The prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency is more common in breastfed infants than their mothers in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Background/Objectives: Iron deficiency anemia is a widespread public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Maternal iron status around and during pregnancy may influence infant iron status. We examined multiple biomarkers to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency and anemia among breastfed infants and explored its relationship with maternal and infant characteristics in Bhaktapur, Nepal. Subjects/Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, we randomly selected 500 mother–infant pairs from Bhaktapur municipality. Blood was analyzed for hemoglobin, ferritin, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin receptors and C-reactive protein. Results: The altitude-adjusted prevalence of anemia was 49% among infants 2–6-month-old (hemaglobin (Hb) <10.8 g/dl) and 72% among infants 7–12-month-old (Hb <11.3 g/dl). Iron deficiency anemia, defined as anemia and serum ferritin <20 or <12 μg/l, affected 9 and 26% of infants of these same age groups. Twenty percent of mothers had anemia (Hb <12.3 g/dl), but only one-fifth was explained by depletion of iron stores. Significant predictors of infant iron status and anemia were infant age, sex and duration of exclusive breastfeeding and maternal ferritin concentrations. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that iron supplementation in pregnancy is likely to have resulted in a low prevalence of postpartum anemia. The higher prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency among breastfed infants compared with their mothers suggests calls for intervention targeting newborns and infants

Sleep-Dependent Changes in the Coupling Between Heart Period and Arterial Pressure in Newborn Lambs

This study assessed whether sleep-dependent changes in the relationship between heart period (HP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) occur in newborn life. Electrodes for electrocorticographic, electromyographic, and electrooculographic monitoring and an arterial catheter for blood pressure recordings were implanted in 11 newborn lambs. HP and MAP beat-to-beat values were computed from 120-s blood pressure recordings during quiet wakefulness, active sleep, and quiet sleep. For each recording, the time shift at which the maximum of the HP versus MAP cross-correlation function was attained was identified. For each lamb and wake-sleep state, an average correlation coefficient was then computed corresponding to the median value of such time shifts. The maximum of the cross-correlation function was attained with HP lagging behind MAP. The corresponding mean correlation coefficient was significantly higher in quiet sleep (0.51 ± 0.05) than either in quiet wakefulness (0.31 ± 0.05) or in active sleep (0.29 ± 0.03). Sleep-related differences in the correlation between HP and MAP were maintained after HP and MAP data were low-pass filtered at 0.3 Hz to remove their fast ventilatory oscillations. In conclusion, data indicate that the relationship between spontaneous fluctuations in HP and those in MAP is sleep-state dependent in newborn lambs. A positive HP versus MAP correlation with HP lagging behind MAP is consistent with baroreflex control of HP. Heart rhythm thus may be more tightly controlled by the baroreceptor reflex and less dependent on central autonomic commands in quiet sleep than either in quiet wakefulness or in active sleep

Influence of maternal smoking on autonomic nervous system in healthy infants

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Herbicides in river water across the northeastern Italy: occurrence and spatial patterns of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid, and glufosinate ammonium

Glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium are the active ingredients of commonly used herbicides. Active agricultural lands extend over a large part of the Veneto region (Eastern Po Valley, Italy) and glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium are widely used. Consequently, surface waters can be potentially contaminated. This study investigates the occurrence of glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium as well as aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA, the degradation product of glyphosate) in river water of Veneto. Eighty-six samples were collected in 2015 at multiple sampling points across the region. Samples were analyzed for the two target herbicides, AMPA as well as for other variables, including water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, hardness, BOD, COD, inorganic ions, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total suspended solids, arsenic, and lead. The average concentrations (all samples) were 0.17, 0.18, and 0.10 μg L−1 for glyphosate, AMPA, and glufosinate ammonium, respectively. The European upper tolerable level for pesticides (annual average 0.1 μg L−1) was often exceeded. Chemometric analysis was therefore applied to (i) investigate the relationships among water pollutants, (ii) detect the potential sources of water contamination, (iii) assess the effective water pollution of rivers by identifying river basins with anomalous pollution levels, and (iv) assess the spatial variability of detected sources. Factor analysis identified four factors interpreted as potential sources and processes (use of herbicides, leaching of fertilizers, urban/industrial discharges, and the biological activity on polluted or stagnant waters). A discriminant analysis revealed that the pollution from anthropogenic discharges is homogeneously present in surface water of Veneto, while biological activity and fertilizers present heterogeneous distributions. This study gives insights into the concentrations of herbicides in rivers flowing through a wide region that has heavy use of these chemicals in agriculture. The study also points out some hot-spots and suggests the future implementation of the current monitoring protocols and network