Twin Children Research Articles

Features Of Non-Specific Protection Factors And Cytokine Status In Inflammatory Diseases Of The Paranasal Sinuses In Twin Children

The Aim of this work was to study the functional activity of monocytes, neutrophils and cytokines in twin children with Inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinuses in comparison with non-twins. It was found that with various rhinosinusitis in children, phagocytic activity of monocytes in blood decrease, which causes the development of a chronic purulent focus and is characterized by an increase in monocytes with viral inclusions. In patients with Inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinuses, the activity of non-specific protective factors of the body is significantly reduced, which is expressed in a decrease phagocytic activity of monocytes and an increase monocyte with viral inclusions, which is more evidently in twin children than in non-twin children. Serum cytokines in children with Inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinuses were significantly increased in relation to the data of healthy children. In children-twins and non - twins, the parameters of anti-inflammatory cytokines changed in different directions.

Cerebral palsy in twins and multiple births at Sindhudurg Arabian west coast of Maharashtra (Large cohort analysis of 206124 births from 1996 to 2014)

Introduction: This study aims at the prevalence of cerebral palsy in multiple births and also to determine the effects of birth weight and gestational age on the risk of cerebral palsy in a defined and contemporary Sindhudurg population. Material and Methods: Children born in 38 primary health centers, seven rural hospitals, three sub district hospitals and one civil hospital of this district between 1996 to 2014, inclusive comprised the cohort 2090 multiple birth deliveries with 4152 live births. Total number of deliveries from 1996 to 2014 was 2,06,124 observed in Sindhudurg district. Results: A moderate or severe congenital cerebral palsy had in 41 twins and three triplets, a prevalence of 10.8 and 13.6 per thousand twin and triplet children (95% CI 42, 9.8). The crude rate per 1000 survivors is 11.4 in multiple births. The cerebral palsy prevalence in male twins was three times more than female twins (RR =3.6, 95% CI 2.1, 6.2) and was higher in each birth weight group (below 1400 grams & 1500 to 2000 grams). The twins born with birth weight less than 1600 grams had prevalence of 58 per thousand (95% CI 42, 106), risk three times higher than that of singletons in the same birth weight group (RR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.6,1.8). Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed the importance of twins and triplets as a risk factor for cerebral palsy with regard to weight and gestational age. Conclusion: Twin pregnancies and triplets produced 12 and 14 times more often cerebral palsy than singleton pregnancies.

Cerebral palsy in twins and multiple births at Sindhudurg Arabian west coast of Maharashtra (Large cohort analysis of 206124 births from 1996 to 2014)

Introduction: This study aims at the prevalence of cerebral palsy in multiple births and also to determine the effects of birth weight and gestational age on the risk of cerebral palsy in a defined and contemporary Sindhudurg population. Material and Methods: Children born in 38 primary health centers, seven rural hospitals, three sub district hospitals and one civil hospital of this district between 1996 to 2014, inclusive comprised the cohort 2090 multiple birth deliveries with 4152 live births. Total number of deliveries from 1996 to 2014 was 2,06,124 observed in Sindhudurg district. Results: A moderate or severe congenital cerebral palsy had in 41 twins and three triplets, a prevalence of 10.8 and 13.6 per thousand twin and triplet children (95% CI 42, 9.8). The crude rate per 1000 survivors is 11.4 in multiple births. The cerebral palsy prevalence in male twins was three times more than female twins (RR =3.6, 95% CI 2.1, 6.2) and was higher in each birth weight group (below 1400 grams & 1500 to 2000 grams). The twins born with birth weight less than 1600 grams had prevalence of 58 per thousand (95% CI 42, 106),risk three times higher than that of singletons in the same birth weight group (RR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.6,1.8). Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed the importance of twins and triplets as a risk factor for cerebral palsy with regard to weight and gestational age. Conclusion: Twin pregnancies and triplets produced 12 and 14 times more often cerebral palsy than singleton pregnancies.

