Exposure to irregular microplastic shed from baby bottles activates the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway, causing intestinal inflammation.

Irregularly shaped microplastics (MPs) released from infant feeding bottles (PP-IFBs) may exhibit increased cytotoxicity, in contrast to the commonly studied spherical MPs. This study presents an initial analysis of the thermal-oxidative aging process of plastic shedding from feeding bottles, and investigates the inflammatory response induced by these atypical MPs in human intestinal cells (Caco-2). The PP-IFBs' surface displayed non-uniform white patches and increased roughness, revealing substantial structural alteration and shedding, especially during actions such as shaking, boiling water disinfection, and microwave heating. FT-IR and 2D-COS analyses revealed that oxygen targeted the C-H and C-C bonds of polypropylene molecular chain, producing RO· and ·OH, thereby hastening polypropylene degradation. When human intestinal cells were exposed to MPs from PP-IFBs, oxidative stress was triggered, resulting in lowered glutathione levels, augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS), and heightened lipid peroxidation. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα) signified an active inflammatory process. The inflammatory response was notably more intense when exposed to MPs released through boiling water disinfection and microwave heating treatments, primarily due to the larger quantity of MPs released and their higher proportion of smaller particles. Furthermore, the NLRP3 inflammasome was identified as critical in initiating this inflammatory chain reaction due to the mitochondrial ROS surge caused by MPs exposure. This was further validated by inhibitor studies, emphasizing the role of the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway in in promoting intestinal inflammation. Therefore, swift actions are recommended to protect infants against the potential health effects of MPs exposure.

Can the presence of additives result in false positive errors for microplastics in infant feeding bottles?

In recent years, it has been shown that food contact materials can be a potential source of microplastics (MP). Recently, it was reported that more than 16 million polypropylene (PP) particles L-1 may be released from infant feeding bottles (IFBs) made of PP. In the present study seven different IFBs were investigated by the same method used in the aforementioned publication. In our tests, however, only one IFB showed a level of MP above the limit of detection. More importantly, the MP detected were not of the same material as the bottle and are more likely the result of contamination. In addition, there was a notable difference in released MP particles when the water simulant was filtered for µ-Raman spectroscopy at hot temperature (70°C) instead of filtering it after cooling down to room temperature. Thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry showed that these differences may be the result of migration and precipitation of additives such as fatty acid esters, often used as release agents in bottle production. These observations, that migrating additives could result in false positive errors for MP, indicate the need for critical consideration when polymers have been subjected to heat.

Microparticles and microplastics released from daily use of plastic feeding and water bottles and plastic injectors: potential risks to infants and children in China.

Daily use of plastic feeding and water bottles occur widely in China, and they could be sources for release of microplastics (MPs), which threaten the health of Chinese infants and children during daily usage. In this work, we investigated the use of polycarbonate (PC) and polypropylene (PP) for making water bottles (WBs) and polyphenylene sulfone resins (PPSU) for making feeding bottles (FBs), and we found that feeding bottles and water bottles released microparticles in amounts ranging from 53 to 393 particles/mL during 100 opening/closing cycles. The good linear regressions for plots of microparticles released vs. abrasion distance (r2 = 0.811) indicated that thick-necked bottles release more microparticles than thin-necked bottles. The brands and types of bottles (plastic vs. glass) influence microparticle release, and this indicates that high-quality plastic and glass bottles release fewer microparticles and are good for the health of infants and children. In addition to calcium stearate and silicone additives, the identified MPs account for 7.5 to 42.1% of released microparticles with different polymer types, sizes (from 20 to 500 µm) and shapes (cubic, spherical and irregular shapes). Additionally, an average of 1.74 MPs were released from an injection with a single-use plastic injector. Nevertheless, a number of microparticles and nanosized plastics were observed with all samples, suggesting that the health risks of micro- and nanosized particles to humans, especially babies and children, and the environment should be considered seriously.

