Bone metabolism in protein-energy malnutrition

Protein energy malnutrition in children causes not only wasting but also growth retardation, i.e. stunting too. An investigation was done to evaluate the bone metabolism in malnourished children in Quetta/Pakistan. Included in the study were 14 children with severe protein energy malnutrition meant age 32.6 months, mean weight age 54.5% of European standard-median. Growth was retarded: mean height for age 81.2% of European standard-median. Determined were calcium and phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase [total and bone-specific], somatomedin C, parathormone, and osteocalcin in serum. Results indicate a reduction of bone metabolism with low values for alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcine as a consequence of low somatomedin C-level

Chlorinated hydrocarbon residues in Baluchistan: concentrations in human blood and fat

As a consequence of industrialization, plant- and food protection an increasing number of chemicals has been developed and applied during the last 50 years. One group of chemicals produced as insecticides are the chlorinated hydrocarbon-derivates [the most well known is DDT]. As such substances are exported from developed [where their use is widely prohibited] to-or produced in-developing countries [where low standards of education in rural population increase the risks of unprotected exposition it seemed worth while to look at their residues in human organism there. We analysed fat and blood of 25 probands from Quetta/Pakistan who underwent surgical operations and found for chemicals of the DDE- and HCH-group much higher levels than those reported from W-Germany. An interesting point is that HCB could not be detected in any of the samples. This is contradictory to common assumption HCB would be spread worldwide