Breast feeding: Mo, As, Mn, Zn and Cu concentrations in milk of economically poor Indian tribal and urban women.

The breast milk of 86 economically poor Indian women was analysed by neutron activation analyses for Mo, As, Mn, Zn, and Cu concentrations. The colostrum of 10 tribal women contained 0.27 microgram Cu/g, 2.1 micrograms Zn/g, 19.9 ng Mn/g, 0.73 ng As/g and 5.4 ng Mo/g, whereas 19 urban women had corresponding concentrations of 0.91 microgram Cu/g, 7.3 micrograms Zn/g, 15.3 ng Mn/g, 0.5 ng As/g and 15.3 ng Mo/g. A survey of mature milk between 1 and 6 months, 6 and 12 months and 1 and 2.5 years indicated decreasing concentrations of Zn and Mo, but increasing Mn concentrations as the post-partum period progressed. Malnourished infants received breast milk containing less Cu, Zn and Mn than those who were better nourished and of the same age group. The results, therefore, imply the necessity of supplementing breast feeds in the economically poorer groups.

Concentrations of four essential trace elements in breast milk of mothers from two socio-economic groups: preliminary observations.

Concentrations are reported for Cu, Mn, Mo and Zn in human milk samples obtained from mothers belonging to low and middle per capita family income groups. The trace element levels in milk of both groups are compared for samples obtained at two stages, viz. 3-5 days and 4-6 weeks post partum. Although the Mn level during the first stage appears to be lower in samples from the low income group, the difference is not statistically significantly (p less than or equal to 0.01). However, at 4-6 weeks post partum, Zn is significantly lower (p less than or equal to 0.01) in milk of mothers belonging to this group.

Nutritional status and the serum levels of Mg, Ca, Zn and Cu.

Serum Mg, Ca, Zn and Cu levels of 65 Indian children aged 5 months to 3 y 7 months, living in Bombay city, were estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry. Twenty-five well nourished controls exhibited the following serum levels: Mg 2.5 +/- 0.3 mg%, Ca 9.7 +/- 0.6 mg%, Zn 103.2 +/- 9.7 micrograms % and Cu 148.7 +/- 26 micrograms %. The remaining 40 patients were divided into four categories depending on the status of their nutrition; Group I was minimally undernourished, whereas Group IV was the worst effected. Group I (n = 6) had serum values of 2.5 +/- 0.2 mg% Mg, 8.9 +/- 0.6 mg% Ca, 85 +/- 18 micrograms % Zn and 108 +/- 25.8 micrograms % Cu. Group II (n = 20) levels were 2.2 +/- 0.3 mg% Mg, 8.3 +/- 0.9 mg% Ca, 82.6 +/- 16.5 micrograms %, Zn and 89.2 +/- 27.6 micrograms % Cu. Group III (n = 9) were 2.1 +/- 0.3 mg% Mg, 8.3 +/- 0.8 mg% Ca, 88.3 +/- 22.6 micrograms % Zn and 93 +/- 26.9 micrograms % Cu, whereas the most severely undernourished (Group IV) children had serum levels of 2.2 +/- 0.4 mg% Mg, 7.6 +/- 0.8 mg% Ca, 78.4 +/- 15.7 micrograms % Zn and 62.8 +/- 17.5 micrograms % Cu.

Infants with a congenital anomaly and the concentration of Mo, As, Mn, Zn and Cu in the mother's milk.

Thirty-one samples of mothers' milk were analysed by neutron activation analysis for the concentrations of Mo, As, Mn, Zn, Cu 1.5 to 3 months post-partum. Group I consisted of 6 mothers having infants with neonatal obstructive jaundice and exhibited lower mean values of Cu and Mn at 0.18 microgram/g and 11.7 micrograms/g as compared with 16 control subjects with 0.34 microgram/g Cu and 23.0 micrograms/g Mn;Mo levels were approximately twice as high (12.2 micrograms/g) as the control values (6.4 micrograms/g); Zn and As were grossly comparable. Group II consisted of 9 mothers who had delivered infants with either a congenital hydrocephalus (n = 7) or meningomyelocoele (n = 2), exhibited a mean Cu level of 0.27 microgram/g, Zn 1.7 micrograms/g, Mn 25.3 micrograms/g and As 0.45 microgram/g. These findings are discussed in the light of the patho-physiology of the congenital anomaly of the infant.

