The children’s Go training market is experiencing vigorous growth but also faces several challenges.As the importance of Go in cultural education increases,the market expands,with growing demand and involvement from ...The children’s Go training market is experiencing vigorous growth but also faces several challenges.As the importance of Go in cultural education increases,the market expands,with growing demand and involvement from training and educational institutions.However,the market encounters difficulties such as a shortage of high-quality Go coaches,uniformity in training content and methods,and high training costs.To address these issues,measures can be taken to strengthen the team of Go coaches,diversify training content and methods,and optimize the training cost structure,thereby promoting the healthy development of the children’s Go training market.展开更多
This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries.We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demogra...This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries.We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demographic and Health Surveys(DHS).Results from both fixed effects(FE)and instrumental variable(IV)estimates show that using non-solid cooking fuel significantly improves the nutrition outcomes of under-five children.Compared with their peers from households mainly using solid fuel,children from households mainly using non-solid fuel exhibit a lower probability of experiencing stunting(by 5.9 percentage points)and being underweight(by 1.2 percentage points).Our further investigation provides evidence for several underlying mechanisms,such as improved indoor air quality,induced reduction in children’s respiratory symptoms,benefits on maternal health,and reduction in maternal time spent on fuel collection or cooking.Heterogenous analyses suggest that the nutrition benefits of using non-solid cooking fuel are more prominent among boys,children above three years old,and those from households of lower socioeconomic status,rural areas,and Southeast Asia.展开更多
AIM: To measure and analysis axial length(AL)/corneal radius of curvature(CRC) ratio and other refractive parameters, provide a medical reference range for refractive development evaluation and earlier visual impairme...AIM: To measure and analysis axial length(AL)/corneal radius of curvature(CRC) ratio and other refractive parameters, provide a medical reference range for refractive development evaluation and earlier visual impairment screening of 3 to 4 y kindergarten students.METHODS: Between April and June 2017, a total of 4350 participants aged 3-to 4-year-old(8700 eyes) from 10 cluster random sampling kindergartens in Shanghai, Pudong District were involved. According to the measurement and analysis of the unaided visual acuity(VA), AL, CRC, AL/CRC ratio, astigmatism and other refractive parameters, the data distribution and reference range were obtained.RESULTS: Uncorrected VA of examined children was 0.23±0.08(logMAR, mean±SD) [95% confidence interval(CI) range ≤0.36];AL was 22.10±0.79 mm(95%CI 20.55-23.65);CRC was 7.86±0.26 mm(95%CI, 7.35-8.37);AL/CRC ratio was 2.81±0.12(95%CI, 2.57-3.05). The median of astigmatism was-0.5 D, a total of 56.3% had astigmatism <-0.50 D, 85.3%<-1.00 D, 6.7%>-1.50 D;71% were astigmatism with the rule. Eye-specific analyses were conducted. Statistical difference of VA was in right and left eyes. There were no significant differences between two eyes of AL, CRC, AL/CRC ratio and astigmatism(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: VA and AL/CRC ratio reference could be used to assess refractive development in children and screening uncorrected refractive errors or amblyopia. Astigmatism needs to be considered in the diagnosis.展开更多
The study aims to develop, validate and evaluate a Guided Imagery and Relaxation (GIR) audio in Bahasa Malaysia, serving as one of the coping tools for children with cancer. Based on extensive review, GIR script was d...The study aims to develop, validate and evaluate a Guided Imagery and Relaxation (GIR) audio in Bahasa Malaysia, serving as one of the coping tools for children with cancer. Based on extensive review, GIR script was developed by a clinical psychologist. Panels of experts including pediatric oncologists and psychiatrists conducted initial assessment at multiple stages of hearing sessions. The final version of the audio was pre-recorded in MP3 player for evaluation. Face and content validation of 3 × approximately 5 minutes duration of GIR audio series were obtained via experts’ reports. Twenty-three participants (5 adults, 18 children with cancer) listened to the audio and completed evaluation form. All adult evaluators gave positive remarks on the script, narration and recording quality. As for the children, 100% completed audio-hearing and majority (66.7% - 88.9%) were able to imagine well without falling asleep and in some way were positively affected by the imagery-induced relaxation audio. Majority was not disturbed during the hearing sessions (66.7%), will hear it again (83.3%) and found it enjoyable (88.8%). This is the first known study developing GIR audio in Bahasa Malaysia which is feasible, enjoyable and beneficial for children that warrants efficacy study.展开更多
The development of components of VEP was studied in 150 infants and children between 2 weeks and 9 years of age participated as subjects. Ten adult subjects, 25 ito 35 years of age were also studied. The results indic...The development of components of VEP was studied in 150 infants and children between 2 weeks and 9 years of age participated as subjects. Ten adult subjects, 25 ito 35 years of age were also studied. The results indicated that the VEP had a simple wave form, consisting of only a slowly rising positive wave to 140', 70' and 35' checks from infants of 2 to 8 weeks following birth. P_1 wave appeared in response to 17.5' check stimulus at 10 weeks following birth. The latencies of P_1 components shortened d...展开更多
