Month Of Birth Research Articles

Awareness and developments in the treatment of pompe disease : A review

Pompe disease is a hereditary, uncommon (one in every 40,000 births) and frequently deadly ailment that affects the heart and skeletal muscles. Mutations in a gene that produces an enzyme called acid alpha-glucosidase cause it (GAA). This article is meant to raise awareness among Pompe disease patients. We also talk about new future treatments on the market for the treatment of pompe illness. Pompe disease is an inherited disorder caused by the build-up of a complex sugar called glycogen in the body’s cells. The accumulation of glycogen in certain organs and tissues, especially muscles, impairs their ability to function normally. Researchers have described three types of pompe disease, which differ in severity and the age at which they appear. These types are known as classic infantile-onset, non-classic infantile-onset and late-onset. The classic form of infantileonset pompe disease begins within a few months of birth. Infants with this disorder typically experience muscle weakness (myopathy), poor muscle tone (hypotonia), an enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) and heart defects. Affected infants may also fail to gain weight and grow at the expected rate (failure to thrive) and have breathing problems. If untreated, this form of pompe disease leads to death from heart failure in the first year of life. The non-classic form of infantile-onset pompe disease usually appears by age 1. It is characterized by delayed motor skills (such as rolling over and sitting) and progressive muscle weakness. The heart may be abnormally large (cardiomegaly), but affected individuals usually do not experience heart failure. The muscle weakness in this disorder leads to serious breathing problems and most children with non-classic infantile-onset pompe disease live only into early childhood.

Does your birth month affect the risk of developing MS? An Albanian population - based study on disease demographics

Does your birth month affect the risk of developing MS? An Albanian population - based study on disease demographics

RELATION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAGNETIC RESONANCE PROFILE OF THE BRAIN IN CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY ON THE SEASON OF THEIR BIRTH

Purpose of the study. Identifying common and distinctive features of the relationship between the season of children birth and the risk of developing epilepsy and without brain pathologies according to magnetic resonans imaging (MRI) data. Materials and methods of research. 94 children aged 4 to 14 years with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy were under observation. The children were divided into two groups: children with brain pathologies according to MRI data and children without brain pathologies according to MRI data. The entire population and the children in these groups are distributed according to their birth months. The proportions of children in each month and season were compared using pairwise tests. A statistically significant difference was considered at t≥1.96 (p≤0.05). Results. In the total population, the smallest and largest proportion of children were born in January and July, respectively (5.2±2.3 and 13.6±3.5%; t=1.98). In the group of children with epilepsy without brain pathology, according to MRI data, the smallest proportion of children were born in May (3.55±2.08%), and the largest in July (12.16±3.64%) and December (12.16±3.64%; t=2.03; p<0.05). Conclusions. MRI can detect brain pathologies in 13.83±3.56% of children with epilepsy. The seasonality of the children birth with epilepsy with and without brain pathologies is different; it is more pronounced in children with epilepsy without brain pathologies according to MRI data.

Environmental Influences on Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders with Special Emphasis on Seasonality: An Overview.

This paper offers an in-depth exploration of the intricate relationship between environmental factors and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a special emphasis on seasonality. It reviews existing research, providing a comprehensive summary of findings and highlighting the multifaceted dimensions of several environmental factors influencing the etiology of ASD. The discussion encompasses various elements, including birth months, maternal health, dietary choices, and vitamin D deficiency, delving into the intricate interplay of seasonality with environmental influences such as viral infections and solar radiation. The present study raises essential questions regarding the timing of environmental influences and the factors contributing to the rising prevalence of ASD. Ultimately, it underscores the need for future epidemiological research to incorporate more extensive investigations of environmental risk factors and employ advanced statistical analyses. This comprehensive overview contributes to a deeper understanding of how environmental factors, particularly seasonality, may be linked to the occurrence of ASD and its increasing prevalence, recognizing the multifaceted and diverse nature of these interactions.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Children Born to Women Who Traveled to a Zika Virus-Endemic Region During Pregnancy

