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    Lactational changes in Filipino human milk oligosaccharides reveal maternal secretor status
    Albaladejo, Anthony Salvador B.; Nacario, Ruel C.; Navarro, Baby Richard R.; Lebrilla, Carlito B.; Completo, Gladys C. (Wiley, 2023)
    Background: Breast milk contains human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which are the third most abundant solid component and are considered indigestible with no nutritional value to infants. However, HMOs provide protection against pathogens, support gut bacteria, and aid in brain development. This study investigated the relationship between HMOs and secretor status and tracked changes in HMO levels throughout lactation. The study employed a rapid-throughput extraction method, nano-HPLC Chip/TOF-MS analysis, and an annotated HMO structure library for oligosaccharide analysis. Results: Results from the study revealed that 81% of Filipino mothers (N = 155) are secretors, while 19% are non-secretors. The total HMO abundance significantly decreased (p = 0.0001) throughout lactation but was significantly (p = 0.0390) higher in colostrum compared with mature milk. The total fucosylated HMOs had a significantly (p = 0.0460) lower absolute abundance, while the total sialylated HMOs showed a significantly (p = 0.0012) higher abundance in colostrum relative to mature milk. Non-fucosylated neutral HMOs showed no significant (p = 0.1040) difference in abundance between colostrum and mature milk. Conclusion: This is the first comprehensive data on the maternal secretor status of Filipino mothers, showing the decrease in total HMO abundance throughout lactation and differences in the abundances of various oligosaccharide types between colostrum and mature milk.
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    Seafarers’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: An examination of current supportive measures and their perceived effectiveness
    Tang, Lijun; Abila, Sanley; Kitada, Momoko; Malecosio, Serafin; Montes, Karima Krista (Elsevier, 2022)
    As the current COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting crew change crisis exacerbates the mental health problem faced by seafarers, various maritime stakeholders have mobilised their resources and strengths to provide a variety of supportive measures to address the issue. This paper aims to find out what measures have been adopted in the industry and how widely they have been experienced/received by seafarers and evaluate their effectiveness. To achieve this aim, this research employed a mixed methods design involving qualitative interviews with 26 stakeholders and a quantitative questionnaire survey of 817 seafarers. The research identified a total number of 22 mental health support measures, all of which were perceived to have contributed positively to seafarers’ mental health. However, not all of them were widely available to or utilised by seafarers. The findings also highlighted the importance of family, colleagues, shipping companies, and government agencies, as they are associated with the most effective support measures, namely communication with family, timely crew changes, being prioritised for vaccination, being vaccinated, and a positive and collegial atmosphere on-board. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided.