Evolution of a novel adrenal cell type that promotes parental care.

Cell types with specialized functions fundamentally regulate animal behaviour, and yet the genetic mechanisms that underlie the emergence of novel cell types and their consequences for behaviour are not well understood1. Here we show that the monogamous oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) has recently evolved a novel cell type in the adrenal gland that expresses the enzyme AKR1C18, which converts progesterone into 20α-hydroxyprogesterone. We then demonstrate that 20α-hydroxyprogesterone is more abundant in oldfield mice, where it induces monogamous-typical parental behaviours, than in the closely related promiscuous deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Using quantitative trait locus mapping in a cross between these species, we ultimately find interspecific genetic variation that drives expression of the nuclear protein GADD45A and the glycoprotein tenascin N, which contribute to the emergence and function of this cell type in oldfield mice. Our results provide an example by which the recent evolution of a new cell type in a gland outside the brain contributes to the evolution of social behaviour.

Experience of discrimination reported during pregnancy and infant's emerging effortful control.

Discrimination reported during pregnancy is associated with poorer offspring emotional outcomes. Links with effortful control have yet to be examined. This study investigated whether pregnant individuals' reports of lifetime racial/ethnic discrimination and everyday discrimination (including but not specific to race/ethnicity) reported during pregnancy were associated with offspring emerging effortful control at 6 months of age. Pregnant individuals (N = 174) and their offspring (93 female infants) participated. During pregnancy, participants completed two discrimination measures: (1) lifetime experience of racial/ethnic discrimination, and (2) everyday discrimination (not specific to race/ethnicity). Parents completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised when infants were 6 months old to assess orienting/regulation, a measure of emerging effortful control. Analyses were conducted in a subsample with racially/ethnically marginalized participants and then everyday discrimination analyses were repeated in the full sample. For racially/ethnically marginalized participants, greater everyday discrimination (ß = -.27, p = .01) but not greater lifetime experience of racial/ethnic discrimination (ß = -.21, p = .06) was associated with poorer infant emerging effortful control. In the full sample, greater everyday discrimination was associated with poorer infant emerging effortful control (ß = -.24, p = .002). Greater perceived stress, but not depressive symptoms, at 2 months postnatal mediated the association between everyday discrimination and emerging effortful control. Further research should examine additional biological and behavioral mechanisms by which discrimination reported during pregnancy may affect offspring emerging effortful control.

First Report of Xanthomonas perforans Causing Bacterial Spot of Pepper (Capsicum annuum) in North Carolina.

North Carolina (NC) is the fifth largest producer of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) in the US with an estimated 2,400 acres in production (NASS-USDA, 2022). A survey of bacterial diseases of peppers was initiated in 2020 after numerous bacterial spot outbreaks were reported in NC. Bacterial spot is caused by a complex of four Xanthomonads: X. euvesicatoria, X. vesicatoria, X. perforans, and X. hortorum pv. gardneri (Larrahondo-Rodríguez et al., 2022). If not preemptively managed, bacterial spot can cause up to 40% yield loss (Kousik and Ritchie, 1998). During the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons, 103 yellow mucoid colonies were isolated from plants representing 51 pepper cultivars symptomatic of bacterial spot, i.e., water-soaked leaf lesions that become necrotic spots on leaves and fruits across 22 commercial fields in NC following published methods (Klein-Gordon et al., 2021). All colonies were characterized to species using the qPCR species-specific primers and probes described by Strayer et al. 2016. Of the 103 colonies, 12 isolates tested positive for X. perforans. To confirm qPCR results, a Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) was run using fusA, gapA, gltA, gyrB, and lacF following previously described methods (Almeida et al., 2010) on three representative isolates: AHX61, collected in September 2020 from a field with 20% disease severity in Wake County on cv. Canary Bell; AHX261, collected in July 2021 from a field with 50% disease severity in Sampson County on Jalapeño; and AHX426, collected in August 2021 from a field with 50% disease severity in Dublin County on Jalapeño. All gene sequences were deposited to NCBI (GenBank Accessions: OQ799538-OQ799552) and compared to those from X. euvesicatoria, X. hortorum pv. gardneri, X. perforans, and X. vesicatoria type strains (Almeida et al., 2010). The MLSA showed AHX61, AHX261, and AHX426 cluster with X. perforans ICMP16690T, sharing 99-100% nucleotide similarity. Koch's postulates were performed with the three strains, Xp1484T [ X. perforans type strain, (Wilson 1987)], and water as a negative control. Three 10-week-old bell pepper plants (cv. Early Cal Wonder) were dip-inoculated in 600 mL of a bacterial suspension at an OD600 of 0.3 (~5x108 CFU/mL) and 0.04% Silwet L-77 per strain or water. All 18 plants were individually incubated in a plastic bag for 48 h post-inoculation at 28°C, 80% relative humidity, and 14 h:10 h light-dark cycle in a growth chamber, after which plastic bags were removed. Water-soaking and necrotic spots characteristic of bacterial spot were first observed at six days post-inoculation (dpi). At 14 dpi, symptomatic leaves were removed from treated plants to attempt pathogen re-isolation. Yellow mucoid colonies similar in morphology to those originally inoculated were recovered from all plants and confirmed to be X. perforans through sequencing; no isolates were recovered from water-treated plants. To our knowledge, this is the first time X. perforans is isolated in commercial bell pepper and specialty pepper fields in the state. This is an indication that the Xanthomonas population on peppers in the state is more diverse than previously reported and that pathogen populations will require monitoring for possible species shifts for this crop in NC.

