Journal Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915
Browse
4 results
Search Results
Item Earlier false belief understanding predicts later lie-telling behavior in preschool children, but not vice versa(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2024-11) Wang Z; Gao X; Shao YYoung children's lie-telling behavior is associated with their theory of mind (ToM) development. However, current evidence is primarily based on cross-sectional studies, with very little longitudinal evidence on the causal relation between the two constructs. The current study provided much-needed cross-lagged longitudinal evidence on the association between ToM and lying in young children. Adopting a short-term longitudinal design, we tested 104 normally developing children's (64 boys, M = 54.0 months) false belief understanding and lie-telling behaviors three times at 4-month intervals. Results showed the cross-lagged model fit the data well. Lie-telling behaviors exhibited moderate stability across the three time points, while ToM exhibited moderate stability between the first two time points but not between Time 2 and Time 3. Earlier false belief understanding significantly predicted children's later lie-telling behavior, controlling for family socioeconomic status, child age, gender, only child status, and Time 1 verbal ability and inhibitory control. On the contrary, earlier lie-telling did not predict later false beliefs understanding. We concluded that earlier false belief understanding predicts later lie-telling behavior in preschool children, but not vice versa.Item Campylobacter colonization and undernutrition in infants in rural eastern Ethiopia - a longitudinal community-based birth cohort study.(Frontiers Media S.A., 2025-01-07) Chen D; McKune SL; Yang Y; Usmane IA; Ahmed IA; Amin JK; Ibrahim AM; Seran AJ; Shaik N; Ojeda A; Hassen BM; Deblais L; Ahmedo BU; Hassen KA; Bhrane M; Li X; Singh N; Roba KT; French NP; Rajashekara G; Manary MJ; Hassen JY; Havelaar AH; CAGED Research TeamBackground: Campylobacter is associated with environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and malnutrition in children. Campylobacter infection could be a linchpin between livestock fecal exposure and health outcomes in low-resource smallholder settings. Methods: We followed a birth cohort of 106 infants in rural smallholder households in eastern Ethiopia up to 13 months of age. We measured anthropometry, surveyed sociodemographic determinants, and collected stool and urine samples. A short survey was conducted during monthly visits, infant stool samples were collected, and Campylobacter spp. was quantified using genus-specific qPCR. In month 13, we collected stool and urine samples to assay for EED biomarkers. We employed regression analyses to assess the associations of household determinants with Campylobacter colonization, EED, and growth faltering. Results: The Campylobacter load in infant stools increased with age. The mean length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) decreased from −0.45 at 3–4 months of age to −2.06 at 13 months, while the prevalence of stunting increased from 3 to 51%. The prevalence of EED at 13 months of age was 56%. A higher Campylobacter load was associated with more frequent diarrhea. Prelacteal feeding significantly increased Campylobacter load in the first month of life. Over the whole follow-up period, Campylobacter load was increased by keeping chickens unconfined at home and unsanitary disposal of infant stools while decreased by mothers’ handwashing with soap. Longitudinally, Campylobacter load was positively associated with food insecurity, introduction of complementary foods, and raw milk consumption. There were no significant associations between Campylobacter load, EED, and LAZ. Conclusion: This study found that most determinants associated with increased Campylobacter infection were related to suboptimal feeding practices and hygiene. The findings related to livestock-associated risks were inconclusive. Although stunting, EED, and Campylobacter prevalence rates all increased to high levels by the end of the first year of life, no significant association between them was identified. While additional research is needed to investigate whether findings from this study are replicable in other populations, community efforts to improve infant and young child feeding practices and food hygiene, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) at the household level, could reduce (cross-)contamination at the point of exposure.Item Prevalence and Load of the Campylobacter Genus in Infants and Associated Household Contacts in Rural Eastern Ethiopia: a Longitudinal Study from the Campylobacter Genomics and Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (CAGED) Project(American Society for Microbiology, 2023-07-26) Deblais L; Ojeda A; Brhane M; Mummed B; Hassen KA; Ahmedo BU; Weldesenbet YD; Amin JK; Ahmed IA; Usmane IA; Yusuf EA; Seran AJ; Abrahim FI; Game HT; Mummed BA; Usmail MM; Umer KA; Dawid MM; Gebreyes W; French N; Hassen JY; Roba KT; Mohammed A; Yimer G; Saleem C; Chen D; Singh N; Manary MJ; McKune SL; Havelaar AH; Rajashekara G; Elkins CAIn our previous cross-sectional study, multiple species