Spread of Escherichia coli colonizing newborn babies and their mothers

Most babies are colonized by the predominant strains of Escherichia coli present in their own mother''s faecal flora. Those babies who did not acquire their maternal faecal flora acquired strains of E. coli belonging to a small number of the possible serotypes. Moreover, the same serotypes were found in several babies and other mothers, suggesting spread within the ward. These few strains included some of the O groups which had previously commonly been found as urinary pathogens. These strains may have increased potentialities for colonization of human bowel. Antigenic and biochemical variation was observed among the strains.     

Interaction process analysis of mothers with their newborn infants

The analysis of early interactions between the newborn infant and his mother has been conducted by putting an emphasis on their components, their rhythm and their development in time. Ten films, involving observation of eye to eye contact sequences with 42 mother-child couples, were analyzed. An analysis method has been adopted, in which a parallel between the child's communication behavior, essentially his visual activity, and the mother's communication behavior, is constantly drawn. 7 headings permit to analyze the mother's activities directed toward the child. The extreme variability of interaction patterns during the first week of life has been shown clearly. Specific contact modes seem to be favored by some mothers, while for others, all communication modalities are always present and are building on one another in true' “chain” interactions. The mother's role and the child's role have been commented upon, with particular emphasis on the activity of the child, who is capable, through his gaze, to initiate communication channels in the mother.     

Interaction process analysis of mothers with their newborn infants

The analysis of early interactions between the newborn infant and his mother has been conducted by putting an emphasis on their components, their rhythm and their development in time. Ten films, involving observation of eye to eye contact sequences with 42 mother‐child couples, were analyzed. An analysis method has been adopted, in which a parallel between the child's communication behavior, essentially his visual activity, and the mother's communication behavior, is constantly drawn. 7 headings permit to analyze the mother's activities directed toward the child. The extreme variability of interaction patterns during the first week of life has been shown clearly. Specific contact modes seem to be favored by some mothers, while for others, all communication modalities are always present and are building on one another in true’ “chain” interactions. The mother's role and the child's role have been commented upon, with particular emphasis on the activity of the child, who is capable, through his gaze, to initiate communication channels in the mother.     

Hair mercury negatively correlates with calcium pump activity in human term newborns and their mothers at delivery

BACKGROUND: Calcium homeostasis is a known target of several environmental toxicants including lead and mercury. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to determine the relationship between Hg exposure and erythrocyte Ca pump activity in women at delivery and in their newborns. METHODS: We determined total Hg as well as Pb concentrations in 81 hair and blood samples obtained at delivery. Basal and calmodulin-stimulated Ca pump activity was measured in red blood cells from cord blood and maternal erythrocyte plasma membranes. RESULTS: Maternal hair Hg negatively correlates with Ca pump activity in maternal and cord blood erythrocytes. Pb and Hg both independently correlate negatively with Ca pump activity without any statistically significant interaction. After adjustment for potential confounders, Pb and Hg explain about 30% and 7% of total variance of Ca pump activity in newborns and mothers, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm results reported in previous experimental studies and support the use of biomarkers in newborns from general population.     

Genetic characterization of Plasmodium falciparum allelic variants infecting mothers at delivery and their children during their first plasmodial infections

IntroductionInfants born to mothers with placental malaria at delivery develop Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia earlier than those born to mothers without placental infection. This phenomenon may be explained by the development of immune tolerance due to exposure to P. falciparum antigens in utero. The hypothesis of this study is that this increased susceptibility might be related to infections by parasites expressing the same blood stage allele’s antigens as those to which the infants were exposed in utero.MethodsThe comparison of P. falciparum msp2 (3D7 and FC27) and glurp gene polymorphisms of infected mothers at delivery to those of their offspring’s infections during infancy was realized and the possible associations of the different polymorphisms with clinical outcomes were assessed. A second approach consisted in the use of a Geographic Information System to determine whether the antigen alleles were homogeneously distributed in the area of study. This was necessary to analyze whether the biological observations were due to high exposure to a particular antigen allelic form in the environment or to high infant permissiveness to the same allelic antigen polymorphism as the placental one.ResultsInfants born to mothers with placental malaria at delivery were more susceptible to infections by parasites carrying the same glurp allele as encountered in utero compared to distinct alleles, independently of their geographic distribution.ConclusionThe increased permissiveness of infants to plasmodial infections with shared placental-infant glurp alleles sheds light on the role that P. falciparum blood stage antigen polymorphisms may play in the first plasmodial infections in infancy.     