Individual- and Community-Level Risk Factors Associated with Childhood Diarrhea in Ethiopia: A Multilevel Analysis of 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey.

Background Diarrhea is the second cause of child deaths globally. According to World Health Organization reports, in each year, it kills more than 525,000 children under 5 years. More than half of these deaths occur in five countries including Ethiopia. This study is aimed at identifying both individual- and community-level risk factors of childhood diarrhea in Ethiopia. Methods Ethiopian demography and health survey of 2016 data were used for the analysis. A total of 10,641 children aged 0–59 months were included in the analysis. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to identify both individual- and community-level risk factors associated with childhood diarrhea. Result The incidence of childhood diarrhea was 12% (95% CI: 11.39, 12.63). The random-effects model revealed that 67% of the variability of childhood diarrhea was explained by individual- and community-level factors. From the individual-level factors, children aged 36–59 months (AOR = 3.166; 95% CI: 2.569, 3.900), twin child (AOR = 1.871; 95% CI: 1.390, 2.527), birth order 5 and above (AOR = 2.210, 95% CI: 1.721, 2.839), not received any vaccination (AOR = 1.197; 95% CI: 1.190, 1.527), smaller size of child at birth (AOR = 1.303; 95% CI: 1.130, 1.504), and never breastfed children (AOR = 2.91; 95% CI: 2.380, 3.567) associated with the higher incidence of childhood diarrhea. From the community-level factors, living in a rural area (AOR = 1.505; 95% CI: 1.233, 1.836)), unprotected source of drinking water (AOR = 1.289; 95% CI: 1.060, 1.567), and availability of unimproved latrine facilities (OR: 1.289; 95% CI: 1.239, 1.759) associated with the higher incidence of childhood diarrhea. Besides, children who live in Afar, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, SNNPR, and Dire Dawa regions had higher incidence of childhood diarrhea. Conclusion The incidence of childhood diarrhea was different from cluster to cluster in Ethiopia. Therefore, integrated child health intervention programs including provisions of toilet facility, access to a clean source of drinking water, educate parents about the importance of breastfeeding, and vaccination have to be strongly implemented in order to reduce the high incidence of childhood diarrhea among children in Ethiopia.

Twin Differences in Harsh Parenting Predict Youth’s Antisocial Behavior

In the current study, we leveraged differences within twin pairs to examine whether harsh parenting is associated with children’s antisocial behavior via environmental (vs. genetic) transmission. We examined two independent samples from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Our primary sample contained 1,030 families (2,060 twin children; 49% female; 6–10 years old) oversampled for exposure to disadvantage. Our replication sample included 240 families (480 twin children; 50% female; 6–15 years old). Co-twin control analyses were conducted using a specification-curve framework, an exhaustive modeling approach in which all reasonable analytic specifications of the data are interrogated. Results revealed that, regardless of zygosity, the twin experiencing harsher parenting exhibited more antisocial behavior. These effects were robust across multiple operationalizations and informant reports of both harsh parenting and antisocial behavior with only a few exceptions. Results indicate that the association between harsh parenting and children’s antisocial behavior is, to a large degree, environmental in origin.

Content of Phagocytic Activity of Monocytes and Neutrophils in Twin Children with Inflammatory Diseases of the Paranasal Sinuses

Content of Phagocytic Activity of Monocytes and Neutrophils in Twin Children with Inflammatory Diseases of the Paranasal Sinuses

The risk of birth defects with conception by ART.

The risk of birth defects with conception by ART.

Γονικότητα και διδυμία: Μία διπλή πρόκληση

Ιn the present paper the transition to parenthood of twins and the developmental process of the relationship between parents and their twins from the prenatal period up to adolescence are described and discussed. Our interest is focused on the distinctiveness of this relationship and the issues arising in every developmental step of twins. It is a double challenge for parents. On the one hand they should respond effectively to their role as parents and on the other hand they should simultaneously face the needs of two different children, with all the difficulties involved. In the present work the significance of the twins’ differentiation by their parents while they are still in the prenatal period, is emphasized as it is an important issue for the prevention of comparison, tension or jealousy that are harmful to the twin bond. The realisation that every twin child is different brings out the developmental advantages of twinship (companionship, empathy, cooperation etc) and diminishes the stereotypical view summarized in the phrase “for problem see twin”, which is being questioned by contemporarynaturalistic studies on the subject. Identifying the developmental advantages of twinship is a critical factor for the growth of emotionally healthy twins who respect and appreciate themselves and their relationship.

Oral microbiota and dental caries data from monozygotic and dizygotic twin children

There are recent studies which aimed to detect the inheritance on the etiology of dental caries exploring oral composition. We present data on the oral microbiota and its relation with dental caries and other factors in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin children. Following clinical investigation, DNA samples were collected and isolated from saliva of 198 patients (49 MZ and 50 DZ twins) with an average age of 9.7 ± 2.7 years. Salivary bacterial microbiota analysis was performed using high throughput amplicon sequencing method targeting V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. A total of 8,297,859 raw reads corresponding to 41,908 reads per sample were obtained on average. The QIIME2-deblur workflow was used for 16S rRNA amplicon analysis. Microbiome similarity analyses between twins (based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity, weighted and unweighted Unifrac distances) showed that monozygotic twins share more bacterial microbial content compared to dizygotic twins. This is a large microbial community dataset of MZ and DZ twins with or without dental findings which can be further used for children oral microbiome profile explorations.

Asset or burden? Impact of children on parents’ retirement

If parents receive financial support in retirement from their children, having more children with higher earning power may expedite their retirement. On the other hand, retirement may be delayed if parents are burdened with educational expenses for children. We empirically investigate how the quantity and the education of children influence their parents’ retirement decisions. Due to the endogeneity of childrearing in the retirement decision, we employ the instrumental variable method with twin births and child deaths as instruments. We find that parents retire earlier when they have more children and better educated children and they receive a significant amount of transfers from children.

Association of Gestational Age at Birth With Risk of Perinatal Mortality and Special Educational Need Among Twins

Importance Twin pregnancies account for 3% of live births but experience substantially more perinatal morbidity and mortality than singleton pregnancies. Optimizing the timing of birth is a key strategy in improving twin pregnancy outcomes. Current UK and US policies are based on observational studies of perinatal mortality and not on longer-term effects. The association of timing of birth with long-term childhood outcomes among twins is uncertain. Objective To identify the optimal gestation week for birth of twin infants by calculating the week of birth associated with the lowest risk of short-term and long-term adverse outcomes (perinatal mortality and special educational need [SEN] at school). Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based, data-linkage cohort study included 43 133 twin infants born at a gestational age of 34 weeks onward between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2015, in Scotland. The data were analyzed from June 1, 2017, to March 1, 2019. Exposures Gestational age (in weeks) at the time of birth. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcomes were extended perinatal mortality and a record of SEN (≥1 of intellectual disabilities, dyslexia, physical or motor impairment, language or speech disorder, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties) at school (children aged 4-18 years). To infer the consequence of the gestational age at birth, clinical outcomes of twin infants born at each week of gestation from 34 weeks onward were compared with those of twin infants remaining in utero thereafter. Results Of the total 43 133 twin infants included in the study, 21 696 (50.3%) were females. Although maternity records were available for all infants, 9519 sex-discordant twin children were linked to their educational data, of whom 1069 (13.8%) had a record of SEN. Compared with twins remaining in utero (n = 26 172), birth at any gestational age from 34 to 37 weeks was associated with increased odds of perinatal death (ie, adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.99; 95% CI, 1.53-2.69 at 36 weeks [n = 8056]) and increased risk of SEN at school (AOR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.11-1.74, for birth at 36 weeks compared with 37 weeks). In a competing risk analysis, the risks of stillbirth and neonatal death were balanced at 37 weeks (risk difference, 2.05; 95% CI, 0.8-3.3). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that, in the absence of a medical complication, twins should not be routinely delivered before 37 completed weeks of gestation. These findings may help optimize shared decision-making around the timing of twin birth.