of Campylobacter were detected (88%) in stool samples from children (12 to 14 months of age) in rural eastern Ethiopia. This study assessed the temporal fecal carriage of Campylobacter in infants and identified putative reservoirs associated with these infections in infants from the same region. The prevalence and load of Campylobacter were determined using genus-specific real-time PCR. Stool samples from 106 infants (n = 1,073) were collected monthly from birth until 376 days of age (DOA). Human stool samples (mothers and siblings), livestock feces (cattle, chickens, goats, and sheep), and environmental samples (soil and drinking water) from the 106 households were collected twice per household (n = 1,644). Campylobacter was most prevalent in livestock feces (goats, 99%; sheep, 98%; cattle, 99%; chickens, 93%), followed by human stool samples (siblings, 91%; mothers, 83%; infants, 64%) and environmental samples (soil, 58%; drinking water, 43%). The prevalence of Campylobacter in infant stool samples significantly increased with age, from 30% at 27 DOA to 89% at 360 DOA (1% increase/day in the odds of being colonized) (P < 0.001). The Campylobacter load increased linearly (P < 0.001) with age from 2.95 logs at 25 DOA to 4.13 logs at 360 DOA. Within a household, the Campylobacter load in infant stool samples was positively correlated with the load in mother stool samples (r2 = 0.18) and soil collected inside the house (r2 = 0.36), which were in turn both correlated with Campylobacter loads in chicken and cattle feces (0.60 < r2 < 0.63) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, a high proportion of infants are infected with Campylobacter in eastern Ethiopia, and contact with the mother and contaminated soil may be associated with early infections. IMPORTANCE A high Campylobacter prevalence during early childhood has been associated with environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and stunting, especially in low-resource settings. Our previous study demonstrated that Campylobacter was frequently found (88%) in children from eastern Ethiopia; however, little is known about potential Campylobacter reservoirs and transmission pathways leading to infection of infants by Campylobacter during early growth. In the longitudinal study presented here, Campylobacter was frequently detected in infants within the 106 surveyed households from eastern Ethiopia, and the prevalence was age dependent. Furthermore, preliminary analyses highlighted the potential role of the mother, soil, and livestock in the transmission of Campylobacter to the infant. Further work will explore the species and genetic composition of Campylobacter in infants and putative reservoirs using PCR and whole-genome and metagenomic sequencing. The findings from these studies can lead to the development of interventions to minimize the risk of transmission of Campylobacter to infants and, potentially, EED and stunting.Item Social Isolation and Incident Dementia in the Oldest-Old—A Competing Risk Analysis(Frontiers Media S.A, 2022-06) Grothe J; Röhr S; Luppa M; Pabst A; Kleineidam L; Heser K; Fuchs A; Pentzek M; Oey A; Wiese B; Lühmann D; van den Bussche H; Weyerer S; Werle J; Weeg D; Bickel H; Scherer M; König H-H; Hajek A; Wagner M; Riedel-Heller SGPurpose: Social isolation is considered a risk factor for dementia. However, less is known about social isolation and dementia with respect to competing risk of death, particularly in the oldest-old, who are at highest risk for social isolation, dementia and mortality. Therefore, we aimed to examine these associations in a sample of oldest-old individuals. Methods: Analyses were based on follow-up (FU) 5–9 of the longitudinal German study AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe. Social isolation was assessed using the short form of the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), with a score ≤ 12 indicating social isolation. Structured interviews were used to identify dementia cases. Competing risk analysis based on the Fine-Gray model was conducted to test the association between social isolation and incident dementia. Results: Excluding participants with prevalent dementia, n = 1,161 individuals were included. Their mean age was 86.6 (SD = 3.1) years and 67.0% were female. The prevalence of social isolation was 34.7% at FU 5, 9.7% developed dementia and 36.0% died during a mean FU time of 4.3 (SD = 0.4) years. Adjusting for covariates and cumulative mortality risk, social isolation was not significantly associated with incident dementia; neither in the total sample (sHR: 1.07, 95%CI 0.65-1.76, p = 0.80), nor if stratified by sex (men: sHR: 0.71, 95%CI 0.28-1.83, p = 0.48; women: sHR: 1.39, 95%CI 0.77-2.51, p = 0.27). Conclusion: In contrast to the findings of previous studies, we did not find an association between social isolation and incident dementia in the oldest-old. However, our analysis took into account the competing risk of death and the FU period was rather short. Future studies, especially with longer FU periods and more comprehensive assessment of qualitative social network characteristics (e.g., loneliness and satisfaction with social relationships) may be useful for clarification.