Skin-to-skin contact after caesarean section: impact on the occurrence of problems during the initiation of lactation

Background: Breastfeeding is the best method to feed newborns, infants and young children. A caesarean section may have a negative impact on breastfeeding success which, given the high percentage of surgical deliveries in Poland, is alarming. A beneficial effect of skin-to-skin contact after a cesarean section on breastfeeding indicators has been reported. Aim of the study: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the type of first contact between mother and child after a surgical delivery, and the occurrence of problems during the lactation initiation period. Materials and methods: 256 women that had a cesarean section at one of the Warsaw hospitals during a six-month period were included in the study. Women who had a delivery earlier than 37 weeks of pregnancy were excluded. A questionnaire designed by the author was used for data collection. Results: Newborns without skin-to-skin contact or those who experienced a delayed contact required more frequent top-up feeding and their mothers more often experienced a sense of insufficient breast milk supply. Newborns who experienced skin-to-skin contact in the operating theatre also required less frequent top-up feeding compared to than those who experienced skin-to-skin contact in the recovery room. Conclusions: The type of first contact between mother and child after a cesarean section affects the occurrence of problems during the lactation initiation period. Despite the demonstrated benefits of skin-to-skin contact, it is not executed frequently enough after birth.

Quantitative Proteomic Analyses Reveal That Energy Metabolism and Protein Biosynthesis Reinitiation are Responsible for the Initiation of Bolting Induced by High Temperature in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Background Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), one of the most economically important leaf vegetables, exhibits early bolting under high-temperature conditions. Early bolting leads to loss of commodity value and edibility, leading to considerable loss and waste of resources. However, the initiation and molecular mechanism underlying early bolting induced by high temperature remains largely elusive. Results To better understand this phenomenon, the bolting initiation period of lettuce was defined, and a comparative proteomic analysis was conducted in the initiation period of bolting induced by a high temperature (33 °C) and a control temperature (20 °C) using iTRAQ-based proteomics, phenotypic measurement, and biological verification by RT-qPCR. Morphological and microscopic observation showed that the initiation of bolting occurred 8 days after high-temperature treatment. Fructose rapidly accumulated after high-temperature treatment. During bolting initiation, of the 3305 identified proteins, a total of 93 proteins exhibited differential abundances, 38 of which were up-regulated, and 55 were down-regulated. Approximately 38% of the proteins were involved in metabolic pathways and were mainly clustered in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Furthermore, some proteins involved in sugar synthesis were differentially expressed, which were also associated with energy production. Conclusions This is the first report on the metabolic changes involved in bolting initiation in lettuce. Our study suggested that energy metabolism and ribosomal proteins are pivotal components during bolting initiation. This study could provide a potential regulatory mechanism for the initiation of early bolting by high temperature, which could have applications in the manipulation of lettuce for breeding.

The differences of gonadal hormones and uterine transcriptome during shell calcification of hens laying hard or weak-shelled eggs

Background Eggshell breaking strength is critical to reduce egg breaking rate and avoid economic loss. The process of eggshell calcification initiates with the egg entering the uterus and lasts about 18 h. It follows a temporal sequence corresponding to the initiation, growth and termination periods of shell calcification. During each period of shell calcification, our study investigated the differences of gonadal hormones and uterine transcriptome in laying hens producing a high or low breaking strength shell. Results 60 Hy-line Brown laying hens were selected and divided into two groups according to eggshell breaking strength. Eggshell breaking strength of 44.57 ± 0.91 N and 26.68 ± 0.38 N were considered to be the high strength group (HS) and low strength group (LS), respectively. The results showed that mammillary thickness and mammillary knob width of eggshells were significantly lower in the HS. Serum progesterone (P4) and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] were significantly higher in the HS compared to the LS during the initiation period of calcification. Serum estradiol (E2) and calcium did not change significantly. All factors mentioned above had no significant differences in the growth and termination periods of calcification. The relative expression of CaBP-D28k and PMCA 1b were not significantly different between HS and LS. The relative expression of NCX1 was significantly higher in HS compared to LS. Moreover, 1777 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in the initiation period of calcification. However, few DEGs were identified in the growth or termination periods of calcification. 30 DEGs were selected as candidate genes involved in eggshell calcification during the initiation period of calcification by the analysis of GO terms and KEGG pathways. Conclusions Our study concluded that mammillary thickness and mammillary knob width of the HS were significantly lower than LS. P4 and 1,25-(OH)2D3 were significantly higher in the initiation period of HS. They may impact initial calcification when the mammillary layer is formed. The initiation period of calcification determined eggshell strength rather than the growth or termination periods. We inferred P4 or 1,25-(OH)2D3 may effect the ultrastructure of the mammillary layer by regulating the expression of uterine genes.