Comments on the High Pressure Preservation of Human Milk

The current state of studies on the high pressure preservation of the human milk is briefly presented. It is indicated that reaching (i) the antimicrobial safety, (ii) antiviral safety, and (iii) high nutritional, metabolic and immunological quality, may be difficult for a “classical” single pressure pulse High Pressure Preservation (HPP) treatment. It is shown that the sudden decompression leads to additional physical processes, which can be important for supporting the HPP technology. Additional advantages were reached due to the two-pulse compression, with subsequent values: P = 200 MPa and 400 MPa. Tests included the microbiological insight for the two-weeks storage. It is also shown that the decay of the number of microorganisms under the high pressure follows the relation n(t) = n0exp(At)exp(Bt2). Finally, issues regarding containers for the high pressure preservation of human milk are discussed

Infections and risk-adjusted length of stay and hospital mortality in Polish Neonatology Intensive Care Units

Background: The objectives of this study were to analyze the impact of infections on prolonging hospital stay with consideration of underlying risk factors and determining the mortality rates and its association with infections. Methods: An electronic database developed from a continuous prospective targeted infection surveillance program was used in the study. Data were collected from 2009 to 2012 in five Polish tertiary academic neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The length of stay (LOS) of 2,003 very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates was calculated as the sum of the number of days since birth until death or until reaching a weight of 1,800 g. Results: The median LOS for neonates with infections was twice as high as for neonates without infection. LOS was significantly affected by the overall general condition of the neonate, as expressed by both gestational age and birth weight as well as by the Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB) score; another independent factor was presence of at least one infection. Risk of in-hospital mortality was significantly increased by male sex and vaginal birth and was lower among breastfed neonates. Deaths were significantly more frequent in neonates without infection. Conclusions: The general condition of VLBW infants statistically increase both their risk of mortality and LOS; this is in contrast to the presence of infection, which significantly prolonged LOS only

Do abnormal results of Doppler examinations in fetuses with growth restriction increase the frequency of postnatal complications of the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract?

Abstract Objectives: The aim of the work was to assess the correlations between the results of antenatal Doppler examinations in fetuses with growth restriction (IUGR) and the frequency of postnatal complications of central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. Material and methods: 47 pregnant women and 47 fetuses and newborns from singleton pregnancies with diagnosed intrauterine growth restriction. Two groups of fetuses (newborns) were distinguished based on serial Doppler examinations of fetal umbilical and middle cerebral arteries: 1) newborns with IUGR and abnormal results of antenatal Doppler examinations (group 1); 2) newborns with IUGR and normal results of antenatal Doppler examinations (group 2). The analysis concerned such neonatal complications as intraventricular hemorrhages (IVH) of III and IV degree, leucomalacias and necrotizing eneterocollits (NEC). Results: Among 47 neonates, the abnormal results of Doppler examinations were found in 21 of them, and in the rest of the newborns (26) there were no abnormalities in Doppler antenatal examinations. The frequency of intraventricular hemorrhages of III and IV degree, neonatal leucomalacias and necrotizing eneterocollits did not differ significantly between the groups. The mean time of hospitalization in newborns with abnormal results of antenatal Doppler examinations was significantly longer than in neonates whose antenatal Doppler tests were normal (14 days vs 10 days). The newborns from group 1 required parenteral feeding significantly more often than the newborns from group 2 (28,9% vs 12%). Conclusions: The comparable frequency of central nervous system complications in newborns with abnormal and in neonates with normal results of antenatal Doppler examinations may indicate on effective role of brain sparing effect in fetuses with IUGR as a mechanism which reduces the likelihood of hypoxemic complications in the developing fetal brain. The newborns with IUGR and abnormal results of antenatal Doppler test require both a longer hospitalization and the necessity of parenteral feeding when compared with newborns with IUGR and normal antenatal Doppler test results. Newborns who were diagnosed with absent or reversed end-diastolic flow in umbilical artery are particularly at risk of central nervous system complications

T-cell subpopulations αβ and γδ in cord blood of very preterm infants : The influence of intrauterine infection

