Background: A Survival rate in early preterm infants has increased over the last 30 years, but many of these infants have medical and developmental problems. Difficulty with feeding and poor nutrition complications are common, which contribute to their readmission and morbidity. Objective: To purpose of this study was to assess whether an oral motor stimulation intervention can decrease the time to achieve full oral feeding and shorten the length of hospitalization in preterm infants. Design and Methods: Seventy-five preterm infants born at 30 to ≤ 32 weeks gestational age were randomly assigned to three groups to assess intervention effects. Two groups received the intervention once per day with varying different intervention doses across time, while the control group received a sham intervention. Results:The time needed to reach full oral feeding was significantly different among groups (P <0.0001). Infants who received the intervention from initiation of tube feedings until full oral feeding (high dose) gained full oral feedings and were discharged from the hospital earlier than the low dose and control groups (P = 0.0001). Infants in the high dose group were discharged 6 days earlier than controls and 4 days earlier than the low dose group. Conclusion: Oral motor stimulation intervention accelerated the time to full oral feeding and decreased the length of hospital stay.

Background: Being born preterm presents numerous challenges for the preterm infant including neurodevelopmental immaturity, physiologic instability, and behavioral state disorganization. In this context, there are often challenges with the initiation and achievement of full oral feedings. Recognition and support of oral feeding readiness may accelerate feeding progression period and decrease length of hospital stay (LOS), thereby reducing healthcare costs. Supporting effective cue-based oral feeding through use of rigorous assessment or evidence-based care guidelines can optimize the hospital experience for infants and caregivers. Aims: This study aimed to assess premature infant's readiness level at the beginning of oral feeding. Identify factors that contributed to readiness in premature infants. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional design used in this study. Subjects: A convenience sample of 75 stable premature infants recruited from five neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Assuit city, Egypt. Infants' gestational age ranged from 30 to ≤ 32 weeks post menstrual age (PMA). Tools: Infant's readiness assessed directly after oral feeding was introduced by using Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment scale (NOMAS). Results: Majority of the premature infants showed feeding readiness behavior (74.7%) when they received their first oral feeding. No relationship between infants' gestational age at birth or weight and readiness behavior was observed. Conclusion: Most of infants had high level of readiness when oral feeding was initiated, correlation between infant's characteristics and readiness level were not significant. Recommendations: Encourage clinician to use standard measure as NOMAS to early assess readiness behavior of premature infants. And address NOMAS as a routine process in NICUs.

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Effect of nutrition with treated mung bean seeds on triglycerides and cholesterol fractions levels in Diabetic albino rats 1. INTRODUCTION: Mung bean (Vigna radiat]a (L.) Wilczec) introduced to Egypt by the Ministry of Agriculture in the last few years mung bean was an important summer legume crop in the Philippines, all Asia, India, Pakistan, USA and Iraq (Tulsiani and Pant 1968 (28) ; Shehata and Thannoun 1980 (26)). Li Zixing et al. (1981) (17) stated that mung bean powder (7.0%) was given to rabbits feed with a high fat ration for 2.5 months. The increase of serum total cholesterol (TC) and lipoprotein was less than with the control. Sharma (1987) (25) ; Kingman et al. (1993) (14) ; Zulet and Martinez (1995) (32) ; Zulet et al. (1999b) (33) showed that other legumes such as kidney beans, peas, chickpea and etc. have also shown hypocholesterolaemic properties. Foster Powell and Miller (1995) (10) and Anderson et al. (1999) (3) .reported that legumes (fenugreek, faba beans and mung beans) having low glycaemic indexes had been shown to have hypocholesterolaemic effects and contain phytochemicals that might act as chemopreventive agents. Lerer Metzger et al. (1996) (16) reported that replacing wheat starch with mung bean (570 g I Kg) in a mixed diet for 5 wk. resulted in a reduction in triacylglycerols and a decrease in dipocyto diameter in both normal and diabetic rats. Nishimura et al. (2000) (21) reported that dietary fiber prepared from crude mung bean sprouts was tested for its cholesterol lowering effects in rats. Following 21 day on a fiber enriched diet, a significant reduction in total plasma cholesterol levels was accompanied by an increase in total caecal short chain fatty acids. Zecharia and Aliza (2002) (31) outlined that feeding diabetic rats on mung bean starch reduced plasma triacylglycerol concentrations and adipocyte volume. ٦ Effect of nutrition with treated mung bean seeds on triglycerides and cholesterol fractions levels in Diabetic albino rats 2. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 2.1. Materials: 2.1.1. Source of samples: 50 kg of mung bean (vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) seeds of the Kawmy variety (2003-2004 Season) were obtained from Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Cairo. 2.1.2. Preparation of samples: 2.1.2.1. Soaking: Seeds were removed of broken, dust and other foreign materials then soaked in water for 12 h at 25°C. Seeds to water ratio was 1 : 5 (W IV). The unimbibed water was discarded. The soaked seeds were washed twice with ordinary water followed by rinsing with distilled water and then dried at 55°C for 30 h. 2.1.2.2. Germination: The presoaked seeds (12 h) were spread on wet filter paper in stainless steel baskets. The temperature of germinated seeds ranged from 20 to 23 °c during the 72 h of sprouting. Then germinated seeds were dried at 55°C for 30h. 2.1.2.3. Cooking: Both soaked (12 h) and germinated seeds (72 h) were rinsed in distilled water and put in a stainless steal pan. After adding distilled water 3: .1 seeds to water (W/V), the samples were boiled until soft, as felt between fing...