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Biomedical subjects

M Gebre-Medhin

Publications and source records attributed to M Gebre-Medhin.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Observations on intrauterine growth in urban Ethiopia.

A total of 3144 deliveries comprising a wide range of socio-economic groups in Addis Abeba were investigated. A positive correlation was found between family income and birth weight, with a difference of nearly 500 g between the extremes of socio-economic classes. A seasonal variation in mean birth weight was also observed. The mean length of gestation was 7.4 days shorter, and the anthropometric measures at birth were significantly lower in the Ethiopian infants as compared with the Swedish norm. The median weight and length development in relation to gestational age in the Ethiopian newborns was similar to the Swedish standard up to approximately 34--35 weeks of gestation. After that time there was very little further intrauterine growth in Ethiopian infants. The possible reasons for the observed pattern of growth are discussed.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1978

Subclinical protein-energy malnutrition in under-privileged Ethiopian mothers and their newborn infants.

An increased glycine/valine ratio in the maternal and cord vein plasma was observed in under-privileged women and their newborn babies in Ethiopia. There was a delay in the decrease of branch-chained amino acids during the immediate neonatal period. These findings indicate malnutrition in utero and are identical with those of a previous study in an under-privileged group in Pakistan. A reduced cord/maternal ratio of tyrosine and methionine was found in the Ethiopian material, indicating placental dysfunction of unknown origin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Nitrogen and protein components of human milk.

The true protein content of human milk is 0.9%, in well-nourished as well as malnourished mothers. Casein constitutes only about 20% of the protein nitrogen in human milk. The remaining 80% is derived from the whey proteins, the three dominant components being alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin and secretory IgA. alpha-lactalbumin is a subunit of lactose synthetase. Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein which plays a role in the defence against gastro-intestinal infections and is probably also involved in iron transport in the gut. Secretory IgA is comparatively stable at low pH; it is resistant to proteolytic enzymes and plays an essential role in the immunological defence against gastro-intestinal infections. Lysozyme is a minor component of the whey proteins and represents an active enzyme with a bactericidal effect. The nutritional and immunological significance of the marked differences with respect to the nitrogen and protein compositions of human milk and cow's milk should not be underestimated, but need further elucidation.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Breast milk composition in Ethiopian and Swedish mothers. III. Amino acids and other nitrogenous substances.

The content of amino acids and other nitrogenous substances was determined in milk samples from Ethiopian and Swedish mothers. The Ethiopian mothers were divided into two groups, one with children having low weight for age and one with children having standard weight for age. All children were in the age range 2 to 5 months, and there were eight in each group. The main findings were as follows: 1) The mean daily milk volumes and total daily nitrogen content in the milk were found to be similar in all three groups. The Swedish group had a significantly lower nitrogen content per milliliter than did the Ethiopian group with low weight for age. 2) The total amino acid composition of the milk was almost identical in the three groups studied except for the tyrosine value, which was significantly lower in the Ethiopian standard group than in the low weight for age group. The composition corresponded well with previous findings. 3) The protein fraction constituted 90 to 92% of the total amino acids, the peptide fraction 4 to 5%, and the free amino acids 5%. 4) The concentrations of free amino acids in milk were lower (2 to 6 times) than in plasma, except for glutamic and aspartic acid. The taurine concentration was much higher in milk than in plasma. Only the urea levels in milk and plasma were significantly correlated. The implications of these findings in child health are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Breast milk composition in Ethiopian and Swedish mothers. IV. Milk lipases.

The (potential) activities of the two lipases in human milk were determined in breast milk samples collected from Ethiopian and Swedish mothers. The major lipase in human milk is dependent on bile salts for activity and probably participates in intestinal digestion of milk lipids in the newborn. The level of this lipase in the milk did not change with time after parturition, but differed between the groups so that it was higher in the privileged Ethopian mothers than in the nonprivileged Ethiopian mothers, who in turn had a higher level than the Swedish mothers. The other lipase is a serum-stimulated lipase (lipoprotein lipase). The level of this lipase varied between samples from different mothers as well as between different samples from the same mother. It tended to be lower in samples obtained at 4 to 5 days after parturition (Swedish mothers) than in later samples. There were in this case no significant differences between nonprivileged and privileged Ethiopian mothers or between them and Swedish mothers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Breast milk composition in Ethiopian and Swedish mothers. II. Lactose, nitrogen, and protein contents.

