Nutritional Composition, Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Different Samples of Water Boatmen Eggs (Hemiptera: Corixidae).

The group of aquatic insects collectively called "water boatmen" or "Axayacatl" (Hemiptera: Corixidae) and their eggs, called "Ahuahutle", have been consumed and cultivated since the pre-Hispanic era in Mexico. Nevertheless, food composition databases contain limited information on the nutritional composition of these eggs. This work evaluates the macronutrients and bioactive compounds of water boatmen eggs obtained from three different locations in Mexico. The primary analyses to be determined for the first time were some bioactive compounds in the eggs, such as phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, condensed tannins content, antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS), and, additionally, fatty acids and proximal composition. The results showed that the sample from Hidalgo (AMC) presented the highest number of phenolic compounds (855.12 ± 0.52), followed by ALT (125.52 ± 0.05) and, with the lowest amount, AMT (99.92 ± 0.13), all expressed in an mg GAE/g sample. ALT indicated the highest mol TE/g sample concentration for ABTS (25.34 ± 0.472) and DPPH (39.76 ± 0.054), showing a significant difference in the DPPH method with the AMT samples. The three Corixidae egg samples had between 15 to 18 different fatty acid profiles, and there were statistically significant differences (Student's t-test ≤ 0.05) between the means using MSD. The total fats of the three samples were between 12.5 and 15.5 g/100 g dry basis. In addition, Corixidae eggs are excellent protein sources. Thus, water boatmen's eggs can be considered to be a food rich in bioactive compounds.

Triclosan and triclocarban exposure, infectious disease symptoms and antibiotic prescription in infants-A community-based randomized intervention.

BACKGROUND: Triclosan and triclocarban (TCs) are broad-spectrum antimicrobials that, until recently, were found in a wide variety of household and personal wash products. Popular with consumers, TCs have not been shown to protect against infectious diseases. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether use of TC-containing wash products reduces incidence of infection in children less than one year of age. METHODS: Starting in 2011, we nested a randomized intervention of wash products with and without TCs within a multiethnic birth cohort. Maternal reports of infectious disease symptoms and antibiotic use were collected weekly by automated survey; household visits occurred every four months. Antibiotic prescriptions were identified by medical chart review. Urinary triclosan levels were measured in a participant subset. Differences by intervention group in reported infectious disease (primary outcome) and antibiotic use (secondary outcome) were assessed using mixed effects logistic regression and Fisher's Exact tests, respectively. RESULTS: Infectious illness occurred in 6% of weeks, with upper respiratory illness the predominant syndrome. Among 60 (45%) TC-exposed and 73 (55%) non-TC-exposed babies, infectious disease reports did not differ in frequency between groups (likelihood ratio test: p = 0.88). Medical visits with antibiotic prescriptions were less common in the TC group than in the non-TC group (7.8% vs. 16.6%, respectively; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Although randomization to TC-containing wash products was not associated with decreased infectious disease reports by mothers, TCs were associated with decreased antibiotic prescriptions, suggesting a benefit against bacterial infection. The recent removal of TCs from consumer wash products makes further elucidation of benefits and risks impracticable.

Stanford's Outcomes Research in Kids (STORK): a prospective study of healthy pregnant women and their babies in Northern California.

PURPOSE: Stanford's Outcomes Research in Kids (STORK) is an ongoing prospective cohort of healthy pregnant women and their babies established to determine the effect of infectious diseases on weight, linear growth and immune system development during childhood. Additionally, a nested randomised intervention of household and personal cleaning products tests the effects of the microbicides triclosan and triclocarban on these outcomes and incidence of infection. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy pregnant women were identified and enrolled primarily at public clinics; their babies, enrolled shortly after birth, are followed to age 36 months. Automated weekly surveys assess daily health status, infectious disease symptoms, healthcare provider visits and antibiotic use, in the mother during pregnancy and the baby once born. At 4-monthly household visits, information and samples are collected from the mother (urine, stool, saliva, skin swab), the baby (blood by heel/toe stick, urine, stool, saliva, skin swab) and the household (environmental swabs). Annual blood samples are obtained by venipuncture (mother and baby). Medical charts are abstracted for allergy and infectious illness in the mother during pregnancy and the baby. FINDINGS TO DATE: From 7/2011 to 2/2015, 158 mothers were enrolled at approximately 20 weeks gestation; 127 babies were enrolled. Two-thirds of mothers are Hispanic, one-third are non-US born and one-third speak primarily Spanish; mean years of education is 13 (SD 6.2) years. Households have on average 4.5 residents. Most households (97%) were randomised to participate in the intervention. Completion of weekly surveys (86%) and follow-up (75% after 14 months) is excellent in this young, mobile population; collection of samples is ongoing with thousands of specimens stored. FUTURE PLANS: Enrolled babies will be followed until age 36 months (last anticipated visit: 07/2018) with medical chart review completed soon thereafter. All epidemiological information and samples will be available for collaborative hypothesis testing. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01442701; Pre-results.