A prospective study of the influence of eating-disordered mothers on their children

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of eating disordered mothers on their children. METHOD: Women with a past or present eating disorder (ED; N = 41) and non-eating disordered women (NED); N = 153) and their offspring were followed prospectively. RESULTS: Female infants of ED mothers sucked significantly faster and were weaned 9 months later than offspring of NED mothers. ED mothers fed their children on a less regular schedule, used food for nonnutritive purposes, and demonstrated significantly higher concern about their daughters' weight than NED mothers from 2 years of age onward. At 5 years, the offspring of ED mothers were reported to demonstrate greater negative affect than the offspring of NED mothers. DISCUSSION: The female offspring of ED mothers demonstrate a high avidity for feeding early in life which, combined with increased maternal concern over their daughters weight and the use of food for nonnutritive purposes, may pose a serious risk for the later development of an eating disorder.     

Prognostic factors of pregnancy and delivery complications in Senegalese adolescents and their newborn

Developing countries exhibit the highest adolescent fertility rate in the world. Undesirable outcome frequency during adolescents' pregnancy and delivery is debated. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of these events and the factors predicting their occurrence among pregnant Senegalese adolescents and their newborn. The study was conducted between August 1st, 1999 and July 31st, 2000 in a national sample of 435 women attending prenatal clinics after a 20-week gestation. The data were collected by interviews: sociodemographic characteristics, obstetrical antecedents, current pregnancy history before inclusion in the study; the clinical characteristics were determined at inclusion. Then pregnancy and delivery complication occurrences were observed for mothers and their newborn during follow-up. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with each complication, controlling the effects of other sociodemographic and clinical factors. The most frequent pregnancy complications were pregnancy-induced hypertension and toxaemia (17.5%). Anemia occurred in 25% of the women. At delivery, at least one of dystocia, eclampsia, or placenta haemorrhage complications occurred in 46% of women. The caesarian rate was 20% and the mortality rate was 71%. When planned, caesarian interventions lowered mortality. Forty percent of the newborns presented a neonatal distress while 17.9% of them weighed less than 2,500 g. The pregnancy-induced hypertension and toxaemia incidence rates were higher when the weight at onset of pregnancy was unknown (OR = 3.7 [1.9-7.5] for hypertension and 3.1 [1.3-7.6] for toxaemia). When a woman with a narrow pelvis was less than 1.50 m tall, the delivery was more frequently assisted by forceps and extracting action in breech delivery. Dystocia, eclampsia, placenta haemorrhage and premature delivery were associated with high mortality. Overall, complications were not more frequent in the youngest (16 years and below), as suggested in previous studies. Those results suggest that undesirable events occur frequently during adolescents' pregnancy and delivery, and in their newborn, while attendance in prenatal clinics is adequate. The prognostic factors of these complications are identified. These complications can be avoided by improving ante- and perinatal care quality.     

