Pairs Of Children Research Articles

Maternal vitamin A and D status in second and third trimester of pregnancy and bone mineral content in offspring at nine years of age.

Maternal nutritional and vitamin status during pregnancy may have long-term effects on offspring health and disease. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between maternal vitamin A and D status in pregnancy and offspring bone mineral content (BMC) at nine years of age. This is a post-hoc study of a randomized control trial including 855 pregnant women from two Norwegian cities; Trondheim and Stavanger. The women were randomized into an exercise intervention or standard antenatal care. Mother and child pairs for the present study were recruited from those still living in Trondheim after 8-10 years. Serum vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin D (25(OH)D) were measured in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, and active vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) in serum was measured in a subgroup. Spine BMC and trabecular bone score were measured in the children at nine years of age. Associations were analyzed with linear regression models. A total of 119 mother and child pairs were included in the analyses. Vitamin A insufficiency (retinol< 1.05 µmol/L) and vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D< 50 mmol/L) increased from ~7% to ~43% and from ~28% to ~33%, respectively, from the 2nd to the 3rd trimester. An increase in serum 1,25(OH)2D from the 2nd to the 3rd trimester was observed in the subgroup. There was a negative association between serum retinol in the 2nd trimester and spine BMC in the boys, but not in the girls, when adjusted for maternal and child confounders. No other associations between maternal serum vitamin A or D and BMC in the children were found. We observed a high prevalence of vitamin A insufficiency and vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy. A negative association between mid-pregnancy vitamin A status and spine BMC was observed in boys, but not girls, while no associations were found between maternal vitamin D status and child BMC. The implications of optimal vitamin A and D status in pregnancy for offspring bone health, remains a subject for further investigations.

Being Under-Benefited and Perceived Stress in the Relationship Between Aging Parents and Adult Children: The Moderating Role of Empathy.

Previous studies examining the relationship between being under-benefited and stress among aging parents and their adult children have yielded mixed findings. Few studies have examined whether this positive association can be alleviated by state-level or trait-level factors. Given the positive effects of empathy on interpersonal exchanges, we tested the moderating role of empathy on the relationship between being under-benefited and perceived stress among aging parents and adult children in this 14-day diary study. A sample of 99 pairs of parents (M age = 50.01 years, SD age = 4.53 years; 79.8% female) and children (M age = 22.38, SD age = 3.49; 85.9% female) were recruited reported their level of being under-benefited in the exchange with their parent/child, perceived stress, and empathy as an affective state on a daily basis for 14 consecutive days, after completing a pretest which measured their trait empathy and demographic information. For both parents and children, the positive under-benefited-stress association was only significant when they reported lower affective empathy on a daily basis. The association between the level of being under-benefited and stress was negative when children reported greater affective empathy on a daily basis. Children reported more perceived stress on the days their parents reported a greater level of being under-benefited. Such association was only significant in children with lower trait empathy. The negative association between children's being under-benefited and parents' perceived stress was only significant in parents with higher trait empathy. These findings highlight the importance of empathy as a daily affect and a trait in the relationship between daily exchanges and mental health in the intergenerational contexts between aging parents and adult children.

Влияние пробиотиков на функциональную активность кишечной микробиоты беременных и микробиом новорожденных

