Childhood parasitic infections and gastrointestinal illness in indigenous communities at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala.

Lake Atitlán has experienced a decline in water quality resulting from cultural eutrophication. Indigenous Mayans who already face disproportionate health challenges rely directly on the lake water. Our objectives were to: (1) estimate prevalence of shedding of water-borne fecal parasites among children 5 years of age and younger, (2) assess household-reported incidence of gastrointestinal illness in children, and (3) characterize water sources, treatment, and sanitation conditions in households.

Micronutrient supplementation of lactating Guatemalan women acutely increases infants' intake of riboflavin, thiamin, pyridoxal, and cobalamin, but not niacin, in a randomized crossover trial.

Background: Maternal supplementation during lactation could increase milk B-vitamin concentrations, but little is known about the kinetics of milk vitamin responses.

Objectives: We compared acute effects of maternal lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS) consumption (n = 22 nutrients, 175%-212% of the RDA intake for the nutrients examined), as a single dose or at spaced intervals during 8 h, on milk concentrations and infant intake from milk of B-vitamins.

Methods: This randomized crossover trial in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala included 26 mother-infant dyads 4-6 mo postpartum who were randomly assigned to receive 3 treatments in a random order: bolus 30-g dose of LNS (Bolus); 3 × 10-g doses of LNS (Divided); and no LNS (Control), with control meals.

Efficient purification of arsenic-contaminated water using amyloid-carbon hybrid membranes.

We show the purification of arsenic-contaminated water using amyloid fibril-based membranes, which adsorb both the arsenate (+5) and arsenite (+3) oxidation forms at efficiencies of ∼99%. Binding isotherms indicate that amyloid fibrils possess multiple binding residues capable of strongly adsorbing arsenic ions via metal-ligand interactions, delaying the saturation of the membrane. We also show that these membranes can be reused for several cycles without any efficiency drop, and validate our technology in purifying real contaminated ground water by removing arsenic with an efficiency as high as 99.

Response of urinary biomarkers of systemic oxidation to oral iron supplementation in healthy men.

Background: Urinary biomarkers are used in assessment of severe, clinical oxidative stress. Little is known, however, about their diagnostic value within the normative range.

Objective: To evaluate the response of urinary thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as indicators of systemic oxidation in response to short-term oral iron and antioxidant supplementation.

Equivalent effects on fecal reactive oxygen species generation with oral supplementation of three iron compounds: ferrous sulfate, sodium iron EDTA and iron polymaltose.

Background: In any context of iron supplementation in the prenatal prophylaxis or therapeutic dosage range, a large amount will remain unabsorbed and pass through the intestinal tract into the colonic digesta possibly causing increased oxidation.

Aim: To compare the generation of fecal reactive oxygen species (ROS) in situ after daily consumption of 100 mg of elemental iron in three frequently used forms of iron supplements.

Methods: Ten healthy, iron-repleted adult males were investigated before and during supplementation with three oral iron compounds: 100 mg of oral iron were given as ferrous sulfate, Na Fe-EDTA and iron polymaltose for 6 days to each subject in an individually stratified sequence.

Antioxidant-rich oral supplements attenuate the effects of oral iron on in situ oxidation susceptibility of human feces.

Prophylactic doses of 120 mg of iron (Fe) are commonly used to prevent Fe-deficiency anemia in vulnerable populations, especially in developing countries. Evidence shows that residual Fe in the large bowel may alter the normal antioxidant capacity of the fecal stream. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of dietary antioxidants from the Carotino Tocotrienol-Carotene Mixed Concentrate (CTCMC) on the depletion of fecal antioxidant capacity by oral Fe supplementation.