Microbial communities from weathered outcrops of a sulfide-rich ultramafic intrusion, and implications for mine waste management.

The Duluth Complex (DC) contains sulfide-rich magmatic intrusions that represent one of the largest known economic deposits of copper, nickel, and platinum group elements. Previous work showed that microbial communities associated with experimentally-weathered DC waste rock and tailings were dominated by uncultivated taxa and organisms not typically associated with mine waste. However, those experiments were designed for kinetic testing and do not necessarily represent the conditions expected for long-term environmental weathering. We used 16S rRNA gene methods to characterize the microbial communities present on the surfaces of naturally-weathered and historically disturbed outcrops of DC material. Rock surfaces were dominated by diverse uncultured Ktedonobacteria, Acetobacteria, and Actinobacteria, with abundant algae and other phototrophs. These communities were distinct from microbial assemblages from experimentally-weathered DC rocks, suggesting different energy and nutrient resources in environmental samples. Sulfide mineral incubations performed with and without algae showed that photosynthetic microorganisms could have an inhibitory effect on autotrophic populations, resulting in slightly lower sulfate release and differences in dominant microorganisms. The microbial assemblages from these weathered outcrops show how communities develop during weathering of sulfide-rich DC rocks and represent baseline data that could evaluate the effectiveness of future reclamation of waste produced by large-scale mining operations.

Changes in mental health symptoms and sociocultural factors across the COVID-19 pandemic in mothers of Mexican descent.

Latinos have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. Little is known about the lasting effects on mental health, particularly among mothers of young children, who historically report high levels of depression and anxiety. We examined if anxiety and depression symptoms worsened for mothers of Mexican descent across the pandemic and identified the role of sociocultural risk and protective factors on these changes. Mothers of Mexican descent (n = 141) with young children (ages 0-7) were administered surveys on mental health symptoms (anxiety and depression), stress-related sociocultural factors (perceived discrimination) before (pre-pandemic), within 3 months (early pandemic), and 18 months after the COVID-19 stay-at-home order (late pandemic). Another sociocultural factor, acculturative stress, was only measured pre-pandemic while during the later phase of the pandemic mothers reported their levels of loneliness, optimism, and coping styles. Repeated measures (RM) ANOVA demonstrated that depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as perceived discrimination increased from pre to early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and slightly lowered in late-COVID but did not return to pre-COVID levels. Two-way RM ANOVA showed that acculturative stress and perceived discrimination predicted worse mental health trajectories across the pandemic while moderations revealed that optimism buffered against, and avoidant coping increased the adverse effects of sociocultural factors on mental health. The effects of the COVID pandemic on mental health are lingering in mothers of young children; however, optimism may be a protective factor. The results also highlight the damaging effects of external factors, such as discrimination, on maternal mental health during times of crisis.

Discrimination and adverse birth outcomes among Latina women: The protective role of social support.

OBJECTIVE: Interpersonal discrimination has been associated with adverse birth outcomes among Black populations, but few studies have examined the impact of discrimination among Latinx/Hispanic populations in the United States, especially in conjunction with resources that could be protective. The present study examined (a) if exposure to discrimination is associated with adverse birth outcomes for Latina/Hispanic women and (b) if prenatal social support buffers these links. METHOD: In two independent prospective studies of Latina/Hispanic women in Southern California (N = 84 and N = 102), the relation between maternal experience of discrimination and birth outcomes (length of gestation and birth weight) was examined. Additionally, social support was tested as a moderator of these relations. RESULTS: In both Studies 1 and 2, exposures to discrimination predicted adverse birth outcomes. Specifically, lifetime experiences of major discrimination predicted lower birth weight. Additionally, in Study 2, chronic experiences of everyday discrimination were linked to lower birth weight. In Study 1, major discrimination also predicted shorter gestational length. Importantly, in both studies, the presence of prenatal social support buffered associations between discrimination and poorer birth outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Findings implicate discrimination as an important risk factor for adverse birth outcomes among women of Latina/Hispanic descent. Further policies, practice, and research on reducing discrimination and enhancing factors that promote resilience such as social support are needed to facilitate healthy births among Latina/Hispanic women, mitigate intergenerational harm of discrimination-related stress, and advance health equity at birth and across the lifespan. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Sociocultural stressors across the perinatal period and risk for postpartum depressive symptoms in women of Mexican descent.

OBJECTIVES: In the United States, women of Mexican descent are affected by postpartum depression at disproportionate rates, often two to three times higher than the general population. Sociocultural stressors may contribute to this disparity. Traditionally, these stressors are measured at a single time point, and it is unknown if sociocultural stressors change from pregnancy to the postnatal period and if they are related to postpartum depressive symptoms. METHOD: Pregnant women of Mexican descent (N = 159) were assessed for acculturation (Mexican and Anglo orientation), perceived discrimination, acculturative stress, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms during the first trimester and postpartum period. RESULTS: Women reported increases in Mexican orientation, t(126) = -3.503, p = .01, and decreases in acculturative stress, t(159) = -3.503, p < .001, and perceived stress, t(159) = 6.332, p < .001, from pregnancy to postpartum. Only increases in Mexican orientation were associated with less postpartum depressive symptoms (R² = 0.050, B = -2.210, SE = 0.996, t = -2.120, p = .028), even when controlling for covariates. In addition, postnatal measurements of elevated acculturative stress and less Mexican orientation (R² = 0.127, B = 0.133, SE = 0.036, t = 3.721, p < .001; B = -2.194, SE = 0.769, t = -2.853, p < .001, respectively) were associated with more postpartum depressive symptoms; however, only Mexican orientation remained significant after covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Sociocultural stressors change across the perinatal period and contribute to postpartum depressive symptoms. Findings implicate a need for consideration of sociocultural stressors in postpartum depression prevention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Developing retinal biomarkers for the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease: What we know, what we don't, and how to move forward.

The last decade has seen a substantial increase in research focused on the identification, development, and validation of diagnostic and prognostic retinal biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sensitive retinal biomarkers may be advantageous because they are cost and time efficient, non-invasive, and present a minimal degree of patient risk and a high degree of accessibility. Much of the work in this area thus far has focused on distinguishing between symptomatic AD and/or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitively normal older adults. Minimal work has been done on the detection of preclinical AD, the earliest stage of AD pathogenesis characterized by the accumulation of cerebral amyloid absent clinical symptoms of MCI or dementia. The following review examines retinal structural changes, proteinopathies, and vascular alterations that have been proposed as potential AD biomarkers, with a focus on studies examining the earliest stages of disease pathogenesis. In addition, we present recommendations for future research to move beyond the discovery phase and toward validation of AD risk biomarkers that could potentially be used as a first step in a multistep screening process for AD risk detection.

Exploring associations between perinatal depression, anxiety, and urinary oxytocin levels in Latinas.