UpToDate, the issue of the need for the use of probiotics in pregnant women and newborns, especially in infants born in critical condition, remains relevant. Despite the proven effectiveness in the treatment of antibiotic-associated and nosocomial diarrhea, necrotizing enterocolitis, Helicobacter pylori infection, in some clinical situations, further studies are still often required to confirm the positive effect, determining the type, dose and time of taking probiotics. Objective. To evaluate the effect of probiotics on the metabolic activity of the intestinal microflora of pregnant women and the microbiome of newborns. Patients and methods. 236 women were monitored during single pregnancy from 28 to 42 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women were divided into two groups: the main group, whose patients took the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis and the comparison group without probiotitcs. All patients had urgent spontaneous physiological labor. The condition at birth and the period of adaptation of newborns were considered satisfactory, all children were breastfed . The condition of the formed mother–child pair was monitored over the next three months. To determine the functional state of the intestinal microbiome in pregnant women, an assessment of endogenous biomarkers of its metabolic activity – short-chain (SCFAs) fatty acids in coprofiltrates. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was used to separate and quantify short-chain fatty acids in stool. The study of intestinal microflora in newborns was carried out on the 20th–25th day of life using the generally accepted microbiological method, in which a qualitative and quantitative assessment of obligate, conditionally pathogenic and pathogenic microorganisms in stool. The mathematical and statistical processing of the obtained research results was carried out using the TIBCO STATISTICA (USA) application software package for a personal computer. The calculation of the average values of the feature (M), standard errors of the average feature (m), and mean square deviations (σ) was performed. In the analysis of the conjugacy tables, the Pearson criterion χ2 was applied to assess the statistical significance of the differences between the two relative indicators. The data in the groups were regarded as statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05 or statistically highly significant at p &lt; 0.001. Results. The obtained results of the study of SCFAs in stool of pregnant women who received probiotics indicated an increase in the functional activity of the intestinal microbiota, improved utilization of these acids by colonocytes, changes in the composition of anaerobic-aerobic populations of microorganisms, leading to an improvement in the redox potential of the intestinal environment. In women who did not receive probiotics, such dynamics of endogenous biomarkers of the functional activity of the intestinal microbiome was not observed. Conditionally pathogenic microflora, various strains of Escherichia coli, and a decrease in the content of lactic acid flora against the background of a high frequency of functional disorders of the intestinal motility were detected in all 236 newborn children in stool. The analysis of the composition of the intestinal microbiome of infants showed a significantly high incidence of a decrease in the number of lactobacilli and an increase in the content of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pnemoniae, Enterococcus, E. coli strains with low enzymatic properties and hemolytic E. coli in children of the comparison group. At the same time, there were no differences in the content of bifidobacteria, Candida albicans and strains of lactose-negative E. coli in the microbiome of children of both groups, regardless of the intake of probiotics by women. Conclusions. Thus, the intake of L. reuteri Protectis by pregnant women had a positive effect on the activity of the intestinal microflora, which was expressed by a significant increase in the concentration of acetic acid, the total content of SCFAs and the anaerobic index. Despite the fact that all children had disorders in the composition of the intestinal microflora in the form of the presence of S. aureus, K. pnemoniae, Enterococcus, strains of E. coli with weakly enzymatic properties and hemolytic E. coli – the preventive effectiveness of the use of probiotics during pregnancy of their mothers was confirmed by a decrease in the frequency of functional disorders of intestinal motility and the amount of opportunistic microflora, strains of E. coli in the formation of the intestinal microbiome in newborns. Key words: probiotics, pregnant women, newborns, intestinal microbiome, short-chain fatty acids

Prenatal exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and child executive function: Evidence from the Shanghai birth cohort study

BackgroundPer-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment and accumulate in humans. Toxicological studies have indicated the potential neurotoxicity of PFAS during the fetal development. However, in epidemiological studies, the association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and executive function in offspring remains unclear. ObjectivesTo investigate the association between prenatal exposure to PFAS and executive function in offspring. MethodThis study included 1765 mother–child pairs in the Shanghai Birth Cohort, a prospective birth cohort enrolled during 2013–2016. The levels of 10 PFAS were measured in maternal plasma samples collected during early gestation. Child executive function was assessed at 4 years of age using the parent-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool version (BRIEF-P), which provided 4 composite measures: Inhibitory Self-Control Index, Flexibility Index, Emergent Metacognition Index, and Global Executive Composite. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the associations between individual PFAS and BRIEF-P scores. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was employed to evaluate the joint effects. We also investigated whether these associations were modified by sex. ResultWe found no significant associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and BRIEF-P scores when the child was 4 years old. BKMR analysis showed no joint effect of the PFAS mixture on child executive function. RCS analysis indicated that the majority of relationships between PFAS and BRIEF-P did not deviate from the linear relationship, even though there was a nonlinear association between PFUA and EMI. Additionally, the associations were not modified by sex. ConclusionOverall, our findings showed that there were no associations between prenatal exposure to PFAS and child executive function at 4 years of age.

