Resumption of Smoking by Women after Childbirth: Influence of Spousal Smoking

To investigate factors related to resumption of smoking by women after childbirth, the smoking habits of 241 postnatal women, who initially had stopped smoking after pregnancy, in a rural city in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, were studied at 5 - 6 days, 1 month, and 12 months after childbirth. At 1 month after childbirth, only nine women had resumed smoking, but a total of 40 women had resumed smoking after 12 months. Factors related to smoking resumption after childbirth included the switching from breast feeding to bottle feeding and the influence of smoking by their spouses. Spousal smoking is an important factor in the resumption of smoking by women after childbirth.

Influence of smoking on postpartum depression in Japan

Aim: To investigate the influence of smoking on postpartum depression. Methods: One thousand fifty-one women, in a rural city in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, prospectively fulfilled the selection criteria and completed self-reporting questionnaires on postnatal depression at 5-6 days, 1 month, 4 months, 7 months and 12 months after childbirth, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a life and social events scales including smoking habits. Results: Seven hundred seventy-seven women were non-smokers. Among two hundred seventy-four women who were smokers before becoming pregnant (26% of pregnant women), 241 women quit smoking during pregnancy and 33 women continued smoking. Smoking habits were significantly associated with sociopsychological states and we found that EPDS scores of smokers were significantly higher than EPDS of non-smokers. The EPDS scores of both non-smokers and smokers were higher at 5-6 days, but were stable from 1 month to 12 months, after childbirth. Fifty-one women who quit smoking after childbirth resumed smoking during he 1-12 month periods after childbirth. The EPDS scores of 51 women who resumed smoking were significantly reduced after they resumed smoking. Conclusion: The EPDS scores of smokers were higher than those of non-smokers and a smoking habit may help to alleviate postpartum depression.

Food Intake Characteristics during Early Pregnancy in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

To investigate the characteristic food intake during early pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a rural city in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, one hundred and twenty-one women were recruited and queried about their habitual dietary intake. Food intake of patients was assessed using the model nutritional balance chart at 12 - 16, 24 - 28, and 34 - 36 weeks of gestation. Of the 121 pregnant women examined, 19 were obese. During early pregnancy, food intake ratios of the obese women were significantly lower than those of the non-obese women for the categories of milk (p < 0.001) and sugar (p < 0.05). GDM group was 7 women among 19 women in obesity group during mid-pregnancy. During early pregnancy, women with GDM had significantly higher sugar intake ratios than women without GDM (p < 0.05). These results suggested that obese pregnant women are able to prevent GDM by limiting their sugar intake during early pregnancy.

Diets of obese and non-obese older subjects

Aim: To compare diets between obese and non-obese in healthy older subjects. Methods: Forty-five obese and eighty-seven non-obese older subjects were recruited and their habitual factors that may contribute to obesity were assessed. Intakes of food by food-group in the obesity and non-obesity groups were checked using a visual type presentation of model nutriational balance chart (MNBC). Results: Average intake ratio of food relative to ideal food intake was significantly higher in the obesity group than the non-obesity group. The relationship of obesity and exercise or habitual activities was not significant. Conclusion: Food intake is a primary factor of obesity but regular exercise or habitual activities is not a key factor for obesity in older subjects. Since exercise habit is difficult to achieve in older subjects, particularly those who are obese, food control using the present visualtype MNBC would be one strategy forthe management of obesity.

Diets of obese and non-obese children

Aim: To compare diets between obese and non-obese in children. Methods: Thirty-four obese and ten non-obese school children were recruited and their habitual factors of obesity were asked. Intakes of food in the obesity and non-obesity groups were checked using a model nutritional balance chart (MNBC). Results: Average intake ratio of food relative to ideal food intake was significantly higher in the non-obesity group than the obesity group. The relationship between obesity and exercise was significant but not significant for intake ratio of food, times watching TV and playing games. Conclusion: Food intake is not a primary factor of obesity but exercise is a key factor for obesity in school children. Since the effect of diet intervention in obese children was slight, exercise habit would be a more important strategy to reduce obesity than diet in school children.

AMPD3 is involved in anthrax LeTx-induced macrophage cell death

The responses of macrophages to Bacillus anthracis infection are important for the survival of the host,since macrophages are required for the germination of B.anthracis spores in lymph nodes,and macrophage death exacerbates anthrax lethal toxin(LeTx)-induced organ collapse.To elucidate the mechanism of macrophage cell death induced by LeTx,we performed a genetic screen to search for genes associated with LeTx-induced macrophage cell death.RAW264.7 cells,a macrophage-like cell line sensitive to LeTx-induced death,were randomly mutated and LeTx-resistant mutant clones were selected.AMP deaminase 3(AMPD3),an enzyme that converts AMP to IMP,was identified to be mutated in one of the resistant clones.The requirement of AMPD3 in LeTxinduced cell death of RAW 264.7 cells was confirmed by the restoration of LeTx sensitivity with ectopic reconstitution of AMPD3 expression.AMPD3 deficiency does not affect LeTx entering cells and the cleavage of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase(MKK)by lethal factor inside cells,but does impair an unknown downstream event that is linked to cell death.Our data provides new information regarding LeTx-induced macrophage death and suggests that there is a key regulatory site downstream of or parallel to MKK cleavage that controls the cell death in LeTx-treated macrophages.