The diagnosis and management of cow's milk allergy (CMA) is a topic of debate and controversy. We aimed to compare the opinions of expert groups from the Middle East (n=14) and the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) (n=13). These Expert groups voted on statements developed by the ESPGHAN group and published in a recent position paper. The voting outcome was compared. Overall, there was consensus amongst both groups of experts. Most experts agreed that symptoms of crying, irritability and colic, as single manifestations, do not suggest CMA. They agreed that amino-acid-based formula (AAF) should be reserved for severe cases (e.g. malnutrition and anaphylaxis) and that there is insufficient evidence to recommend a step-down approach. There was no consensus on the statement that a cow’s milk-based extensively hydrolysed formula (eHF) should be the first choice as a diagnostic elimination diet in mild/moderate cases. Although the statements regarding the role of hydrolysed rice formula as a diagnostic and therapeutic elimination diet were accepted, 3/27 disagreed. The votes regarding soy formula highlight the differences in opinion in the role of soy protein in CMA dietary treatment. Generally, soy-based formula is seldom available in the Middle East region. All ESPGHAN experts agreed that there was no added value of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics to the efficacy of elimination diets, whereas 3/14 of the Middle East group thought there was sufficient evidence. Therefore, there is not a consensus on the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic elimination diet for CMA, but the first-choice elimination diet and the stepwise management approach reveal some differences.

The aim of the instant study was to evaluate relative inline progesterone dynamic changes according to parity and status of reproduction and to estimate the relationship with productivity in dairy cows by inline milk analysis system (IMAS) Herd Navigator. According to a progesterone assay, cows were divided into three periods: postpartum, after insemination, and pregnancy. In the first stage of the postpartum period (0-29 days), the progesterone level in milk was monitored every 6 days. The second stage of the postpartum period (30-65 days) lasted until cows were inseminated. In the third period (0-45 days) after cows were inseminated, progesterone scores were distributed according to whether or not cows became pregnant. The stability of progesterone dynamics was monitored in the last study period (45-90 days). For milk progesterone detection, the fully automated real-time progesterone analyzer Herd Navigator (Lattec I/S. Hillerød. Denmark) was used in combination with a DeLaval milking robot (DeLaval Inc., Tumba, Sweden). The highest progesterone concentration in multiparous cows ranged from 1.08% (11-17 days postpartum) to 34.89% higher than that in cows of the first parity. The lowest progesterone concentrations in the milk of all cows were estimated during the first 5 postpartum days and between 18 and 23 days after calving. Peak milk progesterone concentrations were evaluated in the first stage of the experiment on days 24-29 after calving. In the 30-65-day period after calving, the level of milk progesterone was 2.02-2.08 times higher than that in the 24-29-day postpartum period. After insemination, the level of progesterone in milk increased by 10.77-22.54% compared with the level from cows on days 30-65 after calving. A higher (12.88%) concentration of progesterone in milk was evaluated in multiparous cows compared with that from cows of the first parity. In pregnant cows, milk progesterone within 0-45 days after insemination was 23.88% (in multiparous cows) and 32.54% (in primiparous cows) higher than that in non-pregnant cows. On days 31–35 after insemination, pregnant cows had higher milk progesterone levels, which can predict pregnancy success. According to our study results, we can suggest that an inline progesterone concentration determined by inline milk analysis system Herd Navigator and changes in its dynamics correlate with different reproductive statuses and milk yield of cows. Pregnant cows 11–15 days after insemination have higher milk progesterone levels, what positively, associated with a successful pregnancy.

Zn is an essential element for children related to optimal growth, development and nutritional metabolism. We measured Zn bioaccesibility (Zn-BA) levels of foods by Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after in vitro digestion-fermentation method from children with gluten related disorders (GRD-CH), obesity (OB-CH) and allergy/intolerance to cow’s milk proteins (AICM-CH). Zn-BA levels in sick children (34.7 ± 28.8, 29.6 ± 30.1 and 26.7 ± 30.4%, respectively) were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in healthy norm-weight children (HE-CH). For AICM-CH, Zn-BA in animal foods was significantly lower than in plant foods, and in both plant and animal foods from sick and healthy children (p < 0.05). In foods of animal origin in sick and healthy children, Zn-BA in foods heated in liquid media (frying and boiling) was significantly higher than in foods heated by hot air (roasting and grilling). In conclusion, in children the studied diseases diminished the Zn-BA, probably by the alteration of the gut microbiota which could negatively affect their appropriate long-term development. In AICM-CH, the allergy to cow's milk proteins could induce intestinal dysbiosis and inflammatory processes, leading to allergies to other animal food proteins, and to a more pronounced decrease of Zn-BA.

A new trend in cow's milk has emerged in the market called type A1 and A2 milk. These products have piqued the interest of both consumers and researchers. Recent studies suggest that A2 milk may have potential health benefits, which is why researchers are investigating this product further. It is interesting to note that the A1 and A2 milk types have area-specific characteristics compared to breed-specific characteristics. Extensive research has focused on milk derivatives obtained from cow’s milk, primarily through in vitro and animal studies. However, few clinical studies have been conducted in humans, and the results have been unsatisfactory. New molecular techniques for identifying A1 and A2 milk may help researchers to develop new studies that can clarify certain controversies surrounding A1 milk. It is essential to exercise extreme caution when interpreting the updated literature. It has the potential to spread panic worldwide and have negative economic implications. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the new aspects of A1 and A2 milk in different research areas and clarify some aspects regarding these two types of milk.

Cow’s Milk (CM) is a healthy food consumed worldwide by individuals of all ages. Unfortunately, 'lactase deficient' individuals cannot digest milk's carbohydrate lactose depriving themselves of highly beneficial milk proteins like casein, lactoalbumin and lactoglobulin, due to lactose intolerance (LI), while other individuals develop cow milk allergy specifically against these proteins (CMPA). The management of these conditions is distinctly different and an inappropriate diagnosis or treatment may have significant implications for the patients, especially if they are infants or very young children, resulting in unnecessary dietary restriction or avoidable adverse reactions. Omics technologies play a pivotal role in elucidating the intricate interactions between nutrients and the human body, spanning from genetic factors to the microbiota profile and metabolites. This comprehensive approach enables the precise delineation and identification of distinct cohorts of individuals with specific dietary requirements, so that tailored nutrition strategies can be developed. This is what is called personalized nutrition or precision nutrition (PN), the area of nutrition that focuses on the effects of the nutrients over the genome, proteome and metabolome, promoting well-being and health, preventing diseases, reducing chronic disease incidence, and so increasing life expectancy. Here, we report the scientific community opinion proposing to replace the approach “one size fits all” with tailor-made nutrition programs, designed by integrating nutrigenomic data together with clinical parameters and microbiota profiles, taking into account the individual lactose tolerance threshold and needs in terms of specific nutrients intake. This customized approach could help LI patients to improve their quality of life, overcoming depression or anxiety, often resulting from the individual perception of this condition as different from a normal state.

Malaria parasites increase their host erythrocyte’s permeability to obtain essential nutrients from plasma and facilitate intracellular growth. In the human P. falciparum pathogen, this increase is mediated by the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) and has been linked to CLAG3, as encoded by one member of the conserved clag multigene family. Whether paralogs encoded by other clag genes also contribute to PSAC formation or serve unrelated roles remains unknown. Here, we generated transfectant lines carrying epitope-tagged versions of each CLAG. Each paralog colocalized with CLAG3, with concordant trafficking via merozoite rhoptries to the host erythrocyte membrane of newly-invaded erythrocytes. Each also exists within infected cells in at least two forms: an alkaline-extractable soluble form and a form integral to the host membrane. Like CLAG3, CLAG2 has a variant region cleaved by extracellular protease but CLAG8 and CLAG9 are protease-resistant. Paralog knockout lines, generated through CRISPR/Cas9 transfection, exhibited uncompromised growth in PGIM, a modified medium with more physiological nutrient levels; this finding is in marked contrast to a recently reported CLAG3 knockout parasite. CLAG2 and CLAG8 knockout lines exhibited compensatory increases in transcription of remaining clags and associated rhoph genes, yielding increased PSAC-mediated uptake to specific solutes. We also report distinct transport properties of these knockout lines, suggesting partially overlapping roles of CLAG paralogs in PSAC activity. We propose that the nutrient channel pore is formed by a higher order assembly of CLAG proteins at the host membrane.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe lung condition with a high mortality rate for which there are no effective therapeutics. The failure of the alveolar-capillary barrier, composed of lung endothelial (EC) and alveolar epithelial (AEC) cells, is a critical factor leading to excessive inflammation and edema characteristics of acute lung injury (ALI). Phosphodiesterases (PDE) are enzymes well-recognized for their roles in regulating endothelial permeability and inflammation. Although PDE inhibitors are used as therapeutics for inflammatory diseases like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), their efficacy in treating ARDS has not yet been established. In this study, we investigate the effects of ensifentrine, an FDA-approved novel dual PDE 3/4 inhibitor, on lung endothelial and epithelial dysfunction caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), a pathogen involved in bacterial ARDS. Human primary lung endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial cell lines (A549 and immortalized AEC) were treated with heat-killed MRSA, and their responses were assessed in the presence or absence of ensifentrine. Ensifentrine given either pre- or post exposure attenuated MRSA-induced increased lung endothelial permeability. VE-cadherin junctions, which serve to stabilize the EC barrier, were disrupted by MRSA; however, ensifentrine effectively prevented this disruption. Pre-treatment with ensifentrine protected against MRSA-induced EC pro-inflammatory signaling by inhibiting the expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and by reducing the IL-6 release. In AEC, MRSA caused upregulation of ICAM-1, activation of NF-kB and production of IL-8, all of which were inhibited by ensifentrine. These results indicate that dual inhibition of phosphodiesterases 3 and 4 by ensifentrine is barrier protective and attenuates MRSA-induced inflammation in both lung endothelial and epithelial cells. The PDE3/4 inhibitor ensifentrine may represent a promising novel strategy for the treatment of ALI.

Abstract: Background: Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) is one of the most common and complex food allergies affecting children worldwide and with few exceptions, presents in the first few months of life. Baked milk containing diets are well tolerated in the majority of milk allergic children and allow dietary restrictions to be relaxed. In addition, the early introduction of tolerated forms of allergenic foods to the infant’s diet in small amounts may enhance the outgrowth of milk allergy through oral tolerance induction. The methods of milk introduction vary widely across the globe. Methods: We convened an expert group to develop a comprehensive milk ladder based on calculated milk protein content using Indian foods. To validate the milk ladder, foods chosen for the ladder were analyzed and the ladder was re-evaluated based on amount cooked milk protein content. Results: Combining expert consensus and validation of milk protein content, we created the world’s first milk ladder containing Indian foods. This is the first ladder that provides information on timing and temperature of cooking, with validated milk protein content. Conclusions: This is the first milk ladder based on unique features of Indian food habits built by consensus of Indian experts along with international collaboration with quantified of milk protein in each step. We believe the “The Indian Milk Ladder” will be a very helpful tool for pediatricians helping manage CMA in children as well as their parents and caregivers, not only in India but in countries world-wide where these foods are commonly consumed.

The aim of this study was to provide information on the levels of toxic (Cd and Pb) and essential (Cu, Fe and Zn) elements in cow’s milk produced in the State of Pernambuco (Brazil). A total of 142 samples of raw milk were collected, and the concentrations of essential and toxic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. In almost 30 % of the samples analyzed, the Pb content exceeded the maximum level established in the Brazilian legislation (0.05 mg/l). By contrast, in all samples the Cd content was below the maximum allowable level (0.02 mg/L). The essential trace elements Cu, Fe and Zn were generally present at lower concentrations than reported in other studies and can be considered within the deficient range for cow’s milk. Statistical and chemometric procedures were used to evaluate the main factors influencing the metal concentrations (proximity to major roads, presence of effluents, and milking method). The study findings demonstrate that the proximity of the farms to major roads influences the concentrations of Cd, Pb and Cu and that this is the main factor explaining the Pb content of milk. In addition, the presence of effluents influenced the concentrations of Cu, while no relationship between the metal content and the milking method was observed. Thus, in accordance with the study findings, consumption of cow’s milk produced in the region can be considered a risk to public health due to the high concentrations of Pb and the low concentrations of other essential minerals such as Cu, Zn and Fe in some of the milk samples.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is thought to have beneficial effects on human health and well-being. GABA enrichment by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could be used in the development of functional fermented foods. In this work, four GABA-producing strains each of Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus were isolated from cowʼs milk, and their phenotypic, technological, and safety profiles were determined. Genome analysis provided genetic support for the majority of the analyzed traits. The operon harboring the glutamate decarboxylase gene (gadB) was chromosomally encoded in all strains and showed the same gene content and gene order as that reported, respectively, for L. lactis and S. thermophilus. In the latter species, the operon was flanked (as in most strains of this species) by complete or truncated copies of insertion sequences (IS), suggesting recent acquisition by horizontal gene transfer. The genomes of three L. lactis and two S. thermophilus strains showed a gene encoding a caseinolytic proteinase (PrtP in L. lactis and PrtS in S. thermophilus). These strains grew in milk forming a coagulum of good appearance and an appealing acidic flavor and taste. They also produced GABA from monosodium glutamate in this medium. Two L. lactis strains were identified as belonging to the biovar. diacetylactis, utilized citrate from milk and produced significant amounts of acetoin. None of the strains showed any noticeable antibiotic resistance, nor did their genomes harbor transferable antibiotic resistance genes, genes involved in toxicity, virulence, or pathogenicity. Altogether these results suggest all eight strains may be considered candidates for use as starter or components of mixed LAB cultures for the manufacture of GABA-enriched fermented dairy products.

Food allergies have increased significantly in recent decades, with shellfish being a leading cause of food allergy and anaphylaxis worldwide, affecting both children and adults. The prevalence of shellfish allergies is estimated to be approximately 0.5-2.5% of the general population, varying significantly by geographical location, age, and consumption habits. Although mollusk consumption has risen, the prevalence of mollusk allergies remains unknown. While extensive research has focused on crustacean allergies, mollusk allergies, particularly those related to gastropods, have received comparatively less attention. Clinical manifestations of shellfish allergy range from localized symptoms to life-threatening systemic reactions, such as anaphylaxis. Notably, severe bronchospasm is a predominant clinical feature in cases involving gastropods. Several allergens have been identified in mollusks, including paramyosin, tropomyosin, and sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein. In gastropods, documented allergens include tropomyosin, paramyosin, the heavy chain of myosin, and Der p 4 amylase. Diagnosis typically involves a thorough clinical history, skin testing, in vitro quantification of immunoglobulin (Ig) E, and confirmation through oral challenge, although the latter is reserved for selected cases. This review highlights the limited research on gastropod allergy, the identified allergens to date, and the necessity for further investigations to better understand the implications of shellfish allergy within this class.

