Changes in physical properties of bovine milk from the colostrum period to early lactation

The aim of this study was to analyze individual cows' samples from the colostrum, postcolostrum, and early lactation periods to investigate how milk composition, physical properties, stability, and suitability for processing change throughout this period. Attention was paid to the first week postpartum in which the composition of bovine mammary secretion can change markedly. Properties including pH, titratable acidity, ethanol stability (ES), rennet clotting time, and casein micelle size were analyzed, together with some compositional factors such as fat, total protein, lactose, total and ionic calcium, magnesium, citrate, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium. Total Ca (36.2 mM) and free ionic Ca (2.58 mM), Mg (5.9 mM), P (32.2 mM), and Na (24.1 mM) appeared to be high on d 5 postpartum, having decreased substantially over the first 5 d; they gradually decreased thereafter. The average pH on d 5 was only 6.49, compared with 6.64 at 1 mo postpartum. Stability measurements showed that the average ES on d 5 was 70% and the rennet clotting time was 12.2 min, which were significantly lower than values at later stages. A number of milk properties including ES, pH, protein content, and Ca2+ concentration could be useful for identifying the point of transition from colostrum to the early lactation period. Knowing the composition and physical properties of colostrum and postcolostrum secretions will help establish when such milk is suitable for processing and determine the best use for that milk.

Formation of high levels of acrylamide during the processing of flour derived from sulfate-deprived wheat

When wheat was grown under conditions of severe sulfate depletion, dramatic increases in the concentration of free asparagine were found in the grain of up to 30 times as compared to samples receiving the normal levels of sulfate fertilizer. The effect was observed both in plants grown in pots, where the levels of nutrients were carefully controlled, and in plants grown in field trials on soil with poor levels of natural nutrients where sulfate fertilizer was applied at levels from 0 to 40 kg sulfur/Ha. Many of the other free amino acids were present at higher levels in the sulfate-deprived wheat, but the levels of free glutamine showed increases similar to those observed for asparagine. In baked cereal products, asparagine is the precursor of the suspect carcinogen acrylamide, and when flours from the sulfate-deprived wheat were heated at 160 degrees C for 20 min, levels of acrylamide between 2600 and 5200 mu g/kg were found as compared to 600-900 mu g/kg in wheat grown with normal levels of sulfate fertilization.

Improving quality of mother-infant relationship and infant attachment in socioeconomically deprived community in South Africa: randomised controlled trial

Objective To assess the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve the mother-infant relationship and security of infant attachment in a South African peri-urban settlement with marked adverse socioeconomic circumstances. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting Khayelitsha, a peri-urban settlement in South Africa. Participants 449 pregnant women. Interventions The intervention was delivered from late pregnancy and for six months postpartum. Women were visited in their homes by previously untrained lay community workers who provided support and guidance in parenting. The purpose of the intervention was to promote sensitive and responsive parenting and secure infant attachment to the mother. Women in the control group received no therapeutic input from the research team. Main outcome measures Primary outcomes: quality of mother-infant interactions at six and 12 months postpartum; infant attachment security at 18 months. Secondary outcome: maternal depression at six and 12 months. Results The intervention was associated with significant benefit to the mother-infant relationship. At both six and 12 months, compared with control mothers, mothers in the intervention group were significantly more sensitive (6 months: mean difference=0.77 (SD 0.37), t=2.10, P<0.05, d=0.24; 12 months: mean difference=0.42 (0.18), t=-2.04, P<0.05, d=0.26) and less intrusive (6 months: mean difference=0.68 (0.36), t=2.28, P<0.05, d=0.26; 12 months: mean difference=-1.76 (0.86), t=2.28, P<0.05, d=0.24) in their interactions with their infants. The intervention was also associated with a higher rate of secure infant attachments at 18 months (116/156 (74%) v 102/162 (63%); Wald=4.74, odds ratio=1.70, P<0.05). Although the prevalence of maternal depressive disorder was not significantly reduced, the intervention had a benefit in terms of maternal depressed mood at six months (z=2.05, P=0.04) on the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale). Conclusions The intervention, delivered by local lay women, had a significant positive impact on the quality of the mother-infant relationship and on security of infant attachment, factors known to predict favourable child development. If these effects persist, and if they are replicated, this intervention holds considerable promise for use in the developing world. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN25664149.

