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BackgroundLactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional protein and one of the most abundant proteins in human milk. Various factors may affect its concentration in human milk, such as stage of lactation, ethnicity, and diet.ObjectivesThe objectives of the present study were to examine the dynamic change in milk Lf throughout the course of lactation and explore factors associated with milk Lf concentrations in various Chinese populations.MethodsThis investigation was a part of a large cross-sectional study conducted in 11 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities (Beijing, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Shanghai, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Zhejiang) across China between 2011 and 2013. Lactating women (n = 6481) within 0⁻330 days postpartum were recruited in the original study. A sub-sample of 824 women was randomly selected, and milk Lf concentrations were determined by UPLC/MS.ResultsThe Lf concentration in milk from women delivering at term was 3.16 g/L, 1.73 g/L and 0.90 g/L for colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk, respectively. Lf concentrations differed significantly between stages of lactation (colostrum vs. transitional milk, colostrum vs. mature milk, transitional milk vs. mature milk, all p < 0.001). Maternal BMI, age, mode of delivery, parturition, protein intake, and serum albumin concentration were not correlated with milk Lf concentration. However, milk Lf concentrations varied among different geographical regions (Guangdong (1.91 g/L) vs. Heilongjiang (1.44 g/L), p = 0.037; Guangdong (1.91 g/L) vs. Gansu (1.43 g/L), p = 0.041) and ethnicities (Dai (1.80 g/L) vs. Tibetan (0.99 g/L), p = 0.007; Han (1.62 g/L) vs. Tibetan (0.99 g/L), p = 0.002) in China.ConclusionsThe concentration of Lf in human milk changes dynamically throughout lactation. Few maternal characteristics affect the milk Lf concentration, but it varies across different geographical regions and ethnicities in China.

Background/Aims: Arterial stenosis activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system subsequently resulting in renovascular hypertension (RVHT) and renal oxidative injury. We explored the effect of sodium thiosulfate (STS, Na2S2O3), a developed antioxidant in clinical trial, on RVHT-induced hypertension and renal oxidative injury in rats. Methods: We induced RVHT in male Wistar rats with bilaterally partial ligation of renal arteries in the 2-kidney 2-clip model. We evaluated the STS effect on RVHT-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis by a chemiluminescence amplification method, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Results: We found STS displayed a dose-dependent antioxidant H2O2 activity and adapted the maximal scavenging H2O2 activity of STS at the dosage of 0.1 g/kg intraperitoneally 3 times/week for 4 weeks in RVHT rats. RVHT induced a significant elevation of arterial blood pressure, blood reactive oxygen species amount, neutrophil infiltration, 4-HNE and NADPH oxidase gp91 expression, Bax/Bcl-2/poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-mediated apoptosis formation, blue Masson-stained fibrosis, and urinary protein level. STS treatment significantly reduced hypertension, oxidative stress, neutrophil infiltration, fibrosis, and Bax/Bcl-2/PARP-mediated apoptosis formation and depressed the urinary protein level in the RVHT models. Conclusion: Our results suggest that STS treatment could ameliorate RVHT hypertension and renal oxidative injury through antioxidant, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic mechanisms.

Vitamin A (VA) kinetics, storage, and disposal rate were determined in well-nourished Chinese and U.S. adults using model-based compartmental analysis. [[sup.2][H.sub.8]]Retinyl acetate (8.9 [micro]mol) was orally administered to U.S. (n = 12; 69 [+ or -] 9 y; mean [+ or -] SD) and Chinese adults (n = 14; 64 [+ or -] 4 y) and serum tracer and VA concentrations were measured from 3 h to 56 d. Using the Windows version of the Simulation, Analysis and Modeling software, we determined that the average time from dosing until appearance of labeled retinol in serum was greater in U.S. subjects (40.6 [+ or -] 8.47 h) than in Chinese subjects (32.2 [+ or -] 5.84 h; P < 0.01). Model-predicted total traced mass (898 [+ or -] 637 vs. 237 [+ or -] 109 [micro]mol), disposal rate (14.7 [+ or -] 5.87 vs. 5.58 [+ or -] 2.04[micro]mol/d), and system residence time (58.9 [+ or -] 28.7 vs. 42.9 [+ or -] 14.6 d) were greater in U.S. than in Chinese subjects (P < 0.05). The model-predicted VA mass and VA mass estimated by deuterated retinol dilution at 3 and 24 d did not differ. VA disposal rate was positively correlated with VA traced mass in Chinese ([R.sup.2] = 0.556), U.S. ([R.sup.2] = 0.579), and all subjects ([R.sup.2] = 0.808). Additionally, VA disposal rate was significantly correlated with serum retinol pool size ([R.sup.2] = 0.227) and retinol concentration ([R.sup.2] = 0.330) in all subjects. Our results support the hypothesis that VA stores are the principle determinant of VA disposal rate in healthy, well-nourished adults.