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has raised concerns surrounding immunological protection against the virus, particularly for people with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). While COVID-19 vaccination induces robust antibody, memory B-cell, and T-cell responses in healthy individuals, how well vaccination protects people with IEI against infection and severe disease remains unclear – especially in the context of new viral variants and vaccine formulations – leading to anxiety, ongoing self-isolation, and repeated vaccination with limited evidence of increased efficacy. Whilst most people with IEI generate some level of cellular and/or humoral immunity to COVID-19 vaccination, the level of protection and durability of the response are unclear. Alongside vaccination, antibody-based therapeutics are aimed at limiting infection and severe disease in this cohort. Immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) provides passive immunity in antibody-deficient individuals. However, to successfully prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, a sufficient number of neutralizing antibodies must be present in product. While antibodies against circulating variants are eventually present in IgRT products (both from natural infection and vaccination of the donors), evidence of their capacity to recognize new variants is limited. Furthermore, while antibody-based pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis can be effective, they are susceptible to decreased efficacy in the context of variant evolution. This review provides an in-depth overview of current knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in IEIs, the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody products, and knowledge and technological advances required for continued protection of people with IEI.

Dried blood spot (DBS) testing on confetti is one of the most common methods used to collect and extract DNA from field samples for molecular epidemiology of malaria studies. Here, we investigated whether ethanol or other solutions used to clean scissors are a source of sample contamination. DBS were prepared from 3 drops of blood from two Plasmodium falciparum cultures spotted on confetti, and 3 solutions (water, ethanol and DNase) were used to clean scissors between spots during DNA extraction. For each cleaning solution, two blank confetti were used as negative controls. Samples were analyzed by PCR-based genotyping of merozoite surface proteins 1 & 2 (msp-1 and msp-2), and P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt). A total of 15 samples were analyzed. Based on msp-1 and msp-2 amplification, P. falciparum was detected on blank confetti when scissors were washed with ethanol. Based on Pfcrt amplification, DNA of P. falciparum was detected on blank confetti when scissors were cleaned with ethanol or water. No P. falciparum genes were detected on blank confetti when scissors were cleaned with DNase. Scissors cleaned with DNase prevented cross-contamination between samples during processing of dried blood spots, whereas ethanol (which is commonly used) fails to avert cross-contamination.

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between 1-year mortality and health insurance benefit extension policy items in severe pneumonia pa-tients requiring mechanical ventilation using a South Korean nationwide cohort. Methods: A nationwide population-based retrospective study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance database. A total of 1,099 patients (542 patients in the health insurance benefit item group and 557 patients in the control group) were included. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality. Results: Among patients with health insurance benefit extension policy items, 203 patients (37.5%) were diagnosed with hemato-oncological disease, who were categorized as group A, and 339 patients (62.5%) were diagnosed with cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, or rare diseases, who were categorized as group B. Group B had lower 1-year mortality (50.7% vs. 62.5%, P

IgE-mediated wheat allergy is a gluten-related disorder. Wheat is one of the five most common food allergens in children. However, the natural history of IgE-mediated wheat allergy has seldom been described in the research literature. This study presents the current state of knowledge about the IgE-mediated wheat allergy in children.

Background: Data suggest that food allergies greatly impact a child’s health and growth due to inadequate nutrient intake. Our study aimed to establish the long-term outcome of children with food allergies compared to a control group. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study with longitudinal follow-up with a mean period of 4.85 years from the diagnosis to the last study visit. The patients’ nutritional intake was assessed using a three-day food diary and analysed by a dietitian. Patients (61 boys and 33 girls, mean age 6.9 years) had a single food allergy including 21 patients with cow’s milk, 34 with egg, and 39 with peanut allergies. The control group included 36 children (19 boys and 17 girls, mean age 8.03 years). Blood analysis was performed on all participants. Results: Data from our study showed that patients with cow’s milk, egg or peanut allergies had normal growth and achieved catch-up growth from the diagnosis until the last study visit. In the cow's milk allergy group, the allergy was shown to affect calcium intake (p<0.05), while egg and peanut allergies did not impact the dietary intake of nutrients. None of the investigated food allergies affected blood results (p<0.05). Conclusions: In the present study, we showed that single food allergies do not compromise growth in children if they are provided with appropriate support and that the affected children reach catch-up growth from the diagnosis.

Recent years have been abundant in research concerning human microbiome and its impact on the host’s health. Studies have shown, that not only the commensal bacteria itself, but also postbiotics, understood as unalived microorganisms, possibly with the presence of their components, may have themselves effect on various elements of human physiology. In this article we take a closer look on the specific ways in which postbiotics can alter immune response in allergic asthma, which is one of the most prevalent allergic diseases in today’s world being a serious subject of concern. Through altering patients’ immune response, not only to allergens but also to pathogens, postbiotics could have a significant role in lowering the number of asthma exacerbations. We suggest that more profound research should be undertaken in order to launch postbiotics into clinical standards of asthma treatment, given greatly promising findings in the field of their immunomodulating potential.

The internationals guidelines about food intolerances, allergy and immunity provide for rigorous steps in which ultrasonography is not provided. However there is evidence in literature about an ancillar role of ultrasonography in these conditions. In this report we analyze the main pathologies with allergic or immune pathogenesis

Background: Approximately 10-20% of subjects vaccinated with HBsAg-based hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccines are non-responders. BM32 is a recombinant grass pollen allergy vaccine containing the HBV-derived preS surface antigen as immunological carrier protein. PreS includes the binding site of HBV to its receptor on hepatocytes. We investigated if immunological non-responsiveness to HBV after repeated HBsAg-based vaccinations can be overcome by immunization with VVX001 (i.e., Alum-adsorbed BM325, a component of BM32). Methods: A subject failing to develop protective HBV-specific immunity after HBsAg-based vaccination received five monthly injections of 20 µg VVX001. PreS-specific antibody responses were measured by ELISA and micro-array technology. Serum reactivity to subviral particles of different HBV genotypes was determined by sandwich ELISA. PreS-specific T cell responses were monitored by CFSE staining and subsequent FACS analysis. HBV neutralization was assessed using cultured HBV-infected HepG2 cells. Results: Vaccination with VVX001 induced a strong and sustained preS-specific antibody response composed mainly of the IgG1 subclass. PreS-specific IgG antibodies were primarily directed to the N-terminal part of preS containing the NTCP attachment site. IgG reactivity to sub-viral particles as well as to the N-terminal preS-derived peptides was comparable for HBV genotypes A-H. A pronounced reactivity of CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes specific for preS after the complete injection course remaining up to one year after the last injection was found. Maximal HBV neutralization (98.4%) in vitro was achieved 1 month after the last injection which correlated with the maximal IgG reactivity to the N-terminal part of preS. Conclusion: Our data suggest that VVX001 may be used as a preventive vaccination against HBV even in non-responders to HBsAg-based HBV vaccines.

Aflatoxins (AF), secondary metabolites produced by fungi, pose significant health risks, especially to children and adults. In developing countries like Nepal, the tropical climate promotes fungal growth, leading to high levels of AF in animal feed and milk. In this study, we investigated the incidence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination in 84 milk samples collected from the Kathmandu district using the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) technique. We also interviewed farmers to gather information on feeding and storage practices. . All the collected milk samples were contaminated with AFM1, with 97.6% of the samples exceeding the European Union (EU) maximum permissible limit of 50 ppt. The majority (98.5%) of the farms included paddy straw, and all farms (100%) included concentrate in their feed regimen. Only half (52%) of the farms had proper storage facilities. Straw was mostly stored in sacks outdoors or left open in a shed, while concentrates were stored in a closed room or shed. The study reports very high contamination levels of AFM1 in the milk samples, presenting a serious public health issue, and recommends comprehensive surveillance and further investigation across the country, especially given the limited research and literature available.

Maternal diet plays a significant role in the fatty acid composition of breast milk. Natural trans fatty acids (TFAs) are generated through the biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) in the rumen of animals by bacterial isomerases and are consequently found in milk, dairy products, and meat from ruminant animals. Dietary products such as milk and meat are the primary sources of natural TFAs for humans, derived from rumen fermentations. These peculiar fatty acids hold nutritional significance as they not only lack the detrimental effects on endothelium characteristic of industrially produced trans fat, but also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. The relationship between the presence in breast milk of eight fatty acids (including natural TFAs trans-vaccenic and conjugated linoleic acid) and maternal diet has been explored, and their abundance has been compared to that of infant formulas. Two cohorts of lactating women participated in this study, originating from a Spanish region adhered to the Southern European Atlantic Diet or Atlantic Diet. While the consumption of conventional meat or dairy products does not seem to increase the abundance of trans fatty acids in breast milk, trans-vaccenic and oleic acid are among the most distinctive features of breast milk fat in mothers consuming naturally improved dairy products, with an improved fatty acid profile. The most significant differences between natural breastfeeding and formula feeding lie in natural trans fatty acids, since formula are notably deficient, while overfortified in alpha-linolenic acid in comparison to breast milk.

Wheat, a component of the staple diet globally, is a common food allergen in children. The symptoms of wheat allergy (WA) range from skin rash to shortness of breath, significantly impairing quality of life. Following initial clinical suspicion, individuals may undergo wheat allergen-specific skin prick test (SPT), blood test for serum immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels or oral food challenge. Conventional management of WA lies in wheat avoidance, yet accidental consumption may be inevitable owing to the ubiquity of wheat in various food products. This article aims to provide an overview of the immunologic pathway of WA, followed by its novel diagnostic methods, namely alcohol-soluble SPT extracts, component-resolved diagnosis and basophil activation test (BAT). The mechanisms underlying wheat allergen-specific oral immunotherapy (OIT) as well as a summary of the efficacy, tolerability and safety of related clinical trials will then be discussed.

Immunology is a branch of medicine that studies the immune system and its pathology. There are known scientific informations, that in medical immunology specific tests performed in the laboratory for diagnosis. In addition good to mention that allergies include medical diagnostic methods such as blood tests. Also there are used for detection the presence and the levels of IgE antibodies. These antibodies are produced by the human immune system in contact with certain allergens. Examples of allergens include for example pollen, house dust, some herbs or molds, some animals and certain foods. If a person has an allergy, their immune system overreacts to an allergen by producing antibodies, called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). Currently within the present describtion aim to discuss some aspects reffering to fungal allergen and mold allergy diagnosis, in a briefly following steps of our purposed shortly review.

Recent evidence has highlighted the critical role of memory cells in maintaining lifelong food allergies, thereby identifying these cells as therapeutic targets. IgG⁺ memory B cells replenish pools of IgE-secreting cells upon allergen exposure, which contract thereafter due to the short lifespan of tightly regulated IgE-expressing cells. Advances in the detection and highly dimensional analysis of allergen-specific B and T cells from allergic patients have provided insight on their phenotype and function. The newly identified Th2A and Tfh13 populations represent a leap in our understanding of allergen-specific T cell phenotypes, though how these populations contribute to IgE memory responses remains poorly understood. Within, we discuss the mechanisms by which memory B and T cells are activated, integrating knowledge from human systems and fundamental research. We then focus on memory reactivation; specifically, on the pathways of secondary IgE responses. Throughout, we identify areas of future research which will help identify immunotargets for a transformative therapy for food allergy.

Bovine whey cheese (WC) is a product from southern European countries that presents some challenges: their elaboration process involves high energy inputs, the yield is low and WC has a short shelf-life. The application of ultrafiltration to bovine whey before its manufacture and the employment of protective cultures can reduce these disadvantages. The aim of this work was to manufacture whey cheeses using ultrafiltrated (UF) concentrated bovine cheese whey with added probiotics or probiotics plus protective cultures. Three types of WC were produced: control, without any addition (C); with the addition of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA5); with the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus plus a protective culture containing Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LA5FQ4). The WCs were stored under refrigerated conditions for 28 days. The products with added cultures presented a lower pH and a higher titratable acidity when compared to the control. Sample LA5 presented the lowest pH and the highest titratable acidity while LA5FQ4 presented intermediate values. Slight differences were observed between products regarding color parameters, chiefly as a result of storage time. The samples with added cultures were firmer when compared to the control, showing LA5 cheeses the highest values at the end of the storage. Lactobacilli and lactococci counts were of the order of log 8-9 CFU/g for the products with added cultures. Lower levels of yeasts and moulds were detected on the sample with the protective culture (LA5FQ4), that by the end of storage presented counts one log cycle lower than C and LA5. Hence, it is evident the beneficial impact of the protective culture on the shelf life of the product. In what concerns to sensory evaluation, LA5FQ4 cheeses obtained the highest scores regarding all parameters evaluated. It could be concluded that the use of UF associated to the addition of protective cultures can be very useful to reduce the energy consumption of the process, prolong the shelf life of WC, and to improve its sensory properties.

We hypothesized possibility that inline registered reticulorumen pH can be as biomarker of cows reproduction and health status. Aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of reticulorumen pH with biomarkers from automatic milking system (AMS) and some blood parameters and determinate reticulorumen pH as biomarker of cows reproduction and health status. According to cows reproductive status the cows were classified as belonging to the following four groups: 15-30 d. postpartum; 1-34 d. after insemination; 35 d. after insemination (non-pregnant); 35 d. after insemination (pregnant). According reticulorumen pH assay experimental animals were divided into four classes: 1) pH<6.22 (5.3% of cows), 2) pH - 6.22-6.42 (42.1% of cows), 3) pH - 6.42-6.62 (21.1% of cows), 4) pH >6.62 (10.5% of cows). Rumination time, body weight, milk yield, milk fat – protein ratio, milk lactose, milk somatic cell count (SCC), milk electrical conductivity of all quarters of udder were registered with the help of Lely Astronaut® A3 milking robots. The pH, temperature of the contents of cow reticulorumens and cow activity were measured using specific smaX-tec boluses. Blood gas parameters were analyzed using a blood gas analyzer (EPOC, Canada). We found that pregnant cows has higher reticulorumen pH during insemination time, comparing with non-pregnant. Cows with lower reticulorumen pH has lowest milk fat – protein ratio, and lactose concentration, and highest SCC. Cows with lowest reticulorumen pH has lowest blood pH. With increase reticulorumen pH, increases blood potasium and hematocrit, decreases CO2, saturation and sodium.

