Does breastfeeding account for the association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development in a large, nationally representative cohort?

Background Previous research has established that exposure to high maternal sensitivity is positively associated with advances in infant cognitive development. However, there are many fixed and modifiable factors that influence this association. This study investigates whether the association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development in the first year of life is accounted for by other factors, such as breastfeeding, maternal depressive symptoms, maternal alcohol use, infant birth weight or demographic covariates. Methods Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth (ECLS-B) Cohort, a nationally representative sample of U.S. born children, multi-variable regression analyses was used to examine whether breastfeeding, maternal depressive symptoms and alcohol use were associated with maternal sensitivity, as measured by the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS), and with infant cognitive development, as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Short Form, Research Edition, after controlling for demographic covariates (infant sex, maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, income, parity, family structure) and infant birth weight. Results Breastfeeding, depressive symptoms and alcohol use were not associated with maternal sensitivity scores after controlling for demographic covariates and infant birth weight. However, breastfeeding (β = .079, p < .001), depressive symptoms (β = −.035, p < .05), and maternal sensitivity (β = .175, p < .001) were each significantly associated with infant cognitive development scores, even after controlling for demographic covariates and birthweight (R2 = .053, p < .001). The association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development did not attenuate after adjusting for breastfeeding. Instead, both sensitivity and breastfeeding independently contributed to higher infant cognitive development scores. Conclusion Maternal sensitivity and breastfeeding are separate means to advancing infant cognitive development. This study is significant because it is the first to examine breastfeeding, maternal depressive symptoms and alcohol use together, upon the association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development, after adjusting for demographic covariates and infant birthweight. Maternal sensitivity, a measurable quality, advances infants’ cognitive development. Moreover, sensitivity and breastfeeding had independent effects upon cognitive development after controlling for multiple fixed and modifiable covariates. Understanding factors impacting the association between sensitivity and infant cognitive development provide avenues for developing more effective parenting interventions

Does breastfeeding account for the association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development in a large, nationally representative cohort?

Background: Previous research has established that exposure to high maternal sensitivity is positively associated with advances in infant cognitive development. However, there are many fixed and modifiable factors that influence this association. This study investigates whether the association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development in the first year of life is accounted for by other factors, such as breastfeeding, maternal depressive symptoms, maternal alcohol use, infant birth weight or demographic covariates. Methods: Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth (ECLS-B) Cohort, a nationally representative sample of U.S. born children, multi-variable regression analyses was used to examine whether breastfeeding, maternal depressive symptoms and alcohol use were associated with maternal sensitivity, as measured by the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS), and with infant cognitive development, as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Short Form, Research Edition, after controlling for demographic covariates (infant sex, maternal age, education, race/ethnicity, income, parity, family structure) and infant birth weight. Results: Breastfeeding, depressive symptoms and alcohol use were not associated with maternal sensitivity scores after controlling for demographic covariates and infant birth weight. However, breastfeeding (β = .079, p \u3c .001), depressive symptoms (β = −.035, p \u3c .05), and maternal sensitivity (β = .175, p \u3c .001) were each significantly associ- ated with infant cognitive development scores, even after controlling for demographic covariates and birthweight (R2 = .053, p \u3c .001). The association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development did not attenu- ate after adjusting for breastfeeding. Instead, both sensitivity and breastfeeding independently contributed to higher infant cognitive development scores. Conclusion: Maternal sensitivity and breastfeeding are separate means to advancing infant cognitive development. This study is significant because it is the first to examine breastfeeding, maternal depressive symptoms and alcohol use together, upon the association between maternal sensitivity and infant cognitive development, after adjusting for demographic covariates and infant birthweight. Maternal sensitivity, a measurable quality, advances infants’ cognitive development. Moreover, sensitivity and breastfeeding had independent effects upon cognitive development afte

Changes in white cell estimates and plasma chemistry measurements following oral or external dosing of double-crested cormorants, \u3ci\u3ePhalacocorax auritus\u3c/i\u3e, with artificially weathered MC252 oil

Scoping studies were designed whereby double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus) were dosed with artificially weathered Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil either daily through oil injected feeder fish, or by application of oil directly to feathers every three days. Preening results in oil ingestion, and may be an effective means of orally dosing birds with toxicant to improve our understanding of the full range of physiological effects of oral oil ingestion on birds. Blood samples collected every 5–6 days were analyzed for a number of clinical endpoints including white blood cell (WBC) estimates and differential cell counts. Plasma biochemical evaluations were performed for changes associated with oil toxicity. Oral dosing and application of oil to feathers resulted in clinical signs and statistically significant changes in a number of biochemical endpoints consistent with petroleum exposure. In orally dosed birds there were statistically significant decreases in aspartate amino transferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities, calcium, chloride, cholesterol, glucose, and total protein concentrations, and increases in plasma urea, uric acid, and phosphorus concentrations. Plasma electrophoresis endpoints (pre-albumin, albumin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, and gamma globulin concentrations and albumin: globulin ratios) were decreased in orally dosed birds. Birds with external oil had increases in urea, creatinine, uric acid, creatine kinase (CK), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), phosphorus, calcium, chloride, potassium, albumin, alpha-1 globulin and alpha-2 globulin. Decreases were observed in AST, beta globulin and glucose. WBC also differed between treatments; however, this was in part driven by monocytosis present in the externally oiled birds prior to oil treatment

