Total nitrogen and electrolyte levels in colostrum and transition human milk.

The objective of this research was to study the composition of human milk in terms of protein levels and levels of the electrolytes sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and chloride in colostrum 48-72 hours post-partum, and in the transition milk (96 +/- 9 hours, 120 +/- 9 hours and 144 +/- 9 hours post-partum) of mothers who had fullterm and pre-term deliveries. The mothers were kept in the hospital with the objective to control a few important lactation parameters such as exercising or resting conditions, sleep, nutrition and suckling stimulation. Only low socioeconomic level mothers took part in the study. The initial period of lactation was studied because this is the time when secretion suffers rapid changes, going from colostrum to transition milk, and then to mature milk. The results observed for the different times and for the two groups were compared both within and between groups. No significant differences were obtained for any of the comparisons, except for transitory oscillations in potassium, calcium, chloride and phosphorus levels observed within groups. In general, it can be said that there was no variation between colostrum and transition milk for the mothers who delivered at full term or pre-term. No differences were found either when the groups were compared at the different times post-partum. This means that, under the conditions used in this study, milk did not vary as its type naturally changed (from colostrum to transition milk) for the two groups and that the levels of the constituents studied also remained unchanged when studied as a function of full-term or pre-term delivery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mortalidade geral, mortalidade infantil e pre-escolar em Pradopolis. / General mortality, infant and preschool mortality in Pradopolis

E analisada a mortalidade infantil e pre-escolar e suas causas na cidade de Pradopolis, S.P., atraves de dados colhidos nos Cartorios de Registro Civil das cidades de Pradopolis, Guariba, Sertaozinho, Jaboticabal e Ribeirao Preto nos anos de 1977 a 1981. Os niveis baixos da mortalidade infantil registrados em 1977, 1978 e 1980, respectivamente, 15,31%, 16,39%, 12,00% e os aumentos nos anos de 1979 e 1981, respectivamente, 36,69% e 23,35% sao analisados com base na causa mortis. A mortalidade pre-escolar foi nula em todo o periodo de estudo. Ha consideracoes sobre o nivel socio-economico e a assistencia medico-social que a referida populacao recebe

Pubertal maturation of the lh stimulatory response to clomiphene citrate in congenital virilizing adrenal hyperplasia.

To determine the LH release response to clomiphene citrate in children with virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), we examined six patients with glucocorticoid-treated virilizing CAH, five girls and one boy, chonological age (CA) 4 years 2 months-15 years 9 months and bone age (BA) range 8-18 years. All the patients but one, were treated with nocturnal dexamethasone. Their ages at the onset of treatment ranged from 2 years 6 months to 13 years 8 months. An additional boy (CA = 4 years 3 months and BA = 7-8 years) was studied 10 days after removal of a virilizing adrenal adenoma. Clomiphene citrate (3mg/kg/day) was administered orally in two doses/day for 8 days. Venous blood was collected on days 0, 4, 6 and 8. Two patients were also studied in consecutive years. In three patients no increase was noted over the basal levels of LH, but in the others LH rose during clomiphene administration. In two patients studied in consecutive years, there was detectable shift of LH release pattern. The basal LH levels and the sum of responses (day 4, 6 and 8) to clomiphene citrate and particularly their decimal logarithms were statistically significantly correlated with their respective BA. These results confirm that previous prolonged exposure to elevated concentrations of adrenal sex steroids, in children with treated virilizing CAH, may induce precocious maturation of the hypothalamic pubertal mechanism of LH secretion. This maturation was closely correlated with the degree of skeletal maturation.