The Influence of Maternal Childbirth Experience on Early Infant Behavioural Style

The use of interventions during childbirth is increasing (WHO, 2018) and, while such interventions can be life-saving, they may have a negative impact on the mother’s experience of birth and her psychological wellbeing post birth. They may also adversely affect the newborn infant’s physiology and behaviour (Taylor, Swift & Glover, 2000; Gitau et al., 2001; Douglas & Hill, 2013). However, little is known about whether the birth and early postnatal experiences influence infant behavioural style (known as temperament) (Thomas & Chess, 1977) beyond the initial postnatal period. Employing an exploratory mixed methods approach, the overarching aim of this thesis was to explore how any potential impacts of birth experience on newborn infant behaviours may occur, and if so, whether they persist beyond the neonatal period; as well, to explore how the mother’s response to her birth experience might mediate such effects. Part One involved a qualitative exploration of the experiences and beliefs of eighteen health professionals and twenty-two mothers in relation to childbirth and early infant behavioural style. Health professionals interviewed in Study One believed that the birth experience could have a direct impact on newborn wellbeing and behaviour as well as influencing it indirectly via the mother’s response to the birth and her subsequent perceptions of and interactions with her baby. In contrast, most of the mothers interviewed in Study Two did not perceive any association between their birth experience and their baby’s early behavioural style. However, a simple content analysis highlighted strong patterns in the data between reported maternal physical and emotional birth experiences and perceived infant temperament during the first year. Part Two (Study Three) involved a detailed online survey of approximately a thousand mothers, employing quantitative methods of analysis. Although physical birth factors contributed to the newborn baby’s response (e.g. alert-content or cry-fuss behaviours), it was subjective and psychological birth factors that predicted ongoing infant behavioural style (0-6 months), for example alert-responsive or unsettled, irritable infant behaviours. Taken together, the data suggest that subjective and psychological factors could be as important as objective physical factors in post-birth mother-infant wellbeing and developing infant temperament. These findings may have important implications for future maternity and perinatal care of mothers and their infants

Physical and Psychological Childbirth Experiences and Early Infant Temperament

Objective: To examine how physical and psychological childbirth experiences affect maternal perceptions and experiences of early infant behavioural style (temperament).Background: Unnecessary interventions may disturb the normal progression of physiological childbirth and instinctive neonatal behaviours that facilitate mother-infant bonding and breastfeeding. While little is known about how a medicalised birth may influence developing infant temperament, high impact interventions which affect neonatal crying and cortisol levels could have longer term consequences for infant behaviour and functioning.Methods: A retrospective internet survey was designed to fully explore maternal experiences of childbirth and her postnatal perceptions of infant behaviour. Data collected from 999 mother-infant dyads were analysed using Pearson’s correlations and multiple analyses of covariance, employing the Bonferroni method of correction to establish initially significant variables. Multiple linear regressions were conducted to determine major perinatal contributors to perceived early infant temperament.Results: Multiple regression analyses on each of the eight Mother and Baby Scales outcome variables indicated that early infant behavioural style (0-6 months) was largely predicted by subjective maternal states during and post childbirth, postnatal depression scores, maternal personality traits and infant age. For example, infant age (Beta = .440, p = .000) was the most significant predictor of Alert-Responsive infant behaviour, followed by maternal Postnatal Positive experience (Beta = .181, p = .000). In contrast, depression (EPDS) scores (Beta = .370, p = .000) were the most significant predictor of Unsettled-Irregular infant behaviour, followed by Anxious-Afraid Birth Emotions (Beta = .171, p = .000) and infant age (Beta = -.196, p = .000). Mothers also perceived their infants as more Alert-Responsive (Beta = .080, p = .010) and Easier overall (Beta = .085, p = .008) after a Supported birth experience.Conclusion: Maternal and infant outcomes were influenced by multiple physical and psychological perinatal variables. The mother’s subjective experience appeared to be of equal significance to more objective factors (e.g., birthplace/mode). Social support enhanced the mother’s childbirth experience, benefitting her perceptions of her baby’s early temperament. These findings provide further support for current World Health Organisation intrapartum guidelines (2018) on the importance of making childbirth a ‘positive experience’ for women

Transcriptomic down-regulation of immune system components in barrier and hematopoietic tissues after lipopolysaccharide injection in antarctic notothenia coriiceps

The environmental conditions and isolation in the Antarctic have driven the evolution of a unique biodiversity at a macro to microorganism scale. Here, we investigated the possible adaptation of the teleost Notothenia coriiceps immune system to the cold environment and unique microbial community of the Southern Ocean. The fish immune system was stimulated through an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS 0111:B4 from E. coli) and the tissue transcriptomic response and plasma biochemistry were analyzed 7 days later and compared to a sham injected control. Gene transcription in the head-kidney, intestine and skin was significantly modified by LPS, although tissues showed different responsiveness, with the duodenum most modified and the skin the least modified. The most modified processes in head-kidney, duodenum and skin were related to cell metabolism (up-regulated) and the immune system (comprising 30% of differentially expressed genes). The immune processes identified were mostly down-regulated, particularly interleukins and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors and mannose receptors, unlike the toll-like receptors response commonly described in other teleost fish. The modified transcriptional response was not mirrored by a modified systemic response, as the circulating levels of enzymes of innate immunity, lysozyme and antiproteases, were not significantly different from the untreated and sham control fish. In conclusion, while the N. coriiceps immune system shares many features with other teleosts there are also some specificities. Further studies should better characterize the PRRs and their role in Antarctic teleosts, as well as the importance of the LPS source and its consequences for immune activation in teleosts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Toll-like receptor evolution: does temperature matter?

