V.In this study, corn starch was functionalized with quercetin. Starch was first oxidized by sodium periodate to produce starch aldehyde, and then starch aldehyde was conjugated with quercetin through acid catalyzed condensation reaction. The structure, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of starch aldehyde-quercetin conjugate were evaluated. Thin layer chromatography confirmed the conjugate did not contain free quercetin. The UV-vis spectrum of the conjugate exhibited an absorption band at 320 nm. Fourier-transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the conjugate confirmed the aldehyde groups of starch aldehyde were involved in the conjugation reaction. X-ray diffraction pattern revealed the conjugate was in the amorphous state. Scanning electron microscopy observation showed the conjugate had sheet-like, virgate and round shapes. The structure of starch aldehyde-quercetin conjugate was different from that of native starch and starch aldehyde. As compared with native starch and starch aldehyde, starch aldehyde-quercetin conjugate exhibited higher reducing power, free radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. Our results suggested starch aldehyde-quercetin conjugate could be developed as an antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in food industry. V.Pupil diameter is dynamically modulated by a number of factors, including emotion, motor activity, and attention. Here, pupil modulation was examined as it varies with locus of control during aversive processing. Participants could control aversive exposure either by escape (terminating the event) or avoidance (blocking the event entirely), or they had no control. Highly anxious (n = 19), moderately anxious (n = 23), and less anxious (n = 23) participants saw cues that signaled whether a fast button press would terminate, prevent, or not affect subsequent presentation of an aversive picture. Pupil diameter was measured throughout the cuing interval. Pupil diameter was larger when preparing to escape or avoid compared to anticipating uncontrollable exposure. All participants, regardless of reported anxiety, showed increased pupil diameter in coping, relative to uncontrollable, contexts. Results support hypotheses that pupil diameter reflects action preparation and that differences in trait anxiety do not modulate this aspect of coping behavior in healthy subjects. OBJECTIVES Because reference intervals (RIs) for biochemistry analytes matched to the Russian population are not well defined, we joined the global study on reference values (RVs) coordinated by the IFCC Committee on Referenced Intervals and Decision Limits (C-RIDL). METHODS According to the C-RIDL harmonized protocol, 793 healthy volunteers were recruited in Saint-Petersburg, Moscow, and Yekaterinburg. Serum samples were tested for 34 biochemistry analytes. Sources of variation of RVs were explored using multiple regression analysis. The need for partitioning RVs by sex and age were judged using standard deviation ratio based on ANOVA. Latent abnormal values exclusion (LAVE) method was applied to reduce the influence of individuals with metabolic syndrome and/or inappropriate sampling conditions. RIs were computed by the parametric method. RESULTS No appreciable between-city differences were observed. Partition of RVs by sex was required for 17 analytes. Age-related changes in RVs were observed in many analytes, especially in females. The trend was exaggerated in nutritional and inflammatory markers that were closely associated with body mass index (BMI), because BMI increases prominently with age. Therefore, for those analytes, volunteers with BMI>28 kg/m2 were excluded in determining RIs for age-specific RIs. The LAVE method was effective in lowering the upper limits of the RIs for nutritional and inflammatory markers. CONCLUSION RIs matched to the Russian population were established for 34 biochemical analytes using up-to-date methods in detailed consideration of sources of variation of RVs. The majority of Russian RIs are similar to those of Caucasian populations among the participating countries. In dairy cattle, the final weeks before parturition are physiologically challenging and an important determinant of subsequent production performance. External stressors should be carefully managed during this period to avoid adding strain on the animals. Late-gestation heat stress impairs productivity in the dam and exerts transgenerational effects on progeny. Physiological responses are complex and detriments to performance are multifaceted. Late-gestation heat stress blunts mammary gland involution in the first half of the dry period and impairs cell proliferation as calving approaches. Moreover, cows that were exposed to prepartum heat-stress exhibit reduced adipose tissue mobilization and a lower degree of insulin resistance during early lactation. Prepartum heat exposure also depresses immune function and evidence links this decrease to altered prolactin signaling under heat stress. Placental functions are also impaired as reflected in a higher cotyledon mass but lower maternal circulating estrone sulfate concentrations, potentially resulting in lower nutrient supply and reduced calf birth weight. In addition, calves born to heat-stressed dams show impaired immune function and therefore higher disease susceptibly. Novel evidence reported that intrauterine heat stress alters the methylation profile of liver and mammary DNA, which may also contribute to the poorer performance during adulthood of calves exposed to heat stress in utero. Understanding the contribution of all altered biological systems during late-gestation heat stress can be used as a basis for improving cow management during the dry period. This article provides a review of the impacts of late-gestation heat stress and of the emerging understanding of the biological mechanisms that underlie the observed impairments of performance. INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Despite the recommendation against routine use of inhaled bronchodilators in infants with viral bronchiolitis given in the main clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on viral bronchiolitis, albuterol is widely prescribed to patients with this disease. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of prescription of albuterol in a population of infants hospitalized for viral bronchiolitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS An analytical cross-sectional study performed during the period from March 2014 to August 2015, in a random sample of patients less then 2 years old hospitalized in the Fundacion Hospital La Misericordia, a hospital located in Bogota, Colombia. After reviewing the electronic medical records, we collected demographic, clinical, and disease-related information, including prescription of albuterol at any time during the course of hospitalization as the outcome variable. RESULTS For a total of 1365 study participants, 1042 (76.3%) were prescribed with albuterol therapy. After controlling for potential confounders, it was found that age (OR 1.11; CI 95% 1.08-1.15; p less then 0.001), and a prolonged length of stay (LOS) (OR 1.93; CI 95% 1.44-2.60; p less then 0.001) were independent predictors of prescription of albuterol in our sample of patients. By contrast, albuterol prescription was less likely in the post-guideline assessment period (OR 0.41; CI 95% 0.31-0.54; p less then 0.001), and in infants with RSV isolation (OR 0.71; CI 95% 0.52-0.97; p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS Albuterol was highly prescribed in our population of inpatients with the disease. The independent predictors of prescription of albuterol in our sample of patients were age, implementation of a CPG on viral bronchiolitis, RSV isolation, and LOS. BACKGROUND Plasma lactate has been used to predict the prognosis of critically ill children, but mortality risk scores appear to be more appealing, particularly in resource-limited countries. OBJECTIVE To assess the prognostic utility of lactate compared with the pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (pSOFA) score among the general pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) population. METHODS This was a prospective observational study including 78 children admitted to a tertiary-level PICU. Plasma lactate was measured upon admission and repeated 24h later. pSOFA score, Pediatric Risk of Mortality, and Pediatric Index of Mortality-2 (PIM2) were calculated. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. RESULTS In total, 47.4% of patients had hyperlactatemia at admission. Among these, 20.5% had persistent hyperlactatemia. No significant difference in admission lactate level was found between survivors and nonsurvivors. The 24-h, peak, and average lactate levels were higher among nonsurvivors (P=0.005, 0.035, and ility. BACKGROUND The rate of premature births in France is 6% and is increasing, as is the rate of extremely premature births. Morbidity and mortality rates in this population remain high despite significant medical progress. We aimed to evaluate the morbidity and mortality rate in preterm neonates weighing less then 750g and to evaluate their outcome at 2 years’ corrected age (CA). METHODS This was a retrospective monocentric study including babies born between May 2011 and April 2013 who were preterm and weighed less then 750g. We evaluated mortality and morbidity in the neonatal period. At 2 years’ CA, we focused on developmental quotient (DQ) with the Brunet-Lézine test, on neurosensory assessment (sleeping/behavior), and growth evaluation. RESULTS Among the 107 infants included, 29 (27%) died in the neonatal period. Mean gestational age was 25.6 weeks’ gestation. Female sex and higher birth weight were independent predictors of survival. A total of 61 (78.2%) infants showed extra-uterine growth retardation at 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age. At 2 years’ CA, 57 children were followed up; 38 were evaluated using the Brunet-Lézine test, 20 (52.6%) had a DQc less then 85, and none had a severe developmental delay (DQc less then 50). Six (10%) children had cerebral palsy and 22 of 56 (39.2%) showed language delay. Growth retardation persisted in 15 of 52 (28.8%) children. CONCLUSION Our results confirm the acute fragility of extremely low-birth-weight babies with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. At 2 years’ CA, this population still shows a considerable rate of mild difficulties, whose long-term evolution needs to be followed. In France, human milk banks are in charge of the collection, analysis, processing, and distribution of human milk to neonatology centers for preterm infants. Knowledge of what motivates mothers to donate their milk could lead to better communication regarding human milk donation. A satisfaction survey was conducted among mothers who were donating their milk to a human milk bank. In total, 214 mothers answered a questionnaire in the presence of the collector during a home visit. The median age of the mothers was 31 years (18-46), mainly high school (19%) or university (65%) graduates, and the median duration of donation was 3 months (0.5-22). At the time of the study, the median age of infants was 3 months (0.5-25), and 88% of infants were exclusively breastfed. About three quarters of mothers were motivated by willingness to help others, a quarter of them being especially sensitive to premature neonatal care; 30% of mothers were motivated by having a high supply of milk. Around 25% of mothers were given information on human milk donation during pregnancy, and two thirds after delivery, mainly by the maternity ward midwives (53.