Comparison of fatty acid composition of plasma lipid fractions in well-nourished Nigerian and German infants and toddlers

The dietary intake of essential fatty acids is reflected by the plasma lipid composition. Only scanty data is available on the pattern of plasma fatty acids in young children and the influence of different environments. We analyzed the fatty acid composition of plasma sterolesters, triglycerides, and phospholipids in well-nourished-appearing children from Benin City, Nigeria (n = 8; aged 14.1 +/- 7.2 months) and Düsseldorf, FRG (n = 17; aged 15.2 +/- 5.1 months). The Nigerian group tended to have bigger proportions of the essential omega-6-fatty acids, linoleic acid, and its metabolites, and by far higher values for long-chain omega-3-fatty acids, which are considered to be protective against atherogenesis. The saturated and nonessential monoenoic fatty acids tended to be lower in the Nigerian children, and the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids was higher. We conclude that the quality of dietary fat in the German children was worse and may imply an increased risk for development of atherosclerosis.

Potential health benefits of child day care attendance

Despite fears that child day care attendance enhances the transmission of infection among attending children, there are positive aspects of the day care experience that, from the standpoint of infectious diseases, directly and indirectly contribute to the child's well-being. Quality child day care first requires a preadmission physical examination and then requires that the child begin the series of prescribed immunizations, which might not have been received if care were provided at home by a care giver who was not knowledgeable of available mechanisms for the prevention of disease. Once enrolled, the child and parents can be exposed to health education, which benefits them in terms of overall good health for the entire family. The child day care environment, like every other place where children congregate, is subject to the transmission of infectious agents among child and staff. But the risk of infection can be minimized and the health benefits maximized, and child day care can make positive contributions toward the social and physical development of the child.

The incidence of naturally-occurring primary brain tumours in the laboratory rat

Histological analysis of 90 spontaneous primary tumours of the brain observed among 8960 ageing rats (Sprague-Dawley-derived) revealed 55 granular-cell meningiomas, 19 neoplastic reticuloses, 11 neuroglial tumours, 4 pineal tumours, and one pleomorphic, meningeal sarcoma. Although all these tumour types can occur in man and other animal species, the high incidence of granular-cell tumours, and the low degree of differentiation of some neuroglial and pineal tumours, appear to be characteristic attributes of the rat.