Maternal characteristics and infant and young child feeding in Benghazi

Two hundred [200] mothers consecutively attending Al-Fateh Paediatric Hospital, Benghazi in 1992 were interviewed. The majority of women were under 30 years of age, had primary or no education, were housewives, had no experience of pregnancy wastage or child loss, used no contraception, had one to three living children, had information about breast-feeding from the mother-in-law, a relative or a neighbour, considered breast-feeding a natural way, nutritionally superior and hygienic, and practised mixed feeding. The reasons for introducing artificial feeding were maternal in 49.7% of cases, filial [related to the baby] in 36.5% and due to social pressure in 13.8%. Measures for successful breast-feeding are emphasized

Is vernix caseosa a protective material to the newborn? A biochemical approach.

Twenty random samples of vernix caseosa were collected from immediately born neonates, in Jamahiriya Hospital, Benghazi. Biochemical studies of these samples revealed presence of lipids (62.5%), proteins (36%) and carbohydrate (1.5%). Also we could observe inhibition of staph. aureus and klebsiella growth on nutrient agar by this vernix. This observation could be explained either by its higher asparagine content or by its elevated lipid component. In addition tripalmitin was found to be the major lipid constituent, responsible for its hydrophobic property. So we recommend leaving this vernix layer on newborn skin until spontaneous drying.

Serum sialic acid and glycoprotein levels in some Libyan cancer patients.

Sialic acid is a common conjugate of some serum glycoproteins and glycolipids. Elevated levels of serum sialic acid and alterations in serum glycoproteins have been observed in certain types of cancer. In this study sialic acid concentration in the sera of patients with various types of cancer was determined. In addition to this, serum glycoproteins were also analysed by electrophoretic method. Our results indicate that serum sialic acid levels are generally raised in all types of cancer studied. This increase was more pronounced in case of lung, bronchogenic, intestinal and breast cancer. Some alterations in the serum glycoprotein profiles were also observed, particularly in bronchogenic and gall bladder cancer where an additional band in the low molecular weight region was present and in lung, breast and lymphoma where a band in the middle molecular weight region was found missing when compared with normals.