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Shared picture-book reading is well-recognized as beneficial for children’s early language development, especially where ‘dialogic book-sharing’ techniques are used. Possible benefits of dialogic book-sharing to other aspects of child development have been little investigated, and it has not been widely studied in European populations. We conducted a randomized trial of dialogic book-sharing in Children’s Centers in the UK, with parents of 2-4-year-old children, hypothesizing that it would benefit parenting and a range of child developmental outcomes.\ud Intervention group parents (n = 110) received seven, weekly, group training sessions and control parents (n = 108) the usual center input. Parenting and a range of child outcomes (language, attention, executive function, social development and emotional-behavior difficulties) were assessed on three occasions: before, after, and 4-6 month following intervention. For all study outcomes we compared controls with each of the Intention-to-Treat population and the perprotocol population (participants attending the requisite number of sessions); and, for primary child outcomes only, the population of parents who engaged well with the intervention. There were substantial benefits of dialogic book-sharing training to parental behavior during booksharing, especially for sensitivity and cognitive scaffolding. For all three sets of comparisons there were small-medium effects of on child expressive language, and, for the per protocol and engaged populations, similar sized effects on child receptive language and attention. There was no evidence of benefit of dialogic book-sharing for the other areas of child development; we suggest that specific intervention components need to be added to standard dialogic book-sharing to effect change in these areas.

BACKGROUND: We systematically identified effective and resource-efficient strategies for recruiting families into health promoting intervention research. METHODS: Four databases were searched for reviews. Interventions were extracted from included reviews. Additionally, a Delphi study was conducted with 35 experts in family-based research. We assessed extracted data from our review and Delphi participants’ opinions by collating responses into overarching themes based on recruitment setting then recruitment strategies to identify effective and resource-efficient strategies for recruiting families into intervention research. RESULTS: A total of 64 articles (n= 49 studies) were included. Data regarding recruitment duration (33%), target sample size (32%), reach (18%), expressions of interest (33%), and enrolment rate (22%) were scarcely reported. Recruitment settings (84%) and strategies (73%) used were available for most studies. However, the details were vague, particularly regarding who was responsible for recruitment or how recruitment strategies were implemented. The Delphi showed recruitment settings and strategies fell under 6 themes: school-based, print/electronic media, community settings-based, primary care-based, employer-based, and referral-based strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Under-recruitment in family-based trials is a major issue. Reporting on recruitment can be improved by better adherence to existing guidelines. Our findings suggest a multifaceted recruitment approach targeting adults and children with multiple exposures to study information.

Objective: Birth cohort studies (BCS) have generated a wealth of invaluable basic scientific and policy-relevant information on a wide range of issues in child health and development. This study sought to explore what research questions are currently a priority for the next generation of BCS using a 3-round Delphi survey of interdisciplinary experts.Methods: Twenty-four (Round I, N = 17; Round II, N = 21; Round III, N = 18) experts across a wide range of fields (e.g., psychology, public health and maternal/child health) agreed to participate. In Round I, the expert panel was invited to freely respond to the question, “What are the key scientific questions future birth cohort studies should address?”. Content analysis of answers was used to identify 47 questions for rating on perceived importance by the panel in Round II and consensus-achieving questions were identified. Questions that did not reach consensus in Round II were posed again for expert re-rating in Round III. Results: Twenty six of 47 questions reached consensus in Round II, with an additional 6 reaching consensus in Round III. Consensus-achieving questions rated highly on importance spanned a number of topics, including environmental effects on child development, intergenerational transmission of disadvantage and designing BCS to inform intervention strategies. Conclusion: Investigating the effects of family/environmental factors and social disadvantage on a child’s development should be prioritised in designing future BCS. The panel also recommended that future BCS are designed to inform intervention strategies.

