ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) have been associated with a reduction in risk for preterm birth. However, there is limited understanding of how fatty acids and their bioactive derivatives (oxylipins) change over the course of pregnancy. Here we document the changes in concentration of fatty acids and oxylipins during pregnancy and how fatty acid status and oxylipin concentrations are affected by supplementation with omega-3 LCPUFA. We also investigate the degree to which fatty acid and oxylipin changes across pregnancy are influenced by baseline omega-3 status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We profiled the fatty acids in all lipids in dried blood spots (total blood fatty acids) by gas chromatography and free (unesterified) fatty acids and their associated oxylipins in separate dried blood spot samples by LC-MS-MS collected from a random sample of 1263 women with a singleton pregnancy who participated in the ORIP (Omega-3 fats to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity) trial. ORIP is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 5544 participants and designed to determine the effect of supplementing the diets of pregnant women with omega-3 LCPUFA on the incidence of early preterm birth. Maternal whole blood finger prick samples were collected at baseline (~14 weeks gestation) and at completion of the study intervention period (34 weeks gestation). RESULTS: The concentration of most total and free polyunsaturated fatty acids and their associated oxylipins declined over the course of pregnancy. Omega-3 LCPUFA supplementation increased total DHA and 7-HDHA and mitigated the decline in free DHA, 4-HDHA and 14-HDHA. The intervention had minimal or no effect on free EPA, LA, AA and their associated oxylipins. Omega-3 LCPUFA supplementation in women with higher omega-3 status at baseline was associated with a significant increase in 7-HDHA and 4-HDHA between the treatment and control whereas there were no differences between groups in 7-HDHA and 4-HDHA in women with intermediate or lower baseline omega-3 status. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a differential response with or without omega-3 supplementation for DHA and DHA-derived oxylipins, which may have an important role to play in modulating pregnancy duration. Further work is needed to understand their role, which may allow us to better tailor omega-3 supplementation for preterm birth prevention.
Subject(s)
Dietary Supplements , Fatty Acids, Omega-3 , Oxylipins/blood , Premature Birth , Adult , Double-Blind Method , Fatty Acids, Omega-3/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids, Omega-3/pharmacokinetics , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Premature Birth/blood , Premature Birth/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Socio-cultural factors play a contributory role in presentation and symptomatology of affective illness. Cultural shock, communication barriers, fear of loss of racial identity, different child rearing attitudes and dietary restrictions may all contribute towards the manifestation of reactive depression. An understanding of the immigrant's background will greatly help the therapist in management of his patient.
Subject(s)
Affective Symptoms/epidemiology , Emigration and Immigration , Adjustment Disorders/epidemiology , Asia/ethnology , Child Rearing , Cultural Characteristics , Feeding Behavior , Humans , Religion , Social Isolation , United KingdomABSTRACT
The case here described shows that severe psychological disturbance can be caused by identification between mother and son, resulting in preoccupation with a part of the body, which in the opinion of those outside the relationship, shows no gross abnormality. Similar delusional beliefs to those held by the mother were induced in the son, when he reached the age at which these beliefs occurred in the mother, in whom they were incompletely resolved. Plastic surgery, in the absence of gross deformity, brought relief of the distress caused by this type of psychopathology. Relief occurred in the conflicts of both mother and son, even though operation was on the latter, only.
Subject(s)
Identification, Psychological , Mental Disorders/genetics , Mother-Child Relations , Rhinoplasty , Adolescent , Adult , Body Image , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/therapy , Middle Aged , Nose , Remission, SpontaneousSubject(s)
Migraine Disorders , Weather , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Atmospheric Pressure , Child , Female , Humans , Humidity , Male , Middle Aged , Seasons , Sunlight , TemperatureABSTRACT
A double-blind controlled clinical trial of crossover design was conducted in 26 volunteers suffering from migraine. Of 20 subjects who completed the trial, 16 had fewer attacks on amitriptyline than on placebo. Amitriptyline was found to have the greatest effect in reducing attacks with a short warning and in which no specific cause could be recognized. It had least effect in attacks with a long warning and recognized as due to fatigue. The drug was effective only in reducing those attacks with shorter duration and its effect was irrespective of severity. A dosage of between 10 and 60 mg, usually taken at night, was found to be adequate.
