Impact of in-hospital birth weight loss on short and medium term breastfeeding outcomes.

Background: The definition for lower limit of safe birthweight loss among exclusively breastfed neonates is arbitrary. Despite this, in cases of great in-hospital weight loss, breastfeeding adequacy is immediately questioned. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between weight loss at discharge from hospital, when babies are ready to go home, and eventual cessation of exclusive breastfeeding since birth.

The Effects of Mild Gestational Hyperglycemia on Exclusive Breastfeeding Cessation.

Gestational diabetes increases the risk of a range of adverse perinatal outcomes, including breastfeeding failure, but the best cut-off point for gestational diabetes is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between mild gestational glucose tolerance impairment and the early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). This is an observational study of 768 women with full term pregnancies that were screened for gestational diabetes at 24-28 weeks gestation.

Quantum dot-fluorescent protein FRET probes for sensing intracellular pH.

Intracellular pH (pH(i)) plays a critical role in the physiological and pathophysiological processes of cells, and fluorescence imaging using pH-sensitive indicators provides a powerful tool to assess the pH(i) of intact cells and subcellular compartments. Here we describe a nanoparticle-based ratiometric pH sensor, comprising a bright and photostable semiconductor quantum dot (QD) and pH-sensitive fluorescent proteins (FPs), exhibiting dramatically improved sensitivity and photostability compared to BCECF, the most widely used fluorescent dye for pH imaging. We found that Förster resonance energy transfer between the QD and multiple FPs modulates the FP/QD emission ratio, exhibiting a >12-fold change between pH 6 and 8.

Surface ligand effects on metal-affinity coordination to quantum dots: implications for nanoprobe self-assembly.

The conjugation of biomolecules such as proteins and peptides to semiconductor quantum dots (QD) is a critical step in the development of QD-based imaging probes and nanocarriers. Such protein-QD assemblies can have a wide range of biological applications including in vitro protein assays and live-cell fluorescence imaging. One conjugation scheme that has a number of advantages is the self-assembly of biomolecules on a QD surface via polyhistidine coordination.

[Allergy to cow's milk protein hydrolysates: apropos of 8 cases].

Background: The use of extensively hydrolyzed protein formulas is the best alternative for children with cow's milk allergy, though cases of allergies to hydrolyzed proteins have been reported. The aim of this study was to clarify from our experience the diagnostic, evolutive and therapeutic aspects of allergies to extensively hydrolyzed protein formulas.

Patients And Methods: We report eight cases of allergy to extensively hydrolyzed protein formulas seen between 1985 and 1998.