Early Life Research Articles

Acute early life stress alters threat processing in adult rats.

Acute early life stress alters threat processing in adult rats.

The Impact of Waste Application on the Reclamation and Biological Life of Degraded Soils

This work concerns the assessment of soil reclamation and its impact on biological life in areas destroyed by the sulfur industry in Jeziórko. Sulfur extraction using the borehole method causes enormous destruction to the soil environment. Among the many forms of degradation, the most pronounced are the chemical transformations of the environment and the disturbances in water relations in large areas, which could theoretically impact areas not within the direct range of the mining plant. This work aimed to assess the condition of biological life in soil reclaimed with waste in areas devastated by the sulfur industry in Jeziórko. The reclamation of these soils was difficult but necessary due to the complete disappearance of biological life. Appropriate actions were taken to restore and improve the properties of the soil, which resulted in an improvement in their production capacity. Reclamation was carried out, among other techniques, by deacidifying the soil using post-flotation lime and fertilizing the soil with municipal sewage sludge and post-use mineral wool. Studies have shown an improvement in many soil properties, such as its physical, water, chemical, and biological properties. The implemented reclamation methods significantly influenced, among other things, the density and water properties of the degraded soil. The soil reclaimed with mineral wool and sewage sludge recorded the highest density and water capacity. Applying mineral wool to the degraded soil influenced the changes in the analyzed physical and water properties. The obtained research results also show the beneficial effect of mineral wool and sewage sludge on the increase in organic carbon content. In the soil treated with these substances, the organic carbon content ranged from 13.60 g·kg−1 to 14.30 g·kg−1. It is shown that reclamation has had a considerable impact on and is essential for biological life in Jeziórko.

Migrant Voices in Multilingual London, 1560–1600

Abstract Early modern London was multilingual, and early modern urban life was shaped by linguistic diversity. This article draws on the multilingual archives of Elizabethan London's ‘stranger churches’ – Protestant congregations which catered to the needs of French-, Dutch- and Italian-speaking migrants (among others) – to explore how linguistic diversity shaped social relations. These sources offer insights into the everyday multilingualism of the early modern city. They demonstrate London's migrant communities’ intense interest in what people said and why, and show how different languages and their speakers interacted on the streets and in the spaces of later sixteenth-century London. By charting how linguistic diversity was part of the lives of ordinary Londoners in this period, including close examination of incidents of multilingual insult, slander, and conflict, this article argues that the civic and religious authorities relied on the stranger churches’ abilities to carry out surveillance of speech in languages other than English, and that urban social relations and urban spaces were shaped by multilingualism. It ends by arguing that linguistic diversity played an essential but understudied role in the social history of early modern cities.

The Homiliary of Agimund and its Implications for the Availability of Patristic Texts in Rome in the Early Middle Ages

Agimund's Homiliary is extant in two eighth-century manuscripts in BAV, Vat. lat. 3835 and 3836 and is one of the very few Roman texts actually written in Roman script surviving from the early Middle Ages. This article argues that the Homiliary is a crucial piece of evidence for early medieval Roman liturgical and cultural life and the patristic resources of Rome. Agimund's Homiliary, and the late eighth-century additions which are actually part of another, hitherto unidentified Roman Homiliary, together constitute evidence of the degree to which patristic theology and exegesis were embedded in Roman culture, of the interchange between the Latin- and Greek-speaking communities in Rome and the Lateran in the early Middle Ages, and of the intellectual productivity and cultural versatility of early medieval Rome.

Quantifying Effects and Ingestion of Several Pristine Microplastics in Two Early Life Stages of Freshwater Mussels.

