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In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the fronto-striatal network is involved in motor and cognitive symptoms. Working memory (WM) updating training engages this network in healthy populations, as observed by improved cognitive performance and increased striatal BOLD signal. This two-part study aimed to assess the feasibility of WM updating training in PD and measure change in cognition, movement and functional brain response in one individual with PD after WM updating training. A feasibility and single-subject (FL) study were performed in which patients with PD completed computerized WM updating training. The outcome measures were the pre-post changes in criterion and transfer cognitive tests; cognitive complaints; psychological health; movement kinematics; and task-related BOLD signal. Participants in the feasibility study showed improvements on the criterion tests at post-test. FL displayed the largest improvements on the criterion tests and smaller improvements on transfer tests. Furthermore, FL reported improved cognitive performance in everyday life. A shorter onset latency and smoother upper-limb goal-directed movements were measured at post-test, as well as increased activation within the striatum and decreased activation throughout the fronto-parietal WM network. This two-part study demonstrated that WM updating training is feasible to complete for PD patients and that change occurred in FL at post-test in the domains of cognition, movement and functional brain response.

Objectives To examine differences in growth patterns in preterm infants developing major morbidities including retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH). Study design Cohort study of 2521 infants born at a gestational age (GA) of 23–30 weeks from 11 level III neonatal intensive care units in USA and Canada, and 3 Swedish population-based cohorts. Outcomes Birth weight and postnatal weight gain were examined relative to birth GA and ROP, BPD, NEC and IVH development. Results Among infants with a birth GA of 25–30 weeks, birth weight SD score and postnatal weight were lower in those developing ROP and BPD. Infants developing ROP showed lower growth rates during postnatal weeks 7–9 in the 23–24 weeks GA group, during weeks 4–6 in the 25–26 weeks GA group and during weeks 1–5 in the 27–30 weeks GA group. Infants with BPD born at 27–30 weeks GA showed lower growth rates during postnatal weeks 3–5. Infants with NEC had lower growth rates after postnatal week 6 in all GA groups, with no significant differences in birth weight SD score. IVH was not associated with prenatal or postnatal growth. Conclusions In this cohort study of extremely preterm infants, we found that the postnatal growth pattern was associated with morbidities such as ROP, BPD and NEC as well as with gestational age at birth.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a sight-threatening disease affecting extremely preterm infants. The introduction of new ROP screening surveillance systems, with higher sensitivity and specificity than established ROP screening guidelines, has the potential to reduce the number of stressful eye examinations in these infants. Objectives: To improve the specificity of the WINROP (Weight, Insulin-like growth factor-I, Neonatal, ROP) surveillance system, identifying extremely preterm infants requiring treatment for ROP. Methods: Two cohorts that had previously been subjected to WINROP analyses were included and reevaluated in this study. The weight at WINROP alarm for extremely preterm infants, born at gestational age <27 weeks, was reevaluated and by establishing 'safe' WINROP alarm weight limits, an intersample reassessment of WINROP alarm was performed. The two cohorts were as follows: (1) the Extremely Preterm Infants in Sweden Study (EXPRESS) cohort, infants born in Sweden during 2004-2007 (n = 407), and (2) extremely preterm infants in a North American cohort, born during 2006-2009 (n = 566). Results: In the EXPRESS cohort, 12.5% (40/319) of the infants who previously received a WINROP alarm were now reassessed as having no alarm; the specificity of WINROP in EXPRESS increased from 23.9% (86/360) to 35.0% (126/360). In the North American cohort, 15.4% (81/526) were reassessed as having no alarm; the specificity increased from 8.5% (38/447) to 26.6% (119/447). The sensitivity persisted as 97.5% in EXPRESS (45/47) and 98.3% (117/119) in the North American cohort. Conclusions: The specificity of the WINROP surveillance system for extremely preterm infants can be significantly improved by reassessment using the weight at WINROP alarm.