Altered sensorium in neurological infections and the homeostasis of Mg, Zn, Cu and Ca.

In a grave illness the homeostasis of some elements may be upset either by the disease process per se, or by the therapy adopted. Patients with pyogenic, viral and tubercular meningo-encephalitis were targets of interest. 108 subjects' serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartments were assayed for magnesium, calcium, zinc and copper, by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results showed that the serum pool was more intensely altered than the CSF pool in the case of magnesium and calcium but the reverse occurred for zinc and copper. No organism-dependent change was noted, but comatosed patients were the worst effected. These findings are discussed with respect to the relative brain and CSF content of each element and the patho-physiology which could alter the compartments studied.

Developmental defects of the lungs.

Poor lung development was first noted on scintigraphy using 99mTc-phytate in 32 children. They had all been referred for a hepatosplenic scan but the initial circulatory phase of the radiopharmaceutical was also recorded as a routine procedure. In 3 patients it revealed aplasia of an entire lung; bilateral pulmonary hypoplasia was observed in 14 of 16 patients with diaphragmatic herniae. Six patients with congenital heart enlargement showed a poorly developed ipsilateral lung; 5 of 6 patients with dextrocardia without an intracardiac defect had a larger left lung compared with the right lung; both pulmonary beds appeared equal in a patient with mesocardia.

99mTc-sodium pertechnetate permeation into cerebrospinal fluid.

The integrity of the blood-brain barrier may be reflected by the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) if these two compartments are sampled at an appropriate interval after the administration of certain substances. After reading through the controversial literature, this study was undertaken to determine the frequency with which 99mTc-sodium pertechnetate entered the CSF to an abnormal extent, and to see whether this was related to any particular pathology. The plasma-to-CSF ratios were determined in 51 patients 4 hours following the intravenous administration of 0.5-10 mCi 99mTc-sodium pertechnetate. In 23 patients with active CNS tuberculosis, the mean value of the pertechnetate plasma-to-CSF ration was 32.12. In contradistinction, the plasma-to-CSF pertechnetate in 28 nontuberculous subjects was considerably higher (144.63). For the purpose of correlation, a 82Br partition test was also done on each subject 48 hours following the oral administration of NH82Br. The 48-hour study in each of these cases was generally in agreement with the pertechnetate studies: the plasma-to-CSF ratio mean value was 1.25 in patients with active CNS tuberculosis, while for the nontuberculous patients it was 3.32.

Thyroid disorders and the distribution of orally administered radioiodine.

128 control, thyrotoxic, hypothyroid and goitrous euthyroid children were administered 1-2 muCi Na131I orally and studied in a shadow-shield whole-body counter. 48-hr whole-body counts permitted the differentiation of the first 3 groups (p less than 0.005). Ratio of extrathyroid:excreted 131I was 3 times greater in thyrotoxics than in goitrous euthyroids, but the thyroid:extrathyroid ratio was 3 times greater in the latter group. The whole-body profile scan obtained at 48 hr on an attached strip chart recorder, revealed activity not only in the thyroid but even lower down in the vicinity of the knees and feet.

Radionuclide inferior vena cavagram.

Routine visualisation of the I.V.C. at the time of injection for hepatosplenic scintigraphy may sometimes yield useful information. 4 such instances are reported.

Radiorespirometric study of carbohydrate metabolism in childhood liver disease.

The need for a suitable parameter to evaluate patients with chronic liver disease has been felt for some time, especially in order to judge the response to surgical shunts and the influence of certain drugs and diets on the liver. Since the liver is a major organ for carbohydrate metabolism, it was decided to analyze the in vivo oxidation of such substrates as glucose and galactose labeled with 14C. Moderately advanced "Indian childhood cirrhosis" and idiopathic fatty hepatic infiltration were selected to represent diffuse chronic liver disease. Oral administration of 14C-U-glucose or 14C-1-galactose was followed by analyses of 14CO2 in breath by liquid scintillation counting. Conversion of 14C-glucose to 14CO2 was accelerated by both diseases. On the other hand, oxidation of 14C-galactose was slowed in fatty infiltration and was markedly subnormal in Indian childhood cirrhosis.