Cortical volume reductions in men transitioning to first-time fatherhood reflect both parenting engagement and mental health risk.

Perinatal reductions in gray matter volume have been observed in human mothers transitioning to parenthood, with preliminary evidence for similar changes in fathers. These reductions have been theorized to support adaptation to parenting, but greater investigation is needed. We scanned 38 first-time fathers during their partner's pregnancy and again after 6 months postpartum, and collected self-report data prenatally and 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Significant gray matter volume reductions were observed across the entire cortex but not the subcortex. Fathers who reported stronger prenatal bonding with the unborn infant, and planned to take more time off from work after birth, subsequently showed larger cortical volume decreases. Larger reductions in gray matter volume also emerged among fathers who reported stronger postpartum bonding with the infant, lower parenting stress, and more time spent with their infant. Larger volume reductions predicted more postpartum sleep problems and higher levels of postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, controlling for prenatal sleep and mental health. Volume reductions were smaller among fathers whose infants were older at the postpartum scan, indicating potential rebound. These results suggest that perinatal gray matter volume reductions might reflect not only greater parenting engagement but also increased mental health risk in new fathers.

Women's neuroplasticity during gestation, childbirth and postpartum.

Pregnancy is a unique neuroplastic period in adult life. This longitudinal study tracked brain cortical changes during the peripartum period and explored how the type of childbirth affects these changes. We collected neuroanatomic, obstetric and neuropsychological data from 110 first-time mothers during late pregnancy and early postpartum, as well as from 34 nulliparous women evaluated at similar time points. During late pregnancy, mothers showed lower cortical volume than controls across all functional networks. These cortical differences attenuated in the early postpartum session. Default mode and frontoparietal networks showed below-expected volume increases during peripartum, suggesting that their reductions may persist longer. Results also pointed to different cortical trajectories in mothers who delivered by scheduled C-section. The main findings were replicated in an independent sample of 29 mothers and 24 nulliparous women. These data suggest a dynamic trajectory of cortical decreases during pregnancy that attenuates in the postpartum period, at a different rate depending on the brain network and childbirth type.

Time measurement validity and reliability of the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test in adult population: The ADULT-FIT project.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the time measurement validity and reliability (between raters and test-retest) of the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test to assess motor fitness in adults, according to gender, age, and physical activity levels. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. A total of 230 adults (86 women) aged 18-64 years participated in the study. METHODS: The time taken to complete the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test was recorded simultaneously by a trained and an untrained rater (inter-rater reliability) and by photoelectric cells (time measurement validity). 48-72 h later, the test was repeated under the same conditions (test-retest reliability). RESULTS: The systematic error for trained rater vs. photocell was close to zero (0.0125, p < 0.01), with an effect size of 0.006; and for both, untrained rater vs. photocell and trained rater vs. untrained rater was ∼0.2 s (p < 0.001) with an effect size of 0.09. For the test-retest reliability, the systematic error was 0.05 s (p < 0.001), with an effect size of 0.26, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.998 and the coefficient of variation reported a variability of 0.73 %. Results were not influenced by gender and age, while these improved for active vs. non-active participants. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that measurements with trained raters are a valid and reliable method for assessing the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test in adults. It is highly recommended that raters be trained to minimize the measurement error.

The transition to motherhood: linking hormones, brain and behaviour.

We are witnessing a stark increase in scientific interest in the neurobiological processes associated with pregnancy and maternity. Convergent evidence suggests that around the time of labour, first-time mothers experience a specific pattern of neuroanatomical changes that are associated with maternal behaviour. Here we provide an overview of the human neurobiological adaptations of motherhood, focusing on the interplay between pregnancy-related steroid and peptide hormones, and neuroplasticity in the brain. We discuss which brain plasticity mechanisms might underlie the structural changes detected by MRI, which hormonal systems are likely to contribute to such neuroanatomical changes and how these brain mechanisms may be linked to maternal behaviour. This Review offers an overarching framework that can serve as a roadmap for future investigations.

Prenatal prolactin predicts postnatal parenting attitudes and brain structure remodeling in first-time fathers.

