Sucking Technique and Its Effect on Success of Breastfeeding

ABSTRACT: We investigated the prognostic value of sucking technique (faulty vs correct) during the first week after birth in relation to the long-term success of breastfeeding. At discharge from the maternity ward, 82 healthy mother-infant pairs were observed for assessment of breastfeeding technique and followed for four months by regular telephone checkups. Correct sucking technique was defined as the infant having a wide-open mouth, with the tongue under the areola, and expressing milk from the breast by slow, deep sucks; faulty technique was defined as superficial nipple sucking. The study population was divided into three groups: one in which faulty sucking technique was corrected when observed (n = 29), one with faulty but uncorrected technique (n = 25), and a control group with a correct technique (n = 28). At the four-month follow-up assessment, the faulty but uncorrected group was characterized by a greater proportion of mothers with breastfeeding problems and early cessation of breastfeeding than the other two groups. Regular use of a pacifier (>2 hrs/day) was more common among those with breastfeeding problems.     

Blood pressure in adults with short stature skeletal dysplasias

Hypertension, compounded by obesity, contributes to cardiovascular disease and mortality. Data describing hypertension prevalence in adults with short stature skeletal dysplasias are lacking, perhaps due to poor fit of typical adult blood pressure cuffs on rhizomelic or contracted upper extremities. Through health screening research, blood pressure was measured in short stature adults attending support group meetings and skeletal dysplasia clinics. Blood pressure was measured with a commercially available, narrower adult cuff on the upper and/or lower segment of the arm. Height, weight, age, gender, diagnosis, exercise, and medications were collected. Subjects were classified as normotensive, prehypertensive, or hypertensive for group analysis; no individual clinical diagnoses were made. In 403 short stature adults, 42% were hypertensive (systolic >140, diastolic >90 OR taking antihypertensive medications). For every BMI unit and 1 kg weight increase in males, there was a 9% and an 8% increase, respectively, in the odds of hypertension versus normotension. In females, the increase was 10% and 6%, respectively. In those with achondroplasia, the most common short stature dysplasia, males (n = 106) had 10% greater odds of hypertension versus normotension for every BMI unit and kilogram increase. In females with achondroplasia (n = 128), the odds of hypertension versus normotension was 8% greater for each BMI unit and 7% for each additional kilogram. These data suggest a high population prevalence of hypertension among short stature adults. Blood pressure must be monitored as part of routine medical care, and measuring at the forearm may be the only viable clinical option in rhizomelic short stature adults with elbow contractures.     

Preterm Birth Among US and Foreign-Born Non-Hispanic Black Birthing Parents in Massachusetts: Variation by Nativity,Region, and Country of Origin

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Foreign-born non-Hispanic Black (NHB) birthing parents are less likely to have a preterm birth (PTB) than US-born NHBs. There is further variation by region and...     

Serum vitamin A status in acute lymphocytic leukemia of childhood

Serum vitamin A status was assessed at the diagnosis in 31 children with common acute lymphocytic leukemia (CALL) and seven with T-cell leukemia (T-ALL). A control population consisting of 22 children was established to serve as one basis for comparison. Mean concentrations of vitamin A, retinol-binding protein (RBP) and prealbumin (PA) were significantly less (p less than 0.01) in the sera of patients with T-ALL when compared with the controls. Similarly, mean RBP and PA levels were reduced (p less than 0.01) in the sera of patients with CALL. In addition, "euretinolemic" and "hyporetinolemic" subgroups of CALL were identified comprising 74.2 percent and 25.8 percent of the patient population, respectively. The latter differed from the euretinolemic patients by being younger and showing an even greater decrease in the serum concentrations of RBP and PA. These findings indicate that there are factors affecting carrier proteins of vitamin A in childhood T-cell and common ALL; also, the data provide further evidence of the heterogeneity of common acute lymphocytic leukemia of childhood.     

