A nutritional supplement during preconception and pregnancy increases human milk vitamin D but not B-vitamin concentrations.

Background & Aims: Optimal maternal vitamin status during pregnancy and lactation is essential to support maternal and infant health. For instance, vitamin D is involved in infant bone development, and B-vitamins are involved in various metabolic processes, including energy production. Through a double-blind randomised controlled trial, we investigated the effects of maternal supplementation from preconception throughout pregnancy until birth on human milk (HM) concentrations of vitamin D and B-vitamins.

A nutritional supplement taken during preconception and pregnancy influences human milk macronutrients in women with overweight/obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus.

Rational: Maternal overweight/obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are associated with an increased risk of their offspring developing overweight/obesity or type 2 diabetes later in life. However, the impacts of maternal overweight/obesity and dysglycemia on human milk (HM) macronutrient composition are not well understood.

Objective: Through a double-blind randomised controlled trial, we investigated the effects of maternal supplementation from preconception throughout pregnancy until birth on HM macronutrient concentrations, in association with maternal and infant factors including maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and GDM status.

Predictors of compliance with higher dose omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy and implications for the risk of prematurity: exploratory analysis of the ORIP randomised trial.

Background: Intention-to-treat analyses of the Omega-3 to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity (ORIP) trial found that omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation reduces the risk of prematurity in the subgroup of women with a singleton pregnancy and low n-3 status early in pregnancy, but not overall. However, results may have been influenced by less-than-optimal compliance.

Objectives: To identify predictors of compliance with n-3 supplementation and determine treatment effects among compliers.

Identifying women who may benefit from higher dose omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy to reduce their risk of prematurity: exploratory analyses from the ORIP trial.

Objectives: The risk factors for prematurity are multifactorial and include low omega-3 status. Omega-3 supplementation in pregnancy has been found to reduce prematurity risk, particularly among women with low omega-3 levels. This study aimed to identify maternal characteristics that predict whether women with a singleton pregnancy will benefit from omega-3 supplementation to reduce their risk of prematurity.

Temporal evolution of fatty acid content in human milk of lactating mothers from the Philippines.

Fatty acids (FA) play a key role in infant growth and development. The aim of this study was to study the temporal evolution of FA from 3 or 4 weeks to 4 months postpartum in human milk (HM) from Filipino mothers. Mid-morning HM samples (n = 41) were collected after full expression from a single breast and FA were assessed using gas-liquid chromatography coupled to flame ionization detector.

A nutritional supplement containing zinc during preconception and pregnancy increases human milk zinc concentrations.

Introduction: During pregnancy and lactation minerals such as zinc are required to support maternal and infant health. Zinc is involved in various cellular processes, with requirements increasing in pregnancy and lactation. In the setting of a randomized trial, we investigated the effects on human milk (HM) zinc concentrations of a micronutrient-containing supplement including zinc in the intervention (but not control) group, started preconception and taken throughout pregnancy until birth.

Targeted Synthesis of 3,3'-, 3,4'- and 3,6'-Phenylpropanoid Sucrose Esters.

In this study, we report on an orthogonal strategy for the precise synthesis of 3,3'-, 3,4'-, and 3,6'-phenylpropanoid sucrose esters (PSEs). The strategy relies on carefully selected protecting groups and deprotecting agents, taking into consideration the reactivity of the four free hydroxyl groups of the key starting material: di-isopropylidene sucrose . The synthetic strategy is general, and potentially applies to the preparation of many natural and unnatural PSEs, especially those substituted at 3-, 3'-, 4'- and 6'-positions of PSEs.

Feruloyl Sucrose Esters: Potent and Selective Inhibitors of α-glucosidase and α-amylase.

Introduction: Feruloyl Sucrose Esters (FSEs) are a class of Phenylpropanoid Sucrose Esters (PSEs) widely distributed in plants. They were investigated as potential selective Alpha Glucosidase Inhibitors (AGIs) to eliminate the side effects associated with the current commercial AGIs. The latter effectively lowers blood glucose levels in diabetic patients but causes severe gastrointestinal side effects.

Cinnamoyl Sucrose Esters as Alpha Glucosidase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Diabetes.

Cinnamoyl sucrose esters (CSEs) were evaluated as AGIs and their enzyme inhibition activity and potency were compared with gold standard acarbose. The inhibition activity of the CSEs against α-glucosidase and α-amylase depended on their structure including the number of the cinnamoyl moieties, their position, and the presence or absence of the acetyl moieties. The inhibitory values of the CSEs - generally increases in the order of mono-cinnamoyl moieties < di-cinnamoyl ≤ tri-cinnamoyl < tetra-cinnamoyl.

Increased double strand breaks in diabetic β-cells with a p21 response that limits apoptosis.

DNA damage and DNA damage response (DDR) pathways in β-cells have received little attention especially in the context of type-2 diabetes. We postulate that p21 plays a key role in DDR by preventing apoptosis, associated through its overexpression triggered by DNA stand breaks (DSBs). Our results show that β-cells from chronic diabetic mice had a greater extent of DSBs as compared to their non-diabetic counterparts.