Importance of maternal diet in the training of the infant's immune system during gestation and lactation

Latest forecasts predict that half of the European population will be allergic within the coming 15 years, with food allergies contributing substantially to the total burden; preventive measures are urgently needed. Unfortunately, all attempted alimentary strategies for primary prevention of allergic diseases through allergen avoidance so far have failed. This also holds true for the prevention of food allergies in breastfed infants by the common practice of excluding certain foods with allergenic potential from the maternal diet. As a preventive measure, therefore, exclusion diets should be discouraged. They can exhaust nursing mothers and negatively impact both their nutritional status as well as their motivation to breastfeed. A prolonged exclusion diet may be indicated solely in cases of doctor-diagnosed food allergy following rigid medical tests (e.g. double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges). Indicated cases usually involve exclusion of only a few food items. Continued breastfeeding is generally important for many aspects of the infant's health, including the training of the infant's immune responses to foreign compounds and avoidance of overshooting inflammatory responses. Recent studies suggest that the presence of maternal dietary proteins in amniotic fluid, cord blood, and human milk might support the induction of tolerance towards solid foods in infants. These are exactly the same species of proteins or remnants thereof that, in comparatively few cases, trigger allergic responses. However, the insight that the proteins of maternal dietary origin in human milk are more likely to be cure (or, more precise, directing prevention) than curse has still largely evaded the attention of health care professionals consulted by worried breastfeeding mothers. In this paper, we summarize recent literature on the importance of exposure to dietary proteins in the establishment of immunological tolerance and hence prevention of allergic disease. Multiple organizations have used the scientific knowledge to build (local) guidelines (e.g. AAAAI, EAACI, BSACI) that can support health care professionals to provide the best strategy to prevent the onset of allergic diseases. We thus hope to clarify existing confusion about the allergenic propensities of dietary proteins during early life, which has contributed to exaggerated fears around the diet of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers

P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptor cross-talk in calcium signalling: Evidence from nonstarved and long-term serum-deprived glioma C6 cells

The current work presents results of experiments on the calcium response evoked by the stimulation by extracellular nucleotides occurring in control, nonstarved glioma C6 cells and in cells after long-term (96 h) serum starvation. Three nucleotide receptors were studied: P2Y1, P2Y2 and P2Y12. Two of them, P2Y1 and P2Y2, directly stimulate calcium response. The protein level of the P2Y2 receptor did not change during the serum starvation, while P2Y1 protein level fell dramatically. Observed changes in the calcium response generated by P2Y1 are directly correlated with the receptor protein level as well as with the amount of calcium present in the intracellular calcium stores, partially depleted during starvation process. The third receptor, P2Y12, did not directly evoke calcium response, however it is activated by the same ligand as P2Y1. The experiments with AR-C69941MX, the P2Y12-specific antagonist, indicated that in control and serum-starved cells, calcium response evoked by P2Y1 receptor is potentiated by the activity of P2Y12-dependent signaling pathways. This potentiation may be mediated by P2Y12 inhibitory effect on the plasma membrane calcium pump. The calcium influx enhanced by the cooperation of P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptor activity directly depends on the capacitative calcium entrance mechanism

Relationship Between Anti-DFS70 Autoantibodies and Oxidative Stress

Background: The anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are one of the most commonly and widely described agent of unknown clinical significance, frequently detected in healthy individuals. It is not known whether the DFS70 autoantibodies are protective or pathogenic. One of the factors suspected of inducing the formation of anti-DFS70 antibodies is increased oxidative stress. We evaluated the coexistence of anti-DFS70 antibodies with selected markers of oxidative stress and investigated whether these antibodies could be considered as indirect markers of oxidative stress. Methods: The intensity of oxidative stress was measured in all samples via indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), lipofuscin (LPS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid concentration (UA), were also measured, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Based on TOS and TAS values, the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. All samples were also tested with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 357 samples were selected for direct monospecific anti DFS70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. Results: The anti-DFS70 antibodies were confirmed by ELISA test in 21.29% of samples. Compared with anti-DFS70 negative samples we observed 23% lower concentration of LPH (P =.038) and 11% lower concentration of UA (P =.005). TOS was 20% lower (P =.014). The activity of SOD was up to 5% higher (P =.037). The Pearson correlation showed weak negative correlation for LPH, UA, and TOS and a weak positive correlation for SOD activity. Conclusion: In samples positive for the anti-DFS70 antibody a decreased level of oxidative stress was observed, especially in the case of samples with a high antibody titer. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as an indirect marker of reduced oxidative stress or a marker indicating the recent intensification of antioxidant processes

Development trends in the market of forwarding services in Poland

W prezentowanej pracy główna uwaga została skupiona na omówieniu tendencji rozwojowych na polskim rynku spedycyjnym. Celem pracy było sformułowanie odpowiedzi na pytania dotyczące tego, czy w przeciągu ostatnich lat rynek usług spedycyjnych w Polsce uległ intensywnemu rozwojowi, jakie najważniejsze czynniki miały wpływ na ten rozwój, a także jakie perspektywy rysują się przed tym rynkiem. Praca została podzielona na trzy rozdziały. W pierwszym skupiono się na omówieniu istoty spedycji, w tym zanalizowaniu samego terminu „spedycja” oraz opisaniu rodzajów tej spedycji. W drugim rozdziale scharakteryzowano najważniejsze czynniki, mające wpływ na funkcjonowanie rynku usług spedycyjnych w Polsce po przemianach transformacyjnych na przełomie lat osiemdziesiątych i dziewięćdziesiątych XX w. Z kolei w trzecim rozdziale pracy opisano aktualny stan rynku spedycyjnego w Polsce oraz perspektywy, które stoją przed nimIn this paper the main attention was focused on discussing the development trends on the Polish forwarding market. The aim was to formulate answers to questions about whether, in the last years the market for freight services in Poland has been intensive development, the most important factors which have an impact on this development, and what prospects are against this market. The work is divided into three chapters. The first focused on discussing the substance of shipping, including analyzing the term "forwarding" and describing the types of freight. In the second chapter we characterized the most important factors affecting the functioning of forwarding services market in Poland following transformational changes in the late eighties and early nineties the twentieth century. On the other hand, in the third chapter describes current forwarding market in Poland and the prospects that lie before him

Formation of the nemaline structures in soleus muscle of rats subjected to long-lasting immobilization

We performed the ultrastructural evaluation of presence and of some basic morphometric parameters of nemaline structures (NS) and Z band malformations in the musculus soleus fibres of rats kept in 7 months lasting immobilisation. Disturbances in Z band, leading to NS formation, were observed very often. Also numerous, classically rod-shaped NS were found in analyzed material. We demonstrate, for the first time in literature, that long-lasting hypokinesia induces NS formation. The pictures obtained may suggest successive steps in NS formation and maturation