Anthropometrical characteristics and dietary intake of omnivorous and vegetarian postmenopausal women in two rural communities

Stool specimens from 200 cases of children with ages of less than five years with history of acute diarrhoea from Yangon Children's Hospital were proceeded for isolation of bacterial pathogens. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli ETEC (15.5 per cent), enteropathogenic Escherichia coli EPEC (19 per cent), Shigellae (3.5 per cent), Salmonellae (2.5 per cent), ETEC + EPEC (6.5 per cent), ETEC+Shigellae (1.0 per cent) were isolated. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of EPEC revealed that they were resistant to ampicillin (96 per cent), tetracycline (90 per cent), streptomycin (82 per cent), chloramphenicol (80 per cent) and septrin (61 per cent); but were sensitive to nalidixic acid (100 per cent), furazolidone (92 per cent), sisomycin (90 per cent), gentamicin (88 per cent), norfloxacin (70 per cent), and cephalothin (66 per cent). For Shigellae they were resistant to ampicillin (100 per cent), cephalothin, chloramphenicol, furazolidone, streptomycin (66.7 per cent) but were 100

sensitive to sisomycin, minocycline, norfloxacin, gentamicin; tobramycin (89 per cent), neomycin (67 per cent) and septrin (56 per cent). For Salmonellae they were resistant to ampicillin (100 per cent), chloramphenicol and tetracycline (80 per cent) but were 100 per cent sensitive to cephalothin, furazolidone, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, septrin and sisomycin. For ETEC they were resistant to ampicillin (100 per cent), tetracycline (79 per cent), chloramphenicol (53 per cent) and septrin (53 per cent ). They were 100 per cent sensitive to cephalothin, furazolidone, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, neomycin, norfloxacin, septrin and sisomycin.

Effect of food supplementation during the third trimester, on outcome of pregnancy

The effect of energy supplemention during pregnancy on outcome was assessed in a trial in Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar Women who were 26-28 weeks pregnant coming to the Sanchaung Health Centre for antenatal care were assigned to three study groups. Group I consisted of women who had normal weight-for-height according to gestational age. Group II and III consisted of women who were malnourished (< 80 percent weight-for height) pregnant women matched by age and parity. Group II was supplemented with 500 kcal/d during the third trimester, whereas Group III was unsupplemented. There was a positive correlation between socio-economic score and total caloric intake and protein intake per day. There was also a significant difference between supplemented and unsupplemented malnourished group. However, there was no significant difference between the normal and malnourished group with supplementation. Thus, energy supplementation for short duration, during the third trimester is sufficient of improve outcome of pregnancy as judged by birth weight, length and head circumference of infants.

The effect of oral iodized oil on the breast milk iodine content

The effect of oral iodized oil administration on the breast milk iodine concentrations was studied at different stages of lactation in two groups of women, one control and the other, experimental group. A single dose of iodized oil contraining 400 mg iodine was given orally to each woman of experimental group during the third trimester of pregnancy. Casual urine samples before dosing and breast milk samples after parturition were collected. 37.5 percent of the subjects had low urinary iodine excretion (ie. less than 50 ug per gram creatinine). In the control group, milk iodine concentrations were low compared to Western data. Breast milk iodine concentrations were significantly higher in the experimental group, as compared to the control group up to six months postpartum. A greater part of iodine was found to be secreted in the colostrum and in most cases, milk iodine concentrations declined towards six months postpartum. The present study indicates that oral iodized oil containing 400 mg iodine given during the third trimester of pregnancy can effectively provide adequate iodine in the breast milk for the infants for the first six months.

Endemic goitre in Pindaya and Falam Townships (1991-1992)

Baseline field studies including clinical and biochemical assessments on goitre had been conducted in Pindaya Township, Shan State and Falam Township, Chin State during November 1991 and March 1992. The subjects were school children of both sexes between the age of 5 to 14 years from both urban and rural areas. Clinical assessment was done on 1553 subjects from Pindaya Township and 1224 subjects from Falam Township. Moreover, 135 urine samples from Pindaya and 90 samples from Falam had been collected for laboratory analysis of iodine. 55.4 percent and 62.5 percent total goitre rates were observed in Pindaya and Falam respectively and the mean urinary iodine excretion indicated that the subjects were moderately deficient in iodine.

