Factors influencing hypohaptoglobinaemia in newborn in India

An attempt is made to enumerate the effects of some factors on hypohaptoglobinaemia in a sample of 389 infants (along with their mothers) who were classified electrophoretically for haptoglobins (Hp). 85 . 5% of infants were Hp 0-0. There was no direct effect of birth-weight on the frequency of Hp 0-0 but there was a significant interaction between maternal haptoglobin type and birth-weight of newborn, showing an excess of 2-2 among mothers of low birth-weight babies, who were mostly Hp 0-0. Some trend towards reduced Hp 0-0 frequency among premature babies was discernible. There was a significant effect of parity on the frequency of detectable haptoglobin patterns among low birth-weight infants. An increase in the frequency of haptoglobin pattern was observed with increase in parity and birth-weight. The distributions of detectable haptoglobin patterns among newborn and mothers were similar. ABO incompatibility, sex, economic status and caste variation did not show any effects on the frequency of Hp 0-0.

Detection of early protein-calorie malnutrition (pre-kwashiorkor) in population groups

1. The heights and weights and the serum total protein concentration and ratio nonessential to essential amino acids (NEA:EA ratio) were determined in twenty-six Indian children, aged from 1·5 to 5 years, suffering from early protein-calorie malnutrition (pre-kwashiorkor children).

2. The heights and weights of the majority of the children approximated to 75–85% of the values for normal Indian children. The serum NEA:EA ratio of the children varied from 2·5 to 4·0. There was no correlation between this ratio and weight deficit. In healthy children of the same socio-economic group, the serum NEA:EA ratio varied from 1·5 to 2·1 with a mean of 1·7. The results show that the NEA:EA ratio may be useful as an index for the detection of pre-kwashiorkor conditions.

3. There was a significant (P< 0·05) negative correlation (r = −0·45) between serum albumin and NEA:EA ratio of the children. All the children showed consistently a significant increase in serum γ-globulin.

Mental health in an Indian rural community

The difficulties of organizing mental health services in developing countries are made all the greater by inadequacy of information about the extent of illness and disability. Some beginnings have been made in India, particularly under the sponsorship of the All India Institute of Mental Health, Bangalore. The Mental Health Advisory Committee of the Government of India (1966) suggested a probable prevalence of mental illness of 20 per 1,000 population in general, 18 per mille for semi-rural and 14 per mille for rural areas. These figures are much lower than the 72 per 1,000 suggested by Sethi et al. (1967). Ganguli (1968) estimated a prevalence rate of 140 per 1,000 in industrial workers near Delhi. Incidence rates have been much less studied than prevalences (Lin and Standley, 1962). A WHO Expert Committee on mental health convened in 1960 suggested as a working definition of a case of mental illness:

Effect of time factor on the nitrogen sparing effect of dietary carbohydrate

The effect of the time factor on the nitrogen sparing effect of dietary carbohydrate was studied in growing rats. During a 10-day feeding period no significant differences were observed in weight gains of rats receiving carbohydrate with the dietary protein (casein) or 8 h after protein was fed. Rats receiving carbohydrate with the protein retained significantly more nitrogen during the first day of the experiment than those receiving protein and carbohydrate separately, but this difference was not evident after the first day.Rats receiving casein alone had elevated plasma amino acid levels, which remained high until carbohydrate was fed 8 h later. The pattern of fall of the amino acids bore a resemblance to the pattern of amino acids in carcass protein.Rats fasted for 16 h had low levels of liver glycogen; when protein was given alone, some was utilized for glycogen formation. Carbohydrate, given 8 h after the protein, increased liver glycogen to normal levels and spared the protein fed at the next meal.

Evaluation of protein in foods. XII. Effects of calorie restriction

The effects of calorie restriction on net protein utilization (N.P.U.) were studied with proteins of different nutritional value. When protein intake remained constant, reduction in the intake from 32 to 16 kcal per day resulted in a rapid decline in N.P.U. values. Increases in body weight were directly proportional to calorie intake per kg0.73 body weight. Even under conditions of marked caloric restriction, only 70–75% of the ingested protein was used for energy purposes, the rest evidently being used in essential anabolic activities. Studies on carcass composition showed that animals on restricted calorie intakes tried to adapt through shifts in metabolism, and utilized fat in preference to protein for caloric requirements. RNA metabolism in liver and muscle was influenced by energy and protein intakes.When the percentage of calories from protein remained constant, N.P.U. values were not markedly altered until the calorie intake reached the maintenance energy requirement of 150 kcal per kg0.73 body weight. Below this point, N.P.U. values dropped sharply, the rate of decrease being greater for proteins of higher nutritive value. Differences in the nutritive value of proteins, as shown by their ability to satisfy protein requirements in protein-depleted rats, still existed even at restricted intakes of calories.

AN ADJUSTABLE RESISTANCE WITH LINEAR RESPONSE TO AIR FLOW FOR RESPIRATION EXPERIMENTS

A. simple easily adjustable linear response resistance apparatus is described. The resistance unit contains a glass filter cloth, the effective area of which is adjusted by a mercury column. The resistance of the unit can be adjusted from 0.1 to 1.0 millimeters of water per liter of air flow per minute. The resistance can be easily increased or decreased during the progress of an experiment. The mercury hazard during inspiration was evaluated and not found significant for experiments of one hour.