Perinatal vitamin D and calcium status of northern Canadian mothers and their newborn infants

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to examine the vitamin D and calcium status of mothers and their newborns. METHODS: The intakes of vitamin D and calcium were determined prenatally in 121 women including 33 Caucasians, 51 Inuits, and 37 Native Indians, living in the Inuvik zone of the Northwest Territories. Plasma concentrations of 25-(OH)-D and calcium were also measured in mothers as well as in their offspring at delivery. RESULTS: The daily mean vitamin D intake of native mothers, including Inuits and Indians, with (8.1+/-5.5 microg) and without supplements (3.4+/-2.5 microg) was significantly lower than that of non-native mothers (13.2+/-5.9 microg and 5.8+/-4.3 microg, respectively). According to the predicted prevalence of low vitamin D intake, there existed a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency without supplementation in both native (88.6% vs 48.4%) and non-native (63.5% vs. 15.1%) mothers. The trend for calcium intakes with and without supplementation was similar to vitamin D intake. At the point of delivery, the plasma levels of 25-(OH)-D were lower in native mothers (50.1 19.3 nmol/L) and their offspring (34.2+/-13.1 nmol/L) than their counterparts (59.8+/-29.4 nmol/L and 41.4+/-23.5 nmol/L, respectively). Its plasma levels in newborn infants averaged only 67% of their mothers. None of these infants showed clinical evidence of vitamin D deficiency. In fact, their plasma calcium levels were significantly higher than their mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma 25-(OH)-D concentrations of 60 to 70% of maternal levels may represent a "normal" range for newborn infants. However, a supplementation in native northern Canadian mothers during pregnancy and in their neonates during infancy may have a role to play in the prevention of vitamin D deficiency.     

A qualitative study exploring how mothers manage their teenage children's diets

Research indicates that an unhealthy diet is a risk factor for the development of a range of chronic conditions, including obesity, cancer, diabetes and coronary heart disease. Dietary habits formed in childhood persist into adulthood. Previous research on dietary habits has focused on families with young children. This qualitative study extends the literature by exploring how mothers manage their teenage children's diets. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with l5 British mothers who had at least one child aged 13–16 years. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five themes emerged: achieving gold standard, coping with obstacles, using strategies, resolving conflict and support. The participants were determined to achieve the gold standard (of nutrition) for their children and used a range of strategies to implement it. Mothers developed ways to cope with obstacles that undermined the gold standard. They were keen to resolve conflicts that were generated in the process. Some mothers received a degree of support in achieving the gold standard. The mothers felt that the strong presence of fast food and confectionary in the external environment was the biggest threat to the maintenance of their children's healthy eating. Participants were highly motivated to achieve the gold standard, as it was central to the notion of being a good mother. Being a good mother was a vital component of their self-identity.     

Malformations in infants of diabetic mothers: problems in study design

Infants of diabetic mothers have a two- to threefold increased risk of having congenital malformations. Primary prevention of these malformations may be possible if the teratogenic mechanisms in diabetes can be identified. The Diabetes in Early Pregnancy Study (DIEP) addresses the questions of high malformation rates and fetal losses using an innovative study design. Women are recruited prior to pregnancy, monitored to ensure prompt diagnosis of pregnancy, and followed carefully for diabetic problems or fetal losses. To date, 450 diabetic and 550 normal control prepregnant women have been recruited. A basal body temperature monitoring system has been successful in identifying pregnant women within 21 days of conception. Before initiating such a study, problems of feasibility, study design, and possible bias had to be solved. This report summarizes our experience in designing and conducting a prospective pregnancy study. The DIEP demonstrates that a truly prospective pregnancy study is feasible.     

Lesbian mothers and their children: A comparison with solo parent heterosexual mothers and their children

Two types of single-parent households and their effects on children ages 3–11 years were compared. One type comprised 50 homosexual mothers and their 56 children, and the other was a group of 40 heterosexual mothers and their 48 children. There were 30 daughters and 26 sons of homosexual mothers and 28 daughters and 20 sons of heterosexual mothers. The sexual identity and social relationships of the children were assessed in relation to the sexual orientation of the mothers. The samples consisted of families from rural and urban areas in 10 American states. All have lived without adult males (18 years or older) in the household for a minimum of 2 years (average 4). Families with heterosexual mothers were matched to families with homosexual mothers on age and race of mother; length of mother and child separation from father; educational level and income of mother; and number, age, and sex of children. Data are reported from childrens' tests designed to provide information on general intelligence, core-morphologic sexual identity, gender-role preferences, family and peer group relationships, and adjustment to the single-parent family. No significant differences were found between the two types of households for boys and few significant differences for girls. Concerns that being raised by a homosexual mother might produce sexual identity conflict and peer group stigmatization were not supported by the research findings. Data also revealed more similarities than differences in parenting experiences, marital history, and present living situations of the two groups of mothers. The postulated compromised parental fitness of lesbian mothers, commonly asserted in child custody cases, is not supported by these data.Funded by NIMH Grant R03-29297 to Richard Green, Principal Investigator and Jane Mandel, Co-Principal Investigator and the Long Island Research Institute, Division of Psychobiology, Richard Green, Division Director. Some data in this paper were presented at the annual meeting of the International Academy of Sex Research, Tucson, Arizona, November 1980, and at the American Psychological Association Annual Meeting, September 1979.     

噪声对大鼠T淋巴细胞亚群及其功能的影响

（目的）观察噪声暴露不同时间对大鼠T淋巴细胞群及其功能的影响。（方法）将大鼠暴露于100dB(A)噪声中,在不同的噪声暴露时间（1天,7天及21天）对大鼠T淋巴细胞亚群和淋巴细胞的增殖功能进行了检测。（结果）与对照组相比,接噪7天组CD8^ 细胞显著升高,接噪1天7天组CD4^ /CD8^ 比值显著低于对照组,在接噪的不同时间淋巴细胞增殖功能均降低。（结论）噪声暴露不同时间可引起淋巴细胞数量和功能的改变。     

分娩方式对新生儿脐血甲状腺功能影响的研究

目的 了解分娩方式对新生儿脐血甲状腺功能的影响.方法 随机选择2006年1月至12月在山东省潍坊市妇幼保健院住院分娩、无妊娠合并症及并发症的产妇120例为研究对象,按分娩方式分为平产分娩组、胎头吸引助产组和择期剖宫产组,于分娩断脐后采集脐动脉血测定甲状腺功能.结果 促甲状腺激素水平平产组为14.50±1.87μIU/mL、胎吸组为13.97±1.68μIU/mL,两组之间无差异(t=1.333,P＞0.05);剖宫产组为7.47±2.12μIU/mL,与前两组比较均有极显著性差异(t值分别为15.728、15.197,P＜0.001).三碘甲状腺原氨酸水平平产组为0.88±0.24nmol/L,胎吸组为0.84±0.21nmol/L,两组之间无差异(t=0.793,P＞0.05);剖宫产组为0.76±0.16nmol/L,与前两组比较均有显著性差异(t值分别为2.631、1.916,P＜0.05).游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸水平平产组为2.85±0.56pmol/L,胎吸组为2.83±0.52pmol/L,两组之间无差异(t=0.166,P＞0.05);剖宫产组为2.64±0.46pmol/L,与前两组比较均有显著性差异(t值分别为1.833、1.731,P＜0.05).甲状腺素水平平产组为157.12±34.67nmol/L,胎吸组为152.74±32.15nmol/L,两组之间无差异(t=0.318,P＞0.05);剖宫产组为139.64±40.32nmol/L,与前两组比较均有显著性差异(t值分别为2.079、1.852,P＜0.05).游离甲状腺素水平平产组为22.18±4.64pmol/L,胎吸组为20.64±3.88pmol/L,两组之间无差异(t=1.610,P＞0.05);剖宫产组为16.80±4.06pmol/L,与前两组比较均有极显著性差异(t值分别为5.519、4.325,P＜0.001).结论 经阴道分娩时宫缩及产道挤压使胎儿促甲状腺激素、甲状腺素、游离甲状腺素水平升高,三碘甲状腺原氨酸、游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸水平降低;器械助产不影响新生儿脐血甲状腺功能.