Family Transmission of Executive Functions: Mix of Traditional and Citizen Science Research Approach

The aim of this study was to examine the family transmission of executive functions deficits (working memory and inhibitory control) from parents to children, using a combination of traditional and citizen science research approaches. The final sample consisted of 110 families with two children (440 participants; 110 pairs of children, 110 fathers and 110 mothers). Children were preadolescent (6 to 10 years old; 24 pairs) or adolescent (11 to 15 years old; 86 pairs) siblings. The research results indicated that the inhibitory control of the mother is related to the inhibitory control of the younger child, and that the inhibitory control of the father is related to the inhibitory control of the older child in the family, regardless of developmental period. In the father-child relationship, it was revealed that there is a strong connection between parental and child working memory. On the other hand, there are significant interaction of mothers' working memory and age of children in the second-born child. Potential mechanisms of transmission were discussed, bearing in mind the specifics of mother's and father's involvement in raising children, as well as the potential direction of this research question towards the sphere of behavioral genetics and parenting styles.

The impact of maternal gaze responsiveness on infants’ gaze following and later vocabulary development

Research has shown that infants’ language development is influenced by their gaze following—an ability linked to their cognitive and social development. Following social learning approaches, this pilot study explored whether variations in gaze following and later vocabulary scores relate to early mother–infant interactions by focusing on the role of mothers’ gaze responsiveness in infants’ attentional and language development. We recruited 15 mother–child pairs in Poland and assessed their engagement in joint attention episodes. Results indicate that mothers foster their infants' gaze-following ability by providing them with numerous opportunities to participate in the task. We also confirmed a correlation between infants’ gaze-following ability at 6 months and their vocabulary scores at 24 months. However, combining both infants’ gaze following and mothers’ gaze monitoring as predictors in one model revealed that maternal gaze monitoring was a stronger predictor of infants’ later vocabulary growth. Overall, this study emphasizes that mothers’ gaze responsiveness is a crucial feature of scaffolding that impacts on infants’ gaze following and language development.

The East Bay Diesel Exposure Project: a biomonitoring study of parents and their children in heavily impacted communities

BackgroundDiesel exhaust (DE) exposures pose concerns for serious health effects, including asthma and lung cancer, in California communities burdened by multiple stressors.ObjectiveTo evaluate DE exposures in disproportionately impacted communities using biomonitoring and compare results for adults and children within and between families.MethodsWe recruited 40 families in the San Francisco East Bay area. Two metabolites of 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), a marker for DE exposures, were measured in urine samples from parent–child pairs. For 25 families, we collected single-day spot urine samples during two sampling rounds separated by an average of four months. For the 15 other families, we collected daily spot urine samples over four consecutive days during the two sampling rounds. We also measured 1-NP in household dust and indoor air. Associations between urinary metabolite levels and participant demographics, season, and 1-NP levels in dust and air were evaluated.ResultsAt least one 1-NP metabolite was present in 96.6% of the urine samples. Detection frequencies for 1-NP in dust and indoor air were 97% and 74%, respectively. Results from random effect models indicated that levels of the 1-NP metabolite 6-hydroxy-1-nitropyrene (6-OHNP) were significantly higher in parents compared with their children (p-value = 0.005). Urinary 1-NP metabolite levels were generally higher during the fall and winter months. Within-subject variability was higher than between-subject variability (~60% of total variance versus ~40%, respectively), indicating high short-term temporal variability.ImpactBiomonitoring, coupled with air monitoring, improves understanding of hyperlocal air pollution impacts. Results from these studies will inform the design of effective exposure mitigation strategies in disproportionately affected communities.

