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Poor prenatal sleep quality is associated with increased risk for depressive symptoms but may go undetected in brief, busy prenatal care visits. Among non-depressed pregnant participants, we evaluated whether 1) the endorsement of sleep disturbance on a depression questionnaire predicted postpartum depressive symptoms, 2) the strength of these associations was higher than other somatic symptoms of pregnancy and depression (i.e., fatigue, appetite disturbance), and 3) the endorsement of prenatal sleep disturbance varied by participant characteristics. In this retrospective cohort study, participants had a live birth and completed Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) during pregnancy and within 8 weeks postpartum between 2012 and 2017. Participants who were non-depressed during pregnancy (PHQ-9 < 10) were included (n = 3619). We operationalized sleep disturbance, fatigue, and appetite disturbance as endorsement of item 3, 4, and 5 on the PHQ-9, respectively, and postpartum depressive symptoms as PHQ-9 total score ≥ 10. Participant characteristic variables included age, race, ethnicity, parity, gestational age at delivery, and preterm birth. Prenatal sleep disturbance was associated with higher odds of postpartum depressive symptoms (aORs 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.1 for first trimester; 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-11.5 for second trimester; 3.4, 95% CI 1.9-6.8 for third trimester). Fatigue and appetite disturbance in the first and third trimesters were associated with higher odds of postpartum depressive symptoms. Sleep disturbance varied by race during the first and second trimesters (p < 0.05) and was highest among Black or African American participants (61.8-65.1%). A routinely administered single-item measure of sleep disturbance could identify otherwise lower-risk pregnant individuals who may benefit from depression prevention efforts.

CLN1 disease, also called infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) or infantile Batten disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder resulting from mutations in the CLN1 gene encoding the soluble lysosomal enzyme palmitoylprotein thioesterase 1 (PPT1). Therapies for CLN1 disease have proven challenging because of the aggressive disease course and the need to treat widespread areas of the brain and spinal cord. Indeed, gene therapy has proven less effective for CLN1 disease than for other similar lysosomal enzyme deficiencies. We therefore tested the efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) by administering monthly infusions of recombinant human PPT1 (rhPPT1) to PPT1-deficient mice ([Cln1.sup.-/-]) and CLN1rr15x sheep to assess how to potentially scale up for translation. In [Cln1.sup.-/-]mice, intracerebrovascular (i.c.v.) rhPPT1 delivery was the most effective route of administration, resulting in therapeutically relevant CNS levels of PPT1 activity. rhPPT1treated mice had improved motor function, reduced disease-associated pathology, and diminished neuronal loss. In [CLN1.sup.R151X] sheep, i.c.v. infusions resulted in widespread rhPPT1 distribution and positive treatment effects measured by quantitative structural MRI and neuropathology. This study demonstrates the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of i.c.v. rhPPT1 ERT. These findings represent a key step toward clinical testing of ERT in children with CLN1 disease and highlight the importance of a cross-species approach to developing a successful treatment strategy., Introduction In contrast to other monogenic causes of neurodegeneration such as mitochondrial and peroxisomal disease (1, 2), the majority of fatal lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are caused by a deficiency [...]

Are Catholic colleges and universities failing in their mission of educating their Catholic students in the faith? Many believe these institutions are in one key way: A 2003 study commissioned by the Cardinal Newman Society concluded that "a survey of students at 38 Catholic colleges...reveals that graduating seniors are predominantly pro-abortion, approve of homosexual "marriage," and only occasionally pray or attend religious services" (Reilly, 2003, p. 38). To understand if Catholic higher education is truly failing one must isolate changes that are occurring to students' attitudes and behaviors "on campus." In this paper, the authors agree with the author summarizing the Cardinal Newman Society study who notes, "Regardless of where students begin their college journey, Catholic colleges should be helping students "move closer" [emphasis added] to Christ, and certainly doing a better job of moving students toward the Catholic faith than secular colleges do" (Reilly, 2003, p. 43). This represents a measurable outcome. The authors, like the Cardinal Newman Society, rely on data from the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the University of California, Los Angeles. The Cardinal Newman Society study was based on a survey of college freshmen in 1997 and a follow-up survey with students in their senior year in 2001. The authors rely on a more recent HERI longitudinal survey, which included a new addendum: the College Student Beliefs and Values (CSBV) survey. Available data from this survey includes 14,527 students at 136 U.S. colleges and universities. This survey was administered to freshman respondents in 2004 and again to these students as juniors in spring 2007. The authors' analyses of these data are inspired by the quote above from the Cardinal Newman study author regarding the ability of Catholic colleges and universities to help Catholic students "move closer" to the Church and their faith. The authors measure whether students, regardless of their incoming attitudes and behavior, move closer, stay the same, or move further away from the Church while in college. The results of this study do not indicate any significant secularizing trend among Catholic students attending Catholic colleges as is often expressed in the criticism of these institutions. (Contains 6 tables, 1 figure and 11 footnotes.)

Why you should read this article: • To explore the causes and consequences of cortical visual impairment in people with learning disabilities • To understand better how to recognise visual perception issues in people with learning disabilities • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) Sight issues, which can be eye-related or brain-related, are common among people with learning disabilities. Premature birth or subsequent developmental delays can cause damage to the areas of the brain that process vision, leading to cortical visual impairment. Eye-related and brain-related sight issues can manifest as impaired visual perception causing, for example, difficulties with light perception, colour perception, object perception or movement perception. People with learning disabilities may display behaviours indicative of visual perception issues, but such behaviours are often ignored or misinterpreted. This article explains the causes and consequences of cortical visual impairment, describes visual perception issues that commonly arise from ocular/retinal or cortical causes, and outlines how learning disability nurses can detect the presence of visual perception issues in service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]