Background : Becoming a parent is a time of both joy and stress. Associations between exposure to postnatal depression and negative child outcomes underscore the importance of understanding trajectories and correlates of perinatal depression and anxiety. Methods : In a study of 438 expectant couples (from the UK, USA and Netherlands) tracked across four time-points (third trimester, 4, 14 and 24 months), we used dyadic latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) of self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression (CES-D, GHQ, STAI) to investigate the affective impact of becoming a parent. Results : Confirmatory factor analyses of anxious-depressive symptoms revealed a single latent factor with measurement invariance across time and parent. Dyadic LGCM intercepts showed greater prenatal problems in mothers compared with fathers. LGCM slopes revealed stable maternal problems but worsening paternal problems. Both intercepts and slopes showed significant within-couple associations. Controlling for prenatal salivary cortisol levels and perinatal couple relationship quality, support from friends attenuated mothers’ psychological distress and support from family reduced fathers’ psychological distress across the transition to parenthood. Limitations : Our sample was low risk (i.e., predominantly well-educated and affluent and no history of serious mental illness), limiting the generalizability of findings. In addition, the inverse association between psychological distress and social support may, in part, reflect the use of self-report for both measures. Conclusions : The international dyadic longitudinal design strengthens conclusions regarding variation in trajectories of psychological distress in both mothers and fathers. Crucially, social support appears pivotal in enabling new parents to flourish.

Background Many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit social cognitive impairments in the development of theory of mind (ToM), or the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. ToM has been shown to relate to reading comprehension for children and adolescents with typical development (TD) and with ASD. This study examined the relation between reading comprehension, word recognition, oral language, and ToM for higher-functioning children and adolescents with ASD (HFASD) as compared to those with TD. Method 70 children with HFASD and 40 children with TD, aged 9–17 years, participated in the study. In order to describe the HFASD as compared to the TD sample, a series of ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were conducted. Multiple regression analyses were conducted with reading comprehension as the outcome variable. Separate regression models (TD & HFASD) were run with IQ, word recognition, oral language, and two ToM measures (Happe’s Strange Stories and the Silent Films Task) as predictors. Results The TD group performed better than the HFASD group on all standardized and experimental measures. Regression analyses revealed that after controlling for IQ, word recognition, and oral language, both ToM measures predicted unique variance in reading comprehension in the HFASD, but not the TD, sample. Furthermore, the TD and HFASD groups displayed different patterns of significant predictors of reading comprehension. Conclusions This study suggests that in addition to oral language and higher-order linguistic comprehension, social cognition is an important factor to consider when designing reading interventions for students with ASD.

Pets are common but their importance to children and early adolescents has received scant empirical attention. This is partly due to a lack of tools for measuring child-pet relationships. The first aim of the present study (involving 77 12-year-olds) was to evaluate a pet adaptation of an established measure of human relationship quality, the Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI). Next, we applied the NRI to examine how pet relationship quality varies with pet type and participant's gender, and to compare participants' relationships with pets and with siblings. Results showed that girls reported more disclosure, companionship, and conflict with their pet than did boys, while dog owners reported greater satisfaction and companionship with their pet than did owners of other pets. Highlighting the importance of early adolescents' pet relationships, participants derived more satisfaction and engaged in less conflict with their pets than with their siblings.

In the fields of education, sociology, and economics, there is a long-standing connection between socioeconomic status (SES) and school outcomes in a wide variety of cultural settings, but these studies have yet to examine the possible mediating effects of domain-general cognitive factors such as executive functions (EFs). Addressing this gap and building on evidence for links between EFs and numeracy, the current cross-cultural study used a large sample (N = 835) of 9- to 16-year-old children from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom to examine the independence and interplay of SES and EFs as predictors of numeracy skills. Our analyses yielded three key findings, namely that (a) EFs consistently predicted numeracy skills across sites and genders, (b) associations between SES and EFs differed by site and gender, and (c) associations between numeracy skills and SES/EFs differed by site and gender. Together with previous findings, our results suggest culture-specific associations among SES, EFs, and numeracy, indicating that cultural insights may enable impactful shifts in public policy to narrow the achievement gap between children from affluent and disadvantaged families.

