Concurrent validity of the parent-completed Ages and Stages Questionnaires, 2nd Ed. with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II in a low-risk sample.

Abstract Background This study assessed the concurrent validity of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) compared with Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (BSID II) amongst children aged 24 months. Methods Data were collected from 53 infants and mothers who participated in the New York State Angler Cohort Child Development Study. Parents completed the 24-month ASQ to assess communication, personal-social, problem-solving ability, and fine and gross motor control. The BSID II was administered by a clinical psychologist at the 24-month home visit for cognitive and psychomotor assessment. The ASQ was scored using age-specific norms of <2 SDs below any domain mean to define failure. A BSID II score of <85 indicated mild or severe delay, while a score of <70 suggested a severe delay. Results Scores on the ASQ communication and personal-social domains were moderately correlated with the BSID II Mental Scale (R= 0.52, P < 0.001; R= 0.45, P < 0.01) and ASQ gross motor with the BSID II Motor Scale (R= 0.46, P < 0.01), whereas ASQ problem-solving and fine motor domains were not significantly correlated with BSID II scores. The ASQ had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 87% at 24 months (n= 40) for severely delayed status. Conclusions Results suggest the ASQs provide a simple, valid, and cost-effective method for clinicians and field-based researchers to reduce the number of standardized assessments required to identify developmentally delayed infants at age 24 months. Future studies should further assess the validity of the ASQs in larger, more diverse populations of infants.

Polychlorinated biphenyl serum concentrations, lifestyle and time-to-pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of fish contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and prenatal PCB serum concentrations have been associated with a longer time-to-pregnancy (TTP). However, the relationship between preconception serum PCBs concentrations and TTP has not been previously studied. METHODS: Eighty-three women (contributing 442 menstrual cycles) planning pregnancies completed daily diaries regarding menstruation, intercourse, home pregnancy test results, and reported use of alcohol and cigarettes. TTP denoted the number of observed menstrual cycles required for pregnancy. Preconception blood specimens underwent toxicologic analysis for 76 PCB congeners via gas chromatography with electron capture; serum lipids were quantified with enzymatic methods. A priori, PCB congeners were summed into a total and three groupings-estrogenic, anti-estrogenic and other-and entered into discrete analogs of Cox models with time-varying covariates to estimate fecundability odds ratios (FOR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Estrogenic and anti-estrogenic PCB concentrations (ng/g serum) conferred reduced FORs in fully adjusted models (0.32; 95% CI 0.03, 3.90 and 0.01: 95% CI < 0.00, 1.99, respectively). Reduced FORs (0.96) were observed for alcohol consumption standardized to a 28-day menstrual cycle in the same adjusted model (FOR = 0.96; 95% CI 0.93, 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that environmental exposures including those amenable to change, such as alcohol consumption, may impact female fecundity. The findings are sensitive to model specification and PCB groupings, underscoring the need to further assess the impact of chemical mixtures on sensitive reproductive outcomes, such as TTP, especially in the context of lifestyle factors which are amenable to change, thereby improving reproductive health.

Longitudinal study of babies born to mothers enrolled in a preconception prospective pregnancy study: study design and methodology, New York State Angler cohort study.

Persistent environmental chemicals such as organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been associated with alterations in fetal development and child health including subtle differences in developmental status. Previous prospective studies have ascertained prenatal or postnatal exposures but none have been designed to assess exposures at critical windows including preconception. To address this gap, we followed infants born to mothers recruited prior to conception in the New York State Prospective Pregnancy Study to assess feasibility issues including acceptability of a relatively invasive study protocol during the child's first 2 years of life. Longitudinal measurements on health, development, and growth were obtained from 53 live-born infants; 49 families consented to standardized in-home neurodevelopmental and psychosocial evaluations at 12 and 24 months of age. Nineteen participating parents consented to the collection of blood from infants for lead thyroid and PCB levels. Despite the intensive data collection protocol over 2 years coupled with the mothers having completed an intensive prospective pregnancy protocol, we found parents readily open to continued participation in a longitudinal study involving their children. Suggestions for conducting in-home assessments include use of a consistent contact nurse, comprehensive parent-friendly developmental assessment tools with some interim assessment by parent report, and periodic team visits.

Infecundity and consumption of polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated fish.

Biologic capacity for reproduction, or fecundity, may be threatened by environmental contaminants, especially compounds capable of disrupting endocrine pathways. Telephone interviews that focused on reproductive events were conducted with female members of the New York State Angler Cohort Study who became pregnant between 1991 and 1993 and who reported known time to pregnancy (N = 895; 73%). Consumption of polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated Lake Ontario sportfish and other factors were ascertained in 1991. The authors classified the women as follows: (a) fecund (time to pregnancy < or =12 cycles; n = 723); (b) having resolved infecundity (time to pregnancy > 12 cycles; n = 81); or (c) having unresolved infecundity (time to pregnancy > 12 cycles without pregnancy; n = 94). Adjusted odds ratios for duration of fish consumption for both resolved and unresolved infecundity were elevated (1.46 and 1.19, respectively), although confidence intervals included unity. Frequency of recent fish consumption was associated with an increased risk for select categories, although confidence intervals included one.

The change in employee loyalty.

Employee loyalty affects company performance, competitiveness and ultimately the bottom line. Today, the old employment contract is null and void. Employee loyalty cannot be taken for granted; it must be fostered and cultivated. The new employment contract encourages participative decision making, career development, pay for productivity and flexible benefits.