Abstract Background Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure during pregnancy causes a wide range of congenital malformations and developmental deficits, but we do not know whether potential ZIKV exposure during pregnancy without a formal ZIKV diagnosis results in worse developmental outcomes. Pregnant women without symptoms are not recommended to be tested for ZIKV infection per CDC guidelines. However, ZIKV infections can be asymptomatic, which means that pregnant women may have unknowingly been infected with ZIKV during travel to an endemic region. Our study aims to determine whether neurodevelopmental outcomes of children born to women with a travel history to a ZIKV-endemic region at the height of the pandemic are worse than children without a maternal travel history. Methods We identified women who presented to a maternal-fetal medicine clinic within the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics system in Madison, WI, between 2015-2018 and recently traveled to a ZIKV-endemic region (n=175) and conducted a retrospective chart review. Children with no maternal travel history to a ZIKV-endemic region were identified by state registry data and matched based on month of birth and gestational age (n=189). Developmental outcomes were defined from regular screening tools obtained during well child visits, the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT). We compared the number of “No Concern”, “Borderline” and “Concern” ASQ scores between groups using a generalized linear mixed effects model with a logit link function. The number of Low, Medium or High MCHAT risk scores at 18 and 24 months were compared between groups using Fisher’s exact test. Birth weight, maternal age and maternal race were included as covariates. All reported p-values are two-sided and P<0.05 was used to define statistical significance. Results Cases had a significantly higher rate (13.9%) of borderline/concern scores in the ASQ screening tool compared to controls (7.7%) at 16-22 months (p=0.0288), which appeared to be driven by differences in the personal-social domain where more cases (16.1%) had borderline/concern scores than the controls (5.5%, p=0.0348). There were no differences seen at 9-15 months or at 23-36 months. We also found that cases had higher rates of moderate-high risk scores (10.3%) on the MCHAT compared to controls (2.2%) at 18 months (p=0.0240), but this difference wasn’t statistically significant at 24 months. There were no differences in birth weight, maternal age and gestational age between groups. Very few of the mothers (18.3%) reported 1 or more signs or symptoms consistent with a ZIKV infection, and of the 105 women with ZIKV testing, 103 were negative. Conclusions Our findings indicate that children born to mothers who traveled to a ZIKV-endemic region during pregnancy, regardless of the maternal ZIKV testing result, had worse developmental screening scores around 18 months of age. This suggests that children with maternal travel history to a ZIKA-endemic region should be regularly monitored and receive early formal developmental testing as needed.

An unexpected shift in constant year effects in female elite handball.

One of the most convincing studies about the importance of the cutoff date in relative age effects was when Helsen etal. (2000) showed that a shift in the date directly resulted in a change of birth month distributions in soccer. Over the past four decades, the role of the birth year has also been associated with relative age effects (as reflected in constant year effects). In this investigation, two studies attempted to replicate the shift of birth year distributions caused by a change in birth years in international female handball. In Study 1, the results from the female handball world championship 2017 showed a significant within-year effect overall and a constant year effect for players born 1988 and after. A second study was conducted with female players from world championships in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015. Results demonstrated small effect sizes for most tests. However, there was an unexpected trend toward a constant year effect shift at the age of 28 years. Several hypotheses are presented as an explanation for this trend.

Employment, occupation, and income in adults with neurofibromatosis 1 in Denmark: a population- and register-based cohort study

BackgroundLittle is known about employment status, occupation, and disposable income in adults with NF1.MethodsFrom the Danish National Patient Registry and database of two national Centers for Rare Diseases, we identified 1469 adults with NF1, who were matched to 11,991 randomly selected population comparisons on sex and birth year and month. Annual information on employment, occupation and disposable income was ascertained from national registries in 1980–2019.ResultsAdults with NF1 had a lower odds ratio (OR) for employment [OR 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61–0.83] and higher OR for health-related unemployment (OR 2.94, 95% CI 2.16–3.96) at age 30 years than population comparisons, which persisted at age 40 and 50 years. Somatic diagnoses were associated with a higher OR for health-related unemployment in adults with NF1 than in the population comparisons. Adults with NF1 had a slightly lower disposable income, with a 14% (0.82–0.89) reduction observed among the youngest birth cohort. Furthermore, adults with NF1 were less likely to be in a high skilled occupation at ages 30, 40 and 50 years.ConclusionAdults with NF1 have a lower employment rate, which was mainly due to health-related reasons and a slightly lower disposable income than adults without NF1. Thus, anticipation guidance for employment should be part of the management of NF1 families.

Effect of exclusive breastfeeding practices on childhood morbidity among primiparous mothers in India: Analysis from National Family Health Survey-4, India during 2015-16

BackgroundExclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has many benefits for infants and mothers. ObjectivesThe study aimed to understand the prevalence of EBF practices among primiparous mothers and its associated clinical and socio-demographic characteristics among infants 0–6 months of age. Materials and methodsThis analysis was based on the 4th round of NFHS, a cross-sectional survey of India conducted between 2015 and 2016. Simple logistic regression was performed to examine the factors associated with EBF infants. ResultsOf the 5816 infants, the median age (IQR) was 4 months (2-5) with a female/male ratio of 1:1.10 respectively. The median (IQR) age of the mother was 22 (20-25) years. The prevalence of EBF was 60.57% (95% CI, 59.31-61.82). Households using clean fuel (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.78-0.97) had lower odds of being EBF than polluting fuel. Infants with richer wealth (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74-0.94) had lower odds of being EBF than infants from poor wealth. Infants with fever (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.56-0.75), cough (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66-0.92) and diarrhea (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.51-0.71) had lower odds of being EBF, compared with infants without these morbidities. ConclusionEBF practices were very low in India, and the present result shows children born to lower socioeconomic status had a higher chance of being EBF. Further research is needed to understand the relationships between EBF up to six months versus less than six months of birth on various morbidity.

Hubungan Antara Paparan Asap Rokok dan Status Gizi (LiLA) dengan Kejadian BBLR di Puskesmas Sidotopo Kecamatan Semampir Kota Surabaya

LBW (Low Birth Weight) is a health or nutritional problem that is a concern in countries with low socio- economic status, especially in developing countries like Indonesia. LBW is also one of the causes of death of a baby in the first month of birth. In general, the incidence of LBW is caused by maternal factors (nutrition status MUAC (upper arm circumference), fetal factors and placental factors. In addition, there are environmental factors that can cause LBW, namely exposure to cigarette smoke. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between exposure to cigarette smoke and nutritional status (MUAC) with the incidence of low birth weight in the Sidotopo Health Center area, Semampir District, Surabaya City. This research is an analytic observational type research where the researcher does not provide treatment to the intended subject. In addition, the research design used is case control. The study sample is 38 people were taken randomly using simple random sampling. Primary data collection included filling out a cigarette smoke exposure questionnaire.Meanwhile, secondary data collection included nutritional status data (MUAC) contained in the mother's KIA book. Data analysis used in this study was chi-square The results showed that there was a relationship between the nutritional status (MUAC) of mothers (p=0.004) in the case and control groups and the incidence of LBW in the Sidotopo Community Health Center, while exposure to cigarette smoke (p=0.693) in the case and control groups had no relationship with the incidence of LBW. in the Sidotopo Community Health Center. The conclusion from this study is that there is still a lack of MUAC nutritional status measures (<23.5 cm) in pregnant women which can be a risk cause or support for LBW events in infants. It is better to do socialization about LBW and programs for pregnant women and WUS (women of childbearing age). The programs that can be carried out are socialization about the dangers of cigarette smoke to prospective mothers and husbands and improving nutritional status (MUAC) for prospective pregnant women.

Season of Birth in Patients with Schizophrenia in Thailand.

An excess of schizophrenia births in the winter or spring is a well-known finding in Western studies; however, few studies from equatorial regions have been done. Our purpose is to investigate the seasonality of schizophrenia births in Thailand. This was a retrospective study in which patients with schizophrenia were identified from computerized records at Thammasat University Hospital. The Edwards test was used to detect any birth seasonality patterns among the patients with schizophrenia. Subsequently, the data were compared against the general population birth month data to examine potential seasonal effects using the Walter-Elwood seasonality test. There are 949 patients with schizophrenia, with a mean age of 39.3 years. The results demonstrate no evidence of distinctive seasonality in birth patterns among patients with schizophrenia (P = .329). The overall monthly distribution of births did not differ between the general population and patients with schizophrenia (P = .365). In Thailand, a tropical country, there does not appear to be an effect of season of birth and the later development of schizophrenia.

Does month of birth influence colorectal cancer prognosis?

PurposeThe main aim of this study was to identify a possible association between month of birth of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS).MethodsThis observational study included all consecutive adult patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing oncological surgery from January 2005 to December 2019 with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. The outcome variables were locoregional recurrence, death due to cancer progression, OS and DFS. Non-supervised learning techniques (K-means) were conducted to identify groups of months with similar oncologic outcomes. Finally, OS and DFS were analysed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression tests. The model was calibrated with resampling techniques and subsequently a cross-validation was performed.ResultsA total of 2520 patients were included. Three birth month groups with different oncologic outcomes were obtained. Survival analysis showed between-group differences in OS (p < 0.001) and DFS (p = 0.03). The multivariable Cox proportional hazards model identified the clusters obtained as independent prognostic factors for OS (p < 0.001) and DFS (p = 0.031).ConclusionThere is an association between month of birth and oncologic outcomes of CRC. Patients born in the months of January, February, June, July, October and December had better OS and DFS than those born in different months of the year.

Association between relative age at school and persistence of ADHD in prospective studies: an individual participant data meta-analysis

The youngest children in a school class are more likely than the oldest to be diagnosed with ADHD, but this relative age effect is less frequent in older than in younger school-grade children. However, no study has explored the association between relative age and the persistence of ADHD diagnosis at older ages. We aimed to quantify the association between relative age and persistence of ADHD at older ages. For this meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PubPsych up to April 1, 2022, with terms related to "cohort" and "ADHD" with no date, publication type, or language restrictions. We gathered individual participant data from prospective cohorts that included at least ten children identified with ADHD before age 10 years. ADHD was defined by either a clinical diagnosis or symptoms exceeding clinical cutoffs. Relative age was recorded as the month of birth in relation to the school-entry cutoff date. Study authors were invited to share raw data or to apply a script to analyse data locally and generate anonymised results. Our outcome was ADHD status at a diagnostic reassessment, conducted at least 4 years after the initial assessment and after age 10 years. No information on sex, gender, or ethnicity was collected. We did a two-stage random-effects individual participant data meta-analysis to assess the association of relative age with persistence of ADHD at follow-up. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020212650. Of 33 119 studies generated by our search, we identified 130 eligible unique studies and were able to gather individual participant data from 57 prospective studies following up 6504 children with ADHD. After exclusion of 16 studies in regions with a flexible school entry system that did not allow confident linkage of birthdate to relative age, the primary analysis included 41 studies in 15 countries following up 4708 children for a period of 4 to 33 years. We found that younger relative age was not statistically significantly associated with ADHD persistence at follow-up (odds ratio 1·02, 95% CI 0·99-1·06; p=0·19). We observed statistically significant heterogeneity in our model (Q=75·82, p=0·0011, I2=45%). Participant-level sensitivity analyses showed similar results in cohorts with a robust relative age effect at baseline and when restricting to cohorts involving children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD or with a follow-up duration of more than 10 years. The diagnosis of ADHD in younger children in a class is no more likely to be disconfirmed over time than that of older children in the class. One interpretation is that the relative age effect decreases the likelihood of children of older relative age receiving a diagnosis of ADHD, and another is that assigning a diagnostic label of ADHD leads to unexplored carryover effects of the initial diagnosis that persist over time. Future studies should be conducted to explore these interpretations further. None.

Unintended perinatal health consequences of a Swedish family policy: A population-based study

Abstract Background Family policies can influence parents’ fertility behaviors, with consequences for perinatal health. The 1980 and 1986 Swedish speed premium policies aimed to protect parents’ income-based parental leave benefits within birth intervals shorter than 24 and 30 months, respectively, but additionally encouraged shorter birth spacing and childbearing at older ages - both risk factors for several perinatal health outcomes. This study evaluates the association of the 1980 and 1986 speed premium policies with perinatal health outcomes. Methods We used information on all singleton births in Sweden from 1974 to 1991 (n = 1,762,784) to calculate rates of preterm birth, low birthweight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA) at preterm and stillbirth, by month and year of birth. Changes in outcomes at reform periods were evaluated with interrupted time series analyses. Results The 1980 speed premium policy was linked to a monthly rate increase in preterm births relative to the pre-reform period (0.013 [95% CI 0.0061-0.0200] percentage points), equivalent to a 24% increase from 1980 to 1986. After the 1986 relaxation of the policy, the trend in monthly rates reversed (-0.025 [95% CI -0.033--0.018] percentage points). LBW displayed a similar pattern over both reform periods, which was attenuated when considering LBW at term. Rates of SGA at preterm and stillbirths did not change following either reform. Further analyses suggested that changes in perinatal health were restricted to births among native- and Nordic-born mothers, i.e., the primary groups to adjust their fertility behaviors to the reforms. Conclusions Despite its economic advantages for couples, especially mothers, the introduction of the speed premium policy had adverse perinatal health consequences particularly for preterm births. Family policies should be carefully designed with a ‘Health in All Policies’ lens to avoid possible unintended adverse repercussions for perinatal health. Key messages • Family policies can have unintended, adverse perinatal health effects if their eligibility requirements encourage individuals to make fertility decisions that are associated with health risks. • Policymakers should adopt a ‘Health in All Policies’ approach for developing and evaluating family policies to avoid unintended public health harms.

Prevalence and correlates of very rapid repeat pregnancy: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, United States, 2009-2020.

Most rapid repeat pregnancies, defined as those occurring within 18 months of a previous birth, are unintended. These pregnancies are associated with later initiation of prenatal care and are more common among people with lower socio-economic status and among racially and ethnically minoritised populations. To assess prevalence and correlate pregnancies occurring in the immediate period after a live birth in the United States, using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). We assessed data from the 2009-2020 PRAMS, a population-based survey of perinatal maternal characteristics of mothers of liveborn infants in US locations. We assessed pregnancies reported during the immediate postpartum period (approximately 2-6 months post-delivery), and term this 'very rapid repeat pregnancy' (VRRP). We assessed the adjusted prevalence of VRRP from 2009 to 2020. From 2016 to 2020, we calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for maternal characteristics. The adjusted prevalence of VRRP ranged from 0.38% (95% CI: 0.29, 0.48) in 2009 to 0.76% (95% CI: 0.61, 0.91) in 2020. Demographic characteristics associated with VRRP included younger age, lower educational attainment, and being unmarried. Black mothers had a higher prevalence of VRRP compared to white mothers. Mothers who attended a healthcare visit in the 12 months preconception had a lower prevalence of VRRP as did mothers who attended a postpartum check-up, compared to their counterparts without these visits. Among those receiving prenatal care, mothers whose prenatal healthcare provider asked about postpartum contraception birth had a lower prevalence of VRRP, compared to those not asked about postpartum contraception. VRRP appeared to increase over time in 2009-2020. Mothers who are younger, Black, have lower educational attainment, or who did not attend healthcare visits before or after pregnancy had a higher prevalence of VRRP and may comprise a population who would benefit from additional family planning resources.

Birth and Various Period Live Weights of Hair Goat Kids

The animal material of this study consisted of 6000 goats and 300 goats, which were supported within the scope of the "Animal Breeding in the Hands of the Public National Project" in the province of Diyarbakir of Turkey. Within the scope of the project in which the research was included, the animals were identified and their records were kept. The records of goats in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 formed the data of this research. The weights of birth, 30th day, 60th day, 90th day were determined in goats born in the specified years. Live weight of hair goat kids at various periods (birth, 30th, 60th, 90th) and daily body weight gains up to 90th day (birth-30, 30-60, 90th days). Statistical analysis of the data was made in the SPSS package program.&#x0D; In the study, birth weight of Hair goat kids was 2.84±0.010; Body weight at day 30 was 6.97±0.028; Body weight at day 60 was determined as 11.06±0.065 and body weight at 90th day was determined as 14.49±0.058. In addition, daily live weight gains on the 30th day of birth in Hair goat kids was 136.84±0.884; body weight gain at birth-60th day 136.41±1.083; daily body weight gain at birth-90th day was determined as 129.08±0.640. When the effect of environmental factors examined in the study was evaluated, the effect of gender on live weights of all ages was found to be statistically significant. However, in the study, it was determined that the type of birth and the effect of birth month showed a difference only between birth and 30th day age. As a result, in the current thesis study, it was found that the findings obtained in terms of growth and development characteristics in Hair goat kids were compatible with the findings of other studies on the subject.

Kajian Sosiolinguistik pada “Nama Orang” di Jawa Timur

This study aims to analyze the changes in the meaning of "person's name" in East Java Society. The significance of people's "names" holds importance due to differences in naming practices and their meanings across generations, specifically the X, Y, Z, and Alpha generations. A sociolinguistic perspective is employed in this study, utilizing a descriptive qualitative research method. Primary data is collected through interviews and observations, while secondary data is obtained through relevant document searches. The findings reveal that the naming patterns differ for each generation, including X, Y, Z, and Alpha, depending on the parents' expectations for their child's name. These expectations are influenced by external factors such as religion, date and month of birth, and socio-cultural aspects, as well as internal factors such as parents' preferences for specific languages or characters from certain stories. In conclusion, Javanese names and their meanings have undergone shifts across generations, both in terms of the number of words and language choices. The X generation tends to have fewer words compared to the Y, Z, and Alpha generations. Similarly, the Y generation exhibits relatively fewer and shorter names compared to the Z and Alpha generations. Regarding language, the most recent generations, Z and Alpha (1997-present), incorporate a greater variety of foreign languages into their names compared to the previous generations (X and Y) of Javanese names. Kata Kunci: Pergeseran Nama, Makna, Sosiolingusitik

Parascaris spp. eggs shedding patterns in juvenile horses

Parascaris spp. infect foals worldwide and foals typically shed eggs in the feces from about three to six months of age, upon which natural immunity is incurred. High levels of anthelmintic resistance of Parascaris spp. are a global concern, and further understanding egg shedding patterns and fecal egg counting (FEC) data variability is of high importance. The aims of this study were to monitor Parascaris spp. egg shedding in untreated foals during 12–23 weeks of age, estimate sources of data variability, and assess precision of two ascarid FEC techniques. Fecal samples were collected weekly from 11 foals born in 2022, from May through November (29 weeks). Six subsamples were extracted from each weekly sample to determine 30 FECs between two techniques: a McMaster technique and an Automated Egg Counting System (AECS). Mixed linear modeling was carried out with age, sex, birth month, seasonality, spring- or summer-born foals, and egg counting technique as explanatory variables. Ascarid FECs were associated with age (p < 0.001), seasonality (p < 0.001), and technique (p < 0.001). The McMaster technique was more precise with a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of 34.57% and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 30.80%− 38.30% compared to the CV for the AECS, which was 42.22% (CI: 37.70%−46.70%). Seasonality accounted for the highest proportion of variance (PV) of all covariates, but differences in PVs for covariates existed between techniques with foal age and subsample contributing more variance to the McMaster, and individual foal and seasonality contributing more to the AECS. Subsamples and replicate counts accounted for less than 1% of the total data variance. The results highlighted substantial differences in PVs between the two techniques at the subsample (AECS: 57.14%; McMaster: 77.51%) and replicate count levels (AECS: 42.86%; McMaster: 22.49%). While differences in precision were observed between the two FEC techniques, they were negligible in the data set, as the overwhelming majority of the data variability in ascarid FECs was attributed to individual foal, seasonality, and foal age.