Changes in white cell estimates and plasma chemistry measurements following oral or external dosing of double-crested cormorants, \u3ci\u3ePhalacocorax auritus\u3c/i\u3e, with artificially weathered MC252 oil

Scoping studies were designed whereby double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus) were dosed with artificially weathered Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil either daily through oil injected feeder fish, or by application of oil directly to feathers every three days. Preening results in oil ingestion, and may be an effective means of orally dosing birds with toxicant to improve our understanding of the full range of physiological effects of oral oil ingestion on birds. Blood samples collected every 5–6 days were analyzed for a number of clinical endpoints including white blood cell (WBC) estimates and differential cell counts. Plasma biochemical evaluations were performed for changes associated with oil toxicity. Oral dosing and application of oil to feathers resulted in clinical signs and statistically significant changes in a number of biochemical endpoints consistent with petroleum exposure. In orally dosed birds there were statistically significant decreases in aspartate amino transferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities, calcium, chloride, cholesterol, glucose, and total protein concentrations, and increases in plasma urea, uric acid, and phosphorus concentrations. Plasma electrophoresis endpoints (pre-albumin, albumin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin, and gamma globulin concentrations and albumin: globulin ratios) were decreased in orally dosed birds. Birds with external oil had increases in urea, creatinine, uric acid, creatine kinase (CK), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), phosphorus, calcium, chloride, potassium, albumin, alpha-1 globulin and alpha-2 globulin. Decreases were observed in AST, beta globulin and glucose. WBC also differed between treatments; however, this was in part driven by monocytosis present in the externally oiled birds prior to oil treatment

Analyzing food value chains for nutrition goals

First proposed in 2010, the use of ‘value chain analysis’ to identify opportunities for targeted nutrition interventions in food systems is still an emerging method. This review explores and summarizes the application of value chain analysis to nutrition and from this provides five insights into how to more effectively conduct value chain analysis for nutrition: 1) use a consumer perspective to inform selection of foods and chains; 2) consider the research question, available resources, and the type of chain; 3) situate consumer research at the center of the analysis; 4) assess economic trade-offs; and 5) pay attention to governance and stakeholders’ capacity for and incentives to change

Testing of an oral dosing technique for double-crested cormorants, \u3ci\u3ePhalacocorax auritus\u3c/i\u3e, laughing gulls, \u3ci\u3eLeucophaeus atricilla\u3c/i\u3e, homing pigeons, \u3ci\u3eColumba livia\u3c/i\u3e, and western sandpipers, \u3ci\u3eCalidris mauri\u3c/i\u3e, with artificially weather MC252 oil

Scoping studies were designed to determine if double-crested cormorants (Phalacocorax auritus), laughing gulls (Leucophaues atricilla), homing pigeons (Columba livia) and western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) that were gavaged with a mixture of artificially weathered MC252 oil and food for either a single day or 4–5 consecutive days showed signs of oil toxicity. Where volume allowed, samples were collected for hematology, plasma protein electrophoresis, clinical chemistry and electrolytes, oxidative stress and organ weigh changes. Double-crested cormorants, laughing gulls and western sandpipers all excreted oil within 30 min of dose, while pigeons regurgitated within less than one hour of dosing. There were species differences in the effectiveness of the dosing technique, with double-crested cormorants having the greatest number of responsive endpoints at the completion of the trial. Statistically significant changes in packed cell volume, white cell counts, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase, gamma glutamyl transferase, uric acid, chloride, sodium, potassium, calcium, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione, spleen and liver weights were measured in double-crested cormorants. Homing pigeons had statistically significant changes in creatine phosphokinase, total glutathione, glutathione disulfide, reduced glutathione and Trolox equivalents. Laughing gulls exhibited statistically significant decreases in spleen and kidney weight, and no changes were observed in any measurement endpoints tested in western sandpipers

Shape, density, and geology of the nucleus of Comet 103P/Hartley 2

a b s t r a c t Data from the Extrasolar Planet Observation and Deep Impact Extended Investigation (EPOXI) mission show Comet 103P/Hartley 2 is a bi-lobed, elongated, nearly axially symmetric comet 2.33 km in length. Surface features are primarily small mounds &lt;40 m across, irregularly-shaped smooth areas on the two lobes, and a smooth but variegated region forming a &apos;&apos;waist&apos;&apos; between the two lobes. Assuming parts of the comet body approach the shape of an equipotential surface, the mean density of Hartley 2 is modeled to be 200-400 kg m À3 . Such a mean density suggests mass loss per orbit of &gt;1%. The shape may be the evolutionary product of insolation, sublimation, and temporary deposition of materials controlled by the object&apos;s complex rotation