestre, Francesco
2011-01-01
Electrophysiological techniques were used to study the role of ion currents in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis oocyte plasma membrane during different stages of growth, meiosis, fertilization and early development. Three stages of immature oocytes were discriminated in the ovary, with the germinal vesicle showing specific different features of growth and maturation. Stage-A (pre-vitellogenic) oocytes exhibited the highest L-type calcium current activity and were incompetent for meiosis resumption. Stage-B (vitellogenic) oocytes showed a progressive disappearance of calcium currents and the first appearance of sodium currents that remained high during the maturation process, up to the post-vitellogenic stage-C oocytes. The latter had acquired meiotic competence, undergoing spontaneous in vitro maturation and interacting with the spermatozoon. However, fertilized oocytes did not produce normal larvae, suggesting that cytoplasmic maturation may affect embryo development. In mature oocytes at the metaphase I stage, sodium currents were present and remained high up to the zygote stage. Oocytes fertilized in the absence of sodium showed significant reduction of the fertilization current amplitude and high development of anomalous "rosette" embryos. Current amplitudes became negligible in embryos at the 2- and 4-cell stage, whereas resumption of all the current activities occurred at the 8-cell embryo. Taken together, these results suggest: (i) an involvement of L-type calcium currents in initial oocyte meiotic progression and growth; (ii) a role of sodium currents at fertilization; (iii) a role of the fertilization current in ensuring normal embryo development. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Jeddy, Zuha; Hartman, Terryl J; Taylor, Ethel V; Poteete, Cayla; Kordas, Katarzyna
2017-06-01
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), found in many household products and classed as endocrine disrupting chemicals, can be transferred through the placenta and are associated with multiple developmental deficits in offspring. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we investigated the association between intrauterine exposure to PFAS and early communication development in 432 mother-daughter dyads at 15 and 38months of age. Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were measured in maternal serum collected during pregnancy. Early communication development was measured with the ALSPAC-adapted MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories for Infants and Toddlers. The infant questionnaire measured verbal comprehension, vocabulary comprehension and production, nonverbal communication, and social development. The toddler questionnaire measured language, intelligibility, and communicative sub-scores. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between each PFAS exposure and each communication sub-scale score. The association between maternal PFAS concentrations and early communication development at 15 and 38months of age varied by maternal age at delivery. In daughters of younger mothers (<25years of age), every 1ng/mL of PFOS was associated with a 3.82 point (95% confidence interval (CI): -6.18, -1.47) lower vocabulary score at 15months and a 0.80 point (95% CI: -1.74, 0.14) lower language score at 38months. Prenatal exposure to select PFAS was positively and negatively associated with communication development among girls, with inconsistent pattern of association across all measured PFAS and endpoints. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Jeddy, Zuha; Hartman, Terryl J.; Taylor, Ethel V.; Poteete, Cayla; Kordas, Katarzyna
2017-01-01
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), found in many household products and classed as endocrine disrupting chemicals, can be transferred through the placenta and are associated with multiple developmental deficits in offspring. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), we investigated the association between intrauterine exposure to PFAS and early communication development in 432 mother-daughter dyads at 15 and 38 months of age. Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) were measured in maternal serum collected during pregnancy. Early communication development was measured with the ALSPAC-adapted MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories for Infants and Toddlers. The infant questionnaire measured verbal comprehension, vocabulary comprehension and production, nonverbal communication, and social development. The toddler questionnaire measured language, intelligibility, and communicative subscores. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between each PFAS exposure and each communication sub-scale score. The association between maternal PFAS concentrations and early communication development at 15 and 38 months of age varied by maternal age at delivery. In daughters of younger mothers (< 25 years of age), every 1 ng/mL of PFOS was associated with a 3.82 point (95% confidence interval (CI): −6.18, −1.47) lower vocabulary score at 15 months and a 0.80 point (95% CI: −1.74, 0.14) lower language score at 38 months. Prenatal exposure to select PFAS was positively and negatively associated with communication development among girls, with inconsistent pattern of association across all measured PFAS and endpoints. PMID:28411449
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Gut microbial functional maturation and succession during human early life.
Cerdó, Tomás; Ruiz, Alicia; Acuña, Inmaculada; Jáuregui, Ruy; Jehmlich, Nico; Haange, Sven-Bastian; von Bergen, Martin; Suárez, Antonio; Campoy, Cristina
2018-04-24
The evolutional trajectory of gut microbial colonization from birth has been shown to prime for health later in life. Here, we combined cultivation-independent 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metaproteomics to investigate the functional maturation of gut microbiota in faecal samples from full-term healthy infants collected at 6 and 18 months of age. Phylogenetic analysis of the metaproteomes showed that Bifidobacterium provided the highest number of distinct protein groups. Considerable divergences between taxa abundance and protein phylogeny were observed at all taxonomic ranks. Age had a profound effect on early microbiota where compositional and functional diversity of less dissimilar communities increased with time. Comparisons of the relative abundances of proteins revealed the transition of taxon-associated saccharolytic and fermentation strategies from milk and mucin-derived monosaccharide catabolism feeding acetate/propanoate synthesis to complex food-derived hexoses fuelling butanoate production. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis uncovered two anti-correlated modules of functional taxa. A low-connected Bifidobacteriaceae-centred guild of facultative anaerobes was succeeded by a rich club of obligate anaerobes densely interconnected around Lachnospiraceae, underpinning their pivotal roles in microbial ecosystem assemblies. Our findings establish a framework to visualize whole microbial community metabolism and ecosystem succession dynamics, proposing opportunities for microbiota-targeted health-promoting strategies early in life. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Maternal Influences on Smoking Initiation among Urban Adolescent Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Nichols, Tracy R.; Graber, Julia A.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Botvin, Gilbert J.
2004-01-01
This study examined associations between maternal social influences to smoke and girls' early smoking behaviors. Data were collected separately from 450 urban minority girls (65.7% Black, 21.5% Latina, and 12.8% other) and their mothers on smoking frequency as well as demographic and social factors hypothesized to promote smoking. Results showed…
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Developmental Trajectories of Young Girls with Fragile X Syndrome
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hatton, Deborah D.; Wheeler, Anne; Sideris, John; Sullivan, Kelly; Reichardt, Alison; Roberts, Jane; Clark, Renee; Bailey, Donald B., Jr.
2009-01-01
To describe the early phenotype of girls with full mutation fragile X, we used 54 observations of 15 girls between the ages of 6 months and 9 years to examine developmental trajectories as measured by the Battelle Development Inventory. In this sample, autistic behavior was associated with poorer developmental outcomes, primarily due to…
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Oedipus in Brooklyn: reading Freud on women, watching Lena Dunham's girls.
Buchberg, Lisa
2014-01-01
Through an examination of Freud's Lecture 33, "Femininity" (1933), and "Mourning and Melancholia" (1917), the author proposes a reading of Freud's description of the girl becoming a woman. Female development is retold as a melancholic narrative-one in which the girl's entrance into the positive Oedipus is founded on unconscious grievance and unmourned loss of the early relationship with her mother. Castration and penis envy are reconceived as melancholic markers-the manifest content of the subjectivity of refusal, loss, and imagined repair of the early maternal relationship. Lena Dunham's HBO television series Girls is analyzed as an illustration of these theoretical understandings. © 2014 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.
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Chatzigianni, Athina; Halazonetis, Demetrios J
2009-10-01
Cervical vertebrae shape has been proposed as a diagnostic factor for assessing skeletal maturation in orthodontic patients. However, evaluation of vertebral shape is mainly based on qualitative criteria. Comprehensive quantitative measurements of shape and assessments of its predictive power have not been reported. Our aims were to measure vertebral shape by using the tools of geometric morphometrics and to evaluate the correlation and predictive power of vertebral shape on skeletal maturation. Pretreatment lateral cephalograms and corresponding hand-wrist radiographs of 98 patients (40 boys, 58 girls; ages, 8.1-17.7 years) were used. Skeletal age was estimated from the hand-wrist radiographs. The first 4 vertebrae were traced, and 187 landmarks (34 fixed and 153 sliding semilandmarks) were used. Sliding semilandmarks were adjusted to minimize bending energy against the average of the sample. Principal components analysis in shape and form spaces was used for evaluating shape patterns. Shape measures, alone and combined with centroid size and age, were assessed as predictors of skeletal maturation. Shape alone could not predict skeletal maturation better than chronologic age. The best prediction was achieved with the combination of form space principal components and age, giving 90% prediction intervals of approximately 200 maturation units in the girls and 300 units in the boys. Similar predictive power could be obtained by using centroid size and age. Vertebrae C2, C3, and C4 gave similar results when examined individually or combined. C1 showed lower correlations, signifying lower integration with hand-wrist maturation. Vertebral shape is strongly correlated to skeletal age but does not offer better predictive value than chronologic age.
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Poirier, Martine; Déry, Michèle; Temcheff, Caroline E; Toupin, Jean; Verlaan, Pierrette; Lemelin, Jean-Pascal
2016-07-01
Youth with conduct problems (CP) may experience high rates of depressive symptoms (DS). However, little is known about the direction of the longitudinal associations between CP and DS in this specific population. Although girls with CP appear at greater risk than boys for presenting comorbid depression, empirical research on gender differences in these associations is even sparser. The current study used autoregressive latent trajectory models to compare four perspectives with hypotheses regarding the longitudinal associations between CP and DS, while taking into account the evolution of both problems. We also examined gender differences in the longitudinal associations. A total of 345 children (40.6 % female) presenting with a high level of CP in early elementary school (mean age at study inception = 8.52; SD = .94) were evaluated annually over a four-year period (5 measurement time points). The results revealed that CP and DS were quite stable over time. Moreover, CP and DS showed strong covariation at each measurement time point, but only one significant positive cross-lagged association between the two processes, indicating that higher levels of DS at time 3 were associated with higher levels of CP 1 year later. No differences were observed in the longitudinal associations between CP and DS in boys and girls. Given the comorbidity and stability of CP and DS, these findings suggest that DS should be systematically evaluated among children with early clinically significant CP, and treatment plans should include interventions aimed at both CP and DS among children who present with both types of problems.
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SHIP-1 Increases Early Oxidative Burst and Regulates Phagosome Maturation in Macrophages1
Kamen, Lynn A.; Levinsohn, Jonathan; Cadwallader, Amy; Tridandapani, Susheela; Swanson, Joel A.
2010-01-01
Although the inositol phosphatase SHIP-1 is generally thought to inhibit signaling for Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis, the product of its activity, phosphatidylinositol 3,4 bisphosphate (PI(3,4)P2) has been implicated in activation of the NADPH oxidase. This suggests that SHIP-1 positively regulates generation of reactive oxygen species after phagocytosis. To examine how SHIP-1 activity contributes to Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis, we measured and compared phospholipid dynamics, membrane trafficking and the oxidative burst in macrophages from SHIP-1-deficient and wild-type mice. SHIP-1-deficient macrophages showed significantly elevated ratios of PI(3,4,5) P3 to PI(3,4)P2 on phagosomal membranes. Imaging reactive oxygen intermediate activities in phagosomes revealed decreased early NADPH oxidase activity in SHIP-1-deficient macrophages. SHIP-1-deficiency also altered later stages of phagosome maturation, as indicated by the persistent elevation of PI(3)P and the early localization of Rab5a to phagosomes. These direct measurements of individual organelles indicate that phagosomal SHIP-1 enhances the early oxidative burst through localized alteration of the membrane 3′ phosphoinositide composition. PMID:18490750
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Yim, Annie P Y; Yeung, Hiu-Yan; Hung, Vivian W Y; Lee, Kwong-Man; Lam, Tsz-Ping; Ng, Bobby K W; Qiu, Yong; Cheng, Jack C Y
2012-08-15
A cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal study on the anthropometric parameters and growth pattern of girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). To investigate the growth pattern of girls with AIS with different severities, using cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal data set in comparison with age-matched healthy controls. AIS occurs in children during their pubertal growth spurt. Although there is no clear consensus on the difference in body height between girls with AIS and healthy controls, it is generally thought that the development and curve progression in girls with AIS is closely associated with their growth rate. There is no concrete prospective longitudinal study to document clearly the growth pattern and growth rate of subjects with AIS . A total of 611 girls with AIS and 296 healthy age-matched controls were included in the study and among them, 194 girls with AIS and 116 healthy controls were followed up until skeletal maturity. The girls with AIS were grouped into moderate (AIS20) and severe curve (AIS40) groups on the basis of maximum curve magnitude at skeletal maturity. Clinical data and detailed anthropometric parameters were recorded. In the cross-sectional analysis, the groups of subjects were compared within different age groups (from the age of 12-16 yr). In the longitudinal study, linear mixed modeling with respect to age or years since menarche was employed to formulate the growth trajectory of different anthropometric parameters. In the cross-sectional analysis, the girls with AIS were generally taller, with longer arm span and lower body mass index than the healthy controls. The girls with AIS40 were found to be significantly shorter in height (P = 0.006) and arm span (P = 0.025) at the age of 12 years but caught up and overtook the control group at the age of 14 to 16 years. In the longitudinal study, the average growth rate of arm span in girls with AIS40 was significantly higher than that in girls with AIS20 (> 30
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Dinopoulou, Vasiliki; Drakakis, Peter; Kefala, Stella; Kiapekou, Erasmia; Bletsa, Ritsa; Anagnostou, Elli; Kallianidis, Konstantinos; Loutradis, Dimitrios
2016-06-01
During in vitro maturation (IVM), intrinsic and extrinsic factors must co-operate properly in order to ensure cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation. We examined the possible effect of LH/hCG in the process of oocyte maturation in mice with the addition of recombinant LH (r-LH) and hCG in our IVM cultures of mouse germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes. Moreover, the effects of these hormones on fertilization, early embryonic development and the expression of LH/hCG receptor were examined. Nuclear maturation of GV-stage oocytes was evaluated after culture in the presence of r-LH or hCG. Fertilization rates and embryonic development were assessed after 24h. Total RNA was isolated from oocytes of different stages of maturation and from zygotes and embryos of different stages of development in order to examine the expression of LH/hCG receptor, using RT-PCR. The in vitro nuclear maturation rate of GV-stage oocytes that received hCG was significantly higher compared to the control group. Early embryonic development was increased in the hCG and LH cultures of GV oocytes when LH was further added. The LH/hCG receptor was expressed in all stages of in vitro matured mouse oocytes and in every stage of early embryonic development. Addition of hCG in IVM cultures of mouse GV oocytes increased maturation rates significantly. LH, however, was more beneficial to early embryonic development than hCG. This suggests a promising new technique in basic science research or in clinical reproductive medicine. Copyright © 2016 Society for Biology of Reproduction & the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.
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Wright, Matthew D; Hurst, Christopher; Taylor, Jonathan M
2016-10-01
Little is known about the responses of girl athletes to training interventions throughout maturation. This study evaluated group and individual responses to an 8-week, mixed-methods, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programme in girl football players. Thirty-seven players (age 13.4 ± 1.5 years) were tested for 20-m speed, repeated-sprint ability, change-of-direction speed and level 1 yo-yo intermittent recovery (YYIR). Players were subcategorised into before-, at- and after-PHV (peak height velocity) based on maturity offset. Very likely moderate (25%; ±90% confidence limits = 9.2) improvements occurred in YYIR, but data were unclear in players before-PHV with moderate individual differences in response. Decrements in repeated-sprint ability were most likely very large (6.5%; ±3.2) before-PHV, and likely moderate (1.7%; ±1.0) at-PHV. Data were unclear after-PHV. A very likely moderate (2.7%; ±1.0) decrement occurred in change-of-direction speed at-PHV while there was a very likely increase (-2.4%; ±1.3) in after-PHV players. Possibly small (-1.1%; ±1.4) improvements in 20-m speed occurred before-PHV but the effect was otherwise unclear with moderate to large individual differences. These data reflect specific responses to training interventions in girls of different biological maturity, while highlighting individual responses to HIIT interventions. This can assist practitioners in providing effective training prescription.
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Preadolescent Clues to Understanding Depression in Girls
Keenan, Kate; Hipwell, Alison E.
2010-01-01
Between the ages of 10 and 15, increases in depression among girls result in a rate that is twice as high as the rate of depression in boys. This sex difference remains throughout early and middle adulthood. Prior to early adolescence, there is essentially no sex difference in the rate of depression. The aim of the present review is to examine whether the preadolescent period is a time during which precursors to depression in girls can be identified. First, existing areas of research on explaining sex differences in depression, including cognitive and affiliative style and the socialization of emotion, are reviewed. Second, the hypothesis that for some girls, preadolescent precursors to depression take the form of excessive empathy, compliance and regulation of negative emotions is articulated. Third, ways of building on existing models by including the proposed preadolescent precursors are proposed. Finally, approaches to testing the hypotheses that individual differences in these domains during preadolescence may explain later individual differences in adolescent onset depression are explored. PMID:15984082
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An Online Drug Abuse Prevention Program for Adolescent Girls: Posttest and 1-Year Outcomes.
Schwinn, Traci M; Schinke, Steven P; Hopkins, Jessica; Keller, Bryan; Liu, Xiang
2018-03-01
Early adolescent girls' rates of drug use have matched, and in some instances, surpassed boys' rates. Though girls and boys share risk factors for drug use, girls also have gender-specific risks. Tailored interventions to prevent girls' drug use are warranted. This study developed and tested a web-based, drug abuse prevention program for adolescent girls. The nationwide sample of 13- and 14-year-old girls (N = 788) was recruited via Facebook ads. Enrolled girls were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition. All girls completed pretest measures online. Following pretest, intervention girls interacted with the 9-session, gender-specific prevention program online. The program aimed to reduce girls' drug use and associated risk factors by improving their cognitive and behavioral skills around such areas as coping with stress, managing mood, maintaining a healthy body image, and refusing drug use offers. Girls in both conditions again completed measures at posttest and 1-year follow-up. At posttest, and compared to girls in the control condition, girls who received the intervention smoked fewer cigarettes and reported higher self-esteem, goal setting, media literacy, and self-efficacy. At 1-year follow-up, and compared to girls in the control condition, girls who received the intervention reported engaging in less binge drinking and cigarette smoking; girls assigned to the intervention condition also had higher alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana refusal skills, coping skills, and media literacy and lower rates of peer drug use. This study's findings support the use of tailored, online drug abuse prevention programming for early adolescent girls.
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Planning steps forward in development: in girls earlier than in boys.
Unterrainer, Josef M; Ruh, Nina; Loosli, Sandra V; Heinze, Katharina; Rahm, Benjamin; Kaller, Christoph P
2013-01-01
The development of planning ability in children initially aged four and five was examined longitudinally with a retest-interval of 12 months using the Tower of London task. As expected, problems to solve straightforward without mental look-ahead were mastered by most, even the youngest children. Problems demanding look-ahead were more difficult and accuracy improved significantly with age and over time. This development was strongly moderated by sex: In contrast to coeval boys, four year old girls showed an impressive performance enhancement at age five, reaching the performance of six year olds, whereas four year old boys lagged behind and caught up with girls at the age of six, the typical age of school enrollment. This sex-specific development of planning was clearly separated from overall intelligence: young boys showed a steeper increase in raw intelligence scores than girls, whereas in the older groups scores developed similarly. The observed sex differences in planning development are evident even within a narrow time window of twelve months and may relate to differences in maturational trajectories for girls and boys in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
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Busch, Alexander S; Hagen, Casper P; Almstrup, Kristian; Main, Katharina M; Juul, Anders
2016-04-01
Do variants of the genes encoding follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) beta subunit (B) and FSH receptor (R) impact circulating reproductive hormone levels and ovarian follicle maturation in healthy peripubertal girls? FSHB and FSHR genetic variants exert, alone or their combination, distinct effects on reproductive hormone levels as well as ovarian follicle maturation in healthy peripubertal girls. FSHB and FSHR genetic variants impact reproductive hormone levels as well as associated pathologies in women. While FSHR c. 2039A>G is known to alter gonadotrophin levels in women, FSHR c.-29G>A has not yet been shown to exert effect and there are conflicting results concerning FSHB c.-211G>T. This population-based study included 633 girls recruited as part of two cohorts, the COPENHAGEN Puberty Study (2006-2014, a cross-sectional and ongoing longitudinal study) and the Copenhagen Mother-Child Cohort (1997-2002, including transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) of the ovaries in a subset of 91 peripubertal girls). Clinical examinations, including pubertal breast stage (Tanner's classification B1-B5) were performed. Circulating levels of FSH, luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin-B were assessed by immunoassays. In a subset of the girls (n = 91), ovarian volume and the number/size of antral follicles were assessed by TAUS. Genotypes were determined by competitive PCR. FSHR c.2039A>G minor alleles were positively associated with serum FSH (β = 0.08, P = 0.004), LH (β = 0.06, P = 0.012) and estradiol (β = 0.06, P = 0.017) (adjusted for Tanner stages). In a combined model, FSHR c.-29G>A and FSHR c.2039A>G alleles were positively associated with FSH levels in early-pubertal girls (B2 + B3, n = 327, r = 0.1, P = 0.02) and in young adolescents (B4 + B5, n = 149, r = 0.2, P = 0.01). Serum AMH and inhibin B levels were not significantly influenced by the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Single SNPs were not associated with follicles
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Liu, Xianchen; Chen, Hua; Liu, Zhen-Zhen; Fan, Fang; Jia, Cun-Xian
2017-09-01
Little is known about the association between menstruation and sleep disturbance in adolescent girls. This study examined sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and sleep quality in relation to age at menarche and menstrual problems in a large sample of Chinese adolescent girls. This report represents the baseline data of an ongoing longitudinal study of the Shandong Adolescent Behavior & Health Cohort in Shandong, China. A total of 5800 girls aged 12-18 years (mean age = 15.0, standard deviation = 1.4) participated in the baseline survey. A structured questionnaire was used to assess participants' age at menarche, menstrual cycle interval, menstrual flow length, period irregularity, period pain, body weight and height, and demographics. Internalizing and externalizing problems were measured by the Youth-Self Report of Child Behavioral Checklist. Sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and sleep quality were assessed by the items adapted from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. After adjusting for age, school, body mass index, internalizing and externalizing problems, and family covariates, irregular periods (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-2.02), period pain (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.44-2.76), and menstrual flow length ≥7 days (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.00-1.48) were significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. Irregular periods (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.30-2.27) and period pain (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.34-2.37) were significantly associated with poor sleep quality. Age at menarche ≤11 years (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05-2.50) was significantly associated with insomnia symptoms in 12- to 14-year-old girls. Our results suggest that irregular periods and period pain appear to be associated with sleep disturbance and that early menarche may have short-term impact on sleep in adolescent girls. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e
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Association of Age at Menarche with Anthropometric Measures in Punjabi Bania Girls.
Goyal, Pratibha; Singh, Zora; Sethi, Gurmeet Kaur
2016-11-01
Menarcheal age is the age at which menstruation begins. Menarcheal age is regarded as a sensitive indicator of physical, biological and psychological environment. 1) To determine the menarcheal age and to examine the relationship between current age at menarche with anthropometric measures in Punjabi bania girls. 2) To develop maturity standards for Bania girls. The present cross-sectional survey was carried out on 200 bania girls at the age of onset of menarche. Menarcheal data was obtained by status quo method by asking about whether menarche has been experienced or not. In the present survey adolescent girls were interviewed with the help of pre-designed questionnaire. Statistical analysis was carried out in SPSS software, version 16.0. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for correlation studies. A total of 200 Punjabi bania girls were examined in the study. The median age of onset of menarche in these girls was 12.3 years. Menarcheal age was positively associated with bi-acromial width, bi-iliac width and arm span. The present research has revealed secular trend in the age of onset of menarche as indicated by median age of 12.3 years in Bania girls. The bi-acromial width, bi-iliac width and arm span were also correlated with the age of menarche.
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Caldwell, Cleopatra Howard; Matusko, Niki; Jackson, James S.
2015-01-01
Research has accumulated to demonstrate that depressive symptoms are associated with heterosexual romantic involvement during adolescence, but relatively little work has linked this body of literature to the existing literature on associations between early pubertal timing and adolescent depressive symptoms. This study extends prior research by examining whether early menarche and heterosexual romantic involvement interact to predict depressive symptoms in a national sample of Black adolescent girls (N = 607; M age = 15 years; 32 % Caribbean Black and 68 % African American). We further examined whether the adverse effects of heterosexual romantic involvement and early menarche would be mediated by perceived social support from mothers, fathers, and peers. Path analysis results indicated that girls who report current involvement in a heterosexual romantic relationship also reported high levels of perceived peer support than girls with no romantic involvement. High levels of perceived peer support, in turn, predicted low levels of depressive symptoms. Romantically involved girls with an early menarche also reported significantly less depressive symptoms than girls not romantically involved with an early menarche. Neither perceived maternal support nor perceived paternal support mediated associations between heterosexual romantic involvement, menarche, and depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that individual and social factors can impede heterosexual romantic involvement effects on depressive symptoms in Black adolescent girls. PMID:25678429
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Giant Follicular Cyst of Ovary in an Adolescent Girl
Gedam, Jaya; Bhalerao, Minal; Nadar, Ponambalaganpathi A
2014-01-01
Cystic abdominal lesions are extremely common in adolescent girls and are now diagnosed more frequently due to the availability of better imaging modalities. Presentations as huge cysts have become rare as most of them are diagnosed and treated early. Adolescent girls presenting with huge benign abdominal cysts is not uncommon, most of them due to serious cystadenomas of the ovary, but large follicular cysts are rare. We present a 13-year-old girl who presented with a large abdominal mass which was subsequently diagnosed as juvenile follicular cyst of the ovary. PMID:25177606
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The Adolescent Girls Initiative-Kenya (AGI-K): study protocol.
Austrian, Karen; Muthengi, Eunice; Mumah, Joyce; Soler-Hampejsek, Erica; Kabiru, Caroline W; Abuya, Benta; Maluccio, John A
2016-03-01
Many adolescent girls in Kenya and elsewhere face considerable risks and vulnerabilities that affect their well-being and hinder a safe, healthy, and productive transition into early adulthood. Early adolescence provides a critical window of opportunity to intervene at a time when girls are experiencing many challenges, but before those challenges have resulted in deleterious outcomes that may be irreversible. The Adolescent Girls Initiative-Kenya (AGI-K) is built on these insights and designed to address these risks for young adolescent girls. The long-term goal of AGI-K is to delay childbearing for adolescent girls by improving their well-being. AGI-K comprises nested combinations of different single-sector interventions (violence prevention, education, health, and wealth creation). It will deliver interventions to over 6000 girls between the ages of 11 and 14 years in two marginalized areas of Kenya: 1) Kibera in Nairobi and 2) Wajir County in Northeastern Kenya. The program will use a combination of girl-, household- and community-level interventions. The violence prevention intervention will use community conversations and planning focused on enhancing the value of girls in the community. The educational intervention includes a cash transfer to the household conditioned on school enrollment and attendance. The health intervention is culturally relevant, age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health education delivered in a group setting once a week over the course of 2 years. Lastly, the wealth creation intervention provides savings and financial education, as well as start-up savings. A randomized trial will be used to compare the impact of four different packages of interventions, in order to assess if and how intervening in early adolescence improves girls' lives after four years. The project will be evaluated using data from behavioural surveys conducted before the start of the program (baseline in 2015), at the end of the 2-year intervention (endline in
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Child sexual assault: risk factors for girls.
Butler, Amy C
2013-09-01
To identify prospectively measured risk factors of sexual assault (SA) among girls age 17 and younger. The data come from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and are derived from interviews with 1,087 girls, their primary caregivers, and household heads. The data were collected from the girls' first year of life through their early twenties. Factors measured during childhood were used to predict whether the girls experienced a subsequent first sexual assault before the age of 18. Prospectively measured risk factors associated with subsequent child SA included the absence of one or both parents, maternal education less than college, family income below 400% of the federal poverty threshold, low caregiver warmth, child internalizing and externalizing behaviors, impulsivity, low achievement scores, and having been classified by their school as needing special education. Girls with behavioral health problems and learning challenges are at heightened risk for sexual assault. Research on behavioral health consequences of SA should control for preexisting SA risk factors to more accurately estimate the impact of child SA on subsequent behavioral health. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Looking Good, Sounding Good: Femininity Ideology and Adolescent Girls' Mental Health
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tolman, Deborah L.; Impett, Emily A.; Tracy, Allison J.; Michael, Alice
2006-01-01
This study used a feminist psychodynamic developmental framework to test the hypothesis that internalizing conventional femininity ideologies in two domains--inauthenticity in relationships and body objectification--is associated with early adolescent girls' mental health. One hundred forty-eight eighth-grade girls completed measures of femininity…
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Norrgård, J R; Bergman, E; Schmitz, M; Greenberg, L A
2014-10-01
The migratory behaviour of hatchery-reared landlocked Atlantic salmon Salmo salar raised under three different feeding regimes was monitored through the lower part of the River Klarälven, Sweden. The smolts were implanted with acoustic transmitters and released into the River Klarälven, 25 km upstream of the outlet in Lake Vänern. Early mature males, which had matured the previous autumn, were also tagged and released. To monitor migration of the fish, acoustic receivers were deployed along the migratory route. The proportion of S. salar that reached Lake Vänern was significantly greater for fish fed fat-reduced feed than for fish given rations with higher fat content, regardless of ration size. Fish from the early mature male group remained in the river to a greater extent than fish from the three feeding regimes. Smolt status (degree of silvering), as visually assessed, did not differ among the feeding regime groups, and moreover, fully-silvered fish, regardless of feeding regime, migrated faster and had a greater migration success than fish with less developed smolt characteristics. Also, successful migrants had a lower condition factor than unsuccessful ones. These results indicate that the migration success of hatchery-reared S. smolts released to the wild can be enhanced by relatively simple changes in feeding regimes and by matching stocking time with smolt development. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Pomerelle Russet is an early maturing fresh potato variety, which produces moderately high early-season yields of oblong-long tubers with brown-russet skin. It is notable for its very attractive, smooth tubers and resistances to internal and external defects with a high percentage of U.S. No. 1 tube...
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Krishnamoorthy, Vikram Vishwanath; Parameswaran, Ratna; Vijayalakshmi, Devaki; Khan, Nayeemullah; Nandakumar, Arani
2016-06-01
To analyse the importance of bodily characteristics of growing children and its correlation towards skeletal maturity. This further aids orthodontists in proper treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between cervical vertebrae maturation, statural height and body weight as measured in 12 -year-old children. Lateral cephalograms were taken as a part of treatment records in 94 children along with their statural height and body weight. The Cervical Vertebrae Maturation Index (CVMI) was used to trace the C2, C3 and C4 vertebrae respectively and the data were then correlated to the chart provided by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). The overall sample showed a statistically significant correlation between CVMI and height (p=0.047). Girls showed significant correlation in their mean heights to the CVMI staging (p=0.012) while the boys exhibited a maximal mean height value in Cervical Stage (CS) 5 followed by CS3. There was no significant correlation between weight and CVMI. The mean CVMI stage seen in boys and girls were CS2 and CS3 respectively. There exists a definitive correlation between height and CVMI stages in growing children. Girls showed an advanced level of skeletal maturity in comparison to boys. CVMI staging should be used along with statural height and body weight when considering growth modification procedures.
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Risk and Protective Factors for Educational Achievement among Serious Offending Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Oudekerk, Barbara A.; Chauhan, Preeti; Reppucci, N. Dickon
2012-01-01
Using longitudinal data, this analysis: (1) documented educational outcomes for serious offending girls, and (2) identified risk and protective factors associated with academic achievement in mid-adolescence and degree attainment by early adulthood. In mid-adolescence, girls performed nearly one standard deviation below the population mean on…
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Assessment of pubertal development in Egyptian girls.
Hosny, Laila A; El-Ruby, Mona O; Zaki, Moushira E; Aglan, Mona S; Zaki, Maha S; El Gammal, Mona A; Mazen, Inas M
2005-06-01
Puberty is a significant event of human growth and maturation associated with marked physiological and psychological changes. The aim of this study was to assess normal pubertal development in Egyptian girls to define normal, precocious and delayed puberty. The present study included a cross-sectional sample of 1,550 normal Egyptian girls of high and middle socioeconomic class living in Cairo. Their ages ranged from 6.5 to 18.5 years. Pubertal assessment was made according to Tanner staging. The mean menarcheal age (MMA) was estimated using probit analysis. Weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The mean age at breast bud stage (B2) was 10.71+/-1.6, pubic hair stage (PH2) was 10.46+/-1.36, while axillary hair stage (A2) was 11.65+/-1.62 and MMA was 12.44 years. The mean age at attainment of puberty was compared with those of other Egyptian studies and other populations. Girls of the present study started pubertal development and achieved menarche earlier than those of previous Egyptian studies confirming a secular trend. Differences between the present study and other worldwide studies can be attributed to various genetic, racial, geographical, nutritional, and secular trend factors.
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Różyło-Kalinowska, Ingrid; Kolasa--Rączka, Anna; Kalinowski, Paweł
2011-02-01
The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between Demirjian's method and the improved cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) method. The material consisted of the clinical files and panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 718 children (431 girls and 287 boys) aged from 6 to 17 years, inhabitants of the Mazovia region (Central Poland). Dental age according to Demirjian was estimated using panoramic radiographs and the cervical stages (CS) of the CVM were evaluated on cephalometric radiographs. Descriptive statistics of the chronological and dental ages of the patients for a particular CS of skeletal maturity was calculated for girls and boys separately. Linear regression analysis and correlation (Pearson's r coefficient), as well as the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (R) were applied to measure the association between CS and dental calcification stages of all analysed teeth. A consistently earlier occurrence (by about 6 months) for each CS was observed in females. A moderate, but statistically significant, correlation between Demirjian's dental developmental stages and CS was determined. The level of the correlation was different for individual teeth: the teeth showing the highest relationship with CVM were the second premolars and canines (in female and male subjects, respectively). The central incisor demonstrated the poorest correlation in both genders. The findings confirmed that both dental and skeletal maturity should be assessed if the maturity stage of a growing child is to be relevant to clinical practice. The results indicate the usefulness of dental calcification stages as a simple first-level diagnostic test to determine the skeletal maturity status of a subject.
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Preadolescent Clues to Understanding Depression in Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Keenan, Kate; Hipwell, Alison E.
2005-01-01
Between the ages of 10 and 15, increases in depression among girls result in a rate that is twice as high as the rate of depression in boys. This sex difference remains throughout early and middle adulthood. Prior to early adolescence, there is essentially no sex difference in the rate of depression. The aim of the present review is to examine…
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Low-Grade Astrocytoma within a Mature Cystic Teratoma in an Adolescent Patient.
Yoder, Nicole; Marks, Asher; Hui, Pei; Litkouhi, Babak; Cron, Julia
2018-06-01
Mature cystic teratomas are the most common ovarian neoplasm in adolescents. They are typically benign, however, malignant transformation rarely occurs. We report a low-grade astrocytoma arising from a mature cystic teratoma in an adolescent patient. The patient was a 12-year-old girl with an asymptomatic ovarian cyst and subsequent cystectomy. Final pathology identified a solid tumor with glial tissue within the cyst, reported as low-grade astrocytoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma. There are few data on astrocytomas in the gynecologic tract. Risk factors for malignant transformation in a mature cystic teratoma include increased age, postmenopausal status, elevated carcinoma antigen 125, and large tumor size. Interestingly, this patient had a history of partial trisomy 20, which has been associated with teratoma formation in a mouse model. Copyright © 2017 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Misdiagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: ‘Normal behaviour’ and relative maturity
Ford-Jones, Polly Christine
2015-01-01
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed disorders in children, yet it remains poorly understood. Substantial controversy exists regarding correct diagnosis of ADHD, and areas of subjectivity in diagnosis have been identified. Concerns for appropriate diagnosis are critical in terms of children’s educational outcomes, as well as health concerns associated with the use and potential overuse of stimulant medications. There exists a relative-age effect in which children who are relatively younger than their peers and born closest to the school start age cut-off are more frequently diagnosed and treated for ADHD. Additionally, substantial variation exists in ADHD diagnosis between boys and girls, with boys often presenting with more stereotypical symptoms. Both the relative-age effect and variation in sex diagnosis, as well as the challenges of early preschool diagnosis, emphasize the importance of considering relative maturity in ADHD diagnosis of children. Implications and knowledge translation strategies for practitioners, parents and the education system are presented. PMID:26038639
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The girl-child: problems and survival in the Nigerian context.
Anyanwu, S O
1995-01-01
This article examines the living conditions and survival of girl children in Nigeria and the preferential treatment of boy children. Girls are discriminated against in Nigeria in access to educational opportunity, food, and nutrition. Girls carry a heavy burden of farm work and house work. Girls are married off at early ages, which interferes with their education or acquisition of skills needed for survival. Beliefs must be changed about the value of girl children. Rapid economic development is dependent upon elimination of gender bias. Female education serves as an investment that will help facilitate the achievement of family planning objectives and the production of healthier children. Poor female nutrition contributes to greater vulnerability to disease and to poor physical and mental development. It is recommended that nutrition be improved for females and that illegal child labor be abolished. Early marriage should be outlawed, and parents should be educated about the benefits of later marriage. A National Children's Commission should be set up for defending the rights of the girl child in an educational, social, cultural, political, and economic context. The Commission should maintain statistics on child survival and other socioeconomic factors. Parents have an important role to fulfill in helping female children achieve the basic necessities of survival and development and in learning about the fundamentals of child development and care. Teachers have an important role to play in teaching about sex education, drug education, family planning, and AIDS. Women's groups have an important role to play in focusing attention on various problems confronting girl children. Government must focus more resources on reducing the inequalities between boys and girls, change discriminatory laws, and establish political stability. International aid should increase and be directed to female child survival.
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Misra, Madhusmita; Aggarwal, Avichal; Miller, Karen K; Almazan, Cecilia; Worley, Megan; Soyka, Leslie A; Herzog, David B; Klibanski, Anne
2004-12-01
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder that leads to a number of medical sequelae in adult women and has a mortality rate of 5.6% per decade; known complications include effects on hematologic, biochemical, bone density, and body composition parameters. Few data regarding medical and developmental consequences of AN are available for adolescents, in particular for an outpatient community-dwelling population of girls who have this disorder. The prevalence of AN is increasing in adolescents, and it is the third most common chronic disease in adolescent girls. Therefore, it is important to determine the medical effects of this disorder in this young population. We examined clinical characteristics and performed hematologic, biochemical, hormonal, and bone density evaluations in 60 adolescent girls with AN (mean age: 15.8 +/- 1.6 years) and 58 healthy adolescent girls (mean age: 15.2 +/- 1.8 years) of comparable maturity. Nutritional and pubertal status; vital signs; a complete blood count; potassium levels; hormonal profiles; bone density at the lumbar and lateral spine; total body, hip, and femoral neck (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and body composition (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) were determined. All measures of nutritional status such as weight, percentage of ideal body weight, body mass index, lean body mass, fat mass, and percentage of fat mass were significantly lower in girls with AN than in control subjects. Girls with AN had significantly lower heart rates, lower systolic blood pressure, and lower body temperature compared with control subjects. Total red cell and white cell counts were lower in AN than in control subjects. Among girls with AN, 22% were anemic and 22% were leukopenic. None were hypokalemic. Mean age at menarche did not differ between the groups. However, the proportion of girls who had AN and were premenarchal was significantly higher compared with healthy control subjects who were premenarchal, despite comparable
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A Model of Women's Educational Factors Related to Delaying Girls' Marriage
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Smith, Cristine A.; Stone, Rebecca Paulson; Kahando, Sarah
2012-01-01
Delaying girls' early marriage is a critical public health and education goal in developing countries, in which their own or their mothers' education may play an important role. This paper reviews the existing evidence of any relationship between girls' schooling or women's literacy education and delayed marriage for themselves or their daughters.…
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Peer Deviance, Parenting and Disruptive Behavior among Young Girls
Miller, Shari; Loeber, Rolf; Hipwell, Alison
2009-01-01
This study examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between peer deviance, parenting practices, and conduct and oppositional problems among young girls ages 7 and 8. Participants were 588 African American and European American girls who were part of a population-based study of the development of conduct problems and delinquency among girls. Affiliations with problem-prone peers were apparent among a sizeable minority of the girls, and these associations included both males and females. Although peer delinquency concurrently predicted disruptive behaviors, the gender of these peers did not contribute to girls’ behavior problems. Harsh parenting and low parental warmth showed both concurrent and prospective associations with girls’ disruptive behaviors. Similar patterns of association were seen for African American and European American girls. The findings show that peer and parent risk processes are important contributors to the early development of young girls’ conduct and oppositional behaviors. These data contribute to our understanding of girls’ aggression and antisocial behaviors and further inform our understanding of risk processes for these behaviors among young girls in particular. PMID:18777132
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Burnette, C Blair; Kwitowski, Melissa A; Mazzeo, Suzanne E
2017-12-01
Social media appear to contribute to body dissatisfaction in adolescents, although few empirical studies exist. This study used six focus groups (total N=38) to explore relations between social media use and body image in early adolescent girls (ages 12-14). Thematic analysis identified patterns in the data. In this sample, social media use was high. Girls endorsed some appearance concerns and social comparison, particularly with peers. However, they displayed high media literacy, appreciation of differences, and confidence, strategies that appeared helpful in mitigating the potential negative association between social media exposure and body image. Girls reported these characteristics were nurtured by positive parental influence and a supportive school environment. Results support an ecological approach to the prevention of body dissatisfaction. Although peer influence strengthens throughout adolescence, current findings suggest that parents and the school environment are associated with girls' attitudes and behaviors regarding social media and body image. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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"Girls Are Worse": Drama Queens, Ghetto Girls, Tomboys, and the Meaning of Girl Fights
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Waldron, Linda M.
2011-01-01
This article uses a race-class-gender intersectional approach to analyze qualitative interviews with girls at two public high schools to better understand a common perception that "girls are worse" when it comes to school fights. Several different understandings of why girls fight emerged from the data. On one hand, girls' perception of…
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Alterations in neuromuscular function in girls with generalized joint hypermobility.
Jensen, Bente Rona; Sandfeld, Jesper; Melcher, Pia Sandfeld; Johansen, Katrine Lyders; Hendriksen, Peter; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit
2016-10-03
Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH) is associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal joint pain. We investigated neuromuscular performance and muscle activation strategy. Girls with GJH and non-GJH (NGJH) performed isometric knee flexions (90°,110°,130°), and extensions (90°) at 20 % Maximum Voluntary Contraction, and explosive isometric knee flexions while sitting. EMG was recorded from knee flexor and extensor muscles. Early rate of torque development was 53 % faster for GJH. Reduced hamstring muscle activation in girls with GJH was found while knee extensor and calf muscle activation did not differ between groups. Flexion-extension and medial-lateral co-activation ratio during flexions were higher for girls with GJH than NGJH girls. Girls with GJH had higher capacity to rapidly generate force than NGJH girls which may reflect motor adaptation to compensate for hypermobility. Higher medial muscle activation indicated higher levels of medial knee joint compression in girls with GJH. Increased flexion-extension co-activation ratios in GJH were explained by decreased agonist drive to the hamstrings.
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Marwaha, Ramank K; Garg, M K; Gupta, Sushil; Ganie, Mohd Ashraf; Gupta, Nandita; Narang, Archna; Shukla, Manoj; Arora, Preeti; Singh, Annie; Chadha, Aditi; Mithal, Ambrish
2018-03-28
There is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in India. Molecular mechanisms suggest a strong relationship between vitamin D and growth factors. However, there is a paucity of literature with regard to a relationship between insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and vitamin D particularly in subjects with VDD. The objective of the study was to assess the relationship between growth factors and serum vitamin D-parathormone (PTH) status in school girls and study the impact of vitamin D supplementation on growth factors in pre-pubertal girls with VDD. Our study subjects were apparently healthy school girls aged 6-18 years. The baseline height, weight, body mass index (BMI), pubertal status, serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD), PTH, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were assessed in 847 girls aged 6-18 years and in 190 pre-pubertal girls with VDD following supplementation. The mean age, BMI and serum 25OHD of girls were 11.5±3.2 years, 18.7±4.8 kg/m2 and 9.9±5.6 ng/mL, respectively. VDD was observed in 94.6% of girls. Unadjusted serum IGF-1 levels and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio were significantly higher in girls with severe VDD as compared to girls with mild-to-moderate VDD. However, these differences disappeared when adjusted for age, height or sexual maturation. The serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels increased significantly post supplementation with vitamin D. There were no differences in serum IGF-1 levels and the IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio among VDD categories when adjusted for age, height and sexual maturation in girls. Vitamin D supplementation resulted in a significant increase in serum IGF-1 levels in VDD pre-pubertal girls.
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Lai, Eddie Hsiang-Hua; Chang, Jenny Zwei-Chieng; Jane Yao, Chung-Chen; Tsai, Shih-Jaw; Liu, Jen-Pei; Chen, Yi-Jane; Lin, Chun-Pin
2008-07-01
The age at menarche reflects a pubertal girl's physiologic maturity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationship between the age at menarche and skeletal maturation in female orthodontic patients. Hand-wrist radiographs and lateral cephalometric radiographs from 304 adolescent female subjects (age, 8-18.9 years) were selected from the files of the Department of Orthodontics, National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH). Hand-wrist bone maturation stages were assessed using the NTUH Skeletal Maturation Index (NTUH-SMI). Cervical vertebral maturation stages (CVMS) were determined using the latest CVMS Index. Menarcheal ages were self-reported by the patients and verified by the patients' mothers. The relationships between the NTUH-SMI or CVM stages and menarcheal status were investigated. More than 90% of the 148 subjects who had already attained menstruation had skeletal maturation beyond the NTUH-SMI stage four or CVMS III. However, the subjects who had never experienced menarche mostly had skeletal maturation before NTUH-SMI stage five or CVMS IV. During the period of orthodontic treatment, 19 females experienced their menarche. The mean age at menarche for the 167 female patients in total was 11.97 years. In average, menarche occurred between NTUH-SMI stages four and five or between CVM stages III and IV. The percentage of girls with menses increased from 1.2% at age 9 to 6.6% at age 10, 39.5% at age 11, 81.4% at age 12, 97% at age 13, and 100% at age 14. Compared with the results obtained 20 years previously, we found a downward shift of 0.47 years per decade for the mean age at menarche in female orthodontic patients. The majority of female orthodontic patients have passed the pubertal growth spurt when they experience their menarche. Menarche usually follows the pubertal growth spurt by about 1 year and occurs after NTUH-SMI stage four or CVMS III.
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Darby, B.J.; Neher, D.A.; Belnap, J.
2007-01-01
Biological soil crusts are key mediators of carbon and nitrogen inputs for arid land soils and often represent a dominant portion of the soil surface cover in arid lands. Free-living soil nematode communities reflect their environment and have been used as biological indicators of soil condition. In this study, we test the hypothesis that nematode communities are successionally more mature beneath well-developed, late-successional stage crusts than immature, early-successional stage crusts. We identified and enumerated nematodes by genus from beneath early- and late-stage crusts from both the Colorado Plateau, Utah (cool, winter rain desert) and Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico (hot, summer rain desert) at 0-10 and 10-30 cm depths. As hypothesized, nematode abundance, richness, diversity, and successional maturity were greater beneath well-developed crusts than immature crusts. The mechanism of this aboveground-belowground link between biological soil crusts and nematode community composition is likely the increased food, habitat, nutrient inputs, moisture retention, and/or environmental stability provided by late-successional crusts. Canonical correspondence analysis of nematode genera demonstrated that nematode community composition differed greatly between geographic locations that contrast in temperature, precipitation, and soil texture. We found unique assemblages of genera among combinations of location and crust type that reveal a gap in scientific knowledge regarding empirically derived characterization of dominant nematode genera in deserts soils and their functional role in a crust-associated food web. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Promoting ball skills in preschool-age girls.
Veldman, Sanne L C; Palmer, Kara K; Okely, Anthony D; Robinson, Leah E
2017-01-01
Evidence supports that girls are less proficient than boys at performing ball skills. This study examined the immediate and long-term effects of a ball skill intervention on preschool-age girls' ball skill performance. Randomized controlled trial. Girls (M age =47.24±7.38 months) were randomly assigned to a high autonomy, mastery-based 9-week motor skill intervention (the Children's Health Activity Motor Program; CHAMP, 540min; n=38) or a control group (free-play; n=16). Ball skill proficiency was assessed at pretest, posttest, and retention test (after 9 weeks) using the object control subscale of the Test of Gross Motor Development - 2nd Edition. Treatment efficacy was examined using linear mixed models. Two models were fit: one for short-term changes (pretest to posttest) and one for long-term changes (pretest to retention). Linear mixed models revealed a significantly time*treatment interaction for both models. Post hoc analysis confirmed that girls in CHAMP experienced significant gains in ball skills from pretest to posttest (p<.001) and pretest to retention (p<.001). Moreover, girls in CHAMP were no different from the control group at pretest (p>.05) but had significantly higher ball skills scores at both posttest (p<.001) and retention (p<.001). This study demonstrates the positive effects of a ball skill intervention (i.e., CHAMP) on improving girls' ball skills both short- and long-term. Findings suggest that early childhood interventions that focus on the development of ball skills in young girls might be an avenue to improve girls' ball skill performance. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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The role of psychological maturity in direct and indirect aggressiveness in Spanish adolescents.
Morales-Vives, Fabia; Camps, Elisa; Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Vigil-Colet, Andreu
2014-01-01
Understanding which factors are related to different kinds of aggressive behaviors in adolescents might help to improve violence-prevention programs for schools and families. Although some studies show that adolescents who are less psychologically mature tend to display more behavioral problems, few studies have been performed on the relationship between aggressive behavior and psychological maturity in adolescence, and no studies have focused specifically on indirect aggression. For this reason, the current research tests the role of psychological maturity in direct and indirect aggressiveness in a sample of 193 Spanish adolescents (49% boys and 51% girls) between 14 and 18 years old (M = 16.1, SD = 1.18). The results show that psychological maturity is related to both kinds of aggressiveness. In fact, less mature adolescents tend to show higher levels of direct aggression (r = -.22, p < .01) and indirect aggression (r = -.44, p < .01). More specifically, the dimensions of psychological maturity most related to aggressiveness are self-reliance and identity: self-reliance is the main predictor of indirect aggression (p < .01) and identity is the main predictor of direct aggression (p < .01). Moreover, overall psychological maturity is more related to indirect aggression in men than in women (p < .05), so the increase in psychological maturity implies a greater decrease of indirect aggression in men.
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently! A Guide for Teachers and Parents.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gurian, Michael; Henley, Patricia
This book focuses on brain-based research to explore why boys and girls learn differently and how educators and parents can use that information to create the ultimate early childhood, elementary, or secondary classroom for both boys and girls. Part 1 of the book presents research findings from three primary points of view: (1) neurological and…
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Overweight is associated with low hemoglobin levels in adolescent girls.
Bagni, Ursula Viana; Luiz, Ronir Raggio; Veiga, Gloria Valeria da
2013-01-01
To verify the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia according to sexual maturation stages and its association with overweight as well as excessive body fat in adolescents. A school-based cross-sectional study was performed. Anemia was assessed by measuring the hemoglobin level (Hb). Nutritional status was defined by sex and age specific body mass index (BMI) cutoffs, and body fat (BF) was determined by bioelectrical impedance. Sexual maturation was assessed by breasts/genitalia and pubic hair development stages. Statistical analyses considered the effect of cluster sampling design (classes) and sampling expansion corrected by relative weight. Odds ratio and general linear modeling were used to assess the associations, regarding the value of p < 0.05 for statistical significance. Public schools in the Metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Probabilistic sample of 707 teenagers between 11.0 and 19.9 years old. The prevalence of anemia among the adolescents was 22.8% (95%CI 16.7-30.2%), higher among girls than among boys (30.9% vs. 10.9%; p < 0.01). The chance of developing anemia did not change with the nutritional status according BMI or BF percentage, however, overweight girls presented lower Hb levels than those who were not overweight (12.2 g/dL vs. 12.8 g/dL, p < 0.01). In boys this association was not observed. Sexual maturation did not change the association of Hb and anemia with overweight and excessive body fat. The reduction of Hb levels points at overweight as a risk factor for the development of iron deficiency among adolescents. © 2012 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Mature orbital teratoma with an ectopic tooth and primary anophthalmos.
Chawla, Bhavna; Chauhan, Kanchan; Kashyap, Seema
2013-02-01
To describe the clinicopathologic features and management of an unusual case of orbital teratoma. A 7-year-old girl presented with a history of an orbital mass since birth. CT scan showed a large mass lesion involving the right orbit, with absence of the eyeball. An ectopic tooth was identified within the tumor. Lid-sparing exenteration surgery was performed. Histopathologic examination of the excised mass showed presence of elements from all three germ layers, consistent with a diagnosis of mature orbital teratoma. Normal ocular structures were not identified on histopathology. At one year follow-up, there was no tumor recurrence. We report an extremely rare and interesting case of a mature orbital teratoma, which was associated with primary anophthalmos and an ectopic tooth.
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2017-01-01
Age- and size-related life-history traits of anuran amphibians are thought to vary systematically with latitude and altitude. Because the available data base is strongly biased towards temperate-zone species, we provide new estimates on eight afrotropical Reed Frog species. A meta-analysis of the demographic traits in 44 tropical anuran species aims to test for the predicted clinal variation and to contrast results with variation detected in temperate-zone species. The small-sized reed frogs reach sexual maturity during the first or second year of life, but longevity does not exceed three to four years. Latitudinal effects on demographic life-history traits are not detectable in tropical anurans, and altitudinal effects are limited to a slight size reduction at higher elevations. Common features of anuran life-history in the tropics are early sexual maturation at small size and low longevity resulting in low lifetime fecundity. This pattern contrasts with that found in temperate-zone anurans which mature later at larger size and grow considerably older yielding greater lifetime fecundity than in the tropics. Latitudinal and altitudinal contraction of the yearly activity period shape the evolution of life-history traits in the temperate region, while trait variation in the tropics seems to be driven by distinct, not yet identified selective forces. PMID:28182738
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Turner Syndrome in Girls Presenting with Coarctation of the Aorta.
Eckhauser, Aaron; South, Sarah T; Meyers, Lindsay; Bleyl, Steven B; Botto, Lorenzo D
2015-11-01
To evaluate the frequency of Turner syndrome in a population-based, statewide cohort of girls with coarctation of the aorta. The Utah Birth Defects Network was used to ascertain a cohort of girls between 1997 and 2011 with coarctation of the aorta. Livebirths with isolated coarctation of the aorta or transverse arch hypoplasia were included and patients with complex congenital heart disease not usually seen in Turner syndrome were excluded. Of 244 girls with coarctation of the aorta, 77 patients were excluded, leaving a cohort of 167 girls; 86 patients (51%) had chromosomal studies and 21 (12.6%) were diagnosed with Turner syndrome. All patients were diagnosed within the first 4 months of life and 5 (24%) were diagnosed prenatally. Fifteen patients (71%) had Turner syndrome-related findings in addition to coarctation of the aorta. Girls with mosaicism were less likely to have Turner syndrome-associated findings (3/6 mosaic girls compared with 12/17 girls with non-mosaic 45,X). Twelve girls (57%) diagnosed with Turner syndrome also had a bicommissural aortic valve. At least 12.6% of girls born with coarctation of the aorta have karyotype-confirmed Turner syndrome. Such a high frequency, combined with the clinical benefits of an early diagnosis, supports genetic screening for Turner syndrome in girls presenting with coarctation of the aorta. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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But I like PE: Factors Associated with Enjoyment of Physical Education Class in Middle School Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Barr-Anderson, Daheia J.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Schmitz, Kathryn H.; Ward, Dianne S.; Conway, Terry L.; Pratt, Charlotte; Baggett, Chris D.; Lytle, Leslie; Pate, Russell R.
2008-01-01
The current study examined associations between physical education (PE) class enjoyment and sociodemographic, personal, and perceived school environment factors among early adolescent girls. Participants included 1,511 sixth-grade girls who completed baseline assessments for the Trial of Activity in Adolescent Girls, with 50% indicating they…
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Buss, Claudia; Davis, Elysia Poggi; Class, Quetzal A; Gierczak, Matt; Pattillo, Carol; Glynn, Laura M; Sandman, Curt A
2009-10-01
Despite the evidence for early fetal experience exerting programming influences on later neurological development and health risk, very few prospective studies of human fetal behavior have been reported. In a prospective longitudinal study, fetal nervous system maturation was serially assessed by monitoring fetal heart rate (FHR) responses to vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) in 191 maternal/fetal dyads. Responses were not detected at 26 weeks gestational age (GA). Sex-specific, age-characteristic changes in the FHR response to VAS were observed by 31 weeks' GA. Males showed larger responses and continued to exhibit maturational changes until 37 weeks' GA, females however, presented with a mature FHR startle response by 31 weeks' GA. The results indicate that there are different rates of maturation in the male and female fetuses that may have implications for sex-specific programming influences.
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Association between growth stunting with dental development and skeletal maturation stage.
Flores-Mir, Carlos; Mauricio, Franco Raul; Orellana, Maria Fernanda; Major, Paul William
2005-11-01
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of growth stunting on the maturation stage of the medium phalanx of the third finger (MP3) and the dental development of the left mandibular canine in 280 high school children (140 stunted and 140 normal controls; equally distributed by sex) between 9.5 and 16.5 years of age, from a representative Peruvian school. Periapical radiographs of the MP3 from the left hand were used to determine the skeletal maturity stage, according to an adaptation of the Hägg and Taranger method. Panoramic radiographs were used to determine the dental maturity stage of the lower left canine, according to Demirjian method. Stunting was determined by relating height and age, according to the World Health Organization recommendations. There was no statistically significant difference in the skeletal maturation stage (P = .134) and the dental development stage (P = .497) according to nutritional status, even when considering different age groups (P > .183). A high correlation (r = 0.85) was found between both maturity indicators regardless of the nutritional status (growth stunted, r = 0.855 and normal controls, r = 0.863) or sex (boys, r = 0.809 and girls, r = 0.892). When skeletal level was considered, correlations values were similar between advanced (r = 0.903) and average (r = 0.895) maturers but lower (r = 0.751) for delayed maturers. Growth stunting was not associated with dental development and skeletal maturity stages in Peruvian school children.
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The Challenge of Parenting Girls in Neighborhoods of Different Perceived Quality.
Ahonen, Lia; Loeber, Rolf; Hipwell, Alison; Stepp, Stephanie
It is well-known that disadvantaged neighborhoods, as officially identified through census data, harbor higher numbers of delinquent individuals than advantaged neighborhoods. What is much less known is whether parents' perception of the neighborhood problems predicts low parental engagement with their girls and, ultimately, how this is related to girls' delinquency, including violence. This paper elucidates these issues by examining data from the Pittsburgh Girls Study, including parent-report of neighborhood problems and level of parental engagement and official records and girl-reported delinquency at ages 15, 16, and 17. Results showed higher stability over time for neighborhood problems and parental engagement than girls' delinquency. Parents' perception of their neighborhood affected the extent to which parents engaged in their girls' lives, but low parental engagement did not predict girls being charged for offending at age 15, 16 or 17. These results were largely replicated for girls' self-reported delinquency with the exception that low parental engagement at age 16 was predictive of the frequency of girls' self-reported delinquency at age 17 as well. The results, because of their implications for screening and early interventions, are relevant to policy makers as well as practitioners.
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Premature adrenarche: novel lessons from early onset androgen excess.
Idkowiak, Jan; Lavery, Gareth G; Dhir, Vivek; Barrett, Timothy G; Stewart, Paul M; Krone, Nils; Arlt, Wiebke
2011-08-01
Adrenarche reflects the maturation of the adrenal zona reticularis resulting in increased secretion of the adrenal androgen precursor DHEA and its sulphate ester DHEAS. Premature adrenarche (PA) is defined by increased levels of DHEA and DHEAS before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys and the concurrent presence of signs of androgen action including adult-type body odour, oily skin and hair and pubic hair growth. PA is distinct from precocious puberty, which manifests with the development of secondary sexual characteristics including testicular growth and breast development. Idiopathic PA (IPA) has long been considered an extreme of normal variation, but emerging evidence links IPA to an increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome (MS) and thus ultimately cardiovascular morbidity. Areas of controversy include the question whether IPA in girls is associated with a higher rate of progression to the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and whether low birth weight increases the risk of developing IPA. The recent discoveries of two novel monogenic causes of early onset androgen excess, apparent cortisone reductase deficiency and apparent DHEA sulphotransferase deficiency, support the notion that PA may represent a forerunner condition for PCOS. Future research including carefully designed longitudinal studies is required to address the apparent link between early onset androgen excess and the development of insulin resistance and the MS.
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Mis, Emily K.; Liem, Karel F.; Kong, Yong; Schwartz, Nancy B.; Domowicz, Miriam; Weatherbee, Scott D.
2014-01-01
The long bones of the vertebrate body are built by the initial formation of a cartilage template that is later replaced by mineralized bone. The proliferation and maturation of the skeletal precursor cells (chondrocytes) within the cartilage template and their replacement by bone is a highly coordinated process which, if misregulated, can lead to a number of defects including dwarfism and other skeletal deformities. This is exemplified by the fact that abnormal bone development is one of the most common types of human birth defects. Yet, many of the factors that initiate and regulate chondrocyte maturation are not known. We identified a recessive dwarf mouse mutant (pug) from an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis screen. pug mutant skeletal elements are patterned normally during development, but display a ~20% length reduction compared to wild-type embryos. We show that the pug mutation does not lead to changes in chondrocyte proliferation but instead promotes premature maturation and early ossification, which ultimately leads to disproportionate dwarfism. Using sequence capture and high-throughput sequencing, we identified a missense mutation in the Xylosyltransferase 1 (Xylt1) gene in pug mutants. Xylosyltransferases catalyze the initial step in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain addition to proteoglycan core proteins, and these modifications are essential for normal proteoglycan function. We show that the pug mutation disrupts Xylt1 activity and subcellular localization, leading to a reduction in GAG chains in pug mutants. The pug mutant serves as a novel model for mammalian dwarfism and identifies a key role for proteoglycan modification in the initiation of chondrocyte maturation. PMID:24161523
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Mis, Emily K; Liem, Karel F; Kong, Yong; Schwartz, Nancy B; Domowicz, Miriam; Weatherbee, Scott D
2014-01-01
The long bones of the vertebrate body are built by the initial formation of a cartilage template that is later replaced by mineralized bone. The proliferation and maturation of the skeletal precursor cells (chondrocytes) within the cartilage template and their replacement by bone is a highly coordinated process which, if misregulated, can lead to a number of defects including dwarfism and other skeletal deformities. This is exemplified by the fact that abnormal bone development is one of the most common types of human birth defects. Yet, many of the factors that initiate and regulate chondrocyte maturation are not known. We identified a recessive dwarf mouse mutant (pug) from an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis screen. pug mutant skeletal elements are patterned normally during development, but display a ~20% length reduction compared to wild-type embryos. We show that the pug mutation does not lead to changes in chondrocyte proliferation but instead promotes premature maturation and early ossification, which ultimately leads to disproportionate dwarfism. Using sequence capture and high-throughput sequencing, we identified a missense mutation in the Xylosyltransferase 1 (Xylt1) gene in pug mutants. Xylosyltransferases catalyze the initial step in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain addition to proteoglycan core proteins, and these modifications are essential for normal proteoglycan function. We show that the pug mutation disrupts Xylt1 activity and subcellular localization, leading to a reduction in GAG chains in pug mutants. The pug mutant serves as a novel model for mammalian dwarfism and identifies a key role for proteoglycan modification in the initiation of chondrocyte maturation. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.
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Girl Scout Camps and Badges: Engaging Girls in NASA Science
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Harman, P. K.; DeVore, E. K.
2017-12-01
Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts (Girl Scout Stars) disseminates NASA STEM education-related resources, fosters interaction between Girl Scouts and NASA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and engages Girl Scouts in NASA science and programs through space science badges and summer camps. A space science badge is in development for each of the six levels of Girl Scouts: Daisies, Grades K - 1; Brownies, Grades 2 -3; Juniors, Grades 4 -5; Cadettes, Grades 6 -8; Seniors, Grades 9 -10: and Ambassadors, Grades 11 -12. Daisy badge will be accomplished by following three steps with two choices each. Brownie to Ambassador badges will be awarded by completing five steps with three choices for each. The badges are interwoven with science activities, role models (SMEs), and steps that lead girls to explore NASA missions. External evaluators monitor three rounds of field-testing and deliver formative assessment reports. Badges will be released in Fall of 2018 and 2019. Girl Scout Stars supports two unique camp experiences. The University of Arizona holds an Astronomy Destination, a travel and immersion adventure for individual girls ages 13 and older, which offers dark skies and science exploration using telescopes, and interacting with SMEs. Girls lean about motion of celestial objects and become astronomers. Councils send teams of two girls, a council representative and an amateur astronomer to Astronomy Camp at Goddard Space Flight Center. The teams were immersed in science content and activities, and a star party; and began to plan their new Girl Scout Astronomy Clubs. The girls will lead the clubs, aided by the council and amateur astronomer. Camps are evaluated by the Girl Scouts Research Institute. In Girl Scouting, girls discover their skills, talents and what they care about; connect with other Girl Scouts and people in their community; and take action to change the world. This is called the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. With girl-led, hands on
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Keenan, Kate; Hipwell, Alsion; Feng, Xin; Babinski, Dara; Hinze, Amanda; Rischall, Michal; Henneberger, Angela
2008-01-01
Symptoms of depression are investigated among 232 preadolescent girls to study if they were predictive and stable of depression. Findings show that early symptoms of depression among preadolescent girls predict depressive disorders. Implications for preventive measures are discussed.
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[Body proportions of healthy and short stature adolescent girls].
