DECP are in the respirable size range, can bind to the major grass pollen allergen Lol p 1 under in vitro conditions and represent a possible mechanism by which allergens can become concentrated in polluted air and thus trigger attacks of asthma.

Appropriate feeding practices are the key contributor to reducing morbidities and mortalities in under-five children. A cross-sectional questionnaire based survey of mothers of children aged less than 5years was conducted in 781 mothers. More than half of mothers (57.5%) started feeding within an hour of birth, 55.9% gave exclusive breastfeeding for six months, 89.1% of the mothers stopped breastfeeding before two years of age, 18.2% of the mothers bottle-fed the babies, and 15.6% had problems during breastfeeding in first 6 months. Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth promoted exclusive breastfeeding, and breastfeeding for longer duration. Exclusive breastfeeding increased frequency of feeds. Multivariable logistic regression showed that initiation of breastfeeding after an hour of birth (p = 0.035), not providing exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months (p < 0.0001), unemployed mothers (p = 0.035), having two or more kids (p = 0.001), and complementary feeds given by person other than mother (p = 0.007) increased hospitalization. Starting breastfeeding after an hour of birth (p = 0.045), severe malnutrition (p = 0.018), and breastfeeding for < two years (p = 0.026) increased rates of diarrhea. Breastfeeding practices were not optimum and interventions to improve these practices need to be strengthened.

Human maternal whole blood was treated with Atabrine in vitro, and the cellular portion returned to the maternal circulation within 15 hours of the time of delivery in nine cases. In three cases no fluorescent forms were found in the cord blood. In six cases fluorescent forms were observed in the cord blood, in four instances platelets, in four granulocytes, and in three lymphocytes. Three normal controls received the supernatant, Atabrine-containing plasma from 350 ml. of their own whole blood to which had been added 50 or 100 mg. of Atabrine. No fluorescent forms were found in the buffy coats of these individuals over a 24-hour period. The data are interpreted as suggesting human transplacental passage, from mother to fetus, of small numbers of leukocytes and platelets. Particular interest is thought to attach to the identification of labeled lymphocytes in the cord blood because of the evidence that some mononuclear leukocytes which normally circulate are still capable of multiplication and pluripotentiality. The possibility of human lymphocytic chimerism on the basis of maternofetal transplacental passage is suggested, although no evidence for permanent colonization and immunologic function is presented. The relation of this concept to those human diseases in which autoimmunity is thought to play a major role is discussed.