The prediction of perceived parenting style on mother-infant bonding.

BACKGROUND: There are limited studies on the associations among parenting style, postpartum depression, and mother-infant bonding. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are investigating how the parenting style of maternal grandparents predicted the mothers' bonding with their infants. The mediating roles of postpartum depression were also explored. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A community sample of 227 postpartum women participated in this study. The participants primarily consisted of women who gave birth within six months (89.9%). METHODS: A cross-sectional and convenient sampling strategy was applied. Instruments were Parental Bonding Instrument, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, and Background Form. RESULTS: In the young infant group (i.e. mothers with infants not older than three months), the results indicated that maternal protection could predict "impaired bonding" (ß = 0.20, p < .05). This prediction was mediated by postpartum depression (ß = 0.32, p < .001). In the older infant group, paternal and maternal care could directly predict "rejection and anger" (ß = -0.20, -0.22 respectively, p < .05). Maternal protection could predict three bonding factors (ß = 0.25-0.29, p < .05, 0.01). Postpartum depression acted as total mediator for "impaired bonding"(ß = 0.45, p <. 001), and acted as partial mediators in "rejection and anger" and "anxiety about care" (ß = 0.45, 0.28, ps < .001, .01). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived parenting style (especially maternal protection) has impacts on adverse mother-infant bonding. Furthermore, the impact is more prominent on mothers of older infants. "Rejection and anger" could be the most vulnerable bonding factor affected by parenting style. Since postpartum depression mediates the predictions, interventions could concurrently address maternal parenting style and postpartum depression.

Surgical technique of transoral marsupialization for the treatment of nasopharyngeal branchial cysts.

OBJECTIVES: Nasopharyngeal branchial cysts (NBCs) are derived from a remnant of the branchial apparatus and originate from the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. Total excision of these cysts was the standard treatment in the past. We present a simpler and less invasive approach for NBC treatment, involving marsupialization, and report on its effectiveness and advantages. METHODS: The surgical approach was transoral. A circular incision 2 to 3 cm in diameter was made directly through the inferior wall of the cyst. After the NBC was drained, its opening was widened with scissors. A disk of oropharyngeal mucosa and the connecting inferior wall of the cyst were excised together. The cut edges of the inner lining of the cyst and the oropharyngeal mucosa were approximated with sutures. RESULTS: All 4 patients were female. One patient was observed because of poor cardiovascular health. The 3 patients who were managed surgically underwent successful transoral cyst marsupialization. The mean follow-up period was 21 months (range, 8 to 40 months). No obvious postoperative complication or recurrence was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Transoral marsupialization is a simple, effective, and less invasive method for treatment of NBCs.

Induction and regulation of differentiation in neural stem cells on ultra-nanocrystalline diamond films.

The interaction of ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) with neural stem cells (NSCs) has been studied in order to evaluate its potential as a biomaterial. Hydrogen-terminated UNCD (H-UNCD) films were compared with standard grade polystyrene in terms of their impact on the differentiation of NSCs. When NSCs were cultured on these substrates in medium supplemented with low concentration of serum and without any differentiating factors, H-UNCD films spontaneously induced neuronal differentiation on NSCs. By direct suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signaling-regulated kinase1/2 (MAPK/Erk1/2) signaling pathway in NSCs using U0126, known to inhibit the activation of Erk1/2, we demonstrated that the enhancement of Erk1/2 pathway is one of the effects of H-UNCD-induced NSCs differentiation. Moreover, functional-blocking antibody directed against integrin beta1 subunit inhibited neuronal differentiation on H-UNCD films. This result demonstrated the involvement of integrin beta1 in H-UNCD-mediated neuronal differentiation. Mechanistic studies revealed the cell adhesion to H-UNCD films associated with focal adhesion kinase (Fak) and initiated MAPK/Erk1/2 signaling. Our study demonstrated that H-UNCD films-mediated NSCs differentiation involves fibronectin-integrin beta1 and Fak-MAPK/Erk signaling pathways in the absence of differentiation factors. These observations raise the potential for the use of UNCD as a biomaterial for central nervous system transplantation and tissue engineering.