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and are an ancient and well-conserved group of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). The isolation of the Antarctic continent and its unique teleost fish and microbiota prompted the present investigation into Tlr evolution. Gene homologues of tlr members in teleosts from temperate regions were present in the genome of Antarctic Nototheniidae and the non-Antarctic sister lineage Bovichtidae. Overall, in Nototheniidae apart from D. mawsoni, no major tlr gene family expansion or contraction occurred. Instead, lineage and species-specific changes in the ectodomain and LRR of Tlrs occurred, particularly in the Tlr11 superfamily that is well represented in fish. Positive selective pressure and associated sequence modifications in the TLR ectodomain and within the leucine-rich repeats (LRR), important for pathogen recognition, occurred in Tlr5, Tlr8, Tlr13, Tlr21, Tlr22, and Tlr23 presumably associated with the unique Antarctic microbiota. Exposure to lipopolysaccharide (Escherichia coli O111:B4) Gram negative bacteria did not modify tlr gene expression in N. rossii head-kidney or anterior intestine, although increased water temperature (+4 degrees C) had a significant effect.PTDC/BIAANM/3484/2014; 41761134050; FCT-NSFC/0002/2016; FACC PROPOLAR (2016/2017);info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

17α‑ethynylestradiol prevents the natural male‑to‑female sex change in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.)

Exposure to 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2, 5 μg/g food) impairs some reproductive events in the protandrous gilthead seabream and a short recovery period does not allow full recovery. In this study, spermiating seabream males in the second reproductive cycle (RC) were fed a diet containing 5 or 2.5 μg EE2/g food for 28 days and then a commercial diet without EE2 for the remaining RC. Individuals were sampled at the end of the EE2 treatment and then at the end of the RC and at the beginning of the third RC, 146 and 333 days after the cessation of treatment, respectively. Increased hepatic transcript levels of the gene coding for vitellogenin (vtg) and plasma levels of Vtg indicated both concentrations of EE2 caused endocrine disruption. Modifications in the histological organization of the testis, germ cell proliferation, plasma levels of the sex steroids and pituitary expression levels of the genes coding for the gonadotropin β-subunits, fshβ and lhβ were detected. The plasma levels of Vtg and most of the reproductive parameters were restored 146 days after treatments. However, although 50% of the control fish underwent sex reversal as expected at the third RC, male-to female sex change was prevented by both EE2 concentrations.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and FEDER (AGL2014-53167-C3-1R, -2-R; AGL2017-85978-C2-1-R; RTI2018-096625-B-C33) and the Fundación Séneca (CARM) (19883/GERM/15).Versión del editor2,92

Factors in AIDS Dementia Complex Trial Design: Results and Lessons from the Abacavir Trial

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of adding abacavir (Ziagen, ABC) to optimal stable background antiretroviral therapy (SBG) to AIDS dementia complex (ADC) patients and address trial design. DESIGN: Phase III randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Tertiary outpatient clinics. PARTICIPANTS: ADC patients on SBG for ≥8 wk. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to ABC or matched placebo for 12 wk. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the change in the summary neuropsychological Z score (NPZ). Secondary measures were HIV RNA and the immune activation markers β-2 microglobulin, soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor 2, and quinolinic acid. RESULTS: 105 participants were enrolled. The median change in NPZ at week 12 was +0.76 for the ABC + SBG and +0.63 for the SBG groups (p = 0.735). The lack of efficacy was unlikely related to possible limited antiviral efficacy of ABC: at week 12 more ABC than placebo participants had plasma HIV RNA ≤400 copies/mL (p = 0.002). There were, however, other factors. Two thirds of patients were subsequently found to have had baseline resistance to ABC. Second, there was an unanticipated beneficial effect of SBG that extended beyond 8 wk to 5 mo, thereby rendering some of the patients at baseline unstable. Third, there was an unexpectedly large variability in neuropsychological performance that underpowered the study. Fourth, there was a relative lack of activity of ADC: 56% of all patients had baseline cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV-1 RNA <100 copies/mL and 83% had CSF β-2 microglobulin <3 nmol/L at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of ABC to SBG for ADC patients was not efficacious, possibly because of the inefficacy of ABC per se, baseline drug resistance, prolonged benefit from existing therapy, difficulties with sample size calculations, and lack of disease activity. Assessment of these trial design factors is critical in the design of future ADC trials

Forensic evaluation of the Asia Pacific ancestry-informative MAPlex assay

DNA intelligence, and particularly the inference of biogeographical ancestry (BGA) is increasing in interest, and relevance within the forensic genetics community. The majority of current MPS-based forensic ancestry-informative assays focus on the differentiation of major global populations. The recently published MAPlex (Multiplex for the Asia Pacific) panel contains 144 SNPs and 20 microhaplotypes and aims to improve the differentiation of populations in the Asia Pacific region. This study reports the first forensic evaluation of the MAPlex panel using AmpliSeq technology and Ion S5 sequencing. This study reports on the overall performance of MAPlex including the assay’s sequence coverage distribution and stability, baseline noise and description of problematic SNPs. Dilution series, artificially degraded and mixed DNA samples were also analysed to evaluate the sensitivity of the panel with challenging or compromised forensic samples. As the first panel to combine biallelic SNPs, multiple-allele SNPs and microhaplotypes, the MAPlex assay demonstrated an enhanced capacity for mixture detection, not easily performed with common binary SNPs. This performance evaluation indicates that MAPlex is a robust, stable and highly sensitive assay that is applicable to forensic casework for the prediction of BGAMdlP is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship awarded by the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria and the Consellería de Economía, Emprego e Industria from Xunta de Galicia (Modalidade A, ED481B 2017/088). CP, AFA, AMM, MdlP, MVL are supported by MAPA, Multiple Allele Polymorphism Analysis (BIO2016-78525-R), a research project funded by the Spanish Research State Agency (AEI), and co-financed with ERDF funds. AFA is supported by a post-doctorate grant funded by the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria e da Consellería de Economía, Emprego e Industria from Xunta de Galicia, Spain (Modalidade B, ED481B 2018/010). The 1000 Genomes high coverage sequence data were generated at the New York Genome Center with funds provided by NHGRI Grant 3UM1HG008901-03S1S

Osteocyte deficiency in hip fractures

Osteocytes play a central role in the regulation of bone remodeling. The aim of this study was to explore osteocyte function, and particularly the expression of SOST, a Wnt inhibitor, in patients with hip fractures. Serum sclerostin levels were measured by ELISA. The expression of several osteocytic genes was studied by quantitative PCR in trabecular samples of the femoral head of patients with hip fractures, hip osteoarthritis and control subjects. The presence of sclerostin protein and activated caspase 3 was revealed by immunostaining. There were no significant differences in serum sclerostin between the three groups. Patients with fractures have fewer lacunae occupied by osteocytes (60 ± 5% vs. 64 ± 6% in control subjects, P = 0.014) and higher numbers of osteocytes expressing activated caspase 3, a marker of apoptosis. The proportion of sclerostin-positive lacunae was lower in patients with fractures than in control subjects (34 ± 11% vs. 69 ± 10%, P = 2 × 10(-8)). The proportion of sclerostin-positive osteocytes was also lower in patients. RNA transcripts of SOST, FGF23 and PHEX were also less abundant in fractures than in control bones (P = 0.002, 5 × 10(-6), and 0.04, respectively). On the contrary, in patients with osteoarthritis, there was a decreased expression of SOST and FGF23, without differences in PHEX transcripts or osteocyte numbers. Osteocyte activity is altered in patients with hip fractures, with increased osteocyte apoptosis and reduced osteocyte numbers, as well as decreased transcription of osteocytic genes. Therefore, these results suggest that an osteocyte deficiency may play a role in the propensity to hip fractures

Transgenic nematodes as biosensors for metal stress in soil pore water samples

Caenorhabditis elegans strains carrying stress-reporter green fluorescent protein transgenes were used to explore patterns of response to metals. Multiple stress pathways were induced at high doses by most metals tested, including members of the heat shock, oxidative stress, metallothionein (mtl) and xenobiotic response gene families. A mathematical model (to be published separately) of the gene regulatory circuit controlling mtl production predicted that chemically similar divalent metals (classic inducers) should show additive effects on mtl gene induction, whereas chemically dissimilar metals should show interference. These predictions were verified experimentally; thus cadmium and mercury showed additive effects, whereas ferric iron (a weak inducer) significantly reduced the effect of mercury. We applied a similar battery of tests to diluted samples of soil pore water extracted centrifugally after mixing 20% w/w ultrapure water with air-dried soil from an abandoned lead/zinc mine in the Murcia region of Spain. In addition, metal contents of both soil and soil pore water were determined by ICP-MS, and simplified mixtures of soluble metal salts were tested at equivalent final concentrations. The effects of extracted soil pore water (after tenfold dilution) were closely mimicked by mixtures of its principal component ions, and even by the single most prevalent contaminant (zinc) alone, though other metals modulated its effects both positively and negatively. In general, mixtures containing similar (divalent) metal ions exhibited mainly additive effects, whereas admixture of dissimilar (e.g. trivalent) ions often resulted in interference, reducing overall levels of stress-gene induction. These findings were also consistent with model predictions

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy