Infant mortality in Armenia, 1992–2003

Health system reforms have been taken in Armenia during a time of dramatic economic and fiscal distress. It is important to assess trends in health indicators and ascertain if the changes in socio-economic systems affected the health status of infants as the most vulnerable part of the population. We find that infant mortality has fallen during the period c. 1992-2003 in spite of the difficult economic circumstances because of health-care procedures that were introduced. Particular attention is paid to the underreporting of infants' death cases in the state registration system as well as to estimating the role of different factors influencing infant mortality in Armenia.     

黄山短尾猴社群中的架桥行为

2007年3~5月,采用随机取样法对黄山短尾猴(Macaca thibetana)YA1群架桥行为进行研究。结果表明,不同时间段架桥行为发生次数存在极显著差异(t=3.912,df=10,P<0.01)。成年组雄性个体是主要发起者(Z=-2.1888,P<0.05)和接受者(Z=-2.5238,P<0.05),但同年龄组不同性别个体发起次数(Z=-1.755,P>0.05)无显著差异,接受次数(Z=-2.201,P<0.05)差异显著。架桥行为多采用雄性婴幼猴(Z=-2.437,P<0.05)(F=6.735,df=2,P<0.05)作为媒介,母亲序位影响婴幼猴在架桥中被使用的次数(Z=-3.724,P<0.01)。不同序位雄性(F=2.947,df=4,P<0.05)和雌性个体(F=5.320,df=4,P<0.05)架桥行为发起模式主要是第Ⅰ类。雌性个体选择具有亲缘关系的个体作为架桥媒介(Z=-2.490,P<0.05),但雄性个体对母系亲属后代无明显选择性(Z=-0.866,P>0.05)。短期研究表明,黄山短尾猴社群中的架桥行为主要采用第Ⅰ类模式;亲缘关系不一定是影响架桥行为媒介选择的主要因素;架桥行为具有缓解群体间竞争压力的作用。     

四川地区幼儿和学龄前儿童的鼻部测量

本文报告１１１６例四川地区幼儿和学龄前儿童（２－７岁）鼻部９项指标的测量均数,性差及年龄发育特点。性差：仅鼻凹鼻底距４－６．５岁等少数指标部分年龄段男女性间出现显著性划异（男＞女）。此外各项指标的绝大多数年龄段男女性间无显著性差异。年龄发育：９项测量指标中７项的生长曲线随年产长而上升,数值随年龄增大,并有１－２个发育高峰;提示鼻部发育具有阶段性;２项指标的曲线随年龄增长变化较小。４项指标男女性的曲     

Behavioral responses of an infant gorilla to maternal separation in a captive social group of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

The present report describes behavioral reactions of a 33-month-old female infant gorilla to maternal separation in a captive social group whose composition is similar to that of wild groups. The infant gorilla responded differently to two types of maternal separation. When she remained alone for a few hours, she cried repeatedly and moved restlessly, indicating protest. Upon reunion and also for a few days thereafter, an intensification of the mother-infant relationship occurred. On the other hand, when she was separated from her mother but remained with the other group members for nine days, she did not display any behaviors that could be characterized as protest, but rather showed clear behavioral depression. During the 9-day separation period, she hardly played with other group members but she developed affiliative relationships with the leading male. After the reunion from the 9-day separation, she spent as much time near her mother as before separation and played with other infants at a level similar to that before separation, while she sometimes displayed behavioral patterns demanding the maintenance of physical contact with her mother. The present findings are compared with other reports in great apes and human children.     

分娩方式对婴儿出生后一年内肠道菌群的影响

目的 探讨不同分娩方式对婴儿出生后1年内肠道菌群定植的影响.方法 选取45例新生儿为研究对象,根据分娩方式分为自然分娩组(n=27)和剖宫产组(n=18).收集婴儿出生后0(胎粪)、3、6和12个月的粪便标本,应用高通量测序技术分析肠道菌群多样性及组成.结果 与自然分娩组比较,在0个月时剖宫产组婴儿粪便标本拟杆菌门的相...     

Is there a dietary requirement for DHA in pregnancy?

The metabolic demand for docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3, DHA) is increased during pregnancy because of the extra needs of the fetus, expanded maternal cell mass and placenta. In Western countries maternal dietary DHA intake in pregnancy is low and it is not clear whether adaptive metabolic mechanisms, such as increased DHA synthesis from precursor fatty acids, are capable of meeting the increased DHA need in pregnancy. Consequently randomized controlled trials are important to determine whether additional dietary DHA in pregnancy modifies maternal or infant health outcomes. The available randomized comparisons of DHA supplements vs placebo have assessed outcomes as diverse as maternal depression, infant visual acuity and development, and infant growth and allergy. The outcomes of these trials have not been conclusive because they have often been limited by small sample size. On the other hand, large-scale trials assessing marine oil supplementation with large doses indicate that DHA supplementation in pregnancy is safe.     

Consanguinity, fertility of couples and mortality of children in the high Atlas population (commons of Anougal and Azgour, Marrakesh, Morroco)

This study analyses the relationship between consanguinity, fertility and child mortality in a rural population of two moroccan High-Atlas valleys. Among this very endogamous population, we have reconstituted, by inquiries, for each family, the totality of its reproductive life as well as the genealogic relationships that exist between the spouses on several generations. The analysis carried out on the group of families with women who are over 40 years old (438 families) has shown that the population was very strong related (28% of marriages are consanguineaous). A positive association between levels of fertility, infant mortality and consanguinity was observed.     

Mother-offspring conflict and interference at mother's mating inMacaca fascicularis

Theory suggests that it is in the interest of an infant to garner more care than its mother is selected to provide and that a rival sibling would curtail care from the mother. Thus delayed conception in the mother would be of advantage to the infant. One method of achieving this result would be to interfere with the mother's potential matings. To test this theory, the conflict between mothers and their infants in relation to maximizing inclusive fitness has been studied inMacaca fascicularis and infant interference has been observed. Focal animal samples were taken on 8 mothers and their 13 infants. Interactions analyzed were those between the mother and (1) an adult male, (2) her infant, (3) an adult female, (4) her infant and an adult male, (5) her infant and an adult female. Only explicit behaviours were analyzed. The infant's interference was found to be significantly related to its mother's mating, and this produced a deterring effect on the male. Infants did not interfere with any female's matings other than those of their mother. The interference was related to the number of mother-male contacts. In mothers that did subsequently conceive, infant interference at mating increased up to the mother's conception date and decreased thereafter. By contrast to the infants direct method, mothers approached the conflict indirectly. There were significantly more contacts and mounts with males in their infant's absence, they reacted negatively to their infant only when it had interfered, they were more lenient in the presence of an adult female than with an adult male, and they avoided their infant's presence at mother-male contacts. No significant sex bias in interference or the number of contacts with mother-male pairs has been found. There are indications of a sibship pattern of interference.     

Social relationships and individual contribution to cooperative behaviour in captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

The social relationships between the members of a family consisting of eight captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are here examined, as well as the participation of individual family members in infant carrying and defensive behaviour against non-related intruders (adolescent males). Within the social relationships, a clear division of the family into three subgroups (parents, adult offspring, non-adult offspring) could be determined, whereby the adult offspring, especially with respect to the parents, occupy a peripheral position. In the types of cooperative behaviour examined here, substantial participation in infant carrying could be observed in only four family members (parents, adult son, one subadult daughter), and in defence against intruders in only two family members (adult son, one subadult daughter). Participation in infant carrying remained stable throughout the study period. Conversely, individual changes in participation in defence against intruders could be determined, dependent upon the presence of infants carried. The advantages and disadvantages of social substructuring observed are discussed here, in particular the peripheral position of adult offspring, possible connections in individually varied participation in cooperative behaviour, and possible regulative mechanisms. In view of past studies on cooperative behaviour among marmosets, it is here presumed that pronounced individual differences result from a division of labour within the family with respect to various aspects of cooperative behaviour.     

Variation in nutrient intake of infants and its implications for collecting reliable dietary intake data

Sources of variance in dietary intake data for infants in the fourth to sixth months of life were examined. Twenty-eight mothers of infants in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children gave 24-hr recall information on their infants' diets on 4 random days over approximately 1 month. ANOVA found no day of the week or sequence effects on nutrient variation. Variance was partitioned into between- and within-subject (residual) components. Interindividual variation exceeded intraindividual variation for all nutrients except vitamin C. Variance ratios ranged from 0.3 to 1.3. Calculations of 95% confidence limits for group and individual mean intakes indicated that, whereas a single recall would estimate the group mean within 20% for most nutrients, five recalls would be necessary for the same accuracy in individual means. Magnitude and patterning of variance components differ substantially from those found in studies of adults, suggesting that infant data collection strategies should be tailored to the unique nature of the infant diet.