Cultural patterns in nonverbal collaboration between pairs of Indigenous children and pairs of urban middle-class children in México

This study examines cultural patterns in nonverbal collaboration between pairs of Mexican children with varying familiarity with Indigenous ways of Learning by Observing and Pitching In (LOPI) and school-like middle-class ways of learning. Two-hundred-fourteen 8 to10 year old Mexican children from either an Indigenous town or an urban middle-class community in a nearby city played Chinese checkers in same-gendered pairs against another team (90 girls and 124 boys). The pairs were “not allowed” to talk or risk having their pieces moved backwards. Coders identified how children worked together and communicated in 5-s segments. Results indicate Indigenous children from families that were likely familiar with LOPI more commonly engaged in collaboration where they worked together seamlessly relying heavily on joint activity. The urban middle-class children whose families indicated no recent Indigenous history were more likely to collaborate less fluidly with large movements and actions seemingly intended to draw attention.

Listen to Me: Quality of Communication and Intergenerational Political Socialization

Intergenerational political socialization is alive and well in the polarized American polity. But, by what mechanism do parental views transmit to children? We develop a theory ( dyadic social learning theory) which posits the importance of dyadic familial communication in facilitating attitudinal concordance between parents and children. Using original survey data of 1,048 dyadic pairs of American parents and middle school-aged children, we develop a novel measure of political perception that combines the perceptive accuracy of parents with the perceptive accuracy of their children. This measure of parent-child alignment, which we argue signals quality communication in families, is a powerful determinant of parent-child congruence on political views and emotions, particularly polarization. When a dyadic pair accurately perceives each other politically, the likelihood of congruent views and shared polarization increases. This research has implications for how we understand political transference of polarized views, and for broader theories of how children are socialized into the political world. It also suggests that solutions to polarization will have to address the role of parents in initiating polarization.

Parent’s awareness of, and influence on, their 14–17-year-old child’s vaping and smoking behaviours; an analysis of 3242 parent–child pairs in Australia

BackgroundVaping by young people in Australia is a rapidly emerging public health issue. Evidence shows that parental behaviours and attitudes can play a key role in influencing adolescent behaviours. Considering the health harms of vaping and evidence that it can be a gateway to tobacco smoking for never-smokers, it is important to understand whether parents’ smoking and vaping behaviours influence their teenage children’s smoking and vaping behaviours. MethodsOnline cross-sectional surveys as part of the Generation Vape study, conducted in Australia in 2021/2022, were used to assess parents' influence on, and awareness of, one of their 14–17-year-old child’s vaping and smoking behaviours. Participants were 3242 parents and 3242 14–17-year-old teenage children. ResultsThe risk of vaping and smoking uptake among 14–17-year-old teenagers was 42% (p = 0.003) and 97% (p < 0.001) higher, respectively, if their parent was an ever-vaper. The risk of vaping and smoking uptake among teenagers was 81% (p < 0.001) and 159% (p < 0.001) higher, respectively, if their parent was an ever-smoker. Parents of teenagers who have not vaped were considerably better at correctly predicting this (97% correct) than parents of teenagers who have vaped (70% correct). Compared to parents, teenagers tended to have less agreement with statements suggesting vaping is unsafe or harmful, and more agreement with statements suggesting vaping is relatively safe. ConclusionsParental smoking and vaping behaviours are associated with those of their children. Hence, it is important that both tobacco and vaping control policies and interventions are designed to influence behaviours of all demographics, consistent with the evidence.