Perinatal depression has been associated with lower oxytocin (OT) levels. However, few studies have explored this topic in relation to Latinas who are at high risk of perinatal depression. The objective of this study was to explore these associations in Latinas. A total of 108 Latinas in the third trimester of pregnancy participated in the study. Depression and urinary OT levels were assessed in pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum. Nonparametric tests were implemented to test the proposed associations. Results revealed that 28% of the participants had probable depression in pregnancy, and 23% at 6 weeks postpartum. OT levels significantly decreased from prenatal to postpartum in the whole sample; however, participants with probable prenatal depression did not exhibit a significant change in OT levels. Participants who were depressed or anxious at 6 weeks postpartum exhibited persistently higher mean OT levels over time. A distinct pattern of higher levels of OT in depressed Latinas suggests that OT levels may be an important neuroendocrine factor contributing to depressive and anxious symptoms.

Acculturative stress, mental health symptoms, and the role of salivary inflammatory markers among a Latino sample.

OBJECTIVES: Exposure to psychosocial stressors is associated with increases in adverse mental health outcomes and inflammatory markers. Limited research has investigated if acculturative stress, related to cultural adaptation in Latinos, one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States, follows a similar pattern. This study hypothesized that acculturative stress would be associated with increased mental health symptoms as well as increases in salivary inflammatory markers. In addition, it was hypothesized that higher levels of salivary inflammatory markers would mediate the pathways between acculturative stress and mental health symptoms. The ability of salivary inflammatory markers to moderate the relationship between acculturative stress and mental health symptoms was also tested. METHOD: One hundred and fifty-four Latino participants were recruited from a local university. Participants completed measures of acculturative stress, perceived stress, state/trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Saliva samples measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-1ß. RESULTS: Acculturative stress was significantly associated with increases in perceived stress, state/trait anxiety and depressive symptoms. Salivary inflammatory markers did not mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and mental health symptoms. Alternatively, CRP, but not IL-1ß, moderated the relationship between acculturative stress and state anxiety, such that when salivary CRP levels were low, there was a positive association between acculturative stress and state anxiety symptoms. DISCUSSION: Results suggests that the interplay between acculturative stress and salivary inflammation might indicate risk for anxiety in vulnerable populations. (PsycINFO Database Record

Fasciola hepatica fatty acid binding protein inhibits TLR4 activation and suppresses the inflammatory cytokines induced by lipopolysaccharide in vitro and in vivo.

TLR4, the innate immunity receptor for bacterial endotoxins, plays a pivotal role in the induction of inflammatory responses. There is a need to develop molecules that block either activation through TLR4 or the downstream signaling pathways to inhibit the storm of inflammation typically elicited by bacterial LPS, which is a major cause of the high mortality associated with bacterial sepsis. We report in this article that a single i.p. injection of 15 µg fatty acid binding protein from Fasciola hepatica (Fh12) 1 h before exposure to LPS suppressed significantly the expression of serum inflammatory cytokines in a model of septic shock using C57BL/6 mice. Because macrophages are a good source of IL-12p70 and TNF-α, and are critical in driving adaptive immunity, we investigated the effect of Fh12 on the function of mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (bmMΦs). Although Fh12 alone did not induce cytokine expression, it significantly suppressed the expression of IL-12, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß cytokines, as well as inducible NO synthase-2 in bmMΦs, and also impaired the phagocytic capacity of bmMΦs. Fh12 had a limited effect on the expression of inflammatory cytokines induced in response to other TLR ligands. One mechanism used by Fh12 to exert its anti-inflammatory effect is binding to the CD14 coreceptor. Moreover, it suppresses phosphorylation of ERK, p38, and JNK. The potent anti-inflammatory properties of Fh12 demonstrated in this study open doors to further studies directed at exploring the potential of this molecule as a new class of drug against septic shock or other inflammatory diseases.

Cortisol during human fetal life: Characterization of a method for processing small quantities of newborn hair from 26 to 42 weeks gestation.

