Social support during pregnancy and the risk of postpartum depression in Polish women: A prospective study.

Social support has been proposed as an important determinant of women's physical and emotional well-being during pregnancy and after childbirth. Our study aimed to examine the association between the risk of postpartum depression (PPD) and perceived social support during pregnancy. A web-based prospective study survey was conducted among Polish women. The level of social support was measured with the Berlin Social Support Scales during pregnancy. Four weeks after the birth the risk of PPD was assessed using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. Data from 932 mothers aged 19-43 (mean 30.95; SD 3.83) were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. Higher perceived available support (emotional and instrumental), currently received support (emotional, instrumental and informational), satisfaction with the support, and sum of score were all associated with lower risk of PPD, after controlling for selected covariates (woman's age, socioeconomic status, parity status, place of residency, education, child's Apgar score, type of delivery, complications during birth, kin assisting the labor, breastfeeding). Our results suggest that the more social support the pregnant woman receives, the lower is her risk of PPD. Since humans evolved as cooperative breeders, they are inherently reliant on social support to raise children and such allomaternal help could improve maternal well-being.

An exploratory study on the association between serotonin and sleep breathing disorders.

This exploratory observational study aimed to evaluate whether the blood levels of serotonin and enzymes involved in serotonin synthesis are associated with sleep breathing parameters. A total of 105 patients were included in this study, who were subjected to single-night polysomnography with simultaneous audio-video recordings. Peripheral blood samples were collected to estimate the serum levels of serotonin, tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), and aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). Results showed a negative correlation between blood serotonin levels, and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (p = 0.027), central apnea (p = 0.044) and obstructive apnea (OA) (p = 0.032) scores. Blood TPH1 levels were negatively correlated with average (p = 0.003) and minimal saturation (p = 0.035) and positively correlated with apnea-hypopnea index (p = 0.010), OA (p = 0.049), and hypopnea index (p = 0.007) scores. A tendency to sleep-disordered breathing seemed to co-occur with lower blood serotonin and higher TPH1 levels.Clinical Trial Registration : www.ClinicalTrials.gov , identifier NCT04214561.

Is there no beauty in sexually dimorphic eyes? Facial attractiveness and White Europeans ocular morphology-Brief communication.

The link between human ocular morphology and attractiveness, especially in the context of its potential adaptive function, is an underexplored area of research. In our study, we examined the association between facial attractiveness and three sexually dimorphic measures of ocular morphology in White Europeans: the sclera size index, width-to-height ratio, and relative iris luminance. Sixty participants (30 women) assessed the attractiveness of the opposite-sex photographs of 50 men and 50 women. Our results show that in both men and women, none of the three measures was linked to the opposite sex ratings of facial attractiveness. We conclude that those ocular morphology measures may play a limited role in human mate preferences.

Comparison of Skinfold Thickness Measured by Caliper and Ultrasound Scanner in Normative Weight Women.

Obesity is a major issue affecting not only adults but also children in many places of the world. There are numerous methods for estimating the body fat percentage, however, all of those methods are different in terms of availability, accuracy, and the cost of an individual examination. The aim of this study was to compare two relatively easy and widespread measurement methods for assessing skinfold thickness: the BodyMetrix BX2000 ultrasound machine and a classic GPM caliper. Fifty-eight young women aged 19-24 years with normative body weight participated in the study. We found that although the measurements performed by both methods are positively correlated, the obtained values were different. In seven out of nine measured points, these differences were statistically significant. The measurements of skin fat folds with a caliper showed a higher value of subcutaneous tissue compared to ultrasound measurements. Only the values of measurements on the pectoral and mid-axillary did not differ between the methods. We conclude that due to the significant discrepancies in the values of measured skinfold thickness, appropriate measurement tools and dedicated formulas estimating the amount of body fat should be used.

Maternal childhood trauma is associated with offspring body size during the first year of life.

