Beta glucuronidase and hyperbilirubinemia in breast fed infants of diabetic mothers

30 breast fed infants of diabetic mothers [IDMs], 10 full term healthy newborn and the mothers of both groups were included in this study. B-glucuronidase enzymatic concentration [BG] was estimated in breast milk of diabetic mothers [DMs], healthy normal mothers, maternal and neonatal sera. Indirect serum bilirubin level was estimated in sera of IDMs and in infants of healthy mothers, Glycosated heamoglobin level was also measured in blood of DMs. A significantly higher concentration of BG enzyme in serum and breast milk of DMs was found when compared to those of healthy mothers. Correspondingly, serum level of BG was significantly higher in IDM, rather than its level in infants of healthy mothers. A significantly higher indirect bilirubin concentration was also noted in IDMs. A positive correlation was detected between serum indirect bilirubin, blood glucose level of glycosated hemoglobin one side and BG level in serum of DMs, serum of IDMs and DMs breast milk on the other side. BG enzyme may have an important role in production of neonatal hyperibilirubineamia

Valores de carnitina en las leches de consumo masivo y leche materna de Venezuela / Cornitine values on the massive consumption milk and maternal milk from Venezuela

Bajos niveles individuales de Carnitina sérica podrían ser determinados por mecanismos genéticos, metabólicos o de ingesta. En una población básicamente sana podrían invocarse mecanismos más generales como los dietéticos. Decidimos evaluar el aporte de Carnitina a nuestra población infantil, a través de la medición en la principal fuente exógena de la infancia como es la leche, por haber detectado en un estudio previo niveles séricos bajos y por existir programas oficiales por más de 26 mil 517 millones de bolivares (482 millones de dolares) para subsidios de alimentación láctea. Se evaluaron: A) Leche materna humana (n=14) < 1sem, 15d, 3m y < = 6m con valores de medios de 25.5; 20.5; 11.7 y 5.7nmol/ml, B) Leches de vaca cruda (n=13) siendo 29.25;20.2 y 13.9 nmol/ml a los 15d, 1m y 3m. Ambos grupos mostraron decretar en el curso de tiempo postparto. C) Leches de vaca en planta pasteurizadora (n=4) 18.5 pre y 9.1 nmol/ml post pasteurización. D) Leches en polvo reconstituidas (n=9), con rangos en 7 de ellas, entre 16-26 nmol/ml. Las leches en polvo para consumo popular fueron las más bajo contenido con 12.2 nmol/ml. Las de mayor contenido, fueron las de soya adicionadas con Carnitina, pero no alcanzaron valores fisiológicos de 50 nmol/ml. Se concluye que existen bajos niveles de Carnitina en las leches de consumo infantil y masivo en Venezuela, pudiendo se la causa de los bajos niveles sanguíneos que se encuentran en la población

Some physicochemical properties of human milk bile-salt activated lipase.

Influence of pH, deoxycholate and denaturing reagents on human milk bile-salt activated lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) has been studied. It appears that pH between 5.0-8.0 has no significant effect on the secondary structure of this lipase, but its higher order structures are affected. Lipase-dependent 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonate fluorescence has revealed that the deoxycholate activated form of lipase has a surface rich in hydrophobic amino acid residues. Circular dichroism and second derivative electronic absorption spectroscopic observations have also provided an evidence for deoxycholate-induced alterations in the surface conformation of this lipase.

Phosphoglucomutase proteins in human milk

O polimorfismo do loco 4 da fosfoglicomutase foi investigado em uma amostra de colostro obtida de 652 mulheres (60% brancas e 40% negras), coletada 24 a 48 hs. após o parto, em Porto Alegre, Brasil. Uma nova amostra de leite foi obtida de 175 dessas mulheres com cerca de 17 dias de lactaçäo. No colostro observou-se um acentuado desvio no equilíbrio de hardy-Weinberg, havendo em geral um excesso de homozigotos e deficiência de heterozigotos. No leite, no entanto, esse desequilíbrio näo ocorreu. As diferenças entre as duas distribuiçöes säo devidas à detecçäo de padröes nas amostras que näo apresentavam atividade no primeiro período, assim como a variabilidade na ativaçäo enzimática, que pode ocorrer no início da lactaçäo. As frequências gênicas no leite (n = 175) foram: brancos (n = 127) PGM4*1 = 0,20, PGM4*2 = 0,41, PGM4*3 = 0,38, PGM4*4 = 0,01; negróides (n = 48) PGM4*1 = 0,15, PGM4*2 = 0,52, PGM4*3 = 0,32 e PGM4*4 = 0,01