Determinants of the exclusive breastfeeding abandonment: psychosocial factors

OBJECTIVE To assess the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding abandonment. METHODS Longitudinal study based on a birth cohort in Viçosa, MG, Southeastern Brazil. In 2011/2012, 168 new mothers accessing the public health network were followed. Three interviews, at 30, 60, and 120 days postpartum, with the new mothers were conducted. Exclusive breastfeeding abandonment was analyzed in the first, second, and fourth months after childbirth. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was applied to identify depressive symptoms in the first and second meetings, with a score of ≥ 12 considered as the cutoff point. Socioeconomic, demographic, and obstetric variables were investigated, along with emotional conditions and the new mothers’ social network during pregnancy and the postpartum period. RESULTS The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding abandonment at 30, 60, and 120 days postpartum was 53.6% (n = 90), 47.6% (n = 80), and 69.6% (n = 117), respectively, and its incidence in the fourth month compared with the first was 48.7%. Depressive symptoms and traumatic delivery were associated with exclusive breastfeeding abandonment in the second month after childbirth. In the fourth month, the following variables were significant: lower maternal education levels, lack of homeownership, returning to work, not receiving guidance on breastfeeding in the postpartum period, mother’s negative reaction to the news of pregnancy, and not receiving assistance from their partners for infant care. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial and sociodemographic factors were strong predictors of early exclusive breastfeeding abandonment. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and provide early treatment to nursing mothers with depressive symptoms, decreasing the associated morbidity and promoting greater duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Support from health professionals, as well as that received at home and at work, can assist in this process

Evolutionary history of Serpulaceae (Basidiomycota): molecular phylogeny, historical biogeography and evidence for a single transition of nutritional mode

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The fungal genus <it>Serpula </it>(Serpulaceae, Boletales) comprises several saprotrophic (brown rot) taxa, including the aggressive house-infecting dry rot fungus <it>Serpula lacrymans</it>. Recent phylogenetic analyses have indicated that the ectomycorrhiza forming genera <it>Austropaxillus </it>and <it>Gymnopaxillus </it>cluster within <it>Serpula</it>. In this study we use DNA sequence data to investigate phylogenetic relationships, historical biogeography of, and nutritional mode transitions in Serpulaceae.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results corroborate that the two ectomycorrhiza-forming genera, <it>Austropaxillus </it>and <it>Gymnopaxillus</it>, form a monophyletic group nested within the saprotrophic genus <it>Serpula</it>, and that the <it>Serpula </it>species <it>S. lacrymans </it>and <it>S. himantioides </it>constitute the sister group to the <it>Austropaxillus</it>-<it>Gymnopaxillus </it>clade. We found that both vicariance (Beringian) and long distance dispersal events are needed to explain the phylogeny and current distributions of taxa within Serpulaceae. Our results also show that the transition from brown rot to mycorrhiza has happened only once in a monophyletic Serpulaceae, probably between 50 and 22 million years before present.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study supports the growing understanding that the same geographical barriers that limit plant- and animal dispersal also limit the spread of fungi, as a combination of vicariance and long distance dispersal events are needed to explain the present patterns of distribution in Serpulaceae. Our results verify the transition from brown rot to ECM within Serpulaceae between 50 and 22 MyBP.</p

What's in a name; Genetic structure in Solanum section Petota studied using population-genetic tools

Background - The taxonomy and systematic relationships among species of Solanum section Petota are complicated and the section seems overclassified. Many of the presumed (sub)species from South America are very similar and they are able to exchange genetic material. We applied a population genetic approach to evaluate support for subgroups within this material, using AFLP data. Our approach is based on the following assumptions: (i) accessions that may exchange genetic material can be analyzed as if they are part of one gene pool, and (ii) genetic differentiation among species is expected to be higher than within species. Results - A dataset of 566 South-American accessions (encompassing 89 species and subspecies) was analyzed in two steps. First, with the program STRUCTURE 2.2 in an 'unsupervised' procedure, individual accessions were assigned to inferred clusters based on genetic similarity. The results showed that the South American members of section Petota could be arranged in 16 clusters of various size and composition. Next, the accessions within the clusters were grouped by maximizing the partitioning of genetic diversity among subgroups (i.e., maximizing Fst values) for all available individuals of the accessions (2767 genotypes). This two-step approach produced an optimal partitioning into 44 groups. Some of the species clustered as genetically distinct groups, either on their own, or combined with one or more other species. However, accessions of other species were distributed over more than one cluster, and did not form genetically distinct units. Conclusions - We could not find any support for 43 species (almost half of our dataset). For 28 species some level of support could be found varying from good to weak. For 18 species no conclusions could be drawn as the number of accessions included in our dataset was too low. These molecular data should be combined with data from morphological surveys, with geographical distribution data, and with information from crossing experiments to identify natural units at the species level. However, the data do indicate which taxa or combinations of taxa are clearly supported by a distinct set of molecular marker data, leaving other taxa unsupported. Therefore, the approach taken provides a general method to evaluate the taxonomic system in any species complex for which molecular data are available