Background/Aims: Arterial stenosis activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system subsequently resulting in renovascular hypertension (RVHT) and renal oxidative injury. We explored the effect of sodium thiosulfate (STS, Na2S2O3), a developed antioxidant in clinical trial, on RVHT-induced hypertension and renal oxidative injury in rats. Methods: We induced RVHT in male Wistar rats with bilaterally partial ligation of renal arteries in the 2-kidney 2-clip model. We evaluated the STS effect on RVHT-induced oxidative injury and apoptosis by a chemiluminescence amplification method, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Results: We found STS displayed a dose-dependent antioxidant H2O2 activity and adapted the maximal scavenging H2O2 activity of STS at the dosage of 0.1 g/kg intraperitoneally 3 times/week for 4 weeks in RVHT rats. RVHT induced a significant elevation of arterial blood pressure, blood reactive oxygen species amount, neutrophil infiltration, 4-HNE and NADPH oxidase gp91 expression, Bax/Bcl-2/poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-mediated apoptosis formation, blue Masson-stained fibrosis, and urinary protein level. STS treatment significantly reduced hypertension, oxidative stress, neutrophil infiltration, fibrosis, and Bax/Bcl-2/PARP-mediated apoptosis formation and depressed the urinary protein level in the RVHT models. Conclusion: Our results suggest that STS treatment could ameliorate RVHT hypertension and renal oxidative injury through antioxidant, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to determine the conversion factor of synthetic 2H-labelled ??-carotene to vitamin A in Chinese adults by using a stable-isotope dilution technique. Fifteen healthy volunteers aged 50???60 years were recruited for a 55 d experiment. The volunteers (nine males and six females) were each given a physiological dose of [2H8]??-carotene (6 mg) in oil on the first day of the experiment, and a reference dose of [2H8]retinyl acetate (3 mg) in oil was given on the fourth day. Serum samples were collected at 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 h on the first and the fourth days of the study, daily for 10 d, and then weekly from days 14 to 56. ??-Carotene and retinol were extracted from serum and isolated by HPLC, and their enrichments were respectively determined by using GC???electron capture negative chemical ionisation-MS and LC???atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation interface-MS. Four of the subjects exhibited ??-carotene to vitamin A conversion factors of >29??0:1 on a molar basis and were termed ???poor converters???. In the eleven normal converters (seven males and four females), the calculated conversion factors of ??-carotene to retinol ranged from 2??0:1 to 12??2:1 with an average of 4??8 (sd 2??8):1 on a molar basis, and from 3??8:1 to 22??8:1 with an average of 9??1 (sd 5??3):1 on a weight basis. The 52 d post-intestinal absorption conversion was estimated to be about 30 % of the total converted retinol. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: To compare the difference between the China growth reference and the WHO growth standards in assessing malnutrition of children under 5 years., Settings: The households selected from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in mainland China (except Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao)., Participants: Households were selected by using a stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling. Children under 5 years of age in the selected households were recruited (n=15,886)., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Underweight, stunting, wasting, overweight and obesity., Results: According to the China growth reference, the prevalence of underweight (8.7% vs 4.8%), stunting (17.2% vs 16.1%) and wasting (4.4% vs 3%) was significantly higher than that based on the WHO growth standards, respectively (p<0.001); the prevalence of overweight was lower than that based on the WHO growth standards (9.4% vs 10.2%, p<0.001). In most cases, the prevalence of undernutrition assessed by using the China growth reference was significantly higher. However, the prevalence of overweight was significantly lower by using China charts for boys aged 3-4, 6, 8, 10, 12-18 and 24 months., Conclusions: The WHO growth standards could be more conservative in undernutrition estimation and more applicable for international comparison for Chinese children. Future researches are warranted for using the WHO growth standards within those countries with local growth charts when there are distinct differences between the two., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

The present study was carried out to determine the conversion factor of synthetic (2)H-labelled beta-carotene to vitamin A in Chinese adults by using a stable-isotope dilution technique. Fifteen healthy volunteers aged 50-60 years were recruited for a 55 d experiment. The volunteers (nine males and six females) were each given a physiological dose of [(2)H8]beta-carotene (6 mg) in oil on the first day of the experiment, and a reference dose of [(2)H8]retinyl acetate (3 mg) in oil was given on the fourth day. Serum samples were collected at 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 h on the first and the fourth days of the study, daily for 10 d, and then weekly from days 14 to 56. beta-Carotene and retinol were extracted from serum and isolated by HPLC, and their enrichments were respectively determined by using GC-electron capture negative chemical ionisation-MS and LC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation interface-MS. Four of the subjects exhibited beta-carotene to vitamin A conversion factors of >29.0:1 on a molar basis and were termed 'poor converters'. In the eleven normal converters (seven males and four females), the calculated conversion factors of beta-carotene to retinol ranged from 2.0:1 to 12.2:1 with an average of 4.8 (sd 2.8):1 on a molar basis, and from 3.8:1 to 22.8:1 with an average of 9.1 (sd 5.3):1 on a weight basis. The 52 d post-intestinal absorption conversion was estimated to be about 30 % of the total converted retinol.