Milde, Katarzyna; Tomaszewski, Paweł; Majcher, Anna; Pyrżak, Beata; Stupnicki, Romuald
2011-01-01
Regularly conducted assessment of body proportions is of importance as early detection of possible growth disorders and immediate prevention may allow gathering an optimum of child's genetically conditioned level of development. To assess body proportions of adolescent girls, healthy or with growth deficiency. Three groups were studied: 104 healthy, short-statured girls (body height below the 10th percentile), 84 girls with Turner's syndrome (ZT) and 263 healthy girls of normal stature (between percentiles 25 and 75), all aged 11-15 years. The following measurements were conducted according to common anthropometric standards: body height, sitting body height, shoulder width, upper extremity length and lower extremity length - the last one was computed as the difference between standing and sitting body heights. All measurements were converted to logarithms and allometric linear regressions vs log body height were computed. The Turner girls proved to have allometrically shorter legs (p<0.001) and wider shoulders (p<0.001) compared with both groups of healthy girls, and longer upper extremities (p<0.001) compared with the girls of normal stature. Healthy, short-statured girls had longer lower extremities (p<0.001) as compared to other groups; they also had wider shoulders (p<0.001) and longer upper extremities (p<0.001) compared to healthy girls of normal height. Allometric relations of anthropometric measurements enable a deeper insight into the body proportions, especially in the growth period. The presented discrimination of Turner girls may serve as a screening test, and recommendation for further clinical treatment.
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The effect of puberty on fat oxidation rates during exercise in overweight and normal-weight girls.
Chu, L; Riddell, M C; Schneiderman, J E; McCrindle, B W; Hamilton, J K
2014-01-01
Excess weight is often associated with insulin resistance (IR) and may disrupt fat oxidation during exercise. This effect is further modified by puberty. While studies have shown that maximal fat oxidation rates (FOR) during exercise decrease with puberty in normal-weight (NW) and overweight (OW) boys, the effect of puberty in NW and OW girls is unclear. Thirty-three NW and OW girls ages 8-18 yr old completed a peak aerobic capacity test on a cycle ergometer. FOR were calculated during progressive submaximal exercise. Body composition and Tanner stage were determined. For each participant, a best-fit polynomial curve was constructed using fat oxidation vs. exercise intensity to estimate max FOR. In a subset of the girls, IR derived from an oral glucose tolerance test (n = 20), and leptin and adiponectin levels (n = 11) were assessed in relation to FOR. NW pre-early pubertal girls had higher max FOR [6.9 ± 1.4 mg·kg fat free mass (FFM)(-1)·min(-1)] than NW mid-late pubertal girls (2.2 ± 0.9 mg·kg FFM(-1)·min(-1)) (P = 0.002), OW pre-early pubertal girls (3.8 ± 2.1 mg·kg FFM(-1)·min(-1)), and OW mid-late pubertal girls (3.3 ± 0.9 mg·kg FFM(-1)·min(-1)) (P < 0.05). Bivariable analyses showed positive associations between FOR with homeostatic model assessment of IR (P = 0.001), leptin (P < 0.001), and leptin-to-adiponectin ratio (P = 0.001), independent of percent body fat. Max FOR decreased in NW girls during mid-late puberty; however, this decrease associated with puberty was blunted in OW girls due to lower FOR in pre-early puberty. The presence of IR due to obesity potentially masks the effect of puberty on FOR during exercise in girls.
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Farr, Joshua N; Tomás, Rita; Chen, Zhao; Lisse, Jeffrey R; Lohman, Timothy G; Going, Scott B
2011-01-01
Understanding the etiology of skeletal fragility during growth is critical for the development of treatments and prevention strategies aimed at reducing the burden of childhood fractures. Thus we evaluated the relationship between prior fracture and bone parameters in young girls. Data from 465 girls aged 8 to 13 years from the Jump-In: Building Better Bones study were analyzed. Bone parameters were assessed at metaphyseal and diaphyseal sites of the nondominant femur and tibia using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess femur, tibia, lumbar spine, and total body less head bone mineral content. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between prior fracture and bone parameters, controlling for maturity, body mass, leg length, ethnicity, and physical activity. Associations between prior fracture and all DXA and pQCT bone parameters at diaphyseal sites were nonsignificant. In contrast, lower trabecular volumetric BMD (vBMD) at distal metaphyseal sites of the femur and tibia was significantly associated with prior fracture. After adjustment for covariates, every SD decrease in trabecular vBMD at metaphyseal sites of the distal femur and tibia was associated with 1.4 (1.1–1.9) and 1.3 (1.0–1.7) times higher fracture prevalence, respectively. Prior fracture was not associated with metaphyseal bone size (ie, periosteal circumference). In conclusion, fractures in girls are associated with lower trabecular vBMD, but not bone size, at metaphyseal sites of the femur and tibia. Lower trabecular vBMD at metaphyseal sites of long bones may be an early marker of skeletal fragility in girls. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. PMID:20721933
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Farr, Joshua N; Tomás, Rita; Chen, Zhao; Lisse, Jeffrey R; Lohman, Timothy G; Going, Scott B
2011-02-01
Understanding the etiology of skeletal fragility during growth is critical for the development of treatments and prevention strategies aimed at reducing the burden of childhood fractures. Thus we evaluated the relationship between prior fracture and bone parameters in young girls. Data from 465 girls aged 8 to 13 years from the Jump-In: Building Better Bones study were analyzed. Bone parameters were assessed at metaphyseal and diaphyseal sites of the nondominant femur and tibia using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to assess femur, tibia, lumbar spine, and total body less head bone mineral content. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between prior fracture and bone parameters, controlling for maturity, body mass, leg length, ethnicity, and physical activity. Associations between prior fracture and all DXA and pQCT bone parameters at diaphyseal sites were nonsignificant. In contrast, lower trabecular volumetric BMD (vBMD) at distal metaphyseal sites of the femur and tibia was significantly associated with prior fracture. After adjustment for covariates, every SD decrease in trabecular vBMD at metaphyseal sites of the distal femur and tibia was associated with 1.4 (1.1-1.9) and 1.3 (1.0-1.7) times higher fracture prevalence, respectively. Prior fracture was not associated with metaphyseal bone size (ie, periosteal circumference). In conclusion, fractures in girls are associated with lower trabecular vBMD, but not bone size, at metaphyseal sites of the femur and tibia. Lower trabecular vBMD at metaphyseal sites of long bones may be an early marker of skeletal fragility in girls. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
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Morgan, Kirstie; Ruffman, Ted; Bilkey, David K; McLennan, Ian S
2017-09-01
High levels of circulating anti-Müllerian hormone are unique to developing males, but the function of anti-Müllerian hormone in boys is unknown. In mice, anti-Müllerian hormone contributes to the male biases in the brain, but its receptors are present throughout non-sexually dimorphic portions of the brain. In humans, the speed of maturation is the most overt difference between girls and boys. We postulate that this is because anti-Müllerian hormone slows the maturation of the male human brain. One hundred and fourty three 5-year or 6-year-old boys and 38 age-matched girls drew a person and donated a blood sample. The children's drawings were blind-scored to generate a maturity index. The level of anti-Müllerian hormone and the other Sertoli cell hormone, inhibin B, were measured by ELISA. The relationship between the children's age, hormones and maturity index were examined by linear regression analysis. The girls drew more complex and realistic person than the boys (32%, p = 0.001), with their drawings also being larger (39%, p = 0.037) and more coloured-in (235%, p = 0.0005). The maturity index in boys correlated with age (+r = 0.43, p < 0.0005) and anti-Müllerian hormone level (-r = -0.29, p < 0.0005). The association between maturity index and anti-Müllerian hormone level persisted when corrected for age and for inhibin B (r = -0.24, p = 0.0005). The calculated effect of the median level of anti-Müllerian hormone (1 nM) was equal to 0.81 months of development. The size and colouring of the drawings did not correlate with the boys' age, anti-Müllerian hormone or inhibin B. This exploratory study provides the first indicative evidence that circulating anti-Müllerian hormone may influence the development of the human brain.
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Maturity status of youth football players: a noninvasive estimate.
Malina, Robert M; Cumming, Sean P; Morano, Peter J; Barron, Mary; Miller, Susan J
2005-06-01
To estimate the biological maturity status of youth football players 9-14 yr old using a noninvasive method and to compare the body size of players of contrasting status. Subjects were members of youth football teams in two central Michigan communities. Height and weight were measured on 653 boys 8.7-14.6 yr. Heights of biological parents of 582 boys were reported and subsequently adjusted for overestimation. Decimal age, height, and weight of the player and midparent height were used to predict mature (adult) height for the boy. Current height of each player was expressed as a percentage of his predicted mature height to provide an estimate of biological maturity status. Percentage of predicted mature height of each boy was expressed as a z-score to classify players into maturity groups. ANCOVA, controlling for age, was used to compare body size in contrasting maturity groups. Mean percentages of predicted mature height of the players matched those of longitudinal reference samples, but there was a trend for higher percentages among older players, suggesting advanced maturation. Overall, 405 boys were classified as on time/average in maturity status (69.6% [95%CI 65.7-73.3]), 154 were classified as early/advanced (25.5% [95%CI 23.0-30.3]), and only 23 were classified as late/delayed (3.9% [95%CI 2.6-6.0]). The gradient for height, weight, and BMI was as follows: early > on time > late, and differences were greater for weight and the BMI than for height. Percentage of predicted mature height attained at a given age appears to be a reasonable indicator of maturity status. The method needs to be validated with other more direct indicators (skeletal age, sexual maturation) and applied to other samples.
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Menezo, Yves J R; Nicollet, Bernard; Rollet, Jacques; Hazout, André
2006-01-01
To determine if GV oocytes, collected at the time of ICSI, can be matured in vitro and rescued for therapeutic treatment. A patient for whom all the collected oocytes at the GV stage after a classical COH protocol were matured in vitro with GH. All the naked oocytes were matured in a culture medium (ISM2) containing 15% patient serum +1.6 units of GH (Saizen) per millilitre. Oocytes were incubated overnight at 37 degrees C. The MII oocytes obtained were micro-injected. A fresh transfer was performed and a supernumerary blastocyst was frozen. The patient was pregnant and delivered a healthy girl after transfer of the frozen/thawed blastocyst. The baby girl is now 2 years old. In vitro maturation with GH allows rescuing naked GV oocytes collected at the time of ICSI. GH action does not pass through the cumulus cells. According to the possible lack of synchrony between the embryo and the uterus, we recommend to freeze the embryos obtained and to replace them in a controlled cycle.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Paxton, Susan J.; Eisenberg, Marla E.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne
2006-01-01
This study investigated prospective risk factors for increases in body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls and boys in the Eating Among Teens Project. At the time of first assessment (Time 1), participants were a cohort of early adolescent girls (N = 440) and boys (N = 366) and a cohort of middle adolescent girls (N = 946) and boys (N = 764).…
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Collins, Jessicah S; Beller, Jennifer P; Burt Solorzano, Christine; Patrie, James T; Chang, R Jeffrey; Marshall, John C; McCartney, Christopher R
2014-08-01
Puberty is marked by sleep-associated changes in LH pulse frequency and amplitude. Early pubertal girls with obesity exhibit blunted day-to-night changes in LH secretion; whether this occurs in late pubertal obese girls is unknown. The objective of the study was to test two hypotheses: 1) blunted day-to-night changes in LH secretion occur in both early and late pubertal obese girls, and 2) such alterations are specifically associated with hyperandrogenemia. This was a cross-sectional analysis. The study was conducted at a clinical research center. Twenty-seven early pubertal, premenarcheal girls (12 of whom were obese) and 63 late pubertal (postmenarcheal) girls (27 of whom were obese) participated in the study. Blood samples were taken every 10 minutes from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am. Change in LH pulse frequency [LH interpulse interval (IPI)] from daytime hours (7:00 pm-11:00 pm, while awake) to nighttime hours (11:00 pm to 7:00 am, while generally asleep). Both nonobese and obese postmenarcheal girls demonstrated significant day-to-night decreases in LH pulse frequency (IPI increases of 33% and 16%, respectively), but day-to-night changes were blunted in obese girls (P = .004, obese vs nonobese). Day-to-night LH pulse frequency decreased significantly in postmenarcheal obese subjects with normal T concentrations (26% IPI increase) but not in those with hyperandrogenemia. Similar differences were evident for LH pulse amplitude. Nonobese and obese early pubertal girls exhibited nonsignificant differences in day-night LH pulse frequency (day to night IPI increase of 26% vs decrease of 1%, respectively). Day-to-night changes in LH pulse secretion are blunted in postmenarcheal obese adolescent girls. This phenomenon may in part reflect hyperandrogenemia.
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Collins, Jessicah S.; Beller, Jennifer P.; Burt Solorzano, Christine; Patrie, James T.; Chang, R. Jeffrey; Marshall, John C.
2014-01-01
Context: Puberty is marked by sleep-associated changes in LH pulse frequency and amplitude. Early pubertal girls with obesity exhibit blunted day-to-night changes in LH secretion; whether this occurs in late pubertal obese girls is unknown. Objective: The objective of the study was to test two hypotheses: 1) blunted day-to-night changes in LH secretion occur in both early and late pubertal obese girls, and 2) such alterations are specifically associated with hyperandrogenemia. Design: This was a cross-sectional analysis. Setting: The study was conducted at a clinical research center. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-seven early pubertal, premenarcheal girls (12 of whom were obese) and 63 late pubertal (postmenarcheal) girls (27 of whom were obese) participated in the study. Intervention: Blood samples were taken every 10 minutes from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am. Main Outcome Measure: Change in LH pulse frequency [LH interpulse interval (IPI)] from daytime hours (7:00 pm-11:00 pm, while awake) to nighttime hours (11:00 pm to 7:00 am, while generally asleep). Results: Both nonobese and obese postmenarcheal girls demonstrated significant day-to-night decreases in LH pulse frequency (IPI increases of 33% and 16%, respectively), but day-to-night changes were blunted in obese girls (P = .004, obese vs nonobese). Day-to-night LH pulse frequency decreased significantly in postmenarcheal obese subjects with normal T concentrations (26% IPI increase) but not in those with hyperandrogenemia. Similar differences were evident for LH pulse amplitude. Nonobese and obese early pubertal girls exhibited nonsignificant differences in day-night LH pulse frequency (day to night IPI increase of 26% vs decrease of 1%, respectively). Conclusions: Day-to-night changes in LH pulse secretion are blunted in postmenarcheal obese adolescent girls. This phenomenon may in part reflect hyperandrogenemia. PMID:24780043
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Danaei, Shahla Momeni; Karamifar, Amirali; Sardarian, Ahmadreza; Shahidi, Shoaleh; Karamifar, Hamdollah; Alipour, Abbas; Ghodsi Boushehri, Sahar
2014-09-01
The objective of this study was to determine the degree of agreement between hand-wrist radiography and cervical vertebral maturation analysis in patients diagnosed with short stature. A cross-sectional study was designed; 178 patients (90 girls, 88 boys) diagnosed with short stature and seeking treatment were selected. The patients were divided into 2 groups (76 with familial short stature, 102 with nonfamilial short stature). Hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained from the patients. The hand-wrist radiographs were analyzed using the Fishman method, and the lateral cephalometric views were categorized according to the method of Hassel and Farman. The degree of agreement between the 2 methods of predicting skeletal maturation was measured by calculating the contingency coefficient and the weighted kappa statistic. A high degree of agreement was observed between the 2 methods of analyzing skeletal maturation. It was also observed that agreement was higher in girls in the familial short-stature group, whereas boys had higher agreement in the nonfamilial short-stature group. Cervical vertebral maturation can be a valuable substitute for hand-wrist radiography in patients with short stature. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Abduljabbar, Fahad H; Waly, Feras; Nooh, Anas; Ouellet, Jean
2016-09-01
Early-onset scoliosis often occurs by the age of 5 years and is attributed to many structural abnormalities. Syndromic early-onset scoliosis is considered one of the most aggressive types of early-onset scoliosis. Treatment starts with serial casting and bracing, but eventually most of these patients undergo growth-sparing procedures, such as a single growing rod, dual growing rods, or a vertical expandable titanium prosthetic rib. This case report aimed to describe an unusual complication of erosion of a growing rod through the lamina that caused spinal cord compression in an 8-year-old girl with early-onset scoliosis. This is a case report. A retrospective chart review was used to describe the clinical course and radiographic findings of this case after rod erosion into the spinal canal. The patient underwent successful revision surgery removing the rod without neurologic complications. Patients with syndromic early-onset scoliosis are more prone to progressive curves and severe rotational deformity. We believe that the severe kyphotic deformity in addition to the dysplastic nature of the deformity in this population may predispose them to this unusual complication. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Cardiorespiratory fitness in urban adolescent girls: associations with race and pubertal status.
Gammon, Catherine; Pfeiffer, Karin A; Kazanis, Anamaria; Ling, Jiying; Robbins, Lorraine B
2017-01-01
Cardiorespiratory fitness affords health benefits to youth. Among females, weight-relative fitness declines during puberty and is lower among African American (AA) than Caucasian girls. Data indicate racial differences in pubertal timing and tempo, yet the interactive influence of puberty and race on fitness, and the role of physical activity (PA) in these associations have not been examined. Thus, independent and interactive associations of race and pubertal development with fitness in adolescent girls, controlling for PA were examined. Girls in grades 5-8 (n = 1011; Caucasian = 25.2%, AA = 52.3%, Other Race group = 22.5%) completed the Pubertal Development Scale (pubertal stage assessment) and Fitnessgram® Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test (cardiorespiratory fitness assessment). PA was assessed by accelerometry. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine associations among race, pubertal stage and fitness, controlling for vigorous PA, AA, and pubertally advanced girls demonstrated lower fitness than Caucasian and less mature counterparts. Puberty and race remained significantly associated with fitness after controlling for vigorous PA. The interaction effect of race and puberty on fitness was non-significant. The pubertal influence on fitness is observed among AA adolescents. Associations between fitness and race/puberty appear to be independent of each other and vigorous PA. Pubertally advanced AA girls represent a priority group for fitness interventions.
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Tooth mineralization stages as a diagnostic tool for assessment of skeletal maturity.
Surendran, Sharmila; Thomas, Eapen
2014-01-01
The objective of this study was to determine whether dental calcification can be used as a first-level diagnostic tool for assessment of skeletal maturity. A total of 150 healthy subjects (79 boys, 71 girls; mean age, 12.19 ± 2.03 years; range, 8-16 years) were enrolled in the study. Dental maturity was assessed through the calcification stages from panoramic radiographs of the mandibular canine, the first and second premolars, and the second molar. Determination of skeletal maturity was according to the modified middle phalanx of third finger (MP3) stages method on digital radiographs. Diagnostic ability was evaluated according to the dental maturation stages for each tooth for identification of the MP3 stages and the growth phases (prepubertal, pubertal, postpubertal) using positive likelihood ratios. Dental maturation stage E of the first premolars and the combination of canine stage F, first premolar stage E, second premolar stage E, and second molar stage D (FEED) gave the highest values for identification of the prepubertal growth phase, and stage H of the second molar had the highest value for identification of the postpubertal growth phase. Dental maturation assessment is only useful for diagnosis of the prepubertal and postpubertal growth phases. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Hendrick, C. Emily; Cance, Jessica Duncan; Maslowsky, Julie
2016-01-01
Girls with early pubertal timing are at elevated risk for teenage childbearing; however, the modifiable mechanisms driving this relationship are not well understood. The objective of the current study was to determine whether substance use, perceived peer substance use, and older first sexual partners mediate the relationships among girls' pubertal timing, sexual debut, and teenage childbearing. Data are from Waves 1 – 15 of the female cohort of the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth 1997 (NLSY97), a nationwide, ongoing cohort study of U.S. men and women born between 1980 and 1984. The analytic sample (N=2,066) was 12-14 years old in 1997 and ethnically diverse (51% white, 27% black, 22% Latina). Using structural equation modeling, we found substance use in early adolescence and perceived peer substance use each partially mediated the relationships among girls' pubertal timing, sexual debut, and teenage childbearing. Our findings suggest early substance use behavior as one modifiable mechanism to be targeted by interventions aimed at preventing teenage childbearing among early developing girls. PMID:26769576
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Hendrick, C Emily; Cance, Jessica Duncan; Maslowsky, Julie
2016-05-01
Girls with early pubertal timing are at elevated risk for teenage childbearing; however, the modifiable mechanisms driving this relationship are not well understood. The objective of the current study was to determine whether substance use, perceived peer substance use, and older first sexual partners mediate the relationships among girls' pubertal timing, sexual debut, and teenage childbearing. Data are from Waves 1-15 of the female cohort of the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth 1997 (NLSY97), a nationwide, ongoing cohort study of U.S. men and women born between 1980 and 1984. The analytic sample (n = 2066) was 12-14 years old in 1997 and ethnically diverse (51 % white, 27 % black, 22 % Latina). Using structural equation modeling, we found substance use in early adolescence and perceived peer substance use each partially mediated the relationships among girls' pubertal timing, sexual debut, and teenage childbearing. Our findings suggest early substance use behavior as one modifiable mechanism to be targeted by interventions aimed at preventing teenage childbearing among early developing girls.
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Attitudes and feelings towards menstruation and womanhood in girls at menarche.
Rembeck, Gun I; Möller, Margareta; Gunnarsson, Ronny K
2006-06-01
To elucidate early adolescent girls' attitudes, thoughts and feelings towards menstruation and their bodies. 309 12-y-old girls answered questionnaires. One part of the questionnaire dealt with thoughts and feelings towards menstruation. The other part dealt with thoughts and feelings towards menstruation and sex and ability to communicate on aspects of womanhood. Postmenarcheal girls were less positive towards menstruation than premenarcheal girls (p = 1 x 10(-6)). Many girls (43%) did not reaffirm the statement "I like my body" and almost one quarter stated being teased for their appearance. Many of the girls claimed that they had been called "cunt" (38%) or "whore" (46%). If called "cunt" or "whore", 17% stated that they felt alone, 76% felt anger and 50% were offended. Mothers were those with whom girls could most easily "chat" about their period. Sixty-seven per cent received information about menstruation from school nurses. Wanting to be an adult and liking that their body develops seem to be associated with a more positive feeling towards menstruation. Furthermore, mothers' timing and ability to communicate attitudes towards menstruation and the body are as important as those in a girl's immediate environment.
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Girl Scout Stars: Engaging Girl Scouts in the 2017 Total Eclipse
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Harman, P. K.
2017-12-01
Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts (Girl Scout Stars) engages Girl Scouts in observing the 2017 eclipse. Three councils are host-sponsors of Girl Scout Total Eclipse Destinations,. Total Eclipse of the Heartland, sponsored by Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, begins with planetarium, and science center visits in St. Louis, and transits to Carbondale for the eclipse. The Great Eclipse Adventure, sponsored by the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland, features hands-on science activities led by Astronomy and Physics faculty and grad students at University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, and observing the eclipse at a camp nearby. Eyes to the Sky: A Once in a Lifetime Destination, by the Girl Scouts of South Carolina - Mountains to Midlands, visits a Challenger Center, a planetarium, and observatory, and culminates at Camp MaBak, Marietta, SC. Girl Scout Destinations are travel adventures, for individual girls ages 11 and older, that are inspiring, life-changing experiences. Destinations are determined via an application and review process by Girls Scouts of the USA. Girl Scout Stars also developed an Eclipse Activity Guide and kit box of materials, distributed the materials to 91 Girl Scout Councils, and delivered webinar training to councils. The eclipse materials enrich the girls' summer camp experiences with activities that promote understanding the Sun-Earth-Moon relationship, the solar system and safe eclipse viewing; and that feature science practices. Examples of the reach of the kit boxes are Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming Total Eclipse Event in Casper, WY, and the Girl Scouts of Northern California summer camps featuring the activities. In Girl Scouting, girls discover their skills, talents and what they care about; connect with other Girl Scouts and people in their community; and take action to change the world. This is called the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. With girl-led, hands on activities where girls can team up and work together
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Paxton, Susan J.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Hannan, Peter J.; Eisenberg, Marla E.
2006-01-01
This research examined whether body dissatisfaction prospectively predicted depressive mood and low self-esteem in adolescent girls and boys 5 years later. Participants were early-adolescent girls (n = 440, Time 1 M age = 12.7 years) and boys (n = 366, Time 1 M age = 12.8 years) and midadolescent girls (n = 946, Time 1 M age = 15.8 years) and boys…
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India's "nowhere" girls. Voices of girls 1: India.
Joshi, S
1998-01-01
In India, a 12-year-old girl rises before dawn to complete household chores before heading off to work in the fields herding animals or plucking weeds. When this work is unavailable, she migrates to quarries or brick kilns with her landless parents. This scenario is not unusual, as millions of Indian girls are denied schooling so they can contribute to their family's income. Child agricultural laborers are invisible in official statistics, and girls have a harder life than their brothers who have no household duties and are given more to eat. A large number of girls work in factories or homes producing matches, incense, cigarettes, locks, or brassware or polishing gems. There are no statistics describing how many girls are domestic servants in Bombay or rag-pickers, fish-cleaners, or beggars, but an estimated 500,000 girls under age 15 work as prostitutes. Child labor is defined as work that is detrimental to a child's growth and development, and there are 20-100 million child laborers in India. In Bombay, most girl laborers live and work in conditions that threaten their health, and they experience malnutrition and its attendant diseases as well as occupational hazards. Girls also suffer from the son preference that reduces the amount of time girls are breast fed, the amount of health care they receive, their access to education, and their marriage age. Legislation against child labor has proved ineffectual and will continue to be useless until poverty is reduced in India, educational statutes are enforced, and other policy issues are addressed.
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Fang, Lin; Schinke, Steven P
2011-01-01
Underage drinking among Asian American adolescent girls is not well understood. Based on family interaction theory, the study examined the interrelationships among acculturation variables, family relationships, girls' depressed mood, peer alcohol use, and girls' alcohol use in a sample of 130 Asian American mother-daughter dyads. The mediating role of family relationships, girls' depressed mood, and peer alcohol use on girls' drinking was also assessed. The study advances knowledge related to alcohol use among early Asian American adolescent girls, highlights the effect of immigrant generation status and family relationships, and has implications for culturally specific underage drinking prevention programs.
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Self-image and self-esteem in African-American preteen girls: implications for mental health.
Doswell, W M; Millor, G K; Thompson, H; Braxter, B
1998-01-01
Current research suggests that pubertal development is occurring earlier in African-American preteen girls in response to familial contextual factors, which may make them vulnerable to low self-image and self-esteem dissatisfaction. This lowering in self-image and self-esteem may contribute to the early initiation of sexual behaviors, putting these girls at risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. These potential risks place these girls in need of prepubertal health promotion, yet preadolescents are not frequently a focus of nursing care delivery except when summer camp and back-to-school physicals are performed. This article presents an in-depth overview of selected literature on self-esteem, discusses findings on self-image and self-esteem from a pilot study on pubertal influences on accelerated sexual behavior, and proposes health promotion strategies for pre- and peripubertal girls to promote positive mental health outcomes. More focused attention is needed on health promotion targeting the developmental transition health needs of prepubertal girls. Targeted health promotion activities may foster healthier pre- and peripubertal girls' perceptions of the meaning of their pubertal physical changes and stronger self-image and self-esteem. The goal of these health promotion activities should be to foster continuity of positive self-image and self-esteem among preteen girls, which is essential to prevent initiation of premature-for-age risk of problem behavior, such as early coitus.
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Girls' Math Performance under Stereotype Threat: The Moderating Role of Mothers' Gender Stereotypes
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tomasetto, Carlo; Alparone, Francesca Romana; Cadinu, Mara
2011-01-01
Previous research on stereotype threat in children suggests that making gender identity salient disrupts girls' math performance at as early as 5 to 7 years of age. The present study (n = 124) tested the hypothesis that parents' endorsement of gender stereotypes about math moderates girls' susceptibility to stereotype threat. Results confirmed…
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Interrelationship and limitations of conventional radiographic assessments of skeletal maturation.
Shim J, Jocelyne; Bogowicz, Paul; Heo, Giseon; Lagravère, Manuel O
2012-06-01
Assessments of skeletal maturation (ASM) are used by clinicians to optimize treatments for each patient. This study examines the interrelationship between and limitations of hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae maturation methods in adolescent patients. Radiographs (hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric) were obtained from patients (n=62, 11 to 17 years of age) at two-time periods (T1/T2) with time intervals of 9.75 to 16.50 months. Radiographs were scored using cervical vertebral maturation staging (CS) and Fishman's skeletal maturation indices (SMI). Functional data analysis was used to visually assess maturational changes of the cervical vertebrae. Both SMI and CS increased over the period of observation. Age was moderately correlated with SMI (0.707/0.651 at T1/T2) and mildly correlated with CS (0.431/0.314 at T1/T2). There was some evidence of gender variability in SMI. The correlations between SMI and CS were 0.513 and 0.372 at T1 and T2, respectively. Functional data analysis illustrated the difficulty in differentiating contiguous cervical stages. Discrepancies exist between both scoring methods. Further studies are needed to overcome the difficulties encountered with CS. Clinicians are advised to use ASM methods with caution in adolescent patients given the aforementioned discrepancies. Separate references for boys and girls are not required. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.
