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Is a cow more closely related to grass or to a chicken? Responses vary by culture and age, among other factors. Those from western societies (or independent-leaning regions within interdependent non-western societies) are more likely to endorse the taxonomic match, the chicken, over the thematic match, grass (Chiu, 1972; Talhelm et al., 2014). This preference has been documented -- largely in western cultures -- to increase over development (e.g., Smiley & Brown, 1979). While neither development nor culture occur independently of the other, comparisons across these areas are problematic. We address one potential barrier to comparing cultural and developmental research using this classic paradigm -- stimulus format -- and show that the use of text (versus image) stimuli can bias participants toward taxonomic responding in some contexts. We present stimuli designed for cross-cultural use with children and adults and document country, regional, and demographic variation across the US and Italy.

Objective: Although primarily secreted by the liver, Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) is also expressed in the pancreas, where its function remains unclear. This study aims to elucidate the role of the glucagon‐FGF21 interaction in the metabolic benefits of SGLT2 inhibition (SGLT2i) and hypothesizes it is key to enhancing glucose and lipid metabolism in individuals with glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: FGF21, FGF1R, and β‐klotho expression in human pancreas was analysed by RNAscope, qPCR and immunofluorescent techniques. Glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) assay was used to investigate the effects of recombinant FGF21 (rFGF21) on islets from donors with glucose intolerance or T2D. To explore the role of the glucagon‐FGF21 axis in the benefits of SGLT2i, we used WT and Sglt2 knockout (KO) mice fed a chow diet (CD) or a high‐fat diet (HFD) and chronically treated with vehicle or dapagliflozin. Results: Chronic rFGF21 treatment enhanced GSIS in islets from donors with glucose intolerance, with increased FGFR1 expression, suggesting FGF21's greater efficacy in the early stages of disease. In diet‐induced insulin‐resistant mice, dapagliflozin reduced postprandial glycaemia and elevated plasma glucagon and FGF21 levels. Sglt2 KO mice on a CD showed increased fasting plasma glucagon without changes in FGF21. In diet‐induced insulin‐resistant Sglt2 KO mice, elevated glucagon and FGF21 levels paralleled chronic dapagliflozin treatment, indicating similar metabolic adaptations in both models. Conclusion: Our findings indicate FGF21 as a crucial mediator in liver‐pancreas crosstalk, improving lipid and glucose metabolism, enhancing pancreatic function, and potentiating the therapeutic efficacy of SGLT2i, thereby representing a target for prediabetes treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we will discuss two aspects of bilingual acquisition: the mechanism of transfer and the time of actual exposure to the second language. The first consists in the fact that a linguistic property acquired in the first language (L1) can facilitate the acquisition of the same property in the second language (L2). In other words, when acquiring the L2, children can benefit from having already learned analogous properties in the L1. We will then discuss the importance of actual time of exposure in evaluating the acquisition of linguistic competencies. This can only be determined on the basis of detailed questionnaires investigating children's linguistic environment. We will also talk about the questionnaires available for L2 Italian. To discuss these specific aspects of bilingual acquisition, we will examine some studies involving children with L2 Italian and L1 Arabic or Mandarin, two languages very different from each other. In the first case, we will focus on the acquisition of clitic pronouns which, being present both in Arabic and in Italian, can exemplify the mechanism of transfer. The comparison between the performance in Italian of Arabic-speaking children and that of children with other L1s shows that actual exposure to the L2 plays a crucial role in the acquisition of clitics, as well as transfer. Subsequently, we will focus on the L2 Italian of children with L1 Mandarin, via examination of the acquisition of relative clauses and of grammatical number and gender. In these cases, we will also examine the facilitating role of transfer, but we will do so in two slightly different contexts. In the first case, the linguistic properties under scrutiny -- i.e., relative clauses and grammatical number -- are present in both languages. In the second case, instead, the linguistic aspect analysed -- i.e., grammatical gender -- is expressed only in one of the two languages, namely, Italian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), plasticizers used in several products of daily life, are considered as endocrine disrupters, therefore children exposure is particularly relevant. The LIFE PERSUADED project aims to define the following: (a) the evaluation of internal levels of DEHP’s metabolites and BPA in Italian children and their mothers, (b) the association of the exposure with puberty development and obesity diseases, and (c) the effects of exposure in juvenile in vivo model. The cross-sectional study has involved 2160 mother-child pairs, including males and females, children and adolescents, from urban and rural areas of North, Center, and South Italy. A structured questionnaire and a food diary are designed to evaluate the association between lifestyle variables potentially related to DEHP/BPA exposure and internal levels, through univariate and multivariate analyses. Two pilot case-control studies are carried out on idiopathic premature thelarche and precocious puberty (30 girls each group, aged 2-7 years) and idiopathic obesity (30 boys and 30 girls, aged 6-10 years), matched to healthy controls. BPA and DEHP’s metabolites are analyzed in urine samples from all recruited subjects. Clinical and toxicological biomarkers are evaluated in serum of case-control subjects. Moreover, the toxicity study is carried out in a juvenile rodent model exposed to mixtures of BPA and DEHP at dose levels recorded in children population. The scientific results of LIFE PERSUADED will contribute to risk assessment of BPA and DEHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: A high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), not fully explained by the prevalence of traditional risk factors only, is reported in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Thus, we investigated if novel markers of CVD risk, like carotid diameter and advanced glycated end products, can better predict increased CVD risk in IIM patients., Methods: We studied 43 consecutive patients diagnosed with IIM. All the patients underwent a clinical and laboratory evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors and characterisation of myositis disease activity. Non-invasive instrumental examinations performed included the measurement of carotid parameters (intima-media thickness, IMT and mean arterial diameter, mAD) by ultrasonic techniques, advanced glycation end-product accumulation in the skin by autofluorescence (AF) and body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The parameters were compared to those measured in 29 controls, with similar mean age, BMI, blood pressure and smoking habits., Results: IIM patients showed normal carotid IMT and distensibility, but higher carotid mAD (p=0.012), higher skin AF (p<0.001), lower fat free mass (p=0.036) and increased waist circumference compared to controls. A significant correlation was observed among AF and mAD (rho=0.317 p<0.05), carotid distension (rho=0.391 p=0.036) and IMT (rho=0.627 p<0.001)., Conclusions: Abnormalities of the studied parameters suggest a higher risk of CV disease in IIM patients independent of disease activity. In this population, a thorough assessment of CV risk is recommended also in absence of overt CV disease during the clinical evaluation.