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Background: Maternal anxiety, depression, and stress during and after pregnancy are negatively associated with child cognitive development. However, the contribution of positive maternal experiences, such as social support, to child cognitive development has received less attention. Furthermore, how maternal experience of social support during specific developmental periods impacts child cognitive development is largely unknown. Methods: Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC; n = 5784) and the Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction study (PREDO; n = 420), we investigated the associations between maternal perceived social support during and after pregnancy and child's general cognitive ability at 8 years of age, assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). Bayesian relevant life course modeling was used to investigate timing effects of maternal social support on child cognitive ability. Results: In both cohorts, higher maternal perceived social support during pregnancy was associated with higher performance on the WISC, independent of sociodemographic factors and concurrent maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety. In ALSPAC, pregnancy emerged as a sensitive period for the effects of perceived social support on child cognitive ability, with a stronger effect of social support during pregnancy than after pregnancy on child cognitive ability. Conclusions: Our findings, supported from two prospective longitudinal cohorts, suggest a distinct role of maternal perceived social support during pregnancy for cognitive development in children. Our study suggests that interventions aimed at increasing maternal social support during pregnancy may be an important strategy for promoting maternal and child well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian hormones influence the outcomes of stress exposure and are implicated in stress-related disorders including depression, yet their roles are often complex and seemingly contradictory. Importantly, depression and stress exposure are associated with immune dysregulation, and ovarian hormones have immunomodulatory properties. However, how ovarian hormones can influence the inflammatory outcomes of stress exposure is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of long-term ovariectomy on the behavioral and neuroinflammatory outcomes of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged mice. Briefly, sham-operated and ovariectomized mice were assigned to non-stress groups or exposed to 6 days of variable stress. Mice were assessed on a battery of behavioral tests, and cytokine concentrations were quantified in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. In the frontal cortex, postsynaptic density protein-95 expression was examined as an index of excitatory synapse number and/or stability, and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were measured to explore potential cell signaling pathways elicited by stress exposure and/or ovarian hormones. Long-term ovariectomy modified the central cytokine profile by robustly reducing cytokine concentrations in the frontal cortex and modestly increasing concentrations in the hippocampus. Under non-stress conditions, long-term ovariectomy also reduced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphoprotein expression in the frontal cortex and increased some measures of depressive-like behavior. The effects of sub-chronic stress exposure were however more pronounced in sham-operated mice. Notably, in sham-operated mice only, sub-chronic stress exposure increased IL-1β and IL-6:IL-10 ratio in the frontal cortex and hippocampus and reduced pERK1/2 expression in the frontal cortex. Further, although sub-chronic stress exposure increased anhedonia-like behavior regardless of ovarian status, it increased passive-coping behavior in sham-operated mice only. These data indicate that long-term ovariectomy has potent effects on the central cytokine milieu and dictates the neuroinflammatory and behavioral effects of sub-chronic stress exposure in middle-aged mice. These findings therefore suggest that the immunomodulatory properties of ovarian hormones are of relevance in the context of stress and possibly depression.

Fine aggregate considered as the oldest building material known by human; it's not inert substance. Each of its physical and chemical properties need theoretical and laboratory studies because of its effect on the compressive strength and durability of concrete. One of the most important properties is the content of sulphate salts, which must be taken into account in all construction works. This research aims to conduct laboratory qualitative assessment of fine aggregate to demonstrate its suitability for construction work and quality assurance. Samples of fine aggregate (sand) were collected from four quarries in Al-Najaf Alashraf [(Syd Ali (S1), Wilaya Ali (S2), Syd Ahmed (S3), and Muhand Al-Khiat (S4)]. Some of the physical tests (sieve analysis, deleterious materials (clay%), bulk density, specific gravity, and absorption), chemical analysis for sulphate salts content, X-Ray technology for mineral composition as well as the compressive strength test were conducted on these samples. Sieve analysis was compared with the Iraqi specifications (IQS), British Standard (B.S), and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Under the standard Iraqi specifications, the results showed that three of the samples [Wilaya Ali (S2), Syd Ahmed (S3), and Muhand Al-Khiat (S4)] fall within Grading Zone (III) which are used in concrete works. While the sample Syd Ali (S1) falls within Grading Zone (IV) which is used in other construction works, such as Tiles and Rendering. On the other and, as per the British Standard, all samples are 188 Huda Z. Kubba et al. compatible for Grading Zone Limits, for the ASTM, all samples are not compatible for the Grading Zone Limits. The sulphate salts content (SO3) of sample Syd Ali (S1) and Wilaya Ali (S2) is (0.28, 0.11%), respectively, falls within the limits of the standard Iraqi specification, while sulphate content of samples Syd Ahmed (S3) and Muhand Al-Khiat (S4) is (10.65, 2.2%), respectively. The compressive strength of concrete of the sample Wilaya Ali (S2) is (24, 33) MPa for age (7, 28) days, respectively, and it is higher than the other Samples Syd Ahmed (S3) and Muhand Al-Khiat (S4) by (0.54, 0.39) % MPa and (0.42, 0.24) MPa, respectively for age (7, 28) days, while the compressive strength of the sample Syd Ali (S1) is slightly lesser than the Sample (S2) by (0.22, 0.06) % MPa for age (7, 28) day. From X-Ray diffraction test, it appears that there are three minerals (Calcite, Quartz, and Gypsum) for Samples [(Syd Ali (S1), Wilaya Ali (S2), Syd Ahmed (S3), and Muhand Al-Khiat (S4)], except for sample Wilaya Ali (S2) where Gypsum is not found, and it's of trace amount for sample Syd Ali (S1) which is (1.0%), large amount for sample Syd Ahmed (S3) which is (5.1%), and very large amount for sample Muhand Al-Khiat (S4) which is (47.5%). The results of X-Ray diffraction test confirm the results of chemical analysis for sulphate salt content (SO3) in all samples especially for Wilaya Ali (S2). From the results of this research, its clear that Sample Wilaya Ali (S2) is the best for concrete works where the grading and sulphate salts content (SO3) is accepted by (IQS), and this sample gives an accepted compressive strength. While Sample Syd Ali (S1) was the finest with an accepted sulphate salts content as compared with (IQS) which makes it is suitable for other construction works rather than concrete. Samples, Syd Ahmed (S3) and Muhand Al-Khiat (S4) are with high sulphate salts content (which cannot be treated) as compared with (IQS) which make them not compatible for concrete and other construction works.