We investigated the specificity and direction of the associations between Theory of Mind (ToM) and reading comprehension (RC) via two studies. In Study 1, measures of ToM and RC were gathered alongside measures of verbal ability (VA), working memory (WM) and family affluence in 157 children (mean age = 9;7 years). Results showed that the relationship between ToM and RC remained significant when more general effects of VA, WM and family affluence were taken into account. In Study 2, a new sample of 60 children (mean age = 9;8 years at T1) was followed over a 6-month period, with children completing tests of ToM, RC and mathematical ability at both timepoints. Individual differences in ToM were unrelated to variation in mathematical ability, but showed a bidirectional developmental association with variation in RC. These results extend the knowledge on the relation between ToM and academic achievement in older children and show the existence of a specific relationship between ToM and RC in middle childhood.

Marine organisms mediate the formation of volatile inorganic (e.g. HOBr) and organic halogens (e.g. CHBr3) and contribute to the sea-to-air emission of bromine and iodine. This air-sea halogen exchange has implications for atmospheric chemistry. It is important to establish the physiological function of halogen metabolism in key groups of marine organisms to permit predictive model development. In this study a series of laboratory experiments was performed to investigate the link between the availability of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and brominating activity, as measured by the bromination of phenol red, in two cold-water marine diatoms (Thalassiosira antarctica, CCAP 1085/25; Porosira glacialis, CCMP 668). Brominating activity in T. antarctica was found to change in response to short term changes in photon flux density and to have a strong positive linear relationship with gross photosynthetic rate up to 260 μmol O2 (mg chla)− 1 h− 1. Experiments performed across multiple diel cycles showed that light-phase brominating activities in T. antarctica were a factor of 2.8 (± 1.0) higher than those measured in the dark. Whilst P. glacialis showed no response to short term changes in PFD, measurements across a number of diel cycles revealed that light-phase brominating activities in this diatom were significantly higher than those in the dark by a factor of 1.3 (± 0.3). The addition of 0.1 μM H2O2 to the medium of T. antarctica cultures led to a significant increase in brominating activity by a factor of 2.4 (± 0.3) relative to no-addition controls but no such response was seen in P. glacialis. These results suggest that there is a link between PAR light availability and brominating activity in marine diatoms but that the nature of this relationship differs between species. By establishing a potential link with common ecosystem model state variables (light and photosynthesis) this work provides the first step towards developing a predictive capability for brominating activity in the marine environment. More work is needed to assess the potential for developing generalised parameterisations between PAR light availability and brominating activity in diatom species representative of a wider range of ocean regions.

Existing cross-cultural findings related to school-aged children’s executive function (EF) from studies using computerized tasks highlight both an East–West contrast (East > West) and potential methodological confounds (e.g., contrasting levels of computer fluency). Capitalizing on two recent data sets, this multisite study of 1,311 children living in mainland China (n = 453; Mage = 11.89 years, SD = 0.87), Hong Kong (n = 371; Mage = 12.21 years, SD = 0.99), and the United Kingdom (n = 487; Mage = 11.91 years, SD = 0.93) tested measurement invariance of a computerized EF-task battery prior to investigating cultural contrasts in mean levels of EF efficiency scores. Our models established partial scalar invariance across sites. Latent factor means were substantially lower for British children than for their counterparts from either mainland China or Hong Kong, with a significant but smaller contrast between the latter two groups. Within the Chinese sample, self-reported computer use was unrelated to variation in children’s performance on online tests of EF, indicating that peripheral effects of task modality are unlikely to explain the between-culture differences in EF task performance.

While meta-analytic evidence (Devine & Hughes, 2018) indicates a small but consistent link between parental mental-state talk (MST) and preschoolers’ false belief understanding (FBU), studies of non-Western samples remain scarce. Addressing this gap, we recruited 105 three- to five-year-old Hong Kong children and their parents and investigated how variation in children’s FBU was related to two aspects of parental MST (i.e., type and referent), coded from observations of parent-child dyads engaged with a wordless picture book. Using a latent variable approach, we found that parental MST about their own emotions, own desires, and others’ cognitions, but not children’s mental states, were significantly associated with children’s FBU. Importantly, these associations remained significant even when children’s age, language ability, number of siblings, socioeconomic status, and parents’ verbosity were controlled. As well as supporting the generalizability of the association between parental MST and children’s FBU to non-Western samples, these findings highlight the need for more fine-grained work to explore specific aspects of parental MST in relation to children’s FBU.