Improving quality of mother-infant relationship and infant attachment in socioeconomically deprived community in South Africa: randomised controlled trail

Objective To assess the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve the mother-infant relationship and security of infant attachment in a South African peri-urban settlement with marked adverse socioeconomic circumstances. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting Khayelitsha, a peri-urban settlement in South Africa. Participants 449 pregnant women. Interventions The intervention was delivered from late pregnancy and for six months postpartum. Women were visited in their homes by previously untrained lay community workers who provided support and guidance in parenting. The purpose of the intervention was to promote sensitive and responsive parenting and secure infant attachment to the mother. Women in the control group received no therapeutic input from the research team. Main outcome measures Primary outcomes: quality of mother-infant interactions at six and 12 months postpartum; infant attachment security at 18 months. Secondary outcome: maternal depression at six and 12 months. Results The intervention was associated with significant benefit to the mother-infant relationship. At both six and 12 months, compared with control mothers, mothers in the intervention group were significantly more sensitive (6 months: mean difference=0.77 (SD 0.37), t=2.10, P<0.05, d=0.24; 12 months: mean difference=0.42 (0.18), t=−2.04 , P<0.05, d=0.26) and less intrusive (6 months: mean difference=0.68 (0.36), t=2.28, P<0.05, d=0.26; 12 months: mean difference=−1.76 (0.86), t=2.28 , P<0.05, d=0.24) in their interactions with their infants. The intervention was also associated with a higher rate of secure infant attachments at 18 months (116/156 (74%) v 102/162 (63%); Wald=4.74, odds ratio=1.70, P<0.05). Although the prevalence of maternal depressive disorder was not significantly reduced, the intervention had a benefit in terms of maternal depressed mood at six months (z=2.05, P=0.04) on the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale). Conclusions The intervention, delivered by local lay women, had a significant positive impact on the quality of the mother-infant relationship and on security of infant attachment, factors known to predict favourable child development. If these effects persist, and if they are replicated, this intervention holds considerable promise for use in the developing world.

Hypersensitivity and growth adaptation of oestrogen-deprived MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Background: Efficacy of endocrine therapy is compromised when human breast cancer cells circumvent imposed growth inhibition. The model of long-term oestrogen-deprived MCF-7 human breast cancer cells has suggested the mechanism results from hypersensitivity to low levels of residual oestrogen. Materials and methods: MCF-7 cells were maintained for up to 30 weeks in phenol-red-free medium and charcoal-stripped serum with 10-8 M 17-oestradiol and 10 g/ml insulin (stock 1), 10-8 M 17-oestradiol (stock 2), 10 g/ml insulin (stock 3) or no addition (stock 4). Results: Loss of growth response to oestrogen was observed only in stock 4 cells. Long-term maintenance with insulin in the absence of oestradiol (stock 3) resulted in raised oestrogen receptor alpha (ERlevels (measured by western immunoblotting) and development of hypersensitivity (assayed by oestrogen-responsive reporter gene induction and dose response to oestradiol for proliferation under serum-free conditions), but with no loss of growth response to oestrogen. Conclusion: Hypersensitivity can develop without any growth adaptation and therefore is not a prerequisite for loss of growth response in MCF-7 cells.

Effect of inclusion of lactulose and Lactobacillus plantarum on the intestinal environment and performance of piglets at weaning