Maternal gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of allergic diseases in offspring

BackgroundGestational diabetes mellitus has been linked to inflammation, immune dysregulation in offspring, and changes in the microbiota. It may have long-term implications for the health of children. The aim of this study was to determine if gestational diabetes mellitus increases the risk of allergic diseases in offspring. MethodsThe data source was the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. The pairing of mothers and children was established by connecting the NHIRD with the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database. First-time pregnant mothers between 2004 and 2019 were enrolled. The GDM group consisted of 22,741 cases. The control group was selected from individuals without GDM matched by maternal age, neonatal gender, and neonatal birthdate at a ratio of 1–4. The primary endpoint was the incidence of childhood allergic diseases, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria. The secondary endpoint was the risk associated with the development of allergic diseases in offspring, considering the presence or absence of insulin therapy. ResultsThe development of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria were found to be significantly associated with GDM. However, no significant association was observed between GDM and asthma. GDM control without insulin was associated with an increased risk of developing allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis. However, in the group receiving insulin treatment, there was no significant elevation in the risk of any allergic diseases. ConclusionGDM may elevate the risk of certain atopic diseases in offspring, such as allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria.

Cooking with the Seasons for Health (CwS4H): An Innovative Intervention That Links Nutrition Education, Cooking Skills, and Locally Grown Produce to Increase Vegetable Intake among Limited-Resource Parent-Child Dyads in Rural Washington.

Although children from limited-resource families in rural areas are at great risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases, few hands-on programs have been implemented that simultaneously engage both parents and children and include local produce in a single program. This study reports on the development, implementation, and evaluation of Cooking with the Seasons for Health (CwS4H). Parent-child pairs participated in six sessions (two weekly sessions during each of three growing seasons), which included food tasting, a spotlight vegetable, interactive mini nutrition lesson, a child-focused cooking lesson, hands-on meal preparation, distribution of materials as family guides, and a take-home bag of fresh produce. Pre- and postprogram survey data were collected from 23 parents and 22 children. Children reported improvements in nutrition knowledge, vegetable preference, and self-efficacy in food preparation and cooking. Parents reported gains in nutrition knowledge, nutritional behaviors, vegetable preference, attitude toward food preparation/cooking, involvement of the child in food preparation/cooking, confidence in preparing vegetables, and the child's vegetable intake. Parents commented on the value children placed on food preparation and produce selection and how the program enhanced the parent-child relationship. By focusing CwS4H on a variety of fresh vegetables, this intervention helped to impact children's vegetable intake behaviors by engaging children in preparing and choosing the food they eat.

Predictors of Stunting among 6–35 Months Old Children in Assosa Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: Unmatched Case–Control Study

Background. In 2020, globally, 149.2 million under 5 years old children were stunted. In Africa, 61.4 million and 79 million under 5 years old children in Asia were also stunted in 2020. Stunting is a major public health problem in Ethiopia, where more than 5.5 million children under 5 years old are stunted. Stunting has irreversible and intergenerational health consequences, including impaired cognitive and physical growth, poor learning capacity, and reduced work productivity. Efforts to end stunting need comprehensive and context identification of risk factors. For this reason, this study aims to identify the predictors of stunting among children 6–35 months of age in Northwest Ethiopia. Method. A community-based, unmatched case–control study was employed in the Assosa zone, Benishangul Gumuz, west Ethiopia. A multistage and simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires using validated structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Data were entered into Epidata version 3.1 and exported to SPSS 25.0 statistical software for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were computed. Finally, an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to identify independent predictors of stunting using a multivariable logistic regression model. Result. The study included 544 mother–child pairs (181 cases and 363 controls), with a 100% response rate. The majority of the mothers, 85 (47.0%) in the case and 153 (42.1%) in the control group, were in the 25- to 29-year-old age group. This study revealed that mothers who had no formal education (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI (1.436, 4.180)), short maternal height (&lt;150 cm) (AOR = 4.25, 95% CI (2.714, 6.663)), exclusive breastfeeding for less than 6 months (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI (1.97, 5.10)), minimum dietary diversity (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI (1.97, 5.01)), additional food during pregnancy (AOR = 2.26, 95% CI (1.44, 3.5)) and food security (AOR = 3.08, 95% CI (1.79, 5.26)) were found to be independently statistically associated with child stunting. Conclusion and Recommendation. This study revealed that the predictors of stunting among children aged 6–35 months were multifactorial, which calls for an integrated and multisectoral intervention to reduce or eliminate stunting. Mothers’ factors, educational status, additional food during pregnancy, and child feeding, including dietary diversity and exclusive breastfeeding, were modifiable predictors of child stunting. Therefore, we call for promoting mothers’ education, creating awareness among mothers about optimum infant and young child feeding, specifically exclusive breastfeeding, and promoting mothers’ practices of dietary diversity feeding.

Cord Blood Metabolite Profiles and Their Association with Autistic Traits in Childhood.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a diverse neurodevelopmental condition. Gene-environmental interactions in early stages of life might alter metabolic pathways, possibly contributing to ASD pathophysiology. Metabolomics may serve as a tool to identify underlying metabolic mechanisms contributing to ASD phenotype and could help to unravel its complex etiology. In a population-based, prospective cohort study among 783 mother-child pairs, cord blood serum concentrations of amino acids, non-esterified fatty acids, phospholipids, and carnitines were obtained using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Autistic traits were measured at the children's ages of 6 (n = 716) and 13 (n = 648) years using the parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale. Lower cord blood concentrations of SM.C.39.2 and NEFA16:1/16:0 were associated with higher autistic traits among 6-year-old children, adjusted for sex and age at outcome. After more stringent adjustment for confounders, no significant associations of cord blood metabolites and autistic traits at ages 6 and 13 were detected. Differences in lipid metabolism (SM and NEFA) might be involved in ASD-related pathways and are worth further investigation.

Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy Impacts Motor Performance in 9-Year-Old Children: A Pilot Study.

The benefits of maternal physical activity during pregnancy are well documented, but long-term effects on the child have been less studied. Therefore, we conducted a pilot follow-up study of a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy that aimed to investigate whether exercise (endurance and strength training) during pregnancy affects motor performance and body composition of children up to 9 years of age, as well as possible influencing factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and lifestyle. Eleven mother-child pairs from the intervention and eight mother-child pairs from the control group were included. From birth up to 9 years of age, no differences in body mass index (BMI) or body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) were found between the groups. Lifestyle intervention was one of the influencing factors for children's cardiorespiratory endurance capacity and coordination. Moreover, maternal BDNF in the last trimester was significantly associated with running performance, which may be due to better neuronal development. This is the first study evaluating the effects of a lifestyle intervention during pregnancy on the motor performance 9 years after birth. Children's participation in exercise programs over the past 9 years was not continuously recorded and therefore not included in the analysis. Even a cautious interpretation of these results indicates that a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is essential in promoting child health. Larger studies and randomized control trials are necessary to confirm our results, especially those pertaining to the role of BDNF.

Higher Adiponectin Levels in Children and Adolescents with T1D Probably Contribute to the Osteopenic Phenotype through the RANKL/OPG System Activation

Background: Diabetes mellitus is an increasing global health emergency, with serious complications (including osteoporosis). Leptin and adiponectin are among the least-investigated possible contributing factors of T1D low bone mass. Methods: In this case-control cross-sectional analysis, we evaluated 40 pairs of T1D children and adolescents and controls. We evaluated body diameters and skinfolds, leptin, adiponectin, lipids and lipoproteins, bone metabolic markers and DXA parameters of BMD and fat percentage. Results: Leptin levels were comparable between groups and correlated well with body mass parameters. Adiponectin levels were found to be higher in the patient group and correlated with higher levels of HbA1c, triglycerides and s-RANKL. Conclusions: In this study, leptin levels were no different, but adiponectin levels were found to be higher in children and adolescents with T1D and correlated with diabetic metabolic derangement indices and s-RANKL in the patient group. Adiponectin can be considered a surrogate marker of T1D in young patients’ metabolic status and probably contributes to the diabetic low bone mass phenotype via activation of the RANKL/OPG metabolic pathway.

