The influence of Iraqi mothers' socioeconomic status on their milk-lipid content.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the lipid content and fatty acid (FA) composition, especially n(3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n(3) LCPUFAs) of mature breast-milk of Iraqi mothers and their relation to the socioeconomic status of the mothers. DESIGN: A collection of mature breast-milk of mothers with three different socioeconomic status (lactation period 5+/-1 month). SETTING: Mosul province (in the north of Iraq). SUBJECTS: Mature breast-milk samples were obtained from a group of 20- to 35-year-old mothers with different socioeconomic status: high urban (HU, n=25), low urban (LU, n=15) and typical suburban (SU, n=25). PROCEDURE: Mature-milk samples were collected from each lactating mother. The lipid components of each sample, namely triglycerides (TGs), cholesterol (C) and phospholipids (PLs) were determined enzymatically. After their separation and esterification, FAs were determined as FA methyl esters by capillary gas chromatography. RESULTS: The percentages of n(3) LCPUFAs were 0.48+/-0.025, 0.37+/-0.029 and 0.38+/-0.018% for HU, LU and SU mothers, respectively. The amount of TGs, the major component of milk lipid, was 5.64+/-0.24, 5.21+/-1.61 and 3.21+/-0.92 g/100 ml for HU, SU and LU mothers, respectively. The milk-lipid content varied with the socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: The socioeconomic status of lactating mothers affected the lipid content and FA composition, especially the level of n(3) LCPUFAs (the very important structural constituents of the retina, brain and other nervous tissues). Mature breast-milk for the studied groups was low in n(3) LCPUFAs compared with that of mothers from developed countries and that recommended by WHO for optimum infant nutrition. SPONSORSHIP: Supported by grants from Department of Chemistry, University of Mosul. The analysis of FA methyl ester samples was performed at the National Centre for Scientific Research, France.

Fatty-acid composition of the colostrum and serum of fullterm and preterm delivering Iraqi mothers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the lipid components of colostrum and the fatty-acid (FA) composition of the colostrum and serum of Iraqi mothers, whether their delivery be fullterm (FT) or preterm (PT). DESIGN: A collection of colostrum and serum samples of FT and PT delivering Iraqi mothers. SETTING: Mosul province (in the north of Iraq). SUBJECTS: Colostrum and blood samples were obtained from FT and PT delivering mothers; their gestation periods were 39.2 and 32.7 weeks, respectively (age 20-40 y). PROCEDURES: Colostrum and serum samples were collected from each lactating mother. The nursing period was 3-5 days. The lipid components of colostrum, namely triglycerides (TGs) and cholesterol (C), were determined enzymatically and the phospholipids (PLs) were determined by using a colorimetric method based on the formation of a phosphomolybdate complex. The FA composition of colostrum and serum was determined by capillary gas chromatography. RESULTS: Compared to PT colostrum, FT colostrum exhibited a significant increase in lipid content, viz. TGs (P=0.022); a significant decrease in medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), viz. C12 and C14 (P=0.03 and 0.005, respectively); no significant differences in monounsaturated fatty acids and a significant increase in C20:5 n3 and C22:6 n3 (P=0.001 and 0.05, respectively) and a slight increase in the level of n3/n6. The FA composition of the mother serum was found to mimic that of their colostrum, except for the level of MCFAs which was higher in the colostrum. CONCLUSIONS: The lipid content, the percentage of C22:6 n3 (the most important FA) and the level of n3/n6 in PT colostrum were lower than those in FT colostrum. They may be affected by serum lipid and immaturity of the mammary gland. Generally, the level of n3/n6 for both groups (0.09 and 0.08) is lower than that recommended by WHO (0.1) for infants' optimum nutrition. The difference in the level of MCFAs between the mother serum and colostrum reflects their de novo synthesis in the mammary gland. SPONSORSHIP: Supported by Grants from Department of Chemistry, College of Education, University of Mosul. The analysis of fatty acid-methyl ester samples was performed at the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France.

Sweat urea, uric acid and creatinine concentrations in uraemic patients.

Concentrations of creatinine, uric acid and urea were measured in the blood and urine of female patients at the final stage of renal disease and on a regular lifelong programme of haemodialysis. The samples were collected in winter-time and in summertime. The same analytes were also measured in sweat fluid at the time of collecting summer samples. The results showed insignificant physiological seasonal changes for creatinine and uric acid and that the concentration of these compounds in the sweat fluid was low. Urea concentration in the sweat fluid was found to be present at a much higher concentration than the serum level (reaching in some cases 50 times the serum level). The possibility of using thermal induction as an alternative to haemodialysis is suggested. The presence of urea in the sweat fluid at such a high level suggests a selective transport mechanism across the eccrine sweat gland to clear the blood of a high urea level.

Age dependent reference intervals of glucose, urea, protein, lactate and electrolytes in thermally induced sweat.

Concentrations of electrolytes, lactate, urea, glucose, total lipids and total protein were measured in sweat obtained by thermal stimulation of apparently healthy volunteers. Blood and urine samples were also collected. Electrolytes, urea and total protein were also measured in serum. The concentrations of electrolytes, glucose and urea in sweat increased with age, and this increase was more apparent in males, probably due to certain age-related changes in male sweat glands. The concentrations of lactate, total protein and total lipids in sweat, however, were not age-dependent. The concentration of total protein was higher in females than in males. The concentrations of all the other analytes were higher in males than in females of the same age group.

A new potent inhibitor of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase: p-methylbenzyl hydroperoxide.

A product of p-xylene auto-oxidation, p-methylbenzyl hydroperoxide, acts as a very strong reversible inhibitor of the ethanol dehydrogenating activity of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Concentrations of hydroperoxide as low as that of the enzyme active site (about 10(-8) mol.dm-3) in the assay depresses the activity by 50%. Somewhat less potent is benzyl hydroperoxide (derived from toluene) while the (secondary) hydroperoxide derived from ethylbenzene and tert.butyl hydroperoxide and cumyl hydroperoxide do not inhibit HLAD appreciably.

Alcohol dehydrogenase activity in the human tissues.

Total and specific alcohol dehydrogenase activity has been compared in homogenates of 19 different types of human tissues from different sources. ADH activities were detected in tissues which have not been tested yet, e.g., thyroid gland, adrenal gland, fat tissue, skin tissue, peritoneal membrane, breast tissue, duodenum, and gall bladder. Healthy and pathological human tissue differ in their ADH activity. The percentage of the total activity has been estimated in each tested organ in relation to the total activity of the whole body.

On the effects of ambilhar on mobilisation and biliary excretion of mercury.

The effect of administration of ambilhar to rats poisoned with mercury for two weeks were investigated. The results showed that administration of ambilhar to rats dosed with mercuric chloride, resulted in a significant increase in the faecal excretion of mercury. At the same time a significant decrease in the urinary output of the metal was found. Chelation of ambilhar with mercury to form a polar complex with a higher molecular weight could explain its biliary rather than its urinary excretion. The spectral studies of ambilhar and its two mercury complexes prepared in vitro support the possibility that stimulation of mercury excretion in bile results from the complexation of mercury by ambilhar in vivo.

Serum alcohol dehydrogenase activity in liver diseases.

The normal level of human serum alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) (ADH) activity which is not measurable by conventional methods was found to be within the range 0.07-0.56 U/1 when measured by a sensitive method based on a coenzyme recycling reaction. In different liver diseases the normal upper limit of serum ADH activity was found to be exceeded up to 70 times. Although ADH activity under pathological conditions usually parallels that of other enzymes, e.g., sorbitol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.14) (SDH) and alanine transaminase (EC 2.6.1.2) (ALT), its relative elevation above the upper normal limit is generally greater, particularly in the early stages of viral hepatitis. Observations on some patients also suggested that very early stages of liver damage, caused by drugs or secondary malignancy, could be detected by increases of serum ADH activity when the activities of some other liver specific enzymes were still within their normal values. A pilot experiment on rats, intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride, showed that serum ADH activity could reflect acute liver parenchymal damage more sensitively than SDH and ALT activity.