OBJECTIVE: Fetal cortisol may be reflected in hair collected shortly after birth. The objective of this study was to determine the range of human fetal hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in live-born neonates using an approach for processing small quantities of hair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hair was cut on the day of birth from neonates and their mothers, born between 26 and 42 weeks gestational age (GA). HCC was determined by enzyme immunoassay. Maternal sociodemographics and birth data were collected. T-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were used as appropriate. RESULTS: Ninety maternal and neonatal hair samples were cut from 79 term (T) and 11 preterm (PT) delivered pregnancies. All samples weighed ≥2.5 mg. Fetal HCC correlated with GA (r = .25, p = .02) and birth weight (r = .25, p = .03) and was lower in PT (4.3 ± .3 LN pg/mg) than T (5.3 ± .1, LN pg/mg, p < .001) neonates. No significant relationships were seen between fetal HCC and maternal characteristics or maternal HCC. Fetal HCC was significantly higher than maternal HCC. CONCLUSION: Fetal cortisol exposure was determined using this approach for processing small amounts of hair. Preterm neonates have significantly lower HCC than term neonates and fetal HCC is associated with GA at delivery and birth weight. Fetal HCC is significantly higher than maternal HCC cut on the same day. These data provide novel information on the intrauterine fetal cortisol environment.

Sleep Moderates and Mediates the Relationship Between Acculturation and Depressive Symptoms in Pregnant Mexican-American Women.

OBJECTIVE: Greater acculturation is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in Mexican-American women, but the mechanisms by which acculturation influences perinatal outcomes are unclear. Pregnant acculturated Mexican-American women are more likely to engage in unhealthy prenatal behaviors relative to those less acculturated, including poor sleep. As sleep disruptions are associated with acculturation and negative perinatal outcomes, particularly maternal depression, alterations in sleep may adversely affect pregnant Mexican-American women. METHODS: Sixty pregnant women of Mexican descent completed surveys about sleep, acculturation, depressive symptoms and potential protective factor of social support. RESULTS: Acculturation, but not social support, significantly predicted increased sleep disruptions as well as overall feeling less refreshed upon waking across pregnancy. Moderation analysis indicated that more acculturated women who took longer to fall asleep reported increased depressive symptoms. Feeling refreshed upon waking also mediated the relationship between increased acculturation and elevated maternal depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Acculturation and altered sleep contribute to greater risk in Mexican-American women for maternal depressive symptoms in the perinatal period. These findings have implications for prevention and treatment of maternal mental health disorders, which may adversely affect perinatal outcomes in the vulnerable Mexican-American population.

Development of two antibody detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for serodiagnosis of human chronic fascioliasis.

Coprological examination based on egg detection in stool samples is currently used as the gold standard for the diagnosis of human fascioliasis. However, this method is not effective during the acute phase of the disease and has poor sensitivity during the chronic phase. Serodiagnosis has become an excellent alternative to coprological examination in efforts to combat the effects of fascioliasis on human and animal health. Two novel recombinant Fasciola hepatica proteins, i.e., a ferritin (FhFtn-1) and a tegument-associated protein (FhTP16.5), were used as antigens to develop in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. The assays were optimized and validated using 152 serum samples from humans with a known infection status, including healthy subjects, patients with chronic fascioliasis, and patients with other parasitic diseases. The FhFtn-1 ELISA was shown to be 96.6% sensitive and 95.7% specific; the respective parameters for the FhTP16.5 ELISA were 91.4% and 92.4%. The performances of the FhFtn-1 and FhTP16.5 ELISAs were compared with that of an available commercial test (the DRG test) using a subset of serum samples. Our in-house tests were slightly more sensitive than the DRG test in detecting antibodies against F. hepatica, but the differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence for the potential of the FhFtn-1 and FhTP16.5 ELISAs as diagnostic tools for human fascioliasis, as might be implemented in conjunction with standard assays for large-scale screenings in areas where the disease is endemic and for the detection of occasional cases in clinical laboratories.

Effects of sociocultural stressors on maternal responsivity and the infant behavioral and neuroendocrine response to stress in families of Mexican descent.