Low vitamin D during pregnancy is associated with infantile eczema by up-regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and affecting FOXP3 expression: A bidirectional cohort study

Vitamin D has received increasing attention because of its association with atopic disease development. Limited studies that have been done on the impact of maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy on infantile eczema are still debatable. We wanted to discover the effect of maternal vitamin D on infantile eczema and explore whether regulatory T cells (Treg) play a role in this process. 219 pairs of mothers and children were enrolled. Maternal fasting venous blood was collected in pregnancy's second and third trimesters to determine vitamin D levels. Cord blood and placenta samples were collected during childbirth for detecting levels of genes, proteins and cytokines. Pediatricians followed up the prevalence of eczema in infants within 1 year. The reported rate of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was 35.6% and 28.3%. Lower maternal 25(OH)D3 levels were related to a higher risk of infantile eczema. Foxp3 gene expression is lower in cord blood of infants with eczema compared to infants without eczema. There was a positive correlation between maternal 25(OH)D3 levels and the expression of FOXP3 gene in cord blood. Compared to vitamin D sufficiency women, vitamin D deficiency women's placental FOXP3 protein expression was decreased and PI3K/AKT/mTOR protein was up-regulated. Our study demonstrates that low prenatal maternal vitamin D levels increased the risk of infantile eczema aged 0–1 year, which might be related to the downregulating of the FOXP3 gene expression in cord blood and decreased placental FOXP3 protein expression. Low placental FOXP3 protein was related with activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Effects of prenatal single and mixed bisphenol exposure on bone mineral density in preschool children: A population-based prospective cohort study

Exposure to bisphenols can affect bone mineral density (BMD) in animals and humans. However, the effects of maternal exposure to bisphenols during pregnancy on bone health in preschool children remain unknown. We aimed to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to single and multiple bisphenols on bone health in preschool children. A total of 230 mother–child pairs were included in this study. Generalized linear regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), principal component analysis (PCA), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were utilized to assess the relationship between bisphenol levels and bone health in preschool children. Each natural log (Ln) unit increase in tetrabromobisphenol A was related to a 0.007 m/s (95 % CI: –0.015, 0.000) decrease in Ln-transformed speed of sound (SOS) among girls. Decreased BMD Z scores in preschool children were found only in the high bisphenol S exposure group (β = -0.568; 95 % CI: –1.087, –0.050) in boys. The risk of low BMD (BMDL) was significantly higher in the middle-exposure group (OR = 4.695; 95 % CI: 1.143, 24.381) and high-exposure group of BPS (OR = 6.165, 95 % CI: 1.445, 33.789) compared with the low-exposure group in boys. In girls, the risk of BMDL decreased with increasing bisphenol A concentration (OR = 0.413, 95 % CI: 0.215, 0.721). RCS analysis revealed a U-shaped nonlinear correlation between BPB concentration and BMDL in girls (P-overall = 0.011, P-nonlinear = 0.009). In PCA, a U-shaped dose–response relationship was found between PC2 and the risk of BMDL (P-overall = 0.048, P-nonlinear = 0.032), and a significant association was only noted in girls when stratified by sex. The BKMR model revealed a horizontal S-shaped curve relationship between bisphenol mixtures and BMDL in girls. The results indicated that prenatal exposure to single and mixed bisphenols can affect BMD in preschool children, exerting nonmonotonic and child sex-specific effects.

A personalized approach to the management of breastfed infants with functional gastrointestinal disorders and cow’s milk allergy. The role of nutritional recommendations for a nursing mother

Introduction. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) in infants are a complex of symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract that cannot be explained by structural or biochemical disorders. To alleviate the symptoms of functional disorders, a set of measures is required, first of all, psychological support for the mother and, of course, rational feeding, which includes maintaining breastfeeding, optimizing the nutrition of the nursing mother. Despite the abundance of professional information on this issue, previous studies demonstrate a low level of women’s awareness of nutrition during breastfeeding. The aim of the work is to determine the effectiveness of recommendations on nursing mother’s nutrition in the complex treatment of breastfed children with FGID and allergy to cow’s milk proteins.&#x0D; Materials and methods. Seventy five mother–child pairs were included in the study. 1–4 months infants exclusively breastfed during the study were divided into two groups: 1 — FGID infants (n = 51) and 2 — infants with suspected cow’s milk allergy (CMA) n = 24. In addition to the comprehensive treatment of the child, mothers of both groups were given recommendations on the nursing woman’s nutrition. Mothers of children from group 2 were assigned a diagnostic dairy-free diet for a period of 1 month. &#x0D; Results. On the 2nd visit, when analyzing the symptoms of the FGID in group 1, the number of children with symptoms of regurgitation of more than 2 episodes per day decreased by 28% (p &lt; 0.001), crying for more than 3 hours per day — by 52% (p &lt; 0.001). Children of group 2 with a clear positive effect from the diagnostic dairy-free diet therapy of the mother (n = 20) were diagnosed with Allergic and alimentary gastroenteritis and colitis (K52.2 — 10th revision of ICD-10), the continuation of the dairy-free diet for the mother and the supervision of an allergist were prescribed. The survey of women showed that all nursing women were interested in nutrition issues during lactation, 92% of the surveyed mothers searched for this information on the Internet. At the same time, only 12% of women considered this information to be sufficient. Evaluating the presented materials on nutrition, the overwhelming majority of respondents replied that they helped them to adjust their diet and expand nutrition, as well as to maintain breastfeeding.&#x0D; Conclusion. Thus, an integrated approach in the management of FGID infants and gastrointestinal manifestations of food allergies, including the use of nutrition recommendations developed in the National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health for nursing women, allows achieving a positive effect on the side of symptoms both in FGID and CMA patients, and also contributes to the improvement of the psycho-emotional state of a woman and prolonged breastfeeding.

Current-use pesticide exposure pathways in Czech adults and children from the CELSPAC-SPECIMEn cohort

IntroductionIn this study, we aimed to characterise exposure to pyrethroids, organophosphates, and tebuconazole through multiple pathways in 110 parent–child pairs participating in the CELSPAC–SPECIMEn study. MethodsFirst, we estimated the daily intake (EDI) of pesticides based on measured urinary metabolites. Second, we compared EDI with estimated pesticide intake from food. We used multiple linear regression to identify the main predictors of urinary pesticide concentrations. We also assessed the relationship between urinary pesticide concentrations and organic and non-organic food consumption while controlling for a range of factors. Finally, we employed a model to estimate inhalation and dermal exposure due to spray drift and volatilization after assuming pesticide application in crop fields. ResultsEDI was often higher in children in comparison to adults, especially in the winter season. A comparison of food intake estimates and EDI suggested diet as a critical pathway of tebuconazole exposure, less so in the case of organophosphates. Regression models showed that consumption per g of peaches/apricots was associated with an increase of 0.37% CI [0.23% to 0.51%] in urinary tebuconazole metabolite concentrations. Consumption of white bread was associated with an increase of 0.21% CI [0.08% to 0.35%], and consumption of organic strawberries was inversely associated (-61.52% CI [-79.34% to -28.32%]), with urinary pyrethroid metabolite concentrations. Inhalation and dermal exposure seemed to represent a relatively small contribution to pesticide exposure as compared to dietary intake. ConclusionIn our study population, findings indicate diet plays a significant role in exposure to the analysed pesticides. We found an influence of potential exposure due to spray drift and volatilization among the subpopulation residing near presumably sprayed crop fields to be minimal in comparison. However, the lack of data indicating actual spraying occurred during the critical 24-hour period prior to urine sample collection could be a significant contributing factor.