Socially sensitive lactation: Exploring the social context of breastfeeding

Many women report difficulties with breastfeeding and do not maintain the practice for as long as intended. Although psychologists and other researchers have explored some of the difficulties they experience, fuller exploration of the relational contexts in which breastfeeding takes place is warranted to enable more in-depth analysis of the challenges these pose for breastfeeding women. The present paper is based on qualitative data collected from 22 first-time breastfeeding mothers through two phases of interviews and audio-diaries which explored how the participants experienced their relationships with significant others and the wider social context of breastfeeding in the first five weeks postpartum. Using a thematic analysis informed by symbolic interactionism, we develop the overarching theme of ‘Practising socially sensitive lactation’ which captures how participants felt the need to manage tensions between breastfeeding and their perceptions of the needs, expectations and comfort of others. We argue that breastfeeding remains a problematic social act, despite its agreed importance for child health. Whilst acknowledging the limitations of our sample and analytic approach, we suggest ways in which perinatal and public health interventions can take more effective account of the social challenges of breastfeeding in order to facilitate the health and psychological well-being of mothers and their infants

Matrix Metalloproteinase 1: Role in Sarcoma Biology

In carcinomas stromal cells participate in cancer progression by producing proteases such as MMPs. The expression MMP1 is a prognostic factor in human chondrosarcoma, however the role in tumor progression is unknown. Laser capture microdissection and In Situ hybridization were used to determine cellular origin of MMP1 in human sarcomas. A xenogenic model of tumor progression was then used and mice were divided in two groups: each harboring either the control or a stably MMP1 silenced cell line. Animals were sacrificed; the neovascularization, primary tumor volumes, and metastatic burden were assessed. LCM and RNA-ISH analysis revealed MMP1 expression was predominantly localized to the tumor cells in all samples of sarcoma (p = 0.05). The percentage lung metastatic volume at 5 weeks (p = 0.08) and number of spontaneous deaths secondary to systemic tumor burden were lower in MMP1 silenced cell bearing mice. Interestingly, this group also demonstrated a larger primary tumor size (p<0.04) and increased angiogenesis (p<0.01). These findings were found to be consistent when experiment was repeated using a second independent MMP1 silencing sequence. Prior clinical trials employing MMP1 inhibitors failed because of a poor understanding of the role of MMPs in tumor progression. The current findings indicating tumor cell production of MMP1 by sarcoma cells is novel and highlights the fundamental differences in MMP biology between carcinomas and sarcomas. The results also emphasize the complex roles of MMP in tumor progression of sarcomas. Not only does metastasis seem to be affected by MMP1 silencing, but also local tumor growth and angiogenesis are affected inversely

MicroRNA Profiling of BRCA1/2 Mutation-Carrying and Non-Mutation-Carrying High-Grade Serous Carcinomas of Ovary

BACKGROUND:MicroRNAs (miRNA) are 20 approximately 25 nucleotide non-coding RNAs that inhibit the translation of targeted mRNA, and they have been implicated in the development of human malignancies. High grade serous ovarian carcinomas, the most common and lethal subtype of ovarian cancer, can occur sporadically or in the setting of BRCA1/2 syndromes. Little is known regarding the miRNA expression profiles of high grade serous carcinoma in relation to BRCA1/2 status, and compared to normal tubal epithelium, the putative tissue of origin for high grade serous carcinomas. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Global miRNA expression profiling was performed on a series of 33 high grade serous carcinomas, characterized with respect to BRCA1/2 status (mutation, epigenetic silencing with loss of expression or normal), and with clinical follow-up, together with 2 low grade serous carcinomas, 2 serous borderline tumors, and 3 normal fallopian tube samples, using miRNA microarrays (328 human miRNA). Unsupervised hierarchical clustering based on miRNA expression profiles showed no clear separation between the groups of carcinomas with different BRCA1/2 status. There were relatively few miRNAs that were differentially expressed between the genotypic subgroups. Comparison of 33 high grade serous carcinomas to 3 normal fallopian tube samples identified several dysregulated miRNAs (false discovery rate <5%), including miR-422b and miR-34c. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis performed on selected miRNAs confirmed the pattern of differential expression shown by microarray analysis. Prognostically, lower level miR-422b and miR-34c in high grade serous carcinomas were both associated with decreased disease-specific survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:High grade serous ovarian carcinomas with and without BRCA1/2 abnormalities demonstrate very similar miRNA expression profiles. High grade serous carcinomas as a group exhibit significant miRNA dysregulation in comparison to tubal epithelium and the levels of miR-34c and miR-422b appear to be prognostically important

Sexually-Transmitted Disease in a Sub-Tropical Eucalypt Beetle: Infection of the Fittest?

The ecology of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) is topical in scientific research, and their demography and epidemiology differ from those of classical pathogens and parasites. Transmission of STDs is generally density-independent, occurs via the "fittest" individuals in a population (or, at least, those that achieve the most matings), and reflects differential mating success. STDs can therefore have a major influence on the evolution of host mating systems. We studied the epidemiology of a recently described STD of a chrysomelid beetle in applied and theoretical contexts, exploring the virulence, intensity and prevalence of infection, and using our results to test ecological predictions. Chrysophtharta cloelia is infected with a sexually-transmitted mite (the STD), Parobia captivus. Infection rate over three beetle generations (7 months) was determined and the STD’s effects on fertility, fecundity, longevity, mating success and overwintering survival was measured. Throughout the season around 40% of beetles were infected, with approximately one quarter of such hosts carrying infective life stages of the STD at any one time. Infection by P. captivus significantly decreased overwintering survival, but did not impact on other fitness parameters measured, including mate acceptance. However, more female beetles were infected than male beetles, while within both sexes larger beetles were more likely to be infected. Our results concur with theoretical predictions that STDs may be selected for low virulence and low detectability, while the observation of female bias in infection supports hypotheses regarding variable mating success and mating skews, which we discuss