Despite the important contributions that fathers make to parenting, the neurobiological underpinnings of men's adaptation to parenthood are still not well understood. The current study focuses on prolactin, a hormone that has been extensively linked with reproduction, lactation, and parental behavior in mothers. There is preliminary evidence that prolactin may also reflect the transition to sensitive fatherhood. We sampled prolactin in 91 first-time expectant fathers who participated in a laboratory visit along with their pregnant partners. Fathers' prolactin levels were correlated with their partners' prolactin levels. Men's prolactin levels during their partner's pregnancy were associated with their self-reported antenatal bonding to the unborn infant. Prenatal prolactin levels in fathers also predicted more positive attitudes toward fatherhood at three months postpartum, including lower parenting stress, greater enjoyment of the infant, and a more attunement-oriented parenting style. Within a smaller sample of 32 men who participated in MRI scanning before and after their child's birth, prenatal prolactin also predicted greater reductions in grey matter volume in the left posterior cingulate, left insula, and left nucleus accumbens. In conclusion, men's prenatal prolactin may reflect their perceptions of fatherhood and changes to their perinatal brain structure.

Needs of patients with multi-morbidity and heart failure for the development of a mHealth to improve their self-management: A qualitative analysis.

Objective: To provide practical information regarding needs, preferences of content and format of an app to assist the self-management in patients with multi-morbidity and heart failure (HF). Methods: The three-phase study was conducted in Spain. Six integrative reviews, a qualitative methodology based on Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology through semi-structured interviews and user stories were used. Data collection continued until data saturation was reached. All data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a framework approach. Thematic analysis technique following the methods of Braun and Clarke was used for emerging themes. Results: Integrative reviews conducted included practical recommendations to include in the content and format of the App and helped create the interview guide. Interviews revealed 15 subthemes that captured the meaning of narratives offering contextual insights into the development of the App. The main effective mechanisms of multicomponent interventions for patients with HF must contain (a) components that increase the patient's understanding of HF, (b) self-care, (c) self-efficacy and participation of the family/informal caregiver, (4) psychosocial well-being and (5) professional support and use of technology. User stories revealed that patients prioritized improvements in direct contact with health services in case of emergency (90%), nutritional information (70%), type of exercises in order to improve their physical condition (75%) and information about food and drug interaction (60%). The importance of motivation messages (60%) was highlighted by transversal way. Conclusions: The three-phase process integrating theoretical basis, evidence from integrative reviews and research findings from target users has been considered a guide for future app development.

Changes in left hippocampal volume in first-time fathers: Associations with oxytocin, testosterone, and adaptation to parenthood.

The parenting brain may undergo remodeling that supports the adjustment to new parenthood. Prior work on human mothers has found gray matter volume decreases from preconception to early postpartum in multiple structures, including the left hippocampus, which was the only structure to show gray matter volume recovery at 2 years postpartum. This is consistent with evidence from animal models that the hippocampus is unusually plastic across reproductive transitions. However, no studies have focused specifically on hippocampal volume changes in human fathers. Among 38 men who were scanned by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after having their first child, individual differences in left hippocampal volume changes were associated with men's prenatal oxytocin, postpartum testosterone, and postpartum adaptation to parenthood. Across the whole sample, hippocampal volumes did not change significantly from prenatal to postpartum. However, men who showed larger increases in left hippocampal volume from prenatal to postpartum reported stronger parent-child bonding and affectionate attachment and lower parenting stress. Fathers with higher levels of prenatal oxytocin showed larger left hippocampal volume increases across the transition to parenthood. In turn, greater increases in left hippocampal volume predicted lower postpartum testosterone after adjusting for prenatal testosterone. These findings did not extend to the right hippocampus. In conclusion, remodeling of the left hippocampus across the transition to new fatherhood may reflect adaptation to parenthood in human males.

Impact of cytomegalovirus immunodominant HLA-I donor-recipient matching on the incidence and features of virus DNAemia and virus-specific T-cell immune reconstitution in unmanipulated haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether donor-recipient mismatch involving one or more cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunodominant (ID) human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I alleles may impact on the degree of CMV pp65/immediate-early 1 (IE-1) T-cell reconstitution and the incidence of CMV DNAemia in patients undergoing unmanipulated haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with high-dose posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PT/Cy-haplo). METHODS: Multicenter observational study including 106 consecutive adult PT/Cy-haplo patients (34 CMV ID HLA-I matched and 72 mismatched). A real-time PCR was used for plasma CMV DNA load monitoring. Enumeration of CMV-specific (pp65/IE-1) interferon (IFN)-γ-producing T cells from several patients was performed by flow cytometry by days +30, +60, +90 and +180 after transplantation. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of CMV DNAemia, clinically significant CMV DNAemia episodes (cs-CMVi), and recurrent CMV DNAemia was comparable across CMV ID HLA-I matched and mismatched patients (71.8% vs. 80.9%, p = .95; 40.7% vs. 44.2%, p = .85; 16.4% vs. 28.1%; p = .43, respectively). The percentage of patients exhibiting detectable CMV-specific IFN-γ-producing T-cell responses (either CD8+ or CD4+ ) was similar across groups; nevertheless, significantly higher CMV-specific CD8+ T-cell counts were enumerated in the CMV ID HLA-I matched compared to mismatched patients by day +60 (p = .04) and +180 (p = .016) after transplantation. CONCLUSION: CMV ID HLA-I matching may impact on the magnitude of CMV-pp65/IE-1-specific CD8+ T-cell reconstitution; yet, this effect seemed not to have an impact on the incidence of initial, recurrent CMV DNAemia, or cs-CMVi.

Smooth Muscle Cells from a Rat Model of Obesity and Hyperleptinemia Are Partially Resistant to Leptin-Induced Reactive Oxygen Species Generation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of leptin on reactive oxygen species' (ROS) generation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from a rat model of obesity and hyperleptinemia. Obesity and hyperleptinemia were induced in rats by a sucrose-based diet for 24 weeks. ROS generation was detected by using dichloro-dihydrofluorescein (DCF), a fluorescent ROS probe in primary SMCs culture. An increase in plasma leptin and oxidative stress markers was observed in sucrose-fed (SF) rats. At baseline SMCs from SF rats showed a more than twofold increase in fluorescence intensity (FI) compared to that obtained in control (C) cells. When the C cells were treated with 20 ng leptin, the FI increased by about 250%, whereas the leptin-induced FI in the SF cells increased only by 28%. In addition, sucrose feeding increased the levels of p22phox and gp91phox, subunits of Nox as an O2•- source in SMCs. Treatment of cells with leptin significantly increased p22phox and gp91phox levels in C cells and did not affect SF cells. Regarding STAT3 phosphorylation and the content of PTP1B and SOCS3 as protein markers of leptin resistance, they were found to be significantly increased in SF cells. These results suggest that SF aortic SMCs are partially resistant to leptin-induced ROS generation.

Criterion-related validity and reliability of the 2-km walk test and the 20-m shuttle run test in adults: The role of sex, age and physical activity level.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the criterion-related validity and the reliability of fitness field tests for evaluating cardiorespiratory fitness in adults, by sex, age, and physical activity level. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: During 3 weeks, sociodemographic, anthropometric measurements, a treadmill maximal test, the 2-km walk test, and the 20-m SRT were performed in 410 adults aged 18-64 years. Measured and estimated VO2max (by Oja's and Leger's equations) were analyzed. RESULTS: Measured VO2max was associated with estimated VO2max by the 2-km walk test and 20-m SRT (r = 0.784 and r = 0.875, respectively; both p < 0.01). Bland-Altman analysis showed a mean difference of -0.30 ml* kg-1 * min-1 (p < 0.001, d = -0.141) in the 2-km walk test, and 0.86 ml* kg-1 * min-1 (p = 0.051) in the 20-m SRT. Significant mean differences between test and retest were found in the time to complete the 2-km walk test (-1.48 ±â€¯0.51 s, p = 0.004, d = -0.014) and in the final stage reached in the 20-m SRT (0.04 ±â€¯0.01, p = 0.002, d = 0.015). Non-significant differences were found between test and retest in the estimated VO2max by Oja's (-0.29 ±â€¯0.20 ml* kg-1 * min-1, p > 0.05) and Leger's eqs. (0.03 ±â€¯0.04 ml* kg-1 * min-1, p > 0.05). Moreover, both test results and estimated VO2max equations showed a high test-retest reliability. CONCLUSIONS: Both tests were valid and reliable for evaluating cardiorespiratory fitness in adults aged 18-64 years, regardless of sex, age, and physical activity level.

Accuracy and Comprehensiveness in Recording Information of a Web-Based Application for Preoperative Assessment: A Prospective Observational Study.

