Good Weight Gain Research Articles

1009 SELECTIVITY OF THE IMMUNOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES IN A ZINC DEFICIENT INFANT

An infant born prematurely (25wk;720g) presented at six months with acrodermatitis enteropathica. Despite adequate dietary zinc (zn), good weight gain and a normal stooling pattern, the serum zn level was 15 ug/dl (nl range 50-150 ug/dl). Lymphocyte response to the T cell mitogen PHA was normal, but the patient was anergic, and had abnormally high numbers of circulating B cells (1,847 cells/ul;nl 115/cells/ul). The serum IgG level was 140 mg/dl and IgA level was 6 mg/dl. No significant antibody to Tetanus, and no detectable antibody to Pertussis developed after primary immunization. Zn sulphate (2mg/kg/day) rapidly reversed the clinical condition, but immunological abnormalities responded slowly. After three months of zn replacement therapy (with adequate serum zn levels), the infant remained hypogammaglobulinemic, B cells in circulation remained elevated, and the response to the B cell mitogen Pokewood (PWM) was depressed. B cells, however, did respond in vitro to the T cell independent B cell mitogen Staph aureus Cowan (SAC). Responses to allogenic lymphocytes have shown consistent improvement. Overall, the absence of antigen specific responses, the decreased expression of the T3 marker, with normal proliferative responses to PHA and SAC, but not PWM, suggests that prolonged zn deficiency produces chronic disturbances in antigen presentation and/or T cell interactions that respond only slowly to zn replacement therapy. The selectivity of these immunological defects points to those areas of the immune system that may be critically zn dependent.

Honeybee Corbicular Size and Honey Production

SummarySeasonal honey production, worker pupal weight, length of worker adult life, and dimensions of worker corbiculae were determined for 19 colonies of honeybees (Apis mellifera) at one apiary. Honey production was correlated significantly with length (r = +0·551, P<0·0145) and area (r = +0·575, P<0·01) of corbicula. Area of corbicula was correlated significantly with length of life (r = +0·687, P<0·0012). Selection of honeybees for large corbicular area might increase honey production by permitting more pollen to be brought to the colony and consequently increasing the brood area and/or the length of life of the workers raised. Corbicular area was an important component of colony honey production throughout the year, and especially in weeks of good average colony weight gain.

Prolonged Consumption by Infants of Wheat-Based Diets with and without Casein or Lysine Supplementation

Infants consumed 75% of calories as 82% extraction wheat flour with satisfactory short-term protein and energy digestion. Protein needs, represented by N retentions from casein, probably were not satisfied. Long-term (3+ months) studies in four infants showed that 50% calories and 80% protein from wheat (casein added to 8% protein calories) supported weight gain and linear growth more than expected. Prolonged feeding of 75% calories and 100% protein from wheat was attempted in three infants. In the oldest (15.5 months), digestibility and growth was satisfactory; in one, despite good digestion, weight gain and growth was inadequate and serum albumin fell until 0.2% lysine was added; and in another, weight gain was satisfactory but albumin fell to 3.25 g/dl and growth was inadequate. In six other infants, lysine addition during the 2nd of 3 months was associated with significant increase in N retention and weight gain and stabilization of albumin; lysine withdrawal resulted in significant decrease in weight gain with no effect on N retention or albumin; growth was barely adequate during 3-month study. Serum cholesterol fell only when dietary protein was inadequate. It is practically impossible for unsupplemented wheat to satisfy protein needs of infants and most small children.Wheat infants lysine supplementation

The Effects of Whey and Yeast on Digestibility of Nutrients in Feather Meal

At 4% of diets, dried whey (when added to a 28% protein corn-soybean meal diet) caused increases in weight gain, nitrogen retention, protein digestibility and fat digestibility and improved feed conversion of poults to 4 weeks of age. From 4 to 8 weeks of age, poults gained weight and utilized feed similarly, regardless of the presence or absence of dried whey in the diets.Dried brewers’ yeast did not affect weight gain, feed efficiency, nitrogen retention or protein digestibility.Feather meal, replacing a portion of the soybean meal in a 28% corn-soybean meal diet supplemented with methionine and lysine, was a good protein source for turkey poults between 4 and 8 weeks of age. In this period, diets with up to 10% feather meal promoted as good weight gain, feed conversion, nitrogen retention, protein digestibility and fat digestibility as did the corn-soybean meal diets. Additions of dried whey or dried brewers’ yeast to the diets during this period did not alter these responses.For poults between 1 and 4 weeks of age, feather meal in the diet at 5% was used efficiently in the presence of 4 to 5% of whey. Feather meal caused reduced weight, poor feed conversion, decreased nitrogen retention, and reduced protein and fat digestibility when included in the diet at more than 5%.

Kangaroo Mother Care for Low Birth Weight Babies: A prospective Observational Study

Introduction: Kangaroo Mother Care is the low cost, humane technique for caring low birth weight babies by direct skin to contact with the mother. Objective: The Prospective observational study was done to see the effect of KMC especially on weight gain on low birth weight babies weighing 2000 grams or less at Special Care Baby Unit of Paropakar Maternity and Women's hospital, Kathmandu. Method: The study was conducted in Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital over 7 months period May 2007 to Nov. 2008 (from Baishakh 2064 to Kartik 2065). The method of care consisted of skin to skin contact between the mother and the infant. Result: It was observed that babies had good weight gain of average 30gms/day and had short duration of hospital stay of average 9 days. Babies had less morbidities like hypothermia, apnea, skin infections and oral thrush. 100% babies had exclusive breast feeding and KMC was acceptable to mothers. Conclusion: Kangaroo Mother Care shows early and good weight gain in low birth weight babies. It is simple, low cost technique and well acceptable by mother and family and can be continued at home. Key words: Kangaroo mother doi:10.3126/jnps.v29i1.1593 J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. Vol.29(1) p.6-9

MEDICAL TREATMENT OF HABITUAL VOMITING.

SummaryFourteen cases of habitual vomiting have been treated with alimemazin, given as a syrup, containing 0.5 mg/ml. In 12 cases good results were obtained, the patients having a good weight gain and no or only a few vomitings a day. Even if the disease in most cases is harmless and the vomitings often cease spontaneously after a few months duration, usually when the child is about one year old, the favourable effect of alimemazin is of great value not only for the small patients themselves but certainly also for their mothers in handling their babies during the distressing and tiresome period of habitual vomiting. No side‐effects of alimemazin were reported.