Maternal obesity does not influence human milk protein 15N natural isotope abundance.

Obesity increases protein metabolism with a potential effect on nitrogen isotope fractionation. The aim of this study was to test the influence of obesity on human milk extracted protein 15N natural isotope abundance (NIA) at one month post-partum and to compare human milk extracted protein 15N NIA and bulk infant hair 15N NIA. This cross-sectional observational study involved 16 obese mothers (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg m-2 before pregnancy) matched with 16 normal-weight mothers (18.5 kg m-2 ≤ BMI < 25 kg m-2) for age and pregnancy characteristics. Human milk extracted protein and bulk infant hair 15N NIA were determined by isotope ratio monitoring by mass spectrometry interfaced to an elemental analyser (IRM-EA/MS). No significant difference was found in human milk protein 15N NIA values between obese and normal-weight mothers (8.93 ± 0.48 ‰ vs. 8.95 ± 0.27 ‰). However, human milk protein 15N NIA was significantly lower than bulk infant hair 15N NIA: 8.94 ± 0.38 ‰ vs. 9.66 ± 0.69 ‰, respectively. On the basis of these results, it is concluded that human milk protein 15N NIA measured at one month post-partum is not influenced by maternal obesity. These findings suggest that 15N NIA may be exploited to study metabolism without considering maternal obesity as a confounder.

Protein restricted diet during gestation and/or lactation in mice affects 15N natural isotopic abundance of organs in the offspring: Effect of diet 15N content and growth.

OBJECTIVES AND STUDY: This study aimed at measuring the effect in normal to restricted protein diets with specific 15N natural isotopic abundance (NIA) given during gestation and/or lactation on the 15N NIA of fur, liver and muscle in dams and their offspring from birth to adulthood. The secondary aim was to study the effect of growth on the same parameters. METHODS: Female Balb/c mice were fed normal protein diet containing 22% protein or isocaloric low protein diet containing 10% protein throughout gestation. Dam's diets were either maintained or switched to the other diet until weaning at 30 days. All animals were fed standard chow thereafter. Offspring were sacrificed at 1, 11, 30, 60, 480 days and a group of dams at d1. Growth was modeled as an exponential function on the group followed up until 480 days. Fur, liver and muscle were sampled at sacrifice and analyzed for bulk 15N NIA. Fixed effects and interactions between fixed effects and random elements were tested by three-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Higher 15N NIA in the diet resulted in higher organ 15N NIA. Switching from one diet to another changed 15N NIA in each organ. Although dam and offspring shared the same isotopic environment during gestation, 15N NIA at day 1 was higher in dams. Growth rate did not differ between groups after 10 days and decreased between 1 and 5 months. 15N NIA differed between organs and was affected by growth and gestation/lactation. CONCLUSION: Dietary 15N NIA is a major determinant of the 15N NIA of organs. 15N NIA depended on organ and age (i.e. growth) suggesting an effect of metabolism and/or dilution space. Post-natal normal-protein diet of lactating dams could reverse the effect of a protein-restricted diet during gestation on the offspring growth. Measuring 15N NIA in various matrices may open a field of application particularly useful in studying the pre- and post-natal origins of health and disease.

Utilização de tecnologias educativas com adolescentes oncológicos: uma abordagem Freireana

O objetivo do estudo consiste em descrever a utilização de tecnologias educativas através da realização de atividades de educação em saúde baseada no referencial teórico-metodológico de Paulo Freire. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, do tipo relato de experiência com abordagem qualitativa, realizado em um Instituto de Referência em Tratamento Oncológico para crianças e adolescente, em maio de 2011, como atividade do estágio da disciplina obrigatória Enfermagem no Processo de Cuidar do Adolescente, ofertada no quinto semestre do curso de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Ceará. Os relatos foram descritos na ordem cronológica de realização das estratégias educativas, abordando-se as seguintes temáticas: higiene pessoal; autoestima; conceito de saúde. No grupo de adolescentes, observou-se uma maior valorização e interesse nos assuntos apresentados de forma lúdica e dinâmica, sendo trabalhadas as temáticas de forma interativa e informativa.