© 2018 Elsevier Inc. Drawing on data gathered from 14 studies involving a total of 1862 mothers and fathers, this meta-analysis reviews the measures that are used to tap into thoughts and feelings about the unborn infant during pregnancy and examines links between these prenatal measures and parent-child interaction quality. Questionnaire scores for parental-fetal attachment and interview ratings of expectant parents’ representations of their infant showed modest but robust associations with observed parent-child interaction quality. Moderator analyses showed that these associations were significantly stronger for mothers than for fathers. Key lessons for future research include the need for greater consistency in study measures, sample diversity and the examination of associations with child outcomes.

Familial Glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD), in which the adrenal cortex fails to produce glucocorticoids, was first shown to be caused by defects in the receptor for ACTH (MC2R) or its accessory protein (MRAP). Certain mutations in the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) can also masquerade as FGD. Recently mutations in mini chromosome maintenance-deficient 4 homologue (MCM4) and nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT), genes involved in DNA replication and antioxidant defence respectively, have been recognised in FGD cohorts. These latest findings expand the spectrum of pathogenetic mechanisms causing adrenal disease and imply that the adrenal may be hypersensitive to replicative and oxidative stresses. Over time patients with MCM4 or NNT mutations may develop other organ pathologies related to their impaired gene functions and will therefore need careful monitoring.

The marine environment is known to be a source of CHBr 3 and CH 2 Br 2 and hence ozone-depleting inorganic bromine to the troposphere but, to date, the dominant processes controlling their concentrations in seawater remain poorly understood. Here results are reported from a series of laboratory experiments designed to investigate bromocarbon dynamics in cultures of marine diatoms and bacteria isolated recently from the Rothera Time-Series (RaTS) site located in coastal waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula. The main focus of this work was an isolate of the centric diatom Thalassiosira sp. Different processes were found to control the concentrations of CHBr 3 and CH 2 Br 2 in this culture. The production of CHBr 3 was restricted to the exponential phase of growth suggesting a link with a primary metabolic process and was a factor of 5–6 higher in cultures treated with antibiotics to reduce bacterial activity. 13 CHBr 3 additions confirmed that CHBr 3 was not subject to significant bacterial breakdown and hence bacteria are likely to be inhibiting the production of this compound. The rate of 13 CH 2 Br 2 appearance in the cultures observed following 13 CHBr 3 addition suggests that the major source of CH 2 Br 2 in the diatom culture was transformation from CHBr 3 . CD 2 Br 2 additions revealed that CH 2 Br 2 was subject to significant breakdown in cultures of both Thalassiosira sp. and a bacterial isolate with apparent loss rate constants ranging from 0.21 to 0.78 day − 1 . These findings are used to produce an empirical scheme describing bromocarbon cycling in natural waters which is validated against measured concentration data from the RaTS site. The detailed process information and schemes presented provide a major step forward towards the development of biogeochemical modules that could be coupled to ecosystem models. These could then be used to predict how sea-to-air biogenic bromine emissions will change under future scenarios.

