From the womb into the world:Protecting the fetal brain from maternal stress during pregnancy

No other period in a child's life matches the speed of brain development than the first nine months in the womb. Rapid growth goes hand in hand with enormous potential, but also with great vulnerability. This policy-focused review focuses on maternal mental health as a key factor for fetal brain development. Already during pregnancy, the fetal brain wires differently when exposed to maternal stress, and children prenatally exposed to stress have a higher risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. Maternal prenatal stress is preventable, treatable, and tractable by policy. Research-based, policy recommends: (1) screening for maternal mental health issues throughout pregnancy, (2) encourage talking about prenatal mental health, (3) evidence-based interventions for pregnant women with mental health issues, (4) avoiding stress-inducing communication towards pregnant women, and (5) stimulating positive postnatal parenting. Investing in healthy pregnancies will improve fetal brain growth, and, ultimately lead to a healthier next generation

Acceleration of mass transfer in methane-producing loop reactors

Gas bubbles entrapped in methanogenic granules subjected to hydrostatic pressure oscillations during recirculation in loop reactors will induce intraparticle liq. flows and thereby enhance mass transfer in excess of diffusion. This 'breathing particle' concept was clearly demonstrated in a well defined inorg. model system. The exptl. results could be described satisfactory with a structured math. model, in which a 30% improvement is predicted for methanogenic loop reactors as compared to const. pressure systems. It is concluded that acceleration of mass transfer in gas-producing systems offers challenging perspectives for both heterogeneous catalysis and biol. fermns. [on SciFinder (R)

Does mindful parenting mediate the association between maternal anxiety during pregnancy and child behavioral/emotional problems?

Objectives Maternal anxiety during pregnancy is a risk factor for child behavioral/emotional problems. Knowledge about explanatory factors mediating this link is scarce. Maternal anxiety during pregnancy may be an indicator of adverse postnatal environmental conditions, including maternal anxiety and poor parenting, possibly affecting child behavior. This study investigated whether maternal anxiety and mindful parenting in early childhood mediate the association between maternal anxiety during pregnancy and child behavioral/emotional problems. Methods This study was based on a sample of 118 mother-child dyads who participated in a cohort study that followed participants from pregnancy until 4 years after birth. At 21 weeks’ gestation and when the child was 4 years old, mothers completed questionnaires to assess state anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and general anxiety (Symptom Checklist-90 anxiety subscale). At age 4 years, mothers reported mindful parenting (Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale) and child behavioral/emotional problems (Child Behavior Checklist). Results Maternal state anxiety during pregnancy was positively associated with child internalizing problems and negatively with mindful parenting. Maternal general anxiety during pregnancy was related with more child internalizing and externalizing problems but not with mindful parenting. The association between maternal state anxiety during pregnancy and child internalizing problems was sequentially mediated via concurrent maternal general anxiety and mindful parenting. Conclusions These findings suggest that maternal anxiety during pregnancy continues into early childhood and, because of this, it subsequently affects child internalizing behavior via poor mindful parenting. Replication studies are needed before developing interventions for tackling maternal anxiety during pregnancy and promoting mindful parenting

Paternal bonding in pregnancy and early parenthood:A qualitative study in first-time fathers

The birth of an infant marks a period of profound change in first-time parents. Parental love and warmth, however, already begin to develop during pregnancy. Also for fathers, the development of bonding to the infant may be a unique process. The current qualitative study aimed to explore views and experiences of first-time fathers on the origins and development of paternal bonding during pregnancy and early childhood. In total, 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with expectant fathers (second or third trimester of pregnancy; n = 10) and fathers of infants (0–6 months postpartum; n = 11) and toddlers (2–3 years of age; n = 9). Two major themes were uncovered from the data: feelings of bonding and facilitators of bonding. The first theme was supported with three subthemes: 1) from abstract to concrete, 2) positive emotions, and 3) uncertainties and worries. The second theme, facilitators of bonding, was supported with four subthemes: 1) experiencing the foetus, 2) meeting the child, 3) interaction, and 4) communication. Similar to previous studies, our results suggested that, in most fathers, paternal bonding originates in pregnancy and that it evolves over time. Seeing or feeling the child, both during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as interacting or communicating with the child, appears to facilitate fathers’ feelings of bonding. Involving fathers in pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting may be essential for their bonding process

Properties of Deflagration Fronts and Models for Type Ia Supernovae

Detailed models of the explosion of a white dwarf, which include self-consistent calculations of the light curve and spectra, provide a link between observational quantities and the underlying explosion.These calculations assume spherical geometry and are based on parameterized descriptions of the burning front during the deflagration phase. Recently, first multi-dimensional calculations for nuclear burning fronts have been performed. Although a fully consistent treatment of the burning fronts is beyond the current state of the art, these calculations provided a new and better understanding of the physics, and new descriptions for the flame propagation have been proposed. Here, we have studied the influence on the results of previous analyses of Type Ia Supernovae, namely, the nucleosynthesis and structure of the expanding envelope. Our calculations are based on a set of delayed detonation models with parameters that give a good account of the optical and infrared light curves, and of the spectral evolution. In this scenario, the burning front propagates first in a deflagration mode and, subsequently, turns into a detonation. The explosions and light curves are calculated using a one-dimensional Lagrangian radiation-hydro code, including a detailed nuclear network.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, macros 'crckapb.sty'. The Astrophysical Journal (accepted

Investigation into the mechanics and feasibility of continuous counter-current extraction

Continuous counter current extraction (CCCE) or dual flow counter current chromatography (DFCCC) is a promising technique where components can be separated continuously by two liquid phases that flow in opposite directions through a continuous length of coiled tubing. Specially designed end connectors and a coil planet centrifuge allow each respective phase to be pumped into each end of the tubing and the other phase to elute at each opposite end. In this thesis the feasibility and the mechanics of CCCE are investigated using stroboscopic photography on an experimental rig and a specially built pilot-scale CCCE centrifuge. The mechanics of the hydrodynamics in the coil was investigated systematically by comparing the measured volumes with photographic images of the process. This investigation revealed that the phases are not distributed evenly throughout the coil, which was previously assumed, but that there is a transition area where the phases switch from mainly upper phase at the head end of the tubing to mainly lower phase at the tail end. This means that the sample encounter three different phase distribution zones in the coil. At the head the upper phase is the dominant phase with a small volume of lower phase running through. At the tail the reverse situation is found and lower phase is dominant. The third zone is a short segment of the coil where there is a transition between the dominant phase conditions that exist at each end. The position of the transition zone and the volume of the other two zones are profoundly affected by the relative flow rates of the two phases. This work indicates that the volume distribution in the coil is affected most by the upper phase flow rate. The pilot-scale CCCE centrifuge was used to successfully separate industrially supplied samples. Crude reaction liquor was processed in both batch and continuous modes achieving the separation of the multi-component mixture into two groups. Changing the flow rate combinations changed the location of elution of some of the components in the mixture. Separation efficiency was maintained even when sample loading was increased. The separations were shown to be predictable with the dual flow theoretical model.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceEPSRCGBUnited Kingdo