Breast milk from underprivileged and privileged Ethiopian mothers was collected at different stages of lactation and analyzed for total nitrogen, nonprotein nitrogen, lactose, and individual milk proteins (lactoferrin, alpha-lactalbumin, serum albumin, IgG and IgM). These values and the milk volume of one meal were compared to corresponding results from well-nourished Swedish mothers. No significant differences between the levels of these constituents or the milk volumes were found between the two groups of Ethiopian mothers. When comparison was made between breast milk from these two Ethiopian groups and the Swedish group, the former two showed significantly higher values for the iron-binding protein lactoferrin.

Ethiopia↗
PubMed1976

Breast milk composition in Ethiopian and Swedish mothers. I. Vitamin A and beta-carotene.

The vitamin A and beta-carotene contents of breast milk were determined at different stages of lactation in three population groups: nonprivileged Ethiopian, privileged Ethiopian, and Swedish mothers. In addition, a fractionation of vitamin A giving the proportion of retinol was performed. The concentrations of retinol-binding protein (RBP) and (in part of the material) beta-carotene and prealbumin in plasma were also measured. The mean concentrations of vitamin A and beta-carotene in the milk from the Swedish mothers (period 0.5 to 6.5 months) were in the range of 40.0 to 53.1 and 16.3 to 20.8 mug/100 ml, respectively. For the privileged Ethiopian mothers (period 0.5 to 3.5 months) the corresponding ranges were 36.2 to 36.4 and 26.2 to 28.1 mug/100 ml and for the nonprivileged Ethiopian mothers (period 0.5 to 6.5 months) 28.1 to 33.1 and 23.9 to 25.6 mug/100 ml. Only the nonprivileged Ethiopian mothers were examined during a later stage of lactation (6.5 to 11.5 and 11.5 to 23.5 months). The concentrations of vitamin A and beta-carotene in their milk showed a downward trend. The proportion of retinyl ester (percentage of total vitamin A content) was significantly higher in the milk of Swedish mothers than in privileged and nonprivileged Ethiopian mothers. In the Swedish mothers retinol constituted 3.5% of the total vitamin A content of the milk; in Ethiopian mothers it was 15 to 30%. Determination of RBP in plasma showed normal values for Swedish mothers and lowered values for Ethiopian mothers--particularly the nonprivileged, in whom 14 of 81 values were below 20 mug/ml. RBP was demonstrated in colostrum, but only in a low concentration (in the order of 5 mug/ml).

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Rarity of anaemia of pregnancy in Ethiopia.

Hb and PCV values were studied in three groups of Addis Ababa women during their last month of pregnancy and compared with those in a control group of non-pregnant Addis Ababa women. Irrespective of socio-economic group and parity, the Hb and PCV values were almost identical in all four groups. In one of the three test groups, a group of 'non-privileged' multiparae, S-iron, S-transferrin (TIBC), S-folate and S-vitamin B12 were also examined and showed normal values. These findings indicate a rarity not only of true anaemia but also of 'physiological anaemia of pregnancy'. This latter may not, therefore, be an adaptive phenomenon of regular occurrence as has usually been assumed hitherto. The explanation for the aberrant haematological behavior in pregnant women living in highland Ethiopia is probably the lifelong exposure to a very high iron intake combined with hypoxia due to the high altitude.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Dietary intake in the third trimester of pregnancy and birth weight of offspring among nonprivileged and priviledged women.

The dietary intake during the third trimester of pregnancy among 20 nonprivileged and 10 privileged primigravidae in Addis Ababa was studied in a 2 day weighting inventory survey. With the exception of iron and thiamin, the nonprivileged group consumed a diet that was deficient in all nutrients, with an average daily protein and energy intake below 60% of the FAO/WHO Recommendations. The privileged group was found to meet the recommendations for all nutrients except for calcium and riboflavin. Infants born to the nonprivileged women had significantly lower mean birth weight when compared with the infants born to the privileged women.

Adolescent↗