Glimepiride prevents paraquat‐induced Parkinsonism in mice: involvement of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation

There is a growing number of epidemiological and molecular studies which suggest that diabetes is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). Hence, in this study, the effect of glimepiride (GPD), a sulphonylurea (antidiabetic) on paraquat (PQT)‐induced Parkinsonism was evaluated in mice. Thirty‐six mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6) and treated orally for 21 consecutive days as follows: Group 1: vehicle (10 mL/kg), Group 2: PQT (10 mg/kg, i.p., twice per week for 3 weeks), Group 3–5: GPD (1, 2 or 4 mg/kg) + PQT (10 mg/kg, i.p., twice per week for 3 weeks), Group 6: GPD (4 mg/kg, p.o.). The effects of the treatment on motor coordination were evaluated using the rotarod performance, bar and open field tests while working memory was assayed using Y‐maze test. Paraquat injection induced significant decrease in falling time, number of crosses and percentage alternation behaviour with a concomitant increase in the duration of cataleptic behaviour in the rotarod, open field, Y‐maze and bar tests, respectively, which was ameliorated by GPD treatment. PQT also increased lipid peroxidation, peroxynitrite and TNF‐α generations as well as deficit in superoxide dismutase and GSH activities in the midbrain. PQT‐induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation was attenuated by GPD treatment. Findings from this study showed that GPD prevents PQT‐induced motor dysfunction, memory impairment, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation through enhancement of antioxidant defense system and inhibition of pro‐inflammatory cytokine release. Thus, GPD could be a potential adjunct in the management of Parkinsonism.     

Cross‐sectional assessment of pain and physical function in skeletal dysplasia patients

Short stature skeletal dysplasia (SD) patients have orthopedic and neurologic complications causing significant pain and physical disability. We conducted a large cross‐sectional online survey in 361 people with short stature SD (>10 years) to describe pain prevalence, characteristics, and the relationship between pain and function. Chronic pain prevalence per Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) was 70.3%. Women reported more pain than men (73% vs 63% p = 0.04). Pain Severity Score (average of current, worst, least and average pain) averaged 3.3 ± 2, while the Pain Interference Score (with daily activities) averaged 3.4 ± 2.7 on a 10‐point scale. Per Bleck scale, 20.5% had little or no functional capacity. Increasing age and decreased ambulation independently predicted chronic pain. Chronic pain is prevalent in short stature SD patients and associated with poor physical function. Further study is required to clarify the temporal relationship among pain, function and treatments.     

ADRENALINE AND STRESS-INDUCED INCREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE IN RATS

Stress was induced by immobilizing the hind limbs of rats for 12 days and housing the rats in individual cages. Control rats were housed in groups without immobilization. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured through an indwelling carotid cannula. After 10 and 12 days of immobilization and isolation, the stressed rats had significantly higher blood pressures (ca. 10 mmHg) and higher cardiac adrenaline levels (ca. 90%). After adrenal medullectomy cardiac adrenaline levels were markedly reduced in both stressed and control rats. Furthermore, the stressing procedure did not cause a rise in blood pressure in adrenal-medullectomized rats. Desipramine HCl (2 mg/kg per day), administered orally to block the neuronal uptake of adrenaline, prevented the elevation in blood pressures and cardiac adrenaline levels. Propranolol HCl (2.8 mg/kg per day), orally, also prevented the rise in blood pressure. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that activation of facilitatory prejunctional beta-adrenoceptors on sympathetic nerves by neuronally-released adrenaline may be responsible for the raised blood pressure.     

Hemodialysis clearance of chloroquine in uremic patients

The hemodialysis blood clearance of chloroquine was studied in four patients with chronic renal failure undergoing chronic hemodialysis. The patients were administered chloroquine (600 mg base) orally after a light breakfast. Blood samples were then obtained from arterial blood entering and venous blood leaving the dialysis machine at 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 h, and at 24.0 and 48.0 h post dialysis. The blood flow rate varied between 200 and 275 ml/min, while the dialysate flow rate was maintained at 500 ml/min. The samples were analyzed for chloroquine by high pressure liquid chromatography, and the dialysis clearance was calculated utilizing the formula: ClD = QB[(CA - CV)/CA]. The mean extraction ratios for chloroquine were 0.238, 0.317, 0.207, and 0.216 in the four patients during the 6-h dialysis period. The calculated dialysis clearances were 57.2, 77.0, 56.1, and 48.3 ml/min. Chloroquine hemodialysis clearance was 14.5% of total body clearance in normal subjects and in patients with chronic renal failure not on hemodialysis.