The prebiotic lactulose, a probiotic strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and a synbiotic combination of these two agents were evaluated as growth promoters in 25–39-day old commercial weaning pigs. Ninety-six weaning pigs were allocated into 32 pens, taking initial weight into account, and distributed into four groups as follows: a control diet (CTR), the same diet supplemented daily with L. plantarum (109 CFU/mL sprayed on top; 20 mL/pig) (LPN); 10 g/kg lactulose (LAC) or a combination of both treatments (SYN). At day 14, eight piglets from each group were euthanized and proximal colon digesta was sampled for luminal pH, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and lactic acid concentrations. Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from colonic digesta and the microbial community was profiled by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (T-RFLP) and qPCR. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and acute-phase proteins (Pig-MAP) were measured. Lactulose treatment (LAC) improved feed intake (P<0.05), average daily gain (P<0.01), feed:gain ratio (P<0.05) and reduced BUN (P<0.01). Both, LAC and LPN treatment, decreased the Enterobacteriaceae:Lactobacillus spp. ratio in the colonic luminal contents (P<0.05). Moreover LPN treatment promoted a decrease in the percentage of branched fatty acids (P<0.01) suggesting a reduction in proteolytic microbial activity. Microbial profiling of colonic luminal contents by T-RFLP revealed changes in some microbial species. Terminal restriction fragments (TRFs) compatible with Bifidobacterium thermoacidophilum were more frequently detected in experimental diets compared to CTR (P<0.05). Pigs receiving SYN diet demonstrated the combined positive effects of individual LAC and LPN treatment although we were not able to show a specific increase in the probiotic strain with the inclusion of lactulose. Collectively, these data suggest the combination of lactulose and L. plantarum acts as a complementary synbiotic, but not as a synergistic combination.

Lactulose and Lactobacillus plantarum, a potential complementary synbiotic to control postweaning colibacillosis in piglets

The potential of a prebiotic oligosaccharide lactulose, a probiotic strain of Lactobacillus plantarum, or their synbiotic combination to control postweaning colibacillosis in pigs was evaluated using an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 oral challenge. Seventy-two weanlings were fed four diets: a control diet (CTR), that diet supplemented with L. plantarum (2 × 10(10) CFU · day(-1)) (LPN), that diet supplemented with 10 g · kg(-1) lactulose (LAC), or a combination of the two treatments (SYN). After 7 days, the pigs were orally challenged. Six pigs per treatment were euthanized on days 6 and 10 postchallenge (PC). Inclusion of lactulose improved the average daily gain (ADG) (P < 0.05) and increased lactobacilli (P < 0.05) and the percentage of butyric acid (P < 0.02) in the colon. An increase in the ileum villous height (P < 0.05) and a reduction of the pig major acute-phase protein (Pig-MAP) in serum (P < 0.01) were observed also. The inclusion of the probiotic increased numbers of L. plantarum bacteria in the ileum and colon (P < 0.05) and in the total lactobacilli in the colon and showed a trend to reduce diarrhea (P = 0.09). The concentrations of ammonia in ileal and colonic digesta were decreased (P < 0.05), and the villous height (P < 0.01) and number of ileal goblet cells (P < 0.05) increased, at day 10 PC. A decrease in plasmatic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (P < 0.01) was also seen. The positive effects of the two additives were combined in the SYN treatment, resulting in a complementary synbiotic with potential to be used to control postweaning colibacillosis.

Protections for persons deprived of their liberty in international armed conflict

This contribution is about the protection of detained persons in international armed conflict. In particular, it compares how the relationship between IHL and IHRL is understood depending on whether one is speaking of the substantive or the procedural rules of protection for detainees. It will be suggested that, whereas the relationship between IHL and IHRL raises fewer problems when speaking of substantive rules, the situation is very different when speaking of procedural rules.

Not all adolescents are sleep deprived: A study of rural populations

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of environmental factors in sleep duration among adolescents living in rural areas. A total of 1140 students (569 males), aged 10-19 years, and attending two schools in rural regions in southern Brazil, completed a questionnaire about their sleep habits. Demographic data were also obtained. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated for the cases of more than 9 h of sleep on weekdays. Sleep duration in adolescents with and without electric lighting at home was analyzed. Average sleep duration at night was 9.63 (1.64) h on school-going days and 10.14 (2.42) h on weekends. The prevalence of adolescents sleeping for more than 9 h at night on school-going days was 58.3%. Older adolescents showed a tendency to delay their sleep onset times, which is associated with a reduction of sleep duration. Adolescents without electric lighting at home slept longer on school-going days (P < 0.001) and on weekends (P = 0.013) when compared to those with electric lighting at home. From multivariate analysis, age (P < 0.001), school schedule (P = 0.007) and work (0.042) were factors affecting sleep duration. In contrast to the data previously reported for urban populations, we found a high prevalence of adolescents sleeping for more than 9 h on school nights. Data on populations living in less industrialized regions reinforce the idea that technological advances are associated with the negative impact of sleep phase delay in adolescents.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of monosodium glutamate obese and food-deprived rats

