Importance of maternal diet in the training of the infant's immune system during gestation and lactation.

Latest forecasts predict that half of the European population will be allergic within the coming 15 years, with food allergies contributing substantially to the total burden; preventive measures are urgently needed. Unfortunately, all attempted alimentary strategies for primary prevention of allergic diseases through allergen avoidance so far have failed. This also holds true for the prevention of food allergies in breastfed infants by the common practice of excluding certain foods with allergenic potential from the maternal diet. As a preventive measure, therefore, exclusion diets should be discouraged. They can exhaust nursing mothers and negatively impact both their nutritional status as well as their motivation to breastfeed. A prolonged exclusion diet may be indicated solely in cases of doctor-diagnosed food allergy following rigid medical tests (e.g. double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges). Indicated cases usually involve exclusion of only a few food items. Continued breastfeeding is generally important for many aspects of the infant's health, including the training of the infant's immune responses to foreign compounds and avoidance of overshooting inflammatory responses. Recent studies suggest that the presence of maternal dietary proteins in amniotic fluid, cord blood, and human milk might support the induction of tolerance towards solid foods in infants. These are exactly the same species of proteins or remnants thereof that, in comparatively few cases, trigger allergic responses. However, the insight that the proteins of maternal dietary origin in human milk are more likely to be cure (or, more precise, directing prevention) than curse has still largely evaded the attention of health care professionals consulted by worried breastfeeding mothers. In this paper, we summarize recent literature on the importance of exposure to dietary proteins in the establishment of immunological tolerance and hence prevention of allergic disease. Multiple organizations have used the scientific knowledge to build (local) guidelines (e.g. AAAAI, EAACI, BSACI) that can support health care professionals to provide the best strategy to prevent the onset of allergic diseases. We thus hope to clarify existing confusion about the allergenic propensities of dietary proteins during early life, which has contributed to exaggerated fears around the diet of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

Application of lectin microarrays for the analysis of seminal plasma glycome.

We report application of lectin microarrays, exploiting simultaneous interaction of seminal plasma samples with multiple lectins of different sugar specificities to compare the glycomes of fertile and infertile men. The results indicate reduced lectin reactivity associated with decreased fertility, especially affecting oligozoospermic subjects and probably O-glycosylation. Lectin microarrays may become a potent tool for semen analysis in search of the association of glycosylation and male fertility.

Is c.1431-12G>A A common European mutation of SPINK5? report of a patient with Netherton Syndrome.

Netherton Syndrome (NS) is a very rare genetic skin disease resulting from defects in the SPINK5 gene (encoding the protease inhibitor lympho-epithelial Kazal type inhibitor 1, LEKTI1). In this report, we provide a detailed clinical description of a Polish patient with two SPINK5 mutations, the novel c.1816_1820+21delinsCT and possibly recurrent c.1431-12G>A. A detailed pathogenesis of Netherton Syndrome, on the basis of literature review, is discussed in the view of current knowledge about the LEKT1 molecular processing and activity.

Metabolism of glutamine in rat kidney mitochondria in the presence of aminooxyacetate.

1. Aminooxyacetate has no effect on respiration of rat kidney cortex mitochondria in the presence of glutamine but it inhibits respiration in the presence of glutamate to the values of endogenous respiration. 2. Rat kidney mitochondria in state 3 produce aspartate from glutamine in the amount corresponding to almost 50% of the glutamate formed intramitochondrially. 3. Aminooxyacetate affects neither formation of ammonia nor of aspartate from glutamine but it inhibits aspartate synthesis in the mitochondria treated with Triton X-100.

[Influence of mode and time of delivery on leukocyte subpopulations in umbilical cord blood]. / Sposób i czas rozwiazania ciazy a subpopulacje limfocytów krwi pepowinowej noworodków.

DESIGN: The aim of this article was to study the differences between lymphocyte subsets of cord blood newborns according to the mode of delivery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lymphocytes of 15 infants born by vaginal route and 14 infants born by caesarean section were immunophenotyping by flow cytometer. RESULTS: Significant higher percentage of CD8+ was found in group of vaginal delivery. We also found high coefficient of linear regression between birthweight and CD23+, CD19+, CD4+/CD25+, NK, CD8+, CD4+, CD+3. CONCLUSION: No effect of operative delivery on percentage and absolute sizes of cord blood lymphocytes subsets except significant higher percentage of CD8+ were found.

Educational and nursing problems of parents of children with stoma.

In children, it is usually one of the stages of treatment of lower alimentary congenital defects. Such patients require long-term professional medical and nursing attention as well as solicitous care of the parents at home. The aim of the study was the analysis of educational and nursing problems that are faced by parents of children with stoma, the influence of a nurse on the quality of their care, and determination of nurse educational assignment in preparing the parents for the care at home. The study was performed in the group of 30 parents of children, 0-2 years old, with lower alimentary congenital defects who had intestinal stoma inserted in 2003. The questionnaire revealed that the main causes of the stoma were Hirschsprung disease (40%), anal atresia (37%), perianal fistula, intestinal perforation and necrosis (10% each). All responders stated that the knowledge acquired in the ward was of great help while nursing a child at home. The results showed that above 80% of parents had the opportunity to change the stomal sacks by themselves, once or more times, in the presence of medical staff. Skin changes (33%) were the most common complications in case of stoma, which could encounter for inappropriate care. Other complications included hemorrhage (20%), prolapse (13%), and stoma narrowing (10%).

Helicobacter pylori eradication as prevention against chronic peptic ulcer disease in children.

The changes caused by Helicobacter pylori are a slow, progressing inflammatory process developing from several to dozen years. H. pylori infection leads to an inflammatory response in the gastric mucosa with granulocyte infiltrates in an acute form of the inflammation, and lymphocytes, plasmatic, macrophages and eosinophils in a chronic form inducing the development of gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer in some patients. The frequency and the type of morphological changes in the gastric mucosa were analyzed in children with positive IgG against H. pylori and the incidence of gastric and duodenal ulcers in family members of children examined was evaluated in our study. Gastritis was reported in 68.8% of children with positive IgG against H. pylori. Gastric ulcer was confirmed in 37.1% of families of children included in the study. Duodenal ulcers were found in 22.9% of families. The results obtained, indicate the usefulness of long-term observation and clinical follow-up of children with chronic gastritis of H. pylori ethiology taking into consideration bacterium eradication as prophylaxis of peptic ulceration.

Employment survey of Montreal dietetic internship graduates, 1975-77.

A mail survey of graduates for the previous three years from Montreal area dietetic internships was carried out in 1977-78. One objective of the survey was to collect data on employment status and job turnover. Mailing lists for graduates were obtained from internship program directors. One hundred and ninety-three questionnaires were mailed. Forty-nine percent of the questionnaires were returned. Sixty-one respondents (64%) reported they had left their first position; 73% of these left within one year. The major reason for leaving first positions was 'temporary position' (43%), and 'family reasons' was cited by 10%. Eighty-one percent of respondents were employed at the time of the survey. The major reasons for unemployment were: 'education' (33%); 'family reasons' (22%), and 'no position' (16%). Family reasons for not working were less common in this survey than in a national survey conducted in 1974. Results presented here indicate that recent dietetic graduates who are married and/or have a family are more likely to work today than in 1974, as is the trend for women in other areas of employment. The implications for new graduates are: higher job turnover, fewer permanent positions, and an increase in the number of post graduate degrees.