Microplastics have been found in freshwater systems, and in turn have been detected in freshwater bivalves. However, there is limited research that defines the toxicity of bicroplastics to native freshwater bivalves that have long been imperiled in North America. Our objective was to determine whether a suite of pristine microplastics has an adverse effect on two early life stages of unionid freshwater mussels. Glochidia of Lampsilis fasciola (a Canadian species at risk) and Lampsilis siliquoidea (widespread across Canada) were individually exposed to spheres of polystyrene (6 and 90 μm), polyethylene (28, 90, and 1000 μm), and cellulose acetate (1000 μm), as well as fibers of polyethylene terephthalate (60 μm). After 24 h, there was no significant decrease in glochidia viability in either species. Juvenile L. siliquoidea mussels were also exposed to spheres of polystyrene (6 and 90 μm) and polyethylene (28 μm), and fibers of polyethylene terephthalate (60 μm) in individual 28-day subchronic tests followed by a 7-day depuration period. Burial was assessed weekly, and ingestion of each microplastic was compared in nondepurated and depurated mussels. There was no sustained effect on juvenile burial with any microplastic tested. Ingestion of microplastics was concentration dependent, and depuration occurred for all particles and size ranges tested. The results suggest that pristine microplastics were not acutely toxic to the early life stages of these freshwater mussels, but that the energetic costs associated with particle uptake and depuration, which were not measured in our study, may have an impact on fitness that warrants further investigation. In addition, testing with other shapes and polymers of microplastics typically detected in the environment is recommended. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1-12. © 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Effects of propolis extract administration on immune parameters, faecal consistency scores, and growth performance of Holstein-Friesian calves.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Ethanolic Extract of Propolis (EEP) administration on immune parameters, faecal consistency scores, growth performance, and feed efficiency of Holstein Friesian calves. A total of 24 calves were divided into two different groups, control (n = 12) and EEP (n = 12). Both groups consisted of 6 male and 6 female calves. The calves were fed milk amounting to 10% of their birth weight each day until they reached 60days of age. Additionally, they were given starter feed and dry hay once a day. Calves assigned to the EEP group received 4ml of EEP daily. Use of EEP increased (P < 0.05) the serum IgG and IgM levels at 2months of age compared to the control group. EEP also showed efficacy (P < 0.01) in reducing faecal consistency in calves throughout the study. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB expression in calves treated with EEP were lower (P < 0.05) throughout the EEP application period. On the other hand, IGF-1 mRNA transcript levels were (P < 0.01) higher in EEP group calves than in the control group. Furthermore, EEP-fed calves consumed less dry matter for 1kg of live weight gain during the weaning-4months (P < 0.01) and birth-4months (P < 0.05) periods. These results indicate that EEP supplementation, through its immunostimulatory effects, plays a crucial role in the control of neonatal calf diarrhoea. Growth and development as well as IGF-1, which stimulates growth in almost all somatic cells, was also significantly increased by EEP supplementation. The combined effect of the rich bioactive compounds found in EEP appears to have a significant impact on health and well-being, resulting in improved early life performance in dairy calves.

Early life epigenetics and childhood outcomes: a scoping review.

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression, without a change in the DNA sequence that are potentially heritable. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) changes have been studied in various childhood disorders. Causal links to maternal health and toxin exposures can introduce epigenetic modifications to the fetal DNA, which can be detected in the cord blood. Cord blood epigenetic modifications provide evidence of in-utero stressors and immediate postnatal changes, which can impact both short and long-term outcomes in children. The mechanisms of these epigenetic changes can be leveraged for prevention, early detection, and intervention, and to discover novel therapeutic modalities in childhood diseases. We report a scoping review of early life epigenetics, the influence of maternal health, maternal toxin, and drug exposures on the fetus, and its impact on perinatal, neonatal, and childhood outcomes. IMPACT STATEMENT: Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA have been implicated in the pathophysiology of various disease processes. The fundamental changes to an offspring's epigenome can begin in utero, impacting the immediate postnatal period, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This scoping review summarizes current literature on the impact of early life epigenetics, especially DNA methylation on childhood health outcomes.

Interacting phenotypic plasticities: Do male and female responses to the sociosexual environment interact to determine fitness?

Socially induced plasticity in reproductive effort is a widely documented phenomenon. However, few empirical studies have examined how male and female plastic responses to the social environment might interact in determining fitness outcomes. In field crickets, Teleogryllus oceanicus, males respond to rival song by increasing expenditure on seminal fluid proteins that enhance competitive fertilization success at the cost of reduced embryo survival. It remains unknown whether plastic responses in females could moderate the effects of male competitiveness on offspring performance. Here we used a fully factorial design to explore the interacting effects on fitness of male and female plasticity to the sociosexual environment. We found that female crickets exposed to male song increased the number of eggs produced during early life reproduction, which came at a cost of reduced offspring size. There was evidence, albeit weak, that interacting effects of male and female sociosexual environment contributed to variation in the hatching success of eggs laid by females. Lifetime offspring production was unaffected by the sociosexual environments to which upstream male and female plastic responses were made. Our data offer a rare test of the theoretical expectation that male and female plasticities should interact in their effects on female fitness.

Bioarchaeology and evidence of violence from a precolonial later stone age communal burial in South Africa.

This study reports on the bioarchaeology and evidence of interpersonal violence in a group of archaeological skeletons found near Ladismith, Western Cape, South Africa. The co-mingled skeletal remains derive from at least ten individuals of varying ages and both sexes. Overlapping radiocarbon dates on three individuals place them in the first half of the 15th century CE, pre-dating first European contact at the end of that century. Three juvenile crania have perimortem perforations, the locations of which indicate violent deaths. The sizes and shapes of the lesions suggest impact by a blade at least 110mm long and 50mm wide but with edges only 2mm thick. Based on these dimensions, we hypothesise that this was a metal-tipped spear. The nearest metal-working communities at this time lived approximately 500 km away, implying long-distance trade or exchange. δ13C, δ15N and 87Sr/86Sr values indicate that this was a heterogenous group of individuals who had spent their early lives in different locations and consumed varied diets, who had come together and were living in or travelling through the Ladismith area at the time of their deaths. This finding extends the timeframe and location for the practice of communal burial in the Holocene of southern Africa and provides additional support for the hypothesis that communal burials in this region tend to be associated with violence.

A clinical protocol for a German birth cohort study of the Maturation of Immunity Against respiratory viral Infections (MIAI)

IntroductionRespiratory viral infections (RVIs) are a major global contributor to morbidity and mortality. The susceptibility and outcome of RVIs are strongly age-dependent and show considerable inter-population differences, pointing to genetically and/or environmentally driven developmental variability. The factors determining the age-dependency and shaping the age-related changes of human anti-RVI immunity after birth are still elusive. MethodsWe are conducting a prospective birth cohort study aiming at identifying endogenous and environmental factors associated with the susceptibility to RVIs and their impact on cellular and humoral immune responses against the influenza A virus (IAV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The MIAI birth cohort enrolls healthy, full-term neonates born at the University Hospital Würzburg, Germany, with follow-up at four defined time-points during the first year of life. At each study visit, clinical metadata including diet, lifestyle, sociodemographic information, and physical examinations, are collected along with extensive biomaterial sampling. Biomaterials are used to generate comprehensive, integrated multi-omics datasets including transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic, metabolomic and microbiomic methods. DiscussionThe results are expected to capture a holistic picture of the variability of immune trajectories with a focus on cellular and humoral key players involved in the defense of RVIs and the impact of host and environmental factors thereon. Thereby, MIAI aims at providing insights that allow unraveling molecular mechanisms that can be targeted to promote the development of competent anti-RVI immunity in early life and prevent severe RVIs.Clinical trial registrationhttps://drks.de/search/de/trial/, identifier DRKS00034278.

Birth and household exposures are associated with changes to skin bacterial communities during infancy

Abstract Microbial exposures during infancy shape the development of the microbiome, the collection of microbes living in and on the body, which in turn directs immune system training. Newborns acquire a substantial quantity of microbes during birth and throughout infancy via exposure to microbes in the physical and social environment. Alterations to early life microbial environments may give rise to mismatches, where environmental, cultural, and behavioral changes that outpace the body’s adaptive responses can lead to adverse health outcomes, particularly those related to microbiome development and immune system regulation. This study explored the development of the skin microbiome among infants born in Chicago, USA. We collected skin swab microbiome samples from 22 mother-infant dyads during the first 48 hours of life and again at six weeks postpartum. Mothers provided information about social environments and hygiene behaviors that may impact infants’ microbial exposures. Analysis of 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing data revealed correlations between infant skin bacterial abundance shortly after birth and factors such as antibiotic exposure and receiving a bath in the hospital. The composition of the infant microbiome at six weeks of age was associated with interactions with caregivers and infant feeding practices. We also found shifts in maternal skin microbiomes that may reflect increased hygiene practices in the hospital. Our data suggest that factors related to the birth and household environment can impact the development of infant skin microbiomes and point to practices that may produce mismatches for the infant microbiome and immune system.

Ontogeny and Growth of Early Life Stages of Barred Spiny Eel Macrognathus pancalus (Hamilton, 1822)

Background: The objective of the study was to examine the growth and development of M. pancalus larvae in captive conditions, including pigmentation patterns, yolk and oil globule utilization, growth rates and metamorphosis, as well as to identify suitable live food for larviculture. Methods: The larvae, produced through induced breeding, were kept unfed until the yolk-sac absorption and then fed with freshwater rotifer, mixed zooplankton and Tubifex worms at different stages of development. The larvae were reared in indoor glass tanks and outdoor reinforced plastic tanks to document their morphological and chronological development. Result: The findings showed that the larvae exhibited typical characteristics of eel. Notably, dentition was observed before yolk resorption, indicating the highly predatory nature of the larvae. The bands of melanophores, which were prominent at the beginning, disappeared between 5-7 days post-hatch. Additionally, the study identified distinct features of spiny eels, such as a trunk-like rostral projection at 14 days post-hatch and erectile dorsal spines at 21 days post-hatch. The growth pattern, morphological changes and adaptation to benthic burrowing habits indicated that the larvae metamorphosed into the fry stage between 28-45 days post-hatch. These results provide valuable insights into the ontogenetic development and rearing of M. pancalus and can be used to support future aquaculture and conservation programs.

Infant Temperament Is Associated With Milk Cortisol but Not With Maternal Childhood Trauma.

Previous studies have suggested that maternal childhood trauma (MCT) may influence infant temperament, but the underlying physiological mechanisms remain unclear. This study sought to confirm the involvement of breast milk cortisol in the link between MCT and infant temperament. The study sample included 90 mother-infant dyads recruited from the urban Polish population. MCT was assessed based on the Early Life Stress Questionnaire (ELSQ) and infant temperamental factors (surgency/extraversion, negative affectivity, and orienting/regulation) using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised at 12 months of life. Cortisol was assayed in milk samples collected at 5 months of life using the ELISA method. Based on the ELSQ median, the sample was divided into low and high MCT groups. The ANCOVA models with milk cortisol as a covariant were run to check the effect of low versus high MCT on infant temperament. We found a positive association between milk cortisol and orienting/regulation. Surprisingly, the low and high MCT groups did not significantly differ in milk cortisol. Furthermore, we found that MCT was unrelated to any infant temperamental factor. While recent literature on the association between milk cortisol and infant temperament is inconsistent, our results suggest that high orienting/regulation might be an adaptation to adverse environments such as stress. Moreover, the infant's temperament appears to be more responsive to the current exposition to maternal stress than her experience of traumatic stress.

Development and Validation of an Evaluation Questionnaire for the Healthy Early Life Moments in Singapore (HELMS) Program

Background/Objectives: Global fertility rates are declining due to metabolic and mental health challenges in women trying to conceive. The Healthy Early Life Moments in Singapore (HELMS) program aims to address these challenges through mobile health (mHealth)-enabled lifestyle interventions. However, the lack of validated evaluation tools for such programs makes it difficult to assess their feasibility and acceptability. To tackle this, a comprehensive evaluation questionnaire was developed and validated to determine if the HELMS preconception program’s implementation outcomes were achieved. Methods: The questionnaire development process included a literature review and a two-step validation process: content validation by five content experts and face validation by 20 HELMS participants. Content validation was assessed using the scale content validity index (S-CVI) based on relevance, clarity, simplicity, and ambiguity. Face validation with participants evaluated these criteria and the ease of completing the questionnaire. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha among 49 participants. Results: The questionnaire achieved good S-CVI values for relevance (0.93), clarity (0.91), simplicity (0.94), and ambiguity (0.71). After expert feedback, the revised version scored highly among HELMS participants for relevance (100%), clarity (95%), simplicity (95%), and non-ambiguity (90%). A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.93 indicated good internal consistency. Conclusion: The HELMS evaluation questionnaire shows promise for evaluating similar mHealth-based lifestyle intervention programs globally.

Epigenetic Pathways Linking Fetal Development to Metabolic Syndrome: Mechanisms and Implications

This review explores the intricate connections between early developmental environments, epigenetic mechanisms, and long-term health outcomes. The concept of fetal programming highlights how maternal stress, nutrition, and other environmental factors during embryonic and fetal development can induce physiological changes with persistent effects extending into adulthood and across generations. Evidence suggests that these early life exposures can lead to complex diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. The role of epigenetic modifications—particularly DNA methylation and histone modifications—is emphasized as a crucial mechanism through which environmental factors influence gene expression and disease susceptibility. Additionally, this review discusses the significance of sex-specific epigenetic marks and their impact on disease risk, illustrating how sex chromosomes and fluctuating sex hormones contribute to sexual dimorphism in disease prevalence. The need for further research is underscored, with a focus on understanding the factors that shape fetal growth trajectories, the mechanisms by which nutrients and hormones alter gene expression, and the barriers to healthy eating among women. Addressing these issues is vital for reducing chronic disease prevalence and improving public health across generations.

The early life microbiome of giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) larvae in a commercial hatchery is influenced by microorganisms in feed

Fish health, growth and disease is intricately linked to its associated microbiome. Understanding the influence, source and ultimately managing the microbiome, particularly for vulnerable early life-stages, has been identified as one of the key requirements to improving farmed fish production. One tropical fish species of aquaculture importance farmed throughout the Asia-Pacific region is the giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus). Variability in the health and survival of E. lanceolatus larvae is partially dependent on exposure to and development of its early microbiome. Here, we examined the development in the microbiome of commercially reared giant grouper larvae, its surrounding environment, and that from live food sources to understand the type of bacterial species larvae are exposed to, and where some of the sources of bacteria may originate. We show that species richness and microbial diversity of the larval microbiome significantly increased in the first 4 days after hatching, with the community composition continuing to shift over the initial 10 days in the hatchery facility. The dominant larval bacterial taxa appeared to be predominantly derived from live cultured microalgae and rotifer feeds and included Marixanthomonas, Candidatus Hepatincola, Meridianimaribacter and Vibrio. In contrast, a commercial probiotic added as part of the hatchery’s operating procedure failed to establish in the larvae microbiome. Microbial source tracking indicated that feed was the largest influence on the composition of the giant grouper larvae microbiome (up to 55.9%), supporting attempts to modulate fish microbiomes in commercial hatcheries through improved diets. The marked abundances of Vibrio (up to 21.7% of 16S rRNA gene copies in larvae) highlights a need for rigorous quality control of feed material.

Neighborhood Food Access in Early Life and Trajectories of Child Body Mass Index and Obesity.

Limited access to healthy foods, resulting from residence in neighborhoods with low food access, is a public health concern. The contribution of this exposure in early life to child obesity remains uncertain. To examine associations of neighborhood food access during pregnancy or early childhood with child body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk. Data from cohorts participating in the US nationwide Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes consortium between January 1, 1994, and March 31, 2023, were used. Participant inclusion required a geocoded residential address in pregnancy (mean 32.4 gestational weeks) or early childhood (mean 4.3 years) and information on child BMI. Residence in low-income, low-food access neighborhoods, defined as low-income neighborhoods where the nearest supermarket is more than 0.5 miles for urban areas or more than 10 miles for rural areas. BMI z score, obesity (age- and sex-specific BMI ≥95th percentile), and severe obesity (age- and sex-specific BMI ≥120% of the 95th percentile) from age 0 to 15 years. Of 28 359 children (55 cohorts; 14 657 [51.7%] male and 13 702 [48.3%] female; 590 [2.2%] American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander; 1430 [5.4%] Asian; 4034 [15.3%] Black; 17 730 [67.2%] White; and 2592 [9.8%] other [unspecified] or more than 1 race; 5754 [20.9%] Hispanic and 21 838 [79.1%] non-Hispanic) with neighborhood food access data, 23.2% resided in low-income, low-food access neighborhoods in pregnancy and 24.4% in early childhood. After adjusting for individual sociodemographic characteristics, residence in low-income, low-food access (vs non-low-income, low-food access) neighborhoods in pregnancy was associated with higher BMI z scores at ages 5 years (β, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.03-0.11), 10 years (β, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.06-0.17), and 15 years (β, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07-0.24); higher obesity risk at 5 years (risk ratio [RR], 1.37; 95% CI, 1.21-1.55), 10 years (RR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.37-2.12), and 15 years (RR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.53-2.83); and higher severe obesity risk at 5 years (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.95-1.53), 10 years (RR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.20-1.99), and 15 years (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.32-2.80). Findings were similar for residence in low-income, low-food access neighborhoods in early childhood. These associations were robust to alternative definitions of low income and low food access and additional adjustment for prenatal characteristics associated with child obesity. Residence in low-income, low-food access neighborhoods in early life was associated with higher subsequent child BMI and higher risk of obesity and severe obesity. We encourage future studies to examine whether investments in neighborhood resources to improve food access in early life would prevent child obesity.

Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus by multiple biomarkers at early gestation

BackgroundIt remains unclear which early gestational biomarkers can be used in predicting later development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We sought to identify the optimal combination of early gestational biomarkers in predicting GDM in machine learning (ML) models.MethodsThis was a nested case-control study including 100 pairs of GDM and euglycemic (control) pregnancies in the Early Life Plan cohort in Shanghai, China. High sensitivity C reactive protein, sex hormone binding globulin, insulin-like growth factor I, IGF binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), total and high molecular weight adiponectin and glycosylated fibronectin concentrations were measured in serum samples at 11–14 weeks of gestation. Routine first-trimester blood test biomarkers included fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum lipids and thyroid hormones. Five ML models [stepwise logistic regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), random forest, support vector machine and k-nearest neighbor] were employed to predict GDM. The study subjects were randomly split into two sets for model development (training set, n = 70 GDM/control pairs) and validation (testing set: n = 30 GDM/control pairs). Model performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC) in receiver operating characteristics.ResultsFPG and IGFBP-2 were consistently selected as predictors of GDM in all ML models. The random forest model including FPG and IGFBP-2 performed the best (AUC 0.80, accuracy 0.72, sensitivity 0.87, specificity 0.57). Adding more predictors did not improve the discriminant power.ConclusionThe combination of FPG and IGFBP-2 at early gestation (11–14 weeks) could predict later development of GDM with moderate discriminant power. Further validation studies are warranted to assess the utility of this simple combination model in other independent cohorts.

In-Depth Research on the Behavioral Impact of Violence-Oriented Cartoons among Children

One significant experience in children's early life is watching cartoons. This activity has a significant impact on a variety of variables, including kids' behavioral and cognitive development. This study focuses on school-age children, namely those in the 4–13 age range. This study focuses on the effects of the Violence-Oriented Cartoons channel on children's entire development, including language, motor, social learning, social cognitive, and moral development. 500 samples from various ages of children’s Group A and Group B were gathered for this investigation. This study aims to investigate the behavioral and emotional effects of exposure to violence-oriented cartoons on children. In particular, it aims to evaluate the effects of this type of social behavior, aggressiveness levels, attention span, emotional reactions, and the desensitization of violence in comparison to nonviolent cartoons. Using a sample of 500 children, 200 were exposed to non-violence-oriented cartoons and 300 were exposed to violence-oriented cartoons. The study used two groups. The study highlights that children who watched violent cartoons showed significantly higher levels of aggression, lower social behavior, shorter attention spans, increased desensitization, and stronger negative emotional responses than children who watched nonviolent cartoons. Study finds the importance of careful consideration of children's media content and suggests the potential benefits of limiting exposure to violent imagery in cartoons.

Impact of extreme prematurity, chorioamnionitis and sepsis on neonatal monocyte characteristics and functions.

The innate branch of the immune system is important in early life, in particular for infants born preterm. We performed a longitudinal analysis of the peripheral monocyte compartment in extremely preterm children from a randomized placebo-controlled study of probiotic supplementation. PBMCs and fecal samples were collected at several timepoints during the first months of life. Monocyte characteristics were analyzed by flow cytometry and LPS-stimulated PBMC culture supernatants were analyzed by Luminex or ELISA. Plasma cytokines and gut microbiota composition were analyzed by ELISA and 16S rRNA-sequencing, respectively. The extremely preterm infants had persistent alterations in their monocyte characteristics, that were further aggravated in chorioamnionitis cases. They showed a markedly reduced TLR4 expression and hampered LPS-stimulated cytokine responses 14 days after birth. Notably, at later time-points, TLR4 expression and LPS-responses no longer correlated. Sepsis during the first weeks of life strongly associated with increased proinflammatory, and reduced IL-10, responses also at post menstrual week 36. Further, we report a correlation between gut microbiota features and monocyte phenotype and responses, but also that probiotic supplementation associated with distinct monocyte phenotypic characteristics, without significantly influencing their responsiveness. Extremely preterm infants have monocyte characteristics and functional features that deviate from infants born full-term. Some of these differences persist until they reach an age corresponding to full-term, potentially making them more vulnerable to microbial exposures during the first months of life.