Relationship between dietary folate intakes, maternal plasma total homocysteine and B-vitamins during pregnancy and fetal growth in Japan.

Background: Adequate folate status in pregnancy is important for satisfactory pregnancy outcome.

Aim Of The Study: The objective of the present study was to evaluate folate status in healthy pregnant women by assessing dietary folate intakes and measuring changes in folate-related biomarkers including plasma tHcy, serum vitamin B(12) (B(12)), and serum and RBC folate concentrations in each trimester and to examine their relation to fetal growth.

Methods: From 94 pregnant women, 3-day-dietary records were obtained and blood was collected for plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), serum B(12), and serum and red-blood cell (RBC) folate measurements.

Nutritional status of pregnant and lactating women in Japan: a comparison with non-pregnant/non-lactating controls in the National Nutrition Survey.

Aim: To describe the nutritional status in Japanese pregnant and lactating women at a national level, through a comparison with their non-pregnant/non-lactating controls.

Material And Methods: Pooled data from five years (1995-1999) of the National Nutrition Survey, Japan. Data on 330 pregnant and 388 lactating women, and their one-by-one matched non-pregnant/non-lactating controls, were used for analysis.

Preparation and properties of alginate lyase modified with poly(ethylene glycol).

Modification of the enzyme alginate lyase (AL) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was attempted for the degradation and removal of alginate biofilms in infectious diseases. The modification of AL with PEG was attempted with three kinds of N-succinimidyl succinate PEG (SS-PEG), which differed in molecular weight (i.e.