Maternal stress is consistently linked to alterations in maternal behavior and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes. As the Latino population grows in the U.S., it is increasingly important to understand how culturally relevant factors affect this relationship. This study aimed to address the role of sociocultural stressors on maternal sensitivity and markers of infant emotional regulation and the neuroendocrine response to stress in mother/infant dyads of Mexican descent. Pregnant women of Mexican descent (n = 115) were recruited during early pregnancy and followed until their infants were 6 months old. Mothers completed measures of sociocultural stressors (acculturative stress and discrimination) at pre and postnatal time points. At 6 months, dyads underwent the Still Face procedure. Mothers were observed for behaviors exhibiting maternal responsivity, while negative vocalizations were observed in infants. Salivary cortisol was also collected from infants. Maternal responsivity was a salient risk factor for alterations in infant emotional regulation and cortisol activity. Postnatal experiences of discrimination were also negatively associated with infant negative affect. This work highlights maternal responsivity and points to a potential role for experiences of discrimination in the response to stress in the mother/child dyad that may have consequences for the development of emotional regulation in infants of Mexican descent.

Solutions From Mexican-Descent Perinatal Women To Pandemic-Related Food, Mental Health, And Health And Safety Stressors.

Latina women in the US were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because of structural racism, including discrimination, reduced care access, and elevated risk for illness and death. Although several US policies were implemented to offset the economic toll of the pandemic, few addressed complex stressors, particularly those among Mexican-descent mothers. This qualitative study with thirty-eight perinatal women and mothers of young children who were of Mexican descent sought to identify pandemic-related stressors and solicit recommendations for addressing them during future large-scale crises. Identified stressors included food access issues, mental health needs, and health and safety concerns. The women's recommendations revealed feasible and actionable strategies, including increased access to behavioral and health care services and accessible information about food-related resources. The findings highlight the critical need for responsive policies and programs to ensure the well-being of Mexican-descent perinatal women and mothers of young children during large-scale crises.

Evaluation of Skipping in College Students with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate motor skill deficits in comparison to their neurotypically developing peers. However, it is unknown whether these motor skill deficits persist into adulthood. We evaluated skipping kinematics and motor performance in college students with and without ASD. We collected kinematic data from 20 college students, 10 with ASD and 10 without ASD, using a 12-camera three-dimensional motion capture system while participants completed three skipping trials. We scored skipping performance using Everyone Can! and the Halverson Developmental Sequences for Skipping, and we processed data using Cortex, Visual 3D, and MATLAB. We extracted data for center of mass excursion, peak velocity of joint extension, and peak joint angles of the hip, knee, and ankle of the dominant leg. Independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to examine differences between groups with an alpha level of p ≤ 0.05. We found no statistically significant differences for peak sagittal plane joint angles, velocities, or vertical center of mass excursion. However, the ASD group demonstrated greater medio-lateral center of mass displacement (ASD M = .08, SD = .1 m; Control M = .03, S = .03 m; p = .026) and greater frontal plane knee excursion (ASD M = 11.49, SD = 6.23°; Control M = 5.29, SD = 2.44°; p = .01) than participants without ASD. Similarly, the ASD group performed less proficiently in skipping than the group without ASD, as assessed by the developmental scoring methods (Everyone Can! composite score medians [interquartile range]: ASD M = 10.5, SD = 8; Control M = 15.0, SD = 0, p = .008). Despite many similarities in skipping kinematics between groups, participants with ASD were less proficient in skip performance than participants without ASD. Interventions for individuals with ASD addressing skipping proficiency or the performance of other locomotor skills, such as running and jumping, may promote participation in activities that involve complex motor skills and help individuals with ASD lead more physically active lives.