Background Maternal characteristics during pregnancy such as BMI, weight gain, and glucose tolerance have been associated with anthropometric traits in their offspring. Here we extend these observations looking at the associations between maternal body composition, weight gain by trimester, and glucose tolerance and anthropometrics in their infants. Materials and methods Participants were 31 (16 female) singleton babies and their mothers (aged 25-35 yrs) in the eastern area of the county of Västerbotten in Sweden. Maternal weight was measured at gestational weeks 10-12, 28-32, and 37-41. Maternal body composition was assessed using isotope dilution and gestational glucose tolerance was assessed with a 2-hour, 75-gram oral glucose challenge at 28-32 weeks gestation. Infant body composition was assessed at 11-19 weeks of age using air- displacement plethysmography. The relationships between maternal and infant variables were assessed with Spearman correlations. Results Mid-pregnancy weight gain was significantly positively related to fat mass (r=0.41, p= 0.022) but not fat-free mass whereas late-pregnancy weight gain was significantly positively related to infant fat-free mass (r=0.37, p=0.04) but not fat mass. Maternal weight, body composition, or glucose tolerance was not significantly related to infant body composition. Early infancy growth (weight-for-length growth z-score) from 0 to 4 months was significantly related to infant percent fat (r=0.48, p=0.006). Gestational weight gain by trimester is differently related to body composition assessed in early infancy. Additionally, greater early infancy growth is associated with higher percent fat at 4 months of age. Both of these findings might identify targets for interventions conducted in pregnancy and during early life.

Aims Overweight and obesity during pregnancy raise the risk of gestational diabetes and birth complications. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity may decrease these risks through beneficial effects on systemic glucose homeostasis. Here we examined physical activity patterns and their relationships with measures of glucose homeostasis in late pregnancy compared to non-pregnant women. Methods Normal weight and overweight women without diabetes (N=108; aged 25-35 years) were studied; 35 were pregnant (in gestational weeks 28-32) and 73 were non-pregnant. An oral glucose tolerance test was conducted from which insulin sensitivity and β-cell response were estimated. Physical activity was measured during 10-days of free-living using a combined heart rate sensor and accelerometer. Total (TEE), resting (REE), and physical activity (PAEE) energy expenditure were measured using doubly-labeled water and expired gas indirect calorimetry. Results Total activity (counts/day) was associated with a reduced first-phase insulin response in both pregnant (r=-0.47; 95% CI: -0.70- to -0.15) and non-pregnant women (r=-0.36; 95% CI: -0.56- to -0.12). Pregnant women were estimated to have secreted more insulin (p=0.002) and had lower fasting glucose than non-pregnant women (p<0.0001). Measures of overall physical activity intensity were similar in both groups (p=0.547), but pregnant women spent more time sedentary (p<0.0001), less time in moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity (p<0.0001), had lower objectively measured total activity, and had lower physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) than non-pregnant women (p=0.045). Conclusions Our findings suggest that physical activity conveys similar benefits on glucose homeostasis in pregnant and non-pregnant women, despite differences in subcomponents of physical activity.

Background: Extremely preterm infants generally experience postnatal growth failure. It is still unclear if this is related to micronutrient intakes. Aim: To investigate the effect of micronutrient intakes (calcium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate and vitamin B12) on growth during the first 28 days of life in extremely preterm infants. Method: From the EXPRESS cohort (all infants born < 27 gestational weeks between 2004-2007 in Sweden), those who survived the first 28 days were included (n=524). Daily parenteral and enteral intakes and anthropometric measurements were retrieved from hospital records. Results: Preliminary analyses of data from 333 infants (mean±SD gestational age 25.2±1.0 weeks, birth weight 753±168g) showed that macronutrient intakes were lower than recommended (energy 98±13kcal/kg/day, protein 2.9±0.4g/kg/day). Infants showed postnatal growth failure: mean standard deviation scores decreased by 2.2 for weight, 2.3 for length and 1.4 for head circumference. Intakes of micronutrients were generally low, e.g. adjusted enteral intakes of calcium were 66.6±21.4 mg/kg/day. The exception was iron, with a high parenteral intake of 2.7±1.6 mg/kg/day, mainly from blood transfusions. Adjusting for protein intake and other confounders, calcium intakes were positively correlated with head growth (r=+0.19, p=0.006) and iron intakes were negatively correlated with length gain (r=-0.18, p=0.009). Conclusions: Low calcium intakes and high iron intakes were associated with poor growth with regard to head circumference and length, respectively. If these results are confirmed, optimized micronutrient intakes may improve early growth in extremely preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE: Familial osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a rare disorder characterised by disturbed chondro-skeletal development, disproportionate growth and deformation of the skeleton. DESIGN: We identified a five-generation family with 15 living affected members from Northern Sweden. The disorder was diagnosed with a case definition of OCD in at least one joint. RESULTS: Main clinical findings consisted of OCD in knees and/or hips and/or elbows, disproportionate short stature and early osteoarthritis (OA). There were no radiological indications of epiphyseal dysplasia. Anthropometric measurements of affected individuals showed short stature, a high ratio between sitting height and total height, a relatively normal arm span and head circumference. In 12 of 15 cases, onset was during late childhood or adolescence and OA had developed in seven of those patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our observation suggests that OA is a frequent complication in familial OCD even though the lesions appear before closure of physis.

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