PURPOSE: Preanestes@s is a web-based application that includes a smart computer-based self-assessment preoperative questionnaire (PreQuest). Preanestes@s enables remote non-telephonic preoperative assessment via a virtual visit. We aimed to determine if the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification assigned by PreQuest and virtual visit is comparable with that assigned by face-to-face assessment, and to determine the accuracy of Preanestes@s in recording complementary preoperative information. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, paired study. METHODS: This study was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital. A total of 510 adult patients scheduled for surgery were consecutively recruited. Of these, 220 patients were included in the analysis of ASA grade agreement. FINDINGS: PreQuest and virtual visit showed higher predictive value than face-to-face assessment in detecting patients with ASA grades 1 to 2. Face-to-face assessment showed the highest rate of false negatives (ASA 3-4 misclassified as ASA 1-2), with a sensitivity of 44.2% versus 69.8% and 50% for PreQuest and virtual visit, respectively. Virtual visit showed the highest agreement with the ASA grade assigned by a panel of experts (kappa index 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.89). PreQuest and virtual visit offered a more comprehensive registry of anthropometric data, more detailed record of chronic diseases condition, and more accurate registry of patients' treatments (virtual visit > PreQuest > face-to-face assessment). CONCLUSIONS: The combined use of PreQuest and virtual visit offers a better performance in assigning the ASA grade for non-complex patients and a more accurate and detailed record of complementary information. This finding suggests the feasibility of Preanestes@ as a tool for preoperative assessment.

First-time fathers show longitudinal gray matter cortical volume reductions: evidence from two international samples.

Emerging evidence points to the transition to parenthood as a critical window for adult neural plasticity. Studying fathers offers a unique opportunity to explore how parenting experience can shape the human brain when pregnancy is not directly experienced. Yet very few studies have examined the neuroanatomic adaptations of men transitioning into fatherhood. The present study reports on an international collaboration between two laboratories, one in Spain and the other in California (United States), that have prospectively collected structural neuroimaging data in 20 expectant fathers before and after the birth of their first child. The Spanish sample also included a control group of 17 childless men. We tested whether the transition into fatherhood entailed anatomical changes in brain cortical volume, thickness, and area, and subcortical volumes. We found overlapping trends of cortical volume reductions within the default mode network and visual networks and preservation of subcortical structures across both samples of first-time fathers, which persisted after controlling for fathers' and children's age at the postnatal scan. This study provides convergent evidence for cortical structural changes in fathers, supporting the possibility that the transition to fatherhood may represent a meaningful window of experience-induced structural neuroplasticity in males.

Gamificación educativa en el laboratorio de biología celular / Educational gamification in the cell biology laboratory

La incorporación de estrategias de gamificación en la docencia se ha descrito como una herramienta para aumentar la motivación y el compromiso de los alumnos con la materia. Bajo esta premisa, se ha desarrollado una experiencia de innovación educativa mediante la plataforma Kahoot! en la primera y última práctica de laboratorio de la asignatura de Biología Celular del Grado en Biología. Los participantes fueron 135 alumnos repartidos en 12 grupos de laboratorio, que se dividieron entre experimentales y controles. Todos los grupos resolvieron un cuestionario en papel acerca de los conceptos explicados en clase, al finalizar ambas prácticas (post-test), pero sólo aquellos grupos experimentales resolvían un cuestionario antes de la clase (pre-test). Antes de la primera práctica, los alumnos de los grupos experimentales respondieron al pre-test mediante el Kahoot! Sin embargo, para la última práctica algunos grupos lo resolvieron jugando al Kahoot! y otros, con papel y bolígrafo. Los resultados mostraron que aquellos alumnos que fueron seleccionados para jugar a Kahoot!, obtuvieron un mayor número de aciertos en el test realizado tras la sesión práctica (post-test) con respecto a aquellos que no resolvieron ningún pre-test o, que lo hicieron de un modo clásico. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que implementar la jugabilidad en la docencia incrementa considerablemente la motivación del alumnado debido, probablemente, a cambios fisiológicos experimentados por el cerebro durante el juego y a la creación de un clima positivo, que facilitan el proceso de aprendizaje.

SUMMARY: The incorporation of gamification strategies in teaching has been described as a tool to increase the motivation and engagement of students with the subject. Under this premise, an educational innovation experience has been developed using the Kahoot! platform in the first and last laboratory practice of the Cell Biology course of the Biology degree. The participants were 135 students divided into 12 laboratory groups, which were divided into experimental and control groups. All groups solved a questionnaire on paper about the concepts explained in class, at the end of both practices (post-test), but only the experimental groups solved a questionnaire before the class (pre-test). Before the first practice, students in the experimental groups answered the pre-test using Kahoot! However, for the last practice, some groups solved it by playing Kahoot! and others with pen and paper. The results showed that those students who were selected to play Kahoot! obtained a higher number of correct answers in the test performed after the practical session (post-test) than those who did not solve any pre- test or who did it in a classical way. Therefore, our results suggest that implementing gamification in teaching considerably increases student motivation, probably due to physiological changes experienced by the brain during the game and the creation of a positive climate, which facilitates the learning process.

