The effects of feeding dietary wheat and Bengal gram proteins to pregnant rats on brain protein and glutamic acid metabolism in 15.. 17-and 19-day fetuses were investigated. Wheat and Bengal gram diets resulted in loss of brain weight with decreased DNA, RNA. protein. free Y amino N and deficits in the activities of brain glutamine synthetase, glutaminase I. glutaminase I1 and glutamate decarboxylase at all the gestational ayes studied without any change in glutamine transferase activity. The concentrations of the amino acids alanine, glutamic acid, glutamine and GABA were found to be significantly lower on wheat and Bengal gram diets than the control on a lo",, casein diet. The wheat with lysine and Bengal gram with methionine, cystine and tryptophan resulted in similar mean values of all the characteristics studied to the mean values observed in rats on the control diet. However, glutaminase I activity remained significantly IOU on lysine fortified wheat diet, and aspartic acid content was found to increase on both fortified and unfortified wheat and Bengal gram diets. A 2 0 , , casein diet showed increased brain weight, DNA, RNA. protein and free x amino N concentrations as compared with the lo",, casein diet, while the other parameters remained unchanged I309 * P < 0.05; t P < 0.01; S P < 0.001.The mean values observed on Diets 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were compared with those on Diet 1 at corresponding gestation The results are expressed as pmol/g of wet tissue. Values are mean & S.E.M. day for f test.

BACKGROUND Malnutrition is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age. Children with severe acute malnutrition have nine times higher mortality than those in well-nourished children. The purpose of this study was to describe the demography, clinical profile, and outcome of children with severe acute malnutrition aged between 6 months to 59 months admitted in nutrition rehabilitation centre at a tertiary care hospital in North East India. METHODS A cross sectional-observational hospital-based study was conducted between May 2019 and April 2020 on 140 children. Severe acute malnutrition was diagnosed as per WHO criteria by using standard techniques. Variables recorded were demographic factors, anthropometry, clinical profile, laboratory tests, and medical complications. The outcome indicators including hospital course were studied. RESULTS In the present study 63.6 % were males and the mean age of presentation was 20.0 ± 1.54 months. 57.1 % children were found to be having both weight for height z-score below – 3 SD and mid upper arm circumference less than 115 mm together. Acute gastroenteritis (45.2 %) was the most common co-morbid condition followed by respiratory tract infection (26.2 %). Iron deficiency anaemia was found in 70.7 % of study children. Recovery rate from severe acute malnutrition was 86.4 % with average weight gain of 6.4 g / kg / day. CONCLUSIONS Children with severe acute malnutrition tend to suffer from serious co-morbid conditions. Early identification and treatment in nutrition rehabilitation centre with facility for critical care support should become a key component of continuum of care for children with severe acute malnutrition. KEYWORDS Children, Clinical Profile, Facility-Based Care, Severe Acute Malnutrition, Outcome

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