Influence of Maternal Age and Gestational Age on Breast Milk Antioxidants During the First Month of Lactation.

Breast milk (BM) is beneficial due to its content in a wide range of different antioxidants, particularly relevant for preterm infants, who are at higher risk of oxidative stress. We hypothesize that BM antioxidants are adapted to gestational age and are negatively influenced by maternal age. Fifty breastfeeding women from two hospitals (Madrid, Spain) provided BM samples at days 7, 14 and 28 of lactation to assess total antioxidant capacity (ABTS), thiol groups, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA + 4-Hydroxy-Trans-2-Nonenal, HNE), protein oxidation (carbonyl groups) (spectrophotometry) and melatonin (ELISA).

Parainfluenza 3 Respiratory Infection Associated with Pericardial Effusion in a Very Low Birthweight Infant.

Parainfluenza 3 virus is a frequent cause of respiratory infections in the pediatric population although it is uncommonly diagnosed in neonates, being usually reported as neonatal intensive care unit microepidemics. We report a case of parainfluenza 3 respiratory infection associated with pericardial effusion in a very low birthweight infant.

β-Amyloid exacerbates inflammation in astrocytes lacking fatty acid amide hydrolase through a mechanism involving PPAR-α, PPAR-γ and TRPV1, but not CB₁ or CB₂ receptors.

Background And Purpose: The endocannabinoid system may regulate glial cell functions and their responses to pathological stimuli, specifically, Alzheimer's disease. One experimental approach is the enhancement of endocannabinoid tone by blocking the activity of degradative enzymes, such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH).

Experimental Approach: We examined the role of FAAH in the response of astrocytes to the pathologic form of β-amyloid (Aβ).

The endocannabinoid system and amyloid-related diseases.

The endocannabinoid system may be the target of novel therapies in a wide variety of diseases. Among them, those related with amyloid accumulation will be discussed in the present review. Several components of this system (CB1 and CB2 receptors, endocannabinoids, FAAH enzyme) may participate in different aspects of amyloid pathophysiology such as, for instance, synaptic activity, cell migration, cytokine production or phagocytic activity.

The activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors stimulates in situ and in vitro beta-amyloid removal by human macrophages.

The endocannabinoid system is a promising therapeutic target in a wide variety of diseases. However, the non-desirable psychotropic effects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids have largely counteracted their clinical usefulness. These effects are mostly mediated by cannabinoid receptors of the CB(1) type, that exhibit a wide distribution in neuronal elements of the CNS.