Importance of maternal diet in the training of the infant's immune system during gestation and lactation

Latest forecasts predict that half of the European population will be allergic within the coming 15 years, with food allergies contributing substantially to the total burden; preventive measures are urgently needed. Unfortunately, all attempted alimentary strategies for primary prevention of allergic diseases through allergen avoidance so far have failed. This also holds true for the prevention of food allergies in breastfed infants by the common practice of excluding certain foods with allergenic potential from the maternal diet. As a preventive measure, therefore, exclusion diets should be discouraged. They can exhaust nursing mothers and negatively impact both their nutritional status as well as their motivation to breastfeed. A prolonged exclusion diet may be indicated solely in cases of doctor-diagnosed food allergy following rigid medical tests (e.g. double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges). Indicated cases usually involve exclusion of only a few food items. Continued breastfeeding is generally important for many aspects of the infant's health, including the training of the infant's immune responses to foreign compounds and avoidance of overshooting inflammatory responses. Recent studies suggest that the presence of maternal dietary proteins in amniotic fluid, cord blood, and human milk might support the induction of tolerance towards solid foods in infants. These are exactly the same species of proteins or remnants thereof that, in comparatively few cases, trigger allergic responses. However, the insight that the proteins of maternal dietary origin in human milk are more likely to be cure (or, more precise, directing prevention) than curse has still largely evaded the attention of health care professionals consulted by worried breastfeeding mothers. In this paper, we summarize recent literature on the importance of exposure to dietary proteins in the establishment of immunological tolerance and hence prevention of allergic disease. Multiple organizations have used the scientific knowledge to build (local) guidelines (e.g. AAAAI, EAACI, BSACI) that can support health care professionals to provide the best strategy to prevent the onset of allergic diseases. We thus hope to clarify existing confusion about the allergenic propensities of dietary proteins during early life, which has contributed to exaggerated fears around the diet of pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.     

WAIS and MMPI correlates of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychology Battery in normal male subjects

Two groups, each consisting of 24 normal young men, were given the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychology Battery and additional tests of intellectual and personality functioning, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, and the Cornell Medical Index. The test (and subtest) scores were intercorrelated. No significant correlations were found between any of the personality tests and any of the subtests of the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychology Battery. Most of the WAIS measures likewise failed to correlate with the Halstead-Reitan measures in the two samples. The exceptions were the Digit Span and Block Design subtests and the Performance Scale IG score on the WAIS which did correlate with some of the subtests from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychology Battery. The findings with normal subjects reported in this paper, in contrast with findings with psychopathological and brain-damaged groups of subjects reported by others, indicate that for Ss in the top half of the population in education and WAIS FSIQ, individual differences in scores on the WAIS, the MMPI, TMAS, and CMI do not materially influence performance on the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychology Battery Measures.     

Adult colloid milium of the eyelid

PURPOSE: To report a patient with bilateral upper and lower eyelid margin nodules that proved to be adult colloid milium. METHODS: After clinical study, biopsy specimens were obtained and analyzed histologically and ultrastructurally. RESULTS: Adult colloid milium can be diagnosed by clinicopathologic correlation. CONCLUSION: Adult colloid milium should be included in the differential diagnosis of eyelid margin nodules.     

Psychologist–physician partnership in a medical specialty screening clinic.

Describes the development of a headache screening clinic in which psychologists participate with neurologists in the initial patient evaluation, using brief screening questionnaires and interviews. The majority of patients assessed in this clinic experienced clinically significant emotional distress, although only a minority of these patients felt a need for psychological intervention. By combining psychological screening with initial medical evaluation, emotionally disturbed individuals who present with physical complaints can be rapidly identified and their defensiveness about referral for psychological/psychiatric intervention can be minimized. Psychologists' psychometric screening instruments and their interviewing skills can contribute significantly to optimal utilization of health care services. Three case examples are given. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

IQ correlates of speech and silence behavior under three dyadic speaking conditions.

Studied the duration of utterance, latency, and interruption speech behavior of 30 young male job applicants for the Civil Service position of patrolman under 3 speaking conditions: a spontaneous peer-peer conversation; an instructed peer-peer conversation, and during a clinically oriented employment interview with an experienced interviewer. Results show that none of the WAIS measures correlated with any of the 3 speech measures when recorded under the 1st 2 conversational conditions. In the 3rd condition, the employment interview, a number of positive correlations emerged. These correlations revealed that Verbal IQ was positively correlated with S's mean duration of utterance, especially when he was discussing his occupational history. During discussion of this latter content, as well as in the initial period of a 45-min interview, Verbal IQ also correlated positively with mean reaction time latency, suggesting that the more intelligent Ss wait longer under these 2 conditions before responding to the interviewer. A hypothesis was advanced that, in contrast to several earlier studies by the authors, the correlations found in this study may have emerged because the 1st 2 speaking conditions, both new in the authors' methodology, may have dissipated a common, prerehearsed occupationally oriented "set" in each of the 30 Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Zur Notwendigkeit von Gefällen bei Parkdecks

Sowohl bei der Planung und dem Bau neuer als auch bei der Begutachtung bestehender Parkbauten wird immer wieder die Frage diskutiert, ob die Ausbildung eines Gefälles prinzipiell notwendig ist. Dabei werden verschiedene Argumente zusammengebracht, die zum einen aus der Betrachtung der Nutzung und Gebrauchstauglichkeit des Gebäudes als Parkbau und zum anderen aus der Frage der Dauerhaftigkeit der Tragkonstruktion aus Stahlbeton oder Spannbeton resultieren. Ziel dieses Beitrags ist, diese Argumente zusammenzustellen und zu ordnen. Anhand der verschiedenen Aspekte soll erläutert werden, warum im neuen DBV‐Merkblatt “Parkhäuser und Tiefgaragen” darauf verzichtet wurde, die Ausbildung eines Gefälles als Regelbauweise in jedem Fall zu fordern und – stattdessen – es dem Bauherrn zu überlassen, aufgrund einer Abwägung differenzierter Argumente für und gegen ein Gefälle eine sachgerechte Entscheidung zu treffen. On the Necessity of Gradients at Parking Decks When design and executing new car parks or when surveying existing ones, an often discussed question is whether a gradient of parking decks is always necessary. In this context different arguments are commonly used. These arguments have been collected and reviewed under the aspect of usability as a car park on the one hand and under the aspect of durability of the reinforced construction on the other hand. It has been shown why in the new DBV‐Code of Practice “Multi‐Storey and Underground Car Parks” an incline is not required as a standard construction method in every case. Instead of that it has been concluded that an appropriate owner's decision on pro or contra an incline would be reasonable and necessary based on the above consideration of differentiated arguments.