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Purpose: Semantic learning under 2 co-speech gesture conditions was investigated in children with specific language impairment (SLI) and typically developing (TD) children. Learning was analyzed between conditions. Method: Twenty children with SLI (aged 4 years), 20 TD children matched for age, and 20 TD children matched for language scores were taught rare nouns and verbs. Children heard the target words while seeing either iconic gestures illustrating a property of the referent or a control gesture focusing children's attention on the word. Following training, children were asked to define the words' meaning. Responses were coded for semantic information provided on each word. Results: Performance of the SLI and age-matched groups proved superior to that of the language-matched group. Overall, children defined more words taught with iconic gestures than words taught with attention-getting gestures. However, only children with SLI, but not TD children, provided more semantic information on each word taught with iconic gestures. Performance did not differ in terms of word class. Conclusions: Results suggest that iconic co-speech gestures help both children with and without SLI learn new words but, in particular, assist children with SLI understand and reflect the words' meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the interaction between waist circumference (WC) and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level in their associations with serum lipids.Design: Cross-sectional study. The associations of serum 25(OH)D with total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), LDL-C:HDL-C and TAG were examined using multiple linear regression. Effect modification by WC was assessed through cross-product interaction terms between 25(OH)D and WC categories (abdominal overweight, 80-<88 cm in females/94-<102 cm in males; abdominal obesity, ≥88 cm in females/≥102 cm in males).Setting: The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey waves 2001-2006.Subjects: Non-pregnant fasting participants (n 4342) aged ≥20 years.Results: Lower 25(OH)D levels were significantly associated with lower HDL-C levels as well as with higher LDL-C:HDL-C and TAG levels in abdominally obese participants, but not in abdominally overweight or normal-waist participants. In contrast, lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C in abdominally overweight and normal-waist participants only, but this association was only partly significant. However, a significant difference in the association between 25(OH)D and the lipids according to WC category was found only for LDL-C:HDL-C (P for interaction=0·02).Conclusions: Our results from this large, cross-sectional sample suggest that the association between lower 25(OH)D levels and an unfavourable lipid profile is stronger in individuals with abdominal obesity than in those with abdominal overweight or a normal WC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveAs ageing is associated with changes in body composition, BMI may not be the appropriate obesity measure for older adults. To date, little is known about associations between obesity measures and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Thus, we aimed to compare different obesity measures in their association with HRQoL and self-rated physical constitution (SRPC) in older adults.DesignSeven obesity measures (BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, fat mass percentage based on bioelectrical impedance analysis, hypertriglyceridaemic waist (HTGW) and sarcopenic obesity) were assessed at baseline in 2009. HRQoL, using the EQ-5D questionnaire, and SRPC, using one single question, were collected at baseline and at the 3-year follow-up in 2012. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between the obesity measures and both outcomes. Model comparisons were conducted by area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve, R2, Akaike and Schwarz Bayesian information criteria.SettingKORA-Age study in Southern Germany (2009–2012).SubjectsOlder adults (n 883; aged ≥65 years).ResultsNearly all obesity measures were significantly inversely associated with both outcomes in cross-sectional analyses. Concerning HRQoL, the WC model explained most of the variance and had the best model adaption, followed by the BMI model. Regarding SRPC, the HTGW and BMI models were best as rated by model quality criteria, followed closely by the WC model. Longitudinal analyses showed no significant associations.ConclusionsThese results suggest that, with regard to HRQoL/SRPC, simple anthropometric measures are sufficient to determine obesity in older adults in medical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Dyspnea is a cardinal but often underestimated symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The lack of a satisfying assessment tool leads to diagnostic uncertainty and bears the risk that established life-prolonging and symptom-relieving therapeutic options will not be adequately applied.Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a German language disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure to assess dyspnea in ALS by combination of a qualitative and quantitative approach using Rasch analysis.Methods: Based on input from clinical experts and patients, a preliminary 35-item questionnaire was developed and completed by 94 patients with ALS having dyspnea. Data were subjected to Rasch analysis and tested for required measurement issues such as appropriate response categories, the absence of differential item functioning, local independence, and unidimensionality.Results: After iterative Rasch analyses, the final 15-item Dyspnea-ALS-Scale (DALS-15) was obtained. The scale satisfies the axioms of the Rasch model with good fit statistics, the absence of local dependency, and differential item functioning as well as acceptable unidimensionality. The DALS-15 is optimally targeted and suitable for group and individual use. It shows excellent test-retest reliability and convergent validity.Conclusion: The DALS-15 satisfies strictest modern measurement criteria and has interval scale properties. It fills an important gap in assessment and could be most helpful to optimize symptom management in patients with ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]