Juliana Bernardi

Breast milk is known to contain many bioactive hormones and peptides, which can influence infant growth and development. In this context, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different clinical pregnancy conditions on hormone concentrations in colostrum and mature breast milk. An observational study was performed with mother-newborn pairs divided into five groups according to maternal clinical background: diabetes (12), hypertension (5), smoking (19), intrauterine growth restriction of unknown causes with small-for-gestational-age newborns at delivery (12), and controls (21). Socioeconomic data, anthropometric measurements and breast milk samples were collected between the first 24 and 48 h and 30 days postpartum. Leptin, adiponectin, and insulin levels in breast milk were measured by immunoassays. A significant decrease in leptin (p = 0.050) and insulin (p = 0.012) levels from colostrum to mature breast milk in mothers of small-for-gestational-age infants was ...

Chronic dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) deficiency may lead to changes in cortex and hippocampus neuronal membrane phospholipids, and may be linked to impaired central nervous system function. Particularly docosahexaenoic acid deficiency appears to be involved in neuropsychiatric disorders. On the other hand, adverse events early in life may also profoundly affect brain development, leading to long-lasting effects on neurophysiology, neurobiology and behavior. This research assessed if neonatal stress and a dietary n-3 PUFAs deficiency could interact to produce hippocampal alterations related to mitochondrial functions in adult rats. There were no effects of diet, neonatal intervention or interactions on superoxide dismutase or catalase enzymatic activities, mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory chain complexes. Rats fed n-3 PUFAs deficient diet displayed higher levels of glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity, higher free radicals production and higher thiol content compared to rats fed n-3 PUFAs adequate diet. There were interactions among diets and neonatal stress, since glutathione peroxidase, free radicals production and thiol content were increased in groups that were subjected to neonatal interventions fed n-3 PUFAs deficient diet. Additionally, reduced mitochondrial potential was observed in handled animals. Total thiol revealed a neonatal stress effect, since animals subjected to neonatal interventions displayed lower thiol content. In conclusion, we observed that a chronic treatment with deficient n-3 PUFAs diet, from the puberty period on, increased free radicals production and imbalanced antioxidant enzymes activities, and these increases were higher in animals subjected to neonatal interventions.

This study sought to assess the nutritional status (energy, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, vitamin A and vitamin C) of the 13 items in the Brazilian staple foods basket and to verify whether they are suitable for the monthly subsistence of an adult. The values established by the Estimated Average Requirement were compared to those found in the study. It is a descriptive study that used information from a food composition table in order to analyze data regarding the Brazilian staple foods basket from the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socio-Economic Studies. Appropriate values were found for carbohydrates, proteins, iron, zinc, phosphorus. Total energy and lipids were above the recommended values, while calcium and vitamin A were below. Vitamin C had adequate values only for females. The Brazilian staple foods basket largely reflects the individual food intake. However, given the prevalence of obesity in the Brazilian population, some adju...