The joint influence of marital status, interpregnancy interval, and neighborhood on small for gestational age birth: a retrospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Interpregnancy interval (IPI), marital status, and neighborhood are independently associated with birth outcomes. The joint contribution of these exposures has not been evaluated. We tested for effect modification between IPI and marriage, controlling for neighborhood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed a cohort of 98,330 live births in Montréal, Canada from 1997–2001 to assess IPI and marital status in relation to small for gestational age (SGA) birth. Births were categorized as subsequent-born with <it>short </it>(<12 months), <it>intermediate </it>(12–35 months), or <it>long </it>(36+ months) IPI, or as firstborn. The data had a 2-level hierarchical structure, with births nested in 49 neighborhoods. We used multilevel logistic regression to obtain adjusted effect estimates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Marital status modified the association between IPI and SGA birth. Being unmarried relative to married was associated with SGA birth for all IPI categories, particularly for subsequent births with <it>short </it>(odds ratio [OR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31–1.95) and <it>intermediate </it>(OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.26–1.74) IPIs. Subsequent births had a lower likelihood of SGA birth than firstborns. <it>Intermediate </it>IPIs were more protective for married (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.47–0.54) than unmarried mothers (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.56–0.76).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Being unmarried increases the likelihood of SGA birth as the IPI shortens, and the protective effect of <it>intermediate </it>IPIs is reduced in unmarried mothers. Marital status should be considered in recommending particular IPIs as an intervention to improve birth outcomes.</p

Human and Non-Human Primate Genomes Share Hotspots of Positive Selection

Among primates, genome-wide analysis of recent positive selection is currently limited to the human species because it requires extensive sampling of genotypic data from many individuals. The extent to which genes positively selected in human also present adaptive changes in other primates therefore remains unknown. This question is important because a gene that has been positively selected independently in the human and in other primate lineages may be less likely to be involved in human specific phenotypic changes such as dietary habits or cognitive abilities. To answer this question, we analysed heterozygous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genomes of single human, chimpanzee, orangutan, and macaque individuals using a new method aiming to identify selective sweeps genome-wide. We found an unexpectedly high number of orthologous genes exhibiting signatures of a selective sweep simultaneously in several primate species, suggesting the presence of hotspots of positive selection. A similar significant excess is evident when comparing genes positively selected during recent human evolution with genes subjected to positive selection in their coding sequence in other primate lineages and identified using a different test. These findings are further supported by comparing several published human genome scans for positive selection with our findings in non-human primate genomes. We thus provide extensive evidence that the co-occurrence of positive selection in humans and in other primates at the same genetic loci can be measured with only four species, an indication that it may be a widespread phenomenon. The identification of positive selection in humans alongside other primates is a powerful tool to outline those genes that were selected uniquely during recent human evolution

The meaning of interaction between nursing professionals and newborns/families in a hospital setting El significado de la interacción de las profesionales de enfermería con el recién nacido/familia durante la hospitalización O significado da interação das profissionais de enfermagem com o recém-nascido/família durante a hospitalização

This study aimed to understand the meaning of the nursing team's communication with newborns and families during care delivered in a neonatal unit and also to develop a theoretical model. Symbolic Interactionism and Hargie's model were used as theoretical and Grounded theory as the methodological reference framework. The study was carried out at the nursery of a hospital in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. The study sample was composed of three nurses and four nursing auxiliaries. The theoretical model Being mediated by the strength of motivation was based on findings and revealed the role the nursing professionals' motivation played during interactions with newborns and families. The conclusion is that more humanized interactions with newborns and families result from the nursing professionals' motivation.<br>Este estudio tuvo por objetivos comprender el significado de la comunicación del equipo de enfermería con el recién nacido/familia en la asistencia prestada en una unidad neonatal, y desarrollar un modelo teórico. Se utilizó el Interaccionismo Simbólico y el modelo de Hargie como marcos teóricos y la Teoría Fundamentada en los Datos como referencia metodológica. El estudio fue conducido en la sala cuna de un hospital del municipio de San Pablo. La muestra fue constituida por tres enfermeras y cuatro auxiliares de enfermería. Los resultados posibilitaron obtener el modelo teórico siendo intermediada por la fuerza de la motivación, que reveló la actuación de la motivación de las profesionales de enfermería en la interacción con el recién nacido y la familia. También, se concluyó que las interacciones con el recién nacido y la familia como esencia más humanizada son provenientes de la motivación que las profesionales de enfermería presentan.<br>Este estudo teve por objetivos compreender o significado da comunicação da equipe de enfermagem com o recém-nascido/família na assistência prestada em unidade neonatal, e desenvolver um modelo teórico. Utilizou-se o Interacionismo Simbólico e o modelo de Hargie como referenciais teóricos e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados como referencial metodológico. O estudo foi conduzido em berçário de um hospital do município de São Paulo. A amostra foi constituída por três enfermeiras e quatro auxiliares de enfermagem. Os resultados possibilitaram obter o modelo teórico sendo mediada pela força da motivação, que revelou a atuação da motivação das profissionais de enfermagem na interação com o recém-nascido e família. Concluiu-se, também, que as interações com o recém-nascido e a família como essência mais humanizada são decorrentes da motivação que as profissionais de enfermagem apresentam