A two streams system seems to exist for tactile perception.We asked kindergarten children to identify(semantic)and describe the function of grasped unseen instruments of their daily life(fork,knife,spoon,brush,toothbr...A two streams system seems to exist for tactile perception.We asked kindergarten children to identify(semantic)and describe the function of grasped unseen instruments of their daily life(fork,knife,spoon,brush,toothbrush,pencil,and scissor),and then,to simulate its use(pragmatic).The capacity to describe the function of the set of instruments was significantly superior to that of identifying them by name,although there was a significant direct association between identification and description of the function in the responses to the set of instruments.The simulation of the instrument function was of two types:(i)use―the child simulated how the instrument is grasped and used;and(ii)incorporation―the child simulated the function of the instrument with her/his own hand.The results support the hypothesis of a two streams tactile system(semantic and pragmatic),and that kindergarten children have the ability to incorporate functional properties of instruments of their daily life,probably as a support for language development.展开更多
Blood lead levels of 180 pupils from two elementary schools were determined and the intellec- tual development of the children was followed.The children in these two groups were similar in most nonlead variables.Resul...Blood lead levels of 180 pupils from two elementary schools were determined and the intellec- tual development of the children was followed.The children in these two groups were similar in most nonlead variables.Results showed that pupils at the school near a battery plant had higher blood lead levels than those at a school in a residential neighborhood.An evident dose- effect relationship between blood lead level and children's performance on psychological testing existed:the higher the blood level,the lower the intelligence quotient.This relationship re- mained after confounding factors were controlled by stepwise regression analysis.Partial regres- sion coefficients for PbB and verbal IQ,performance IQ,and full-scale IQ were -0.85,-0.71, and -0.91,respectively.1989 Academic Press,Inc.展开更多
The prevalence of obesity not only among adults but also among children has been increasing globally. Furthermore, obese children reportedly go on to be obese in adulthood. Obesity is likely to cause lifestyle-related...The prevalence of obesity not only among adults but also among children has been increasing globally. Furthermore, obese children reportedly go on to be obese in adulthood. Obesity is likely to cause lifestyle-related diseases not only in able-bodied individuals but also in disabled children. Specific cognitive behavior observed in disabled children often hinders the provision of lifestyle guidance, such as nutritional and physical exercise instructions. To prevent such situations, early identification of obesity is required to improve lifestyle habits through diet and exercise in disabled children. This study included 285 children with developmental disorders. To assess a childhood obesity index, three obesity-related parameters were compared: the degree of obesity in school health, which has been used to evaluate the health of school children in Japan;abdominal circumference, which is useful for predicting visceral fat obesity;and the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), which reflects visceral fat and physique. The abdominal circumference was significantly dependent on age. The degree of obesity and WHtR did not show a significant association with age. WHtR was significantly associated with the degree of obesity in school health. The WHtR is easily calculated as compared to the degree of index in school health which needs rather complicated calculations depending on age and age-specific coefficients. The study findings suggest that WHtR might be an easy-to-use obesity index comparable to the degree of obesity in school health in children with developmental disorders.展开更多
In this 21 st century, whether we like it or not, it is very clear that the Intemet, social media, and all ad of the related technology have come to stay. This new technological discovery has brought great and wonderf...In this 21 st century, whether we like it or not, it is very clear that the Intemet, social media, and all ad of the related technology have come to stay. This new technological discovery has brought great and wonderful benefits to our family's lives and relationships. However as it is always the case with any new innovations, it has its own negative side. This paper aims at investigating what actually social media is and how it translates to children, especially African children, as it relates to family and social living. Actually Internet provide benefits in areas such as cognitive and social development, it also presents risks together with opportunities for children's growth and development. It is common today to see children spending great quality of their time using other social websites. It is also evidenced that Interact provide benefits in the area of emotional and intellectual development and at the same time present risk as well as opportunities to children's development in functional and societal challenges. Therefore social media gives the children of the present age the opportunity to enter into global entertainment and communication. As a result of this development, there is now Internet addiction of children. Hence, there is serious need for parents to be aware of the nature of social media sites, their children are using. This is because not all of them are healthy environments for children. Experts such as childhood educators and psychologist even Paediatricians are equipped and so are better hands to assist parents not only to know and understand these websites but to encourage proper use and make them to monitor for potential problems such as cyber-bullying, facebook depression, exposure to inappropriate content and sexting. This paper proffers some recommendation that certainly will assist parents to bring up their children up to be vibrant adult even in this technological era.展开更多
A study on to identify the relationship between blood lead and cognitive development was conducted on primary school children in Malaysia. About 413 children aged 62^/1 - 82^/1 years from urban (236), rural (80) a...A study on to identify the relationship between blood lead and cognitive development was conducted on primary school children in Malaysia. About 413 children aged 62^/1 - 82^/1 years from urban (236), rural (80) and industrial areas (97) were studied. Blood lead was analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GFAAS). Cognitive development was measured by the 'McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities Test' (MSCA). Significant differences found in the mean cognitive scores between the urban (94.40), industrial (102.90) and suburban children (101.24) (p 〈 0.001), with the blood lead between the urban (3.66 p.g/dL), industrial (3.54 μg/dL) and suburban children (3.04μg/dL) (p = 0.022). Significant inverse correlations between blood lead and cognitive scores found for all groups (p 〈 0.001), urban (p 〈 0.001) and suburban children (p 〈 0.001). Low blood lead significantly influenced the cognitive development for all children after adjusting for confounders (p _〈 0.001). The urban children's cognitive scores were significantly influenced by blood lead levels and household income (p 〈 0.001). However, for the suburban children, the cognitive score were significantly influenced by the blood lead levels, the mothers' education, number of siblings, sequence in the family and the household income (p 〈 0.001 ). Blood lead below 10μg/dL influenced the cognitive development. Urban children had higher blood lead but suburban children with lower blood lead were also vulnerable to the effect of lead on their cognitive development.展开更多
This mini-review focuses on the question of how home numeracy experience (i.e.,number-related activities at home) may affect a child's numeracy development. Evidence from young children suggests that trajectories o...This mini-review focuses on the question of how home numeracy experience (i.e.,number-related activities at home) may affect a child's numeracy development. Evidence from young children suggests that trajectories of number learning differ for children having different home numeracy experiences. Children involved in higher frequency of direct numeracy practice tend to have higher numeracy skills, but the result becomes more complicated when considering the types of home numeracy activities. The relationship between the home numeracy experience and preschool children's nurneracy development may shed light on how children acquire number skills and develop their mathematics competence.展开更多
Referring to children's development,especially the development of children's language,there is a question that people are very interested in,that is,does the development of children's language on earth dep...Referring to children's development,especially the development of children's language,there is a question that people are very interested in,that is,does the development of children's language on earth depend on innate inheritance or postnatal environment? In order to answer this question,this paper begins with the definition of the development of children's language,then,expounds some theories on language acquisition,finally,finds out the crucial factors influencing the development of children's language.展开更多
Previous studies on brain functional connectivity networks in children have mainly focused on changes in function in specific brain regions, as opposed to whole brain connectivity in healthy children. By analyzing the...Previous studies on brain functional connectivity networks in children have mainly focused on changes in function in specific brain regions, as opposed to whole brain connectivity in healthy children. By analyzing the independent components of activation and network connectivity between brain regions, we examined brain activity status and development trends in children aged 3 and 5 years. These data could provide a reference for brain function rehabilitation in children with illness or abnormal function. We acquired functional magnetic resonance images from 15 3-year-old children and 15 5-year-old children under natural sleep cond让ions. The participants were recruited from five kindergartens in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen City, China. The parents of the participants signed an informed consent form with the premise that they had been fully informed regarding the experimental protocol. We used masked independent component analysis and BrainNet Viewer software to explore the independent components of the brain and correlation connections between brain regions. We identified seven independent components in the two groups of children, including the executive control network, the dorsal attention network, the default mode network, the left frontoparietal network, the right frontoparietal network, the salience network, and the motor network. In the default mode network, the posterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal gyrus, and inferior parietal lobule were activated in both 3- and 5-year-old children, supporting the "three-brain region theory” of the default mode network. In the frontoparietal network, the frontal and parietal gyri were activated in the two groups of children, and functional connectivity was strengthened in 5-year-olds compared with 3-year-olds, although the nodes and network connections were not yet mature. The high-correlation network connections in the default mode networks and dorsal attention networks had been significantly strengthened in 5-year-olds vs. 3-year-olds. Further, the salience network in the 3-year-old children included an activated insula/inferior frontal gyrus-anterior cingulate cortex network circu让 and an activated thalamus-parahippocampal-posterior cingulate cortex-subcortical regions network circuit. By the age of 5 years, no des and high-correlation network connections (edges) were reduced in the salience network. Overall, activation of the dorsal attention network, default mode network, left frontoparietal network, and right frontoparietal network increased (the volume of activation increased, the signals strengthened, and the high-correlation connections increased and strengthened) in 5-year-olds compared with 3-year-olds, but activation in some brain nodes weakened or disappeared in the salience network, and the network connections (edges) were reduced. Between the ages of 3 and 5 years, we observed a tendency for function in some brain regions to be strengthened and for the generalization of activation to be reduced, indicating that specialization begins to develop at this time. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in China with approval No. SIAT-IRB- 131115-H0075 on November 15, 2013.展开更多
The extant literature has produced mixed evidence on the relationship between finan-cial development and ecological sustainability.This work addresses this conundrum by investigating financial development’s direct an...The extant literature has produced mixed evidence on the relationship between finan-cial development and ecological sustainability.This work addresses this conundrum by investigating financial development’s direct and indirect consequences on ecologi-cal quality utilizing the environmental Kuznets curve(EKC)methodological approach.Our empirical analysis is based on the novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulations approach for South Africa between 1960 and 2020.The results,which used five distinct financial development measures,demonstrate that financial develop-ment boosts ecological integrity and environmental sustainability over the long and short terms.In the instance of South Africa,we additionally confirm the validity of the EKC theory.More importantly,the outcomes of the indirect channels demonstrate that financial development increases energy usage’s role in causing pollution while attenuating the detrimental impacts of economic growth,trade openness,and foreign direct investment on ecological quality.Moreover,the presence of an inadequate financial system is a requirement for the basis of the pollution haven hypothesis(PHH),which we examine using trade openness and foreign direct investment variables.PHH for both of these variables disappears when financial development crosses specified thresholds.Finally,industrial value addition destroys ecological quality while tech-nological innovation enhances it.This research provides some crucial policy recom-mendations and fresh perspectives for South Africa as it develops national initiatives to support ecological sustainability and reach its net zero emissions goal.展开更多
Despite the benefits of physical activity for youth living with cystic fibrosis (CF), the majority of patients are insufficiently active to meet physical activity recommendations. Existing physical activity interventi...Despite the benefits of physical activity for youth living with cystic fibrosis (CF), the majority of patients are insufficiently active to meet physical activity recommendations. Existing physical activity interventions are atheoretical and tend to prescribe standardized exercise regimes which are often not appealing for children and compromise long term adherence. Following recent calls for counselling based physical activity approaches in the CF population, this study describes the development of a theoretically informed, parent-mediated, behavioural counselling intervention for CF youth―“CF Chatters”. We first a) describe the development of a grounded theory of physical activity in youth with CF;b) explain how this theory informed the development and implementation of the CF Chatters program and c) reflect on the findings of our pilot intervention using a case study research design. CF Chatters participants demonstrated self reported increases in physical activity and quality of life. While further development and more robust objective measures are needed to extend this investigative pilot work, our findings suggest that behavioural counselling is an effective modality for enhancing physical activity participation and quality of life in this life limited group of children and youth.展开更多
Indoor air pollution(IAP) is a key contributor to the global burden of disease mainly in developing countries. The use of solid fuel for cooking and heating is the main source of IAP in developing countries, accountin...Indoor air pollution(IAP) is a key contributor to the global burden of disease mainly in developing countries. The use of solid fuel for cooking and heating is the main source of IAP in developing countries, accounting for an estimated 3.5 million deaths and 4.5% of Disability-Adjusted Life Years in 2010. Other sources of IAP include indoor smoking, infiltration of pollutants from outdoor sources and substances emitted from an array of human utilities and biological materials. Children are among the most vulnerable groups for adverse effects of IAP. The respiratory system is a primary target of air pollutants resulting in a wide range of acute and chronic effects. The spectrum of respiratory adverse effects ranges from mild subclinical changes and mild symptoms to life threatening conditions and even death. However, IAP is a modifiable risk factor having potential mitigating interventions. Possible interventions range from simple be-havior change to structural changes and from shifting of unclean cooking fuel to clean cooking fuel. Shifting from use of solid fuel to clean fuel invariably reduces the household air pollution in developing countries, but such a change is challenging. This review aims to summarize the available information on IAP exposure during childhood and its effects on respiratory health in developing countries. It specifically discusses the common sources of IAP, susceptibility of children to air pollution, mechanisms of action, common respiratory conditions, preventive and mitigating strategies.展开更多
Teacher evaluations intend to cultivate quality among teachers. However, since they are traditionally dependent on observers and their reports that are likely biased, the procedures probably effectuate discords among ...Teacher evaluations intend to cultivate quality among teachers. However, since they are traditionally dependent on observers and their reports that are likely biased, the procedures probably effectuate discords among the calling-teaching professionals. An evaluation procedure that can ascertain fairness in the decisions about teacher retentions, terminations, promotions, and sanctions can capture the accordance of all teachers and teacher facilitators. This paper identifies the possibility of such an evaluation system that is built upon the existing value-added methods. Drawing upon the observations and recommendations by Chetty, Friedman, and Rockoff (2012) on value-added methods of evaluation, and considering the uniqueness of ELTs (English Language Teachers) as it was observed by Borg (2006) and Lee (2010), this paper describes the application of the value-added evaluation method, in gauging the quality of ELTs. The paper further explicates the vantages and conformities embodied in the procedure that could boost up the morale of ELTs as independent professionals of a creative art, and help them perform to their fullest potential展开更多
基金2024 National College Student Innovation Training Program“Three Kingdoms Go”-Enlightenment of Teaching and Learning Go(Project No.G20240402)。
文摘The children’s Go training market is experiencing vigorous growth but also faces several challenges.As the importance of Go in cultural education increases,the market expands,with growing demand and involvement from training and educational institutions.However,the market encounters difficulties such as a shortage of high-quality Go coaches,uniformity in training content and methods,and high training costs.To address these issues,measures can be taken to strengthen the team of Go coaches,diversify training content and methods,and optimize the training cost structure,thereby promoting the healthy development of the children’s Go training market.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71861147003 and 71925009).
文摘This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries.We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demographic and Health Surveys(DHS).Results from both fixed effects(FE)and instrumental variable(IV)estimates show that using non-solid cooking fuel significantly improves the nutrition outcomes of under-five children.Compared with their peers from households mainly using solid fuel,children from households mainly using non-solid fuel exhibit a lower probability of experiencing stunting(by 5.9 percentage points)and being underweight(by 1.2 percentage points).Our further investigation provides evidence for several underlying mechanisms,such as improved indoor air quality,induced reduction in children’s respiratory symptoms,benefits on maternal health,and reduction in maternal time spent on fuel collection or cooking.Heterogenous analyses suggest that the nutrition benefits of using non-solid cooking fuel are more prominent among boys,children above three years old,and those from households of lower socioeconomic status,rural areas,and Southeast Asia.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81371040)Shanghai Smart Medical Special Research Project(No.2018ZHYL0221)+1 种基金Shanghai Municipal Education Commission-Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant Support(No.20181810)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai(No.17DZ2260100)
文摘AIM: To measure and analysis axial length(AL)/corneal radius of curvature(CRC) ratio and other refractive parameters, provide a medical reference range for refractive development evaluation and earlier visual impairment screening of 3 to 4 y kindergarten students.METHODS: Between April and June 2017, a total of 4350 participants aged 3-to 4-year-old(8700 eyes) from 10 cluster random sampling kindergartens in Shanghai, Pudong District were involved. According to the measurement and analysis of the unaided visual acuity(VA), AL, CRC, AL/CRC ratio, astigmatism and other refractive parameters, the data distribution and reference range were obtained.RESULTS: Uncorrected VA of examined children was 0.23±0.08(logMAR, mean±SD) [95% confidence interval(CI) range ≤0.36];AL was 22.10±0.79 mm(95%CI 20.55-23.65);CRC was 7.86±0.26 mm(95%CI, 7.35-8.37);AL/CRC ratio was 2.81±0.12(95%CI, 2.57-3.05). The median of astigmatism was-0.5 D, a total of 56.3% had astigmatism <-0.50 D, 85.3%<-1.00 D, 6.7%>-1.50 D;71% were astigmatism with the rule. Eye-specific analyses were conducted. Statistical difference of VA was in right and left eyes. There were no significant differences between two eyes of AL, CRC, AL/CRC ratio and astigmatism(P>0.05).CONCLUSION: VA and AL/CRC ratio reference could be used to assess refractive development in children and screening uncorrected refractive errors or amblyopia. Astigmatism needs to be considered in the diagnosis.
