Executive function (EF) is increasingly recognized as being responsible for adverse developmental outcomes in preterm-born infants. Several perinatal factors may lead to poor EF development in infancy, and the deficits in EF can be identified in infants as young as eight months. A prospective cohort study was designed to study the EF in Chinese preterm infants and examine the relationship between EF in preterm infants and maternal factors during perinatal period. A total of 88 preterm infants and 88 full-term infants were followed from birth to eight months (corrected age). Cup Task and Planning Test was applied to assess the EF of infants, and the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (BSID-III) was used to evaluate cognitive (MDI) and motor abilities (PDI) of infants. In comparison with full-term infants, the preterm infants performed more poorly on all measures of EF including working memory, inhibition to prepotent responses, inhibition to distraction, and planning, and the differences remained after controlling the MDI and PDI. Anemia and selenium deficiency in mothers during pregnancy contributed to the differences in EF performance. However, maternal depression, hypertension, and diabetes during pregnancy were not related to the EF deficits in preterm infants. Future research should focus on the prevention of anemia and selenium deficiency during pregnancy and whether supplementing selenium in mothers during pregnancy can prevent further deterioration and the development of adverse outcomes of their offspring.

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Family therapy has been introduced into China for more than 30 years. This paper summarizes, reviews, reflects, and looks forward to the current research literature on family therapy in China from the aspects of methods, theories, and cultural adaptability. The conclusion is that family therapy that originated in the west has proved to be effective in China. Compared with the west, it is not sufficient in the research of family therapy in China. Further research can be done in the direction of cultural adaptability in two aspects in the future: first, clinicians need to strengthen their understanding of Chinese families; second, Chinese family therapy clinicians need to strengthen their case studies.

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Background Trace elements may affect neuro-development. There is a lack of data on breast milk rubidium (Rb) in relation to neuro-development in infants. The associations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and strontium (Sr) with neuro-development in infants remain uncertain. Objectives We sought to evaluate the associations of breast milk Rb (primary exposure), Cu, Zn, and Sr with neuro-development in infants at age 8 months. Methods The study cohort included 117 breastfed infants. Breast milk samples were collected at 42 days and 8 months postpartum. Breast milk Rb, Zn, Cu and Sr were measured by ICP-MS. Neuro-development was assessed at age 8 months. The primary outcomes were attention and working memory scores as evaluated by A-(not)B task. Other outcomes included Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) as evaluated by Bayley Scale of Infant Development III. Generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline regression were used to assess the associations between trace elements and neuro-development indices. Bonferroni correction was conducted on all data presented. Results A non-linear association was observed between breast milk Rb at 42 days and infant's attention at age 8 months (non-linearity P = 0.037). Positive associations were observed with infant MDI for breast milk Rb at 42 days (β = 4.46, P = 0.06) and 8 months (β = 3.79, P = 0.009) postpartum. Breast milk Zn at 42 days was positively associated with infant's attention (β = 0.31, P = 0.039). Sr at 42 days was positively correlated with attention (β = 0.18, P = 0.043) and MDI (β = 2.18, P = 0.015) at 8 months. Inverted U-shape associations were observed for breast milk Cu at 42 days with infant attention and PDI. All associations were not significant after correction for multiple tests. Conclusions Our data suggest that Rb, Zn, Cu, and Sr in breast milk at certain concentrations are associated with neuro-development in breastfed infants. Further studies are warranted to validate the findings.