Goat milk is a nutritious food, with high levels of vitamins and minerals. In this context, there is a growing need to improve preservation techniques. Thus, the present work was developed with the aim of drying goat milk using a spray dryer. Chemical, physical, and physicochemical analyses of powdered goat milk and reconstituted goat milk were performed, as well as the characterization of raw goat milk. The statistical model used was the full factorial design 2³ + 3, observing the Pareto Diagram and Analysis of Variance to study the effect of atomization frequency (Hz), inlet temperature (°C), and peristaltic pump rotation (rpm) on the responses for the powdered and reconstituted product. The planning was executed with eleven trials, including nine different trials and three central points. For the analysis of the planning at a 95% confidence level, the Statistica 8.0 software was used. The results showed that atomization frequency and inlet temperature had the greatest effect on the powdered product and the reconstituted food, respectively. Therefore, the importance of drying this food is evident as it offers several advantages for the food industry and consumers.

Respiratory allergic diseases, affect over 500 million people globally and pose a substantial burden in terms of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Restrictive factors such as geographical disparities, infectious pandemics, limitations in resource, and shortage of allergy specialists in underserved areas, impede effective management. Moreover, the well-established suboptimal adherence in patients with respiratory allergies, contribute further to the accelerated loss of disease control. Telemedicine encompasses real-time visits, store-and-forward options triage, and computer-based technologies for establishing and efficient doctor-patient communication. Recent advances in digital technology, including designated applications, informative materials, digital examination devices, wearables, digital inhalers, and integrated platforms, facilitate personalized and evidence-based care delivery. The integration of telemonitoring in respiratory allergy care has shown beneficial effects in disease control, adherence, and quality of life. While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, certain concerns regarding technical requirements, platform quality, safety, reimbursement, and regulatory considerations remain unresolved. Challenges in telemonitoring implementation further include ensuring effective doctor-patient collaboration, addressing privacy concerns, and establishing cost-effective models. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in telemonitoring applications holds promise for data analysis, pattern recognition, and personalized treatment plans. Striking the balance between AI-enabled insights and human expertise is crucial for optimizing the benefits of telemonitoring. This overview reports the up- to- date telemedicine approaches in managing patients with respiratory allergies. While telemonitoring exhibits potential in enhancing patient care and healthcare delivery, critical considerations have to be addressed in order to ensure the successful integration of telemonitoring into the healthcare landscape.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive skin cancer characterized by two etiologies: the first one, observed in most cases, is attributed to Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a DNA tumor virus, while the second one is due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Currently, there are limited diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers available for MCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but regulate various cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The dysregulation of miRNAs has been associated with a wide range of cancers since they can act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. This paper aims to collect, summarize and re-organize the recent discoveries concerning miRNAs, whose dysregulation in the pathogenesis and progression of MCC is slowly emerging. Furthermore, the potential clinical applications of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers, possible differentiation between MCPyV-related and unrelated MCC, predictors of response to therapy and prognostics are also discussed. From this review, it emerges that miRNAs may have, in the near future, the potential to become clinically significant in improving the diagnostic accuracy, prognostic evaluation, and therapeutic options of MCCs. Finally, the new perspectives on the poorly explored field of artificial intelligence in MCC are provided.

Allergic diseases represent a global health and economic burden of increasing significance. The lack of disease-modifying therapies besides specific allergen immunotherapy (AIT) which is not available for all types of allergies, necessitates the study of novel therapeutic approaches. Exosomes are small endosome-derived vesicles delivering cargo between cells and thus allowing inter-cellular communication. Since immune cells make use of exosomes to boost, deviate, or suppress immune responses, exosomes are intriguing candidates for immunotherapy. Here, we review the role of exosomes in allergic sensitization and inflammation and we discuss the mechanisms by which exosomes could be used in immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of allergic diseases. We propose the following approaches: a) Mast cell derived exosomes expressing IgE receptor FcεRI could absorb IgE and down-regulate systemic IgE levels. b) Tolerogenic exosomes could suppress allergic immune responses via induction of regulatory T cells. c) Exosomes could promote TH1-like responses towards an allergen. d) Exosomes could modulate IgE-facilitated antigen presentation.

Clinical and laboratory diagnostics are particularly important in monitoring the internal homeostasis of the body in high-yielding animals, especially in dairy cows, whose metabolism is under constant pressure to obtain high parameters of milk production and reproduction. Knowledge of laboratory test results and relationships based on significant correlations between various milk and blood parameters may be very useful in veterinary diagnostics and helpful in cattle practice in order to protect animal health and the quality of milk production. The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between selected hematological biomarkers such as white blood corpuscles (WBC), red blood corpuscles (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), platelets (PLT), erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin content (MHC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and selected quantitative-qualitative parameters of cow’s milk such as current milk production, somatic cells count (SCC), colony of bacteria forming units (CFU), milk fat (MF), milk protein (MP), milk lactose (ML), milk solids (S), solids non-fat in milk (SNF), daily milk production. Samples were collected three times at daily intervals from 11 clinically healthy late-lactation dairy cows obtaining 33 sets of test results. This repeated study of cows allowed for obtaining a homogeneous group in order to determine statistical correlations between selected blood and milk parameters. Many significant correlations were found between the examined parameters. In cows, significant positive correlations were recorded between milk production and HGB, HCT, MCV or MHC. Significant negative correlations were also found between SCC and HGB, SCC and HCT, SNF and MCV, SNF and MHC, and between MF and RBC.

Pasteurized milks are still causing food borne illness. Milk contamination can occur at any stage from its way from cow to our tables. Usually milk is pure and sterile when produced in udder of a healthy cow. Like humans, cow are reservoirs of bacteria which are harmless to humans and some cows can harbour few bacteria that are harmful to humans even though they are not harmful to the cow. Milk can be contaminated during or after milking. Also, cow feeds can be contaminated with mycotoxins such as aflatoxins produced by the fungi, Aspergillus flavus. Four types of aflatoxins are known which are; aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2. Cows comsuming feeds contaminated with aflatoxin B1 leads to secretion in the milk of aflatoxin M1 and M2 causing aflatoxicosis. Microbial contamination of milk and dairy products is a universal problem and foodborne infections accounting for 20 million cases annually in the world have been identified as an important public health and economic problem in developed as well as developing nations. The main objective of this study was to determine milk microbial quality in Kicukiro district. The specific objectives are to identify bacteria pathogens in milk collected in Kicukiro district, to compare milk quality among sectors of Kicukiro district, to compare milk processed by industries and home-processed milk. The methodology employed in this research was cross-sectional and experimental as the study began with collection of raw data and went through laboratory analysis from July–August, 2018. The findings showed that 59.56% of the milk fell within Grade I – Grade III (< 200,000 ≤ 2,000,000 cfu/ml) and 40.42 % of the milk samples were not within the acceptable limit of total count quality as per COMESA and EAS, non-lactobacilli and fungi were present in most samples as examined through microscope and no Staphylococcus aureus was present in any sample as examined by catalase and coagulase tests.

The post-hoc analysis presented here aimed to address the influence of endogenous vitamin D in the immunological mechanism underlying effective mite allergoid-immunotherapy (AIT). Previously, we have shown that one subpopulation of T regulatory cells results in phenotypically identifiable as functionally potentiated and memory cells in allergic children after 12 months of this immunoactive treatment. Indeed, AIT is the only known treatment able to reshape the detrimental immune response against the allergen into a not noxious one. Besides, VD is widely considered an immunoregulatory molecule endogenously produced and exogenously provided with foods and supplements that might interact with AIT mechanism and affect its outcome. Therefore, a post-hoc analysis of the clinical and immunological data of three different cohorts of allergic patients was performed. One cohort (N=70) was on standard symptoms-controlling pharmacological treatment while the other two (N=60 and N=35, respectively) were treated with AIT for 12 months. Among the first were observed a lower mean endogenous VD level (&lt;22 ng/ml) along with worse symptoms and higher use of medications. Remarkably, the comparison between two sub-cohorts of patients with serum VD above (N=32) or below (N=28) a cut-off value set at mean value (27 ng/ml) revealed that optimal improvement of all clinical and immune parameters was achieved (as expected by effective AIT), irrespective of the VD level. Notably, the third analysis, carried out on one cohort of AIT patients also taking concomitantly VD3 as food supplement (N=19), was distinguished by uppermost overall treatment outcome (amelioration of symptoms, lowest medications requirement, and reduction of total and allergen-specific IgE) as well as the increase of allergen-specific tolerogenic memory T regulatory cells. These findings suggest that endogenous VD level affects allergy severity and allergen immunotherapy effectiveness. Also, VD3 might be investigated as an add-on supplement to get the best out of immunotherapy in VD deficient/insufficient allergic patients. The immunogenic but low-allergenic mite allergoid used as bioactive agent might have contributed to minimize allergic and highlight immunological effects described here.

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented a new challenge in modern medicine. The development of vaccines was followed by massive population vaccinations. A few reports on post-vaccination allergic reactions have made patients and medical personnel uneasy as to anti-COVID-19 vaccines’ allergising potential. Most of the studies in this area to date have been small, and some that were based on global databases skipped most of the allergic diseases and concentrated only on anaphylaxis. We aimed to analyse the incidence of serious allergic reactions based on the EudraVigilance (EV) database, regardless of the reported symptoms and allergy mechanism. Methods: The total number of administrated vaccine doses was extracted on the 5th October 2023 from Vaccine Tracker and included all administrations since vaccinations began in the European Economic Area (EEA). Data on serious allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines was extracted from the EudraVigilance database with the same time point. The code names of 147 allergic symptoms or diseases were used. Results: The frequency of serious allergic reactions per 100,000 administered vaccine doses was 1.53 for Comirnaty, 2.16 for Spikevax, 88.6 for Vaxzevria, 2.11 for Janssen, 7.9 for Novavax, 13.3 for VidPrevtyn Beta and 3.1 for Valneva. The most prevalent reported reactions were oedema (0.46) and anaphylaxis (0.40). Only 6% of these reactions were delayed hypersensitivity-oriented. Conclusions: The overall frequency of potential serious allergic reactions to COVID-19 is very rare. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccines seem to be safe for human use. The lowest frequency of allergic reaction was observed for Comirnaty and the highest for Vaxzevria.

The pervasive use of plastic for milk packaging has raised significant health concerns, despite its advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness, convenience, and durability. The potential correlation between cancer and plastic packaging is one of these concerns. This mini-review examines the health implications of plastic materials used in milk packaging, with a particular emphasis on their carcinogenic hazards. This work endeavors to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of plastic components on human health and underscore the importance of ongoing research in this field by utilizing insights from a comprehensive review article. Harmful chemicals have been observed to leach into milk from plastics used in milk packaging, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), particularly under conditions of protracted storage and heat. Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and styrene are among the most prevalent leachates. These chemicals have been associated with a variety of health issues, such as an elevated risk of cancer, and are recognized for their endocrine-disrupting properties. BPA and phthalates, in particular, have the potential to disrupt hormone function, which may result in breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other hormone-related malignancies.This review emphasizes the significance of comprehending the precise components of plastics utilized in milk packaging and their potential health consequences. It advocates for more rigorous research to completely elucidate the long-term health impacts of these materials by emphasizing the current state of knowledge and regulatory initiatives. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of innovative packaging technologies to guarantee consumer protection and mitigate the risk of exposure to carcinogenic substances.

Solar pasteurization, as a means of treating milk in remote rural areas without electrical power, is based on using solar energy to thermally inactivate pathogenic microorganisms at temperatures below the boiling point to maintain or improve milk quality. A solar milk pasteurizer of flat‐plate water‐heating glass acting as the solar collector, connected to a stainless-steel cylindrical milk vat, was constructed and evaluated in Navrongo, in the tropical savanna zone of Ghana, West Africa. The novel approach taken in this project is to integrate the solar collection and heat exchanger into a single unit using materials and fabrication techniques readily available in the developing world. The vat comprises a 1.5 mm thick stainless steel cylindrical tank, a 2.2 cm wide hot water jacket, and an outer layer of 5.0 mm thick aluminium foil insulation. Hot water produced by the collector was used for pasteurizing milk. The optimum quantity of milk that this device could pasteurize under the study conditions was 8 L. The device could pasteurize raw milk to a maximum temperature of 74 °C at 14:00 h GMT. The ambient temperature during the pasteurization ranged from 30 °C to 43 °C. The microbial analysis before and after the pasteurization was done, and the result shows that the total bacteria count before pasteurization was 6.6x10⁶ log CFU/mL per unit volume, and the total bacteria count after pasteurization was 1.0x10² log CFU/mL. By acceptable standards, the total bacteria count after pasteurization is within a safe range for consumption, and coliform counts were negative. The solar milk pasteurization system is cost-effective. Hence, it is appropriate for milk producers in arid pastoral areas without electricity to adopt the solar pasteurizer as an alternative to firewood as a fuel source for milk pasteurization. This approach can potentially create a cottage industry that may also play a crucial role as a water treatment technology that will improve the health of rural populations.

The aim of this research was to select apple varieties suitable for allergy sufferers and diabetics. We first conducted a comprehensive analysis of several apple varieties. The total polyphenol content, sugar content, acidity, and antioxidant activity of the apple fruit juices were determined using spectrophotometric techniques. We also measured the amounts of polyphenols in the apple skins and their antioxidant potential, as well as the allergenic content in the apple juices. The strength of sensitization was assessed using the ELISA method. The lowest amounts of Bet v 1 homologues were found in the varieties Kosztela (4.21 ± 0.71 µg/g), Koksa Pomarańczowa (4.24 ± 0.08 µg/g), and Reneta z Brownlee (4.86 ± 0.18 µg/g). Low values for profilin were observed for Renet Harbert (1.74 ± 0.22 ng/g) and Schieblers Taubenapfel (2.26 ± 0.12 ng/g). The highest values for profilins and Bet v 1 homologues were found in the Złotka Kwidzyńska variety (12.40 µg/g), followed by Malinowa Oberlandzka (9.86 µg/g) and Jakub Lebel (8.87 µg/g). The varieties richest in profilin were Reneta Blenheimska (8.81 ng/g), Szara Reneta (7.88 ng/g), Pepina Ribston (7.67 ng/g), and Reneta z Brownlee (7 .63 ng/g). Given their minimal content of both profilins and Bet v 1 homologues, Koksa Pomarańczowa (4.24 ± 0.08 µg/g Bet v 1 and 4.49 ± 0.82 ng/g profilins) and Książę Albrecht Pruski (5.57 µg/g Bet v 1 and 3.34 ng/g profilins) were identified as suitable for people with allergies. For diabetics, the most suitable apple variety was found to be Jakub Lebel, providing large doses of antioxidants and polyphenols (41.1 ± 2.0 and 5.16 ± 0.42, respectively) and a relatively low sugar content (9.06). Similar results were measured for Kingfish, with 10.2 sugars, 5.68 ± 0.49 antioxi-dants, and 46.2 ± 1.5 polyphenols. The Galowany Pipping variety was found to have a low sugar content (9.71), corresponding to a perceived sweetness of 2.5. Prince Albert of Prussia apples had high antioxidant potential (5.70 ± 0.77) and a low sugar content (11.09). The James Grieve apple variety provided a high polyphenol content of 63.3 ± 1.1 with a high antioxidant level of 5.34 ± 0.45. Grochówka offers a combination of a high polyphenol content (48.6 ± 1.9), a high level of antiox-idant protection (5.50 ± 0.34), and a very low perceived sweetness (from 3.0).

