Surfaces designed for the quantification of long-chain fatty acids

描述(申请人提供)：体液中长链脂肪酸的检测(例如，数量)是一个尚未完全探索的领域。然而，母乳中的脂肪酸浓度尤其重要，因为母乳喂养是婴儿健康最重要的因素之一。美国儿科学会建议婴儿在生命的前6个月进行母乳喂养。尽管母乳喂养很重要，但超过88%的母亲在婴儿六个月大之前就停止了纯母乳喂养。研究表明，许多过早给婴儿断奶的妇女往往是出于对她们的牛奶营养不足的担忧。在这个第一阶段的提案中，SureMilk建议评估和制造一种一次性家庭监测套件，使母亲能够确定其母乳的卡路里含量。我们将扩展我们的发现，即母乳通过专有表面的速度取决于液体中的脂肪含量。这样，脂肪含量就可以转化为母乳的卡路里含量，使用已经公布的相关性。两个具体目标是：具体目标1：使用母乳样本检查设备的性能，并验证其在原型系统中的使用。具体目标2：准备包含热量计数器和一次性墨盒的显示器原型，用于测试、杀菌和加速保质期/储存研究，并编制说明手册和包装。成功完成这些目标的结果将导致一次性家庭卡路里监测仪：1)妇女可以很容易地使用它来获得可靠、准确的母乳卡路里测量值；2)将给母亲母乳喂养的信心，从而增加选择母乳喂养的母亲的比例；以及3)低出生体重婴儿的母亲和被诊断为“发育迟缓”的婴儿可以使用它来监测其婴儿从母乳中的卡路里摄入量。 公共卫生相关性：体液中长链脂肪酸的检测(例如，数量)是一个尚未充分探索的领域。然而，母乳中的脂肪酸浓度尤其重要，因为母乳喂养是婴儿健康最重要的因素之一。美国儿科学会建议婴儿在生命的前6个月进行母乳喂养，因为母乳喂养对婴儿有一系列的好处。尽管母乳喂养很重要，但超过88%的母亲在婴儿六个月大之前就停止了纯母乳喂养。研究表明，许多过早给婴儿断奶的妇女往往是出于对她们的牛奶营养不足的担忧。一些母亲，特别是那些照顾早产和低出生体重婴儿的母亲，为了确定婴儿摄入的食物的卡路里价值，放弃母乳喂养而使用配方奶粉。我们正在开发一种快速、可靠的家用卡路里监测仪，以帮助母亲确定她们婴儿的卡路里摄入量。我们将扩展我们的发现，即母乳通过专有表面的速度取决于液体中的脂肪含量。这样，脂肪含量就可以转化为母乳的卡路里含量，使用已经公布的相关性。我们假设，了解自己母乳的卡路里含量将使母亲有信心在孩子生命中的这个关键时刻继续母乳喂养。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The detection of long chain fatty acids (e.g., quantity) in bodily fluids is an area that has not been fully explored. Yet, the concentration of fatty acids in breast milk is particularly important as breastfeeding is one of the most important contributors to infant health. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that an infant be breastfed during the first 6 months of life. Despite the importance of breastfeeding, more than 88% of mothers stop exclusive breastfeeding before their babies reach six months of age. Research indicates that many women who wean their infants early are often motivated by a concern that their milk is nutritionally inadequate. In this phase 1 proposal, SureMilk proposes to evaluate and manufacture a disposable home monitoring kit that enables mothers to determine the caloric content of their breast milk. We will expand upon our discovery that the rate at which breast milk travels across a proprietary surface is dependent on the fat content in the fluid. As such, the fat content can then be translated to the calorie content of the breast milk using an already published correlation. The two Specific Aims are: SPECIFIC AIM 1: Examine the performance of the device using breast milk samples and validate its usage for a prototype system. SPECIFIC AIM 2: Prepare monitor prototype containing the caloric counter and the disposable cartridge for testing, sterilization, and accelerated shelf-life/storage studies as well as develop an instruction manual and packaging. The results from successful completion of these Aims will result in a disposable home calorie monitor that: 1) women can easily use to obtain a reliable, accurate measure of the caloric value of their breast milk; 2) will give confidence to mothers to breastfeed and thus increase the percentage of mothers who choose to do so; and 3) can be used by mothers of low-birth-weight babies and of infants with "failure to thrive" diagnoses to monitor their infants' caloric intake from breast milk. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The detection of long chain fatty acids (e.g., quantity) in bodily fluids is an area that has not been fully explored. Yet, the concentration of fatty acids in breast milk is particularly important as breastfeeding is one of the most important contributors to infant health. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that an infant be breastfed during the first 6 months of life because breastfeeding provides a range of benefits for the infant. Despite the importance of breastfeeding, more than 88% of mothers stop exclusive breastfeeding before their babies reach six months of age. Research indicates that many women who wean their infants early are often motivated by a concern that their milk is nutritionally inadequate. Some mothers, particularly those who care for preterm and low-birth weight babies, abandon breastfeeding for formula in order to ascertain the caloric value of the food consumed by their infants. We are developing a fast, reliable, home calorie monitor to help mothers determine the caloric intake of their infants. We will expand upon our discovery that the rate at which breast milk travels across a proprietary surface is dependent on the fat content in the fluid. As such, the fat content can then be translated to the calorie content of the breast milk using an already published correlation. We hypothesize that the knowledge of the calorie content of their own breast milk will give mothers confidence to continue their breastfeeding practices at this critical time in their child's life.