Occurrence and analysis of aflatoxin M1 in milk produced by Indian dairy species

A total of 600 samples of milk from different species [buffalo (150), cow (150), goat (150), and sheep (150)] were analyzed for aflatoxin M1 (AFM₁) contamination using high-performance liquid chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. AFM₁ contamination was found in buffalo (38.6%), cow (45.3%), goat (33.3%), and sheep (36.6%) milk. The mean value of AFM₁ was 0.026?µg?L^?1 in buffalo, 0.018?µg?L^?1 in cow, 0.014?µg?L^?1 in goat, and 0.017?µg?L^?1 in sheep milk. In all types of milks, the level of AFM₁ concentration was higher in milk obtained from urban and semi-urban areas, whereas it was found minimal in milk from rural areas. The results of the analysis of AFM₁ level by the ELISA analysis (ng?L^?1) was observed in 46.5% of all samples. The amount of AFM₁ in 16% buffalo, 44% cow, 10% goat, and 12% sheep milk samples was above the maximum tolerance limit accepted by the European Union.     

Milk derived colloid as a novel drug delivery carrier for breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer has an extremely poor prognosis when chemotherapy is no longer effective. To overcome drug resistance, novel drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles have had remarkable success. We produced a novel nanoparticle component ‘MDC’ from milk-derived colloid. In order to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of MDC, we conducted in vitro and in vivo experiments on cancer cell lines and a primary tumor derived breast xenograft. Doxorubicin (Dox) conjugated to MDC (MDC-Dox) showed higher cancer cell growth inhibition than MDC alone especially in cell lines with high EGFR expression. In a mouse melanoma model, MDC-Dox significantly suppressed tumor growth when compared with free Dox. Moreover, in a primary tumor derived breast xenograft, one of the mice treated with MDC-Dox showed partial regression, while mice treated with free Dox failed to show any suppression of tumor growth. We have shown that a novel nanoparticle compound made of simple milk-derived colloid has the capability for drug conjugation, and serves as a tumor-specific carrier of anti-cancer drugs. Further research on its safety and ability to carry various anti-cancer drugs into multiple drug-resistant primary breast models is warranted.     

Rising level of arsenic in water and fodder: a growing threat to livestock and human populations in Pakistan

Arsenic (As) is considered to be one of the top environmental contaminants of concern worldwide. In many regions in Pakistan, there are reports of increased levels of As in the environment, and this metalloid remains a major source of contamination of soil, water and fodder. This pathway of exposure has emerged as a new threat for both wildlife and the surrounding human communities because of the mobilization and accumulation of As via the food chain. The objective of this critical review is to synthesize historical information about As levels in the environmental resources of Pakistan to better characterize the risk to livestock and humans in the region. The South Punjab and Sindh are the dominant areas which are reported to contain the highest As contamination compared to other regions. This is a concern as millions of animals as well as the human population are facing significant health issues due to As. For example, some of the population of Sindh province are potentially faced with As levels ～10–50?μg/L in drinking water, which is well above safe drinking limits of 10?μg/L outlined by the World Health Organization. These collective data on As are anticipated to be a useful source of information for decisions by the environmental protection agency in Pakistan regarding the adoption of preventive measures against its adverse impacts and toxicity.     

婴幼儿牛奶蛋白过敏对罗马Ⅳ标准功能性胃肠病诊断的影响

目的 探讨婴幼儿牛奶蛋白过敏（CMPA）对罗马Ⅳ标准功能性胃肠病（FGID）诊断的影响。方法 选取84例1月龄至3岁的CMPA患儿作为病例组，84例健康体检确诊无CMPA的婴幼儿作为对照组。由儿科消化专科医生使用罗马Ⅳ标准FGID诊断问卷询问两组婴幼儿的父母，评估临床症状，进行FGID诊断。结果 病例组家族过敏史发生率明显高于对照组（P < 0.05）。84例病例组中，38例（45%）符合罗马Ⅳ版诊断FGID的标准；而84例对照组中，13例（15%）符合罗马Ⅳ版诊断FGID的标准（P < 0.05）。根据FGID罗马Ⅳ标准，婴儿反流、功能性腹泻、婴儿排便困难、功能性便秘等胃肠病，病例组的诊断率均高于对照组（P < 0.05）。对对照组中诊断为FGID的患儿进行FGID常规治疗，病例组中诊断为FGID的患儿除常规治疗外，进行了牛奶蛋白回避治疗。治疗3个月后，病例组的症状缓解率显著高于对照组（P < 0.05）。结论 在婴幼儿中，CMPA对罗马Ⅳ标准FGID的诊断有重要影响，诊断FGID时应该考虑CMPA的可能。     

Iron deficiency screening in the first three years of life: A three-decade-long retrospective case study

A three-decade-long retrospective study of iron status in a cohort of 1250 children aged 8–36 months was carried out at the Pediatric Department at the Second University Naples. Iron status was evaluated with independent variables such as family income, weight for height, introduction of cow's milk (CM), iron supplementation and weaning. Iron deficiency (ID) is prevalent in children with low income, early introduction of CM, delayed weaning, over-weight, and in those not receiving iron supplementation (P < 0.05). The first decade (1980–1990) was marked by low family income, while early introduction of CM characterized the first two decades (1980–1990, 1990–2000) (P < 0.05). ID depends on a variety of social and dietary factors. Hematological tests should be performed early to identify children at risk for ID.