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Association of sexual maturation with excess body weight and height in children and adolescents
2014-01-01
Background Studies addressing the influence of early sexual maturation on the excess of body weight and height of children and adolescents are scarce. The aim of the study was to analyze the association of sexual maturation with excess body weight and height in children and adolescents. Methods This was a cross-sectional study performed in Florianópolis city, Brazil, in 2007, with 2339 school children, aged 8–14 years (1107 males). Selection was based on a probabilistic, cluster-stratified sampling technique. School children were classified according to the presence of excess body weight, using sex- and age-specific body mass index (BMI) cutoff points. Z-scores were calculated from height and BMI data. Sexual maturation was self-assessed according to Tanner stages of development. Subjects were ranked based on tertiles of sexual maturation (early, normal and late) for each stage of development. Poisson and linear regression models were used. Results Compared to the reference group (normal sexual maturation), early maturing females had higher prevalence of excess weight (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.24 to 2.33) and increased height-for-age (adjusted β: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.59), while late maturing females had lower prevalence of excess weight (adjusted prevalence ratio: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.87) and decreased height-for-age (adjusted β: −0.38; 95% CI: −0.56 to −0.20). In males, early and late sexual maturation were associated with increased (adjusted β: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.59) and decreased (adjusted β: −0.38; 95% CI: −0.56 to −0.20) height-for-age, respectively. Conclusion Early sexual maturation is associated with excess body weight in females and with greater height-for-age in both sexes. PMID:24625111
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Slater, Amy; Tiggemann, Marika
2016-09-01
Despite widespread public concern about the early sexualization of young girls, as yet there has been little empirical examination of potential negative effects. In the present study a sample of 300 6-9 year-old girls completed individual interviews assessing exposure to sexualized media, internalization of sexualized messages (measured via preference for sexualized clothing), and body image attitudes (body esteem, body dissatisfaction). Exposure to sexualized media was found to be correlated with internalization of sexualization messages, itself correlated with negative body image. The findings provide preliminary evidence that sexualized messages appear to be internalized by very young girls which, in turn, has negative implications for how they feel about their bodies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Norris, Anne E.; Hughes, Charles; Hecht, Michael; Peragallo, Nilda; Nickerson, David
2015-01-01
BACKGROUND Research suggests that adolescents can use peer resistance skills to avoid being pressured into risky behavior, such as early sexual behavior. Avatar-based Virtual Reality (AVR) technology offers a novel way to build these skills. OBJECTIVES Study aims were to: evaluate the feasibility of an AVR peer resistance skill building game (DRAMA-RAMA™); explore the impact of game play on peer resistance self-efficacy; and assess how positively the game was perceived. METHOD 45 low income early adolescent Hispanic girls were randomly assigned to either the intervention (DRAMA-RAMA™) or comparison game (Wii Dancing with the Stars™ [Wii DWTS™]) condition. All participants were offered a 5 session curriculum that included peer resistance skill content before playing their respective game for 15 minutes, once a week, for two weeks. Participants completed electronic surveys assessing demographics, peer resistance self-efficacy, and sexual behavior at baseline, after game play, and at 2 months. They also completed a paper-pencil game experience questionnaire immediately after playing their game. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, and analyses of covariance. RESULTS The separate analyses of covariance showed a significant game effect at post-test for the peer resistance self-efficacy measure (F = 4.21, p < 0.05), but not at follow-up (F = 0.01, p = 0.92). DRAMA-RAMA™ was rated as positively as the Wii DWTS™ (p ≥ .26). DISCUSSION This randomized control trial provides initial support for the hypothesis that playing an AVR technology game can strengthen peer resistance skills, and early adolescent Hispanic girls will have a positive response to this game. PMID:23150043
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MacLeod, Daniel T; Choi, Nancy M; Briney, Bryan; Garces, Fernando; Ver, Lorena S; Landais, Elise; Murrell, Ben; Wrin, Terri; Kilembe, William; Liang, Chi-Hui; Ramos, Alejandra; Bian, Chaoran B; Wickramasinghe, Lalinda; Kong, Leopold; Eren, Kemal; Wu, Chung-Yi; Wong, Chi-Huey; Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei L; Wilson, Ian A; Burton, Dennis R; Poignard, Pascal
2016-05-17
The high-mannose patch on HIV Env is a preferred target for broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), but to date, no vaccination regimen has elicited bnAbs against this region. Here, we present the development of a bnAb lineage targeting the high-mannose patch in an HIV-1 subtype-C-infected donor from sub-Saharan Africa. The Abs first acquired autologous neutralization, then gradually matured to achieve breadth. One Ab neutralized >47% of HIV-1 strains with only ∼11% somatic hypermutation and no insertions or deletions. By sequencing autologous env, we determined key residues that triggered the lineage and participated in Ab-Env coevolution. Next-generation sequencing of the Ab repertoire showed an early expansive diversification of the lineage followed by independent maturation of individual limbs, several of them developing notable breadth and potency. Overall, the findings are encouraging from a vaccine standpoint and suggest immunization strategies mimicking the evolution of the entire high-mannose patch and promoting maturation of multiple diverse Ab pathways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Starr, Lisa R; Davila, Joanne; Stroud, Catherine B; Clara Li, Po Ching; Yoneda, Athena; Hershenberg, Rachel; Ramsay Miller, Melissa
2012-04-01
Research has linked adolescent romantic and sexual activities to depressive symptoms. The current study examines whether such activities are uniquely linked to depressive symptoms versus symptoms of other disorders (including anxiety, externalizing, and eating disorders), and whether co-occurring symptoms more precisely account for the association between depressive symptoms and romantic involvement. Early adolescent girls (N = 83; mean age = 13.45) participated in baseline and 1-year follow up data collection. Romantic (i.e., dating and sexual) activities were longitudinally related to numerous types of symptoms. The association between depressive symptoms and romantic variables remained when considering co-occurring symptoms. Girls with more comorbid disorders reported more romantic activities. Results suggest that the maladaptive consequences and precipitants of adolescent romantic activities extend beyond depression, but also imply that this association is not secondary to comorbid symptoms. Future work should clarify causal pathways. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Starr, Lisa R.; Davila, Joanne; Stroud, Catherine B.; Li, Po Ching Clara; Yoneda, Athena; Hershenberg, Rachel; Miller, Melissa Ramsay
2012-01-01
Objective Research has linked adolescent romantic and sexual activities to depressive symptoms. The current study examines whether such activities are uniquely linked to depressive symptoms versus symptoms of other disorders (including anxiety, externalizing, and eating disorders), and whether co-occurring symptoms more precisely account for the association between depressive symptoms and romantic involvement. Method Early adolescent girls (N = 83; mean age = 13.45) participated in baseline and 1-year follow up data collection. Results Romantic (i.e., dating and sexual) activities were longitudinally related to numerous types of symptoms. The association between depressive symptoms and romantic variables remained when considering co-occurring symptoms. Girls with more comorbid disorders reported more romantic activities. Conclusions Results suggest that the maladaptive consequences and precipitants of adolescent romantic activities extend beyond depression, but also imply that this association is not secondary to comorbid symptoms. Future work should clarify causal pathways. PMID:22307747
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Chen, Li-Li; Xu, Tian-Min; Jiang, Jiu-Hui; Zhang, Xing-Zhong; Lin, Jiu-Xiang
2008-12-01
The purpose of this study was to establish a quantitative cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) system for adolescents with normal occlusion. Mixed longitudinal data were used. The subjects included 87 children and adolescents from 8 to 18 years old with normal occlusion (32 boys, 55 girls) selected from 901 candidates. Sequential lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist films were taken once a year for 6 years. The lateral cephalograms of all subjects were divided into 11 maturation groups according to the Fishman skeletal maturity indicators. The morphologic characteristics of the second, third, and fourth cervical vertebrae at 11 developmental stages were measured and analyzed. Three characteristic parameters (H4/W4, AH3/PH3, @2) were selected to determine the classification of CVM. With 3 morphologic variables, the quantitative CVM system including 4 maturational stages was established. An equation that can accurately estimate the maturation of the cervical vertebrae was established: CVM stage=-4.13+3.57xH4/W4+4.07xAH3/PH3+0.03x@2. The quantitative CVM method is an efficient, objective, and relatively simple approach to assess the level of skeletal maturation during adolescence.
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What Teachers Can Do to Reduce Hidden Stressors for Girls in Middle School
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mendez, Linda M. Raffaele; Young, Ellie L.; Mihalas, Stephanie T.; Cusumano, Dale L.; Hoffman, Laura L.
2006-01-01
Educators have made significant strides toward increasing gender equity in schools in the past several decades, but recent studies into the lives of girls in the early adolescent years continue to reveal that many girls face some significant gender-related stressors as they transition from childhood to adolescence. Researchers have found that…
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USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Teton Russet is an early-maturing, medium- russeted, potato cultivar with high merit for both fresh-pack and processing. In early harvest trials in the Pacific Northwest, Teton Russet had total yields similar to Russet Norkotah, and higher than Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank. Marketable yield of T...
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Diagnostic performance of skeletal maturity for the assessment of midpalatal suture maturation.
Angelieri, Fernanda; Franchi, Lorenzo; Cevidanes, Lucia H S; McNamara, James A
2015-12-01
The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic performance of the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method in estimating accurately the stages of maturation of the midpalatal suture. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images from 142 subjects (84 female, 58 male; mean age, 14.8 ± 9.7 years) were analyzed by 2 calibrated examiners to define, by visual analysis, the maturational stages of the cervical vertebrae and the midpalatal suture. These CBCT images were required by orthodontists and surgeons for diagnosis and treatment purposes. Positive likelihood ratios (LHRs) were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the CVM stages in identifying the maturational stages of the midpalatal suture. Positive LHRs greater than 10 were found for several cervical vertebral stages (CSs), including CS1 and CS2 for the identification of midpalatal suture stages A and B, CS3 for the diagnosis of midpalatal suture stage C, and CS5 for the assessment of midpalatal suture stages D and E. These positive LHRs indicated large and often conclusive increases in the likelihood that the CVM stages were associated with specific stages of midpalatal suture maturation. At CS4, there were a moderate positive LHR for stage C and low positive LHRs for stages D and E. Most CVM stages can be used for the diagnosis of the stages of maturation of the midpalatal suture, so that CBCT imaging may not be necessary in these patients. In the postpubertal period, however, an assessment of the midpalatal suture maturation using CBCT images may be indicated in deciding between conventional rapid maxillary expansion and surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion. On the other hand, if the CVM stage cannot be assessed, chronologic age may be a viable alternative to predict some midpalatal suture stages (particularly the early stages). Copyright © 2015 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Isolated Learners: Young Mature-Age Students, University Culture, and Desire for Academic Sociality
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mallman, Mark; Lee, Helen
2017-01-01
The differentiated experiences of "young" mature-age students are under-researched and often unacknowledged in higher education literature and university policy. This article contends that, due to their age (early 20s to early 30s), many younger mature-age students feel "out of the loop" and "alienated" from…
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Hamlat, Elissa J.; Stange, Jonathan P.; Alloy, Lauren B.; Abramson, Lyn Y.
2013-01-01
Robust evidence supports that girls and boys who experience early pubertal timing, maturing earlier than one’s peers, are vulnerable to developing symptoms of depression. However, it has yet to be clarified whether early pubertal timing confers vulnerability to African American as well as to Caucasian adolescents and whether this vulnerability is specific to depressive symptoms or can be generalized to symptoms of social anxiety. In previous studies, one race or one sex was examined in isolation or sample sizes were too small to examine racial differences. Our longitudinal study consisted of a sample of 223 adolescents (Mean age = 12.42, 54.3% female, 50.2% African American, and 49.8% Caucasian). At baseline, depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and pubertal timing were assessed by self-report. Nine months later, we assessed depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, body esteem, and stressful life events that occurred between baseline and follow-up. Analyses indicated that early pubertal timing interacted with stressful life events to predict increased symptoms of depression, but only for Caucasian girls and African American boys. Results were found to be specific to depressive symptoms and did not generalize to symptoms of social anxiety. Additionally, there was a significant positive indirect effect of pubertal timing on symptoms of depression through body esteem for Caucasian females. PMID:24014162
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Factors correlated with violent video game use by adolescent boys and girls.
Olson, Cheryl K; Kutner, Lawrence A; Warner, Dorothy E; Almerigi, Jason B; Baer, Lee; Nicholi, Armand M; Beresin, Eugene V
2007-07-01
To compare the video and computer game play patterns of young adolescent boys and girls, including factors correlated with playing violent games. Data collected in November/December, 2004 from children in grades 7 and 8 at two demographically diverse schools in Pennsylvania and South Carolina, using a detailed written self-reported survey. Of 1254 participants (53% female, 47% male), only 80 reported playing no electronic games in the previous 6 months. Of 1126 children who listed frequently played game titles, almost half (48.8%) played at least one violent (mature-rated) game regularly (67.9% of boys and 29.2% of girls). One third of boys and 10.7% of girls play games nearly every day; only 1 in 20 plays often or always with a parent. Playing M-rated games is positively correlated (p < .001) with being male, frequent game play, playing with strangers over the Internet, having a game system and computer in one's bedroom, and using games to manage anger. Most young adolescent boys and many girls routinely play M-rated games. Implications for identifying atypical and potentially harmful patterns of electronic game use are discussed, as well as the need for greater media literacy among parents.
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Pubertal timing and adolescent sexual behavior in girls.
Moore, Sarah R; Harden, K Paige; Mendle, Jane
2014-06-01
Girls who experience earlier pubertal timing relative to peers also exhibit earlier timing of sexual intercourse and more unstable sexual relationships. Although pubertal development initiates feelings of physical desire, the transition into romantic and sexual relationships involves complex biological and social processes contributing both to physical maturation and to individual interpretations of pubertal experiences. Using a sample of female sibling pairs (n = 923 pairs) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the present study investigated associations among menarche and perceived pubertal timing, age of first sexual intercourse (AFI), and adolescent dating and sexual behavior using a behavioral genetic approach. Genetic factors influencing age at menarche and perceived pubertal timing predicted AFI through shared genetic pathways, whereas genetic factors related only to perceived pubertal timing predicted engagement in dating, romantic sex, and nonromantic sex in the previous 18 months. These results suggest that a girl's interpretation of her pubertal timing beyond objective timing is important to consider for the timing and the contexts of romantic and reproductive behavior. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.
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Girls' math performance under stereotype threat: the moderating role of mothers' gender stereotypes.
Tomasetto, Carlo; Alparone, Francesca Romana; Cadinu, Mara
2011-07-01
Previous research on stereotype threat in children suggests that making gender identity salient disrupts girls' math performance at as early as 5 to 7 years of age. The present study (n = 124) tested the hypothesis that parents' endorsement of gender stereotypes about math moderates girls' susceptibility to stereotype threat. Results confirmed that stereotype threat impaired girls' performance on math tasks among students from kindergarten through 2nd grade. Moreover, mothers' but not fathers' endorsement of gender stereotypes about math moderated girls' vulnerability to stereotype threat: performance of girls whose mothers strongly rejected the gender stereotype about math did not decrease under stereotype threat. These findings are important because they point to the role of mothers' beliefs in the development of girls' vulnerability to the negative effects of gender stereotypes about math. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved
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Correlation among chronologic age, skeletal maturity, and dental age.
Sukhia, Rashna H; Fida, Mubassar
2010-01-01
To determine the correlation among chronologic age, skeletal maturity, and dental age in reference to both sexes. In 380 subjects (147 males and 233 females) between 7 and 17 years of age, skeletal maturity was assessed using the cervical vertebral maturation stages described by Baccetti et al. Dental age was determined using the Demirjian method. The correlation between skeletal maturity and chronologic age on one side and between skeletal maturity and dental age on the other was assessed with Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess the correlation between chronologic and dental age. For both sexes, significant correlations among chronologic age, skeletal maturity, and dental age were found. The mandibular first premolar had the highest correlation with skeletal maturation in both sexes. As skeletal maturity and dental age are significantly correlated, tooth development may be used to assess a patient's skeletal maturity at an early age. © 2011 BY QUINTESSENCE PUBLISHING CO, INC.
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Barbu, Stéphanie; Nardy, Aurélie; Chevrot, Jean-Pierre; Guellaï, Bahia; Glas, Ludivine; Juhel, Jacques; Lemasson, Alban
2015-01-01
Child sex and family socioeconomic status (SES) have been repeatedly identified as a source of inter-individual variation in language development; yet their interactions have rarely been explored. While sex differences are the focus of a renewed interest concerning emerging language skills, data remain scarce and are not consistent across preschool years. The questions of whether family SES impacts boys and girls equally, as well as of the consistency of these differences throughout early childhood, remain open. We evaluated consistency of sex differences across SES and age by focusing on how children (N = 262), from 2;6 to 6;4 years old, from two contrasting social backgrounds, acquire a frequent phonological alternation in French – the liaison. By using a picture naming task eliciting the production of obligatory liaisons, we found evidence of sex differences over the preschool years in low-SES children, but not between high-SES boys and girls whose performances were very similar. Low-SES boys’ performances were the poorest whereas low-SES girls’ performances were intermediate, that is, lower than those of high-SES children of both sexes but higher than those of low-SES boys. Although all children’s mastery of obligatory liaisons progressed with age, our findings showed a significant impeding effect of low-SES, especially for boys. PMID:26696938
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Nilsson, Ola; Guo, Michael H.; Dunbar, Nancy; Popovic, Jadranka; Flynn, Daniel; Jacobsen, Christina; Lui, Julian C.; Hirschhorn, Joel N.; Baron, Jeffrey
2014-01-01
Context: Many children with idiopathic short stature have a delayed bone age. Idiopathic short stature with advanced bone age is far less common. Objective: The aim was to identify underlying genetic causes of short stature with advanced bone age. Setting and Design: We used whole-exome sequencing to study three families with autosomal-dominant short stature, advanced bone age, and premature growth cessation. Results: Affected individuals presented with short stature [adult heights −2.3 to −4.2 standard deviation scores (SDS)] with histories of early growth cessation or childhood short stature (height SDS −1.9 to −3.5 SDS), advancement of bone age, and normal endocrine evaluations. Whole-exome sequencing identified novel heterozygous variants in ACAN, which encodes aggrecan, a proteoglycan in the extracellular matrix of growth plate and other cartilaginous tissues. The variants were present in all affected, but in no unaffected, family members. In Family 1, a novel frameshift mutation in exon 3 (c.272delA) was identified, which is predicted to cause early truncation of the aggrecan protein. In Family 2, a base-pair substitution was found in a highly conserved location within a splice donor site (c.2026+1G>A), which is also likely to alter the amino acid sequence of a large portion of the protein. In Family 3, a missense variant (c.7064T>C) in exon 14 affects a highly conserved residue (L2355P) and is strongly predicted to perturb protein function. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that heterozygous mutations in ACAN can cause a mild skeletal dysplasia, which presents clinically as short stature with advanced bone age. The accelerating effect on skeletal maturation has not previously been noted in the few prior reports of human ACAN mutations. Our findings thus expand the spectrum of ACAN defects and provide a new molecular genetic etiology for the unusual child who presents with short stature and accelerated skeletal maturation. PMID:24762113
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School Influences on the Physical Activity of African American, Latino, and White Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Duncan, Susan C.; Strycker, Lisa A.; Chaumeton, Nigel R.
2015-01-01
Background: The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of school-related variables on the physical activity (PA) levels of early adolescent African American, Latino, and White girls. Methods: Data were collected from 353 African American (N?=?123), Latino (N?=?118), and White (N?=?112) girls. Physical activity levels included a PA…
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Amicuzi, Ileana; Stortini, Massimo; Petrarca, Maurizio; Di Giulio, Paola; Di Rosa, Giuseppe; Fariello, Giuseppe; Longo, Daniela; Cannatà, Vittorio; Genovese, Elisabetta; Castelli, Enrico
2006-10-01
We report the case of a 4.6-year-old girl born pre-term with early bilateral occipital damage. It was revealed that the child had non-severely impaired basic visual abilities and ocular motility, a selective perceptual deficit of figure-ground segregation, impaired visual recognition and abnormal navigating through space. Even if the child's visual functioning was not optimal, this was the expression of adaptive anatomic and functional brain modifications that occurred following the early lesion. Anatomic brain structure was studied with anatomic MRI and Diffusor Tensor Imaging (DTI)-MRI. This behavioral study may provide an important contribution to understanding the impact of an early lesion of the visual system on the development of visual functions and on the immature brain's potential for reorganisation related to when the damage occurred.
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Use of cervical vertebral maturation to determine skeletal age.
Wong, Ricky W K; Alkhal, Hessa A; Rabie, A Bakr M
2009-10-01
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method as an indicator of skeletal age in the circumpubertal period by correlating it to the hand-wrist method (HWM). Hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 400 Chinese subjects were randomly selected. Their ages were 10 to 15 years for girls and 12 to 17 years for boys, so they were within the circumpubertal period. Skeletal ages were assessed according to the CVM method and the HWM. The CVM was significantly correlated with HWM skeletal age (Spearman r = 0.9521 [boys] and 0.9408 [girls]). All patients in cervical vertebral stage 3 of the CVM corresponded to stages MP3-FG or MP3-G (around the peak of the growth spurt) in the HWM. The CVM is a valid indicator of skeletal growth during the circumpubertal period, providing information for timing of growth modification.
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Correlates of the peak height velocity in girls with idiopathic scoliosis.
Sanders, James O; Browne, Richard H; Cooney, Timothy E; Finegold, David N; McConnell, Sharon J; Margraf, Susan A
2006-09-15
Prospective longitudinal. Determine correlates of the peak height velocity (PHV) in girls with idiopathic scoliosis. Only identifiable retrospectively, the PHV is the most useful known maturity marker in idiopathic scoliosis. Clinically useful correlates are needed to make PHV timing helpful. A total of 24 immature girls with idiopathic scoliosis were followed with serial heights, sexual staging, skeletal ages, spinal radiographs, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF binding protein-3, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, estradiol, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin levels. These markers were correlated to PHV timing. There were 14 girls who had identifiable growth peaks that averaged 10.5 +/- 1.8 cm/y at age 11.7 +/- 1 years. At the PHV, all girls were Risser 0 with open triradiate cartilages. On a skeletal age radiograph, digital uncapped phalangeal epiphyses were indicative of pre-PHV and fused epiphyses of post-PHV. Capped but unfused epiphyses were indeterminate. Tanner stage 1 for breast strongly indicates pre-PHV. Stage 3 for breast and pubic hair occurred at or after the PHV, and stage 4 always occurred after PHV. Higher IGF-1 and estradiol levels after PHV are potentially discriminatory. The PHV occurs during Risser 0 with open triradiate cartilages. If triradiate cartilages are open, then Tanner stages, IGF-1, estradiol levels, and the appearance of the epiphyses on a skeletal age radiograph are useful in determining status before or after PHV.
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Bone age maturity assessment using hand-held device
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ratib, Osman M.; Gilsanz, Vicente; Liu, Xiaodong; Boechat, M. I.
2004-04-01
Purpose: Assessment of bone maturity is traditionally performed through visual comparison of hand and wrist radiograph with existing reference images in textbooks. Our goal was to develop a digital index based on idealized hand Xray images that can be incorporated in a hand held computer and used for visual assessment of bone age for patients. Material and methods: Due to the large variability in bone maturation in normals, we generated a set of "ideal" images obtained by computer combinations of images from our normal reference data sets. Software for hand-held PDA devices was developed for easy navigation through the set of images and visual selection of matching images. A formula based on our statistical analysis provides the standard deviation from normal based on the chronological age of the patient. The accuracy of the program was compared to traditional interpretation by two radiologists in a double blind reading of 200 normal Caucasian children (100 boys, 100 girls). Results: Strong correlations were present between chronological age and bone age (r > 0.9) with no statistical difference between the digital and traditional assessment methods. Determinations of carpal bone maturity in adolescents was slightly more accurate using the digital system. The users did praise the convenience and effectiveness of the digital Palm Index in clinical practice. Conclusion: An idealized digital Palm Bone Age Index provides a convenient and effective alternative to conventional atlases for the assessment of skeletal maturity.
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The LEGACY Girls Study: Growth and Development in the Context of Breast Cancer Family History.
John, Esther M; Terry, Mary Beth; Keegan, Theresa H M; Bradbury, Angela R; Knight, Julia A; Chung, Wendy K; Frost, Caren J; Lilge, Lothar; Patrick-Miller, Linda; Schwartz, Lisa A; Whittemore, Alice S; Buys, Saundra S; Daly, Mary B; Andrulis, Irene L
2016-05-01
Although the timing of pubertal milestones has been associated with breast cancer risk, few studies of girls' development include girls at increased breast cancer risk due to their family history. The Lessons in Epidemiology and Genetics of Adult Cancer from Youth (LEGACY) Girls Study was initiated in 2011 in the USA and Canada to assess the relation between early life exposures and intermediate markers of breast cancer risk (e.g., pubertal development, breast tissue characteristics) and to investigate psychosocial well being and health behaviors in the context of family history. We describe the methods used to establish and follow a cohort of 1,040 girls ages 6-13 years at baseline, half with a breast cancer family history, and the collection of questionnaire data (family history, early life exposures, growth and development, psychosocial and behavioral), anthropometry, biospecimens, and breast tissue characteristics using optical spectroscopy. During this initial 5-year phase of the study, follow-up visits are conducted every 6 months for repeated data and biospecimen collection. Participation in baseline components was high (98% for urine, 97.5% for blood or saliva, and 98% for anthropometry). At enrollment, 77% of girls were premenarcheal and 49% were at breast Tanner stage T1. This study design allows thorough examination of events affecting girls' growth and development and how they differ across the spectrum of breast cancer risk. A better understanding of early life breast cancer risk factors will be essential to enhance prevention across the lifespan for those with and without a family history of the disease.
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A model of women's educational factors related to delaying girls' marriage
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Smith, Cristine A.; Paulson Stone, Rebecca; Kahando, Sarah
2012-08-01
Delaying girls' early marriage is a critical public health and education goal in developing countries, in which their own or their mothers' education may play an important role. This paper reviews the existing evidence of any relationship between girls' schooling or women's literacy education and delayed marriage for themselves or their daughters. The majority of research reports focus on the correlation between girls' schooling and brides' age at first marriage. But it is conceivable that adult women's/mothers' literacy education also has considerable influence on the age at which their daughters are married. Since this aspect has hitherto not been explicitly investigated, the authors propose a model - based on relevant research about the outcomes of girls' schooling and women's literacy education - of the mechanisms that mediate between women's education and delayed marriage for their daughters. The authors argue for research that will inform policy makers interested in helping girls complete secondary schooling about the potential contributions of adult women's literacy education to this goal.
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Biocultural Predictors of Motor Coordination Among Prepubertal Boys and Girls.
Luz, Leonardo G O; Valente-Dos-Santos, João; Luz, Tatiana D D; Sousa-E-Silva, Paulo; Duarte, João P; Machado-Rodrigues, Aristides; Seabra, André; Santos, Rute; Cumming, Sean P; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel J
2018-02-01
This study aimed to predict motor coordination from a matrix of biocultural factors for 173 children (89 boys, 84 girls) aged 7-9 years who were assessed with the Körperkoordinationtest für Kinder test battery. Socioeconomic variables included built environment, area of residence, mother's educational level, and mother's physical activity level (using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire [short version]). The behavioral domain was marked by participation in organized sports and habitual physical activity measured by accelerometers ( ActiGraph GT1M). Indicators of biological development included somatic maturation and body mass index. Among males, the best logistic regression model to explain motor coordination (Nagelkerke R 2 = 50.8; χ 2 = 41.166; p < .001) emerged from age-group (odds ratio [OR]: 0.007-0.065), late maturation (OR = 0.174), normal body weight status (OR = 0.116), mother's educational level (OR = 0.129), and urban area of residence (OR = 0.236). Among girls, the best logistic regression to explain motor coordination (Nagelkerke R 2 = 40.8; χ 2 = 29.933; p < .01) derived from age (OR: 0.091-0.384), normal body mass index (OR = 0.142), participation in organized sport (OR = 0.121), and mother's physical activity level (OR = 0.183). This sex-specific, ecological approach to motor coordination proficiency may help promote physical activity during prepubertal years through familiar determinants.
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Cluster randomized evaluation of Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme (AGEP): study protocol.
Hewett, Paul C; Austrian, Karen; Soler-Hampejsek, Erica; Behrman, Jere R; Bozzani, Fiammetta; Jackson-Hachonda, Natalie A
2017-05-05
Adolescents in less developed countries such as Zambia often face multi-faceted challenges for achieving successful transitions through adolescence to early adulthood. The literature has noted the need to introduce interventions during this period, particularly for adolescent girls, with the perspective that such investments have significant economic, social and health returns to society. The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme (AGEP) was an intervention designed as a catalyst for change for adolescent girls through themselves, to their family and community. AGEP was a multi-sectoral intervention targeting over 10,000 vulnerable adolescent girls ages 10-19 in rural and urban areas, in four of the ten provinces of Zambia. At the core of AGEP were mentor-led, weekly girls' group meetings of 20 to 30 adolescent girls participating over two years. Three curricula - sexual and reproductive health and lifeskills, financial literacy, and nutrition - guided the meetings. An engaging and participatory pedagogical approach was used. Two additional program components, a health voucher and a bank account, were offered to some girls to provide direct mechanisms to improve access to health and financial services. Embedded within AGEP was a rigorous multi-arm randomised cluster trial with randomization to different combinations of programme arms. The study was powered to assess the impact across a set of key longer-term outcomes, including early marriage and first birth, contraceptive use, educational attainment and acquisition of HIV and HSV-2. Baseline behavioural surveys and biological specimen collection were initiated in 2013. Impact was evaluated immediately after the program ended in 2015 and will be evaluated again after two additional years of follow-up in 2017. The primary analysis is intent-to-treat. Qualitative data are being collected in 2013, 2015 and 2017 to inform the programme implementation and the quantitative findings. An economic evaluation will evaluate
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Key clinical features to identify girls with CDKL5 mutations.
Bahi-Buisson, Nadia; Nectoux, Juliette; Rosas-Vargas, Haydeé; Milh, Mathieu; Boddaert, Nathalie; Girard, Benoit; Cances, Claude; Ville, Dorothée; Afenjar, Alexandra; Rio, Marlène; Héron, Delphine; N'guyen Morel, Marie Ange; Arzimanoglou, Alexis; Philippe, Christophe; Jonveaux, Philippe; Chelly, Jamel; Bienvenu, Thierry
2008-10-01
Mutations in the human X-linked cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) gene have been shown to cause infantile spasms as well as Rett syndrome (RTT)-like phenotype. To date, less than 25 different mutations have been reported. So far, there are still little data on the key clinical diagnosis criteria and on the natural history of CDKL5-associated encephalopathy. We screened the entire coding region of CDKL5 for mutations in 183 females with encephalopathy with early seizures by denaturing high liquid performance chromatography and direct sequencing, and we identified in 20 unrelated girls, 18 different mutations including 7 novel mutations. These mutations were identified in eight patients with encephalopathy with RTT-like features, five with infantile spasms and seven with encephalopathy with refractory epilepsy. Early epilepsy with normal interictal EEG and severe hypotonia are the key clinical features in identifying patients likely to have CDKL5 mutations. Our study also indicates that these patients clearly exhibit some RTT features such as deceleration of head growth, stereotypies and hand apraxia and that these RTT features become more evident in older and ambulatory patients. However, some RTT signs are clearly absent such as the so called RTT disease profile (period of nearly normal development followed by regression with loss of acquired fine finger skill in early childhood and characteristic intensive eye communication) and the characteristic evolution of the RTT electroencephalogram. Interestingly, in addition to the overall stereotypical symptomatology (age of onset and evolution of the disease) resulting from CDKL5 mutations, atypical forms of CDKL5-related conditions have also been observed. Our data suggest that phenotypic heterogeneity does not correlate with the nature or the position of the mutations or with the pattern of X-chromosome inactivation, but most probably with the functional transcriptional and/or translational consequences of CDKL5
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Relationship between dental calcification and skeletal maturation in a Peruvian sample.
Lecca-Morales, Rocío M; Carruitero, Marcos J
2017-01-01
the objective of the study was to determine the relationship between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturation in a Peruvian sample. panoramic, cephalometric and carpal radiographs of 78 patients (34 girls and 44 boys) between 7 and 17 years old (9.90 ± 2.5 years) were evaluated. Stages of tooth calcification of the mandibular canine, first premolar, second premolar, and second molar and the skeletal maturation with a hand-wrist and a cervical vertebrae method were assessed. The relationships between the stages were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Additionally, the associations of mandibular and pubertal growth peak stages with tooth calcification were evaluated by Fisher's exact test. all teeth showed positive and statistically significant correlations, the highest correlation was between the mandibular second molar calcification stages with hand-wrist maturation stages (r = 0.758, p < 0.001) and with vertebrae cervical maturation stages (r = 0.605, p < 0.001). The pubertal growth spurt was found in the G stage of calcification of the second mandibular molar, and the mandibular growth peak was found in the F stage of calcification of the second molar. there was a positive relationship between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturation stages by hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae methods in the sample studied. Dental calcification stages of the second mandibular molar showed the highest positive correlation with the hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae stages.
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Cycling peak power in obese and lean 6- to 8-year-old girls and boys.
Aucouturier, Julien; Lazaar, Nordine; Doré, Eric; Meyer, Martine; Ratel, Sebastien; Duché, Pascale
2007-06-01
The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible effect of the difference in percentage body fat (%BF) and fat-free mass (FFM) on cycling peak power (CPP) in 6- to 8-year-old obese and lean untrained girls and boys. Obese (35 girls, 35 boys) and lean (35 girls, 35 boys) children were measured for obesity, %BF, calculated from skinfold measurements. FFM was calculated as body mass (BM) minus body fat. A force-velocity test on a cycle ergometer was used to measure CPP. CPP was related to anthropometric variables using standard and allometric models. CPP in absolute terms was higher in obese children than in lean children irrespective of gender. BM-related CPP was significantly lower in obese children than in lean ones, whereas no effect of obesity appeared on FFM-related CPP. Velocity at CPP (Vopt) was significantly lower and force at CPP (Fopt) was significantly higher in girls than in boys. Muscle power production was unaffected by obesity in children. Low BM-related CPP could explain the difficulty of taking up physical activities that are body-mass related in obese children. Gender difference for Vopt and Fopt shows that girls and boys may have different maturation patterns affecting CPP.
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Kretschmer, Tina; Oliver, Bonamy R; Maughan, Barbara
2014-08-01
Extensive evidence supports associations between early pubertal timing and adolescent externalizing behavior, but how and under which conditions they are linked is not fully understood. In addition, pubertal development is also characterized by variations in the relative speed at which individuals mature, but studies linking pubertal 'tempo' and outcomes are scarce. This study examined the mediating and moderating roles of spare time activities in associations between pubertal development and later delinquency, using data from a large (4,327 girls, 4,250 boys) longitudinal UK cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children). Self-reports of Tanner stage were available from ages 9 to 14, spare time activities at age 12 and delinquency at age 15. Pubertal development was examined using latent growth models. Spare time activities were categorized using factor analyses, yielding four types (hanging out at home, hanging out outside, consumerist behavior, and sports/games), which were examined as mediators and moderators. Earlier and faster maturation predicted delinquency in boys and girls. Spare time activities partially mediated these links such that early maturing girls more often engaged in hanging out outside, which placed them at greater risk for delinquency. In addition, compared to their later and slower maturing counterparts, boys who matured earlier and faster were less likely to engage in sports/games, a spare time activity type that is linked to lower delinquency risk. No moderation effects were found. The findings extend previous research on outcomes of early maturation and show how spare time activities act as proxies between pubertal development and delinquency.
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Auditory maturation in premature infants: a potential pitfall for early cochlear implantation.
Hof, Janny R; Stokroos, Robert J; Wix, Eduard; Chenault, Mickey; Gelders, Els; Brokx, Jan
2013-08-01
To describe spontaneous hearing improvement in the first years of life of a number of preterm neonates relative to cochlear implant candidacy. Retrospective case study. Hearing levels of 14 preterm neonates (mean gestational age at birth = 29 weeks) referred after newborn hearing screening were evaluated. Initial hearing thresholds ranged from 40 to 105 dBHL (mean = 85 dBHL). Hearing level improved to normal levels for four neonates and to moderate levels for five, whereas for five neonates, no improvement in hearing thresholds was observed and cochlear implantation was recommended. Three of the four neonates in whom the hearing improved to normal levels were born prior to 28 weeks gestational age. Hearing improvement was mainly observed prior to a gestational age of 80 weeks. Delayed maturation of an immature auditory pathway might be an important reason for referral after newborn hearing screening in premature infants. Caution is advised regarding early cochlear implantation in preterm born infants. Audiological follow-ups until at least 80 weeks gestational age are therefore recommended. © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.
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Digital Media and "Girling" at an Elite Girls' School
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Charles, Claire
2007-01-01
In this article, I draw on Judith Butler's notion of performativity to investigate the role of digital technologies in processes of gendered subjectification (or "girling") in elite girls' education. Elite girls' schooling is a site where the potential of digital technologies in mediating student-led constructions and explorations of…
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Personality maturation around the world: a cross-cultural examination of social-investment theory.
Bleidorn, Wiebke; Klimstra, Theo A; Denissen, Jaap J A; Rentfrow, Peter J; Potter, Jeff; Gosling, Samuel D
2013-12-01
During early adulthood, individuals from different cultures across the world tend to become more agreeable, more conscientious, and less neurotic. Two leading theories offer different explanations for these pervasive age trends: Five-factor theory proposes that personality maturation is largely determined by genetic factors, whereas social-investment theory proposes that personality maturation in early adulthood is largely the result of normative life transitions to adult roles. In the research reported here, we conducted the first systematic cross-cultural test of these theories using data from a large Internet-based sample of young adults from 62 nations (N = 884,328). We found strong evidence for universal personality maturation from early to middle adulthood, yet there were significant cultural differences in age effects on personality traits. Consistent with social-investment theory, results showed that cultures with an earlier onset of adult-role responsibilities were marked by earlier personality maturation.
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Coaching Behavior of Girls Youth Softball Coaches.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rupnow, Allan; Stotlar, David
A study examined coaches' behavior and classified the types and rates of coaches' behavior by time of athletic season (early or late), win/loss record, and throughout the time frame within a single contest. Subjects included all the volunteer coaches in a 13 team, softball program for 10-12 year old girls. The season consisted of a double…
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Maturity and medical students' ease of transition into the clinical environment.
Shacklady, Jaine; Holmes, Eileen; Mason, Graham; Davies, Ioan; Dornan, Tim
2009-07-01
Medical education has been characterized in terms of points of transition, which are accentuated by lack of relevant prior experience and can lead to extreme positive and negative emotions. Quantify the effect of maturity on medical students' transitions into the clinical environment and identify how experiences of transition might be improved. Eleven weeks after entering the clinical environment, 29 mature students (age over 21 at entry, median age 22) in a horizontally-integrated, predominantly undergraduate entry, problem-based curriculum offering little early clinical exposure and 58 matched non-mature students (median age 18 years) rated their experiences of transition and wrote free text comments about them. 62% of mature students compared with 24% of controls described 'good transitions' (odds ratio [OR] for a good transition 6.1; p = 0.002) and mature students were more likely than controls to describe how they drew on their previous years in medical school (OR 2.7, p = 0.04) and their wider life experiences in making the transition (OR 3.9, p = 0.01). They were less likely to feel confused or daunted. Whether mature or not, prior workplace experience, having learned the theory of medicine by PBL, and being confident in their knowledge and skills helped students' transitions. Both mature and non-mature students valued the support of teachers and peers and would have valued clinical experience earlier. The fact that just a few extra years of life experience made such a large difference to students' experiences of transition illustrates how important social factors are in the personal development of medical students. In respondents' views, early clinical experience and early skills training could ease students' passage into the clerkship phase of their education.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jacobs, Charlotte E.; Kuriloff, Peter J.; Cox, Amanda B.
2014-01-01
If educators want to engage girls in learning, they must align teaching practices with girls' specific needs. In a study modeled after Reichert and Hawley's study of boys, the authors learned that lessons with hands-on learning, elements of creativity, multimodal projects, and class discussions all worked to stimulate girls'…
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Determinants of relative skeletal maturity in South African children.
Hawley, Nicola L; Rousham, Emily K; Johnson, William; Norris, Shane A; Pettifor, John M; Cameron, Noël
2012-01-01
The variation of skeletal maturity about chronological age is a sensitive indicator of population health. Age appropriate or advanced skeletal maturity is a reflection of adequate environmental and social conditions, whereas delayed maturation suggests inadequate conditions for optimal development. There remains a paucity of data, however, to indicate which specific biological and environmental factors are associated with advancement or delay in skeletal maturity. The present study utilises longitudinal data from the South African Birth to Twenty (Bt20) study to indentify predictors of relative skeletal maturity (RSM) in early adolescence. A total of 244 black South African children (n=131 male) were included in this analysis. Skeletal maturity at age 9/10 years was assessed using the Tanner and Whitehouse III RUS technique. Longitudinal data on growth, socio-economic position and pubertal development were entered into sex-specific multivariable general linear regression models with relative skeletal maturity (skeletal age-chronological age) as the outcome. At 9/10 years of age males showed an average of 0.66 years delay in skeletal maturation relative to chronological age. Females showed an average of 1.00 year delay relative to chronological age. In males, being taller at 2 years (p<0.01) and heavier at 2 years (p<0.01) predicted less delay in RSM at age 9/10 years, independent of current size and body composition. In females, both height at 2 years and conditional weight at 2 years predicted less delay in RSM at 9/10 years (p<0.05) but this effect was mediated by current body composition. Having greater lean mass at 9/10 years was associated with less delayed RSM in females (p<0.01) as was pubertal status at the time of skeletal maturity assessment (p<0.01). This study identifies several predictors of skeletal maturation at 9/10 years, indicating a role for early life exposures in determining the rate of skeletal maturation during childhood independently of
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Belgrave, F Z; Van Oss Marin, B; Chambers, D B
2000-08-01
The role of cultural factors in explaining sexual attitudes among African American urban girls, aged 10-13 years, was investigated in this study. The authors predicted that girls with higher school interest, family cohesion, religiosity, and behavioral self-esteem would endorse less risky sexual attitudes. Also, older girls were expected to have more risky sexual attitudes than younger girls, and girls from 1- rather than 2-parent households were expected to have more risky sexual attitudes. The authors hypothesized that ethnic identity and gender role orientations would contribute to explaining variability in sexual attitudes after controlling for contextual and intrapersonal variables. A questionnaire containing measures of the study constructs was administered to 214 girls who were participants in a substance abuse prevention program. Pretest data were used in analyses. A final regression model accounted for 23% of the variance in sexual attitudes. Age and behavioral self-esteem were significant predictors, with younger teens and teens with higher behavioral self-esteem having less risky sexual attitudes. Cultural variables contributed to explaining variation in sexual attitudes after other variables were controlled for. Higher levels of ethnic identity were associated with less risky sexual attitudes. A masculine gender role orientation was associated with more risky sexual attitudes.
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O'Donnell, Lydia; Stueve, Ann; Duran, Richard; Myint-U, Athi; Agronick, Gail; San Doval, Alexi; Wilson-Simmons, Renée
2008-05-01
In urban economically distressed communities, high rates of early sexual initiation combined with alcohol use place adolescent girls at risk for myriad negative health consequences. This article reports on the extent to which parents of young teens underestimate both the risks their daughters are exposed to and the considerable influence that they have over their children's decisions and behaviors. Surveys were conducted with more than 700 sixth-grade girls and their parents, recruited from seven New York City schools serving low-income families. Bivariate and multivariate analyses examined relationships among parents' practices and perceptions of daughters' risks, girls' reports of parenting, and outcomes of girls' alcohol use, media and peer conduct, and heterosexual romantic and social behaviors that typically precede sexual intercourse. Although only four parents thought that their daughters had used alcohol, 22% of the daughters reported drinking in the past year. Approximately 5% of parents thought that daughters had hugged and kissed a boy for a long time or had "hung out" with older boys, whereas 38% of girls reported these behaviors. Parents' underestimation of risk was correlated with lower reports of positive parenting practices by daughters. In multivariate analyses, girls' reports of parental oversight, rules, and disapproval of risk are associated with all three behavioral outcomes. Adult reports of parenting practices are associated with girls' conduct and heterosexual behaviors, but not with their alcohol use. Creating greater awareness of the early onset of risk behaviors among urban adolescent girls is important for fostering positive parenting practices, which in turn may help parents to support their daughters' healthier choices.
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Interpersonal influences on late adolescent girls' and boys' disordered eating.
Shomaker, Lauren B; Furman, Wyndol
2009-04-01
Perceived socio-cultural pressure to be thin has an important impact on disordered eating during early and middle adolescence, but less is known about late adolescence. Most prospective studies included only girls, and less is known about the influence on boys. This study investigated interpersonal influences on changes in late adolescent boys' and girls' symptoms of disordered eating over one year. Participants were a community sample of late adolescents 16-19 years of age (N=199; 49.75% girls), their mothers, and friends. Structural equation modeling revealed that interpersonal pressure to be thin and criticism about appearance predicted increases in disordered eating over time. Late adolescents', mothers' and friends' reports of pressure were associated with disordered eating at Time 1 and Time 2. Further, adolescents' perceptions and friends' reports of pressure to be thin predicted changes in disordered eating over time. Findings underscore the significance of interpersonal relationships for disordered eating during late adolescence in both girls and boys.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Owens, Larry; Shute, Rosalyn; Slee, Phillip
2004-01-01
In contrast to boys' bullying behavior which is often overt and easily visible, girls' aggression is usually indirect and covert. Less research has been conducted on the types of bullying that girls usually engage in. Using focus groups composed of teenaged girls, Dr. Owens and colleagues examine the nature of teenage girls' indirect aggression.
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Byun, Bo-Ram; Kim, Yong-Il; Yamaguchi, Tetsutaro; Maki, Koutaro; Ko, Ching-Chang; Hwang, Dea-Seok; Park, Soo-Byung; Son, Woo-Sung
2015-11-01
The purpose of this study was to establish multivariable regression models for the estimation of skeletal maturation status in Japanese boys and girls using the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) assessment method and hand-wrist radiography. The analyzed sample consisted of hand-wrist radiographs and CBCT images from 47 boys and 57 girls. To quantitatively evaluate the correlation between the skeletal maturation status and measurement ratios, a CBCT-based CVM assessment method was applied to the second, third, and fourth cervical vertebrae. Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis and multivariable regression analysis were used to determine the ratios for each of the cervical vertebrae (p < 0.05). Four characteristic parameters ((OH2 + PH2)/W2, (OH2 + AH2)/W2, D2, AH3/W3), as independent variables, were used to build the multivariable regression models: for the Japanese boys, the skeletal maturation status according to the CBCT-based quantitative cervical vertebral maturation (QCVM) assessment was 5.90 + 99.11 × AH3/W3 - 14.88 × (OH2 + AH2)/W2 + 13.24 × D2; for the Japanese girls, it was 41.39 + 59.52 × AH3/W3 - 15.88 × (OH2 + PH2)/W2 + 10.93 × D2. The CBCT-generated CVM images proved very useful to the definition of the cervical vertebral body and the odontoid process. The newly developed CBCT-based QCVM assessment method showed a high correlation between the derived ratios from the second cervical vertebral body and odontoid process. There are high correlations between the skeletal maturation status and the ratios of the second cervical vertebra based on the remnant of dentocentral synchondrosis.
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Avila-Poveda, Omar Hernando; Abadia-Chanona, Quetzalli Yasú
2013-01-01
This study describes and recognises, using histological and microscopical examinations on a morphometrical basis, several gonad traits through the early life stages of Chiton articulatus and C. albolineatus. Gonadal ontogenesis, gonad development stages, sexual differentiation, onset of the first sexual maturity, and growth sequences or "early life stages" were determined. In addition, allometry between lengths and body weight pooled for both sexes per each chiton were calculated using equation Y = aX(b) . A total of 125 chitons (4≤TL≤40 mm, in total length "TL") were used. All allometric relations showed a strong positive correlation (r), close to 1, with b-values above three, indicating an isometric growth. Gonadal ontogenesis and gonad development stages were categorised into three periods ("Pw" without gonad, "Pe" gonad emergence, and "Pf" gonadal sac formed) and four stages ("S0" gametocytogenesis, "S1" gametogenesis, "S2" mature, and "S3" spawning), respectively. Compound digital images were attained for each process. Periods and stages are overlapped among them and between species, with the following overall confidence intervals in TL: Pw 6.13-14.32 mm, Pe 10.32-16.93 mm, Pf 12.99-25.01 mm, S0 16.08-24.34 mm (females) and 19.51-26.60 mm (males), S1 27.15-35.63 mm (females) and 23.45-32.27 mm (males), S2 24.48-40.24 mm (females) and 25.45-32.87 mm (males). Sexual differentiation (in S0) of both chitons occurs first as a female then as a male; although, males reach the onset of the first sexual maturity earlier than females, thus for C. articulatus males at 17 mm and females at 32 mm, and for C. albolineatus males at 23.5 mm and females at 28 mm, all in TL. Four early life stages (i.e., subjuvenile, juvenile, subadult, and adult) are described and proposed to distinguish growth sequences. Our results may be useful to diverse disciplines, from developmental biology to fisheries management.
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King, Bryn
2017-05-01
Few studies have examined early parenting among girls receiving child welfare services (CWS) or disentangled the relationship between maltreatment, spending time in foster care, and adolescent childbirth. Using population-based, linked administrative data, this study calculated birth rates among maltreated adolescent girls and assessed differences in birth rates associated with spending time in foster care. Of the 85,766 girls with substantiated allegations of maltreatment during adolescence, nearly 18% subsequently gave birth. Among girls who spent time in foster care, the proportion was higher (19.5%). Significant variations ( p < .001) were observed in the rate of childbirth across demographic characteristics and maltreatment experiences. When accounting for all of the covariates, spending time in foster care was associated with a modestly higher rate of a first birth (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.10; 95% confidence interval = [1.06, 1.14]). While age at first substantiated allegation of maltreatment and race/ethnicity were significant predictors of adolescent childbirth, specific maltreatment experiences were associated with minimal or no differences in birth rates. The findings of this study suggest that the experience of spending time in care may not be a meaningful predictor of giving birth as a teen among CWS-involved adolescent girls and highlight subgroups of this population who may be more vulnerable to early childbirth.
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Naturally Engineered Maturation of Cardiomyocytes
Scuderi, Gaetano J.; Butcher, Jonathan
2017-01-01
Ischemic heart disease remains one of the most prominent causes of mortalities worldwide with heart transplantation being the gold-standard treatment option. However, due to the major limitations associated with heart transplants, such as an inadequate supply and heart rejection, there remains a significant clinical need for a viable cardiac regenerative therapy to restore native myocardial function. Over the course of the previous several decades, researchers have made prominent advances in the field of cardiac regeneration with the creation of in vitro human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte tissue engineered constructs. However, these engineered constructs exhibit a functionally immature, disorganized, fetal-like phenotype that is not equivalent physiologically to native adult cardiac tissue. Due to this major limitation, many recent studies have investigated approaches to improve pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte maturation to close this large functionality gap between engineered and native cardiac tissue. This review integrates the natural developmental mechanisms of cardiomyocyte structural and functional maturation. The variety of ways researchers have attempted to improve cardiomyocyte maturation in vitro by mimicking natural development, known as natural engineering, is readily discussed. The main focus of this review involves the synergistic role of electrical and mechanical stimulation, extracellular matrix interactions, and non-cardiomyocyte interactions in facilitating cardiomyocyte maturation. Overall, even with these current natural engineering approaches, pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes within three-dimensional engineered heart tissue still remain mostly within the early to late fetal stages of cardiomyocyte maturity. Therefore, although the end goal is to achieve adult phenotypic maturity, more emphasis must be placed on elucidating how the in vivo fetal microenvironment drives cardiomyocyte maturation. This
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McHale, Susan M.; Shanahan, Lilly; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Crouter, Ann C.; Booth, Alan
2004-01-01
Girls' time in sex-typed leisure activities was studied across 2 years in middle childhood (n=98, M=8.2 years in Year 1), early adolescence (n=106, M=11.7 years), and middle adolescence (n=86, M=14.9 years). In annual home interviews, White middle-class girls, mothers, and fathers rated their gendered attitudes, interests, and personality…
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Listening to Girls and Boys Talk about Girls' Physical Activity Behaviors
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Vu, Maihan B.; Murrie, Dale; Gonzalez, Vivian; Jobe, Jared B.
2006-01-01
As part of the formative assessment for the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG), a multicenter study to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls, girls and boys with diverse ethnicity from six states participated in focus groups and semistructured interviews. Data from 13 girls' focus groups (N = 100), 11 boys' focus…
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Programming experience promotes higher STEM motivation among first-grade girls.
Master, Allison; Cheryan, Sapna; Moscatelli, Adriana; Meltzoff, Andrew N
2017-08-01
The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) engagement is large and persistent. This gap is significantly larger in technological fields such as computer science and engineering than in math and science. Gender gaps begin early; young girls report less interest and self-efficacy in technology compared with boys in elementary school. In the current study (N=96), we assessed 6-year-old children's stereotypes about STEM fields and tested an intervention to develop girls' STEM motivation despite these stereotypes. First-grade children held stereotypes that boys were better than girls at robotics and programming but did not hold these stereotypes about math and science. Girls with stronger stereotypes about robotics and programming reported lower interest and self-efficacy in these domains. We experimentally tested whether positive experience with programming robots would lead to greater interest and self-efficacy among girls despite these stereotypes. Children were randomly assigned either to a treatment group that was given experience in programming a robot using a smartphone or to control groups (no activity or other activity). Girls given programming experience reported higher technology interest and self-efficacy compared with girls without this experience and did not exhibit a significant gender gap relative to boys' interest and self-efficacy. These findings show that children's views mirror current American cultural messages about who excels at computer science and engineering and show the benefit of providing young girls with chances to experience technological activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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The science behind the proposed maturity standard change
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The current maturity standard for navel oranges in California has been in place for nearly 100 years yet does not always do a good job of ensuring that consumers obtain good-tasting fruit during the early season. Early work that was performed which supported adoption of the standard may have been ad...
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A comparison of skeletal maturity assessed by radiological and ultrasonic methods.
Utczas, Katinka; Muzsnai, Agota; Cameron, Noel; Zsakai, Annamaria; Bodzsar, Eva B
2017-07-08
The estimation of skeletal maturity is a useful tool in pediatric practice to determine the degree of delay or advancement in growth disorders and the effectiveness of treatment in conditions that influence linear growth. Skeletal maturity of children is commonly assessed using either Greulich-Pyle (GP) or Tanner-Whitehouse methods (TW2 and TW3). However, a less invasive ultrasonic method, that does not use ionizing radiation, has been suggested for use in epidemiological studies of skeletal maturity. The main purpose of the present study was to determine the accuracy of an ultrasonic method based on the GP maturity indicators compared to the standard GP radiographic method. Skeletal maturity of 1502 healthy children, aged from 6 to 18 years, was estimated by quantitative ultrasound and compared to GP bone ages estimated from left hand and wrist radiographs of a subsample of 47 randomly selected participants. The ultrasonic bone age estimation demonstrated very strong correlations with all the radiological age estimations. The correlation coefficients ranged between 0.895 and 0.958, and the strongest correlation of ultrasonic skeletal maturity estimation was found with the Tanner-Whitehouse RUS method. The ultrasonic bone age estimation is suggested for use between the chronological ages of 8.5-16.0 years in boys and 7.5-15.0 years in girls. The ultrasonic bone age estimation is suggested for use in epidemiological surveys since the sensitivity for screening for not normal bone development is appropriate, at least within the 8-15 years age interval. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Thompson, Richard; Zuroff, David C.
1999-01-01
Proposed a model of the development of self-criticism in adolescent girls in which maternal dissatisfaction leads to maternal coldness. The model was supported in a sample of 54 early adolescent girls and their mothers. Discusses implications of the findings for theory and future research. (SLD)
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Pioneering new approaches. Educating girls in Africa.
Namuddu, K
1993-01-01
In Africa, the education of girls has varied with the history and development of countries. For instance, botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland have higher enrollment of girls than boys, and in Nigeria the dropout rate for boys is higher than for girls. In Mozambique, girl's education is dependent on matrilineal or patrilineal family structure, urban or rural location, or religious preference. These and many other factors interfere with girl's access, survival, performance, and achievement in school. Strategies generally involve 1) improving access and increasing enrollment, 2) increasing survival in the school system, and 3) improving the quality of the learning environment. Most African countries are involved with the first strategy, but problems remain in selecting the appropriate age to begin school, retaining students and teachers, lowering absenteeism, providing adequate and appropriate teaching materials for students, and other factors that discourage female attendance. Solutions have involved establishing book banks and cardboard box libraries as a supplement to classroom learning. Gender stereotypes in curriculum materials are being introduced which show females in a positive and prominent way. In Zambia, an in-service training program aims to develop positive teacher attitudes toward girls, toward their work, and toward pupil's work. Program efforts in Kenya are attempting to educate parents about the importance of keeping their daughters in school, and about issues related to population, health, education, and a healthy environment. Traditional practices such as female circumcision, childhood marriages, early pregnancy, and nutritional taboos are discouraged. There are 43 district coordinators who conduct seminars and workshops to spread information to communities and households. Other countries are engaged in village meetings and workshops to persuade parents to examine their own interpersonal interaction with their daughters and the impact on their
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Integrated health of the girl child.
Ghosh, S
1995-01-01
This article discusses factors that affect the well-being and health of female children in India: sex ratio, literacy, food intake, morbidity, mortality, early marriage, maternal mortality, nutrition, prenatal care and delivery, family planning responsibilities, and access to health services. India has recognized within its Constitution and other government documents and programs equality for women, but practices lag behind principles. A National Action Plan was formulated for the period 1991-2000 for the girl child. Women themselves must change their attitudes about themselves and their female children. Several pilot programs have demonstrated the potential to empower girls to be outspoken, vocal, and enthusiastic. Girls in India are disadvantaged even before their birth. Patriarchal norms reinforce the view of girls as a bad investment. Women are blamed for not bearing a son, despite the evidence that males carry the deciding gender-specific chromosome. Tamil Nadu districts are known for their female infanticide. The declining sex ratio is attributed to the higher death rate among females younger than 35 years. Females until recently had a lower life expectancy than males. Sex ratios vary between states. The only state with a positive female sex ratio is Kerala. Males outnumber females by almost 10% in most of the northern and eastern states. Illiteracy among women is high in about 100 districts. Female school enrollment is 50% less than male enrollment. Females suffer from higher rates of malnutrition, morbidity, and death. Girls' adolescent growth spurt is delayed until 18 years. Maternal mortality accounts for the largest proportion of deaths among women of reproductive age. The most common reason for abortion is "too many children." Lower socioeconomic status is associated with lower nutrition. Women do not have control over their fertility. Women are limited in their access to reproductive health care.
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Nilsen, Wendy; Karevold, Evalill; Røysamb, Espen; Gustavson, Kristin; Mathiesen, Kristin S
2013-02-01
The current population-based study of Norwegian adolescents examined gender-specific patterns in the prospective association between social skills in early adolescence (age 12.5; n = 566) and changes in depressive symptoms from early to late adolescence (age 16.5; n = 375). Further, a potential mediation effect of social support (from peers, parents, and teachers) in middle adolescence (age 14.5; n = 456) was examined. The findings indicated that low levels of social skills in early adolescence predicted increases in depressive symptoms for both girls and boys. Low levels of friend support in middle adolescence mediated this relationship for girls, but not boys. The findings underline the importance of including social skills training in primary programs designed to prevent development of depression. Preventive programs should also include actions on how girls can cope with interpersonal difficulties. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Physiologic Estrogen Replacement Increases Bone Density in Adolescent Girls with Anorexia Nervosa
Misra, Madhusmita; Katzman, Debra; Miller, Karen K.; Mendes, Nara; Snelgrove, Deirdre; Russell, Melissa; Goldstein, Mark; Ebrahimi, Seda; Clauss, Laura; Weigel, Thomas; Mickley, Diane; Schoenfeld, David; Herzog, David B.; Klibanski, Anne
2011-01-01
Background Anorexia nervosa (AN) is prevalent in adolescents and is associated with decreased bone mineral accrual at a time critical for optimizing bone mass. Low bone mineral density (BMD) in AN is a consequence of nutritional and hormonal alterations, including hypogonadism and low estradiol levels. Effective therapeutic strategies to improve BMD in adolescents with AN have not been identified. Specifically, high estrogen doses given as an oral contraceptive do not improve BMD. The impact of physiological estrogen doses that mimic puberty on BMD has not been examined. Subjects and Methods We enrolled 110 girls with AN and 40 normal-weight controls (C) 12–18y of similar maturity. Subjects were studied for 18 months. Mature AN [bone age (BA) ≥15 y; n=96] were randomized to transdermal 100mcg 17β-estradiol (with cyclic progesterone) or placebo for 18m. Immature AN (BA <15y; n=14) were randomized to incremental low dose oral ethinyl-estradiol (3.75mcg daily from 0–6m, 7.5mcg from 6–12m, 11.25mcg from 12–18m) to mimic pubertal estrogen increases, or placebo for the 18m duration. Results All BMD measures assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were lower in AN than C. At baseline, AN randomized to estrogen (AN E+) did not differ from those randomized to placebo (AN E−) for age, maturity, height, BMI, amenorrhea duration and BMD parameters. Spine and hip BMD Z-scores increased over time in the AN E+ compared with AN E− group, even after controlling for baseline age and weight. Conclusion Physiological estradiol replacement increases spine and hip BMD in girls with AN. PMID:21698665
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The Role of Capsid Maturation on Adenovirus Priming for Sequential Uncoating*
Pérez-Berná, Ana J.; Ortega-Esteban, Alvaro; Menéndez-Conejero, Rosa; Winkler, Dennis C.; Menéndez, Margarita; Steven, Alasdair C.; Flint, S. Jane; de Pablo, Pedro J.; San Martín, Carmen
2012-01-01
Adenovirus assembly concludes with proteolytic processing of several capsid and core proteins. Immature virions containing precursor proteins lack infectivity because they cannot properly uncoat, becoming trapped in early endosomes. Structural studies have shown that precursors increase the network of interactions maintaining virion integrity. Using different biophysical techniques to analyze capsid disruption in vitro, we show that immature virions are more stable than the mature ones under a variety of stress conditions and that maturation primes adenovirus for highly cooperative DNA release. Cryoelectron tomography reveals that under mildly acidic conditions mimicking the early endosome, mature virions release pentons and peripheral core contents. At higher stress levels, both mature and immature capsids crack open. The virus core is completely released from cracked capsids in mature virions, but it remains connected to shell fragments in the immature particle. The extra stability of immature adenovirus does not equate with greater rigidity, because in nanoindentation assays immature virions exhibit greater elasticity than the mature particles. Our results have implications for the role of proteolytic maturation in adenovirus assembly and uncoating. Precursor proteins favor assembly by establishing stable interactions with the appropriate curvature and preventing premature ejection of contents by tightly sealing the capsid vertices. Upon maturation, core organization is looser, particularly at the periphery, and interactions preserving capsid curvature are weakened. The capsid becomes brittle, and pentons are more easily released. Based on these results, we hypothesize that changes in core compaction during maturation may increase capsid internal pressure to trigger proper uncoating of adenovirus. PMID:22791715
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Duitama, Sandra M; Zurita, Javier; Cordoba, Diana; Duran, Paola; Ilag, Leopold; Mejia, Wilson
2018-05-20
To evaluate the intake of a soy protein-based supplement (SPS) and its effects on the sexual maturation and nutritional status of prepubertal children who consumed it for a year. Healthy children (n = 51) were recruited and randomly assigned to consume the lunch fruit juice with (n = 29) or without (n = 22) addition of 45 g of a commercial soy protein-based supplement (SPS) over 12 months. Nutritional assessment including anthropometry (bodyweight, height, triceps skinfold thickness, mid-upper arm circumference), body mass index (BMI), upper arm muscle area, arm muscle circumference, upper arm area, upper arm fat area data were derived from measures using usual procedures; age and gender-specific percentiles were used as reference. Sexual maturation was measured by Tanner stage. Isoflavones were quantified using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Height, BMI/age, weight/age and height/age were significantly different (P < 0.05) at 12 months between girls in the control and intervention groups. Statistically significant differences between groups by gender (P < 0.05) were found in boys in the control group for the triceps skinfold thickness and fat area. Nutritional status was adequate according to the World Health Organization parameters. On average, 0.130 mg/kg body weight/day of isoflavones were consumed by children, which did not show significant differences in their sexual maturation. Consumption of SPS for 12 months did not affect sexual maturation or the onset of puberty in prepubertal boys and girls; however, it may have induced an increase in height, BMI/age, height/age and weight/age of the girls, associated with variations in fat-free mass. © 2018 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).
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Changes in Families since the Early Twentieth Century in Japan--The Role of Higher Girls' Schools.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sekiguchi, Reiko W.
The higher girls' schools in Japan from 1895-1926 are related to the family structure and cycle, the role of the wife and mother, the relationship between the sexes, and the relationship between generations. The higher girls' schools (comparable to secondary education), were created for the families of middle class society. They fostered the good…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jung, Jaehee; Forbes, Gordon B.
2013-01-01
Multiple measures of body dissatisfaction and behaviors associated with disordered eating were studied in 258 White girls, 223 White boys, 106 Black girls, and 82 Black boys. All participants were unpaid volunteers between the ages of 12 and 15 attending six middle schools in Delaware and Maryland. On two self-ideal figure drawing discrepancy…
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stevens, Tia; Morash, Merry; Park, Suyeon
2011-01-01
Based on resilience and feminist criminological theories, several individual, family, and community characteristics were hypothesized to predict late-adolescent delinquency for girls varying in early-adolescent risk. Girls aged 12 and 13 were interviewed each year as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Predictors of…
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Relationship between dental calcification and skeletal maturation in a Peruvian sample
Lecca-Morales, Rocío M.; Carruitero, Marcos J.
2017-01-01
ABSTRACT Objective: the objective of the study was to determine the relationship between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturation in a Peruvian sample. Methods: panoramic, cephalometric and carpal radiographs of 78 patients (34 girls and 44 boys) between 7 and 17 years old (9.90 ± 2.5 years) were evaluated. Stages of tooth calcification of the mandibular canine, first premolar, second premolar, and second molar and the skeletal maturation with a hand-wrist and a cervical vertebrae method were assessed. The relationships between the stages were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Additionally, the associations of mandibular and pubertal growth peak stages with tooth calcification were evaluated by Fisher’s exact test. Results: all teeth showed positive and statistically significant correlations, the highest correlation was between the mandibular second molar calcification stages with hand-wrist maturation stages (r = 0.758, p < 0.001) and with vertebrae cervical maturation stages (r = 0.605, p < 0.001). The pubertal growth spurt was found in the G stage of calcification of the second mandibular molar, and the mandibular growth peak was found in the F stage of calcification of the second molar. Conclusion: there was a positive relationship between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturation stages by hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae methods in the sample studied. Dental calcification stages of the second mandibular molar showed the highest positive correlation with the hand-wrist and cervical vertebrae stages. PMID:28746492
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Rudroff, Thorsten; Kelsey, Megan M; Melanson, Edward L; McQueen, Matthew B; Enoka, Roger M
2013-08-01
To compare the associations between neuromuscular performance and anthropometric characteristics with habitual levels of physical activity in boys and girls during the initial stages of puberty. In a cross-sectional study of 72 healthy children (39 boys and 33 girls) ranging in age from 8 to 14 years, sex differences in anthropometric and motor performance characteristics were compared at 3 Tanner stages (T1-T3). Outcome variables included dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements of body composition, assessments of neuromuscular function, and levels of physical activity (steps/day) measured by accelerometry. Physical activity was lower in girls than boys at T2 and T3, but there was no sex difference at T1. Physical activity increased with Tanner stage for boys but did not differ between Tanner stages in girls. Physical activity at each Tanner stage was strongly associated (R(2) > 0.85) with neuromuscular characteristics for both boys and girls, but percentage of body fat also was associated with physical activity for T3 girls. The attenuated gains in neuromuscular function experienced by girls in early stages of puberty were strongly associated with lower levels of physical activity, whereas the increase in physical activity exhibited by boys was mostly related to increases in the strength and endurance of leg muscles. Because sedentary activity is a known contributor to the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes in youth, this study helps to identify possible contributors to decreases in physical activity in young girls and provides potential targets for early intervention. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Harrop, Clare; Shire, Stephanie; Gulsrud, Amanda; Chang, Ya-Chih; Ishijima, Eric; Lawton, Kathy; Kasari, Connie
2015-01-01
Due to the predominance of boys diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), girls are rarely studied independently. Research specifically focusing on play and social-communication in girls with ASD is extremely varied. We were interested in whether girls with ASD demonstrated equivalent social-communication and play skills in early childhood…
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Bicarbonate Transport During Enamel Maturation.
Yin, Kaifeng; Paine, Michael L
2017-11-01
Amelogenesis (tooth enamel formation) is a biomineralization process consisting primarily of two stages (secretory stage and maturation stage) with unique features. During the secretory stage, the inner epithelium of the enamel organ (i.e., the ameloblast cells) synthesizes and secretes enamel matrix proteins (EMPs) into the enamel space. The protein-rich enamel matrix forms a highly organized architecture in a pH-neutral microenvironment. As amelogenesis transitions to maturation stage, EMPs are degraded and internalized by ameloblasts through endosomal-lysosomal pathways. Enamel crystallite formation is initiated early in the secretory stage, however, during maturation stage the more rapid deposition of calcium and phosphate into the enamel space results in a rapid expansion of crystallite length and mineral volume. During maturation-stage amelogenesis, the pH value of enamel varies considerably from slightly above neutral to acidic. Extracellular acid-base balance during enamel maturation is tightly controlled by ameloblast-mediated regulatory networks, which include significant synthesis and movement of bicarbonate ions from both the enamel papillary layer cells and ameloblasts. In this review we summarize the carbonic anhydrases and the carbonate transporters/exchangers involved in pH regulation in maturation-stage amelogenesis. Proteins that have been shown to be instrumental in this process include CA2, CA6, CFTR, AE2, NBCe1, SLC26A1/SAT1, SLC26A3/DRA, SLC26A4/PDS, SLC26A6/PAT1, and SLC26A7/SUT2. In addition, we discuss the association of miRNA regulation with bicarbonate transport in tooth enamel formation.
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Birth order in girls with gender identity disorder.
Zucker, K J; Lightbody, S; Pecore, K; Bradley, S J; Blanchard, R
1998-03-01
This study examined the birth order of girls with gender identity disorder (N = 22). Each proband was matched to 3-7 clinical control girls for age at assessment and number of siblings (the mode number of controls per proband was 7) (total N = 147). The number of older brothers, older sisters, younger brothers, and younger sisters was recorded. Slater's birth order index showed that the probands were significantly more likely to be early born than were the controls. A modified Slater's index also compared the birth order of the probands and the controls only to their brothers (when they had one or more) and only to their sisters (when they had one or more). Compared to the controls, the probands were born early compared to their sisters, but not to their brothers. These findings are the inverse of two previous studies of boys with gender identity disorder, who were later born relative to clinical control boys, an effect that appeared to be accounted for primarily by being born later relative to older brothers, but not to older sisters.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kubik, Elizabeth K.; Hecker, Jeffrey E.
2005-01-01
Cognitive distortions about sexual offending were examined in 11 girls who committed sexual offenses, 12 girls who committed non-sexual criminal offenses, and 21 girls with no history of sexual or non-sexual offending. Participants responded to 12 vignettes that described sexual contact between an adolescent girl and a younger boy. The vignettes…
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Carrascosa, Antonio; Yeste, Diego; Moreno-Galdó, Antonio; Gussinyé, Miquel; Ferrández, Ángel; Clemente, María; Fernández-Cancio, Mónica
2018-02-20
Pubertal growth pattern differs according to age at pubertal growth spurt onset which occurs over a five years period (girls: 8-13 years, boys: 10-15 years). The need for more than one pubertal reference pattern has been proposed. We aimed to obtain five 1-year-age-interval pubertal patterns. Longitudinal (6 years of age-adult height) growth study of 1,453 healthy children to evaluate height-for-age, growth velocity-for-age and weight-for-age values. According to age at pubertal growth spurt onset girls were considered: very-early matures (8-9 years, n=119), early matures (9-10 years, n=157), intermediate matures (10-11 years, n=238), late matures (11-12 years, n=127) and very-late matures (12-13 years, n=102), and boys: very-early matures (10-11 years, n=110), early matures (11-12 years, n=139), intermediate matures (12-13 years, n=225), late matures (13-14 years, n=133) and very-late matures (14-15 years, n=103). Age at menarche and growth up to adult height were recorded. In both sexes, statistically-significant (P<.0001) and clinically-pertinent differences in pubertal growth pattern (mean height-for-age, mean growth velocity-for-age and mean pubertal height gain, values) were found among the five pubertal maturity groups and between each group and the whole population, despite similar adult height values. The same occurred for age at menarche and growth from menarche to adult height (P<.05). In both sexes, pubertal growth spurt onset is a critical milestone determining pubertal growth and sexual development. The contribution of our data to better clinical evaluation of growth according to the pubertal maturity tempo of each child will obviate the mistakes made when only one pubertal growth reference is used. Copyright © 2018. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.
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Kerr, David C R; DeGarmo, David S; Leve, Leslie D; Chamberlain, Patricia
2014-08-01
Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) has been found to reduce delinquency among girls in juvenile justice through 2-year follow-up. Given that such girls are at elevated risk for suicide and depression into adulthood, we tested MTFC effects on long-term trajectories of suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. Girls (N = 166; mean [SD] age = 15.3 [1.2] years; 68% White) with a recent criminal referral who were mandated to out-of-home care were enrolled in 2 sequential cohorts. Girls were randomized to receive MTFC (n = 81) or group care (GC) treatment as usual (TAU; n = 85); the second MTFC cohort also received modules targeting substance use and risky sexual behavior. Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were assessed repeatedly through early adulthood (mean [SD] follow-up = 8.8 [2.9] years). Suicide attempt history was assessed in early adulthood. Girls assigned to MTFC showed significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms across the long-term follow-up than GC girls (π = -.86, p < .05). Decreases in suicidal ideation rates were slightly stronger in MTFC than in GC as indicated by a marginal main effect (odds ratio [OR] = .92, p < .10) and a significant interaction that favored MTFC in the second cohort relative to the first (OR = .88, p < .01). There were no significant MTFC effects on suicide attempt. MTFC decreased depressive symptoms and suicidal thinking beyond the decreases attributable to time and TAU. Thus, MTFC has further impact on girls' lives than originally anticipated. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.
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Growing Up Girl: Preparing for Change through Group Work
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Khattab, Nancy; Jones, Cathy P.
2007-01-01
The early years of school provide opportunities for active learning, including developing habits of resiliency and perceptions of self-worth. Girls in particular may be at risk for developing negative self-perceptions. This article presents a pilot group (psychoeducational and counseling) designed to educate members about pre-adolescent…
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Parenting Stress and Youth Symptoms among Girls with and without ADHD
Gordon, Chanelle T.; Hinshaw, Stephen P.
2017-01-01
SYNOPSIS Objective To examine the aspects of parenting stress—parental distress [PD] and parental stress due to dysfunctional interactions [PSDI]—reported by mothers of girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both childhood and adolescence and to understand their associations with internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescence. Design The diverse sample comprised 120 girls with ADHD and 81 age- and ethnicity-matched comparison girls, evaluated at ages 6–12 years and followed prospectively for 5 years. Basic demographics, oppositionality, childhood behavioral outcomes and symptoms, and key parenting practice were covaried in the analyses. Results Longitudinally, PD during the participants’ childhood was positively associated with adolescent externalizing and internalizing behaviors, even when statistically controlling for parallel childhood behaviors. PSDI during adolescence was associated with contemporaneous adolescent depressive symptoms and externalizing behaviors, but PD was associated with only internalizing behaviors. With respect to moderation by diagnostic group, PSDI (in childhood) was associated with adolescent internalizing symptoms only in girls with ADHD. However, associations between PD in childhood and internalizing behaviors were stronger in the comparison than the ADHD sample. Conclusions Minimizing early dysfunctional interactions might reduce internalizing behaviors in girls with ADHD. Interventions targeting parental distress may be beneficial for girls, regardless of ADHD status. PMID:29308056
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Maturation of metabolic connectivity of the adolescent rat brain
Choi, Hongyoon; Choi, Yoori; Kim, Kyu Wan; Kang, Hyejin; Hwang, Do Won; Kim, E Edmund; Chung, June-Key; Lee, Dong Soo
2015-01-01
Neuroimaging has been used to examine developmental changes of the brain. While PET studies revealed maturation-related changes, maturation of metabolic connectivity of the brain is not yet understood. Here, we show that rat brain metabolism is reconfigured to achieve long-distance connections with higher energy efficiency during maturation. Metabolism increased in anterior cerebrum and decreased in thalamus and cerebellum during maturation. When functional covariance patterns of PET images were examined, metabolic networks including default mode network (DMN) were extracted. Connectivity increased between the anterior and posterior parts of DMN and sensory-motor cortices during maturation. Energy efficiency, a ratio of connectivity strength to metabolism of a region, increased in medial prefrontal and retrosplenial cortices. Our data revealed that metabolic networks mature to increase metabolic connections and establish its efficiency between large-scale spatial components from childhood to early adulthood. Neurodevelopmental diseases might be understood by abnormal reconfiguration of metabolic connectivity and efficiency. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11571.001 PMID:26613413
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Maturation and Collection of Yellow-Poplar Seeds in the Midsouth
F. T. Bonner
1976-01-01
Yellow-poplar fruits are best collected in late October when their color changes from green to yellow-green or yellow. There were no other obvious physical or chemical changes indicating maturity. The seeds are physiologically mature as early as September 1, although high fruit moisture contents make special handling necessary if fruits are collected at this time....
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The Girl Game Company: Engaging Latina Girls in Information Technology
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Denner, Jill; Bean, Steve; Martinez, Jacob
2009-01-01
This article describes the Girl Game Company's involvement in teaching Latina girls to design and program computer games while building a network of support to help them pursue IT courses and careers. Afterschool programs like the Girl Game Company can fill an important gap by providing opportunities for underserved youth to build IT fluency. A…
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Weight Status, Parent Reaction, and Self-Concept in Five-Year-Old Girls
Davison, Kirsten Krahnstoever; Birch, Leann Lipps
2008-01-01
Objective This study examined the relationship between weight status and self-concept in a sample of preschool-aged girls and whether parental concern about child overweight or restriction of access to food are associated with negative self-evaluations among girls. Method Participants were 197 5-year-old girls and their parents. Girls’ weight status (weight for height percentile) was calculated based on height and weight measurements. Girls’ self-concept was assessed using an individually administered questionnaire. Parents’ concern about their child’s weight status and restriction of their child’s access to food were assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Results Girls with higher weight status reported lower body esteem and lower perceived cognitive ability than did girls with lower weight status. Independent of girl’s weight status, higher paternal concern about child overweight was associated with lower perceived physical ability among girls; higher maternal concern about child overweight was associated with lower perceived physical and cognitive ability among girls. Finally, higher maternal restriction of girls’ access to foods was associated with lower perceived physical and cognitive ability among girls with higher weight status but not among girls with lower weight status. Conclusions At least as early as age 5 years, lower self-concept is noted among girls with higher weight status. In addition, parents’ concern about their child’s weight status and restriction of access to food are associated with negative self-evaluations among girls. Public health programs that raise parental awareness of childhood overweight without also providing constructive and blame-free alternatives for addressing child weight problems may be detrimental to children’s mental health. PMID:11134433
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[Myonuclear domain and microtubule proteome during skeletal muscle maturation].
Couturier, Nathalie; Gache, Vincent
2017-11-01
In the normal course of muscle fiber development, myonuclei actively position and adapt a precise localization in mature fibers, shaping MyoNuclear Domains (MNDs). Myonuclei positioning in fibers appears to be essential for muscle function as defects in MNDs settings are always associated with dysfunction (i.e., centronuclear myopathy, sarcopenia). Previous studies have shown that myonuclei positioning in fibers is reversible, suggesting that in pathologies presenting MNDs impairment, myonuclei could be re-addressed to the "correct" position in fibers and this could benefit to muscle function. Cytoskeleton networks, and particularly microtubules, have been implicated in early nuclei localization in myotubes. As the microtubule network is completely redesigned during muscle maturation, we hypothesized that "microtubules associated proteomes" would change between immature and mature fibers and contribute to a microtubule-dependent process resulting in MNDs setting and maintenance in mature fibers. We performed an in vitro biochemical approach to isolate microtubules partners in immature (myotubes) and mature myofibers. Using mass-spectrometry identification, we selected 244 candidates, differentially associated/expressed with microtubules during myofiber maturation and potentially controlling MNDs settings. We are currently conducting a siRNA screen approach on these candidates to decipher their respective implication in early and late phases of MNDs establishment, using an unbiased assay developed by our team allowing statistical analysis of MNDs regarding myonuclei content. This approach will lead to the identification of new pathways related to nuclear positioning and MNDs setting in normal condition and in myopathies associated to MNDs impairment such as CNMs. © 2017 médecine/sciences – Inserm.
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Influential Factors in Career Orientation and Career Aspiration of Early Adolescent Girls.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rainey, Leslie Martin; Borders, L. DiAnne
1997-01-01
Investigates two models of career development using 276 seventh- and eighth-grade girls and their mothers. Results indicate that in both models, adolescents' agentic characteristics (e.g., independence, assertiveness, willingness to take a stand) and maternal variables (e.g., education, employment, etc.) contributed significantly to adolescents'…
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Raudsepp, Lennart; Riso, Eva-Maria
2017-08-01
The objective of this study was to examine the prospective relationship and changes in sedentary behavior between adolescent girls, their mothers and best friends over time. The results are based on 122 girls aged 11-12 years at baseline measurement, their mothers and best friends who completed ecological momentary assessment diary for the assessment of sedentary behavior. All measurements were taken at 3 time points separated by one year. We used structural equation modeling to examine associations among sedentary behavior of adolescent girls, their mothers and best friends. A linear growth model for adolescent girls' and their best friends' sedentary behavior fit the data well, revealing an overall significant increase in sedentary behavior across time. Initial levels of mothers' and best friends' sedentary behavior were positively related with sedentary behavior of adolescent girls. The changes of adolescent girls' and best friends' sedentary behavior across 3 years were positively related. Cross-lagged panel analysis demonstrated significant reciprocal effects between adolescent girls' and best friends' sedentary behavior. Mothers' sedentary behavior at baseline predicted daughters' sedentary behavior at 1-year follow-up and vice versa. From early to midadolescence, changes in adolescent girls' sedentary behavior were associated with changes in best friends' sedentary behavior. These findings suggest reciprocal associations between sedentary behavior of adolescent girls and their best friends.
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Dietary habits in adolescent girls with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Eleftheriadou, Maria; Stefanidis, Konstantinos; Lykeridou, Katerina; Iliadis, Iakovos; Michala, Lina
2015-04-01
The phenotype of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is known to worsen with weight gain, increased ingestion of carbohydrates and a sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary habits in a group of adolescent girls with PCOS. Adolescents with PCOS were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire on their eating habits and a recall dietary diary, from which their caloric and macronutrient intake was calculated. Results were compared with those from a group of normal controls. Thirty-five women with PCOS and 46 controls were included. Girls with PCOS were less likely to have cereals for breakfast (20.7 versus 66.7%) and as a result consumed less fibre than controls. They were more likely to eat an evening meal (97.1 versus 78.3%) and eat this over an hour later when compared to controls. Despite having comparable body mass indexes, girls with PCOS ate a daily surplus calorie average of 3% versus controls that had a negative calorie intake of 0.72% (p = 0.047). Ameliorating eating habits early in adolescence in girls with PCOS may improve future metabolic concerns related to a genetic predisposition and worsened by an unhealthy lifestyle.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Deutsch, Nancy L.; Reitz-Krueger, Cristina L.; Henneberger, Angela K.; Futch Ehrlich, Valerie A.; Lawrence, Edith C.
2017-01-01
Group mentoring is an increasingly popular intervention, but is still under-studied. This article reports findings from a qualitative study of the Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP), a combined group and one-on-one mentoring program for early adolescent girls. Protégés (n = 113) were interviewed post-program about changes they made as a result of…
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Johnson, W; Stovitz, S D; Choh, A C; Czerwinski, S A; Towne, B; Demerath, E W
2012-04-01
To estimate differences in skeletal maturity and stature from birth to age 18 years between individuals who are overweight vs normal weight in young adulthood. Weight, length and height, and relative skeletal age (skeletal-chronological age) were assessed annually from birth to age 18 years in 521 subjects (255 women) in the Fels Longitudinal Study who were overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) >25 kg m(-2), n=131) or normal weight (n=390) in young adulthood (18-30 years). Generalized estimating equations were used to test for skeletal maturity and stature differences by young adult BMI status. Differences in height increased during puberty, being significant for girls at ages 10 to 12 years, and for boys at ages 11 to 13 years (P-values<0.001), with overweight or obese adults being ∼3 cm taller at those ages than normal weight adults. These differences then diminished so that by age 18 years, overweight or obese adults were not significantly different in stature to their normal weight peers. Differences in skeletal maturity were similar, but more pervasive; overweight or obese adults were more skeletally advanced throughout childhood. Skeletal maturity differences peaked at chronological age 12 in boys and 14 in girls (P-values<0.001), with overweight or obese adults being ∼1 year more advanced than normal weight adults. This descriptive study is the first to track advanced skeletal maturity and linear growth acceleration throughout infancy, childhood and adolescence in individuals who become overweight, showing that differences occur primarily around the time of the pubertal growth spurt. Increased BMI in children on a path to becoming overweight adults precedes an advancement in skeletal development and subsequently tall stature during puberty. Further work is required to assess the predictive value of accelerated pubertal height growth for assessing obesity risk in a variety of populations.
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Developmental trajectories of girls' and boys' delinquency and associated problems.
Pepler, Debra J; Jiang, Depeng; Craig, Wendy M; Connolly, Jennifer
2010-10-01
Developmental trajectories in delinquency through adolescence were studied along with family and peer relationship problems. Drawing from eight waves of data over seven years, we conducted trajectory analyses with a sample of 746 students (402 girls; 344 boys). Analyzing girls and boys together, a five-class model emerged: 60% of the adolescents rarely reported delinquency; 27.7% reported low initial levels with moderate levels of delinquency over time; 6% in the late onset group reported initially low and rising levels of delinquency; 5% in the early onset group reported moderate initial levels which increased and then decreased in later adolescence. A small group of only boys (1.3%) labeled chronic reported high initial levels of delinquency that increased over time. Group comparisons revealed problems in internalizing, parent and peer relationship problems. The findings provide direction for early identification and interventions to curtail the development of delinquency.
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Estrada, Andrea; Boyce, Alison M; Brillante, Beth A; Guthrie, Lori C; Gafni, Rachel I; Collins, Michael T
2016-11-01
McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare disorder with a broad spectrum including precocious puberty (PP) due to recurrent estrogen-secreting ovarian cysts. This study evaluates the long-term safety and efficacy of letrozole treatment in large cohort of girls with MAS-associated PP. Retrospective cohort analysis. Clinical data, including history and physical examination, bone age, and pelvic ultrasounds, were reviewed on 28 letrozole-treated girls. Adult height was reviewed for 42 historical controls. Outcomes included rate of skeletal maturation, growth velocity, predicted adult height and adult height. Twenty-eight girls received letrozole treatment. Treatment duration was 4.1 ± 2.6 years (mean ± 1 s.d.) (range: 0.5-10.9) and mean follow-up was 6.0 ± 3.3 years (range: 0.5-15.0), for a total of 135.9 person-years of follow-up. Letrozole treatment was highly effective at decreasing the rate of skeletal maturation, with a decline in change in bone age over change in chronological age (ΔBA/ΔCA) from 1.7 (IQR: 2.3) to 0.5 (IQR: 0.4) (P < 0.0001), and growth velocity Z-scores, which declined from 2.2 ± 2.3 to -0.6 ± 1.6 (P = 0.0004). Predicted adult height Z-scores increased significantly from -2.9 ± 3.2 to -0.8 ± 1.5 for subjects on treatment (P = 0.004). Four subjects who completed treatment reached adult height Z-scores ranging from -1.5 to 1.7 (median: -0.6), which were increased in comparison with untreated historical controls (P = 0.02). There was no change in uterine size or ovarian volumes, and no adverse events over the treatment period. In this study with the longest follow-up to date, letrozole treatment resulted in sustained beneficial effects on skeletal maturation, growth velocity and predicted adult height. © 2016 European Society of Endocrinology.
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Brillante, Beth A.; Guthrie, Lori C.; Gafni, Rachel I.; Collins, Michael T.
2016-01-01
Objective McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare disorder with a spectrum including precocious puberty (PP) due to recurrent estrogen-secreting ovarian cysts. This study evaluates the long-term safety and efficacy of letrozole treatment in large cohort of girls with MAS-associated PP. Design Retrospective cohort analysis. Methods Clinical data were reviewed, including history and physical, bone age, and pelvic ultrasounds on 28 letrozole-treated girls. Adult height was reviewed for 42 historical controls. Outcomes included rate of skeletal maturation, growth velocity, predicted adult height, and adult height. Results Twenty-eight girls received letrozole treatment. Treatment duration was 4.1 ± 2.6 years (mean ± 1SD) (0.5–10.9, range) and mean follow-up was 6.0 ± 3.3 years (range 0.5-15.0), for a total of 135.9 person-years of follow-up. Letrozole was highly effective at decreasing the rate of skeletal maturation, with a decline in change in bone age over change in chronological age (ΔBA/ΔCA) from 1.7 (IQR 2.3) to 0.5 (IQR 0.4) (p<0.0001), and growth velocity Z-scores, which declined from 2.2 ± 2.3 to −0.6 ± 1.6 (p = 0.0004). Predicted adult height Z-scores increased significantly from −2.9 ± 3.2 to −0.8 ± 1.5 for subjects on treatment (p = 0.004). Four subjects who completed treatment reached adult height Z-scores ranging from −1.5 to 1.7 (median −0.6), which was increased in comparison to untreated historical controls (p=0.02). There was no change in uterine size or ovarian volumes, and no adverse events over the treatment period. Conclusions In this study with the longest follow-up to date, letrozole treatment resulted in sustained beneficial effects on skeletal maturation, growth velocity and predicted adult height. PMID:27562402
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Resilient Girls--Factors That Protect against Delinquency. Girls Study Group
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hawkins, Stephanie R.; Graham, Phillip W.; Williams, Jason; Zahn, Margaret A.
2009-01-01
According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from 1991 to 2000, arrests of girls increased more (or decreased less) than arrests of boys for most types of offenses. By 2004, girls accounted for 30 percent of all juvenile arrests. However, questions remain about whether these trends reflect an actual increase in girls' delinquency or…
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[The assessment of biological maturation for talent selection - which method can be used?].
Müller, L; Müller, E; Hildebrandt, C; Kapelari, K; Raschner, C
2015-03-01
, requirements and risks before providing written informed consent. The study was performed according to the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the Board for Ethical Questions in Science (Nr.: 2/2014) and the Institutional Ethics Review Boards for Human Research. For the prediction equations, the body height, the body mass and the sitting height were examined 8. The actual CA at time of measurement, and the leg length as the difference between body height and sitting height were calculated. These parameters were used to predict MO as time before or after PHV for boys and girls using the prediction equations of Mirwald et al. 19. According to Malina and Koziel 8, the participants were classified as late, on time (average) or early maturing on the basis of their APHV relative to the sample mean and standard deviation separated by sex. Participants within plus/minus the standard deviation of the mean were considered on time; participants with APHV > mean + standard deviation were classified late, while those with APHV < mean - standard deviation were classified early. An expert in pediatric endocrinology evaluated the x-rays of the left-hand wrist with the Greulich-Pyle-Method for assessing SA, the most widely used method of determining SA 24. The difference between SA and CA were calculated (= difference SA-CA). Consistent with other studies, the participants were divided into three groups according to their maturity status: on time or average maturity status was a SA within ±1 year of CA, late maturating was a SA behind CA of more than 1 year, and early maturating was a SA in advance of CA of more than 1 year 5 19 25. The most accurate method used to compare two methods of measurement is the Bland-Altman plot and the 95 % limits of agreement 26 27 28. Bland-Altman plots of the difference between difference in APHV (from the literature mean) and difference SA-CA (y-axis) and the mean of difference in APHV and difference SA-CA (x-axis) were performed
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Wang, Wei; Hu, Bin; Yuan, Dingyang; Liu, Yongqiang; Che, Ronghui; Hu, Yingchun; Ou, Shujun; Liu, Yongxin; Zhang, Zhihua; Wang, Hongru; Li, Hua; Jiang, Zhimin; Zhang, Zhengli; Gao, Xiaokai; Qiu, Yahong; Meng, Xiangbing; Liu, Yongxin; Bai, Yang; Liang, Yan; Wang, Yiqin; Zhang, Lianhe; Li, Legong; Sodmergen; Jing, Haichun; Li, Jiayang; Chu, Chengcai
2018-03-01
Nitrogen (N) is a major driving force for crop yield improvement, but application of high levels of N delays flowering, prolonging maturation and thus increasing the risk of yield losses. Therefore, traits that enable utilization of high levels of N without delaying maturation will be highly desirable for crop breeding. Here, we show that OsNRT1.1A (OsNPF6.3), a member of the rice ( Oryza sativa ) nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family, is involved in regulating N utilization and flowering, providing a target to produce high yield and early maturation simultaneously. OsNRT.1A has functionally diverged from previously reported NRT1.1 genes in plants and functions in upregulating the expression of N utilization-related genes not only for nitrate but also for ammonium, as well as flowering-related genes. Relative to the wild type, osnrt1.1a mutants exhibited reduced N utilization and late flowering. By contrast, overexpression of OsNRT1.1A in rice greatly improved N utilization and grain yield, and maturation time was also significantly shortened. These effects were further confirmed in different rice backgrounds and also in Arabidopsis thaliana Our study paves a path for the use of a single gene to dramatically increase yield and shorten maturation time for crops, outcomes that promise to substantially increase world food security. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.
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Amorphous silica maturation in chemically weathered clastic sediments
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liesegang, Moritz; Milke, Ralf; Berthold, Christoph
2018-03-01
A detailed understanding of silica postdepositional transformation mechanisms is fundamental for its use as a palaeobiologic and palaeoenvironmental archive. Amorphous silica (opal-A) is an important biomineral, an alteration product of silicate rocks on the surface of Earth and Mars, and a precursor material for stable silica phases. During diagenesis, amorphous silica gradually and gradationally transforms to opal-CT, opal-C, and eventually quartz. Here we demonstrate the early-stage maturation of several million year old opal-A from deeply weathered Early Cretaceous and Ordovician sedimentary rocks of the Great Artesian Basin (central Australia). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalyses show that the mineralogical maturation of the nanosphere material is decoupled from its chemical properties and begins significantly earlier than micromorphology suggests. Non-destructive and locally highly resolved X-ray microdiffraction (μ-XRD2) reveals an almost linear positive correlation between the main peak position (3.97 to 4.06 Å) and a new asymmetry parameter, AP. Heating experiments and calculated diffractograms indicate that nucleation and growth of tridymite-rich nanodomains induce systematic peak shifts and symmetry variations in diffraction patterns of morphologically juvenile opal-A. Our results show that the asymmetry parameter traces the early-stage maturation of amorphous silica, and that the mineralogical opal-A/CT stage extends to smaller d-spacings and larger FWHM values than previously suggested.
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Wang, Wei; Hu, Bin; Liu, Yongqiang; Che, Ronghui; Hu, Yingchun; Zhang, Zhihua; Wang, Hongru; Li, Hua; Jiang, Zhimin; Zhang, Zhengli; Gao, Xiaokai; Qiu, Yahong; Meng, Xiangbing; Liu, Yongxin; Bai, Yang; Liang, Yan; Wang, Yiqin; Zhang, Lianhe; Li, Legong; Sodmergen; Jing, Haichun
2018-01-01
Nitrogen (N) is a major driving force for crop yield improvement, but application of high levels of N delays flowering, prolonging maturation and thus increasing the risk of yield losses. Therefore, traits that enable utilization of high levels of N without delaying maturation will be highly desirable for crop breeding. Here, we show that OsNRT1.1A (OsNPF6.3), a member of the rice (Oryza sativa) nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family, is involved in regulating N utilization and flowering, providing a target to produce high yield and early maturation simultaneously. OsNRT.1A has functionally diverged from previously reported NRT1.1 genes in plants and functions in upregulating the expression of N utilization-related genes not only for nitrate but also for ammonium, as well as flowering-related genes. Relative to the wild type, osnrt1.1a mutants exhibited reduced N utilization and late flowering. By contrast, overexpression of OsNRT1.1A in rice greatly improved N utilization and grain yield, and maturation time was also significantly shortened. These effects were further confirmed in different rice backgrounds and also in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our study paves a path for the use of a single gene to dramatically increase yield and shorten maturation time for crops, outcomes that promise to substantially increase world food security. PMID:29475937
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The prevalence of turner syndrome in girls presenting with coarctation of the aorta.
Wong, Sze Choong; Burgess, Trent; Cheung, Michael; Zacharin, Margaret
2014-02-01
To determine the prevalence of Turner syndrome in girls presenting with coarctation of the aorta (CoA). A total of 132 girls with known structural CoA was identified. Those girls who had no previous karyotype analysis performed were asked to participate in a research study in which a banded karyotype with 50-cell count was performed. Of 132 girls with CoA, 55 (41.7%) had karyotype analysis within 6 months of cardiac diagnosis. Three girls underwent karyotyping later because of clinical concerns. Of the 74 girls with CoA who had not had a karyotype, 38 (51.4%) consented to the study. Results were available for 37 girls. All were 46,XX. Five patients with Turner syndrome were identified in the 95 girls with CoA who had karyotype analysis (4 from early karyotype and 1 diagnosed later), which translated into a minimum prevalence of 5.3% of Turner syndrome in this group of girls with CoA. In addition, one infant with a 20-cell 46,XX karyotype had features of Turner syndrome. Our study demonstrated for the first time in a large cohort that 5.3% of girls presenting with CoA are found to have Turner syndrome when karyotyping is performed. Given the spectrum of preventable and treatable health problems after the diagnosis of Turner syndrome, we believe that all girls with CoA should have a karyotype analysis, ideally with at least 50-cell count, at the time of diagnosis of CoA. Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
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The Amelioration of Olfactory Acuity upon Sexual Maturation Might Affect Food Preferences
Bignetti, Enrico; Sinesio, Fiorella; Aiello, Gaetano L.; Cannella, Carlo
2009-01-01
Upon sexual maturation, olfactory acuity in women ameliorates and starts oscillating across the cycle. During ovulation, mean olfactory threshold is 30 times lower than during bleeding. Interestingly, menstruated women undergo maleodorant trimethylaminuria. We argued that olfactory amelioration during ovulation might concur to a mating strategy, whereas olfactory impairment during bleeding might protect women against self-refusal. Testosterone and its 17β-estradiol derivative might be responsible for the synchronization of these menstrual events. Furthermore, we posed the question whether olfactory detection amelioration upon sexual maturation might provoke a change in food preferences, for instance a reduction in fish consumption. A preliminary survey in Italy provided encouraging results: 15-44 year-old women have lower fish consumption than 3-14 year-old girls. Surprisingly, men exhibited the same behaviour, so new olfactory tests as well as testosterone measurements are under way. PMID:22253964
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Pubertal development, physical self-perception, and motivation toward physical activity in girls.
Labbrozzi, Dina; Robazza, Claudio; Bertollo, Maurizio; Bucci, Ines; Bortoli, Laura
2013-08-01
We examined the differences in physical self-perception and motivation toward physical activity in early- and mid-adolescent girls. Body Mass Index (BMI) and pubertal status, assessed by means of the Tanner scale, were collected in 11-year-old (n=74) and 13-year-old girls (n=60). The assessment included six scales from the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire, the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, and the Situational Intrinsic Motivation Scale. Age differences emerged, with older girls showing a poorer physical perception and lower scores in intrinsic motivation and enjoyment of physical activity. In the subsample of 11-year-olds, findings showed that more developed girls reported a poorer physical perception on the scales of body fat, global physical self-concept, and appearance, and a lower score in the PACES positive scale. Results underscore the need to promote interventions aimed at encouraging active lifestyles among children and adolescent girls, in order to prevent overweight prior to pubertal onset. Copyright © 2013 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Mammalian enamel maturation: Crystallographic changes prior to tooth eruption
Kallistová, Anna; Horáček, Ivan; Šlouf, Miroslav; Skála, Roman; Fridrichová, Michaela
2017-01-01
Using the distal molar of a minipig as a model, we studied changes in the microstructural characteristics of apatite crystallites during enamel maturation (16-23 months of postnatal age), and their effects upon the mechanical properties of the enamel coat. The slow rate of tooth development in a pig model enabled us to reveal essential heterochronies in particular components of the maturation process. The maturation changes began along the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) of the trigonid, spreading subsequently to the outer layers of the enamel coat to appear at the surface zone with a 2-month delay. Correspondingly, at the distal part of the tooth the timing of maturation processes is delayed by 3-5 month compared to the mesial part of the tooth. The early stage of enamel maturation (16-20 months), when the enamel coat is composed almost exclusively of radial prismatic enamel, is characterized by a gradual increase in crystallite thickness (by a mean monthly increment of 3.8 nm); and an increase in the prism width and thickness of crystals composed of elementary crystallites. The late stage of maturation (the last two months prior to tooth eruption), marked with the rapid appearance of the interprismatic matrix (IPM) during which the crystals densely infill spaces between prisms, is characterized by an abrupt decrease in microstrain and abrupt changes in the micromechanical properties of the enamel: a rapid increase in its ability to resist long-term load and its considerable hardening. The results suggest that in terms of crystallization dynamics the processes characterizing the early and late stage of mammalian enamel maturation represent distinct entities. In regards to common features with enamel formation in the tribosphenic molar we argue that the separation of these processes could be a common apomorphy of mammalian amelogenetic dynamics in general. PMID:28196135
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Mammalian enamel maturation: Crystallographic changes prior to tooth eruption.
Kallistová, Anna; Horáček, Ivan; Šlouf, Miroslav; Skála, Roman; Fridrichová, Michaela
2017-01-01
Using the distal molar of a minipig as a model, we studied changes in the microstructural characteristics of apatite crystallites during enamel maturation (16-23 months of postnatal age), and their effects upon the mechanical properties of the enamel coat. The slow rate of tooth development in a pig model enabled us to reveal essential heterochronies in particular components of the maturation process. The maturation changes began along the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) of the trigonid, spreading subsequently to the outer layers of the enamel coat to appear at the surface zone with a 2-month delay. Correspondingly, at the distal part of the tooth the timing of maturation processes is delayed by 3-5 month compared to the mesial part of the tooth. The early stage of enamel maturation (16-20 months), when the enamel coat is composed almost exclusively of radial prismatic enamel, is characterized by a gradual increase in crystallite thickness (by a mean monthly increment of 3.8 nm); and an increase in the prism width and thickness of crystals composed of elementary crystallites. The late stage of maturation (the last two months prior to tooth eruption), marked with the rapid appearance of the interprismatic matrix (IPM) during which the crystals densely infill spaces between prisms, is characterized by an abrupt decrease in microstrain and abrupt changes in the micromechanical properties of the enamel: a rapid increase in its ability to resist long-term load and its considerable hardening. The results suggest that in terms of crystallization dynamics the processes characterizing the early and late stage of mammalian enamel maturation represent distinct entities. In regards to common features with enamel formation in the tribosphenic molar we argue that the separation of these processes could be a common apomorphy of mammalian amelogenetic dynamics in general.
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Berenbaum, Sheri A; Bailey, J Michael
2003-03-01
To address questions about sex assignment in children with ambiguous genitalia, we studied gender identity in girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in relation to characteristics of the disease and treatment, particularly genital appearance and surgery. A 9-item gender identity interview was administered to 43 girls with classical CAH ranging in age from 3-18 yr, 7 tomboys, and 29 sister control girls. Groups were compared on total score and on individual items. Results showed that, on the total gender identity score, 88% of girls with CAH had scores overlapping those of control girls, but the average score was intermediate between control girls and tomboys. On individual items of gender identity (discomfort as a girl, wish to be a boy), girls with CAH were similar to control girls. Gender identity in girls with CAH was not related to degree of genital virilization or age at which genital reconstructive surgery was done. Thus, moderate androgen excess early in development appears to produce a small increase in the risk of atypical gender identity, but this risk cannot be predicted from genital virilization.
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Samino, Sara; Vinaixa, Maria; Díaz, Marta; Beltran, Antoni; Rodríguez, Miguel A; Mallol, Roger; Heras, Mercedes; Cabre, Anna; Garcia, Lorena; Canela, Nuria; de Zegher, Francis; Correig, Xavier; Ibáñez, Lourdes; Yanes, Oscar
2015-06-23
Hyperinsulinaemic androgen excess (HIAE) in prepubertal and pubertal girls usually precedes a broader pathological phenotype in adulthood that is associated with anovulatory infertility, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic derangements that determine these long-term health risks remain to be clarified. Here we use NMR and MS-based metabolomics to show that serum levels of methionine sulfoxide in HIAE girls are an indicator of the degree of oxidation of methionine-148 residue in apolipoprotein-A1. Oxidation of apo-A1 in methionine-148, in turn, leads to an impaired maturation of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) that is reflected in a decline of large HDL particles. Notably, such metabolic alterations occur in the absence of impaired glucose tolerance, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia, and were partially restored after 18 months of treatment with a low-dose combination of pioglitazone, metformin and flutamide.
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Girl Talk: A Smartphone Application to Teach Sexual Health Education to Adolescent Girls
Brayboy, Lynae M.; Schultz, Lucy; Landgren Mills, Benedict S.; Spencer, Noelle; Sepolen, Alexandra; Mezoian, Taylor; Wheeler, Carol; Clark, Melissa A.
2017-01-01
Study Objective Produce Girl Talk, a free smartphone application containing comprehensive sexual health information, and determine the application’s desirability and appeal among teenage girls. Design, Setting and Participants 39 girls ages 12–17 from Rhode Island participated in a two-phase prospective study. In Phase I, 22 girls assessed a sexual health questionnaire in focus groups. In Phase 2, 17 girls with iPhones® used Girl Talk for two weeks and answered the revised sexual health questionnaire and interview questions before and after use. Main Outcome Measures Participants’ responses to the sexual health questionnaire, interviews and time viewing the application were used to determine feasibility and desirability of Girl Talk. Results Girl Talk was used on average for 48 minutes during participants’ free time on weekends for 10–15 minute intervals. Reported usefulness of Girl Talk as a sexual health application increased significantly from baseline to follow-up (35.3% vs. 94.1%; p < .001). Knowledge improved most in topics related to Anatomy and Physiology (4.2%), Sexuality and Relationships (3.5%) and STI Prevention (3.4%). Most participants (76.5%) were exposed to sexual health education prior to using Girl Talk, but 94.1% of participants stated that the application provided new and/or more detailed information than health classes. Conclusion Girl Talk can potentially connect teenage girls to more information about sexual health versus traditional methods, and participants recommended the application as a valuable resource to learn about comprehensive sexual health. PMID:27393638
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Malina, Robert M; Coelho E Silva, Manuel J; Figueiredo, António J; Carling, Christopher; Beunen, Gaston P
2012-01-01
The relationships among indicators of biological maturation were evaluated and concordance between classifications of maturity status in two age groups of youth soccer players examined (11-12 years, n = 87; 13-14 years, n = 93). Data included chronological age (CA), skeletal age (SA, Fels method), stage of pubic hair, predicted age at peak height velocity, and percent of predicted adult height. Players were classified as on time, late or early in maturation using the SA-CA difference, predicted age at peak height velocity, and percent of predicted mature height. Factor analyses indicated two factors in players aged 11-12 years (maturity status: percent of predicted mature height, stage of pubic hair, 59% of variance; maturity timing: SA/CA ratio, predicted age at peak height velocity, 26% of variance), and one factor in players aged 13-14 years (68% of variance). Kappa coefficients were low (0.02-0.23) and indicated poor agreement between maturity classifications. Spearman rank-order correlations between categories were low to moderate (0.16-0.50). Although the indicators were related, concordance of maturity classifications between skeletal age and predicted age at peak height velocity and percent predicted mature height was poor. Talent development programmes call for the classification of youth as early, average, and late maturing for the purpose of designing training and competition programmes. Non-invasive indicators of maturity status have limitations for this purpose.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McKenney, Sarah J.; Bigler, Rebecca S.
2016-01-01
Sexually objectifying messages about girls and women are common in U.S. popular culture. As a consequence of exposure to such messages, girls may develop "internalized sexualization," or internalization of the belief that sexual attractiveness to males is an important aspect of their identity. We hypothesized that internalized…
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[Maturation diagnosis in full term hypotrophic fetuses].
Scharnke, H D; Gartzke, J; Fleischer, G; Isbruch, E
1977-01-01
Foam-Test by Clements is a valuable method for determining the foetus maturity of lungs. We introduce this test along with other parameters for the maturity-diagnosis since one year. In 15% result, the Foam-Test was not applicable because of blood, or meconic amniotic fluid, other wise wrong negative and in 0% wrong positive results. By unmatured child, there was doubtable results with Foam-Test. Since it is important to determine the early delivery of unmatured children, particularly the case of foetus maturity of lungs must be exact, we therefore decided to use the Lecithin/Sphingomyelinquotients in some cases. The results of Lecithin/Sphingomyelinquotient in unmatured children are almost with the approximated date under two. From this, one must deduce from these children, that the intrauterine unmatured lungs lately took place.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dubetz, Terry A.; Wilson, Jo Ann
2013-01-01
Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science (GEMS) is a science and math outreach program for middle-school female students. The program was developed to encourage interest in math and science in female students at an early age. Increased scientific familiarity may encourage girls to consider careers in science and mathematics and will also help…
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Burt, L A; Naughton, G A; Greene, D A; Courteix, D; Ducher, G
2012-04-01
Recent reports indicate an increase in forearm fractures in children. Bone geometric properties are an important determinant of bone strength and therefore fracture risk. Participation in non-elite gymnastics appears to contribute to improving young girls' musculoskeletal health, more specifically in the upper body. The primary aim of this study was to determine the association between non-elite gymnastics participation and upper limb bone mass, geometry, and strength in addition to muscle size and function in young girls. Eighty-eight pre- and early pubertal girls (30 high-training gymnasts [HGYM, 6-16 hr/ wk], 29 low-training gymnasts [LGYM, 1-5 h r/wk] and 29 non-gymnasts [NONGYM]), aged 6-11 years were recruited. Upper limb lean mass, BMD and BMC were derived from a whole body DXA scan. Forearm volumetric BMD, bone geometry, estimated strength, and muscle CSA were determined using peripheral QCT. Upper body muscle function was investigated with muscle strength, explosive power, and muscle endurance tasks. HGYM showed greater forearm bone strength compared with NGYM, as well as greater arm lean mass, BMC, and muscle function (+5% to +103%, p < 0.05). LGYM displayed greater arm lean mass, BMC, muscle power, and endurance than NGYM (+4% to +46%, p < 0.05); however, the difference in bone strength did not reach significance. Estimated fracture risk at the distal radius, which accounted for body weight, was lower in both groups of gymnasts. Compared with NONGYM, HGYM tended to show larger skeletal differences than LGYM; yet, the two groups of gymnasts only differed for arm lean mass and muscle CSA. Non-elite gymnastics participation was associated with musculoskeletal benefits in upper limb bone geometry, strength and muscle function. Differences between the two gymnastic groups emerged for arm lean mass and muscle CSA, but not for bone strength.
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Ramanathan, Dhakshin S.; Conner, James M.; Anilkumar, Arjun A.
2014-01-01
Previous studies reported that early postnatal cholinergic lesions severely perturb early cortical development, impairing neuronal cortical migration and the formation of cortical dendrites and synapses. These severe effects of early postnatal cholinergic lesions preclude our ability to understand the contribution of cholinergic systems to the later-stage maturation of topographic cortical representations. To study cholinergic mechanisms contributing to the later maturation of motor cortical circuits, we first characterized the temporal course of cortical motor map development and maturation in rats. In this study, we focused our attention on the maturation of cortical motor representations after postnatal day 25 (PND 25), a time after neuronal migration has been accomplished and cortical volume has reached adult size. We found significant maturation of cortical motor representations after this time, including both an expansion of forelimb representations in motor cortex and a shift from proximal to distal forelimb representations to an extent unexplainable by simple volume enlargement of the neocortex. Specific cholinergic lesions placed at PND 24 impaired enlargement of distal forelimb representations in particular and markedly reduced the ability to learn skilled motor tasks as adults. These results identify a novel and essential role for cholinergic systems in the late refinement and maturation of cortical circuits. Dysfunctions in this system may constitute a mechanism of late-onset neurodevelopmental disorders such as Rett syndrome and schizophrenia. PMID:25505106
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Mason, W Alex; Chmelka, Mary B; Trudeau, Linda; Spoth, Richard L
2017-01-01
Factors that might exacerbate or mitigate the transmission of depressive symptoms from parents to adolescents and the continuity of depressive symptoms into early adulthood are poorly understood. This study tested the hypothesis that the intergenerational transmission and stability of depressive symptoms would be stronger for girls than boys over adolescence and into early adulthood, while considering the possibility that the pattern of gender moderation might vary depending on parent gender and developmental timing. The participants were 667 rural Midwestern adolescents (52 % female) and their parents. Survey data on maternal and paternal depressive symptoms (at youth age 11) and on adolescent and young adult depressive symptoms (at youth ages 11, 18, and 21) were analyzed via multiple group structural equation modeling. Maternal depressive symptoms predicted increased late adolescent depressive symptoms for girls but not boys, and adolescent depressive symptoms were more stable in girls. Paternal depressive symptoms predicted increased late adolescent depressive symptoms for all youth. The findings suggest the need for early, tailored interventions.
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Chmelka, Mary B.; Trudeau, Linda; Spoth, Richard L.
2016-01-01
Factors that might exacerbate or mitigate the transmission of depressive symptoms from parents to adolescents and the continuity of depressive symptoms into early adulthood are poorly understood. This study tested the hypothesis that the intergenerational transmission and stability of depressive symptoms would be stronger for girls than boys over adolescence and into early adulthood, while considering the possibility that the pattern of gender moderation might vary depending on parent gender and developmental timing. The participants were 667 rural Midwestern adolescents (52 % female) and their parents. Survey data on maternal and paternal depressive symptoms (at youth age 11) and on adolescent and young adult depressive symptoms (at youth ages 11, 18, and 21) were analyzed via multiple group structural equation modeling. Maternal depressive symptoms predicted increased late adolescent depressive symptoms for girls but not boys, and adolescent depressive symptoms were more stable in girls. Paternal depressive symptoms predicted increased late adolescent depressive symptoms for all youth. The findings suggest the need for early, tailored interventions. PMID:27055682
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Development of Hot and Cold Executive Function in Boys and Girls With ADHD.
Skogli, Erik Winther; Andersen, Per Normann; Hovik, Kjell Tore; Øie, Merete
2017-02-01
To investigate the development of executive function with pronounced emotional salience (hot EF) and less pronounced emotional salience (cold EF) in boys and girls with ADHD relative to typically developing (TD) children. Seventy-five children with ADHD and 47 TD children were assessed with hot and cold EF tests at baseline and after 2 years. Despite considerable maturation, the ADHD group remained impaired on all cold EF tests relative to TD children after 2 years. There was no effect of gender on cold EF test results. Females with ADHD outperformed TD counterparts on hot EF at baseline. Females with ADHD showed deteriorating hot EF performance, while TD counterparts showed improved hot EF performance across time. Enduring cold EF impairments after 2 years may reflect stable phenotypic traits in children with ADHD. Results indicate divergent developmental trajectories of hot EF in girls with ADHD relative to TD counterparts.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McKnight, Megan E.; Culotta, Vincent P.
2012-01-01
Research examining neuropsychological profiles of girls with Asperger's disorder (AD) is sparse. In this study, we sought to characterize neurocognitive profiles of girls with AD compared to girls with learning disabilities (LD). Two groups of school-age girls referred for neuropsychological assessment participated in the study. A total of 23…
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Face recognition ability matures late: evidence from individual differences in young adults.
Susilo, Tirta; Germine, Laura; Duchaine, Bradley
2013-10-01
Does face recognition ability mature early in childhood (early maturation hypothesis) or does it continue to develop well into adulthood (late maturation hypothesis)? This fundamental issue in face recognition is typically addressed by comparing child and adult participants. However, the interpretation of such studies is complicated by children's inferior test-taking abilities and general cognitive functions. Here we examined the developmental trajectory of face recognition ability in an individual differences study of 18-33 year-olds (n = 2,032), an age interval in which participants are competent test takers with comparable general cognitive functions. We found a positive association between age and face recognition, controlling for nonface visual recognition, verbal memory, sex, and own-race bias. Our study supports the late maturation hypothesis in face recognition, and illustrates how individual differences investigations of young adults can address theoretical issues concerning the development of perceptual and cognitive abilities. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Young, Jemimah L.; Young, Jamaal R.; Ford, Donna Y.
2017-01-01
The purpose of this study was to explore the differential effects of access to gifted education on the mathematics and science achievement of fourth-grade Black girls. This study utilized mean difference effect sizes to examine the magnitude of differences between groups. By convention, White girls were included as a comparison group. Girls…
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Jago, Russell; Edwards, Mark J; Sebire, Simon J; Cooper, Ashley R; Powell, Jane E; Bird, Emma L; Simon, Joanne; Blair, Peter S
2013-10-24
Many children do not meet current UK physical activity (PA) guidelines. Girls are less active than boys throughout childhood, and the age-related decline in PA, particularly from early adolescence, is steeper for girls than for boys. Dance is the favourite form of PA among UK secondary school aged girls. Delivering dance sessions after school could make a significant contribution to girls' PA. Therefore, after-school dance sessions may be an appropriate and cost-effective activity through which adolescent girls' PA levels can be increased. Two-arm cluster randomised control trial and economic evaluation conducted in 18 secondary schools across the greater Bristol area. All Year 7 girls in participating schools will receive a 'taster' dance session and subsequently be invited to participate in the project. There is space for up to 33 girls to participate in each school. Schools will be randomly assigned in equal numbers to intervention or control arms after baseline data has been collected. The nine intervention schools will receive a 20 week after-school dance-based intervention, consisting of 40 × 75 minute sessions, delivered by external dance instructors. Control schools will not receive the dance intervention. All measures will be assessed at baseline (time 0), at the end of the intervention period (time 1) and six months after the intervention has ended (time 2). Our primary interest is to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the intervention to affect the objectively-assessed (accelerometer) mean weekday minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) accumulated by Year 7 girls one year after the baseline measurement (time 2). This paper describes the protocol for the Bristol Girls Dance Project cluster randomized controlled trial and economic evaluation, which is attempting to increase MVPA among Year 7 girls in UK secondary schools. ISRCTN52882523.
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Caccere, Rodrigo; Teixeira, Simone P; Centeno, Danilo C; Figueiredo-Ribeiro, Rita de Cássia L; Braga, Márcia R
2013-06-15
Inga vera, native to South America, is an important leguminous species used for ecological restoration of riparian forests and its seeds are among the most recalcitrant ones described up to date. In this work, we analysed the metabolic profile, cell ultrastructure as well as cell wall polysaccharides of I. vera seeds in order to better understand its maturation, which allows embryo germination without a quiescent phase. Increased amounts of citric, glutamic, pyroglutamic, and aspartic acids from stages I to II (120 and 129 days after flowering (DAF)) corroborate the hypothesis of high metabolism, shifting from fermentative to aerobic respiration at seed maturity. This phase was characterized by an extensive vacuolization of embryonic cells, which also indicate high metabolic activity. The proportion of arabinose in the cell walls of embryonic axis (approx. 20%) was lower than those found in some orthodox seeds (nearly 40%), suggesting that arabinose-containing polysaccharides, which are thought to provide more flexibility to the cell wall during natural drying, are less abundant in I. vera seeds. Taken together, our results provide evidence that the major changes occurred during early stages of seed maturation of I. vera, indicating that the rapid temporary metabolic shift observed between stages I and II may be related to the lack of desiccation phase, moving directly to germination. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
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Hackley, Paul C.; Ryder, Robert T.; Trippi, Michael H.; Alimi, Hossein
2013-01-01
To better estimate thermal maturity of Devonian shales in the northern Appalachian Basin, eleven samples of Marcellus and Huron Shale were characterized via multiple analytical techniques. Vitrinite reflectance, Rock–Eval pyrolysis, gas chromatography (GC) of whole rock extracts, and GC–mass spectrometry (GCMS) of extract saturate fractions were evaluated on three transects that lie across previously documented regional thermal maturity isolines. Results from vitrinite reflectance suggest that most samples are immature with respect to hydrocarbon generation. However, bulk geochemical data and sterane and terpane biomarker ratios from GCMS suggest that almost all samples are in the oil window. This observation is consistent with the presence of thermogenic gas in the study area and higher vitrinite reflectance values recorded from overlying Pennsylvanian coals. These results suggest that vitrinite reflectance is a poor predictor of thermal maturity in early mature areas of Devonian shale, perhaps because reported measurements often include determinations of solid bitumen reflectance. Vitrinite reflectance interpretations in areas of early mature Devonian shale should be supplanted by evaluation of thermal maturity information from biomarker ratios and bulk geochemical data.
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Klentrou, Panagiota; Angrish, Kirina; Awadia, Nafisa; Kurgan, Nigel; Kouvelioti, Rozalia; Falk, Bareket
2018-04-23
This study examined osteokines related to Wnt signaling at rest and in response to plyometric exercise in 12 boys [10.2 (0.4) y] and 12 girls [10.5 (0.4) y]. One resting (preexercise) and 3 postexercise (5 min, 1 h, and 24 h) blood samples were analyzed for sclerostin, dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-β ligand (RANKL). Girls had higher resting sclerostin than boys [187.1 (40.1) vs 150.4 (36.4) pg·mL -1 , respectively; P = .02]. However, boys had higher DKK-1 [427.7 (142.3) vs 292.8 (48.0) pg·mL -1 , respectively; P = .02] and RANKL [3.9 (3.8) vs 1.0 (0.4) pg·mL -1 , respectively; P < .01] than girls. In girls, sclerostin significantly decreased 5-minute and 1-hour postexercise (χ 2 = 12.7, P = .01), and RANKL significantly decreased 5-minute postexercise (χ 2 = 19.1, P < .01) and continued to decrease up to 24-hour postexercise, with large effect sizes. In boys, DKK-1 significantly decreased 1-hour postexercise and remained lower than preexercise 24-hour postexercise (χ 2 = 13.0, P = .01). OPG increased in both boys (χ 2 = 13.7, P < .01) and girls (χ 2 = 11.4, P = .01), with boys having significantly higher OPG at 5-minute and 1-hour postexercise, whereas in girls, this increase was only seen 24-hour postexercise. Plyometric exercise induces an overall anabolic osteokine response favoring osteoblastogenesis over osteoclastogenesis in both boys and girls although the timeline and mechanism(s) may be different.
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Promoting the achievement of girls in GCSE science
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Morton, Kevin Charles
This study, designed to challenge the under-representation and limited attainment of girls in the physical sciences in an 11-16 comprehensive school, was suggested by research into attitude formation by Kelly et al in the early 1980s. Balanced science, in removing opportunities for girls to opt out of the physical sciences, made it essential to identify those factors which were adversely affecting girls' attitudes towards science.Preliminary research tasks investigated stereotypical attitudes towards science activities and the school curriculum amongst students and their parents. Additional research probed students' perceptions of their ability in science and the relevance of science subjects. Students' attitudes towards science and science teaching were investigated in relation to their option and career choices. These data influenced the choice of MEG Coordinated Science (The Suffolk Development) as the GCSE balanced science course for the school.The subsequent programme of action research included a series of small-scale investigations, involving both monitoring and evaluation, designed to develop the Suffolk scheme and satisfy the research aims. Student attitudes towards teaching methods and the Suffolk materials were amongst those areas investigated. After evaluation the findings were channelled into the action research spiral to integrate teaching methods and curriculum development thereby promoting the attitudes and achievement of the girls.Improvements in attainment by all students, particularly the girls, were illustrated by increasing GCSE success. Although the traditional pattern of boys' superiority within the physical sciences was markedly reduced the research demonstrated that it is possible to improve the attainment of girls within GCSE science without discriminating against boys.Student opinion and the GCSE data suggested that the girls' achievements could be partially explained by the coursework-led assessment which suited the girls' preferred
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Girl Talk: A Smartphone Application to Teach Sexual Health Education to Adolescent Girls.
Brayboy, Lynae M; Sepolen, Alexandra; Mezoian, Taylor; Schultz, Lucy; Landgren-Mills, Benedict S; Spencer, Noelle; Wheeler, Carol; Clark, Melissa A
2017-02-01
Produce Girl Talk, a free smartphone application containing comprehensive sexual health information, and determine the application's desirability and appeal among teenage girls. Thirty-nine girls ages 12 to 17 years from Rhode Island participated in a 2-phase prospective study. In phase I, 22 girls assessed a sexual health questionnaire in focus groups. In phase II, 17 girls with iPhones used Girl Talk for 2 weeks and answered the revised sexual health questionnaire and interview questions before and after use. Participants' responses to the sexual health questionnaire, interviews, and time viewing the application were used to determine feasibility and desirability of Girl Talk. Girl Talk was used on average for 48 minutes during participants' free time on weekends for 10- to 15-minute intervals. Reported usefulness of Girl Talk as a sexual health application from baseline (6 participants) to follow-up (16 participants) increased significantly (35.3% vs 94.1%; P < .001). Knowledge improved most in topics related to anatomy and physiology (70.5% to 74.7% out of 7 questions), sexuality and relationships (76.5% to 80.0% out of 10 questions), and STI prevention (75.6% to 79.0% out of 7 questions). Most phase II participants (13 out of 17, or 76.5%) were exposed to sexual health education before using Girl Talk, but 16 out of 17 participants (94.1%) stated that the application provided new and/or more detailed information than health classes. Girl Talk can potentially connect teenage girls to more information about sexual health vs traditional methods, and participants recommended the application as a valuable resource to learn about comprehensive sexual health. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and body fat in girls
Minatto, Giseli; de Sousa, Thiago Ferreira; de Carvalho, Wellington Roberto Gomes; Ribeiro, Roberto Régis; Santos, Keila Donassolo; Petroski, Edio Luiz
2016-01-01
Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with excess body fat, considering the sexual maturation and economic level in female adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional, epidemiological study of 1223 adolescents (10-17 years) from the public school system of Cascavel, PR, Brazil, in 2006. We analyzed the self-assessed sexual maturation level (prepubertal, pubertal and post-pubertal), the economic level (high and low) through a questionnaire and body fat (normal and high) through triceps and subscapular skinfolds. The 20-meter back-and-forth test was applied to estimate maximum oxygen consumption. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed according to reference criteria and considered low when the minimum health criterion for age and sex was not met. Chi-square test and logistic regression were applied, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness was 51.3%, being associated with all study variables (p<0.001). At the crude analysis, adolescents with high body fat were associated with low cardiorespiratory fitness, when compared to those with normal body fat (OR=2.76; 95%CI: 2.17-3.52). After adjustment by sexual maturation, this association remained valid and showed an effect that was 1.8-fold higher (95%CI: 1.39-2.46) and after adjusting by economic level, the effect was 1.9-fold higher (95%CI: 1.45-2.61). Conclusions: Approximately half of the assessed girls showed unsatisfactory levels of cardiorespiratory fitness for health, which was associated with high body fat, regardless of sexual maturation level and economic level. Effective public health measures are needed, with particular attention to high-risk groups. PMID:27131896
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Sports Participation and Positive Correlates in African American, Latino, and White Girls
Duncan, Susan C.; Strycker, Lisa A.; Chaumeton, Nigel R.
2015-01-01
Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine relations among sports participation and positive correlates across African American, Latino, and white girls. Positive correlate variables were self-perceptions (self-worth, body attractiveness, athletic competence), less depression, and participation in extracurricular activities. Methods The sample comprised 372 girls (mean age = 12.03 years). Data were analyzed using multiple-sample structural equation models, controlling for age and income. Results Across all ethnic groups, greater sports participation was significantly related to higher self-worth, body attractiveness, and athletic competence, and to more extracurricular activity. Among Latino and white girls only, greater sports participation also was related to less depression. There were significant age and income influences on the positive correlates. Conclusions Findings confirm the existence of significant relationships between organized sports participation and positive correlates among early adolescent African American, Latino, and white girls. Despite a few ethnic differences in relationships, the current study revealed more similarities than differences. PMID:26692758
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Lee, Vinson R.; Blew, Rob M.; Farr, Josh N.; Tomas, Rita; Lohman, Timothy G.; Going, Scott B.
2013-01-01
Objective Assess the utility of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) for estimating whole body fat in adolescent girls. Research Methods and Procedures Our sample included 458 girls (aged 10.7 ± 1.1y, mean BMI = 18.5 ± 3.3 kg/m2) who had DXA scans for whole body percent fat (DXA %Fat). Soft tissue analysis of pQCT scans provided thigh and calf subcutaneous percent fat and thigh and calf muscle density (muscle fat content surrogates). Anthropometric variables included weight, height and BMI. Indices of maturity included age and maturity offset. The total sample was split into validation (VS; n = 304) and cross-validation (CS; n = 154) samples. Linear regression was used to develop prediction equations for estimating DXA %Fat from anthropometric variables and pQCT-derived soft tissue components in VS and the best prediction equation was applied to CS. Results Thigh and calf SFA %Fat were positively correlated with DXA %Fat (r = 0.84 to 0.85; p <0.001) and thigh and calf muscle densities were inversely related to DXA %Fat (r = −0.30 to −0.44; p < 0.001). The best equation for estimating %Fat included thigh and calf SFA %Fat and thigh and calf muscle density (adj. R2 = 0.90; SEE = 2.7%). Bland-Altman analysis in CS showed accurate estimates of percent fat (adj. R2 = 0.89; SEE = 2.7%) with no bias. Discussion Peripheral QCT derived indices of adiposity can be used to accurately estimate whole body percent fat in adolescent girls. PMID:25147482
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dunlap, Eloise; Golub, Andrew; Johnson, Bruce D.
2003-01-01
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) has been linked to a wide variety of adverse psychological and behavioral outcomes. This paper describes girls' sexual development in the inner city based on qualitative material from a long-term ethnographic (observational) study. For many inner-city girls, early and then continued experiences of being compelled to have…
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Bellew, R; Raney, L; Subbarao, K
1992-03-01
20 years of research has established that the economic and social benefits of women's primary and secondary schooling are far reaching. The more educated a population's women are, the fewer children they have, and the ones they do have are healthier. However, social tradition and other economic considerations often force families to exclude young girls from education in favor of boys. The safety of young girls is one consideration as well as their value as household labor. There is also a false impression that the good of the community is served if boys are educated, but not so the same for girls. Evidence has been complied to show that in populations where women are more educated, the level of poverty is lower. Because society gains by educating its girls, how can governments change the traditions that have educating its girls, how can governments change the traditions that have previously kept girls under educated? The government of Bangladesh and Guatemala have been very successful with scholarship programs at the primary and secondary level. In Bangladesh the enrollment of females in secondary school almost doubled. The program is also credited with increasing attendance of primary schools, increasing labor force participation, postponing the age of marriage and reducing fertility. Between 1972-80 there were 105 Bank assisted primary and secondary school programs. Of these 20% identified the presence of genderissues, but only 10% included significant actions to improve females enrollment. Between 1981-1991 about half of the Bank assisted programs identified the presence of gender issues, and a quarter included significant actions to improve female enrollment.
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Big Explosions, Strong Gravity: Making Girl Scouts ACEs of Space through Chandra Outreach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hornschemeier, A. E.; Lochner, J. C.; Ganguly, R.; Feaga, L. M.; Ford, K. E. S.
2005-12-01
Thanks to two years of Chandra E/PO funding we have carried out a number of successful activities with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, focusing on girls in the 11-17 year age range. Our reasons for targeting this age range include the general decline in interest in math and science that occurs at or after children reach this critical age (meaning that we reach them early enough to have a positive effect). We initially target girls due to their underrepresentation in science, but the actitivities are all gender-neutral and highly adaptable to other groups. The program includes two components, in collaboration with Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. The first component is a well-established one-day Girl Scout patch activity entitled Big Explosions and Strong Gravity (BESG) where the girls earn a patch for their badge sash. The four BESG activities, mostly adapted from existing E/PO material, are available on the World Wide Web for use by others. The activities cover the electromagnetic spectrum as a tool for astronomy, the cosmic abundance of the elements and the supernova origin of many of the elements, black holes and their detection, and supernova explosions/stellar evolution. Thus far approximately 200 girls and their parents have participated in BESG and it has now become part of the council culture. The second activity is new and is part of the relatively new Girl Scout Studio 2B program, which is a girl-led program for the 11-17 year age range. Based on several meetings with small groups of girls and adults, we have formed a Studio 2B "club" called the ACE of Space Club (Astronomical Cosmic Exploration). We'll describe our experiences interacting with the Girl Scouts in this girl-led program.
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The influence of sex steroids on structural brain maturation in adolescence.
Koolschijn, P Cédric M P; Peper, Jiska S; Crone, Eveline A
2014-01-01
Puberty reflects a period of hormonal changes, physical maturation and structural brain reorganization. However, little attention has been paid to what extent sex steroids and pituitary hormones are associated with the refinement of brain maturation across adolescent development. Here we used high-resolution structural MRI scans from 215 typically developing individuals between ages 8-25, to examine the association between cortical thickness, surface area and (sub)cortical brain volumes with luteinizing hormone, testosterone and estradiol, and pubertal stage based on self-reports. Our results indicate sex-specific differences in testosterone related influences on gray matter volumes of the anterior cingulate cortex after controlling for age effects. No significant associations between subcortical structures and sex hormones were found. Pubertal stage was not a stronger predictor than chronological age for brain anatomical differences. Our findings indicate that sex steroids are associated with cerebral gray matter morphology in a sex specific manner. These hormonal and morphological differences may explain in part differences in brain development between boys and girls.
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Capability maturity models for offshore organisational management.
Strutt, J E; Sharp, J V; Terry, E; Miles, R
2006-12-01
The goal setting regime imposed by the UK safety regulator has important implications for an organisation's ability to manage health and safety related risks. Existing approaches to safety assurance based on risk analysis and formal safety assessments are increasingly considered unlikely to create the step change improvement in safety to which the offshore industry aspires and alternative approaches are being considered. One approach, which addresses the important issue of organisational behaviour and which can be applied at a very early stage of design, is the capability maturity model (CMM). The paper describes the development of a design safety capability maturity model, outlining the key processes considered necessary to safety achievement, definition of maturity levels and scoring methods. The paper discusses how CMM is related to regulatory mechanisms and risk based decision making together with the potential of CMM to environmental risk management.
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RUDOLPH, KAREN D.; TROOP-GORDON, WENDY; LAMBERT, SHARON F.; NATSUAKI, MISAKI N.
2015-01-01
This research explored sex differences in the pathways linking pubertal timing to depression across 4 years. A sample of 167 youth (M age = 12.41 years, SD = 1.19) and their caregivers completed measures of puberty and semistructured interviews of interpersonal stress and youth depression. Youth reported on psychological (negative self-focus, anxious arousal) and social–behavioral (coping) characteristics; parents reported on youths’ social–behavioral characteristics (withdrawal/social problems) and deviant peer affiliations. Early maturation predicted stable high trajectories of depression in girls; although early maturing boys showed low initial levels of depression, they did not differ from girls by the final wave of the study. Latent growth curve analyses identified several psychological, social–behavioral, and interpersonal pathways accounting for the contribution of pubertal timing to initial and enduring risk for depression in girls as well as emerging risk for depression in boys. These findings provide novel insight into multilevel processes accounting for sex differences in depression across the adolescent transition. PMID:25422971
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Late maturation of visual spatial integration in humans
Kovács, Ilona; Kozma, Petra; Fehér, Ákos; Benedek, György
1999-01-01
Visual development is thought to be completed at an early age. We suggest that the maturation of the visual brain is not homogeneous: functions with greater need for early availability, such as visuomotor control, mature earlier, and the development of other visual functions may extend well into childhood. We found significant improvement in children between 5 and 14 years in visual spatial integration by using a contour-detection task. The data show that long-range spatial interactions—subserving the integration of orientational information across the visual field—span a shorter spatial range in children than in adults. Performance in the task improves in a cue-specific manner with practice, which indicates the participation of fairly low-level perceptual mechanisms. We interpret our findings in terms of a protracted development of ventral visual-stream function in humans. PMID:10518600
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Samino, Sara; Vinaixa, Maria; Díaz, Marta; Beltran, Antoni; Rodríguez, Miguel A.; Mallol, Roger; Heras, Mercedes; Cabre, Anna; Garcia, Lorena; Canela, Nuria; de Zegher, Francis; Correig, Xavier; Ibáñez, Lourdes; Yanes, Oscar
2015-01-01
Hyperinsulinaemic androgen excess (HIAE) in prepubertal and pubertal girls usually precedes a broader pathological phenotype in adulthood that is associated with anovulatory infertility, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic derangements that determine these long-term health risks remain to be clarified. Here we use NMR and MS-based metabolomics to show that serum levels of methionine sulfoxide in HIAE girls are an indicator of the degree of oxidation of methionine-148 residue in apolipoprotein-A1. Oxidation of apo-A1 in methionine-148, in turn, leads to an impaired maturation of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) that is reflected in a decline of large HDL particles. Notably, such metabolic alterations occur in the absence of impaired glucose tolerance, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia, and were partially restored after 18 months of treatment with a low-dose combination of pioglitazone, metformin and flutamide. PMID:26099471
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The pattern of facial skeletal growth and its relationship to various common indexes of maturation.
Mellion, Zachary J; Behrents, Rolf G; Johnston, Lysle E
2013-06-01
Sequential stages in the development of the hand, wrist, and cervical vertebrae commonly are used to assess maturation and predict the timing of the adolescent growth spurt. This approach is predicated on the idea that forecasts based on skeletal age must, of necessity, be superior to those based on chronologic age. This study was undertaken to test this reasonable, albeit largely unproved, assumption in a large, longitudinal sample. Serial records of 100 children (50 girls, 50 boys) were chosen from the files of the Bolton-Brush Growth Study Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The 100 series were 6 to 11 years in length, a span that was designed to encompass the onset and the peak of the adolescent facial growth spurt in each subject. Five linear cephalometric measurements (S-Na, Na-Me, PNS-A, S-Go, Go-Pog) were summed to characterize general facial size; a sixth (Co-Gn) was used to assess mandibular length. In all, 864 cephalograms were traced and analyzed. For most years, chronologic age, height, and hand-wrist films were available, thereby permitting various alternative methods of maturational assessment and prediction to be tested. The hand-wrist and the cervical vertebrae films for each time point were staged. Yearly increments of growth for stature, face, and mandible were calculated and plotted against chronologic age. For each subject, the actual age at onset and peak for stature and facial and mandibular size served as the gold standards against which key ages inferred from other methods could be compared. On average, the onset of the pubertal growth spurts in height, facial size, and mandibular length occurred in girls at 9.3, 9.8, and 9.5 years, respectively. The difference in timing between height and facial size growth spurts was statistically significant. In boys, the onset for height, facial size, and mandibular length occurred more or less simultaneously at 11.9, 12.0, and 11.9 years, respectively. In girls, the peak of the growth spurt in height, facial
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How the Girl Choosing Technology Became the Symbol of the Non-Traditional Pupil's Choice in Sweden
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hedlin, Maria
2011-01-01
The purpose of this article is to elucidate how the girl who chooses technology came to be the symbol of the non-traditional pupil's choice in Sweden. In the early 1960s it was hoped that girls would enter workshop training and then commit themselves to engineering mechanics jobs at a time when Sweden was characterised by economic growth which was…
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Problems in female development. Comments on the analysis of an early latency-age girl.
Frenkel, R S
1993-01-01
A 6 1/2-year-old girl's clinical material relevant to the emergence of clitoral and vaginal masturbation and masturbation fantasies during analytic sessions is presented. The intense genital excitation, which she called "jeebies," often overwhelmed her ego functioning. She assumed the jeebies and the fantasies that precipitated and accompanied them would cause bad things to happen to her. External events and the nature of her object relations reinforced and confirmed her belief that being only female was unacceptable. Her penis envy, a wish to be a boy-girl, had multiple determinants. A detailed description of her evaluation and subsequent treatment reveals how her unconscious conflicts were resolved in analysis through the evolution and resolution of her transference neurosis, validating the psychoanalytic approach.
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Löffler, Martin; Kessel, Bettina; Ouzunova, Milena; Miedaner, Thomas
2010-03-01
Infection of maize ears with Fusarium graminearum (FG) and Fusarium verticillioides (FV) reduces yield and quality by mycotoxin contamination. Breeding and growing varieties resistant to both Fusarium spp. is the best alternative to minimize problems. The objectives of our study were to draw conclusions on breeding for ear rot resistance by estimating variance components, heritabilities and correlations between resistances to FV and FG severity and to investigate different inoculation methods. In 2007 and 2008, three maturity groups (early, mid-late, late) each comprising about 150 inbred lines were tested in Germany, France, Italy, and Hungary according to their maturity group. They were silk channel inoculated by FG (early) and FV (all groups). In the late maturity group, additionally kernel inoculation was applied in a separate trial. The percentage of mycelium coverage on the ear was rated at harvest (0-100%). Significant (P < 0.01) genotypic variances of ear rot severity were found in all groups. Inoculation was superior to natural infection because of higher disease severities and heritabilities. In early maturing flints and dents, FG caused significantly (P < 0.01) higher ear rot severity than FV (61.7 and 55.1% FG vs. 18.2 and 11.1% FV ear rot severity, respectively). FV inoculation in Southern Europe (mid-late, late) resulted in similar means between 10.3 and 14.0%. Selection is complicated by significant (P < 0.01) genotype x environment interactions. Correlation between FG and FV severity was moderate in flints and dents (r = 0.59 and 0.49, respectively) but lines resistant to both fungi exist. We conclude that chances for selecting improved European elite maize material within the existing germplasms is promising by multi-environmental inoculation trials.
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Autobiographical Memory as a Predictor of Depression Vulnerability in Girls
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hipwell, Alison E.; Sapotichne, Brenna; Klostermann, Susan; Battista, Deena; Keenan, Kate
2011-01-01
Overgeneral autobiographical memory (AM), the tendency to recall categories of events when asked to provide specific instances from one's life, is purported to be a marker of depression vulnerability that develops in childhood. Although early adolescence is a period of risk for depression onset especially among girls, prospective examination of…
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Retroviral proteases and their roles in virion maturation.
Konvalinka, Jan; Kräusslich, Hans-Georg; Müller, Barbara
2015-05-01
Proteolytic processing of viral polyproteins is essential for retrovirus infectivity. Retroviral proteases (PR) become activated during or after assembly of the immature, non-infectious virion. They cleave viral polyproteins at specific sites, inducing major structural rearrangements termed maturation. Maturation converts retroviral enzymes into their functional form, transforms the immature shell into a metastable state primed for early replication events, and enhances viral entry competence. Not only cleavage at all PR recognition sites, but also an ordered sequence of cleavages is crucial. Proteolysis is tightly regulated, but the triggering mechanisms and kinetics and pathway of morphological transitions remain enigmatic. Here, we outline PR structures and substrate specificities focusing on HIV PR as a therapeutic target. We discuss design and clinical success of HIV PR inhibitors, as well as resistance development towards these drugs. Finally, we summarize data elucidating the role of proteolysis in maturation and highlight unsolved questions regarding retroviral maturation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Holsinger, Kristi; Holsinger, Alexander M.
2005-01-01
Since the early 1990s, research, largely from a feminist perspective, has been devoted to identifying the "gender-specific needs" of delinquent girls. This article explores racial differences between girls and how these differences may affect the commission of violent behavior and self-injurious behavior. Self-report data were collected…
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Henry, W Brien
2013-01-15
Maize breeders continue to seek new sources of aflatoxin resistance, but most lines identified as resistance sources are late maturing. The vast difference in flowering time makes it hard to cross these lines with proprietary commercial lines that mature much earlier and often subjects the reproductive phase of these resistant lines to the hottest and driest portion of the summer, making silking, pollination and grain fill challenging. Two hundred crosses from the GEM Project were screened for aflatoxin accumulation at Mississippi State in 2008, and a subset of these lines were screened again in 2009. The breeding cross UR13085:S99g99u was identified as a potential source of aflatoxin resistance, and maturity-based selections were made from an S2 breeding population from this same germplasm source: UR13085:S99g99u-B-B. The earliest maturing selections performed poorly for aflatoxin accumulation, but later maturing selections were identified with favorable levels of aflatoxin accumulation. These selections, while designated as "late" within this study, matured earlier than most aflatoxin resistant lines presently available to breeders. Two selections from this study, designated S5_L7 and S5_L8, are potential sources of aflatoxin resistance and will be advanced for line development and additional aflatoxin screening over more site years and environments.
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Ninsiima, Anna B; Leye, Els; Michielsen, Kristien; Kemigisha, Elizabeth; Nyakato, Viola N; Coene, Gily
2018-01-24
Unequal power and gender norms expose adolescent girls to higher risks of HIV, early marriages, pregnancies and coerced sex. In Uganda, almost half of the girls below the age of 18 are already married or pregnant, which poses a danger to the lives of young girls. This study explores the social construction of gender norms from early childhood, and how it influences adolescents' agency. Contrary to the mainstream theory of agency, which focuses on the ability to make informed choices, adolescents' agency appears constrained by context-specific obstacles. This study adopted qualitative research approaches involving 132 participants. Of these, 44 were in-depth interviews and 11 were focus group discussions, parcelled out into separate groups of adolescents (12-14 years), teachers, and parents ( n = 88), in Western Uganda. Data were analysed manually using open and axial codes, and conclusions were inductive. Results show that gender norms are established early in life, and have a very substantial impact on the agency of young adolescents. There were stereotypical gender norms depicting boys as sexually active and girls as restrained; girls' movements were restricted; their sexual agency constrained; and prevention of pregnancy was perceived as a girl's responsibility. Programs targeting behavioural change need to begin early in the lives of young children. They should target teachers and parents about the values of gender equality and strengthen the legal system to create an enabling environment to address the health and wellbeing of adolescents.
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Marakovitz, Susan E.; Wagmiller, Robert L.; Mian, Nicholas D.; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.; Carter, Alice S.
2016-01-01
This study was designed to examine the contribution of multiple risk factors to early internalizing problems and to investigate whether family and ecological context moderated the association between child temperament and internalizing outcomes. A sample of 1,202 mothers of 2- and 3-year-old children completed a survey of child social-emotional functioning, family environment, and violence exposure. Child temperament, maternal affective symptoms, and family expressiveness were associated with child anxiety and depression problems. Violence exposure was related only to child anxiety. When maternal affective symptoms were elevated, inhibited girls but not boys were rated as more anxious and youngsters with heightened negative emotionality were rated as more depressed. Family expressiveness moderated the association between inhibited temperament and anxiety symptoms. PMID:21391020
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Avila-Poveda, Omar Hernando; Abadia-Chanona, Quetzalli Yasú
2013-01-01
This study describes and recognises, using histological and microscopical examinations on a morphometrical basis, several gonad traits through the early life stages of Chiton articulatus and C. albolineatus. Gonadal ontogenesis, gonad development stages, sexual differentiation, onset of the first sexual maturity, and growth sequences or “early life stages” were determined. In addition, allometry between lengths and body weight pooled for both sexes per each chiton were calculated using equation Y = aXb. A total of 125 chitons (4≤TL≤40 mm, in total length “TL”) were used. All allometric relations showed a strong positive correlation (r), close to 1, with b-values above three, indicating an isometric growth. Gonadal ontogenesis and gonad development stages were categorised into three periods (“Pw” without gonad, “Pe” gonad emergence, and “Pf” gonadal sac formed) and four stages (“S0” gametocytogenesis, “S1” gametogenesis, “S2” mature, and “S3” spawning), respectively. Compound digital images were attained for each process. Periods and stages are overlapped among them and between species, with the following overall confidence intervals in TL: Pw 6.13–14.32 mm, Pe 10.32–16.93 mm, Pf 12.99–25.01 mm, S0 16.08–24.34 mm (females) and 19.51–26.60 mm (males), S1 27.15–35.63 mm (females) and 23.45–32.27 mm (males), S2 24.48–40.24 mm (females) and 25.45–32.87 mm (males). Sexual differentiation (in S0) of both chitons occurs first as a female then as a male; although, males reach the onset of the first sexual maturity earlier than females, thus for C. articulatus males at 17 mm and females at 32 mm, and for C. albolineatus males at 23.5 mm and females at 28 mm, all in TL. Four early life stages (i.e., subjuvenile, juvenile, subadult, and adult) are described and proposed to distinguish growth sequences. Our results may be useful to diverse disciplines, from developmental biology to fisheries management. PMID:23936353
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Provenzale, James M; Liang, Luxia; DeLong, David; White, Leonard E
2007-08-01
The purpose of this study was to use diffusion-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging to investigate the status of cerebral white matter (WM) at term gestation and the rate of WM maturation throughout the first year of life in healthy infants. Fifty-three children (35 boys) ranging in age from 1.5 weeks premature to 51.5 weeks (mean age, 22.9 weeks) underwent conventional MRI, diffusion imaging in three directions (b = 1,000 s/mm2), and diffusion tensor imaging with gradient encoding in six directions, all on a 1.5-T MRI system. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in three deep WM structures (posterior limb of internal capsule, genu, and splenium of corpus callosum) and two peripheral WM regions (associational WM underlying prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex) with a standard region of interest (44 +/- 4 cm2). ADC and FA were expressed as a percentage of corresponding values measured in a group of healthy young adults. Mean ADC and FA values for deep and peripheral WM were plotted against gestational age normalized to term. The data were fit best with a broken-line linear regression model with a breakpoint at 100 days. ADC and FA values at term were estimated according to the intercept of the initial linear period (before day 100) with day 0. The slope of the linear fits was used to determine the rate of WM maturation in both the early and the late (after day 100) periods. Multivariate analysis of variance tests were used to compare deep and peripheral WM structures at term and at representative early and late ages (days 30 and 200) and to compare rates of ADC and FA maturation in early and late periods within the first year. At term, peripheral WM was less mature than deep WM according to results of extrapolation of ADC and FA values in the first 100 days of life to day 0 (p < 0.01). Mean ADC and FA value (percentage of mean adult value) for peripheral WM were 1.32 x 10(-3) mm2/s (163%) and 0.16 (32%), respectively
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Changes in polyphenolics during maturation of Java plum (Syzygium cumini Lam.).
Lestario, Lydia Ninan; Howard, Luke R; Brownmiller, Cindi; Stebbins, Nathan B; Liyanage, Rohana; Lay, Jackson O
2017-10-01
Java plum (Syzygium cumini Lam.) is a rich source of polyphenolics with many purported health benefits, but the effect of maturation on polyphenolic content is unknown. Freeze-dried samples of Java plum from seven different maturity stages were analyzed for anthocyanin, flavonol, flavanonol and hydrolysable tannin composition by HPLC. Anthocyanins were first detected at the green-pink stage of maturity and increased throughout maturation with the largest increase occurring from the dark purple to black stages of maturation. Levels of gallotannins, ellagitannins, flavonols, gallic acid and ellagic acid were highest at early stages of maturation and decreased as the fruit ripened. For production of antioxidant-rich nutraceutical ingredients, fruit should be harvested immature to obtain extracts rich in hydrolysable tannins and flavonols. The exceptional anthocyanin content of black fruit may prove useful as a source of a natural colorant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Hamlin, Michael J; Fraser, Meegan; Lizamore, Catherine A; Draper, Nick; Shearman, Jeremy P; Kimber, Nicholas E
2014-03-27
Body fat and maturation both influence cardiorespiratory fitness, however few studies have taken these variables into account when using field tests to predict children's fitness levels. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between two field tests of cardiorespiratory fitness (20 m Maximal Multistage Shuttle Run [20-MST], 550 m distance run [550-m]) and direct measurement of VO2max after adjustment for body fatness and maturity levels. Fifty-three participants (25 boys, 28 girls, age 10.6 ± 1.2 y, mean ± SD) had their body fat levels estimated using bioelectrical impedance (16.6% ± 6.0% and 20.0% ± 5.8% for boys and girls, respectively). Participants performed in random order, the 20-MST and 550-m run followed by a progressive treadmill test to exhaustion during which gas exchange measures were taken. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis revealed that the participants' performance in the 20-MST and 550-m run were highly correlated to VO2max obtained during the treadmill test to exhaustion (r = 0.70 and 0.59 for 20-MST and 550-m run, respectively). Adjusting for body fatness and maturity levels in a multivariate regression analysis increased the associations between the field tests and VO2max (r = 0.73 for 20-MST and 0.65 for 550-m). We may conclude that both the 20-MST and the 550-m distance run are valid field tests of cardiorespiratory fitness in New Zealand 8-13 year old children and incorporating body fatness and maturity levels explains an additional 5-7% of the variance.
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Yunus, Agha W; Sulyok, Michael; Böhm, Josef
2015-06-12
Cottonseed cake in South East Asia has been associated with health issues in ruminants in the recent years. The present study was carried out to investigate the health issues associated with cottonseed cake feeding in dairy animals in Pakistan. All the cake samples were confirmed to be from early maturing cotton varieties (maturing prior to or during Monsoon). A survey of the resource persons indicated that the feeding problems with cottonseed cake appeared after 4-5 months of post-production storage. All the cake samples had heavy bacterial counts, and contaminated with over a dozen different fungal genera. Screening for toxins revealed co-contamination with toxic levels of nearly a dozen mycotoxins including aflatoxin B1 + B2 (556 to 5574 ppb), ochratoxin A + B (47 to 2335 ppb), cyclopiazonic acid (1090 to 6706 ppb), equisetin (2226 to 12672 ppb), rubrofusarin (81 to 1125), tenuazonic acid (549 to 9882 ppb), 3-nitropropionic acid (111 to 1032 ppb), and citrinin (29 to 359 ppb). Two buffalo calves in a diagnostic feed trial also showed signs of complex toxicity. These results indicate that inappropriate processing and storage of the cake, in the typical conditions of the subcontinent, could be the main contributory factors regarding the low quality of cottonseed cake.
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Developmental Differences between Preschool Boys and Girls in Northeastern Germany
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lewicki, Käthe; Franze, Marco; Gottschling-Lang, Annika; Hoffmann, Wolfgang
2018-01-01
The general gender discourse has currently revealed gender gaps as early as at preschool age. To analyze developmental differences between boys and girls in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, n = 4,251 preschoolers aged 48-83 months were examined by means of the 'Dortmund Developmental Screening for Preschools 3-6' (DESK 3-6). Using the…
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L Newton, Anna; J Hanks, Lynae; Davis, Michelle; Casazza, Krista
2013-01-01
Investigation of the physiologic relevance of bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) during growth may promote understanding of the bone-fat axis and confluence with metabolic factors. The objective of this pilot investigation was two-fold: (1) to evaluate the relationships among total body fat, bone mineral content (BMC) and femoral BMAT during childhood and underlying metabolic determinants and (2) to determine if the relationships differ by race. Participants included white and non-Hispanic black girls (n=59) ages 4–10 years. Femoral BMAT volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, BMC and body fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Metabolic parameters were assessed in the fasted state. Total fat and BMC were positively associated with BMAT; however, simultaneous inclusion of BMC and body fat in the statistical model attenuated the association between BMC and BMAT. Differences in BMAT volume were observed, non-Hispanic black girls exhibiting marginally greater BMAT at age eight (P=0.05) and white girls exhibiting greater BMAT at age ten (P<0.001). Metabolic parameters conferred differential impact by race, such that, a positive association for BMAT and leptin (P=0.02) and adiponectin (P=0.002) in white girls while BMAT and insulin were inversely related in non-Hispanic black girls (P=0.008). Our findings revealed a positive relationship between BMAT, body fat and BMC, although body fat, respective to leptin, contributed partly to the relationship between BMAT and BMC. Despite large differences in total fat between non-Hispanic black and white, the relationship between BMAT and BMC was similar to white girls. However, this relationship appeared to be impacted through different mechanisms according to race. PMID:23951544
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L Newton, Anna; J Hanks, Lynae; Davis, Michelle; Casazza, Krista
2013-01-01
Investigation of the physiologic relevance of bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) during growth may promote understanding of the bone-fat axis and confluence with metabolic factors. The objective of this pilot investigation was two-fold: (1) to evaluate the relationships among total body fat, bone mineral content (BMC) and femoral BMAT during childhood and underlying metabolic determinants and (2) to determine if the relationships differ by race. Participants included white and non-Hispanic black girls (n=59) ages 4-10 years. Femoral BMAT volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, BMC and body fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Metabolic parameters were assessed in the fasted state. Total fat and BMC were positively associated with BMAT; however, simultaneous inclusion of BMC and body fat in the statistical model attenuated the association between BMC and BMAT. Differences in BMAT volume were observed, non-Hispanic black girls exhibiting marginally greater BMAT at age eight (P=0.05) and white girls exhibiting greater BMAT at age ten (P<0.001). Metabolic parameters conferred differential impact by race, such that, a positive association for BMAT and leptin (P=0.02) and adiponectin (P=0.002) in white girls while BMAT and insulin were inversely related in non-Hispanic black girls (P=0.008). Our findings revealed a positive relationship between BMAT, body fat and BMC, although body fat, respective to leptin, contributed partly to the relationship between BMAT and BMC. Despite large differences in total fat between non-Hispanic black and white, the relationship between BMAT and BMC was similar to white girls. However, this relationship appeared to be impacted through different mechanisms according to race.
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Mature neurons dynamically restrict apoptosis via redundant premitochondrial brakes.
Annis, Ryan P; Swahari, Vijay; Nakamura, Ayumi; Xie, Alison X; Hammond, Scott M; Deshmukh, Mohanish
2016-12-01
Apoptotic cell death is critical for the early development of the nervous system, but once the nervous system is established, the apoptotic pathway becomes highly restricted in mature neurons. However, the mechanisms underlying this increased resistance to apoptosis in these mature neurons are not completely understood. We have previously found that members of the miR-29 family of microRNAs (miRNAs) are induced with neuronal maturation and that overexpression of miR-29 was sufficient to restrict apoptosis in neurons. To determine whether endogenous miR-29 alone was responsible for the inhibition of cytochrome c release in mature neurons, we examined the status of the apoptotic pathway in sympathetic neurons deficient for all three miR-29 family members. Unexpectedly, we found that the apoptotic pathway remained largely restricted in miR-29-deficient mature neurons. We therefore probed for additional mechanisms by which mature neurons resist apoptosis. We identify miR-24 as another miRNA that is upregulated in the maturing cerebellum and sympathetic neurons that can act redundantly with miR-29 by targeting a similar repertoire of prodeath BH3-only genes. Overall, our results reveal that mature neurons engage multiple redundant brakes to restrict the apoptotic pathway and ensure their long-term survival. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
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Kuiri-Hänninen, Tanja; Dunkel, Leo; Sankilampi, Ulla
2018-04-18
The postnatal gonadotrophin surge is sexually dimorphic: FSH levels predominate in girls and LH levels in boys. However, in preterm (PT) girls, both gonadotrophin levels are higher than in PT boys. To evaluate how gonadal maturation contributes to the sex differences in FSH and LH. Monthly follow-up of 58 full-term (FT, 29 boys) and 67 PT (33 boys) infants from 1 week (D7) to 6 months of age (M1-M6). Analyses were also carried out according to postmenstrual (PM) age in PT infants. Urinary LH, FSH, oestradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and serum inhibin B (InhB) levels. High gonadotrophin levels in PT girls abruptly decreased (P < .001) by M2, corresponding to a PM age of 38-42 weeks, and LH levels fell below the levels found in boys. This decrease was parallel to a steep increase in E2 levels (P < .001), and, from M4 to M6, LH and E2 correlated positively in PT girls (P < .01). T levels in PT boys increased earlier than E2 levels in PT girls. In addition, InhB levels were high in PT boys already at D7, in contrast to low InhB in PT girls. InhB and FSH correlated negatively in the whole group (P < .001). Ovarian hormone synthesis is immature and incapable of responding to gonadotrophin stimulus before 38-42 PM weeks in PT girls, which may explain their highly elevated FSH and LH levels. The higher InhB levels in boys compared to girls may explain sexual dimorphism in FSH levels. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Valente-Dos-Santos, J; Coelho-E-Silva, M J; Vaz, V; Figueiredo, A J; Capranica, L; Sherar, L B; Elferink-Gemser, M T; Malina, R M
2014-06-01
The purpose of the current study was to assess the developmental changes in change of direction and dribbling speed in youth soccer players taking into account skeletal age (SA), maturity status, body size, estimated fat mass, aerobic endurance, lower limb explosive strength and annual volume of training. Eighty-three male soccer players aged 10-15 years (SA) at baseline were annually followed over 5 years, resulting in an average 4.4 observations per player. After testing for multicollinearity, multi-level regression modeling was used to examine the longitudinal developmental changes on change of direction and dribbling speed. Maturity-associated variability was significant in change of direction and also dribbling speed among young soccer players aged 12-14 years with better scores being performed by late maturers. Moreover, the predicted longitudinal scores for change of direction and dribbling speed improved with SA (P<0.01), SA2 (P<0.01) and skeletal maturity status entered as an additional developmental predictor (P<0.05). Estimated fat-free mass (P<0.01), aerobic endurance (P<0.01) and lower limb strength (P<0.01) were additional predictors in both models. The soccer-specific skill, dibbling speed, was also explained by annual volume of training (P<0.05). Skeletal maturity status explains inter-individual variability on maximal short-term run performances with and without the ball possession at early ages of participation in competitive soccer. The effects tend to persist across ages combined with longitudinal changes in body composition and functional fitness. In the particular case of the ball test, annual volume of training was also a longitudinal performance predictor.
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Cost-effectiveness of school support for orphan girls to prevent HIV infection in Zimbabwe.
Miller, Ted; Hallfors, Denise; Cho, Hyunsan; Luseno, Winnie; Waehrer, Geetha
2013-10-01
This cost-effectiveness study analyzes the cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained in a randomized controlled trial that tested school support as a structural intervention to prevent HIV risk factors among Zimbabwe orphan girl adolescents. The intervention significantly reduced early marriage, increased years of schooling completed, and increased health-related quality of life. By reducing early marriage, the literature suggests the intervention reduced HIV infection. The intervention yielded an estimated US$1,472 in societal benefits and an estimated gain of 0.36 QALYs per orphan supported. It cost an estimated US$6/QALY gained, about 1 % of annual per capita income in Zimbabwe. That is well below the maximum price that the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Macroeconomics and Health recommends paying for health gains in low and middle income countries. About half the girls in the intervention condition were boarded when they reached high school. For non-boarders, the intervention's financial benefits exceeded its costs, yielding an estimated net cost savings of $502 per pupil. Without boarding, the intervention would yield net savings even if it were 34 % less effective in replication. Boarding was not cost-effective. It cost an additional $1,234 per girl boarded (over the 3 years of the study, discounted to present value at a 3 % discount rate) but had no effect on any of the outcome measures relative to girls in the treatment group who did not board. For girls who did not board, the average cost of approximately 3 years of school support was US$973.
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Göllner, Richard; Roberts, Brent W; Damian, Rodica I; Lüdtke, Oliver; Jonkmann, Kathrin; Trautwein, Ulrich
2017-06-01
The present study investigated Big Five personality trait development in the transition to early adolescence (from the fifth to eighth grade). Personality traits were assessed in 2,761 (47% female) students over a 3-year period of time. Youths' self-reports and parent ratings were used to test for cross-informant agreement. Acquiescent responding and measurement invariance were established with latent variable modeling. Growth curve models revealed three main findings: (a) Normative mean-level changes occurred for youths' self-report data and parent ratings with modest effects in both cases. (b) Agreeableness and Openness decreased for self-reports and parent ratings, whereas data source differences were found for Conscientiousness (decreased for self-reports and remained stable for parent ratings), Extraversion (increased for self-reports and decreased for parent ratings), and Neuroticism (remained stable for self-reports and decreased for parent ratings). (c) Girls showed a more mature personality overall (self-reports and parent ratings revealed higher levels of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness) and became more extraverted in the middle of adolescence (self-reports). Personality changes modestly during early adolescence whereby change does not occur in the direction of maturation, and substantial differences exist between parent ratings and self-reports. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Sekine, Kazutaka; Hodgkin, Marian Ellen
2017-01-01
School dropout and child marriage are interrelated outcomes that have an enormous impact on adolescent girls. However, the literature reveals gaps in the empirical evidence on the link between child marriage and the dropout of girls from school. This study identifies the 'tipping point' school grades in Nepal when the risk of dropout due to marriage is highest, measures the effect of child marriage on girls' school dropout rates, and assesses associated risk factors. Weighted percentages were calculated to examine the grades at highest risk and the distribution of reasons for discontinuing school. Using the Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2014 data, we estimated the effect of marriage on school attendance and dropout among girls aged 15-17 by constructing logistic regression models. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess risk factors of school dropout due to child marriage. It was found that early marriage is the most common reason given for leaving school. Overall, the risk of school dropout due to marriage heightens after girls complete the fifth or sixth grade. The risk of girls' dropping out peaks in the seventh and eighth grades and remains noteworthy in the ninth and tenth grades. Married girls in Nepal are 10 times more likely to drop out than their unmarried peers. Little or no education of the household head, belonging to the Kirat religion, and membership of a traditionally disadvantaged social class each elevate the risk of school dropout due to early marriage. The findings underscore the need to delay girl's marriage so as to reduce girls' school dropout in Nepal. School-based programmes aimed at preventing child marriage should target girls from the fifth grade because they are at increased risk of dropping out, as well as prioritizing girls from disadvantaged groups.
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Li, Ling; Yang, Chen; Feng, Xiuliang; Du, Yongping; Zhang, Zhihong; Zhang, Yueping
2018-01-01
This study aimed to study the effects of intratracheal instillation of budesonide on lung maturity of premature fetal rabbits. The developmental pattern of pulmonary alveoli in rabbits is similar to that in humans. Fetal rabbits were taken out from female rabbits on the 28th day of pregnancy (full term = 31 days) by cesarean section (c-section). The fetal rabbits were divided into four groups: control (normal saline, NS), budesonide (budesonide, BUD), calf pulmonary surfactant for injection (pulmonary surfactant, PS), and calf pulmonary surfactant + budesonide for injection (pulmonary surfactant + budesonide, PS + BUD). All premature rabbits were kept warm after c-section. After 15-min autonomous respiration, a tracheal cannula was implemented for instilling NS, BUD, PS, and PS + BUD. The morphology of lung tissues of premature fetal rabbits was analyzed using optical and electron microscopes. Surfactant protein B (SP-B) mRNA and protein levels in lung tissues were determined using polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. Intratracheal instillation of BUD could increase the alveolar area of the fetal rabbits (P < 0.01), decrease the alveolar wall thickness (P < 0.01), and increase the mean density of lamellar bodies (P < 0.05) and SP-B protein levels in type II epithelial cells of pulmonary alveoli (P < 0.05). Intratracheal instillation of BUD during early postnatal life is effective in promoting alveolarization and increasing SP-B expression, the pro-pulmonary maturity of BUD combined with PS is superior to that of BUD or PS alone. However, the long-term effect of BUD on lung development needs further exploration. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.