Summary An 18-month time series of the temperature and biogeochemical properties of a shallow, hyper-eutrophic lake was conducted in East Anglia, UK. The data show a seasonal stratification cycle that is typical of mid-latitude monomictic lakes with an overturning interval during the coldest part of winter. The existing paradigm suggests that this is due to the seasonal variation of the surface heat fluxes. However, sediment temperatures indicate that there may be significant bottom heating in winter and bottom cooling in summer. The temperature difference between the lowermost part of the lake water column and the underlying sediments shows a change of sign at approximately the start and end of summer stratification. An energy budget of the lake – calculated using vertical temperature profiles and atmospheric meteorological parameters – suggests that there may be a significant input of ground water below the thermocline of the lake. The groundwater heat flux term is calculated to be the second most important cooling factor after longwave radiation in the overall heat budget during the summer. The groundwater effect is more important than latent heat flux cooling for this lake, and this has important implications for the ‘heat-budget method’ that has been used to quantify evaporation from lakes. A time-resolved analysis suggests that there is little seasonal variation in the calculated groundwater flux and no clear correspondence with rainfall variations. Groundwater input to lakes may be more important than previously believed and may be an important factor of the overturning dynamics of some lakes.

Iodomethane (CH3I) production by Prochlorococcus marinus (CCMP 2389) and Synechococcus sp. (CCMP 2370) was investigated using laboratory cultures. In contrast to Synechococcus, where no trace gas production was observed, P. marinus cells produced CH3I. The rate of CH3I production by P. marinus was found to vary depending on the physiological state of the cells as defined by photosynthetic health (Fv/Fm) measurements, SYTOX Green staining (which evaluates membrane permeability) and calculated in vivo fluorescence per cell (a proxy of pigment content per cell). The highest total cell normalised production rates (7189 [range 5225–11,517] molecules CH3I cellTotal day−1) were observed when Fv/Fm was ≤ 0.3 and ≥ 75% of the cells were SYTOX Green labelled. Relatively lower rates of CH3I production (146 [103–267] molecules CH3I cellTotal day− 1) were observed when Fv/Fm was ≥ 0.5 and ≤ 20% of the P. marinus cells were SYTOX Green labelled. Our results suggest that discrepancies in the CH3I production rates by Prochlorococcus observed between previous studies could be due to differing cell physiology. Calculations are presented which suggest that Prochlorococcus could contribute significantly to CH3I production in the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean. This study highlights the importance of considering cell physiological state when determining trace gas production rates in laboratory culture and extrapolating them to the natural environment.

Despite a wealth of studies in the field, longitudinal assessments of both the stability and predictive utility of individual differences in preschoolers’ understanding of the mind remain scarce. To address these gaps, we applied latent variable analyses to (a) experimental data gathered from a socially diverse sample (N = 101, 60 boys and 41 girls) at 3 and 6 years of age and (b) transcript-based coding of children’s dyadic interactions with a best friend at age 6. Our results showed significant stability between latent factors of false belief understanding at ages 3 and 6 even with effects of verbal ability and inhibitory control controlled at both time points. In addition, false belief understanding at ages 3 and 6 showed both distal and proximal links with the frequency of children’s talk about mental states at age 6 even when their overall talk and their friends’ mental state talk were also controlled. We conclude that preschoolers’ false belief understanding both directly and indirectly supports children’s growing ability to discuss thoughts and feelings in their conversations with friends.

A number of field and laboratory studies on the impact of marine macroalgae on dissolved inorganic iodine speciation are presented. Within tidally isolated rock pools, the brown macroalga Fucus serratus was found to both release stored iodide and to facilitate the reduction of iodate to iodide. In contrast, no discernible changes in iodine speciation were observed in rock pools containing green macroalgae of the genus Ulva. Incubation experiments confirmed that the macroalgae Laminaria digitata, F. serratus and Kallymenia antarctica release iodide, though the rate of release varied between species and between specimens of the same species. Application of oxidative stress by treatment with cell wall derived oligoguluronate elicitors increased the efflux of iodide by L. digitata approximately 20-fold. The release of iodide by macroalgae may impact upon the formation of volatile iodine species (molecular iodine and iodocarbons) that are of importance in the coastal atmosphere.

Food intakes of nearly all of fifty-two infants, two to nine months of age, met at least two-thirds of the recommended allowances for nutrients except for iron. Sodium intakes were, for the most part, above the requirement for growth and for some infants approached or exceeded suggested maximum levels. The possible relationship of sodium intake in infancy to hypertension in later life is discussed.