Proline-specific dipeptidyl peptidases are emerging as a protease family with important roles in the regulation of signaling by peptide hormones related to energy balance. The treatment of neonatal rats with monosodium glutamate (MSG) is known to produce a selective damage on the arcuate nucleus with development of obesity. This study investigates the relationship among dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) hydrolyzing activity, CD26 protein, fasting, and MSG model of obesity in 2 areas of the central nervous system. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV and CD26 were, respectively, evaluated by fluorometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in soluble (SF) and membrane-bound (MF) fractions from the hypothalamus and hippocampus of MSG-treated and normal rats, submitted or not to food deprivation (FD). Dipeptidyl peptidase IV in both areas was distinguished kinetically as insensitive (DI) and sensitive (DS) to diprotin A. Compared with the controls, MSG and/or FD decreased the activity of DPPIV-DI in the SF and MF from the hypothalamus, as well as the activity of DPPIV-DS in the SF from the hypothalamus and in the MF from the hippocampus. Monosodium glutamate and/or FD increased the activity of DPPIV-DI in the MF from the hippocampus. The monoclonal protein expression of membrane CD26 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay decreased in the hypothalamus and increased in the hippocampus of MSG and/or FD relative to the controls. The existence of DPPIV-like activity with different sensitivities to diprotin A and the identity of insensitive with CD26 were demonstrated for the first time in the central nervous system. Data also demonstrated the involvement of DPPIV-DI/CD26 hydrolyzing activity in the energy balance probably through the regulation of neuropeptide Y and beta-endorphin levels in the hypothalamus and hippocampus. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neutral Aminopeptidase and Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Activities in Plasma of Monosodium Glutamate Obese and Food-deprived Rats

Biometric parameters, glycemia and activity levels of plasma neutral aminopeptidase (APN) and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) were measured in monosodium glutamate obese and food-deprived rats (MSG-FD), to analyze the involvement of these enzymes in such situations. Plasma APN was distinguished as sensitive (PSA) (K(m) = 7.8 x 10(-5) mol/l) and predominantly insensitive (APM) (K(m) = 21.6 x 10(-5) mol/l) to puromycin, whereas DPPIV was sensitive (DPPIV-DS) (K(m) = 0.24 x 10(-5) mol/l) and predominantly insensitive (DPPIV-DI) (K(m) = 7.04 x 10(-5) mol/l) to diprotin A. Although unchanged in the MSG and food-deprived animals, APM activity levels were closely correlated with body mass, Lee index, and mass of retroperitoneal fat pad in the food deprived, but not in the MSG animals. DPPIV-DI activity levels decreased by 33% and were correlated with body mass, Lee index, and mass of periepididymal fat pad in the food-deprived MSG rats. These data suggest that APM and DPPIV-DI are respectively related to the downregulation of somatostatin in food-deprived rats, and to the recovery of energy balance in MSG obese rats during food deprivation.

APM/CD13 and FOS in the hypothalamus of monosodium glutamate obese and food deprived rats

Protein (western blotting) and gene (PCR) expressions, catalytic activity of puromycin-insensitive membrane-bound neutral aminopeptidase (APM/CD13) and in situ regional distribution of CD13 and FOS immunoreactivity (it) were evaluated in the hypothalamus of monosodium glutamate obese (MSG) and/or food deprived (FD) rats in order to investigate their possible interplay with metabolic functions. Variations in protein and gene expressions of CD13 relative to controls coincided in the hypothalamus of MSG and MSG-FD (decreased 2- to 17-fold). Compared with controls, the reduction of hypothalamic CD13 content reflected a negative balance in its regional distribution in the supraoptic, paraventricular, periventricular and arcuate nuclei. CD13-ir increased in the supraoptic nucleus in MSG (2.5-fold) and decreased in the paraventricular nucleus (2-fold) together with FOS-ir (1.5-fold) in FD. In MSG-FD. FOS-ir decreased (7-fold) in the paraventricular nucleus, while CD13-ir decreased in the periventricular (5.6-fold) and the arcuate (3.7-fold) nuclei. It was noteworthy that all these changes of CD13 were not related to catalytic activity of APM. Data suggested that hypothalamic CD13 plays a role in the regulation of energy metabolism not by means of APM enzyme activity. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.