Criterion-Related Validity of Field-Based Methods and Equations for Body Composition Estimation in Adults: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Overweight and obesity are associated to health prognosis. Therefore, body composition assessment is an important health outcome, especially in adult population. We analyzed the criterion-related validity of existing field-based methods and equations for body composition estimation in adults aged 19-64 years. RECENT FINDINGS: One hundred studies met inclusion criteria. The field-based methods, waist circumference (WC), body adiposity index (BAI), and body mass index (BMI) are valid to indicate body adiposity. Likewise, several equations, including the classical Durnin/Womersley equation, Jackson/Pollock equation (males), and Jackson, Pollock, and Ward equation (females), are valid to estimate total body fat mass or body fat percentage. Anthropometric field methods can provide a simple, quick, and easy informative indicators of adiposity in adults. Classical equations, such as Durnin/Womersley equation, Jackson/Pollock equation, and Jackson, Pollock, and Ward equation, are still valid to estimate total body fat mass or body fat percentage in adult population. When choosing estimation equations, specific population characteristics, such as age, weight status, or race ethnicity, should be taken into account. (Trial Registration: Registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020194272)).

Recent Neuroscience Advances in Human Parenting.

The transition to parenthood entails brain adaptations to the demands of caring for a newborn. This chapter reviews recent neuroscience findings on human parenting, focusing on neuroimaging studies. First, we describe the brain circuits underlying human maternal behavior, which comprise ancient subcortical circuits and more sophisticated cortical regions. Then, we present the short-term and long-term functional and structural brain adaptations that characterize the transition to motherhood, discuss the long-term effects of parenthood on the brain, and propose several underlying neural mechanisms. We also review neuroimaging findings in biological fathers and alloparents (such as other relatives or adoptive parents), who engage in parenting without directly experiencing pregnancy or childbirth. Finally, we describe perinatal mental illnesses and discuss the neural responses associated with such disorders. To date, studies indicate that parenthood is a period of enhanced brain plasticity within brain areas critical for cognitive and social processing and that both parenting experience and gestational-related factors can prime such plasticity.

Local Functional Connectivity as a Parsimonious Explanation of the Main Frameworks for ADHD in Medication-Naïve Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Neuroimaging studies in children with ADHD indicate that their brain exhibits an atypical functional connectivity pattern characterized by increased local connectivity and decreased distant connectivity. We aim to evaluate if the local and distant distribution of functional connectivity is also altered in adult samples with ADHD who have never received medication before. METHODS: We compared local and distant functional connectivity between 31 medication-naïve adults with ADHD and 31 healthy controls and tested whether this pattern was associated with symptoms severity scores. RESULTS: ADHD sample showed increased local connectivity in the dACC and the SFG and decreased local connectivity in the PCC. CONCLUSION: Results parallel those obtained in children samples suggesting a deficient integration within the DMN and segregation between DMN, FPN, and VAN. These results are consistent with the three main frameworks that explain ADHD: the neurodevelopmental delay hypothesis, the DMN interference hypothesis and multi-network models.

Local Functional Connectivity as a Parsimonious Explanation of the Main Frameworks for ADHD in Medication-Naïve Adults.

Objective: Neuroimaging studies in children with ADHD indicate that their brain exhibits an atypical functional connectivity pattern characterized by increased local connectivity and decreased distant connectivity. We aim to evaluate if the local and distant distribution of functional connectivity is also altered in adult samples with ADHD who have never received medication before. Methods: We compared local and distant functional connectivity between 31 medication-naïve adults with ADHD and 31 healthy controls and tested whether this pattern was associated with symptoms severity scores. Results: ADHD sample showed increased local connectivity in the dACC and the SFG and decreased local connectivity in the PCC. Conclusion: Results parallel those obtained in children samples suggesting a deficient integration within the DMN and segregation between DMN, FPN, and VAN. These results are consistent with the three main frameworks that explain ADHD: the neurodevelopmental delay hypothesis, the DMN interference hypothesis, and multi-network models.