文摘The study aims to develop, validate and evaluate a Guided Imagery and Relaxation (GIR) audio in Bahasa Malaysia, serving as one of the coping tools for children with cancer. Based on extensive review, GIR script was developed by a clinical psychologist. Panels of experts including pediatric oncologists and psychiatrists conducted initial assessment at multiple stages of hearing sessions. The final version of the audio was pre-recorded in MP3 player for evaluation. Face and content validation of 3 × approximately 5 minutes duration of GIR audio series were obtained via experts’ reports. Twenty-three participants (5 adults, 18 children with cancer) listened to the audio and completed evaluation form. All adult evaluators gave positive remarks on the script, narration and recording quality. As for the children, 100% completed audio-hearing and majority (66.7% - 88.9%) were able to imagine well without falling asleep and in some way were positively affected by the imagery-induced relaxation audio. Majority was not disturbed during the hearing sessions (66.7%), will hear it again (83.3%) and found it enjoyable (88.8%). This is the first known study developing GIR audio in Bahasa Malaysia which is feasible, enjoyable and beneficial for children that warrants efficacy study.
文摘The development of components of VEP was studied in 150 infants and children between 2 weeks and 9 years of age participated as subjects. Ten adult subjects, 25 ito 35 years of age were also studied. The results indicated that the VEP had a simple wave form, consisting of only a slowly rising positive wave to 140', 70' and 35' checks from infants of 2 to 8 weeks following birth. P_1 wave appeared in response to 17.5' check stimulus at 10 weeks following birth. The latencies of P_1 components shortened d...
文摘A two streams system seems to exist for tactile perception.We asked kindergarten children to identify(semantic)and describe the function of grasped unseen instruments of their daily life(fork,knife,spoon,brush,toothbrush,pencil,and scissor),and then,to simulate its use(pragmatic).The capacity to describe the function of the set of instruments was significantly superior to that of identifying them by name,although there was a significant direct association between identification and description of the function in the responses to the set of instruments.The simulation of the instrument function was of two types:(i)use―the child simulated how the instrument is grasped and used;and(ii)incorporation―the child simulated the function of the instrument with her/his own hand.The results support the hypothesis of a two streams tactile system(semantic and pragmatic),and that kindergarten children have the ability to incorporate functional properties of instruments of their daily life,probably as a support for language development.
文摘Blood lead levels of 180 pupils from two elementary schools were determined and the intellec- tual development of the children was followed.The children in these two groups were similar in most nonlead variables.Results showed that pupils at the school near a battery plant had higher blood lead levels than those at a school in a residential neighborhood.An evident dose- effect relationship between blood lead level and children's performance on psychological testing existed:the higher the blood level,the lower the intelligence quotient.This relationship re- mained after confounding factors were controlled by stepwise regression analysis.Partial regres- sion coefficients for PbB and verbal IQ,performance IQ,and full-scale IQ were -0.85,-0.71, and -0.91,respectively.1989 Academic Press,Inc.
文摘The prevalence of obesity not only among adults but also among children has been increasing globally. Furthermore, obese children reportedly go on to be obese in adulthood. Obesity is likely to cause lifestyle-related diseases not only in able-bodied individuals but also in disabled children. Specific cognitive behavior observed in disabled children often hinders the provision of lifestyle guidance, such as nutritional and physical exercise instructions. To prevent such situations, early identification of obesity is required to improve lifestyle habits through diet and exercise in disabled children. This study included 285 children with developmental disorders. To assess a childhood obesity index, three obesity-related parameters were compared: the degree of obesity in school health, which has been used to evaluate the health of school children in Japan;abdominal circumference, which is useful for predicting visceral fat obesity;and the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), which reflects visceral fat and physique. The abdominal circumference was significantly dependent on age. The degree of obesity and WHtR did not show a significant association with age. WHtR was significantly associated with the degree of obesity in school health. The WHtR is easily calculated as compared to the degree of index in school health which needs rather complicated calculations depending on age and age-specific coefficients. The study findings suggest that WHtR might be an easy-to-use obesity index comparable to the degree of obesity in school health in children with developmental disorders.
文摘In this 21 st century, whether we like it or not, it is very clear that the Intemet, social media, and all ad of the related technology have come to stay. This new technological discovery has brought great and wonderful benefits to our family's lives and relationships. However as it is always the case with any new innovations, it has its own negative side. This paper aims at investigating what actually social media is and how it translates to children, especially African children, as it relates to family and social living. Actually Internet provide benefits in areas such as cognitive and social development, it also presents risks together with opportunities for children's growth and development. It is common today to see children spending great quality of their time using other social websites. It is also evidenced that Interact provide benefits in the area of emotional and intellectual development and at the same time present risk as well as opportunities to children's development in functional and societal challenges. Therefore social media gives the children of the present age the opportunity to enter into global entertainment and communication. As a result of this development, there is now Internet addiction of children. Hence, there is serious need for parents to be aware of the nature of social media sites, their children are using. This is because not all of them are healthy environments for children. Experts such as childhood educators and psychologist even Paediatricians are equipped and so are better hands to assist parents not only to know and understand these websites but to encourage proper use and make them to monitor for potential problems such as cyber-bullying, facebook depression, exposure to inappropriate content and sexting. This paper proffers some recommendation that certainly will assist parents to bring up their children up to be vibrant adult even in this technological era.
文摘A study on to identify the relationship between blood lead and cognitive development was conducted on primary school children in Malaysia. About 413 children aged 62^/1 - 82^/1 years from urban (236), rural (80) and industrial areas (97) were studied. Blood lead was analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (GFAAS). Cognitive development was measured by the 'McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities Test' (MSCA). Significant differences found in the mean cognitive scores between the urban (94.40), industrial (102.90) and suburban children (101.24) (p 〈 0.001), with the blood lead between the urban (3.66 p.g/dL), industrial (3.54 μg/dL) and suburban children (3.04μg/dL) (p = 0.022). Significant inverse correlations between blood lead and cognitive scores found for all groups (p 〈 0.001), urban (p 〈 0.001) and suburban children (p 〈 0.001). Low blood lead significantly influenced the cognitive development for all children after adjusting for confounders (p _〈 0.001). The urban children's cognitive scores were significantly influenced by blood lead levels and household income (p 〈 0.001). However, for the suburban children, the cognitive score were significantly influenced by the blood lead levels, the mothers' education, number of siblings, sequence in the family and the household income (p 〈 0.001 ). Blood lead below 10μg/dL influenced the cognitive development. Urban children had higher blood lead but suburban children with lower blood lead were also vulnerable to the effect of lead on their cognitive development.
文摘This mini-review focuses on the question of how home numeracy experience (i.e.,number-related activities at home) may affect a child's numeracy development. Evidence from young children suggests that trajectories of number learning differ for children having different home numeracy experiences. Children involved in higher frequency of direct numeracy practice tend to have higher numeracy skills, but the result becomes more complicated when considering the types of home numeracy activities. The relationship between the home numeracy experience and preschool children's nurneracy development may shed light on how children acquire number skills and develop their mathematics competence.
文摘Referring to children's development,especially the development of children's language,there is a question that people are very interested in,that is,does the development of children's language on earth depend on innate inheritance or postnatal environment? In order to answer this question,this paper begins with the definition of the development of children's language,then,expounds some theories on language acquisition,finally,finds out the crucial factors influencing the development of children's language.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,No.2016A030313180(to FCJ)
文摘Previous studies on brain functional connectivity networks in children have mainly focused on changes in function in specific brain regions, as opposed to whole brain connectivity in healthy children. By analyzing the independent components of activation and network connectivity between brain regions, we examined brain activity status and development trends in children aged 3 and 5 years. These data could provide a reference for brain function rehabilitation in children with illness or abnormal function. We acquired functional magnetic resonance images from 15 3-year-old children and 15 5-year-old children under natural sleep cond让ions. The participants were recruited from five kindergartens in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen City, China. The parents of the participants signed an informed consent form with the premise that they had been fully informed regarding the experimental protocol. We used masked independent component analysis and BrainNet Viewer software to explore the independent components of the brain and correlation connections between brain regions. We identified seven independent components in the two groups of children, including the executive control network, the dorsal attention network, the default mode network, the left frontoparietal network, the right frontoparietal network, the salience network, and the motor network. In the default mode network, the posterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal gyrus, and inferior parietal lobule were activated in both 3- and 5-year-old children, supporting the "three-brain region theory” of the default mode network. In the frontoparietal network, the frontal and parietal gyri were activated in the two groups of children, and functional connectivity was strengthened in 5-year-olds compared with 3-year-olds, although the nodes and network connections were not yet mature. The high-correlation network connections in the default mode networks and dorsal attention networks had been significantly strengthened in 5-year-olds vs. 3-year-olds. Further, the salience network in the 3-year-old children included an activated insula/inferior frontal gyrus-anterior cingulate cortex network circu让 and an activated thalamus-parahippocampal-posterior cingulate cortex-subcortical regions network circuit. By the age of 5 years, no des and high-correlation network connections (edges) were reduced in the salience network. Overall, activation of the dorsal attention network, default mode network, left frontoparietal network, and right frontoparietal network increased (the volume of activation increased, the signals strengthened, and the high-correlation connections increased and strengthened) in 5-year-olds compared with 3-year-olds, but activation in some brain nodes weakened or disappeared in the salience network, and the network connections (edges) were reduced. Between the ages of 3 and 5 years, we observed a tendency for function in some brain regions to be strengthened and for the generalization of activation to be reduced, indicating that specialization begins to develop at this time. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in China with approval No. SIAT-IRB- 131115-H0075 on November 15, 2013.
文摘The extant literature has produced mixed evidence on the relationship between finan-cial development and ecological sustainability.This work addresses this conundrum by investigating financial development’s direct and indirect consequences on ecologi-cal quality utilizing the environmental Kuznets curve(EKC)methodological approach.Our empirical analysis is based on the novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulations approach for South Africa between 1960 and 2020.The results,which used five distinct financial development measures,demonstrate that financial develop-ment boosts ecological integrity and environmental sustainability over the long and short terms.In the instance of South Africa,we additionally confirm the validity of the EKC theory.More importantly,the outcomes of the indirect channels demonstrate that financial development increases energy usage’s role in causing pollution while attenuating the detrimental impacts of economic growth,trade openness,and foreign direct investment on ecological quality.Moreover,the presence of an inadequate financial system is a requirement for the basis of the pollution haven hypothesis(PHH),which we examine using trade openness and foreign direct investment variables.PHH for both of these variables disappears when financial development crosses specified thresholds.Finally,industrial value addition destroys ecological quality while tech-nological innovation enhances it.This research provides some crucial policy recom-mendations and fresh perspectives for South Africa as it develops national initiatives to support ecological sustainability and reach its net zero emissions goal.
文摘Despite the benefits of physical activity for youth living with cystic fibrosis (CF), the majority of patients are insufficiently active to meet physical activity recommendations. Existing physical activity interventions are atheoretical and tend to prescribe standardized exercise regimes which are often not appealing for children and compromise long term adherence. Following recent calls for counselling based physical activity approaches in the CF population, this study describes the development of a theoretically informed, parent-mediated, behavioural counselling intervention for CF youth―“CF Chatters”. We first a) describe the development of a grounded theory of physical activity in youth with CF;b) explain how this theory informed the development and implementation of the CF Chatters program and c) reflect on the findings of our pilot intervention using a case study research design. CF Chatters participants demonstrated self reported increases in physical activity and quality of life. While further development and more robust objective measures are needed to extend this investigative pilot work, our findings suggest that behavioural counselling is an effective modality for enhancing physical activity participation and quality of life in this life limited group of children and youth.
文摘Indoor air pollution(IAP) is a key contributor to the global burden of disease mainly in developing countries. The use of solid fuel for cooking and heating is the main source of IAP in developing countries, accounting for an estimated 3.5 million deaths and 4.5% of Disability-Adjusted Life Years in 2010. Other sources of IAP include indoor smoking, infiltration of pollutants from outdoor sources and substances emitted from an array of human utilities and biological materials. Children are among the most vulnerable groups for adverse effects of IAP. The respiratory system is a primary target of air pollutants resulting in a wide range of acute and chronic effects. The spectrum of respiratory adverse effects ranges from mild subclinical changes and mild symptoms to life threatening conditions and even death. However, IAP is a modifiable risk factor having potential mitigating interventions. Possible interventions range from simple be-havior change to structural changes and from shifting of unclean cooking fuel to clean cooking fuel. Shifting from use of solid fuel to clean fuel invariably reduces the household air pollution in developing countries, but such a change is challenging. This review aims to summarize the available information on IAP exposure during childhood and its effects on respiratory health in developing countries. It specifically discusses the common sources of IAP, susceptibility of children to air pollution, mechanisms of action, common respiratory conditions, preventive and mitigating strategies.
文摘Teacher evaluations intend to cultivate quality among teachers. However, since they are traditionally dependent on observers and their reports that are likely biased, the procedures probably effectuate discords among the calling-teaching professionals. An evaluation procedure that can ascertain fairness in the decisions about teacher retentions, terminations, promotions, and sanctions can capture the accordance of all teachers and teacher facilitators. This paper identifies the possibility of such an evaluation system that is built upon the existing value-added methods. Drawing upon the observations and recommendations by Chetty, Friedman, and Rockoff (2012) on value-added methods of evaluation, and considering the uniqueness of ELTs (English Language Teachers) as it was observed by Borg (2006) and Lee (2010), this paper describes the application of the value-added evaluation method, in gauging the quality of ELTs. The paper further explicates the vantages and conformities embodied in the procedure that could boost up the morale of ELTs as independent professionals of a creative art, and help them perform to their fullest potential