An updated review of worldwide levels of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid in human breast milk by region.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) levels in human breast milk worldwide by country, region and socio-economic status. DESIGN: Descriptive review conducted on English publications reporting breast-milk DHA and AA levels. SETTING: We systematically searched and identified eligible literature in PubMed from January 1980 to July 2015. Data on breast-milk DHA and AA levels from women who had given birth to term infants were included. SUBJECTS: Seventy-eight studies from forty-one countries were included with 4163 breast-milk samples of 3746 individuals. RESULTS: Worldwide mean levels of DHA and AA in breast milk were 0·37 (sd 0·11) % and 0·55 (sd 0·14) % of total fatty acids, respectively. The breast-milk DHA levels from women with accessibility to marine foods were significantly higher than those from women without accessibility (0·35 (sd 0·20) % v. 0·25 (sd 0·14) %, P<0·05). Data from the Asian region showed the highest DHA concentration but much lower AA concentration in breast milk compared with all other regions, independent of accessibility to marine foods. Comparison was made among Canada, Poland and Japan - three typical countries (each with sample size of more than 100 women) from different regions but all with high income and similar accessibility to fish/marine foods. CONCLUSIONS: The current review provides an update on worldwide variation in breast-milk DHA and AA levels and underlines the need for future population- or region-specific investigations.

Effect of bovine lactoferrin from iron-fortified formulas on diarrhea and respiratory tract infections of weaned infants in a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with bovine lactoferrin (bLf) from iron-fortified formulas on diarrhea and respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in weaned infants. METHODS: In this prospective, multicenter, controlled intervention study, 260 infants ages 4 to 6 mo who previously were exclusively breastfed but weaned were randomized into two groups: a lactoferrin-fortified formula milk group (fortified group, FG, containing lactoferrin 38 mg/100 g milk) and a no lactoferrin-fortified milk (control group, CG); breastfed infants were enrolled and served as a reference group (breastfed group, BG). The intervention duration was 3 mo. The morbidity of diarrhea and RTIs were collected during supplementation. RESULTS: The results of the study demonstrated evidence of a lower incidence rate of respiratory-related illnesses and fewer symptoms of running nose, cough, and wheezing for infants in the FG and BG groups compared with those in the CG (P < 0.05). Despite the undistinguished incidence rate of vomiting, nausea, and colic, the occurrences of diarrhea-related illnesses were significantly lower for children in the FG and BG than for those in CG (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The beneficial effects on infectious morbidity over 3 mo highlighted the potential of bLF supplementation for previously weaned infants; these findings may be applicable to other infants living in similar socioeconomic districts.

Perturbation and nonlinear dynamic analysis of adult male smokers.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking results in a voice change, and the perception by smokers of an abnormal voice may encourage quitting behavior. Moreover, a disordered voice is often the first sign of vocal pathology. Efforts to evaluate voice have focused on classical acoustic analysis; however, nonlinear dynamic analysis has been shown to be a reliable objective method for the evaluation of voice. We compare the discriminatory ability of these two methods when applied to normal and smokers' voices. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: The study included 73 subjects, 36 nonsmokers and 37 smokers. A segment of sustained vowel production was obtained from each subject. Acoustic dimension and correlation dimension (D2) analyses were applied to the data. Results were compared with a Mann-Whitney rank sum test, logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: D2 values for smokers were significantly higher than D2 values for nonsmokers (P<0.001). Jitter and shimmer analysis showed higher values for these parameters among smokers. Logistic regression indicated a higher predictive power with D2, and ROC analysis found no significant difference between the analysis methods. DISCUSSION: This study indicated that D2 is highly sensitive to changes associated with smoking and has the potential to be implemented clinically as an indicator of abnormal voice. Further research could focus on using nonlinear dynamic analysis to create a normative database, producing standards for monitoring voice changes caused by cigarette smoking.

[Analysis of 41 cases of basal cell carcinoma in maxillofacial area].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the incidence, location and relationship between surgical margin and metastasis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in maxillofacial area. METHOD: Retrospective study was undertaken of 41 cases of BCCs in the maxillofacial region diagnosed in histopathology during the period of 1996 to 2003. RESULT: From 1996 to 2003, there were 41 cases of primary BBC in maxillofacial region, of whom 17 were males and 24 were females (male-to-female ratio, 1:1.41). The age of BCCs patients was between 55-74 years old, the average age of female patients was 68.1 years old, and that of the male was 58.4 years old. The lesions of BCCs were found in 13 cases in the nose (31.7%), 8 cases in scalp skin (19.5%), 7 cases in periorbital skin (17.1%), 7 cases in perioral region (17.1%), 4 cases in cheek skin (9.8%) and 2 cases in auricle skin (4.89%). In patients who received operation, the difference of the positive rates between 0.3 cm and 0.5 cm of surgical margin of the T1 stage tumor was significant (P<0.05). Of all the 41 patients, 4 patients were found to suffer regional lymph nodes metastasis or local bone destruction at the first visit (9.8%), 3 patients (7.3%) had a recurrent BCC. CONCLUSION: The morbidity in elder female is higher than that of male at the same age. For tumors smaller than 2 cm in diameter, surgical margin of 0.5 cm is enough.

[Mechanisms of pethidine-induced vasodilatation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the vasodilating effects of pethidine, particularly in association with intracellular calcium. METHODS: Aorta rings of Sprague-Dawley rats, with or without endothelium, were prepared in organ bath to measure the vascular tone. Pre-contractions by KCl (80 mmol/L) and phenylephrine (PhE) (10(-6)mol/L) were induced. RESULTS: Pethidine did not alter the resting tension of aorta rings, but produced dose-dependent relaxation in KCl and PhE pre-treated aorta rings with or without endothelium. Pethidine did not change the caffeine-stimulated contraction, and still had similar inhibition in KCl pre-contracted aorta rings after pretreatment with ruthenium red. Pethidine decreased the contractile responses induced by PhE in Ca(2+)-free solution or by adding calcium into Ca(2+)-free solution. CONCLUSION: Pethidine could produce an endothelium-independent vasodilatation in KCl and PhE pre-contracted aorta rings, which is related to inhibition of Ca(2+)entry and IP3-sensitive Ca(2+) release in vascular smooth muscle.