Administering oral rehydration solution containing Lactobacillus GG to children with acute diarrhea is safe and results in shorter duration of diarrhea, less chance of a protracted course, and faster discharge from the hospital.

No abstract

Probiotic intervention with B. breve strains has shown a positive effect on decreasing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α in children with CD on GFD.

Coeliac disease (CD) is associated with alterations of the intestinal microbiota. Although several Bifidobacterium strains showed anti-inflammatory activity and prevention of toxic gliadin peptides generation in vitro, few data are available on their efficacy when administered to CD subjects. This study evaluated the effect of administration for three months of a food supplement based on two Bifidobacterium breve strains (B632 and BR03) to restore the gut microbial balance in coeliac children on a gluten free diet (GFD). Microbial DNA was extracted from faeces of 40 coeliac children before and after probiotic or placebo administration and 16 healthy children (Control group). Sequencing of the amplified V3-V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA gene as well as qPCR of Bidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bacteroides fragilis group Clostridium sensu stricto and enterobacteria were performed. The comparison between CD subjects and Control group revealed an alteration in the intestinal microbial composition of coeliacs mainly characterized by a reduction of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, of Actinobacteria and Euryarchaeota. Regarding the effects of the probiotic, an increase of Actinobacteria was found as well as a re-establishment of the physiological Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Therefore, a three-month administration of B. breve strains helps in restoring the healthy percentage of main microbial components.

Objective: To investigate the trace element transfer from the mother to the newborn. Design: The concentrations of the eight essential elements calcium (Ca), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), tin (Sn), and zinc (Zn), and of the non-essential and toxic elements barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), cesium (Cs), lanthanum (La), lithium (Li), lead (Pb), rubidium (Rb), antimony (Sb), strontium (Sr), and thallium (Tl) were determined in umbilical cord (n 29) and corresponding maternal sera (n 29) as well as in colostrum (n 27). Results: Umbilical cord serum concentrations of Ca, Mn, and Zn were 120%, 150%, and 148% of the maternal value, respectively. Maternal sera had twice the Cu concentrations found in healthy adults and ®ve-times higher Cu than umbilical cord sera. Concentration ratios colostrumamaternal serum and colostrumaumbilical cord serum were approximately one for Co, 1.4 for Mg, two for Ca, Mn, and Sn, ®ve for Cu (maternal serum), eight for Mo, and ten for Zn. Concentrations of the toxic elements Cd and Pb decreased in the order colostrum (Pb 2.6 mgaL; Cd 0.6 mgaL), maternal sera (0.8 mgaL; 0.3 mgaL), umbilical cord sera (0.4 mgaL; 0.2 mgaL). Maternal serum Ba and Rb was 182% and 66% of the umbilical cord value. For Sr and Li, an almost perfect correlation between umbilical cord and maternal sera was found. For Ba, Co, Cu, Mn, Zn none, and for Ca, Cs, Mn, Mo, Rb only weak positive correlations between these two compartments could be established. Conclusions:The results of this study indicate that an active transport mechanism for the transport of Ca, Mn, Rb, and Zn from the mother to the newborn exists, whereas Cs, Li, and Sr follow concentration gradients. As regards Cu, the placenta showed to have a blocking effect on the transfer from the mother to the baby.