Comparison of Motor Development in Preterm, and Term Children Aged 3 to 7 Years

Background: Human development is influenced by genetic, environmental, and social factors whose foundation is formed from infancy and childhood. Preterm birth and low birth weight are important issues that can affect the development and threaten the public health. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare motor development manipulation, balance, aiming, and receiving in low, very low birth weight, and normal children aged 3 to7 years. Methods: In this comparative study, 63 children were selected from among the preterm infants admitted to NICU ward. They were divided into three groups of (1) low birth weight children (mean 2066 ± 354 g) (n = 30), (2) very low birth weight children (mean 1325 ± 117 g) (n = 13), and (3) preterm twin children (mean 1781 ± 385 g) (n = 20).Also, 15 term children with an average weight (3345 ± 365 g) were selected. To evaluate the motor development of children, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Second Edition) (MABC-2) test was used. The results were analyzed by SPSS using one-way ANOVA test (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Low birthweight and very low birthweight children had poorer performance on manipulation, aiming, catching, and balance compared to normal children (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: VLBW children performed significantly poorer than LBW and Twin children on the subscales of posting coins, threading beads, drawing trail, one-leg balance, and walking heels raised.

The effectiveness of parental distraction during children's acute pain: The moderating effect of socioeconomic status.

Parental responses to children's pain shape how children interpret and cope with pain symptoms through parental modelling and operant conditioning. Evidence suggests that parental distraction is effective in reducing children's acute pain responses, but findings are inconsistent across pain tolerance, intensity and unpleasantness, and are limited to samples of primarily middle and upper-middle class families. Although socioeconomically disadvantaged families may have fewer psychological resources to cope with pain, no studies have examined whether the utility of parent distraction varies by family socioeconomic status (SES). The current study tested the hypothesis that relations between parental distraction and acute pain responses in children vary by family SES, with children from higher versus lower SES families experiencing more substantial benefits. Children's pain symptoms and parents' use of verbal distraction during a cold pressor task were examined in a community sample of 530 twin children aged 7-12years old and their primary caregivers. Parental distraction was positively associated with children's pain tolerance and unrelated to intensity and unpleasantness, but these associations are qualified by significant moderation. In families with higher SES, parental distraction was an effective technique in children's pain management, associated with more pain tolerance and less pain intensity and unpleasantness. However, for families with lower SES, these same benefits were not present. Findings suggest that the effectiveness of parental distraction for children's acute pain may depend on family SES. Study findings suggest that the effects of parental distraction on children's responses to an acute pain task vary by family SES. Although parental distraction may be effective for higher SES children, further research is needed to identify whether and why distraction may not be beneficial for lower SES families.

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents Predict Adulthood Psychopathology

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is characterized by behavioral symptoms reflecting slowness and lethargy (e.g., sluggishness, appearing sleepy) and inconsistent alertness/mental confusion (e.g., daydreaming, fogginess). SCT is substantially correlated with the inattentive symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and may be part of that domain, but in cross-sectional data, SCT is also strongly associated with both inattention and depression. To date, no study has examined the prospective associations of SCT symptoms in childhood/adolescence with symptoms of ADHD and internalizing problems in adulthood. Using a sample of 449 twin children and adolescent pairs, prospective multiple regression analyses examined whether self- and parent-reported SCT, depression, and parent-reported symptoms of ADHD predicted symptoms in adulthood 12years later. SCT and depression at time one were strongly correlated (self-reported SCT and depression r = 0.84; parent-reported SCT and depression r = 0.78). When adult outcomes were separately regressed on each youth symptom dimension, self-reported SCT (β = 0.26, p < 0.0001) and depression (β = 0.13, p < 0.0001) each predicted adult symptoms of depression and self-reported SCT predicted inattention (β = 0.12, p = 0.0026). Parent-reported depression, but not parent-reported SCT, predicted self-reported adult depression symptoms (β = 0.17, p = 0.0003). In contrast, when each adult outcome was regressed simultaneously on youth self-reported SCT and depression, neither predicted adulthood inattention or depression. These findings indicate that SCT in childhood and adolescence is strongly associated concurrently and predictively with both inattention and depression. Theoretical and clinical applications of the construct of SCT must take its robust association with both inattention and depression into account.