Effect of Exposure of Plastic Infant Feeding Bottle Leached Water on Biochemical, Morphological and Oxidative Stress Parameters in Rats.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is leached out from plastic infant feeding bottles that are filled with warm milk/water due to high temperatures, exposing the infants to BPA. The present study aims to understand the effects of ingestion of BPA leached from plastic infant feeding bottle and delineate the underlying mechanisms in rats. In this study, adult rats of Wistar strain were divided into 3 groups. In the first group, the rats consumed normal food and tap water ad libitum. In the second group, the rats ingested BPA (20 µg/kg bodyweight/day, orally). In the third group, the rats drank water leached from plastic infant feeding bottles. After 30days, tests involving biochemical parameters, histopathological examination, and oxidative stress enzyme markers were performed, and the levels of BPA in plastic-leached water were estimated by HPLC analysis. There were significant biochemical changes in the form of increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatine kinase-muscle/brain (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in both treated groups as compared to control group, accompanied by structural damage to the vital organs, and lipid peroxidation, glutathione reductase, and catalase activity were also high in the treated groups. Further, the BPA concentration in plastic leached water was estimated to be 0.1 ± 0.02 µg/mL.

Prevalencia de hábitos de succión no nutritiva y su relación con maloclusión y anomalías dentomaxilares en preescolares de Cnel. Oviedo, Paraguay / Prevalence of non-nutritive sucking habits and their relationship with malocclusion and dentomaxillary abnormalities in preschoolers of Cnel. Oviedo, Paraguay

El objetivo fue determinar la prevalencia de hábitos de succión no nutritiva y su relación con maloclusiones y anomalías dentomaxilares en preescolares de Coronel Oviedo - Paraguay, durante el año 2015. Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo de corte transversal con componente analítico, con muestreo probabilístico estratificado bietápico. La población de estudio estuvo constituida por niños del sexo masculino y femenino de la Educación Inicial (maternal, jardín y pre-escolar). Las variables del estudio fueron la succión no nutritiva (succión digital y succión del chupete, edad, sexo, onicofagia y el uso del biberón. Los datos fueron recabados mediante una encuesta dirigida a los padres; acompañada de la inspección bucodental. Fueron incluidos 344 escolares, el 48,84% (168) tenía una edad de 5 años y el 52,91% (182) era del sexo masculino. El 13,08% (45) realizaba succión digital, el 9,59% (33) succión de chupete y el 38,95% (134) otros hábitos. Al diferenciar la presencia de hábitos con las características demográficas se pudo apreciar como la presencia de succión digital estaba relacionada con la mordida abierta (p=0.000), la mordida cruzada (p=0.049), con la orientación de los incisivos (p=0.000), la forma de la arcada (p=0.000), y la oclusión de vista transversal (p=0.046) y sagitalmente (p=0.000). La prevalencia de hábitos de succión no nutritiva en estos escolares fue alta y estaba relacionada con la maloclusión y la aparición de anomalías dentomaxilares, por lo que la educación de padres para la prevención de dichas condiciones es fundamental(AU)

The objective was to determine the prevalence of non-nutritive suction habits and their relationship with malocclusions and dentomaxillary anomalies in preschool children of Coronel Oviedo - Paraguay, during 2015. An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study with analytical component was carried out, with two-stage stratified probabilistic sampling. The study population consisted of boys and girls of the Pre-Primary Education (nursery, kindergarten and pre-school). The variables of the study were the non-nutritive suction (digital suction and suction of the pacifier, age, sex, onychophagia and the use of the feeding bottle). The data were collected through a survey addressed to the parents, accompanied by an oral inspection. Three hundred forty-four schoolchildren were included, 48.84% (168) was 5 years old and 52.91% (182) was male. Of the total, 13.08% (45) performed digital suction, 9.59% (33) pacifier suction and 38.95% (134) other habits. By differentiating the presence of habits with demographic characteristics, it was seen how the presence of digital suction was related to the open bite (p=0.000), the crossbite (p = 0.049), and the orientation of the incisors (p=0.000). ), the shape of the arch (p = 0.000), the cross sectional occlusion (p=0.046) and the sagittal occlusion (p = 0.000). The prevalence of non-nutritive suction habits in these school children was high and related to malocclusion and the appearance of dentomaxillary anomalies, so the education of parents for the prevention of these conditions is fundamental(AU)

