Breastfeeding by Aboriginal mothers in Perth

Objective: To document the breastfeeding practices of Aboriginal mothers delivering in Perth. Design and methods: A cohort of mothers was followed from the time of delivery for six months to obtain details of infant feeding practices. Subjects: A total of 455 mothers delivered during the study period and were asked to participate. A total of 425 mothers completed the initial questionnaire. Setting: The study was undertaken in six public hospitals in Perth, Western Australia. Data analyses: The data were analysed using spss . Breastfeeding duration was calculated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Main outcome measures: Breastfeeding initiation and duration. Results: The mean age of the Aboriginal mothers was 21.8 years (range 14–39 years, SD 5.32) and the average gestational age was 38.3 weeks. Almost 50% of the mothers in the study delivered by Caesarean section. At discharge from hospital 89.4% (CI 86.6–92.1) of mothers were breastfeeding, declining to 58.8% (CI 53.5–64.1) at six months. When compared with non‐Aboriginal mothers, the Aboriginal breastfeeding rates were higher than the non‐Aboriginal average breastfeeding rates, but lower than the highest socioeconomic group. Conclusions: The breastfeeding rates of Aboriginal mothers are higher than for other Australians. This is despite the low maternal age and level of education and the high rates of low‐birth‐weight infants and Caesarean section among this population. The World Health Organization recommendation for infant feeding is exclusive breastfeeding until six months, but less than one‐third of Aboriginal mothers achieved this recommendation.     

Disease variations in Asians in Leicester

The epidemiological study of ethnic groups provides valuableinformation for physicians in a number of ways. First, it assistsin the diagnostic approach in individual patients, especiallyfor doctors unfamiliar with patients of a particular ethnicbackground. Second, it provides population data to assist inhealth care planning and provision for the present and futurein districts where ethnic minorities are resident in significantnumbers. Third, it may provide pointers for the study of pathogenicmechanisms. Fourth, changing epidemiology in migrant ethnicminorities may help to distinguish the degree of influence ofgenetic and environmental pathogenic factors. These studiesare particularly valuable when minority populations are of asize which allows meaningful data to be collected on uncommonconditions. Furthermore the contrasts between migrant and indigenouspopulations are most clearly seen if migration has occurredover a restricted period. For these and other reasons the studyof the migrant population from the Indian subcontinent (definedas India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) which has settled in Leicestersince the mid-1960s has proved particularly rewarding. Thisreport summarizes the distinctive epidemiological features ofthese people now living in Leicester.     

Meningeal Macrophages Reflect Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Pathogenic Phenotypes

Intracerebral (i.c.) infection of adult mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus can result in acute lethal central nervous system (CNS) disease which is the result of the host's thymus-derived lymphocyte (T cell) response against the virus. Whether the specific effector function of the T cell is that of a cytotoxic cell (Tc) or a delayed-type hypersensitivity cell (Td) is still under debate. We assumed that if Td cells were important in pathogenesis then accessory cells in the brain (specifically, glass-adherent macrophages) might vary with the outcome of i.c. infection. We found that accumulation of macrophages in the brain (washed from meninges and skull cap) appeared to be independent of the severity of the infection (controlled by the mouse strain as well as the strain and dose of virus used). However, differentiation of macrophages was clearly linked to whether or not the infection caused rapid death. In mice that were destined to survive, macrophages became large, extensively vacuolated, and phagocytically active. In lethally-infected mice macrophages were small and had poor phagocytic abilities. At present this dichotomy could be viewed as either a cause or a consequence of disease outcome. However, the data are not inconsistent with the hypothesis that Td lymphocytes may be of primary importance in pathogenesis.     

Role of pepsin in the development of indomethacin-induced antral ulceration in the rat

Aims: To examine the effects of a pepsin inhibitor, pepstatin-A, a long acting H₂-receptor blocker, loxtidine, exogenous pepsin and exogenous acid against indomethacin-induced antral ulceration in the rat. Results: Indomethacin (60 mg/kg s.c.) caused antral ulceration in fasted/re-fed rats over a period of 4 h. Ulceration was prevented in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with pepstatin-A (0.1–1 mg.kg hourly) or loxtidine (3 mg/kg) given orally. Acidified methylcellulose (1 mL hourly per os) enhanced damage and also prevented protection by loxtidine (3 mg/kg per os). The protection by pepstatin-A was not altered by treatment with acidified methylcellulose but was reversed by treatment with a 10-fold excess of pepsin. Conclusion: These studies suggest that mucosal degradation by pepsin, rather than direct damage by luminal acid, was the major factor in the development of indomethacin-induced antral ulceration in the rat.