The best statistical model to estimate predictors of under-five mortality in Ethiopia

The under-five mortality rate is one of the most important indicators of the socio-economic wellbeing and public health conditions of a country. Under-five death in Ethiopia has reduced, but the rate is still higher than the sustainable development goal target of 20 deaths per 1000 live births. This study aimed to identify the best statistical model to estimate predictors of under-five mortality in Ethiopia. Ethiopian demography and health survey of 2016 data were accessed and used for the analysis. A total of 14,370 women were included. Various count models (Poisson, Negative Binomial, Zero-Inflated Poisson, Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial, Hurdle Poisson, and Hurdle Negative Binomial) were considered to identify risk factors associated with the death of under-five in Ethiopia. The mean number of under-five death was 0.9 and its variance was 1. 697. The hurdle negative binomial model had the smallest AIC, Deviance, and BIC, suggesting the best goodness of fit. Besides, the predictive value and probabilities for many counts in the hurdle negative binomial model fitted the observed counts best. The result of hurdle negative binomial model showed that region, mother’s age, educational level of the father, education level of the mother, father’s occupation, family size, age of mother at first birth, vaccination of child, contraceptive use, birth order, preceding birth interval, twin children, place of delivery, antenatal visit predict under-five death in Ethiopia. The rate of Under-five death remains high. Concerned governmental organizations should work properly to reduce under-five mortality through encouraging child vaccinations and antenatal care visits. Attention should also be provided to multiple births and the spacing among order of birth. The Hurdle negative binomial model provided a better fit for the data. It is argued the Hurdle negative binomial model for count data with excess zeros of unknown sources such as the number of under-five death should be fitted.

Children's objective sleep assessed with wrist-based accelerometers: strong heritability of objective quantity and quality unique from parent-reported sleep.

Children's poor sleep is a risk factor for lower cognitive functioning and internalizing and externalizing problems. It is unclear whether genetic and environmental influences vary based on sleep assessment and no studies to date have examined genetic and environmental contributions to links between multiple objective and subjective sleep indicators. Further, nearly all heritability studies rely on subjective parent- or self-report measures of sleep duration and problems. Given these gaps in the literature, we (1) modeled genetic and environmental influences on multiple objective and subjective sleep indicators and (2) estimated genetic and environmental covariances between objective and subjective sleep indicators in middle childhood. Participants were 608 twin children (MZ = 178, same-sex DZ = 234, opposite-sex DZ = 190) assessed at 8 years of age (SD = 0.63 years). Objective nighttime sleep duration, efficiency, sleep onset latency (SOL), midpoint time, and midpoint variability were collected from actigraph watches worn for 7 nights (Mnights = 6.83, SD = 0.62). Children's nighttime sleep duration and daytime sleepiness were assessed via parent report. Findings suggested high additive genetic influence on objective sleep quantity and quality, whereas objective SOL, sleep midpoint time, midpoint variability, parent-reported sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness were largely influenced by the shared environment. Common genetic factors explained associations between objective sleep quantity and quality, but genetics did not account for links with parent-reported sleep duration, midpoint time, or midpoint variability. Thus, objective and parent-reported assessments of children's sleep have unique genetic etiologies and should not be used interchangeably in the sleep literature.

