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Biomedical subjects

E Morales

Publications and source records attributed to E Morales.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

The nutritional value of oat flour for very young children.

Whole groat flour was consumed by nine infants and young children as 22.5, 45, or 67% of total diet energy (one half of 6.4%, all of 6.4%, or all of 9.6% protein energy). Isonitrogenous and isoenergetic casein control diets were given. Apparent absorption of oat nitrogen (N) was consistently around 75% of intake (casein, 87%), but absorptions of oat energy, carbohydrate, and fat, as percentages of intake, decreased disproportionately as oat flour intake was doubled and then tripled. Apparent retentions were 39 +/- 5% of mixed oat-casein protein intake in the 22.5% diet, the preceding and following casein controls being 38 +/- 8% (NS) and 44.4% (p less than 0.05) of the intakes; 32 +/- 6% from oats in the 45% diet, controls 38 +/- 5 and 46 +/- 5% (both p less than 0.05), and 33 +/- 11% from oats in the 67% diet, controls, 36 +/- 9% (NS). Fasting plasma free total essential amino acid (TEAA) levels of children consuming 45% oats were low (562 +/- 119 mumol of TEAA/L) and did not change significantly after meals. Fasting molar proportions of individual essentials (millimoles of EAA per mole of TEAA) were similar to those from milk protein diets and did not vary significantly 3 and 4 h after feeding, suggesting that no individual amino acid, but rather protein digestibility, was first limiting to N retention. Oats are a satisfactory source of energy, protein, and fat for very young children and many infants.

Amino Acids, Essential↗
PubMed1990

[11q distal trisomy due to a familial 11;18 translocation].

A seven-month-old boy with a distal trisomy 11q resulting from a maternal t(11;18)(q23;p11) is described. His main clinical features were microbrachycephaly, long philtrum, retracted lower lip, short neck, cardiac septal defect, and psychomotor retardation. It is concluded that the phenotype of the trisomy 11q is independent of the size of the duplication whenever the segment 11q23----qter is involved.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1990

Quality-protein maize as the sole source of dietary protein and fat for rapidly growing young children.

Earlier studies demonstrated that quality protein maize (QPM), with increased lysine and tryptophan and decreased leucine contents, was more digestible and supported 45% greater nitrogen retention than common maize. Ten recovering malnourished children (ages 13 to 29 months, height-ages 5 to 15 months, weight-ages 3 to 11 months) have now received 90% of their diet energy and 100% of protein and fat from QPM. Energy intake was adjusted to allow them to reach the 50th centile of weight-for-length (according to the National Center for Health Statistics) in 90 days (two completed 60 days only). Growth was compared with that of 10 children receiving modified cow's milk formula (CMF). Energy intakes (QPM 110 +/- 15, CMF 106 +/- 12, corrected for absorption to 94 and 97 kcal/kg.d), crude energy costs of gain (43 +/- 9 and 40 +/- 10, corrected to 37 and 37 kcal/g), linear growth (1.23 +/- 0.24 and 1.33 +/- 0.26 cm/mo), gains in height-age (3.1 +/- 0.7 and 3.3 +/- 1.2 mo), weight gain (2.6 +/- 0.6 and 2.6 +/- 0.8 g/kg.d), and final sums of fat folds (24.3 +/- 3.5 and 27.2 +/- 2.9 mm) were not different. Gains in weight-age were greater (7.5 +/- 2.3 vs 5.4 +/- 1.6 months, P less than .05) and serum albumin decreased (4.10 +/- 0.24 to 3.77 +/- 0.31 g/dL, P less than .01) during QPM feeding. Plasma-free total essential amino acids and ratio of these to total essential amino acids were less after QPM than after CMF diets. Equal growth rates with QPM and CMF diets offer great potential for developing- and developed-country children.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Post-prandial plasma aminograms in the assessment of protein quality for young children: maize and grain amaranth, alone and combined.