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-induced climate change, particularly occurring since the mid-20th century has been considerably affecting short-term weather conditions, such as increasing weather variability, and incidence of extreme weather-related events. Milk production is sensitive to such changes. In this study, we use spatial panel econometric models, Spatial Error Model (SEM) and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM), with a panel dataset at the state-level varying over seasons, to estimate the relationship between weather indicators and milk productivity, in an effort to reduce the bias of omitted climatic variables that can be time-varying and spatially correlated and cannot be directly captured by conventional panel data models. We find an inverse U-shaped effect of summer heat stress on milk production per cow (MPC), indicating that milk production reacts positively to a low-level increase in summer heat stress, and then MPC declines as heat stress continues increasing beyond a threshold value of 72. Additionally, fall precipitation exhibits an inverse U-shaped effect on MPC, showing that milk yield increases at a decreasing rate until fall precipitation rises to 14 inches and then over that threshold milk yield declines at an increasing rate. We also find that, relative to conventional panel data models, spatial panel econometric models could improve prediction performance by leading to smaller in-sample and out-sample root mean squared errors. Our study contributes to the literature by exploring the feasibility of promising spatial panel models and resulting in estimating weather influences on milk productivity with high model predicting performance.

This study investigates the effect of altitude on the fatty acid composition of grass, yak milk, and yak ghee on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, aiming to understand how environmental factors influence the nutritional quality of these products. Samples were collected from four different altitudes and analyzed for fatty acid profiles using gas chromatography. The findings reveal significant differences in fatty acid profiles, with notably higher concentrations of lauric acid (C12:0) and myristic acid (C14:0) at altitude A2 compared to others (p＜ 0.001). Furthermore, the fatty acid composition in yak milk and ghee is influenced by the grass consumed and the metabolism of rumen microorganisms. The results indicate that yaks adapt their lipid biosynthesis to high-altitude conditions, as evidenced by a significant increase in stearic acid (C18:0) levels at higher altitudes, which subsequently affects the nutritional value of their milk and ghee. These insights are crucial for improving yak breeding and dairy production practices, ultimately enhancing food security and nutritional health for local communities residing in high-altitude areas. The study underscores the necessity for further research on optimizing these natural resources for better health outcomes.

This study sought to investigate the problem of losses along the milk value chain in Nandi and Kakamega Counties in Kenya. Using semi structured questionnaire, quantitative data were collected from different stages of the value chain consisting of 400 dairy farmers proportionally and randomly selected in Chesumei and Ikolomani sub counties; 15 cooperatives, 40 transporters, 20 milk bars, 17 supermarkets. Additionally Key informant interviews and focus group discussions we held with extension staff and farmers, respectively.The results showed losses occurred at all stages of the value chain in Nandi and Kakamega Counties with the highest losses at Cooperative (50.6%), collection centres (33.7%) and milk bars (7.5%). Annual milk loss was estimated to be 260,000 litres and 20,000 litres in Nandi and Kakamega counties respectively. The economic value of losses per year was estimated at KES 13 million (USD 100 000). Significant factors (P<0.001) influencing milk losses at farm level were: type of cow housing, level of training of milker, mixing morning and evening milk and Lack of cooling facilities. In cooperatives, poor roads, poor preservation of milk and mastitis influenced post harvest losses (PHL) causing milk rejection due to spoilages; while transporters attributed PHL to storage during transportation. Inadequate storage facilities and milk handling practices influenced PHL in milk bars while supermarkets attributed PHL to poor packaging materials and short shelf life. The most important causes of milk PHL along the chain were spoilages, spillages, adulteration and physical dirt. Key interventions to minimize PHL should target improvement of rural road infrastructure connecting farmers to markets; milk storage facilities and capacity building on milk handling practices for all actors. A sustainable PHL reduction should entail policy dialogue on milk payment system based on quality rather than quantity.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a carcinogenic toxin, mainly contaminates cow milk and poses significant challenges to the dairy industry and, thereby, public health in most tropical countries, including Ethiopia. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and level of AFM1 in raw cow milk collected from Specialized Dairy Farms and Milk Vendors in three Urban Centers: Chiro town, Dire Dawa, and Harar cities in Eastern Ethiopia. 180 milk samples were collected from two major Milk Sources: Specialized Dairy Farms (N=90) and Milk Vendors (N=90) using a simple random sampling technique. AFM1 was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The study revealed that, 63.9% (115/810) prevalence and 0.179±0.48µg/L mean of AFM1 level in milk, which 39.13% and 26.08% exceed the tolerable limits of EU and FDA respectively. A 40.0% prevalence and 0.344±0.72µg/L average of AFM1 in the milk from Dire Dawa city was significantly higher than the samples from other Urban Centers. However, 30.43% and 29.57% prevalence as well as 0.055±±0.13µg/L and 0.140±0.33µg/L average of AFM1 in milk from Chiro town and Harar city, respectively were not significant. Furthermore, milk samples from Dairy Farms revealed a higher prevalence (57.39%) and level (0.252±0.64µg/L) of AFM1 than Milk Vendors, with a prevalence of 42.61% and an average of 0.107±0.21µg/L. Therefore, this study concludes that substantial milk samples were contaminated by AFM1 and urges the need to enhance farmers' awareness on mitigation.

During the last few decades, the main focus of numerus studies has been on the human breast milk microbiota and its influence on the infant intestinal microbiota and overall health. The presence of lactic acid bacteria in breast milk affects both the quantitative and qualitative composition of the infant gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to assess the dominant cultivable rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria, specific for breast milk of healthy Bulgarian women and fecal samples of their infants over the first month of life, in 14 mother-infant tandem pairs. Additionally, we evaluated strain diversity among the dominant newly isolated species. 68 gram-positive and catalase negative strains were subjected to identification by using MALDI-TOF technique. Predominant culturable populations belonging to the rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria have been identified as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Limosilactobacillus reuteri. Also, we confirmed the presence of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus gasseri. 27 isolates were selected as representatives and analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing for strain identity confirmation and a phylogenetic tree based on 16S rDNA gene sequence was constructed. Comparative analysis by four RAPD primers revealed genetic differences between newly isolated L. rhamnosus strains. This pilot study provides data for the current first report concerning investigation on characteristic microbiota of human breast milk and infant feces in Bulgaria.

Food allergy (FA) affects approximately 6–8% of children worldwide causing a significant impact on the quality of life of children and their families. In the years, the possible role of weaning in the development of FA has been studied. According to recent studies, the role of weaning in its development is still controversial and influenced by several factors, such as the type of food, the age at food introduction and family history. In this narrative review, we aimed to collected the most recent evidence about weaning and its role in FA development, organizing the gathered data based on both the type of study and the food.

Specific nutrients including n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), flavonoids, vitamin A, D and E are considered to possess protective properties on human health by impacting on immunological reactions. An ‘inflammation-suppressive’ effect appears to be the common denominator of the beneficial effects of most of these dietary components which may protect against the development of chronic immune disorders such as allergy. However, the majority of these promising data are from preclinical studies such as animal disease models, as the majority of clinical studies only indicate associations. PUFAs, especially n-3 LCPUFAs, have been shown to interact with both the sensitization as well as the effector phase in food allergy. However, it should be noted and realised that PUFAs are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation. Flavonoids and fat-soluble vitamins both contain anti-inflammatory properties and are able to act as anti-oxidants as well. Here, we explore the anti-allergic properties of PUFAs, flavonoids and fat-soluble vitamins in order to create an overview and, more importantly, suggest a strategy to target food allergies using these components and combinations thereof. Dietary n-3 LCPUFAs and the above mentioned micronutrients are promising anti‐allergy agents capable of influencing the allergic immune response through multiple and different biological pathways.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating linseed oil and fish oil in the diet on intake, ruminal fermentation milk yield and milk fatty acid profile in dairy goats. Four crossbred Saanen lactating goats in mid-lactation and milking 1.30±0.28 g/day were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The basal diet consisted of concentrate and Para grass (C:F 40:60). Treatments included the basal diet without oil supplement (Ctrl) or with 2.5% linseed oil (LO2.5), 2.5% linseed oil and fish oil (3:2, w/w, LFO2.5), and 4.16% linseed oil and fish oil (3:2, w/w, LFO4.16). Diets had no effect on intake, milk yield, milk composition and ruminal fermentation patterns (P > 0.05). The lower (P < 0.05) proportions of C10:0-C14:0 in milk fat were observed with LFO4.16 compared with Ctrl. Compared with the Ctrl and linseed oil added alone, feeding LFO4.16 resulted in a 589% and 303% increase in C18:1 t11, respectively. Milk c9,t11 CLA was markedly increased with the LFO4.16 diet, accounting for 4.53 and 2.94 times greater concentrations than those in Ctrl and LO2.5 diets, respectively (P < 0.01). Goats fed LFO2.5 and LFO4.16 had greater levels of C22:6n-3 (0.63% and 0.87%; P < 0.001) compared with those fed Ctrl and LO2.5 diets (0.06% and 0.08%). Overall, the combined data suggested that including 4.16% linseed oil and fish oil in the diet of dairy goats is effective for improving the concentrations of healthy fatty acids in milk, without affecting milk production.

The trials were performed on 20 multiparous cows of Holstein breed (39.7 ± 0.75 kg of milk) at the end of the first phase of lactation this different milk fat (4.1-2.8%). The aim of the research was to study the characteristics of nutrition, metabolism and biosynthesis of milk components in highly productive dairy cows with normal and low milk fat levels and the timing of their productive use. Study the characteristics of fermentation of scar formation substrates and their use in energy metabolism and biosynthesis of the milk components. Found that low fat milk is not associated with a lack of formation of acetate in the rumen (6.1 vs. 6.6 mmol/dl in the contents of the rumen, р>0.05) and the non change in the hormonal profile, but depends on the reduction of fatty acids synthesis de novo in mammary gland, regulated by conjugated higher fatty acids. The result is a reduction in the need of cows in the exchange energy (reduction of heat transfer by 6.2 MJ), a shorter service period (109.5 vs.139 days) and the prolongation of their productive use (the number of lactations correlated back with the level of fat in milk (r=-0.68, p<0.05, n=1300).

Medication non-adherence remains a substantial obstacle in asthma care, prompting the exploration of novel therapeutic modalities that prioritize rapid symptom relief, anti-inflammatory activity and facilitate patients’ compliance. This task is well served by a new form of therapy - inhaled triple-combination medications ICS/LABA/LAMA (inhaled glucocorticosteroid/long-acting beta2-agonist/long-acting muscarinic antagonist). The integration of three medications within a singular inhalation device culminates in the reduction of the effective dose of the principal therapeutic agent for asthma management, namely, ICS. This consolidation yields a dual benefit of minimizing the likelihood of adverse effects typically linked with ICS while concurrently optimizing bronchodilator efficacy. The accumulated evidence suggests that adding LAMA to a medium- or high-dose ICS/LABA results in a decrease of asthma exacerbations compared to medium- or high-dose ICS/LABA alone, accompanied by sustained enhancements in lung function parameters. We propose in adult patients experiencing suboptimal asthma control despite medium/high-dose ICS/LABA treatment - regardless of adherence to GINA-recommended strategies, such as MART therapy as a first-line approach or alternative second-line strategies - the preferred course for intensifying asthma therapy involves the addition of a LAMA, ideally in the form of SITT.

Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, is bereft of any native milch or dual-purpose cattle breed and the state depends chiefly on crossbred cattle for milk production. As most (90 percent) of the milk production in the state was contributed by Jersey crossbred cattle, the genetic evaluation study was intended to assess the milk production traits viz., test-day milk yields (TDMYs), total milk yield (TMY) and 305-day milk yield (305MY) in these crossbred cattle reared under farmers’ rearing environment. Data on monthly TDMYs (TDMY1 to TDMY10) of Jersey crossbred cows (n=81,653) reared by the farmers over 24 years (1999-2022) were collected for evaluation. The influence of non-genetic factors viz., location (agroclimatic zones), period and season of calving, and parity on TDMYs, TMY, and 305MY were assessed, and the variance and covariance components for genetic parameters (heritability and genetic correlation) of the traits were estimated by the method of restricted maximum likelihood (REML) under multivariate animal model and by random regression model (RRM). The overall means of various TDMYs ranged from 4.98 (TDMY10) to 9.95 kg (TDMY2) and, for TMY and 305MY the means were 2480.33 and 2393.71 kg respectively. The heritabilities estimated by animal model for TDMYs were high and ranged from 0.39 ± 0.01 to 0.47 ± 0.01 and were fairly less variable throughout the lactation while the estimates obtained by RRM were medium to high and ranged between 0.28 ± 0.01 and 0.65 ± 0.02 for different days in milk (DIMs). The heritability estimated for TMY and 305MY were 0.48 ± 0.01 and 0.49 ± 0.01 respectively. The estimates of heritability in mid-lactation yields were comparatively little less than those at the beginning and the end of lactation. The high estimates of heritabilities for TDMYs, TMY, and 305MY obtained in the present study offered an ample scope for improving milk production through selective breeding. Genetic correlations between TDMYs estimated by animal model were positive and moderate to high, with a range between 0.47 ± 0.01 and 0.99 ± 0.00. Considerably higher estimates (0.97-0.99) were observed between adjacent TDMYs showing strong genetic associations. By RRM, genetic correlations estimated between DIMs were positive, except for a few estimates and the magnitude of genetic correlation decreased with an increase in the interval between the DIMs. The high genetic correlation observed between the TDMYs in early and mid stages of lactation with TMY and 305MY suggested that these test day yields could be used favorably for the early selection of cows for milk production which facilitates reduction in the generation interval and consequently increase the annual genetic gain for the milk production traits.

