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BackgroundTens of millions of children are exposed to Mycobacterium tuberculosis globally every year; however, there are no contemporary estimates of the risk of developing tuberculosis in exposed children. The effectiveness of contact investigations and preventive therapy remains poorly understood.MethodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated the development of tuberculosis in children closely exposed to a tuberculosis case and followed for incident disease. We restricted our search to cohort studies published between Jan 1, 1998, and April 6, 2018, in MEDLINE, Web of Science, BIOSIS, and Embase electronic databases. Individual-participant data and a pre-specified list of variables were requested from authors of all eligible studies. These included characteristics of the exposed child, the index case, and environmental characteristics. To be eligible for inclusion in the final analysis, a dataset needed to include: (1) individuals below 19 years of age; (2) follow-up for tuberculosis for a minimum of 6 months; (3) individuals with household or close exposure to an individual with tuberculosis; (4) information on the age and sex of the child; and (5) start and end follow-up dates. Studies assessing incident tuberculosis but without dates or time of follow-up were excluded. Our analysis had two primary aims: (1) estimating the risk of developing tuberculosis by time-period of follow-up, demographics (age, region), and clinical attributes (HIV, tuberculosis infection status, previous tuberculosis); and (2) estimating the effectiveness of preventive therapy and BCG vaccination on the risk of developing tuberculosis. We estimated the odds of prevalent tuberculosis with mixed-effects logistic models and estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for incident tuberculosis with mixed-effects Poisson regression models. The effectiveness of preventive therapy against incident tuberculosis was estimated through propensity score matching. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018087022).FindingsIn total, study groups from 46 cohort studies in 34 countries-29 (63%) prospective studies and 17 (37%) retrospective-agreed to share their data and were included in the final analysis. 137 647 tuberculosis-exposed children were evaluated at baseline and 130 512 children were followed for 429 538 person-years, during which 1299 prevalent and 999 incident tuberculosis cases were diagnosed. Children not receiving preventive therapy with a positive result for tuberculosis infection had significantly higher 2-year cumulative tuberculosis incidence than children with a negative result for tuberculosis infection, and this incidence was greatest among children below 5 years of age (19·0% [95% CI 8·4-37·4]). The effectiveness of preventive therapy was 63% (adjusted HR 0·37 [95% CI 0·30-0·47]) among all exposed children, and 91% (adjusted HR 0·09 [0·05-0·15]) among those with a positive result for tuberculosis infection. Among all children

Measurement of mental rotation presents a serious challenge to cognitive researchers owing to the lack of a single comprehensive measure that can be applied across the developing age groups. Objective of the present study was to develop and validate a new measure of mental rotation for preadolescent and adolescent age groups. Items were conceptualized and constructed based on existing theories. Study I checked the suitability of these items among preadolescent and adolescent age groups. After revisions, Study II was done to evaluate the item properties using item response theory. Subsequently done Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided evidence for the construct validity of the new measure. Finally, Study III was done to develop the age wise and gender wise norms for preadolescent and adolescent age groups. The newly developed measure was found to have sufficient reliability and validity and hence can be widely applied for measuring mental rotation of preadolescents and adolescents.

Objective To evaluate the impact of socioeconomic support on tuberculosis preventive therapy initiation in household contacts of tuberculosis patients and on treatment success in patients. Methods A non-blinded, household-randomized, controlled study was performed between February 2014 and June 2015 in 32 shanty towns in Peru. It included patients being treated for tuberculosis and their household contacts. Households were randomly assigned to either the standard of care provided by Peru's national tuberculosis programme (control arm) or the same standard of care plus socioeconomic support (intervention arm). Socioeconomic support comprised conditional cash transfers up to 230 United States dollars per household, community meetings and household visits. Rates of tuberculosis preventive therapy initiation and treatment success (i.e. cure or treatment completion) were compared in intervention and control arms. Findings Overall, 282 of 312 (90%) households agreed to participate: 135 in the intervention arm and 147 in the control arm. There were 410 contacts younger than 20 years: 43% in the intervention arm initiated tuberculosis preventive therapy versus 25% in the control arm (adjusted odds ratio, aOR:2.2; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1-4.1). An intention-to-treat analysis showed that treatment was successful in 64% (87/135) of patients in the intervention arm versus 53% (78/147) in the control arm (unadjusted OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.0-2.6). These improvements were equitable, being independent of household poverty. Conclusion A tuberculosis-specific, socioeconomic support intervention increased uptake of tuberculosis preventive therapy and tuberculosis treatment success and is being evaluated in the Community Randomized Evaluation of a Socioeconomic Intervention to Prevent TB (CRESIPT) project. Objectif Evaluer l'impact de l'accompagnement socioeconomique sur le commencement du traitement preventif contre la tuberculose par les contacts familiaux des patients atteints de la maladie et sur la reussite du traitement pour les patients. Methodes Une etude controlee, non aveugle, a repartition aleatoire des foyers a ete realisee entre fevrier 2014 et juin 2015 dans 32 bidonvilles du Perou. Elle portait sur des patients traites contre la tuberculose et leurs contacts familiaux. Les foyers ont ete choisis de fagon aleatoire pour recevoir soit les soins standards prevus par le programme national de lutte contre la tuberculose du Perou (groupe temoin), soit les memes soins standards plus un accompagnement socioeconomique (groupe experimental). L'accompagnement socioeconomique comprenait des transferts monetaires conditionnels pouvant atteindre 230 dollars des Etats-Unis par foyer, des visites a domicile et des reunions communautaires. Le taux de commencement du traitement preventif contre la tuberculose et le taux de reussite du traitement (guerison ou achevement du traitement) ont ete compares entre le groupe experimental et le groupe temoin. Resultats Au total, 282 foyers sur 312 (90%) ont accepte de participer: 135 dans le groupe experimental et 147 dans le groupe temoin. 410 contacts avaient moins de 20 ans: dans le groupe experimental, 43% ont commence un traitement preventif contre la tuberculose, contre 25% dans le groupe temoin (rapport des cotes ajuste (RC):2,2; intervalle de confiance (IC) de 95%: 1,1 -4,1). Une analyse par intention de traiter a montre la reussite du traitement chez 64% (87/135) des patients du groupe experimental contre 53% (78/147) du groupe temoin (RC non ajuste: 1,6; IC 95%: 1,0-2,6). Ces ameliorations etaient equitables et independantes de la pauvrete des foyers. Conclusion Une intervention d'accompagnement socioeconomique specifiquement axe sur la tuberculose a permis d'augmenter la prise d'un traitement preventif contre la tuberculose ainsi que la reussite du traitement contre cette maladie. Elle est actuellement evaluee dans le cadre du projet CRESIPT (Community Randomized Evaluation of a Socioeconomic Intervention to Prevent TB). Objetivo Evaluar el impacto del apoyo socioeconomico en la iniciacion a la terapia preventiva contra la tuberculosis en contactos domesticos de pacientes con tuberculosis, asi como en el exito del tratamiento para los pacientes. Metodos Entre febrero de 2014 y junio de 2015, se realizo un estudio controlado, aleatorizado, domestico y no cegado en 32 barrios bajos de Peru. En este estudio se incluyeron pacientes que estaban siendo tratados contra la tuberculosis y sus contactos domesticos. Los hogares se asignaron de forma aleatoria a la atencion estandar ofrecida por el programa nacional contra la tuberculosis de Peru (grupo de control) o bien a la misma atencion estandar pero con un apoyo socioeconomico (grupo de intervencion). El apoyo socioeconomico consisti'a en transferencias de efectivo condicionadas de hasta 230 dolares estadounidenses por hogar, visitas domesticas y reuniones comunitarias. Se compararon los grupos de control y de intervention en cuanto a las tasas de initiation a la terapia preventiva contra la tuberculosis y al exito del tratamiento (es decir, la cura o la finalizacion del tratamiento). Resultados En general, 282 de 312 (90%) hogares aceptaron participar: 135 en el grupo de intervention y 147 en el grupo de control. Habia 410 contactos menores de 20 anos: el 43% del grupo de intervention initio la terapia preventiva contra la tuberculosis, frente al 25% del grupo de control (coeficiente de posibilidades ajustado, CPa: 2,2; intervalo de confianza, IC, del 95%: 1,1 -4,1). Un analisis de intention de tratar mostro que el tratamiento tuvo exito en un 64% (87/135) de los pacientes del grupo de intervention, frente a un 53% (78/147) de los pacientes del grupo de control (CP no ajustado: 1,6; IC del 95%: 1,0-2,6). Estas mejoras fueron equitativas, independientemente de la pobreza del hogar. Conclusion Una intervention de apoyo socioeconomic especffica para la tuberculosis aumento la aceptacion de la terapia preventiva contra la tuberculosis y el exito del tratamiento, y se esta evaluando en el proyecto Community Randomized Evaluation of a Socioeconomic Intervention to Prevent TB (CRESIPT--Evaluation Aleatoria Comunitaria de una Intervention Socioeconomica para Prevenir la TB)., Introduction An estimated one third of the world's population has latent tuberculosis infection and in 2015 10.4 million people developed tuberculosis disease. (1) Those at the highest risk of tuberculosis [...]

Spatial visualization is the ability to visualize complex spatial relations among the constituent parts of an object and manipulate them to predict how the whole will look when constructed from its parts. The literature review indicated that the development of this ability across preadolescent and adolescent years is less explored. The present research, therefore, purported to study the development of Spatial Visualization ability across the preadolescent and adolescent years. In Study I, a new test was developed and administered to 150 preadolescents and adolescents. It was validated using a 2-Parametric Logistic Item Response Theory model. In Study II, the Developmental Trajectory of the ability across the preadolescent and adolescent years was explored by administering the newly developed test to 760 participants (Mean age=11.54 years; SD=2.84). A one-way Analysis of Variance model indicated significant age differences. Further, Trajectory Analysis revealed a linear trajectory across the developmental period. Findings were discussed in light of Piagetian and Neo-Piagetian theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Author(s): Sumona Datta 1,2,3, Matthew J. Saunders 1,2,3, Marco A. Tovar 1,2,3, Carlton A. Evans 1,2,3,* Tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable and curable disease, but it kills more people than [...]

Dynamic visualization ability refers to the ability to visualize and compare spatial relations between moving objects and to predict their relative motions. This is achieved through the understanding of distance, speed, and time (DST). Research on the development of these concepts advocated a stage-wise development of these concepts, with the understanding of time emerging last. However, there still exists a huge lack of agreement concerning the age of achieving the integration of these three concepts. The present study explored the development of Dynamic Visualization ability (DV) across the preadolescent and adolescent years. Data were collected from 792 participants (Mean=11.55 years; SD=2.87) by administering a newly developed Dynamic Visualization task. The task consisted of two levels: Same speed and Variable speed. The difficulty level of the task across levels was varied by introducing several task parameters. Results showed that adolescents significantly outperformed preadolescents' inaccuracy of estimation across all task parameters, reaction time, and response time. The developmental trajectory of the ability was explored through Trajectory Analysis (TA). It revealed that the rate of development of the ability follows a quadratic function and is therefore non-linear by nature. While the same speed condition required considering only the spatial aspect of the motion, the variable speed required understanding of both the spatial and temporal aspects of the motion. Better performance with growing age indicated that the understanding of the spatial and temporal aspects of relative motion develops with age. Findings were discussed in light of developmental theories of DST understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]