Post-prandial (p.p.) changes in plasma free amino acid (AA) concentrations of children consuming a single source of protein at critical levels are determined by its digestibility and total essential AA/total AA ratios; the molar proportion of the limiting EAA (EAA/TEAA), if any, will fall significantly in plasma as it is utilized more completely than others. Grain amaranths (Am), reputedly rich in lysine (Lys) and tryptophan (Trp), but moderately deficient in leucine (Leu), should be ideal complements to Lys and Trp-poor, Leu-rich maize (M). Most animal studies confirm this. In children, 20, 30 and even 50 per cent replacement of M proteins with toasted Am proteins had failed to show any gains over M or Am alone: heat losses of Lys were suspected. Plasma obtained during the above studies, before and 3 h and 4 h after the first meal of the last day of consuming Am alone, three M-toasted Am mixtures, or M alone, were analysed for free AAs. Toasted, popped or flaked Am consumption caused significant p.p. falls in molar proportions of Leu from 99 to 85, 88 to 82, and 92 to 75, and of threonine (Thr) from 118 to 108 (popped) and 109 to 97 (flaked) mmol/mol TEAA, suggesting that these were first- and second-limiting EAAs. Post-prandial fall in Lys proportion was questionably significant. The M diet produced highly significant 3-h Leu elevation from 132 to 187, Lys fall from 167 to 135, and Trp fall from 62 to 46 mmol/mol TEAA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1989

Quality protein maize: digestibility and utilization by recovering malnourished infants.

The opaque-2 gene was shown years ago to increase the nitrogen, lysine, and tryptophan contents of maize and to markedly increase its nutritional value for small children. Concerns about decreased yield, resistance, and acceptability discouraged further development of the gene. Quality protein maize, while retaining the opaque-2 characteristics, has overcome those constraints. Six recovering malnourished infants received diets in which all of the 6.4% protein energy was supplied by casein, quality protein maize, or common maize. The quality protein maize supplied 60% and common maize 75% of total energy. Vegetable oil was added to increase fat contents to 10% of total energy in all diets. Energy digestibility was less (87% and 84%) from quality protein maize and common maize than from casein diets (94%); most of the difference was due to carbohydrate digestibility. Apparent N absorptions from quality protein maize (70 +/- 5%) and common maize (69% +/- 7%) were much lower (P less than .01) than from casein (82% +/- 4%). Apparent retention of N from quality protein maize (34 +/- 4%) was less (P less than .01) than from casein (41% +/- 9%) but greater (P less than .01) than from common maize (22% +/- 10%). Breath hydrogen excretions were usually greater during quality protein maize consumption than during casein diets but not nearly as much as those during common maize diets. The nutritional advantages of quality protein maize v common maize are of a magnitude that must be exploited for the advantage of children in maize-consuming poor countries.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed1988

Nutritional value for young children of grain amaranth and maize-amaranth mixtures: effect of processing.

Amaranthus caudatus L. toasted flour, popped grain and flakes were each fed to nine young children as the source of all diet protein and fat and 50% of diet energy, preceded and followed by casein control diets. All provided 6.4-6.7% of energy as protein and 9.3-10.1% as fat. Balances were carried out during the last 6 d of the three 9-d amaranth periods and during the four control periods. Fecal wet and dry weights during amaranth diets were 129-157% of those during casein control diets; fecal energy, fat and carbohydrate from the toasted flour periods were 193, 268 and 256%; from the popped grain 253, 586 and 195%; and from the flakes 225, 356 and 255% of those during casein diets. Apparent N absorptions were 84.1-84.6% of the casein values (P less than 0.001); apparent retentions from toasted, popped and flaked amaranth were 70.9, 65.9 and 59.0% of casein (P less than 0.001). The last of these was significantly lower than the first (P less than 0.05). Fecal fat was much higher (P less than 0.001) from the popped than from the flaked grain and the toasted flour. Toasted flour was then added to maize meal so that amaranth provided 20 or 30% of the protein. Seven young children received diets in which 6.4% of total energy came from one of the above mixes, or from casein, as protein. Soya-cottonseed oils completed 25% lipid energy in all three diets; balance of energy was from sucrose in the experimental diets and from sucrose, corn syrup solids and cornstarch in the casein diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amaranthus↗
PubMed1988

Effects of cassava variety and processing on energy and protein digestibility and utilization by young children.

Two varieties of cassava, processed as Nigerian fermented flour (gari) or as Brazilian flour (farinha), were fed to two groups of eight infants and young children, each group receiving both forms of one variety, with preceding, intervening and following casein control diets. The flours provided 50% of diet energy, with casein added to make 8% energy as protein, vegetable oils to make 20% as fat and corn syrup solids and sugar to make 72% carbohydrate (CHO) energy. Fecal wet weight increased (P less than 0.05) from approximately 100 g/d (casein diets) to means (+/- SD) of 202 +/- 72, 171 +/- 58, 154 +/- 46 and 190 +/- 67 g/d; dry weights from means of 14.7-18.3 g/d to means of 22.9-24.4 g/d (P less than 0.05); fecal energy from means of 50-60 kcal/d to means of 89-94 kcal/d (P less than 0.01); fetal fat was generally not affected; and fecal CHO nearly tripled (P less than 0.01) from approximately 4 to 12 g/d. Apparent nitrogen absorptions and retentions from the cassava + casein diets were modestly lower than from casein diets. Rates of weight gain were very variable and not significantly different by diet; serum albumin levels were essentially unchanged. The results with these flours were indistinguishable from each other and from those previously found with freeze-dried cassava flour in otherwise identical diets. Variety and processing method had no effect on the digestibility of cassava starch and oligosaccharides and on the great resistance to digestion and the water-holding capacity of cassava fiber.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1988

Evaluation of the throat culture as a follow-up for an initially negative enzyme immunosorbent assay rapid streptococcal antigen detection test.

In a study of the efficacy of following up an initially negative enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) rapid streptococcal antigen detection test with a throat culture, 2 double swabs (4 total) were obtained from 264 pediatric patients with sore throats. Although a throat culture was more specific (97%) than the EIA (89%), the sensitivity (87%) and negative predictive value (97%) of a single EIA was the same as that of a single throat culture. A follow-up throat culture was more accurate than a follow-up EIA. We conclude that the office EIA tested results in more false positives but misses no more true positives than a single throat culture processed by a well-controlled microbiology laboratory. If a follow-up technique is used for an initially negative EIA rapid streptococcal antigen detection test, the throat culture is the superior test and would be equally applicable following an initially negative throat culture or EIA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Role of the family in the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa].

Previous to the first family studies on schizophrenics, some authors had already called our attention on certain peculiarities to be found among anorexic families. Out of 35 families studied between 1970 and 1981, 20 were selected that met the following conditions (1) Proven diagnosis of primary A.N., (2) A complete family study with researchers making home-visits as 'participant observers', (3) At least, a 6-month psychotherapic treatment, (4) At least, one clinical treatment. The following feature among the total results (1) These are consistant, large families where, usually, daughters outnumber sons (three to one), (2) In almost all these families, one parent suffers from a chronic illness while the healthy one exerts a unilateral domination on all family members, (3) In almost all these families, a so-called 'family mystique' is likely to be discovered. This mystical ideology--already mentioned by other authors--always stresses up (a) An overvaluation of school, job, and intellectual achievements, (b). A total rejection of sex, and (c) A strong drive to 'climbing up' along the social ladder.

Anorexia Nervosa↗
PubMed1987

Neurotransmitters of the cerebellar glomeruli: uptake and release of labeled gamma-aminobutyric acid, glycine, serotonin and choline in a purified glomerulus fraction and in granular layer slices.

We have studied some properties of the uptake and release of labeled gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, serotonin and choline in a purified fraction of glomeruli and in slices of the granular layer of the rat cerebellum. The uptake of both GABA and glycine into the glomerulus particles was dependent on the presence of Na+ in the medium. In contrast, the uptake of both serotonin and choline was Na+-independent. In slices of the granular layer also a slight Na+-dependence was observed for both serotonin and choline uptake; imipramine and hemicholinium partially inhibited the uptake of serotonin and choline, respectively. Choline uptake into the glomerulus particles showed two components, with apparent Km values of 16.8 and 102 microM. GABA release was stimulated by K+-depolarization about 100% (peak stimulation) and this value was reduced to 50% when Ca2+ was omitted. The release of glycine was stimulated more rapidly and notably than GABA (200%) and this stimulation was completely abolished in the absence of Ca2+. Serotonin release from the glomerulus particles was only slightly stimulated by depolarization, but this stimulation was strictly Ca2+-dependent. In slices of the granular layer, this stimulation was considerably larger (about 40%) and it was also almost totally dependent on Ca2+. In contrast, after loading with labeled choline the release of radioactivity from both the glomerulus particles and the cerebellar slices was not stimulated at all by K+-depolarization, either in the presence or in the absence of Ca2+. Most of the radioactivity released spontaneously corresponded to choline, and only a small proportion (8-14%) to acetylcholine. From the results of the release experiments and taking into account the pertinent data from the literature, it is concluded that GABA and glycine are probably the transmitters of different populations of Golgi axon terminals, whereas serotonin might be the transmitter of at least a certain population of the mossy fiber giant terminals, in the rat cerebellar glomeruli. In contrast, acetylcholine does not seem to have any transmitter role in the synaptic structures of the glomeruli.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Digestibility of boiled and oven-dried cassava in infants and small children.

Boiled fresh cassava or oven-dried cassava flour provided 50% of the energy and less than 10% of the protein in diets of convalescent malnourished infants; casein was added to complete 8% of energy as protein, and vegetable oil (soybean-cottonseed) was added to make 20% of energy as fat. Despite high wet weights of feces (172 +/- 42 and 214 +/- 41 g/d), their dry weights (20 +/- 3 and 22 +/- 2 g/d) and their energy (6.9 +/- 0.7 and 7.6 +/- 0.5% of intake) and nitrogen (17 +/- 3 and 20 +/- 3% of intake) contents were low, and their fat content (4.4 +/- 1.3 and 5.2 +/- 1.2% of intake) was very low. Cassava is a surprisingly effective source of energy which interferes little or not at all with digestion of added protein and fat in weaning diets. For its safe use, it is important that home or industrial processing almost completely eliminate its potential hydrocyanic acid content, and that a good quality protein supplement be consumed regularly in nutritionally adequate amounts.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1987

Effect of amounts consumed on the digestion of cassava by young children.

To determine whether increasing proportions of cassava could be consumed and satisfactorily digested, eight recovering malnourished children (20-38 mo old) received 25, 50 and 75% of their diet energy as freeze-dried cassava flour during 9-d periods, with intervening casein control diets. Enough casein was added to all cassava diets to bring protein energy to 8% of the total. When compared to the control diet, the 25% diet had no significant effect on consumption time or measures of protein and energy digestion. With the 50% diet, fecal wet and dry weights were moderately higher than with the 25% diet (196 +/- 44 and 24 +/- 4 vs. 121 +/- 36 and 16 +/- 3 g/d, respectively), as were fecal energy (89 +/- 16 vs. 63 +/- 16 kcal/d) and calculated carbohydrate (11 +/- 2 vs. 5 +/- 1 g/d); apparent nitrogen absorption (mostly from casein) was slightly lower (79 +/- 5 vs. 83 +/- 6%) and consumption time slightly higher (5-25, median 10, vs. 4-18, median 6 min/feeding). When energy from cassava was increased to 75%, fecal weights (240 +/- 49 and 31 +/- 5 g/d), energy (124 +/- 27 kcal/d) and carbohydrate (16 +/- 4 g/d) were all higher than when cassava provided 50 or 25% of energy. Consumption required 8-34, median 17 min/feeding and apparent nitrogen absorption was 76 +/- 6% of intake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1986

Digestibility and utilization of protein and energy from Nasha, a traditional Sudanese fermented sorghum weaning food.

Whole grain sorghum flour was fermented into Nasha, a traditional Sudanese food, and freeze-dried or drum-dried. It was cooked and fed to convalescent malnourished infants and small children as 61% of total diet calories and all of 6.4% protein calories, with (Lys+) and without lysine supplementation to 3% of protein. Apparent absorptions of nitrogen were 73 +/- 5 and 74 +/- 6% of intake, significantly (P less than 0.01) less than those from preceding (Cas-1, 86 +/- 3%) and following (Cas-2, 85 +/- 3%) isonitrogenous casein diets. Apparent retentions of nitrogen from Nasha (26 +/- 10%) were significantly lower than those from Lys + (34 +/- 9%, P less than 0.05), Cas-1 (35 +/- 11%, P less than 0.01) or Cas-2 (49 +/- 9%, P less than 0.01). Retentions from Cas-2 were higher than those from Cas-1 or Lys + (P less than 0.01). Fecal wet and dry weights were higher (P less than 0.02) during both Nasha diets and Cas-2 than during Cas-1. Fecal energy and carbohydrate were significantly (P less than 0.01) higher from either Nasha diet than from either casein diet; fecal fat was not different. Two children received drum-dried Nasha without further cooking; digestibilities were not different from those of the cooked product but biological value was much lower. When properly cooked and consumed along with small amounts of a good source of lysine, Nasha is a satisfactory weaning food.

Absorption↗
PubMed1985

Mechanism of the calcium-dependent stimulation of transmitter release by 4-aminopyridine in synaptosomes.

The mechanism of the Ca2+-dependent stimulation of neurotransmitter release by 4-aminopyridine in synaptosomes was studied. The stimulation of gamma-[3H]aminobutyric acid and [3H]acetylcholine release by 4-aminopyridine was not significantly affected either by tetrodotoxin or by the absence of Na+ in the medium, whereas the toxin notably inhibited the release of both transmitters induced by veratridine. On the other hand, the release of labeled gamma-aminobutyric acid induced by 4-aminopyridine was inhibited by both La3+ and ruthenium red, two blockers of Ca2+ transport in synaptosomes. In other experiments, 4-aminopyridine had only a slight stimulatory effect, if any, on the influx of 45Ca2+ into synaptosomes, under both resting and K+-depolarizing conditions. Ruthenium red inhibited the stimulation by K+ of the 45Ca2+ uptake, and 4-aminopyridine did not antagonize this inhibition. We conclude that the transmitter-releasing action of 4-aminopyridine in synaptosomes does not involve an excitatory effect on the membrane which may result in the opening of voltage-sensitive Na+ channels. 4-Aminopyridine does not seem to act either by enhancing Ca2+ entry into the synaptosomes. It is proposed that 4-aminopyridine facilitates the coupling between Ca2+ binding and transmitter secretion at the presynaptic membrane.

4-Aminopyridine↗
PubMed1985

Binding of lanthanum ions and ruthenium red to synaptosomes and its effects on neurotransmitter release.

A technique for studying the binding of La3+ to synaptosomes in a double-beam spectrophotometer, using murexide as indicator, is described. The binding of La3+ was very rapid and Scatchard plots revealed two components, with KD values of 0.6 and 27 microM in a Na+-free medium (sucrose medium) and 2.3 and 63 microM in an ionic medium containing 135 mM Na+. The binding of the cationic dye ruthenium red (RuR) showed only one site, with a KD of 3.7 microM. La3+ binding was partially inhibited by RuR and vice versa, and La3+ was also capable of partially displacing RuR previously bound to the synaptosomes, particularly in the sucrose medium. The release of labeled gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) stimulated by K+ depolarization was inhibited by La3+ concentrations at or above 1 microM, in the ionic medium, whereas in the sucrose medium 2.5 microM or higher La3+ concentrations notably stimulated the spontaneous release of both GABA and glutamic acid. It is concluded that La3+ and RuR share at least one type of binding site, which is probably the high-affinity La3+ site. Since both La3+ and RuR at low concentrations have been shown to block the depolarization-induced Ca2+ entry in synaptosomes, this site might be related to the voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry involved in neurotransmitter release.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

[Anti-measles antibodies in the first 2 years of life].

In order to achieve a better understanding of the epidemiology of measles in Spain to foster vaccination policy in our country, we have conducted a serological survey of measles antibodies in children between birth and two years of life in the urban population of Madrid. Authors have established the rate at which maternal antibodies are lost in these children below 15 months of life. The results indicate that, in general maternal antibodies have already disappeared at 9 months. Vaccination can thus be indicated around this age.

Age Factors↗