Prevalence and determinants of the use of pacifiers and feedingbottle: a study in Southwest Bahia / Prevalência e fatores determinantes do uso de chupetas e mamadeiras: um estudo no sudoeste baiano

Abstract Objectives: to assess the use of pacifier and feedingbottle and their determinants in children from a municipality of Southwest Bahia. Methods: a cross-sectional study was performed with 354 children younger than 12 months old. The event was categorized in: exclusive use of pacifier, exclusive use of feeding bottle,use of pacifier and feeding bottle, and not use any of them. Multinomial analysis with logistic regression was applied, and those who did not use any artificial nipples were thereference variable. Results: it was observed that 11.9% of the children exclusively used pacifiers, 21.2% only use bottles and 32.8% used both of them. The following factors were associated with the exclusive use of pacifiers: low maternal schooling level (eight or less years of education), lack of previous experience with breastfeeding, difficulty in postpartum breastfeeding, and lack of incentive to breastfeeding in puericulture. The exclusive use of feeding bottle was associated with unmarried mothers, aged 35 years old or older, and with less years of education (eight or less years). Women who worked outside home and had difficulty in breastfeeding had greater chance of giving both artificial nipples to the children. Conclusions: the findingspresent different featuresrelated to the exclusive or combined use of pacifiers and feeding bottles, being important to direct health professionals conducts towards mothers' orientation.

Resumo Objetivos: avaliar o uso de chupeta e mamadeira e seus determinantes em crianças de um município da região Sudoeste da Bahia. Métodos: estudo transversal realizado com 354 crianças menores de 12 meses. O evento foi categorizado em uso de chupeta exclusivo, uso de mamadeira exclusiva, uso de chupeta e mamadeira e não faz uso de ambas. Empregou-se análise multinomial com regressão logística tendo os que não usavam bicos artificiais como variável de referência. Resultados: observou-se que 11,9% das crianças faziam uso exclusivo de chupeta, 21,2% de mamadeira, 32,8% de ambos. Estiveram associadas ao uso exclusivo de chupeta: uma menor escolaridade materna (oito ou menos anos de estudo), ausência de experiência anterior com amamentação, dificuldade de amamentar no pós-parto e falta de incentivo à amamentação na puericultura. O uso exclusivo de mamadeira foi associado a mães sem companheiro, com idade de 35 anos ou mais e com menor escolaridade (oito ou menos anos de estudo). Mulheres que trabalhavam fora do lar e que tiveram dificuldade de amamentar apresentaram maior chance de fazerem uso de ambos os bicos artificiais. Conclusões: os resultados mostram características diferentes em relação ao uso exclusivo ou conjunto de bicos e mamadeiras, sendo importantes para direcionar as condutas dos profissionais de saúde para as orientações as mães.

Home-made feeding bottles have inadequacies in their nutritional composition regardless of socioeconomic class.

Fifty-four and fifty samples of home-prepared feeding bottles for infants from a public health unit (low socioeconomic group, LSG) and from a private pediatric clinic (high socioeconomic group, HSG), respectively, were chemically analyzed, and their energy, macronutrient and iron contents were compared with the standard composition recommended for follow-up formulas. Cow's milk and sucrose and cereals added to the bottles were largely used in the study. Energy, protein and carbohydrate contents were higher than the recommended level in 75.9, 27.7 and 81.5% of LSG samples and 62.0, 48.0 and 34.0% of HSG samples, respectively. Fat content was lower than the recommended level in 83.3% of LSG and 58.0% of HSG samples. Excessive values of energy, carbohydrates and protein, low fat content and macronutrient imbalance were found regardless of the socioeconomic class, thus indicating the need to improve the domestic feeding bottles' preparation practices and discourage the use of cow's milk and the addition of other ingredients.