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Biomedical subjects

A Ferro-Luzzi

Publications and source records attributed to A Ferro-Luzzi.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Pilot epidemiological studies in thrombosis.

Some differences in the blood of farmers in Nurmijarvi, Finland, Canino, Italy, and Beltsville, Maryland in the United States apparently were associated with differences, among the areas, in the farmers' diets. Those associations suggested that diets that are high in saturated fats (Nurmijarvi) could predispose humans to develop intravascular disease. Such predisposition has been observed in experimental animals. Low levels of the parameters that are considered active in such predisposition apparently were associated with diets that were low in saturated fats (Canino) or with diets that were low in saturated and high in unsaturated fats (Beltsville). Within the limits of the experimental design, the data from the three population groups indicated that a more comprehensive study might establish a relation between diet and intravascular disease in humans.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Effect of altitude on dietary-induced thermogenesis at rest and during light exercise in man.

Measurements of metabolic rate and the thermic response (specific dynamic action) of a 400-kcal liquid meal were made in six subjects at rest and during light exercise. The tests were conducted before (LA1) and after (LA2) a 3-wk sojourn (HA1, HA2, HA3) at 3,650 m on the Monte Rosa. Fasting metabolic rate at rest increased inittally and then fell, as did fasting and fed exercising metabolic rates. The fall in metabolic rates, but not the initial increases, can be ascribed to the change in body weight. Resting thermic responses at altitude were only slightly lower than normal, although peak values were significantly depressed at HA2 (P less than 0.05). The mean exercising thermic response was also significantly lower at HA2 (P less than 0.05) but recovered in HA3 and LA2. In the time taken for thermic responses to decrease and recover there were interindividual differences that were best explained by the previous altitude experience of the subjects. The possibility of a cardiovascular shift during hypoxic exercise causing depression of postprandial metabolism is discussed.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1975

Food intake, its relationship to body weight and age, and its apparent nutritional adequacy in New Guinean children.

Previous nutritional investigations in New Guinea have shown low intakes of protein and of energy yet the nutritional status of children and their ability to thrive have been regarded as better than could be expected. To investigate this apparent paradox, the dietary intakes of 482 New Guinean children, aged 1-18 years, living in two contrasting environments near the coast (Kaul) and in a highland region (Lufa) were determined by a weighed individual inventory method over 5-7 consecutive days. Body weights and skinfold thicknesses were lower than those of European children of comparable ages. These findings are to be reported and discussed more fully in a separate publication. Roots and tubers provided most of the energy and protein in the bulky, vegetable diets. The contribution of foods bought in local trade stores was higher than has previously been reported. Fat intakes were low, supplying 17% of the dietary energy in Kaul and 10% in Lufa. Protein intakes were similarly low, representing only 6% of dietary energy. The chemical scores of the protein calculated using the latest suggested amino acid scoring pattern (FAO/WHO, 1973) were high, 75-95. Using the previous pattern, these were 57-64. The adequacy of the energy and protein contents of individual diets was assessed using the FAO/WHO (1973) standards. An energy deficit was more common than a protein deficit. A considerable proportion of the children (42% in Kaul and 20% in Lufa) had dietary intakes which were apparently deficient in energy or protein, but this finding did not correspond to other signs of undernutrition. This suggests that current standards may still be set too high for some groups or that adaptations to suboptimal dietary intakes occur that are not disclosed by the usual techniques of assessing nutritional status.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Malnutrition and the immune response. 1. Malnutrition in the community: recent concepts.

Anthropometric indicators have long been used to define the nutritional status of children although anthropometric studies of adult nutritional status have been accorded low priority. As a result, the nutritional status of a community is largely based on estimates of childhood undernutrition alone. The prevalence of adult undernutrition is also variably estimated since objective measures of adult undernutrition are not applied. Body mass index may provide an ideal method for filling this gap since this simple anthropometric index well reflects the physiological, social and economic consequences of adult undernutrition in a community. It also enables assessment of the impact of intervention strategies aimed at developmental or public health outcomes in population groups world-wide.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bone turnover in malnourished children.

Pyridinoline (PYD) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) are cross-linking aminoacids of collagen that are located mainly in bone and cartilage. When bone matrix is resorbed these cross-links are quantitatively excreted in the urine and therefore represent specific markers. We have measured the urinary excretion rate of PYD and DPD in 46 severely malnourished boys to assess their skeletal turnover and to relate this to their subsequent rate of growth. The children were aged 13 months (SD 6), and height-for-age was -3.6 (1.6) Z-score, and weight-for-height was -2.4 (0.8) Z-score. PYD excretion when malnourished and after "recovery" was 11.2 (4.6) nmol h-1m-2 and 32.2 (10.8) nmol h-1m-2 and DPD excretion was 2.6 (1.3) nmol h-1m-2 and 7.5 (3.0) nmol h-1m-2, respectively. The ratio of the two cross-links did not change with recovery. These data show that cartilage and bone turnover is much lower in the malnourished than in the recovered child. There was no difference in the degree of depression of turnover between the children with marasmus, marasmic-kwashiorkor, or kwashiorkor. The rate of height gain during recovery was significantly related to cross-link excretion, age, and weight-for-height on admission. These three factors accounted for 44% of the variance in the height velocity of the children. PYD and DPD excretion rate could be used to assess therapeutic interventions designed to alleviate stunting.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The body composition of New Guinean adults in contrasting environments.

Anthropometric and body density measurements were made on 105 coastal and 115 highland 17-48 year old New Guinean men and women. The two groups experienced different physical, biological and social environments, the highland group being less exposed to new influences. These New Guineans were short in stature (men 1.61 SD 0.05 m, women 1.52 SD 0.05 m), light in weight (men 57.4 SD 5.0 kg, women 49.4 SD 5.4 kg), lean (men 10 SD 4% fat, women 21 SD 4% fat) and muscular compared with most European populations. Highland men had greater body weights and fat-free masses than coastal men but stature, body density, skinfold thickness and fat mass were similar in the two groups. In the women, there were significant negative correlations of age with body weight, skinfold thicknesses, fat-free mass and fat mass which contrasts with the changes seen in European populations. The correlations of body density with log sigma four skinfolds were low, probably because of the homogeneity of the groups. Body density was reliably estimated in women but not in older men from equations drawn up from samples of Europeans.

Adolescent↗