Developmental milestones in captive Galago moholi.

Systems of the body develop in a modular manner. For example, neural development in primates is generally rapid, whereas dental development varies much more. In the present study, we examined development of the skull, teeth, and postcrania in a highly specialized leaping primate, Galago moholi. Eighteen specimens ranging from birth to adult were studied. Bones, teeth, and the cranial cavity (i.e., endocast) were reconstructed with Amira software based on microCT cross-referenced to histology. Amira was also used to compute endocast volume (as a proxy for brain size). Reconstructions of the wrist and ankle show that ossification is complete at 1 month postnatally, consistent with the onset of leaping locomotion in this species. Endocranial volume is less than 50% of adult volume at birth, ~80% by 1 month, and has reached adult volume by 2 months postnatal age. Full deciduous dentition eruption occurs by 2 weeks, and the young are known to begin capturing and consuming arthropods on their own by 4 weeks, contemporaneous with the timing of bone and ankle ossification that accompanies successful hunting. The modular pattern of development of body systems in Galago moholi provides an interesting view of a "race" to adult morphology for some joints that are critical for specialized leaping and clinging, rapid crown mineralization to begin a transitional diet, but perhaps more prolonged reliance on nursing to support brain growth.

Becoming a non-resident father: Marginalised through distress, disadvantage and disempowerment.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Becoming a non-resident father through divorce is stressful and this often results in compromised mental health and well-being. Non-resident fathers' mental well-being has been measured at very low levels which may require clinical treatment, especially when correlated with child access and family court issues. A United Nations report highlighted how non-resident fathers may be marginalised, but to date, limited literature considers the lives of non-resident fathers from their own perspective and reflecting their own voice and it has been claimed that as fathers are often absent from parenting research, this absence, they are not heard. The aim of this paper was to identify how non-resident fathers' interactions with legal and welfare services and ex-partners may result in their marginalisation and affect their mental health. METHODS: In-depth interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 19 non-resident fathers, both long term, newly divorced or in the divorce process, so as to capture a long range view of their experiences. Thematic Analysis was used for data analysis and the generation of the themes. RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the data: (1) Becoming a non-resident father with two sub themes; (2) Being in a state of distress, with three sub-themes and (3) Managing distress and seeking help, with two sub-themes. Participants reported a lack of agency, lack of power in decision making and a lack of social and financial resources all contributing to the deterioration in their self-reported experiences of mental health. This impact was highlighted by the number of participants who undertook counselling or psychological assistance to deal with their perceived marginalisation, feeling of invisibility and disempowerment. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of marginalisation for non-resident fathers' mental health, as outlined by the participants, are discussed regarding the impact of becoming a non-resident father, legal aspects, welfare service experiences and relationship with ex-partner. The chronic stress experienced by non-resident fathers who often find themselves in a situation which is difficult to resolve without major compromises to their desired outcomes must be recognised. SO WHAT: One means of achieving better mental health for non-resident fathers is to address the impact of marginalisation and lack of agency and that court processes are resolved swiftly with a view to increasing non-resident father's agency in post-divorce decision making.

Nonresident Fathers' Voice: Marginalized, Disempowered, and Silenced.

Nonresident fathers, following separation/divorce, are more likely to experience multiple forms of family types simultaneously than any other sociodemographic group. Although there is considerable writing on the factors and issues surrounding nonresident fathers from academics, the Family court, the Child Support Agency, and women's and welfare groups, the voice of nonresident fathers themselves is rarely heard. This is due to nonresident fathers being marginalized, disempowered, and silenced by these same entities. The voice of nonresident fathers is routinely minimized, dismissed, and labeled as anti-feminist or a backlash to feminism. This opinion piece argues that there is a need for qualitative research to be undertaken to investigate, document, and explore nonresident fathers' voices from their own perspective to hear what they have to say of themselves so that a better understanding of the dynamics that impact and influence them can be achieved. This would mean that actions can be identified and undertaken to better understand nonresident fathers' situation while providing insights for the development of social policies by Government and Welfare agencies together with support care for nonresident fathers highlighting their desires and needs.

Sit to Talk: Relation between Motor Skills and Language Development in Infancy.

Relations between walking skills and language development have been reported in 10- to 14-month-old infants. However, whether earlier emerging motor milestones also affect language skills remains unknown. The current research fills this gap by examining the relation between reaching and sitting skills and later language development, respectively. Reaching and sitting were assessed eight times, starting when infants (N = 29) were around 3 months of age. All assessments were completed and recorded remotely via videoconference using Skype or FaceTime. Subsequently, infants' language and motor skills were assessed via parent questionnaires (Communicative Development Inventories and Early Motor Questionnaire) at 10 and 14 months of age. Results revealed a significant correlation between the emergence of sitting skills and receptive vocabulary size at 10 and 14 months of age. Regression analyses further confirmed this pattern and revealed that the emergence of sitting is a significant predictor of subsequent language development above and beyond influences of concurrent motor skills. These findings suggest that the onset of independent sitting may initiate a developmental cascade that results in increased language learning opportunities. Further, this study also demonstrates how infants' early motor skills can be assessed remotely using videoconference.