Food allergies are a growing public health concern worldwide, especially in children and young adults. Allergen-specific IgE plays a central role in the pathogenesis of food allergies, but their titers poorly correlate with allergy development. Host immune systems yield allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgE and IgG subclasses with low or high affinities and differential Fc N-glycosylation patterns that can affect the allergic reaction to food in multiple ways. High affinity IgE is required to induce strong mast cell activation eventually leading to allergic anaphylaxis while low affinity IgE can even inhibit the development of clinically relevant allergic symptoms. IgA and IgG antibodies can inhibit IgE-mediated mast cell activation through various mechanisms, thereby protecting IgE-positive individuals from allergy development. The production of IgE and IgG with differential allergenic potential seems to be affected by the signaling strength of individual B cell receptors, and by cytokines from T cells. This review provides an overview of the diversity of the B cell response and the diverse roles of antibodies in food allergy.

The incidence and prevalence of food allergy (FA) are increasing. While several studies have established the safety and efficacy of early introduction of single allergens in infants for the prevention of FA, the exact dose, frequency, and number of allergens that can be safely introduced to infants particularly in those at high or low risk of atopy are still unclear. This 1-year study evaluated the safety of early introduction of single foods (milk, egg, or peanut), vs. two foods (milk/egg, egg/peanut, milk/peanut), vs. multiple foods (milk/egg/peanut/cashew/almond/shrimp/walnut/wheat/fish/soy at low, medium, or high doses) vs no early introduction in infants between 4-6 months of age. At the end of the study, they were evaluated for plasma biomarkers associated with food reactivity with standardized blood tests. Two to four years after the start of the study, participants were evaluated by standardized food challenges. The serving sizes for the single, double, and low dose mixtures were 300 mg total protein per day. The serving sizes for the medium and high dose mixture was 900 mg and 3000 mg total protein, respectively. Equal parts of each protein were used for double or mixture foods. All infants were breastfed until at least 6 months of age. Results demonstrate that infants at either high or low risk for atopy were able to tolerate early introduction of multiple allergenic foods with no increases in any safety issues, including eczema, FA, or food protein induced enterocolitis. The mixtures of foods at either low, medium, or high doses demonstrated trends for improvement in food challenge reactivity and plasma biomarkers compared to single and double food introductions. The results of this study suggest that early introduction of foods, particularly simultaneous mixtures of many allergenic foods is efficacious for preventing FA and can occur safely.

Milk fat production is important in the New Zealand (NZ) dairy industry. Elsewhere, an amino acid substitution (K232A) in the enzyme diacylglycerol acyl-CoA acyltransferase (DGAT1) has been reported to explain variation in some milk traits, including variation in milk fatty acid (FA) profile. In this study, associations between K232A, and milk traits including milk FA composition, were studied in wholly pasture-fed NZ Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF×J) cross-bred dairy cows. With a high frequency of K variant (61.9%), the KK cows produced more milk fat than the AA cows (5.41 ± 0.04 % vs 4.42 ± 0.05 %). The milk volume, fat concentration and protein concentration of AK cows were between the genotypes, AA and KK. More C16:0, CLA and C18:3 cis-9, 12, 15 FA were found in the milk of Kiwi-cross cows feed in outdoor pasture grazing system., and the influence of DGAT1 K232A, on these FAs from mid- and late lactation stages were significant. The AA cows produced (P < 0.001) more CLA and C18:3 cis-9, 12, 15, but less C16:0 (1.137 ± 0.047, 0.855 ± 0.015 and 35.170 ± 0.355) than the KK cows (0.934 ± 0.025, 0.778 ± 0.009 and 38.010 ± 0.250).

Milk consumption is crucial for a balanced diet, yet recent trends indicate a decline, especially in Italy. A significant factor in this decline is the altered perception of milk quality among consumers, creating a communication gap between them and other stakeholders. This study aimed to explore the discourse on social media and sentiment towards the concept of milk quality among consumers, farmers, and processors. The research adopted a Social Media Analysis to examine online community messages. A sample of 19,906 Italian comments and posts mentioning keywords Milk, Quality, Cow, and Vaccine was collected and categorized using term frequency analysis, correspondence analysis, and sentiment analysis. Results highlighted gaps in the perceptions of milk quality: farmers focused on economic issues, consumers on animal welfare and health, and processors on lactose content. For farmers, almost all comments were negative, while for processors, nearly all comments were positive. Consumers presented a more mixed picture. This work contributes to the literature by expanding research on milk quality using social media as a source of information. The findings suggest that enhancing communication and understanding among these groups could lead to more effective strategies for addressing consumer concerns, potentially reversing the declining of milk consumption.

This study analyzed methodologies for identifying β-casein genotypes in dairy cows and the purity of A2 fermented milk. The research was justified by the need for quick and accurate techniques for herd screening and A2 milk quality control. The methodology included the development of an ELISA test to detect β-casein A1 in fermented milk and the evaluation of a commercial Lateral Flow Immuno Assay (LFIA) to identify A2A2 genotypes and the purity of A2 milk. The results showed that the ELISA test had high sensitivity and specificity (100%) in detecting β-casein A1. The LFIA test was 100% effective in identifying A2A2 genotypes and verifying the purity of A2 milk with a minimum detectable contamination of 5% for raw milk and 10% for fermented milk. Compared to traditional genotyping, these methods proved to be highly reliable and more practical for large-scale screening. It was concluded that the ELISA and LFIA were valuable tools for ensuring the quality and authenticity of A2 milk, meeting the demands of producers and consumers for safe and healthy dairy products.

“Pecorino” is a typical semi-hard cheese obtained with raw or heat-treated sheep milk using procedures to valorize the raw material's chemical and microbiological properties. In the present study, using a high throughput method of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we assessed the evolution of the microbiome composition from milk to Pecorino cheese in artisanal processes using milk from Comisana and Lacaune sheep breeds. The comparative analysis of the bacterial com-munity composition revealed significant differences in the presence and abundance of specific taxa in the milk microbiome of the Comisana and Lacaune breeds. NGS analysis also revealed differences in the curd microbiome related to dairy farming practices, which have a relevant effect on the final structure of the Pecorino-cheese microbiome.

The species Lactococcus lactis is the bacterium extensively used in dairy industry. This bacterium is generally recognized as safe which was added to the European Food Safety Authority Qualified Presumption of Safety list. The major functions of this species in dairy fermentation are production of lactic acid from lactose, citric acid fermentation and hydrolysis of casein. But the representatives of this species producing bacteriocin substances can exert an inhibitory effect against spoilage bacteria. The aim of this study was to test three lactococcal strains isolated from raw goat milk for their postbiotic activity and to test their stability in goat milk yogurts in encapsulated form for further application. To reach the aims, validated methods were used. Three postbiotic active Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains (identified by Blastn 16S rRNA analysis) from raw goat milk produced bacteriocin substances which in their concentrated form inhibited the growth of indicator enterococci and staphylococci up to 97.8 % with inhibitory activity up to 800 AU/mL. The encapsulated (freeze dried) lactococci fortified goat milk yogurts showed sufficient stability and survival in yogurts. The highest amount was reached using the strain MK2/8 (8.1 ± 0.0 cfu/g log 10) not influencing yogurt pH.

Since the 1980s, a growing interest in goat milk was noticed due to the nutritional values and health benefits of this milk, which resulted in increasing goat populations and milk production worldwide. This comprehensive review elaborates on goat milk composition compared to other types of milk. It is also an overview of goat milk production, properties, nourishment-value, applications in dairy products, and potential health benefits. Goat milk composition and its characteristics are slightly different from other types of milk and can be utilized to manufacture many dairy products. Fresh goat milk and goat milk products (e.g., yogurt and kefir were found to provide various potential health benefits, such as anti-inflammatory, prevent cardiovascular disease, anti-diabetic and antihypertensive, strengthen bones, boost immunity, and improve metabolism.

Abstract:This study aimed to explore the effects of supplementary feeding on milk yield, blood biochemical indexes, milk components, and fecal microflora diversity of Yili horses under grazing condition.18 grazing Yili mare horses with physiological condition consistent were randomly assigned to three groups with six mare horses each. The control group normal grazing, whereas the test group I and II were provided with supplemented with 1 kg/d of concentrate and 1 kg/d of concentrate + 0.4 kg/d coated fatty acids, respectively. After 3 days of pre-feeding, begin the experiment.Horse milk was collected every 7 days, and 10% of the milk yield of each horse was mixed in 100 mL milk sample bottles and stored in -20℃ refrigerator.Which blood samples were collected from the jugular vein before morning feeding (0 h) and at 1,2,3,4,6,9 and 12 h after morning feeding on day 40, and the plasma were centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 15 min and conservation at-20℃. Excrement was collected within 8 h on days 45 and 46 of the test, mixed with 5g of fresh fecal samples in a 5 mL frozen storage tubes and stored in liquid nitrogen. Compared with the control group, the lactation volume of Yili horses in test groups I and II was significantly higher throughout the trial period (P <0.05), and the late test group II was significantly higher than test group I (P <0.05). The yield of milk fat, lactose, and milk protein in test group II was significantly higher than that in test group I and control group (P <0.05); the urea nitrogen content in test group I was significantly lower than the control group (P <0.01). The lauric acid, tetradecanoic acid, cis-11,14,17-eicosotrienic acid, total saturated fatty acid, and total saturated fatty acid/total unsaturated fatty acid in test group II were significantly higher than those in the control group and test group I (P <0.05); The plasma glucose concentration of mares in test group II was significantly higher than that of control group and test group I at 1, 2 and 9 h after feeding (P <0.05), and significantly higher at 4 h after feeding (P <0.05); At 3 h and 6 h after feeding, test group II mares had significantly higher plasma free fatty acids and triglycerides concentrations than the control and test group I (P <0.05), at 4 h after feeding, the plasma triglyceride concentrations were significantly higher than the control and test I groups (P <0.05). Plasma low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein concentrations were significantly higher in mares at 3 h and 9 h after feeding than in control and group I (P <0.05). The total number of OTUs was 3483, and the number of OTUs was 4984,5487, and 5158 in the control and test I and II, respectively. At the phylum level, the total abundance of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes was more than 75%, and the test group Verrucomicrobia was significantly higher than the control group (P <0.05), and the test group II was significantly higher than the test group I (P <0.05). The Treponema_saccharophilum was significant difference in the feces of the control group (P <0.05); WCHB 1_41, kiritimatiellae, and Verrucomicrobia were significant difference of the test group II (P <0.05) and the fecal flora was mainly related to lipid synthesis, metabolism, and energy metabolism (P <0.05). Supplemental feeding can improve lactation volume of grazing Yili horses, improve the absorption and utilization of fatty acids, and improve the composition and diversity of horse milk and fecal flora to a certain extent.

Lactoperoxidase system (LPS) effect on quality of raw and pasteurized milk under real conditions along the dairy value chain in Ethiopia was evaluated. A total of 250 milk samples were collected from farmers, collectors, and factories. Experimental samples were LPS-activated of morning and overnight milk. The samples were tested with several chemical and microbiological tests such as total bacterial count (TBC), total coliform count (TCC) and Escherichia coli count (EC). Results indicated that all LPS-activated milk samples had a higher quality than all the control samples. For instance, both the morning and overnight farm milk samples had a mean TBCs of 5.79 log and 6.55 log cfu/ml which is significantly (p

The prevalence of allergic diseases, including food allergy, is increasing, especially in developed countries. Implementation of an elimination diet is not a sufficient therapeutic strategy in patients with food allergy, whose quality of life is significantly impaired. In recent years, new effective therapeutic strategies have been developed, such as the application of oral, sublingual, and epicutenous immunotherapy. Oral immunotherapy is the most often applied strategy because of its effectiveness and ease of application, with an acceptable safety profile. The effectiveness of oral immunotherapy in patients with egg, cow's milk and peanut allergy has been proven both in terms of raising of the threshold and the development of tolerance, and in some patients, the development of sustainable unresponsiveness. Although oral immunotherapy is an effective treatment for food allergy, several limitations, including long duration and a significant rate of reported adverse events, reduces its success. Therefore, new therapeutic options, such as treatment with biologicals, either as combinations with food allergen immunotherapy or as monotherapy with the aim of improving the efficacy and safety of treatment are being investigated..

Water samples for bacterial microbiome studies undergo a biomass concentration, DNA extraction and taxonomic identification steps. Through benchmarking, we studied the applicability of Skimmed milk flocculation (SMF) for bacterial enrichment, an adapted in-house DNA extraction protocol, and six 16S rRNA databases (16S-DBs). Surface water samples from two rivers were treated with SMF and Vacuum filtration (VF) and subjected to amplicon or shotgun metagenomics. A mock community standard underwent five DNA extraction protocols, taxonomical identification with six different 16S-DBs and evaluated by the Measurement Integrity Quotient (MIQ) score. In SMF samples, the skimmed milk was metabolized by members of lactic acid bacteria or genera such as Polaromonas, Macrococcus, and Agitococcus, resulting in increased relative abundance (p &lt; 0.5) up to 5.0 log fold change compared to VF, rendering SMF inapplicable for bacterial microbiome studies. The best performing DNA extraction protocols were FastSpin Soil, the in-house method and EurX. All 16S-DBs yielded comparable MIQ scores within each DNA extraction kit, ranging from 61-66 (ZymoBIOMICs) up to 80-82 (FastSpin). DNA extraction kits exert more bias to the composition than the 16S-DBs. This benchmarking study presented valuable insights to inform future water metagenomic study designs.

The adulteration of goat milk powder occurs frequently, cattle-derived and soybean-derived ingredients are common adulterants in goat milk powder. However, simultaneously and rapidly detecting cattle-derived and soybean-derived components is still a challenge. high throughput and efficient screening method for adulteration detection is need. In this study, a rapid method was developed to detect the adulteration of common cattle-derived and soybean-derived components simultaneously in goat milk powder by combining the CRISPR/ Cas12a system with recombinant polymerase amplification (RPA). A dual DNA extraction method was employed, primers and crRNA for dual detection were designed and screened, and a series of condition optimizations were carried out in this experiment. The optimized assay can rapidly detect cattle-derived and soybean-derived components in 40 min. The detection limits of both cattle-derived and soybean-derived components were 1% (w/w) for the mixed adulteration models. The established method was applied into a blind survey of 55 commercially available goat milk powder products. The results showed that 36.36% of the samples contained cattle-derived or soybean-derived ingredients, which revealed the noticeable adulteration situation in the goat milk powder market. This study realizes a fast flow of dual extraction, dual amplification and dual detection of cattle-derived and soybean-derived components in goat milk powder for the first time. It can be used for high-throughput and high-efficiency on-site primary screening of goat milk powder adulterants, and provide a technical reference for combating with food adulteration.

The present study describes a comprehensive analysis of the Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) documented in the Database of the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System (FEDRA) concerning the use of biological medications used for severe refractory asthma, specifically omalizumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, and tezepelumab. Emphasis was placed on ADRs not documented in the Technical Sheet (Summary of Product Characteristics, SmPC) of the respective specialties (Xolair®, Nucala®, Cinqaero®, Fasenra®, Dupixent®, and Tezspire®), which could potentially trigger a warning signal in Pharmacovigilance, indicating previously unidentified risks. The analysis encompassed data from the inception of each drug ́s marketing until January 22, 2024, including cases originating from various sources: direct submissions to the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System, communications from the Pharmaceutical Industry, and findings from literature review. Notifications were analyzed independently of their origin, so a complete review of all ADRs associated with these medications was ensured. In essence, this investigation highlights the critical role of post-marketing safety information, emphasizing the relevance of comprehensive reporting by healthcare professionals to facilitate a robust Pharmacovigilance system, ultimately advancing patient care and safety.

Global warming caused by climate change is a challenge for dairy farming, especially in sub-Saharan countries. Under high temperature and relative humidity dairy cows suffer from heat stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects and relationship of heat stress (HS) measured by temperature-humidity index (THI) on physiological parameters and milk yield and composition of lactating Holstein Friesian crosses reared in the humid coastal region of Tanzania. A total of 29 lactating Holstein Friesian x Zebu crossbred dairy cattle with 50% (HF50) and 75% (HF75) Holstein Friesian blood levels in their second and third month of lactation were used. Breed composition of Holstein Friesian was determined based on animal recording system used at the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI), Tanga. Data collected included daily temperature, relative humidity, daily milk yield, and physiological parameters (core-body temperature, rectal temperature, respiration rate, and panting score). The THI was calculated using the equation of National Research Council [39]. The THI values were categorized into three classes i.e. low THI (76-78), moderate THI (79-81) and high THI (82-84). The effects of THI on physiological parameters and milk yield and composition were assessed. Also, the effects of genotype, parity, lactation month, and interaction of these parameters with THI i on milk yield, milk composition, and physiological parameters were investigated. The results indicate that THI and its interaction with genotypes, parity, and lactation month had highly significant effect on all the parameters. THI affected (P ˂ 0.05) average daily milk yield and milk fat %, protein %, lactose %, and solids – not – fat %. When THI increased from moderate to high values, average daily milk yield declined from 3.49 ± 0.04 to 3.43 ± 0.05 liters/day while fat % increased from 2.66 ± 0.05% to 3.04 ± 0.06% and protein decreased from 3.15 ± 0.02% to 3.13 ± 0.03%. No decline was observed on lactose % whilst solids – not – fat % declined from 8.56 ± 0.08% to 8.55 ± 0.10%, when the THI values increased from moderate to high. Also, THI affected (P˂0.05) physiological parameters. Core-body temperature (CBT), rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR) and panting score (PS) increased from 35.60 ± 0.01 to 36.00 ± 0.01oC, 38.03 ± 0.02 to 38.3.30 ± 0.02oC, 62.53 ± 0.29 to 72.35 ± 0.28 breaths/min and 1.35 ± 0.01 to 1.47 ± 0.09, respectively, when THI increased from low to high. THI showed a low positive correlation with average daily milk yield and fat percentage whilst protein, lactose, and solids – not - fat percentages showed negative relationships with THI (P ≤ 0.05). The CBT, RT, RR, and PS showed positive relationships (P ≤ 0.05) with THI. These negative relationships indicate that there is an antagonistic correlation between sensitivity to HS and degree of production. It is concluded that the THI, genotype, parity, and lactation month, and their interactions with THI significantly affected milk yield, milk composition, and physiological parameters of lactating Holstein Friesian dairy crosses at THI thresholds ranging from 77 to 84.

Camel milk occupies a pivotal and essential position in the dietary customs of individuals residing in semi-arid and arid areas. Historically, the promotion and distribution of camel milk have been negligible, primarily due to the absence of processing facilities in areas where camels are raised. Consequently, the consumption of untreated camel milk has been predominantly limited to nomadic households. However, owing to its exceptional medicinal properties and health-enhancing effects, a substantial surge in the global demand for camel milk and its derivatives has been observed over the past two decades. This growing demand has prompted the dairy sector to introduce a diverse range of camel milk products, which are distinguished by their enhanced nutritional and functional properties. In contrast to products derived from bovine milk, the current market offers only a limited selection of food items sourced from camel milk. Recent advances in food processing technologies have enabled the production of an array of both dairy and non-dairy products derived from camel milk. This includes a variety of items such as powdered milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream. Moreover, in certain regions, camel milk is incorporated into customary cuisine, serving as a key ingredient in local culinary practices like fermented milk, camel milk tea, or as a fundamental component in various meals. This review underscores the possibility of transforming camel milk into a range of dairy products by addressing its intrinsic functional constraints. This objective can be realized by adjusting the processing parameters and modifying its chemical composition through enrichment techniques. Furthermore, further research avenues may focus on enhancing product quality and exploring innovative processing techniques.

Abstract: Five patients with standard medical treatment-resistant symptoms of skin lesions, ear infections, allergic rhinitis, nasal congestion, asthma, heartburn, and failure to thrive were success- fully treated with an integrative medicine assessment and integrative medicine treatment approach. The integrative medicine assessment method of autonomic response testing enabled the identifica- tion of nickel sensitivity as a common element in these patients. It guided the use of the integrative medicine therapies of low dose immunotherapy, gamma linoleic acid supplementation, chelation, dietary nickel restriction, and removal of nickel containing dental and cosmetic appliances. A chart review of 151 patients indicated a strong association of nickel and the simultaneous presence of skin lesions.

Recent studies have demonstrated silk fibroin’s ability to extend the shelf life of foods by mitigating the hallmarks of spoilage, namely oxidation and dehydration. Due to the potential for this protein to become more widespread, its safety was evaluated comprehensively. First, a bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test) was conducted in five bacterial strains. Second, an in vivo erythrocyte test was conducted with Sprague Dawley rats at doses up to 1,000mg/kg-bw/day. Third, a range-finder study was conducted with Sprague Dawley rats at the highest consumption amount given solubility and oral gavage volume constrains (500mg/kg-bw/day). Fourth, a 28-day study in Sprague Dawley rats was conducted at the 500mg/kg-bw/day amount. Fifth, an in vitro pepsin digestion assay was performed to assess the potential for protein allergenicity. Sixth, allergenic potential was further assessed using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy for detection of allergenic insect proteins. Seventh, the protein sequences were subjected to bioinformatic analyses. Together, these studies raise no mutagenic, carcinogenic, toxicological, or allergenic concerns with the oral consumption of silk fibroin.

Prevalence of asthma in Australian children is amongst the highest in the world. Although breastfeeding positively influences infants’ immunity, early introduction of Milk Other than Breast Milk (MOTBM) may also play an important role in the development of Asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the introduction of MOTBM in the first six months after birth and the development of reported persistent asthma in children 3-years old. As sample of 1,121 children were extracted from the Environments for Healthy Living longitudinal birth cohort study. Introduction of MOTBM during the first six months after birth increased the risk of development of persistent asthma by almost two-folds (Adjusted Relative Risk (ARR): 1.71, 95%CI: 1.03-2.83, p= 0.038). This study indicates that the introduction of MOTBM in the first six months of life is a risk factor for asthma incidence among children 3 years old or younger. This result is important in explaining the benefits of breastfeeding as part of public health interventions to encourage mothers to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration and avoid introduction of MOTBM in the first six months after childbirth.

Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants have dominated the strains of COVID-19 circulating worldwide for the last two years. Although the mortality rate of the COVID-19 Omicron variants is only approximately half that of previous variants, vaccines effective against Omicron are needed. Demonstrating that a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine can protect against Omicron in an in vivo infection model, particularly in that of Syrian hamsters, is important for the preclinical characterization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Here, we report on the evaluation of W-PreS-O for its ability to protect Syrian hamsters against infection by Omicron. W-PreS-O is a chimeric vaccine based on a single fusion protein (W-PreS-O), combining RBDs from Wuhan hu-1 wild-type and Omicron adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide. The Syrian hamsters were immunized three times at three-week intervals with W-PreS-O or with aluminum hydroxide (placebo), and then they were infected with Omicron BA.1. Non-infected and non-vaccinated animals served as controls. Neutralizing antibody (nAB) titers, weight, lung symptoms (i.e., edema and pneumonia index), and viral loads, as measured using RT-PCR in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, were determined. In addition, infectious virus titers from the lungs were measured using a plaque-forming assay. W-PreS-O-vaccinated hamsters developed robust nABs against Omicron, showed almost no development of pneumonia, and had significantly reduced infectious virus titers in the lungs. Importantly, the viral loads in the nasal cavities of W-PreS-O-vaccinated hamsters were close to or above the PCR cycle threshold considered to be non-infectious. Our data provide compelling evidence demonstrating that the W-PreS-O vaccine has protective effect against Omicron in a Syrian hamster in vivo infection model. W-PreS-O is therefore a highly promising candidate vaccine for Omicron infections, and it should be further evaluated in clinical studies.

Dairy products are an important source of protein and other nutrients in the Mediterranean diet. In these countries the most common source of milk for producing dairies are cow, goat, sheep and buffalo. Andalusia is traditionally the largest producer of goat milk in Spain. Kefir is a fermented product made from bacteria and yeasts which has health benefits beyond its nutritional properties. There is a lack of knowledge about the molecular mechanisms and metabolites that bring about these benefits. In this work, the combination of analytical techniques (GC-FID, UHPLC-MS-QToF, GC-QqQ-MS, and GC-ToF-MS) resulted in the detection of 105 metabolites in kefir produced with goat milk from two different thermal treatments (raw and pasteurized) fermented at four times (12, 24, 36, and 48 h, using 0 h as control). Of these, 27 metabolites differed between kefir produced with raw and pasteurized milk. These changes could be possibly caused by the effect of pasteurization on the microbial population in the starting milk. Some interesting molecules were identified, as shikimic acid, dehydroabietic acid, GABA and tyramine that could be related to antibacterial properties, enhance of immune system and arterial pressure. Moreover, a viability assay of the NIRS technique was performed to evaluate its use on monitoring the fermentation and classification of samples, which had resulted in a 90 % of correct classified samples according to their fermentation time. This study represents the most comprehensive metabolomic analysis of goat milk kefir so far, revealing the intricate changes in metabolites during fermentation and the impact of milk treatment.

Background: It is known that Preeclampsia affects the lactogenesis. However, data on effects of this pathology on the human milk neurobiomarkers composition are not available. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of this gestational pathology on Activin A levels, a neurobi-omarker known to play an important role in the development and protection of the central nerv-ous system. Methods: The women recruited were divided in two different study groups: preeclamptic or normotensive women. All the human milk samples were collected using the same procedure. Activin A was quantified using an ELISA test. To investigate the effect of Preeclampsia on the Activin A concentration in the 3 lactation phases, mixed linear model with unistructural covariance structure, mother as random effect, and fixed effects were performed. Results: Activin A was detected in all samples. There were no significant differences between Preeclamptic and Normotensive women. The only significant effect is related to the lactation phase: it is significant the difference between colostrum and mature milk (p<0.01). In conclusion these results allow us to affirm that breast milk beneficial properties are maintained even if preeclampsia occurs.

The basis of the discrete-impulse energy supply (DIES) concept is the efficient use of supplied energy. The references describe in detail the general principles of DIES, examine the energy and thermodynamic aspects and the main mechanisms of intensification that can be initiated on the basis of this principle. DIES mechanisms conveniently can be divided into hard and soft ones. The former should be used to stimulate hydromechanical processes, and the latter to accelerate the processes of phase heat and mass transfer, or for the purpose of intensive mixing of multicomponent media. The authors have studied the possibility of using DIES to intensify the hydromechanical processes, in particular emulsification of milk fat (homogenization of milk, preparation of spreads), processing of cream cheese masses. Objects of research were whole non-homogenized milk, fat emulsions, cream cheese mass. In order to evaluate the efficiency of milk homogenization the homogenization coefficient change was studied, which was determined by centrifugation method as the most affordable and accurate one. Emulsions were evaluated according to the degree of destabilization, resistance and dispersion of the fat phase. The rheological characteristics of cheese masses were evaluated by the effective viscosity change.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the addition of inulin and the replacement of part of inulin with apple fiber on the physicochemical and organoleptic properties. Moreover, the survival of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis Bb-12 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus was studied in sheep milk ice cream. There was no effect of apple fiber and the type of bacteria on the number of bacteria of the probiotics after fermentation. As a result of freezing, mixture containing Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. Lactis Bb-12, there was a significant reduction in the bacterial from 0.39 log cfu g −1 to 0.46 log cfu g −1. In all ice cream on the 21st day of storage, it exceeded 10 log cfu g –1, which means that the ice cream retained the status of probiotic products. The Lactobacillus rhamnosus ice cream showed a lower yellow colour compared to the Bifidobacterium Bb-12 ice cream. The overrun of sheep's milk ice cream was within a range from 78.50% to 80.41%. The appearance of sheep's milk ice cream is influenced considerably by the addition of fiber and the type of bacteria and the interaction between the type of bacteria and the addition of fiber and storage time and fiber.

The aim of this study was characterization of some dairy drinks based on Milk Serum regarding major whey proteins (WP) and free amino acids (FAAs) using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) methods. The studied WP, -lactalbumin (-La), bovine serum albumin (BSA), -lactoglobulin A (-Lg A) and -lactoglobulin B (-Lg B) were separated on Aeris XB-C18 column at 214 nm detection. The RP-HPLC method was validated by selectivity, linearity (R2 ≥0.99), sensitivity (LOQ, 1.35–10.08 µg mL−1), accuracy (recovery 96.79-103.07%) and precision (% RSD ≤ 4.13%). The total studied WP in studied dairy drinks varied between 1.42 and 3.047 g·L-1. The chromatographic profile of FAAs (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, histidine, arginine, glycine, threonine, alanine, tyrosine, cysteine, tryptophan, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine) was determined in lyophilized concentrate of Milk Serum by RP-HPLC using pre-column derivatization reaction with orthophthalaldehyde (OPA). The total studied FAAs in studied samples varied between 1.103 and 1.119 mg·g-1. Moreover, the Milk Serum showed bacteriostatic activity against two bacterial strains Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The obtained results confirm that dairy drinks based on the Milk Serum constitutes a valuable sources of bioactive components with benefits for human healthy nutrition.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) with aeroallergens is the only disease modifying treatment for patients with different allergic conditions. Despite the effectiveness of AIT has been evidenced in both randomized controlled trials and real word studies, it remains underused in less than 10% of subjects with allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or asthma (A). We aimed to determine the current eligibility for house dust mite (HDM) AIT by means of a Precision Allergy Molecular Diagnosis (PAMD@) model in a selected cohort of youngsters with different allergic phenotypes according to the available evidence. A complex response to both HDM and storage mite allergens was depicted regardless of the subjects´ basal atopic condition. No solely specific IgE binding responses to Der p 1, Der p 2 and/or Der p 23 were found in the studied cohort. Despite patients with A and atopic dermatitis showed significantly higher serum titers to 6 mite allergens than subjects with AR, no specific molecular profile could be regarded as disease specific. Given the increasing complexity of specific IgE responses to the local prevailing aeroallergens, the identification and presence of such molecules are needed in commercially available AIT in the era of precision medicine.

Background: allergic diseases and, in particular food allergy (FA), have been identified as one of the major diseases in the world. The first 1000 days of life can be a “window of opportunity” or a “window of susceptibility” during which several factors can predispose children to FA development. Changes in gut microbiota composition, from pregnancy to infancy, could have a pivotal role in this regard: some bacterial genus such as Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium seem to be protective from FA development, on the contrary Clostridium and Staphylococcus appear to be unprotective. Methods: we conducted a research through the most recent literature (2013-2023), using Pubmed and Scopus as databases. We included English original papers, clinical trials, metanalysis and reviews. Case reports, series and letters have been excluded. Results: during pregnancy, maternal diet can play a fundamental role in influencing gut microbiota composition of newborns. After birth, human milk can promote the development of protective microbial species by human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), that play a prebiotic role. Also complementary feeding can modify gut microbiota composition. Conclusions: the first two years of life are a critical period where several factors, in genetic predisposed children, can increase the risk of FA development.

Due to its similarity with human milk and its low allergenic properties, donkey milk has long been used as an alternative for infants and patients with cow's milk protein allergy. In addition, this milk is attracting growing interest in human nutrition because of presumed health benefits. It has antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumoral, antiproliferative, and antidiabetic activity. Also, it stimulates the immune system, regulates the gastrointestinal flora, and prevents inflammatory diseases. Although all components of donkey milk can contribute to functional and nutritional effects, it is generally accepted that the whey protein fraction plays a major role. The purpose of this review is to highlight the active proteins and peptides of donkey milk in comparison with other types of milk, emphasizing their properties and their roles in different fields.

Arthrospira platensis, commercially known as Spirulina, is a fresh-water cyanobacterium that is gaining even more attention in the last years due to its high biological and nutritional value. For this reason, it has been employed in several food applications, to obtain or enhance functional and technological properties of cheese, yogurt, bread, cookies or pasta. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential boosting effect of two different concentrations (0.25% and 0.50%) of Arthrospira platensis on the fermentation capability of several starter LAB strains, 1 probiotic and 4 commercial mix culture. These strains were used to ferment three different substrates and their fermentation behaviors were evaluated by impedance analyses together with rheological and color measurements. It was demonstrated that the booster effect took place, but it was variable and dependent not only on the strain or mix culture used, but also on the substrate and Arthrospira platensis concentration. Also, rheological and color modifications were found to be dependent of these factors.

The Speer allergic tension-fatigue syndrome (SATFS) is a classic syndrome characterized by allergy-like symptoms, muscle tension, headache, chronic fatigue, and a particular behavior. The particular behavior displayed includes symptoms such as hyperkinesis, hyperesthesia (i.e., insomnia), restlessness, and distractibility, among others. Interestingly, these symptoms are very similar to recent descriptions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder worldwide, which is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Although the exact cause of ADHD remains unknown, it has been proposed that deficiency of the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), which metabolizes histamine, may be involved in the development of ADHD. Our conceptual paper suggests that DAO enzyme deficiency may be involved in the development and severity of ADHD. Histamine, which is metabolized by DAO, plays an important role in the regulation of attention, memory and cognition. Therefore, decreased DAO activity could lead to an accumulation of histamine, which could contribute to ADHD symptoms. This study provides a theoretical framework for the relationship between DAO deficiency and ADHD, which could have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. Further empirical studies are needed to confirm our hypothesis and explore the clinical implications of the relationship between DAO deficiency, histamine, and ADHD.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of parity and lactation stage on the content and conversion rate of DHA in milk from dairy cows fed ruminally protected algae powder. A total of 800 cows were blocked by parity and divided into eight groups (n = 100, three groups of primiparous cows and five groups of multiparous cows) in a six-month experimental period. The lactation period was divided into three stages: 16 – 100 d, 101 – 200 d, and 201–305 d. All cows were fed 100 g of DHA-rich algae powder twice a day, with the DHA content > 13%. Milk samples were collected monthly, and daily milk yield and dry matter intake were recorded. Using infrared spectroscopy, we determined the content of protein, fat, lactose, and total solids in milk and calculated the DHA conversion rate. The results showed that parity and lactation stage had no significant effects on milk composition. However, milk yield and dry matter intake were higher in multiparous cows than in primiparous cows. The DHA content and conversion rate in milk were not significantly different between parity groups but were positively correlated with lactation stage and negatively correlated with milk fat content.

Background. Human Milk (HM) is a dynamic nourishment: its composition is influenced by several conditions such as gestational age, maternal diet and ethnicity. It appears important evaluate the impact that gestational diseases have on HM components and if their presence, as source of oxidative stress in the mother, influence milk’s redox homeostasis. To assess Preeclampsia (PE) and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) effect on milk’s total oxidative load, we chose to investigate both oxidative and antioxidant aspects, with respectively Lipid hydrop-eroxides (LOOHs) and Glutathione (GSH)). Methods. GSH and LOOHs were quantified using an ELISA test. To investigate the effect of pathology on redox homeostasis, mixed linear model with unistructural covariance structure was performed. Results. A total of 120 mothers were re-cruited. The GSH concentration results significant lower in GDM women than in healthy only in colostrum (p<0.01). No other differences emerged. LOOHs was not detectable in almost all the samples. Discussion. Our study is the first to extensively evaluate these components in the HM of women with these gestational pathologies. The main observation is that GDM can alter the anti-oxidant composition of HM mainly in colostrum, but in case of PE, the composition of HM milk is preserved.

The consumption of dairy products and the dairy industry is one of the main global agro-food sectors for size, economic importance and level of technology. Microbiological quality of pasteurized milk or other milk products is dependent on microbiological quality of raw milk. A variety of microbiological count methods is available for monitoring the hygienic quality of raw milk. Among them, the pour plate method is the official essay for counting the number of colony forming units in milk samples according to ISO 4833-1:2013. The aim of the present study is the validation of the Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method, against the reference plate count method, for the assessment of the microbiological quality of raw milk. This comparative study, performed in collaboration with the “Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri” (IZSLT), demonstrates the accuracy of this alternative method for the determination of total viable bacterial count in cow’s raw milk. The results obtained with the MBS method highlighting its potential as a valid tool for reliable microbiological analysis in dairy industries.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) displays clinical heterogeneity, but little information is available for patients with mild or very early disease. We aimed to characterize biomarkers that are useful in discriminating the hospitalization risk in a COVID-19 cohort from Northern Italy during the first pandemic wave. We enrolled and followed for four weeks 76 symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive patients and age/sex-matched healthy controls. Patients with mild disease were discharged (n.42), and the remaining were hospitalized (n.34). Blood was collected before any anti-inflammatory/immunosuppressive therapy and assessed for soluble C5b-9/C5a, H3-neutrophil extracellular traps (NET), calprotectin, DNase plasma levels by ELISA, and a panel of pro-inflammatory cytokines by ELLA. Calprotectin and NET levels discriminate between hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients, while DNase negatively correlates with NET levels; there are positive correlations between calprotectin and both NET and neopterin levels. Neopterin levels increase in patients at the beginning of the disease and more in hospitalized than non-hospitalized ones. C5a and sC5b-9, and other acute phase proteins correlate with neopterin, calprotectin, and DNase. Both NET and neopterin levels negatively correlate with platelet count. We show that calprotectin, NET, and neopterin are important proinflammatory parameters potentially useful in discriminating between COVID-19 patients at risk for hospitalization.

Human milk reduces risk for necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Necrotizing enterocolitis occurs in the ileocecal region where thousands of milk protein-derived peptides have been released from digestion. Digestion-released peptides may exert bioactivity, such antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities, in the gut. In this study, we applied mass spectrometry-based peptidomics to characterize peptides present in colostrum before and after in vitro digestion. Sequence-based computational modeling was applied to predict peptides with antimicrobial activity. We identified more peptides in undigested samples, yet the abundances were much higher in the digested samples. Heatmapping demonstrated highly different peptide profiles between undigested and digested samples. Four peptides (αS1-casein [157–163], αS1-casein [157–165], β-casein [153–159] and plasminogen [591–597]) were selected, synthesized and tested against common pathogenic bacteria associated with necrotizing enterocolitis. All four exhibited bacteriostatic, though not bactericidal, activities against Klebsiella aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii and Serratia marcescens, but not Escherichia coli.

Possible alterations of maternal immune function due to psychological stress may reflect immunoactive factor levels in breast milk. This study aimed to assess the association between maternal distress and breast milk levels of secretory IgA (SIgA), IgM, IgG, and lactoferrin (LF). We hypothesized this association is moderated by maternal social support achieved from others during lactation. The study group included 103 lactating mothers and their healthy 5-months-old infants. Maternal distress was determined based on the State Anxiety Inventory and the level of salivary cortisol. Social support was assessed using Berlin Social Support Scales. Breast milk samples were collected to test for SIgA, IgM, IgG, and LF using the ELISA method. Milk immunoactive factors were regressed against maternal anxiety, social support, salivary cortisol, and infant gestational age using the general regression model. Maternal anxiety was negatively associated with milk levels of LF (β=-0.22, p<0.05) and SIgA (β=-0.29, p<0.01), while social support was positively associated with milk IgG (β=0.25, p<0.05). Neither anxiety nor social support was related to milk IgM. No association was found between the level of maternal salivary cortisol and immunoactive factors in milk. Our results suggest that maternal psychological well-being and social support may affect milk immune properties.

Maternal milk, from well-nourished and healthy mothers, is a source of several bioactive compounds and balanced nutrients required for proper growth and development of the infant. Hence it is regarded as the optimal form of nourishment. Human milk fat from human milk is the most crucial component and is a necessity for the growing infant. However, in certain cases, the breast milk may fulfill the nutritional needs or the breast-feeding of the infant is not feasible; infant formulae are then considered as the best alternative as nutritional support. It becomes essential for the infant formula to behave and provide nutritive support in the same way as human milk. In order to achieve so, the most crucial components of all should also be prepared precisely, i.e., the analogue of human milk fat. This analogue, which mimics the actual human milk fat, can be then used as a prime ingredient while designing the infant formula. Significant research and several advances have been made in preparing the infant formula enriched with adequate fat content, and more studies are still being conducted in order to achieve a more sound product in the most economical and simplest way possible.

Milk MIR spectra have been shown to provide valuable information on a wide range of traits to be used in dairy cattle breeding programs. Selecting the most informative variables from complex data can improve prediction accuracy and model robustness and, consequently, the interpretability of MIR spectra. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prediction performance of feature selection methods based on MIR spectra data, using the milk fatty acid (FA) profile as an example to illustrate the evaluated procedure. Data of MIR spectra, milk test-day records, and reference FA concentrations of 155 first-parity Holstein cows were used in the analyses. Four models comprising different explanatory variables and five feature selection methods were evaluated. The results indicated that the Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) method can effectively select the most informative variables from the MIR spectra, resulting in higher prediction accuracies than other variable selection approaches. The model including selected MIR spectra and cow information variables [days in milk at the test day, age at the test day, pregnancy stage (in days), number of days open, number of inseminations, and somatic cell count] yielded the best FA profile predictions based on Partial Least Square regression. In particular, ten FAs (C8:0, C10:0, C14:1, C17:0 isomers, C18:1, C18:1 isomer, medium-chain FA, unsaturation FA, monounsaturated FA, and polyunsaturated FA) presented accuracies based on the determination coefficient (R2cv) ranging from 0.66 to 0.85 in internal validation and from 0.65 to 0.84 in external validation. By running CARS 1,000 times in internal validations, we obtained the frequency of selected milk MIR wavenumber for 35 FAs. The most related wavenumbers to FAs were found within 1,003 to 1,145 cm-1, while other discrete areas were between 1,651 to 1,797 and 2,834 to 2,954 cm-1. These biomarkers may give insights into the relationship between MIR spectra and FA phenotypes. In conclusion, using CARS and cow information improved predictions of FAs based on MIR spectra in Chinese Holstein dairy cows. Additional validation studies should be conducted as larger datasets become available.

This manuscript provides a new integrated view of the development of allergen-specific TH2 and the lack of their associated Treg cells in a unified model, justifying the need for IL-2 to correct allergy conditions.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease for which the main anti-inflammatory drugs for better disease control are steroids or corticosteroids. The use of steroids in asthma patients, in particular in uncontrolled asthma patients, is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. A single oral corticosteroids course increases the risk of osteoporosis and continual use of inhaled corticosteroids is correlated over time to an increased risk for both bone conditions. With the use of new, available biologic therapies for asthma, perhaps even anticipating the times of their use in what are the steps of therapeutic management, in the current guidelines and with targeted strategies of prevention it may be possible to improve asthma management, preventing some comorbidities, such as osteoporosis.

This work explores five falling film evaporator (FFE) simulation approaches combined with energy consumption minimization strategies, namely Mechanical Vapor Recompression and Thermal Vapor Recompression (MVR and TVR respectively). Global system analysis and advanced dynamic optimization strategies are then investigated to minimize steam consumption, the cost of steam, the total annualized cost and maximizing product yield. The results indicate that a higher TVR discharge pressure, or MVR compression ratios, along with higher feed temperatures enhance evaporation with but increase operational costs. The most economic option includes three evaporator effects with TVR for achieving 50% product dry mass content. However, for a 35% dry mass content, MVR becomes cost-effective with an 11% reduction in unit electricity prices or a simultaneous 7% drop in electricity prices and a 5% increase in gas-based steam prices. Furthermore, switching from milk powder production to milk concentrates, an annual cost reduction ranging from 10.75 to 44% is achieved. Also, a forecasted 20% (or more) reduction of biomass-based steam cost can lead to lower annual expenditure comparing with the nominal NG-based steam Case. Regarding the total annualized cost, for a new plant design, optimization strategies lead to a 9 - 45% reduction in the total cost depending on the Case under consideration.

Mothers’ own milk (MOM) for premature babies is considered a life-saving drug for its proven protective action against the complications of prematurity and for the effects on the outcome in the short and long term, especially the neurological one. We studied the use of the MOM for WLBWs over a 5-year period. Statistical comparisons concerned data on feeding with the MOM during stay in NICU and at discharge with respect to maternal and neonatal variables (gestational age, birth weight, type of pregnancy if single or twin, maternal age) and to feeding data (timing of the start of the Minimal Enteral Feeding and the availability of the MOM, the achievement of the Full Enteral Feeding, the type of nutrition at discharge). We observed an increase, between 2017 and 2021, of MOM use (p=0.003). The availability of the MOM occurred on average on the fourth day of life and improved over the years. Start of MEF with human milk averaged 1.78 days and 54.3% of VLBWs received MEF with donor milk on the first day of life (50% within the first 6 hours). The average MOM at discharge was 47.6% with 36.1% exclusive MOM (EMOM) and an increase from 45.8% in 2017 (EMOM 33.3%) to 58.82% (EMOM 41.18%) in 2021. The mean average daily growth of the weight improved (p<0.001) during this period. There is no statistical difference between infants fed with MOM and those fed with bank milk. The maternal age, the start day of the MOM feeding and gestational age have a significant impact on the type of feeding at discharge.

Bovine mastitis is the most impacting disease of dairy industry, and it is characterized by a complexity of causal agents, which have revealed a geographical variation among regions and countries. The mastitis-related pathogens have been traditionally classified as contagious or environmental, based on habits of the microorganisms and transmission routes. In addition, the severity of mammary infections has been associated with the virulence of the pathogens, and immune and nutritional status of the hosts. Considering this scenario, we investigated the etiological nature, clinical severity scores, and days in milk (DIM) data in 4,273 clinical cases of bovine mastitis among ten large-dairy farms located in the Southeast region of Brazil. Streptococcus dysgalactiae (283/4,273=6.6%), Escherichia coli (190/4,273=4.4%), Prototheca spp. (112/4,273=2.6%), and Streptococcus uberis (95/4,273=2.2%) were the predominant pathogens isolated, all from the environmental origin. Among 4,273 clinical cases, clinical gravity score was available in 43.8% (1,871/4,273) animals. From these, 69.8% (1,306/1,871), 27.3% (510/1,871) and 2.9% (55/1,871) were scored as mild, moderate, and severe, respectively. Most of isolation of pathogens were observed in the first 100 days in milk, and their clinical severity scored as mild (3,612/4,273=84.5%). Our results contribute to the etiological identification, clinical severity scoring, and milking aspects of bovine clinical mastitis in dairy farms with a history of clinical mammary infections.

Cow milk is rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and minerals, and its nutrient content depends on various factors. We tested differences in fatty acid and protein contents of milk from seven breeds and regions, including three dairy breed samples: Holstein milk from Beijing, China (BH); Holstein milk from Hebei province, China; Jersey milk (JS); and four dairy/meat cow samples: Sanhe milk, Xinjiang brown milk (XH), Simmental milk, and Shu Xuanhua milk. Breed significantly affected total fat, fatty acid, and protein contents. The region significantly affected the contents of different fatty acids, α-lactalbumin, and lactoferrin. JS had the highest total fat, most fatty acids, and casein contents. XH performed well with significantly higher unsaturated fatty acid content than BH, which was not significantly different from JS, and its protein composition of low β-lactoglobulin and high lactoferrin was more similar to breast milk, which may thus be favorable to the growth and development of children. Our results may inform the development of dairy products from different cow breeds and advance the process of accurate breed identification.

We addressed the frequent occurrence of mixed-chain lipids in biological membranes and their impact on membrane structure by studying several chain-asymmetric phosphatidylcholines and the highly asymmetric milk sphingomyelin. Specifically, we report trans-membrane structures of the corresponding fluid lamellar phases using small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering, which were jointly analyzed in terms of a membrane composition-specific model, including a headgroup hydration shell. Focusing on terminal methyl groups at the bilayer center we found a linear relation between hydrocarbon chain length mismatch and the methyl-overlap for phosphatidylcholines, and a non-negligible impact of the glycerol backbone-tilting, letting the sn1-chain penetrate deeper into the opposing leaflet by half a CH2 group. That is, penetration-depth differences due to the ester-linked hydrocarbons at the glycerol backbone, reported previously for gel phase structures also extend to the physiological more relevant fluid phase, but are significantly reduced. Moreover, milk sphingomyelin was found to follow the same linear relationship suggesting a similar tilt of the sphingosine backbone. Complementary performed molecular dynamics simulations revealed that there is always a part of the lipid tails bending back, even if there is a high interdigitation with the opposing chains. This suggests that hydrocarbon chain interdigitation plays only a minor role in transbilayer coupling. For both cases of adaption to chain length mismatch, chain-asymmetry has a large impact on hydrocarbon chain ordering, inducing disorder in the longer of the two hydrocarbons.

Although wheat is a staple food for most of human population, some of its components trigger adverse reactions. Among wheat components, the alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATI) are important triggers of several allergies and activators of innate immunity. ATI are a group of exogenous protease inhibitors and include several polypeptides. The three ATI polypeptides named CM3, CM16 and 0.28 are considered major allergens, and might also play a role in other common wheat-related pathologies, such as Non Celiac Wheat Sensitivity and even Celiac Disease. On this basis, we pointed to obtain high amounts of them in purity and evaluating their allergenicity potential. We thus isolated the mRNA corresponding to the three ATI genes CM3, CM16 and 0.28 from 28 days post-anthesis wheat kernels and the corresponding cDNAs were used for heterologous expression in Pichia pastoris. The three purified proteins were tested in degranulation assay against human sera of patients with food allergy to wheat. A large range of degranulation values was observed for each protein according to the sera tested. All the three purified proteins CM3, CM16 and 0.28 were active as allergens because able to induce basophils degranulation on wheat allergic patients’ sera, but the highest values of β-hexosaminidase release were observed for CM3 protein.

This scoping review comprehensively explores the existing literature on fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), a versatile herb known for its culinary and traditional medicinal uses. The review focuses on two key aspects: the hypoglycemic mechanism of fenugreek and its impact on milk production in breastfeeding women. By systematically analyzing and synthesizing the available evidence, this review aims to enhance our understanding of fenugreek's potential applications and identify research gaps for future systematic reviews. The search strategy targeted English-language animal studies published within the last five years that specifically investigated fenugreek's hypoglycemic mechanism and its effects on milk production. A total of 15,236 articles were initially identified from databases such as PubMed, Sci finder and ScienceDirect. After a rigorous selection process, including thorough evaluation of titles, abstracts, and full-texts, a subset of articles (including those titled "Impact of Fenugreek on Milk Production in Rodent Models of Lactation Challenge" and "Fenugreek Stimulates the Expression of Genes Involved in Milk Synthesis and Milk Flow through Modulation of Insulin/GH/IGF-1 Axis and Oxytocin Secretion") were included for detailed analysis. The findings 18 articles from the included studies demonstrate promising results regarding fenugreek's potential to stimulate milk production and regulate blood glucose levels. However, further research is necessary to unravel the underlying molecular pathways, establish optimal dosage guidelines, and assess long-term side effects. Overall, this scoping review offers valuable insights for lactating women seeking to enhance milk production and individuals managing blood sugar levels, providing potential alternative approaches for supporting lactation and glycemic control.

Three dietary treatments were assayed in 350 milking Murciano-Granadina multiparous goats in full-lactation: a control diet and two experimental diets, one including flaked linseed (FL) and the other salmon oil (SO). Neither dietary treatment affected the daily milk yield, cheese yield or the physicochemical parameters of the milk and cheese. With regard to the fatty acid profile (FA), the milk and cheese from animals whose diet was supplemented with SO had a higher percentage of fatty acids than those obtained with the FL supplemented diet, except for C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 n-6, trans-9, trans-12 C18:2, cis-9, trans-11 C18:2, C18:3 and C19:0, which reached their highest levels in milk obtained with the diet supplemented with FL. The decrease in the percentage of C16:0 was greater in the milk derived from the FL diet than from the SO diet. The FL supplemented diet improved the nutritional value of milk due to a reduction in saturated fatty acids (SFA) and an increase in polyunsaturated acids (PUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The decrease in n-6/n-3 in observed milk was more pronounced with the FL diet. No differences in the sensory profile were found for the milk and cheese derived from the different dietary treatments. Keywords: goat, flaked linseed, salmon oil, fatty acid, sensory profile.

Intrammary infections are a major problem for dairy sheep farms, and Streptococcus uberis is one of the main etiological agents of ovine mastitis. Surveys on antimicrobial resistance are still limited in sheep and characterization of isolates is important for acquiring information on resistance and for optimizing therapy. In this study, a sampling of 124 S. uberis isolates collected in Sardinia (Italy) from sheep milk was analysed by multilocus-sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for genetic relatedness. All isolates were also subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility analysis by the disk diffusion test using a panel of 14 antimicrobials. Resistance genes were detected by PCR assays. MLST analysis revealed that the isolates were grouped into 86 sequence types (STs), of which 73 were new genotypes, indicating a highly diverse population of S. uberis. The most frequently detected lineage was the clonal complex (CC)143, although representing only 13.7% of all characterized isolates. A high level of heterogeneity was also observed among the SmaI PFGE profiles, with 121 unique patterns. Almost all (96.8%) isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial, while all exhibited phenotypic susceptibility to oxacillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ceftiofur. Of the antimicrobials tested, the highest resistance rate was found against streptomycin (93.5%), kanamycin (79.8%) and gentamicin (64.5%), followed by novobiocin (25%) and tetracycline-TE (19.3%). Seventy-four (59.7%) isolates were simultaneously resistant to all aminoglycosides tested. Seventeen isolates (13.7%) exhibited multidrug resistance. All aminoglycosides-resistant isolates were PCR negative for aad-6 and aphA-3’ genes. Among the TE-resistant isolates, the tetM gene was predominant, indicating that the resistance mechanism is mainly mediated by the protection of ribosomes and not through the efflux pump. Three isolates were resistant to erythromycin, and two of them harboured the ermB gene. This is the first study reporting a detailed characterization of the S. uberis strains circulating in Sardinian sheep. Further investigations will be needed to understand the relationships between S. uberis genotypes, mastitis severity, and intra-mammary infection dynamics in the flock, as well as to monitor the evolution of antimicrobial resistance.

Fermented milk product "Laban" in Libya is one of the most a traditional fermented milk product consumed a refreshing drink, particularly in the warm season The average values of the physicochemical including titratable acidity, pH, total solids, and fat were 0.73%, 4.16, 8.12%, and 1.54% respectively. Coliform, yeast and mold counts were 21×10⁴, 39×10⁴, and 41 ×10³ cfu/ ml., respectively. Most strains of coliform bacteria were Serratia odorifera, Escherichia coli 1, E. coli 2. and Klebsiella oxytoca. The average Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Mesophilic Lactobacillus / Leuconostoc and Thermophilic Lactobacillus counts were 99 ×10⁷, 96 ×10⁷, 93 ×10⁷ and 15 ×10⁷ cfu / ml. respectively. A total of 142 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were identified to the genus level as Lactobacillus (48.59%), Lactococcus (43.66%), Streptococcus (4.93%) and Leuconostoc (2.82%). Sugar fermentation tests revealed the most frequent Lactobacillus species found to be Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis (62.32%), followed by Lactobacillus plantarum (31.88%). Furthermore, other selected LAB isolates were identified by API 50 CH test as Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactics, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus brevis, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. cremoris. Thus, our research documented the lactic acid bacteria strains and will provides fundamental basic and useful information for further studies of strain selection starter culture, with regard to the industrial production of fermented dairy milk products.

Despite the existence of pasteurization and its advocacy worldwide, most marketed milk in a developing country like Nigeria are sold raw by the locals. It costs hundreds of millions of Naira to set up a conventional pasteurizing plant in Nigeria. Boiled milk ends up curdling which results in to a loss of nutrients, so it is not beneficial to treat milk by this method. This paper hence presents the re-designing and fabrication of the contact area of a solar milk pasteurizer

Objective: Lipids are secreted into milk as bilayer-coated structures: milk lipid globules (MLGs). Adipophilin (ADRP) and perilipin 3 (TIP47) are associated with MLGs in human breast milk; however, the role of these proteins in milk lipid secretion is not fully understood. The aim of the study was to investigate levels of ADRP, TIP47 and total lipid content in human breast milk, their mutual correlations and dynamics during lactation. Research Methods & Procedures: Milk samples from 22 healthy lactating women (Caucasian, Central European) were collected at five time points during lactation (1–3, 12–14, 29–30, 88–90 and 178–180 days postpartum). Mass spectrometry-based method was used for quantification of ADRP and TIP47 in the samples. The gravimetric method was used to determine milk total lipid content. Results: We observed distinctive trends in ADRP, TIP47 levels and lipid content in human breast milk during the first 6 months of lactation. We also found a significant association between lipid content and ADRP, lipid content and TIP47, and ADRP and TIP47 concentrations in breast milk at all sampling points. Moreover, we derived an equation for estimating the mean lipid content of milk based on ADRP concentration in human breast milk. Conclusions: A mass spectrometry-based method was developed for quantifying ADRP and TIP47 in human breast milk. Strong mutual correlations were found between ADRP, TIP47 and total lipid content in human breast milk.