COVID-19-Related Risk, Resilience, and Mental Health Among Mexican American Mothers Across the First Year of the Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Latina mothers have been especially affected by the pandemic and historically exhibit high rates of depression and anxiety. However, few longitudinal studies have assessed the effect of the pandemic on this vulnerable population. We hypothesized that COVID-19-related stressors would associate with psychological distress among Latina mothers across the first year of the pandemic. METHODS: We investigated COVID-19-related impact, stigma, and fears across two critical time points and changes in these measures in relation to changes in maternal anxiety and depression among mothers of Mexican descent living in Southern California (n=152). Surveys were administered within 5-16 weeks of the March 19, 2020 stay-at-home COVID-19 order in California and again between June to December 2021. RESULTS: High proportions of women reported moderate to severe impacts of COVID-19 early in the pandemic, which reduced modestly a year later, e.g., reduced family incomes (55.9% 2020 Lockdown vs 32.7% 1-year follow-up). Anticipatory stigma was high across the first year, e.g., worrying at least some of the time that a family member will be deported (33.1% 2020 Lockdown vs. 14.1% 1-year follow-up), or they would not be able to care for their children (88.5% 2020 lockdown vs 82.2% 1-year follow-up). COVID-19 stigma, impact, and fears were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms at both time points (p<0.003), and changes in COVID-19 impact were associated with changes in depression (p=0.0004). CONCLUSION: Findings emphasize the adverse socioeconomic and psychological effects of the pandemic for Latina mothers.

Preschool-aged children's hair cortisol and parents' behavior, psychopathology, and stress.

Parental factors, including parenting behavior, parent mental health, and parent stress, are associated with child stress. More recently, studies have shown that these parental factors may also be associated with children's hair cortisol concentration (HCC). HCC is a novel biomarker for chronic stress. HCC indexes cumulative cortisol exposure thereby reflecting longer-term stress reactivity. Although HCC is associated with a range of problems in adults such as depression, anxiety, appraisal of stressful events, and diabetes, studies investigating HCC in children have been inconsistent, with particularly little information about parental factors and HCC. As chronic stress may have long-term physiological and emotional effects on children, and parent-based interventions can reduce these effects, it is important to identify parental factors that relate to children's HCC. The aim of this study was to examine associations between preschool-aged children's physiological stress measured via HCC and mother- and father-reported parenting behavior, psychopathology, and stress. Participants included N = 140 children ages 3-5-years-old and their mothers (n = 140) and fathers (n = 98). Mothers and fathers completed questionnaire measures on their parenting behavior, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress. Children's HCC was assessed by processing small hair samples. HCC levels were higher in boys compared to girls, and higher in children of color compared to white children. There was a significant association between children's HCC and fathers' authoritarian parenting. Children's HCC was positively associated with physical coercion, a specific facet of fathers' authoritarian parenting, even after accounting for sex of the child, race/ethnicity of the child, stressful life events, fathers' depression, fathers' anxiety, and fathers' perceived stress. In addition, there was a significant interaction between higher levels of both mothers' and fathers' authoritarian parenting and children's HCC. Children's HCC was not significantly related to mothers' and fathers' anxiety and depression or mothers' and fathers' perceived stress. These findings contribute to the large literature that links harsh and physical parenting practices with problematic outcomes in children.

Acculturation, maternal cortisol, and birth outcomes in women of Mexican descent.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of acculturation on cortisol, a biological correlate of maternal psychological distress, and perinatal infant outcomes, specifically gestational age at birth and birth weight. METHODS: Fifty-five pregnant women of Mexican descent were recruited from a community hospital, and their saliva samples were collected at home for 3 days during pregnancy at 15 to 18 weeks (early), 26 to 32 weeks (mid), and more than 32 weeks (late) of gestation and once in the postpartum period (4-12 weeks). These values were used to determine the diurnal cortisol slope at each phase of pregnancy. Mothers also completed an acculturation survey and gave permission for a medical chart review to obtain neonate information. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses determined that greater acculturation levels significantly predicted earlier infant gestational age at birth (R(2) = 0.09, p = .03). Results from t tests revealed that mothers of low-birth-weight infants (<2500 g) had significantly higher acculturation scores than mothers of infants with birth weight greater than 2500 g (t = -2.95, p = .005). A blunted maternal cortisol slope during pregnancy was also correlated with low birth weight (r = -0.29, p = .05) but not gestational age (r = -0.08, p = .59). In addition, more acculturated women had a flatter diurnal cortisol slope late in pregnancy (R(2) = 0.21, p = .01). Finally, diurnal maternal cortisol rhythms were identified as a potential mediator between increased acculturation and birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: This study associated increased acculturation with perinatal outcomes in the US Mexican population. This relationship may be mediated by prenatal maternal diurnal cortisol, which can program the health of the fetus leading to several adverse perinatal outcomes.