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Objective: Pediatric hydrocephalus requires evaluation while accounting for growth of the intracranial structures, but information on choroid plexus growth in children is lacking. This study aimed to create normal growth curves for intracranial volume, choroid plexus volume, and lateral ventricles volume. Additionally, the authors aimed to objectively assess the degree of hydrocephalus caused by choroid plexus hyperplasia (CPH) and to examine the impact of surgical procedures., Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the head CT scans of pediatric patients with minor head trauma treated at Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital between March 2006 and May 2023. The study segmented and calculated intracranial, choroid plexus, and lateral ventricles volumes. The study also calculated the correlation coefficients among these 3 parameters. Patients aged 0 to 10 years were divided into 15 age-related clusters, and mean ± SD values were calculated for each cluster. Growth curves were created by plotting mean values sequentially. Volume obtained from patients with CPH were z-normalized using mean and SD values and compared., Results: A total of 229 CT scans (94 from females) were analyzed, and positive correlations were observed among intracranial volume, choroid plexus volume, and lateral ventricles volume, with the strongest correlation between the choroid plexus and lateral ventricles volumes. The growth rate of intracranial volume was rapid until approximately 20 months of age, while those of choroid plexus volume and lateral ventricles volume increased rapidly until approximately 1 year of age. Subsequently, choroid plexus volume and lateral ventricles volume plateaued at 1.5 ml and 10 ml, respectively. Three patients with CPH were enrolled and quantitatively evaluated on the basis of the z-normalized volume. Notable abnormal volumes of the choroid plexus (range z-normalized values 24.11-51.17) and lateral ventricles (46.78-122.36) were observed. In 2 patients, improvements in the z-normalized values of intracranial volume and lateral ventricles volume were observed after surgical interventions. Additionally, in 1 patient, choroid plexus volume was reduced by approximately 24% (range z-normalized values 51.17-38.93) after bilateral endoscopic plexus coagulation., Conclusions: This study provides normal growth curves for intracranial volume, choroid plexus volume, and lateral ventricles volume. Knowledge of these normal values holds the potential for objective assessment of abnormal values associated with hydrocephalus and choroid plexus diseases such as CPH.

Aim(s): Methods for estimating carbon sequestration in riparian forest biomass are needed to qualify riparian restoration and conservation projects for funding through carbon credits. As part of a proposed accounting methodology for California's cap‐and‐trade system, we described five riparian vegetation associations and created a tool to predict their rates of carbon accumulation under different restoration and land‐use scenarios. Location: California, USA. Methods: We assembled a database of 654 forest inventory plots of known age (3–108 years) from replanted and naturally recruiting California riparian forests. We then used detrended correspondence analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering to detect vegetation structure in the plots and delineate distinct forest types. We used allometric equations to estimate biomass from individual trees' diameters and calculate total biomass for each plot. Next, we fitted sigmoid growth functions to the plot biomass data to generate expected values for live‐tree biomass over a 100‐year period for each forest type. Finally, we created an algorithm to match user‐inputted data for an intended restoration project with a look‐up table that predicts carbon accumulation appropriate to the user's scenario. Results: California riparian vegetation was divided into willow scrub, cottonwood–willow, mixed riparian, upland riparian and riparian woodland types. Total carbon sequestration in riparian vegetation and soil varied from 75.7 to 137.4 Mg C/ha at 30 years post‐restoration and from 95.1 to 175.8 Mg C/ha 100 years after stand initiation. Vegetation types dominated by taller, more shade‐tolerant trees developed more slowly than scrubby and pioneer stands, but came to a higher maximum biomass. Our models put riparian biomass accumulation in the range of the few extant literature values for mediterranean systems, but uncertainties are high, and soil carbon may be underestimated. Conclusions: Our workflow and methods should be transferable to the development of carbon accounting tools for any other woody vegetation type. However, our difficulty in finding appropriate published data for the analysis suggests a critical need for field surveys appropriate to biomass estimation in woodland and forest communities not exploited for timber. The most important measurements are the age of the stand and a census of tree species, height and diameter. Carbon‐credit programmes are expanding worldwide, and many land managers are eager to use these payment mechanisms to fund habitat restoration and vegetation management. This paper details the process used to develop an online carbon calculator for riparian restoration, intended for use in a carbon‐offset programme in California. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this observational study is to identify risk factors associated with body weight (BW) variability in three data sets (DS) in commercial conditions. A total of 1,009 (DS1), 460 (DS2), and 1304 (DS3) male and female crossbreed pigs (Pietrain × [Landrace × Large White]), respectively, were included in each trial. Pigs were periodically weighed until slaughter. Then, variables such as length of gestation, length of lactation, parity, litter size, sex, birth BW, and ADG were considered. Pigs remaining on the farm after two loads to the slaughterhouse were defined as last group of animals sent to slaughterhouse (LGS). Descriptive statistics of variability were calculated, and a risk analysis approach was used to look for the factors related to LGS. A multiple logistic regression was performed to identify all variables that were significant (P < 0.05). The risk ratio (RR), odds ratio (OR), and population attributable risk (PAR) were calculated for all of the significant variables after transforming all of them into binary factors using the 25th percentile as the cut-off point. Results showed that the major part of the variability (as CV) comes from birth (20% to 25%) and increased only a little during lactation and 14-d post weaning. From this point onwards, CV tended to decrease, as pigs got closer to the marketing weight (down 11.5% to 12.7%). Regarding the indicators selected, RR, OR, and PAR presented similar trends in the three DS studied. Therefore, for the variables finally included, these indicators had their minimum values at the start of the cycle and then gradually increased at the end. Those results, based on an epidemiological approach, suggest that the closer to the end of the cycle the greater the probability for a light piglet of being/becoming LGS. It might be explained by the shorter available time to efficiently implement preventive measures aimed to improve the performance of delayed pigs and, thus, reducing variability. Those results, based on an epidemiological approach, make sense as the probability for a light piglet to be a LGS increases the closer to the end of the cycle, due to the short time to implement preventive measures and increase the performance of delayed pigs and reduce variability. The differential PAR associated with both, the nursery and the growing period, was 1.7% and 1.5% for DS1, 5.1% and 3.1% for DS2, and 3.7% and 2.8% for DS3. For the lactation period, the results were 4.3% for DS2 and 4.5% for DS3. Results suggest that the most critical periods, in relation to retardation of growth in swine, are lactation and nursery. Implementing measures that maintain risk factors under or above thresholds, especially in the initial phases of growth, will reduce the percentage of LGS pigs and positively affect the overall homogeneity of the batch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this work is to study the existence of a possible dependence between different individuals of the same species of Mediterranean shrubs, in particular Ulex parviflorus Pourret , located on an area of 100 m 2 in the Desert of Las Palmas (Benicassim, Castellón, Spain). The possible correlation between them is limited to the temporal and spatial dependence, that is to say, to identify if the individuals have statistically significant growth curves, and in the case of being, to see if there is a correlation of the individuals located with proximity in the space. The characteristics (variables) studied are the height and diameter of the Ulex parviflorus , and one data per week is available for a period of two years. At the same time, the coordinates (x, y) within the study region for each individual of the species studied are also available. The conclusion is that the spatial pattern of the Ulex parviflorus is not random but is governed by some biological mechanism that provides a structure of inhibition at small distances combining a certain aggregation structure at distances between 3 and 4 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this four-wave longitudinal study, we examined intraindividual developmental patterns of change in mother-child emotional availability (EA) during infancy and the preschool years, the factors that promote or hinder it, and the longitudinal within-dyad association between maternal and child EA. Mother-infant dyads (N = 56) were observed at home when children were 6,12, 18 and 55-months-old. Multilevel growth modeling revealed that mother and child EA follow distinct trajectories across time. While maternal EA was found to be stable, a significant increase in child EA was found across the infancy years and into preschool. The results from the study also provide evidence for a sustained within-dyad relation between mother and child EA across time and suggest that mother, child, and contextual factors can create variations in the trajectories of maternal EA over time. The findings lead to a deeper understanding of the intraindividual changes that occur in mother and child EA across the infancy years and into preschool and the factors that can promote or hinder it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of cattle weight is a very important issue for beef cattle breeders. The weights of the animals of a herd are usually available at different ages and it is intended to predict the trajectory that will follow the weight of each animal. In this paper, we address this problem as a Recommender System. In this case, the users would be the animals, and the items would be the ages of weight measurements. The values of the items would be the measured weights at a given age. As in Recommender Systems the aim is to complete the valuation matrix (weights) in an individualized way (that is, adapted to each animal). A matrix factorization system is devised to learn weights using all the available characteristics of the animals. The weights thus obtained are compared with a linear regression that adequately estimates the general evolution of the herd, but not the individual evolution of each animal. To illustrate the benefits of this approach, we used a real world dataset of cattle of the breed Avileña-Negra Ibérica and crossbreeding with sires of Charolais and Limousin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose In the few studies on intestinal complications and growth of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with a history of meconium ileus (MI), operated MI has not been investigated separately. We aimed to investigate the incidence of long-term intestinal obstruction sequelae [constipation, distal intestinal obstruction syndrome (DIOS)] and growth in CF patients operated for MI. Methods Retrospective study (1989–2016) including operative diagnoses and procedures, constipation and DIOS events, yearly Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements. Outcomes were examined in subgroups operated for MI only and for MI with atresia and/or volvulus. Results Of 49 patients followed-up for 15 (mean) years, 5 (10.2%) developed constipation and 14 (28.6%) DIOS. BMI was within normal percentiles in 53 patients over a 10-year follow-up. MI only and MI with atresia and/or volvulus did not differ in constipation and/or DIOS incidence (11/34 vs. 7/15, p = 0.39) or in BMI ( p = 0.47). Cases with ileocecal valve resection (ICV-R) showed lower constipation and/or DIOS incidence than those without ICV-R (0/6 vs. 11/28, p = 0.02) and no different BMI ( p > 0.05). Conclusions CF patients operated for MI were in long-term risk for constipation/DIOS; their growth was normal. Interestingly, underlying atresia/volvulus neither increased constipation/DIOS risk nor affected growth. Strikingly, ICV-R showed no constipation/DIOS risk and no impact on growth. Type of study Retrospective comparative study. Level of evidence III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of growth patterns of an animal species is fundamental to understand their life history. This information is also used to help define population boundaries of threatened cetaceans, such as the Franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei. A total of 108 Franciscana dolphins incidentally captured in artisanal fishing nets in estuarine and marine coastal waters of the northern part of the Franciscana Management Area IV (North FMA IV), Argentina, were studied. The objective of the present paper was to study age and growth parameters of Franciscanas from North FMA IV and to compare these parameters between estuarine and marine potential populations within this area. We used von Bertalanffy and Gompertz growth curves to model growth trajectories. The estimated asymptotic lengths demonstrated that Franciscana dolphins from this area were smaller (females: 136.3 cm and males, 122.1 cm) than southern FMA IV values previously published. They also showed the reverse sexual size dimorphism that is known across their range. However, the estimated asymptotic length was not statistically different between the estuarine and marine females within the study area. In spite of this, the fact that the northern forms of the FMA IV were smaller than the southern specimens supports the hypothesis of more than one population of the species within this management area. The North FMA IV has the highest reported mortality levels of Franciscana dolphins within the FMA IV; these results are relevant to the knowledge base of Franciscana dolphins in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. Trichomoniasis is an important risk factor for herpes simplex type II infections, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition and transmission, pelvic inflammatory disease and cervical neoplasia. Studying the variation in growth patterns of the parasite can be used for biological characterization of the parasites and might be related to the severity of clinical presentation. Aim of the Work: Study the growth kinetics of Egyptian Trichomonas vaginalis isolates in term of log phase, growth peaks reached, division rate and generation time of each isolate and correlation of such parameters with the clinical presentation of the patients, if any. Material and Method: The study was carried on 300 vaginal washouts collected from Egyptian women patients aged 20-45 years suspected for trichomoniasis. Positive samples for Trichomonas vaginalis were cultured and sub cultured on modified Diamond's medium. Growth kinetics for each isolate was done by inoculated 104 trophozoites/ml into 2 tubes containing 10 ml of sterile culture medium followed by counting the trophozoites every 24 hours over seven days using a hemocytometer. Growth curves were done for each isolate by plotting the parasites numbers against the time. Division rates and generation times were calculated for each isolate. Results: Out of the 300 collected samples, twelve were found positive for Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoite by wet mount examination and culture technique. Comparison of the growth kinetics of the twelve Trichomonas vaginalis isolates revealed a salient difference among all isolates after 48 to 96 hours. Isolates 1, 2, 6, 8 and 10 had a log phase of 48 hours. Isolates 4, 5, 7, 11 and 12 had a log phase of 72 hours. Isolates 3 and 9 had a log phase of 96 hours. The fast growing isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis reached maximum growth after 48 hours and the highest yield was observed in isolate 10 (150.25±3.13). Slowly growing isolates reached a maximum after 96 hours with the lowest yield in isolate 3 (40.5±21). Regarding the clinical presentation, isolates 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11 showed mild discharge and congested cervix. Isolates 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 showed profuse discharge with varying clinical findings on gynecological examination. Isolate 10 had the most severe pathology with cervical erosion. Isolate 9, 12 showed bleeding during examination, isolate 8 showed vaginal ulcer while isolate 6 showed just erythema of the vagina. Conclusion: Comparison of the growth kinetics of the twelve Trichomonas vaginalis isolates revealed a salient difference among all isolates after 48 to 96 hours. Regarding the clinical presentation, no clear correlation was found between the growth kinetics and clinical presentation of the patients. Methods other than growth kinetics such as genotyping and determination of genetic variability are needed to verify the relation between isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis and clinical presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the pattern of postnatal brain growth in two wild canid species: the coyote (Canis latrans) and gray wolf (Canis lupus). Adult regional and total brain volume differences were also compared between the two species as well as within each species by sex. Three-dimensional virtual endocasts of endocranial airspace were created from computed tomography scans of 52 coyote skulls (28 female, 24 male; 1 day to 13.4 years) and 46 gray wolf skulls (25 female, 21 male; 1 day to 7.9 years). Age was known in coyotes or estimated from dentition patterns in wolves. The 95% asymptotic growth of the endocranium is completed by 21 weeks in male and 17.5 weeks in female coyotes and by 27 weeks in male and 18.5 weeks in female wolves. These ages are well before age at first reproduction (coyote – 40.4 weeks; wolf – 91.25 weeks). Skull growth as measured by centroid size lags behind endocranial growth but is also completed before sexual maturity. Intra- and interspecific comparisons of brain volumes in the adult wolves and coyotes revealed that relative anterior cerebrum (AC) volume was greater in males than females in both species. Relative brain size was greater in the coyote than in the wolf as was relative cerebrum volume. However, relative AC volume and relative cerebellum and brainstem volume was greater in the wolf than coyote. One explanation for the increased AC volume in males compared to females may be related to the role of social information processing. However, additional data are needed to determine the correspondence between regional volumes and functional differences either between or within these species. Nonetheless, these findings provide important baseline data for further studies on wild canid brain variations and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a nonparametric method to explicitly model and represent the derivatives of smooth underlying trajectories for longitudinal data. This representation is based on a direct Karhunen-Loève expansion of the unobserved derivatives and leads to the notion of derivative principal component analysis, which complements functional principal component analysis, one of the most popular tools of functional data analysis. The proposed derivative principal component scores can be obtained for irregularly spaced and sparsely observed longitudinal data, as typically encountered in biomedical studies, as well as for functional data which are densely measured. Novel consistency results and asymptotic convergence rates for the proposed estimates of the derivative principal component scores and other components of the model are derived under a unified scheme for sparse or dense observations and mild conditions. We compare the proposed representations for derivatives with alternative approaches in simulation settings and also in a wallaby growth curve application. It emerges that representations using the proposed derivative principal component analysis recover the underlying derivatives more accurately compared to principal component analysis-based approaches especially in settings where the functional data are represented with only a very small number of components or are densely sampled. In a second wheat spectra classification example, derivative principal component scores were found to be more predictive for the protein content of wheat than the conventional functional principal component scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generalize the exponential function to model instantaneous relative growth. The modified function is defined by a linear relationship between a continuous quantity (rather than time) and logarithmic relative growth. The corresponding formula is ln[q'(t)/q(t)]= a + b·q(t), where q' (t) / q(t) is instantaneous relative growth of a quantity q, t refers to time, a denotes initial logarithmic relative growth, and b is a shape parameter in terms of its sign, as well as a scaling parameter in terms of its magnitude. For calculating q (t), the exponential integral Ei[-b·q] =... (exp[-b·q]/q)dq is needed. The problem of taking the inverse of Ei[x] = zEi is addressed. In order to distinguish two possible solutions for given zEi, we define the two inverse functions ... An indirect method for their numerical evaluation is developed. With the generalized exponential function, one can model sigmoid growth (b < 0), exponential growth (b = 0), and explosive growth (b > 0), where the term "explosive growth" refers to a relative growth rate that increases with time. The resulting formula of generalized exponential growth is... where qc is a calibrating quantity at time tc. For b = 0, the two functions equal the (standard) exponential function q(t) qc.exp [(t - tc).exp[a]]. In the case of sigmoid growth, the inflection point quantity is -1 / b, which depends only on one parameter (b). Negative growth can be modeled by substituting t - tc with tc - t. Any two points of logarithmic relative growth can be connected unambiguously with the generalized exponential function, to derive the corresponding function of q (t). Furthermore, we derive formulas for the conversion of a segmented curve of logarithmic relative growth as a function of time, into an equivalent growth curve of q(t). Finally, the generalized exponential function is compared with a 2nd-degree polynomial and the nonlinear Schnute function. In conclusion, the generalized exponential function is useful for modeling a path of changing relative growth continuously, and to translate it into a growth curve of quantity as a function of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plant growth simulation models have a temperature response function driving development, with a base temperature and an optimum temperature defined. Such models function well when plant development rate shows a continuous change throughout the growing season. This approach becomes more complex as it is extended to cool‐season perennial grasses with a dormant period and bimodal growth curves. The objective of this study was to develop such a bimodal growth model for tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort) in the Midwest USA based on multiyear measurement trials. Functions for bimodal growth were incorporated into the ALMANAC model and applied to tall fescue using published tall fescue yields for a variety of sites and soils. Fields of cultivars “Kentucky 31” and “BarOptima Plus E34” were divided into paddocks and sampled weekly for dry‐matter accumulation. These biomass estimates were used to derive weekly growth values by differences between sequential weekly samplings. The measured values were compared to a single tall fescue simulation each year on one soil. Using these results, the ALMANAC model was modified and tested against mean reported tall fescue yields for 11 sites, with one to three soils per site. When we introduced midsummer dormancy into ALMANAC, we assumed dormancy began on the longest day of the year and lasted until the photoperiod was 0.68 hr shorter than the longest. ALMANAC simulated previously reported tall fescue yields well across the range of sites. Thus, ALMANAC shows great promise to simulate bimodal growth in this common cool‐season grass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although shyness is a ubiquitous phenomenon and long viewed as a maladaptive characteristic, we know relatively little about the possible brain mechanism(s) underlying and maintaining shyness. Using a prospective longitudinal study, we examined frontal brain maturation in shy children. We collected measures of resting regional EEG spectral power approximately every six months for two years in young school-age children and characterized frontal brain maturation using a growth curve analysis of proportion of spectral power in relative faster-to-slower EEG frequencies. We found that children classified as low in shyness exhibited a significant linear growth in the proportion of overall frontal alpha power relative to delta power across assessments relative to children classified as high in shyness. High shy children displayed no growth in the proportion of overall frontal alpha power relative to delta power across assessments. These preliminary results indicate that high shy children exhibited delayed frontal brain maturation compared to low shy children. We interpret these findings within the context of a proximate explanation, suggesting links between delayed frontal maturation and emotion dysregulatory processes related to an approach-avoidance conflict. We also speculate on an ultimate explanation in which delayed frontal brain maturation may reflect neoteny (i.e., the prolongation and extension of childhood), which may have supported an adaptive function of shyness across human evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate different orders of fixed and random effects in random regression models (RRM) based on Legendre orthogonal polynomials as well as to verify the feasibility of these models to describe growth curves in Nellore cattle. The proposed RRM were also compared to multi-trait models (MTM). Variance components and genetic parameters estimates were performed via REML for all models. Twelve RRM were compared through Akaike (AIC) and Bayesian (BIC) information criteria. The model of order three for the fixed curve and four for all random effects (direct genetic, maternal genetic, permanent environment, and maternal permanent environment) fits best. Estimates of direct genetic, maternal genetic, maternal permanent environment, permanent environment, phenotypic and residual variances were similar between MTM and RRM. Heritability estimates were higher via RRM. We presented perspectives for the use of RRM for genetic evaluation of growth traits in Brazilian Nellore cattle. In general, moderate heritability estimates were obtained for the majority of studied traits when using RRM. Additionally, the precision of these estimates was higher when using RRM instead of MTM. However, concerns about the variance components estimates in advanced ages via Legendre polynomial must be taken into account in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achondroplasia is the most common form of inherited disproportionate short stature. Cross-sectional design studies of height show that, during childhood, height standard deviation scores (SDS) declines steadily and reaches a mean adult height at -6.42 and -6.72 SDS. However, there is a lack of knowledge about longitudinal growth and biological variables during puberty for children with achondroplasia. Here we report the growth velocity and biological parameters during puberty in children with achondroplasia. Methods: The study was an observational, cohort study. A total of 23 patients, 15 girls and eight boys with achondroplasia, who reached adult size were included. Growth data was collected from mid-childhood until final height by the same trained observer. Individual growth curves were estimated by fitting the Preece-Baines model 1 (PB1) to each individual's height for age data. Pubertal development was scored on Tanner scale on each visit. Results: In boys with achondroplasia the mean adult height was 129.18 cm. Age and velocity at peak velocity in puberty were 13.89 years and 4.86 cm/year, respectively. The adolescent gain was 20.40 cm. Mean age at genital development 2 and 5 were 12.16 (0.60) and 14.97 (0.88), respectively. In girls the mean adult height was 118.67 cm. Age and velocity at peak velocity in puberty were 11.45 years and 4.40 cm/year, respectively. The adolescent gain was 19.35 cm. Mean age at breast 2 and 4 were 10.20 (1.24) and 12.49 (1.07), respectively. Conclusions: Children with achondroplasia experienced an adolescent growth spurt, which was similar in shape and half the magnitude of the non-achondroplasia population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achondroplasia is the most common form of inherited disproportionate short stature. We report leg length, sitting height, and body proportion curves for achondroplasia. Seven centile format of sitting height, leg length, sitting height/leg length ratio, sitting height/height ratio, and head circumference/height ratio were estimated by the LMS method. The Q‐test was applied to assess the goodness of fit. For comparison, centiles of sitting height and leg length were graphed using Argentine national growth references for achondroplasia and non‐achondroplasia populations. The sample consisted of 342 children with achondroplasia (171 males, 171 females) aged 0–18 years. The median (interquartile range) number of measurements per child was 6 (3, 12) for sitting height and 8 (3, 13) for head circumference. Median leg length increased from 14 cm at age 1 week to 44 and 40 cm (males and females, respectively) in achondroplasia adolescents which is 3.5 cm shorter than non‐achondroplasia children at age 1 week and, 38 cm shorter at adolescence. Median sitting height increased from 34 cm at birth to 86 and 81 in adolescents’ boys and girls respectively, only 5 cm shorter than non‐achondroplasia children. Sitting height/leg length decreased from 2.61 at birth to approximately 1.90 at adolescent. Median head circumference/height ratio decreased from 0.79 at birth to 0.46 at 18 years in both sexes. Growth of lower limbs is affected early in life and becomes more noticeable throughout childhood. The disharmonic growth between the less affected trunk and the severely affected limbs determine body disproportion in achondroplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinicians have observed preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit growing disproportionally; however, the only growth charts that have been available were from preterm infants born in the 1950s which utilized the ponderal index. Prior to creating the recently published BMI curves, we found only 1 reference justifying the use of the ponderal index. Objectives: To determine the best measure of body proportionality for assessing growth in US preterm infants. Methods: Using a dataset of 391,681 infants, we determined the body proportionality measure that was most correlated with weight and least correlated with length. We examined the sex-specific overall correlations and then stratified further by gestational age (GA). We then plotted the body proportionality measures versus length to visualize apparent discrepancies in the appropriate measure. Results: The overall correlations showed weight/length3 (ponderal index) was the best measure but stratification by GA indicated that BMI (weight/length2) was the best measure. This seeming inconsistency was due to negative correlations between ponderal index and length at each GA. BMI, on the other hand, had a correlation with length across GAs, but was uncorrelated with length within GAs. Both ponderal index and BMI were positively correlated with weight. Conclusions: BMI is the appropriate measure of body proportionality for preterm infants, contrary to current practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to compare five growth functions (Brody [B), Logistic [L], Gompertz [G], Von Bertalanffy [VB] and Richards [R]) in describing the body weight changes across age in three broiler ecotypes. Each chick was wing-tagged at day old and weighed on a weekly basis up to 10 weeks of age. Aforementioned non-linear growth models were fitted to appraise age-body weight relationship using procedure NLIN of the S.A.S (Version 9.1). G, L and VB functions converged with a low number of iterations ranging from 8 to 33 in Marshal, 7 to 10 in Naked Neck and 5 to 9 in Normal Feathered chickens. VB had the highest number of iterations (33, 10 and 9) for Marshal, Naked Neck and Normal Feathered chickens, respectively. The G, VB and L models fitted the growth curves of all the chicken ecotypes very well, and the fitting degrees R2 were all above 99.89. Based on all the criteria used for comparing these models in the three ecotypes, it can be established that the L function gave the best fit for the age-body relationship although G and VB functions were equally good in predicting the growth curves of the chickens. B and R functions were not good in fitting chicken growth data in this study with respect to parameter estimates, convergence criteria and p values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data on the growth of diabetic children is conflicting. The aim of this study was to create and validate acceptable body mass index (BMI)-standardized percentiles and curves applied to Egyptian prepubescent diabetic children. Methods: The cross-sectional study comprised 822 prepubescent children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), whose ages ranged from 3 years to 10 years ± 6 months. An anthropometric assessment for each child was performed: body weight, height and BMI were calculated (weight [kg]/height [m²]), and glycated hemoglobin levels were determined. Means ± standard deviations (SDs) and the smoothed percentiles of the BMI from age 3-10 years, by sex, for total, controlled and uncontrolled diabetic children were calculated. Comparisons of the 50th percentiles for the controlled and uncontrolled diabetic children, by sex, with those of the Egyptian and World Health Organization (WHO) growth curves were made. Results: For controlled diabetic males and females, the 50th percentile BMI was higher than those of the Egyptian and WHO growth curves, while differences in BMI were recorded for uncontrolled diabetic males and females. For uncontrolled diabetic males, the BMI was lower than the standard Egyptian and WHO growth curves up to 5 years of age, after which it became higher than the standard WHO and lower than the standard Egyptian growth curves from 5 years up to 10 years of age. Contrary to that, the BMI of uncontrolled diabetic females was higher than the standard Egyptian and WHO growth curves up to 6.5 years, between the curves from 6.5 years up to 7.5 years and then became lower than both curves up to 10 years of age. Conclusions: Children with T1DM should use their own BMI percentiles and never be compared with normal healthy children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertility traits are economically important in cattle breeding programs. Scrotal circumference (SC) measures are repeatable, easily obtained, highly heritable, and positively correlated with female fertility traits and sperm quality traits in males. A useful approach to summarize SC measures over time is using nonlinear models, which summarize specific measures of SC in a few parameters with biological interpretation. This approach facilitates the selection of bulls with larger SC and maturity index (K), that is, early maturing animals. Because SC is a sex-limited trait, identifying the underlying genomics of growth curve parameters will allow selection across both males and females. We reported the first multitrait genomewide association study (GWAS) of estimated growth curve parameters for SC data in Brahman cattle. Five widely used nonlinear models were tested to fit a total of 3,612 SC records, measured at 6, 12, 18, and 24 mo of age. The von Bertalanffy model, individually fitted for each animal, best fit this SC data. Parameter estimates SC at maturity (A) and K as well as SC at all ages were jointly analyzed in a GWAS to identify 1-Mb regions most strongly associated with each trait. Heritabilities were 0.25 for K and 0.32 for A and ranged from 0.51 to 0.72 for SC at 6 (SC6), 12 (SC12), 18 (SC18), and 24 mo of age (SC24). An overlapping window on chromosome 14 explaining around 0.8% of genetic variance for K, SC12, SC18, and SC24 was observed. The major positional candidate genes within 1 Mb upstream and downstream of this overlapping window were LYN, CHD7, RAB2A, and ARFGEF1. Windows of 1 Mb explaining more than 0.4% of each trait on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, 7, 14, 17, 18, 24, 25, and 26 were identified. Pathways and net-work analyses were indicated through transcription factors playing a role on fertility traits: SOX9, BRCA1, STAT3, NFE2L2, EGR1, PPARG, and NFKB1. Further validation studies on larger populations or other breeds are required to validate these findings and to improve our understanding of the biology and complex genetic architecture of traits associated with scrotal growth and male fertility in cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent vulture declines across Africa are a cause for concern as the number of species threatened with extinction increases. The White-backed VultureGyps africanuswas, until recently, considered abundant but has been declining rapidly in recent years due to various threats including decreasing food availability. We used camera traps to investigate nest attendance and food provision at the nests of White-backed Vultures in north-eastern Swaziland. Chick age influenced brooding behaviour of the parents, with a reduction in brooding time as the chick aged. Mean food provision rate by parents to the nestling was 0.7 bouts d−1, which was mostly delivered between 09:00 and 15:00. Contrary to expectations, provisioning rates did not increase with age of the chick despite both adults delivering food. The growth of chicks showed a curvilinear relationship with age for the first 100 d with the tarsus and bill reaching maximum length after 80 d. We recommend further research into the availability of food for breeding vultures in order to understand the emerging threat of declining food availability in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The choice of a growth curve determines the screening for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses and little data is available on SGA twins. Our aim was to evaluate small-for-gestational-age (SGA) detection rate in twin pregnancies and assess whether the use of a customized curve allowed better identification of SGA fetuses.Study Design: Retrospective study including all twins between 2010 and 2013. Two groups were formed: the SGA and the non-SGA group. Four curves were compared: Hadlock's curve, a customized curve, EPOPé M0 and EPOPé M1. We defined a composite neonatal complication criterion (transfer to intensive care unit, respiratory distress and death).Result: 472 fetuses were included with a 34.3% prevalence of SGA. Hadlock's curve showed better sensitivity for the detection of SGA <10th percentile (67.3% vs. 63%, 59.9% and 57.4% respectively). Diagnostic Odd Ratio were comparable for the detection of SGA. For the composite variable, there was a significant difference between the 2 groups using a customized curve adjusted for fetal sex (EPOPé M1).Conclusion: The EPOPé (M0 and M1) and customized curves do not improve screening for SGA infants below the 10th percentile. The reduced effectiveness of customized curves can be related to the greater impact of placentation or cord insertion on the potential for fetal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth developmental research is one example of the application of longitudinal data that have correlated value over time. Linear Mixed Model (LMM) is an extension of classic statistical procedures that provides flexibility analysis in correlated longitudinal data and allows researcher to model the covariance structures that represent its random effects. This paper briefly describes growth curves model as a single LMM that represent two levels of observation, which focused on modeling its covariance structure to capture correlated information over time of individual performance. We apply LMM and model different types of its covariance structure in the simulation study of children’s growth differences based on the feeding methods. We perform simulation scenario using MIXED procedure in SAS system, based on three fit indices (-2RLL, AIC and SBC) and p -value significance level, we obtain Unstructured (UN) covariance is always be the best fit in presenting the characteristic of data but not the best choice considering inefficient numbers of parameters while Heterogeneous First-order Autoregressive (ARH(1)) is a proper alternative covariance structure with ease of data interpretation from fewer numbers of estimated parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical Linear Mixed Model (HLMM) is an extension of Linear Mixed Model with hierarchical levels of observation. HLMM allows researchers to model different types of covariance structure to describe data properly while in classical linear model the covariance structure defines in constant variance and correlation that hardly applicable for longitudinal data. This paper describes two levels HLMM which represents a single growth curves model. Level-1 presents growth shape to capture within-subject effect and level-2 presents growth parameters that characterized between-subject differences. We model the covariance structure of level-1 random effect to excavate individual growth performance and applied to longitudinal data from poverty data of 34 provinces in Indonesia. Different types of covariance structures are modeled using PROC MIXED in SAS system, produce that AR(1) is the alternative of constant covariance structure and ARH(1) as an alternative for non-constant variance structure based on -2RLL, AIC and BIC criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weaning represents a major ontogenetic dietary shift in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis), as juveniles must transition from depending on mother's milk to independently processing hard-shelled invertebrates. When the skulls of juveniles have reached sufficient maturity to transition to a durophagous diet remains to be investigated. Here, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of skull development and growth and sexual dimorphism using geometric morphometric approaches in 204 southern sea otter skulls. We found that southern sea otters of both sexes exhibit dramatic changes in cranial and mandibular shape and size over ontogeny. Although the majority of these changes occur in the pup stage, full development and growth of the skull does not occur until well after weaning. We hypothesize that the slower maturation of the crania of newly weaned juveniles serves as a handicap by constraining jaw adductor muscle size, biting ability and feeding on hard-shelled prey. In our analysis of sexual dimorphism, we found significant sexual shape and size dimorphism in adult craniomandibular morphology that arose through differences in developmental and growth rates and duration. We postulate that males are selected to attain mature crania faster to presumably reach adult biting ability sooner, gaining a competitive advantage in obtaining food and in male-male agonistic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multitargeted kinase inhibitors have been shown to improve progression-free survival in patients with structurally progressive, radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. While the inclusion criteria for phase 3 clinical trials and clinical practice guidelines provide guidance with regard to the minimal requirements that need to be met prior to initiation of a multitargeted kinase inhibitor, a better way to integrate the rate of structural disease progression with the size of the metastatic foci to more precisely define the optimal time to recommend initiation of therapy for individual patients is needed. In this manuscript we describe how to use assessments of tumor size and growth rates (structural disease doubling times) to define the critical point in time when the volume and rate of progression of metastatic structural disease merits consideration for initiation of systemic therapy (the inflection point). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avocado has a great potential as a commercial crop in southern Brazil, for its high productivity, rusticity and multiple uses. Its high oil content can be explored for biodiesel production with advantages over other crops. This study comprised six avocado cultivars-Geada, Fortuna, Fuerte, Margarida, Primavera and Quintal-belonging to the Agronomic Institute of Paraná (IAPAR) collection, from Londrina, Brazil (23° 23' S, 50° 11' W). Analysis of fruit growth (length and diameter) allowed the classification of the cultivars into groups showing early, midseason and late maturation, which were harvested in March/April, May/June and July/August, respectively. The fruits were analyzed to assess their pulp, peel and seed proportions and their levels of oil (pulp) and starch (seed). Results showed these six cultivars are good alternatives for oil extraction. Fuerte stands out as the most adequate for biodiesel production from pulp and seed due to its higher yield of oil and starch. The fruit cycle diversity of these cultivars might allow combining them for prolonged fruit production, both for fresh fruit marketing and biodiesel supply, as well as possibly using fruit pulp for oil extraction and seed starch for alcohol production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study aimed to investigate the application of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil ( EO) as an alternative antimicrobial agent against vaginal infections. Methods and Results Microdilution methods were applied for the detection of the minimal inhibitory ( MIC) and the minimal bactericidal/fungicidal ( MBC/ MFC) concentration of 15 clinical strains originating from women with symptoms of vaginal infection. Optical density determination ( OD) was used for detection of the Candida growth rate. Staining with DAPI was used to detect the influence of EO on nuclear condensation and fragmentation, while the brine shrimp bioassay was used to determine the toxicity of EO. Chemical composition analysis was done using GS- MS. According to the MIC and MBC/ MFC values, the most susceptible strains to EO were: Escherichia coli 1, E. coli 2, Staphylococcus aureus 3 and Candida albicans 1-3. Inhibition of C. albicans filamentation was detected at 0·45 μl ml−1. Conclusions The obtained inhibition (%) from Candida growth curves points to a shorter period of time (24 h) for determining IC50 as MIC and IC99 as MFC value. These values could be recommended as valid parameters for the faster detection of the effectiveness of EO on Candida isolates. Significance and Impact of the Study Examination of potential of the O. vulgare EO as a main antimicrobial constituent within vaginalettes in gynaecological practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) testing is a promising alternative to behavioral hearing tests and auditory brainstem response testing of pediatric cancer patients. The central goal of this study is to assess whether significant changes in the DPOAE frequency/emissions curve (DP-gram) occur in pediatric patients in a test-retest scenario. This is accomplished through the construction of normal reference charts, or credible regions, that DP-gram differences lie in, as well as contour probabilities that measure how abnormal (or in a certain sense rare) a test-retest difference is. A challenge is that the data were collected over varying frequencies, at different time points from baseline, and on possibly one or both ears. A hierarchical structural equation Gaussian process model is proposed to handle the different sources of correlation in the emissions measurements, wherein both subject-specific random effects and variance components governing the smoothness and variability of each child's Gaussian process are coupled together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When functional data come as multiple curves per subject, characterizing the source of variations is not a trivial problem. The complexity of the problem goes deeper when there is phase variation in addition to amplitude variation. We consider clustering problem with multivariate functional data that have phase variations among the functional variables. We propose a conditional subject-specific warping framework in order to extract relevant features for clustering. Using multivariate growth curves of various parts of the body as a motivating example, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The found clusters have individuals who show different relative growth patterns among different parts of the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that childhood body size is associated with blood pressure in adulthood, and that early and rapid growth rates are correlated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Our objectives are to estimate associations between childhood body size growth parameters and adult blood pressure, and to examine the effect of early attainment of critical growth milestones on adult blood pressure, relative to normal or late attainment. Lifetime height and body mass index (BMI) measurements in childhood, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) measurements in adulthood are taken from participants in the Fels Longitudinal Study. Childhood growth curves are estimated separately for stature and BMI using the Preece–Baines and third-degree polynomial models, respectively. Associations between the resulting parameter estimates and adult blood pressure are then examined using linear mixed models. Our findings show that the ages of achievement of the stature-based growth onset and peak velocity, as well as the age of achievement of the BMI-based adiposity rebound, are negatively associated with adult blood pressure, implying that early height or BMI growth can lead to increased blood pressure in adulthood. There were subtle differences in these relationships based on age and gender, and also between SBP and DBP. These results expand on the existing literature, showing that not only childhood body size, but also the timing of childhood growth can have a deleterious effect on adult cardiovascular health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]