Vitamin A status of the newborn in relation to birth weight, gestational age and maternal vitamin A levels

Vitamin A concentrations of 53 newborns delivered at Central Women's Hospita Yangon, and their mothers were studied. The mean cord vitamin A concentration (17.19 + 7.5 ug/dl) was significantly less than mean maternal vitamin A concentration (63.58 + 37.5 ug/dl) (p < 0.0001). The mean cord vitamin A concentration of newborn to mothers with vitamin A concentration loss than 20 ug/dl was significantly less than those of newborns born to mothers with maternal vitamin A concentrations more than 20 ug/dl (12.82 + 1.8 vs 17.74 + 7.3 ug/dl) (p < 0.01). Variation in birth weight was associated with differences in maternal vitamin A concentrations; lower maternal vitamin A was seen in low birth weight babies as compared to normal birth weight babies (44.13 + 37.7 ug/dl vs 69.28 + 35.8 ug/dl). No significant correlation between cord vitamin A levels and gestational age was found. The present study demonstrates that the vitamin A status of the newborn is influenced by maternal vitamin A status.

Role of vegetable protein in maternal nutrition in wistar rats

This research was performed in the Department of Medical Research, Yangon, Myanmar. The experimental work was done during the period of April 1987 to January 1988.This paper is part of a thesis submitted in partial filfilment for the degree of Master of Medical Science (Physiology) by Dr. Hla Hla Aye. It was read at the Research Paper Reading Session, the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Department of Medical Research on the 31st December 1988.

Endemic goitre in Burma

Field and clinical studies of endemic g-1itre was carried out in the Chin Hills, Khamti District and Kayah State in !968 and 1969. The highest incidence in the Chin Hill Special Division was found to be 91.1 per cent of population surveyed. Incidence in Khamti and Kayah State were 51.8 per cent and 60.1 per cent respectively.

Effect of thiamine supplementation on thiamine content of human milk

Effect of thiamine supplement on the thiamine content of the mothers milk were studied on two groups of lactating mothers: one group of mothers with milk thiamine below 10g per 100ml and the other group with milk thiamine above 10g per 100ml. The effect of the supplement was measured by comparing the initial thiamine content of the milk against the thiamine content at the end of one month. The trial was conducted on completely randomized sample and the thiamine supplement was given at 3 levels of 2mg, 4mg and 6mg a day. There was significant rise in milk thiamine content in the mothers receiving the thiamine tablets as compared with the group receiving placebo. Dietary survey was also carried out in the homes of some mothers belonging to both the groups mentioned above in order to determine the thiamine intake of these mothers.

Effect of iodised oil on thyroid size and urinary iodine excretion

Trials with iodised oil 'Lipoid' was carried out in 87 subjects, mainly lady students of Rangoon Arts and Science University. Assessment of iodine nutritional status was made by measuring the urinary iodine excretion. It was found that the goitre tends to decrease in size with concomittant increase in iodine excretion.

Comparative study of thiamine levels in the maternal and cord blood

Umbilical cord blood thiamine levels of 105 new born infants and the venous blood thiamine levels of their mothers at the time of delivery were biochemically studied. The results show a wide range of thiamine values in both mothers and infants. There is a definite dependence and correlation between the thiamine values of the babies and their mothers; the thiamine concentration in the cord blood of the infants being greater than the thiamine concentration in the blood of its mothers. The majority of the mothers studied here have blood thiamine values comparable with the values for normal healthy Western subjects.

Anti-thiamine activity in Burmese fish

20 species of fish, 2 species of clams (shell fish), crustacean and their products were analysed for enzymatic and the-mostable anti-thiamine activity. Anti-thiamine activity is scarcely detected in muscles of fish. Viscera of fish showed higher anti-thiamine activity than muscles. Out of the viscera of 4 species of fish tested, thiaminase is present in all the species whereas thermostable factor is present in 2 species only. But thiaminase predominates ther-mostable factor. Clams have the highest activity of thiaminase but no thermostable factor.

Studies on the thiamine level of breast milk of some Burmese mothers

Milk thiamine level of 293 samples of 14 mothers during the early lactating period and 360 samples of mature milk from 96 mothers was determined. Mean thiamine level in the first 5 days of lactation is 7.76 ug per 100 ml rising to 9.17 ug during the transition period and to 9.96 ug 10 days after parturition. Mean thiamin e level in the mature milk is 13.9 ug per 100 ml. There is a difference in thiamine level from month to month. Mean thiamine level of mature milk of Burmese mothers is compared with data from other Asian countries.