Proteinuria Is Associated with Quality of Life and Depression in Adults with Primary Glomerulopathy and Preserved Renal Function

BACKGROUND: There is no information about HRQoL, depression and associated factors in adult with nephrotic syndrome-associated glomerulopathy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Patients with primary glomerulopathy where compared with age and sex-matched hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects. Laboratory data, medical history, comorbid conditions were collected to evaluate factors associated with HRQoL (SF-36) and Depression (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-HAMD). Glomerulopathy patients had low HRQoL in all eight SF-36 domains and two composite scores (physical and mental) in comparison with healthy subjects. HAMD score also was elevated and there was high depression prevalence. Overall, these data were comparable between glomerulopathy and hemodialysis patients. Using multiple regression analysis, factors associated with low HRQoL physical composite score were: last 24 h-urine protein excretion (-0.183, 95%CI -0.223 to -0.710 for each gram of proteinuria, p = 0.01) and cyclosporine use (-15.315, 95%CI -25.913 to -2.717, p = 0.03). Low HRQoL mental composite score was associated with last 24 h-urine protein excretion (-0.157, 95%CI -0.278 to -0.310 for each gram of proteinuria, p = 0.03) and HMAD score was independently associated with age (0.155, 95%CI 0.318 to 0.988 for each year, p = 0.04), female sex (4.788, 95%CI 1.005 to 8.620, 0 = 0.03), disease duration (0.074, 95%CI 0.021 to 0.128 for each month, p = 0.01) and last 24 h-urine protein excretion (0.050, 95%CI 0.018 to 0.085 for each gram of proteinuria, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Nephrotic-syndrome associated glomerulopathy patients have low HRQoL and high prevalence of depression symptoms, comparable with those of hemodialysis patients. Last 24 h-protein excretion rate is independently associated with physical and mental HRQoL domains in addition to depression

Poor Regenerative Outcome after Skeletal Muscle Necrosis Induced by Bothrops asper Venom: Alterations in Microvasculature and Nerves

artículo (arbitrado) -- Universidad de Costa Rica, Instituto de Investigaciones Clodomiro Picado. 2011Background: Viperid snakebite envenoming is characterized by prominent local tissue damage, including muscle necrosis. A frequent outcome of such local pathology is deficient skeletal muscle regeneration, which causes muscle dysfunction, muscle loss and fibrosis, thus provoking permanent sequelae that greatly affect the quality of life of patients. The causes of such poor regenerative outcome of skeletal muscle after viperid snakebites are not fully understood. Methodology/Principal Findings: A murine model of muscle necrosis and regeneration was adapted to study the effects of the venom and isolated toxins of Bothrops asper, the medically most important snake in Central America. Gastrocnemius muscle was injected with either B. asper venom, a myotoxic phospholipase A2 (Mtx), a hemorrhagic metalloproteinase (SVMP), or saline solution. At various time intervals, during one month, tissue samples were collected and analyzed by histology, and by immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical techniques aimed at detecting muscle fibers, collagen, endothelial cells, myoblasts, myotubes, macrophages, TUNEL-positive nuclei, and axons. A successful regenerative response was observed in muscle injected with Mtx, which induces myonecrosis but does not affect the microvasculature. In contrast, poor regeneration, with fibrosis and atrophic fibers, occurred when muscle was injected with venom or SVMP, both of which provoke necrosis, microvascular damage leading to hemorrhage, and poor axonal regeneration. Conclusions/Significance: The deficient skeletal muscle regeneration after injection of B. asper venom is likely to depend on the widespread damage to the microvasculature, which affects the removal of necrotic debris by phagocytes, and the provision of nutrients and oxygen required for regeneration. In addition, deficient axonal regeneration is likely to contribute to the poor regenerative outcome in this model.This study was supported by NeTropica (grant 2-N-2008), by Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Universidad de Costa Rica (project 741-A7-604). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP