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Background Immune control of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is impaired in individuals with HIV. We explored maternal factors associated with EBV acquisition in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants and the relationship between EBV infection and serious adverse events (SAEs) during the first year of life. Methods 201 HEU infants from Uganda enrolled in the ANRS 12174 trial were tested for antiviral capsid antigen (anti-VCA) antibodies at week 50. Date of infection was estimated by testing EBV DNA at weeks 1, 6, 14, 26, 38, and 50 postpartum on dried blood spots. Results Eighty-seven (43%) infants tested positive for anti-VCA IgG at week 50. Among the 59 infants positive for EBV DNA, 25% were infected within the first 26 weeks. Almost half (12%) were infected before week 14. Shedding of EBV in breast milk was associated with EBV DNA in maternal plasma (P = .009), HIV RNA detection (P =  .039), and lower CD4 count (P = .001) and correlated with plasma EBV DNA levels (P = .002). EBV infant infection at week 50 was associated with shedding of EBV in breast milk (P = .009) and young maternal age (P = .029). Occurrence of a clinical SAE, including malaria and pneumonia, was associated with higher levels of EBV DNA in infants (P = .010). Conclusions By assessing EBV infection in HEU infants we observed that infection during the first year is determined by HIV and EBV maternal factors and that EBV DNA levels were higher among infants with clinical SAEs. Clinical Trials Registration NCT00640263. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of divorce and remarriage on cognitive outcomes of children. Using the rich panel data information from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY), collected biennially since 1994, we investigate the association between children's math and reading performance and divorce and remarriage relative to intact families. We find that children who stay-in or move-to non-intact families have lower reading scores than those who stay in intact families. Although initial findings indicate that family structure has an overall small effect on children's math performance, we find a differential impact of family structure on Math performance across gender and cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed at sonographically determining the liver size in healthy newborns, infants and children under 7 years of age, correlating results with age, sex, height, body weight and body mass index. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 584 healthy children subdivided into 11 age groups were evaluated with measurements of the left lobe craniocaudal diameter at the midsternal line, and the craniocaudal diameter of the right lobe posterior surface at the midclavicular line. The following tests were utilized for statistical analysis: a) Pearson's correlation coefficient (correlation study); b) non-paired Student's t-test (comparison of measures between sexes); c) nonlinear regression models (nomograms). RESULTS: The liver size presented a progressive growth from the birth up to the age of 7, proportionally lower than the body growth, in correlation with age, height and body weight (r > 0.70). Correlation with the body mass index was not observed (r < 0.11). There was no significant difference in liver size between male and female individuals. CONCLUSION: Liver size was sonographically determined in healthy children under the age of 7 by means of a standardized method, demonstrating a strong correlation with age and anthropometric indicators. Nomograms demonstrate the typical variations of the liver size in the population evaluated with a different growth pattern for each hepatic lobe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use data from Cycles 1 to 3 of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth to examine whether and how much housing and neighbourhood quality affect child outcomes. Home ownership, housing assistance, the need for major repairs, residential stability, underhousing, and neighbourhood quality are used as explanatory variables in population-averaged panel data and endogenous treatment models to estimate the impact of these variables on child cognitive, behavioural, and emotional outcomes. We find positive impacts of home ownership on reading scores, and positive impacts of housing subsidies on boys' behavioural scores, but negative impacts of subsidies on girls' emotional scores after controlling for other factors. Both girls and boys fare worse in housing requiring major repairs, but boys are negatively affected by housing instability, while girls are negatively affected by poor neighbourhood quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]