Associations between breastfeeding intention, breastfeeding practices and post-natal depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-country cross-sectional study.

Associations between breastfeeding intention, duration and post-natal depression (PND) have been shown in pre-COVID-19 studies. However, studies during COVID-19 have not examined the associations between breastfeeding intention, breastfeeding practices, and PND in an international sample of post-natal women, taking into consideration COVID-19 related factors. This is the first study to address this gap as both PND and breastfeeding may be affected by COVID-19, and have important long-term effects on women's and infant's health. A cross-sectional internet-based survey was conducted with 3253 post-natal women from five countries: Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom from July to November 2021. The results showed that women who intended to breastfeed during pregnancy had lower odds of having PND than women who did not intend to. Women who had no breastfeeding intention but actually breastfed had greater odds (AOR 1.75) of having PND than women who intended to breastfeed and actually breastfed. While there was no statistical significance in expressed breast milk feeding in multivariable logistic regression models, women who had shorter duration of breastfeeding directly on breast than they planned had greater odds (AOR 1.58) of having PND than those who breastfed longer than they planned even after adjusting for covariates including COVID-19-related variables. These findings suggested the importance of working with women on their breastfeeding intention. Tailored support is required to ensure women's breastfeeding needs are met and at the same time care for maternal mental health during and beyond the pandemic.

Immunoglobulin subgroups in children with febrile seizures.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine whether or not there was a role for immunoglobulin (Ig) or IgG subgroups in the pathogenesis of febrile seizures (FS). METHODS: Serum levels of IgA, total IgG, IgM, IgE, IgGI, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 were measured in 34 children with FS and in 37 healthy children used as a control group. Both patients and controls were divided into two groups according to age (group I, 6-24 months; group II, 25-72 months). RESULTS: Compared with controls, mean IgG4 levels in patients were found to be decreased in both groups I and II (group I: 95 +/- 14 vs 57 +/- 5, respectively, P = 0.01; group II: 178.5 +/- 38.5 vs 65.1 +/- 24.5, respectively, P < 0.01), while mean IgG2 levels were found to be decreased only in group II patients (170 +/- 16 vs 103 +/- 22; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that Ig subclass deficiencies may be responsible for the infections connected with FS or that they may be related to the pathogenesis of FS in some children.

RNAII transcribed by IPTG-induced T7 RNA polymerase is non-functional as a replication primer for ColE1-type plasmids in Escherichia coli.

RNAII, an RNA species encoded by ColE1-type plasmids, serves as a primer for plasmid DNA replication. Previous work has shown that overproduction of RNAII transcribed by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase results in elevated plasmid copy number. To produce a plasmid in which the elevation of its copy number is inducible, we placed transcription of RNAII under the control of a bacteriophage T7 late promoter regulated by IPTG-inducible T7 RNA polymerase. During induction of T7 RNA polymerase by IPTG, we found that RNAII was overexpressed, but that, surprisingly, this increase in RNAII did not result in elevation of plasmid copy number. These results suggest that RNAII transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase does not function as a primer for plasmid DNA replication. Since RNAII function requires folding of its multiple stem-loop structures in a precise conformation and folding of RNAII can be influenced by its rate of transcription, the extremely rapid rate of travel of the T7 RNA polymerase may preclude proper folding of RNAII during its elongation.