Peripheral Lymphocyte Changes Associate With the Progression of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Infants.

INTRODUCTION: Immune factors are important antecedents in the pathophysiology of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). However, studies on the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets changes in NEC patients among different Bell stages and in patients requiring surgery are scarce. METHODS: 34 infants with NEC and 33 age-matched controls were included. Peripheral blood was collected within 48 h after NEC diagnosis. Peripheral blood B and T lymphocytes subsets were detected by 12-color flow cytometry. Cell ratios were calculated, and their relationship to disease severity and their roles as indicators for surgery were assessed. RESULTS: NEC patients showed elevated percentages of unSwB cells (CD27+IgD+ unswitched memory/activated B cells)/B cells, SwB cells (CD27+IgD-switched memory B cells)/B cells, CD8+ T (CD3+CD8+ T cells)/T cells, Tem (CD45RA-CCR7-effector memory T cells)/CD4+ T cells, Tem/CD8+ T cells and decreased Bn (CD27-IgD+ naïve B cells)/B cells, CD4+T (CD3+CD4+ T cells)/T cells, CD45RA+ CCR7+ naïve T cells (CD45RA+CCR7+ naïve T cells)/CD8+T cells. Compared to NEC patients at BELL stage I + II, patients at BELL stage III showed increased percentages of SwB cells/B cells, antibody secreting cell (ASC, CD3-CD20-CD27high CD38high ASCs)/B cells and Tem/CD4+ T cells, and decreased percentages of CD45RA+CCR7+ naïve T cells/CD4+ T cells. The Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve analysis showed that the sensitivity of ASC/B cells ratio (0.52%) is 86.67% and the specificity of Tem/CD4+T ratio (5.22%) is 100%, indicating that NEC patients required surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of NEC exhibits codirectional changes with the maturation of B and T lymphocytes, especially CD4+ T cells. The increased ASC/B and Tem/CD4+ T cells could serve as potential indicators for NEC patients requiring surgery.

Influence of Maternal Fish Oil Supplementation on the Risk of Asthma or Wheeze in Children: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Previous studies evaluating the influences of maternal fish oil supplementation on the risk of asthma or wheeze in children showed inconsistent results. We performed a meta-analysis or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to systematically evaluate the efficacy of maternal fish oil supplementation for asthma or wheeze. Methods: Relevant RCTs were obtained by search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library databases. A random-effects model incorporating the potential publication bias was used to pool the results. Results: Ten RCTs with 3,676 infants were included. Compared to control, maternal supplementation with fish oil was not associated with a reduced risk of asthma or wheeze [odds ratio (OR): 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72-1.14, P = 0.40] with mild heterogeneity (I 2 = 28%). Subgroup analyses showed that maternal fish oil supplementation significantly reduced the risk of asthma (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35-0.91, P = 0.02; I 2 = 0%), but not the risk of wheeze (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.90-1.41, P = 0.32; I 2 = 0%). In addition, maternal fish oil supplementation was associated with reduced risk of asthma or wheeze in high-dose studies (≥1,200 mg/d, OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48-0.87, P = 0.003; I 2 = 0%), but not in low-dose studies (<1,200 mg/d, OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.88-1.38, P = 0.39; I 2 = 0%, P for subgroup difference = 0.005). Study characteristics such as the risk of the infants, timing of supplementation, and follow-up duration did not significantly affect the results. Conclusions: Maternal fish oil supplementation may reduce the risk of clinically diagnosed asthma in children, particularly with high-dose fish oil.

Effect evaluation of supplementary food nutrition package for infants aged 6-24 months in rural areas of Hainan / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective To analyze the effect of nutrition package on the nutritional status and prevalence of children in rural areas of Hainan Province, and provide scientific basis and suggestions for further improving the nutritional and health status of children in this region. Methods　Four cities and counties were randomly selected as the intervention group, and four cities and counties matched with the intervention group in terms of population, economy, social culture, maternal and child health work foundation of township health centers, physical nutrition and health status were selected as the control group.With the combination of monitoring and prospective cohort study, infants in the intervention group and the control group were studied from June 1, 2020, and they were intervened for 12 months with supplementary food nutrition package. Before and after intervention, the nutrition and health status of infants aged 6-24 months in the intervention group and the control group were investigated to evaluate the nutritional and health effects of supplementary food nutrition package for infants aged 6-24 months in rural Hainan Province. Results　A total of 999 infants were investigated, including 427 in the intervention group and 572 in the control group. After 12 months of nutritional intervention, there was no significant difference in weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) and height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) and weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) between the intervention group and the control group (P>0.05). The rate of emaciation of the intervention group was 1.64%, which was significantly lower than 3.67% of the control group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the rate of growth retardation (2.81% and 3.32%, respectively) and underweight (0.47% and 1.92%, respectively) between the intervention group and the control group (P>0.05). The rate of respiratory infection and diarrhea in the intervention group were 9.13% and 1.17%, which were significantly lower than corresponding 23.25% and 3.15% in the control group (P<0.05). The hemoglobin of the intervention group and the control group were 117.24 g/L and 114.51 g/L respectively, and the rates of anemia were 11.11% and 22.84% respectively, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions　The intervention of nutrition package in rural areas of Hainan Province has achieved the expected results, and supplementary food nutrition package has reduced the incidence of malnutrition and respiratory infection and diarrhea in recent two weeks in infants and anemia to a certain extent. We should attach great importance to the supplementary nutrition package for right-age children and promote the growth and health of children in rural areas through supplementary nutrition package, and continuously improve the nutrition and health level of children in Hainan Province.

Effects of Fish Oil Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Overweight or Obese Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Influences of fish oil supplementation on body weight and other cardiometabolic factors in overweight or obese children and adolescents remain not fully understood. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the role of fish oil for these children. Methods: Relevant studies were obtained by search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library databases. A random-effect model, which incorporates the potential heterogeneity of the included studies, was used to pool the results. Results: Twelve RCTs including 1,028 overweight or obese children and adolescents were included. Compared to control, fish oil supplementation significantly reduced body mass index [BMI, mean difference (MD): -0.96 kg/m2, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.69 to -0.23, P = 0.01] but did not significantly reduce body weight or waist circumference (P = 0.68 and 0.76). Moreover, fish oil supplementation significantly reduced serum triglyceride (MD: -0.24 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.40 to -0.08, P = 0.004) but did not significantly affect serum total cholesterol and high-density or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.83, 0.42, and 0.31, respectively). Additionally, fish oil supplementation significantly lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP, MD: -2.46 mmHg, 95% CI: -4.93 to -0.01, P = 0.04) but did not significantly change diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.22). Supplementation with fish oil did not significantly affect fasting plasma glucose (P = 0.33). Conclusions: In overweight or obese children and adolescents, supplementation with fish oil could reduce BMI, decrease serum triglyceride, and lower SBP, while serum cholesterol and fasting glucose may not be significantly affected.

[Simultaneous determination of migration amounts of antioxidants and ultraviolet absorbents by high performance liquid chromatography in food contact materials].

An efficient analytical method for the quantitative determination of migration levels of antioxidants and ultraviolet absorbents in food contact materials by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed. The analytical method showed good linearity with the correlation coefficients (r2) > or = 0.999 8 for all the compounds. The limits of detection were between 0.01 mg/L and 0.22 mg/L and the limits of quantification were in the range of 0.03 to 0.85 mg/L for the 23 analytes. According to the European Union Directive No 10/2011, five food simulants were investigated: 30 g/L acetic acid, 10% (v/v) ethanol, 20% (v/v) ethanol, 50% (v/v) ethanol, and fatty food simulant (isooctane). The recoveries were in the range of 92.8%-117.7%, with the relative standard deviations of 0.95%-9.72%. The effects of different experimental conditions on the recoveries of antioxidants and UV absorbents were studied. The results showed that the method is accurate and stable, and can meet the requirements of European Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 and GB 9685-2008 for the specific migration limits (SML) of the antioxidants and ultraviolet absorbents in real food contact plastic materials and article samples. The method has been applied to determine the migration levels of antioxidants and ultraviolet absorbents in different simulants from the migration tests of 30 batches of food contact material samples.

[Multiplex fluorescent real-time PCR detection of bovine, goat and sheep derived materials in animal products].

We designed the specific primers and TaqMan probes targeting cytochrome b genes of mitochondrial DNA from bovine, goat and sheep. We used different fluorescents to label the probes. After optimization of reaction conditions, we set up a multiplex fluorescent real-time PCR method to detect bovine, goat and sheep derived materials, simultaneously. We finished the detection tests of 17 kinds of animal DNA and 200 DNA samples from different sources with the developed method and the National Standard GB/T 20190Y-2006 routine PCR method. The coincidence rate of these two methods was 100%. Without electrophoresis or restriction digestion, the developed method could reduce the test time to one third as routine PCR and identify three kinds of animal derived materials including bovine, goat and sheep in one reaction. The developed method was approximately 10 times more sensitive than routine PCR, and was applicable to identifications of bovine, goat and sheep derived materials in feed stuff, meat, milk, pelt and grease, etc. The study showed that the developed real-time PCR method is a rapid, sensitive and efficacious detection assay for bovine, goat and sheep derived materials in animal products.