Is there something special about twin families? A comparison of parenting styles in twin and non-twin families

Twin comparisons offer a powerful quasi-experimental design to study the impact of the family of origin on children's life chances. Yet, there are concerns about the generalizability of results obtained from twin studies because twin families are structurally different and twins have a genetic resemblance. We examine these concerns by comparing mothers' reports on their parenting styles for twin and non-twin children between twin and non-twin families, as well as within twin families. We use two German studies for our comparisons: TwinLife and pairfam. Our results demonstrate that twins receive more differential treatment and more emotional warmth than non-twins; however, these differences are largely accounted for by age differences between children. Overall, our results indicate that results on parenting obtained from twin studies can be generalized to non-twin families.

CATHOLIC SPIRIT OF ASSOCIATION: CATHOLIC POPULAR CULTURE, CONFRATERNITIES, GUILDS AND a RESTORED COMMUNITY IN THE INDUSTRIAL DIOCESE OF LATE VICTORIAN-EARLY EDWARDIAN WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE

If we wish to test the strength of the Catholic spirit in the industrial Diocese of late Victorian early Edwardian West Riding of Yorkshire, we should first consider what types of institutions and societies existed among them. Thus, wherever the spirit of Catholicism flourished in the hearts of the laity, it should manifest itself in the Church’s different confraternities, guilds and societies. These Catholic institutions functioned mostly independent of each other but controlled by the central council of the Church. They were an effective means of developing a new Catholic identity with forms of self-legitimisation that would come to increase Irish Catholic communal and religious life. They were indispensable to the cultural expansion of the Church and the spirit of Catholic association. The immediate purpose of these societies was a moral and spiritual provision, but they achieved much more than this. These societies worked side by side with the Catholic Church and mutually supplemented each other, becoming the twin children of the same spirit. They owed their existence to the same powerful reaction of the Church against the moral and material deterioration of English Protestant society.

Effortful Control Moderates the Relation Between Electronic-Media Use and Objective Sleep Indicators in Childhood

Electronic-media use is associated with sleep disruptions in childhood and adolescence, although research relies primarily on subjective sleep. Effortful control, a dimension of self-regulation, may mitigate this association by helping children disengage from and regulate responses to media. We examined associations between media use and multiple actigraph-measured sleep parameters at mean and day levels and tested children’s effortful control as a moderator of mean-level relations. We collected actigraph data and parents’ diary reports of children’s prebedtime television, video-game, laptop, desktop, cell-phone, and tablet use in 547 twin children (7–9 years old; 51.74% female). Mean-level media use was associated with bedtime and sleep duration. For the proportion of nights on which twins used media, but not the average number of media types, effortful control attenuated associations between media use and reduced sleep duration and efficiency. Day-level media use was related only to bedtime. Findings replicate and extend existing research and highlight self-regulation as a potential protective factor.

Individual Variation of Human Cortical Structure Is Established in the First Year of Life

BackgroundIndividual differences in cortical gray matter (GM) structure are associated with cognitive function and psychiatric disorders with developmental origins. Identifying when individual differences in cortical structure are established in childhood is critical for understanding the timing of abnormal cortical development associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. MethodsWe studied the development of cortical GM and white matter volume, cortical thickness, and surface area using structural magnetic resonance imaging in two unique cohorts of singleton (121 male and 131 female) and twin (99 male and 83 female) children imaged longitudinally from birth to 6 years. ResultsCortical GM volume increases rapidly in the first year of life, with more gradual growth thereafter. Between ages 1 and 6 years, total surface area expands 29%, while average cortical thickness decreases about 3.5%. In both cohorts, a large portion of individual variation in cortical GM volume (81%–87%) and total surface area (73%–83%) at age 6 years is present by age 1 year. Regional heterogeneity of cortical thickness observed at age 6 is largely in place at age 1. ConclusionsThese findings indicate that individual differences in cortical GM structure are largely established by the end of the first year of life, following a period of rapid postnatal GM growth. This suggests that alterations in GM structure associated with psychiatric disorders with developmental origins may largely arise in the first year of life and that interventions to normalize or mitigate abnormal GM development may need to be targeted to very early childhood.