In order to gain insight into the effects of human breast milk on the development of the intestinal bifidobacteria and associated health effects, the transcriptome of Bifidobacterium longum LMG 13197 grown in breast milk and formula milk containing galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and long-chain fructooligosaccharides was compared to that obtained in a semisynthetic medium with glucose. Total RNA ...

Breast milk samples from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive women were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction to determine the prevalence and determinants of HIV-1-infected cells in breast milk. Breast milk samples (212) were collected from 107 women, and 58% of the samples had detectable HIV-1 DNA. The proportion of HIV-1-infected cells in the milk samples ranged from 1 to...

QUESTION One of my patients asked if she could buy human milk on the Internet to feed her infant if the need arose. Is using donated breast milk from the milk bank safer than buying it online? ANSWER The World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the use of donated breast milk as the first alternative when maternal milk is not available, but the Canadian Paedia...

INTRODUCTION: Leptin the product of the obese gene (ob) is synthesized by adipose tissue and contributes to the regulation of energy homeostasis and food intake. Recently, immunoreactive leptin was reported to be present in human milk. The aim of this study was to determine any possible link between breast milk leptin concentrations and adiposity in exclusively breast-fed infants. METHODS: 130 ...

The Regenerating Powers of Human Milk Molecules • Previous research has shown that the body releases specialized chemical signals that help resolve infections. • A new study identifies previously undescribed chemical signals present in human breast milk that accelerate tissue repair and regeneration in addition to resolving infections. • The discovery of these molecules may improve our understa...

Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) via breast-feeding can occur throughout lactation. Defining both fluctuation in breast-milk virus level over time and how breast-milk virus correlates with mother-to-child transmission is important for establishing effective interventions. We quantified breast-milk HIV-1 RNA levels in serial samples collected from 275 women for up to 2...

Hand-reared elephant calves that are nursed with milk substitutes sometimes suffer bone fractures, probably due to problems associated with nutrition, exercise, sunshine levels and/or genetic factors. As we were expecting the birth of an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), we analyzed elephant's breast milk to improve the milk substitutes for elephant calves. Although there were few nutritional d...

OBJECTIVE Beneficial effects of breast milk on cognitive skills and behavior ratings have been demonstrated previously in term and very low birth weight infants. Extremely low birth weight infants are known to be at increased risk for developmental and behavior morbidities. The benefits of breast milk that is ingested in the NICU by extremely low birth weight infants on development and behavior...

Extracellular vesicles (EV) in breast milk carry immune relevant proteins and could play an important role in the instruction of the neonatal immune system. To further analyze these EV and to elucidate their function it is important that native populations of EV can be recovered from (stored) breast milk samples in a reproducible fashion. However, the impact of isolation and storage procedures ...

Breast feeding provides food security, protection against disease, and complete nutrition. Nonetheless, decision makers seldom consider human milk as a food resource or include it in food supply statistics. This neglect has contributed to the decline of breast feeding in many developing countries. An analysis of breast feeding frequency data, demographic data, and measures of the amount of b...