Open Access: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are creditedPreterm infants are very susceptible to infections. Immune response mechanisms in this group of patients and factors that influence cord blood mononuclear cell populations remain poorly understood and are considered insufficient. However, competent immune functions of the cord blood mononuclear cells are also described. The aim of this work was to evaluate the T-cell population (CD3+) with its subpopulations bearing T-cell receptor (TCR) αβ or TCR γδ in the cord blood of preterm infants born before 32 weeks of gestation by mothers with or without an intrauterine infection. Being a pilot study, it also aimed at feasibility check and assessment of an expected effect size. The cord blood samples of 46 infants age were subjected to direct immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies and then analyzed by flow cytometry. The percentage of CD3+ cells in neonates born by mothers with diagnosis of intrauterine infection was significantly lower than in neonates born by mothers without infection (p = 0.005; Mann-Whitney U test). The number of cells did not differ between groups. Infection present in the mother did not have an influence on the TCR αβ or TCR γδ subpopulations. Our study contributes to a better understanding of preterm infants' immune mechanisms, and sets the stage for further investigations.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Gut microbiota analysis reveals a marked shift to bifidobacteria by a starter infant formula containing a synbiotic of bovine milk-derived oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CNCM I-3446.

Non-digestible milk oligosaccharides were proposed as receptor decoys for pathogens and as nutrients for beneficial gut commensals like bifidobacteria. Bovine milk contains oligosaccharides, some of which are structurally identical or similar to those found in human milk. In a controlled, randomized double-blinded clinical trial we tested the effect of feeding a formula supplemented with a mixture of bovine milk-derived oligosaccharides (BMOS) generated from whey permeate, containing galacto-oligosaccharides and 3'- and 6'-sialyllactose, and the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) strain CNCM I-3446. Breastfed infants served as reference group. Compared with a non-supplemented control formula, the test formula showed a similar tolerability and supported a similar growth in healthy newborns followed for 12 weeks. The control, but not the test group, differed from the breast-fed reference group by a higher faecal pH and a significantly higher diversity of the faecal microbiota. In the test group the probiotic B. lactis increased by 100-fold in the stool and was detected in all supplemented infants. BMOS stimulated a marked shift to a bifidobacterium-dominated faecal microbiota via increases in endogenous bifidobacteria (B. longum, B. breve, B. bifidum, B. pseudocatenulatum)

Packaging used in radiation sterilization

Przeznaczone do sterylizacji radiacyjnej opakowania muszą spełniać specjalne wymagania. Materiał z jakiego są wykonane, ich formy i kształty uzależnione są ściśle od jednostkowych potrzeb obiektu poddawanego procesowi sterylizacji. Sterylizacja, inaczej wyjaławianie, to proces prowadzący do usunięcia wszelkich drobnoustrojów, zarówno wegetatywnych jak i ich form przetrwalnikowych metodami fizycznymi. Obiekt uważa się za sterylny, jeśli teoretyczne prawdopodobieństwo występowania żywych organizmów jest mniejsze lub równe 10-6 [EN 556 1:2001]. Sterylizacji radiacyjnej, w celu usunięcia zanieczyszczeń, poddaje się różne materiały począwszy od medycznych różnego zastosowania, poprzez farmaceutyki, kosmetyki, żywność, aż po wyrób nowych materiałów (hydrożele), kiedy to proces jonizacji wodnych roztworów odpowiednich polimerów zapoczątkowuje proces sieciowania i otrzymania gotowego finalnego produktu. Promieniowanie jonizujące może przedłużyć okres trwałości, podnieść jakość i bezpieczeństwo towarów poddawanych sterylizacji radiacyjnej.Designed for sterilization packaging must meet special requirements. The material from which they are made, their form and shape depend heavily on the individual needs of the object to be sterilized. Sterilization, or sterilization, the process leading to remove any microorganisms, both vegetative and spore forms of physical methods. The object is considered to be sterile if the theoretical probability of occurrence of live organisms is less than or equal to 10-6 [1 EN 556: 2001]. Radical sterilization, in order to remove impurities, is subjected to a variety of materials ranging from medical devices for various uses by pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, foods, to manufacture new materials (hydrogels), when the ionization process aqueous solutions of suitable polymers initiates a crosslinking process and obtain the final end product . Ionizing radiation can extend the life, increase quality and safety of goods subjected to radiation sterilization