Maternal childhood trauma (MCT) is an important factor affecting offspring size at birth. Whether the effect of MCT persists during the subsequent development remains unclear. We present the results of a semi-longitudinal investigation examining the physical growth of infants born to mothers with high (HCT) and low (LCT) childhood trauma during the first year of life. One hundred healthy mother-infant dyads were included based on following criteria: exclusive breastfeeding, birth on term with appropriate weight for gestational age. MCT was assessed using the Early Life Stress Questionnaire. The weight, length, and head circumference of the infant were taken at birth, 5 and 12 months postpartum. Separate MANCOVA models were run for infant size at each age. We found an association between MCT and infant size at 5 and 12 months. The children of mothers with HCT had higher weight and greater head circumference than the children of mothers with LCT. These results suggest that MCT might contribute to developmental programming of offspring growth during the first year of life. From an evolutionary perspective, the larger size of HCT mother's offspring might represent an adaptation to potentially harsh environmental conditions. This effect might be mediated by epigenetic changes to DNA and altered breast milk composition.

The adaptive significance of human scleral brightness: an experimental study.

Homogeneously depigmented sclerae have long been proposed to be uniquely human-an adaptation to enable cooperative behaviour by facilitating interpersonal coordination through gaze following. However, recent evidence has shown that deeply pigmented sclerae also afford gaze following if surrounding a bright iris. Furthermore, while current scleral depigmentation is clearly adaptive in modern humans, it is less clear how the evolutionarily intermediate stages of scleral pigmentation may have been adaptive. In sum, it is unclear why scleral depigmentation became the norm in humans, while not so in sister species like chimpanzees, or why some extant species display intermediate degrees of pigmentation (as our ancestors presumably did at some point). We created realistic facial images of 20 individually distinct hominins with diverse facial morphologies, each face in the (i) humanlike bright sclera and (ii) generalised apelike dark sclera version. Participants in two online studies rated the bright-sclera hominins as younger, healthier, more attractive and trustworthy, but less aggressive than the dark-sclera hominins. Our results support the idea that the appearance of more depigmented sclerae promoted perceived traits that fostered trust, increasing fitness for those individuals and resulting in depigmentation as a fixed trait in extant humans.

An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Guiding the Management of Heart Failure Patients Using Predictive Models: A Systematic Review.

Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of mortality and hospitalization worldwide. The accurate prediction of mortality and readmission risk provides crucial information for guiding decision making. Unfortunately, traditional predictive models reached modest accuracy in HF populations. We therefore aimed to present predictive models based on machine learning (ML) techniques in HF patients that were externally validated. We searched four databases and the reference lists of the included papers to identify studies in which HF patient data were used to create a predictive model. Literature screening was conducted in Academic Search Ultimate, ERIC, Health Source Nursing/Academic Edition and MEDLINE. The protocol of the current systematic review was registered in the PROSPERO database with the registration number CRD42022344855. We considered all types of outcomes: mortality, rehospitalization, response to treatment and medication adherence. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used as the comparator parameter. The literature search yielded 1649 studies, of which 9 were included in the final analysis. The AUCs for the machine learning models ranged from 0.6494 to 0.913 in independent datasets, whereas the AUCs for statistical predictive scores ranged from 0.622 to 0.806. Our study showed an increasing number of ML predictive models concerning HF populations, although external validation remains infrequent. However, our findings revealed that ML approaches can outperform conventional risk scores and may play important role in HF management.

The effect of warning signs on the presence of snare traps in a Ugandan rainforest.

Since chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) conservation often involves local human populations, conservation strategies must consider psychological factors that impact their behavior. In Budongo Forest, Uganda, for example, local communities commonly engage in snare trap (hereafter: snare) setting for wild meat. This illegal activity posits a substantial threat to wild chimpanzees, causing permanent wounds or death for those who are snared. Despite various schemes previously implemented to address snare setting-an activity that is fueled by poverty, the problem and its detrimental impact on chimpanzees persists. Here, we experimentally tested a novel intervention, a systematic display of specially designed warning signs aimed at local poachers. We monitored the presence of snares before and after introducing these signs over a total period of two years and compared it with that of a similar sized control area with no intervention. Results show that snares were less likely to be present during the "sign" period than during the "non-sign" period in the experimental but not in the control area. We discuss the potential of this cost-effective intervention for limiting illegal activities that pose a severe threat to chimpanzees and other species inhabiting tropical forests.

Antenatal Classes in the Context of Prenatal Anxiety and Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Perinatal maternal anxiety and depression negatively affect intrauterine fetal development, birth outcome, breastfeeding initiation, duration, and milk composition. Antenatal classes potentially reduce the anxiety of pregnant women and may thus contribute to healthy infant development. The study investigates the relationship between participation in online or in-person antenatal classes and levels of anxiety and depression in Polish women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study group included 1774 adult, non-smoking pregnant women. We compared the state anxiety (STAI-State) and depression levels (EPDS) in women who (i) attended antenatal classes in-person, (ii) attended online classes, and (iii) did not attend any of them. The statistical analyses included a GLM model and trend analysis, while controlling for maternal trait anxiety, age, pregnancy complications, trimester of pregnancy, previous pregnancies, and COVID-19 infections. We observed statistically significant differences in the level of anxiety (and depression). Women who did attend antenatal classes in person had the lowest levels of anxiety and depression. Considering the importance of maternal mental well-being on fetal development, birth outcome, and breastfeeding, in-person participation in antenatal classes should be recommended to pregnant women.

Effect of Thermocycling on the Bond Strength of Self-Adhesive Resin Cements Used for Luting CAD/CAM Ceramics to Human Dentin.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of thermocycling on the shear bond strength of self-adhesive, self-etching resin cements luted to human dentin and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) ceramics. Three modern self-adhesive dental cements (Maxcem Elite, RelyX U200, Panavia SA) were used to lute three CAD/CAM ceramics (IPS Empress CAD, IPS e.max CAD, IPS e.max ZirCAD) onto the dentin. One conventional cement (Panavia V5) served as a control. After preparation, the samples were subjected to thermocycling as a method of artificial aging of dental materials applied to simulate long-term use in oral conditions. Shear bond strength was evaluated according to PN-EN ISO 29022:2013-10 and failure modes were observed under a light microscope. Statistical analysis was performed. The study demonstrated that a combination of ceramics and cements directly impacts the bond strength. The highest bond strength was observed in Panavia V5, lower in Panavia SA and Maxcem Elite and the lowest-in RelyX U200. Adhesive failure between human dentin and cements was the most common failure mode. Moreover, thermocycling highly decreased bond strength of self-adhesive, self-etching cements.

Demographic and health characteristics of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine users (MDMA, ecstasy). / Charakterystyka demograficzna i zdrowotna osób zazywajacych 3,4-metylenodioksymetamfetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy).

OBJECTIVES: MDMA is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. Clinical studies are currently being conducted around the world on the use of this substance in the treatment of PTSD and alcoholism. However, little demographic information is available on users who use the substance for recreational purposes. The aim was to determine basic demographic and helath characteristics with validated tools. METHODS: The authors prepared an original questionnaire on the demography of MDMA users and combined it with the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The survey was sent to Polish MDMA users via the Internet. RESULTS: 304 responses were received from people over 18 years of age. MDMA is widespread among young adults, in many different places of residence and regardless of gender. The users take MDMA in both pill and crystal form and very rarely test drugs bought from a dealer. Most users feel that MDMA has had a good impact on their lives. CONCLUSIONS: MDMA is rarely used as the only psychoactive substance. MDMA users rate their health higher than people using other psychoactive substances.

Lower serotonin levels in severe sleep bruxism and its association with sleep, heart rate, and body mass index.

BACKGROUND: Sleep bruxism (SB) is a complex behaviour that seems to be associated with the serotoninergic pathway. OBJECTIVES: This exploratory research aimed to evaluate the levels of serotonin in individuals with sleep bruxism diagnosed by video polysomnography. The study also evaluated whether the levels of serotonin were associated with body mass index, heart rate, and sleep parameters. METHODS: The study participants were adults hospitalised in the Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine, Occupational Diseases, Hypertension and Clinical Oncology at the Wroclaw Medical University. They underwent a single-night video polysomnography during which sleep and SB parameters and heart rate were evaluated. Additionally, body mass index and blood serotonin levels were evaluated for each patient. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients were included in this study (80 women and 25 men). All the patients were Caucasians aged 18-63 years, with a mean age ± (standard deviation) of 33.43± 10.8 years. Seventy-five patients (71.43%) presented sleep bruxism (bruxism episodes index ≥2) and 30 (28.57%) did not. Fifty patients (47.62%) presented severe sleep bruxism (bruxism episodes index >4). The results showed that lower blood serotonin levels were associated with severe sleep bruxism; increased bruxism episodes index, rapid eye movement sleep, and body mass index; and decreased maximal pulse. CONCLUSION: Severe sleep bruxism and the associated phenomena seem to co-occur with lower blood serotonin levels. The study supports the hypothesis on the relationship between the serotoninergic pathway and sleep bruxism.

Is sleep bruxism related to the levels of enzymes involved in the serotonin synthesis pathway?

OBJECTIVES: This exploratory research aimed to evaluate the levels of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) and aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (DDC), which play an important role in the serotonin synthesis pathway, in individuals with sleep bruxism (SB) diagnosed using audio-video polysomnography (vPSG) and compare them with that of individuals not presenting with SB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included adult patients hospitalized in the Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine, Occupational Diseases, Hypertension and Clinical Oncology at the Wroclaw Medical University. The participants underwent a single-night vPSG for the evaluation of the SB parameters. Peripheral blood samples were also collected from them for estimating the serum levels of TPH1 and DDC. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients (80 women and 25 men) were included in the study. All the patients were Caucasians and aged 18-63 years (mean age: 33.43 ± 10.8 years). Seventy-five patients (71.43%) presented with SB, of which 50 (47.62%) had severe SB, while the remaining 30 patients (28.57%) did not. No statistically significant differences in TPH1 and DDC levels were observed between the individuals with SB and without SB. A significant negative correlation was found between tonic SB episodes and DDC levels (p = 0.0012). Other correlations between the SB parameters and the levels of the studied enzymes were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: The levels of the enzymes that are crucial for serotonin synthesis (TPH1 and DDC) did not seem to influence SB. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study provides important insights for further research on the relationship between the serotonin pathway and SB, which should take into account not only the process of serotonin synthesis but also the effect of serotonin-dependent neurotransmission on SB.

Maternal Distress and Social Support Are Linked to Human Milk Immune Properties.

Possible alterations of maternal immune function due to psychological stress may reflect immunoactive factor levels in breast milk. This study aimed to assess the association between maternal distress and breast milk levels of secretory IgA (SIgA), IgM, IgG, and lactoferrin (LF). We hypothesized that this association is moderated by maternal social support achieved from others during lactation. The study group included 103 lactating mothers and their healthy five-month-old infants. Maternal distress was determined based on the State Anxiety Inventory and the level of salivary cortisol. Social support was assessed using the Berlin Social Support Scales. Breast milk samples were collected to test for SIgA, IgM, IgG, and LF using the ELISA method. Milk immunoactive factors were regressed against maternal anxiety, social support, salivary cortisol, and infant gestational age using the general regression model. Maternal anxiety was negatively associated with milk levels of LF (ß = -0.23, p = 0.028) and SIgA (ß = -0.30, p = 0.004), while social support was positively associated with milk IgG (ß = 0.25, p = 0.017). Neither anxiety nor social support were related to milk IgM. No association was found between the level of maternal salivary cortisol and immunoactive factors in milk. Our results suggest that maternal psychological wellbeing and social support may affect milk immune properties.

Psychosocial stress and cortisol stress reactivity predict breast milk composition.

We studied a sample of 146 Polish, exclusively breastfeeding mothers and their healthy born on time infants to explore the effect of perinatal psychosocial stress on breast milk composition. Maternal perinatal stress was assessed using Recent Life Changes Questionnaire summarizing stressful events from the previous six months. Stress reactivity was determined by administering the cold pressor test and measuring cortisol in saliva samples taken during the test. Breast milk sample was taken to measure energy, protein, fat, lactose, and fatty acid content. Analyses revealed that stress reactivity was positively associated with milk fat and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids and negatively associated with milk lactose. Perinatal psychosocial stress negatively affected energy density, fat as well as medium-chain and long-chain saturated fatty acids in milk. These results, together with previous studies, advocate monitoring maternal psychological status during the peripartum to promote breastfeeding and healthy infant nutrition.

Identification of risk groups for mental disorders, headache and oral behaviors in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The dramatically changing situation during COVID-19 pandemic, is anticipated to provoke psycho-emotional disturbances and somatization arising from the current epidemiological situation that will become a significant problem for global and regional healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors, risk factors and factors associated with mental disorders, headache and potentially stress-modulated parafunctional oral behaviors among the adult residents of North America and Europe as indirect health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This may help limit the long-term effects of this and future global pandemic crises. The data were collected from 1642 respondents using an online survey. The results demonstrated increased levels of anxiety, depression, headache and parafunctional oral behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in both North American and European residents. The results of this study facilitated the definition of the group most predicted to experience the aforementioned secondary effects of the pandemic. This group included females younger than 28.5 years old, especially those who were single, less well educated and living in Europe. In case of this and other global crises this will allow faster defining the most vulnerable groups and providing rapid and more targeted intervention.

Patterns of synthetic cathinones use and their impact on depressive symptoms and parafunctional oral behaviors. / Wzory stosowania syntetycznych katynonów a objawy depresyjne i parafunkcyjne zachowania ustne.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study wasto determine the impact of synthetic cathinonesusage on depressive symptoms and oral behaviors among recreational users. METHODS: Users of online drugs-related forums were asked to fill in a questionnaire via Google Forms Platform. The questionnaire contained questions about patterns of drugs use, the Beck Depression Inventory II, the Oral Behaviors Checklist (OBC), and questions about basic demographic data (age, gender). RESULTS: 150 participants (75 in the study group, 75 in the control group) took part in the study. In the study group (aged 15-28), all participants used cathinones and other psychoactive substances. 42 participants used cathinones during last month. Statistical analysis showed a correlation between amount of drugs types used and level of depressive symptoms for both groups (study group and control group), as well as a statistically significantly higher mean value of the OBC scores in a group of cathinones users than in controls. Correlation between the BDI-II and OBC results was statistically significant for both the study and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Considering easy access to synthetic cathinones, widely spread intoxications and young age of participants of this survey the subject needs to be widely researched. Psychoactive substances can predispose to development of depression and various forms of parafunctional oral behaviors.

Bond strength of modern self-adhesive resin cements to human dentin and different CAD/CAM ceramics.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of CAD/CAM ceramics to dentin after cementation with conventional or self-adhesive resin cements. METHODS: Three self-adhesive, self-etching cements (Panavia SA, RelyX U200, Maxcem Elite), and one conventional cement (Panavia V5), were selected to lute three CAD/CAM ceramics (IPS Empress CAD, IPS e.max CAD, IPS e.max ZirCAD) onto the dentin. The bond strength was evaluated using a shear strength test according to the PN-EN ISO 29022:2013-10. Evaluation of the differences was performed using the Statistica software. Failure modes were analyzed using a light microscope. RESULTS: All the studied cements differed (regardless of the ceramic type) in the bond strength. The highest bond strength was observed in Panavia V5, lower - in RelyX U200 and Panavia SA, and the lowest - in Maxcem. For IPS e.max ZirCAD, it was observed that compared to Panavia V5, the other cements were characterized by a significantly higher bond strength. For the IPS Empress CAD and the IPS e.max CAD, Panavia V5 displayed the highest bond strength. For all the studied self-adhesive cements, the failure of adhesion between the cement and dentin was predominant mode. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences were found in the shear bond strengths of the CAD/CAM ceramics luted to dentin using tested self-adhesive and conventional cements. The bond strength depended on the combination of ceramic and cement. The IPS e.max ZirCAD had the highest bond strength to dentin after cementation with RelyX U200, while the IPS Empress CAD and IPS e.max CAD - with Panavia V5.

Shifts in Female Facial Attractiveness during Pregnancy.

It has been proposed that women's physical attractiveness is a cue to temporal changes in fertility. If this is the case, we should observe shifts in attractiveness during pregnancy-a unique physiological state of temporal infertility. The aim of this study was to examine how women's facial attractiveness changes during the subsequent trimesters of pregnancy and how it compares to that of nonpregnant women. Sixty-six pictures of pregnant women (22 pictures per trimester) and 22 of nonpregnant women (a control group) were used to generate four composite portraits, which were subsequently assessed for facial attractiveness by 117 heterosexual men. The results show considerable differences between facial attractiveness ratings depending on the status and progress of pregnancy. Nonpregnant women were perceived as the most attractive, and the attractiveness scores of pregnant women decreased throughout the course of pregnancy. Our findings show that facial attractiveness can be influenced by pregnancy and that gestation, even at its early stages, affects facial attractiveness. Considerable changes in women's physiology that occur during pregnancy may be responsible for the observed effects.