Are Late-Born Young Soccer Players Less Mature Than Their Early-Born Peers, Although No Differences in Physical and Technical Performance Are Evident?

The aim of the study was to compare the status of somatic maturity, anthropometry, strength, speed, and soccer-specific technical skills of players from leading youth soccer academies born in different quarters of the same calendar year. A total of 678 young male soccer players from eight leading Russian soccer academies took part in the study. The following anthropometric measures and physical characteristics were measured: height, weight, body mass index, countermovement jumps (CMJ), 5, 10, and 20 m sprints, speed dribbling, foot and body ball juggling, and short and long pass accuracy. The determination of somatic maturity as a percentage of projected adult height was collected. All subject dates of birth were divided into four quartiles according to the month of birth. The analysis of all data obtained was conducted both within the total sample and by quartiles of birth, according to the age group categories of 12-13 years, 14-15 years, and 16-17 years and the degree of somatic maturity. There was a widespread relative age effect, with 43.5% of early-born players and only 9.6% of late-born players representing the sample. Early-born players were more mature than late-born players (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001) but had no statistically significant differences in strength, speed, or soccer-specific skills.

The Relationship Between Relative Age and Tournament Success for 11-Year-Old Male Wrestlers in Turkey

Children born in the first months of the same year are physically more advantageous than those born in the last months, and this advantage decreases as the athletes gets older. Athletes born in the last months of the year and unsuccessful may leave their careers at a young age. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between tournament success and birth months in 11-year-old Freestyle and Greco-Roman style wrestlers. It was hypothesized that wrestlers born in the first months of the year would be more successful than those born in the last months. Tournament ranking and birth date information of 327 wrestlers who participated in the Turkey 11-Year-Old Male Freestyle and Greco-Roman Style Wrestling Tournament were used. In order to examine the relationship between athlete success and birth months, Chi-Square analysis was performed by grouping birth months into four quarters of the year. It was observed that the success rankings of both Freestyle and Greco-Roman style wrestlers decreased from the first quarter to the last quarter of the year (Freestyle: χ2 = 42.749, df = 3, p = .000; Greco-Roman style: χ2 = 25.627, df = 3, p = .000). It is thought that birth months should be given importance when grouping at young ages, especially in sports branches such as wrestling, where physical contact is high.

Kadın Futbolunda Rölatif Yaş Etkisinin İncelenmesi

Early identification and development of “talented” athletes in youth sport is of primary interest to national governing bodies of sport and sport clubs across all sports. Selection bias during recruitment and planning the developmental pathways of athletes is a critical issue to address, and relative age effect (RAE) is one of the concepts to be investigated in this regard. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of RAE in U17 and U20 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and to investigate the role of age category, playing position and continents with regard to RAE. A total of 2016 female soccer players (U17=1008, U20=1008) participating in the last three consecutive U17 and U20 FIFA Women's World Cups were evaluated based on the birth month distributions. Inter-quartile differences were assessed using the Chi-square (χ²) goodness-of-fit test, and odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare quartiles. RAE was more prevalent in U17 compared to U20 (χ2=43.865, p&amp;lt;.001, V=0.12; χ2=24.071, p&amp;lt;.001, V=0.09, respectively). For all positions, the number of female soccer players born in the first quarter of the year was higher than those born in the last quarter. In U17, RAE was statistically significant in all positions, while in U20 only defenders and midfielders’ distributions were significantly skewed. In conclusion, RAE is a critical issue to investigate in female soccer context, and age categories, playing position and continents seem such moderators of RAE that coaches and policy makers need to consider.